Philosophy 152 Philosophy of Human Nature Darwall Fall 1996 SECOND PAPER ASSIGNMENT We have considered a wide variety of philosophical perspectives on many different aspects of human nature and the human condition. So many and so different, in fact, that you may be wondering at this point what they have to do with each other. What is really at issue between these philosophers? What do they disagree about? And when they disagree, who is right? That is what I want you to consider in your second paper. Write a four to six page paper in which you: (a) define an issue (one that interests you) on which two philosophers we have considered this term disagree. Here your job will be: (i) to make clear what the issue is and why it is interesting (e.g., What other issues depend on it? Why does it matter?) (ii) to make clear how and why the two philosophers you are discussing disagree on the issue; (b) present in the clearest, most convincing way the position each philosopher takes on the issue, providing textual evidence that the philosopher believes what you say he/she does. (This will require your stating exactly what his/her position is and what his/her arguments are for that position. Where the latter is not completely determined by the text, you will need to supply what you think his/her argument would be based on evidence from the text.); (c) critically assess the positions and arguments of each philosopher from the perspective of the other (i.e., consider what objections each might make to the premises and arguments of the other); (d) say how each philosopher might best take account of the objections of the other (N.B., this does not involve simply restating their original positions and arguments; the question is what reply to the other's objections each could make). (e) say which approach you find more convincing and why. The papers will be due on Friday, November 22.