Plato vs. Aristotle Essay Example for Free

Plato vs. Aristotle Essay Plato and Aristotle, two philosophers in the 4th century, hold polar views on politics and philosophy in general. This fact is very cleverly illustrated by Raphaels School of Athens (1510-11; Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican), where Plato is portrayed looking up to the higher forms; and Aristotle is pointing down because he supports the natural sciences. In a discussion of politics, the stand point of each philosopher becomes an essential factor. It is not coincidental that Plato states in The Republic that Philosopher Rulers who possess knowledge of the good should be the governors in a city state. His strong interest in metaphysics is demonstrated in The Republic various times: for example, the similes of the cave, the sun, and the line, and his theory of the forms. Because he is so involved in metaphysics, his views on politics are more theoretical as opposed to actual. Aristotle, contrarily, holds the view that politics is the art of ruling and being ruled in turn. In The Politics, he attempts to outline a way of governing that would be ideal for an actual state. Balance is a main word in discussing Aristotle because he believes it is the necessary element to creating a stable government. His less metaphysical approach to politics makes Aristotle more in tune with the modern world, yet he is far from modern. Platos concept of what politics and government should be is a direct result of his belief in the theory of forms. The theory of forms basically states that there is a higher form for everything that exists in the world. Each material thing is simply a representation of the real thing which is the form. According to Plato, most people cannot see the forms, they only see their representation or their shadows, as in the simile of the cave. Only those who love knowledge and contemplate on the reality of things will achieve understanding of the forms. Philosophers, who by definition are knowledge lovers, are the only beings who can reach true knowledge. This concept has to be taken a step further because in The Republic, Plato states that philosophers should be the rulers since they are the only ones who hold the form of the good. Plato seems to be saying that it is not enough to know the forms of tables or trees, one must know the greatest formform of the goodin order to rule. The reasoning is: if you know the good, then you will do the good. Therefore, philosopher rulers are by far the most apt to rule. In The Republic, Plato builds around the idea of Philosopher Rulers. Even though it is not his primary point, it certainly is at the core of his discussion of the ideal state. The question that arises is, Why do you need ideal states which will have philosophers as rulers? There are many layers to the answer of this question. The first thing is that a state cannot be ideal without having philosophers as rulers. This answer leads to the question, Then why do you need ideal states to begin with? The Republic starts with a discussion of Justice which leads to the creation of the ideal state. The reason why an ideal state is needed is to guarantee the existence of Justice. This does not mean, though, that there cannot be states without Justice. Actually, Plato provides at least two reasons why the formation of a state cannot be avoided. These are: 1. human beings are not self-sufficient so they need to live in a social environment, and 2.each person has a natural aptitude for a specified task and should concentrate on developing it (The Republic, pp 56-62). Although a person is not self-sufficient, a composition of peoplea statesatisfies the needs of all its members. Furthermore, members can specialize on their natural fortitudes and become more productive members of society. States are going to form, whether purposefully or coincidentally. For this reason, certain rules have to be enacted for the well-being of the state. The main way to institutionalize rules is through government and in the form of laws. Platos The Republic is not an explication of laws of the people. It is a separation of power amongst three classesRulers, Auxiliaries, Commonersthat makes the most of each persons natural abilities and strives for the good of the community. The point is to create a harmonious unity amongst the three classes which will lead to the greater good of the community and, consequently, each individual. The three classes are a product of different aptitude levels for certain tasks amid various individuals. Plato assigns different political roles to different members of each class. It appears that the only classes that are allowed to participate in government are the Auxiliaries and, of course, the Philosopher Rulers. The lower class does not partake in politics because they are not mentally able. In other words, they do not understand the concept of the forms. Thus, it is better to allow the Philosophers, who do have this knowledge, to lead them. Providing food and abode for the Guardians is the only governmental responsibility the lower class has. The Auxiliaries are in charge of the military, police, and executive duties. Ruling and making laws is reserved for the Philosopher Rulers whose actions are all intended for the good of the state. To ensure that public good continues to be foremost on each Rulers agenda, the Rulers live in community housing, hold wives/children in common, and do not own private property. The separation of classes is understood by everybody Self-interest, which could be a negative factor in the scheme of things, is eliminated through a very moral oriented education system. All these provisions are generated to maintain unity of the state. The most extravagant precaution that Plato takes is the Foundation Myth of the metals. By making the people believe, through a myth, that the distinction of each class is biological as well as moral, Plato reassures that there wont be any disruption in the harmony of the state. Whereas Platos The Republic is a text whose goal is to define Justice and in doing so uses the polis, Aristotles The Politicss sole function is to define itselfdefine politics. Aristotle begins his text by answering the question: Why does the state exist? His answer is that the state is the culmination of natural associations that start with the joining of man and woman (pair), which have a family and form a household; households unite and form villages; villages unite and form the state. This natural order of events is what is best because it provides for the needs of all the individuals. Aristotle, like Plato, believes that a person is not self-reliant. This lack of sufficiency is the catalyst in the escalating order of unions among people. In The Politics, it appears that Aristotle is not very set on breaking down society. His argument says that there are different classes in society, but they are naturally defined. For example, he devotes a lot of time to an explanation of the naturalness of slaves and their role in society. Aristotle is also very sexist and explicitly states so. His view is that women are inferior to men in all senses. Perhaps the most pertaining to our discussion is the citizen, whose role is purely political. Both Plato and Aristotle seem to agree that some people are not capable of practicing an active role in political life. Platos reason is that the lower class is not mentally adept for the intricacies of higher knowledge on the good. Aristotle seems to base his opinion on a more political issue. He believes that only those that fully participate in their government should be considered citizens of the state. For this reason, he excludes workers as citizens because they would not have the required time to openly participate in politicking. The Aristotelian polis, as opposed to Platos, is a city with a large middle class which promotes stability and balances the conflicting claims of the poor and the rich. Aristotle combines elements of democracy with elements of aristocracy, again to balance opposing claims. Because he is aware that human interest is an inextricable entity, the distribution of scarce and valuable goods is in proportion to contribution to the good of the polis. This system provides for the self interested who believe that those who work harder should receive more. Another point is that the citizens rule and are ruled in turn, insofar as the mixed social system allows. This is permissible because of the strong involvement of the citizens in government; it is what one would call a true democracy. Overall, a spirit of moderation prevails. The philosophies of Aristotle and Plato have been around for over sixteen centuries, yet today it is difficult to find specific instances where either philosophy is applied. This may be a result of the fact that todays political philosophy differs from both philosophers. While Aristotle and Plato uphold the good of the community or state above individual good, todays constitution includes a bill of rights that guarantees the rights of each individual in the nation. Having these individual rights is a necessity for todays citizens. Going back in history to 1787 will show that one of the reasons there was controversy in the ratification of the constitution was that it did not include a Bill of Rights. When the drafters promised that as soon as the constitution was ratified, a Bill of Rights would be added, the doubting states proceeded to ratify it. According to Plato and Aristotle, a Bill of Rights is not necessary because it does not improve the good of the community. Another point of discrepancy between the philosophers and todays society involves the topic of slavery. Aristotle argues for the naturalness of slavery in The Politics, yet slavery has been considered grotesque for quite some time. In correlation to slavery, there is the undermining of the female population by Aristotle. Although Plato is a lot less discriminatory, he also believes women are the sub-species. While women have had to fight endless battles to achieve the recognition they deserve, today it is a well accepted fact (generally) that women are as capable as men in performing tasks. Naturally, since Aristotle and Plato have been around for such a long time, our society certainly contains some of their influences in a general sense. For example, today it is believed that certain people are born with certain capacities. Intelligence has been attributed to genetics. Because of the different intelligence levels among people, we have different classesfor example: advanced, intermediate, and beginners. In their appropriate level, each person develops his or her abilities to the highest potential. This concept is sometimes at odds with the ideal of equality, ie. we are all human beings. Yet, in essence, it does not take away from the ideal because we are all humans, but we differ in certain capacity levels to complete tasks. Platos and Aristotles philosophy have helped shape present thought, though, by no means, mandate our practices. The philosophers are very community oriented while we value the individual. Besides differing with todays standards, each philosopher is in his own way distinct. Plato is very attracted to metaphysical philosophy, while Aristotle is much more methodical. Both perspective views are and will continue to puzzle students for years to come.

Role Of Branding In Marketing Fmcg Products Uk Marketing Essay

Role Of Branding In Marketing Fmcg Products Uk Marketing Essay Marketing strategy is the means of concentrating organizations resources so that it can lead to increased sales and supremacy on a targeted market. The organizations marketing goals has to be identified and methods developed to achieve the target within a time frame. Building brand identity and development is one of the fundamental strategies in marketing. The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. Building a brand identity in a highly competitive global market is to be done by a combined plan involving research, advertising and marketing. Thus branding is not only prompting the target market to prefer your product over others in the market, but also creating the impression that your product is the best choice for solving the problems of the targeted audience. Good branding strategies involves To succeed in branding it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the requirements of the targeted clients. Incorporating effective brand strategies so as to influence the hearts of customers is essential. Due to the highly competitive market a strong brand name is important. It is necessary to spend time investing in researching, defining, and building brand name. Branding and advertisements of FMCGs are targeted at a wider audience and is subjected to a high level of competition. In order to stay competitive it is of great importance for FMCG manufacturers to effectively build up their brand name so as to ensure that customers are aware of their product. FMCG manufacturers have to be aware of the latest techniques and strategies involved in building brands and in adding value to the brand. Data collection is the most vital stage in the research process and it is proposed to be undertaken using case studies and survey. It is proposed to do an initial market survey and identify the key players in a few of the major segments of the FMCG sector. Survey will be conducted in the form of analysis of market reports and industry reports. A case study of the branding strategies adopted by the key organizations will be studied. Brand awareness strategies being followed will be examined. Customer perception of the role of branding will be examined on the basis of a brand awareness survey among the target market. Accurate sampling procedures are an important prerequisite of research data collection. An appropriate sampling procedure as random sample, stratified sample, or cluster sample will be adopted based on the target population and parameters being considered. Quantitative and qualitative survey will be performed in the form of interviews and questionnaires. Review of literature: The extensive variety of consumable goods provided by the FMCG industry provides a large turnover for the country, at the same time competition among FMCG companies is also escalating. Some of the leading FMCG companies are Sara Lee, Nestlà ©, Unilever, Procter Gamble, Coca-Cola, Carlsberg, Kleenex, General Mills, etc. Sales in the FMCG industry in grocery retail sector in UK are estimated to be  £14.5 billion in 2000 whereas the market for non-food FMCG market in UK is estimated to be  £110 billion and is increasing at a rapid pace. The FMCG sector is reported to account for 19% of the UKs GDP. Marketing strategy consists of well executed plans to make marketing effective. A marketing strategy often integrates an organizations marketing goals, policies, and plans together (Mc Donalds, M, 2007). Marketing theory involves identifying Target Audience, Planning, and Implementation. Marketing research provides management with correct, dependable and up to date information. Marketing research is essential in view of Competitive marketing and the spiralling ever-increasing costs. The strategy for marketing research is elucidated by McDaniel (2006). Management make decisions about target market selection, market segmentation, planning and implementing marketing programs. Further problems may crop up due to controllable and uncontrollable variables. Pricing is a controllable variable while uncontrollable variables include environmental variable, economic conditions, political instability, competition, and social and cultural changes. The twin concepts of Brand identity and positioning play an important role in managing branding (Aaker, 1996). An accurate description of the brands market and the objectives that the brand needs to accomplish is vital for effectiveness of brand building. First step in identity building is benchmarking of brands (Upshaw, 1995). Brand should encompass the company characteristics, image and core strengths. If branding is effective credibility of company is enhanced and helps in building a strong customer base. To attain brand marketing goals an understanding of the target market is necessary. This requires performing a market analysis. By identifying target audience it will be easier to connect with the target customers thus enabling grabbing the attention of the audience. Thus companies have to narrow down their target market. Tracking brand equity over time including awareness and brand loyalty is important (Aaker, 1996). Market awareness and perceptions of brand can change with time . Packaging a brand is a fundamental part of business. Brand packaging has a profound influence on the consumer in a positive or negative way. This is of great significance when a new product is being launched as a positive influence may persuade the consumer to buy the product. The other areas of significance as cited by various authors are Brand equity research (Consumers perception of the brand), Brand association research (customers association with the brand), Brand attribute research (the key traits that describe the brand), Brand naming (what do consumers feel about the names of the products). Data Analysis The data, qualitative data in the form of interviews and quantitative data in the form of questionnaires will be analysed. The graphical representation of data will be done on the basis of Line graphs, Pie charts and bar charts. The data will be processed and analysed and statistically tested for each parameter and thereby infer the patterns in the collected data. Observations and Findings: The brand strategies specific to FMCG sector adopted by companies will be listed out and discussed on the basis of the case studies conducted. The successful patterns will be identified. The results from quantitative and qualitative research in the form of interviews and questionnaires will be evaluated. The customers perception of branding will be discussed in detail.

Laplace Transform Example

Laplace Transform Example Abstract: This paper describes the Laplace transform used in solving the differential equation and the comparison with the other usual methods of solving the differential equation. The method of Laplace transform has the advantage of directly giving the solution of differential equation with given boundary values without the necessity of first finding the general solution and then evaluating from it the arbitrary constants. Moreover the ready formulas of the Laplace reduce the problem of solving differential equations to mere algebraic manipulation. Introduction: Differential equation is an equation which involves differential coefficients or differentials. It may be defined in a more refined way as an equation that defines a Relationship between a function and one or more derivatives of that function. Let y be some function of the independent variable t. Then following are some differential equations relating y to one or more of its derivatives. The equation states that the first derivative of the function y equals the product of and the function y itself. An additional, implicit statement in this differential equation is that the stated relationship holds only for all t for which both the function and its first derivative are defined. Some other differential equations: Differential equations arise from many problems in oscillations of mechanical and electrical systems, bending of beams conduction of heat, velocity of chemical reactions etc., and as such play a very important role in all modern scientific and engineering studies. There are many ways of solving the differential equation and the most effective way is to use the Laplace equation because it provides the easy path to solve the differential equation without involving any long process of finding out the complementary function and particular integral. Solution of differential equation: A solution of a differential equation is a relation between the variables which satisfy the given differential equation. A first order homogeneous differential equation involves only the first derivative of a function and the function itself, with constants only as multipliers. The equation is of the form and can be solved by the substitutio The solution which fits a specific physical situation is obtained by substituting the solution into the equation and evaluating the various constants by forcing the solution to fit the physical boundary conditions of the problem at hand. Substituting gives The general solution to a differential equation must satisfy both the homogeneous and non-homogeneous equations. It is the nature of the homogeneous solution that the equation gives a zero value. If you find a particular solution to the non-homogeneous equation, you can add the homogeneous solution to that solution and it will still be a solution since its net result will be to add zero. This does not mean that the homogeneous solution adds no meaning to the picture; the homogeneous part of the solution for a physical situation helps in the understanding of the physical system. A solution can be formed as the sum of the homogeneous and non-homogeneous solutions, and it will have a number of arbitrary (undetermined) constants. Such a solution is called the general solution to the differential equation. For application to a physical problem, the constants must be determined by forcing the solution to fit physical boundary conditions. Once a general solution is formed and then forced to fit the physical boundary conditions, one can be confident that it is the unique solution to the problem, as gauranteed by the uniqueness theorem. Uniqueness theorem: For the differential equations applicable to physical problems, it is often possible to start with a general form and force that form to fit the physical boundary conditions of the problem. This kind of approach is made possible by the fact that there is one and only one solution to the differential equation, i.e., the solution is unique. Stated in terms of a first order differential equation, if the problem meets the condition such that f(x,y) and the derivative of y is continuous in a given rectangle of (x,y) values, then there is one and only one solution to the equation which will meet the boundary conditions. Laplace in solving differential equation: The Laplace transform method of solving differential equations yields particular solutions without the necessity of first finding the general solution and then evaluating the arbitrary constants. This method is in general shorter than the above mentioned methods and is specially used for solving the linear differential equation with constant coefficients. Working procedure: Take the Laplace transform of both sides of the differential equation using the formulas of Laplace and the given initial conditions. Transpose the terms with minus sign to right. Divide by the coefficient of y, getting y as a known function of s. Resolve this function of s into partial fractions and take the inverse transform of both sides. This gives y as a function of t which is the desired solution satisfying the given conditions. Solving the algebraic equation in the mapped space Back transformation of the solution into the original space. Figure 1: Schema for solving differential equations using the Laplace transformation Some of the examples which demonstrate the use of the Laplace in solving the differential equation are as follows: Example no.1 Consider the differential equation with the initial conditions . Proceeding using the steps given above one has Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: The complex function must be decomposed into partial fractions in order to use the tables of correspondences. This gives By using the formulas of the inverse laplace transform we can convert these frequency domains back in the time domain and hence get the desired result as , Another example of the laplace involving trigonometric function is We want to solve with initial conditions f(0) = 0 and f †²(0)=0. We note that and we get So this is equivalent to We deduce So we apply the Laplace inverse transform and get Periodic functions: In mathematics, a periodic function is a function that repeats its values in regular intervals or periods. The most important examples are the trigonometric functions, which repeat over intervals of length 2Ï€. Periodic functions are used throughout science to describe oscillations, waves, and other phenomena that exhibit periodicity. A function f is said to be periodic if for all values of x. The constant P is called the period, and is required to be nonzero. A function with period P will repeat on intervals of length P, and these intervals are sometimes also referred to as periods. For example, the sine function is periodic with period 2Ï€, since for all values of x. This function repeats on intervals of length 2Ï€ (see the graph to the right). Geometrically, a periodic function can be defined as a function whose graph exhibits translational symmetry. Specifically, a function f is periodic with period P if the graph of f is invariant under translation in the x-direction by a distance of P. This definition of periodic can be extended to other geometric shapes and patterns, such as periodic tessellations of the plane.A function that is not periodic is called aperiodic. Laplace transform of periodic functions: If function f(t) is periodic with period p > 0, so that f(t + p) = f(t), and f1(t) is one period (i.e. one cycle) of the function, then the Laplace of this periodic function is given by The basic concept of the formula is the Laplace Transform of the periodic function f(t) with period p, equals the Laplace Transform of one cycle of the function, divided by (1 − e-sp).Laplace transform of some of the common functions like the graph given below is given by Fig no3:continous graphical function From the graph, we see that the first period is given by: and that the period p = 2. Now So Hence, the Laplace transform of the periodic function, f(t) is given by: Other continuous wave forms and there Laplace transforms are This wave is an example of the full wave rectification which is obtained by the rectifier used in the electronic instruments. Here, and the period, p = Ï€. So the Laplace Transform of the periodic function is given by: Conclusion: The knowledge of Laplace transform has in recent years become an essential part of mathematical background required of engineers and scientists. This is because the transform method an easy and effective means for the solution of many problems arising in engineering. The method of laplace transformation is proving to be the most effective and easy way of solving differential equations and hence it is replacing other methods of solution of the differential equation. The most frequent function encompassed in electronics engineering is continuous function and most of the functions are in the time domain and we need to convert them in the frequency domain, this operation is performed excellently by the Laplace transform and hence its application is further enlarged using it in the solution of the continuous functions.

The English Major - Essential to Western Culture Essay -- College Admi

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study of linguistics and literature is commonly joined under the head of â€Å"English,† a simplification and development of the 19th century term philology, or, â€Å"the love of words.†Ã‚   While literature is the very essence of recorded history, and the nature of language itself even older, the formal critical study of such is necessarily newer.   The field of study is referred to as â€Å"English† because that is our language, from the American custom of combining the study of literature and grammar; also, much of the world’s written literature was written in our language.   The Western tradition of recording one’s thoughts—fiction and nonfiction—has led to an examination of those thoughts critically; the comparison of the English language to other languages, and the development of it and others leads directly to the study of language as a whole.   And, of course, one of the main ways to find how a language has developed in the past is to study the evidence:   the literature of the time, so both fields come into harmony quite easily.   The study of English is not a popular major, but it is a necessary one; the complex â€Å"intellectual, aesthetic, psychological, political, social, historical, moral, and religious† ideas and the variety of subjects studied may confuse and deter many, but it is important, as these ideas shape us as humans, and these values hold true regardless of background or circumstance (â€Å"English† 1).   And most usable, perhaps, to the broad spectrum of students is the emphasis on writing in the study of English.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ideas above are common to mankind, and, as they exist, need to be studied and better understood, and English â€Å"introduces students to new modes of thinking and constructive disruptions of commonpl... ...or those pursuing law-related jobs, for example, and the principles of good writing set forth benefit almost any liberal arts-minded person.   The ability to sound professional in a report is key in any â€Å"white collar† job.   Factor in the major’s requirement of classes in a foreign language, and the English major presents itself as attractive on a rà ©sumà ©.   In all, the English major is valuable in many ways, to many people, and is in fact essential in Western culture, in maintaining our written cultural history and heritage, and interpreting them for all. Sources Cited â€Å"English.†Ã‚   Student Central.   2001.   22 Jan 2003 â€Å"English The Pre-Professional Major.†Ã‚   22 Jan 2003 â€Å"Undergraduate Studies.†Ã‚   22 Jan 2003

Evolution, God and Society :: essays research papers

The Island of Dr. Moreau Evolution, God and Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the book The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells, we see a microcosm in which Evolution, God and the society are all represented by something strange. First, Dr. Moreau is playing the role of God. Dr. Moreau is an educated man trying to prove that he can turn an animal into a human form, so that the animal will forget all of its animal instincts and become more and more human. After Moreau created these beast men, he then controlled them through fear. The fear was of pain. The house of pain was were the creatures were created and they all remember the pain and therefore associate Dr. Moreau with pain so they do not have to go back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Montgomery played the part of an ignorant assistant. Montgomery was not a stupid man, but he was torn between good and bad, right and wrong, and friendships. I think he tried to play the part of the massager or the son, but he did not agree with what Moreau was doing to the animals. The Creatures did not respect him the same as Moreau because he had not caused them any physical pain. Montgomery fit in and got along with the beast people more than Moreau did. If he would have stood up to Moreau and made the experiments stop, he then could have been an angle, or a godlier figure. The only thing that kept Montgomery from going crazy was all the alcohol that made his mental pain go num.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then we have Prendick, the voice of reason. Poor Prendick came to the island after being stranded out at see on his little boat. He thought he was going to die, and his friends and family back at home probably thought he was also dead. But, he was saved by a large boat that Montgomery and normal animals were using to get back to the island. When Prendick steps off the boat onto the island, he can not even begin to understand what creatures are lurking around, some even helping to unload the boat and speaking like humans. Within the first week of being on the island, he knew something was wrong and needed to be done. Prendick thought that Dr. Moreau was turning humans into animals. This in his eyes was wrong and he was ready to do something about it.

A Global Language: English Language Essay

English is an international language spoken all over the world that was originally borrowed from the world. If English is used as a global language, there might be some advantages related to communication and business. However, there are also several disadvantages in terms of losing mother tongue and taking time and money. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, so English should be made the global language. The first essential affirmative point is communication. There are more than 200 countries in the world. If everyone could speak English, they may have the ability to communicate with others whenever they are in strange countries. Furthermore, using English, people can have more friends, widen peer relationships with foreigners and can not get lost. Overall, English becomes a global language; people may have more chances in communication.Another crucial advantage is improving business. If English was spoken widespread and everyone could use it, they would likely have more opportunities in business. Foreign investments from rich countries might be supported to the poorer countries. For instance, a company and its proponents would be able to discuss, understand each other and develop the projects together. The first disadvantage of issue is losing mother language. If English used as a global language, people may use it both at work and daily life. Children and teenagers might prefer to watch English cartoons or movies. Gradually, they make mistake when they use their mother languages. It can not be imagine if English is only one language in the world. Another serious negative point is taking much time and money. Old generation might need to study English to communicate with the youth ages. In addition, educational curriculum system could be changed to be suitable for the reform. These processes need quite long time and a large amount of money. In conclusion, using English as a global language has both advantages and disadvantages. It is useful for communicating and business while could lead to be lost mother tongue and take much time and money.

Ethical Issues Surrounding Gay Marriage Essay

When I think of Ethical issues in the world today, Gay Marriage seems to hits me the hardest. Now Maybe it is the fact that I am bisexual myself or that I have a homosexual uncle who has been married for 2 years. Either way, I am a strong supporter of the entire marriage institution, especially gay marriage. In this paper I will first indentify the ethical issue of gay marriage and specifically explore the ethical problems gay marriage presents including their pros and cons. I will then explain the classical theory of and determine how it would resolve the problems at hand. Next I will continue by contrasting the theoretical solution with perspective of towards gay marriage. Lastly, I will go over which view is the closest to my own personal outlook of gay marriage. Let’s begin with the ethical issue at hand, Gay Marriage. The right for homosexual couples to become married is frowned upon in most of the world. In fact, Gay Marriage is and has been one of the greatest ethical issues in the United States since Slavery and Women Rights. In my own personal opinion, I believe Same-sex Marriage should not be an ethical issue. What is unethical, is how A person may lie, cheat, or fornicate, and still experience the grace of God; but if they are in a gay relationship they are somehow socially damned. I believe by denying any one person their constitution rights to equality is wrong. If a person is homosexual and they choose to marry their significant other, they have the civil right to do so under the constitution as a U. S. citizen. By denying any one person the right to marry whomever they choose, that is a violation of said persons civil rights, because marriage holds legal civil status. We all are Americans who have the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. How can anyone deny Americans this right primarily because of their sexual orientation? People pride themselves on being law abiding citizens, but choose to discriminate against homosexual person’s lifestyle and love interest based on the so called facts written many years ago in a â€Å"religious† book. The Bible is not the law! That is one thing that most religious groups have not yet grasped. No matter what any one person’s religious beliefs are, there is no law, power, or authority that gives them the right to push their religious beliefs onto another’s life. I do not nor have I ever thought religion should ever be the deciding factor in the worlds verdict about gay marriage? Today the growing acceptance of homosexuality is a direct threat to the domination of traditional Christian norms. According to the Christian Bible and many other religions texts, there is the believe that marriage is meant solely between a man and women, anything else is considered a act of sin. However, due to the bible stating that one should not pass judgment on another, many churches are more recently accepting same-sex couples. Personally speaking, many religious â€Å"church goers† use the bible as a means to attack others. They walk around presenting this holier than thou appearance, but neglect to follow all of the teachings their bible possesses. It is funny how those same religious groups that try to argue that gay marriage is a sin are the same people that are protesting to band their children’s public schools of religious content and practices. The separation of Church and State has been put into place in many U. S. cities. Knowing this, I do not understand how any government is to follow the rules on the separation of church and state, but then be given the right to place laws against gay marriage solely based of the Bibles written word. Homosexuals do not spend time going around telling heterosexual people that they are not allowed to engage in intercourse until marriage, while that’s in the bible. The Bible vs. The Constitution seems to play the biggest role in the argument against gay marriage. People have stated, â€Å"the constitution should be changed, its outdated. † However, their entire argument is incorporating the first amendment right of freedom of speech. before the constitution was written, going against the government was unlawful. No one was allowed to speak their minds. I know that even in the bible when one went against what god said they were punished or put to death. Heterosexuals don’t like certain rights in the constitution that go against their own personal beliefs, but will turn and cater to others, like freedom of speech. Without some of those rights it would be unlawful for me to write this paper. Plus, I would have been murdered some time ago for being a white and black, bisexual man. what most fail to realize is that yes the bible thought of gays as a sin but it also listed a number of other acts as sin. If our lives were truly run solely by the Bible’s scriptures, Gay marriage would be the last of the heterosexuals problems. Especially when most of the worlds murders are committed by heterosexuals. I personally do not like to base my arguments off a source unless I plan to use the entire source as foundation. I cannot say the constitution is wrong solely off on right I do not agree with. But turn around and accept the others that cater to my better living. That would label me as a hypocrite. Just like how many people use their religious beliefs to fight gay rights, but fail to follow other aspects of the bibles teachings. I am just human, who am I to judge anyone. This is just one of the many reasons why I can argue that many of the firm believers against gay marriage are set in hypocritical views. People against gay marriage claim that marriage is dedicated to starting a family. They argue that with marriage you have children and build a happy home. However, for many people, marriage is more about love and mutual trust than about starting a family, and so they would say that gay marriage is not an issue. So for those who say it’s only to start a family, I would call this a delusional fantasy. For one there are more broken homes in the world now than anything. Now yes, Homosexual couples cannot physically reproduce on their own. However, this does not give reasonability to deny the couple the right to marry. There are heterosexual couples that cannot physically have children of their own as well. There are many women out in the world that cannot bear children due to a numerous amount of health issues. My own aunt Kelly was told that she can never have children of her own. Her body just doesn’t have the strength and or properly functioning organs to create life. The same goes for many men. I have a neighbor that recently told me that he has a condition that denies him the ability to produce reproductive sperm. As he likes to say, â€Å"he is shooting blanks. † Knowing this I didn’t see any government laws stopping them from getting married. My aunt was told about her inabilities to birth, over 20 years ago. Today she has been married twice. May I remind you that she is a heterosexual woman that cannot have children of her own and is still legally allowed to marry. In today’s world, there are many alternative options for couples to start a family. The most popular way is adoption. Also, there is much more controversy no-a-days regarding adoption . It has become apparent that more and more Homosexual couples are going outside of the United States to adopt children. They are forced to go outside of the United states due to the fact that they are not legally allowed to adopt here in the states. Lesbian and gay-parented families may be more likely than others to include members from more than one ethnic group . So because the government wants to discriminate against the homosexual lifestyles, there are more and more American children left without a home. No one that can legally adopt them is stepping up for the responsibility. It is true that you truly respect something more that you have to fight for. My grandmother used to tell me this since I was really young. There are so many heterosexuals out there that are â€Å"horrible parents† or that take the gift of parenting for granted. They do drugs and make extreme decisions that break up their families or make the decision to rid themselves of the responsibility of parenting all together. I speak from person experience. As a young boy at the age of 5, my mother gave me and my 5 younger siblings up to child protective services. At the time she chose her friends and her drug abuse over her children and family. She did not care whether we would be okay or not, she dropped me off with only 1 shoe. All my mother cared about was being able to get high without the guilt of us seeing her do it. I ended up back in the family, but my siblings were all separated some are still in the system. Now I personally have never seen a homosexual couple that are bad parents. It is usually the exact opposite. Homosexual couples have to fight in order to build their families so they try not to do anything to mess that chance up. I have also never met a homosexual couple that didn’t want children. Along with starting families, those against gay marriage also argue that children brought up in a same-sex marriage household are taught morals and beliefs. Some say that this type of household is poisonous to the child, that it teaches them to go against â€Å"our creator†. what if their families do not share in the same religious beliefs as others. Contrary to what most assume, there are many people that do not believe in God. Just like there are many cultures that believe in gay rights. So no one can make the basis of their argument on â€Å"the creator† when not everyone believes in him. Also, they like to say that by growing up in a gay household, the child is going to turn gay. the association between religious attendance and attitudes toward gay marriage is mediated by a belief that sexual orientation is a choice rather than innate & . This is so ridiculous in so many ways. For one being gay is not a disease, you can’t just catch it. Being gay is not something you inhabit like a accent. People are not made gay they are born gay; its just a matter of when they decide to accept it. I was raised in a house with a male and female parenting role, and I still knew I was different. I am a bisexual male and so are many of my friends. These friends of mine were raised in all types of different households, but known were raised in same-sex households. At the same time I have 3 friends that were adopted and raised by two homosexual men and not a single one of them are gay. They are all in heterosexual relationships and never once thought of being with the same-sex. These are a few examples of discrimination against gay marriage. Another major problem with gay marriage that people are beginning to argue is the affect of heterosexual couples. Many people argue that the world will change for heterosexual couples if same-sex marriages were allowed. Income taxes is one on the many reasons they have behind this outrages claim. Many people are in the belief that income taxes will be increased. Also, the IRS gives certain credits and benefits to those individuals that have children and other dependants. Heterosexuals believe that the government will be forced to apply the same financial benefits and credits on income taxes towards homosexual couples which they believe will lower everyone’s benefits. Along with their income taxes, they’re under the assumption that social security taxes will increased and the benefits decrease if the government has to provide accommodation for these same-sex married couples. One of the more common ignorant claims is regarding heath care. People are arguing that their medical insurance premiums will rise based on these stereotypical images of homosexual lifestyles. They have always believed that homosexuals get diseases and illnesses like Aids or HIV easier than heterosexuals. Based on this belief they think that there will be a higher health care needs associated to the treatment of these more at risk diseases. These potential changes in circumstances do not hold enough credibility to deny a person the right to join the institution of marriage. It is unethical to claim the power to control if someone can get married. Most of the world believes Gay marriage is unethical. I have to disagree with that assumption. This is another way that heterosexuals choose to be hypocrites. Using Arranged marriage as an example, I prove my case. Mostly everyone in the world, whether homosexual or heterosexual, can agree that arranged marriage is unethical. Many people believe that all want arranged marriage is wrong because you should have the right to choose whom you marry. So how is that any different than what homosexuals want. Homosexuals are also being denied the chance to marry who they choose. Again being hypocritical! People believe Marriage is about love and commitment. Both homosexuals and those forced into arranged marriages are victims. Neither gets to decide what they want to do, how to live, who to love. The only difference between the two is that at least arranged marriage is marriage. The couple that is actually in love cannot be married. When two people fall in love, they all want the same thing. They dream of this life together, married, with a family, and more. Why should homosexuals be revoked that reality. It should not matter if you are gay or straight, you should be able to get married if you want. On another note I also, do not believe that anyone should have to travel away from home to legally get married. Some people have to travel multiple states away, because none of the states near them allow same-sex marriage. The day that all 50 states come to the same decision accepting gay marriage will not come anytime soon, but I do hope I am still alive to see a good size amount of them jump the bandwagon. This is one way that would begin to solve the issue. When it comes to gay marriage, I believe the classical theory of Utilitarianism would help solve many of the problems. Utilitarianism is a consequential theory. It is the view that the morally right action is the action that produces the most good . The Utilitarian view seeks to maximize the overall good in a situation. In other words, one should always act in a way that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It is proven that there are fewer people against same-sex marriage, than for it. So the theory of Utilitarianism is the best resolution to the issue the ethical problems of gay marriage. If the government acted with utilitarian views, then we would have less anger, debate, spend less money on a unnecessary battle. Along with this view one would also need a clear perspective of the issue. A clear perspective of the issue of same-sex marriage would be relativism. Relativism is the idea that one’s beliefs and values are understood in terms of one’s society, culture, or even one’s own individual values . It is the philosophical concept that all points of view are equally valid, and that all truth is relative to the individual . Both sides that are involved realize that neither side will ever agree nor neither side is right or wrong. Each Society, culture or religious group is formed by its own ethical values and beliefs, with how they see things to be right and wrong. I believe that when it comes to gay marriage everyone is going to have to agree to disagree. Religion is the top reason to why people are against same-sex marriage. What church goers fail to realize is that they are forcing their religious beliefs onto not only the homosexuals but to all. Everyone has their own views and when Homosexuals try to voice theirs, they are attacked, (metaphorically). The only way that this problem is ever going to get anywhere is if both sides try to understand that just because everyone doesn’t share your same views and beliefs, that doesn’t make them wrong. The cannot ignorantly believe that everyone automatically shares their beliefs. Homosexuals are already at this point, they are the hypocrites in this situation. All they want is equality, the same equality that everyone else has been fighting for all these years. In conclusion, I have indentified the ethical issue of gay marriage and explored the ethical problems gay marriage presents including the pros and cons. I then explained how the classical theory of Utilitarianism would resolve those problems. I continued by contrasting the theoretical solution with perspective of relativism towards gay marriage. Lastly, I went over which view is the closest to my own personal outlook of gay marriage. I do not believe that there should even be such a thing as â€Å"gay marriage†. The title itself is discriminatory. Gay people do not go around referring to a heterosexual couple’s marriage as straight marriage. So why should a society filled with diverse lifestyles be allowed to refer to homosexual marriages as â€Å"gay marriage†. Marriage is marriage, either way. It should not be labeled as any other. Whether, heterosexual or Homosexual, it’s the same institution and should hold the same rights. At the end of the day I am a firm believer that the discrimination against gay marriage should be outlawed. Gay people do value the institution of marriage, therefore their relationship and want to marry is ethical in my eyes. References Driver, J. (2009, June 21). The History of Utilitarianism. Retrieved from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato. stanford. edu/archives/sum2009/entries/utilitarianism-history/ Haider-Markel, D. P. (2008). Beliefs about the origins of homosexuality and support for gay rights. 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