Philosophy Essay AdviceDr. Phillip Meadows

What Is A Philosophy Essay?

A philosophy essay should be an argument.

It is not:1. A statement.

2. A survey.

3. A historical description.

1. A statement is just an assertion of some view:My view is that utilitarianism is a bad ethical theory.

An argument must offer reasons for the view:My view is that utilitarianism is a bad ethical theory, because it places excessive demands on people’s behaviour.

What Is A Philosophy Essay?

2. A survey just reports on the various different views available:Jeremy Bentham thinks that all pleasures should count for the same, but other philosophers disagree with this, for example John Stewart Mill thinks that some pleasures should count for more than others.

An argument takes a stand on these views and then offers reasons for and against the views.

Jeremy Bentham thinks that all pleasures should count for the same, but other philosophers disagree with this, for example John Stewart Mill thinks that some pleasures should count for more than others. However, Mill’s position reflects the prejudices of the elite, which are themselves without justification. Without such justification, the distinction between higher and lower pleasures looks like an unmotivated attempt to maintain entrenched privileges.

What Is A Philosophy Essay?

A historical description concentrates on providing accurate and informative historical details:

Jeremy Bentham developed utilitarianism in the 19th century, in response to the dramatic changes in English society that occurred during the industrial revolution. It was received poorly at the time and was criticised by a number of prominent intellectuals, including Thomas Carlyle.

An argument concentrates on stating the ideas and offering reasons for or against them:

Utilitarianism is the doctrine that the ethically required action is the one which results in the maximum overall pleasure. It is thus explicitly consequentialist, in that it denies that actions have ethical value in and of themselves. My main argument is that this doctrine is compelling, because it provides a clear, unambiguous method of deciding which actions are ethically permissible, by contrast with competitor ethical theories.

What Is A Philosophy Essay?

Your essay should aim to do the following:Give examples which help explain the view, or which help to make the view more plausible.

Contrast the strengths and weaknesses of two opposing views about the view.

‘Positive’ ways to do this:Offer reasons to believe the view.

Defend the argument or view against someone else's criticism.

‘Negative’ ways to do this:Criticize that argument; or show that certain arguments for the view are no good.

Discuss what consequences the view would have, if it were true.

Offer counter-examples to the view.

What Is A Philosophy Essay?

A warning:You have to be explicit about the reasons you give.

Don’t assume that the person reading the essay understands you.Assume that the person reading is an intelligent, rebellious 12 year old.

Don’t assume that the person reading the essay agrees with you.Assume that the person reading disagrees with you on every point.

Imagine you are attempting to convince such an person.

Language is very slippery! We often use words in debate, thinking that they are perfectly clear, when really they are not:1. A fetus is a person.

2. It's wrong to kill a person.∴ It's wrong to kill a fetus.

What does ‘person’ mean?If we are not told, explicitly, then this argument is useless.

Style

Aim for simplicity.The discussion should use simple language, but not be simplistic.

Don’t try to use fancy technical words or flowery descriptions.The utilitarian doctrine is triumph of the hedonic spirit, which aims to combat the tide of misery and suffering in the poor and downtrodden. It is supported by the argument from ethical egalitarianism and is a shining light of justice.

Aim for simplicity:Utilitarians claim that pleasure is the source of ethical value. They claim ethical actions maximise pleasure and minimise pain. This idea is supported by the widespread conviction that many actions are ethical valuable for this reason, such as donating to charities whose work is effective at the widespread relief of suffering.

StyleAim for rigour.

For any argument you give, there will very likely be a reply that someone has given.

A rigorous discussion is one that considers as many of these as space allows.

Because you have a limited space, you much decide which is the most difficult objection and give a forceful reply.

Jeremy Bentham thinks that all pleasures should count for the same, but other philosophers disagree with this, for example John Stewart Mill thinks that some pleasures should count for more than others. However, Mill’s position reflects the prejudices of the elite, which are themselves without justification. Without such justification, the distinction between higher and lower pleasures looks like an unmotivated attempt to maintain entrenched privileges.

However, Mill does offer a justification of this distinction. He argues that….. This justification is not very convincing, however, because…. Moreover, ….

StructureYou should be very explicit about what the structure of the essay is.

First, have a very clear introduction.In this essay I will defend the view that actions are ethical because of the consequences they produce. My argument will be [brief description of main reasons]. I will consider the objection that …. However, I will show that this objection can be easily met [has limited force/misses the central issue] because….

Second, use separate paragraphs for each main point, signposting as you transition from one to the other.

First, I will provide a full statement of the view I am defending….

Having described the view, I will turn to consider the main objection [rival view].

As I have explained, the main objection concentrates on…. However, I think this objection has little force, because….

Third, use clear examples to illustrate the abstract points you want to make.So, the objection is that utilitarianism makes excessive demands on moral agents. For example, if presented with a choice between paying for one’s childrens education or increasing the pleasure of a large number of strangers, it may require the latter. This seems an excessively burdensome requirement.

Fourth, give a clear summary of you main point, and the reasons for it at the end.I have argued for the view that…. I have argued that in spite of the common objection that …, the view can be defended because….

ResearchYou are expected to research the topic using academic text books, monographs and journal articles.

Using the internet is not adequate. If you only use internet sources, you will probably fail.

Start by reading the articles and introductory texts posted on blackboard.

Search using the library for relevant material not on the lists.

Search philpapers.net for journal articles.

Read these and make notes of the main arguments.

Explain these arguments in your essay and give short quotes, with references.

You must give references in the text, as well as a bibliography at the end.

You must follow a referencing system. I suggest the Harvard system.

Planning and WritingThe best way to achieve a good mark is to show you have read widely, understood the material, and can think independently. This takes time.

So, start by reading as much as you can. Make notes and jot down ideas. Discuss these with your classmates. Spend a week doing this.

Then, based on everything you have read, decide what you want to argue for – what will your conclusion be?

Then, draft a plan, stating paragraph by paragraph what you will say in each section. Draw up a list of books you will use, and identify some quotes and examples to help illustrate your argument.

Begin by drafting a couple of paragraphs describing the views you are defending or criticising.

Next list all of the problems with this view/arguments/counterexamples, choose the most serious and write a paragraph describing each.

Next try to state, in your own words, what you agree with and why.

Read through each paragraph and arrange into an essay. Make sure each paragraph adds something new to the preceding one.

Planning and Writing

After this rough draft, you can write the conclusion and the introduction.

Next, leave for a couple of days.

Then read through and ask yourself which sections you don’t find clear.

Give to a friend to read. If they do not understand your essay, you haven’t done the job well enough. Always remember that you are writing for someone else!

Re-draft each paragraph.

Re-read and re-draft.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Task For Tuesday

Find 2 texts (journal articles or book chapters) relevant to the essay topic.

One of these can be the Benn chapter on Utilitarianism.

Read each and write a paragraph summarising one important idea discussed in each.

Using the information in this lecture, write an essay plan, which we will discuss on Tuesday.

This should incorporate the points you identify from the texts you have read.