CPHL406

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CPHL406

• Major Essay Guide

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• Due Date
• The paper is due in class on July 29
• Value
• The paper is worth 30 of your final course
  grade.

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• Format
• Double-space lines, use an easily readable font
• Make sure that there is at least an inch of
  margin on your printed pages
• Should be between 1500 and 1750 words in length
• Use an accepted scholarly method of citation for
  example, indicate source of quote or idea in
  footnote or endnote
• Include a bibliography as final page of paper

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• Assignment Description
• You are to write a critical exposition on one of
  the following readings
• 1. G. Hardin , Lifeboat Ethics The Case Against
  Helping the Poor
• 2. L.W. Sumner, Abortion A Moderate View

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• This means, basically, that you are to explain
  and then evaluate the position that the reading
  attempts to defend.

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• If you choose Assignment 1 (Hardin), you should
  precisely and thoroughly answer all of the
  following questions in the course of your essay
• Exposition
• (i) How do the lifeboat and spaceship
  metaphors each picture the relation between rich
  and poor nations? (ii) What is the Tragedy of
  the Commons? (iii) What is the Ratchet Effect
  of a world food bank? (iv) How does Hardin
  respond to the claim that restrictions on
  immigration are unjust?
• Critical Response
• (i) Is Hardins lifeboat metaphor an accurate
  picture of the current global reality? (ii) Is
  the Ratchet Effect a plausible model of the
  consequences of international aid? Or is Hardin
  overlooking significant factors? (iii) How would
  Singer respond to Hardin? Whose position is more
  plausible, and why?

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• If you choose Assignment 2 (Sumner), you should
  precisely and thoroughly answer all of the
  following questions in the course of your essay
• Exposition
• (i) What are the established views on
  abortion? How are they similar? How are they
  different? (ii) How are the established views
  flawed, according to Sumner? (iii) What is the
  moderate view? How is it connected to
  utilitarianism?
• Critical Response
• (i) How would Marquis respond to Sumner? How
  would Warren respond? (ii) Whose view on
  abortion is most plausible, and why?

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• This essay, like any form of academic
  evaluation, is a kind of test. Specifically, I
  am testing
• (i) your comprehension of the reading you
  select
• (ii) your comprehension of any relevant
  logical concepts and ethical theories
• (iii) your ability to think critically and
  independently and
• (iv) your ability to write clearly.

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• A general description of how to go about writing
  a critical exposition is downloadable from the
  course webpage, under Announcements. You
  should definitely read it through carefully
  before getting down to your assignment.
• If you have any questions or concerns at any
  point in the writing process, I will be happy to
  assist you.
• Good luck!