Select one of the following contemporary moral issues as the topic for your paper. ABORTION EUTHANASIA WORLD HUNGER OR POVERTY TREATMENT OF ANIMALS ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS Construct a good philosophical
Prince George’s Community College
Final Writing Assignment: Moral Issue Paper
PHL-1330, Summer 2020
Prof. Kurt F. Erhard
Purpose
This writing assignment is intended to offer the student an opportunity to demonstrate his/her understanding of one of the contemporary moral issues covered in this course and the multi-faceted debate surrounding that issue. In addition, the student will be expected to give evidence of his/her skills in evaluating competing philosophical views, explaining, and defending his/her views on the issues raised, and a general proficiency in writing an argumentative essay.
Instructions
Select one of the following contemporary moral issues as the topic for your paper.
ABORTION
EUTHANASIA
WORLD HUNGER OR POVERTY
TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Construct a good philosophical essay that includes all the items/parts outlined below:
Identify in your title and on the title/cover page the contemporary moral issue you will examine. (Total possible points for this item: 10 pts.)
Offer a SUMMARY of the major issues, concepts, and distinctions relevant to the contemporary moral issue you have selected. (Suggestion: You may want to pattern this section of your paper after the “Introduction to the Moral Issues” section that Hinman includes at the beginning of each chapter in his book.) [Approximate length of this section should be about 1 page.] (Total possible points for this item: 40 pts.)
Provide a thorough and thoughtful DISCUSSION of at least two (2) competing/opposing viewpoints in the contemporary debate on your selected moral issue. Be sure to mention the major claims of each viewpoint and examine important arguments offered in support of these claims. Carefully evaluate each viewpoint and then explain how each viewpoint addresses or responds to the important distinctions that drive the moral debate on the selected issue. [Approximate length of this section should be at least 2 pages.] (Total possible points for this item: 70 pts.)
EVAluate and explain which of the alternative viewpoints you personally favor or embrace. [If you want to reject both viewpoints discussed under item #2 above and offer a third, alternative viewpoint, you may do so. Be sure to offer a thorough explanation of this alternative viewpoint if you choose this option.] Explain your reasons for adopting whatever viewpoint you embrace. Be sure you respond/answer the major arguments of the opposing viewpoint as part of the statement of your viewpoint. Defend your viewpoint and explain why it is superior to the one(s) you rejected. [Approximate length of this section should be at least 1 page.] (Total possible points for this item: 60 pts.)
The grammar and style of your essay will also be evaluated and will contribute to your total score on the assignment. (Total possible points for this item: 20 pts.)
Resources: Your primary resources should be those used in this course: Hinman’s book, Shafer-Landau’s book and the Supplemental Resources provided on the course site. You may, however, consult other sources if you so choose.
All sources used in the paper must be correctly documented in a bibliography included at the end of the paper. Where material borrowed from an outside source is used in your paper, either in summary form or as a direct quotation, correct citation information and formatting must be provided.
All papers are subject to review for originality and possible plagiarism violations. If any violations are discovered, there will be a severe reduction in the grade for the paper and possible administrative action per the college’s policy against plagiarism.
Due Date: Your paper is due August 1st by midnight. Submit your paper electronically/online to the course Blackboard site as specified in the course syllabus (p. 4). No extensions or late submissions will be allowed for this assignment.
Length: Your completed assignment should be between 1,000 – 1,750 words (approximately 4-7 pages). Your essay should conform to the writing rubric as explained in this assignment.
Format: Your assignment should be free from grammatical, spelling, and proofreading errors. Format your assignment with double-spacing in a standard, 12-point serif font (such as Times New Roman) and with 1” margins. Include a title/cover page with assignment information and your name.
Assessment: Maximum score for this assignment will be 200 pts. The paper’s score will be based on the following: compliance with all structural and formatting items stipulated for the assignment; quality of summary and depth of analysis of opposing viewpoints covered in the paper; quality of explanation and defense of the student’s preferred viewpoint on the issue, general quality of writing (style, grammar, spelling, etc.). See the point value for each section of the paper in the “Instructions” portion above.
