GUIDELINES FOR THE ETHICS PAPER
The final course requirement for Ethics is a final paper on applied ethics, of approximately 5-8 pp. in length. This paper should be a statement and defense of what you think about some controversial moral and/or social issue.
The final paper will be graded primarily along the following criteria:
Having a clear and identifiable thesis statement
Provision of support for that thesis statement through arguments and/or evidence. Most of the grade will be based on this element, so be sure to elaborate your arguments and evidence fully.
Standard term paper guidelines. I expect the paper to be proofread for spelling and grammar. I expect the paper to be structured and organizedtreat it no differently than you would treat a paper for a composition course. If you need help with this, please use the Writing Center. It is a great resource, and the people there are trained to help you at any stage of productioneven picking a topic.
o It must be a 12 pt font and either Arial or Times New Roman setting.
o The first page is to be arranged as follows:
No title page, please.
No covers, page protectors, etc.
The title in the top center of the page
Your name, class name, instructors name, name of school and date must appear in the top left hand corner of the paper.
The page requirement refers to the body of the paper.
You must have page numbers at the bottom center of each page.
Some general guidelines to follow:
Pick a topic where you feel there is room for reasonable disagreement.
Defend what you really think. Dont feel the need to pigeon-hole yourself into a preset option on your topic. If what you really think is Capital punishment should be allowed only to punish crimes against humanity, THIS is what you should defend.
Since this paper is a defense and not solely of what YOU think, outside sources are required. They are useful for providing data, arguments, and opposing ideas. You will find it useful to use outside sources, including research studies or statistical data, be sure to cite them. MLA styles is required; see the Writing Center if you need citation guidelines.
It will be of use to you to address potential objections, recognizing weaknesses and potential objections will always make the paper better as it indicates the level of serious thought put into the paper.
Avoid replacing arguments with examples. Use examples to illustrate a general claim, not as a replacement for them. Examples by themselves tend toward selection bias and hasty generalizations.
I am interested in content, not clever rhetorical flourish. Thus, avoid filler material, especially at the beginning of the paper. No paper should start with anything like Abortion is one of the most controversial issues facing us today or Since the beginning of time, man has wondered whether Write for a reasonably well educated audience.
Paper Format and Procedure
1. Select an ethical issue from contemporary society that you would like to explore, a problem, case study, etc. You may obtain the issue from class discussion, your text, news, magazines, etc
2. Identify why this is an ethical issue
3. Identify the factors, beliefs, situations, or issues regarding the pro and con sides of the issue.
4. Explore the background, history behind the issue. i.e. if discussing a company discuss the background of the company.
5. Apply the moral theories to the issue to determine is the situation morally justified or not, and why?
6. Case studies are always useful.
7. Conclude the paper with your educated thoughts and opinions regarding this issue. Pick a position and explain why! This section should contain references to your reading and study concerning the topic and should be presented in a cogent, logical piece of writing. This paragraph is an important section of the paper as it indicates your thinking process and explains how you developed your conclusions.
8. You must use a minimum of 3 academic source materials for references. (articles, textbooks, etc)
9. Use the textbook, the readings from the Web, and any additional sources to help you.
10. You must have a reference page for this paper listing at least three sources. Please title the page Works Cited
Possible Topics (By General Topic Area)
Animal Rights
Is genetically modifying animals for greater food productivity permissible?
Is animal cloning morally permissible?
Do we owe moral obligations to non-human animals?
Should we be vegetarians?
What are the limits of permissible scientific testing on animals?
Do zoos violate animal rights or welfare?
Is hunting morally permissible?
Is genetically modifying domestic animals for cosmetic purposes morally permissible?
Business Ethics
When, if ever, is whistle blowing morally permissible?
To whom does a business owe responsibility?
Are employment-at-will contracts just?
Should businesses be required to provide child-care services?
Are affirmative action policies in hiring morally acceptable?
Is deceptive advertising morally permissible?
Are deception and bluffing in business deals morally acceptable?
What are the ethical obligations or salespeople?
Are sweatshops morally permissible?
Do businesses have obligations to try to prevent misuse of their products?
Should there be harsher penalties for white collar crimes?
Is it permissible to have lower safety standards in overseas plants?
Capital Punishment
Should capital punishment be allowed for the mentally ill or handicapped?
Should capital punishment be allowed for minors?
How, if at all, should capital punishment be used in international law?
Economic Justice
Should the U.S. have a living wage requirement?
Is the great distribution of income and wealth in the U.S. just?
What obligations does the state owe to the poor in our country?
What obligations do the people and/or government of wealthy nations owe to the people of poorer nations?
Should foreign aid be dependent on value judgments about other societies?
Should foreign aid be dependent on political alliances?
Should we use taxation to redistribute wealth?
Should Social Security be privatized?
Should we recognize a right to work?
Is capitalism a just system?
What reparations (if any) does the federal government owe African-Americans for slavery?
What reparations (if any) does the federal government owe Native Americans for genocide and theft of land?
Environmental Ethics
What obligations, if any, do we owe toward endangered species?
Should recycling programs be mandatory?
What obligations, if any, do we have regarding environmental preservation?
Should the U.S. bear the primary responsibility for reducing hydrocarbons and other pollutants as the Kyoto Protocol recommends?
Do human development needs ever trump conservationism?
Is it permissible to pay foreign nations or Native American reservations to use their land for disposing of hazardous substances?
Family and Relationships
Is sex selection morally permissible?
Should same-sex marriage be recognized?
Is it permissible to deny homosexuals the opportunity to adopt?
Should prospective parents be licensed?
What obligations do we owe to elderly or infirm parents?
What obligations do we owe to future generations?
Health Care Ethics
Is there a morally important difference between passive and active euthanasia?
Are euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide permissible for patients that are NOT terminally ill?
Is there ever an obligation to die?
Can we permissibly involuntarily hospitalize people that are mentally ill or handicapped?
When (if ever) is it permissible to breach patient confidentiality?
How much control should the patient have over his/her medical treatment?
Is it ever permissible to lie to patients?
Should there be some form of socialized health care?
What obligations do researchers owe to experimental participants?
Should parents be allowed to enroll their children in potentially dangerous or treatment-denying medical research?
Should physicians personally opposed to abortion or euthanasia be required to provide these services?
Who (if anyone) should have the right to deny treatment deemed medically futile?
Is triage morally permissible?
Is embryonic stem cell research morally permissible?
Should age be a determinant of who receives medical treatment?
Should organ transplantation be denied or delayed in cases where the patient is responsible for his/her own condition?
Should we pay people for blood and/or organ donations?
Should minors be allowed to make their own medical decisions?
Should minors be denied treatment on the basis of their parents religious beliefs?
International Politics
Should the United States join the International Court of Justice?
Is a world governing body desirable?
Is diplomatic immunity just?
When (if ever) is it permissible to spy on a foreign government?
When (if ever) is it permissible to support revolutionary movements in foreign nations?
When (if ever) is it permissible to engage in political assassination?
How should prisoners of war or enemy combatants be treated?
Is there an obligation to remain informed about human rights abuses and other crimes against humanity?
Morality, Religion and the Law
Should the law reflect the moral or religious values of a community?
Is it ever permissible for the state to publicly support a religious view?
Should there be references to God in the Pledge of Allegiance and other public creeds?
Can lawmakers appeal to religious beliefs to support legislation?
Should the law make exceptions for the practices of religious minorities?
When (if ever) is civil disobedience permissible?
Is there a moral obligation to vote?
Should there be Bad Samaritan laws?
Personal Liberties
Is suicide ever morally permissible?
What obligations do we owe to someone contemplating suicide?
Should taking the Pledge of Allegiance ever be mandatory?
Should hate speech be protected?
When and where (if ever) can public smoking be prohibited?
Should recreational marijuana (or other currently illegal drug) use be legalized?
Are random drug tests permissible?
Should performance-enhancing drugs be prohibited for professional athletes?
Should the U.S. outlaw Holocaust denial?
Are laws that protect us from our own dangerous behaviors (such as seatbelt or helmet laws) morally acceptable?
Is it ever permissible to censor art?
Are maternal fetal abuse laws morally acceptable?
What medical, psychiatric or genetic information (if any) should be available to employers?
Should employers be allowed to require or forbid certain behaviors by their employees in their private lives?
What moral responsibilities do I owe myself?
Should scientific or academic research be guided by moral principles?
Reproduction
Should third parties be required to pay for assisted reproduction?
Should third parties be required to pay for birth control?
Should abortion be allowed for fetuses that have serious genetic defects?
Who (if anyone) should be required to submit to in vitro diagnosis?
Is it ever wrongful to reproduce?
Is human embryonic cloning morally permissible?
Should minors be required to have parental consent to obtain birth control?
Should minors be required to have parental consent to obtain an abortion?
Should we allow postmenopausal women equal access to assisted reproduction?
Is paid surrogacy morally acceptable?
Are population control measures ever morally acceptable?
Should pharmacists personally opposed to birth control or abortion be required to dispense these medications?
Is it ever permissible to use genetic engineering (eugenics) on human beings?
Can we permissibly require a pregnant woman to have a caesarian section if doing so is needed to secure the life or health of the fetus?
Sexuality
Should the federal or state governments support programs that advocate abstinence?
Is premarital sex morally permissible?
Is adultery ever morally permissible?
Are sadomasochistic sexual behaviors morally acceptable?
Are same-sex sexual relationships morally permissible?
Are laws against sodomy just?
Are there any forms of pornography that should be censored?
Is pornography sexist?
Is prostitution morally permissible? (You focus on the prostitute, the john, or both.)
Under what conditions (if any) is it permissible to discriminate against people on the basis of sexual orientation?
Should third parties be required to pay for sex reassignment?
War, Terrorism and Humanitarian Intervention
Can terrorism ever be morally justified?
Should rights ever be curtailed in times of war?
Should rights ever be curtailed if it aids in the war on terrorism?
When (if ever) is it permissible to declare war?
Is unwanted humanitarian intervention ever permissible?
Is torture ever morally permissible?
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