Need to answer the question “should the mother be allowed to make the medical decisions for her son”.  Focus on the mother, the son, and use the principles of Autonomy and Ethical Egoism. Use the religion of christianity and the moral theory of duty-based ethics.
This course requires students to complete a 4-5 page paper. This paper answers an
ethics question using one specific religion’s moral approach.
Students will choose one of the religions we study:
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Judaism
• Christianity
• Islam
….and one of the moral theories we are learning:
• Duty-based ethics (deontology)
• One moral principle of teleological principlism
• Casuistry
• Virtue ethics
• Social ethics
The paper answers an ethics question in the way that one religion’s moral traditions
might answer it, using one of these moral theories. In this paper, students will
demonstrate how a specific moral approach, used in one of the three religions we are
covering, would ethically analyze an ethics case, and then answer the ethics question.
The main thesis statement of the paper is an answer to the ethics question. The paper’s
main argument explains why the question would be answered in this way, in a specific
religion and using a specific moral theory. In other words, the paper demonstrates the
reasoning that might be used by someone thinking in terms of the religion and using
that moral approach.
The paper’s outline should follow a plan like this:
• Introduce the paper and state the thesis: this will note the religion and the
approach, might also include some teaser-reflection about the ethics question the
paper discusses. (1/2 page at the most)
• Describe the case, name the moral agent, present the ethics question. (1 to 1 &
1/2 pages at the most)
Background of the religion: In this section the paper will introduce the religion the
paper is using in way that prepares the reader to follow the paper’s main point.
This might include the religion’s moral tradition(s), some of its history, a
description of one of the practices done in the religion or of a symbol employed in
the religion. This section should be both accurate and relevant to the moral theory section of the paper. (About 3/4 of a page)
• Explain the moral theory: In this section the paper names and briefly describes
the moral approach the paper will use to answer the ethics question. This might
or might not include a reference to the religion. (About 3/4 of a page)
• Ethical analysis: This is the paper’s main point. In this section the paper gives the
answer to the ethics question, and, more importantly, explains why this is the
answer. This section demonstrates moral reasoning. The moral reasoning used
here must come out of the religion as it was described earlier in the paper, and it
must demonstrate the moral approach that was previously explained. (About 2
pages)
The paper must:
• include all original writing with minimal direct quotations taken from sources
• use only sources with academic credibility (such as course materials, including
lectures, assigned readings, sources provided by the professor and maybe a
source the professor has approved)
• cite sources wherever necessary, including wherever a source is quoted,
summarize or paraphrased (any citation format is acceptable, as long as page
numbers are included)
• employ excellent writing & spelling
• use a 12-point font, margins of 1 inch, and double-spaced pages