Assignment Question
You must use at least one of the readings from this class for the full draft–avoid quotes in the SLF portion. Make sure to focus on the issue that concerns you. Do not try to address ALL of the relevant points surrounding the abortion debate, for instance. Instead, narrow your topic to one of the central arguments, ideally, the most compelling argument you think you can make related to the issue. See sample argument below for a model. If you are having trouble coming up with a topic, or are unsure whether the issue you have chosen will work, please contact me as soon as possible to help you through it. You must begin with the argument in logical standard form including all of the premises you deem needed to support your conclusion. The essay portion will follow in which you expand/defend further one of the most important premises in your argument. You will then offer, in brief, what you think might be the strongest (please avoid straw man fallacies) argument against your position. Then offer a brief rebuttal to that counter-argument. See below for a sample of this assignment. I care not what you believe, only that you can support your claims. While you are making the finishing touches upon your argument, please scan thru the text and class notes to make sure you have not inadvertently used rhetorical devices or fallacious reasoning. Be sure your argument is clear and concise. The entire assignment should be about 5-6 pages—I will allow for leeway for papers that go over 5 pages but not below 4. The standard form argument should be single-spaced, but the essay should be double spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font. For clarity for you and me please include the headings “essay”, “possible rebuttal” and “rebuttal to rebuttal”. See Writing Sample below. You MUST include the grading rubric (copy and paste it) on the end of the paper you submit. This will not count toward your page count. Five points deducted for missing rubric.
Everyone’s paper must have the following structure:
1-Argument in Standard Logical Format
2-Essay portion—Argument expanding on your most central premise(s) (This is the most important element!)
3-Anticipated objection (strongest one you can think of)
4-Reply to rebuttal Some advice: State your thesis early and clearly. Define any key terms that play a critical role in your defense/argument. Develop thoroughly whatever argument you use to support your thesis. Test the strength of your argument. Have someone read your paper to see if they find the argument compelling. Think of an objection that directly addresses your argument, not just an objection that is somehow on the topic. Grammar, spelling, and neatness DO MATTER. In the event that you directly quote, paraphrase or make use of the words or ideas of others (unless such ideas can legitimately be considered “common knowledge”), you must provide appropriate MLA style citations.
HERE IS THE OUTSIDE SOURCE: Artistically it is the one fundamental question for us today, – Art or Propaganda. Which? Is this more the generation of the prophet or that of the poet; shall our intellectual and cultural leadership preach and exhort or sing? I believe we are at that interesting moment when the prophet becomes the poet and when prophecy becomes the expressive song, the chant of fulfillment. We have had too many Jeremiahs, major and minor; – and too much of the drab wilderness. My chief objection to propaganda, apart from its besetting sin of monotony and disproportion, is that it perpetuates the position of group inferiority even in crying out against it. For it leaves and speaks under the shadow of a dominant majority whom it harangues, cajoles, threatens or supplicates. It is too extroverted for balance or poise or inner dignity and self-respect. Art in the best sense is rooted in self-expression and whether naive or sophisticated is self-contained. In our spiritual growth genius and talent must more and more choose the role of group expression, or even at times the role of free individualistic expression, – in a word must choose art and put aside propaganda. The literature and art of the younger generation already reflects this shift of psychology, this regeneration of spirit. David should be its patron saint: it should confront the Philistines with its five smooth pebbles fearlessly.’ There is more strength in a confident camp than in a threatened enemy. The sense of inferiority must be innerly compensated, self-conviction must supplant self-justification and in the dignity of this attitude a convinced minority must confront a condescending majority. Art cannot completel accomplish this. but I believe it can lead the way. Our espousal of art thus becomes no mere idle acceptance of “art for art’s sake,” or cultivation of the last decadences of the over-civilized, but rather a deep realization of the fundamental purpose of art and of its function as a tap root of vigorous, flourishing living. Not all pf our younger writers are deep enough in the sub-soil of their native materials – too many are pot-plants seeking a forced growth according to the exotic tastes of a pampered and decadent public. It is the art of the people that needs to be cultivated, not the art of the coteries. Propaganda itself is preferable to shallow, truckling imitation. Negro things may reasonably be a fad for others; for us they must be a religion. Beauty, however, is its best priest and psalms will be more effective than sermons. To date we have had little sustained art unsubsidized by propaganda; we must admit this debt to these foster agencies. The three journals which have been vehicles of most of our artistic expressions have been the avowed organs of social movements and organized social programs. All our purely artistic publications have been sporadic. There is all the greater need then for a sustained vehicle of free and purely artistic expression. If HARLEM should happily fill this need, it will perform an honorable and constructive service. I hope it may, but should it noh, the need remains and the path toward it will at least be advanced a little.?We need, I suppose in addition to art some substitute for propaganda. What shall that be? Surely we musk take some cognizance of the fact that we live at the centre of a social problem. Propaganda at least nurtured some form of serious social discussion, and social discussion was necessary, is still necessary. On this side; the difficulty and shortcoming of propaganda is its partisanship. It is one-sided and often pre-judging. Should we not then have a journal of free discussion, open to all sides of the problem and to all camps of belief? Difficult, that, – but intriguing. Even if it has to begin on the note of dissent and criticism and assume Menckenian scepticism? to escape the common-places of conformity. Yet, I hope we shall not remain at this negative pole. Can we not cultivate truly free and tolerant discussion, almost Socratically minded for the sake of truth? After Beauty, let Truth come into the Renaissance picture, – a later cue, but a welcome one. This may be premature, but one hopes not, – for eventually it must come and if we can accomplish that, instead of having to hang our prophets, we can silence them or change their lamentations to song with a Great Fulfillment.
