In Sidney Hook's, "In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia," the author explains why he thinks Euthanasia should be allowed.
Euthanasia In Sidney Hook's, "In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia," the author explains why he thinks Euthanasia should be allowed. This article is full of many rhetorical elements. The genre of this writing is informative, because the authors hope to sway his audience to his point of view. Hook supports his side of the argument, while explaining other views of the subject also. Hook explains how this subject directly affected him. Throughout the article he goes and explains the different emotions he went through. Hook expresses his opinions on the idea of Euthanasia, and reasons to support them. Throughout the article the author's tone seems to be informative. He also explains how the society and its people are affected by Euthanasia. Hook uses rhetorical appeals to answer, "Should Euthanasia be allowed, and what positive and negatives effects are caused by it?" Hook seems to be gearing this argument towards someone that would not be in support of Euthanasia. At the beginning of the article the author explains how he suffered a congestive heart failure, which led to a stroke. Right away he establishes the rhetorical appeal of ethos. Hook then points out how he had had to endure violent and painful hiccups, for several day and nights. These hiccups prevented him from digesting food and half of his body became paralyzed. In this first paragraph the author seems to be
Critically examine the contribution of studies of suicide to a sociological understanding of deviance in society. Suicide is known to be the ultimate deviant act, as the act
Critically examine the contribution of studies of suicide to a sociological understanding of deviance in society. Suicide is known to be the ultimate deviant act, as the act destroys the most important element of society- the people on it. Without members a society would collapse. Until fairly recently in the UK suicide was illegal, and those who made attempts to kill themselves were arrested in their hospital beds. This may sound a bit peculiar but from a society's view, which wants to keep its members and wants them to continue fulfilling their social roles, the death of a person as a result of suicide is seen as similar to one of murder. Yet suicide was understudied by sociologists until the 1960s. This is due to one major piece of work, by Durkheim in 1897, it had conquered sociological thought and it was believed that there wasn't much more to say about it. Nevertheless the interpretive sociologists had several arguments against Durkheim's work as they prefer to explore the way society is constructed through people's interactions. However, is not really suicide itself that is the real centre of the debate but the methodological issues that surround it. To begin, a functionalist's analysis of deviance, such as Durkheims, begins with society as a whole. They look for the cause of deviance in the nature of society instead of the biological or psychological nature of
Can winning the lottery promote suicidal tendencies?
Can winning the lottery promote suicidal tendencies? The idea of anyone committing suicide mystifies our societal logic, yet for someone who has received such wealth that can change many lives for the better is dumbfounding. Many do not understand the reasons why such 'lucky people' -normally first associated with fast cars, and friends from the pages of Hello! Would want decide to take their own lives, as winning the lottery enables so many possibilities, what could cause someone to such a final act? Suicide eventually enters all of our lives, either directly or indirectly. However, the situation becomes more cruel and unfair when someone commits suicide after a life-changing event such as winning the lottery. We cannot help but think of the opportunities and potential lost so swiftly for one who had such potential for bettering not just ones life but of many. Although suicide is a current crisis in today's society, many different groups of people for all of history and in all cultures have resorted to this ultimate form of self-destruction. Suicide rates in Britain are lower than that of other European countries, as our youth for example are able to cope and able to successfully find the kind of help they need to help themselves throw counselling or anonymous phone services. However those who have won the lottery are in a group totally different from others. The results are
I would like to begin my evaluation of moral relativism by further exploring the concept. The primary ideas of moral relativism are that moral differences between societies around the world should be accepted
Morals are the principle foundations of all human decisions, judgements, and actions. Our politics, laws, and social activities are all shaped by our standards of morals and ethics. As time progressed through human history, the interactions between variously different cultures have occurred more frequently; thereby, creating a philosophical dilemma in dealing with different societies with very different sets of moral values. Now entering the modern era, comprehension of inter-cultural relationships is extremely important and relevant, as corporations encompass a greater number of nations around the world, and global participation becomes the driving force of the economic mechanics. The concept of morality is much too varied and intricate to comprehend, even though every human individual has a certain set of morals or a code of ethics that they live by day to day. These sets of morals are diverse, as much or more so than the number of different cultures that exist on the Earth. It is the diversity of the human moral code that creates a potentially problematic situation for cross-cultural understanding, international cooperation, and the larger scheme of globalization. Since different societies function on a different set of moral values, we need to further understand how relationships between different moral societies take place, and whether or not comparisons can be made
Assess the future relevance of liberal Protestant theological traditions in the context of World Christianity.
Samuel Pickering Assess the future relevance of liberal Protestant theological traditions in the context of World Christianity. This essay will examine the place of liberal Protestant Christianity within World Christianity and attempt to predict it's future impact. In order to answer the title question, two main areas of research must be combined. The first is the future of liberal Protestant traditions which will naturally lead to issues of World Christianity due to it's decline within it's traditional sphere of influence (i.e. the West). The second is how said liberal Protestant Christianity will develop and grow (or not), within World Christianity. It should also be noted at this stage that the definition used throughout this work is that of Lamin Sanneh, "World Christianity" being truly local expressions of Christianity as opposed to "Global Christianity", the intentional reproduction of European traditions.1 While undoubtedly one of the most significant movements within modern Christianity, Liberal Protestant Christianity has in some respects already waned beyond the point of having any significant impact upon contemporary World Christianity2. This position is unlikely to be reversed in the future. However, though liberal Protestantism may lack overt influence, this is not to say it has become irrelevant, due to several key concepts which have been absorbed and
En qu se basan las creencias espirituales?
Colegio Integral Colegio Internacional de Educación Holística para la paz Esteban Erazo Domingo, 16 de noviembre de 2008 4to azul Ensayo de TDC Elaboración de dos Ensayos de entre 1200 y 1500 palabras sobre los siguientes títulos prescritos: ¿En qué se basan las creencias espirituales? Elija un ejemplo de una creencia particular (por ejemplo, sobre la creación del mundo o la naturaleza de la vida después de la muerte) y considérelo desde el punto de vista del ateísmo y al menos dos de las principales religiones. Presente en cada caso las justificaciones que resultan convincentes para los creyentes. Su objetivo no es establecer la verdad o falsedad de una determinada religión, sino explorar la creencia y la justificación. ¿En qué medida puede clasificarse una creencia espiritual como "conocimiento"? ¿Negarle a una creencia el carácter de conocimiento disminuiría su valor o significación? Caracteres importantes en el conocimiento han sido las convicciones que tenemos sobre las cosas, de ahí una gran diversidad de percepciones y formas de ver realidades traducidas en creencias, todo esto forma religión, y puesto que existe diversidad en las convicciones también genera en la vida del humano diferentes preguntas, contestadas de distintas formas debido a su medio, es decir varias religiones, por ende muchas creencias y para que estas perduren y sean
Discuss Kohlberg's stages of moral development.
Discuss Kohlberg's stages of moral development Working as a developmental psychologist then turning his interest to the field of moral education, Lawrence Kohlberg became to be well known for his theory of moral development. His theory spurred the interest of the psychological community on moral development (Nucci, 2002). His ideas were influenced by Jean Piaget, John Dewey, and James Mark Baldwin. He argued that experiences shape children's understandings of moral concepts such as justice, rights, equality, and human welfare. Kohlberg developed his theory from the research that he conducted at Harvard's Center for Moral Education (Barger, 2000). To evaluate the moral stages, Kohlberg made a series of moral dilemmas that pit one moral value against another (Kalat, 2002). He observed the explanations, not the choices, that the subject made. The explanations were used to match the subject to one of Kohlberg's stages. Kohlberg's theory of levels and stages of moral reasoning is supported by findings from longitudinal and cross-cultural research. Kohlberg divided moral development into six distinguished stages which can be identified into three major levels. The first level is the level of pre-conventional morality. The first stage is defined by punishment and obedience. This stage is characterized by the elementary school level (Barger, 2000). People follow the rules of
In this essay let us look over the mountains of data collected in this vast debate on euthanasia and assisted suicide, and select some of the prime issues raised by supporters of assisted suicide.
Assisted Suicide Should Not be Legal In this essay let us look over the mountains of data collected in this vast debate on euthanasia and assisted suicide, and select some of the prime issues raised by supporters of assisted suicide. And let's give space to treating these issues in depth. Many argue that a decision to kill oneself is a private choice about which society has no right to be concerned. This position assumes that suicide results from competent people making autonomous, rational decisions to die, and then claims that society has no business "interfering" with a freely chosen life or death decision that harms no one other than the suicidal individual. But according to experts who have studied suicide, the basic assumption is wrong. A careful 1974 British study, which involved extensive interviews and examination of medical records, found that 93 percent of those studied who committed suicide were mentally ill at the time.[1] A similar St. Louis study, published in 1984, found a mental disorder in 94 percent of those who committed suicide.[2] There is a great body of psychological evidence that those who attempt suicide are normally ambivalent,[3] that they usually attempt suicide for reasons other than a settled desire to die,[4] and that they are predominantly the victims of mental disorder. Shouldn't it be a person's own choice? Almost all of those who
Should we strive to save a foetus's life once the carrying mother is brain-dead? Justify your answer.
Should we strive to save a foetus's life once the carrying mother is brain-dead? Justify your answer The most difficult part of answering this question came from my own prejudices and preconceived ideas. I found myself agreeing with things I did not want to agree with because there was no suitable available explanation to the contrary. Taking a step back my own ideas obviously came from my upbringing, a predominantly Christian society. Taking theology out of the picture seemed wrong at first but since it is already out of the picture, bringing it in would be even more obsurd. Indeed if theology were that important, presumably the girl who is brain dead (I will call Sarah), would not have had sex outside marriage in the first place. Religion would be called upon to decide the ultimate fate of the foetus if this happened to a married couple. Since it is not we must look for other ways at finding our difference from animals. Why should we act morally if we are animals after all? This is answered in the way that we are separate from animals, and it is this which either connects us to or separates us from foetuses. The much used quote by Arthur Clough1 seems to apply best to the status Sarah but I will attempt to discover if it also applies to the foetus. Death is when 'the moral standing of the individual changes so radically that the same rights and claims attributed to living
Suicide - A Study in Sociology with reference to Emile Durkheim
Emile Durkheim is known for many sociological theories and concepts, such as social solidarity, which although seen in his study of suicide, exists independently of it. However, he is most famed for his classic methodological - and rather positivist - work, Suicide: A Study in Sociology (First published in 1897). The dictionary definition of suicide is "the intentional killing of oneself" (Marshall, 1998). However, Durkheim believed that it took more than this to properly define this action, stating, "...suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result." (Durkheim, 1978, p 44). By positive acts, he meant taking a course of action that was definitely intended to produce death, such as a huge overdose. Negative acts referred to a lack of a distinct action that would ultimately result in death (as the individual would be aware), such as starving oneself. Many argue that both this type of definition and Durkheim's vast use of statistics generalised what is typically regarded as the most individual of acts. Various criticisms and support of Suicide will be discussed later. However, Steve Taylor points out that the great majority of studies on suicide since Suicide have been significantly "shaped" by the work of Durkheim. (Taylor, 1982). Durkheim was