Goyas Folly of the Carnival essays

Goya's Folly of the Carnival essays Francisco de Goya has been called the father of modern art. He believed that the concept of artwork overpowered the need to cater to a particular style. Near the latter years of his life, he was made deaf from an illness that resulted in a grim and satirical view on life. Within his piece Folly of the Carnival, all these characteristics become evident. Folly of the Carnival is an etching and aquatint carved sometime in the early 19th century. Although in black in white, the vivid colors of the figures costumes seem to pop out due to their detailed fabric and stylized poses. The pieced is bathed in a dark and gloomy atmosphere as onlookers in the background observe five men engaged in some sort of frenzy. An intense gaze between two figures moves us into the piece. With their eyes only inches apart, it creates a tension that can not be ignored. The background displays a dark and faded crowd staring as an audience at the spectacle before them. The viewer is then pulled in as one of those spectators. The figures in the fore ground are standing in almost a photographic snapshot pose. They are caught in the midst of an action. The two figures in the center are standing with feet together and legs bent with almost perfect symmetry. While two figures on the most left side seem to be pulling the man back or possibly grabbing each others backsides. The left edge is activated as the left most figure is poring into the scene. The man an the right side is standing with observation atop a casting shadow that moves to the left. He stands isolated either in pause or rest from the action. A cloaked figure walks inattentively away from the scene. His silhouette casting boldly from the sky. Almost like in a brawl or drunken rage, a man lay on his back covered in a shroud of darkness also blending in with the spectators as if knocked out and no longer belonging to the mischief at hand. Here consists no buildings or lines of...

10 Steps to Writing a Succesful Book Report

10 Steps to Writing a Succesful Book Report A book report should contain the basic elements, but a good book report will address a specific question or point of view and back up this topic with specific examples, in the form of symbols and themes. These steps will help you identify and incorporate those important elements in a process that takes three to four days. How To Write a Book Report Have an objective in mind, if possible. Your objective is the main point you want to argue or the question you plan to answer. Sometimes your teacher will offer a question for you to answer as part of your assignment, which makes this step easy. If you have to come up with your own focal point for your paper, you may have to wait and develop the objective while reading and reflecting on the book.Keep supplies on hand when you read. This is very important. Keep sticky-note flags, pen, and paper nearby as you read. Dont try to take mental notes. It just doesnt work.Read the book. As you read, keep an eye out for clues that the author has provided in the form of symbolism. These will indicate some important point that supports the overall theme. For instance, a spot of blood on the floor, a quick glance, a nervous habit, an impulsive actionthese are worth noting.Use your sticky flags to mark pages. When you run into any clues, mark the page by placing the sticky note at the beginning of the relevant line. Mark everything that piques your interest, even if you dont understand their relevance. Note possible themes or patterns that emerge. As you read and record emotional flags or signs, you will begin to see a point or a pattern. On a notepad, write down possible themes or issues. If your assignment is to answer a question, you will record how symbols address that question.Label your sticky flags. If you see a symbol repeated several times, you should indicate this somehow on the sticky flags, for easy reference later. For instance, if blood shows up in several scenes, write a b on the relevant flags for blood. This may become your major book theme, so youll want to navigate between the relevant pages easily.Develop a rough outline. By the time you finish reading the book, you will have recorded several possible themes or approaches to your objective. Review your notes and try to determine which view or claim you can back up with good examples (symbols). You may need to play with a few sample outlines to pick the best approach.Develop paragraph ideas. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and a sentence that transitions to the next paragraph. Try writing these first, then filling out the paragraphs with your examples (symbols). Dont forget to include the basics for every book report in your first paragraph or two. Review, re-arrange, repeat. At first, your paragraphs are going to look like ugly ducklings. They will be clunky, awkward, and unattractive in their early stages. Read them over, re-arrange and replace sentences that dont quite fit. Then review and repeat until the paragraphs flow.Re-visit your introductory paragraph. The introductory paragraph will make the critical first impression of your paper. It should be great. Be sure it is well-written, interesting, and it contains a strong thesis sentence. Tips The objective: Sometimes it is possible to have a clear objective in mind before you start. Sometimes, it is not. If you have to come up with your own thesis, dont stress about a clear objective in the beginning. It will come later. Recording emotional flags: Emotional flags are merely points in the book that bring about emotion. Sometimes, the smaller the better. For example, for an assignment for The Red Badge of Courage, the teacher might ask students to address whether they believe Henry, the main character, is a hero. In this book, Henry sees lots of blood (emotional symbol) and death (emotional symbol) and this causes him to run away from the battle at first (emotional response). He is ashamed (emotion). Book report basics: In your first paragraph or two, you should include the book setting, time period, characters, and your thesis statement (objective). Re-visiting the introductory paragraph: The introductory paragraph should be the last paragraph you complete. It should be mistake-free and interesting. It should also contain a clear thesis. Dont write a thesis early on in the process and forget about it. Your point of view or argument may change completely as you re-arrange your paragraph sentences. Always check your thesis sentence last.

Competition and business risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Competition and business risk - Essay Example Being a multinational company, Company H has eight other competitors in the market considering the fact that its market spreads across four economic zones of North America, Africa, Europe, Latin America, as well as Asia Pacific. Over the fourteen years, I had the biggest challenge and responsibility of making strategic decisions each year to enhance sustained profitability in addition to expanding the company niche in the market. Among other areas where strategic decisions were necessary included branded production and distribution decisions, corporate social responsibility, plant capacity, sales forecasts, marketing and other promotional activity decisions, private label operations, endorsement of celebrities, and most importantly, financial decisions (Goldratt, 1997, p. 63). At the end of each year over the fourteen years, four features served as the yardstick applied by the board to evaluate my performance. They included Earnings per share, credit rating, return on equity, and image rating. To me, it was clear that the operational performance of the company directly influenced these four significant performance measures. Therefore, it was my responsibility to oversee effective running of all operational activities within company H. Assessment of the PESTEL gives insights of company H currently, a position achieved under my guidance. This analysis will allow proper understanding of various factors within the macro environment that influence daily operations of the company. The relevance of evaluating PESTEL is that it brings forth a bigger picture of the environment within which Company H operates as well as opportunities and threats occurring within the same macro environment. Knowledge of the external environment within which the company runs business helps the management on behalf of the company take advantage of opportunities availing themselves and cut down threats posed by external factors. I understood clearly the five force

Federal Reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Federal Reserve - Essay Example The prevailing outlook over the next couple of months is definitely bleak, and it seems the only way out of it is for the government to launch a stimulus plan to revive the floundering economy. There have been widespread calls for the government to stop these cuts, as these bargain basement policy rates are highly detrimental to the overall economy. Noted professors from Harvard University and big money management houses are imploring the central bank to stop these cuts, as these merely fuel inflation and help boost the prices of basic commodities. However, not all is lost on the nation's fiscal policy as there remains as lone bright spot. The weaker dollar has contributed greatly to stabilizing the economy and holding the fort while all havoc breaks loose. A much weaker dollar coupled with a growing global market has cushioned and reoriented the country's economy by boosting corporate profits. Excluding oil and other basic commodities, the country's fiscal situation is not as bad as it looks on paper. Even with that given, the fact still remains that it is the skyrocketing prices of commodities such as oil which serve as the primary culprit in this economic rut. Usually, whenever the country is in an extended recession the prices will cooperate and go down accordingly.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay Loyalty and duty is one of the main themes in A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens examines this theme on many different levels, looking at both the loyalty and duty involved in the characters personal relationships and their loyalty to certain causes or beliefs. Many of the characters in the book make great sacrifices due to loyalty on a national level or personal level. Lucie Manette shows great dedication and loyalty to her father, Dr. Manette. Though she once believed she was an orphan, when Lucie meets with her father she is unable to part with him. She looks after him and as the golden thread is able to bring him back to health and lovingly take care of him thereafter. Miss Pross, her nursemaid tells Mr. Lorry how Lucie had to persevere and showed tremendous devotion when she was nursing her father back to health He gets up in the dead of night She hurries to him and they go on together until her love and company have brought him to himself. (p94) She even says she is willing to avert her marriage plans despite her love for Darnay because she loves her father and does not want to leave him If my marriage were so arranged as that it would part us I should be more unhappy and self-reproachful now than I can tell you. (p180) Lucie sees it her duty as a daughter to look after Dr. Manette and throughout the book she demonstrates her loyalty to him She had been true to her duties. She was truest to them in the season of trial, as all the quietly loyal and good always will be. (p264) Lucie also shows loyalty when her husband, Darnay is imprisoned. Throughout his imprisonment, Lucie goes to stand outside the prison for two hours each day hoping that her husband will be able to see her. In all weathers she waited she never missed a single day. She is also loyal to Carton who professes his love for her. She makes sure that he is welcome in her home and that he is treated with respect despite his reputation and bad habits. She tells Darnay to Remember how strong we are in our happiness, and how weak he is in his misery!. At the end of the book Carton sacrifices his life in order to save Darnay. Lucie honours him even after his death by naming her son after him. Darnay himself shows loyalty to his old steward, Gabelle. Gabelle is imprisoned in France due to his relationship with the Evrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½monde family and he so he writes to Darnay appealing to his Justice, honour, and good name. (p233) Darnays sense of duty and responsibility forbids him to turn his back on Gabelle or on his country. He is unaware of how dangerous it will be for him in Paris and idealistically, he even believes that he may be able to calm some of the violence. Eventually, like a ship may be drawn to the Loadstone Rock, he decides to go to Paris and fulfil what he believes is his duty. Miss Pross is brusque, tough, and fiercely loyal to Lucie, her Ladybird. Mr Lorry admires her for being so humble and for adoring Lucie so much that she would do anything for her. He talks of Miss Pross being One of those unselfish creatures who will, for pure love and admiration, bind themselves willing slaves, (p92) At the beginning of the book, Miss Pross says that she will never go abroad If it was ever intended that I should go across salt water, do you suppose Providence would have cast my lot in an island. (p30). However, when Darnay goes secretly to France and Lucie hears of his imprisonment, Miss Pross accompanies her to France. She overcomes her fear of travelling out of loyalty to Lucie. At the end of the book, Miss Pross shows extreme courage and devotion to Lucie when she faces Madame Defarge to stop her discovering that Lucie is fleeing France. I dont care an English Twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you here, the greater hope there is for my Ladybird. (p352) Miss Pross then starts a violent fight with Madame Defarge though she had Never struck a blow in her life and when a pistol accidentally is shot and kills Madame Defarge, Miss Pross is deafened for life. The fight between these two women shows how Miss Pross was stronger in her loyalty to Lucie than Madame Defarge was in her hatred- love, always so much stronger than hate. (p353) Miss Pross also remains loyal to her brother even though he had previously stolen all of her money and left her. She says that Solomon was the one man worthy of Ladybird (p92) and that he Had the makings in him of one of the best and greatest men in his native country. (p284) The revolutionaries in France prove that a new, fairer French republic can only be achieved with heavy and terrible costs. Personal loves and loyalties must be sacrificed for the good of the nation. When Darnay is arrested for the second time, the guard who seizes him reminds Manette that state interests should be held above personal loyalties. If the Republic demands sacrifices from you, without doubt you as a good patriot will be glad to make them. The Republic goes before all. (p281) Defarge shows courage and loyalty to the revolution when he tries to give a petition to the King At the hazard of his life, darted out before the horses with the petition in his hand. (p163) However, Madame Defarge thinks her husband weak when he pities Doctor Manette and does not want Darnay or Lucie to be killed. If it depended on thee- which happily it does not- thou wouldst rescue this man even now. (p326) Dr. Manette is loyal to his dutiful daughter Lucie. Even when Charles tells him that he is part of the French aristocratic family who caused his long imprisonment in the Bastille, he allows Charles to marry her. Though the shock of this discovery causes a relapse of his old mental state, when he recovers he accepts the marriage of Lucie and Charles for his daughters happiness. Mr. Lorry is extremely loyal to Tellsons Bank. He agrees to go to the bank in Paris even in the midst of the revolution to make sure it is safe. If I were not prepared to submit myself to a few inconveniences for the sake of Tellsons, after all these years, who ought to be? (p226) He describes himself as a man of business and even when he is almost eighty years old, he risks his safety and goes to Paris just to ensure the safety of the bank. Jerry Cruncher tells his wife what he thinks is her duty. A mothers first duty is to blow her boy out. Mr. Cruncher does not like his wife praying because he thinks it affects his work as a grave-robber. You have no more natural sense of duty than the bed of this here Themes river has of a pile, (p156) However, he shows loyalty to Mr. Lorry and to the Manettes when he tells Carton that Roger Cly was not dead as he had not been in his grave when he went to dig it up. Cruncher puts his position at risk when he gives away his secret career. The French aristocracy show a lack of duty and loyalty. They treat the people of France extremely badly. When the Marquis St. Evrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mondes coach runs over a child he thinks that tossing a coin to the father is enough compensation. Monseneigneur shows no loyalty to his family. When he wanted some money he married his sister to a rich man, treating her like an object rather than a sister. Dr. Manette sees how cruel the Evremendes were when he has to look after the dying lady whom they had taken from her husband on her wedding night. The sacrifice of Sydney Carton is an example of tremendous loyalty to Lucie and her family. Carton loves Lucie so much that he willingly gives up his life to save her husband, Charles Darnay. For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. Carton single-handedly thinks up a plan and arranges that he replaces Darnay at the guillotine. Cartons love for Lucie eventually makes him a better person, knowing that he will save Darnay radically changes him, For the first time in many years, he had no strong drink. (p324) Even Mr. Lorry notices the change in him His manner was so fervent and inspiring, (p330). For the first time Carton feels like his life may have a purpose and could be useful Of little worth as life is when we misuse it, (p322)Cartons loyalty to Lucie is extremely important for him, in choosing to die for her, Carton not only enables their happiness but also ensures his spiritual rebirth. It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done, it is a far, far b etter rest that I go to than I have ever known. (p361) We can see through all these characters how important loyalty and duty is. For some people like Carton and Miss Pross, it provides a purpose in life. For others such as Dr. Manette, Lucie and Darnay, duty is what they feel is the right thing to do. Overall, Dickens shows us that duty and loyalty can make you a better person and that sometimes sacrifice is necessary to achieve happiness or to produce something good.

Fichtes Theory of Individuality :: Philosophy

Fichte's Theory of Individuality THEME Fichte’s Wissenschaftslehre lends itself as apparently no other philosophy of mind to the extraction or extrapolation of a theory of individuality. Moreover it proves possible to marry the key concepts on which my essay concentrates to current neurophysiological thinking on how memories are laid down and retrieved. Accordingly it is those nuptials that this essay attempts to perform. PART I The world in my mind The student of Descartes might be brought up short by Fichte’s ‘revision’ of the cogito statement: â€Å"I am I†. Soon it becomes apparent that this ‘I’ does not think: The primordial, absolutely unconditioned first principle of human knowledge . . . is an act (‘Tathandlung’) which does not and cannot appear among the empirical states of our consciousness, but rather lies at its basis and alone makes it possible. [I,91] Thus begins his effort to â€Å"complete† Kant’s system; for although the old man growled â€Å"God preserve us from friends like these†, it cannot be denied that the Critiques *presuppose* a fully-formed mind and may therefore be said to have turned a blind eye to some mandatory prior midwifery. Fichte’s solution conceives of the ‘Ich’ as essentially an act — as an amorphous consciousness brimful with psychic energy seeking instantiation as a finite thinking being. Unlike the cartesian self, the fichtean ‘Ich’ is initially a self in abstracto [I, 96 & 97], the principle of activity in all purity and lacking all predicates [I, 110]. Accordingly what the ‘Ich’ can experience in this state is nothing remotely akin to the cogito, but rather a freudian ‘oceanic feeling’ of limitless being. From this emerges the desire to ‘posit’ itself, which can mean nothing other than a striving for self-consciousness. Thus, The pure self-reverting activity of the Self is a striving . . . This boundless striving, carried to infinity, is the condition of the possibility of any object whatsoever: no striving, no object. [I, 262]. Echoes of Goethe’s apophthegm, â€Å"Im Anfang war die Tat†, itself a sovereign mind’s correction of the evangelical â€Å"In the beginning was the word†. Agency precedes the self-consciousness which commands words. But an ‘Ich’, wanting to become a ‘Self’, needs correlation to an ‘Other’. Activity, whether mental or physical, necessarily implies the existence of a correlated external reality in relation to which we think and act and which comprises the theatre where these relational activities are enacted.

Analysis: Decision Making In Kava Essay

Decision making is one of the important and crucial aspects in running a business that business executives delegate to their subordinates, in the hope that those they think are qualified to make sound decisions indeed make very good decisions that will always be for the best interest of the company. Decision making is a privilege, but it is nonetheless a difficult task that cannot be avoided. Because of its importance and the difficulty that goes along with decision making, professionals over time managed to draft certain decision making techniques that can help those who find themselves in a great difficulty over the inability to produce a decision making process that will guarantee the providing of the best result possible for a particular business scenario. Decision-making technique to identify the solution – There are several business models of decision making techniques that anyone can utilize; there are no perfect techniques for decision making, what is important is that the person manages to identify the technique that suits his or her needs best. For the case that is being tackled in this paper, the decision making technique which will be utilized is the Measured Criterion technique. What is the Measured Criterion technique? In the Measured Criterion technique, the individual will have to create a table or matrix wherein important goals as well as options to attain the goal(s) is/are identified to allow the person/organization making the decision to look at the goal and the options they can take and decide which option they will resort to. Why is the Measured Criterion the ideal decision making technique for the particular case being discussed in this paper? It is the ideal decision making technique for this particular case because the Measured Criterion style will allow Nik and Alex to plot and identify the particular goals that they need to accomplish so that they can achieve their ultimate goal – to act as catalysts in the island so that their company can have a greater and broader business presence in Kava. These particular goals will definitely open up options for both Nik and Alex, and when there are two persons deciding, there is a very good chance that they may not opt for the same course of action. But through the use of the Measured Criterion, every option is designated with a numerical equivalent that suggests the range and probable efficacy, practicality, comfort and other aspects and characteristics of a particular option, from which the decision will be based. This information will be used on how the decisions and options are considered and weighed. For example, Part 1 of Nik’s planning involved the human resources part. For example, during the decision making process on whether Nik and Alex should advice its head office on hiring Kava local’s to work for the company when its expands its operation and presence in the island, the decision can be based after consulting the Measured Criterion chart, which would reflect points represented in numerical significance – what are the points for opting for hiring locals and the probability that they will stay long and loyal to the company compared to using non-locals to work in Kava and the corresponding level or chances that these particular type of employees will stay long and loyal in the Kava office of the company? Having identified these issues and other issues involved in the decision making task of Nik and Alex necessary to accomplish the goal delegated to them by their company, there is a better guarantee that the option they will take are considered very well and that there are minimized chances that Nik and Alex left something out unintentionally. Steps in decision making – Following the guidelines necessary to undertake the Measured Criterion technique for decision making, the steps towards decision making of the company so that it can achieve its goal in Kava will include the following steps: identification of the course of action needed to be taken, identification of the existence of alternatives and wide variety of options present for every step or action to be taken, the providing of the necessary data and points consistent with the style of Measured Criterion so that every action that presents many different options will reflect the best and worst possible option for the company to take, and lastly, the deliberation on whether the best option as reflected in the Measured Criterion tables should be taken first en route to the actualization of the business plan. During the process of decision making to attain the goal of having the business expand in Kava, Nik will have to identify key information to aid his decision making and provide information in the measured criteria table for further deliberation and consideration. This is important since there are what Luo consider as â€Å"international expansion imperatives† that act as â€Å"building blocks on which a wide variety of international expansion strategies, decisions, and policies are based. They are imperatives because they cannot be unlinked from the decision making process during international expansion (Luo, 1999, p. 6). † Decision making technique analysis – Why is the Measured Criterion selected and used as the decision making technique to assist in the goal of Nik and Alex to undertake the creation of a business plan that will allow their company to grow in Kava? As explained in Virtualsalt. om about how Measured Criteria works, this particular decision makin g technique can help the task at hand (which is the planning of the company on how to have a greater business presence in Kava) by providing a way in which the target goals for the accomplishment of the business plan is already laid out and the corresponding alternatives and options of the company are weighed correctly. Nik, who is an important player in the effort of the company to expand in Kava, needs to be equipped with a decision making technique which would allow him to be able to sort things out and plot the objectives and goals he needs to accomplish, identify his options and plot the strengths and weaknesses of each and every option so that he can pick the best option, use it and contribute to the overall efforts of him and Alex in the achieving of the company’s business goal in Kava for which Nik was sent there for. The Measured Criterion can provide Nik with the style that will enable Nik to efficiently and systematically sort things out. The situation in Kava, with all the confusion that was illustrated in the case scenario, will take its toll on Nik’s ability to focus his mind and his thoughts, and using the Measured Criterion will help offset the negative impact of the messy surroundings in the place. Don Aslett, in his book The Office Clutter Cure, points out that â€Å"a poorly kept workplace makes everyone tense† and that â€Å"too much stuff around is distracting (Aslett, 2005, p. 20). Proposed Solution – The proposed solution for the expansion of the company in Kava includes the implementation of a business action plan that includes human resources, marketing and business strategy. The company should consider the hiring of locals and consider the socio economic and socio political impact of this action to the locals and the government of Kava, including ensuing empathy and support and stabilization of the company; the company should also realign its business strategy so that it will suit the diversity in culture and the heterogeneity of the people present in the island which will be affected in many different ways by the business; the company should also consider the logistics that the company will have to shoulder and address should the company expand operation and business presence in the island, with a back up study on the financial impact of such logistics adjustment on the overall performance of the company; and lastly, the company should plot a timeline to allow themselves the opportunity to measure the positive yield and impact this move will make to the company, so that in the event that the move is deemed as unproductive or lacks promise financially an d business-wise, appropriate remedies can be set up and implemented to cover losses and redirect expansion actions by the company. Examining the decision making model – The use of the Measured Criterion will work well in this particular condition with one consideration in mind: that both Nik and Alex make honest appraisals and put corresponding numerical symbolisms of the importance of each item presented in the matrix. Toney explains that â€Å"other researchers have shown conclusively that the most common reason for organizational failure is flawed decision making† (Toney, 2002, p. 21), and the only way for Nik and Alex to avoid having a flawed decision making is to make sure that the decision making process is free from personal agenda and other politics that go against the best interest of the company. As in the use of any decision making technique, the absence of honesty and objectivity in the part of individuals make human error a significant factor. If Nik uses the Measured Criterion in a way that there is a controlled outcome in numerical value because Nik wants the outcome to correspond with his personal wants and desires (i. e. to leave Kava since Nik expresses dislike in the island), the credibility of the Measured Criterion and the decision that was reached is jeopardized, as with the use of any other decision making technique so long as there is an effort to manipulate the outcome.

Aquinas’ and St. Anselm’s Proofs of the Existence of God

It is generally understood that people that are nonbelievers in God would never believe in the philosophies of the believers with regard to His existence. Nevertheless, there have been a number of important philosophers who have sought to prove the existence of the Almighty by thought alone. According to these philosophers, the presence of God may be understood by reason. Throughout the ages of humanity, believers have claimed to have felt the presence of God. All the same, there is no room for personal proofs in the philosophy of religion. St. Thomas Aquinas was a believer in God, who proposed five ways to know God. The first way of proving God’s existence, according to the philosopher, is by means of observing motion; that is, everything in movement throughout the universe should prove to us that there is a Prime Mover of all things. This way of proving God’s existence is similar to the argument of the creationists who assert that everything that we observe must have a Creator, just as all things that are man-made have originators. On a similar note, the second way of knowing God according to St. Thomas Aquinas is by understanding that all effects have causes; and so, there must be a First Cause of everything. The third way of proving the existence of God is by observing that everything in the universe is â€Å"possible to be and not to be;† so therefore, there must be an Essential Existence without which the existence and nonexistence of other things are meaningless (The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, 1920). This proof is intricately tied to the earlier proofs, including the current argument of the creationists. St. Thomas Aquinas describes it thus: The third way is taken from possibility and necessity, and runs thus. We find in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, since they are found to be generated, and to orrupt, and consequently, they are possible to be and not to be. But it is impossible for these always to exist, for that which is possible not to be at some time is not. Therefore, if everything is possible not to be, then at one time there could have been nothing in existence. Now if this were true, even now there would be nothing in existence, because that which does not exist only begins to exist by something already existing. Therefore, if at one time nothing was in existence, it would have been impossible for anything to have begun to exist; and thus ven now nothing would be in existence — which is absurd. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something the existence of which is necessary†¦ This all men speak of as God (The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas). St. Thomas Aquinas also writes that everything that is necessary must have been made necessary by something else. However, there must be something that is necessary in and of itself. Furthermore, this entity of necessity must cause other entities to believe in its necessity. This is the meaning of God, according to the philosopher (The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas). The fourth proof proffered by St. Thomas Aquinas is similar to Plato’s concept of Forms. The philosopher believes that there is a ranking in place throughout the universe (â€Å"Thomas Aquinas and the Five Ways,† 2000). One person may be better than the others. Given that we compare attributes of people and things to rank them reveals that there must be â€Å"something which is truest, something best, something noblest and, consequently, something which is uttermost being;† in short, something that is Supreme in comparison with the rest (The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas). The fifth way of proving the existence of God is exactly the same as the argument of creationists in our times. St. Thomas Aquinas discussed intelligent design with the philosophy that everything in the universe serves a special, intelligent purpose that has been designed by the Creator. This proof is based on the assumption that everything around us is essentially unintelligent – except God, of course (The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas). In fact, all five proofs of God’s existence proffered by St. Thomas Aquinas may be said to revolve around the intelligent design argument. St. Anselm was another believer like St. Thomas Aquinas who proved the existence of God by reason alone. Yet, the ontological argument proffered by St. Anselm is the simplest. Instead of five proofs of God’s existence, St. Anselm offered only one, that is, God is that beyond which there is no greatness that we can conceive of (â€Å"St. Anselm’s Ontological Argument,† 2008). But, St. Anselm’s argument also rests on five logical points. The following is the argument with its corollaries: (1) God is that than which no greater can be conceived; 2) If God is that than which no greater can be conceived then there is nothing greater than God that can be imagined; Therefore: (3) There is nothing greater than God that can be imagined; (4) If God does not exist then there is something greater than God that can be imagined. ; Therefore: (5) God exists (â€Å"St. Anselm’s Ontological Argument†). The gist of the above argument is the very definition of God’s existence, according to St. Anselm. This definition – â€Å"God is that than which no greater can be conceived† – is different from all proofs of St. Thomas Aquinas (â€Å"St. Anselm’s Ontological Argument†). Moreover, it is a reasonable proof, similar to St. Thomas Aquinas’ statements about God’s existence. After all, it is easy to suppose that God must be that beyond which we can conceive of no greatness. Besides, nobody in the history of humanity has ever claimed to be greater than God. Even if someone were to claim that he or she is greater than God, it would be impossible for the majority of humans to believe in the claim, seeing that God would not compete with the claimer as in a debate. With our limited perceptions, we are unable to see God, and neither could we imagine something or somebody that must be greater than God. If we cannot find anything that is greater than God, the Almighty must be Real, according to St. Anselm. Even so, the essential argument of the philosopher does not answer the beliefs of the atheists that perhaps there is no greatness in the universe, as everything is equal. Similarly, St. Thomas Aquinas’ arguments are refuted by the atheists who proffer proofs of the evolution theory of Charles Darwin to contradict the existence of God. According to the atheists, the proofs of St. Thomas Aquinas and the ontological argument of St. Anselm could be refuted because they are based on basic beliefs of the people rather than universal facts. The truth that St. Thomas Aquinas believes in the First Cause of everything means nothing for the disbelievers in God, who might claim that there is nothing to precede anything except in the evolutionary cycle that everything must go through, that is, things evolve one from another without a Prime Mover or First Cause. As a matter of fact, there is no argument to bridge the gap between the claims of believers and disbelievers in God. For as long as we know the difference between truth and falsehood, there would be arguments. The claims of each group are refuted by those of the other. It may very well be that these arguments and refutations would continue for as long as there is humanity on our planet. Seeing that God cannot be seen, and neither does He support the believing philosophers by speaking out aloud to all the rest that these philosophers are correct in their belief systems – it is possible to refute the godly thoughts of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Anselm until the end of time. Conversely, those who believe in their philosophies and do not doubt could be ones that have felt the presence of God beyond reason. In fact, believers in God may suppose that it is impossible to know God by reason alone. Given that truth cannot be turned into falsehood by argument alone, there must be a singular truth about the existence of God nevertheless. What is the truth? – In the discipline of philosophy, it is the fact that everything in the universe is not known to be confined to the realm of reason. For the believing philosophers, therefore, God is a Reason beyond reason.

Brechtian Techniques Used in Drama Essays

Brechtian Techniques Used in Drama Essays Brechtian Techniques Used in Drama Paper Brechtian Techniques Used in Drama Paper How I have used Brecht techniques and style in my performance. In my performance, my group and I have used an array of Brechtian techniques and styles to create a stylised and tasteful performance. Some of these techniques are necessary for a Brechtian piece, such as the use of gestus, play building and alienation. Some other Brechtian techniques such as the use of spazz, songs/music, montage and placards help create a greater meaning in the performance. When my group and I started our performance, we first had to come up with a strong and clear gestus. We did this by looking in the newspaper – we found many articles about young people inflicting harm on each other and juveniles involved in serious crimes. This topic struck us as a current issue that we could relate to and that we understood. We discussed this further until we all agreed that we would create a play built performance based upon how society has created the monster that is generation Y. We used this as motivation for all the other scenes or episodes that would be supporting our gestus. The play building process has been severely vital in the construction of our performance. As we improvised each idea, it was a process of trial and error to see which episodes would be included into the performance. Improvisation played a big part in the play building process because a lot of our best ideas have come from acting on impulse, and have steered us into new, sophisticated directions. Each scene we develop, the group had to take the technique of alienation into great consideration. It is so easy to forget this factor, which is absolutely vital in a Brechtian performance. After we finished or developed a scene, we all discussed how we could make the audience feel more alienated. An example of this is in our first scene when the scientist is directly addressing and talking to the audience. It makes each audience remember that they are watching a performance and it ensures that they don’t get caught up in the characters or that specific scene. This is important because the audience has to look at the bigger picture instead of getting attached to the story. To reinforce our gestus and help the audience clearly understand what we are saying, each actor in our group is wearing a nametag, such as â€Å"GEN X† or â€Å"SOCIETY†, so the audience understands our symbolism without having to think too much about it. We also are using placards for each scene to outline what we are trying to say in each episode. By getting a member of the group to change the placard, this also alienates the audience by breaking down the â€Å"4th wall†. A significant technique we have used is spazz. By displaying a scene, which is serious, and then suddenly breaking out into comical movement and dialogue, this breaks the serious moment and also helps in breaking the 4th wall. Songs and music go well with spazz. In one of our scenes, the scientist is talking to the audience about serious matters with the generations, and then each generation breaks into a comical satire song, mocking The Brady Bunch. We have combined spazz and music for this to create a fast paced performance. It is important not to have a slow and clunky performance otherwise the audience could get bored and confused about the gestus. To avoid a possibly slow performance, we have used montage. Montage also adds to making it a fast paced performance and also makes the audience think about what is being said. We contrast different war images from different wars against each other. We made sure that these images were very clear so the audience would not have try and understand what we are saying. To assist this, we are using projection and projecting the image behind us. Brecht used placards in his performances; in a way projection is a modern version of placards. It will assist us a great deal in our performance and will engage the audience. Brecht techniques have helped myself and my group in preparing and performing our piece. By using these techniques, it has assisted us in searching for a deeper meaning when creating a performance and made us think about how we can use drama to get a message across to the audience.

Changing the Constitution Without the Amendment Process

Changing the Constitution Without the Amendment Process   Since its final ratification in 1788, the U.S. Constitution has been changed countless times by means other than the traditional and lengthy amendment process spelled out in Article V of the Constitution itself. In fact, there are five totally legal â€Å"other† ways the Constitution can be changed. Universally acclaimed for how much it accomplishes in so few words, the U.S. Constitution is also often criticized as being too brief- even â€Å"skeletal†- in nature. In fact, the Constitution’s framers knew the document could not and should not try to address every situation that the future might hold. Clearly, they wanted to ensure that the document allowed for flexibility in both its interpretation and future application. As a result, many changes have been made to the Constitution over the years without changing a word in it. The important process of changing the Constitution by means other than the formal amendment process has historically taken place and will continue to take place in five basic ways: Legislation enacted by CongressActions of the President of the United StatesDecisions of the federal courtsActivities of the political partiesThe application of custom Legislation The framers clearly intended that Congress- through the legislative process- add meat to the skeletal bones of the Constitution as required by the many unforeseen future events they knew were to come. While Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution grants Congress 27 specific powers under which it is authorized to pass laws, Congress has and will continue to exercise its â€Å"implied powers† granted to it by Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Constitution to pass laws it considers â€Å"necessary and proper† to best serve the people. Consider, for example, how Congress has fleshed out the entire lower federal court system from the skeletal framework created by the Constitution. In Article III, Section 1, the Constitution provides only for â€Å"one Supreme Court and †¦ such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain or establish.† The â€Å"from time to time† began less than a year after ratification when Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 establishing the structure and jurisdiction of the federal court system and creating the position of attorney general. All other federal courts, including courts of appeals and bankruptcy courts, have been created by subsequent acts of Congress. Similarly, the only top-level government offices created by Article II of the Constitution are the offices of the President and Vice President of the United States. All of the rest of the many other departments, agencies, and offices of the now-massive executive branch of government have been created by acts of Congress, rather than by amending the Constitution. Congress itself has expanded the Constitution in the ways it has used the â€Å"enumerated† powers granted to it in Article I, Section 8. For example, Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 grants Congress the power to regulate commerce between the states- â€Å"interstate commerce.† But what exactly is interstate commerce and what exactly does this clause give Congress the power to regulate? Over the years, Congress has passed hundreds of seemingly unrelated laws citing its power to regulate interstate commerce. For example, since 1927, Congress has virtually amended the Second Amendment by passing gun control laws based on its power to regulate interstate commerce. Presidential Actions Over the years, the actions of various presidents of the United States have essentially modified the Constitution. For example, while the Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to declare war, it also deems the president to be the â€Å"Commander in Chief† of all U.S. armed forces. Acting under that title, several presidents have sent American troops into combat without an official declaration of war enacted by Congress. While flexing the commander in chief title in this way is often controversial, presidents have used it to send U.S. troops into combat on hundreds of occasions. In such cases, Congress will sometimes pass declarations of war resolution as a show of support for the president’s action and the troops who have already been deployed to battle. Similarly, while Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution gives presidents the power- with a supermajority approval of the Senate- to negotiate and execute treaties with other countries, the treaty-making process is lengthy and the consent of the Senate always in doubt. As a result, presidents often unilaterally negotiate â€Å"executive agreements† with foreign governments accomplishing many of the same things accomplished by treaties. Under international law, executive agreements are just as legally binding on all of the nations involved. Decisions of the Federal Courts In deciding many cases that come before them, the federal courts, most notably the Supreme Court, are required to interpret and apply the Constitution. The purest example of this may be in the 1803 Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison. In this early landmark case, the Supreme Court first established the principle that the federal courts could declare an act of Congress null and void if it finds that law to be inconsistent with the Constitution. In his  historic majority opinion in Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall wrote, â€Å"†¦ it is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.† Ever since Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court has stood as the final decider of the constitutionality of laws passed by Congress. In fact, President Woodrow Wilson once called the Supreme Court a â€Å"constitutional convention in continuous session.† Political Parties Despite the fact that the Constitution makes no mention of political parties, they have clearly forced constitutional changes over the years. For example, neither the Constitution nor federal law provides for a method of nominating presidential candidates. The entire primary and convention process of nomination has been created and often amended by the leaders of the major political parties. While not required by or even suggested in the Constitution, both chambers of Congress are organized and conduct the legislative process based on party representation and majority power. In addition, presidents often fill high-level appointed government positions based on political party affiliation. The framers of the Constitution intended the electoral college system of actually electing the president and vice president to be little more than a procedural â€Å"rubber stamp† for certifying the results of each state’s popular vote in presidential elections. However, by creating state-specific rules for selecting their electoral college electors and dictating how they might vote, the political parties have at least modified the electoral college system over the years. Customs History is full of examples of how custom and tradition have expanded the Constitution. For example, the existence, form, and purpose of the vitally important president’s cabinet itself is a product of custom rather than the Constitution. On all eight occasions when a president has died in office, the vice president has followed the path of presidential succession to be sworn into the office. The most recent example happened in 1963  when Vice President Lyndon Johnson replaced the recently assassinated President John F. Kennedy. However, until the ratification of the 25th Amendment in 1967- four years later- the Constitution provided that only the duties, rather than the actual title as president, should be transferred to the vice president.

Alienation from Species-being Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Alienation from Species-being - Term Paper Example He revealed that past human actions resulted in today’s independent and natural society (M Josephson, 1968). He also showed that the human actions are also responsible for shaping tension free future. According to him alienation is not embedded in the religion and minds instead it is embedded in this materialistic world. To him alienation means loss of control especially over labour. Like all other creatures, Humans need to work for their survival in this world. Marx gave us four elements of alienation and species being is one of that. Labour produces poverty for workers but it is miracle for rich people. The capitalism has submerged the ability to work collectively and created the class division. For gaining profit we are deliberately destroying our nature for example the cheapest techniques of production results in acid rain which is harmful for ozone layer. In the same way when capitalist increases his production to gain profit he is unconsciously lowering the rate of profi t for his class. In this race the production is more than demanded and as a result the workers were in loss. The product is owned by capitalist that’s why workers are alienated from the product they manufactured (H Braverman, 1974).

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Article Review - Essay Example Further on, the stages of the discipline development are discussed. Key words: public intellectuals, sociology, American version of the discipline, Canadian version of the discipline. Key Points The main impact on the development of sociology in Canada was made by the French and English versions of sociology presented by different researchers and scientists, who tended either to French language or to English language. The body of the article comprises opinions of the Canadian researchers on the historical context and recent developments in the discipline of sociology. With regard to the approach chosen by the authors (conceptual, polemical, empirical or historical research approaches), their considerations about the public sociology in Canada differ. The main point of concern for the researchers in the field of sociology is the place of the field in the public sphere. Burawoy’s position is presented as the inspiring approach to sociology, because he presents his dialogue on a global level. Moreover, Jeff Cornier is another leader of his sociology field vision representation. Basically, it is clearly positioned in the article that there is a need for intellectuals in Canada to communicate more on the social level, following the example of public intellectuals in the US.