Assignment Instructions For Students To Create A Detailed Ou ✓ Solved

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Students will create a detailed outline of their Philosophical Essay due in two weeks. Select one of the following topics: 1. Socrates and moral opinion; 2. The tree falling in the forest and epistemology; 3. Philosophical issues in The Matrix related to skepticism and the mind-body problem; 4. Descartes’ use of skepticism and his foundational principle. The outline should include your rough draft introduction with a clear thesis, three or more body paragraph outlines with transition sentences, a rough draft conclusion, and a Works Cited with at least three scholarly sources. Use the provided outline template or your own format. The outline must be 2-3 pages and follow MLA formatting. Focus on clearly articulating your thesis and key points, ensuring sentences are complete and grammatically correct. The purpose is to develop a reflective, well-organized plan for your upcoming 4-5 page philosophical essay, integrating course concepts.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Thesis Statement: In this essay, I evaluate the philosophical puzzle: “If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?” In my evaluation, I explain that this question raises the epistemological problem of how a subjective experience, such as sound, relates to what can be known of reality. I demonstrate that this question is a puzzle because it exposes the limits of what we can claim to know based on sensory experience. Lastly, I will explain how the empiricist, John Locke, would evaluate and answer the puzzle.

Body Paragraph 1: The Epistemological Nature of the Sound Puzzle

This section will explore how the puzzle questions the relationship between perception and reality, emphasizing the distinction between subjective experience and objective fact. It will introduce the core epistemological concern about whether sensory perceptions reliably reflect external reality. Transitioning from this, the next paragraph will consider Locke’s empiricist approach to perception and knowledge.

Body Paragraph 2: Locke’s Perspective on Sensory Knowledge

Here, I will outline John Locke’s theory of perception, emphasizing his belief that knowledge derives from sensory experience and that external objects exist independent of our perception. Locke’s commitment to the idea that perception involves the mind representing external substances aligns with answering the sound puzzle. The discussion will transition to evaluating the implications of Locke’s view for understanding reality and perception.

Body Paragraph 3: Implications for Epistemology and Philosophy

This paragraph will examine the broader philosophical implications, such as the limits of human knowledge and the potential for subjective bias. It will connect Locke’s empiricism to contemporary debates on perception and reality, emphasizing the importance of sensory evidence in formulating knowledge claims. The paragraph will flow toward a conclusion about the significance of the puzzle in epistemological inquiry.

Conclusion

This section will summarize the main points: the sound puzzle as an epistemological challenge, Locke’s empiricist answer, and the implications for understanding reality. It will reiterate the importance of sensory experience in knowledge formation and conclude with reflections on the ongoing relevance of these philosophical issues.

References

  • Locke, John. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Edited by Peter H. Nidditch, Clarendon Press, 1975.
  • Hacker, P. M. S. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind. Routledge, 2007.
  • Crane, Tim. The Meaning of Belief: Religion from an Rational Perspective. Oxford University Press, 1997.
  • Nichols, Bill. "Perception and Reality." Philosophy Compass, vol. 4, no. 3, 2009, pp. 377–389.
  • Searle, John R. The Rediscovery of Mind. MIT Press, 1992.

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