Upon the arisal of an adversity, most individuals initially go through the means of seeking an answer in order to provide an end to whichever difficulty is at play. Throughout the centuries, the course of such an action has been demonstrated by thousands of philosophers. One of which includes Peter Singer and his solution to end world poverty. However, there was one Greek philosopher, Socrates, who took a different route when it came to finding solutions. This was displayed when Socrates asked whether or not there was a general definition for the world ‘chair’. A vast array of Greek citizens who tried to answer this question were left in a state of perplexity. To ease the minds of those he had bewildered, Socrates announced that there was not
In society it is a person’s duty to teach others what they do not know. People do not need to tell others of their knowledge, but in order for society to function together people must all be taught the basics of reality. In the parable “Allegory of the Cave” the author and philosopher, Plato, uses hypothetical situation, rhetorical questions, and diction to tell his audience that a person’s reality depends on the environment they are raised in, and how it is the responsibility of the ones knowledgeable to teach others so society can thrive with most of the same beliefs.
I both agree and disagree with Peter Singer. While I believe that we do have a moral obligation to help others, I also believe we have a moral obligation to leave other people alone and let them get on with their lives.
All different ethical theories can look at the same problem and come to different conclusions. Even philosopher’s such as Singer and Arthur understand and view ethical values differently. Peter Singer who uses the utilitarian theory believes that wealthy people should give to the degree that the wealthy person now someone in need themselves. John Arthur believes those in need or those suffering are only entitled to the help of the wealthy person if that person agrees to help, and that the property rights of the wealthy person declines the amount that Singer believes people should. People should help other people. I believe all people deserve the right to receive assistance and to not help those people would be morally wrong. However, I do not believe that the help that we are morally obligated to give should come at the cost of our own well-being.
Jan Narveson and Peter Singer have two conflicting ideas about world poverty and starvation. In Narveson’s “Feeding the Hungry”, he argues that “any help we give to the starving is entirely morally optional. We may give if we like, but such assistance is not morally required” (Narveson 231). Peter Singer basically has the complete opposite view about this issue. His argument in “The Singer Solution to World Poverty” is that “our ordinary patterns of spending money on ourselves are immoral” (Singer 223). He believes that world poverty could be solved if people in affluent nations donated at least ten to twenty percent of their yearly income. These two philosophers do a great job of supporting their arguments by using real world examples and even
During this essay, the trail of Socrates found in the Apology of Plato will be reviewed. What will be looked at during this review is how well Socrates rebuts the charges made against him. We will also talk about if Socrates made the right decision to not escape prison with Crito. Socrates was a very intelligent man; this is why this review is so critical. In Plato’s Apology, it seems that overall Socrates did an effective job using the 3 acts of the mind.
Contrary to this widely accepted myth, I will try to demonstrate that Socrates' argument was erroneous, which made his decision less rational. In fact, had he decided to escape, his behavior would not have represented an unjust act. Although his argumentation and dialogue with Crito seem more like a moral sermon, his ...
Whether Socrates is portrayed correctly or not, he certainly was a great man. His contribution to western thought cannot be denied. For even if his teachings were different from what they are known to be at present, his influence on Plato is immense. And so, it is no small matter to describe the tragic passing of such a man as Socrates was and remains for philosophy today. Yet in all the indignation which is expected to arise at the death of Socrates, the panache with which he departs is captured excellently in Plato's “Apology.” Specifically, at the end of the "Apology," Socrates makes a very important statement that has had great impact on philosophy ever since its original proclamation. The Stoics in particular have taken this to be the cornerstone of their ideology. The statement made is that "you must regard one thing at least as certain—that no harm can come to a good man either in his life or after his death,” (Plato 100). The following examination focuses therefore on a brief explanation of the circumstances which lead to this statement being made by Socrates, as well as a closer look at why he thinks this to be the case. It is assumed that this statement is true, and validation for that assumption is to be sought as well.
Do citizens of affluent countries have an obligation to help those who are in poorer countries? According to Peter Singer in Famine, Affluence, and Morality, if you do not give all of your resources to aid relief except those to support your basic needs than you are doing something seriously wrong. I will begin by laying out Peter Singer’s argument. His argument holds that we do have an obligation to help those who are in poorer countries by giving aid donations. I then claim that the current state of society conflicts with his argument and how this objection may not necessarily hold. Afterwards I will consider a more practical objection that claims aid donations are not enough to help people in poorer countries. Lastly, I will consider a possible
Peter Geach’s essay on the Socratic fallacy poses a large problem for the Socratic method of obtaining answers to the What-is-F? question. He claims that Socrates makes an error when he refuses to accept examples as knowledge, primarily citing the Euthyphro as the source. In my last essay, I examined whether or not Socrates commits the Socratic fallacy in two of the early dialogues, namely, the Euthyphro and the Laches. So, I shall begin by giving a brief recapitulation of my previous essay as well as outlining Geach’s Socratic fallacy. Additionally, I will bring up an objection that Beversluis raises to my view. Then I shall explain the importance of the fallacy and the theory of the fallacy within the Socratic dialogues as it relates to
Socrates was famous for questioning his students in an unending search for the truth. He understood that if the series of progressing questions lead t...
Focusing on the ‘Why’ of all things in existence philosophers are faced with an arduous task of finding answers to the unknown; making philosophy a field of study that is virtually endless. So much so, that many people have given their entire lives in the pursuit of answers to these ‘Whys’. One of these people being the Greek philosopher Plato. In his story ‘The Cave’, we find his characters in chains, forced to look at a single
According to Socrates, most people tend to rely on their senses too much and believe the world as it is appeared to our sight. In order to free our souls from this mental prison, Socrates suggests that we should go through a phase that does not only prepare ourselves for the real world but also prevent us from heading to the wrong direction to seek the truth - education.
Most normal individuals in the modern world would assume that all books written, not published, by man are based on either a portion of the author’s imagination, an event (biased or non-biased) in either history or during the life of the author, a straight-out autobiography, or a generalized biography of another person they once knew. However, this philosophical novel fits none of the descriptions above. The book is actually an in-depth recording of a philosophy contest between Plato’s teacher Socrates and several other great philosophers. What is significant about this contest is that, in it, Socrates describes his personal view of a “perfect world,” and why justice is so important in the process of creating a civilized world.The novel was completed in 370 B.C., and it describes a strong debate between Socrates and five other speakers.
Socrates’ teaching method might result in a revolution because he encouraged his students and the public to question. He believed questioning was an effective learning technique because it
Socrates was an insightful philosopher who had an opinion on all the basic fundamental questions. He had very strong beliefs that he willed others into believing through questioning and proving ignorance in others beliefs. He has particular views on every fundamental question and particular views on how people should live their lives. He says God has spoken to him about philosophy and says that it is his destiny and it is his calling in life. Through philosophy he searches for answers to the fundamental questions and gains wisdom and knowledge. The fundamental question of condition is the question of what, if anything, has gone wrong with the world? The question of solution is what can fix the problem? Then there is Death which asks what happens