A philosophy essay requires you to analyze a thesis or argument, that has been put out by another philosopher. You should write an essay on whether you agree or disagree with the argument. This article gives you a guide on how to write a philosophy essay.
When writing a philosophy essay, you should choose a philosophical thesis and present evidence whether you agree with it or not. After that, you can use the writings of other qualified philosophers to bolster your point. You should also include your philosophical viewpoint. When writing a philosophy essay, you should be very persuasive to convince the reader about your viewpoint in the argument.
Steps to take before writing a Philosophy essay
Below are the steps you should take before writing a philosophy essay:
- Read and understand the assignment
When assigned a philosophy essay assignment, you should read it through and clearly understand the question. This is to ensure you answer the question correctly and you do not write irrelevant information in the essay. You should also read and understand the given text underlining the key points.
- Select a thesis
After reading and understanding the philosophical domain, you should select a thesis. The thesis shows what you will be arguing for or against in your essay. You should select a strong thesis to write an argument about it in the essay.
- Write an outline
The outline helps you to plan for your philosophy essay. You should write the key points your essay in the outline. Start by outlining the thesis that you are arguing for or against. Read and analyze the philosophical theory writing down the sources for argument or counterarguments. Choose the definitions of key terms to mention in your essay so that it has a clear philosophical meaning.
- Write the philosophy essay structure
You should strategically organize your thoughts and ideas using the philosophy essay structure. Below is how you should structure your philosophy essay:
a) Introduction: Describe the question your essay will be addressing. Discuss your thesis where you state the position you will take on the argument. If necessary, define philosophical terminologies.
b) Body: Begin by presenting reasons in favor of your position and answering every criticism for it. Next, explain alternative solutions and their justifications, and dispute the key arguments in favor of them.
c) Conclusion: Restate your position as the most likely response after compiling all potential responses to the questions.
How to write a good philosophy essay
Writing a good philosophy essay requires you to write a good argument that is very convincing to the reader. Below is how to write a good philosophy essay:
- Heading
The essay heading should be clear and well-stated. It should show what your philosophy essay will talk about. You should avoid having too long or complex essay headings.
- Introduction
You should start your philosophy essay with an engaging introduction that draws the reader in and gives background information on the topic. Describe the question your essay will be addressing. If necessary, define philosophical terminologies. Write a strong thesis statement describing your stance in the argument.
- Body
The body provides justifications and further details about your thesis statement. You should write well-structured paragraphs describing unique key points in each paragraph. You should start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the key point. Then write the middle sentences that give supporting evidence-based information and your analysis of the key point. Finally, complete the paragraph with a conclusion sentence that wraps up the paragraph.
You should use transition words to transition from one paragraph to the next. You should also discuss and debate opposing viewpoints. In your essay, devote a portion to discussing opposing views and proving the validity of your arguments. This supports your argument and demonstrates your capacity for critical thought.
- Conclusion
Your conclusion ought to do more than just restate your main idea. It should also make an impression on the reader. After restating your thesis and providing a brief synopsis of your key points, expand on it by talking about the wider ramifications of your research. Encourage your readers to consider the implications of your discoveries. You should not bring new ideas to the conclusion. This is how to write a conclusion in a philosophy essay.
- Proofread the essay
After completing the essay, you should proofread it several times to correct any mistakes. While proofreading the essay, you should also check if there is proper organization of ideas throughout your essay. You can also give it to a friend to proofread it for you. Edit and submit your philosophy essay.
The guide above shows how to an A-level philosophy essay. A philosophy essay can either be a long essay like a 3000-word essay or a short essay depending on the assignment. You can also research various philosophy essay examples to understand how to write a crap philosophy essay. This will help you to properly structure your essay.
How to make a thesis statement
When writing a philosophy essay, you should write a strong thesis statement that shows your stance in the argument. Below is how to make a thesis statement:
- Understand the question
You should read and understand the question to come up with a strong thesis statement. Analyze the question to understand what is expected of you. From the question, you will be able to choose the theme for your essay.
- Be specific
Your thesis statement should be specific. Steer clear of ambiguous or broad statements. Determine precisely the component of the subject you will be concentrating on.
- State your position
Clearly state where you stand on the argument. Are you offering an interpretation, stating a position, or making a claim? It should be clear from your thesis statement what your stance is.
- Show your awareness of the counterarguments
Although your thesis outlines your primary point of contention, addressing counterarguments shows that you are aware of how complicated the argument is.
Tips for writing a philosophy essay
Below are tips for writing a philosophy essay:
a) Organize your essay
Create an outline of your argument before you begin writing. The thoughts should flow logically and easily so that the reader can follow along. A well-structured document will guide the reader in a way that feels natural. That’s why it is important to write an outline that will guide you as you write the philosophy essay.
b) Support your position in the argument
Presume your reader is asking queries like ‘Why should I agree to that?’ all the time. Writing an essay that argues for a stance is more likely to be successful if you assume that the reader is at least somewhat suspicious of the majority of your statements. When there is any reason to believe that your detractors would not accept your arguments, provide evidence to support them.
c) Cite the sources used in your essay
Always include citation information when paraphrasing or quoting. Cite your essay using the instructed format for your essay. You should avoid writing a plagiarized essay. Always write original work and properly cite all the sources used to support your argument.
d) Avoid lengthy quotation
It is recommended to limit direct quotes to situations in which it is necessary to determine the precise word choice of another writer. Keep your paraphrasing to a minimum as well. Your tutor is interested in what’s on your mind. Remember that, particularly if the topic of your essay calls for you to evaluate the arguments of others.
e) Write proper counterarguments
When challenging opposing viewpoints, it’s critical to understand that merely pointing out that the general implications of your opponents’ arguments are incorrect will not suffice to demonstrate their errors. Merely asserting that at least one of their hypotheses is incorrect will also not be enough. These kinds of things are what you have to prove, and you have to do it without assuming that your perspective is right.
f) Write using the proper philosophy essay structure
When writing the essay, you should the philosophy essay structure. You should have a clear flow of information from the introduction through the body to the conclusion. Do not mix up your ideas. Having a smooth flow of ideas enables the reader to easily understand your essay.
g) Edit your essay
Completing the first draft of your essay is not the completion of the work. You should go through your essay to check the organization of your ideas in the paragraphs. You should also proofread it loudly to omit any punctuation or wording mistakes.
To sum up
Writing a philosophy essay requires you to analyze philosophical work, select a thesis from it then write an argument of whether you agree with it or not. Using this article, you will learn how to write a philosophy essay. If you need help with your philosophy essay, we provide affordable ‘do my essay’ services.
