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Philosophy and Contemporary Issues

Philosophy and Contemporary Issues


Philosophy and Contemporary Issues is a book that has been a tested resource for the discussion of major issues that go beyond their philosophical value and extend to contemporary life. The text serves as an important learning tool in building philosophical foundations allowing students to approach the subjects from a perspective that encourages them to actively reflect on the issues presented.

One of the most important components of the book is it updating of the cases that are utilized to illustrate the topics. This is effective in communicating the importance of philosophical thinking in every day situations that builds not only important intellectual skills but develops the person as well.


Freedom and Determinism

The ability to choose, a perceived expression of freedom, is in fact merely an involuntary action controlled by the internal and external environment (Goldinger and Burr 34). Considering the idea of determinism, it is to be considered philosophical idea stating that every action or event is set by a prior cause or event that leads to its fruition. The implication is that past causes and events, the event or action that happens is the only possible occurrence to take place: actions and decisions as relentlessly brought about by events or actions that happened in the past, thus setting a course that is unwavering.

The most powerful argument against Determinism is that it takes away the moral responsibility for all actions since all actions are predestined and is not a question of moral judgment (52). The movement maintains that decisions and choices are made based on a person’s sense of self and morality. There is emphasis on self-based influences such as personal feelings, upbringing, knowledge, moral responsibility and instinct (47).


God and Religion

The term God, in its generic sense, refers to the Supreme Being, the creator of all objects in the universe. Majority of the world population believe in one form of a god, although customs and beliefs pertaining to God vary from one religion to another. It is to be noted that despite commonalities in the belief in the presence of a God, there are many differences in the beliefs, customs and traditions attributed to God by man (123). Therefore, religion should be considered as the organization and implementation of these set beliefs, costumes, and traditions that has its own guidelines or rules defining the conduct of its followers or believers.

The evolution of the beliefs, customs and traditions of each religion was influenced by the perception of people and therefore is based on their social norms, environmental condition, and historical situation. A clear distinction must be made, therefore, about God and Religion (185). The belief in God is philosophical in nature. Religion is a social institution where a group of people subscribe to a particular set of beliefs, customs and traditions in the worship of God (142). Based on this distinction, it is reasonable to say that while a belief in God does not necessitate having a religion, having a religion necessitates a belief in God.


Morality and Society

Morality, as a perception of the rightness or wrongness of an action or conduct is based on an agreed standard or measure of ethical norms. Society, on the other hand, is a group of individuals that share a common system of beliefs, intent and thought. Following these ideas, the moral standards of society can be seen as a characteristic of a stable society; however, the dilemma in ethics theory is how the morality within a society is formed.

Today, more than ever, the issue of cultural subjectivism is one of the major issues that complicate what is to be accepted as morally right (233). It is undeniable that morality is often taken from a cultural context yet this presumes that societies are likewise always right in their judgments, so to disagree with society is morally wrong (220).

Morality and society, apparently, is in a state of flux while ethics theorists attempt to come up with an adequate ethical formula to qualify what is right and wrong based on all cultural, social, political and religious realities (243).


State and Society

Most societies are governed by a state which lays down rules and regulations that members of the society are compelled to follow. The legitimacy of the state, usually indistinguishable with the government to most people, is the issue under study (328). Whatever the source of the legitimacy of state, the main consideration for both society and state is based on the individual's pursuit of happiness.

This happiness is dependent on the individual's perception of safety, security and prosperity and whether this is attained as a member of that state, without sacrificing the welfare of the state as a whole (379). If this happiness or satisfaction is attained at an adequate level, then the relationship of state and society is stable.


Mind and Body

Man's fascination with what lies beyond his corporal existence is a basic and intrinsic element of humanity. How does one's mind work? How does man create thought? What is the rationale of both? The greatest minds in our history sought these philosophical queries not just to understand their function and development but more to understand humanity and existence (407). Therefore, it is natural for man to wonder the origin of his existence, purpose and ultimate purpose.

Man's existence can not be quantified or proven by what he solely sees and makes of the world through what his senses can recognize but also involved the richness living itself (398). At the same time, it is difficult to validate anything that is created or perceived beyond these five senses (431). The challenge for philosophers in understanding the significance of the mind and the body exists beyond the esoteric readily equated with the definition of living.


Knowledge and Science

The development of a society is dependent upon the development of its citizens, which in turn relies on the people's access to information and ability to make these useful and relevant (465). In this scenario, knowledge acts as reservoir of information and society's potential while science can be compared to aqueducts that channel knowledge for various purposes.

What empowers people to make decisions and solve problems involves gathering information and processing them into valuable components that can be applied to the task. This needs the two-fold task of acquiring knowledge and employing the science, ether by thought or action, to utilize knowledge (502).





Works Cited

Goldinger, Milton and Burr, John R. (2004). Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, 9th edition. New York: Prentice Hall

Posted by: Natalie Saturday

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