Intro to Philosophy
Ethics: Written Assessment
Sixty Points
Directions: Using the following three steps, you will analyze and evaluate an ethical issue, an ethical
theory, and present your perspective on the issue. Provided you sufficiently respond to each section, you
are not held to a specific word count or organization style.
I.
Ethical Issue: (Twenty Points)
This step requires you to select one ethical issue. It may be an issue that we have explored
in class, or one of your choice that has not been studied in this class. As thoroughly and
articulately as possible, you will:
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II.
Define the issue. (i.e. What is euthanasia?)
Explain why the issue is an ethically controversial one by presenting (at least) two
sides of the issue.
Include arguments used to justify each side of the issue.
Whenever possible, specify the areas of the issue that are most central to ethical
disagreement (i.e. At what point during pregnancy does human life actually begin?)
This section does NOT require you to explain or defend your own position on the
issue; you are taking an objective look at the issue itself.
Your writing will be assessed on how thoroughly you present your understanding of
the issue, your presentation of why it is an ethically debatable issue, and how clearly
you can present the opposing viewpoints (as well as the justification used to support
each).
Ethical System: (Twenty Points)
This step requires you to select one ethical system that we have studied (either Egoism,
Utilitarianism, or Kantian Ethics [The Categorical Imperative]). As thoroughly and
articulately as possible, you will:
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Explain what the ethical system is and how it works.
Ethically evaluate your chosen issue (from section one) through the lens of this
system (i.e. How would Utilitarianism approach the issue of business ethics?)
Arrive at a conclusion (where would your chosen system stand on the issue). This
conclusion must be supported by applying specific principles/ procedures of your
chosen system to specific aspects of the issue. (i.e. Kant’s Categorical Imperative
would oppose abortion because, “if everybody had an abortion all of the time, the
human race would die off. Therefore it could not be a universal norm.”)
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III.
Your writing will be assessed on how accurately and thoroughly you present the
ethical system, as well as the degree to which your examples (from the ethical
system) support your claims (about what the ethical system would say about the
issue)
Personal Response: (Twenty Points)
This step asks your own ethical perspective on the issue (from section one).
Regardless of the position your chosen ethical system arrives at, what is your personal
view on the issue? How did you arrive at this position? Could there be any logical flaws
with your reasoning? If so, what are they and how can you reconcile your perspective
with these potential inconsistencies?
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Your writing will be assessed on how well you support your position with logically
sound , cogent arguments, personal conviction, or other (justifiable) means.