PHIL-3514 – Biomedical Ethics
Paper 1
Prompts
- Does Ackerman make a convincing argument? Why or why not? What is Ackerman’s argument for strong paternalism? Is illness an obstacle to personal autonomy?
Writing Criteria
- Length: 600 words minimum, excluding work cited page, name, date, etc. (~3 pages).
- Format: Calibiri, 12 pt. font
- Due Date: June 17, 2024
- Citations: As long as you are consistent you may use the citation style you are familiar with (APA, MLA, Chicago Style, etc.).
- Sources: You must use a minimum of two sources (they may all come from the Vaughn textbook). Bioethics: Principles, Issues, and Cases
5th Edition
- For example, you may cite the Vaughn reading from Paternalism and Autonomy (pp. 228-237) and Ackerman’s article “Why Doctors Should Intervene” (pp. 127-132).
- Hint: A good ethics paper will engage with three things, (1) the prompt, (2) concepts and (3) moral theory (e.g., utilitarianism or Kantian ethics). Furthermore, you should clearly state your position in the opening paragraph. This could be that you agree, disagree, or that you take some other third approach.
Grading Rubric
- Clear thesis statement
- Clearly explains relevant concepts
- Accurately outlines moral theories
- Answers the question(s) in the paper prompt.
- Clear argument supported by textual sources.
- Spelling, grammar, and proper citations.
Things to Avoid
- Fallacious Reasoning
- Appeals to emotion, Anecdotal Data or Experiences, etc.
- Do not fall into the trap of legal justification. This is an ethics paper, not a law paper.
- Plagiarism
- A bad or late paper is better than no paper, but a plagiarized paper is inexcusable and may result in an F for the entire course.