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After fierce debate a grand jury within the Common Room has decided that three of this year’s shortlisted Lower Sixth Heresy Project entrants should be jointly awarded the top prize. Amidst an exceptionally strong field these three essays were marked out not just by the formidable depth of their research and pitch perfect analytical rigour, but by the subtlety, flair and joyous delight with which they demolished their heretical targets: precisely the qualities of well researched independence of thought demanded by top flight universities.
Lancing’s heretical trinity this year comprises:
Alex B, Why war is good for us
Marina C, Is value lost when a language evolves
Annika F, Liberal feminism is reactionary
Commenting on his essay and on the choice of his topic, Alex wrote:
'I decided to write my essay on "Why war is good for us" as I felt it fitted perfectly with the unconventional and controversial spirit of previous Heresy Essays. Admittedly, at the outset I started to develop reservations because surely war is not the first choice for most governments to resolve conflict in a civilised society. However, like all good heretics, I embraced the role of devil’s advocate to formulate my argument. I argued that, whilst a world without violence would be a noble idea and indeed there is no doubt war is cruel and immoral, the fact remains that humans have fought since the dawn of time over basic necessities, money and power. As long as man exists, war will be inevitable. Ironically, war leads to desperation but this in turn has led to many technological innovations and many technologies developed from war have been responsible for unparalleled economic growth. Indeed, more lives have been saved because of this than have been lost due to the wars that created them.'
The Heresy Project takes place in the Advent Term of the Lower Sixth; pupils write an extended essay on a topic of their choice, as long as they are able to ‘challenge orthodox thinking by being intellectually heretical’.
Shortlisted pupils this year also include:
- Jimmy F, 10AM Manifesto
- Benjamin I-C, Would the United Kingdom benefit from a codified constitution?
- Archie N, Will we ever be able to discover a theory of everything?
- Kiran P, Exams are pointless
- Poppy S, Feminism owes nothing to Margaret Thatcher
- Thomas W, Britain and its Allies did not win WWII, Adolf Hitler lost the war.....even before he started it!
- Bugie V-U, Feminism does not include Black Women
- William N for his heretical re-imagining of Lancing in acrylic This is not Hogwarts