Utilitarianism is ultimately the child of egoism and Kantian Duty. It can be defined as what an individual views as being best for them and the people surrounded by them who are affected by their actions. It is then broken down into two units, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Evaluating a...
Aristotle and Niccolo Machiavelli agree that human nature predisposes men to serve their own interests, and that we need government to control our innate desires, and yet the two disagree on the origin of government and its purpose. Aristotle argues that man is political by nature due to speech. Through speech, men develop a common moral determination for what is just and unjust, and naturally form political societies in the acquisition of virtue. Although Aristotle's government operates in the pursuit of human excellence, it is based on an optimistic notion, that men will choose and cont...
Confucianism has serves as primary role as a social and moral philosophy. ... Utilitarianism is a hedonistic philosophy that's goal is to maximize happiness, and minimize pain for the greatest number of people. ... One similarity between both theories is that they are both considered philosophies. ... Both philosophies feel education is good, thus they both believe that cultivation or gaining education is good. ... Besides being a philosophy in my opinion Confucianism is an ethical way of life. ...
This question of whether Kant believes there is free will, is wholly inconsequential to a more complete understanding of the Kantian ethic or moral philosophy in general. ... The essay also assumes that Kantian philosophy is normative and not descriptive in order to lend clarity to the thesis. ... Here, a contradiction in the essay may seem apparent to the lay reader but to those versed in Kant's moral philosophy, it is readily dismissed. ... While Kant never had to deal with this particular and somewhat overused example, James Rachels in his Elements of Moral Philosophy attempts to...
This statement clearly shows that he is a person who strongly opposes the Philosophy of Altruism. ... In opposition to the main hero, the writer uses two characters named Ellsworth Monkton Toohey and Peter Keating to exemplify that he rejects the philosophy of "Altruism". ... One of the important philosophies of Objectivism which Ayn Rand discusses in the film relates to a man's rights. ... Rand's philosophy goes beyond just living and being happy. The Fountainhead spotlights this philosophy, especially through Howard Roark, the active individualist, who constantly challen...
John Dewey and Teaching Morals Webster defines philosophy as "the study of the principles underlying conduct, thought, and the nature of the universe" (Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus, Macmillian: New York, NY, 1999). Dewey understood the subject of philosophy to be the experience and its problems. For Dewey, the method of philosophy was in the assessment of experiences. ... Additionally, Dewey saw philosophy as empirical and critical, a step-by-step way of intelligently assessing experienced values, making judgmental conclusions about these values, and exploring the...
Through most of history discussions pertaining to the moral aspect of human nature lay in the realm of religion and philosophy. ... For centuries people looked to the religion and philosophy to enhance their understanding of this phenomena and chose the right path to follow. ... But in the last 150 years since biological origins of morality were first claimed, the progress made by humanity made on the way to it is undeniable, and it looks like science has much more to say in this matter while religion and philosophy have exhausted their potential....
The philosophy and the approach to philosophy must be told to encompass all living things including rocks, trees as being connected to each other for survival of all species including the human species as previously practiced. The first nation people of our world along with others before us adopt this method with the philosophy of balance and pure respect to all....
The goal of a humanist education was to prepare students for everyday life. When humanism emerged, education was logical and preparatory. Humanist educators sought to provide the Italian nobility and upper class with the skills and knowledge needed to make moral decisions in all situations. The d...
Utilitarianism and Kant's philosophy of principle, duty-based ethics and virtue ethics represent three different interpretations and theories however virtue ethics offers more as a basis for living a good ethical life. ... Although there is no definite and clear agreement on what specifically the virtues are, Aristotle's aim is not to provide a comprehensive or definitive list of the moral virtues, just to give some representative examples, which highlight their role in promoting human well being.6 What makes it also stand out from that of utilitarianism and Kant's philosophy is...
Plato and Hobbes have similar philosophies for which one could compare regarding their theories in "The Republic," and "The Leviathan.... Plato explains in "The Republic" that the guardian is to be a really good and noble guardian of the state who will unite in himself philosophy, spirit, swiftness and strength (Plato, pg. 9). ...
He grew up in Melbourne, attended the University of Melbourne, and proceeded to receive a B.A and M.A in philosophy in 1967 and 1969. ... Most of Singer's work in applied ethics and his activism in politics were informed by his utilitarianism, the tradition in ethical philosophy that holds that actions are right or wrong depending on the extent to which they promote happiness or prevent pain. ...
ESSAY TWO Retributive theories claim that punishment is justified because, and only because, the wrongdoer deserves it for having done wrong. These theories "look back" to the wrong action in order to explain why the person who performed it deserves punishment. They focus on the abstract need to balance the scales of justice by giving the wrongdoer what she deserves while, at the same time, respecting her dignity. They do not explain adequately the benefit of punishment for society, and they are silent on the relationship of the victim to the practice of punishment. Consequentialist theor...
Dewey believed that, between these two realms, is a void that must be filled by philosophy. "Philosophy is called upon to be the theory of practice, though ideas sufficiently definite to be operative in experimental endeavor." ... From this primitive force rise conspicuous cultural institutions that we mistakenly perceive as independent, e.g., government, the arts, philosophy, and religion. ...
In the first book of Plato's The Republic the topic being discussed is "what is justice for the individual?- From this common foundation, the conversation is expanded to a broader level with the explanation and definition of morality and traditional society. Plato's aim throughout this discussion...
American Foreign Policy / POLS 4690 A paper submitted to Dr. Galatas of the History and Political Science Department at Georgia South Western State University The Era of Good Feelings: An Era of Idealism or Realism? The Era of Good Feelings was the national mood of the United States from 1815 to 1825, as first described by the Boston Columbian Centinel on July 12, 1817. The "era" generally is considered coextensive with President James Monroe's two terms (1817-25), it really began in 1815, when for the first time American citizens could afford to pay less attention to Europ...
Virtue ethics is a group of theories in moral philosophy that has its roots in ancient greek philosophy with Aristotle being largely influential. Contrary to other theories in normative ethics, which tend to ask "what actions are right?", virtue ethics tends to ask the question "what kind of person ...
According to Bredeson (2011), utilitarianism is a philosophical theory that was developed by Stuart John Mill. The theory is based on normative ethics by arguing that societal utility can be maximized by the moral actions that people undertake. Societal utility is defined as those components that pr...
In my essay I will critically examine the two theories' that examine the relationship between morality and religion. The two theories are The Divine Command Theory and The Natural Law Theory. I will explain each theory and how each one examines the relationship between morality and religion and eval...
Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill is an act-utilitarian and is most likely to support an act as right if it is likely to produce the most good for the most people. On "don't kill", it would depend on the situation. If a lot of people would be happy from the killing of one person then this rule can be broken. If very little or no happiness would come from this then the rule should be followed. For example, letting a patient die because he/she is an organ donor and an organ is needed would be ok as compared to one person killing another for personal reasons between the victim and the kill...
Imagine you are on a runaway trolley and you are on the main set of tracks that will hit five construction workers. Now, imagine you can pull a lever on the trolley so it takes the side set of tracks instead where it will only hit one construction worker. Your options are to A.) do nothing and let t...
The Warrior's Honor By: Michael Ignatieff In The Warrior's Honor, Michael Ignatieff takes us into situations of war and disaster. In the five essays, he explores the approach of Western nations that embark on intervention, aid, and assistance to those in other nations who are in trouble or ...
