Analysis of the Allegory Of The Cave, Delphic Quest, and Aristotle's Essay

Analysis of the Allegory Of The Cave, Delphic Quest, and Aristotle's On The Soul - Essay Example Eventually a prisoner is released and the allegory details his progression out of the cave and into higher states of knowledge. It’s abundantly clear that the prisoners shackled in the cave represent humans at beginning stages of cognitive knowledge. Plato urges the reader to consider the prisoners’ predicament in terms of knowledge, ‘Now consider what would happen if their release from the chains and the healing of their unwisdom should come about in this way.’ As the prisoner is released from the shackles and realizes that the fire and statues have caused the shadows, he has then metaphorically passed from the imagining stage of reason to the belief stage, as evidenced in N. Jordan’s chart. However the prisoner is still unaware of the world outside the cave and as he exits the cave he gradually becomes privy to a higher stage of cognitive development, â€Å"At first it would be easiest to make out shadows, then the images of men and things reflected in water, and later on the things themselves. After that, it would be easier to watch the heavenly bodies and the sky itself † As the prisoner exits the cave, man is correspondingly shown to have entered the thinking stage of cognitive development, where mathematical concepts are implemented through reason to construct and understand the world. The prisoner then enter the final stage of cognitive development where they witness the actual objects that witness the cave from the outside, the actual objects that cause the reflections in the water, and ultimately the sun itself, â€Å"And now he would begin to draw the conclusion that it is the sun that produces the seasons and the course of the year and controls everything in the visible world.† This final stage is the Form of the Good, this seems to correspond to Plato’s concept of the idealized forms and Socrates concept that the unexamined life is not worth living, to conclude that the

Classroom Management article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Classroom Management article - Essay Example The article posits that contrary to popular belief, effective teacher-student relationship has less to do with a teacher's personality and more to do with specific teacher behavior that includes dominance, cooperation and an awareness of high-need students. Appropriate Levels of Dominance. Dominance is not a negative characteristic, but implies a teacher's ability to, "provide clear purpose and strong guidance". In fact most students, when surveyed preferred such teachers over more permissive ones. Cooperation. Teachers and students need to work together as one team. Allowing students to set their own goals and asking for their suggestions creates a sense of involvement and sends the message that the teacher, "cares about and tries to accommodate students' interests". Although in a position of authority, the teacher must remain approachable to students both within and outside the classroom. Awareness of High-need Students. Studies have shown that as many as 12 to 22 percent of students suffer from some sort of mental or emotional strain. The average teacher is neither equipped nor trained to deal with such students, who can be a disruptive influence. An awareness of this fact, coupled with a few simple techniques can go a long way in maintaining effective classroom management. The paper identifies the various types of high needs students, their characteristics, and the strategies that c

Simply Speaking Legal Positivism Philosophy Essay

Simply Speaking Legal Positivism Philosophy Essay Simply speaking legal positivism is synonymous with the positive norms as against the principles of natural law. Legal positivism is often contrasted with Natural law. Going by the natural law school of jurisprudence, most written laws must be or are usually informed by, or made to comport with, universal principles of morality, religion, and justice, such that if not considered fair, it loses the very basic premise for being termed law. For example, persons engaging in peaceful protest through civil disobedience often appeal to a higher natural law in denouncing societal practices that they find objectionable. Legal positivism acknowledges the existence and influence of non-legal norms as sources to consult in evaluating human behaviour, but they contend that these norms are only aspirational, for persons who contravene they suffer no immediate adverse consequences for doing so. By contrast, positivists emphasize that legal norms are binding and enforceable by the police power of the administration, where persons who disrupt the law may be made to face serious consequences which may include fine, custody, loss of property, may end up with death. Legal positivism is based on the ways in which laws have been created and does not demand justification for the content of law or a decision for or against the obedience to law. As such emphasis is mostly on the way laws have emerged over time through practicing, deciding or tolerating certain ways of creating a law. Positivism is based on the framework that issues of legal validity must be strictly separated from questions of morality. What is ought to be has nothing to do what the law actually is. Legal positivism finds it roots way back in ancient Christianity. It is believed that the Ten Commandments held sacred and pre-eminent values. When ancient Greeks intended for a new law to have permanent validity, they inscribed it in stone or wood and displayed it public for all to see. Prior to the American Revolution, English political thinkers like John Austin and Thomas Hobbes came up with the command theory of law. This philosophy model said that the only lawful establishments that the Courts should recognize are the commands of the sovereign. This was because only the Sovereign is entrusted with power over the military and police force. Three varied schools of thought emerge in discussion of legal positivism. 1. The Pedigree Thesis: The pedigree thesis asserts that legal validity is a function of certain common truths. Deriving profoundly from Jeremy Bentham, John Austin  [1]  contends that the major characteristic feature of a legal system is the presence of a sovereign who is habitually obeyed by most people living in the society, but not in the routine of observing any specific human superior. Austins assessment, a rule R is lawfully binding (that is, is a law) in a society S if and only if R is directed by the sovereign in S and is backed up with the danger of an approval. The severity of the threatened sanction is irrelevant; any general sovereign imperative supported by a threat of even the smallest harm is a law. For Austins command theory of law there is a need for the existence of identifiable sovereign in self-governing civilizations. In the United States of America, for instance, the final political power appears to belong to the common people, who pick leaders to represent their welfares. The chosen leaders have the authority to compel the behaviour but are regarded as servants of the people and not as repositories of independent power. The polling population, on the other hand, seems to be the source of the final political authority, yet it lacks the immediate power to coerce behaviour. Thus, in democracies like that of the United States, the final political authority and the power to coerce behaviour seems to reside in different entities. However according to the reputable H. L. A. Hart  [2]  , every legal system must contain so-called primary rules that regulate citizen behaviour, a system consisting entirely of the kind of liberty a restriction found in the criminal law is, at best, a elementary or nascent legal system. The Pedigree theory focuses on the specific rule, namely that necessitates citizens to do or abstain from certain actions, whether they wish to or not. On Harts view, Austins stresses on powerful force that leads him to overlook the presence of a second kind of primary rule that confers upon citizens the authority to produce, alter or extinguish rights and obligations in other persons. Hart lays down, the guidelines for leading the creation of contracts and wills cannot plausibly be characterized as restrictions on freedom that are backed by the danger of a approval. These directions allow people to structure their legal relations within the coercive framework of the law-a feature that Hart corre ctly regards as one of laws greatest contributions to public life. The concept relates clearly to a complete monarchy, but it is not vibrant when applied to a society where some group is the sovereign. L. A. Hart argues that the command theory cannot distinguish between a legitimate government and an armed robber (give me your cash or else). The above-mentioned philosophy is completely based on compulsion. Therefore, on Harts opinion, there are two basic situations that are necessary for the existence of a legal system: On one hand those rules of behaviour which are valid according to the systems ultimate criteria of validity must be generally obeyed, and, on the other hand, its rules of recognition specifying the criteria of legal validity and its rules of change and adjudication must be effectively accepted as common public standards of official behaviour by its officials. Harts view is vulnerable to the same criticism that he levels in contradiction of Austins. Hart discards Austins interpretation as the official application of coercive force can no more give rise to an obligation than can the application of coercive enforced by a gunman. Nevertheless the condition is not unlike that, if the gunman takes the internal point of view towards his authority to give rise such to a hazard. Regardless of the gunmans confidence that he is permitted to make the threat, the victim is grateful, but not obligated, to obey the gunmans commands. A gunmans behaviour is no less coercive because he believes he is entitled to make the threat. 2. The Separability Thesis: Legal positivism also finds its explanations in the Separability thesis. In its universal form, is the Separability thesis asserts that law and morality are conceptually distinct. According to this theory only an object-level claim is made about the existence of conditions for legal validity. More commonly, the Separability thesis is interpreted as making only an object-level claim about the existence conditions for lawful legitimacy. For example H.L.A. Hart  [3]  defines it, the Separability thesis is no more than the simple contention that it is in no sense a necessary truth that laws reproduce or satisfy certain difficulties of morals; however in detail they have frequently done. Insofar as the objective level of understanding the Separability thesis denies it, its a necessary truth that there are moral constraints on legal validity, it suggests the presence of a conceivable legal system in which there are no moral constraints on legal validity. 3. The Discretion Thesis: Another theory commonly associated with positivism is the discretion thesis, conferring to which judges resolve problematic cases by making new law in the exercise of discretion. According to this theory a set of valid legal rules is exhaustive in nature and if any persons case is not covered under such a rule, then that particular case cannot be decided by applying that particular law. This gives the judges a quasi-legislative power to create or promulgate a law in circumstances where a case is not covered by a rule and hence the case cannot be decided by interpreting by applying an existing law/rule. Though often associated by positivism, the discretion thesis does not fit into the positivisms hypothetical idea. The pedigree and Separability theories mean to be conceptual claims that are true of every possible lawful arrangement. These two entitlements jointly proclaim that, within in every possible legal structure, the intentions of law are lawful in virtue of having been manufact ured according to some set of social agreements  [4]  . In this regard, there are no ethical restraints on the content of law that hold in every possible legal system. There could be three different senses in which a judge might be said to have discretion: (1) a judge has discretion when she exercises judgment in applying a legal standard to a particular case; (2) a judge has discretion when her decision is not subject to reversal by any other authority; and (3) a judge has discretion when her decision is not bound by any legal standards. Going by these, the discretion thesis is inconsistent with ordinary legal exercise. Even in the greatest problematic cases where there is no clarity appropriate law, lawyers dont request the judge to adapt the relevant issue by making new law. Each lawyer cites cases favourable to her clients position and argues that the judge is bound by those cases to decide in her clients favour. As a practical matter, lawyers hardly, if ever, acknowledge th ere are no legal morals governing a case and ask the judge to legislate in the exercise of discretion. 4. Conclusion: I conclude by saying that the modern rules in relation to particular place or people were mostly traced or taken from the past rules or from another lawful organization. All the contemporary laws have its individual creation, the issue of conflict of positivists view and historical interpretation is not as real as it thought. The most influential criticism of legal positivism all flow from the suspicion that it fails to give principles its due. The law has significant tasks like bringing harmony and peace in our lives, preceding the common good in safeguarding human rights, or to rule with honesty and therefore it has more relevance with our morals. A. Lon Fuller denies the separation of law and morality. He considers that all the good qualities and characteristics flow by clear consistent and open practices, which can be found not only in law but also in all other social practices in which those features including custom and positive ethics prevail. Further he reproaches that if law is a matter of fact then we are without an explanation of the duty to obey. If amoral law is made there is an obligation to obey.

Word Processing Technology and the Process of Writing :: Technological Essays

Word Processing Technology and the Process of Writing Word processors have been in use in our country and across the globe for quite some time. Elementary school students, High school Students, as well as College and University students all use them everyday to produce written texts from many different genres. Pens and paper have been forgotten. Has the formal process of writing also been forgotten? Have word processors changed the way people write – permanently (I misspelled that word and fixed it using spell check)? The most recognized definition, if there is one, of a writing process was formulated by Flowers and Hayes in 1980. They were two of the first theorists to formally recognize that there are basically three distinct types of cognitive writing processes. The first is the process of planning. This is where the writer will decide what to say and exactly how to say it. The next step is the actual generation of written text. This process occurs when the writer uses their plan to produce an actual piece of writing. The last process in the Flowers and Hayes model is revision. This is where the writer makes all possible revisions to improve the quality of their written work. These three processes do not appear to happen in any specific order. There is no set pattern to follow. The order with which the writer engages in and completes each process, as well as the amount of time each writer spends performing each process, will vary depending upon the organization methods of the writer. The w riter will look at their own individual goals and decide how to manipulate the various processes to best meet their agenda. Theoretically, these students could be moving their work forward in a purposeful direction by backtracking through a given process. This model enforced the idea that writing is a recursive process rather than a straightforward linear process incapable of being altered. The Flowers and Hayes model has often been referred to as the â€Å"writing process approach.† Of course there are many other credible models for the writing process, but this definition suits my purposes by providing a backdrop for discussing the changes made by word processors on a long accepted, though often debated, definition of the writing process (Barrow 13-18). Word processors are good for storing data, manipulating and formatting individual characters which make up the text of a final written document, and improving the writing mechanics of student work as a whole.

Oppression of Women in 19th Century Literature

Oppression of Women in 19th Century Literature In the stories â€Å"The Jewelry† by Guy de Maupassant, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the female characters are unequal and less important than the men in society. The duties of women during this time period did not consist of much more than seeing to her husband’s needs and caring for the home and children. The authors show the lack of independence women were allowed in the 1800s, especially in marriage. The stories express women’s cry for equality and their feelings of entrapment in their marriage.Each story elaborates on the importance of social class in the 19th century, how women were presented in society, and how society trapped and defined them as individuals. Maupassant conveys the importance of marriage during this time frame when he includes in â€Å"The Jewelry† that Mrs. Lantin’s mother visited bourgeois families in hopes of marrying her daughter off (Booth69). The public’s view on matrimony took a toll on the independent lives and decisions of women. A woman’s image at this time was important; it reflected who they were, as well as where they came from.Expectations for women to fulfill their duties as a homemaker left little room to deviate from the social normality. Women usually depended on their husband’s income to support their lifestyle; seldom were they employed. Therefore, many women fancied men who were of a high social class. In â€Å"The Jewelry†, Mrs. Lantin’s mother searched among the families of the middle class to find a husband for her daughter. Maupassant mentions in the story that Mrs. Lantin and her mother were poor. In order to relieve her daughter of the burdens of poverty, Mrs. Lantin’s mother tried to find a husband who was of a higher social status.Due to the substantial increase in the size, power, and prestige of t he middle class, the 19th century became known as â€Å"the century of the middle class†(â€Å"Women in the Middle Class† 1). An individual’s wealth contributed to how they were viewed by other members of society. To some, image seemed like the most important characteristic one could have. In the story, Mrs. Lantin wears precious stones and pearls when she attends the theatre (Booth 70). Her husband mentions how they do not have the means to afford such extravagant treasures, but his wife insists on wearing the jewelry in public anyway. Mrs.Lantin may be considered wealthy by the public because she wears precious stones. But in real life, her husband does not make enough to support the lavish image she gives off to others. She continues to wear the jewelry out, portraying an image of wealth and well-being. Maupassant mentions in his story how it is unsightly for women to go out in public unaccompanied by their husband (Booth 70). Again, this establishes the uneq ual views towards women in the 1800s. If it was uncommon for a woman to travel alone, the idea of a woman supporting herself, or even deciding for herself would have been absurd.In a society where the public frowns upon the idea of female independence, many women were forced to hide any ideas or desires for change they may have had. In this time, if women were to rebel or stand against domesticity, they were often declared insane, and confined to a mental asylum (â€Å"Women and Psychiatry† 1). Here, they were treated even more poorly than when they were in the custody of their husbands. The fear of consequences silenced many women who may have desired something more than the typical lifestyle of a home maker.In â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, Chopin expresses the thoughts that could have been running through the minds of women who were caught in this time of gender inequality. Mrs. Mallard is described in Chopin’s story as a typical married woman of the 19th centu ry. A woman we can imply has stood faithfully by her husband and fulfilled her connubial duties throughout the years of their union. In the story, Mrs. Mallard has obviously suffered a terrible loss in learning of her husband’s death. We can tell by her reactions that she cared deeply for him. In the midst of her grieving, Mrs.Mallard pictures the time that is to come, when she will be able to make all of her own decisions and will be given the freedom to live her life as she pleases. Suddenly, she feels relieved more than she is upset. â€Å"She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death†¦but she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely (Booth 307). Her desire for freedom overcame the despair of her husband’s death. Chopin includes that Mrs. Mallard tried to fight off these ideas with her will (Booth 307).Her embraced feelings of independence could have been viewe d as forbidden. Although she is excited by these thoughts, she tries to resist the pleasure she truly feels when she realizes the freedom that she has gained. The words â€Å"free, free, free! † escaped from her mouth (Booth307). She attempted to hold back the overwhelming desires for her own life. Perhaps she is hesitant to welcome these feelings because of the public view on women’s rights, and the potential consequences for those who opposed such views. Despite the faithfulness and love Mrs.Mallard showed for her husband, the extreme relief she felt in no longer having a marital obligation overpowered her feelings of sadness and loss. At the end of the story, Mrs. Mallard’s husband walked through her front door in the flesh, but Mrs. Mallard’s heart could not handle the excitement. The doctors said she died of â€Å"joy that kills†. Since Mrs. Mallard was so overwhelmed by her newly gained idea of independence, one can assume this joy is that of forbidden pleasure. Many would consider it immoral to accept so easily the death of one’s betrothed just because of the freedom acquired.The story shows how it was wrong for women to desire independence from their husbands, regardless of they were treated. In many cases, men responded to their wives as they would children; by limiting their options and making choices for them. Eventually, ideas emerged that women were truly incapable of anything other than caring for their families. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, Gilman clearly expresses how John (the husband) treats his wife similarly to how one might treat a child. On one occasion, he even refers to his wife as â€Å"little girl†.The name itself signifies the lack of maturity women were thought to have, along with their defenselessness. Ideas such as these allowed men to dominate over decisions made in households, and in most cases, over women themselves. The narrator tells in the story how her husband will â€Å"hardly let her stir without special direction† (Booth 323). Throughout the story, the narrator mentions several things to her husband regarding her discomfort in the house and her wishes for early departure, but each time she is disregarded, or redirected.While women were subject to orders, men were free to do as they please. There were very few who decided to speak in favor of equality for women; of those who did, most were sent to an asylum. This allowed little hope for women seeking progress or escape. Gilman illustrates this in his story. â€Å"The outside pattern becomes bars, and the woman behind it as plain as could be† (Booth 323). he is saying that there is woman trapped in the wallpaper, but more importantly he is showing the feelings of entrapment faced by women. Most living conditions were similar among women.The desire for equality was a mutual feeling amongst the women of the 1800s. Gilman writes â€Å"Sometimes I think there are a great and many w omen behind it† (Booth 325). This signifies how many women in this time shared similar feelings of complication in terms of their marriage and their place in society. Without a voice to lead them out of sexual oppression, most women accepted the conditions given to them. The ideas of 19th century society sculpted lives of many women in ways that were not enjoyable, and rather served as a burden to the women who were indeed victimized in this time frame.The way a woman presented herself in society strongly reflected her character. Matrimony or lack thereof, served as a strong basis to this social image which was very important. Each story mentioned holds a female character who is in some way oppressed by the social dominance of men. Each character it treated unequally, or as if they were of little importance. Women in this era were trapped in their own lives. Works Cited Anderson, Lori. â€Å"Marriage and Women From 19th Century On. † Women and Issues of a Woman. CyberPa rent, n. d. Web. 9 February 2013. Booth, Allison, and Kely J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. Ed. Peter Simon. New York: W. W. Norton, 2011. Print. McElligott, Caitlin. â€Å"The 19th Century Debate. † Women’s Higher Education in the United States. N. p. n. d. Web. 24 February 2013. â€Å"Women and Psychiatry. † Brought to Life. Science Museum, n. d. Web. 20 February 2013. â€Å"Women in the Middle Class in the 19th Century. † http://web. clark. edu/afisher/HIST253/lecture_text/WomenMiddleClass_19c_Europe. pdf. N. p. n. d. Web. 2 March 2013.

Resolving Conflict

As the team in the scenario is experiencing process conflict, there are two options for intervention that could alleviate the conflict. Team redesign is the first option, and conflict process coaching is the second. As the team is on a very strict deadline, which is rapidly approaching, conflict process coaching would be the most practical form of intervention. The conflict between the members of the team is caused primarily due to a lack of trust. Sheila and Jeremy do not trust Judy because they believe she lied to her and Judy does not trust them to do the job because of their lack of experience in the training programs.The lack of trust combined with a deadline that none of the team members believe they can meet has created a stressful environment. Conflict process coaching, as defined by Thompson (2011), â€Å"may include trust-building exercises† (p. 193). â€Å"It’s important to establish comfortable, group-sanctioned ways to express the inevitable anger, tension , and frustration that arise in a team endeavor and to positively redirect that energy to build trust and cohesion† (Ross, 2006). Building trust to ensure the cohesiveness of the team will redirect their energy and focus to meeting the deadline.In order for this team to be successful, they have to be cohesive and efficient. In order to accomplish this the team members must work cooperatively, trust each other and understand the common goal. The team members all have their areas of expertise that can contribute to team success, but if they do not trust each other, then the conflict will preclude the team from meeting their deadline. Through conflict process coaching, the team can quickly move past their conflict and become efficient and successful. Resolving Conflict As the team in the scenario is experiencing process conflict, there are two options for intervention that could alleviate the conflict. Team redesign is the first option, and conflict process coaching is the second. As the team is on a very strict deadline, which is rapidly approaching, conflict process coaching would be the most practical form of intervention. The conflict between the members of the team is caused primarily due to a lack of trust. Sheila and Jeremy do not trust Judy because they believe she lied to her and Judy does not trust them to do the job because of their lack of experience in the training programs.The lack of trust combined with a deadline that none of the team members believe they can meet has created a stressful environment. Conflict process coaching, as defined by Thompson (2011), â€Å"may include trust-building exercises† (p. 193). â€Å"It’s important to establish comfortable, group-sanctioned ways to express the inevitable anger, tension , and frustration that arise in a team endeavor and to positively redirect that energy to build trust and cohesion† (Ross, 2006). Building trust to ensure the cohesiveness of the team will redirect their energy and focus to meeting the deadline.In order for this team to be successful, they have to be cohesive and efficient. In order to accomplish this the team members must work cooperatively, trust each other and understand the common goal. The team members all have their areas of expertise that can contribute to team success, but if they do not trust each other, then the conflict will preclude the team from meeting their deadline. Through conflict process coaching, the team can quickly move past their conflict and become efficient and successful.

Psychological Warfare in the United States Military essays

Psychological Warfare in the United States Military essays Psychological Warfare in the United States military The use of psychology in war is as old as war itself. In ancient Greece, Thermistocles sent his men ashore to carve messages urging the Ionians not to fight against the Athenians (Pease 3). Known as psychological warfare, it is the attempt by one nation to gain an advantage over another by exploiting fear, mistrust, suspicion, rumor, prejudice, and uncertainty to influence international opinion and/or the frame of mind of the opposing soldiers. Psychological warfare is designed to affect the enemys mind, influencing him to take an action, even against his conscious will, favorable to his opponent (Pease xiii). The United States government employs psychological warfare, known as Psychological Operations (PSYOP), to secure national objectives in times of conflict as well as peace. They are a vital part of the broad range of U.S. political, military, economic, and ideological activities. The ultimate objective of United States military psychological operations is to convince ene my, neutral, and friendly nations and forces to take actions favorable to the United States and its interests. This is accomplished, with varied effectiveness, through several methods and techniques, both on the strategic and tactical levels (Payne). Psychological warfare is also utilized by the United States on civilians and the general population of liberated territories. This branch of psychological operations is known as consolidation (Pease 9). Strategic, Tactical, and Consolidation Psychological Operations On the strategic level, psychological operations are utilized to accomplish long-term objectives. Employed on a global scale, strategic psychological operations are directed at a much wider audience, or a few key communicators (Hunter). Strategic operations may also be used on a somewhat smaller scale, known as the operational scale. Here, psychological operations are ...