Why Is It Necessary - 1970 Words

Under what circumstances do we, as human beings, find justification in the punishment of others? What is the best way to go about handling situations in which a punishment is deemed necessary? Who had the authority to deem it necessary in the first place? Clearly, none of these are easy questions to answer, and it may seem that there is no correct answer. Indeed, these questions have been answered before by multiple famous philosophers, and their answers are what we will be looking at and analyzing today. Specifically, we will look at how Jeffrie Murphy explains why a retributivist way of thinking is superior, but also the non-practical implications of thinking this way from a Marxist viewpoint. To begin, we will define the two major†¦show more content†¦This is the idea that everything we decide between being moral or immoral should be based on a â€Å"Social Contract†, that all people agree upon. This â€Å"contract† is not an actual contract signed by everyo ne, but rather a hypothetical scenario that creates an ideal system. The scenario involves â€Å"what John Rawls calls ‘the original position’† (225, Murphy). The original position is the point at the beginning of society using the â€Å"united will of the entire people† (226, Murphy) to distinguish what should be considered just or unjust. It is important to note that this is not based on factual history, but rather a model in which society could be based on. Both Rawls and Kant agreed with contractarianism and both used it to make their justification on when it is alright to punish. On the contrary, something exists that is known as the Moral Education Theory, created by Jean Hampton. Instead of simply punishing one because of wrongdoing (like contractarianism suggests), Hampton says that the punishment that is given should aim to â€Å"accomplish a concrete moral goal† which includes â€Å"the benefiting the criminal himself† (220, Hampton). Basically, it is the goal of the state to morally educate everyone, that is, to let all of society (including the offender) know the reasons why an action is morally wrong. After the offender has been given the punishment, it is solely up to them if they want to take the moral advice given to them. More will be discussed about

Analysis Of Voltaire s Candide Essay - 1570 Words

David E. Rojas Professor Ellen Cain History 1102, Section 201 25 September 2012 Voltaire. Candide. New York: Dover Publication, Inc, 1991. â€Å"Things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for all being created for an end, all is necessarily for the best end.† (p. 1) Of all the great things to come out of the enlightenment era Candide by Voltaire is perhaps the most interesting and entertaining in my opinion. In fact it so happens that it is one of the most popular and read classics of the time, one my say that is serves to enlighten the reader on the issues that were most prevalent at the time. Voltaire uses Candide as a clever devise to voice his views on the world, be it political, religious, or Social by using satire and comedy and achieving the desired result perfectly. Voltaire begins by introducing us to Candide a young and rather naà ¯ve man who is taught by Dr. Pangloss a philosopher of sorts that the world he lives in is â€Å"the best of all possible worlds.† (p.1) However shortly after this introduction he gets vanished for stealing a kiss from the beautiful Cunegonde, and so begins the long journey of our hero. It is in this journey that through many trials and hardship that include, War, famine, beatings, deaths, romantic betrayals and even the mythical city of El Dorado Candide questions his own and others views on the world. Sometimes losing all hope and arriving at the conclusion that the world is nothing but suffering; while other times reinforcing the teachings ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Voltaire s Candide 941 Words   |  4 PagesIn Candide, Voltaire introduces many different characters, some which represent the implementation of mockery and sarcasm. The role of Pangloss in particular embodies this portrayal of satire towards the Enlightenment. Voltaire uses his book to reflect his own critical view of the time period, mostly against those who were reluctant to change their methods of thinking. Much of this judgment is through the commentary of Pangloss, Candide’s tutor and the Baron’s philosopher, who seems to always haveRead MoreAnalysis O f Voltaire s Candide 964 Words   |  4 PagesCandide is a French satire that was first published in 1759 by Voltaire, who was a philosopher during the Enlightenment Age. It is a story about a young man, Candide, who is a follower of Leibnizian optimism. Candide witnesses and experiences many hardships in the world that puts his life at risk and tests the strength of his beliefs. During Candide’s many adventures, he faces many historical events that Voltaire uses to simplify subtle philosophies and cultural traditions, by highlighting theirRead MoreAnalysis Of Voltaire s Candide 1385 Words   |  6 Pages Describe the author’s style In Candide. Voltaire utilizes an expedient account stride that sections fleetly from scene to scene. duologue to activity. what s more, from area to area as the account advances. He other than utilizes references to the chronicled setting in which the book was composed. like Christopher Columbus and the new universe. epidemics and illnesses. what s more, El Dorado and insinuates the 7 Year s War. providing non simply a political yet adjacent to societal foundationRead MoreCommentary and Analysis of Voltaire ´s Candide536 Words   |  2 Pages Candide Voltaire’s Candide is a satirical fiction that was meant as both an insult and a criticism to the wealthy nobility and the Catholic Church. Voltaire, major voice during the Enlightenment period, had a wide spread influence from England and France to Russia. Candide was massively circulated throughout Europe. Voltaire used Candide to offer his opinion of what was wrong with society: being that the wealthy were ungrateful, selfish people and the church was a ruthless, maniacal super powerRead MoreVoltaires Use Of Distortion1620 Words   |  7 Pagesand Satire (H) Sept. 20, 2017 Candide Essay Prompt: In questioning the value of literary realism, Flannery O Connor writes: I am interested in making a good case for distortion because I am coming to believe that it is the only way to make people see. Following your study of Candide, write an essay in which you examine Voltaire’s use of distortion; how is he using it and to what extent does he succeed in â€Å"mak[ing] people see†? In other words, how did Voltaire incorporate distortion in orderRead More Literary Analysis of the Enlightenment Period and Romanticism1461 Words   |  6 PagesThere were similarities as well as very notable differences between the two. There were also two prominent voices that gained notoriety during each of these two periods. Voltaire is considered to be the pioneer of the power of reason and Rousseau is looked upon as a legendary figure of Nineteenth Century Romanticism. This analysis will evaluate the two eras, both writers and a literary piece. The Enlightenment Era gave way to an age of reasoning. During this time, the writers were regarded as philosophersRead MoreEssay on Voltaires Candide Character Analysis1426 Words   |  6 PagesVoltaires Candide Character Analysis Voltaires Candide seems to display a world of horror, one filled with floggings, rapes, robberies, unjust executions, disease, natural disasters, betrayals and cannibalism. Pangloss, the philosopher, has a constant optimistic view throughout the entire novel even despite all of the cruelty in the world. While looking back on the book I couldnt think of many characters that displayed admirable qualities. Even though Pangloss stuck to his views that everythingRead MoreEl Dorado s Candide : The Utopia That Wasn t. Candide1868 Words   |  8 PagesEl Dorado in Candide: The Utopia That Wasn t Candide was a novel published in 1759 by Francois-Marie Arouet, known best by the pseudonym â€Å"Voltaire†. It was written primarily to satirize German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz s â€Å"theodicy†, which was a philosophy Leibniz designed to explain why evil exists in the world. He maintained that we live in the â€Å"best of all possible worlds†, an idea Voltaire dismantled in Candide with biting attacks on philosophy, religion, politics, and social order. OneRead MoreComparing The Historical And Intellectual Circumstances Surrounding The Writing Of Two3390 Words   |  14 Pagesthrough the use of their characters and using critical analysis to determine whether each play was successful in its purpose. Dada was a movement born out of a pool of avant-garde artists, poets, writers and filmmakers that began in 1916 in Zurich, Switzerland. The first major anti-art movement’s home was established at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich and was appropriately named after Voltaire, an eighteenth century French satirist, whose play Candide mocked the absurdities and stupidities of his societyRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesnovel is sometimes used interchangeably with Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novel

What Is The Purpose Of Human Life Who Are We And Is...

What is the purpose of human life? Who are we? and Is reality real? All questions that have been asked at least once in each humans lifetime. Metaphysical questions such as these are important to ask because they’re so complex that most humans are convinced that they are unable to answer them or are convinced that these questions are ones that are absolutely impossible to answer. As humans, we grow up questioning the reality around us and we are led to believe that we will never have an answer for the metaphysical questions mentioned. The importance of asking and answering these questions is because they could define just who we are and what our purpose may be. The complexity that comes with metaphysical questions could just be enough to turn someone away from reaching out to obtain the answers to these questions. For example, when one asks themselves, am I real? or am I just plugged into a simulation that creates my experiences throughout life? like author Robert Nozick sugge sts in his reading, â€Å"The Experience Machine†. The complex and slightly ambiguity of such a question can leave some people uneasy. Why would a person want to sit and contemplate whether they’re a living and breathing being or just a ball of mush in a machine that creates a virtual life that feels and looks perfectly real. Therefore, humans stray away from the questions that are of importance except for authors like Robert Nozick, Renà © Descartes, and Nick Bostrom As humans the reality thatShow MoreRelatedReligiological Questions and Answers Essay1126 Words   |  5 Pages1. Epistemology- Inquiry into knowledge What constitutes valid knowledge and how to interpret that knowledge? What do you rely on in order to gain knowledge? What should be used to understand and properly interpret that basis of knowledge? Is there a basis for valid knowledge/ truth? The foundation of valid knowledge depends on one’s personal understanding. To â€Å"know† means to understand or be aware. Everyone’s personal knowledge differs and the way we obtain and interpret our knowledge is usuallyRead MoreNeo and His Identity in the Movie The Matrix Essay931 Words   |  4 Pagesman and machine, and the possibility that reality is a deception. In a sense, the Matrix is a constant struggle of identity and reality. This struggle of identity and reality is based around the character of Thomas Anderson, an ordinary person living a mundane life. Thomas Anderson has two separate lives and much of the dual life is lived by contrast. By day, he works as a program writer at a respectable software company, and by night, he lives the life of a hacker, alias Neo. 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Anarchist Utopia Essay Example For Students

Anarchist Utopia Essay The world is in turmoil. Wars are fought solely for economic gain, children areshooting their fellow classmates, people are starving, and people are dying. Butwhy is this happening? Why do these things have to happen? Well, they donthave to happen. This is all a result of corrupt governments caring for nothingbut money. These governments are sending their own citizens to war, and they donot care who gets killed, just which side wins. This is unjust and must notcontinue. People think about these things, but do nothing about them, and as thesaying goes, silence is consent. By not doing anything about this we allow thesethings to continue. We allow our governments to murder our family, our friends,and even ourselves. This is why I propose that we begin a new order in which weabandon governments altogether and instate an anarchist system in which all men,women, and children are equal, but in their own way different and unique. Everyones worth is the same, but their thoughts are different. And this isthe ideal society. In order for there to be a true utopia, we need to eliminatea few things. One is government, for as long as there is somebody above us insocial status, we can never be truly equal and free. Next are laws made by thecommon man that not everybody agrees with, for if there are laws that noteverybody agrees with, then there is oppression. And lastly, is a monetarysystem, because as they say, money is the root of all evil. The way that wemaintain order in such a society is through a principle called Altruism, whichis a principle that states that all people care for each other. Without such aprinciple, society cannot maintain order, and keep in mind that anarchy is notsynonymous with chaos. Anarchy is lack of government, where as chaos is lack oforder. Anyway, the reason we need altruism is because, instead of laws, the waythat we determine what is right and what is wrong is by determining a person sinherent rights. If a person then violates another persons rights, then thatis wrong, and society as a whole punishes that person fittingly. The way thatthis works is that its based on the principal of the social contract. Thesocial contract theory states that in order to have protection from a society,you must give up some of your liberties. In this case, the liberties that youwould have to give up are the liberties to violate the rights of others, and tointentionally rise in power. These rules are made so as to weed out allthose who would purposely disrupt the society and dissolve it and also tomaintain order in such a system. This also makes it so that only the goodnatured people would enter. Remember, this society is strictly a voluntarysociety. No one has to enter if they dont want to and thats one of thebest things about the anarchist utopia, is that involvement is entirelyvoluntary! An education system would be non-existent. Instead of children goingto school, each generatio n is taught by the previous generation. This has beenshown to work in indigenous tribes. In the ideal society, where theaforementioned principles are taught, people dont need to work in order tobuy material possessions. Instead, the sole motivation to work is to gather thenecessities of life (i.e. water, food, shelter, etc) and each generationwould teach what is needed to be known in order to get these things. And that iswhy education is not necessary in this society. In this society, conflict wouldbe handled in a proper manner, depending on the conflict. For example, if theconflict is about a difference in ideas, the conflict would be settled in adebate-like manner with an audience (whether it be one, or many) that decideswhos right. But if the conflict gets to the point of violence, then furtheraction is taken by the society in the form of a tribunal in which the entiresociety is gathered by either physical means, or through the media, and thesociety votes as to if the defendant i s guilty or innocent and how to punishhim/her. The economic system, as I briefly touched on earlier, will be a truesocialistic economy. The monetary system will be abolished and all trade will bedone only for necessities. Any luxury item that an individual may want would befound outside of the society and my be bought through trade. Equality would beachieved in a manner that is not oppressive. We allow ourselves to be treatedequally. No persons life is worth more than another. But, all people arerecognized as being different and unique in their own way. By having differencesin society, we can make strides to make society better. As you may have noticedby now, not very many people would be able to live in the utopia. The morepeople that live in a certain area, the more difficult it would be to maintainorder. That is why standards must be high to let people into this society. Itwill not be all upper class people. It would have a wide variety ofpersonalities and cultures so as to have a large diversity. But these peoplehave to accept the social contract to its fullest extent. That is the mainacceptance criterion, is the acceptance of the social contract that is presentedto them. Although there is no exact number as to how many people would live inthis society, all I can tell you is that a very small group of people would livethere. Diversity is welcome in this society. The only true way that theywouldnt fit in is if they broke the social contract agreement, in which casethey would be outcasts. But differentiality is welcomed in this society. It ismy belief that only if there are different opinions, can we make ourselvesbetter. The only thing that would guarantee that everything remained equal is bymaking sure everyone followed the contract (notice Im stressing the contracta lot). By following the contract, we assure equal treatment of everyone. And ofcourse all those who break the contract will be punished equally withoutdiscrimination. The way that I can guarant ee that everyone follows the rules is,again, through altruism. This is exactly why we need altruism in order to keeporder in the anarchist utopia. If people dont give a rats ass about eachother, then this system will never work. Entertainment would be the same astoday, with moderation of course. People would watch TV, music will still bewritten, and nothing will be censored. These things would be considerednecessities because they are the way that people are informed. Without theseessential tools, people would not be informed about their surroundings and itwould make way for a leader to form. And since these things are necessities,they would also be taught to the young generations by the older ones. So inconclusion, the only good government is no government at all. By getting rid ofall those above us, we create the perfect society, we create Utopia. And this isthe only way to achieve it.