QUESTION
If You Never Got Caught, Should You Still Do the Right Thing?
Though this is technically a paper, your finished product will read more like an extended outline than an essay. It consists of a thesis, four arguments (two against your thesis, two in favor), and four examples (one supporting each argument). The intro consists of two sentences; there is no conclusion. The examples must be drawn from your own life experience. Do not employ any external sources; but feel free to use terms and definitions from class.
Here is the structure the paper must display:
1. At the top: your name, my name, class name, date
2. Title: the question you will be addressing in the paper
3. Thesis sentence: “In this paper I will argue that…” followed by a short summary of your thesis.
4. Argument 1, against thesis
5. Example 1, supporting Argument 1
6. Argument 2, against thesis
7. Example 2, supporting Argument 2
8. Transition sentence “Such, at any rate, are the arguments [against my thesis]. But they are readily answered.” (Feel free to copy-paste this sentence and edit it for your own thesis.)
9. Argument 3, for thesis
10. Example 3, supporting Argument 3
11. Argument 4, for thesis
12. Example 4, supporting Argument 4
The section headers must be in bold font, as they are here: the sample paper shows what such a paper needs to look like. There is no upper limit, but there is an 1100 word minimum word count.
I have attached a sample paper in the “additional materials” section which is how the paper should look.
Firstname Lastname
19 February 2018
Dr. Herrick
Introduction to Philosophy
1
Is It Ever Appropriate to Worry or Be Anxious?
Thesis Sentence: In this paper, I will argue that there is never a reason to be worried or anxious.
Follow-up sentence: I will argue a) that worrying is not what many people think it is and that it
only brings added misery, and b) that most of what we worry about never materializes or occurs,
and if it does occur, it cannot be prevented.
Argument 1, against thesis: There are a multitude of reasons that people disagree with this
claim, the first being that without constant anxiety and worry about a list of tasks that must get
done or a problem that must be solved, many people would not be able to function in such a
goal-oriented society and fail in both their jobs and personal lives. We all know a multitude of
people, and possibly include ourselves in this description, who have such a lengthy list of endless
things to do, it’s a wonder they don’t lose their minds just by imagining the long day ahead.
Example 1, supporting Argument 1: Take my own parents for instance. They both work
strenuous 9-5 jobs and had to take care of three children and a dog, all while paying bills,
keeping up with the sports, school, and band schedules of us kids, and catering to our every need
if we ever got sick or needed help in school. These are just a few of the things that my parents
and millions of others must pay attention to and worry about every day. Without the constant
worrying and anxiety about our wellbeing, I wouldn’t have been surprised if my parents had
simply forgotten to pick my little sister up from school, or neglected to come to my basketball
game, or if it could have slipped their minds to feed us on occasion. It seems perfectly normal for
them to worry about the extensive list of things to take care of that come with being parents and
hard-working adults, and who am I to argue with their methods after it yielded such fantastic
results (yours truly).
Firstname Lastname
19 February 2018
Dr. Herrick
Introduction to Philosophy
2
Argument 2, against thesis: Another argument in favor of the occasional use of worrying to get
through life is that we often can prevent the things we worry about from happening in the future
if we act to prevent whatever form of suffering we foresee. If we can take measures to prevent
the things we worry about, like an infant falling down the stairs, we ought to attempt to stop that
foreseeing from occurring, which could be accomplished in the case of the infant by setting
safety gates in the openings of the stairs.
Example 2, supporting Argument 2: I have had a similar experience in my own life. In my
high school years, I played basketball with a bunch of my good friends in a recreation league. I
had never had a severe injury, and I rarely, if ever, thought one would find its way into my life.
During our third game of the season, I tore my ACL, though I didn’t know it at the time, and
would not know for sure for about two months. This injury was catastrophic for me at the time,
and I was devastated. Looking back on that experience, I sometimes think that if only I had seen
and therefore worried about the possibility of that injury, and improved my awful stretching and
hydration habits, I could have avoided the injury and continued to ball out as I normally do. Who
can say that worrying about an injury would not have helped in this situation or any like it? I
have experienced another case when I took certain measures to prevent a worry from becoming
reality. In my first semester, after underperforming on my first exam in Physics, I grew very
worried and anxious about the next test, because without a stellar grade, my overall grade in the
class would tank and I would be forced to retake it in the following semester. Due to this worry
and constant anxiety, I studied for hours upon end to ace the next exam, and thankfully, I did
well. Can there be any doubt that I wouldn’t have performed as well without being constantly
anxious about the exam and its treacherous contents?
Firstname Lastname
19 February 2018
Dr. Herrick
Introduction to Philosophy
3
Such are the arguments in favor of occasional worry and anxiety. However, these
arguments have their answers in the following paragraphs.
Argument 3, for thesis: First, the meaning behind the question posed in this essay is not “Is it
ever appropriate to be thoughtful, attentive, and contemplative?”. The question is whether
worrying or anxiety is ever appropriate. Where thoughtfulness and planning can be of great
benefit, worrying only causes suffering before the suffering has even occurred. Worrying does
nothing to solve the problem at hand.
Example 3, supporting Argument 3: I believe that my parents could have had a far easier and
more rewarding time raising my sisters and I had they been less focused on the possible negative
outcomes and worrying about the soccer practices, basketball games, and spelling bees, and more
focused on getting things done. The worries eclipsed by the Epicurean belief encompass all the
worries my family felt, and the only valid response to such silly worries is that pain is easy to
endure and what is good is easy to get. Simple meditation, and prayer in my family’s case could
have alleviated much of the anxiety that my parents felt while raising us in such a hectic time.
What is a moment of pain when an eternity of glory awaits? A cliché perhaps, but an apt
description of what trial and tribulation should be met with. When I first left home to come to St.
Mary’s, I was very worried about leaving my dog, as I was the one who took him on walks and
played with him, getting him fresh toys and bones every couple of weeks. My irrational worry
led me to snap at my dad and little sister several times, claiming that they did not take care of
him as they should have. This, of course, was false, as he was being cared for just as well as he
had been when I was home. Rather than cling to my fears and worries about my dog, I decided to
give my little sister a schedule of when to take him on walks, when to feed him, when to change
his water, and so on. Thoughtfulness and planning prevailed over the worry and fear, and
Firstname Lastname
19 February 2018
Dr. Herrick
Introduction to Philosophy
4
therefore are separate and totally different from anxiety. The fact of the matter is that worrying
has no end goal besides more worry. Once a little worry creeps into life, the smallest triggers can
set you off in a spiral of anxiety over things which have no consequence in the long run.
Argument 4, for thesis: Second, the claim that what we see in our worries can be prevented is
simply untrue. In very few cases can our worries be prevented, and even in these cases, the
“worries” are merely intuitions about the results of certain shortcomings, like buckling a seat belt
to prevent death in a car crash. These are not true worries.
Example 4, supporting Argument 4: There is no telling whether I would have gotten injured or
not if I had been worried about getting injured and took measures to prevent it. In attempting to
stop the injury from happening and thinking about the possibility of tearing my ACL constantly,
I could have raised the likelihood of the tear occurring, just as when we try to change the future,
we often bring it to fruition. In addition to this argument, very few of the worries we have ever
materialize in the real world. The other night for instance, I walked into my room with all the
lights off around midnight. For some ridiculous reason, I thought of the clown Pennywise from
the film IT, and childishly imagined a clown in my closet. Obviously, this momentary worry
(fear) would never happen in real life. Another less extreme example is a worry that I often have
of failing in my studies and not being able to join the workforce. This worry or fear is irrational
and has no bearing from my life or the choices that I make, as I am on my way to being
successful and a productive member of society. However, that little seed of doubt that creeps into
my mind, if watered with worry and anxiety, could sprout into a dangerous cycle of doubt and
worry. This cycle of worry is detrimental to both my spiritual and physical health and wellbeing,
and it should not be on my radar at all. Rather, I should focus on the tasks at hand, accomplish
Firstname Lastname
19 February 2018
Dr. Herrick
Introduction to Philosophy
5
them to the best of my ability, and leave nothing to chance. In this way, I rid myself of worry
because I can know that I tried my best.
Subject | Essay Writing | Pages | 6 | Style | APA |
---|
Answer
If You Never Got Caught, Should You Do the Right Thing?
Thesis Sentence: In this essay, I will argue that I am obliged to do the right thing even if I am given an assurance that I will never be caught for not doing the right thing.
Follow-up sentence: I will argue that a) doing the right thing at all times, even if no one is watching, is a moral obligation and b) it is the basis of trustworthiness.
Argument 1, against thesis: There is an argument that doing the right thing at all times may disadvantage or hurt oneself in some instances or in the long run. This is when people take advantage of a person’s good intentions. People who do the right thing or with good intent at all times are likely to fall victims after being taken advantage of by friends, family, workmates, colleagues, peers, or an organization. Some individuals have a tendency to manipulate others for financial, emotional, sexual, or material gains. Therefore, the intent to do right at all times may lead to undesired or disadvantageous outcomes to the doer. Apart from being taken for a ride, the desire to do the right thing at all times may give others a sense of control to stamp authority over you. Simple and good natured people are at a greater risk of being manipulated and taken advantage of due to their helpful and selfless character or personality. Once some individuals realize that another person does the right thing all the time, they may take it as a weakness and exploit them to the fullest.
Example 1, supporting Argument 1: In my life, I have been taken advantage of by a friend in the past, just for being nice to him. My friend kept looking up to me to pay bills most of the times even if I knew that he had enough money to pay his own bills. In other cases, he had a habit of borrowing money without returning any of it even if I reminded him of the same. These incidences made me emotionally and financially strained since my intention was to maintain our ‘good’ friendship and to keep him as a friend. However, it reached a time when I distanced myself from him. That is the time when I began to feel much better psychologically and emotionally since I had then developed a bad attitude that he was taking advantage of me; hence, he was a burden in my life.
Argument 2, against thesis: Doing right all the time, even if one is never got for not doing the right things, denies an individual the chance to take an initiative to do things in alternative ways and hinders creativity, innovativeness, and use of intelligence or self-drive. In such as case, an individual can be reduced to a tool or a machine which is focused on doing a specific duty regardless of the consequences. For example, a soldier who is instructed to kill all the enemies in an area may do it as a duty but his/her conscience may inform him/her that it is ethically or morally wrong to kill innocent civilians; these may include pregnant women and young children. For organizations, insisting on doing the right thing around the clock may deny the organization the benefits of change, innovation, inventions, and progressive improvements that may put it at par with top competitors.
Example 2, supporting Argument 2: In my neighborhood, there is a small grocery store that was forced to close-down during the COVID-lockdown period since it failed to adopt the use of technology; specifically, online and social media marketing strategies like other similar stores in the vicinity. The store continued with the traditional methods of employee-customer physical interactions rather than recruiting home delivery agents or utilizing delivery services like other stores. A drop in the customer-base during lockdown forced it to shut down since it run in losses. This illustrates that doing the right things all the times to keep a tradition may not be suitable in other circumstances.
Such are the arguments against my thesis statement that doing the right thing all the times is a moral obligation and the basis of trustworthiness as a person. But they are readily rebutted in the following paragraphs.
Argument 3, for thesis: Doing the right thing is a moral obligation and a way of maintaining moral integrity. I have a moral obligation to do the right thing at all times even if people may take advantage of me at times. This can help me to maintain good reputation in the public eye. It is a duty to do the right thing since it shields one from self-centered laziness. A sense of duty or moral obligation to do the right thing keeps me from striving to do the good that I truly long for and avoid doing evil things that I may be tempted to do.
Example 3, supporting Argument 3: Moral obligation to do the right thing has helped me to interact and serve others with equity and fairness regardless of basic differences such as gender, social status or class, race, and level of education. This approach has helped me to make many friends and maintain a sense of friendliness with strangers.
Argument 4, for thesis: Doing the right thing at all times regardless of whether I am being watched is the foundation of trustworthiness. Having good intentions in my actions can lead to happiness since I will have good rapport with others and gain emotional and psychosocial support from others. Doing the right thing at all times can help me to avoid getting in the wrong hands of the law. Trustworthiness can be achieved by being consistent in doing what is right at all times. By being trustworthy, people will see me as being responsible, reliable, accountable, and resourceful. Consistency in doing the right thing helps to reinforce trust.
Example 4, supporting Argument 4: Being trustworthy has made others to trust me with their secrets and let me manage their private issues. Trust and being honest has made me to develop and maintain bonds with others. I believe that honesty and trust are important in any personal relationships and improvement of self-esteem. Trustworthiness makes others to feel free to express or share ideas with others.
References
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