Week Four Seminar Terrorism HU245 Ethics Week Four Seminar Terrorism

Old Business! Let’s Review Some Basics Read the Announcements!! Any changes to assignment requirements Due Tuesday, end of day, no exceptions unless arranged previously: Quiz, Seminar Option 2 Work that can be submitted late (with penalty unless arranged previously): Discussion Board, Debate Forum, Position Papers If you’re having a bad week, e-mail me and we’ll negotiate.

More Old Business! Grading the Debate Forum: If all you offer is your personal opinion, B – The purpose of the course is to inform your opinions not to change them To receive a higher grade, you must connect your opinion to Unit Material and ethical theories to support what you say.

Still More Old Business Unit 3 Discussion Board Again, it was not looking for your opinion on abortion You could give that without reading text or taking the course It wanted you to evaluate moral arguments for their techniques and effectiveness Note the underlying theories: Pro-choice is more utilitarian and situational Pro-life is more rights-based on absolute principles

Yet even more Old Business How was writing the Position Paper? Difficult to condense your thoughts?

More Thoughts on Absolute Morality Is it OK to drive 100 mph down a residential street? If no, why not? Absolute moral principles underlie our laws Absolute morality doesn’t depend on everyone following it (what would be the point of laws or rules?) but does depend on a societal consensus that a law is valid Language is important Distinction between killing (self-defense, war) and murder. Debate is what’s murder (abortion, etc.) This is why we have Ethics!

How should we define terrorism? How do you define it? How do terrorists define it? Does terrorism always involve overt violence? What are some of the ways power is involved?

One Definition The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism in the U.S. as: The unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives (28 C.F.R. Section 0.85).

Goals of Terrorism Economic Aims Social Aims Political Aims Religious Aims

Terrorist or Freedom Fighter? What is the difference?

Are all acts of terrorism, in all forms, morally wrong? Are there terrorist acts in war? Are they justified?

Under which circumstances is terrorism justified? Are there any?

  What sorts of responses to terrorism are morally permissible?

How Should We Treat Suspected Terrorists? Is it ethical to use torture? Should they be treated like combatants or accused criminals? How “rough” is too rough?

What ethical principles determine which responses are appropriate? Utilitarian considerations Ethical egoism Justice Rights and liberty Virtue

Are there any peaceful solutions to terrorism? If so, what are they?

Unit 4 Discussion Board What are some of the arguments used for and against capital punishment? (You may want to complete some additional research to add to your knowledge.) How does the ethical debate on capital punishment touch on the issues of the value of human life, human rights, and human dignity? If you had a loved one who was murdered, would you want to have the option of capital punishment for the convicted murderer? Why or why not?

Unit 4 Debate Forum Watch the "Guantanamo Bay" video located in the “Acts of Terrorism” You Decide presentation Poll Question: Should Guantanamo Bay be closed? Debate Questions: How should we treat suspected terrorists: military combatants or civilian criminals? Should Guantanamo Bay prison be closed? If so, where should they be taken? Your position on this issue should be constructed as a developed paragraph.

Unit 4 Letter to Leader Option A: Compose a letter to the President regarding the current war. In this letter, explain your position regarding the ethics of war and responses to terrorism. In your explanation, be sure to draw upon ethical concepts and reasons to support your position. State what you believe should be done and why. The letter should be one page in length, double spaced, and free of grammatical errors. Option B: Compose a letter to your state governor regarding the death penalty (find out if your state has a death penalty). In this letter, explain your position regarding capital punishment. In your explanation, be sure to draw upon ethical concepts and reasons to support your position. State whether or not the death penalty should be abolished and why.  

Summary of Unit 4 Assignments Seminar Quiz Discussion Board (one thread) Debate Forum Position Paper Questions???????