Overview
In this written assignment, you will create an ethics case study based on provided topics, resources, and ethical questions. Your tasks here are to present the case study and the information necessary to consider it. You will choose one of the ethical questions provided with the case study and discuss the central moral controversy the question addresses. You will also briefly apply utilitarianism to the case study. This written assignment should be an essay and include the following sections and headings.
Part 1: Introduction, Case Study
In this section, you will create the case study. To complete this section,
Choose a case study from the selection provided by your instructor in the Week 2 announcement titled “Week 2 Case Studies.”
Present a brief introduction to the case study.
Discuss background information provided in one of the resources.
This section should be around 300 words.
Part 2: Ethical Question
In this section, discuss one of the ethical questions provided with the case study. To complete this section,
State the ethical question you have chosen to discuss and place it at the beginning of the section in bold font.
Discuss the ethical question by considering two or more of the following:
What is the central moral controversy at the heart of the ethical question?
What ethical or societal values are at stake in the question?
Who is impacted by the issue or moral controversy?
What might it say about us as individuals or society depending on how we answer the ethical question?
This section should be around 150 words.
Part 3: Position Statement
In this section, you will formulate a position statement that answers the ethical question, and then support the position statement. To complete this section,
Formulate a position statement that directly answers the ethical question. For example, if the ethical question is “Is it moral for public schools to use corporal punishment to discipline students?” Your position statement would be either “It is moral for schools to use corporal punishment.” or “It is not moral for schools to use corporal punishment.”
Discuss reasons that support your position statement. The reasons should be moral or value-based as opposed to statistical or other information-based reasons. For example, the use of corporal punishment in public schools is rare, but this is fact and not a moral reason; so it would not provide much support for the position statement.
This section should be around 150 words.
Part 4: Opposition Statement
In this section, you will provide a statement that directly opposes the position statement and discuss reasons that support it. To complete this section,
Formulate a statement that opposes your position statement. For example, if your position statement was “It is not moral for schools to use corporal punishment,” then your opposing position statement would be “It is moral for public schools to use corporal punishment.”
Discuss reasons that support your opposition statement. As in the preceding section, these reasons should also be moral or value-based as opposed to statistical or other information-based reasons.
This section should be around 150 words.
Part 5: Application of Utilitarianism
In this section,
Explain the principle of “the greatest good for the greatest number.”
Consider how this principle would support your position or opposing position statement.
This section should be around 100 words.
The Case Study: Creating an Ethics Case Study paper
Must be four to five double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site. resource.
Must include a separate title page with the following in title case:
title of paper in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
student’s name
name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
course name and number
instructor’s name
due date
Must utilize academic voice.
See the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph.
Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For Helpance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. and Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.
Must use at least two scholarly sources.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
To Help you in completing the research required for this assignment, view this Quick and Easy Library ResearchLinks to an external site. tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site. guide.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center.
See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.
WEEK TWO WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT CASE STUDIES
#1 EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM
Philosopher Peter Singer argues in “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” that if we can donate some of our money to save other people’s lives without comparable harm to ourselves, then we morally ought to do it (Singer, 1972). William MacAskill is a young philosopher who attempts to put this reasoning into practice. He helped start a movement called “effective altruism,” in which people give most of the money that they make to help to save people from diseases and death in less developed parts of the world (Lewis-Kraus, 2022).
MacAskill himself lives in relative poverty ($26k British pounds per year) and gives the rest to help others. He estimates that a life can be saved for about $4000 (Lewis-Kraus, p. 48).
ETHICAL QUESTION: Do we have a moral obligation to donate some of our money to save other people’s lives?
References:
Lewis-Kraus, G. (2022). Do better. New Yorker.
Singer, P. (1972). Famine, affluence, and morality. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 1(3), pp. 229-243. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2265052Links to an external site. Links to an external site.
#2 STEALING OR RESCUING
In March of 2017, animal activists entered into a major hog raising facility in southern Utah, observed the conditions of the animals, and removed two piglets that they considered at high risk of death due to malnutrition, disease, and neglect. They took the piglets (that they named “Lily” and “Lizzie”) to an animal sanctuary to receive care.
The owner of the hog facility, Smithfield Foods, saw this as an act of theft, since the piglets were its property, and the activists did not have permission to take them.
The activists saw it as an act of rescue, similar to breaking a car window to rescue a dog trapped in a car on a hot day.
In October of 2022, two of the activists stood trial for their actions. After deliberation, the jury found the defendants not guilty. Animal advocates saw this as a vindication of the “right to rescue.”
Law professor Justin Marceau stated, “Prosecutors would have you believe this case is about burglary, but in reality, it’s a case about whether people can rescue animals in dire conditions that are now commonplace in our food system … I can’t think of a more significant animal law case in recent history” (Jacobs, 2022). On the contrary side, Smithfield’s vice president replied, “This verdict is very disappointing as it may encourage anyone opposed to raising animals for food to vandalize farms” (Bolotnikova, 2022).
ETHICAL QUESTION: Is it moral to trespass onto private property in order to rescue animals at risk of dying?
References:
Bolotnikova, M. (2022). Activists acquitted in trial for taking piglets from Smithfield Foods. The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2022/10/08/smithfieldLinks to an external site.animalLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.rightsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.pigletsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.trial/Links to an external site. Links to an external site.
Jacobs, A. (2022). Animal rights activists are acquitted in Smithfield piglet case. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/08/science/animalsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.rightsLinks to an external site.pigletsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.smithfield.htmlLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
#3 Transportation and Climate Activism:
Greta Thunberg is an internationally famous climate activist from Sweden. Her intensity and passion have been an inspiration to climate activists around the world. When she came to speak at a large climate conference in New York city, she crossed the Atlantic in a fast zero-carbon yacht (Law, 2019). Many climate activists around the world, however, do not have access to such means of transport and organize and travel to events using personal vehicles.
Some might say that this is hypocritical and seems to demonstrate the impossibility of living without the use of fossil fuels. Others may say that it is justified to make these types of concessions in order to do good (as opposed to using them for less important purposes or not taking these types of actions at all).
ETHICAL QUESTION: Is it moral to use immoral means to achieve a good end?
References:
Law, T. (2019). Greta Thunberg, climate activist 16, arrives in N.Y. with a message for Trump. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/nyregion/gretaLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.thunbergLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.newLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.york.htmlLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
#4 Stealing to Feed One’s Family
The book Les Misérables was in part based on real events, when author Victor Hugo witnessed a man being hauled away by the police for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family (Martyris, 2017). The example of stealing bread is sometimes literal, and sometimes is used as a metaphor for doing what is necessary to meet one’s daily needs. As simple as the example is, it is an example that illustrates how different moral theories can come to very different conclusions about what is right to do (and why).
ETHICAL QUESTION: Is it moral to steal in order to feed one’s family?
References
Martyris, N. (2017). Let them eat bread: The theft that helped inspire ‘Les Miserables’. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/03/20/520459332/letLinks to an external site.themLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.eatLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.breadLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.theLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.theftLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.thatLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.helpedLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.inspireLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.lesLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.miserablesLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
#5 SAVIOR SIBLINGS
The book My Sister’s Keeper (2004), written by Jodi Picoult tells the story of a sibling who sues her parents for medical emancipation after they request she donate one of her kidneys to her older sister who is dying from leukemia. A few years earlier, in August of 2000, Adam Nash was born. Adam was conceived using “embryo selection” in order to save the life of his sister, Molly.
ETHICAL QUESTION: Is it moral for parents to conceive a child in order to save the life of a sibling? References
https://twinLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.cities.umn.edu/newsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.events/almostLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.twoLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.decadesLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.laterLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.doctorLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.reflectsLinks to an external site.usingLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.embryoLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.selectionLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.saveLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.youngLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.girlsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.lifeLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
https://www.zmescience.com/science/whatLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.areLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.designerLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.babiesLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.aLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.healthcareLinks to an external site.wonderLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.orLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.anLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.ethicalLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.horror/Links to an external site. Links to an external site.
#6 TORTURE AND TERRORISM
The use of torture by governments and regimes has occurred around the world and throughout various eras of human history. Since 9/11 and the War on Terrorism that followed, the use of torture has come into greater scrutiny with some administrations using it to extract what they deem to be life-saving information and other administrations setting policies against the use of torture.
The topic of torture is complex and involves many ethical issues ranging from the deprivation of human rights and the infliction of pain and suffering to the need to acquire life-saving information in situations known as the “ticking time bomb” scenarios.
ETHICAL QUESTION: Is it moral to use torture to extract life-saving information from a known terrorist? References
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/torture/Links to an external site. Links to an external site. https://www.eLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.ir.info/2020/09/16/isLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.theLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.useLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.ofLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.tortureLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.everLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.morallyLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.permissible/Links to an external site. Links to an external site. https://ndpr.nd.edu/reviews/onLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.theLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.ethicsLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.ofLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.torture/Links to an external site. Links to an external site.
#7 ANIMALS AND MEDICAL RESEARCH
Animals have been used in medical research throughout human history starting as far back as 500 BC and continuing to the present day. In the past century, with the advancement of various technologies, the use of animals has been both controversial and the source of treatments or cures for devastating diseases such as the use of insulin to control diabetes that resulted from surgical experiments with dogs.
ETHICAL QUESTION: Is it moral to use animals in research designed to cure or treat diseases that are devastating to humans? References https://bioethics.hms.harvard.edu/journal/animalLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.moralLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.standingLinks to an external site. Links to an external site. https://med.stanford.edu/animalresearch/whyLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.animalLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.research.htmlLinks to an external site. Links to an external site. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1923/banting/lecture/Links to an external site. Links to an external site.
#8 BUSINESSES AND RACIAL BIAS
In 2018 at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, two black men were waiting for a business associate. While waiting, one of the men asked to use the bathroom and was denied because neither man had ordered anything. One of the men had been coming to this same Starbucks for many years, but a store manager called the police who arrived quickly and descended upon the store. The police asked them men to leave and when they declined to do so, they were arrested for trespassing. The incident quickly shot into the national spotlight after a video of the arrest went viral. A few weeks later, Starbucks shut down its stores for in-house racial bias training.
ETHICAL QUESTION: Do businesses have an obligation to provide racial bias training to their employees? References https://hbr.org/2021/09/unconsciousLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.biasLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.trainingLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.thatLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.worksLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
Microsoft Word Links to an external site.- Links to an external site.Meet Me at Starbucks_Implicit Bias Case Study_English.docxLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
(utexas.edu)Links to an external site. Links to an external site.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/paologaudiano/2022/05/17/hereLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.isLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.whyLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.unconsciousLinks to an external site.biasLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.shouldLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.beLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.theLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.leastLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.ofLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.yourLinks to an external site.-Links to an external site.worries/?sh=18acca10aa8bLinks to an external site. Links to an external site.
