to be or not to be is not a thesis statement

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“To be, or not to be?” is not a thesis statement

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An overview of the four elements of a strong thesis statement.

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Page 1: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

“To be, or not to be?” is not a thesis statement

Page 2: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

“To be, or not to be?” is a question !

(“Why don’t I just kill myself already?!” —Hamlet, the original emo kid)

Page 3: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Thesis statements are (less melodramatic) statements

Page 4: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Thesis statements are, in fact, arguable statements

Page 5: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Therefore, a strong thesis statement will (like any good

arguable statement) do four things.

Page 6: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

1. Take a stand.

Page 7: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer’s novel Mindscan explores, at one point, the concept

of the philosophical zombie.

RED = WARNING!!

Page 8: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Yes. It does. !

I’m glad we had this talk!!!

Page 9: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

A strong thesis statement takes a stand by risking an argument that the reader could sensibly reject.

!

If you disagreed with me about how RJS’s novel discusses “the philosophical zombie,” then you were wrong. I just need to turn to page 194 to

prove you wrong. What’s the fun in that?

Page 10: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices to refute the idea that the machine characters in his novel

are philosophical zombies.

Page 11: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

“No he doesn’t! Did you get your degree from a cereal box?”

!

Now, we’re getting somewhere.

Page 12: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

2. Justify the discussion.

Page 13: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices to refute the idea that the machine characters in his novel

are philosophical zombies.

Page 14: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Okay. But, like, who cares?

Page 15: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Well, who cares?

Page 16: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Who cares about using literature to refute arguments?

!

Authors might care. Literary critics might care.

Page 17: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

What about, specifically, refuting the philosophical zombie?

!

(This is a philosophical argument with scientific applications.)

Page 18: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Philosophers might care. Scientists might care.

Page 19: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Authors, literary critics, philosophers, scientists…

!

Science Fiction authors might care.

Page 20: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices to refute the idea that the machine

characters in his novel are philosophical zombies, thereby suggesting that science fiction authors have a role to play in the

process of scientific exploration.

Page 21: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

3. Express one main idea.

Page 22: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices… !

Which ones?

Page 23: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

A good question, but…

Page 24: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses narrative voice and metaphors and space travel and a cool font and lots themes and the afterword and beer

and a dog and stuff to refute the idea that the machine characters in his novel are

philosophical zombies, thereby suggesting that science fiction authors have a role to play in

the process of scientific exploration.

Page 25: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Pick one.

Page 26: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses narrative voice to refute the idea that the machine

characters in his novel are philosophical zombies, thereby suggesting that science fiction authors have a role to play in the

process of scientific exploration.

Page 27: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

4. Be specific.

Page 28: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Be Specific

Page 29: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

If you aren’t Being Specific, then you are just writing B.S.

Page 30: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer uses narrative voice [what kind?] to refute [suggests an essay;

isn’t this literature?] the idea [idea, or argument?] that the machine characters

[aren’t they really human “copies”?] in his novel [what novel?] are philosophical

zombies [are what?], thereby suggesting that science fiction authors have a role [what role?] to play in the process of

scientific exploration.

Page 31: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Robert J. Sawyer’s novel Mindscan uses first-person, character-based narration to

present a literary refutation of the argument that human “copies” like his

characters would be “philosophical zombies” and not conscious, thereby suggesting that science fiction authors

experiment with ideas in literary laboratories and thus participate in the

process of scientific exploration.

Page 32: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Thesis Statements summarize arguments. !

They take a stand. They justify discussion.

They express one main idea. They are specific.

Page 33: To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

Hamlet skipped his classes in order to hang out with ghosts.

!

He was only good at two things: sulking and dying.

!

He wasn’t much for writing essays.