Philosophy
Argue it. Then face the objection.
You take a real question from a real organization and argue it in front of people whose job is to disagree. You find out fast where your reasoning holds and where it doesn’t.
The real briefs
Three briefs from past and partner work.
Examples, written the way you’d receive them. Your cohort’s briefs come from [PARTNER TYPES].
Position paper, 1,500 words
Argue for or against a real proposal. A fellow reads it and sends back their three strongest objections.
Live debate, 20 minutes
Defend a position against someone who holds the opposite one. The audience asks the hard questions.
Ethics review notes
Read a study plan and write up the ethical questions it raises, in words a busy team can act on.
What the assignment is like
Step 2 of applying.
A sample outline. The real brief arrives by email after you apply.
- The brief[BRIEF]
- You send backA 600-word argument and the best objection to it, answered.
- Time[X] days, about 2–3 hours of work
- FormatPDF, DOCX or a link
- How it’s readAgainst a short rubric: clarity, effort and honesty. People make the close calls.
Note · [BRIEF] placeholders. Nancy writes the real briefs.
Who it suits
Be honest with yourself here.
It suits you if
- You change your mind when the argument is better, and say so.
- You enjoy the objection more than the agreement.
- You can make an abstract idea concrete for someone busy.
It probably doesn’t if
- You want to win more than you want to be right.
- You’d rather read than argue out loud.
- You need one right answer at the end.
What you’ll find out in this track
The questions Philosophy answers about you.
Where your arguments break
Not in theory. In front of someone pushing on them.
How you handle a strong objection
Concede, refine or hold. You’ll see which you reach for.
Whether you can be clear for a busy reader
Partners don’t have time for footnotes. Can you say it plainly?
How you disagree without making it personal
The difference between a good argument and a good colleague.