The different ways in which good is used in meta-ethics Essay Example for Free

The different ways in which good is used in meta-ethics Essay Examine the different ways in which good is used in meta-ethics Anything people approve of must be good Discuss. Meta-ethics is the part of ethics which investigates the true nature of ethical statements and its other properties. It questions what it is to be morally right or wrong. Meta-ethics goes into two categories; these being cognitivism and non-cognitivism. Cognitivists or Natrualists say that moral statements describe the world. If I were to say that murder is wrong, then the cognitivist would say that I have recognised an asset of wrongness to the act of murder. Whether or not murder has an asset of wrongness is objective, therefore this statement is either objectively true or false. However Ethical Naturalism states that good can be defined, therefore an action is able to be found good or bad by studying the empirical evidence and weighing up all the facts, hence moral statements can be verified and falsified. They also base their views on that on that good is found in fulfilling the purpose of the object, this is based on the Aristotelian views. So if we were to analyse euthanasia to see whether it is good we would have to gather the evidence and weigh out the good points and the bad points, and how it relates to everybody involved happiness. This is much like the hedonic calculus in utilitarianism where everybody is considered in the decision making process. The word good is used by Ethical Natrualists to describe a certain act that has been proven by the empirical evidence to give the highest amount of happiness and is found to have no or a minor bad effect. Intuitionists or non-naturalists believe that you cannot analyse good as a property, so therefore cannot believe in anything that people recognise as good. They also believe that if it is contradicted a duty you ought to know, as in the Prima Facie Duty. Intuitionists approve of actions as they believe it is your intuition that is telling you to make a decision, in a sense you know always what to do in moral or ethical dilemmas, we have a priori sense of moral truths. R Therefore if your moral intuition is telling them what there doing, or about to do is good then Intuitionists would approve of this act. However one could then argue that then if your moral intuition is telling you that it is good to murder then in a sense they may have to approve of this action if it is a priori knowledge that this is what they think is good. This is a main criticism of Intuitionism as everyones intuition varies subjectively according to every individual. Peoples views vary, for example some by claim that they instinctively know that that taking drugs is wrong, but others may disagree. This seems to show intuition comes from social conditioning and how one is raised, rather than having a priori knowledge of good and bad. Thus, meaning that ethical and moral intuition varies between different cultures and backgrounds. On the other hand, some other ethical theories suggest that we dont gain or have this moral intuition we learn how to deal with moral dilemmas intellectual, moral and cardinal virtues in Virtue Ethics; or in Kantian Ethics we act throughout a sense of duty and reason. Cognitivists believe that good is what we can prove to be a result of empirical evidence, so when we bring all the facts together the end result shows that it is good. Emotivism is a branch of Cognitivism which was brought about by A.J Ayer, in Emotivism he suggested that by making a moral statement one is expressing the personal feelings and within them are trying to persuade others to do as they are with that moral statement; he believed that analytical and synthetic statements are the only significant statements. Therefore Ayer thought by using the word good we are subjectively showing what we feel to be good consequently making the word meaningless and not objective. Ayer followed on his work from philosophers such as G.E Moore, David Hume and Ludwig Wittgenstein whom was part of the Vienna Circle who invented Logical Positivism which is the theory that any true claim has to be proven by sense experience therefore concluding that ethical statements cannot me true claims as they cannot be verified through sense experiences. This agrees with Ayers claim that ethical statements are a product of feelings. Non-cogntivists however make a clear difference between facts and values believing that no ethical statement can be proved right or wrong, or similarly good or bad e.g. abortion is wrong. Within Non-cogntivism lies Prescriptivism. It tells us what ought to be done and that these statements are moral because they are universal. Hare believes ethical statements to be universal because when you say, you ought to do this it relates to everyone in that or similar situation, as he considered ethical statements to be imperatives. He also saw the difference between the two types of the usage of the word good, it can be used as an adjective e.g. It is a good chair, and in the prescriptive sense; in telling others what is correct and right. Perscriptivists believe if we state something to be good that we are approving of something and therefore are saying others should approve of it too. Hare would then say that if people are approving of this action then the action is good. Overall, contained within Non-cognitivism; Emotivists and Perscriptivists both believe that the word good is subjective and is way for us to prescribe or persuade our opinions onto others, therefore giving the word no objective moral truth. The statement Anything people approve of must be good can be discussed by Cognitivists; they would look at whether or not people would approve of action as empirical evidence. They would not agree with this statement due to the fact may be seen to others as wrong, or may cause some sort of pain, and may stop the fulfilment of a purpose. G.E Moore states that by proving ethical statements commits the naturalistic fallacy, which is that the word good cannot be defined by using natural facts. This idea by Moore is based on work by David Hume who said an is cannot result from an ought, in conclusion Moore and Hume would disagree with the above statement; as we cannot define the word good. Moore believed that good is an unanalysable property in which we use to describe what we know from our moral intuition (Intuitionism).

Seinfeld :: essays research papers

Seinfeld It was a warm September Thursday night in 1991. I was engaged in my favorite past time of "channel surfing" when a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Displayed on my favorite, "20 inch friend", (also known as my usual Saturday night date), appeared a remarkable treasure. There before my eyes was a sitcom called Seinfeld. From that moment on I was astounded to find that not even great sitcom's such as my beloved Mash and I Love Lucy were as captivating or enthralling. There is only one show that could have started Must See TV, only one show that could be the anchor for new sitcoms year after year while continuing to hold it's position of number one in the rating wars, only one sitcom is this grand, this superior, and this notable, Seinfeld. The zenith of television sitcoms. Season after season, Seinfeld has provided non-stop laughing, excellent acting and original scripts mirroring real life. One of the major factors contributing to the overwhelming success of the show is its cast of unstererotypical characters. The main characters refereed to as the "Fab Four", consist of Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes, George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer. Jerry Seinfeld, known by his own name on the program, is the central figure of the sitcom and the catalyst for almost everything that happens. He is involved in the antics revolving around Kramer, George and Elaine. On one episode George, Kramer and Jerry are spying on the naked lady across the street all day to see who can win a bet. The twist at the end of the show is when we see George and Jerry peering through the window and gasping, " Is that Kramer in her apartment? Wow he is naked!" Another episode involves Jerry who is mistaken for a Nazi leader arriving in town to speak at a meeting. He continues the charade in order to secure a limousine ride home after the frustration of his own ride not being there to pick him up. As the main character, he is most often the straight man allowing the other characters to play off of him. One of his common lines is, "wait a minute here, you mean to tell me-----", then recapping the situation, action or blunder the other character was involved in. This in turn allows the supporting actor or actress to verbally and almost always physically respond with exaggerated gestures and eye movements. Jerry reflects the single male, quasi yuppie, New Yorker, with the bicycle hanging in the apartment, the security system to "buzz" guests in, and the 12 boxes of cereal

Since southern plantation

African Americans keenly engaged in the cause of American independence, fought courageously in the early conflicts with the British. Though the revolution liberated some African Americans and set the country on a path toward the elimination of slavery, political adjustment to plantation owners prevented release for many African Americans in the south for another 90 years.A Negro was among the first martyrs in the wave of patriotism. African Americans fought at the battles of Lexington and Concord. One of the last men injured in the battle as the British runaway to Boston was a Negro, Prince Estabrook, from West Lexington.In the next 2 months, Peter Salem and other 20 African Americans were in the ranks, when the British attacked an American site outside Boston in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Congress required support from the South if the colonies were to triumph in their independence war against England.Since southern plantation owners desired to keep their slaves, they were scared to give arms to African Americans. (Lawler, 2002)On March 5, 1770, Crispus Attucks along with several other patriots from Boston objected to the British restricting the civil liberties in their Massachusetts colony.Attucks and his fellows were shot and killed during a fight with British soldiers. More than 5,000 African Americans later took up the cause and fight for America’s independence. Unluckily, independence for most African Americans would have to wait. (Owens, 2002)Congress commanded all African Americans to be terminated from the army, but African American veterans requested directly to George Washington. Washington took up their cause with John Hancock, the then president of the Continental Congress. African Americans serving in the army were permitted to stay, but new hiring was prohibited.Though the Declaration of Independence affirms that â€Å"all men were created equal,† many African Americans shortly observed more prospects on the British side. The Britis h governor of Virginia assured instant independence and income to any Negro who would join the Royal army.The devotions of African Americans were a grave concern for the American leaders for the reason that African Americans were around twenty percent out of the two-million colonial population. With the British army already in obvious majority, the American troops, and hiring hard for the patriots, the northern colonies before long began to recruit African Americans.Rhode Island formed a regiment almost completely of African Americans. As the battle continued, colonies which were far south like for instance Virginia and Maryland were enlisting free African Americans for the independence war.As the war stretched out into the South, Congress realized it needed to enlist slaves as soldiers. It suggested paying South Carolina slave owners $1,000 for male slaves. The South Carolina Assembly warned to leave the war, ending the plan in the southernmost colonies.Enlistment of African Americ ans to the American independence continued further north, but the patriots were comparatively less triumphant than the British.The proposal of instant independence completed by Virginia’s inauspicious loyalist governor was eventually made by the British all through the colonies. Slaves joined the British in immense quantity. (Owens, 2002)The fate of the loyalist African Americans varied considerably. Several became the creators of the British colony of Sierra Leone in West Africa.Although the British proposed slaves a better deal, many African Americans continued serving on the American side. African Americans had been in the labor force on ships and at seaports for long. A large number of troops of African Americans combating on the American side were brought to the continent by the French.The actual role of African Americans in the revolution is hard to quantify. Pennsylvania, in 1780, became the first colony to pass a law against slavery. Vermont ruled out slavery and Conn ecticut and Rhode Island passed steady liberation laws. The international slave trade was abolished in 1808. (Lawler, 2002)A bang in cotton production stretched the slave economy in the lower part of Mississippi Valley. Slave nations were cautious to organize at least half the political influence in the national government, jamming any federal progress in opposition to slavery until the Civil War.Thousands of African American Soldiers from 13 colonies battled in the Continental militia throughout America’s war for independence from Great Britain. African American Soldiers exchanged blows in every major fight of the war, usually in included units.A noteworthy exemption was the 1st Rhode Island Regiment which was first all-African American unit. In 1778 the regiment overpowered three attacks by the British all through the mà ªlà ©e for Rhode Island and later on in 1781 they contributed in the conquest at Yorktown.In the year 1778, they brawled in the combat of Rhode Island on the Island of Aquidneck. They effectively held their line for four hours against British-Hessian attacks, allowing the whole American Army to run away.The regiment saw additional service during the Revolutionary War, including Yorktown. Unluckily, these Negro soldiers did not receive any reimbursement for their service after the conflicts.Several Americans recognized the paradox of slave African Americans fighting under the flag of the Declaration of Independence. Slave labour created the great export crops of the South like for instance indigo, tobacco, naval stores and rice. Who could forecast what escape from the British Empire might indicate for Negro people in America?Lord Dunmore, Virginia’s British governor, swiftly saw the susceptibility of the South's slaveholders. Dunmore and the British were soon debarred from Virginia, but the panorama of previous fortified slaves combating beside the British must have struck trepidation into cultivation experts across the South. (Owens, 2002)ConclusionAn approximated 5,000 African American soldiers served the patriot side during the Revolutionary War. Vigilant contrasts between muster rolls and church, census, and other accounts have lately assisted to recognize many African American soldiers. The employment of African Americans as soldiers was circumvented by General Washington and the parliament early in the warfare. The panorama of fortified slave rebellions confirmed more intimidating to the white society rather than British redcoats.General Washington permitted the recruitment of free African Americans with â€Å"prior military experience† in January 1776, and expanded the enlistment conditions to all free African Americans in January 1777 in order to help fill up the worn-out ranks of the Continental Army. Because the states continuously were unsuccessful to meet their allocation of manpower for the army, Congress approved the enlistment of all African Americans, free and slave, in 1777.Out of all the southern nations, only Maryland allowed African Americans to hire. In 1779, Congress proposed slave masters in South Carolina and Georgia $1,000 for every slave they gave to the army, but the parliaments of both states declined the proposal. Thus, the North holds the highest number of African American soldiers in the American army. (Owens, 2002)The Revolution modified lives of some African Americans, though nothing approaching full equality. The brave martial service of African Americans and the ground-breaking character eliminated slavery in New England almost instantly. Many of the founders hoped that slavery would ultimately vanish from the American SouthReferencesLawler, Edward, Jr., â€Å"Letters recognize those who served George Washington in Philly as distinct individuals,† Philadelphia Inquirer, August 28, 2002Owens, Robert M., â€Å"Jean Baptiste Ducoigne, the Kaskaskias, and the Limits of Thomas Jefferson’s Friendships,† Journal of Illinois Hi story, 5:2 (Summer 2002), 109-136

Essay on Public Schools Should Teach Morals and Ethics

Public Schools Should Teach Morals and Ethics Jonathon Kozol writes, Public schools in the U.S. do not exist to educate an ethical human being†¦Schools do exist to educate defeated, unprovocative, well-balanced human beings†¦. This statement is certainly true, but should public schools be required to teach students ethics and morality? I would argue that an education devoid of ethics and morals is detrimental to our society. Scholar Joao Coutinho writes in the Harvard Educational Review, Education is either for domestication or for freedom†¦There is no neutral education. The absence of educating morals and ethics in the classroom is actually a method of suppression. By purposely not informing students that they can develop their†¦show more content†¦This benefits the ruling class because a man or woman without morals and ethics is not one to stand up and demand change in the system. The most common way public schooling diffuses any morality in the classroom is by displaying all information as fact, and removing the emotional aspects from each piece of knowledge. This desensitizes the student. It is, indeed, all but impossible to understand that people die in school materials writes Kozol. This desensitization leaves the student without the backbone necessary for a moral and ethical life. If a student leaves his or her twelve to eighteen years in the education system without having seen, heard, or felt the pain and suffering of the homeless, starving and war-torn peoples in the world, this student will not stand up to the government and demand that there be substantial change. Instead, he or she becomes the perfect citizen for our current ruling class: passive and powerless. Another strong method this institution uses to hold the population in check is the power and fear of the word no. 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