The Republic by Plato - 1202 Words

Wisdom, courage, moderation and justice are four essential virtues the ideal state must be built upon, as explained by Socrates in Plato’s Republic. Throughout the eight books of Socratic dialogue the ideal state and ideas of justice are debated, on both individual and state levels. The guidelines for a perfect state and how it will come about are thoroughly described. Socrates covers every aspect of political life and how it should work stating that â€Å"until power and philosophy entirely coincide†¦ cities will have no rest form evils† . In Plato’s Republic Socrates emphasizes the superiority of the philosopher and their abilities to rule as kings above others. He believes that they are best suited to rule as a result of their pure souls and†¦show more content†¦The spirited part of the soul is a level above the appetitive; it is the middle part of the soul and is controlled by the love of honor. It is often the auxiliaries who are able to move p ast the appetitive part but become stuck by the spirited middle. They are able to escape the cave of darkness and see that what has been hidden from them, but prefer the comfort of the cave to the light. They do not possess the desire to comprehend the truths of the universe. These men and women would not make suitable rulers for they are distracted by comfort and honor and are not ruled by reason. The desire for honor has repeatedly proved to be a negative thing in terms of power, as seen clearly in the Melian Dialogue. Honor distracts those who desire it from the true and important things in the world. â€Å"Consider if there had been any honors, praises, or prizes among them for the one who was sharpest at identifying the shadows as they passed by and who remembered which usually came earlier, which later, and which simultaneously and who could thus best divine the future† , they prefer the comfort and superiority held in the cave. Once they are exposed to the light they m ay be tempted to return to the cave where they are the brightest and things are easy. Due to the negative impact honor has on rulers, blurring their vision of truth and priority they would not make good rulers. They, unlike the clear minded philosophers, are unable to seeShow MoreRelatedThe Republic By Plato1341 Words   |  6 PagesIn book X of The Republic, Plato uses Socrates as his voice to discuss the topic of poetry in his ideal society. While he sees music and gymnastics as vital parts of society, he sees poetry as something that’s not only unnecessary, but also harmful. Glaucon is surprised by this and questions the reasons Socrates has this way of thinking. Socrates states that â€Å"all such poetry is likely to distort the thought of anyone who hears it, unless he has the knowledge of what it is really like†. Here, SocratesRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato2010 Words   |  9 Pages In The Republic, Plato presents a dialogue of Socrates, in which he seeks to uncover truths about what constitutes a just society, and what kind of men would rule such a society. As such a society would require a sound government, Plato, through Socrates, presents five possible types of governments, which involve varying levels of liberty and justice. Although the arguments demonstrate that aristocracy is the ideal form of government, all forms of government have fatal flaws that lead to continualRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1412 Words   |  6 PagesIn Plato’s book, â€Å"The Republic†, there are many examples of rhetoric. In regards to the controversial topic of women and eugenics in which Plato is almost forced into mentioning because of Adeimantus and Glaucon, he uses various rhetorical statements to portray his view on the matter. His readers believe women should be equal, so Plato attempts to persuade his readers into thinking he believes the same. For example, in the passage on women and family Plato states, â€Å"we shall assign th ese to each accordingly;Read MoreThe Republic by Plato1645 Words   |  7 Pages In Plato’s Republic Book 1, Thrasymachus argues that morality is the advantage of the stronger. To support his view, Thrasymachus first claims that the governments, which are the stronger parties, always pass laws based on their own interest, and then argues that subjects must always obey these laws, therefore morality is the advantage of the stronger. Socrates gives two sets of counter arguments. First, by differentiating apparent advantage and actual advantage to the stronger, SocratesRead MoreThe Republic by Plato1411 Words   |  6 PagesAfter reading The Republic there are three main points that Plato had touched on. The first of these three points is that Plato is disheartened with democracy. It was due to Socrates’ untimely death during Athens’ democracy that led to his perception of the ideal state as referred to in The Republic. Plato perceived that the material greed was one of the many evils of politics; in Plato’s eyes greed was one of the worst evils of political life. Thus economic power must be separated from politicalRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1250 Words   |  5 Pages In his text, The Republic, Plato leads us through an elaborate thought experiment in which he creates the ideal city. Throughout The Republic Plato constructs the laws and societal structures of what he deems will lead to a high functioning society. He names this city Kallipolis. A cornerstone of Kallipolis’ structure is Plato’s principle of specialization. The Principle of Specialization argues that each member of society must do the job in which he is best suited. Plato explains â€Å"The result,Read MoreThe Republic By Plato1385 Words   |  6 Pages In Book IV of The Republic, written by Plato, Socrates makes an argument for why an individual should strive to be just, or more importantly, why being just is more profitable than being unjust to the individual. The three parts of an individual: rational, spirited, and appetitive, must all strive to pursue truth in the just individual, but it is possible that this requirement may not be met while still profiting the individual. Through an analogy between justice in the city and justiceRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1500 Words   |  6 PagesThis textual analysis will be based on the book â€Å"The Republic† by Plato, specifically the passage 475d-477a. The purpose of this essay is to analyze and evaluate the main concepts explored in the passage and their relation to the platonic political philosophy presented in â€Å"The Republic†. The essay will provide a summary of the passage, emphasizing the breakthroughs reached in the Socratic dialogue. The main points will then be singled out for a more in-depth review in order to see if the argumentsRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1255 Words   |  6 Pageswas just beginning to surface as a notable substance within various societies. Athens, was perhaps, the greatest nesting ground of intellectual thought, and it hosted many great minds, such as Plato. While Plato is famous for many of his works, The Republic is the most read and circulated. In the Republic, Plato lays out two philosophical questions through a character named Socrates. Both questions re-occur as the foundation of dialogue amongst other characters, such as Glaucon, Adeimantus, and PolemarchusRead MoreThe Republic By Plato982 Words   |  4 PagesBook II of The Republic by Plato showcases the two very different views of Socrates and Glaucon in regards to the account of nature and origin of justice. Socrates and Glaucon discuss the theory presented by Glaucon that states that injustice is something that is intrinsically desired by all humans. Glaucon presents this argument to Socrates in order to understand and defend justice for its own sake. Glaucon seeks reassurance from Socrates that justice is not just only good for the positive consequences

The Taming Of The Shrew Essay - 980 Words

Katharina, also known as Kate, is the main protagonist and her fiery personality is the focal point of the Shakespeare play, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†. Her outspoken and quick-witted disposition is at odds with polite society thus earning her the offensive moniker ‘Shrew’, which essentially means a bad-tempered despicable old hag. Contrary to belief, she is, for the most part, an opinionated woman who has the courage to speak those opinions loudly to men that would prefer she’d be quiet. Throughout the play Kate’s demeanor evolves and shifts much like the incredible metamorphosis of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly; in this case a lovely socially acceptable butterfly. This essay will analyze Katharina’s performance throughout the play hence concluding that she is not befitting of the moniker Shrew. To begin with Katharina is a product of her environment and said environment yields more than a few reasons for Kate to act out. First off, she lives within the structure of a patriarchal social society where the men have absolute authority over women. The males are dominant while the women are supposed to be subordinate. Kate’s dominant personality is seen as socially unacceptable behavior for a woman. Her personality makes society treat her with disdain. She’s odd, misunderstood and feeling isolated. This rejection and isolation frustrates the young, opinionated Kate further thus acting out in shrewish like ways. Secondly, Kate comes from a broken home. Without a mother,Show MoreRelatedThe Taming Of The Shrew1180 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the 1600s, William Shakespeare wrote the play The Taming of the Shrew. This play has been well-known throughout the ages. The play has been adapted into film and the two most popular version of it are The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You. The movie The Taming of the Shrew was released in 1967, while the newer version came out as, 10 Things I Hate About You which was released in 1999. Even though these two variations are based off the same play they have many similaritiesRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew916 Words   |  4 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew was written somewhere between 1592 and 1594 (Bevington 2). Taming of the Shrew’s titular theme is Petruchio â€Å"taming† his shrewish wife, Katharina, which was a common theme for plays during Elizabethan England. However, the play delves so much deeper into their relationship than just focusing on a male’s forced submission of a female. In fact, The Taming of the Shrew offers a sophisticated opinion on how a married couple should interact. Petruchio’s grand scheme of how he willRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1313 Words   |  6 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew is a comedy/love story written by Shakespeare between 1590 and 1592. However, in the current era with new beliefs of men and women’s roles, The Taming of The Shrew is seen as pure misogyny. The plot of the play follows the idea that Bianca, the youngest daughter, is a beautiful young girl with lots of male attention and is eager to wed, though her wealthy father will not allow it until her older hot-tempered sister also has a suitor. Many modern films has been made on thisRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1132 Words   |  5 PagesIn order for two comparative texts to develop ones understanding of shared themes and ideas they must over come the boundaries of differing contexts a nd explore the strong parallels between them. Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† (1590-1592) was composed during the Elizabethan era in contrast to Gil Junger’s â€Å"10 Things I Hate About You† (1999) set around 1990s America. Although the diverse time periods their correlating plots are indicators of appropriation and pronounce an intertextualRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a rich play for interpretation mainly because of its controversial content, due to the of power dynamics of Petruchio and Katharina. I chose to stage The Taming of the Shrew because I found the storyline engaging and I felt that the play would be able to be staged nontraditionally while continuing to retain its storyline and original language. For my production I would like Katharina and Petruchio to be in their late teens around 16 to 19 years oldRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1322 Words   |  6 PagesIn Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew, the main character, Katharina Minola is portrayed as a shrew. Her behavior emanated from the fact that a father who treated her with indifference raised her and there was a lack of a motherly influence in her life. â€Å"Shakespeare sketches her character with a depth the typical shrew lacks† (â€Å"The Taming and Comic Tradition† 1) so her behavior is a defense mechanism used to protect herself from rejection. Katharina â€Å"is aggressive and belligerent, butRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew934 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew introduces the audience to the Elizabethan era. The mindset of the people in this era might be hard to grasp for the modern reader. The demeaning treatment and subsequent submission of women i s a constant theme in the play. During this era, women were meant to obedient, submissive, and compliant to their husband. Katherine Minola, the daughter of Baptista defies society’s standards and is known for her outspokenness and thus labeled a â€Å"shrew.† Due to her aggressiveRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1023 Words   |  5 PagesKristine Lieu Mr. Smith English 2, Period 1 02 March 2016 The Taming of the Shrew Introduction What happens when two fouled tongue and short tempered human beings gets married and try to get dominate each other? In the play, The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, the shrew, Katherine is compelled to marry the severe Petruchio, whose ravenousness for Katherine s settlement is coordinated just by his nonchalance for her contentious mentality. To start with, Katherine is unwilling to complyRead MoreTaming of the Shrew866 Words   |  4 PagesTaming of the shrew The Taming of the shrew was just one of William Shakespeares 4 great comedies. Taming of the shrew is based on a king named Baptista who had two daughters named Katherina and Bianca. Both daughters had arranged marriages by there father. Since Katherina was older she had to get married first. Her father chose Petruchio for her to marry. Katherina did not want to get married to Pertuchio, but Katherina did not have a choice. Katherina was very disobedient at the begging ofRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1108 Words   |  5 PagesJude Brooks-Benham, The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare s The Taming of the Shrew focuses not only on the roles of the sexes, but also plays with the varying social roles found in society from head of the house to foot of the house. Tranio finds himself at the bottom of this social ladder, a servant to Lucentio. However Tranio employs his wit and cunning to raise his status at the expense of his master. Tranio is a manipulative intellectual who uses persuasive rhetoric and wit to distract Lucentio

What Is the Immigrants American Dream Free Essays

?NANA YAA DWUMAAH ENG 102 B PROPOSAL What Is The Immigrants American Dream? If one is asked the future of this country, it is going to be a long debate and an unending talk about the failures and achievements of America. This is because different people see the same subject in different light. The phrase â€Å"American Dream† has made thousands of people leave their native country boldly in search of all that they deem impossible in their country to be possible here. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is the Immigrants American Dream? or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is why when asked, what the future of this country holds for its people, it will leave the people divided. Dr. Martin Luther King best defines the American dream when he exquisitely explains the Declaration of Independence. He highlights the fact that the American dream is not for a specific race or religion and that all its benefits, that is a right to life and right to liberty includes all mankind. These majestic words within which lies the American dream is what people everywhere search for in their country. They thirst for this dream, making the American dream a dream for all mankind and not only its natives. This is why America is country of people from so many racial and national backgrounds in search of a dream. Whereas Americans do not see how far this country has come, it takes only the immigrants to have them truly value their country. Being an American, yet growing up in Africa makes this issue very interesting since I can relate to both sides. The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence which states that â€Å"all men are created equal†. This statement is also backed by James Truslow Adams interpretation of the American Dream which states that, citizens of every rank should be able to achieve a â€Å"better, richer, and happier life. † Hence there are no exceptions to who can and cannot pursue the American dream. In the American dream, Dr. Martin Luther King states, â€Å"Never before in history of the world have so many national backgrounds assembled together in one nation. And somehow if we can’t solve the problem in America the world can’t solve the problem, because America is the world in miniature and the world is America writ large. And God set us out with all of the opportunities. † He then further states, â€Å"Are we taking this seriously? ‘All men are created equal. ’† (Juchartz 105). This is what I also question. This dream, I feel has been misinterpreted by immigrants, or better still immigrants have been lured at the forefront to hold on to this dream because it states â€Å"All men are created equal,† and perceive themselves as equal citizens of America. In reality, there are so many barriers rooted in the American system including racism, strict immigration laws that have prevented immigrants from sharing in this dream. It should be taken into account that if an individual is not a citizen he or she cannot benefit from what the country has to offer. Though the dream includes all men, race and religion, immigrants or the person outside the white American mainstream are perceived as threats to empire building and remain outsiders. This is what I mean when I retort that, the dream has been misinterpreted across various levels of people in America. I believe that the upper class and the lower class do not have the same benefits from this dream, but have similar notions of what it should be, equality for everyone. Even though some immigrants might have managed to make a better life out of this dream some immigrants living in this country can barely make ends meet just because the American dream no longer provide a hope for a better, richer and happier life. In today terms it is just about living in a western country and experiencing perhaps modernity. It beats my imagination when I think about the forces that drive immigrants to leave their native country in search of this dream sometimes risking their lives, leaving loved ones behind irrespective of the difficulties ahead. Maybe it is just to pursue a better education like myself or to earn money. How to cite What Is the Immigrants American Dream?, Papers

Sociology and Participant Observation free essay sample

Through the sample answers, specimen papers, mark schemes and examiners comments the booklet sets out to show how AS/A Level assessment works in practice. The responses of individual candidates are reproduced exactly and include original errors of grammar, spelling and punctuation. The Scheme of Assessment The scheme of assessment for the Advanced Subsidiary qualification is based on two examination papers. Paper 1 is presented in three sections and there are two essay-type questions in each section. Candidates are required to answer two questions, chosen from different sections, and the examination is of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. Paper 2 consists of three structured data response questions. Candidates are required to answer two questions and the examination is of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. The marks for each AS paper will be divided between three assessment objectives: †¢ †¢ †¢ Knowledge and understanding Interpretation and application Analysis and evaluation The marks for both papers will be divided between the assessment objectives on the following basis: knowledge and understanding – 40%; interpretation and application – 30%; analysis and evaluation – 30%. Success in the examination will depend heavily on the ability of the candidate to demonstrate the skills identified in the three assessment objectives. An effective teaching strategy will therefore include provision for teaching and supporting the development of these skills among the candidates individually and as a study group. Teachers and Centres will identify their own schemes of best practice to suit their particular circumstances and candidate requirements. The following recommendations are intended as a modest contribution to the process of formulating an appropriate teaching strategy that each Centre will approach in its own way, and they are not necessarily the only or most effective way of helping candidates to achieve success in the examination. Papers 1 and 2 are combined with a further written paper, Paper 3, to complete the scheme of assessment for the Advanced Level qualification. Paper 3 is presented in six sections and there are two questions in each section. Each question has a part (a) and a part (b). The part (a) questions ask the candidate to describe or explain the meaning of a key concept or theory. Answers should be illustrated with the use of examples. The part (b) questions are intended to be more demanding and carry a higher mark weighting accordingly. These are essentially essay-type questions. As some of the knowledge content required to answer part (b) of a question may have already been covered in responding to part (a), it is quite acceptable for the candidate to make cross-references to part (a) rather than repeating the same material. There is a clear demarcation between part (a) and part (b) questions on this paper. The style of response required of candidates is still essay-format but questions have been constructed in such a way as to make it easier for candidates to use their knowledge appropriately. Part (a) of the question requires candidates to focus on knowledge and understanding and to demonstrate that they have interpreted the question correctly. They need also to support their knowledge with the appropriate application of the work of key thinkers, empirical data and relevant examples from studies. In this section of the question there is no necessity for candidates to demonstrate the skill of evaluation. They will not be penalised by its use in part (a) but as their answers to part (b) are expected to be longer and show evaluation, their time would be more appropriately used here. Part (b) of the question will be related to part (a) but will require candidates to demonstrate all of the skills specified in the assessment criteria. Candidates will not be able to progress beyond level one of the mark scheme without including evaluation. At the most basic level, the candidate who uses more than one perspective when answering a question is displaying the skill of evaluation, albeit implicitly. Candidates who are more sophisticated in their use of evaluation will identify explicitly the strengths and limitations of different theories and arguments, and they may reflect on the validity of the evidence that they use to support or counter particular viewpoints. Part (b) answers should not have lengthy tracts of description, 2 as candidates will access the higher marks by extending the range of evidence used and the amount of analytical content. Study Skills The majority of candidates who under-perform in the examination do so not because they lack appropriate sociological knowledge, but rather because they have difficulty in demonstrating the key skills of interpretation, application, analysis and evaluation. These skills are in some ways more intellectually demanding than the relatively simple process of absorbing and regurgitating knowledge about a subject. They depend upon other underlying skills such as judgement, insight, empathy, reasoning, logic, and command of language. Nevertheless, much can be achieved through the use of carefully selected teaching strategies to stimulate and hone the required intellectual qualities in the candidate. Teachers may find it helpful to establish at the beginning of a course the idea in candidates minds that they are embarking on a process of learning new skills for which they must take some responsibility. They should not assume that they can acquire all the requirements for success in the examination simply by attending lectures, following the instructions of their teacher, and reading the course textbooks and other relevant materials. Teachers should emphasise that the skills have to be understood and practised by the candidates. Draw the parallel with disciplines such as music, dance and professional sport, where proficiency is developed primarily through a self-disciplined approach and the student’s diligent application and interpretation of the knowledge that is acquired from teachers and coaching manuals. Help the candidates to understand that success in the examination is similar to a star performance where skills that have been practised extensively beforehand are displayed with craft and style and agility of mind. Discourage the assumption that examinations at this level are essentially a memory test where success depends solely on the ability to reproduce, indiscriminately and almost verbatim, swathes of knowledge gleaned from the recommended textbooks. Candidates should be reminded that it is the ability to shape and apply appropriate knowledge that is all-important in achieving examination success. Knowledge itself is of little value if it is poorly applied or used uncritically and unimaginatively in answering a question. It is recommended that each candidate has access to a copy of the CIE authorised textbook for the specification, namely AS and A Level Sociology by Barnard, Burgess and Kirby. This textbook has been written by experienced examiners specifically to cover the requirements of the CIE AS/A Level Sociology specification. The syllabus document includes a list of other recommended textbooks. However, candidates should be discouraged from viewing the textbook and any other authoritative source materials as simply a body of knowledge to be absorbed mechanically and reproduced rigidly in answering examination questions. It is preferable to regard the knowledge in textbooks as a resource or tool that the candidate must become skilled in using in order to master their subject. An active rather than a passive approach to studying sociology is therefore to be recommended. Reminding candidates at regular intervals throughout the course of the importance of a skills-based approach to preparing for the examination is an important teaching tactic. Finding different ways of communicating this message will be a rewarding challenge for teaching staff and a marker of their success in encouraging an active and rigorous approach to learning amongst the candidates. Teachers who have studied the assessment objectives and thought carefully about the skills they require will be well prepared for the vital task of making their candidates aware of the various dimensions of the skills they will be expected to demonstrate in the examination. Teaching Strategy Knowledge of a subject is the foundation for learning and the basis on which candidates can progress to developing other skills, such as the ability to analyse and evaluate arguments and ideas. Some teaching time must therefore be devoted to communicating knowledge about the subject to the candidates. However, an effective teaching strategy will also include provision for developing and testing appropriate study skills. In particular, candidates should be encouraged to practise essay writing technique and the skills of analysing and assessing sociological evidence and theories. Possibly about one third of the available teaching time should be devoted to practising study skills with the candidates. It is envisaged that knowledge-based learning will occupy the remaining teaching time. Activities and projects designed to improve study skills might also be included in the work that candidates are required to complete in their own time e. g. homework. Practising study skills should begin early in the teaching course and continue on a regular basis – at least once a week – until the examination. The 3 teacher may wish to work with each candidate to agree a personal study programme that includes goals to be reached in terms of developing appropriate skills. Regular assessment of the candidate’s progress and feedback from the teacher on what has been achieved so far and how further improvement might be made should be key features of the teaching strategy. Teachers may find it helpful in planning a skills-based study programme to begin by reflecting on the qualities that the candidate will be required to demonstrate in order to achieve success in the examination. Make a list of these qualities or skills and then devise activities and study exercises that will help the candidates practise the necessary skills. For example, composing essay plans for answering past examination questions might be identified as an appropriate activity for developing the skills of interpreting questions and writing coherent and well-structured answers. Another relevant activity might involve the candidates working in pairs to identify arguments for and against a particular sociological statement or proposition. Working on these activities under the pressure of a time limit might be helpful in preparing the candidates to cope with the time constraints they will encounter in the examination. Other activities might be devised to help candidates understand what is involved in formulating clear and convincing arguments and reaching balanced and logical conclusions when responding to examination questions. Enthusiastic and skilful teachers will be able to identify a range of appropriate activities and study exercises that are ideal for the kind of skills-based learning that is essential for success in the examination. Designing an effective assessment scheme for monitoring each candidate’s progress in acquiring the relevant skills is another task that committed teachers will relish.