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ESOC TASK
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Task: The Violinist
Prompt
When we started the tasks, we set out to develop a better understanding, not just of ethics, but of how
we think about ethics. To this end, the first task we did was a simple “what’s our intuition tell us” task.
The second one built on this by having us think about moral agency, what that means, what it looks like,
and who should have it. This third task continues that by building out our moral reasoning and having us
think about how those with moral agency should think about difficult moral dilemmas. More
importantly, this task is about driving us to think about how our own moral intuition aligns with or
deviates from the theories and what they tell us about what it means to be a responsible moral agent.
The task tries to accomplish this goal of looking more deeply at our moral reasoning by having us answer
a moral dilemma thought-experiment in two parts.
In the first part, we’ll choose one of the four theories we looked at in class that best aligns with our
moral intuition and answer the thought experiment. We’ll do this abiding strictly by the theory’s
guidelines. What does it say we should do?
In the second part, we’ll answer the dilemma from our intuition. Make sure to focus on your moral
reasons, what drives you to answer the way you do – as you complete this part. Once we have that
answer, we’ll discuss how – and why – our intuition either aligns and/or deviates (both can happen) from
the theory and the theory’s answer.
One thing you’ll need to keep in mind as you go through this task is that there is no magical third
answer to this moral dilemma. There’s no swapping other people in. There’s no machine that will allow
you to step away from the violinist for a time. The only options are to stay plugged in or to unplug
yourself. If it helps, you can think of this as a “worst case scenario” type of situation, where everything
that could help has gone wrong and this is the last ditch effort.
Part 1
1. Pick the theory – Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Virtue Ethics, or Feminist Ethics of Care – that most
aligns with how you think about ethics.
2. Read the thought experiment below.
3. Using your chosen theory, answer the thought experiment.
4. As you answer it, make sure you adhere strictly to the theory and what it would say are the
moral obligations of the person participating in the situation.
Part 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the thought experiment again.
This time, answer it with your own moral intuition.
As you answer it, make sure to focus on explaining your moral reasoning.
Discuss how – and why – your intuition aligns and/or deviates (both can happen) from the
theory.
Thought Experiment:
The Violinist: ‘You wake up in the morning and find yourself back to back in bed with an unconscious
violinist. A famous unconscious violinist. He has been found to have a fatal kidney ailment, and the
Society of Music Lovers has canvassed all the available medical records and found that you alone have
the right blood type to help. They have therefore kidnapped you, and last night the violinist’s circulatory
system was plugged into yours, so that your kidneys can be used to extract poisons from his blood as
well as your own. The director of the hospital now tells you, “Look, we’re sorry the Society of Music
Lovers did this to you — we would never have permitted it if we had known. But still, they did it, and the
violinist is now plugged into you. To unplug you would be to kill him. But never mind, it’s only for nine
months. By then he will have recovered from his ailment and can safely be unplugged from you.”’ (1971:
132)
Task Guidelines
Number of Papers
There will be a total of five (5) “Task” papers throughout the semester.
Details
Overview: Each task is designed such that you are challenged to look at how different concepts of ethics
apply in more specific, “real world-like” situations. The goal of the tasks is to provide space for you to
both practice with the concepts and gain a more practical understanding of how the concepts can work
for you when approaching digital dilemmas.
Length: 600 – 1200 words (Approximately 2-4 pages)
Points: 10
Grading: Grading is primarily based on showing a mastery of the concepts and ability to use them to
explore the tasks/questions set forth in the prompts. However, mechanics will also be looked at. For
more specifics, see the Rubric at the bottom of this document.
Submissions
File Format: All papers must be turned in as .doc, .docx, or .pdf. Other formats will not be accepted.
Citations: No outside sources are required. However, if you want to bring some in to support your
points, they should be formatted according to APA style guidelines. Feel free to ignore the cover page,
title, and abstract requirements. All that matters is the in-text citations and work cited page.
Purdue OWL ( https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/) is a great resource for this kind of stuff.
Failing to Cite any outside sources brought in – both in-text and in the work cited page – will result
in an automatic zero.
Professionalism: Any professionalism mistake will result in a 10% penalty. Professionalism mistakes
include not having a consistent format (e.g., font type or size changing, margins changing, not fixing the
background color when copying/pasting from citation generator).
“Wrong Document” Policy: Any time a document (e.g., assignment, paper, extra credit) is to be turned
in online (e.g., into the D2L drop boxes), it is your responsibility to both turn in the correct assignment
and turn the assignment into the correct drop box.
If you turn in an incorrect document (e.g., a blank document, an earlier draft instead of the final draft,
an assignment from another course) and the deadline passes, that document will be considered as your
submission and no substitutions will be accepted. The document submitted will be accepted as
intentionally and knowingly submitted. It is your responsibility to double check any documents you
choose to upload to make sure they are the correct document. New submissions will not be accepted
past the deadline.
If you turn in the correct document but to the wrong drop box (e.g., turning in Assignment 2 to
Assignment 1’s drop box), the assignment will not be accepted as submitted. Assignments must go to
the correct drop box. It is your responsibility to double check that you are submitting the correct
assignments to the correct drop box. If this does happen and you catch the mistake in a reasonable
amount of time (as determined by the professor), the document may be accepted with a 10% late
penalty for each day past the due date, at the professor’s discretion.
Rubric
Mechanics
3 pts
2pts
1pt
0pts
N/A
N/A
Few errors in
punctuation,
capitalization, spelling,
paragraph structure, or
format consistency.
Numerous and
distracting errors.
Core concepts and
theories used aren’t
clearly stated, leaving
the reader to guess
what is or is not key to
the argument; some
misunderstanding of
concepts may be
present.
Fundamental
misunderstanding
of the concepts.
Explanation Concepts and
of Core
theories used are
Concepts
stated explicitly,
and Theories easy to spot,
explained clearly,
and support the
arguments
developed.
Use and
Application
Concepts and
theories used are
clearly stated but
need a more explicit
explanation of what
they are and/or how
they connect to the
arguments used.
Use of specific
Use of specific
examples and
examples from text
quotes from texts to that provide clear
Fails to follows
guideline
requirements
(e.g., length).
Use of generalized
No clear
examples from text that connection to
provide some benefit.
Examples provide
of Textual
Evidence
create a connection support for claims
to and provide new made in paper.
and insightful
support for claims
made in paper.
Depth of
Reflection
Thoughtful and in- Exploration that
depth exploration of demonstrates some
the ideas that
mastery of the task.
demonstrates a
thorough
understanding and
mastery of the task.
no clear
connection or
benefit to the
topic.
Underdeveloped
Failure to address
exploration of the ideas prompt.
presented.
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