Ideas in Conflict: Writing about the Great Issues of Civilization [Paperback]

Mark Winchell (Author), Donna Haisty Winchell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1413014771 | ISBN-13: 978-1413014778 | Publication Date: January 16, 2007 | Edition: 1

IDEAS IN CONFLICT is a humanities reader with rhetorical coverage that looks at the great issues pondered by many cultures for centuries. Winchell and Winchell examine "the great controversies of civilization"-dilemmas plaguing humanity from ancient times to the present, topics where no one answer exists and debate will continue to go on for centuries. The authors take you on a fascinating journey from the beginning of the written word on through to present day, and encourage you to view all perspectives of these enduring issues. Then, you'll be asked to write about your own views. The reader strikes a balance between an emphasis on humanities and an emphasis on composition, writing, and rhetorical devices. Learning about the great issues of civilization can only be fully understood when coupled with critical thinking and writing skills. With discussion questions and suggested paper topics, IDEAS IN CONFLICT invites you to enter into the conversations that have been going on for centuries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is an integrity and coherence in these selections that manages to calm my usual desire to add my two cents. The authors do a good job of reconciling the range of possibilities with the interests and capabilities of introductory students."

Product Details

• Paperback: 976 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 1 edition (January 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413014771
• ISBN-13: 978-1413014778
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,029,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good (and rare) arguments anthology, November 15, 2009

By 

Jonathan B. Himes "himesjb" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ideas in Conflict: Writing about the Great Issues of Civilization (Paperback)

*Ideas in Conflict* offers instructors of college composition an alternative to argument readers that present only current events and trendy essays of the moment. The editors have selected a number of classic texts on themes and issues of enduring concern. Each themed section of the book includes an insightful essay on the intellectual, political, scientific, and literary trends that gave rise to the primary works excerpted. The editors preface each reading with an overview that highlights notable passages and the key concepts each author is known for, as well as the merits and drawbacks of their positions on perennial debates.

In the Faith & Inquiry unit, the editors challenge readers to examine whether various faith traditions of the world may be compatible in certain (limited) respects with scientifice theories for origins of the world. They note how texts like The Koran and myths of Native Americans may in certain details be more in line with processes of evolution than the Judeo-Christian scriptures. Arguments by St. Anselm and William Paley (grandfather of Intelligent Design), as well as Darwin in the last chp. of *Origin of the Species* are shown to provide food for thought, despite severe limitations. Theodicy (the problem of evil) is another major issue addressed with welcome readings from Boethius's *Consolation of Philosophy* and Viktor Frankl's logotherapy. A unit on Male & Female (gender roles) includes the Wife of Bath's Prologue and excellent excerpts from Simone de Beauvoir.

This textbook is a refreshing blend of nonfiction essays, theoretical works, and classics of literature that have had lasting influence on human thought. Each reading is accompanied by study questions on content as well as rhetorical strategy.

One reason I chose this text instead of *A World of Ideas* is that it also has a brief section that introduces basic skills of analytical reading/note-taking and writing, as well as an overview of the basic modes of composition; the latter is a bit disappointing, being fairly perfunctory and without depth on specific strategies for writing in particular modes. Another drawback is that ancient works like Hesiod's lack any kind of glosses for obscure mythic allusions. I would also quibble with a couple of fine points on the editors' overview of courtly love and medieval notions of gender, but on the whole, this textbook is useful and impressive for its breadth of readings and for the editors' academic treatment on how these works have been received through the ages.

This is not the best textbook I have ever taught with, but it is far better than many, and a rather good anthology of its kind. Other reviewers do not like its inclusion of faith-oriented writings (see my response to Richard Kaplan's review of this text, under Amazon's "Comments" button), but since these traditions have been so influential in history, it seems important to interrogate the seminal works like Anselm's or Paley's or Bryan's testimony in the Scopes Monkey trial in order to see how far back such arguments go, and what kind of weaknesses there were in such landmark cases.

I would definitely use this textbook again.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Diversity of Opinion, April 30, 2009

By 

Reyna del Amador (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ideas in Conflict: Writing about the Great Issues of Civilization (Paperback)

What sets apart this textbook is the presentation of wide variety of perspectives, allowing the students to decide for themselves. An example of the wide variety of opinions available in the book can be found in the "Human Nature and the Cosmic Order" section, which includes readings from the Bible, the Koran, North American Creation Myths, William Paley, Charles Darwin, and transcripts from the Scopes Trial. Another example of the diversity of the book's readings comes from the "Affluence and Equity" section that includes Hesiod, Sir Thomas More, Adam Smith, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Edward Bellamy, Barbara Ehrenreich, and others. I cannot think of another textbook appropriate for upper high school and lower division college students that includes such a wide variety of readings.

I recommend the book for professors who teach logic-based argument and who want to present a diversity of opinions in their classrooms.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A truly bad book, May 26, 2009

By 

Joshua P. Sunderbruch - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ideas in Conflict: Writing about the Great Issues of Civilization (Paperback)

I cannot imagine a circumstance where I would be willing to use this textbook. Its presentation of ideas is exceptionally slanted. It calls to mind the Wolfgang Pauli quotation: "That's not right. It's not even wrong."

I am an argumentation teacher (I also coach debate), so I must take issue with the review that claims this book teaches "logic-based argument." Few things could be farther from the truth (though, I could probably skim this book to find a few examples).

There are other books out there that present a wide range of texts, many of them covering the same subjects. The one I am most familiar with is World of Ideas.

Please, consider another textbook, or an array of supporting materials, before making use of this text.