The individual and the State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The individual and the State - Essay Example These configurations alternate between those put forward by two of the founding figures of Western political thought—Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau—who each offer different understandings of the relation between freedom and equality. No version is decisive, due in part to the problems with each account. With both Hobbes and Rousseau, we cannot understand their thoughts on freedom and equality without first recalling their different takes on the reality of lived experience, what Hobbes calls the state of nature. In Leviathan, Hobbes outlines a state of nature in which war and conflict are the natural way of things. Human beings, fundamentally insecure in their person, able to kill and be killed, cannot gain a sense of safety in the state of nature. Instead, the risks always remains that some individual, or group of individuals, will plot and carry out one's demise. Because of the intrinsic scarcity and uneven distribution of goods, people tend to use their capa city to kill each other to suit their own needs, as nature demands. As such the state of nature far too often induces a state of war, wherein the life of man is â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short† (Hobbes). ... ality and freedom is essentially negative, which is to say that it is when man is most equal that he is most in danger, and thus constantly beset by impediments that impinge upon his freedom. In the state of nature, all are equally able to kill or be killed, to steal or to be stolen from, but such a situation is untenable, and reason demands that it be redressed and the situation improved. Some might contend that this state thus produces ultimate freedom, but Hobbes seems to think otherwise, since the risk of death and even the threat of danger impede one's ability to pursue their own objectives. It is for this reason that social compacts are produced, and common-wealths agreed to, even though they limit one's freedom. In Hobbes' thinking, freedom â€Å"signifieth (properly) the absence of Opposition† and a â€Å"Free-Man, is he, that in those things, which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to do what he has a will to† (Hobbes). At the same time, the state that comes in to rectify these problems and produce a civil society does not actually generate new, more robust liberties. Instead, Hobbes argues that with the inequality of the state comes new forms of â€Å"oppositions.† He writes: â€Å"But as men, for the atteyning of peace, and conservation of themselves thereby, have made an Artificall Man, which we call a Common-wealth; so also have they made Artificiall Chains, called Civill Lawes, which they themselves, by mutuall covenants, have fastened at one end, to the lips if that Man, or Assembly, to whom they have given the Soveraigne Power...† (Hobbes). In a civil society, in a common-wealth, some are better off than others, and the society is thus less equal; the role of the state, if it is a just state, is to ensure those negative freedoms

Code of Ethics for Engineers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Code of Ethics for Engineers - Essay Example Introduction The issues of ethics in the modern society are very important for the representatives of different fields. A special attention to ethics should be paid by managers and engineers, people, who are responsible for the lives of other people. It is evident that the issues of ethics determine important background of professional activities. Thus, an engineer should be responsible and a devoted professional. A neglectful attitude to the direct professional duties can result in deaths of people or numerous damages. It is further discussed that engineers should develop and support their decisions, which are honest, factual and safe. Therefore, it is not difficult to comply with the ethical issues for the engineers. A personal contribution to work and work performance under supervision will lead to taking the number of steps in a responsible manner. The level of competence and experience are two basic factors, which determine the successful actions of the managers. Case Study Summ ary The responsibility of the modern managers and engineers exceeds the limits of their standard professional roles and functions. On the basis of the case study about BAC1-11 (British Airways flight 5390) it is evident that ethical concerns and a proper attention to the most relevant features of human lives are of crucial importance for the safety of their lives and souls. There was a great accident happened to that plane: when BAC1-11 was flying through 17,330 feet en route from Birmingham to Malaga, Spain, June 10, 1990, the cabin pressure blew out the left windscreen. This case study illustrates drastic consequences of an engineer’s behavior in case of his neglectful attitude for his professional activities. Moreover, ethical issues should create a strong and a reliable basis for a proper consideration about professional skills. There was a great personal tragedy happened to the commander of the crew, who was sucked halfway out of the windscreen aperture. There were no ac cidents of death and there was, supposedly, an oversight of the manufacturer. Actually, a specified 84 bolts securing the windscreen were of a wrong diameter. There was a wrong action made by the Shift Maintenance Manager, who decided to make an operation, which he has been doing for many times. The Shift Maintenance Manager made a wrong decision, when he supposed to replace the bolts of the required diameter with 7Ds. Of course, it can be classified as a professional mistake and an evident oversight of the manager. Nevertheless, it is appropriate to correlate ethical issues of his behavior with the Code of Ethics. It outlines specific ways of behavior for the engineers and managers, because the lives of people depend on appropriateness of their actions and the necessity of professional measures taking. Discussion of the Case Study: A lack of Ethical Concerns Therefore, the mistake of the manager can be explained as inability of an individual to carry out a total responsibility and a lack of appropriate testing. Moreover, the Shift Maintenance Manager was lacking of a proper potential to conduct a high-quality process of the windscreen fitting. Thus, it can be said that there were too poor practices of engineering, a lack of professionalism and inability to provide high-quality engineering services. The direct work of the manager was not properly audited and Product Samples and Quality Audits can be