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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 5 page paper relates the central beliefs of
Charles Taylor, in his book Ethics of Authenticity. Taylor provides some interesting and valid arguments regarding the nature of mankind and the substantial changes that man has gone through in modernity that have influenced views of ethics. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MH11_MHEthAut.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
arguments, though well substantiated, also raise some questions regarding the impacts of social and industrial development and the assessments of three specific elements of modernity that have influenced the way
individuals and the society define their existence in the world. Taylors book begins by introducing the three essential "maladies" or the concerns that have followed the progression of the modern
identity: individualism, the primacy of instrumental reason, and the "feared consequences for political life of individualism and instrumental reason" (Taylor 8; See also Flannagan 109). Taylors views
on individualism, for example, which he recognizes that many view as one of the greatest gains of the modern era, are especially compelling. Taylor argues that in the past,
people saw themselves as a distinct component in a larger moral order. Modernity has defined mans separation from others, and this has inherently led to the discrediting of a
spiritual or moral order (2). While this may not appear to many to be a major change influencing the lives of all people, Taylor argues that this can further
be described as the "disenchantment of the world," leading to difficulties in defining the purpose of human life or the central meaning to mans existence (Taylor 3). This same
concept of disenchantment is related to what Taylor argues as the "the primacy of instrumental reason" (5). Essentially, Taylor introduces this to show how individualism and disenchantment have led
to a very pragmatic view of modern industrial processes, including the focus on the greatest economic gains and improving efficiency towards these gains. The final element presented by Taylor,
then, is the impacts of these two, especially the concept of instrumental reason, on definitive political processes and change. As individuals increase their desire for political and social development
...