Lawson argues that certain rap songs suggest that the social contract between blacks and the United States has been broken.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The material at hand presents a true/false statement about Lawson's argument regarding rap songs and the social contract between blacks and the United States.

First, consider the claim: rap songs suggest that the social contract between blacks and the United States has been broken. This interpretation hinges on how Lawson defines the social contract and what counts as evidence in popular music for systemic breakdown or betrayal of that contract.

Next, evaluate what it would mean for the social contract to be broken in this context. A broken social contract would imply that the duties and rights promised by the United States to Black Americans—such as equal protection under the law, fair opportunity, and freedom from state-sanctioned discrimination—are not being upheld. If Lawson argues that certain rap lyrics or themes reflect persistent grievances, marginalization, or calls for reimagining civic relations, this can be read as signaling a perceived breach of that contract.

Then, address potential counterpoints. Some readers might argue that rap music expresses resistance, critique, or social commentary rather than a literal claim that the contract is broken. In such readings, the music is a form of rhetorical or artistic response to inequality, not a factual declaration of a breached agreement. Nonetheless, it remains plausible to interpret the artistic expressions as indicative of a view that the contract’s terms have not been honored in practice.

Now, align with the statement’s truth value. If the core argument attributed to Lawson is that rap songs articulate perceived breaches of the social contract and critique the nation's failure to uphold promises to Black communities, then the claim is supported. The reasoning would be that the music functions as social commentary highlighting ongoing violations or historical grievances, consistent with the view that the social contract has been broken in practice.

In contrast, consider a hypothetical alternative interpretation: if one argues that Lawson is simply cataloging artistic expressions without making a normative claim about the contract, the statement could be seen as overly broad. However, the prompt specifies that Lawson argues these songs suggest a broken social contract, which aligns with the interpretation that the contract has not been honored in reality as experienced by Black Americans.

Finally, to anticipate common misunderstandings, avoid assuming that all rap music asserts a broken contract; some songs may advocate change within the current system or express different notions of civic belonging. The key point is whether Lawson frames the songs as evidence for a breached social contract, which the statement asserts. If that framing is accurate, then the proposition is true; if not, it would be false. Since the claim in the prompt is that Lawson makes that argument, and no contradictory evidence is provided here, the statement is best treated as true.

PHIL 220-001 Lawson Quiz

Lawson argues that certain rap songs suggest that the social contract between blacks and the United States has been broken.

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