Instruction
At the end of this course, you will submit a term paper on a topic related to a moral issue connected to biomedical human enhancement. This paper will do the following:
Be 1200-1600 words in length (excluding references)
Defend a position on an ethical issue connected to human enhancement
Contain at least one significant supporting argument in favor of your position
Address at least one significant objection to your position
Integrate at least two sources outside our course readings
Use a consistent citation style that clearly documents all sources used (whether they are course readings or not); papers will be screen for plagiarism, so be vigilant in this regard
You have some freedom in the topic you choose for this assignment, but here is a list of topics we have covered in this course in case you need a refresher:
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport
The use of cognitive enhancing drugs, especially in the context of higher education
The use of mood-enhancing drugs such as Prozac
The pursuit of anti-aging technology
The development of anti-love biotechnology
The choice to create children that are "enhanced" in various ways instead of children who are not
Broad arguments against human enhancement and in favor of bioconservativism, such as those raised by Michael Sandel
There are also other topics related to human enhancement that are not listed here. For instance, maybe you want to discuss forms of human enhancement that might arise from human-animal chimera research or enhancements designed to improve moral behavior. That's perfectly fine, but it will mean that you have to do a little more independent searching to find a suitable and focused topic.
Even though this is a longer paper than your argument evaluation, space is still fairly limited. Keep your introduction and conclusions brief and spend the bulk of your paper assessing arguments for and against your position. You'll get some direct feedback from me to help with this process after you submit your Term Paper Outline. Also remember to consult the General Paper Rubric if you want more information on the grading criteria.