[URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-7IHOXkiV8][COLOR=SLATEGRAY][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]M A T H E R   M E M O R I A L   H I G H   S C H O O L:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][COLOR=SILVER]Tuesday, August 21[SUP]st[/SUP], 2018 - 02:45pm | The 'Loft'[/COLOR][/sup][/INDENT][/URL]
[INDENT][INDENT]Edward Brigandi was the first to answer the question. 

Nodding, Jonas picked up a piece of chalk and began to scrawl underneath the question on the board.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Justice.”[/B][/COLOR] He quoted, reading the word aloud. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Would you agree that the point of your statement was that man believes in justice where the animals have no such concepts within their societies?”[/B][/COLOR] He asked before turning to Ryan and listening as the girl posed an answer of her own. Turning back to the chalkboard, Jonas began to write again.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Choice.”[/B][/COLOR] He read as he removed the chalk from the board. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Man has the ability to choose, as you said we can deny our instincts, we can think, we can feel or we can simply act. But no matter which response we choose, the fact remains that we can in fact choose.”[/b][/cOLOR]
 
Watching for the next student to answer, Jonas nodded towards Jason as the boy raised his hand. Unlike the previous two answers, the answer that came from Jason’s mouth was a humorous take on the question. Turning to the chalkboard again, Jonas began to write.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Physicality.”[/b][/color] He stated as he turned back around. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“As Mr. McKinney stated, the most obvious differences between man and animal lie within our physicality. We lack tails, claws, and for the most part any semblance of natural defensives. Depending on who you ask, this is evidence of evolution or intelligent design.”[/b][/color] Jason paused, allowing his own smirk to cross his face.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“But that’s a minefield, I’ll let another teacher tackle.”[/b][/color] As he finished speaking, the voice of Winter Carlyle interjected with her answer to the question. Nodding as she answered, Jonas turned to the board and once again wrote a single word.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Morality.”[/b][/color] He stated as he drew an arrow point from ‘Justice’ to ‘Morality. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“In line with Mr. Brigandi’s statement, it is our sense of morality that leads to constructs such as justice and more importantly what we see as right and wrong. As Miss Carlyle mentioned, historical serial killers, such as Jack the Ripper have seen themselves as doing the right thing despite the fact that society has instead insisted different ideas of right and wrong. Animals know little more than the need to act to survive, their actions don’t produce a sense of morality.”[/b][/color]

Another answer came from the class as Jonas turned to the speaker, the small brunette mumbling her answer as she sketched on the pad in front of her. Raising an eyebrow, Jonas turned back to the board as he added to the list.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Existentialism.”[/b][/color] He stated addressing the class once again. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“There’s no evidence of animal ever wondering who they are, why they’re alive or any other self-aware thoughts. The concept of free will is completely lost on the animal kingdom.”[/b][/color] Jonas concluded as he drew an arrow from ‘Choice’ to ‘Existentialism’.

As Baron began to answer, Jonas added a tick mark beside 'Morality', 'Choice' and 'Existentialism'.
 
[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Cause and effect, the result of a species being self-aware and creating a system of morality which we can either choose to follow or choose to disobey.”[/b][/color] Jonas stated. 

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“I think we might be starting to see a pattern now.”[/b][/color]

Pausing as the school’s varsity volleyball captain offered her answer, Jonas looked at Brynn, raising his chalk to write on the board only for the quarterback to immediately follow up Brynn with his own recourse.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“If ever there was a species to deny natural selection, it would be humans. Miss Reyes is correct with her statement, we’ve designed our society in such a way that every human has a role they can fulfill. The weak flourish just as the strong. But as Mr. Roth has pointed out, we are by far the most violent species on this planet.”[/b][/color]

Jonas paused, considering the other part of Aiden’s statement. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“But to ascertain that we are in fact animals for doing so, isn’t entirely fair.”[/b][/color] He added, making additional tickmarks beside ‘Choice’, ‘Morality’ and ‘Existentialism’. 

Looking at the rest of the class, Jonas rubbed his hands together. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“How about we hear from someone who has yet to speak, Mr. Bray? Mr. Jones?”[/b][/color] He asked before the door opened as Archimedes Black entered the room. As the boy apologized for his tardiness, Jonas nodded before speaking.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Understandable, Mr. Black.”[/b][/color] The teacher answered. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“We’re in the midst of a discussion, the difference between man and animal.”[/b][/color] Motioning towards the board, Jonas continuing to speak. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“So far, we’ve narrowed it down to a couple of reoccurring themes. The most significant is existentialism, man’s ability to be self-aware. This then leads to choice and man’s decision to create the social construct of morality.”[/b][/color] 

Jason suddenly spoke again, contributing to the conversation and man’s potential for cruelty before asking about why the students had been put in this class.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“And why, Mr. McKinney, should you have been asked first?”[/b][/color] Jonas retorted as he leaned back against his desk and locked eyes with the student. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“You’re a seventeen-year-old high school student, not legally an adult in the eyes of your government. Did you think because you were able to choose a few electives for your school year that the school owed you the choice of whether you were part of this class or not?”[/b][/color] 

Jonas, pushed himself off the desk before continuing. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“The ability to choose might make us human, but don’t ever think for a second that it is a right. It’s a privilege afforded to you by the society that humanity has built.”[/b][/color] He emphasized his words as he pointed towards the class before continuing.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Social Conscience is a sense of responsibility or concern for the problems and injustices of society. It is a desire to help the world, to use the gifts you’ve been given in order to make life better not only for yourself but those around you.”[/B][/COLOR] Jonas stated answering Jason’s second question. 

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“You are in this class because each and every one of you has shown potential, potential to be able to make the world a better place and change the injustice surrounding us every day.”[/B][/COLOR] Jonas explained.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“But, before we get to the part where we change the world, we have to first understand society and social constructs.”[/B][/COLOR] Jonas continued as he returned to the board. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“By discussing the difference between man and animal, we’ve begun to develop an understanding of how we’ve grown and developed as a species and our society is a huge part of that.”[/b][/color]

Turning to the board again, Jonas wrote a single word.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Language.”[/b][/color] He stated. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“A common language is one of the most essential parts of a society. While we have numerous oral histories we can look at, I’m more interested in discussing written languages.”[/b][/color] He walked behind his desk, picking up a stack of papers as he began to hand the sheets out. The sheet was covered in a code, English Letters with a symbol beside them.

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“This is a codex of Ogham, an ancient Celtic language."[/b][/color] Jonas explained before continuing. [COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]"Since it’s the first day and I’m sure you really don’t want to do anything strenuous, I’m going to have you break into groups and write out a message for the other groups to decipher. Three groups of five, you’ve got five minutes to decide the groups among yourselves, after that, I start picking.”[/b][/color]

He looked at the group. 

[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][B]“Well, get moving.”[/b][/color][/INDENT][/INDENT]