philosophy paper

SECOND ESSAY PROMPT Phil 101 Fall 2017

In this paper, you will argue that the problem of evil is, or is not, a compelling argument against the existence of god.

As before, this paper is highly structured. Assume that your reader knows nothing about philosophy. Write in a way that would make sense to a friend or roommate. Your paper should be concise and on point. Once you’ve written a draft, read each sentence in isolation and ask yourself “what does this contribute to the argument as a whole?” Maybe the sentence is already perfect, but more often than not a sentence can be tightened up or deleted entirely.

In the first paragraph, introduce the issue and state your thesis, all in four sentences or less. Space is limited, so you’ll have to get to the point quickly!

In the second paragraph, give the logical problem of moral evil and explain why this is an argument against the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent god. In doing so, be sure to cite the relevant discussion from either Antony’s “For the Love of Reason” or Perry’s “Dialogue on Good, Evil, and the Existence of God”.

In the third paragraph, give the free will response to the problem of evil, arguing that this is the best of all possible worlds and that god could not reduce suffering. In doing so, describe what free will is using Peter van Inwagen’s article “The Power of Rational Beings: Freedom of the Will”.

In the fourth paragraph, argue that the problem of evil is, or is not, a compelling reason to deny the existence of god. In doing so, you must present the problem of natural evil, and then either endorse it as an argument against the existence of god or critique it.

In the fifth paragraph, provide a brief conclusion.

Paper specifications • Your essay should be 800-1,000 words (about 3 pages double spaced). • Submit your paper through iLearn by the end of class on Oct 13. • The file format must be a pdf or a word doc. Pages files and Google doc files will not be

accepted. • Use Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced. • Do not put your name anywhere on the paper. Since you are uploading the paper

through your iLearn account, I’ll know who you are. There is plenty of evidence that names can bring out implicit bias in graders, so I practice blind grading.

• Do not use outside sources. • Include citations and a works cited page using MLA or APA formatting. • Late papers will be penalized 1/3 grade per day (e.g. an A- would become a B+).

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