Ethical Reasoning

The ethic question that has been chosen is: Should a woman have the right to an abortion if we recognize the fetus has a person?

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapter 1 of the textbook. This chapter will introduce you to the basic form and subject matter of ethical reasoning and assist you as you select an ethical question, examine the context, issues, and arguments surrounding the question, and attempt to defend an answer to the question. 

Please read these assignment instructions before writing your paper as they contain very precise and specific instructions on both the content and format requirements.

Overview

This course has three written assignments that build upon one another and are designed to take you step-by-step through a process of writing a paper that identifies an ethical question, examines the context, issues, and arguments surrounding the question, and attempts to defend an answer to that question using strong moral reasoning.

This first written assignment is a six-part exercise comprised of the following sections:

1. Ethical Question
2. Introduction
3. Position Statement
4. Reasons in Support of Your Position
5. Opposing Position Statement
6. Reasons in Support of the Opposing Position

The assignment should be 500 words, written in essay form, with six clearly labeled sections as indicated below, and include a title page and reference page.

Part 1: Ethical Question

Before writing the paper, you will need to spend some time thinking about the specific ethical issue you want to focus on throughout this course.

• Begin this task by viewing the list of approved ethical topics and questions provided in the Week 1 Announcement titled: “Written Assignment Ethical Topics and Questions List.” Take some time looking over the list and browsing through some of the material in the corresponding chapters of the textbook in which each topic is addressed and decide which to focus on.
• Once you have done this, choose one of the ethical questions associated with that topic. If you wish to do so, you may formulate your own ethical question, but it must be on one of the topics listed in the announcement. Be sure to carefully study the provided questions and model your own question after them in terms of specificity and ethical focus.”

Place the ethical question under the Part 1: Ethical Question heading at the top of the paper.

Part 2: Introduction

In this section of your paper, you should introduce the topic and question at issue by doing the following (not necessarily in this exact order):

• Explain its relevance and importance.
• Define any key terms and concepts.
• Provide any relevant context and background information.
• Briefly reference an idea, quote, or analysis of the issue that you have found in one of the required resources on the topic.  Required resources include the textbook chapter focused on that topic (6, 7, 8, 9, or 10), the “Primary Sources” listed at the end of Chapters 6-9, and the “readings listed under “Further Reading” at the end of each section in Chapter 10.

The introduction will be the longest section of this assignment and should be at least 300 words in one or two paragraphs. Place the introduction material under the Part 2: Introduction.