Friday, January 31, 2020

Looking at history "from below" Essay

Looking at history "from below" - Essay Example While Europeans may argue that religion was the main objective of their visit for America, it is clear that they exercised oppression and denied the natives of their rights, which can be better described. However, historians have ignored this fact and termed their invasion to America as a mere discovery. From this perspective, it is clear that history has been a subject of bias, influenced by the personal ideas of its authors. Dussell, an Argentine-Mexican liberator philosopher, is among authors who have focused on the subjective nature of history and its implication as far as constructing historical events is concerned. Dussell (126) opens by representing the two sides of the same coin as far as historical opinions are concerned. He argues that history can be analyzed from the top or from below, while considering the position of the writer. Analyzing the analyzing the history of Europeans entry in America from above implies analyzing the opinions presented by the European history. From the perspective of Europeans, their entry into America was either an invention of a country or even its discovery. Invention implies the creation of a country that never existed, while discovery implies the finding of a country that had not been known to exist. On the other hand, approaching history from below, Americans perceive European visitation as uncalled for and the worst form of invasion. From this point of view, h istory suffers subjectivity and the impression that it stands for depends on whether it is analyzed from a â€Å"top† or â€Å"below† approach. Evidently, criticism of history is an issue that has prevailed for many years as scholars identify the voice of the writers within historical recordings. Twain is among author who found fault in historical recordings and expressed the weakness that history has suffered for many years. Twain stated that â€Å"the very ink with which all history is written is merely fluid

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Cuban Missile Crisis Essay -- essays research papers fc

During the administration of United States President John F. Kennedy, the Cold War reached its most dangerous state, when the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came to the brink of nuclear war in what was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. What was the Cold War? What started the tensions between the United States and the USSR? What actions were taken and how were the problems resolved? All of these questions and more shall be answered in this paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cold War was a struggle between the United States and its allies and the Soviet Union. Although direct military conflict never took place, diplomatic and economic struggles occurred. The Cold War began when Joseph Stalin, leader of the Communist Party, used the Red Army to take control of most of the countries of Eastern Europe. The United States as well as Western European countries were greatly concerned. In response to Stalin’s military movements, President Harry Truman issued the Truman Doctrine in 1947. In his address to Congress, President Truman decided that the United States would aid any country that asked for help in resisting communism. The Truman Doctrine became known as the basis for containment, the policy to keep communism from spreading to other countries. After the Truman Doctrine, George Catlett Marshall, Secretary of State, proposed the Marshall Plan, the European Recovery Program through which the United States provided aid to Wester n Europe after World War II, in June 1947. The Marshall Plan was offered to all European countries, but Stalin would not allow the countries his military was occupying take part. In April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed. The countries involved in this pact were the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. The NATO agreement said that â€Å"an armed attack against one or more of its members in Europe and/or America shall be considered an attack against them all.† To ward off aggressors, American forces and nuclear weapons were to be kept in Western Europe. In response to NATO, the Soviet Union formed a similar pact between seven Eastern European countries called the Warsaw Treaty Organization, or Warsaw Pact. The countries involved along with the Soviet Union were Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslov... ... allow them. The inspections weren’t needed, however, as U.S. aerial reconnaissance planes revealed that the missile bases were being dismantled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cuban Missile Crisis had ended. Nuclear war had been averted, but the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis didn’t end the Cold War. The Cold War didn’t â€Å"end† until the early nineties, when Mikhail Gorbechev and George Bush stopped the superpower rivalry, at least for the time being. Possibly the most bitter and vicious rivalry in the modern era had spawned conflict after conflict; the Cuban missile crisis was perhaps the worst of these events, almost leading to nuclear disaster. With the brazen and quick thinking of world leaders, this calamity was averted and the earth remains unscathed from the nuclear scourge. Bibliography: Jared Wiener; Bay of Pigs http://members.aol.com/yo1460/byopr/contents.html Anonymous; John F. Kennedy http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/glimpse/presidents/html/jk35.html Brinkley, American History; A Survey; Volume II; Since 1865, USA; McGraw-Hill College; 1999 Dilulio, John J. Jr, Wilson James Q., American government; The Essentials. Boston MA; Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Philosophy †Conscience (90/90) Essay

Discuss critically the view that we should always follow our conscience when making ethical decisions It has traditionally been proposed that the conscience is an established body of authority, essentially justifying the view that it should be ‘followed’. Many notable figures throughout history – Aquinas, Butler, Plato, Freud – have structurally placed it in a potent rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le. Whether this is by means of tripartite analogies, hierarchical standing or even religious eminence, the conscience serves a theoretical, and indeed practical, function as the human and societal arbiter. But then, there is also a possible disparity between the states of individual and collective conscience, contributing to the difficulties in determining which conscience is more suited to enacting ‘ethical decisions’. This predicates an interesting dichotomy: the conscience either does not maintain this degree of control or, conversely, the conscience’s increased social standing grants it an even greater level of authority. It can similarly be questioned whet her or not the conscience’s proposed supremacy necessitates an individual’s reliance on it, or even, whether it is needed at all. Ideas in connection with the conscience are far-reaching. The notion of ‘ethical decisions’ being governed by the conscience implies that there is a principal rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le the conscience must play in enacting them. But, as addressed above, there are solid questions over its reliability: its seemingly potent position and even its existence. My argument follows an objective line, paying close attention to that factor in which man is of sole importance. The human being is the entity the conscience must work alongside, and vice versa. There is a clear discrepancy between common definitions of ‘consciousness’, in turn emphasising the inconsistency of thought on the matter. The Collins Dictionary, for example, defines ‘consciousness’ as being â€Å"aware of one’s surroundings†1; in contrast with the Concise Oxford Dictionary which classifies it as being â€Å"aware of and responding to one’s surroundings†2. Herein, at the outset, lies an issue. ‘Surroundings’ and conditions are clearly noted by both definitions, yet the human acknowledgement and ‘response’ to them are not so. This irregularity is highly relevant when trying to determine the conscience’s rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le in the individual’s ‘decision’-making. The mind’s influence on the individual, the individual’s place in society, and, indeed, individuals themselves, are key to this matter. ***************** â€Å"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ† 3 Presented above is the Biblical proposition most considered to be supportive of the tripartite theory of the Godhead. Theologically, ‘three’ has been a consistent Biblical presence, â€Å"It should be noted at the outset that the Biblical authors’ use of the number three is abundantly attested†4 – The Holy Trinity, Noah’s three sons and Job’s three daughters being notable cases of this. Accordingly, the human being consists of ‘three’ separate elements; either ‘body’, ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’, as is noted above, or, most applicable to the question of conscience: i) appetites ii) affections, and iii) reason – the latter having familiar associations with the conscience. But where does this come into the idea of ‘following’ one’s conscience? Simply put, it is the idea that the conscience is dominant in its essence; that theologians, philosophers and psychologists throughout times past have placed it above appetites and affections. Noted examples of this are Aquinas’ ‘Hierarchy of Being’, Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Chariot’, Freud’s idea of the id, ego and superego, and others; all leading to one literally presented conclusion – conscience is ‘boss’, and ergo, should be ‘followed’. Thomistic philosophy places the conscience in a divine rank; alongside the Bible, the Church and Mankind as a whole. It is divine and institutional law; guided through human mechanisms by the Synderesis Rule: â€Å"the innate principle in the moral consciousness of every person which directs the agent to good and restrains him from evil†5. This can be seen to relate directly to the idea of a benevolent conscience making ‘ethical decisions’ – ‘good’ being the ultimate goal. Butler takes a similar position – â€Å"man is born to virtue†6 – ‘self love’ and ‘benevolence’ being the individual’s guide. But, one might ask whether the apparent requirement to do ‘good’ is really an objective balance. Can one really make an ‘ethical decision’ without knowing the evil? 7 Aquinas asserted five primary precepts which the conscience formulates in an ‘ethical’ judgement – self preservation and preservation of the innocent, continuation of the species, education of children, living in a society and worshipping God. Despite the need for these to be followed, and, of course, definitive of how we make ‘ethical decisions’, it is the fifth that one finds enticing for this particular study. ‘Worshipping God’, the church – a state of authority – or, indeed, perceived authority, guiding our actions. It conforms to the hierarchy of being (an apt link with the tripartite theory) and is a premise for God’s ‘benign tyranny’. God is the pure form of Reason, and is so at the top of the hierarchy, subordinated by mankind – affections – and animals – pure appetite. By this we can see that this hierarchical method is multi-levelled – the human being comprises these attributes just as a collective hierarchy does. They are simply metaphors for the conscience’s divine authority on a bodily and societal level. This is further supported by Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Chariot’; the charioteer representing Intellect/Reason/Conscience, the white horse signifying the aforementioned morals and affections, and the black horse symbolising appetites. One might be too facetious in making this interpretation but the use of a horse somewhat indicates that human beings are majorly of beastly appetites, other than reason – are we God’s ‘beasts’ as it were? Plato himself judged that: â€Å"man†¦is a tame or civilized animal; nevertheless, he requires proper instruction and a fortunate nature, and then of all animals he becomes the most divine and most civilized; but if he be insufficiently or ill-educated he is the most savage of earthly creatures.†8 Yet, he conversely gives the analogous horse human traits: â€Å"he is a lover of honour and modesty and temperance, and the follower of true glory; he needs no touch of the whip, but is guided by word and admonition only.†9 Even more interesting is Plato’s use of a human being in God’s rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le. This gives two ideas; God is either being anthropomorphised (putting him in inferior standing) or, alternatively, human conscience is God-ly10 – maybe God is our conscience. Maybe He is mankind. Newman supports the former idea; â€Å"an echo implies a voice; a voice, a speaker. That speaker I love and revere†11, by the literal hearing of voices. The ‘speaker’ is the indwelling voice – the conscience – and the reverberation of God’s direct message. Here, on the surface, we can clearly see, due to the divine cloud hanging over this matter (‘God is good’), that the conscience should be ‘followed’ when making ‘ethical decisions’. Yet, one might ask the fundamental question of whether the conscience is worthy of its place above appetites and affections. The empiricist, David Hume, makes his opinion on the matter quite clear: â€Å"reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them†12. He provides a clear argument against ‘always’ ‘following’ our conscience when making ‘ethical decisions’, in favour of our appetites. One might take the view that our primitive nature, without the influence of our conscience and an interventionist (or determinant) society is more equipped to make ‘ethical decisions’. Indeed, the Reformation encouraged the break-away from the Church of Rome and set the individual conscience, not ecclesiastical authority, at the centre of religious life. As will be addressed in further detail later, if our conscience is distorted by society the individual may not be in full control of his own ‘ethical decisions’. One could conversely argue, however, that, as Plato seemingly hinted at above, Hume degrades humanity to the level of animals; that we have no power to reason and therefore cannot achieve ‘God-liness’ or make ‘ethical decisions’ at all. Plato supplemented the ideas purveyed by his ‘Allegory of the Chariot’ through another work The Republic, which, for this essay, provides the basis for examination of the relationship between individual and societal conscience. As with Aquinas, it is a question of hierarchy. The workers – appetite followers – and the soldiers – protectors of the state and morals – are both subservient to the philosopher-kings – the embodiment of reason. Plato’s view was that of an elitist society with the core conscience in charge; â€Å"knowledge is power†13 (â€Å"Conscience is king†14) or, as I might conversely argue, ‘power is knowledge’ (‘King is conscience’). One can draw parallels with Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which, for me, offers an even more appropriate portrayal of this idea: the lowly ‘proles’ comprising the vast majority of society – governed by appetites – the Outer Party – controlled by state values and propaganda, morals, affections – and the Inner Party and Big Brother, the core of the state; the quintessence of the conscience, â€Å"it is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party†15. These two examples demonstrate the conscience of the individual being mirrored in society. It raises issues as to whether the conscience of the collective should be ‘followed’ when making ‘ethical decisions’ as opposed to that of the limited individual; â€Å"only in the mind of the party, which is collective and immortal†16 – drawing distinctly Marxist parallels, and, perhaps more relevantly, conforming to the Thomistic precept of ‘living in a society’. One can link this to the thoughts of Soloveychik; that â€Å"conscience can’t be someone’s own. Conscience is both personal and universal†17. The pluralism, ‘we’, established in the initial proposition is markedly addressed with these connections to societal conscience. One extremity that may arise from this elitist, authoritarian ideal, however, is the issue of mind-control (â€Å"Big Brother Is Watching You†). A conscientious hierarchical society controlling the psyche of the masses may fulfil the rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le of the individual in a more oblique, inflated manner. Appetites, affection and reason being governed by class structure; bringing about a socially solidified conscience. One might apply this to F.H. Bradley’s personification: â€Å"our function [is] as an organ† in a â€Å"social organism†. Thus, if conscience is uniform among individuals, why might ‘ethical decisions’ not be carried out similarly? Baruch Spinoza believed that God’s knowledge is distilled through humanity: â€Å"an idea is adequate and perfect insofar as it represents knowledge of the eternal and infinite essence of God†18. Giving further substance to the idea of an individual’s morals (their ‘ethical’ make-up) being reflected on a collective level. Hume, however, argues against this, â€Å"nothing is more surprising than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few†19, pondering the dominance of a reasoned minority – the collective’s core conscience – in turn eradicating the starting point for this theory. An answer to the issue in the proposition, however, is still not possible at this point. One cannot yet determine whether the conscience should be ‘followed’ when making ‘ethical decisions’ because of the sheer amount of subjectivity over the ethics of elitism. Still, the plausibility of a societal conscience maintaining this degree of authority is questionable. Despite the seemingly loose connections mentioned above, the conscience of the collective is undoubtedly dissimilar to that of the individual. The juxtaposed issues of freedom and conflicting individual mentality are enough in themselves to maintain this viewpoint. Obviously, this makes us question whether making references to literal states of authority is actually worthwhile. The individual has a conscience which both conflicts and complements the state/collective consciousness. Linking to the above issue, are governments/collectives always an objective balance? Seemingly, there are corrupt governments; history has shown there to be corruption in the Church and other elements of society that control the individual’s mindset. Yet it is indubitably the case that the mind (and conscience) is always influenced by the society in which it operates. This presents a mind-blowing paradox. Society is not only determined by a central conscience but the conscience of the individual is conversely determined by society. This might then suggest that whatever the case, the sole function that drives societal conditions, indirectly assumes its authority over the individual. J.B Watson – the ‘Father of Behaviourism’ – proposed: â€Å"give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select† 20 He places himself – a core being with societal influence – in an authoritative position over specified individuals. This can be compared with the Freudian idea that the superego develops throughout childhood by external influences. The human being is born with the id; the basis for appetites, eros (sex) and thanatos (death) drives – these drives could interestingly be seen in a belligerently potent rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le, supporting the idea of appetital authority à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ la Hume. Subsequently, the ego develops; the presentable faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade that we apply to the world; our affections. Then the superego, our reason and conscience; the irrefutable censor of the human mind. It develops throughout childhood. In tandem with the environmental development, or determinism, mentioned above, â€Å"children are completely egoistic; they feel their needs intensely and strive ruthlessly to satisfy them†21. So by this then, we can see that the tripartite, ‘three’; is a consistent literal basis for the presentation of the conscience. I would, however, question whether this is a valuable method by which to present its authority. There are obvious differences between the theories presented by each of these figures; Freud – socio-psychological; Aquinas – religious; Plato – the soul. These differences mean something. For one, each has specific rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½les. Some may apply strictly to societal conscience (Plato’s Republic and Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four), others may apply merely to the individual (Freud and Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Chariot’). It is nonetheless interesting that the tripartite is consistent throughout different periods and cultures. Ultimately, it comes to the point where one must consult Freud’s verdict to prove what these give us, â€Å"analogies, it is true, decide nothing, but they can make on e feel more at home†22. How else, then, can the conscience be interpreted authoritatively and conclusive of how we make ‘ethical decisions’? Put simply, the conscience is an alarm: it is disturbing; it forces the individual to put themselves in uncomfortable situations and concurrently feel the effects of these. Although there are religious sides to this, for example, the threat, â€Å"he who acts against his conscience loses his soul†23, the principal factor here is indeed guilt. Of course, guilt is the one thing that the layman will consider alongside the conscience. Conscience is guilt to many. The objective conscience works by putting the individual at a discomfort, Freud believing that guilt is the consequence of not obeying it. Dostoyevsky provides a fine example of this in his notorious work Crime and Punishment, where the protagonist, Rodion Raskolnikov, experiences continual mental anguish following his homicidal actions. The novel gives the idea of mental demons – â€Å"If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment as well as the prison.†24 Rodion’s shame ultimately forces him to confess. He ‘follows’ his guilty conscience to make an ‘ethical decision’. This issue is also given great attention in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, in which the king, Claudius, comes to realise, in retrospect, the implications of his fratricide; â€Å"my stronger guilt defeats my strong intent†25. He is, however, prone to continuing his murderous tendencies. Although this is a literary construction, one might suggest that Claudius reverts to his thanatos drive, the superego not taking precedence. Another interpretation is that he adheres to the belief that you â€Å"perform a sin twice and it will cease to be a crime†26, providing a distinctly self-centred stance. Above all, however, this notion of guilt leads us to question whether the conscience’s precedence actually does entail our reliance on it. If the conscience can be seen to be malicious one might assume it is not all good or a worthy mechanism by which to make ‘ethical decisions’. Should we ‘always’ ‘follow’ our conscience if it occasionally encourages us to impart malevolence towards others? Yet, admittedly, I have placed the conscience, somewhat clumsily, in a potent rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le by inappropriately treating it as an inanimate transcendent ‘object’. ‘The conscience’ is a misleading phrase – it can not be addressed in literal terms as the above-mentioned figures and I have done so. It is an ambiguous concept; a culmination of ideas, not a figurehead or core being that people must obey. In doing this I have partially neglected the fundamental points initially outlined; those of human response to the conscience, as well as the issue of ‘ethical decisions’. The point is that the human being is its conscience – they work in tandem – yet the individual conscience is contingent on the social conscience and vice versa. It is an eternal cog of human reasoning, working jointly to maintain relations and prevent wrongdoing. There is a deterministic problem associated with this question: if the conscience is a necessary mechanism then seemingly we cannot escape it – ‘always’ following our conscience places it in a more authoritative rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½le than a judicial one. Aquinas, for one, believed that ‘following’ our conscience is ‘always’ right despite it not necessarily entailing good – is this really the kind of mindset we want when making ‘ethical decisions’? If one is to take Hume’s view of appetital dominance, the human essence being the guidance of our nature, we can, to an extent, countermand this. One might argue that the conscience is just a constraint on our essential urges. A constraint on the collective’s blossoming; Sartre asserting that â€Å"we must act out passion before we can feel it†27. Even today in such a complex, interlaced world there is a question over whether our primitive essence would beget greater happiness. Not at all am I suggesting that humans should revert to being primal, nor that happiness should be the human race’s ultimate goal, but, in terms of making ‘ethical decisions’, must one rely on the conscience? Indeed, there is a danger that reliance on appetites would encourage societal and individual regression. Hence, a viable alternative must be suggested. For me, this comes in the form of Social Darwinism (‘survival of the fittest’); that mankind evolves by means of competition, â€Å"the very essence of instinct is that it’s followed independently of reason†28. Darwin appeared to prioritise appetites; using them as a means for societal progression. One might assert that this ideal comes closest to loosening the fetters of both individual conscience and societal restraint, whilst not jeopardising our future. In answering the question, the various examples presented in this essay – of the conscience being dominant in its essence – suggest to me that in any case the conscience deters our ‘decision’-making. Indeed, if we feel by any means constrained we are unable to make pure, objective ‘ethical decisions’, ergo, we should not be subservient to the conscience when making them. 1 Collins Dictionary & Thesaurus: Two books in one, 2004 2 Concise Oxford Dictionary: Tenth Edition, 1999 3 1 Thessalonians 5:23 4 Richard D. Patterson, The Third Day Motif, The Use Of Three In The Bible 5 The Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy 6 Joseph Butler. Class notes. 7 This is addressed further with the issue of guilt later on. 8 Plato, The Republic 9 Plato, Phaedrus 10 This is intended to mean the essence of God, rather than merely ‘god-like’ attributes. 11 Pope’s Letter On Newman 12 David Hume 13 Sir Francis Bacon 14 Joseph Butler 15 Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part 2, Chapter 2 16 Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part 2, Chapter 2 17 Simon Soloveychik, Free Man 18 Spinoza’s Ethics 19 David Hume 20 John B. Watson 21 Sigmund Freud 22 Sigmund Freud 23 Fourth Lateran Council 24 Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment, Chapter 19 25 Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 3, l. 40 26 Jewish commentary 27 Jean-Paul Sartre 28 Charles Darwin

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

The Problem Of Immigration Within The United States Essay

Many different individuals can view immigration in many distinct ways. Some view it as a chance to improve ones life and as a way to secure a bright and prosperous future for their children and loved ones. While others refer to immigration as the downfall of this country, and with the continuous increase will cause the unanimous destruction of pure American ideologies and life styles. The most obvious way for me to start this essay is in a way to relate to the topic of immigration. In order to speak for myself I must first clarify, I was born in the United States but I am as Hispanic and very connected with my roots as is possible for someone born in this country. From a very young age I was always told how my parents traveled to this country in two different ways, my mom came with permission to enter the country and become a resident; this was something that was considered very rare at the time, and my father had to travel various different countries using fake passports with a diff erent identity in order to reach our beautiful country. While their paths to the United States where different their goal was the same, freedom, liberty, and the hope for a bright and prosperous future. Like my parents there are millions of immigrants who come to this country to achieve there dreams and provide a stable and secure life for their families. In my personal opinion I do not believe that the right of migrating to this country should be removed, that being said I do consider that as itShow MoreRelatedSupport Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Act1560 Words   |  6 PagesThe passing of one of the United States’ most restrictive anti-immigration law’s in history was heavily disputed and extremely controversial nation-wide. The conversation surrounding current United States immigration regulations and issues that are aimed to be ‘addressed’ by Arizona’s infamous SB 1070 are currently at a standstill. By changing ways in which opposi ng parties view the ‘issues’ of illegal immigration in the United States and the effects caused by SB 1070, there is hope for the advancementRead MoreThe Immigration s Political Policy1186 Words   |  5 PagesZohny, LL. M., Ph.D. Coppin State University 1/00/2016 The Immigration’s Political Policies have gone through great political changes since the turn of the 20th century for many countries. The legal and moral issues within these countries like Syria, Mexico, Germany, Ireland and other countries concerning immigration have been debated and continue to be debated through the political views within the government each and every day. Individuals within the political realm who believeRead MoreThe New House Bill 43211466 Words   |  6 Pagesdetainees who are part of the immigration system; to make sure that their rights have not been and are not being violated by those belonging to the immigration system. His position is supposed to change how detainees will be represented and treated while being held in detention centers. The position also entails that they have the right to give suggestions on how to improve the administrative practices, services, and responsiveness of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration. They also have other responsibilitiesRead MoreThe Executive Order : President Obama s Immigration Reform1221 Words   |  5 PagesThe Executive Order: President Obama’s Immigration Reform In 1986 Ronald Regan signed into law the Immigration Reform and Control Act, an amnesty act that would alleviate the current immigration problems. Through this law, out of five million illegal immigrants, an estimated four million could have applied to become legal U.S. Citizens. This law was supposed to put a definite stop to illegal immigration into the United States. However, ever since the law was enacted, statistics show that the numbersRead MoreIllegal Immigration And The United States1593 Words   |  7 PagesIllegal immigration and the deployment of these undocumented inhabitants of America has been a disputed issue for decades. It is debated whether to return the illegal immigrants to their country of origin, or to let them stay in the United States. Factual evidence and statistics has proven that although the immigrants may not be authorized as citizens or inhabitants of America, they do contribute to the diversity of the country. With such a large population of foreigner s, the immigrants also influenceRead MoreIllegal Immigration to America991 Words   |  4 PagesLazarus, and engraved on the Statue of Liberty. With more and more people entering the country, the United States quickly evolved into the ultimate melting pot that it is today. As time has moved on America remains welcoming to the millions of immigrants. However, entry into the United States has become much more complicated. This complication resulted in a new type of immigration: illegal immigration. Ignoring American laws, these immigrants enter the country unnoticed and assimilate themselves intoRead MoreShould The National Quota Be Regulated With National Quotas?946 Words   |  4 Pages Even though open immigration could offer millions of immigrants with a new place of residency, an open immigration policy has its limits and should be regulated with national quotas. Before discussing what the effects of the national quota are, its origin and purpose has to be mentioned. The national quota originated from the National Origins Act (Immigration Act) of 1924. The act gave the American government the ability to regulate immigration by establishing national quotas. This allowed the governmentRead MoreIllegal Immigration Is The United States1548 Words   |  7 PagesIllegal immigration has almost always been a part of the United States. There seems to be a neverending amount of people who believe in the â€Å"land of opportunity†, the home of the free and the brave. However, it seems that some may be more opportune than others. Illegal immigrants come to America with hopes and dreams of living a better lifestyle than the one that they currently possess. Currently, the American citizenship process is antiquated and not suited to fit a modern United States of AmericaRead MoreThese Quotas Made It Very Clear On Who Was And Was Not1628 Words   |  7 PagesThese quotas made it very clear on who was and was not wanted in the United States. Certain countries had a quota number that was much lower than others. That difference in number was a game changer in how easy or how hard it was for distinct immigrants to come over. The 1920s exposed many fears for Americans already settled in the United States. Some people felt threatened by other religious groups, â€Å"Booker T. Washington, also wanted restrictions because they saw the new comers as added competitionsRead MoreImmigration And The United States986 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration in the United States continues to increase rapidly year by year. According to an analysis of monthly Census Bureau data by the Center for Immigration Studies, the immigration population in the United States, both l egal and illegal, hit a record of 42.1 million in the second quarter of this year, an increase of 1.7 million since the same quarter of 2014 (CIS.org). Clearly, Immigrants make up a large part of the population in the United States, and for most immigrants, migrating to the

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Essay about Whats Bad About Fast Food - 999 Words

The food criteria for are current ages is almost but not the most corrupt evilest plot of everyday food consumption to this planets generation. From known studies it shows the are united states of america has a consumption rate of 40% and above counting the actual printed paper in fast food store’s for everyday work, which then rounds up to about 500 lbs of consumption of paper per year . Not only the big 40% of useage for paper alone but the energy industry is at value of more than 12% use for power and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. As ive been studying thoroughly on this topic finding article reviews of fast food restaurants overeading this one from a chick named claire, posted jun 1st 2012. People now a day’s know whats†¦show more content†¦Sad think about are american fast food productions is 8/10 americans to this day say about fast food is served to them monthly as alone or even with family. Eating these foods cause major circulatory system malfunction from not only heart attack diseases but the hidden ingredients that we just accept as a natural disease much claim but it could be the propylene glycol that is continuously sprayed on top of are salads. From my sources of the web a lady named michelle crouch says on november 2012, â€Å"what surprising secrets about your favorite foods better think twice before eating†.. Shown fac ts proven and recorded from this lady saying actually good things about this topic like only as coming in at 11:am to 1:00pm would be the freshest time to be served. Being served extra when not even need like on are chicken in kfc extra butter while cooking for that extra taste and warm love they show us. After these restaurants come to closing time there is usually left over chemical resin from lack of cleaning procedures. From most of these chicken producing companies especially mcdonalds meats. Even the processed patty chicken just for chicken sandwiches have so much chemically infused items like fat trimmings which still has connective tissue separated off the bone. Also known facts showing up equivalently in the past years showing that are nuggets not onlyShow MoreRelatedFast Food Is Bad For Our Health855 Words   |  4 PagesIntro Quick, delicious, and hot that’s all people think when they are getting fast food for them and their family so they went have to cook. You can get fast food almost on every corner of a street and on any continent you go to. Fast food is now starting to invade non fast food eater’s lives by offering so called health items on the menu. Fast food is everywhere and people don’t consider what’s in the fast food they eat. What it could do to our health and why you feel sluggish, and when I go willRead MoreDonT Blame The Eater By David Zinczenko1049 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Dont Blame The Eater,† written by David Zinczenko evokes readers the crucial impact that fast food restaurants have in todays nations youth causing them to be over weight and have type 2ndiabetes. Throughout Zinczenkos argument he makes the reader view the consumer as a victim yet on the other hand, what he is trying to persuade us to believe by using logos,pathos,and ethos in his argument is that the food industry is the one making the nations youth to increase obesity. The capacity of impressiveRead MoreThe Problem With Obesity And Obesity995 Words   |  4 PagesSome are better than others. But one thing is for sure; the nation is in a crisis with obesity. Weight gain is on a rise and more and more of the population is getting bigger and bigger. This can be credited to the nutritional value in the foods we eat. The food we are putting into our bodies is poisoning our population, creating diseases, and killing us one French fry and soda at a time. According to the world health organization at least 2.8 million people die every year from being overweightRead Morefast entertainment1293 Words   |  6 Pages Has Entertainment Taken Over Society? Entertainment has provided society with an escape from reality, which at times may be very stressful and chaotic. Fast entertainment is the center of everyone s day, maybe its music, television, internet, or your cell phone. We are all seeking and craving entertainment all throughout the day. Entertainment today has become a skyrocket business. Mostly everything in our lives has something to do with entertainment. Certain forms of entertainment have overtakenRead MoreFast Food Vs Healthy Food Essay1120 Words   |  5 PagesFast food has been an extremely evident food supplier in the past 10 years, so I have decided to investigate further into the fast food world. I am looking into the â€Å"battle† between fast food and healthy food, and why fast food is so cheap compared to healthy food. There’s something about fast food, I have just been so passionate about it, and have always wondered what’s in fast food and why is it so inexpensive. I feel like fast food in gredients and prices should be expressed to the public, in whichRead MoreFast Food in the Cafeteria1347 Words   |  6 PagesFast Food Healthier than Cafeteria food? Many people think that fast food is bad for our health and that it shouldn’t be allowed in school. More healthful options should be promoted but what’s the use of healthy food in school if the kids don’t want to eat it? Nobody least of all adults LIKE eating healthy if given a choice everyone always goes for the fast food.When we eat lunch at school we get the bad end of the stick. they feed us cardboard pizza, meat that isn’t even meat and has beenRead MoreEating Meals For A Healthy Meal945 Words   |  4 Pagesdecision you’re faced with normally about three times each day; what are you going to eat? For some people, their food choice may not be as healthy as others’ and sometimes that’s okay. But with obesity on the rise like it is today, chances are their choice of a fattening meal isn’t going to be the only time they make it that week, let alone that same day. Why would someone choose a fattening meal over a healthy mea l though? Even though they might not even know what’s inside their cheeseburger, sideRead MoreTeenage Athlete Nutrition Essay559 Words   |  3 PagesTeenage Athlete Nutrition Today, our world is filled with food. While some are healthy, it seems like teenagers are more focused on the unhealthy foods. Yes, there are athletic programs; teens are still not eating the right foods they should be. They get the simple, easy to depend on, low cost foods which most likely are from fast food restaurants. Teenagers often pick the easy choice, which is why the obesity rate is rising in our state, including heart attacks and diabetes. Even though it seemsRead MoreIs America Taking it too Far by Blaming Fast Food for High Obesity Rates?937 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica taking it too far by blaming fast food for the obesity rate? After all, It is the individuals choice where, and what to eat, but on another note, fast food restaurants have a very appealing way in getting buyers, and basically tricking society into eating processed junk food that is high in calories and fats. Even though it is the individual’s decision what to eat, fast food is one of the main r easons for obesity. It is cheap, easily accessible, and fast, but it also problem causing and veryRead MoreChanges in the Food Supply Through History811 Words   |  3 PagesFood is any substance that can provide nutritious support for the body. Historically, people get food through two methods: hunting and gathering, and agriculture. Today, most of the food supply consumed by the world population is provided by the food industry. So how has the food changed and what’s wrong with it nowadays? First of all, I would like to start off by talking about the problems with food, and more individually, the food industry. Since technology came, the food industry has really begun

Friday, December 13, 2019

Nietzsche and “The Problem of Socrates” Free Essays

Without a doubt, Nietzsche was one of the great thinkers of his time.   He showed great insight into some of the social ills that existed at his time and sought to find ways in which to correct them.   Like Marx, Nietzsche believed that, to some extent, the root of many social ills came from the division between the classes and with the decadence of those with wealth. We will write a custom essay sample on Nietzsche and â€Å"The Problem of Socrates† or any similar topic only for you Order Now    In the case of the â€Å"problem† of Socrates, Nietzsche moves somewhat beyond the typical Marxist argument and questioned the wisdom of Socrates in other ways.   Although Nietzsche drew extensively from ancient texts to support his arguments about Socrates, the conclusions to which he came were completely modern in their nature. For his first argument, Nietzsche states that all sages have concluded that life is devoid of positive meaning (Nietzsche par. 1).   To support this argument, he cites Socrates’ conclusion that life equals sickness.   Socrates, Nietzsche argues, was not just tired of life himself; rather, his decadence was the symptom of a decline in society himself.   Not only was Socrates a â€Å"great erotic† (Nietzsche par. 8), but he was also an indication of how society itself was decadent. Nietzsche goes on to argue that Socrates was not a wise man at all.   Although it is usual to admire Socrates for his deeply analytical mind, Nietzsche argues that it is the philosopher’s overindulgence in this particular virtue that makes him decadent to begin with.   In fact, Nietzsche argues that Socrates was truly the opposite of everything that he was purported to be, and might not even be Greek at all.   To support these arguments, Nietzsche relies not only the texts that come from the time at which Socrates lived, but also on the writings of scientists, the â€Å"anthropological criminologists,† who argue that criminals are typically ugly people. In the eyes of Nietzsche, it appears that Socrates is not what he appears at first blush at all.   It is well known that Socrates came from the plebian class, but Nietzsche also argues against his ugliness, which appears in both writings on and sculptures of Socrates.   If Socrates was ugly and conventional wisdom at the time during which Nietzsche lived was that criminals are ugly, is it not possible to argue that Socrates was not a great man, but, rather, a criminal? And, because criminals are typically decadent, it is not possible to support, at least by arguments of the times, the statement that Socrates was decadent as well?   If these things are true, then Nietzsche can feel justified in arguing that Socrates was not a great man and that all of the philosophers that followed him through the leadership of Plato were also symptomatic of all that was wrong with Socrates and with his form of reasoning. Where Socrates fails, in the mind of Nietzsche, is in his overwhelming need for and reliance upon reasoning.   Prior to Socrates, Nietzsche points out, argumentation in polite society did not exist in polite society.   In fact, Nietzsche argues, the argumentation that Socrates relied upon was the vanquishing of â€Å"a noble taste† in which people did not live solely by reason, but through personal responsibility and personal morality, through instincts, rather than reason. It is through the writings that come down to this age, in which Socrates is depicted as an ugly man that is ruled solely by reason, that Nietzsche is able to draw his very modern conclusion: man without instincts is a diseased creature who has no desire to live.   Using this argument, Socrates did not bravely face his execution; instead, he wanted to die because he was not true to his instinctive human nature and, thus, had become infected with the decadence brought about by his over-reliance on logic, reason, and morality imposed from an exterior source. All of Nietzsche’s reasoning, of course, is based on his own desires to support his own arguments.   It is not difficult to trace a decline in Greek society over the centuries, but whether this decline is directly correlated with the reason imposed by Socrates and later by Plato it is impossible to say.   Rather, it appears that Nietzsche is making the argument to support his belief that human beings are instinctive creatures that are best when they are overflowing the restrictions imposed by society. Socrates’ form of reasoning, Nietzsche argued, was a last resort of a failing society.   This Socratic reasoning did not so much remove decadence from society as it did simply change that decadence into another form. The removal of instinct from society’s grasp and, in fact, the actual opposition that society had to the instinctive nature of humanity, was the cause of the disease that Socrates personified–at least in Nietzsche’s opinion. At the time that the ancients were writing in praise of Socrates, it was to their benefit to do so.   A new form of society was coming into being and Socrates was the forerunner of the kind of citizen that would populate it.   If Socrates was denigrated in writings during the time at which he lived, it was not because he was decadent or ugly, but because he challenged the society in which he lived. Nietzsche, however, chose to interpret the writings that he studied as proof that Greek society was in decline due to the rise of reason over instinct, which would thus support his argument that the ills and decadence of modern society sprang from the morals and reason that were being imposed upon the world.   In a very real sense, it can be argued that Nietzsche skewed the historical writings he studied to support his modern philosophical statements. Nietzsche argues that as long as reason and external morality is imposed upon society, the people who live within it are diseased and devoid of reasons to live.   He indicates that all of the sages throughout the ages have come to this conclusion, including Socrates, who came to such a conclusion about his own right.   Nietzsche came to very different conclusions than those that were reached by the people upon whose texts he based his reasoning because of his imposing modern values upon the writings of these ancient texts.   By using his own reasoning and the reasoning suggested by then-modern scientists, Nietzsche supported his own agenda that argued against reason and for instinctive humanity. Work Cited Nietzsche, F.   â€Å"The Problem of Socrates.†Ã‚   18 Dec 2007. http://forum.erraticwisdom.com/viewtopic.php?pid=2943. How to cite Nietzsche and â€Å"The Problem of Socrates†, Essay examples