The paper (4-6 pages long) is due Mon., May 2, in class.
As was the case with the papers last quarter: the
below topics are suggestions. If you want to write on another topic,
feel free to do so. It might be a good idea, however, in that case, to
check me and/or the writing intern first.
Note that the topics tend to have many
sub-questions. You need not (and probably should not) try to answer
all of them. (You certainly should not just answer them one
after another in order--that would make a bad paper.) I put them
there to suggest various directions for thinking about the topic, and
in particular to head off superficial or excessively simple ways of
thinking about it.
All but one of the below topics are designed to get
you to write about both Hume and Kant, and that is in general strongly
recommended. If you have an idea which involves writing about only one
of them, you should check with me (but I'll probably still advise
against it). Some of the topics also suggest (and, in one case,
requires) the use of other sources; in general you are welcome to
bring in such other sources (especially things you read in previous
quarters of Phil Perspectives) if you think they're relevant. If you
do so, however, please make sure it's still clear that the paper was
written for this course.
The intent of the paper is to interpret the views or
attitudes of Hume and Kant. You should try to say something original,
but that original thing should be about what Hume and Kant mean, and
in particular about the relationship between the two of them. The
point of your paper should not be your own opinion about (for
example) what is the basis of morality, nor should it be aimed mainly
at criticizing Hume and/or Kant or deciding which one of them is
better. It also should not be like two papers stuck together, one
about Hume and the other about Kant: the comparison should somehow be
the point of the paper.
If you're using the editions I ordered, you can
refer to the readings just by giving the page number. If you use a
different edition and/or some other source, please give at least
enough bibliographical information that I can find it if
necessary. There's no need for a separate bibliography or title page.