Argumentative Writing Prompt

2. Argumentative Writing Prompt • Some people believe good and evil are subjective (different for every person) terms. Others believe good and evil are objective (absolutes, the same no matter what) terms. What is your view? Support your answer with reasons and examples. • Remember, this is argumentative so you are arguing for either SUBJECTIVE or OBJECTIVE. Choose a side. SUBJECTIVE meaning right and wrong depends on the person/society/time, or OBJECTIVE meaning right and wrong are absolutes and never change no matter what. • This is an opinion essay so support your opinion/claim with personal examples. However, try to avoid using words like “I,” “we,” “you,” “my,” or dead words.

3. Objective: meaning right and wrong are absolutes and never change no matter what. Subjective: meaning right and wrong depends on the person/society/time -examples: Civil Rights, slavery, women’s suffrage, the Middle Ages—different times when certain things were acceptable that are not anymore -thousands of different religions and beliefs in the world, different cultures, countries -people who live in extreme circumstances sometimes have to adapt their morals • List pros

4. OBJ: meaning right and wrong are absolutes and never change no matter what. -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture—adultery, murder, theft -most religions have certain beliefs in common such as the Ten Commandments or the “Golden Rule” -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior—wrong is still wrong SUB: meaning right and wrong depends on the person/society/time -examples: Civil Rights, slavery, women’s suffrage, the Middle Ages—different times when certain things were acceptable that are not anymore -thousands of different religions and beliefs in the world, different cultures, countries -people who live in extreme circumstances sometimes have to adapt their morals • List pros and cons

5. OBJ: meaning right and wrong are absolutes and never change no matter what. -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture—adultery, murder, theft -most religions have certain beliefs in common such as the Ten Commandments or the “Golden Rule” -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior—wrong is still wrong SUB: meaning right and wrong depends on the person/society/time -examples: Civil Rights, slavery, women’s suffrage, the Middle Ages—different times when certain things were acceptable that are not anymore -thousands of different religions and beliefs in the world, different cultures, countries -people who live in extreme circumstances sometimes have to adapt their morals • List pros and cons • Pick a side– I am picking OBJECTIVE

6. OBJ: meaning right and wrong are absolutes and never change no matter what. -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture—adultery, murder, theft -most religions have certain beliefs in common such as the Ten Commandments or the “Golden Rule” -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior—wrong is still wrong, although possibly some things are less wrong depending on the circumstance SUB: meaning right and wrong depends on the person/society/time -examples: Civil Rights, slavery, women’s suffrage, the Middle Ages—different times when certain things were acceptable that are not anymore -thousands of different religions and beliefs in the world, different cultures, countries -people who live in extreme circumstances sometimes have to adapt their morals “Universal” wrongs • List pros and cons • Pick a side– I am picking OBJECTIVE • Organize ideas into categories Common beliefs/tenets Justification

7. -Write your main idea at the top. -Draw three ovals. -Connect two ovals to each one. -Label each of the three with your categories. -Write the categories in the three ovals. -Fill in the details. Adultery, murder Main idea: OBJECTIVE -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture -most religions have certain beliefs in common -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior Many laws cover similar offenses 10 Commandments “Golden Rule” If you are starving and you steal food it is still wrong—but somewhat pardonable If you are in a war you will probably kill people, but you can kill them humanely

8. -Write your main idea at the top. -Draw three ovals. -Connect two ovals to each one. -Label each of the three with your categories. -Write the categories in the three ovals. -Fill in the details. -Create your thesis by summarizing the three ovals. THESIS: Right and wrong are objective, they do not change. We see this because of certain “universal wrongs” and common religious beliefs. Circumstances do not change what is right and wrong. Adultery, murder Main idea: OBJECTIVE -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture -most religions have certain beliefs in common -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior Many laws cover similar offenses 10 Commandments “Golden Rule” HOOK: A hot topic for debate is whether right and wrong are relative. Is it right for a starving person to steal food? Is marriage not necessary if no one believes in it? If you are starving and you steal food it is still wrong—but somewhat pardonable If you are in a war you will probably kill people, but you can kill them humanely

9. CONCLUSION: These examples show that right and wrong are not subjective. Right is right, and wrong is still wrong. -Write your main idea at the top. -Draw three ovals. -Connect two ovals to each one. -Label each of the three with your categories. -Write the categories in the three ovals. -Fill in the details. -Create your thesis by summarizing the three ovals. -Add a hook somewhere on the paper—interesting fact or question. -Write conclusion somewhere else on the paper by restating the thesis in different words. THESIS: Right and wrong are objective, they do not change. We see this because of certain “universal wrongs” and common religious beliefs. Circumstances do not change what is right and wrong. Adultery, murder Main idea: OBJECTIVE -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture -most religions have certain beliefs in common -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior Many laws cover similar offenses 10 Commandments “Golden Rule” HOOK: A hot topic for debate is whether right and wrong are relative. Is it right for a starving person to steal food? Is marriage not necessary if no one believes in it? If you are starving and you steal food it is still wrong—but somewhat pardonable If you are in a war you will probably kill people, but you can kill them humanely

10. CONCLUSION: These examples show that right and wrong are not subjective. Right is right, and wrong is still wrong. -Write your main idea at the top. -Draw three ovals. -Connect two ovals to each one. -Label each of the three with your categories. -Write the categories in the three ovals. -Fill in the details. -Create your thesis by summarizing the three ovals. -Add a hook somewhere on the paper—interesting fact or question. -Write conclusion somewhere else on the paper by restating the thesis in different words. -ADD TRANSITION WORDS THESIS: Right and wrong are objective, they do not change. We see this because of certain “universal wrongs” and common religious beliefs. Circumstances do not change what is right and wrong. Adultery, murder Main idea: OBJECTIVE -examples: certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture -most religions have certain beliefs in common -extreme circumstances do not justify immoral behavior FIRST Many laws cover similar offenses ADDITIONALLY 10 Commandments “Golden Rule” HOOK: A hot topic for debate is whether right and wrong are relative. Is it right for a starving person to steal food? Is marriage not necessary if no one believes in it? FINALLY If you are starving and you steal food it is still wrong—but somewhat pardonable If you are in a war you will probably kill people, but you can kill them humanely

11. When your essay is typed or handwritten into paragraphs, it should follow this format (but you don’t need to write “thesis”, “hook”, etc.). DO NOT COPY THIS ESSAY…I will definitely know if you do since I wrote it…so bad idea!  Keep in mind this essay is supporting the “objective” side of the argument. Remember, YOU MUST CHOOSE A SIDE even if you think both sides are correct. Don’t take this essay as necessarily representing my opinion—I simply chose a side and wrote about it. (HOOK) A hot topic for debate is whether right and wrong are relative. Is it right for a starving person to steal food? Is marriage not necessary if no one believes in it? (THESIS) Right and wrong are objective, they do not change. We see this because of certain “universal wrongs” and common religious beliefs. Circumstances do not change what is right and wrong. (FIRST OVAL) First, certain things are considered wrong in almost every culture. For example, most countries have laws against things such as murder and theft. Many laws cover similar offenses. One could argue that these are considered “universal wrongs.” (SECOND OVAL) Additionally, most religions have certain beliefs in common. For example, many religions obey the Christian 10 Commandments or other similar laws. Many religions teach their own version of “the golden rule”—treat others how you would want to be treated. These common religious beliefs support the concept of a common morality that is shared by all, or most, people. (THIRD OVAL) Finally, extreme circumstances do not automatically justify immoral behavior. Some extreme circumstances can make certain offenses pardonable or at least understandable, but the offenses are still wrong. For example, if you are starving and you steal food from someone else it is still stealing, and still wrong. It is understandable, and probably not considered as “wrong” or “bad” as someone stealing just for the sake of stealing; however, it is still wrong. As another example, it may be necessary to fight or kill soldiers from the opposing side in a war. However, torturing people or killing them in a cruel way would be wrong. (CONCLUSION) In summary, the fact that people have certain universal beliefs in right and wrong shows that right and wrong are not subject to change. As cultures undergo change, right and wrong remain the same.