In the quote below Rand explains why she rejects religion outright, and she believes man himself deserves the attention: Just as religion has preempted the field of ethics, turning morality against man, so it has usurped the highest moral concepts of our language, placing them outside this earth and beyond man’s reach. “Exaltation” is usually taken to mean an emotional state evoked by contemplating the supernatural. “Worship” means the emotional experience of loyalty and dedication to something higher than man… But such concepts do name actual emotions, even though no supernatural dimension exists; and these emotions are experienced as uplifting or ennobling, without the self-abasement required by religious definitions.
It is obvious from the excerpt that the connection between kingship and the divine power is significant; in fact, the divine power grants kingship and without it's approval, kingship is lost. It is stated that whether or not King Shou would win the war and maintain his position as king relied solely on “the gracious decision of Heaven”. It is only “Heaven” that bestows power upon a king and it is only “heaven” that can revoke these same powers. In the case of king Shou, heaven revoked his powers by determining his fate in the war. As described by zhou, “the king of Shang, is without principle, cruel and destructive to the creatures of Heaven...”.
The Motivation of Iago William Shakespeare’s Othello is a story based on betrayal, jealousy, hate and revenge. The villain in the play, Iago, is said to be one of Shakespeare’s most evil characters. On a search for power, nothing is going to stand in his way. His actions throughout the play are a direct result of his trying to attain what he believes is rightfully his. Iago’s mean and insensitive manipulation is geared towards the innocent and ends up causing the destruction of Roderigo, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello.
The state of birth, suffering, love, and death are extreme states—extreme, universal, and inescapable. We all know this, but we would rather not know it. The artist is present to correct the delusions to which we fall prey in our attempts to avoid this knowledge. It is for this reason that all societies have battled with the incorrigible disturber of the peace—the artist. I doubt that future societies will get on with him any better.
Divine/Natural Law vs. Human Law If it hadn’t been for Creon’s law that no one could or should bury Polyneices, Antigone’s brother, there would have been no story for Antigone. This provided the theme of the contest between divine law and human law. Natural law states that there are standards for right and wrong that are more fundamental and universal than the laws of any particular society, or human law. Creon showed that he had no concern for divine law when he proved his inhumanity by declaring that Polyneices would receive no burial because he was a “traitor” of Thebes. Antigone, on the other hand, has what Creon lacks.
They all elaborate and personify madness as a derivation of vitality, form of genius, sanity put to good use. You see, if I’m not mistaken, two of society’s most reliable sources contradict between their statements. And yet we haven’t come to the amusing part. Society is unable to differentiate let alone comprehend the difference between such astray notions. Gentleman, reflect and ponder, society should not define madness for us, society itself is mad.
Antigone believes so strongly that she is morally justified and bound by family duty to bury Polynices that she boldly breaks the law knowing she will face the ultimate consequence. “I dared, it was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, King was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were and shall be, operative forever, beyond man utterly (Sophocles).” Antigone defied the laws of man because she believed in the higher law of Gods that she had the right to bury her brother.
Galt communicates that the evil of the world is made possible only by the sanction of the victim, and that individuals must withdraw their sanction. People must understand that they are enslaved and they must be able to identify their enemies. Galt states that the individual has sole control over his or her own happiness, with no one else to blame problems on, “No one’s happiness but my own is in my power to achieve or destroy” (786). This philosophy completely rules out the popular looter slogans of, “I couldn’t help it!” (523), and “They made me do it!”
Such violence is really only the cause of Roy’s pain, his emotions controlling his actions conflicts with our prejudice. Frankenstein's Monster's anguish comes from the rejection he feels from society “Am I to be thought the only criminal, when all human kind sinned against me?”. Posing this Rhetorical question highlights the Irony of how the monster while innocent has been judged just as the reader has. Influenced by her father Mary Shelley's story of a monster portrays the idea that to be human goes beyond that of the body. The Monsters vulgarity and the Replicants perfection does not define them their reaction and action and the ability to think morally and ethically makes them human.
I think because we do not know what death brings that we use consequences even in death and after lives to set guidelines while we are alive. Socrates is using the myth of Er as a way to show that being just is the only way to show that being just is the only way to true happiness. Someone who refuses justice and lives a life as an unjust person, and fallows all his desires no matter who they might hurt, will suffer the consequences in the end. Socrates believes the Gods will love the just and hate the unjust. while the just are alive they seem to be the once who suffer.