Assignment:
Choose a contemporary moral issue (you can draw from the ethics bowl cases we have looked at, or any other topic about which there could be reasonable moral disagreement) and argue for a position with regard to the issue by applying one or more of moral theories we have examined during the course. Explain the basic elements of the theory which you apply, identify the relevant material details of the case, explain their moral significance, and the appropriate course of action or policy that should be taken in response. Identify and explain what you take to be the most powerful counter-argument to this position. Respond to the objection and explain either why you think the objection fails or how it can be responded to. In total, you should reference and cite at least three of the moral theorists we have examined during the course.
Your essay should be around four to five pages, double-spaced, in twelve-point font, with 1" margins. In the paper, your aim should be to develop a position by constructing arguments that could convince a reasonable interlocutor who isn't knowledgeable of the subject matter. That means your paper should both provide context for understanding the theory you argue for, and explain the reasoning process by which you arrive at your conclusions. For additional guidance in planning and developing your paper, see: https://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html, feel free to contact me with questions, or make an appointment at the learning center. You may use either MLA or APA formatting, and you should cite the Nicomachean Ethics text and any relevant article in developing your argument.
For additional scholarly research and explanation, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is an excellent starting point: https://plato.stanford.edu/