Human trafficking and the internet
Human trafficking and the internet
Your challenge for the final paper (roughly 4-8 pages, double spaced 12 point font) is to apply the critical thinking and argumentative reasoning skills we’ve been practicing over the course of the semester to a dilemma in either computer ethics or the ethics of technology.
I am not looking for a research paper, but it is of course impossible to write a paper without knowing something about the topic. And so the first thing I recommend that you do is to do some targeted research and searches online for articles related to issue you choose. This would also be an excellent opportunity to talk to an SCSU reference librarian, to request help with identifying short papers, articles, or other sources – including multimedia sources – that address the thesis or issue you are interested in.
If you are really stumped on how to identify an appropriate issue, I recommend taking a look at: (1) the excellent discussions you have had over the course of the semester on the course blog, including the Weekly News posts, and (2) the list of the “top 10” ethical dilemmas in emerging technologies (from any year) posted on the site maintained by the Reilly Center at Notre Dame (reillytop10.com).
As you do the background reading, I recommend making a list of “pros” and “cons” on each side of the debate, with excerpts, quotes, or links to the sites with supporting information.
Once you have researched the topic, the next step is to develop a thesis. Ask yourself: what is the central debate about? Is it well-defined, or do I need to narrow it down a little more? The thesis should choose one side of the debate – not necessarily the side you are “on”, just the side you want to start with. It should be modest (avoid the use of “est” claims), clear (make sure you understand the claim), and defensible (don’t attempt to defend the unknowable).
