Instructions
Write in the neighborhood of 1800 words (6 or 7 pages) on the following topic. Print your essay on one side of each sheet of paper, and staple the sheets together in an upper corner. Put your name on all the sheets of paper in an upper corner. To save paper, you can set the line spacing at 1.5 or 1.4 rather than double-spaced, but please don't go down to single spacing. (If you do this, your paper will be less than 6 or 7 pages long -- it will be 4 or 5 pages.)
Use citations for quotations or very specific points, even if you are just using materials from the course materials. Follow any standard method (footnotes, endnotes, citations in the body of the text, etc.). You can use any reputable guide (Milner has links to some online guides). You can use the Machina stuff if you want, and cite Machina as the author, following the format for citations of online materials.
You are not expected to do additional reading for research beyond the course materials for this essay, although if you wish to do so, that would be fine. Reading more sources can provide helpful ideas, but I'd be cautious about the reliability of Wikipedia as a source for philosophical topics. If you like to check out online encyclopedias, try the Stanford University online encyclopedia of philosophy. For an index to professional articles in journals, use Milner's Philosopher's Index. Just don't get bogged down in reading outside sources -- especially ones you don't understand very well. This is intended to be a thought project in which you think through some issues in your own way, not a book report in which you summarize positions taken by others.
Topic to write about
Here are some choices of topic to write about:
1. Does Pereboom provide a convincing case for why it would be better if we abandoned the use of the concept of MR?
2. Vargas argues that if we give up on the reality of libertarian free will, we are logically required to change the the way we apply the notion of MR -- that is, if we are going to continue to talk about MR as real, it has to be a somewhat altered conception of MR. That altered conception is tied to an altered conception of who we are, of what sort of beings we are. In fact, it is the alteration of our self-conception that is the central change that needs to follow from giving up on libertarian free will. Write about whether Vargas has accurately described the changes that follow from giving up on libertarian free will, and if he has given convincing arguments that the resulting ways of applying the new notion of MR really could give us what we want out of a conception of MR.
Suggestion: if you want to argue in favor of Pereboom or Vargas' views, probably the most impressive strategy is to come up with wholly original arguments supporting the conclusion you favor. However, given the difficulty of doing that, an easier strategy might be more feasible: consider some significant and sensible-sounding objections to the theory you like, and then show how to successfully reply to those objections. Of course, if you want to attack Pereboom or Vargas' ideas, you can ignore this suggestion.
Alternate topics
If there is something else (related to what we have been discussing in class) that you would prefer writing about, make a proposal to write about that instead. But do get your proposed topic approved before investing a lot of time writing on it.