The document provides instructions for writing a 4-5 page paper on whether the choices made by survivors of a shipwreck, which involved cannibalism, were morally defensible or not based on readings of Kant and Bentham. The paper should present a clear and interesting argument supported by evidence from the texts, citing sources properly. It should engage fairly with the texts and build all sentences to support the thesis rather than including unnecessary quotes or outside sources.

1. Instructions: Please write a 4-5 page paper (maximum 1500 words) on the
followin
Instructions: Please write a 4-5 page paper (maximum 1500 words) on the following topics.
Papers should be in Times New Roman font, size 12, double spaced, and paginated. Your
essay should demonstrate a sustained and clear argument. Do not waste space with
unnecessary quotations and summary or with sources outside of those we read. Any
sentence that refers to something specific in the text must be cited properly (and any good
paper should have citations). Use every single sentence to build your response to the
prompt and support your thesis.Essays will be graded for whether they (a) respond
adequately to the prompt (or otherwise approved topic); (b) fairly engages with the text
and does not grossly (or intentionally) misinterpret; (c) provides a clear and lucid
argument; (d) are well written and organized.Paper Guidelines:The goal of your essay is to
persuade your audience (i.e., Me) that your interesting argument is valid. I emphasize that
your paper must be an argument, it must be interesting, and it must be your own.First, you
need to write with an argument in mind. You should craft a thesis, present the relevant
evidence in our texts that support your claim, and explain precisely how your citations
support the claim you set forth. A good argumentative thesis is one that someone could
reasonably oppose and attempt to disprove. It is a bad argument (or not an argument at all)
if I could not reasonably oppose it.Second, your thesis should be interesting. Your paper
should not be taken up with trying to prove something obvious like this: “Plato and Aristotle
have different ideas of justice.” You should also not say something outrageously broad like
this: “Since the dawn of Western civilization humans have tried to organize cities well.” Are
you actually going to talk, insightfully, about all of Western civilization in a few pages? Good
luck.A good thesis should be driven by close reading and scrutiny of argument. Look for
problems of terminology. Look for unintended or undiscussed implications of the texts.
Look for unexamined premises or intuitions. Do not merely regurgitate texts, as you did in
your first micro-essay. You should instead craft original, incisive arguments of your own,
using the texts (and your thoughts and criticisms and reconstructions) as your tools.Essay
prompt:The attached PDF tells the (true) story of a shipwreck and the dire choices
presented to the survivors (cannibalism was involved). Read the prompt in detail and
consider the accompanying questions. Using the texts we’ve read so far (Kant and Bentham
being the most directly relevant), provide an answer that argues whether the choice(s)
made were morally defensible or not. All circumstantial factors are relevant.The texts that

2. we have read:1/25: Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, First section1/30:
Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Second section2/1: Bentham, selections
from Introduction to the Principles of Morals*, Preface, Ch. 1, 3-5, 7, 17 (until “Branches
of Jurisprudence”)Bentham, “Anarchical Fallacies”, “Short Review of the [US] Declaration”,
“Emancipate your colonies!” (skim)