Sunday, November 24, 2019

Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Example

Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Example Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Shylock a villain or a victim of the society he lives in Essay Essay Topic: Play In my opinion Shylock was a victim of the society he lived in. He was a victim because he was a minority in a Christian city where anti-Semitism played an important role in society. In the society in which Shylock lived, there was plenty of racism, so it was easy to paint a picture of Shylock as a villain on evil, based on stereotypical opinions for the society in which he lived. The target audience for which the play was written was largely a racist and a prejudiced audience, so they readily accepted Shylock in the role of Villain, without questioning whether this was an accurate assessment of his personality. Due to the target audience being racist, there is a bias in the way in which Shylock is portrayed, and does not always effectively portray what Shylock was feeling or thinking. Although in some cases Shakespeare did show that he did not have the stereotypical view of Shylock, which most certainly his audience did have. In this essay, I will be expressing my opinion on whether Shylock is a victim or a villain in the society that he lives in. I feel that, Shylock is a victim of the Elizabethan society in which he lived. He seems to be treated badly by everyone who he comes into contact with, including his own servant. It is really only his own kind who seems to respect and treat him properly. In Act 1 scene 3 Shylock is asked to loan 3000 ducats to Antonio by Bassanio. It looks or has been made to look as though Shylock is a villain, this is shown by using repetition, the repetition used in by Shylock is that he seems to mention well a lot, this makes Shylock look like he is planning something, for example how to get revenge on Antonio, also in the beginning of the act Shylock seems to come across as an evil character, this is when he is first introduced into the play. Shylock looks like a villain when he is asked by Bassanio to dine with Antonio, but Shylock replies I will not eat with you, drink with you nor pray with you this sentence made Shylock look like a villain, but if you had to look at it from his point of view, it would be that he has been hated and treated badly all his life by Christians. Then, when Antonio enters the scene you can see how Shylock is treated badly and is a victim in the society he lives in, this point is proven when Shylock says to Antonio You call me a misbeliever and Spit on my Jewish gabardine In the next few scenes in the play we find out that Jessica is ashamed of being Jewish, and consequently is ashamed of her father. She is not happy with her life, and she blames everything that goes wrong on the fact that she is Jewish. As she resents her difficulties and blames them on her religion she also resents her father, and blames him for being Jewish resulting in her also being Jewish, we find this out when Jessica says to Launcelot But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners For example in Act 2 scene 3 we find out that Jessica thinks that where she lives is hell. She expresses her feeling to Lorenzo, saying to be ashamed to be my fathers child. This is another point which could make Shylock look like a villain because even his own daughter is ashamed to have him (Shylock) as a father, or this also could look as though Shylock is a victim because he has been victimized and arguments have been caused in his family due to his religion. Christians such as Lorenzo have changed his daughter they have made her ashamed of her own religion and her father. I also think that this does show that Shylock and Jessica do not have a very good relationship if their relationship was stronger she would be prouder of her heritage and less likely to blame everything that goes wrong on her father and their religion. She would accept the familys religion as an important part of her heritage and background, and not something to be ashamed of. In Act 2 scene 5 Shylock looks like a kill joy he seems to give Jessica no freedom and is always controlling her, and not leaving her on her own. This could be because he is in fear of what might happen to her, and thus his controlling her is just Shylocks way of making sure that nothing happens to her, as he wants her to be protected. However because Shylock is portrayed in such a negative way, his control over Jessica could be incorrectly seen as unreasonable and evil so one again he looks like a villain. In this scene there are very good examples which shows how much hatred Shylock has towards Christians for example But yet Ill go in hate, to feed upon the prodigal Christian. In this scene there is dramatic irony, this is when the audience know what is happening and some of the characters do not know what is happening. The use of dramatic irony is used when, Shylock explains his dreams, and he says that he is going to lose something. This is ironic because his daughter Jessica was planning to run away and take all of Shylocks money with her. In Act 3 Shylock seems to be loosing everything he has. His own daughter Jessica had run away and had also stolen all of his precious jewels, and he had done nothing to deserve this. To an audience in Shakespeares time this would look completely normally, they would not understand how upset Shylock probably was, but to a modern audience we can see that he is a victim of society, and there was nothing he could have done to prevent it from happening. The only thing he could do was take revenge from his bond, in my opinion this does not make him a villain because personally I think most people would want revenge on something or anything if that much had happened to them, as it is human nature. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. This shows how he wants to take his revenge on Antonio because now he finally has the chance to do what ever he can do. In act 3 scene 3 Antonios attitude changes towards Shylock for example he says hear me yet good Shylock this shows that he is a coward and is willing to beg for his life, and he is begging to the person he once spat on, and swore at, so at this point Shylock deserves to be a villain and stand up against his sworn enemy. In Act 4 scene 1 at the beginning Shylock has been made to look like a villain, at this point it looks at though Shylock is going to get his revenge, the one thing he has been waiting for, for his whole life: making him look like a villain and yes I do think he is a villain at this point in time, but only because he has been pushed and pushed by the Christians. He also looks like a really bad villain towards a Shakespearean audience as he has been asked to show mercy but he doesnt. This is shown that Shylock wont give mercy as he uses repetition and repeats many times in six thousand ducats I would not draw them I would have my bond But then in the end or near to the end it seems as though Shylocks luck has changed, and there is dramatic irony used, as the audience know that Shylock is being tricked by Portia, whereas Shylock things that the young lawyer is from a distant city. In the end of the scene Shylock is a victim of society as he has been told that if a drop of a Christians blood is spilt then all his good will be taken away from him. So where he was the villain, then the tables had turned against him, and they not only took his bond away from him, but they also took all his possessions from him, leaving him with nothing and also making him a victim of society. This is also ironic, as when Shylock had the upper hand against his enemies they all begged him for mercy, and told him that what he is doing is wrong, but when the tables had turned against Shylock and he was now the victim, and the Christian society had the upper hand, they did not show that they were better than him and give him mercy, as they had begged him for. This all shows that in the end Shylock was the Victim, and that the society he lived in was the villain towards him, and other Jews. So to summarize in my opinion I believe that shylock was a victim and a villain of the society he lived in, he was a victim due to the fact that he was a minority amongst Christians, and during his time there was a lot of racism against him and his religion, I also believe that Shylock was a villain in some ways because the society had driven him to be villainess meaning that because he was treated so badly, that every time he could get his own revenge back against the Christians he did try to do that, making it look like he is the villain to a Shakespearean audience.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 76

Essay Example The ordinary citizens were not happy about the act which led to writings that were aimed at reminding the leaders that it was time they rose on their feet and advocate for better ways of governance (kovaly 59). Winston Churchill, after being awarded an honorary degree he read his speech which targeted at enlightening the people on the impact of the Soviet Union; division of countries were realised (Churchill 1). Songs were sung urging the leaders to feel the cry of the people. Bob Dylan in his song, â€Å"Blowing in the wind† which was released in 1963 was seen as a protest song against the cold war which the United States and the Russia countries were constantly involved in. He reminded the leaders of the cries of the citizens. The song â€Å"Surfin USA† released by Beach Boys in 1963 signified the amount of suffering the people had undergone, they feeling of taking summer holiday out of America by surfing through the ocean was the message being passed. The movie â€Å"Europa Europa† was based on a boy who survived attacks when his family was battle which led to his sister’s death. The movie was aimed at passing the message on the way the people were suffering. To make citizens understand why united States of America forces were taking part in the war, a film was produced (United States War Department). Modernisation was fought for by many women who were not allowed to be like their male counterparts. During the first world war when their men had to defend their country’s territory, women were left at home, they took care of the kids, did all the domestic duties and other odd jobs so that they could be in a position to support their families. Women learnt to be independent which led to the need for glamour. The youthful women were seen venturing into music and other bold activities which were prohibited, their boldness earned them the name flapper. Artistic expressions were

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

What impact national health policy may have on dental practices Essay

What impact national health policy may have on dental practices - Essay Example en national health policy changes the way dental healthcare is covered, dental practitioners are likely to change their attitude towards who they offer services. They are most likely to shift to where there are more incentives, better coverage, and well defined health coverage information. Additionally, dentists are much more likely to change their practices in response to changes in health policies, which might affect their liabilities and legal implications. There is a possibility that some sections of national health policy especially concerning information will change the way dental practitioners handle and present information. When measures that are more stringent are needed, dental practitioners will realize that they have to provide detailed information on dental procedures. The recent changes in national health policy demands that an elaborate and detailed information regarding coverage of healthcare bills be provided to the users. According to a Wall Street Journal article â€Å"Health-Plan Buyers Get a Look under the Hood,† every consumer of healthcare services will have to be provided with a concise and easy to understand information about the healthcare provided. This does not only affect insurers but also healthcare providers including dentists. It is claimed, â€Å"  it would not only tell consumers their overall deductibles, or the amount they must pay before coverage kicks in, but would also explain deductibles for specific categories, such as drug coverage† (Mathews and Adamy 1). Although the disclosure is particularly targeted for consumers, health practitioners including dentists will feel the impact. For instance, dental practitioners may be required to change the way they present information to patients. They may be forced to provide elaborate and detailed information on dental procedures, drug administration to patients and insurance providers. This article is provides very relevant information regarding issues of health policies and medical

Monday, November 18, 2019

Muslim prayer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Muslim prayer - Essay Example She examines religion from several approaches, perhaps as a way having a neutral consideration (Fisher 123). I will concentrate on faith-based perspective of religion, prayer as a therapy and understanding different religious practices with a bias on the Islamist’s Salat practices. Most people believe that faith is the greatest component of any religion. This goes hand in hand with prayer. This is why when people pray, they must inject some elements of faith into the payers so that it can have an impact on their lives. This is perhaps why there are many religious doctrines across the world. Today, even scientists accept the therapeutic healing of prayers. Mary notes that it looks at prayer as a way of achieving the end with their creator, then they will receive healing in ways that that they cannot understand. In this regard, prayer backed with faith has a beneficial effect. Different religions have different ways of connecting with God. They have different beliefs that they incorporate in their prayers as well. In this regard, prayer can, therefore, be considered as a sustenance network. Various religions maintain that God heals only those who pray. So those who pray would be considered â€Å"religious† while those who do not have a religion will be considered â€Å"non-religious†. This is why Mary explains that faith-backed prayers are an important element of any religion. The Jewish, the Christian, the Muslim, the Buddhist, as well as other religious groups believe in the importance of faith. The essential factor about prayer is how it helps people to get into a personal relationship with God; God is the sustainer of life. In this case, God is the most important person in their lives and one who holds the answers to their problems. Health is a core element that these people consider as well. Through prayer, people present themselves as needy and want God to heal them. In this aspect, faith, therefore, becomes a crucial element in any religion (Fisher

Friday, November 15, 2019

Difficult To Define Identity Sociology Essay

Difficult To Define Identity Sociology Essay For all assignments of 1,000 words or more handed in after the due date and without an agreed extension, a five percent penalty applies for the first day of the missed deadline. After that, a subsequent penalty of 2% per day will be applied for the next thirteen calendar days after the due date (including Saturdays and Sundays). No assignment can be accepted after more than fourteen calendar days except in exceptional circumstances and in consultation with your lecturer or tutor. If students face a significant illness or serious issue, it may be that  Special Consideration  is warranted. If an extension of work is granted this must be specified with the signature of the lecturer or tutor. Extension granted until: Tutors Signature: If you would like written feedback for your end of semester assessment eg research essay, then please tick the box and provide an A4 self-addressed stamped envelope stapled to your assessment.  Ã‚ ± NOTE: It is your responsibility to keep a copy of your essay If there are no substantial factors to indicate that plagiarism was accidental or unintentional, plagiarism will be treated as cheating for the purposes of Monash Statute 4.1 Discipline Plagiarism: Plagiarism means to take and use another persons ideas or work and pass these off as ones own by failing to give appropriate acknowledgement. This includes material from any source published and unpublished works, staff or students, the Internet. Collusion: Collusion is the presentation of work which is the result in whole or in part of unauthorised collaboration with another person or persons. Where there are reasonable grounds for believing that plagiarism has occurred, this will be reported to the Chief Examiner, who will disallow the work concerned by prohibiting assessment or refer the matter to the Faculty Manager. For further information see the universitys Plagiarism Policy at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/execserv/policies/Academic-Policies/policy/plagarism-and-cheating.html Privacy Statement: The information on this form is collected for the primary purpose of assessing your assignment. Other purposes of collection include recording your plagiarism and collusion declaration, attending to administrative matters and statistical analyses. If you choose not to complete all the questions on this form, it may not be possible for Monash University to allow the submission of your assignment. You have a right to access personal information that Monash University holds about you, subject to any exceptions in relevant legislation. If you wish to seek access to your personal information or inquire about the handling of your personal information, please contact the University Privacy Officer on 9905 6011. Students Statement: I have read the universitys statement on cheating and plagiarism, as described in the Student Resource Guide (refer http://www.monash.edu.au/au/pubs/handbooks/srg/srg-119.html) This assignment is original and has not previously submitted as part of another unit/subject/course, I have taken proper care of safeguarding this work and made all reasonable effort to ensure it could not be copied, I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may for the purposes of assessment, reproduce the assignment and: Provide to another member of faculty; and/or Communicate it to the universitys plagiarism checking service (which may then retain a copy of the assignment on its database for the purpose of future plagiarism checking). I understand the consequences for engaging in plagiarism as described in University Statute 4.1. Part III Academic Misconduct (refer http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/calendar/statutes/statutes04.html#Heading110) I certify that I have not plagiarised the work of others or participated in unauthorised collusion when preparing this assignment. Signature: Sophie Boinnard Date 21-10-2011 Question 6: Discuss why is it difficult to define identity? The best way to characterize identity may be to see it as a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writing blend and clash (Sarup, 1996, p.25). Approaches to identity are multiple and from various fields such as sociology, psychology and psychoanalysis. This vast array of theories offer as many different attributes and definitions to identity which prevent the construction of a simple definition. I will argue that identity cannot be reduced to a simple and unified definition. This is most evident by understanding and analyzing the broad differences and interconnectedness between the major theories on identity, such as psychoanalysis, symbolic interactionism and performativity, which all have something to offer, each focusing more on the aspects that are relevant for their field of study. The wish to define identity can be traced back to the Enlightenment philosophy in Europe, when humanism and the quest to find who we are and how we should behave as rational and free beings (Mansfield, 2000, p.15). Identity was then studied as a philosophical construct, and the theories, influenced by Descartes and his notion of duality of the human mind between an emotional self and a rational thoughts as constituting our identity, led to believe the subject as being I think therefore I am (Sarup, 1996, p.46). This Cartesian approach considering the self as unified stayed the main view for many years. However we now live in a post-Cartesian world, and the development of fields such as psychoanalysis, sociology and social psychology led to a shift in the way to look at identity, by decentralizing the subject (Sarup, 1996, p.46) to take into account different evolution of society and the complexity of human beings. With the development of psychoanalysis, initiated by the researches and theories of Sigmund Freud, the approach to the study of identity changed focus and meaning. Freud believed that most of our identity is based upon the result of the negotiation of actions and reactions between the individual and the external environment (Elliott, 2007, p.53), such as the family, culture and society. According to him, we are not born with an identity, but we construct one through the process of identification. This is especially true in the early ages of your life when you learn what is acceptable according to social criteria and what has to be prevented, which is then repressed according to Freud into the unconscious; the Oedipus complex is a good example of structuring the subject in terms of identification (Sarup, 1996, p.30). It is the result of these interactions which will define who we are. It is important then to notice that for Freud ones identity construction is mostly unconscious and re sides within oneself (Lawler, 2008, p.78); the focus is, as such, placed on the individual and his capacity to adapt and positively interact with the world. Following psychoanalytic traditions, academics such as Eissler theorized the sense of identity as being based on memory elements which in turn depend on the capacity of the ego to consider these memories as its own, and be then able to either repress or integrate them successfully (De Levita, 1965, p.106). Stephanie Lawler, also on memory, argues that identity is not something fundamental and essential, but something produced through the narratives people use to explain and understand their lives (Lawler, 2008, p.17). As such they use their memories to interpret their lives, and at the same time these memories are already interpretations of a past experience: memories themselves are social products. What psychoanalysis can bring to the study of identity is that it gives a way to consider the place of unconscious and non-rational elements of identity (Lawler, 2008, p.83) which are psychoanalytic elements that are necessary to understand the construction of identity but which are often denied by theorists exploring social dynamics impacts (Sarup, 1996, p.39). Furthermore, by placing the unconscious and ideas of repression at the centre of his model of identity, Freud shows that we can only know ourselves incompletely and with difficulty, rendering identity blurred and unfinished (Lawler, 2008, p.99). However, by concentrating so much on the selfs experience of identity, this approach might lack depth in understanding the impact of some social forces such as inequality, oppression and domination (Elliott, 2007, p.70). Another approach that developed around that time but in the sociological field, is the theory known as symbolic interactionism. Largely influenced by Meads theory, it gives less importance to the individual than psychoanalysis and in contrary concentrates on the effects of interactions between the social reality and an individual. In fact, Mead believes that a subjective self is fashioned and shaped by the cooperative interaction with the world and others. It is indeed through the use of symbols which meanings we learn and understand thanks to experiences, to languages, values and culture and according to our surrounding environment that we are constructing our identities (Elliott, 2007, p.32). In other words, according to Mead, we make sense of ourselves only by the time we make sense of the world and others around us, by developing a sense of difference and recognition through symbols such as language. As such, it is necessary to distinguish between the I, representing the intern al needs, feelings, whishes and the me, representing the socialized self, which appears in reaction to what we see around us (Carriera Da Silva, 2007, pp.51-59): it is the consciousness of ourselves we develop in reaction to developing a sense of others, a differentiation from them. Something common with psychoanalysis is the importance of childhood in development of the sense of self, as Mead believes in the importance of the processes of play and game in becoming a healthy mind which can interact with others and society (Carriera Da Silva, 2007, pp.48-51). However Strauss, who on that aspect shares symbolic interactionists view, rejects the idea that the self is determined only through early childhood, and would then be static, and in contrary argues about a theory of adult identity change (Musolf, 2003, p. 167) showing that we are flexible beings, and are continuously socialized into new identities (Musolf, 2003, pp. 77, 170). Finally, Strausss theory incorporates the structural influences on social behaviors that he believes are neglected in the basic theory. Language is very important, with for example our names being the first act of self-introduction and as such functions as a social object by which others may initially typify us (Musolf, 2003, pp. 164-16 5). However, symbolic interactionism has been accused of being too rationalistic, cognitive and conscious, and indeed seems to have little recognition of the relation between desire, wishes, fantasies and social control that is argued in psychoanalysis (Elliott, 2007, p.35). Later on, approaches started to focus more on how identity functioned to try and explain what it is. This is the case of Anthony Goffman who, departing from symbolic interactionism, believes in the strategic performativity of the self in everyday life as constituting different identities for ourselves where the social sphere therefore represents a stage where we have to act an identity (Lawler, 2008, p104). Our self is reflected to the world as a faà §ade, and the individual is the creative and reflective agent who decides and in doing so constitutes self identity on how to carry out such roles as well as the staging of role performances (Elliott, 2007, p. 38). We therefore have a set of identities for which we know how to perform and what expectations people have of them, and we are constantly constraint to be on display and perform, as well as adding roles to adapt to every situation (Musolf, 2003, p. 164). Taking further Goffmans performativity, Mills argues that the performing self appeared as a result of the structural transformation of society into a bureaucratic consumerist one, and that it leads to the disappearing of real bonds in society replaced by a cash nexus as the only uniting element (Musolf, 2003, pp. 164, 172). Goffman takes some distance from symbolic interactionism however as he focuses on interactions and as such gives no importance to the difference between the I and the me; this leads to questioning the presence of a real self existing outside such practices the real identity of the I, hiding behind the personae and roles people assume, but he seems to leave undeveloped this aspect of the theory, concentrating on studying the faà §ades we show and not the true identity we might have behind it (Hetherington, 1998, pp. 150-151). As such theorists like De Levita have interpreted that for Goffman, the roles we play do not hide anything comparable to what Jung would argue (1965, p.132). According to Jung, the persona regroups the totality of the roles which a certain individual fulfils and portrays to the world, a similar idea to Goffmans performance but their ideas shift as for defining the place of identity in this schema. Indeed it is explicit for Jung that the persona only is a shield for our true identity (De Levita, 1965, p.132) which is not so clear for Goffman. In contrary, he argues that the roles/performances are what make us persons; we are constantly acting, but what those roles add up to is our identity (Lawler, 2008, p.106). Take a lecturer for example; he will act differently while teaching in classes than how he is with his friends over lunch, and even differently than how he will act with his children in the evening. It doesnt mean that he is someone else more true outside of these contexts, or that he is fraudulent about his identity, but that all these roles represent who he is. Today, with the increasing influence of the media as a social force, Goffmans theory might be more adapted than ever as these media perpetuate performance demands. Indeed, as Altheide argues, our everyday life saturated by the media reshapes identity into another piece of merchandise that we shill just as advertising promotes corporate products with which we play as a toy (Altheide, 2000, pp. 13, 20). Another way of thinking about identity comes from Giddens theory of reflexivity and social change. Today according to Giddens, people are more self-aware, and therefore can make strategic decision for their future and about who they are or want to be (Giddens, 1991, p.35). Identity is not passive and has to be reflexively made from a multitude of often competing choices, and the settings of uncertainty and multiple choices render the notions of trust, risk and ontological security central to the reflexive self. Indeed, as Giddens puts it, trust is at the origin of the experience of a stable external world and a coherent sense of self-identity (Giddens, 1991, p.51). His concept considers how in late modernity humans develop a psychological self and re-focus on their identity, to try and reflect on a sense of self, helped by the many experts, information and advices, largely psychological and sociological (Elliott, 2007, p.45), which are now available about how we should live our lives , such as self-help books or TV shows like Dr Phil which reminds of what Rose calls the psy complex (Rose, 1999). Therefore our identity becomes what we believe or interpret ourselves to be and how we want to shape ourselves. His way of characterizing individuals as being almost self-mastering leads to many critics, considering his theory as too individualistic (Elliott, 2007, pp.48-49). Giddens is critical of overly pessimistic accounts of the post-modern self as fragmented (Heaphy, 2007, p.94). Instead for Giddens, individuals actively participate in forging their self-identities and in doing so contribute to social life in a way that has global implications. Giddens analysis begins with the premise that all human beings possess an awareness of what they are doing and why they are doing so, and they monitor themselves in producing and reproducing social conventions (Heaphy, 2007, pp.95, 119). The problem with this approach is that Giddens fails to take into account power relations and the possible lack of choice or the different consequences of choices. As Lash indeed argues, contradiction and contingency, he suggests, are far more characteristic of the contemporary self than Giddens theory of reflexivity will allow and he therefore counsels to use Foucaults insights on power and control where reflexivitys shows limitation (in Heaphy, 2007, pp.112-113). To have a greater account of power relation in the creation of identity, one should turn to Foucault and Foucauldian theorists. Foucaults argument is that particular kinds of identity are made up within relations of power/knowledge (Lawler, 2008, p.55). To put it simply, he argues that how we are is an effect of what we know ourselves to be, or in other words, we are addressed, and address ourselves as certain kind of person, and through this process we become that person. Lawler gives the example of the subjectivation of sexuality, showing that we dont understand sexual preference as something we do but as something we are (2008, p.59). Subjectivation is therefore the idea of becoming subjects by gaining specific identities (Lawler, 2008, p.62). Foucauldian scholars follow his theory and have argued that society is governed through self-surveillance, initiated by social institutions, to encourage individuals to actively condition and shape themselves according to social norms (Heapy , 2007, pp.33-34). Another important element is the idea that we are not regulated by the media but regulating ourselves with it, using different means such as counseling or self help books, because of our strive to be a certain type of person in order to be normal, healthy, self-fulfilled (Lawler, 2008, p.63) which relates to theories previously discussed. According to Rose, the language of psychology provides an important way of constructing ones identity, of identifying ones deepest thoughts, wishes and conflicts (Rose, 1999). However one of the critic against Foucaults ideas relates to the lack of insight into why people make subjectivation investments in some forms of self-understands and not in others, or also how such understandings come to constitute the self (Lawler, 2008, p.76). As we have seen through these renowned examples of how to frame identity, there are many approaches to the study of identity, which define or characterize it in different ways, blurring the possibility to give a simple unified definition. Identity is not a thing but a process in constant change of shape and meaning, and that is why it is difficult to grasp it. Because identity is a broad and nebulous concept, it is complex and multiple, and can mean different things depending on your purposes of research and approach. Some of these theories concentrate on how to see the individual from societys perspective, while some others study the positions of these individuals within the society, but what seems common to most of them is the idea that identity plays a role of mediator (Sarup, 1996, p.28) between the external and the internal, between the self and others. Reference list: Altheide, D. (2000). Identity and the Definition of the Situation in a Mass-Mediated Context. Symbolic Interaction, vol. 23 , pp.1-27. Carreira Da Silva, F. (2007). G. H. Mead: A critical introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press. De Levita, D. (1965). The Concept of Identity. Paris and The Hague: Mouton co. Elliott, A. (2007). Concepts of the self. Cambridge: Polity Press. Giddens, A. (1991). Modernity and Self-identity. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Heaphy, B. (2007). Late Modernity and Social Change. London and New York: Routledge. Hetherington, K. (1998). Expressions of Identity. London: Sage Publications. Lawler, S. (2008). Identity: Social Perspectives. Cambridge: Polity Press. Mansfield, N. (2000). Subjectivity: theories of self from Freud to Haraway, New York: New York University Press. Musolf, G. R. (2003). Structure and Agency in everyday life. Lanham: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Rose, N. (1999). Obliged to be free in Governing the soul: the shaping of the private self, Second edition. London: Free Association Books. Sarup, M. (1996). Identity, Culture and the Postmodern world. Athenes: University of Georgia Press. Mark sheet Addressing the topic Excellent Very Good Good Fair Pass Poor Expression of the argument Engagement with relevant literature Use of relevant examples Originality and critical insight Range of concepts Integration of concepts Conforms to requirements of academic writing Punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, paragraphing In-text referencing

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Computer Generated Evidence in Court :: Computers Technology Courtroom Essays

Computer Generated Evidence in Court Introduction We are living in what is usually described as an 'information society' and as the business community makes ever greater use of computers the courts are going to find that increasingly the disputes before them turn on evidence which has at some stage passed through or been processed by a computer. In order to keep in step with this practice it is vital that the courts are able to take account of such evidence. As the Criminal Law Revision Committee recognised, 'the increasing use of computers by the Post Office, local authorities, banks and business firms to store information will make it more difficult to prove certain matters such as cheque card frauds, unless it is possible for this to be done from computers' (CLRC 1972, para 259). Admissibility The law of evidence is concerned with the means of proving the facts which are in issue and this necessarily involves the adduction of evidence which is then presented to the court. The law admits evidence only if it complies with the rules governing admissibility. Computer output is only admissible in evidence where special conditions are satisfied. These conditions are set out in detail in section 69 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 (see further Nyssens 1993, Reed 1993 and Tapper 1993). In general the principles of admissibility are that the evidence must be relevant to the proof of a fact in issue, to the credibility of a witness or to the reliability of other evidence, and the evidence must not be inadmissible by virtue of some particular rule of law (Keane 1994, pp 15-20; Tapper 1990, pp 51- 61). Real evidence usually takes the form of some material object (including computer output) produced for inspection in order that the court may draw an inference from its own observation as to the existence, condition or value of the object in question. Although real evidence may be extremely valuable as a means of proof, little if any weight attaches to it unless accompanied by testimony which identifies the object in question and explains its connection with, or significance in relation to, the facts in issue or relevant to the issue. This is illustrated in the case of R v Wood (1982) 76 Cr App R 23 where the appellant was convicted of handling stolen metals. In order to prove that metal found in his possession and metal retained from the stolen consignment had the same chemical composition cross-checking was undertaken and the figures produced were subjected to a laborious mathematical process in order that the percentage

Sunday, November 10, 2019

On the Free Choice of the Will Essay

This book by St Augustine contains many philosophical arguments. St Augustine was a Latin speaking philosopher born in what is now modern day Algeria. He was one of the most prolific philosophers with hundreds of surviving works attributed to him (having survived the passage of time). The book On Free choice of the will contains may divine references with the central argument concerning free will as a gift from god, a gift which leads to humans becoming evil due their own inherent flaws. Free will is a large theme in the book. I will be critically analyzing Augustine’s argument that ‘†¦ a mind that is in control, one that possesses virtue, cannot be made a slave to inordinate desire by anything equal or superior to it, because such a thing would be just, or by anything inferior to it, because such a thing would be too weak’1 . I will be looking at the weaknesses and strengths of this argument and conclude how convincing his argument is. Augustine’s first argument about the mind being made a slave to inordinate desire contains many flaws its states â€Å"Each mind possesses the same degree of excellence and any thing that would attempt such a thing will have fallen from justice and become weaker† 2(originally said by Evodius but Augustine agrees to it) in this he is essentially saying that any mind attempting to enslave another mind to an inordinate desire will have become unjust and in the process weaker meaning it cannot control the superior mind. The first problem with this argument is the premise that all minds posses the same degree of excellence, this notion is completely wrong as it would be illogical to assume that all humans are intellectually equal. The fact that the foundation of the argument is wrong could serve to debase the entire argument as it is a paramount (and erroneous) notion upon which the argument is built. Augustine’s argument states â€Å"a Mind cannot be enslaved by something equal or superior to it because that thing would be just† 3 Not only does this statement destroy his previous notion that all minds are equal it also contains many faults on its own. Firstly its assumes that a mind that is superior would be just this assumption contains many problems. Firstly it assumes that the smarter you are the more just you would be, this statement is quite the contrary the smarter you are the more likely you are to be able to manipulate and scheme making you unjust, one can only look at politicians to see that the more intelligent you are the more susceptible you would be to carrying out unjust acts, so in my opinion this statement can be easily refuted. It is quite logical to assume that the superior mind will be more likely to try and enslave another mind for some purpose or another. One can only look at the peace among intellectual inferior animals which do not commit a multitude of nefarious acts in order to further themselves, contrast this with the chaos amongst humans and one can begin to see that the superior mind is truly less just than the inferior mind, humans have pride and ambition which engenders greed and other destructive traits, these are not seen in animals and babies (both of whom have inferior minds) and galvanizes the notion that a superior mind is less just than a weaker one. The next part of his argument that an inferior mind cannot enslave a superior mind because it will be weaker, contains much more logic than his previous arguments. I would not say this statement is wholly correct but the notion that a weak mind cannot enslave a superior mind is mostly correct in my opinion as it is logical to assume that weak cannot overcome the strong. On the other hand to completely write off a weak minds chances of enslaving a superior mind would be foolish as many other factors are involved in this process including emotions and circumstance, for example if a man with a superior mind is in love with a woman who possesses an inferior mind he could still be enslaved to inordinate desire by virtue of his love for her which will have warped his reason. Hence under some circumstances a weak mind can over come a superior mind yet it would be prudent to assume that a superior mind will always have the upper hand barring external factors. Finally in my opinion there is a huge inherent flaw in the entire argument of Augustine, I believe that pride, ambition, gluttony and all other various inordinate desires are inherent in humans in general, I do not believe it is necessary for a mind to sway another into these desires as they already exist within the human being, it is environmental factors which sway a human being into experiencing these inordinate desires not people and as a result I believe that Augustine’s arguments are fundamentally flawed. He takes a very idealistic view on humans believing them to only corruptible due to other unjust people corrupting them. In truth I believe (unfortunately) that humans are more inclined to feel inordinate desires due to extenuating factors that catalyze their latent emotions that lead to the dire consequences that are engendered by inordinate desires. In conclusion I believe Augustine’s arguments are mediocre. Their strengths are far and few and hugely outweighed by the flaws In them. His arguments while appearing logical and reasonable contain many imperceptible cracks which can be exploited greatly (and at times can debase his entire argument) in the case of a debate. On the basis of this I would have to say that his arguments are mediocre at best and while they are somewhat convincing a wise man would see through them easily.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Hollywood essays

Hollywood essays Michael Medved provided many convincing arguments in supporting the thesis in his essay, Hollywood Poison Factory. He argues that popular culture is viewed now as an implacable enemy, a threat to their basic values and a menace to the raising of their children (212). He refers their (212) to the majority of the American public who disapprove of how Hollywood distributes films which contain bad messages. Medved mainly supports his arguments by providing different movies to illustrate his views and does a very good job of that. He does not criticize the actors, directors, and does not name specific people. Instead, the author focuses his opinions on movies that include negative messages which concern dysfunctional marriages and religion bashing. These are the two main arguments, that Medved provides, to support his thesis. Medved makes some strong arguments in regards to how different religions are negatively portrayed in movies. For example, Medved criticizes a film directed by Martin Scorsese, called The Last Temptation of Christ. He alludes to this film, as showing religious Jews operating a brutal bordello right next door to a synagogue and forcing women into white slavery (213). The Catholics were also targeted in a movie called The Pope Must Diet, in what Medved described as scenes of the Holy Father flirting with harlot nuns and hiding in a closet pigging out on communion workers (213). Religion, being the focal point in these movies, does make the viewers feel uncomfortable, and puts these religions in a negative light. Therefore, movies should be more appealing to people, if they do not contain any anti-religious undertones. This will be a much safer route, for Hollywood to connect with its audience and this is what Medved is trying to explain to us in his arguments. Medved provides another convincing argument in pointing out that Ho ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Effect of the railroads on the United states essays

Effect of the railroads on the United states essays There were numerous revolutionary inventions that contributed to the giant leap made by some nations during the Industrial Revolution. From inventions in the textile industry to inventions in transportation, these many innovations played a central role in the rise of the industrial nations. Among the significant inventions that contributed foremost to the rise of nations such as the United States, the railroad stands out. The railway system originated in the European nation, England, which had a dense population confined to a small geographic area. This was not the situation in the United States; however, this did not stop the railroad from reaching the Americas in the early 1800s. Unlike the railroad system in England, which was allotted a large budget and which had relatively little land to cover, railroads in America had to meet the demands of a population that was greatly dispersed across larger distances. They had to meet this goal on a limited budget. Though railroad companies experienced remarkable success in both situations, they were especially successful in the young United States. Before the Civil War, and even in the era that followed, the railway system played an important role in the transportation, expansion and economy of the United States. Before the introduction of the railroad into American society, transportation across land was slow and dangerous. Railroads carried more goods and people across larger distances at a much faster rate of speed than any other method of transportation that existed at that time. The confines of the railroad car protected goods and travelers from the turbulence of the changing weather and terrain, as well as from the dangerous animals and criminals that might be encountered along its trails. In only 60 years, the United States railway system expanded from a minor 23 miles of track to an estimated 166,703 miles of track. This expansion made transportation cheaper. With th...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Mintab assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mintab assignment - Essay Example HSE makes utilization of money matters in assessing the costs and profits of its mediation and in understanding the most extensive financial connection for well-being and security. The primary point of Health and Safety Executive (HS) is to break down the respects between laborers in the four separate segments furthermore to complete the strength of professionals in relationship between them. The Health and Safety Executive likewise asked to do an analysis in relationship between the length of administration and recorded well-being issues, for example, silicosis. Tile, porcelain and precious stone glass commercial enterprise. This study however, will incur and make use of variance test both H0 and H1. The samples associated with variance H1 will have different variances while H0 will have no difference in the variances between the samples. From this perception we realize that if one rejects the alternative if the p value is greater than 0.05, he or she will be forced to reject the null if the p value is less than 0.05 The main objective of this study is to analyse the deference’s between workers in the four different sectors and also to carry out the health of workers in relationship between them as far as Health and safety Executive (HS) is of concern. However, this study constitutes two hypotheses. The first hypothesis is H0 where there is no links in the recorded health of the workers and there is no variance in the health of the workers. The second hypothesis is H1 where there is a link in the recorded health of the workers and there is a variance in the health of the workers. The study will analyse and give justification on both hypotheses to oversee the null perception as far as p value is taken into consideration. In the light of the HSEs concentrate on empowering associations successfully to handle work-related stress using Variance approach, one would anticipate that the relationship will exist between

Friday, November 1, 2019

Retirement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Retirement - Assignment Example A number of people venture into different fields of work because they desire extra engagement. Reconciliation is the final stage. Ages of individuals at this stage range from the late 70s to early 80s (Schieber, 2012). The imagination stage is core because it dictates the stability of life after retirement in light of finances. In the midst of contemplating retirement, it is important to consider the amount of service credit earned for the total fiscal years of service. Age is another factor of consideration. From the age of 50 to 63 years, for every quarterly of a year there is an increase in retirement benefit (PLANNING YOUR RETIREMENT: Your Retirement Checklist). After the age of 63, the benefit remains constant. The average salary earned is the third factor to consider before retirement. The highest twelve months of salary earning determine the latter factor. Well-being of an individual, that is, health condition greatly influences retirement. An individual ailing from a life threatening illness is unlikely to encounter the five stages of retirement. Retrenchment is another factor that influences retirement in that there is an interruption to a person’s retirement planning. The role one plays in the structure of an organization is a factor that affects retirement in light of benefits earned from service. As mentioned above the average salary of an individual dictates the retirement benefit. The government funding of an employee’s retirement plan guarantees one a particular benefit every month while on retirement. The plan is a defined benefit plan (What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan). Benefit computation at retirement considers average salary, duration of service to the organization and age. The current level of the planning process is working on full time and on the imagination stage of retirement. In planning retirement, it is