Conflicting Viewpoints, Part I of Assignment 1.1, Philosophy Essay

Assignment 1.1: Conflicting
Viewpoints Essay – Part I

When looking for
information about a particular issue, how often do you try to resist biases
toward your own point of view? This assignment asks you to engage in this
aspect of critical thinking by playing the “Believing Game.” The
Believing Game is about making the effort to “believe” – or at least
consider – the reasons for an opposing view on an issue.

The assignment is
divided into two (2) parts.
In Part I of the assignment, you will first read a book excerpt about critical
thinking processes: “The Believing Game and How to Make Conflicting
Opinions More Fruitful” at http://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/believinggame.pdf.
Next, you will review the Procon.org Website in order to gather information.
Then, you will engage in prewriting to examine your thoughts.
Note: In Part II of the assignment, you will write an
essay geared towards synthesizing your ideas.

Part I – Prewriting: Follow the
instructions below for this prewriting activity.  Use complete sentences
and adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and
spelling.
1. Select one (1) of the approved topics from the www.procon.org Website
and state your position on the issue.
2. From the Procon.org Website, identify three (3) premises (reasons) listed
under either the Pro or Con section – whichever section opposes your position.
3. For each of the three (3) premises (reasons) that oppose your position on the issue, answer
these “believing” questions suggested by Elbow:

a.  What’s interesting or helpful about this view?

b.  What would I notice if I believed this view?

c.  In what sense or under what conditions might
this idea be true?”

The paper should
follow guidelines for clear and organized writing:

· 
Include an
introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph.

· 
Address main ideas in
body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supporting sentences.

· 
Adhere to standard
rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.

Your assignment must
follow these formatting requirements:

· 
Be typed, double
spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all
sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your
professor for any additional instructions.

· 
Include a cover page
containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s
name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are
not included in the required assignment page length.