Human Nature: Self-Interest & Altruism

Human Nature: Self-Interest vs. Altruism A debate encompassing human nature has carried on for centuries, and philosophers throughout history have provided a vast inventory of explanations they deem to be sufficient in understanding the perplex idea of human nature. A question commonly debated regarding human nature is determining whether human beings are naturally self-interested or altruistic. Political philosophers Bernard Mandeville and Francis Hutcheson specifically addressed this question, but each arrived at different conclusions based on personal observation and reasoning.Mandeville, influenced by Hobbesian thought, advocated the belief that human beings were naturally self-interested. Opposing the idea of self-interest, Francis Hutcheson attacked Mandeville’s notion and reasoned that human beings were inherently altruistic. Although both sets of ideals originated in the early 18th century, both can be utilized to infer about current events and situations (Tannenbaum & Schultz, 2004). Dutch political philosopher Bernard Mandeville, author of The Fable of the Bees or Private Vice Publik Benefits, attacked a common notion for the time that human beings were naturally altruistic.Mandeville believed that humans were naturally self-interested while most thought of altruism as virtuous and self-interest as vice. He stated that empirical evidence supporting human altruism was non-existent, and it is selfish actions that benefit society. Society that runs on altruism and benevolence is a stagnant society that fails to progress. In Mandeville’s The Fable of the Bees, he emphasizes that when people seek self interests, comforts and pleasures, society inevitably progresses with occurences of new inventions and a circulation of capital.According to Mandeville, a benevolent society is an honest one, â€Å"but if they would likewise enjoy their Ease and the Comforts of the World, and be at once opulent, potent and flourishing† as well as a self-i nterested society, it is likely impossible (Kaye, 1989). Likewise, a self-interested society experiences invisible cooperation, in which greed leads to cooperation if property is sufficiently channeled. The Fable of the Bees is also considered a political satire of England during the time, and Mandeville describes a society having virtues along with ontent and honesty. The society mentioned lacks self-love, a Hobbesian idea that Mandeville emphasizes as a barrier to progress. Virtues held by such a society are hypocrisy that arise from a selfish desire to be superior. While Mandeville concludes his essay with statements expressing that the purpose of his essay was not to directly oppose Christian values, he states that modern honor â€Å"bids you bear injuries with patience†, but religion â€Å"tells you if you don’t resent them, you are not fit to live† (1989).Finally, Mandeville concludes his thoughts rejecting altruism, and emphasizes that â€Å"the seeds of every passion are innate to us, and nobody comes into the world without them† (1989, 2004). A political philosopher during the Scottish Enlightenment, Francis Hutcheson opposed Mandeville’s Hobbesian view that humans are naturally self-interested. He advocated the notion that human beings are naturally altruistic and benevolent. While declaring these attributes as factual about human nature, Hutcheson also stressed the importance and success such qualities have on society.He believed humans are endowed with a â€Å"moral sense†, or derive pleasure from witnessing someone else perform a benevolent act and in turn have a desire to do the same. This â€Å"moral sense†, as Hutcheson describes, is a human being’s natural inclination of pursuing happiness. Hutcheson, a major contributer to the advancement of utilitarianism stated that, â€Å"regarding the pleasurable and painful consequences of actions as morally significant† provided the â€Å"f ormula that that action is best which procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers† (Peach, 1971).He divides what he refers to as â€Å"exciting reasons† and â€Å"justifying reasons† into functionality. He considers exciting reasons as merely an appeal to self-interest, and â€Å"have nothing to do with moral justification† (1971). Differentiating, justifying reasons â€Å"establish the virtue, moral goodness, or moral obligations of actions† (1971). This reasoning explains his opposition to Mandeville’s view that moral distinctions derive from self-interest, and declares these distinctions as undoubtedly self-determining.The basis of Hutcheson’s theory expresses that the â€Å"moral sense† tends to be consistent as long as it is not interfered with. Interfering forces such as â€Å"ignorance, mistaken belief, prejudice, or the like† are corrected and addressed by reason (1971). He concludes his statements wi th an underlying theme which states â€Å"the benevolent one is reasonable and the malicious unreasonable†, based on the approval and disapproval of one’s moral sense (1971, 2004). Although both philosophers theorized about human nature more than two centuries ago, opposition and advocation for both is seen throughout current events.For example, Mandeville’s views can be advocated by the constant confrontation between the Israelis and the Arab world, more specifically the Palestinians. Neither side will relent to the interests of the other, viewing altruism with the other as being a weakener of their own state. If the Israelis recognize Palestine as a legitimate state, they lose both land and resources, while also fearing further invasion and conflict within Israel. Numerous negotiations and attempted treaties have failed, because neither side ultimately recognizes sufficient advantages to their own state if they comply.While this situation conflicts with Hutche son’s view, a current example advocates it. Disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and 9-11 have sparked a numerous amount of community benevolence. Countless organizations and people have joined together to help those affected in the disasters recover. Hutcheson would most likely state that such expressed benevolence for others is the result of their â€Å"moral sense†, while Mandeville would describe it as merely human beings seeing an advantage for themselves by joining such an organization; possibly honorable recognition or status improvement.Clearly seen, support and opposition for both Mandeville’s and Hutcheson’s theories has divided thought on this issue still today (2004). References Kaye, F. B. & Mandeville, B (1989). The Fable of the Bees. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Classics. Peach, B (1971). Illustrations on the Moral Sense. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Tannenbaum & Schultz (2004). Inventors of Ideas. Belmont, CA: Wads worth/Thomson Learning.

Environment and Animal Rights - Contrast and Compare

Environment and Animal Rights - Contrast and Compare Updated and Edited by  Michelle A. Rivera,  Animal Rights Expert for About.com  May 16, 2016 The environmental movement and the animal rights movement often have similar goals, but the philosophies are different and sometimes cause the two camps to oppose each other. The Environmental Movement The goal of the environmental movement is protect the environment and use resources in a sustainable manner. Campaigns are based on the big picture - whether a practice can continue without harming the balance of the ecosystem. The environment is important as it affects human health, but the environment is also, in itself, worth protecting. Popular environmental campaigns include protecting the Amazon rainforest from deforestation, protecting endangered species, reducing pollution, and fighting climate change. The Animal Rights Movement The goal of the animal rights movement is for animals to be free of human use and exploitation. Animal rights is based on a recognition that non-human animals are sentient and therefore have their own rights and interests. While some activists work on single issue campaigns such as fur, meat, or circuses; the broader goal is a vegan world where all animal use and exploitation is eliminated. Similarities Between the Environmental and Animal Rights Movements Both movements recognize we must protect the environment. Both oppose unsustainable practices, and both seek to protect wildlife from habitat loss, pollution and climate change. These threats affect not only whole ecosystems but individual animals who will suffer and die if we continue to ignore environmental issues. We also often see environmental and animal rights groups taking the same position on an issue for different reasons. While animal rights groups oppose eating meat because it infringes on the rights of the animals, some environmental groups oppose meat eating because of the environmental devastation of animal agriculture. The Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club has a Biodiversity/Vegetarian Outreach Committee, and calls meat a Hummer on a Plate. Both movements also work to protect endangered animal species. Animal rights activists work to protect spotted owls because they are sentient beings, while environmentalists want to see individual spotted owls protected because the individuals are important for the survival of the species; and that species is important in the web of life. Differences between the Environmental and Animal Rights Movements Most animal rights activists also try to protect the environment, but if there is a conflict between environmental protection and the lives of individual animals, animal rights activists will choose to protect the animals because the animals are sentient and the rights of the individuals cannot be infringed to protect trees or a collective group. Also, environmentalists may not object if an activity kills or threatens individual animals without threatening the species or ecosystem as a whole. For example, some environmentalists do not oppose hunting or may even support hunting if they believe that hunting will not threaten the survival of the species. The rights and interests of individual animals are not a concern to some environmentalists. However, hunting cannot be considered acceptable to animal rights advocates because killing an animal, whether it is for food or trophies, infringes on the rights of the animal. This applies whether or not the species is endangered or threatened. To an animal rights activist, the life of a single animal matters. Similarly, environmentalists often talk about conservation, which is the sustainable use of a resource. Hunters also use the word conservation as a euphemism for hunting. To animal rights advocates, animals should not be considered a resource. This difference in philosophies causes People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to refer to the World Wildlife Fund as the Wicked Wildlife Fund. WWF is not an animal rights group, but works to conserve nature. According to PETA, WWF has demanded more animal testing of genetically modified organisms before they are approved for human consumption. To WWF, the potential threat of GMOs to the environment and to human health outweighs the lives of animals who are used for GMO safety testing. Animal rights advocates believe that we cannot exploit animals in laboratories by conducting GMO testing, or in any other testing, regardless of the possible benefits. According to PETA, WWF also does not oppose the killing of seals for fur, since they do not believe that the practice threatens the survival of the seal population. Wildlife While the deaths of individual animals are not usually considered an environmental issue, environmental groups do sometimes get involved in non-endangered wildlife issues. For example, some environmental groups work to protect all whale species, even though some whale species - such as minke whales and Brydes whales - are not endangered. The protection of large, iconic animals like whales, panda bears and elephants will probably always be championed by some environmental groups regardless of their survival status due to the popularity of these animals, which gives them a high profile.

A Guide to Business Letters Types

A Guide to Business Letters Types There are a number of types of business letters in the English language. Accomplished English speakers should be able to write the following types of business letters to be successful in business. Its helpful, to begin with, gaining a clear understanding of business letter writing basics. Once youve understood the basic layout styles, standard phrases, salutations, and endings, you should continue to improve your business letter writing skills by learning to write the following types of business letters. Do you know what type of business letter you need for a task? Making an Inquiry Make an inquiry when you are requesting more information about a product or service. The inquiry letter tends to include specific information such as product type, as well as asking for further details in the form of brochures, catalogs, telephone contact, etc. Making inquiries can also help you keep up with your competition. Use this letter template to ensure you receive a prompt reply. Sales Letters Sales Letters are used to introduce new products to new customers and past clients. Its important to outline an important problem that needs to be solved and provide the solution in sales letters. This example letter provides an outline, as well as important phrases to use when sending out a wide variety of sales letters. Sales letters can be improved through the use of personalization in some means in order to ensure attention. Replying to an Inquiry Replying to inquiries are one of the most important business letters that you write. Successfully replying to an inquiry can help you complete a sale or lead to new sales. Customers who make inquiries are interested in specific information  and are excellent business prospects. Learn how to thank the customers, provide as much information as possible, as well as make a call to action for a positive outcome. Account Terms and Conditions When a new customer opens an account it is essential to inform them of account terms and conditions. If you run a small business, it is common to provide these terms and conditions in the form of a letter. This guide provides a clear example on which you can base your own business letters providing account terms and conditions. Letters of Acknowledgment For legal purposes, letters of acknowledgment are often requested. These letters are also referred to as letters of receipt and tend to be rather formal and short. These two examples letters will provide you with a template to use in your own work and can be easily adapted for a number of purposes. Placing an Order As a business person, you will often place an order. This is especially true if you have a large supply chain for your product. This example business letter provides an outline to make sure your order placement is clear so that you receive exactly what you order. Making a Claim Unfortunately, from time to time it is necessary to make a claim against unsatisfactory work. This example business letter provides a strong example of a claim letter and includes important phrases to express your dissatisfaction and future expectations when making a claim. Adjusting a Claim Even the best business may make a mistake from time to time. In this case, you may be called upon to adjust a claim. This type of business letter provides an example to send to unsatisfied customers making sure that you address their specific concerns, as well as retain them as future customers. Cover Letters Cover letters are extremely important when applying for a new position. Cover letters should include a short introduction, highlight the most important information in your resume and elicit a positive response from your prospective employer. These two examples of cover letters are part of a larger section on the site providing all the information you will need on taking an interview in English during your job search.

Case studyfinish 3 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Case studyfinish 3 questions - Essay Example ons produce cola and take some piece of the overall industry," said Lu Dong, leader of the Peking office for Wahaha Group, the Hangzhou-based guardian organization. So is this the worlds first enthusiastic cola? "On the off chance that one has an energetic feeling, perhaps one beverage Future Cola. Anyway if one does not drink Future Cola, it doesnt mean one is not energetic," said Ms Lu. For the present it is a Chinese David against the multinational Goliaths. Anyway the endeavor by a household organization to test the presence of remote brands takes after a pattern as of recently seen with other purchaser items, for example, Lucky Polaroid film (pitched against Kodak) and Li Ning sportswear (the closest thing to a neighborhood Nike or Adidas). As per figures from the Chinese Beverage Industry Association, the deals volume of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in China has hopped five fold since 1992, with 1.36 million tons of the two beverages sold a year ago. This makes Future Cola yet a teaspoon in the sea of cola beverages, with most extreme processing around a twentieth of its joined together two major opponents deals. In any case Wahaha is not by any means the only Chinese sodas organization that is attempting to rival the multinationals. Fenhuang Cola and Lechen Cola are two other Chinese cola items being advertised this middle of the year. While Wahahas Future Cola is the one attempting to offer itself on patriotism, promotions helpfully overlook the way that the organization is 51 for every penny claimed by the French organization Danone and a Hong Kong venture organization. Anyway Ms Lu claims it likewise coddles Chinese palates: "We make the taste more suitable for Chinese. We made a business sector overview. Coca-Cola is a bit excessively solid in taste, so we make Future Cola some more tender." A "modest" measure of Chinese solution was incorporated for its taste however, much the same as Coca- Cola, the formula is "mystery," she included. Still, the most

Issues That Lead to the Recession Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Issues That Lead to the Recession - Term Paper Example What are the correct investments in a recession and the revised policies and procedures put into operation by the government to combat recession. Thirdly, this report will discuss the impact of the recession and the lessons learnt from it. Definition of Recession â€Å"The NBER does not define a recession in terms of two consecutive quarters of decline in real GDP. Rather, a recession is a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales.†(Business†¦.) â€Å"A significant decline in activity across the economy, lasting longer than a few months. It is visible in industrial production, employment, real income and wholesale-retail trade. ... With the steep rise in the unemployment levels, the government is obliged to extend unemployment benefits to a wider section of the society. Higher borrowing leads to higher taxes and additional interest payments in the future. As shares turn unattractive, the prices begin to dip. Lower profitability and lower dividends create a depressive mood for the investors and they look out for alternative sources of investment. The fall in share prices continues in anticipation of recessionary trends prolonging. But this is only the initial phase. When recession is at its hardest phase, the developments take a strange turn. In anticipation of economic recovery, share prices begin to recover, as the prudent investor calculates that it is the favorable time to invest from the point of view of long term gains. Falling prices of shares may be due to various other factors as well, not alone recession. The normal reaction to recession is that it should result in a lower inflation rate. The highlight of recession is it reduces demand and wage inflation. The issue to be examined is what economic factors impact the recession hard. The current recession is due to rise in oil prices. The expert opinion about this inflation is, it is bound to reduce demand, will result in price wars, as the firms will make all-out efforts to retain consumers. The scenario of falling investments takes volatile shape and hampers economic growth. The vicious circle begins. The slowdown in the growth rate, with the economy expanding with a slower pace, may result in substantial fall in investment. Fall in employment opportunities is the most feared factor during recession. The demand for labor takes a down turn. Not all sectors are impacted hard in equal measure

Migrant Workers in North America Research Proposal

Migrant Workers in North America - Research Proposal Example Migrant labor in different forms is found in North America, South Africa, India, Western Europe, and the Middle East. In both the Middle East and Europe, migrant labor habitually has been employed for urban instead of agricultural work and entails prolonged durations of residence (Foner, 2001). In contrast, in Northern America, migrant work is inclined for agricultural work, largely during times of harvest. The necessity for agricultural migrant labor develops from the cyclic nature of yielding (Williams, 2004). Problem Statement The purpose of this study is to highlight the status of migrant workers in North America. Despites migrant labor patterns being present in different parts of the globe, not any can be compared with the magnitude and extent of the labor patterns in the United States. Migrant laborers may be moved to their work areas by a contractor who is charged with the responsibility of supplying the farm owners with the required workers or the migrant laborers may go to t he farms by themselves (Frum, 2000). Therefore, this study will investigate all aspects of migrant workers in North America (Hanson, 2006). Significance This study should be conducted so as to help people become familiar with the topic of migrant workers on North America. ... Nevertheless, during the period of 18th and 19th centuries, when slaves were set free and the slave trade was outlawed, workers from the foreign areas started to be recruited to compensate for the need for low-priced labor (Wright, 2003). In addition, there were a large number of sources for cheap workforce. Laborers from China were among the first people to be transported to North America in considerable numbers. Nevertheless, the federal administration restricted movement migration from this area with the 1882, Chinese Exclusion Act. During the start of the 20th century, individuals from the Philippines and Mexico started to enter North America to work in the farms as cheap laborers. In addition, different sources of low cost agricultural labor in this period came from untrained European migrants (Borjas, 2007)Unlike Philippine, Mexican, or Chinese laborers who came to North America purposefully to provide cheap labor in farms, European migrants did not come to North America to pre cisely work as laborers (Zimmermann, 2005). Nevertheless, they were employed as laborers in these farms. In addition, numerous a large number of Chinese, European, Philippine, and Mexican immigrants who moved to North America as laborers did so with the objective of finally buying their own lands and farms. Nonetheless, because of the complexity encountered in getting sufficient capital, this objective was frequently not attained. Literature Review In the Northern part, migrant labor travels regularly from south to north after the harvesting period, while in the Southern part migrant labor moves from north to south after harvest. The majority of agricultural laborers travel in well

Health Care Reform 2010 Health And Social Care Essay

Health Care Reform 2010 Health And Social Care Essay US healthcare system was inefficient despite of spending 15% of GDP during 2006 which was more than three times than in 1960. Ten years back, the health care system of USA was announced to be broken and in future it didnt improve. Managed care did not make visible the fixes promises. The rates of premium are increasing. The irritation of patients as well physicians flourish. The study shows that about 45 million people in Americans are still uninsured. In the coming future, these issues will get worse and new challenges will come on the screen. New technology is making place and it is making the things efficient, but the cost of treatment as well new test is higher then before.  Doctors are making the lives of people lengthy so now more people require the medical treatment then before. As the age of baby is increasing so they are demanding the better treatments. Owing to the increased cost, employers will not accept the status quo. Sp they exclude the benefits for new hiring. Others might leave the business of insurance business completely and will contribute only to cover the costs but will not give coverage by themselves. The number of uninsured people in America will increase because of these changes. Disenfranchised middle  class will rise in results of these changes. Employers will go for and favor this modification. The health care system of American splits the population into two groups first is insiders and second is outsiders. Insiders are those who are insured and they have good insurance so they get everything modern. No matter hoe expensive the medicine and treatment is. Outsiders are those who have poor insurance plan or nothing at all. They receive very little out of their insurance plans. About 47 million Americans are uninsured and the number is growing day by day. Insurance companies currently deny covering people with pre-existing conditions. People who have severe medical conditions like AIDS, cancer and other such diseases were not covered by the insurance companies. These people are at high-risk and thats why not covered by companies. Major employers are cutting their costs in healthcare spending to compete in the global challenging market.  [2]  Employers are denying paying insurance premiums to these workers due to high premiums and the current economic situations. Employers are shifting the economic burden towards the employees like deductibles and co-pays. Almost half of the bankrupt people are due to the high medical costs and this cost is directly or indirectly affects the economy. Hence, government has to pay more. One more problem in the current system that doctors are not paid according to their service quality. Doctors are paid very less as compared to other countries of globe like in United Kingdom, doctors are paid for 95% while in US only 30%. Lot of people even did not go to doctor due to high costs of tests, treatment or follow-up after the treatment. These higher costs associated with healthcare also stopped Americans visiting physician regularly for checkup. Also doctors do not know the history of patients due to not visiting them regularly. Americans also have high ratio of chronic diseases. This is also leads to more spending on healthcare and its availability to poor people. United States is the only country among the developed countries whose all citizens do not have access to its citizens except South Africa  [3]  . Medicare and Medicaid are two of government programs which provide medical as well as health related services to the specific group of people in USA. Both of them are different but are managed by the centers of Medicare and Medicaid which is a division of US Department of Health and Human Services. Medicaid is a program which includes means tested health and medical services for specific individuals and families who have low income and limited resources. It is primarily looked after at federal level, but each stat develops its own standards like eligibility standards; determines the amount, type, period and scope of the services; setting the rate of payment for services; administers its own Medicaid programs. As mentioned above that States is the final decision authority of planning of service which will be provided under their Medicaid program. But there are some necessary requirements which must be matched by the States to receive funding from Federal. Following are the mandatory services: Impatient and Outpatient hospital services Prenatal care Children Vaccines Service of Physician Facility of Nursing services for individuals aged 21 or older Services of Family planning with supplies Rural health clinic services Home health care for persons eligible for skilled-nursing services Laboratory and x-ray services Pediatric and family nurse practitioner services Nurse-midwife services Federally qualified health-center (FQHC) services and ambulatory services Early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment (EPSDT) services for children under age 21 Besides the above, the states can add more 34 optional approved services and can receive the Federal matching funding. Although each state has the authority to set the eligibility criteria for getting the Medicaid services but basically the program has been started to help the people with low income. Other requirements may include age, pregnancy, disability, other assets and citizenship. Medicaid does not pay money to the individuals. Medicaid program works like a program provide treatment to the individuals and gives payment to the health care providers. State makes the payment while states receive reimbursement from Federal Government. Medicare is a Federal health program of insurance. It pays for elderly and certain disabled Americans to hospitals and medical care. The program is divided into 4 parts: Part A, B, C and D. But two main parts for hospitals and medical insurance are Part A B. Part A may be known as Hospitals Insurance, pays for the hospital stays and it includes meals, supplies, semi private rooms and testing. It also pays for home health care. Part B which is known as Supplementary Medical Insurance. It pays for physicians visits, home health care costs, outpatient hospitals, and other services for aged and disabled. It covers durable medical equipments, certain vaccinations, blood transfusion, lab and diagnosis tests, X-rays, chemotherapy, hormonal tests and eyeglasses. Part B requires a certain premium which caries each year. Part C is also known as Medical Advantage Plan because it allows the users to design a custom plan that can be more helpful and align to the needs of their medical needs. Part D includes the prescription drug plan. It is administered by one of many private insurance companies. Eligibility for Medicare requires a US citizen or continuous 5 years legal resident of US must be at least 65 years old or under 65 and disables or any age person with End Stage Renal Disease. Payroll taxes which are collected through Federal Insurance Contributions Act and Self Employment Contributions Act are the major elements of funding for Medicare. US healthcare reforms bill 2010 will cost $940 billion over the period of ten years.  [4]  This bill will cover 32 million American people who are uninsured. Health Insurance can be purchased through state-based exchanges and financial subsidy will be offered to the income below 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level in US. Tax relaxations will be offered to the small business to purchase employee insurances. People who are availing subsidies will not be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and also for employer covered insurance. New tax will be imposed in 2012 at rate of 3.8 percent on income of families making over $250,000 per year. Insurance reforms will be introduced and insurance companies wont deny to the people and children with pre-existing conditions. Medicaid will expand to include 133 percent of the poverty level in United States. In 2014, everyone must purchase a insurance or face the annual fine fees. Employers who have more than 50 employees must provide insuranc e to their employees or face a fine on the basis of per worker. Illegal immigrants can not avail insurance even if they pay their own money. Abortion insurance will be paid by private money and it will not be subsidized by federal or tax payer funds. Republican offered an alternative program on the basis of four common-sense reforms which can be afforded by people of US named as Common-sense healthcare reform. It includes that all businesses and families can buy insurance across US. The second point is that individuals, small businesses and trade associations can acquire insurances at lower costs by combine efforts. It also allows states to lower costs by creating innovative reforms. The last reform is to finish the lawsuits which must be obeyed by doctors because of getting sued by Police. This will end the high cost tests and other procedures which are actually not required by the patients.