{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Well-Trained Mind podcast","title":"Teaching Controversial Topics","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3234,"description":"Guiding Principles:  Gretchen Ronnevik Quote We LOVE: “When I taught classical writing to teens, there's an element to formal rhetoric called \"refutation\" where you address the arguments opposed to your thesis. In refutation, it's important to present the arguments of your opponents in a way that they would feel well represented, so that you can talk about where they are wrong in their argument, point by point, instead of resorting to ad hominem attacks, or misrepresentation. In classical rhetoric, ad hominem attacks, and twisting the words of your opponent where they would say \"but that's not what I said, nor how I meant it,\" is actually the weakest way to refute their arguments. It shows that you don't have a good case against their issue, so you resort to theatrics and distractions instead. The reason that you want your opponents to agree with your representation of them is that you are seeking to win them over and persuade them. If they feel they have been misrepresented, they will never be persuaded, they will just continue to clarify again and again, until they realize you have no intention of actually hearing them.” Gretchen’s website and Twitter/X Account PoliticsiCivics: Susanna’s recommendation for teaching civics and government to grammar/rhetoric stage studentsThe Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt: Susanna’s book recommendation for rhetoric students and adultsEconomics Uncle Eric Books: We mention using these books to explain the Libertarian or Free Market view of economicsTuttle Twins: We mention this as an example of an economics/government program for kids that has a stated Libertarian slantOlder students should read the strongest arguments for each major economic theory and/or the source material, like The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith for Free Market Economics or The General Theory of Employment by John Maynard Keynes for Keynesian economics. Resources for looking for rhetoric stage economics courses (let us know your comments about potential...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/bqdTnpMKQKq3wa6FqtwMvIqJ72wiCsx2hTVXnunqzmw/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQwMDI4LzE2OTI5/NzgwMzctYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}