Carmen asked:

I am trying to choose a topic for my IB extended essay. It should be about 4000 words and I wanted
to do on some aspect in philosophy. I was wondering if you could suggest some interesting topics
besides Theory of Knowledge that I could encompass in that word limit.

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The important thing to remember when planning your extended essay is to choose a subject a) that
you find interesting, and b) one which has easily accessible resources available.

You say that you want to write one from philosophy. If I were in your situation I would probably
structure my essay around some ethical/ moral issue. You could, for example, choose an issue such
as animal welfare and examine the various conflicting arguments used by philosophers. A good
starting point would be the book Animal Liberationby Peter Singer. It is a very straightforward
account of a utilitarian stance on the moral status of animals.

Animal welfare is, of course, only one of many ethical issues you may choose to write about. There
are lots to choose from. Perhaps there is one that you feel particularly strong about. The Internet is an
invaluable tool in searching for resources/quotations on any issue imaginable.

Remember that the IB examiners are not expecting some groundbreaking piece of research. They
are more interested in your ability to research an issue and to present your findings in a systematic
way. You must also avoid writing summaries of what various thinkers' positions are and leaving it at
that. Your essay must involve the development of an argument and lead to some tangible conclusion.
Ask your teacher for a copy of the Extended Essay marking scheme. It will tell you exactly what the IB
examiners expect from you.

Good luck with it!

Simon Drew