Technology and Homeland Security

Paper Summary:

The paper explains Jean Jacques Rousseau's concept of utilitarianism and discusses the adjustments that have been made to the civil liberties of American citizens in order to maintain the greater good and protect society from further terrorist attacks. As an example of these adjustments, the paper discusses the homeland security changes in airports around the world and the use of technology to scan luggage as well as humans. The paper then explains why the passenger scanning could be a possible invasion of privacy and thus proposes that technology should make these scanning processes more efficient.

From the Paper:

"Democratic American society should more or less functions on the concept of Rousseau's social contract and utilitarian principles (Rousseau, 1762). The social contract dictates that citizens agree to give up a certain number of their civil liberties and freedom in exchange for services provided by the government (Rousseau, 1762). These services include basic services, public funding, the operation of government, as well as security, or in the case of the United States, Homeland Security. Utilitarianism is a philosophical principle that is intended to guide the government's actions based on the removal of specific liberties from citizens. The principle is an understanding that something should only proceed when it is beneficial to the greater good. Thus, the goal of utilitarianism is to find solutions that have the greatest amount of benefit for the general population, and the least amount of cost or disadvantages for any one individual (McCaughan, 2005)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• DC Airport Authority. (2005). http://www.metwashairports.com/national/ - DCA National Airport.
• McCaughan, G. (2005). Utilitarianism. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g.mccaughan/g/essays/utility.html
• Rousseau, J. (1762). The Social Contract. Translated by G. D. H. Cole. http://www.constitution.org/jjr/socon.htm
• Utilitarianism. http://www.utilitarianism.com/

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