Option 1: Free Will
If you choose this option, you must discuss what the notion of free will is and what the notion of
determinism is. You must then choose two of the main theories within the compatibilism / noncompatibilism debate – which you should also address - and compare and contrast them.
Option 2: Personhood Over Time
To investigate how you know that you are the same person over time, there are really two questions that need
to be addressed: (1) What is a person or a self and (2) How do you know that you are the same person over
time. We focused the discussion on John Locke and Thomas Reid’s objections to Locke’s criterion. If you
choose this essay question, you must outline Locke’s answers to both of these questions. Second, you must
address Thomas Reid’s objection to Locke’s answers.
Option 3: The relationship between the mind and the body
If you choose this final option, you need to address the different approaches to the mind/body problem. You
need to address the following topics (but not necessarily in the following order):
Choice (1): substance dualism (Descartes) and the difference between a mental fact and a physical fact. You
will also need to address Descartes’ argument for the existence of an immaterial substance called soul/mind
(what was it called – you can just summarize this. You do not need to list out the full argument). Lastly,
what are some of the issues that substance dualism faces?
Choice (2): Physicalism/Materialism presents a different theory of mind. What is that theory? How is it
different from substance dualism? How does it address the issues that dualism faces? What are the different
forms of the physicalist theory? Are there any issues that the physicalist faces (the qualia problem perhaps)?
Option 5: Arguments for the existence of God
The distinction between the Ontological Argument (either Descartes or Anselm’s version) and the
cosmological argument (first cause argument). What does each theory state? What are the basic
epistemological principles that each theory is based on. Who are the notable proponents of each that we
addressed in class. What are some basic objections to the theories
Sample Solution