Recently in the discourse of our classroom discussions, we've come to the topic of Nihlism, the theory of indifference. To articulate this theory more extensively, it is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively, meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of an existintial nihlist which would arguethat life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrincic value. Moral Nihlist assert that morality, in it's most common form and definition, does not inherently exist, and that any established moral values are abstractly contrived. Based on this precept, would would a Nihlist do in the case below?
La Jonquera used to be a quiet border town where truckers rested and the French came looking for a deal on hand-painted pottery and leather goods. But these days, prostitution is big business here, as it is elsewhere in Spain, where it is essentially legal.
While the rest of Spain’s economy may be struggling, experts say that prostitution — almost all of it involving the ruthless trafficking of foreign women — is booming, exploding into public view in small towns and big cities.
Until 2010, Spain did not even have a law that distinguished trafficking from illegal immigration. And advocates say arrests of traffickers and services for trafficked women remain few. The State Department’s report on trafficking said that according to preliminary information, the Spanish government prosecuted 202 trafficking suspects and convicted 80 in 2010.
More important, some advocates say, is the growing demand for sex services from younger tourists. Of course, there is a local market. One study cited by a 2009 United Nations report said that 39 percent of Spanish men admitted having visited a prostitute at least once. It is widely accepted here for business meetings to end in dinner and a visit to a brothel.
Recently, a 19 year old Romanian girl was rescued by an international aid organization from this lifetyle, yet her reaction was not alleviation, but rather dispair and indifference. She stated, "my life is over now, what is the point of going on?" Is this the mentality of a nihlist, or someone simply overcome with depression? For those who subsist on the pain and suffering of others, are they socio-paths, or are they simply devoid of empathy toward their fellow man? The answers to these questions lies not in how we define these terms, or schools of though, but rather in hwo we define, "good" and "evil" in the world as we know it. Are we, as a people, inclined to aid others at no gain to self, or are is our only commitment, and or obligation to self? If our duty, as Kant would say is to others, then what is the extent of that sense of duty? Yet, if our only duty is to oneself, then are we inclined and even to be encouraged to pursue that to it's furthest ends, even if and when it's to the detriment of others? These are the fundamental questions that are posed here and as wel, as a group move forward. Do you have any duty to anyone beyond yourself?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46982519/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/
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