Essay Assignment 3: An advocacy paper or a critique 

Length: About 4 pages, plus bibliography
DUE DATE: Tuesday, April 6

All previous instructions about essay format apply to this essay.

You may write in support of, or a critique of, the following four ideas:

1. The human soul is immortal.

2. Humans make free choices.

3. Virtue is a mean between extremes.

4. Moral behavior is culturally relative.

An advocacy paper presents an argument in favor of a controversial thesis. The goal of the paper is to show the reader why he or she should agree with the author’s thesis.

• The paper is restricted to presenting the best arguments in favor of the thesis. The paper might concentrate on just one argument, or it might present several different arguments for the thesis. But it concentrates on the argument or arguments that the writer regards as the best reason(s) to adopt the thesis.
• The paper must be very clear about the thesis being defended.
• There should be a clear introduction and a clear conclusion.
• The paper does not discuss opposing views.
• It does not discuss objections to the thesis.
• It does not discuss or criticize arguments made by opponents.

A critique argues that someone else is mistaken.

• It summarizes an argument given by someone else on a controversial topic.
• It  then examines their arguments and tries to show why the arguments are mistaken, or identifies problematic consequences of the position.
• The paper must be very clear about the thesis being challenged.
• There should be a clear introduction and a clear conclusion.
• A critique does not provide any reasons in favor of a different position.

For more information about writing a critique, click here.

No outside sources are to be used in writing this paper.

You may cite material if it was an assigned reading for the course.

For full information about bibliographical citation, go to http://web.mnstate.edu/philosop/  and click on “Guide to Writing Research Papers”