Myth of Gilgamesh Analysis

Liliana Magdaleno Ken Hiltner, Miss Russ English 122 LE October 27, 2011 Word Count: ~1450 Hero or Villain? In all epics, we read about the endeavors of heroes who have to conquer an evil entity in order to ensure the peace of their constituencies. They exhibit great virtues such as courage, pride, intelligence, wit, patriotism, and love for the people of their land, among other things.Those are typically the qualities that come to mind when we think of a hero; however, when we think of the evil force that compliments the hero, we think of someone/something that causes harm onto the land, and thus brings fear to everyone when the name of that entity is spoken. In the case of The Myth of Gilgamesh, the distinction of hero or villain is distorted. There is significant evidence that suggests that not only is Gilgamesh a villain, but also he is an environmental hazard. In the Myth of Gilgamesh, we are introduced to the so-called â€Å"hero† and leader behind the great walled city of Uruk.Gilgamesh â€Å"had seen everything†¦had journeyed to the edge of the world†¦had carved his trials on stone tablets†¦restored the holy Eanna Temple and the massive wall of Uruk†¦Gilgamesh suffered all and accomplished all. † (2-3) This introduction leads us to believe that Gilgamesh does possess some of the qualities that would make him be considered a hero; his soldiers refer to him as â€Å"the fortress† and â€Å"protector of the people, raging flood that destroys all defenses. † (3) It is rather instinctual for the reader to feel an admiration towards the character. However, one must not be so quick to judge.Words are just words, but actions are far louder. What is true of the statements that are said by his soldiers is that Gilgamesh destroys all defenses, in the ecocritical perspective; he destroys the defenses of the Cedar Forest. As the story unfolds, we begin to see Gilgamesh more as a villain than a hero. For example, Gilgam esh â€Å"does whatever he wants, takes the son from his father and crushes him, takes the girl from her mother and uses her, the warrior’s daughter, the young man’s bride, he uses her, no one dares to oppose him. † (4) Gilgamesh abuses his role of the hero/ruler of Uruk so that he can rape women and command his soldiers.He is inconsiderate of the feelings of others and only does as he pleases without thinking of the well being of his people. Gilgamesh feels like he is above men, king of kings. The people of his land don’t respect him, they fear him; thus the people of Uruk beg the gods to bring a force strong enough to calm Gilgamesh. That is when we are introduced to Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s double. Enkidu is the exact opposite of Gilgamesh, he is what epitomizes the desired ideal of a hero: he protects the animals from poachers, protects women from the lust of Gilgamesh, and is sensible. He is strong, witty, and has a love of nature.Enkidu is everyth ing the people of Uruk wished Gilgamesh to be. If Enkidu is the person that suits the role of the hero, it is fair to say that Gilgamesh is not a hero at all. Gilgamesh is ambitious, and wants to be forever known by the people of his land. Thus, he wants to preserve the great walled city of Uruk and make it a relic for the great empire ruled by the greatest the Fertile Crescent had ever seen. This need for an unnecessary relic that will require heavy resource consumption (in this case lumber) is an anachronism for a similar phenomenon that occurs within industrialized countries, affluenza.Affluenza is the suggestion that material possessions will bring joy to the individual. This is detrimental to the environment because it causes resource overuse and is very unsustainable. The latter part of the myth begins to show environmental degradation due to Gilgamesh’s greed. The Cedar Forest is the unknown and savage realm beyond the walled city of Uruk that is protected by an evil f orce named Humbaba. From an ecocritical perspective, the wilderness beyond Uruk is just nature or the environment.It is human anthropocentricism that makes it hard to realize that the wilderness is not something to fear just because we don’t have complete control over it. Man above nature is the cause of the Cedar Forest’s demise. Our villain-disguised hero needs to venture into the wilderness in order to face himself with his enemy Humbaba; it is during this section of the myth that another character flaw is revealed: Gilgamesh is a coward for being afraid of the force that is Humbaba (nature manifested as the Cedar Forest). He convinces his double, Enkidu, to embark on the same journey and help him defeat the deity.Gilgamesh is quick to talk about how he wants to be remembered for his glory and ensure that every inhabitant of Uruk will remember the great ruler he was. Yet, he is such a coward that he cannot do this alone. He has nightmares about entering the forest a re a psychological indication that he is not as mighty as he thinks he is. These nightmares are also critical of the environment, Humbaba is portrayed as a ruthless monster that will â€Å"tear [Gilgamesh] from limb to limb,† and â€Å"crush [him]† leave him â€Å"bloody and mangled on the ground. (29) This perspective of the environment as ruthless and relentless is the driving force for Gilgamesh to want to destroy it, to rid himself of the fears of what nature bestows. Nature is not a scary nor evil as this classic literature suggests, in modern contemporary times and even in the pastoral times, nature is giving and beautiful, once the value of the environment is known, it becomes less frightening. Gilgamesh had a fear for the unknown and a thirst for power; in essence, destroying nature would be the only way to realize how important nature truly is.After the fall of Humbaba, Gilgamesh stripped the forest of its tall and luscious trees. Not only did Gilgamesh rape the women of his soldiers, but he raped the forest as well. This was the ultimate goal of our villain’s quest: Gilgamesh gained full access to the Cedar Forest in order to create the relic that he so desired. Gilgamesh needs to feel that he is in control of everything, including nature. On the night of the attack, the weapons Gilgamesh used to combat Humbaba were axes, instead of swords or other conventional weapons. This story is a great metaphor for deforestation.Gilgamesh is the modern day logger in thirsty for virgin lands to satiate his thirst for common pool resources. At the moment, Giligamesh only cares about the reputation and glory, not about how much damage he is causing to the land. This damage turned out to be one of the greatest environmental mishaps of all time. The Myth of Gilgamesh took place in ancient Mesopotomia. This area was previously referred as the Fertile Crescent. After this large-scale deforestation, there wasn’t really anything fertile abou t it. In A Forest Journey by John Perlin, we learn about the technologies created within the era of Gilgamesh.It is evident that as human ingenuity kept rising, environmental degradation followed. The people of the Third Dynasty at Ur, 2100 B. C. harnessed the power of lumber to create â€Å"axes, hammers, hoes, and sickles [to] facilitate work. † (37) Tragedy of the Commons, another anachronism, surfaced as the people of the land began the exploitation of the common pool resource of the Euphrates poplar. With the rising demand of wood, policy and trade became instituted and modern day problems such as selling resources at low prices, not including the environmental impact, in addition to transporting these resources long distances.The physical environment also changed with excessive silt and high salinity. Silt was a huge problem because the â€Å"Euphrates, Tirgis, and Karun rivers became full of silt and salt† (38); water levels declined which made it difficult for irrigation and transportation by ship. High salinity also damaged the agriculture industry as high amounts of salty minerals inhibited successful crop yields. Throughout history we have read about marvelous civilizations with great empires and feats, majestic lands with beautiful relics to preserve their culture forever. Learning about their rise is as amazing as learning about their fall.In the case of Mesopotamia, greedy leaders such as Gilgamesh who wish to preserve his era by means of environmental degradation not only make him an incompetent leader by virtue of not being humble and lack of desired qualities, but also one of the key reasons that this great civilization became a barren land. Works Cited Mitchell, Stephen. â€Å"Book One to Book 5. † Gilgamesh: a new English version. New York: Free Press, 2004. 1-32. Print. Perlin, John. A forest journey: the role of wood in the development of civilization. New York: W. W. Norton, 1989. Print.

Malevolence and Benevolence Essay

The themes of malevolence and benevolence are depicted in the short stories Rappaccini’s Daughter, The Minister’s Black Veil and Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthrone. In the short story Rappaccini’s Daughter, the theme of malevolence and benevolence are portrayed through the characters of Rappaccini, Professor Baglioni and Beatrice. Rappaccini is a scientist who uses her own daughter Beatrice for conducting experiments on poisonous plants. His malevolence renders Beatrice’s touch poisonous and makes her to lead a lonely life. Similarly Baglioni tricks Giovanni into giving an antidote to Beatrice which kills her, to ruin the experiment of his rival Rappaccini. â€Å"Just at that moment, Professor Pietro Baglioni looked forth from the window, and called loudly, in a tone of triumph mixed with horror, to the thunder-stricken man of science: â€Å"Rappaccini! Rappaccini! And is this the upshot of your experiment? †(Hanthrone). Beatrice is benevolent who warns Giovanni about her poisonous touches and even sacrifices her life for her father’s experiment. In the story The Minister’s Black Veil, Reverend Hooper represents benevolence whereas the black veil which he wears stands for malevolence. Hooper is benevolent minister who carries out his duties honestly. It is his black veil which reminds the people of the town about their malevolence and makes them to confess about their sins. â€Å"Such were the terrors of the black veil, even when Death had bared his visage! † (Hanthrone). In the short story Young Goodman Brown, theme of malevolence and benevolence is depicted in the thoughts of Goodman Brown and witches. Brown is a benevolent Christian who follows good values. He advises his wife to look towards heaven when he sees that the witches are enticing her to convert into a witch. â€Å"Look up to Heaven, and resist the Wicked One†. On the other hand the witches in the forest represent malevolence as they claim that a man can achieve happiness through malevolence. Works Cited Hawthrone, N. Rappaccini’s Daughter. Retrieved December 15, 2008 from http://www. shsu. edu/~eng_wpf/authors/Hawthorne/Rappaccini. htm Hawthrone, N. The Minister’s Black Veil. Retrieved December 15, 2008 from http://www. eldritchpress. org/nh/mbv. html Hawthrone, N. Young Goodman Brown. Retrieved December 15, 2008 from http://www. ibiblio. org/eldritch/nh/ygb. html

Personality Approach Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personality Approach - Research Paper Example Symptoms of schizophrenia as per the DSM IV include: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, catatonic behavior and negative symptoms like affective flattening (DSM IV). Schizophrenia is a complex disorder. Patients suffering from schizophrenia lead chaotic lives, with little or no contact with reality. The biological approach The biological approach to psychology believes that behavior has some biological roots and part of human behavior is predetermined biologically. The supporters of biological approach claim that the functioning of a living organism can be explained and treated on basis of its biological structure and bio chemical composition (Weiten, 2007). Nature versus nurture has been an ancient debate among psychologists. The biological approach suggests that nature has a stronger role than nurture; which implies that behavior is determined by genes. With the decline of behaviorism, the belief that our environment can change us into anything is dying out and the biol ogical approach is meeting greater acceptance. The biological approach offers a threefold explanation of personality. First is the one by Eysenck, which maintains that individual differences in behavior of humans are based on physiological variations. Second explanation of personality as per the biological approach is that of temperaments. ... According to this view point, humans inherit behavioral traits from their ancestors and therefore react to situations like their ancestors did (Burger, 2008). Biological approach to schizophrenia Several twin and adoption studies have revealed genetic ties of schizophrenia. Twin studies are common in biopsychology since in case of twins who are not separated, the environment is usually the same, therefore any discrepancy among behavior of twins (especially monozygotic ones) can be attributed to genes (Burger, 2008). According to Gottesman (1991), cited in Myers (1992), adoption studies have confirmed a genetic link in schizophrenia. This is in accordance with Eysenck’s idea that the genetic makeup of humans actually determines the behavior. Etiology of schizophrenia other than ‘genetic’ includes hormonal imbalances in the brain and structural and biochemical abnormalities of brain. The Dopamine hypothesis has gained quite a lot of popularity in this regard. It pos its that schizophrenia is related to excess activity of neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. According to Andreasen and colleagues (1994), patients with schizophrenia have larger Cerebrospinal Fluid volumes as compared to healthy persons. The same findings were also confirmed by Staal and colleagues (2000). Schizophrenia runs in families and can be inherited (Alloy & Jacobson, 1999). This is in line with the evolutionary theory of personality as discussed in the previous section. Treating schizophrenia: the biological approach The biological approach offers various ways of treating Schizophrenia. Each one is discussed as follows: Anti Psychotic Drugs The most common and basic treatment for schizophrenia is via anti psychotic drugs. These are medications from a psycho active group and

SDL-VALUE & VALUE CO-CREATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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George W. Bush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Magic of Reckless Policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Magic of Reckless Policies - Essay Example In the last quarter of 2011, the GDP growth rate stood at 3 percent (BEA). In 2011, the GDP at current prices amounted to $15.094 billion or $13.315,1 at the 2005 prices (BEA). In 2010, the GDP at 2005 prices amounted to $13.088 billion. In 2011, it was the durable goods manufacturing that led the growth (BEA). Manufacturing value increased by 11.2 percent in 2010, and then again by 7.9 percent in 2011 (BEA). In comparison to durable goods, the services producing sector grew by 3 percent in 2010, and only 1.6 percent in 2011 (BEA). However, consumers suffered in 2012 from increased inflation and in turn decreased consumption of durables. An average person in the US benefitted from the positive GDP growth. In March of 2012, the real disposable personal income increased by 0.4 percent (BEA). The growth rate in the last quarter of 2011 was 1.7 percent (BEA). The cause of this decrease has been attributed to a rise in consumer prices in 2012 from 1.2 percent increase in 2011, to an addit ional 2.4 percent increase in 2012 (BEA). Real consumer spending, i.e. consumer spending adjusted for an increase in prices, increased 0.5 percent in February and then 0.1 percent in March (BEA). BEA attributes this decrease in the growth rate to a decrease in durable goods spending such as motor vehicles and parts (BEA). Since manufacturing of durables drove the GDP growth rates in 2010 and 2011, a decrease in demand led to a decrease in supply and thus GDP in March 2012. On the other hand, the US current account deficit increased by 2011. The current account deficit stood at $470.9 billion in 2010 and $473.4 billion in 2011 (BEA). The current account deficit in BEA National Economic Accounts is defined as: â€Å"the combined balances on trade in goods and services, income, and net unilateral current transfers.† The deficit amounted to 3.2 percent of GDP in 2010 and 3.1 percent in 2011. When dissected, the deficit on international trade in goods increased in 2011 to $738.3 b illion from $645.9 billion in 2010. However, there was a surplus on international trade in services, which increased to $178.3 billion in 2011, from $145.8 billion in 2010 (BEA). Income payments too were in surplus in 2011. Net financial inflows increased in 2011 from 2010. Whereas they amounted to $254.3 billion in 2010, they increased to $394.1 billion in 2011 (BEA). Unilateral transfers decreased in 2011. In February 2012, the deficit on international trade in goods and services amounted to $46 billion, which is a decrease from $52.5 billion in January 2012 (BEA). It is expected that the current deficit will decrease in 2012 if the trade deficit keeps on decreasing and other variables remain moving as in 2011. Unemployment rate decreased in 2012. In March 2012, the unemployment rate stood at 8.2 percent in comparison to 8.9 percent in 2011 (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS]). When comparing to the start of the financial crisis in 2007, it can be seen that by 2010, unemployment rea ched it peek. In 2007, the unemployment rate stood at 4.6 percent. By 2010, the unemployment rate increased to 9.6 percent and has been decreasing since then (BLS). Unemployment has been decreasing in Ohio as well. In February 2012, the unemployment rate stood at 7.6 percent and then decreased by one percentage point by March 2012 (Johnson). In March of 2011, the unemployment rate stood at 8.8 percent (Johnson). Daily Treasury interest rates have decreased since 2011. The interest rate on a one month

SABIC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SABIC - Essay Example Production has steadily grown from a modest 35metric tones in 2001 to 68.5 million metric tons in 2013, painting the picture of a company on the path to global dominance. With a vision to be the most respected market leader in chemicals and a mission to responsibly offer quality products with the help of innovation and seamless operational procedures, SABIC is without doubt, headed to the apex in the global petrochemical industry. Presently, the company has a lean product line of; ethylene glycol, methanol, polythene and engineering plastics (sabic.com). With such a product line, the following four key factors have immense influence on the company’s overall well-being and these are; environmental, economic, technological and innovation issues. The largest strategic business unit at this company is chemicals, which accounts for 60% of the company’s total production and revenue. For this reason, it will by my area of focus. To continue this steady growth path, there must be sustained innovation to optimize operational processes and reduce the impact of the company’s operations to the environment. Presently, SABIC has technology and innovation centers in half a dozen countries from its homeland in Saudi Arabia, to Europe, China and India, just to mention a few. The huge investment in state of the art technology has enabled the company to develop more than 150 products annually, the main reason behind SABIC’s 8000 global patents. It is important to report that the journey towards sustainable operations in the chemicals division has been dotted with important milestones and in 2008, the Safety, Health and Environmental Performance Index (SHEPI) of the company and its affiliates was 0.74, a figure below the ceiling for that year (sabic.com). The company in its massive operations recorded a marginal two injuries, showing massive

Overview of the Environmental Security Debate Essay

Overview of the Environmental Security Debate - Essay Example The essay "Overview of the Environmental Security Debate" talks about the improving the wellbeing of the environment by including the notion of environmental security to national security policies. The weakening significance of superpower conflict in the past decade has provided an impetus to the emergence of flexibility in the notions of national security. Previously constructed to a set of external military dangers, the concept nowadays frequently emphasizes the importance of concerns such as environmental protection, economic progress, and global sustainability. Environmental security is labeled as a relevant subject matter in international affairs and it is being exploited to define the motives of countries under an array of contexts. For instance, the Kyoto agreement which curtails global greenhouse gasses has been disputed and defended on the basis of its influence on America’s national security. Warren Christopher, the former Secretary of State, proclaimed in his 1996 speech at Stanford University the resolution of the Clinton administration â€Å"to put environmental issues where they belong: in the mainstream of American foreign policy†. Subsequently, President Clinton has branded environmental security as one of the many concerns that America will be confronting in the contemporary times. The fundamental concept of environmental security signifies an attempt to put more emphasis on the issues of environmental degradation through openly fastening them to previous military notions of security.

Material Things Become Important After The Day Essay Example for Free

Material Things Become Important After The Day Essay During a nuclear war between Russia and the United States, the town of Fort Repose, Florida, is in the danger zone of radiation poisoning and contaminated items. Randy and the townspeople of Fort Repose must remain calm and ration their supplies. However, when the material things run low, everything becomes important. People must be creative and composed during this time of chaos. Therefore, the importance of material things after The Day leads to death, theft, and murder, but when people add to the chaos by trading the expensive for the inexpensive, people will do anything for the necessities, and that just adds to chaos causing the society of Fort Repose, Florida to be completely disrupted. In the town of Fort Repose, the people of the town are very confused and terrified about what is going to occur in the following months. In addition to this turmoil, people need to increase their supply of food, water, and anything else that they think could help them in this time of bedlam. The use and need of salt becomes very important in Alas, Babylon. In fact, salt is the main preservative of most foods, especially steak and meat. In detail, the salt preserves the meat by drawing out the moisture and creates an environment inhospitable to bacteria. If they were to put the meat in salt in cold weather, the salted meat could last for years. Not only does salt last long, but its trade in value is amongst the highest. Salt could be traded for really anything their mind could think of. Anyone would do anything to get his or her hands on salt if that meant food for a longer period of time. Equally important, is gasoline, the main element for the transportation of cars after The Day. Gasoline could only be obtained if one has had the money, has something worth the exchange, or they were a friend of the retailer. Gasoline becomes very valuable and expensive after The Day that Randy had to have special connections to get the gasoline from the vendors. Specifically, one had to know one for a long time and have a family connection to get enough gasoline to actually be useful. In fact, the gasoline was so important that the whole town decided to convene one day to combine all of the gasoline that the townspeople had just so they could make long distance visits and make sure their family members were alright after The Day. More importantly, the main value after The Day s batteries. Batteries in particular are the main source of wealth after The Day. Batteries are the life of the main source of all information that goes into Fort Repose, and when these batteries become low or die, the only source of information would be from HAM radios, which is used by Admiral Hazzard, which use batteries in a more energy efficient way. HAM radios are the source of where most of the information was broadcasted to the townspeople. In other words, everything that is usually in the common household is now needed to survive this terrible time. In this time of terror, people of Fort Repose are so desperate to get food or anything else that could be a great help to them; they would do anything to get these items, even a couple would kill innocent townspeople. When the highwaymen killed the citizens of Fort Repose, these rebels go to stores and kill the owner of the store, just to get his food. As a punishment, they one is killed in front of the town. Equally as bad, they would go into peoples homes and do the same thing. However, some people who were nicer or more religious and wouldnt dare to kill an innocent citizen would be nice and not kill the house owners. However, most families that are prepared would always have a gun in their hands that they could fire if anything bad is to happen, just like the firearm that Randy and Helen always have on their wall, just in case of emergency. Equally important, they stole the food instead of killing to get the food. Most of the time, they would just steal food from peoples self-owned stores. Money isnt important to the owners because you couldnt buy anything with money. The owners didnt even attempt to stop the criminals because they say that money wasnt worth anything after The Day. In fact, money couldnt be used to get anything. Money is worthless. In addition, people would steal the food because they were scared. They are afraid of what is going to happen in this terrible time after the bombing. Not only did they steal, but they also find people in the town and loot off of them. The rebels use the townspeople just to get items such as medicine, ammo, etc. like when the store is robbed and the owner didnt chase after the thieves. In addition, many of the people die because they do not have the essential materials to survive in this time of crisis. To be specific, penicillin is one main necessity for a few of the townspeople of Fort Repose, Florida. Actually, one of the townspeople, Livinia McGovern, dies from diabetes due to the lack of penicillin. In fact, in the town, they ran low on food, ammo, penicillin, etc. really quickly because they are isolated from every other town, state, etc. Last but not least, the trading of the expensive items for the inexpensive items leaves a lasting mark on The Day. In detail, the real full potential values of most items go substantially down after The Day like anything that can be run on electricity, due to the lack of electricity. Specifically the value of coffee and whiskey are changed after The Day. Coffee becomes more expensive than whiskey. However, whiskey could be used to treat wounds because of its alcohol contents. Coffee is one of the things that Randy and his family really love. Randy even thinks that whiskey is less important than coffee and that coffee is more essential than anything else. In addition, salt is another necessity that everyone in the town wants to have. The main value at that time is to have salt. Salt becomes very expensive costing almost $200 for two packs. Salt can be used in numerous ways and anyone would trade practically anything to get his or her hands on this magnificent item. However, not everything goes up in value. Many of the guns and ammunition that people had are just for emergencies, clothing is something that they would never run out of, and people have no use for anything electronic, so electronics lose value greatly. Besides, with the war going on, people are too concerned about what they are going to eat and how they are going to survive than electronics. After The Day the people of Fort Repose fight to find all necessities that they need to survive the war. The people of Fort Repose, including Randy Bragg, are all scared but are ready to withstand this terrible tragedy. However, the necessities deplete very quickly, putting many people in jeopardy of losing their lives. The lives of these people are forever changed by the loss of electricity, communication, and the necessities of life. When the necessities are completely gone, the citizens of Fort Repose all get together to solve their problems and what they are going to do to cope with the loss of things. Nevertheless, they all stay strong, are able to make a lasting impression on the town of Fort Repose during the nuclear war, and yet, they are willing to help stay and rebuild the town in Alas, Babylon.

United States Army and Respect Essay Example for Free

United States Army and Respect Essay RESPECT HAS BEEN a distinctive US Army value since 1778 when Frederick William Baron von Steuben noted that a US officer.s first objective should be to treat his men .with every possible kindness and humanity..1 So it was not surprising when the US Army identified respect as oneof its seven values. In 1998 respect language gave the Army a powerful way to organize ongoing discussions about discrimination and harassment.2 The previous year.s headlines had been filled with allegations of appalling violations of respect. The inclusion of respect as a value along with loyalty, duty, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage sent a strong message that respect for others should be an integral part of US Army leadership. The US Army Training and Doctrine Command. (TRADOC.s) initial definition of respect, .treat people as they should be treated,. provided little guidance for defining the characteristics of this core component of Army leadership. RespectinFM22-100 As the capstone leadership manual for the Army, US Army Field Manual (FM) 22-100, Army Leadership, gives a concrete definition of respect in Army leadership. 3 It emphasizes character, principles of Army leadership and Army values and provides a clear, understandable doctrine to guide soldiers as they strive to become and develop as .leaders of character and competence..Despite its stated mission, FM 22-100 fails to explain how respect is unique to Army leadership and what it looks like in practice. In fact, these issues are never addressed. Its brief discussion of respect is framed in language borrowed from philosophy and management theory without considering whether that language is adequate for Army leaders. Applying respect to leaders. interpersonal skills and practical judgment.what leaders .know and do..is never specifically explored. Should we conclude that respect in the Army is no different from popular versions of respect? Most professional soldiers are acutely aware of a discontinuity between the Army.s organizational culture and popular US culture. Official documents often refer to this disjunction as a reason for teaching Army Values, especially to new recruits.4 The fact that FM 22-100 leaves its readers wondering whether respect in Army leadership is the same as popular respect highlights a potentially serious operational problem. Without a clear, solid definition of respect, Army leaders cannot be expected to understand the sort of respect they are meant to exemplify. Some sound explanations are found in FM 22- 100, such as the notion that tough training does not demean subordinates. Building their capabilities and showing faith in them is .the essence of respect.. Respect is .an essential component for the development of disciplined, cohesive and effective warfighting teams. that is based on trust and regard for fellow soldiers.5 The manual also notes that team identity and the bond between lead ers and subordinates spring from mutual respect as well as discipline. Nevertheless, it is difficult to know how to interpret these passages because so much of the discussion of respect in FM 22-100 is hidden in popular language about tolerance, civility and individual autonomy. So while Army Values such as selfless service and personal courage come with fairly sophisticated explanations and examples, respect is left behind. This is something everyone wants, not many people have, and a few people give. Most people would appreciate getting respect from others but do people actually give respect. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, this does not happen. Perhaps, people just dont recognize that they arent giving respect. So, what is the definition of respect exactly? The Oxford dictionary defines respect as deferential esteem felt or shown towards a person or quality. Does that actually explain what respect really is? Respect can be broken down to many topics. People appreciate receiving respect from others; however, much of the time people fail to give resp ect. Respect takes a number of forms: Respect for other people, respect for peoples property, and perhaps most importantly, respect for oneself. If you want others to give you respect, you must first learn how to give respect yourself. There is a lot of ways to respect a person or people, there are a lot of definitions to define respect: â€Å"To feel or show definite regard for; esteem. To avoid violation of or interference with: respect the speed limit. To relate or refer to; concern†. relation or reference, esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability, deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment, the condition of being esteemed or honored, a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship, favor or partiality. Anot her one is to respect their rules, feelings, their personal space or bubble. There are many other forms of respect. Respect is created in many ways. It is created when people treat others as they want to be treated. So the growth of something, such as respect, often nourishes itself from its own process and dynamics. Being the first to accord respect, and with time, it will develop amongst all the conflicting parties. Avoid insulting people or how they feel about certain situations. Instead try to understand them. Many disastrous interactions are characterized by attitudes such as arrogance, disdain, intimidation. To avoid this be courteous. Listen to what others have to say. Treating people FAIRLY , all is the basic elements â€Å"that we learned in Kindergarten† that goes a long way to creating an atmosphere of trust and respect. Contempt and humiliation are the absence of respect, as are a sense of being unheard or not UNDERSTOOD. The absence of respect or a perceived lack of respect often leads to conflict at personal or professional level. Respect plays an important role in a number of ways. Those who are respected wi thin the community or the workplace are most likely to be able to bring or encourage peace. If there is no respect to be perceived in the workplace it can lead to destruction meaning no TRUST and/or low morale. Once people are given respect, they are more willing to make compromises which are long term and sustainable, rather than those that are made under duress. One must respect his or herself. This respect is holding your head high and respecting your own opinions. It’s acknowledging that you have ideas and then sharing them because you are not AFRAID or intimidated of what others may think. It is not letting peer pressure and other things affect the way you think or want to think. I can say that I lost all respect for the Army. The army is the worst organization to be a part of. Lower enlisted soldiers don’t get respected or treated like human beings even though it is claimed that they do. Any Soldier who enjoys the significance of respect and self-respect in everyday life largely explains why particularly in morale has been lowered and the increase in rules being broke. They are also invoked in bioethics, environmental ethics, workplace ethics, and a host of other applied ethics contexts. Although a wide variety of things are said to deserve respect, for the interest in respect has overwhelmingly been focused on respect for persons, the idea that all persons should be treated with respect simply because they are persons. Today the Army defines RESPECT as (Quote) The regard and recognition of the absolute dignity that every human being possesses; incorporates diversity and compassion. An even easier way is to think of it as The Golden Rule – treating fellow soldiers exactly the way you would wish to be treated. Respect in the Military in my opinion means allowing to be talked to any type of way or just treated not like a human being all because of a certain rank. Regardless of the military we are all human beings and deserve to be treated like people not robots.

Relationship Between The Sublime And The Beautiful Philosophy Essay

Relationship Between The Sublime And The Beautiful Philosophy Essay Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten is a very significant figure in the philosophy of aesthetics, as he invented the word aesthetic as we know it in the modern day. Baumgarten defined aesthetics thus creating a science of taste. Initially, in his first critique, the Critique of Pure Reason (1781), Kant rejected Baumgartens account that aesthetic judgement is a form of taste. However, in the Critique of Judgement (1790), it is evident that Kant changed his mind, as it can be seen in his third critique that he indeed was influenced by Baumgarten, as he says that aesthetic judgement is a judgement of taste. This essay will begin by looking into a general account of Kants view on aesthetics, which will lead to examining his third critique the Critique of Judgement looking at the first book: Analytic of the Beautiful, of the first section: Analytic of Aesthetic Judgement, of Part I: Critique of Aesthetic Judgement. This will then lead to what Kant describes as the four moments of aesthetic judgement disinterestedness, universality, purposiveness and necessity. The essay will then discuss Kants notion of the sublime, looking at the main difference between beauty and the sublime and the types of sublime. This will then lead to the relationship between the sublime and the beautiful according to Kant and then will conclude by examining some criticisms of Kants aesthetic judgement. For Kant, there are two forms of the aesthetic the beautiful and the sublime. Although, Kants Critique of Judgement (CoJ) is the main source of his view on aesthetics, he also published another work on the topic in 1764 Observations on Feeling of the Beautiful and the Sublime, however, this is considered to be more interested in psychology rather than aesthetics (Kelly, 1998: 27). Douglas Burnham states in his book An Introduction to Kants The aesthetic judgement is the focal point in Kants third critique. It can be found that he began looking at judgement in the Aesthetic judgements are essentially judgements of taste according to Kant. The judgement of taste is aesthetic (Kant, 1790 in Cahn and Meskin, 2008: 131). When he says judgements of taste, he does not mean taste in sense of eating, but taste in the sense of whether someone has good or bad taste in something. There are four aspects of taste, which are as follows: quality, quantity, relation of the purpose and satisfaction of the object. These four aspects through which Kant expresses his aesthetic judgments are known as his Four Moments, which are most commonly known as: 1. Disinterest 2. Universality 3. Purposiveness 4. Necessity. Kant describes aesthetic judgements firstly as disinterested, saying that it only disinterested pleasure that can ground aesthetic judgements. There are three types of satisfaction in disinterest the agreeable, the beautiful and the good. The agreeable is subjective and so not universal; the beautiful is subjective yet demands that others agree and the good is objective but is based on concepts. Kant argues that it is only in the beautiful that we can be free and disinterested (Wenzel, 2005: 142). Kant begins his account of disinterestedness by defining what interest is ). There are two types of interest one is by sensation (in the agreeable) and the other by concepts (in the good). Sensation has got to do with the existence of a thing. When something exists we can feel it this is a common notion for everyone as we all say if we can feel ourselves pinching ourselves then we are not dreaming it is real (Burnham, 2000: 51). Burnham (ibid: 52) goes on to say that . This is indeed a Kantian claim, as Kants notion of disinterest is that of dismissing any interest when judging a thing beautiful. Aesthetic judgements are free from such interests. To be disinterested when judging art, means that interest is and as mentioned before, free from interest. Pure aesthetic judgements are unconcerned with the real existence of the object (Crowther, 2007: 68). Disinterest is at its most basic definition, an attempt to judge something beautiful, however remaining impartial while doing so. Kant talks about pleasure throughout his account of the beautiful, and to judge something aesthetically, a person is gaining a pleasure in something that they are disinterested in. Something must exist for it to be judged aesthetically, however, the judgement itself is a mental experience. As Burnham (2000: 52) says, it is the thing itself that is being judged, through the experiencing of it. This again is reminiscent of Kants notion of the thing in itself in his transcendental philosophy. (Kant, 1790 in Cahn and Meskin, 2008: 134). The second of Kants Four Moments is that of universality. Kant claims that in being disinterested about pleasure if the beautiful object, one can claim universal validity to judgement. As can be seen from the quote above, Kant says that a judgement is universal apart from concepts (ibid). Universality is not based on any concepts. If the judgement has concepts then it is suggesting that beauty is the property of the object (which it often is expressed as) that is being judged and this is not the case. Kant argues that subjective judgements are not universal, for example, if I said that the taste of chocolate pleases me and somebody else said that they did not like chocolate, then both of these are individual responses and both are correct. I do not expect everybody to like chocolate; neither does the other person think that everyone will not like chocolate just because they do not like it. Thus, subjective judgements are not universal. Obje ctive judgements are universal, however. Taking chocolate as an example once more, if one was to say that chocolate was sweet in relation to it containing a lot of sugar and another person said it is not, then it is evident that they are not aware of what the other meant; as it is a universal fact that chocolate is sweet (again in relation to it being full of sugar) (Burnham, 2000: 46-47). Therefore, aesthetic judgements are like objective judgments in the fact that they are both universal. However, being sweet is a property of chocolate and beauty according to Kant, is not a property of any object. Kant overcomes this obstacle of beauty becoming a property of the object by using as if. Kant acknowledges that each individual has their own taste , however, he states that and as mentioned earlier, judging the beautiful is a different story. Following on from saying that each person has their own taste, he says that: This is a notion he repeats throughout defining and explaining universality (in ibid: 134-135) and it is how he surmounts the idea of beauty being a property of an object he says it is as if it is a property of an object, not actually the property of the object! So to sum up universality, when someone is judging something to be beautiful, they expect that when making this judgement, that when it is judged by others, they are expected to judge it beautiful also and gain pleasure in it (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2005). Kants third moment is that of purposiveness (or finality or end, as Kant uses in his CoJ). Kant defines this moment There are three types of purpose: external, definite and internal. External purpose is if the purpose does what it is supposed to do. Definite purpose is what the purpose is meant to do and internal purpose is what the purpose is meant to be like. In this moment, Kant is trying to portray that things are judged to be beautiful if they are perceived to have a purpose, but not a particular purpose otherwise, the beautiful is something that is purposivenss without purpose. Kant is keeping with the no concept (from universality) here as the purpose of an object is the concept to which it was manufactured (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2005). An example of this third moment would be that of nature. Beauty in nature appears to be purposive, however it is of no use to us and it is for this reason that the beauty of nature is pleasurable to us (ibid). The fourth and final of Kants Four Moments, is that of necessity. The following is how Kant describes the importance of necessity in his CoJ: Satisfaction of encountering a beautiful object is what Kant calls a necessary pleasure and hence (universality coming into play again here) a pleasure of all perceivers of it. Aesthetic judgements must be necessary according to Kant. Along with necessity comes common sense, however, Kant does not mean common sense in the normal everyday meaning of the phrase, he means the actual senses that we all have (Burnham, 2000: 55) taste, touch, hearing, sight and smell. Hence, the sense of pleasure that one gets from judging something beautiful is that common sense. Necessity is again linked to universality in that the as if concept comes into play again in his fourth moment. As if in necessity is linked to that of the condition of necessity. The condition of necessity is what it is saying about the people who are judging an object beautiful. As Burnham (2000: 57) states, For Kant, the beautiful is not the only form of the aesthetic the other is the sublime. The Concise Oxford Dictionary (year: 1214), It is this awe that differentiates the beautiful from the sublime. The sublime is something that is beyond beauty. Kant defines the sublime as . Kant divides the sublime into two types the mathematical and the dynamical (ibid)). The mathematical is concerned with when we encounter vast, extensive, large objects size is the key component here we cannot get our heads around something that is so monumentally extensive. Because of its size, we cannot grasp it sensibly and so it brings about a terror within us. We cannot take it all in at once so it becomes too overwhelming (Burnham, 2000: 91). It contains feelings of exhilaration and being overwhelmed. Take the example of a violent storm; if I am frightened by the storm, this inevitably leads to an interest in saving myself. Once I have expressed an interest, then I cannot experience the sublime as the s ublime, like the beautiful, involves disinterestedness. It is so great in size that we cannot comprehend it as it almost becomes so vast that our imagination runs away with itself (McCloskey, 1987: 98). The dynamical sublime relates to power. It concerns our experience of the mighty, the powerful, dangerous objects or phenomena which we regard from a position of safety. Take again the example of a violent storm a natural disaster. When we see something like this violent storm we know that it can crush and overpower us, however, we as rational beings can summon up enough moral courage to resist the terror and fear that the storm gave rise to. Summoning up this moral courage is something that only a rational being can do. Because we are experiencing the storm from a safe distance, we know that we are safe so that interest of saving ourselves does not exist and thus we can experience the sublime. For Kant, the sublime is essentially something we experience (influence of Heidegger here). The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich, is probably the best painting that represents Kants idea of the sublime. As can be seen below, Friedrich used nature to portray the sublime. The painting illustrates a man standing alone, looking out onto vast scenery of thick fog covering a mountain range, observing it from a position of safety suggests that this image is that of the dynamical sublime. Kant begins his Analytic of the Sublime (Book II of The Critique of Aesthetic Judgement) with the similarities between the beautiful and the sublime. What can be seen first is evident both are aesthetic judgements. Both involve disinterested pleasure; that is when making an aesthetic judgement, the person judging must remain impartial while judging the object beautiful; the sublime in the case of dynamical sublime, taking the example of the storm again, when experiencing the storm from a safe distance where the person knows no harm can be done to themselves, they can view the sheer effect that the storm is having and thus experience the sublime. Both the beautiful and the sublime also have a universal aspect to them the force of the storm and looking at its impact from afar, should indeed have the same effect on everyone. However, it can be established that the third moment purposiveness is not in common to the two types of the aesthetic. As Burnham (2000: 90) mentions, Kant desc ribes pleasure in the introduction to the CoJ, as However, the sublime does not allow an achievement of an end. Kants aesthetics has been criticised by many a philosopher since. Gadamer (who was highly influenced by Heidegger) criticised that Kants aesthetics was ultimately subjectivist. Gadamer stresses that Kants aesthetics is not linked to a proper knowledge. Gadamer says that Kant limits his aesthetic judgement to mere experience of the pleasurable. He says that by limiting our experience through the four moments, it does not challenge us enough in making the judgements  [1]  . Many critics have also tried to criticise Kant on what disinterested pleasure actually is. It has also been criticised that Kants notion of the aesthetic judgement say nothing about art as a developing concept. This essay has examined Kants four moments of aesthetic judgement of the beautiful, looking at aesthetic judgements as being made by a person who must remain impartial and not interested in the object of judgement; seeing all aesthetic judgements as universal, that is that if an aesthetic judgement is made then everyone will agree. Each aesthetic judgement is made with purposive but without an end in sight and all aesthetic judgements are necessary. It has then gone on to discuss the sublime, looking at the two types of sublime the mathematical and the dynamical; the mathematical concerning that which is so extensive in size, it overcomes us and the dynamical being that we are observing something very powerful from a position of safety and so are able to experience the sublime. The essay then looks into the relationship that the sublime and the beautiful have by looking at the similarities and differences that are in each; similarities being that they are both forms of the aesthetic , they are both reflective judgements, they both involve disinterestedness and are both universal. This essay has concluded by looking at a few criticisms of Kants aesthetics looking at Gadamer (and Heidegger) who thought that Kants view on the aesthetic was too subjectivist and has also looked at how Kants aesthetics shows nothing of how art in the aesthetic judgement as a developing concept. It is evident that Kant indeed influenced many aesthetic philosophers after him as his aesthetic theory can be seen in many a philosopher of art since then, both of influence and criticism.

Cheating and Plagiarism - Just Dont Do It ! :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Plagiarism    A writer has only two things to sell: his words and his ideas. If you steal either, it’s as bad as stealing any other peddler’s stock-in-trade. Unlike other peddlers, though, the writer gives you permission to use his stock-in-trade at your will as long as you point out that the stuff originally belonged to him.    Original Material, from Henry I. Christ, Hamlet with Reader’s Guide, Amsco School Publication, New York, 1970, p. 321. The play is an eternal challenge, a lock with many keys, none of which ever fits perfectly. Every interpretation presents just a portion of the possibilities. Every new version opens up new vistas, without limiting further experimentation. Every generation comes, looks, and studies the play, but never comes up with all the answers.    Below are three student attempts to use Henry Christ’s material. Student Version A (plagiarized): The play Hamlet is like a lock with many keys, none of them fitting perfectly but each of them giving a part of the possibilities. Every new interpretation opens new possibilities but without stopping new interpretations. New readers study the play but never come up with all the answers.    Student Version A has rearranged some of Christ’s ideas and has substituted some words for others, but by no means could this writing be called the student’s own writing. He has stolen all of Christ’s ideas and some of his words. Student Version B (plagiarized): Henry Christ points out that the play is like a lock with many keys. Each key presents just a portion of the possibilities. Every new version opens up new vistas, without stopping new interpretations. Every generation studies the play, but never comes up with all relevant answers (Christ, 321).    This student has included a citation at the end and an introduction at the beginning, but the lack of quotation marks anywhere tells the reader that only the ideas were taken from Christ. That’s not true: some words were also taken from Christ. Student Version C (not plagiarized):

Nature and Death in In Memory of My Dear Grandchild and Upon Wedlock an

Nature and Death in In Memory of My Dear Grandchild and Upon Wedlock and Death of Children Literature delivers or expresses ideas according to the social and cultural settings of the particular time of the writers. Even though it is designed to be in a certain time frame, the concepts overlap each other. The poems "In memory of my dear grandchild" by Anne Bradstreet, "Upon wedlock and death of children" by Edward Taylor though were written in different eras, they have a common concept "death". The writers in their poems describe that death is a natural process and compare it with different aspects of nature. Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) and Edward Taylor (1642-1729) are both early American litterateurs, and are firm believers in the Puritan experiment in America. Anne Bradstreet was the daughter of Thomas Dudley, and got married to Simon Bradstreet when she was sixteen years old. She received a better education than other young women did of her times. Due to her childhood diseases and deadly, childbirth experiences, she became very weak. She had to lead a life full of hardships in the new land. Although her distress is not hidden, faith in God is also the prominent object in her works. Edward Taylor was a son of a yeoman farmer, went to Harvard for higher education, and became a teacher for a while. He was not involved with the church and instead became a puritan minister. He wrote poems for his own pleasure and not as a part of religious service. He too believed in the puritan experiment in America. The poems chosen of these two writers are about death immediate family members . Although, both the writers have different intentions, they associate death with some aspects of nature. There is a common mechanics ... ...and most of all they had the common Faith in God. They both take death as a natural process of life and do not protest to God regarding the loss of their beloved. Instead they solaced themselves by saying that it was God's and so he took it away. There is a constant comparison between nature and death in the works of these writers. One belief that is prominent is that everything in nature ends (including humans); it is just the difference in time frame. Meaning that some die early and some livelong than the others. Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor are from different periods of the history of American literature, but they have the same belief system. They both have faith in God that He is the one to decide about everything's destiny. They support their belief by exemplifying it with the way the world is organized that is anything that is born has to end.

Pros and Cons Capital Punishment Essay

Capital punishment (death penalty) is the severest form of legal punishment today. There are vast differences in the way people view the death penalty. Some oppose it and some agree with it. There have been many studies trying to prove or disprove a point regarding the death penalty. Some have regarded the death penalty as a deterrent, and some have regarded it as state sanctioned murder and not civilized. The death penalty has been attributed to societies for hundreds of years. More recently, as we become more civilized, the death penalty has been questioned to be the right step towards justice. During the course of this paper I will review the pros and cons of the use of the death penalty as we, Americans, know it. The death penalty is a highly controversial subject. No one knows who’s right or whose wrong-it’s fifty percent speculation and fifty percent research. It’s just a lot of thoughts and beliefs from people who have contributed to the death penalty hype . Who’s right and who’s wrong? That is the question. Problem Statements In order to list the pros and cons of the death penalty I will discuss a bit about what exactly is capital punishment. This will help better understand why people feel the way they do about capital punishment. Like mentioned earlier, capital punishment or also known as the death penalty is the most extreme of all sentencing options (Schmalleger, 2012). Almost all nations in the world have had the death sentence and had enforced it in many ways. It has been used in most cases to punish those who broke the laws or standards that were expected of them. There are a lot of methods of execution however not all are legal in the United States. Procedures authorized in the United States now are electrocution, the gas chamber, and the lethal injection. The most common form of capital punishment is lethal injection, with electrocution to be the second most common form (Schmalleger, 2012). When it comes down to sentencing a criminal to the death penalty, many say that it has never been a fair sentencing. Those against capital punishment claim that it has been inflicted on innocent people or that it is costly to execute someone (Schmalleger, 2012). Those for the death penalty claim that the criminals who committed horrifying crimes deserve to die for their actions (Schmalleger, 2012). For the reason being, that anything else other than death does not fulfill as a sanction for the crime (Schmalleger, 2012). Literature review The people who oppose the death penalty have very different reasons than people who agree with it. Those who oppose it feel that no matter how bad of an offense that the criminal has committed, they should not be executed. Arguing against capital punishment, Amnesty International believes that â€Å"The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state in the name of justice. It violates the right to life†¦It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. There can never be any justification for torture or for cruel treatment.† It has been said that innocent people have been placed on death row for crimes they never committed and then executed. In my opinion, I find that very true and support this very strongly. From 1973 up to late 2009, over 138 people in 25 different states where freed from death row after being determined that they were innocent for the capital crime they had been convicted of (Dieter). One example of this claim is of James Bain, a Florida man, released from jail after being incarcerated for 35 years. He was formerly convicted back in 1974 for supposedly kidnapping and a 9 year-old boy and raping him in a nearby field (Schmalleger, 2012). What helped him gain his freedom in December of 2009 was the modern technology not available back then. Bain requested multiple DNA test, once approved the results came back negative for him meaning he was not the man who committed the crime. DNA test are now huge towards those placed in death row, it has helped freed many innocent citizens. When it comes down to the death penalty cases, there are many appeals that are made in court. The cost for a state for these appeals can run into millions of dollars for each individual case (Schmalleger, 2012). The death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole that is a fact. It is more expensive because it requires a long and complex judicial process for capital cases (Woodford). This is needed to ensure that innocent men and women are not executed for crimes they did not commit (Woodford). Sometime with this careful long process the risk of executing an innocent person cannot be completely eliminated (Woodford). Those for capital punishment may state that although the official cost dealing with capital punishment is high, no cost is too high to bring justice to the world (Schmalleger, 2012). Some say that capital punishment deters crime from occurring. However, there is no credible evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than long terms of imprisonment. States that have death penalty laws do not have lower crime rates or murder rates than states without such laws. States that have abolished capital punishment show no significant changes in either crime or murder rates. In my opinion and from what I have read it seems to be that the death penalty has no deterrent effect. I say this because people commit murders in the heat of passion, under the influence or because they are mentally ill, giving little or no thought to the consequences of their actions. Death penalty laws falsely convince the public that government has taken effective measures to combat crime and homicide. In reality, such laws do nothing to protect us or our communities from the acts of dangerous criminals Arguing for capital punishment, the Clark County, Indiana Prosecuting Attorney writes that â€Å"There are some defendants who have earned the ultimate punishment our society has to offer by committing murder with aggravating circumstances present. I believe life is sacred. It cheapens the life of an innocent murder victim to say that society has no right to keep the murderer from ever killing again. In my view, society has not only the right, but the duty to act in self-defense to protect the innocent.† There are still some who states that the death penalty is favorable in the United States. The proponents state that executing criminals will directly help stop the criminal rate in America; also, they declare that when the criminals that are sentenced are killed, the world is one less a murderer than before. Adding on, the argument that the wrong person would be killed is very slim; as a matter of fact, with the development of technology constantly evolving, the chances of the wrong citizen being executed are also constantly decreasing. Although many opponents state that the capital punishment is racist, there are statistics that more African-Americans do crimes than Caucasians. Research Methods After analyzing all the information towards capital punishment I became interested in doing some research about capital punishment statistics about the process of decision making when sentencing a criminal. If I were to conduct a case study about discrimination in death penalty sentencing, I would create surveys and interviews with inmates on death row and certain cases that appeared to been sentenced by discrimination. This type of study is hard to investigate for the reason that if the judge or jury based their answer off of the gender or race of the person it would be less likely that they would reveal the truth. My research study would be quantitative because I will be recording data about the rates on death penalty discrimination. It will also be a qualitative study because, a part from the data I will be recording I would conduct interviews with former judges and attorneys that have dealt with death penalty cases and what was the process of deciding the sentence like. Conclusion In today’s generation people have very different views on the death penalty. There are many who completely agree with it, and the concept behind it, and there are some who feel it is nothing but a cruel punishment. All in all, the capital punishment is a charge that will always be debated in America. However, the execution is a faster death for the criminal a much easier statement someone can receive. Half of the American population is against capital punishment for the execution of innocent people, discrimination, deterrence of crime and high cost leading to debt for the society. Those for capital punishment agree that this kind of action is what is needed to put a stop to brutal crimes. The criminal deserves to die for their actions and it is the only option to bring justice. The death penalty is and always will be a problem that is arguable from both sides, but, if someone tries to ultimately stop it, it is and always will be impossible. Reference ACLU. (2007, April 09). The death penalty: Questions and answers. Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/capital-punishment/death-penalty-questions-and-answers Baik, E. (2012). Gender, Religion and National Origin: Latinos’ Attitude toward Capital Punishment. Journal of Social Sciences (15493652), 8(1), 79-84. Hashemi, S. (n.d.). Abolish the death penalty. Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/abolish-the-death-penalty?id=1011005 Methods of execution. (2010, April). Retrieved from http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/methods.htm Dieter, R. (n.d.). Death penalty information. Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/home Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminal justice: A brief introduction. (9 ed., pp. 272-286). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Woodford, J. (n.d.). The high cost of the death penalty. Retrieved from http://www.deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=42

Income and Wealth Equality Essay

Discuss whether the most effective way to have income and wealth equality is to tax income more progressively. Income is a stable flow of money, often a salary, which someone works for but this can also be made through interest on savings. This flow of money is often very unequal from person to person due to wage differentials, this then creates inequality. Wealth on the other hand is a stock of assets which have a market value, which may change over time e.g. houses or cars. These are often inherited but can be bought by someone through their income. Wealth and income often found together however someone who is wealthy doesn’t always have a large income. Their relationship with inequality is also very different with a lot more inequality found in wealth as a fifth of wealth is concentrated among the richest one per cent of households however there is still some in income. One way the government can stop this inequality is through a progressive taxation system that aims to tax the poorest people very little but make the money up by taxing the richer. This would work at several boundaries with someone income being taxed higher when it exceeds a certain limit. This then creates equality as the richer people have less money and the poorer have more from not paying tax and then the unemployed get benefits. This then reduces the budget deficit as the tax payers pay for people benefits, helping to reduce the class system. However one problem with this is that it may cause the highest earners to leave the country to avoid paying tax and companies moving their headquarters abroad where they will pay less tax. This happened in the 70s with the rolling stones but is also happening with corporations such Amazon and Costa and this something that may happen more if the richer are taxed too much. This is also taking money out of the economy as they spend their money abroad, out of the flow of income in the UK. Another problem with this system is that it creates ‘the poverty trap’. A type of government failure, this is when there is no incentive for people to get off benefits as they won’t make any more money. To stop this there may need to be a re-evaluation of the system as the replacement ratio is too high. This can also create poor attitudes, with generations of people not working. This is also found in the work place with some people refusing pay rises as they will have to pay more money in tax as they go through a tax boundary. However more recently this has happened with child benefits as these are being reduced depending on how much someone earns another reason why someone would refuse a pay rise. Wealth is often harder to tax however it is often caused by income so the tax system previously described may be used to reduce wealth and thus stopping inequality. This system can also be found in wealth though, with inheritance tax being used progressively. For example any money above 325,000 is taxed at 40%. This then creates a source of revenue for the government but also stops people inheriting huge sums of money, stopping inequality. However this system has its flaws as the tax has to be paid first, it could also be argued as unfair as someone who works for their money is entitled to leave it to who they want, especially as it was already taxed when it was earned. This system has also caused many pensioners to move abroad where what they leave is taxed less. The money inherited is also often used by entrepreneurs to fund businesses so the system may also reduce the possibility for future in income tax. This systems also sonly raises  £2.9bn a year, a mere 0.18% of GDP, which sometimes ends up being spent on court cases as people argue against the system. One alternative system for reducing inequality is by providing incentives for people to get into work. This could be done by changing the minimum wage as it would reduce the replacement ratio. This can also be achieved by reducing the unemployment benefits or making them harder to get. Reducing benefits would also lower the budget deficit as the government can save money. However this could be hard on people who genuinely can’t work due to long term illness or disability. Another way of increasing the work force is by increasing spending on training of workers but also in the education system. This will create better skilled and qualified workers, allowing them to make more money and giving them more job opportunities. This type of supply side policy can be expensive but there should be future benefits as their will be more money made from income tax. They would also create job opportunities for teachers or other people to teach skills. Other examples of this include apprenticeships and part time work schemes that together should create a job for everyone, reducing the tax bill. However they won’t work for everyone as there is always someone who will be left behind and It may also be hard to change the mind set of people who are used to not working. These types of policies would also all stop inequality as the poorer people would have employment opportunities giving them a higher source of income. However there are very little alternatives to redistribute wealth as it is impossible to give people items of value as those who are in poverty often don’t even have a house. The government may be able to provide schemes for people to work for their homes and other areas of wealth. It is also hard for them to find things of wealth at an affordable rate especially as it is normally found through work done by relatives. This is why it is unlikely to be done as it wouldn’t be very sustainable and effective however in theory the re distribution of wealth could be done. In conclusion the progressive tax system has its benefits as it provides a simple way of reducing inequality by taxing the rich and giving the poor money, bringing them closer financially. However in my opinion the system is the easy solution with short term benefits rather than long term gains that might happen through providing incentives rather than disincentives for people. However the problem with wealth is greater as it can’t be easily moved but through redistributing income wealth will consequently be redistributed as ultimately income is the main cause of wealth.

Political Institutions

Political institutions have been around since nearly all human societies were organized tribally. Over time they have developed into various organizational features and eventually taken the shape they do today. They have proven to be fundamental in virtually all societies worldwide and by being so omnipresent we often take these institutions for granted and do not realize how vital they are for our society. Moreover, because they are so important and play such a big part in our society, there is a major purpose to compare them between time and place.Therefore, this paper will first elaborate on explanations for political institutions and through that process come up with a working definition. Furthermore, it will explain why political institutions play such a major role in our society, and lastly it will argue for why we should compare these institutions. There are countless definitions of political institutions making the term somewhat vague (Klingemann & Goodin, 1996; Peters & Pier re, 1998).It refers not only to formal political organizations such as political parties and parliament, but also to informal constraints such as customs, ideals, guidelines and actions (Peters & Pierre, 1998; North 1990). In addition, Wiens (2012) emphasizes that these formal and informal rules establish and stabilize roles. Moreover, although there is no consensus amongst theorists of what makes an institution political (Garret & Lange, 1995), Max Weber (cited in Gerth & Mills, 1946) and Moe (2005) argue that an institution is political if it influences the distribution of power.As a result, for the purpose of this essay I will combine these scholars’ explanations to create a working definition. Political institutions are sets of formal and informal rules that influence the distribution of power, create roles and by combinations of standards, ethics, instructions and procedures stabilize interaction for occupants of those roles (Wiens, 2012; Peters & Pierre, 1998; North, 19 90; Gerth & Mills, 1946; Hall, 1986). Thus for being so ubiquitous, political institutions have profound ramifications for politics and for society at large.Political institutions have been developed by human beings throughout history to generate order and diminish insecurity (North, 1991) One of the main explanations to why they create order is because by influencing the way entities interact in politics, these political institutions significantly affect the potentials for individuals and groups to resolve collective problems and identify shared interest (Weir, 1992; Moe, 2005; Johnson, 2001). One apparent example is how parties create political alliances and in some cases governmental coalitions.Therefore, political institutions are vital as they stabilize and structure interactions (Hall 1986; Przeworski, 2004), and by being forces of stability also offer predictability (Hague & Harrop, 2010). Furthermore, Moe (2005) claims that political institutions essentially exist and are si gnificant because they make people better off. Whereas North (1981; 1990) and Minier (2001) do not fully share this opinion and rather contend that in order to benefit everyone in society and also for the economy to grow rulers have to adopt the correct political institutions.Thus, in order to find what the â€Å"correct† political institutions might be, there is an intrinsic motivation to compare these between time and place. To be able to comprehend the bigger picture of political power it is crucial to understand how political institutions work and in order to develop deeper knowledge about those it is vital to compare them (Beck et al, 2001). Moreover, without comparing there is not much to acquire from a mere description (Pennings, Keman & Kleinnijenhuis, 2005).In other words, returning back to North’s argument, one can hardly know which political institutions that are â€Å"correct† in bringing benefits to everyone by merely observing just one institution. Therefore, a vital reason to compare is to look for useful ideas and to see which political institutions might be good and bad at achieving specific political goals and see if these various institutions can survive in different political settings (Przeworski, 2004; Nikandrov, 1989).In addition, by seeing similarity in difference and difference in similarity and linking ideas and theory to evidence we can gain greater insight and be more aware of alternatives (Friedman, 2011). However, some scholars point to the dangers of comparison (see Faure, 1994; Radhakrishnan, 2009) and it is important to acknowledge those risks. Nevertheless, as Friedman (2011) explains: â€Å"For all the problems and dangers of comparison, in the end it is worse not to compare than to compare† (p. 756).To summarize, first of all political institutions are sets of formal and informal rules that have since the early ages of man stabilized and shaped interactions and outcomes by establishing roles and af fecting power relations. Secondly, political institutions are important because they structure individuals and groups to overcome self-interest and rather cooperate for mutual gain. Furthermore, they create order and by offering predictability they reduce insecurity. In addition, arguably, political institutions can benefit everyone in the society and support in economic growth.Thirdly, we should compare political institutions to learn about valuable ideas, be mindful about possibilities and to see how similar and different institutions functions in various contexts. Lastly, we should compare to get a wider and enhanced understanding of how political institutions function and thus also enables us to further comprehend the mechanics of political power. REFERENCE LIST: Beck, T. , Clarke, G. , Groff, A. , Keefer, P. , & Walsh, P. (2001). New tools in comparative political economy: The database of political institutions. World Bank Economic Review, 15(1), 165-176. Faure, A.M. (1994). So me methodological problems in comparative politics. Journal of Theoretical Politics, 6(3), 307-322. Friedman, S. S. (2011). Why not compare? Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 126(3), 753-762. Garret, G. , & Lange, P. (1995). Internationalization, institutions, and political change. International Organization, 49(4), 627-655. Gerth, H. H. , & Mills. C. W. (1946). From Max Weber: Essays in sociology. New York, United States: Oxford University Press. Hague, R. , & Harrop, M. (2010). Comparative government and politics: An introduction (8th ed).New York, United States: Palgrave Macmillan. Hall, P. A. (1986). Governing the economy: The politics of state intervention in Britain and France. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Klingemann, H. , & Goodin, R. E. (1996). A new handbook of political science. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Johnson, J. (2001). Path contingency in postcommunist transformations. Comparative Politics 33(3) 253-274. Minier, J. (2001). Politica l institutions and economic growth. Philosophy & Technology, 13(4), 85-93. Moe, T. M. (2005). Power and political institutions. Perspectives on Politics, 3(2), 15-233. Nikandrov, N. D. (1989). Cross-national attraction in education. Comparative Education, 25(3), 275-282. North, D. C. (1981). Structure and change in economic history. New York, United States: Aldine-Atherton. North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, institutional change, and economic performance. New York, United States: Cambridge University Press. North, D. C. (1991). Institutions. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 5(1), 97-112. Radhakrishnan, R. (2009) Why compare? New Literary History, 40(3), 453-471. Pennings, P. , Kleman H. , & Kleinnijenhuis, J. (2005).Doing research in political science. London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd. Peters, B. G. , & Pierre, J. (1998). Institutions and time: Problems of conceptualization and explanation. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 8(4), 565-583. Przeworski, A. (20 04). Institutions matter? Government and Opposition, 39(4), 527-540. Weir, M. (1992). Politics and jobs: The boundaries of employment policy in the United States. Princeton, United States: Princeton University Press. Wiens, D. (2012). Prescribing institutions without ideal theory. Journal of Political Philosophy, 20(1), 45-70.

Compare and contrast paper about two short stories Essay

In the writings â€Å"A Description of New England† by John Smith and â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† by William Bradford, the tone of these two selections vary noticeably. Both authors use certain tones to attract and persuade certain audiences. John Smith wrote of what a wonderful place the New World was, while on the other hand Bradford wrote about the difficulties and realities of the New World. Author John Smith, a pilgrim who arrived in the Americas, writes a description of the new land. In â€Å"A Description of New England† he shows what a wonderful world of vast food and pleasure await. William Bradford, another pilgrim who arrived in Plymouth on the coast of Massachusetts, gives his take on the early settling of the new land. In â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† he writes a description of what really happened their, how the pilgrims actually lived. In â€Å"A Description of New England,† Smith starts by describing the pleasure and content that risking your life for getting your own piece of land brings to men. He also implies that building your own house, planting your own crops, and having a â€Å"God’s blessing industry† would be easy to have without having any prejudice. He talks about the joy of erecting towns and then populating them. John Smith rarely mentions the Native Americans, but when he does he says that they are good people and that they helped them when the arrived. Smith also makes references to ways of profiting from daily activities such as hunting and farming. This is his way of persuading others to make a voyage to the New World. For example, John Smith states â€Å"For hunting †¦ afford not only chase sufficient for any delight that in that kind of toil or pleasure but such beasts to hunt that besides the delicacy of their bodies for food, and their skins are so rich as may well recompense thy daily labor with a captains pay. By persuading others to come to the New World, it can also be seen that Smith expects to profit from these new settlers. John Smith appears to be directing his writing towards certain financial individuals wanting to invest in the new colonies. In â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation,† Bradford begins by reminding us how harsh and difficult the trip to the New World was for the pilgrims. He writes about the condition of the men who arrived to the shore. He also mentions that in the New World there was no one to welcome them, more over there was nothing  to stay in, no houses and no inns. When William Bradford mentions the Native Americans, he says that they greeted them with arrows. Bradford also attempts to persuade others to visit the New World, with a religious approach. This attempt is made even though he does describe the difficulties in the New World. In Bradford’s eyes, had not the Puritan Pilgrims been graced by God then their long and demanding exploration, all would have been in vain. Year after year Bradford keeps sight of the signs from God meant to help the Pilgrims of Plymouth, Massachusetts. After years in the New World, Bradford talks of Squanto, the Indian, becoming â€Å"an instrument sent form God for their good. Then he goes onto compare the Pilgrim’s journey to the New World with the Israelites exodus from Egypt. It is clear to see that these religious references are used to persuade his audience to see the purity of the Pilgrim’s journey to Plymouth. William Bradford appears to be writing towards certain religious individuals who want to make a pilgrimage toe the new colonies. Even though the tones of these two writings, â€Å"A Description of New England† by John Smith and â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† by William Bradford, vary distinctly, both authors attempt to persuade certain audiences. Smith attempts to persuade the financial advisors who wish to invest in the New World, while Bradford attempts to persuade the religious individuals to make a pilgrimage to the New World. Bradford wrote about the difficulties and realities of the New World, while Smith wrote about how wonderful the New World was. Pilgrim John Smith wrote a description of the new land in which he describes what an astonishing world of vast food and pleasure awaited others. Another Pilgrim, William Bradford, gave a different description of the new land. He gave a description of what really happened, of how the pilgrims really lived.

Charlie Gordon

Charlie Gordon is the hero of a flower for Algernon. Charlie is a 33-year-old adult with mental retardation. Especially in a family who struggled to adapt to his illness and experienced a very difficult childhood, he wants to be very smart. Charlie has a good attitude towards changing his life and will make every effort to complete his clever job. Charlie underwent surgery to improve his intelligence. It was done only with the mouse, especially the mouse named Algernon. In the book by Daniel Keys' Flower for Algernon there is a chance to become a genius through surgery for the mentally disabled person Charlie Gordon. Charlie Gordon is the subject of the experiment to increase intelligence. The experiment was successful, Charlie Gordon became a genius. However, he has many emotional problems and understands how serious he is receiving. Finally, as he got dull again, could Charlie Gordon get a better surgery? It is not well understood. When Charlie was stupid, he was very happy. He thi nks he has friends, everyone likes him. But when he got better, he noticed his so-called friends were not his friends. He said: When I am late, I have a lot of friends, now I do not have anyone.Oh, I know a lot of people.It is a lot of people.This is my friend I do not mean anything to me, what it means (p.174) Charlie Gordon's brave Charlie Gordon is a hero, regardless of wisdom, for his bravery. Charlie's intelligence is slow, but his courage depends on what he intellects. I said that I was taken care of because I did not have anything, I am very strong and always fine, my rabbit's leg is next to me 11) Author Daniel Case, Charlie's obstacles are shown using misspelled words and highlights

Q3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Q3 - Essay Example Since I work as an IT professional, I would categorize myself as a knowledge worker because of the technical knowledge I possess in the area of programming for various applications. Problem solving requires the application of this knowledge, and also requires soft skills such as the ability to work in groups, because most IT work is done in teams and groups. Some examples of knowledge workers are those who possess specialized or highly technical knowledge, such as engineers, medical or legal professionals or IT workers responsible for systems design. Most technology jobs fall under the category of knowledge based jobs, however in most occupations, routine, desk level jobs can be standardized and outsourced. Job growth in the next couple of decades is predicted to be highest in well paying occupations requiring â€Å"expert thinking† and â€Å"complex human communication.† (Levy and Murmane, 2004:80). Hence, knowledge workers are those who possess a level of knowledge an d the ability to engage in expert thinking and are also able to interact effectively with others at different levels. (2) In the knowledge economy, work patterns are changing. As pointed out by Smith (2005) in his comparison of the work habits of the Baby Boomer generation and the young workers of today who belong to the Internet age, there is a higher level of independence and flexibility sought by the latter. Communication between these individuals takes place through electronic means even as they are sitting next to each other. If creativity and innovation among these knowledge workers is to survive and thrive, they require the kind of flexible managerial support that will focus on the end product rather than dictate the method by which such an end is to be achieved. Where knowledge workers are concerned, soft skills and effective networking is also an

Advising and Counseling Student Athletes by Broughton and Neyer Article

Advising and Counseling Student Athletes by Broughton and Neyer - Article Example It has been mentioned in the literature that the student-athletes can be best counseled by incorporating counseling in four steps which involves academic counseling, life skill development, clinical counseling and performance enhancement. It has been said in the book that the students many time fear the fact that if they seek the advice of counselors they will be considered weak and that may have an adverse effect on their performance and their social image. There are various problems which student-athlete faces and it remains the responsibility of the institutions to cater to all their emotional needs and provide them the support required. The piece of literature here goes on to say that there are yet many flaws in the counseling programmes of the student-athletes and the college authorities should become effective in addressing the existing flaws and review the situation accordingly so that the athletes, as well as the college authorities, benefit from them. The authors Hamilton and Sina, (2001) in the article, â€Å"How College Affects Student-Athletes† refers to the fact that colleges play an important role in the lives of the student-athletes and the concerned authorities should realize their responsibilities and direct their efforts towards the right direction. The athletes should understand that the authorities care for their overall well being. And the authorities should not only focus on athletics that may bring in a negative impact. Rather they should structure policies in a manner that will help the student-athletes in the long run of their lives and it will allow them to fulfill all their dreams. Thus we get to know that academic institutions have a major role to play in the lives of athletes. With more and, more of globalization athletics is a major form of entertainment. The college athletes of the present age are not only shaped by factors of the universities and colleges. They are influenced by a number of other global factors which include social, moral and economic issues.  Ã‚  

Media as a Global Standardiser Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Media as a Global Standardiser - Assignment Example Thirdly, can a media holding private interests actually operate as a public sphere forum effectively?   The public sphere as a concept is most often associated with Jurgen Habermas, who conceptualized the idea in his book â€Å"The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere† (1962) – an inquiry into a category of bourgeois society. According to this work by Habermas, the public sphere in its most basic and ideal form is a realm or space where opinions particularly focusing on the needs of society are freely and openly exchanged between people without any restraints or external hinderances. (Habermas 1991: 176)This realm can also be a â€Å"virtual or imaginary community† (Soules: para 2) whose existence may not necessarily occur in any singular space. In today’s modern wold, where massive global communication networks spread their webs over the world, the current media scenario in all its forms and branches is the closest substitute to Habermasâ€⠄¢s ideal and the best implement towards working and achiving that goal. However, we must ask ourselves that how comfortably positioned is this role with a vehicle that is propelled, fuelled and controlled primarily by the private interests of media conglomerates, corporate sponsorship and state string pulling? The public sphere is a multifaceted entity possessing a number of interlinked functions. It is through the processes of dialogue and particularly through means of critical discussion and debate that opinions and attitudes are generated in the public sphere (Soules: para 2) and is a foundation for â€Å"emancipatory social thought† (Holub 1997: para 7). In an ideal state, the function of the public sphere is to act as a mediatory space between society and the state. It is the source of mass opinion which is required to legitimize and guide the state’s affairs (Soules: para 2), and challenge and legitimize governments and authority (Rutherford 2000: 18 ).   Habe rmas traces the origin and in a way proper concretization and emergence of an entity resembling the public sphere in 18th century emerging from the growth of coffee houses, the emergence of literary societies, and the expansion and rise of print media. As part of their efforts to keep the state under its reins, the parliaments and other agencies of representation based governments have sought to manage this public sphere (Soules: para 4). Habermas also acknowledges that there are precedents to public culture and traces their roots to the ancient Greeks. He mentions how in the discussion among its citizens, citizens interacted as equal and only through this interaction without restraints was it that that which existed in the public sphere become apparent, and in entering into the public sphere, by the core nature of the sphere as inclusive of all, become apparent to all (Habermas 1991: 4). He has however been criticized for idealizing the rational discussions of the 18th century bour geois ignoring â€Å"‘the extent to which its institutions were founded on sectionalism, (and) exclusiveness.’† (Eley 1992: 321 in Crossley 2004: 11). Habermas' idea of the public sphere refers to a realm between the state and civil society where decisions were publicly reached through rational discourse. He identifies the English press in the nineteenth century as the prime of the public sphere, in which a multitude of ideas were aired free from contextual