Relative ethics Essay Example for Free

Relative ethics Essay Relative ethics is where decisions are made with the circumstances in mind. For instance the culture and traditions of the place, the individuals, and society. Examples of relative ethics is utilitarianism and situation ethics. Relative ethics can be seen to be a fair approach to decision making because it is tolerant of different values, it is more realistic that nothing is right or wrong, it is more open to atheists, and is considers emotions as important. However it is more complex and makes decisions harder, it can be used as an excuse to act in an immoral way, it implies that we should not have laws and it does not protect worldwide human rights. Relative ethics is tolerant of different cultures. For example just because in one place it is considered wrong for women to have an education in one country e.g. Islamic countries, it doesn’t mean that in the UK women should not have an education. The UK is not morally superior and should not try to implement its own morals on any other country. This may seem fair in one way but it actually means that any act can be acceptable and doesn’t protect our human rights, sexism is wrong and women should never be discriminated against no matter their religion. Some laws need to be absolute. Someone in a different country may claim that for example kidnap and torture are part of their culture, but we know this is wrong. Relative ethics can be seen as fair because in it there are no absolute objective rights or wrongs. The right thing to do depends on the situation. For example, if a woman stole food out of greed then it would be wrong. However if she stole food to feed her starving children then this is right. It is fairer than absolute ethics because an absolutist would say that the woman shouldn’t steal even if he children are dying of starvation. Obviously, this is wrong and so the relativist view if a fairer approach to decision making The idea that there are no objective rights or wrongs can make relative decision making a slow process. In Utilitarianism, the consequences of each option have to be predicted and consequences. When each individual situation has to be considered, it can cause complications and ensuring every person gets a good result is difficult. Some may argue that the time it takes to make a decision about the morality of an act is causes those involved more suffering and is unjust. In conclusion I think that relative ethics is the best approach to making fair ethical decisions. However, I believe that some actions are wrong no matter the culture or time or individual. For example, discrimination is always wrong and torture of innocents and kidnapping is wrong. Despite this, relative ethics is tolerant of all cultures and does not believe that in any situations that one persons or country’s morals are superior to anothers.

Postmodernism Essay -- Art History

Postmodernism Postmodernism blends old themes with new contemporary issues to create beautiful artwork that commands, questions, and captivates all viewers to participate in discovering its inner meaning. Along with an inner meaning and beauty, it was used as a form of communication that was directed towards social, political, and cultural problems within the world. An architect Robert Stern states, â€Å" The fundamental shift to post-modernism has to do with the reawakening of artists in every field to public responsibilities of art. Once again art is being regarded as an act of communication.† (Wilkin, Schultz, Linduff, â€Å"Art Past Art Present, p.579) The postmodern era emancipated its artists from old traditional barriers that bounded them. The belief that everything could be used to produce art was used to the fullest. For instance, mediums like photography, computer animations, and movies. Even non-precise metals like steel, aluminum, and iron were used along side w ith gold and silver. Technology was a great medium that was also utilized, as newer and improved technology was developed some one would utilize it to immortalize his/her artwork. One of the well-known artists of the postmodern era was Jean-Pierre Yvaral. Jean utilized technology called digital imaging to manipulate pictures and transform them into his own creative art pieces. A well-known publicized piece Jean created was called â€Å"Mona Lisa Synthetisee.† (Fiero 4th Edition â€Å"The Humanistic Tradition† p.159) Blending the old with a twist of the new, Jean took the Mona Lisa, which was created by Leonardo da Vinci and cropped out only her head and digitized it to produce a perspective like image. This image had four sides, right and left, top and bo... ...sm era produced many more than two fine artists that have been depicted here in this essay. There is one thing that all of them have in common though, each and every piece of work they produce has similar qualities. They all communicate a message that handles social, political, and cultural problems. How they communicate their message is solely up to the artist, because they are not bound by limitations, but there own creativity. As for the next movement it too will be filled with influences of the postmodern era as the influences of previous movements have influence postmodernism. Bibliography 1. Fiero, Gloria K. â€Å"The Humanistic Tradition,† 4th Edition, published by McGraw-Hill  © 2002 2. Wilkins, David G., Schultz Bernard, Linduff, Katheryn M. â€Å"Art Past Art Present,† 3rd Edition, published by Prentice Hall, Inc and Harry N. Abrams, Inc.  © 1997

Anthem by Ayn Rand Essay

The book Anthem by Ayn Rand expresses the true meaning of the word â€Å"ego.† The definition says its meaning but the story itself shows it with actions. Ego means the self aspect of an individual that thinks, forms values, and makes judgments. In Anthem it refers to the need individuals have to be liberated from collectivism, free to use their own minds and express individual uniqueness. This word has a lot to do with the book and the purpose of the story. It recounts to it in many ways, since this is the story’s main focus. Ego relates to the book Anthem because it is the theme, and is the lesson we readers learn from it. Equality the main character of Anthem is our guided road to egoism. He is the one that leads the readers to understand the reasons his society is in need of ego. He goes after the solutions and takes dangerous risks as well. The world in which they live is so miserable, they are basically treated like robots. Equality felt like he needed to do something about it, that he needed to recover the ego that got lost in the web of dystopian inhumanities. There is where we see the relation between â€Å"ego† and the book. The whole reason why there is a problem in the story is because everyone is lacking of THE EGO that life grants each human being. As it states on page 46, â€Å"There is fear hanging in the air of the sleeping halls, and in the air of the streets. Fear walks through the City, fear without name, without shape. All men feel it and none dare to speak it.† Meaning these men are scared of their society which is why they don’t stand up for themselves and they feel fear. It all happens because they don’t have their own ego. At the end when Equality discovers what had been hidden for many years. He starts to live life the way it should had always been, that is when he finds egoism. We now see how ego turns to be the theme of Anthem. This book shows us how a different lifestyle/society can completely restrict us from the life humans are meant to have. That is the lesson I take away from this story. Ego is truly important in life and that is what Equality teaches us. He does so by showing how great his life can be when there is objectivism. He lives in the mountains in a two stories house by himself with the exception of Gaea. That is a big step towards the Unmentionable times and a better life for Equality and the ones that surround him. As it states on pages 99-100, â€Å"I shall live here, in my own house. I shall take my food from the earth by the toil of my own hands. I shall learn many secrets from my books. Through the years ahead, I shall rebuild the achievements of the past, and open the way to carry them further; the achievements which are open to me but closed forever to my brothers, for their minds are shackled to the weakest and dullest ones among them.† Asserting us he will make good use of his ego. Overall the word ego ties in very well with the book and the story’s purpose. This word is the motor that carries on the book. It is also the teaching that readers obtain. â€Å"Ego† is the best good word to represent all the barbarities that are now long gone and banned from Equality’s life. It was known as â€Å"the unspeakable word† and it turn into the salvation word. Ego relates to the book Anthem because it is the theme, and is the lesson we readers learn from it. â€Å"The word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and the meaning and the glory. The sacred word: EGO†

The And The Road By Cormac Mccarthy - 1180 Words

Civilization is the basis of life, driving human interaction in everyday life. The texts, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Road by Cormac McCarthy, depict civilized and uncivilized situations, which reflect on and elaborate characterization. This can be seen explicitly with the creature (Frankenstein) and the boy (The Road). Both novels address the civilized and uncivilized in different approaches, however similarly emphasize the significance of the character’s traits and development. The ways that each character approaches civilized and uncivilized situations and behaviours, relate to the character’s experiences and emotions directly in the case of the creature, contrary to the inverse relationship in the case of the boy. The†¦show more content†¦Much of the novel takes place in the arctic or the â€Å"land of mist and snow† (56) which are symbols of the uncivil traits that the creature possess. The land can also be described as isolated, cold, and repulsive, much like the creature. The land is repeatedly referred to as the â€Å"unknown† or the â€Å"undiscovered† as civilization does not exist in such a place, humans avoid residing in such places due to the danger it poses, and due to the unfamiliarity of such harsh conditions. The creature is also avoided due to the same reasons, he is unfamiliar and appears to be dangerous to society. On the contrary, in The Road, the state of civilization does not agree with the internal condition of the boy. The novel takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, in which much of society has reverted to animalistic characteristics in pursuit of survival. It would be expected that the boy, who was born into this destruction, to be inhumane and barbaric. Rather, the boy is a remnant of humanity and civilization in an uncivilized world. The contrast between civilization and the boy is highlighted throughout the novel, the actions of the boy juxtapose the situations civilization en dures around him. â€Å"If he is not the word of God God never spoke† (5) the boy is compared to a godlike figure, in a world that appears to lack faith and hope. Civilization has essentially failed within the text; however, it is ironic that the boy is born succeeding the end ofShow MoreRelatedThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1531 Words   |  7 Pagesof punishment that anyone could be faced with. Cormac McCarthy shows the reaction isolation had on the characters in The Road. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, follows an unnamed father and son as they travel towards the coast in search of safety after the world has been destroyed by a catastrophe. As they travel the road, the father has to protect his son from the threat of strangers, starvation, exposure and harsh weather. In The Road, Cormac McCarthy shows how humans react to isolation by when theRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1009 Words   |  5 PagesL’Heureux II, John Lang and Lit Year 2 2/10/2017 Written Task 2 Title of the text for analysis: The Road by Cormac McCarthy,2006 Part of the course to which the task refers: Part 4- Literature, a critical study Prescribed question: How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose? My critical response will: ââ€"  Show how the text conforms to the post-apocalyptic genre. ââ€"  Show how resources, including basics such as food and water, are a scarcityRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1584 Words   |  7 Pagestime can be unbearable if one is stripped of the most basic necessities. Such an event can greatly affect the behaviour of a person, as well as the ability to distinguish right from wrong. But like the boy and his father in the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy they stuck to their morals to overcome the hardships they face. The novels recurring themes such as companionship, survival, and good versus evil, prove that a persons moral standards could change in a time of need. Companionship plays anRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1708 Words   |  7 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy is set in an apocalyptic world filled with hopelessness, mental fatigue, and few instances of happiness. Throughout the story, the man and the boy are looking for hope in anything and everything. Unfortunately every turn they take they continue to fall further into despair until they find a Coca-Cola. This soda has a unique meaning to the boy and the man. The Coca-Cola in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road symbolizes the world’s regression and gives hope to the man and boy byRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2405 Words   |  10 PagesNovember 26, 2016 The Road by Cormac McCarthy and its View of Parental Love and Hope in a Post-Apocalyptic World The boy s father tells him My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? (McCarthy The Road) this sends such a powerful message about instinct, hope, and paternal love. These words so passionately from the lips of the father perfectly describes Cormac McCarthy s story of The Road and the power a father sRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy968 Words   |  4 Pagescompassion in the toughest of situations, and leads us toward paths of peace. In this essay, examples will be drawn from Zak Ibrahim s keynote presentation, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Beautiful Boy; a film directed by Shawn Ku, and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. The loss of a loved one can help us find compassion. In The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the boy is the most compassionate person in the whole novel. At the end of the novel, when the boy s father dies, the boy is not thinking about hisselfRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1310 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å" The Road† written by Cormac McCarthy is a novel which uses a large variety of different language features to shape the reader s reaction and leading the readers into thinking the idea that our current world really is fallible.â€Å"The road† is about a strong loving relationship between the father and son. Which is shown on every page of the novel. They are fighting for survival in this apocalyptic world of humanity which is heading to an end. For anyone realising that our world is fallible is quiteRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1281 Words   |  5 PagesTitle of the Work: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: September 26, 2006 (September 26, 2006) Genre: Novel Historical information about the Setting: The novel takes place in the Southeastern part of United States. The characters take a journey, passing Texas, the post-apocalyptic landscape. During this time the novel is taken place, the country was experiencing depression and poverty. When McCarthy was writing this book, he was thinking about the future environment ofRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2062 Words   |  9 PagesReid Norberg Period 3 3/18/16 2016 AP Lodestar 1. Title: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: 2006 Genre: Post- apocalyptic fiction 2. The Road is a novel written by American author Cormac McCarthy. Although born in the North East, McCarthy was driven to the South West later in his life where he has since based most of his novels, including The Road. The Road tells a story of a man and his son in post apocalyptic America where the weather is winter-like and the ground isRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy a recurring theme in the story is gaining or losing hope. Throughout this story there are numerous instances and events that occur in which all seems lost at a dead end, but in those moment hope carries through and thrives. In this dystopian post apocalyptic world the man and boy are fighting to stay alive while keeping their humanity as well as searching for what humanity is left in this kill or be killed cannibalistic planet. As their time journeying down the road increases