We’re Only Hman 现代大学英语课件.ppt

Lesson Eight We’re Only Human Dr. Laura C. Schlessinger About the author .Dr. Laura C. Schlesinger was born in Brooklyn. New York in 1947. She has a Ph.D. in physiology from Columbia University and a post-doctoral certification in marriage, family and child counseling from the University of Southern California, where, upon graduation, she became a faculty member and taught for five years. Dr. Laura Schlessinger is the recipient of many national awards and the author of many New York Times best-sellers, including: Parenthood by Proxy; Don’t Have Them if You Won’t Raise Them. About The Text The present text is and excerpt taken from the book “Courage and Conscience”, a book based on Schlessinger’s conversations with her radio callers (She runs a very successful radio program) Guide reading to the text This essay should be studied with more emphasis on the content. The author here is addressing the problem of moral principles, which is a very important part of our education, and should be particularly interesting for our students at a time when many feel confused and cynical. What constitute moral actions? Lead-in Questions What’s the main idea of the text? Reference: 1)?Human beings are different from animals: instinct and free will → 2)?“We’re only human” cannot serve as an excuse for justifying our wrongdoings 3)?We should believe in altruism rather than egoism 4)?Discard the investment concept of reciprocal altruism 5) We need three C’s: Character, Courage and Conscience What, according to the author, elevates us above the animal kingdom? Reference free will → answer the call of duty? subjected to the lure of our “natural inclinations”? 3.?What’s your views on what constitute moral actions? Reference: Philosophers’ arguments on moral 1)??the effects of our actions: consequences 2)??stre