Biomedical Ethics: An Analysis of Physician-Assisted Suicide Policy - Prof. William Kabase | Papers Introduction to Philosophy

Dr. Kabasenche

PHIL 365 Biomedical Ethics

Spring 2009

Washington State University

Paper Assignment 2

Please write a 3-5 page essay (typed, double-spaced, 12pt font) on the topic described below. The paper

should reflect your own thinking on the subject. Other sources used (including articles or materials from

our textbook) should be properly cited. You may use any standard format for citation that you are

familiar with, but if you are not familiar with any, please see my instructions concerning proper citation

below. To do otherwise is to cheat and will result in failure of the course (see the syllabus for a link to

information on Academic Integrity). The paper is due by 4pm on Thursday, April 16th in the philosophy

department office (Bryan 316). Look for a box in sitting area in the department with a label for your

section. Late papers will be accepted but marked down (Generally, 10 points off if turned in within 24

hours of the due date; 15 points off if turned in within 48 hours, and so on).

Good papers require a wise use of time. A paper hastily typed the night before it is due will not

usually be a good paper and will certainly not be your best work. I strongly encourage you to have

someone at the Writing Center (335.7695, CUE 303) or a keen-eyed and very honest friend read your

paper to suggest improvements before you turn it in. I am also happy to discuss ideas, outlines, or rough

drafts with you during office hours or by appointment (although I tend to look less favorably on last

minute requests).

I will grade your paper on the following criteria: 1) a clear statement of thesis in the first

paragraph; 2) demonstrated understanding of the issues and arguments involved; 3) adequate performance

of the assigned goal of the paper; 4) good supporting reasons for claims made or positions endorsed; 5)

ability to identify, consider, and respond to opposing arguments and objections to your view; 6) clarity

and conciseness; 7) organization (including appropriate citation of references); 8) thoughtfulness and

creativity. Please put your name on the back of the last page of your paper only and please staple your

paper.

“Write as a teacher, not for the teacher” (Martin Benjamin).

Topic: Is a social policy allowing physician-assisted suicide (PAS) morally permissible? In other words,

imagine a society (OR and WA are two examples now) that has some kind of social policy allowing PAS

in some, or maybe all, circumstances. Is this social policy morally permissible or does it violate some

moral concern or obligation? I’m giving you a good bit of freedom with respect to how you set up your

paper, but your thesis must answer the question above. You might look at the actual policy created by the

Death with Dignity Act of WA or OR (OR’s is in our textbook; you can find the WA Death with Dignity

Act with a search on the internet). Or, you might articulate another policy—maybe more restrictive,

maybe less restrictive—and discuss the moral acceptability of that policy. You might describe and argue

for a particular social policy that you believe is morally acceptable. Or, you might argue that no social

policy or safeguards could protect against certain abuses and therefore argue against any realistic social

policy. Or, you might argue that there are in-principle reasons against ever having such a policy. You

must engage with the ideas of at least three of the figures we’ve discussed in class (Rachels, Brock,

Callahan, Biggar, Arras). Put yourself in conversation, figuratively speaking, with at least three of these

folks. You may discuss other views or do additional research but are not required to do so. I will look for

you to discuss objections to your view.

Your paper should include the following: a) an introductory paragraph that tells the reader what

to look for in your paper (but this introduction should not be a flowery discussion of how important these

issues are or otherwise tangential to the task of saying what you believe and why); b) a clear statement of

your thesis by the end of this first paragraph; c) a clear explication of what the various issues related to a

social policy of PAS are with reference to our authors to help you articulate what moral issues are

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Dr. Kabasenche PHIL 365 Biomedical Ethics Spring 2009 Washington State University

Paper Assignment 2

Please write a 3-5 page essay (typed, double-spaced, 12pt font) on the topic described below. The paper should reflect your own thinking on the subject. Other sources used (including articles or materials from our textbook) should be properly cited. You may use any standard format for citation that you are familiar with, but if you are not familiar with any, please see my instructions concerning proper citation below. To do otherwise is to cheat and will result in failure of the course (see the syllabus for a link to information on Academic Integrity). The paper is due by 4pm on Thursday, April 16th^ in the philosophy department office (Bryan 316). Look for a box in sitting area in the department with a label for your section. Late papers will be accepted but marked down (Generally, 10 points off if turned in within 24 hours of the due date; 15 points off if turned in within 48 hours, and so on). Good papers require a wise use of time. A paper hastily typed the night before it is due will not usually be a good paper and will certainly not be your best work. I strongly encourage you to have someone at the Writing Center (335.7695, CUE 303) or a keen-eyed and very honest friend read your paper to suggest improvements before you turn it in. I am also happy to discuss ideas, outlines, or rough drafts with you during office hours or by appointment (although I tend to look less favorably on last minute requests). I will grade your paper on the following criteria: 1) a clear statement of thesis in the first paragraph; 2) demonstrated understanding of the issues and arguments involved; 3) adequate performance of the assigned goal of the paper; 4) good supporting reasons for claims made or positions endorsed; 5) ability to identify, consider, and respond to opposing arguments and objections to your view; 6) clarity and conciseness; 7) organization (including appropriate citation of references); 8) thoughtfulness and creativity. Please put your name on the back of the last page of your paper only and please staple your paper. “Write as a teacher, not for the teacher” (Martin Benjamin).

Topic : Is a social policy allowing physician-assisted suicide (PAS) morally permissible? In other words, imagine a society (OR and WA are two examples now) that has some kind of social policy allowing PAS in some, or maybe all, circumstances. Is this social policy morally permissible or does it violate some moral concern or obligation? I’m giving you a good bit of freedom with respect to how you set up your paper, but your thesis must answer the question above. You might look at the actual policy created by the Death with Dignity Act of WA or OR (OR’s is in our textbook; you can find the WA Death with Dignity Act with a search on the internet). Or, you might articulate another policy—maybe more restrictive, maybe less restrictive—and discuss the moral acceptability of that policy. You might describe and argue for a particular social policy that you believe is morally acceptable. Or, you might argue that no social policy or safeguards could protect against certain abuses and therefore argue against any realistic social policy. Or, you might argue that there are in-principle reasons against ever having such a policy. You must engage with the ideas of at least three of the figures we’ve discussed in class (Rachels, Brock, Callahan, Biggar, Arras). Put yourself in conversation, figuratively speaking, with at least three of these folks. You may discuss other views or do additional research but are not required to do so. I will look for you to discuss objections to your view. Your paper should include the following: a) an introductory paragraph that tells the reader what to look for in your paper (but this introduction should not be a flowery discussion of how important these issues are or otherwise tangential to the task of saying what you believe and why); b) a clear statement of your thesis by the end of this first paragraph; c) a clear explication of what the various issues related to a social policy of PAS are with reference to our authors to help you articulate what moral issues are

involved; d) a clear explication of what you believe about the issue and why; e) a discussion of possible objections to your view (both identifying them and responding to them). Be clear and concise. Don’t use fancy or “intellectual” language; say it in the plainest, clearest English you possibly can. Get right to business. Don’t write 5 pages if you can make your case in 3 ½. For this paper, you may have no more than 5 pages of text and one additional page for works cited.

Proper citation : Because many students may not have experience with citing sources used, I am including a link to a webpage which describes a very basic and easy to use format. Please use it unless you are confident of your proper use of another format. To learn about MLA formatting go to: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/02/.

--The following sentence will contain an example of MLA citation: According to Dan Brock, the two aims that ought to define medicine as a practice are respect for patient self-determination and the promotion of well-being as it is understood by patients (Brock 403).

--Then, on the “Works Cited” page (where you list all the sources you cite): Works Cited Brock, Dan. “Voluntary Active Euthanasia.” Biomedical Ethics. 6th^ edition. Ed. Thomas A. Mappes and David DeGrazia. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. 401-403.

General Writing Suggestions (Adapted from an unpublished document by Martin Benjamin)

Begin writing even if you are not fully sure of what you want to say. Most of us learn by writing.
Be prepared to rewrite, delete, and shift paragraphs and sentences. Most folks don’t think in perfectly formatted papers, so be prepared to revise your initially muddy thoughts into a clear, concise, well- executed paper.
Begin writing early so that you can set it aside for a few days and come back to it later.
Be open to learning/discovering what you think during the process of trying to articulate a well- reasoned position that takes account of significant objections.
Thoughtfully incorporate suggestions from others.
Don’t try to sound deep or profound or “intellectual.” Just try to be as clear as possible.
In particular, make your position and the reasons that support it as clear as possible.
Use examples to support your ideas, as long as the examples are clear and relevant to the material.
Don’t assume your reader “understands what you mean;” rather, try to make your writing display what you mean. Write for a fairly informed but mildly skeptical readership.
While I won’t base your grade on grammar and speling, think about how unimpressed you just were that I mis-spelled that word. Put your best foot forward by trying to eliminate these kinds of errors. You wouldn’t go on a date with your fly down or your hair a wreck. Your paper has a date with me.

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