Critical Thinking / Ethics
Paper 2 Assignment
Read the following instructions carefully. Write a paper totaling 1,500 words, answering one question from Section A (750 words) and one question from Section B (750 words).
Please include little to no quoted material in your paper. The point is to get you to describe and characterize the material, not to just import the words of others. If you must quote, just include a parenthetical citation at the end of the quote, like this:
"(Author Name, Book Title, Page Number)." There is no need to provide a bibliography.
Do not go significantly over or under the word limit. Going significantly over is an indication that you were not able to summarize the material in the amount of words given, and going significantly under is an indication that you did not need the extra words due to your summary already including everything that is necessary to adequately articulate the positions.
Refer to Class Schedule for due date. Send the paper as an attachment to my email (see syllabus) by the due date and time. A late penalty will be applied to any paper turned in after this time. The penalty is: one third of a letter grade deduction for each day the paper is late. So, for example, if a paper is turned in at 8:15 AM the following morning, and if the paper without the late penalty is given the grade of B, it will become a B- due to its being turned in one day late.
Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Section A - Answer one from the following options
1. What is the most just type of society? What would it be like? Provide details of the institutions it would include, and how you would ensure fairness. Specify whether you would prioritize the value of freedom or prioritize the value of equality. Explain what could go wrong when we emphasize one of these values to the exclusion of the other, and vice versa.
2. Which of the many ethical theories we have discussed-Cultural Relativism, Divine Command Theory, Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, Virtue Ethics-is, in your opinion, the one that comes closest to getting it right? Why?
Section B - Answer one from the following options
1. Why is abortion considered a moral issue? What is Thomson's position on abortion? What is Marquis' position? Which is likelier to be right, in your judgment?
2. Give a detailed description of what euthanasia is (including a description of different types), and why it is a moral issue. What are the conditions a patient must satisfy in order to be seen as a legitimate candidate for euthanasia? What are the best arguments in favor of allowing it, and the best arguments in favor of prohibiting it?
3. What is it about drug use that makes it an ethical issue (as opposed to merely a legal issue)? Describe also what autonomy has to do with drug use. Make sure you go over in detail the arguments having to do with drugs being very harmful to users themselves, and drugs being very harmful to others.