Ethical Reasoning

Notes and Advice:

· This paper is a demonstration of what you have learned about moral reasoning based on our examining of ethical theories and specific ethical issues. As such, you should focus your attention on carefully spelling out the reasoning that supports your conclusion, and relating that to the theories we have discussed in class.

· You are free to write on the same topic and question you wrote on in previous papers, or choose a different topic and question.

· If you choose a different topic, you would benefit from going through the exercises in the previous assignments.

· The consideration of an objection against your own view is a way of showing that your view has the support of good reasons and can answer its strongest objections. Therefore, aim at identifying and addressing the strongest opposing argument you can, bearing in mind that a good thesis should be able to respond to the best arguments for the other side.

Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is more than just a position statement of the sort you provided in the first assignment; rather, it states the position and the primary reasons in such a way that the reader should have a clear sense of how the reasons support the position, which is what will be spelled out and explained in the body of the paper. Please see the handout on thesis statements provided. Comment by Brad Thames: Link to “Thesis Statements” file.