Monday, September 30, 2019

Modernity and Literature Essay

Modernity by itself is a very abstract concept which can be associated with all new experiences in history. It is largely temporal because what is modern today is the old or obsolete tomorrow. Modernity is said to be a logic of negation because it tends to give importance to the present over the past, and at the same time also frowns over the present with respect to the future. From a purely historical perspective however, the society which evolved in Europe after the French Revolution of 1789 can be termed as modern in so much so that there is a marked difference or break in the way of thinking, living and enterprise between the societies after and before the French Revolution. The evolution of the modern society was not a process that happened overnight. The roots of the modern society and its gradual evolution can be traced back to the beginning of the eighteenth century. In fact the period from that point in history to the French Revolution is termed as the period of intellectual Enlightenment when there was a radical change in philosophy, science, politics, arts and culture. It was on these new forms of knowledge that the foundation of the modern society or modernity was based. Defining the Traditional Many scholars have tried to analyze the basic or instinctive nature of human beings in attempts to track back how modernity could have affected the core individual. In his book Leviathan, Hobbes deduced that in an environment uninfluenced by artificial systems or in a ‘state of nature’ human beings would be war like and violent, and their lives would consequently be solitary, poor, brutish and short. Rousseau however contradicts Hobbes. He claims that humans are essentially benevolent by nature. He believed in the ‘noble savage’ or the concept that devoid of civilization human beings are essentially peaceful and egalitarian and live in harmony with the environment – an idea associated with Romanticism. Human beings have however lived in communities and formed societies since the very early ages. In what is now known as the ancient world or the world of classical pagan antiquity typical of the societies of Greece and Rome, the concept of the ‘new’ or ‘change’ was absent. Time, like the seasons, was supposed to move in cyclical order, repeating itself with regularity cycle after cycle with nothing new or changed to break away from the established order. The people were steeped in more superstitious and religious beliefs which ruled almost every aspect of their lives. Christianity brought about changes in the belief systems of the ancient world. Christianity postulated that time was linear, that it began from the birth of Jesus Christ and would end with the apocalypse and the second coming of Jesus. This was a linear concept of time that moved in a straight line and not in a cycle that kept coming back to the same point. The Foundations of Modernity It was during the Enlightenment period that the Christian concepts of time and history were secularized to give way to the modern approach to change and progress. There were many other basic changes during the Enlightenment. The key ideas which formed the basis of the enlightenment period were autonomy and emancipation, progress and the improvement of history and universalism. The development of scientific knowledge gave rise to religious skepticism. People were no longer willing to submit blindly to the dictates of ordained religion. In other words they attained emancipation from the shackles of religion that had governed almost all aspects of their lives. This emancipation led to autonomy of the individual. Individuals began to decide for themselves instead submitting to an external authority such as religion. The people now decided by themselves what kind of authority, rules and regulation would be good for them, and such authority must be natural and not supernatural. Enlightenment encouraged criticism. Enlightenment thinkers did not hold anything sacred and freely criticized, questioned, examined and challenged all dogmas and institutions in their search for betterment or progress. Thinkers such as Voltaire defended reason and rationalism against institutionalized superstition and tyranny. The belief that there could and should be a change for the better came to be a prominent characteristic of modernity. The critical attitude of enlightenment thinker to contemporary social and political institutions paved the way for scientific studies of political and social studies and subsequent evolution of better forms of such institutions. The scientific revolution during the period, culminating in the work of Isaac Newton, presented a very practical and objective view of the natural world to people at large, and science came to be regarded very highly. Scientific inquiry was gradually extended to cover new social, political and cultural areas. Such studies were oriented around the cause-and-effect approach of naturalism. Control of prejudice was also deemed to be essential to make them value free. Enlightenment thinking emphasized the importance of reason and rationality in organization and development of knowledge. The gradual development of the scientific temperament with a paradigm change from the qualitative to the quantitative is also very evident in Europe of the time. People came to believe that they could better their own lot through a more scientific and rational approach to everything. The concept of universalism which advocated that reason and science were applicable to all fields of study and that science laws, in particular, were universal, also grew roots during the period. People began to believe in change, development and progress – all basic tenets of modernity as we know it today. Autonomy to decide for their own good, gave the people the right to choose the form of authority that could lead them as a society or community towards a better future and progress. This opened the doors to the emergence of states with separate and legally defined spheres of jurisdiction. Thus we find that modernity represents a transformation – philosophical, scientific, social, political and cultural – at a definite time in history at a definite spatial location. This transformation also represents a continuum up to the present in so much so that its basic principles are inherent in the societies and nations of today. The period of enlightenment can be seen as one of transition from the ‘traditional’ to the ‘modern’ forms of society, from an age of blind beliefs to a new age of reason and rational. Different Perspectives on development of Modernity Different political and philosophical thinkers have however developed different, and sometimes contradicting, theories of the development of modernity. Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx are two of the leading thinkers whose theories run counter to each other. For Hegel, the development of modernity was a dialectical process which was governed by the increasing self-consciousness of what he termed as the collective human ‘mind’ or ‘spirit’. According to Hegel, the dialectic process of development of the mind comprised three stages, with two initially contradicting positions synthesizing into a third reconciled position. Human beings live what Hegel called an ‘Ethical Life’ or in a social environment shaped by customs and traditions. This ethical life has three stages: the first is the family, which is dissolved in due course, the second is the ‘civil society’ that a person builds up as a result of his social interactions beyond the family and greater relations, and finally the third stage of the ‘state’ which Hegel defines as the highest form of social reason. For Hegel therefore, the formation of the modern state is the mark of modernity when human beings achieve the ultimate stage of social existence. Hegel believed as individuals or families, human beings are too selfish and self-centered co-exist in harmony and work for development. It is the state that is able to integrate the contradictions of different individuals, and not market forces. Since the state by itself is composed of political institutions, Hegel’s theory equates the development of the modern state or modern political institutions with modernity. Marx took a completely opposing view, when he asserted that material forces drive history. For him the state by itself is not an ideal entity for the integration of human beings into a cohesive whole for their development as a nation or a society. According to him it is the material forces comprising social and economic forces that drive history towards modernity. People engage in production for their means of subsistence, they bind together and form states for the sake of production. Different forms of productions create different class relations. It is to maximize production and gain the maximum benefits and advantages that people bond together in different classes in the form of the modern state. The different ways in which production is organized give rise to complex forms of social organization because a particular mode of production is an entire way of life for the people who are involved in it. For Marx social existence is not consciously determined by human beings, rather, it is the other way round: their social existence determines their consciousness. When there are contradictions between productive forces and the social relationships of production, class conflict arises. For Marx, therefore, modernity is defined by the state of social existence. Marx acknowledges that ‘capitalism has been the most productive mode of production, and it contains the most potential for the realization of human freedom’. This very dynamic characteristic of capitalism is born out of its destructiveness for all traditional social constraints such as religion, nation, family, sex, etc. But it is the same destructiveness and creativeness that creates the experience of modernity in Capitalism. This vital association between capitalism and modernity from none less that Marx himself establishes that the capitalism that evolved after the period of enlightenment in Europe has been acknowledged as the modern era of the period of modernity by Marx. Marx however states that capitalism is exploitative, and because it is exploitative, its full potential cannot be harnessed for the benefit of all. He therefore advocates communism which is a system of planned and conscious production by men and women of their won free will. This brings us to the question whether humanity has already passed through a stage of history that has been termed as modernity, and has moved on to the postmodern era (Mitchell, 2009). Another important point is regarding the placing of modernity. Modernity is understood to be a process that began and ended in Europe, and was later exported to other parts of the world. Thinkers like Marx tend to differ. He saw Capitalism emerge as a ‘rosy dawn’ not in England or the Netherlands but in the production trade and finance of the colonial system (Marx, 1967). Therefore, though the concept of modernity can be defined in various ways, it definitely refers to the process of evolution of the human mind and the society to a point where people were able to come together for their own advantage and benefit and work for unceasing development under a collectively formalized authority such as the nation state. It can also be state with a certain degree of assertiveness that the period from the beginning of the Eighteenth Century to the French Revolution in 1789 actually marked the period of active development of modernity in Europe. The concepts that were nurtured during the period bore fruit immediately afterwards in Europe and the West and later spread to the rest of the world. The world has continued since on very much the same basic principles but with far more advanced technologies and superior social, economic and political approaches. Influence of Modernity on Literature Modernity had a profound influence on literature. As people began to think differently, they also began to write differently. The modernist ideas of religious emancipation, autonomy, reliance on reason, rationality and science, and on development and progress began to find expression in the literature that developed even during the period of enlightenment and thereafter. This new form of literature came to be known as the Modernist Literature. Modernist literature tended to vent expression to the tendencies of modernity. Modernist literature, as also modernist art, took up cudgels against the old system of blind beliefs. Centering around the idea of individualism or the individual mind, modernist literature displayed mistrust of established institutions such as conventional forms of autocratic government and religion. It also tended not to believe in any absolute truths. Simmel (1903) gives an overview of the thematic concerns of Modernist Literature when he states that, â€Å"The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life. † Examples from two Greats A few examples of Modernist literature will serve to make its characteristics more clear. Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650) is considered to be one of the early enlightenment thinkers whose literary works opened the avenues to the modern era. Known as the founder of modern philosophy and the father of modern mathematics, Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician and scientist whose influence has served to shape the beginnings of Modernist literature. In his famous work, The Discourse on Method, he presents the equally famous quotation ‘cogito ergo sum’ or ‘I think, therefore I am’, which about sums up the very principle of the basis of the modern era. â€Å"I observed that, whilst I thus wished to think that all was false, it was absolutely necessary that I, who thus thought, should be somewhat; and as I observed that this truth, I think, therefore I am (COGITO ERGO SUM), was so certain and of such evidence that no ground of doubt, however extravagant, could be alleged by the sceptics capable of shaking it, I concluded that I might, without scruple, accept it as the first principle of the philosophy of which I was in search† (Descartes, 1637). In this work, Descartes drew on ancients such as Sextus Emiricus to revive the idea of skepticism, and reached a truth that he found to be undeniable. â€Å"Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions. In other words, he rejected man’s reliance on God’s revealed word, placing his own intellect on a higher plain† (McCarter, 2006). David Hume (1711 – 1776) was a philosopher, economist and historian from Scotland, and was considered a notable personality both in western philosophy and of the Scottish Enlightenment movement. In his works, he had a way of projecting the errors of scepticism and naturalism, thus carving out a way for secular humanism. In his most famous work, ‘An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding’, Hume asserts that all human knowledge is imbibed through our senses. He argues that unless the source from which the impression of a certain entity is conveyed to our senses is identified, that entity cannot exist. The logic would nullify the existence of God, a soul or a self. â€Å"By the term impression, then, I mean all our more lively perceptions, when we hear, or see, or feel, or love, or hate, or desire, or will. And impressions are distinguished from ideas, which are the less lively perceptions, of which we are conscious, when we reflect on any of those sensations or movements above mentioned †¦It seems a proposition, which will not admit of much dispute, that all our ideas are nothing but copies of our impressions, or, in other words, that it is impossible for us to think of anything, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dover Philosophical Classics, 2004) In the same work Hume also postulates two kinds of human reasoning – Relation of Ideas and Matters of Fact. The former involves abstract concepts such as of mathematics where deductive faculty is required, and the later is about empirical experiences which are inductive in nature. This postulate has come to be known as Hume’s Fork. Hume, along with his contemporaries of the Scottish Enlightenment, also proposed that the basis for principles of morals is to be sought in the utility that they tend to serve. This shows the questioning nature of modernist literature not only of religious but also of moral and social norms and values. A very visible influence of modernity is therefore seen in the works of Hume. Present-day Modernist Literature If modernity influenced literature, it also used literature to shift from a philosophical and theoretical domain into the practical lives of people. Modernity could infiltrate into the lives of people through literary works that defined and reiterated the legitimate new modes of classification. Old literary forms with traditional meanings attached to them were reworked, allowing readers to modify or contravene the older meanings. â€Å"This opening-up process allowed readers to glean new meanings that modified or contravened the older ones. In the course of these changes, words, forms, and institutions altered their meaning in British life: they, and the practices they comprised, referred differently†¦. modifying ‘reference potential’ in literature fed back into how readers responded to changes in life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Rothstein, 2007) In art and literature, many critics view ‘modernism’ as a new trend in the field of art and literature, defined basically by stylistic and structural variations. They would not accept the fact that ‘modernism’, it is basic approach, was the principles of modernity rendered plausible in literature and art. Modernity has always tried to hold up the world in new perspectives. Similarly, modernist literature opens up the world in all its forms – theoretical, philosophical, aesthetical and political – for fresh scrutiny. Even in its present form, modernist literature attempts to break the objective world of the realist. â€Å"Modernist writing †¦ takes the reader into a world of unfamiliarity, a deep introspection, a cognitive thought-provoking experience, skepticism of religion, and openness to culture, technology, and innovation† (Melton, 2010). Modernist literature exhibits a fascination with the workings of the mind, and how reality is reflected by the mind. The questioning of life, with or without the presence of God, is another trademark of the philosophical and theoretical moorings of modernist literature. Charles Darwin’s work challenges God as the Creator and presents the process of natural selection in the survival of life. This led to modernist literature of time travel, of questioning the existence of individuals and the purpose of the universe. Modernism brought about a new openness in the areas of feminism, bisexuality, the family, and the mind. In the world of today, modernist literature still display much of the characteristics of the times in which it first took shape. A very important theme of modernist literature today is a feeling of being alone in the world – a feeling stemming from estrangement or alienation. Characters are often presented as being depressed or angry. A second common trait is that of being in doubt. â€Å"It may be disbelief in religion, in happiness, or simply a lack of purpose and doubt in the value of human life. Finally, a third theme that is prevalent is a search for the truth† (Foster, 2010). Then there is a third theme in which the alienated character is always in the search for truth and seeks answers to a plethora of questions relating to human subjectivity. In all these characteristics are to be found the same questioning nature, the same denouncement of blind beliefs and the same dependence on reason and rationality that the Eighteenth Century enlightenment thinkers had pursued. The character is alienated and estranged because he or she questions all that is deemed not right by his or her own mind; the character questions the beliefs of religion and other institutions which are not based on reasoning; and finally the character seeks answers and the truth. â€Å"Modernist literature encompasses the thematic fingerprints of a rebellious, questioning, disbelieving, meditative, and confident type of form, which was conceived out of a change in the belief of humanity, the mind, a God, and the self brought on by the shift from capitalism to an ever-increasing society of revolutionary changes† (Melton, 2010). References Descartes, R. , 1637, The Discourse on Methods. Dover Philosophical Classics, 2004, David Hume, An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, Dover Publications Inc. Foster, J. , 2010, Modernism in Literature and History, Available: http://www. helium. com/items/743749-modernism-in-literature-and-history Karl Marx, 1967, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, 3 vols. , New York: International Publishers, 1:703. McCarter, J. , P. , 2006, Literature of the Modern Era, The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum. Melton, L. , 2010, Modernism in Literature and History, Available: http://www. helium. com/items/809291-modernism-in-literature-and-history Mitchell, T. , 2000, The Stage of Modernity, Available: http://www. ram-wan. net/restrepo/modernidad/the%20stage%20of%20modernity-mitchell. pdf Rothstein, E. , 2007, Gleaning Modernity, Earlier Eighteenth Century Literature and the Modernizing Process, Rosemont Publishing and Printing Corp. , Associated University Presses. Simmel, G. , 1093, The Metropolis and Mental Life.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Africa †Genetically modified food Essay

Genetically modified food (GM food) is crop, plants or just food are created by using the latest molecular biology techniques in laboratories to have the desired traits such as resistance to pesticides and many more. For a period of 10 years, between 1995 and 2005, the amount of land cultivated with Genetically Modified Organisms had increased from 4. 2 million acres to 222 million acres. In 2003, the countries that grew 99% of the world’s genetically modified food were the following countries-In the United States of America. South Africa, the only country in Africa which accommodates the production of genetically modified food has the least in the world with only 1% of their food modified. These food may appear to be poisonous to the human health because there is no proof or what so ever that they are safe either to the environment or to human health. If genetically modified food is really dangerous to human health than the United States of America will have a big problem for the next coming years. GENERAL INFORMATION ON GENETICAL MODIFIED FOOD. My research on genetically modified food shows no signs that a thorough investigation has been done on the safety of humans to them. Hagelin, J. , (2000) a PhD physicist said that there has never been a single study on the safety of humans to genetically modified food and thus all implications on these products are just fabricated. Chances are some unknown illnesses are caused by genetically modified food but since there has never been some sort of research towards them, one cannot say whether they are safe or not. Dr.Lemaux, P. , (2000) said that she could not elaborate the safety of genetically modified food because there is no proof or study to secure the health of humans. But looking back in the history of science, many examples lead to the risk of human beings and the environment. Most chances are that genetically modified foods are not safe for humans. We have many diseases that the causes are unknown recently, but because no study has been made on these products I believe that some of the unknown diseases are caused by them. Good and evil are moral choices humans are free to make. As applied to technology, these moral choices present great opportunities and great dangers (Whitman, D. B). Whether you choose to consume genetically modified food or not there are still more advantages and disadvantages to it like people claim that there is at the present moment. Other philosophers like George, S. , (1987) a senior follower at Transnational Institute of Amsterdam believe that genetically modified food is the answer to ending hunger especially in African countries and other parts of Asia. She said that these products are the new strategies of food for the future since we have a high population and non-fertile soil in some parts of the world, genetically modified food can be given special traits and abilities to grow in harsh areas or to adapt to that particular environment and grow. She included that if more countries in Africa could accept genetically modified food, more people will not die of hunger, but it will increase the food production. But since there is only one country in Africa that has allowed genetically modified food which is South Africa, solutions of feeding the rest of Africa are very small, more and more people will still struggle to feed themselves on daily basis leading to death. One of the aspects that George Susan (1987) included about genetically modified food is that she believes without genetically modified food there would be a lot of shortage of food to cater for the whole world. Take for instance China. China has the largest population in the world that it is said if the all jump up at once the world could experience the most enormous earthquake ever experienced on Earth. The government could did not have enough natural resources to be able to feed the whole country so they passed on a new law that every woman should have a maximum of 2 children, then after that she would be sterilised. That was because the population was very high that there was not enough food for everyone and again that is why most of them eat almost anything that can be consumed without harming the body. In Africa the situation is worse that there aren’t enough animals available and most of the people are illiterate and cannot strategise, but the worse factor is political issues. GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AS PANACEA Genetically modified food are resistant to pests so there is no need of a pesticides or poisonous chemicals to be sprayed on them. Since fewer chemicals will be used in the process of growing these plants it is very good for the environment because it won’t be exposed to soil erosion, land pollution and most important eutrophication. Since pests cannot feed on genetically modified foods, no crops will go to waste. Farmers will be able to reach their maximum sales because nothing will go to waste. It also solves hunger problems especially in disadvantaged countries. It has been agreed that there is no enough food for the whole world to feed everybody. With genetically modified food a high yield of crops can be reached and therefore more crops are produced by farmers. Genetically modified food can be grown anywhere in the world, at any time and condition and other genetically modified food can be engineered to contain important vitamins and minerals. (Want to know it 2012). Consecol (2000) included that genetically modified foods increase opportunities for reduced tillage systems, it kills fewer non target organisms. GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AS POISON They kill non targeted caterpillars and butterflies such as monarchs. It is also said that genetically modified food causes new viruses and risky side effects to human health. (Consecol, 2000). Some of the endangered species are believed to be affected by these products and can cause enormous change in the eco-system. Whitman, D. B., (April 2000) believes that in the next 50 years, governments would have to feed over 12 billion people per day which can be pretty impossible if there is no new solution to the lack of food to feed the whole world. So far the only solution to feed the whole world is genetically modified foods. She also said that genetically modified food has greater dangers than advantages. Genetically modified technology will not eliminate hunger and malnutrition because dysfunctional governments and economies create problems with production, access and distribution of food. Flawed policies, greed and incompetence will always keep some people in ignorance and poverty. (Whitman, D. B. , April 2000) Want to know it (2012) site included that genetically modified food may have an everlasting effect on other organisms in the ecosystem; completely changing other plants and may cause it to be toxic to insects and animals that use plants as their source of food. The spread of insect resistant genes in crops may lead to insects being resistant to the genetic modified plants. This would cause a widespread loss of crops and plants that have the natural immunity leading to a loss of biodiversity. Cancer. Genetically modified foods share certain toxic effects on the liver, pancreas, kidneys and reproductive system that may cause cancer in these organs, according to a Greek study (February 2009) â€Å"Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. † The widespread use of recombinant growth hormone — a genetically modified substance — in the agricultural industry is associated with increases in IGF-1, a growth hormone that, in excess quantities, can lead to cancer. Allergies Allergic reactions to genetically modified foods may arise due to the presence of proteins derived from the plant or animal used to modify the food, according to a U. S.study for genetically modified food Toxicological Sciences (July 2009). Current safety standards involve evaluation of the foreign proteins for allergenic potential, and a database of known allergenic proteins has been compiled, along with computer programs for assessing potential allergenicity of proteins. Additionally, animal and non-animal testing methods are being developed to assist in the process of screening for allergenicity. PEOPLE’S OPINIONS More and more people around the world are starting to reject genetically modified food. At first most people did support them but as time goes by more and more of them decided to go organic. Below is a graph of the statistics on the percentage of how many people agreed that genetically modified food will bring benefits to them and those who didn’t in different years. (Choice. com) CONCLUSION Genetically modified food seems to be solving our current problems with food. With these crops governments are able to feed everyone. Only African countries excluding South Africa still has problems with genetically modified food which is why most of these countries are still struggling to feed their people. Health issues are still questionable towards genetically modified food thus one cannot be sure whether they are safe or not. Personally I think more investigation should be done on the safety of these crops and if there is some sort of effects to the environment and human health, they should be prevented before they cause a greater damage than what we are facing now. BIBLIOGRAPHY George, S. 1987. Food strategies for tomorrow. Ed 6. New York: Beverly Tangri the Hunger Project. Roizman, T. 2010. Disadvantages of genetically modified foods [online]. Available at: www. livingstrong. com/article/34554-d:ofgeneticallymodifiedfood. [Accessed on 19/05/2012]. Snyder, M. 1990. Women: the key to ending hunger. New York: Beverly Tangri the Hunger Project. Want to know it. 2012. Advantages of genetically modified foods [online]. Available at: www. wanttoknowit. com [Accessed on 19/05/2012]. Want to know it. 2012. Disadvantages of genetically modified foods [online]. Available at: www. wanttoknowit. com [Accessed on 19/05/2012]. Genetically modified food: poison or panacea. Choice. 2009. Benefits in future- doubts on biotech today [online]. Available at: www. choice. com . [accessed on 21/05/2012] Genetically modified food poison or panacea. 2011. [online DVD]. United States of America. Directed by Shore, J.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Freedom of Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Freedom of Speech - Essay Example Because freedom of speech carries such importance, it also carries the danger of being misused. People use speech to cause other people pain, and for their own personal gain. Media often takes their freedoms too far, impinging on the private lives of civilians. Despite these problems, speech must be protected. By look at the arguments made by Charles R. Lawrence in his essay "On Racist Speech" and by Susan Jacoby in "A First Amendment Junkie," the reader is clearly drawn to the conclusion that, while speech can be misused, all speech must continue to be protected, since any limitations could cause major implications for everyone. Yet should freedom of speech be censored Charles R. Lawrence, in his essay, explains "when racist speech takes the form of face-to face insults, catcalls, or other assaultive speech aimed at the individual or a small group of persons, it falls directly with the "fighting words" exception to the First Amendment protection" (Lawrence 1). Yet even angry words, words meant to provoke, have value, and are speech. What about words not meant to provoke, but do For example, people everyday in the United States are beaten or raped for being gay or lesbian and all they said was "I am gay." Those are not fighting words, but because they incite someone to violence, then are they not protected By excluding any words, all words are under danger of attack. Lawrence goes on to explain that the United States Supreme Court has described "fighting words" as that "by their very utterance to inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace" (Lawrence 1). Could not all words fall under t his category Injury to a person varies from person to person, and while words may be unkind, they are never cause for violence. It is when an exception is made saying that some words are so hurtful that a person must physically hurt another person to fix the wrong, that words become dangerous. All first amendment rights must be protected and upheld, no matter how hurtful the words can be, because if they are not, people will start to find "fighting words" everywhere and there will still be no peace. Susan Jacoby, author of "The First Amendment Junkie," is s strict interpreter of the First Amendment rights. She insists in her article that "You can't OD [overdose] on the First Amendment, because free speech is its own best antidote" (Jacoby 31). She suggests that all speech, regardless of the level of offensiveness it has, should be protected. Honestly, she is right. While one group may argue against the use of racist speech, another against sexist, and another still against pornography, they are both arguing for and against the First Amendment. They are using speech to demand the limitation of speech. Most importantly, they have opened a dialogue. Now people will think about what they are saying. If a good point is made, maybe there will be limitations. That has happened with sexist speech. People opened a dialogue, and changes were made. Now, nasty gender based jokes are not allowed in the workplace, to limit the negative environment. Is that limiting speech Yes, and no. Yes, b ecause a person can not be sexist at work, no because it is allowed in other places (e-mail, bars). Most importantly, they fought with words, not with violence. When people chose to use words instead of violence, they are being safe. They

Friday, September 27, 2019

Green criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Green criminology - Essay Example Towards the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century, there have been a number of legislations to protect animals against human cruelty. The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 prevented such offences as causing suffering, mutilation, and indulging animals in fighting; the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act of 1996 ensured illegitimate infliction of pain of any sort to animals; the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act of 2000 made it an offence to keep animals solely for the purpose of slaughter; and the Hunting Act of 2004 prevented both hunting wild mammals with dogs and hare coursing. In the United States, every state has sound legislation against cruelty to animals. For instance, the Humane care for Animals Act of 1973 by the state of Illinois makes it clear that the owners of the animals need to provide â€Å"a) sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome food, and water; b) adequate shelter and protection from the weather; c) veterinary care when needed to prev ent suffering.To conclude, it can be stated that in many countries crimes towards animals today are no longer conceived as minor crimes. Studies have also shown that people who commit brutal crimes against animals are also likely to indulge in similar crimes towards humans too. As researchers at the American Prosecutors Research Institute have identified crimes against animals not only ‘generate enormous emotion and interest’ but also â€Å"there are signs of growing public and professional interest in the prosecution of crimes against animals† (APRI 2006, p. 1).

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Creativity in Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Creativity in Research - Essay Example (Harnard quoted by Rwegasira, 2003). The most creative individuals like Einstein and Poincare relied on cerebral serendipity that can be defined as "gathering together the elements and constraints out of which a creative solution is (hoped) to arise and then consign the rest to the (unconscious) "combinanational play" of chance, with intuition perhaps helping to suggest which combination might be useful." (Rwegasira, 2003). Major point #3: Most of the time the creative process depends on the power of imagination and inspiration (hunches) much more than on a the use of logic or reason or a conscious effort. Inspiration or lateral thinking is really needed for the creative process to be successful in finding valuable and new insights. Author's supporting evidence or exampl... Author's supporting evidence or examples for major point #3: Rwegasira (2003) points out that Plato emphasized the importance of inspiration in the creative process by signaling that inspiration is a product of imagination, and Cannon also attributes a very importan role to imagination and hunches in creativity. Rwegasira (2003) remarks that Poincare explains that even though formal logic methods are elementary and certain, they are not enough in the process of creativity. Besides that, logic is unable to build a proof, which can be achieved with the help of intutition. The unskilled chess player is a clear example of the facts stated by Poincare. He/she knows how to move the pieces but doesn't understand how to play like a master. Major point #4: For imagination to be effective, the researcher should have an open and flexible frame of mind. Rwegasira (2003) states that "Creativity requires imagination and imagination requires freedom of mind in turn." Author's supporting evidence or examples for major point #4: Rwegasira (2003) gives some examples with dots forming triangles and circles, as well as drawing straight lines from 9 dots to point out that flexible and open thinking is necessary to take advantage of imagination. Rwegasira (2003) also remarks not to have pre-conceptions on a problem or biases or attitudinal rigidity in order to use the power of imagination to enhance creativity. Being open in beliefs and reasonably independent in mind and decisions are necessary conditions for the researcher to be creative. In this line of thinking, "dogmatism, prejudices, bigotry, single-track-mindedness, conceptual foreclosure to experience and lack of freedom of thought and of self-expression are inimical to imagination and creativity."

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Cat's Cradle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Cat's Cradle - Essay Example However, a successful military asset, the machine on the other side had destructive impact to the environment as it could destroy the whole nation’s water supply. This would then lead to the eventual demise of any water body. In the end, Hoinekker’s search for truth ended up with an invention presenting pending threat to the entire humanity (Vonnegut 22-25). After the invention, the scientist comes to terms with the reality that scientific quest for the truth does not in any way result to the solution of human problems. According to Vonnegut, science main aim is to discover new problems to humans rather than discovering solutions.However, scientists have never come to realize the injustice that they are doing to humanity because of their obsession with the pretext of discovering the truth. The writer through the referring to Jonah presents religion as more relevant and less dangerous when compared to science.However,religion does not lack its fare share shortcomings and paradoxes though they are mild when compared to those of science. Religion derives its usefulness not from its ability in telling or finding the truth but from its function in giving people elaborate lies to believe in. Similarities between Bokonon and Jonah come in the ability of both to offer lies that make human beings feel better. Religion is able to achieve this within the people’s destitute nature and lack of purpose. Jonah despite pending disaster gave people home and even went as far as declining to take God’s message of destruction to the people of Nineveh. The core theme derived from Bokononism is that it is the responsibility of man to give life meaning necessitated by the fact that it inherently has no meaning.Bokonon therefore exploits this avenue to provide people with one lie after the other so long as they continue making people feel better. It prevents people from identifying with the truth of Hobbes

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Business Communication Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Communication - Term Paper Example In fact my personal life has become developed and my personality has grown as a result of the same (Markus 2005). My daily work activities are now managed in a much better way than these used to be in the past. I have come to know exactly how to speak to a set of audience and in what attire I should be donned in when I am giving a presentation or influencing a set of audience. The business communication ranks have helped me immensely within my grooming domains and given me a chance to explore my truest basis with the passage of time. It has made me feel that I am a valuable member of the business clan and that my work realms are very significant towards the business undertakings in the time and age of today. The trends that I have seen in my current workplace domains have been slightly different from what these used to be in my former workplaces. I have understood that within these quarters I have been able to see things through within the ranks of business communication which was no t the case in the past. I have been able to manage myself in accordance with the growing business communication trends which have to be understood by people like me so that we can grow and develop with the passage of time. ... ave seen people adapt to formal routines and procedures more than the informal methodologies which were adapted within the previous workplaces where I was employed. Now I am better able to acquaint myself with the changing business communication dynamics more than these used to be coherent within my previous workplace domains (Eckhouse 1999). Hence I feel that now I am at a better place than where I used to be in the past. It gives me a vital point of advantage over the other employees who are in the process of coming to ranks with the changing business communication regimes. The message types that result from such business communication trends which have been emerging of late include the fact that only those individuals make it to the top who believe in the power of business communication and employ it to their best advantage. They perceive business communication would be of success towards their own domains and would help them grow and develop their own selves in an amicable and tr uly fulfilling way. This shall make them stand out from the crowd and make their positions apparent within the formal mix of things as far as the organizational regimes are concerned. More than anything else, the message types that are coming to the fore include the likes of establishing new trends that are wholly based on the patterns of allowing nearly everyone to be a part of the formal business communication quarters and thus giving them a chance to manifest their truest selves through hard work, commitment and a sense of being loyal towards their own skills and abilities. All said and done, I believe that any organization would dearly require that its employees believe in the premise of business communication and give their best so that not only their own growth and development regimes

Monday, September 23, 2019

Spiritual Assessment of Mentally Retarded Patient Essay

Spiritual Assessment of Mentally Retarded Patient - Essay Example This discussion stresses that FICA serves as an imperative tool for the spiritual assessment of the patients in order to cure them from spiritual and psychological disorder. The medical advisor concentrates upon the nature, influence, community and application of the patient’s faith in order to pacify and soothe him in the light of his religious and spiritual beliefs. â€Å"The connection between spirituality and medicine†, Puchalski observes, â€Å"has been receiving a lot of attention in both the scientific and lay presses recently, but research and anecdotal evidence all indicate that spirituality is central to the care of the chronically ill and dying.† Consequently, almost all therapeutic and healthcare centers take spiritual needs of the patients into serious consideration in order to rescue them from emotional trauma on the basis of their spiritual needs.This paper discusses that  Mrs. Wilson claimed to be a spiritual person, as she aptly heard the call of conscience and virtue deep in her heart; consequently, she used to offer charity and donation to the disabled persons and orphans through non-governmental and charity organizations. She endorsed the very reality that religion maintained imperative significance in her life. Since the noble teachings of St. Perpetua had left indelible imprints upon her mind, she felt great relief by studying the marvelous sacrifices made by her. She also sought support from Heavens to get cured immediately, which revealed her strong belief in her Creator.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Women Characters in Othello and The Rover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women Characters in Othello and The Rover - Essay Example The plays â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare and â€Å"The Rover† by Aphra Behn bear the essence of their time and most importantly both these contemporary plays have emerged beyond their time, captivating some of the most recent post-modern interpretations and feministic bent of perception has been poignant in their purview. Role of Women in the Plays â€Å"Othello† and â€Å"The Rover† Against the Context of the Male Dominated Society In order to discuss the alternative role of women in the plays that has evolved from a male –dominated society, it is essential to judge the genre of both the works as the nature of the plays shall evidently determine the perspective from which the women and her empowerment as an alternative factor in a society dominated by masculine facades are presented. It is noteworthy that the play, â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare is out and out a tragedy, where Desdemona, the victim and the wife of Othello falls prey into the trap of misunderstanding and false infidelity from her husband’s end. On the other hand, â€Å"The Rover† by Aphra Behn is a very popular Restoration Comedy where there are multiple plots and intriguingly all of them contain women as a pivot to the plot development. In â€Å"Othello† Shakespeare has tried to portray a strong Venetian patriarchal society where the women are viewed as an object of possession, an entity of subjugation, a temptress and a whore but at the same platform they are also viewed as powerless creatures falling into the omnipotent and all-pervasive clutches of destiny designed by men themselves. The three women character Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca are seen at the outset of the play respecting men almost to the point of worshipping them. But Desdemona’s tragic trajectory definitely serves as a lesson to the other women and Desdemona as well. Emilia is seen evolving out as a power centre in the play after the tragic con sequence of Desdemona and by the climax of the play, women characters in the play are shown internalising society’s expectations about them. On the same platform they were shown to subjugate under and accept the male authority, behaving the way men want them to react and that seems ‘natural’ to them and to the readers. But in their private moments, they are seen evolving as an alternative power centre in the male dominated society, ‘Nay, we must think men are not gods’ (Shakespeare, 2008). The evolution or the transformation of women characters and the kind of language and actions of women characters incorporated in the plot of the play â€Å"Othello† by Shakespeare indicate that Shakespeare’s three women characters although seem subservient but the women characters in the play exhibit a role that indicates a step tentative of approach towards an egalitarian society. This is achieved by the female characters of the play by coming out of the conventional role allotted to the women by men folk of the society. The play â€Å"The Rover† is an excellent piece of restoration comedy which was written in two halves and the first part is divided into five plots. There is a definite and pertinent feministic bent within the plot of the play which is displayed through fragmented instances and incidents in the play pertaining to women, vulnerable to rape. Also the tragic consequence of Angellica after being jilted by Wilmore, it becomes quite obvious that Behn used the platform of comedy to launch a protest movement against the powerless status of women in her society. Every plot of the play has a women character subjugated to injustice and misery in the play. And all these women characters simultaneously try to break free the conventional role assigned to them by the society to evolve out as peer and sometimes superior to the men in the play. For

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Shakespeares King Lear Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares King Lear Essay In Shakespeares King Lear, Nature and Fortune governs the lives of all characters. Every character has his or her turning point where they either travel to the top or bottom of the wheel of fortune. In Act 5, scene 3, lines 153-179, Edgar appears in full Armour and challenges Edmund to a trial by combat after Albany accuses Edmund of treason. This takes place after the French forces was defeated by the English and after King Lear was sent to jail with Cordelia. During this passage, Edgar accuses Edmund of wicked deeds Edmund has committed throughout the play. Edgar fights Edmund and leaves him wounded; and this serves as a turning point for both Edgar and Edmund. For both characters, this fight is a symbol of the wheel of fortune, as Edgar climbs back up to the top while Edmund falls to the bottom. This passage serves as the turning point for Edmund because after this passage, he is wounded, and approaches death. For the first time in the play, Edmund shows signs of regret and goodness, he repents for his wicked deeds by doing some good before his death, that is, he tells the others about where he sent Cordelia and Lear. As for Edgar, his fortune changes because he transforms from a homeless beggar to an armored knight, challenging Edmund and regaining his titles and honor. The theme of order and chaos also dominates this passage. This was because, Edgar, the rightful inheritor of Gloucester was robbed of his titles and honor. And in this passage, he leaves the life of a beggar and comes back to reclaim his titles and honor. In Lines 156-158, Edgar shows his nobility and status as a knight, Behold, it is my privilege, the privilege of mine honors, my oath, and my profession. He finally reclaims his honor and status after losing his titles and rights to Edmund. Moreover, to show that Edgar has reclaimed his noble status, one may look at Edgars speech, his speech has changed, becoming more refined and fit for a noble then compared to when he was a beggar. Edgars nobility is again emphasized in lines 171-172, But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, and that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes. This passage is an restoration of order because Edgar; a noble by blood who was stripped away from his titles, now gains back his titles and honor which were rightfully his according to the chain of being. Again, to show that this passage not only serves as a turning point for the characters, but also a restoration of order. Edmund was defeated and his plots were revealed, which lead to his titles being stripped away and given back to the proper owner, Edgar. As mentioned above, the passage showed the wheel of fortune turning. This is simply because Edmunds fortune is finally fading. Up to now, nobody has publicly accused Edmund for the treachery he has committed. In fact, he escaped blame from many deceitful acts up to now. However, the wheel has turned and Edmunds treacherous deeds are revealed publicly in this passage, lines 161-165, False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father, Conspirant gainst this high illustrious prince, And from th extremest upward of thy head To the descent and dust below thy foot . This is a sign that Edmunds luck and success may finally come to an end, as he is being challenged for the first time. In conclusion, this passage is important because it acts as an turning point in the story, where the wheel of fortune begin to turn, stripping away luck from one to another. This passage is also a turning point for the characters, as Edgar begins to regain what is rightfully his and bring order back to the kingdom while Edmunds luck being to fade, heading towards the bottom of the wheel.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The differences of domestic terrorism and international terrorism

The differences of domestic terrorism and international terrorism The United States Code (2010) defines domestic terrorism as activities that- (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended- (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The United States Code (2010) goes on to define international terrorism as activities that- (A) involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended- (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum. In what ways is it functionally different from international terrorism? Functionally domestic terrorism occurs within the boundaries of the United States while international terrorism occurs outside United States boundaries and jurisdiction. Also, distinguish between domestic terrorism from above vs. domestic terrorism from below. Give examples. Terrorism from above occurs when persons who are legally empowered either covertly or overtly use, or threaten to use, political violence to maintain or defend political power within their domestic borders, or to maintain, defend, overthrow, or undermine the political power of other nations within the international community. Terrorism from below occurs when persons use, or threaten to use, political violence either to undermine or overthrow existing governmental policies or structures, or to intimidate individuals and groups they perceive as threatening to the social, political, economic, or ideological status quo (Vohryzek-Bolden et al, 2001, p. 11-12). Simplified, terrorism from above is when a government inflicts terror on the people and terrorism from below is when the people rebel against the government. Terrorism from below is usually low tech and comprises of things simple to pertain. Some specific forms of terrorism that usually fall into terrorism from below are assassination, dirty bombs, riots, and burnings. Terrorism from above can be more high tech and can use items not easily obtainable by individuals. Forms that usually fall into terrorism from above would be imprisonment, mass genocide, and nuclear and biological weapons. Some instances where domestic terrorism from below have taken place in recent United States history are; the World Trade Center Bombing that occurred on February 26, 1993, the Oklahoma City Bombing that occurred on April 19, 1995, and the 17 year long killing spree of the Unabomber from 1978 until capture in 1996. The Ku Klux Klan also committed many acts of terrorism from below against African Americans, Jews and Roman Catholics over a 150 year period. Terrorism from above occurred when the first Americans starting driving out the Native American Indians and continued to do so throughout history limiting them to where they could live, work, and worship. Other cases of terrorism from above is the 1994 Rwandan Genocide that killed over 800,000 people over the course of 100 days and the Holocaust in which the Nazis killed over 6 million Jews during World War II. Exam Question 2 2. Summarize the approaches to political violence as exhibited by Mao Tse-Tung, Che Guevara, Carlos Marighella, and Frantz Fanon. Which domestic terror groups from the past or present would you identify with these different approaches? Explain your position. Summarize the approaches to political violence as exhibited by Mao Tse-Tung, Che Guevara, Carlos Marighella, and Frantz Fanon. Mao Tse Tung, Che Guevara, and Carlos Marighella had good intentions about using political violence. These people had adapted guerrilla warfare to distinctly rural and urban locales; proposed that terror was to be used as a way to change existing political structures and transform them into Marxist governmental systems; and determined that terror was a tool to be used only to overthrow the abusers of power, never against innocent civilians. On the other hand, Franz Fanon revised their tactics by claiming that terror was a useful, justifiable means for achieving freedom and, in some cases, for acting as a cleansing force necessary to survival. Thereafter, some terrorists had devised a version of their concepts that terror was not merely to be used as a means to gain an end, but rather as an end unto itself (Vohryzek-Bolden et al, 2001, p. 69-70). Which domestic terror groups from the past or present would you identify with these different approaches? Explain your position. Like Mao, Guevara and Marighella, the protracted conflicts Irish Republican Army (IRA) and, more recently, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) of Northern Ireland have similar ways to deal with political violence. The troubles between England and Ireland are centuries old; the independent Irish Free State, however, was not established until 1920, after years of struggle by the illegal Irish Republican Army, which combined terrorism and guerilla warfare in its battle with England. At that time, England retained the largely Protestant northern counties of Ireland, called Ulster, and gave them special status as an entity within Great Britain. Although this partition of Ireland was vehemently opposed by the newly independent Irish Free State, it continued and developed certain legitimacy over the years. The IRA tactics, but not its goals, were immensely criticized by the Republic of Ireland during the post-independence era. Choice of tactics also led to the rupture between the PIRA and the OIRA (Official Irish Republican Army) in the early 1970s. The OIRA now tries to work for peaceful reform, while the PIRA remains a terrorist organization (Maxon-Browne, 1981). The PIRAs aim is to dislodge the British troops from Ulster and unite this area with the Republic. Through bombings in England and attacks on British soldiers in England and Northern Ireland, it hopes to wear down British resistance to unification. Each year there are tragic cases of the murder of civilians and soldiers. In 1990 a terrorist attack against the residence of the British prime minister was narrowly averted, and in 1992 the IRA stepped up its campaign of terror, with frequent bombings and bomb threats. On the other hand, Fanons approach is based on the belief that through violence the oppressed peoples of Algeria and other nations can rid themselves of their inferiority complex and from [their] despair and inaction; it makes [the oppressed] fearless and restores self-respect. Fanon views violence not only as a liberating force but also as a means to make, it possible for the masses to understand social truths and gives the key to them (Dobson Payne, 1982, p. 19). This was similar to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaidas approach. Bin Laden has used his ties with al-Qaida to conduct a worldwide campaign of terrorism. The primary goal of Bin Laden and his supporters is to liberate Palestine, with secondary goals of removing the Saudi ruling family from power and driving Western military forces and their corrupt, Western-oriented governments from predominantly Muslim countries. Most Islamic fighters have no interest in strategies of authentication or existential realization and no interest i n Marxist theories of emancipation. But, in one respect, their actions echo Fanons ideas the act of terror not only had an expressive meaning for the hijackers, but an existential meaning as well. To wit, even suicide can be life affirming (Coker, 2003, p. 291). Exam Question 3 3. In your opinion, what were the earliest forms of terrorism in the United States? Who were the perpetrators? Who were the victims? Is your opinion the same as that contained in the Vohryzek- Bolden, et al. text? Give examples. Also, explain whether you believe these early terrorists were no better (or no worse) than modern terrorists. The biggest form of early American terrorism in the United States happen when the newly settled British colonials captured, transported, and traded black Africans in America. The perpetrators were the British colonials and the victims were Blacks. I believe what the text states in that Blacks were bought and sold and treated as property of Whites. There was a legal slavery system that drove terror into all Blacks at the time. Most terrorist actions today, when carried out, only harm very few people even if the target audience is large, actual casualties are low compared to what the Blacks had to suffer through. For over 250 years blacks were forced into slavery and tortured, beaten, starved, and treated worse than a White man would treat his dog. Because of the longevity and severity of the way Whites treated Blacks, it was worse than modern terrorism. Exam Question 4 4. In what ways are right wing terror groups bonded together by racism, religion, and anti-governmentalism? Also, what role does the right to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment play with these groups? How has Odinism become a part of the equation for some? In what ways are right wing terror groups bonded together by racism, religion, and anti-governmentalism? Acts of terrorism have been around as long as people have. Today, terrorist activities have become more and more active all around the world. The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center Towers shocked America and the rest of the world into realizing just how quick terrorism can strike. That also changed the US perception on terrorism and terrorists. Besides global terrorism, domestic terrorism has become a major concern for the US government. Right-wing extremist groups in the country are the most dangerous groups, as they pursue anti-government and racist ideology. Right-wing terror groups are generally motivated by notions of white racial supremacy. They also hold anti-government and anti-regulatory beliefs. These terror groups sometimes include extremist Christian groups that launch a crusade against people who do not hold on to traditional belief and culture (Michael, 2003, p. 131). Religion, racism and anti-government ideology have tied these right-wing terrorist groups together. They often indulge in hate crimes such as launching attacks on abortion clinics and shooting members of particular communities. These right-wing terror groups have different social, political and economic viewpoints. However, any right-wing group that has a different viewpoint cannot be termed as terrorist group. The right-wing groups involved in criminal activities are branded as terrorist organizations by the US government. Extremist right-wing groups engage in activities that are protected by constitutional guarantees of free speech and assembly. Some of the right-wing terrorist groups active in the United States are the World Church of the Creator (WCOTC) and the Aryan Nations. They propagate anti-government sentiment and racism-based hatred among people (Michael, 2003, p. 132). Right-wing extremists continue to pose a serious threat. Between 1999 and 2001, there have been several large-scale, high-casualty attacks by right-wing terrorists in the United States (Hamm, 2002, p. 68). In addition, many plans of such attacks had been foiled by the US security agencies in the past. The main objective of such groups was to create social and political chaos, thus forcing the US government to declare martial law. They believed that if martial law were declared in the country, it would ultimately lead to a violent overthrow of the government. Also, what role does the right to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment play with these groups? The Second Amendment of the US Constitution states that a well-regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state. Hence, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed (Rodgers Tim, 2002, p. 101). The legislation has come in handy for right-wing terror groups, as they exploited it to keep and bear arms, and use them against the state. Several terms in the Second Amendment remained vague. It was argued that the right of people refers to the right of the state and common people should not be allowed to carry arms (Rodgers Tim, 2002, p. 101). However, the terms of the legislation remained the same and it let right-terror groups to possess and carry arms in the public. How has Odinism become a part of the equation for some? Odinism played an important role in the growth of right-wing terrorism. Odinism is the indigenous religious faith of the people living in Northern Europe. Later, that belief was imported to the United States. The main objective of Odinism is to free itself from Christian influences and reassert its ancient independence. Followers of Odinism are very conservative and refuse to accept responsibility for the action of others (Michael, 2003, p. 81). It has been noticed that right-wing terrorists have been greatly influenced by the Odinists. The right-wing extremist movements eclectic diversity is a secret collective of paramilitary survivalists, tax protesters, bankrupt farmers, bikers, prisoners, Odinists and devotees of the Identity Church, linked together by an elaborate network of computer boards, desktop publications and telephone hotlines (Hewitt, 2002, p. 41). Exam Question 5 5. Describe in detail the groups Greenpeace and PETA. Are either of these terrorist organizations? What is the basis for your answer? Discuss the tactics have they used from time to time. Are any of these tactics unlawful but morally justifiable? Describe in detail the groups Greenpeace and PETA. Greenpeace is an international organization that was founded in Vancouver in 1971. When the Vietnam War escalated in the 1960s, thousands of draft resisters and deserters fled the United States and arrived in Canada. Members from that exodus group formed a key role in the founding of Greenpeace (Downes et al, 2003, p. 56). The organization is known for its fight against atmospheric and underground nuclear testing. It took up several environmental issues such as global warming, destruction of forest and genetic engineering. Greenpeace has national and regional offices in many countries in the world. Ever since its inception, Greenpeace organizations have been deploying its ships elsewhere in the world to protect the environment. Rainbow Warrior, MV Sirius and MV Arctic Sunrise are some of the major ships owned by Greenpeace. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it says it is the largest animal rights group in the world. Its slogan is animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment (PETA, 2010). Are either of these terrorist organizations? What is the basis for your answer? Greenpeace cannot be termed as a terrorist organization, as it never uses violent methods. It raises issues that are related to environment and public health and protests using non-violent methods. However, its way of protest is very intense. Often the Greenpeace activists invite the wrath of the government and other agencies because of their nature of protest. The Greenpeace movement did not have a smooth ride. It had to encounter several problems in the past due to the oppressive nature of the government agencies. It is an irony that the tactics of non-violent protest used by Greenpeace and its system of governance have been sources of controversy. Its non-violent direct action has been termed as illegal act of civil disobedience. They are often arrested for minor offenses such as trespassing and breaking the security barriers during protest. PETA could be construed as a terrorist organization even though the actions of PETA itself are non-violent. In the early 2000s PETA made contributions to the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) activists. Both ELF and ALF are known to participate in illegal and violate acts making them terrorist. They also have been known to give money to individuals who commit violate acts in support of what PETA believes in, such as burning down research labs that perform test on animals. Even though PETA says that it does not support any acts of violence, they are guilty by association, and can therefore be classified as terrorist by supporting terrorism. Discuss the tactics have they used from time to time. Are any of these tactics unlawful but morally justifiable? There has been some criticism that Greenpeace is very conventional. Its door-to-door fund-raising that relies on media exposure has been severely criticized. The government and other agencies believe that the organizations main intent is to get cheap publicity. The Save the Whales campaign launched by Greenpeace activists was criticized by several agencies. Greenpeace had to fight legal battles against the hate tirades launched by some organizations that opposed the pro-whale campaign (Downes et al, 2003, p. 61). Ultimately, it managed to win the legal battle. In some instances, Greenpeace was found using false data in order to make its campaigns success and popular. In 1995, Greenpeace launched a vociferous campaign to compel Brent Spar oil platforms owners Royal Dutch/Shell to dismantle the platform. Greenpeace argued that the Spar contained 5000 tons of oil (Downes et al, 2003, p. 62). The efforts made by Greenpeace led to the permanent ban on the dumping of offshore installations at sea. At a later stage, Greenpeace admitted that its claim was inaccurate and apologized for misleading the public (Downes et al, 2003, p. 63). There is no doubt that Greenpeace used illegal ways to enforce the ban on Brent Spar oil platform. However, it was done in the wider public interest. The prime concern of Greenpeace was to protect the environment from any potential danger and it succeeded in it. In July 2003, the Justice Department charged Greenpeace under an old law that intended to end the practice of sailor-mongering. The Greenpeace activists had boarded the ship to protest against the import of mahogany, which was illegal in the US. However, they were arrested by the authorities (Downes et al, 2003, p. 78). Later, the case was thrown out of the court. The US government never prosecuted advocacy groups that engaged in peaceful civil disobedience. However, the prosecution of Greenpeace indicated a sea change in the US policy. Ingrid Newkirk, PETAs international president, has made comments stating that she does support freeing of animals from laboratories or any such facility even if it is by illegal means. The fact that PETA has supplied funding to individuals and organizations that have burned, broken into, and even bombed facilities that test or harm animals in any way, proves that they have committed illegal acts. But looking at it from PETAs standpoint, they do not intend to hurt anyone in the process of freeing animals. They simply want animals to be treated the best way possible and not caged, prodded, or tested on. Looking on the situation in that prospective, PETAs actions could be morally justified.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Critique of Dress Smart Men by Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone :: Literature Review

II. Summary of Major Ideas Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone, in their book Dress Smart Men, layout their view on how men should dress for success in the business world. The book details how to dress at three stages in your career: getting a job, succeeding in your job, and obtaining a better job. Although Dress Smart Men is laid out in these three sections, the authors discuss their dress philosophy throughout the book. One important point they make is that it is important to dress well because others will judge you, consciously and subconsciously, based on how you dress. Your wardrobe is a tool that you must use effectively to advance in your career. You must examine how you dress, eliminate items that you do not wear, and stock your closet wisely. The authors state that your goal should be style, which is timeless, as opposed to fashion, which changes frequently. Your clothing choices should emphasize quality over quantity; however, you do not need to spend an extravagant amount of money to look professiona l. Your wardrobe should also be versatile, giving you the ability to mix and match outfits. As you get higher in position, you should buy higher quality clothing. If you choose your clothing wisely it will enhance and further your business career. III. Critical Evaluation of Work Gross and Stone have laid out a very conservative philosophy of dress. They believe that you should wear what has become the established style of dress in the business environment. Many today refuse to follow standards that were held in previous generations. According to the humanistic worldview, there are no absolutes. Each person decides for themselves what is right and wrong. Believing in humanism will greatly affect how a person lives his life, and this effect is especially apparent in one’s dress standard. As Christians, we understand that absolutes do exist, and we should realize the importance of standards. By advocating conservative standards in this book, Gross and Stone reject the philosophy of relativistic humanism. Although Gross and Stone have a good philosophy of dress, they seem to place too high an importance on clothing. Although they claim that you do not necessarily need to spend a lot of money to dress professionally, they later state that â€Å"becoming more successful...doesn’t really allow for $200 suits anymore.† (111) While it is important to dress well, I disagree that you need to buy the most expensive clothing to further your career.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Use of Symbolism in Hawthornes The House of the Seven Gables Essay

Use of Symbolism in Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables In the novel The House of the Seven Gables, Hawthorne portrays Alice Pyncheon as a unique and compelling character, placing her in contrast with a story full of greed, lies and betrayal. Hawthorne reveals her fantastic character to us in numerous uses of symbolism throughout the novel. By painting a picture of a gentle yet proud woman, Hawthorne chooses to represent Alice's impressive characteristics using images that come up repeatedly in his novel such as the nature and flowers in the garden as well as Alice's Posies. Hawthorne also makes reference to the Maule "mastery" and its power over Alice and the playing of the harpsichord during a Pyncheon death. All the symbols culminated above, lead to an in depth analysis of Alice Pyncheon's character, her innocence, pride, beauty and mournful sorrow. According to Hawthorne, Alice had an uncanny resemblance to the flowers of the Pyncheon garden represented by her beauty and presence. Just as flowers hold a purity and freedom in their appearance, Alice was described as a "lady that was born and set apart from the world's vulgar mass by a certain gentle and cold stateliness" (178). Her strong appearance, as Hawthorne states, was "combined of beauty, high, unsullied purity, and the preservative force of womanhood" (180). Hawthorne shows that Alice represents the beauty of a flower as well as its scent when he says "the fragrance of her rich and delightful character still lingered . . . as a dried rosebud scents the drawer where it has withered and perished" (79). Even after her death, the "scent" of Alice's character still haunts the House of the Seven Gables with its beauty and tenderness like that of the flo... ... on a note from Alice's harpsichord off a new sheet of music for the Pyncheon family. By using the nature of the garden to prolong the tenderness and purity of Alice's character and spirit even after death, Hawthorne entices the reader to dig deeper into the character of Alice Pyncheon and search for the symbols present that shape her undying character. With her loss of pride to the Maule "mastery" and the sorrow expressed through her untimely and unnecessary death, there is no question as to why Alice's harpsichord plays such a mournful tune throughout the novel. It is only in the end that her life and her happiness are rewarded and her long awaiting spirit is drawn towards the heavens to have her spirit rest in peace. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of the Seven Gables. New York: The New American Library of World Literature, Inc, 1961. Use of Symbolism in Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables Essay Use of Symbolism in Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables In the novel The House of the Seven Gables, Hawthorne portrays Alice Pyncheon as a unique and compelling character, placing her in contrast with a story full of greed, lies and betrayal. Hawthorne reveals her fantastic character to us in numerous uses of symbolism throughout the novel. By painting a picture of a gentle yet proud woman, Hawthorne chooses to represent Alice's impressive characteristics using images that come up repeatedly in his novel such as the nature and flowers in the garden as well as Alice's Posies. Hawthorne also makes reference to the Maule "mastery" and its power over Alice and the playing of the harpsichord during a Pyncheon death. All the symbols culminated above, lead to an in depth analysis of Alice Pyncheon's character, her innocence, pride, beauty and mournful sorrow. According to Hawthorne, Alice had an uncanny resemblance to the flowers of the Pyncheon garden represented by her beauty and presence. Just as flowers hold a purity and freedom in their appearance, Alice was described as a "lady that was born and set apart from the world's vulgar mass by a certain gentle and cold stateliness" (178). Her strong appearance, as Hawthorne states, was "combined of beauty, high, unsullied purity, and the preservative force of womanhood" (180). Hawthorne shows that Alice represents the beauty of a flower as well as its scent when he says "the fragrance of her rich and delightful character still lingered . . . as a dried rosebud scents the drawer where it has withered and perished" (79). Even after her death, the "scent" of Alice's character still haunts the House of the Seven Gables with its beauty and tenderness like that of the flo... ... on a note from Alice's harpsichord off a new sheet of music for the Pyncheon family. By using the nature of the garden to prolong the tenderness and purity of Alice's character and spirit even after death, Hawthorne entices the reader to dig deeper into the character of Alice Pyncheon and search for the symbols present that shape her undying character. With her loss of pride to the Maule "mastery" and the sorrow expressed through her untimely and unnecessary death, there is no question as to why Alice's harpsichord plays such a mournful tune throughout the novel. It is only in the end that her life and her happiness are rewarded and her long awaiting spirit is drawn towards the heavens to have her spirit rest in peace. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of the Seven Gables. New York: The New American Library of World Literature, Inc, 1961.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

An Analysis of William Gibsons Idoru Essay -- Gibson Idoru Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Gibson's Idoru is a novel thick with implications and extrapolations related to the oncoming and (present) age of electronic para-reality. Stylistically, it is far from perfect, but in theme it has a firm grasp on the concept of the simulacra as it mimics, masks and replaces reality.    Gibson's characters are rarely paintings of great depth. While I would strongly disagree with the assertion that they are archetypes cut out from a mold, I would still note that they are not particularly rich or personal. This probably derives from the author's style of writing which is the radical end of the spectrum of "showing, not telling," so that we are shown the characters' pasts, physical status, and present situations, and as readers we are to intuit the logical psychological conditions associated with those factors. Gibson has rich situations, not rich characters.    That's why I find it so strange that the New York Times Book Review wrote, "Chia is one of [Gibson's] most winning creations." I fail to understand the logic. It's as though, by making her young and in a strange situation, we're to develop an instant affinity for her. Now obviously, Gibson himself is not the one to decree that his characters are strong or weak. So it is not a flaw on the part of his writing when a reader attributes an archetype to one of his characters, but I would tend to think that, by design or simple lack of skill, Gibson writes his characters a little flat. (Which, in the context of a discussion of simulacra, makes it all the more amusingly ironic that book reviewers would attribute what they would call a "hidden" level to the quality of the writing not otherwise apparent.)    Another stylistic tool Gibson employed wa... ...and eventually defines reality? It was a simply computer, just like Idoru was simply a novel. Yet the seashells in the make of that case serve to create a fantasy as readily and importantly as the words on paper serve to create a reality (and, paradoxically, the reality in which those seashells existed.) Simply because each is not real does not disrupt the validity of their creations, for if that were true, then the seashells would never have existed in the first place, even in our minds.    Gibson understands this closely, and Idoru does an excellent job of illustrating it. While not technically perfect, it is effective, and creates an image which is useful for us to learn from.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Gibson, William. Neuromancer. (Ace Books: New York 1984)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   _____, Idoru. (Berkeley Books: New York 1996)   

Monday, September 16, 2019

Outcomes of Prosthodontic Management Essay

Speech is the coordinated function of the vocal tract includes respiratory, phonatory, resonatory and articulatory systems. Hindrance to any of these systems results in speech disorders. Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is one such congenital disorder leading to speech disorder. The abnormal speech of these individuals with cleft lip and palate can be analyzed interms of acoustical, perceptual and physiological measurements. The speech of individuals with cleft palate is primarily characterized by abnormalities in nasal resonance. This is a direct result of unoperated cleft / fistula and or velopharyngeal dysfunction. The individuals with velopharyngeal dysfunction cannot either adequately or consistently close the velopharyngeal port during speech leading to nasal escape of sound energy. In addition, there may be articulatory errors, including compensatory articulations and reduced voice quality resulting in poor speech intelligibility (McWilliams, Morris & Shelton, 1990; Kuehn & Moller, 2000; Kummer, 2001; Peterson-Falzone, Hardin-Jones & Karnell, 2001; Bzoch, 2004). Nasal resonance increases and is perceived as hypernasality if the durations of the velopharyngeal opening and closing movements in relation to the opening and closing of the oral cavity become prolonged. Many investigators have showed that certain timing measures reflecting the movements of speech articulators are related to the degree of oral-nasal resonance imbalance in individuals with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (Warren et al. , 1985; Jones, 2000; Dotevall et al. 2001, 2002; Ha et al. , 2004). Jones (2000) opined that excessive perceived nasalization could result from a mistiming of velopharyngeal movements, relative to voice onset and offset. Few studies (Ha, Sim, Zhi, & Kuehn, 2003; Ha, David, & Kuehn, 2010) concluded that individuals with cleft palate exhibit longer acoustic nasalization than normal speakers and also temporal measures of their speech are positively correlated with the perceived hypernasality. Hence they concluded that acoustic measures of temporal characteristics of speech can provide supplementary diagnostic information in relation to the degree of hypernasality. Hoopes, (1970) demonstrated that speed of velar movement during speech was slower for individuals with cleft palate than normal subjects. Forner (1983) observed some difficulty with normal rate and range of movement and interarticulatory timing based on the results of significantly longer than normal speech segment durations. The rehabilitation of individuals born with cleft lip and palate and related craniofacial anomalies require coordination of plastic surgery, prosthetic intervention and behavioral therapy. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to achieve optimum results. To permit development of normal speech patterns, habilitation of these individuals should be considered surgically or prosthetically as early as possible (Riski, 1979; Dorf & Curtin, 1982; Witzel et al. , 1984). Definitive prosthodontic treatment is usually one of the final therapies instituted and it must attempt to alleviate any anatomical and functional deficiencies that may remain after the gamut of other treatment is essentially completed. The concept of using speech prosthesis was introduced as early as 1860 in treating velopharyngeal dysfunction in clients with cleft lip and palate (Mc Grath and Anderson 1991) and has since been adopted by others (Leeper et al. 1996). The use of speech bulb obturator in the treatment of hypernasality became less popular in the 19th century, but was revived in the 20th century. This was partly due to the development of techniques that permitted direct visualization of the velopharyngeal mechanism and advances in the surgical procedures. A prosthetic device palatal lift can be suggested for the persons in whom adequate tissue is present but poor control of coordination and timing of velopharyngeal (VP) movements are observed. The palatal lift aims to lift the soft palate in a posterior and superior direction through the use of acrylic additions on the back of a dental appliance. It is used to prosthetically create a normal VP closure for speech development until the surgical repair can be performed. Hence this can assist for the better velopharyngeal closure by improving the oral – nasal coupling. The velopharyngeal closure dynamics can be studied using acoustic analysis of the speech, along with the perceptual evaluation. Acoustic analysis offers the opportunity to observe the speech patterns resulting from simultaneous and sequential interactions of phonation, resonation and articulation as these occur in real time speech production. Spectrographic data have been used frequently to study cleft palate speech (Horii, 1980). McGrath and Anderson (1990) reported a review of the outcome management of 200 individuals with cleft palate and found that 95% were able to eliminate both hypernasality and nasal emission distortions in speech through prosthetic management. Jian Ningyi & Guilan (2002) investigated the effect of a temporary obturator to treat VPD and found that velopharyngeal closure can be greatly improved by using a temporary oral prosthesis and speech training. Most of these studies have used obturator or speech bulb in individuals with cleft palate, and very few studies included speech training along with the prosthetic management and shows positive results. There are dearths of studies using palatal lift in persons with submucous cleft palate along with the speech therapy. The present study is a part of the longitudinal study which is aimed to determine the effect of palatal lift prosthesis on temporal parameters of speech and correlating with the physiological findings. The aims of the study are three fold. First, is to compare the temporal parameters of nasalization and nasalence values with the normal subjects. Second, is to investigate the temporal parameters of nasalization and nasalance values without prosthesis, with prosthesis and after undergoing 10 sessions of speech therapy. Third, is to investigate the velopharyngeal closure with and without prosthesis using nasoendoscopy.

Exceptional needs children Essay

Michael Michael, a five-year-old male, just diagnosed with hearing loss and a speech disorder, has not learned to speak properly and is working with a speech therapist three times a week. Michael does not show any progress in learning letters or numbers. His parents are worried that he might be labeled in school and not allowed to participate in regular classroom activities. Michael is scheduled to start kindergarten in a month and the school psychologist wants to test him to see if he should be placed in special education classes. After speaking with Michael’s parents, it is found that he is an only child and does not play with children in the neighborhood. Although, he has occasionally play dates, Michael struggles to make friends. Due to children not responding to Michael when he tries to talk to them, there is little contact, causing Michael to be socially immature. To begin a plan to help Michael with his learning and social skills, there must be an understanding to why he has a hearing disorder as well as seeking strategies to support him in school. Use the definition laid out in IDEA to describe Michael’s hearing disorder and the competency based individualized strategies for supporting him in a school setting. According to (Heward, 2013) p. 313, Michael is suffering from deafness. His hearing loss is so severe that he is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, which causes an effect on educational performance. Most special educators distinguish between children who are deaf and those who are hard of hearing. Michael is deaf and cannot use hearing to understand speech. If Michael was able to hear, he would be able to understanding and interpret speech without using any special device or techniques. Due to Michael’s deafness, a hearing aid, would not allow him to understand speech through the ears alone. Most deaf people use their vision as a primary sensory mode for learning and communication. Michael is unable to make friends and his  disabilities interfere with his social development. As a person that has worked with disabilities I feel that part of this is because he is an only child and when he has play dates Michael doesnâ €™t understand them completely and because of his hearing and language it is also because the people that come over the play have a hard time understanding him. It is possible that Michael is socially immature because he can’t be understood and is not at the age mentally as the rest of the children his age. I feel that if Michael had a sibling either younger or a couple years older he would have a better understanding of how to make friends because he would be around someone daily it would also help him to grow and become more mature. Since he is starting Kindergarten his year it would be great if he could get meet some of the kids earlier and make a friendship or play date with some class mates so he doesn’t get over whelmed as easy about the change. A hearing impairment can be considered a culture difference for Michael because he shares a language with other people that have this common issue and as he gets older social practices as well. Per our text many deaf people do not view themselves as disabled and consider hearing loss and inappropriate and demeaning term because it suggests a deficiency or pathology. It also refers to people in the individual way people who identify the Deaf culture prefer term such a teacher of the Deaf, school for the Deaf and the Deaf person (Hewa rd, W. L. 2013) Deaf culture is shared language (in the U.S. American Sign Language ASL) social practices, literature and beliefs of the Deaf community: members do not view deafness as a disability. One way that communication impacts â€Å"Deaf Culture is what individuals with disabilities identify with. As a professional we can help Michael bridge the social and culture gap to be able to interact more with his peers by insuring him that it is ok to make friends, and use the resources that he has been, his hearing aids if he has them are great to help with hearing to understand speech, because he is developed mainly through the auditory channel, even if it is delayed. As professionals we could give Michael step by step directions to follow and be able to do observation on Michael to measure his progress to date. As the professional working with Michael I would encourage him to wear his hearing aids if he has them and start a reward program for him for following the expected behavior, also remember to give him positive reinforcement, if he hears the positive reinforcement and the encouragement  and excitement in your actions then he will want to follow also because kids want to make their elder happy. As Michaels parents they could encourage play dates and interaction with other people his own age. If they are not planning on having any more children and Michael is going to remain an only child maybe the family can get some cousins to come and play on regular basis as well as children from around the neighborhood. Since he will be starting Kindergarten in a month the teacher in the class room could modify some of the learning lessons that she will teach to make them more on his level, also the teacher can communicate with all the others that are involved in the child’s life and come to a plan that is going to work for everyone and it can be used all around the board. All children that are exceptional need to be evaluated for their progress, I would have the teacher make some tally marks for the behavior for the day and let the child work towards a prize once that is completed I would ask the teacher to add the tally marks and make it so that it can be observed in a percentage for example out of 10 tries to hear and responds to the word that was said Michael will wear his hearing aids for 5 out of 10 trials, or 50% of the time if it is only 3 times out of the ten that Michael does this then it can be observed as 30 % of the time and it can be observed weekly and progress can be marked and measured to see what the progress would be. Also making use of all and any reinforcements that can be used will help the child to be successful. Since it is known that the child has a hearing problem it should be given out at first notice and then the child can sit up front in class and since most teachers have seating charts for their classroom it would not seem unusual for the child to be placed up front if others ask what the issue is later then it with consent the teacher can say something to make it known to the class, some children will tell anyway but as the teacher in the classroom she should encourage the other children in the classroom to interact with Michael so that he can be excited to go to school. And most important of all enjoy his learning and school experience. As we learned with Michael people that are deaf or blind lose some of the most important things in life and it is not an easy thing to overcome the person can live a wonderful life but needs the encouragement and support to do so. So for Michael our 5 year old male that is hearing impaired and has trouble with his speech with the help of all the resources that are available and  coaching Michael can grow to be a very smart male later in life. He will also learn to be respectful and his hearing and speech will improve. References Heward, W.L. (2013). Exceptional needs children (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Macbeth: Fate vs. Free Will Essay

Throughout the ages, it has been believed that fate has the power to forge one’s destiny. By some uncontrollable force, the outcome of a person’s choices is controlled by the way in which they are destined to occur. On the other hand though, some believe these choices can defy fate and that fate only manipulates one’s mind into choosing their own path. One question that seemed to pop into my head through out this play was whether individuals were victims of fate or their I own choices, or if each aspect plays a significant part in determining their destiny. In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare plays around with the idea of fate, placing the destiny of Macbeth before him, yet allowing his own ambitions and desires to drive him insane in order to achieve it. However, at the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a good man. Yet he decides to commit, not one or to two, but a series of bad actions that only he had the power to control. Fate, a powerful source thought to control all events, even a person’s destiny. If fate were to be real, then the outcome of a person’s (Macbeth’s) life would be inevitable. If the concept of fate was true, from the moment of birth your life would have already been planned out and you are helpless to change it. The questions that seemed to, and still does, taunt me was â€Å"Was Macbeth really a victim of fate?† and â€Å"Did the choices he made have some sort of impact on the outcome of his destiny?† In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, there is a constant looming of these two questions. Macbeth had been given all these prophecies, that all seemed to come true, but he also played a big role in those because of the decisions he made. Macbeth is in no way under a spell or curse; he chose to create a path of evil for himself. The ability for Macbeth to choose his own fate appeared as soon as he decided to stop and listen to the witches. He showed us that what they were saying was important to him when in the first act he says, â€Å"Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.† (Act I, scene i, line 70). Before Macbeth actually came upon the witches, he was clueless to what would happen in the nearby future. Yet after his encounter with the witches, his mind was going back and forth trying to figure out how he should act upon the prophecy of becoming king! It was by then that the idea of fate had been planted into his head, and with such good title to come with it, why wouldn’t he want to believe his ‘fate’? Something that I found very interesting about the witches was that looking closely at line 24-25 when one of the witches says, â€Å"Though his bark cannot be lost, yet it shall be tempest-tossed.† From what I seemed to understand, these lines seemed to really show the limitations to the witches’ powers, because they were basically saying that they could only make life rough for the clueless captain, but they could not kill him. I think that this is really important to all the people who thought that the witches had ‘written out’ Macbeth’s fate because in the same way as the previous stated scene they can tempt Macbeth with predictions about his future, but they cannot make him choose evil. Meaning that in this scene, one of the conflicts is obviously fate vs. free will! All the witches really did was find a way of stirring up evil, by tempting Macbeth into choosing to opt for evil instead of good. â€Å"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir.† (Act 1. Scene iii. Line 10). Here, Macbeth seems content to leave his future to â€Å"chance.† If â€Å"chance† will have him crowned king, then there’s no reason for Macbeth to â€Å"stir† or lift a finger against King Duncan (or anyone else) in order to make things happen. â€Å"The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’er leap, for in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires; let not lights see my black and deep desires: the eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (Act 1. Scene iv. Line 4)† Back at the previous quote I had quoted, Macbeth seemed happy to sit back and let his fate unfold. But, once he learnt that King Duncan had named Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland and heir to the crown of Scotland, Macbeth decides that he must take action or, â€Å"overleap† what now appears to block his path to the throne. He acknowledges that his â€Å"desires† are â€Å"black and deep† so it’s obvious that he’s decided to commit murder in order to make the witches’ prophesy come true. Now let’s take a step back and think: Was Macbeth’s downfall caused by fate or free will? One way of looking at this argument could be by saying: in the play, the outer forces could have controlled Macbeth. After all, the three witches prophesized that Macbeth would become king. (1.3.4) They also knew the exact circumstances of Macbeth’s downfall (4.1.8), which could suggest that Macbeth had no control over his own fate. But on the other hand, in the play we clearly saw Macbeth planning the murders, and then make his own choices and put his plans into action. And this is of course; his own free will. He decides it. I for one believe that it was hiss free will the whole time, that the witches fate started a spark in Macbeth’s ambitions, which caused him to go out of his mind and loose whatever part of is sanity that was left. A quote that I found to back up my reasoning to this was when Macbeth says, â€Å"I am settled, and bend up each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: false face must hide what the false heart doth know.† I think here it really shows us that Macbeth was not controlled by his fate, but by his free will. I say this because, the witches never really said anything to Macbeth about murdering Duncan, or Banquo in order to make the prediction come true, Macbeth did thought that all by himself. I think that it shows us that it wasn’t fate for Macbeth to get the throne, his own actions got him the throne in ways that the witches had not ever mentioned. I would like to go back to a passage I had previously quoted, â€Å"Though his bark cannot be lost, yet it shall be tempest-tossed.† I think that this quote is very important because this is where we are shown that the witches aren’t as powerful as though to be! All this time people thought that the witches had ‘written’ out Macbeth’s fate, but none of them ever stopped to think of how powerful the witches truly were. As I had previously stated, here the witches seem to be saying that they could not kill the sailor, but they could make life a living-hell for him. This shows that maybe the witches didn’t have any fate planned for Macbeth, they were just looking for somewhere to stir up conflict and saw the perfect opportunity with Macbeth. I mean after all they are withes, stirring up trouble comes in the job description. The witches knew that Macbeth was an ambitious man, that all he really needed was to be given a little push! When the witches told Macbeth about their so called ‘prophecy’, but in reality all it really was what he wanted to hear. If Macbeth was a wise and noble (as we had heard he was) then maybe he would have taken the time to actually consider that what they were saying was meaningless. Instead, he let the prophecy get into his head and let it give a push to the ‘already present’ ambition he had for power. To wrap up this essay, I would like to answer the 2 questions that had been hanging around in my head: Was Macbeth really a victim of fate? And did the choices he made have some sort of impact on the outcome of his destiny? After looking over all the details from my essay, it became clear to me that Macbeth was not a victim of fate. Like I had previously stated, the witches had only planted the idea into his head because stirring up trouble was their nature, but that does not mean it meant anything! Macbeth always had tat little piece of ambition inside of him, the one in which he dreamt of being king and Thane of Cawdor, because back in the Elizabethan times titles were important! I think that Macbeth used the prophecy to take the guilt away from the ambition he was feeling. He used it to guide himself, but no part of it had to do with fate! It was all Macbeth’s free will. The witches gave him something to think of as his future, but it was nothing set in concrete. Throughout the play, Macbeth kept building onto his â€Å"fate†, believing that fate was fate and that either way he couldn’t anything to stop it. Every time he killed someone, he did it because he thought that he had to kill those that stood in the way of his fate. All the choices Macbeth made impacted his future, and no, it was not because of fate. It was because Macbeth had a spark of ambition, which was rubbed against a prophesised fate that then turned into a huge disaster. Overall, I believe that Macbeth was responsible for what happened during every second of his life, and that fate was not leading him to his destiny. I do believe that after a while Macbeth started to loose his mind and forget what he was doing in the first place. I think that the theme of Fate vs. Reality is crucial in this play, because it really gives us an understandidng to Macbeth and his personality.