Is Feminism Harmful Essays - Social Philosophy, Philosophy Of Life

Is Feminism Harmful? PART B- IS FEMINISM A HARMFUL IDEOLOGY? Describe two central moral issues. In Issue 4, Is Feminism a Harmful Ideology? I believe that the two central moral issues to this debate are as follows : (1) Is it immoral to infringe upon individual liberty (even if some other good can come of it)? (2) Is it immoral to discriminate based on sex (even if there are innate differences, which are relevant to the situation)? What makes these distinctly moral issues, as opposed to legal, religious, or socio-political issues? These are distinctly moral issues for a few reasons. First, answers to these questions require normative statements (yes it is immoral, or no it isn't immoral to infringe?) which express value judgements. These statements can not be supported by empirical evidence. In other words, they are not subject to verification by running experiments, or through observation. Second, these answers define standards of human conduct, which apply equally to everyone (as opposed to, for example, men under the age of 21 who live in Tanzania). Lastly, these judgements for the most part are, as the course guide vaguely puts it, not laid down by authoritative bodies (pg.1-3) . What is the liberal position concerning the enforcement of morality? The liberal position concerning the enforcement of morals holds freedom as the most important value in cases of victimless crime. The liberal believes that it is cruel and unjust for authoritative bodies to enforce community moral standards for victimless crime because of the necessary restraint it puts on individual civil liberties. Normative Ethics: Normative ethics is a branch of ethics which attempts to illuminate how humans should live their lives, and more specifically how to make moral decisions concerning oneself and others, according to certain sets of values. The following moral theories are components of normative ethics. Application of moral theories to Feminism and Freedom Act Utilitarianism: Act utilitarianism judges the morality of an act according to how much utility it produces. In this case, utility refers to an end or consequence. A morally sound act has utility, meaning that its end is a positive one. The act that produces the most happiness is considered the morally right one. An act utilitarian who believes that feminism is a harmful ideology might argue that yielding to feminist's beliefs would produce less happiness than rejecting them. S/he may argue that forcing equality by, for example, requiring fire departments to establish less demanding physical examinations for women, or requiring corporations to exercise gender quotas may cause more unhappiness. Taken another step, if a fire-fighter's effectiveness rests to a certain extent on his physical strength, then would it be so far-fetched to suggest that inevitably lives will be lost because of the inability of certain fire-women to carry an unconscious person up from the basement of a burning house? According to this reason, an act utilitarian may view feminism as a harmful ideology. Rule Utilitarianism: A rule utilitarian seeks underlying moral rules of particular acts, and judges their morality by finding which rules produce the most utility. In the issue of whether feminism is a harmful ideology or not, a rule utilitarian would find the underlying moral rules on each side of the debate. S/he may feel that the underlying moral rules in Michael Levin's Feminism and Freedom are: -One should not infringe upon individual liberty -One should not discriminate based on sex The rule utilitarian may feel that there is more utility to be gained by following the first rule. This is a value judgement that may not be held by all rule utilitarians, but in this particular utilitarian's view, it is the rule that produces the most happiness. Kantian View: The Kantian theory of ethics maintains that there is a universal moral principle of duty. The moral duty performed is what is judged, not the consequence of carrying out the duty. For example, a Kantian theorist may believe that stealing is wrong. For him/her, this is a categorical imperative to be followed at all times by everyone; even if what is being stolen is a piece of bread to feed a starving child. Kantian theory applied to the question of feminism may produce the view that securing individual freedom is the most important value, and since feminism infringes upon freedom, it is the

Most Beautiful Mountain Biking Trails

Most Beautiful Mountain Biking Trails The exciting mountain biking trails in the U.S. can turn any bike ride into an adventure. Many of the biking trails on this list are on the wish list of experienced cyclists from all over the world. From very fast downhill trails that can take your breath away to buttery smooth single-track trails, there is a challenge out there for every cyclist. The San Juan Islands, Washington What will strike you about the biking trails in San Juan Islands, Washington is the wide range of beaches and attractions you can discover along the way. The San Juan Islands welcome cyclists of all levels, which means you do not have to be a pro to enjoy the surprising sceneries these trails have. It can take you about a day to go around the island of San Juan on a trail that is 43 miles long. The amazing parks and beaches along the way may tempt you to spread the trip over a couple of days, though. If you are an experienced cyclist, head to the horseshoe-shaped Orcas Island, often referred to as the gem of the San Juans. The mountain bike trails on the 57 square miles area of the island offer a great mix of high mountains and fabulous shoreline. The trails here can be a challenge for most cyclists and at the same time they can discover some great landscapes that are sure to impress their Facebook followers. Poison Spider Mesa Trail, Moab, Utah The infamous Poison Spider Mesa Trail is not for the faint-hearted, as it will be a struggle to get to the end of it and still feel your legs. Even though cyclists have to share the trail with motorcycles and jeeps, most of the time you will be all by yourself while navigating past the high Wingate sandstone cliffs along the Colorado and higher up onto the Navajo mesa. The views of the La Sal Mountains and Behind the Rocks area make this trail one of the most scenic ones in the U.S. Despite its name, there are no poisonous spiders here, but you are sure to stumble upon some fun rock obstacles on the Poison Spider Mesa Trail. When it comes to the road surface, much of the loop is on Navajo Sandstone, but youll also speed over sandy wash bottom, two blow-sand hills, and rock ledges. Munds Wagon Trail, Sedona, Arizona A former main cattle route North out of town, Munds Wagon is nowadays a trail that closely follows Schnebly Hill Road and Bear Wallow Creek. Cyclists choosing this trail can discover the exciting sensation of riding across a canyon. When you reach the top of the trail, you get access to the Cow Pies and Merry-Go-Round Rock. The Munds Wagon Trail climbs 1100 feet and features lots of mini obstacles that make the ride fun, as well as some fast sections for those who are in for a bit of adrenaline. After the first loose section, the trail smoothes out as it you start going downhill, so you enjoy the scenic views at the fullest. Tahoe Rim Trail, California, Nevada Passing through no less than six counties in California and Nevada, the Tahoe Rim Trail will also take you through three wilderness areas, three national forests, and one state park. A spectacular trail with 165 miles of single-track, the Tahoe Rim Trail goes around all of Lake Tahoe. Overlapping with about 50 miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, this trail touches other legendary rides as well, including the Flume Trail to the east and Hole in the Ground near Truckee to the northwest. Biking on the Tahoe Rim Trail allows you to discover the carving that goes across a remarkable terrain. The trail is open to riders and hikers as well, but for the most part you will find yourself all alone to make the most of the incredible sceneries. Paradise Royale Trail, California Discover the wilderness of Northern California on the Paradise Royale Trail. Taking you across remote backcountry and bringing a sense of peacefulness with it, the Paradise Royale Trail is a beautiful single track built for mountain biking. Boasting a 14-mile loop, this trail is challenging and mostly suitable for experienced cyclists. The climbs here are tough, so get ready for a tough workout. The trail is located deep in the King Range Mountains and was specifically designed as a mountain bike trail. Starting with a slope and then changing into a hill, the trail is as rewarding as it is beautiful. As you get to the end of the trail, you can enjoy the striking panorama of the Pacific Ocean below.