Philosophy in Literature and Films (HS3033)
Assignment
Sashank K
EE11B124
3 November 2014
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1 An Introduction to Moral Philosophy and some of its Theories
Most humans judge the moral consequences of what they and others do. They classify everything as good or bad. Thus, ethical philosophy is a branch of philosophy which is relevant at some level to even laymen, who are not philoso- phers. All of us make moral judgments based on some preconceived or preexist- ing moral principle. Investigation of how such a principle came about, whether it is right or wrong and such discussion on the principle constitutes the branch of ethics or moral philosophy.
Ethics is further subdivided into three areas. These are meta-ethics, normative ethics and applied
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2 Ethical Theories in Crimes and Misdemeanors
Crimes and Misdemeanors, directed by Woody Allen, is considered a tribute to Dostoevsky’s Crimes and Punishments. The movie focuses on two subplots, one on a successful physician, Judah Rosenthal, who despite a happy family life hides a deep secret; and the other on an unsuccessful filmmaker Clifford
Stern, whose wife convinces him to work on a documentary about her brother, a successful TV producer. The two plots meet at the end.
Judah makes arrangements to get Delores killed by a hit man. This is an- alyzed from the consequential and non-consequential viewpoints. The consequences of a kill by a hit man are many fold. Judah takes away the rest of Delores’ life from her. If the death was not a sudden one, which occurs without any warning, she would have experienced immense physical and men- tal pain during her final moments. Also, she may have friends and family who would suffer immensely due to her death, though the above is not mentioned in the movie. Looking at all the above bad effects of the killing, it can be inferred that this is morally wrong from the consequential viewpoint.
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The non-consequentialist view is that Judah arranging for a hit man itself
“ Judge Briskey leaves the room.” Mr. Montresor would go to live the next ten years in Verona Maximum Security Prison before dying of aids he got from a blood transfusion after an inmate cut his arm with a shank. Mr. Montresor has been asked multiple times afterwards if he regrets killing his friend and every time he responds with the same answer.
This sense of hostility springs forth from the misconstrued view of literature being the superior art form among the two, extending to the apparent artistic inferiority of cinematic adaptations, which seemingly “betrays” its source material. But the idea of cinema as a potent and dynamic art
There are a number of reasons that someone may need the help of a criminal defense lawyer. A good one is not cheap, but a conviction on your record can cost you over and over for the rest of your life. First of all are the very real possibilities of large fines and time behind bars. However, even misdemeanor convictions can keep you from getting a good job. Although many potential employers will tell you that they will only check back through 7 years of your criminal history, that is largely a myth.
Criminal behaviour has always been an interest for psychologists, for they could never quite come to a conclusion between nature and nurture. Research concerning this topic has been organized for many years and due to the never ending debate, is still being conducted. I have decided to read and write about this myself, for I was genuinely curious about the matter and wanted to be a part of the research, as I felt responsible to do so. I believe that in order to stop something, it must be discussed and scrutinized. What effects do genes have on criminal behaviour, why do peer pressure and habitat influence a person to commit crimes and are men really more violent than women?
But bioethics also raises new questions about old issues, like the use of placebos and the treatment of pain. Some of the early founders of bioethics put into view four principles which formed this framework for moral reasoning. These four principles are: (1) Autonomy which means that one should respect the right of individuals to make their own decisions. (2) Non-maleficence which means that one should avoid causing harm. (3)Beneficence meaning that one should take positive steps to help others.
Although Stuart lacks in fact based situations, he shines light on some important and noteworthy points towards his theses. For example, he begins to explain the occurrence of adventure films, and how todays media has shaped that genre into a progressive form of violence, crime, and structured visualizations on the race of characters, or a character that is portrayed a certain way because of his race. “Another based-image is that of the “native.” The good side of this figure is portrayed in a certain primitive nobility and simple dignity. The bad side is portrayed in terms of cheating and cunning, and, further out, savagery and barbarism.” This quote, along with other quotes in similarity, are indeed noteworthy, but Stuart solely relies on his pathos appeal, and the credibility of his accomplishments.
The old western films’ solid black and white boundaries between good and evil characters are no longer relatable in a time where most members of society fall into the grey. The unique morality in No Country For Old Men is representative of the constant changes in modern day society and the adjustments in the moral standards of society that accompany those
Developing from the reasoning of (Russ Shafer-Landau, p.p 13), it is clear that there is a difference between normative ethics and metaethics. Normative ethics are those values that develop from within a personality and are always employed whenever ethics are breached. On the other hand the metaethics is basically the diverse elements that are considered crucial for building positive ethical believes. (Shafer-Landau, p.p 29), also brings forward other moral ethical elements such as the moral error theory, the desire-satisfaction theory, ethical particularism and the doctrine of double effects. All the above elements are crucial for shaping ones ethical perspectives and inclinations leave alone resolving ethical issues within a society.
1. Introduction – ethics – what are they? Ethics (or moral philosophy) is the kind of philosophy that define concept of right or wrong conduct. In practice, ethics try to resolve questions of human morality, by explaining concepts of good and evil. Ethics, culture, morals – are bind together, they are embedded.
Memorandum To: Ms. Singh From: Clark & Clark Attorneys Date: July 26, 2015 Subject: Misdemeanor vs. Felony Ms. Singh, you have expressed your concerns about the possibility of a long prison sentence and possible capital punishment after being arrest for breach of peace in which is classified as a misdemeanor not a felony. This memo will explain the differences between a felony and misdemeanor, and inform you on all the facts on your case. The report stated that your boyfriend became jealous and punched the other man.
In simple terms, morality is not something that is discovered, but rather something that is invented. (Roberts, 2007). Applied ethics the most applied theoretical topic within moral philosophy. Applied ethics strives to relate
In today’s world, many people tend to have a set of ethical principles which is one of the guidelines for them to follow on. The question is how he or she defines ethics? To answer, Ethics is best defined as knowing what is right or wrong in the action based on the moral principles. Moreover, it is also known as the branch of knowledge that deals with ethical issues. In relation, there are some ethical theories which deal with the ethical issues.
I will be explaining through the seven elements of crime whether illegal drug use, prostitution, and gambling fit the elements (Bohm & Haley, 2011). The seven elements of the crime are harm, legality, actus reus, mens rea, causation, concurrence, and punishment. Discuss in detail whether illegal drug use, prostitution, and gambling fit the seven elements of a crime from. Include in your discussion whether these three crimes should be considered mala in se or mala prohibita.
Ethics has a sub-field called Morality. It is the study of set codes and systems of conduct. Another branch of Philosophy is called Aesthetics. Aesthetics is focused on the nature and appreciation of art. Questions like "What is a work of art?", "What makes a work of art successful?" are commonly present to studying
FILM IN THE CLASSROOM 9 © 2011 WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION THE LANGUAGE OF FILM Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility begins with a description of the complexities of an inheritance. The opening paragraphs are key to understanding the characters’ roles in the novel, but they’re also likely to mystify (and turn away) contemporary readers.