Category: Ethics

Instructions
This is a 5 paragraph paper: Introduction, Topic 1, Topic 2, Topic 3, Conclusion
Label all of the paragraphs
Introduction (10 points, at least 150 words)
This is a place to create a roadmap for the paper and include a thesis statement for the paper.
Write an introduction stating what you will be writing about
Body: (60 points) (1500 words minimum)
Write 3 separate paragraphs of at least 500 words each on 3 different topics from class. (20 points each paragraph) 
Use both videos and articles. You will choose a combination of 3 videos and articles. 
2 video/documentaries and 1 article or 2 articles and 1 video/documentary.
Reflect on readings, lectures, and video/documentaries.
Write summaries for each topic you choose. Your topics are the articles and video from class.
You can add to the summaries that you have already written on the articles and video. Each must be a minimum of 500 words.
Conclusion: (10 points, at least 200 words)
Here you will talk about why you chose the the topics you chose.
Also, what were you favorite topics in class
Any ending thoughts.
I will give you articles and videos regarding this 

Initial Post Instructions
St. Augustine in the 5th Century held that we are free to make choices in life. This is the idea of free will. It may seem at first glance odd for a religious thinker to say that we have free will. After all, if God exists, then God created all things. God knows already what we will do. God can cause anything to occur. If we cause things to occur, that seems to be a limitation on the power of God and not make God all-powerful.
There are also religion traditions that say that we have no free will. There are some theologians in Islam who seem to suggest that is true. In order for this line of reasoning to hold true, one would need to believe free will is an illusion and that we have no control over how we live our lives, but rather that we are puppets moving and acting due to God’s will and the powers of destiny and fate. And if this then in the case, how can we possibly be responsible for our actions?
The considerations above show us to what degree our religious beliefs can shape us. For instance, someone who believes in free will may experience way more guilt than someone who believes we don’t have free will and thus aren’t responsible for the choices (and consequences) of the actions we take.
Personal struggles with religion and ethics occur in many places, including in the healthcare arena. Consider the following: You are a nurse in a hospital. A 12 year-old was brought to the hospital by an ambulance. The parents have just arrived at the hospital. This 12 year-old has lost a large amount of blood and requires a transfusion. The parents happen to be members of a religion that believes that blood transfusions are immoral. They want to remove the child from the hospital and prevent the transfusion even if it means the death of the child. You have to decide whether or not you will participate in an action that violates the will of the parents and aid in providing blood for the child. If you choose to participate, and even if you are able to legally justify it, you have to think about the distress you are creating for the parents. If you refuse to aid here, you may be subject to retaliation from the hospital. What is the moral thing for the nurse to do here?
For the initial post, address the following questions:
What would a divine command ethicist say is the moral thing to do here? Why would they say that? Do you agree with the divine command ethics? Why or why not?
Evaluate what a natural law ethicist would say is right to do. Do you agree with them? Why or why not?
Given what you said are the right things to do, what would an emotivist say about your positions and judgments? What role does subjectivity play here in determining what is ethical?
Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least one peer. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.
Writing Requirements
Minimum of 2 posts (1 initial & 1 follow-up)
Minimum of 2 sources cited (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside scholarly source)
APA format for in-text citations and list of references
POST I NEED TO REPLY TO
Hi Class and Professor,
What would a divine command be moral because God said the opposite is immoral? ethicists say is the moral thing to do here? Why would they say that? Do you agree with the divine command ethics? Why or why not?
This situation would be a big ethical dilemma and put the nurse in a difficult situation based on what she chooses to do. As Elhence, P. (2006) states, there are a number of ethical issues when it comes to blood transfusions because blood comes from other human beings and is considered a precious resource. The divine command ethicist would most likely argue that the moral thing to do in this situation would be to leave the situation in god’s hands and let the parents proceed how they see fit based on their religion. Personally, I do not agree with this perspective simply because I think it should be based on the person’s choice with their safety in mind versus a religious higher power. However, I do see the importance of respecting one’s religion and other perspectives as that is equally important.
Evaluate what a natural law ethicist would say is right to do. Do you agree with them? Why or why not? 
The natural law ethicist would probably say that the right thing to do would be similar to the divine command ethicist, of allowing nature to take its course in the situation and not violate the purpose of the situation. As Rachels, S. & Rachels, J. (2023) states, this perspective says that violation of purpose of something is considered immoral. I do not agree with this perspective because I believe in some circumstances, intervention is necessary, especially if it means saving a life. Especially in this circumstance we are discussing, this boy could potentially lose his life if intervention doesn’t happen.
Given what you said are the right things to do, what would an emotivist say about your positions and judgments? What role does subjectivity play here in determining what is ethical?
I believe that the emotivist would say my perspective and judgment of the situation is based off moral judgment with the involvement of emotions, not beliefs. I do not completely agree with that. Subjectivity does have its involvement many times, especially in this situation since the nurse (me) would need to base the decision to participate with her own feelings aside and what is the best fit for this patient.
References: 
Elhence, P. (2006). Ethical issues in transfusion medicine. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 3.https://doi.org/10.20529/ijme.2006.033Links to an external site.
Links to an external site.Rachels, S., & Rachels, J. (2023). The Elements of Moral Philosophy (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

please look in chapter 1.  In that chapter there are 3 real moral cases from the past.  
“Baby Theresa”
“Jodie and Mary”
“Traci Latimer”
Please pick one of the three above issues and address the following 4 questions in your writing
1. Summarize the story.  During the summarizing, mention relevant factors to make your paper stronger.  Why was this case a critical moral and legal issue?  What were the legal issues or laws involved?  Did this issue get political (e.g., demonstrations, debates for presidential candidates), what were the historical or legal impact of the decision? (You are encouraged to do research outside of the text)
2. Pick two ethical theories we have covered (e.g., utilitarianism and moral absolutism).  After picking the two theories, define what they are and name the strengths and weaknesses for each of the theories
3. Explain how each one of your theory would try to solve this moral issue.  Which theory would you pick and why?
4. Do you agree with the final decision people made (e.g., parents, courts) in the issue that you picked?  Explain your position and what you learned through this exercise
When writing, please remember the following
1. Please expect to spend one to two paragraphs per each of the four questions.
2. Remember to support your point while avoiding personal bias. Use instead logic, longitudinal data, statistics, history, cultural norms based on ethical consensus.  Anecdotal data is powerful too when you can better demonstrate its possible universality.
3. “The chain is only as strong as its weakest link”.  Please use this quote as a guideline to make sure you cover all potential weak spots in your main point. 
https://home.csulb.edu/~cwallis/382/readings/160/EM.pdf

You will be given a sound argument including 2 premises and a
conclusion. You will then be required to write an
analysis of that argument including
whether you think it is sound or not and why. You will need to
write 1800-2000 words on this topic including your argument.
These analyses should draw on your experiences, ideas,
reflections on Kantian ethics, Virtue ethics, deontology, and/or utility. Also
include a counter argument and refute it.
Argument:
Premise 1: GMO’s have the
potential to significantly increase crop yields, and playing a crutial role in aiding
global food security concerns.
Premise 2: GMOs can
contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing the need for chemical
pesticides and fertilizers, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Conclusion: Therefore, the
responsible use of GMOs offers a logical approach to enhancing agriculture
while promoting environmental conservation.
Counter Argument:
Premise 1: The adoption of GMO’s
may lead to unintended consequences that outweigh their potential benefits.
Premise 2: GMOs can pose
environmental risks, including the emergence of resistant pests and weeds and
the loss of biodiversity.
Conclusion: Therefore,
caution should be exercised in executing the widespread adoption of GMOs, and
alternative approaches should be explored instead

Directions
Using the case study and professional code of ethics you chose for the project proposal, you will do the following:
Introduce the audience to the key problems and issues of the case.
Analyze the ethical components of the case.
To do this, you will finalize your choice of an ethical framework, considering what you identified in the project proposal.
To choose a case study, refer to the instructions in the Supporting Materials section. To choose an ethical framework, refer to the overview in the Module One Guide. Use the professional code of ethics you chose in Module Two Project Proposal.
You must cite the case study, professional code of ethics, and ethical framework, but no other sources are required.
Specifically, you must address the following criteria:
Part One: Case Analysis
Describe the background of the case. Summarize the events that are presented in the case.
Cite your chosen case study.
Explain the ethical issues of the case. Include the key members and the significance of the case.
Determine principles from your chosen ethical framework that apply to the case.
Explain how you might apply the chosen professional code of ethics to analyze the case.
Explain how the ethical framework can be used to examine the ethical issues of the case.
What to Submit
Submit your project draft as a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. You must cite your case study, your chosen professional code of ethics, and your chosen ethical framework, but no other sources are required. If other sources are used, follow APA citation guidelines when citing sources both throughout and at the end of your paper.

Abortion is always a sticky subject. Taking the notions of care ethics and relationships in moral matters into consideration, present a researched argument that there are times when having an abortion is the morally right thing to do.
Before you post, please thoroughly edit your writing to ensure it is professional and academic. For more details about how the initial post and peer replies are graded, see the “Discussion Guidelines” and “Grading Rubric” linked below.

To begin to understand how this period began, this assignment focuses on watching a PBS documentary called Foreigners on Their Own Land. 
The documentary title makes use of the actual words expressed by Juan Seguin, who was from an elite Tejano family that welcomed Anglo Americans and even fought along the side of Anglo Americans for Texas independence from Mexico. Seguin’s expression captures the essence of a larger process of becoming a foreigner on his own land of Texas and reflects the process of Mexicans becoming less included in the future of the southwest as Anglo domination and control increased with Mexico having lost the war imposed by the United States in 1848. 
After you watch this documentary respond to following major question and the questions below in number order: 
What does this expression of becoming Foreigners on Their Own Land mean as understood though the experiences of Juan Seguin? Or put another way, what did he go through that would provoke him to express such statement? How does his experience reflect this process? Explain your response and support with details of how you are understanding this statement to mean.  
Can you find a similar parallel of becoming a foreigner on their own land with the experiences of another historical figure or events discussed in this documentary such as Apolenaria Lorenzana, Mariano Vallejo, and/or Las Gorras Blancas, the Gold Rush etc. told through this documentary? Explain your response and support with details of how you are understanding this statement to mean.  
Why did the Seguin family, and other Tejano families, decide to welcome Anglo families to Texas when it was still part of Mexico? 
What do you think about Prof. David Montejano’s statement about Juan Seguin having a conflicted identity for referring to himself as John? 
What is the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? When was it created and what kind of protections was it supposed to provide Mexicans living in what would be considered new US territory?

Scenario
You are the superintendent of a high school district engaged in a debate over requiring all incoming freshmen to sit for an entrance exam. Students will be placed in college-preparatory courses (including several advanced placement courses) OR a standard track based on the entrance exam results. Thus, students who perform well on the entrance exam will be grouped with students of similar advanced academic abilities. Many parents and teachers have strong opinions about this proposed policy (both for and against). You have been asked to conduct a presentation for the upcoming school board meeting, at which many parents and teachers will be present.
Directions
First, read the following articles:
“The Pygmalion Effect in Distance Learning: A Case Study at the Hellenic Open University” (Niari et al., 2016).
“Positive Adult Education, Learned Helplessness and the Pygmalion Effect” (Cobos-Sanchiz, 2022).
You may also wish to read the following popular press articles:
“Another last-minute change could come to high school admissions process” (Elsen-Rooney, 2022a).
“’Gifted’ more diverse ; Black, Hispanic students double after test tossed” (Elsen-Rooney, 2022b).
“The Access Trap” (Heller, 2022).
Next, develop a 1-page handout (Microsoft Word) explaining the Pygmalion Effect and the practice of ability grouping. Your audience for this handout should be the school board meeting attendees. Imagine that you have to explain the Pygmalion Effect and ability grouping to them. You must be creative and use images and graphics to help illustrate the principles. You should indicate both the pros and cons of these practices. Please be sure to cite graphics/images properly in APA format as if you were going to publish them in a journal article (see Ch. 7 of the APA manual).
Finally, write a 1–2 -page paper to accompany your handout answering the following questions:
How have you experienced the effects of the Pygmalion effect in educational or organizational settings? What informal practices do educators engage in that illustrate the Pygmalion effect? What are the impacts of these informal practices on educational settings?
What has been your experience with the practice of ability grouping? Is this strategy ethical, or is it unethical? To support your conclusions, evaluate the impact of ability grouping policies on your educational setting using evidence from Niari et al. (2016) and Cobos-Sanchiz et al. (2022).
References

What Would You Do? Scenario #2
The purpose of this exercise is to practice thinking critically about privacy-related issues. On page 174 of the textbook, review scenario #2 in the “What Would You Do?” section, and describe how you would handle the situation. Outline your response by using the five-step decision-making process as described in Chapter 1. Use your critical thinking skills, and compose your response in your own words. Your responses to Part 1 should be at least one page in length.
Part 2: Case #2: China’s Great Firewall
The purpose of this exercise is to practice thinking critically about how technology has impacted freedom of speech. On pages 215-216 of the textbook, analyze Case #2. Answer the three critical thinking questions that follow the case. Use your critical thinking skills, and compose your response in your own words. Your response to Part 2 should be at least one page in length.
You will combine both Part 1 and Part 2 together into one document and submit it for grading in Blackboard. Ensure that you label your responses as Part 1 and Part 2.
Your assignment will be at least two pages in length, not including the title and reference pages. You must use at least your textbook as a source in completing this assignment. All sources used will have proper citations and references formatted in APA style. 

Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
Textbook: Chapter 5, 6
Lesson
Minimum of 2 scholarly sources (in addition to the course textbook)
Instructions
This assignment is the first step in a three part project. You only need to focus on part one at this point. Each step will build on earlier steps. However, it is not a matter of providing a rough draft of all or even part of the entire project here in week three. That is, further steps might require completely new and original text. At the same time, completing each step will aid you in completing a future step or future steps. And, you should use the same topic in all steps.
First, select a topic of moral controversy, debate, disagreement, and dispute, Examples of such topics are euthanasia, the death penalty, abortion, cloning, etc. You can pick any such topic. It need not be listed here.
Next, detail the positions of each side of the ethical debate. Note at least two moral reasons each side presents to show their view on the topic is correct.
Now, we want to evaluate these positions using the moral theories we studied this week:
What would an Ethical Egoist say about this topic? What side would the Ethical Egoist take? What would the Ethical Egoist say to justify their moral position? Is there a conflict between loyalty to self and to community relevant to your topic? If so, how so? Note what you feel is the best course of action.
What would a Social Contract Ethicist say about this topic? What side would the Social Contract Ethicist take? What would the Social Contract Ethicist say to justify their moral position? Does your topic involve a collision between personal obligations and national ones? If so, how so? Note what you feel is the best course of action.
Finally, reference and discuss any professional code of ethics relevant to your topic such as the AMA code for doctors, the ANA code for nurses, or any other pertinent professional code. State whether and how your chosen topic involves any conflicts between professional and familial duties.
Cite the textbook and incorporate outside sources, including citations.
Requirements
Length: 3-4pages (not including title page or references page)
1-inch margins
Double spaced
12-point Times New Roman font
Title page
References page (minimum of 2 scholarly sources in addition to the course textbook)
Grading
This activity will be graded based on the rubric provided.
Outcomes
CO 4: Select the best course of action based on moral theories, values, and logical reasoning given conflicting moral duties (loyalty to community or to self, professional or familial duties, national or personal obligations) and a situation in which a choice has to be made.
CO 6: Evaluate the ethical positions arrived at by using a key moral theory (such as Kantian ethics) relative to the long standing debate surrounding the death penalty, cloning, or some other key topic of moral controversy.