Aristotle & Boethius Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Aristotle & Boethius - Term Paper Example In this particular area, fear is one of the variables that are considered to result during the time or circumstance when an agent acts or fails to act because of strong feelings. Broadie put this more clearly when she explained the Aristotelian principle about how â€Å"fear might prevent the craftsman from functioning properly as a craftsman,† and that â€Å"it might hinder his dexterity or warp his judgment in some way; but if we know the situation we shall not assess his skill on the basis of that response† (81). Aristotle’s position is clear – an action driven by fear is excusable - but he put forward a fundamental condition: the perpetrator must not know the consequence of his action or that the outcome of his actions or inactions is unforeseen. This balance is what makes me agree with the philosopher’s point of view. There are instances when fear makes us irrational, clouding our judgments. Mistakes that are made in the process, hence, cannot be considered as guilt-ridden acts as long as it is not deliberate, voluntary and made by choice. Fear In Aristotle’s theory of moral responsibility, there are two specific exceptions that supposedly dilute or diminish a person’s guilt resulting from his actions: ignorance and compulsion. It is this last variable that covered fear. For example, when a person kills another, his action cannot immediately be considered wrongful when a strong emotion has driven him to commit such an act. Since we are talking about the morality of such action, it is, hence, imperative to examine the reasons behind the action. Otherwise, we brand all killings as murders. Aristotle, through his arguments regarding fear, allowed us not only to explain wrongful acts but determine their blameworthiness according to degrees. Morality is not a black and white affair; it is shaped by norms of the time and specific belief systems. During the philosopher’s time, for instance, war was permitted , whereas Christianity made us think it as morally unacceptable. The point is that there are many variables that must be included in the moral evaluation of an act. Factors like fear figure prominently in this discourse because they are valid and legitimate contributors to the way humans act. It compels us to act, making the process involuntary. If fear drove one to jump off a roof, for instance, killing another in the process, would we condemn him for taking another’s life? Emotional compulsions form part of the inherent characteristic of man as a rational and emotional being, and having them rejected defeats the very purpose of moral evaluation. According to Spain, â€Å"a person acting under compulsion is unable to exercise physical control over his or her bodily movement, in other words, is not free to act,† and that it â€Å"provides the basis for claims of exculpation contesting authorship-responsibility and, hence, indirectly, moral responsibility† (30). This explains how I can say that if I am overcome by an overwhelming fear; I will be incapacitated because it reduces my agential power to choose. Here, it is clear that my freedom is diminished and, hence, my moral responsibility as well. Indirect responsibility or partial excuse for actions is a very important factor why I agree with Aristotle. I think it agrees with the utilitarian approach to punishment as against those obsess on the action and not

Manage Financial Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Manage Financial Operations - Essay Example The manager must be aware of the citizenship status of the employees that are hired. The government now imposes fines to companies that hired illegal immigrants. The general manager in the hospitality industry manages the day to day operations of the company. The person oversees the entire work staff. His job entails monitoring the performance of the entire business. A good general manager uses performance metrics such as vacancy rate to determine if the firm is achieving the desired profitability levels. Customer service is a very important factor that affects the ability of the business to retain its customers. There is a ranking for hotels called the five star system that evaluates hotel to provide them with a star ranking. Five star hotels can charge a premium price for their services. The mechanism represents a quality assurance mechanism that also provides goodwill to the brand name of the company. The owner of a business enjoys the benefits of the yearly profits of the firm. The owner does not oversee operations, but their advice and approval is needed for major strategic decisions. In public corporations the common stockholders are the owners of the property. They participate in the profits the company earns when the business entity declares dividends. Common statements vote a few times a year on major business decision through a proxy mechanism. The owners of corporation do not have any personal liability if the company goes bankrupt as far as having to pay for corporate debt. The financial controllers oversee the work of the accounting and finance departments. The work performed by internal accountant includes paying payroll, making purchases, paying bills and other obligations, and creation of financial statement among other things. These professionals have to make sure the company accounting records comply with the general accepted accounting principles (GAAP). It is important to document all financial transaction and keep accurate accounting