How Democratic Is The U.s. Constitution - 1506 Words

Throughout the early historical development of our country’s political systems, there were many events that occurred in which influenced new laws. One of the most significant systems implemented was the drafting of the U.S. Constitutions in 1787. These laws helped established America s national government and fundamental laws as well as guaranteed our citizens equal rights. Robert Dahl brought new light on the issue of how our nation views the U.S. Constitution and how effective it came to be. Most importantly, there is the possibility that Americans have the ability to alter the Constitution when it is needed. In Dahl’s book â€Å"How Democratic is the U.S. Constitution?†, he makes us think deeper into the complexities of how the ideals of democracy were framed. Questioning American Beliefs on the Constitutional Convention During many points of the book, Robert Dahl proposes questions to the audience on why we believe in certain things about the constitution. He makes strong initial points regarding the purpose of this book is not to express his personal beliefs on what should be changed in the constitution, but to change the perspective on how our nation perceives it. I believe that if we citizens had more of a present role when the constitution was first drafted back in history, the outcome would have been much different. However, it still has been viewed by citizens as a respectful and significant event in our history that was written in 1787 by groups of wise historicalShow MoreRelatedHow Democratic Is The U.s. Constitution?970 Words   |  4 PagesHow Democratic is the U.S. Constitution? Democracy, a form of government where significant power is vested in the people and the people exercise their power by electing representatives or exercise their power directly by themselves via assembly. The U.S. Constitution was once considered to be Democratic – however – after an examination of the 3 branches of government the U.S. Constitution has some seemingly undemocratic attributes. There are features in all 3 branches that makes the U.S. ConstitutionRead MoreWhen Asking Oneself If The Original U.S Constitution Is1521 Words   |  7 Pagesoriginal U.S Constitution is democratic, democracy itself must be defined. Democracy is defined as a form of government where all eligible citizens are able to participate equally, either directly, or through elected representatives-majority rule. The original U.S Constitution, including The Bill of Rights, as written is not necessarily a true democratic document, but it is rather a document that calls for more of a constitu tional republic. This is true despite the fact that the original U.S. ConstitutionRead MoreModification of the Constitution1038 Words   |  5 Pagescountry has changed significantly since the Constitution was first published. Changes such as abolishing slavery, suffrage for women and minorities, and changing the voting age to 18. The Framers of the Constitution could not possibly predict the future of our country at the time. Everything in our government is based on the Constitution and with a changing country the document that governs us should be changed as well. I’m an advocate of the democratic and efficiency critique and that is why I believeRead MoreThe United States Is A Democratic Republic1643 Words   |  7 PagesAbigael Schneider American Government 1. What does it mean when it is said that the United States is a democratic republic? Give an example of how our nation is a democratic republic. When the United States (or any other nation) is referred to as a â€Å"democratic republic† we then know two things about that nation’s system of government. First, the term â€Å"democratic† tells us that the citizens of a nation rule its government and that those citizens are afforded certain rights. These rights includeRead MoreThe Constitutional Convention Of The Constitution Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pagesa new government as the one under the Articles of Confederation had failed them. When drafting the Constitution, the framers wanted a Constitution that would favor freedom over equality. A way to interpret the meaning of equality in the context of the Constitution is to see how democratic the Constitution was. The United States Constitution today has been amended many times to give more democratic aspects to the federal government, but this the exact opposite that many of the delegates at the ConstitutionalRead MoreRethinking the Finality of and Democracy in the American Constitution1716 Words   |  7 PagesIs the United States Constitution a sacred and absolute document? Dahl (2001) argued that the Constitution is not perfect or permanent in his book, How Democratic is the American Constitution. He stresses that his main aim is not to propose that the Constitution must be amended, but to facilitate readers in changing how they think about the Constitution. In order to help people rethink the Constitution, Dahl (2001) explained the limitations of its Framers and the Constitution’s not widely known undemocraticRead MoreFederalists vs. Democratic Republicans922 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States of America was founded on a Constitution that was supposed to preserve our freedoms and certain liberties. All Americans at that time wanted to keep America a free an independent nation with rights for its people. However there was two different groups, the Federalists lead by Alexander Hamilton and the Democratic-Republicans le d by Thomas Jefferson, which thought this could be achieved in very different ways. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were very different in theirRead MoreReview of How Democratic Is the Us Constitution809 Words   |  4 PagesBook Review Of How Democratic Is the American Constitution By Robert A. Dahl Context The American Constitution, seen by Americans as guiding light and bedrock of civil rights and democracy is as Robert A. Dahl argues not so democratic and does not guard the rights of individuals. P.18 Dahl places his work asking fundamental questions as to the use and application of the constitution in the modern world, not as an attack as Gordon S. Wood from New York Review of Books clearly states on theRead MoreThe U.s. Political System877 Words   |  4 PagesThe U.S. political system was planned out in the Constitution. This is a living document that can be amended and that is still constantly up for interpretation. The document has seven articles that lay out how the government is set up, plus 27 amendments. The first ten amendments make up the Bill of Rights. It is significant that our political system includes the Bill of Rights because it illustrates how we not only set up our government to govern but how we also set it up in a way that inherentlyRead MoreThe Rise Of Islami c Extremist Groups769 Words   |  4 Pagesthe world are that U.S. administrations mostly support dictators in the Muslim world, as long as they are allies and follow american orders , ignoring their records on human rights, accountability, and democracy.many of the countries are dysfunctional corrupt repressive state neither willing nor capable of reform yet americans will support them if they are a use to American needs there are many positive signs that the muslim world are moving towards more liberal democratic societies. As communist

Kant’s Categorical Imperative Free Essays

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher during the Age of Enlightenment in Europe in the mid to late 18th century.   Immanuel Kant advanced the deontological theory with his theory: the categorical imperative.   Deontology is the theory of duty or moral obligation. We will write a custom essay sample on Kant’s Categorical Imperative or any similar topic only for you Order Now    Performing that duty is the righteous act in itself, not the act leading to an expected or attempted end.  Ã‚   In other words, the end does not justify the means, but the means is an end unto itself. â€Å"In his theory, Kant claimed that various actions are morally wrong if they are inconsistent with the status of a person as a free and rational being, and that, conversely, acts that further the status of people as free and rational beings are morally right.† (Categorical)   Kant believed that to carry out morally right actions was an absolute duty.   He believed there were two types of duty: contingent duties which needed to be carried out only under certain circumstances, and categorical duties which always needed to be carried out because they were based on the general nature of things. (Categorical)   From these categorical duties, Kant created the categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is comprised of five formulations. The first three were the most famous: â€Å"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.† â€Å"Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means† â€Å"Therefore, every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.† (Kant )  The first two formulations will be discussed in this paper.   The third formulation seems to merely combine the commands of the first two formulations. In order to understand the categorical imperative theory, the definition of a maxim must be understood.   A maxim, according to Kant, is a principle or rule that an individual uses when making a decision to act. (Categorical)   Morality and rational demands apply to the maxims that motivate actions. (Categorical) The first formulation is the Formula of Universal Law.   It holds that one should only act on a maxim that the agent is willing to hold as a universal law.   Also, the law â€Å"must not come into conflict with itself.† (Categorical)   In other words, if the rule or maxim cannot or should not apply to everyone or if it contradicts itself in any situation, then it should not be acted upon.   If the maxim is rational and not contradictory to itself, then the action should and, in some cases, must be taken. (Categorical)   Kant divided this reference to the duty to act on maxims into perfect duty and imperfect duty.   The perfect duty is to act only on maxims that do not result in logical contradictions when they are universalized.   The imperfect duty is to act only on those maxims that the agent is willing to universalize.   One cannot create a maxim for oneself that he or she will not apply to someone else. The second formulation is the Formula of the End in Itself.   This formulation holds that one should consider other humans or â€Å"rational beings† as well as one’s self as an end, never as a means. (Categorical)   This is the opposite of the ends justifies the means theory.   In this formulation, the means are considered an end.   Therefore, the means cannot justify the ends.   If it is wrong to lie, then it is wrong to lie whether the outcome from the lie is good or bad because the lie was the end in itself: the morally wrong action that was taken. This means that a person must apply all maxims to others as he applies them to himself or else the maxims would be contradictory. There is a strong point made with both formulations, as well as a weakness.   The strongest point in the first formulation is universality.   It makes sense that one should wish to apply all rules and laws to others as they are applied to one’s self.   For example, if I were expected by a local law to keep my dog on a leash, I would expect my neighbors to abide by that law also.   Similarly, if I was allowed the freedom to have as many children as I wish, then I should not try to take that freedom from others.   This applies to the second formulation also.   If other rational beings are to be treated as rational beings and not a means to my outcomes, then these rational beings should all hold these same freedoms that I do. In contrast, both formulations have a weakness.   It is difficult to always judge actions, as they stand alone.   It is wrong to murder.   However, in self-defense, it may be necessary.   If we view a self-defensive murder according to the categorical formulation, it is wrong to murder no matter the outcome, good or bad.   But what if killing an attacker was the only method of saving one’s own life and perhaps, depending on the scenario, the lives of others?   Then was it morally wrong to murder?   Would the obligation to save others overrule the principle that murder is wrong?   What is the maxim to act on in this case?   Too many contradictions and shaky situations can arise to dispute the formulation. The second formulation is easier to practice than the first.   It is sensible to apply the same rules to one’s self as to other human beings.   However, because the first formulation requires that particular conditions not apply, it is more difficult to practice the first formulation.  Nevertheless, the second formulation supports the first.   If a maxim is contradictory, then it should not be used to make decisions.   Also, as in the second formulation, if a person or action was used as a means and not an end, then it could not be rational or universal which would render it contradictory.   So, one would be morally bound not to use such a maxim to make decisions by perfect and imperfect duty. In order for the second formulation to be true, the first formulation must exist.   In the first formulation, it is explained that the maxim cannot be contradictory to itself and it must be willingly used universally.   In the second formulation, if a person demands an end for himself, he must demand the same end for everyone else.   Everyone has a moral obligation to seek the same ends for all mankind that he seeks for himself.   For example, if a man seeks the freedom to marry whom he pleases, then he must seek that right for every other man out there, too.   It would be morally wrong for him to choose another man’s wife or a woman’s husband. Thus, if the first formulation which specifies universality and uniformity were not true, then the second formulation which expounds universality between human beings would not be true.   Also, if the universality between rational beings was not true, then it would be contradictory to the first formulation which would then contradict itself and then neither would be true.   So, it is conclusive that these formulations must work together to create the standard for moral duty. All in all, Kant was trying to theorize that actions were not bound morally by consequences or outcome.   He was explaining that actions in themselves were good or bad no matter the outcome because people chose their actions by their sense of moral duty, not by the consequences of their actions. References Categorical Imperative Formulations. Wikipedia. [Online] Available at:                   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative#The_second_formulation      Accessed: 5 /12/2007. How to cite Kant’s Categorical Imperative, Essay examples

Analysis Of Islam Essay Example For Students

Analysis Of Islam Essay Religiological Analysis of the Islam Through the Koran and Hadith Islam may be considered as an exotic religion to many in the western part of the globe. The impression that Westerners have is usually obtained through the media representing Islamic countries or groups in the middle of a Holy War. The wars, called Jihad, are usually waged by Islamic Fundamentalist who use terrorism to get their messages across giving Islam a negative reputation. Because of the lack of understanding of this highly publicized religion, many conflicts arise between the people who live in eastern and western worlds. In turn, this causes problems amongst different cultures through various political and religious battles that result from these misconceptions. In order to prevent future strife, it is important for people all over the world to have a better understanding of other religions. To interpret Islam from a objective point of view it is easier to use Religiological Analysis, a system that that breaks the religion down into specific terms: Epistemology, Ontology, Anthropology, Psychology, Teleology, and Methodology. The Epistemology of Islam is contained in the sacred book called the Koran that was revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad in exact words of God through the Angel Gabriel. The Koran means Recollect, Clarify, Recital, Reading, and Criterion. It contains truths about everything and functions as a recollection of all previously revealed books. When Muhammad was forty years old, he had his first revelation and continued to do so for the next twenty-two years, remembering each revelation and then having them written down by scholars. The whole book consists of chapters that were believed to be put in order by Muhammad himself and are word for word from God. This book is the most widely read and memorized book in the world and because of the number of people memorizing the book it helped it remain unchanged for the past fourteenth centuries. Containing truths about the world and our existence till the end (Judgement Day), it is also a guide for us on a way to live and worship God. Besides the Koran, Sunnah, known as the customs or practices of the Prophet Muhammad are also considered sources of knowledge by Muslims who hold him as an exemplary human and try to emulate his actions and lifestyle. His actions, and sayings were recorded and reported in what is know as the Hadith, a collection of his doings in his whole life. Together, the Koran, Sunnah and Hadith are held to be the primary sources of knowledge for Muslims teaching them how to live their life, worship, and tells them about the truths of existence and Unique Divinity, God. Another source of knowledge can be derived from what pious scholars agree upon to be accurate about Islam and the practices of Muhammad. Also, Reason and Intuition are sources that are not in contradiction to faith according to Muslims, but rather reinforce Islams claims on truth. Intuition is said to be knowledge th at comes directly from God and comes through meditation, contemplation, prayer, and fasting. However, for Muslims, the most realistic knowledge and important type of truths are of God. Islams Ontology or Ultimate Reality, is Allah (Arabic for One God). This simply states that there is nothing more real and certain than God. God is the Ultimate Truth and Creator of all things, the reason for existence. Another interesting quality of God is that there are an infinite number of qualities and names of Allah. Mentioned to us in the Koran are ninety-nine names of God, and this type of Ontology would be under the study of Theology. The study of the degree of reality, Cosmology, is between what is real, and less real, which are the two levels of reality represented in the Koran. Unseen versus the seen, and the like. The Koran tells us of truths where it may appear to be evident and we could understand, but there are other truths that we are incapable of understanding or knowing of. These wo uld be the reality of the unseen. Eschatology is the study of what is real concerning the end of time and is mentioned in the Koran as the Day of judgement, .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 , .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .postImageUrl , .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 , .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:hover , .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:visited , .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:active { border:0!important; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:active , .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734 .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u539434ed8536a4d1100d7c442ecf5734:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Atomic Bomb 3 Essay