Modern philosphy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern philosphy - Essay Example Essentially, Descartes was seen as deigning to question the dependability of science based on empiricism since scientific investigation can only be inference from by means of sensory examination. To prove his point, Descartes underwent what is commonly referred to as an intellectual rebirth and to achieve this he had to deconstruct everything he had learnt from birth since he had leant it through his senses and he wanted to prove that they could deceive. To this end, he postulated a few arguments among them the dream theory, suggested that when one dreams of say a fire, they feel warm and experience the selfsame experience they do when they are actually basking in a fire. The same argument can be extended to cover other sensation that people perceive even the absence of stimulating agents or situations. For example, one can dream they are falling and they will wake up with a sense of terror and probably break in to a sweat with fear exactly as they would have if they had actually bei ng falling. Similarly, he makes an argument about whether God actually exists or whether a deceiving demon or evil genius manipulates humans. He argues, can one know that they have no body but they simply exist in the form of a mind in which information is fed and the physical sensations are actually imagined. This concept has been demonstrated in several works of art more so films such as â€Å"inception† where the plot involves a situation in which the characters are able to move and manipulate events in the lives of others by accessing their brain while they dreamt. In the wax example, Descartes further demonstrates the unreliability of the senses by claiming that a piece of wax in its solid form will look, feel and smell very differently from itself if it were melted. Therefore, someone not familiar with wax may see two entirely different things by looking at wax in its different forms although essentially they are the same thing. At the end of the day, Descartes wishes t o invite his audience to abandon their blind, (so to speak) reliance of scientific enquiry and investigate everything from a rational point of view. In the famous cogito argument , he claims I am therefore I exist, to prove this he chooses to doubt everything including his own existence which is after all only aware of by means of sensory powers (Kaufman 12). When he figuratively scraps of all his knowledge, he remains with the only bit that is not based on empiricisms, and the fact that he doubts everything means that not everything might actually exist. Nevertheless, that he is capable of doubting is proof of the existence of his doubt and this translates into this existence since he must be existing to doubt. This argument while seeming farfetched and illogical to the non-critical eyes actually bears a point that almost everyone including his greatest critics would agree. An individual cannot know much about something else than about himself because as proved by Descartes, one do es not need to apply sensory powers to prove their own sense of being (De Marzio 312). Therefore, the most qualified way of understanding one’s self is the one that does not use empirical reasoning, why them, Descartes seems to

Last Samurai Review Essay Example for Free

Last Samurai Review Essay  « The last samurai  » is a compelling story of warfare, duty, and honour. It opens up in 1876 San Francisco; Tom Cruise plays the role of Nathan Algren, a former Captain whose participation to the military campaigns against the native Indians has left him scared with nightmares and remorse leaving alcohol as his only remedy. After being fired from the Winchester rifle company, he is recruited by Omura (Masato Harada) adviser of a weak-willed emperor, along with his former commanding officer whom he utmostly despises, Colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn) to train a conscript army to suppress the Samurai rebellion, who seem to threat the â€Å"modernization† of Japan. He once again finds himself having to wipe yet other tribal rebels. Algren is then captured by the forces of the legendary Kasumoto (Ken Watanabe) when he comes to realise he seems to have a spiritual affinity to them, soon adopting the Bushido code (The way of the warrior) and ends up fighting along side with them against his former troupes. As Algren spends his time in captivity, observing the people, watching them devote themselves to what they do, he starts to stop drinking and to shape up, and starts to be in harmony with himself after long years of self-loathing and remorse. He is eventually taught how to wield a sword like a true samurai, along with the Bushido code. Algren receives Yoda-like wisdom from Katsumoto â€Å" may the strength of the samurai be with you always† As time goes by, he starts to learn the Japanese language and is no longer seen as an enemy, when Katsumoto returns Algren’s personal belongings; he says â€Å"When I took these, you were my enemy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Algren is later faced with the difficult choice of going back to America, or staying to fight along side Katsumoto and face an almost certain death which he ends up choosing. He then along side the samurai go off to a last final battle as ‘savages with bows and arrows’ against the new western Japan with new riffl es and notably the Howitzers. This vividly recalls the guerrilla techniques of ‘Braveheart’ The Director Edward Zwick overcomes the problem of the language barrier ingeniously by having Katsumoto be a student of English preventing the movie from always being subtitled. Zick manages in an effective way in bridging the gap between today and the 1870 with great success. Edward Zwick may be one of the most underrated filmmakers within Hollywood. â€Å"The last samurai† is amazing to look at, with astonishingly beautiful landscape and scenery. The battle sequences in particular are very effective well captured, the editor (Steven Rosenblum) does not employ too many cuts making it clear and therefore much stronger. Hans Zimmer (Music composer) does an excellent job with the music enhancing the mood without it becoming too unbearable. If there was something to reproach to â€Å"the last samurai† it would be that the story is not of the most orginal, resembling strongly to Edward Zwicks fromer movie Glory, and Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, but â€Å"The last samurai’ is never the less a rousing tale that combines adventure with emotional effectiveness and differentiates itself from other movies with the astonishing good acting of both Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. Tom cruise has never shown such emotional depth, he is so fercociously present as a character. Every emotion, even every thought can be read across his face. He truly gives life to Algren, he truly looks genuinely stricken by his past, haunted even. Although Tom Cruise is â€Å"The Last Samurai† undeniable star and main character, Ken Watanabe’s performance is even more memorable, persuasive, and above all breathtaking. Watanabe channels Mifune so forcefully that’s its hard, even impossible seeing anyone else then him to do a better job as Katsumoto. He brings out everything we could expect from a great leader: strength, courage, patience, the ability to dominate a fight, and most importantly, honour. Watanabe’s work dominates and outstands Cruise’s. The beautiful, graceful and discreet Taka (played by Koyoki) plays the husband of one if the man Cruise kills and eventually have the love of Cruise and vice versa. The strong Ujio (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a fierce warrior who objects to Katsumoto’s will of keeping Algren alive. Simon Graham (Timothy Spall) is a British photojournalist who speaks somewhat Japanese. Finally Colonel Bagley ( Tony Goldwyn) who also fits his role like a T. â€Å"The last samurai† is a movie you can watch from two important aspects; the story, or People can choose to look at â€Å"The last Samurai† from two different aspects You can watch â€Å"the last samurai† in two different ways. Either you can choose to ignore the messages or the story’s true meaning, concentrating only on the small imperfections, or you can choose to watch the movie’s story depth, admire the gorgeous landscape and scenery, the breathtaking characters, thrilling battles, and the beautiful moral values through the sacrifice of Samurai’s for â€Å"what seems to have become a forgotten word: Honour†. â€Å"The last Samurai† reminds us all of what true honour devotion and duty truly are through a truly inspiring movie.

The Major Macroeconomic Policy In Malaysia Economics Essay

The Major Macroeconomic Policy In Malaysia Economics Essay Among the major macroeconomic policy in Malaysia is to achieve sustained economic growth. Continued economic growth means an increase and expansion of an economy of a country. Increased economic activity is shown by the ability of an economy to produce goods and services increasing. To achieve sustained economic growth will increase a countrys income and per capita and can provide employment opportunities to the public. Continued economic growth to measure the performance of a countrys economic development. Continued economic growth means the economic development of a physical nature such as the total production of industrial goods, increase production of other economic sectors, infrastructure development, increase the number of school social and economic development or other. Continuing economic growth rate achieved by a country can be measured by the growth of real national income. In the economic growth we can see from the developments of an economic activity in terms of increased production of goods and services. To determine the growth of an economy, we can measure using real GDP or GNP. GDP is the total market value of all final goods and services issued by a country within a year regardless of who issued it. While GDP means the total market value of all goods, services produced by the end of the only citizen of a country within a year. There are factors that affect economic growth, continuing the development of educational standards and providing training facilities, the use of high technology, foreign investments and market expansion. Hence, to achieve low unemployment is one of the main macroeconomic policies in Malaysia. Unemployment means a condition in which part of the workforce who wants to work at a certain rate of wages in the market that cannot be any jobs. Labor or labor in an economy cannot be equated with the population in an economy. Labor can be referred to those aged between 15 and 58 years were working. While unemployment is not including school, college, university, and retirees. Unemployment is divided into 6 types of unemployment is frictional unemployment, structural unemployment, cyclical unemployment, technological unemployment, seasonal unemployment, and unemployment is not significant. The effect of unemployment will have an impact on the economy they do not encourage economic growth and will make the waste of factors of production. While the impact on individuals and society will lose the skills nor the person and the political and economic instability. To achieve a lower unemployment usin g monetary policy. Monetary policy to cope with unemployment in some way. First, reduce the statutory reserve ratio. When unemployment, the central bank should reduce the statutory ratio of commercial banks made. This will provide the ability for banks to increase lending. Meanwhile, brush will also increase public purchasing and to provide opportunities to meet the aggregate demand in the community. Hence, unemployment will be low and decreasing. In addition, lowering the bank rate or discount rate from the central bank to reduce unemployment. Bank rate is the interest rate charged by central banks to commercial banks. When the bank lowered rates by the central bank will lead to commercial banks will lower interest rates on public investment. Low interest rates will increase investment and to provide increased employment opportunities increased. Low inflation one of the main macroeconomic policy in Malaysia. Inflation means that prices are going in the general price level. Price means the price will generally reflect the overall price level of goods and services is available in an economy at a particular time. One method to reduce the general price level is taking a number of specific goods and services as a representative of the overall goods and services is there an economic performance and price will be measured using the price index. To achieve macroeconomic policy, we need to take several steps to achieve the lowest inflation rates. Among the basic use of physical. Physically able to control the tax policies of the items referred to the food, household goods, electrical goods, electronics and so forth. In addition, the terms of the administrative government should continue efforts to encourage healthy competition to produce goods and services performance of high productivity, technological modernization and competitiven ess of the industry in terms of product prices. Increasing food production capacity as well as to reduce the inflation rate. Finally, the balance of payments is one of the main macroeconomic policies in Malaysia. Definition of an account balance payments showing the inflow and outflow of foreign currency from any country. Foreign currency is to buy one currency and selling of another currency. The balance of payments is also a statement about the show business value. When the transaction value of its exports more than imports, the balance of payments in surplus and vice versa when the transaction value of its imports exceed exports, the balance of payments will be reduced.

Growing Up in the Age of Technology :: Nick Gillespie Violence Essays

Growing Up in the Age of Technology In a society where it is increasingly common for the perpetrators of violent crimes to cite their favorite movie or song lyrics as the inspiration behind their actions, one has to wonder - are pop culture audiences so mindlessly impressionable that they become victim to any or all media suggestion? Does pop culture have as large an affect on morality as the critics claim, and are current attempts to police pop culture necessary? Not really, says Nick Gillespie, editor of Reason magazine and author of the article "View Masters": "What is on the screen or on the stereo is not irrelevant, of course. But it matters far less than one might suppose." In Gillespie's opinion, viewers are not merely passive receptors of pop culture; instead they use the context of their own lives to create meaning and value in what they watch. Consumers of the pop culture phenomenon have always viewed media technology like the television, the telephone, and the computer as an interactive experience. Through dialogue with friends, station surfing, posting to a show's computerized bulletin board, or even turning off the television, viewers demonstrate the ability to become "what's known in literary studies as 'resisting readers.' " In other words, these reactions demonstrate a mental engagement with what is presented, and not merely an uncomprehending reception of what is offered. "Individuals sitting in a theater, or watching television, or listening to a CD don't always see and hear things the way they're 'supposed' to", says Gillespie, and the variety of human viewpoints are what allow for interpretations and "misinterpretations" of the media's par ticular message. According to media analysts, most audiences sit passively while, "Hollywood merely projects morality - good, bad, or indifferent - onto us." These proponents of media censorship support the careful supervision of the entertainment industry, chiefly because they do not perceive viewers as intelligent critics, able to form their own opinions or to make independent decisions. To censors, media is capable of only two functions: instilling greater moral and educational ethic in society, or a provoking a craving for chaos and depravity. The government and many skeptics play a key role in this ideology, not only through a belief that good entertainment should be solely didactic, but also by underestimating the viewer's ability to make independent choices, "or to bring his own interpretation to bear on what he sees.

Medea

Miguel Pena Mrs. Futrell English 2 28 October 2011 Jason Tragic Hero In the tragedy Medea by Euripides, Jason faces the death of his new wife and two sons that have been killed by his ex-wife Medea. Jason leaves Medea to marry the king of Corinth’s daughter; therefore, Medea takes revenge on him. Jason wasn’t always bad he was a good husband before he did what he did. Jason is a tragic hero because he fits the characteristics of a tragic hero. First of all Jason is a tragic hero because he helped Medea when she didn’t know it.Jason tells her â€Å"You have a home in Hellas instead of some Barbarian land, you have known justice, and had your talents recognized all over Greece. †(Euripides pg. 365) Medea believes that Jason has done nothing but married her and left her for some princess. In that, quote Jason tells Medea that he has help her in many ways such as giving her a new home, teaching her to be civil, and helped make a name for her. Aristotle’ s says that that a tragic hero is usually a good person and that’s what Jason is.Also, Leaving Madea for the king’s daughter shows that being selfish was his tragic flaw. In the play the Nurse says, â€Å"Jason has betrayed his sons and her, takes to bed a royal bride, Creon’s daughter. †(Euripides pg. 337) The text explains that Jason has left his two sons and Madea just to marry a princess. Jason left Medea because he said he will be able to have money to support his children, which is selfish because he can find other ways to get money. Medea also thinks Jason is being selfish and just wants a new wife because he was tired of her.A tragic hero has a tragic flaw, and Jason’s selfishness is his flaw because, after Madea learns what he’s going to do, he begins to lose everything. Finally Jason faces the death of his new wife and his two children when his ex-wife kills them. Jason says â€Å"Let me have the boys – to mourn and bury th em. †(Euripides pg. 388)The quote is what Jason is saying to Medea when he last sees her. Medea has killed his new wife and both their sons and Jason is now asking Medea to let him bury the children but she won’t let him because she wants him to suffer.Jason selfishness to leave Madea and his children caused him to lose Medea, his new wife and his two sons and ended up with nothing but himself. Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero states that a tragic hero will end up with nothing at the end, which is what happens to Jason. In conclusion Jason is a tragic hero. In the play Medea, he showed examples as to why he was a tragic hero. His selfishness, being a good person, and ending up with nothing in the end are some examples. Medea The chorus helps you feel for Media and makes her the victim to certain conflicts In the play. An example of this Is, are acting wrongly In thus abandoning your wife. † Media and Jason meet when Jason came to Colitis for the Golden Fleece, If he was able to retrieve it he would become king. On his quest he meets Media who is from Colitis and offers to help Jason. Media was shot by Aphrodite the god of love which makes the two of them fall madly in love.Media moves to Corinth with Jason and soon after hey are married and had two sons Jason finds younger, more respectable women and abandons Media for Gauche. This is Important as Euripides uses this to empathic Media's plight. The Chorus are often also considered as the Ideal audience for a play, in that their reactions to the action on stage reflect the way the playwright hopes the audience might react. This example of the use of the chorus helps to build empathy and make you think about Media's position in the world. It also cre ates mood and a general tone for the story.Rhetorical questions are a form of a question made to have a strong impact on the listeners without any expectation of a reply. It encourages you to think In the direction the author would want. In Media Euripides uses rhetorical questions to have a strong emphasis on emotion and general tone to help build empathy for outsiders. An example of this is when the chorus says, â€Å"Where can you turn for shelter? † When Jason abandoned Media, she felt hurt and was seeking revenge on Jason to get back at him for what he did to her.Media had many plans to kill the princess and their sons to create suffering for Jason. Euripides uses rhetorical questions to create sympathy on the back of what happened to her and to make Media stop and think If she kills these people she will have no one left to turn too and her life will be miserable. It encourages the audience to empathic for Media because it's saying that she is alone, and lost and has no family left, because she killed them all. This example of a rhetorical question helps to create empathy and make the audience think.Euripides effectively uses rhetorical questions to encourage the audience and to empathic about Media's grief and loss. Hyperbole Is used to create a larger-than-life effect and overly stress a specific point. In Media Euripides uses hyperbole to create sympathy. An example of a hyperbole used is when Media says, â€Å"Segues, my husband's the most evil man alive. † Segues is one of Media's good friends and is a person she uses for shelter and safety when she has no one left to turn too.Euripides uses hyperbole to emphasis Media's tuition and the mess she is getting herself into. Media is over exaggerating her point to make Jason sound like the villain in this situation. When he Isn't the most evil man alive, he Is doing what a lot of Greek men did In this time and It was accepted. Realistically possible or believable but helps emphasize an emot ion. Media is an outsider; she was born in Colitis and is a non-Greek woman commonly known as a Barbarian. Euripides creates empathy for outsiders like Media by using the chorus, rhetorical questions and hyperbole. Medea Miguel Pena Mrs. Futrell English 2 28 October 2011 Jason Tragic Hero In the tragedy Medea by Euripides, Jason faces the death of his new wife and two sons that have been killed by his ex-wife Medea. Jason leaves Medea to marry the king of Corinth’s daughter; therefore, Medea takes revenge on him. Jason wasn’t always bad he was a good husband before he did what he did. Jason is a tragic hero because he fits the characteristics of a tragic hero. First of all Jason is a tragic hero because he helped Medea when she didn’t know it.Jason tells her â€Å"You have a home in Hellas instead of some Barbarian land, you have known justice, and had your talents recognized all over Greece. †(Euripides pg. 365) Medea believes that Jason has done nothing but married her and left her for some princess. In that, quote Jason tells Medea that he has help her in many ways such as giving her a new home, teaching her to be civil, and helped make a name for her. Aristotle’ s says that that a tragic hero is usually a good person and that’s what Jason is.Also, Leaving Madea for the king’s daughter shows that being selfish was his tragic flaw. In the play the Nurse says, â€Å"Jason has betrayed his sons and her, takes to bed a royal bride, Creon’s daughter. †(Euripides pg. 337) The text explains that Jason has left his two sons and Madea just to marry a princess. Jason left Medea because he said he will be able to have money to support his children, which is selfish because he can find other ways to get money. Medea also thinks Jason is being selfish and just wants a new wife because he was tired of her.A tragic hero has a tragic flaw, and Jason’s selfishness is his flaw because, after Madea learns what he’s going to do, he begins to lose everything. Finally Jason faces the death of his new wife and his two children when his ex-wife kills them. Jason says â€Å"Let me have the boys – to mourn and bury th em. †(Euripides pg. 388)The quote is what Jason is saying to Medea when he last sees her. Medea has killed his new wife and both their sons and Jason is now asking Medea to let him bury the children but she won’t let him because she wants him to suffer.Jason selfishness to leave Madea and his children caused him to lose Medea, his new wife and his two sons and ended up with nothing but himself. Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero states that a tragic hero will end up with nothing at the end, which is what happens to Jason. In conclusion Jason is a tragic hero. In the play Medea, he showed examples as to why he was a tragic hero. His selfishness, being a good person, and ending up with nothing in the end are some examples.

Anne Frank Good at Heart

Good at Heart I believe people are truly good at heart. Despite what has happened with every bad thing in this world. Everyone knows knows there are still good people. Anyone can tell me that I can't comprehend the loss and hurt and destruction that the world and the people of it are willing to dish out. And in a way, that is right. I'm blessed with such a lack in my experience. Loving and praying for something good is the strongest thing we can do to help make a change to a better world. This world is blessed with the fact that humans can forgive. Another dead body or revenge will not heal the past, even though it may cushion it.But people are truly good at heart. The bad boys aren't born bad and don't die bad. Most of the time they are forced to portray a character, different and distinct from what they are, sadly they adapt that character and forgot who they really are. â€Å"It's a wonder I haven't abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. † from the Diary of Anne Frank (last entry). I’ve been thinking about what it would be like to be that daughter or sister or mother of someone killed in cold blood.And I still can’t say another dead body would soothe my pain. The last time Anne was seen by two of her friends, most of her precious family were dead. She was bald, emaciated and shivering. In February, 1945 she told her friends that she didn't want to live any longer. In March of the same year, she tragically died. But I think that no matter what happens to me, what kind of hurt I see, despite everything, I will still believe that people are generally good and beautiful and wonderful and lovable. And people do things that are destructive and horrific and cruel and monstrous, but I still can’t do it.Matthew 5:44 says: ? †But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you ma y be sons of your Father in heaven. † If we want to grow as individuals and as a country, we have to realize how precious forgiveness is. We are not only blessed to receive forgiveness, but we are also blessed with the capability to forgive. Our hearts are bigger than we will ever let them be, because we are too red-blooded and proud to let us love someone who was hurt us. Despite everything, I still believe that loving a person, forgiving a person, praying for a person, is stronger than anything else we could do.This is how I feel still tonight. A dead body can’t heal the wounds our country has had for the past ten years. A dead body doesn’t give us back all the fear as the airplane wheels left the ground. It doesn’t give us back lost men and women of the military. It doesn’t give me back my hours debating our presence in Afghanistan even. As I see my Facebook feed fill with chanting cries of victory and God Bless Americas, I fell it’s all i n vain. Deep down people are truly good. Rather, you choose not to believe that God is rich in mercy, and because of that, you end up with a revolting image that you have created in your own mind.Don't forget that when Anne Frank said that she believed that people were truly good at heart, she was still in hiding with her family. Her naive faith in human goodness may have been shaken when she and her family were taken to Auschwitz in 1944, and her father was separated from her. At 15 years old, she was then forced to strip naked, disinfected, had her head shaved, and was tattooed with an identifying number on her arm. She was then used as slave labor until disease caused her skin to became badly infected by scabies. But, I still can’t condemn someone when I know myself what little things I have done.Especially when the the world is full of billions of people who are good at heart. As a person, you would consider yourself good right? Even though we all have made mistakes we ar e not bad people. Truly we are all good. The surest sign of our faith is our ability to love those who have crossed against us if we are incapable of this, we may need to look at ourselves a little closer. I just hope that those I have crossed will not celebrate at my death, but rather release the pain I have caused them along with me, and go forward in love.