Philosophy: Analyzing a contemporary ethical issue

Purpose

An ethical issue is any case in which a person, organization, or society must choose between two alternatives, one of which can be evaluated as right and the other which can be evaluated as wrong.  In this final paper, you will get the opportunity to apply the abstract theories and principles we have learned about in the course to an ethical issue which you care about.  Each student may choose the topic of his her own paper.  There is a list of topics below, but this list is not exhaustive.  You may choose other topics not on the list.  However, you may not choose one of the topics which we have already learned about or discussed as part of the course.  A good topic will be an issue that raises some uncertainties about what the right stance is on the topic.  This uncertainty is what your paper should aim to resolve by applying the ethical theory or principle.  A good topic will also be specific and clear.  It should be narrow enough to be addressed in a short paper.

The goals of the paper are to:

• learn more about a particular ethical issue which matters today
• apply a theory or principle from the course to argue for or against a certain position or stance on the chosen topic/issue
• think critically about why others may disagree with you

Guidelines for paper

Your paper should be no longer than 800 words.

To meet these three goals, your paper should include the following components:

(1) A clear explanation of the topic.  You should explain what the issue is, who it affects, and what questions about ethical conduct it involves.  Any technical terms that are connected with the issue should be defined.  A good explanation will make clear why there are uncertainties surrounding what the right stance is on the topic.  Good explanations will also use examples, facts and statistics should to illustrate who the issue effects and why it is important. 

(2)  A section of the paper in which you present a theory which we studied in the course and apply that theory to argue for a certain position on your issue.  A good explanation of a theory will be clear, accurate and detailed.  It will include quotations and citations to course readings.  In applying the theory to the issue, the goal is to write a clear and convincing rationale for how the theory helps us to see what the right stance is on the issue you selected. 

The course theories and principles you may choose from include utilitarianism, Kant’s ethical theory, Kant’s views on human dignity, Aristotle’s virtue ethics, the seven capital vices, Aquinas’s natural law theory, Aquinas on the relationship between human law and the natural law, and Aquinas on the principle of double effect.  If you would like to choose a principle or theory from the course not on this list, please check with me by email about the suitability of your idea. 

(3) A section in which you consider one objection to your reasoning in section 2.  An objection is a counterpoint which someone could raise against an idea or argument.  You should think carefully about what someone who disagrees with you might say against your reasoning for the stance you take.  In this section of the paper, you should explain both (i) an objection which could be raised against your reasoning and (ii) the response you would make to the objection.

(2) A bibliography with at least three sources which you consulted to research your issue. 

You may choose which citation style you use (e.g. Chicago, APA, MLA).  Be sure to use the same style throughout your paper.  In addition to having a bibliography, you must cite your source whenever you quote from it or use an idea from it. 

These sources may be internet sources as long as they are published by a reliable source.  Reliable sources include major newspapers, universities, government agencies, online encyclopedias, information centers or think tanks devoted to advancing certain causes and issues.  Looking at the web address (url) can help you determine who published the webpage.  Websites that end in .edu are associated with universities. Websites that include .gov are published by the government.

A few examples of sources which are not acceptable include websites with anonymous authors which can be updated by anyone (such as Wikipedia), personal blogs, information websites geared at a pre-college audience (e.g. ethics guides written for middle school debate teams) and social media posts.

UST libraries has at least two online guides that may be useful for researching issues within certain fields.  They guides linked here cover Bioethics (Links to an external site.) (e.g. ethical issues in medicine and medical research) and Business Ethics (Links to an external site.). 

Our UST librarians are available to help you both in person and online by chat.  Click here to contact a librarian (Links to an external site.).

Sample Topics

Please note that these are just some examples.  You may do other topics not listed here or modify these topics to fit better with your interests.

• Should genetic engineering be permitted in human beings (in general or you may narrow it to the cases of performance / appearance related reasons to correct a genetic disease)?
• Should medical researchers be permitted to destroy human embryos in their research?
• Should couples or individuals be allowed to enter into contracts to use the womb of a surrogate mother to carry a child which they then have parental rights over?
• Should abortion be permissible in a specific case, such as because the fetus was not the desired sex or because it has a genetic disease?
• Should children be allowed to divorce their parents?
• Should people be required to get a “license” in order to have the right to pro-create?
• Should drug addicts and criminals be encouraged or even paid to undergo sterilization?
• Should colleges use affirmative action in admissions?
• Should families be allowed to make a large donation to the university to gain admission for a student?
• Should individuals be allowed to choose whether they play on the men’s or women’s sports team based on how they see their own gender or must they play on the team that corresponds to their birth sex? (This question could also be adapted to pertain to bathrooms and other situations where facilities or groups are divided into “men” and “women.”)
• Should buildings or other institutions named for people who held objectionable views (g. racist views) be renamed? Or should monuments to such people be removed from public places?
• Is sex casual sex moral?
• Is recreational use of illegal drugs moral?
• Should doctors be allowed to amputate healthy limbs from patients if they patient request it because they have a personal desire to be disabled?
• Is eating meat permissible?
• Is it ethical to buy clothing produced in sweatshops?
• Is it ethical to hire people without government work papers, paying them in unreported cash wages?
• Should more than two people be allowed to marry each other (polygamy)?
• Should medical professionals have the right to refuse to perform procedures or give medications which they find morally objectionable?
• Should those who own and operate businesses have a right to refuse to provide services in case where they believe it goes against their moral beliefs?
• Is it ethical for countries to enforce their borders? Are there cases where it is unethical for a country not allow certain individuals to immigrate into the country?
• Should guns be banned or more tightly restricted? (With this topic you would need to narrow it down to a specific restriction to consider.)

There are many ethical questions which relate to our current pandemic.  Here are a few examples:

• Is it ethical to violate stay at home orders?
• Is is it ethical for governments to prevent workers from working to stop spread of disease?
• Is it ethical for citizens to purchase masks and other protective gear for personal use which could have been used by hospitals? 
• Is it ethical to remove an elderly patient from a ventilator if it is needed to help a younger patient survive?