Final paper

Running head: SHORTENED TITLE

The Title of the Paper

First name Last name

PHI 208 Ethics and Moral Reasoning

Prof. Heraclitus of Ephesus

January 1, 2014

Title

Begin with the ethical question you are addressing. The rest of your first paragraph should introduce the topic by briefly but precisely discussing the concrete topic under which this question falls, including any necessary context, background information, etc.

This should draw upon your work in the Week One Assignment, but should be more succinct and reflect the development of your understanding of those ideas throughout the course, as well as any revision, narrowing, and focusing of the problem under consideration. Your introduction should include a preview of what you plan to do in the paper, and how you will proceed. Conclude your introductory paragraph with a thesis statement that states your position on the question and the primary reasons in such a way that the reader should have a clear sense of how the reasons support the position, which is what will be spelled out and explained in the body of the paper.

Demonstration Moral Reasoning

This section of the Final Paper is more open-ended than other parts of the papers you have been working on (including other parts of this paper). By now you will have seen how moral reasoning involves moving back and forth between general ideas, such as principles, rules, values, purposes and ends, and so forth, and particular concrete judgments. We have examined different forms that can take, where the general ideas might be utilitarian principles, deontological duties, or Aristotelian ideas about the human telos and the virtues. Your job here is demonstrate that you have acquired a sense of how that kind of reasoning proceeds, and that you have understood and considered the examples that were studied in the class.

Along the way, you will need to relate what you are doing to these other theories.

For example, you might be taking a utilitarian approach, or an Aristotelian one, and would make reference to Mill or Aristotle in the course of doing so, and contrast your approach with Kant’s. Or you might model your approach on the reasoning of one of the contemporary readings that dealt with specific issues. Also, you will likely need to provide factual evidence to support the movement from general ideas to concrete particulars.

Objection and Response

Each of the assignments involved examining a possible objection to the main argument, and this paper will do so as well, but follow up with a response to the objection.

An objection articulates a plausible reason why someone might find the argument weak or problematic. Or it might raise a consideration supporting a rival position, or a counterexample that seems to go against certain claims you have made. You should explain how it represents and objection, and do so in a way that would be acceptable to someone who disagrees with your own argument. You would then provide the best response you can to the objection, showing as clearly and persuasively as you can how it does not undermine your position, without simply making the same argument you have already made over again (that is, your response should say something new).

Conclusion

Provide a conclusion that sums up what you showed in the paper and offers some final reflections, including a revised statement of the thesis (do not simply repeat your thesis, but rephrase it in light of the discussion you just had).

Total Word Count: 1500 to 2000 words (note: that’s at least twice as long as this outline).