Plato’s account of philosophy Essays

Plato’s account of philosophy Essays Plato’s account of philosophy Paper Plato’s account of philosophy Paper Essay Topic: Phaedrus Second Treatise of Government Plato was born in Athens, in c. 427 B.C.E. During this period, Athens was involved in a long drawn, resource intensive and disastrous war with Sparta, also known as the   Peloponnesian War. The scion of an aristocratic ancestry, Plato came from a distinguished family. He was the son of Ariston descending from Codrus, one of the early kings of Athens and Perictione, descending from Solon, the prominent reformer of the Athenian constitution, both of Athenian aristocratic ancestry.. Plato spent the greater part of his life in Athens, with occasional visits to Sicily and Southern Italy and as per one account, he also traveled to Egypt. Details regarding the early part of his life is not known, but he was certainly privileged enough to get the finest education Athens had to offer to people of noble lineage. Plato was a disciple of Socrates, whom he considered the most learned man of his times. Plato’s association with Socrates was a turning point in his life, as it had a profound and lasting influence on the course of his life, philosophy and thinking. The compelling power of his arguments and methods impressed Plato and he became a close associate of Socrates. Socrates was amongst the most influential scholar of his times and he was a pioneer who concerned himself with the study of exclusively moral and political issues unlike his contemporaries who were more preoccupied with cosmology and ontology.Considering his distinguished origins and the association with Socrates, he was naturally destined to take an active role in political life. Plato aspired to assume a significant position in the political landscape of Athens, but he found his attempts being consistently thwarted. The frustration is expressed by him in the autobiographical Seventh Letter, wherein he conveys his inability to assimilate himself with any of the political parties or the successively corrupt regimes of his time, all of which contributed to the downfall of Athens(324b-326a).Socratesâ⠂¬â„¢ execution on an unjust charge of impiety had been overwhelmingly voted for(approved) by a democratic   court with a large majority in 399. This led Plato to the conclusion that all existing governments were flawed and ruinous; and would continue to be so, unless the rulers themselves became philosophers or unless the philosophers themselves gained political power.It was perhaps because of this opinion that he retreated to his Academy and to Sicily for implementing his ideas. Plato utilized his extensive knowledge and wisdom to the pursuit of politics and the writing of tragedy and other forms of poetry. He thrice visited Syracuse with the purpose of imparting a philosophical attitude and line of thought to the tyrannical rulers, but his effort proved futile. The brief attempt at imparting practical wisdom having failed, he retreated to Athens. His Academy was the institution of learning for subjects as diverse as Mathematics, rhetoric, astronomy, dialectics, and other subjec ts, all identified as crucial for the intellectual and philosophical development of students. The Academy proved to be a valuable base for successive generations of Platonic philosophers until its final closure in C.E. 529. Some of Plato’s pupils later became leaders, mentors, and constitutional advisers in Greek city-states, the most distinguished amongst them being Aristotle. Plato died in c. 347 B.C.E.The focus of this research paper is to conduct a brief study on the philosophical outlook of Plato to incorporate an analysis of his best works and to illustrate the significant contribution made by him in the field of philosophy.Philosophical Tools    Plato is more well known for his writings like the Republic, the Statesman, the Laws and a few shorter dialogues which are considered to be strictly political treatises,   and hence it can be stated that Plato was an accomplished political philosopher of his times. Compared to Socrates, Plato was much more systematic as a t hinker and meticulous in his ways. He established his own school of philosophy, the Academy; which became a major source of learning for the successive generation of scholars in Athens. Unlike Socrates, Plato extended his areas of concern to include the study of metaphysics and epistemology, as he endeavored to discover the ultimate constituents of reality.The introduction of the process of conceptual analysis was initiated by Plato for the first time in the history of Philosophy, as a means to clarify a concept or its meaning. In contrast to most other philosophers of his time, Plato considered conceptual analysis as a preliminary step and not as an end in itself. He considered critical evaluation of beliefs, the deciding of which one of the incompatible ideas is correct and which one is wrong as the second step and more important step. Plato considered decision making about the political order on the same pedestal of importance as the choice between peace and war. This belief was based on the conviction that the public is not the best suited or mature enough to arrive at the correct decision, as it is capable of wisdom only in hindsight, mostly after the occurrence of disastrous experiences. In his political philosophy, the clarification of concepts is thus a preliminary step in evaluating beliefs, and right beliefs in turn lead to an answer to the question of the best political order. This gradual progression from the stages of conceptual analysis, followed by a critical assessment of beliefs, to the best political order is demonstrated in the writings of his book ‘The Republic’.The most notable and outstanding example of Plato’s mature philosophies   appears in The Republic, which is an extended argument for the most fundamental about the   conduct of human life. Plato utilizes dialogue with a fictional character ‘Socrates’ and proceeds to examine the nature and value of justice and other virtues as they occur   in da y to day life, both from the perspective of human society and in the personality of a human being. This discussion thereafter leads to an in depth assessment of the various aspects of human nature, the attainment of knowledge, the ability to distinguish between substance and appearance and the basic edifice of morality. Due to the diverse range of issues it addresses, the book can be read from several different perspectives: as a political treatise, or a book on the conduct of life, as a study of society and the relation of society with that of a person, an exhaustive study on the   basic metaphysical and epistemological issues or as a pedagogical handbook.Justice as Defined in The republic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first section of the Republic is a discussion on the nature of justice and the aim of the discussion is to arrive at the genuine definition of the subject, through a process which involves the proposal, criticism, and rejection of several inadequate attempts at defining just ice. Since Justice is the most fundamental ethical and political concepts, it incorporates individual virtue, the order of society, and individual rights which may contradict the interests of the society. Four definitions of justice are propounded; all of them are discussed elaborately and then discarded as not being wholly consistent with the basic premises, and due to   the associated variable factors.   Thus the first section of the book ends on a negative note with all the participants in agreement that the concept of justice is not as easily defiened as it seemed due to the inconsistencies involved in popular opinions of justice. the e This negative outcome can be seen as a linguistic and philosophical therapy.The reportive definitions of justice as understood by us from its use in daily life serves to provide a partial understanding of its meaning, but the holistic definition continues to be elusive in the absence of true communications between people and a conceptual clar ity on beliefs. A definition that is merely arbitrary or either too narrow or too broad, based on a false belief about justice, does not give the possibility of communication. Platonic dialogues are expressions of the ultimate communication that can take place between humans; and true communication is likely to take place only if individuals can share meanings of the words they use. Communication based on false beliefs, such as statements of ideology, is still possible, but seems limited, dividing people into factions, and, as history teaches us, can finally lead only to confusion. Therefore, in the Republic, as well as in other Platonic dialogues, there is a relationship between conceptual analysis and critical evaluation of beliefs. The focus of the second part of Book I is no longer clarification of concepts, but evaluation of beliefs.In Platonic dialogues, rather than telling them what they have to think, Socrates is often getting his interlocutors to tell him what they think. I n the fifth and fourth century B.C.E., the sophists were paid teachers of rhetoric and other practical skills, mostly non-Athenians, offering courses of instruction and claiming to be best qualified to prepare young men for success in public life. Plato describes the sophists as itinerant individuals, known for their rhetorical abilities, who reject religious beliefs and traditional morality, and he contrasts them with Socrates, who as a teacher would refuse to accept payment and instead of teaching skills would commit himself to a disinterested inquiry into what is true. One of the participants in the discussions, Thrasymachus presents a skeptical and negativist definition of justice which states that justice is not a universally applicable moral value but a notion utilized as a tool by the dominant group in the society; and that since it comes in handy for the dominant group to suppress a vast majority of people, it is their exclusive interest and that it is has different connotat ions for the different sections of the society. Although this definition is brushed aside by Plato in the book, it is a statement that     has taxed whole generations of thinkers to struggle with and the debate still continues.emphasis of The Republic is vastly on the topic of the creation of an ideal state run by philosophers and its subsequent decline, the basic theme of the book is Justice. It is obvious that Plato does not intend his interpretation of the ideal political order to be practically implemented (592a-b), instead his motive is to convey the thesis that   justice if understood to stand for goodness and virtue could form the foundation of a good political order. Plato contends that if the concept of Justice is correctly appreciated and exercised, it would be for the collective good of the society as a whole and the benefits would not be restricted to any particular faction. It provides the state with a sense of purpose and unity and consequently its well being. It provides the city with a sense of unity, and thus, is a basic condition for its health. â€Å"Injustice causes civil war, hatred, and fighting, while justice brings friendship and a sense of common purpose† (351d).A clear understanding of Plato’s perception of Justice and Social Order can be arrived at if Plato’s philosophy and thoughts are compared with the pre-philosophical insights of Solon, his maternal grandfather. Solon had been responsible for the complete restructuring of the social order of Athens at a time when Athens was poised for a rapid decline. The political and social stability of Athens had been badly shaken by the serious differences that had cropped up between the rich and the poor, the lenders and the serfs. Solon had impartially gone about the task of social and economic reforms and had brought Athens back from the brink of political and social and political collapse. Considering the fact that education at that time was imparted at home, it is probable that Plato had been deeply influenced by Solon. Solon’s reforms provided the Greeks with a model of political leadership based on the principles of fairness, equality and justice. Solon digressed from the accepted arithmetical interpretation and implementation of justice by approaching the issue holistically and relying upon fairness based upon difference.To a remarkable extent, Plato’s thoughts, writings, ideas of political order, leadership, and justice can be seen to be influenced by Solon. For Plato,   the starting point for the inquiry about the best political order is the fact of social diversity and conflicting interests, which involve the danger of civil strife. The political community consists of different parts or social classes, such as the noble, the rich, and the poor, each representing different values, interests, and claims to rule. This gives rise to the controversy of who should rule the community, and what is the best political system. In both the Republic and the Laws, Plato asserts not only that factionalism and civil war are the greatest dangers to the city, more dangerous even than war against external enemies, but also that peace obtained by the victory of one part and the destruction of its rivals is not to be preferred to social peace obtained through the friendship and cooperation of all the city’s parts (Republic 462a-b, Laws 628a-b). The best political order for Plato is that which promotes social peace in the environment of cooperation and friendship among different social groups, each benefiting from and each adding to the common good. The best form of government, which he advances in the Republic, is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy, but that which he proposes in his last dialogue the Laws is a traditional polity: the mixed or composite constitution that reconciles different partisan interests and includes aristocratic, oligarchic, and democratic elements.Philosopher Rulers   Ã‚   . De spite the fact that the fundamental components of democracy are equality and freedom, Plato does not consider democracy to be the best form of government. In the Republic, he is severely critical of unchecked democracy because of certain features   (557a-564a) like excessive freedom, which can potentially lead to anarchy. Similarly, he felt that the concept of equality can also be abused by power hungry people, motivated by personal gain rather than public good. Plato felt that democracy was thus highly corruptible as it provided easy access to demagogues, potential dictators, and can thus lead to tyranny. Although, this reasoning is not applicable to modern democracies, it could be seen to be highly applicable to the democratic setup existing at that point of time in Greece. Democracy depends on chance and must be mixed with competent leadership (501b).Without able and virtuous leaders, such as Solon or Pericles, who come and go by chance, it is not a good form of government. Pla to argues that since governing a state involves judicious decision making and wisdom, the people who are selected to rule should not be in a position to do so by accident of circumstances, they should be trained and prepared in the course of extensive training. Making political decisions requires good judgment. Politics needs competence, at least in the form of today’s civil servants. In spite of the idealism with which he is usually associated, Plato is not politically naive. He does not idealize, but is deeply pessimistic about human beings. Most people, corrupted as they are, are for him fundamentally irrational, driven by their appetites, egoistic passions, and informed by false beliefs. If they choose to be just and obey laws, it is only because they lack the power to act criminally and are afraid of punishment (Republic, 359a). Nevertheless, human beings are not vicious by nature. They are social animals, incapable of living alone (369a-b). Living in communities and exc hanging products of their labor is natural for them, so that they have capacities for rationality and goodness. Plato, as later Rousseau, believes that once political society is properly ordered, it can contribute to the restoration of morals. A good political order, good education and upbringing can produce â€Å"good natures; and [these] useful natures, who are in turn well educated, grow up even better than their predecessors† (424a). Hence, there are in Plato such elements of the idealistic or liberal world view as the belief in education and progress, and a hope for a better future. The quality of human life can be improved if people learn to be rational and understand that their real interests lie in harmonious cooperation with one another, and not in war or partisan strife. However, unlike Rousseau, Plato does not see the best social and political order in a democratic republic. If philosophers are those who can distinguish between true and false beliefs, who love know ledge and are motivated by the common good, and finally if they are not only master-theoreticians, but also the master-practitioners who can heal the ills of their society, then they, and not democratically elected representatives, must be chosen as leaders and educators of the political community and guide it to proper ends. Plato assumes that a city in which the rulers do not govern out of desire for private gain, but are least motivated by personal ambition, is governed in the way which is the finest and freest from civil strife (520d). Philosophers will rule not only because they will be best prepared for this, but also because if they do not, the city will no longer be well governed and may fall prey to economic decline, factionalism, and civil war. They will approach ruling not as something really enjoyable, but as something necessary (347c-d).Other Works  Ã‚   In a few dialogues, such as Phaedo, the Republic, Phaedrus, Timaeus, and the Laws, Plato introduces his doctrine of the immortality of the soul. His ultimate answer to the question â€Å"Who am I?† is not an â€Å"egoistic animal† or an â€Å"independent variable,† as the twentieth century behavioral researcher blatantly might say, but an â€Å"immortal soul, corrupted by vice and purified by virtue, of whom the body is only an instrument† (129a-130c). Expert political knowledge for him should include not only knowledge of things out there, but also knowledge of oneself. This is because whoever is ignorant of himself will also be ignorant of others and of political things, and, therefore, will never be an expert politician (133e). Those who are ignorant will go wrong, moving from one misery to another (134a). For them history will be a tough teacher, but as long they do not recognize themselves and practice virtue, they will learn nothing. Plato’s good society is impossible without transcendence, without a link to the perfect being who is God, the true measure of all things. It is also impossible without an ongoing philosophical reflection on whom we truly are. Therefore, democracy would not be a good form of government for him unless, as it is proposed in the Laws, the element of freedom is mixed with the element of wisdom, which includes ultimate knowledge of the self. Unmixed and unchecked democracy, marked by the general permissiveness that spurs vices, makes people impious, and lets them forget about their true self, is only be the second worst in the rank of flawed regimes after tyranny headed by a vicious individual. This does not mean that Plato would support a theocratic government based on shallow religiosity and religious hypocrisy. There is no evidence for this. Freedom of speech, forming opinions and expressing them, which may be denied in theocracy, is a true value for Plato, along with wisdom. It is the basic requirement for philosophy. In shallow religiosity, like in atheism, there is ignorance and no knowledge of the self either. In Book II of the Republic, Plato criticizes the popular religious beliefs of the Athenians, who under the influence of Homer and Hesiod attribute vices to the gods and heroes (377d-383c). He tries to show that God is the perfect being, the purest and brightest, always the same, immortal and true, to whom we should look in order to know ourselves and become pure and virtuous (585b-e). God, and not human beings, is the measure of political order (Laws, 716c).Criticism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Objections against the government of philosopher-rulers can be made. Firstly, because of the restrictions concerning family and private property, Plato is often accused of totalitarianism. However, Plato’s political vision differs from a totalitarian state in a number of important aspects. Especially in the Laws he makes clear that freedom is one of the main values of society (701d). Other values for which Plato stands include justice, friendship, wisdom, courage, and mode ration, and not factionalism or terror that can be associated with a totalitarian state. The restrictions which he proposes are placed on the governors, rather than on the governed. Secondly, one can argue that there may obviously be a danger in the self-professed claim to rule of the philosophers. Individuals may imagine themselves to be best qualified to govern a country, but in fact they may lose contact with political realities and not be good leaders at all.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato’s achievement as a political philosopher may be seen in that he believed that there could be a body of knowledge whose attainment would make it possible to heal political problems, such as factionalism and the corruption of morals, which can bring a city to a decline. The doctrine of the harmony of interests, fairness as the basis of the best political order, the mixed constitution, the rule of law, the distinction between good and deviated forms of government, practical wisdom as the quality of good leadership, and the importance of virtue and transcendence for politics are the political ideas that can rightly be associated with Plato. They have profoundly influenced subsequent political thinkers.

Biography of Frederick Douglass

Biography of Frederick Douglass The biography of Frederick Douglass is emblematic of the lives of slaves and former slaves. His struggle for freedom, devotion to the abolitionist cause, and lifetime battle for equality in America established him as perhaps the most important African-American leader of the 19th century. Early Life Frederick Douglass was born in February 1818 on a plantation on the eastern shore of Maryland. He was not sure of the his exact birth date, and he also did not know the identity of his father, who was assumed to be a white man and likely a member of the family who owned his mother. He was originally named Frederick Bailey by his mother, Harriet Bailey. He was separated from his mother when he was young, and was raised by other slaves on the plantation. Escape From Slavery When he was eight years old he was sent to live with a family in Baltimore, where his new mistress taught him to read and write. Young Frederick demonstrated considerable intelligence, and in his teens he was hired out to work in the shipyards of Baltimore as a caulker, a skilled position. His salary was paid to his legal owners, the Auld family. Frederick became determined to escape to freedom. After one failed attempt, he was able to secure identification papers in 1838 stating he was a seaman. Dressed as a sailor, he boarded a train northward and successfully escaped to New York City at the age of 21. A Brilliant Speaker for the Abolitionist Cause Anna Murray, a free black woman, followed Douglass northward, and they were married in New York City. The newlyweds moved onward to Massachusetts (adopting the last name Douglass). Douglass found work as a laborer in New Bedford. In 1841 Douglass attended a meeting of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in Nantucket. He got onstage and gave a speech which riveted the crowd. His story of life as a slave was delivered with passion, and he was encouraged to dedicate himself to speaking out against slavery in America. He began touring the northern states, to mixed reactions. In 1843 he was nearly killed by a mob in Indiana. Publication of Autobiography Frederick Douglass was so impressive in his new career as a public speaker that rumors circulated that he was somehow a fraud and had never actually been a slave. Partly to contradict such attacks, Douglass began writing an account of his life, which he published in 1845 as The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. The book became a sensation. As he became prominent, he feared slave catchers would apprehend him and return him to slavery. To escape that fate, and also to promote the abolitionist cause overseas, Douglass left for an extended visit to England and Ireland, where he was befriended by Daniel OConnell, who was leading the crusade for Irish freedom. Douglass Purchased His Own Freedom While overseas Douglass made enough money from his speaking engagements that he could have lawyers affiliated with the abolitionist movement approach his former owners in Maryland and purchase his freedom. At the time, Douglass was actually criticized by some abolitionists. They felt that buying his own freedom only gave credibility to the institution of slavery. But Douglass, sensing danger if he returned to America, arranged for lawyers to pay $1,250 to Thomas Auld in Maryland. Douglass returned to the United States in 1848, confident he could live in freedom. Activities In the 1850s Throughout the 1850s, when the country was being torn apart by the issue of slavery, Douglass was at the forefront of abolitionist activity. He had met John Brown, the anti-slavery fanatic, years earlier. And Brown approached Douglass and tried to recruit him for his raid on Harpers Ferry. Douglass though the plan was suicidal, and refused to participate. When Brown was captured and hanged, Douglass feared he might be implicated in the plot, and fled to Canada briefly from his home in Rochester, New York. Relationship With Abraham Lincoln During the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, Stephen Douglas taunted Abraham Lincoln with crude race-baiting, at times mentioning that Lincoln was a close friend of Frederick Douglass. In fact, at that time they had never met. When Lincoln became president, Frederick Douglass did visit him twice at the White House. At Lincolns urging, Douglass helped recruit African-Americans into the Union army. And Lincoln and Douglass obviously had a mutual respect. Douglass was in the crowd at Lincolns second inaugural, and was devastated when Lincoln was assassinated six weeks later. Frederick Douglass Following the Civil War Following the end of slavery in America, Frederick Douglass continued to be an advocate for equality. He spoke out on issues related to Reconstruction and the problems faced by newly freed slaves. In the late 1870s President Rutherford B. Hayes appointed Douglass to a federal job, and he held several government posts including a diplomatic posting in Haiti. Douglass died in Washington, D.C. in 1895.

Desktop Computing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Desktop Computing - Assignment Example It also helps the smooth running of software like 3D Max and Maya extensively used for animation and modeling. Jean Jones needs to upgrade her OS from Windows XP Service Pack 2 to Win XP x64. Many might suggest Vista as a good alternative, however past records show that Vista slows Max viewport speed by a huge amount. The primary reason behind this is that Win XP takes less memory to run when Vista on the other hand takes up a lot more. Here comes the second parameter that is whether to consider 32 bit or 64 bit OS. The reason why 64 bit Win XP is being recommended to Jean Jones is that it will let her use a minimum 4GB of RAM. The basic components to look for while buying a PC for processing intensive activities are the processor, motherboard, RAM, graphics card and hard disk. For any PC to be fast, it should have a perfect combination of all these 4 components. In an unbalanced combination where one or more components are slower than the rest, then the slower components act as bottlenecks in the system, and the overall processing speed is determined by the slowest component. Hence, while identifying the configuration, it is imperative that all components are matching and high performance components. High performance components are higher priced, and hence they increase the overall cost of the PC. Given that there cannot be any compromise on performance, a high end PC can be made relatively inexpensive by cutting down on the peripheral costs. For example, by using low end casing/cabinets, speakers and data output devices like DVD combo packages, the overall prices can be kept with relatively lower budget. A processor is the 'brain' of the PC, and given other components are same, a PC with faster processor will perform faster. A quadcore, 64 bit processor, coupled with a suitably fast motherboard and 4 GB 800 MHz RAM will have sufficient computing speed to seamlessly execute the heaviest designing applications. (Ciao Shopping Intelligence, 2007A) While quad core processors give enormous processing speed, they are also highly expensive. Commercially available computers generally tend have

Hypothesis Identification Article Analysis Essay

Hypothesis Identification Article Analysis - Essay Example The researchers examine and evaluate current literature and come to conclusion that the question of women compensation at work and safety issues is not examined yet. There is no substantial analysis of this system and its impact on organizational performance and women employees. The researchers claim that the current system of compensation is ineffective and does not benefit employees and employers. To verify their hypothesis, Calvey and Jansz use a phenomenological research approach. They explain that "the purpose of phenomenological reflection is to try to grasp the essential meaning of something Insight into the essence of a phenomenon involves a process of reflectively appropriating, of clarifying, and of making explicit the structure of meaning of the lived experience" (Van Manen, 1990: 77-78, cited Calvey, Jansz, 2005, p. 285). The hypothesis statement helps the researchers to identify the area of research and construct it in accordance with their hypothesis. Also, the hypothesis statement helps to avoid ambiguity during analysis of the results. In this article, the hypothesis statement is used to predict the conditions of compensation system and outcomes are most likely to occur.

The Myth and Reality of the American West Essay Example for Free

The Myth and Reality of the American West Essay We have all heard the stories about the old west. There are the infamous gunfights, the cowboys that steal all of the women’s hearts, and the many stagecoach robberies. But how can we tell fact from fiction? Where is the line drawn between the reality of the American west and the myth portrayed in the numerous books and movies? Everything may not have been as adventurous as we believe, or as glamorous. But the real question is: what is true and what is not? ​It is shocking how many misconceptions are made about the old west. I for one, definitely picture what most people probably do. Cowboys are always the first that come to mind. Everyone loved a rustic, rugged, handsome cowboy. They saved the day on all occasions a nd at the end of the day, went and swept the woman off her feet and they rode off into the sunset on horseback together. The cowboys were the â€Å"good guys† who wore the cowboy hat and boots and fought the â€Å"bad guys† in gunfights right outside of the bat-wing door saloons. A mental picture is drawn of two men with their backs to each other taking ten paces in opposite direction, only to draw guns and fight â€Å"fairly† after turning around. Cowboys were the ultimate white, southern gentlemen who always won the lady’s heart. There are, of course, many other myths about the old west. For instance, the legal system; there is the town sheriff with the star badge and uniform worn at all times, who just happens to show up whenever there is trouble. The sheriff settles disputes that break out amongst townspeople and always makes the right decision, in putting the bad guy in jail to bring the ever-so unpredictable outcome of a â€Å"happy ending†. ​ The popular song, â€Å"Cowboy Take Me Away† by the country music group the Dixie Chicks, reinforces almost all concepts of the myth of the American west. The chorus is: â€Å"Cowboy take me away. Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue. Set me free oh I pray. Closer to heaven above and closer to you, closer to you.† This is a prime example of the misconstrued ideas about the west. This verse portrays exactly what every naà ¯ve person believes about this subject. The handsome cowboy comes to take you away to a place where you can forget all cares and troubles you have. He has come to carry you off into the sunset where the two of you will live together where only love and happiness matters. Living the simple life with the man of her dreams, who will treat her with respect and love her unconditionally, is the fantasy of every woman. The entire song portrays the beauty and simplicity of nature and life in the west, where the hustle and bustle of everyday life , elsewhere, doesn’t exist. Who wouldn’t want that? If it only existed†¦ What is the reality of the American west? Well contrary to popular belief, cowboys weren’t actually the heroes. Cowboys were of all races and were mostly poor farm boys. Cowboys were just what the name states which is, males who raised and herded cattle for a living. Most women fell for the wealthy men of a higher class than for mere â€Å"farm boys†. The west wasn’t peaceful, pleasant place that most people picture it as, except for the occasional bad guy. There were many problems in the west including lack of good food, lack of money, constant fighting with Indians over territory, and increasing violence (this was especially true when saloons, brothels, and gambling dens began to open). Another misconception of this time was that of the legal system. In all actuality there was not one at all. It wasn’t until much later, after problems increased even more, that a so called legal system was developed. This was the miners’ courts. Miners in the area served on a jury and settled disputes in that way. This was a very inefficient system, because the miners favored the powerful, popular, and wealthy. The poor, weak, and unpopular were often charged with crimes they didn’t commit. Hollywood has come up with many different ways to make the old west seem so exciting and adventurous. Whether it’s through a song, an old movie, or a fictional book, the myth of the American west comes across as the truth for most people. The truth is never as interesting, so we depend on made up stories to entertain us.

A Formalist Approach to Eavan Boland’s The River :: Boland River Essays

A Formalist Approach to Eavan Boland’s The River Over the years many different ways of analyzing poetry have been developed. One such approach is the â€Å"New Critical,† or the â€Å"Formalist,† which is based on the writings of Coleridge. The formalist approach is useful because it takes the poem’s form, which may be overlooked, and analyzes it to see what its effect is on the meaning of the poem. There are other aspects taken into consideration, like who the speaker is and how the author incorporates â€Å"ironic awareness† into the poem. Eavan Boland’s message in â€Å"The River† comes across best when looking at the poem with the formalist approach, taking into consideration the speaker and the speaker’s situation, the organic form, and the use of irony. Some aspects may have more importance than others, but all need to be looked at, beginning with the speaker. Using the hints within the poem, I see the speaker as possibly being an adult writing or talking to a parent or some unspecified figure about her early childhood. The speaker could be looking back at a time when someone took her to a river, and she is reporting what she saw. There is textual evidence to support all of these claims. The possibility the speaker is looking back at a childhood experience is shown when she writes, I remember how strange it felt- not having any names for the red oak and the rail and the slantways plunge of the osprey. (6-12) I see the speaker as possibly being a child because the speaker remembers not knowing the actual names of what she saw. A young child wouldn’t know â€Å"rail† or the osprey’s dive, probably using a word such as â€Å"birdie.† The other choice for the speaker is an adult, who is speaking about a time spent at a river in a foreign land. This is the choice I see as most likely possible because the speaker says it feels strange to not know the names, yet as a child I never felt odd because I didn’t know a type of bird.

Intercultural communication Essay

Prejudice The purpose of this paper is to discuss the idea that ‘prejudice can never be eliminated because it is so deeply rooted in human nature. ’ This idea seems to be accurate when reflecting on daily events, which occur in society. Most people believe that they are not prejudiced against others, but more often than not, they are prejudiced even when they are not aware of that fact. For example, it is a known fact within the criminal justice system, that members of ethic minority groups are found guilty more often in cases where there is insufficient evidence. This situation is extremely common especially when the jury is composed of Caucasians. â€Å"More diverse juries, specifically ones that include black and white members, are more likely to share information, make fewer errors in evaluating the facts, and perhaps reach fairer verdicts than all-white juries,† (MacGregor, 2006). Moreover, ethnic minorities receive longer prison sentences that Caucasians for the same criminal offenses. It is human nature to sympathize more with people who are similar to us and to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, when dealing with people who are completely different from us we are more likely to discriminate, subconsciously and sometimes consciously. â€Å"Ordinary racism is very hard to see if you are white,† (Blee, 2003). In general, America is an ethnocentric country. When Americans travel all around the world, we will notice that in most countries the people speak several languages and learning different languages is something to be proud of. However, in America, we do not want to accept other languages into the American culture. We think that the English language is somehow superior and believe that the rest of the world should try to learn ‘our’ language. Even when we do business globally, we expect our global business partners to speak English while we make no effort to learn their languages. We make comments such as ‘they drive on the wrong side of the street’. How is it that they are wrong and we are correct? We express disgust when we hear that some countries in Asia eat ‘dogs. ’ We do not realize that some cultures in Asia are disgusted with Americans because we eat ‘cows. ’ Who decided that dogs are superior to cows? Ethnocentrism often leads to danger. We misunderstand others because we can only see the world through our eyes, and we fail to realize that the problem is not the other culture. â€Å"The problem is that we do not understand and we don’t know that we don’t understand,† (Barger, 2004). I believe that the best way to lessen the negative effects prejudice is through education and personal experiences. We need to learn more about different ethnic groups, other countries and foreign languages. The most effective way is to travel to different countries. If this is not possible, we can begin by making friends with people from different cultural backgrounds and make an effort to understand their views of the world. We are becoming a global society, and in the future we will be forced to learn more about other cultures. We may even be required to learn other languages. I believe that people are more alike than different. Everyone has something in common with someone from a different ethnic group. We should make a connection. This will lead to a better understanding of others and ourselves. This will also help to reduce prejudice. References Barger, K. (2004). Ethnocentrism. What is it? Why are People Ethnocentric? What is the Problem? What Can We do About it? Retrieved April 16, 2007, from http://www. iupui. edu/~anthkb/ethnocen. htm Blee, K. (2003). In C. Gill Created Equal. Retrieved April 16, 2007, from http://www. umc. pitt. edu/PITTMAG/summer2003/feature1. html MacGregor, H. (2006). When Diversity Adds Fairness. Retrieved April 16, 2007, from http://ase. tufts. edu/psychology/sommerslab/LATimes. html.

Negotiation Strategy Analysis

The first article is retrieved from Bloomberg. com â€Å"Saudi Oil Tanker Owners in Negotiations with Pirates† where the Saudi Arabian supertanker hijacked off the coast of Somalia. The supertanker belongs to Saudi Arabia's state-owned shipping line, Vela International Marine Ltd. The negotiation is between the pirates that have captured the Sirius Star and the owners of the Saudi Arabian supertanker. The pirates have the advantage in the negotiation because they have the 25 crew with different nationalities as hostage, and the tanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil worth $110 million. Saudi Arabia is unlikely considering an armed response because it may endanger the crew, and would require a great deal of international agreement and cooperation. The ship is carrying Liberian flag, owned by a Saudi company, in Somali waters, with so many nationalities onboard. The owners have to pay ransom money for the safe delivery of the supertanker. The hijackers can actually force the owners into paying large ransom money (Alexander, & Krause, November 19, 2008). The second article is retrieved from the Eagle Tribune: â€Å"Fate of Detroit's Big 3 will trickle down locally†, where the CEO's of the big three automakers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler have united to lobby Congress for a 25 billion loan. The negotiation is between the big three automaker companies and the government. The arguments is if their companies goes under, and one of them declared bankruptcy, an estimates of as high as 2. 5 million U. S jobs losses and more than 730,000 workers will be unemployed. This is a pressure tactic utilized to force the government to give the $25 billion loan (Kirk, November 26, 2008). The two negotiation articles describe a negotiation situation that employs different negotiation strategies. The first article, the pirates uses distributive bargaining strategy which is characterized by mistrust and suspicion, designed to beat the other party (Lewicki, Saunders, & Barry, 2006). The pirates have the advantage over the owner by intimidating or threatening to eradicate the crew and the supertanker. While on the other hand, the three car automakers and the government uses integrative negotiation strategy which is characterized by openness and trust, designed to achieve the best possible solution for all parties involve (Lewicki, Saunders, & Barry, 2006). The US government cannot be forced to provide a loan to the three auto companies, the only possible way to persuade them of giving $25 billion dollars to the three automakers is the possibility of loss of millions of jobs and the increase of unemployment in the event the automakers goes under or declared bankruptcy. The comparison between the two situations is both negotiation disputes are used to influence the other party to part with money. The first scenario is the owners of the supertanker, and the US government on the second scenario. In both scenarios, the stand taken by the negotiators is â€Å"pay or otherwise†. Each situation involved, terms, counter offers, and demands placed by the parties from which the payment is claimed.

Cherokee Tribes essays

Cherokee Tribes essays The Cherokee Indians were one of the civilized tribes in the United States. They were located in the southeastern part of the U.S. This includes the western parts of North and South Carolina, The northern parts of Alabama and Georgia, Southwest Virginia and the Cumberland basin of Tennessee. It appears the Cherokee settled in 1000 A.D. to 1500 A.D. Their development took place in to stages or phases. The Pisgah which took place 1300 A.D. to 1540 A.D. and the Qualla which took place 1540 A.D. to 1750 A.D. The first period was primitive and the second was influenced by European contact. They were a large tribe that was part of the Iroquian language group even though their language is very different. Despite this the Cherokee developed written language due to contact with the white men. They were very interested in learning the white men ways. Although there is a lot written about the Cherokee and Europeans, the focus here will be Cherokee life including daily life, marriage, governmen t, and war. Cherokee villages consisted of groups of relatives that included members of at least four clans. They grew crops outside their villages. There were also some fields inside the villages. Each family had a marked section of the field. Both men and women helped in farming every section. As with many tribes the men were responsible for hunting, fishing, building houses and council lodges, made important decisions, performed religious ceremonies, trained young boys and defended the village. The Cherokee women were responsible for the home, raising the children, helping in the fields, preparing and gathering food, washing and making clothes, and making baskets and pottery. Even though The Cherokee were a matrilineal society only certain women were allowed to have input in council decisions. The Cherokee had many rules and regulations to live by and since they have a strong sense of tradition these rules were not challenged until they came into c...

4 Publications of the Harlem Renaissance

4 Publications of the Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was actually a cultural phenomenon that began in 1917 with the publication of Jean Toomers Cane. The artistic movement ended in  1937 with the publication of Zora Neale Hurstons novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. For twenty years, Harlem Renaissance writers and artists explored themes such as assimilation, alienation, racism, and pride through the creation of novels, essays, plays, poetry, sculpture, paintings, and photography. These writers and artists would not have been able to launch their careers without having their work seen by the masses. Four notable publications- The Crisis, Opportunity, The Messenger and Marcus Garveys Negro World printed the work of many African-American artists and writers-helping the Harlem Renaissance become the artistic movement that made it possible for African-Americans to develop an authentic voice in American society. The Crisis Established in 1910 as the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), The Crisis was the preeminent social and political magazine for African-Americans. With W. E. B. Du Bois as its editor, the publication stuck by its subtitle: A Record of the Darker Races by devoting its pages to events such as the Great Migration. By 1919, the magazine had an estimated monthly circulation of 100,000. That same year, Du Bois hired Jessie Redmon Fauset as literary editor of the publication. For the next eight years, Fauset devoted her efforts to promoting the work of African-American writers such as Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen. Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life As the official magazine of the National Urban League (NUL), the mission of the publication was to lay bare Negro life as it is. Launched in 1923, editor Charles Spurgeon Johnson began the publication by publishing research findings and essays. By 1925, Johnson was publishing literary works of young artists such as Zora Neale Hurston. That same year, Johnson organized a literary contestthe winners were Hurston, Hughes, and Cullen. In 1927, Johnson anthologized the best pieces of writing published in the magazine. The collection was entitled Ebony and Topaz: A Collectanea and featured the work of members of the Harlem Renaissance. The Messenger The politically radical publication was established by A. Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen in 1917. Originally, Owen and Randolph were hired to edit a publication entitled Hotel Messenger by African-American hotel workers. However, when the two editors wrote a blaring article that exposed union officials of corruption, the paper ceased printing. Owen and Randolph quickly rebounded and established the journal The Messenger. Its agenda was socialist and its pages included a combination of news events, political commentary, book reviews, profiles of important figures and other items of interest. In response to the Red Summer of 1919, Owen and Randolph reprinted the poem If We Must Die written by Claude McKay. Other writers such as Roy Wilkins, E. Franklin Frazier, and George Schuyler also published work in this publication. The monthly publication stopped printing in 1928.   The Negro World Published by the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), The Negro World had a circulation of more than 200,000 readers. The weekly newspaper was published in English, Spanish, and French. The newspaper was dispersed throughout the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean. Its publisher and editor, Marcus Garvey, used the pages of the newspaper to preserve the term Negro for the race as against the desperate desire of other newspapermen to substitute the term colored for the race. Every week, Garvey provided readers with a front-page editorial concerning the plight of people in the African Diaspora. Garveys wife, Amy, served as an editor as well and managed the Our Women and What They Think page in the weekly news publication. In addition, The Negro World included poetry and essays that would interest people of African descent throughout the world. Following Garveys deportation in 1933, The Negro World  stopped printing.

Development of a Dispatch System for Fire Brigade Essay

Development of a Dispatch System for Fire Brigade - Essay Example Moving on, the application design should have the same data formatting as the platform on which it runs. Issues specific to fire fighting dispatch systems A global dispatch software solution for fire brigade needs to consider several aspects. For instance, it needs to incorporate mobile computing, which will enable actual fire brigadiers to access the same incident information as is available to operators. Additionally, mobile computing should allow for automatically updating incident activity logs and status reports through a secure source. It is critical to reduce response time rates to the minimum in life-death situations such as fire hazards (Walz, Krumperman and Zigmon 245). Moreover, an element of interoperability should be introduced in the global version of dispatch system. It is integral for a global dispatch software solution to offer data-sharing capabilities amongst multiple agencies across widespread jurisdictions. The introduction of interoperability will be beneficial in a variety of ways. For instance, it will help in improving situational knowledge, incident planning, and greatly reduce response time rate (Brennan and Krohmer 80). This will also improve the extensive interface facilities in the overall despatch software. Lastly, the global fire brigade despatch system should contain reporting and analytical capabilities. This will allow public safety organizations all over the globe to more effectively manage the plethora of valuable information generated daily. This aspect should be specifically tailored in consideration of the requirements of local fire brigades in order to aid in more effective decision-making. Changes in the software development process of the company For developing successful international software, aspects that... This essay stresses that system information will be crucial in the success of a globalized dispatch fire brigade system. This is because system information contained in processes make up an application, system information files, or system servers. The sharing factor will allow fire brigades globally to fulfill their reporting and analytical responsibilities. Moreover, the operating system of this internationalized dispatch software should support universal coordinated time. Graphical terms and symbols used for denoting particular system components need to be localized to aid understanding. The internationalized software should also disallow inputting prohibited or problematic characters in naming files or directories. data exchange should be modified to facilitate the transfer of information across globe as quickly as possible. This will aid in identifying the nearest fire brigade to the accident scene and simultaneously equip those fire fighters with the same information as the loca l operator. This paper makes a conclusion that the development of internationalized software for fire brigades will enable response teams to identify easily the geographical locations of the accidents, nearest response vehicles by providing first responders with the same incident information as dispatchers. Thus, this software will not only escalate the performance of response teams, but also more importantly, save more lives and properties all around the globe.