Students are required to write three essays during the term. For each essay, each class section is given a list of potential topics by their instructor. The topic lists vary among the sections, but for purposes of OpenCourseWare they are presented below in compiled form.
Example essays are presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
Background
Essay assignment guidelines (PDF)
“Style sheet” for margin notations (PDF) — Prof. Kibel
Oral presentation guidelines (PDF) — Prof. Raman
Essay 1
Compiled essay topics from all 3 instructors (PDF)
Example Student Essay
Brumbaugh, Victoria. “Action and Uncertainty in Pascal’s Wager and Shakespeare’s Hamlet.” (PDF)
Essay 2
Compiled essay topics from all 3 instructors (PDF)
Example Student Essays
Ouyang, Annie. “Exploring the Philosophy of Purpose in Voltaire’s Candide.” (PDF)
Zomnir, Michael. “An Examination of the Role of Evil in the World as it is Considered in the Works of Leibniz and Darwin.” (PDF)
Essay 3
Compiled essay topics from all 3 instructors (PDF)
Example Student Essays
Brumbaugh, Victoria. “Inconsistency and Chance in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.” (PDF)
Ouyang, Annie. “Links between Human Rationality and Animal Savagery in The Island of Dr. Moreau.” (PDF)
Zomnir, Michael. “On the Erroneous Consideration of Wells’ Dr. Moreau as an Allegory for Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection.” (PDF)
