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Goals:
To demonstrate your understanding of major approaches to ethical theory.
To take a philosophical position and defend it.
Prompt::
Consider the claim that lying is morally wrong. Analyze this claim from three theoretical viewpoints, including:
Hume’s moral philosophy
Kant’s deontological ethics
Utilitarian ethics
For each theory, answer the following:
What are the basic tenets of the theory?
What is the meaning of the claim “Lying is wrong”? What exactly makes it wrong (or not)?
If lying is indeed morally wrong, why? If not, why not? Provide examples to support your answers.
Which of these approaches gets ethical reasoning right, in your view? Why? If you reject all three approaches, defend your position.
Your essay will need an introduction that includes a thesis statement, body paragraphs that address sections two through five below, and a conclusion. Transitional phrases and a strong organizational structure will be required to unite these elements into a formal essay. Develop your essay so that you demonstrate mastery of the subject, and use support from the reading. Thoroughly review and edit your writing to ensure it is well-structured and free of errors.
Guide for Essay Structure
Introductory section
Provide a brief summary of what you will discuss in the essay. Introduce each ethical theory before stating your thesis.
Clearly state your thesis. This is your answer to the final question above: Which approach to ethical reasoning is correct, in your view?
Possible thesis statements for this assignment:
Ultimately, Hume’s moral philosophy, according to which moral judgments are based on emotion, offers the correct approach.
Ultimately, Kant’s categorical imperative offers the best approach to moral reasoning.
Ultimately, utilitarianism offers the most sensible approach to moral reasoning.
See Section 5 below on what to consider when choosing your thesis.
Section 2
What is David Hume’s moral philosophy? (Be concise.) (textbook, 245-246)
What is the meaning of the claim “Lying is wrong,” in Hume’s view? If lying is indeed wrong, what makes it so, from the perspective of Hume’s moral philosophy?
If Hume is right and all moral judgments are based on emotion, does this leave us with any way to settle moral disagreements? Explain.
Section 3
What are the basic tenets of Kant’s moral philosophy? (Be concise.) (textbook, 248-251)
According to Kant’s categorical imperative, what makes the act of telling a lie morally wrong? (Your answer should give a thorough account of the categorical imperative as it applies to lying.) (textbook, 249)
Section 4
What are the basic tenets of utilitarian moral philosophy? (Be concise.) (textbook, 250-254)
According to the principle of utility, what might make the act of telling a lie morally wrong? (The principle of utility: the morally best act is the one that produces the greatest amount of happiness with everyone considered.) (textbook, 250)
Section 5
Which of these three approaches to moral reasoning (Hume’s, Kant’s, or Bentham’s) makes the most sense, and why?
To answer this question, you should consider issues like the following:
Which theory is the best ‘fit’ with human nature
Which theory captures what is important about morality
Which theory provides us with the best tools to make moral decisions and settle moral disagreements
Conclusion
Briefly summarize your discussion and drive home your thesis.
Your submission will be 750-1000 words with a proper MLA header, title, and Works Cited page. The MLA header, title, and Works Cited page do not count toward the overall word count. If your submission does not meet the word count requirement, you will earn a 0%.
Review the Academic Honesty and Integrity Lesson for a refresher on the use of and formatting of citations. At a minimum, you should cite the eTextbook. Remember to have the full MLA citation in the Works Cited page. You may use further sources if you wish, but it is not a requirement.
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