1) You must discuss at least three articles from the class and use this discussion to support your thesis. Keep in mind that criticizing a philosopher’s argument is often an effective way to advance your thesis. In other words, you do not have to agree with any of the arguments that you have encountered in this class, but you must analyze them.
2) I accept all standard academic citation styles (AP, MLA, Chicago, etc.), though you must use only one style throughout your paper.
Tips: (1) in order to answer these broad questions effectively, you will need to spend a good deal of time explaining what you mean by the key terms of your thesis. For example, to answer the first question effectively, one must explain not only what one means by “religious belief,” but also, what it means to be “compatible” or “incompatible” with science.
(2) Be sure to give a reason for every position that you take and if you are criticizing or defending another philosopher you must discuss that philosopher’s reasons for adopting their position. In other words, do not tell me simply that you agree or disagree with another philosopher. Explain why you agree or disagree with the reasoning that they use to support their position.
Your essay will be scored on a ten-‐point scale according to the following criteria.
1) Thesis Development
Author clearly states their position, ideally near the beginning of the paper.
Author defends position throughout the paper without digressing.
Author meets the minimum page requirement.
2) Argumentative Rigor
Author explains the rationale behind each position taken.
Author presents opposing point(s) of view and offers a nuanced response.
Author acknowledges strengths and weakness of their own position.
3) Formal Writing Standards
Author avoids awkward and ungrammatical sentences.
Author organizes paper effectively with structured paragraphs.
4) Secondary Literature
Author faithfully represents other philosophers’ positions, including their rationale for adopting those positions.
To earn full credit in this category, the author must use at least the minimum number of citations required by the prompt to support their claims about other philosophers’ points of view.
5) Thoughtfulness
