Assignment #1: Utilitarianism
Pa.per Assignment
After reading Mill’s “Utilitarianism” and on effective altruism, write a 3-4 page es.say in which you do all of the following in a cohesive es.say:
Explain how a utilitarian or an effective altruist might say is the right action for the society to take in the following case (read attached document):
Case study #5 in Regional Ethics Bowl Cases 2022
Assume that the reader is unfamiliar with this particular way of thinking through a moral case, so it will be best to explain what it is to be a utilitarian and/or an effective altruist before discussing application to the case. Though there is not one single correct response, you will be graded on the depth and accuracy in your application of utilitarianism and/or effective altruism.
Make sure to define any key terms and concepts, including the distinction between quantity and quality of pleasures. Use concrete examples, when useful, to elucidate key elements of Mill’s and effective altruists’ views. Even though there is no one answer that is definitively right, you will be scored based on the extent to which you have used utilitarianism and/or effective altruism and how accurately you have done so.
Be sure to define any important phrases and ideas, such as the difference between the number and quality of joys that can be experienced. When elaborating on crucial aspects of Mill’s and effective altruists’ points of view, it is helpful to provide concrete instances when applicable. Assume that the reader is unfamiliar with Mill and effective altruism.
Purpose of Assignment
demonstrate a clear, in-depth understanding of the content through accurate and concise writing; and
engage with the text through appropriate quoting and citation (any major citation format is acceptable, e.g. APA, MLA).
Given the purposes of this assignment, it is important that you provide clear definitions of key terms, explain concepts and theories in detail and with examples when helpful, and demonstrate your understanding by providing these explanations in your own words whenever possible (instead of quoting). My recommendation is to demonstrate your understanding of the reading through selective quoting (in other words, keep quoting to a minimum) and when quoting, be sure to explain what the quote means and how it connects to the rest of the discussion.
For additional information on expectations for this assignment, refer to the grading rubric.
Submission Guidelines
1 inch margins, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font (Be sure to check these formatting guidelines as these may not be the default setting on your word processor).
Pa.per must be at least three full pages and must not be longer than four full pages. Any pap.ers that do not meet the minimum page requirement will be penalized, and anything written beyond the third page will not be read.
Upload your pa.per in Word or PDF format (doc, docx, pdf). Other formats (e.g. Pages) will not be accepted.
Your p.a.per will be run through the plagiarism detection program. I take academic integrity very seriously as a matter of fairness to all PCC students, and though in many cases, students unknowingly violate the academic integrity policy, you will still be held responsible for making sure your work complies with those policies. If you have any questions, I am more than happy to help.
