ALL ABOUT ME , MYSELF AND I ツ

Since I was born I lived at Don Jose. So where should I start? First I'll tell something about my parents. So my Mother (biological mother) has a cousin who has a lesbian partner and who cannot have children. That is why her cousin asked her if they could adopt me because my mother already has two sons (my two brothers: kuya Bhon and kuya Bryan). Of course at first my mother didn't agree and it's understandable since being my true mother she is the one who bore me for 9 months and endured hardships just so that I could live. Some months after I was born, I was baptized. But before that my mother's cousin asked my mother again if they could adopt me. After all they are relatives and they won’t alienate me from her she said to my mother. That's why my mother thought about the idea. Finally she agreed though she still has second thoughts. I guess she just agreed 80% to the deal and she didn't give her 100% yes. That is why before I was baptized they adopted me and my surname was changed from Jamero to Aclo (the surname of my adoptive parents) Fast forward, I had a happy childhood. I had a normal childhood. We're not rich though we're not poor either. I had a happy family life. When I was young I didn't know about the adoption that happened, of course I was young back then and they didn't tell me the whole story. Consequently, it left me many questions about those whom I consider my parents. But setting that aside, I was the type of kid that plays outdoor games and other games like tecks, pogs, jolen, sekyo, hide and seek, patintero, tamaang people, habulan, taya-tayaan, honestly I even played chinese garter Hahahaha. It was really fun. I didn't use gadgets back then. That's why until now I prefer physical games rather than mobile games.

My Mommy (adoptive mother) is a teacher in the Day Care center here. So I guess I was just 3 or 2 and a half years old back then when I started studying. Then I was transferred to a private school, to Laguna Northwestern College (LNC) but when I was enrolled there I was back to kindergarten. From kinder to grade 1 and grade 2 I was always top 1 of my class. But we were just few in our class. I guess we were just 12 or 15 in our class. But when I was in grade 3 I was transferred to Don Jose Elementary School, a public school in our barangay because the transportation was becoming a burden for them. Adjusting to my new school was easy for me. Fast forward, from grades 4 to 6 I was in top 2. I was proud because by then we were 40 to 50 plus students. I also think that it's worth sharing to say that I had a girlfriend but it was not serious. If there's puppy love then that was more puppy than puppy love hahaha. Moving on, let me talk about my high school days. I was in grade 7 when I started asking about my parents. There were 4 of them who are caring for me. They told me everything since I was old enough to know about it. After knowing the truth I did not have any anger or frustration towards them since I know that I grew up well and fine. In fact I was happy and became proud because I have many persons who love me. Since then I became happier in life. I excelled more in class. But when I was in grade 7 I did something foolish. It was already our finals and the coverage was not explained thoroughly to us so we took our notebooks with us so we could know the answers. Well, we were caught and I'm guessing you know what happened next. At least I was still top 2. I consider it funny but embarrassing for my parents. But I made it up to them.

So high school days? Of course having a girlfriend is part of the high school experience. I already had a girlfriend back in elementary, what more in high school? When I was in 8th grade I had a gf but it didn't last long. Then I had this certain best friend. Actually she was my crush since grade 7. That was how young I was when I started flirting hahahaha. But of course I took care of my studies and made sure that I maintained my grades. She became my best friend when I was in 8th grade and after a year and some months we became a couple. Its hard falling in love with your best friend you know? Especially if she has all the traits you are looking for. Unfortunately, we broke up when we were in 10th grade because of some misunderstandings and confusion. But until now we are still friends. I finished my junior high in Don Jose National High school. It’s just a walking distance from my house. Actually when I was in 10th grade I was the President of the Supreme Student Government of our school (SSG) and of course with that position I was given a lot of responsibility. I also became the Mr. Don Jose when I was in 10th grade. But I was just top 4 then because I didn't focus on my studies or someone was just better than me. But the point is, its okay for me because I don't think that numbers define how smart a person is. All of these memories I cherish and I regret nothing.

I'm now a grade 11 student. I chose the track of STEM because aside from planning to take majors in math I'm also planning to be an engineer. I want to build a house for my parents out of gratitude and love for them. That is why I'm doing my best to excel in my studies. But I never forget to also have fun. We only live once that's why we should make good use of our time so that we wont regret anything.

What are my favorites? Food? There's too many to mention. I cant even say whats my favorite since all foods are delicious for me. Hahahahaha yes I'm fat, chubby but cute. Hahahaha.. just joking. My hobby is playing basketball. Since grade 6 I learned to play basketball. Just sharing though. I also want to share that my first game in our sports fest in our barangay I became the MVP hahahaha but of course that's because of our teamwork. I also loved to dance and listening to music. I like the lively and sad music or dramatic song. I am kind to the person that is also kind to me but I don’t like bittery foods and has a bad taste foods. Hahaha. I don’t like people who are hard to understand, “pabebe” “epal” “pabibo” and perfectionist who tought that they are always right. I am an approachable type of person but you just need to set aside all the manners that I don’t like that I have mentioned earlier.

That's all. I hope you enjoyed and had fun. Thank you! God bless!

Jeremy Bentham (1747-1832)

                                         

Utilitarianism - Jeremy Bentham

UTILITARIANISM

Jeremy Bentham

Even a small stone can cause ripples in the water. Even a small amount of dust can hurt the eye. It is not about how little things are. It is how it affects the entirety of the whole. As Jeremy Bentham who advocated his philosophical view called utilitarianism, once said, "It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is the interest of the individual." An individual, thus, completes a community. Without him, a community stands agape. It is indeed necessary to spare time, effort, and knowledge in getting to know the individuals comprising the community.

Throughout the ages, philosophy has sought to answer the questions that humanity have been asking since the dawn of time. Especially in the field of morality of what should be considered morally acceptable or not. And today, I am going to talk about the philosophy pioneered by Jeremy Bentham, which is utilitarianism. As an overview, let me suffice it by saying that utilitarianism, as a philosophy, focuses mainly on the idea that an action is deemed morally right or wrong depending on its effects Jeremy Bentham, a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law and one of the founders of utilitarianism, was born in Houndsditch, London on February 15, 1748. He was the son and grandson of attorneys, and his early family life was colored by a mix of pious superstition (on his mother's side) and Enlightenment rationalism (from his father). Bentham lived during a time of major social, political and economic change. The Industrial Revolution (with the massive economic and social shifts that it brought in its wake), the rise of the middle class, and revolutions in France and America all were reflected in Bentham's reflections on existing institutions. In 1760, Bentham entered Queen's College, Oxford and, upon graduation in 1764, studied law at Lincoln's Inn. Though qualified to practice law, he never did so. Instead, he devoted most of his life to writing on matters of legal reform—though, curiously, he made little effort to publish much of what he wrote.

As for his philosophical views, Bentham's moral philosophy reflects what he calls at different times "the greatest happiness principle" or "the principle of utility"—a term which he borrows from Hume. In adverting to this principle, however, he was not referring to just the usefulness of things or actions, but to the extent to which these things or actions promote the general happiness. Specifically, then, what is morally obligatory is that which produces the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people, happiness being determined by reference to the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain. Thus, Bentham writes, "By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the tendency which it appears to have to augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question: or, what is the same thing in other words, to promote or to oppose that happiness." And Bentham emphasizes that this applies to "every action whatsoever" (Ch. 1). That which does not maximize the greatest happiness (such as an act of pure ascetic sacrifice) is, therefore, morally wrong. (Unlike some of the previous attempts at articulating a universal hedonism, Bentham's approach is thoroughly naturalistic.)

First, Bentham says, the principle of utility is something to which individuals, in acting, refer either explicitly or implicitly, and this is something that can be ascertained and confirmed by simple observation. Indeed, Bentham held that all existing systems of morality can be "reduced to the principles of sympathy and antipathy," which is precisely that which defines utility. A second argument found in Bentham is that, if pleasure is the good, then it is good irrespective of whose pleasure it is. Thus, a moral injunction to pursue or maximize pleasure has force independently of the specific interests of the person acting. Bentham also suggests that individuals would reasonably seek the general happiness simply because the interests of others are inextricably bound up with their own, though he recognized that this is something that is easy for individuals to ignore. Nevertheless, Bentham envisages a solution to this as well. Specifically, he proposes that making this identification of interests obvious and, when necessary, bringing diverse interests together would be the responsibility of the legislator.

Finally, Bentham held that there are advantages to a moral philosophy based on a principle of utility. To begin with, the principle of utility is clear (compared to other moral principles), allows for objective and disinterested public discussion, and enables decisions to be made where there seem to be conflicts of (prima facie) legitimate interests. Moreover, in calculating the pleasures and pains involved in carrying out a course of action (the "hedonic calculus") there is a fundamental commitment to human equality. The principle of utility presupposes that "one man is worth just the same as another man" and so there is a guarantee that in calculating the greatest happiness "each person is to count for one and no one for more than one."

The "greatest happiness principle", or the principle of utility, forms the cornerstone of all Bentham's thought. By "happiness", he understood a predominance of "pleasure" over "pain". Thus, Bentham wrote in The Principles of Morals and Legislation:

Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think.

Bentham was a rare major figure in the history of philosophy to endorse psychological egoism. As to religious values, however, while Hobbes was an avowed Anglican, Bentham was a determined opponent of religion. Crimmins observes: "Between 1809 and 1823 Jeremy Bentham carried out an exhaustive examination of religion with the declared aim of extirpating religious beliefs, even the idea of religion itself, from the minds of men."

Bentham suggested a procedure for estimating the moral status of any action, which he called the Hedonistic or felicific calculus. Utilitarianism was revised and expanded by Bentham's student John Stuart Mill. In Mill's hands, "Benthamism" became a major element in the liberal conception of state policy objectives.

I therefore conclude that Bentham's moral clearly reflects his psychological view that the primary motivators in human beings are pleasure and pain. Bentham admits that his version of the principle of utility is something that does not admit of direct proof, but he notes that this is not a problem as some explanatory principles do not admit of any such proof and all explanation must start somewhere. But this, by itself, does not explain why another's happiness—or the general happiness—should count. And, in fact, he provides a number of suggestions that could serve as answers to the question of why we should be concerned with the happiness of others.