True meaning in life comes in the form of those who would miss and weep for Ivan when he has died. 7. (a)

I find the overall tone of the conversation convincing. The dean is very official and formal, with the student being a little irreverent and more informal in his tone.

What I don't find very convincing is the overuse of ethical considerations when discussing the student's transgression with him. It would seem more appropriate to use simpler premises.

7 (b).

I would rate the dialogue at about 5 or 6 on the scale. It was not completely convincing to me. I'm not sure it's how two people in that situation would react to each other.

7 (c).

For the answer:

There is a fair amount of cheating across the country, but the research suggests that most students at most colleges don't cheat on examinations.

I would say:

I agree that a lot of you are under pressure and that it's very easy to follow what you think is the majority, especially under difficult circumstances that suggest you must do so. But if you really think about it, is it fair to yourself or to others to always follow what you think most people would do?

8.

The most important thing the University can do to promote academic honesty is to make sure that students understand the reasons for being honest when handing...

Students should be encouraged to think critically about all the issues involved, and come up with their own reasons for being academically honest. Promoting critical thinking about the issue creates an inner understanding, whereas punishment would simply create negativity.
9.

Terrence Des Pres appears to believe that human moral sense is an evolutionary survival strategy. In the Nazi death camps, even where physical conditions were as horrible as they could possibly be, it was a sense of moral caring for others that helped the prisoners survive and overcome their conditions and their captors. If they showed any signs of selfishness, the others knew from experience that they would not last long. In Paragraph 6, the author quotes:

[6] "In our group we shared everything. And the moment one of the group ate something without sharing it, we knew it was the beginning of the end for him."

10.

When considering the writings by Tolstoy and Des Pres, as well as the dialogue between the dean and the student, one might define the "good life" as one that achieves a loving relationship with other human beings, in the form of family, friends, and colleagues. I would achieve this by means of developing a good work ethic, but not to such a degree that it keeps me away from activities that cultivate my personal relationships as well. I will continually develop my personal and professional relationships in such a way that, when I die, I will not have the type of regret that Ivan had in Tolstoy's work.