Ethical Argument Overview
Understanding
the Ethical Writing Prompt
Defending an Argument through Ethics
During week 4, we will focus on how to properly defend
ethical arguments as we work toward a completed Thesis/Outline for Essay
2.
In an ethical argument, it is important to know that the
focus is not only on an ethical issue.
The focus is HOW you defend the argument. An ethical argument
must be DEFENDED with ethical standards that people recognize.
For example, if you said your
ethics come from Christianity, then you would use Christian
standards and principles of belief directly from the Bible to argue
your point with an ethical defense.
If you think, “No, I’m an American
first, and my ethics come from American laws and beliefs,” then you would
use American standards and principles of belief directly from American
legal documents like the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.
In Module/Week 4 – the overall focus will be Locating and
Evaluating Sources, Notetaking, and Ethical Argument.
·
Have you learned how to evaluate a source?
·
How well do you take notes about the
sources you encounter?
·
What exactly is an ethical argument?
·
How do you defend an ethical argument topic?
These concepts will be addressed in the classroom lecture
handouts and the classroom readings so that you can use the most effective sources
in your up-coming ethical argument and use them properly. Well, essay 1 is
submitted, and you are ready for the next challenge…right?
Argument Writing
Earlier, you
learned the characteristics of an argument writing. The Writing Center at Chapel Hill clearly
indicates the intent and focus of argument writing:
What is an argument? In academic
writing, an argument is usually a main idea, often called a “claim” or
“thesis statement,” backed up with evidence that supports the idea. In
the majority of college papers, you will need to make some sort of claim
and use evidence to support it, and your ability to do this well will separate
your papers from those of students who see assignments as mere accumulations of
fact and detail. In other words, gone are the happy days of being given
a “topic” about which you can write anything. IT IS TIME TO STAKE OUT A
POSITION AND PROVE WHY IT IS A GOOD POSITION FOR A THINKING PERSON TO HOLD. (“Argument”)
Proposal Argument Writing
In the first
writing for our class, you were instructed to write a proposal argument. The ISSUE was Opioid Deaths in America and
how to Reduce Them. The ARGUMENT was your viewpoint
on how to reduce American deaths caused by opioids, and the STYLE/TYPE was a PROPOSAL. This meant that you would have formed an
arguable statement about how to alleviate opioid deaths in America and proposed
changes to the current system or new ideas to fix the issue.
For the Proposal
Argument, you considered 3 things:
·
The
Issue (American
deaths from opioid overdose),
·
The
Argument
(your viewpoint about how to fix this), and
·
The
Proposed changes
(specific steps) that would DEFEND your viewpoint on the issue.
Ethical Argument Writing
With this
second argument writing, the focus must turn toward ethical argument writing.
That means that you will be defending an argument based on a clear set of ETHICS.
Ethical
Essay Prompt
Write
an ethical argument in which you address the question: “How
far should scientists go to modify humans through genetic engineering?”
|
We can go
through the same stages (as before) to identify our assignment goal. Your 2nd writing instructs you to
write an ethical argument. The ISSUE is How far
scientists should go in modifying HUMANS through GENETIC ENGINEERING. The ARGUMENT is your viewpoint on the issue,
and the STYLE/TYPE
is Ethics. This means that
you would form an arguable statement about how FAR scientists should be going
in this area (or not) and indicate the ETHICS that would DEFEND your claim.
In an Ethical
Argument, you must consider 3 things:
·
The
Issue (How
FAR scientists should go in genetically modifying HUMANS),
·
The
Argument
(your arguable viewpoint about the topic), and
·
The
Ethical Standard
(and principles) that will DEFEND your viewpoint on the issue.
Please be very careful in asserting the CLAIM and making
sure that the DEFENSE for your claim comes from ETHICAL principles within an
ethical standard.
KEY POINT 1
As
you proceed, keep these concepts in mind:
1.
This is an ethical issue, and so it needs to be argued and
proven using ethical standards.
2.
This is an argument paper, and so you must take a stand on
how far scientists should go in human genetic modification.
3.
The source
materials you will use will be
predominantly from your chosen ethical standard:
a.
If you choose Christian ethics, the principles would be
from the Bible;
b.
If you choose American ethics, the principles would be
from the Constitution or the Bill of Rights;
c.
If you choose Medical ethics, the principles would be based on
the Hippocratic Oath.
4.
You must focus the whole paper
on arguing the ethical reasons why
you believe scientists should
do this or that in regard to genetic modification based on pre-set ethical
principles.
|
- 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
End of Ethical Argument Overview
Works Cited
“Argument.” The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill,
writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/argument/#:~:text=In
academic writing, an
argument,evidence that supports the
idea.&text=In other words, gone are,which you can write
anything.
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