Ethics Paper assignment on Animal Rights
The paper will be a three to five page paper taking an ethical issue and applying the different positions to it to see what the different stances would be. The goal is to see how well you can apply what we have seen to specific situations. The only thing I suggest is that you do not try to write a paper about an issue (like the death penalty, abortion, suicide, lying, etc), but rather about a particular instance of a death penalty, a particular situation in which the details are spelled out.
The easiest way to structure the paper is in four paragraphs (may be more, but at least these elements presented): An intro which spells out the case to be considered, identifying the moral agent (who is making a choice about the issue); an explanation of what the agent would say is right if they were acting according to one of the theories; an explanation of what the agent would say is right if they were acting according to another of the theories; and finally, what do you think is the ethical thing for the agent to do and why.
Establish a specific case (the more specific, the better …do not write about euthanasia; write about Grandpa Joe and his living will).
Determine who the moral agent is.
Choose two theories and apply them to the ethical decision making process of your agent.
What do you think the agent ought to do and why?
