Social Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Social Philosophy Essay Introduction As more and more cities, counties, states, and counties ban smoking in public places, place high taxes on cigarettes, and otherwise enact anti-smoking laws, clashes between the rights of one group of people and the rights of another are inevitable. If this principle were the basis for deciding public policy, which Mill advocated as one of its usages, Mill would fall somewhere in the middle on the smoking/anti-smoking spectrum. Certainly, Mill’s harm principle can be (and has been) used by both sides to support their own arguments.    In the smoking debate, the harm principle falls short in determining which of two harms is lesser, or which of two rights or interests is greater. This is why it is a useful philosophy in debate, but should not be the sole basis for legislation and public policy. John Stuart Mill’s Harm Principle In On Liberty, John Stuart Mill argued for a society organized around â€Å"one very simple principle †¦ that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection† (15-16). This is referred to as the â€Å"harm principle,† and is considered one of the founding principles of utilitarianism (Wilson 45-48). Utilitarianism is a belief system which adopts the harm principle, arguing that each individual has the right is pursue his or her own happiness, as long as that pursuit doesn’t harm another individual also pursing their happiness or utility (Wilson 40-44). This is not quite the same as interfering or impeding an individual’s path to happiness, as Mill points out in chapter V of On Liberty; â€Å"In many cases, an individual, in pursuing a legitimate object, necessarily and therefore legitimately causes pain or loss to others, or intercepts a g ood which they had a reasonable hope of obtaining† (106-7).   In other words, Mill recognized that there was not a utopia where every individual could pursue happiness with no overlap when, for example, two individuals pursue happiness through the same, singular person. Mill’s goal was to create a principle that could serve as the basis for society, in legislation, and in social standards and customs. In the final chapter he goes into significant detail regarding the kinds of situations to which this principle could be applied, specifically â€Å"how far liberty may legitimately be invaded for the prevention of crime, or of accident† (108). Mill favors the strongest strictures on liberty in the case of children, where he argues for potential parents having to prove their financial fitness in order to have children at all, and then to provide education for all children (121-122). On issues of crime, he considers government to properly have a place as a precautionary, administrative organization than as a legislative and punitive one (Mill 128). Throughout the treatise, Mill treads the line between the liberties of individuals and the commitment each individual has to society, seeing individuals as heroes who must consistently fight against the whitewashing of democratic society, warning that â€Å"If resistance waits til life is reduced nearly to one uniform type, all deviations from that type will come to be considered impious, immoral, even monstrous and contrary to nature† (84). How the Harm Principle Relates to Anti-Smoking Laws Mill specifically discusses the â€Å"sale of poisons† and taxes on the sale of certain substances deemed to be immoral (109-113). He argues for both the sale and taxation of, for example, alcohol, as being regulation that is â€Å"not contrary to principle† (109). Therefore, we can extrapolate that he would not necessarily be averse to taxes on the sale of cigarettes, since It must be remembered that taxation for fiscal purposes is absolutely inevitable; that in most countries it is necessary that a considerable part of that taxation should be indirect; that the State, therefore, cannot help imposing penalties, which to some persons may be prohibitory, on the use of some articles of consumption. (114) This is important because it underlines Mill’s philosophy of harm as it relates to economics. He did not believe that by adding taxation which would put the price of a certain item out of reach for some individuals, that this was â€Å"harming† them in such a way as to impose on their pursuit of happiness and utility. He considered taxation to be most properly levied against â€Å"what commodities the consumer can best spare† (114). Cigarettes and tobacco are certainly considered ‘extras’ rather than necessities in contemporary society, but they have not always been considered as such. So where, at certain points and in certain cultures, cigarettes were considered something of necessity, the taxation of them would have been an encroachment from the State onto an individual’s liberty. This case problematizes the relationship between Mill’s harm principle and his theory of democratic societies being slavishly ruled by the majority opinion. We have seen an enormous shift in popular opinion regarding the use of tobacco in the United States. What may have been an affront on liberty 50 or 100 years ago (heavy taxation of cigarettes and tobacco products) may be viewed now as simply being necessary to fund our government. If societies are not static entities, and the mores of a single society may shift over even short periods of time, how can we be sure that the currently prevailing opinion is, in fact, the ‘right’ one? Mill believed that â€Å"Society has expended fully as much effort in the attempt †¦ to compel people to conform to its notions of personal, as of social excellence† (19). Indeed the taxation of cigarettes seems to amount to a sin tax, as more of a punishment than a tax of an item which is not absolutely necessary to survival. Medical science is not immune to these changing tides in public opinion. During the waning years of Prohibition in this country, teetotalers claimed that the exhalation of breath from a person drinking alcohol could effectively â€Å"poison† an innocent person standing nearby (Stewart lines 18-19). Similarly, anti-smoking proponents claim today that the exhalations of smoke from one individual can adversely affect the health of another individual. Mill saw this as an argument against censorship; â€Å"We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavoring to stifle is a false opinion, and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still† (14). While we may not be able to know without doubt which opinion is the right one, Mill saw this as an opportunity for individuals to exercise their liberty through discussion and debate. In the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Mill, Fred Wilson discusses the important of debate in Mill’s philosophy; â€Å"Only through free debate can such critical skills be developed and maintained: our self-development as reasonable persons, capable of critical assessments for belief and action† (45). The goal is not to produce an unerringly ‘right’ decision, but to create a society where open and honest discussion is a part of the mechanism of liberty in society, as both a check on our human fallibility and an encouragement to progress. Why the Harm Principle is Inadequate as a Basis for Public Policy The harm principle provides a philosophy of the individual and his or her relationship to society which is useful as an individual or institution level philosophy. This is especially true for those individuals or institutions without a set of religious beliefs, as the harm principle provides a system of morality to follow. However, as the basis for legislation and public policy, it is somewhat inadequate. There are, more often than not, many people with conflicting interests, and while the harm principle may form the basis of discussion, in the end an individual’s liberty may be stifled in favor of another’s. At that point, the decision has to be made as to which liberty is more important. In the case of smoking bans, an individual who derives happiness from smoking, particularly happiness from smoking in a public place, where he or she is also able to drink and socialize with friends, is taken away. At the same time, other individuals are not subjected to the possible ill health effects of secondhand smoke. The harm principle provides a useful lens through which to frame the debate, but policymakers must often make slightly messier decisions than On Liberty provides for. The very nature of public opinion as Mill saw it (which was as a tyrannical force) means that the definitions of harm will change throughout history and across geography. This leads to both sides of the smoking debate claiming Mill as a member of their side. In an interview, Mill biographer Richard Reeves, in discussing the misuse of Mill by policymakers, said that; What sometimes happens is that if you are doing something that’s actually quite paternalistic, and you don’t want to say so because you want to dress it up as a liberal policy, you might use Mill. And you stretch the harm principle well beyond reasonable usage to justify what’s fundamentally a paternalistic policy. The worst thing is to dress up a paternalistic argument in shoddy, ill-worn, liberal clothing (par. 9). Mill saw the free thought and operation of the individual as being necessary to the progress of society, and especially as a check against both the State and prevailing public opinion (19). Conclusion In this essay I have described and critically examined Mill’s harm principle and how it relates to the contemporary issue of anti-smoking laws. I have argued that the harm principle as applied to anti-smoking laws is and could be used by either side of the debate. An individual who smokes finds his or her happiness circumscribed by the happiness of those individuals who do not wish to have cigarette smoke in the public places they frequent, and vice versa. A group of individuals are going to have their liberty trespassed upon in order for other groups of individuals to retain their liberty, and rather than bringing harm to none there are only degrees of harm, which are considered more or less harmful according to the current tides of public discourse. While this creates space for a robust debate (one of the requirements of a society based on liberty), it does not provide a basis for policymakers and legislators to create public policy. Works Cited Mayes, Tessa. â€Å"Mill is a Dead White Male With Something to Say.† Spiked! Review of Books 28 March 2008. 16 April 2008 http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/reviewof  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   books_article/4923. Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty and The Subjection of Women. New York: Penguin, 2006. Stewart, C. â€Å"The Case Against Smoking Bans.† 2002. New York City C.L.A.S.H. 18 April 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.nycclash.com/CaseAgainstBans/Conclusion.html#Conclusion. Wilson, Fred. â€Å"John Stuart Mill.† The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (Fall 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stanford University. 15 April 2008 http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2007/   Ã‚  Ã‚   entries/mill/.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1.Period: The period that is most evident in this novel is that of realism. Realism is a style of writing, developed in the nineteenth century, that attempts to depict life accurately without idealizing or romanticizing it. Mark Twain depicts the adventures and life of Huck Finn in a realistic, straight-forward way. He did not try to  ³idealize ² or  ³romanticize ² his characters or their surroundings; instead he described them exactly how they would be in real life. Realists did not write about the long ago or far away, the realists concentrate often on contemporary life and on middle- and lower-class lives in particular (such as Huck Finns). Evidence of the Romantic period is also found in this novel in that romantics tend to seek nature as a solace from problems caused by society and the big city. In this novel Huck turns to the Mississippi River (nature) as an escape from society, as does Jim for an escape from his slavery. Huck Finn also shows evidence of romanticism with its inst ances with the supernatural. 2.Style One of Mark Twain ¹s most effective uses of style in this novel is his first person point of view. In a first person point of view one of the characters tells the story, using first-person pronouns such as I and we. With this point of view the reader knows only what the narrator knows. The Adventure ¹s of Huckleberry Finn is told by the novel ¹s main character, Huck Finn. This point of view allows us to hear Huck ¹s distinct voice and dialect, further familiarizing the reader with Huck ¹s culture and surroundings. The skill with witch Twain elevates the dialect of an illiterate village boy to the highest levels of poetry established the spoken American idiom as a literary language.

Avatar Film Essay

â€Å"We must change what we want to see.† In James Cameron’s â€Å"Avatar,† we see Jake Sully—the protagonist—fighting in the imperialistic battle between the Na’vi: the natives and the Sky People: the greedy humans. Jake is important because he shows the audience the importance of where to put your loyalty and how much it can change a person. He transforms from a bitter, strongly-opinionated jarhead —with no respect for the foreign planet’s land or inhabitants—to a warrior loyal to his clan that he will fight for and defend. We are introduced to Jake Sully as a paraplegic ex-marine with strong military values. Jake’s brother was one of the scientists about to begin exploring the densely forested moon named â€Å"Pandora† with an Avatar—genetically matched to him—of the Planet’s inhabitants: The Na’vi. A mugging resulting in Jake’s brother’s death ensued Jake to be flown to Pandora for his brother’s replacement. Jake’s first link with his avatar shows us his ignorant, impulsive and instinctive behaviour and furthermore, how little respect he has for the environment or wildlife. We begin to see Jake’s arrogant attitude fade and his loving and sensitive side brought out by Neytiri with his total involvement with the Omaticaya. Through Jake’s immersion into the Na’vi’s culture and growing relationship with Neytiri, his loyalties move away from the RDA: the race he was born to, and begins to sympathise and lie with the Omaticaya clan: the race he has been accepted into. â€Å"Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream.† â€Å"I see you.† This short but very significant sentence spoken amongst the Na’vi shows trust and loyalty – â€Å"It’s not just, I’m seeing you in front of me, it’s, I see into you.† Jake is an important character for the reason that the loyalty he establishes with the Na’vi—abandoning his race—helps the Na’vi to keep their land and sacred home. We start to see Jake’s shifting alleg iance when he sabotages the RDA’s bulldozers that were set to destroy one of the Omaticaya’s sacred places. However he betrays the Na’vi’s trust in him—especially Neytiri’s—when he reveals that he is one of the sky people that are coming to destroy Hometree. To earn the Na’vi’s trust back, Jake tames and connects to the huge, legendary Toruk: â€Å"the baddest cat in the sky.† And with support from the new chief Tsu’tey – he declares his loyalty and his willingness to not let the Na’vi go down without a fight: â€Å"We will show the Sky People that they cannot take whatever they want! And that this, this is our land!† In the undershot of Quaritch in his machine suit holding Jake up by his ponytail – we see Jake staying loyal to the Na’vi. The undershot gives Quaritch a sense of power and dominance over Jake and the audience who feel a sense of hopelessness for Jake. Also the low angle gives Quaritch a sense of importance – intimidating the audience. Jake putting his life on the line in order to protect the Na’vi shows us how important they—especially Neytiri—have become to him. â€Å"All I ever wanted was a single thing worth fighting for.† And for the Na’vi—for Neytiri—Jake has. Jake is an important character because he helps the audience to understand the effects of imperialism on Pandora and the Na’vi. The RDA want the very expensive mineral that is largely deposited under Hometree and they are going to get the unobtanium one way or another – no exception to the cost of the planet’s people or land. The RDA bomb Hometree with a rain of firepower, and finally Hometree collapses in a blaze of fire. Close ups on the Na’vi’s faces—while this is happening—reveal the impact the loss of Hometree has on them; the slow motion also adds to emphasise this. The close up shots expose their emotions of anger but most of all, great sadness. Hometree is where the Omaticaya gather together as a clan, where they raise their future; Hometree is their life. Jake progresses from an RDA spy, to a loya l leader willing to fight for the Na’vi’s world. â€Å"I was a warrior who dreamed I could bring peace.† The low angle shot of Jake flying into the crowd of Na’vi, portrays him as the saviour with the sun beaming behind him to accentuate his heroism. The low angle further enforces Jake’s importance to the audience giving him a sense of superiority. â€Å"The Sky People have sent us a message†¦ that they can take whatever they want. That no one can stop them. Well, we will send them a message.† Jake leads the battle between the Na’vi who fight to protect their sacred lands, and the humans who are fuelled by the riches the Na’vi’s lands hold. This imperialistic battle is similar to the conquering and settlement of North America by European countries resulting in the destruction and decimation of the Native Americans way of life. The Mighty Europeans used military force to upheave the indigenous civilizations in North America. Driving the Natives away for the plentiful land, Europeans colonised what is now the Americas. Cameron wanted to expose us—the oblivious communities—to imperialism at its simplest: destroying one group’s livelihood for another’s own greed and wealth. In James Cameron’s film â€Å"Avatar,† Jake Sully is the protagonist and an important character for the reason that his newly established loyalty with the Na’vi helps them to keep their sacred land and home. He is important because he stands up for the underdogs: the Na’vi, instead of encouraging the destruction of the indigenous civilization’s home. James Cameron’s intentions to expose imperialism through the RDA and the Na’vi in Avatar, helps the audience understand the effects of it and how easily it has occurred AND could occur on our home: Earth. â€Å"Avatar† helped me to understand and grasp the fact that we are slowly destroying Earth’s nat ural resources and wonders for our desires and self-indulgences.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Essay - 2241 Words

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome The carpal tunnel is a passageway that runs from the forearm through the wrist. Bones form three walls of the tunnel and a strong, broad ligament bridges over them. The median nerve, which supplies feeling to the thumb, index (4th digit), and ring fingers (3rd digit), and the nine tendons that flex the fingers, passes through this tunnel. This nerve, also, provides function for the muscles at the base of the thumb (the Thenar muscles). Usually, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is considered an inflammatory disorder caused by repetitive stress, physical injury, or medical conditions that cause the tissues around the median nerve to become swollen. The protective lining of the tendons within the carpal tunnel can†¦show more content†¦Such conditions are known contributors to CTS. It is most likely that many cases of CTS occur from a combination of factors, including a predisposing medical condition exacerbated by work stress and psychological and social stressers. In many patients with CTS, an underlying cause for the disorder cannot be discovered. Disorders related to work that requires repetitive motion are increasing. They account for nearly half of all reported work related illness, and CTS is estimated to account for over 41% of these repetitive motion disorders. Researchers have defined six key risk factors in the workplace for the development of these disorders, including CTS: (1) repetition, (2) high force, (3) awkward joint posture, (4) direct pressure, (5) vibration, and (6) prolonged constrained posture. Through many of the studies I have read, many believe that incorrect posture may play a large role in the development of CTS, particularly in people who work at computer and other types of keyboards. The tendency to roll the shoulders forward, round the lower back, and thrust the chin forward can shorten the neck and shoulder muscles compressing nerves in the neck. This can affect the wrist, fingers, and hand. It has been difficult to obtain relia ble data on the relation between repetitive hand and wrist tasks and CTS. Studies indicate thatShow MoreRelatedEssay on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome1712 Words   |  7 PagesCarpal Tunnel Syndrome Abstract The wrist is surrounded by a band of fibrous tissue, which normally functions as a support for the joint. The tight space between this fibrous band and the wrist bone is called the carpal tunnel (The Stay Well Company, 1999). The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel to receive sensations from the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the hand. Any condition that causes swelling or a change in position of the tissue withinRead MoreCarpal Tunnel Syndrome : Overview887 Words   |  4 PagesCARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME Overview There are 8 small bones known as carpal bones of the wrist. A ligament (also known as retinaculum) is located in front of the wrist. Between this muscle and carpal bones in a space called the carpal tunnel. The muscles that attach the forewarn muscles to the fingers that passed through the carpal tunnel. A main nerve to the hand (median nerve) also passes through this tunnel before dividing into smaller divisions in the palm of your hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome isRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome928 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiencing pelvic girdle pain, it is due to Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction is caused by stretchy ligaments in your pelvic area. The increased blood volume pressurises your blood vessels and results in varicose veins. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, leg cramps, feet swelling and bleeding gums are likely to continue in week 25 of your pregnancy. Because normal daily hair loss is suppressed by pregnancy hormones, you may notice that your hair becomes thick and glossy. However, all thisRead MoreA Study On Dry Needling1466 Words   |  6 Pagesdry needling fits within the Physical Therapist Scope of Practice because it has shown to â€Å"alleviate impairment and functional limitation† (APTA, 2014). This being said, dry needling has benefitted patients experiencing chronic pain such as; carpal tunnel and plantar fasciitis (Ries, 2015). In addition, the majority of patients who have received dry needling incorporated into their physical therapy treatments have experienced positive results. Patients not only recovered quicker, but increasedRead More Human Growth Hormone Essay1168 Words   |  5 Pagesboosted immune function and kidney function, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and smoother skin. The studies that have been done do not strongly support these claims. The risks involved in human growth hormone ad ministration are edema, carpal tunnel syndrome, and joint pain. Use of growth hormone can increase the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart failure (Harvard, 1999). An article on human growth hormone published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society statesRead More Workplace Ergonomics, Ergonomics Assessment, Ergonomics Training2868 Words   |  12 Pagesconcerned about possible early signs.† (http://www.office-ergo.com/alternat.htm). There are also factors concerning who is more likely to get a CTD than others. â€Å"Some people get CTD’s because their bodies are vulnerable to them. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome seems to be related to diabetes, overweight, thyroid conditions, hormone conditions such as those caused by hysterectomy or removal of both ovaries, rheumatoid arthritis, previous injuries, and other conditions. Smoking may also increase theRead MoreThe Bad Effects to Health of Excessive Computer Use1672 Words   |  7 Pageshealth problems caused by the extensive use of computers and the possible solutions to prevent or overcome it. Stamatellos(2007) stated in his work that the extensive use of computers can result two possible health problems: the â€Å"Computer Vision Syndrome† (CVS) and the â€Å"Repetitive Strain Injury† (RSI). CVS is a series of eye problems due to staring at the monitor of a computer for a long period of time. RSI is an intense pain felt on a particular muscle, joint or ligament that is used to repeat theRead MoreMa3110 Wk 1 Homework1051 Words   |  5 PagesSection 1-2 Ex. 26 Surgery vs. Splints – A study compared surgery and splinting for subjects suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. It was found that among 73 patients treated with surgery, there was a 92% success rate. Among 83 patients treated with splints, there was a 72% success rate. Calculations using these results showed that if there really is no difference in success rates between surgery and splints, then there is about a 1 in 1000 chance of getting success rates like the one obtainedRead MoreThe Examination Of Jenny Enters The Clinic1655 Words   |  7 Pageswould ask how often does she spend typing in a day, does her keyboard have feet to elevate it, and I would ask her to demonstrate the position she uses to type. Those questions are important in determining whether Jenny may be experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome, because keyboard use and typing has been shown to be more prevalent in people who type more (Atroshi, 2007). I would then go on to ask Jenny to describe the type of pain she is feeling, I would ask Jenny to point to what parts of her bodyRead MoreEffects of Daily Media Use on Youth Obesity910 Words   |  4 Pageschildren and teens needs to be controlled. If it is not, this could potentially lead to negative ramifications, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, obesity, internet addiction, and negative effects on the brain. For a start, the carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by excessive and repetitive movements of the wrists and hands. Prolonged use of the mouse and keyboard can cause carpal tunnel as it is required to rapidly press buttons in order to complete the objective in many video games. Whether it be clicking