Abstract It will be argued, contrary to Leibniz and Levinas, that we must not "abandon the world to useless suffering", but rather "accept" the world of evil although struggling and fighting every step of the way. It is this frank acknowledgement of the overwhelming weight of the human condition that gives to this struggle its heroic, mythic qualities.
Abstract This paper discusses Emmanuel Kant's philosophy on lying and compares it to the philosophy of utilitarianism. It describes Kant's categorical imperative and how it can be utilized in a situation that may involve lying. The paper presents a case where there is a question of whether to lie or not and discusses the possible philosophies of how to deal with the dilemma.
From the Paper "At first, utilitarianism seems perfect for resolving such a dilemma. The problem is that the utilitarian is focused only on happiness, and happiness in this dilemma is false. The person's happiness also is just temporary and will end sooner or later, anyway. For a person who is faced with such a dilemma, the most helpful idea is Kant's categorical imperative. The reason is that it shows a practical point about human beings. It is not always wrong to lie because sometimes the truth is as bad as or worse than the lie. The only way to make a decision is to ask whether what we will do should be done by all individuals who happen to be faced with the same dilemma. When we are faced with an impossible or really difficult situation, then the categorical imperative provides a means to deal with that dilemma."
Abstract This paper offers a detailed analysis of Beauvoir's writing with particular reference to 'Memoires of a Dutiful Daughter', 'The Second Sex' and 'A Very Gentle Death'. It examines the question of Beauvoir's complicity in a patriarchal society and draws on the criticism of Levinas, Judith Butler and Toril Moi. This paper discusses that much radical-seeming women's writing in modern France is produced under the uncriticized influence of patriarchal ideology.
From the Paper "Despite persistent attempts, Beauvoir's writing belies inclusion in any definition of "women's writing", if such a genre can be said to exist, beyond one that simply refers to writing that has been undertaken by a woman. Whilst her position as a woman informs her writing and occupies much of her thinking, she is not situating herself within a concept of "women's writing" and nor indeed can her readers pigeonhole her so easily. Her writing remains solely her own, whatever it may owe to her gender. Having said that, women dominate her texts, male-female relations dominate her philosophical outlook and her situation as a woman who is acutely aware of the role society expects her to perform clearly dominates her attitude towards life. Beauvoir struggled with the limitations of her position as a woman and when she was confronted with the disadvantages and prejudices facing women she vented her anger through her writing. Despite the obvious frustrations felt by Beauvoir, however, her critics have suggested that, far from attacking and undermining the patriarchal ideologies to which she objected, she in fact came to subscribe to them. In other words, she became as complicit through her writing as the women she herself criticised in society as a whole because she sought to radically overturn the perceptions of women but never lived up to the promise of her aim."
Abstract This paper discusses how there is a limit to language in some important respects. This paper will examine the limits in this sense as they are articulated and examined in section 17 of his paper titled "God and Philosophy".
This paper provides an overview of the life and works of the great philosopher Immanuel Kant and will attempt to understand how Kant's philosophy of reasoning deviated and synthesized that of his philosophical predecessors.
1,450 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 4 sources, 2001, $ 48.95
Abstract This paper provides an overview of the life and works of the great philosopher Immanuel Kant and will attempt to understand how Kant's philosophy of reasoning deviated and synthesized that of his philosophical predecessors.
From the paper:
Emmanuel Kant's name is one of the bywords for intellectual rigor and ethics in philosophy. But an equally important part of the body of his work is Kant as a great synthesizer of the great philosophical writers of the pre-existing period. Rather than concentrate on Kant's ethical judgements, this paper will attempt to understand how Kant's philosophy of reasoning deviated and synthesized that of his philosophical predecessors. Such an understanding will better enable a reader to understand Kant's ethical imperatives and the reasoning behind them
Abstract This paper outlines the specific religious view of William Blake. It traces Blake's influences to various sources, such as the Christian Bible, Buddhism, and the texts of Emmanuel Swedenborg and John Milton. Its main thesis states that Blake believes that humanity itself holds more importance than the traditional view of God as creator, lawmaker, and punisher. The paper makes use of many primary and secondary sources.
From the Paper "When reading the works of William Blake, it quickly becomes apparent that the texts are rife with Blake's strong opinions on social issues, especially those on religion. As rebellious as Blake proved to be, it is not surprising that he made it a point to rail against any religion that would impose restriction on the human imagination through any sort of rule, dogma, or rationale. Blake's own belief draws from two fundamental Christian ideas, those of divinity in man (as in Jesus Christ) and the importance of forgiveness of sins. Blake uses these principles to back up his personal opinion, which holds humanity to be the center of the universe, not God; this is hinted at in many of Blake's works, and is fully realized in arguably his greatest achievement, Jerusalem."
Abstract This paper discusses philosophers such as Emmanuel Kant and Aristotle, who wrote extensively on ethics and how to live within society. The paper goes on to discuss other general philosophies of ethics such as the currently accepted ethics of care and more traditional systems such as the social contract.
From the Paper "Kant's distinction between ethics and self-interest appears to be of interest in this particular case. For this philosopher, the conflict between what an individual wants and ought to do, lies in the fact that morality is seldom as spontaneous as self-gratification (Online Guide to Ethics and Moral Philosophy). Going to the trouble of helping a person in need is less spontaneous than looking the other way or serving some other, more self-involved interest.
When looking honestly at my situation from my own position of self-interest, I must admit that the thought of turning my friend in does not appeal to a large degree because I would like to continue my friendship with him. It is also much more pleasant to live in an environment without a "witch" making things difficult all the time. Thirdly, turning him in would mean going through a large amount of trouble in terms of police questioning, red tape and personal guilt. "
Abstract In this article, the writer examines one of the excerpts presented in 'The Holocaust: A Reader', that appears to be an excerpt from the diary of Emmanuel Ringelblum. The writer explains that it is assumed that Ringelblum was a resident of the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland. The writer discusses that the diary gives some interesting historical information about life inside the Jewish ghettos. The writer concludes that the reader is unaware of whether Ringelblum died in the ghetto, was shipped to a concentration camp where he was killed, survived life in the concentration camp, or survived the war without further incident. However, the reader is aware that Ringelblum's life was severely disrupted and harmed by his time in the ghetto.
From the Paper "Furthermore, Ringelblum makes it clear that it was not only the Gestapo who participated in the oppression of Jews in the ghetto. For example, Ringelblum describes the activities of the Polish police in the ghetto. Rather than working to keep Jews safe or resolve disputes, the Polish police ended up being in charge of anti-smuggling operations. However, rather than actually discouraging smuggling, the Polish officers profited off of the misery of those in the ghetto, by requiring bribes from the smugglers. Even children were required to bribe police officers in order to obtain food and necessities."
"However, Ringelblum also makes it clear that Jews were aware of the part that they played in the German war machine. Jews in the Warsaw ghetto were expected to contribute to the war effort by restoring or sewing uniforms for Nazi soldiers. Those who did not contribute in that manner were exterminated. Furthermore, Ringelblum observed Nazi propaganda. The Gestapo would stage incidents of violence by Jews or Poles against Jews, and have photos of the Gestapo stopping such violence."
This paper is a metaphysical investigation of Keats's sonnet, "O Thou Whose Face Hath Felt the Winter's Wind," as related to the philosophical texts by Hegel and EmmanuelLevinas.
Abstract This paper explains that John Keats in his sonnet ,"O Thou Whose Face Hath Felt the Winter's Wind," has two ontological entities, the speaker or "I", and the addressed, or the "thou". The author points out that Hegel is reluctant to say what he says because he finds the language of the world of appearance to be necessarily reductive; but, in the Keats's poem, the addressed seems to be a more settled version of Hegel's blind man, or man with sight, as he or she has taken hold of the abundant wealth of the supersensible beyond. The paper concludes that Keats's sonnet affirms nothing but doubt, both doubt in the autonomous self and doubt in the existence of a beyond that is anything more than a projected human construct.
From the Paper "A common association with darkness is ignorance. Indeed, the phrase "in the dark" is often used when saying someone lacks knowing on an issue. Keats points to this assumption of darkness as ignorance when the speaker of the poem declares proudly and in defiance of common sense, "O fret not after knowledge! I have none." This non-knowing couched in darkness elsewhere could be an exclamation of ignorance, but here represents something different. It is a non-knowing knowledge of that which is outside the realm of conventional human understanding. The transcendent quality of knowledge in the poem is maintained by the binary of sense perception (seeing the trees, cloud tops) and abstractness (the light of darkness)."
Abstract This paper presents a general overview of some of the controversial issues surrounding the abortion debate. The paper is divided into three parts which present different sides of the debate. It discusses the issue from the view-point of the fetus, as well as the mother and gives arguments for and against both sides. The paper concludes with the author's personal view-point.
Table of Contents:
Part 1
Part 2
Emmanuel Kant
John Stuart Mill
John Rawls
Levinas Part 3
From the Paper "Levinas' account of the primacy of ethics - of the absolute responsibility in the face of the other can be considered a theory that argues against abortion. According to Levinas, moral principles are derived from the acts of relatedness and care essential to human life. The Other does not at all limit our freedom, it calls it to responsibility, founds it and justifies it. Abortion in such an approach as Levinas puts forward is wrong as it is a refusal to meet the Other and suggests the lack of responsibility. Ethics is an act of commitment. So is the encounter with the other, therefore, abortion should be prohibited."
Abstract The quest for identity marks the central movement in Robert Browning's dramatic monologue, ?Fra Lippo Lippi.? This paper looks at how, during the course of the poem, Lippi depicts his patrons and, particularly the Church, as entities that wish to solidify their respective identities through artistic representation. Conversely, it explains how Lippi utilizes painting to point out his personal distance from the Church and to solidify his own identity as an individual who privileges body over soul.
From the Paper "What he had thought was free artistic expression was little more than a critical assessment of his surroundings through art. The art itself offered no insights to Lippi's personality or identity; rather it allowed him to avoid self-scrutiny. The Prior's criticism of Lippi's work acts as a catalyst for self-evaluation because it creates and highlights a division between Lippi's social obligations and his belief system. However, Lippi's self-evaluation is as meaningless as his art until he verbalizes it. The form of the dramatic monologue indicates that identity exists and has meaning only insofar as it is a response to social context."
This paper explores the first and second formulations of Emmanuel Kant's "Categorical Imperative" and cites evidence that the two can indeed work together, contrary to prominent interpretation.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 0 sources, 2001, $ 60.95
Abstract This paper is centrally interested in the definition of "objectivity" in the work of E. Kant, particularly in relation to his first first and second formulations of the categorical imperative. This paper explores the conventional interpretation of the notion of objectivity, and then offers a modernized understanding of the term.
From the Paper "This essay holds that the application of the first and second formulations of Kant's moral doctrine the categorical imperative"the purpose of which is to determine the morality of human action"can and must be applied in conjunction. When applied in conjunction, it is shown that the two formulations prohibit and enjoin the same actions for the same reason. First, this essay explores the conventional interpretation of the first and second formulations of the categorical imperative. After mentioning the primary fault of this interpretation?namely, the confusion surrounding the interpretation of the terms "objective" or "objectivity"? a new interpretation is suggested."
A discussion of four books on the Middle Ages: "Chaucer" by Donald Howard, "Inventing the Middle Ages" by Norman Cantor, "Montaillou" by Emmanuel Lafurie and "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara Tuchman and possible reasons for their popularity.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 9 sources, 1993, $ 79.95
From the Paper "Publishing is a business dependent on the vagaries of public taste, and the best-seller list is the goal for every book published. Achieving sales sufficient to reach the best-seller list is difficult, and it seems to many people like only certain kinds of books get on that list, books with a broad appeal, certainly, which also might mean books that appeal to the sort of "lowest common denominator" that rules television. Yet, clearly this is not the case, since books of widely divergent types on subjects that might be considered difficult and even esoteric have become major best-sellers. The four books discussed here are all non-fiction books but are also from very different fields, and none of them involves subject matter that can be considered of broad appeal on its face or of immediate interest in the way a book on a current subject might be. Donald R."
Abstract The paper discusses how the distinctive lines which determine control and influence between technology and humanity are often smudged. Since the release of the desk top computer, society has been effected to a similar degree to which it has been served. The paper examines how computers used to be limited to large corporations, to run only the most complicated tasks. Today, they are used in almost every aspect of our life. The paper looks at the affect of the internet on our social habits, where a person is no longer at risk of being directly rejected if their ideas are outside of the social norms. In the event of a hostile response, the "Delete" key is never far away. The paper shows that this oxymoron can drive our culture toward increased isolation, or it can cause the recognition of our need to socialize, to build intimate personal interaction, and to share life with others. It questions whether technology can guide society toward shallow e-lives, or whether culture will insist that it remain the servant, constantly climbing out of intoxicating isolationism.
From the Paper "In her book, The Real World of Technology, Ursula M. Franklin argues that technology has a disruptive effect on humanity. Her assertion is that if left-unchecked technology will eventually destroy society as we know it. She continues and contends that for society's sake, people must question everything before accepting new technologies into their world. In the book, Franklin's argument urges people to come together and participate in public reviews and discuss or question technological practices that lead to a world that is designed for technology and not for society. Franklin, however, seems unable to realize that the influx of technology and society's greater dependence of it may just be another step of evolution. Just as humans grew out of the ape and the hammer out of the twig, so to may the children and their tools of tomorrow grow to become something greater than even we can imagine."
Abstract This paper examines the viewpoints of each of the philosophers -- G.E. Moore, W.D. Ross, John Rawls and Richard Mervyn Hare -- who, at some point in their various writings, ask: How do we know what is right and correct, and how do we act upon the answer to this question? The author points out that, to varying degrees, all of these philosophers write against, and yet ,in response to the popular theories of utilitarianism and the earlier postulate of Kantian moral absolutism as embodied in the categorical imperative, but no one agrees with John Stewart Mill or Emmanuel Kant. The paper relates that, in contrast to Ross and Moore, Rawls believes that it is possible to reach some categorical generalization about society as a whole when individual rights are in conflict.
Table of Contents
G.E. Moore
W.D. Ross
John Rawls
Richard Mervyn Hare
From the Paper "The philosopher Mervyn Hare was later to expand upon this idea that dealing with this values/factual distinction. He accepted both philosophers notions that these catagorizations were important in making moral determinations. However, unlike Ross, Hare advances a non-cognitively based ethical theory. Hare suggests that although there may not be pre-existing moral codes pre-existing or outside of the cognitive structures of the human mind, there is a need within a societal framework for moral assertions to prescribe codes in a universal fashion that makes them binding upon every human being."
