AS ethics@presdales

[help with the natural law essay]

click the link for help with the natural law essay from the lesson when some of you were in Greece.  Unfortunatley, I will not be in school until after half term, but you need to complete part (a) by the first week after half term.  please don’t get behind.  email any questions or drafts of essays to leem205@presdales.herts.sch.uk

some people have said thay don’t get Law’s criticisms.  I wouldn’t worry too much about him.  Basically he is saying (1) that there is a problem with infallibility (this is the same as Rachels, although Law is thinking more of cultures being infallible, rather than individuals).

Other than this, Law’s main criticism is that relativism doesn’t make sense.  If you want to say that respect and tolerance are GOOD in themselves, then this isn’t relativism – this is his 4^th criticism – if you want to say that RESPECT and TOLERNCE are virtues / good in themselves then this is like saying that respect and tolerance are absolutes.  So you can’t say we should always respect others and be a relativist!

His middle 2 criticisms are more about how relativism is applied.  People often are more respectful of politically correct things (eg respect the rainforest tribes; but why not pay equal respect to the values of McDonalds, or whoever wants to cut them down!  So relativists are often (according to Law) politically motivated, inconsistent (they apply relativism only to some and not all views) and hypocritical (they say you MUST respect others – but this is an absolute statement; you MUST do it – so it’s not relativism!

Don’t worry if it doesn’t all make sense,  include the bits you DO understand.  It is more important to give a good, well argued account of what YOU think about each type of relativism. Remember to back up your arguments with reasons and examples.

It might make more sense to write (1) a paragraph to explain the good/bad points about personal relativism (inc Rachels’ criticisms); then (2) a paragraph abut the good/bad points about cultural relativism (use Law if you want); (3) a paragraph about the good/bad points of situation ethics (there are some problems on the blog); and end with (4) a brief conclusion about the good/bad points of relativism in general – this might be a summary of the key points in the other paragraphs

I hope this helps

ML

[click here for BOWIE Ethical Studies]

i think that there  might be a copy of this in the reading room

click here for a possible basic essay plan for the relativism essay

ML

AS grade boundaries descriptions for PHIL & ETHICS

exam marking structure

Here are some more basic assessment support materials you might find useful!

Assessment Objectives For AS PHIL & ETH STUDENTS COPY

see the A2 blog – perhaps update your bookmarks!

http://a2ethics.edublogs.org/

Friday 22nd May,  1:45 – 3:45, room 18

Monday June 1st,  9:15 – 10:45, venue TBA

Urgent – Short notice but all Presdales Philosophy and Ethics students are invited to….

A SPECIAL LECTURE BY
PROFESSOR JOHN MARTIN
OF CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON.

“Stem cells and repair of the heart:
Scientific & Moral issues”.

MAY 19TH AT 7.30PM

AT THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES, Nr ESSENDON, HERTS

E mail Ms Simou if you want to come – she can offer a lift to 5 people, and if there are more they can follow separately (if you have a car). Meet 6.45pm Presdales. E mail address: plsimou@yahoo.co.uk

for those of you that missed the mock on April 20th

1 (a) Explain the arguments both FOR and AGAINST a relativist understanding of morality  (25)

(b) With reference to Fletcher’s situation ethics, evaluate to what extent Christianity is compatible with    relativism  (10)

2 (a) Explain a Natural Law theory of Ethics  (25)

(b) Evaluate the claim that Natural Law is the most appropriate form of ethics for the modern world (10)

if you want feedback, email to leem205@presdales.herts.sch.uk

Last week, we discussed the possibility of an ethics revision session in the first week of study leave.  Friday seemed to be a popular time.  I could do lessons 1&2  OR  5,6,7.  let me know what you think.

leem205@presdales.herts.sch.uk

don’t say you’re coming and then not turn up….  that is very annoying – but if you would like some revision time, let me know.