okay, so i've gotten super lax about writing and my muscles are getting weak. i'm going write six days a week (prolly skip saturdays), rain or shine. that said, i have to push through this looooong week and finish up 300 more pages of grading. in that spirit... the aim of these (mostly okay) papers is to explore an ethical question in a 10 page research paper. these are seniors, though not honors. you can help me write this post by weighing in on some of the topics the students brought up. answer one or all...yes or no, or loooong ass answers. i'll be answering each question in detail this weekend/next week. thrilling? i thought so. well, this crap always brings out the trolls and spices things up. (i'll also let you know how students are responding as i grade the papers. these are actually really really solid and interesting. and no, i'm not letting my personal feelings about the issues play into the grade i give them. well argued papers get good grades. poorly argued papers don't.)
euthanasia: is it ethical for one to choose to end their life? should individuals have the legal right to do so? one student says yes on all kinds of euthanasia. another says yes only on passive and self-administered euthanasia, but NOT active euthanasia. sex ed in public schools: abstinence only or comprehensive sex education? prostitution: should it be legal? GAH! two poorly argued papers, both in favor of legalization (which i happen to agree with). one argument FOR legalizations says that 'you don't have to be that good looking.' hehe glbt adoption: should gays and lesbians be permitted to adopt? one very compellingly written paper: YES on glbt adoption. ethnic relations: should the US get involved in civil wars, genocides, or international conflicts with foreign nations? human embryonic stem cell research: should aborted fetuses/failed in vitro embryos be used in stem cell research? two students say yes, human embryonic stem cell research should be allowed. death penalty and the mentally ill: is it ethical to kill mentally ill people for their crimes? torture: is it ever ethical? taxes: are they ethical? 2nd trimester d&c abortions: ethical? gun control: more? less?