Harris: Taking an Approach

Harris defines “Taking an Approach” as a different art than simply reworking familiar materials or assuming the role of another and how they would discuss a topic. Instead of taking a new approach to familiar materials, Harris states that “intellectuals tend to embrace an approach in order to extend it to new questions and texts” (pg 77). This is different from forwarding in that the instead of mimicking a particular idea or point of an author, it is adopting the intellectual style of of the writer. There are three ways to take an approach of a writer. The first is pointing out how your writing style is modeled after another author, otherwise known as acknowledging influences. Secondly, turning an approach on itself is challenging your own readers with the same questions that the original author also asked. Thirdly is to reference the methods or language that you have used in your own text, or reflexivity. 

This Taking an Approach is demonstrated in the New York times when Rachel Donadio writes about the Pope’s resignation. She bluntly asks several of the questions that are swirling around the world about the formal etiquette to approaching this situation. She writes about the topic that the Pope could loose his infallibility, despite the fact that he must speak against the law of the church before he becomes infallible. However, the conflict still remains that there can only be one infallible member to the church. What does that mean about his power? There are so many questions associated with this situation. Donadio is taking an approach by “stirring the pot” and prompting discussion about the Pope’s situation. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/world/europe/what-do-you-call-a-retired-pope-and-is-he-still-infallible.html?ref=world