Applying Theory: Environmental Issues

Your goal for this assignment is to
apply an ethical theory to a real-world situation. You will examine an
environmental issue and apply one of the ethical theories to understand
how human interactions with the natural environment raise ethical
concerns. You will do this by preparing and posting a PowerPoint
slideshow consisting of 12 slides and a separate section under each
slide for notes.

• Choose one of the following topics/issues and read about it at the indicated place:
  • Environmental justice/environmental racism (Article: Environmental Justice for All)
  • Environmental harm/pollution of air and water (Chapter 8 in the textbook)
  • Waste reduction (Chapter 8 in the textbook)
• Select one philosophical theory (utilitarianism,
  deontology, or virtue ethics). Consider the following questions
  pertaining to the theory you have selected:
  • What does the theory tell us about how things operate in the real world?
  • What is the focus of the theory? That is, what aspects of everyday life (or what questions) does the theory address?

The focus (or questions) helps you think
about the topical boundaries of the theory. This course is about ethics
and social responsibility, so you should concentrate on the ethical and
moral aspects of the theory and of the topic you are analyzing. It may
help to think in terms of different realms or institutions. Does the
theory help to explain people’s behavior from a political, economic,
religious, or ethical perspective? Try to sort through everything that
does not represent an ethical question, and address only the ethical
issues.

• How does the theory simplify complex issues
  to make them more understandable? Another way to think about this is to
  consider the elements or concepts that make up the theory. Identify the
  concepts and how they are related to each other.
• Develop one thesis question that applies your
  philosophical theory to your environmental issue. You will address this
  question in developing an argument that links the theory to the issue
  (through your notes and pictures), so make sure you word your question
  carefully to accomplish this task. Indicate this thesis question on your
  second slide (the one after the title slide).
• Next, develop an ethical argument that addresses
  your question. Use the text and/or look for academic sources to support
  your position. Build your argument by writing nine sentences. Each
  sentence should make one important point about the ethical aspects of
  the environmental issue you are analyzing and should be placed on one
  slide each.
• Underneath each slide you will also add
  presentation notes. The notes are written information that you would
  normally say or share with an audience during a presentation, but that
  they do not actually see on the slide. Your notes should also make use
  of at least two academic sources and elaborate on the image and sentence
  in each slide.
  • To add notes to your slide, go the section at
    the bottom of each slide in Power Point and click on the option that
    says “Click to add notes.” Type your notes into that section.
  • Make sure your presentation focuses on
    ethical arguments and avoids personal opinion, arguments based on
    politics, economics, religion, or topics other than ethics.
• Find a photo to illustrate each slide, and post
  the photo on the slide above the sentence. Search the Internet for
  photos that are appropriate. Make sure the photos you use are not
  copyright protected; you should only use photos that are in the public
  domain. Also, make sure you cite the sources from which you retrieved
  your photos directly underneath the photo on each slide.

The slideshow should be 12 slides long; one slide for
title page, one for the thesis question, nine slides for your arguments
(i.e., main sentences) and notes, and one slide for your references. You
should use at least two academic sources other than the textbook as
references. All citations and references must be in the APA format as
outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. This assignment must be
submitted as a PowerPoint presentation. Other formats (i.e., PDF files,
Word documents, etc.) are not acceptable. If you are unfamiliar with how
to use PowerPoint, see: Basic tasks in PowerPoint 2010.