Free will is an illusion or free will is not an illusion.
Essay Topic for CORE 1010 Philosophy – Semester 1 2021 It is very important that you read this Topic Sheet all the way through to ensure that your essay will comply with the requirements. Background In this Course, you will become familiar with a range of philosophical topics and issues. This essay challenges you to use your understanding of one of these topics, together with your capacity for synthesising and utilising the arguments of others, to construct a case in favour of one ‘side’ of a philosophical dispute. Task You are to defend one or other of the following propositions using your knowledge of philosophy. Empirical data and examples can be utilised to support, explain, or exemplify your philosophical argument. Proposition 1: Free will is an illusion. OR Proposition 2: Free will is not an illusion. Structure You must structure your essay according to the guidelines provided in the Blackboard folder for Assessment Item 3: 1500 Word Philosophical Essay. References and Referencing You must reference all of your sources using either Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition or the referencing style of your own School, including page numbers and a full Bibliography or Reference List. The following sources will assist you to develop your argument. They cover a range of theoretical perspectives and practical approaches to the topic. You must use at least three of them. In addition, you should feel free to locate up to two of your own references. Note that these references must be scholarly references, primarily journal articles or academic books, and peer reviewed. You can find these references through the University’s Library website. As well, you may use any of the CORE 1010 learning material provided in Blackboard. · Dennett, Daniel. “Is Free Will an Illusion? What Can Cognitive Science Tell Us?” Santa Fe Institute Conference Series. YouTube Video, 1:21, 14 May 2014, https://youtu.be/wGPIzSe5cAU. · Harris, Sam. “The Delusion of Free Will.” Festival of Dangerous Ideas. YouTube Video, 1:25, 10 January 2013, https://youtu.be/_FanhvXO9Pk. [Lecture begins at 6:00 mins] · McFee, Graham. Free Will. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University, 2000. https://www-jstor-org.ipacez.nd.edu.au/stable/j.ctt816gt · McKenna, Michael, and D. Justin Coates. "Compatibilism.” In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2020 Edition), edited by Edward N. Zalta. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2020/entries/compatibilism/ · Nichols, Shaun. “Free Will versus the Programmed Brain.” Scientific American, 19 August 2008. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/free-will-vs-programmed-brain/# · O'Connor, Timothy, and Christopher Franklin. “Free Will.” In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2020 Edition), edited by Edward N. Zalta. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2020/entries/freewill/ · Sartre, Jean-Paul. “Existentialism Is a Humanism.” Translated by Philip Mairet. In Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Sartre, edited by Walter Kaufman. New York: Meridian, 1956. https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/works/exist/sartre.htm · Schlosser, Markus E. “The Neuroscientific Study of Free Will: A Diagnosis of the Controversy.” Synthese 191 no. 2 (2014): 245-62. http://search.ebscohost.com.ipacez.nd.edu.au/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=94095471&site=ehost-live&scope=site · Strawson, Peter. “Freedom and Resentment.” In Perspectives on Moral Responsibility, edited by John Fischer, John Martin, and Mark Ravizza. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1993: 45-66. http://ipacez.nd.edu.au/login?url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctv2n7mdw.4 2 Free will is an illusion or Free will is not an illusion Assessment Item No. 03: Philosophy Essay Writing Guide (1 500 words) Introduction Use the formal-opening paragraph to structure your introduction. State your argument’s central claim, and state a couple of reasons (in declarative statement form) that support the central claim; state the obvious objection/s (one o r two sentences); and state a reply (1 sentence). (Introduction: 1 x substantial length paragraph). Body of Essay 1: Argument 1.1 Develop the first supporting argument to defend your central claim. Give an example or more specifically provide evidence. Use the ARG conditions (acceptable and relevant premises that provide good grounds or sufficient reason), as evidence. Cite reliable authoritative sources (1 or 2 paragraphs). 1.2 Develop an account of an obvious objection to the view you are supporting. Name the objecting author whose work and position you are citing (1 paragraph). 1.3: Develop your reply to the objection. In this way you are also adding significance for your own argument (1 paragraph). You can give a reason or you can point out a weakness wi th the objector’s position. Body of Essay 2: Argument 2.1 Develop the second supporting argument to defend your central claim. Again, develop the reason, give an example and remember you are specifically providing evidence. Be academic and cite reliable au thoritative sources (1 or 2 paragraphs). 2.2: Provide and develop an objection (or opposing position in summary) to your second argument/claim (1 paragraph). 2.3: Develop your reply to the objection. In this way you are also adding a reason and providing greater significance for maintaining your own argument (1 paragraph). You add strength to your argument by citing a different authoritative source to the previous counter -argument section. Conclusion 3: Give a brief summary by reiterating the main points of your argument and truthfully evaluate its strength. Use qualifying terms (e.g. ‘compelling’, ‘highly likely’, ‘most plausible’, ‘the strength of the evidence supports the claim’, etc.) (1 paragraph). N.B. Full citation and referencing must be used in your essay. It does not matter which referencing style you use (you may use the same used in your own school) as long as you are consistent. The only exception is APA in which case when using the APA referencing system, you must include page numbers for quotes. The philosophy essay must indicate the sources used in the paper, providing page numbers for quotes and paraphrased ideas, etc. No more than one authoritative internet site (URL) can be used for each argument. You must use a minimum of three sources list ed on Blackboard for this assessment. If you choose other sources, only up to two, always use authoritative peer -reviewed journal articles, books, and other academic sources from the library.