Philosophy

These subject guidelines should be read in conjunction with the “Introduction”, “Outline” and “Details—all essays” sections of this guide.

Overview
An extended essay in philosophy provides students with an opportunity to undertake a philosophical investigation into a topic of special interest. The student is encouraged to engage in serious, personal thought, to develop and explore in adisciplined and imaginative way a specific philosophical question appropriate to the subject, and to arrive at a clear conclusion.

Choice of topic
The chosen topic may be stimulated, for example, by work done in class, by current events, by issues of contemporary debate, by discussion, by private reading and/or reflection, or by conceptual features of belief systems not previously encountered by thestudent.

A precisely circumscribed topic should be selected, so that it can be treated thoroughly. For example, it may be preferable to choose as a starting point a specific hypothesis rather than a general one, certain of the ideas of one philosopher rather than several, or a single text by a philosopher rather than the whole of his or her work.

A topic should be reconsidered or amended ifit is interdisciplinary in nature and/or is not directly related to philosophy.

The following examples of titles for philosophy extended essays are intended as guidance only. The pairings illustrate that focused topics (indicated by the first title) should be encouraged rather than broad topics (indicated by the second title).
· “An analysis of John Rawls’ procedure of justifying principlesof social justice” is better than “Philosophical views of social justice”.
· “The notion of freedom of speech in Spinoza’s Theologico-Politico Treatise” is better than “Ethics in the 17th century”.
· “Brahman: the ultimate reality of Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta” is better than “Philosophical implications of the Hindu scriptures”.
· “Change and continuity: a critical assessment of Herbert Marcuse’sviews on art” is better than “Philosophical aspects of art and aesthetics”.
· “Doing versus being: language and reality in the Mimamsa school of Indian philosophy” is better than “Language and the nature of reality”.
· “An examination of the role played by reason in Anselm’s investigation of the concepts of predestination and free will” is better than “Anselm’s exploration of the mysteries offaith”.

A necessary condition for a sound philosophical treatment of the topic is a well-formulated research question. Previous experience shows that, in essays where the research question is well focused and stated clearly, the arguments seem to unfold of their own accord. Therefore, the focus of the investigation must be narrowed down as much as possible and stated in a concise and sharplydefined research question.

Students must choose a research question that can be treated effectively within the word limit and is philosophically relevant. The research question can be formulated as a question or as a statement. Some examples with good results in the past include the following.

Title Do stem cells have moral status?

Research questionWhat criterion can be identified in orderto ascribe a moral status to stem cells?

ApproachAn explanation and justification of a criterion that allows a moral status to be ascribed to stem cells.

Title Asian philosophy of critical thinking: divergent from or convergent to Western fundamental principles?

Research questionWhat is the nature of the critical thinking that is clearly visible in Indian historical texts such as theCaraka and the Nyayasutra?

ApproachAn exploration and justification of the notion of critical thinking that is found in the Caraka and the Nyayasutra.

Title Art and politics in Hannah Arendt's The Crisis in Culture

Research questionIn Hannah Arendt's essay The Crisis in Culture, art and politics are not opposed but complementary.

ApproachAn investigation into the relation between art and...