The Fall From Moral Perfection - 1442 Words

Ellen Jo Marrero Professor Lou Ann Trost Humanities Honors 1A 22 November 2016 The Fall from Moral Perfection Civilization, although a simple and natural state of mankind, is a triumph of mind over matter, of reason over instinct, and of the distinctly human over mankind’s animal nature. The concept of civilization is widely used to relate to a complex and advanced society, as well as ancient cultures that flourished centuries ago, which left a significant mark on how a society functions in modern times. In the context of early civilizations, the domestication of animal-like figures in the world’s history brought about impurity of thought and deed, while simultaneously paved the way for growth and advancement. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu’s transition from pure innocence to civilization after being tamed by Shamhat grants him the gift of growth and progress which enables him to have a refined sense of a full human experience in his short mortal life. Enkidu’s character functions as a mediating figure between the wilderness and the civilized city as he demonst rates the unharmonious relationship between nature and the individual. In the city, people indulge in unnecessary luxuries, often ignoring and damaging natural creations. On the other hand, however, those in the wilderness are constantly feared by the civilized with the preconceived notion that they are barbaric and animal-like. Created a wild man, Enkidu was more animal than man, therefore he was immune toShow MoreRelatedWhat Is A Good Life?1139 Words   |  5 Pagesstandard of living. Indeed, following austere morals and ethics may lead to an unsatisfying life. For instance, adopting Singer’s approach to absolute morality, as outlined in â€Å"Famine, Affluence, and Morality† would pose a significant hindrance to one’s pursuit of a good life. An approach more conducive to a satisfying lifestyle is moral balancing, a phenomena described by Cornelissen et al in â€Å"Rules or Consequences? The Role of Ethical Mind-Sets in Moral Dynamics†. Ultimately, it is humanity’s chiefRead MoreThe Problem Of Evil And Moral Evil1093 Words   |  5 Pagesthe form of nature. Natural evil and moral evil are two different types of evil that take form and cause suffering to humans. Natural evil is â€Å"events and maladies in nature that bring suffering upon mankind and nature.† Natural evil can be difficult to explain because it does not seem likely that a tornado or hurricane is the result of a human acting in sinful ways. Moral evil has to do with the bad things people do to cause suffering. According to Reese, moral evil is â€Å"by the choice of human freeRead MoreAristotle s Views On God997 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent perspectives, distinguishing good from bad is extremely difficult. Aristotle was not religious, did not think god was compassionate, and did not believe one would meet god himself in the â€Å"life after death†. Aristotle believed that being virtuous was why one should be moral as Aquinas believed that a person should be moral since that is where god led life. Regardless of the combating views on god, both Aristotle and Aquinas agreed that one must be moral to be happy. Aquinas believed that a personRead MoreBenjamin Franklin Virtue Essay997 Words   |  4 PagesFranklin came up with the idea to make his life better by trying to be perfect in every way. This can otherwise be known as trying to reach a state of moral perfection, in which one could find themselves being happy with the life they live, and also living a pure, sinless life. It has come to be questioned if attempting to achieve moral perfection is a worthwhile goal. In the end of his experiment he ended up not being able to reach or achieve his goal but learned a very crucial, very valuable lessonRead More Eugenics: Breeding and Improving Human Genetics Essay1704 Words   |  7 Pagesdefining eugenics as the study of human genetics to improve inherited characteristics of the human race by the means of controlled selective breeding. Chapter 8 of Kitchers novel, Inescapable Eugenics, identifies past abuses of eugenics resulting from inaccurate, misleading information; abuses that include dominant groups using eugenics to discriminate against other undesirable groups. In 1933, the Nazis exercised eugenics as a direct way to rid individuals who were portrayed as unfit or inferiorRead MoreA comparison of Augustinian Theodicy and Irenaean Theodicy1499 Words   |  6 PagesThe problem of evil is a significant and enduring philosophical and theological debate. A question is often raised and discussed: if God is both all-loving and all-powerful, then how can evils-including natural evil and moral evil---exist in our world? In response to the charge that the evils of the world are incompatible with Gods omnipotence and perfect goodness, the wordtheodicy is coined to deal with the problem of evil. Usually it is an attempt to show that it is possible to affirm the omnipotenceRead MoreAnalysis Of Joseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1555 Words   |  7 Pageseach of the two men’s philosophies on humanity. Among Leibniz’s many conceptual principles is that of perfection vs imperfection, as he claims that no being is entirely flawed or completely ideal. Rather, we all posses varying magnitudes of perfection, except God, however, whom Leibniz believes to be the embodiment of infinite perfection. Continuing, Leibniz explains that man’s limited perfection causes a lack of good, in contrast to just an unequivocal evil, that consequently allows the ability forRead MoreThe Quest to Moral Perfection 1689 Words   |  7 PagesMorality: it is a term that is questioned at every corner of every day. The moral idea ranges from something small such as helping an old women cross the street, to the extreme such as the recent actions taken by politicians to limit public union rights in Wisconsin. Dictating the difference between right and wrong has been an issue that dates to the times before Christ, where the idea of moral perfection was used to determine one’s right of passage into heaven. It was not until Benjamin FranklinRead MoreChivalry Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight904 Words   |  4 Pagesknights from hundreds of years ago. Much like the courageous soldiers in these movies, Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, faced many conflicts that might have questioned his moral code of nobleness. Sir Gawain was a great knight that was loyal to King Arthur and had the courage to take on the challenge the Green Knight proposed at the beginning of the poem. The Green Knight asks for a brave knight to strike him and in a years’ time for the challenger to receive the strike back from him.Read MoreAnalysis Of Oscar Wildes The Picture Of Dorian Gray1118 Words   |  5 Pagesconscious and unconscious mind† (Myers 514). He focuses on the importance of the equal balance to avoid internal conflict, as well as harm to others around a character. The id character contains distinct characteristics that are present from birth and derive from primal instincts. Although a character’s id cannot be influenced, because of the unconscious development, they are hugely influential towards others. In â€Å"The Picture of Dorian Gray†, Lord Henry takes on the role of the id character. He posses