Essay A
This paper topic corresponds to Chapter 4 of the text. Note: For both this essay, and Essay B (below), the
PPT on Blackboard titled Autonomy Presentation will be very helpful.
Describe and explain, using examples and your own words, the authors Three-Condition Theory of
autonomy. (Be thorough but dont over-think this one; it isnt supposed to be tricky.) It will probably take
about 3 paragraphs to adequately answer this question, or about one page.
Essay B
This paper topic corresponds to Chapters 4, 5 and 6. There is emphasis on autonomy but also on doing whats
best for the patient (beneficence) while avoiding harm (nonmaleficence). There are also PPTs on
Blackboard to better help you understand therapeutic privilege.
Read the AMA statement on therapeutic privilege and an article by Dr. Matthew Wynia titled Invoking
Therapeutic Privilege. Explain what therapeutic privilege is using the case Dr. Wynia discusses and what
your authors say about it in the text. Now, give an argument for whether you think he did the right thing or not,
using all the principles and concepts weve studied that are relevant.
Guidelines for the Text Essays:
In MS Word, Double-spaced, 1 inch margins all around, 12 point font. I WILL NOT READ
ANYTHING THAT IS SUBMITTED IN A FORMAT OTHER THAN WORD, so dont turn in items in
PDF or WordPerfect or Notepad.
Last name on every page in the header
Number each page at the bottom with X of Y
No title or cover page
You do not need an elegant introduction or conclusion; you do not have the space
No more than one page
Use the text, internet, notes, and your own ideas, but do not use someone elses ideas or words
without citations. A proper citation for the text is: (Beauchamp, 32). For all other sources, you
must include full bibliographic information at the bottom of the page, in footnote form. However,
note that in these essays, quotations arent really going to help you, since you should be explaining
the topic or issue in your own words, using your own example(s). This is NOT a research paper, so
ideally you shouldnt have to go to outside sources to answer the topic question.
LATE PAPERS: Essays are due by midnight on the due date. Papers received after that date will incur
a 5% deduction for each day the paper is late. If the paper is more than 3 days late, it will not be
accepted.
Dont over-think these essays. When you are finished, someone not in our class should be able to read
your essays and have a very good idea of what is meant by the concepts addressed in the topics.
