Writing To Reason A Companion for Philosophy Students and Instructors [Paperback]

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• Points out the most common problems students have achieving these objectives
  
• Increases efficiencies for instructors in grading papers
  
• Presents students with clearer information, objectivity, and transparency about their graded results
  
• Facilitates clearer communication between instructors and students

Preface: A Users’ Guide ix

P.1 A Note to Instructors ix

P.2 A Note to Students xii

Acknowledgments xviii

Glossary of Philosophical Terms xix

Part I: Writing Philosophy 1

1 Writing a Philosophy Paper 3

1.1 What is a Philosophy Paper Supposed to Accomplish? 3

1.2 Choosing a Topic 4

1.3 Moving through Drafts 11

1.4 The Only Outline You Need is a Sketch of the Argument You Plan to Make 12

1.5 The Cardinal Virtues: Logical Rigor and Clarity of Expression 13

1.6 A Checklist for Spotting Problems Early 14

2 Philosophical Writing Advances a Thesis with an Argument 16

2.1 Consuming Arguments 16

1 What is an argument? 16

2 How is a philosopher’s argument to be recognized? 21

3 The principle of charity 23

4 How is an argument to be criticized? 25

2.2 Producing Arguments 28

5 A clearly stated, tightly flC'