In James Rachels’ Book, The Elements Of Moral Philosophy,

In James Rachels’ book, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, he explains many things in the ninth chapter. He made statement about philosopher who decided the absolute moral rules. It explains in the beginning, there’s no definite answer for moral rules. Again, it’s about belief, cultural, tradition etc. Truman decision of dropping the bomb created conflict, some disagree and others agree. Categorical imperative and hypothetical imperative are explained with Kant’s conceptive on lying. His argument about lying is back with universal law. There’s conflict among Kant’s argument, there might be situation where lying might be necessary. Kant believe in responsibility of telling the truth but not the lie. In summary, in this chapter, Rachels uses†¦show more content†¦Because I think everyone had lie once in their lives or even a white lie. Cops can lie about being a cop to should a crime. An example was lying is necessary. Was it necessary for Truman to drop the bomb? Other wars and conflict had been won without dropping any bombs. Is there any correct form of moral rules? I read three quotes that caught my attention. â€Å"Note that moral judgement must be backed by good reasons-if it true that you ought (or might not) to do such-and-such, then there must be a reason why you should (or should not) do it,† (Rachels and Rachels pg.135) Moral judgement is classified in good reasons only. If a good reason is provided than it’s okay to do it. â€Å"The idea that moral rules have no exception is hard to defend,† (Rachels and Rachels pg.129) Moral rules are different in many ways, so little can influence the outcome. â€Å"At first Truman was reluctant to use the new weapon.† (Rachel and Rachel pg. 126) So, Truman didn’t like the idea of killing off people who were innocent. But with desperate measure, he made his mind up and agree. There are many things I found relatable in the ninth chapter. Per Kant, lying is wrong and shouldn’t be done. I know there’s many bad things in this world, but people still do it. I know my diet isn’t the best and my exercise effort isn’t that good either. Being healthy is overall a great challenge. Living in America, there’s countless people who don’t follow such a healthy lifestyle. My family tries living a healthyShow MoreRelatedPsychological Egoism662 Words   |  3 Pagesworld. In the world is not how psychological ego-ism says it is because someone acts unselfishly, then something is wrong with psycho-logical egoism. In my opinion this argument is completely wrong and unsound. According to James Rachel, an author of â€Å"Elements of Moral Philosophy,† there two main arguments exist against psychological egoism. The first argument can be formulated as such: 1) Everyone always does what they most want to do. 2) If everyone always does what they most want to do, theyRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill’s Theory of Utilitarianism1336 Words   |  5 Pagescan be examined morally using John Stuart Mill’s theory of Utilitarianism and the Greatest Happiness Principle (GHP) and Immanuel Kant’s Deontology and his Formula of Universal Law (FUL). I will also explain why Kantian Deontology works better as a moral theory in the case of Tom and Mary. In John Stuart Mill’s, â€Å"Utilitarianism,† Mill describes his theory as, â€Å"†¦ not something to be contradistinguished from pleasure, but pleasure itself, together with the exemption of pain (2001, p. 9).† What Mill isRead MoreIn James Rachels’ Book, The Element Of Moral Philosophy,858 Words   |  4 PagesIn James Rachels’ book, the Element of Moral Philosophy, he made interesting point in the fourth chapter. He points out the similarities and differences between morality and religion. Mostly, when thought about morals, religion is mention. Religion is almost all about morals. Directing what is wrong and right. Divine Command Theory is morality relationship between God (gods) and the people. God (gods) orders the meaning of good and the bad. People need to follow the rules to receive blessings fromRead MoreThe Elements Of Moral Philosophy919 Words   |  4 Pagesfondness for the sake of both parties. The moral attributes of both indivi duals are significant in a friendship. According to Aristotle in Nicomachean Ethics, â€Å"it is of these attributes that we were the friends†. What happens when these attributes change morally, though? Moral changes are when people alter the way they reason through decisions and how much they consider others while doing so. Is it ethical to abandon a genuine friendship due to a change in moral status, for better or worse, by eitherRead MoreThe Element Of Moral Philosophy By James Rachels1161 Words   |  5 Pages In the book, â€Å"The Element of Moral Philosophy†, James Rachels explores the several criticisms of Utilitarianism. In this essay, I will touch on these criticisms, outlining the major implications they propose to Utilitarianism. I will also explain why many of the notions proposed against Utilitarianism are self-serving, and instead serve to improve the general good of a minority population, which contradicts the Utilitarian theory of equating moral aptit ude to the general good of a majority populationRead MoreChapter 4 Of â€Å"The Elements Of Moral Philosophy† By James1908 Words   |  8 PagesChapter 4 of â€Å"The Elements Of Moral Philosophy† by James Rachels opens up by raising a question. Does morality hinge on religion and does religion then turn contingent to morality? In 1995, Judge Roy Moore was sued for having the Ten Commandments out in plain view on his desk. The American Civil liberties Union was called to act upon this infringement. The union stated that Judge Moore violated the first amendment, which states, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religionRead MoreEmotivism1571 Words   |  7 Pagespossibility of moral facts. This shows the influence of David Hume (1711-1776), who believed that sentiment was the source of right and wrong. If you decide to help someone in need, you do so because you have feelings, not because you have reason. Hume believed in a common feeling for each other’s welfare. We all have a capacity for compassion, but it has nothing to do with reason. You can’t go from a factual statement (an ‘is’) to a moral one (an ‘ought). Logical positivism acknowledged that moral factsRead MoreEuthanasia Is The Act Of Killing Someone Painlessly1534 Words   |  7 Pagesissue which has been debated extensively within the diverse contexts of moral philosophy, religion and medical ethics. While it is interesting to note that different moral principles present equally valid arguments either in favor or against the problem of physician-assisted suicide, personal autonomy—that is, â€Å"the capacity to decide for oneself and pursue a course of action in one’s life, often regardless of any particular moral content† (Dryden)—should ultimately permit a person to choose the optionRead MoreCultural Relativism1925 Words   |  8 PagesProblems with Cultural Relativism James Rachels discusses in his book, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, the various problems that appear when analyzing the implications of cultural relativism. I will begin by explaining what cultural relativism is and the fallacy of the argument for it. Then, I will explain how other objections, such as an indefinite definition of culture and cultural relativism’s incompatibility with moral improvement, raise further problems with the theory. The cultural relativistRead MoreSweatshops and Child Labor1898 Words   |  8 Pagessweatshop workers work full time to support their families and provide food for them, which causes them to work in poor surroundings in which their lives are at jeopardy. Many of these workers are victims of what, according to James Rachels, the author of The Elements of Moral Philosophy, describes as â€Å"the minimum conception of morality†, this concept states that â€Å"morality is, at the very least, the effort to guide one’s conduct by reason—that is, to do what there are the best reasons for doing—while giving