2014-15 Sem 2
HUM4001 Logic and Reasoning in Socio-Ethical Issues
Group Presentation Topic
Is surrogate motherhood morally justified? To be a surrogate mother is to be implanted a fertilized egg, which is biologically unrelated to her (unless she also provides the egg), into her body and to bear the baby until its full term for a fee. The baby, after birth, will be adopted by a couple who have formed a contract agreement with the surrogate mother. Surrogate motherhood is now practicing in some countries, e.g., the U.S. However, it has raised many ethical issues. For example, Some couples refused to adopt the contracted baby when they realized that the baby had medical problems, or some surrogate mothers refused to let go their baby after its birth. State your position and provide arguments to support it.
One of your arguments mustbe ananalogical(and/or thought-experiment) argument. Regarding an analogical argument, check whether there are disanalogies that may weaken, strengthen, or be irrelevantto your conclusion. If the disanalogies weaken your conclusion, you should revise your analogy to avoid these disanalogies. If they evenstrengthen your conclusion, then explain why they do so. If they are irrelevant but, in the first appearance,seem to be relevant, then also explain why they make no difference to your conclusion.
Besides analogical arguments, you can use the other three kinds of moral argument listed in the handout of “Facts and Values.” In addition, you can support your position indirectly by defending against some possible objections to your view. Examples can be found in the handout of “Analogical Arguments.”
Your presentation should be in power-point format and lastabout 15 minutes long (not including the questions-and-answers section). If you have any questions, you are welcome to discuss with me. But I will not preview your power-point file.You should hand in a hard copy of your power-point presentation to me on your presentation day. The presentation schedule is listed as follows:
Date / Tutorial / Group28/4 / 02 / Gabriel, Rachel
Karlson, Michael
5/5 / 02 / Alexis, Charlie, Trishala
Bond, Alex, Jack, Alfred
6/5 / 01 / Angus, Arthur, Richard, Eminem
Kaylee, Leon, Elizabeth, Siu-Tong
03 / Vanessa, Victoria, Katie, Anita
Amy, Jasmine, Vision, Michelle
8/5 / 01 / Calvin, Natalie
Alex, Hans
03 / Carmen, Beth
LG, Ryan