Overview
Instructions
Review all materials up to and including the Week 3 - Essay 1 course module.
Assignment objective: Apply both ethical theories and ethical situationism to the issue of misinformation (or fake news) in media.
Purpose: This assignment will help you integrate theoretical knowledge with a real-world ethical problem.
Task:
Introduction (about 1 page): Define misinformation and its significance in contemporary media. Explain why it's an ethical issue.
Ethical Theories (about 1 page): Briefly describe two ethical theories and how they view the problem of misinformation (use Utilitarianism and Kantianism )
Ethical Situationism (about 1 page): Define ethical situationism. Discuss how situational factors can influence the spread or acceptance of misinformation. (Be sure to rely on the course materials here, especially the paper 'Situationism and Agency' in the Week 3 - Topic 2 module.) If you rely on Internet searches, you may land on information about 'situation ethics' which is NOT the same as ethical situationism. There is also a political-economic view called 'situationism' which is also NOT what you need for this assignment.)
Case Study Analysis (about 1.5 pages): Select a real-world example of misinformation. Analyze it using the ethical theories and the concept of ethical situationism.
Proposed Solutions (about 1 page): Suggest strategies for combating misinformation, guided by your theoretical understanding. Discuss who bears responsibility and how situational factors might be leveraged.
Conclusion (about .1 pages): Summarize your findings and their broader implications.
Skills: This assignment will help you develop skills in ethical analysis and critical thinking.
Criteria for Success: Successful papers will demonstrate a clear understanding of the chosen ethical theories and ethical situationism, provide a cogent account and analysis of misinformation in media, and propose well-reasoned solutions.
Learning Goals: By completing this assignment, you should be able to apply ethical theories to real-world issues and understand the influence of situational factors on ethical decisions.
Format & Length: Maximum 6 pages double-spaced, not counting title page and bibliography.
Be sure to review the statement on the use of AI tools in the “Getting Started” module under Content.
Be sure to include a bibliography listing the sources you use in your essay (this is standard academic practice)