Write a 500-600 word reflection that connects at least one (or more) of the ideals, concepts, or problems associated with deontological moral theory (or Kantian ethics more generally) to one (1) of the following news stories:

This “connection” reflection must clearly articulate a philosophical concept as you read and we discussed in considering Kantian ethics. (That is, you must directly reference Living Ethics. Do not use any resources beyond these two books and the textbooks.)

All submissions must be in before 11:55 pm on the due date.

General Project InformationDetailed Information on the Theory/Theme Connection Reflection

NOTE: I do not accept any late work for any reason. Please do not ask.

This course is organized around normative ethical theories as well as broad topics in applied ethics.

A reflection assignment makes connections between an ethical theory and a recent news event occurring to people somewhere in the world outside of the United States.

In order to get 50/50 points for your reflection, please do the following:

a. Provide a short introduction

An exemplary introduction gains attention, establishes topic for discussion, orients the reader. Identify what you see as the most pertinent philosophical issue(s) at the outset. Sometimes it helps to start out with a question or a more general controlling idea relevant to the assigned topic. Keep most of your analysis philosophical rather than writing a capsule summary of the news story that you are using. Take a position on the moral wrong(s) involved in the story that you are writing about.

b. Provide a body

In this assignment, you need to think about the issue in terms that generalize the specific harm involved. For instance, why might the demand for uniform hairstyles seem on the one hand consistent with Kantian ideals and on the other hand a violation of them? Or, if you are writing about the other story, think about how Kantian ideals may shed light on how one may permissibly treat one’s spouse. 

Make sure the body contains a quote or paraphrases a point from the article, then uses evidence and analysis to state your position. This evidence should relate to the theory or the theme you are writing about. You need to do more than paint broad strokes. You need to clearly indicate that you understand the theory or the theme and that you havent just regurgitated information from the review sheet or from a Wikipedia entry on the theory or theme. For example, if you are writing on Utilitarianism, make sure you go beyond the cursory explanation that Utilitarianism is the greatest good for the greatest number. If you are writing on Deontology (the definition of which is simply duty-based), talk about the Categorical Imperative, or one of its two formulations rather than simply how duty is expressed by the agents in the news story.

c. Make good use of quotations

Make sure that your reflection contains at least two (2) perfectly formatted quotations and/or paraphrase, making use of signal phrases, verbs appropriate for content expressed, and proper punctuation. All material from external sources must be clearly cited. There is no need for a separate Works Cited page; rather, use an in-text parenthetical to identify the page number from the textbook where the quote appears.

d. Provide a brief conclusion

Take care to rephrase major points and introduce no new information (with the exception of a final thought). End the paper by driving home essential points and providing a sense of completion.

e. Use correct style & clarity

Vary your sentence lengths and styles and use vivid description. In other words, make sure this is an enjoyable read that audiences can easily understand, even if it makes a complex point.

f. Use correct spelling and grammar

Make sure your work contains fewer than three errors in spelling, punctuation, or sentence-level issues such as subject/verb agreement, fragment sentences, run-ons, comma splices, etc.

Please note that you must use the assigned textbook, texts, or videos to discuss philosophical views. You may not use any other source. If you do not observe this rule, you will receive a zero on this assignment.