Thesis Statement/Outline Instructions

By now you have in hand your paper topic (a very general description of the topic upon which
you will write) and an annotated bibliography (a list of sources, explaining how each is relevant to
your chosen topic). The next step is to formulate your THESIS STATEMENT and then construct
an OUTLINE of your paper.

(1) The Thesis Statement

It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of your thesis statement for the quality of the paper
you will write. In many ways, the thesis statement  is  the paper. The thesis statement "controls" the
content of the paper, i.e., every sentence contributes in some obvious or recognizable way to the
explanation or defense of the thesis statement.

A thesis statement is not a question or a statement of the topic of the paper, but rather is the  thesis
or claim that the paper will advance, clarify, or defend.

For example, suppose that you were taking a course on "Continental Rationalism," and your  paper
topic concerned Nicolas Malebranche's "occasionalist" solution to the mind-body problem. If so,
then the following would not be  bona fide  thesis statements:
    
    "What was Malebranche's occasionalist solution to the mind-body problem?"
    "In this paper I will explore Malebranche's occasionalist solution to the mind-body problem."

The first of these merely states a question. The second tells the reader what your topic is. Neither
informs the reader what thesis you will explain and defend in the paper.

On the other hand, the following sentence would be a satisfactory thesis statement for this topic:

    Malebranche's occasionalist solution to the problem of mind-body
    interaction constitutes a radical break with the Thomistic insistence
    on God's concurrence with secondary causes.

This statement says something that can be defended, first and foremost, by drawing upon the work
of an important early modern philosopher (Malebranche), and secondarily by drawing upon the
thought of another important philosopher (St. Thomas Aquinas) as well as relevant secondary
literature (e.g., books or journal articles about Malebranche, the mind-body problem, etc.).

N.B.: For the first and final drafts of your paper, you will be required to include the paper's thesis
statement on the first page of the paper in bold face font. This is to insure both that the thesis
statement is included, and also that it is evident to the reader what the paper's thesis is. More
concretely, as I read your paper, I will be focusing on your thesis statement, and will be evaluating
your paper in large part on the basis of how well the paper clarifies and addresses the issue
identified in the thesis statement, advances arguments in its support, and considers and responds
to objections to it. Obviously, therefore, the thesis statement is of critical importance.

(2) The Outline

In addition to the thesis statement, you will also be turning in an outline for your paper. This
should clearly identify the major sections of your paper, and include a brief statement of what
purpose each section will serve in relation to the thesis statement.  

For example:

    Title: "Malebranche's Occasionalist Solution to the Mind-Body Problem"

1. Introduction

In this section I will introduce the general topic of the paper, and include my thesis statement, viz.,
that Malebranche's occasionalist solution to the problem of mind-body interaction
constitutes a radical break with the Thomistic insistence on God's concurrence with
secondary causes.

2. Cartesian Metaphysics and the Mind-Body Problem

In this section I will explain Descartes' account of mind and matter as having two entirely
different essences, and how this gives rise to a very difficult problem concerning the possibility of
one having an effect on the other.

3. Malebranche's Occasionalist Solution to the Cartesian Mind-Body Problem

In this section I will introduce Malebranche's occasionalist solution to the mind-body problem,
explaining both how it was intended to resolve this problem, as well as how it constitutes a radical
break with the Thomistic insistence on God's concurrence with secondary causes.

4. Objections and Replies

In this section I will consider objections to my thesis that Malebranche's occasionalist solution to
the mind-body problem constitutes a radical break with the Thomistic insistence on God's
concurrence with secondary causes. In particular, I will respond to the arguments of Dingleschmidt
(2001) who argues that in fact Malebranche's view is fundamentally the same as both Descartes'
and Aquinas' views. I will also consider the interpretation of Schwartzbladt (2002) who reads
Malebranche, not as an occasionalist, but as a transcendental idealist.

5. Conclusions

In this section I will summarize my conclusions.


Obviously, for a course in the Philosophy of Science, you would need a different topic. But the
basic idea of what to include would be the same.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you need or desire any assistance with this assignment.

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