Important Reminders About the Writing Prompt
Common Mistakes by Students
NOT
Designer Babies…
As you begin thinking about how to properly defend
ethical arguments in the Thesis/Outline for Essay 2, you will need to stay
focused on the assignment. Do not wander
off the assigned ISSUE and writing STYLE.
Please keep in mind the actual writing assignment for Essay
2, Ethical Essay Prompt:
Write an ethical argument in which you address the question: “How
far should scientists go to modify humans through genetic engineering?”
Therefore, even though the video to show the ‘general
overview’ of the issue tends to lightheartedly focus on designer babies, “designer babies” is NOT your writing assignment.
You need to think about all the issues surrounding
scientific study that modifies humans through genetic engineering. This
genetic engineering can be designer babies, but it can
also be disease reduction, or superior race construction,
and so on. Your argument must clearly state HOW FAR scientists should go
and you would then PROVE that argument through clearly agreed upon ethics.
KEY POINT 2
THE TOPIC IS NOT DESIGNER BABIES.
The topic is “How far should scientists go to modify
humans through genetic engineering?”
This
is an ethical argument, and so you must use ethical standards to argue your
viewpoint. There are various beliefs and ethical standards for how one forms
his/her beliefs. Keep in mind the three primary ethical standards for
this topic:
·
If you choose Christian ethics, the principles would be
from the Bible;
·
If you choose American ethics, the principles would be
from the Constitution or the Bill of Rights;
·
If you choose Medical ethics, the principles would be based on
the Hippocratic Oath.
If
you have no ideas about this topic…you will want to begin by researching the
issue. Some research sources for this essay have been provided
for you in Blackboard.
Any additional sources that you may choose to use must be
credible academic sources, not blog-posts or Op-Ed pieces from newspapers or
magazines. (Note: Wikipedia is NOT an
acceptable source for academic writing.)
|
Clearly Locate an Ethical Standard…
Students Move in the Wrong
Direction when
they do not have a clear ethical standard (and principles within that standard)
chosen from the very beginning. If
you do not know which standard you will use to argue your ethical views,
consider the guidance below:
Some
students are intimidated by writing from a Christian perspective because they
fear the tremendous amounts of biblical research needed to identify their
viewpoint. However, even the newest Christian should grasp some basic
Christian principles such as LOVE, IDOL-worship, and how SIN creates disease
and pain in the world. Can you think of a few more basic beliefs that
Christians hold based on the Bible, the LAWS, and Christian teachings?
It
is very important to remember that this is not a research paper.
This
is an argument…an ethical argument based on your
chosen, specific, core values.
Are you still not comfortable with Christian standards and
principles of ethics?
If
you choose to not use Christianity as the core value/ethical standard...what
ethical standard will you choose?
I
would suggest brainstorming to...
1.
FIRST,
determine how AND why you feel the way you do about the
issue, and
2.
THEN, I would suggest identifying
the standard that is leading you to those conclusions.
If
you are being guided by Christian beliefs on the issue
(Biblical foundations, laws, and belief-system), then you should choose
that.
If
you are being led by American views of freedom and advancement
(Constitution/Bill of Rights), then go with that.
If
you are being led by Scientific/Medical values of research,
experiments, and pursuit of 'can it be done’ without pain or death to the
patient (Hippocratic Oath), then go with that.
No
matter what is leading your ethical views on the subject, you MUST identify the
standard for your views so that the audience will know if your ethical argument
is valid based on the standard. After all, your argument must be DEFENDED by a
clear ethical standard and within that standard, clear principles that are
agreed upon within that standard.
KEY POINT 3
Use Ethical Support in
Your Ethical Argument
While you are encouraged to use the Bible as your ethical
standard and support for your ethical essay, you can use any ‘standard’ of
ethics as long as you clearly state what your STANDARD is and the individual
principles that support your ethical view.
Please remember…
·
This is NOT a research paper—where
you stack one-after-the-next sourced idea on the issue into a paper and call
it your research.
·
This is YOUR view on the
issue from a specific standard, arguing the ethical nature of the
topic.
·
This is an argument essay.
·
This is academic writing,
which requires the use of 3rd person voice at all times. Do not use “I”
or “YOU” or “WE”.
·
This is an ethical, academic
argument which means that you are asserting your views—in 3rd person
voice—and you defend those views through ethical source material following
the Hamburger Method.
Be sure to show ethical reasoning as you create your
Brainstorming or first Outline.
|
End of COMMON MISTAKES
- Continue to BRAINSTORMING
- Continue to NARROWING YOUR IDEAS (for the ethical argument)
- Continue to COMMON MISTAKES
- Continue to You've Got a Paper to Write
- Continue to: The Difference Between Morals and Ethics
Create by Jeanette Dick
© 2020
For Educational Purposed Only
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