bioethics

Description

Bioethics Personal Essay   This essay asks you to analyze the development, based on this class’s content, of your own ideas on a central ethical issue.   Select one topic below. You will need to connect specific course content to personal experiences or ideas of your own. Topic one: Consider the conflict between basing morality on intentions versus consequences.  Which is better and why?  Topic two: Consider the conflict between altruism and egoism.  Which is better and why?    Begin by clearly explaining what your beliefs were before the course started.  Then, explain how content from the course (reading, videos, discussion threads) changed your beliefs. Please note, you must incorporate at least TWO specific points of content from class. For example, maybe you have begun to reconsider your beliefs, or maybe your views have been strengthened (this counts as a change).  Be specific in explaining what content has led to this development and why the content was persuasive to you. Connect the course content to personal experiences or developments in your own thinking. Clarify what your new views are and how they are different from your original views (before the course started). Example sketch of an essay (of course, you should change the details to fit your actual beliefs and examples): Before the class began, I hadn’t heard the terms egoism and altruism, but I thought it was right to help others and wrong to do what I wanted. (expand on previous personal beliefs) When I read Rand’s idea that it was always wrong to harm others because it wouldn’t really benefit me, I was surprised. (explain Rand’s idea more) It made me think of a movie where… (give example of relevant movie), so her idea seemed right/wrong. I really liked Rand’s idea of dealing with other people as traders, where both people benefit. (explain Rand’s idea more) It reminded me of a relationship I used to have… (give example of relationship). Next time I’m in that situation, I will consider… Now, I do not think it is so wrong to take actions that I think will help me. (expand on current personal beliefs)   I don’t give specific page lengths, because part of the challenge of a writing assignment is determining when you’ve sufficiently demonstrated your point. I’ll specify that your essay should be between 1-5 pages — if you’re outside of that range, you’ve picked an inappropriate thesis.   The paper must be typed, double-spaced, with standard font and margins.