The artistic display at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery of Hanne Darboven titled, “Clockwise from right”, proves to bring light upon the thoughts of Friedrich Nietzshe. One of Nietzsche’s important topics includes the idea of a rational and intuitive man. This essay will explore the question of whether Nietzshe was right when he said that rationality was artificially created to protect the weak. In a society where there are many practical careers, such as accountants and scientists, it is difficult to reach back to the ancient Greek society to understand how the rational and the intuitive blended together in a flourishing society. Nietzsche, however, might show a way in which the rational could make an attempt at becoming more intuitive in today’s society.…
They say that history is told from the perspective of the conqueror, but for two renowned philosophers, history in general was formed because of certain factors. These philosophers are Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill.…
John Stuart Mills believed very strongly in individual liberty and freedom. However I think that it is first important to state that Mills did not believe in unlimited liberty. He thought that this would lead to conflict, and therefore he believed that government was essential. He believed that the role of the government should be to protect citizens from such conflict, yet still allow for individual liberty and progress.…
Nietzsche argues that we can never know reality because our intellect is only a tool for survival. Intellect, he says, is “given only as an aid to the most unfortunate, most delicate, most evanescent beings in order to hold them for a minute in existence” (Reader, 1). The main use of intellect is to create stimulations of reality, which we are “acting a role before others and before oneself” (Reader 2). With respect to understanding our world, Nietzsche acknowledges the role that senses play in forming concepts. Sensory informations leads to words that in turn organize and describe a concept. He introduces the origin of a concept as we “equate what is unequal”(Reader 5). Information from different experiences are all categorized into one “arbitrary…
In “Hip Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women”, McLune addresses the influence of hip hop’s choice of words towards African American women and females. McLune’s article is written in response to Powell’s opinions in “Notes of a Hip Hop Head”, along with various other hip hop artists, that black females are the leading cause of poverty and racism why black men undertake racism and poverty, as if women do not face these struggles from day to day. McLune disagrees with this remark and states that this is just one of many excuses that men use. McLune addresses an audience that is well educated along with informed with the different sexism opinions towards women in our society, though many men feel that some of their statements or opinions are not affecting women. Therefore, McLune’s article deserves to be recognized in PopMatters. With all the arguments and comebacks she had, “Hip Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women” should be considered for the top prizes for persuasive essays due to the problems that our African American society faces on a daily basis.…
An excerpt from Exploring Ethics, best exemplifies the comparison from Mill and Kant. Kant's ethical system concentrates exclusively on the reason for an action and does not take into account its results, Mill's system focuses only on consequences. Mill's explained "that this is the singularity is the basis in which you use to judge morality, with those being morally right being those that will manufacture the most happiness because in the end all humans seek happiness above everything else." He also argued that fame, money, and virtue could not replace happiness but could be used to obtain it. Mill’s believed that happiness is the guiding arch that drives…
“Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. Happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain.” – John Stuart Mill…
At this point, Mill's constant pressure to excel in his academic life was taking a toll on him. In 1826 (at the age of 20), Mill experienced what he would later call a "mental crisis" followed with a deep depression3. Eventually, his depression subsided with the help of William Wordsworth's poetry which he started reading. During this time, Mill began to…
1. The main topic discussed in Mill’s for is obviously Utilitarianism and his own interpretation of the definition and what it means. Mill also talks about the misconception people have about utilitarianism and the basis behind his theory. Mill interprets utilitarianism and describes it as happiness and pleasure. He describes how people seek happiness with only the absence of pain. Mill’s theory also goes on the dictate that there are different levels of happiness and it can come in different amounts and quality. Every desire a person has results in seeking happiness. Mill also accounts that the goal to a virtuous life and the ultimate goal of happiness can be achieved with the help of utilitarianism. Mill also goes into great detail on his meaning of happiness and the ups and downs they eventually lead to a virtuous life. Mill also talks about justice and how the rights and regulations set by authority are only in order to help people overall achieve happiness. Mill argues that a person’s actions are good when they lead to pleasure or happiness and bad when they produce the opposite. Mill agrees that some forms of pleasure are better than others and can be easily compared by an individual. Once the greatest form of happiness is achieved, then everything can be based off of that and it can be easier to dictate the highs and lows of ones happiness. Mill also talks about when people make judgments they do so with the overall goal of self-happiness and wouldn’t usually do something that wouldn’t be beneficial for their own good. Mill also makes a good point that only the people who have experienced the highs and lows of happiness can be a fair judge of the quality of pleasure. For example Mill states, “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied.” Mill also argues that it is not only correct for people to strive for what makes them personally happy, but to increase the overall amount of happiness in the world. There…
John Stuart Mill was once considered “the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century.” From early on in his life, Mill was challenged to think outside the box and question long held views of society from his father. Throughout his life, Mill presented his way of thinking and gave his insight on numerous issues.…
In Chapter two, Mill tries to reply to some common misconceptions about utilitarianism. He claims that many people mistake utility as the rejection of pleasures, whereas in reality, it is pleasure itself, promoting happiness. He thus defines utilitarianism as the creed which “holds that actions are right in the proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness”. Accordingly pleasure and absence of pain are the only goals that are inherently good and desirable in themselves. Every other action or experience is only insofar good as it promotes pleasure. However, it is wrong to assume people should only do what makes them personally happy. Instead the standard of judging an act is the happiness of all people. Therefore people shouldn’t distinguish between their own…
The paper presents the life of John Stuart Mill through his biography. A glimpse on his exceptional life as a child was also included in his biography. Likewise, his major contributions as a philosopher and economist were also discussed.…
Our thoughts should be able to liberate us. The fact that we are individual we should be free to express our opinions and say whatever we want without the public persecution. For Mill, we are free to do whatever we want with our lives, as long as it does not interfere with someone else life. Paternalism is acceptable for children, but not adult. For example, a parent might prevent his/her child from saying or seeing something. But society cannot tell an adult not to say this or that or not to comport a certain way that they wish. He said, “It is a privilege and proper condition of a human being arrived at the maturity of his faculties to use and interpret experience in his own way.” (Liberty 48). The government cannot tell anyone not to harm him/herself. But they can restrict them for harming someone else. Yet, looking at the real world the tyranny of the majority rules us and tells us what to do. Minorities don’t have a say-so in the matter. There’s not really liberty as mill described in his book. “there is no reason that all human existences should be constructed on someone or some small number of patterns…..human beings are not like sheep and even sheep are not indistinguishable ”(liberty 56). Mills was clear that individuals are unique and should be free to do what they wished. They should not be coerced to do what others want them to do otherwise; it is seen as restrictions on their liberty. Nevertheless, we always have society on the background restricting individual of their liberty. They restrict our liberty starting with what we are allowed to say in public and what we watch on the television and what we hear in the news. We think we have rights, but they shape our life in various…
was engaged in a pen-relationship with Auguste Comte, the founder of positivism and sociology, since the two were both young men in the early 1820s.…
Mill’s father declares he will create a genius who will carry on his own work…