write a brief discussion post in which you summarize (first paragraph) and reflect upon (second paragraph) one of the primary readings located at the end of Chapter Two. Select from Mill (pp. 59-61), Kant (pp. 62-67), Aristotle (pp. 67-78), Baier (pp. 78-86), or Wolf (pp. 86-94).
To avoid plagiarism, you should always provide citations for any quoted or paraphrased materials; please list reference(s) for the textbook and other sources at the bottom of your post. See “A note about plagiarism” for more details and citation resources.
Some of the discussion activities in this class are required to be written; these are basically one-page “reflection papers” in which you will practice summarizing one of the primary readings in a clear and charitable manner and then responding in a critical, yet civil, manner. Guidelines for writing these posts are below. Note: a grading rubric is also provided with a break-down of how points will be awarded for each discussion activity.
Paragraph explaining a specific philosophical idea or argument in the text
In this first paragraph you should explain in your own words the main idea or argument presented in one of the assigned readings. Our textbook provides examples of what a good summary looks like in the editor’s introduction to each of the reading selections, but keep in mind that you are expected to do your own work. Be sure to identify the author’s name and the title of the reading, so that your reader can be certain what it is you are writing about. Because this summary is only supposed to be one paragraph in length, your aim is to write concisely so as to give your reader a clear picture of the idea/reasoning you are reflecting upon. Try to write in such a way that someone who didn’t do the reading could understand what it is about. The main goal in this first section is to demonstrate that you have (1) carefully read and (2) sincerely attempted to comprehend the reading about which you have chosen to write for this discussion activity.
Paragraph reflecting on a specific philosophical idea or argument in the text
In this second paragraph you should reflect upon the specific philosophical idea or line of reasoning which you identified in the previous section. The main goal here is to explain what you think about it and to say why you think what you do. Since this part of the assignment is about you and your response to the reading, there isn’t one way to write this part of your paper. If you feel uninspired you might respond, for example, to these kinds of questions: Do you agree with the idea or argument? Why or why not?; How does it connect to other material we’ve been discussing in class?; Does it have a bearing on other aspects of your life, such as what you are learning in other classes or relevant happenings outside of class?; What questions do you have about the reasoning? Why are these important questions to resolve?
References
To appropriately give credit to the materials referenced, please cite the materials by applying a commonly used citation style manual of your choice (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago style). See “A note about plagiarism” for more details and citation resources.
I just have a summary of the chapter but you will be able to find it online. Bioethics: Chapter 2
Lewis Vaughn
