Writing a Philosophical Essay.

1. Writing philosophical essays is not easy. It requires both careful thought and constant
attention to supporting your position. If you already knew how to do it well, then you
would not be in this class. So consider this what it is: a learning experience.

2. A philosophical essay is not a book report; nor is it an opportunity to begin opining

about whatever you wish. It is an argumentative essay that—in this case—engages the
material we have covered in class.

3. Again, engage the material from class. In other words, do not just change the subject
and start writing about something wholly unrelated to what we have been studying thus
far regarding the question you are answering.

4. There is no single formula as to how a philosophical essay should be structured. If you

wish to use the traditional formula that is taught in English Composition that is fine but
not required. (Note: I strongly encourage you to avoid lengthy useless introductory
paragraphs. Just get right to the point—no fluff.)

5. What is important is that you take a clear position on the question at hand and defend
your answer with arguments.

6. Do not assume that the reader has prior knowledge of the material. Write as if you are
speaking to an interested and intelligent person who is not part of our class. (Consider for
example how you might explain this material to your mother. This would require
carefully defining your terms, and explaining your position.)

7. You are not graded according to whether I agree or disagree with the point you argue
for. You are, however, graded on the form and content of your argument and whether you
motivate your position well. (I am perfectly capable of distinguishing between an
argument whose conclusion I dissent from and an argument that is just plain fallacious.)

8. While outside sources are not prohibited, if you do choose to use them I strongly
encourage you to make sure they do not distract you from addressing the question at
hand. You have been given tools in class that are adequate to address the question. Make
sure that you use them.

Final comment: As is indicated on your syllabus, your first essay question is “Is cultural
relativism philosophically defensible?” Recall that I have time and again distinguished between
merely “descriptive cultural relativism” (DCR) and “normative cultural relativism” (NCR). DCR
simply points out that there are differences between cultures regarding moral codes. NCR states
that i) moral judgments are meaningful only when applied to a specific society, AND ii) what is
morally right or wrong in a given society is determined completely by the traditions, customs, and
beliefs of that society. (Recall, as Rachels pointed out, many people simply appeal to DCR to
motivate the NCR thesis.) As you may have guessed, the distinction between DCR and NCR
should be present in your essay, and you should especially address the defensibility of NCR.