Write an essay of at least 750 words in response to each of the following questions (five essays total). In addition to the required references for each question, you should mention at least one moral theory at some point in each answer.
1. Explain your view about how animals should be treated, including what rights (if any) they have and why they do or do not have these rights. Include references to all four of the articles about animals from the textbook. You may also, but are not required to, reference ideas from McPherson’s article on ethical veganism. Defend your position with supporting and opposing arguments, which can include your own ideas as well as ideas from the readings. Be sure to address ways that our treatment of animals is similar to/different from our treatment of non-rational humans (such as young children or mentally disabled adults).
2. Under what circumstances (if any) is it morally permissible to disobey laws. Your primary references for this question should be Plato’s Crito and King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Include both supporting and opposing arguments in support of your position. Although some people might think that these two readings take opposite positions, it is fine to show that they are actually in agreement ). How might your position about obeying the law be relevant to the issues raised in the articles in the ‘Injustice’ section of the textbook (Appiah, Cudd/Jones and Young)?
3. Is it permissible for a state/country to place restrictions on immigration? Fully explain your reasoning with supporting and opposing arguments, making substantial use of the articles by Miller and Huemer, which take opposite positions. Be sure to explain the reasoning behind any restrictions that you think it is appropriate for a government to place.
4. Under what circumstances, if any, should speech be restricted. Support your position with supporting and opposing arguments, and include substantial references to all four articles in the ‘Free Speech’ section of the textbook (Mill, Unterreiner, Lawrence and Golding).
5. Discuss the arguments for and against drug legalization and gun control with substantial references to the articles by Husak, Sher, Wheeler and DeGrazia, including discussion of the ways that the arguments given by each issue might be applied to the other. For instance, if potential harm to others is a reason not to decriminalize illegal drugs, is it also a reason to control or outlaw guns? Your position on each issue should be clear and defended with supporting and opposing arguments.
