ETHC 324 Discussion 1 Liberty University
This module/week, you studied the ethical dimensions of public policy that occur at different levels of thinking. Public policy deliberations are not normally highly polarized. Many issues are settled through legal or social science analysis (e.g. economic reasoning), but more social policy problems have become increasingly divisive. Imagine that your cabinet secretary has called you to her office to discuss the challenge of addressing an intense political disagreement over a new public restroom access policy for transgender individuals. There is significant public outrage among ordinary families, especially evangelicals. The cabinet secretary asks, “In a liberal society, people have a right to live their lives. Can you explain the thinking for this outrage?” Given the secretary’s limited time, you must identify a main point you wish to convey to her. Assert this point as your thesis statement. Then, build other relevant ideas around it.
Hint: How does the separation of fact and value in contemporary liberal thought contribute to policy disagreement?