Option A -- same as for previous 2 units of course.
In this assignment, you will critically analyze the historical origins and present ethical dimensions of a past event or enduring cultural pattern of action in American society which had, and probably still does have, important environmental (as well as other) consequences.
1) From the content covered in the given section of the course, identify a key event or major phase (composed of a set of related events) to focus on. (I.E., events in the history of the US that set the stage for economic growth and/or consumerism)
2) Describe this event, including the actions etc. leading up to it, and how it was viewed / understood at the time. Show that you have incorporated facts and perspectives from the readings into your thinking.
3) Address the consequences of the event (social, env'l ... whatever you feel is significant to your analysis).
4) Then, in a second part of the paper (of about equal length), identify and discuss the ethical issues raised by this event and/or its consequences. You can focus on the past or the present or both in this section. Part of your discussion should include presecriptive ethics (questions of what we should or ought to do, or provide reasoned judgments of actions, justifying your judgments on prescriptive criteria). In doing so, show that you have disgested the readings by employing their vocabulary, concepts, principles and so on in your discussion.
Evaluation for option A
The scope of your considerations and quality of your
reasoning will be of primary importance in evaluation, not your particular
stance on an issue. See this evaluation rubric
for more (note: it is slightly different than the one for the first
two papers).
Option B
What is your personal philosophy of planetary and human well-being, and how does it deal with the question of your material consumption? In your answer, please draw extensively on course readings, lectures and other materials to help define and explain your philosophy; also feel free to discuss other materials that have been important for you in defining your values in your life. Please don't talk only about how you make consumption decisions, but also discuss wider matters such as your motivations, how you would respond to criticism from others regarding consumption, whether and how you apply your judgments to the actions of others, how you would respond to accusations (from environmentalists or from non-environmentalists) of inconsistency or hypocrisy, how your personal choices relate to broader policy matters, or other such more-probing questions that the course has raised. While your paper will deal with personal choices, it should not be overly informal in tone; rather its 'voice' should be one of careful and thought-out deliberation (not to say overly stiff or formal either -- just well organized.)
Option C
What policies should be enacted to stop or slow the consumption explosion? You might want to consider the historical and conceptual roots of our pattern of economic growth, the problems it presents, as well as what key changes in policies (environmental & otherwise), institutions, economic mechanisms, and so forth would help accomplish this goal. You might also think about what re-evaluations of social values should be encouraged. Present your proposals in a systematic fashion.
Evaluation for options B and C
The scope of your considerations and quality of your
reasoning will be of primary importance in evaluation, not your particular
stance on an issue. See this evaluation rubric
for more
Sample Paper # 1 - example
of an excellent paper
Sample Paper # 2
- example of an excellent paper
Sample Paper # 3
- example of an excellent paper
Sample Paper # 4
- example of a good paper
Sample Paper # 5 - example
of an inadequate paper