Philosophy 251

Writing Assignment #5

General Information for Completing Writing Assignments:

(i) Each assignment is worth up to ten points. You will get one point for providing the correct answer and up to nine points for clearly and concisely justifying whatever answer you give. Note, that the emphasis is on justifying your solution regardless of whether it is correct or not. (Imagine that you are writing a solution that is to appear in a magazine in which the problem was presented in an earlier issue. Hence, you need to clearly and fully explain why the answer is the way it is, such that the readers will understand exactly why the answer is the way it is.) Below are some questions that I will ask when evaluating your assignments.

  1. Is the answer clearly stated and identified as the answer?
  2. Is the answer answering the question asked?
  3. Does the student justify the answer actually given?
  4. Does the student fail to account for (or contradict) a relevant fact from the problem?
  5. Does the student make any assumptions not warranted by the problem?
  6. Does the student contradict him/herself in the answer or justification?
  7. Would the justification be understandable to someone who has read the problem, but does not know the answer?

(ii) All assignments must be your own individual and independent work and be pledged. By 'your own individual and independent work' I understand that the student will not have discussed the assignment with any other individual or looked at any other individual's solution prior to the assignment being handed in.

(iii) All assignments are to be done on separate sheets of paper. Each sheet of paper must have your name on it.

(iv) Late assignments receive no credit.


The Statement


A wily young woman wishes to marry the prince Arlen. Unfortunately, his mother, the Sultana, is opposed to the marriage and is willing to buy the young woman off. The Sultana, therefore makes the young woman the following offer--"You get to make one statement. If the statement is false, you will be put to death and receive none of the following three things. If the statement is true, you may have one of the following three things, but I get to choose! The three things are: (1) Arlen's hand in marriage; (2) A cup filled with extremely valuable diamonds; (3) A magic lamp with a genie (who, unfortunately, cannot do marriages)." The wily young woman, however, is too wily for her future mother-in-law. She makes a statement such that the only way the Sultana can keep her promise is by giving the young woman Arlen's hand in marriage.

What was the statement? Justify your answer.

Due: Monday, November 11, at the beginning of class.

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