Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Should We Cancel Aristotle? The Ultimate Debate”

Using the rhetorical persuasion strategies they learned in Thank You for Arguing, students will engage in the ultimate debate: Should Aristotle, regarded by many as among the most influential philosophers in the history of Western civilization (and a central figure in the book), be cancelled for his personal history/political beliefs?

In a July 21, 2020 opinion piece for the New York Times, philosopher and University of Chicago professor Agnes Callard questions Aristotle’s influence on societies in his time and through the centuries.  As she describes in the article, Aristotle was pro-slavery and held many other controversial beliefs. However, considering his monumental contributions to philosophy, science, and ethics, the question of whether to topple him from his elevated position in the history of Western thought requires a larger discussion. 

In this activity, you will use the rhetorical techniques discussed in Thank You for Arguing to make your case for/against cancelling Aristotle.

• The class will be divided into small groups (2-3 students each), and your group will be assigned either for or against cancelling Aristotle.
• Next, your group will be asked to come up with arguments to support the assigned side. (Important: As you recall from the book, Persuasion Is Not about the Persuader; rather, it is about the audience. In this exercise, you will be addressing the general American public.)
• Finally, each small group will present their arguments to the class. First, present your argument as-is; second, an elected speaker from the group should walk the class through the various parts of the argument, pointing out which of Heinrichs’ techniques were used and where. Strive to utilize no fewer than 3 of the strategies presented in Thank You for Arguing.

The class will then discuss and vote on which side had the best argument and, therefore, if Aristotle should indeed be cancelled.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity will allow students to put into action the techniques, tricks, and principles they just learned about in Thank You for Arguing. If opposing sides tend to use the same techniques, be sure to point out that Rhetoric Is Morally Ambiguous: It can be deployed for any argument; it does not belong to a certain “side.”

• “Should We Cancel Aristotle?”—Agnes Callard’s article referenced in activity (subscription may be required for viewing)

Differentiation Suggestion: Advanced learners might perform this exercise for a multitude of audiences, driving home Heinrichs’ point that Persuasion Is Not About the Persuader; it is about the audience. You might ask them to present their arguments to a wide range of audiences, each with a specialized perspective, to see how that affects their arguments. Here are several examples of audiences to whom they might present their arguments: a conservative group that is anti-“cancellation”; a society of philosophy scholars; a group of young people who might not have deep knowledge of Aristotle or why he is important.