Your final exam should take the form of one essay, between 2400 and 2600 words long, that is double-spaced, in 12 pt font, with one inch margins. There needs to be a separate title page with your name and word count on it. Your name should not appear anywhere else in your essay (so, please remove your name from any headers or footers). Please do not cite or refer to any works other than the ones assigned in the course. If you do refer to a work assigned in the course, make sure to enclose any quotations within quotation marks, and cite the work with a text insert of the form: (Author Page Number).
Topic
What, according to Susan Wolf, are the conditions that are necessary and sufficient for a life to be meaningful? With which alternative theories of lifes meaningfulness does she contrast her own view, and why does she take her view to be superior to those views? What is Robert Adamss main objection to Wolfs view, and what is Wolfs reply to that objection? Do you think that Wolfs reply to Adams is successful? If so, why? If not, why not? What is Nomy Arpalys main objection to Wolfs view, and what is Wolfs reply to that objection? Do you think that Wolfs reply to Arpaly is successful? If so, why? If not, why not? Do you think that there is any better theory of lifes meaning than Wolfs? If so, what is that theory, and why is it better than Wolfs theory? Explain and justify your answer. [Please note that the better theory, if there is one, need not be one defended by some particular author whose work you have studied in this course. It could be a combination of mutually consistent views offered by different authors you have studied, or it could be a new theory that is different from the ones you have studied.] If you think that Wolfs theory is the best theory of lifes meaning, then describe one positive (non-absurdist) theory of lifes meaning discussed in this course (one not already discussed in your Description and Evaluation assignment), and explain why you think that Wolfs theory is better than that theory.
Helpful Hints on Writing a Philosophy Paper
Here are two excellent internet sites on how to write a philosophy paper:
Prof. Amy Kind, Claremont McKenna College:
http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/facultysites/phil-rlst/FacMember/AKind/Intro01s/Writing.htm
Peter Horban, Simon Fraser University:
http://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/writing.htm
