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227 Philosophy Thesis Topics To Use Right Now
A philosophy dissertation everyone’s favorite. The long list of philosophers and their allegories or theories is not a subject most students would want to listen to comfortably. However, students still have to write a philosophical thesis in their undergraduate or post-graduate to graduate.
Let us narrow down this elephant in the room for you.
What Is A Philosophical Thesis?
A philosophical paper is not a report of what various scholars have had to say on a particular issue. It is a reasoned defense of a particular thesis. Unlike other papers that present the latest findings of tests or experiments, this paper tries to persuade the reader to give in to a particular point of view together with grounds or justification for its acceptance.
The introduction of a philosophy paper states what the writer is trying to show the reader. When writing a dissertation in philosophy, follow the following simple guidelines for efficiency:
- Very carefully and think about your topic
- Have a rough idea of what you intend to establish
- Determine how you’ll go about convincing the reader that your thesis is correct.
For an outstanding philosophy thesis, ensure that you say what you mean and in a way that minimizes the chances of being misunderstood. It is the general rule thumb for this paper that every student should have at his/her finger-tips.
What To Avoid in a Philosophy Dissertation
Understanding the do’s and don’ts of any paper is essential in ensuring that you stick within the scope of what is required of you. Here are some of the things to avoid in philosophical thesis papers for college:
- Lengthy quotations: It is essential to understand that quotations are an essential part of philosophy papers. However, stating long quotes that run into paragraphs or more does not make your paper sound original. One will only see this as a duplication of another person’s work.
- Circular reasoning: If you presuppose the truth of whatever it is that you are trying to bring out in the course of arguing for it, then you are guilty of begging the question.
- Lengthy introductions: An intro should only serve the purpose of giving the context of your philosophy topic and creating interest in the reader. You can do it in less than four short and precise questions. Overloading your introduction only serves to drain your readers’ energy before they get into the real deal – the body.
- Fence sitting: Most students are guilty of presenting several positions in their papers and then saying they are not qualified to settle the matter. Do not close by saying that philosophers have been divided over a particular issue. That only shows how shallow and scanty you were in your research process.
Always organize your work carefully, using the right words to present your stance without any disputes. The stance should also come out naturally without making the reader feel that you are forcing him/her to ascribe to your particular point of view.
It is also essential to support your arguments with undisputed evidence. Do not assume that your reader may not be skeptical of your arguments. Every reader is skeptical of whatever they read, and if sufficient evidence is not provided, then you might not convince anyone at the end of your 20-page long thesis.
Now, for you to have a strong thesis, ensure that it is:
- Answering a specific question;
- Engaging; one that can be challenged or opposed, thus also defended;
- Passes the “so what? Or why should I care?” test;
- Supported by your paper; and
- Not too broad nor too vague.
To have a strong argument in your philosophical paper, demonstrate these sorts of things that make your opponent’s views false in a fashion that does not presuppose that your position is correct. Your philosophy research topics will play a significant role in supporting this claim.
You can find philosophy research paper topics from:
Early American Imprints of 1639 to 1819 Early English Books Online of 1475 to 1700 Internet archives The War Diaries of Jean-Paul Sartre The Metaphysics of Morals by Emmanuel Kant
And many more sources that are readily available in your college library or online catalogs.
We now advance to our professional philosophy topics list:
Sample Thesis Topics For Philosophy of the Human Sciences
- Critique of mainstream assumptions and practices of human behavior globally
- How are constructions of human nature affect our associations and lineation
- Adopting a human science framework to the problem of racial discrimination in the US
- How to adopt positivism in a world bombarded by negative news all the time
- A rigorous and systematic approach to man’s natural behavior
- The role of the Greek philosophers in shaping human sciences around the 18th century
- How existential phenomenology found its way from Europe
- Cultural and biological dimensions of human science research programs
- The role of qualitative research methods across the discipline of the human sciences
- How humanistic psychology offers more substantive findings in human science tradition
- An evaluation of the colleges and universities dedicated to humanistic/human science philosophy
- Discuss the impact of the American infusionism into the cultures and systems of the world
- Fundamental tenets of Western civilization in developing countries
- An assessment of the ancient nature of human interactions
- Political and cultural standards acceptable to all human interactions
Philosophy Potential Senior Thesis Topics
- A philosophical perspective of evil actions and evil persons
- How the ideology of Darwinism has affected the aspect of natural selection
- Distinguishing the underlying differences between intervention and information
- Psychoanalysis of melancholia in teenagers
- Investigating the use of biology in dealing with human philosophical issues
- The evolution of philosophical writings from the 15th century to the 21st century
- Examine the connection between shame and an immoral piece of art
- How depression relates to natural and interactive children
- What is the logic behind nightmares and madness in dreams?
- An investigation of how man is adapting to the invasion of privacy by new technologies
- The ethical and practical arguments against voluntary euthanasia
- Discuss the relationship between value, dignity, and human virtue in the Modern Virtue Theory
- The evolution of personal and corporate responsibility in the 21st century
- Trends in sex and sexuality as seen in the 21st century
- Why arousal of an emotion in the listener is essential in the delivery of any speech
Undergraduate Philosophy Thesis Topics
- Modern science: Should we employ a monistic or pluralistic model?
- How moral philosophy can help improve our understanding of folk psychology
- Why is it close to impossible to escape mental externalism?
- The emergence of technology and resulting bioethics as seen in the 21st century
- Investigate the willingness to accept punishment after committing a civil crime
- Why artificial intelligence may not be a genuinely creative entity
- Discuss empathy, fiction, and morality in the development of fiction stories and folklores
- The role of sporting activities in developing virtues and morals in the society
- Is voluntary suicide justified for any reason whatsoever?
- Why postmodern philosophical theories and market anarchism are enemies
- Discuss the ultimate goal of humanity in the backdrop of the changing roles
- Give a detailed analysis of the relationship between fate, destiny, and free will
- What is the essence of dreams and visions to man?
- Evaluate the sources of your self-worth in the light of personal attributes
- What is the impact of a person’s name on who they become in the future?
Best-Rated Political Philosophy Thesis Topics
- Consider the dividing line between distributive justice and the family
- Investigate the gendered basis for care and caregiving
- What are the underlying differences between multiculturalism and feminism
- Discuss the liberal versus radical feminist positions on pornography
- How social beings should live together considering the underlying differences
- Following the example of Plato, discuss what it means to have an ideal society
- Given the knowledge and resources available, discuss the best form of society using the US as a case study
- The evolution of democracy in the US presidential election
- How the history of the past several centuries has impacted the role of citizens in participation in democracy
- What is the essence of having a conservative free-market economy in the 21st century?
- The role of the government in regulating the economy
- Should the economy incorporate both capitalist and socialist structures?
- Do we have an economically viable socialist alternative to capitalism?
- Is it worth fighting for an economically viable alternative to capitalism?
- The conservative view of the post-World-War-Two period
Thesis Topics on the Renaissance and Philosophy
- The impact of the renaissance period o man’s view of the world
- Compare and contrast the High Renaissance in Rome as compared to the of Northern Europe
- The impact of the scientific revolution on the renaissance period
- The early renaissance period in Florence and the existence of the Flemish art
- Discuss the contributions of some of the godfathers of the Renaissance
- The perfect interplay between music and painting during the renaissance period
- The humanist intellectual, cultural, and artistic revolution of the Renaissance
- Religious symbolism and naturalistic beauty as exemplified in the renaissance period
- The role of sexuality and eroticism in the works of the 16th-century renaissance art
- How the discoveries of the renaissance period helped shape people’s attitudes towards life
- Identify and explain the role of the Carolingian Renaissance on the Bible
- The impact of the Great migration and economic changes on literature and art
- Discuss how art patronage was conducted in Italy during the Renaissance
- How science has made advancements in renaissance culture and art
- Impacts of the early Renaissance on the medical innovations
Master Thesis Topics in Philosophy
- Discuss the benefits and impacts of the renaissance period on the man
- How the renaissance period played a part in the reformation of the world
- A comparative analysis of philosophy, art, and culture during the Renaissance
- How much influence did the renaissance period have on dressing?
- Conduct a critical analysis of Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance
- The contribution of sculptors of the Italian Renaissance
- Discuss artistic renaissance humanism during 1400 and 1650
- The Renaissance and religion: A case study of the Catholic church
- Artistic revolution as a significant element of the Renaissance
- The role of William Shakespeare in the renaissance period
- Discuss the classical and Renaissance humanities art of the Greco-Roman artists
- The cultural, economic, and political influence of the Renaissance
- The age of revolutionary, Renaissance, and enlightenment period
- The representation of nature in the European renaissance artistic works
- How Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Rafael contributed to the new era of the Renaissance
Introduction to Philosophy Thesis Topics
- Discuss whether people are good or evil by nature
- What are the limitations to free will in making personal decisions?
- What is the impact of the belief in God on a person’s way of life?
- Discuss the compatibility issues between science with religion
- Give a detailed argument for or against utilitarianism
- What is the logic behind psychological and ethical egoism?
- Ascertain the relevance of morals to culture or society
- The role of Aesop’s fables in contributing to human philosophy
- Discuss the history and development of African philosophy
- What are the central tenets of African Sage Philosophy?
- The critical role played by altruism and group selection
- Conduct a detailed analysis of the American Enlightenment Thought
- How does the American Wilderness Philosophy vary from that of today?
- A case study of Anselm’s Ontological Argument for the Existence of God
- Critically evaluate motion and its place in nature
- Discuss association in the philosophy of the mind
- How Bolzano’s mathematical knowledge played a crucial role in human philosophy
Thesis Papers Topics on Buddhist Philosophy
- The view of sin and punishment between the Buddhist and Hindu religions
- Buddhist believe in rebirth, which is determined by the actions one does in daily life.
- Misconceptions about sexuality in the Buddhist religion
- Discuss the relationship between Shinto with China and Buddhism
- Analyze the four noble truths of Buddhism
- The concept of salvation according to the Zen Buddhism religion
- A detailed study of the confluence of Buddhism and Hinduism in India
- An analysis of the faith and practices of Buddhism as a religion in India
- The role of Mahatma Gandhi in advancing the ideologies and practices of Buddhism
- Evaluate the vase of treasure hidden in the Buddhist iconography
- Compare and contrast the various variations between Buddhism and Christianity
- Elements of the Buddhism religion that make it sacred
- Discuss the concept of anger and how to manage it in the Buddhism religion
- Cultural histories and the expansion of the Buddhism religion in China
- Differences in the Japanese versus Chinese Buddhism practices
Types of Philosophy Thesis Topics
- Discuss the role of aesthetics in the study of philosophy
- How epistemology has contributed to the growth in philosophical literature
- Elaborate the role of ethics on the survivability of a society
- How logic has been crucial in making rational decisions in a man
- What are the limitations of metaphysics as a branch of philosophy?
- Analyze the philosophy of mind given the fundamental tenets
- Discuss the major revolutions of the African philosophy
- Why does Eastern philosophy have a lower absorption rate?
- Reasons why Western philosophy has a greater acceptance in the world as compared to others
- Give the unique characteristics of the ancient and classical philosophy
- Why the medieval and post-classical philosophies have a place in the modern world
- The modern and contemporary philosophy in terms of improvements
- Discuss the philosophy of language theories and stances in Europe
- What is the impact of the philosophy of science theories and stances?
- Discuss the epistemological stances of different philosophical schools of thought
Epistemology Paper Topics
- The concept of skepticism among different readers
- Analyze the internalist vs. externalist accounts of knowledge and justification
- Discuss the structure of knowledge and justification
- What contributes to contextualism in epistemology?
- Impacts of the relevant alternative accounts of knowledge
- Discuss the pros and cons of the epistemology of lotteries
- A case study of foundationalism and coherentism
- The impacts of facts and beliefs on people
- Is skepticism doomed to an inevitable defeat?
- Arguments and positions in epistemology in the 21st century
- The pros and cons of different positions in epistemology
- Relevant arguments and principles in epistemology: A case of The Closure Principle
- Critically discuss Shoemaker’s ‘self-blindness’ concept
- How the epistemology of attitudes like the belief is very different from the epistemology of other mental states
- Fundamental flaws in various epistemological theories
High-Quality Philosophy Project Topics
- Discuss the concept of happiness
- Why egoism is a negative trait
- Discuss the motive behind acts of charity
- Is love merely an illusion of the mind?
- Are criminals evil by nature?
- Is the current generation less affectionate?
- Discuss the concept of true friendship
- Is there happiness in achieving nothing?
- Does a perfect life exist?
- Why do people struggle to attain perfectionism?
- The impact of technology of taking away emotions
- Analyze time management among high school versus campus students
- Is obsession replacing true love?
- Is the concept of ‘You Only Live Once’ viable?
- Why are most geniuses’ introverts?
Easy Philosophy Paper Topics
- Discuss the existence of fate in the modern world
- Can we achieve an ideal society?
- Is life meaningful after all?
- Why should people work, yet they will die in the end?
- Is the concept of feminism overhyped?
- Is every human action predetermined?
- Discuss the components of the human consciousness
- Why do people tend to do the bad instead of the good?
- Are atheists deceiving themselves?
- Why is the world changing so fast?
- Is there life after death?
- Why must everyone go to school?
- Who determines what clothes each gender should don?
- The impact of religious beliefs on science
- Does death usher in the new life?
Top Philosophical Topics To Write About
- Will the world ever come to an end?
- Why do people have different religions?
- Does stealing originate from the person’s mind?
- Who is responsible for the rot in the society
- The role of parents in instilling morals
- Why do people believe in revenge?
- What makes man different from animals?
- Why should we care about our neighbors?
- Is humility a virtue for ladies?
- Why are most men aggressive
- Discuss the role of sleeping at night
- Should people eat food after all?
- Is man the biggest threat to himself?
- Is the judicial system serving justice?
- Will robots make the world better?
Good Philosophy Topics
- Do beliefs and superstitions match?
- Is sex necessary?
- Why should people love each other?
- Should a woman head the house also?
- Are other planets mere superstitions?
- Are the stars in the sky fantasies?
- Why bother about planning?
- Do aliens exist?
- Why is man rational?
- What is the effect of finding a purpose in life
- Do shooting stars fall on earth?
- Why do fiction movies move people?
- Does the moon exist?
- Are we living reality or a fantasy?
- Can one love more than two people?
Interesting Philosophy Topics
- Was man made out of clay?
- Do guns protect?
- Does true love exist among teenagers?
- Beauty and morality
- Religion and power
- Memories and love
- Peace and war
- Religion and own belief system
- Angels and demons
- Heaven and earth
- Plastic surgery and ethics
- Character and upbringing
- Dreams and the future
- The rich and the poor
- Is death inevitable
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Concepts: ontology of the unbound , the role and responsibility of higher education in the 21st century: a call for an education revolution , can we discount hard incompatibilism on the basis of blame , epistemic luck and the ability hypothesis , the importance of time to wittgenstein's thought , kant's aesthetics reception of the third critique in romantic germany and modern japan , reasonable coercion: a contractualist justification of state punishment , metaethical inferentialism , in today 's society in the west , do trauma survivors face epistemic injustice , language, thought, and culture , what is the connection between ethics and aesthetics for wittgenstein , digital consciousness: towards an account of possible minds in future technologies , what are the harmful effects of pornography and what should we do about them , what is expert disagreement , if camus' account of absurdity in the myth of sisyphus is the case, does postulating a meaning of life constitute philosophical suicide , climbing the ladder: how does wittgenstein propose we overcome tractarian nonsense , moral ignorance, agency and responsibility , predicate nominalism: an alternative account of gender properties in the form of identity predicates , letting morality speak for itself: answering "why be moral" in a different voice , thinking the body in heidegger and merleau-ponty .
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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Arts and Sciences > Philosophy > Theses and Dissertations
Philosophy Theses and Dissertations
Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.
Karl Marx on Human Flourishing and Proletarian Ethics , Sam Badger
The Ontological Grounds of Reason: Psychologism, Logicism, and Hermeneutic Phenomenology , Stanford L. Howdyshell
Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022
Interdisciplinary Communication by Plausible Analogies: the Case of Buddhism and Artificial Intelligence , Michael Cooper
Heidegger and the Origin of Authenticity , John J. Preston
Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021
Hegel and Schelling: The Emptiness of Emptiness and the Love of the Divine , Sean B. Gleason
Nietzsche on Criminality , Laura N. McAllister
Learning to be Human: Ren 仁, Modernity, and the Philosophers of China's Hundred Days' Reform , Lucien Mathot Monson
Nietzsche and Eternal Recurrence: Methods, Archives, History, and Genesis , William A. B. Parkhurst
Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020
Orders of Normativity: Nietzsche, Science and Agency , Shane C. Callahan
Humanistic Climate Philosophy: Erich Fromm Revisited , Nicholas Dovellos
This, or Something like It: Socrates and the Problem of Authority , Simon Dutton
Climate Change and Liberation in Latin America , Ernesto O. Hernández
Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa as Expressions of Shame in a Post-Feminist , Emily Kearns
Nostalgia and (In)authentic Community: A Bataillean Answer to the Heidegger Controversy , Patrick Miller
Cultivating Virtue: A Thomistic Perspective on the Relationship Between Moral Motivation and Skill , Ashley Potts
Identity, Breakdown, and the Production of Knowledge: Intersectionality, Phenomenology, and the Project of Post-Marxist Standpoint Theory , Zachary James Purdue
Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019
The Efficacy of Comedy , Mark Anthony Castricone
William of Ockham's Divine Command Theory , Matthew Dee
Heidegger's Will to Power and the Problem of Nietzsche's Nihilism , Megan Flocken
Abelard's Affective Intentionalism , Lillian M. King
Anton Wilhelm Amo's Philosophy and Reception: from the Origins through the Encyclopédie , Dwight Kenneth Lewis Jr.
"The Thought that we Hate": Regulating Race-Related Speech on College Campuses , Michael McGowan
A Historical Approach to Understanding Explanatory Proofs Based on Mathematical Practices , Erika Oshiro
From Meaningful Work to Good Work: Reexamining the Moral Foundation of the Calling Orientation , Garrett W. Potts
Reasoning of the Highest Leibniz and the Moral Quality of Reason , Ryan Quandt
Fear, Death, and Being-a-problem: Understanding and Critiquing Racial Discourse with Heidegger’s Being and Time , Jesús H. Ramírez
The Role of Skepticism in Early Modern Philosophy: A Critique of Popkin's "Sceptical Crisis" and a Study of Descartes and Hume , Raman Sachdev
How the Heart Became Muscle: From René Descartes to Nicholas Steno , Alex Benjamin Shillito
Autonomy, Suffering, and the Practice of Medicine: A Relational Approach , Michael A. Stanfield
The Case for the Green Kant: A Defense and Application of a Kantian Approach to Environmental Ethics , Zachary T. Vereb
Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018
Augustine's Confessiones : The Battle between Two Conversions , Robert Hunter Craig
The Strategic Naturalism of Sandra Harding's Feminist Standpoint Epistemology: A Path Toward Epistemic Progress , Dahlia Guzman
Hume on the Doctrine of Infinite Divisibility: A Matter of Clarity and Absurdity , Wilson H. Underkuffler
Climate Change: Aristotelian Virtue Theory, the Aidōs Response and Proper Primility , John W. Voelpel
The Fate of Kantian Freedom: the Kant-Reinhold Controversy , John Walsh
Time, Tense, and Ontology: Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Tense, the Phenomenology of Temporality, and the Ontology of Time , Justin Brandt Wisniewski
Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017
A Phenomenological Approach to Clinical Empathy: Rethinking Empathy Within its Intersubjective and Affective Contexts , Carter Hardy
From Object to Other: Models of Sociality after Idealism in Gadamer, Levinas, Rosenzweig, and Bonhoeffer , Christopher J. King
Humanitarian Military Intervention: A Failed Paradigm , Faruk Rahmanovic
Active Suffering: An Examination of Spinoza's Approach to Tristita , Kathleen Ketring Schenk
Cartesian Method and Experiment , Aaron Spink
An Examination of John Burton’s Method of Conflict Resolution and Its Applicability to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict , John Kenneth Steinmeyer
Speaking of the Self: Theorizing the Dialogical Dimensions of Ethical Agency , Bradley S. Warfield
Changing Changelessness: On the Genesis and Development of the Doctrine of Divine Immutability in the Ancient and Hellenic Period , Milton Wilcox
Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016
The Statue that Houses the Temple: A Phenomenological Investigation of Western Embodiment Towards the Making of Heidegger's Missing Connection with the Greeks , Michael Arvanitopoulos
An Exploratory Analysis of Media Reporting of Police Involved Shootings in Florida , John L. Brown
Divine Temporality: Bonhoeffer's Theological Appropriation of Heidegger's Existential Analytic of Dasein , Nicholas Byle
Stoicism in Descartes, Pascal, and Spinoza: Examining Neostoicism’s Influence in the Seventeenth Century , Daniel Collette
Phenomenology and the Crisis of Contemporary Psychiatry: Contingency, Naturalism, and Classification , Anthony Vincent Fernandez
A Critique of Charitable Consciousness , Chioke Ianson
writing/trauma , Natasha Noel Liebig
Leibniz's More Fundamental Ontology: from Overshadowed Individuals to Metaphysical Atoms , Marin Lucio Mare
Violence and Disagreement: From the Commonsense View to Political Kinds of Violence and Violent Nonviolence , Gregory Richard Mccreery
Kant's Just War Theory , Steven Charles Starke
A Feminist Contestation of Ableist Assumptions: Implications for Biomedical Ethics, Disability Theory, and Phenomenology , Christine Marie Wieseler
Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015
Heidegger and the Problem of Modern Moral Philosophy , Megan Emily Altman
The Encultured Mind: From Cognitive Science to Social Epistemology , David Alexander Eck
Weakness of Will: An Inquiry on Value , Michael Funke
Cogs in a Cosmic Machine: A Defense of Free Will Skepticism and its Ethical Implications , Sacha Greer
Thinking Nature, "Pierre Maupertuis and the Charge of Error Against Fermat and Leibniz" , Richard Samuel Lamborn
John Duns Scotus’s Metaphysics of Goodness: Adventures in 13th-Century Metaethics , Jeffrey W. Steele
A Gadamerian Analysis of Roman Catholic Hermeneutics: A Diachronic Analysis of Interpretations of Romans 1:17-2:17 , Steven Floyd Surrency
A Natural Case for Realism: Processes, Structures, and Laws , Andrew Michael Winters
Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014
Leibniz's Theodicies , Joseph Michael Anderson
Aeschynē in Aristotle's Conception of Human Nature , Melissa Marie Coakley
Ressentiment, Violence, and Colonialism , Jose A. Haro
It's About Time: Dynamics of Inflationary Cosmology as the Source of the Asymmetry of Time , Emre Keskin
Time Wounds All Heels: Human Nature and the Rationality of Just Behavior , Timothy Glenn Slattery
Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013
Nietzsche and Heidegger on the Cartesian Atomism of Thought , Steven Burgess
Embodying Social Practice: Dynamically Co-Constituting Social Agency , Brian W. Dunst
Subject of Conscience: On the Relation between Freedom and Discrimination in the Thought of Heidegger, Foucault, and Butler , Aret Karademir
Climate, Neo-Spinozism, and the Ecological Worldview , Nancy M. Kettle
Eschatology in a Secular Age: An Examination of the Use of Eschatology in the Philosophies of Heidegger, Berdyaev and Blumenberg , John R. Lup, Jr.
Navigation and Immersion of the American Identity in a Foreign Culture to Emergence as a Culturally Relative Ambassador , Lee H. Rosen
Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012
A Philosophical Analysis of Intellectual Property: In Defense of Instrumentalism , Michael A. Kanning
A Commentary On Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz's Discourse on Metaphysics #19 , Richard Lamborn Samuel Lamborn
Sellars in Context: An Analysis of Wilfrid Sellars's Early Works , Peter Jackson Olen
The New Materialism: Althusser, Badiou, and Zizek , Geoffrey Dennis Pfeifer
Structure and Agency: An Analysis of the Impact of Structure on Group Agents , Elizabeth Kaye Victor
Moral Friction, Moral Phenomenology, and the Improviser , Benjamin Scott Young
Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011
The Virtuoso Human: A Virtue Ethics Model Based on Care , Frederick Joseph Bennett
The Existential Compromise in the History of the Philosophy of Death , Adam Buben
Philosophical Precursors to the Radical Enlightenment: Vignettes on the Struggle Between Philosophy and Theology From the Greeks to Leibniz With Special Emphasis on Spinoza , Anthony John Desantis
The Problem of Evil in Augustine's Confessions , Edward Matusek
The Persistence of Casuistry: a Neo-premodernist Approach to Moral Reasoning , Richard Arthur Mercadante
Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010
Dewey's Pragmatism and the Great Community , Philip Schuyler Bishop
Unamuno's Concept of the Tragic , Ernesto O. Hernandez
Rethinking Ethical Naturalism: The Implications of Developmental Systems Theory , Jared J.. Kinggard
From Husserl and the Neo-Kantians to Art: Heidegger's Realist Historicist Answer to the Problem of the Origin of Meaning , William H. Koch
Queering Cognition: Extended Minds and Sociotechnologically Hybridized Gender , Michele Merritt
Hydric Life: A Nietzschean Reading of Postcolonial Communication , Elena F. Ruiz-Aho
Descartes' Bête Machine, the Leibnizian Correction and Religious Influence , John Voelpel
Aretē and Physics: The Lesson of Plato's Timaeus , John R. Wolfe
Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009
Praxis and Theōria : Heidegger’s “Violent” Interpretation , Megan E. Altman
On the Concept of Evil: An Analysis of Genocide and State Sovereignty , Jason J. Campbell
The Role of Trust in Judgment , Christophe Sage Hudspeth
Truth And Judgment , Jeremy J. Kelly
The concept of action and responsibility in Heidegger's early thought , Christian Hans Pedersen
Roots and Role of the Imagination in Kant: Imagination at the Core , Michael Thompson
Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008
Peirce on the Passions: The Role of Instinct, Emotion, and Sentiment in Inquiry and Action , Robert J. Beeson
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Home > Arts and Sciences > Philosophy > PHILOSOPHYHONORS
Philosophy Undergraduate Honors Theses
Honors theses from 2024 2024.
In the Fabric of Experience: Exploring Time and Self , Juntong Gu
Philosophy of 'As If': Contemporary Applications and Defense , Ryan Kopelman
A Comparison of Neo-Hobbesian Social Contract Theory and Anthropological Accounts of Socio-Political Complexity , Benjamin Lee
A New Metaphysical Approach to Intersectionality , Kia Morawetz
The Self in the Mirror of Despair: Søren Kierkegaard on the Authentic Christian Life , Yi Shao
Honors Theses from 2023 2023
On Conditional Reasons , Preston Budd
Exploring Moral Saints , Ruyu (Evelyn) Wang
Honors Theses from 2022 2022
Cultural Evolution and the Intuitionist Paradigm in Ethics: Ethics as Creation , Nickolas J. Boylan
Free Speech and Its Limits: An Exploration of Tolerance in the Digital Age , Jamie Forte
Negation & Acosmism: Hegel's Acosmist Reading of Spinoza , Jared Jones
On Certain Antinomies of Freedom: Divine Foreknowledge and Immutability , Tanja T. Rounds
Indeterminacy, Disagreement, and Reasonable Reference Magnetism , Jaocb (Hengyun) Yang
Honors Theses from 2021 2021
Gender in Time , Jake Beardsley
A Neopragmatist Understanding of Mathematics , Yuan Dong
Weight of Words: Moral Responsibility and Freedom of Speech , Sihan Feng
The Metaphysics of Sexual Orientation: A Pluralist Account , Neal J. Going
Addressing Systemic Harms Through Restorative Justice Principles , Elissa Gosling
WELCOMING THE GAME CHANGER OF HUMAN SOCIETY: A DEFENSE OF THE MORAL PERMISSIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS OF HUMAN GENETIC ENGINEERING , Yongkang Li
Theories of Responsibility and Punishment in a Causally Determined World , Brett Restrick
Honors Theses from 2020 2020
Euthyphro, Non-Conditional Valuing, and the Possibility for Evaluative Error: A Humean Approach to Animal Ethics , Elisabeth Holmes
Honors Theses from 2019 2019
Egoism and the Repugnant Conclusion , Nathaniel Anderson
Ghosts of the Anthropocene , Riley Covert
'Poverty of Particularity:' Reconciling Divine Transcendence and Imminence Using Gregory Palamas' Essence-Energies Distinction , Luke Erdahl
On the Divergence of Schopenhauerian and Schweitzerian Ethics-of-Will , Bryce Herndon
The Methodological Puzzle of Phenomenal Consciousness: What it is, and Why it is Still Unsolved , Qiuyang Shen
Individual Responsibility for Structural Injustice , Taro Shirakawa
Difference without Deference: An Individualistic Theory of Group Accommodation , Will Siegmund
Honors Theses from 2018 2018
Perceptual Experiences Cannot Be an Inference’s Conclusion , Yuanchen Lu
Towards an Interactionist Dualism , Yonghao Wang
Citizenship and Partiality: Group Membership and the Bounds of Morality , Hannah Winckler-Olick
Honors Theses from 2017 2017
A Threefold Defense of Perceptual Dogmatism , Hunter R. Gentry
A Defense of Retributivism as a Theory of Punishment , Samantha Kim
Honors Theses from 2016 2016
On Animal Rights, Speciesism, and the Nature of Social Change , Delaney Berman
A Psychological Approach to the Special Composition Question , Connor Drake Dantzler
Addressing the Problems in American Drug Policy: A Case for the Legalization of Drugs , Jackson A. Eskay
Political Liberalism and a Theory of Justice: Recasting Justice as Fairness as a Political Conception of Liberal Justice , George Eric Rudebusch
Honors Theses from 2015 2015
A Battle for Rights Justification: Millian Utilitarianism vs. Scanlonian Contractualism , Jose A. Lopez Jr.
Honors Theses from 2013 2013
Mozi: the Man, the Consequentialist, and the Utilitarian , Grace H. Mendenhall
Honors Theses from 2012 2012
Rehabilitating the Consequentialist View of Moral Responsibility , Adam Jared Lerner
Honors Theses from 2011 2011
All Heads Gently Nodding: How Naturalism Dissolves the Problem of Other Minds , Devin Sanchez Curry
Honors Theses from 2010 2010
Clarifying Intuitions about Moral Responsibility and the Self , Daniel Carl Homer
Honors Theses from 2009 2009
"Turning the Fly Around" The Relationship between Wittgenstein's Discussion of Meaning and the Self: An Exegesis and Defense , Sean W. Dalby
Honors Theses from 2008 2008
Harmful Offense to Others: A New Liberty-Limiting Principle and the 'New' Child Pornography , Devin DeBacker
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Senior Thesis
- Undergraduate
- Senior Capstone
There is no requirement for people concentrating in Philosophy to write an Undergraduate Honors Thesis; some people do so, many people don't.
To be eligible to write an Honors Thesis, you must have completed at least six courses toward the concentration by the beginning of your penultimate semester and have received a grade of A or Satisfactory with Distinction in more than half of them.
To write a thesis, you need a topic and an Advisor and a suitable amount of time. There is no single model to follow, but one standard approach is this. You'd work on the thesis during the two semesters of your Senior Year. In the first semester, you might work through a reading program with the advice of your Advisor, meeting with her or him three or four times in the semester and writing two or three pieces of work—for example, discussions of existing publications in the field and sketches of your own responses to them. Over the break you'd pull together a plan for the thesis itself. In the second semester, you'd write a first draft of the thesis and then a final draft—expecting, of course, that you would continue to do some new reading, and that you might need to be flexible with your original plan.
The thesis itself is due about April 15th. More exactly, the thesis is due two weeks before the Friday on which the Reading Period begins.
For those who complete their thesis in the Fall, the same rule applies, more or less: The thesis is due two weeks before reading period begins. That date, though, usually falls during Thanksgiving break; if so, the thesis will be due on the Wednesday on which Thanskgiving break begins.
It is possible in principle to choose a topic which you don't know much about in advance; but typically the result of that is that you have to spend a larger amount of time reaching base camp, so to speak—getting a decent grasp of existing approaches to the topic—and you have less time for heading up to the summit—developing ideas of your own. Many of the best theses come when a student has already got some idea of a problem area, e.g. from a 1000 level course that might have spent a week or two on the detailed topic in question, and might have introduced the class to materials and methods used in related areas that might constitute a useful tool-kit for this topic too. If you already know a bit about the existing approaches to the topic, but have a feeling that you're not quite satisfied with any of them, then you're probably in a good position to go deeper into it, researching further proposals from other people and working out a distinctive contribution of your own.
When you have a first idea of the area in which you'd like to work, you can approach a potential advisor directly, e.g. by e-mail or in Office Hours, or you can discuss the matter with your Concentration Advisor, who should be able to point you towards Faculty Members with interests in areas close to your proposed topic. Don't let your ideas become too fixed too early: often a good discussion will leave you thinking of unexpected directions you'll want to head off in. The normal time for approaching an Advisor is in the first week of the first semester of your Senior Year (or a few days earlier), or at the end of the last semester of the Junior Year.
The standard thing is to register for a reading course, PHIL 1995 Senior Thesis, either for the first semester alone or for both first and second semesters, with the permission of the Advisor in question. (Note that PHIL 1995 takes on a different section number according to who the Advisor is.)
You can register for PHIL 1995 just for one semester (followed by registering for either 3 or 4 classes in the other semester). Alternatively, you can register for PHIL 1995 for a second semester. Which you do is a matter for negotiation with your advisor, taking into account, e.g. the number of meetings, and the amount and scope of reading and writing that is done. Obviously the work-load for a Reading course needs to be about the equivalent of a normal course.
There's no standard length, but 40–50 pages of carefully-argued material would for many topics be a good target.
Two copies of the Thesis are due by the Friday two weeks before the Friday on which the Reading Period begins, which will usually fall close to April 15th. They are to be handed in to the Thesis Advisor. Theses should be computer-printed, on one side only of paper; they do not need to be bound. Some people like to present them in a special folder or binder; this is fine, but not required.
There is usually no oral defense of the thesis. The Thesis Advisor will normally be one Reader of the thesis; there will be a second Reader too, appointed by the Concentration Advisor in consultation with the Thesis Advisor.
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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Senior thesis.
For the philosophy major who is serious about academics and ready for a significant challenge, there is an option of writing a senior thesis. The thesis should be a paper of about 15 to 20 pages that offers a careful investigation of some philosophical problem or some portion of the thought of a historical figure. The thesis is intended to be more in-depth and demanding than a typical paper for a course, and should contain original arguments and insights rather than simple summary or exposition.
The thesis itself is written under the supervision of an advisor over the period of one semester, during which the student is enrolled in PHIL 390. The Department strongly encourages students to choose a topic in an area in which they already have background through coursework and/or previous paper assignments. Completing a senior thesis is one of the requirements for attaining departmental High Distinction.
Thesis requirements
To be eligible to write a senior thesis, a student must be a philosophy major with a 3.7/4.0 GPA in all philosophy courses (at the time of application). NOTE: Students must go through the application process of securing an advisor and getting departmental approval for their project in the semester BEFORE the one in which they will be enrolled in PHIL 390.
Application process
- A student interested in writing a senior thesis may go through the process of finding an advisor and getting departmental approval for their project in the spring semester (this way it can serve as a writing sample for those applying to graduate school). Alternatively, students may do the application process in the fall semester of the senior year and write the thesis in the spring.
- A student should approach a potential advisor by week 10 of the semester of the application process. In consultation with the potential advisor the student should (1) complete a proposal of 3 to 4 pages in length, and (2) select a a writing sample, which should be a paper from a previous class. If a student has already written a paper in the general area of the thesis, it should be submitted as the writing sample.
- Potential advisors will give a decision on their willingness to advise the thesis as soon as possible but no later than two weeks from the time the proposal is submitted.
- If the potential advisor agrees to advise the thesis, the proposal and writing sample will be sent to the Major Advisory Committee (MAC) for final approval.
- MAC will give a decision on whether the student has been granted approval to write a senior thesis as soon as possible but no later than two weeks after it receives the proposal.
Writing the thesis
- A student who has received approval to write a senior thesis should contact his or her advisor as soon as possible to work out the details of how the course will be conducted -- e.g. frequency of meetings, due dates for benchmarks, grading policies for PHIL 390.
- When possible, the student should take some part of the summer (or, alternatively, winter) vacation for research on the topic after it has been approved.
- The student should enroll in PHIL 390 for the semester for which senior thesis work has been approved. The Department recommends that the student complete a draft of the thesis by week 7 of the semester in 390.
Approval and defense
- If the advisor approves the final version of the thesis, it should be submitted to MAC for approval by week 12 of the semester in PHIL 390.
- MAC will give the final decision on whether the thesis is approved as soon as possible, but no later than week 14 of the fall semester.
- If MAC approves the thesis, a defense will be scheduled at which—at least under ideal circumstances—the student, the advisor, and the members of MAC would be present.
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Philosophy Dissertation Topics
Published by Grace Graffin at January 9th, 2023 , Revised On January 9, 2023
Introduction
The choice of dissertation topic is crucial for research as it will facilitate the process and makes it an exciting and manageable process. Several dissertation ideas exist in philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, aesthetics, deontology, absurdum, and existentialism. Philosophy dissertations can be based on either primary research or secondary research.
Primary data dissertations incorporate the collection and analysis of data obtained through questionnaires and surveys. On the other hand, secondary data dissertations make use of existing literature to test the research hypothesis . To help you get started with philosophy topic selection for your dissertation, a list is developed by our experts.
These philosophy dissertation topics have been developed by PhD qualified writers of our team , so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.
You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the topic, research question , aim and objectives , literature review along with the proposed methodology of research to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.
Check our dissertation examples to get an idea of how to structure your dissertation .
Review the full list of dissertation topics for 2022 here.
Philosophy Dissertation Topics of Research
Topic 1: an examination of women's perspective on feminist philosophy..
Research Aim: This study aims to look into the importance of feminism in a philosophical context. It will also identify the factors that lead to postmodernism and liberal feminism from women’s perspectives and will also focus on the impact of feminist philosophy on the development of modern society.
Topic 2: Sociological Functionalism- Investigating the Development and Beliefs
Research Aim: This research study will focus on new types of functionalism and get a deeper understanding of inner and outer circumstances in which different approaches take place. This study will also investigate how the researchers use social theory to acquire a better understanding of the environment in which these concepts are used. It will also promote sociology through informing and inspiring practices and research.
Topic 3: Assessing the History and Development of Philosophical Work from the 15th to 21st Century.
Research Aim: This study aims to find the history and development of philosophical work from the 15th and 21st Centuries. It will examine the theoretical foundations of the practice, applications, and social consequences. This study will also focus on different factors of how philosophy has evolved in these centuries and what changes have occurred.
Topic 4: A Comprehensive View of Social Development of Loneliness.
Research Aim: This study will comprehend how various theoretical points of view are connected or linked r to loneliness. This study will also present an argument for an interpretative social point of view by dissembling the sense of loneliness into key components. It will also focus on the problems and different behaviours of people.
Topic 5: What does it mean to live in an Ideal Society- Discuss using Plato's Philosophies.
Research Aim: Plato is well known for his monologue known as the Republic; he was also the classical political philosopher whose views influenced future political thoughts. Plato’s ideal society was created during a time when Plato was exceedingly optimistic about human nature and its ability to absorb knowledge. This study will conduct a deep analysis of Plato’s ideologies and his views and their impact on the western political world.
More Philosophy Dissertation Research Topics
Topic 1: why we should stop capital punishment and adopt permanent solutions to help solve crimes..
Research Aim: This research aims to analyse the importance of rehabilitation and counseling of criminals to bring them back to their usual walks of life. The whole idea is to eliminate crime, and capital punishment does not provide solutions where a clean society can be developed.
Topic 2: Should people always obey the rules? A closer look at the line between breaking rules and rebellion.
Research Aim: Rules are developed to maintain a balance in society and ensure discipline, which helps an individual in every sphere of their lives. But specific rules are created only for serving a group and not for the whole society’s best interest. This research aims at finding pieces of evidence where rule-breaking is a rebellion and for the upliftment of humanity and not in personal interest.
Topic 3: Loneliness: Reconstructing its meaning
Research Aim: This research aims at finding the meaning of loneliness, what it is to feel lonely, why some people are reclusive, isolate themselves. Loneliness is not always related to sadness, and some people feel better in isolation due to their bitter experiences of life.
Topic 4: Understanding why religion is paramount above anything else for many people around the globe.
Research Aim: Religion forms the basis of life and way of living for many people around the globe. People often get confused with religion and spiritualism, and the grandeur associated with religion becomes more important. The lack of knowledge and education forces blind faith. This research aims to find the reason for dependency on religion and how it negatively affects human lives.
Topic 5: What is the best way to boost a person’s creativity?
Research Aim: This research aims at finding the best possible way to boost a person’s creativity. The most important way is to motivate, inspire, and support them in their process of exploring innovative ideas. Recognition of talent can be the most effective method, which the research will investigate.
Topic 6: Morality and religion: Why are they different, yet they talk about the same thing?
Research Aim: The fundamental essence of religion is compassion and empathy for humans and ensures morality and ethics as a way of life. This research emphasises the primary aim of a religion and how people are getting disoriented and making rituals of religion the prime concern.
Topic 7: Wealth: Is it possible to be rich without having a lot of money?
Research Aim: Wealth and money are co-related as lots of money gives the power to buy anything. But a wealth of human life lies in their moral values, love, affection, proper health and wellbeing, and money cannot accept them. This research topic will speak about becoming wealthy, even with limited monetary wealth.
Topic 8: How can the custom of dowry be eliminated from people’s minds?
Research Aim: Dowry is a social parasite, and it is now a punishable offence by the law. But rules alone cannot change society. The research aims at eradicating the practice of dowry from people’s minds in the light of education.
Topic 9: To love or to be loved: Which is more important?
Research Aim: Love is the feeling of intense desire or deep affection. The most beautiful feeling gives a sense of satisfaction and grows through exchange between two individuals. To love and be loved are two co-related aspects as human expects love in return. The research focuses on the more critical dilemma, being on the giving or receiving side of love.
Topic 10: Why social behaviour and ethics cannot be separated?
Research Aim: The research aims to evaluate the importance of ethics in social behaviour and why they cannot be separated. An ethical society is a proper place to thrive for every individual.
Topic 11: A more in-depth look at things that make human life meaningful.
Research Aim: Money, power does not always buy happiness. The research lays the foundation for the importance of care, compassion, empathy. Love and affection as the more essential aspects that make human life meaningful.
Topic 12: Is it possible to create an ideal society?
Research Aim: An ideal society is free from any crime and economic disparities where everyone is treated equally. This research will discuss whether a perfect community is attainable; it is practically possible or not.
Topic 13: A closer look at modern life values.
Research Aim: The research aims to focus on the change in values in modern times. The research’s primary purpose is to provide a comparative study of how modern people’s mindset has changed over time.
Topic 14: Euthanasia: Is it ethical?
Research Aim: A long time debate exists regarding the ethical side of euthanasia. Ending someone’s life can be considered unlawful as we do not have the right to end something we did not create. This research aims at providing evidence in favour of euthanasia and also the negative aspects.
Topic 15: What is the value of truth? Are there instances when lying is good?
Research Aim: The research aims to provide evidence where lying is not unethical. The study will give an example from Bhagwat Gita, where Lord Krishna lied to safeguard humanity.
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Information on Thesis Proposals
Creating a Thesis Committee
The first step in creating a thesis committee is for a committee chair or advisor to agree to supervise your thesis. Minimally, the committee chair must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty of the CSULB Philosophy Department. Your committee must additionally consist of at least two other faculty members, at least one of whom must also be a tenured or tenure-track faculty of the CSULB Philosophy Department. The department strongly recommends that your third member also be tenured or tenure-track in Philosophy, although it’s possible for the third member to be a part-time faculty member or a person with appropriate qualifications from another university department or another university. Please consult with your committee chair in determining appropriate persons to invite to serve on your committee. (Although many part-time lecturers in the department are generous in volunteering their time for committee service, we request that you remember that the University does not compensate them for it, and most have heavy teaching scheduleshere and on other campuses.) Your committee must be approved by the department.
Writing Your Thesis Proposal
The goal of your thesis proposal is to present the tenured and tenure-track faculty members of the department with a general outline of your intended thesis project together with a brief justification of its merit as a research project warranting a master’s degree. Take as your goal the creation of a concise, well-written document clearly articulating your project and its relationship to the philosophical literature. In general you should aim for 6-8 pages of text and a bibliography of 1-2 pages. A good thesis proposal will have three elements: (1) A clear and concise statement of the position you intend to articulate and defend in the thesis. (2) A well-researched statement relating your position to the philosophical literature indicating how your position connects with important thought on the subject by other philosophers. (3) An outline of how exactly you intend to structure your exposition in the thesis. This outline should present a chapter-by-chapter account, indicating how each chapter relates to the overall project.
The best strategy for writing your thesis proposal is to start early and interact regularly with your committee. Your committee is your resource for advice and feedback on your proposal while you develop it. The director of your committee is responsible for deciding when the proposal is ready for review, and the committee members must agree. Your committee members are also the ones who will present the proposal and defend it to the department. Thus, the more constructive interaction you have with them while writing the proposal the better. It is important to note that a student cannot submit a proposal to the department on his/her initiative without the approval of the thesis committee.
Some Common Proposal Difficulties
Writing a book report: Your thesis should make a modest contribution to the philosophical literature. A mere summary of the positions and arguments is inadequate. There are many ways you can contribute to philosophical thought: Your contribution could consist of finding a significant thesis or type of argument to constructively criticize. You could find an original extension of, or argument for, another person’s theory. You can develop a critical discussion of a view’s underlying methodological, epistemic, or ontological commitments. You can explore what is really at stake in a philosophical debate or the implications of a view. You can propose a useful organization of the positions in a debate. Whatever you choose, it must signify a step forward – an original contribution – albeit a modest one.
Cutting from whole cloth: While your thesis should contain your contribution to philosophical thinking on your thesis topic, your thesis is unlikely to introduce a totally novel and important way to conceive of or solve a problem in philosophy. Good research in philosophy is almost always grounded in a thorough understanding of the ways in which other people have thought about a philosophical topic or problem. Your thesis should build on the tradition.
Rushing to market: Think of your proposal as something that will take numerous drafts and some serious research to complete. Don’t try to slap together a document in order to meet a deadline. The timeline of an advanced degree is dictated exclusively by the amount of time it takes you to acquire and demonstrate a high level of competence in the field. When your proposal is ready for departmental review, you should be well on your way to writing the thesis itself.
Technical language: In general, it is better to state your thesis without technical language for a couple of reasons. First, expressing your project without reliance on technical jargon is an indicator that you have a good grasp of the issues. Second, not everyone in the department will necessarily be familiar with the terms you use. Of course, sometimes it is important to refer to technical terms in framing a view or problem. When you use technical language, you should always explicate its meaning.
Long historical exegesis: When relating your thesis topic to the philosophical literature the most important facts to include are the ones that indicate how your project connects to recent work on the topic. A proposal need not contain a lengthy synopsis of the history of your topic.
Personal histories: However you came to your topic, that story is not relevant to assessing its philosophical merit or its viability as a thesis project.
Submitting Your Thesis Proposal
Once your advisor and all committee members have accepted your proposal, the next step is for your proposal to be submitted to the department for review. Both your proposal and your thesis committee will be reviewed (solely) by tenured and tenure-track members of the department, and will be voted upon at a faculty meeting.
To prepare your proposal, first add a cover sheet including the title, the date, and the names of your committee members with the advisor identified and listed first. Each member of the committee will sign the cover sheet of your proposal, so include a signature line for each member. Once you have collected the committee signatures, you should prepare hard copies of your proposal for distribution to the faculty mailboxes in MHB seven days before the meeting where your proposal will be considered. (Under some circumstances, electronic distribution of your proposal may be possible; please consult your thesis advisor). All the tenured and tenure-track members of the department must receive a copy of your proposal.
Please note that you are responsible for all printing and photocopying of your proposal. The Department does not provide photocopying services for students for this or other purposes.
Some Example Thesis Proposals
Example 1: Back to the Future: Natural Law and the Original Meaning of the Alien Tort Claims Act
Example 2: Conceivability and Possibility Studies in Frege and Kripke
Writing an Honors Thesis
An Honors Thesis is a substantial piece of independent research that an undergraduate carries out over two semesters. Students writing Honors Theses take PHIL 691H and 692H, in two different semesters. What follows answers all the most common questions about Honors Theses in Philosophy.
All necessary forms are fillable and downloadable.
Honors Thesis Application
Honors Thesis Contract
Honors Thesis Learning Contract
Who can write an Honors Thesis in Philosophy?
Any Philosophy major who has a total, cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 and a GPA of at least 3.5 (with a maximum of one course with a PS grade) among their PHIL courses can in principle write an Honors Thesis. In addition, students need to satisfy a set of specific pre-requisites, as outlined below.
What are the pre-requisites for an Honors Thesis in Philosophy?
The requirements for writing an Honors Thesis in Philosophy include
- having taken at least five PHIL courses, including two numbered higher than 299;
- having a total PHIL GPA of at least 3.5 (with a maximum of one course with a PS grade); and
- having done one of the following four things:
- taken and passed PHIL 397;
- successfully completed an Honors Contract associated with a PHIL course;
- received an A or A- in a 300-level course in the same area of philosophy as the proposed thesis ; or
- taken and passed a 400-level course in the same area of philosophy as the proposed thesis .
When should I get started?
You should get started with the application process and search for a prospective advisor the semester before you plan to start writing your thesis – that is, the semester before the one in which you want to take PHIL 691H.
Often, though not always, PHIL 691H and 692H are taken in the fall and spring semesters of the senior year, respectively. It is also possible to start earlier and take 691H in the spring semester of the junior year and PHIL 692H in the fall of the senior year. Starting earlier has some important advantages. One is that it means you will finish your thesis in time to use it as a writing sample, should you decide to apply to graduate school. Another is that it avoids a mad rush near the very end of your last semester.
How do I get started?
Step 1: fill out the honors thesis application.
The first thing you need to do is fill out an Honors Thesis Application and submit it to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) for their approval.
Step 2: Find an Honors Thesis Advisor with the help of the DUS
Once you have been approved to write an Honors Thesis, you will consult with the DUS about the project that you have in mind and about which faculty member would be an appropriate advisor for your thesis. It is recommended that you reach out informally to prospective advisors to talk about their availability and interest in your project ahead of time, and that you include those suggestions in your application, but it is not until your application has been approved that the DUS will officially invite the faculty member of your choice to serve as your advisor. You will be included in this correspondence and will receive written confirmation from your prospective advisor.
Agreeing to be the advisor for an Honors Thesis is a major commitment, so bear in mind that there is a real possibility that someone asked to be your advisor will say no. Unfortunately, if we cannot find an advisor, you cannot write an Honors Thesis.
Step 3: Fill out the required paperwork needed to register for PHIL 691H
Finally, preferably one or two weeks before the start of classes (or as soon as you have secured the commitment of a faculty advisor), you need to fill out an Honors Thesis Contract and an Honors Thesis Learning Contract , get them both signed by your advisor, and email them to the DUS.
Once the DUS approves both of these forms, they’ll get you registered for PHIL 691H. All of this should take place no later than the 5th day of classes in any given semester (preferably sooner).
What happens when I take PHIL 691H and PHIL 692H?
PHIL 691H and PHIL 692H are the course numbers that you sign up for to get credit for working on an Honors Thesis. These classes have official meeting times and places. In the case of PHIL 691H , those are a mere formality: You will meet with your advisor at times you both agree upon. But in the case of PHIL 692H , they are not a mere formality: The class will actually meet as a group, at least for the first few weeks of the semester (please see below).
When you take PHIL 691H, you should meet with your advisor during the first 5 days of classes and, if you have not done so already, fill out an Honors Thesis Learning Contract and turn in to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) . This Contract will serve as your course syllabus and must be turned in and approved no later than the 5th day of classes in any given semester (preferably sooner). Once the DUS approves your Honors Thesis Learning Contract, they’ll get you registered for PHIL 691H.
Over the course of the semester, you will meet regularly with your advisor. By the last day of classes, you must turn in a 10-page paper on your thesis topic; this can turn out to be part of your final thesis, but it doesn’t have to. In order to continue working on an Honors Thesis the following semester, this paper must show promise of your ability to complete one, in the opinion of your advisor. Your advisor should assign you a grade of “ SP ” at the conclusion of the semester, signifying “satisfactory progress” (so you can move on to PHIL 692H). Please see page 3 of this document for more information.
When you take PHIL 692H, you’ll still need to work with your advisor to fill out an Honors Thesis Learning Contract . This Contract will serve as your course syllabus and must be turned in to and approved by the DUS no later than the 5th day of classes in any given semester (preferably sooner).
Once the DUS approves your Honors Thesis Learning Contract, they’ll get you registered for PHIL 692H.
At the end of the second semester of senior honors thesis work (PHIL 692H), your advisor should assign you a permanent letter grade. Your advisor should also change your PHIL 691H grade from “ SP ” to a permanent letter grade. Please see page 3 of this document for more information.
The Graduate Course Option
If you and your advisor agree, you may exercise the Graduate Course Option. If you do this, then during the semester when you are enrolled in either PHIL 691H or PHIL 692H, you will attend and do the work for a graduate level PHIL course. (You won’t be officially enrolled in that course.) A paper you write for this course will be the basis for your Honors Thesis. If you exercise this option, then you will be excused from the other requirements of the thesis course (either 691H or 692H) that you are taking that semester.
Who can be my advisor?
Any faculty member on a longer-than-one-year contract in the Department of Philosophy may serve as your honors thesis advisor. You will eventually form a committee of three professors, of which one can be from outside the Department. But your advisor must have an appointment in the Philosophy Department. Graduate Students are not eligible to advise Honors Theses.
Who should be my advisor?
Any faculty member on a longer-than-one-year contract in the Department of Philosophy may serve as your honors thesis advisor. It makes most sense to ask a professor who already knows you from having had you as a student in a class. In some cases, though, this is either not possible, or else there is someone on the faculty who is an expert on the topic you want to write about, but from whom you have not taken a class. Information about which faculty members are especially qualified to advise thesis projects in particular areas of philosophy can be found here .
What about the defense?
You and your advisor should compose a committee of three professors (including the advisor) who will examine you and your thesis. Once the committee is composed, you will need to schedule an oral examination, a.k.a. a defense. You should take the initiative here, communicating with all members of your committee in an effort to find a block of time (a little over an hour) when all three of you can meet. The thesis must be defended by a deadline , set by Honors Carolina , which is usually a couple of weeks before the end of classes. Students are required to upload the final version of their thesis to the Carolina Digital Repository by the final day of class in the semester in which they complete the thesis course work and thesis defense.
What is an Honors Thesis in Philosophy like?
An Honors Thesis in Philosophy is a piece of writing in the same genre as a typical philosophy journal article. There is no specific length requirement, but 30 pages (double-spaced) is a good guideline. Some examples of successfully defended Honors The easiest way to find theses of past philosophy students is on the web in the Carolina Digital Repository . Some older, hard copies of theses are located on the bookshelf in suite 107 of Caldwell Hall. (You may ask the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) , or anyone else who happens to be handy, to show you where it is!)
How does the Honors Thesis get evaluated?
The honors thesis committee will evaluate the quality and originality of your thesis as well as of your defense and then decides between the following three options:
- they may award only course credit for the thesis work if the thesis is of acceptable quality;
- they may designate that the student graduate with honors if the thesis is of a very strong quality;
- they may recommend that the student graduate with highest honors if the thesis is of exceptional quality.
As a matter of best practice, our philosophy department requires that examining committees refer all candidates for highest honors to our Undergraduate Committee chaired by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. This committee evaluates nominated projects and makes the final decision on awarding highest honors. Highest honors should be awarded only to students who have met the most rigorous standards of scholarly excellence.
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Philosophy Dissertations and Theses
The Department of Philosophy Dissertations and Theses Series is comprised of dissertations and theses authored by Marquette University's Department of Philosophy doctoral and master's students.
Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023
Place, Attachment, and Feeling: Indigenous Dispossession and Settler Belonging , Sarah Kizuk
Nepantla and Mestizaje: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Mestizx Historical Consciousness , Jorge Alfredo Montiel
The Categories Argument for the Real Distinction Between Being and Essence: Avicenna, Aquinas, and Their Greek Sources , Nathaniel Taylor
Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022
Modeling, Describing, and Explaining Subjective Consciousness- A Guide to (and for) the Perplexed , Peter Burgess
Looking Through Whiteness: Objectivity, Racism, Method, and Responsibility , Philip Mack
Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Maritain on the Student-Teacher Relationship in Catholic Higher Education , Timothy Rothhaar
Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021
The Empathetic Autistic: A Phenomenological Look at the Feminine Experience , Dana Fritz
Concerning Aristotelian Animal Essences , Damon Andrew Watson
When to Trust Authoritative Testimony: Generation and Transmission of Knowledge in Saadya Gaon, Al-Ghazālī and Thomas Aquinas , Brett A. Yardley
Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020
The Status of Irrationality: Karl Jaspers' Response to Davidson and Searle , Daniel Adsett
Cosmic City - Cosmic Teleology: A Reading of Metaphysics Λ 10 and Politics I 2 , Brandon Henrigillis
Phenomenal Consciousness: An Husserlian Approach , John Jered Janes
Al-Fārābī Metaphysics, and the Construction of Social Knowledge: Is Deception Warranted if it Leads to Happiness? , Nicholas Andrew Oschman
The Epistemology of Disagreement: Hume, Kant, and the Current Debate , Robert Kyle Whitaker
Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019
'Our Feet are Mired In the Same Soil': Deepening Democracy with the Political Virtue of Sympathetic Inquiry , Jennifer Lynn Kiefer Fenton
Towards a Philosophy of the Musical Experience: Phenomenology, Culture, and Ethnomusicology in Conversation , J. Tyler Friedman
Humor, Power and Culture: A New Theory on the Experience and Ethics of Humor , Jennifer Marra
Care of the Sexual Self: Askesis As a Route to Sex Education , Shaun Douglas Miller
Re-Evaluating Augustinian Fatalism through the Eastern and Western Distinction between God's Essence and Energies , Stephen John Plecnik
The Fantastic Structure of Freedom: Sartre, Freud, and Lacan , Gregory A. Trotter
The Province of Conceptual Reason: Hegel's Post-Kantian Rationalism , William Clark Wolf
Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018
Hume on Thick and Thin Causation , Alexander Bozzo
Evolution, Naturalism, and Theism: An Inconsistent Triad? , David H. Gordon
The Parable As Mirror: An Examination of the Use of Parables in the Works of Kierkegaard , Russell Hamer
Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017
Contextualizing Aquinas's Ontology of Soul: An Analysis of His Arabic and Neoplatonic Sources , Nathan McLain Blackerby
The Social and Historical Subject in Sartre and Foucault and Its Implications for Healthcare Ethics , Kimberly Siobhan Engels
Investigations of Worth: Towards a Phenomenology of Values , Dale Hobbs Jr.
Developing Capabilities: A Feminist Discourse Ethics Approach , Chad Kleist
Hegel and the Problem of the Multiplicity of Conflicting Philosophies , Matthew M. Peters
Aquinas, Averroes, and the Human Will , Traci Ann Phillipson
Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016
Nature, Feminism, and Flourishing: Human Nature and the Feminist Ethics of Flourishing , Celeste D. Harvey
Kierkegaard in Light of the East: A Critical Comparison of the Philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard with Orthodox Christian Philosophy and Thought , Agust Magnusson
The Secular Transformation of Pride and Humility in the Moral Philosophy of David Hume , Kirstin April Carlson McPherson
Living within the Sacred Tension: Paradox and Its Significance for Christian Existence in the Thought of Søren Kierkegaard , Matthew Thomas Nowachek
Moral Imagination and Adorno: Before and After Auschwitz , Catlyn Origitano
Essence and Necessity, and the Aristotelian Modal Syllogistic: A Historical and Analytical Study , Daniel James Vecchio
Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015
Subversive Humor , Chris A. Kramer
Virtue, Oppression, and Resistance Struggles , Trevor William Smith
Health As Embodied Authenticity , Margaret Steele
Recognition and Political Ontology: Fichte, Hegel, and Honneth , Velimir Stojkovski
The Conceptual Priority of the Perfect , Matthew Peter Zdon
Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014
Dangerous Knowledge? Morality And Moral Progress After Naturalism , Daniel Diederich Farmer
Nietzsche's Revaluation of All Values , Joseph Anthony Kranak
Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013
Re-Enchanting The World: An Examination Of Ethics, Religion, And Their Relationship In The Work Of Charles Taylor , David McPherson
Thomas Aquinas on the Apprehension of Being: The Role of Judgement in Light of Thirteenth-Century Semantics , Rosa Vargas Della Casa
Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012
Naturalized Panpsychism: An Alternative to Fundamentalist Physicalism and Supernaturalism , Earl R. Cookson
The Concept of Personhood in the Phenomenology of Edmund Husserl , Colin J. Hahn
The Humanistic, Fideistic Philosophy of Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) , Charles William Peterson
Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011
Knowledge and Thought in Heidegger and Foucault: Towards an Epistemology of Ruptures , Arun Anantheeswaran Iyer
William James's Undivided Self and the Possibility of Immortality , Anthony Karlin
The Poetics of Remembrance: Communal Memory and Identity in Heidegger and Ricoeur , David Leichter
The Ontological Foundations for Natural Law Theory and Contemporary Ethical Naturalism , Bernard Mauser
Sexualized Violence, Moral Disintegration and Ethical Advocacy , Melissa Mosko
Spinoza on Individuals and Individuation: Metaphysics, Morals, and Politics , Matthew David Wion
Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010
The Paradox of Nature: Merleau-Ponty's Semi-Naturalistic Critique of Husserlian Phenomenology , Shazad Akhtar
Hume's Conception of Time and its Implications for his Theories of Causation and Induction , Daniel Esposito
Arabic Influences in Aquinas's Doctrine of Intelligible Species , Max Herrera
The Attestation of the Self as a Bridge Between Hermeneutics and Ontology in the Philosophy of Paul Ricoeur , Sebastian Kaufmann
Love's Lack: The Relationship between Poverty and Eros in Plato's Symposium , Lorelle D. Lamascus
Friendship and Fidelity: An Historical and Critical Examination , Joshua Walter Schulz
Natural Law Theory and the "Is"--"Ought" Problem: A Critique of Four Solutions , Shalina Stilley
Attending to Presence: A Study of John Duns Scotus' Account of Sense Cognition , Amy F. Whitworth
Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009
Friendship and Self-Identity in the Thought of Paul Ricoeur , Cristina Bucur
The Finality of Religion in Aquinas' Theory of Human Acts , Francisco José Romero Carrasquillo
The finality of religion in Aquinas' theory of human acts , Francisco J Romero
Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008
Self-Identity in Comparative Theology: The Functional lmportance of Charles Taylor's Concept of the Self for a Theology of Religions , Richard Joseph Hanson
Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007
Husserl's Noema: A Critical Assessment of the Gestalt and Analytic Interpretations , Peter M. Chukwu
A Social Contract Analysis of Rawls and Rousseau: Supplanting the Original Position As Philosophically Most Favored , Paul Neiman
To Validate a Feeling: the Role of the Mood of Angst in Human Being , Gregory P. Schulz
The Conception and Attributes of God: A Comparison of Charles Sanders Peirce and Alfred North Whitehead , Scott W. Sinclair
John Rawls, Public Reason, and Natural Law: A Study of the Principles of Public Justification , Christopher Ward
Submissions from 2006 2006
Hans Jonas's ethic of responsibility applied to anti-aging technologies and the indefinite extension of the human life span , Jeffrey P Goins
David Hume and the Principle of Sufficient Reason , Ginger Lee
Virtue Theory in Plato's Republic , Griffin T. Nelson
The Principle of Alternate Possibilities: Finding Freedom after Frankfurt , Matthew F. Pierlott
Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005
Is There a Future for Marxist Humanism? , Jacob M. Held
Self-Love and Morality: Beyond Egoism and Altruism , Li Jing
Eikos Logos and Eikos Muthos: A Study of the Nature of the Likely Story in Plato's Timaeus , Ryan Kenneth McBride
Hume's Conclusions on the Existence and Nature of God , Timothy S. Yoder
Submissions from 2004 2004
The foundations of the politics of difference , Peter Nathaniel Bwanali
The Foundations of the Politics of Difference , Peter Nathaniel Bwanali
The Place of Justice in the Thinking of Emmanuel Levinas , Michael H. Gillick
New Waves in Metaethics: Naturalist Realism, Naturalist Antirealism and Divine Commands , Daniel R. Kern
Reason in Hume's Moral System , John Muenzberg
Conceiving Mind: A Critique of Descartes' Dualism and Contemporary Immaterialist Views of Consciousness , Kristin P. Schaupp
Respecting Plurality in Times of Change: Hannah Arendt's Conceptions of Political, Personal, and Ethical Responsibility , Stephen Schulman
Francis Suárez on the Ontological Status of Individual Unity vis-à-vis the Aristotelian Doctrine of Primary Substance , John W. Simmons
Through a Glass Darkly: Bernard Lonergan and Richard Rorty on the Possibility of Knowing Without a God's-Eye-View , Russell Snell
Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003
Building a Heideggerian Ethic , Kelly A. Burns
St. Thomas Aquinas and the Self-Evident Proposition: A Study of the Manifold Senses of a Medieval Concept , Michael V. Dougherty
Ricoeur's Narrative Development of Gadamer's Hermeneutics: Continuity and Discontinuity , Keith D'Souza
Beauty's Resting Place: Unity in St. Augustine's Sensible Aesthetic , Matthew J. Hayes
Empathy and Knowledge: Husserl's Introductions to Phenomenology , Kevin Hermberg
The Transactional Model: A Critical Examination of John Dewey's Philosophy of Freedom , Mark N. Lenker III
Reflection on the "good" As a Source of Freedom in Virtue Theory , John D. Morse
Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002
An Evaluation of Alvin Plantinga's Religious Epistemology Does It Function Properly? , James Beilby
Merleau-Ponty: Embodied Subjectivity and the Foundation of Ethics , Sarah A. Fischer
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Philosophy dissertations
undergraduate Y4
I supervise at least one undergraduate a year. Many of the same questions come up each year. I have prepared below a set of guidelines to help when starting out on a dissertation.
Please note that this is personal advice and not to be taken as a substitute for the undergraduate handbook and marking scheme.
Do’s and Don’t’s for a dissertation
- Have a claim. You should be able to state your claim clearly in 1–2 sentences.
- Have claim of the right size – viz. a size you can defend (be careful not to be too ambitious here)
- Have a rigorous argument for your claim. Your argument should be able to convince a rational person who does not already believe your claim
- Make your dissertation clearly understandable to a philosopher who is not an expert in this area
- Explain why your claim is important
- Be honest if you do not conclusively establish your claim – e.g. clarify that your claim follows conditional on certain stated assumptions, list unresolved objections
- Make clear your original contribution
- Make use of your supervisor for feedback on drafts
Don’t:
- Aim for this to be your magnum opus or last word on the topic
- Try to solve a major problem (e.g. the mind-body problem, external world scepticism)
- Cover every possible view in the field
- Include extra material unless it advances your argument
- Have one massive 6,000 word chapter
- Leave it until Semester 2 to start work
How to write a dissertation
The points above give you an idea of what to aim for but they don’t provide a method for how to get there. There are many ways to write a dissertation. It may be reassuring to know that there are simple methods that can reliably produce an excellent dissertation. The algorithm below is one method:
- Find the general area you like (e.g. phenomenal consciousness)
- Select one article/book chapter in that area that you find fascinating (e.g. Smith (2009))
- Summarise Smith (2009) carefully in your own words, paying attention to whether each step in the argument follows from the previous
- Look for weaknesses in Smith (2009)’s argument
- Which new resources do you need to draw on?
- Which alternative conclusions follow?
- Which objections can be raised to your proposal?
- Draw on relevant bits of surrounding literature to support (5)
You have a first class dissertation!
Filling the dissertation with enough words
A common worry among students is whether they are able to write enough words. The longest piece of philosophical writing they may have done so far is 3,000 words. How can you write a sustained argument that lasts for 8,000 words? This turns out to be easier than you might think. Indeed, the difficulty often turns out to be not going over the word limit.
For the sake of argument, let us see how following the algorithm above might work out in terms of word count.
- Introduction (500 words): What is your claim, the outline of your argument?
- Chapter 1 (1,000 words): Why is your claim important? What are the pay-offs?
- Chapter 2 (2,000 words): Careful and charitable summary of X in your own words
- Chapter 3 (2,000 words): Your rigorous criticism of X
- Chapter 4 (2,000 words): How X should be corrected, associated costs, consequences for views that use X, possible objections
- Conclusion (500 words): Summary and next steps for future work
And we are done!
Milestones to aim for
Milestones depend on the specific project and you should talk to your supervisor about your workload and what would be a reasonable plan for finishing the dissertation in the year. Below is a rough plan that one might aim for.
- End Y3: meet supervisor & agree on general topic
- Summer vacation: background reading on topic
- Start Y4: find 1 article/chapter to focus
Year 4, Semester 1:
- Start: meet with supervisor & agree plan for year
- Middle: first draft of 2 chapters
- End: polished draft of 2 chapters
Year 4, Semester 2:
- Start: first draft of entire dissertation
- Middle: polished draft of entire dissertation
- End: revisit, revise, and submit dissertation
Background reading
A dissertation in philosophy is a story … like all good stories, it only includes what is essential to the story — Robert Paul Wolff’s astute advice that applies just as well to UG dissertations as well as PhD theses
Be concise, but explain yourself fully — Jim Pryor with an excellent 3-stage plan for writing philosophy
Style is the feather in the arrow, not the feather in the cap — Peter Lipton has some wonderful and concise writing advice
Read your work aloud. … Be firm: take your prose to the gym, and keep working at it until the bones and sinews show through! — Peter Smith, previously editor of Analysis , with some fantastic advice
What is an argument? — Jim Pryor’s guide is essential reading for anyone writing philosophy; it contains a lexicon of philosophical terms and a taxonomy of good and bad arguments, which is useful for classifying the arguments you consider
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Undergraduate Honors
The honors thesis in philosophy.
The Honors Thesis is a distinguished way to complete the B.A. degree. It also provides excellent preparation for those who plan to go on to graduate or professional schools. The completed thesis is a solid statement of your status as a trained philosopher. Note, also, that at Washington University the only way to earn Latin Honors in Arts & Sciences is by successfully completing an Honors Thesis.
Typically, an Honors Thesis will consist of several chapters totaling 40-60 pages. Alternatively, in consultation with your thesis advisor, you may elect to write an article-length essay that aims at the standards of professional philosophy journals. This second option can be particularly useful for those applying to graduate school in philosophy, since it can serve as the required writing sample. Whatever form it takes, your thesis is expected to undergo multiple revisions.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
On the basis of the completed written thesis, the oral thesis defense, and your overall grade point average, the thesis committee will determine: (a) your grade for Phil 499 for the spring semester; (b) whether you will receive Latin Honors in Philosophy; (c) the level of Latin Honors you will receive (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude); and (d) a grade for both the written thesis and the oral defense.
AWARDING OF HONORS
Upon certification by the department that the Honors program has been satisfactorily completed, the student may be awarded the A.B. cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude according to the following proportions: the top 15 percent in overall grade point average of Latin honors candidates who complete the necessary requirements of their major departments or programs in the College of Arts & Sciences will graduate summa cum laude; the next 35 percent magna cum laude; the next 50 percent cum laude.
Eligibility & Application
To be eligible to write an Honors Thesis, you must have the agreement of a faculty member to serve as a thesis advisor. This agreement will depend on his or her assessment of the viability of your project, your preparation to carry out the project, and his or her availability during the semesters in question. In addition, you must have, at the end of the junior year, at least a 3.65 GPA in Philosophy, a 3.65 GPA in advanced philosophy courses (300-level and above), and a 3.65 overall GPA. It is strongly recommended that you complete three of the required core courses and one 400-level course by the end of your junior year.
You must submit an application for Honors by the last day of classes of the junior year. A one-paragraph description of the project is required at this point. This description should be prepared in consultation with your thesis advisor.
Note that if you will be studying abroad during your junior year, it is imperative to plan ahead carefully. If possible, you should secure the agreement of a thesis advisor prior to your departure.
Honors Thesis Application
Honors Thesis Timetable
Fall semester, junior year.
Students interested in pursuing Honors should begin preparation in the Fall semester of their junior year, especially by taking advanced courses in their special areas of interest, taught by prospective faculty advisors.
SPRING SEMESTER, JUNIOR YEAR
The department surveys the majors to determine who is considering writing an Honors Thesis and with which faculty members. This helps the department match students eligible for Honors with a suitable faculty advisor. Students should begin to formulate a thesis topic, in consultation with their prospective faculty advisor. Students who are abroad should be in regular contact with the faculty member with whom they wish to work.
Last day of classes, Spring semester: Students intending to pursue Honors must submit to the department an application for Honors, including a brief summary of the thesis topic and an indication of the agreement of the faculty advisor. Students should register for L30 499 for the following fall semester (please see the department secretary for the section number of your faculty advisor).
End of May: On the basis of spring semester grades and faculty assessments, initial approval of applications for Honors will be sent to students and thesis advisors.
FALL SEMESTER, SENIOR YEAR
September 15th: Two hard copies of the thesis prospectus are due to your thesis advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The thesis prospectus should be approximately 500 words in length and should include a description of the thesis topic and how it will be approached.
By September 30th: The Director of Undergraduate Studies assigns thesis committee members.
Late November-early December: Students will submit a detailed written report about their progress to their faculty adviser. Reports should be approximately 500 words.
Late-December: The faculty thesis advisor, in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, will reach a verdict about the viability of the honors project by the end of finals of Fall semester, at which time the student will be approved to continue with the Honors thesis or be advised to enroll in the Capstone course for the Spring semester. Students continuing with honors should re-enroll for L30 499 for Spring semester. If the thesis is discontinued, the Fall semester section of L30 499 will be converted to L30 500 (the number for ordinary independent studies). The faculty advisor will then assign a grade for Phil 500.
SPRING SEMESTER, SENIOR YEAR
February 15th: A full penultimate draft of the Honors Thesis, including all chapters, is due to the thesis committee. The committee is encouraged to return the material to the student as soon as possible with final comments. The thesis defense should be scheduled at this time.
March 15th: Final versions of the Honors Thesis are due to members of the thesis committee.
End of March: The oral thesis defense takes place, lasting approximately one hour. External viewers are not allowed at oral defenses. At the conclusion, the candidate leaves the room, and the thesis committee determines a grade for both the written and oral component of the thesis. The student is then informed of the result, and the relevant form is completed and submitted to the department office.
April 15th: Students must submit an electronic copy of the corrected, final thesis to the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Philosophy Administrative Assistant.
May 1st: The faculty advisor will submit a written report about the quality of the written thesis and the oral exam to the Director of Undergraduate Studies. This report should include a grade for both the written and oral component.
Return to Undergraduate Philosophy Major and Minor Requirements
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Mossavar-rahmani center announces 2024 dunlop undergraduate thesis prize winner.
Aden Barton.
Courtesy Aden Barton
The Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government (M-RCBG) at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government announced Aden Barton as the 2024 winner of the John T. Dunlop Undergraduate Thesis Prize in Business and Government.
Barton won for his thesis, “The Causal Effect of Welfare Retrenchment: Evidence from Medicaid and SNAP.” He is graduating from Harvard College this week with an A.B. in economics.
The John T. Dunlop Thesis Prize in Business and Government is awarded to graduating seniors who write the best thesis on a challenging public policy issue at the interface of business and government. The prize carries a $2,000 award.
This year’s winning thesis by Barton examines the ongoing Medicaid Unwinding, in which millions have been removed from public insurance based on a state’s caseload prioritization. He finds that disenrollment increases the likelihood of being on private insurance and of being uninsured, and reduces the likelihood of enrollees and disenrollees working in the last week by about 5 percentage points, as individuals likely reduced their labor supply to maintain eligibility. His findings also indicate an increased household financial strain, most conclusively by greatly raising the likelihood individuals delay medical treatment.
In explaining why the center chose to award the John Dunlop Prize to Barton, John A. Haigh, co-director of M-RCBG, said that “Aden’s thesis was impressive in its conception and execution. It represents the type of excellent analysis and policy recommendations at the intersection of business and government that we value so highly here at the center.”
John T. Dunlop, the Lamont University Professor Emeritus, was a widely respected labor economist who served as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences from 1969 to 1973. An adviser to many U.S. presidents, beginning with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dunlop was secretary of labor under Gerald Ford, serving from March 1975 to January 1976. In addition to serving as secretary of labor, Dunlop held many other government posts, including: director of the Cost of Living Council, (1973-74), chairman of the Construction Industry Stabilization Committee (1993-95), chair of the Massachusetts Joint Labor-Management Committee for Municipal Police and Firefighters (1977-2003) and Chair of the Commission on Migratory Farm Labor (1984-2003). Dunlop served as the second director of the Center for Business and Government from 1987 to1991. The Center, renamed in 2005 as the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, focuses on policy issues at the intersection of business and government. Dunlop died in 2003.
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Congratulations to the GRSJ Graduating Class of 2024!
May 24, 2024
Please join us in celebrating the class of May 2024 graduates. We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
Doctor of Philosophy in Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice:
• Ine Beljaars Thesis title: Embodied encounters: Afro-Latin dance and Dutch cultural identity Supervisors: Dr. Annette Henry and Dr. Becki Ross Committee Members: Dr. Denise Ferreira da Silva & Michelle Stack; Department of Educational Studies
Master of Arts in Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice:
• Elaina Nguyen Thesis title: On Vietnamese Canadian futurities: generational and temporal invocations of refugeeness Supervisor: Dr. JP Catungal Committee Member: Dr. Christine Kim, Department of English Language and Literatures
• Melissa Plisic Thesis title: Plant-based research: a queer master’s thesis born of mass extinction Supervisor: Dr. Leila Harris Committee Member: Dr. Astrida Neimanis; Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
• Rory Brimacombe Thesis title: Empowered Identities: Queer Magic and Epistemic Justice Supervisors: Dr. Janice Stewart Committee Member: Dr. Sabina Magliocco; Department of Anthropology
• Taylor Arnt Thesis title: Asserting Rangatiratanga and Kaitiakitanga in Response to Colonialism, Capitalism and Climate Change: The Case of Ngāi Tahu Supervisors: Dr. Dory Nason and Dr. JP Catungal Committee Members: Dr. Matthew Rout; University of Canterbury
Undergraduate
Bachelor of arts, major in gender, race, sexuality & social justice:.
• Alhmoud, Zain Alhmoud • Black, Helen • Cancino Mijangos, Ana • Gladstone, Selena • Haque, Sagorika • MacIsaac, Jennifer • Miller, Teru • Ng, Chantelle • Niemelainen, Cayce • Normand, Abigaelle • Oppal, Tamaya • Peever, Alice • Richard, Melanie • Rockel, Stella • Sandhu, Asha • Surette, Veronica • Wubs, Ben
Bachelor of Arts, Minor in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice:
• Clairmont, Lexine • Conde, Aminata • Down, Emma • Earl, Olivia • Karov, Rukie • Landerholm, Mac • Moza, Leela • Rauf, Huda
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Types of Philosophy Thesis Topics. Discuss the role of aesthetics in the study of philosophy. How epistemology has contributed to the growth in philosophical literature. Elaborate the role of ethics on the survivability of a society. How logic has been crucial in making rational decisions in a man.
Philosophy Undergraduate thesis collection. Browse By. By Issue Date Authors Titles Subjects Publication Type Sponsor Supervisors. Search within this Collection: Go Recent Submissions. Concepts: Ontology of the Unbound Loehausen, Charlotte (The University of Edinburgh, 2016) The Role and ...
Theses/Dissertations from 2020. Orders of Normativity: Nietzsche, Science and Agency, Shane C. Callahan. Humanistic Climate Philosophy: Erich Fromm Revisited, Nicholas Dovellos. This, or Something like It: Socrates and the Problem of Authority, Simon Dutton. Climate Change and Liberation in Latin America, Ernesto O. Hernández.
turn. Good philosophy proceeds with modest, careful and clear steps. Structuring a Philosophy Paper Philosophy assignments generally ask you to consider some thesis or argument, often a thesis or argument that has been presented by another philosopher (a thesis is argument, you may be asked to do one or more of the
Rigid Designation, Scope, and Modality. Emergent Problems and Optimal Solutions: A Critique of Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia. Expressing Consistency: Godel's Second Incompleteness Theorem and Intentionality in Mathematics. Physicalism, Intentionality, Mind: Three Studies in the Philosophy of Mind. Frege's Paradox.
A senior thesis is a substantial piece of philosophical work undertaken at the undergraduate level during the senior (final) year of study. Theses are intended to serve as the culmination of a period of focused study of a topic, problem, theme, or idea within philosophy. It is the result of thorough research conducted by the student under the ...
Honors Theses from 2016. PDF. On Animal Rights, Speciesism, and the Nature of Social Change, Delaney Berman. PDF. A Psychological Approach to the Special Composition Question, Connor Drake Dantzler. PDF. Addressing the Problems in American Drug Policy: A Case for the Legalization of Drugs, Jackson A. Eskay. PDF.
Undergraduate philosophy papers are often devoted exclusively to evaluating the arguments of well-known philosophers. ... should accomplish three main objectives: (1) setting up the context for the paper, i.e., which philosophical debate or topic is the focus, (2) expressing the thesis of the paper, i.e., the conclusion it aims to defend, and ...
Senior Thesis. There is no requirement for people concentrating in Philosophy to write an Undergraduate Honors Thesis; some people do so, many people don't. To be eligible to write an Honors Thesis, you must have completed at least six courses toward the concentration by the beginning of your penultimate semester and have received a grade of A ...
Thesis requirements. To be eligible to write a senior thesis, a student must be a philosophy major with a 3.7/4.0 GPA in all philosophy courses (at the time of application). NOTE: Students must go through the application process of securing an advisor and getting departmental approval for their project in the semester BEFORE the one in which ...
Nizzardo, Matteo (2024-06-10) - Thesis. This Thesis is a collection of essays on qualitatively indiscernible entities, i.e. entities which agree with respect to all the qualitative properties they instantiate. In Chapter 1 I introduce various accounts of ... Aristotle on the limits of final causes. The case of extended teleology .
More Philosophy Dissertation Research Topics. Topic 1: Why we should stop capital punishment and adopt permanent solutions to help solve crimes. Topic 2: Should people always obey the rules? A closer look at the line between breaking rules and rebellion. Topic 3: Loneliness: Reconstructing its meaning.
A good thesis proposal will have three elements: (1) A clear and concise statement of the position you intend to articulate and defend in the thesis. (2) A well-researched statement relating your position to the philosophical literature indicating how your position connects with important thought on the subject by other philosophers.
An Honors Thesis is a substantial piece of independent research that an undergraduate carries out over two semesters. Students writing Honors Theses take PHIL 691H and 692H, in two different semesters. ... By the last day of classes, you must turn in a 10-page paper on your thesis topic; this can turn out to be part of your final thesis, but it ...
Introduction. Philosophy is quite unlike any other field. It is unique both in its methods and in the nature and breadth of its subject matter. Philosophy pursues questions in every dimension of human life, and its techniques apply to problems in any field of study or endeavor. No brief definition expresses the richness and variety of philosophy.
Table 6: Dissertations from 1969-1960. Name. Year. Title. Mentor. Michael Didoha. 1969. Conceptual Distortion and Intuitive Creativity: A Study of the Role of Knowledge in the Thought of Nicholas Berdyaev. Wilfred Desan.
Theses/Dissertations from 2023. Place, Attachment, and Feeling: Indigenous Dispossession and Settler Belonging, Sarah Kizuk. Nepantla and Mestizaje: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Mestizx Historical Consciousness, Jorge Alfredo Montiel. The Categories Argument for the Real Distinction Between Being and Essence: Avicenna, Aquinas, and Their ...
Thesis Guidelines There are two guidelines for potential thesis students to keep in mind. First, a written thesis proposal and bibliography should be submitted to the department in April of the junior year. Second, thesis writers should have completed about 40 pages by the end of Winter Study. See "The Degree with Honors" for more details. If you have more specific questions, please consult ...
Aim for this to be your magnum opus or last word on the topic. Try to solve a major problem (e.g. the mind-body problem, external world scepticism) Cover every possible view in the field. Include extra material unless it advances your argument. Have one massive 6,000 word chapter. Leave it until Semester 2 to start work.
Philosophy Department Student Theses . Follow. Browse the Philosophy Department Student Theses Collections: Graduate Student Theses. Undergraduate Student Theses . Enter search terms: Select context to search: Advanced Search Notify me via email or RSS; Browse. Collections; Libraries & Archives ...
The Honors Thesis in Philosophy. The Honors Thesis is a distinguished way to complete the B.A. degree. It also provides excellent preparation for those who plan to go on to graduate or professional schools. The completed thesis is a solid statement of your status as a trained philosopher. Note, also, that at Washington University the only way ...
I'm just finishing my penultimate year as an undergraduate philosophy student and will fairly soon have to decide on the topic my dissertation is to be on in my final year. I have the option of writing either a 7500 word or 15,000 word dissertation; I'm leaning towards the latter for a few reasons, though I haven't decided on that conclusively ...
Guidelines for Master's Proposals and Theses. Before signing up for PHIL 799 Thesis, students must have a thesis proposal, a thesis director and a thesis committee. MA Thesis Proposal Approval Form - This form must be filed in the Philosophy Department before the student is permitted to register for PHIL 799. Time lines for thesis submission:
The Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government (M-RCBG) at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government announced Aden Barton as the 2024 winner of the John T. Dunlop Undergraduate Thesis Prize in Business and Government. Barton won for his thesis, "The Causal Effect of Welfare Retrenchment: Evidence from Medicaid and SNAP.".
This award recognizes full-time faculty who have made a distinctive impact through excellence in teaching primarily at the first- or second-year undergraduate level. DiMaio employs the methodologies of Sociocultural Theory (SCT) during classes. This teaching approach supports a process in which development and learning take place through social ...
May 22, 2024. The Department of English's Grant Editing and Consulting Group will be coordinating undergraduate student editors for thesis and dissertation projects this summer. All editors have been trained in editing coursework. Rates start at $25 per hour, and all projects require the project director's written consent. For more information ...
Please join us in celebrating the class of May 2024 graduates. We are incredibly proud of our students' achievements, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Graduate Doctor of Philosophy in Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice: • Ine Beljaars Thesis title: Embodied encounters: Afro-Latin dance and Dutch cultural identity Supervisors: …