1. What is right
In the story "Abandon Ship" we need to exam the choices of the first officer, Alec Holmes, as the lives of the survivors on the lifeboat were put in his hands. We need to ask ourselves if the decisions that he made were in the best interest of those on board or even his own life. We may also ask ourselves if the decisions he made followed the philosophy that of a utilitarian or that of a Kantian. .
Alec was faced with many hard decisions that not only determined his life but those around him as well. To better understand the choices that Alec made we need to first look at the situation. Alec was put in charge of the lifeboat because the luxury liner, far from land, had exploded and sunk extremely quickly. When the captain of the ship died from fatal wounds and transferred his command of the lifeboat to Alec, he commanded Alec to, "Save as many lives as you can". We also must realize that Alec knew that the S.O.S had not been sent. So even though he was hopeful that help would come, the chances of that happening were slim. With all of these points in mind we must come to a understanding that Alec had many hindrances in his decision making process.
Based on Alec's decisions, one can rule out the use of utilitarianism philosophy. Alec decided that because the S.O.S call had not been made that he would need to row the lifeboat to the coast of Africa about fifteen hundred miles away. The officer also knew that he needed to lose some of the dead weight on board so he had to put all the dead and injured into sea. If Alec was a utilitarian he would have realized that throwing the injured overboard no matter what his good intentions, would cause him to be put on trial for the deaths of those people he had thrown overboard. In this case Alec really was put on trial for the lives of the men that he had thrown over board. .
Did he deserve to be put on trial for the lives that were lost? Was it the most civilized thing to do since the lifeboat was saved? In the views of a Kantian philosophy, yes it was the right decision because Alec made his decision based on good intentions.
What is right and what is wrong? Who decides what is right and what is wrong? ... Stage two shows people beginning to be overcome by a sense of right and wrong. ... What if Isaac didn't become the great ruler that Abraham had foreseen, what if it was his purpose to be sacrificed to God? ... The resulting pain is in fact proof to Abraham that his choice although not what God asked of him was the right one. ...
What is the right thing for me to do? ... Conviction and self-interest do not usually suffice in determining what is right or wrong. ... But who or what is a "good judge" of what is right? ... So self interest plays a major role in what one believes is the right thing to do. ... Ayer has a very neutral approach to philosophical views of what is the right thing to do. ...
What is the right thing for me to do? ... Conviction and self-interest do not usually suffice in determining what is right or wrong. ... But who or what is a "good judge" of what is right? ... So self interest plays a major role in what one believes is the right thing to do. ... Ayer has a very neutral approach to philosophical views of what is the right thing to do. ...
The price of doing what's right. ... The entire story focuses on deciding who's right. ... The fact is, Antigone did the right thing. ... Unless, they are rebelling against a absolutism; and this is precisely what Antigone was doing. ... The morals that Antigone had instilled in her since the day of her birth are what caused her to rise above Kreone's tyranny. ...
I was asked to speak on having the courage to choose the right. ... When making decisions, it is important that we have the courage to choose the right. ... The definition of courage itself is "to not be afraid and to have strength when doing that which is right.... They had the courage to choose the right. ... In closing, I would like to challenge each of you to have courage and choose the right. ...
The piece of paper and steel around the third finger of the left hand are merely outward societal symbols of what a couple feels. ... After all, if you see each other everyday what is there to talk about or to do that you have not done day after day? ... Right would rather mow the yard while Mr. Right does the cooking. ... What the individual couple ultimately decides will depend on where in the relationship they are and if they are ready for the responsibilities. ...
I must know the right time to voice my opinion and the most effective way to do it. ... Yeah, that's right, I have a dialect. ... I use what some would call slang which should not be confused with ebonics. ... So who is there to say that the change in the English language right or wrong? ... What is right about slang is that we, as sovereign people and the right to sovereignty can speak any way we want, but what is wrong with it is that it can corrupt the English language as a whole and make it harder for others to switch back to speak and write in the Standard English....
Is it all right? ... So what's the problem? Americans have the right to freedom of speech under the first amendment. ... There is a fine line as to what is acceptable and what is illegal, sick and immoral. ... It is you right to keep these types of people away from children because pornography is not all right. ...