Author: Steve
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Deliberative Democratic Theory and Debate
What gives? I am reading Deliberative Democratic Theory for the first time – never really been much of one to have faith in democracy other than a rhetorical commonplace that really comes in handy – perhaps more than any other commonplace out there, even family (Sorry Vin Diesel). But this is some good stuff. It’s…
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Backfiring Facts
There’s a new format of student excuse that I’m getting these days that relies on credibility but really doesn’t do a great job of audience adaptation. It’s worth talking about because I have been seeing it so often and it is an outcome of a facts-only reasoning epistemology, where the only reasons one can give…
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Talking about Rhetoric on a Podcast
Thanks to Ian for a great time on his podcast. It makes me want to fire up In the Bin again, but what doesn’t? The only thing about In the Bin is that I no longer have regular updates or contact with the tournament-debating world. Although this is overwhelmingly a good thing – nearly all…
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Evaluating Biden’s Farewell Speech
I thought I’d do a play by play of Biden’s farewell speech. I didn’t think it was great, but the devil is in the details. See what you think of it after watching my commentary.
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The Mathematics of Rhetoric
This is a conference presentation by Dr. Lisa Piccirillo, a professor of mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin. This video is remarkable for many different reasons. Many of these reasons will have to do with math and her research on fourth dimensional objects. I have nothing to say about that so this is…
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Terms of Service at the University
During the election , any election we are treated to numerous “persona on the street” interviews where people announce they are “ready for change.” Supporting change is like supporting our troops, willfully dodging the more difficult and concerning act of supporting what kind of change or what activities our troops are sent off to do.…
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How Do Students Evaluate Class Activities?
I got a new GoPro so what better way to break it in than to walk and talk through something on my mind about teaching. I think what explains the lack of student motivation best is that they have only one measure to evaluate things in this world: entertainment. Is it entertaining? If not, they…
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Free to Teach
Is asking someone to consider the broader impact of supporting a policy out of place? Disrespectful? Is it hostile? Is it inconsiderate? The Governor of Louisiana thinks so. An LSU Law professor asked students that if they felt comfortable voting for Donald Trump because of his policy agenda, they should consider how that makes people…
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How To Survive the Thanksgiving Political Arguments
Happy Thanksgiving, readers! Tomorrow is Turkey day and if the Northern State Parkway was any indication on Monday, stress is high. I’ve never seen so many accidents. Perhaps our minds aren’t where they should be because we are dreading that Uncle or Aunt coming to dinner and trying to start fights about Trump or Harris…
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Practice
I must remind myself that education and learning is practicing something. We don’t have the convenient reminders like doctors and dentists do, that they work in or at a practice; that they own a “medical practice” and “practice medicine.” I think we “practice education” but we don’t have the reminder all the time that we…
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