Reference no: EM132439710 , Length: 4

Metaphysics and Epistemology

The final draft should consist of 5 parts.

I: Introduce the topic. The topic is on Descartes's 6th mediation where he argues that a person is a union of mind a body.

• Tell the reader what it means for a person to be a union of mind and body.
• Tell the reader what exactly you will be doing in your paper. What is your paper about? Remember: You are writing a critical paper. In the 6th mediation, Descartes presents an argument that a person is a union of mind and body. You will be criticizing that argument.

II: Thesis Statement: It should be something like this: I will argue in my essay that Descartes argument that a person is a union of mind an body is unsound.

III: Exposition:

• State Descartes's argument. Write out each premise of the argument
• Provide full discussion of each of the premises. That is, tell the reader why a reasonable person might accept each of the premises.
• Tell the reader why we should think the mind is indivisible. What does it mean to say that the mind is indivisible? It seems the mind is made up of parts. The mind seems to consist of the intellect, emotions, imagination, memory, sense perception, language, etc.
• If it is made up of parts, then, couldn't the parts be separated? If it can be divided up into parts, then, isn't it divisible? It seems so.
• Why does Descartes think that it is still indivisible. What does he have in mind?
• Certainly the body is divisible. But, isn't that because it has parts? If that is the reason for saying the body is divisible, how do we then say the mind is indivisible?

IV: Criticism:

• Identify the weakest part of Descartes's argument. That is, identify the weaker of the two premises. Then, provide the strongest objection you can think of against that premise. [Whichever of the two premises you decide to attack, keep your focus on only that premise.]
• Then, respond, on Descartes's behalf, to the objection you raised against his argument. What would Descartes say in response to your objection to his argument. He better have something to say. Make the response, on his behalf, as strong as possible.

V: Conclusion:

Sum up what you take to be the lesson of your paper. That is, sum up for the reader what he or she is supposed to have learned from having read