Hobbes s Undeniable Defense Of Self Interest As The Human...

Nimish Garg Hobbes’s Undeniable Defense of Self-Interest as The Human Catalyst In Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan, Hobbes argues that humans are inherently and exclusively self-interested (6). Before they formed society, humans lived in the state of nature--a brutal place governed by no laws, contracts, or power to restrict human nature. People were free to kill each other without facing repercussions, forcing everyone to fend for themselves and live in fear of death. Hobbes describes this anarchy as the worst way to live life, one that is â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short† (12). However, his argument is weak in that it relies on the questionable premises that humans are exclusively self-interested and that self-interest harms others†¦show more content†¦Hobbes provides examples of our inherent nature in even today’s society: the average man locks his doors to protect his belongings from citizens and even locks his chests to prevent his children from stealing his resources (12). Hobbes then proceeds to his next section, describing how humans were averse to being killed in the state of nature (13). For instance, they agreed to â€Å"lay down this right to all things† and give up their right to kill another person to ensure that they do not face a greater aversion, being killed (14). In the end, they were still looking out for their self-interest. Although they had lesser rights, they could now participate in a safer society. Hobbes is too reductionist and the axioms that he relies on are ignorant of important elements of human nature, notably the interaction between love and duty that is commonly felt in a familial structure. In a mother-baby relationship, the mother takes care of her baby, even though the baby is a liability. The mother could be pursuing much more efficient Hobbesian self-interested ways to gain pleasure, such as climbing up the corporate ladder to gain more riches, honour, or command. Still, the mother innately wishes to take care of the baby because she loves her child and wishes to see him happy. This familial duty drives people further away from Hobbesian self-interest, evidenced by inner conflict in important decisions. If someone were asked to provide a

Defining the Concept of Revolution - 1950 Words

Recent theorists have put forward their definition of a revolution but there does not seem to be a clear concise description. Do protests or demonstrations, the toppling of a president, uprisings and changes in government constitute a revolution? I will explore these different approaches from the theorists and then show which I believe to be a ‘successful revolution’ going back as far as the French Revolution. Revolution refers to a central change in power or governmental structure that takes place over a long period of time depending on the conditions (Stone 1966: 160). Revolutions often develop from social unhappiness in the lower status group of the population and have been taking place through history differing greatly in terms of the conditions and outcomes, the period they last and the ideas and ideologies behind them (Stone 1966:160). However it is difficult to define such a broad concept especially when each revolt has distinctive circumstances that allow people to react in different ways (Stone 1966:161). Huntington’s definition of revolution explains how these occurrences are relatively rare and distinctive events and how over time they transform states and societies (Tilly 1973:430). â€Å"A revolution,† suggests Samuel Huntington, â€Å"is a rapid, fundamental, and violent domestic change in the dominant values and myths of a society, in its political institutions, social structure, leadership, and government activity and policies†(Tilly 1973:430). Revolutions are thusShow MoreRelatedDefining the Concept of Revolution804 Words   |  3 PagesRevolution Revolutions are events that consists of so many different struggles, challenges, bloodshed, complications as well as victory. Revolution refers to a fundamental change in power or governmental structures thats takes place in a comparatively short period of time. Revolutions have been taking place throughout most of human history. Many of these revolutions have its simmilarites and differences. This essay will focus on the Russian Revolution with the help of discussing two theoreticalRead MoreA Social Perspective On Class Society1081 Words   |  5 Pagessociety, the underlying social issues in regards to members of a specific class; the concealed feelings of the lower class in relation to their social standing within society, consequently forms a class consciousness therefore determining a social revolution. Marxism being a conflict theory primarily focuses on class and its meaning within society. Having read historiographies around this topic, it has also compelled me to reflect upon what the theory advocates; why a society that embodies classes willRead MoreThe Declaration Of Rights Of Women And A Public Speech By Frederick Douglass933 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution produced many changes both in France and in Europe as a whole. The most evident change brought by the French Revolution was the move from absolutism to republicanism that represents a shift towards democracy. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was announced in 1789, was arguably the foundations of the human rights and many constitutions in democratic countries like the Britain and America. The concept is based on the â€Å"natural rights† that were establishedRead MoreThe Enlightenment Era Of 1620 And 1789910 Words   |  4 Pagesbooks, scientific discovery and revolution. The Enlightenment Era directly influenced the French and the American revolutions which respectively led to the peak of its influence and its decline. More importantly, the Enlightenment paved way for what came to be referred to as Romanticism in the 19th century (Wade 155). The 17th century pioneers included the Frenchman Renee Descartes and, Englishmen Thomas Hobbes and Francis Bacon. Nevertheless, the French revolution was greatly influenced by the worksRead MoreComparing Lenin s Manuscript, State And Revolution871 Words   |  4 Pages Lenin’s manuscript, State and Revolution, was written during the first inter-imperialist war and published on the eve of the Russian Revolution. This text can be seen as crucial to the socialist movement and the shift of 20th century Russian ideology. The whole of Lenin’s argument is a manifestation of Marx and Engels theories about the existence of the State and the role of government in society. State and Revolution is a purportedly theoretical reflection of how the State is an inherent tool forRead MoreThe Surrender Of Cornwallis At Yorktown988 Words   |  4 Pagesthe end of t he American Revolution but the start of new ideas and a new nation. The American Revolution opened the doors to ingenuity, new traditions, and freedom. The Revolution had an impact on the world around them and in the United States years after it ended. Kingdom of Matthias by Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz explores the life of Elijah Pierson and Robert Mathews or Matthias. Elijah, Matthias and their clan were affected by the ideas that resulted from the revolution including freedom of religionRead MoreBureaucracy1409 Words   |  6 Pagesused. In the strict bureaucratic organization, the monocratic points raised are as follows: ⠝â€" Strict subordination ⠝â€" File knowledge ⠝â€" Certainty ⠝â€" Reduction of friction, material costs. Weber put forward the ideal concept for bureaucracy. He says that bureaucracy is characterised by the hierarchy of labours which is followed by precise rules and regulations. These rules are applied by business professionals who work part time or fulltime in an organization and whoRead MoreCriminology And The Social Theory Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pagesto look at criminal behaviour in a micro sense as ‘an intricate understanding of crime initiates thorough conceptualisation of people and wider society in relation to crime.’ Due to the nature of criminology as a study, there comes a problem with defining what crime itself is. The ‘father of criminology’ Lombroso was recognised as having a stream of thought known as ‘The Lombrosian Project’. This method of approach highlighted the need to examine characteristics of ‘criminals’ and ‘non-criminals’Read MoreHistorical Analysis of The Industrial Revolution 1006 Words   |  5 Pages The Industrial Revolution was one of the most impactful eras in the history of the world. It changed the way we worked, lived, owned, and generally thought. With advent of economic philosophies like capitalism and communism, the way we worked and lived was written down and itemized, and western civilization was never the same. The concepts of jobs, urbanization, and credit might have allowed the world to progress into a veritable economical ecosystem, defining our modern definition of living, butRead MoreThe Era Of The 19th Cent ury1135 Words   |  5 PagesEurope faced an era of revolutions at the wake of the nineteenth century. Long-standing empires, which had traditionally controlled most of the world –including the Spanish, Chinese, French, and Holy Roman Empires –, collapsed at the beginning of the century, allowing the British Empire to rise to power and establish dominance over a fifth of the Earth’s surface. This political revolution was coupled with the industrial revolution. New manufacturing processes called for large industrial factories

Is Hard to Say Good Bye Free Essays

Is Hard to say goodbye Death is probably the only thing in the world that is certain in life. As humans, we are born, we grow, we reproduce and lastly we die. It is the natural order and as natural as it may sound, human beings have different reactions to such an event. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Hard to Say Good Bye or any similar topic only for you Order Now Throughout our lives, we influence or are influenced by people; these influences manifest themselves in the form of raising a child; being a teacher, babysitting etc. In all of these interactions, we create lasting relationships with those whom we come across when death happens to one of the involved parties; emptiness follows the surviving person. As a future nurse, and due to the nature of my occupation, I may be involved in a situation where I must deal with impending death. Emotions will begin to happen, on both ends. On my end I will be trying to help the patient, and the patient coming to terms with his or her destiny. In the following pages, I will discuss how my responses to the â€Å"Reflections on dying† may impact a therapeutic relationship with a mother of a three years old child who has six months to live. In such discussion, you will learn about my thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and values regarding to death and patient relationships. Thoughts; Usually when I first hear of a death My thoughts on death begin with sorrow for the loss of a person who is significant on someone’s live. After meeting a patient who is a mother, and realizing that she does not have much time I will be deeply saddened to what is going to happen to her. I may develop feelings for the child’s well being. My second thought would be that of empathy. As a nurse I must show empathy, compassion, and strength at the same time towards patients. Showing emotions would most likely worsen an already sad situation. This patient is a mother of a three years old child; she will not see her baby grow up. Therefore, I will have the utmost empathy. Also, I will show strength. This is necessary to persuade the patient to live fully the time she has left. If I am the person breaking the news to her, I will be frank and to the point without keeping any information from the patient; since I believe that sugar coating the fact will lead to mixed feelings on the patient. I will tell her to make every day, every hour, and every second count and to enjoy her child in order to leave a lasting legacy. Feelings; after a while, my initial reaction to death Therapeutic relations with terminally ill patients will also involve mixed feelings. There will be a war inside of me, my thoughts will tell me to be strong, but my feelings will want me to feel extremely sad, sorrowful, and incompetent for not being able to help the patient. These feelings will linger every attempt to interact with the patient. It is natural for me to feel sad at the future loss; even when I’ve only known the patient since she started getting treated; still all life is precious. She is meaningful to many people, specially her child. I will definitely feel impotent, which will lead to anger for knowing that there is nothing that I can do to make her feel better. At that point, I will rely on my professionalism to expose and help me act accordingly. The reason why my feelings are normally strong is because when I was twelve years old, my grandmother died; she practically raised me. I spent more time with my grandmother at that time, than I had spent with my mother. I was asleep when I was told that she had died, and feelings began to run rampant. The anger, and sadness were unbearable, and ever since that moment, I have been very sensitive when it comes to death. Beliefs; My predominant emotion to death I believe that all life is valuable; this belief will influence my feelings but not my therapeutic relationships with my patient. Regardless of what I may believe, I know that it is my duty to provide treatment the best possible service to the patient. Being supportive to the patient, and her family members are my priority. If I was in the patient’s shoes, I would like the nurse to bring me up instead of bringing me down in a time of need. I would want the nurse to tell me my condition as is; that way, I can make the right decisions with my life. Also I would like to have everything clear when it comes to my child, and I would like to live my couple of months as happy as possible and pain free. Values; the way I may grieve Integrity is one of the main values I hold dear. A person’s word is their bond; without integrity, our words mean nothing. From integrity, respect and dignity follow on my list of values. My thoughts will influence ethical decisions when conducting therapeutic counseling. They will also reaffirm with my feelings to ensure I manage myself with strength. In addition, treating all with respect and dignity are a priority in my values list. Therefore, when dealing with a patient; everything else stops and I pay full attention to the patient’s needs. I will provide information and suggestions on ways to stay healthy and happy, even thought the patient won’t survive for long I feel that is best to keep the patient happy and comfortable. Conclusion In the last few pages, I’ve explained my thoughts on death. How my initial reactions to death would be and how my thoughts would influence me. Then, I explained how my feelings would manifest, and how they would play a part during routine interactions with the patient. I shared my beliefs and the connection between my beliefs, and thoughts when dealing with loss. Finally, I discussed my values as they relate to death. No matter which situation we find ourselves in; being the ones receiving bad news or giving the bad news; we will react differently to such an unexpected event. As long as we treat others with the respect and dignity they deserve, and we show the empathy we can make a difference on a patient’s remaining lifetime. It does take courage to show strength, and humility to show empathy, but the satisfaction to know that we have done the right thing would provide comfort to keep us going. How to cite Is Hard to Say Good Bye, Essay examples

Alzheimers (1167 words) Essay Example For Students

Alzheimers (1167 words) Essay AlzheimersDiseaseAlzheimers Diseaseis a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results inimpaired memory, thinking and behavior (Internet). It is a degenerative diseaseaffecting nerve cells of the frontal and temporal lobes of the cerebrum of thebrain. The disease is the major cause of presenile dementia (i.e., the loss ofmental faculties not associated with advanced age) and is thought to be thelargest single cause of senile dementia as well (Britannica, 306). It causes theconnections between cells to become ineffective and the cells themselves toshutdown and eventually die (Davies, 1). Alzheimers is a progressive,irreversible, fatal neurologic disorder that affects an estimated 4 millionAmerican adults. It is estimated by 2040,approximately 14 million Americans willbe diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease. Approximately 9% of the populationolder than 55 years and 20% of those older than 85 years have AlzheimersDisease. The duration of AD averages 2 to 10 years but can be up to 20 years. By1992, Alzheimers Disease was the fourth leading cause of death among adults(more than 100,000 American deaths per year). It is projected that the number ofpeople with Alzheimers Disease will triple in the next 50 years. Thisepidemic of dementia is not confined to sex, race, social, or economic class. The public knows this disorder as senility, although the termAlzheimers is becoming more common (Rosdahl, 1356). According to a quote fromHasselbring Alzheimers disease. Medical Self-Care 53-57,January-February, 1986, a 61-year-old woman in early stages of Alzheimersdisease stated, My mind goes to an empty and horrible place. When I comeback, Im in a room full of strangers. I fell so lost and afraid. ManyAlzheimers patients echo these sentiments. The disease is frightening anddisabling (1356). Alois Alzheimer, a German neuropathologist, originallydescribed the disease in 1906. In the autopsy of a 55-year-old patient who haddied with severe dementia, Alzheimer noted the presence in the brain of twoabnormalities (Britannica, 306). Recent studies have shown that in the autopsiesof the brain of people who have died from Alzheimers, there is much higherconcentration of aluminum than is normal (Weiner, 17). Accounting for about halfof all dementia cases, Alzheimers is more common in certa in groups. Women areat higher risk, so are those who have a first-degree relation with the disease,or a history of head trauma (RN magazine, 26). Unfortunately, many people failto recognize that these symptoms indicate something is wrong. They maymistakenly assume that such behavior is a normal part of the aging process; itisnt. Or, symptoms may develop gradually and go unnoticed for a long time. Sometimes people refuse to act even when they know something is wrong. Itsimportant to see a physician when you recognize these symptoms. Only a physiciancan properly diagnose the persons condition, and sometimes are reversible. Even if the diagnosis is Alzheimers disease, help is available to learn howto care for a person with dementia and where to find assistance. Ten warningsigns to watch for are: (1) memory loss, (2) difficulty performing familiartasks, (3) problems with language, (4) disorientation of time and place, (5)poor or decreased judgement, (6) problems with abstract thinking, (7) misplacingthings, (8) changes in mood or behavior, (9) changes in personality, (10) lossof initiative (Internet). Typical problems that should alert us that a personneeds some kind of help are repeated car accidents, getting lost, losing thingsand not recalling the previous day (Davidson, 13). Symptoms of the illnessrepresent deficits in many areas of how a person remembers and thinks. Forinstance, problems with memory may be manifested as forgetting names, dates,places, whether a bill has been paid for, or something said over and over. .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 , .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .postImageUrl , .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 , .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:hover , .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:visited , .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:active { border:0!important; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:active , .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2 .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u947191ae553a648823497b1f9e64c8e2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Perfect Pitch EssayIntellectual abilities are lost eventually. Reasoning with the affected personis no longer a successful way to understand and deal with his problems. Judgement about common everyday situations is drastically diminished. Theindividuals capacity to express himself verbally gradually shrinks. Neitheris he able to comprehend what others say to him. As the disease progresses, hemay gradually lose the ability to speak. Psychiatric symptoms such as delusionsand hallucinations can occur. The person can become anxious, restless, agitated,and may even appear to be depressed. His personality will change. In fact, hemay not seem to be the same person (Gruetzner, 9). Alzheimers disease beginsinsidiously and progresses slowly but inexorably, until the sufferer cannotattend to the simplest details of self-care and may not even remember his or hername. Although the symptoms may vary from patient to patient and from day to dayin an individual, there are certain common features in all patients, and thedisease follows a somewhat predictable path. Initially, the victim may justexhibit a lack of energy, drive, and initiative, and neither he nor his fa milymay be aware that anything is really wrong. The individual may just avoid newchallenges and seek refuge in familiar situations. For example, he may want tovisit only family members and close, old friends rather than go to new placesand meet new people. However, with time, greater changes in mental function andbehavior begin to appear, and the disease can traditionally be divided intothree clinical stages. The individual will forget the names of persons wellknown to him; he will also be unable to remember where he puts carious objects,such as the car keys or his wallet, or what day of the week, month or year itis. He will start forgetting to attend appointments he has made or get losttrying to find places that were once very familiar. In the beginning, suchepisodes of forgetfulness may just be minor annoyances to the individual and hisfamily, and he may still be able to function reasonably well. Eventually though,lapses of memory will become debilitating (Weiner, 27). The symptom s ofAlzheimers disease include gradual declines in memory, learning, andattention, and judgement; disorientation in time and space: word-finding andcommunication difficulties: and changes in personality. These symptoms may besomewhat vague at first and mimic mental illness or stress-related problems. Forexample, an executive may not be managing as well as he once did, making baddecisions with increasingly frequency and missing deadlines. Insidiously butinexorably, the changes become unable to add two numbers together. Similarly, apreviously talented hostess may no longer be able to set a table. Thepersonality of the patient may change markedly: an outgoing, vivacious personmay become quiet and withdrawn; a gentle, caring partner may become aggressiveand indifferent. Emotional symptoms, including depression, paranoia, andagitation, may occur intermittently. During the course of the illness, thepatients needs for care escalate. Of the four-plus million Americans withdementia, one-thir d are so impaired that they can no longer manage withoutassistance in the simplest daily routine activities of eating, dressing,grooming, and toileting (Aronson, 6). Alzheimers disease appears to run infamilies. Immediate (first-order) relatives of a patient with the diseasehave a great risk of developing the disorder themselves. But the incidence ofthe disease as it occurs in both identical and fraternal sets of twins, thoughsomewhat elevated, is not convincingly high enough to prove a hereditarylink. It is thought that the disease may be inherited in some families as anautosomal (any chromosome other than those that determine the sex) dominantgene.