Break up into small groups.� Have at least one member of your group (1) prepare a summary of your group's discussion and (2) include a list of your group's members. If you are doing this as a student in the fall, 2020, section of the course and were not able to attend class the day we did this group work, please complete the work alone or with others and submit your answers through the canvas inbox or email to Kagan@lemoyne.edu.

Group work on Self-Deception

(In your responses, please remember to change names and details to protect privacy.)

1. Have each member of your group share one story based on experience of what would be taken to be self-deception. (This does not have to be experience of one�s own self-deception.)� Pick one or two of your group's stories to share with the class. (Pick at least one in light of the next question.)

2. In the one of the experiences you chose to share with the class, what do the members of your group think made the self-deception possible?

3. Do any members of your group remember deceiving themselves? If so, and if they are willing to tell the tale, please have them do so.

4. Given your responses to the above questions, what do you think about self-deception? Are there times when it would be a good thing, and should not be avoided? Are there times when it should be avoided? If so, how?

5. How, if at all, does deception in general rely on self-deception to work?  Please use Orson Scott Card's "The Best Day" (from Maps in a Mirror) in your answer if you can.  

Michael Kagan, Le Moyne College 
Last changed August 28, 2020

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