Writing Assignment #6

In the final writing assignment, you will rewrite the 2^nd and 5^th writing assignments into a short essay (minimum 4 full pages) that explores the nature of your academic major and the role that particular forms of argumentation play in it. The purpose of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to further your understanding of the academic major you have chosen and the relevance of logic to your academic interests. Take the perspective of a researcher in this discipline and capture the primary aspects of your major’s attempt to gain knowledge about its subject matter.

Write at least one paragraph in response to each of the following questions, discussing the issues in detail:

(1) What is your major and what are your reasons for choosing it?

(2) What is the subject matter of your major (i.e., the sort of thing it studies), and what are the central issues or debates that it addresses?

(3) What are the main areas of focus or specialization for faculty and/or students in your major? (Your answer should indicate the breadth and diversity found within your major.)

(4) What are the primary methods your major uses to gain knowledge about its subject matter? (If the subject matter includes an activity like making artworks or treating medical patients, then your major generates practical knowledge about how to do something, as well as theoretical knowledge, e.g., about the nature and history of art or the nature of illness.)

(5) Categorical Syllogisms are used to apply general rules to particular cases. What are the primary ways that your major gains knowledge about its subject matter by applying general rules in this way? (Consider both theoretical knowledge about reality and practical knowledge about techniques, methods, and applications.) Illustrate this with at least one example of a sound Categorical Syllogism used to prove a claim important to your major. (Single space, number each premise and conclusion, and start them each on a separate line.)

(6) Inductive Generalizations are used to form general, empirical principles from particular observations. What are the primary ways that your major gains practical and theoretical knowledge about its subject matter by forming general principles in this manner? Illustrate this with at least one example of a cogent Inductive Generalization used to prove a claim important to your major.

(7) Analogical Arguments extend our knowledge about certain things by comparing them to other things that we know better. What are the primary ways that your major gains practical and theoretical knowledge about its subject matter by making these types of comparisons? Illustrate this with at least one example of a cogent Analogical Argument used to prove a claim important to your major.

(8) Causal Arguments and Inferences to the Best Explanation are used to judge competing explanations (e.g., explanations of the cause of a physical event, the goal or motivation behind a person’s actions, the meaning of a statement, or the procedure one should follow to achieve a goal) in order to determine which explanation is most appropriate. What are the primary types of explanations that your major uses to gain practical and theoretical knowledge about its subject matter? (Indicate what species of explanation each is, i.e., causal, teleological, interpretive, or procedural.) And what are the main ways that your major judges competing explanations? Illustrate this with at least one example of a cogent Causal Argument or an Inference to the Best Explanation used to support a claim important to your major.

Math and computer science majors only: (9) How does your major use propositional arguments to gain knowledge about its subject matter? Illustrate this with at least one example of a sound Propositional Argument used to support a claim important to your major.

Sources and Citations: Cite all print and electronic sources that influenced your work in a bibliography at the end of your paper, using any standard citation method that includes all of the relevant information (including exact page numbers if it is a printed source and the specific URL and an exact date if it is a webpage). If you present other people’s work as your own, you are engaging in Plagiarism. Make sure to state all answers in your own words (which demonstrates that you understand what you are saying).

Grammar and Spelling: Make sure that your papers are clearly written – i.e., that the meaning is clear enough that any other student would be able to understand it. Papers will be downgraded for spelling, grammatical, and stylistic errors if there are more than 2 per page.

Format: 12 point type, double-spaced, 1-1.5 inch margins, minimum 4 full pages of content. Number and staple pages.