Format: This assignment should not be longer than a total of two pages (not including the appendix), typed in standard font (Time New Roman or Arial) size 12, 2 lines spacing, justified (aligned both to the left and the right margins), with these specific margins (3.18 cm left and right, 2.54 cm top and bottom) Writing style should be academic, clear and brief. Use proper academic reference whenever you rely on sources, either printed or electronic. Bibliography is not mandatory if no sources are used.
Submission deadline: The assignment must be submitted electronically (as a WORD file) via Moodle by Saturday, July 25th 2024, at 23:55. 15 points will be deducted for a late submission. Assignments that are submitted more than 2 days after the due date will not be accepted and a “Fail” grade will be assigned to the submitter. Please avoid such mishap.
Academic honesty: Students are expected to do their own work. Exchanges between students are not allowed, and might seriously damage your grade. To use another person’s ideas without giving due credit by means of proper reference is to commit plagiarism, which is subject to severe penalty in accordance with IDC regulations. For further clarification, please consult the IDC regulations or ask your TA. The use of AI software as ghostwriters is strictly forbidden. If there is any suspicion of extensive AI software use in an assignment, the student will be required to explain their work in person, which may affect their grade.
Please answer 2 of the next 3 questions (50 points for each question).
1. A 2022 report1 by The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) showed that nearly 40% of children in Nigeria (amounting to over 24 million children aged 5 to 17) “were engaged in labor activities that were injurious to their physical and mental development that year”. When discussing Child Labor the reasons often vary, with poverty and cultural norms being the primary ones. Many families rely on the income generated by their children as it is often customary for children to contribute to the family’s income from a young age.
Given the prevalence of Child Labor in Nigeria, please review the ethical implications of this practice by exploring the perspectives of moral relativism and moral absolutism.
a. Moral Relativism: how would a Nigerian relativist and an Israeli relativist approach the issue of Child Labor?
b. Moral Absolutism: how would a Moral absolutist approach the same issue? In your answer, please also address two of the following three philosophers (Mill, Kant and Plato)
Your explanation must include a description of the theories and the different approaches.
2. Steven and Alex, have been close friends for years and are now both single, at the same time, for the first time in their friendship. Recently, they have started to develop romantic feelings for each other. Steven is faced with a decision: to explore a romantic relationship with Alex, risking the potential strain on their deep friendship, or to maintain their friendship and suppress his emerging romantic feelings.
a. Fatalism: How might a fatalist approach Steven’s decision if he chooses to pursue a romantic relationship with Alex despite the risks?
- Free will: How could an advocate of Free Will view Steven’s belief that Alex is, and always was, his soulmate?
- Soft determinism: How might a soft determinist interpret Steven’s fear that his past errors from previous relationships might reoccur in this new relationship?
Your explanation must include a description of the theories and the different approaches.
https://www.icirnigeria.org/child-labour-in-nigeri…
3. Rachel is writing an essay for the Fundamentals of Humanistic thought course. She has been studying intensively and is confident of her understanding of the material and the correctness of her answers. However, while reading the 3rd question, she starts to worry that her confidence might be misplaced and that she could be dreaming all her study sessions, leading to uncertainty about whether she truly knows the content and will get a good grade.
- Describe the dream argument in details
- Johnny, Rachel’s best friend, appeared at her door step and told her that she isnot dreaming and that she has to submit her paper today. Can Johnny’sreassurance solve Descartes’ dream argument? Why?
- Motti, their university Professor, have invited Rachel and Johnny to his lab,where they are presented with Motti’s new invention: a new brain scanning technology that shows the differences between brain waves during a dreaming state and during a waking state. Can that finally solve Descartes’ dream argument? Why?