Senior Philosophy - Essay Example

Senior philosophy Test Question Aristotle begins by investigating the fundamental purpose of humanity. In doing this, the renowned scholar determines that happiness is not just a feeling or a sensation. According to him, happiness is the ultimate goal of human existence. In his investigation of happiness, he seeks to determine the nature of happiness and its role in the life of an individual. He discovers that happiness is fundamental in the life of every human. Unlike the most prevalent definition of happiness, that attributes happiness to either a feeling or sensation, Aristotle determines that happiness is a prerogative for a successful and fulfilling life. According to him, happiness is a relative concept that means different things to different people. He says, “Happiness depends on ourselves” (Aristotle 121). In the phrase, Aristotle claims that everyone is everyone’s prerogative. Everyone understands the things that make them happy and in an ideal society one should therefore pursue only such. Question 2 In his foundations of metaphysics, Immanuel Kant begins by defining morality as the personal decision and ability to distinguish between right and wrong. From his definition, Kant understands the relativity of the concept. This implies that morality means different things to different people. This therefore validates the need for base of argument in which everyone counterchecks his or her definition of morality. Morality is behavioral and arises from the traits that one exhibits. The basic definition of either ethics or morality thus rests on the limitation of harm to either self or a third party (Immanuel 61). The social decisions that people make must therefore not harm others. Taking a loan while consciously aware of ones inability to repay is a deliberate cause of harm, which qualifies as both a crime and a sin. The two define unethical conducts that also cause harm to third parties. Question 3 Pleasure is yet another relative concept that means different things to different people. Pleasure is an abstract noun and therefore not measurable. However, however, John Stuart Mill sough to develop a concept that would help one measure the quantity of pleasure in an individual and therefore compare the amount of pleasure people feel at different times. The difference in personalities influences the difference in pleasures that people feel. Most people derive pleasure by holding a dominating position (John 66). Whenever people engages in an activity that earns them gratification, they always seek to control such This way, the essence of pleasure sets in thereby fulfilling a previously existing void. However, Stuart explains that it is equally imperative that one concentrates and participate on the activity fully. According to his hypothesis, the level of involvement in the activity is directly proportional to the amount of pleasure that one derives from such. Additionally, pleasure is portrayed in the on both verbal and nonverbal reactions. Through the observation of such features as facial expressions and other types of responses as the little gibberish that people make when engaging in such activities, help one determine the amount of pleasure in another. However, the relativity of the concept implies that the level and amount of pleasure depends on the individual and may not correspond with the feelings in another. Question 4 Morality as defined earlier is a behavior determinant that helps people exhibit desirable behaviors. However, the concept is relative as people exhibit various behaviors. Sigmund Freud investigates the concept and determines that morality is social feature that arises from the nature of the society. Coincidentally, Lewis determines that as well. The two psychological scholars agree that morality moderates human behaviors thus limiting harm in the society. Morality as a social concept is therefore relative to the society. This implies that an action considered moral in one society may not be in another. However, societies have various similarities as they base their structures on religions and government. The two have specific behavior requirements that end up defining morality as they seek to develop and sustain peaceful coexistence among people in the society. Question 5 Talents are innate abilities in people. Talents rely on the interests that one have, these acts as motivators that propel people into nurturing their talents to blossom in desirable abilities. Adam Smith investigates the differences in talents as exhibited by different people. In doing this, he makes a conclusion that “the difference of natural talents…is much less as we aware of” in this statement, Smith implies that talents are equally relative as different people have different talents. Smith explains that the difference in talents is evident in people since the abilities are self-manifested in the activities that people. Talents therefore come naturally since they arise from interests (Adam 71). Doing something that earns one both pleasure and satisfaction contributes to their perfection in the same activity. This way, talents become evident in people thus depicting the different talents that different people have. Question 6 Modern day economic systems have developed unique social structures. Unlike in the past where people existed in particular castes, the modern society has a unique class structure in which the position of an individual n the society is determined by the amount of wealth they have. The modern society does major on the source of the wealth provided besides its legitimacy. Grouping people in classes such as the upper class consisting of the wealthy and the low class consisting of the poorest thus develops the concept of class struggle. As explained earlier, classes does not limit individual into particular lifestyle (Karl and Friedrich 66). People are free to change classes depending on their ability to amass more wealth. This creates a scenario in which people are nowadays striving through various economic activities to amass as much wealth as possible. People invest their saving in businesses with the view of earning more money thus acquiring more wealth in order to improve their status in the society. The competition for resources thus amounts to the class struggle, which coincidentally sustains the economy of a nation. Question 7 Social responsibility is an investment plan in which a corporate organization gives back some of its proceeds to the society through strategic projects. While such projects benefit the society, the corporate organization uses such to market its services that improving its profitability. Milton Friedman explains that when making a social responsive investing a corporate executive assumes various roles key among which include legislator, jjurist and executive all in one. These arise from the need for the executive to develop an effective plan that will improve the profitability of the organization. For a business executive, the primary objective is to sustain the profitability of the organization. Every decision such people make should therefore always sustain the profitability objective of the company. An executive must therefore analyze the society, determine, and appropriate investment plan that will not only benefit the society but also earn the company an effective platform to market its operations (Milton 77). Question 8 As society develops living, structure equally develops thereby heightening competition on the resources. As explained earlier, the modern economic system has resulted in the concept of class struggle. Currently, people are busy trying to make a decent living. Additionally, people strive to increase their earnings and amass more resources in order to compete favorable in the class struggle. The desire to earn more money and have better lives motivates people to work extremely hard thereby validating Joana Ciulla’s claim that work in the modern society is more demanding than it was in the previous societies. Currently people work harder and have more motivations to work harder than the previous society. The modern technological development permits people to work from home and therefore increase their productive hours. Additionally, professional careers require dedicated training through schools a feature that compel increased commitments in the economic activities people do in the modern day society (Joanna 81). The skills people acquire through the trainings make the jobs enjoyable, people therefore work more diligently than in the previous society. The fact that people require expertise to work is yet another evident commitment that people must make in the contemporary society. Question 9 Justice is a fundamental concept and contributor to the peace and stability in modern day societies. Governments all over the world have judicial services in place in order to dispense justice following the understanding that people are likely to conflict. The dispensation of justice is however a tedious process that requires the effective consideration of all the facts presented by both the parties in a legal tussle. The end result principle bases its argument on the outcomes of a judgment to measure it effectiveness. The theory explains that the effects of an effective judgment must safeguard the interest of both parties. The historical principle on the other hand posits that current legislations must follow the precedents set by past judgments. The principle argues that justice is similar and must therefore portrays the uniformity (Robert 61). Question 10 In a society consisting of various people, conflicts are expected. The more complex the social structure, the more complex the violence are likely to be, most of the violence include the use of force. Thomas Hobbes therefore explains that when faced with an aggressive attack it is only realistic that one uses force in defense in order to counter the forceful attack failure of which the attacked individual may lose. The explanation is realistic and evidently applicable in the modern day society, which consists of various people (Thomas 121). State security for example use force with their freedom to use force entrenched in the constitutions. This explains the concern that countries have on their security personnel and the dedication that such officers have in executing their duties. They understand that most of the conflicts they intercept are violet with some of such targeting the particular officers. In order to safeguard their interests, the state accords the people the right to use firearms in order to safeguard their lives and restore order in the society. The right to use firearms is the greatest liberty that the personnel enjoy and portrays the extent of aggressive attacks in the modern day society. Question 11 Knowledge unlike many other philosophical concepts is concrete often referring tested and proven facts in the society. Knowledge is an effectively researched and tested claim that explains a cause. This explains Jean-Paul Sartre’s claim that giving value to mediocrity is creating and elite of the ordinary. It is vital that one considers the validity of his or her claim. Considering the validity in most cases requires the backing of proven and tested concepts found in well-researched books that contain valid knowledge. Only such do not foster the validation of mediocrity as Sartre claims (Jean 41). Question 12 Humans live with the fact of death on their mind. The immortal nature of human life is a constant reminder that human life is temporary. However, Sigmund Freud argues that the human’s unconscious mind exists and operates as though immortal. The immortality thought is evident on human’s behavior especially in the contemporary society in which people amass as much wealth forgetting that they may not use such in the few days (Milton 41). Freud uses this to explain the fact that a person will amass and defend as much wealth as possible. The desire to make more wealth arises from the need by humans to safeguard their future. However, people strive to make their future admirable thereby forgetting their present. The fact that some of the wealthiest business people are well over seventy years old explains the concept. Such old people still believe in amassing more wealth in order to safeguard their future. Such behaviors validate the claim that human’s unconscious mind does not believe in its own death. Works cited Adam, Smith. Benefits of the Profit Motive. New York: Springer, 2002. Print. Aristotle. Happiness and the Good Life. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. Immanuel, Kant. Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals. New York: Spring, 1999. Print. Jean, P. Sartre. Anti-Semite and Jew. New York: Peter Lang, 2003. Print. Joanna, Ciulla. Honest Work. St. Paul, Minn: West Group, 2009. Print. John, S. Mill. The Subjection of Women. Clifton Park: Thomson/Delmar Learning, 2003. Print. Karl, Marx and Friedrich, Engels. The Immorality of Capitalism. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett, 1997. Print. Milton, Friedman. The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008. Print. Milton, Friedman: The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits. New York: Berkley, 2003. Print. Robert, Nozick. The Principle of Fairness. Mahwah, NJ [u.a.: Erlbaum, 2003. Print. Thomas, Hobbes. Justice and the Social Contract. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press, 2009. Print.   Read More