To be or not to be is not a thesis statement

“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)

Thesis statements are (less melodramatic) statements

Thesis statements are, in fact, arguable statements

Therefore, a strong thesis statement will (like any good

arguable statement) do four things.

1. Take a stand.

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

of the philosophical zombie.

RED = WARNING!!

Yes. It does. !

I’m glad we had this talk!!!

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?

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

are philosophical zombies.

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

!

Now, we’re getting somewhere.

2. Justify the discussion.

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

are philosophical zombies.

Okay. But, like, who cares?

Well, who cares?

Who cares about using literature to refute arguments?

!

Authors might care. Literary critics might care.

What about, specifically, refuting the philosophical zombie?

!

(This is a philosophical argument with scientific applications.)

Philosophers might care. Scientists might care.

Authors, literary critics, philosophers, scientists…

!

Science Fiction authors might care.

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.

3. Express one main idea.

Robert J. Sawyer uses literary devices… !

Which ones?

A good question, but…

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.

Pick one.

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.

4. Be specific.

Be Specific

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

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.

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.

Thesis Statements summarize arguments. !

They take a stand. They justify discussion.

They express one main idea. They are specific.

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.