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:

1,000+ word minimum (12 point and double spaced, one inch margins, cover page, no abstract page, and reference page).  Ethical arguments included in any chapter or Pp 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 5 total sources and include them in your references and citings to help you highlight your topic.  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 Library Research Tab on the Left in Bb). Do not use Wikipedia, dictionary, or a website (points will be taken off).

Papers must have a minimum of three ethical theory subheadings such as: Moral Universalism, Utilitarianism, Consequentialism, Kantian Ethics, Social Contract Theory, Intuitionism, Virtue Ethics, Feminist Ethics, Moral Nihilism, and/or Ethical Explorations, Ethical Provocations, Conflicts as Creative Opportunities. You may also use other ethical theory subheadings. Papers must also have an Introduction section and a Conclusion section with a subheading.

Must be grammatically correct and all spelling must be correct.

The paper must be about
A Significant Ethical Issue in …..
(Professional area to be selected by you<as student> based upon personal interest and knowledge)
A significant ethical issue confronting a professional field will be determined by the student<you>.  It is expected that you will choose a field in which they expect to be involved upon graduation.  The issue should be specific enough that you 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.

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 “Issues Worksheet” that I provided below to help you write the paper.

Paper #1 Issue Worksheet

This worksheet is designed to help you prepare to write Paper #1.

1.    What is a major ethical issue in your field?
2.    Whose rights, needs, desires, views are being represented in the current debate that you know of?
3.    Which ethical theory categories do these rights, needs, desires or views fall into (please discuss at least 3)?
4.    What is your stance on this issue?
5.    What points would you make in representing your viewpoint to someone who holds an opposing view?