Monday, January 27, 2020

The Libertarian Manifesto By John Hospers Philosophy Essay

The Libertarian Manifesto By John Hospers Philosophy Essay The Libertarian Manifesto by John Hospers is something that is equated with the ethical problem surrounding the distribution of wealth, amongst other things. Hospers (1996) argues that when it comes to the distribution of income, people should fend for themselves. He opposed arguments such as an admonition to feed the hungry because in the libertarian world, hunger simply would not happen (Hospers, 1996). Hospers (1996) begins his article by noting the definition of libertarianism, which is that people have a right to make their own decisions and lead their own lives, as long as their decisions do not interfere with anyone elses life. There is a problem as it respects the distribution of wealth, but for the libertarian it is not a problem. The individual has a right to decide what he or she wants to do. Hospers (1996) ideas, and the ideas of many libertarians, are equated with the concept that every man can fend for himself, and in the end, everyone will get exactly what they want. Hospers (1996) believes that the right to private property is basic. On some level, one might equate his ideas to natural rights ethics. Clarke Linzey (1996) write: The idea of natural rights implies that there is an essential human nature which determines this status and a moral order government the relations of human beings as such, independently of the laws of all particular societiesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ (598). The ethical rule used by Hospers (1996) in respect to wealth distribution would be that it is permissible to follow ones desires and not to worry about others in society. This is because they have their own paths. That is, it is not an obligation for society to take care of everyone in its midst. The duty is for the individual to be accountable to himself. Yet, it is also true that there are interactions between people. Hospers (1996) provides examples of situations in respect to how one should act, and certainly, the society is accountable to the individual on some level not to influence things too much. For the libertarian, it is scant government that is the best government. Hospers (1996) writes: Government is the most dangerous institution known to man (27). The factual claims made by Hospers (1996) are associated with observational and historical facts. Nothing he says can be proven, but anecdotal evidence is used to support the authors points. A student asks whether or not Hospers position meets the fourth criteria for valid theory, which are consistency and coherence, rational justification, plausibility, and usefulness. First, it should be said that the theory is coherent, and while it is largely consistent, it is difficult to be completely consistent with the notions in libertarianism. There are exceptions. Hospers (1996) writes about freedom where people have a right to do and say as they like, but even freedom of speech has limits. He writes: Indeed, the right to property may well be considered second only to the right to life. Even the freedom of speech is limited by considerations of property (Hospers, 1996, 25). He goes on to explore other issues and provides examples of when people cannot say what they like (Hospers, 1996). While the theory is consistent, there are exceptions to everything and this muddies the waters. One can take things further by examining contemporary examples. For instance, people believe that they have the right to free speech. Hospers (1996) says that people cannot shout obscenities in a church because the property is not designated for that purpose. Enter property rights. Yet, in society today, people do have a right to their opinions. At the same time, with the political correctness movement, people are not entitled to utter certain things without their rights being challenged by the law. If someone utters a derogatory racial remark and ends up in a fight, he can be charged with a hate crime. On some level, this is thought control. As abhorrent as ones thoughts might be, the idea to outlaw certain forms of speech and not others imposes limits, thus challenging some pure libertarian notions. While this idea does not take away from the validity of the position, it certainly challenges its consistency. Is the position rational? It is a reasoned argument. In fact, the article provides much support for the premise, and the support is based on logic. Ethical criteria are included and the author does make a sound ethical arguments that are also plausible. While the points are well reasoned, the argument at the end of all of this is whether or not someone can allow poverty to exist in a world of plenty. The libertarian provides a what if argument. In other words, the libertarian claims that if things were a certain way, there would be no poverty, but the world is not completely libertarian so the point is moot. Poverty persists, so while the argument may be sound in this what if scenario, it does not address solutions for the status quo. What does one do with the poor today? Usefulness is another issue. If one is not operating in a libertarian world, the theory is only useful if the world were that way. Theoretically, Hospers (1996) provides an excellent paradigm, but it may not be possible to achieve his ideas in reality. In the United States, different ideas are supported and compromises are made. Hospers (1996) brand of libertarianism could not flourish in this sort of situation. Similarly, in totalitarian regimes, there is much too much force in play to go from such a model to one of complete freedom. Libertarianism is a sound theoretical model, but it is unknown whether or not it could ever be successfully implemented.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Consider the Lobster

Have you ever thought about how the food you’re about to eat was prepared? I know I rarely do, and many of us never pay any mind to what exactly is on our plate. David Foster Wallace’s essay will almost definitely make you ask yourself a few questions regarding meat consumption. His piece talks about the controversy behind killing lobsters and questions people’s general views on that matter, making his audience think about morality.After reading â€Å"Consider the Lobster† I couldn’t help but think how ridiculous it is to state that lobsters don’t feel pain, and even more ridiculous to use such statement in order to make people think that they’re not actually hurting the lobsters. It’s said that lobsters’ brains don’t let them feel pain, and that’s what makes the killing of them okay for a lot of people (308). I believe that every creature is capable of experiencing at least some sort of physical discomfort. I don’t know about insects, but all animals seem to feel pain just as we, humans, do.To me, the best proof that lobsters do actually feel pain is the author’s argument that they behave â€Å"very much as you or I would behave if we were plunged into boiling water†(310, Wallace). People notice the lobster’s panicky reaction to being thrown into the extremely hot kettle and often times decide to leave the room. I think that by doing so, they acknowledge that the animal is suffering and decide to wait it out so that it feels less like they’re a part of the process. I don’t think I would ever be able to kill a lobster.I’ve always been very sensitive to animals being subjected to pain; I even have problems with trying to go fishing whenever my uncle asks me to. I can’t look at the fish suffocating and jumping all over the place. Therefore, I’m completely convinced that I would never take a part in the infliction of pain on a nimals. Not directly at least. But when I think about it, I do take some part in it, by consuming meat. Does the fact that I don’t personally kill my own chickens or turkeys really make me a better person than the people who prepare their own lobster?Just because I don’t do it myself shouldn’t suggest I’m less guilty. I would, of course, never slaughter any animal, but I buy the meat anyway, even though I know exactly how it’s done and what kind of psychological and physical torture those animals go through. And honestly, I have given it much thought, but I do not have anything to say in my defense. I’ve watched many documentaries revealing the horrible ways in which animals are slaughtered. And sure enough, after watching that, I didn’t eat meat for a few weeks.But once the videos started slowly fading away in my memory and weren’t as vivid, I got right back into the meat eating habit. The shock I experienced after first seein g the documentary has slowly passed and allowed me to push it to the back of my mind. There are a lot of times when I’m about to take a bite of meat and those horrid images go through my mind. Once that happens I just simply push them out and force myself to think about something else.I feel like thats a bit hypocritical of me, since I think of myself as a person who would never harm an animal, but in reality, I choose to ignore that I am, in fact, harming them in some way. However, I’m almost certain that if I were to watch those videos ever day or face the actual process and watch it with my own eyes, I’d have a rather hard time getting rid of the shock and would become vegetarian right away. It’s the fact that I’m not constantly reminded of it, that makes me not think about it as much.The author discusses various ways in which lobsters are killed. Some of them are simply horrifying. He mentions that some cooks â€Å"put the lobster in cold salt water and then very slowly bring it up to full boil†(311). How could that possibly be a more humane way to prepare a lobster? To me, it seems like such process only makes the animal’s suffering worse and as the author says: â€Å"lobsters boiled incrementally often display a whole bonus set of gruesome, convulsionlike reactions thats you don’t see in regular boiling†(311).Wallace also talks about cooks who poke wholes in the lobsters and then microwave them alive or tear off the claws and tail. It makes me wonder: are those cooks cruel people? Or just people who have to do their jobs? If they’re just doing their jobs however, how could they not want to try and do it as least painfully as possible? It’s very hard for me to understand how could someone be capable of microwaving an animal alive. And it’s dreadful to me. Something really admirable about this essay is how much information was included in it.The reading is composed of everyt hing you might ever want to know about lobsters; where they came from, how long they’ve been around, how they’re prepared and consumed and the controversy behind it. Wallace has evidently spent an enormous amount of time working on this piece. Once fact that I found very interesting was that â€Å"up until sometime in the 1800s, lobster was literally low-class food, eaten only by the poor and institutionalized†(302). It’s amazing to think how with time, the culture evolves and adapts completely new norms. Feeding lobsters to inmates used to be against the law and nowadays it’s simply considered a delicacy.It only makes me wonder what will people see it as in another hundred years, and how much will our perception have changed. Reading David Foster Wallace’s essay on the Maine Lobster Festival was surprisingly grasping to me. His sudden change of subject, from describing how the festival is prepared and celebrated, to discussing the ethics of killing and consuming our food made his writing very interesting and captivating. His writing was very effective and caused me to consider my choices, which I probably wouldn’t have done otherwise.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Eagle Eye Movie Review Essay

In the thriller Eagle Eye, two stranger’s lives are intertwined by a mysterious, female telephone caller. Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) returns to his apartment one day to find he has received weapons, ammonium nitrate, classified DOD documents, and forged passports. Later, Jerry receives a strange phone call that informs him that the FBI is on the way and that he needs to flee, but he refuses and is arrested. Rachel Holloman’s (Monaghan) son’s life is soon later threatened by the caller, forcing her to assist Jerry Shaw in his escape from the FBI and other mysterious deeds demanded by the caller. Unfortunately, the requests of the anonymous caller become increasingly dangerous as the FBI quickly identify Jerry and Rachel as the country’s most wanted fugitives. It becomes apparent mid-way through the movie that the female caller is using everyday technology to track and manipulate the helpless pair. Although escaping conditions are futile, Jerry and Rachel come to realize they have to work together in order to find who disrupted their lives, and prevent the diabolical objectives of the genius behind the phone calls. First and foremost, this movie is highly unrealistic. It is clearly not possible that a computer could control cranes, power lines, and traffic lights during a high-speed chase to insure that a pair of innocent civilians could escape unharmed from dozens of police vehicles. However, Eagle Eye, does more than provide wildly improbable chase scenes in its plotting. This movie shows how technology can consume us by illustrating the helplessness of Jerry and Rachel. The two could do nothing to evade the computerized, female, phone calls because not only was the anonymous woman’s presence seen everywhere, but the lives’ of Jerry and Rachel were at stake along with the lives’ of their loved ones. Turkle similarly displays that technology has the capacity to consume us when she says, â€Å"I worried whether losing oneself in worlds within the machine would distract us from facing problems in the real† (xi). This quote applies to the movie because both Jerry and Rachel are completely distracted from their personal lives while under the influence of the caller. The manipulative nature of technology on Jerry and Rachel is seen when the pair obeyed the phone call and evaded the police and robbed an armored truck. Although one could say they are submitting to the  phone caller in order to save their loved ones, they could instead do the legal thing by turning themselves into the FBI. The message that I take away from this is that technology can consume people by making it seem that giving in to to technology is the only option. Turkle suggests that humans and technology have a symbiotic relationship. This seems to be straightforward, but what I believe she thinks we should realize is not what technology does for us, but what it does to us. In Eagle Eye, once Jerry and Rachel began to refuse to respond to the woman, the effectiveness of the havoc was reduced. Turkle states, â€Å"Computers no longer wait for humans to project meaning onto them. Now, sociable robots meet our gaze, speak to us, and learn to recognize us. They ask us to take care of them; in response, we imagine that they might care for us in return† (2). I think that once Jerry and Rachel saw that they were being manipulated by technology, they realized they had to choose not to respond. It becomes apparent that technology was not really serving its purpose because it was the phone caller utilizing Jerry and Rachel, technology using the humans, an awkward irony. Simply not becoming a victim was the solution. Eagle Eye is quite the far-fetched movie to say the least. However, we can see how manipulative technology can be by looking at the accounts of Jerry and Rachel. The female caller who symbolized technological corruption showed the frightening possibilities of a not so far away technologically centered world. Turkle has similar fears and foresights and realizes that humans are subjects to the power of their devices.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Qualifications of General Managers and Internet - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1715 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Executive Summary Be found two questions in this assignment, the first question is discuss opinion about a general manager of an organization must obtain at least a master degree qualification in business studies or related field. Second question is discuss views about internet making new friend and maintaining existing friendships and remove the face to face contact so vital to human relationship. In first task, become a general manager need qualification is more important than experience because it is more easy to find a good job and high salary. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Qualifications of General Managers and Internet" essay for you Create order In second task, face to face contact and internet socializing is same important for everyone. Because internet easy way and more faster to making friend and face to face are more closer with others. Table of Content TitlePage 1.0 Introduction-3 General manager-4-5 2.1Conclusion- Network and face to face communication 3.1 Conclusion Reference - Appendix- Viper scan 1.0 Introduction Question 1 is about General manager is one of the most important character in the companys top management. .Any industry general manager worked in, his main responsibility is to manage and oversee all aspects of the company. Typically, the general manager has to report to and work under the supervision of the Vice President or the Chief Executive Officer , depending on the highest level of the organizational hierarchy. And also in some cases, the company president or CEO and also can perform the duties of general manager. General responsibilities of general manager is work in the job description mainly includes managing and coordinating works of managers working under the general manager process. And general manager duties consist of scheming and planning company policies, and consult with senior management for final approval. Other that, a general manager is to develop operational guidelines for a specific process, which is directly under his authority. Besides that, general manager has to develop and establish an annual budget and fiscal plan, and submit it before the board of directors. General manager also has to provide a detailed report of the functions of all departments under his authority, and submit a report to senior management to review performance. Lastly, a general manager can also play an important role in recruiting and training manager there under. Provide training to new practice managers on how to improve employee performance, as well as responsibility. Task 1 General manager should have qualification to proven ability and knowledge. A master degree qualification gives people the opportunity to extend people knowledge of a particular subject or done with completely different direction by using the skills you have gained from your undergraduate studies. The Benefits of a Masters can improve people earning potential. It cans provide people with personal and professional skills to aid your development. Besides that, p eople are also got a opportunity to distinguish from people peers, many of people will have at least A-level and Undergraduate Qualifications. Negative effects of general manager are having too much impact on the team. Typically, teams of experts work, guided by the leadership of general manager. And the experts often know the best individuals, and discussion among team members can lead to innovative and effective solutions. In some situations the team, the group can hear general manager until it becomes detrimental. Idea manager will not always be the best way or the only way to do things. If people are worried about pleasing the manager and instead of finding the most effective solution, the team has lost its effectiveness. Other that, a good general manager should be emphasized that these ideas are welcomed, this show serious consideration to every idea, do not dismiss it so easily or criticize an employee who suggested it. A General Manager has broad, overall responsibility for the business or organization. While a manager may be responsible for a functional area, the General Manager is responsible for all areas. General Manager manages through to defer manager. However, a general manager may have to report to the individual he or she is not a manager. Besides that, a general manager has the authority to fire or promote employees. A General Manager is responsible for planning higher level managers. Next, a general manager is responsible to face the strategic planning and direction of the company or organization and leave the day-to-day variety of functions to the manager. A masters can give you the edge over the competition in the job market but there are some skills that cant be taught in a classroom.It seems like it all used to be so easy you did your A-Levels, went to university and hopefully you successfully kicked off your career before being forced to move back in with mum and dad. But you must do more than a degree to stand out in the current econom ic climate. Otherwise, we are not talking about those job seekers who go to extremes but about the growing number of graduates who are aiming to up the ante with a masters degree. 2.1 Conclusion In my opinion, whether to have experience or qualifications, each with its own advantages, experience is accumulated slowly come back and have a wealth of academic knowledge, so we should be fair to treat. 3.0 Task 2 Is internet is a wonderful tool for making friends maintaining existing friendships or socializing online more vital to human relationship. A face to face communication is something you have not on the phone, not by computer, but when youre face to face with someone, telling them something in front of them.The disadvantage of the face to face communication is the one who looks or use the wrong word could easily backfire on somebody, cause issues. In fact, when talking to someone, some really aware of all the face emotion they make. This can easily be confusing when s omeone says things just did not match their body language. This can lead to issues with trusting people. The advantages of face to face contact is as technology continues to evolve different ways of communicating are like phones, e-mail, cell phones, Skype and social media is essential for todays working life. Yet, I believe that face to face is the best way to communicate. Acting as team leader Star contract I often call and e-mail, but I build great relationships with my clients to meet in person, it is common in the medical sales industry as well. Face to face interaction with consultants, nurses and doctors are very important to your success in the workplace. Besides that, for many companies, travel and meeting budgets first to lose when the recession hit, but meet with clients or candidates to show them that they are worth your time and money, and vice versa, so face to face communication is more you can have the better. Other that, have a meeting, lunch or a cup of coffee w ill give you the opportunity to build relationships. It is a relationship that cannot be felt through e-mail or phone and it will help build familiarity, credibility and trust in the relationship. Lastly, face to face like meetings can reduces the risk of communication errors compared to e-mail or by phone. And is I preferred method of face to face communication, because of the age of technology and other forms of communication allow us to save money and time, and we are no longer limited to the location, thereby reducing our misunderstanding. Internet provides a rich opportunity to make new friends, find romance, and share interests with others. This socializing online, such as the off-line counterpart, may present some danger. Internet is when you first meet someone offline you have visual clues to age, sex, and general attitude. But when online, you need to find new ways to assess social relationships, and you have to be careful about how much you reveal about yourself. In thi s problem, teenagers have the opportunity to develop critical thinking. So that it can find support from peers online, exploring questions of identity, to get help with homework, and ask questions about sensitive issues they may be afraid. It also can develop their skills in understanding the issues from the perspective of each others. The most relevant disadvantage of online learning is directly tied to the specificities of the web environment itself that leads people to choose this method of education. Most of the disadvantages of online learning are connected to the e- learning, which is a reduced personal interaction that exists in the online learning system. First, participants may receive information from a professor or media content, and usually have limited opportunities to exchange the ideas and information with other people or to learn from mistakes and experience. Finally, given the nature of communication between teacher and student exchange timely question, it can kn ow by test scores when required analytical thinking of students. 3.1 Conclusion I think internet or face to face contact both also have both benefits, the scope of the Internet to make friends are more fast and easy and face to face contact is limited to knows friends or other people. 4.0 Reference Sylvan. and Sylvan. Continuation of the confidential communication, intended for the general benefit of the afflicted Sylvan. and Sylvan. 1815.Continuation of the confidential communication, intended for the general benefit of the afflicted. Providence [R.I.]: Printed for the author. Begley, K. A. Face to face communication Begley, K. A. 2004.Face to face communication. Boston, MA: Thomson/Course Technology. Gralla, P. The complete idiots guide to cool ways to communicate online Gralla, P. 2000.The complete idiots guide to cool ways to communicate online. Indianapolis, IN: QU Anonymous. Anonymous. 2014. [e-book] [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014]. Advantages disadvantages of online communication | Bang The Table Butteriss, D. 2014.Advantages disadvantages of online communication | Bang The Table. [online] Available at: https://bangthetable.com/2008/11/02/advantages-disadvantages-of-online-communication/ [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014]. Advantages and Disadvantages of Communication? Ask.com. 2014.Advantages and Disadvantages of Communication?. [online] Available at: https://www.ask.com/question/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-communication [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014]. Mindtools.com. Communication Skills Mindtools.com. 2014.Communication Skills. [online] Available at: https://www.mindtools.com/page8.html [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014]. Small Business Chron.com. Bibliography:Small Business Chron.com. 2014.The Effects of a General Manager on a Team. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-general-manager-team-36038.html [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014]. Reh, F. Bibliography:Reh, F. 2014.General Manager definition. [online] Available at: https://management.about.com/od/policiesandprocedures/g/gm1.htm [Accessed: 26 Feb 2014]. 5.0 Appendix Viper Scan Academic English 2Page 1