Topic
Taking Side Issues
Instructions
State the issue in your own words:
State the yes/pro position (need 10 and cite page number and explain what the argument is):
1) Emile Durkheim: Helps establish moral boundaries because you will have some people who break the law and it separates the good from the bad (p. 5) There is an “us/them” mentality when it comes to crime. Even in a society of saints, there will be some people that won’t pray enough.
2)
3)
4)
5)
….10)
State the no/con position (need 10 and cite page number and explain what the argument is):
1) Senator Moynihan: Violent crime in America is a problem and just because it’s in the news doesn’t mean it’s normal (p. 9-10). People see violence as normal and that shouldn’t be the case. The St. Valentine’s Day massacre was a big thing in the past; now people seem to not notice violent crimes.
2)
3)
4)
5)
…10)
Discuss the issue utilizing 5 critical thinking skills (list, explain, apply):
Durkheim’s arguments are questioned with fact vs opinion critical thinking. According to the Taking Sides summary, “A fact is a statement that can be proven. In contrast, an opinion is a statement that expresses how a person feels about an issue or what someone thinks is true.” His essay was largely opinionated and lacked proven facts and citation. Many of these arguments were made in the 1890s and lacked citations altogether.
Answer preview
- David Von Drehle: Capital punishment is a bad public policy because the same amounts to the miscarriage of justice (p.269). In some instances, some individuals may be severely punishment for a crime they may not have committed. Hence, before resorting to death penalty it is imperative to ensure that all avenues are exhausted.
- David Von Drehle: Capital Punishment is a waste of public resources (p. 220). Studies show that it is more expensive to carry out capital punishment due to the legal safeguards that are placed so as to execute a death punishment than it is to imprison a murderer for life.
Word count: 1345