Understanding The Moral Viewpoint Philosophy Essay

Understanding The Moral Viewpoint Philosophy Essay What is the moral point of view, and why is it regarded as important? ¿Ã‚ ½ Defend or criticize the view that business people must operate from the moral point of view. The moral point of view as stated by Partridge, (2010) assumes that a morally mature individual possesses a cognitive capacity which just might be unique to our species: the capacity of each of us to recognize in others the personal qualities such as emotions, aspiration, values, and consciousness, that we immediately experience ourselves. Whereas Kurt Baier holds that one is taking the moral point of view if one is not being egoistic, one is doing things on principle, one is willing to universalize one principles, and in doing so one considers the good of everyone alike. (Gensler, Spurgin Swindal , 2004). Yet, Hume thought that the moral point of view was that of sympathy. (Gensler, Spurgin Swindal , 2004), When we take the moral point of view, we seek to adjudicate disputes rationally, we assume that other persons are neither more nor less important than ourselves, and we assume that our own claims will be considered alongside those of others in an impartial manner. These three components of the moral point of view are respectively concerned with rationality in the sense that it involves the application of reason rather than feeling or mere inclination, universalizability in the sense that the principles or propositions ascertained therefrom apply to all persons and to all relevantly similar circumstances, and impartiality in the sense that principles or propositions ascertained therefrom apply to persons irrespective of arbitrary considerations (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Thus in a collective sense, the moral point of view may be understood as the point of view of every person and could be defined as approaching a problem from the perspective of its being morally right or wrong, or morally excellent. The Moral Point of View has two key features: a commitment or willingness to seek out and act on reasons in that the best action is the one supported by the best reasons and a commitment to impartiality, of regarding the interests of everyone as equally worthy of consideration. A commitment to these two key features is justified by the fact that we are rational and communal beings; acting this way, therefore, best fits with who and what we are. The application of the moral point of view within business is one that is needed. According to Beauchamp, Bowie, and Arnold, (2008), a business organization that is solely guided by economic considerations is an amoral or unethical organization. An organization that operates under the pretense that what and how they do business does not impact or affect others is destined for a short and rocky history. An organization must understand they not only impact or interact with suppliers, employees, other business, but also those not directly involved with their operations, but those second or third removed, with association through the suppliers, through the employees, and through other business and the community. When a business is amoral or unethical, they present themselves as less of a competitor and will find their profit margin shrink, as they do their customer base. References Beauchamp, T. L., Bowie, N. E., and Arnold, D. G. (2008). Ethical Theory and Business (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Gensler, H. J., Spurgin, E. W. and Swindal, J. (2004). Ethics: contemporary readings /. New York: Routledge Partridge, E., Ph.D (2010). Environmental Ethics and Public Policy [Website]. The Online Gadfly, Retrieved December 4, 2010, from www.igc.org/gadfly Question 2 Provide an exposition of the stockholder view of the corporation as defended by Milton Friedman. ¿Ã‚ ½ What would Friedman likely say about the NYSEG Corporate responsibility program? ¿Ã‚ ½ Provide an exposition of the stakeholder view of the corporation as defended by R. Edward Freeman. ¿Ã‚ ½ What would Freeman likely say about the NYSEG Corporate responsibility program? ¿Ã‚ ½ With whom do you agree more? Answer The traditional or classical Stockholder View, the one presented by Milton Friedman, is that the corporation seeks to maximize profits in the interest of increasing the wealth of its owners, the shareholders (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008) in the simplest of terms ?to make money.? Managers are morally and legally obligated to serve as agents of the stockholders, and advance their interests regardless of how those decisions might affect the other stakeholders. The only group that has a moral claim on the corporation is the people who own shares of the stock. Regarding Friedman?s view on NYSEG Corporate Responsibility Program, Friedman would tow the hard line. Based on his theory, he would say it was good business to cut off services to those that are unable to pay, since it did not violate a law or regulation, and it was within the organizations right to do so. Sitting at the other end of the spectrum is the Stakeholder View, essentially a balanced accountability approach, presented by R. Edward Freeman. The corporation is obligated to seek balance in striving to serve justly the particular demands of each of its stakeholder groups (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). The key is finding the correct balance of returns provided and contributions expected for each stakeholder group, including owners, management, employees, customers, suppliers, government, the community, and society as a whole. This involves trade-offs, while profit generation is one goal, this has to be balanced against other goals and sometimes profit may be sacrificed in order to help out other stakeholders. Managers are morally and legally obligated to serve as agents of all stakeholder groups, and try to advance all of these interests collectively, without favoring any one group. Many groups have a moral claim on the corporation that derives from the corporation potential t o harm or benefit them these groups would includes the owners, corporate managers, local community, customers, employees and suppliers Regarding Freeman?s view on NYSEG Corporate Responsibility Program, Freeman would support the program. Based on his theory, the customers are a stakeholder group that is worthy of consideration. Striving for the balance of profit, and support of those customers requiring assistance. With Freeman?s view, I find myself in total agreement, his view provides for a stable and balanced approach. In that developing a strong relationship with the customers, provides to a degree the possibility of profit gain to the shareholder, as well as providing a marketing prospect for new customers. References Beauchamp, T. L., Bowie, N. E., and Arnold, D. G. (2008). Ethical Theory and Business (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Question 3 What are the main features of Kantian ethics? What are the main features of utilitarian ethics? ¿Ã‚ ½ Which view do you find most persuasive? Why? Answer Kantian ethics In Kantian ethics the main guiding principle is known as the categorical imperative also called Formula of Universal Law, or Formula of the Kingdom of Ends; what everyone, everywhere, ought to do. A key feature of the categorical imperative is its universal nature in framing goodness, but there may be exceptions, and only if they can be universalized (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Although Kantian ethics contain several main principles, the primary concept is the idea that certain principles are intrinsically moral, and that a moral person or society must observe these categorical imperatives in all situations. Moral rules should be based on the premise of reason and rational agents, not on human nature or conscience (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Intentions, motives, will of the person and actions-in-themselves are morally relevant and more important than consequences. When considering an action an individual must ask whether they can imagine their intentions for an action as a general rule for everyone. If a person does something out of a sense of duty to moral law, to make an informed, uncoerced decision, free of external authority, then his actions have moral value. Treating people with ?dignity? and respect is a moral consideration. Respect for the person, people are intrinsically valuable and should not be used or treated as a means to an end. People should be respected as ends in and of themselves. Utilitarian Theory According to Beauchamp, Bowie, and Arnold, (2008), John Stuart Mill argues that unconvincing and incompatible theories can be coherently unified by a single standard of beneficence that allows us to decide objectively what is right and wrong, developing Utilitarianism. The principle of utility, or the ?greatest happiness? principle, dictates that the given action or practice is right when compared with any alternative action or practice if it leads to the greatest possible balance of beneficial consequences or to the least possible balance of bad consequences. Mill also holds that the concepts of duty, obligation, and right are subordinated to, and determined by, that which maximizes benefits and minimizes harmful outcomes (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Utilitarianism is a moral principle that holds that the morally right course of action in any situation is the one that produces the greatest balance of benefits over harms for everyone affected. So long as a course of action produces maximum benefits for everyone, utilitarianism does not care whether the benefits are produced by lies, manipulation, or coercion. In evaluating the goodness of an action, utilitarianists look for the effect or consequence that the action may have, and whether or not the greatest happiness by all will be achieved. Utilitarianists do not necessarily view an action as having any intrinsic worth in and of itself. They do not require we know every possible consequence of an action, but that we take into account what can reasonably be anticipated to result from the action. Utilitarianism offers a relatively straightforward method for deciding the morally right course of action for any particular situation we may find ourselves in. To discover what we ought to do in any situation, we first identify the various courses of action that we could perform. Second, we determine all of the foreseeable benefits and harms that would result from each course of action for everyone affected by the action. And third, we choose the course of action that provides the greatest benefits after the costs have been taken into account. Which is more persuasive, Kantian or Utilitarian? Kants theory of imperatives, though quite rational, seems to be a utopian concept that cannot be fully realized in a complex society. Whereas Utilitarian calculation requires that we assign values to the benefits and harms resulting from our actions and compare them with the benefits and harms that might result from other actions; this in itself would be a tremendous undertaking. Kantian ethics focuses more on the actual action or motive and the morality of that action as opposed to utilitarianism, which focuses more on the morality of the consequence and, not of the action or motive. Kantian ethics state the treatment of everyone should be as an end in themselves and never exploit them as means, as opposed to utilitarianism, which states the treatment of people should be as means to improve everyone?s situation. Looking at Kantian and Utilitarian philosophies, the two appear as polar opposites. But in the end, they both seek a morally right and virtuous life. Each brings a different aspect to a given situation. The two theories are not all encompassing for every situation; it is in this that both are persuasive for a given event.

Comparing Coleridge and Wordsworths Views on Peoples Relationship to

Comparing Coleridge and Wordsworth's Views on People's Relationship to Nature Although Wordsworth and Coleridge are both romantic poets, they describe nature in different ways. Coleridge underlines the tragic, supernatural and sublime aspect of nature, while Wordsworth uses anecdotes of everyday life and underlines the serene aspect of nature. In order to imply a connection between nature and the human mind, Wordsworth uses the technique of identification and comparison whereas Coleridge does the opposite in 'The Ancient Mariner' and 'Kubla Khan'. Both admire nature's healing strength and hope that their children will grow up in a natural environment instead of growing up in cities. For Wordsworth nature seems to sympathise with the love and suffering of the persona. The landscape is seen as an interior presence rather than an external scene. His idea is that emotions are reflected in the tranquillity of nature. On the contrary, Coleridge says that poetry is clearly distinguished from nature. Reading the poems of both Wordsworth and Coleridge, one immediately notes a difference in the common surroundings presented by Wordsworth and the bizarre creations of Coleridge. Thus they develop their individual attitudes towards life. I will look at differences and similarities concerning people?s relationship to nature in poems by Coleridge and Wordsworth such as: ?The Ancient Mariner?, ?Kubla Khan?, ?The Nightingale,? ?Lucy?, ?Tintern Abbey,? ?There was a boy?, ? Old Beggar?, ?I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud? and "Frost at Midnight". In ?The Ancient Mariner,? Coleridge demonstrates how violating nature and her subjects brings doom to the infracted. In this poem, the poet emphasises the vengeful, dark side ... ...heir respective views on nature. Wordsworth illustrates man?s necessary bond to nature, one that was being destroyed by state men. Coleridge chooses to present nature as a natural law that one should not violate. Coleridge?s ?Ancient Mariner? poem makes me think of a painting by the romantic painter Turner. Especially of his painting of ? the slave ship? painted in 1840. This painting depicts a slave ship in the red sunset heading into a typhoon creating an anxious feeling. I think that Coleridge poem can be compared with Turner and his apocalyptic view of nature, and Wordsworth can be compared to Constable with his peaceful landscape of English countryside. Bibliography: Holmes, Richard. Coleridge: darker reflection: London: HarperCollins, 1998 Abrahms, M. H, eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, vol. 2, 7th edition. New York, 2000

Mumtaz Mahal

Arjumand Banu Begum  (also called  Mumtaz Mahal) was the third  wife  of  Shah Jahan. Mumtaz Mahal (meaning ‘Jewel  of the  palace') was the  nickname  her husband gave to her. Mumtaz Mahal was born in  April  1593  in  Agra, India. Her father was the  Persian  noble  Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, the brother of  Nur Jahan. Mumtaz was a  Muslim  and fell in love with and married her cousin,  Shah Jahan, later to be the Mughal emperor on  May 10,  1612  at the age of 19. She was his third wife, and became his favorite. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal were married for 19 years. They had thirteen children together. Seven of the children died at birth or at a very young age. Mumtaz travelled with Shah Jahan and his army as he carried out  military campaigns. Mumtaz Mahal supported Shah Jahan and they respected each other very much. Mumtaz Mahal died on  June 17,  1631  in Burhanpur in the Deccan (now in  Madhya Pradesh) during the birth of their fourteenth child, a daughter named Gauhara Begum. She had been with her husband as he was fighting a campaign in the Deccan Plateau. Her body was kept at Burhanpur in a walled pleasure garden known as Zainabad. A popular story says that on her deathbed, her last wish to the emperor was for a  symbol  or a  monument  to their love. She also asked her husband not to marry anyone else. The emperor promised immediately. Her body was buried in the  Taj Mahal  in Agra. After she died, Shah Jahan went into  mourning  for a year. When he appeared again, his hair had turned white, his back was bent, and his face worn. Jahan's eldest daughter, Jahanara Begum, slowly brought him out of mourning and took the place of Mumtaz at court.

International Adoption Agencies (U.S.) & Russian Government essays

International Adoption Agencies (U.S.) & Russian Government essays In addition to the children in the United States who need families, there are countless thousands of homeless children in countries scattered around the globe (Klibanoff 166). Consequently, private adoption agencies are expanding their adoption services by entering into the international arena. I will analyze why Russia is a lucrative market for expanding adoption services globally and identify the determinant factors adoption agencies will endure while conducting business globally. In doing so, I will conduct a country profile and examine how Russias political, economic, cultural, social, legal, medical, and geography systems affect international adoption agencies. Lastly, I will discuss how U.S. adoption agencies build alliances with the Russian Government to process international adoptions and examine marketing strategies that are used to implement an international adoption program. Adoptive Families explains the history of adoption. It states: The modern era of international adoption began after the Korean War, when Korean and Amerasian orphans were placed with families living in the United States. Since then, Americans have adopted many thousands of children from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. In 2001 alone, U.S. families adopted over 19,000 children from other countries. (41) Each year more American families include a child adopted from another part of the world and children adopted from Russia Federation by American citizens are steadily increasing. In Russia the family is the center of life, and children are the center of the family (Schomp 33). Unfortunately, most city families can only afford to have one child. Although, there is a collective responsibility for Russian children, which is exhibited through over protectiveness, Russian children are often abandoned by parents unable to care for them. Due to the downward economy in Russia, many families cannot par...

Essay Sample on Odyssey by Homer The Basis of Greek Culture

Essay Sample on Odyssey by Homer The Basis of Greek Culture When we talk about epic poems, no other piece of literature finds as spectacular a position in the Greek Culture as do The Iliad and The Odyssey. Being the author of both these classic works, Homer has influenced the ancient Greek civilization more profoundly than Shakespeare has influenced English literature. â€Å"These two epics provide the basis of Greek education and culture throughout the classical age and form the backbone of humane education down to the time of the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity.† (Encyclopedia Britannica 2005). The Odyssey consists of twenty-four books, and is a sequel to the Iliad. The story of the Odyssey starts when Troy has been destroyed and the Trojan War has come to an end. It creates a new epic with the adventure story of the Greek hero Odysseus who is struggling to go back to his home after the Trojan War. His journey combines hopes and hopelessness, loyalty and disloyalty, hospitality, vengeance, intelligence, experience, and what it means to be mortals and to be gods. During his entire journey, the gods play an important role. Interestingly, sometimes some of the gods help him, and sometimes some of the gods, like Poseidon, who are not happy with him, create trouble for him. Thus, his journey becomes a matter of argument between the gods. In the absence of Odysseus, some thousand suitors have forcefully entered his palace in Ithaka, and are courting his wife Penelope. His son Telemakhos finds himself helpless. The goddess Athena comes for help in disguise and urges him to go in search of his father. (Trans. Robert Fitzgerald, Book I-IV). Meanwhile, she helps Odysseus to release him from the eight-years long prison in the island of a beautiful goddess, Kalypso. The sea god Poseidon, who is angry because Odysseus had once blinded his son Polyphemus, interrupts Odysseus’ voyage by bringing up a storm. Somehow, with the help of Athena he arrives at Phaiakians, and sweet talk their princess, Nausikaa, into helping him. He gets a warm hospitality there, and before leaving tells them the story of his adventures. (Trans. Robert Fitzgerald, Book V-VIII) In flashback, we come to know that how after the Trojan War, Odysseus and his men suffered during their way back to home, and how his voyage took him to all over the Greek world from one island to another. First, at the hands of Kikones on the island of the Lotos eaters. Then, at the hands of kyklops Polyphemus who ate up many of his men before Odysseus blinded him in order to escape from there. It was here that his personal war with the sea god Poseidon had started. Their next stop was an island of man-eaters monsters. Somehow, Odysseus again managed to escape with his men. On the next island, the goddess Kirke turned his men into pigs, but with the help of the god Hermes, Odysseus became Kirke’s lover, metamorphosed the pigs into men again, and stayed on that island for one year. Next, they landed at the island of Helios, where as per the prophecy of the blind seer Teiresias, all of them except Odysseus were drowned in the sea by a storm. Finally, Odysseus reached Kalypsoâ⠂¬â„¢s island. (Trans. Robert Fitzgerald, Book IX – XII) After telling the story of his adventure, Odysseus, finally, leaves Phaiakians and with Athena’s help arrives at Ithaka in the disguise of a beggar. Athena, then, helps Telemakhos to come back and avoiding the suitor’s ambush he reunites with his father. Odysseus, now, makes a plan to teach a lesson to the suitors. As per the plan he reveals his identity only to his son and his loyal swineherd Eumaios. (Trans. Robert Fitzgerald, Book XIII – XVI) In the same disguise of a beggar Odysseus reaches his palace and analyze the situation, while the suitors and some of his old but disloyal servants treat him badly. He finds that Penelope has been a faithful wife, while Penelope doubts him as she finds some resemblance between the beggar and his supposedly dead husband. She organizes a shooting competition for the suitors with his husband’s great bow. (Trans. Robert Fitzgerald, Book XVII – XX). Odysseus participates, and wins the contest. Then, in the climax, he kills the leader of the suitors, Antinoos, and finally reveals his identity to all following the massacre of the majority of the suitors. Odysseus reunites with his wife and son, and with them visits his father, Laertes. There, an army of the suitors, lead by Antinoos’ father attacks them. Laertes kills the leader. But, before the battle could proceed, gods interfere and order peace between the two sides. (Trans. Robert Fitzgerald, Book XXI – XIV).

Materials and manufacture 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Materials and manufacture 2 - Essay Example ected to be hard; hardness is a property of a metal, which enables it to resist being permanently deformed, broken, or its shape being changed when a load is applied. Hardness of a mental is in direct relationship to its resistance, the greater the hardness of metal, the great the resistance to deformation (Nisbett, 2005). In order to establish the properties of materials under given conditions, they are normally subjected to various tests. The tensile strength of a material is a measure of how resistant the material is to failure under tension. The tensile test measures a material’s strength under tension. The testing involves applying a pulling force to a material from both sides until the material changes its shape or breaks. Metals, plastics, wood and ceramics are the common materials whose tensile strengths are measure. The recommended SI unit when testing tensile strength is either Pascal (Pa) or Newton per square meter, some engineers measure tensile strength in kilo-pound per square inch (KSI) (Davis, 2004). The impact strength of a material is the property of a material to resist failure under impulsive forces. The Charply impact test measures the energy absorbed by a standard notched specimen while breaking under an impact load (Lambert, Miriam and Susan, 2010). The test is being used as an economical quality control method so as to determine the notch sensitivity and impact toughness of engineering materials. The rotary strength of a material is the property of the material to resist failure under torsion. The Rotary fatigue test involves determining the relationship between the stress range and the number of times it can be applied before causing failure. In the process of determining rotary test of a material, testing machines are used for applying cyclically varying stresses and cover tension, compression, torsion and bending or a combination of these stresses (Mitchell and Jerina, 2007). Yet again, the carbon composition of a material impacts

Influence of reference groups on purchasing behaviour (personal Essay

Influence of reference groups on purchasing behaviour (personal examples with reference to academic literature) - Essay Example Even in this technology driven consumer world, the purchasing decisions can be greatly influenced by so many social factors like family, peers and the society in which the consumer is interacting. These entities which influence the purchasing behavior of a consumer is generally referred as ‘reference groups’ and this paper briefly analyses the influence of different reference groups in the purchasing of consumers in general and female consumers in particular. â€Å"A reference group is an actual or imaginary individual or group having significant similarities in their evaluations, aspirations, or behavior† (Park & Lessig, 1982, p.102) Family, peers and societies are some reference groups which can affect the purchasing behavior of a person. These reference groups can influence the consumer in different ways like informational influence, motivational influence, utilitarian influence and value-expressive influence. A consumer will get information about a product from family, peer group or from the society. For example, consider a child got information about a new toy or video game from his friends (peer group) or from different toy shops (society). Moreover the peer group can motivate the child to purchase that toy or video game by explaining the special features about that product. On the other hand when the child ask his parents (family) to purchase that toy or video game for him, the parents will discuss the utility of that toy w ith him initially. Moreover they will discuss the price (Value) of the product also before taking the final decision about whether to purchase it or not. â€Å"Parents, teachers, and peers are representative of normative referents who provide the individual with norms, attitudes, and values through direct interaction (Childers & Rao, 1992, p.199). Normative referents are the ones with we usually interact directly. The direct interaction will help us to