Constructing a Life Philosophy : Opposing Viewpoints

Book by Bender, David L

ea. vol: illus. bibliogs. index. (Opposing Viewpoints Series). CIP. Greenhaven Pr. Sept. 1985. PLB $11.95; pap $6.95. Gr 9 UpConstructing a Life Philosophy is a collection of reprinted essays by well-known theorists and proponents of various religions and philosophies. Advocates run the gamut from Plato to Scott Peck and include an array of philosophies from atheism to Zionism, with stops at humanism, Ayn Rand, Billy Graham, Teilhard de Chardin, Benjamin Franklin, Machiavelli and others. Censorship includes essays on freedom of speech and its questionable limits in the new media, advertising, national security, pornography and schools and libraries. Major proponents from most opposing viewpoints are well represented, including David S. Broder, Patrick J. Buchanan, Phyllis Schlafly and Jerry Falwell, Andrea Dworkin and the ALA. The format of both volumes is identical. Each essay is preceded by short introductory remarks and a list of three or four provocative questions to keep in mind while reading. At the end of each section of grouped essays is an exercise in critical thinking skills and a periodical bibliography. At the end of each book is a book bibliography, list of relevant organizations and an index. These books represent spoon-fed research at its best/worst. The format is marvelously appropriate for typical high-school debates or research papers, well-balanced in represented authors and viewpoints and eminently able to be plagiarized. Students would have little need to use the card catalog, encyclopedias, periodical indexes or a reference collection. Censorship may be most on-target for popular research topics, while Constructing a Life Philosophy may be of little practical value to current students' needs, except as background philosophy to the creationist/evolution debate. Recommended only for collections supporting poorly skilled or unmotivated students. Catherine vanSonnenberg, LaJolla Country Day School Library, Calif.

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