JSBMHA and HIPPA case study Essay Example for Free

JSBMHA and HIPPA case study Essay There are many faults in this scenario that I read about with Jim and Betty. First of all, when you are dealing with people who are in a â€Å"counseling or any type of therapeutic† setting, you have to be able to handle this situation with privacy and always try to treat your client with respect and never discuss them outside of the clinical setting. The HIPAA laws are to protect the patient’s rights so that they cannot be given just out to anybody. The only people that can have access to the medical files would be someone that is involved in the care of or needs to have access to them for anyone that is billing, or the insurance company that is paying for the services that the client is receiving. What areas of the JSBMHA did HIPAA compliance impact, When Jim and Betty were working for that company, they had unfortunately talked about specific clients and some relatives of the clients had heard the conversation and also their relatives names. They had immediately gone to the company and talked with their supervisor so he could deal with the employees that had broken the privacy laws. JSBMHA, is an certified agency that works with clients that have psychological, mental, and addictions for drugs. THE clients need to be able to feel safe, knowing that their conversations are not talked about elsewhere, unless it is related to their recovery. What Jim and Betty did at the cafeteria is inexcusable. You never know who is going to be listening in on your conversation when you are in a public place. If the wrong people hear what is being said, you never know what the ramifications could be. If a woman is at a domestic violence shelter and you are talking about what she went through with her ex-boyfriend , not knowing the whole time that the ex is in the booth right behind you. Right there you have just put that women in a dangerous position. Without thinking you have just put that woman’s life in jeopardy. 3 I believe that because of their actions that JSBMHA should suspend both of them for at LEAST two weeks without pay. I believe with that type of punishment, maybe both of them will really think about what they did and why it was inappropriate. Maybe they should even write a paper on how their actions were wrong and also be able to see how they’re gossiping put that woman in jeopardy. They need to really understand how their actions can affect other people. ‘

Security In Different Schools Of Thought Politics Essay

Security In Different Schools Of Thought Politics Essay Political analysts agree that international security is the most important contemporary global issue. Twenty first century politics has brought urgency to consider the proliferation of weapons, increase in military spending, and terrorism. In principle, security is a condition in which States consider that there is no danger of military attack, political pressure or economic coercion, so that they are able to pursue freely their own development and progress. International security is thus the result and the sum of the security of each and every State member of the international community; accordingly, international security cannot be reached without full international co-operation. However, security is a relative rather than an absolute term. National and international security need to be viewed as matters of degree. Concepts of security are the different bases on which States and the international community as a whole relies for their security. Examples of concepts are the balance o f power, deterrence, peaceful coexistence and collective security. The reason to address security in this paper is the belief that an understanding of the broader scope of security should make it possible for states to deal more effectively, both individually and collectively, with current problems and threats to peace. So accordingly the paper will deal with analysis of security as a concept well established specially since the world war and how different schools of thought defined it. Also the current issues of human security and its impact on foreign policy options will be discussed besides the national interest debate in international relations. What is security? There is no agreement on the concept of security. Notwithstanding the wide range of studies of security published over the past sixty years, no single generally accepted definition of security has been produced. The concept of security is as contested as ever. To understand the concept of security we should first define its relation to the state, is it an internal matter related to domestic circumstances or an external matter related to international context. As a matter of fact security as a predominant issue had developed and went through various phases marked by the two world wars, the Westphalia conference also had an impact on it, the huge advance in military and technological tools had dramatic influence as well. Still the concept remained contested between different theories and theorists and between different zeit geist shaping the interests and policies of states. In the Westphalia world of internally strong states, there is less danger of internal conflict, and the international system is marked by conflicts  among  states rather than  within  them.   Since 1945, however, many of the most significant threats to state security have been internal, rather than external, a shift which has only accelerated and which may have profound consequences on the conduct of international relations. So traditionally, security was defined primarily at the nation-state level and almost exclusively through the military prism. This focus on external military threat to national security was particularly dominant during the Cold War. It would be misleading, however, to associate the origins of security studies with the Cold War and the recent nuclear threat. In the first decade after the Second World War academic interest in security studies increased significantly. Although questions of national security were usually treated within the broader framework of international relations and foreign policy, this period has been described as the most creative and exciting period in the entire history of security studies Security in different schools of thought Security has been a cornerstone in realism theories and studies; neorealism has even put more emphasis on security and power as determining factors in states decisions and position. Thus a detailed explanation of realism security view follows. While Liberal school was seen as counter theory for realism, for the interest of this paper focus will be shed on these two leading theories. Realism: Realism has been the most dominant theoretical tradition in international relations and security studies. Its philosophical foundations were laid by Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes and Rousseau. The realists world view represents international relations as a struggle for power among strategic, self-interested states. Realists discount any claims to system-wide international order other than that based ultimately on power or force. They argue that international society is best described as a condition of international anarchy, since there is no central authority to protect states from one another. States act as independent, sovereign political units that focus on their own survival (or expansion). For that reason, the objective of national security is survival of the nation-state rather than the guarantee of international security .Realists are not prepared to engage in long-term accommodation or cooperation. In this view, world politics is anarchical characterized by a state of war, not a single continuous war or constant wars but the constant possibility of war among all states. Consequently, the realist perceives a period of peace as a state of non-war. The possibility of war requires that states follow Realpolitik: be self interested, prepare for war and calculate relative balances of power. A state is constantly seeking relative gains and its behavior is therefore continuously determined to facilitate self-preservation by the actual balance of power between political powers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this is what security stands for. As a product of presumed uncertainty, a central issue in nearly all realist theory is the security dilemma. Due to their continuous efforts to guarantee their own security and survival, states are driven to acquire more and more power in order to escape the impact of the power of others. This, in turn, constitutes a threat to the security of other states. Traditional Cold War concepts of nuclear strategies and deterrence only emphasize this line of thought. Striving to attain maximum security from attack therefore inevitably produces new insecurities. Realism is not a single theory. It could be argued that there are two crosscutting dichotomies: classical realism versus neorealism, and offensive realism versus defensive realism. Classical realists, of which one of the most influential was Hans Morgenthau believe that states, like human beings, have an innate desire to dominate others, which leads them to fight wars. In this perspective, state power and security are ends in themselves. Neorealists see the international system consisting of a number of great powers, each seeking to survive. Because the system is anarchic and has no central authority, each state has to survive on its own. This driving force of survival is the primary factor influencing their behavior and in turn ensures that states develop offensive military force, as a means to increase their relative power. The classical focus on the centrality of power shifts gradually towards a more neorealist view whereby power becomes a means to gain security. Neorealists bring attention to a persistent lack of trust between states which requires states to act in an openly aggressive manner. Though neorealists recognize that international democratic structures and liberal economics are imperative to peace, security stems from balancing strategies based on sound military capabilities. For that reason, neorealism can be considered the dominant paradigm in security studies. Despite the varieties of realist thought, all realists stress the centrality of military threat and the use of force. The referent object of security is the state; states act as strategic, self-interested units which seek to ensure their own security. In all cases, the realist concept of security has been severely criticized as being too narrow to account for the multiple dimensions of security. Liberalism: The principal challenge to realism came from liberal theory, the foundations of which were laid, by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. A central principle of liberalism is the importance of the freedom of the individual. Foreign policy should reflect the rights and duties of individuals. Liberals understanding of security differs in part from that of realists. Reflecting the aims of the individual, liberal states view security not only in military terms, but also in terms of the protection and promotion of individual rights. For example, the liberal approach to combating terrorism focuses far more on the application of legal instruments than on the use of military force. Thats to say that liberal concept of security tends to include issues such as migration, environmental concerns. Like realism, liberalism is not a single theory. Although all liberal theories imply that cooperation is more pervasive than even the defensive version of realism allows, each view offers a different recipe for promoting it. It is worth noting that Liberalism has such a powerful presence that the entire political spectrum of the Western world, it is no surprise that liberal themes are constantly invoked as a response to contemporary security dilemmas. Also Liberal theory believes in the innate goodness of mankind to conduct peace-keeping relations in the international system where States rely on mutual cooperation to tackle global issues. Managing security issues according to this theory requires the involvement of international institutions, along with the cooperation of states to achieve this.The Liberal theory of security management consists of two key methods; collective security and arms control. 1. Collective Security Liberal theorists strongly believe in the power of collective security. This is a protective measure used by a group of allied states. When threatening and unlawful actions are directed at one state, united opposition is shown by the other supporting states. The goal is to stop the aggressor while creating security in the international system. Collective security can be best described by the concept of one for all, all for one.Another important function of this security measure is to ward off potential aggressors from acting. 2. Arms Control In global politics, arms control is best described by either the controlling, reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons completely. Another approach to controlling weapons includes general disarmament. According to Liberal theory, arms proliferation and specialization can be reduced.Having fewer weapons means reduced insecurity so long as states agree to carry out this task mutually. National security and IR Human security In 1994, the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) Human Development Report presented a new way of thinking about the integration of security issues and globalization. This report defined human security according to seven dimensions: personal, environmental, economic, political, community, health, and food security, the report adopted a people-centric security concept as its focus instead of the traditional state-centered concept The concept of human security stresses that people should be able to take care of themselves: all people should have the opportunity to meet their most essential needs and to earn their own living. This will set them free and help ensure that they can make a full contribution to development their own development and that of their communities, their countries and the world, Human security is a critical ingredient of participatory development. Human security is therefore not a defensive concept, the way territorial or military security is. Human security is a concept that identifies the security of human lives as the central objective of national and international security policy. After 1994, the concept of human security became a central theme of a number of governments through their foreign and defense policies. In particular, the Canadian, Japanese and Norwegian governments led the way in institutionalizing human security concerns into their respective foreign policies. According to a Canadian government report, human security means safety for people from both violent and non-violent threats. It is a condition or state of being characterized by freedom from pervasive threats to peoples rights, their safety, or even their lives. Also the report emphasized that increasing human security entails: Investing in human development, not in arms; Engaging policy makers to address the emerging peace dividend; Giving the United Nations a clear mandate to promote and sustain development; Enlarging the concept of development cooperation so that it includes all flows, not just aid; Agreeing that 20 percent of national budgets and 20 percent of foreign aid be used for human development; and Establishing an Economic Security Council Human security and Foreign policy: A departure from the realist, state-centered concept of security that has dominated foreign policy thinking of major powers, this conceptual reframing of security has important implications on foreign policy. It brings new issues or vulnerabilities and measures or actions as priorities for global security that were not on the security agendas, it has huge impact on foreign policy orientations especially when it comes to big powers decisions The issue of oppression and physical violence due to deliberate action and neglect by the state to its own citizens. Vulnerability to poverty and destitution as a factor inter-connected with threats of violence. Development and ending poverty as important means to achieve human security. Actors other than the state as sources of threat and as holders of obligations to protect; Global inter-connectedness of security threats (such as terrorist networks, global financial crises and global diseases) and necessary responses. Questions have been raised about the relationship between human security and state security and actions in foreign affairs. Contrary to some claims, the twokinds of security are not mutually exclusive. The security of the state is not an end in itself rather it is a means of ensuring security for people. In this context, state security and human security are in fact mutually supportive and accordingly the decisions made to maintain security of the state in foreign affairs and in international relations had a direct influence on humans security. Building an effective, democratic state that values its own people and protects minorities is central to promoting human security. At the same time, improving the human security of its people strengthens the legitimacy, stability and security of a state. So the interdependent relation is crystal clear. Human security provides a template to assess policy and practice effects on the safety of people. From a foreign policy perspective, there are a number of key consequences; First ensuring human security can involve the use of coercive measures, including sanctions and military force, as in Bosnia and Kosovo. On the other hand the human costs of strategies for promoting state and international security must be explicitly assessed. security policies such as economic sanctions, should take into account the impact on innocent people. Third, security policies must be integrated much more closely with strategies for promoting human rights, democracy, and development. Human rights and humanitarian provide the normative framework on which a human security approach is based. On the other hand one of the dividends of adopting a human security approach is that it further elaborates a people-centred foreign policy. Fourth, due to the complexity of contemporary challenges to the security of people, effective interventions involve a diverse range of actors including states, multilateral organizations, and civil society groups. As the challenges to the safety of people are transnational, effective responses can only be achieved through multilateral cooperation. This is evident in the new international instruments developed to address transnational drug trafficking, terrorism, and environmental issues. These threats link the interest of citizens in countries which enjoy a high level of human security with the interests of people in much poorer nations, who face a wider range of threats to their safety. This has a direct impact on foreign policy implementation and interests. The relationship between national and international security The changing international environment, following the advent of globalization and end of cold war politics has made it imperative for both practitioners and scholars to rethink and redefine the existing framework on which foreign policy operated. Foreign relations are in fact developed in the context of the security environment. However, security issues are no longer seen in the pure realist term of preserving the national security of the states in terms of territory only. States have aligned and realigned to further their national interest by forming new regional and economic blocs, while putting aside historical and cultural hostility, and arriving at consensus over various issues of global concerns. National and international security are becoming increasingly interrelated, thereby challenging the notion that security is primarily a function of national power or military and economic strength. Searching for solutions to the problem of insecurity, many nations increasingly find themselves face-to-face with circumstances beyond their direct control, such as a structural economic crisis and global economic, population, environmental and resource trends. All nations face universal threats posed by the nuclear arms race. Global interdependence has created a situation in which actions not only by major Powers but also by other nations can have major regional or even international repercussions. Only by recognizing that security is not divisible, either in its military, economic, social and political dimensions or as between its national and international aspects, can nations evolve the co-operative measures necessary to achieve security in an interdependent age. This requires a comprehensive and co-operative approach to international security(a liberal version of security). The unrestrained pursuit of national security interests at the expense of others is not conducive to international security and may even lead to disaster. With the existence of nuclear weapons such policies constitute a potential threat to the survival of mankind. It is imperative that nations reconcile the contradictions between individual national security interests and the overall interest of international security and peace. Conclusion

Electronic Music | An introdcution

Electronic Music | An introdcution Electronic Music: The standard way of thinking about music has it that it is an important aspect of any culture and socialization. Although there is major difference in music genres from culture to culture, we all can say that music is an important part of our lives. Not only it is soothing, but it also creates individuality in individuals depending on the genre of music they like and accept. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,†Music provides entertainment and distraction from problems and serves as a way to relieve tension and boredom. Some studies have reported that adolescents use popular music to deal with loneliness and to take control of their emotional status or mood†. Music is a great way to escape the reality and create a sense of serenity in an individual. For many years we have shifted in music rhythms and productions. Classical music and other older genres are currently overlapped by the modern day rap, hip-hop, and dance and electronic music. In our modern day so ciety, electronic music a large role on providing the listeners with great beats and rhythm but also provides to the listeners to go to an electrifying extent. Electronic music is not only part of the rave scene but musicians of different genres of music around the word produce the same beats by using the turn tables and electronic instruments. With the new and improved technologies and instruments, music is produced electronically with some bass guitars and drums, but no matter what instruments the musicians use, the production of music greatly provides the listeners with imagination. From different instrument usage, music is a great way to relieve stress and express emotions. Electronic music not only provides the listeners with a sense of emotion, but also creates imagination in individuals and serves as an inspiration to many other artists in the use of electronics. Music cannot be considered a single sound, but it is a set of beats and rhythm that create pleasure to listeners ears. Electronic music is an art, an art that is created by using electronic instruments such as turn tables. The main aspect of electronic music is that it provokes happiness to the listeners. Electronic music has different sub groups such as: Techno, Dubstep, Indie, House Tech, Trance and Dance but it does not matter to the listeners which to choose, they all produce the safe effect: create a sense of emotion in listeners. According to Leonard Meyer, â€Å"And finally, listeners, past and present, have reported with remarkable consistency that music does arouse feelings and emotion in them† (12). In other words, we as humans are full of emotion and express them in our daily lives. As electronic music played in clubs and social events, individuals feel happiness therefore undergo the state of excitement and then begin rhythmic practices such as dancing. And of cou rse, any type of music that the listeners decide to listen will experience emotion. Usually at large social performances by highly respected artists, individuals decide to wear neon colors that bring happiness to the performance. Electronic music provides the listeners with emotions due to different beats and rhythm that the audience follows. Some may decide to focus their attention on certain beat that attract their attention, however as a whole, electronic music is upbeat and surprising. Imagination is a huge process in which an individual paints a mental picture in learning styles. In a math class for instance, one may paint a mental picture of formulas to help one study, however when it is needed one must reflect back at that memory to retrieve the information. Due to the high intensity and upbeat rhythm, imagination is decided upon the individual. Some electronic musicians such as Tiesto or Armin Van Buren often use beats and rhythm that use nature sounds so therefore the listener may imagine that he or she is in a nature setting. Throughout the electronic beats that the electronic music provides, a message is conveyed. According to Leonard Meyer, â€Å"On the contrary, the musical theory and practice of many different cultures in many different epochs indicate that music can and does convey referential meaning† (3). Some music has meanings that are people can relate to. For instance, Eminem has been rapping about the meaning in his life however some genre s are turning toward explicit lyrics. Electronic music however is a set of beats that convey different messages to different individuals. People have the freedom to decide on the meaning of electronic music and what impact it has on their thoughts and imaginations. Thoughts, imaginations and reflections flow through listeners minds and an escape from reality occurs. As a result, electronic music provides the listener with many options on the relation of the meaning he or she decides to create. Our society has numerous bands that have progressed from using electric and acoustic guitars, drums and other instrument to using electronic computers and turn tables to produce new beats. Modern day artists produce their music in studios with a set of turn tables and electronic sets. More and more hip hop artist are turning toward electronic elements into their music which becomes more upbeat. The song â€Å"Feel It† by Three 6 Mafia and Sean Kingston for instance, is a great example of artists using electronic beats. Tiesto, one of the well known DJs creates the songs beats to which Three 6 Mafia raps to. Similarly, in dance clubs, DJs take ordinary hip hop songs and add a beat of electronic music for more pleasurable sounds and allow the audience to dance to. In Freedmans view, â€Å"Which brings us full circle to the original point—namely, that electronicas rise isnt just a trend. Rather, the influence of electronic elements into all forms of music seems to indica te a real turning point, a change in ideals brought on by the increased availability and affordability of computer-based music-creating programs†. Our generation has greatly become more and more technologically advanced in many aspects of daily lives. Technological advancement not only has made our healthcare, entertainment and communication better, but it also has changed the music industry. Electronic music has a major impact on different genres. Although the new technologies have a big impact on the music industries, electronic music has influenced artists to use upbeat music. As a result, an individual has the freedom to decide to listen to electronic music or not, he or she may hear electronic aspects in different songs that are heard on the radio. As I have shown, electronic music provides more than just beats and rhythm to the listeners but also allows them to find inner imagination. Electronic music has progressed from being underground to the modern day popular culture which is attracting more listeners and allows them to experience a sense of enjoyment. Once a listener hears a single electronic music song, he or she will fall in love and would want to listen more. There are numerous DJs for a listener to choose from such as: ATB, Above and Beyond, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren and Marcus Schulz and they will provide the first time listener with a sense of excitement and surely will not disappoint them. Works- Cited Meyer, Leonard B., Emotion and Meaning in Music.Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999. Fuld, Gilbert G., Mulligan, Deborah A., and Brown, Ari. â€Å"Impact of Music in Children and Young Adults†. American Academy of Pediatrics 124 (2009): 9. Freedman, Pete. â€Å"Electronic Music Moves Its Way Into Other Genres.† The Dallas Observer 19 November 2009. Web. 13 March 2010.

India vs. Imperialism :: essays research papers fc

Safeguards Against Imperialism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a country attains independence, it begins the long road to stability. Economic stability is a very important aspect of a nation’s independence. New countries are very vulnerable to the greedy hands of the more developed industrialized nations, so their leaders must devise means to strengthen their nation’s economy and keep the money within its own borders. India is such a developing country that has needed to protect its economy from the imperialism of other nations. This protection was generally attempted with the implementation of government-sponsored programs, which altered certain taxes and tariffs, regulated private businesses, and also created government owned businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One project that attempted to strengthen India’s economy was started by P.C. Mahalanobis. His idea was the second five-year plan. Lasting from 1956 to 1961, this plan implemented British socialism combined with Mahatma Gandhi’s tenets. The second five-year plan tried to eliminate the importation of consumer goods with high tariffs and low quotas. This caused seventeen industries to become nationalized. Licenses were also required for starting new businesses or producing new products. Bureaucratic control was tightened with these licenses, which were also required for shutting down or canceling workings. If a business would begin shutting down, the government would intervene and provide subsidies and assistance for as long as possible. Containing India’s consumer market within the country’s borders protected against Imperialist powers by making products produced locally much less expensive than imports, appealing to local citizens and en couraging internal growth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another leader who formed plans to strengthen India’s market was Indira Gandhi. Attempting to capitalize on Mahalanobis’ relative success, Indira began a program to promote small businesses by funding them with money formerly used for agriculture. This would lead to the loss of India’s agricultural market, but the plan included programs that would help agriculture, and small labor intensive businesses of the countryside. India’s output began to grow, but slower than other countries. The programs were created with the intent of creating enough output to eliminate poverty, and become stable enough to generate revenue from exports. Government programs do not always work, however, and these programs turned out to have more of a negative impact on India’s potential growth, as over-regulation soon followed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to the over-regulation of private industries, India created direct socialist enterprises. The government of India nationalized its heavy industry and created new SOE’s, or state-owned enterprises. These SOE’s were more expensive to build and operate than private industries, and their inefficiencies quickly became apparent. India vs. Imperialism :: essays research papers fc Safeguards Against Imperialism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a country attains independence, it begins the long road to stability. Economic stability is a very important aspect of a nation’s independence. New countries are very vulnerable to the greedy hands of the more developed industrialized nations, so their leaders must devise means to strengthen their nation’s economy and keep the money within its own borders. India is such a developing country that has needed to protect its economy from the imperialism of other nations. This protection was generally attempted with the implementation of government-sponsored programs, which altered certain taxes and tariffs, regulated private businesses, and also created government owned businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One project that attempted to strengthen India’s economy was started by P.C. Mahalanobis. His idea was the second five-year plan. Lasting from 1956 to 1961, this plan implemented British socialism combined with Mahatma Gandhi’s tenets. The second five-year plan tried to eliminate the importation of consumer goods with high tariffs and low quotas. This caused seventeen industries to become nationalized. Licenses were also required for starting new businesses or producing new products. Bureaucratic control was tightened with these licenses, which were also required for shutting down or canceling workings. If a business would begin shutting down, the government would intervene and provide subsidies and assistance for as long as possible. Containing India’s consumer market within the country’s borders protected against Imperialist powers by making products produced locally much less expensive than imports, appealing to local citizens and en couraging internal growth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another leader who formed plans to strengthen India’s market was Indira Gandhi. Attempting to capitalize on Mahalanobis’ relative success, Indira began a program to promote small businesses by funding them with money formerly used for agriculture. This would lead to the loss of India’s agricultural market, but the plan included programs that would help agriculture, and small labor intensive businesses of the countryside. India’s output began to grow, but slower than other countries. The programs were created with the intent of creating enough output to eliminate poverty, and become stable enough to generate revenue from exports. Government programs do not always work, however, and these programs turned out to have more of a negative impact on India’s potential growth, as over-regulation soon followed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to the over-regulation of private industries, India created direct socialist enterprises. The government of India nationalized its heavy industry and created new SOE’s, or state-owned enterprises. These SOE’s were more expensive to build and operate than private industries, and their inefficiencies quickly became apparent.

Justice in Ancient and Modern Literature :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first blow of the machete landed on the boy. â€Å"My father, they have killed me!† he cried as he ran towards him. The father then drew his own machete and â€Å"cut him down.† In Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, this was justice. The boy was from another tribe, a payment for a misdeed, and his life was theirs to do with as they pleased. Justice is something that all of us have a notion of. However we differ in our implementation of it, we all know when it’s been violated. Many of the seeds of our modern idea of justice have existed for millennia. Those seeds comprise two basic forms based on Socratic, Platonic and Aristotelian thought – Should justice be rooted on a higher ideal or is justice primarily something established by us in the here and now? For one justice my involve taking the life of another as just recompense for previous crimes while another my feel that standing for what is just would be something worth gi ving one’s own life for. And sadly one may put off embracing justice to the detriment of his own life and the lives of those around him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plato, one of the great philosophers of the ancient world, approached the subject of justice by believing that an ideal form of it exists. He might say that it is something outside of ourselves that we strive to attain. He shows how Socrates (his teacher) would choose not to bow to popular opinion just because it was the majority view. â€Å"In questions of justice and injustice, and of the base and the honorable, and of good and evil†¦ought we to follow the opinion of the many?† (Plato: Crito) He mentions how others feel that they do not hold to a higher ideal but that â€Å"political decisions [are] supreme.† And he shows the Athenian view of the inequality of different groups of people.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Can you deny that you are our child and our slave†¦? And if this be so do you think that your rights are on a level with ours?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plato and Socrates both felt that a truth that one holds should be defended and upheld regardless of the personal cost in doing so. In the end Socrates concluded that it was better to die for the truth he believed in than to run from its consequences and be labeled hypocritical. He might use the phrase: Do what’s right, regardless of the price.

Is Lying Under Any Circustances “Righ or Wrong”

Based on the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, I would have to disagree with his argument that lying is wrong under any circumstances. In this paper I will discuss my reason for disagreeing with the argument based on the flaw stated in the argument, how lying and telling the truth both have bad consequences depending on the circumstances, and also how moral rules cannot be absolute. In this paragraph I will be discussing the flaw that is stated in the argument, in which I absolutely agree with.The philosophy that â€Å" Kant† is stating is completely flawed because it is contradictory on what he base his reasoning on. â€Å" Suppose it was necessary to lie to save someone’s life. Should you do it? Kant would have us reason as follows: We should do only those actions that conform to rules that we could will to be adopted universally. Second, if you were to lie, you would be following the rule ‘ It is okay to lie. ‘ Also this rule could not be adopted universally, because it would be self-defeating: People would stop believing one another, and then it would do no good to lie, therefore, you should not lie. (Immanuel Kant). The problem would show in step two, on why we would be saying if we lied that we would be following a rule that it is okay to lie, when as Anscombe stated if you changed it around to â€Å" I will lie when doing so would save someone’s life. † That would make that rule not be self-defeating. Ancombe's argument,shows that in order not to lie completely and prove Kant’s philosophy you have to show where lying would not have a good consequence behind it. But it clearly shows that depending on what you are lying for some lies can help more than hurt.Which leads me into my second point on how lying and telling the truth both has bad consequences. In Kant’s philosophy telling the truth leaves you blameless no matter what the outcome of the truth. And lying leaves you being held responsible for the out come no matter good or bad. This to me is not a good philosophy because you cannot be blameless if telling the truth gets someone killed, but lying helps save his or her life. Because you had to lie in order to save that person’s life does that make you less heroic? No. To me it shouldn’t matter as long as you did what you had to do to help hat person stay alive. A lie can have harmful consequences you can get someone hurt by lying: and saying that a person did something can get them fired from work. But you can also tell the truth about a person and her actions and still get her fired from work. Both have bad consequences and it doesn’t make that person feel any better about whether the outcome came from lying or telling the truth. And that shows how lies and truths both have bad consequences. A moral rule cannot be absolute to me because we don’t live in a society that makes decisions based on morals.Because there is some circumstances that make it hard to say that when this person lied it doesn’t matter that the outcome helped someone it was just a lie and nothing else matters. That is not the reality of things morally; you cannot let a person die and feel good about yourself just because you told the truth. Making a moral rule absolute would be contradictory to Kants philosophy, tell the truth no matter what; but morally, is it right to let someone that you can help with a lie fall by the waste side?You may have morally told the truth, but you also feel responsible morally no matter how righteous telling the truth may have been. If you ask me if a moral rule was absolute there would be terrible consequences to telling the truth and not lying in certain circumstances. If such dilemmas occur, then doesn’t this disprove the existence of absolute moral rules? Suppose, for example the two rules â€Å" It is wrong to lie† and â€Å" It is wrong to facilitate the murder of innocent people† are both taken to be absolute?The Dutch fishermen in Kant’s argument would have to do one of these things; therefore, a moral view that absolutely prohibits both is incoherent. (Immanuel Kant) In conclusion I feel that Kants philosophy as I stated in my thesis is flawed and I disagree with it completely. You cannot in my opinion say that as long as you tell the truth no matter what the consequences are would leave you blameless, if when telling a lie would help someone. But just because it is morally wrong to lie it doesn’t matter of that consequence you are still wrong even though lying saved that person’s life.If you ask me it would be morally wrong to let a person die and not do everything in your power to save that person. Which is why I don’t feel like a moral rule should be absolute and why in both circumstances of lying or telling the truth you really never know what outcome you are going to get. It is a choice that you make based on the situation that you are in, a nd even when telling the truth the outcome can still be bad. Kant had a good argument to me, but as the readings say it was â€Å"limited†. Works Cited Rachels, James ( 1941-2003) The Elements of Moral Philosophy

Hamlet and Horatio Best Friends for Life: an Analysis of Hamlet

3 November 2009 Hamlet and Horatio Best Friends for Life: an Analysis of Hamlet In Hamlet, two characters I believe to be important are Hamlet and his friend, Horatio. Horatio is the second most important character in the play. Horatio is Hamlet’s best friend and advisor. Horatio never keeps anything from Hamlet. In Act one, scene one; Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus see the ghost of king Hamlet who was killed by his brother, Claudius. After the ghost disappears, Horatio tells Marcellus and Bernardo to reveal to Hamlet what they have seen. †¦Let us impart what we have seen tonight Unto young Hamlet; for upon my life, This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him†¦. † (Act 1, Scene 1). Hamlet reveals to Horatio what the spirit reveled to him about Claudius. â€Å"†¦But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown. † (Act 1, scene 5). Horatio tells no one, of what Hamlet has told him, and he plays along with Hamlet’s idea of pretending to be mad or insane. I believe this exhibits that Hamlet trusts Horatio more than the other characters. I believe that Hamlet can go to Horatio for anything. †¦There is a play tonight before the king. One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father’s death. I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, Even with the very comment of thy soul Observe my uncle†¦. † (Act 3, Scene 2). I believe that Horatio is able to understand Hamlet better than the other characters do. In Act five, scene two, Hamlet tells Horatio to tell his story to everyone. The only reason that Hamlet would tell Horatio this; is if he was the only one left that could tell his story, and because Horatio is his friend. Let us face it, if we were on our deathbed, would we not want our best friend to tell our story? In Act one, scene two, we get a glimpse of Hamlet’s resentment over his mother’s marriage, to his uncle, which follow hard upon the funeral of his father. â€Å"†¦Within a month, Ere yet the sale of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes She married. O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue. † ( Act 1, Scene 2). In Act two, Scene one, we see a hint of Hamlet’s love for Ophelia. In Act two, scene two, Hamlet doubts the spirit of his father, and thinks that his father could be telling the truth or telling a lie. He is not quite sure which is truth and which is false. We see that Hamlet has many questions as to what he could do to see if the ghost is telling the truth. He decides to put on a play with a scene that he has added. In Act three, scene one, we get a peek of how he seems to know everything. â€Å"Let the doors be shut upon him [Polonius], that he may play the fool nowhere but in’s own house. Farewell. † In this Act, he says things to Ophelia that I believe he does not mean, such as, â€Å"Get thee to a nunnery. ’’ I believe he is saying what he says for the benefit of Polonius, Ophelia’s father. Polonius believes that Hamlet is mad, or insane. â€Å"Your noble son is mad. † Hamlet is abhorrent toward Claudius because Claudius killed his father. In act three, scene four we see Hamlet’s reluctance to kill his uncle, but this time he is unwilling to kill Claudius because he is praying or that is what it seems like to Hamlet. Let us face it, who in their right mind would kill someone while they are praying? However, I believe that Hamlet should have killed Claudius in this scene because if he did then the other characters that die would not have died and his father’s spirit would be able to rest in peace. At the end of Act three, Hamlet kills Polonius believing him to be Claudius. â€Å"I took thee for thy better. † It was so easy for Hamlet to kill Polonius because he believed him to be Claudius. Hamlet then hides the body because he does not want anyone to know what he has done, or maybe he hides the body ecause he wants people to believe that he is insane. At the end of the play, Hamlet forces Claudius to drink from a cup of poison thus killing him. Horatio knowing that Hamlet was dying decides to drink from the cup so he would not be alone, but Hamlet stops him. Hamlet then tells Horatio to tell his story to the world. Hamlet also dies from the same poison. Throughout the play, Hamlet ha s been at war with Claudius because Claudius killed his father and then married his mother. At the same time, he is at a constant battle with his feelings. He asks questions that are difficult to answer or even understand, but he always comes up with an answer. Horatio’s part in the play is the second important part. Without Horatio, I believe that Hamlet would have killed himself, because he would not have any one to share his burden of killing his uncle. Horatio keeps helping Hamlet every chance he gets. Horatio also tries to take poison because Hamlet is dying; if this is not true friendship then I do not know what is. Shaksper's Hamlet