winthrop seminar reading and questions

8/13/2019 Winthrop Seminar Reading and Questions

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Differences Between Debate and Seminar

DEBATE SEMINAR

Begins with the assumption No assumption of absolute right andof right and wrong positions; wrong; each participant may have

important to defend the some element of truth that

rightness of a position. collectively contributes toeveryones understanding.

ombative in nature! ob"ective to win. ooperative in nature! ob"ective towor# together to understand and

e$plore material.

%isten to find flaws in opponents %isten critically to develop

arguments; focus only on wea#nesses understanding and meaning; loo#and flaws in opponents position; never for insight in others ideas; e$amine

ac#nowledge strengths. both strengths and wea#nesses.

Silence others with the strength of your &ncourage everyones participation;

arguments and personality. draw out reluctant participants.

Defend assumptions. &$plore assumptions.

'ttac# others ideas; e$ploit wea#nesses Support and build upon othersideas; loo#ing for strengths in

others ideas can advance your own.

onceal information which does not fit &$plore many different facets of the

your position; ignore ideas which do not material; new ideas and perspectives

support your position. are desirable.

See#s a conclusion that is e$actly the same See#s to have everyone see things

as your original position. differently than before.


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Conversation(his class re)uires students to discuss ideas formally in

seminars and informally in class discussions and presentations.

*ne of the advantages of advance classes is having the

opportunity of meaningful interactions with your peers and

teachers. onversation is a s#ill! and li#e any s#ill! has variouscomponents that need to be practiced.

+nderstand )uestions by e$amining the premises upon which the idea is based.

Empirical questions, issues of fact. (hese )uestions are based upon premises that are factual

in nature and can be resolved as either right or wrong by e$amination of the actual facts of the

matter.

-or e$ample! the

following statement is based upon an

empirical premise , Capital

punishment should exist because it

deters crime Do places without capital

punishment have more crime than places

that do areful scientific research

could /theoretical0 resolve this )uestion

as either true or false.

!alue questions " issues of fundamental belief. (hese )uestions are based upon premises that

are sub"ective not ob"ective. 1hile value premises can not be proven right or wrong! they

can be e$amined! )uestioned! and weighed against other values. -or e$ample! the following

statement is based upon a value premise , The atomic bomb should not have been dropped on

#apan in $%&' because innocent lives (ere lost 1hat e$actly defines innocent lives Do

you accept that as a valid premise 're there other values of e)ual or greater importance that

could lead someone to another conclusion

)inds o* Reasonin+

2 Be aware of your thin#ing process.

2 Deductive , specific to general.

2 3nductive , general to specific.

E**ective Classroom Discussions

-or most of your life you will be e$pected to articulate your ideas! far more often than you will

be e$pected to write or be tested on your ideas. Debates e$pect participants to win! seminarsand discussionsare designed to e$plore and develop ideas.

Some Basic ,round Rules and Su++estions

4 onsider class discussions important. 4 Be prepared to disagree with people

4 5repare for seminars li#e you would a test. but critici6e the idea not the person

4 (a#e notes during discussions and seminars. 4 7ave an open mind! be prepared tosee an idea in a new light.

4 %isten to others! as# clarification )uestions. 4 Spea# loudly and clearly! avoid

4 +se peoples names and tal# to everyone! not slang and bad grammar.

"ust the teacher. 4 Be as interested in what others

4 Do not ta#e disagreement personally. have to say as you are in your own

ideas.

-hrases to Avoid.&veryone has their own opinion3t doesnt matter2people will do what they want to anyway

3 dont #now why! 3 "ust #now that it is true

7ow would you feel if it was you . . .

8a#e the distinction of what should be true! and what

actuall is true9


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A Model o* Christian Charit/ =ohn 1inthrop @CA

' 8*D&% 7&:&*-

od 'lmighty in 7is most holy and wise providence! hath so disposed of the

condition of man#ind! as in all times some must be rich! some poor! some high and

eminent in power and dignity; others mean and in sub"ection.

(7& :&'S*N 7&:&*-

-irst! to hold conformity with the rest of 7is wor#s! being delighted to show forth

the glory of 7is wisdom in the variety and difference of the creatures; and the glory of

7is power! in ordering all these differences for the preservation and good of the whole;

and the glory of 7is greatness! that as it is the glory of princes to have many officers! so

this great Eing will have many stewards! counting 7imself more honored in dispensing

7is gifts to man by man than if 7e did it by 7is own immediate hands.

Secondly! that 7e might have the more occasion to manifest the wor# of 7is

Spirit first upon the wic#ed in moderating and restraining them! so that the rich and

mighty should not eat up the poor! nor the poor and despised rise up against theirsuperiors and sha#e off their yo#e; secondly in the regenerate! in e$ercising 7is graces! in

them! as in the great ones! their love! mercy! gentleness! temperance! etc.! in the poor andinterior sort! their faith! patience! obedience! etc.

(hirdly! that every man might have need of other! and from hence they might beall #nit more nearly together in the bonds of brotherly affection. -rom hence it appears

plainly that no man is made more honorable than another or more wealthy! etc.! out ofany particular and singular respect to himself! but for the glory of his creator and the

common good of the creature! man.

(here are two rules whereby we are to wal# one towards anotherF "ustice and

mercy. (hese are always distinguished in their act and in their ob"ect! yet may they both

concur in the same sub"ect in each respect; as sometimes there may be an occasion ofshowing mercy to a rich man in some sudden danger of distress! and also doing of mere

"ustice to a poor man in regard of some particular contract! etc.

(here is li#ewise a double law by which we are regulated in our conversation one

towards another in both the former respectsF the law of nature and the law of grace! or the

moral law or the law of the ospel. By the first of these laws man as he was enabled so

withal GisH commanded to love his neighbor as himself. +pon this ground stands all the

precepts of the moral law which concerns our dealings with men. (o apply this to thewor#s of mercy! this law re)uires two thingsF first! that every man afford his help to

another in every want or distress; secondly! that he performed this out of the sameaffection which ma#es him careful of his own goods! according to that of our Savior.

Do good to all! especially to the household of faithF +pon this ground the3sraelites were to put a difference between the brethren of such as were strangers though

not of anaanites. (hird! the law of nature could give no rules for dealing with enemies!

for all are to be considered as friends in the state of innocence! but the ospel commands

love to an enemy.

(his law of the ospel propounds li#ewise a difference of seasons and occasions.

(here is a time when a hristian must sell all and give to the poor! as they did in the

'postles times. (here is a time also when a hristian /though they give not all yet0 must


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give beyond their ability. %i#ewise community of perils calls for e$traordinary liberality!

and so doth community in some special service for the hurch. %astly! when there is no

other means whereby our hristian brother may be relieved in his distress! we must help

him beyond our ability! rather than tempt od in pulling him upon help by miraculous or

e$traordinary means. (his duty of mercy is e$ercised in the #inds! giving! lending and

forgiving.1hen od gives a special commission 7e loo#s to have it strictly observed in

every article. 1hen 7e gave Saul a commission to destroy 'malec#! 7e indented with

him upon certain articles! and because he failed in one of the least! and that upon a fair

pretense! it lost him the #ingdom which should have been his reward if he had observed

his commission.(hus stands the cause between od and us. 1e are entered into covenant with

7im for this wor#. 1e have ta#en out a commission! the %ord hath given us leave todraw our own articles. 1e have professed to enterprise these actions! upon these and

those ends! we have hereupon besought 7im of favorer and blessing. Now if the %ord

shall please to hear us! and bring us in peace to the place we desire! then hath 7e ratified

this covenant and scaled our commission! GandH will e$pect a strict performance of thearticles contained in it; but if we shall neglect the observation of these articles which are

the ends we have propounded! and! dissembling with our od! shall fail to embrace this

present world and prosecute our carnal intentions! see#ing great things for ourselves and

our posterity! the %ord will surely brea# out in wrath against us; be revenged of such a

per"ured people and ma#e us #now the price of the breach of such a covenant.

Now the only way to avoid this shipwrec#! and to provide for our posterity! is to

follow the counsel of 8icah! to do "ustly! to love mercy! to wal# humbly with our od.

-or this end! we must be #nit together in this wor# as one man. 1e must entertain each

other in brotherly affection! we must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities!

for the supply of others necessities. 1e must uphold a familiar commerce together in all

mee#ness! gentleness! patience and liberality. 1e must delight in each other! ma#eothers conditions our own! re"oice together! mourn together! labor and suffer together!always having before our eyes our commission and community in the wor#! our

community as members of the same body.

So shall we #eep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. (he %ord will be our

od! and delight to dwell among us as 7is own people! and will command a blessing

upon us in all our ways! so that we shall see much more of 7is wisdom! power! goodness

and truth! than formerly we have been ac)uainted with. 1e shall find that the od of

3srael is among us! when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when

7e shall ma#e us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations! the

lord ma#e it li#e that of N&1 &N%'ND.

-or we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. (he eyes of all peopleare upon us! so that if we shall deal falsely with our od in this wor# we have

underta#en! and so cause 7im to withdraw 7is present help from us! we shall be made a

story and a by2word through the world. 1e shall open the months of enemies to spea#

evil of the ways of od! and all professors for ods sa#e. 1e shall shame the faces ofmany of ods worthy servants! and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us

Itil we be consumed out of the good land whether we are agoing.


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1e are commanded this day to love the %ord our od! and to love one another! to

wal# in 7is ways and to #eep his commandments! that we may live and be multiplied!

and that our %ord our od may bless us in the land whither we go to possess it But if our

hearts shall turn away! so that we will not obey! but shall be seduced! and worship other

gods! our pleasures and profits! and serve them; it is propounded onto us this day! we

shall surely perish out of the good land whether we pass over this vast sea to possess it.

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