Philosophy paper problems?

Question

I have been trying to write this paper all semester and everything I write sounds more and more confusing. The Social Contract theory is my topic and I am about to give up. What is worse is it is due tomorrow. I have searched Hobbes and Locke and even googled Social Contract Theory and still nothing.
Is it just me or is philosophy confusing and philosophers confused? Can anyone offer me any suggestions on how to get this eight page paper up and going?

There is not a lack of information in this area the problem is, that some of it isn't making much sense. What does make sense I am having trouble putting into my own words.

Answer 1

The three best known, but perhaps not the best in all things, philosophers who talked about the Social Contract are Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. I have given you three web sources. Please use these as a spring board to read more about them in the source material. To understand the subtleties between them is important. original sources are the best rather than books ABOUT the sources.
If you talk about these three chronologically, that should describe a type of evolutionary thought on the issue. This should also easily fill up 8 pages. Ask questions of each and answer them and your teacher will be impressed. Come to a conclusion about all three and you will probably get an A. I hope you learn something in the process.
As to philosophy at large being difficult, you must first realize that you are looking at a very different age where words were used differently, Most importantly, especially with these three, it is important for them to define their terms precisely. Unfortunately defining terms using other undefined or semi-defined terms is very difficult. When you pay attention and work hard at this philosophy, it will give you a much better appreciation for how hard they worked on original ideas and how much influence they have had on historical situations, such as the United States Constitution and Declaration, among other things. We throw these ideas around as if they were more or less true today, but it took deep thinking men a great deal of time and struggle to give birth to these fine ideas.

Answer 2

Wow..sounds like you have wasted alot of time looking in to wrong places. Have you talked to your Prof. about the trouble you are having?

Using a website for your research is your downfall. Why students insist on trying to use the internet as a resource is beyond me. You CANNOT trust anything on a website that isn't a .org or a .edu, and even then I wouldn't cite them. Websites should only give you ideas, not to be used as part of your resources.

You need to go to your schools library webpage and do a search on thier site for journals and books for "social contract theory" and any other points regarding this theory you are going to write about.

When you find some journal articles - these would be the best for you...start reading them line-by-line. Then highlight or underline sentences that stand out for you, and make notes about your thoughts next to them.
You need at least five sources for an 8 page paper. Once you have highlighted things, go back and try to tie them all together in an outline to make a paper.

Good Luck! You are gong to need an extension! I would tell the Prof. now that you are not going to have it in on time.

Answer 3

Are you saying that you weren't able to find any information on this at all, cause I would find that really hard to believe. Go to your college/university library. Search the database.

A Yahoo search gave me 11 million hits for Social Contract Theory. I think this is more a case of somebody being lazy than lack of info.

Answer 4

The Fountainhead by way of Ayn Rand. Stars Gary Cooper. Older movie, whether it may be concern-free to place in writing a three internet site synopsis on it describing the philosophical meanings and problems it shows using fact all you may do is google "The Fountainhead" and a selection of of awareness relating to the philosophy provided ought to be stumbled on. the author of the e book, Ayn Rand, replaced right into a reality seeker and her books all contemporary her philosophy and the antagonists that carry a different philosophy. The movie replaced into made in that image. The movie provides somebody hero, Howard Roark, suffering in a society the place the philosophy is often to assist a collective. It exhibits somebody suffering against a collective. It additionally exhibits the priority interior the collective philosophy, altruist philosophy, for the period of the characters Toohey and Keating.

Answer 5

What angle are you supposed to be writing from? If you have some leeway, I think the easiest way to start would be first to discuss the main thinkers (don't forget Rousseau, you didn't mention him above). Then describe and critique how modern democratic notions have evolved from it. Make sure also to compare the various related/offshoot idea sets in practice today. (IE Marxism plus offspring of it)