Papers on "Reason and Passion" and similar term paper topics

Paper #046872 :: Reason and Passion
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An examination of David Hume's philosophy of reason and passion.

Written in 2004; 1,293 words; 6 sources; MLA; $ 43.95

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how British philosopher David Hume posited that reason cannot be the major determinant of moral action and how, instead, reason should only play a secondary role to another primary human faculty, passion. It argues the continuing relevance of Hume?s thesis that, despite the current level of scientific knowledge, passion remains the strongest determinant of ethical and moral action. The first part of this paper evaluates Hume's conception of reason as an ability to calculate and to discern causation. The next part of the paper then looks at Hume's definition and categories of conception. In the final section, the paper compares Hume?s writings on the secondary role of reason to Peter Singer?s principle of utility and shows how passion continues to be the prime motivator human action.

From the Paper:

"Despite the supposed primacy of reason, however, most people disagree with controversial philosopher Peter Singer's view of "preference utilitarianism," an extreme ethical value system that seeks to replace individual instinctive interests with a ?reasoned? concept of the general good. Singer?s value system states that one's own interests and ideas matter only when seen in their consequence to everyone else's interests (Singer 15). According to Singer's preference utilitarian, the obligation of an American couple to feed and nurture their own baby is equal to their obligation to feed and nurture a refugee Kurdish child. After all, both children have an interest in eating and growing up. The fact that parents intuitively love their own child more than a child they have never met does not figure into Singer's equation."

Tags: peter singer principle utility human action conception

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