Paper #1

A Significant Ethical Issue in …..

(Professional area to be selected by student based upon personal interest and knowledge)

A significant ethical issue confronting a professional field will be determined by the student.  It is expected that students will choose a field in which they expect to be involved upon graduation.  The issue should be specific enough that the student can fully describe and address it in the following ways:

Describe the issue in “lay-person” terms and provide definitions for any technical terminology being used.  This should be written as if it were to be published in a venue being read by practitioners in the field but also the interested public.

Define the issue in terms of its significance to the field (for example, has it always been an issue or is it of greater significance now and why? Is it an issue in the U.S. or developed countries, or western society, or is it universal?)  Are there potential ramifications if the issue is not addressed or is left unresolved?  What are they?

Describe various factual and normative arguments surrounding the issue from differing “sides”. Apply at least 3 ethical theories. This means thoroughly defining each theory with at least 2 separate, credible sources and then step by step explaining how the issue applies or rejects the ethical theory.

Identify the prominent representatives of each of the perspectives involved, i.e. who is voicing the argument?  What do they represent?  What do they base their views upon?  

What is your position?  Support your views with appropriate arguments from those presented.

Please use the “Paper #1 Worksheet” on Bb Paper Drop Box (above) to help you identify and prepare the topic you choose for the paper. Submit that worksheet by 2/16 at 11:59 pm.

THE MAIN POINT OF THE PAPER IS TO APPLY ETHICAL THEORIES (at least 3). FOLLOW THE RUBRIC, SYLLABUS GUIDELINES and APA BOOK FOR MAX POINTS.

1.

Identify 1 major ethical issue in your field that you would like to analyze (the area you intend to work in upon graduation)? Make sure it is a controversial topic and/or there is an ethical dilemma involved. Please describe briefly.

The ethical issue that I would like to analyze is Abortion. Although abortion is now legalized in many states, including California, but it has always been a controversial topic. There are still voices against abortion, regarding that abortion is considered a murder. And on the other side, others argued that any attempt to restrict abortion is considered to violate women’s right to privacy and physical self-determination.

2. Whose rights, needs, desires, views are being represented in the current debate of this issue?

Women should have the right to decide whether to keep the baby or not. And make choice that is best for them and the unborn baby, maybe they are not able to afford to take care of the baby.

3. Which ethical theory categories do these rights, needs, desires or views fall into (please discuss 3)? Can use Pp 2a and the Shafer-Landau book to help you get an overview of these theories. You should pick from:

Hedonism

Desire Satisfaction Theory

Divine Command Theory

Natural Law Theory

Ethical Egoism

(NOT Psychological Egoism)

Consequentialism or

Utilitarianism

Kantian Ethics

Virtue Ethics

Social Contract Theory

Ethical Relativism (can include Cultural Relativism)

a. 1st Ethical Theory:_______Ethical Egoism _____________

i. Briefly discuss how this theory relates to your topic identified in #1 above:

Ethical egoism is about acting in your own self-interest. Therefore, women can do what they think it is best for them when facing the pregnancy.

b. 2nd Ethical Theory: _____NEED ONE MORE____________

i. Briefly discuss how this theory relates to your topic identified in #1 above:

c. 3rd Ethical Theory: _________Desire Satisfaction Theory____________

i. Briefly discuss how this theory relates to your topic identified in #1 above:

Decision should be made based on desire, if pregnant women doesn’t want to have baby, then abortion should be their first choice.

Guidelines

Ethical arguments included in any chapter can be used in your papers. I am not looking for your opinion; I am looking for an ethical viewpoint. You can include any relevant personal experiences, graphs, charts, and any other information that may help you describe your moral dilemma. Be sure to include a minimum of 6 total sources using APA guidelines and include them in your references and citations to help you highlight your ethical theory application. Writing is expected to include critical thinking about how ethical theory and information from your references relate to each assignment topic.

Use “Google Scholarly” or the “Library Database” for additional sources (See “Research Guides” tab on the left column in Bb). Your sources MUST be credible. Do not use Wikipedia, dictionary, Pp, videos or questionable websites (points will be taken off).
DO NOT USE THE OPEN WEB.

All papers must be grammatically correct and all spelling must be correct. Please use spelling/grammar check before you submit and carefully proof for errors NOT caught previously.

See Rubric on left Tab in Bb for writing requirements. You will be completing 1 term paper. You are required to turn in your papers by the date/time listed in the Paper Drop Box tab. You will be able to see your percent similarity. If you submit early and it is over 30% you may resubmit your paper in the same box by the original due date/time (you will only have two total submissions per paper).

Plagiarism or # similarity above 30% will be penalized with a 0 on the paper. Plagiarism includes copying and pasting from another source, yourself or student paper as well as turning in another student’s paper that has been turned in before. This is why you need to review the APA book so that you cite correctly. If over 30%, please paraphrase more, direct quote less (or not at all) and include more of your own thought to reduce.

Papers Format/Guidelines:

FOLLOW RUBRIC on Bb and your APA book!

1,000+ word minimum

12 point font

Double spaced

One inch margins

Cover page (APA format)

Running head and page # (APA format)

Introduction and Conclusion (no abstract required)

At least 3 ethical theories applied (Pick from: Hedonism, Desire Satisfaction Theory, Divine Command Theory, Natural Law Theory, Ethical Egoism (NOT Psychological Egoism), Consequentialism or Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, Virtue Ethics, Social Contract Theory, Ethical Relativism (can include Cultural Relativism) – if you veer from this list, you MUST check with Prof. Hammack – failure to do so may result in 0 for that critical thinking section.

Headings for Intro, Conclusion, and each Ethical Theory (APA format)

Reference page (APA format)

Minimum 6 philosophical sources on Ethical Theory NOT the “topic” (DO NOT use Pp slides, videos or the Open Web). Only use the Shafer-Landau textbook and the CPP online library database with keyword search ex: “Ethical Egoism” or “Kantian Ethics” etc.

Ethical arguments included in any chapter can be used in your papers. I am not looking for your opinion; I am looking for an ethical viewpoint. You can include any relevant personal experiences, graphs, charts, and any other information that may help you describe your moral dilemma. Be sure to include a minimum of 6 total philosophical sources using APA guidelines and include them in your references and citations to help you highlight your ethical theory application. Writing is expected to include critical thinking about how ethical theory and information from your references relate to your chosen topic.

A really good way to appraoch each critical thinking section is to 1.) clearly explain/define the ethical theory you will be applying with 2 separate sources on ethical theory. These should be philosophical in nature (No Open Web and not on topic). Then bring in the topic you selected and analyze that ethical dilemma from the perspective of that ethical theory. (see RUBRIC)

All papers must be grammatically correct and all spelling must be correct. Please use spelling/grammar check before you submit and carefully proof for errors NOT caught previously.

All papers must be submitted through Blackboard in “Paper Drop Box” tab by clicking on the turnitin link ON TIME. DO NOT EMAIL FINAL PAPERS to professor’s email. Do NOT wait until the last minute to submit. Sometimes, students encounter issues in submission – no exceptions for late submissions, if you have difficulty submitting, it’s probably YOUR computer. Do not email the professor with technical submission problems. If you are having a problem, consider using a computer on campus.

Do’s and Dont’s:

Do use citations that are philosophical in nature and support the definition of the ethical theory you are applying

Do NOT use citations on topic of GMOs, etc.

Do include two citations minimum per ethical theory section. Must have a total of 6 unique sources for the paper. You may re-use sources throughout the paper BUT you will only be given credit for them once.

Do use the Shafer-Landau textbook and the CPP online library (philosophical article search by keyword ex: ethical egoism, social contract theory, etc.)

Do NOT use the Open Web for citations

Do cite only 1 source per sentence

Do not cite 2 or more sources in one sentence. Split citations from different sources into their own sentence to make it clear what content in that sentence relates to the source.

Do stick to discussing/applying 1 ethical theory in each section. Resist the urge to bounce back and forth and discuss a different ethical theory in another’s critical thinking section.

Do follow the RUBRIC

Even though APA does not require, I appreciate including the page # after last name and year in the in-text citations.

0 Unacceptable

No ethical theory application.

No ethical theory application.

APA format, see example paper starting on page 48 in the APA book, no abstract page required (Major penalties for not using the APA book). 30% MAXIMUM Similarity. Points off or No credit for papers exceeding the maximum threshold.