Department of Religion and Classics
Ethical Decisions in Medicine
REL 290 | PHL 225

The Second Paper

You are to write a paper (5-6 pages) on an ethical issue arising in medical practice or research. The paper is due on April 2. As was the case for the first paper, you should give an exposition of some thesis, principle, position, or argument that some author defends, and then evaluate it. Your evaluation should provide reasons that either support or count against the thesis, principle, etc.

Suggested topics:

• Any of the essays in Part III, Chapter 4: End-of Life Decisionmaking (pp. 179ff.)
• Any of the essays in the following categories of Part IV, Chapter 6: Biomedical Research and Technology:
  • Ethical Issues in Human Research (pp. 371ff.)
  • Ethical Issues in Animal Research (pp. 418ff.)

If you have a special reason for wanting to write on a topic not covered in the list above, please see me.

This assignment is not primarily to write a research paper, but rather to think hard about and to examine critically some issue. You will be graded on clarity and organization, on the quality of your presentation or exposition, and on the quality of your evaluation and its defense.

Don't plagiarize: Remember to quote all words that are not your own and to indicate by citation the source of any ideas that are not your own. The University's Academic Honesty Policy may be found in the Handbook on Student Discipline: Conduct Standards, Policies and Procedures (Sec. XII). Violations of academic honesty will be taken very seriously and dealt with according to the terms of this Policy.

Please staple your paper, number the pages, and refrain from using the kind of plastic covers that tend to fall apart.