During the semester you will be responsible for composing two in depth (minimum 4 page) reflection papers exploring the themes/arguments in a selected reading. This should not solely be a summary of the argument presented but an analytical engagement with your chosen reading. Remember that a reflection paper is meant to illustrate your understanding of the material (the main themes/concepts that you found interesting) and how it affects your ideas. If you disagreed with the author this is your time to engage with their ideas and cultivate your opinion on it. The paper is due in class on the day of the assigned readings. Works of Love by Soren Kierkegaard (DUE: 9/19)

Assessment and Deadlines

Meeting Preparation and Participation

Throughout the term20%

Regular preparation for meetings, including completion of assigned readings, submission of discussion notes or questions as required, and active participation in supervisory meetings.

Research Proposal

Midterm20%

A written research proposal (approximately 2-4 pages) outlining the central research question, tentative thesis, methodological approach, and preliminary bibliography. The proposal will guide the direction of the final paper.

Final Research Paper

End of term60%

A final research paper of approximately 15-20 pages, developing an original philosophical argument related to the metaphysics of race. The paper will incorporate feedback received during meetings and from the research proposal stage. Independent Study Outline

1. The Metaphysics of Race: Realism, Anti-Realism, and Social Construction

DO THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL in a different document

Core Readings:

Du Bois, Conservation of the Races

Appiah, The Uncompleted Argument

Paul Taylor, Appiahs Uncompleted Argument

Kitcher, Race, Ethnicity, Biology, and Culture

Joshua What is Race 4 philosophocial views?

Possible Research Question:

Is race a biologically grounded category or a socially constructed one, or should it be eliminated altogether?

Why this is strong:

You compare some of the most important positions in contemporary philosophy of race and take a clear stand.

• I am an Afro-Black Palestinian, occupying multiple racialized identities that do not fit neatly into standard racial categories
• My racial classification shifts depending on social, political, and geographic context
• This challenges biological accounts of race that rely on fixed or essential traits
• At the same time, my experience shows race cannot simply be dismissed as unreal, given its real social and political effects
• My positionality motivates the research question, but does not serve as evidence
• Serves as a test case for evaluating realism, anti-realism, and social construction accounts of race
• Highlights the limits of existing metaphysical frameworks in accounting for complex, intersectional identities

Course Topic

This independent study examines the metaphysics of race, focusing on debates between racial realism, anti-realism, and social constructionist accounts. The course examines whether race is best understood as a biologically grounded category, a socially constructed concept, or a term that ought to be eliminated from serious metaphysical and scientific discourse.

Assessment and Deadlines

Meeting Preparation and Participation

Throughout the term20%

Regular preparation for meetings, including completion of assigned readings, submission of discussion notes or questions as required, and active participation in supervisory meetings.

Research Proposal

Midterm20%

A written research proposal (approximately 2-4 pages) outlining the central research question, tentative thesis, methodological approach, and preliminary bibliography. The proposal will guide the direction of the final paper.

Final Research Paper

End of term60%

A final research paper of approximately 15-20 pages, developing an original philosophical argument related to the metaphysics of race. The paper will incorporate feedback received during meetings and from the research proposal stage.

Readings

Readings will be determined in consultation with the supervising professor and may include works by W.E.B. Du Bois, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Paul C. Taylor, and Philip Kitcher, among others.

Possible Research Question:

Is race a biologically grounded category or a socially constructed one, or should it be eliminated altogether?

Why this is strong:

You compare some of the most important positions in contemporary philosophy of race and take a clear stand.

• I am an Afro-Black Palestinian, occupying multiple racialized identities that do not fit neatly into standard racial categories
• My racial classification shifts depending on social, political, and geographic context
• This challenges biological accounts of race that rely on fixed or essential traits
• At the same time, my experience shows race cannot simply be dismissed as unreal, given its real social and political effects
• My positionality motivates the research question, but does not serve as evidence
• Serves as a test case for evaluating realism, anti-realism, and social construction accounts of race
• Highlights the limits of existing metaphysical frameworks in accounting for complex, intersectional identities

Part 1:

Be sure to review the prior to participating in the discussions. You’ll want to review the provided rubric for each discussion prior to posting as well. If you need assistance working in the discussions, review this 2-minute video on .

We strive for academic integrity in all aspects of education, and you are expected to uphold these standards when creating and submitting your discussion. View the for more information on what that means at APUS.

Note the rubric full credit with peer replies: “The student substantively responds to peers/instructor with more than the minimum of two replies”

Ideally, you will submit at least 1 follow up post, if applicable. That is to acknowledge someone’s input on your post. EX: “Thanks for your reply, I agree/disagree with you about….” This is to try to build a conversation rather than just a series of comments.

It is also logistically impossible to have a discussion if we all rely on others to respond to our own posts. So, the best work will include:

1 initial post on the topic

2 replies to other people’s posts

1 follow up/acknowledgement to a comment (this can be shorter).

Discussion Prompt:

For this forum, choose one of the following topics to respond to for your initial post.

Topic A: Eastern Ethics and Natural Law

Compare one of the Eastern systems described in the lesson and readings to either Aristotle’s virtue theory or Aquinas’ Natural Law Theory in terms of which seems more reasonable. Which seems more coherent and able to be followed, and which might help a person formulate a plan that would produce more morally acceptable behavior. Provide an example of a moral dilemma where you might be able to utilize these concepts personal or professional.

Chapter 3 of the textbook should be your primary source, also be sure to clearly cite any sources that you refer to on Eastern Systems.

Topic B: Environmental Ethics

The research is dire; we may well be in what many are calling the Anthropocene Extinction. Below is one section of a larger report on what the Institute of Public Policy Research is calling an environmental crisis. Imagine you are in a position of authority; what realistic actions could a virtuous leader take to address this crisis? To that end, please start with a description of the relevant virtues with traceable references to the theories/approaches noted in this week’s material.

Laybourn-Langton, Laurie, Lesley Rankin & Darren Baxter. “The Scale and Pace of Environmental Breakdown.” Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), 2019, pp. 915, THIS IS A CRISIS: FACING UP TO THE AGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL BREAKDOWN,

Before you post, please thoroughly edit your writing to ensure it is professional and academic. For more details about how the initial post and peer replies are graded, see the .

Peer Reply Guidance:

For Topic A, compare your peers reasoning with your own, using examples from the readings or research to support or challenge their view. Suggest how their ideas could apply to real-life moral dilemmas or offer alternative approaches.

For Topic B, evaluate the virtues or actions your peer suggests for addressing the environmental crisis, using evidence to support your agreement or critique. Add new ideas or refine their suggestions to deepen the discussion.

This discussion aligns with the following:

• Course Objectives:

Rubrics

• RAMP LD Discussion Rubric v.5

reply to:

Week 3- Topic B

• Contains unread posts
• Darian Manasse posted Feb 17, 2026 5:34 PM

Topic B: Environmental Ethics

• The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) doesnt mince words: were in the middle of an environmental crisis. Climate change is picking up speed, species are vanishing, soils are breaking down, and our oceans keep getting more acidic (Laybourn-Langton, Rankin, & Baxter, 2019). If we really are living through what some call the Anthropocene Extinction, then ethical leadership cant just chase quick profits. Leaders need to focus on what helps both people and the planet thrive in the long run. Virtue ethics, especially the way Aristotle saw it, pushes leaders to develop and live out qualities like prudence, justice, temperance, and courage when facing problems like these. For Aristotle, virtue isnt just about good intentionsits about having the steady character to do what makes sense and helps people live well (Nicomachean Ethics, Book II). Prudencepractical wisdomstands out here. It helps leaders actually think through messy, complicated issues and decide what really serves the common good. Someone whos prudent doesnt wait for disaster to hit; they pay attention to the science and act before things get worse. Justice comes in when leaders make sure that the environmental pain and the benefits are shared fairlyespecially since the people who suffer most often did the least to cause the problem. Temperance means holding back from using more than we need, pushing back against the urge to always take more. And courage? Thats what it takes to stand up and push for tough policies, even when its unpopular or expensive. So, what does this actually look like? A leader who lives these virtues could start by rolling out policies that make renewable energy more attractive and cut support for fossil fuels, pushing the economy to work with the planet, not against it. They could protect wild areas and reform farming so it doesnt wreck ecosystems. They could hold companies accountable by making them report honestly on their environmental impact. All of these steps come straight from the virtuesthinking ahead, protecting the vulnerable, curbing greed, and sticking to tough decisions even when theres pushback. The IPPR report makes it clear: we need big, systemic change, not just tweaks around the edges (Laybourn-Langton et al., 2019). Virtue ethics backs this up, since its all about leaders whose character keeps them focused on the bigger picturenot just winning the next election or boosting this quarters numbers. At the end of the day, virtue ethics offers a strong way to think about environmental leadership. Its not about following rules to the letter or chasing good results at any cost. Its about who the leader is and what they value. Leaders who truly care about prudence, justice, temperance, and courage dont see environmental stewardship as optionalthey see it as part of what it means to help people flourish. By living out these virtues, leaders can craft policies that actually meet the crisis head-on and show future generations what real responsibility looks like.

References

• Aristotle. (2009). Nicomachean ethics (W. D. Ross, Trans.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published ca. 350 BCE)
• Laybourn-Langton, L., Rankin, L., & Baxter, D. (2019). This is a crisis: Facing up to the age of environmental breakdown (pp. 915). Institute for Public Policy Research.
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Week 3 Topic A

• Contains unread posts
• Frederick Kiser posted Feb 17, 2026 3:49 PM
• Confucianism, a key Eastern ethical system, stresses virtue cultivation through relational roles, rituals (li), benevolence (ren), and the five relationships (parent-child, ruler-subject), guiding individuals toward becoming a junzi or exemplary person and achieving social harmony.
• Aristotles virtue theory centers on developing character traits that hit the mean between extremes such as courage between rashness and cowardice through rational habituation, leading to personal eudaimonia or flourishing. Aquinas Natural Law Theory builds on this, positing that moral precepts are derived from rational reflection on human nature and participation in Gods eternal law, yielding universal rules such as preserving life and pursuing truth. Confucianism appears more reasonable, coherent, and practicable for many people. Its relational, role-based framework provides concrete, context-specific guidance like filial piety, loyalty to superiors rather than Aristotles abstract golden mean or Aquinas theistic universal principles. Daily moral behavior is more easily shaped by habitual fulfillment of duties within family and society than by calculating rational means or discerning divine law in every situation.
• An example for a dilemma would be a manager laying off a loyal, long-time employee who is underperforming due to budget constraints. Aristotelian virtue ethics might balance compassion and justice in seeking the mean, weighing personal loyalty against fairness to the company. Confucian ethics prioritizes relational harmony and reciprocity treating the employee with benevolence and respect in the superior-subordinate dynamic potentially leading to retention efforts, generous severance, or supportive transition. This relational emphasis often produces more humane, consistent outcomes in interdependent professional settings.
• 3.3 Classical Chinese Philosophy. Humanities LibreTexts, 31 Aug. 2023, humanities.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Philosophy/Introduction_to_Philosophy_(OpenStax)/03%3A_Philosophy_of_Mind/3.03%3A_Classical_Chinese_Philosophy.
• OpenStax. Introduction to Philosophy. OpenStax, 2022, openstax.org/details/books/introduction-philosophy.

part2:

Instructions

Assignment Instruction:

Using the material on moral compasses from Weeks 1 and 2, write a paper of no less than 600 words that accomplishes the following:

• Choose one of the two templates, APA or MLA, and follow directions. The information below offers an elaboration on these directions. You can use the documentation style preferred by your degree, but pick one of the two templates.
• In a section titled “Theories” identify no more than two Frameworks identified in Brown (Consequentialist, Duty, or Virtue). Be sure to ponder the Deliberative process, Focus, Definition of Ethical Conduct, and Motivation in the chart listed in the discussion of frameworks. Do NOT pick all three.
• Note, you are not locked into this or these Frameworks as your personal disposition is likely to become more refined as you go through the course and learn more theories and more about these theories. The goal here is to ponder how various frameworks fit your personality. This goodness of fit is more important than the Framework(s) selected.
• In the section titled Issue Identified you will identify one and only one and only one issue from Markkulas Ethics Spotlight (Gen AI and Ethics, Violence at the Capitol, Ethics and Systemic Racism, etc.). The choice is yours. Briefly summarize the situation and why you believe you feel it is an ethical problem.
• From here, this assignment is about critical thinking as much as ethics. Critical thinking involves problem solving methods. What matters is how well you address each part and that you think your way through the method. In this case, the assignment uses Browns method for Applying the Frameworks to Cases. What your teacher will look for is how well you use this method to justify your conclusion. Please do not skip any parts and be sure to address each step adequately.
• USE the template and DO NOT delete the section headings.
• Note that all papers must be double-spaced and follow either APA or MLA formatting.

Submission Instructions:

• A 35-page Word Document. Please do not greatly exceed this.
• Must include in text citations (showing where resources were used) and references. Note, citations are NOT just for quotations. They are required for summaries and paraphrases as well. If you write a sentence based on a resource you used, you need a citation.

Be sure to review the following prior to submitting your assignment:

• We strive for academic integrity in all aspects of education, and you are expected to uphold these standards when creating and submitting your discussion. View the for more information on what that means at APUS.
• Assignment Rubric
• If you do not see the rubric, select Course Tools in the blue horizontal navigation bar and then Assignments. Select the appropriate assignment, and the rubric will be located near the bottom of the page.

Resources & Supports

• You have free access as an APUS student. Sign in with your MyCampus Email credentials.
• : Watch this 3-minute video if you need guidance on submitting your assignment.
• : Review the “Viewing Feedback in the Assignments” section for details on accessing feedback or review the 1-minute .