Should we have a right to die?

Should We Have The Right To Die? Most of us assume that every human being born into this world has a "right to life," then it logically follows that every human being has a right to end their life (or a "right to die"). Because death is a part of life, a person's right to life logically assumes a right to not have that life. This is a huge controversial argument in which no right or wrong answer has been found and possibly never will be. Every living person in society has their own individual opinion and situation on life and because of this, society as whole may never be able to come to a stable agreement about humans having the right to die if they so wish. When we say people having the right to die, we mean if they have the right to use euthanasia as a way out of life. Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a person by an act or an omission for that person's alleged benefit. For example if they are terminally ill and will never be able to recover, that person may believe that their quality of life is of low standard and therefore they may want to consider euthanasia as a way to end their life to stop the suffering for them and their family. Surely if they have lived their life and made all the decisions they have made then they should be able to choose if they want to die. It shouldn't be the doctors or anybody else's opinion. If we humans have autonomy then shouldn't

  • Word count: 988
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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What does 'natural' mean in Natural Moral Law

What does "natural" mean in Natural Law? The "Natural Law" originated from Aristotle's idea that everything in the world has a purpose, revealed in its design, and that it's supreme "good" is to be sought in fulfilling that purpose. Natural law is not simply about what nature does, but it is based on nature as interpreted by human reason. Natural Law does not necessarily give you straightforward and unbending answers to everything. It involves interpreting certain situations, and can be applied in a flexible way. It does not simply present a fixed 'law' dictated by nature. Natural Law originated from Aristotle, who argued that everything had a purpose or goal to which it aimed. He argued that everything had four causes, but he mainly concentrated on the Final Cause. Once you knew what something was for, and you knew how it should behave then you can tell whether that thing is good or not. A knife is designed for cutting, if it does that well then it can be classified as a 'good' knife because it fulfils its purpose and lives in accordance with its nature. For example a pen, that isn't used for what it should be used, writing, it is not considered as a 'good' pen because it doesn't live in accordance with itself, and its nature, as it does not do what it was designed to do. A pen that does what it was originally made for, is living naturally, fulfilling its final cause. Also

  • Word count: 918
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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TQM (total quality management).

Traditionally organizations have adopted the objective of maximizing profit for the business itself and for the welfare of the business only. In the new generation managers of organizations (whether it is a corner store or a large multinational corporation), they are expected to maximize profit and at the same time act as 'good' corporate citizens for the welfare of society. Society expects managers to adopt the concept of TQM (total quality management.) Due to this change from traditional management responsibility to modern manager's responsibilities, ethical factors and social responsibility have become important aspects of managing an organization. Ethics outlines the standards of an organization of what is morally 'good' or 'bad'. The ethical dilemmas with in an organization can create concerns among employers and employees as it conflicts with their individual personal beliefs. This raises the issue of whistle blowing, which is when "individuals report unethical practices by their employer to outsiders". The reason for whistle blowing is that the whistle blower believes that unethical practices are being performed and he or she is willing to preserve the ethical standards in our society. Whistle blowing may seem ethical to society but it is unethical to the organization itself. From this conflicting factor, it can create problems for both the whistle blower and the

  • Word count: 2126
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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explain aristotle's virtue theory

A) Explain Aristotle's Virtue Theory (15 marks) Aristotle was born in Macedonia 384 BCE. He founded his own school of Philosophy called the Lyceum and died at the age of 62 in Chalais. Aristotle has had a huge influence on many people since he has put forward his virtue theory. Aristotle began by saying that there is a purpose to everyone's life. He said that everything a person or group does is directed towards some kind of aim. Whatever we do there is a purpose, even though we may not see that purpose until after. He then said that the second purpose to someone's life is through superior and subordinate aims. E.g., writing your first ethics or philosophy essay is subordinate to obtaining your final a level degree. For Aristotle, the final aim is the good; not only the good for yourself but the good for all humanity. Thirdly, that supreme good for Aristotle is happiness or eudaimonia. Eudaimonia can be split into two parts: - pleasure and behaving well. However, each person has got their won view on happiness. According to Aristotle there are 3 different categories of people. . Those who love pleasure (women, men, wine, song, dance) 2. Those who love honour (service to the community-army) 3. Those who love contemplation (devoted to thinking-philosophers) There is one thing that distinguishes us form the rest of the creation- and that is our ability to reason. We

  • Word count: 903
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Evaluate the claim that conscience is the voice of God

Evaluate the claim that the Conscience is the voice of God Conscience is something that is intrinsic to our everyday lives. The origin and role of the conscience is something that divides people and something that has been used to justify some very terrible acts, approaches to conscience vary, including numerous religions who claim that it is God given. This is the belief that either at conception God gave each person a conscience or that it is imparted to us at some stage to enable us to discern morally correct and incorrect actions. For some philosophers it is the actual voice of God that speaks to them through their conscience. Thomas Aquinas saw conscience as 'right reason'. For him, reason was central to the moral life and to understanding the differences between right and wrong. He did not agree that the conscience was an inner voice telling us what is right and what is wrong, he believed that it was 'reason making right decisions' and used correctly it helps us to understand what God sees as good and right. His belief was that people try to do good and avoid evil, called the Synderesis rule. In all situations our subconscious actions are to do good, however he said that due to faulty reasoning or weakness of will some people perform bad actions thinking that they are good, and therefore commit sinful acts (for example a man who commits adultery). Aquinas said that

  • Word count: 1464
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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`Always tell the truth and Always keep your promises' Kant's Categorical Imperative.

`Always tell the truth and Always keep your promises': Kant's Categorical Imperative Paul Grosch and William Large 'Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and the more steadily we reflect on them: the starry heavens above and the moral law within' (Kant, The Critique of Practical Reason, p. 260). For Kant there are scientific laws which govern the natural world, and moral laws which govern the social world. Or, more specifically, there is one moral law which governs the social world: the categorical imperative. As we shall see, there are three main formulations of it: And what particularly concerns us in this paper is the relationship between the moral law, or the categorical imperative, and the two maxims which may be derived from it, namely: Always tell the truth and always keep a promise. Kant's Moral Theory Kant's moral philosophy is basically deontological. That is to say it rests on the notion of duty or obligation (Greek - 'deon': duty or obligation). The argument is that we should conduct our affairs out of strict duty to the moral law. Kant wrote three major works on moral philosophy: * Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals, published in 1785. * Critique of Practical Reason, published in 1788. * The Metaphysics of Morals, published in 1797. The Good Will The Fundamental Principles is the most

  • Word count: 4225
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Kant's theory of Ethics

` Kant and the Deontological Argument Immanuel Kant was born in Konigsberg, East Prussia, 1724, and died in 1804 and so, was alive during much of the 18th Century. One of his most important pieces of work was the development of his own theory of ethics, which aimed to prove that ethics should be based on reason. That is why Kant's theory is considered to be of a deontological nature. The historical context of the 18th Century is important when trying to realise why Kant came up with his particular ethical theory based on reason. This period of time is named the 'Enlightenment Period' during which there was increased recognition of the need for the development of an ethical theory based on reason, and reason alone. Kant was, to a great extent, influenced by German pietism i.e. the view that religion should be based on human experience rather than study or rational proof. He stands as part of the 'European Enlightenment', the movement that aimed to go beyond authority and superstition so as to deal with morality based solely on human reason. In its basics, Kant's moral theory is deontological, meaning it rests on the concept of duty or obligation (derived from the Greek word 'ontos' meaning duty/obligation). Kant argues we should handle our affairs through duty to the moral law. Kant starts off by arguing that reason is the primary source of knowledge. Therefore, Kant

  • Word count: 2618
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Explain What Is Meant By Situation Ethics.

Explain What Is Meant By Situation Ethics. Religion has for a long time been a source of moral rules for many people. Probably the most famous set of rules is the 10 Commandments. An alternative view of moral rules is known as Situation Ethics. Situation ethics is an idea that was first developed by Joseph Fletcher. What Fletcher attempted to do was to create a compromise between having too many rules and no rules at all. Fletcher rejected the idea that everyone should follow a whole series of rules. Instead of a whole number of rules, Fletcher suggested that there is only one rule that everyone should follow. This rule is about love and was called 'the law of love'. Fletcher defines what people should do in terms of love: the right course of action is to do the most loving thing. Christian love is not based on desire; it is self-giving love or agape. Agape does not depend on being loved in return. The command love calls individuals to a high level of person responsibility. There is only one ultimate and invariable duty, this is 'Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself'. From the Bible (Leviticus 19.18) How do we know what the most loving thing to do is? As the name situation ethics suggests, for Fletcher, it is the situation that is important for determining what should be done. There is therefore, no way of knowing beforehand what is right and wrong because each

  • Word count: 1049
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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What are the vices and failings of contemporary New York revealed in 'Bonfire of the Vanities'?

What are the vices and failings of contemporary New York revealed in Bonfire of the Vanities'? In 'Bonfire of the Vanities' Wolfe paints a picture of a city racked with sin; the 'Unreal City' that Eliot feared so greatly. The city, its inhabitants and their very principles are flawed to such an extent that the novel, in my opinion, reads as a tragedy. The story opens with a brilliantly ironic situation: black Harlem residents heckle the mayor claiming that he has persecuted their minorities, telling him, "Don't percentage no annual budget with us, man! We want jobs!" The only problem is that they simultaneously taunt him, calling him "Goldberg" and "Hymie." Their distorted sense of values encapsulates the attitudes of this twisted city. In the same way, The Reverend Bacon attacks the power structure, saying, "You think Sherman McCoy stands alone? You think he is by himself? He is one a the most powerful men at Pierce & Pierce, and Pierce & Pierce is one a the most powerful forces in Wall Street. I know Pierce & Pierce . . . see . . . I know what they can do. You heard a capitalists. You heard a plutocrats. You take a look at Sherman McCoy and you're looking at a capitalist, you're looking at a plutocrat." Once again, the situation is laced with irony as Bacon has invested huge sums of money with the very bank he just criticised. Priorities are bizarre, but most worryingly

  • Word count: 1195
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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What do you understand by the concept of "professional ethics" for those working in accounting and finance

What do you understand by the concept of "professional ethics" for those working in accounting and finance? Outline some of the key issues of professional ethics that graduates working in accounting and finance may face. When looking at ethics we need to look at the moral judgement of it and how it deals within ethics. The perception of this may be what moral decisions or judgements may be faced in such things as preparing cash flow charts or auditing company's accounts. It is at this point that the public may assume, due to the mathematical precision that accountants are engaged in with accounting procedures, that there is very little capacity to make any sort of ethical decisions. These are nonetheless stereotypes, which will look at now in more detail. For anyone working is accounting and finance, when they are preparing figures, they should submit a 'true and fair view' of them in way that it is a description of reality, just like words. However, there is no agreed definition of what a 'true and fair view' is so there leaves some anomalies as to the level of ethics that we may encounter within accounting and finance. Whilst accounting is just like anything else in that it is another way of describing something in the world, it can still be described in different way. Meaning, if you were to give the same set of accounts to two different accountants they could

  • Word count: 849
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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