This week our discussion will have a slightly different format. Instead of taking a single stand on a broad issue, we’ll consider a series of political positions, and talk about where we stand on each one. What we’re practicing this week is initiating discussion on a position.
Instead of just beginning a discussion and carrying it out for an hour or two, we’re practicing beginning a discussion over and over again. It’ll be a little like speed dating; instead of committing to just one topic and one position, we’ll create a series of positions on a series of topics, and learn how asking questions can jump start a discussion.
12月24日思‧英文討論會: Making Group Decisions
If war is the violent resolution of conflict, then peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather, the ability to resolve conflict without violence. -C.T. Butler
Discussion Question: How do you resolve group conflict without violence?
Discussion Question: How do you resolve group conflict without violence?
12月17日思‧英文討論會: The Secret Powers of Time
Discussion Question: If you had to divide Taiwan into two (or more!) cultures based on time-perspectives, where would you put the border?
12月10日思‧英文討論會: Yagaiism
Agree or Disagree?
1. The basic tool of civilization is the contract (a written agreement).
2. Contracts are always voluntary and mutually beneficial.
3. Competition leads to the most beneficial trades for everyone.
4. Only freedom creates an environment of dignity and spirituality.
5. All coercion causes spiritual damage and weakens a society.
6. Beggars need to help as well as be helped.
7. Is ‘an ecology of trade’ another way of saying ‘paying it forward’?
Discussion Question: What motivates people to cooperate with other people?
1. The basic tool of civilization is the contract (a written agreement).
2. Contracts are always voluntary and mutually beneficial.
3. Competition leads to the most beneficial trades for everyone.
4. Only freedom creates an environment of dignity and spirituality.
5. All coercion causes spiritual damage and weakens a society.
6. Beggars need to help as well as be helped.
7. Is ‘an ecology of trade’ another way of saying ‘paying it forward’?
Discussion Question: What motivates people to cooperate with other people?
12月3日思‧英文討論會: Against School
Questions to Ponder:
1. What is education?
2. What is school?
3. What is the difference between education and school?
4. Do you enjoy learning things?
5. Did you enjoy going to school? What did you like about it? What didn’t you like about it?
6. The author says “We suppress our [children’s] genius only because we haven't yet figured out how to manage a population of educated men and women.” Is this true?
7. How do you manage educated people?
8. Is the best way to let them manage themselves? If so, how would that work?
9. The author, speaking about American society, says that we have become a nation of infantilized adults, unable to lead ourselves, and that this was intended to happen by those who designed our school system. Do you think this is true about Americans? Is this true about Taiwanese?
Discussion Question: Do we really need school? I don't mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years. Is this deadly routine really necessary? And if so, for what?
1. What is education?
2. What is school?
3. What is the difference between education and school?
4. Do you enjoy learning things?
5. Did you enjoy going to school? What did you like about it? What didn’t you like about it?
6. The author says “We suppress our [children’s] genius only because we haven't yet figured out how to manage a population of educated men and women.” Is this true?
7. How do you manage educated people?
8. Is the best way to let them manage themselves? If so, how would that work?
9. The author, speaking about American society, says that we have become a nation of infantilized adults, unable to lead ourselves, and that this was intended to happen by those who designed our school system. Do you think this is true about Americans? Is this true about Taiwanese?
Discussion Question: Do we really need school? I don't mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years. Is this deadly routine really necessary? And if so, for what?
11月26日思‧英文討論會: Wealth Inequality
思，英語討論會是我們工作室固定的聚會。這個討論會的特色之一是，我們所討論的主題比較不是大家會討論的題目。另一個特色之一是，我們的討論模式有一定的架構。這個架構幫助參與討論的人組織他們的思惟、表達他們的想法與意見，或者練習以比較從容的態度提問或回答問題，同時還能協助參與討論的人以不犀利的方式討論比較困難的題目。接下來幾次聚會的討論文章會張貼在部落格裡，我們希望大家知道我們究竟在討論些什麼，我們也希望大家知道我們如何進行討論。思，英語討論會從11/12星期五晚上七時三十分開始，一連十二週。很歡迎大家來嘗試一次討論會，或是一次就報名十二週
Questions to Ponder:
1. What percent of the total country’s wealth do you think the richest 20% of the population hold?
2. What percent of the wealth *should* they hold?
3. How do you feel about taxes?
4. What percent of taxes is too much? Too little?
5. How do you feel about government services like jien bao or the CDC?
6. What might be some hidden costs to not providing services? (e.g. high crime levels = need to spend income on security)
7. What might be some hidden costs to having high taxes?
Discussion Question: Would you rather live in Country A or Country B? (Or would you prefer a different arrangement?)
Questions to Ponder:
1. What percent of the total country’s wealth do you think the richest 20% of the population hold?
2. What percent of the wealth *should* they hold?
3. How do you feel about taxes?
4. What percent of taxes is too much? Too little?
5. How do you feel about government services like jien bao or the CDC?
6. What might be some hidden costs to not providing services? (e.g. high crime levels = need to spend income on security)
7. What might be some hidden costs to having high taxes?
Discussion Question: Would you rather live in Country A or Country B? (Or would you prefer a different arrangement?)
11月19日思‧英文討論會: High Fructose Corn Syrup is the Devil
思，英語討論會是我們工作室固定的聚會。這個討論會的特色之一是，我們所討論的主題比較不是大家會討論的題目。另一個特色之一是，我們的討論模式有一定的架構。這個架構幫助參與討論的人組織他們的思惟、表達他們的想法與意見，或者練習以比較從容的態度提問或回答問題，同時還能協助參與討論的人以不犀利的方式討論比較困難的題目。接下來幾次聚會的討論文章會張貼在部落格裡，我們希望大家知道我們究竟在討論些什麼，我們也希望大家知道我們如何進行討論。思，英語討論會從11/12星期五晚上七時三十分開始，一連十二週。很歡迎大家來嘗試一次討論會，或是一次就報名十二週
Discussion Question: Does what you eat make you fat?
Discussion Question: Does what you eat make you fat?
11月12日思‧英文討論會: Is it important for people to get married?
我們將在10/11/12思，英語討論會中討論這個題目。
當你所持的立場與社會標準不同時，你如何為自己辯護？在這篇文章中，作者用"玻利維亞Bolivia"做為「每個人都期待做的事－結婚」的象徵，從這個角度來看這件事，作者很容易地引導我們從獨身的角度來看婚姻。
Discussion Question:
Is it important for people to get married?
當你所持的立場與社會標準不同時，你如何為自己辯護？在這篇文章中，作者用"玻利維亞Bolivia"做為「每個人都期待做的事－結婚」的象徵，從這個角度來看這件事，作者很容易地引導我們從獨身的角度來看婚姻。
Discussion Question:
Is it important for people to get married?
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