Writing To Reason

Brian David Mogck is the author of Is Logic Syntax of Language?: Carnap’s Programme, Gödel’s Critique, and Wittgenstein’s Evasion. He earned a PhD in philosophy from Emory University and taught at Emory, Spelman College, and Clayton College and State University. He received a JD from Columbia Law School, and is now an attorney in New York.

• Preface: A Users’ Guide ixP.1 A Note to Instructors ixP.2 A Note to Students xiiAcknowledgments xviiiGlossary of Philosophical Terms xixPart I: Writing Philosophy 11 Writing a Philosophy Paper 31.1 What is a Philosophy Paper Supposed to Accomplish? 31.2 Choosing a Topic 41.3 Moving through Drafts 111.4 The Only Outline You Need is a Sketch of the Argument You Plan to Make 121.5 The Cardinal Virtues: Logical Rigor and Clarity of Expression 131.6 A Checklist for Spotting Problems Early 142 Philosophical Writing Advances a Thesis with an Argument 162.1 Consuming Arguments 161 What is an argument? 162 How is a philosopher’s argument to be recognized? 213 The principle of charity 234 How is an argument to be criticized? 252.2 Producing Arguments 285 A clearly stated, tightly focused thesis is essential 286 The introduction states why you wrote the paper and why your audience should read it 297 The body of your paper follows a strategy to demonstrate your thesis 308 Consider objections to your view 329 The conclusion of your paper explains the conclusion of your argument 3410 On words that indicate conclusions and premises 3511 Provide justifi cation for every important claim 3512 What makes an argument philosophically interesting? 363 The Rudiments of Academic Writing 403.1 Elements of Style 4013 Use the fi rst-person, active voice 4014 Avoid using a conversational tone 4115 The paper should have a title 4116 Pages should be numbered 4217 The correct use of punctuation 4218 The correct use of Latin abbreviations 4319 The correct use of Latin expressions 4420 The consistent use of pronouns 4721 Grammatical errors 4722 Using a term vs. mentioning it 4823 How to edit or add text within a quotation 493.2 Elements of Substance 5024 Avoid mere rhetoric: philosophy is not forensics 5025 Avoid using fi ve-star vocabulary words 5226 The standard of precision in written discourse 5327 On expressions such as “It is clear that . . .” 5328 Use accurate terms having clear referents 5429 Always look for the contrast term 5530 Watch out for mysterious agents 553.3 Substantive Advice 5531 Never quote the instructor 5532 Never quote the dictionary 563.4 A Few Frequently Misused Terms 5633 Philosophy vs. view vs. opinion 5634 Concept vs. conception 5735 Think vs. feel 5836 Statement vs. argument 5937 Sound, valid, and true 594 Explaining Philosophical Texts 6038 Make sense out of the text as a whole 6039 Make sense out of the main arguments in a text 6240 Every quotation requires explanation 6341 Every quotation requires specifi c attribution 6442 The consistent and meaningful use of technical terminology 665 The Rudiments of Academic Research 6743 Use the library, not the Web 6744 Primary sources are your primary responsibility 6945 What kind of secondary sources should be used and how? 70Part II: Doing Philosophy 736 Academic Integrity 756.1 Know Your School’s Honor Code and its Policies Regarding Plagiarism 756.2 What is Plagiarism? 756.3 How to Avoid Plagiarism 766.4 Proper Attribution Bolsters One’s Scholarly Credibility 776.5 Cheaters are Likely to be Caught 777 How to Succeed in a Philosophy Course 797.1 Practice the Intellectual Virtues 797.2 Come to Class Prepared 827.3 Ask Substantive Questions 837.4 Respect the Arduous Process of Careful Reading and Writing 837.5 Why is Philosophy So Hard to Do? 847.6 Why is Philosophy So Hard to Read? 857.7 On the Critical Nature of Philosophy and a Few Myths it is Useful to Discard 878 What Does it Mean to Do Philosophy? 938.1 Philosophers Inquire into Our Concepts and Commitments 948.2 Philosophy Explicates What is Implicit in Our Concepts and Commitments 968.3 Philosophical Refl ection and the Public Use of Reason 104Appendix I: Keywords Cross-Referenced to Section Numbers 117References 119Index 123

“Long-suffering teachers of philosophy will love this volume. It offers sophisticated help for writers at various levels, expressed with simplicity and charm. Best of all, it is directed precisely to the improvement of philosophical writing and thinking.” – Joseph W. Koterski, S.J., Fordham University