Monday, February 27, 2012

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Essay questions

(Please do not respond in the comments section)

1. Explain the differences between the social science and rhetoric perspective on fear appeals. Should the social science perspective better explain for ethical ramifications of fear?
2. Find an example of both facilitation and inhibition with fear appeals. Briefly summarize both examples, and the contrast the structure of the arguments. What is similar and what is different?
3. Imagine Plato and Aristotle responding to “Reefer Madness”. How would their reaction be different from each other? Emphasize Aristotle’s view on the state.
4. Find an example of a “death-level” fear appeal. Briefly summarize the example. Would this fear appeal achieve mortality salience for most individuals? If not, how could it better achieve it? How might it cause worldview defense?
5. Find an example of a threat and/or fear appeal. Briefly summarize the example. Identify the preparatory condition, sincerity condition and essential condition, if they exist. Explain whether, in your opinion, the necessary balance between conditions has been met.
6. Create a fear appeal according to the Walton structure. Answer the four critical questions about your fear appeal, and then summarize whether or not your fear appeal would be effective (you may use information here outside of the four critical questions).

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Third Reading- Due February 14

250 words or so on "Practical Reasoning and the Structure of Fear Appeal Arguments"