Essay Instructions: First I would like the free services you offer listed below for this paper:
Title page
Bibliography page
References page
Works Cited page
Formatting and styling (MLA)
Email delivery (always FREE, automatically)
Status updates
Re-writing (if we do not adhere to the specifications in your order)
Craft a formal, philosophical, argumentative essay in which you explain the problem of evil and critically evaluate the solutions to that problem. If you think that the problem of evil can be resolved, explain how your resolution avoids the problems. If you think the problem of evil cannot be resolved, explain why none of the solutions can be repaired.
Writing a Philosophical Essay
Here are some general guidelines:
A. Explore the Issue by doing Research.
1. Explore the arguments on all sides of the issue. Once you have selected your topic, look for a variety of arguments on that topic. At the least, you want two clearly defined sides.
2. Examine the arguments themselves. It?s tempting to just look at the conclusions and compile a list of experts on each side of the issue. But, since this is a philosophy paper, be sure to outline the arguments or reasons each author gives to support her/his conclusion. As you are doing this try to get a sense of you own position and the arguments you might use to support it.
3. As you read additional sources, be sure to revise your interpretation of arguments. For example, you may find an article that raises a critical objection to an article you thought would be the center piece of your paper; this objection will have to be answered.
4. In doing your research, try the professional journals first. Since this is a philosophy paper, you might want to use ?The Philosopher?s Index?, which is available through the library website.
B. Preparing to Write (Outline)
1. Now that you have done research, your are ready to formulate your thesis statement. The thesis statement should specifically describe what you are going to prove to the reader in the paper. It should be active, use the word ?I?, and be firm. For example, you want to avoid thesis statements like this: ?In this essay I will attempt to possibly prove that?.?. Don?t forget that whatever you claim in the thesis, you will be obligated to prove to the reader.
2. Next, outline all of the arguments that you will use to support your thesis statement. Some people like to begin with the strongest, others with the weakest; as this is a style issue, the choice is up to you!
3. Third, outline all of the objections that you will consider to the arguments you will use to support your thesis.
4. Fourth, depending upon the type of essay you are writing, there may be alternate positions; if so, outline these, because you will have to show the reader why your alternative is the best one.
C. Writing
1. Follow your outline! This will help to keep you from drifting off topic.
2. Keep the introduction brief. This is important. At a minimum, your introduction needs to include your thesis statement and a description of the steps you will take in the essay to support that thesis statement. So, your introductory paragraph might be:
In this paper I will argue for the existence of God. I will begin by presenting what I believe is the strongest argument for God?s existence, after which I will respond to the most difficult objection to this argument.
The style here is very rough! But, by itself, this could be your introductory paragraph. A key thing to avoid in the introduction is including elements of your arguments: you want to save these for the body. You might include a brief attention statement, but your thesis, if strongly worded, should draw the reader?s attention.
3. Present the arguments one at a time. Each argument will be the focus of a paragraph (perhaps more depending upon its complexity). Be sure to structure the paragraphs carefully by using topic sentences and sentences that link the paragraph to the one that comes before it and the one that comes after (as appropriate).
4. Clarify. Don?t forget that the reader does not know what is in your mind! Always be on the lookout for assumptions that you make naturally with which a reader might not agree.
5. Present arguments to resolve objections. As this is a philosophy paper, you will be considering possible objections to your position. Be careful to present these objections as strongly as possible and to answer them clearly and completely.
6. Do what you promised. Be sure that you proved all aspects of your thesis to the reader!
7. The conclusion of your paper should be a recap of your thesis and the major points made; it is not the place to introduce new ideas or to draw conclusions for which you did not argue in the paper. It should also not be the place where you interject your own views: your own views are important and should be developed in the paper itself. A quick guideline is that if you find yourself making a new point in the conclusion, this point needs to be developed in its own body paragraph.
D. Revising
1. You will have the opportunity to revise your paper. ?Revise? means to ?re-visit?: the revised version of your paper may look nothing like the original version! To revise a paper is not simply to go through and make the odd correction for grammatical and style problems: to revise a paper is to re-visit it, to re-view it, and to re-write it.
In doing your research use the professional journals first and be sure to use "The Philosopher's Index".