Responsibility: are we really responsible for our actions? Essay

Have you ever wondered if the decision that you have just made was the best possible decision for you to make? An agent’s relationship between responsibility and his decisions in life are affected by the alternative choices that were not taken as well as the choices that were made. Thomas Nagel believes that an agent’s autonomy is always being threatened by the possibility of a viewpoint that is more objective than his own. His view on responsibility is such that in order to place responsibility on an agent, sufficient reflection about alternative choices must be considered. On the other hand, Carl Ginet claims that free will cannot be caused (free will is not determined), but rather that the will is free. He claims that responsibility is a result of the agent’s inherent free will to choose and is event specific. Ginet feels that since we are free beings, we are responsible for every decision that we make, but not for the causes of our choices. This is contrary to Nagel’s stance of responsibility. He asserts that in order for an agent to be held responsible for his decisions, the agent must have sufficient knowledge of both subjective and objective viewpoints. Nagel believes that this requires a highly developed view of the self and is very difficult to achieve. Responsibility  for our actions seems to only stem from the choices that we make, but the decisions that we do not make also affect our degree of responsibility. Ginet feels that the only two propositions regarding free will are either that the will is caused or that the will is free. He argues that if the will is caused no agent can be held responsible for his decisions. One of Ginet’s arguments is that if the will is to be caused and a choice is presented to an agent that â€Å"no one can be intelligibly described as knowing what his decision will be before he makes it because the claim to possess such knowledge is implicitly inconsistent,† (Ginet 50). He claims that since agents cannot know what decision they are going to make before they make them, that the agent’s decisions are not caused. There is no point in deciding to take a course of action that is already known to the agent. A decision, in this case, would be useless because an agent cannot ‘decide’ on  an action if the agent already knows what he will do. As Ginet points out, â€Å"if [the agent] does already know what he will decide to do, then he cannot by the process of making up his mind persuade himself to anything that he does not already know,† (Ginet 52). If this is the case than an agent cannot be held responsible for his decisions because he could not possibly persuade himself to take a new course of action. On the other hand, if the will is to be free, placing responsibility for the decisions of an agent is valid. Ginet believes that with free will, a decision should be self-determining, â€Å"?a decision is a specific event which, like a flash or bang, can be identified independently of inquiry into its causes,† (Ginet 54). A decision  is to be judged simply as an event and not by the events that caused it. If the will is free, responsibility can be placed on an agent, while if the will is caused, responsibility is discounted. Autonomy and the tradeoff between the subjective and objective points of view are at the heart of an agent’s decision making, according to Nagel. He contends that there are levels of autonomy but no one can reach the highest level (perfect autonomy). Higher levels of autonomy are reached through self-actualization and reflection on oneself. An agent’s autonomy stems from the objective reflection of his viewpoint. However, Nagel believes that an agent can loose his autonomy and ultimately his free will by being overly reflective as is shown in this quote, â€Å"?so the problem of free will lies in the erosion of interpersonal attitudes and of the sense of autonomy,† (Nagel 112). Nagel’s problem with free will, in making decisions, comes from the desire to possess both the objective (observer) perspective and the subjective (actor) perspective at the same instant. The problem here, is that an agent cannot be both causing the action and, at the same moment, be a passive observer. Why would we want to have both a subjective and an objective viewpoint at the same instant? To possess both would mean that the agent has the knowledge of the external perspectives affecting the decisions as well as the internal desires and the ability to act on them. Because an agent views his choice subjectively, there may be alternative choices that  are not made aware to the agent and that may eventually prove to be the best course of  action. An example of this particular case is as follows: a bank teller (who is relatively new to his position) is held up at gunpoint and ordered to give the robber the bank’s money. This bank teller mentally reviews his situation and finds that the best course of action is to hand over the money peacefully. While this is happening, the bank manager is also reviewing the situation and has decided that if he were in the teller’s situation that he would push the hidden button underneath the desk. This button would release a plate of bulletproof glass between the robber and the teller. Unfortunately, the teller is new to his position and does not have this objective knowledge. The question before us: is the teller responsible for the loss of the bank’s money? This question will be considered later. Subjective and objective viewpoints often coincide with autonomy and self-reflection. It is the choices from which we have to choose from, in any particular situation, that determine the degree of responsibility to which we attribute our actions. In order to answer the question stated in the preceding paragraph about the bank teller, one must choose to go along with Nagel’s or Ginet’s view on responsibility. If one holds to Ginet’s conviction that the will is free, then we are responsible for our decisions. However, judgment of the particular decision is limited to the decision being only a specific event and not of the preceding events. Judgment and responsibility in this case do not have anything to do with preceding causes in any way or the decisions that could have been made if the agent had a more objective viewpoint. In the case of the bank teller, his decision in giving the  robber the money and thereby choosing the safest and most peaceful solution was, indeed, the best decision he could have made. He is not held  accountable for the lost money. When Nagel’s outlook on responsibility is applied to assess this situation, we see that there was a better decision that could have been made. If the teller had the objective knowledge about the button under the desk that the manager had, he could have prevented the robber from stealing the bank’s money. However, if he only had this objectivity and not his subjectivity, he would not be in the position to produce the volition at all. The teller did not, in this case, choose the best decision, but at the same time is not fully responsible for the loss of the bank’s money. The teller is partly held accountable for the lost money because there was an alternative choice that would have made the overall outcome better off. Unfortunately for the teller, the knowledge of the hidden button was not made aware to him. This is why the teller is only partly responsible. Ginet asserts that responsibility is to be judged by the specific event while Nagel implies that there are different degrees of responsibility that vary with the amount of information that the agent has. Judgment on a decision can be assessed using Ginet’s ‘event specific’ outlook on responsibility or Nagel’s view that there are varying degrees of responsibility. Both of these methods rely on the agent’s knowledge of the particular situation to make the best decision, but only Nagel’s method of judging a decision incorporates objective knowledge that the agent may be partially (or not  at all) unaware of. Ginet’s stance on responsibility is that only the specific decision can be judged because the causes that led up to the decision are irrelevant when an agent finally comes to a conclusion when making a particular decision. Nagel states that in order to make the best decision possible, an agent must have both subjective and objective knowledge. In this case, responsibility is not only derived from the decision that is actually made, but is also derived from decisions that could have been made (even if the agent did not have enough knowledge to consider all his possibilities). Both methods of assessing responsibility are valid, but Nagel’s method may be considered ‘unfair’. The agent is being  held accountable for something that is out of his control (he does not have adequate knowledge). When we are faced with a decision, we must consider all that is before us in order to make the best possible choice. We will be held responsible for the decisions we make and for the decisions we did not make. Works Cited Ginet, Carl. â€Å"Can the Will be Caused?† Philosophical Review 71 (1962): 49-55. Reprinted in New Readings in Philosophical Analysis, ed. H. Feigl, W. Sellars and K. Lehrer (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1972). Nagel, Thomas. â€Å"The View from Nowhere.† Cambridge University Press. (1979). pp.110-137

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Twelve

Jack did (eventually) find his bedchamber, but even though he knew he'd likely still have been happily asleep if he hadn't been determined to join Grace at breakfast, when he lay down atop his covers, intending to take a restorative nap, he found himself unable to do so. This was profoundly irritating. He had long prided himself on his ability to fall asleep at will. It had come in handy during his years as a soldier. No one ever managed to acquire the correct sleep, either in quality or amount. He would steal his slumber where he could, and his friends had been eternally jealous that he could prop up against a tree, close his eyes, and be asleep within three minutes. But not, apparently, today, even though he'd traded a knobby tree for the finest mattress money could buy. He closed his eyes, took his customary long, slow breaths, and†¦nothing. Nothing but Grace. He'd like to have said she was haunting him, but that would have been a lie. It wasn't her fault that he was a fool. And in truth, it wasn't just that he was completely desperate for her (although he was, and most uncomfortably, too). He couldn't get her out of his mind because he didn't want to get her out of his mind. Because if he stopped thinking about Grace, he would have to start thinking about other things. The possibility of his being the Duke of Wyndham, for one. Possibility†¦Bah. He knew it was true. His parents had been married. All that was needed was to locate the parish register. He closed his eyes, trying to push back the overwhelming feeling of dread that was bearing down on him. He should have just lied and said that his parents had never wed. But blast it, he had not known the consequences when he said that they had. No one had told him he'd be crowned the bloody duke. All he'd known was that he was so damned furious with the dowager for kidnapping him and with Wyndham for staring at him like he was something to be swept under the rug. And then Wyndham had said, in that smarmy, superior voice of his: If indeed your parents were married†¦. Jack had snapped out his reply before he had a chance to consider the consequences of his actions. These people were not better than he was. They had no right to cast aspersions on his parents. It was too late now, though. Even if he tried to lie and recant his words, the dowager would not rest until she'd burned a trail through Ireland in search of the marriage documents. She wanted him to inherit, that much was clear. It was difficult to imagine her caring for anyone, but she had apparently adored her middle son. His father. And even though the dowager had not shown any particular fondness for him – not that he had made much of an effort to impress – she clearly preferred him over her other grandson. Jack had no idea what had transpired between the dowager and the current duke, if anything. But there was little affection between the pair. Jack stood and walked to the window, finally admitting defeat and giving up on the notion of sleep. The morning sun was already bright and high in the sky, and he was suddenly seized by a need to be out of doors, or rather, out of Belgrave. Strange, that one could feel so closed-in in such a massive dwelling. But he did, and he wanted out. Jack strode across the room and snatched up his coat. It was satisfyingly shabby atop the fine apparel of Wyndham's he'd donned that morning. He almost hoped he bumped into the dowager, just so she could see him all dusty and road-worn. Almost. But not quite. With quick, long strides he made his way down to the main hall, just about the only location he knew how to get to. His footsteps were annoyingly loud on the marble as he walked forth. Everything seemed to echo here. It was too big, too impersonal, too – â€Å"Thomas?† He stopped. It was a female voice. Not Grace. Young, though. Unsure of her surroundings. â€Å"Is that – I'm so sorry.† It was indeed a young woman, of medium height, blond, with rather fetching hazel eyes. She was standing near the doorway of the drawing room he had been dragged into the day before. Her cheeks were delightfully pink, with a smattering of freckles he was sure she detested. (All women did, he'd learned.) There was something exceptionally pleasant about her, he decided. If he weren't so obsessed with Grace, he would flirt with her. â€Å"Sorry to disappoint,† he murmured, offering her a roguish smile. This wasn't flirting. This was how he conversed with all ladies. The difference was in the intention. â€Å"No,† she said quickly, â€Å"of course not. It was my mistake. I was just sitting back there.† She motioned behind her to a seating area. â€Å"You looked rather like the duke as you walked by.† This must be the fiancee, Jack realized. How interesting. It was difficult to imagine why Wyndham was dragging his heels on the marriage. He swept into a gracious bow. â€Å"Captain Jack Audley, at your service, ma'am.† It had been some time since he'd introduced himself with his military rank, but somehow it seemed the thing to do. She bobbed a polite curtsy. â€Å"Lady Amelia Willoughby.† â€Å"Wyndham's fiancee.† â€Å"You know him, then? Oh, well, of course you do. You are a guest here. Oh, you must be his fencing partner.† â€Å"He told you about me?† The day grew more interesting by the second. â€Å"Not much,† she admitted. She blinked, staring at a spot that was not his eyes. He realized that she was looking at his cheek, which was still discolored from his altercation with her fiance the day before. â€Å"Ah, this,† he murmured, affecting mild embarrassment. â€Å"It looks much worse than it actually is.† She wanted to ask about it. He could see it in her eyes. He wondered if she'd seen Wyndham's blackened eye. That would certainly set her curiosity on fire. â€Å"Tell me, Lady Amelia,† he said conversationally, â€Å"what color is it today?† â€Å"Your cheek?† she asked with some surprise. â€Å"Indeed. Bruises tend to look worse as they age, have you noticed? Yesterday it was quite purple, almost regally so, with a hint of blue in it. I haven't checked in the mirror lately.† He turned his head to offer her a better view. â€Å"Is it still as attractive?† Her eyes widened, and for a moment she seemed not to know what to say. Jack wondered if she was unused to men flirting with her. Shame on Wyndham. He had done her a great disservice. â€Å"Er, no,† she replied. â€Å"I would not call it attractive.† He laughed. â€Å"No mincing words for you, eh?† â€Å"I'm afraid those blue undertones of which you were so proud have gone a bit green.† He leaned in with a warm smile. â€Å"To match my eyes?† â€Å"No,† she said, seemingly immune to his charms, â€Å"not with the purple overlaying it. It looks quite horrible.† â€Å"Purple mixed with green makes†¦?† â€Å"Quite a mess.† Jack laughed again. â€Å"You are charming, Lady Amelia. But I am sure your fiance tells you that on every possible occasion.† She did not reply. Not that she could; her only possible answers were yes, which would reveal her conceit, or no, which would reveal Wyndham's negligence. Neither was what a lady wished to show to the world. â€Å"Do you await him here?† he asked, thinking to himself that it was time to end the conversation. Lady Amelia was charming, and he could not deny a certain level of entertainment that came from making her acquaintance without Wyndham's knowledge, but he was still a bit wound up inside, and he was looking forward to time out of doors. â€Å"No, I just – † She cleared her throat. â€Å"I am here to see Miss Eversleigh.† Grace? And who was to say that a man could not acquire a bit of fresh air in a drawing room? One had only to crack open a window. â€Å"Have you met Miss Eversleigh?† Lady Amelia asked. â€Å"Indeed I have. She is most lovely.† â€Å"Yes.† There was a pause, just long enough for Jack to wonder at it. â€Å"She is universally admired,† Lady Amelia finished. Jack thought about making trouble for Wyndham. A simple, murmured, It must be difficult for you, with so beautiful a lady in residence here at Belgrave, would go a long way. But it would make equal trouble for Grace, which he was not prepared to do. And so instead he chose the bland and boring: â€Å"Are you and Miss Eversleigh acquaintances?† â€Å"Yes. I mean, no. More than that, I should say. I have known Grace since childhood. She is most friendly with my elder sister.† â€Å"And surely with you, as well.† â€Å"Of course.† Lady Amelia acceded. â€Å"But more so with my sister. They are of an age, you see.† â€Å"Ah, the plight of the younger sibling,† he murmured. â€Å"You share the experience?† â€Å"Not at all,† he said with a grin. â€Å"I was the one ignoring the hangers-on.† He thought back to his days with the Audleys. Edward had been but six months younger, and Arthur a mere eighteen months after that. Poor Arthur had been left out of any number of escapades, and yet wasn't it interesting – it was Arthur with whom he had ultimately formed the strongest bond. Arthur had been uncommonly perceptive. They shared that. Jack had always been good at reading people. He'd had to. Sometimes it was his only means of gathering information. But as a boy he'd viewed Arthur as an annoying little whelp; it wasn't until they were both students at Portora Royal that he realized that Arthur saw everything, too. And although he had never come out and said it, Jack knew that he'd seen everything in him as well. But he refused to grow maudlin. Not right now, not with a charming lady for company and the promise of another at any moment. And so he pushed more happy thoughts of Arthur to the forefront of his mind and said, â€Å"I was the eldest of the brood. A fortuitous position, I think. I should have been most unhappy not to have been in charge.† Lady Amelia smiled at that. â€Å"I am the second of five, so I can appreciate your sentiments as well.† â€Å"Five! All girls?† he guessed. â€Å"How did you know?† â€Å"I have no idea,† he said quite honestly, â€Å"except that it is such a charming image. It would have been a shame to have sullied it with a male.† â€Å"Is your tongue always this silver, Captain Audley?† He gave her one of his best half smiles. â€Å"Except when it's gold.† â€Å"Amelia!† They both turned. Grace had entered the room. â€Å"And Mr. Audley,† she said, looking surprised to see him there. â€Å"Oh, I'm sorry,† Lady Amelia said, turning to him. â€Å"I thought it was Captain Audley.† â€Å"It is,† he said with a very slight shrug. â€Å"Depending upon my mood.† He turned to Grace and bowed. â€Å"It is indeed a privilege to see you again so soon, Miss Eversleigh.† She blushed. He wondered if Lady Amelia noticed. â€Å"I did not realize you were here,† Grace said after bobbing a curtsy. â€Å"There is no reason why you should have done. I was heading outside for a restorative walk when Lady Amelia intercepted me.† â€Å"I thought he was Wyndham,† Lady Amelia said. â€Å"Isn't that the oddest thing?† â€Å"Indeed,† Grace replied, looking acutely uncomfortable. â€Å"Of course I was not paying much attention,† Lady Amelia continued, â€Å"which I am sure explains it. I only caught sight of him out of the corner of my eye as he strode past the open doorway.† Jack turned to Grace. â€Å"It makes so much sense when put that way, does it not?† â€Å"So much sense,† Grace echoed. She glanced over her shoulder. â€Å"Are you waiting for someone, Miss Eversleigh?† Jack inquired. â€Å"No, I was just thinking that his grace might like to join us. Er, since his fiancee is here, of course.† â€Å"Is he returned, then?† Jack murmured. â€Å"I was not aware.† â€Å"That is what I have been told,† Grace said, and he was certain that she was lying, although he could not imagine why. â€Å"I have not seen him myself.† â€Å"Alas,† Jack said, â€Å"he has been absent for some time.† Grace swallowed. â€Å"I think I should get him.† â€Å"But you only just got here.† â€Å"Nonetheless – â€Å" â€Å"We shall ring for him,† Jack said, since he wasn't going to allow her such an easy escape. Not to mention that he was rather looking forward to the duke discovering him here with both Grace and Lady Amelia. He crossed the room and gave the bellpull a yank. â€Å"There,† he said. â€Å"It is done.† Grace smiled uncomfortably and moved to the sofa. â€Å"I believe I will sit down.† â€Å"I will join you,† Lady Amelia said with alacrity. She hurried after Grace and took a seat right beside her. Together they sat, stiff and awkward. â€Å"What a fetching tableau the two of you make,† he said, because really, how could he not tease them? â€Å"And me, without my oils.† â€Å"Do you paint, Mr. Audley?† Lady Amelia inquired. â€Å"Alas, no. But I have been thinking I might take some lessons. It is a noble pursuit for a gentleman, wouldn't you say?† â€Å"Oh, indeed.† Silence, then Lady Amelia nudged Grace. â€Å"Mr. Audley is a great appreciator of art,† Grace blurted out. â€Å"You must be enjoying your stay at Belgrave, then,† Lady Amelia said. Her face was the perfect picture of polite interest. He wondered how long it had taken her to hone the expression. As the daughter of an earl, she would have any number of social obligations. He imagined that the expression – placid and unmoving, yet not unfriendly – was quite useful. â€Å"I look forward to touring the collections,† Jack replied. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh has consented to show them to me.† Lady Amelia turned to Grace as best she could, considering that they were wedged up against one another. â€Å"That was very kind of you, Grace.† Grace grunted something that was probably meant to be a response. â€Å"We plan to avoid cupids,† Jack said. â€Å"Cupids?† Lady Amelia echoed. Grace looked the other way. â€Å"I have discovered that I am not fond of them.† Lady Amelia regarded him with a curious mixture of irritation and disbelief. Jack glanced at Grace to gauge her reaction, then returned his attention to Lady Amelia. â€Å"I can see that you disagree, Lady Amelia.† â€Å"What is there not to like about cupids?† He perched himself on the arm of the opposite sofa. â€Å"You don't find them rather dangerous?† â€Å"Chubby little babies?† â€Å"Carrying deadly weapons,† he reminded her. â€Å"They are not real arrows.† He made another attempt to draw Grace into the conversation. â€Å"What do you think, Miss Eversleigh?† â€Å"I don't often think about cupids,† she said tersely. â€Å"And yet we have already discussed them twice, you and I.† â€Å"Because you brought them up.† Jack turned to Lady Amelia. â€Å"My dressing room is positively awash in them.† Lady Amelia turned to Grace. â€Å"You were in his dressing room?† â€Å"Not with him,† Grace practically snapped. â€Å"But I have certainly seen it before.† Jack smiled to himself, wondering what it said about him that he so liked making trouble. â€Å"Pardon,† Grace muttered, clearly embarrassed by her outburst. â€Å"Mr. Audley,† Lady Amelia said, turning to him with determination. â€Å"Lady Amelia.† â€Å"Would it be rude if Miss Eversleigh and I took a turn about the room?† â€Å"Of course not,† he said, even though he could see in her face that in fact she did think it was rude. But he did not mind. If the ladies wished to share confidences, he was not going to stand in their way. Besides, he enjoyed watching Grace move. â€Å"Thank you for your understanding,† Lady Amelia said, linking her arm through Grace's and pulling them both to their feet. â€Å"I do feel the need to stretch my legs, and I fear that your stride would be far too brisk for a lady.† How she uttered that without choking on her tongue, he did not know. But he merely smiled and watched them as they moved as one to the window, leaving him behind and out of earshot.

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Federal Reserve - Essay Example The Board of Governors is appointed by the President who controls the functions of the Federal Reserve System. There are Federal Reserve Banks which operates in major cities of US. The major objectives of the Federal Reserve System are aimed at the welfare of the US economy. The Federal Reserve System in US is responsible for maximizing the employment opportunities in US, stabilizing the prices in US economy and achieving stability in long term interest rates (Wells 58). The monetary policy is designed by the Federal Reserve System of US. The other functions of the central banking system in US include regulation of the banking structure that includes the government and the private players as well as the advisory councils. The central bank also provides financial services to other depository agencies. The overall financial stability of the economy of US is the responsibility of the Federal Reserve System. Before the Federal Reserve System was set up in 1913, there were around 30000 cu rrencies in the economy of US. Many business houses and even the drug dealers could issue currency notes for financial transactions. This created a situation of instability in the economy of US. ... Apart from this, the various currencies in US had different denominations and values. The absence of a standardized currency created difference and problems among the traders. The business, imports and exports all suffered due to the presence of varying numbers of currencies and absences of standardized form of currency in the economy of US. The Federal Reserve System of the US was created to standardize the currency of the economy of US and thereby establish a position of stability in the economy (Grey 98). The Federal Reserve System provides a central banking system to the economy of US where the business and he individuals could deposit their money in the standard currency of US dollar. The depositors could also withdraw their money from the Federal Reserve System at the time of need. These withdrawals took place in the same standardized currency of US dollars. Thus the Federal Reserve System could drive away the intermediate currencies and their varying values and established a s tandardized form of currency to be followed by the customers and traders in order provide an organized monetary system and sufficiency in liquidity. The US economy invariably needs the Federal Reserve System in the economy without whose functions there would be ample distortions in the economy that would hamper the economic growth of US. This could be understood from the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Reserve System and the implication on the US financial and economic system in absence of its role. The Federal Reserve System plays the role of balancing between the centralized role of the government for the welfare of the economy and the private interests of the

Company law, study case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Company law, study case - Essay Example 1 Thus, in Rolled Steel Products (Holdings) Ltd v British Steel Corporation the disputed transaction was not held to be void. The court came to this decision as the transaction was not wholly beyond the capacity of the company.2 The directors of a private company with just one class of shares are permitted to allot the same class of shares. In addition, they can convert securities into such shares. 3 Moreover, such directors can grant rights to subscribe to such shares. However, these share allotment activities are subject to the prohibitions of the Companies Act 2006. 4 In all other instances, share allotment is permitted to the directors of the company, only if there is specific authorisation to do so by the Articles of Association of the company or there is a company resolution to that effect. Such authorisation has to specify the maximum number of shares that can be allotted under the authorisation. 5 As such, directors are instrumental in decision making and other critical funct ions of the company. The law relating to conflict of interests is intricate, and the director of a company should seek legal advice in this regard. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the company’s constitution provides the required authority to a director in a specific situation. 6 However, Section 175 of the Companies Act 2006 does not cover all the functions of the directors. For instance, it does not deal with instances, where a director intends to have transactions with his company. This should be permitted by the constitution of the company. Moreover, under the provisions of section 177, the director has to make proper disclose to the board of the company. 7 There should be proper flow of information to the directors of a company. This is indispensable for the proper and efficient functioning of the company. As such, it is obligator for the company board to ensure that the directors have a proper flow of information. This is essential, as there is a statutory ob ligation on directors to take into consideration particular matters at the time of taking decisions. 8 Companies formed prior to the enactment of the Companies Act 2006, can acquire the same status regarding the issue of shares, by resolving to excise the clause relating to authorised share capital from their articles of association. In addition, these companies should resolve to bestow upon their directors the powers granted under section 550 of the Companies Act 2006.9 Companies formed under the Companies Act 2006 are not limited with regard to the number of shares that they can issue. 10 Section 550 of this Act provides that in the absence of a specific prohibition in the articles of association, the directors of a company with only one class of shares are at liberty to allot shares without requiring the authorisation of the shareholders.11 In addition, section 550 of the Companies Act 2006 empowers the allotment of shares by the directors of a private company that has only one c lass of shares. Such allotment of shares does not require prior authority from the members of the company. Furthermore, this power can be precluded or restricted by the members, via the Articles of Association of the company.12 In our problem, Ben and Holly realized that the Kingdom Ltd company would not be in a position to grow without the obtention of further financing for