PROJECT: SPEECH: THE HUMAN CONSCIENCE
OBJECTIVES

Analyze moral conflict as a distinguishing human feature.
Create presentations that effectively convey a clear and distinct perspective and line of reasoning.
Structure ideas to be presented appropriate to audience and purpose.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view.
Convey complex ideas clearly, accurately, and persuasively.
Evaluate a speaker’s use of rhetorical strategies.
Evaluate a speaker’s reasoning and use of evidence.
Evaluate a speaker’s use of diction and tone.
Apply conventions of formal language when speaking and writing.
Use college and career readiness level academic vocabulary in reading, writing, and speaking.
Before You Begin

This unit, The Individual and Society, has dealt with issues of morality and the human conscience. Some people argue that morality is a black-and-white issue; that is, every behavior can be clearly classified as right or wrong. Others argue that morality is a gray area. For example, if one were to categorize stealing in a black-and-white world, he or she could say it was wrong—no matter what. However, someone who views morality as a gray area might say stealing food when a person has no money and no other means to put food on the table is a necessity that cannot be categorized as morally wrong.

© 2009 Glynlyon, Inc.

Jane Eyre, Daisy Miller, Hedda Gabler … these are three examples of works you have read that address moral dilemmas. What moral dilemmas have been addressed in the works in this unit? Would you categorize these dilemmas as definitively right, definitively wrong, or as dependent on a given situation?

SHOW TRANSCRIPT
The tool that allows human beings to perceive and understand morality is the human conscience. Your teacher will now divide you into two groups in order to discuss morality further. One group will debate in favor of the following statement and the other group will take an opposing stance. Use examples from the texts in this unit to support your group’s position in the debate. You will debate the following statement:

The human conscience is the most distinct factor that separates man from beast.

After the debate, fill in the chart with the principle arguments and supporting details from both sides of the debate.

Click here to view and fill out a chart with the principal arguments and supporting details from both sides of the debate.

Now that you have taken some time to analyze morality and moral problems as well as examine the concept of the human conscience, follow the directions and prompt below to complete your speech on the human conscience.

Reminder!
A persuasive speech is basically an essay that is delivered orally to the audience instead of being read by the audience. Like the word “persuasive” implies, in this type of speech you are trying to convince your audience that you have the best view of the topic and you use solid examples to back your opinion. In a persuasive speech, you are the salesperson and you are selling the audience your thoughts. You have to get the audience to buy in. Entice them. Demonstrate to them that no one else is going to sway them any other way because you have the best argument.
Directions

In the form of a persuasive speech, respond to the following prompt:

Defend or refute Darwin’s statement: “Of all the differences between man and the lower animal, man’s sense of moral conscience is by far the most important.” Include an analysis of moral choices or conflicts by two characters in this unit and one example of the same from history or personal experience to support your position.
Support your argument with specific examples from two of the works from this unit and one example from history or your own personal life experience. Your speech should be five to ten minutes in length. You will deliver the speech to your class, or your teacher may ask that you upload a recorded version to share digitally instead. Don't forget to follow MLA guidelines for in-text citations and a works-cited page. Click here to view the MLA Style Guide.

As part of the second phase of this project, you will listen to a speech by one or more of your classmates (your teacher will provide instructions for this phase). Use the chart below to guide you in providing feedback to your peers.