Overview
https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-power-of-critical-thinking-effective-reasoning-about-ordinary-and-extraordinary-claims-e157146018.html
To prepare for this essay, please read chapters 4, 6 and (especially) appendix E (at the back of the book) "Critical Thinking and Writing" carefully. Take note of what constitutes good and bad reasons for belief, fallacies to avoid, and how to structure an argumentative paper.
Write a 900-1000 word argumentative essay on one of the following:
A) Take a position on the concept of "safe space" on college campuses in the context of Constitutional considerations and academic institutional goals. That is, are safe spaces (it would be wise to discover the definition first) appropriate on college campuses given the right to free speech and a campus environment where truth and knowledge is the chief goal?
B) Take a position on Cancel Culture. What is it? Is it good for our society to engage in such action? Is it critical to social justice? Or does it create more problems than it solves? Does it violate people's rights?
Think About: One of the great problems of our culture is the failure to define terms before discussing an issue, or speaking in terms that are much too general and therefore unhelpful. Argumentative papers (now, and throughout the rest of the course) should take a nuanced position. For example, if I were to write a paper on the topic of abortion, it does no good to say "I will be defending the pro-life position...", largely because there are numerous pro-life positions. I could be against abortion under any circumstance, or against it unless very specific circumstances apply. Every controversial issue admits of some level of nuance. The truth is not found in the most general statements. The "devil is in the details," but it turns out, so also is the truth.