Summary Of Virtuous Arguments By Professor John Duffy

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In 2012, Professor John Duffy published an essay titled “Virtuous Arguments” discussing the importance of first-year writing courses. In his essay, Duffy explains that toxic rhetoric is overwhelmingly being used by the media, politicians, and other officials. For instance, Duffy exemplifies this by stating that politicians have called their opponents “Nazi propagandists” and “demons.” He argues that the only way this can be stopped is with first-year writing courses. These courses are more than just a “speed bump” students have to pass through (Duffy 1). He states that these courses teach students how to engage in an ethical public discourse without the use of toxic rhetoric. This will help them be successful in their college careers and beyond

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