Assignment: Please choose ONE of the following paper topics. Papers should be 3-5 pages in length, due in class Friday, March 10. Rough drafts are strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. I will be accepting rough drafts no later than 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 7. Please email me or talk to me if you have any questions.

1. Explain Descartes' project in his first and second meditations in Meditations of First Philosophy. What is he trying to do? How does he go about trying to do it? Make sure to explain (i) his methods of doubt and (ii) how he applies the method (i.e., the three skeptical scenarios he considers in the First Meditation). What does Descartes think he has accomplished by the middle of the second Meditation? Do you agree? Why or why not? Critically discuss.

2. Carefully explain the Problem of Induction (as presented by Hume in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, and elaborated on by Skyrms, ch. 3). Why should someone find the problem worrisome? What are some ways one might go about trying to answer the problem? Critically discuss.

3.What is skepticism? Make sure to explain how the skeptic uses (what I called in class) an 'argument by skeptical hypothesis'. Why should someone find the skeptic's arguments worrisome? In class, we discussed three ways to answer the skeptic: G. E. Moore's way (a.k.a. "The Common Sense Defense), Denying Closure, and Contextualism. Which one do you think is most promising as a response to the skeptic? Why? How might the skeptic reply? Discuss.

---

Back to Phil 26 (Spring 2006) Page
Back to Meg's Teaching Page
Back to Meg's Main Page