Thought and Reality: How our thoughts can match reality

The expectation is that these are formal essays. That means an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. General rule for the main body is that the number of paragraphs corresponds to the number of points being made.



Take the first question, example. Your points would be: (1) explaining the problem (of which the question itself gave you a summary, which you would expand on); (2) the realist position, citing a sampling of realist philosophers -- you should also distinguish between Platonic and Aristotelian realism, i.e. extreme and moderate; (3) the nominalist position, citing a sampling of nominalist philosophers. Your sampling would want a representative mix of ancient, medieval, and modern philosophers.



Essay Assignment #1







(1) One characterization of "the problem" in the problem of universals is that it pertains to the very existence, or lack, of a basic correspondence between our thoughts and reality. Our thoughts are saturated with general terms and concepts. Reality, on the other hand, seems everywhere particular and individual. So, how can our thoughts match reality? Be certain to describe the respective positions of the major realist and nominalist philosophers (ancient, medieval, and modern) in your answer.



That usually means at least 5 paragraphs (assuming a main body of 3 paragraphs). So I would estimate roughly 1.5 pages per essay. It will also depend on the question and your personal writing style (some people write more concisely than others).