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Socratic Seminar Essential QuestionsIs man inherently good or inherently evil?What is the definition of “good”? What is the definition of “evil”? What does it mean to be civilized?What does it mean to be savage?What role does religion play in the development of good and evil in society? What role does power play in the development of good and evil in society?Is morality something that the gods (or God) has made or is in intrinsic to the universe?Describe examples of evil from your personal experience, texts or other contexts. What contributed to the evil you perceived? Describe examples of good from your personal experience, texts or other contexts. What contributed to the good you perceived? Is the society in which we live inherently good or evil?How do individuals contribute to societal good?How do individuals contribute to societal evil? What social structures contribute to the good in individuals? What social structures contribute to evil in individuals? What factors (environmental or personal) lead to evil in the individual? What factors (environmental or personal) lead to good in the individual?ARTICLES“What Do We Mean by ‘Evil’” from The New Yorker blog post summarizes the evolution of the word “evil” “The Marathon Bombings: Lessons on Fear, Good and Bad” from Psychology Today article about the positive and negative effects of fear Discusses some ideas on how fear can be somewhat overcome in a society but will always exist “Bad to the Bone: Are Humans Naturally Aggressive” from Psychology Today article analyzing whether violence has a psychological and physiological basis or not “The Real Meaning of Good and Evil” from Psychology Today post discusses the human characteristics we identify as good and evil and gives an example from history It also discusses how these designations are fluid and should not be applied to individuals holistically “For all its Flaws, Religion Remains a Force of Good” from The Guardian article argues that religion, like all human enterprise, is flawed but ultimately a force of good for those who want to reflect on themselves and strive to be better individuals. “Capitalism is Evil; You have to Eliminate It” from The Guardian article documents an interview with Michael Moore about his documentary Capitalism: A Love StoryThe article reveals some really interesting historical information, including a lost speech from Roosevelt that describes an alternative view of what the U.S. should look like “The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Capitalism” from The New York Times post describes the downfall of immoral capitalism and describes “new capitalism” as a more humane and aware enterprise“Civilization is Defined by the ‘Others’” from Science Daily press release describes the history of the term “civilization” and “civilized” and describes studies that determine the meaning of these words across cultures There is some really interesting information about how Western values (and capitalism) have come to mean civilized and differences in some cultures (Scandinavia for example) AUDIOVISUAL “Religion, Evolution and the Ecstasy of Self Transcendence” a TEDTalk from Jonathan Haidt talk is a multifaceted look at the physiological and historical implications of religious practice and its effects on the individual and group dynamics of humans “Can Science Answer Moral Questions?” a TEDTalk from Sam Harris talk explains the connection between “values” and “facts” It assumes there is a scientific basis for morality “Capitalism: A Love Story” clip from YouTube clip describes how Walmart takes out an insurance policy on low level employees (called “Dead Peasant” insurance) and profits from their deaths without giving any money to families. It is a piece of the documentary Captialism: A Love Story ................
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