Ethical Issues Discussion
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In this discussion assignment, you will begin by writing an initial post (original thread) discussing issues related to Natural Law Theory, drawn from Shafer-Landau, The Fundamentals of Ethics, Chapter 6 and its application to Climate Change Justice in Shafer-Landau, The Ethical Life, Posner & Sunstein, 301-316. Finally, no later than the end of Unit VII, you will post two separate student replies.
Discussion Board Question
In your original post, please address the following: Summarize the essence of the Natural Law Theory (pages 76-90) and identify two or three of the strongest arguments in favor of natural law and at least one major weakness of the theory. Again, think about the features, intuitions, and typical conceptual ideas that tend to support the theory. What is the theory trying to accomplish? What are some good philosophical objections against the argument? Do you find the argument compelling? Why or why not? (Remember to offer philosophical reasons, not personal reasons for your point of view.) Finally, use your knowledge of natural law theory to argue for or against distributive justice or corrective justice as it applies to climate change justice in the Posner & Sunstein essay, 301-316 of The Ethical Life.
Again, be creative in your response but substantiate all your claims with good arguments and good reasons. For example, what type of ethical theory are Posner & Sunstein relying on to make their case? Why does this matter? In other words, since we are now looking at different normative theories for moral living, does natural law fare any better than religion and morality? Notice that we are attempting to build on our discussions.
