On page 640 in the second paragraph, “To think well….the community value,” Bruffee states that in order to be successful thinkers we must learn to converse in order to generate thought. This can be done in what he calls a community that motivates thinking. I would probably say that these communities are similar to the kind of intellectual communities found on a college campus. However, one must be able to engage in a conversation in order to gain any knowledge to progress ones thinking. Another positive impact associated with engaging in a conversation is that each participant brings a challenge to the conversation. This challenge encourages further movement in thinking.

On page 641 in paragraphs 2-3, “If thought is internalized….in its external social medium,” Bruffee’s main argument is made clear. The argument is: Thought= internalized conversation and writing=thought made public. Thus, writing is the 2cd step in the cycle that encourages conversation which in turn expands thinking. This is a very interesting concept because it is true. Whether you are engaging in a verbal conversation or reading an author’s work, you are involved in a thought process. Once this thought process begins if the individual decides to write, he or she is regurgitating that thought. This then goes into circulation for others to read and converse about thus evoking continuous thought. This simply cannot be argued against because it is what we do everyday within the academic arena; we think about something, read about it, converse with fellow classmates about the reading and then write about what we think.