Unit Plan

The theme of my first unit might be described as "Ethics and Logic"; it will be an attempt to start students thinking about why it is important that they be able to defend their views, but how rhetoric can be deployed in the defense of unethical causes.  It will question whether truth can be achieved through logic, whether logic is a guarantor of ethics, or whether the two operate independently. 

The first day will be largely concerned with introductory materials, but I will also assign a writing exercise in which the students will be asked to defend a topic in which they have some investment--and some interest, as they will be asked to develop this topic further over the course of the semester.  The first day's assignment will be to read the Declaration of Independence and the sample analysis of the text. 

On the second day of class I will give a lecture on claim-data-warrant, and we will have a discussion on how these elements are developed in the Declaration.  The second day's assignment will be to read Hitler's "On Nation and Race", and to perform an analysis on it. 

On the third day we will have a discussion in which we compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence to Hitler's piece, during which I hope to expose some of the entanglements between ethics and logic mentioned above. In preparation for the papers, I will also deliver a short lecture on paper structure and my expectations.  The third day's assignment will be to read the chapter on "Responding to Argument." 

The fourth day will be a Daedalus session in which we will use Interchange and Invent to develop theses  The rough draft will be due the following class meeting, and the reading assignments will begin to be directed toward the next unit.

Collaborative Exercise

Explanatory note:  during the first meeting I will be assigning a writing exercise in which the students will defend an opinion on any topic of their choosing.  I will then assign Interest Groups based upon the topics they choose--the students will develop the ideas over the course of the semester, giving a group presentation at the end of the semester.  In other words, most of the group work this semester will be done by the same groups, on the same topic.

Choose one person to take notes on the task:

1.  Take 5 minutes and write a summary of your argument.  Go through and underline the main ideas.

2.  Each of you should read your summaries.  Afterwards, answer the following questions:

• Why have you been assigned into the same group?  What is the common theme that unites your individual topics?
• How would you define the overarching topic for your group?

4.  Does this topic have sides?  If so, where do each of you fall?  If note, why not?

5.  Take 5 minutes to write a summary of your views in regard to this topic.

6,  Trade your summaries.  Try to exchange summaries with someone who has an opposite view. You will be responsible for responding to this point of view in future group meetings.

7.  The recorder should hand in a sheet stating what the main topic for the group will be, and what the initial positions are for the individuals within the group.