For
this assignment, you should, at a minimum: (a) explain James’ view of
faith, (b) explain why Clifford would reject it, (c) explain Clifford’s
view of faith, and (d) argue either that (i) one of these views is
superior to the other or (ii) your own view of faith is superior to both.
The nature and structure of your paper will depend on whether you choose (i) or (ii).
Option (i)
You may agree with either James or
Clifford. In that case, you’ll want to criticize some aspect(s) of
James’ argument. Try to make it clear to the reader exactly what
you find objectionable with James’s argument. On the other hand, you
may agree with James. In that case, you could develop a criticism on his
opponent’s behalf and defend his view from that criticism. (If you take
this tack, be careful to not just recapitulate the article. This
assignment is an argumentative essay so, naturally, you should be doing
some arguing.)
Option (ii)
Alternatively, you might think that both
the James’ view of faith, as well as Clifford’s, are misguided. In that
case, you’ll want to develop criticisms of both and offer your own view
as an alternative. You could also just develop criticisms of both
without offering your own view. Supplementing your position with an
article or video from this module is also welcome.
These are not research papers. I want to know what you think
about the above puzzle, not what others think. Thus, the sources of
information you are allowed to use will be very limited. You can use:
- your book;
- notes;
- a dictionary/encyclopedia (e.g. for definitions); and
- any materials from the model.
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT!!!!! Any other source of information must be approved by me before you
write the paper. Failure to comply with this requirement constitutes
plagiarism.
Submission Expectations
- Approximately 4-5 pages in length
- Double-spaced
- Use 1-inch margins
- Use some non-ridiculous font (e.g., Times New Roman, size 12)