Students will write a 4-6 page paper that will examine ethical issues in one of the texts.Students will identify the ethical situations and will articulate their own ethical beliefs in regard to the issue.

You will identify one or more ethical dilemmas with which one or more of the characters faces. You will analyze the ethical dilemma(s), actions, and decisions that are made.

Frankenstein Essay Outline

Intro:

State your thesis = describe which ethical decisions you will be addressing.

I.) First ethical decision Victor made. (use quotes from novel)

a.) What were his options at that point?

b.) Who were the stakeholders? Who might be affected and how?

c.) What option did he choose? What approach did he seem to be following? What were the consequences to the stakeholders.

d.) What option should he have chosen?

You should also refer to the following source from your UNIV courses:

Do the Right Thing: Living Ethically in an Unethical World, by Thomas G. Plante. 2004

Here are some texts that you could use to talk about ethical dilemmas:

In Frankenstein, the author critiques the idea that scientific and rational thought will lead to ultimate human good. As increasing modes of technology give humans the ability to alter mind and body, the monster that Victor creates, then rejects, can be seen as a metaphor for mankind’s rejection of human values, spirit, emotion, and love in favor of scientific progress.

First, identify the ethical dilemma with which Victor is faced in the novel. Discuss how his dilemma relates to thoughts about scientific progress at that time. At what points in the novel does Victor confuse values with facts? When he decides to create the monster, what is at stake? Who stands to benefit from Victor’s ability to create life? Who stands to lose? What is lost and why?

Finally, what decision should Victor have made and why?

Issue Recognition

1. Identify the ethical dilemmas that a character faces. Simply state what they are in an introduction.

Information Engagement

1. Identify the conflicting values of the ethical dilemma and the range of stakeholders and their interests.

Option Consideration

1. What are all of the options available to that character? What approach to ethics did the character use? Use the sources available to you and be specific. Also, identify the ethical approach that you used to evaluate the characters’ dilemmas and decisions. Use one of the sources listed above and explain how you arrived at your approach to the situation.

Outcomes Evaluation and Action Explanation

1. Be sure to explain what the consequences would be for everyone involved if the character had made a DIFFERENT decision than the one that he/she did. Also, be sure to explain why you think that the characters’ decisions are ethical or unethical, using your sources to guide you.