Essay on Utilitarianism And Kantian Ethics - 1178 Words

Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ethics is one part of philosophy that will always be studied, and like most subjects in philosophy, will never be viewed the same by everyone. There are so many cultures that have so many different beliefs about the way a persons life should be lived out. Things like religion, poverty, and mental health all contribute to our beliefs in ethics. Some people believe that the mental state of a person or the motive for that person committing a crime should be factors when sentencing time comes. Others think that no matter the situation, a crime is a crime, and no compassion should be felt for the guilty. In the studies of philosophy these beliefs are put into two categories:†¦show more content†¦You decide how you feel about what you think you saw. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;.Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) had an interesting ethical system. It is based on a belief that reason is the final authority for morality. Actions of any sort, he believed, must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed for expediency or solely in obedience to law or custom can be regarded as moral. A moral act is an act done for the quot;rightquot; reasons. Kant would argue that to make a promise for the wrong reason is not moral - you might as well not make the promise. You must have a duty code inside of you or it will not come through in your actions otherwise. Our reasoning ability will always allow us to know what our duty is. Kant described two types of common commands given by reason: the hypothetical imperative, which dictates a given course of action to reach a specific end; and the categorical imperative, which dictates a course of action that must be followed because of its rightness and necessity. The categorical imperative is the basis of morality and was stated by Kant in these words: quot;Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will and general natural law.quot; Therefore, before proceeding to act, you must decide what rule you would be following if you were to act, whether you are willing for that rule to be followed by everyone everywhere. If you are willing to universalize the act, it must beShow MoreRelatedOn Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics 1681 Words   |  7 Pages1. Introduction There is little doubt that Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics are by far the two most important ethical theories throughout contemporary philosophy. Though both attempt to answer questions about morality and behavior, the two theories have many fundamental differences: one evaluates actions in terms of the utility they produce whereas the other considers whether actions fulfill duty; one emphasizes consequence where the other highlights intentions; one sees desire as essential whileRead MoreUtilitarianism And Kantian Ethics Analysis786 Words   |  4 Pagesadhere to. Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics are two systems that provide a way to approach life decisions, big and small. Utilitarianism, nicknamed â€Å"The Greatest Happiness† states that the ethical choice is the choice that yields the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. Kantian ethics, also called duty ethics, explains that for any action, people must act according to common principles, with no significance placed on the outcome. The ethical theories, utilitarianism and KantianRead MoreCorporate Welfare And Utilitarianism : Utilitarianism And Kantian Ethics914 Words   |  4 PagesCorporate Welfare and Utilitarianism Case one proclaims that the American economy is failing millions of Americans. In today’s day in age, having a full time job does not guarantee an income above the poverty line. Currently, there are â€Å"80 government assistance programs† which provide working families the means to survive. It is important to note that these programs cost $153 billion annually, and these costs are covered by the government from the tax revenue they receive from hard working AmericansRead MoreKantian Ethics vs. Utilitarianism1714 Words   |  7 Pagesmorality such as John Stuart Mill’s theory of Utilitarianism. In teleological approaches to morality, questions of right and wrong, or the notion what an individual ought to do, are determined by the consequences of a given action. One thinker to reject this idea of consequentialism was Immanuel Kant. In his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant endeavors to establish a system of ethics that has no trace of the empirical nature of utilitarianism. To him, â€Å"the moral worth of an action doesRead MoreKantian Ethics vs. Utilitarianism Essay1190 Words   |  5 Pages 1.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Explain Onora O’neil’s argument for preferring Kantian ethics to Utilitarianism. 2.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;How would Richard Taylor respond to O’neil’s defense of Kantianism? In the following questions, Onora O’neil defends Kantian ethics while Richard Taylor agrees more with the Utilitarian ethics view. To fully understand both views and why each author defends their view, a brief introduction of each author and who they are is necessary. Onora O’neilRead MoreKantian Deontology, Utilitarianism, And Virtue Ethics1606 Words   |  7 PagesOver the course we’ve studied three ethical theories, those theories are Kantian deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics. These theories focus on different philosophies or views that are used to either explain or make a judgment in regards to what is considered right or wrong in a given situation. To begin with, ethical theories help explain why an individual believes that an action is right or wrong. It gives one an understanding of how an individual chooses to make ethical decisions. WhichRead MoreThe Ethical Theories Of Utilitarianism And Kantian Ethics Essay1650 Words   |  7 PagesIn this essay, I will be discussing an article about a woman who starved her two horses. I will address the issue about whether or not the woman’s action was ethical. I will use the two ethical theories of utilitarianism and Kantian ethics to support my argumen t. I will also suggest a different course of action the woman could have taken to be justified, through both ethical theories. The article follows the story about an Australian woman who breached her duty of care to two horses that she ownedRead MoreThe Schiavos, Rule Utilitarianism, and Kantian Ethics Essay1269 Words   |  6 PagesRui Chaves The Schiavos, Rule Utilitarianism, and Kantian Ethics The case of â€Å"The Schiavos† is focused primarily on one member of the family, which is Terri Schiavo. Terri had been in a coma for 13 years. Although, â€Å"no one is completely sure what happened but the best guess is she suffered a heart attack† (Pierce, 64) presumably caused by her bulimia. Due to the severity of her heart attack, it left Terri with severe brain damaged which in turn left her in a persistent vegetative state which leavesRead MoreKantian Ethics And Utilitarianism Are At Variance On Issues Of Morality1992 Words   |  8 PagesKantian ethics and utilitarianism are at variance on issues of morality and do share a similar end goal on what general ethical outcomes in solving the ills of the world. These two philosophical thoughts examine nature of morality with variant theories. As Kantian ethics are based on the theories propagated by German philosopher Immanuel Kant, utilitarianism on the other hand as has been projected by Jeremy Bentham and John S tuart Mills and many others who share in this school of thought. In thisRead MoreDifference Between Virtue Ethics, Kantian And Utilitarianism977 Words   |  4 Pages258). Virtue ethics then is concerned with what makes a person virtuous versus vicious when it comes to making moral decisions, with emotions playing an important role. In this paper, I support Aristotle’s emphasis on emotions as a key to being virtuous, especially since emotions tell us what is important and motivate us to act (Shafer-Landau, 2015, p. 257-258). Before we get to the premises of my argument, I would like to distinguish the difference between virtue ethics, Kantian deontology and

Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 1696 Words

Feminism Introduction Things Fall Apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958. Achebe lived from 1930 to 2013. Things Fall Apart was written as a rejoinder to European works of fiction that portrayed Africans as savages in need of the white man’s enlightenment. Chinua presents his history to the reader, highlighting both the strengths and the weakness by describing, for instance, the Igbo cultural festivals, their devotion to their gods, and their ritualistic ceremonial practices that supplemented their culture. The novel therefore guides the misleading European works of fiction that presents Africans as mere savages into a brand new light by portraying the Igbo society. It also scrutinizes, from the perspective of an†¦show more content†¦These definitions describe campaigns for the rights of women spearheaded not only by other women but also individuals having specific concerns such as the better positioning of civil rights as well as equal opportunities for both the gi rl-child and the whole women folk. Feminism Background By the end of the 19th century and the dawn of the 20th century, feminism had become quite an activity agitating over women’s right to vote as well as be voted for. It marked the historical era considered as the â€Å"First Wave or the First Phase of Feminism.† Women’s rights were disregarded to the degree that they could neither vote nor be voted for. This initial phase helped in restoring the women’s rights and left them franchised. As time elapsed, feminism commotions began to gain grounds evolving into another phase termed as the Second Wave. The second period featured the implementations of the ideas in connection to Women’s Liberation Movement, a movement that crusaded for women’s social and legal equality during the late 1960s. The third wave that popped up in the 1990s ensured the continuity of the second feminism wave of the 1960s, in addition to reactions against its professed failures. However, the agitation for feminism or the rights of women continues to have pre-eminence in today’s societies as females’ importance in the societies hardly goes unnoticed or unmentioned. The primary emphasis of this paperShow MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1719 Words   |  7 PagesThings fall apart is a classic novel written around the turn of the century, the novel focuses on the protagonist who we can also call a hero, Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected leader within the Igbo tribe of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Strong individual with a passionate belief in all the values and traditions of his people. Chinua Achebe presents Okonkwo as a particular kind of tragic protagonist, a great man who carries the fate of his people. Okonkwo is a man who is inflexible andRead MoreChinua Ach ebe s Things Fall Apart1033 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Chinua Achebe is a famous Nigerian novelist in worldwide. Things fall apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958, the year after Ghana became the first African nation to gain independence. And this novel is one of the first African novels to gain worldwide recognition. (Phil Mongredien, 2010) This novel presents people a story of an African Igbo tribal hero, Okonkwo, from his growth to death. The fate of Okonkwo also indicates the fate of Africa caused by the colonizationRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart883 Words   |  4 Pagesdehumanize the native population and convince themselves that they are helping. Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart attempts to correct these misguided views of African societies by portraying a more complex culture that values peace, and the art of conversation. Achebe also tries to portray the idea that not all European people they come in contact with are aggressive, and misconstrued in their view of the African societ ies. Achebe tries to show us the value of his society through repeated views into conversationsRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1410 Words   |  6 PagesTeddy Manfre Ms. Blass ENG 209-001 April 24, 2017 Things Fall Apart In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonizedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1015 Words   |  5 PagesIn his novel Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe utilizes his distinctive writing style in order to accurately capture the culture and customs of the Igbo people despite writing his story in a foreign language. Five aspects of Achebe’s style that make his writing unique is the straightforward diction present in dialogue, the inclusion of native parables convey Igbo life authentically, the inclusion of native Igbo words and phrases, detailed descriptions of nature and the usage of figurative languageRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1702 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Things Fall Apart Biographical information about the author: Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He had an early career as a radio host, and later became the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. After moving to America, he became an English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Achebe has won numerous awards for his poetry and fiction, including the Man Booker prize and Commonwealth Poetry Price. He currently teaches at Bard College. Author: Chinua AchebeRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1248 Words   |  5 PagesChris Lowndes Ms. Cook A.P.L.C. 21 October 2015 We Are Family: Hardships in One s Family in Things Fall Apart Specific attributes correlate with each other to help create or not create the ideal strong family. However, through those attributes arise conflicts and major disputes. This issue of trying to achieve and create a strong family is of immense importance in one’s life, especially in Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, a milestone in African literature. For instance, the father leaves his legacyRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagescertain degree of the priest class, libation, holidays, creation stories, divine systems of punishments and rewards. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of tragic fall of a protagonist and the Igbo culture. Achebe demonstrates different examples and situations of where an African culture, in the instances of tribal religions, did certain things because of their tradition is and the way they developed into. African cultures pondered life mysteries and articulated theirRead Mo reChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1314 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebe masterpiece â€Å"Things Fall Apart† (1959) is the classic story of Okonkwo, a young man who strives to be revered by his village and family but because of his own internal character flaws meets his own demise. In the Igbo culture, family traditions are an important narrative throughout the novel. Okonkwo, the protagonist character of this story, begins with many attributes of what would be concluded as a hero with his cultural society. He is hard working, a material provider, feared and

Tok Knowing a Friend and Swimmin Free Essays

TOK 11 summative assessment quarter 2 Jacqueline Blok 21/11/11 Compare and contrast knowing a friend to knowing how to swim, knowing a scientific theory and knowing a historical period. What conclusions about nature of knowing can you reach? Thinking I knew how to swim I jumped into a pool and nearly drowned. The one friend who was always there for me, who I thought I knew, left me without a goodbye. We will write a custom essay sample on Tok Knowing a Friend and Swimmin or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thinking that a light year was a measurement of time, until I had a physics class. I though Pearl Harbor was just a movie, until we were learning about World War 2 in humanities. With asking these questions, to be certain in the world we live in today might be a challenge. Knowing a friend would require a bond, which is created through experiences with each other, a perception of the feelings of that friend and thoughts that run in a deeper level. One might think he/she knows someone very well, because of a long-term close relationship or similar interests or tastes. However no one other than himself or herself would understand their own way of thinking, the workings of their own mind, it is impossible to know why certain actions are performed by someone else. Only glimpses and insights may be picked up of the complexities of the mysterious mind and personality of oneself. My best friend dislikes exposing her legs, because she doesn’t feel confident enough to show them. This seems like a reasonable excuse, if she is uncomfortable with her body, it would be her choice to expose it or not, however deeper psychological factors are involved and countless other reasons which I would not be able to think of nor comprehend. The knowledge of another person would be mainly created out of language, perception and emotion. A knower’s perception of a friend’s action would be affected by emotions; hence the knowledge of a friend will be affected too. A perception of a friend may be altered when the emotions of a friend affects their actions in certain situations. Language has complexities too, language can make an attempt at describing feelings, however this doesn’t provide a complete understanding of one and another. The best way to communicate feelings would be to let one experience another’s events and create their own feelings; an example would be the expression â€Å"you can’t possibly imagine what I have been through†, â€Å"Imagine yourself in some one else’s shoes†. Considering the history of one, would affect their ways of acting upon situations, all humans think and act differently according to personalities, which have been shaped by all sorts of experiences in their own past. Swimming is an action which requires a structured breathing pattern and a well timed combination of limb motions, allowing you to travel through water, the important key words here that I found through my observations are that knowing â€Å"how† is not the same as knowing â€Å"of† nor is it close to knowing â€Å"that†. Knowing how to swim is quite similar to knowing a friend. Because one cannot possibly learn how to swim by reading instructions, someone could read all the documents and articles available on how to swim, and jump into a pool and drown. For example at one particular time I developed liking in ‘parkour’ I watched all the youtube videos that I could find on ‘how to parkour, read many articles and tips and tricks. So one day I felt I gained enough knowledge about this acrobatic sport and decided to try it out. And what I learnt was that I could not even jump over a simple bench. I am able to read and apply concepts that I have gained through reading, however in this case I was not able to apply the information fast enough of â€Å"how† to parkour. Even though I had a sophisticated amount of knowledge on how to parkour, I was unable to convert this knowledge and understanding into reality. According to my research these two actions swimming and parkouring require ‘bodily-kinesthetic intelligence’ which is the ability to control to control the movements of a body and skillfully interact with a variety of objects. Scientific theories have been made through observations of the world, creativity and of course imagination. They can be known through reason, language and perception. A scientist can propose a theory purely upon perception and reasoning and justify this theory with evidence that shows how this particular phenomenon follows the predicted theory. For example in chemistry we did a set of experiments on how different metals when heated in a flame would give out a color. A hypothesis was provided and from that I knew that the flames indeed would change color. I know for a fact that when Copper Chloride is heated it will give out a green color, I saw this through my own eyes and as the experiment was repeated several times with the same results. Seeing out of my own eyes is proof. Through being taught by my teacher means I am relying on a higher authority’s knowledge. Also the lack of a language can prove a theory, for example every one dies, this is a fact because by using deductive reasoning there is no one here to tell us otherwise. The problem with knowing a historical period is that it is in the past and we are in the present, the knowledge of a historical period is transferred from the past into the present through language and documentation. If we have not been informed about these periods, the present day people would never had known it existed. The knowing of a historical period is based upon accepting certain events through evidence from the past. It is unfortunate that historians cannot directly â€Å"test† the past whereas a scientific theory and swimming can be tested. This suggests that testing is thus an important factor in determining the nature of knowledge. The claim of knowing a historical period can be justified by looking at pictures or a documentary, technology over the years has improved significantly the knowledge we know today about the past. Unlike a scientific theory here we can rely on perception, observation and interpretations. To know a historical period we must have either been there or rely on a higher authority to inform us. I however ponder on the possibility of the authority being fooled by perception. This is where logic and reasoning comes in to decide whether or not something has happened. If something hadn’t happened, then why can we see evidence of the consequences, for example when I visited Cambodia the Angkor Wat temples I saw evidence of historical artifacts of the monks, and until the present monks still live among there. With this I can deduce that these temples must have come from somewhere, and it is definitely a sacred place. With this we are knowing â€Å"that† something happened instead of knowing â€Å"of† a friend. By identifying and considering the four concepts that were provided we can conclude that the main difference in the nature of the four knowledge claims are the way you know them; knowing â€Å"how to† and knowing â€Å"that something is† are completely different. A knower will never be able to know a friend than himself or herself, exact feelings and emotions cannot be communicated directly and as detailed through perception and language. Swimming can only be learnt through perception, this ability is not able to be transferred linguistically, but must be learnt first hand through training. A historical period in time can be known by a person who has lived through that time and has transferred the knowledge gained through linguistical means, however the knowledge could be misleading due to perception or the facts of the period are incomplete providing only one side of the story. A scientific theory may be discovered and proven through various tests and observations via perceptions and reason. However communication of this particular theory via language does not have the same effect as the perception of it. Emotions can affect perception language cannot transfer precise meanings and assumptions to generalize from specific points can be found through inception. Due to these ways of knowing being limited, complete knowledge is unable to be attained. Different claims requiring different ways of knowing to justify them, they have all have one thing in common; their nature: they are based on premises that we accept in every day life as being ‘true’ and therefore deduct that based on these premises, they are equally true. We know something as far as we are willing to accept it into our world. How to cite Tok Knowing a Friend and Swimmin, Papers

Controversial issues free essay sample

The media has an enormous Influence over the public agenda by selecting what Issues to focus on (the controversial Issues). The media defines the most controversial topics and thereby determining the political priorities of the public. i. e. the media tells the people what to focus on. The media is also a watchdog by forcing the government to reluctantly answer the people. Role of media in protection of human rights? Answer: Around the world, the media is the most effective avenue for spreading human rights wareness and acceptance. While spreading messages through schools and community forums can be effective at reaching dozens or even hundreds of people at the time, they cant match the reach and scope of the media. For Instance, one radio station in the Congo can reach hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously with information about womens rights. A website featuring photographs of rights abuses In North American Aboriginal communities may get millions of hits a day. We will write a custom essay sample on Controversial issues or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Increased awareness about human rights Is the first, and most necessary, step to ending human rights abuses. The more people know and care about human rights standards: The more people are empowered to defend their own rights (think FGM victims in the DRC) The more people are inspired to come tothe defense of others (think of Interventions In spousal abuse situations In North America) The more governments and civil society leaders are forced to improving their practices (think of he improved government rights record in Ghana or the US under Obama) The more human rights norms are injected into the fabric of society, the less likely rights abuses will be committed or tolerated when they do occur. Other methods of Improving human rights-namely creating legal frameworks (united Nations) or sparking international public pressure (Amnesty International)-can be effective, but only when the general public in the countries in question understand, accept and embrace their human rights first.