General Instructions: Write a paper, 1,200 – 1,600 words, on the topic below, which is to be turned in to Canvas on the date specified in the syllabus using a file type compatible with MS Word. The paper should have a typical essay formatting.
Topic: In Unit 3 of the course, we have been reading texts that discuss three significant alternatives to traditional ethical theories. The task of this essay is to compare Kant’s deontology and one ethical perspective from Unit 3 in order to answer a new guiding question about a new topic (different from Essay 1). In other words, you will be analyzing a topic from the perspective of two different ethical theories. Therefore, this essay will involve both the application of theory and a comparison of those applications and their results. You will build from one theory to the next, so that the first theory is in conversation with the second theory.
To begin, you will need to:
Give yourself time to write this essay and read the directions very carefully! Don’t lose points for missing a basic requirement.
Choose a topic with an interesting ethical dimension. This topic should be different from the topic in your first essay (unless you get explicit approval from me).
Compose a guiding question about the topic that will give your essay a particular direction.
Consider how Kant’s deontological ethics can help you answer your guiding question. Choose a second ethical perspective from Unit 3 that you can put in conversation with Kant’s perspective and that can help you answer your guiding question. Think through the application of these theories and plan your essay.
Please note that the lecture content for this course is not the kind of source that it would be appropriate to quote and cite in an essay like this.
Guidelines:
The length requirement for this essay is 1,200 – 1,600 words. Make sure you manage your space effectively and don’t shortchange the ethical theories. Each ethical theory needs to be (1) explained, (2) applied, and (3) for the second theory, compared to the first theory. Make strategic decisions about what information and ideas are most vital for executing your argument for your guiding question. A few things explained well is far better than many things explained quickly.
Ethical Perspectives:
First perspective: Kant’s deontology. In preparation for writing, you will need to consider how you would answer your guiding question on the deontological assumption that the moral rightness or wrongness of actions is determined by the agent’s motives for acting. Consider following the Categorical Imperative and respecting the autonomy of persons as the proper standards for evaluating actions. Decide how those standards relate to the particular question you are posing, what you think the results of applying Kant’s theory would be, and what (if any) challenges you find in trying to apply that standard to come up with a definitive answer to your question. You must use at least one quote from the primary text (Kant) as textual support for your explanation of the ethical theory. Don’t forget to do a citation for your quote.
Second perspective: One ethical perspective from Unit 3. Choose either: 1. feminist ethics and the value of care (Gilligan), 2. ethical relativism (Benedict), or 3. moral nihilism (Shafer-Landau). To be clear, only pick one of these three theories for your second comparative perspective. Decide how the standards in the ethical theory relate to the particular question you are posing, what you think the results of applying that theory would be, and what (if any) challenges you find in trying to apply that standard to come up with a definitive answer to your question. You must use at least one quote from the primary text (Gilligan, Benedict, or Shafer-Landau) as textual support for your explanation of the ethical theory. Don’t forget to do a citation for your quote.
Sources:
For this essay you are required to use two primary sources: Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals and one primary text from Unit 3 (either Gilligan for feminist ethics, Benedict for ethical relativism, or Shafer-Laundau for moral nihilism). You must use at least one quote from each primary source. Quotes will be included in your word count, but only up to 100 words (so long as you are using quotes of a reasonable length, you shouldn’t be worrying about this). Don’t forget to do citations for your quotes.
You are also required to use at least one secondary source, but no more than two secondary sources. This research will be necessary for describing the issue you have chosen and establishing the ethical dimensions that you will be analyzing philosophically. These 1-2 secondary sources can be news articles, books, interviews, or speeches and must be found in reputable publications. In other words, they must be scholarly or journalistic sources. This means you cannot use Wikipedia, Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Blogs, or Sparknotes (or the like).
Organization:
In the essay, do the following:
Provide a one to two paragraph introduction that tells your reader about your topic and your guiding question. Succinctly state how your first perspective and second perspective would answer the guiding question. How do these perspectives compare in answering the question? Offer a central claim (your thesis) about which perspective (or combination of perspectives) best answers the question. This claim is what will bring clear unity and direction to your essay. Briefly state how the remaining paragraphs of the essay will provide support for that thesis.
Establish your first perspective (Kant’s deontology) on answering the question in detail. To accomplish this you will need to describe the main claim of the theory you are using. Identify the key concepts involved in that claim. Explicate how each of these key concepts is defined within the context of the theory. Make sure to explain relevant concepts in the ethical theory in enough detail for your reader to understand the basics of the view and what it tells us about making judgments concerning the moral status of actions. You must explain the ethical concepts carefully and in context before applying them. You must use at least one quote from the primary text (Kant) as textual support for your explanation of the ethical theory. Don’t forget to do a citation for your quote. Include the source in a works cited document.
Explain your topic and apply Kant’s ethical theory. Work systematically through the steps involved applying the theory to the topic in an attempt to answer your guiding question.
Establish your second perspective. To accomplish this you will need to describe the main claim of the theory you are using (feminist ethics, ethical relativism, or moral nihilism). Identify the key concepts involved in that claim. Explicate how each of these key concepts is defined within the context of the theory. You must explain the ethical concepts carefully and in context before applying them. You must use at least one quote from the primary text (Gilligan, Benedict, or Shafer-Landau) as textual support for your explanation of the ethical theory. Don’t forget to do a citation for your quote. Include the source in a works cited document.
Apply the ethical theory to your topic. Work systematically through the steps involved applying the theory to the topic in an attempt to answer your guiding question.
Discuss how your second perspective would look at and answer the guiding question differently than your first perspective. Compare and evaluate whether your first perspective or your second perspective (or some combination) would best answer the guiding question.
Reflect on the results of your comparison. Which application of theory best deals with your chosen topic? This isn’t about you, it’s about your analysis, so maintain an objective, professional voice.
Provide a one-paragraph conclusion that reminds the reader of your guiding question, the answer you think the theories you are using would give to the guiding question, and your main claim (thesis) about the analysis of the issue from these ethical standpoints.
Include a references/works cited document.
Summary of requirements:
The length requirement is 1,200 – 1,600 words.
The writing for this assignment should be that of a formal essay. Use spellcheck and proofread your work.
2 primary sources: Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals and one primary source from Unit 3 (Gilligan, Benedict, or Shafer-Landau).
For each primary source, you must use at least one quote as textual support for your argument. Quotes will be included in your word count, but only up to 100 words (so long as you are using quotes of a reasonable length, you shouldn’t be worrying about this). Don’t forget to do citations.
1 -2 secondary sources.
Include a references/works cited page at the end of your essay (this will not be included in your word count).
