Philosophy 101 – Second Written Assignment

In two pages (type-written), please answer the following questions. Your answers are due Monday, April 3^rd, in class.

Question 1: In class we watched a short video on Trichotillomania, a disorder in which people pull out their hair. (If you missed the video, you can find information on Trich at http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/92.cfm and www.trich.org.) Imagine the case of Tracy, who has Trich. Let us ask: does Tracy pull her hair out of her own free will? Discuss (a) how Walter Stace might answer this question, and (b) how Harry Frankfurt might answer this question. (Obviously I can’t expect you to have a detailed knowledge of Trich. I am more interested in whether you understand Stace and Frankfurt’s theories. It is OK to say things like “If Trich works in such-and-such a fashion, then Frankfurt would say….”)

Question 2: Do you think either Stace or Frankfurt gets the answer right about Tracy? Why or why not? If you think neither philosopher gets the answer right, what is the right answer in your view, and how would you defend it?