Explain the nature of ethical issues.

Write a 2–3-page essay on a selected issue related to the tension between individual freedom and social institutions. By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies: Show Less Competency 1: Explain the nature of ethical issues. Explain the ethical basis for the relation of individuals to their government. Competency 2: Critically examine the contributions of key thinkers from the history of ethics. Describe the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Competency 3: Engage in ethical debate. Assess the advantages and disadvantages of these theories as they relate to a selected issue. Competency 4: Develop a position on a contemporary ethical issue. Apply traditional social contract theories to a selected contemporary issue. Competency 5: Communicate effectively in the context of personal and professional moral discourse. Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Context Another dose of ethical theory, focused this time on social organization. Several political philosophers have explained the foundation of governmental authority in terms of a fictional social contract: Hobbes Individuals are purely selfish, so they naturally exist in a state of war with all In self-defense, we join together under the authority of a sovereign who rules Locke In nature, rational agents have equal right to enforce the natural law For protection of “life, liberty, and property” we consent to be governed (Notice the influence of this approach on founders of the United States.) Rousseau We are born free, so any agreement to join together is purely voluntary Each individual freely chooses to serve the “general will,” the welfare of all Show Less Present-day nations exhibit a variety of social organizations: Authoritarian: absolute power in a single dictator who imposes power over everyone Elitist: a small group rules for all, based on birth family, wealth, or merit Democratic: everyone participates in governance, usually by electing representatives Under any form of government, the fundamental question is how much freedom individual citizens retain in the face of legitimate authority. If we accept the need for some protection of the public good, we must submit in some circumstances, but each of us wishes to pursue our own choices within that broad framework. With respect for justice, we allow the law to prevent us from harming each other, but otherwise we like to be left alone. Assessment Overview Political philosophy concerns itself with the formation and maintenance of civil societies. Its central theme is the need to explain the relationship between individual human beings and their governments. You have been considering several specific examples of the tension between individual freedom and social institutions. From among those examples, you have chosen one as the focus for your own views on freedom and authority.