Kants Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Moral

Kant s Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Moral The central concept of Kant s Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals is the categorical imperative. The conception of an objective principle, in so far as it is obligatory for a will, is called a command (of reason), and the formula of the command is called an Imperative. (Abbott, 30) An imperative is something that a will ought or shall do because the will is obligated to act in the manner in which it conforms with moral law. The categorical imperative is an obligation by the will to act so that the action can be classified as a universal law. When one acts in conformity with the universal law at all times, they are following out the categorical†¦show more content†¦The action of killing oneself would cause pain, which is not in conformity to the maxim stated to avoid pain. The second example Kant gives is based on the basic premise of lying. A man is forced to borrow money which he knows he will never be able to repay but he promises to do so anyway. This action is not consistent with duty and the maxim could be expressed as: When I [the man] think myself in want of money, I will borrow money and promise to repay it, although I know that I never can do so.(Abbott, 39) The maxim cannot hold as a universal law because if everyone lied about promises, the promise itself would become impossible, and the end would be unattainable. Telling the truth is an end in itself. The third example is of a man who it bestowed a natural ability but does not use it to it s full extent. Kant sees this as not a categorical imperative because a rational being necessarily wills that he develop his skills for many possible reasons. Rational beings are an end in themselves, and if you do not better yourself, you are not serving yourself.(Abbott, 40) Lastly, the fourth man, in great prosperity, has a chance to help others in need and does not. This can be viewed as a workable universal law, but it cannot be willed as the good thing to doShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Immanuel Kants Arguements in The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals†542 Words   |  3 PagesIn the essay titled â€Å"Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals† published in the Morality and Moral Controversies course textbook, Immanuel Kant argues that the view of the world and its laws is structured by human concepts and categories, and the rationale of it is the source of morality which depends upon belief in the existence of God. In Kant’s work, categorical imperative was established in order to have a standard rationale from where all moral requirements derive. Therefore, categorical imperativeRead MoreEmmanuel Kant and Moral Theory1589 Words   |  6 Pages One of Kants greatest contributions to moral theory is the concept of pure practical reason that, as an alternative to moral sense theory or teleological ethics, more positively views the capability of fallible individuals to act morally. Practical reason, the basis of Kantian metaphysics, was revolutionary because it challenged skepticism towards human moral capacities and insisted that the moral faculty is an implicit part of common human reason. Practical reason is an instrumental theoryRead More Kants Fundamental Principles Of The Metaphysics Of Moral Essay792 Words   |  4 Pages Kants Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Moral The central concept of Kants Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals is the categorical imperative. â€Å"The conception of an objective principle, in so far as it is obligatory for a will, is called a command (of reason), and the formula of the command is called an Imperative.† (Abbott, 30) An imperative is something that a will ought or shall do because the will is obligated to act in the manner in which it conforms with moralRead MoreKant s Categorical Imperative And Morality1297 Words   |  6 Pagespeople in general, from the bounds of a religious authority or moral absolute to judge them. Working during the Enlightenment, he contributed to the flow of similarly progressive ideas during this pivotal era in human development and knowledge. Brought about by his deeply religious upbringing and social environment, Kant’s categorical imperative was an attempt to rationalize religion, a central goal of the Enlightenment. Immanuel Kant’s upbringing certainly affected his thoughts on religion and moralityRead MoreBook Report on Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals by Kant599 Words   |  3 Pageson Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals by Kant Kant states (38,) act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a universal law of nature. This categorical imperative forms the basis of his book, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals. Though at times his writing is confusing Kant lays out his logic as to what a categorical imperative is. Kant divides the book into three sections. The first explains the transition from everyday moral beliefsRead MoreSummary of Immanuel Kants Life Essay1100 Words   |  5 PagesSummary of Immanuel Kants Life Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) spent all of his life in Kà ¶nigsberg, a small German town on the Baltic Sea in East Prussia. (After World War II, Germanys border was pushed west, so Kà ¶nigsberg is now called Kaliningrad and is part of Russia.) At the age of fifty-five, Kant appeared to be a washout. He had taught at Kà ¶nigsberg University for over twenty years, yet had not published any works of significance. During the last twenty-five years ofRead MoreThree Formulations of the Categorical Imperative Essay examples1516 Words   |  7 PagesIn Kant’s book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant talks about the three formulations of the categorical imperative. By these formulations, he describes his idea of organizing the moral principle for all rational beings. Kant also talks about the principles of humanity, rational ends, and the â€Å"realm of ends† which are constituted by the autonomous freedom of rational beings. The first formulation of the categorical imperative is â€Å"act only in a way the maxim of which can be consistentlyRead More Kants Groundworks of the Metaphysic of Morals Essay1656 Words   |  7 PagesKants Groundworks of the Metaphysic of Morals In Groundworks of the Metaphysic of Morals Immanuel Kant proposes that good will is the only thing which is good and that a person should act only under that maxim which he would will to be universal (273); Kant calls that test for morality the Categorical Imperative. Kant believes that the CI can be formulated in several different ways, a. The Formula of Universal Law b. The Formula of the End in Itself Read MoreJustification for Kant’s Moral and Ethical Views in A Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals1639 Words   |  7 PagesIn A Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanual Kant, unlike David Hume, aimed to establish an absolute system of morality based upon reason. Kant’s conceptions regarding what is moral and how someone should behave ethically, are often seen as contradictions to those proposed by Hume, who holds an empirical stance. As mentioned, Kant emphasizes the necessity of basing morality on a priori principles; he puts faith in the power of human rationality and believed that reason alone, not feelingRead MoreThe Categorical Imperative : Immanuel Kant842 Words   |  4 PagesThe categorical imperative is Immanuel Kant’s improvement on the Golden rule and all rules associated with the Golden Rule. We are called by Kant to act as how we wish all others to act. According to an article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, â€Å"Kant characterized the [categorical imperative] as an objective, rationally necessary and unconditional principle that we must always follow despite any natural desires or inclinations we may have to the contrary† (Johnson and Cureton). The categorical

Shanghai Baby Free Essays

Shanghai Baby is the first novel written by Chinese writer Wei Hui, a feminist and a resident of Shanghai who was 26 years old at the time when the book was published. Perhaps the enormous similarity between of the age, gender and city of residence of the writer to those of the lead female character is the reason for the popular belief that the book is an autobiography instead of what it really is, i. e. We will write a custom essay sample on Shanghai Baby or any similar topic only for you Order Now a work of fiction. The novel was first released in China in 1999 and went on to be in the top selling 5 novels of the year in Shanghai. Much to the chagrin of the liberated Western media, the top selling book was deemed pornographic in nature by Beijing Press and Publication and was banned all over China. The novel is a first person narrative about a twenty five year old woman, who lives in Shanghai, China, works as a waitress in a cafe to earn money, aspires to write a novel and become a writer and dreams about becoming rich and famous. Her real name is Nikki, but she is known among her friends as Coco, after her idol Coco Chanel. While working at the cafe, Coco meets Tian Tian, an artist, in addition to being a hedonist, a nihilist as well as being impotent. They fall into an intimate relationship and Coco although disappointed by his impotency, believes she can stay happy with the love of her life, until she meets Mark, a German business man who is everything that Tian Tian is not. Tian Tian is a sad pleasure seeker, haunted by a painful past, unnerved by a sinister future and is also in love with Coco. Mark is a rich, attractive male who can give Coco all that which she finds lacking in Tian Tian and more. Coco is a self indulgent, narcissistic, often annoying woman who is unable to resist the lure of pure sexual lust in the face of true love for a less than capable lover and becomes sexually involved with Mark. At this point it seems that the book predictably becomes an expression of the author’s erotic fantasies as she explains in detail Coco’s relationship with Mark. The entire tale is spun against the backdrop of the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, in the midst of drugs, alcohol, nightclubs and bars. From one perspective, the book is a woman’s struggle between love and sexual pleasure. It is also, as proclaimed by many, an analysis of the darker side of the night life of Shanghai. However, most importantly, the book should be noted for its deep rooted symbolism: Tian Tian is the representation of typical Chinese men who are famous for their sexual incompetence and Mark is that of the stereotyped Caucasian male, sex starved and hungry for oriental females. All this is ironically wrapped in the materiality of brand names and wealth as characters are defined more in terms of where they live, what they wear and how much they own. Superficial at first glance, but in fact dripping with literary symbolism, the book reflects the author’s lack of confidence in the male species of human beings, whether native or foreign as both men in Coco’s life become unavailable leaving her shattered by the end of the story. Works Cited Sheng, John. Afterthoughts on the Banning of â€Å"Shanghai Baby†. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://www. oycf. org/Perspectives/8_103100/afterthoughts_on_the_banning_of. htm Cole, S. (2001). A Non-Review With Current Events Tossed In. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://www. freewilliamsburg. com/november_2001/books. html Chloe E. , Slidell, LA. Book Review. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://teenink. com/Past/2003/October/17075. html CathCart, M. (2001). Shanghai Baby. Retrieved on January 22, 2007 from: http://www. abc. net. au/rn/arts/atoday/stories/s337449. htm How to cite Shanghai Baby, Papers

Is the controversy surrounding hip hop as a media text justified Essay Example For Students

Is the controversy surrounding hip hop as a media text justified? Essay Hip hop is now the most important musical idiom: what jazz was from the 1920s to the 40s, or rock n roll was from the 50s to the 70s, hip hop has been from the 80s on. Straus, April 2000 As the quote states, hip hop and its associate genres rap, urban, RB is the dominant music in todays society, particularly amongst young people to whom the genre is particularly popular. It can be said that rap is a fairly new genre of music that has grown since its introduction in the late 1970s. Since this time, it has been under constant scrutiny by the media mainly because of its controversial nature shown through the lyrics and the images portrayed through the music videos of songs. What sets rap music apart from any other controversial material is its seemingly carefree attitude towards the images that it is portraying and the messages that it is sending. It is the norm for women to be treated as objects, men to be head to toe in bling-bling accessories and violence to be the solution to most if not all conflicts. From these and other visible images it can be argued that the rap point of view is like a whole other world where anything goes. The controversy that surrounds the industry is mainly focused on the effects that listening to the music can have on the genres main audience of young people. Many of these listeners dont live in the same culture of the artists, in the poor, black ghettos of urban America. Critics believe that the audience can be sucked into the rap world by listening to the lyrics and in doing so take on the ideologies that they are putting across. Basically, a normal young person will listen to rap music and then start pimping hoes and shooting at people in the streets. This when thought about rationally, is unlikely to happen, particularly in Britain where gun culture is widely non-existent. However the US is a different story, young people are probably more vulnerable to the exposure of these messages for many reasons. When a British person sees a music video of a rap Artist set in Urban America, they cannot really relate to it as they are in a different country and culture. In contrast an American person can relate better as they are living in the same place. Other things also need to be considered such as the slacker gun laws and tougher way of life in inner city USA. It is because of this increased exposure and vulnerability that much of the research into the effects of rap music has taken place in the US where the root of the problem, if one exists, is present. Both the American and British media have a negative opinion of the rap industry. This is clear through their tendency to jump on any rap artist at the slightest sign of trouble. A typical example of this outlined by A. Lewis of Georgetown University 2003 is the case of Tupac Shakur, the rap Artist killed in 1996. The case was escalated in the press due to the circumstances surrounding the incident; Tupac was allegedly shot in a drive by shooting by a member of a rival gang. Lewis states that the media were not in the least sympathetic towards Tupac saying that the shooting was prophetic if not deserved. This is surely a hint of double standards by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette who after being critical of what Tupac was saying in his lyrics were making out that he deserved to be shot dead. .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b , .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .postImageUrl , .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b , .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:hover , .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:visited , .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:active { border:0!important; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:active , .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7aacfa6181145c13bf18a1b32716d06b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Media assignment EssayNobody deserves to be blindsided and murdered the way that Tupac was, that is simple human nature. In her study, Lewis brings up the case from Tupacs point of view: Tupac Shakur was only twenty-six when he was murdered. He was a poet and budding actor, he was featured in several films. Tupac even had the makings of a social activist. His most compelling works dealt with issues involving the African American family Lewis 2000 All these facts are truth; Tupacs lyrics were a form of poetry put to music and it is tragic that his life was cut short at such a young age. It is unfair for the media to have branded him and said that he deserved to die simply because his lyrics contained profanities and brought up issues that didnt fit into the norm of American society and ideologies. For the media to say such things they are surely stooping to the levels that they are accusing the rap stars of doing and are therefore massively contradicting themselves. Lewis mentions in her study the fact that crimes by artists in other genres are not covered as much in the press as those committed by rap artists. White musicians dont face race based criticisms for committing crimes and often avoid hitting the front pages of the newspapers. Chideya 1995 This is an interesting point and is further evidence that the media uses the rap and hip hop genre as a scapegoat for some problems in Youth society today. As mentioned previously, the ideologies of the rap industry make it seem like a different world. The rap artists are not all that they seem in their music videos. Although they appear clad in gold jewellery, with women falling all over them and mansions and cars surrounding them, this is not the case in reality. This is a world of fantasy. This was recently exposed in a T. V production called Hip hop dollars MTV Base, 2003. The programme exposed the real financial status of many hip hop and rap stars and outlined the contrast between their real life and the portrayal of them in their music videos. The text came to the conclusion that there were only a handful of artists that actually fell into the category of rich. This fantasy world cannot be taken seriously by the viewers, who are expected to believe that the artists live their lives the way their videos make out. They dont go out in the ghetto and hang or cruise through the Westside with their homies, they record music and go on promotional tours. The media generalise the minority that are deluded into thinking this is the case and turn it into a sweeping statement that blames rap music for all violence in Youth society. In my opinion, the media makes too much of the controversy in rap music. It has done in the past and will continue to shock people as to where it pushes the boundaries. It is fair to say that the majority of people who oppose the music are of the older generation. Right or wrong, boundaries have been changed in all forms of media and much more is accepted than it used to be. It is too easy to blame a form of music or something similar to the problems in society when it is obvious that the problem lies far deeper than Eminem using the F word or Dre watching some women lap dance. Parental advisory can be continued, but should music be to blame, where can the censorship be drawn? Surely a new medium would be to blame for a new reason. Rap is just the current scapegoat as was punk in the 1970s.

The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Essay Example

The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Paper Gertrude Simmons Bonnin or Zitkala-Sa (known in Dakota’s village as Red Bird) is one of the most talented and highly educated Native American woman. She struggled and fought for the Native American culture during the time of severe oppression prevailed among them by the Euro-American civilians. Her contributions especially in literature, music, and politics changed the insights and beliefs upon their title of sinful savages and to which she strongly challenged this white mans boastful claim of having the best culture. The aim of her works was to understand the white dominant culture from Native America, and her Impressions of an Indian Childhood, The School Days of an Indian Girl, and An Indian Teacher Among Indians is an example of some of the insights of the existing differences(Bonnin). Her objective was to criticize impelled doctrines and dedicated her life to scrap cruelty as what described into her essay. Her work is basically based from her own personal encounter and experiences which would be well understand by merely reading the three essays because each are connected and complement to one another. Her essay which is a question among the conservative administrators at Carlisle provokes bewilderment. Zitkala-Sa portrayed the negative effects of boarding schools to children of Native American. Aside from the pains from the â€Å"iron routine† in the school and the difficulty to adopt and learn to the English language, the separation from her mother for four years is a tough task to adjust with(Giese). The change in the environment is the focus of the story to which several questions arises from the new world making her self totally uncomfortable and not at ease to stay and play with. The author is trying to show her disagreement to the boarding school approach upon their teaching in homemaking and agriculture. Religion on Christianity was forced and so far, they are leading them to the Indian culture and language eradication. She visions for a higher learning and privilege for academic subjects where in Indians could be capable on it and not just limited to vocational training(Kroeber). As an added catch of the purpose of the story, she burly disapproves the military discipline and the manual labor program imposed. We will write a custom essay sample on The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer To my own perspective , the day she started school is also the start of the change of her life to which she took it for granted ( because of the Red Apple Country), for at a younger age her destiny begins even though still unconscious of it. Schooling means to the Euro-American is civilization and survival, so that’s what she grabbed because the sooner or later if no one among them will be intelligent enough to analyze the minds of this Euro-American, they will be just a subordinate to them, making them aliens or worst slaves of their own region(Minnesota). From the words of the author she mentioned that, â€Å"I give outright the varying moods of my own evolution, those growing pains which knew not reason while active, to stir up views and earnest comparisons of theories was one of the ways in which I hoped it would work a benefit to my people, no one can dispute my own impressions and bitterness and perhaps a reason may be assigned to† (Minnesota). So, she then clearly emphasized the bitterness and hatred of the Euro-American cultures in condemning their rights specially those days at school that is vastly different from the world they are supposed to be wandering, also a different views that compel to them for not being treated as equally to the kids of the new community they went for.