For this assignment we will focus on the Philosophy Bites series. The host of Philosophy Bites, Nigel Warburton, interviews a variety of practitioners in the fields of ethics.

Philosophy Bites series.

Paper details: The following outlines the two options for the 100-point essay assignment. The aim of this assignment is to encourage the student to explore/interact with a topic in ethics that is of interest and to engage in critical thinking in regards to it. Here are the options: 1) Find a podcast related to Ethics from “Ethics Bites” (a sub-grouping in the Philosophy Bites series): https://philosophybites.com/ethics/ This link is also useful as it takes the viewer to categorized lists. The Ethics-related categories are further down the list so be sure to scroll down a bit: https://philosophybites.com/325-bites-interviews-arranged-by-theme.html

Philosophy Bites series.

The host of Philosophy Bites, Nigel Warburton, interviews a variety of practitioners in the fields of ethics. You are asked to find a topic/podcast of your choice, communicate with the instructor (directly or electronically) about the one that you have selected in order to get it approved, and then listen to the approved interview and complete a written assignment that will address the following: 1) Summarize the salient ideas/arguments in the interview. Be sure to address the major positions discussed and/or taken by the thinker being interviewed 2) If the author is taking any specific positions, be sure to explain those as well as any arguments and/or principles that the speaker seems to be appealing to (either explicitly or implicitly)

Philosophy Bites series.

3) Finally, provide your own views and thoughtful insights concerning the position taken by the speaker. For example, consider if you agree/disagree and why. While the length of the student’s essay will be dependent upon the complexity of the particular essay, a good guide for this assignment is 4-5 pages in length, double-spaced and in 12-point font. The essay will be evaluated based upon the following criteria and out of 100 points: 1) Demonstrate an understanding of the topic(s) being addressed 2) Clarity of expression. This includes use of good grammar and spelling 3) Logical coherence of arguments and/or explanations 4) Sound organization of ideas

Philosophy Bites series.

5) Original and thoughtful insights This is the second of the options: Find two essays from the moral problems portion of the textbook related to a topic that you have an interest in further exploration. The plan is that the two essays take different positions on the safe general issue. This may be from any of the topics found in the text; however, it is imperative that you consult the instructor for approval and guidance. In the essay, the following should be done: 1) Briefly summarize the salient ideas in the essays. Be sure to address the major arguments and include the main theses and supporting reasons.

Philosophy Bites series.

For the in-class portion, it is acceptable and appropriate to use and audiovisuals that you believe to be useful and I will be glad to provide advice and assistance 2) Discuss the ethical theories that the authors seem to be viewing the issue through and justify why you believe this type of framing is present 3) Be sure to compare/contrast the arguments and their ethical approaches and it is also a good way to isolate strategies for critical analysis 4) Finally, please assess the arguments. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments?

Philosophy Bites series.

What alternative ways of framing the issues may have been overlooked or may have been appropriate? While the length of the student’s essay will be dependent upon the complexity of the particular essay, a good guide for this assignment is 4-6 pages in length, double-spaced and in 12-point font. Note that if you are using nothing other than the textbook, no sources page will be necessary. However, if any outside sources are consulted those must be cited and MLA source citations will be fine. https://youtu.be/unvPF7FwaMw

Philosophy Bites series

The essay will be evaluated based upon the following criteria and out of 100 points: 1) Demonstrate understanding of the essay and associated theories 2) Clarity of expression. This includes use of good grammar and spelling 3) Logical coherence of arguments and/or explanations 4) Sound organization of ideas 5) Original and thoughtful insights

Additional Files