Socraric Method Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Socraric Method The Socratic Method of philosophy is basically a series of question leading to an answer. In order for this method to work though, two conditions must be met. The first one is that the interlocutor has to say what he believes. The second is that the answers must be kept short. Here is a classic example of how this method works. It is a dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro. The thesis is What is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious. Next Socrates gets Euthyphro to agree to the following points. The first point is that piety and impiety are opposite. The next point is that the gods are in a state of discord. The next is that they are in discord over what is just and what is unjust. They have no set unit to measure it by. The next point is that the different gods consider different things to be just and unjust. From there he goes on to agree that some things are both just and unjust. Finally, he agrees that some things can be both god loved and god hated. The same things would then be both pious and impious according to the argument above. The way that this argument relates to the rest of the Euthyphro starts back at the beginning of the story. Socrates sees Euthyphro standing by the courthouse and naturally asks why he is there. Euthyphro explains that he is the prosecutor in a murder trial. It turns out that it is his father that he is prosecuting for the murder of a murderer. He laments to Socrates that his family and friends believe that his doing this is impious, but he believes that they are mistaken and this reveals their ignorance of piety. Since Socrates is Socrates, this naturally leads him to ask just exactly what piety is. This argument is the first of three arguments in the Euthyphro that try to answer the question of what exactly piety is. The next arguments are that the pious are what all the gods love, and the opposite, what all the gods hate, is the impious. The third argument is that piety is part of justice, but it is a weak argu ment and it really never gets fully explained. Philosophy Essays

Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor of the Telephone

Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor of the Telephone Alexander Graham Bell (March 3, 1847–August 2, 1922) invented the telephone in 1876 when he was just 29 years old. Soon after, he formed the Bell Telephone Company. Bell could have easily been content with the success of his invention. His many laboratory notebooks demonstrate, however, that he was driven by a genuine and rare intellectual curiosity that kept him regularly searching, striving, and always wanting to learn more and to create.   He would continue to test out new ideas throughout a long and productive life. This included exploring the realm of communications as well as engaging in a wide variety of scientific pursuits that involved kites, airplanes, tetrahedral structures, sheep-breeding, artificial respiration, desalinization, water distillation, and even hydrofoils. Fast Facts: Alexander Graham Bell Known For: Inventing the telephoneBorn: March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, ScotlandParents: Alexander Melville Bell, Eliza Grace Symonds BellDied: August 2, 1922 in  Nova Scotia, CanadaEducation: University of Edinburgh (1864), University College London (1868)Publications: A founding member of the  National Geographic Society, he helped launce Science magazineAwards and Honors: Albert Medal (1902), John Fritz Medal (1907), Elliott Cresson Medal (1912)Spouse: Mabel Hubbard  (m.  1877–1922)Children: Elsie May, Marian Hubbard, Edward, RobertNotable Quote: The inventor looks upon the world and is not contented with things as they are. He wants to improve whatever he sees, he wants to benefit the world; he is haunted by an idea. The spirit of invention possesses him, seeking materialization. Early Life Bell was born on March 3, 1847, to Alexander Melville and Eliza Symonds  in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was immersed in the study of sound from the beginning. His father, uncle, and grandfather were authorities on elocution and speech therapy for the deaf. It was understood that Bell would follow in the family footsteps after finishing college. However, after Bells two other brothers died of tuberculosis, Bell and his parents decided to immigrate to Canada in 1870. After a brief period living in Ontario, the Bells moved to Boston, where they established speech-therapy practices specializing in teaching deaf children to speak. One of Alexander Graham Bells pupils was a young Helen Keller, who when they met was not only blind and deaf but also unable to speak. In 1872, Bell met Boston attorney Gardiner Greene Hubbard, who would become one of his financial backers and his father-in-law. Bell began to court Hubbards daughter, Mabel, in 1873. They married in 1877. From Telegraph to Telephone The telegraph and telephone are both wire-based electrical systems, and Bells success with the telephone came as a direct result of his attempts to improve the telegraph. When he began experimenting with electrical signals, the telegraph had been an established means of communication for some 30 years. Although a highly successful system, the telegraph was basically limited to receiving and sending one message at a time. Bells extensive knowledge of the nature of sound and his understanding of music enabled him to conjecture the possibility of transmitting multiple messages over the same wire at the same time. Although the idea of a multiple telegraph had been in existence for some time, no one had been able to fabricate one- until Bell. His harmonic telegraph was based on the principle that several notes could be sent simultaneously along the same wire if the notes or signals differed in pitch. Talk With Electricity By October 1874, Bells research had progressed to the extent that he could inform his future father-in-law about the possibility of a multiple telegraph. Hubbard, who resented the absolute control then exerted by the Western Union Telegraph Company, instantly saw the potential for breaking such a monopoly and gave Bell the financial backing he needed. Bell proceeded with his work on the multiple telegraph, but he did not tell Hubbard that he and Thomas Watson, a young electrician whose services he had enlisted, were also developing a device that would transmit speech electrically. While Watson worked on the harmonic telegraph at the insistent urging of Hubbard and other backers, Bell secretly met in March 1875 with Joseph Henry, the respected director of the Smithsonian Institution, who listened to Bells ideas for a telephone and offered encouraging words. Spurred on by Henrys positive opinion, Bell and Watson continued their work. By June 1875, the goal of creating a device that would transmit speech electrically was about to be realized. They had proven that different tones would vary the strength of an electric current in a wire. To achieve success, they needed only to build a working transmitter with a membrane capable of varying electronic currents and a receiver that would reproduce these variations in audible frequencies. Mr. Watson, Come Here On June 2, 1875, while experimenting with his harmonic telegraph, Bell and Watson discovered that sound could be transmitted over a wire. It was a completely accidental discovery. Watson was trying to loosen a reed that had been wound around a transmitter when he plucked it by accident. The vibration produced by that gesture traveled along the wire into a second device in the other room where Bell was working. The twang Bell heard was all the inspiration that he and Watson needed to accelerate their work. They continued to work into the next year. Bell recounted the critical moment in his journal:   I then shouted into M [the mouthpiece] the following sentence: Mr. Watson, come here- I want to see you. To my delight, he came and declared that he had heard and understood what I said. Other Inventions Alexander Graham Bells curiosity also led him to speculate on the nature of heredity, initially among the deaf and later with sheep born with genetic mutations. He conducted sheep-breeding experiments at his estate to see if he can increase the numbers of twin and triplet births.   In other instances, it drove him to try to come up with novel solutions on the spot whenever problems arose. In 1881, he hastily constructed a metal detector as a way to try and locate a bullet lodged in President James Garfield after an assassination attempt. He would later improve this and produced a device called a telephone probe, which would make a telephone receiver click when it touched metal. And when Bells newborn son, Edward, died from respiratory problems, he responded by designing a metal vacuum jacket that would facilitate breathing. The apparatus was a forerunner of the iron lung used in the 1950s to aid polio victims. Other ideas he dabbled in included inventing the audiometer to detect minor hearing problems and conducting experiments with what today are called energy recycling and alternative fuels. Bell also worked on methods of removing salt from seawater. Flight Technology These interests may be considered minor activities compared to the time and effort he put into making advances in flight technology. By the 1890s, Bell had begun experimenting with propellers and kites, which led him to apply the concept of the tetrahedron (a solid figure with four triangular faces) to kite design as well as to create a new form of architecture.   In 1907, four years after the Wright Brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk, Bell formed the Aerial Experiment Association with Glenn Curtiss, William Casey Baldwin, Thomas Selfridge, and J.A.D. McCurdy, four young engineers with the common goal of creating airborne vehicles. By 1909, the group had produced four powered aircraft, the best of which, the Silver Dart, made a successful powered flight in Canada on February 23, 1909. Later Years and Death Bell spent the last decade of his life improving hydrofoil designs. In 1919, he and Casey Baldwin built a hydrofoil that set a world water-speed record that was not broken until 1963. Months before he died, Bell told a reporter, There cannot be mental atrophy in any person who continues to observe, to remember what he observes, and to seek answers for his unceasing hows and whys about things. Bell died on Aug. 2, 1922,  at his estate in Nova Scotia, Canada. Other Works and Legacy Although working with the deaf would remain Bells principal source of income, he continued to pursue his own studies of sound throughout his life. Bells unceasing scientific curiosity led to the  invention of the photophone, a device that allowed for the transmission of sound on a beam of light. Despite being known for his invention of the telephone, Bell regarded the photophone as the greatest invention I have ever made; greater than the telephone. The invention set the foundation upon which todays laser and fiber optic communication systems are founded, though it would take the development of several modern technologies to fully capitalize on this breakthrough. With the enormous technical and financial success of his telephone invention, Bells future was secure enough so that he could devote himself to other scientific interests. For example, in 1881, he used the $10,000 award for winning Frances Volta Prize to set up the Volta Laboratory in Washington, D.C. A believer in scientific teamwork, Bell worked with two associates: his cousin Chichester Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter, at the Volta Laboratory. Their experiments produced such major improvements in Thomas Edisons phonograph that it became commercially viable. After his first visit to Nova Scotia in 1885, Bell set up another laboratory there at his estate Beinn Bhreagh (pronounced Ben Vreeah), near Baddeck, where he would assemble other teams of bright young engineers to pursue new and exciting ideas heading into the future. Sources Vanderbilt, Tom. â€Å"A Brief History of the Telephone, From Alexander Graham Bell to the iPhone.†Ã‚  Slate Magazine, Slate, 15 May 2012.â€Å"The History of the Telephone.†Ã‚  Google Books.infoundiscoveredscotland.co.uk, Undiscovered Scotland: â€Å"Undiscovered Scotland: Alexander Graham Bell.†Ã‚  Scotfax: Religion in Scotland on Undiscovered Scotland.A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875: The Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers. Charles Magnus.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Great Eastern Tourism Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Great Eastern Tourism Essay Great Treasure Wonder – is a vibrant bequest plan that is supreme for soaring achieving individuals. It comes with an amazing rewards and a regular payment. Apart from that, it also has partial sum terms, assured flow of cash all through policy term, rising fortification with extra amount guaranteed and finally cash bonuses. Great Cash Wonder – an endowment plan especially intended for individuals who would like to witness their investments develop in the extensive term not including the obligation of an extended best imbursement term. Great Income Plus – is a long-term monetary security and safeguard with restricted payment stage. Great EduPlanner – is an education fund especially for children. It also offers the additional benefit of protection adjacent to life’s suspicions to ensure your child enjoys a more protected tomorrow. Great Cash gain – offers a substitute technique to lay aside for your coming days and also gives you the benefit of protection against life’s uncertainties. Elite Builder – guaranteed survival benefit even for a long term which is for the future. SmartInvest Growth – Asset-linked assurance outline planned to do just with the purpose of by enhancing your protection and delicate safety net. SmartInvest Premier – a plan that gives importance on investing money through higher portion rates and Loyalty Incentives. (Great Eastern Life is Great, Product, 2012) Life Protection There are 2 types of Life protection at Great Eastern:- Great Prime Protect – a term insurance plan premeditated particularly to provide you with reasonable life insurance coverage. Great MaxiProtector – it’s an affordable entire life insurance plan that helps take care of future finances. (Great Eastern Life is Great, Product, 2012) Health Protection There are 4 types of health protection:- Smart Medic Enhancer – facilitates an individual to be better prepared in medical e mergencies. Smart Medic – the inclusive medical rider for investment-linked assurance policy. Smart Early Payout CriticalCare – investment-linked insurance rider, which pays upon premature analysis of a serious illness enclosed under this plan. Great MediCare 2 – an Overall Annual Limit that look after you adjacent to obnoxious bombshells. (Great Eastern Life is Great, Product, 2012) Life + Health Protection There are 4 types of Life + Health Protection:- Great Ideal Living – inclusive guardianship arrangement that accommodates guarantee. Great Compare Care – proffer you living, vital infirmity and mishap protection for a supple coverage period. Smart Educate Planner – so that your child may have enhanced edification chance. SmartPortect Essential – Investment-linked assurance plan with the aim of adapting to your standard of living. Supplementary Riders To improve profit on your investment-linked plan, entire life plan, tenure plan o r bequest plan. Advantages and Disadvantages of Great Eastern Mostly all the companies or organization has its advantages and disadvantages and Great Eastern is not excluded. There are many advantages that Great Eastern Company provides and it categorize in three different areas. Below are the three areas. Advantages 1-Individual 2- Group 3-Bancassurance 1-Individual Through individual, there are 3 different groups that provide advantages for the Great Eastern customers. Which is:- > Savings > Life Protection > Health Protection -Savings Ultimately, a savings plan that will astonish you with its limited premium payment terms and possibly enormous total payouts. At this moment you can knowingly upsize your savings to reach better goals in life, have a regular income stream and get better protection for you and your loved ones. The commitment is of 5 years or 10 years. (Great Eastern Life is Great, Product, 2012)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in Tourism-Related Hospitality Dissertation

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in Tourism-Related Hospitality Establishments in Beijing, China - Dissertation Example ignificance of the Study 9 1.4 Purpose and Research Questions 9 Chapter 2 – Review of Relevant Literature and Research 12 2.1 Reasons Why Customer Relationship Management is Important for Tourism-Related Hospitality Establishments 13 2.2 Information and Computer Technologies and Customer Relationship Management Systems 15 2.3 Forces that Influence Customer Relationship Management Implementation Efforts in Organisations 17 2.4 Customer Relationship Management in Restaurants 18 2.5 Customer Relationship Management in Airlines 20 Chapter 3 – Methodology / Methods Used 23 3.1 Research Approach for the Dissertation Project 24 3.2 Preparation of a Literature Review 25 3.3 Design and Administration of the Survey Questionnaire 26 3.4 Analysis of the Survey Data 27 Chapter 4 – Data Analysis and Discussion 31 Chapter 5 –Conclusions, Recommendations and Suggestion for Further Work 122 Appendix A – Survey Questionnaire 125 Appendix B – Raw Data for the S urvey 135 Bibliography/ References 146 List of Figures Figure 4.1: Histogram depicting location of Tourism-Related Hospitality Establishments from Beijing Included in the Survey 34 Figure 4.2: Histogram depicting Annual Turnover of Hospitality Establishments in Beijing 36 Figure 4.3: Pie Chart depicting Number of Employees at Hospitality Establishments in Beijing Included in the Survey 37 Figure 4.4: Histogram depicting Designation of those responding to Survey Questionnaire from Hospitality Establishments in Beijing 38 Figure 4.5: Pie Chart depicting Departmental Affiliation of those responding to Survey Questionnaire from Hospitality Establishments in Beijing 39 Figure 4.6: Pie Chart depicting Satisfaction with Efforts made for Implementation of CRM Initiatives at Hospitality Establishments in Beijing 40 Figure 4.7:... From the research it can be comprehended that it is now important for hospitality establishments from around the world to understand how best to effectively manage relationships with customers. Times are difficult, and the rapidly changing business environment is highly competitive. Thus, it makes sense to try to retain customers and to make the right impression on all those who have had a first experience with a hospitality establishment, especially for establishments serving clients combining business with pleasure who may return. It is far more expensive to try to attract new customers than to try to retain the existing and during tough and competitive times, it is best for hotels to try to ensure that its clientele remain loyal. Thus, although academic literature and practical implementations of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) do not present a clear indication about what CRM is, it is clear that to know the customers and to serve them better it is important for a hospitali ty establishment to present superior interactions and knowledge about the customer. The use of information and communications technologies with data mining for knowledge gathering is now apparent in many hospitality establishments for supporting Customer Relationship Management and formulation of management strategy. Because CRM is about getting to know customers and their needs better, it is about implementing specific Information and Communication technology projects within an organisation to process organisational data to deliver knowledge about customers and their needs.

Law of Contract Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Law of Contract Assessment - Essay Example The competency of the parties to the contract is not under question. It is implied that there exists lawful consideration and the lawful object is the plot of land. Legal position of the seller and buyer Based on the validity of the contract, the legal position derived from the contract is fairly defined in this case. The question of building construction is extraneous to the contract, and going by the facts of the case, the performance of the contract is not contingent upon the building permission. This is also strengthened by the fact that the building permission has never been applied for. The statement of Holger made during the course of conversation with Jaki, the manager of SkyReach â€Å"of course, it [building permission by the local planning department] should be no problem. As I understand it, inner city development is a top priority here† is based on the information available to him, which could not be construed as a statement of an expert by a manager in a real est ate company who is expected to be more knowledgeable in the business. The seller of a property should disclose any material defect in the property. Concealing the information would be an act of fraud. It is only Holger’s understanding, and there is no guarantee or concealment involved. Also, â€Å"the plot is restricted to ‘educational purposes’ only† cannot be treated as defect in property as reservation for various purposes is common; SkyReach could not allege concealment of information, and the contract is also not conditional on specific use of the plot. This aspect is extraneous to the contract, and Jaki had a time of one week to verify the position before entering into the contract after his discussions with Holger. Analysis The permission has been rejected on the grounds that the use of the plot is restricted to ‘educational purposes’ only.   A close analysis of the facts of the case reveals that SkyReach has applied for building perm ission as a rightful owner of the property based on the contract, which it can’t renege. Secondly, reservation of the plot for ‘educational purpose’ exists already, which the SkyReach failed to verify. Thirdly, according to the facts of the case, the sale is not conditional with reference to the purpose for which the plot could be used. The sale of real estate property is enforceable by specific performance in the event of a breach of contract. There are defenses available against specific performance which would avoid specific performance, and the only defence that could be remotely considered as an action in equity is, ‘specific performance would cause severe hardship to SkyReach’, because other defences such as misbehavior and impossibility of performance are not relevant to the case. But, defence against specific performance is not possible due to the reasons discussed under ‘Legal position of the seller and buyer’, based on the fact s of the case and analysis. In Tamplin v James,[1]  Ã‚   defendant, the buyer failed to perform in the contract of sale on the grounds that that he expected that two pieces of garden formed part of the lot, when they were in fact held by a railway company and not the vendor. In this landmark case, the court decreed specific performance for purchase of the land. The defendant’s appeal was unanimously dismissed by the Court of

Virtues of People Essay Example for Free

Virtues of People Essay Q2. Mill mentions those who object to utilitarianism on the grounds that it holds humanity to an excessively high moral standard. Why might someone make this argument? How does Mill respond to it? What is your view: Are the requirements of utilitarianism excessively demanding? Why or why not? Utilitarianism does not take into account the flaws of human nature and by doing so, holds them to a standard that can never be attained by an entire society. People grow and develop over time and environmental influences create their views of happiness. In a perfect world, everyone would be working for the happiness of all, but the world is not perfect and until we reach a point of pure harmony among all people, it will remain imperfect. Although some have found it in their hearts to live within the guidelines of utilitarianism, the fact that most of the world is based on a capitalistic free market ultimately overshadows, the â€Å"greater good† mentality. â€Å"It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be a Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. † (Cahn 95) This statement shows a complete misunderstanding of the differences in human perception. Humans do not view the world in exactly the same way and one idea of what is important can never be made universal. Take, for example, a young woman brought up in an abusive home. She has been raped by her father most of her life, forced into drugs, and is poor. As she grows up, she cannot read because she never went to school and cannot get a job because she is an illiterate drug addict. She turns to prostitution just to make money, and contracts AIDS. Her life has been completely dissatisfying and she dreams of being released from everything around her. One day a scientist approaches her and tells her he has developed a way to transfer human consciousness into a bird. He tells her that she will forget everything about being human and can live her life as that bird. What choice do you think she would make? Would she choose to be a dissatisfied human or a satisfied bird? Misery in life can make people view happiness in many different ways and you can never say what choice you would make in the above example until you have lived that life. This simple fact makes it impossible to understand the greater good. We can only assume what the greater good is. Many people living in the same society have a different assumption of the greater good. So how do we determine the best choice? One person should not have to take care of the world; they should only have to take care of their world. â€Å"The agent should aim at maximizing his or her own happiness as well as other people’s happiness. †(Cahn 108) This is a part of the response to the â€Å"No-Rest Objection† (Cahn 107), and it sounds perfectly reasonable. The problem is how to maximize happiness when everyone has a different scale of judgment. â€Å"The utilitarian would remind us, we can surely do a lot more for suffering humanity than we now are doing – especially if we join together and act cooperatively. † (Cahn 108) This statement is again reaching back to the perfect world scenario and shows a lack of understanding to that of which humans are now. Most of the world’s population feels that happiness is attained by having a successful life, not by how much money they have donated to charity. The question is what creates a successful life? Since the majority of the world is based on some type of financial system, and the only way to attain anything legally is to buy it, the greater good must be based on the distribution of money. Money allows a person to have a home, raise a family, and pay for necessities and comforts. The legal way to gain money is to provide a service that produces an income, either by owning a business or by working for someone else. Because there are only a limited amount of jobs and money, competition between people is necessary. This competition for survival is why people put more value on self-preservation than that of that greater population. Survival of the fittest is what creates a natural balance in our world and the failure to respect that could ultimately be the downfall of our planet. Propping up everyone that cannot take care of themselves could eventually lead to overcrowding and a complete lack of resources needed for survival. Teleological ethics says that we need to look at the consequences of our actions, and I believe that by trying to make everyone happy, we are ultimately creating a place that will be unhappy for all in the long-run. Utilitarianism is a generous belief system, but I do not think it looks at the world in the proper light and it does not take into account the ramifications of helping the greater good. I also do not think that the greater good mentality will ever be a norm.. Q3. Do you have to be a virtuous person to perform a virtuous action? If you do, does this present a problem for Aristotles account of how virtue is acquired? If you do not, explain how it is possible for someone who lacks a particular virtue-courage, for example-to do something courageous. Life is not static. People grow, learn, and change constantly. Every person is capable of acts that are virtuous even though they may not have displayed those behaviors in the past. A virtuous person is classified by their continuous actions, but that does not mean they are not capable of doing something that is non-virtuous. The essential trait of humanity that makes us capable of change has caused our species to become dominate. If we are capable of change then we will always be capable of acting in a way that would not be classified as normal for our everyday behavior. â€Å"Neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in use; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit. †(Cahn 115) Aristotle made the comparison of gravities effect on a rock to the presence of virtue within a human being. (Cahn 115) This comparison makes no sense because a virtuous lifestyle is learned and practiced over time. Although some are born with a natural disposition for virtuous behavior, this does not mean it is an inaccessible trait to all others. To prove that virtue is learned, we can look at a baby. Babies are selfish by nature and over time become more generous in their behavior. Although generosity may be easier to teach to some, it is still teachable to most if the parents do it correctly. Many people have grown to be virtuous; it has been proven time and time again. The fact that virtuous behavior can be seen and observed allows humans to understand the concept without actually carrying out a virtuous act. Therefore, a person may understand what to do to be virtuous but makes a choice to do otherwise. The ability to make a choice is what challenges the thought that a person can only be virtuous if they are born with a natural trait. The truth is that all humans have the natural trait for virtuous behavior because all fully capable and mentally stable humans have the ability to make choices. Although humans have the natural ability to be virtuous, the confusion comes when we try to say that virtue is a constant. A person is classified as virtuous if their lifestyle reflects the constant decision to follow a virtuous path, but a virtuous lifestyle is different from a virtuous decision. Soldiers are the perfect example. In many cases, a soldier may display fear and a lack of courage when faced with an issue in their civilian life, for example running from a fight or not speaking up when they see something wrong. However, when a grenade is thrown into a room full of their fellow soldiers, they would sacrifice their own body without thought. This is an excess and might be viewed as not fitting the definition of virtue, but in order for that soldier to become so caring and devoted to his follow soldiers you would have to understand that life inside the Army is different from life inside the civilian world. They are two separate lifestyles and therefore may lead to two different decision making processes. Most people reflect a varying combination of virtuous and non-virtuous behavior during their life. I think it would be hard to find a person on this planet that has never committed a virtuous act during their lifetime. Understanding this makes it clear that all people are capable of virtuous acts, but they may choose not to follow a virtuous path as a constant. Rules and boundaries in society actually create an environment where virtuous acts may be carried out daily. By law, it is fine to drink in moderation but drinking to the point that a person becomes a disturbance to their society can cause them to be taken to jail. This is just one example of the law forcing a person to recognize that virtuous behavior has a higher reward than lack of control. â€Å"So much, then, is plain, that the intermediate state is in all things to be praised, but that we must incline sometimes towards the excess, sometimes towards the deficiency; for so shall we most easily hit the mean and what is right. †(Cahn 119) This statement reflects and proves that no man can be completely virtuous all the time. This is because unless a man knows what is wrong, then they cannot do what is right. It also proves that every man is capable of committing a virtuous act regardless of his lifestyle. My thoughts and beliefs come from a virtue ethical point of view. I believe that there are few people in this world who, if faced with the right situation, would not make a virtuous choice. The right situation may be different, but our human character will usually shine through. At some point, even the most evil and gluttonous man will make a virtuous choice. Works Cited Cahn, Steven M. Exploring Ethics An Introductory Anthology Second Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. , 2011.

Prejudice and Racism - No Racism in Heart of Darkness Essay -- HOD Jos

No Racism in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Chinua Achebe challenges Joseph Conrad's novella depicting the looting of Africa, Heart of Darkness (1902) in his essay "An Image of Africa" (1975). Achebe's is an indignant yet solidly rooted argument that brings the perspective of a celebrated African writer who chips away at the almost universal acceptance of the work as "classic," and proclaims that Conrad had written "a bloody racist book" (Achebe 319). In her introduction in the Signet 1997 edition, Joyce Carol Oates writes, "[Conrad's] African natives are "dusty niggers," cannibals." Conrad [...] painfully reveals himself in such passages, and numerous others, as an unquestioning heir of centuries of Caucasian bigotry" (Oates 10). The argument seems to lie within a larger question; is the main character Charlie Marlow racist, and is Marlow an extension of Conrad's opinion? Achebe says yes to both notions. He points to Marlow's speech about the Thames and the Congo as revealing his view of "Africa as "the other world," the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization," and notes the description of the Africans as "limbs [and] rolling eyes," or, in Conrad's words, "ugly" (315). When they are not incomprehensible "savages" or "brutes," the Africans are farcical: "[The fireman] was an improved specimen; he could fire up a vertical boiler. [...] to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat" (109). Achebe discusses Conrad's withholding the ability of speech from the majority of the African characters. The Africans are not humanized, as the whites are, having no dimension, no tone or color save an alien black. They are never personified; Conrad refers to them as "black shapes" or "mor... ...ifferent standpoint, the story for the story's sake, much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mysteries which said nothing about society overtly at all. Unlike Mr. Doyle, Conrad's attempts to make social commentary on the pillaging of Africa immediately thrust him into the shoes of his character, and though he attempted to do good by shedding light on the matter, he made only a half-hearted attempt; not racism, merely a lack of strength of conviction.       Works Cited: Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa," from Chant of Saints: a gathering of Afro-American Literature, Art & Scholarship, Michael Harper, ed. University of Illinois Press, 1979 Conrad, Joseph Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer, 1902. Signet Classic, New York 1997. Oates, Joyce Carol. Introduction to Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer copyright The Ontario Review Inc., 1997.