Must be 1500 to 2000 words in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA, MLA, or Chicago style Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement and statement of the procedure. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis. Must make meaningful reference to at least two of the ethical theories studied in the course. Must use at least four scholarly resources that fulfill the stated requirements.

Present an ethical question and introduction to the topic. Explain the kind of reasoning you think is the best way to approach this question, and how that reasoning supports the position you think is strongest. Raise an objection and respond to it. Write an essay that conforms to the requirements below. The paper must be 1500 to 2000 words in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA, Chicago, or MLA style. Explanation and Demonstration of Moral Reasoning This section of the Final Paper will explain and demonstrate what you believe to be the best way of reasoning about the question you have chosen, and show how that reasoning supports the position you have taken on the question. You might explain the principles, rules, values, virtues, conceptions of purposes and ends, and other general ideas that you find persuasive, and show how they support concrete judgments. - In the course of doing so, you must make reference to at least one of the approaches that we have examined in the course (such as duty ethics, utilitarian, or virtue-based). For example, you might find the reasoning associated with Aristotelian virtue ethics to be the most compelling, and reference Aristotle in the process of showing how that reasoning supports a certain conclusion. In the course of this, you could contrast that with a utilitarian approach, referencing Mill for instance. You need to have Explanation of the theory. Explanation of the Ethical Theory Ethical theories provide accounts of how to reason well about moral questions and of what justifies answers to those questions. The discussion should include the following elements: A brief account of the historical background of the theory and the philosopher(s) associated with it. An explanation of the core moral principle of the theory, or if there is more than one, the principle that you will focus on in applying that theory to your question. A brief, general explanation of how the theory and its core moral principle applies to moral questions, using an example different from the issue that is the main focus of your paper. Application of the Ethical Theory Now that you have explained in general terms the core principle of the ethical theory you are focusing on in this paper, you will apply that theory and its core principle to your ethical question. Explain as clearly and precisely as you can how that principle leads to a particular conclusion. Objection and Response After explaining the ethical reasoning that supports your position, you should raise an objection and respond to it. An objection articulates a plausible reason why someone might find the argument weak or problematic. You should explain how it brings out this weakness, and do so in a way that would be acceptable to someone who disagrees with your own argument. Then, provide the best response you can to the objection, showing how it does not undermine your position. Your response should not simply restate your original position or argument but should say something new in support of it. In the course of doing so, you must make reference to at least one of the approaches that we have examined in the course (such as duty ethics, utilitarian, or virtue-based). Remember you need to explain and apply the theory to the counterargument. Conclusion In this section of the paper, provide a summary of what you have done in the paper by briefly describing what you accomplished in each of the above sections. Resource Requirement You must use at least four scholarly resources. You need to have at least one source for each theory. For example, if you discuss deontology and virtue ethics, you would need at least one resource under the “Deontology” and at least one resource under the “Virtue Ethics”. If you need help with finding additional resources or are unsure about whether a particular resource will count toward the requirement, please contact your instructor. For sources to count toward the resources requirement, they must be cited within the text of your paper and on the reference page. Sources that are listed on the references page, but not cited within the paper, do not count toward fulfilling the resources requirement.