Religions - comparative study: Task

RELIGION AND SOCIETY UNIT 2

Outcome 2 Task

Due End of Week 7

Religion and morality in pluralist society 


In this area of study, students examine ethical perspectives and moral viewpoints upheld by at least two religious traditions in pluralist society. Certain authorities, ideas, values and ethical principles inform broad ethical perspectives and in turn ethical decision-making within a religious tradition. These ethical perspectives inform the religious tradition’s moral viewpoints on specific aspects of practical moral judgment. 
Students analyse how the ideas, values and ethical principles underpinning ethical perspectives are expressed through the formal aspects of religion. 

Abortion

Contraception

Fertility technology

Euthanasia

Homosexuality

Consumption of alcohol

Capital punishment

Intellectual property theft

Gambling

Logging of forests

Overfishing

Human-induced climate change

Endangered species

Income tax

Population control

Immunisation

Animal rights

Censorship v. free speech

Nuclear Energy:  Should we pursue new nuclear technologies and building second generation nuclear power plants?

Human Cloning and Therapeutic Cloning

Animal Cloning

Food Irradiation

Stem Cell Research

Nanotechnology

Genetically Modified Crops (GMCs)

Medical Research Using Live Animals

Research Into Extending the Human Lifespan

Genetic Engineering

Eugenics (designer babies, who should have children, etc.)

Artificial Human Organs and Selling of Human Organs

Gene Therapy

Medical Research Using Foetal Tissue

Chemical and Biological Weapons Research

Which is the best energy-producing strategy to pursue?

Research into bigger and better bombs (neutron bomb, particle beams, sound beams, etc.)

 You are to choose one of the topics below and research two different ethical and moral viewpoints on the topic. You must investigate the Catholic point of view and choose another religious tradition and also investigate their viewpoint. Try to choose traditions whose views may be different.

Other

Christian (e.g. Baptist, Pentecostal)

Judaism

Islam

Hinduism

Buddhism

Other traditions as discussed with your teacher

Assessment: You will have 6 lessons to research and prepare an oral presentation for the class. A maximum of two students may study any particular topic but all research and presentations will be individual rather than group tasks. Presentations need to include the following:

Assessment: You will have 5 lessons to research and prepare an oral presentation for the class. A maximum of two students may study any particular topic but all research and presentations will be individual rather than group tasks. Presentations need to include the following:

• Information about the authorities, ideas, values and ethical principles that inform the ethical perspectives of each religious tradition
• Exploration of how the ethical perspectives are expressed through the formal aspects of each religion
• Effective use of multimedia (about 12 slides, maximum of 24 words on each slide.  Use ‘notes’ section to add clarifying information/script
• Demonstration of a wide range of reading and research, including most recent information (depending on the topic)
• Detailed bibliography
• Each presentation must last for between 4-5 minutes