Argument Criticism

Your first writing assignment is to write a short paper critiquing an argument considered by Robert Nozick in his influential book Anarchy, State, and Utopia. Consider the following thought experiment:

“Suppose there were an experience machine that would give you any experience you desired. Super duper neuropsychologists could stimulate your brain so that you would think and feel you were writing a great novel, or making a friend, or reading an interesting book. All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attached to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life’s experiences? If you are worried about missing out on desirable experiences, we can suppose that business enterprises have researched thoroughly the lives of many others. You can pick and choose from their large library or smorgasbord of such experiences, selecting your life’s experiences for, say, the next two years. After two years have passed, you will have ten minutes or ten hours out of the tank, to select the experiences of your next two years. Of course, while in the tank you won’t know that you’re there; you’ll think it’s all actually happening. Others can also plug in to have the experiences they want, so there’s no need to stay unplugged to serve them. (Ignore problems such as who will service the machines if everyone plugs in.) Would you plug in? What else can matter to us, other than how our lives feel from the inside?”

Now consider the following argument, based on this thought experiment:

P1. If we would want to plug into the experience machine, then pleasure is all that matters to us.

P2. We would want to plug into the experience machine.

C. So, pleasure is all that matters to us.

Your task in this paper is to develop objections to one or both of the premises of this argument (P1 and P2). You should offer at least one objection to one of the premises, either P1 or P2. It is up to you whether to spend the entire paper developing this objection or instead divide the space available between two different objections. For instance, you might spend your entire paper developing an argument that the second premise is false. You do not need to summarize the thought experiment or argument above; launch right into your critique.

You are not permitted to consult external sources in writing your paper. This includes the other material in the book itself (Anarchy, State, and Utopia). The ideas you express in the paper should be your own: this is not a research paper.

Formatting and word count requirements

Please review the following guidelines carefully. Papers that do not observe the guidelines will not receive credit.

Word count. Ideally, presenting your arguments in the most efficient way equates to a lower word count. You should write no more than is necessary to present your argument. Generally, this means your paper is probably between 800 and 1200 words. Include the word count at the end of your paper. This works out to around three to five double-spaced pages. You will not be penalized for writing less than 800 words or more than 1200 words, but you may be penalized for underwriting (too vague, too insufficient, etc.) or overwriting (too flowery, too repetitive, etc.).

Line spacing. Your paper should be double-spaced.

Font. Your paper should be in either Helvetica or Times New Roman Font, 10 to 12 point.

Margins. Please use at least 1-inch margins all around.

Citations. No citations are necessary for this paper. You do not need to cite the book referenced above, and you are not permitted to consult external sources, so there should be no citations.

Footnotes. Do not include footnotes or endnotes. The content of your paper should be entirely in the body of the paper, rather than in footnotes, endnotes, appendices, etc.

Papers for this course are due on the day and time posted at the top of this page.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you have given yourself enough time to complete the assignment and submit it on time. It is also your responsibility to ensure that you upload the correct file; please double-check. I will return your papers to you either digitally or in person on the next class day following the day you submit it.

Remember: technology may not cooperate in the final moments of your submission, so you are advised to plan on completing your paper with plenty of time left to troubleshoot any technical issues. Technical issues with paper uploads are not grounds for an extension. Also, per the syllabus, the paper you submit will be the one that I grade and the one that you are held accountable for as far as academic honesty is concerned. Please double-check your upload once it is submitted to ensure you submitted the correct file and that the upload was completed properly.

Grading criteria

Papers will be assigned a Pass based on the following criteria:

satisfaction of the assignment requirements specified here;
—-clarity;
—-the quality of argumentation;
—-organization;
—-depth of critical engagement; and
—-the overall level of polish.

Meeting all the criteria results in a Pass; in order to receive Pass, all criteria must be met no later than in the final draft.

Tips on how to succeed in this assignment

Be specific. Don’t just assert that the premise you are arguing against is false. Provide clear and persuasive reasons for thinking that the premise is false. So, for example, don’t just say something like “premise 2 is false because I wouldn’t want to plug into the machine.” Instead, explain why you would not want to plug in. What reasons do you have to refrain from plugging in?

Be concise and aim for depth. Try to stay focused; the goal here is depth, not breadth. Papers will be stronger to the extent that they focus on developing a small number of points carefully and persuasively, rather than suggesting many different lines of argument more briefly. Each individual point should get its own paragraph. Avoid digressions, omit any content that is not directly relevant to supporting your thesis, and definitely don’t include footnotes (they count towards your word count, and we won’t read them). Also, there is no need to include an elaborate introduction or conclusion. Begin by stating your thesis and briefly summarizing what the main sections of your paper will argue, and close by stating where things stand in a sentence or two.

Course policies regarding late assignments and academic honesty

Hand In Assignments On Time, For Real.

It is the policy of this course that, barring medical or other serious emergencies (computer malfunctions and internet delays are not serious emergencies), late papers or papers written on the wrong topic or papers that do not meet the requirements will receive a zero. Please be sure to do the correct assignment, and submit it on time. Really.

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to exercise academic integrity in the course. There is zero tolerance for plagiarism. You are responsible for understanding the CTC policies on academic integrity (and how to use sources responsibly). Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules, running out of time, submitting “the wrong draft”, or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses. There are no excuses for failure to uphold academic integrity.