Ethics Paper Assignment

Deadline 3/8/2000, 6 p.m.
We will have an informal discussion in class about the papers you have written; please bring one extra copy.

Using Day's SAD model, analyze ONE of the ethical situations in the Wag the Dog film.  Assume you are the moral agent contemplating taking the action that was taken in the film.

Engage in some critical thinking and write a concise (yet thorough), insightful paper with a meaningful title.  Ensure that you
1/ describe the situation, 2/ analyze the situation and 3/ render a decision and defend it.

The use of an outline before writing and subheads in the paper (Situation Definition, Analysis of the Situation, Decision) will greatly aid the quality and organization of the paper.

Use 1-inch margins, 12-point Times-Roman, double-spaced type.  Target length is five pages (six pages maximum), excluding the title page.

Here's a capsule reminder of Day's model.  Re-read Chapter 2 in Days' Ethics in Media Communications for a more thorough guide about how to analyze and write cases using this model.

The Situation Definition
-identify the ethical issue
-describe facts, principles and values that will have an impact on the decision
-identify conflicting principles and values
-clearly state the specific ethical issue or question involved

Analysis of the Situation
-discuss relative weights (pro and con) to be assigned to the competing principles and values
-consider factors external to the case situation itself that might influence the decision
-examine duties to various parties (individuals and groups) that may be affected by the decision
-discuss applicable ethical theories and apply them to the moral dilemma
-examine and discuss the issue from the perspectives of duty-based (deontological) theories, consequence-based (teleological) theories and Aristotle's golden mean

Decision
-make the moral decision by stating what action you would recommend the moral agents take
-defend that action based on moral theory
-discuss your reasoning for making the decision based on the moral theory you chose to support it
-take a stand (don't waffle or straddle the fence)

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