Philosophy Essay Examples

Nietzsche: The Conscience In his second essay of the Geneaology of Morals, Nietzsche attempts to identify and explain the origin of the conscience. He does not adopt the view of the conscience that is accepted by the “English Psychologists”, such as Bentham, J. Mill, J. S. Mill and Hume, as the result of an innate […]

Questions 1. Do CPAs who provide accounting, taxation, and related services to small businesses have a responsibility to serve as the “moral conscience” of those clients? Explain. Yes, CPAs who provide these types of services to small businesses should have the responsibility to serve as the “moral conscience” at times when they discover something is […]

In On the Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche delves into the theme of power and how it is linked to guilt, cruelty, and asceticism. He argues that humans are motivated by a desire to assert their power and inflict suffering upon themselves and others. Nietzsche’s analysis highlights the ways in which individuals seek control over their […]

Some of the key points that Henry David Thoreau states In On the Duty of Cell Disobedience are applicable to modern-day societies that people have the right to resist, should and just practice Integrity, and attempt to attain a Just, limited government. Thoreau affirms throughout the pamphlet that the absolute right of individuals to withdraw […]

In the text below, Rainstorm finds himself in a dangerous situation after being deceived by General Carrot. Although Carrot initially seems welcoming and friendly, Rainstorm soon discovers his true intentions and the alarming nature of his surroundings. The story serves as a sobering reminder of the deceitfulness of human nature, as well as a cautionary […]

The short story entitled “The Curse” by Andre Dubus is about a man who had witnessed a horrible crime against humanity being committed right in front of him but was not able to do something to prevent it. It explores the concept of conscience as experienced by humans in general but relates it particularly with […]

Initially, in the play, Macbeth is depicted as a capable and esteemed individual with a fully developed character. He has excelled in various aspects of his life. Macbeth’s personality is influenced by his potential and environment, but it would be incorrect to assume that all of his actions are predictable because he cannot completely understand […]

The theorist that I resonated the most with was Viktor Frankl. Reading Frankl’s biographical influences on his theory really inspired me. Through all the horrific struggles, Frankl never lost hope. He always had a good head on his shoulders and the right mindset. Frankl’s theories developed after surviving the Holocaust, believing that “those who had a […]

In the essay “The Step Not Taken” by Paul D’Angelo, the narrator takes the reader on his personal journey to find a satisfactory way to respond to another’s suffering. This story follows the basic plot structure of a monomyth: the separation, the struggle and initiation and the return and reintegration. In the beginning of the […]

Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is clearly a story about good and evil and the consequences of giving wholly into one’s evil side. Dr. Jekyll experiments with this duality in human nature when he creates the persona of Mr. Hyde. When Jekyll states, “man is not truly one, […]

The Convict appears to have a slight inconsistency at the outset, as it is composed in the traditional style of a ballad (as preferred by Wordsworth), featuring a lively and cheerful rhythm. Wordsworth’s adherence to a strict poetic form in The Convict may be appropriate for the first stanza, yet it soon proves to clash […]

We worked in a variety of groups to build the context of the drama through improvisation. The theme of the project was being trapped or alone in isolation and as students, we had to unravel the plot. We used skills such as monologues, freeze frames, flash-forwards and flashbacks, and non-naturalism to explore the background and […]

At the end of Act Five, Shakespeare has re-established Hamlet as a traditional Elizabethan revenge tragedy through the bloody catharsis at the end of the play, the purpose of this being to cleanse Denmark of the corrupt and to restore order, although it is doubtful whether Hamlet’s revenge achieves this aim. It is during Act […]

In J. B. Priestly’s ‘An Inspector Calls’, the Inspector of the title plays an essential role. From his unexpected entrance in Act 1, the Inspector single-handedly creates an atmosphere of intrigue and tension climaxing with his dramatic departure in Act 3. By using his speech, aggression and authority the inspector manages to exploit each of […]

When we first hear of the Inspector in the play ‘An Inspector calls’, it brings a rather dampening view on the audience of the play, as an Inspector is usually related to something bad. The Inspectors name is Inspector ‘Goole’, which stirs thoughts and images of ghosts amongst the audience. In times of when the […]

A diary entry by the signalman Day 16 On that dark and somber Thursday, it was two minutes past midnight. In the tunnel, there was a refreshing breeze that proved helpful as this area is consistently damp. While engrossed in my task, I suddenly caught wind of a voice emanating from the red light. As […]

Writing a good short story is difficult. But Thomas Hardy succeeded in writing excellent short stories. He did this by carefully planning them in order to gain, sustain and satisfy the reader’s interest. I will now be looking at how he manages this in The Distracted Preacher and in The Withered Arm. After reading both […]

First performed in front of a Royal audience, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s plays in which a nobleman, namely Macbeth, might have led a normal life, but the tragedy is that he killed the rightful king, and in the end was punished for doing so. A pivotal moment in the play is the murder of […]

“Tom glanced behind him and saw the man coming out of the Green Cage, heading his way. Tom walked faster. There was no doubt the man was after him. ” (3). The novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, by Patricia Highsmith, begins by immediately pulling us into the wary and suspicious mind of Tom Ripley. Highsmith […]

Exuding the underlying reflections of Macbeth’s psyche, the soliloquy represents the outpouring of confusion and conscience, adding to our insight into Macbeth’s obscure persona. At the opening of the play, we have a strong impression of Macbeth as a ‘worthy gentleman’, with Duncan referring to him as ‘noble Macbeth’. Though, this becomes untenable with ironic […]

William Shakespeare was at the peak of his career during the reign of Elizabeth I, at the time England was at the climax of its power, having a large empire strong trade, a great naval fleet and many explorers who were forever discovering new lands. It was a time of travel and discovery, as well […]

In the passage, the conversation between Vindice and Gratiana showcases and reinforces the main ideas of immorality, sexual desire, hatred towards women, and depravation. The play takes place in Italy’s royal court where an absence of moral values is the norm. Vindice emphasizes this point by claiming that “the world descends into such base-born evils/ […]