Thursday, December 26, 2019

Death Of The United States Should Legalize Active...

The democracy of the United States should legalize active voluntary euthanasia (AVE), active non-voluntary euthanasia (NVAE), and physician-assisted suicide/death (PAS/PAD), in cases where the patient has a terminal illness, unbearable pain, or are in a vegetative state with no chance of being revived. AVE is defined as â€Å"the intentional and painless ‘mercy driven’ termination of a consenting rational person’s life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  NVAE is conjugately defined as â€Å"the termination of an incompetent individual s existence on grounds that it is in their perceived best interest to do so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Richardson 13). Physician-assisted suicide and physician-assisted death are synonymous phrases that may be interchanged (Westefeld 539). For the purpose of this paper, the term physician-assisted death (PAD) will be used to refer to a physician writing a prescription, or allowing a patient to take potential lethal medication after the patient has openly consented. Sometimes, PAD refers to the removal of necessary means of medical treatment, again, after the patient has consented. PAD and both forms of euthanasia mentioned above differ in that euthanasia is directly administered via the doctor, whereas PAD is the doctor allowing the patient to partake in things that could potentially lead to the end of their life. Evidence shows that euthanasia has been practiced regardless of its legality. The current laws (or lack thereof) are not preventing physicians from carrying out the process at the patient s request;Show MoreRelatedPhysician Assisted Suicide And Euthanasia Essay1039 Words   |  5 Pagestheir own death. Many people support physician assisted suicide, citing that it can save a lot of pain and suffering. Others claim that the concept of physician assisted suicide is a slippery slope. A slippery slope in the sense that if society accepts euthanasia as a rightful death for the terminally ill, they will potentially accept it for other ailments as well. There are multiple types of physician assisted suicide. Collectively, they fall under the categories: active or passive euthanasia. ActiveRead MoreThe Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Released1181 Words   |  5 PagesControl and Prevention released a suicide report in 2015 stating that in The United States, suicide is the 10th leading cause of deaths. As many as 44,193 individuals have died per year, which means there is about 123 suicide deaths a day happening as of now in The United States (â€Å"Suicide Statistics†). This is only the statistics of deaths that have been successful in The United States, it is not counting all suicide deaths around the world nor suicide attempts. This alone is already a major issueRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1220 Words   |  5 Pagesincurable patients, it is rarely known that Euthanasia, a termination of one’s life with his/her self-willingness, is a release of permanent pain. On the other hand, it is committed by the doctors. Among Voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary Euthanasia, only is Voluntary Euthanasia being universally concerned by human beings. Various fascinating facts, Australia has already approved this act and many people from other countries have also committed Euthanasia. Regarding this topic, people have beenRead MoreThe Rights Of Patients Whom Have Been Diagnosed With A Terminally Ill Disease1575 Words   |  7 Pagesterminally ill disease. This paper will also look at states that allow this and states that do not. Also we will be looking into nurses, the physician, and the patient and what might be their roles in assisted suicide and where ANA Ethics for Nurses stand. Starting in the beginning looking at suicide itself, â€Å"Many faith groups within Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other religions sincerely believe that God gives life and therefore only God should take it away. Suicide would then be considered asRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1210 Words   |  5 Pagesdrawn out death. Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, is a sensitive and very controversial subject. Several people believe, doctors should not participate in any action that ends a person’s life due to the Hippocratic Oath stating that doctors are obligated to save lives. Although, euthanasia is considered to be immoral and even murder, it should be legalized when a person’s quality of life, due to an incurable illness, is gradually going to deteriorate. The United States of AmericaRead MoreEuthanasia Should Be Legalized For Terminally Ill People1064 Words   |  5 PagesThe word euthanasia has a Greek meaning â€Å"the good death. On the other hand, in the society today, there are deeper and more meanings to euthanasia than before. Voluntary euthanasia concerns itself with the consent of the person to die through the assistance of others. Voluntary euthanasia can be divided into two areas: passive voluntary witch is holding back medical treatment with the patient’s request, active voluntary killing the patient at that patient s request informing the assistant on howRead MoreSiya Kumar. Dying With Dignity. . Imagine Yourself With1360 Words   |  6 PagesDying with Dignity Imagine yourself with a terminal illness. It has been confirmed that you will die in a few months, and there is nothing that can be done to change that. You have two options- you can wait to die a natural but terrifyingly painful death where you lose your eyesight, burn the hair off your scalp and become paralyzed without the ability to walk, or you can die peacefully in the company of your friends and family. Which would you choose? â€Å"I am not suicidal. I do not want to die. ButRead MoreEuthanasia Is A Painless, Quick, And Peaceful Death1569 Words   |  7 Pagespain and suffering. Why is it acceptable to put a loved pet out of its misery, but frowned upon to help a human relieve their terminal pain? Euthanasia is a painless, quick, and peaceful death that can be medically provided to patients by doctors to help end the suffering that comes with a terminal disease. This option is currently illegal in the United States. All over the country, there are patients lying in uncomfortable hospital beds, often unable to move or even speak due to the excruciatingRead MoreEuthanasia Is A Controversial Issue2395 Words   |  10 PagesAs medical technology advances, people are able to become healthier and have a longer life. There are many moral issues between life and death. And we know that death is a stage of life and no one are able to control it. Imagine that you are in a pain of a deadly disease and there are no treatments are available to you, would you choose to live? Or would you choose to die? The answer to this question are subject to the person, everyone would come up with a different answer. The desire of individualsRead MoreLife is a blessing; therefore, people should cherish and preserve it as much as possible. Patients1100 Words   |  5 Pagestherefore, people should cherish and preserve it as much as possible. Patients in critical situations such as dealing with a terminal illness should be able to decide whether they want to end their lives or to have a physician do it for them. An arguable debate is whether euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should be legal in many parts of the world. The question has grown and raised concerns: should physician and medical experts end the life of a patient who wills it? Euthanasia and physician-assisted

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

William James on Free Will - 1537 Words

Origins of William James / Jamesian Thinking William James, born 1842, was a trained physician who subsequently dabbled in works of philosophy and psychology (in which he officiated as a formal study through lectures) (Goodman, 2009). As did many philosophers, Jamesian thinking seeded many discussions on various philosophical topics such as metaphysics, morality, free will-determinism, religion and the afterlife; however, what truly made his ideas notable was his uncanny ability to borrow and integrate knowledge from branches of physiology, psychology and philosophy to weave new insights and dimensions onto traditional philosophical arguments (Goodman). His influential piece called The Principles of Psychology took these ideas together†¦show more content†¦Such compatibilist definitions, to James, caused an issue of words instead of an issue of facts, and still did not answer what true freedom meant which was the purpose of questioning determinism (James). Indeterminism, as he argued, opposed suppositions of determinism (James, 1884). James did not favor the term freedom as it he called it ‘an eulogistic word’ that enabled emotional associations to be made thus allowing its meaning to be manipulated by its holder; he had preferred the word chance in replacement of freedom (James). Although James professed no external evidence for indeterminism, he argued that it was the opposite of determinism based on the following grounds: (i) determinism held that elements already present in the universe at a given time decree what the other coming elements must be without the slightest ambiguity (a fundamental cause-and-eff ect perspective) whereas indeterminism reasoned that elements do have loose influence in themselves, that having one element does not determine what the next element is because possibilities may be more than actualities, and things that have yet to come to our knowledge with certainty remain ambiguities. In this, indeterminism allows for chances and that the world is not understood by one unit of fact (James). Next, (ii) as indeterminism postulated that actualities exist in a wider sea of possibilities from which they are selected, and this sea exists somewhereShow MoreRelatedWilliam James on Free Will1523 Words   |  7 PagesOrigins of William James / Jamesian Thinking William James, born 1842, was a trained physician who subsequently dabbled in works of philosophy and psychology (in which he officiated as a formal study through lectures) (Goodman, 2009). As did many philosophers, Jamesian thinking seeded many discussions on various philosophical topics such as metaphysics, morality, free will-determinism, religion and the afterlife; however, what truly made his ideas notable was his uncanny ability to borrow and integrateRead MoreBaron dHolbach and William James on Free Will and Determinism1192 Words   |  5 PagesBaron dHolbach and William James on Free Will and Determinism 3. Discuss the issue between Baron dHolbach and William James on free will and determinism? Before we can discuss the issue between Baron dHolbach and William James we have to know the definitions of the items the issue is about. Free will according to the Encarta encyclopedia is The power or ability of the human mind to choose a course of action or make a decision without being subject to restraints imposed by antecedentRead MoreCauses Of The Bloodless Revolution1053 Words   |  5 Pages The Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, the Bloodless Revolution, or the Revolution of 1688 all refer to the overthrowing of King James II of England. In his place came his daughter, Mary II, and her husband, William III. Though it is referred to the Bloodless Revolution, there were plenty of skirmishes and a few minor battles in the Ireland regions, however these are often overlooked. Rising tensions between political parties, influenced by religion, caused a divide in the state andRead More The Glorious Revolution of 1688 Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pagesis having obligations or duties to something and being able to distinguish between right and wrong. In England, the political leaders drove King James II out of the country in order to end his oppressive rule as an absolute monarch. The Dutch Prince William of Orange, James’ son-in-law, invaded England to rule. Parliament gave the throne to William and his wife Mary but placed restrictions on their sovereignty with the Bill of Rights. This declaration gave more power to the people and made themRead MoreWilliam James787 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam James (1842-1910) William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment. He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America. William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was aRead More William James Essay764 Words   |  4 Pages William James was a philosopher and psychologist but was most well known in the field of Psychology for developing the philosophy of pragmatism, or the Functionalist theory: Theory of mental life and behavior that is concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to function in its environment. He was also the first Psychologist to be born in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City. His father, Henry James Sr. was a Swednborgian theologian, andRead MoreThe Separation Between Church And State1492 Words   |  6 Pagesexercise his or her free right of religion stands as rights both alienable, natural right, and unalienable, God-given right. As President Thomas Jefferson states in letters to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut, the federal government stands prohibited to regulate or control those who exercise religion. The predominant issue between church and state does not rest on protecting those avoiding religion, but to protect those choosing to practice religious freedom. Roger Williams and John WinthropRead MoreQuamina Eddoo Analysis1070 Words   |  5 Pages the important men are those who had influence in Abina’s life and can also be defined as wealthy, and/or landowning, men who were fluent in English (57). This is evident by looking at the various encount ers throughout Abina’s story, for instance James Davis is considered an important man since he was the one who helped Abina formally charge Quamina Eddoo and indirectly etched Abina into history through the paper to the magistrate (13). Quamina is also an important man as his mistreatment and coercionRead MoreAnalysis and Historical Context from Second Treatise of Civil Government by John Locke1152 Words   |  5 Pagesnot concentrated in the same person (the King) because he would be tempted, and in fact it was happening, to use them just to satisfy his desires. Locke also says that individuals are under no obligation to obey one another, and that we are all born free. He continues talking about how a man has the power to do whatever it takes to preserve himself and others, but always obeying the law of nature. People have the power to overthrow the king if he is not being just with his subjects; people have absoluteRead MoreThe Matrix, By Keanu Reeves1120 Words   |  5 Pagesideas and theories are explored, including the idea of Free Will versus Determinism. The movie’s main character â€Å"Neo† (Portrayed by Keanu Reeves) is labelled as â€Å"The One†, and is used as a catalyst to represent these philosophical ideas. The Oracle is used as a representation of Determinism, whilst Neo is used as a symbol for Free Will. These representations in turn relate to thefamous philosophical theories ofby philosophers including William James and Arthur Schopenhauer. In The Matrix, Thomas Anderson

Monday, December 9, 2019

Pope, Swift and the age of reason Essay Example For Students

Pope, Swift and the age of reason Essay The ridiculousness of this overly intellectual culture demonstrates the negative aspect of a community so absorbed by their own personal illusions that they fail to serve the advancement of their society. Further absurdities as a result of frivolous and wasteful pride in human reason can be seen in Gullivers visit to The Grand Academy of Lagado. Here, Swift targets the Enlightenments view that science and technology will eventually solve all of mans problems. Gulliver witnessed ridiculous experiments in speculative science and speculative learning, none of which accomplished any beneficial result other than the employment of the scientist: a dog is killed by the very treatment employed to cure him, a project to reduce, and ultimately disregard, language threatens to abolish all abstract thought, and students are made ill by ingesting mathematical equations in an attempt to escape traditional learning. These are but a few examples Swift uses to reinforce his assertion that the search for rational solutions to all problems could be foolish. Gulliver, upon the completion of his tour of the Academy, recognizes the nations deficiency of common sense and states, I saw nothing in this country that could invite me to a longer continuance, and began to think of returning home to England (197). The fourth and final voyage in Gullivers Travels is to the land of the super-rational Houyhnhmns. This is the section of the novel where Swift delivers his extremely cynical, if not misanthropic, critique of mankind. Gulliver discovers a utopian society of horses who live their lives with perfect reason unimpeded by irrationality or excessive emotion. In contrast to voyage three, where there is an obvious suspicion of excess reason, Voyage four seems to glorify this equestrian society by critically comparing it to the barbaric society of Yahoos. Initially, Gulliver refuses to identify with the Yahoos, maintaining that his distinguishing feature is his ability to think rationally. This surprises the Houyhnhmns who, out of curiosity, invite Gulliver to give an account of European life. With brilliant irony Gulliver begins to tell of the follies and evils of European man, not recognizing the Yahoo qualities in his descriptions. Gulliver was horrified when he could no longer deny that was a real Yahoo in every limb and feature (279). Rather than reasonably accepting his place in the chain of being, he is disgusted by his own species and chooses to identify with the Houynhmn culture, where he enjoyed perfect health of body, and tranquility of mind (289). With Gullivers expulsion from the land of the Houyhnhms, it appears Swift is defending his initial argument that mans follies are a part of nature that cannot be simply reasoned away. It is only rational that the Houynhmns can exist without passion and emotion because they are horses; Gulliver, after all, is a human. The cynical twist, however, occurs when Gulliver returns to England. His refusal to reintegrate into human society suggests that the extent of mankinds barbarism and lack of Reason renders them undeserving of any sympathy. Gulliver confesses, so horrible was the idea I conceived of returning to live in the society and under the government of Yahoos degenerating into the vices and corruptions of my own species(297). Popes An Essay on Man and Swifts Gullivers Travels both serve as a discourse on the capabilities and limitations of human Reason. The differences however, lay in the extent in which the two authors believe this Reason benefits society. While Pope strongly maintains, Whatever is, is Right, Swift, as seen through the emotional demise of Gulliver, suggests what is, is terribly wrong; that the human race is barbaric and hopeless.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Term Limits In U.S. Government Essays - United States,

Term Limits in U.S. Government Mark P. Petracca's idea that "government should be kept as near to the people as possible chiefly through frequent elections and rotation-in-office" is quite common in early republican thought and generally agreed upon by the America's revolutionary thinkers. Although the debate over limiting legislative terms dates back to the beginnings of political science, it was not until the 1990's that the doctrine began to be taken seriously when voters started to approve term limit initiatives (Sinclair 203). Petracca's statement captures a significant aspect of the democratic process- that every citizen retains the privilege to participate in the political system, yet his inclusion of "rotation-in-office" can both support and hinder such a privilege. This will be shown by discussing the views of America's founders, term limits legislation in Washington State, California, and Oklahoma, political mobilization of national groups, and the opinions of congressmen concerning the matter. Term limitation is not a strictly modern topic. Its roots date back to the creation of Republican thought and democratic theory of ancient Greece and Rome, and also aroused debates amongst the founding fathers of the United States (Sinclair 14). For the most part, the Antifederalists supported rotation-in-office because they feared its elimination, paired with the extensive powers given to Congress by the Constitution, would make the "federal rulers ...masters, not servants." On the other hand, the Federalists felt that the separation of powers in the federalist system served as a viable check on ambition and tyrannical government; therefore, rotation seemed unnecessary and was not mentioned in the Constitution (Peek 97). Melancton Smith, of New York, is considered the Antifederalist's most well-spoken and conscious supporter of rotation-in-office. In a speech given in June of 1788 which called for a constitutional amendment to solve the "evil" of the proposed Senate, Smith endorsed the point that rotation-in-office could be used as a check on the abuse of power and tyranny by proposing, rotation ...as the best possible mode of affecting a remedy. The amendment will not only have the tendency to defeat any plots, which may be formed against liberty and the authority of the state governments, but will be the best means to extinguish the factions which often prevail, and which are sometimes fatal in legislative bodies (Foley 23)." New York's "Brutus" also advocated rotation in the Senate, but he did so on grounds that more people would be given an opportunity to serve their government instead of a select few with lifetime membership. He felt that in addition to bringing a greater number of citizens forward to serve their country, it would force those who had served to return to their respective states and become more informed of the condition and politics of their constituencies (Foley 25). Both Smith and Brutus agreed that once an individual was elected to office his removal would be difficult, except in the rare occurrence that his outright misconduct would constitute grounds for dismissal. Sharing the Antifederalist doctrine of the dangers of permanent government, Brutus suggested that, "it would be wise to determine that a senator should not be eligible after he had served for the period assigned by the constitution for a certain number of years (Foley 26)." Although John Adams was a devout Federalist, he maintained that rotation, as well as frequent elections, would be necessary in order to keep government as near to the people as possible. Adams expressed these two beliefs in a speech given just before the American Revolution in which he proposed holding annual elections of representatives (Peek 101). He also compared men in a society with rotation-in-office to bubbles on the sea which "rise,...break, and to that sea return"; Adams later develops his thought by adding, "This will teach them the great political virtues of humility, patience, and moderation, without which every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey (Peek 102)." In response to the ideas of Melancton Smith, the strongest opposition from the Federalists came from Alexander Hamilton at the New York ratification convention. Hamilton, along with Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston, developed three strong arguments against implementing term limits in government: the people have a right to judge who they will and will not elect to public office, rotation reduces