Kant and Mill Essays

Kant and Mill Essays Kant and Mill Essay Kant and Mill Essay Essay Topic: Immanuel Kant Kant and Mill Name: Course: Date: Kant and Mill Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill, both prominent philosophers have diverse opinions towards the elements of moral theories. Kant’s views are considered rather interesting while compared to those of Mill, which are more conservative. The differences in their beliefs pertaining to the moral laws have been a cause for controversy for the longest period. The ‘new-age’ philosophers have accepted neither Kant’s theory nor Mill’s. Instead, they have stated that none of the theories can stand individually but if they are both put together, they are more sensible. However, this has also stemmed some more debate and so the matter has remained unsolved in philosophy. The good will of a person is alleged to be an intrinsic feature of the individual. It refers to the kind of good that chooses to fulfill its moral duty to act in a certain way that is expected by the society. Kant stated, â€Å"A good will is not good because of what it affects or accomplishes.à ¢â‚¬  This statement is alluring not only because of the logic behind it but because it applies a lot to humanity. This is because the message the statement depicts is that a person’s goodwill is not presumably good because of the effect of the actions of the person in question. For this reason, Kant’s statement appeals to me. The actions of an individual may be focused on merely favoring some inclinations and the sum of the inclinations in question. This kind of goodwill is lacking in power according to the moral theories by both Mill and Kant. However, it should be known that goodwill could let a person have a good disposition to will in a certain way. Kant mentioned two key aspects in his theory, â€Å"the good will and duty.† Kant did not think that any outcome was in the favor of general good. This paper will take up the concept of duty, which includes that of an individual’s good will. Good character trait like ingenuity, intelligence and courage are important in any morally upright person. However, these traits can lead someone to do the wrong thing and in so do ing become ‘evil’. He uses this to describe the good will of humankind. Kant thinks the only intrinsically good thing in a person is the good will. Good will is not only shown by appearance and actions but it is based on the outcomes of the actions. If the results are good, the will is also believed to be good. Intrinsic good refers to a concept that assumes that something’s good is found in itself. Duty on the other hand is the necessity to act out of reverence for the law and moral codes in a certain setting. It does not depend on results of a particular action and any principles. Laws teach us what we can or cannot do. We have to follow these principles, which guide our actions. The maxim should be consistent with laws. For instance, a person who talks on the phone during a movie, they have to keep their voices low. Such a person should consider whether the act is worth it or not. If the person foresees any bad consequences, it will be wiser to desist from the action. Mill’s illustrious formulation in philosophy is filled with religious intolerance. He appealed for freedom and his opinion is that if all human beings have the same opinions apart from one; only that the one person has a contrary view. The rest of the human beings with a similar view have no reason to forbid this person to speak just because they have differing opinions. There is no logical reason that warrants the prohibiting of the opposing party to air his or her views. Mill has a formulation called the â€Å"greatest happiness principle.† It helps people to do the right thing in appropriate proportions, as they strive to promote general happiness for all humankind. He clearly states that there is a difference between higher and lower forms of happiness. He defines the difference between higher and lower forms of happiness with the principle that those who have experienced both tend to prefer one to the other. Kant thought the fundamental principle of our moral duties is a categorical imperative. It commands us to exercise our wills in a particular way and to not do wrong since we posses rational wills. Both of Kant and Mill’s opinions are based on reputable principles. Kant was a philosopher and astronomer. He was also a founder of German classical philosophy and idealism. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of modern Europe. He depicts the moral obligation of philosophy. According to him, an act is right if and only if it is done because of an individual’s sense of duty. However, for Mill, an act is right if and only if it results in the happiness of humanity regardless of the duty of the person. Kant believes that what matters is that the will that was involved. Mill’s is an empiricist theory because he believes that the outcome and consequences of the action is what matters. Kant’s is a rationalist theory. He has good intentions though invalid because in reality, nowadays, the outcome is what matters as opposed to the reason the action took place. Mill rejects the Kantian tendency to separate morality and happiness. Happiness is morality that includes both physical and intellectual pleasure. Mill espouses the importance of cultivated minds for this reason; through education, humans can tap into the unlimited sources of intellectual stimulation that have been provided by civilization. I disagree with Mill as he thinks happiness arises from instrumental good. In my opinion, it occurs because of the intrinsic good. I believe our mental states determine whether we are happy or not. Mill fails to prove his greatest happiness principle through his varied arguments. I reject empiricism and accept rationalism instead. Although studying and experience can reveal useful information, knowledge can also be acquired from experience. People should accept Kant’s opinion of the difference between phenomenal and numeral reality. This is vital for one to understand his moral philosophy. Our will is in control but the outcome of our will is not. A good person is not someone who does ‘good’ but rather is one who wills to be good.

Biography of Architect Norma Merrick Sklarek

Biography of Architect Norma Merrick Sklarek Architect Norma Merrick Sklarek (born April 15, 1926 in Harlem, New York) worked behind the scenes on some of the largest architectural projects in America. Notable in architectural history as the first Black American woman registered architect in New York and California, Sklarek was also the first Black woman to be elected to the prestigious Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA). In addition to being the production architect for many high-profile Gruen and Associates projects, Sklarek became a role model to many young women entering the male-dominated architecture profession. Sklareks legacy as a mentor is profound. Because of the disparities she faced in her life and career, Norma Merrick Sklarek could be sympathetic to the struggles of others. She led with her charm, grace, wisdom, and hard work. She never excused racism and sexism but gave others the strength to deal with adversities. Architect Roberta Washington has called Sklarek the reigning mother hen to us all. Others have called her The Rosa Parks of Architecture. Fast Facts: Norma Sklarek Occupation: Architect  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also Known as: Norma Merrick Sklarek, Norma Merrick Fairweather, Norma MerrickBorn: April 15, 1926 in Harlem, New YorkDied: February 6, 2012 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaEducation: B.Arch. from Columbia University’s School of Architecture (1950)Architecture with Cesar Pelli: San Bernardino City Hall (1972) ; Columbus Courthouse Center in Indiana (1973); Pacific Design Center in California (1975); The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan (1978)Key Accomplishments: As a Black female, Sklarek became a well-respected project director and educator within the white male dominated field of architecture.Fun Fact: Sklarek been called The Rosa Parks of Architecture East Coast Years Norma Merrick was born to West Indian parents who had moved to Harlem, New York. Sklareks father, a doctor, encouraged her to excel in school and to seek a career in a field not normally open to females or to Americans of color. She attended Hunter High School, an all-girls magnate school, and Barnard College, a womans college associated with Columbia University, which did not accept women students at the time. In 1950 she earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree. After receiving her degree, Norma Merrick was unable to find work at an architecture firm. After being rejected by dozens of firms, she took a job at the New York Department of Public Works. While working there from  1950 to 1954 she studied for and passed the grueling, week-long series of tests to become a licensed architect in New York State - on her first try. She was then in a better position to join the large New York office of Skidmore, Owings Merrill (SOM), working there from 1955 until 1960. Ten years after earning her architecture degree, she decided to move to the West coast. West Coast Years It was Sklareks long association with Gruen and Associates in Los Angeles, California where she made her name within the architecture community. From 1960 until 1980 she used both her architectural expertise and her project management skills to realize the many multi-million dollar projects of the large Gruen firm - becoming the firms first female director in 1966. Sklareks race and sex often were marketing detriments at the time of her employment with major architectural firms. When she was a director at Gruen Associates, Sklarek collaborated with Argentina-born Cà ©sar Pelli on a number of projects. Pelli was Gruens Design Partner from 1968 to 1976, which associated his name with new buildings. As Production Director, Skarek had immense responsibilities but was rarely acknowledged on the finished project. Only the U.S. Embassy in Japan has acknowledged Sklareks contributions - the Embassy website stated that The building was designed by Cà ©sar Pelli and Norma Merrick Sklarek of Gruen Associates of Los Angeles and constructed by Obayashi Corporation, as straightforward and matter-of-fact as Sklarek herself. After 20 years with Gruen, Sklarek left and from 1980 until 1985 became Vice President at Welton Becket Associates in Santa Monica, California. While there, she directed the construction of Terminal One at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which opened in time for the 1984 summer Olympic games in Los Angeles. In 1985 she left Welton Becket to establish Siegel, Sklarek, Diamond, an all-woman partnership with Margot Siegel and Katherine Diamond. Sklarek is said to have missed working on the large, complicated projects of previous positions, and so she finished her professional career as Principal at the Jerde Partnership in Venice, California from 1989 until her retirement in 1992. Marriages Born Norma Merrick, she was married three times. She is also known as Norma Merrick Fairweather, and her two sons are Fairweathers. Sklarek was the name of Norma Merricks second husband, architect Rolf Sklarek, whom she married in 1967. It becomes understandable why professional women often keep their birth names, as Merrick changed her name again in 1985 when she married Dr. Cornelius Welch, her husband at the time of her death. Quote In architecture, I had absolutely no role model. Im happy today to be a role model for others that follow. Death Norma Sklarek died of heart failure at her home on February 6, 2012. She lived with her third husband in Pacific Palisades, an affluent residential area of Los Angeles, California. Legacy Sklareks life has been filled with many firsts. She was the first Black woman to be licensed as an architect in New York (1954) and in California (1962). In 1959, Sklarek became the first Black woman to become a member of the American architects national professional organization, the American Institute of Architects (AIA). In 1980, she was the first woman to be elected a Fellow of the AIA (FAIA). Its notable that in 1923 Paul Revere Williams became the first Black architect to become a member of the AIA, and he rose to become a Fellow in 1957. In 1985, Norma Sklarek helped establish and managed the California firm Siegel, Sklarek, Diamond, one of the first woman-owned and operated architectural firm. Norma Merrick Sklarek collaborated with design architects to transform building ideas from paper to architectural realities. Design architects usually receive all the credit for a building, but just as important is the production architect who sees the project to completion. Austrian-born Victor Gruen has long been credited with inventing the American shopping mall, but Sklarek was ready to carry out the plans, making changes when necessary and solving design problems in real time. Sklareks most significant project collaborations include City Hall in San Bernardino, California, Fox Plaza in San Francisco, California, the original Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California, Commons - Courthouse Center in Columbus, Indiana, the Blue Whale of the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles, and the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a Black American architect, Norma Sklarek more than survived in a difficult profession - she thrived. Raised during Americas Great Depression, Norma Merrick developed an intelligence and tenacity of spirit that became an influence to many others in her field. She proved that the architecture profession has a place for anyone willing to persist at doing good work. Sources AIA Audio Interiew: Norma Merrick Sklarek. aia.org/akr/Resources/Audio/AIAP037892?dvidrecspecAIAP037892Bellows, Layla. Norma Sklarek, FAIA: A Litany of Firsts that Defined a Career, and a Legacy. AIA Architect. aia.org/practicing/AIAB093149Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. Norma Merrick Sklarek.  bwaf.org/dna/archive/entry/norma-merrick-sklarekBWAF Staff. Roberta Washington, FAIA, Makes A Place, Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation, February 09, 2012. bwaf.org/roberta-washington-faia-makes-a-place/National Visionary Leadership Project. Norma Sklarek: National Visionary. visionaryproject.org/sklareknorma/U.S. Department of State. Embassy of the United States, Tokyo, Japan. http://aboutusa.japan.usembassy.gov/e/jusa-usj-embassy.html