Papers/Presentations
Group Numbers: These groups roughly correspond to the chapters in our text.
Presentations are Group: Although each paper stands on its own, grade-wise, you will be making your presentations together as a group (given there are others in your group). Please, exchange contact information with those in your group so that you may communicate regarding your class presentation.
Due Date: NOVEMBER 29TH!!!
Both are Due: Your paper and presentation are due on the same day, even though not all groups may have time to make their presentations that day. If your paper is not submitted on the day it is due, you will receive 0 points for it, but you may still do the presentation.
Worth: Each are worth 15 points for a possible total of 30.
Audio/Visual: You are expected to use some sort of audio and/or visual aid for the class. This can be a brief video you've found, pictures, a book/books, or anything at all that may relate to your topic.
Help: If you need help, do not hesitate to ask for it!
Paper length: Minimum paper length of 5 pages. Please use parenthetical citations in the body of the paper and include your works cited at the end, using APA guidelines. Yes, the text may be a source, but you must have at least two additional sources.
GROUP 1 (Chapter 1): The Relativism Group
1. Argue in favor of ethical relativism. Practically speaking, why is relativism so important to the functioning of American culture/society? Give concrete examples. (What about infanticide or "assisted suicide," for example?)
2. Argue against ethical relativism. Why does ethical relativism make it difficult for a society to function? Give concrete examples. (What about the legalization of hard drugs? Driving while intoxicated? Paying taxes? Can you think of some good examples of things that are important to agree upon as a society in order for society to function?)
3. Why is language a problem when it comes to ethics? What is the "linguistic web?" Is it possible to truly communicate across cultures? Argue for and against.
GROUP 2 (Chapter 2): The Fallacy Group
4. Problems with media (tv, radio, newspapers, internet, etc.) and critical thinking: How can we best approach these influences? Can we be truly critical thinkers in the face of being continually bombarded by the media? Is there an answer or answers? Opinion allowed, with evidence to back your perspective.
5. Give a concrete example (or two or three) that you have seen of an "ad hominem" fallacy. Describe in your own words what this type of fallacy is. Please do the same with the appeal to ignorance. Do not use examples found within the book!
6. Give a concrete example (or two or three) that you have seen of an appeal to majority fallacy. Describe in your own words what this type of fallacy is. Please do the same with the appeal to tradition and appeal to authority.
7. Give a concrete example (or two or three) that you have seen of an appeal to feelings fallacy. Describe in your own words what this type of fallacy is. Please do the same with absolutizing and double standards.
8. Give a concrete example (or two or three) that you have seen of bifurcation and hasty judgment. Describe in your own words what these types of fallacies are.
9. Using the steps to moral reasoning (pages 42-44 of text), go through and describe your thought process for the following problem/premise/prescriptive claim: Eating meat is wrong OR All people should be vegetarian.
10. What is a naturalistic fallacy? GIve several examples from your own life and observations of this type of fallacy.
GROUP 3 (Chapter 3): The Aristotle/Aquinas Group
11. Describe the relationship between natural law and virtue. How might we apply this to the ethically questionable practices of in-vitro fertilization and cloning?
12. Who was Aristotle? Who was Thomas Aquinas? In your paper (and presentation), please share with us what we know about their lives.
GROUP 4 (Chapter 4): The Kant Group
13. Compare Kant's deontology with Mill's utilitarianism. Apply the very general concepts behind these principles to the following problems:
Use the steps to moral reasoning in the first chapter, explore all the angles, and then apply Kant's and Mill's reasoning to both scenarios.
- You just got back from the supermarket with your two young, melting down children after having waited in line for a half-hour behind some guy with credit card problems, price checks, and what seems like a million coupons. As you bagged all your own groceries, your little one is hysterically crying, your ice cream is melting, and your older child is trying to climb up on top of the conveyor belt so he can be scanned. After you get home (finally) and look over your receipt, you realize that they didn't charge you for the peanut butter. What do you do?
- You just returned from the furniture store. After having scrimped and saved for two years, you finally saved up enough money to ditch your parent's grungy hand-me-down couch to get a nice, new one. When you go to check out, you had to bring a large tag from the item to the register to be scanned. You were amazed that you could get such a nice piece of furniture for so little. When you arrive home, you realize that the tag must have been misplaced. You just paid $700 for a $1600 couch. What do you do?
14. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of deontology. Describe a situation in which Kant's morality would be of use (or not). What about cheating on a test? In prison?
15. Tell us about Immanuel Kant. Who was he? When did he live? How did he live? Give us a mini-biography.
GROUP 5 (Chapter 5): The Mill Group
16. What is the "tyranny of the majority?" Give an example of this from history. Can you think of any logical fallacy that may be connected with idea of majority will?
17. Who was John Stuart Mill? Tell us about who he was as a person, his response to Bentham, the society and historical setting in which he lived, etc.
GROUP 6 (Chapter 6): The Feminism Group
18. Describe in your own words the different forms of feminism covered in the chapter and at least one that is not. The following are in the chapter:
- classical
- difference
- equity
- radical
19. (Related to page 196) Describe how modest, plain, or other female religious dress, such as hijab, can be viewed as contributing to women's freedom? How can "skimpy" dress be viewed as demeaning? You may argue both sides.
20. Women and intelligence: Since women have not always been viewed as intelligent, worth educating, or as "the origin of ideas," how has this oppression led to the development of feminist ethics?
GROUP 7 (Chapter 7): The Hindu Group
21. Describe the idealized Hindu modes of life. What is dharma and how does it correspond to these stages? How do these stages apply to women (if at all)?
22. Describe the Hindu concepts in the chapter, such as atman, dharma, ahimsa, artha, kama, moksha, samsara, and caste. Include any more that you would like to include.
23. (See page 236) Dharma, duty and tradition: Explore these concepts and their strengths and weaknesses. Are there any fallacies that you are reminded of that relate to the concept of tradition? How is Kant's categorical imperative/deontology similar, if at all?
24. Taking Hindu devotionalism (bhakti) as our starting point, is it possible to disentangle religious practice from its ethics? Why or why not? Is it possible that religion, Hinduism included, may be manipulated as a means of oppression? Why or why not/How or how not?
GROUP 8 (Chapter 8): The Buddhist Group
25. What are the three signs of existence? Do these and other Buddhist concepts remind you of Hindu ones? How are they different?
26. What are the Four Noble Truths? Give a practical example of how we may apply these, ethically.
27. What is the Middle Way and what are the virtues associated with it? Are these virtues similar in any way to those of other world religious traditions? How are they different?
GROUP 9 (Chapter 9): The Confucian Group
28. Is the notion of Confucian duty similar to that of dharma?
29. Discuss in your own words the Confucian virtues described in Chapter 9:
Please research and name others (there are more!). Give concrete examples of Confucian virtue in action. How do they (and have they) work, socially? Are they/can they be effective?
- jen (humaneness)
- li (propriety)
- filial piety
30. Confucian Five Cardinal Relationships (pages 302-303): Are these similar to or different from the notion of caste? How do the Five Cardinal Relationships keep order?
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