You may choose one of the following questions as your paper topic on God. Papers are expected to be 3-5 pages in length. The first paper is due Friday June 3, but feel free to turn in your paper earlier if you like. Also, I strongly encourage rough drafts, so please come see me (at least!) a few days before you turn your paper to talk about it.



1. Pick one of the three arguments for the existence of God: the Ontological Argument, the Cosmological Argument, or the Teleological Argument. In your own words, restate the argument, then lay it out formally. What do you think of this argument? Is it valid? Sound? Which premises do you think are the most controversial? Or false? What do you think is the most devastating objection to this argument? Is there a response to this objection on behalf of an endorser of the argument? Explain.


2. Lay out in your own words, and then formally, the Problem of Evil. What do you think of this argument? Is it valid? Sound? Which premises do you think are the most controversial? Or false? What do you think is the most devastating objection to this argument? Is there a response to this objection on behalf of an endorser of the argument? Explain.


3. Explain what Nietzsce' project is in On the Genealogy of Morals. Where does he think our concepts or ideas of 'good' and 'bad' come from? In your summary, make sure to explain what Nietzsche means by the following: pathos of distance, slave morality, transvaluation of values. What does Nietzsche think of our ideas of 'guilt' and 'bad conscience.' Make sure you explain his views on punishment and suffering, and you describe what he means by 'will to power.' Do you agree with anything Nietzsche says? If so, what, and why? Do you disagree with him? If so, what, and why? Discuss.