Essays on Natural Law

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Legal Positivism Under the direction of legal positivism understood in law, which advocates limited jurisprudence the task of studying the law in force with the formal dogmatic positions. The emergence of legal positivism refers to the first third of the XIX century and it was associated with the processes of approval of industrial capitalism in Western Europe. A crucial role is played by the processes of formation in the most developed countries of the national market, demanded the elimination of the vestiges of medieval particularism, expanding the scope of legal regulation of public relations and the establishment of a ...

There are some approaches to natural law. The first conception assumes that it exists independently and does not need to be recognized, found by anyone or declared. On the other side, the positive law has to be approved according to certain procedural standards. The positive law is limited, while the natural law of God or of Reason is limitless and universal (Silving 477). In other words, they are of different origin and have different power and procedure of adoption. These concepts fit into my understanding of the role of law in the community. Thus, it is well-known that there ...

It is worth mentioning that law has several philosophical roots. In fact, several philosophers came up with different points of view concerning the law, mostly international law and common law. Primarily, these people were influential in that they changed the legal landscape at that particular time. The philosophers were trying to create clear distinctions between the systems of norms that govern the people from the ethical practices, which were considered to be the law. In essence, four basic philosophies of law were instrumental in shaping the legal scene and events up to the twentieth century. The four views include ...

Introduction

Natural law theory and positivism are two approaches to thinking that differ in the basic legal principles and rules on the treatment of law. Principles and rules influence English jurisprudence and the administration of justice through the attitudes, perspectives, approaches, decisions and pronouncements of judges and jurists. Natural law theory and positivism dominate respective areas of English jurisprudence and adjudication process, but these approaches may also simultaneously exert influence to raise issues and cause developments in other areas.

Influence of Natural Law Theory

Natural law is “the order of the dynamic tendencies that are proper to man as a rational being”. The rule of ...

The divine command theory states that one's actions are morally acceptable if and only if they are in line with the actions recommended by God (Van 136). Therefore, this theory asserts that one is obliged to live his life according to the wishes of God. The greatest proportion of human beings believes in the existence of a supreme being for worship. Although all religions and communities have a different name for Him, they all believe in a God. According to God, human life is sacred and as a result, it should be respected. One way of showing respect to ...

The Catholic Church has in recent years played an ever more important social role in people’ lives and it has throughout the twentieth century it has entered some very interesting conversations which have a very direct impact on the way people live their lives. One of the most controversial decisions taken by taken was passed on by the Papal Encyclical Humanae Vitae which clarified the Church’s position on contraception and what those implications were on the church’s competence or role in interpreting Natural Law. Natural Law is something of a slippery subject and one that many different ...

Law and Mortalilty

Introduction The question whether law and morality are connected has been subject to various antagonistic philosophical arguments. Further, the line distinguishing the two is blurred, this has led the mushrooming of various schools of thought that seek to demystify the principles that delimit the two abstract concepts. Morality can be said to be a set of norms that a society deems acceptable.

Secular Natural Law

Lone Fuller puts forth arguments in support of secular natural law. By illustrative analogies he depicts a situation where a single legislative authority acts as the primary legislative authority by whose laws the society abides. The natural ...

Frankenstein is a novel that starts with the main character Victor starting his normal life in Geneva. He is lucky to have an adopted sister Elizabeth, and this makes him feel secure and happy. He is a determined person to be a great scholar, and he says, “I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.” (Shelley 27). On this note, Victor wants to be an education monster because he feels he can do so much that has not been done before. He has this feeling that his whole ...

The Declaration of Independence is the basic legal instrument that serves as the background in forming the equality of the society and protecting its rights. The Declarations presupposes all human beings to be treated equally and possess equal natural rights. According to the basic principles of the Declaration, the humankind has been created by God to be equal at all times. As it has been stated by Lincoln, equality is an abstract truth, so every man must be treated equally in the society. As the Declaration is a legal instrument, it predetermines the Government to be responsible for the ...

Perhaps one of the most influential stories in the 20th century was Mary Wollstonecraft

Shelley’s Frankenstein, which was published in 1818. This book was considered by many to be one of the forerunners of the science fiction genre. It tells the story of a scientist named Victor Frankenstein and how he unlocked the secret to creating life. Thus, he created an artificial being that he abandoned later on. This abandonment, along with other events that transpired, has caused the creature to turn evil and devoted in destroying his creator. There are many themes and issues that can be derived from the central theme of the story. One of these themes concerns the ...

Francisco de Vitoria: On the American Indians

First Level Analysis Francisco de Vitoria was a theologian who wrote during the time of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. In his political treatise entitled On The American Indians, he suggests the Spanish should question by what right they have subjected the “barbarians” to their rule. Indeed, de Vitoria is immensely focused on investigating the political power of the Spanish in the New World, and in this particular passage, he determines that the barbarians that the Spanish have conquered in the New World should not be ruled under the dominion of the Spanish. He likens these people to ...

The posit that the human person is nothing but a body and that all its components and experiences can be explained regarding the body, without acknowledging the existence of a rational soul, forms the basis of the materialist theory (Cohen 2). The notion of materialism opposes the hylomorphic account of spirit as a reality different from matter a philosophical theory developed by Aristotle. According to Aristotle, living things are compounds of matter and form. He argues that a living thing soul (form) is what causes the existence of the body (matter) defines a soul as that which makes a ...

The divine command theory is an ethical theory that has various views about morality. The theory suggests that morality depends on God, and moral responsibility is the obedience to the commands of God. According to this theory, morality is based on the commands of God or the character of God as well. The commands that God makes or requires also define morality. It can also be said to look at something as good because God says it should be considered good and bad because God also forbids the particular thing (Harris 332). Various arguments are connected to the divine ...

English (Course Code)

Abstract In Emerson’s essay, ‘’Nature’’, we can see how important religion is to him. Each of his essays leads us to an understanding on how to attain a perfect relationship with God through nature. The goal of science here is discover the purpose of nature. But is it necessary to reconcile both science and religion? This essay will be arguing that there is no need for reconciling science and religion since both are independent from each other. The possible solutions are to grasp knowledge of both without the need of differentiating the two and to respect both facts. ...

Introduction

The moral issues that I will personally face in my planned managerial occupation are ethical responsibility, discrimination, and marketing ethical concepts. The paper will analyze three ethical managers face in the business. Moreover, the paper will illustrate two cases of people faced by ethical problems. A natural law approach will be applied to explain the how to solve the ethical dilemma. The paper will address the application of natural law theory in solving the cases of the business leaders (Badaracco 3).

In this contemporary world, the managers face the ethical problems of ethical responsibility. The managers have to be ...

St Thomas was a philosopher in the concept of natural law and the role of God’s justice in the legal system. Ethical arguments between lawyers and judges confront on a daily basis is suggested as an occupational profile for the professional conduct of judges and lawyers in their everyday interactions. St Thomas offers procedural comments on the criminal and civil relations as well as sentencing guidelines. In this era in which a Christian lawyer is many times faced with situations that are unethical and the modus operandi is one of questionable choices, the Christian lawyer and judge have ...

The legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States has caused a conflict between legality and moral-religious normalcy. For one, there are those who believe that that amending the nation’s laws on marriage does not in any way change what God has laid down from the very beginning; that the sacrament of marriage is only between a man and a woman. In this respect, the Bible is replete with teachings and warnings that clearly illustrate God’s attitude about marriage, from the Book of Genesis of the New Testament. As such, this continuity on the norms of marriage ...

Introduction

The article focuses on the notion that every human being has the dignity of having been made the image of the Supreme God. It is considered the most fundamental principle every Christians’ moral life. God has bestowed an immortal soul to every humankind and the gift of intelligence as well as the reason to aid us in understanding the perfect order of things as established in His magnificent creation. Additionally, God has given the humankind freedom to endeavor as well as love the things that are true, beautiful and good. Nevertheless, all humanity suffers the ramifications of the original ...

Natural Law

The concept of Natural law stands out in the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas. This principle is the ground of his ethics system. Aquinas builds his doctrine of natural law on his understanding of God and how He relates to creation. According to Aquinas, the law is the rule or measure of acts according to which one is set to or restrained from acting. It is dictated from the ruler to his community and is the expression of ruler’s care about the proper work of his community. Inevitably, the principles or reason which the ruler bestows upon his community, ...

Utilitarianism and Kantianism

Utilitarianism, Virtue ethics and Kantianism are examples of normative ethics. In these theories, there are three components which characterize every action: the consequences of the action, the action itself (which also include the motive of the action), and the agent (the doer). Utilitarianism deals with the consequences of the action. On the other hand, deontological theories (Kantianism and divine command theory) are concerned with motive/action. Virtue ethics, however, is concerned with the doer/agent (Stewart, 2009). Utilitarianism and Kantianism Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is derived from the word utility. In utilitarianism, an action is deemed right only if its outcome is to ...

Question One

Civil disobedience was viewed in different ways by various scholars. For Martin Luther King, civil disobedience should be used to pass over government rules. He also asserted that the theory of natural law and contemporary consent may be required by the law as a genuine act of civil disobedience. He also considered civil disobedience in the form of non-violent refusal to obey the laws of the government. Civil disobedience may be applied on a large scale to force the government to negotiate changes. It is also conscientious. This implies that it may be motivated by religious convictions and the ...

Short Essay

Part 1 The categorical imperative is an imperative of morality and testing rules. The concept was introduced by Immanuel Kant, the founder of critical philosophy, in 1785 and dictates that one should consider the moral principle on which they are acting. According to Kant, it is absolute and is a significant measure of whether an action is ethically acceptable (Ghosh & Long, 2015). Examples of categorical imperatives I believe in include, wearing warm clothes when it’s cold outside, drinking water when I am thirsty and going to the hospital to receive treatment when I am sick. It’s important ...

1920s, the Great Depression and Progressivism

The 1920s commonly referred to as the ‘'Roaring Twenties" was a time of great changes in America not just economically but also socially. Barely after WWI, America emerged as the de facto superpower coupled with a rapidly expanding economy. It was a period characterized by advancements in technology and the growth of the consumerism culture. Historians see this period as the beginning of modern times as there was a shift towards what we regard as modern values such as equality for women. Urbanization contributed to the growth of consumerism. During this period, about half of America's population lived in ...

The main sources on the formation of American statehood are the Declaration of Independence, "Articles of Confederation", the US Constitution of 1787, and the Bill of Rights. Also, referring to the origins of the formation of the statehood, the Mayflower Compact is surely an important document. The British political heritage has had a tremendous influence on the formation of the state system of America. English settlers brought with them the political ideas that developed in England for centuries. English Bill of Rights of 1689 was very important for the American colonists – it differentiated the rights and obligations of the ...

Progressivism philosophy is of the view that improvements in the economy, research, and development, as well as the social organization, are important elements in improving humanity and the conditions in which humanity lives.

The role of government

Progressives saw the role of government not as political but administrative. For that reason, its expansion was necessary to enable it to deal with the social and economic challenges that the people faced at the time (Dewey, 39). Some of the challenges that arose in the late 19th century include increasing inequality due to the rise of capitalism and frequent conflicts between workers and owners of ...

Rousseau's Social Contract

Social Contract is a chapter that illustrates the diverse interpretation of Rousseau's political ideas and uses his views to show that the Republican approach is the best government to adopt in a civilized society that is free to grow and free from coercion as well. He uses different views to present himself as entirely different amid increasing laws and ideologies on political leadership and the margin between the boundary and the wrong. The social contract seeks to eliminate and rectify the evils performed before and presented some aspects of the theory that need close examination in the light of ...

Is Euthanasia OR Physician-Assisted Suicide Better than leading Unhappy Life as a Burden?

This is an ethical question that invokes a serosae of responses in order to bets handle it. While pain has been in existence since the traditional times, the question whether euthanasia is an ideal ethical method for ending severe pain to a patient remains a subject of discussion. Just like proponents have different theoretical viewpoints to assert the validity of euthanasia; it is the same way that opponents question the credibility of this process in the modern ethical realms. This topic is purely concerned with decisions about the relevance of euthanasia to the social dynamics, and whether it should ...

Chapter 5: Morality and Religion

Religion is known to be one of the principles that motivate people to behave in moral ways. However, this type of motivation is considered problematic at times. The idea of eternal punishment normally motivates people to behave in particular ways and manner. This is in a bid to avoid or earn certain consequences for the actions committed. This is considered problematic since a change in the nature of repercussions would imply a change in the moral compass, which means that people are not acting morally for the purpose of being moral but to evade punishment (Shaffer-Landau 13). On the ...

Introduction

Thomas Aquinas promulgated natural law as the basic law that should govern the moral conduct of humans. It is a philosophy that puts focus on values and virtues that are inherent to human nature, that do not need judgmental reasoning but should be adhered to as they are a voice from inside a human conscience. Natural law uses social and personal values as the basis of actions and moral values. These laws are universal, although their source was driven from catholic ethics. Theory of value and theory of actions are usually discussed by philosophers in order to understand the ...

The primary issue at hand is that of corporate personhood – ever since Citizens United v. SEC in 2010, corporate entities are allowed to spend money to exercise their free speech, ostensibly guaranteed to them by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. However, the dilemma lies in whether or not corporations are people. Is it fair, right or accurate to allow a corporation (essentially a collection of individuals with a great amount of capital and spending power) the exact same rights as an individual American citizen? Do corporations have the right to act as moral agents, and use ...

In modern times, the theory of natural rights and social contract had finally become exempt from its previous theological justification. At the same time it became the basis for a rational understanding of the society and the state. The adoption of social contract theory in legal thought creates an opportunity for the different political concepts to be revealed – in favor of the monarchy and against it (in favor of the society). Hugo Grotius, a prominent representative of the school of natural law in early modern times shared its general theory of the origin of the state contract. Grotius and Hobbes stood ...

QUESTION 1

Mary is a Conscientious Moral Agent. Identify a moral argument or arguments that Mary can apply in this case. Use the facts of this case to explain the moral reasoning and moral principle(s) that Mary applies in this case.

ANSWER: Given the condition in which Mary was in, it is important that she addresses the situation as impartial as she can be. In this particular case, she should therefore forget that she is the mother of one of the students in the place of employment of one of their patients in the hospital who was having psychological health issues. ...

Responses to Questions

1. Define natural law and give examples of how we can apply natural law to at least three different ethical decisions in your experience. Natural law pertains to a system of justice or right held to be natural or common to all people and obtained from nature and not from the rules established by the society (Wolfe, 2003, p. 38). According to Aristotle, natural law is part of the divine law (MacKinnon, 2013, p. 57). I was once confronted with a question whether abortion should be made legal or not. As human beings, people are inclined to practice self-preservation ...

1. Where do you find that Machiavelli and Hobbes coincide, and where do you find that they differ, in their accounts of human nature?

Hobbes’ and Machiavelli’s views often overlap on their understanding of human nature. One relevant fact to that is this essay questions inquires about the differences of the two thinkers. Both of them had views of human nature that agreed on some points but disagreed on others. Hobbes had one many characterize as a negative view on human nature, that the natural state of affairs for a person is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” In comparison, Machiavelli was perhaps advocating for such an individual in order to ursurp political power.

Hobbe’s Leviathan is named after a sea monster in ...

1. Outline the categories of violence as described by Jamil Salmi.

According to Salmi, the phenomenon of violence has many characteristics, with particular causes per characteristic and with particular causational agents per cause. Violence also exists in several forms, including direct violence, indirect violence, repressive violence, and alienating violence.

Direct violence is characterized by any physical, in-person act causing intended harm. In this category would be included A) any act resulting in death (homicide, genocide, infanticide); and B) any “coercive or brutal” (Module 6, 44) at threatening or resulting in physical or psychological damage or suffering—including rape, spousal abuse, political imprisonment, for example.

Indirect violence is characterized by ...

Part I: "Rip Van Winkle" is making a statement about the Revolution. What is it Washington Irving is trying to convey to the reader through his story? Then consider the characters of Rip and Dame Van Winkle. Discuss their traits in terms of them being important to the message of the story.

Rip Van Winkle, a descendent of the original Dutch settlers going back to the days of Peter Stuyvesant, literally slept through the American Revolution and could not comprehend the changes that had occurred over the preceding twenty years. When he arrived back in the village after his twenty-year ...

The fact that the supervisor in this case would like to doctor or change the results of the laboratory test results is both disappointing and puts one’s employment in a very precarious position. As a single parent who supports two children, the loss of employment would be very “dangerous” for one’s own family. One may be relegated to menial jobs that will pay considerably less than what one is earning at the moment. Despite all the difficulties that one will encounter when one will push for telling the truth and negating the promulgation of the supervisor, it is essential ...

King clearly prefers the Aboriginal history of creation. It is not merely because she relishes the presentation of these stories in contrast to the Western version of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. In her mind, once dissected, these stories illustrate the vast gulf between the Western concepts of sovereignty and individual rights and the Aboriginal notions of these very same ideas. King feels the very fabric of and the parables espoused in these stories illustrate how the Western ideal of is of a much stronger, centralized body of governance where people are punished accordingly if they do not ...

H.L.A Hart. “There are two minimum conditions necessary and sufficient for the existence of a legal system. On the one hand those rules of behavior which are valid according to the system's ultimate criteria of validity must be generally obeyed, and on the other hand, its rules of recognition specifying the criteria of legal validity and its rules of change and adjudication must be effectively accepted as common public standards of official behavior by its officials.” Laws are systems that may prohibit individuals to carry out a variety of actions or that may compel an assortment of responsibilities on persons. ...

Introduction

The rule of law (normocracy) is primarily alluded to as the influence and authority of law around a community specifically as a bottleneck upon behavior including behavior of state officials. The origin of the phrase can be traced back to around 16th century where it was familiar to ancient philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Lockes. Definitions of the rule of law fall into two classes: (1) those that underscore the closures that the rule of law is proposed to serve inside social order, (for example, maintaining law and order, or giving foreseeable and efficient judgments), and (2) ...

The state of nature is one of the crucial concepts in political and moral philosophy. It is worth nothing that the state of nature is used in various fields, which include social contract theories, religion, as well as international law. It focuses on the lives of people before the societies existed. There are several philosophers that have elaborates on the state of nature of men. Some of the philosophers include Locke and Hobbes. They have developed various perceptions on issues of law, state, as well as right to property. The natural rights and natural law follow from various aspects ...

There are not many philosophers in history as influential as Saint Thomas of Aquinas. His works have influenced western philosophy for centuries and found a way to conciliate theological thought and reason. He was a man of his age, one who followed tradition and sought nothing more than to remain faithful to Christ and his church, but knew how to introduce long rejected philosophical systems that were considered contrary to the interests of the clergy. This work is gives an account of the life of Thomas of Aquinas, his academic works, his philosophy and the impact he had on the western ...

Section I: Matching (Maximum 20 points)

This section consists of ten (10) matching questions worth two (2) points each. Match the moral theories in the shaded box below with the ten numbered descriptions set forth below the shaded box. Choose the moral theory that corresponds best to each numbered question and write the letter that corresponds to the appropriate moral theory in the space provided below. [Hint: Some questions may have more than one moral theory that is applicable to it. In such a case, simply choose one applicable theory and write its corresponding letter on the space provided. Only one correct response is required ...

The healthcare practitioners usually confront difficult ethical choices in their quest to provide appropriate health services especially for people with diverse values (McWay 2014 p 91). Consequently, different bioethics principles have been put in place to help resolve ethical issues in the event of such diversities (Koslowski 2001 p 137). The principle of double effect encompasses the two types of consequences that results from a single action (Yelon et.al., 2014 p 374). For example; a doctor may use morphine on a dying patient. Thus, the use of morphine will have a maleficent effect of cutting short the patient’s life while simultaneously having a beneficial effect of ...

ABSTRACT.

The topic on homosexuality remains amongst the most debated across the globe. Whilst the act is prohibited in some states in a legal and morality perspective, it is legally acceptable in other states. The topic gains popularity and increased concern from regulations of human conduct that include religion, law, sociological needs, biological and scientific explanations, psychological needs, and other theoretical frameworks. This paper discusses the various provisions on homosexuality using human behavior disciplines. In explaining homosexuality and developing concepts that form theories of homosexuality a contradiction on what homosexuality is constantly arises. There lacks an agreement among scientists, communities, religious ...

Marriage is one of the important institutions in society. In fact, marriage in society is central and ubiquitous. It is worth noting that marriage is a platform of various socialization agents in the community. People in society get married regardless of their class, religion, ethnicity, or education. There are various types of marriage in the world today. Gay marriage is a type of marriage that has undergone various changes. Gay marriage refers to the union between two individual who is of the same biological sex or the same gender. Gay marriages are the controversial issues in the world today. Gay marriage ...

Christianity developed out of Judaism. It is based on the doctrines from Old Testament and New Testament. The New Testament was originally written in Greek language. It is the second part of Biblical canon followed by the Old Testament. The New Testament incorporates twenty-seven books. They are written in different times and different circumstances. Both Old Testament and New Testament are the sacred books for Christians. The Development of Christianity starts from the birth of Jesus Christ and the holy and noble task assigned to him by God. He was a prophet. The New Testament are based on his religious ...

Term Paper: Jean Jacques Rousseau vs. John Locke

Economic inequality is a menace that has been witnessed in the developing and the developed nations since ancient times. Legislation regarding the ownership of property has drawn heated criticism from various scholars and human rights activists. John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are among the activists who have expressed strong ideas concerning the issue of ownership of private property. John in the Second Treaties of Government takes a soft stance. He defends the natural right of acquiring private property despite the economic inequalities that the move bears to the people of the nation. John’s stance on the matter has widely been embraced ...

Deontological theory

Deontological theory is concern itself with the idea of what is wrong and right, an aspect that is emphasizes on values and morals (Walluchow, 2003). We have monistic and pluralistic deontology (Darwell, 2003). According to Monistic approach, an individual should do a thing because it is right and not because the consequences. A person should therefore do what is right even if the act will result to occurrence of damage. For instance, Kant decided not to save his friend from a murderer by telling a lie because he thought that it was not right to lie even if the consequence was useful ( ...

Law

Cerar (2010, p.4) “stated that it is an imminent characteristic of every law that it is also the means of certain politics”. It bears to stress, however, that law cannot be considered as a pure form through which the political content may be achieved since it is in the very nature of law to become independent or autonomous since it can stand on its own. However, in the case of politics, it cannot exist without the law for it is the law which gives its structure and maintains it within certain limits that are dictated by the concepts of justice ...

Lysander Spooner was an American philosopher and anarchist who was an ardent supporter of labor movements in his hey days during 19th century. Born in state of Massachusetts in the early years of the 19th century, Spooner a lawyer was against the set legislation that have been instituted by man in a bid to harmonize the daily life of citizens. Spooner questions the authority of the constitution to bid all the citizens both the presently alive and the future generation to obediently follow its doctrines and practices. According to Spooner, there is no way the future generation should be obligated to ...

Thomas Paine’s Theory on Common Sense argues that people have both a moral and political obligation to act rationally. In this case, Paine expounds on the need to have natural law to guide the affairs of people. He stresses that all human beings are equal in that, they all have a mental position that guides their daily interactions. Similarly, Paine states that the government should respect and support to this instance. In his justifications, Paine applies the concepts that underlie Natural law. According to Paine, natural law elements the desire to do good. In this context, he states that according ...

Background

Tricia is CEO of Able Again, which is a non-profit organization: it partners with a for-profit organization for the manufacture of low-cost adapted motorized scooters for the disabled. She as requested advice from her ethics consultant regarding issues facing her company. She has heard about ethical theories, which typically provide conflicting opinion. She wants her ethics consultant to compare and contrast them, with examples and in the context of her company’s issues. Her chief concern is to persuade her board about the advantages of being ethical in business practices. Secondly, she wants to learn a lesson from Ford Pinto case. ...

Philosophy of Space Exploration

Introduction Philosophy stands as quite an universal way of solving problems related to values, existence, mind, knowledge, reality, reason, and language. In philosophy, there are various methods of dealing with such problems by looking at their magnitude, practical approach and their reliance on ways of thinking. Different philosophers have varying classifications of distinctive philosophical or intellectual points of view, rather than inflexible and universal sets of beliefs. Space exploration has become among the fields that philosophy has shaped, particularly through secular utility maximization, which basically posits that maximizing developments to the benefit of greatest amount of people is ...

Book Review: Fugitive Thought Prison Movements, Race, and the Meaning of Justice

Book Review: Fugitive Thought Prison Movements, Race, and the Meaning of Justice Seldom are prisoners viewed as people with ideas that can influence the world positively. In most cases, people see the prisoners as lawbreakers and people who are out to cause havoc and disorder in the society. Michael Hames-García however tries to demystify the view that prisoners are bad people out to hurt the society. In his book, Fugitive Thought Prison Movements, Race, and the Meaning of Justice, he refers to the prisoners on the same level as the judges and philosophers. He says that the prisoners ...

The relationship between nature, the state and individuals is a complex one; political philosophers have been studying these relationships ever since the dawn of time, with the goal being to determine the best way in which the people relate to nature. Based on the ideas of philosopher John Locke, the state does not have the ability to infringe upon the right of people to determine their own destiny; he believes that mankind’s best state is to bring the best parts of their natural instincts into society, collecting together into a “state of perfect freedom.” Conversely, philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that ...

Abstract

The concept of human rights has evolved over time and today, human rights are used as the yardstick upon which people measure a government’s treatment of its people. Human rights have been proffered as universal rights that occur to man by his being human. It may well be stated that human rights in modern day are synonymous to religion. They seek to define the moral code within which a government treats its people. Several theoretical approaches have been put forward in an endeavor to explain the basis of human rights. some of the theoretical approaches include the natural rights theory ...

Same sex relationships and marriages is a controversial topic and like any other contentious subject, it faces a great number of support and opposition depending on human perception. Many countries are against homosexual marriages and it is one of the most constitutional issue facing the world today. It has various advantages and disadvantages and they are mainly based on one deciding whether to criticize it as ethically and morally wrong or right. Homosexuality should not be legalized because it is unnatural, it ignores a child’s best interests and is against many religions. One of the reasons why same sex marriage ...

Introduction

Henry Kissinger was perhaps one of the most active and important Secretaries of State. His forceful intervention in several questions such as the Vietnam War as well as his propping up of General Gustavo Augusto Pinochet makes him a reviled figure amongst those who have democracy at heart (Bass, p 275). This paper seeks to argue that Kissinger should indeed be hauled in front of an International War Crimes Tribunal largely due to his intervention, covert or non-covert in several mass genocides. Two of these are those in Bangladesh in 1971 where the Pakistani Army was given US backing to ...

My opinion is that I support the natural law. I support the natural law because it is through the natural law that human beings understand the morally accepted acts and behaviors in the society. It guides the human beings in reasoning and differentiating right from wrong. The natural law is above all the human being’s law. This is because natural law originates from God. God created human beings and gave them reasoning ability. Therefore, natural law is a set of rules that enable human beings to flourish and prosper with their lives. This is because when human beings have ...