These are the questions you are to address in your writing assignments. They are intended to be brief (One to two pages maximum, double spaced, 1” margins, Times 12pt font) and not be all that different than the classic 5-paragraph essay you learned in high school. That is,
ü you should begin with an introduction, a very brief summary of the reading in question. Not a lot of detail, just enough to review it for someone who may not be familiar with it
ü you should briefly answer the question
ü you should spend the bulk of the essay providing evidence in support of your answer. This evidence should be references to the text, indirect quotation or paraphrased, plus evidence in the form of your own experience( if the question calls for it) citing specific illustrations.
ü Finally, you should conclude, alluding to the text and the answer you summarized in your introduction.
Adhering to the text is preferred over simply “philosophizing.” This is not a personal reflection paper, even though you may include personal vignettes for illustration. “Compare” means find similarities; “contrast” means highlight differences.
Plan your answer first; otherwise, you will not get to the point until the last paragraph, after rambling, and “thinking out loud” for the rest of your essay. Many of these questions are complex and require thought to arrive at an answer. Avoid easy generalizations; be specific. Do not say anything you cannot support — with the text, or your own particular experiences. Be succinct; 1-2 pages does not allow room for “fluff.”
Before you print or upload, revise. Make sure your essay is responsive in both content and form. This requires that you not write the essay at the last minute, but give yourself time to review it and improve it. Even an hour between first and second draft (and print) will have an impact. Please put references in APA format.
Module One Reflection – Classical Ethics and Moral Reasoning
Please answer the following questions:
1. After reading our text, watching the BBC news clip, and hearing from our guest speaker, If you were in Captain Balian’s place, what could you have done to save the lives of the Vietnamese refugees without violating the rules of the navy? Please use examples and evidence from our readings.
2. Think back to a time when you had to make an ethical choice in your own life. What did you decide to do? Now that you have learned about moral reasoning, would you change your decision or could you have made a better one? Explain your decision with the ethical reasoning formula E=PJ2.
