TeresaBenedicta Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I need some help phriends... I'm taking a moral philosophy course this semester, which entails a major paper. We have to choose some topic/practice and determine whether or not it is ethical. I'm having a hard time picking a topic. I don't really want to do any of the typical topics... abortion, death penalty, immigration, homosexuality etc. I'm trying to think of something that is important from a Catholic perspective, but that is not necessarily theological. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aalpha1989 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) It has to be a contemporary issue? what about just day to day living, practicing the virtues- a Nicomachean ethics sort of thing? nvm, guess that doesn't really fit in the parameters of the assignment Edited January 29, 2010 by aalpha1989 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zunshynn Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I think intellectual property would be interesting. But I guess that's not really very essential of an issue from a Catholic perspective... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King's Rook's Pawn Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Intellectual property would be very interesting, and it is important in it's connection to the question of the morality of property rights. Perhaps that's what TeresaBenedicta can discuss: the morality of property rights. Another idea: what are the ethics surrounding the treatment of animals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinzo Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 How about social questions like the economy? Or health care? S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aalpha1989 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Just war doctrine? Nuclear weapons? Imperialism? Alcohol (Catholic vs. Puritanism)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 Part of the difficulty I'm encountering with the many possibilities for paper topics is my lack of specified knowledge. We are supposed to incorporate one other discipline than philosophy; our major. Philosophy happens to be my major. Not sure what that means for me. Anyways, I'm not too well versed in politics or economics or the sciences. And as much as I'd love to really get acquainted with an issue in one of those areas, I just don't have the time for that kind of research. :-( Unfortunately we can't do anything "abstract." Meaning that I can't just deal with theories or theoreticals, which would be right up my alley. I have to pick a concrete practice or specific topic to evaluate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zunshynn Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I don't know a lot about St. Teresa Benedicta's philosophical writings, but what about using an issue she addressed in her writings about womanhood? Or one of her other writings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zunshynn Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Or, something to do with religious life? The ethics of taking vows? of practicing obedience? of a hierarchical structure of authority? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 [quote name='zunshynn' date='28 January 2010 - 11:48 PM' timestamp='1264736911' post='2046971'] Or, something to do with religious life? The ethics of taking vows? of practicing obedience? of a hierarchical structure of authority? [/quote] You know, I had considered the ethic of living a monastic/contemplative life... but I like the idea of the ethic of taking vows, specifically obedience... Hmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birgitta Noel Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) embryo adoption. Not a settled moral question within the church but lots written on it....and it incorporates another field, medicine. Edited January 29, 2010 by The Little Way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I'm reading a book right now about beggars and about how Christians throughout the centuries have struggled/grappled with the moral dilemma that beggars present (personally, socially, economically, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Safe drug inject sites or needle exchanges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 [quote name='CatherineM' date='28 January 2010 - 10:14 PM' timestamp='1264738450' post='2047013'] Safe drug inject sites or needle exchanges. [/quote] Ooh, that's a very good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King's Rook's Pawn Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 (edited) [quote name='TeresaBenedicta' date='28 January 2010 - 10:46 PM' timestamp='1264736761' post='2046965'] Part of the difficulty I'm encountering with the many possibilities for paper topics is my lack of specified knowledge. We are supposed to incorporate one other discipline than philosophy; our major. Philosophy happens to be my major. Not sure what that means for me. [/quote] How about consequentialism vs. deontology? Or similarly, utilitarianism vs. natural rights. EDIT: Hm, so nothing abstract...But surely you could apply that dichotomy to a specific real world issue, like mercy-killing. Edited January 29, 2010 by King's Rook's Pawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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