Journal 6- Ben Franklin

Name: Leanne Ches

Journal #6

From Ben Franklin’s The Autobiography (p. 80 – 83)

Write a well-developed paragraph in response to the following questions.

1. Explain what was involved in Franklin’s plan for self-perfection? What conclusion did Franklin come to regarding the effectiveness of this plan?

Franklin’s plan for achieving self perfection was revolved around these virtues. He came up with thirteen virtues that fully express what is needed for self perfection. The virtue of temperance touches on the amount he should eat and drink, silence tells how he should speak. He has virtues to keep him in order and clean. He has virtues that control his behavior and more. These virtues become the contract for the way he thinks to live his life to be perfect.














2. Do you feel that a plan such as Franklin’s would improve you as a person? Why or why not? What would be your top five virtues?

I think Franklin’s plan could be a good guideline to improve me as a person; however, I don’t believe in striving for perfection. I don’t think you could live solely off of the virtues and still have a full life. I think the virtues are good suggestions but shouldn’t be taken so seriously. My top five virtues (in order) would be humility, frugality, temperance, tranquility, and cleanliness. I think these virtues cover most aspects of life without controlling any part of life.

Journal 5- Thomas Paine

Journal #5 – from Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” (p.95-6)

1. Identify the specific argument that Paine is making in each paragraph. For each of the arguments, identify whether Paine is making an emotional, ethical, or logical appeal and suggest an effective counterargument.


#1 Argument-
Appeal- Emotional and Logical
Counter- Americans owe England because without them we wouldn’t be a country. We can’t assume Americans will win.





#2 Argument- “God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so..” (God won’t let us lose)
Appeal- Ethical
Counter- There’s no proof that God will support them
Logical fallacies- begging the question





#3 Argument- If we don’t fight them now ourselves, our children will be the ones forced to sacrifice their lives to fight later.
Appeal- Emotional and Logical
Counter- If we wait, things will work themselves out and no one will need to fight.






#4
Argument- The king is like a thief breaking into your house which is a reason to fight.
Appeal- Emotional
Counter- The king and thief is not an affective analogy because it’s his property. He owned the colonies and allowed the groups to live there. He has legal rights to the colony.




2. Can you identify any of the logical fallacies that we discussed in Paine’s arguments? If so, which ones? Overall, what do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of Paine’s arguments?
Faulty Analogy, Begging the Question

Paine is very persuasive in using emotional appeal. However his logic and facts are either false or exaggerated. He uses faulty analogy repeatedly in this writing.