Compare And Contrast Kant Vs Machiavelli

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Recommended: Ideas about idealism and realism

“Realism is the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly (as defined by Dictionary.com).” In my opinion, I see myself to be more of a realist as I support Machiavelli’s philosophies, “maintaining power and acquiring more power are primary concerns while moral issues act as a secondary concern.” I believe our society must value moral issues, however, power should be treated with a greater concern. For example, the Melian Dialogues educated us regarding the Peloponnesian war and the conflict of morals between the Melians and Athenians. Also, the contrast between Immanuel Kant’s philosophies and Niccolò Machiavelli’s closely relates regarding the conflict of realism vs idealism as the …show more content…

According to Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War, conflict arose when the Athenians sailed to the island of Melos. The Athenians demanded the Melians to submit to their rule. The Melians neutral and idealistic view sparked conflict amongst the Athenians resulting in an aggressive response. The Athenians replied, “The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.” This quote is seen as the first explicit endorsement of realism. This prompted the Athenians to brutally slaughter the Melians; Thucydides Melian Dialogues imagines the dialogue which may have taken place between the Athenians and the Melians. In the supposed dialogues the Melians believed that the Athenians unjust conflict and war would provide them with fortune. This idealist view taken by the Melians supposed that the help from the gods will help them prevail, this resulted in their slaughtering and enslavement. However, the Athenian’s realistic view (to maintain and acquire more power) allowed them to prevail. The Peloponnesian War acts as an example of realism’s superiority over idealism, while the Melians supported the idea that moral issues are of primary concern, their conquer believed morals are of secondary concern and acquiring and maintaining power acts as a primary

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