Constructing Arguments

The purpose of this discussion is to help you understand how to construct an ethical argument and how to compare ethical arguments to other types of arguments, such as arguments based on political or economic theories. Prepare and post a response to the following prompt:

• Identify the basic themes, topics, and concepts that make up the discipline of ethics. What are the themes or ideas that unite the different ethical theories? What is it that ethics aims to explain?
• Describe how you might apply an ethical theme to one of the following social issues:
  • Limiting smoking in public places, such as public buildings, restaurants, or city parks
  • Municipal governments using public funds to build stadiums for professional sports teams
  • Requiring a private landowner to provide habitat for endangered species on their properties

What is your goal when you apply an ethical theme to a specific real-world issue? Distinguish how applying an ethical theme to an issue would differ from applying one of the following perspectives: economics, politics, or religion. What themes might represent the alternative perspective to the issue? 

Your initial post should be at least 300 words in length. Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly sources, and properly cite any references.

• Mosser, K. (2013). Ethics and social responsibility (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.