Word: argumentation
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...goal of changing the foreign-language requirement is to increase proficiency in a foreign language. The argument is that a score of 600 on the SAT-II is insufficient for establishing true facility in a language and that getting a D-, the current passing grade, does not guarantee much more. At the same time, the general tenor of the discussion indicates that the Faculty feels that, between the Core, Expos and demonstrated language proficiency, there are too many requirements for undergraduates...
Unfortunately, Adatto's presentation was a little far-fetched. I was not convinced that art photography was representative of general views of childhood. Indeed, art often views itself as questioning the status quo. Moreover, Adatto's constructive argument that children should be viewed as active agents is obviously only half of the story. We all know that children can at times be fiercely independent, but we all also know that children are almost by definition attention-needy dependents...
...Kovach's argument is misdirected. Children are not typically newshounds. This is a good thing. Eventually, we would like them to be well-informed responsible adult citizens, but it is unrealistic to expect children to become active readers of the daily press. "Reading the newspaper is one of those adult rituals that begins to interest older children and young adults precisely because it is part of the adult world." Trying to introduce it earlier--in a school setting--would be at the very least a tactical error...
...failure so far to come to a clear position is due in part to the difficulty I have in following some of the arguments, both pro and con, to the conclusions at which they are directed. When the logic seems dubious but the conclusion is forcefully held, one can only wonder if the real basis for the conclusion is something other than the stated argument...
Apparently, I am not alone in my preoccupation. Schaefer argues against queer activism stating, "Most of Harvard is not homosexual, and most of Harvard doesn't care if you are." For a mantra against gay and lesbian activism, such an argument hardly holds water. In fact, the entire issue of The Salient disproves such a claim of apathy with its three articles lobbying repetitively against gay and lesbian equality and visibility. Queer activism is necessary on this campus and in the world until attitudes like those expressed in The Salient disappear entirely...