Freedom, Morality, and Responsibility: A Philosophical Exploration
External and Internal Freedom
External freedom means no one prevents us from acting as we see fit, within the boundaries of the law. Internal freedom, or freedom of will, allows us to make decisions about our lives based on our own criteria. This empowers us to lead moral lives according to our own values.
Determinism vs. Free Will
There are different perspectives on whether we truly have free will:
- Determinism: The belief that everything happens for a reason and is predetermined.
- Consciousness and Spontaneity:
Pacifism and Feminism: A History and Overview
Pacifism: An Overview
Concept of Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and all forms of violence. It is often expressed through political movements or ideologies. There are various types of pacifism, including:
- Absolute Pacifism: Opposes all forms of violence.
- Relative Pacifism: Advocates non-violence in most situations, but may accept the use of force in self-defense or other specific circumstances.
History of Pacifism
While the concept of preventing war dates back centuries, organized peace
Read MoreExploring Ethical Theories: From Relativism to Duty-Based Ethics
The Main Purposes (Functions) of Morality
To Keep Society From Falling Apart
To Resolve Conflicts and Justice in Just and Peaceful Ways
To Reduce Human Suffering
To Promote Human Flourishing
Ethics and Science (Descriptive vs. Normative Ethics)
Descriptive Ethics: An Empirical Study of Moral Beliefs
Goal: To describe or explain the phenomenon of morality.
Perspective: No moral belief system is preferable to any other.
Normative Ethics: Justification of Moral Beliefs
Focus: Questions if moral beliefs of people
The Mind-Body Problem in Philosophy: Exploring the Relationship Between Mental and Physical Phenomena
VI – The Mind-Body Problem
VI.1. Mind and Body
VI.1.1. The Mental and Physical Distinction
We owe the mental-physical distinction as we currently understand it to René Descartes (1596-1650). For him, the physical is res extensa (extended substance) and the mental is res cogitans (thinking substance). In philosophy of mind, the fact that something is considered physical does not imply that it is not mental. Some theories claim that mental phenomena are physical (physicalism), while others claim that
Read MoreUnderstanding Global Business Ethics: A Practical Approach
Chapter III: Ethics in Global Business
Understanding Ethical Standards
Ethics are moral standards, not governed by law, that focus on the human consequences of actions. They often require behavior that meets higher standards than those established by law, including selfless behavior rather than calculated action intended to produce a tangible benefit. Ethics can sometimes conflict with individual and corporate self-interest.
Ethics are a product of a society’s culture, encompassing its traditions,
Read MoreMoral Autonomy vs. Heteronomy: Exploring Ethical Relativism and Absolutism
Moral Autonomy, Relativism, and Subjectivism
The word autonomy is composed of two words: auto, which means “self”, and nomos, which means “law or rule”. Autonomy consists of the free imposition of moral norms for ourselves. Moral autonomy is pointed towards human freedom. To be autonomous means to choose what we do and how we act.
For Immanuel Kant, individuals must be morally autonomous. People must have their own rules as long as they maintain a universal maxim: “Never do what you do not want done
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