vINSTRUCTIONS PROMPTS FOR RESPONSE PAPER 7 (RESPOND TO ONLY 1 PROMPT)

INSTRUCTIONS

PROMPTS FOR RESPONSE PAPER 7 (RESPOND TO ONLY 1 PROMPT)

• Parfit vs. Korsgaard: Present each side of the debate and provide reasons for thinking one of them is more right than the other.
• Narrative Identity: To what extent (if at all) is the true self defined by the stories we tell? (I especially recommend engaging with Korsgaard or Fricker)
• Natural Born Cyborgs?: Assess Clark’s thesis that we human beings are, from birth, naturally inclined to turn ourselves into cyborgs.
• The Extended Self: Can technology literally be a part of your identity?
• Epistemic Inequality/Injustice & Personal Identity: Has your identity been shaped by hermeneutical inequality? In what ways has your understanding of yourself been distorted by cultural and linguistic forces? What can be done to rid the self of these toxic influences?

General Instructions for Analysis Papers

Accepted File Formats: .doc, .docx (preferred), or .pdf

Length: 2-4 pages, double spaced

In-text Format: 1” margins, 12 point font size, in a font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri

Citations: You must include at least 2 in-text citations to the assigned readings for the course, either two references to one text or referencing two different texts. Your citation should be in parentheses at the end of the sentence and include both the author’s name and the page number, as I’ve done here in referencing page six of an article by Rawls (Rawls 6). If the document does not have page numbers, use the pagination of the PDF. When citing a lecture video, you should include the name of the video and when you heard it. Approximating to the nearest minute is fine, such as I’ve done here (LectureVideoName, 4:00). Note that citing a lecture video does not fulfill the requirement of citing the assigned reading. Nor does citing things that were not assigned. If you only cite the articles and videos assigned for class, no bibliography (works cited) page is required. If you have in-text citation, you’re good. If you reference any external sources, you need a works cited page. Feel free to use MLA, APA, or Chicago citation styles for your bibliography, but all in-text citations should follow the format described above. And, you must reference sources if you used them to help you develop your ideas. Failing to cite a website that helped you understand the material is plagiarism, and plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity.

Thesis Statement: Write the response papers in the form of a persuasive essay in which your goal is to defend a specific thesis. Underline your thesis to clearly show that you have one.
What is a thesis? It’s a sentence stating the one idea you are supporting in this response to the author. For example, if I read an article by Miller in support of the death penalty, I might have a thesis such as…
– Miller’s appeal to justice doesn’t consider how many innocent people are killed.
– Although Miller says the death penalty should only be used against mass-murderers, her logic supports giving the death penalty to anyone who takes human life.
– I argue that America has lost track of justice, and Miller explains exactly why.
– I agree with Miller that the death penalty is just, but sometimes we should collectively choose mercy.

In each example, I’m directly engaging with the author’s ideas while also presenting my own. Your thesis should do this. But, it should not list the reasons why you believe the thesis, save that for later. And the thesis should not simply be a roadmap telling the reader what you will talk about. You should take a clear stance on the issue you’re discussing. And, the thesis should appear somewhere on page 1, but after the first sentence.

Grading Criteria (20pts each)

Clarity & Grammar: Your writing is easy to read, logically organized, and free of grammar and spelling errors.
Thesis & Citations: You have one, and it’s underlined. You cite the assigned readings at least once, and, if you used anything beyond class materials, you include a works cited page, (failure to cite when using someone else’s ideas will not just cause you to lose points in this category; that’s plagiarism and will most likely result in a zero for the entire essay)
Accuracy & Completeness: You include a complete (relative to your thesis) and truthful summary of the relevant ideas
Creativity & Original Thinking: You demonstrate that you’ve thought about the issue, have your own ideas, and are not merely restating the ideas of others
Logic & Critical Thinking: You offer fair, respectful discussion and critical evaluation of ideas that demonstrates cognitive precision and insightful analysis

Penalties:

• Plagiarism (-20pts if you tried but failed to cite correctly; a zero for the assignment in most cases; or failing the course for the most serious cases)
• Below minimum length (a paper that is only 1 page when formatted correctly can earn a maximum grade of 50%)