Essay Literary studies

PAPER II: Argumentative Essay (900-1100 words)

FINAL DRAFT: November 4th 2018

ABSTRACT: In 900-1100 words, grounded in Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror,

Alexander Weinstein’s Children of the New World, or Karel Capek’s R.U.R., write an

argumentative essay exploring the thematic concept of business ethics and

technology.

PROMPT: Business ethics, as framed by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, is

the study of the ethical dimensions of productive organizations and commercial

activities, with business defined as a productive organization whose purpose is to

create goods and services for sale, usually at a profit. With R.U.R., Children of the New

World, or Black Mirror as your exhibit text, what role does/can literature (or film,

for Black Mirror’s case) function as when engaging with 21st century business

ethics? How might literature—both broadly conceived as well as more particularly

with your chosen exhibit text—help illuminate, problematize, hinder or advance

contemporary conceptions of business ethics in an increasingly mechanized and

digitalized business world?

You are strongly encouraged to connect the themes of your exhibit text to a current

trend in 21st century business, entrepreneurship, and technology; for example, if

your exhibit text were Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, perhaps you would connect the

novel’s themes to current trends in genomic research and questions concerning

designer babies, making an argument that Shelley’s novel functions as a cautionary

tale for not merely the unchecked hubris of scientists/engineers but rather, perhaps,

unregulated markets abroad and the human species at large.

Regardless of your paper’s connection between exhibit text and background

materials, your paper must make an argument about the thematic statement of

the exhibit text and must do so by incorporating appropriate engagements with

(and proper citations of) Background sources, Exhibit sources, and

Argumentative sources as follows:

• At least one peer reviewed academic article (Argument).

• At least two articles from the New York Times, Boston Globe, Wall Street

Journal, or Washington Post (Background).

• At least one book review of exhibit text (Background/Argument)

• Multiple direct quotes and references to the text (Exhibit)