The Black Lives Matter Movement
Goal: To express a complete argument analysis in written form.
Available Topics:
One of the pre-Socratics
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Buddhism
Daoism
Hinduism
Stoicism
Renee Descartes
George Berkeley
John Locke
John Stuart Mill
Emmanual Kant
John Paul Sartre
Soren Kierkegaard
Friedrich Nietzsche
Charles Sanders Peirce
William James
Mary Wollstonecraft
Simone de Beauvoir
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Or modern issues such as but not limited to:
Immigration
Climate change
The Black Lives Matter Movement
Modern Politics
Details of the paper
Give a broad overview of your chosen topic
Define an argument by finding a claim (conclusion) the topic makes
Find the reasons (premises) for that claim 2 or 3.
Define the boundaries the paper is limited to.
Analyze how the reasons (premises) support the claim (conclusion).
Are there any fallacies or counterexamples on how the reasons support the conclusion?
Is it well structured? Does the logic flow?
Paper does not have a defined length, just make sure all the components are present.
Vocabulary:
Argument collection of statements such that there is one and only claim (conclusion) supported by one or more premises (reasons).
Claim – an assertion that something is or is not the case (also called a conclusion)
Premise – support for the claim (also called reasons)
Necessarily True – always true in every possible circumstance
Necessarily False – always false in every possible circumstance
Contingently True – true given certain circumstances
Contingently False – false given certain circumstances
True – matches reality
Criteria and their Values
Paper is worth 320points out of 1000 point value class
Criteria 1: Broad overview of the topic (worth 32 points)
Criteria 2: Specific Claim and its premises (worth 32 points)
Criteria 2: Explain what your paper will not discuss (worth 32 points)
Criteria 3: Analyze each premise and how to works alone or together with the premises to support the claim. Explicitly state if the premise is necessarily true or contingently true. If necessarily true explain why, if contingently true explain under what circumstances. (worth 32 points)
Criteria 5: Explain if there are any fallacies or counterexamples to consider within this argument? (worth 32 points)
Criteria 6: Explain given your analysis if you are convinced or not convinced by this argument. (worth 32 points)
Criteria 7: Minimum of 3 reputable sources (worth 32 points)
Criteria 8: MLA formatting (worth 32 points)
Criteria 9: Edited from EPCC writing center EPCC Writing Center (worth 32 points)
Criteria 10: Voice recording of you reading your paper out loud (worth 32 points)
Sample Solution
The Black Lives Matter Movement
Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement protesting against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against black people. The slogan “Black Lives Matter” itself remains untrademarked by any group. In July 2013, the movement began with the use of the Hashtag BlackLivesMatter on social media after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin 17 months earlier in February 2012. The movement became nationally recognized for street demonstrations following the 2014 deaths of two African Americans, that of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Has the BLM Movement achieved anything? Yes. In the US, steps have been taken to tackle police violence and change the way laws are applied. Following the death of Mr. Floyd, cities including Minneapolis, Portland, Philadelphia and Seattle have started shifting budgets away from police and into areas like schools and housing.
