Oops, almost forgot...
Tonight: comment below, addressing one (or both!) of the following questions (from p. 37 in the text):
3. If everything in the universe were to grow proportionally one-thousand times larger, would we be able to detect it?
4. Does one have the obligation to be a hero? Does one have the obligation to be a saint? Discuss whether of not the needs of others should always be put before one’s own.
Bonus points for the first to correctly identify the branch of philosophy each question deals with.
3 days ago
If everything grew larger at the same time, with the same rate, then we would most likely not detect it, since sixe is a relative thing. It is unlikely that we would, for example, be able to see better with bigger eyes, since the size of the photons hitting them would be proportionaly larger, so our eyes would collect the same amount of light. This question would fall under the category of Onthology (I think). I don't know if obligation is the word I would use, but I think everyone should strive to put others before themselves. However I don't think that giving you life to save other people, as in the example of the soldier, is always the right thing. What if there were people who were counting on that soldier for something, or what about that soldier's family? By taking himself out of the world that soldier could have potentialy created more problems than if he had let his fellow soldiers die. This kind of thing is very case-by-case for me. I believe that this question represents the branch of Axiology.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea of the branches of philosophy that these questions are.
ReplyDelete3. If evrything grew 1000 times larger at the same time, there is no way that anybody or anything will be able to detect it. Everything would still be proportionate, so we couldn't see if we grew.
4. Some people do, but most people don't. Everybody strives to stand out of the crowd and be noticed as someone different. So people quest for individuality by being a hero, and some commit crimes or start riots to get noticed.
The need of yourself over someone else is basic survival instinct. Selflessness is considered a heroic trait by most. Selflessness helps you out in many situations, but at some point (e.i. giving away tons of money) is going to get you into a real sticky situation.
well they do say that in lots of animals, though they appear to be helping the comunity, they are just helping themselves, I think that helping the comunity can be helping yourself i.e. coefficient of relatedness (never thought I would use that vocab anywhere)...but then again, you may be onto something.
ReplyDeleteSince everything would grow we would probably not notice. If we were aware of the growing in the sense that we could feel it happening then we would definitely detect it. This I believe is philosophy of life. This next question is harder for me to answer because I'm still not sure on my standpoint on destiny versus freewill. I feel that heroes and saints are either destined to be such or are just too good to not be. But since I have yet to decide which option of those I believe in, I feel I can't answer this question.
ReplyDeleteSince size is all relative, we wouldn't know the difference. Chris put it really well, I can't really add to that...There's just no way we'd be able to tell.
ReplyDeleteAnyone can be a saint or a hero in their own way, but to put other people before yourself is very difficult to do.
ReplyDeleteNo one has to be and hero and nobody has to be a saint. Putting yourself before others is part of basic human survival instinct, our structured lives and advanced communication with others build our feelings up strong enough to overcome our basic instincts very rarely. I'm going to guess that this is a piece of Ethical Philosophy?
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have any particular duty to be a saint or hero. Each person has to make his own decisions and I doubt anyone would be scolded for not running back into the burning building. The only reason we praise the exceptional acts that define our saints and heros is because it is beyond the call of duty. I don't think that we would notice if everything in the universe was amplified 1000 times. There would simply be no way to detect this phenomenon. This could in fact be happening while we contemplate this.
ReplyDeleteI think that no one is obligated to be a hero, most of the time when someone becomes a hero they arent even trying to do it on purpose. It all depends on the persons personal view as whether or not they belive its worth it to put their life at risk for someone else. No one has to do it though.
ReplyDeletei agree with the position of greg and ben on the hero/saint question. noone is obligated to be anything. some people are meant to be heroes while others are not. they may have the potential to become a leader but not take advantage of it. it's how the social world works. although it may be too late to gain extra points, i believe this is an issue of ethics.
ReplyDeleteI think the only way we would notice if things were to grow proportionally larger it would be during the growing process. I think it might be possible to tell if your body was growing if you were conscious of your body. There would be no way to tell though because everything around you would be growing at the same rate.
ReplyDeleteI think people have the moral obligation to try and do what they think is right, but not necessarily to sacrifice everything to do so. The definition of hero, and saint are sort of subjective. Someone who saves a cat from a tree is a hero, but so is someone that saves thousands of people from dying a horrible death. I think people have an obligation to help people, but I don't think that their life needs to be dedicated to that.