Philosophy and Government Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy and Government Exercise - Essay Example They turned the study of philosophy which was the study of heavens to the study of human things. According to Socrates, human nature was the question of how best a person should live while Aristotle argued that using one’s reasoning is the best way to live. He emphasized that the best life suited to human nature involved reasoning. Humans interact in quite a number of ways as evident in different scenarios these includes, culture where by they live in large social groups. They usually interact for exchange of ideas, self expression and in organizations made up of huge cooperation’s and competing farms. Development of technology also changes the way humans relate in the sense that, in the past, we visited post offices to post birthday cards, Christmas and New Year letters to our beloved. Now that has changed to another simpler level where we just need to send an e-mail while still at home and that is all. In addition to that, we can meet our friends on their twitter and face book and get in touch instead of making arrangements on how to check on them which consumes most of out time and resources. Taking all these into account, we can brutally say that development of advanced technology has a positive effect on humans. Politics, government, language in use, Human beings should live harmoniously. They should have social, cultural, economic and political affiliations that unify them. The economic activities should allow them to get resources that they require and give out resources that they have in plenty. The social and cultural relations amongst human being should allow people to appreciate the differences in all groups of people. There should be exchange of culture through intermarriages, initiation and other rites of passage. The political interaction involves having a government that provides equality amongst all human beings. The powers vested in the government

Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Statement Essay My academic background, which has been both varied and informed by different academic settings, has seen my succeeding as a student in South Korea, Guam, and Seattle. Because of the nature of my father’s job, I have had the rare opportunity to study and to learn in a variety of different educational settings with a variety of different intellectual approaches and cultural influences. My family and I arrived in Seattle from Guam in 2003; the family’s collective goal was to relocate in order to find better educational opportunities for my younger brother and myself. Though I had taken piano lessons for many years, I decided to pursue piano as a hobby while I devoted more attention to working part-time in order to finance my studies. As a student in Seattle, I soon learned that music and psychology were my passions and my music professor truly seemed to respect my musical ability and constantly encouraged me to pursue my musical interests. Taking my professor’s advice, two years ago on Christmas Eve, a Korean woman’s association had a party to raise money for a charity organization. Needing some form of entertainment, they invited me to perform a piece of music on stage during dinnertime. I played Schubert’s impromptu op 90. Eb major. I was nervous but on the other hand I felt delighted and hoped it wouldn’t be the last performing in public and for a worthy charitable cause. Music, in sum, allows me to blend my personal passions with my academic talents in a manner that can be used to benefit society. In terms of my career goals, and my specific interest in the University of Washington, the fact is that Id like to transfer to this university because I want to learn from experts with more experience and to share my interests with peers with similar goals and aspirations. My greatest dream, is to comfort peoples’ hearts as a Music Therapist. I genuinely enjoy sharing what I have learned with everyone and I am most delighted when I sing with people while playing piano. I enjoy getting to know peoples’ minds and emotions because I have empathy and this influences my musical styles and performances. Personally, for example, I have played synthesizer in church bands throughout Korea, Guam and Seattle, and gave my time to serve as a music tutor to many students. If I’m admitted into this school, Id like to be attend in schools choir and jazz club. Sharing, both personally and academically, is the greatest way to learn and the greatest way to give back to the community/ Culture, in my view, is a manifestation of diversity. That excellence cannot be attained without diversity it seems, in the modern world, to be a rather intuitive deduction. Such a deduction is perfectly consistent with the underlying nature of any intellectually honest type of inquiry. A thesis must be formulated, tested against all of the available data, and conclusions drawn. Diversity contributes, indeed it is a necessary ingredient, for any type of rigorous analysis. Social truths cannot exist in a vacuum; truths must be tested in the real world and with real people rather than with imaginary prototypes that do not reflect the true diversity of opinion and contrary world views that reflect both our own society and the world at large. What might seem a perfectly plausible theory to one individual might seem extraordinarily unjust to another individual; a traditional approach that seems to one individual to bring the greatest good to society to another individual might threaten to socially ostracize minority opinions; and, finally, ethnocentric views inhibit academic inquiry whereas culturally diverse pools of learners break down biases and contribute to more meaningful discussions and theoretical paradigms. In the final analysis, the University of Washington is an ideal setting in which to study and shares ideas that have profound social implications As a young person already immersed in an increasingly multicultural community and world, I am especially interested in the emphasis given to multicultural approaches at the University of Washington. Such an approach, respecting and encouraging both personal development and academic development through the embrace of different cultural values and perspectives, lends itself exceptionally well to my own goals and aspirations. One of the causes of so much conflict in the world today can be attributed to a lack of effective communication that results in unnecessary misunderstandings and confusion. In reality, in my experience, people around the world have so many positive characteristics and dreams in common. People throughout the world desire peaceful environments in which to live; people desire to pursue harmonious relationships with family members and neighbors; and, most of all, people desire to avoid conflicts that are damaging in so many ways.

The Great Gatsby- Do s really love cars and money? :: essays research papers fc

The Great Gatsby- Do s really love cars and money?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Gatsby attempts to be obtain his American dream with conspicuous consumption. Fitzgerald uses symbols of conspicuous consumption in money, cars and houses to show that the American dream of wealth and possessions doesn’t necessarily ensure happiness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of conspicuous consumption is greatly exemplified in The Great Gatsby, by all of the characters being in possession of excessive amounts of property and money. Money is the get-all give-all in Gatsby’s version of the American dream. If one can obtain lots of money to impress the women, then he must have it made; Realists disagree with this mindset. ‘â€Å"[Gatsby] wants her to see his house,† she explained. â€Å"And your [Nick’s] house is right next door (84).†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Gatsby wants to display his wealth to Daisy, so she will be impressed with him. The different eggs represent the standings of people’s money. Gatsby in on the West, which is the people who don't have any real standing, even when they have lots of money. The West Egg represents the new money, or the money that was earned, not inherited. Daisy, the woman that Gatsby has always wanted, lives on East Egg. This is Gatsby displaying conspicuous consump tion towards Daisy. Not only Gatsby displays this trait, however. Referring to Mr. Wolfshiem’s cufflinks, which were â€Å"composed of oddly familiar pieces of ivory. ‘Finest specimens of human molars,’ he informed me (77).† This is a display of someone who has bought cufflinks merely for the reason of buying, using the excess money he has. This conspicuous consumption get a man nowhere but in awe of equally lost people. People who are stuck in spending money also display their level of social status with their car.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The automobile has always been a kind of status symbol in the United States. Expensive cars are associated with the possession of great wealth. Gatsby's car is described as the ‘epitome of wealth.’ Gatsby bought his car in order to convey his material success. This is the vehicle that kills Myrtle and indirectly leads to Gatsby's own . The automobile is stressed again and again throughout the story and is used in the end to prove that a dream based on materialism alone will in the end be destructive. Gatsby saw â€Å"...me [Nick] looking with admiration at his car. ‘It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport?’ He jumped off to give me a better view.

Kanye West :: essays research papers

Singer/Songwriter for this Era He may just seem like another rapper to you but if you actually listen to his lyrics you can see he’s not like any rapper out there. His name is Kanye West and he was born in Chicago Illinois. He grew up in the â€Å"ghetto† and learned to appreciate life. He didn’t learn to really, truly appreciate life until October of 2002. Driving back to his hotel late one night after a recording session, the new-coming rap/hip-hop artist was involved in a devastating, near fatal car accident. The crash left him with a broken jaw in three places and an appreciation for life. Just weeks after being released from the hospital he recorded his first major hit, â€Å"Through the Wire,† with his mouth still wired shut. He records every song like its going to be his last song and that makes every song better than the last. He’s not only a rap artist but also a producer. He has been responsible for being behind songs like Jay-Z’s Izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls, The T akeover, and 03 Bonnie and Clyde. â€Å"Through the Wire† was his first hit and it hit hard. With lyrics like: I must got a angel/ Cuz look like death missed his ass/ Unbreakable/ What you thought they call me Mr. Glass/ I look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past/ Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash/ And I still won't grow up/ I'm a grown ass kid/ So I should be like other stupid s**t that I did/ But I'm a champion/ So I turned tragedy to triumph/ Make music that's fire/ Spit my soul through the wires. Read the lyrics and you’ll see why its so universal. If you listen to the â€Å"beats† and the rhythm you’ll really understand. One of his most controversial songs came later in his career, it was titled â€Å"Jesus Walks,† many people didn’t want this song to be played but radios did it any way and so did MTV. There is one verse of the song that makes you appreciate his work: To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers, even us crippers.../(Jesus walks with them!)/To the victims of welfare feel we living in hell here, hell yea.../(Jesus walks with them!)/Now hear ye hear ye wanna see thee more clearly/I know He hear me when my feet get weary/Cause we're the almost nearly Kanye West :: essays research papers Singer/Songwriter for this Era He may just seem like another rapper to you but if you actually listen to his lyrics you can see he’s not like any rapper out there. His name is Kanye West and he was born in Chicago Illinois. He grew up in the â€Å"ghetto† and learned to appreciate life. He didn’t learn to really, truly appreciate life until October of 2002. Driving back to his hotel late one night after a recording session, the new-coming rap/hip-hop artist was involved in a devastating, near fatal car accident. The crash left him with a broken jaw in three places and an appreciation for life. Just weeks after being released from the hospital he recorded his first major hit, â€Å"Through the Wire,† with his mouth still wired shut. He records every song like its going to be his last song and that makes every song better than the last. He’s not only a rap artist but also a producer. He has been responsible for being behind songs like Jay-Z’s Izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls, The T akeover, and 03 Bonnie and Clyde. â€Å"Through the Wire† was his first hit and it hit hard. With lyrics like: I must got a angel/ Cuz look like death missed his ass/ Unbreakable/ What you thought they call me Mr. Glass/ I look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past/ Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash/ And I still won't grow up/ I'm a grown ass kid/ So I should be like other stupid s**t that I did/ But I'm a champion/ So I turned tragedy to triumph/ Make music that's fire/ Spit my soul through the wires. Read the lyrics and you’ll see why its so universal. If you listen to the â€Å"beats† and the rhythm you’ll really understand. One of his most controversial songs came later in his career, it was titled â€Å"Jesus Walks,† many people didn’t want this song to be played but radios did it any way and so did MTV. There is one verse of the song that makes you appreciate his work: To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers, even us crippers.../(Jesus walks with them!)/To the victims of welfare feel we living in hell here, hell yea.../(Jesus walks with them!)/Now hear ye hear ye wanna see thee more clearly/I know He hear me when my feet get weary/Cause we're the almost nearly

Kierkegaard and Nietzsche

There are a number of misconceptions many have regarding the philosophy of existentialism. Probably the most common misconception is the notion that it is a nihilistic, dark philosophy with a miserable outlook. This is a horribly inaccurate assessment as existentialism is really a philosophy of looking at life through a realistic lens. Of course, different people see things differently and this is why even famous, leading existentialist philosophers such as Kierkegaard and Nietzsche have diverse teaching methodologies for presenting existentialism. In order to clearly understand existentialism, one must look at some of these differences between these two existentialist philosophers.Both of these two philosophers understand that it is often perception that gets in the way of reality. That is, people will look at life their own biases and perspectives as opposed to looking at reality. Both Kierkegaard and Nietzsche understand that this inherent flaw is common among all humans and they stress that improvement of the individual can overcome this problem. Their approaches to the problem, however, lack much in terms of similarity.Probably the main difference between the two would be the notion of inward understanding vs. outward expression. For Kierkegaard, there is much internalization. That is, the individual needs to look at his or her own flaws and come to an anagnoris of that is somewhat akin to enlightenment and personal spirituality. For Nietzsche, the approach is far more humanist as the process for self improvement is found in how the person acts. That is to say, enlightenment does not come from a quasi sense of spirituality as much as it comes in personal achievement in realized goals. In a way, Nietzsche's â€Å"superman† displays who he is through his actions. For Kierkegaard, there is internal philosophizing that creates a different perspective. This, too, can change the person but without the external displays.Individualism is a very important po int for both of these philosophers. Often, existentialism is the philosophy of the self and is not concerned with collectivism. (This is one of the reasons why the philosophy is erroneously referred to as being pure narcissism) Kierkegaard, while very negative towards the notion of group think and groups, stresses that there are certain gains that can be made from within the group.This is provided, of course, that the man does not allow the group to take over his thinking. For Nietzsche it would seem there is more anger and bitterness towards the group. He has little use for collective pursuits of any kind and would prefer to shun it as opposed to Kierkegaard plays the collective for individual benefit. That is, use the flaws of the group as a guiding principle for self enlightenment.If there was any confusion present it would center on the notion that one could be self enlightened or a superman within a vacuum. That is, if you are the loner who feels â€Å"above it all† what value can that be worth if the group collective does not honor you achievements. Perhaps Kierkegaard and Nietzsche would state that whatever the group believes is worthless but most people do hope to gain value from the collective's envy. Then again, perhaps this confusion derives from rejecting some of the isolationist tendencies of existentialism. If you are not willing to completely reject â€Å"the group† then much of existentialism will prove unappealing.Once again, while the teachings of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche in regards to promoting existentialism seek the same goal, their approaches have a number of differences. Some are overt and some are subtle. Then, some are merely a matter of perception.HeideggerBut what really is the human being? While there are physical, biological and even spiritual aspects that comprise the human being most people can not put the sums together and provide a finite, conclusive answer to that very important question. Yet, it has been a ques tion posed by many existential philosophers for many years. One existentialist who sought to provide a very unique and definitive insight to what is a human being was Heidegger/ The attempts to do so are seen in his examination of Dasein. Dasein is essentially a way of looking at the individual's place in the world. As such, if you understand the person's place in the world then you will understand the person. In a way, this is because a being and a being's environment are inseparable. After all, does not environment shape the being?The interesting point that Heidegger puts forth is that throughout human history there is an unfortunate tendency by society to ignore the question of being. This is because the being is taken for granted. That is, individualism is somewhat discarded due to benign neglect. This is the result of putting far too much emphasis on society towards looking at the being on overly psychoanalytical of not overly metaphysical means. In other words, the collective has too much of a complicated definition for the being. This is often because society does not look at the being from the perspective of extreme simplicity: a human is a thinking organism prone to emotion. When a school of thought or an institution ignores this fact the ability to truly understand the being is lost.In a way, it would seem that Heidegger would hope that the being – the individual – would ignore society as it generally ignores him. That does not mean one should be dismissive or insubordinate to the rule of law. It simply means one should seek his or her own individual path and try to avoid the collective mentality and the influences it pedals.In a similar vein, there are a number of strong opinions surrounding Heidegger's philosophy vs. Wittgenstein's Logical Positivism. On a baseline level, Logical Positivism is a rebuke of mysticism and seeks to establish a more secular, logic based outlook on life. In a way, it is much like traditional existentialism although its approach can be somewhat more biting. What makes the comparison between Heidegger's theories and Logical Positivism is the fact that followers of Logical Positivism often accuse Heidegger's theories of being overly based in mysticism!This is a bizarre notion because it would infer that Heidegger's outlook on the concept of the being was not based on humanism, Instead, it would be inferred that the being centered on mysticism. Perhaps this is because those who prescribe to Logical Positivism see concepts of â€Å"the being† as being psychoanalytical variants of mysticism and spirituality. Obviously, this was not Heidegger's intention and such an inference would infer confusion.Perhaps this is because the Logical Positives followers would assume that there is far too much speculation inherent to answering questions regarding who or what is the being. Again, this brings us to the antagonistic attitudes certain realists may have regarding anything psychoanalytical. P erhaps to these individuals looking inward to answer questions of being might walk to close of a line towards spirituality. (Again, this is not Heidegger's intent but this is how some critics may have defined it.) Notion of spirituality walk too closely to mysticism for followers of Logical Positivism and that is why they may very well reject Heidegger.On a basic level, however, Heidegger's theories of the being are sound. Of course, there will be critics and that is expected, but to outright dismiss the benefits of Heidegger's work upon cursory examination would not be the wisest path to take.

Free Essays on Overcoming And Becoming ‘Improvement’

In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche uses the figure of Zarathustra to put forward his theory of how man can improve himself. Zarathustra teaches three metamorphosis of the spirit. The first is the camel, which is burdened by the established values of society. Next the spirit becomes the lion, which creates for itself the conditions necessary to create new values. The third metamorphosis is the child who, unencumbered by traditional values, is able to will its own will and follow its own path by creating new values. The child is the goal of development rather because only realized after the destruction of prescribed values are the conditions for creation the child is capable present. In Twighlight of the Idols Nietzsche discusses a different kind of â€Å"improvement.† Nietzsche identifies the ‘improvers’ of mankind as those who wish to tame and break his spirit. Zarathustra’s improvement requires a similar disposition as that employed by the Ã¢â‚¬Ë œimprovers’ Nietzsche describes. However, unlike the ‘improvers’ Nietzsche describes, Zarathustra teaches improvement where the individual is responsible for establishing his own values. Zarathustra requires the individual to create and recreate his own path rather than follow the will of another. Only by following one’s own path is one able to truly progress. The first metamorphosis of the spirit Zarathustra teaches is the camel. According to Zarathustra, the camel asks â€Å"What is the heaviest thing, you heroes? that I may take it upon me and rejoice in my strength† (Zarathustra, 54). Here Zarathustra identifies the camel as a beast of burden. The spirit in this stage believes that by carrying a burden it will display strength. The heaviest things the spirit is willing to carry are the tendencies to â€Å"debase yourself in order to injure your pride,† â€Å"to be sick and to send away comforters in order to tempt the tempter†, â€Å"to love those who despise us and to ... Free Essays on Overcoming And Becoming ‘Improvement’ Free Essays on Overcoming And Becoming ‘Improvement’ In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche uses the figure of Zarathustra to put forward his theory of how man can improve himself. Zarathustra teaches three metamorphosis of the spirit. The first is the camel, which is burdened by the established values of society. Next the spirit becomes the lion, which creates for itself the conditions necessary to create new values. The third metamorphosis is the child who, unencumbered by traditional values, is able to will its own will and follow its own path by creating new values. The child is the goal of development rather because only realized after the destruction of prescribed values are the conditions for creation the child is capable present. In Twighlight of the Idols Nietzsche discusses a different kind of â€Å"improvement.† Nietzsche identifies the ‘improvers’ of mankind as those who wish to tame and break his spirit. Zarathustra’s improvement requires a similar disposition as that employed by the Ã¢â‚¬Ë œimprovers’ Nietzsche describes. However, unlike the ‘improvers’ Nietzsche describes, Zarathustra teaches improvement where the individual is responsible for establishing his own values. Zarathustra requires the individual to create and recreate his own path rather than follow the will of another. Only by following one’s own path is one able to truly progress. The first metamorphosis of the spirit Zarathustra teaches is the camel. According to Zarathustra, the camel asks â€Å"What is the heaviest thing, you heroes? that I may take it upon me and rejoice in my strength† (Zarathustra, 54). Here Zarathustra identifies the camel as a beast of burden. The spirit in this stage believes that by carrying a burden it will display strength. The heaviest things the spirit is willing to carry are the tendencies to â€Å"debase yourself in order to injure your pride,† â€Å"to be sick and to send away comforters in order to tempt the tempter†, â€Å"to love those who despise us and to ...

Child Abuse †Creative Writing Essay

Child Abuse – Creative Writing Essay Free Online Research Papers Child Abuse Creative Writing Essay The sun was setting and the sweat on the boy’s forehead was dying away. He was certain that he would get to have dinner tonight, that his step mother would be proud; After all he had stolen 5 pounds, a cell phone and a silk embroidered jacket. He had arrived to his door step. He looked up into the sky and pleaded for a chance, a chance to eat, a chance to live like a normal child. With a sigh, and crossed fingers behind his back. He entered the house. Screams barred the walls, and as the special needs association entered the house, the kid was being thrown around like a butterfly with no wings. A woman, his mother was seen behind him, barbarically trusting a baseball bat against his chest. How could it be his mother? †¦ Every year, millions of children are abused, tortured and forced to live in homes where they do not belong. Whether it’s because they are adopted or whether it’s because their parents are alcoholic, children have no right to be treated in that way. Statistics have shown that more than 40% of special care victims are due to abusive treatment. They have also proved that most of these victims were abused without fault. A child’s mind works like a machine. Their thoughts, hopes and dreams are physiologically built. If they were to be raised up in such harsh conditions where home was prison, the children would suffer mentally, physically and emotionally. This includes lack of self esteem, education, and the chance of becoming intolerant, arrogant and abusive when he/she grows older. This is not all however; bullying is a quite a significant issue when it comes to dealing with abuse as it can lead the child with no friends, therefore affecting his/her education and a risky future. Research has shown that children suffering from child abuse may be described as experiencing trauma-attachment problems. The trauma experienced is the result of abuse or neglect, inflicted by a primary caregiver, which disrupts the normal development of secure attachment. A child of abuse is scarred for life perhaps not physically, but certainly mentally. Thoughts like contemplating suicide, stealing, lying, loneliness, and treating others the way the child was treated become a primary source, a want and a need. A lot of measures have been taken to prevent child abuse from happening however, a lot more needs to and can be done. Firstly, all parents should be notified and should be taught that their children are blessings and that abusing them in any situation will prove nothing but inhumanity. Secondly, if children are to be adopted, there should under go various processes and should be reminded that if parents are adopt a child, he/she should be treated like every member of the family. Thirdly, child support organizations and various support groups should take notice of this issue. The boy had repeatedly been beaten as he had not stolen more than 5 dollars. What could he do? It was to happen and so it did. The child crouched up into a cocoon, waiting to be set free. At that moment, a group of people arrived in black suits with gun. The mother stopped and looked at the woman unknowingly. She backed off, knowing that she was going to get arrested. The child lay there and there at that moment a tear strolled down his cheek, a tear of joy. It was a new beginning to a new journey. He didn’t know what it would be like however, one thing was set for sure, it would never be like the journey that had just ended. Research Papers on Child Abuse - Creative Writing EssayPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Standardized Testing19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era