Racism in Philosophy of Hume and Kant Essay Example for Free

Racism in Philosophy of Hume and Kant Essay During the Age of the Enlightenment in European history there was high emphasis on the ideals of reason and individualism. Scientists and philosophers pushed reason as an ultimate guideline to reforming society and challenging its old traditions and faith. This was the philosophers’ attempts to further advancing our knowledge through scientific method. Things like skepticism and intellectual interchange were highly promoted during this period. The true way to gain rational thought was through the process of using logic to make tests and conclusions out of clear evidence rather than superstitious ideas. There are two important enlightenment thinkers, David Hume and Immanuel Kant who despite their high praise of reason and logic, share clearly racist views in their philosophies. Could these two enlightened thinkers actually be capable of contradicting their entire philosophy or could it just be pure ignorance? We are going to discuss what sort of racist views Hume and Kant share and how they possibly created the idea of racial differences. First we must discuss what the idea of reason truly is and what it has to do with human thought. Reason is ultimately what separates us human beings from animals. Animals physically cannot express reason. Reason is the mental capacity to be able to make sense of something. It is how we are able to apply logic to help create facts. Understanding of academics like math, science, and philosophy are attributes only humans possess. The ability to understand and appreciate art and beauty are examples of reason that animals have never shown. Animals may show desire for certain things, but that is not the same as appreciating the beauty of it. David Hume believes that all human beings share similar moral feelings. He does however believe that animals can feel sympathy which is one of the essential foundations of morality. Hume also believes that morality is entirely independent of religion and that morality is found deep in true human nature itself. He states that the belief in God is irrelevant to morality. This is similar to Immanuel Kant’s belief in human autonomy. He believes that human beings have their own free will and can think independently without being governed. Humans can be moral and free without the need of God’s divine support. Hume and Kant believe we have a right to faith but also in the possibility that it limits knowledge to make room for faith. They believe we can have faith in ourselves and be governed by reason rather than our animal impulses. The racism of Hume and Kant are most definitely reflected in their philosophic views. Hume believes in the idea of causation, which is the understanding between two events (one being the cause, the other being the effect) that the second event is always the consequence of the first event. Hume whole-heartedly believes that Europe is the model of all humanity and culture, that blacks are an inferior race. He considers their supposed inferiority to whites to be natural. He states that he has never witnessed any black manufacturers, artists, or scientists and that they are simply a barbaric breed of man. Hume falls into a fatal error of his own causality by saying that there is a causal relation between a person’s skin color and their intelligence. He is identifying that simply the color of one’s skin makes a constant difference between two races of men. This is horribly contradictory and morally wrong. Kant, despite all of his beliefs in that all humans can understand morality and reason, he singles out blacks as totally inferior in these very human attributes. Kant has actually dismissed a person’s statement and position as stupid without a moment of analyzing the content because the person was black. This is extremely contradictory to the sorts of logic and reason a true philosopher should have when regarding any human being whether white or black. The two philosophers show a huge lack in open-mindedness when it comes to anyone non-white. The supposed racial differences that Hume and Kant seem to believe there are have no real proof or logic behind them. This is truly ignorant of both Hume and Kant and it’s surprising that two important philosophers in history could actually believe in ideas that are so close-minded and completely illogical. There is simply no morality or rational thinking behind these false judgments. Kant stating that he has never seen black artists or scientists just sounds like he hasn’t looked beyond his backyard window. Although Kant does indeed believe that all humans are born free and that level of intelligence does not determine who deserves to be a slave to another. Despite this positive belief, he still believes blacks are inferior. As intelligent as their ideas of sharing knowledge for the advancing of mankind sound at first, it is truly sad that they are only speaking for one single race rather than ‘all’ human beings equally. Their racism does indeed cast much doubt on their Enlightenment understanding on what a person was. There should not be such a disregard for the possibility of equal opportunity among all human beings. Peoples’ idea of race is purely subjective and there really are no significant differences. The only true racial differences are geographical. Skin color has nothing to do with one’s mental capacity and ability. Works Cited Denis, Lara. Kant and Hume on Morality. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The Metaphysics Research Lab, Center for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI), Stanford University, 26 Mar 2008. Web. 7 Mar 2014. http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/kant-hume-morality/. Maduka, Enyimba. Racism and Philosophy. Racism, Philosophy, and African Thought . izuchukwu, 20 Apr 2005. Web. 10 Mar 2014. http://www. frasouzu. com/Issues and Papers/Enyimba Maduka etc on Racism, Philosophy and African Thought. pdf.

Macbeth Act 1: Plot :: essays research papers

Act 1 Plot:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the play first opens we hear 3 strange witches standing in a field while it is thunder and lightening. They begin to chant spells and talk about their meeting with Macbeth as they vanish into thin air. Not to far from the field, there is a battle taking place, the King of Scotland is there with some of his followers. The king is much to old to fight for himself, so he sends to hear how his army is doing. A badly injured soldier then returns from battle to tell Duncan how dreadfully bloody it is but how Macbeth saved the day by fighting and killing many of the rebels and their leader. The Thane of Ross soon arrives bringing more news about the Thane of Cawdor; he claims he is a traitor. Once Duncan learns that he has won the battle, he orders that the Thane of Cawdor be executed and killed leaving Macbeth to take over his place. Before Duncan had the time to reach Macbeth with the good news, the three witches approach him and Banquo. The greet Macbeth with three different titles: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King Hereafter, but this confuses Macbeth. Not only do the witches tell Macbeth his future, they also tell Banquo that although he will never be King, his children will be†¦ and then they vanish once again. As Banquo and Macbeth joke about the predictions, Duncan’s messengers interrupt them and tell Macbeth that he is now the Thane of Cawdor, he is no longer laughing about the witches and their predictions. Duncan also announces that his son, Malcolm, will inherit the throne, but his reaction was unexpected. At the same time, Lady Macbeth is at the castle reading a leader from her husband telling her about the witches, she’s willing to do anything to make Macbeth King.

The Ethnic Conflicts

Recent changes in American society have resulted in increasing number of minority students enrolling in colleges and universities. Differing views among these ethnic groups can sometimes cause conflicts for students of all races (Cozic 249). Some argue that students and universities benefit from these ethnic conflicts. Same time others believe that increasing racial diversity in American colleges and university has led to a decrease in the quality of education. People who support multiculturalism in universities believe that â€Å"students who can resolve conflict in racially diverse universities will be better prepared to succeed than students at universities that are more homogeneous†(Cozic 249). Conflict is expected, perhaps even healthy, in a social situation where people have different interests and compete for scarce resources (Duster 251). Some American schools are racially integrated, so â€Å"it is not surprising that students experience shock and tension when they arrive at their first experience of multiculturalism†(251). But shocks like this maybe a good preparation for future life. According to Duster, nowadays students are â€Å"far more competent, far more eligible, far more prepared than when this [Berkley] was an all-white university in 1950†³(252). Back in 1960s , when the campus was mainly white, almost every eligible student who applied to Berkley was admitted (252). But â€Å"when the United States changed its immigration laws in the 1970s, well-qualified candidates from China, Hong Kong, and Korea swelled the pool of applicants†(252). Suddenly, not everyone who was eligible could get in (252). The increasing number of minorities applying to universities created â€Å"increasingly ferocious competition at the same-sized admissions gate†(252). The media, so far has chosen to emphasize the beleaguered white student who has to adjust to affirmative action (252). Isn†t it a shame, stories imply, that these students are feeling uncomfortable in an environment that used to be their university (252). It isn†t theirs anymore (252). Since the demographics of the United States are changing at a fast rate, â€Å"shouldn†t the university population and curriculum reflect more of this new reality? â€Å"(252 – 53). Meanwhile, the quality of students at universities is only getting better. Duster implies that affirmative action exists because, â€Å"over the past two hundred years, blacks and Latinos have had a difficult time entering higher education, and that legacy hasn†t gone away†(253). There are economic barriers that restrict access to college for minorities. And these barriers aren†t disappearing. The smartest among them [Berkley students] also see that in a globalized economy, Berkley†s multiculturalism can make them better leaders†¦. (254). The opponents of cultural diversity believe that â€Å"affirmative action favors minorities whose average academic performance is unacceptably below university standards†(Cozic 257). D†Souza argues that the question is not whether universities should seek diversity but what kind of diversity. It seems that the primary form of diversity which universities should try to foster is diversity of mind (D†Souza 258). He says that â€Å"such diversity would enrich academic discourse, widen its parameters, multiply its objects of inquiry, and increase the probability of obscure and unlikely terrain being investigated†(258). According to D†Souza, the problem begins with a deep sense of embarrassment over the small number of minorities – blacks in particular – on campuses. University officials speak of themselves as more enlightened and progressive than the general population, so they feel guilty if the proportion of minorities at their institution is smaller than in surrounding society (259). As a consequence, universities agree to make herculean efforts to attract as many blacks, Hispanics, and other certified minorities as possible to their institutions (259). The number of minority applicants who would normally qualify for acceptance at selective universities is very small; therefore, in order to meet ambitious recruitment targets, affirmative action must entail fairly drastic compromises in admissions requirements (259). University leaders are willing to use unjust means to achieve their goal of equal representation, says D†Souza. For example, â€Å"the California legislature is considering measures to require all state colleges to accept black, Hispanic, white, and Asian students in proportion with their level in the population, regardless of disparity in academic preparation or qualifications among such groups† (259). Many selective universities are so famished for minority students that they will accept virtually anyone of the right color (260). For minority students, who struggled through high school, the courtship of selective universities comes as a welcome surprise. During their freshman year, many minority students discover that they are not prepared to the college work load and it is hard to keep up with another students. For minority students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, these problems are often complicated by a difficult personal adjustment to a new environment (261). University leaders have discovered how displaced and unsettled minority freshmen can be, and typically respond by setting up counseling services and remedial education programs intended to assure blacks and Hispanics that they do belong, and that they can â€Å"catch up† with other students (261). For many minority undergraduates the university†s quest for racial equality produces a conspicuous academic inequality (261). In the minds of minority students, affirmative action is not a cause of their academic difficulties, but an excuse for white racism which is the real source of their problems (263).

Gender Roles in Great Expectations Essay - 3251 Words

Gender Roles in Great Expectations The importance of the Victorian ideal of motherhood is glimpsed in Charles Dickenss personal life. Dickenss main complaint against his wife when he separated from her was her terrible parenting. Around the time that his separation from his wife was being finalized, Dickens complains of Catherine in a letter to his friend Angela Burdett Coutts: She does not -- and never did -- care for the children; and the children do not -- and they never did -- care for her (qtd. in Slater 146). From evidence in other letters and the seeming abruptness with which Dickens took on this point of view, Dickens biographer Michael Slater suggests that this was something that Dickens had to get†¦show more content†¦From the writing on his gravestone, Pip perceives his father assquare, stout, dark man, with curly black hair (23; ch. 1). Similarly, Pip reports Mrs. Joe as having black hair and eyes (28; ch. 1).Pip infers his mothers appearance from her gravestone as well: from the turn of the inscription ... I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly (23; ch. 1). Joe, although not freckled, has light skin with features far more feminine than Mrs. Joes: Joe was a fair man, with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face, and with eyes of such a very undecided blue (28; ch. 1). Pips physical description of all these parent figures reveals the ambivalent gender identities in the Gargery home. Joes physical appearance seems more feminine, and he is much more nurturing than Mrs. Joe, who is described in terms similar to Pips deceased father. Mrs. Joe is described in some masculine ways, but her behavior is the most significant indicator of her desire not to be trapped in the traditional feminine domestic role. Mrs. Joes emotional distance from her family is exemplified in the apron that she wears: she almost always wore a coarse apron ... having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles (28; ch. 2). Dickens use of the word impregnable evinces many non-maternal associationsShow MoreRelatedGender Roles In The Great Gatsby1736 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby Gender Norms Societal ‘norms’ surrounding gender have continuously remained prominent internationally. Although these standards and expectations continue to shift, women still face oppression today. The novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, demonstrates the expectations of women and their relationships to men in 1920’s New York City through one of the main characters, Daisy Buchanan. 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