Critical Dialogue
The Goal: You will be defending one of your Opinion Paper answers against the ruthless attacks of the philosophers and their ideas we have covered in class.
The Format: Choose either a 5-6 page essay (worth up to 10 points) or an 8-9 page essay (worth up to 20 points), formatted like a play, with character names in the margins and a space between speeches. Single-space within the speeches themselves. You will need to cite your sources whenever you borrow any ideas from the readings or lecture, whether it is a quote, paraphrase, or just a concept. For citing, simply put the author’s name and page numbers where the idea was found in parenthesis at the end of the paragraph that contains the borrowed ideas. For citing an idea from class, put my last name and the date; but do not give me credit for ideas I got from the readings. I don’t want to see any material from outside the class used directly in your work, but, if you got any help from an outside source, this will need a full citation.
Option #1: A Cruel Therapy Session with your favorite philosophical therapist, Jeff! It is finally time for the real therapy session about your ideas and worldview. You will be producing the dialogue that I wished I could have had with you when I first read your Opinion Papers. You will be speaking for me, clearly explaining the philosophical ideas that I would use to attack your silly opinions. The comments I made on your Opinion Paper should give you some good starting points for these attacks. Then, you will also be speaking for yourself as you try your best to handle my criticisms of your Opinion Paper and try to rescue yourself from the miserable life these opinions will likely lead to.
Your therapy session begins with “Know-it-all Therapist Jeff” asking you your favorite Opinion Paper question and you pasting in the answer you gave in your Opinion Paper. Then Jeff will clearly explain the philosophical concepts that would be most critical and helpful for your neurotic, delusional views. Have Jeff fully and clearly explain these critiques as well as show how they apply to your opinions and your life in detail. Then, it is your turn to accept the criticism in a sob-filled apology or try to defend yourself against the criticism. This should involve plenty of back-and-forth dialogue between yourself and Jeff as you work together to solve your deepest life problems. Jeff, being the nerd that he is, will surely bring in other philosophical questions and concepts that relate to what is being discussed as you talk, and, if you want to withstand Jeff’s onslaught, you should bring in philosophical concepts that help your side.
Original Opinion Paper question:
If all jobs had roughly equal salaries, you could attend college for free to qualify for these jobs, and everyone had good health insurance, would people work hard and be happier or would there be more laziness and crime than we have now?
