James Joyces Ulysses - Balancing Information in Ithaca...

James Joyces Ulysses - Balancing Information in Ithaca I hold this book [Ulysses] to be the most important expression which the present age has found; it is a book to which we are all indebted, and from which none of us can escape. T.S. Elliot In the midst of Ithaca, the climactic second to last episode of Ulysses, James Joyce provides the necessary information for calculating how much excrement, in pounds, is produced annually by the entire population of Ireland (p. 718). The type of information offered is not, however, the most shocking quality of the narrative. Instead, it is the amount of information Joyce presents to the reader that comes as a shock. Ithaca is the only episode in Ulysses which offers too much†¦show more content†¦The fact that Joyce titled his novel Ulysses but edited out the episode titles we still use today creates several major dilemmas. To what extent is Ulysses simply a modern retelling of The Odyssey? How important are the links that can be drawn between the two novels? The information-rich narrative of Ithaca helps resolve these dilemmas. As Bloom and Stephen return to Blooms house, a great deal of links are established with The Odyssey. Like Odysseus, Bloom enters his house through a stratagem (p. 668). Stephen is link to Telemachus as he helps lock the door to the house (p. 669). Bloom, like Odysseus, fumigates his house sees that his furniture had been moved (pp. 675, 705). Stephen and Bloom witness a celestial sign as they pee, much like the appearance of Athena in the climax of the battle between Odysseus and the suitors (p. 703). Joyce strengthens the importance of The Odyssey to his novel through these connections, which often employ the same language used in Homers epic. Both Bloom and Odysseus corrugate their brow as they look over the state of affairs before them (p. 675). This is only a partial list of the correspondences one can draw between the two books. The multiplicity of parallels between the two works in Ithaca support The Odysseys importance in understanding Ulysses. However, the information-oriented narrative works in a contrary fashion as well, clarifying that Ulysses is not simply a retelling of The Odyssey. Stephens

The Nature of the Soul Free Essays

In St. Thomas Aquinas’ comprehensive Summa Theologica, the work consists of a detailed summary that pertains to the theological explanation on the notion of the existence of God and the relationship between God and man. The summa also tackles the divine reconciliation of man and how it is achieved through Christ. We will write a custom essay sample on The Nature of the Soul or any similar topic only for you Order Now Aquinas also enumerates the nature of God and proofs of his existence through questions supported by arguments and claims. This method adopts several Aristotelian concepts where Aquinas explains the nature, origin, and purpose of the universe and how the totality of all concepts in a universal existence as an integral part in achieving that purpose. Aquinas attempts to explain the totality of universal existence of the soul, the existence of God, and Catholic doctrines through a rationalistic view. Aquinas attempts to explain the nature of the human soul by positing seven questions coupled with several objections in order to clearly define the soul’s nature. These questions ask whether the soul is a body and whether the soul is a subsistence. Aquinas’ inquiry is furthered into the question of the souls of brute animals, if man’s soul is composed of body, soul, matter, and form. The last two questions inquire on the soul’s corruptibility and its comparison to the species of angels. First, Aquinas asks whether the soul is a body and poses the following objections. The soul is a body since the soul is the foremost moving principle and the body cannot act without a soul. Thus, if there is a thing that moves but not moved, according to Aquinas, that thing is the main cause of eternal movement. Hence, Aquinas proves that the soul is a body since the soul is a mover that is moved, and every mover moved possesses a body. To further the objection, Aquinas elaborates that knowledge is caused by likeness that is integral in assuming corporeal things. â€Å"If, therefore, the soul were not a body, it could not have knowledge of corporeal things† (Aquinas 663). The nature of the soul then is defined as the main principle or essence that is present in all things that live, which Aquinas calls as animate, meaning having a soul. The inanimate are those that have no life. Life is separated by knowledge and movement. Furthermore, Aquinas criticizes the ancient philosophers of having to maintain the ideal that the soul is corporeal or specified in the physical aspect. â€Å"The philosophers of old, not being able to rise above their imagination, supposed that the principle of these actions was something corporeal; for they asserted that only bodies were real things, and that what is not corporeal is nothing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Aquinas 663). The ancient philosophers (the pre-Platonics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle) defined the soul as a material essence as a part of the universal order. If the soul is not corporeal or bordered by physical matter, then it cannot be construed as something real. Aquinas rejects this statement by manifesting the difference between the body and soul. â€Å"For it is clear that to be a principle of life, or to be a living thing, does not belong to a body as such; since of, that were the case, every body would be a living thing, or a principle of life† (Aquinas, 664). Thus, the soul is the act of the body, since the body in itself is the first principle that defines life. Aquinas attempts to differentiate the soul between the animate and inanimate as well as the rational and irrational souls. Unique to human beings, man has will of reason or the ability to conceptualize choice. This will of reason is also the rational appetite of the individual that attempts to fulfill its purpose and attaining the good. In addition, Aquinas answers his first objection through the soul as something that is moved. Everything that moves is definitely moved by something else but not every mover is moved. Thus, certain things remain stationary or permanent as an effect of preceding causes. This explains the nature of the soul as a thing that is not essentially moved but moved accidentally. The body is then a thing that is moved inessentially, contrary to the soul. To be moved means that the soul passes from being a potential to being real or actual. The soul transcends from bodily knowledge through the intellect – immaterial and universal. However, God is the source of understanding and therefore is the only being capable of true understanding. Furthermore, the soul is divided into the cognitive soul, wherein it has the choice of forming understanding and sensation. Contrary to Plato’s Theory of Forms where knowledge is derived, Aquinas argues that real knowledge comes from God: â€Å"Now participated existence is limited by the capacity of the participator, so that God alone, who is his own existence, is pure act and infinite† (Aquinas, 671). Knowledge is then formed through the combination of the potential or passive senses (body) and the active or actual intellect (soul). On the question of the soul’s subsistence, Aquinas equates the soul as an act of understanding, meaning that the soul is the action of the body. Thus, the soul necessarily becomes incorporeal (separate from the body) and subsistent. Man can only understand the nature of all physical things through the body. â€Å"For it is clear that by means of the intellect, man can have knowledge of all corporeal things. Now whatever knows certain things cannot have any of them in its own nature; because that which is in it naturally would impede the knowledge of anything else† (Aquinas, 665). Man’s experiences are then dependent on the body, which is the only avenue in understanding the physical knowledge, different from the understanding of the soul. Similar to the foremost arguments and objections, man’s soul is rational, and thus separates itself from that of animalistic reason. â€Å"The body is necessary for the action of the intellect, not as its origin of action, but on the part of the object; for the phantasm is to the intellect what color is for sight† (Aquinas, 666). Thus, these mental images are essential in acquiring knowledge as well as utilizing the use of sense experience in order to abstract such forms for understanding. On the notion of the soul’s incorruptibility, Aquinas argues that the soul may be corrupted in two ways: per se and accidentally. He argues that any substance that can be corrupted accidentally is impossible since corruption is considered as a thing, along with existence. â€Å"Therefore, whatever has existence ‘per se’ cannot be generated or corrupted except ‘per se’; while things which do not subsist, such as accident and material forms, acquire existence or lost through the generation or corruption of composite things† (Aquinas, 672). Man’s soul is then dependent on the subjective sensual experience that the individual experiences everyday in attaining the ideal since man is created in the image and likeness of God. The passage also implies causal explanations towards the nature of man’s choice—that every actions constitutes a reaction that necessarily ‘corrupts’ the soul of man. This corruption comes from man itself and not from another generation or cause. The soul remains pure while the body experiences corruption because of misleading sensual experiences that does not act as universals. In addition, Aquinas adds that even though the soul may be composed by matter and form, it still remains incorruptible for corruption possesses contradiction. â€Å"Since generation and corruption are from contraries and into contraries. Wherefore the heavenly bodies, since they have no matter subject to contrariety, are incorruptible†¦there can be nor contrariety in the human soul for it receives according to the manner of its existence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Aquinas 673). The attainment of knowledge lies in the nature of man’s soul where the intellectual capability of the individual is a separate entity from that of the soul while remaining a part of the soul. The soul is also the capacity to reason, a similar term used by Platonic philosophers and the like as a means of attaining knowledge. Aquinas shares the same similarities with Aristotle as man’s essence is its rationality. However, Aquinas does not total man’s entirety with rationality, contrary to Aristotle. In addition, Aquinas also rejects the nature of innate ideas of Plato since the physical mind forms ‘phantasms’ that are derived mental images from sensual experience. From this, human being form passive knowledge from experience and the soul forms active knowledge. â€Å"Further, if the soul were subsistent, it would have some operation apart from the body. However, it has no operation apart from the body, not even that of understanding; for the act of understanding does not take place without a phantasm, which cannot exist apart from the body† (Aquinas, 665). These phantasms are not considered as universal knowledge since there is would be subjectivism instead of an objective standard of truth. According to Aquinas, God is the only source of knowledge contrary to a subjective sensual experience which contradicts the notion of an objective truth. The soul is then a reaction, the unmoved object that grants substantial truth as it relates itself to the function of the body. Moreover, the body is also an integral part of knowledge, as it provides sensual experience that directly hands abstractions. Though sensual experience does not necessitate in becoming universal knowledge, the soul’s active intellect filters the passive knowledge of the body into one. However, even though sense experience is necessary in formulation phantasms or mental images of an object as well as a universal concepts that applies to all things, it is impossible to have knowledge of a particular material object because there is already a conception of a mental image of it. Though the way to know the essence of a physical object is through abstraction, we cannot entirely have a real grasp of what that object is. All knowledge then is necessitated as abstract. This abstraction process leads to the use of scientific knowledge where there is an inkling of knowledge through cause and effect. On the other hand, it remains that the intellect has limitations with regard to abstract knowledge. We may have a concept or a grasp of what is sweet or sour through experience but we can never understand the real meaning of sweetness and sourness in itself. How to cite The Nature of the Soul, Papers

International Business morality Essay Example For Students

International Business morality Essay Societys general conception of the fundamental marketplace has dramatically changed within recent years. Throughout most of history, commerce has existed primarily (and, at times, solely) in the domestic realm, only on rare occasions interacting on an international level. However, with major technological advances occurring within the past century (and even more so, during the past decade) concerning both transportation (air travel, better seafaring and larger ships) and communication (telephones, the Internet), almost all business conducted by a mediocre to major firm operating from within a semi-industrialized to industrialized nation can be (and most often is) considered multinational. With the everyday business arena now expanded to include a variety of cultural and moral norms which are dependent upon their respective nations (and their intrinsic ideologies), corporations are currently forced to deal with an important issue; how should they conduct their affairs in foreign marke ts (When in Rome, should they do as the Romans do?) (ETB 514)? Broadly speaking, there are two paths which may be taken: either a company can (a) adhere to both the universal and domestic moral modes of business which they would regularly apply in their affairs at home or (b) they can conform to the ethics and morals of the host country (the country in which they are conducting the business). In this essay I will seek to provide two arguments, one which concentrates on supporting path a and another which refutes a and supports b. In Defense of Retaining Domestic Practices in Foreign Markets As American modes of ethical business standards continue to evolve and become increasingly better, it becomes more and more obvious that it should be regarded as the model for all markets, foreign and domestic. Despite criticism from other nations, our multinational business policies should reflect what we hold true in our affairs at home. Two maxims of American ideology rebuke the opinion of When in Rome, do as the Romans do. First, no one, including businesses, should morally be permitted to freeload (simply put, freeloading is the practice of accepting advantages offered by a certain situation while not accepting its disadvantages) (EDB 531). When placed in a situation where freeloading is a viable option, many businesses are eager to take advantage of it due to its profitability (most often this is in the case of bribery). There is something essentially wrong with this practice in our society, however. Most modern societies function on a system of benefits and burdens. Each member of society is expected to accept both the benefits and the burdens adherent to their situation and actions. For example, when you steal money you are attempting to acquire a benefit without the adjunct burden (earning it). When such a person is caught doing such, they are almost certainly prosecuted and made to accept the burden (usually in the form of jail time or fines). When a business receives a bribe or a kickback, they are essentially accepting a benefit of the laws against those practices while not suffering the burdens associated with those laws (EDB 531). The second idea which American morality supposes is that of inalienable human rights. Presently, it can be assumed that there is (in most cases) international standards of human rights as designated by the signatories of the United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights and by various treaties addressing the issue (EBD 516). Unfortunately, often times, the differing business and social standards in foreign markets/countries allow for firms to take advantage of that countrys populace in ways which are not available (or even legal) in our society. While companies certainly should not be required to provide aid for the people of the countries they are dealing with, they should be aware of the people in these nations that they are affecting by means of their business within those borders. A clear example of the all-to-common disregard for the welfare of those of foreign countries is that of the Nestl corporation and its profit maximizing techniques in third world nations. Because of declining sales of infant formula in industrialized countries, Nestl (and other c orporations) made a decision to aggressively market its product in developing nations and thus open up new arenas in which to become profitable once again. Despite .

Utilitarianism Essays (1113 words) - Utilitarianism,

Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill suggests that a person's ethical decision-making process should be based solely upon the amount of happiness that the person can receive. Although Mill fully justifies himself, his approach lacks certain criteria for which happiness can be considered. Happiness should be judged, not only by pleasure, but by pain as well. This paper will examine Mill's position on happiness, and the reasoning behind it. Showing where there are agreements and where there are disagreements will critique the theory of Utilitarianism. By showing the problems that the theory have will reveal what should make up ethical decision-making. John Stuart Mill supports and explains his reasoning in his book, Utilitarianism. Mill illustrates the guidelines of his theory. Mill defines utilitarianism as the quest for happiness. His main point is that one should guide his or her judgements by what will give pleasure. Mill believes that a person should always seek to gain pleasure and reject pain. Utilitarianism also states that the actions of a person should be based upon the"greatest happiness principle". This principle states that ethical actions command the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Mill further explores the need for pleasure by noting "a being of higher faculties requires more to make him happy." . He acknowledges that some pleasures are more alluring than others are. He adds to this by making known that when placing value in things to calculate pleasure, not only quantity important but quality as well. Mill's criteria for happiness is easily understood, some statements that he gives are questionable. John Stuart Mill plainly laid out what he believes that the basis for ethical decision-making. First, the pursuit of pleasure is directly related to happiness. This idea can be easily accepted. It is natural for a person to focus his goals on things that will bring him pleasure. It would be absurd if someone's goal in life was to be poor and starving. This being said, it does not mean that people are only happy due wealth but that no one's goals are focused on poverty. Although there are many issues that can be agreeable with Mill, there are problems that exist with his theory of utilitarianism. First, Mill says that all ethical decisions should be based on pleasure. This statement becomes questionable when Mill states that pleasure is the sole requirement for happiness. Pain indirectly effects happiness. Pain is an indirect factor because is not the object of one's happiness, but is an obstacle which one must overcome to gain it. If one is to avoid all pain in his or her life, then how will that person truly know what true pleasure feels like? True pleasure comes only after experiencing pain. If a person always wins a race, does he or she feel true pleasure each time they win or does it turn into a feeling that they come to expect? If there is a person who loses races constantly, will his happiness be greater when he finally wins? The rewards and pleasures of the second person would greatly outweigh the feelings of happiness the first had because he or she knows how it feels to be defeated. The second person knows the pain that is received because of failure so when he when he will recognize the joy and pleasure that comes with winning. Using this same setting, would it be better for the second person to run in races filled with people who are not matched in skill just so he may always win or should he or she race individuals who are equally matched? Although the first would produce pleasure, the second example would yield the greater amount of pleasure due to the understanding that the competition was evenly matched. Both of these examples show that pain can ultimately cause pleasure, and in some cases the presence of pain will increase the feeling of happiness. Another point were there is disagreement is when Mill justifies the pursuit of pleasure by saying "actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness." This statement is not universally true. People have different perspectives, what is pleasure for one could be pain for another. Who is right and is wrong? A problem evolves because there is no set definition pertaining to what is pleasurable therefore right and painful therefore wrong. The final disagreement with Utilitarian states that if someone saves a person who is drowning, the rescuer did what is morally right even if his

How to Write an Awesome Professional Bio That Stands Out (Template)

How to Write an Awesome Professional Bio That Stands Out (Template) As a marketer, you’ll likely need to write a professional bio at some point. Whether writing one for yourself, a client, or coworkers listed on your company’s â€Å"about us† page, it’s a common piece of content you might be asked to create. They appear everywhere, from social media profiles, to blog post author boxes, to personal and business websites. Too often though, they’re treated like an afterthought, which is unfortunate. After all, what’s the first thing you read when you come across an interesting blog post, a new company, or social media account? A bio is a natural place to start. So, what happens if what you find sounds boring or generic? You’ll think that person is boring and generic too, and that isn’t the kind of impression any serious marketer should want to make. Fortunately, business doesn’t have to be boring, and neither does anyone’s professional summary. In this post, you’ll find: Tons of examples illustrating what makes effective bios so good. A simple process to make writing one, either for yourself or a client, easy. Free templates to wrap up the whole project in a flash. Sure, you could settle for boring and generic. But, you’re better than that. So, keep reading and learn how to do the job right. What is ? is an industry-leading marketing management calendar platform that helps teams keep everything organized, all in one place. See how it works or start your free trial now. Download Your Free Professional Bio Templates Best of all, you don’t have to write one from scratch. Instead, download these free templates and you’ll be able to fill in the blanks to write one well. There are options here for the following: Websites Blog authorship boxes Twitter profiles Snag ‘em now and continue with the rest of this post. In general, they’re a description or summary of someone’s professional background, educational history, skill set, and/or achievements. In some cases, such as a Twitter bio, they might be short, or in others they could be a few paragraphs (such as on an about page on a blog or website). What Makes Them So Important? People come across so many different pieces of information on the web that it’s tough to keep everything straight. It’s impossible to remember every interesting thing you come across, let alone filter through the overwhelming amount of junk you see that isn’t interesting at all. So, make your first impression something that sticks. If a social media user sees a stray post that catches their attention, they’ll want to see if it came from someone who looks and sounds trustworthy. The same goes for a blog post they might read, or a new company they’re scoping out for a potentially lucrative partnership. Whatever the case may be, a strong bio is an opportunity to leave a lasting impression. If it’s written well, people might be more influenced to consider you an authority, someone to remember to reach out to, or eventually, even make a purchase from. When Would You Need to Write a Bio? There are lots of different situations where you might need to provide a bio. Here are a few: You work at a marketing or PR agency, and a client needs one to make an executive sound brilliant. It’s time to hunt for a new job, and your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles need some freshening up. The company’s website is getting a redesign, and each employee’s profile page needs a bio to go with it (and you get to/have to write it). Those are common scenarios everyone encounters sooner or later. Since they seem so easy to write, they can quickly become a trap though, something that doesn’t get done until the last minute (and things that get done at the last minute, tend to get done poorly). Recommended Reading: How to Easily Plan Copy for an Entire Website the Best Way Where Might Your Bio Appear? Plus, there are all kinds of places where it’s useful to have a crisp, clean, and creative description of yourself (or client or coworkers). Take a look at this list: Your company’s website or blog. Guest blogs (if you write on another company or writer’s blog). Any personal websites, blogs, or portfolio pages you might have. On your social media accounts. Within press releases about your company (say, if an executive plays a key part in a major achievement). Certainly, you can probably think of even more, too. But, if you have one that’s well-written, it can easily be repurposed and repackaged to fit wherever it’s needed. And that leads into the next point in this post. How Long Should a Bio Be? There’s no one-size-fit-all answer here. Social media accounts often have obvious restrictions on character counts that limit length. If you’re writing one to appear in a press release boiler plate or a blog bio box, a paragraph is generally sufficient. But, if you’re writing one for a website page, you might be able to run as short, or as long, as you’d like. In fact, there are arguments to be made for keeping things concise or going more in-depth. Recommended Reading: How Long Should a Blog Post Be to Get the Most Shares and Traffic? Why Consider Writing a Short Professional Bio People have short attention spans. According to the Nielsen Norman Group (via Crazy Egg), you have 59 seconds to hook a website viewer’s attention before they’ll leave. And they’re going to see a lot of things before they even get to your bio (headlines, homepage copy, and product pages are all possible places they’ll visit first). If hooking someone’s attention is hard, keeping it might be even more difficult, and arguably, no one wants to spend too much time getting to know you if they don’t have to. So, why not just get to the point? Take a look at this example from Influence and CO. founder John Hall: It’s just a couple concise paragraphs, plus a line for his email address. Note the smart inclusion of a Twitter follow button, too. This works because: It gets to the point. But, it doesn’t sacrifice substance for short length. It just excludes anything extraneous. The inclusion of links to other places to find him are smart. Writing a professional bio? Here's why you might want to keep it short.Why Consider Writing a Long Professional Bio But, what if you’re writing a description of a seasoned professional with tons of experience? How do you condense everything important to know about them into a short amount of space? That can be tough. And if people are likely to want to know all about the person’s story, it might make more sense to go long (spanning a few paragraphs, or even a whole page or more). Here’s another example from Darren Rowse, the founder of ProBlogger: While this bio is still fairly compact, it spans multiple paragraphs, and even includes a video. Then, it extends a bit further to include more information about Darren and his business: This works because: It puts the most important information first. While it goes into detail, it’s still tightly written. All additional information included is relevant and useful.

Definition and Examples of Inartistic Proof in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Inartistic Proof in Rhetoric Definition In classical rhetoric, inartistic proofs are proofs (or means of persuasion) that are not created by a speaker- that is, proofs that are applied rather than invented. Contrast with artistic proofs. Also called  extrinsic proofs or artless proofs. In the time of Aristotle, inartistic proofs (in Greek, pisteis atechnoi) included laws, contracts, oaths, and the testimony of witnesses. Examples and Observations [A]ncient authorities listed the following items as extrinsic proofs: laws or precedents, rumors, maxims or proverbs, documents, oaths, and the testimony of witnesses or authorities. Some of these were tied to ancient legal procedures or religious beliefs. ... Ancient teachers knew that extrinsic proofs are not always reliable. For instance, they were quite aware that written documents usually required careful interpretation, and they were skeptical of their accuracy and authority as well. (Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee, Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students, 4th edition. Longman, 2008) Aristotle on Inartistic Proofs Of the modes of persuasion some belong strictly to the art of rhetoric and some do not. By the latter [i.e., inartistic proofs] I mean such things as are not supplied by the speaker but are there at the outset- witnesses, evidence given under torture, written contracts, and so on. By the former [i.e., artistic proofs] I mean such as we can ourselves construct by means of the principles of rhetoric. The one kind has merely to be used, the other has to be invented. (Aristotle, Rhetoric, 4th century BC) The Blurred Distinction Between Artistic and Inartistic Proofs Pisteis (in the sense of means of persuasion) are classified by Aristotle into two categories: artless proofs (pisteis atechnoi), that is, those that are not provided by the speaker but are pre-existing, and artistic proofs (pisteis entechnoi), that is, those that are created by the speaker. ... Aristotles distinction between artistic and artless proofs is seminal, yet in oratorical practice the distinction is blurred, for artless proofs are handled quite artfully. The periodic introduction of documentary evidence, which required the speaker to stop while a clerk read, apparently served to punctuate the speech. Speakers could also introduce artless proofs not obviously relevant to the legal matter at hand in order to make broader claims, such as to show their civic-minded, law-abiding character or to illustrate the fact that the opponent despises the laws in general. ... Pisteis atechnoi could be used in other inventive ways not described in handbooks. From the early fourth century on, witness testimony was presented as written depositions. Since litigants themselves drafted the depositions and then had the witnesses swear to them, there could be considerable art in how the testimony was phrased. (Michael de Brauw, The Parts of the Speech. A Companion to Greek Rhetoric, ed. by Ian Worthington. Wiley-Blackwell, 2010) Contemporary Applications of Inartistic Proofs An audience or listener can be motivated inartistically through extortions, blackmail, bribes, and pitiable behavior. Threats of force, appeals to pity, flattery, and pleading are borderline devices albeit often very effective. ... [I]nartistic proofs are effective methods of persuasion and legitimate insofar as they help the speaker attain his or her goals without undesirable concomitants. Speech teachers and rhetoricians do not customarily train students in the use of inartistic proofs, however. We assume that the natural processes of acculturation provide sufficient opportunities to develop skill at using them. What happens, of course, is that some people become very skillful at inartistic persuasions, while others do not learn them at all, thus placing themselves at a social disadvantage. ... While there are some serious ethical issues raised by the question of whether or not to teach students to be able to intimidate or cajole, it is certainly important for them to know about the possibilities. (Gerald M. Phillips, Communication Incompetencies: A Theory of Training Oral Performance Behavior. Southern Illinois University Press, 1991) Inartistic proof includes things not controlled by the speaker, such as the occasion, the time allotted to the speaker, or things that bound persons to certain action, such as undeniable facts or statistics. Also important to note are tactics of getting compliance by questionable means like torture, tricky or binding contracts that are not always ethical, and sworn oaths; but all of these methods actually coerce the receiver into compliance to one degree or another instead of actually persuading them. We know today that coercion or torture results in low commitment, which results not only in the lessening of desired action, but a reduction in the likelihood of attitude change. (Charles U. Larson, Persuasion: Reception and Responsibility, 13th ed. Wadsworth, 2013) Torture in Fiction and in Fact [A] new Fox television show titled 24 was aired only weeks after the events of 9/11, introducing a powerfully persuasive icon into the American political lexicon- the fictional secret agent Jack Bauer, who tortured regularly, repeatedly, and successfully to stop terrorist attacks on Los Angeles, attacks that often involved ticking bombs. ... By the 2008 presidential campaign, ... the invocation of Jack Bauers name served as political code for an informal policy of allowing CIA agents, acting on their own outside the law, to use torture for extreme emergencies. In sum, the worlds preeminent power grounded its most controversial policy decision of the early 21st century not on research or rational analysis but in fiction and fantasy. (Alfred W. McCoy, Torture and Impunity: The U.S. Doctrine of Coercive Interrogation. The University of Wisconsin Press, 2012)

Historical synthesis and imagination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Historical synthesis and imagination - Essay Example I am now narrating my life’s story to my little grandson because I want him to understand the life and times of those good old ancient days. The City of Chang’an was a beautiful city with broad streets, branching out into smaller side streets, and divided into 110 blocks. Each block had its temple and marketplace and was a complete unit. I often went out, in my younger days to the city, lunching in one of the many teashops, looking at the Acrobats performing their stunts by the roadside, sometimes stopping to listen to the storyteller narrate his wondrous experiences, some real and some imagined. I remember quite vividly how students, traders as well as pilgrims from all over Asia came here, making it one of the most well-known places in the world then. (pg 108) There were many students from countries like Korea and India who had come to our country to learn dancing and singing from our accomplished artists. I studied in a monastery run by the Buddhist monks, where I learnt arithmetic, multiplication, new words which I could look up in the dictionary, as well as good manners as to how I should speak to people using polite language. The books made use of now in this modern age are flat and bound, and very much different to the ones I was used to. I had to read from scrolls since books such as yours had not yet been made. We were taught to look up to our teachers, and they were one of the five objects of worship - earth, heaven, emperor and our parents being the other four we were taught to worship and respect them in every aspect. The Buddhist monks grew grains and other agricultural produce which they sometimes sold to the villagers for a good profit. Whenever anybody in the village wanted money they would approach these monks because they had earned a lot of money from the oil presses and mills which they operated. The monastery in which I studied was shut down in 841, because the rulers