The Lord of the Rings: Our Motivation in Committing Evil Acts
analytical Essay
3559 words
The following analysis deals with the nature and source of evil and whether, given our innate motives and moral obligation, we willingly choose to succumb to our desires or are slaves of our passion. From this argument, I intend to show that our human nature requires that we play into our desires in order to affirm our free will. This is not to say that our desires are necessarily evil, but quite the opposite. In some sense, whatever people actually want has some relative value to them, and that all wanted things contain some good. But given that there are so many such goods and a whole spectrum of varying arrangements among them, that there is no way we can conceive anything as embodying an overall good just because it is to some degree wanted by one or a group of persons. In this light, there arises conflict which can only be resolved by a priority system defined by a code, maybe of moral foundations, which allows us to analyze the complexities of human motivation. I do not intend to set down the boundaries of such a notion, nor do I want to answer whether it benefits one to lead a morally good life, but rather want to find out how the constructs of good and evil affect our freedom to choose.
The Starting Point:
Free will can be wholly responsible for my motivation to write this paper. I was really hoping for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to come out in time to be used as the film for analysis, but to my disappointment, it opened in theaters the day this paper was due. So, I chose to write instead on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The films, though not really about our freedom to choose, inspired me to look into the topic of whether it is in our nature to willingly choose the path of evil to gain personal fulfillment. Our motives are not as clear cut as the archetypes portraying good and evil are in the film, but part of me thinks their embodiment in such fantastical creatures as elves, hobbits, orcs, and demons say something about the human desire to approach our weaknesses with understanding and strengths with humility. For if we learn from our mistakes we may grow stronger, while withdrawing from our arrogance, might we refrain from ruling out perfectly possible and desirable changes as impossible. This is the essence of our freedom.
The Assumptions:
My assumptions are few and hopefully essential. Firstly, the sciences do no...
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... moderation? Could we control the intake of our impulses? Is it so evident that given that freedom to take everything in would saturate one’s desires to point where the person would be compelled to turn the other way? Moderation of the good is, of course, the alternative, and like Plato said, the moral life is ultimately more fulfilling than the immoral one. That being said, I kick myself now for not looking deeper into the ethical dilemma raised by the struggle between good and evil. Still, it does not seem as interesting. The wicked person gets a far higher head-turning quotient, even if that person doe not intend to be so.
References
Bassham, Gregory and Eric Bronson (eds.) The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy.
Chicago: Open Court, 2003.
Benjamin, Anna and L.H. Hackstaff (tr). St Augustine On the Free Choice of the Will.
Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1964
Fromm, Erich. The Anatomy of Human of Human Destructiveness. London: Jonathan
Cape, 1974.
Jowett, B. (tr). Plato’s Republic. New York: W.J. Black, 1942.
Midgley, Mary. Wickedness. London: Routledge, 1984.
Stent, Gunther S. Paradoxes of Free Will. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society,
2002.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the nature and source of evil and whether we willingly choose to succumb to our desires or are slaves of our passion.
- Opines that free will can be wholly responsible for their motivation to write this paper. the lord of the rings trilogy inspired them to look into whether it is in our nature to choose the path of evil to gain personal fulfillment.
- Argues that the sciences do not attack our freedom in their efforts to administer predictability in a world where events are causally determined, random, or at the will of an unknown power.
- Analyzes how lord of the rings conveys the longstanding struggle between good and evil and delves into its relationship to the power of personal free choice.
- Analyzes how frodo baggins' quest to destroy the one ring parallels our nature when faced with temptations in our lives.
- Analyzes manicheanism, which postulates that good and evil are locked in an eternal struggle for world domination.
- Analyzes how st. augustine's view of evil as an opposing force to good provides that evil exists as a value, though negative, in relation to the positive value of good.
- Opines that when one removes measure, number, and order, nothing remains. if all good is completely removed, no vestige of reality persists.
- Analyzes how the shire represents purity and vivacity as its residents follow simple, yet fulfilling lives, while mordor is a desolate, barren wasteland.
- Analyzes how mordor exists due to its parasitic nature on goodness, not because of its opposition to it.
- Explains that evil can arise even when good creatures, like frodo, want to have more than their share of good things in the world. this desire serves as the root of all evil.
- Explains that neither the goods desired by sinners, nor the free will itself, are evil in any way. evil is turning away from immutable goods and turning toward changeable.
- Explains st. augustine's view that evil comes from free will. good acts alone would make the world devoid of moral responsibility.
- Argues that nietzsche's generalization is illicit and unwarranted as it disrupts the balance of morality. glaucon concludes that even a just man would give in to the power of ring
- Opines that no one could be found of such adamantine temper as to persevere in justice and refrain his hands from the possessions of others.
- Analyzes how plato's argument is for the sake of morality, but can we hold frodo responsible for his own action?
- Argues that if we confine will to the construct of morality, it breeds corruption. frodo is tempted, but never experiences temptation until he wears the ring.
- Argues that the ring serves as an external force that embodies everything, including every act, which causes frodo to lose his real free will.
- Explains that determinism provides the rational foundation for our intuitive concept of an orderly world and scientific understanding and highly successful manipulation of nature.
- Concludes determinism is not a superstition, but in accordance with the laws of science and nature.
- Analyzes how frodo succumbs to the temptation of the ring and the superstitious acceptance of unnecessary evil, based on his false belief in the helplessness to do anything about it.
- Argues that the ring in lord of the rings exemplifies something that can be completely devoid of any good. sauron represents corruption in its highest form, and his essence could parallel even the most malice men of our own world.
- Explains the main fallacy which prevents people from recognizing potential hitlers before they have shown their true faces.
- Analyzes how the lord of the rings does not convey the manichean view of evil. both examples show it is impossible for someone or something to be completely evil, negating the idea that evil exists as a completely independent principle.
- Argues that treating natural motives as natural brings up the dilemma of morality, for there develops fear of fatalism and power-worship.
- Opines that the freedom of choice is affected by the boundaries of good and evil. the wicked person gets a far higher head-turning quotient.
- Describes benjamin, anna, and l.h. hackstaff's st augustine on the free choice of the will.
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- Ethics and Realityanalytical essayOne of the most pervasive problems in theoretical ethics has been the attempt to reconcile the good for the individual with the good for all. It is a problem which appears in contemporary discussions (like those initiated by Alasdair MacIntyre in After Virtue) as a debate between emotivism and rationalism, and in more traditional debates between relativism and absolutism. I believe that a vital cause of this difficulty arises from a failure to ground ethics in metaphysics. It is crucial, it seems to me, to begin with "the way the world is" before we begin to speculate about the way it ought to be. And, the most significant "way the world is" for ethics is that it is individuals in community. This paper attempts to develop an ethical theory based solidly on Whitehead’s metaphysics, and to address precisely the problem of the relation between the good for the individual and the common good, in such a way as to be sympathetic to both.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that the problem of reconciling the good for the individual and the common good arises from a failure to ground ethics in metaphysics.
- Opines that one of the most pervasive problems in theoretical ethics is the attempt to reconcile the good for the individual with the best for all.
- Analyzes how whitehead outlines the three primary notions of his cosmology as actual entities, prehensions and nexs.
- Explains that "creativity" is the principle of novelty, which allows disjunctive elements to form a new entity, and defines whitehead's famous notion of "concrescence."
- Explains that an actual entity can be described in two ways, namely, as an entity which arises from a process, and as one which contributes to the creation of other actual entities.
- Explains that an actual entity can only occur because of the potential unity of other entities. whitehead's universe is interrelated and the production of something new is utterly dependent on that which already is.
- Explains that whitehead's preferred term is "eternal objects", but he does offer "pure potential(s)" as a synonym to avoid baggage.
- Explains that prehensions are what whitehead describes as "concrete facts of relatedness". they are the links between actual entities and pure potentials.
- Explains that when actual entities and pure potentials come together, the unity of their relatedness is called a nexus.
- Explains that the objectification of prehensions, conditioned by their correlate actual worlds and pure potentials is the basic description of the "becoming" of novel entity.
- Explains that an entity is actual, when it has significance for itself. it functions in respect of its own determinism.
- Explains that when an entity has itself for its subject in a way in which it can contribute to determining itself, it is actual and has realized its own "real internal constitution."
- Explains whitehead's goal of forming conjunctive disjunctions in actual entities. being constituted by and constitutive of becoming is the principle on which we shall base our ethics.
- Explains that metaphysical creativity represents the move from "disjunction to conjunction" and ethical creativity must make the same move.
- Opines that the australian philosophers richard sylvan and david bennett provide a useful model for understanding the dynamic of agents of action.
- Explains that the first task is to understand the role and development of ethical actions, linking them as closely as possible to whitehead's cosmology.
- Explains that the ethical theory being proposed begins with the ultimate ethical principle of value. traditional theories base value on a particular ethical principle.
- Explains the principle of ethical ontology's importance in recognizing that the reason for ethical action is the entities which will effect or be affected by the action.
- Explains that goodness is taken to be a pure potential in whitehead's metaphysics, which measures by which ethical actions are judged.
- Argues that goodness provides the structure of good actions and the virtues direct action towards that structure. whitehead's category of subjective harmony draws attention to this concern.
- Opines that the strongest way of defining goodness is to define it in terms of existence.
- Explains that ethical decision-making is a process that involves agents selecting actions. an ethical action occurs as the culmination of events which can contribute to the action in various ways.
- Suggests that when faced with an ethical dilemma, we can no longer affect the factors which contributed to that dilemma but can affect our response to it.
- Explains that ethical propositions allow us to assess a given action's propensity for goodness, prior to that action being performed.
- Explains that agents perform ethical actions in order to maintain an existence of positive value, but the performing of these actions involves a series of relations.
- Explains that once an ethical action is performed, it is actual and determinate as to its potential for functioning in every future action and entity in its universe.
- Explains that interrelatedness brings with it obligations of its own. an ethical action requires goodness, and a reciprocal relation between the good for the individual and the common good.
3213 wordsRead More - Evil Within the World, Depicted in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbitanalytical essaySince the dawn of time, mankind has been plagued with the ever existing evils of the world. From the first murder by Cain to the opening of Pandora’s Box, the concept of evil has permeated itself into the societies and cultures of the world throughout time. However, in a world of darkness we stand not alone. For wherever evil dwells, the forces of good are always likewise present to maintain the balance: right? In today’s western world we often take this widely accepted belief for granted. After all, for every super villain there is always a hero, and for every damsel in distress there is always a happy ending, or at least that is what the media would have you believe. What I begin to see as I delve further in to the concept of good and evil is that the perceptions of the masses are often not their own. They are merely influenced by what they see laid before them. Why contemplate a problem that’s already been answered? The problem in this case would be, what is the true status of good and evil within the world, and the answer being presented to them as the Manichaean view in which the two equal and opposite forces of good and evil both play roles in the influencing of the world. However, what if the answer was wrong? Could a society be lead astray? For this reason I look for myself to find the answers I seek. For if truth is to be found in the world, it should never be delivered on the silver platter of others work, but rather by the fruits of ones own labor. So, as to properly examine the notion of evil within the world, I look to a piece of literature often seen in the light of innocence: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Within this piece we see the pure untainted character of Bilbo thrust into a world of adventure, danger, greed, ...
In this essay, the author
- Examines the concept of evil within the world by looking to tolkien's the hobbit, wherein bilbo emerges as a character that has truly progressed for the better.
- Evaluates the concept of good in the world, based on the boethian and manichaean ideologies.
- Analyzes how the theme of overall character progression shines throughout the literary work the hobbit.
- Analyzes the character attitudes of bilbo baggins and the environmental factors that have influenced him and shaped his overall character.
- Opines that the manichaean concept of good and evil stands in contrast to that of the boethian view.
- Analyzes how bilbo gets his first taste of the world when he meets the lively cast of characters known shortly as thorin and company.
- Analyzes how the manichaean ideals of evil were developed from the absence of good.
- Analyzes how bilbo is influenced by the dwarves and the world through his encounter with trolls, bert, tom, and william.
- Analyzes how the manichaean concept of evil weaves its way into bilbo's mind in the form of greed.
- Analyzes how the manichaean ideology holds more weight due to one minute detail: repetition.
- Concludes that there is no form of good within the world as grounded in tolkien's the hobbit.
- Explains boethius' consolation of philosophy, translated by david r. slavitt. massachusetts: harvard university press, 2008.
- Describes shippey, tom, and tolkien's author of the century.
3275 wordsRead More - Exploring the Idea of Evilanalytical essayPeople have constantly attempted to understand what evil truly is, and, if possible, how to eliminate this evil from their lives. However, first it must be known what it is that is being eliminated. Different people, cultures, and eras have all had a different view of what evil is, and how it affects their lives, and there is no true answer. Because of this, discussing the idea of whether people are born or can be evil is meaningless. The idea of what evil is, and whether people can be evil, is relative and cannot be applied to human nature in a universal way.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that the idea of whether people are born or can be evil is relative and cannot be applied to human nature in a universal way.
- Explains that the discussion of whether evil exists is dependent on the definition of evil. in human action, evil can be seen as consciously doing harmful acts.
- Explains that good can be seen as the right or desirable quality, and evil is the opposite.
- Explains that evil is dependent on the viewpoint from which it is seen, but some philosophers, such as lyall watson, doubt that it exists at all.
- Explains that the same ideas could be employed on god in judaism and christianity. if god is pure good and cannot do evil, then he must also not have free will.
- Argues that good and evil are concepts that intrinsically have no meaning other than what people give them.
- Explains that existentialism's core idea is that existence precedes essence, meaning that people are born without any given meaning or reason. they create their own meaning based on perspectives placed on themselves and others.
- Explains that good and evil are just points of view that are placed on other people and actions. it is the individual's responsibility to decide the effects of his actions on himself and others.
1158 wordsRead More - Evil and Moralityanalytical essayThe existence of God may mean a great deal too many people; however does his existence mean that he can control evil and morality in humans? Human beings are born every second, minute, and hour of the day. Each human being born will hopefully grow up and make something of themselves, to ultimately become contributing members of society. In order to do so, each individual human being may battle what many before him or her may battle each day, and that is evil and morality and possibly the existence of a God that could control one or the other; or possibly both.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that to have morals, one must be aware of what is going on in their surroundings, and the ability to respond or to act on certain impulses that can be viewed as good or bad.
- Argues that the existence of god means that he can control evil and morality in humans.
- Explains swinburne's definition of a natural evil as all evil which is not deliberately produced by human beings.
- Explains steven m. cahn's "god and morality." exploring philosophy an introductory anthology.
1268 wordsRead More - Comparing John Locke and Thomas Hobbesargumentative essayMany people have different views on the moral subject of good and evil or human nature. It is the contention of this paper that humans are born neutral, and if we are raised to be good, we will mature into good human beings. Once the element of evil is introduced into our minds, through socialization and the media, we then have the potential to do bad things. As a person grows up, they are ideally taught to be good and to do good things, but it is possible that the concept of evil can be presented to us. When this happens, we subconsciously choose whether or not to accept this evil. This where the theories of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke become interesting as both men differed in the way they believed human nature to be. Hobbes and Locke both picture a different scene when they express human nature.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that thomas hobbes and john locke are political philosophers who are famous for their theories about the formation of the society and discussing man in his natural state.
- Argues that humans are born neutral, and if we are raised to be good, we will mature into good human beings. the theories of thomas hobbes and john locke are interesting.
- Compares hobbes' theory of men at their natural state being at constant war, the war of all against all, and his belief that humans are driven to maximize personal gains.
- Explains that john locke maintained that the original state of nature was happy and characterized by reason and tolerance.
- Explains locke's view that men are independent and equal and the reason for joining society is the willingness to avoid conflicts and war.
- Explains that thomas hobbes believed that people should be ruled by one person, and that one ruler would help prevent chaos and wars. he sees the government or ruler as a powerful sovereign.
- Argues that hobbes and locke agree that it is the right and the responsibility of the people to overthrow the government.
- Compares hobbes' and locke's views on human nature and how a government should be run. both view people as being run by selfishness, whereas they are naturally kind.
1242 wordsRead More - Fate In Greek Mythologyanalytical essayTolkien, J. R. R., and Carl F. Hostetter. "Fate And Free Will." Tolkien Studies: An Annual Scholarly Review 6.(2009): 183-188. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 8 May 2014.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that in greek mythology, the gods play a large if not central role in the main developments of the story.
- Explains that free will is the idea of having complete control over one's actions and decisions. the odyssey demonstrates that your life is your own responsibility.
- Explains that the gods held odysseus imprisoned for eight years and refused to free him. calypso tried to make him stay by offering eternal life, but he refused.
- Analyzes how the gods intervened in the story of athena, telemachus, and odysseus.
- Analyzes how athena sentenced the suitors on ithaca to death by odysseus' hand, based on their choices.
- Analyzes how homer's epics are wonderful places to see the relationship between free will and fate. free will is experienced throughout the odyssey and makes the story more exciting and unpredictable.
- Explains that homer's conception of fate was published in the classical journal 42.8 (1947): 477-85. solomon, robert c.
- Analyzes strong, c. a., "fate and free will." the journal of philosophy psychology and scientific methods, vol. 15, no. 1 (1918): 5-9.
835 wordsRead More - The Consequences Of Free Willopinion essayIn this paper, I will argue that we have free will for our actions and our moral responsibilities. Free will is a big part in life. We have free will, but there are times where there is no free will. In the world we live in today, we really don’t always have free will.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that we have free will for our actions and moral responsibilities, but there are times where there is no freewill. emotions can be extreme or not as extreme, by how we handle things.
- Opines that we have the free will to decide if we are good or bad, but we don't always show it, and the other way around.
- Explains that there are things we have to deal with and we don't have choices. nobody forces us to wear certain clothes, but sometimes our parents might if we are younger.
- Opines that we don't have the free will to get whatever we wanted. we have to either work for it or sometimes not get what we want.
- Explains that there are cases where we only have certain things to do. we have the free will for it to be a good thing or bad thing.
- Explains that if we are convinced to only one choice, then that is not free will. beeing in a coma, being possessed, or what spirits can do to us is the objection.
772 wordsRead More - Sources Of Temptation In The Lord Of The Ringsanalytical essayTemptation is the urge that tempts and taunts man. It can bring out the best or the wrong in all people. Throughout the history of man, temptation has been thriving. Since the dawn of man, man has been tempted. In the biblical sense, Adam and Eve were the first people to succumb to temptation in the Garden of Eden. The source of their temptation was brought by a Snake, who convinced them to disobey the rules and law of God to indulge in an apple. For temptation to flourish, there must be a source, something that showcases temptation. Whether that source be a person, thing, or thought, temptation must have a source. Three examples of sources include the Ring of Power in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Darth Vader in Star Wars: The
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the source of temptation is a person, thing, or thought, which showcases temptation. the lord of the rings, darth vader, and chancellor palpatine are examples.
- Analyzes how the ring of power corrupted boromir, isildur, saruman, and the nazgul in the film. the ring's temptation is clearly shown in its beginning.
- Analyzes how bilbo baggins, a hobbit from the shire, became seduced by the ring until his 111th birthday, when he gave everything to his nephew, frodo.
- Analyzes how boromir becomes seduced by the ring's power to use it to save gondor and restore order to his nation.
- Analyzes how darth vader corners his son, luke skywalker, after a tense duel in star wars: the empire strikes back.
- Analyzes how luke is tempted by darth vader in star wars: return of the jedi.
- Analyzes how temptation thrives on finding weakness in a man and exploiting it to such degree that they fall easily to temptation. in star wars: revenge of the sith, anakin becomes taunted and tempted to leave the jedi order and pledge himself to the dark side.
- Analyzes how anakin succumbs to the temptation of unnatural powers and shows in great detail how temptation can lead to downfall, evident in the events of order 66.
- Compares the sources of temptation in revenge of the sith, empire strikes back, return of jedi, and the fellowship of the ring.
1239 wordsRead More - My Moral Code vs. Moral Theoryexplanatory essayEvery human being carries with them a moral code of some kind. For some people it is a way of life, and they consult with their code before making any moral decision. However, for many their personal moral code is either undefined or unclear. Perhaps these people have a code of their own that they abide to, yet fail to recognize that it exists. What I hope to uncover with this paper is my moral theory, and how I apply it in my everyday life. What one does and what one wants to do are often not compatible. Doing what one wants to do would usually bring immediate happiness, but it may not benefit one in the long run. On the other hand, doing what one should do may cause immediate unhappiness, even if it is good for oneself. The whole purpose of morality is to do the right thing just for the sake of it. On my first paper, I did not know what moral theories where; now that I know I can say that these moral theories go in accordance with my moral code. These theories are utilitarianism, natural law theory, and kantianism.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the purpose of morality is to do the right thing just for the sake of it.
- Explains the doctrine of natural law theory, which states that all human action needs to be in accordance with the law.
- Explains that utilitarianism is the moral theory that states that an action is only moral if it produces good consequences.
- Explains kantian principles of treating humans as ends in themselves and not because they expect favors from them.
- Explains that their moral code is always towards the happiness of people around them and the wellness of all human beings in general. utilitarians don't care about a person's personal life or whether actions happen to hurt some people.
795 wordsRead More - Rousseau's Discourse on Inequalityanalytical essayWith the lack of self-consciousness the human in the state of nature lacks a prerequisite of having morality. Once self-consciousness is attained, one desires to be a person of a certain sort, who desires some things and not others. With this self-consciousness comes the possibility o...
In this essay, the author
- Argues that rousseau ignores the possibility that the traits people display in society are due to living together with others and would not appear in a pre-social existence.
- Analyzes how rousseau tries to imagine what human life would have been like in a pre-social form of existence. he supposes there is no way he can gather actual evidence to answer questions about the state of nature.
- Explains that rousseau believed that humans were happy savages, lacked language, and had no moral notions. they were conscious but not self-conscious or aware of themselves as a group of people.
- Explains that without self-consciousness, one lacks morality and desires to be a certain kind of person. this leads to creating an ideal for oneself and doing what it takes to live up to it.
- Argues that rousseau's vision is different. he thinks that with the development of society and morality individuals are fundamentally transformed.
- Analyzes how rousseau emphasizes the physical powers of the human, not the mental powers which he believes are limited.
- Explains that in the state of nature one's desires are generic and simple. one simply wants to satisfy a physical urge and basically anything will do.
- Analyzes how rousseau emphasizes that there is hardly and opportunity for oppression in the state of nature and no incentives to seek to oppress or enslave.
- Explains that rousseau's desires of the savage are dictated by two master passions, self-love and pity.
- Explains that the "savage" is not fully human yet, but they are already a somewhat unnatural element in nature, according to rousseau.
- Explains that if there is a happy equilibrium between man and nature, what disturbs this equilibrium?
- Describes rousseau's stages in the development of social cooperation and political society. when the success of outsmarting animals comes into play the human prides itself on being much more clever than animals.
- Explains that the first revolution in the emergence of society according to rousseau is the building of huts.
- Explains that when humans live together in society, they acquire the ideas of merit and beauty which produce feelings of preference. humans have attitudes and attachments toward others and desire for the regard of others.
- Explains that the next revolution in the development of human society is the emergence of agriculture and with this significant social inequality and more complex divisions of labor.
- Analyzes how property inequality magnifies status competitions and alters the character of the individual. rousseau believes that the natural state is compromised and human society is off and running in the progress of civilization.
1178 wordsRead More