Introduction to Ethics Richard Lee
Philosophy 2103 sec. 11Summer 2007

Second Paper (Writing Assignment)

Tentative

Choose one of the following arguments:

  1. Don Marquis's account (in part II of "Why Abortion is Immoral") of the wrongness of killing
  2. Immanuel Kant's argument (in "On the Place of Sex in Human Existence") against sex outside of marriage
  3. Garrett Hardin's argument (in "The Tragedy of the Commons") that "conscience is self-eliminating"
For your chosen argument:
  1. Explain the context of the argument.
  2. Explain any important distinctions that are needed for the argument.
  3. Explain the premises of the argument.
  4. Lay out the argument, explaining how the conclusion follows from the premises (according to the author).
  5. Critique the argument.
  6. Evaluate the argument.

You find it helpful to read "Identifying and Formulating Arguments."

Note: For this assignment you need not use any materials apart from those in the class texts -- indeed you are encouraged not to. However, no matter what sources of information you use -- even the textbook -- be sure to make adequate attribution (e.g. in footnotes). You are expected to do your own work. Use of unacknowledged sources (e.g., books, classmates, friends, tutors, web pages, other papers) for this assignment constitutes cheating.

This paper should be submitted electronically to rlee@uark.edu. The paper should be submitted as a "rich text format" (.rtf) file. (You'll probably have to use a "save as" command to get your document into this form.) Submissions after the due date risk incursion of a penalty for lateness.

Please put your name on your paper. Be sure also to indicate (by letter) at the top of the first page which of the arguments you are writing on.

Richard Lee, rlee@uark.edu, last modified: 19 June 2007