Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Philosophy and ethics

Utilitarian ethics bases right and wrong on the greatest happiness principle. This principle states that actions are considered moral when they tend to promote happiness and deter its opposite, and immoral when the opposite occurs. This principle was formulated by Jeremy Bentham. Mill claimed that it is demeaning to reduce the meaning of life to pleasure. Utility is defined as pleasure itself and the absence of pain. Happiness is a sign that we are exercising our higher faculties.

When making a moral judgment on an action, utilitarianism thus takes into account not just the quantity but also the quality of the pleasures resulting from it. A pleasure is of higher quality if people would choose it over a different pleasure even if it is accompanied... Continue reading "Utilitarian Ethics: The Greatest Happiness Principle and Moral Judgments" »

Marxist Legal Theory

Deterministic View

For Marx, society divides into two distinct classes: the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. These classes are distinguished by their relationship to the means of production. The bourgeoisie, owning the means of production, exploit the labor of the proletariat, creating an inherent power struggle. This struggle manifests in various aspects of society, including law.

Marx argues that law, morality, and religion serve to mask bourgeois interests. Law, defined and implemented by the economic elite, perpetuates their dominance. This deterministic view suggests a direct link between a society's economy and its legal system, with the imbalance of power perpetuating conflict between the classes.

Ideology and Law

Marx... Continue reading "Marxist Legal Theory: Exploring Determinism and Ideology in Law" »

Principle of Utility

The principle of utility states that actions or behaviors are right in so far as they promote happiness or pleasure, wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness or pain. Hence, utility is a teleological principle.

Act Utilitarianism

Act utilitarianism is a utilitarian theory of ethics which states that a person's act is morally right if and only if it produces the best possible results in that specific situation.

Rule Utilitarianism

Rule utilitarianism is a form of utilitarianism that says an action is right as it conforms to a rule that leads to the greatest good, or that 'the rightness or wrongness of a particular action is a function of the correctness of the rule of which it is an instance'.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia (from Greek:... Continue reading "Understanding Utilitarianism, Euthanasia, and Ethical Theories" »

Liberalism:

Individuals should have freedom to live their lives as they see fit. It is an idealist ideology, they know what is best for them. Choose what's best for you even though it isn't.

Strength:

Humans do best when allowed to make their own decisions, no one is able to say in certainty what is best for us, only I know what is best for me, humans are fallible.

Weakness:

Individual freedom may be an illusion since we are not as free as we might like to think. Many people are manipulated by corporate and government interests. Advertising.

Socialism:

Workers control the means of production and distribute profits according to need. Critical response to capitalism, tries to solve the unfair situation of the employees.

Strengths:

A fair distribution... Continue reading "Political Ideologies and Their Strengths and Weaknesses" »

Septimus and Clarissa: Contrasting Perspectives in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway

Introduction

Septimus and Clarissa, two central characters in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, embody contrasting perspectives on life and the world. Septimus, a World War I veteran, struggles with mental illness and withdraws from reality, while Clarissa, a member of high society, embraces the social world.

Septimus: The Tormented Mind

Septimus is haunted by the horrors he witnessed during the war. His mind is fragmented, and he experiences hallucinations and delusions. He refuses to face reality and retreats into his own world, where he finds solace in nature and art.

Clarissa: The Social Butterfly

In contrast to Septimus, Clarissa is deeply involved in the social... Continue reading "Septimus and Clarissa: Contrasting Perspectives in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway" »

Scientific and Architectural Prowess

Architectural Detail and Ingenuity

It is amazing to imagine the detail that the Mayans were able to create in their architecture with only primitive tools.

Advanced Calendar and Timekeeping

For the Mayans, science and religion were intrinsically linked. Time was extremely important, and their agriculture and religious ceremonies required a system that could accurately record time. That need for structure is probably the reason that the Mayans developed such an amazingly accurate calendar.

Mathematical and Astronomical Discoveries

Through their profound knowledge of astronomy and mathematics, they calculated the lunar cycle, predicted eclipses, and formulated a unique calendar system that was remarkably accurate.... Continue reading "Ancient Mayan Civilization: Innovations and Beliefs" »

Defining Stakeholders

A stakeholder is any individual or group of individuals who has a direct interest in a business because the actions of the business affect them directly.

Types of Stakeholders

Stakeholders can generally be categorized into two main types:

• Internal Stakeholders: Individuals or groups that work within the business.
• External Stakeholders: Individuals or groups that are outside the business.

Note: In practice, employees are considered internal stakeholders because they are part of the business. However, as members of society, they can also be viewed as external stakeholders due to broader societal impacts.

Internal Stakeholder Groups

These individuals and groups operate within the organization:

• Shareholders
• The CEO or Managing Director
• Senior

Prison and Punishment

Today, people have different ideas about prison and the punishment. They have many questions about whether the treatment given to prisoners is fair or unfair.

Advantages of Prisons

The main function of prisons is to separate normal people, whose behavior is good, from those who commit crimes. Another advantage is that criminals have a chance to rejoin society and become valuable citizens.

Disadvantages of Prisons

The biggest disadvantage is the lack of privacy, as prisoners live in small rooms with others. I believe the punishment should involve work for society, as staying in prison surrounded by criminals may not be helpful in returning to society as an ordinary person.

Proposed Changes

Prisons should provide more space, job... Continue reading "Prison and Underage Behavior: Advantages and Disadvantages" »

1. Not to Let One's Feelings Appear in One's Face

Context: Julia hurt her arm and Winston does not really know how to feel towards it, but he was watching how Julia's facial expression did not change was a matter of instinct especially because of the telescreen.

Significance: It shows how the party has so much control of how emotions are portrayed.

2. I Love You

Context: Winston is in his cubicle when he sees a paper on his desk, he assumes it's the thought police but it wasn't from them. When he reads the note he is shocked.

Significance: It shows how they are so numb to emotion and that when they're confronted with it, they don't know how to react.

3. Always Yell with the Crowd, That's What I Say

Context: Julia is talking to Winston when they meet... Continue reading "Emotion and Control in 1984: A Study of Party Influence" »