The Perspective of the Four Families of Moral Values Course Writing Assignment
In your writing assignment, you will analyze a moral question from the perspective of the four
families of moral values.
Your first step is to select a moral question from Section 1 (The Personal), Section 2 (The
Public), or Section 3 (The Political) of George’s What Should I Do?
Once you have selected a moral question, you must prepare an analysis of that question that
consists of six sections. The sections of your analysis must be completed in the following way.
Section One
In Section One you must first state the moral question you are working with and then give a
summary of what the philosopher or philosophers say about that question in George, What Should I Do?. Also include a brief commentary on what the philosophers’ response, that is, say what you found to be most important in the philosophers’ response and why, and say what you found most controversial in the philosophers’ response and why. Write at least two pages for Section One (and please do not write more than four pages).
Sections Two, Three, Four, and Five
In the next four sections you must analyze the question from four different moral points of view:
Section Two: Kant’s Categorical Imperative (pp. 126-130 of Weston)
Section Three: Utilitarianism (pp. 148-155 of Weston)
Section Four: Virtue (pp. 173-188 of Weston)
Section Five: Care and Compassion (pp. 201-216 of Weston)
Your analysis in each case must consist of the following two components. First, you must
explain how moral questions are framed and answered from within that perspective. Second,
you must say how the moral question you are working with would be answered from that
perspective and explain why. Sections Two, Three, Four and Five should be at least two pages
long (and please do not write more than four pages for each section).
Section Six
Section Six is your conclusion in which you state your own considered answer to the moral
question. Be sure to explain in detail why you believe that your answer is the correct answer.
Your answer may be that you are not sure what the correct answer to the question is, along with
an explanation of why different moral values or perspectives seem to be pulling you in different
directions on that question.
The Perspective of the Four Families of Moral Values Format Requirements
You must use a bold heading for each section (Section One, Section Two, etc.). Your name and
the words “Ethics, PHIL 1103” must appear at the top of your submission. You must number the
pages and you must double-space. Your submission must be prepared as an MS Word or pdf
file. You must submit your writing assignment to the appropriate Dropbox folder by the
deadline (the deadline is given in the Course Calendar).
Plagiarism
You are expected to know the College policy regarding academic honesty. Whenever you use
ideas that (as far as you know) are not original with you, you must provide a citation. You must
provide a citation for paraphrases of the ideas of others as well as direct quotations. Citations are
required to have two components. First, an in-text citation must be used which identified the
work and pages; in-text citations may be in footnote form, endnote form, or may consist of an identifier for the work and page(s) in parentheses in the text. Second, a citation must be given on a references page at the end of your submission. Entries must minimally include author, title URL if applicable, date and place of publication, and page numbers if applicable. You may use any format for giving citations as long as the same format is used throughout.
Tips for good philosophical writing
Clarity of expression is of maximum importance in this sort of writing; clarity is the chief
stylistic aim. One strategy for writing clearly is to write as simply as possible: write short
sentences in the active voice, avoid rhetorical questions, patiently explain each move your
thinking is taking, and spend time making your strange or controversial claims sound plausible.
Reading your paper aloud to yourself will help to expose places where explanation would be
helpful. Remember that the goal is not just to express your ideas, but to express your ideas in a
way that can be understood by others.
Drawing distinctions is one of the most important tasks of philosophical writing about ethics.
There are many different kinds of rights and virtues, many different ways to understand what
‘well-being’ and ‘care’ mean. Always ask yourself “what are some different senses here” of any concept or notion that plays an important role in your work.
I am happy to read a draft of your writing assignment before you submit it. I require at least four days to read and comment on drafts, and drafts are read in the order that I receive them. The deadline for submitting drafts is given on the Course Calendar. Drafts are not required and are not to be submitted to the Dropbox; send drafts to my Normandale email account as an
MS Word or pdf file. I read drafts only for completeness, clarity, detail, and imagination; it is your responsibility to correct grammatical errors and errors of spelling and punctuation. Contact the Writing Center at Normandale to learn about the availability of online help with your writing skills.
The Perspective of the Four Families of Moral Values Standards of Evaluation
In grading your submission, attention will be given to the following: use of English (grammar,
spelling, punctuation), whether each of the required tasks in each section was attempted, clarity
of expression, the detail in which the ideas are explored, and imagination.
2 sources to use are:
Required Texts
A. Weston, A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press. ISBN: 0199758816
A. George, ed., What Should I Do?: Philosophers on the Good, the Bad, and the Puzzling, Oxford University Press ISBN: 0199586128
