The Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs - 1178 Words

Power Of Power What if you were forced back into the milieu of slavery as a black, would you be capable to adapt to the pernicious time period? Knowing that whites often are scrutinizing the area for more slaves to obtain in their possession. The only thing you can do is comply to their standards. They make you a piece of their property and flagellate those who do not adhere to them. When reading Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass: An American Slave by Fredrick Douglass, and Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, each demonstrated the horrendous actions of coercive power used by the proprietor in the context of each story. The owners of the slaves were able to do whatever they pleased since the beginning of their ownership. This much power was terrifying for the average slave, and this power can turn any being into what can be described as, corrupt. Using this type of power is perilous, for it can be used to maim a slave if they were to misbeh ave. This was a reality for the slaves in Jacob’s story, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl where slaves were scared for their lives daily. The master of the house treated these slaves however he pleased: â€Å"The poor, hungry creature might not have objected to eating it; but she did not object to having her master cram it down her throat till she choked† (Jacobs 1). The slaves in this time were to undergo treatment similar to this. The masters of slaves used the unlimited powerShow MoreRelatedThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs858 Words   |  4 PagesThe way that Harriet Jacobs describes slavery in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl was not a surprise to me. I believed that slaves were treated poorly and often times were hurt, the way that I thought of slavery is just like it is described in the book if not worse. I will discuss what I believed slavery was like before I read the book, how slavery was according to the book using in text citations and e xamples and also explain my thoughts on why the treatment was not a surprise to me. FromRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs1606 Words   |  7 PagesSlaves in the southern states of the United States were oppressed, beaten, and deprived of their natural human rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Which in turn caused many slaves to resist their ill fate that was decided by their masters. Through the story of â€Å"Incidents in the life of a slave girl† by Harriet Jacobs she wrote in her experience how she was resisting her masters and how many people helped her in her escape. And it wasn’t just black that resisted the slave systemRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs1791 Words   |  8 PagesIn the slave narrative entitled Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs also known as Linda Brent, is faced with a number of decisions, brutal hardships, and internal conflicts that she must cope with as an enslaved black woman. She opens the narrative with a preface that states: â€Å"READER, be a ssured this narrative is no fiction. I am aware that some of my adventures may seem incredible; but they are, nevertheless, strictly true. I have not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by Slavery†Read MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs Essay1316 Words   |  6 PagesIncidents in the life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, she talks about how her life changed while serving different and new masters and mistresses. I think that this narrative writing is an important text to help us understand the different perspectives of slavery in America. There are some slave owners that are kind and humane, and some slave owners that are cruel and abusive. Additionally, reading from a female slave’s perspectives teaches us that life on the plantations and life in the house isRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacob Essay1049 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacob’s writes an autobiography about the personal s truggles her family, as well as women in bondage, commonly face while maturing in the Southern part of America. While young and enslaved, Harriet had learned how to read, write, sew, and taught how to perform other tasks associated with a ladies work from her first mistress. With the advantage of having a background in literacy, Harriet Jacobs later came to the realization that she wouldRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs1198 Words   |  5 PagesIn her autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs portrays her detailed life events on such an intense level. Jacobs was born in 1813 in North Carolina. She had a rough life starting at the age of six when her mother died, and soon after that everything started to go downhill, which she explains in her autobiography. Her novel was originally published in 1861, but was later reprinted in 1973 and 1987. Harriet Jacobs presents her story using numerous detailed descriptionsRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs1292 Words   |  6 Pagesslavery. I chose to focus on two texts: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In the personal narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, author Harriet Jacobs depicts the various struggles she endured in the course of her life as a young female slave and, as she grew older, a runaway escaped to the â€Å"free† land of the North, referring to herself as Linda Brent. Throughout this story, Jacobs places a heavy emphasis on the ways in which Brent andRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs928 Words   |  4 Pagesin the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs offers the audience to experience slavery through a feminist perspective. Unlike neo-slave narratives, Jacobs uses the pseudonym ‘Linda Brent’ to narrate her first-person account in order to keep her identity clandestine. Located in the Southern part of America, her incidents commence from her sheltered life as a child to her subordination to her mistress upon her mother’s death, and her continuing struggle to live a dignified and virtuous life despiteRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs1335 Words   |  6 PagesHarriet Jacobs wrote Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Incidents) to plead with free white women in the north for the abolition of slavery. She focused on highlighting characteristics that the Cult of True Womanhood and other traditional protestant Christians idolized in women, mainly piety, purity, domesticity, and submissiveness. Yet, by representing how each of her characters loses the ability to maintain the prescribed values, she presents the strong moral framework of the African AmericanRead MoreThe Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs1575 Words   |  7 Pagesncidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Slavery, in my eyes, is an institution that has always been ridiculed on behalf of the physical demands of the practice, but few know the extreme mental hardships that all slaves faced. In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs writes autobiographically about her families and her personal struggles as a maturing mullatto child in the South. Throughout this engulfing memoir of Harriet Jacobs life, this brave woman tells of many trying times

Persuasive Essay On Gay Adoption - 1643 Words

Homosexuality- defined as being sexually attracted to one’s own gender- has incessantly been a compelling social issue. A majority of society sees the ‘wrong’ sexual orientation as evil or unhuman, regardless of character content. In April 1952, the American Psychiatric Association even labeled homosexuality as a mental disorder. Today, same sex relationships have been normalized and live life as ordinary people, yet treated as second-class citizens. This treatment by society has significantly limited the basic human rights of these individuals, including parenthood. Should LGBTQ+ be able to adopt children? Do gay parents and guardians effect children negatively? Adoption is a lengthy process of legally accepting†¦show more content†¦This data distinctly proves that turmoil can occur in any relationship. These statistics also debunk the myths of gay marriages contributing to high divorce and disturbance rates. Now, since we understand the context of same sex relationships, why is gay parenting being questioned? Homosexuality dates to pre biblical times, so why same sex relationships are still scrutinized? Does society see same sex adoption as defective because they abhor the same sex relationship? Advanced studies suggest that people ignore the facts and numbers of gay parenting, and instead look at LGBTQ+ members raising children as a moral issue. Multiple studies, such as those done by the US National Library of Medicine and Boston University, show that children raised by gay parents have no true advantages or disadvantages. Child performance wholly based on genetics and environmental factors around the child. To understand the parenthood options, let us study the demographics. Twelve percent of parent choose to abort, 2.5 percent of parents choose to have adoptions, and 61.5 percent raise their biological children. Twenty-four percent die during pregnancy or within the first four years (CDC, 2017). Today, many adoption agencies do not dictate the adopter’s social status or wealth (Brodzinsky Pinderhughes, 2007). AsShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Gay Adoption705 Words   |  3 Pagesaccepted that even gay marriage have been accepted, and it is now legal in thirteen states. So why shouldn’t gay adoptions be legalize too? A child raised by a same sex couple can be just as normal as any other child. Gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples have in adoption. Adoption can do many good things for people, which include giving gay couples the opportunity to parent, and taking children out of bad situations and providing them with good homes. Gay couples should notRead MorePersuasive Essay About Gay Adoption1639 Words   |  7 PagesWhat do these words have in common? They don’t describe gay adoption. The common misconceptualization that gay people get to choose their sexuality is false, so why should parents who were born with a different sexuality be scorned for w anting to adopt? Most people agree with the statement that children deserve to live in a home with a loving family rather than be stuck in an orphanage until they’re old enough to live alone. Same sex adoption has success stories, studies, and statistics that backRead MoreThe Same Sex Marriage Should Be Equal Rights1393 Words   |  6 PagesAnother persuasive data is the constitutions which is based on the civil rights protection and ensure that each citizens has the right to participate in public social life. According to records, there are plenty of international civil rights declaration documents consider marriage and family as individuals or groups who are entitled to the protection of the government as human beings.† The US Supreme Court ruled by a 5-to-4 vote on Friday that constitution guarantees a right to homosexual marriageRead More Equal Rights for ALL Americans Essay2293 Words   |  10 Pagesthe belief that all Americans should be granted equal rights no matter what their skin color or cultural background. Granting gays the right to marry would simply be giving all people equal rights in the issue of marriage. When it comes to the issue of gay marriage, Americans have many different views. Research shows that the majority of Americans oppose gay marriage, but when it comes to deciding who should make the laws, Americans are split in half (Bayles 6). 48% of Americans saidRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by Michael Peter Adas for the American Historical Association. p. cm.—(Critical perspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7Read MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 PagesThey are experts who know things other people do not and are just doing what has to be done. Thus, managerial prerogative – management’s right to manage together with the power and social standing that accompanies it – is morally supported by a persuasive claim to an expertise grounded in superior scientific knowledge. In turn, this knowledge depends upon the philosophical assumption (Figure 1.7) that such neutral access to reality is actually possible in the first place. So, as we noted earlierRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesCommunication 341 †¢ Nonverbal Communication 341 Organizational Communication 342 Formal Small-Group Networks 343 †¢ The Grapevine 343 †¢ Electronic Communications 345 †¢ Manag ing Information 349 Choice of Communication Channel 350 xiv CONTENTS Persuasive Communications 351 Automatic and Controlled Processing 351 †¢ Interest Level 352 †¢ Prior Knowledge 352 †¢ Personality 352 †¢ Message Characteristics 352 Barriers to Effective Communication 353 Filtering 353 †¢ Selective Perception 353 †¢ InformationRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesalmost any worker to put forth more effort. 26. a. In the long run, people can improve this country’s economic strength through responsible action. b. The economic health of this country is largely beyond the control of individuals. 27. a. I am persuasive when I know I’m right. b. I can persuade most people even when I’m not sure I’m right. 28. a. I tend to plan ahead and generate steps to accomplish the goals that I have set. b. I seldom plan ahead because things generally turn out OK anyway. 29

Alexander the Great - One Of The Best Leaders - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 918 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/04/07 Category History Essay Level High school Topics: Alexander The Great Essay Did you like this example? Alexander the Great was born in Macedonia in a Greek kingdom. As a kid, he was taught a variety of subjects such as government, philosophy, and poetry from Aristotle. Learning these subjects as a young child helped Alexander conquer nations later in his life. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Alexander the Great One Of The Best Leaders" essay for you Create order Alexander led his military into numerous victories and never accepted defeat once. Alexander defeated the Persians even while being outnumbered after he continued his victories in Afghanistan and India. Alexander the Great had a great behavior toward leadership, he led his military to many victories with a purpose and common stake which made him team management. He was people focused and focused on long-term goals making him a transformation leader. He carried the situational leadership trait due to his actions. And finally, Alexander contained many different adaptive leadership traits which resulted in him being such a successful man. Alexander was a team manager because of his success in conquering and defeating countries. He accomplished the perfect military by having committed troops. He earned his followers trust and respect by showing them that the mission was not just about himself and provided self-care to his army. He did not tolerate raping, stealing, or using violence toward one another. This didnt only make his army respect him as a leader, but it allowed each troop to respect one another. Alexander also allowed his men to believe in their own religion and had different religious groups. This was a cause of everyone building relationships and had a beneficial outcome of respect. He also demonstrated team manager leadership characteristics by being inspiring and addressing his troops to a problem before it was yet to happen. Alexander and his military were all on the same page and knew the main purpose, which was spreading the Greek culture. Alexander the Great, in my opinion, was in between transactional leadership and transformational leadership. I say this because he was very task focused and success was awarded, but he was also very people focused and focused on long-term goals. However, Alexander was mostly a transformational leader in the end. He was a transformation leader for many reasons, one being that he was people focused. He would take care of his troops and be sure that they were well fed and healthy. He also would not allow rape, stealing, or violence with each other. He was also very inspiring, he knew by inspiring his troops and giving them the motivation needed that they would follow him. Alexander and his military were focused on long-term goals, which was conquering the middle east and spreading the Greek culture, he was also set on contacting the west and east to increase trade and sharing ideas. Alexander was able to develop relationships with the idea of free religion. He contained many great attri butes which resulted in Alexander in being a transformational leader. Alexander was a situation leader because he focused on two main things, Task behavior and relationship behavior. He developed a relationship with his men by putting himself through the same pain everyone else was going through. As an example, they were traveling through the desert and everyone was suffering from thirst. All the troops gathered the last of the water they had and gave it to Alexander. He got the water and threw it into the sand. He did this to show his men that he was going to suffer with them and he was going to go through the same pain as everyone else. This created a strong relationship and gave them confidence. He also provided emotional support to his men. He would always address the problem to his troops beforehand or before it escalated. Alexander contained many different adaptive leadership characteristics. He was very confident in himself and in his military. While leading his troops into Persia he knew that they were outnumbered, and the odds were against him. But because he was confident in his army they pushed forward and resulted in a surprising victory. He was also very driven, Alexander had the will to conquer and defeat many different countries and spread the Greek culture. He showed tolerance by allowing his troops to have a freedom of religion. He demonstrated self-awareness because at times he knew that his army was outnumbered, and he was lacking men, but he knew they were stronger and more proficient than any other army. He was very much a risk taker because he insisted in traveling even while him and his men were hurting of thirst and hunger, also because he battled the Persians when he could have easily lost the battle because of the lack of troops compared to Persia. He was a great communicator and m ade sure everyone knew the plan and what was happening. By never losing a battle and always coming out with a victorious win he showed that he was tactically and technically proficient. After all it is easy to see how Alexander the Great was one of the best leaders in history. He was proficient in leading his armies to countless victories and never allowing defeat to cross his path. He demonstrated the leader characteristics needed to become this successful. He was also very adaptive and didnt let obstacles become an issue that most people would. Alexander wasnt just known for his victories in conquering countries, but also known for taking care of his men and earning respect, this is what made Alexander the Great go down in history as one of the be military leaders this world has seen.

The Second President Of The United States Andrew Jackson

The seventh president of the United States Andrew Jackson was highly impacted in many ways. Jackson was represented as a villain because of his work against violating rules and hurting many people by his actions on trying to veto the constitution and taking control over the national bank. Also, Jackson was apart of the Trail of Tears because of many Indians being migrated to the west and he ignored the Supreme Court. Jackson viewed himself as a hero for multiple reasons. He became more beneficial to the nation by strengthening the economy to get rid of national debt and allowing opening up new land to make people civilized. Although, he did many good undertaking for the United States of America, he is not a hero he is a villain. Andrew Jackson was a villain when working against violating rules and hurting many people by ignoring higher representatives. Jackson action on vetoing the constitution leads up to an affective outcome. In document E, Jackson conviction is to a limited federal government and the protection of states and rights. He viewed the bill as an overhead of the federal government that may cause a harmful debt. However, Andrew Jackson tried to veto the constitution to have extent rule and a continuation for new power. Jackson is a villain because he tried to veto the constitution and considered the bill to authorize towards many states and purpose for many people. â€Å"Embark in the construction of roads and canals, and the extent to which it may impose burthensShow MoreRelatedAndrew Jackson : The Second President Of The United States Of America1733 Words   |  7 Pages Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States of America, brave, tough, and mean as a snake but how did he g et that way? He was born in South Carolina to his newly emigrated family. His father died soon after he was born, so his mother raised three kids by herself and some Irish immigrant farmers. When he was thirteen he and his brothers joined the Revolutionary war to fight the British. His oldest brother died in battle, but Jackson and his other brother were captured. Jackson disobeyedRead MoreAndrew Jackson : The Second President Of The United States1580 Words   |  7 PagesAndrew Jackson, more commonly known as the seventh president of the United States, was a symbolic figure of the democratic advances of his time (1767 – 1845). He was also able to strengthen the power of presidential office in America. His journey to these accomplishments was not always easy but he was still a strong enough man to make them happen. Andrew Jackson was born March 15, 1767, in a settlement called Waxhaw. This settlement was made up of Scotch-Irish immigrants and located in along theRead MoreThe Contributions Of The Jacksonian Era1217 Words   |  5 Pages Andrew Jackson was president for only two terms, but he left behind a legacy that lasted for many years. His legacy lasted so long they named an Era after him, the Jacksonian Era. Andrew Jackson was unlike the presidents before him, and he was considered the first modern president. I agree that the Jacksonian Era was a pivotal period in American History when the role of the Federal Government and the President were redefined. Many changes occurred during the Jacksonian Era like the issue of slaveryRead MoreAndrew Jackson : Good President845 Words   |  4 PagesPresident Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson helped to provide for a strong protection of popular democracy and individual liberty to the United States. Andrew Jackson known as the people’s president held a strong emotion in the states right’s which advocated to the increase of executive power. President Andrew Jackson was good for his country, because he provided certain decisions that helped form America into a better place than where it was before. President Andrew Jackson showed significant positivesRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The United States Essay1598 Words   |  7 PagesPurchase. 1824 Election John Quincy Adams vs. Andrew Jackson (and William H. Crawford and Henry Clay); John Quincy is elected by decision of the House of Representatives; only election in which the presidency had to be decided by the House because no candidate received a majority of electoral college votes and the only election in which the president with the most electoral votes was not elected president. Corrupt Bargain Election of 1824- No president received a majority of electoral votes leavingRead MoreAndrew Jackson Essay1451 Words   |  6 Pages Andrew Jackson strongly opposed the Second National Bank of the United States. The Panic of 1819 was a key motivator for the destruction of the Second National Bank for Andrew Jackson and many Americans (Shepard Software â€Å"Andrew Jackson†); it left many Americans unemployed and hundreds of businesses bankrupt especially farming businesses. A lot of the blame of the Panic of 1819 was put onto the Second Bank of the United States (Remini, American Empire, 164), and Jackson strongly believedRead MoreAndrew Jackson1431 Words   |  6 Pages Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United Stated of America, was born on March 15, 1767 and died on June 8, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson’s parents Andrew and Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson were Presyberitains, Scots-Irish settlers whom in 1765 emigrated from Ireland. And rew’s birthplace is deduced to have been at one of his uncles houses in the Waxhaw’s area between North Carolina and South Carolina, his exact whereabouts is unknown. Jacksons mother emigrated across the AppalachianRead MoreAndrew Jacksons Presidency Essay524 Words   |  3 PagesAndrew Jackson was like no other president before him. The previous presidents had one thing in common, they were all part of the founding fathers or in John Quincy Adam’s case was the son of a founding father. However Jackson was a plantation owner from the west who had no connections with the government. He also had different views from other presidents that made his presidency unique. Two things that separated Andrew Jackson’s presidency from previous presidencies were he reached out to the commonRead MoreThe United States Presidential Office1620 Words   |  7 Pages The United States presidential office during the time period of 1829-1837 belonged to the nation’s se venth president, Andrew Jackson. According to the people he was the â€Å"Common Man’s President.† Jackson saw more of the potential this country had then what was already laid out. Jackson fought hard for what he believed in, and this country was one of those things. During his presidency he was faced with many hard decisions, but only a couple truly stand out: the â€Å"Kitchen Cabinet† , the Indian RemovalRead MoreAndrew Jackson And Theadore Roosevelt Essay1169 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt were two men with very many things in common. They both were Presidents in the United States of America at some point in time. They each have served many years as some sort of governor with Jackson being the military governor of Florida and Roosevelt being the governor of New York. Roosevelt and Jackson were major influences towards this country. But even with those similarities between them they were two men with differences. One was a big m ilitary man while

Assigning Blame in Chronicle of a Death Foretold by...

Assigning Blame in Chronicle of a Death Foretold Marriages are still considered business contracts in the Latin American culture. A contract where both bride and groom’s family either earn profits or gain respect in society. In the eyes of society and family, a woman is valuable as long as she is a virgin. Latin American daughters are raised to good housewives whose main duties include taking care of the family and the children, and women who go against these traditions or rules pay a heavy price. In Gabriel Garcà ­a Mà ¡rquez’s novella, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, the character development of Angela Vicario demonstrates that she is guilty for Santiago Nasar’s death; however, the different aspects of the hispanic culture also share the†¦show more content†¦The women reassuringly reply to her saying, â€Å"‘The only thing they believe is what they see on the sheet’† (Marquez 42). Here the author develops Angela’s character as a very persuable young girl who believes that she can easily fool her future husband on her wedding night. Angela Vicario is gullible and naive. Not being a virgin before wedding is very shameful in the hispanic society, yet she tells the two women about not being a virgin a few days before her wedding. The women are older, have a lot of experience, and they have been married for a long time as well. Angela, In contrast, is very new to these tricks and so, can not make herself trick her husband into believing that she is a virgin. Angela tells her brothers that Santiago is her lover when they ask her for answers; Angela lies, as later on in the novella, the author states that Santiago is, in fact, innocent. Angela can also be considered a selfish person, because to save her lover, she blames everything on Santiago. Angela saves her true lover by saying Santiago Nasar’s name, but she does not confront to her true lover and ask him for help. It is safe to say that Angela lo ses her virginity to someone who does not love her, due to the fact that, her true lover does not make himself known to her family or the town. Seeing that Angela’s true lover does not come to rescue Angela when she is being beaten by her

Socrates vs Sophists free essay sample

Socrates and the Sophists (Platos Dialogues) In chapter 4, The Sophist: Protagoras, Soccio does an excellent job discussing a group of teachers and thinkers known collectively as sophists, and the social environment in which they flourished for a time. These professional educators were known for being widely travelled and thus having much experience with other cultures. This experience convinced many of them that there is no such thing as objective standards; we merely have a set of culturally determined beliefs and behaviors. Thus, there is no reason to suppose that one set of cultural values is superior to anothers, i. e. , we have cultural relativism. Most sophists then went on to extend this kind of relativism to morality as well (see the lecture on Moral Relativism! ). The sophists are most notable for being opposed by Socrates and Plato. That is, both Socrates and Plato disagreed with the sophists relativist views and perceived them as a danger to any community of rational people. Thus, many of Platos early and middle dialogues are specific arguments against the views of the sophists. (Although, it seems clear that some of his contemporaries considered Socrates, himself, a sophista view that I would strongly disagree with! ) Before going on to Socrates arguments and claims against the sophists, it would be well to discuss some of the more notable characteristics of the sophists. I. The SophistsTeachers of the art of persuasion by rhetoric in courts of law and politics: A. Secularistsskeptical or cynical of religion. Although none of these men grew up in an atheistic culture, their experience with the variety different cultures and religions in the Mediterranean and Aegean communities and their keen use of reason to examine these various cultures, convinced them that there is no compelling reason to favor one religion over another. This lead to a skepticism toward any supposed truth to be found in religion. Many older sophists, such as Protagoras, respected religion as a kind of social control, necessary for any large aggregate of people to co-exist. Thus, while skeptical of the religious claims, themselves, these sophists still supported and encouraged organized religion as promoting social cohesion. However, younger sophists were cynical of religions having any value beyond serving the interests of the elite, and thus rejected all religion out of hand. They viewed religion as a tool used by the aristocracy to impede the upward mobility of others and attempted to argue thus. B. Argument to persuade for personal gain rather than for the search for truth. What most distinguishes Philosophy from Sophistry are their goals. Both develop and use their critical thinking skills to the highest degree possible. But where Philosophy is first, and foremost, concerned with the search for Truth, the sophists used to their keen reason strictly for personal gain. Indeed, this is what they taught their students as the only appropriate use for reason. This should not be surprising since, as already noted, the sophists rejected any kind of objective standard, and thus Truth. Reason is viewed as merely one more tool to apply to furthering ones own ambitions and they would argue for any view that was advantageous at the moment. Indeed, the question of what views should be argued for is superfluous since it implies an objective standard of right and wrong. C. Fee for services education. Soccio seems to make much of this characteristic since the sophists are often considered the first to earn a living teaching. However, we should be careful about any praise we extend to them for being the first professional teachers. It is well-worth noting that although they did concern themselves with teaching their students what they know, we must keep in mind the nature of this particular mercantile education. Since there were no standards (nor could there be, given their relativist views) much of the knowledge and beliefs the sophists were paid to teach was political in nature and taylored to the desires of the student. That is, students were taught what they were willing to pay for, not what they ought to know. D. Concerns were pragmatic, rather than speculative. The sophists saw little or no value in knowledge for its own sake. If it could not be put to practical use there was no sense in teaching it or pursuing it. (Many of todays educrats seem to share this view! E. Egoism (look out for oneself at the expense of others) is taught as the proper ethics. Laws based on equality only benefit the weak. As the Gyges Ring Story suggests, most sophists reduce the issues of right and wrong to what can I get away with in a given situation. Thus there was a strong commitment to advancing ones social and political prominence in order to promote ones personal beliefs and desires. F. RelativistsMan is the measure of all things. This could lead to either culturalism or subjectivism. In chapter 5, The Wise Man: Socrates, Soccio presents a description of the person often credited with having pulled Philosophy down from the clouds; that is, Socrates applied his reason and judgment, not to questions about the nature of reality (although it seems clear that he held such opinions and derived his major social and moral views from them), but primarily to the question of what is the right way for human beings to live. Many of Socrates activities were directed toward exposing flaws in the beliefs and methods of many of the sophists who taught and practiced in Athens. The early dialogues of Plato such as The Apology, The Crito, The Phaedo, and The Euthyphro are usually considered fairly accurate accounts of Socrates activities and views, while the middle, e. g. , The Republic, and later, e. g. , The Laws, dialogues represent more and more of Platos own Philosophy. Although we only know Socrates through the dialogues of Plato and others, it seems clear that he disagreed with the sophists on most counts, and this eventually cost him his life. Platos accounts of Socrates life and activities are still enjoyable reading, both for Platos prose and Socrates method of question and answer to attempt clarification of complex concepts and beliefs (the Socratic method). Indeed, I have provided a link to a complete text of Platos Republic with a summary of much of the argument. The Apology is one of the best accounts of Socrates fundamental character and beliefs, as well as a great description of the business of Philosophy. Before going on to The Apology, please note some of Socrates fundamental beliefs and how they respond to those of the sophists. II. SocratesProper conduct based on reason. While the sophists experience and reason lead them to believe and promote cultural and ethical relativism, Socrates shows that reason actually demands an objective standard of social and personal conduct; the more one develops her reason, the more knowledge of Truth is acquired, and that knowledge inevitably leads to greater virtue. This view of the relation between virtue, knowledge, and Truth can be represented by the following five Socratic beliefs: A. Care for the soul above all else. The soul is the reasoning part of humans; and since reason is the only path to knowledge and Truth, the ultimate souces of value, development of the souls potential must be the central focus of our lives. While the variety of beliefs and values among cultures and individuals convinced the sophists that there are no objective values, Socrates argues that our ability to take note of such variation demands appeal to objective, rational standards. That is, as we observe and judge the beliefs and practices of others, that act seems to require a stable, rational soul that decides for itself which beliefs and practices to reject or pursue. On what other basis could we draw a judgment? B. Before we can care for the soul, we must understand it through careful self-examination of the souls function, which is virtue. Since reasoning implies judgment and judgment requires acquaintance with Truth to form its standard, analysis of the souls activity of reason implies the continued pursuit of this standard. Given the role it plays in cognition, according to Socrates, such a standard is what constitutes virtue. C. Virtue is knowledge. Being good is simply knowing the Good. (No room for weakness of will or character! ) That is, since the souls function is to be virtuous, and the virtue is the pursuit of Truth as our fundamental standard, the acquisition of knowledge just is doing good. Thus, morality is identified with knowing the Truth. One cannot know the Good and not act accordingly. If someone seems to acknowledge moral behavior but not behave morally, Socrates would suggest that that person merely parroted something they heard without truly understanding the nature of those moral statements. D. Doing evil only harms oneself (ones soul)see Platos Republic. Remember, the immaterial soul is the only avenue to Truth and virtue, and Truth and virtue are the fundamental values of human life. Any evil that someone might direct at another would only be manifested as physical behavior and thus not even touch the soul. However, the conscious decision to do evil to another requires ones soul to not pursue truth or virtue, and thus detract from the souls function. To detract from any function certainly seems to qualify as an evil. E. The principles of Good and Evil are above everything, even God(s); they are autonomous. Socrates was no atheist, but he does argue in The Euthyphro that the only rational understanding of the God(s) suggests that they appeal to the objective standards of Virtue, and indeed, it is their perfect consistency with those standards that makes them God(s) and so worth worshipping. The moral goodness of God continues to be an interesting Philosophical and Theological issue. Does God set the standard of morality or appeal to some standard? If God appeals to an external standard, might that suggest something above and superior to God? IV. Discussion Questionsconsider these for yourself. A. Would Socrates agree with the Sophists about religion? in what way? How might they differ? B. What is the best use of argument, to win personal gain or to find the truth? Why? C. Would you say the egoist/relativist ethics is more popular today, or Socrates ethics of absolute, universal principle? Which is better as a guide to conduct? Which is a better description of peoples behavior? D. Is there such a thing as doing good for the sake of doing good? (Would you be willing to sacrifice everything for one person, without anyone else ever knowing of your sacrifice? ) E. Is it enough to simply know the Good (what is the right thing to do), in order to do good?

Healthcare in the US Essay Example For Students

Healthcare in the US Essay In 2001, 41. 2 million people in the United States had no health insurance coverage, and by 2004 that number rose to 45 million, which is 15. 6 percent of our population. Therefore, its no surprise that healthcare costs are the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States Access to Health Insurance. Not only are those in poverty struggling to pay for medical bills, but even the middle class families make up a large proportion of those declaring bankruptcy due to the high costs of health insurance. Many families in the United States today, sadly have to choose between healthcare coverage, housing, and basic human needs. The lack of health insurance is undeniably one of the main problems for Americans today. Its shocking to know that many uninsured as well as insured Americans have already started making sacrifices, such as skipping medications or medical treatments, due to the rising costs of healthcare in the United States. According to the USA Today/Kaiser/Harvard poll, 28 percent of adults were unable to pay for their medical care in the past year and 62 percent of those struggling to pay medical bills already have health insurance. Thats an understatement considering how rising premiums, deductibles, and gaps in coverage are affecting so many families in America today. Healthcare premiums have risen on average of $1,000 in the past five years, and they keep rising Appleby. Price increases such as these are causing millions of Americans financial and medical problems. Therefore, many of them remain uninsured and often use hospital emergency rooms as substitutes for regular doctor visits. The lack of access to preventive health care and regular doctor visits, leads to more medical problems and can force a person even further into poverty Background on Healthcare. Most Americans depend on employer-provided medical insurance plans for their healthcare coverage. However, over the past few years employers have had to cut medical benefits due to the mounting costs and the poor economy. Statistics show that the percentage of uninsured workers in the United States has risen from 19. 5 percent to 20. 2 in 2003. This leaves many workers to pay for their own insurance through a private healthcare insurer whose costs have risen 13. 9 percent in the past year Background on Healthcare. Consequently, not only are countless of Americans losing their employee health benefits, they are also paying more for their medical insurance. Unemployed and part-time Americans who make less money or have no income at all are suffering the worst. Seeing as employer health coverage is mainly offered to those who work full-time, it leaves many people in the United States no choice but to maintain a full-time job. The United States does offer a few programs to aid Americans, two of which are Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid is designed to help low-income Americans obtain free healthcare coverage. However, there are many requirements in order to be eligible for the program. The eligibility is determined by each state and includes: age, pregnancy, race, legal citizenship, disabilities, etc Medical Information. Hence, there is help out there for some, but many who still cannot afford healthcare do not apply for Medicaid. Since the number of Americans unable to pay for medical insurance has risen, the number of people covered by Medicaid has also gone up from 35. 6 million to 37. 5 million people in 2004 US Census. This in the end causes the government to lose more money, and if healthcare was affordable, the number of Americans on Medicaid would drastically decrease Background on Healthcare. In 2006, both the House and Senate proposed a budget cut of $20 billion to the Medicaid program over the next five years. .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 , .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .postImageUrl , .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 , .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:hover , .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:visited , .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:active { border:0!important; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:active , .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56 .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8765e2e9dc6af91c42870714d95b7f56:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fantastic Four EssayThis cut would have caused the amount of already uninsured American to increase. Thankfully the proposed budget was not passed due to the Smith/Bingaman amendment, which was the first victory in the struggle to protect the Medicaid program Access to Health Insurance. Medicare on the other hand, is another program designed to assist those who are over 65, disabled, or have permanent kidney failure. It includes two parts, Part A and Part B. Part A consists of hospital insurance and Part B includes Medical insurance. However, they do not cover the costs of prescription drugs in most cases, and consist of many out of pocket costs as well Medicare Information. The monthly premiums have also increase 71 percent since 2000 Appleby. Another major problem with our healthcare system in the United States is the unequal rank of minorities and immigrants. The disparities in the system significantly affect a number of people in the United States. Minorities in America face the greatest risk for health problems, yet they are the part of the population that has the lowest percentage of healthcare coverage Background on Healthcare. Access to medical care is directly related to race and income, therefore minorities have poorer health than the Majority in America Battista. A survey done by the Urban Institute found that In 2002, approximately 570,000 children were both uninsured and in either fair or poor health. More than two-thirds of the uninsured children were Hispanic, yet Hispanic children accounted for less than one-fifth of all children in the United States Battista. The health benefits in the United States are clearly not equal. In reality, legal immigrants in America who arrived after 1996 are not eligible for Medicaid Gold. Immigrants who make up more than one in ten United States residents face countless barriers to obtain health care, such as poverty, language and cultural differences and, often, resentment. This practice towards immigrants and minorities in the United States is unjust and wrong, the system of healthcare in America needs to make many changes in order to provide everyone with full health care services. The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access to healthcare as a right of citizenship. A universal healthcare system in America could eliminate many problems of the healthcare communityand provide affordable, high quality healthcare to everyone. It would also save the government money; currently the United States spends 40 percent more per capita on healthcare than any other industrialized country with universal healthcare. So why has the government not developed a better health insurance strategy? Many conservative politicians and large businesses object to the government control of healthcare and medicine because they do not want to experience a loss of revenue. While, health corporations are making a profit and using 20 to 30 percent of it on administration the Medicare program only spends 3 percent Battista. In turn, more money is going to the upper level employees in the business and less to the actual healthcare industry. If healthcare was made universal and nonprofit it would benefit the majority of Americans. Currently, the satisfaction level of United States health care is lower than any other industrialized nation. The United States is one of the lowest ranked industrialized nations in medical care, even though we have the best medical infrastructure of any nation. Quality of healthcare in this nation has been sacrificed in order for big business to make more money. People in the United States should no longer have to jeopardize their health because they cannot afford the medical care that is necessary. In America, quality should no longer be compromised so that corporations can make a profit; healthcare should not be a service that we have to shop for, but rather universal and affordable