CULTURAL AND ETHICAL VALUES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CULTURAL AND ETHICAL VALUES - Essay Example 28). He uses this as the basic framework from which he developed the idea of virtue as mean – the golden mean – where ethical virtue remains "located on a map that places the virtues between states of excess and deficiency" (Kraut, 2007). In The Politics, Aristotle expands this idea by asserting that a "government is good when it aims at the good of the whole community, bad when it cares only for itself" (Russell, 2005, p. 183). Therefore, the ethical virtue of governments lies in the common good. Aristotle engaged in an extensive comparison of the governments of Greek city-states, and concluded that there were three "pure" forms of government: monarchy, aristocracy (rule by a few), and polity (rule by many). Each had a corresponding "perverted" form: tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy (Aristotle, Sinclair, & Saunders, 1992, pp. 238-240). Within the framework of virtue as mean, the pure forms signify excess and the perverted forms expound deficiency. So, if ethical virtue entailed good governance, the doctrine of the mean would demand that the ideal form of government should be located between the pure and perverted ones. For Aristotle, the ethical qualities of sovereigns, not the nature of constitution, determine the virtue of governments: "it is impossible for those who do not do good actions to do well, and there is no such thing as a man’s or a states good action without virtue and practical wisdom" (Aristotle, Sinclair, & Saunders, 1992, p. 393). Hence, moderate competence in performing the functions of government is identified with virtue, and virtue with the pure forms of government. Aristotle says that the "correct conception of justice is aristocratic, assigning political rights to those who make a full contribution to the political community, that is, to those with virtue as well as property and freedom" (Miller 2002). To

Paul and Wives Submission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Paul and Wives Submission - Essay Example Paul. Will a realised soul like him compromise the revelations of the gospel? The real problem with all revelations, including the present issue under discussion related to the inferior status of women, is elsewhere. These revelations are not made at the mind level, but transcending the mind. At that level what is revealed is perfect and no one can imagine duality there. All realised souls reveal the same truth from their levels. Just as the sun and the moon are one and the same for all individuals practicing different faiths, the ultimate truth is the same for all men and women and for the entire humankind. But the mind-level preachers, mullah, pundits and the so-called intellectuals interpret it from the level of their spiritual progression and hence the differences crop up. Interpretations about the truth vary, but truth in in itself is Immutable. A common individual who thinks from the mind-level is unable to comprehend the profound and deep meaning of a particular word or a phra se uttered by the realised soul. Various interpretations crop which result in arguments and counter arguments. In the heat of such arguments the real issue is lost sight off. The context in which the revelation is made has some bearing, but truth is beyond all limitations of time as well. Go through the arguments of John Temple Bristow on Paul and Wives submission. He writes, â€Å"Perhaps Paul was torn between the ideal and realities of his time. Perhaps he compromised the gospel in order not to upset the social structures of his age. Perhaps Paul could not escape his own background and culture or perhaps Paul gave a good line in public, but in private revealed his own disdain regarding women.†(Preface, x) Bristow make the careful and repeated use of the word ‘perhaps’ and I give full credit to him for treading carefully while trying to comment on the revelations of Paul on this sensitive subject. This viewpoint is one that of an intellectual and has been elucid ated here just to restate the position of mind-level interpretations and the pitfalls involved in such procedure. Mr. Bristow has erred in his judgment about the stand of St. Paul, relating to the status of women. Whatever are the realities of time, a Realized Soul will not employ shortcuts to gain followers for his viewpoints. He will stand by truth on his assertions on any topic, irrespective of the consequences. I believe that women are equal to men and yet I’m wrong. Let’s assume for a while, from the secular point of view that men and women are equal. From the spiritual standpoint, women are more equal as compared to men. How can one treat women as equal to men? God has created her, given her the status of more equal. Nobody can take that right away. It is the woman who gives protection for the initial nine months to the divine creative force of the future of humanity, male or female. St. Paul is aware of this position and one cannot expect a divine personality to make mistakes in divine interpretations about man-woman status. Expressing his dilemma about the stand of St. Paul on this issue, Bristow admits his confusion and writes, â€Å"We were also taught that women, according to Paul, are to obey their husbands and to be subject to male leadership.