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Essay 2: Metaphysics and Ethics of Poverty – Consider how your exploration will help the reader understand the ethical dynamics of the nature of poverty. What would be the standard by which you determine that an entity or person is or is not living in poverty and whether there is an obligation to do so something about it? The paper should contain two main parts:

Part 1: As a philosopher you have been asked to define poverty for a professional dictionary of philosophy or a United Nations relief agency. Demonstrate your skills of analysis with attention to metaphysics using precise/accurate language.

(a) Your definition of poverty: Spend at least two paragraphs on this. What is poverty? State a definition and argue for each term in the definition. Do not cite the dictionary or some other source. Think for yourself. For example, being in poverty entails lacking A, B, C, and D but not E, F, and G. Explain what each means, and why it must or must not be considered in an understanding of poverty.

Again, consider each word or concept carefully, explaining what you mean and what makes poverty what it is. In your analysis is there a difference between "poverty" and "extreme poverty"? If so, define and argue for the elements that make it "extreme." Does your definition apply to the US or all nations? Set the context and make a case for the nature of poverty.

[Don't just state that poverty is not having enough food and water unless you explain exactly what not having enough food and water means. Does not having enough food mean a person receives less than two meals a day or fewer than 1500 calories, etc.? You will need to do some homework and be specific so that a UN worker could evaluate a child or adult to determine if they need aid for being in poverty. You can provide examples as well.

(b) Other definitions of poverty: Find at least two definitions of poverty from your course readings, a professional philosophy publication, or the news media, that you disagree with or consider inadequate. Explain precisely what it is that makes these definitions problematic. For example, one definition may insist that alleviating poverty requires or does not require "education" or "shelter" or "safety" or "healthcare." Or maybe the definition is unclear and needs more specificity?

Part 2: Ethics of Poverty and You

(a) The ethical responsibilities of individuals: Peter Singer suggests that we often don't put our money where our mouth is when it comes to addressing poverty. How have you addressed or failed to address poverty? Reflect on your own ethical code and responsibility? Philosophy begins with honest self examination.

(b) Real life situations. You encounter a man on the street corner holding up a sign asking for money for food? You receive a flyer in the mail from Compassion International asking for $35 a month to feed a hungry child in another country. Without using any philosophical theories or concepts explain how would you would respond (or have responded) to each of these situations. Why do you act the way that you do?

Using the tools, theories, and concepts of philosophy, articulate your ethical code in these situations. Are you a consequentialist, deontologist, or virtue ethicist in how you handled each? Perhaps you were an egoist? If you refused to give the homeless man on the street money because you believed the outcome would result in spending money on alcohol, what theory would best describe this action?

(c) Dealing with poverty in the US and abroad? Using concepts and approaches from the readings what is the best approach for the United States in addressing poverty at home and abroad? Is the US or UN doing enough (see Singer and Pogge) worldwide? Should the US take a neo-Malthusian approach towards helping other countries?