Beyond Feelings

CHAPTER 19 Persuading Others
223
contracted the disease. Dentists and doctors have refused to work on patients
with the disease. Undertakers have refused to embalm victims. Is such behavior
justifiable?
35. To some people the Asian practice of acupuncture is pure superstition; to
others it produces a real anesthetic or curative effect. Which view is correct?
36. For many years it was believed that children who receive early formal
education have an advantage over those who start school at age 5 or 6. Today,
some educators challenge that view. They speculate that intellectual and emotional
harm can result from putting very young children into structured learning
situations. Which view is the more reasonable one for parents to accept?
37. The increase in violence in this country (and a number of other Western
countries) in recent years has given new currency to an old issue. Are human
beings naturally, instinctively aggressive, or is aggression learned behavior?
38. Many people believe that parents should be held legally responsible for
the acts of their children. This would mean that whenever criminal charges are
filed against a child, the parents would be listed as co-defendants. Is this a fair
and reasonable approach to the problem of juvenile crime?
39. The term tenure means “permanent appointment.” Once teachers receive
tenure, they can be fired only for serious cause. Tenure originally was designed
to ensure that teachers would enjoy the right to teach their subject without fear of
punishment for having unpopular views or taking an unorthodox approach to
their subject. This right is known as “academic freedom.” Over the past few
decades, the tenure system has become controversial. Those who oppose it claim
that its principal feature today is no longer the guarantee of academic freedom
but, instead, protection of the mediocre and the incompetent. Those who support
tenure argue that the need for academic freedom has never been greater and that,
far from diminishing the quality of education, tenure increases it. Does the
tenure system help or hinder the process of education?
40. Some people believe that English should be declared the official language
of the United States. They believe that this would encourage assimilation, foster
understanding among citizens, increase citizens’ participation in democratic
processes, and save resources in education and in government. Opponents of the
idea argue that one’s native language is a defining characteristic of a person’s
individuality and therefore that linguistic diversity should be encouraged. In
their view, declaring English the official language of the United States would be
an insult to everyone who speaks another language and a source of disharmony
among U.S. citizens of different backgrounds. Should English be declared the
official language of the United States?