ETHICAL TOPIC ANALYSIS (ETA) are designed to analyze the different philosophical topics presented in the course. Each of the ETA assignments should be submitted as a 3-page, double-spaced paper, not including the title and reference pages. Please keep paper submissions to no more than 5 pages. The paper needs at least one-inch margins and is to have a title and reference page (APA Style Manual). The ETA paper should include a minimum of three credible, unbiased sources such as the course textbook, academic journals, newspapers, magazines, etc. NO Wikipedia. The ETA papers should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, in a Times New Roman 12 font format. Each of the ETA papers listed below are an assignment. In other words, ETA 1 requirements are listed after number 1 and ETA 2 requirements are listed after number 2, etc. Each ETA assignment is worth 12 points.
Students are required to write an in-depth essay (3-5 pages, excluding title and reference page) utilizing the SEE-I method of analysis (see Brightspace-Content-Course Resources-Additional Course Materials-SEE-I Handout pg. 1). Choose one of the following topics from the textbook (Chapter 4 Ethical Egoism, Chapter 5 Utilitarianism, Chapter 6 Ethics of Duty-Kant or Chapter 7 Ethics of Rights) listed below:
Chapter 4 – When do you act purely out of self-interest? Do you ever sacrifice your own interests for those of others? Discuss the contrast between these. Do your answers reinforce or provide difficulty for holding ethical egoism as a viable normative theory?
Chapter 5 – According to Utilitarianism, the end justifies the means. Can you think of a time when you justified some action in order to achieve what you saw to be a greater good not only for yourself but for others? Can you apply this to the behavior of a large scale institution such as a corporation, church, government, or school (i.e., grammar, high school, college, university)? Choose one and discuss (i.e., corporation, church, government, school).
Chapter 6 – Most of us live by rules. What are the most important rules you live by? What were the most important rules in your family? Could you will those rules to be universal? What rules have you rejected as you have gotten older? Discuss.
Chapter 7 – In 1759 Benjamin Franklin said “those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” After 9/11 the US Government passed the Homeland Security Act aimed at preventing further terrorist acts but at the same time giving the government the right greatly to curtail many of our rights of privacy and freedom. Have you ever felt your own or the rights of family and friends disregarded or trampled by the government? On the other hand have you had occasion to appreciate the safety net that the government provides in supporting your rights? Discuss.
Paper Format
All papers are to be submitted in a Microsoft Word format (see Content – Web links – Free Microsoft Office for free Microsoft Word Download).
Papers are to be double-spaced even between paragraphs with a minimum of 1-inch margins.
Times New Roman font, size 12.
Paragraphs are to be indented one tab.
Papers should include a title page.
Latest edition of APA format required (see Content – Web links – Purdue OWL APA Style Manual for in-text citations, quotations, paraphrases, reference page, etc.).