DURING MANY MOMENTS OF OUR LIVES WE ASK OURSELVES A QUESTION THAT CONSISTS OF US WANTING TO KNOW .. WHY?
The 'bad' things that go on in our lives and in the lives of others have become a part of life. It is normal for us to turn on our television screens and see the destruction happening in various parts of the world, and even in our own backyards.
But the question once again arises.. WHY?
If you believe in an all powerful God, one that has the ability to stop all the evil in the world right at this instant, then then you understand why it is that asking WHY is this happening to me? is a valid question.
As the reading states, God not stopping all the evil in the world is what you can refer to as the
"PROBLEM OF EVIL"
When analyzing the Theistic point of view we see that there are 3 components to the our image of GOD.
the first one would be that 1. God is fully aware of what is going on in our lives
2. God is able to prevent all the evil in the world
3. and God WANTS to prevent all the evil in the world.
Looking around us we can see that the world is clearly with evil,
SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE IS NO GOD?
The theistic belief would have us think, that if there is a God that he doesn't care, or that he just does not exist.
--> Just as God is defined as the greatest being. Greater than anything imaginable, maybe his intelligence is also so complex that we will not be able to fully understand the reasons for his existence. Maybe, Gods plan is not for us to understand and we must simply wait in patience to see his plans unfold.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
#16 ENDS & MEANS
"THE END MAY JUSTIFY THE MEANS SO LONG AS THERE IS SOMETHING THAT JUSTIFIES THE END." -LE0N TR0TSKy, 1936
D0ES THE END JUSTIFy THE MEANS??
That is where this concept of Ends and Means comes in. An individual must be able to decide whether the choice made for the intended outcome, is the correct one.
Just as the readings said, the outcome of a decision can only ever be justified by the end. Regardless of the choice you make, the outcome is inevitably justified by the mere fact that you did essentially make the choice.
The book refers to two types of approaches when considering this topic.
Consequentialism & Deontology
A consequentialist would propose that to determine whether a choice you made is right or wrong, you must look purely at the consequences (or the end) . Everything is determined by the outcome, so therefore, that is the only thing that matters.
A deontologist would argue that the actions are not only the means to and end, but that the actions in themselves are right or wrong. Actions do not only influence the end, but also weigh heavily on the choice you are making, which will then influence the outcome.
We can then ask ourselves, what is it that determines whether something is right or wrong? How could we make decisions based on this concept if we do not ourselves know what right and wrong is?
D0ES THE END JUSTIFy THE MEANS??
Have you ever been put in a situation where you have two choices to make?, WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG? but both choices seem to result in something or someone getting hurt?
That is where this concept of Ends and Means comes in. An individual must be able to decide whether the choice made for the intended outcome, is the correct one.
Just as the readings said, the outcome of a decision can only ever be justified by the end. Regardless of the choice you make, the outcome is inevitably justified by the mere fact that you did essentially make the choice.
Consequentialism & Deontology
A consequentialist would propose that to determine whether a choice you made is right or wrong, you must look purely at the consequences (or the end) . Everything is determined by the outcome, so therefore, that is the only thing that matters.
A deontologist would argue that the actions are not only the means to and end, but that the actions in themselves are right or wrong. Actions do not only influence the end, but also weigh heavily on the choice you are making, which will then influence the outcome.
We can then ask ourselves, what is it that determines whether something is right or wrong? How could we make decisions based on this concept if we do not ourselves know what right and wrong is?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)