Allyson A. Duarte Vela
Dr. Alexander V. Stehn
PHIL 4350-01 Moral Theory
11 December 2014
Word Count: 2,145
The Self, the Other, and the Possibility of Liberation
The primary objective of this research is to illustrate the manner in which the theoretical formulations of Latin American thinker Enrique Dussel have come to revolutionize the way in which ethics and philosophy have been traditionally thought of. In his Ética de la Liberación en la Edad de la Industrialización y de la Exclusion (1998), Dussel seeks to construct a theoretical framework that carters to liberate the victims of the highly globalized world-system we are part of today. Dussel attempts to do so by providing an ethical account that directly objects and deconstructs the post-modern ontological view of reality that has been abstracted and selfishly imposed upon the world as a universal fact of existence, reflective of everything that is and has ever been.
Dussel 's ethical discourse can be thought of as being composed of three dimensions corresponding to three aspects of reason: (1) The Material Moment of Ethics & Practical Truth, (2) Formal Morality & Intersubjective Validity, and (3) Ethical Feasibility & the "Goodness Claim."
(1) The Material Moment of Ethics & Practical Truth
The Ethics of Liberation, according to Dussel, is an ethics of life. And for this reason, the material principle of this ethics imposes an obligation to "produce, reproduce and develop the concrete human life of each ethical subject
This paper is going to discuss Ethics and Ethical Theories. It will include an introduction to ethical theories, virtue ethics, and care ethics. There will be sections discussing absolutism versus relativism, consequentialism versus deontological ethics, and lastly, free will versus determinism. It will also include a discussion about the study of morality and identify which of the approaches (Scientific, Philosophical, or Theological/Religious) are closest to my own personal beliefs. There will be a discussion regarding the three sources of ethics
When discussing ethics and the similarities of the different lenses one should explain what the lenses are. A description of the differences in which each theory addresses ethics and morality. A personal experience can be used to explain virtue,
Focusing heavily on the suffering of the Black-Americans and the suffering of Jesus Christ, it tries to find connections between the sufferings in an attempt to relate Black-Americans to Jesus Christ. A respected theologian and advocate of this concept, James H. Cone argues in his book A Black Theology of Liberation that the ultimate task of Black Theology is asking “What does Jesus Christ mean for the oppressed Blacks of the land?” (Cone 116). This question is the foundation for his book, as he goes on to state how “White conservatives and liberals alike present images of Jesus Christ that are completely alien to the liberation of the Black community” (Cone 117). This results in an image of Jesus Christ as a symbol of opposition to oppression.
A story is most powerful when it inspires the reader to believe that reading the story is “necessary”. In our textbook, there are three stories that hold true to this idea and follow the “Between Worlds” theme. These stories are, “A Cab Drivers Daughter” by Waheeda Samady, “Three Ways of Meeting Oppression” by Martin Luther King Jr., and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. In “A Cab Drivers Daughter” a Pediatrician examines her life and the life of her father; she notes all the stereotypes and negativity that surrounds an immigrant driving a cab. This story shines light on the generation gap and cultural beliefs. Secondly, “Three Ways of Meeting Oppression” is the explanation behind the ideology of the
This text, not just a product of the intellectual musings of an armchair philosopher, was born out of a culmination of extraneous events and systems that were prevalent at the time of its conception.
Shackles on the mind, soul, and spirit kept a race of people in slavery during a dark time in American history. Narrative of Sojourner Truth, a Northern Slave, Emancipated from Bodily Servitude by the State of New York, in 1828 follows her life as a slave, known as Isabell, growing up and experiencing many different masters. Sojourner Truth’s meaning of freedom was largely shaped by her religious and family beliefs as well as her experiences as a chattel. Freedom is not just a release from the bondage of physical slavery, but it is a revolution of thought, meaning that slaves were no longer seeking to please the wishes of another human being but were able to embark on a personal pursuit of happiness. Freedom to Sojourner Truth was a
In 1989, Don Marquis, an American philosopher, published his paper “Why Abortions are Immoral” in The Journal of Philosophy, and his argument became widely cited and significant amongst the debate between the views of anti-abortion and pro-choice parties. This essay aims to analyze and evaluate Marquis’ paper, and also discuss how the views of immorality should translate into the laws of our society. One of the reasons why Don Marquis’ argument in “Why Abortions are Immoral” is particularly compelling is because the philosopher adopts a deductive reasoning approach and avoids traditional debate over “what constitutes as personhood”.
Mohammad Taghi, Q. (2014). The relationship between ethics and human rights in the thought of
Utilitarianism, deontological, and virtue theory ethics are three normative approaches to ethics. This paper will go over the similarities and differences between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological principles. It will include information of the variations in how each concept details ethics, morality, and it will also discuss a personal experience to describe the correlation between virtue, values, and moral perceptions as they relate to one of the three theories.
For generations, we as a society have evaluated what we call our freedoms, as they constantly continue to influence our quality of life. In the 1940s, President Franklin Roosevelt's Message to Congress promised the people of America Four Freedoms, or freedoms that are imperative to human life. These freedoms included freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Freedom of speech goes back to the first amendment where there is the liberty of expression. Freedom of worship allows people to practice any belief system they desire, as well as worship the God that they please. Freedom from want meant no citizen should have to yearn for the basic needs to survive, and should be provided with a standard living. Finally, freedom from fear meant for there to be no fear of having to use aggression against a neighbor, in addition to being granted peace and a sense of security. These were the guaranteed freedoms stated by the president for the future. However, as time progressed and certain events in history began occurring, these freedoms may have slipped from view and become less practiced. It is clear to see that the United States government did not effectively uphold these freedoms during, the time the U.S declared war against the Japanese, during the scare of Communism, and in the day to day life for citizens in minority groups.
Ethics and virtue have been a very contentious issue facing society for centuries. Many argue over the merits of various theories, each with its own philosophies and assumptions. It is this argument that has given rise to many popular and followed theories of ethics and virtues. The theories discussed primarily in this document include the virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological theory. Each is very distinct to the others in regards to its principles and assumptions regarding human behavior. Each however, has merit in regards to question of ethics and virtue, and how it should subsequently be valued.
“We are left alone, without excuse. This is what I mean when I say that man is condemned to be free” (Sartre 32). Radical freedom and responsibility is the central notion of Jean-Paul Sartre’s philosophy. However, Sartre himself raises objections about his philosophy, but he overcomes these obvious objections. In this paper I will argue that man creates their own essence through their choices and that our values and choices are important because they allow man to be free and create their own existence. I will first do this by explaining Jean-Paul Sartre’s quote, then by thoroughly stating Sartre’s theory, and then by opposing objections raised against Sartre’s theory.
The works of two philosophers Machiavelli’s The Prince and Descartes’s Meditations on First Philosophy were revolutionary in terms of setting knowledge on new foundations. In the literary work The Prince Machiavelli details the guidelines that leaders should adhere to in order to maintain stability in their controlled lands by accurately summarizing the nature of humans as being ungrateful, vain, and selfish individuals. While Descartes in his work Meditations on First Philosophy ventures on a journey to decipher the relationship between his body and mind and what in actuality exists. Both philosophers embark on a journey to comprehend and uncover the truth.
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a subject of philosophy that engages itself in systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong. It investigates questions of right and wrong and of the best way of living for people. In this essay I am going to explain the differences between the ethical schools of consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics and argue that in my opinion deontology is the most reasonable theory of the three.
In “Man Has No Nature,” Jose Ortega argues that man must earn his life metaphysically. Ortega’s strongest argument towards this belief can be seen as the process that one must go through to earn their life. Ortega has the ability to, through only four pages of writing, describe man’s nature and how that seems to effect his choices. In this paper, I will make evident all of Ortega’s evidence that, man must determine what he is and then make him that belief in order to earn his life metaphysically.