Celebration of Scholars
#08: Man's Obligation of Property and People
Name:
Carter Pettey
Major: Finance, Data Science
Hometown: Hudson
Faculty Sponsor: Paul Ulrich
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project
Funding: N/A
Abstract
This essay, written as my Intellectual Foundations final, covered two predominant topics discussed in class; Man's obligation to God, society, and nature through the scope of property and self preservation, and the portrayal of romantic relationships by authors past and present (Shakespeare and Toni Morrison). In my response to the first prompt regarding Man's obligations; to God, Man's obligation is to follow his commands given in the Biblical book Genesis to subdue the earth and preserve it, to society, Man's obligation is to make use of only what is beneficial to oneself and to never impede on the stock of others, and to Nature, Man's obligation is to reach an extreme of utility, leaving no nature left to unto itself (in appropriate regard to God's command to preserve). As for the second prompt of the portrayal of relationships, Shakespeare's relationship of Miranda and Ferdinand within The Tempest followed the structure of an equal power dynamic and a mutual desire for emotional reciprocation, whereas Morrison's portrayal of relationships in her novel Song of Solomon between First Corinthians and Porter showed the emotional volatility associated with any relationship pursued out of selfish intent. In essence, the answers for each prompt weren't just out of direct citations by their sources, but indirect representations of what true moral conduct should entail.Submit date: April 7, 2024, 3:10 p.m.