Essays on Moral Philosophy

In 1516 Thomas More published Utopia which described a perfect society situated on an unknown island. This book has become an embodiment of the perfect society from these times to the present. This book was not only a beginning of a new age in evaluating a prototype of the society, but also a new stage in literature. This book is still the most provocative and has a lot of opponents. As a proving example, The Guardian (‘Utopias, past and present: why Thomas More remains astonishingly radical’, 2015) reveals that this book is not a favorite one in Buckingham Palace. ...

The elderly are some of society’s most vulnerable citizens. They may suffer from a variety of illnesses besides normal aging. Thus, it is incumbent upon health care workers to provide their elderly patients with the utmost care. Taking care of the elderly comprises ethical, legal, and financial issues. Ethically, all workers in a health care setting have a responsibility to provide their elderly patients with excellent care, and must strive to assist, to the best of their abilities, their patients with their health needs on a daily basis. Thus, in order to fulfill the ethical responsibilities of a ...

“Gone Baby Gone” is a mystery film masterfully directed by Ben Affleck, an actor and a screenwriter. The kidnapping story set in the criminal districts of Boston depicts the characters and their neighborhoods as backward and appalling. At the very beginning of the film, we find out that Amanda McCready, a little girl, has gone. Thus, her aunt and uncle decide to involve two private detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro, into the police investigation of the girl missing. Meanwhile, Amanda’s drug-addicted mother does not skip any episode of Jerry Springer Show, even though her child has disappeared. ...

German Philosopher Immanuel Kant views of morality were centered on the principle of good will. Kant defines good will as “the concept of a faculty of action according to a conception of universal law” (Deontology pg 9). This encompasses the belief that one’s motive is the determining factor in whether or not an individual possesses good or bad morals and, not the outcome of his actions. Thus, an individual who possesses good will shall only make decisions that they believe to be morally worthwhile regardless of the gains to be had or the possible outcomes. This is what ...

Analysis of the Documentary Food, Inc. through the Lens of Ethical Theories and Ideas

Some may wonder whether the food choice is an ethical issue. After all, we make these choices at least three times a day and our individual decisions influence the global industry of food growth, production and processing. As Jones, Cardinal and Hayward remind us, we exist in society and are connected to other people. This is why our choices, in our case, the food choices, affect other people, and their decisions influence us as well (2006, p. 3). Various theories of ethics propose different ways of viewing the problems of food production and consumption and seek solutions in distinct ...

Introduction

Ethics refers to those things that are firmly accepted ideas about what we should do in given situations (Velasquez, Andre, Shanks, and Meyer). For example, ethics might refer to a standard that says that stealing or murder or assault is not the right thing to do, and so it imposes restrictions on those activities. Ethics also includes virtues, such as honesty, compassion, and loyalty. The right to life, the right to privacy, and the right to be safe are also embedded in ethics, whether stated directly or not. What these things have in common is that the standards of ...

Adam Smith is a Scottish economist and philosopher who was born in an area called Kirkcaldy in the year 1723. However; his actual date of birth is unknown. His father died when he was still a young boy, but his mother ensured he went to school. He performed quite well in school. His main areas of study were Latin, history, and mathematics. His exemplary performance earned him a scholarship at the University of Glasgow to study moral philosophy. He continued excelling in university and obtained another scholarship to study in Ballion College at the Oxford University. However, after a ...

Daoism comprises a mode of traditional Chinese thought that is thought of as both philosophical and religious. Rather than being primarily concerned with this conflict in ideology, however, Daoist thinkers have been primarily concerned with conceptualization of the natural world and the underlying influence that propels it forward in its evolutionary path throughout time. Morality, leadership, and personal development are all fundamental tenets held by Daoist thinkers. Two of the primary contributors to the history of Daoist thought were Laozi and Zhuang Zou, the writers of the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi respectively. While these philosophers each demonstrate a variety ...

Immanuel Kant stance on ethics is remarkable, as it pays no heed to the consequences of an action arguing that there exist particular objective rules that can be discovered by reasoning beings. The categorical imperative is simply an expression of this. Such theories are called “deontological” ethical theories; the root of the word is derived from the Greek word “deon” that means duty. Therefore, the categorical imperative states that people have a duty to act in particular ways according to moral laws. Kant’s categorical imperative pays a greater emphasis on the intent of an action as opposed to ...

For a long time, there have existed two opposing views in the study of moral and ethical norms of society. The first position can be defined as moral universalism. Proponents of this position believe that the entire international community, and each person separately, can be subjected to a uniform system of values ​​and laws. The second position is represented by moral relativism, the essence of which is the opposite view to the regulation of society. Moral relativism denies the existence of a common moral law for all people, arguing that there are many different cultures and each of them ...

1. In your own words, provide a concise formulation of Utilitarianism. In particular, explain the reasons Bentham and Mill give in support of it. In your own words, provide a concise formulation of Kant’s deontological ethics. In particular, explain the role of the Categorical Imperative in Kantian ethics. In light of the criticisms offered of both accounts, which account is more plausible? Explain why. (70 marks.) Within Utilitarianism it is believed that there is a moral obligation to attain the best world possible. In order to do so, it is necessary to ensure that harm, or what would ...

The question of morality has been discussed throughout the history of philosophy. These questions cannot be solved through simple logic due to the philosophic difficulty that they present. This is important because in the modern world there are still major issues that challenge the capacity for rational decision making. This is especially true in regards to medical ethics, in which these decisions can often result in the difference between life and death. Should doctors be given the right to end patients lives in cases in which they are going through extreme suffering and are given consent? This brings up ...

Introduction Utilitarianism is a principle that the moral worth of an action is determined by its usefulness in maximizing utility and minimizing negative utility. Utility is the pleasure, preference satisfaction and knowledge. The moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome. In this study we are going to compare Mill, John Stuart’s work 'Utilitarianism’ and Kant, Immanuel’s work 'Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals.' The study will also come up with findings based on the comparisons if the end justifies the means. John Mill’s account on Utilitarianism is primarily influenced by Jeremy Bentham ...

As an act of altruism, I donated a sum of money to Commit2Africa. This is a charity which helps children in Africa to access education (Clover, 2010). However, I gained pleasure from knowing that my money was going to help other people. I also knew that I would feel this before I made the donation and, therefore, it was not a truly selfless act. “Altruism is helping behaviour that is motivated by a selfless concern for the welfare of another person” (altruism). Altruism differs from personal and social responsibility as both of the latter are motivated by a sense of duty. Altruism focuses ...

Happiness is a state which many strive for; some achieve it and others don’t. However, the means and ways of attaining happiness are varied and can often involve questionable ethics. For instance, by taking an ecstasy pill, the side effect is to feel happy and as if you love everyone and everything; however, the purchasing of such a drug is illegal and the money goes into the drug trade which has links to countless un-ethical associations. It is also an unsustainable state which wears off after a few hours, so is that really happiness anyway? The pursuit of happiness is man’ ...

The Hamilton readings portray the Enlightenment as both a path breaking and somewhat contradictory era. This was a period of intellectual development and philosophy in the eighteenth century. They believed in rationalism, reasoning and use of science in bringing about change and progress in society. The theory was influential in the three areas:

Society and moral science: They saw the study of man as the key to understanding society. A man’s emotions and knowledge was as a result of his experience, or empiricism. Men had been corrupted by wrong morals, models and laws and this knowledge needed to be changed ...