Anne Stevensons The Marriage: An Analysis

Anne Stevensons The Marriage: An Analysis Anne Stevenson’s poem, â€Å"The Marriage,† is a playful, subtle and profound description of the differences between men and women, and the difficulties inherent in such, specifically in regards to the unification of the sexes, both physically, spiritually and in terms of societal conventions (thus the title). By portraying these difficulties in pure physical terms – as a couple trying to come together to rest comfortably in bed – Stevenson is able to build a vivid and surprisingly comprehensive and universal depiction of marriage. The poem is from the point of view of the wife, perhaps the author herself, who is trying to figure out a way to position her body against her husband’s so the two will be able to rest snugly at night. With both of them facing the same direction, she in front, he in back, they are nearly successful, but only: †¦if her backbone Cuts exactly into his rib cage And only if his knees Dock exactly under her knees And all four Agree on a common angle Thus positioned – provided their bodies willingly correspond – the husband and wife have achieved unification, or, at the very least, a modicum of comfort. But this is a small victory, or even a false one, for as the narrator continues: All would be well If only They could face each other In three lines, Stevenson has perfectly summed up what plagues marriages, old and new alike: that men and women are inherently different. Not that one is superior and the other inferior – she seems to prescribe to the â€Å"separate but equal† doctrine that is the norm in her homeland of American and her adopted country of England – but that they are uniquely separate entities. Men and women think differently, act differently, and are proportioned differently. And any kind of union between the two, any form of coming-together, is marked my problems. The poet is also asserting that in order for this to occur, a compromise must be enacted. And in any kind of compromise, some things are won (the couple â€Å"fit†) and some are lost (they are not facing each other). While the partners have achieved a level of comfort and intimacy, with her backbone nicely fitting into his rib cage, and his knees docking perfectly under hers, they have lost a major component of such, as they cannot look at one another. Stevenson’s vision of compromise is universal, and does not apply to merely physical situations. The implications correspond to any aspect of a relationship, including, for example, where a couple chooses to settle (one likes the city, one likes the country, so they move to the suburbs), to how they raise their kids (one is a fan of television, one isn’t, so the child watches a minimum amount), to how they spend their money (one likes extravagant things, one prefers simple things, so they buy items that are moderately priced). In all of these situations, both parties are content in that they have achieved satisfaction. While neither got everything they were asking for, each partner got enough (presumably, at least) to remain content. This â€Å"partial victory† is the crux of a successful relationship. But Stevenson is not finished. She goes on with her physical description of the pair, who meet: Nose to neck Chest to scapula Groin to rump And yet, even though the situation is still not ideal – they are unable to face each other, after all – in even this there is a silver lining: They look, at least As if they were going In the same direction While this is merely a small caveat – notice her use of the phrase â€Å"they look, at least,† as if this is merely the appearance of agreement – even so, it is something. And this small something, again, this tiny â€Å"victory† is often enough to make all the difference. Stevenson is celebrating the small moments of daily life and the small â€Å"victories† that are won through compromise. Are the couple, or, in fact, are any man and woman perfectly matched? No. Are there differences between the two that will never be breached? Certainly. But does this mean that one cannot work with this other to achieve some form of balance, even if it is not perfect? Of course not. And, at least in the poet’s mind, this transcendence of differences makes it even more special. In Stevenson’s world, a husband and wife half-consciously groping for each other in the middle of the night is as important as any other compromise made between the sexes. A man moves halfway across the world to be with the woman he loves. A woman changes her religion to be with the man she loves. Both are noble and tremendous acts, but are just as heroic as the couple fumbling in bed. Love, marriage, etc., is both gigantic and intimate, and every act of coming together is important. But let us quickly go back to these words: They look, at least As if they were going In the same direction This passage holds another meaning, that of the fact that the couple is actually not going in the same direction, but only appear to be. Stevenson is saying that looks are deceiving, and while the pair seems to be in agreement, they are in reality far from it. This is a reinforcement of her belief that the sexes are different, and even when they don’t seem to be (a husband and wife both like the same television program, for example, but he enjoys it for the action, she for the sexy leading man), in truth their agendas and perceptions are widely divergent, more than ever. To demonstrate her view of marriage, Stevenson adopts a casual, easy, free verse style, one that is relaxed and light. The words are simple and straightforward, and the situation is commonplace and routine. Underneath, of course, it is a different story, as the subject matter – the differences between the sexes, and how these differences can be overcome – is neither easy nor commonplace. And while she uses the couple’s awkward brushing of body parts to personify this subtext, even this is muted. However, her choice of illustration is highly effective, and she doesn’t need to cloud the issue with excessive metaphor or lofty language. In fact, her technique actually apes her point of view. The mundane act of a man and woman trying to sleep comfortably together is profound, as it not only acts as a representation for the larger compromises that couples must make, but is on its own special and meaningful. By keeping it simple, Stevenson demonstrates the comple x and universal. Anne Stevenson, unlike the never-married Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop (who she is often compared to), has been wed four times. Since 1987 she has been with the Darwin scholar Peter Lucas, and no doubt in those seventeen years she has learned a thing or two about compromise. Her poem â€Å"Marriage† perfectly captures the disparities between men and women, and the contortions that must be performed to unify the two. Marriage, relationships, love, etc., are wondrous, unique things, as are men and women themselves, but they are also universal. Couples must compromise to survive, sometimes in big ways, sometimes in small ones. But all of these compromises are significant, and all of them make us human. Stevenson’s poem, like marriage itself, is both incredibly simple and tremendously complicated. Her basic, straightforward words could not be more profound. Bibliography Hickling, Alfred. â€Å"Border Crossings.† The Guardian Unlimited. 2 Oct. 2004. Stevenson, Anne. Poems 1955-2005. Northumberland: Bloodaxe Books, 2005.

Hong Kong Education Essay

The pre-school education voucher scheme was launched by the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in September 2007. The scheme was meant to introduce reforms in education in efforts to promote good early childhood education as the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning (Education Department, 2000). Based on this scheme, every parent who has a child aged between 3 and 6 years should be given a voucher worth $13,000 every year (HKU Faculty of Education, 2008). Out of the $13,000, $10,000 can be used by the parents to pay tuition fees in the kindergartens. The remaining $ 3000 should then be used for the professional development of the teachers in pre-school institutions. The pre-school education voucher should be used under certain conditions. These conditions are, that the voucher should not be used for generating profit, pre-school institutions such as kindergartens must make sure their accounts are open for inspection, the school must attain the set Education Bureau benchmarks within 5 years based on the pre-school quality of education, and tuition fees need to be under $24,000 for half day and $42,000 for full day programs per student, per annum. Due to the restrictions that accompany the pre-school education voucher scheme in Hong Kong, stakeholders in the education sector have shown concern for the impact of the imposed restrictions. This has resulted to a debate that has involved the government and the stakeholders. Since its introduction in the 2007/2008 years, the voucher scheme has been very important for parents with children attending kindergartens. The scheme has provided parents with direct fee subsidy and this has eased their financial burden. It is estimated that a total of 820 kindergartens which represents 85 per cent of the total number of kindergartens in Hong Kong have joined the scheme. In addition, 117,000 pupils are enjoying the benefits from the pre-school education voucher scheme fee subsidy. Since 1997, pre-school institutions in Hong Kong experienced reforms that considered internal effectiveness in schools to be important (Vickers, 2003). According to the Hong Kong government, the implementation of the voucher scheme is an indication of its commitment and support to pre-school education. In addition, the schemes are a positive response to the demands that have been made by the kindergarten principals and teachers. This has become possible through the financial support that the schemes provide for the professional development of the teachers and the principals. It is very important to note that the primary objective of the pre-school education voucher scheme in Hong Kong is to provide parents with direct fee subsidy. It is estimated that over 80 percent of the total number of kindergarten teachers have managed to obtain the Certificate of Early Childhood Education(C (ECE)). Some teachers have enrolled in the courses or have managed to obtain qualifications equivalent to (C (ECE)). To evaluate whether the voucher scheme has been successful in achieving its objectives, the Education Bureau (EDB) in Hong Kong continues to conduct Quality Review studies. By May 2009, the Education Bureau is estimated to have conducted survey on more than 320 kindergartens. The government of Hong Kong acknowledges that pre school teachers experience pressure at work and they need to develop in their profession. The scheme is considered to be one of the ways through which the teachers’ professional development can be promoted. Impact of the Pre-school education voucher scheme on teacher’s professional development Teachers at pre-school institutions have shown their full commitment and dedication to education in Hong Kong . One of the ways through which the pre-school education voucher scheme has impacted positively on the teacher’s professional development is by trying to reduce the workload of the teachers and the principals. Since one of the primary objectives of the scheme is to promote professional development of the teachers, the Education Bureau has continued to enhance communication between the school administration, teachers and other stakeholders in the sector (Andrew, 2008). This has resulted to efficient and continuous implementation of programs that are aimed at improving the teachers’ professional development. The quality review mechanism that has been adopted by the Education Bureau ensures that school self evaluation is done to encourage continuous improvement in education and the teachers professional development. Teachers have been concerned about the pressure at work that results from the quality review done by the Education Bureau as well as the work load at school. However, the quality reviews that are supported due to the implementation of the pre-school education voucher scheme have promoted professional collaboration between teachers. Pre-school education in Hong Kong has for a long time been provided by the private sector and non-profit making institutions. This demands that all pre-school institutions such as kindergartens to be well placed in a manner that the market forces are used to determine the teachers’ salaries at discretion. The launch of the pre-school voucher schemes has increased financial resources for the kindergartens and schools’ management activities (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, 2007). In addition, these resources have been used to finance efforts that aim at providing a working environment that attracts and retains qualified and well performing teachers. The financial resources injected by the voucher scheme have also been very vital in facilitating the payment of good salaries to the teachers. These benefits have acted as a motivation for the teachers to improve their skills and abilities hence their professional development (The Education Bureau, 2009). The Hong Kong government has reaffirmed its commitment in promoting high quality education at the pre-school level by encouraging schools or kindergartens to provide the teachers with qualification allowances. Research studies that have been conducted to determine the impact of pre-school voucher schemes in Hong Kong show that over 52 per cent of parents, principals and teachers agree that the scheme is a fair policy that promotes excellence in early childhood education. The teachers satisfaction with the scheme has been due to the opportunities the schemes have offered to them to improve their professional skills. Teachers consider the voucher scheme to have a positive influence on the schools and their staff. By improving the quality of education offered at the kindergarten, it has become necessary for teachers qualifications to be improved. This has played an important role in the teachers’ professional development. A large number of parents with children in pre-school institutions assert that the schemes have promoted the qualifications of the teachers as well as the improvement made on the school facilities. The schemes have encouraged teachers to pursue higher education or to undertake more education courses. At the pre-school level, extra curricular activities are very critical for children development and learning (Sweeting, 1990). Teachers compliment learning in class by extra curriculum activities. By participating in the coordination and implementation of extra curricular programs in school, the teachers’ ability to lead and teach is improved. The voucher scheme has increased financial resources to be spent for the extra curricular activities in school. By being involved in the activities, the teachers’ professional ability to use the activities in educating the children is improved. By September 2008, about 30% of teachers at the pre-school level had enrolled and attained good qualifications after enrolling for (C (ECE)) courses which are recommended and supported by the Education Bureau. The pre-school principals who are also teachers have had an opportunity to pursue higher education . For example, about 61 per cent or a large number of principals have been enrolled to undertake the Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (B Ed (ECE). A program to certify the qualification of the principals were put into place in January 2008 . By March 2009, about 300 principals who served in the pre-schools had taken a certification course. For continuous professional development in the teachers, many kindergartens have adopted teacher development subsidy (TDC) to offer the teachers’ school based training programs. The pre-school education voucher scheme provides support services that are offered to develop language skills, cognitive abilities and physical development in children. Teachers gain from this by being engaged in creating a good learning environment, proper children learning, portfolio planning as well as curriculum planning and organization. Being engaged in these activities has been vital in improving the professional skills of the teachers when it comes to planning for good learning at school (Bray and Koo, 2005). The Hong Kong Education Bureau participates in promoting the teachers professional development under the voucher scheme by commissioning a professional training course for their principals. By improving the principals’ leadership and management skills, the teachers are able to get good guidance and effective leadership that relate to the teacher’s work (Ranson, 2003). The principal training course is characterized by an offshore programme and provides an on-spot consultative visit to the principal who participates in the course. About 130 principals are estimated to join the training programme. The principals have given positive feedback about the benefits of the programmes. To support the implementation of the pre-school curriculum revised guide, the Education Bureau organizes professional development programmes which relate to school based curriculum knowledge, leadership, curriculum management and pedagogical knowledge in various areas of learning. This effort has promoted the professional development of the teachers through capacity building. Transparency in pre-school institutions has been promoted by the requirements set by the Education Bureau when it comes to the management of the financial resources . The resources provided by the scheme promote the smooth running of the schools, good remuneration for the teachers and provide a good learning environment. These have gone a long way to increase accountability of the principals and the teachers and this has motivated teachers to embrace good values that are important in professional development. Some of the questions that have been raised about pre-school voucher schemes in Hong Kong is whether the schemes can minimize the overall work pressure on the teachers and improve the staff ratio. The pre –school education voucher schemes have promoted professional upgrading for both the principals and the teachers. For those who serve at PEVs-NPM-KGs, a teacher development subsidy is provided in each voucher. The subsidy is utilized for teacher training and development courses. Furthermore, the teachers and the principals who serve in non PEVs-NMP-KGs can claim a reimbursement from the Education Bureau to cater for up to 50 percent of the fees for a degree or diploma course that has been approved in early childhood education. By the year 2011/2012, all teachers serving at pre-school level are expected to have obtained a certificate in Early Childhood Education (LegCo panel on education, 2009). This together with the demand by the scheme that all kindergarten principals who are appointed from 2009 to have a BEd (ECE) have encouraged teachers to pursue higher education. In addition, the requirement for principals to have a one year post qualification experience and a certification course has encouraged principals and teachers to get engaged in professional development activities and programs. All kindergartens under the scheme have put into place measures that ensure there is continuous professional development by providing school based training programmes under the teacher development subsidy program. Areas of school work that are covered include children’s’ development, learning and teaching, management and organization, and children and school culture support. The quality reviews carried out by the Education Bureau assists the teachers to invest their energy and time in professional development as a way of promoting sustainable school improvement. For example, local non-profit making schools starting 2012-2013 will be able to redeem the education voucher if they are able to meet the prescribed standards of the Quality Review framework (Education Department, 2007). The requirements specified in the Education ordinance (Cap 279) ensures that teachers’ professional development can occur when they meet the set educational standards. The first batch pf 130 Quality Review planned visits began in the 2007-2008 school year (Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, 2008b) and an increase in ratio of graduate teachers in 2008/2009 has raised the professional standards and status of the teachers. The Quality Review Framework promotes transparency and accountability in schools which promotes a culture that is good for professional development of teachers. The Hong Kong government is committed and dedicated to the improvements made in education and the professional development of teachers. The development and implementation of the Pre-school Education Voucher Scheme in Hong Kong is one of the ways through which the government has managed to improve the quality of education and to promote professional development in teachers and principals. High quality education at the pre-school level can be attributed to the pre-school education voucher scheme, classroom inspection and quality reviews in schools. In conclusion, the pre-school education voucher scheme has been promoted through the 2007/08 school year Training Activity, Teacher Development plan for 2008/09 school year, Four-year Teacher Development plan and the professional upgrading of Kindergarten principals and teachers.

Techne A True Art, Craft, or Discipline in Rhetoric

In philosophy and classical rhetoric, techne is a true art, craft, or discipline. The plural form is technai. Its often translated as craft or art in the sense of being a learned skill that is then applied or activated in some way. Definition and Context Techne, says Stephen Halliwell, was the standard Greek word both for a practical skill and for the systematic knowledge or experience which underlies it (Aristotles Poetics, 1998). It differs from a similar concept, episteme, in that it is concerned with applied expertise (making or doing something) as opposed to passive understanding or musing. Unlike Plato, Aristotle regarded rhetoric as a techne: not only a skill for communicating effectively but a coherent system for analyzing and classifying speeches. See Examples and Observations below. Also see: ArgumentArtistic ProofsEpistemeHeuristicPraxisProofRhetorical CanonsSophistrySophistsWhat Is Rhetoric? EtymologyFrom the Greek, art or craftsmanship. The English words technical and technology are cognates of the Greek word techne. Pronunciation: TEK-nay Alternate Spellings: technà © Examples and Observations [R]hetoric is techne in the fullest sense: the activity it performs is not only cognitive but also transformative and practical as well. It does not limit itself to conveying neutral, sterilized facts (that would be docere), but its aim is to carry away the audience; to produce an effect on them; to mold them; to leave them different as a result of its impact.(Renato Barilli, Rhetoric. Trans. by Giuliana Menozzi. University of Minnesota Press, 1989)In fact, techne and ars referred less to a class of objects than to the human ability to make and perform ... the issue is not about the presence or absence of a word but about the interpretation of a body of evidence, and I believe there is massive evidence that the ancient Greeks and Romans had no category of fine art. (Larry Shiner, The Invention of Art. University of Chicago Press, 2001)Logon Techne as Argument SkillsThat both Plato and Aristotle use the expression logon techne as an equivalent to rhetorike to refer to the art of speec h has led scholars such as W.K.C. Guthrie to project the same usage back to the fifth century [BC]: The rhetorical art was also known [among the Sophists] as the art of the logoi (1971, 177). However, the expression logon techne appears very rarely in the fifth century, and when it does, it has a broader meaning than Rhetoric. . . . The sophistic tract Dissoi Logoi or Dialexeis (hereafter Dialexeis) explicitly refers to logon techne, but in that context the skill is described as distinct from the abilities to plead ones court-cases correctly and to make popular speeches. Thomas M. Robinson aptly translates logon techne in this passage as argument-skills. Accordingly, if logon techne in Dialexeis is the art that is the object of Platos critique, it is clearly much broader than what would later be defined as Rhetoric.(Edward Schiappa, The Beginnings of Rhetorical Theory in Classical Greece. Yale University Press, 1999)Platos Phaedrus[I]n the Phaedrus, Plato suggests that the ability t o adapt arguments to various types of people is central to a true art or techne of rhetoric. The speaker must discover the kind of speech that matches each type of nature.(James A. Herrick, The History and Theory of Rhetoric, 3rd ed. Pearson, 2005)Aristotles Rhetoric- The Rhetoric is the earliest extant example of a complete techne, or art, of rhetoric. Aristotles major contribution to rhetoric was his systematic and thorough treatment of invention--the art of finding the available arguments in a given case. . . . While Aristotle may have borrowed some of these proofs from other rhetoricians, he was the first to combine them into a systematic treatment of available argumentative strategies.(Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee, Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students, 3rd ed. Pearson, 2004)- The early sophists used techne to describe the knowledge they purveyed; Protagoras described his instruction as a political techne; Isocrates, Aristotles contemporary, also referred to his instru ction as a logon techne, or art of discourse. After Platos bifurcation of techne into the true and the sham, however, Aristotles classification of art in the domain of productive knowledge was one of the last and most serious treatments of techne as a model of knowledge.(Janet M. Atwill, Rhetoric Reclaimed: Aristotle and the Liberal Arts Tradition. Cornell University Press, 1998)

What Is a Minor Sentence in English

A fragmented, elliptical, or incomplete sentence or clause that still conveys meaning. Also called a minor clause, an abbreviated clause, or a sentence fragment. There are several types of minor sentences and clauses in English. These include exclamations and interjections (for example, Wow and What the hell), aphoristic expressions (Like father, like son), answers to questions (Not right now), self-identification (Mary here), imperatives (Go!), and vocatives (You over there!). As shown below, minor sentences are used more often in speech and tweets than in formal written English. The use of the term minor to describe this sentence pattern in English has been attributed to both Leonard Bloomfield (Language, 1933) and Eugene Nida (dissertation, 1943; Synopsis of English Syntax, 1966). Examples and Observations: Thats the grub signal. All out for breakfast. First come, first served.One of his sons suddenly turned his head and exclaimed, Hullo! What is that? He dived through the door and I heard him shout. Fire! Fire! We crowded after him pushing our way past the buffaloes.Minor Sentences at the Market[O]ften purchases may be made entirely with the use of minor sentence types: How much for these? Fifty cents a dozen. Too much. How about these over here? Well, how much for them? Forty cents per. All right. A few sprigs of parsley too, then? Okay. Thanks. Good-bye.Stylistic AdviceNot all sentences contain verbs; completeness is not dependent on the presence of a finite verb. Grammarians do, however, put sentences without finite verbs in a special category of their own. They call them minor sentences. To return to the matter in hand and What an absolutely perfect day! are, like Yes! and Really? minor sentences.Minor Sentences and Illocutionary Force[M]inor clauses which function independently ma y have illocutionary force, . . . as can be seen from the following two examples of minor clauses from the dialogue, to which we add an example of a moodless -ing clause:Simon here. (minor clause)Fantastic! (minor clause)Minor Sentences in TweetsA decision also has to be made about how to handle minor sentences (yeah, wow, hey, haha, etc.), which are a noticeable feature of Twitter data. Presumably elements such as lol, omg, btw, smh, and emoticons should be classed as minor sentences, even though some etymologically represent something more complex (laughing out loud, scratching my head). These appear in 25 tweets (17 percent) and are a major feature of the style of some tweeters, who can introduce three or four in a single message:haha yea thats the best language to speak lolIn all, 36 tweets (25 percent) incorporate minor sentences of one kind or another. Sources Samuel Hopkins Adams,  The Harvey Girls. Random House, 1942 Wilfred Thesiger,  The Marsh Arabs. Longmans, 1964 Eugene A. Nida,  A Synopsis of English Syntax. Walter de Gruyter, 1973 Angela Downing and Philip Locke,  English Grammar: A University Course. Routledge, 2006 David Crystal,  Internet Linguistics: A Student Guide. Routledge, 2011

Political Duties And Moral Obligations - 1518 Words

Essay One I Abbie Humphreys declare that I have neither received nor given any unauthorized assistance on this assignment. It’s a difficult thing to decide whether one’s moral obligation should take precedence over civil duty, or vice versa. As both of these aspects of life are vital to the smooth running of society, though it can be said that there are moral â€Å"grey areas† where we can believe that we are more right and more just than the law. In these readings our main characters all believed they were above the law, and that their moral obligations were more important from a justice viewpoint leading them to trouble from the law. This does not mean that political duties are always at odds with moral obligations, in a sense political duties to comply with our own moral obligations with the exception of some grey areas. In this paper I will argue that political duties and moral obligations do comply with each other, while our civil duty of being law abiding citizens s hould come first. In Antigone, she decides to go against the new law that King Creon declares against the burial of the traitor, Polyneices. Polyneices is Antigone’s brother who attacked the city of Thebes with the Argive army causing the war, Eteocles his brother kills him and is also killed in the process, the King gives Eteocles a hero’s burial but denies an appropriate burial for Polyneices. Antigone decides to do what she believes is morally just over what is lawfully right and gives Polyneices aShow MoreRelatedTypes of Utilitarianism1211 Words   |  5 Pagesutilitarian approach to moral obligation is different; its proponents are John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham. There are two types of utilitarianism: The act utilitarianism and the rule utilitarianism. But Critics of utilitarianism have claimed that the moral theory is capable of accounting for the stringency of certain kinds of moral obligation such as promissory obligations. However, Sartorius (1969) asserts that act utilitarianism claims that features of moral obligation are based upon retrospectiveRead MoreWhy Political Obligation Can Not Be Grounded?1187 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Political Obligation Cannot be grounded in Benefits since Most Citizens Never Ask to Receive Such Benefits† – Discuss To have political obligation is to have a duty to obey the laws of one’s country or state. The benefits that may result in political obligations can include security, welfare and infrastructure. The benefit theory for obligation has many criticisms besides the idea that â€Å"most citizens never ask for them† and I am going evaluate this theory alongside what I argue to be the reasonRead MoreShould Laws Always Be Obeyed?981 Words   |  4 PagesShould laws always be obeyed? I regard the law as standing under legally enforceable duties to one another. In all fields of law, the emphasis is ever on duty, be it agreed duty, as in a contract, or imposed duty, as in a tort or a crime. Legal obligations upheld by the social contract may limit people’s liberty but do so only in ways necessary to yield benefits for all. The ‘rule of law’ governs the conducts between people and arguably serves the greater interests of all participants in a legalRead MoreThe Ethics Of Non Voluntary Active Euthanasia1050 Words   |  5 Pagesdeontology suggest duty and obligation. A medical professional in such situations have an obligation to fulfill the patient s wishes. The nature of their obligation does not sway based on what they personally think. Patients with dementia have some moments of clarity, but because their brains are still deteriorating, non- voluntary active euthanasia should still be permissible under these conditions. In the theory of deontology, it is defined as â€Å"the focus on the duties and obligations one has in carryingRead MoreJean Jacques Rousseau s Principle Of Governing1391 Words   |  6 Pagesrights of its population. In this system, education is a right, and duties include military service, obedience to the one party in charge of the continent, and the sense of civic responsibility means upholding the ideal of equality across the entire spectrum of society. This cross-examination will show that even in vastly differing landscapes of political economy and civil society, the principles of balance between civic rights, duties, and responsibilities follow measurably similar patterns. The basisRead MoreMoral Responsibility797 Words   |  4 Pages(A) of the core moral responsibility This is done by P. Pula Li (Peter Pratley)proposed. Pula Li believes that the same as the implementation of quality management, companies also accept the moral responsibility of the concrete. at the lowest level, the enterprise must take three responsibilities: (1) concern for consumers, such as the ability to meet the ease of use, product safety And other requirements; (2)concern for the environment; (3) interest on the minimum working conditions. Platts theseRead MoreWhistleblowing1148 Words   |  5 PagesWhile many of us can see the criminal and political ramifications of whistleblowing there is still one area that can often be seen as a more personal one†¦that of the ethical debate. As stated in Lars Lindblom’s article Dissolving the Moral Dilemma of Whistleblowing, â€Å"The ethical debate on whistleblowing concerns centrally the conflict between the right to political free speech and the duty of loyalty to the organization where one works.†2 The political philosophy of John Rawls that can be appliedRead MorePolitical Ideals And Ideology : Take Home Test 1991 Words   |  4 PagesKorede Kazeem 7707916 Political ideals and ideology Take home test 1 Do we have a political obligation to obey the law? We have a political obligation to obey the law in our society , this belief is backed up by the justifications of fairness, consent, utilitarianism, and morality, but the most compelling arguments found for the justification of why we should obey the law are consent, fairness and morality, Utilitarianism. Although there are many justifications for why we should obey theRead More Democracy and Political Obligation Essay4061 Words   |  17 PagesThe public life of political servants is characterized by other duties and obligations than private life. Conflicts can even arise between a persons public and private duties. The central point of this paper is to examine whether this difference of duties can be regarded as an effect of different forms of obligation. Can we speak of a particular form of political obligation in the same way in which Kant distinguishes between ethical and legal obligation, the former pertaining to intentions and theRead MoreHobbes And Locke s Political Legitim acy1530 Words   |  7 PagesIn defining political legitimacy, many theorists put forth a distinct set of values that frame their view on the authorities’ right to rule and citizen’s obligation to follow. Theorists such as Hobbes and Locke, both of their account on political legitimacy might look quite similar at first glance, because each theorized about the nature of mankind and the right political systems that would meet the needs of individuals. However, in Hobbes’ perspective, political authority does not pre-exist in individual’s

My Proof of Theism Free Essays

Introduction to Philosophy 200 Spring 2008 My Proof of Theism Jenny Wiggins In this essay, I plan to give proofs that defendtraditional theism. Traditional theism is defined by E. K. We will write a custom essay sample on My Proof of Theism or any similar topic only for you Order Now Daniel in his essay, A Defense of Theism, as: â€Å"there exists a being, God, who has all of the following attributes: God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), supremely good (omnibenevolent), infinite, eternal, a being who possesses all perfections, transcendent to the natural universe, but the creator of the universe (Daniel, p. 259). † I find it ironic to prove theism in philosophy class. Even Greek philosophers believe in a higher power. The question that is not always agreed upon is which or what higher power to believe? That being said, since there are views that refute theism, I will also take some of these arguments and try to find their weakness. The first classical argument that I will put forth to argue the existence of God is the first cause argument also known as the cosmological argument. This argument simply says that everything has a cause, so if we proceed backwards to find every cause,we would never be able to stop. This is unintelligible. For one to think about it rationally there must be a first cause, a cause that in itself is uncaused. This uncaused being we will call God. Therefore, God exists. The first cause argument proposes that the universe is finite, which means it is limited, and to think of it as infinite would be unintelligible. It also says that the universe is contingent, by stating that each thing in it has a cause. Since the universe could not have caused itself, there must something uncaused that caused the universe. Daniel reformulates the first cause (cosmological) argument this way: P1: Everything in the universe is finite. P2: Whatever is finite is limited. P3: Hence, whatever is limited cannot be the cause of its own existence. P4: Everything in the universe is contingent. P5: Whatever is contingent is dependent on something else for its existence. P6: Hence, whatever is contingent cannot be the cause of its own existence. P7: The totality of things making up the universe is also finite and contingent. P8: Thus, the totality (universe) must also have a cause for its existence. P9: Since it cannot be the cause of its own existence, the cause must be something external to the universe. P10: That is, since the universe cannot contain the reason for its existence within itself, the reason for its existence must be something external to it. P11: Hence, there must exist an infinite and self-subsistent (non-contingent) being who is the cause of the universe. P12: Unlike that which is finite and contingent, such a being must exist necessarily. P13: Such a being is commonly called God. Conclusion: Therefore, there exists an infinite, necessary, and uncaused cause – God (Daniel, p. 68). A question to this argument may be: Do the attributes of finite and contingent, referring to the universe, necessarily need an uncaused being to have created its existence? The very definitions of finite and contingent rationally conclude, yes. If the claim that an infinite sequence of causes was untrue the universe would possibly not exist at all, because if even one of those causes were taken out all succeeding causes would cease to exist. I would also like to take a look at another classical argument which is the design argument also known as the teleological argument. The design argument says that the universe is created in such a way that everything is designed and adapted for a purpose (Daniel, p. 261). The fact that the universe and everything in it seems to be put there in an orderly fashion with things working together in order to give purpose and produce a means to an end, suggests that there was a maker. Consider my argument in defense of the teleological argument below: P1: If we examine an automobile of any kind, we can see that each part has a purpose and design. P2: We can also see that there is an order and complexity. P3: We find that the parts are arranged in such a way that they will operate together in order for us to drive the automobile. P4: This is certainly evidence of rationality and design. Conclusion: Hence, there exists a rational being that designed and brought the automobile into being. Daniel defends the teleological argument by reformulating it in this way: P1: Look out at the universe and the things within it. P2: The universe also shows evidence of design and purpose. P3: We detect orderliness and intricacy. P4: More importantly, we find purposiveness: a marvelous adaptation of means to ends. P5: An example of such purposeful adaptation is the existence of two sexes for the end of procreation or the structure of the eye for the end of seeing. P6: All this is also evidence of rationality and design. P7: Hence, there must exist a rational being who designed and brought the universe into existence. Conclusion: That is, there must exist a Cosmic Designer –God (Daniel, 269). An objection to the teleological argument could be: This earth is not well made; there are plenty of things that do not have adaptation of means to ends. An explanation for this is even though it seems that something does not have purpose for one reason or another it does, but we cannot understand it. Yet another objection may be can we hypothesize that in order to have something of an intricate design that there had to be an intelligent maker? The answer would be yes because a designer cannot make something intelligent by not being so himself. Last but not least I would like to look at the moral argument. This argument states that people have a sense of moral obligation, a feeling to do what is good and right, coming from outside of them. There is no explanation for the sense of completemoral obligation that a person feels other than there is a moral law giver transcendent of the universe. Therefore, such a moral law giver, God, must exist. Human needs and behavior do not explain the complete sense of obligation to do what is right or moral (Daniel, p. 261). Take for example the missionaries sense of obligation to do whatever is in their power humanly and spiritually to help others that they do not even know. The missionaries may possibly risk their very own lives by entering a violent situation just by feeling a complete moral obligation to do so. Another example may be of parents that forgive a murderer who has murdered their only child and they are unable to conceive a new child. These instances are examples of the moral argument. Our doing of good works and deeds by complete moral obligation that is felt to come from outside of ourselves at the forfeit of our own happiness makes no sense unless there is something outside of this universe that compels us to do so, I believe that that compelling force is God. An objection to the moral argument would be: Couldn’t our parents have simply brought us up to do what is morally right? It is not a sense in that one can be taught but a complete sense that will not fail. The decision we make may go against what we are taught as children. I will now take a look at the problem of evil which is most frequently used in the argument against theism. In H. J. McCloskey’s essay, God and Evil, he states the problem in this way, â€Å"Evil is a problem for the theist in that a contradiction is involved in the fact of evil on the one hand, and the belief in the omnipotence and perfection of God on the other. God cannot be both all-powerful and perfectly good if evil is real. † An argument can be formulated to disprove the existence of God in the following way: P1: God is a being that is both all-powerful and perfectly good. P2: An all-powerful being could eliminate all evil. P3: A perfectly good being would eliminate all the evil it has the power to eliminate. P4: Evil exists in the world. P5: Therefore, there is no being that is both all-powerful and perfectly good (McCloskey, p. 328). An argument that would refute the problem of evil is as follows: P1: Evil is necessary to appreciate goodness. P2: Evil is unreal. P3: Evil is necessary for the goodness of the world. The world is made better by the evil in it. P4: Evil is not due to God but to man’s misuse of the free will that God gave him (McCloskey Hick, 332 347). With regards to the latter of these two arguments one might think of the analogy of having something that you think is not good, losing it, and then realizing that what you hadwasn’t so bad in the first place. Most people learn lessons from the hardships that they face in life and go on to live an even better life. Man does not always make the most rational decisions in his life and those bad decisions usually have consequences. This is no evidence that there is not an all-powerful and perfectly good God. K. D. Ellis refutes theism in his essay, Why I Am an Agnostic, on the grounds that there are no good reasons, meaning no reliable empirical evidence or sound rational arguments, to believe that there is a God (Ellis, p. 296). He suggests that the classical arguments that are stated in Daniel’s essay, â€Å"may offer some support for the plausibility of the belief in a god, but they are not sufficiently strong enough to compel our assent to the conclusion that a god exists. † He also says that there is no knowledge in the statement, God exists (Ellis, p. 297). However, Ellis also refutes atheism because of the philosophical atheist’s main arguments flaw which is as follows: P1: There is no good reason for anyone to believe that God exists. Conclusion: Therefore, God does not exist. This way of arguing is an argument of ignorance. To say I know what you mean by the ideal of God as a transcendent entity, but, he does not exist. This argumentis fallacious. This is Ellis’ reason for refuting atheism (Ellis, p. 298). Ellis instead makes his stand with agnosticism, because there are no good arguments for God’s existence or refuting God’s existence. Both claims cannot be trueas he states, â€Å"I have tried to show that we cannot know which is true. † Therefore, he takes the position of traditional agnosticism (Ellis, p. 301). How to cite My Proof of Theism, Essay examples

Understand Human Charecteristics On Numbers †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Understand Human Charecteristics On Numbers. Answer: Introduction The poem, A Word on Statistics is written by a Nobel laureate polish poet Maria Wis?awa Anna Szymborska. This poem is an analysis of human characteristics based on numbers. The numbers mentioned in the poem are the actual statistical data. The poet has asked questions from her point of view on human characteristics and conducted a survey on one hundred people. The aim of this essay is to analysis the main theme of the poem, which is human mortality. The essay will also demonstrate the other elements presented in the poem, like symbolism, conflict, tone, repetition, imagery to support its main theme. Discussions The central theme of the poem is human mortality. Every human being may have varied characteristics though everyone is mortal. This is the permanent character of every human life. This is the only unchangeable characteristic of human. The poet has illustrated this point at the end of the poem. She has conducted a survey on one hundred people. She has shown that certain amount of people carry certain characteristics. The first three lines can be an example to support this statement, like, Out of every hundred people, / those who always know better: fifty-two (Theatlantic.com). The statistical number fifty-two is representing the characteristics of people who know things better than the rest. The rest of the amount that is the number of forty-eight people are, Unsure of every step (Theatlantic.com). However, at the end of the poem the poet has fixed a universal character of the human being, which is mortality. Here, the number one hundred has completed a circle where no variation is al lowed. Mortality is applicable for each human being. No one can alter this characteristic. The last stanza of the poem is the portrayal of the main theme: mortal: one hundred out of one hundred- / a figure that has never varied yet (Theatlantic.com). The poem has used numbers as symbols to represent the variety of human characteristics. The numbers have worked as a portion of a whole; the whole is applicable for all and the portion represents different characteristics of different human being. For example, according to the poets statistical data the forty-nine out of one hundred people are Ready to help, / if it doesnt take long (Theatlantic.com). The number forty-nine could be poets imagination, as she believes that four or five people are always good in any situation as their characteristics are like that. They cannot be an alternative of their goodness. However, the number four or five are the symbolization of good people, which is a fraction of a whole. Eighteen out of hundred people could be able to praise other people without being jealous. More or less than sixty people are led to mistakes influencing by the youth. The seventy-seven people carry characteristics of persistent dismay as if they co-exist with constant fear. I n this manner, the poet has shown the method of symbolization of numbers. The different amount of numbers represents different human characteristics. However, each number symbolizes a constant character of the human life, which is death. The poem, A Word on Statistics is representation of conflict between variable and non-variable characteristics of life. Apart from death, everything is variable in humans life. The conflict has started at the beginning of the poem with an agenda of survey. The poet wants to conduct a survey on characteristics of human life. There is projection of different numbers showing different characteristics. The conflict, which is related to different numerology on human lifes characteristics, has continued throughout the poem. These are all the variable factors of life. The factors vary according to the context. Like, twenty-some-odd at most are capable of happiness or thirty people could be very much materialistic. They get nothing out of life except things (Theatlantic.com). The numbers vary with the features of human nature. The only non-variable characteristic is death. Human life is bound by death. The conflict between variable and non-variable has been resolved at the end of the poem wh ere the poet announces that mortality is the only characteristic of human life, which no one can alter. The tone or attitude of this poem is to reach a truth of life. The truth of human life is that they are the mortal being. Their life has a beginning as well as an end. The end is declared by the death. No one can escape from this reality. The poet, Maria Wis?awa Anna Szymborska has proven this truth by showing a statistical calculation. The calculation has reached its completion when the poet has concluded at the end of the poem with the limitation of human life. The limitation is defined by the death. The poet has stated that out of hundred people each one is a mortal being. There is no variation of this rule. The poet has used different types of imagery throughout the poem. In stanza eight, the poet has compelled the reader to imagine that someone is constantly watching from their back. The stanza eight is, Living in constant fear of someone or something, which means that the poet has used imagery of someone is continuously watching to hurt. Out of hundred, seventy-seven people are suffering from this constant fear. Imagery also has been used in stanza ten. The word clouds is represented for crowd. The stanza ten is, Harmless singly, savage in / clouds / -Half at least (Theatlantic.com). Here the possible imagery is that a person who wants to perform brutality towards something or someone hides in crowd where one can hide his or her identity. The poet has used clouds as an imagery to depict crowd. At least half the number of total people is Harmless singly, savage in / clouds (Theatlantic.com). Repetition, a literary device has been used in this poem by continuously stating a number of possible human characteristics that he might possess. The number of people out of one hundred people who possess the characteristics follows it. The repetition has occurred throughout each stanza of this poem. The number and the possible human characteristics have been repeated in recurrence. Conclusion It can be concluded by stating that A Word on Statistics is a poem that shows human characteristics based on the statistical data. However, every human possess characteristic of mortality. This is the final statement of the poem. The poet has contributed to the statistics by calculating the human nature. The final word of the poet is that every human life is bound by death. References Theatlantic.com. "A Word On Statistics - 97.05."Theatlantic.Com, 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/unbound/poetry/antholog/szymbors/stats.htm.