Modern ethics is profoundly affected by the psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud and his followers and the behaviorist doctrines based on the conditioned-reflex discoveries of the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Freud attributed the problem of good and evil in each individual to the struggle between the drive of the instinctual self to satisfy all its desires and the necessity of the social self to control or repress most of these impulses in order for the individual to function in society. Although Freud's influence has not been assimilated completely into ethical thinking, Freudian depth psychology has shown that guilt, often sexual, underlies much thinking about good and evil.
Behaviorism, through observation of animal behavior, strengthened the beliefs in the power to change human nature by arranging conditions favorable to the desired changes. In the 1920s, behaviorism was broadly accepted in the United States, principally in theories of pediatrics and infant training and education in general. There, the so-called new Soviet citizen has developed according to behaviorist principles through the conditioning power of the rigidly controlled Soviet society. Soviet ethics defined good as whatever is favorable to the state and bad as everything opposed to it.
In his late 19th-century and early 20th-century writings, the American philosopher and psychologist William James anticipated Freud and Pavlov to some extent. James is best known as the founder of pragmatism, which maintains that the value of ideas is determined by their consequences. His greatest contribution to ethical theory, however, lies in his insistence on the importance of interrelationships, in ideas as in other phenomena.
On the other hand, British philosopher Bertrand Russell has influenced ethical thinking in recent decades. A vigorous critic of conventional morality, he held the view that moral judgments express individual desires or accepted habits. In his thinking, both the ascetic saint and the detached sage are poor human models because they are incomplete human beings. Complete human beings participate fully in the life of society and express all of their nature. Some impulses must be checked in the interests of society and others in the interest of individual development, but it is a person's relatively unimpeded natural growth and self-realization that makes for the good life and harmonious society.
Showing posts with label issue 9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label issue 9. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Microsoap is Correct? by Claudio V. Tabotabo, MA (November, 2006)
In the world where people are looking at computerization, learning the second language became a less priority matter. Almost everyone is not bothered to forget language acquisition as long as he is part of computer development. A proven fact is that young people spent every minute of their lives with their last peso in the computer cafes than learning a single word in the classroom or library. Teachers testify poor language performance of students because of computer.
Truth cannot be declared rightly that computer make people dull. But with computer amusements the interest of the students to reading books such as novels, biographies, histories and others is diverted to other direction. While novels gather dust in the bookshelves, computer cafes are swarmed with young people. But see the difference between a reader of books and a computer buff? Listen to what you hear; in the library you will only hear footfalls and silent shuffling of pages, while in the computer cafes you will hear very loud baffle of words without meaning.
Clothed with a misconception that computer is a symbol of modernization, young people are misled to believe that being adept in computer is something that made them different from others, that a person who is good in computer belongs to the new generation.
Young minds do not know that the functions of computer to the life of man today, are not different to the functions of a spear to the life of the pre-historic man. It is only a rudiment to the tools of man to acquire existence. It helps life easy but it is not life, so that man's endeavor should not end in computerization. The situation shows demarcation between computer and the learning of the students. This paper claims as it had been claimed in the past that computers had to do something with the plummeting proficiency of the students.
But blaming the computers for the failings of the students in school is not the argument of this paper. Instead this study endeavors in presenting an idea on making computers as an instrument to upgrade students' proficiency level in thinking.
Truth cannot be declared rightly that computer make people dull. But with computer amusements the interest of the students to reading books such as novels, biographies, histories and others is diverted to other direction. While novels gather dust in the bookshelves, computer cafes are swarmed with young people. But see the difference between a reader of books and a computer buff? Listen to what you hear; in the library you will only hear footfalls and silent shuffling of pages, while in the computer cafes you will hear very loud baffle of words without meaning.
Clothed with a misconception that computer is a symbol of modernization, young people are misled to believe that being adept in computer is something that made them different from others, that a person who is good in computer belongs to the new generation.
Young minds do not know that the functions of computer to the life of man today, are not different to the functions of a spear to the life of the pre-historic man. It is only a rudiment to the tools of man to acquire existence. It helps life easy but it is not life, so that man's endeavor should not end in computerization. The situation shows demarcation between computer and the learning of the students. This paper claims as it had been claimed in the past that computers had to do something with the plummeting proficiency of the students.
But blaming the computers for the failings of the students in school is not the argument of this paper. Instead this study endeavors in presenting an idea on making computers as an instrument to upgrade students' proficiency level in thinking.
Politics in America by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (November, 2006)
Ronald Wilson Reagan was a Republican who served as an American President from 1981 to 1989. His Vice-President George Herbert Walter Bush Sr. succeeded him from 1989 to 1993. From 1981 to 1993, American politics was under the Republican rule.
From 1993 to 2001, a Democrat candidate named William Jefferson Clinton was elected. From 2001 up to the present date, the Republicans again ruled American administration in the person of George Walker Bush Jr. The latter will certainly serve up to 2009 unless an unexpected death takes him away. Last November 7, a mid-term elections transpired and from the Republican domination (Senate, House of Representatives and List of Governors), a complete turn-around of American voters elected a Democrat Senate, a Democrat Congress and a majority of Democrat Governors.
To appease a legislature dominated by the Democrats, President George Bush announced the acceptance of the courtesy resignation of his Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. The latter is widely attributed as the fiercest advocate of the Middle East war. Now that the Democrats are back in the legislative saddle - certain compromises needs to be taken and sacrificing Rumsfeld in the altar of bi-partisanship is one of the ingredients for the solution of the Middle East riddle.
All in all, the Republicans are considered conservatives while the Democrats are deemed liberal. The difference is felt in abortion, stem cell research and even same-sex marriage. With a Democrat Congress, a pendulum swing is in the horizon. From the days of the hawks, it will now be the era of doves. Diplomacy will be the new lexicon of the American realm and whether it is admitted or not, President George Bush is starting to look and act like a lame duck executive.
If there is one thing that History subject proved eternal, is the lesson that "everything must always come to an end". Years from now, students of political science will always look at the capture of party dominance by the Democrats as a signal for an eventual Republican downfall.
Allow me to boldly predict that it will be the turn of the Democrats to install the next leader of the free world and from the way the pretenders are projecting themselves, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will just have to slug it out in the DNC primaries - which in turn is another topic for the next article.
From 1993 to 2001, a Democrat candidate named William Jefferson Clinton was elected. From 2001 up to the present date, the Republicans again ruled American administration in the person of George Walker Bush Jr. The latter will certainly serve up to 2009 unless an unexpected death takes him away. Last November 7, a mid-term elections transpired and from the Republican domination (Senate, House of Representatives and List of Governors), a complete turn-around of American voters elected a Democrat Senate, a Democrat Congress and a majority of Democrat Governors.
To appease a legislature dominated by the Democrats, President George Bush announced the acceptance of the courtesy resignation of his Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. The latter is widely attributed as the fiercest advocate of the Middle East war. Now that the Democrats are back in the legislative saddle - certain compromises needs to be taken and sacrificing Rumsfeld in the altar of bi-partisanship is one of the ingredients for the solution of the Middle East riddle.
All in all, the Republicans are considered conservatives while the Democrats are deemed liberal. The difference is felt in abortion, stem cell research and even same-sex marriage. With a Democrat Congress, a pendulum swing is in the horizon. From the days of the hawks, it will now be the era of doves. Diplomacy will be the new lexicon of the American realm and whether it is admitted or not, President George Bush is starting to look and act like a lame duck executive.
If there is one thing that History subject proved eternal, is the lesson that "everything must always come to an end". Years from now, students of political science will always look at the capture of party dominance by the Democrats as a signal for an eventual Republican downfall.
Allow me to boldly predict that it will be the turn of the Democrats to install the next leader of the free world and from the way the pretenders are projecting themselves, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will just have to slug it out in the DNC primaries - which in turn is another topic for the next article.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Predictive Scenarios by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (January, 2006)
Over the weekend, the US branded terrorist organization HAMAS was elected as the ruling majority for the Palestinian politics. Indignation was immediate after the announcement of a HAMAS electoral win and though the ascent of a HAMAS led government seems inevitable, the ramification of this current scenario seems to lead towards a more potent and a more dangerous middle east debacle.
There is a standing US policy that there should never be a negotiation (in any form) with a terrorist. With this stunning political upset in the Palestinian equation, like it or not - America will have to deal with the current looming political reality.
In addition to the current difficulty is the insistence of Iran to develop its own nuclear program and be a nuclear power by its own right. The possibility of an Iran Nuclear Power and a virtual terrorist state operating besides Israel is a scenario that is getting nearer than previously contemplated.
This current geo-politics is relevant to the republic because of oil. It is an open secret that the planet's oil supply is dwindling. Oil demand far outweighs oil supply. This fact alone is certain to raise the prices of oil. With the addition of the instability in the Middle East (e.g. Israel, HAMAS and Iran equation), oil prices are bound to increase further to unimaginable scale.
The Philippine Republic is an oil-consumer. Once the oil supply is threatened, world oil prices will certainly go up directly affecting the local price index, the local consumption and taken to an extreme, the local politics. It seems unimaginable but the reality of having local politicians replaced because of world oil prices is very possible.
Looking at a macro-economic perspective, the case of Middle East politics pervading in the local politics is nearer at hand than previously thought off. If we could only affect the current Middle East politics instead of the other way around. Or better yet, if we could only export our local politicians abroad, then we would be in a more bearable situation...
There is a standing US policy that there should never be a negotiation (in any form) with a terrorist. With this stunning political upset in the Palestinian equation, like it or not - America will have to deal with the current looming political reality.
In addition to the current difficulty is the insistence of Iran to develop its own nuclear program and be a nuclear power by its own right. The possibility of an Iran Nuclear Power and a virtual terrorist state operating besides Israel is a scenario that is getting nearer than previously contemplated.
This current geo-politics is relevant to the republic because of oil. It is an open secret that the planet's oil supply is dwindling. Oil demand far outweighs oil supply. This fact alone is certain to raise the prices of oil. With the addition of the instability in the Middle East (e.g. Israel, HAMAS and Iran equation), oil prices are bound to increase further to unimaginable scale.
The Philippine Republic is an oil-consumer. Once the oil supply is threatened, world oil prices will certainly go up directly affecting the local price index, the local consumption and taken to an extreme, the local politics. It seems unimaginable but the reality of having local politicians replaced because of world oil prices is very possible.
Looking at a macro-economic perspective, the case of Middle East politics pervading in the local politics is nearer at hand than previously thought off. If we could only affect the current Middle East politics instead of the other way around. Or better yet, if we could only export our local politicians abroad, then we would be in a more bearable situation...
Eulogy to Rizal by Claudio V. Tabotabo, MA (January, 2006)
Unfortunately I was not around in his funeral, but if I were there and given a chance to speak before the dead, this is what I will say.
The little bad boy from Calamba Laguna, had a fist fight with his classmates in Binan, pet of the Jesuits at Ateneo and enemy of the friars at UST, he went to Madrid to continue his medical studies, there in the school where he was an alien he fought against the bishop to glorify the academic freedom advanced by Dr. Miguel Morayta, challenged a Spanish writer to a duel, mustered two novels, some essays and poems to open a window where Filipinos can see the Spaniards raping the Filipino girls and beheading the Filipino farmers, but other Filipinos abroad did not like him because of his blatant attack to all that put bad name to his people and that include some compatriots who went to Spain in the name of struggle which in reality they only flirted the beautiful Spanish ladies, disgusted by the cowardice and arrogance of his compatriots abroad, he himself went home to the Philippines where he was not given a conquering hero's welcome like what they gave to Manny Pacquiao, what he got was misery as an exile in Dapitan in the island of Mindanao, and to complete their dislike to the man, they put him into a military court for alleged part in the revolution that was beginning to foster, and finally to complete their evil, they set the man into a firing squad on December 30, 1896 Bagum-bayan (now Luneta).
It's what he gets after his struggle to save the Filipinos from the fang of the conquerors. Rizal did not want Philippine separation from Spain. He only wanted education for the Filipinos that perhaps the first steps of Philippine autonomy. Neither did he advocated for rebellion although it was very clear that he did not oppose bloody revolution unless the Filipinos are prepared. For these reasons Rizal was not a rebel. He was a reformist.
We have this man who combined all the luster of arts and the bravery of a fighter. Without him perhaps until now we are still under the American imperialist regime. It was his poem My Last Farewell which was read in the congress of America when the Philippine Independence was being debated. After the poem was read a unanimous decision to grant Philippine Independence became inevitable. Filipinos can stand by their own governance.
Without Rizal there can be no Bonifacio who crushed the Spanish garrison with his only weapon, a bolo. Without Rizal the memory of the three martyred priests shall be forgotten like an ordinary occurrence in a country because of all the freedom fighters in the Philippines only Rizal remembered them. The novel, El Filibusterismo was dedicated to them. And when the vagrants come back to Luneta at dusk to sleep, or a prostitute while waiting for a prospective customer or when beggars and run-away boys look at the statue, a thought comes to their minds that there was a man who tried to save them from becoming what they are now.
He tried to save the Filipinos by way of education but he was a failure. Filipinos are not educated. More than 100 years after his death what we produced are bunch of functional illiterates with college diplomas from the best schools of the country. It appears that his enemies are the victors...
The little bad boy from Calamba Laguna, had a fist fight with his classmates in Binan, pet of the Jesuits at Ateneo and enemy of the friars at UST, he went to Madrid to continue his medical studies, there in the school where he was an alien he fought against the bishop to glorify the academic freedom advanced by Dr. Miguel Morayta, challenged a Spanish writer to a duel, mustered two novels, some essays and poems to open a window where Filipinos can see the Spaniards raping the Filipino girls and beheading the Filipino farmers, but other Filipinos abroad did not like him because of his blatant attack to all that put bad name to his people and that include some compatriots who went to Spain in the name of struggle which in reality they only flirted the beautiful Spanish ladies, disgusted by the cowardice and arrogance of his compatriots abroad, he himself went home to the Philippines where he was not given a conquering hero's welcome like what they gave to Manny Pacquiao, what he got was misery as an exile in Dapitan in the island of Mindanao, and to complete their dislike to the man, they put him into a military court for alleged part in the revolution that was beginning to foster, and finally to complete their evil, they set the man into a firing squad on December 30, 1896 Bagum-bayan (now Luneta).
It's what he gets after his struggle to save the Filipinos from the fang of the conquerors. Rizal did not want Philippine separation from Spain. He only wanted education for the Filipinos that perhaps the first steps of Philippine autonomy. Neither did he advocated for rebellion although it was very clear that he did not oppose bloody revolution unless the Filipinos are prepared. For these reasons Rizal was not a rebel. He was a reformist.
We have this man who combined all the luster of arts and the bravery of a fighter. Without him perhaps until now we are still under the American imperialist regime. It was his poem My Last Farewell which was read in the congress of America when the Philippine Independence was being debated. After the poem was read a unanimous decision to grant Philippine Independence became inevitable. Filipinos can stand by their own governance.
Without Rizal there can be no Bonifacio who crushed the Spanish garrison with his only weapon, a bolo. Without Rizal the memory of the three martyred priests shall be forgotten like an ordinary occurrence in a country because of all the freedom fighters in the Philippines only Rizal remembered them. The novel, El Filibusterismo was dedicated to them. And when the vagrants come back to Luneta at dusk to sleep, or a prostitute while waiting for a prospective customer or when beggars and run-away boys look at the statue, a thought comes to their minds that there was a man who tried to save them from becoming what they are now.
He tried to save the Filipinos by way of education but he was a failure. Filipinos are not educated. More than 100 years after his death what we produced are bunch of functional illiterates with college diplomas from the best schools of the country. It appears that his enemies are the victors...
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