现代大学英语精读3Lesson8We’reonlyHuman.ppt

LOGO About the author Laura Schlesinger劳拉.施莱辛格 was born in in Brooklyn，New York in 1947 She has a PhD. 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 Won many national awards, best-sellers Including： 1 Parenthood by Proxy: Don’t Have Them if You Won’t Raise Them (2000) 2 Ten Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives (1997) 3 Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives(1994) 4 and How Could You Do That?! The Abdication of Character, Courage and Conscience (1996) The abdication of character, courage and conscience a book based on Schlesinger’s conversations with her radio callers (She runs a very successful radio program which consists of a prudish, moralistic and religious advice show. .) The present text is an excerpt taken from the last book listed here, with some adaptations. Background Information 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. Introduction to the Text In this article, the author mainly focuses on how to be a true human. In her opinion, we need three C’s: Character, Courage, and Conscience. Pleasure is an event; happiness is a process. Pleasure is an end point; happiness is the journey. Pleasure is material; happiness is spiritual. Pleasure is self-involved; happiness is other-involved. 1.Some thoughts When some people say that they are only human, what do they mean? What are the definitions of humanity in the book? How about yours? back question Why can’t we indulge ourselves and just enjoy the pleasure from the temptations? And why should we suffer and resist those things? How do you think of the 3Cs and what’s your value systems for yourself? We are called humans with humanity; this is our o