Theory of Knowledge
Spring 2002
Homework Assignments - General Guidelines

1) Your paper should have a clear point: the argument X gives on p. 28 has a false premise; the example Y presents on p. 45 does not show what she thinks it shows; defenders of theory T can revise their theory in response to Z's objection.

2) Think small. Do not attempt to write a paper discussing some large and general issue. Rather, focus on a specific point and say something about it.

3) Write very carefully and precisely. Make sure you make fully explicit exactly what it is that your point is. Make your defense of that point clear and detailed.

4) Make sure that you have read whatever material you are writing about very carefully and that you are properly interpreting what it says. The readings are apt to be difficult and will require several re-readings.

5) It is best not to do the assignment in one work session. Once you have an idea, write it up. Then do something else. Then come back to you what you've written and see if you still think it is a good idea. And also see if you can understand what you wrote.

6) A goal of these assignments is to have you think carefully about the issues and the readings and then to formulate some comment on them. It is best not to go read other essays on the same topics and use what you read there for your assignment. The point here is not plagiarism (which, of course, is unacceptable.) Rather, the point is that the goal is for you to struggle with the material yourself.

7) It may be hard. You can't just dash off some random thoughts.

8) It's ok to criticize stuff in the text I wrote.

9) Sometimes a good way to discuss a point is to consider potential objections to it and reply to them.

10) Sometimes a useful thing to write about is an important ambiguity in the readings. If there are importantly different interpretations possible of something we read, you might right about that. Merely pointing some possible misunderstanding of something is not so good. But when the different interpretations really matter or cause serious confusion, then it is good to discuss it.

11) Sometimes a good paper takes the following format: so-and-so's claim, as formulated, is not right. Here's why. But I can help out the author by revising the point in the following way. Thus, to discuss someone's view, you do not have to think that the person is completely wrong.

12) Sometimes a good paper amounts mainly to formulating, in a precise way, an argument that someone presents in their article. We will see examples of this along the way.

13) Each small section of the text illustrates the sort of thing I'm looking for, although many of them are longer and more involved than is required.