Essay --

Katie Maher Ms. Cooke English 12 14 December 2014 The History Of Tattoo Artistry Every day, tattoos have become apart of almost everyones daily life. Wether it be simply seeing someone with some on the street, to giving hundreds of them a day. While admiring their beauty, however, many people don’t think about the history behind the practice and how they have developed over the centuries. Tattoos have been around for thousands of years. One of the earliest evidence of tattoos being practiced was from the Iceman found with tattoos from the area of the Italian and Austrian border and was carbon dated to be around 5200 years old. Matching it's time, they use long one stakes dipped in soot. the earliest evidence of tattoos dates all the way back to 1800 BC when the Iceman was found with tattoos in Italy. His body is covered with over 50 tattoos in the form of group and lines and crosses. The Iceman had several carbon tattoos including groups of short parallel and vertical lines to both sides of the spine across mark behind the right knee and different marks they're both left and ...

Immanuel Kant Essay

A. Kant’s ethical theory Standard rationality is the major foundation of Kant’s ethical theory. Moral requirements are also associated with the standard rationality but this standard could be based on instrumental principles of rationality or based on the sui generis rational instinct. A conventional conformity could be achieved through the analysis of rationality with instrumental principles. Kant argued that conforming to instrumental and non-instrumental principles (â€Å"Categorical Imperative†) will both be justified to rationality (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). Kant supported his arguments that being rational reflect free will, law of autonomous will. Each of us is accepted based on our self-governing reasons and gain equal respect from other people. According to him, the standard of rationality is the key foundation of moral requirements. Violation of such rule is thereby irrational. Kant believed that a â€Å"good will† is the highest notion of being such ‘good person’, or ‘a person of good will’ (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). There are no other qualifications of being ‘good’ other than ‘good will’. Basically, the notion of ‘good will’ is the possession of a will that is consistent and on the basis with the notion of the moral law. A person of good will is the one who make decisions, do good things in such a way that he/she told to be morally and taking moral considerations According to Kant, the outcome for search for the inherent and fundamental ‘good’ was not inherently good. Happiness and pleasure could be the result from most evil acts. In fact, he use the term good to describe the ‘good will’ – the resolution in accordance with duty. He believed that reason would give individuals to work out what one’s duty was. Kant also criticized the notion that we are free. According to him, we can’t be described as free if our actions are just circling around a defined boundary. He also stressed that following the belief that god and life is existing, morality would make no sense. The principle that one should act in accordance with such truths was criticized by Kant for this principle says that we would perform these actions of which it is true that they are right and ought to be performed. Wolff’s principle tells that actions must be performed if it falls under the concept ‘to be done’. Autonomy and Heteronomy In philosophical perspective, autonomy refers when a person/individual acts by himself/herself based from his/her internal drives, needs and ideals while heteronomy is defined when an individual acts based upon outside forces and responsibilities. According to Kant, â€Å"Autonomous agents† acts to what their instinct tell them (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). In addition, they act in accordance with the categorical imperative of willing what is â€Å"univerzable† to be known and consistent with moral law. â€Å"Heteronomous agents† think first to the possible consequences of their actions as affected by their environment (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). They derive principles of actions from outside by putting into consideration the consequences of their action or the perception of others towards one thing or object. In a narrow perspective (person), autonomy reflects to selecting right decisions for one-self. In broader sense (political perspective), autonomy reflects the right of self-determination (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). A heteronomous will lies its rules of actions that have been legislated externally to it while autonomous will is completely self-legislating. Kant’s Categorical Imperative Kant is known form his theory called the ‘categorical imperative’ rooted from the idea of duty. According to him, categorical imperative is a principle that is essentially and fundamentally legitimate; universally good to him and to others; it requires to comply with when the situation is associated with the moral law.   Ã‚  Ã‚   His theory is the fundamental foundation at the basis of all our moral values and duties. If we observe, it coined the word â€Å"imperative.† His theory is an imperative for it is a command. It informs and commands us to exercise our wills in a particular way, and not performing the opposite of the theory. Kant distinguished another form of ‘oughts’ other than our moral duties. This principle is so called â€Å"hypothetical imperative† (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004) which is being based on a quite different kind of principle. Like categorical imperative, hypothetical imperative is also a command that also applies to us in virtue of having a good will. However, it is not simply a virtue for we have need of to exercising our wills. Hence, this theory is a command in a conditional form. Kant listed three formulation of the categorical imperative which he believed to be   almost equivalent – Formula of Universal Law (First Formulation), Formula of the End in Itself Second Formulation), and Formula of Autonomy (Third Formulation). The Formula of Universal Law simply states that the maxim should be selected. A supreme law guides this formulation – to do deeds in harmony with that maxim. The first formulation is interpreted as â€Å"universality test† having five steps: (1) finding the agent’s maxim; (2) putting oneself in a parallel circumstance on the real world agent followed that maxim; (3) decide on contradictions; (4) if there’s contradiction, acting on that maxim is not permissible in the real world, and (5) if there’s no contradiction, acting on that maxim is allowed. The second formulation simply says to respect for humanity. Don’t put an end to a certain situation by doing bad deeds just to serve as a getaway. According to him, we must all act accordingly to every rational being and to place restrictions on the acts we adopt on the search of our ends, do not accept it. Kant enumerated two kinds of imperative – hypothetical and categorical. Hypothetical imperative requires an immediate action because it is a necessity and a requirement. In example, if I am hungry, then I must eat something. Categorical imperative refers to an unmodified, categorical prerequisite that is both a requirement and justified. In Kant’s hypothetical imperative, he believed that it would not be accepted. Hypothetical moral systems cannot be as bases for moral judgments since imperatives are subjective. What is morally accepted in an individual may not be absolutely true for others. Consequently, the categorical imperative was presented as an option to the inconsistency of hypothetical imperative (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). Categorical Imperative: Autonomous Ethical Choice The foundation of Kant’s theory states that human wills are self-directed. He believed that we could understand and justify moral requirements if we could be self-governing. Freedom is not merely consisting of any law that everyone is liberated to perform a certain actions. However, freedom is consisting of a law in such a way that this law, in some sense, would allow individuals for one’s own making. The idea of freedom as autonomy is where a person has laid down laws where he has also the decisive authority. Kant explains that free will is naturally inexplicable. A rational person would base his/her decisions on reasons and justifications of his/her act. Categorical Imperative is met when a person justified his/her acts. Thus, reflecting to autonomous ethical choice of a person. With our free will and/or autonomous ethical choices, we act on it objectively. B. Kant’s Ethical Theory: An Analysis For me, I support Kant’s theory on ethical decision-making. Kant pointed-out, we cannot exceed to the limitations of our thinking. Based from our line of reasoning, we justified things objectively. We make decisions based on our understanding. I think these statements are true and absolute. Kant’s argued that categorical imperative must reflect on our free will. He argued that instrumental and non-instrumental principles are necessary to meet the categorical imperatives. General facts may or may not be true for a person who do not understand its concepts or understand it on the other perspective. Good will responds to the universal moral law and we follow these laws according to our autonomous acts. We accept humanity, rational agency as represented by our understanding.

Democratic Government Is It Better Essay - 1181 Words

In order for country to develop, or to keep up with the modern world and the institutions, it should have certain standards; and one of the most important is democracy. In the modern world where almost all of the countries, with the exemption of some governments that are still autocratic or socialists comes a common denominator and almost as a measure standard comes democracy. Several authors discuss about whether a democratic government is better than other that is not democratic, or if a country is democratic, functions better than those that are not. Democracy can have a lot of meanings whether a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. But the most†¦show more content†¦Trust, norms and networks as Putnam points out, tend to be self-reinforcing. The author conducted an experiment in Italy. This study revealed patterns of associations, trust and cooperation that facilitate good governance and economic prosperity. He found that more civic regions in the north of Italy, with the implementation of choral societies and soccer teams engaged people in community affairs, public issues, increased the belief in popular government but most strikingly in community values and solidarity, cooperation and honesty. On the other hand, the regions in the south, there were few people involved, there was little opportunity, political participation triggered by personal dependency or private good, there was no collective purpose; corruption was more commo n. Overall people were unhappier in the southern region. Social capital is the key to institutional performance, and it helps for the maintenance of democracy and governments. The importance of civic community is important in the developing of successful institutions as well, and is core for the well functioning of any democratic governments in the world. Eliasoph Nina, discusses in the book avoiding politics about political apathy, that is not naturalShow MoreRelatedIs Democratic Socialism a Better Form of Government?1914 Words   |  8 Pages Is democratic socialism a better form of government? Democratic socialism is a form of government whose popularity is growing exponentially. It is found that democratic socialism is a better alternative to capitalism and communism, two other very popular forms of government. Democratic socialism can be considered the best form of government because key industries are nationalized, there is an even distribution of wealth, and it produces a well working economy. The theory of democratic socialismRead MoreThe Third Condition For The Stability Of Democracy1564 Words   |  7 PagesFree speech enables ordinary citizens to express these concerns to their leaders. It is the freedom of speech that gives rise to the cooperative logic (Lecture notes). The cooperative logic bridges the gap between the opponents and supporters of a democratic rule. Through the freedom, each party can share the sentiments that they hold in order to facilitate enforceability and access. In the same school of thought, the freedom of speech prevents the society from venting its anger over a matter of nationalRead MoreThe Difference between Democratic Government and Oligarchy Government833 Words   |  4 PagesDemocratic Government VS Oligarchy Government â€Å"The government is merely a servant -- merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isnt. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.† Mark Twain Democracy and Oligarcy as forms of government have been in existence for a long period of time, both terms first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought. Both formsRead MoreDefinition Of Democracy And Governance1586 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to M.P.Barbra, local government means authority to determine and to execute matters within a restricted area inside and smaller than the whole state. Every state in the world has been implementing local government system for the administrating services regarding peripheral society. Local government and democracy is most closed concept in theory as well as practice. Term â€Å"democracy and governance† are complicated and dynamic concepts in social sciences discipline. It has a long historicalRead MoreDoes Democracy Produce Worse Government Than Dictatorship Produces?1194 Words   |  5 Pagesproduce worse government than dictatorship produces? Introduction For the sake of ruling a country, we demand a system which can provide justice and also protect the basic rights of people. Basically, there are two systems in the contemporary world, democratic system and dictatorship. When people determining which form of government is better, it always comes to a fierce debate. For instance, America, United Kingdom, India are the countries which have a democratic form of government. On the otherRead MoreEssay on Democratic Peace1477 Words   |  6 PagesDemocratic Peace Democratic peace is presently a theory that has come under fire from many individuals due to the complex nature in which it is applied to nations and their handling of foreign affairs. There are currently two accepted arguments: (1) Democracies do not fight one another because they are self-organizing systems and are therefore fundamentally distinct from other statesRead MorePolitical Party During The 20th Century1411 Words   |  6 Pagesdominated by Democratic leaders, the Republican party still had presidential icons such as Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Dwight Eisenhower. With the amounts of political pull on both sides, it raises the question as to which political party was more successful during the 20th century. Although determining the outcome of which political party performed better depended solely on the different circumstances that presented themselves during each party s administrations, the Democratic party performedRead MoreTo what extent have constitutional reforms since 1997 made the UK more democratic?1167 Words   |  5 PagesTo what extent have constitutional reforms since 1997 made the UK more democratic? There have been many constitutional reforms since 1997 that is progressive towards a more democratic system, however it is not a complete democracy and there are still parts of the constitution could be improved. In 1997 Labour government came to power, with tony blair as prime minister, later Gordon Brown came to power between 2007 to 2010 have made a series of constitutional reforms. This was due to the fact thatRead MoreDemocracy in the 20th Centuries Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesdemocracies have culminated from revolutions,wars, and even economic development. As democracies continue to grow democracy promotion has been a key issue for world governments, especially the United State of America. History has shown that building democracy is a very strenuous and a difficult task to accomplish. With the inception of government, democracy has been a seemingly difficult concept to understand as well as create and implement. Although, democracy is inherently difficult to create and uph oldRead More A Democratic Society Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pages A Democratic Society Throughout time the debate upon which is the best system of government has been an ongoing debate. Somewhere between the realms of democracy, socialism, fascism, communism, and monarchism lies the answer to the perfect system. Traditionally speaking, North America has always tried to remain democratic in ruling. The democratic system, unlike its alternatives, encourages equality and liberty among the people which in modern society, makes it the most attractive system of government