How to Write a Philosophy Essay

How to Write a Philosophy Essay

Learning how to write a philosophy essay is hard, especially if you do not know what you are doing. Philosophy essays are different from other academic papers because they require students to answer the questions in a way that makes sense. Even though writing a philosophy essay is hard, this piece will give you all the information you need to write a great one. How to Write an Essay on Philosophy:

How to Write a Philosophy Essay

Before you start writing a philosophy essay, you should know what questions you are trying to answer. Some examples of philosophical questions are: Is there life after death? What happens after people die?

To write a great article about philosophy. First, you need to do the following;

  • Think about how to answer the philosophical questions
  • Work on making strong claims about the topics
  • Learn about some important philosophical ideas, theories, and questions that other thinkers have used.

Writing a philosophy essay is an important part of learning about philosophy. Before you start writing a paper, you should make sure you understand the task, read the questions carefully, and know what words like “describe,” “explain,” and “compare” mean.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

What is a Thesis Statement?

Any normal reader will either consciously or unconsciously look through an essay to find one or two lines that explain what the rest of the paragraphs will be about. These two or one sentences tell the reader where the rest of the writing is going.

Why Should Your philosophy Essay have a Thesis Statement?

  • To show the reader what you are going to talk about.
  • To help build and organize your arguments
  • To test the thoughts by putting them into a few short sentences.

The general rule is to make sure that your thesis statement does most, if not all, of the things listed above.

No matter how complicated a task seems, it can always be boiled down to a single question or two. The first thing you will need to do is come up with a single, clear question about your title. For example, if your job is to “explain the benefits of making face masks mandatory in elementary schools,” you can change the question to “what are the benefits of making the use of face masks mandatory in elementary schools?””

After that, choose the question you want to answer and write one or two answers to it. The main point of the philosophical article will be one of these answers.

Pre-writing techniques

Make sure you have carefully read and understood all the directions. Even if you have read the rules before, it is still a good idea to do so at least once more.

Give yourself time to think about the questions given. So, you will only write about points that have something to do with the questions asked. Ask for help if you do not understand any part of the directions.

Writing a Philosophy Essay

Your writing on philosophy will depend on the question you are given. You must first understand what is being asked of you. Then you need to check their answers to make sure they are complete. If the questions have several parts, ensure you answer them.

Also, make sure you only deal with the important problems and stay away from the rest. The teacher will give you a grade on your philosophy essay based on how well it answers the questions. Even if your writing is perfect and amazing, if it does not answer the question, you have failed the unit.

Philosophy essays employ evaluation and exposition

In the “expository” part of your paper, you should explain your case. Make sure that your case is as clear and vivid as it can be. In the evaluation part, you can work on making your philosophy better.

It is not enough to agree or disagree with what the philosophy says. You need to break down what they are saying. You need to think about things like: What are the weakest parts of their premises? Are there ways to strengthen their arguments? What can be said against their premises? Does the argument get to the point that you want it to?

When you write, keep in mind who you are writing for. Do not write like you are talking to just one person. Write as if you are talking to someone who knows a lot about the subject and you need to change their mind. If you use a term that not everyone knows, you should always explain what it means.

Most philosophical terminologies are quite repetitive

Do not worry if you use the same word a lot, especially if it is a key word in your case. Also, do not use hard words just because you have used them before. Leave the glossary behind. Some names in philosophy are used in ways that are not the same as what the thesaurus says they mean.

Avoid using quotes

Quotes are always the words of someone else, and putting together paragraphs of text does not make a well-written philosophical piece. The main reason to quote a text is to quickly talk about what it says and make things easier for the reader. So, quotes should not rest on how you answer the questions; instead, you should use your own words.

You are free to use textual references whenever you make a point about what the text says and want to back it up with a specific reference.

Edit and proofread your philosophical essay

Write your essay until you feel like you have used up the allotted number of pages. Keep your work to the page limit, not the maximum. Most of the time, the first draft can be very long. Later, you will go through your work and paper and get rid of any parts that are not needed. Cut the long words down so they are clear and easy to understand. You will now be able to make the most important things clear.

Do not try to write your whole paper in one time. To do this, do not wait until the last day to write your philosophical writings. Give yourself plenty of time to make the first draft, and then come back to it a day or so later. Writing a great paper in one time is almost impossible.

How to write an introduction in a philosophy essay

Do not begin your philosophical essay with a statement that is too clear. Tell the reader what your paper will be about and what your main point is. Remember that telling the reader what your paper is about is different from telling them what your main argument will be about.

Write your introduction after you have finished the rest of the work. When you finish writing your paper, you will always have a better idea of what you will talk about in your essay.

How to write a conclusion in a philosophy essay

In the end of a philosophical essay, you do not always have to recap what you have learned. You have already written down your points, so your reader does not need to hear them again. Think outside the box and find an interesting way to end your essay. Sometimes you can use your conclusion to point out problems that still remain.

Try to be as truthful as you can. Do not try to draw more conclusions than what you have shown in the lines before.

Check for Clarity

The key to writing a good philosophy essay is to be clear. When you go through your draft sentence by sentence. You need to think about. Have I gotten that point across? Your words should be clear, straight, and easy to understand.

When you go through your philosophical writing, check to see if it makes sense. When would the second line be better than the first? Where would it sound more serious and real? Most of the time, you will need to change and reorganize your first draft to make it make more sense. Do not forget to keep looking for ways to make your philosophy paper better. You can add more cases and remove odd phrases, among other things.

Carefully proofread your paper

Mistakes in grammar and writing can distract readers and draw their attention away from what you want them to see. A person might also think you are a fake because you do not care what you post, which in this case could be fake.

In most cases, the fine line between mediocre and excellent papers is the quality of the arguments and the amount of research involved. A good philosophical work does not have obvious mistakes or leave out important parts. It says most of what it wants to say as clearly and briefly as possible.

You should always look for better ways to say what you want to say. Philosophy writing and example go hand in hand. Use good examples to make your point and show what you mean.

The Challenges of Philosophical Writing

The point of your philosophy class tasks is to get you to practice philosophy. But what exactly is a philosophy? How should it be used? The answer is complicated. Most of the time, philosophers are interested in “tricky questions,” such as whether or not people have free will. “What should we do?” What does truth look like? “How do we learn new things?

Philosophers do not agree on the range of acceptable philosophical questions or the right way to answer them, but they do agree that it is not a philosophy to say something simple about a topic that is so important.

Philosophers, on the other hand, stress the method of first getting clear on what the exact question is and then answering it with clear, logically ordered reasons. A good philosophical argument should take the reader from true facts to a conclusion that is not obvious through clear, logical steps. A negative argument is an objection that tries to show that a claim, theory, or argument is wrong. If it works, the claim, theory, or argument is said to be refuted.

A positive argument tries to defend a claim or idea, like the idea that people really do have free will or the idea that people should never eat animals. Perfect philosophical arguments about hard questions are very hard to come up with, and philosophers who want to come up with or evaluate such arguments usually end up discussing other things that might seem boring or made up at first. Philosophers are interested in these questions because, when they look into them, they seem to have a rational connection to the hard questions and shed light on them.

Avoid These Mistakes in Your Philosophy Essay

Long introductions

In a philosophical article, the beginning has no effect at all on the reader. You do not have to tell your reader how important your topic is and how many thinkers have talked about it. Make your opening as short as you can. In some situations, your teacher might tell you not to write an opening. Get right to the meat of your essay on philosophy.

Long and complex quotes

Poor writers use a lot of quotes and paraphrases. You should only use a straight quote when it is important to show exactly what words another writer used. Even summarizing should be done as little as possible. After all, it is your work. Your teacher is interested in the way you think. Keep this in mind, especially if the topic of your essay asks you to critically examine the points of view of others.

Being indecisive

Do not show different points of view in your paper and then say that you do not know how to solve the problem. Especially, do not end by saying that philosophers have been arguing about this question for as long as people have been keeping records and that you can not solve the debate in a few short pages.

Your teacher already knows this. You are, however, expected to take a stand based on the argument(s) given. Dare to take a risk. If your case is convincing, it will stand on its own.

Adorableness

Most of the time, good philosophical writing has a sense of simple respect. Your subject is not funny. No author whose work you have been asked to read is an idiot. (If you think they are, you do not understand them.) Insulting words are wrong and can never replace well-thought-out points.

It begs the question

You are guilty of asking the question about a certain issue if you argue for it by assuming that what you are trying to prove is true. Here’s an example to show what I mean. Joseph is begging the question if he says that abortion is wrong because it is the same as murder. The argument’s end shows that Joseph has an opinion about how morally wrong abortion is. Notice that someone who disagrees with the conclusion—that abortion is morally wrong—will not agree with Joseph’s premise that abortion is the same as murder, since murder is always morally wrong.

When fighting against other points of view, it is important to remember that saying your opponent’s big ideas are wrong is not enough proof that they are wrong. Even saying that at least one of their beliefs is false will not be enough. You need to show how these ideas work without assuming that your point is right.

Tips on how to write a philosophy essay

Here are a few quick tips on how to write an essay about philosophy.

Back your claim

Do not forget that your reader is always asking why they should agree with you. If you think that they are at least a little bit skeptical of most of what you say, you will be more likely to write a convincing paper. At this point, most first-time attempts to write a philosophy article fail. If you have a reason to think that your critics will not agree with your points, you should back them up with proof.

Use the proper language

After making a plan, you need to choose the right words to tell the reader what you want to say. A book is almost a must-have here. Do not choose a word that (you think) almost says what you want it to say. Remember that “disinterested” is not the same as “uninterested,” that “infer” is not the same as “imply,” and that “reference” is not the same as “illusion” or “allusion.” Also, make sure you know the difference between “its” and “it’s.”

Notice that words like “hence,” “therefore,” “since,” and “consequently” are strong logical connectors. When you use these phrases, you are saying that there are certain logical links between the statements. You should be right. If you are not sure how to spell a word, check it. There is no reason to use the word “existence” in a philosophy paper.

Edit with confidence

There is not a single writer whose first draft of a paper could not be made much better by redoing. Good writing comes from a lot of editing. It will not be enough to just copy the same thing.

Good drafts are almost always short. This is not because ideas were left out; instead, words were cut as ideas were made clearer. Every word or term that does not belong just adds to the mess. Writing words that are easy to understand takes a lot of work. They have gone through a lot of trimming.

Organize meticulously

Make an outline of your case before you start writing. The order of thoughts should make sense and be easy for the reader to follow. Even though your paper is well-organized, the reader will feel like it flows naturally. If your article is not well-organized, the reader will lose interest.

Trying to follow you will take a lot of work, and they may decide it is not worth it. Before writing the first draft, you should let your plan sit for a few hours. Does it still seem to flow well when you read it again? If you don’t, even the best writing in the world will not be enough to make it work.

Give credit

You must always give a reference when you quote or paraphrase. Say what you have to say, whether it is a single word, a big idea, or a certain line of thought. Plagiarism is when you use someone else’s words, ideas, or opinions as if they were your own.

Plagiarism is wrong, and it is against the rules of schools. It can hurt or even end your chances of doing well in school. Why take that chance when properly citing your sources makes your paper look better and not worse? Citing the work of others in the right way shows that you know some of the relevant books on the topic.

Prepare for objections

If your point of view is debatable, there are probably reasons why some people do not agree with you. These kinds of statements are just criticisms of your point of view. Think about one or two of the strongest arguments against your point of view and explain how you can refute them to show how strong your point of view is. This is the same as denying the reasons why your case was turned down. It is like taking away your opponent’s weapons before they can shoot at you.

The key is to predict your critics’ worries if you have not already dealt with them. The second problem is that it is hard to answer the complaints you have brought up. You must explain why these criticisms of your case are wrong or why they are flawed in some way, even though they make sense. This interesting way of making a case takes a lot of practice and familiarity with philosophical writing, but it is well worth the work.

Argumentative Philosophy Essay Headings

  • A scientific approach to religion.
  • The theory of feminine dress and how it affects the concept of masculinity.
  • The Nihilist philosophy is a path to damnation.
  • A philosophical perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of competition in sports.
  • Idealism is difficult to attain in actual life.
  • Being cruel to younger siblings constitutes nurture.
  • The foundations of utilitarianism are violence and social rejection.
  • The reasons for religious conflicts.
  • Is limitation a technique for producing forbidden fruit?
  • What philosophical beliefs motivate people to gamble?

Ethics Argumentative Essay Headings

  • Is science suitable or contradictory to religion? (Think particularly of origin and evolution)
  • The findings of this study indicate that innate abilities significantly predict educational performance. Should this have an impact on education? Does this justify the existence of a class system?
  • Should suicide be legal?
  • Explain moral facts?
  • Do moral standards persecute people? Can individuals violate moral standards for the greater good? Examine the theories of Machiavelli with criticism.
  • Are people by nature good or evil?
  • Is there a correlation between morality and education?
  • Defend or oppose psychological and ethical egoism.
  • Defend or oppose utilitarianism.
  • Are values culturally or societally relative?
  • Does belief in God alter an individual?
  • Which theory about the causes of human behavior is the most persuasive?
  • Should philosophers be asked to evaluate the future of technological advancement?
  • Is abortion ethically acceptable?
  • Does willpower exist? Should the concept of free will be examined again?
  • Should human genetic engineering be legal?

Exceptional Philosophy essay headings

Below are some exceptional philosophy essay topics:

  • Should the state consider the policy’s moral implications when adopting it? Which should take precedence: morality or financial advantages?
  • Assessment of harmful and violent content? Should it be taken off the Internet? Who decides what content constitutes offensiveness?
  • Would white Americans be held accountable for the disadvantages faced by black Americans?
  • Is it morally acceptable to use embryos in genetic engineering research?
  • Should patriotism be considered a virtue?
  • Is it ethical to produce “designer babies”?
  • Should people face a legal obligation for failing on the moral rules?
  • Is it moral to invest in pet surgeries when people in underdeveloped nations lack access to basic health care?
  • Is the usage of animal fur and skin morally acceptable? Should the entire fur industry be regulated or banned?

Best Philosophical essay topics

  • Is cloning morally justifiable?
  • What Does Being Alone Mean to You?
  • Is Ethics Linked to a Person’s Educational Background?
  • Is it possible to live our lives multiple times?
  • How Would You Describe Happiness?
  • Is it possible to live without laws and regulations in our world?
  • What is Your Definition of Love?
  • Do you concur that life is difficult?
  • Do humans always pursue their greatest desires?
  • Do you believe in life after death? Should abortion be legalized?
  • Could Social Media Influence Our Morality?
  • Do People Share the Same Definition of Right and Wrong?
  • Is it possible for a person to increase his IQ?
  • Are humans inherently good or evil?
  • Do you concur that the most straightforward explanation is the best?
  • Does a Person Choose Suffering?
  • Are Parents Responsible for Their Children’s Behavior?
  • Does Everyone Possess Positive and Negative Traits?
  • Is It Possible for a Society to Achieve Peace?
  • Do you concur that a person should have the right to commit suicide?
  • Exists a Perfect World?
  • Is It Right to Maintain Zoos and Circuses?
  • Are You of the Opinion That Euthanasia Should Be Legalized?
  • Can Happiness Only Be Obtained Through Moral Conduct?
  • Can the Present Leaders Have a Positive or Negative Impact on the Youth?
  • Consider morality subjectivity or objectivity?
  • Is It Possible to Accomplish Happiness Without a Family?
  • Why Do Some People Experience Unhappiness?
  • What Is Your Life’s Purpose?
  • Why Are They Dying?
  • Is There Inner Beauty?
  • Should We Allow the Convict to Choose Between the Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment?
  • What Are the Common Reasons for Lying?
  • Do You Have Faith in the Supernatural?

In conclusion

You have made it to the end of this blog. You now know how to write a philosophy essay like a pro. You only need to be able to understand the questions and know how to answer them. Remember that a philosophy essay is not the same as a normal essay. You have to explain your answers in a way that makes sense. And if writing a philosophical article is still hard for you. Experts are always there to help. Just put in your order right now.

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