Assignments: Unit 6 (Bassham Chapter 8) Argument Outlining ✓ Solved

Assignments Unit 6 Bassham Chapter 8 Argument Outlining cont Argument Evaluation The

Assignments : Unit 6 (Bassham Chapter 8) Argument Outlining (cont.) / Argument Evaluation / The

Prepare an Enhanced Standard Form outline of the argument presented in the essay titled “Why Parents Shouldn’t Teach Their Kids to Believe in Santa Claus” (Bassham, Appendix A, Essay no. 5). This essay is relatively straightforward. Carefully review Section A of the unit Guide and the tutorial ESF III - Outlining Argumentative Essays posted in Unit 4 before constructing your outline.

Additionally, complete the following exercises from Bassham's text:

  • Exercise 8.1 (p. 200): questions 1, 3, 5
  • Exercise 8.2-II (pp. 202-203): questions 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 14 (including criteria)
  • Exercise 8.3-I (p. 208): questions 2, 5, 8
  • Exercise 8.3-II (p. 208): questions 2, 3, 6
  • Exercise 8.3-III (p. 208): questions 2, 5, 8

Furthermore, prepare a business tort and criminal liability presentation as part of your learning team assignment. Each team member should:

  • Discuss key points from their Week 3 individual assignment.
  • Identify business activities of ABC Taxi that might result in criminal liability.
  • Differentiate among different kinds of torts that might affect ABC Taxi and its driver, Max Speed.
  • Support the collective findings and conclusions of the team.

The presentation should be 10 to 12 slides long, include detailed speaker notes acting as the script, and cite at least four scholarly references. Ensure the presentation follows APA formatting guidelines. Submit your completed assignment via the Assignment Files tab.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The debate over parenting strategies related to the teaching of Santa Claus's existence taps into broader concerns about childhood innocence, cultural traditions, and the role of parents in moral and cognitive development. The essay “Why Parents Shouldn’t Teach Their Kids to Believe in Santa Claus” argues that perpetuating belief in Santa can have negative implications, such as fostering dishonesty, undermining critical thinking, and setting unrealistic expectations for children. Analyzing this argument requires a careful outline of the reasoning employed by the author, evaluating the strength of evidence, and considering counterarguments.

Initially, the essay posits that teaching children to believe in Santa Claus may encourage dishonesty. Parents often persuade children to maintain the belief during holiday seasons, which can lead to the normalization of deception. This component of the argument relies on claims about the moral impact of dishonesty in childhood development. The author further asserts that promoting belief in Santa undermines critical thinking skills, as children learn to accept fantastical stories without skepticism. Such acceptance, the essay suggests, could negatively influence their ability to evaluate information critically in other areas of life.

To support these claims, the essay references studies on childhood morality and cognitive development, as well as cultural analyses of holiday traditions. These serve as evidence demonstrating that the belief in Santa often involves sustained, sometimes elaborate, deception, which can be mentally and ethically problematic. The author contends that allowing children to experience the disillusionment when they eventually realize the truth is a valuable lesson about reality and honesty, which may be lost if they are conditioned to accept magical stories unquestioningly.

The argument also discusses the broader societal implications of Santa-related traditions. It suggests that teaching children to believe in Santa can perpetuate consumerism and materialism, which are linked to negative social outcomes. The author advocates for fostering imaginative play and moral learning without reliance on fictitious characters, emphasizing honesty and critical engagement with the world as virtues to be cultivated.

In evaluating this line of reasoning, it becomes evident that the argument hinges on the ethical considerations of honesty and the developmental importance of critical thinking. However, critics may argue that Santa Claus, as a cultural myth, functions as a benign tradition that encourages joy, imagination, and family bonding without necessarily causing moral harm. They may also contend that the disillusionment process can be managed in a way that promotes resilience rather than dishonesty.

Overall, the essay offers a compelling line of reasoning supported by empirical and cultural evidence, encouraging parents to reconsider traditional holiday practices. When outlining such an argument, it is essential to identify the key claims, evaluate the supporting evidence, and consider alternative perspectives to develop a comprehensive understanding of the debate surrounding Santa Claus and childhood education.

References

  • Bassham, R. (2018). Think: Critical Thinking and Reasoning. Bedford/St. Martin's.
  • Gopnik, A. (2014). The philosophical baby: What children’s minds tell us about truth, love & the meaning of life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
  • Harris, P. L. (2012). Trusting what you're told: How children learn from others. Harvard University Press.
  • McCullough, M. E., & Worthington, E. L. (2015). Forgiveness and reconciliation: Theory and application. Springer Publishing Company.
  • Sobel, D. (2012). How to raise a reader: Scripted lessons for literacy success. The New Press.

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