Question Description

No documentation required except with quotes, then give the page numbers only.

Do not quote more than 2 quotes and no more than 3 lines per quote.Summarize the rest.

500-minimum words.MLA format. 14-font; double spaced only

a critical analysis of James Rachel’s “Egoism and Moral Skepticism”

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Paragraph 1 – Introduce the writer and the essay.Give a brief summary of the essay and where you are going with yours (a directional statement – the 3 body paragraphs will direct this).

Paragraph 2: What is the writer’s main thesis – in the overall essay, what is Rachels saying?

What is he saying about Gyges and psychological egoism?

Paragraph 3:Is Rachels saying that if a person does what he/she wants to do, that act itself “makes it a right action”?How does he illustrate that a right action is an unselfish one? If an action is right, is it right for everyone?

Paragraph 4:What is Rachels saying about actions that give pleasure?

Are they selfish ones?Does deriving pleasure (according to Rachels) not count as a motive for selfishness?Is he defending ethical egoism?

Paragraph 5:What is your response to the essay?Is it possible (according to Rachels) for a person to be “altruistic” (do unselfish acts expecting nothing in return)?

In a final sentence, after the conclusion, answer this:Are you an ethical egoist?Do you think it is possible to be otherwise?

Avoid all personal pronouns.Do not say, “In this essay, we find. . .”Leave off I, we, you, ours . . . pronouns that “pull the reader in” with you.

Do not use I, me, my, we, you, yours, ours . . . in the first 4 paragraphs.You are being impartially critical, not giving a personal response.

Do not say, “I think that. . .”It is obvious you think it; you are the writer J.

You can use I in the last paragraph (5) because you are drawing a conclusion.

Balance your first 4 paragraphs.Make the 5th one more brief than the first 4.

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