Ethics - Argumentative Essay Example for Free

Ethics commandative Essay1. What is an argument in philosophical system? A set of claims one of which, called the conclusion, is said to be supported by the another(prenominal) claims, called the premises. 1. Premise 2. Premise 3. Conclusion 2. What do the terms valid and sullen mean? Valid Argument If the premises atomic number 18 true, then it follows necessarily that the conclusion is true, or it is logically impossible for the conclusion to be false. Sound Argument A valid argument that contains only true premises. Soundness = Truth + Validity. 3. toon the benefits arguments in favor of harvesting Babys Theresas organs. decorate out the premises and conclusion for Benefits Argument in the Baby Theresa case. The Benefits Argument 1. If we can benefit someone without harming anyone else, we ought to do so. 2. Transplanting the organs would benefit the other children without harming Baby Theresa. 3. Therefore, we ought to transplant her organs. The Argument That We shoul d Not Use People As Means 1. If we use someone only as a means, we do something that is chastely wrong. 2. Taking Theresas organs would be using her only as a meas to benefit other children. 3. There fore, it would be morally wrong to take Theresas organs.4. Sketch the we should not use people as means argument against harvesting Baby Theresas organs. Set out the premises and conclusion for The Wrongfulness of cleanup spot Argument in the Baby Theresa case. The Argument From the Wrongfulness of Killing 1. If we harvested Theresas organs, then we would be bucking one innocent person to save another. 2. We should not kill one innocent person to save another. 3. Therefore, if we should not harvest Theresas organs. Rachels Assessment *The prohibition against killing is strong, but most people do not conceive of it absolute.Baby Theresa is (1) going to die soon anyway, (2) not conscious, and (3) her organs could help save several other children. Rachels states that we might even rega rd Baby Theresa as born dead. 5. Sketch the Slippery Slope Argument against killing Tracy Latimer. If one bad thing happens then others will follow after. 1. If we permit any fashion of mercy killing, we will have stepped onto a tremendous slippery slope down which we will inevitably slide. 2. The mercy killing of Tracy was permissible. 3. Hence, we have stepped onto a dangerous slippery slope (which will lead to the view that all life is cheap).Objection Are the causal claims supported by any evidence? In general, it is easy to make dire predictions concerning the future. Consider an analogy Would gay marriage lead to the disintegration of the family? 6. What does Rachelss minimum conception of morality consist of? morality is, at the very least, the effort to guide ones conduct by reason-while giving equal weight to the interests of each individual affected by ones decision. Reason and impartiality consist stuff 7. What argon five common features of Cultural Relativism? 1.Diffe rent societies have different moral codes. 2. (a) The smashing is determined by society (b) an act is right if it is allowed by the guiding ideals od the society in which it is performed, and wrong if it forbidden by those ideals. 3. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societys code as better than an others. 4. The moral code of our society has no special(prenominal) status. 5. We should adopt an attitude to tolerance. 8. What is the Cultural Differences argument for Cultural Relativism? Does Rachels think it is sound? he thinks it is unsound, 9.If Cultural Relativism is true, then some odd consequences for ethical theory follow. What are they? 10. Does Rachels hold that there are some moral rules that all societies have in common? 11. What are the three traditional divine attributes of monotheism? 12. What is the difference among theism, atheism, and agnosticism? 13. What is the problem of evil? 14. What is the Divine Command theory? 15. What is Socrates s question in the Euthyphro? How does it bear on the Divine Command Theory? 16. What are some of the main elements of Natural Law Theory? 17.Raise some objections to Natural Law Theory. 18. What is Ethical Egoism and how does it differ from Psychological Egoism? 19. particularize altruism. Why does the Psychological Egoist hold that altruism is not possible? 20. Some object that Ayn Rands argument for Ethical Egoism presents us with a false dichotomy. Explain. 21. Why doesnt Rachels think Ethical Egoism is a fair reflection of common sense morality? 22. What is the regulation Equal Treatment? How does it relate to Ethical Egoism? *There will be some extra-credit questions pertaining to material discussed in lecture.

Puberty Blues Essay Example for Free

Puberty Blues EssayThe TV show I have chosen to talk to you about today is Puberty Blues. It is expose at 830pm, Wednesday on channel 10. It doesnt have a specific genre, but more like a mixture. I would classify it as a teen drama. Puberty Blues doesnt work in plot twists but offers a suprising reality. The best part about the TV drama for me is how we get a glimpse into the life of a 1970s teenager.Puberty Blues is set in Cronulla, Sydney, in the late 1970s. Majority of the time, Debbie and Sues houses argon used, but the greenhill gang are also featured hanging around by the beach.Puberty Blues tells the story Debbie Vickers and Sue Knights. They are both very clever but pretty unpopular high inform girls who wants to raise their social standings in order to go out with boys. Through out the episodes we get to know the girls parents- Judy and Martin who are unlikeable off and dont interact with each other much and Pam and Roger who have a far more open relationship.The si xth episode was directed by Glendyn Ivin and create verbally by Fiona Seresis. The main plot is when the greenhill gang including Debbie and Sue, get wasted, go driving and flip the car, killing the driver. Any other show would have sent the characters into an eye blink panic but the writers of Puberty Blues understand that the shock combined with drugs would have caused everyone to burst into disbelieving laughter.The car crash wasnt the only plot in the episode though. Debbies parents, Judy and Martin, got to couples councilling because Martin has strong feelings for a women at his work. Cheryl, a member of the green hills gang, is flirting with her mums boyfriend to prove she is more desirable than her mother, who resents.The social issue pressented in the show was definitely driving under the influence. This message is easily interpreted in the car crash scene were the driver and passengers are drunk and stoned.This wasnt my favourite episode from Puberty Blues but it was sti ll solid like we have come to expect from this series. I would recommend the show to high school students and older as there are some mature themes and sexual references. I love this show because it takes awkward and serious situations and brings out their bright side.

Research and Account Essay Example for Free

Research and Account EssayTwo carers were moving a attend to user from a bed to a chair development a hoist. they placed the hoist sling underneath the usefulness user and thusly attached it to the hoist. Whilst the hoist was stationary one carer turned away to pick up the service users slippers and as a result the service user cancel forward to the ground. The service user suffered wounds on their scalp and bruising to their head. The service user was taken to hospital but passed away 10 days later. It was anchor that the sling loop fixings were wrongly adjusted and a safety pommel was not used. In this report the carers were lacking in training and counselor to use the hoist from the company they worked for.One carer was not focused on the task of the service user being in hoist as she took on another task to get the slippers which meant she wasnt aware of what the service user was doing. If the correct equipment was used and adjusted properly then that would have preve nted the fall and death of this service user. When assisting a service user with a task whether it be small or large we always need to carry out the task using the correct equipment, and the correct members of staff to be present. Also our full attention should be on the task at all times and aware of what the service user is doing and what is happening around them. if not doing so then this could result in the service user falling or being injured and equipment could be damaged. Carers should always carry out a visual check of the equipment prior to using and if a problem arises should not be used and reported to the germane(predicate) person.Report 2Michael Shorthouse suffered from Downs Syndrome, learning difficulties and dementia. He moved into Cedars Care Home in May 2007 but, despite hes families pleas over hes treatment, within five months his health had deteriorated so much he had to be admitted to hospital. Whilst in hospital doctors found that he was seriously dehydrated, had developed acute kidney problems and pressure sores, and had aspiration pneumonia, which is an inflammation of the lungs caused by lively in foreign material like food or liquids. Michael Shorthouses condition improved once he had been transferred to hospital and then moved into a diametrical nursing home, but later died in 2010. Cedars Care Home was reported to Social Services and the Safeguarding Adults Office (SAO) which investigated and found that there had been overall neglect in the care given to Michael. Two years after Michael was admitted to hospital, the care home hadnt improved and was given a zero-star rating in a Care fiber Commission inspection.

Comparing The Faiths Of Deism And Puritanism Philosophy Essay

Comparing The Faiths Of Deism And puritanism Philosophy EssayThe eighteenth century and the age of the enlightenwork forcet was a period in Ameri post history which truism a proliferation of publicy new scientific ideas as well as an increase in religious tolerance. During this time piecey intellectuals explored new possibilities and interpretations of religion that were sometimes quite contradictory to the Puritanism that had been the standard religious practice since Puritans first settled the New England region. Deism, which was quite radical in contrast to the Puritan faith, came about during this time, and gum benzoin Franklin, a famous enlightenment figure and a founding father of America, was mavin of its first spokespersons. The Deist doctrine he wrote as a 19 year old preaches a starkly different message from the pieces of famous Puritans such as Mary Rowlandson, Michael Wigglesworth, and antic Winthrop. While their works blusher a portrait of theology as a severe , demanding creator and man as a sinful, wild beast who must be restricted in his actions, Franklins piece on Deism portrays a much than benevolent paragon who has released man into the universe to pursue his own goals without fear of immortals interference and wrath. It is these ideas of Gods intent and the disposition of man which set these two religious philosophies and their writings apart. The Puritan understanding of God as a vengeful and commanding ruler of men is one that dominates the writings of all of the just about famous and widely read Puritan authors of the 17th and 18th centuries. Michael Wigglesworths meter The Day of Doom is particularly useful in highlighting this belief as its content focuses on Christs return to earth on Judgement day and how he deals with the sinners. He opens the poem with the quotes The Mountains smoak, the Hills are shook, the orb is rent and torn, and Straightaway appears (they seet with tears) the Son of God most dread, (Wiggleswor th, 3.) From the first lines of the poem on that point is a sense of help littleness and despair in the face of an barbaric God who is going to judge and punish his subjects on his terms. The descriptions of Gods destruction of the physical earth demonstrates his awesome power, and the use of the word dread to describe peoples perception of God is very telling of the Puritan belief. Even though they dread his second coming and his vengeance, they have a profound respect for his power and submit themselves to his will. The poem goes on to describe who is going to hell and why, and this passage serves to demonstrate the strict qualifications for getting into heaven that the Puritans believe God employs in his judgement of souls. Children who are as well as young to read the bible, Native Americans, and the mentally challenged are all unworthy of heaven in the eyes of God because they lack the ability to understand the Puritan faith (Wigglesworth, 4.) Along with these people unwelco me in Gods kingdom are all non-believers, sinners, and anyone who is simply not predestined to be saved by God. These acid qualifications preached by Wigglesworth and other Puritans to a very accepting public are all strong testaments to the harsh record of the Puritans God. In contrast to the harsh God of Puritanism, Deism preaches that God is a benevolent, all knowing creator who does not find evil to punish in the world of men and can for the most part leave them to their own devices. Franklin outlines this idea at the beginning of his doctrine on Deism, A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain, with the idea that If God is all-powerful, there can be nothing either existing or acting in the Universe against or without his Consent and what he consents to must be good, because he is good therefore Evil doth not exist. (Franklin 26.) This statement is radically different from the Puritan system of belief because it eliminates the existence of evil and therefore d emonstrates a more pleasant interpretation of God. Rather than stressing the need for Gods constant exertion of license over humankind and its evils through interference and punishment, Franklin asserts that since God made everything and knows everything, there is no reason for him to even twoer with the trivial affairs of humans, much less reprimand them. This is a very Deist concept of a God who is less involved in the daily business of man. The common Deist perception of God, which embodies this plan of a wise and somewhat removed God, is often enlarged by the image of God as a clockmaker who has set the universe into motion to play out without his influence. The idea of Gods constant interference in the lives of men, which Franklin refutes as supererogatory because Gods has already predetermined the fate of the entire universe and its inhabitants, is another cornerstone of the Puritan belief system. One of the best examples of this idea in Puritan writing is Mary Rowlandson s A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson which describes the destruction of her town at the hands of a band of Native Americans and her subsequent internment among them. This work gives a slightly more benevolent description of God as her protector through these hardships, but her easy acceptance and rationalization of the carnage as Gods will and punishment still alludes to the harsh nature of God and highlights his interferences in the lives of Puritans. One of the most telling quotes of the account, which Rowlandson uses to sum up her beliefs, comes in the closing paragraph when she says, yet I see when God calls a person to any thing, and through never so many difficulties, yet he is fully able to carry them through, and make them see and say they have been gainers thereby, (Rowlandson, 20.) Rowlandson cites Gods hand throughout the piece in every aspect of her captivity, and in this conclusion she makes it quite clear that it was God who put he r through the terrors of these tribulations. The idea of God carrying her through her troubles and making her see and say that she is better for the experience not only indicates that God is responsible for what happened, but that he was actively focused on her for every instant of her captivity. The nature of man is another key point of disagreement between the two religious beliefs, and the Puritan stance views man as a beastly creature whose primitive instincts must be controlled by the authority of God. John Winthrops famous essay On Political Authority and Liberty, which is both a description of Gods intent of how the people should be ruled and a pitch to be reelected as governor, gives examples of this belief in mans unruly nature. Winthrop makes a point of driving home exactly how God feels about mans more primal, natural liberties when he says, This kind of liberty is that capital enemy of truth and peace, that wild beast, which all of the ordinances of God are bent against , to restrain and subdue it. (Winthrop 1.) The kind of liberty that he is alluding to is mans freedom in nature to do whatever he wants. According to Winthrop, this freedom, which man shares with all beasts and other creatures leads to chaos and must be controlled. This concept of the natural evil in men and the fact that God must constantly restrain men pervades Puritan doctrine and directly carries over to the Puritan style of governing that stresses adherence to authority figures. Unlike the Puritan idea of mans evil nature and his need to be controlled, Deism states that mans nature is inherently good and that control over his actions is unnecessary. Franklins writings illustrate this idea when he says, If a Creature is made by God, it must depend upon God, and receive all its Power from Him with which Power the Creature can do nothing contrary to the Will of God because God is Almighty what is not contrary to Gods Will, must be agreeable to it what is agreeable to it, must be g ood, because He is good therefore a Creature can do nothing but what is good, (Franklin, 27.) In this quote Franklin asserts his belief that since the all-good and almighty creator made man and gave him his nature and abilities, man must be naturally good. He also makes the point that all of mans actions are actions of which God made him able therefore, man can make no natural action which is not inherently good. This idea of man as good from the start clearly breaks from the general Christian and particularly Puritan belief of original sin, and this stark difference demonstrates the progressive nature of Deisms. The idea that man is inherently good removes the need for overbearing authority and allows for man to rule himself. The overwhelming differences in the beliefs of Deism and Puritanism on the subjects of God and the nature of man illustrate a clear break in the religious ideas of 18th century America. The contrast between Franklins writings and those of his Puritan predeces sors demonstrates the shift from the nearly uniform belief in religion of the 17th century to a more progressive atmosphere in the time which Franklin writes. The Deist beliefs of the goodness in God and man explore an alternative to the strict Puritan faith, and in both Franklins time and today they serve as a mode of beliefs which fit the understanding of many religious Americans.

Paul Willis Learning To Labour

Paul Willis encyclopaedism To LabourMuch has been written in the social sciences with heed to the role the education system plays deep down our society. Early investigations into the sociology of education tended to be written inwardly the functionalist tradition with social thinkers such as Emile Durkheim and Talcott Parsons composing their theories in spite of appearance this framework. This perspective often viewed the education system as necessary for sustaining efficient economic growth and for creating a meritocratic society a society where the al just about talented and able various(prenominal)s can rise by dint of and through the social hierarchy according to their own ability. However, in recent years, social scientists pull in prime the bolshy perspective more useful in fancying the connection between education, society and the economy. This perspective in general sees society as being a site of conflict between diverse groups with education being other battl eground where this conflict is acted issue. The main function of education then in this mount is to continue to reproduce the labour force. But more importantly that the education system favours and depart benefit peerless social group over a nonher namely the dominant and ruling class over the subordinate. This is perhaps a crude oversimplification of the Marxist case but it is important to eat up approximately understanding of this perspective with regard to education as this is the academic context in which acquirement to Labour (1977) was undertaken. It is within this perspective that much of this essay testament focus, as indeed it is the theoretical framework that Paul Willis is writing from. The aim of this paper is to critically engage with the themes and perspectives presented by Willis in his groundbreaking admit on the sociology of education.Before we go on to discuss Learning to Labour it is perhaps important to start with most understanding of what came bef ore so as to high spot how Willis findings broke new ground and pushed the debate around education forward. Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis (1976) were writing just before Willis and their approach was very similar in that the thrust of their thesis was concerned with how education prep atomic number 18s pupils for their future roles within the labour market. However, their theories were very much formulated around the notion of direct nurture and because of this they film exposed themselves to the popular criticisms of economic determinism. Willis offers a more sophisticated explanation. Although he acknowledges the existence of conflict within education he does not quite sh ar Bowles and Gintis view that in that location exists a straight forward relationship between education and the economy. For Willis, disciplines are not nearly as successful in churning by a docile workforce as Bowels and Gintis suggest. There is incessantly the opportunity for resistance. The lads o f Learning to Labour have managed to see through the ideological smoke screen of the naturalize day and reject it, while at the homogeneous time creating their own counter-school socialisation. The education system then is not simply a site for cultural reproduction but also a site of production in that it has quite unintentionally created factors (in this case the counter-school culture) which are not particularly beneficial for the reproduction of capitalism.The school used by Willis is situated in a working class housing estate in an industrial town in the Midlands. Willis concentrated his study on a group of 12 working class boys whom he followed through their last year of school and into the first a few(prenominal) months at work. Willis soon found that these boys, who he referred to as the lads, had a distinct attitude towards their teachers and the school. Willis ob litigated that they had developed their own unique culture which was diametrically opposed to the value s ystem of the school. This counter-school culture of the lads blatantly rejected the authority of the school and ascribed no value to academic work and saw no use in the gaining of qualifications.Now it is important to understand what Willis means by the counter-school culture. The acknowledgement of an emergent counter-culture within the school is not in itself new (see Hargreaves, D. 1967) but what is significant about the way Willis uses this idea is that he examines the counter-culture within its wider social context. He quite brilliantly observes that the counter-school culture is not accidental, nor its style quite independent, nor its cultural skills unique or special and that it must be understood within the larger framework of project culture, particularly in relation to shopfloor culture. For Willis, the counter-school culture is rich with symbols and signs of resistance against the formal zone of the school. The lads have, in a symbolic act of sabotage, inverted the value s that the school espouses and created their own value system which is in defiant opposition to the institution. This opposition is mainly countenanced through style, Willis notesIt the counter-school culture is lived out in countless small ways which are special to the school institution, instantly recognised by the teachers, and an al near ritualistic part of the daily material of life for the kids. (Willis, P. 197712)The counter-school culture is a very masculine domain where overt sexist and racist views are quite frequently expressed. The lads continually search out weakness in others and are skilful at undermining the authority of the teachers without it boiling over into outright confrontation. The conforming students are the lads main target after the teachers. The lads tactile sensation superior to them because they, unlike the earoles, have not surrendered their independence to the school they are still able to have a laff.It is this ability of being able to have a laff that is a defining characteristic of being a lad. It also marks them out from the earoles we can make them laff, they cant make us laff. For Willis the laff is a multi-faceted implement of extraordinary importance in the counter-school culture and is a vital weapon in the lads arsenal in their continued struggle of the informal (counter-school) over the formal (school). This winning of symbolic and physical space from the school is illustrated further in the way that the lads seem to construct their own timetable. Through wagging off from classes and always trying to get away with doing the least amount of work, the lads have become highly skilled in exploiting and seizing control of the formal zone of the school. fagot smoking and openly drinking have also become valuable symbols of rebellion as it further marks the lads out from the school institution and instead shows them as belonging to the larger male working-class world. Indeed Willis draws our attention to the similaritie s between the counter-school culture and shopfloor culture. He writesThe really central point about the working-class culture of the shopfloor is that, despite harsh conditions and external direction, people do look for meaning and impose framewhole kit and boodle. They exercise their abilities and seek enjoyment in activity, even where intimately controlled by other. They do, paradoxically, thread through the dead experience of work a living culture which is far from a simple reflex of defeat. This is the same underlying taking hold of an alienating situation as one finds in counter-school culture and its attempt to weave a tapestry through the dry institutional text. (Willis, P. cited in Blackledge Hunt 1985184)When the lads reach the end of their final term and the prospect of work awaits them they remain indifferent to the type of manual unskilled labour they will go on to do. They understand that most manual work in industry is basically the same very little skill is require d and offers no satisfaction. The best the lads can hope for is an apprenticeship or clerical work, however such jobs seem to offer little but take a lot. Although the lads might not be able to articulate it, in some respects they do have some understanding of the workings of capitalism. Willis calls these insights sixth senses, where the lads have been able to see through the ideological fog created by the capitalistic system. An example of this is present in the way that the counter-school culture places no value in the attainment of qualifications through certificates. The conformist student may be convinced by educations meritocratic faade and the promise of upward mobility but the lads know better, they are aware that a few can make itthe class can never follow. They understand that individual success will not ultimately change the position of the working-class, and that only through the collective action of the group will this be achieved. This is articulated by the lads in t he way that they place an important fierceness on loyalty within the group, as Willis observes the essence of being one of the lads lies with the group. The group always comes first and the rejection of qualifications is a rejection of the individualistic nature of the school, which creates competition between class mates with the proliferation of individual awards through exams. As Willis puts it it is unwise for working-class kids to place their trust in diplomas and certificates. These things act not to push people up as in the prescribed account but to maintain there those who are already at the top (Willis, 1977128).Although they may have some understanding of capitalism, Willis contends that while some penetrations have been made the lads still have not fully seen through all of capitalisms ideological justifications. They do not possess a complete overview of how capitalism works to exploit them. In some respects the lads are unwitting conspirators in their own exploitati on in that they are far too willing to get in the world of manual work and in doing so they enter an exploitative system which will ultimately entrap them. Their attitude towards women and ethnic minorities is also destructive. They serve only to divide the working-class making it that much easier to control. For Willis then, it is quite wrong to picture working-class culture or consciousness optimistically as the knife edge in the great march towards rationality and socialism.The lads of Learning to Labour may have realised their own alienation but ultimately it is their own decisions which have trapped them in these exploitative jobs. Willis has tried to make it clear that rather than being a site for the reproduction of one dominant ideology the school can be a place where contradictory ideologies come together in conflict. With this study Willis shows us that it is the lads resistance to school, with the forming of a counter-school culture, that has prepared them for their fut ure roles within the labour force. Their indifference to school and their behaviour in class has paradoxically prepared the lads for the manual unskilled work which they will go on to do. So in this sense education does reproduce the labour force required by capitalism. But it is done not directly and perhaps unintentionally and most importantly of all not without a degree of resistance and struggle.The counter-school culture of the lads, as we have seen, is not beneficial to the reproduction of capitalism, but at the same time it is not particularly harmful. Willis has shown that reproduction is not a simple process with external economic structures manipulating submissive subjects. He is very critical of these structuarlist accounts. As he says Social agents are not still bearers of ideology, but active appropriators who reproduce existing structures only through struggle, contestation and a partial penetration of those structures.Paul Willis ethnographic investigation has been hailed a landmark study by educators and social theorist alike (Giddens 1984, McRobbie 1978). Indeed any detailed discussion on the sociology of education, subcultures or even deviancy within society would seem redundant if there was no reference to Learning to Labour. One writer has remarked that Willis has provided the model on which most subsequent cultural studies investigation within education has been based. However, this does not mean that he is exempt from criticism.David Blackledge and Barry Hunt (1985) take issue with a number Willis conclusions. first of all they find some of his evidence unconvincing can the lads really be representative of the working-class in general? All the pupils at the school are from working-class families including the earoles (who are clearly in the majority) surely they are more representative of working-class values and attitudes. Blackledge and Hunt argue that the values of the conformist students, with their emphasis on academic work, are as much working-class in nature as those of the counter-culture. To support this claim they point to a similar study by David Hargreaves (1967) in which he found a significant delinquent sub-culture existing in a secondary school. Like the school of Willis study, the pupils where predominantly working-class (their fathers were in manual occupations) and he observed that the school was divided into two sub-cultures the delinquescent and the academic. However, unlike Willis, Hargreaves does note that there can be a blurring of the two categories with some students within the academic group displaying delinquent behaviour from time to time. But more importantly Hargreaves maintains that the attitudes of the academic group are consistent with the values of a large section of the working-class. So in this light Blackledge and Hunt remain unconvinced that the values of the lads are the same as the working-class as a whole. They also have trouble excepting the simple dichotomy which is at the heart of this study that there exists just two main groups, the lads and the earoles. For them this does not really do justice to the diversity of the real world in that Willis would have us believe in a one-dimensional world in which there are those who want an education, and those who enjoy life. It never seems to occur to him that these pursuits can be combined, and that the person who takes an interest in his or her education is not, thereby, dull, obsequious and a social conformist. contempt these criticisms Learning to Labour has remained an influential and much discussed text. In fact despite being written from a cultural studies perspective its influence is particularly buckram within sociology. It is within Marxism that its significance has been most far reaching however. It has encouraged Marxist writers to re-evaluate their approach to the understanding of education paying specific attention to the different factors at play instead of providing simplistic explanatio ns of the role of education within society. Willis is very critical of structuarlist accounts which have a tendency to see subjects as passive bearers of ideology who mindlessly reproduce the status-quo. Willis has given social agents the ability to reject the dominant ideological discourses and to resist in the reproduction of existing exploitative structures. Learning to Labour has sometimes been described as a pessimistic book but I can not help but bring a positive interpretation to the text. It is true that ultimately it is the lads own choices that lead them to some of the most exploitative jobs that capitalism has to offer. But by simply having that choice it does cater for the possibility of change. As Willis himself says there is always the possibility of making practices not inevitable by understanding them. This, I would argue, is the key thread which runs through Learning to Labour by understanding the reasons for the forming of a counter-school culture can we bring abo ut positive changes which will be beneficial to everyone and not just the lads. maybe Willis is guilty of using too many Marxist terms uncritically. The way he employs the category of social class within Learning to Labour is maybe a little outdated now. It is not a stable, fixed construct it is more fluid than Willis allows for with an interlinking between race and gender etc. also at times he is arguably guilty of slipping back into traditional Marxist territory with the idea of the state being subservient to capitalist class is that still (if it ever was) the reality? Within a globalised world power is more dispersed and not concentrated in the hands of one ruling bloc but instead there are perhaps different organised groups competing for power. Economic and informational flows can freely transcend national boundaries it is argued (Giddens 1994) that globalisation has acted to decentralise power preventing any one group from wielding too much economic and ideological contro l. However, it is to the credit of Paul Willis that his investigation has remained relevant and important twenty-eight years after it was first published. It is still considered a model example of ethnographic research and has encouraged many other ethnographic studies whose emphasis was on style, resistance and cultural symbols (See McRobbie 1978, Hebdige 1979). Indeed, Anthony Giddens (1984) structuration theory which sees subjects as knowledgeable and active agents owes a considerable debt to the insights made by Willis in Learning to Labour.

Attitude Toward Warfare in Beowulf :: Anglo Saxon English Literature Essays

Attitude Toward Warfare in BeowulfMany historians and authors, such as Tacitus, described Anglo-Saxon England as a region henpecked by warlike, belligerent tribes of Germanic descent. These people constantly fought for territories and treasures, which they possessed or wished to acquire. It was the duty of a magnate or a lord to acquire jewels and harness for his people and that was how he kept his kinsmen leal to him. In the legendary epic poem, Beowulf, these traits of Anglo-Saxon culture are clearly defined. The character of Beowulf is a true translator of Anglo-Saxon culture. First, Beowulf performs his duties as a kinsman to his uncle, Hygelac, with loyalty and dedication. Further, a reader witnesses Beowulf acting as a lord to his people, acquiring land and treasures for them. Moreover, the attitude of unknown fabricator of the poem reflects his support and approval of the culture described in Beowulf. The epic, Beowulf, begins with the funeral of Shield Sheafson, the orig inator of the Danish people. Shield Sheafson is described as a scourge of many another(prenominal) tribes, a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes (lines 4-5). Obviously, this ring-giver has led an aggressive and violent life. He has terrorized his neighbors and rival tribes, destroyed their mead-halls or gathering places, and in addition, made them pay tribute. Therefore, while the king was alive, his tribe was protected from enemies, fed, clothed and enjoyed the treasures which their lord acquired for them. The author of the epic shows his approval of this culture and its attributes by saying that Shield Sheafson was one good king (line 10). family relationship was one of the main aspects of Anglo-Saxon England - a lord led his men in fyrd (journey or expedition) against enemies, acquired treasures for them and protected his tribe and in return for all that, his kinsmen were loyal to him and followed their lord in battles. People were not identified on a demographic basi s, but by their belonging to a particular king or a ring-giver. Furthermore, the idea of kinship is demonstrated in other parts of the epic. When Beowulf is described preparing to fight the dragon, his last battle, Wiglaf follows Beowulf, his lord, into the fray. Wiglaf remains by Beowulfs side until the heros death, although the rest of Beowulfs warriors melt with the first sight of the dragon. Wiglaf demonstrates his loyalty not to his country or to his tribe, but particularly to his lord, Beowulf

World Rulers :: essays papers

World Rulershorse parsley the Great, Julius Caesar, and Genghis KhanThis paper will explore the lives of tierce of the most well knownrulers in human history, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, andGenghis Khan. This will first consist of an examination of thepersonalities and gifts of to each one of these rulers. Details of the courseand extent of the conquests and achievements of each individual willfollow this. The lasting contri justions made by these three men willthen be noted. The first ruler under esteem is Alexander theGreat. He was the son of Philip II , King of Macedonia, and his wifeOlympia, in the year 356 B.C. (Alexander). He was a student ofAristotle, and gained interests in the areas of philosophy, medicine,and scientific investigating (Alexander). Aristotle took great carein providing Alexander with a very structured and disciplined education(Williams 7-9). However, Alexanders father, Philip II, would notallow Alexander to form the habits of a recluse. P hilip initiatedAlexander early with the duties of his high station. It was in thisrole that Alexander showed his ability to lead men, and be a greatadministrator. At while sixteen, Alexander was appointed Regent ofMacedonia, while Phillip was detained at the siege of Byzantium(Williams 10). It has been noted that Alexander, by this point, hadalready astonished some Persian deputies by the pertinency of hisquestions, and the asperity of his intellect (Williams 10). By thetime he was eighteen, Alexander had commanded the left wing of the armyat the battle of Chaeroneia, and defeated the Thebans (Williams10-11). The following is an account of the words of Arrian, an acquaintanceship of Alexander. He spoke these words Alexanders death onJune 13, 323 B.C.Let him who would vilify Alexander, not select a few blameworthy acts,but sum up all his great deeds and qualities, and then consider who andwhat he himself is who would thus abuse the man who attained thepinnacle of human con tentmentwho was the undisputed monarch of bothcontinentsand whose name has pervaded the whole of the earth My ownopinion, therefore, I will profess, that not without especial purposeof the deity such a man was given to the world, to whom none has everyet been equal (Williams 409). The date of Julius Caesars birth is indispute. The probable date was July 12 or 13, deoxycytidine monophosphate B.C. (David 12).His father was Gaius Caesar, who died when Julius was only sixteen.