The Long Standing Debate On Ethics - 1253 Words

The long-standing debate on ethics is far from being solved; however, two philosophers have formulated their own theories in determining whether an action is good or bad. John Stuart Mill focuses on a utilitarian perspective and utilizes the idea of consequentialism and on the other hand, Immanuel Kant avoids the consequentialist argument and supports a deontological perspective in analyzing morality and ethics. Both arguments, valid as they may be, strongly contradict one another, mostly on the basis that Kant and Mill look at very different parts of the equation. Both thinkers appeal to a sense of rationality in their reasoning to differentiate right from wrong; however while Mill’s consequentialist theories are valid under certain†¦show more content†¦He measures happiness in two ways, quantity and quality. Quantity in which how much pleasure there is and quality as how good the pleasure is. Of course, linking this principle back to morality as utility, when an act ion results in a widespread amount of happiness, this is a desirable end that promotes pleasure with the least amount of pain. Similarly to terms in economics, the Greatest Happiness Principle is essentially a cost-benefit analysis of the greatest benefit at the lowest cost. On the other hand, Kant utilizes a different approach as a base for measuring morality. In Kantian ethics, he believes that the supreme principle of morality is founded on the idea of the categorical imperative. In order to act with a good will, which is the highest good one can achieve, one must act in a way where the good is not a means to an end, but the good is an end in itself. In order for one to test whether or not the action is of good will, the maxim, or the personal rule according to which a person was acting, must be applied. Furthermore, these maxims are then tested by the categorical imperative; if the action can pass this categorical imperative, the rule can be made into universal law. By universal izing the law, Kant believes that this ascertains the rule as applicable to everyone at all times and in turn, is a perfect duty that

The Issue Of Gun Control - 1185 Words

The subject of gun control is a highly controversial topic in the United States of America. The regulation of guns and the legal control of their distribution is something that has been debated for centuries, ever since the Bill of Rights was enacted. There are many reasons that gun control laws should be stricter, especially considering how dangerous these weapons are. The United States Constitution does indeed protect a citizen’s rights to bear arms, but there has to be some regulation. The gun control of automatic and semi-automatic weapons is necessary to eliminate mass shootings and other gun related crime. When the United States of America developed the Constitution, it granted its citizens basic rights that they should have. These basic rights are given in the section known as The Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights contains the Second Amendment, which is the main argument against gun control. The Second Amendment states â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary t o the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† (Madison, James) The Bill of Rights may guarantee a citizen’s right to own and possess a gun, but it does not describe what kind of gun that has to be. There are many dangerous weapons that do not need to be owned by the average American citizen. The common citizen does not have need to be in possession of an automatic or even certain semi-automatic weapons. Self-defense does not require those dangerousShow MoreRelatedGun Issue And Gun Control1401 Words   |  6 PagesUniversity, Gun Politics has been a course I have aspired to take. While many enroll in such a course looking for an escape from the â€Å"collegiate liberal echo chamber† or as an outlet for their conservative agendas, I saw the class as an â€Å"entrance to the dark side.† My views on guns prior to the class were, I would call, polarized yet uninformed. In most of my discussions, I would cite the Australian 1996 National Firearms Agreement as precedent for how American politicians should approach the gun issueRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pagessomebody who wants to inflict harm on other people to get his or her hands on a gun.† (Simple Minded Gun Control). Gun control is a controversial issue worldwide. The reason why this has attracted so much attention is because not everyone is in favor of gun control and each side brings up excellent points about the issue. Research related to this issue strongly supports the claim that there SHOULD be more gun control laws. Three arguments that prove this position are (1) Incidents like Sandy HookRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1489 Words   |  6 Pagessplit on the issue of gun control. We have seen many violent shootings and innocent people dying because of gun violence. Some Americans believe we need strict gun laws to protect our children and ourselves from these horrific tragedies. O ther Americans believes it is our rights as Americans to posses’ guns and we are entitled to that right in our constitution. There are also some Americans that are stuck in the middle and can see both sides but recent events have definitely caused this issue to be inRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1031 Words   |  5 Pagesintegrate them in a way that will trigger a new viewpoint on the subject. Gun control is something that should be enforced across the world in order to save lives. In the United States there is a ratio of 88.8 guns per one hundred persons (GunPolicy.org). Those numbers award us with the highest total per capita number in the world. With that amount of firepower there needs to be an efficient way to regulate who exactly can purchase a gun. Since 1791 when the second amendment was ratified there have beenRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1705 Words   |  7 Pagesaway without preface or reason. All someone needs to do is pull the trigger. In today’s world, guns are far too accessible to the people of society. We hear in the news, stories of mass shootings, homicides, and suicides; most of which are caused by the activation of a gun. A hot-button issue, gun control is one of the most debated topics in American politics. Should we, or should we not, be able to own guns? Although it infringes on the Second Amendment that provides the right to bear arms, this amendmentRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control951 Words   |  4 PagesGun control has been a big topic for the past decade in the united states. These debates will rise and fall time in and time out after something horrific happens in the state. Anti-Gun supporters do not realize that it is extremely difficult to regulate something in the states that is a big portion of our economy.Would stricter gun laws change anything? So far statistically It has been proven otherwise one must consider how a citizen would defend themselves when they are faced with terror. How willRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control929 Words   |  4 PagesGun Control Getting arrested yesterday was not the highlight of my week. I was hungry; so I went to Wal-Mart get some charcoal, lighter fluid, and steak. I put the charcoal in the grill and the lighter fluid on the coals. I got a little lighter fluid on my arm, but I didn’t pay it much attention. I lit the match and threw it on the coals. I looked down and my sleeve was on fire. I was waving my arm in the air, trying to put it out. Then here they come the police pulled in and tackled me to theRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1552 Words   |  7 PagesThe issue of gun is always controversial. Firearm can be used as defending or an assaulting weapon. In United States, firearm increase the rate of homicide, suicide and gun violence, which can harm and murder people. Moreover, taking away people’s gun will not work effectively because the murder and criminal will find another ways to get guns. Also, the black market will appear for the people who cannot get guns from regulated market s. In addition, if regulated guns are banned, murderers may useRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1678 Words   |  7 PagesJanuary 2014 The 2nd Amendment Over the past few years, the issue of gun control has been widely discussed. You surely have heard the phrase, â€Å"Guns don’t kill people, people kill people† uttered and i wholeheartedly support this statement. It is important to treat guns responsibly so they do not end up in the wrong hands. I believe gun control violates our inalienable rights. Another piece of our liberty will surely be taken away if guns are banned, and socialism and totalitarianism will be rightRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1208 Words   |  5 PagesWill Christopherson Traverson English 2 1 March 2017 Gun Control The United States has 88.8 guns per 100 people, or about 270,000,000 guns, which is the highest total and per capita number across the globe. The current public gun control debate in the United States seems to be placed on standby until it is sparked up by a major mass shooting. There were at least 126 mass shootings between January 2000 and July 2014.(pro). Opponents of more gun laws accuse supporters of using a horrific event to further

The Modern Nuclear Family free essay sample

The Modern Nuclear Family: Headed for a Meltdown? Janet Donlin Upper Iowa University February 17, 2012 The Modern Nuclear Family What is a nuclear family? A nuclear family generally consists of a father, mother and their children, either adopted or biological. The nuclear family historically has been the basic unit of the larger family structure and is where the basic family values such as love, tolerance and coexistence are learned. The major characteristic of nuclear families is the monogamous relationship between the  mother  and the father. The mother and father are married and live together in the same household. The effects of industrialization on the monogamous relationship are quite tangible. Whereas couples used to get married, live together, and have children, now many couples do not get married but cohabitate or live together rather than getting married. Another change is that many times people now have children out of wedlock and these children grow up in single parent homes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Modern Nuclear Family or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another change is that some have refrained from even having children as â€Å"childlessness among married couples has been increasing in recent years† (Tischler, 2011, pg. 78). In a nuclear family, the mother and father are solely responsible for running and supporting the household. Historically, the most common are the patriarchal families where the man works outside the home and controls and supports the household. However, some households are matriarchal where the mother does. With industrialism there is a dramatic change of more and more women in the workforce. â€Å"Nearly 72 million women had paying jobs in 2006, representing more than a 200% increase in 50 years. (Tischler, 2011, pg. 79). In addition, not only are more women in the workforce, but there has also been a rise in the number of men that stay home and tend to the children. Whereas people used to have large families, American households have noticeably decreased in size. According to Tischler, the average American household used to be about 5. 8 and that average dropped to 2. 6 in 2007. (pg. 278) Most modern nuclear families are small in size and the children develop their emotional and cognitive senses solely from their mother and father. This differs a great deal from earlier times when extended family played a large role in the lives of the children, which leads to the final characteristic discussed in this paper. The nuclear family is impermanent, meaning at some point in their life the children will move out and no longer live with their parents. When this happens, the children will form their own relationships, get married, and have their own children, creating their own nuclear family and weakening the ties with their parents. Some believe that industrialization has led to an increase in the nuclear family and a general decrease in family values. According to Wilmott and Young, two functionalists, the number of nuclear families only increased and became increasingly popular during and after the  industrial revolution. Whether industrialization has helped or hurt society is really a matter of opinion. Some may feel that it has hurt it because of the way it has changed the family structure and some may not see it that way.

Stranger than fiction free essay sample

In the film ‘Stranger than fiction’ by Mark Fortster, the director portrays the issue of time and how it has affected the protagonist who is Harold Crick. Harold Crick is an IRS agent who lives a ‘life of solitude’ and monotony. Harold Crick lives a calculated life timed to perfection by his wrist watch. This lasted for 12 years until one regular Wednesday when he hears the voice of Karen Eiffel narrating his life. The issue of time pays such a vital role in stranger than fiction and is shown right at the start of the film but is most notably noticed when his wrist watch shuts down and leads to his ‘imminent death’. During the opening scene of the film we are introduced to Harold Crick who is described as a man of ‘infinite numbers’ and ‘endless calculations’ but also shows the importance of time. The director uses an extreme wide shot of earth zooming onto Harold’s wrist watch to portray the idea of the issue of time. We will write a custom essay sample on Stranger than fiction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The opening scene sets the scene throughout the movie. The significance of the extreme wide shot zooming onto Harold’s wrist watch is that it acts as Harold’s companion and is seen as his way to make the most out of his time. This shows how the issue of time is affecting Harold’s life even though he doesn’t know it his mundane lifestyle is only breached when the announces in a 3rd person omniscience view that his ‘seeming innocuous decision would lead to his imminent death’ when he starts to live his life to the fullest before in time he dies. The wrist watch is a very important motif throughout the movie. The wrist watch is given a persona and quote ‘his wristwatch thought it made his neck look fat but said nothing’. The wristwatch could be seen as Harold’s self-conscious but also portrays the issue of time throughout the movie. This is evident from the start of the film that it is important because of the extreme wide shot zooming onto the watch which suggests this. The watch is portrayed as the issue of time for Harold which he has relied on for 12 years but ironically cause his death. Throughout the film the director uses a narrator to portray Harold Crick’s life in a 3rd person omniscience view. This is important because it gives us an understanding of Harold’s life but also helps Harold leave his mundane lifestyle and live his life by playing guitar and dating Ana Pascal. The narrator, Karen Eiffel is known for killing her main characters so the issue of time. Because of this Harold has to try find Karen Eiffel and try to stop her from killing him. This issue of time helps Harold try new stuff and helps him have a better social life by staying with Dave and dating Ana which helps him find a new man hidden inside of him. The narrator sparks a revival in his life which he does not time every second but lives his life. During the movie ‘Stranger than Fiction’ by Mark Forster the use of extreme wide shots, motifs and a narrator helps to portray the idea of the issue of time. At the end of the movie Karen Eiffel says to Professor Jules Hilbert â€Å"A man that knows he is going to die and dies willingly, isn’t that the kind of man you want to live† shows that the issue of time didn’t shape the man, the man shaped the issue of time. The Book Thief During the novel ‘The Book Thief ‘by Markus Zusak, the Author portrays the power of words through a 10 year old girl. This girl is Leisel Meiminger a girl living in Nazi Germany who has a love of words. Leisel saw a lot as a 10 year old. She saw her brother die right I front of her, her mother abandoned her and she fell in love with words and learnt the power of words. That year she also met her foster parents Hans and Rosa Huberman. For Leisel her next 4 years are the most important of her life where she reads 14 books, her family hides a Jew and Molching, Germany gets bombed. Leisel as she gets older use words for good and bad. During her first months on Himmel Street her papa taught her how to read and write. These midnight lessons helped her to understand words. The words that she first fell in love with were the words of the fuhrer. This is shown during Leisel’s dream on the train quote â€Å"She was listening contentedly to the torrent of words that as spilling from his mouth. His sentences glowed in the light†. This dream shows how positively she views the fuhrer and shows how he had miss used words by using propaganda and now Leisel was in favor of Hitler. As Leisel matures she learns how Hitler had misused the power of words and she announces ‘’ I hate Hitler’’ this quote shows how her opinion has changed. During the bombings in 1943 Leisel learns how words can be used to calm others down. Whilst in the bomb shelter she reads her books which consequently calms everyone down which make them forget they are getting bombed. Even though she uses words for good she also uses them for bad. Her mama 2, Rosa Huberman to makes ends meet she does the washing and ironing for the rich people living in Molching. Whilst delivering and picking up washing she falls in love with the mayor’s wife’s library here she reads. This is not a relationship based on speaking it is a relationship based on words. On the day there last washing and ironing client fired them (The mayor) Leisel fires a torrent of words at the mayor’s wife â€Å"It’s about time†¦ that you do your own stinking washing anyway. It’s about time you faced the fact that your son is dead. He got killed† These words shows that even good people can misuse the power of words. Even though she did use them poorly she helped Ilsa Hermann sort her life out and get over the death of her son. The ideas of the power of words portrayed by Markus Zusak is still important today because they can still hurt people or heal people. Today people use words to gain power over people. Some are for good like the pope or your school principle but some are for bad like Mussolini or Hitler. Words are as powerful now as they were then but people now have more words and more ways of distributing there evil ways with words but in society there are still people like Leisel doing good with words. In the Novel ‘’The Book Thief’’ the author Markus Zusak portrays the idea of the power of words through a 10 year old girl living Nazi Germany named Leisel Meiminger. Leisel learns that words can be used for good and evil. She says â€Å"I have loved words and I have hated them but I hope I have made them right†