John Atta Mills

In reading both Freud’s “Civilization and Its Discontents” and Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish” it is apparent that they have different views on the function of human society. Freud’s general claim in his writing is that the purpose of human life is happiness. Though our current civilization often does not offer direct, intense satisfaction of our carnal desires, it does offer a more stable lifestyle that avoids pain and results in smaller, simpler pleasures. Foucault’s claims, on the other hand

In On Liberty (1859), John Stuart Mill was a strong believer of freedom of speech. He identifies the Harm principle to protect the freedom of thought and expression. He argues that people should not be silenced for expressing their opinion or how they feel based on their beliefs. He declares four vaguely arguments and makes several examples as to why freedom of speech is a very important aspect to society. In this paper, I argue that Mill is correct in declaring that we have the right to express

The well-known writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau has said “ Regard not your past failures nor successes. All the past is equally a failure and a success; it is a success in as much as it offers you the present opportunity.” I interpret these words as having a meaning that I shouldn’t dwell on my failures or successes as they are it is equal along with the present that provides me myself with greater opportunities. The present should provide me myself with a sort of motivation, along with

Both Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Stuart Mill have ideas about the concept of freedom that differ greatly from both each other and their contemporaries. By comparing their works, ‘The Social Contract’ and ‘On Liberty’ respectively, these differences can be drawn out to paint a clear picture of what these philosophers advocated for society. Rousseau distinguished between two types of freedom, natural liberty and the liberty that follows after natural liberty is given up. Natural liberty leads on

1Why has there been so much fuss about New York City’s attempt to impose a soda ban,1 or more precisely, a ban on large-size “sugary drinks”? After all, people can still get as much soda as they want. This isn’t Prohibition. It’s just that getting it would take slightly more effort. So, why is this such a big deal? 1 soda ban In 2013, New York City passed a law prohibiting soda containers larger than 16 ounces in volume. The New York State Court of Appeals later overturned the law. 2 Obviously

First, looking from a rule utilitarian point, the question must be asked what does a rule utilitarian consider ethical and what might they consider unethical? The best way to define what a rule utilitarian might think is ethical would be “obey those laws, rules, and principles that tend to cause the most happiness.” Although this is the way a rule utilitarian would think, what really matters in the end is if it did or did not end up causing the most happiness, so the thinking may be ethical, but

One of the attacks on Utilitarianism is that it is impossible to obtain happiness, Mill agrees but only if you are arguing that a life of happiness is one of continuously high pleasure. Mill realistically says that happiness often only lasts for moments - with a few exceptions. Utilitarianism is focused on obtaining a life with few pains in-between many moments of various pleasure - a happy life, not an unobtainable perfect life. Another attack is that Utilitarianism removes self sacrifice, valued

In “Ungainly Mediations” by Theophilos the author writes about the pursuit of happiness. Tehophilos focuses on a variety of philosophers about the subject, including, Aristotle, Blaise Pascal and a key figure on the subject of happiness, John Locke. The founders drew their inspiration from the English philosopher, Locke who wrote about how the pursuit of happiness requires freedom and liberty. Further, in order for an individual to even begin their pursuit of happiness, freedom is an important element

Natural Liberty V.S. Civil Liberty: The Quest for Humanity In Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Origin of Civil Society, he talks about the two liberties (natural state and civil pact) that we have as humans. He writes about the tradeoffs and which has let humans continue to live. The civil pact that united individuals to work together and be equal to one another also added restrictions to the individual. The fight for equality and for justice constantly goes on, whether we see it or not. What are the

Moral theory of utilitarianism is siting the right and wrong only on outcomes of an action over another action. The theory site that the action is right if it bring greater amount of happiness and pleasure for the greater amount of mankind. The expected utility is concerning about people preference over the choices that uncertain result. The difference between act and rule utilitarianism is that act utilitarianism care about the right moral action as a single act where the rule utilitarianism focus