Practice: Building Arguments on Unseen Topics

This is the practical application of everything you have learned in this course. The prompts below are designed to simulate the experience of facing Section B questions you have never seen before — topics where you must construct arguments from general knowledge, first principles, and the frameworks introduced in earlier lessons.

The purpose is not to write full essays (that is the focus of the companion course on timed practice). The purpose is to practise the planning and argument-building phase — the 5 minutes that determine the quality of everything that follows.

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Instructions

For each of the six prompts below:

1. Set a timer for 5 minutes
2. Identify the core tension — What values or interests are in conflict?
3. Map arguments on both sides — At least 2–3 points for each side
4. Choose your position — Which side can you argue most effectively?
5. Identify one philosophical framework — Which lens from the Philosophical Toolkit is most useful here?
6. Select one historical and one contemporary example — What evidence will you use?
7. Draft a one-sentence thesis

Do not write the full essay. Focus entirely on building the argument structure. After each prompt, review your plan against the criteria at the end of this lesson.

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Prompt 1: Wealth and Responsibility

"Do the wealthy have a moral obligation to help the poor?"

Guidance Notes

This question sits at the intersection of individual rights and social responsibility. Consider:

• What do different philosophical frameworks say? (Utilitarianism would focus on overall welfare; rights-based ethics might emphasise property rights; social contract theory asks what a fair society would look like)
• Is there a difference between a moral obligation and a legal one?
• What historical or contemporary examples illustrate the consequences of extreme wealth alongside extreme poverty?
• How do concepts like philanthropy, taxation, and redistribution relate to the question?

Planning template:

Element	Your Response
Core tension
Arguments FOR a moral obligation
Arguments AGAINST a moral obligation
Your position
Philosophical framework
Historical example
Contemporary example
One-sentence thesis

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Prompt 2: Privacy in the Digital Age

"Is privacy a right that should be protected, or a luxury we can no longer afford?"

Guidance Notes

This question frames privacy as potentially expendable — a deliberate provocation. Consider:

• What is the case for privacy as a fundamental right? (Human dignity, autonomy, protection from state overreach)
• What is the case that privacy must yield to other concerns? (National security, crime prevention, public health)
• How do surveillance technologies (CCTV, online tracking, facial recognition) change the calculus?
• Is there a middle ground — privacy protected in some domains but not others?

Planning template:

Element	Your Response
Core tension
Arguments FOR privacy as a right
Arguments AGAINST absolute privacy
Your position
Philosophical framework
Historical example
Contemporary example
One-sentence thesis

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Prompt 3: Democracy and Expertise

"Should some political decisions be made by experts rather than by the public?"

Guidance Notes

This question pits democratic legitimacy against technical competence. Consider:

• What is the case for expert decision-making? (Complexity of modern policy, risk of uninformed populism, the precedent of independent central banks and regulatory bodies)
• What is the case against it? (Democratic accountability, the danger of technocracy, experts can be wrong or biased, legitimacy comes from consent)
• Are there examples where expert decision-making has worked well or failed?
• Can you think of a system that combines democratic input with expert guidance?

Planning template:

Element	Your Response
Core tension
Arguments FOR expert decision-making
Arguments FOR democratic decision-making
Your position
Philosophical framework
Historical example
Contemporary example
One-sentence thesis

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Prompt 4: Criminal Justice and Forgiveness

"Should the criminal justice system prioritise punishment or rehabilitation?"

Guidance Notes

This is a classic Section B topic that recurs in various forms. Consider: