I have a couple of questions. Are you saying that the first essay has already been turned in and graded? Is it included to give us an example of what the teacher found acceptable, to be a guide for evaluating the second essay? Or are you wanting us to comment on the first essay anyway, even though it has already been graded?
Or are you saying that these are both new assignments?
I will wait for a response to offer much of a response (though I may change my mind later, so I might not reply again later), but I will include a couple of quick comments.
Regarding the first, you seem to simply dismiss the idea of objective morality rather than give any argument against it.
It is also worth noting that the list of options for morality does not seem to be exhaustive. For example, one could take the position I take in the following posts, which does not appear to fit in any of your categories:
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid934918
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid935583
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid937797
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid938152
Regarding the second essay, I am not convinced that Kant would go the way you say at all. You might want to read his Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten, variously translated as Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, and possibly a couple of other ways (unfortunately, there is no standard wording of the title in English). I like the Lewis White Beck translation. You can also take a bit of a shortcut to see why Kant is not likely to go along with your rendering of his position by doing a search for "Kant suicide" without the quotes. You will find that he does not care if it is in your best interests to die or not; you ought not kill yourself, according to Kant. It is similar to his absolute pronouncement regarding lying, which he says you ought never do, no matter what. So I don't think you have a convincing story that his views somehow reduce to consequentialism, nor do I think you have the specific outcome of the abortion issue that I would expect of Kant. But it would depend on what, exactly, Kant had to say about the status of a fetus, and I cannot recall reading anything that would suggest what his opinion of the status of a fetus is.
You also seem to include extra bits in the story that seem unnecessary. For example, what is the point in mentioning the Catholic mother? If it serves no purpose, you should ruthlessly prune it out of your essay, as it otherwise may serve as a distraction.
And, as Cato observes, it seems a bit unclear how your concluding paragraphs relate to the assignment. You might want to spend your efforts in more fully addressing the task at hand. Or explain how it is that they are fulfilling the requirements, though if one needs to argue for that, one should probably rethink their inclusion, as it will not be good if your teacher finds your reasoning on that point unconvincing.
Or are you saying that these are both new assignments?
I will wait for a response to offer much of a response (though I may change my mind later, so I might not reply again later), but I will include a couple of quick comments.
Regarding the first, you seem to simply dismiss the idea of objective morality rather than give any argument against it.
It is also worth noting that the list of options for morality does not seem to be exhaustive. For example, one could take the position I take in the following posts, which does not appear to fit in any of your categories:
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid934918
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid935583
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid937797
http://atheistforums.org/thread-33164-po...#pid938152
Regarding the second essay, I am not convinced that Kant would go the way you say at all. You might want to read his Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten, variously translated as Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, and possibly a couple of other ways (unfortunately, there is no standard wording of the title in English). I like the Lewis White Beck translation. You can also take a bit of a shortcut to see why Kant is not likely to go along with your rendering of his position by doing a search for "Kant suicide" without the quotes. You will find that he does not care if it is in your best interests to die or not; you ought not kill yourself, according to Kant. It is similar to his absolute pronouncement regarding lying, which he says you ought never do, no matter what. So I don't think you have a convincing story that his views somehow reduce to consequentialism, nor do I think you have the specific outcome of the abortion issue that I would expect of Kant. But it would depend on what, exactly, Kant had to say about the status of a fetus, and I cannot recall reading anything that would suggest what his opinion of the status of a fetus is.
You also seem to include extra bits in the story that seem unnecessary. For example, what is the point in mentioning the Catholic mother? If it serves no purpose, you should ruthlessly prune it out of your essay, as it otherwise may serve as a distraction.
And, as Cato observes, it seems a bit unclear how your concluding paragraphs relate to the assignment. You might want to spend your efforts in more fully addressing the task at hand. Or explain how it is that they are fulfilling the requirements, though if one needs to argue for that, one should probably rethink their inclusion, as it will not be good if your teacher finds your reasoning on that point unconvincing.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
