Social And Political Ethics

Write 4–6 pages in which you assess a law in terms of the social contract theories of Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Capella Multimedia

Click the links provided below to view the following multimedia pieces:

• Social Contract Theory.

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Course Library Guide

A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the PHI-FP2000 – Ethics Library Guide to help direct your research.

Internet Resources

Access the following resources by clicking the links provided. Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the following links have been either granted or deemed appropriate for educational use at the time of course publication.

• Kemerling, G. (2011). Hobbes's Leviathan. The Philosophy Pages. Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/3x.htm#mech
• Kemerling, G. (2011). The Enlightenment: Continental. The Philosophy Pages. Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/5d.htm#contr
• Cudd, A. (2012, August 2). Contractarianism. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/contractarianism/
• Lloyd, S. A. (2014, February 25). Hobbes's moral and political philosophy. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/
• Bertram, C. (2010, September 27). Jean Jacques Rousseau. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rousseau/
• Wenar, L. (2012, September 24). John Rawls. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rawls/
• Ethics Updates. (2012, March 19). Abortion and ethics. Retrieved from http://ethics.sandiego.edu/Applied/Abortion/index.asp
• Ethics Updates. (2010, November 2). Poverty and welfare. Retrieved from http://ethics.sandiego.edu/Applied/Poverty/index.asp
• Ethics Updates. (2010, November 2). Gender and ethical theory. Retrieved from http://ethics.sandiego.edu/theories/Gender/index.asp

Assessment Instructions

Many states require that drivers wear seat belts while operating their motor vehicles. This is not like forbidding the use of cell phones or intoxicants, which might impair the driver and endanger other people on the roads. The seat belt law imposes a governmental regulation that can, at most, be held to protect only the individual citizen whose behavior is being restricted. Why should the government be able to tell an individual what to do in the privacy of his or her own car?

Write a paper assessing the seat belt law, in terms of the social contract theories of Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Support your assessment with research on their social contract theories. You may begin your research with suggested Resources, but you are also expected to conduct your own independent research into the scholarly and professional resources of the field.

Consider the following in your paper:

• Should the government provide security by overcoming the selfish desires of the individual citizen, or should citizens cooperate voluntarily in service of the general welfare of all?
• What justifies the imposition of governmental authority on individual citizens?
• Are individuals always obligated to obey the dictates of their government?
• Which elements of the traditional theories are relevant to this case?
• Is it unethical for individual citizens to ignore this governmental requirement?
• You may also wish to apply other conceptions of the basis for social and political order.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Include a title page and a references page, formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
• References: A typical paper will include support from a minimum of 3–5 references. You may use some of the materials recommended in the Resources, but you should also include support from your independent research of scholarly or professional materials.
• Length: A typical paper will be 4–6 typed, double-spaced pages in length.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.

Social and Political Ethics Scoring Guide

CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT DISTINGUISHED Explain the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government. Does not discuss the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government. Discusses the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government. Explains the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government. Justifies the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government. Describe the social contract theories of Hobbes and Rousseau. Does not list features of the social contract theories of Hobbes and Rousseau. Lists features of the social contract theories of Hobbes and Rousseau. Describes the social contract theories of Hobbes and Rousseau. Explains the social contract theories of Hobbes and Rousseau. Assess the advantages and disadvantages of differing approaches to political theory. Does not mention both advantages and disadvantages of differing approaches to political theory. Mentions both advantages and disadvantages of differing approaches to political theory. Assesses the advantages and disadvantages of differing approaches to political theory. Assesses the advantages and disadvantages of differing approaches to political theory, supporting the assessment with research. Apply traditional social contract theories to contemporary political life. Does not express opinions about the relationship of traditional social contract theories with contemporary political life. Expresses opinions about the relationship of traditional social contract theories with contemporary political life. Applies traditional social contract theories to contemporary political life. Applies traditional social contract theories to contemporary political life, with the support of detailed research. Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professional communities. Does not communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, or consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates inconsistently in a manner of scholarly and professional expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities, with written communication that is free of errors that detract from the overall message.