WORK SHEET ON CONSCIENCE

A. Read and study each of the situations and then try to decide how you would help resolve the problems presented SITUATION A You go to a school where there is a lot of pressure to achieve a high grade. The situation is further complicated by your demanding parents who expect you to do well. You have a pretty good average over your first three years in high school. You are now in your senior year and in a physics class. The teacher is a little unfair. He has planned a difficult test for you and your classmates. You know from the past experience that 50 percent of the students cheat at their exams. You have studied pretty hard, but you know that unless you cheat, many others will get a higher grade than you. What would you do? Reasons to cheat (3) 1 _______________________ 2 _______________________ 3 _______________________ Reasons to remain honest (3) _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

My decision: On a scale from 1 (most inclined to cheat) to 5 (I will remain honest), I would decide: / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / SITUATION B A good friend of yours offers you some drugs in order for you to get high. You show an initial unwillingness to take them. He tries to talk you into it by saying that his experience with drugs is that they are fun. Besides, he says, you cannot really hurt anyone but yourself. He further adds that it is nobodys business but yours whether you take the drug or not. The law and parents should no prevent you from enjoying yourself. Would you take the drug? Reasons to take drugs 1 _______________________ 2 _______________________ 3 _______________________ Reasons not to take drugs _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

My decision: On a scale from 1 (most inclined to take it) to 5 (I will not take the drug), I would decide: / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 /

SITUATION C Your post high school career has taken you into the Air Force. Unfortunately, your country is at war with a separatist group of rebels in a far off town that wants to secede on the basis of their beliefs. You respect the law and believe very much in the values in your constitution. On a particular day, you are ordered to bomb and totally destroy the village where the rebels are hiding. The rebels are a majority there although among them too are many old people and children. The residents do not support the rebels but are silent on account of their fear of the rebels getting back at them. Should you bomb? Reasons to bomb 1 _______________________ 2 _______________________ 3 _______________________ Reasons not to bomb _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

My decision: On a scale from 1 (most inclined to bomb) to 5 (I will not bomb), I would decide: / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / B. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS 1. SITUATION A: Is cheating ever right? Does the argument because everyone else is doing it make it right? Can you think of some consequences for society if morality were based on that argument?

2. SITUATION B: Would your decision concerning drugs have made a difference if the drug were marijuana? Shabu? Do parents and society have a right to limit your fun?

3. SITUATION C: Are we always obliged to follow authority? Where do we draw a line between disobedience to law and conscience?

C.

CONSCIENCE SURVEY A. Something is right for me if I think it is right [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] 1 2 3 4 5
B.

Something is right if my intention and feelings are right. [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] 1 2 3 4 5

C.

Something is right if others say it is. [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] 1 2 3 4 5

D. A mix of many things [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] [ ____ ] 1 2 3 4 5