Machiavelli as a Humanist - 1886 Words

A humanist is defined as one who is concerned with the interests and welfare of humans. Niccolo’ Machiavelli can be thought of as a humanist. Although opinions on this differ greatly depending on whom you speak with. Machiavelli’s life consists of so many examples and lessons that he has learned throughout his life. Through my paper, I intend to examine his perception of morality based on his political writings and life experiences. Niccolo’ Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469 and died in 1527. Although we do not know much about his early life, we know that he was educated according to the humanist ideals of the Renaissance. He was trained at an early age by a latin teacher named Paolo da Ronciglione. He spent his youth in the†¦show more content†¦He used the term virtu’ in his book â€Å"The Art of War† which is a dialogue on military affairs. It describes the great ability of a general who is able to adapt to various battlefield conditions as they present themselves. It is said that the most vilified of political thinkers is also the one of whom it has been said that he concentrated all his real and supreme values in what he called virtu’. 6 What he meant by this was that a prince would have to develop a different psychology than what he is used to. The â€Å"new† prince is â€Å"prepared to vary his conduct as the winds of fortune and changing circumstances constrain him and not deviate from the right conduct if possible, but be should be capable of entering upon a path of wrong doing when it becomes necessary†. 7 Some ninety years ago Villari said that Machiavelli always use the word virtue in the sense of courage and energy both for good and evil. To Christian virtue in its more general meaning, he rather applied the term goodness, and felt much less admiration for it than for the pagan virtue that was always fruitful of glory. 2 Although the political life of Niccolo Machiavelli is quite interesting when analyzing his views on government and religion, his personal life and experiences were equally a representation of him as a humanist. He was described by some as never offensive and possessing a genuine understanding of human weakness. Niccolo formed a quiteShow MoreRelatedMachiavelli: The Renaissance’s Anti-Humanist2452 Words   |  10 PagesDonation of Constantine, Niccolà ² Machiavelli projected his ideas of fraudulence into sixteenth century Italian society by suggesting that rulers could only maintain power through propaganda, as seen with the success of Ferdinand of Aragon in Spain circa 1490. Today, the coined term Machiavellian refers to duplicity in either politics or self-advancement. Unlike most philosophers of the sixteenth century, Machiavelli wrote from the perspective of an anti-Humanist; he criticized not only the ClassicsRead More Comparing the Secular Humanist, Machiavelli and th e Religious Humanist, Erasmus3218 Words   |  13 PagesComparing the Secular Humanist, Machiavelli and the Religious Humanist, Erasmus One can often identify a persons political, religious or cultural orientation by his or her reaction to certain words. A case in point is the expression secular humanism. For religious conservatives those words sum up much of what is wrong with contemporary society. Websters Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary gives several definitions for humanism, a word which made its appearance in 1832. The first is a devotionRead MoreComparing Machiavelli And The Prince902 Words   |  4 PagesDave Licause European History Machiavelli and the Prince Machiavelli is one of the greatest and most widely recognized humanist authors. Machiavelli received a classic middle class renaissance humanist education. The Prince most apparent departure from the humanist narrative is the separation of politics and ethics. Machiavelli, in the Prince, creates the first modern political treatise. Machiavelli had an interest to practically deal with the creation of a new government in Florence by the Medici’sRead MoreAnalysis Of The Prince By Niccolo Machiavelli1192 Words   |  5 Pagesthere was a strive to modernize the world into human outlook which focused on the ability of humans to act and not blindly follow a religious plan. Humanists believed God had given humanity options and potential, and humanist thinkers had to act to succeed and make the most of this: it was a duty to be the best. Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian Humanist, wrote  The Prince  as a guide for his own prince, Lorenzo De Medici, to promote himself into the po litical arena of Italy. He analyzed power and theRead MoreMachiavelli And Humanism930 Words   |  4 Pageswhom he hopes to regain a political position after shifts in the unstable Florentine republic. Machiavelli argues that people, particularly political leaders, should have flexible moral codes so that they can bend them when necessary. For him, betraying allies or betraying one’s own beliefs is acceptable, even beneficial, because it aids in making tough political decisions to maintain power. Machiavelli would not feel the need to fully align with one societal group, like Dante did with the White GuelphsRead MoreThe Balance Of Rationality And Spirituality1241 Words   |  5 Pagesaffected Renaissance Europe on every level: individual, societal and spiritual thus it is the most crucial feature of this period. With such emphasis on the cultivation of man’s God given faculties, a new form of liberal study was thus part of this humanist impulse through a liberal education during the Renaissance. Petrus Paulus Vergerius outlined the power of man’s knowledge in affecting the world, which is a slight move away from the belief that fortune and God ordered the universe and indefinitelyRead MoreMachiavelli and Rousseaus Views on Human Nature and Government546 Words   |  3 PagesMachiavelli and Rousseau, both significant philosophers, had distinctive views on human nature and the relationship between the government and the governed. Their ideas were radical at the time and remain influential in government today. Their views on human nature and government had some common points and some ideas that differed. Machiavelli’s views were drastically different from other humanists at his time. He strongly promoted a secular society and felt morality was not necessaryRead MoreMachiavellis View on Human Nature Essay1454 Words   |  6 PagesMachiavelli’s View on Human Nature The author, Niccolà ³ Machiavelli, is different from other humanists in his time, because his view on the nature of man contradicts what most humanists believed. Humanists of that time believed that individuals played an important role to the well-being of the state, and that â€Å"†¦ they also believed in classicism’s basic tenet that human nature is inherently rational and good† (Western Humanities, pg. 343). Machiavelli, however, had a negative view on human nature and madeRead MorePetrarch and Machiavelli Essay809 Words   |  4 PagesThoughts on Ruling: Machiavelli VS. Petrarch In the fourteenth century, the humanist philosopher Francesco Petrarch wrote a letter entitled How a Ruler Ought to Govern His Sate. Nearly a century later, another philosopher by the name of Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a book about governing, The Prince. The two documents show many similarities in content and theme. While the two wrote in similar subject matter, it is clear that these philosophers possess distinctly different viewpoints on how a rulerRead MoreSir Thomas More s Utopia And Niccolo Machiavelli s The Prince1454 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"rebirth† was a cultural movement that accompanied the passage of Europe from the Middle Ages to modern times. Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian civic humanist, historian, diplomat, philosopher, politician, and writer during the Renaissance. He applied the values of the Renaissance to his political treatise, The Prince. Sir Thomas was an English lawyer, philosopher, statesman, and humanist during the Renaissance. He employed the ideals of the Renaissance to his Latin dialogue, Utopia. Both The Prince

Ethical Issues Of Drug Companies - 1923 Words

â€Å"It is immoral for the drug companies to charge large sums for drugs that are cheap to manufacture.† Discuss Some of the leading pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline make a large sum of profit from drugs that are cheap to manufacture, many see this as immoral and argue that these drug companies are making money at the expense of other peoples illnesses and are exploiting the most vulnerable in society, but some argue that its â€Å"business† and is ethical despite huge profits made by these drug companies. In this essay I will discuss if it is morally wrong for drug companies to charge large sums for drugs that are cheap to produce. In 2011 it was estimated that global spending on prescription drugs was around the region of $954 billion with the United States accounting for more than a third of the market. Many of these drugs companies have entered the market with the intention of making large amounts of profit rather than treating people. In 2012 the Food and Drug Administration which is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services approved 12 cancer drugs, 11 out of the 12 were priced above an astonishing $100,000 per a year, according to Macmillan there is an estimated 2.5 million people in the UK today who have had a cancer diagnosis, this is an increase of almost half a million in the previous five years. Which coincides with the price of cancer drug prices which have virtually doubled from a decade ago,Show MoreRelatedEthical Dilemmas Of A Drug Company s Regional Sales Manager1748 Words   |  7 Pagescan be hard to make a decision, especially when an ethical dilemma is in volved. Ethical dilemmas pose a challenge because there is good to be found with both choices. The problem arises when one’s personal ethics are challenged. This paper will discuss an ethical dilemma with which a drug company’s regional sales manager was faced. It will discuss: the case and explain the ethical dilemma; the four functions of management; ethical issues; ethical relativism; four values; case resolutions; and ChristianRead MoreEthics Of The Health Care Industry995 Words   |  4 Pagescornerstones of patient care. Making ethical decisions, being vigilant in the lack of ethical decision making, and being proactive in the reporting and advancement of ethical practices are important factors for marketing professionals such as physicians and other health care professionals to be wary of. Conduct by pharmaceutical representatives and ethical practices in the marketing of pharmaceutical drugs have been revamped over several decades by the Food and Drug Adm inistration (FDA), InternationalRead MoreDrugs and Ethics Essay example1150 Words   |  5 PagesEthics and law do not always go hand in hand. Not every law is ethical, and even if a law is considered ethical on its surface, it may result in unethical outcomes. Ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.† The pharmaceutical industry confronts several dilemmas every year. Most of these dilemmas revolve around money or whether or not to sacrificeRead MoreThere Was An Ethical Issue Which Arose In The United States1043 Words   |  5 PagesThere was an ethical issue which arose in the United States of America regarding Turing Pharmaceuticals messed up drug pricing (Timmerman 2015) that has gained a lot of attention in recent times. Ethics is the rules of conduct acknowledged in respect to a class of human actions or a group (Diffen 2016). Ethics is important as it affects not only the organization but the community and society at large (Spooner n.d.). This essay will discuss about how unethical Turing Pharmaceuticals acted in the caseRead MoreDrug And Alcohol Testing On The Workplace1663 Words   |  7 PagesDrug and Alcohol Testing in the Workplace Due: Monday Dec 1, 2014 COMM-220-F Rebecca Walsh By Brett Tate and Brandon Bracko November 17, 14 Introduction People often question drug and alcohol testing in the work place. It is a controversial subject that has a range of mixed emotions. But where do you draw the line when it comes to crossing the boundaries of prying into one’s personal life? This report will explain the legal, and ethical issues surrounding the topic of drug and alcohol testing inRead MoreThe Role Of Ethics And Differences For Nurses1613 Words   |  7 Pagesfor their patients’ health, nurses are not met with the same high demands as doctors. The modern practice of medicine raises a plethora of complex issues, medical, ethical and legal and while the nurses is primarily focused on the patient, the doctor has much more to consider. Representatives from Industry: Insurance Companies Insurance companies are responsible for selling health care plans to people. When individuals, employers, organizations, and/or unions enroll in a health care plan, theyRead MoreModule 3 Questions Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ 1. Are drug companies that test experimental drugs in foreign countries acting ethically? Drug companies that test experimental drugs in foreign countries are not acting ethically. Testing of experimental drugs should be done in the country where the drugs are being manufactured. The major ethical dilemma is that the foreign countries that these clinical trials are not fully educated on the risks and understand what they are getting themselves into. In the article, many things stood out thatRead MoreEthics779 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst (Weber, 2006). To keep their operations operating they must approach a duties-based ethical approach because the lives of their stakeholders are literally at risk. A religious ethical standard would mean not to falsely proclaim that a drug does something that it does not. An example would be to say that a drug would help you lose weight quicker without diet or exercise. Pharmaceutical companies claim that they approach ethics determined by outcome based ethics, meaning the greatest goodRead MoreEthical Issue in Pharmacy1618 Words   |  7 PagesEthical issues in the retail pharmaceutical industry: An analysis of the ethical dilemmas faced within Chaguanas Drug Mart Limited Abstract: The ethical duty of a pharmacy is to promote a patient’s best interest. However, certain obvious ethical issues will arise. Within any business involved in bulk purchasing the issue of unconscious theft will also occur. The following paper focuses on the application of ethical theories that supports as well as argues the behavior within Chaguanas Drug MartRead MoreThe Unprofessional Relationship between Medical Doctors and Pharmaceutical Companies1364 Words   |  6 Pages GlaxoSmithKline’s new policy is an improvement from the ethical standpoint because the relationship between the two parties are tainted and no longer a respectable relationship. This essay reviews the aspects conspicuous relationship between medical profession and drug companies, such as GlaxoSmithKline, and its future consequences. The purpose drug companies interact with doctors is to promote their medical product. For the companies to reach out to the medical doctors and leave a memorable

You Might Want to Do Some Introspection Free Essays

You might want to do some introspection. For each of the eight intelligences in the Howard Gardner list, think about your own level of talents and performance. For each intelligence, decide if you have an area of expertise that makes substantial use of the intelligence. We will write a custom essay sample on You Might Want to Do Some Introspection or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example, perhaps you are good at music. If so, is music the basis of your vocation? Students can also do this type of introspection, and it can become a routine component of PBL lessons. Students can come to understand that they are more naturally gifted in some areas than in others, but that they have some talent in all of the eight areas identified by Howard Gardner. Curriculum and instruction can be developed to help all students make progress in enhancing their talents in each of these eight areas of intelligence. Robert Sternberg Many teachers have provided testimonial evidence that PBL encourages participation on the part of their students who do not have a high level of â€Å"school smarts. They report that some of their students who were not doing well in school have become actively engaged and experienced a high level of success in working on projects. These observations are consistent with and supportive of the research of Robert Sternberg. As noted earlier in this chapter, different researchers have identified different components of intelligence. Sternberg (1988, 1997) focuses on just three main components: Practical intelligence–the ability to do well in informal and formal educational settings; adapting to and shaping one’s environment; street smarts. Experiential intelligence–the ability to deal with novel situations; the ability to effectively automate ways of dealing with novel situations so they are easily handled in the future; the ability to think in novel ways. Componential intelligence–the ability to process information effectively. This includes metacognitive, executive, performance, and knowledge-acquisition components that help to steer cognitive processes. Sternberg provides examples of people who are quite talented in one of these areas but not so talented in the other two. In that sense, his approach to the field of intelligence is somewhat like Howard Gardner’s. However, you can see that Sternberg does not focus on specific components of intelligence that are aligned with various academic disciplines. He is far more concerned with helping people develop components of intelligence that will help them to perform well in whatever they chose to do. Sternberg strongly believes that intelligence can be increased by study and practice. Quite a bit of his research focuses on such endeavors. Some of Sternberg’s work focuses specifically on â€Å"street smarts† versus â€Å"school smarts. He notes that some people are particularly talented in one of these two areas, and not in the other. This observation is consistent with the work of Lev Vygotsky (Fosnot, 1996) who argues that the type of learning that goes on outside of school is distinctly different than the type of learning that goes on in school. While some students are talented in bo th informal and formal education, others are much more successful in one rather than the other. A teacher who is skillful in developing PBL can help students to design projects that are consistent with their learning abilities and interests. David Perkins In his 1992 book, Smart Schools, David Perkins analyzes a number of different educational theories and approaches to education. His analysis is strongly supportive of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Perkins’ book contains extensive research-based evidence that education can be considerably improved by more explicit and appropriate teaching for transfer, focusing on higher-order cognitive skills, and the use of project-based learning. Perkins (1995) examines a large number of research studies both on the measurement of IQ and of programs of study designed to increase IQ. He presents detailed arguments that IQ has three major components or dimensions. Neural intelligence. This refers to the efficiency and precision of one’s neurological system. Experiential intelligence. This refers to one’s accumulated knowledge and experience in different areas. It can be thought of as the accumulation of all of one’s expertises. Reflective intelligence. This refers to one’s broad-based strategies for attacking problems, for learning, and for approaching intellectually challenging tasks. It includes attitudes that support persistence, systemization, and imagination. It includes self-monitoring and self-management. There is substantial evidence to support the belief that a child’s neural intelligence can be adversely affected by the mother’s use of drugs such as alcohol and cocaine during pregnancy. Lead (such as from lead-based paint) can do severe neural damage to a person. Vitamins, or the lack thereof, can affect neural intelligence. Moreover, there is general agreement that neural intelligence has a â€Å"use it or lose it† characteristic. It is clear that neural intelligence can be maintained and, indeed, increased, by use. How to cite You Might Want to Do Some Introspection, Papers

Movie Review/World Trade Center free essay sample

World Trade Center Oliver Stone has done other movies that have been based on traumatic events in our history, ex. JFK, he used a somewhat different approach on this one. Most of his films deal with the whole story touching on most every event that occurred. In World Trade Center he centered on the true events that surrounded 2 survivors. What I knew about 9/11 was basically like a summery on a book cover, I had no details of the real people that such a tragic event happened to. John McLoughlin (Cage) and Will Jimeno (Pena) were 2 of the last survivors found alive, number 18 and 19 out of 20. The attention to these men was in detail although it did not go into great detail of the attack. It started as any normal day any of us would have, the alarm goes off, he gets up, checks in on the kids then gets coffee and out the door. His wife gave no clue that she was awake, no goodbyes. His work day at Port Authority started out typical as the initial attack began. The call came in for addition officers, with no details, a group of officers were sent to ground zero to rescue survivors. As they pull up in the bus, they see a victim lying on the sidewalk. McLoughlin (Cage) takes them to The North Tower, telling them to stay together, and partner up. This is when they see the confusion, and emotional turmoil of the people on the ground. They see people jumping from the building to escape certain death from the fire, smoke and dust that billowed from high above. Still not knowing the details, McLoughlin (Cage) asks for volunteers to enter the building with him. 2 Briefly hesitant, he got his volunteers; they set out to get supplies. As they were going in, wounded were walking out, there was an eerie silence among them. When they got supplies, they went in to look for survivors, the building collapsed. McLoughlin (Cage) was able to save 1 man, 2 were killed while he and Jimeno (Pena) were trapped under concrete slabs. The 1 man (Dom) that survived would not leave his friend, Jimeno (Pena). While trying to rescue him there was a rumble and Dom was impaled on a steel rod. The movie was shot now mostly of these 2 men trying to encourage each other while fighting off dehydration and going to sleep. McLoughlin (Cage) told Jimeno (Pena) not to go to sleep because he may not wake up. In and out of consciousness both men talked about their families, McLoughlin (Cage) older with 4 children and obviously having an existential crisis to begin with, he had questions about his relationship with his wife (e. g. , Crisis Intervention Strategies, Richard James). Jimeno (Pena) and his wife a young couple with one little girl and another on the way. During this time both men prayed, one to God and one to St. Peter. At one point Jimeno (Pena) fell asleep and dreamed Jesus brought him a little of water. During this the film switches to a retired Marine, Dave Karnes, at work. When he sees what is happening he gets his hair cut, his fatigues and goes to ground zero. As discussed in The Logistics of Responding to Crisis and Disaster, SUV’s (Spontaneous Unexpected Volunteers) are not encouraged but in this case it was a blessing. As he searched for something, he came across another Marine at ground zero after others had been pulled out because of darkness. Jimeno (Pena) had been pulling on a pipe, that’s when Staff Sargent Karnes heard them. It was not an easy process to get them out, Jimeno (Pena) was so worried about McLoughlin (Cage) dying before they got to him, he wanted his leg cut off. As they got Jimeno (Pena) out, McLoughlin (Cage) was in and out of consciousness, thinking about his wife. He asked her if he loved her good enough, he 3 told her that somewhere along the way they stopped looking at each other. This can happen when work, children and unfinished kitchens take over your life. He heard her telling him to wake up, he had to finish the kitchen, when he finally saw her at the hospital he told her she kept him alive. When they did get him out; there were hundreds of volunteers there to hand him down from the rubble. So there you have it, number 18 and 19 were out, with the massive amount of destruction it is a miracle any made it out. Initially, I think this fits the definition of a situational crisis (Crisis Intervention Strategies, Richard James p. 13) it certainly was an extraordinary event that was not random but shocking. I also feel it was an existential crisis for John McLoughlin (Cage) due to the fact he had questions about his life, his wife and their relationship. Steps to alleviate the crisis, teaching skills and ways to develop resiliency that I would use would be much improved communication. Communication among governments, departments and security could help alleviate some of this. Although signs point to the Bush Administration as having knowledge of something type of attack, I would hope no one had any idea something of this magnitude was about to hit innocent people. In the case of Donna McLoughin, she had been told that he walked out and waved to everyone but in reality he was still in the rubble. Facts and communication important, having well informed employees, with a well thought out plan, who know where to get the facts need to be part of training. Workshops, training from all aspects of disaster management should be part of employee training. Coping skills should be taught by educating victims on what can be expected, what is â€Å"normal† responses to a crisis of this nature. Common reactions would be shock, disbelief, fear and grief. Some may suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and may have flashbacks. Anger is also a normal reaction, some may want anger management classes. This can also apply to crisis workers 4 as well as victims of a crisis. Education in stress relief and coping would help prevent burnout. How can we develop resiliency, how can we bounce back from a difficult experience? The American Psychology Association says that resilience is not a trait; it can be learned and developed. In a traumatic event disempowerment and disconnection are often felt by victims, recovery can’t be done in isolation (Trauma and Healing, Judith Herman, M. D. ). By developing supportive relationships at home, at work and with friends the healing process will begin. Accept help when you need it, when you see someone who is in need, offer help. Remember that you can’t change events, but you can change how you react to it. Adapt to change and accept that it is a part of life. Don’t avoid problems, be decisive. Look after yourself, be positive and learn ways to let go of anger. Meditation is a good way to relieve stress and restore balance.