WHAT IS HUMAN NATURE?
Lord of the Flies
M. Cook
Locke vs. Socrates
John Locke 1632-1704
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All individuals are
born with a “blank
slate”.
Thoughts, mannerisms,
ideas must be learned.
Environment plays a
role.
Socrates 469-399 B.C.
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Born with all necessary
knowledge /abilities
needed to survive.
Knowledge / abilities
are sharpened with
time.
Global Contexts, Key Concepts, Related
Concepts, and Statement of Inquiry
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Global Contexts – Fairness and Development
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Key Concepts – Development, Identity, Change
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Related Concepts – Purpose, POV, Theme
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Statement of Inquiry – “ “
Locke vs. Socrates
John Locke
Socrates
Collectivism vs. Individualism
Collectivism
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Priority to the goals of
the group.
Defining one’s identity
accordingly.
Individualism
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Priority of one’s goal
over the group goal.
Defining one’s identity
through personal
attributes, not group
identification.
Collectivism vs. Individualism
Collectivism
Individualism
Attribution Theory - Fritz Heider 1968
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Attribution theory is concerned with how and why
ordinary people examine what information is gathered
and how it is combined to form a causal judgment.
Process of judging others, and ourselves.
How do we attach meaning to other's behavior, or our
own? This is called attribution theory. For example, is
someone angry because they are bad-tempered or
because something bad happened?
Attribution Theory Cont.
Situational
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Blaming outside
factors - positive or
negative.
Dispositional
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External.
Success or failures to
internal characteristics.
Internal.
Work Cited


Myers, David G.
Psychology. 8th
ed. New York:
Worth, 2007. 28. Print.
(Mr. Cook when you do
your work cited
incorrectly after he has
gone over it
49385043949 times.) --------------------
Where Do You Stand?

What do you feel human nature is?

Why?
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How do your ideas apply to the novel?

Explain.
Development and Fairness (GC) / (KC)
/ (SI)
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In your groups discuss the following:
How does our Statement of Inquiry relate to our current
Global Context?
How do our EQ, and AI relate to Lord of the Flies? To
our current society? To you personally?
(Use your novel for citations, and our discussion involving
Locke vs. Socrates, Collectivism / Individualism, and
Attribution Theory.
Lit. Circles
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Why are the characters digressing?
Do any of their actions reflect our current society?
Explain.
Are Socrates’ or Locke’s theories displayed more in the
novel? Explain.
Which character(s) have changed the most? Explain.
Slave Narratives
Frederick Douglass
Olaudah Equiano
The Narrative of Frederick Douglass
and The Narrative of Olaudah Equiano
NFD
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Thus far, were Douglass’
methods due to Locke, or
Socrates’ theory?
Explain.
How does Douglass
relate to our GC?
Our SI?
Explain
NOE
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Were Equiano’s methods
due to Locke, or
Socrates’ theory?
Explain.
How does Equiano
relate to our GC?
Our SI?
Explain
The Narrative of Frederick Douglass Lit.
Circles
Textual Analysis

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*Who said, “I have
found that, to make a
contented slave, it is
necessary to make a
thoughtless one.”
*What did they mean?
*How does Frederick
Douglass combat this
idea?
Analytical Response
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How does NFD apply to
our SI – “What is human
nature?”
Is Douglass an advocate
for individualism or
collectivism? Explain.
Theories: Locke,
Socrates, Darwin.
Individualism
The Narrative of Frederick Douglass
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Find examples from the
text displaying
individualism.
Annotate, and cite the
examples.
Are there examples of
collectivism?
How does Douglass
display the importance of
education?
How can this novel apply
to your life?
The Narrative of Olaudah Equiano
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Find examples from the
text displaying
individualism.
Annotate, and cite the
examples.
Are there examples of
collectivism?
How does Equiano display
the importance of
education?
How can this excerpt
apply to your life?
History’s Mysteries

How does this project link with our SI?

How does the project link with our GC / KC?

Are humans inherently evil, and learn good, or good,
and learn evil?

How does Socrates’ / Locke’s theories apply here?

Are humans naturally individualists, or collectivists?
Socratic Seminar Areas of Focus
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Lord of the Flies and The Narrative of Frederick Douglass
(Excerpt – Narrative of Olaudah Equiano)
Locke vs. Socrates vs. Darwin
Collectivism vs. Individualism
Author’s Writing Style
Vocabulary / Vernacular Importance
Characterization – Importance
Essential Question : What is Human Nature?
A. I. – Approaches to Learning- Connections
Other A.I.’s – Connections.
Attribution Theory.