Introduction to Philosophy, Honors (section 1)Spring 1998

First Writing Exercise

David Hume's essay "Of the Immortality of the Soul" appears in the Hackett edition of Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (pp.91-97). This essay is chock full of arguments. (The essay can be found on line (together with other essays by Hume) at ftp://ftp.books.com/eBooks/NonFiction/Philosophy/Hume/suicide.txt

Consider four (4) arguments Hume offers in this essay.

For each of those arguments (number them in Roman numerals from I to IV) do the following:

First quote the entire passage which contains the argument. In this essay this will often be a single short paragraph. Then do each of the following:

  1. State clearly the conclusion of the argument. (If you quote Hume directly, put the page number in parentheses. If you do not quote Hume directly, add a footnote or endnote where you do quote the relevant passage, and provide a page reference.)
  2. State clearly each premise that appears in the text. (If you quote Hume directly, put the page number in parentheses. If you do not quote Hume directly, add a footnote or endnote where you do quote the relevant passage, and provide a page reference.)
  3. State clearly any implicit premises.
  4. If the argument has additional layers, show the overall structure of the argument by indicating which premises yield which intermediate conclusions and which intermediate conclusions and premises yield the ultimate conclusion.
  5. Abstract the form of each move in the argument. (A "move" in an argument is an inference from a set of premises to a conclusion.)
  6. Offer some critique of the argument. As you develop each point of critique, be sure to indicate the nature of the critique (e.g. if you are calling into a question the truth of a premise of the argument, be sure to point of what the premise is and why you think it is or may be false; if you are calling into question the validity of the argument, attempt to make plain the form of the argument and explain why you think the form is not a valid form).
Your paper will thus have the form:

   I.
1....
2....
3....
4....
5....
6....
   II.
1....
2....
3....
4....
5....
6....
   III.
1....
2....
3....
4....
5....
6....
   IV.
1....
2....
3....
4....
5....
6....

Note: For this assignment you need not use any materials apart from those in the class texts -- indeed you are encouraged not to. However, no matter what sources of information you use -- even the textbook -- be sure to make adequate attribution (e.g. in footnotes). You are expected to do your own work. Use of unacknowledged sources (e.g., books, friends, tutors, other papers) for this assignment constitutes cheating.

This paper should be typed (or printed out by computer), if possible, or submitted electronically to rlee@comp.uark.edu. Submissions after the due date risk incursion of a penalty for lateness.

Please put your name on your paper. If you are handing in a printed version, a genuine staple in the upper left-hand corner would be appreciated. No fancy covers or binders, please.

Richard Lee, rlee@comp.uark.edu, last modified: 24 April 1998