Here’s your time to shine, learn more about important contemporary ethical issues, and have some fun with Philosophy!

Panel Discussions

 On the day of the presentations, panel members will hand in their 1-2 page position paper (abstract of the position you will present during the debate). You are excused from writing a weekly reflection on the date your presentation occurs.

 You might end up arguing for a position that is not actually your own during the debate. You can make your own personal position clear in your individual paper.

 The best presentations will be those that present a variety of viewpoints, explain relevant background information clearly and completely, and present a well-prepared and professional presentation. Strive to have all members participate equally (or close to equally). The format should be decided by your group ahead of time so that you can come into the classroom and take over for your portion of the debate. I will not be in charge unless you talk to me about this ahead of time. If you want one of your group members to moderate, make sure you work this out ahead of time (do you sense a boy scout theme here—BE PREPARED!)

This is your chance to shine, be creative, and design the best presentation for your group. I will have suggestions in class though that you can use as guidelines. Hint: I know schedules are tight for students--I’ve seen these work well with people exchanging ideas, papers over email and over the phone. You might want to make sure you have one practice session to avoid nervousness since I know public speaking is difficult! I’m very excited about this part of the class! Let’s keep up the great work that’s been done so far during these debates! While I’m away being grilled by my colleagues at the American Philosophical Association, I expect that your groups will meet to plan your strategies for excellence!

 The best presentations and individual papers will be those that also reflect and analyze the readings and theories discussed in class. I picked these topics based upon class feedback on choices for the presentations along with which topics are related to those we will cover in class and those that have plenty of information readily available in the library and through the internet (always be careful about internet sources though!). I am available to discuss secondary sources, provide information, and help you in any way possible.

 We will have 4-6 people per topic. Each group has 20 minutes for their presentation (we will leave time afterwards for class discussion). If audience participation is part of your presentation, that’s fine—great! Just be sure you incorporate these activities in a way that still allows your group to achieve the objectives discussed above.

 The dates for the presentations will be discussed in class. Mark these in your calendars—This is like a major event for work—don’t miss it!