Lifeboat ethics

In Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (Kant, 2005) state that only action done from the motive of duty have moral worth. Other philosophers such as Ross, consequentialists and virtue ethic would criticize this. In this essay, I would argue that not only actions from the motive of duty have moral worth. According to Kant, the good is defined by the right and good will is when decision are determined by the moral law. This is because all other desirable quality of character are conditional…

In life we are faced with a series of “big questions”. These questions answer whether we are decently moral people. The ‘big question” we are going to tackle is ‘are we under an obligation to save lives?’ If so, what is required of us to be a morally decent person? In “The Gift” by Parker we learn that Zell Kravinsky would take a utilitarian approach to this question. Zell would argue that we are under a moral obligation to give discretionary assets, such as spare body parts to maximize good and…

Abortion Ethical Dilemma Essay Almost every person will face an ethical dilemma at some point in their lives and will wonder what the ethical and moral option is. For some people, they will decide based on what they feel is the best option for them, and they will not ask God for guidance. However, when Christians face an ethical dilemma, they should first consult the Bible and pray that God will show them the option that most closely aligns with what He says in His Word. Also, God is with them,…

In Plato’s, Five Dialogues, inklings of the Hobbesian notion of the social contract begin to assemble within the dialogue of Crito as the theory of tacit consent is explored. At the start of the dialogue, Crito proposes that Socrates should escape from Athenian prison with his assistance, however, Socrates is adamant against an attempted escape, arguing [from the polis’ perspective] that, “Whoever of you remains…has in fact come to an agreement with us [the polis] to obey our [the polis’]…

Nature is a continuing theme in Old English that reflects and explains certain observations in everyday life. Nature is used as a way to validate faith in occurrences in the natural world that are seemingly only explainable by a higher power. The use of nature to explain certain feelings and actions strategically allows an acceptance of hardships in life. Many poems have been written using nature as a backbone of faith. Poems such as “The Story of Caedmon”, “The Dream of the Rood” and “The…

In the Analects, Confucius argues that wealth is something not “worth pursuing” (7.12). However, this does not imply it is better to be poor than to be rich, but rather asserts that happiness is attainable at any status given a person follows proper customs. As Confucius says, the ideal state is being “poor and yet joyful, rich and yet loving ritual” (1.15). Confucius relates the worth of the person to their actions instead of their financial or societal status. Even for his students he…

Both Fahrenheit 451 and Matched take place in societies that are not idealistic to most people compared to the lives that we are leading right now. Both authors had similar interests of showing how true equality can lead to major losses in life. Though, they had different ways of expressing true equality; one author used the retention and gaining of knowledge as a form of equality while the other used love and relationships. They had different tones and moods. In both stories, the protagonists…

In the “Letter to Menoeceus”, Epicurus argues that pleasure is the only essential good that people seek. He argues that pleasure is the only thing that people should pursue for its own sake. In this paper, I will make that the argument that pleasure or pain’s absence are not the only things worth pursuing for their own sake. Epicurus—a psychological hedonist—argues that “the end of all our actions is to be free of pain and fear” (Epicurus, par. 6). To summarize his argument, he states that…

The topic of the death penalty has been considered a controversial issue for over two hundred years. Numerous public figures, world leaders, and renowned philosophers have made their opinions and theories known; yet, there is no universally accepted answer to whether or not capital punishment is morally and lawfully permissible. Despite hundreds of years of discrepancies, philosophers John Stuart Mill and Immanuel Kant seem to agree with many aspects of the death penalty. Through the…

A Shocking Realization What is a miracle? Must it be the product of divine intervention? Or is it simply luck? I say it is an unexplainable, unforeseeable, unexpected change of fate. John Jeremiah Sullivan explores this in his essay “Feet in Smoke”. By questioning the common belief of miracles, he demonstrates that unreal ideas effectively portray reality. Sullivan recalls the event of his brother Worth’s near death. The shocking accident and process of recovery leaves John shaken as he…