Paper #1 Assignment
PHIL 450: Applied Ethics (Eng. & CS)
Spring 2013
Topic:
Begin by reading the article available in the Assignments section on Blackboard entitled An Uneasy Rebirth at Love Canal, by Andrew J. Hoffman. You are then to pick an aspect of the case and analyze it from an ethical point of view. Some possible questions to consider as you determine the topic of your paper are the following:
Who is morally responsibility for each aspect of the disaster and what should have been done at each step along the way? (You should use the virtues from the course in making your argument.)
Was the virtue of justice upheld by the various parties involved in this situation? If so, how? If not, how not?
Were the individuals who live in the area treated fairly? Were they given the information the needed to make decisions concerning their safety?
What values are revealed in the actions of the primary groups involved?
Were the financial settlements reached fair overall? Fair to the company involved? Fair to the residents of the area?
At the heart of this case is human use of natural resources. What does this case reveal about how we should value such resources? How do the virtues we have discussed relate to our treatment of natural resources as revealed in this case?Requirements:
The paper is due on Monday, February 18 at the beginning of class. The paper should be approximately 1200-1500 words in length, or approximately 4-5 double-spaced pages with standard margins. The paper must have a clearly stated thesis which is then argued for in the body of the paper. The paper must have a thesis and an argument in support of that thesis.Notes:
Late papers, if accepted, will be subject to a grade reduction.
Any form of plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please see me as soon as possible.
The paper is a formal writing assignment. You should use formal language and complete citations throughout the paper.