Philosophy 5: Critical Thinking and Composition  

Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, & Sociology

Group Exercise for Delbanco Essay  

(Notes on the importance of group exercises.) 

Group Work Summary: Essay discussions. 

Step 1 (five or so minutes): Individually describe, in a sentence or two, the experience in college, either good or bad, that you will write about in your essay.  Then explain, in another sentence or two, how that experience is relevant to either obtaining skills helpful in becoming prosperous or obtaining skills needed to discover your own happiness. 

Step 2 (ten or so minutes):  In groups, discuss what you've come up with in Step 1, above.  If you have time, go on to consider how the difference between ignorance and wisdom is relevant to what you've come up with in Step 1, above. 

Step 3 (one minute): In the same groups, put today's date, your group member's names, and "Delbanco Essay Group Exercise" on a sheet of paper.   

Step 4 (ten or so minutes):  In your original (pre-group) seats, we collectively discuss the fruits of our labor.