Philosophy-Business Ethics

Philosophy: PP247
Assignment 1 – Essay
Suggested length is 1000-1600 words. You are expected to reference direct quotations from course notes (Unit 2-4) and readings, and any outside sources that you rely upon. Not picky about citation format as long as it’s easy for me to locate and check them.
Which Ethical Theory is best? Choose between the following 8 options: Cultural Relativism, Egoism, Hobbes’ Contract Theory, Act Utilitarianism, Rule Utilitarianism, Kant’s Deontology, Ross’s Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. Explain and defend your preferred theory, and argue why it’s better than 2 of the most promising alternatives or main rivals listed. Use examples or cases to make your point. (Unit 2-4)
General Advice on writing Philosophy Essays
1. I’m looking for knowledge of the relevant course material, understanding and evaluation of the arguments involved, and some original and coherent thinking. Style is relevant. This involves such things as clarity and organization.
2. The essay is a defence of your own position regarding a question of ethical significance. To give your position a worthy defence, imagine that your reader is skeptical about your conclusion but sympathetic to well formulated arguments.
3. Addressing likely counter-arguments is part of making a good case. When arguing for a position, imagine how your opponent might reply and how you might counter their response.
4. If your thesis and argument is so obvious or vague that no reasonable person would disagree, you might benefit from choosing a more debatable topic or making a more precise and ambitious argument.
5. Strong argumentation and originality of thought are highly valued in philosophy papers. This could involve subtle and detailed analysis of an issue, and it could involve comparing and connecting different ideas in order to develop your own view.
6. As a reader, I want you to give me the most for the least – that is, to make lots of points, defend them adequately, back them up with appropriate attention to course material, and to do this without padding or repetition.
7. Marks will be deducted for poor writing (organization, grammar, spelling, and diction), so proofread carefully. Better to divide your paper into short paragraphs, than have long rambling paragraphs with separate or loosely related ideas.
8. I dislike papers that clearly misread an author or text, that are self-contradictory, or that say little in a vague way.
9. All ideas taken from someone else should be referenced in MLA or APA format. Page references should be given for all direct quotations. If you are researching a case for analysis, make sure to reference your factual sources.