Philosophy Senior
Independent Research
PHIL 0710 is required for all majors, please register for it in the last fall before you graduate.
The course is offered every fall with topic proposals due the prior spring.
Overview
Recording of the December 2021 Zoom information session hosted by Prof. Viner, Prof. Spackman and Prof. Khalifa.
zoom_0.mp4Not sure about what to study? Look through the list of Philosophy Resources to see if there's a call for papers or conference that interests you.
Topic Questionnaire
Use this link to submit three topics for consideration.
Past approved topics:
“The Duties and Limitations of Citizenship: Creating and Applying a Set of Criteria for Civil Disobedience”
“#MeToo: The Recognition of Epistemic Injustice in Cases of Sexual Assault”
“Inside Jokes: A Cognitive Model of Humor and its Applications”
“Regulating the Emerging Organ Market in the Era of Transhumanism and Medical Advancements”
“On Stoicism and its Practicality Today”
“Ancient Insights into Modern Mathematical Anxiety: Why We Should Welcome Being Stumped by the Math We Study”
“A More Just Way: Re-examining Justice and Punishment”
“Philosophy of Researching Human Sexuality”
“Thought, Divinity, Immortality: Heidegger’s Interpretation of De Anima In Being and Time”
“Wu-wei: The Elusive Ideal of Perfection”
“Observability and the Metaphysics of Modality”
“Authenticity and the Importance of Happiness in our Lives”
“Self Discovery in the Internet Age: Unpacking the Internet’s Impact on Human Identity”
"On Platonic Dialogues and Hegelian Dialectics: Building a Foundation for a Marxist Epistemology"
“The Self, the Other, and COVID-19: How a Global Pandemic Shapes our Self-Conceptions and Connections to Others”
“The Epistemic Value of Photojournalism”
“The Opioid Crisis: The Political Ethics of Addiction”
“When Analyticity Meets Meaning Holism: A Response to Quine, Fodor, Lepore, and Rey”
“McDowell, Travis, and the Defense of Representationalism in Perception”
Funding Sources:
(these funds can be used for research and conferences related to your topic)
The Stanley P. Bates Memorial Fund in Philosophy was established in February 2020 by the family and friends of Professor Stanley Bates, honoring him as scholar, teacher, mentor, and friend to Middlebury students for more than four decades. The endowment supports Middlebury College students and recent alumni to pursue research and independent study in Philosophy.
The Chair of the Philosophy Department will oversee the student selection process and the presentation of awards. Middlebury College students pursuing studies in Philosophy and recent alumni (within two years of graduation) are eligible to receive Fund support, with first preference for Philosophy majors. Please email Prof. Viner with questions.Senior Research Project Supplement (administered through CTLR)
Past Syllabus/Deadlines
These were the deadlines for Fall 2021:
Sept. 27 Abstract and annotated bibliography of five sources due
Oct. 4 Annotated bibliography of 10 sources due
Oct. 6 Literature Review due
Oct. 11 Outline and Timeline for Writing due
Oct. 13 Draft of Introduction and Section 1 due
Oct. 20 Draft of Section 2 due
Oct. 27 Draft of Section 3 due
Nov. 3 Complete Rough Draft Due
Nov. 8-19 Public Presentations
Nov. 22 Written Peer review due
Dec. 1 Revised Draft due
Dec. 10 Final Paper due