Ethics project ideas?

Hey there! (Disclaimer: I’m not totally sure if this belongs in the school section—it feels more like you philosophy types might actually have some useful input here)🙂

So, I just graduated high school, and for one of our ethics classes, we were assigned this 'portfolio' project where we have to pick a specific moral dilemma or problem of our own choosing. Apparently, previous classes used stuff like media freedom in the US as an example. My teacher mentioned that the topic needs to be pretty concrete—like, saying 'euthanasia' is way too broad; it needs to be a specific case or something. It also needs to be something current where I can easily find sources online or in news articles, since the portfolio is basically a long-form essay backed up by 'evidence' and materials that help us reach a conclusion... Obviously, we have to state a thesis, explain why we picked the issue, what we're trying to prove, and eventually suggest a solution. But, look, I don't want to overcomplicate things—I'm just looking for some solid ideas for modern moral issues. Personally, I was thinking about maybe something involving the church—you know, corruption within religious institutions and all that. Any ideas at all would be great.🙂

.. write an essay about bottom-tier journalism..
.. spend three days scrolling through the internet—checking sites like the New York Post and the Daily Mail.. and just list the headlines.. all of them.. in order..
.. call the topic "What on earth do these Americans even want?"..
.. and try to figure out..
.. pay close attention to the columns.. you don't actually need to read them.. just the headlines..
.. the conclusion should basically be that these rats.. it seems.. have lost their way..
.. damn.. if you want to start writing a thesis right now.. then assume this..
.. there's no point in messing around for nothing.. no matter how small-time these Americans might seem.. even they have to fall under certain laws..
.. anyway.. that's all from me.. hang on.. maybe someone smarter will chime in..

Take a second to look around and see if you can spot any injustices weighing on you. Is there some underlying unfairness in the society we live in that’s actually starting to get under your skin? If so, you're probably looking at an ethical dilemma, so feel free to dive into that. For instance, what's your take on corruption within the church?

Amanda Jackson5 said:Take a second to look around and see if you can spot any injustices weighing on you. Is there some underlying unfairness in the society we live in that’s actually starting to get under your skin? If so, you're probably looking at an ethical dilemma, so feel free to dive into that. For instance, what's your take on corruption within the church?

The catch is we gotta pick one specific case to write about. I mean, I see plenty of unfairness everywhere, but I can't exactly use "teachers grading students subjectively" as my topic—that's way too broad...

For instance, this might be quite useful for you:

An Instagram photo depicting a young boy caught in the crosshairs of an American soldier has sparked a massive wave of backlash.

The twenty-year-old sniper, Mor Ostrovkki, ended up deleting the image from his profile following an intense global outcry.

If you read through these articles, you can easily spot the kind of controversial material that would make for a strong addition to your portfolio.

I’ll just leave a few thoughts here for you to consider:
1. Is the photograph itself the actual scandal?
2. Will the critics feel satisfied now that it's been taken down?
3. Was posting the image morally justifiable in the first place? (Take, for example, the comment from a group of American military veterans: "This is what occupation looks like. This is what military control over a civilian population looks like.")
4. If the answer to that third point is yes, how then should we interpret the statement from the Palestinian activist in the first link, who claims: "The photo is simply tasteless and shows dehumanization. It embodies the idea that Palestinian children are targets."
😕

So, we have American veterans attempting to raise public awareness about the reality on the ground, while a Palestinian activist argues the photo is distasteful and treats children as mere targets?!!

Perhaps this is a case of journalistic meddling or amateurism—where one must verify everything through multiple sources, scouring various sites where news breaks to compare facts—or perhaps it's just poor translation, but the core issue remains. The theme itself, viewed as a moral dilemma regarding the decision to post such a provocative image and the ethical questions that arise when reading the coverage, could serve as a fascinating area of research for whatever you are looking to write.