Page 135 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

Check Your Understanding: Exercises and Activities
1. In a brief speech or short paper, explain the reason you believe the best ethi-
cal standard for the public speaker is (a) relativism, (b) universalism, (c) utili-
tarianism, or (d) situational ethics. Defi ne the version of ethics you endorse, and
explain why you feel it is the best alternative for public speakers.
2. Read the following cases and answer the questions about each one. De pending
on your instructor’s directions, either write a short paper responding to one or
more of the scenarios or discuss one or more of them in a small group.
Case A: A student in your public speaking class presents a speech that
contains glaring factual errors. As an audience member who is familiar with
the topic, you realize that the speaker has not done research and has “made
up” certain “facts.” What should you do? What do you think the instructor
should do?
Case B: You are preparing a speech arguing against a tuition increase at
your college. In your research, you discover strong arguments against your
position. Nevertheless, you still believe the tuition increase is a bad idea. Should
you share the arguments against your position with your audience, or present
only your side of the story?
Case C: You are required by your instructor to attend a speech outside of
class time. You discover on arriving at the lecture hall that the speaker holds
views precisely the opposite of your own. What should you do?
Case D: You are assigned by your teacher to speak for a position you fun-
damentally oppose on a question about which you hold strong moral beliefs,
such as abortion. What should you do?
3. In a short paper, discuss the differences and similarities between the ethical
obligations of speakers and listeners. As a speaker, how would you deal with
listeners who are unwilling to meet their basic ethical obligations? As a listener,
how would you respond to a speaker you felt was unethical?
4. In a short paper, discuss whether you agree with Quintilian that “no one can
speak well who is not good.” Cite some contemporary or historical examples
to support your position.
5. In a short paper, consider the question of whether there can be any situation
in which it is ethical to “shock people into action” through the use of especially
horrifying or unpleasant images. Give examples to support your position.
6. In your view, what modern politician is most successful at eliciting feelings of
goodwill and trustworthiness? Why do you think this person is successful in
doing so? Be prepared to discuss your example in class.
7. Administrators, faculty, and students on campuses across the United States are
trying to come up with speech codes that strike a balance between First Amend-
ment rights and the right of people in the college community to be protected
from hateful and demoralizing language. Working either on your own or in
an instructor-assigned group, fi nd out if your school has a speech code that
prohibits the use of certain types of words and language. If it does, how would
you amend it to fi t your or your group’s thinking? If it doesn’t, what would
you include in such a code? Write a short paper on your fi ndings or thoughts,
or be prepared to discuss them in class.

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