What role does disagreement play in the good life? What does it mean to respect the perspectives and evidence of people who disagree with you? And how worried should we be about forming moral beliefs, political beliefs, or philosophical beliefs in an “echo chamber”? In this class, we’ll be considering the relationship between rationality, disagreement, and respect.
Read This:
Interactive Essay: John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty
Key Concepts:
- Argument by cases
- Epistemic relativism
Have questions or thoughts about the reading? Post them on PollEverywhere, and upvote any classmates’ responses that you’d like to cover in class. We’ll address the most upvoted responses during the Q&A part of class.
Do This:
- Complete lessons 1-10 of How We Argue by Saturday, October 12.
- Complete Argument Capstone 2 by Saturday, October 19.
Watch This:
Pre-Class Questions
Your responses to the following questions are due on Canvas before class. Your top 15 scores of the semester will count toward your final grade.
- In your own words, explain at least two benefits of seeking disagreement, according to Mill.
- Suppose you went to a party with people you knew only somewhat well and someone said something you thought was deeply offensive, wrong, or objectionable. Would you say anything? Why or why not? Based on today’s reading, what would Mill think of your answer? Explain.
Living the Good Life
Reflections addressing prompts from the Epistemology unit (“Question Everything” through “Believe Your Truth”) are due on Canvas by 11:59pm on October 27. You may write up to two “Living the Good Life” reflections in the first half of the semester and up to two in the second half of the semester. You can also revise and resubmit one reflection for a new grade, within one week after your grade is posted. Your top three scores will count toward your final grade.
Have a conversation of at least 20 minutes about a controversial topic you have a strong opinion about with someone who has the opposite opinion. Practice disagreeing respectfully by maintaining a respectful and open-minded attitude towards the other person and their views, and a willingness to listen and learn from them. Try to give a clear and honest expression of your own opinion and the reasons behind it, while also recognizing any valid points the other person has. After your conversation, write a reflection that addresses the following questions:
- What was the topic you discussed, and what was your position and the other person’s position on it?
- What, if anything, did you learn from the conversation, and how, if at all, did it challenge or change your opinion or perspective on the topic?
- Based on this experience, what is one specific thing you could do to improve your skills of disagreeing respectfully and productively in the future?
