1.Choose an issue of applied ethic. Choose a side and briefly defend (with evidence) your position. Remember to defend your position against a potential criticism.
2.Applied ethics involves examining specific controversial issues. You are welcome to choose any topic that interests you, this can include finding the ethical component in topics not typically considered related to morality. For example, if you’re interested in video games, your paper can be on the morality of playing violent video games.
Please read 1-2 philosophical papers that support your position and make sure to cite them.
3.The issue of applied ethic I choose is: Do humans actually have free will?
4.The claim for this paper is that: Humans do not actually have free will and since they do not have free will, then they do not have moral responsibility. Support this claim by providing evidence from philosophical papers you can find online.
you may defend free will and then explain the reason why humans don’t have it then go on with the the rest of the paper to explain how this effects our moral responsibility.
THIS IS A GOOD ARTICLE TO GET A GIST: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/theres-no-such-thing-as-free-will/480750/
THIS IS A PAPER THAT YOU MAY USE: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctytho/dfwFischer2.html
General Paper Guidelines
Short Paper I should be written like a typical essay, with an introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph, not bullet points.
Your introduction should have your thesis statement and an outline of how you plan to illustrate your argument, in the order you plan to do it. Be careful that you do not start explaining your entire argument here. The point of the introduction is just to give the reader a tiny snapshot of what’s to come. Then, organize your body paragraphs in that order. Remember to use transition words so the reader can follow how your argument is progressing. If you are referencing something from the text, make sure you briefly explain it, remind the reader what you’re talking about. Make the conclusion a recap of what you did in the paper aka fulfilling the promise you made in the intro.
5.An argument is not simply a statement of your opinion; it is an attempt to support your position with reasons. This position is the critical stance, or thesis, that you take on your essay topic. Your thesis states the conclusion you aim to prove. The argument you develop in the essay offers a set of reasons or evidence to support your conclusion or thesis.
Questions to think about as you create your own argument: (1) What am I trying to say? That is, what is my position? (2) 6.Why do I think that? (my evidence vs. personal motivation). If your personal motivation is not relevant for the argument, do not include it. That is, if it doesn’t answer: (3) Why should someone else think that? Why should they be convinced by the evidence?
7.What is good evidence? In response to such a question, first think about the readings from this class, what kind of evidence are you most convinced by? In crafting your own argument, employ similar tactics (e.g. relatable scenarios, scientific evidence, thought experiments, etc.).
As you develop your arguments …
– Imagine that you are trying to convince a skeptical reader. How might they argue against the claims you are making? Then try to defend your view against those objections – this will help you clarify what you think, and develop your reasoning.
– Any time you express an opinion/take a position in your essay, imagine me asking you “but why do you think that?” – if you don’t already have an answer for me, you haven’t formed an argument for your position.