Moral and Emotional Responses to the Challenge of Thrasymachus
Might makes right. So suggests the character of Thrasymachus in Plato's "Republic." In other words, justice and morality is merely defined by who is stronger. The proper role of morality in both reason and the emotions is dependant simply upon what one wants to do, at that point in time, and how one can best achieve one's objective. In politics, the strongest person defines what is just and moral, because the strongest person will always rule according to the real world laws of the political jungle. Socrates, of course, offers the opposing view, that only the wisest should rule, the philosopher kings of the ideal state, who put subjective emotion aside and rule purely by objective reason. While Thrasymachus suggests that 'the world,' that is the material existence around us (including our emotions) should be the ultimate proving-ground of any moral system, Socrates suggests the contrary, namely that morality has an objective reality and existence beyond what we see around us.
A corollary to what Thrasymachus suggests might be that 'if it feels good, do it.' Namely, that if one's emotions give validation to one's power, dominance, and morality, than it must be good. Socrates, however, suggests that the material world is a poor moral determinant of right and wrong behavior, as the earthly world is itself merely an imperfect reflection of the truer life of the forms, rather than of 'real' objective goodness, morality, or justice, itself. Because of the...
Emotional development is a critical aspect of human growth, encompassing the processes by which individuals learn to recognize, express, regulate, and understand their own emotions as well as those of others. From early childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, emotional development is a dynamic, complex journey integral to personal well-being and interpersonal success (Saarni, 1999). The roots of emotional development can be traced back to infancy, where basic emotional expressions such
In this regard, Koehler and Seger (2005) emphasize that because resources are by definition scarce, peer bullying represents a threat to the entire learning process across the board because teachers and administrators must spend inordinate amounts of time in an attempt to control problematic behavior rather than invest it in delivering high quality educational services. In fact, some of the most common responses to peer bullying in recent years
The luxury brands in this age of fierce and intense competition perceive and believe that the conventional methods of advertising and promotion are only an itinerary that creates the knowledge and awareness amongst the consumers. Nevertheless, targeted marketing (that represents the emotional driving force) is becoming the primary and fundamental aspect of concern that many of the brands are focusing in order to create emotional engagement with the consumers that
.....personal ethics derive from a combination of established codifications of moral conduct, such as those embedded in political documents or in religious scripture, but also from my personality, my upbringing, and my worldview. I tend towards a utilitarian point-of-view, in that I do believe that the consequences of actions are more important than worrying about whether an action is inherently right or wrong. I also believe that there are situational
Caring about any of these things may or may not be right or wrong, but it strikes me that if appealing to an unstated vision of "science" to justify the decision is the future of ethics, then both ethics and scientific inquiry are in dire straits. Clearly, Harris wants "knowledge to count" -- that is, to have practical meaning for human lives -- but he confesses that in order to
On the threshold of the Civil Rights movement, Baldwin would publish Notes of a Native Son. Though 1953's Go Tell It On The Mountain would be perhaps Baldwin's best known work, it is this explicitly referential dialogic follow-up to Wright's Native Son that would invoke some of the most compelling insights which Baldwin would have to offer on the subject of American racism. This is, indeed, a most effectively lucid examination from the perspective of a deeply
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now