Thesis statement: Capital punishment proves ineffective as an instrument of deterring violent crime on political, ethical and theological grounds. The American public has long been supportive of capital punishment for convicted murderers, and that support continues to grow even today. In a Gallup Poll conducted in 1981, two in three Americans expressed overall approval for…
Category: Philosophy
Explain the desire for liberation from earthly existence in Hinduism.
Hindus believe that the death of a human being only extinguishes the bodily form of existence as the soul reincarnates in another life form. The exercise of Sanatana Dharma (the central theological system) is to gain the favor of the powers of creation so that the soul finds a happier and an elevated existence in…
What are the cultural and societal influences that have made Hinduism vital to the region in which it originated?
Hinduism places emphasis on worship of nature. Indus Valley was the cradle of the religion. Hence, the way of life afforded by its geography holds religious significance as well. The Indus River was vital to the survival of its surrounding inhabitants; so worship of river god is a basic tenet. This also explains the reverence…
Considering that Hinduism lacks a uniting belief system, what makes up the Hindu religion?
Hinduism as a term was first coined by British colonialists to facilitate the process of census taking. Although the word Hindu derives from the river Indus and the civilizations that grew along its banks, Hindus form the majority in the Indian subcontinent and are settled across the length and breadth of the Indian landscape. Also,…
Profession of Faith of the Savoyard Vicar by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The Profession of Faith is Rousseau’s attempt at analyzing God and Religion. It concerns the Priest’s (the narrator) introspection of what his duties are as a human being. In particular, the Priest attempts to learn what mode of conduct God prescribes him. To decipher the “rules I ought to prescribe myself in order to fulfil…
What sorts of support did people get from religion in the ancient world?
Mythologies as Information Dispensers: In the ancient world as is so in the modern world, myths have been an essential component of religion. In ancient societies, word of mouth stories were very significant because they explicated human and divine nature. In an era when the written script was not yet invented, this was a valuable…
The case for and against Euthanasia
Euthanasia is deliberate killing of a seriously or terminally ill human being, apparently for his/her benefit. The important word here is “deliberate”, meaning, to act upon a conscious decision. Euthanasia is also referred to as “mercy killing”. Euthanasia can be either voluntary or involuntary. Euthanasia is usually applied for terminal patient cases where there is…
Ethical merits and demerits of human genetic engineering from a utilitarian viewpoint
Let us analyze the ethical aspects of human genetic engineering from a utilitarian view point. The practical implications of utilitarianism can best be conveyed in the context of recent advances in biotechnology. Now that the human genome has been decoded, the ramifications of a utilitarian ethic go far beyond socioeconomic and legislative reform. In a…
The case for using utilitarianism in making moral decisions
The concept behind simple utilitarian thinking is that the good society is one that promotes human well-being and happiness and that right actions are those that maximize that total happiness of all persons affected by the action. This is the “principle of utility.” It means that in any situation one should identify all of the…