Due April 7
Analytical Reasoning paper 1:
1. The assigned selection from the Nicomachean Ethics
2. For your paper:
a. A clear statement of Aristotle’s main argument in standard form.
b. Clear statements of Aristotle’s sub arguments leading to the main premises of his main
argument.
c. Analysis of Aristotle*s argument: In your response, you will interact with the principles
of analysis you have learned this semester. You will answer at least these questions, for
each argument you find in Aristotle*s piece, in essay form, as part of your response:
i. Is this argument inductive or deductive?
ii. Is this argument valid/strong and why or why not?? At this point, you may offer
arguments countering Aristotle’s arguments to show that his argument is
invalid/weak, or you will offer arguments as to why his argument is valid/strong.
iii. Is this argument sound/cogent and why or why not? At this point, you may offer
arguments countering Aristotle’s arguments to show that his argument is
unsound/weak, or you will offer arguments as to why his argument is
unsound/uncogent.
d. This paper is a RESPONSE to Aristotle, and as such, you must interact with Aristotle’s
argument in your paper. This means that Aristotle’s paper is not to be a springboard to
an argument on your own beliefs, apart from what Aristotle wrote. Rather your paper is
to be a direct response to Aristotle’s paper, argument by argument.
e. Your essay must be typed, double-spaced, no more than 5 pages long. You must e-mail
your paper to phil1@heidiphelps.com as a Word document, or in a compatible format.
It is your responsibility to make sure I can open it on my Windows MS Office machine.