Ethics On Abortion Essays - Utilitarianism, Classical Liberalism

Ethics On Abortion Abortion from an ethical point of view Describe and evaluate any two contrasting theoretical approaches to the moral debate of abortion. * * * It is widely accepted that the fact of abortion has been a subject of conversation and controversy for many decades. Since the proportion of people who accept abortion as a normal procedure is equal to the proportion of those who think of abortion as a crime, through time a lot of measurements have been taken against abortion but concerning its defense as well. Although the fact of abortion has been examined through its scientific and religious side, in this assignment we will try and examine abortion from an ethical point of view. The best way for someone to refer to abortion on an ethical basis would probably be through the description and evaluation of the subject based on two of the most known theoretical approaches: those of Kants and of Utilitarianism (Act and Rule). Beginning with the approach of Utilitarianism, we must say that Utilitarianism, is concerned basically with p leasure and with pain. Therefore someone should be concerned with the amounts of pleasure and pain in situations where abortion is permitted as contrasted with the amounts of pleasure and pain where abortion is forbidden. It might be suggested that the main consideration would be the interests of the fetus: not only can its future life be expectedly happy (or at least having a balance of happiness over suffering) it might also be the case that the abortion itself is painful, particularly if it occurs later in the pregnancy. However this focus on the fetus is unwarranted since any suffering involved in the abortion itself can be avoided by simply aborting the pregnancy sooner (before the fetus has even developed the capability of suffering), or with painless techniques. The direct suffering of the fetus can therefore be no argument against abortion generally, only the bad practice of it. A more significant consideration exists if we hypothesize that the future life of the fetus invol ves a probable balance of happiness over suffering for the fetus. This would seem to be a definite point against abortion, though not, a dominant one. The second party that we should consider are the parents and other family, and guardians if the alternative to abortion is adoption. According to some studies, having a baby appears to decrease the happiness in a relationship - even in those cases where the pregnancy is desired. But again, this need not be considered too much, it is not a dominant consideration. As is the case with many issues in a utilitarian system, the rightness or wrongness of the act in question turns mainly not on the effects of the act on the agent, nor on the beings directly affected by the act, but on the less direct effects on the community at large. That means that the issue of abortion actually becomes one of the desirability of increasing or decreasing the population. Given that there must be some population size that can be regarded as the perfect size, if we are allowed to place it this way for a society, it is clear that Utility will ban new births above this amount while below this population size Utility will prescribe reproduction. So the utilitarian, who suggests that the future happiness of the child, combined with the estimated value of the effects on others, is such that Utility opposes abortion, must admit that this would imply that Utility prescribes an increase in population and that this would apply to anyone capable of producing a child. So Utility is generally against abortion only when it is generally for raising the population. In terms of utility, the actual act of abortion is not a particularly significant one. A brief mention must be made of why it is that the relative effects on the community at large are dominant in this issue, and why the other considerations are not. It must be remembered that the raising of a child in a modern developed country has a very large cost in financial terms, which is highly signi ficant. It is well known that the amount required to raise one child in

Biography - Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) essays

Biography - Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) essays Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon on April 25th 1599. He was born into a family which was for a time one of the wealthiest and most influential in the area. He was educated at Huntingdon grammar school and at Cambridge University, and then became a minor East Anglian landowner. He made a living by farming and collecting rents, first in Huntingdon, then from 1631 in St Ives and from 1636 in Ely. Cromwell's inheritances from his father, who died in 1617, and later from a maternal uncle were not great, 1640 he played only a small role in local administration and no significant role in national politics. It was the civil wars of the 1640s which lifted Cromwell from zero to hero. Oliver was the only surviving son of Robert and Elizabeth Cromwell. They had ten children (three sons and seven daughters). Their eldest son was called Henry, but he died soon after birth in 1595. Their second son was born in 1599 and was christened Oliver, in honour of Roberts eldest brother, Sir Oliver. He became the eldest surviving son and heir of Robert. A younger brother, Robert junior, was born in 1609 but he, too, quickly died. This left Oliver an only son, as he was the one son of Robert and Elizabeth to survive infancy. Oliver grew to manhood in a female-dominated environment. He had no surviving brothers and his father died quite young in 1617, his widowed mother became for a time, head of a household, which included seven growing daughters, sisters to Oliver. Three of his sisters were older than him, the remaining four younger. Most of his sisters married and had about 5 children each leaving Oliver with many nieces and nephews. His mother lived with him and his wife, El izabeth Bourchier, who he married on the 22nd of August 1620 and his children for many years up until her death at Whitehall in 1654. From the outbreak of the Civil War in the summer of 1642, C ...

The art of one-on-one interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The art of one-on-one interview - Essay Example Roy J. Blitzer points out that the traditional mode of interview, i.e. one-on-one interview is most popular (Blitzer 148). First of all, the interviewees answer makes clear that a child does like to have pets, especially dogs. Most of the people remember their first job, but some of them do not like to reveal their first payment. Similar to other youngsters, my friend likes to read books, gardening, swimming, and working out. The interviewee is aware of American history and admires the dedication shown by the famous people. Similar to other youngsters, the interview likes science fiction films like Avatar. The interviewee is with strong will power because he does not like to do things which he does not like. The interviewee is proud of his sense of humor because it helps him to be successful in his life. The interviewee was able to achieve his short term goal and is working hard to achieve his long term goal. Similar to other MJ (Michel Jackson) fans, the interviewee made clear that he would like to meet him (if he was able to do so). The interviewee considers that the most embarrassing moment in his life was the day in which he was away from his friends. This proves that he is so social and attached to his friends in general.

You choose a subject Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

You choose a subject - Essay Example She however got tired of him too because he repressed her independence and treated her more like a trophy than a person. Although she submits to him, deep down she resents her life and feels being married to him was just like being a servant. After 20 years of marriage, he dies and she marries Tea Cake, a poor but fun loving and adventurers’ man in whom she finds all the love she had been looking for. They move to the everglades where they work as laborers, this relationship is however brutally ended when during the Hurricane Tea Cake is bitten by a rabid dog (â€Å"From their Eyes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  7). Two weeks later she is forced to kill him to defend herself from his psychotic delusional self. After being acquitted for his murder, she finally goes home and the book begins and ends as she retells her story, an act that finally puts her at peace with herself and her late husband. The book touches on several themes that are or relevance to the lives of women of color and the black community in general in the backdrop of recently ended slavery. One of the dominant themes is, Love vs. independence, since the quest for both is the content of most of Janie’s life; she leaves home to search for love but evidently fails to find it in her first husband. She leaves him believing she has found true love in Stark and although in the start it looked like the perfect romance she soon realizes his ambition is far greater than his love for her. It is only with Tea Cake that she finally gets both love and independence since he treats her tenderly and respects her individuality unlike the former husband who repressed her. The theme of gender roles is also explored in the book through the events that shape Janie’s life. He grandmother holds that men are providers and women should be taken care of by them and so married Janie off to an older man. Stark, on the other hand, assumes that being the man in a relationship gives him rights over the woman whom he treasures more

Value and Risk Management - MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Assignment

Value and Risk Management - MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management - Assignment Example Our aim at present is to provide a brief background of our consultancy firm. We have been in this business for years, delivering professional service and expertise to companies and organisations in improving their strategic plans and in the conduct of value management and value engineering studies as we have vast knowledge of concepts and methodologies on this area. SBE Innovations Ltd., a partnership of private and public sectors, is a valued client. This paper is an initial report on the study that our VM/VE team conducted on the proposed recreation and commercial centre. The first part is a study on value management with a focus on the site inspection, the objectives for the conduct of VM/VE, the workshop, discussions and brainstorming, and other tools our team has conducted. Functional analysis provided the needs of SBE Innovations through recommendations to minimize unnecessary costs and maximize the potential benefits of the different functions of the project. The second part deals on value engineering involving imaginative and creative efforts, and methods and means to provide substitute materials, tools and processes which can give a valuing ‘map’ for the project. Value management is the first activity that we will apply at the early stage of the project. This is a step-by-step analysis, employing scientific methods, discussions, brainstorming, and all possible logical means to arrive at a low-cost with high value for the client’s project. This study will be a collaboration of the different stakeholders including department heads and key employees of SBE Innovations and our very own team. They will carry out a workshop to undertake value management and value engineering. The team will conduct functional analysis and provide suggestions, including inputs from the different stakeholders and the people in the field in order to provide the greatest

Relevance of the postal rule of acceptance

Relevance of the postal rule of acceptance Write an assignment on the rationale relevance of the postal rule of acceptance in the 21st century by analyzing the possibility of acceptance by post according to the current practice. A formation of a contract requires an agreement, it follows that, in order for such agreement to be reached, there must be an offer made by one party which is accepted by the other. An acceptance is that, a final and unqualified expression of assent to the terms of an offer. To discover whether an agreement has been reached under a classical contract theory, an acceptance which matches the offer that has been made is required. In regards to an acceptance, the mode or communication of an acceptance can be broken down into a various components depending on the circumstances. An acceptance can be made or communicated through conduct, silence, private courier, internet transaction, electronic communication and last but not least, by post. In this modern world, communication can take in many forms. That being said there might be delayed in between the sending of an acceptance. The rule applied here is that no communication is effective until it is received and understood by the person to whom it is addressed. This however, does not apply to the postal rule. The postal rule is an exception to the general rule an acceptance must come to the attention of the offeror. Basically, this rule can be defined as a rule of contract of law that makes an exception to the general rule and the principle stated was that, a contract is formed as soon as the letter of acceptance is posted, rather than when they are communicated. The rule is designed to remove uncertainty from the contract formation process. It provides the offeree with confidence that an acceptance once posted will be effective, even if the postal system delays delivery of the acceptance beyond the offer date. The main reason for this rule is historical, at the the tim e when postage of a letter is slower and less reliable than it is today, in the 21st century. In the practical implication of the postal rule today, it is easier to prove that a letter of acceptance has been sent than to prove whether it has been received or reached the attention of the offeror. The postal rule was established around the 19th century, as can be seen in the case of Adam v Lindsell. The fact of the case in brief; the defendant sent a letter to the plaintiff offering wool for sale, and asking for a reply in course of post. The letter than was misdirected by the defendant, and arrived later than it would have been. The plaintiff replied at once accepting, but the defendant, having decided that because of the delay the plaintiff were not going to accept, had already sold the wool elsewhere. The plaintiff then sued for breach of contract. The court held that to require a posted acceptance to arrive at its destination before it could be effective would be impractical and inefficient. It would be much better if, as soon as the letter of acceptance is posted, the acceptor could proceed on the basis that a contract had been made, and then take action accordingly. The plaintiff therefore succeeded: the defendant was in breach of contract. The offeror, to have a change in mind or a withdrawal of the offer, or made an offer with someone else is possible but nevertheless, the court looked into the conduct business would be better served by giving the offeree certainty, thus the postal rule was created. In addition, acceptance is also effective on posting, even when the letter is lost in the post. It does not matter that the letter is delayed in post, the offeror is still bound. In this case, Mr. Grant applied for shares in the Household Fire and Carriage Accident Insurance Company. A letter of allotment then was posted to the defendant, but it never reached him. When the company went bankrupt, Mr. Grant was sued for the outstanding payments on the shares, the issue here was, whether Mr. Grants offer for shares had been validly accepted, and whether there was a binding contract for him to settle the payment. It was held that there was a valid contract, because the rule for the post is that acceptance is effective even if the letter never arrives. There is difference between acceptance and revocation of an offer by post. Acceptance of an offer takes place when a letter is posted while revocation of an offer takes place when the letter is received. (Facts: Defendants mailed offer to sell tin plates to Plaintiffs on October 1. Offer was received by Plaintiffs on October 11 and immediately accepted via telegram on the same day; acceptance was subsequently confirmed by Plaintiffs by letter on October 15. Defendant mailed a revocation of offer on October 8, which was received by Plaintiffs on October 20, after Plaintiffs had already made assurances to sell the tin plates to another party. Plaintiffs brought action against Defendant for breach of contract and failure to deliver.) However, there are some limitations to the postal rule. First, it can only apply to acceptances and not to any other type of communication for example an offer or a revocation. Second, it only applies to letters and telegrams. It does not apply to instantaneous methods of communication such as telex or probably, fax or email. Besides that, it must also be reasonable to use the post as the means of communication, for example, an offer by telephone or by fax might indicate that a rapid method of response was required. Moreover, letters of acceptance must be properly addressed and stamped. Lastly, the rule is easily displaced, for example, it may be excluded by the offeror either expressly or impliedly. In Holwell Securities Ltd v Hughes, it was excluded by the offeror requiring notice in writing. It was also suggested by the court that the postal rule would not be used where it would lead to manifest inconvenience. The question should ask in this circumstances is can a letter of acceptance be cancelled by actual communication before the letter is delivered? There is no direct English authority on this point. The argument against is because once a letter is posted, the offer is consider accepted and there is no provision in law for revoking an acceptance. This point is supported by the New Zealand case of Wenckheim v Arndt and the South African case of A to Z Bazaars (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Agriculture (1974). Cheshire argues that it would be unfair to the offeror, who would be bound as soon as the letter was posted, whereas the orreree could keep his options open. On the other hand, the argument for in this question is because there is some support for allowing recall in the Scottish case of Dunmore v Alexander (1830). It is argued that actual prior communication of rejection would not necessarily prejudice the offerror, who, by definition will be unaware of the acceptance. It is also argued th at it would be absurd to insist on enforcing a contract when both parties have acted on the recall. This however, could be interpreted as an agreement to discharge. On the other hand, however, in the modern age of the 21st century, without further explanation, the technology is beyond our imagination. The mode of forming a contract, say, for example, an offer, acceptance and the invitation to treat are technically relying on the electronic communication. The infamous mode of an acceptance in the world today the email, can be made by a simple click. An electronic mail is often being seen as a digital necessity of the postal system, of course, in the modern age. Therefore, the postal rule can apply to the acceptance sent by the mail. Although it is generally accepted that postal communications sent via the Royal Mail do benefit from the rule, other methods of accepting does not benefit from the rule. However, to determine whether a postal rule is applicable to the acceptance by mail, some methods of communication benefit from the rule or not needs to be ascertained. The still ongoing argument is that the postal rule only applies when the offer co ntemplates acceptance by non-instantaneous means of communication. In conclusion, and increased reliance on electronic communications, it is perhaps time the postal rule was restated for the 21st century. A possible reformulation would focus on the non-instantaneous nature of communications which benefit from the rule. Perhaps the new rule should state that, where an offer contemplates acceptance by a non-immediate form of communication, that acceptance is effective from the time it leaves the acceptors control. Such a definition would remove the need for a trusted third party and would encompass all non-instantaneous methods of communication (including those not yet invented). It does though require that methods of communication can be split into immediate and non-immediate, a distinction that may become blurred with future technological advances.

William Randolph Hearst and the Spanish American War Essay -- William

William Randolph Hearst and the Spanish American War How far is a person willing to go to be the best? Will he sacrifice friends, family, even the lives of his countrymen? What makes someone that devoted to competition that they are willing to destroy everything that they’ve ever known, and quite possibly start a war in the process all to see that they’ve outsold there competition? These are the questions one must ask once you learn of the life’s story of William Randolph Hearst. From his news empire that included over 2 dozen major newspapers in 15 cities (Swanberg) to his more then slightly warped sense of moral propriety, Hearst’s life led him into the position where he escalated an international dispute into a war with one of Europe’s colonial powers. William Randolph Hearst was born on April 29, 1863, in San Francisco, California, to George Hearst and Phoebe Apperson Hearst. George Hearst was a self-made multimillionaire miner and rancher who spent much of his young life in Franklin County, Missouri in the 1820’s. Growing up he received very little in the way of formal education but he did learn a lot about the so-called "lay of the land," particularly in regards to mining. In fact, legend has it that local Indians referred to him as the "boy that the earth talk to." (Loe) The Senior Hearst quickly made himself wealthy through his investment in mining operations in the United States. Doing all of the research into these sites himself he owned some of the largest claims in the nation, â€Å"including the Comstock Lode in Nevada, the Ontario silver mine in Utah, the Homestake gold mine in South Dakota and the Anaconda copper mine in Montana† (Loe). The Comstock, Homestake and Anaconda claims would become three of the largest mining discoveries in American history. (Swanberg) This sudden success story was an inspiration to his son and his overbearing mother constantly told William of his father’s great successes. It was Williams Mother who became the fiery driving force in the young man’s life, constantly pressuring him to succeed and be better then all others. While George Hearst was running about the American West securing mine space, land grants, and buying hundreds of acres of grazing lands for what would be his second empire, cattle, Phoebe was prepping her son for a life of wealth and privilege. In 1873 she organized a European tour to educate... ...at Hearst and the other yellow journalists started the war, it is fair to say that the press turned what had been overlooked since Grant into a major international affair. Without sensational headlines and stories about Cuban affairs, the mood for Cuban intervention may have been very different. In the end the escalation of the crisis was a simple drive to be the best, to beat everyone else and to prove to the world (and his mother) that William Randolph Hearst was a success in his own right. Works Cited Dyal, Donald H.. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish American War. Greenwood Press: Westport, CT, 1996. Gould, Lewis L. The Presidency of William McKinley. University Press of Kansas, 1980. Loe, Nancy E. Hearst Castle. Hearst Castle Historical Society. 03 Dec. 2004 . O'Toole, G.J.A., The Spanish War: An American Epic-1898. W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 1984. Miller, Daniel A."Crucible of Empire." PBS, New York. Video Archive. 02 Dec 2004 . Milton, Joyce. The Yellow Kids: Foreign Correspondents in the Heyday of Yellow Journalism. Harper-Perrenial: New York, 1989. Nasaw, David . The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst . New York: Mariner Books , 2001.