Writing assignment

P2490/C3101​ ​Writing​ ​Assignment​ ​2 For​ ​your​ ​second​ ​writing​ ​assignment,​ ​please​ ​answer​ ​the​ ​questions​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​​one​​ ​of​ ​the following​ ​topics.

1. Is​ ​downloading​ ​music​ ​or​ ​software​ ​from​ ​a​ ​peer-to-peer​ ​(P2P)​ ​network,​ ​without​ ​the permission​ ​of​ ​the​ ​copyright​ ​holder,​ ​unethical?​ ​Why​ ​or​ ​why​ ​not?​ ​In​ ​your​ ​answer, please​ ​address​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​arguments​ ​we​ ​have​ ​discussed​ ​concerning​ ​intellectual property​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Internet.​ ​You​ ​may​ ​find​ ​it​ ​helpful​ ​to​ ​look​ ​at​ ​section​ ​29.22​ ​of​ ​the Canadian​ ​Copyright​ ​Act​ ​if​ ​writing​ ​on​ ​this​ ​topic.

2. Is​ ​Canada’s​ ​current​ ​Copyright​ ​Act,​ ​as​ ​amended​ ​by​ ​Bill​ ​C-11​ ​(June​ ​29,​ ​2012,​ ​with minor​ ​later​ ​amendments),​ ​good​ ​or​ ​bad​ ​policy​ ​for​ ​Canada?​ ​Why​ ​or​ ​why​ ​not?​ ​In​ ​your answer​ ​you​ ​must​ ​either​ ​defend​ ​controversial​ ​provision(s)​ ​from​ ​criticism,​ ​or​ ​explain how​ ​it​ ​could​ ​be​ ​modified​ ​so​ ​as​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​better​ ​policy.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​find​ ​discussion​ ​of​ ​Bill C-11​ ​at​ ​http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2012/11/c-11-effect/

Note:​​ ​to​ ​complete​ ​this​ ​assignment,​ ​you​ ​must​ ​appeal​ ​to​ ​​at​ ​least​ ​one​ ​​reputable​ ​source​ ​​other than​ ​the​ ​ones​ ​we​ ​have​ ​read​ ​together. News​ ​sources,​ ​online​ ​or​ ​in​ ​print,​ ​are​ ​acceptable​ ​sources.​ ​Blogs​ ​are​ ​​usually​ ​​not.​ ​You​ ​may contact​ ​me​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​uncertain​ ​about​ ​the​ ​appropriateness​ ​of​ ​a​ ​source. Please​ ​provide,​ ​at​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​article,​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​the​ ​source,​ ​the​ ​author,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​publisher and​ ​publication​ ​date.​ ​If​ ​the​ ​article​ ​is​ ​available​ ​online,​ ​please​ ​also​ ​provide​ ​the​ ​URL. For​ ​works​ ​assigned​ ​in​ ​the​ ​class,​ ​please​ ​indicate​ ​attribution​ ​as​ ​follows:​ ​(AuthorName,​ ​pg.​ ​#); e.g.​ ​(Johnson,​ ​47),​ ​or​ ​(Bok,​ ​47). In​ ​answering​ ​the​ ​questions,​ ​please​ ​apply​ ​the​ ​method​ ​of​ ​​philosophical​ ​analysis​.​ ​This​ ​means doing​ ​the​ ​following.

(i) Pick​ ​an​ ​answer​ ​to​ ​the​ ​questions.​ ​You​ ​cannot​ ​complete​ ​the​ ​assignment​ ​without providing​ ​clear​ ​answers​ ​to​ ​the​ ​questions.

(ii) Justify​ ​your​ ​answer​ ​with​ ​arguments.​ ​These​ ​arguments​ ​should​ ​apply​ ​the​ ​ethical

theories​ ​we​ ​have​ ​discussed​ ​in​ ​this​ ​course.

(iii) Consider​ ​arguments​ ​which​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​conclusions​ ​​other​​ ​than​ ​the​ ​ones​ ​you​ ​reach. Explain​ ​why​ ​you​ ​think​ ​these​ ​arguments​ ​do​ ​not​ ​work.

To​ ​do​ ​well​ ​on​ ​this​ ​assignment,​ ​your​ ​writing​ ​should​ ​reflect​ ​understanding​ ​and​ ​application​ ​of the​ ​theories​ ​we​ ​have​ ​been​ ​discussing​ ​in​ ​class.​ ​While​ ​grading​ ​will​ ​be​ ​concerned​ ​mainly​ ​with content,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​take​ ​off​ ​​5%​​ ​for​ ​every​ ​​three​ ​​spelling,​ ​grammar,​ ​or​ ​style​ ​errors,​ ​up​ ​to​ ​a​ ​total​ ​of 50%​ ​​of​ ​your​ ​grade.​ ​Writing​ ​assignments​ ​should​ ​be​ ​​1250​ ​words​ ​​in​ ​length,​ ​+/-​ ​10%​ ​(100 words).​ ​The​ ​first​ ​writing​ ​assignment​ ​will​ ​be​ ​due​ ​via​ ​a​ ​hardcopy​ ​at​ ​the​ ​​beginning​ ​of​ ​class Tues.​ ​Nov.​ ​14. For​ ​credit​ ​on​ ​your​ ​paper​ ​you​ ​must​ ​​also​​ ​submit​ ​an​ ​identical​ ​copy​ ​of​ ​your​ ​paper​ ​via​ ​the link​ ​on​ ​the​ ​course​ ​Brightspace​ ​site​ ​no​ ​later​ ​than​ ​when​ ​you​ ​hand​ ​in​ ​your​ ​paper​ ​copy. Please​ ​double​ ​space​ ​your​ ​papers​ ​with​ ​1​ ​inch​ ​margins,​ ​use​ ​a​ ​12​ ​pt.​ ​font,​ ​and​ ​include​ ​a word​ ​count. Note:​ ​​The​ ​University​ ​Writing​ ​Center​ ​lists​ ​its​ ​services​ ​here: http://writingcentre.dal.ca/index.html They​ ​offer​ ​seminars,​ ​one-on-one​ ​sessions,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​resources​ ​to​ ​help​ ​students​ ​improve​ ​their writing.​ ​I​ ​encourage​ ​you​ ​to​ ​use​ ​their​ ​services.