Practice 8 Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
We must seriously question the idea of majority rule. The majority grinned and jeered when Columbus said the world was round. The majority threw him into a dungeon for his discoveries. Where is the logic in the notion that the opinion held by a majority of people should have the power to influence our decisions?
Adapted from James A. Reed, Majority Rule
Assignment: Is the opinion of the majority—in government or in any other circumstances—a poor guide? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observation.
Practice 3 Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Many among us like to blame violence and immorality in the media for a "decline immortals" in society: Yet these people seem to have lost touch with logic. Any objective examination shows that our society is far less violent or exploitative than virtually any society in the past. Early humans murdered and enslaved each other with astonishing regularity, without the help of gangster rap or Jerry Bruckheimer films.
Assignment: Do violence and immorality in the media make our society more dangerous and immoral? Write an essay in which you answer this question and discuss your point of view on this issue. Support your position logically with examples from literature, the arts, history, politics, science and technology, current events, or your experience or observation.
Practice 7 Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Prudence shall be our guiding principle. When faced with a conflict, or a divergent path in the course of life, we shall always make caution our ally. Recklessness and rash action lead not to fruitfulness, but only to regret at the haste of our decisions. Often times, people ask me how I have been so successful in business. “Everything you touch turns to gold,” they say. “What’s your secret?” they wonder. When I reflect on my decisions, I realize that the key to my success is nothing more than simple opportunism. When I saw an opening, I jumped at it. While everyone else was standing still, agonizing over the correct course of action, I went in feet first, with no hesitation. That is the key to my Success.
Assignment: Consider the two contrasting statements above. Which best reflects your view on life? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Practice 6 Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Akira Kurosawa’s film masterpiece Rashomon portrays several people who have witnessed a death. As each observer recounts the event as he or she witnessed it, we come to realize that each person’s story varies greatly from every other account. Watching the movie, we reflect the truth of an experience—and perhaps all truth—is different for each person.
Assignment: What is your opinion of the claim that truth is not objective, but rather is determined by each individual? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.