The Philosophy of Morality Free Essays

There is restriction on freedom everywhere. This is a derived idea from the argument of Immanuel Kant in his work, An Answer to the Question: â€Å"What is Enlightenment?† This restriction is the reason why humans behave as they are: they need a harmonious environment within themselves as a pursuit of individual community of well-being, freedom and safety. Humans are not ultimately free as they could be because their actions have consequences. We will write a custom essay sample on The Philosophy of Morality or any similar topic only for you Order Now We may call these consequences, according to Kant, â€Å"imperatives for actions†. The reason â€Å"why certain acts ought to be done is because they ought to be done† (Stratton-Lake, 2000). Generally, a rational human being would do an action consciously for practical reasons, which is considered as hypothetically imperative. It demands that a person does such action for the sake of a purpose that he has in mind. Why Man should not   break promises, why should not tell lies, why and should not commit suicide? This is because Man ought not do these acts.   According to Kant, the reason why Man should keep his promises because of his â€Å"obligation to be consistent and the injunction against using others (i.e., against treating them only as means)† (Nasr, 2008). This is a concrete example of Kant’s Ought priciple of ethics. â€Å"Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only†(Kant, 1785). A true ethical person would not use people to further his own end and he treats other   people with respect to a value of dignity and not a value of price because a person with a value of dignity cannot be replaced and their value is priceless. An object with a value of price, as what the hypothetically imperative person believes, can be exchanged and used as a means to achieve an end. To Kant,   this principle of humanity â€Å"is the supreme limiting condition on the freedom of action of each man,† and argues that the principle is not founded on experience but rather seated in the footholds of a priori reasoning, reasoning that comes before experience. Indeed, Man’s actions are limited and the â€Å" theoretical Ought of our judgments about facts, like the practical Ought of Ethics, is after all definable only in terms of what Kant called the Autonomy of Will† (Royce, 1901). In fact, not only Kant recognized the limitations of the freedom of human Will and the actions that their will impose upon them and why Man obeys. Another philosopher who made a discourse on this ethical issue is Jonathan Edwards. He noted that there are â€Å"ethics or the rules† (Tappan 1839), which are, in fact, not compelled to be obeyed by everyone but impose a strong power upon the conscience of the majority, especially those who believes in an Almighty being and those who do not want to feel the uneasiness of the evil and the persecuting nature of the Man. Disobedience to these manly imposed rules are considered as a â€Å"state of sinfulness† (Tappan 1839) or the corruption of human sensitivity disposed to violate the harmony and fitness of the spiritual constitution. This is another binding factor that makes man perform the hypothetically imperative actions. Does morality purely exist? Morality is something that is not strongly defined, yet it is considered as the ultimate commandment of reason and this is the guiding source for Man’s duties and obligations. Even Kant   argues   in his Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals that â€Å"it is only a pure philosophy that we can look for the moral law in its purity and genuineness.† Human beings have moral obligations to each other, and, as previously mentioned, because of reasons that they need and not because of their pure will to do such obligations. Man, to be good to each other without qualification would be a conceived as having a â€Å"good will† (Kant, 1785) and it must be understood, however, that humans do not have the autonomous will. They have the morally good will to attain the practical ends that they wish to have. Moral philosophies follow the â€Å"laws of human will† as affected by nature and when applied to man, it does not borrow the least thing from the knowledge of man himself (anthropology), but gives laws a priori to him as a rational being. Moral laws require human judgment that has been sharpened through time and experience in order for them to be properly applied and for these laws to access the will of the man and â€Å"effectual influence on conduct†(Kant, 1785). The virtuous person does not only conform and obeys the moral law. He also act for the sake of the moral law itself. Man’s actions are morally right as determined by the virtue of their motives, derived not from Man’s inclinations but from Man’s duty. A virtuous person, who makes a morally right action, is determined to act in accordance with his duty and this duty overcomes that person’s self-interests and hidden desires. And for Kant, the Ought of Ethics is the defining factor for morality: â€Å" the sense in which the conduct of moral aget is to be judged as   good or evil according as it does or does not conform to the standard of the Ought† (Royce, 1901) As Kant have further argued in his philosophies, the ultimate moral law principle was abstractly conceived to guide man to the right action in life’s circumstances. However, if man is immature enough to acknowledge this guidance, enlightenment would never be achieved. Moreover, it is not only the lack of maturity that deter man and give him obstacles from being enlightened but also laziness, superstitious and dogmatic beliefs or fanaticism. â€Å"Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why such a large proportion of men, even when nature has long emancipated them from alien guidance (naturaliter maiorennes), nevertheless gladly remain immature for life† (Kant, 1784). Enlightenment would result to freedom, and, if man is still of prejudices and dogmatic beliefs, Man would be nothing but an unthinking and leashed controlled being. Dogmas â€Å"are the ball and chain of His permanent immaturity.† (Kant, 1784) If Man stays immature and an obedient being without reason, he would be an object without dignity, a mere machine. Works Cited Kant, Immanuel; translated by James W. Ellington [1785] (1993). Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals 3rd ed. Royce, Josiah. The World and the Individual: Gifford Lectures Delivered before the University of Aberdeen. 2d Series: Nature, Man, and the Moral Order. New York: Macmillan, 1901. Stratton-Lake, Philip. Kant, Duty, and Moral Worth. London: Routledge, 2000. Tappan, Henry Philip.   A Review of Edwards’s â€Å"Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will. New York: J.S Taylor, 1839. How to cite The Philosophy of Morality, Essay examples

Gill Disenchantment Response free essay sample

A Religious Abduction by Sam Gill discusses the Hopi Kachina initiation. Gill hopes to achieve a clear grasp of the initiation and possibly â€Å"suggest an alternative interpretation based on the point of view that the ritual does what is does which is to initiate the children into their religious lives by revealing to them the nature of the Kachinas. † (Gill 74) The initiation is for children near eight to ten years of age. The children, through this initiation, are allowed to enter the Kachina society or Powamu society. The celebration of the Powamu society is the first ceremony of the year where the Kachina appears and takes place once every few years. The important part of the ritual begins while the children are in the Kachina. The initiated are comforted by their mothers. The fathers enact the tale and return of the Kachina to the human world of the Hopi, as well as whip the initiated with â€Å"Tungwup Kachinas. We will write a custom essay sample on Gill Disenchantment Response or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (Gill 75) These rites of passage are created to teach the children that the Kachinas no longer visit the villages, but are tales and impersonations of the fathers behind these Kachinas. Once the children have endured these rites of passage they may begin to help perform these initiations unto other children. One of the earliest authors that wrote a book on this topic referred to the whipping of the initiate’s as â€Å"a kind of payment for the secret knowledge the initiates gain in the rites. † (Gill 75) These whippings occurred on the sixth day of the nine day initiation. During which, the initiates are not allowed at any cost to see their fathers faces in the Kachina masks. The initiates are then forced not to eat salt or flesh for four days. After enduring the initiation which is the ninth night, the newly made members are allowed to see their families participating in the Bean Dance. The villagers and family members are witnessed by the new members of their participation. One of the spectators was shocked that none of the children responded with anything different than â€Å"passive acceptance.

Ms. Jill K Goslinga Essay Example

Ms. Jill K Goslinga Paper Essay on Jill K Goslinga Ms. Jill K Goslinga is a Grant Thornton Faculty Fellow and Lecturer. Jill K Goslinga works at the Warrington College of Business and the Fisher School of Accounting of the University of Florida. Jill Kristen Goslinga received her Juris Doctor’s degree from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law, University of Florida. She is the Professor in the Accounting department at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Ms. Jill K Goslinga is the Faculty Lead at Grant Thornton. It is worth mentioning that Ms. Jill K Goslinga is eligible to practice law in Florida. She also has more than 12 years of experience in this area. According to the reviews of her students, Professor Jill Kristen Goslinga is knowledgeable, considerate and fair. They describe her as a very good speaker, who covers the material fully and takes time to explain problems well in class, and her classes are difficult, but helpful. Her students also say that Professor Goslinga is very organized in lecture, and it makes learning a lot easier. Professor Jill K Goslinga teaches such courses as Managerial Accounting, Financial Accounting, and Introduction to Financial Accounting. Her courses are participating in UF All Access, which is a program designed to provide the most affordable option for materials to everyone in this course. We will write a custom essay sample on Ms. Jill K Goslinga specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ms. Jill K Goslinga specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ms. Jill K Goslinga specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Free Essays on The Pressures of Being a Student

The Pressures Of Being A Student In today’s world you can never depend or believe everything your parents say to you. You must become independent; because they will not help you when you will need them the most. That is where the pressures of being a student comes in to a play, because you have no help, you have obligations such as a full time job, and most of all you have to study. When you are a student and you have no help you have a lot on your mind. You have a lot of responsibilities that you have to take upon yourself, and that is hard. Consequently, it also adds pressure in to your life, which drives you crazy sometimes. The ways for example, you as a student have no help is, your parents might not want to help you pay for school. Two, you might not be eligible for financial aid and three you have to pay for everything out of your pocket. These are pressures of being a student. The second pressure of being a student is having a full time job and going to school at the same time. Having a full time job as a full time student is not easy. However it does show that you are a resolute student and will not stop at any thing, but to further improve your education. Consequently, you, the student, have a challenge of having to wake up early for work, having to wake up in the morning to go to class and having to catch the bus if, you do not have transportation such as a car. Those are the pressures of being a student. Lastly, the final and most difficult pressure of being a student is, having to study. Studying is the most important aspect of being a student, and can be hard if you have never attempted to do so. Conversely, the pressure comes from when you are studying for an exam at the last minute, trying to stay awake to study and actually understand materials you have read, but not yet fully understanding it and finally not having a quite place to study. In conclusion, the pressures of being a student overall is n... Free Essays on The Pressures of Being a Student Free Essays on The Pressures of Being a Student The Pressures Of Being A Student In today’s world you can never depend or believe everything your parents say to you. You must become independent; because they will not help you when you will need them the most. That is where the pressures of being a student comes in to a play, because you have no help, you have obligations such as a full time job, and most of all you have to study. When you are a student and you have no help you have a lot on your mind. You have a lot of responsibilities that you have to take upon yourself, and that is hard. Consequently, it also adds pressure in to your life, which drives you crazy sometimes. The ways for example, you as a student have no help is, your parents might not want to help you pay for school. Two, you might not be eligible for financial aid and three you have to pay for everything out of your pocket. These are pressures of being a student. The second pressure of being a student is having a full time job and going to school at the same time. Having a full time job as a full time student is not easy. However it does show that you are a resolute student and will not stop at any thing, but to further improve your education. Consequently, you, the student, have a challenge of having to wake up early for work, having to wake up in the morning to go to class and having to catch the bus if, you do not have transportation such as a car. Those are the pressures of being a student. Lastly, the final and most difficult pressure of being a student is, having to study. Studying is the most important aspect of being a student, and can be hard if you have never attempted to do so. Conversely, the pressure comes from when you are studying for an exam at the last minute, trying to stay awake to study and actually understand materials you have read, but not yet fully understanding it and finally not having a quite place to study. In conclusion, the pressures of being a student overall is n...

Reflection on couseling-interview skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection on couseling-interview skills - Essay Example The observer's feedback at the end of the session led me to introspect. This is where I found my true learning during this activity, which would help me improve as a counsellor. Three aspects came to the fore: The counseling session provided me with an immersive experience of a real-life situation. I learnt that genuineness of purpose and reflecting on counselee issues with deep empathy is the key to effective counseling. The training video, "Building on Strengths" (Armstrong, 1994) highlights key concepts of family counseling from a systems approach perspective. The skills discussed in the video are of significant relevance for community based family workers. The core theme of the presentation is the importance of social and cultural context, while dealing with individuals and families. The main sections in the video include: "Building on Strengths" transforms the practitioner's role from diagnosing a family's dysfunction, to assisting families identify their goals and resources, and helping them learn skills of healthy self-reliance (Early & GlenMaye, 2000). The key success factors here are: Systems approach provides a framework for goal-directed partnership model of human services with focus on empowerment of client. ... The main sections in the video include: What is systems approach Externalizing problems Honoring people's stories "Building on Strengths" transforms the practitioner's role from diagnosing a family's dysfunction, to assisting families identify their goals and resources, and helping them learn skills of healthy self-reliance (Early & GlenMaye, 2000). The key success factors here are: Identifying goals Identifying root causes and understanding of current problems Identifying resources Collaborating between worker and client Empowerment of client Sustaining client's ability for self reliance. Systems approach provides a framework for goal-directed partnership model of human services with focus on empowerment of client. The video provides examples of contextualizing family dysfunctional experience and behavior, with the enveloping social, cultural, economic and regulatory systems. The dysfunctional behaviors are studied repeatedly to recognize underlying pattern and identify root causes. The video content specifically emphasized understanding and respecting varying beliefs, values, and family practices of different cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. Culturally relevant services and supports should be family-centered, family-driven, and strengths-based. The recommended responses should adopt least intrusive intervention possible and be need-driven; they should be relevant in the communities and neighborhoods where families live. The video depicts community focus and participatory styles, through activities such as, creating genograms and eco-maps. Genograms helps in identifying the immediate and extended family members, their interdependencies,

The Changing Role of the State amid Economic Globalization Processes Essay

The Changing Role of the State amid Economic Globalization Processes - Essay Example This paper seeks to establish the extent to which the process of economic globalization has led to changes in the role of the state. Economic globalization discourse is based on what proponents see as the ability of trade liberalization, which is the removal of cross border barriers to trade, to improve the economic development of a country therefore transforming lives of the people within a jurisdiction. Although it is widely accepted that economic globalization has affected the performance of the state, supporters argue that this should not be seen as undermining the power of the state. The most important role of the state when engaging with international stakeholders is to protect national interests The participation of the state in international arena is an important exercise that will ensure citizens are not left out from the sharing of benefits accrued from the interlinking of global economies. The state tries to engender environment, that is conducive to free flow of capital outside state borders, and making it easy for labor to flow freely from domestic to international markets. Economic globalization has led to changes in the role of the state, which is now perceived as a facilitator of economic engagements in the global markets. To benefit from new opportunities presented by the global market, states have to transform their institutions to be open to free flow of factors of production and other resources. These changes have increased the role played by non-state actors such as MNCs who now control the financial flows between states.

Annotation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Annotation - Essay Example Ray has to sell his Black Panthers on the March, so Spurgeon accompanies him against his will. There, he listens to a boy speaking about freedom. He learns that he should have to shed the ant of his self, that blind, crumb-seeking part of himself that is keeping him from achieving his dreams. But, he is confused because he has the burden of his father on his shoulders which he cannot throw away because of his dreams. The author has used remarkable descriptive language to describe the conflict the father and son. There are metaphors in a myriad of places. Consider these lines: â€Å"Freedom is attained only when the ant of the self – that small, blind, crumb-seeking part of ourselves – casts off slavery and its legacy, becoming a huge brave ox† (Packer). The ant of the self personifies the self of the man, which keeps him a slave unless he sheds all his fears. We can also take it like this: Spurgeon, like an ant, keeps on trying to pick up the crumbs of appreciation and likeness from his father who is void of all these things. The reader comes across a tension in the relationship between Ray and Spurgeon. They differ in their class attitudes, as they seem to be belonging to invisible, mind-created, different economic backgrounds. These lines are a proof of this: â€Å"When most people talk about investing, they mean stocks and bonds and mutual funds. What my father means is his friend Splo’s cockfighting arena†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Packer). The language used is ironic, and uses insulting words like â€Å"pussy† when the author wants to describe how the father talks to his son. It was very exciting for me to come across the tension that was there between the father and son. Generally, this bond is based on love, respect and support. But here, I read about the contrasting personalities. The most threatening issue that tore the relationship apart was that both of them had totally contrasting psyches. They did not get along