Kant vs Mill Essay Example for Free

Kant vs Mill Essay In the Foundation of the Metaphysics of Morals, the author, Immanuel Kant, tries to form a base by rejecting all ethical theories that are connected to consequences, and then focusing on our ethical motivations and actions. Kant wants to derive good characters out of contingently right actions. He believes that everything is contingent (everything can have good or bad worth, depending on how it is used). So he is trying to find the supreme principal of morality in all his reasoning. Kant also believes that an action is right or wrong based solely on the reason by which it was performed. However, a Utilitarian, like John Mill, would reject Kants reasoning of originating good characters out of actions alone, and instead argue that if an action has bad consequences, then the action was morally wrong. Kant believes that an action has moral worth only if it is done out of respect for our moral code. He names this moral action a ? duty. Kant also believes that in determining the moral worth of an action, we need to look at the maxim by which it was performed. So, we need to look at ones reason for doing an action to determine if it is a duty. If the reason for performing the action is justified, then the action is a duty. However, Kant says there are two different types of reasons for performing an action. Kant calls these reasons ? imperatives. The first reason for performing an action, the hypothetical imperative, is based on consequences and on our personal preferences. They are also contingent, meaning that they can be good or bad depending on how they are used. People choose to perform a given action because of the hypothetical imperative. The second reason for performing an action according to Kant is called the categorical imperative. These are not based on our preferences, dont deal with consequences of an action, and are derived a priori. They are completely separate from hypothetical imperatives. We all have knowledge of categorical imperatives before experiencing them first. They are kind of a second nature for us, which needs to be recognized according to Kant. These are the most important reason for performing an action. These imperatives also have the characteristics that Kant needs in order to make his point that all of our moral principals are categorical, have absolute authority, and are independent of different situations. These categorical imperatives have three different formulations. The second formulation of the categorical imperative deserves the most attention. The second formulation states that all rational beings should be treated as ends, because they are ends in themselves. So in making a decision, we must choose the action which respects the ends of others and of ourselves. This would be respecting an individuals autonomy. Autonomy is commanding yourself to do what you think is a good idea to do. Since your self-identity comes from the autonomy principal, it is making choices based on your values. Each person has an idea of how they want to live their life, and with interfering with that idea, we are showing that person a lack of respect for their whole person. A good example of interfering with a persons autonomy is making false promises to somebody. When we lie to someone, we take away their choice by exploiting them. So when we take away their choices, we take away their autonomy. This is because it distracts the persons perception on what is the case. If they cant see everything clearly and make a good, moral choice, that is because they dont know what they should. So we rob them of the ability to control themselves and their future. If everybody made choices and acted on their autonomy, would this world be a safe place to live? It wouldnt, because some people have no morals, and their autonomy tells them it is on their best interest to kill somebody. However, if each person respected the ends of themselves and of others, while acting on their autonomy, it would be a very safe place to live. In fact, it would be a perfect community. Kant calls this idea the ? Kingdom of Ends. In the Kingdom of Ends, only those moral laws which respect and further the establishment of this perfect community are adopted. This perfect community is impossible to achieve, Kant says. But he says it is our best interest to try to reach it. As I mentioned before, a Utilitarian, like John Mill, would argue against Kant by saying that an action has moral worth based on its consequences alone. Mill would argue against Kant by saying that making false promises are good or bad, based on the outcome, not on making the false promise. Mill would argue that if lying to somebody saved them some misery, or even their life, then lying to them would be the right action to do. For example, if you knew that somebody was going to get the crap kicked out of them tomorrow in class, and this person happened to be your friend, then you would tell them that your instructor called and class was cancelled. This would be making a false promise to your friend, and will most likely have good consequences because your friend did not go to class and get beat up. Mill says this is the right action to take in this situation, because there were good consequences in the end of things. However, Kant would completely reject this idea of performing actions based on consequences. He does this based solely on unforeseen consequences. We cannot hope to predict the outcome of any given situation. It is impossible; there is no such thing as seeing the future. So by making a false promise to your friend, you have still done the morally wrong action, even though it will most likely save them some suffering. It did indeed take away their choices, so they cant act in a way they want to act (going to class). I happen to agree with Kants idea here. I think that no matter what the consequences are, performing the right action is always the right thing to do. Overall I think that Kant has better arguments because they are directed at the individual, not at society in whole. I also agree that the moral worth of actions is determined by the motivating principal of the action, not by the consequences, like John Mill. So I am a deontologist, for the most part. However, I also agree with some of the things that Mill has to say. So is there a way that we can combine the ideas of Mill and Kant together in order to form a perfect society in which everybody is happy? I dont know the answer to this question, but we should all strive to do so, and we should start by respecting each others autonomy and treating others as ends.

J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace: Post-Apartheid South Africa Essay -- South Afr

Through the perspective of an unconventional college professor, J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace addresses the transition into post-apartheid South Africa, societal acceptance and rape through David Lurie and Lucy Lurie’s complex father-daughter relationship. While living in his daughter’s countryside home, David Lurie’s experiences reveal that despite the powerful political reform, crime continues to dominate the African people. Aspects of South African history are used to emphasize racial tension and the shift from a white to a black dominated South Africa. Coetzee also suggests the instability of the African society through constantly depicting his characters as emotionally unable to adapt to adverse situations. Although David and Lucy were initially introduced as polar opposites, their value of privacy and refusal to endure public humiliation and shame draw a parallel between the predator and prey of the novel. David Lurie ultimately evolves from his sexual en counters with Soraya, Melanie and Bev Shaw by realizing the traumatizing implications of his actions after the Lucy’s rape. J.M. Coetzee, a white South African writer, was strongly influenced by his personal experiences while he witnessed the social barriers during the apartheid. As the novel begins, Coetzee describes the sexual relationship between the protagonist David Lurie and Soraya, a prostitute that David routinely indulged in every Thursday. â€Å"For a man of his age, fifty- two, divorced, he has, to his mind, solved the problem of sex rather well† (Coetzee 1). In his mind, however, he did not put into perspective the thoughts of Soraya. He satisfied his desires at the expense of another’s emotional wellbeing. Despite Soraya’s acceptance of prostitution, her reaction towar... ...Originally, David uses his status as a white male in South Africa as his leverage and source of power, however, this tactic quickly fails and causes him to seek a new lifestyle. Lucy’s farm life introduces David not only to natural beauties but the strength people have to provide the services that they do such as managing a last resort animal aid center. By the end of his experiences, he learns that he does not belong in the environment that he used to surround himself with in the city, but that he enjoys himself when he has the company of animals and his daughter. His shift in standards of living and customs demonstrates the racial impacts of the apartheid. The connection between Lucy’s disgrace as the victim and David’s shame as the rapist demonstrates hardships both flaws. Each aspect of these flaws represents the difficulties of the apartheid in South Africa.

Your Role in a Small Team

* * Your Role in a Past Small Team and Group Paper * * â€Å"Whether you are one of those people who likes group work or one who finds it frustrating and a waste of time, evidence suggests that groups are here to stay. Human beings collaborate. We are raised in groups, educated in groups, and entertained in groups; we worship in groups and work in groups. † (Beebe, Beebe & Ivy, 2013) A team is any group of people organized to work together interdependently and cooperatively to accomplish a common purpose or a goal. Everyone will come into a situation in life where they are obligated to work in a team or group setting.The team that I am going to reference is one that I am apart of daily. As a manager at my current job I am apart of a team of higher management. There are currently four members of our management team; our store manager, and three assistant managers. As management, are duties are to ensure that everything runs smoothly and associates complete tasks. In addition, i t is our responsibility to set a good example to our team of associates so that we can lead by example. Us as a management team have different qualities then let’s say a team for school or a sport would be.All of us started at different times and at different positions. Because we all come from different backgrounds and experiences we all look at our job a little differently but we still have one goal in common. In the beginning stages of our career we were eager to learn and take on task that we had never come in contact with before. Everything was a new experience and each day was a new lesson. Now as we have progressed in our position and the basic are down some of us have lost interest in our position and feel the need for advancement.Recently, as a team we can’t seem to work together and agree on a common goal for the business. As I mentioned, we are all in different stages of our career so some of us seem to posses more ambition and passion then others. Seeing th e frustration mount, I suggested that we hold a store meeting to address any issues and express our feelings to one another. After our meeting I feel like a lot of animosity and stress towards each other and our job were greatly reduced. We were able to talk about our strengths and weaknesses individually and as a team. My store manager and myself have been with the company the longest so we are usually the ones to take on the leadership role. By us being the leaders of our team we saw that there was an issue and we knew we needed to resolve it. By us taking the lead and organizing a meeting we were able to resolve the issues. Unfortunately, the other two managers lack leadership, which does affect the team as a whole. Our team was not effective, but now it is. We did not all have a common goal among us and roles were not taken seriously.Now we are a team that works together and learned to compromise with one another. Everyone in our team is a understanding and loyal member so that made it easier to build and grown as a team. Communication is such a huge factor in a successful team. Without communication a team will fail and cannot advance. Thanks to our teams constant communication we were able to resolve our negatives and build our strengths. Since we are all different and diverse we had a lot of different opinions among us but that was a good thing.Instead of always thinking â€Å"My opinion is right and everyone else is wrong† we were able to hear each others argument and see everyone’s point of view more clearly. Without a goal a team has no purpose. When a team or a group has a goal in common it gives them motivation and drive to work together and get what needs to be done, done. Everyone in a team should have a role. Weather it’s a leader of the team or just a member every aspect is imperative to a successful team. It’s good to assign one team member as a leader so there is someone to provide structure and make sure assignmen ts or projects are done on time and correctly.According to Beebe, Beebe & Ivy, 2013 â€Å"The role of leader, a person who influences others in the group, is a special kind of role, and more than one person can assume it. † Ground rules should be put in place to ensure everyone is on the same page. Groups and teams are dynamic. A variety of factors influence the ever-changing nature of members’ interactions in groups and teams. References 1. Beebe, S. A. , Beebe, S. J. , & Ivy, D. K. (2013). Communication: Principles for a lifetime (5thed. ).

Renaissance Painter Elisabetta Sirani

Known for: Renaissance woman painter of religious and mythological themes; opened a studio for women artists Dates: January 8, 1638 - August 25, 1665 Occupation: Italian artist, painter, etcher, educator Places: Bologna, Italy Religion: Roman Catholic Family and Background Born and lived in Bologna (Italy)Father: Giovanni (Gian) Andrea SiraniSiblings: Barbara Sirani and Anna Maria Sirani, also artistically inclined More About Elisabetta Sirani One of three artists daughters of a Bolognese artist and teacher, Giovanni Sirani, Elisabetta Sirani had many artworks in her native Bologne to study, both classical and contemporary. She also traveled to Florence and Rome to study the paintings there. While some other girls in her Renaissance culture were taught painting, few had the opportunities for learning that she did. Encouraged by a mentor, Count Carlo Cesare Malvasia, she assisted her father in his teaching and studied with other instructors there. A few of her works began to sell, and it became clear that her talent was greater than her fathers. She painted not only quite well, but also quite quickly. Even so, Elisabetta might have remained no more than her fathers assistant, but he developed gout when she was 17, and her earnings were essential to the family. He may also have discouraged her marrying. Though she painted some portraits, many of her works dealt with religious and historical scenes. She often featured women. Shes known for paintings of the muse Melpomene, Delilah holding scissors, The Madonna of the Rose and several other Madonnas, Cleopatra, Mary Magdalene, Galatea, Judith, Portia, Cain, the biblical Michael, Saint Jerome, and others. Many featured women. Her painting of Jesus and St. John the Baptist was of them as a nursing infant and toddler respectively, with their mothers Mary and Elisabeth in conversation. Her The Baptism of Christ was painted for the Church of the Certosini in Bologna. Elisabetta Sirani opened a studio for women artists, a completely new idea for its time. At 27, Elisabetta Sirani came down with an unexplained illness. She lost weight and became depressed, though continued to work. She was ill from the spring through the summer and died in August. Bologna gave her a large and elegant public funeral. Elisabetta Siranis father blamed her maid for poisoning her; her body was exhumed and the cause of death determined to be a perforated stomach. Its likely that she had had gastric ulcers. Sirianis Virgin and Child on Stamps In 1994, a stamp featuring Siranis Virgin and Child painting was part of the United States Postal Services Christmas stamps. It was the first piece of historical art by a woman so featured.