PHI208 WEEK FIVE ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE WEEK FIVE ASSIGNME.docx
- 1. PHI208: WEEK FIVE ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE WEEK FIVE ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE Notes and Advice This paper is a demonstration of what you have learned about moral reasoning based on our examining of ethical theories and specific ethical issues. As such, you should focus your attention on carefully spelling out the reasoning that supports your conclusion, and relating that to the theories we have discussed in class. You are free to write on the same topic and question you wrote on in previous papers or choose a different topic and question. If you choose a different topic, you would benefit from going through the Week One Assignment exercises. For a list of acceptable topics to start with, see the options from the list of topics available in the online course. If you are still unsure of your topic or of how properly to focus it into a relevant ethical question, you are strongly encouraged to
- 2. consult with your instructor. You are free to draw upon the work you did in previous papers, and reuse parts that you feel were strong, but you are not to simply recycle the previous papers. This paper should reflect the culmination of the development of your thoughts on this issue, and many of the requirements for the final paper cannot be satisfied by a heavily recycled paper. The consideration of an objection against your own view is a way of showing that your view has the support of good reasons and can answer its strongest objections. Therefore, aim at identifying and addressing the strongest opposing argument you can, bearing in mind that a good thesis should be able to respond to the best arguments for the other side. Thesis Statement The thesis statement is more than just a position statement of the sort you provided in the first assignment; rather, it states the position and the primary reasons in such a way that the reader should have a clear sense of how the reasons support the position, which is what will be spelled out and explained in the body of the paper. Please see the handout on thesis statements available in the online course.
- 3. Checklist This checklist can help you ensure that you have completed all of the assignment instructions. PHI208: WEEK FIVE ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE Make sure that you describes the ethical problem (including the most relevant issues), summarizes your procedure in the paper, and concludes with your thesis statement. you think is the best way to reason about this issue, and show as clearly and persuasively as you can how that reasoning supports your position. examined in the course. jection against your position that you can imagine being raised by someone holding a contrary position.
- 4. your own view can withstand it. d in the paper and offers some final reflections, including a revised statement of the thesis. acceptable primary sources for that theory (for a total of two). er resources from the required or recommended readings and media or scholarly sources found in the Ashford University Library. resources page. Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment. http://managedcourse.next.ecollege.com/pub/content/d8683201- d88c-4dc9-932c- ab1d0dc65225/PHI208.W5.GradingRubricFinal.pdfWEEK FIVE ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCENotes and AdviceThesis
- 5. StatementChecklist Bradley J. Thames PHI208: THESIS STATEMENTS Ashford University THESIS STATEMENTS This guide is intended to help you construct a strong thesis statement for an ethics paper. But it should not take the place of the resources provided through the Ashford Writing Center, especially when using those resources is part of the assignment instructions. The Thesis Generator is a helpful resource that can be found by going to the Ashford Writing Center at awc.ashford.edu. Look under the "Writing Resources" tab, then under "Writing Tools,” and click on "Thesis Generator.” For additional help on crafting a good thesis statement, look under the "Writing Resources" tab, then under "Essay Development,” and click on "Thesis Statements.” The thesis serves as the backbone of your paper. Or if you like, it states the central idea of the paper, around which everything else revolves. Every part of your paper is meant to in some way explain and defend that thesis. So it’s really important to construct a thesis that is focused enough that you can defend it in the space given to your paper, and for that
- 6. thesis to be clear, concrete and specific, and to include a statement of the primary reasons for that position. So let’s look at some examples of some strong and some weaker theses. We’re going to be looking at topics that are not under the list of options, but you can use them as models for how to construct a thesis on the topic that you choose from this list. First, you will be presented with a weak thesis statement, and then, you should try to think about why it’s weak and what might make it stronger before reading the explanation. 1. Weak Thesis Abortion is a really tough issue that has sparked a lot of controversy and debate for over four decades, and there are many good arguments on both sides. What makes it weak? No position. In other words, you don’t really tell me what your stand is on this issue; you simply reiterate that it is an ethically important issue, which should already be obvious. Be sure that your thesis clearly states your position.
- 7. Some Stronger Alternatives • Even though abortion involves taking the life of a biologically human creature, its relative lack of development, considered in comparison to the burdens a woman may face in carrying it to term, means that abortion may be morally justified in some cases, and that is a determination that should be left up to the individual woman to make with the full support of the law. Bradley J. Thames PHI208: THESIS STATEMENTS Ashford University • Anytime there is uncertainty about whether a class of beings is human, a liberal democratic society should always err on the side of humanity, thus we should consider fetuses to be human and criminalize most cases of abortion. These statements specify the position that the person takes and provide a concise statement of the primary reasons for that position. They also limit themselves to one particular
- 8. aspect of this wide and complex debate. Compare that with the next thesis. 2. Weak Thesis Racism is a problem in this country because blacks are treated as inferiors, there is too much prejudice within law enforcement, and there are many racist stereotypes in the media and popular culture. What makes it weak? Too broad. While each of these points is worth considering, it would be impossible to adequately defend all of these claims within the scope of a single paper. It is important to make sure that the claim being defended is narrow and focused enough that you can adequately defended it in the space provided by the assignment. Remember that it is better to be narrow and deep, rather than broad and shallow. Some Stronger Alternatives • When we examine rates of incarceration and instances of police brutality, we find that people of color are targeted at much higher rates than whites, and this reveals an inherent racism within the criminal justice
- 9. system that is unjust and demands substantial and concerted efforts to change. • While some people may find the image of the “Mammy” character in literature, media, and advertising to be warm and comforting, it reinforces the idea that the “proper place” of the black woman is in a servile position, which in turn supports a conception of the inherent inferiority of blacks that conflicts with the notion that all humans are inherently equal. Notice how each of these theses limits itself to one of the many ways in which racism might be a force in society. Moreover, it doesn't simply describe the sociological facts; it also includes a clear ethical claim, i.e., a claim that invokes conceptions of value, right and wrong, and so forth. Compare that with the next thesis. 3. Weak Thesis Placing more restrictions on gun ownership will make it much harder for potential criminals to have access to guns.
- 10. Bradley J. Thames PHI208: THESIS STATEMENTS Ashford University What makes it weak? Not an ethical thesis. The claim made by this thesis statement is a sociological one, not an ethical one, strictly speaking; in other words, it is a claim about what effects on society certain policies will most likely have. An ethical thesis would state the ethical significance of that claim, if it were true. The truth of the claim may mean that we have a responsibility to impose tighter restrictions on gun ownership, but it may not. Whether or not it does depends on how that fact relates to our conceptions of ethical value and moral responsibility. Some Stronger Alternatives • While supporters of gun control are correct in holding that there should be some restrictions on gun ownership, I will argue that restrictions similar to those in many European countries would cause more harm than it would prevent if implemented in the United States, given how many people in our society depend upon guns for protection.
- 11. • While tighter gun control measures might mean that some people will not be able to engage as freely in certain leisure activities like sport hunting and target shooting, the fact that human life itself is far more valuable than such activities and that lives that would be saved by tighter gun control measures justifies the inconvenience such measures would cause for a few people. In the first case, the thesis appeals to the idea that our moral responsibility is to ensure the greatest good and least harm. In the second case, it appeals to the ethical idea that the value of human life itself outweighs the value of any particular enjoyments within that life. These ideas are all debatable, as are the sociological facts, but the relation between the two is the focus of the thesis; the body of the paper would be focused on defending these debatable claims. 4. Weak Thesis I believe that doctors have an obligation to always respect the rights of their patients. What makes it weak?
- 12. Too vague about some of the key terms. Watch out for terms like “rights” and “respect” and others that can mean many different things. You want to instead be as specific as you can. In the alternatives below, notice how the “rights” in question are specified, and what it means to “respect” a patient (and what it doesn’t mean) are also clarified. Some Stronger Alternatives • A patient always has the right to be told the truth by his or her doctor so that he or she can make the most informed decisions, even when telling the truth results in greater harm than good. Bradley J. Thames PHI208: THESIS STATEMENTS Ashford University • A patient has the right to the most effective form of treatments possible from her doctor, and if a doctor believes that a patient will be better treated if they aren’t aware of the whole situation, then it is permissible for the doctor to lie.
- 13. 5. Weak Thesis Criminals are scourges on society and it’s ridiculous to think they deserve to keep living. What makes it weak? Too extreme, indefensible, uses inflammatory language. This is a formal philosophical essay, not a screed, not a Facebook post or blog comment, not a conversation among friends. Make sure your position can be adequately defended with reasons and evidence, and that you maintain a respectful, formal tone. Some Stronger Alternatives • When someone knowingly and deliberately takes the life of someone else without just cause, the only kind of punishment that truly fits that crime and satisfies the demands of justice is to have his or her own life taken in return. • It is never right to take the life of an innocent person, and since there is always a possibility that we might execute an innocent person, capital punishment is not justified.
- 14. 6. Weak Thesis Everyone has their own religious beliefs, and who are we to force them to pray if they don’t want to? What makes it weak? Rhetorical question, not a statement. Remember that this is a thesis statement. In fact, avoid using rhetorical questions anywhere in your essay. Ideas are almost always communicated much more clearly and precisely when they are stated positively and directly. Some Stronger Alternatives • Since public prayer implicitly expresses an endorsement of religious belief, officially sanctioned prayer in public schools constitutes a violation of religious freedom and should not be allowed. • While official school prayers are a violation of religious freedom, banning any student-led prayer gathering on campus grounds is equally a violation of religious freedom.
- 15. Bradley J. Thames PHI208: THESIS STATEMENTS Ashford University Again, remember that a thesis announces your position, and it is something you can argue for. I should know what conclusion you will be trying to defend on this topic, and the primary reasons supporting that conclusion. And for ethics papers, the thesis should have a clear ethical statement to make. In sum, you should avoid a thesis statement that 1. Doesn’t state the position clearly and directly. 2. Is too broad. 3. Does not state an ethical claim. 4. Is too vague. 5. Is extreme, indefensible, or uses inflammatory language. 6. Uses rhetorical questions. When you have constructed your thesis, run through these examples and consider whether your thesis statement makes any of these mistakes. If it does, try to revise it, and if you are unsure or are having trouble, please consult your instructor. THESIS STATEMENTS
- 16. LIST OF ACCEPTABLE PRIMARY RESOURCES FOR THE WEEK THREE ASSIGNMENT AND WEEK FIVE FINAL PAPER These are the primary resources that you can cite when explaining a moral theory in order to fulfill the relevant portion of the resources requirement. * Indicates readings included in the “Required Readings” portion of the course. Utilitarianism *Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism, in the original version in the textbook, or in the version by Jonathan Bennett. Retrieved from www.earlymoderntexts.com • See the guidance for the required portions of the text. Haines, W. (n.d.). Consequentialism. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/conseque/ Singer, P. (2003). Voluntary euthanasia: A utilitarian perspective. Bioethics, 17(5/6), 526-541.
- 17. Deontology *Kant, Immanuel. Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals in the original version in the textbook, or in the version by Jonathan Bennett. Retrieved from www.earlymoderntexts.com • See the guidance for the required portions of the text. O’Neill, O. (1993). A simplified account of Kant’s ethics. In T. Regan (Ed.) Matters of Life and Death, 411-415. Retrieved from http://users.manchester.edu/Facstaff/SSNaragon/Online/texts/20 1/O'Neill, Kant.pdf Virtue Ethics *Aristotle. (1931). Nicomachean ethics. (W.D. Ross, Trans.). Oxford, GBR: Clarendon Press. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8438/pg8438.html • See the guidance for the required portions of the text. Hursthouse, R. (2012). Virtue ethics. In E. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/ MacIntyre, A. (1984). After virtue. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press. • Chapters 14-15 are included in Chapter 6 of the text.
- 18. 1 http://insite.bridgepoint.local/dept/ops/pni/Navigator%20Images /Ashford%20Logo%20New.jpg Feminist/Care Ethics *Held, V. “Feminist transformations of moral theory.” • Included in Chapter 6 of the text. See the guidance for the required portions of the text. *Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Retrieved from https://lms.manhattan.edu/pluginfile.php/26517/mod_resource/c ontent/1/Gilligan In a Different Voice.pdf. *Noddings, N. (2010). Maternal factor: Two paths to morality. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. (213-220) (Ebook) 2 http://insite.bridgepoint.local/dept/ops/pni/Navigator%20Images /Ashford%20Logo%20New.jpgLIST OF ACCEPTABLE PRIMARY RESOURCES FOR THE WEEK THREE ASSIGNMENT AND WEEK FIVE FINAL
- 19. PAPERUtilitarianismDeontologyVirtue EthicsFeminist/Care Ethics Running head: SHORTENED TITLE The Title of the Paper First name Last name PHI 208 Ethics and Moral Reasoning Prof. Heraclitus of Ephesus January 1, 2014 SHORTENED TITLE 2 Title Begin with the ethical question you are addressing. The rest of your first paragraph should introduce the topic by briefly but precisely discussing the concrete topic under which this question falls, including any necessary context, background information, etc. This should draw upon your work in the Week One Assignment, but should be more succinct and reflect the development of your understanding of
- 20. those ideas throughout the course, as well as any revision, narrowing, and focusing of the problem under consideration. Your introduction should include a preview of what you plan to do in the paper, and how you will proceed. Conclude your introductory paragraph with a thesis statement that states your position on the question and the primary reasons in such a way that the reader should have a clear sense of how the reasons support the position, which is what will be spelled out and explained in the body of the paper. Demonstration Moral Reasoning This section of the Final Paper is more open-ended than other parts of the papers you have been working on (including other parts of this paper). By now you will have seen how moral reasoning involves moving back and forth between general ideas, such as principles, rules, values, purposes and ends, and so forth, and particular concrete judgments. We have examined different forms that can take, where the general ideas
- 21. might be utilitarian principles, deontological duties, or Aristotelian ideas about the human telos and the virtues. Your job here is demonstrate that you have acquired a sense of how that kind of reasoning proceeds, and that you have understood and considered the examples that were studied in the class. SHORTENED TITLE 3 Along the way, you will need to relate what you are doing to these other theories. For example, you might be taking a utilitarian approach, or an Aristotelian one, and would make reference to Mill or Aristotle in the course of doing so, and contrast your approach with Kant’s. Or you might model your approach on the reasoning of one of the contemporary readings that dealt with specific issues. Also, you will likely need to provide factual evidence to support the movement from general ideas to concrete particulars. Objection and Response
- 22. Each of the assignments involved examining a possible objection to the main argument, and this paper will do so as well, but follow up with a response to the objection. An objection articulates a plausible reason why someone might find the argument weak or problematic. Or it might raise a consideration supporting a rival position, or a counter- example that seems to go against certain claims you have made. You should explain how it represents and objection, and do so in a way that would be acceptable to someone who disagrees with your own argument. You would then provide the best response you can to the objection, showing as clearly and persuasively as you can how it does not undermine your position, without simply making the same argument you have already made over again (that is, your response should say something new). Conclusion Provide a conclusion that sums up what you showed in the paper and offers some final reflections, including a revised statement of the thesis (do
- 23. not simply repeat your thesis, but rephrase it in light of the discussion you just had). SHORTENED TITLE 4 Total Word Count: 1500 to 2000 words (note: that’s at least twice as long as this outline). SHORTENED TITLE 5 References Required: Primary text in support of theory 1, drawn from the list of acceptable resources. Required: Primary text in support of theory 2, drawn from the list of acceptable resources. Required: Scholarly resource drawn from either the required or recommended readings or from the Ashford University Library. Required: Scholarly resource drawn from either the Required or Recommended
- 24. Resources or from the Ashford University Library. Suggested: Other resources as needed. Note that resources must be cited in the text as well as included in the bibliography to satisfy the requirement. The textbook and guidance do not count toward the resources requirement, though you are free to use them as additional resources.