Midterm

1. Alyssa Schaar
2. bubblesvb2
3. bubblesvb2@yahoo.com
4. 7 posts each post was finished and turned in on the night that it was due.
5. I did not have the chance to go to the museum because I am on vacation in Montana for the summer. I did however do a report on abortion.
6. I was able to get all of the assigned reading done thus far.
7. I have not done any extra credit material thus far.

Midterm

1. Nietzsche believes that people should live life in “a new way”. They should not follow the gospels of the Christian beliefs because God is no longer present in the hearts of the people. People need to put their faith in earth. Earth will have no doubts. It is obvious to everyone that the earth is present. And with this in mind people should stay true to the nature and the people. He opposes Christian morality because some people doubt that God exists and people do not all live with Him in their lives. He also believes that Paul had altered the Gospels and recreated a reason for Jesus’s death. He is arguing that people live by the Gospels to guide their lives. His idea of transvaluation is the idea that people should no longer follow the Christian values but instead turn their values and morals to something else.
Nietzsche loves Jesus because He lived his life purely and holy. He denounced the Jewish faith and lived His own life in a way that people would look up to and try to follow. He made the morals of God more evident. Paul, however, is not on Nietzsche’s good side. He does not believe in what Paul writes and says. He thinks that Paul recreated the reason of Jesus’s death. He says that Jesus died on the cross for the people and their sins. He died to save everyone. They are able to be forgiven for their sins. Nietzsche believes that Paul altered the Gospels and in doing so changed the way people reacted to them. People are now convinced that they are saved and will be able to go to heaven even if they do not really behave in a manner that would let them go to heaven. It gives them the peace of mind to live their lives. He talks about the gospels only being a way of living your life. Nietzsche is offended at the ideas of Christianity because he does not believe in the gospels and the gospels are the whole idea of the Christian values and lives. He believes that these ideas are giving people reasons to ruin people’s lives. They are getting confused and do not know what to do when people are no longer living with God in their hearts and have them not follow the morals of their faith. He believes that people should follow the values of the earth rather than ones found in the gospels, in which he does not agree with and believe to be true.

2. Epicurus says, “For the end of all our actions is to be free from pain and fear.” This means that in order for humans to be happy we must keep our bodies and souls pain and worry free. Epicurus believes that there is no gray area when it comes to pleasure and pain. If one is not in pain, then they currently have pleasure. He argues this with the idea that there are two forms of pleasure. Moving pleasure is when you are currently satisfying your desire, and static pleasure is the feeling after the desire has been satisfied. Due to the lack of desire there is the greatest form of pleasure in static pleasure. Epicurus does not believe that everyone should be going around doing everything they desire. He instead believes that people should eliminate desire. When people only have natural and necessary desires it is easier to satisfy your desires and therefore it is easier to have pleasure. In dealing with the future worries Epicurus tries to tell people that death should not be something that is feared. If people are living in fear of dying they are living with pain. He argues that due to the fact that once you die you no longer exist; death does not affect the living or the dead. By not fearing the future people are able to have pleasure.
Spinoza’s philosophy is one that relies on a basis of reason. Reason brings about adequate ideas that help set the mind at ease. These ideas allow the mind to believe that the outcome of a situation was inevitable. Realizing things will happen no matter what allows the mind to relax because it knows that nothing could have been done to change it. In no way is that person at fault for it happening. Passions, on the other hand, can sway the life of a person to evil rather than good. Spinoza argues that people act in ways to persevere and in doing so, act in ways that stabilize society. If people lived according to reason alone, there would be no need for laws. The passion enveloping people’s brains ends up conflicting with one another, which causes arguments and the society it be unbalanced. Spinoza also believes that knowing that God exists is the greatest good a person can have. This knowledge of God allows for the understanding of everything that is from God. Spinoza’s pantheistic philosophy lies in this idea. God is where everything comes from. Knowing that there is a God and that this is where we come from allows the mind to understand more fully everything around it. In knowing God people can have an intellectual love for Him and all His wonders. It is easier to see all of His perfections. Spinoza admits that it is difficult to have adequate ideas and keep passions out of our minds. It is as if one is trying to deny their instincts. He does not believe it to be impossible. This form of ethics is placing morals in reason and with reason one can know God and act accordingly to keep society at peace.
Stoicism is the moral philosophy that aims in the guidance of people’s lives by helping them live a life of virtue to achieve happiness. The contradictory belief would be that by finding pleasure to create one’s happiness. Spinoza focuses on the idea that people should live according to God’s morals and live with the knowledge of Him. In doing so, and living by virtues society will be peaceful. Epicurus believes that people should live by keeping themselves away from pain and worry. In this sense people should live according to morals because overall their minds will be at ease. Knowing that you are doing what you should be doing will make a person happy. Due to this, Epicurus and Spinoza share the idea that people should be living lives to create happiness. Happiness is the main goal a person should have. The path they choose to get there may be different, but in the end it all deals with happiness.

3. Marx was a strong believer in communism. He believed that people should not be separated into different classes. Capitalism is the exact idea that Marx did not believe in. Capitalism is communism’s opposite. In the “Communist Manifesto”, Marx describes the working conditions and the way that people of the working class are being de-humanized. He argues this by showing that due to the technology and the works that they must do make them nothing more than labor. They are not looked at as humans, but rather, machines. This is an ethical issue that is present in the capitalist society. Marx believed that capitalism grew made advancements in technology well before they were ready to make laws on regulations for this new technology. By creating new technology without laws, the society is hurt. Marx believes that a society should run on communist beliefs. He bases this on the idea people should not be divided into a working class and an upper class because the labor force becomes purely that; labor. Marx’s ideal society would be one that involves communism and equalizing everyone, rather than the capitalist way of running a society.
Communism would get rid of all class discrimination because everyone would be in the same class. No one person would have more property or money than anyone else. In Marx’s time people were in different classes and the labor class had no land property while the rich had plenty. Marx wants people to have no individual property because in order for some people to have their own property others do not have any. I think that Marx’s idea of society would not work because people are too concerned about living their lives in order for them to get ahead and survive, as well as prosper. There are too many people in the world that are not willing to give up the idea of having lavish things, even if it does mean that there must be poor people in the world.

4. Epicurus and Epictetus have contradictory views of what morals an ethical person should live by. They share the idea that happiness is the highest good. Epicurus, however, has ideas that break away from the stoicism view on ethics. Epictetus stays true to the stoic values. Stoicism is the moral philosophy that aims in the guidance of people’s lives by helping them live a life of virtue to achieve happiness. The contradictory belief would be that by finding pleasure to create one’s happiness. This was the ideas of Epicurus.
Epicurus says, “For the end of all our actions is to be free from pain and fear.” This means that in order for humans to be happy we must keep our bodies and souls pain and worry free. Epicurus believes that there is no gray area when it comes to pleasure and pain. If one is not in pain then they currently have pleasure. He argues this with the idea that there are two forms of pleasure. Moving pleasure is when you are currently satisfying your desire, and static pleasure is the feeling after the desire has been satisfied. Due to the lack of desire there is the greatest form of pleasure in static pleasure. Epicurus does not believe that everyone should be going around doing everything they desire. He instead believes that people should eliminate desire. When people only have natural and necessary desires it is easier to satisfy your desires and therefore it is easier to have pleasure. In dealing with the future worries Epicurus tries to tell people that death should not be something that is feared. If people are living in fear of dying they are living with pain. He argues that due to the fact that once you die you no longer exist; death does not affect the living or the dead. By not fearing the future people are able to have pleasure.
Epictetus believes strongly in the virtues. He believed that living a life of virtue and excellence will bring you happiness. Man must live peacefully with the surrounding world. They must stay true to their morals and they must control what is controllable by man. He believes that humans have the ability to control their desire, just as Epicurus believes. Epictetus teaches that people must have the right mindset when approaching their activities. People should be understanding and not judgmental of people’s actions. His ideas of happiness come from the peace found within when people act out of kindness and according to virtues. He also believed that health, wealth, and pleasure are not of the highest good because they do not always benefit the person. Virtues are the only thing that benefits people in any circumstance.
Aristotle believes that, "Our chief end is the perfect development of our true nature." This is saying that with using our reason and understanding or virtues, morals, and ourselves, we can find our true personality and live accordingly. Aristotle speaks about the importance of friendships. Friends are present and influential in all aspects ofpeople's lives. With this in mind people should strive to have friends that will live by their virtues and morals in order to show them and influence others to live in a similar manner. Politics, according to Aristotle, is "a genuine moral organization foradvancing the development of humans." He believed that governments should help teach its people morals and the laws should reflect such morals.
Epictetus’s ideas of happiness and the path in achieving it are full of the good of all and the society as a whole. The virtuous life in the long run benefits the lives of others. Epicurus’s idea of hedonism associates happiness with one’s self-pleasures. These two, rather different views of happiness give an outlook on different possibilities of what makes people happy, and what morals should consist of.


5. Sartre states that people who revoke the commandments of God and the eternal lives. Without God in their lives people can run muck and do as they please. This introduces the problem that everyone will do what they want and will look down on others because they are doing other things that are what they want to do. Existentialists all believe that existence precedes essence. This is the idea that subjectivity comes before everything. There are two forms of existentialists; Christian existentialists and French existentialists. Christian existentialists believe that because God created them; then each person is a reflection of what God wanted to make. Atheist existentialists believe that God does not exist. First people exist and are present, then they can define themselves through the things they do and the work they do. Sartre categorizes himself under this group of people. He believes that people are nothing until they make themselves into something.
Sartre’s ethics lie in the idea that the choices people make effect the lives of other people because their decisions affect others and become to be ok for other people to do as well. With this idea in mind Sartre does think that people do not have to be Christian to live a life of morals. People do things morally because what they do reflects what they believe others can do and no one will do anything that they do not want others to have.

6. Kant believes that the only good without qualification is good will. He would say that people should do things only because they acknowledge the duty they have to help others when they have the means to do so. Kant bases his theory on good will because he believes that good will is the only thing that is good in any circumstance. The act itself is purely good. Kant would not want me thinking about what the outcome of the situation would be, or what kind of consequences they would have. He believes that people should not rely on their inclinations. They should ignore any inclination they have to do something. Kant would recommend that people follow the principle of categorical imperative. This idea is one that expresses that good morale is found behind the reason and the choice that the person makes based off of duty alone. Duty is not doing something because it will make you feel good or because you think it will bring you bad consequences. A duty is following a universal law. A law that everyone can follow and it will help the good of the people and the world. Lying, for instance, would not be a good universal law. Acting in reverence to the laws that aid the common good of the world, and aiding those in need when you have the means to do so are the morals Kant would try to teach me. Kant would reason that people should do their duty as a human being and follow the laws as well as the universal laws. Doing things solely due to duty would be a hard task to manage. Trying to keep all outside feelings, emotions, urges, and influences out of a decision would be difficult. Kant’s beliefs of morality make it hard to categorize anyone’s choices as being morale.
Existentialism is the idea that existence comes before essence. An object is first thought up and has its purpose lined up for it before it is produced. Existentialists believe that the way each person chooses to live is in reality guiding the general people to live. Each person has the responsibility to make decisions that form the basis of what everyone else deems as being suitable or acceptable. They become social norms. The social norms are then what people live by. Kierkegaard is the “father of existentialism”. He believes that there is a higher power than the social norms themselves. Kierkegaard acknowledges that God is the one that ultimately decides what is right or wrong. The Christian beliefs are based around the idea that God is the holiest being and has divine power as well as purity to know what is right or wrong. This knowledge is passed on to people through the Bible’s parables and Jesus himself. The churches aim to stick to the moral beliefs shown to humanity through the Bible and Jesus. Kierkegaard believes that God’s ideas of what is right and wrong out way the ideas of the social norms. He also believes that a person with Christian faith has the ability to become who they really are through their faith and the choices they make. He thinks that a person must understand morality before they can choose to be faithful. Kierkegaard based his ethics on the fact that God is the ultimate judge of values. Christians live in a similar way. They also believe that God is the judge of what is right and wrong. Existentialism is an idea that people create the social norms for others by making their personal choices. Kierkegaard's input to this was that God is present and the morals from God out way the social norms in society.
Kierkegaard’s idea of the way people should live is purely on following God. His beliefs strongly reflect the Christian religion. In knowing God and understanding His morals people should be able to live a life of virtue and knowing right from wrong. Kant believes that people should do good will, which is also acknowledged in the Christian religion. Kant also believes, however, that people should do things solely because it is their duty to do so. Kierkegaard’s beliefs rely more on the idea that people should do things the way God wants them to. God would rather people be sacrificing and not do things only if it is their duty to do so. They should do things to be nice and loving to others. Even though both philosophers share the Christian religion, Kierkegaard’s beliefs are more direct from Christian’s views. Kant does believe people should do good will and be kind to others; however, he wants them to do so because they have the duty of doing it. The duty and responsibility takes away from the love in which the person should be doing the good will.

7. Mill would want people to do what makes them happy. His ideal principle is the greatest happiness principle. He believes that the most important thing a person can do is promote happiness and stray from pain. Mill sees happiness as being a lack of pain and the presence of pleasure. His utilitarian beliefs are quite different from my own. I prefer to do God’s will and do things for others. He could argue that those things make me happy and give me pleasure. His utilitarian theory is that pleasure and happiness bring about goodness in people’s lives. It is the greatest good, in fact. He would tell me to do whatever it is that makes me happy. However, in the case that there is a situation that there are two pleasures and they must choose between the two he believes that the greater pleasure should be chosen. The pleasure that the majority prefer is the greater pleasure. People should promote the happiness of the general people as well as themselves. In doing what the general people want, by making them happy, that person to make them happy in turn becomes happy themselves. There is pleasure from making others happy. People feel good about themselves when they do something to make other people happy. The more pleasure people spread to others, the more pleasure they have with themselves as well. Mill would tell people that they are on the right track by doing things to make others happy; however they need to also do things for their own pleasure as well.
Epicurus says, “For the end of all our actions is to be free from pain and fear.” This means that in order for humans to be happy we must keep our bodies and souls pain and worry free. Epicurus believes that there is no gray area when it comes to pleasure and pain. If one is not in pain then they currently have pleasure. He argues this with the idea that there are two forms of pleasure. Moving pleasure is when you are currently satisfying your desire, and static pleasure is the feeling after the desire has been satisfied. Due to the lack of desire there is the greatest form of pleasure in static pleasure. Epicurus does not believe that everyone should be going around doing everything they desire. He instead believes that people should eliminate desire. When people only have natural and necessary desires it is easier to satisfy your desires and therefore it is easier to have pleasure. In dealing with the future worries Epicurus tries to tell people that death should not be something that is feared. If people are living in fear of dying they are living with pain. He argues that due to the fact that once you die you no longer exist; death does not affect the living or the dead. By not fearing the future people are able to have pleasure.

8. Thus far, my favorite philosopher is Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard’s beliefs reflect the Christian ideas. I, myself, am a Christian and believe that people should follow God’s will and the Bible. People should do good will towards others and be more selfless. They should treat others with love and kindness. In doing so people would live moral lives and live a life full of virtue. Kierkegaard believes that in knowing God and understanding His morals people should be able to live a life of virtue and knowing right from wrong. I try to live my life with this idea. I learn my morals through God and the Bible. Kierkegaard’s belief is that a person with Christian faith has the ability to become who they really are through their faith and the choices they make. In knowing God a person is able to use morals and a good life.