Week 5: Final Project The Virtue Ethicist's and the Utilitarian's Approaches 6 PAGES

Week 5: Final Project

Introduction

Throughout this course, you have been developing your skills as a moral thinker. This week, you apply your skills in the Final Project, in which you analyze an ethical dilemma from a variety of perspectives based on different ethical theories. When you consider why different people may arrive at different conclusions about what is right or wrong while completing your paper, you may reflect upon how your answers to the Virtual Philosopher exercise. Is your approach to the Final Project case predictable based on your Week 1 answers? Has your moral thinking changed? You will also have the opportunity to consider these questions in your Final Project.

Objectives

•Apply ethical theories to situations with ethical implications

•Analyze personal ethical decisions

Final Project: Completion and Submission

Explain the Kantian perspective, and explain whether your personal perspective agrees with the utilitarian or Kantian perspective.

In the Week 3 Final Project Milestone assignment, you explained how to apply the principle of utility to the case you selected for your Final Project. For this final portion of the assignment, apply Kant's categorical imperative to the case, and explain how you would approach the case, explaining whether your position is utilitarian or Kantian. Justify your position. 

Combine all of your Final Project Milestone sections into one paper formatted in APA style. Be sure to include an introduction and conclusion in the paper. Your paper should be at least six pages long.

Be sure each point below is included. For the items listed under the Week 3 Final Project Milestone heading, be sure to consult the comments received from your Instructor and address them for the final submission. Also ensure that the Milestone elements flow together with the new elements for the Final Paper.

The Assignment:

From the Week 3 Final Project Milestone: 

•Part 1: 

•Identify the case you are addressing.

•Explain the issues involved in the case.

•State your thesis (the position for which you argue in the paper).

•Part 2: 

•Explain how a virtue ethicist would approach the case. 

•If you do not think virtue ethics is applicable to your case, explain why. 

•Analyze the case using the principle of utility. 

New for the Final Paper: 

•Part 3:

oAnalyze the case using Kant's categorical imperative. 

•Justify your position.

oExplain how you would approach the case, including an explanation of whether your approach is virtue ethicist, utilitarian, or Kantian and why. 

•As part of explaining your approach, reflect on your responses to the Virtual Philosopher exercise in Week 1, and explain how your approach to the case differs (or does not differ) from your thinking at the beginning of this course. 

oSupport your use of evidence in the assignment with references to the week's readings. In the essay, practice APA style for your in-text citations.

oBe sure to include the following: 

•Conclusion

•Reference list

Week 5 Learning Resources

Required Resources

*NOTE- PLEASE VIEW/OPEN ALL LINKS TO HELP WITH FINAL PAPER

Readings

• MacKinnon, B. (2012). Ethics: Theory and contemporary issues (concise 2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
• Appendix, "How to Write an Ethics Paper" (pp. 246–257)
  
  This appendix provides guidelines on how to write an ethics paper and is a good resource to use as you write papers for your Application Assignments and for the Final Project.

• Document: Ethical Analysis Tool (PDF)
  
  This ethical analysis tool lists questions that help you analyze a situation using several ethical theories. You use this tool for assignments throughout this course.
• Document:Virtual Philosopher Notes (Word document)
  
  Review this document to reflect upon any changes to your thinking since the beginning of the course.

Media

• Laureate Education (Producer). (2012). Virtual philosopher [Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
  
  This online ethics exercise takes you through a series of thought-provoking scenarios and asks you to make some decisions based on your values and judgment. It will help you answer the question, "Are my ethics and actions in sync?"

*NOTE- PLEASE VIEW/OPEN ALL LINKS TO HELP WITH FINAL PAPER