You will complete a paper in which you will argue for a position related to the question, How is the mind (or soulfor purposes of this course, the terms are synonymous) related to the bodyespecially the brain? You may propose your own positive answer to this question. Alternatively, you may defend or critique an existing answer (or one or more key elements of such an answer). Your paper should not be a research paper. Rather, it should rep- resent your own critical inquiry. While you are free personally to embrace any view that seems persuasive to you, please do not offer a defense of elimi- nativism or compatibilism in your paper.
Your paper should feature a clear thesis, an introduction that provides a clear roadmap for the reader, two to four solidly defended arguments for this the- sis, an appropriate number of anticipated responses to these arguments, your rejoinders to these responses, and a conclusion that synthesizes what you have said throughout the paper. It should follow this outline:
I. Introduction. You should begin the Introduction with a one-to-two- sentence statement of your thesis. You should go on to indicate (using one or two sentences for each) what you will do in every subsequent part of the paper.
II. Arguments (use a title for this part that reflects the substance of the arguments you will be elaborating). You should begin with an introduction to this part (Sec- tion A) and proceed to offer two to four positive arguments for your thesis and a summary of these arguments (Sections B, C, etc.).
III. Responses (use a title for this part that reflects the substance of the arguments you will be considering). You should begin with an introduction to this part (Sec- tion A) and proceed to offer one or two criticisms of each of the arguments elaborated in Part II and a summary of these criticisms (Sections B, C, etc.).
IV. Rejoinders (use a title for this part that reflects the substance of the arguments you will be elaborating). You should begin with an introduction to this part (Sec- tion A) and one or two rejoinders of each of the criticisms elaborated in Part III and a summary of these rejoinders (Sections B, C, etc.).
V. Conclusion. You should offer a restatement of your thesis as supported by the considerations you have adduced in your paper and of the considerations grounding the thesis.
References to any sources you cite in your paper should be indicated using footnotes. Format the footnotes in accordance with guidelines contained in the appendix regarding footnotes in the current edition of the MLA Hand- book. Because you will be using footnotes, you should not include a Works Cited page.
The arguments you develop and defend or critique should be primarily con- ceptual in nature: they may be theological or philosophical as you prefer, but they should not be scientific or exegetical, though of course you may refer to the results of scientific inquiry or biblical exegesis. Please treat the term soul as synonymous with mind in your paper.