Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
ENG 104 - Sample Comparison Essay
This is shared via GoogleDocs also. Click here for the Sample Comparison Essay.
Monday, March 22, 2010
ENG 105 - Rogerian Argument Prompts and Articles for Research
A number of topics have been banned from your Final Project. However, a few of them appear on this list of Prompts. The basis for the selection of these topics for your Rogerian Argument is that they are all very controversial topics that evoke much emotion from both sides.
Your research however, has been done for you. Therefore, you MUST use ONLY the sources provided to base your essays on. The topics are as follows: Abortion, Animal Rights, Capital Punishment, Euthanasia, and War and Terrorism. Do not write anything before you have READ EVERYTHING I have provided on that topic.
The essays I have selected are written by some of the foremost Moral and Ethical Philosophers of the past 50 years. Here is your question followed by a list of respective articles:
QUESTION
Write a Rogerian Argument of around 1,000 words proposing middleground solutions to one of the following topics. Read through each of the following options and select the one that appeals most to you. Remember the instructions given in lectures. All essays should be formatted and presented with the necessary citations MLA style and submitted to georgeshlscc@gmail.com by Monday 29th March, 2010. Outlines and Drafts are welcome.
ABORTION
An Almost Absolute Value in History - James T. Noonan, Jr.
A Defense of Abortion - Judith Jarvis Thomson
ANIMAL RIGHTS
Animal Rights: A Debate between Richard Posner and Peter Singer
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
The Ultimate Punishment - Ernest van den Haag
Justice, Civilization, and the Death Penalty - Jeffrey Reiman
EUTHANASIA
Taking Life - Peter Singer
Active and Passive Euthanasia - James Rachels
WAR AND TERRORISM
War - Brian Orend
Just War - Rev. Richard Benson
The Morality of Terrorism - Theodore P Seto
I have given you all the ammunition required to write something to the best of your ability demonstrating Rogerian philosophies in your approach to your selected issue. The documents for each topic will be shared via GoogleDocs
Your research however, has been done for you. Therefore, you MUST use ONLY the sources provided to base your essays on. The topics are as follows: Abortion, Animal Rights, Capital Punishment, Euthanasia, and War and Terrorism. Do not write anything before you have READ EVERYTHING I have provided on that topic.
The essays I have selected are written by some of the foremost Moral and Ethical Philosophers of the past 50 years. Here is your question followed by a list of respective articles:
QUESTION
Write a Rogerian Argument of around 1,000 words proposing middleground solutions to one of the following topics. Read through each of the following options and select the one that appeals most to you. Remember the instructions given in lectures. All essays should be formatted and presented with the necessary citations MLA style and submitted to georgeshlscc@gmail.com by Monday 29th March, 2010. Outlines and Drafts are welcome.
ABORTION
An Almost Absolute Value in History - James T. Noonan, Jr.
A Defense of Abortion - Judith Jarvis Thomson
ANIMAL RIGHTS
Animal Rights: A Debate between Richard Posner and Peter Singer
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
The Ultimate Punishment - Ernest van den Haag
Justice, Civilization, and the Death Penalty - Jeffrey Reiman
EUTHANASIA
Taking Life - Peter Singer
Active and Passive Euthanasia - James Rachels
WAR AND TERRORISM
War - Brian Orend
Just War - Rev. Richard Benson
The Morality of Terrorism - Theodore P Seto
I have given you all the ammunition required to write something to the best of your ability demonstrating Rogerian philosophies in your approach to your selected issue. The documents for each topic will be shared via GoogleDocs
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Toulminian Argument Prompts
In an effort to conserve time, I would like you to start working on a Toulmin Outline and then the Final Toulmin Essay working from one of the following questions:
1. In light of the spate of gun violence gripping the territory, do we need stricter handgun control laws and punishments for their violation to save lives?
2. Should the wealthiest citizens be required by the state to share their wealth with those in need by providing health, food, and education through higher taxation? Or is it the responsibility of those with less to find ways to look after their own?
3. In many instances, cigarettes and liquor are cheaper in the BVI than in the countries they are manufactured. Should the government impose 'sin taxes' on alcohol and tobacco in order to subsidize increasing costs for health care and health infrastructure?
4. Our government mandates that we all use its service (BVI Electricity Corporation) as our primary source of power. Is this fair? What are the benefits and disadvantages of this arrangement? Please research the British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation Act in order to fully grasp the extent of the mandate.
5. If a policeman finds something that he was not looking for (e.g. narcotics in a car that was being searched for guns), why should or shouldn't the policeman have the right to take the accused into custody? Research "reasonable suspicion" in your response.
Remember the parts of the Toulmin Argument. I need to see clearly: your claims, your support, and your warrants in the outline. If necessary, the backing, rebuttal, and qualifier should be included. Appropriate research should be done for your topic. Please see me if you need advice or assistance evaluating sources.
This Outline and Draft should be emailed to me by Friday 12th March, 2010. You are expected to follow the Outline that follows (You will receive a sample Toulminian Outline via Google Docs). In that class I will collect and review with the intention of final Toulmin essays being submitted on Monday 22nd March, 2010.
Following is a template for a Toulminian Outline
The Toulmin Outline
I. Exigence (the need for the argument, the rhetorical situation)
Your argument in all its parts except the claim.
1 paragraph
II. Claim
i. First establish credibility with the audience by stating the support you have for your position.
ii. Introduce qualifiers where necessary to diffuse challenges (typically, usually, for the most part, some, several, few, sometimes etc.) Never use absolutes or totalities in your claim. It should be clear to the reader what types of claim you are making.
1-2 paragraphs
III. Support
i. The specific support that you mentioned previously should be presented in whole.
ii. Introduce appropriate appeals here.
2-3 paragraphs
IV. Warrants
i. Remember here you are connecting the claims to the support.
ii. These can be beliefs that are taken for granted, the assumptions that underline your argument, or specific cultural and personal experiences or observations.
2-3 paragraphs
V. Concessions/Rebuttals
i. Here you either concede that an opposing viewpoint is valid or show where they may question your support or backing
ii. Discredit if possible the opposition's counterarguments.
ii. End essay positively affirming your position.
1-2 paragraphs
1. In light of the spate of gun violence gripping the territory, do we need stricter handgun control laws and punishments for their violation to save lives?
2. Should the wealthiest citizens be required by the state to share their wealth with those in need by providing health, food, and education through higher taxation? Or is it the responsibility of those with less to find ways to look after their own?
3. In many instances, cigarettes and liquor are cheaper in the BVI than in the countries they are manufactured. Should the government impose 'sin taxes' on alcohol and tobacco in order to subsidize increasing costs for health care and health infrastructure?
4. Our government mandates that we all use its service (BVI Electricity Corporation) as our primary source of power. Is this fair? What are the benefits and disadvantages of this arrangement? Please research the British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation Act in order to fully grasp the extent of the mandate.
5. If a policeman finds something that he was not looking for (e.g. narcotics in a car that was being searched for guns), why should or shouldn't the policeman have the right to take the accused into custody? Research "reasonable suspicion" in your response.
Remember the parts of the Toulmin Argument. I need to see clearly: your claims, your support, and your warrants in the outline. If necessary, the backing, rebuttal, and qualifier should be included. Appropriate research should be done for your topic. Please see me if you need advice or assistance evaluating sources.
This Outline and Draft should be emailed to me by Friday 12th March, 2010. You are expected to follow the Outline that follows (You will receive a sample Toulminian Outline via Google Docs). In that class I will collect and review with the intention of final Toulmin essays being submitted on Monday 22nd March, 2010.
Following is a template for a Toulminian Outline
The Toulmin Outline
I. Exigence (the need for the argument, the rhetorical situation)
Your argument in all its parts except the claim.
1 paragraph
II. Claim
i. First establish credibility with the audience by stating the support you have for your position.
ii. Introduce qualifiers where necessary to diffuse challenges (typically, usually, for the most part, some, several, few, sometimes etc.) Never use absolutes or totalities in your claim. It should be clear to the reader what types of claim you are making.
1-2 paragraphs
III. Support
i. The specific support that you mentioned previously should be presented in whole.
ii. Introduce appropriate appeals here.
2-3 paragraphs
IV. Warrants
i. Remember here you are connecting the claims to the support.
ii. These can be beliefs that are taken for granted, the assumptions that underline your argument, or specific cultural and personal experiences or observations.
2-3 paragraphs
V. Concessions/Rebuttals
i. Here you either concede that an opposing viewpoint is valid or show where they may question your support or backing
ii. Discredit if possible the opposition's counterarguments.
ii. End essay positively affirming your position.
1-2 paragraphs
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)