A biographical essay should focus on a major philosopher’s contribution to the history of ideas. Your essay should focus on the following:
(1) PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY: A short summary key facts and/or events in the philosophers life.
(2) PHILOSOPHICAL BIOGRAPHY: A summary of this philosopher’s primary contributions to one or more of the following fields of philosophy:
* Metaphysics (Theory of reality, philosophy of mind, freedom vs. determinism, theology, phillosophy of religion, etc.)
* Epistemology (Theory of knowledge vs. belief, theory of truth, theory of perception, etc.)
* Axiology (Ethical Theory, Political Theory, Philosophy of Art or Aesthetics, etc.)
Be sure to identify the titles and dates of this philosopher’s primary works (essays, articles, books).
(3) CRITICAL EVALUATION: An evaluation of the historical significance of this philosopher’s contribution. Summarize the strengths and weaknesses of this philosopher’s arguments or reasoning. You may also choose to summarize primary objections or criticisms (and defenses) leveled against this philosopher’s arguments.
(4) CONCLUSIONS: Conclude with a general summary of the significance or impact this philosopher’s thought had on the history of ideas. If you come across alternative evaluations by others, summarize them, and draw your own conclusions. [For example, many historians of ideas claim that Plato is the most important philosopher in the history of Western thought. Others downgrade Plato’s contributions. If your focus was on Plato, you would summarize the arguments for these alternative interpretations of the importance or impact of Plato’s thought on the history of ideas.]
