Write an essay at least 1,000 words and at most 2,000 words in length (Please write more than 1,000 words, as that is the minimum0
Be sure to submit the essay as a docx (Word) file.
The title should be creative and based on content
Topic: You have been introduced to a number of
different approaches to ethics and moral theory (e.g., Utilitarianism,
Kantianism, Rand’s Objectivism). You have considered philosophical works
dealing with economic and social issues (e.g., Rand, Nozick, and Rawls). You
have considered the possible context and outcomes of various approaches to
individual rights and economic and social obligations (e.g., via Matewan and
Bellamy’s Looking Backward), and you have a great deal of personal experience
living and working under our present economic and political system. In light of
all that, I would like you to write an essay on some aspect of the
possibilities, opportunities, costs, implications, etc. of laissez-faire
approaches to economics and to individual rights and social obligations such as
those offered by thinkers like Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick. Your essay must take a moral perspective, to
evaluate such systems from a moral perspective.
Arguments can be offered to show that the basic conception
of rights and obligations proposed by libertarian thinkers like Rand and Nozick
is, despite its flaws, morally the best and most appropriate system. Arguments can also be offered to show just
the opposite. What position you take is
up to you; what matters is how well you elucidate your position and how well
you substantiate that position from a moral perspective. Note: a moral
perspective is not an economic perspective, although a moral perspective might
allow you to argue that a particular economic consequence might be based on a
flawed moral perspective or that a particular economic consequence is somehow
consistent or inconsistent with some set of moral standards or goals.
In short, I want you to adopt your own position relative to
the merits of such laissez-faire and absolute rights approaches, and I want you
to adopt it on the basis of morality.
Specific requirements:
1.
A title clearly related to the content or
subject of your essay.
2.
A clearly stated thesis or position that you
will attempt to substantiate.
3.
A clear explanation of just what aspects of a
particular economic/philosophical approach you are addressing (either to
substantiate it or to criticize it).
This might require describing it in terms of writings by appropriate
thinkers, not necessarily those we have read).
4.
A clear, logical argument to substantiate your
position. For example, if you are claiming that a particular position is
morally problematic, you might need to describe the sense in which it is
problematic and why it is morally problematic.
5.
A clear response to the counterarguments that
might be made by persons who take the opposite approach. Obviously, no matter what approach you take,
there will be those who disagree. A thorough moral perspective on any issue
requires considering the other side. How
would they counter or object to your position or argument? If you cannot think of how they would do
that, you probably have not made a real attempt to understand that point of
view, in which case you have not attempted to conduct a thorough and objective
moral assessment.
You will need to state what the counterargument would be and how or why it would be made (i.e., what is the basis for
it) and then to give reasons for rejecting it
6.
A summary of your argument and a summary
statement of your position.
External Research:
To do all that well may take more than just 1,000
words. You are welcome to do some
external research, to read the kinds of arguments that moral philosophers have
made on each side. However, you must
ALWAYS CITE the works you use. Citations
are required when you quote, paraphrase, or simply use the information or ideas
that you obtain from any other source.
Cite the works used when you use them in your essay with an elliptical
reference or with a footnote. Give the full bibliographic information in a list
of references at the end of the essay. The references do not count toward the
required length.
The Nature of Philosophical Moral Arguments:
Always recall that, when you consider moral questions, it
really is not sufficient to say just that “I think that,” etc. A moral argument should be given in terms
that would be generally persuasive to others.
This essay will count for 15% of your final grade.
Reference Tips:
William H. Shaw and Vincent Barry, Moral
Issues in Business, 13th ed. Cengage, 2016. ISBN 978-1-285-87432-6
Matewan movie on YouTube (full version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOvS8NqyYdQ
Ch. 1 of Bellamy’s Looking Backward novel (attached)
Egoistic writer, Ayn
Rand (attached)
Utilize and cite your own sources on ALL the topics as mentioned above
Professor’s lecture notes are attached
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|