Leonard Peikoff analyzes two student papers, one on the relationship between the moral and the practical and one on the philosophic errors underlying racism. Peikoff discusses the importance, in a paper, of properly allocating space between the motivation and the main argument, and of providing appropriate concrete examples for abstract points. A side benefit of Peikoff’s analysis of these papers is his intriguing insights into the topics discussed: the relationship between morality and practicality; the philosophic meaning of racism, collectivism, determinism and tribalism.
Readings for Lesson 10 (available in the course readings):
- “The Moral and the Practical”
- “Racism”
