Benefits Of Virtue Ethics And Morals Philosophy Essay

Benefits Of Virtue Ethics And Morals Philosophy Essay When I think of virtue ethics, I think about myself and what or how I think of individual character. Many people say that I am kind, caring and very considerate person. That always think about other people and how I can help them. This would be because my moral belief is that I treat others as I like to be treated. So if you want respect then you have to give respect. But I also think about how I feel when I help someone. So you may ask yourself, what does that have to do with virtue ethics? Aristotle who is a virtue ethicist from Greece says that a virtuous person is not one that does the right act but one who consistently does the right act and for the right reason (Waller, 2005, p. 98). I myself know that I am consistently kind to people and care very much for people in my life but also for the elderly, kids and pets and I do this for the right reasons and that would be because it makes me feel good about myself. Aristotle also says that we are what we repeatedly do and that excellence is not an act but a habit (Waller, 2005, p. 98). I can say that I agree with that because when go see my mom who lives in a senior building and some who know what I do for work and need help or if they just want to sit and talk or need a ride to the store. I am always willing to help them and they want to pay me but I refuse because it is a habit for me to be nice and kind to them. When I am out and about and I see a dog it is a habit that I stop and pat the dog and talk to them because I am an animal lover. For me as I have stated I am a true animal lover so I do believe that not only humans but animals and insects should have some moral consideration. Tom Regan proposed that inherent worth need only be the subject of a life (Waller, 2005, p. 135) and I agree with him. What people forget about is that supposedly humans were apes way back when or should say humans evolved from gorillas. But animals of all species shapes and sizes have minds and feelings just like humans. They also have moral codes as well for example: a female gorilla has children and gives them love as well as teaches them how to survive and teaches her young right from wrong whether it is in eating a banana compared to pineapple or fighting with its siblings, just like a human mother does with her children. So it makes me wonder why anyone could be cruel to any animal. For many people they may question whether morality really does exist. For me I would have to say how you can think that it does not. Humans are a species that live life socially and if there were no morals in the world we would have to think of all the craziness that would be in the world and people would not live socially. Without having morals, humans could become extinct because no one would have a care in the world of who can do whatever to whomever like murder, rape, theft and there would be no reason to stop any of that. So by having morals in the world most people do not commit murder and rape or steal from another even though some people do those things that are not morally correct by many standards. Morals help bring peace to the world. The Rain Forest is an environmental dilemma for many years now. Some people do not care about the Rain Forest so they want to take the trees down to create products and not care about what how that affects life itself for humans or for the animals of all kind that live there and need to have it for survival. The Rain Forest not only affects the survival of animals but for humans as well. Then you have some people who believe that by taking down the trees in which will destroy the rain forest will affect humans as well as animals. These are the people that I agree with. It would be morally wrong to destroy that forest. Without the forest many of animals and insects that is needed for many different reasons that make the environment work in a positive way would disappear in return it would affect the environment itself. There are certain insects that eat other insects to make sure their populations do not get crazy and then you have the animals that use the water to survive and the mos t of all the trees that help keep the air clean and help with the process of oxygen. So morally it would be wrong to not only destroy the forest but to slowly be killing the animals. One way that they could prevent this would be to have a ban against anyone to cut trees for any reason in the rain forest. As humans we have already taken so much from the animals as well as from ourselves. Having virtue ethics and morals help this world for the many different reasons which keep order our society as well as the society of animals. Some people are taught from their parents to have some code of honors or morals and some are taught but just do not agree with them. We as humans only learn so much from our parents then learn the rest as we grow and develop our own virtue beliefs and morals. Cite Page Waller, B. N. (2005). Consider Ethics Theory, Readings, and Contemporary Issues. New York: Longman.

Is utilitarianism a useful method of making decisions about abortion Essay

To what extent is utilitarianism a useful method of making decisions about abortion? Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory that, as suggested, looks at the consequences of the satiation and what the outcome is most likely to be. Therefore, this theory does not uphold the idea that no matter what the situation all life is sacred; it focuses on maximizing happiness for the individual. Some may argue that utilitarianism is useful because the woman is given the choice. This promotes women’s rights as, ultimately, the woman is who will carry the child and primarily care for the child, if not fully care for the child, in the first years of its life. After childbirth, which for some women is an incredibly daunting prospect, many omen suffer from depression and bodily complications. Therefore, some would argue that utilitarianism is a good approach because the woman can make the conscious and rational decisions to either undergo pregnancy or not. Some women may also feel that they are not prepared to be a mother and that it is not fair for them to bring a child into an unhealthy environment where she is struggling. This then means that the theory can be used to prevent an unprepared mother form being forced to have a child, therefore, creating happiness. However, some would disagree with utilitarianism because it allows for a quick fix solution to short term happiness. Christians believe that every child is a gift from the Lord and the bible states that â€Å"man was made in God’s image† – Genesis. Furthermore, every child is a potential life that is there to be cared for a cherished which, if aborted, will never have the opportunity to flourish in society. Some may argue that if the woman is given all the rights over whether the child is aborted or not, the father and the families of the parents may also be heavily affected by the loss of a potential family member, which can lead to depression. In addition, some may agree that utilitarianism is a useful method because it looks at the circumstances of the abortion. Traumatic experiences, including rape or molestation, can all lead to an unwanted and unplanned pregnancy. Utilitarianism allows the situation of the individual to be taken into account and so abortion would be seen as acceptable if the woman has had her rights abused and is, in turn, pregnant. This is because, those that follow the theory can foresee that due to the child being unwanted, the mother may feel hatred towards the child because of the circumstances that she was placed in, also leading to resentment. The mother may also be in an unfit emotional state to properly take care of a child, which is unfair as every child has the right to be loved and looked after by its parents. Furthermore, the greatest happiness is achieved because the woman can then reevaluate her situation and overcome the pain she has been forced to experience, before having a child. Lastly, some would argue against this point because it cannot predict the long-term consequences of abortion. There is no guarantee that if a woman has been raped she will resent and hate her child, and there is no saying that the child may in fact aid her emotional recovery and will be very much loved. There are also physical problems. If a woman has an abortion when she is young, she may try to conceive years later only to find that she is infertile from the abortion that she previously had. An abortion can also be a very traumatic experience than can lead to potential emotional damage and regret. To conclude, these points show both sides of the argument that utilitarianism is a useful approach to abortion, showing that in some cases looking at the situation allows for a slippery slope of acceptability when considering abortion.

Character and Iago

The Balance of Iago and Desdemona’s Characters in Othello In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello the balance of good versus evil is seen in Desdemona and Iago. â€Å"Every character is [†¦] balanced by another similar or contrasting character†(Kernan 877). We see this balance in Desdemona’s â€Å"innocence† and Iago’s corrupting hatred (877). The effects both Iago and Desdemona have on the main character Othello throughout the play only help to show this balance. Othello becomes the tragic work of art due to the balancing of Iago’s hatred and Desdemona’s loyalty throughout the play.At the beginning of the play, Iago’s hatred is evident through his desire to have revenge on Othello. As he speaks to Roderigo, he discusses this hatred for Othello. â€Å"These fellows have some soul, / And such a one do I profess myself. / It is as sure as you are Roderigo, / Were I the Moor I would not be Iago. / In following him , I follow but myself- / Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, / But seeming so for my peculiar end. † (Shakespeare 1. 1. 56-62). From this Iago begins his plot to overtake Othello by manipulating others to do his bidding which only adds to the extremity of his character.With his plot in motion, Iago, according to Amy Clark, uses a special technique to trick Othello by â€Å"cleverly [appearing] to be reluctant to speak ill against others. † This technique â€Å"makes Othello not suspect Iago of any dishonest behavior† (Clark). This is where Othello believes his so called friend over his wife. This method that Clark speaks of shows Iago’s deceit towards Othello. Iago says to Othello, â€Å"Cassio:/ In sleep I heard him say â€Å"Sweet Desdemona,/ Let us be wary, let us hide our loves†;/ And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand,/ Cry â€Å"O sweet creature! and then kiss me hard,/ then laid his leg/ Over my thigh, and sigh'd, and kiss 'd; and/ Cried â€Å"Cursed fate that gave thee to the Moor! † (Shakespeare 3. 3. 418-426) Iago is also willing to do almost anything to get his revenge. This is proven again at the denouement of the play, when Iago kills his own wife, as she tells Othello that Desdemona was in fact innocent. Iago tries to shut Emilia up from stating the truth by saying, â€Å"Zounds, hold your piece† (Shakespeare 5. 2. 231), â€Å"Be wise, and get you home† (Shakespeare 5. 2. 236), â€Å"Villainous whore! (Shakespeare 5. 2. 243) and â€Å"Filth, thou liest! † (Shakespeare 5. 2. 246). Iago isn’t successful in shutting Emilia up until he stabs her and she dies. Iago manipulates and twists many actions within this play to help him succeed in his revenge against Othello; however, in the end of the play it is not only Othello but also Iago who creates his own demise. Desdemona in turn balances out Iago’s pure hatred with the love and devotion she has towards he r husband. Desdemona says to Othello, â€Å"For ‘twas that hand that gave away my heart† (Shakespeare 3. . 43) proving that her love and devotion was for Othello, and Othello only. William Long says that this is shown in Desdemona’s â€Å"exposition of the reasons she loves Othello [and this helps to define] her essential character as a woman of loyalty and fidelity to him† (Long). This can also be seen when Desdemona is questioned about leaving Venice to follow Othello to Cyprus. She says, â€Å"The rites for why I love him are bereft me,/ And I a heavy interim shall support / By his dear absence.Let me go with him† (Shakespeare 1. 3. 258-60). As the play comes to its climax, we can see the effect that Desdemona has on her husband. Overcome with a jealous rage, due to the fact that he thinks Desdemona is cheating on him, and thanks to Iago’s hatred, Othello ends up killing her despite her pleas. Although, Desdemona is completely innocent of this act, she remains faithful to her husband in her last breath as she declares to Emilia that â€Å"nobody† did this to her except herself (Shakespeare 5. 2. 128).Othello has been called one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, and throughout the entire play, Alvin Kerman’s theory of each character having another character that is â€Å"similar or contrasting† to create balance is shown directly through the characters Iago and Desdemona (877). Othello’s corruptive behavior is caused by Iago’s hatred and is balanced by her innocence as well as her love and devotion for her husband. The balances they create make Othello the tragedy it is known as today. Works Cited Clark, Amy. â€Å"Analyze The Techniques Iago Uses to Plant Suspicion In Othello’s Mind. Coursework. Info. Web. 03 Apr. 2012 Kernan, Alvin. â€Å"The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare. † Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Wr iting. Ed. X. J. Kenndy and Dana Gioia. 4th ed. New York: Longman, 2012. 877. Print. 03 Apr. 2012 Long, William R. â€Å"Desdemona's Love and Othello. † Dr. William Long and Dr. Bill Long. 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. Shakespeare, William. Othello, The Moor of Venice. Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kenndy and Dana Gioia. 4th ed. New York: Longman, 2012. 762-875. Print. 03 Apr. 2012

Air Pollution in Los Angeles Essay - 950 Words

BARIS BALAT WRIT_140 Section 64259 JJ Strong January 28th, 2011 Assignment 1 STRESSED OUT Being one of the biggest social issues in Los Angeles, Air pollution has two main reasons: vehicle traffic and population growth. Actually, it is in a such crucial level that scientists indicate that air pollution in Los Angeles may endanger peoples lives. Scientific researches show that the air pollution causes cancer and have an impact on pregnant woman. Advertisements shows us some solutions like making public transportation common and sustainable housing. With the growing population of Los Angeles, something has to be done . Otherwise it is going to be impossible to deal with the air pollution. Population growth in Los†¦show more content†¦Making the use of public transportation easy will make those families use it. It would also be better because maintenance of a car would be more expensive than the usage of public transportation. Public Transportation will not only decrease the number of vehicles, it will decrease the number of automobiles that are old and environmentally unsound. Apart from that,if only the immigrants use the public transportation, that would not be the solution for air pollution since the SUVs and the cars with big engines in the richer part of the city also cause air pollution in city of Los Angeles. As I mentioned before Los Angeles is renowned as the capital of the movie and the show world. Because of its reputation, the city has become a favorite spot among wealthy people and it adds a different aspect to our issue. In the certain parts of the city, luxurious and dashing life style is obtained by families. Most of these families have an individual car for each family member and these cars are mostly either SUVs or cars with high fuel consumptions. 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