Meditation Essay Example

Meditation Essay Natalie Bausone December 6, 2010 Dr. Sirlin Ace-001 English – Persuasive Essay With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient, , and frustrated. It can even affect our health. A simple ten or fifteen minute meditation a day can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance. Meditation provides benefits to all of the major categories of human existence:   Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. Nevertheless, the term â€Å"meditation† is usually associated with hippies sitting around chanting â€Å"Ohmmm†. I have a couple family members that do feel this way. One disadvantage in meditation can be that some individuals connect it to eastern religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism. By relating meditation to these religions it tends to turn some people away from the practice of meditation. Another disadvantage is â€Å"time†. Some individuals say that it takes too much time out of their normal day to practice meditation. However, one of the largest challenges faced by people today is overcoming the stress produced by everyday life. I know family and friends that take anti-depressants in order tothe deal with the stresses of everyday life. Meditation, on the other hand, provides a natural means of reducing stress and anxiety and can lead to enhanced mental health either in combination with, or in place of, popular anti-depressants. The improved mental health that can result from meditation can be seen in many ways. It generally gives you the perspective you need to manage your busy schedule and bring back a feeling of I can handle this. We will write a custom essay sample on Meditation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Meditation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Meditation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Additionally, more traditional meditation requires deeper breathing than normally, involves breathing which allows for greater oxygen flow through our systemwe get large amounts of oxygen which we don’t get while normal breathing. The greater flow of oxygen increases levels of energy decreases high blood pressure and also makes falling asleep and soundly easier. My husband had a anxiety attack one evening. He decided to sit at the edge of the bed and begin meditation. He concentrated greatly on his deep breaths and within 2 minutes his body was balanced; it was amazing. A technique of meditation known as Yoga is considered to be active meditation, which facilitates proper blood circulation and stretching of the muscles. This technique directly helps with strengthening the muscles which produces more of a physical benefit than other technique. So no matter which technique you use you are sure to receive numerous health benefits through meditation. The result of this de-stressing, or relaxation is to improve all of the major bodily functions and can arguably lead to enhance immune, cardiovascular, digestive, and reproductive health. The main advantage for me is Spirituality, in general, a state of being. Trying to describe it is difficult, as it can be different for each individual. Nevertheless, spirituality can be described in a very general manner as a sense of connectedness with that which surrounds us. Primarily, it allows the individual to explore his or her own mind, resulting in self-awareness or connectedness that removes the individual from the thoughtless unthinkdaily grind that can be soul-sucking and which can detract from a life well lived. The connectedness goes beyond the self, and generally brings the individual into the present, as opposed to worrying about or being concerned with the past and the future. I attend self-development classes and feel that this leads to connection with the people and things around us, resulting in an enhanced spirituality that is very beneficial to me. Incorporating meditation into your lifestyle is painless, low-cost, and easily accessible. There are a number of ways you can start. You could go the old-fashioned route and pick up a meditation music CD from your local Target or Barnes and Nobles. This might work for some but many people find it difficult to meditate on their own right away. A great tool that’s now available for free thanks to the internet is is meditation podcasts. For those not familiar with podcasts, go to www. themeditationpodcast. com. You can also find local yoga lessons or a Zen meditation center. So recharge your life and your brain. It’s simply spending some time focusing your thoughts and concentrating on a single goal: relaxation! | |

Problems of Pornography Addiction

Problems of Pornography Addiction Introduction Pornography is a form of entertainment meant to raise sexual emotions. Pornography has exploded sporadically from humble period of nude cards, stag films to being viewed almost as a normal thing in the society. Recently, pornography has become a very controversial socio-political issue.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Problems of Pornography Addiction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It has sparked debate among various groups. Much has been established on the issue including attitudes towards sexually and explicit materials among the youth. Findings from the investigations endorse their perspective that pornographic materials have both harmful and positive effects. However, the majority view them as harmful, thus supporting pornography restriction. Additionally, the studies show that men watch pornography at a higher rate and hold a more favorable opinion towards the materials as compared to women, thus it points out that gender role has an influence on the attitudes toward pornography (Lottes et al., 1993). This paper provides you with a deep insight into the issues related to pornography including the factors leading to wide spread of this, the various perspective and attitudes towards the matter, and lastly, discuss its various impacts in the society. Factors facilitating the wide spread of Pornography The introduction of Internet has made pornography more invasive because the world wide web is full of pornographic materials. This has increased the number of individual’s watching pornography. The websites lure individuals who would otherwise not have viewed them, thus increasing the number of addicts. The rate of those who access pornographic materials on the internet per second is estimated to be over twenty eight thousand users. The number of pornographic websites is approximated to be more than 4.2 million. As researchers have discussed, the accessibility, afforda bility and anonymity are the three factors that have facilitated the rapid increase of pornographic addiction. These factors are often termed as the Triple A engine.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The pornographic materials are accessible in that millions of such websites are available 24/7. The prices are kept low, and sometimes, these sites are free making it even more affordable. Anonymity also contributes to the spread of this issue as the communication is held confidential and anonymous in those websites. Therefore, the individual feels free in his actions since there is a reduced ability to look for judgment in facial expression as it were in face to face interactions. These are the major factors that lead to sexual compulsivity and psychological disorders (Tarver, 2010). Perspective and Attitudes towards Pornography There are four major perspectives towards por nography. These include the liberal, religious conservative, anticensorship feminist and anti-pornography feminist. The liberal perspective argues that there is no sound evidence that links pornography to harm in the society. Whilst pornography may be offensive to the others, to some, it gives harmless pleasures. They reject those opinions that pornography degrades woman or undermines the traditional moral values of the society. The religious conservatives view pornography as a threat to the family values. Arguably, it encourages couples to engage in sexual activities outside their marriages. They emphasize the harm for children and the erosion of the moral fabric of the family and society at large. The anti-pornography feminists endorse strongly the fact that it highly violates women’s personal rights. They state that it is a form of sexual discrimination which hinders women’s opportunities for equality. Anticensorship feminists reject anti-pornography feminist opinio ns arguing that pornography is in no way the cause of inequality. They say being against it downplays the sexism issues. They believe that open discussions and the presentation of the diverse sexual practices benefit the society by inferring the sexual freedom (White Kimball, 2009). Opponents of Pornographic Materials (negative) Clearly, pornography addiction is a real problem in the society. Research estimates show that about $3075.64 is spent on pornography every second. Another study conducted shows that 47% of Christians admit that it is a major problem of the families with 53% of men seeking for help to fight that addiction.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Problems of Pornography Addiction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This implies that the number of marriages failing due to pornography addiction is skyrocketing. To be precise, about 68% of divorce cases have one party involved in pornography, in 56%, one party is excessively obsessed in pornographic websites, and 33% are involved in the chat room, such as cybersex. In 2004 and 2005, the U.S. hearings of the panel agree on this note arguing that the Internet pornography has really affected the couples, families and individuals of varying ages (Diamond, 2009). Furthermore, pornography has led to many young people being addicted to it, and this has influenced their relationship with their friends in a negative manner. This addiction has adverse on the nation’s economic and social responsibilities of the families, co-workers and the community at large. Other studies show a proportional relation between pornographic addiction and violence inflicted on women, men and children. Future studies are focused on establishing the neurological role of pornography addiction to give a sound grounds and proofs to affirm decisions on the role of pornography addiction in breaking families. As research shows, the moment of sexual release cau ses the secretion of natural occurring chemicals to be released in the brain. The individual becomes addicted to the opiods just as heroin. The user becomes addicted to the feeling and pleasures induced by the drug. This explains why the addicted individual sometimes requires a more extreme form of pornographic materials to achieve the same level of pleasures with a lapse of time. As they become more and more used to the expressions, they require more explicit view in order to reach sexual arousal (Young, 2008). Pornographic addiction results in emotional problems. It causes cravings just as those caused by cigarette and liquor. The addicts also admit that there is a difference between online and offline emotions. This renders them to suffer low self-esteem.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, they become introverts and suffer from depression, and damaged relations. They isolate themselves from society, and their career productivity is decreased which is translated to financial crisis. Sometimes, their behavior is associated with anxiety, guilt, self-blame and potential legal problems. They become lonely, and restless, and only internet use makes them feel better. Internet sex offers many themes to a fantasy world to develop where there are a lot of people interested in the individual. As the addiction continues to grow, the individuals become more immersed in this world which makes them change their views of the strangers as mere friends and partners to a more real than an actual spouse or family member (Boyle, 2011). Another feature commonly not tolerated by the community is pornographic materials where youths and kids are involved as actors, participants or a part of viewers. Additionally, there is an increased exploitation in the industry, especially to the young girls. These kids barely know what is comfortable and what is not. Some of the scenes have physical impact on the bodies of the participants. Any act in the pornography can be damaging, especially if performed repeatedly or for a long period. Sometimes, the positions designated for visibility are of no comfort and can cause injuries. In some cases, the acts come with no protection, and the individual is at risk of contracting diseases, such as STI and AIDS. Physical abuse is very common in bestiality. Individual’s private parts become pretty badly cut up due to the untrimmed, unclean claws pawing on their body (Young, 2008). It has also been established that most of the pornographic addicted have distorted attitudes and perceptions of the sexual matters. Men who are addicted tolerate abnormal sexual behaviors, such as sexual aggression, promiscuity and rape. Additionally, they view women and children as sex objects and commodities to fulfill their sexual pleasures. Therefore, pornography materials have negative influence on the society because they are a part of the industry that exploits participants, whether male or female, by displaying degrading positions and treatment of the participants. Secondly, it leads to break down of traditional societal morals through its offensive and disturbing acts. These acts have been linked to the increased sexual violence, such as rape in the US and all over the world. Studies show that majority of addicts who have been convicted of Internet based sexual offenses had committed a real life sexual abuse of the children to an average of over thirteen different child sex abuses (Tarver, 2010). Therefore, pornography contributes to the development of unhealthy anxiety in imagination and conduct. This interferes with the individual’s moral growth and his/her ability to sustain healthy and mature relationships especially in marriage and family life. Family is the only place where one can find a mutual trust and moral integrity. Pornography mitigates the individual from experiencing a true human sexual expression by making him or her to have frenzied search for personal pleasure and gratification rather than enjoy the real expression of enduring love in the marriage and family. It distorts the individuals’ value of having normal relationship through distorted perceptions about sexuality. It also increases the level of withstanding other bizarre types of pornography. The result is a decreased sexual satisfaction with the partner performance, affection or morphology. This raises doubts in the marriage, eroding the foundation and the stability of the family and society at large. The greatest effect of pornography addiction in marriages is the loss of trust. Viewing pornographic materials is seen as infidelity and dishonesty contributing to a larger part of distrust. Most individuals, especially the married couple, tend to keep their computer pornography private. Since pornography i nvolves intimate relationships and sexuality, it is very disruptive and destructive thing to the marriage secure attachments. This kind of consumption increases the level of marital infidelity rate to a more than 30% (Voros, 2010). Clearly, pornography erodes the warmth of the family affection through the traumatizing moments that the kid can accidently see, such as seeing a parent masturbate, encountering a hidden pornographic material, magazines, films, and internet sites or arising other conflicts in the family facilitated by these acts. Sometimes, it may also lead to reduced parental attention and family time spent together, and in extreme cases, cause a job loss and financial strain to the parents. Also, there is an increased risk of the child becoming consumers of pornography themselves. It creates distress amongst them especially when they see their parents fight as this creates a stressful environment at home. The situation can worsen especially in cases where there are risk s of parents divorcing or separating. It also exposes the kid to develop a different perception of human beings, such as viewing women as sex objects. As discussed above, pornographic addictions lead to an increased desire for abnormal and bizarre activities for perverted stimulation. It causes the addict to turn to child pornography. This leads to the increase in pedophilia. Studies show that children from families where parents are pornographic addicts have feeling that they are lusted especially by their fathers. This makes them suffer from insecurity and fear making the home a nightmare rather than a safe heaven (Twohig et al., 2009). Proponents of pornographic materials (positive) Arguably, those who watch pornographic materials offer others a chance to express their fantasies which gives them pleasure. They claim that pornographic materials give a positive displacement activity for sexual aggression. Others say that it actually empowers women by loosening their shackles of soc ial prudery or other antisocial restrictions. They argue that pornographic materials help individuals improve their sex relations among adults by offering a bottled-up sexual masturbation pleasures. It is also a good teacher to people on sexual techniques giving the individuals positive affects that they otherwise would lack. Therefore, they argue that they should be made available to adults and young youths. They say being against it downplays the sexism issues. They believe that open discussions and presentation of the diverse sexual practices benefit the society by inferring sexual freedom (Tarver, 2010). In some cases, it has been reported that there is a steadily decrease of rape incidences amongst countries, such as Japan, that have legalized the sale of pornographic materials. It is clear that Internet pornographic has gone a notch higher and has been made available to almost everybody and almost freely, and this seems to benefit the society somehow. For instance, the number of rape cases reported in Japan decreased from 33% in 1972 to 18% in 1995. During the same period, the rate of sexual assaults and violence also decreased significantly (Diamond, 2009). Studies done in China, Czech Republic, and the US show a decrease in rape as pornography became increasingly available (Voros, 2009). Conclusion Statistics reveals that the pornography industry annual income is approximately $57 billion in the world with the $12 billion in the US (Lewis, 2007). This indicates that the revenue is larger than all combined revenues of other professions. The investigations show further that the 4.2 million pornographic Web sites obtain 372 million hits on daily basis. The sites are said to be the cocaine crack in the internet. Research shows a wide range of negative consequences for pornographic viewers. Evidently, pornography degrades women and undermines the traditional moral values of the society. It is a threat to the families. Arguably, it encourages couples to enga ge in sexual activities outside the wedlock. Additionally, it creates more harm to children and erodes the moral fabric of the family and society at large. Pornography highly violates women’s personal rights. It is a form of sexual discrimination which hinders women’s opportunities for equality. Pornography involves intimate relationships and sexuality; it is very disruptive and destructive thing to the marriage secure attachments. It increases the level of marital infidelity rate to more than 30%. This erodes the warmth of the family affection. References Boyle, K. (2011). Producing abuse: Selling the harms of pornography. Women’s Studies International Forum, 34(1), 593-602. Diamond, M. (2009). Pornography, public acceptance and sex related crime: A review. International Journal of law and psychiatry, 32(1), 304-314. Lewis, A. (2007). Extent and Cause of the Problem. Retrieved from https://erlc.com/ Lottes, I. et al. (1993). Reactions to pornography on a colleg e campus. Sex Roles, 29(1), 1. Tarver, M. (2010). The effects of pornography addiction on Marital Consent. Studia Canonica, 44(2), 343-368. Twohig et al. (2009). Viewing internet pornography: For whom is it problematic, How and why? Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 16(1), 253-266. Voros, F. (2009). The invention of addiction to pornography. Sexologies, 18(1), 243-246. White, M., Kimball, T. (2009). Attributes of Christian couples with sexual Addiction to internet Pornography. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 28(4), 350-359. Young, K. (2008). Internet Sex Addiction: Risk factors, stages of development, and treatment. American Behavioral Scientist, 52(21), 1. doi:10.1177/0002764208321339.

Freemasonry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Freemasonry - Essay Example But unlike natural or normal organizations, no one can speak for the freemasons. This maybe is the reason why some people demand for the unity of culture, ways and means of this group. But not looking at what people say about the group, the main purpose and reason of its existence is to better every individual and its society. Like any other fraternities or tight brotherhoods, getting in is not easy. There are also requirements or qualifications, one of which is a belief in the Supreme Being. This isn't bad for a requirement. Other things that need to be considered are the three principles namely Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. The first one refers to the respect that a Freemason shows to other people with regard to their ideas and beliefs. In the modern age specially, ideas that reign are the ideas of the powerful. This principle can be the answer to the rising claim for power which can be derived from the already-wealthy individuals who only accept their own ideas to standing for the majority even though it does not. This also relates to kindness and behaving well by understanding the situation of other people and the different scenarios in life. The second principle which talks of relief involves charity and care, still for other people.

Authority and Sources in Christian Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Authority and Sources in Christian Ethics - Essay Example This will act as an essential guide to many other lives. The life of discipleship is governed by aims of the overall salvation of many other lives. The scriptures state that it is essential for disciples to follow ethics to ensure that they have attracted others to join the faith (Scharen, p 12). The life of discipleship ensures that a Christian follows the dictates of the scriptures. The Bible is a true representation of the needs and wants of the scriptures. In many instances, a Christian is guided by the stipulations of the Bible. In relation to ethical situations, all the three authors insist that there is a deep salvation and relaxation that is brought by constant reference to the Bible. They have given a very good example of the persecution of the Jews by the Nazi’s during Hitler’s era. There were very many Christians from all faiths that were boxed into a corner. Whatever action that they took in helping the victims of the Holocaust determined their level and upr ightness as Christians. A Christian who is a selfless disciple of Christ will do anything to ensure that he or she can save a life. This is because this is exactly what Jesus would have done. So the true Christians in the above context were those that were willing to do anything to save their victims. This is despite the fact that they were prone to persecution if they were found out (Stassen, p 72). Faith is the ability to have a strong conviction in relation to any circumstance or situation. This is despite the fact that many at times it is very hard to have faith in something that we are yet to see. Any approach that is dictated by a Christian is governed by the ability for them to have the uttermost faith in everything around them. Their faith is the guide that ensures that they are pillars of very many others in society and all over the world. Christian ethics insists that it is important for a believer to have faith all the time. This is in many instances and situations. The d isciple is the source of solace for very many people that do not have the ability to believe (Scharen, p 32). In many issues that a human being experiences, it is very important for them to identify what they need to do to acquire faith. The ability to believe does not just occur naturally. It comes with the deep understanding that in all challenges that one goes through, Christ died for all. The scriptures all state that he knows what his creation can handle and what they cannot. This means that with the faith that a Christian has, whether in relation to the application of Christian ethics or not, God is the essential guide always. There are random verses in the Bible that show deep Christian faith and its abilities. In day to day life, we should have the faith to receive and impact salvation. This is just like blind man who called out the Lord’s name and received his sight. Christian ethics is determined by ones ability to stand firm in the things that he or she believes in . In many unethical situations, there is one who gains. As a result of this gain, others lose greatly. A true disciple stands his ground no matter the consequences of his or her actions. Jesus was tempted, he employed great faith and he overcame the challenges. If he had no strong preference to ethical practises, it would have been very easy for him and many others to fall into temptation (Stassen, p 89). The third connection in the

New York Times and Financial Times Differences of Informing Research Paper

New York Times and Financial Times Differences of Informing - Research Paper Example In the assessment, the divergence in the articles may be less accounted for by cultural differences, and more in line with differences in a vantage point with respect to the issue at bar. Assignment No. 3 Analyzing Reports on a Current Business Related Event: Germany’s Refusal to Share the EU Debt Burden Introduction The tenets of journalism require objective reporting, which is defined as: balance and even-handedness in presenting sides of an issue; accuracy and realism; separating facts from opinion; minimizing the influence of writer’s own attitude or opinion; and avoiding slant, rancor or devious purposes (Boyer, 1981, cited in Harcup, 2009: 83). Evidently, the purpose of news reporting is to filter out the reporter’s own sentiments which may unjustly color the report and mislead the readers. However, as Merrill’s paradox states, journalists desiring to give an honest and full account cannot detach themselves from their stories, and therefore subjectiv ity is essential to objective reporting (Russell, 2006: 40). ...While the apparent purpose of both articles is to inform on the facts of the event, they however inadvertently express the underlying sentiments of the writer and, apparently, the social perspectives which had given rise to them. In the choice of articles, opinion columns were avoided, since opinions of all kinds exist in all cultures. News stories were chosen because, despite attempts of the writer to remain objective, subjective elements subtly filter through which betray deep-seated social conditioning. The American (NYT) v the European (FT) writing styles. Evident in between the articles is a divergence of writing style. The New York Times article (denoted as NYT) adopted a more abrasive, combative writing style while that of the Financial Times (FT) was more subdued, less confrontational. Strong words were used throughout the article, such as in part. 1 (â€Å"stuck to her guns†), Mr. Monti’s â€Å"f ight with Germany† (par. 24) and par. 22 (â€Å"In his pointed comments†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ), the latter referring to Italy’s Mr. Monti’s comment about the president of the German central bank. NYT views the problem of common bonds as an external one, to it as well as to Germany, which appears to be justified in demanding a measure of control in exchange for sharing liability (â€Å"Control and liability must not be disproportionate to one another†, par. 2), which FT stresses that the problem is already systemic and threatens the whole of the Eurozone, Germany included, which should justify the debt-sharing (pars. 7-9).

Socrates In Platos Apology Philosophy Essay

Socrates In Platos Apology Philosophy Essay In this essay I will discuss the character of Socrates as he is presented in the Apology, I will look at Socrates as a religious fanatic and an apostle of reason. I will provide an argument from my own personal stance that the character of Socrates in the Apology is a variation of both religious fanatic and apostle of reason. I will also make reference to Crito in order to strengthen my position that Socrates is indeed a religious man of reason. First I shall discuss the Apology and provide examples to strengthen my argument that Socrates is a man of religion and reason. Secondly I shall provide examples from Crito showing that Socrates is a moral and just philosopher. In Platos Apology, Socrates says to the jury that if they said to him, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Socrates, we do not believe Anytus now; we acquit you, but only on condition that you spend no more time on this investigation and do not practice philosophyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Socrates 29c-d, 2012), he would rather obey god than the men of Athens and practice philosophy as long as he is breathing. Socrates would continue to question the Athenian citizens about wisdom, truth, and the best state for ones soul, proving that wealth, reputation, and honor are not the most important things in life. According to Socrates, fulfilling his obligation to god is more important than what the law may tell him to do because in practicing philosophy, he is serving god. Be sure that this is what the god orders me to do, and I think there is no greater blessing for the city than my service to the god, (Socrates 30a, 2012). By sentencing Socrates, the men of Athens are mistreating gods gift to them because god himself a ttached Socrates to the city in order for him to question those he encounters. By teaching them about virtue and how important the soul is, Socrates shows them how to live the good life and live it well. As a result of Socrates being given to Athens as a gift from god to question the Athenians to enlighten them and bring about positive outcomes, he is entitled to disobey the courts verdict. If he was breaking the law and harming Athens it would be wrong and immoral, but because god sent him to do this duty, he must overcome every obstacle in his way to do so. There is no inconsistency between what he says in Crito about upholding the laws and never breaking them. What Socrates says in Platos Apology proves that he has found a common ground between reason and religion. Therefore, Socrates is both a religious fanatic and apostle of reason. Thus Socrates argument to continue practicing philosophy even if the men of Athens rule that he should not, is completely justifiable and moral. The Gods placed Socrates in Athens to act as a gadfly stinging Athens in order to wake up the lazy Athenian citizens. Socrates is acting as an apostle of reason and religious fanatic when he challenged the wise men of Athens. After receiving a prophecy from: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the god at Delphi (Socrates 20e, 2012), that he is the wisest of all men, Socrates concludes that he knows nothing so he mu st be the wisest in the sense that he knows nothing for sure. By challenging the wisest of Athens he follows the Gods wishes in a reasonable way. Through argument, question, and discussion, Socrates exposes false wisdom as ignorance which I argue is fulfilling his obligation to the Gods and reason. Socrates believed that he was following the gods plan for him; it was his moral obligation to question those who claim to be wise. As a philosopher one ought to act as an apostle of reason, whether it is to argue against the government to determine whether a law or idea is justified or completely wrong and determine through reason how to replace it with a new law or idea that has been proved to be correct. A Philosopher is a lover of wisdom which follows the obligation to cross-examine people in order to find out where or not that are wise or just ignorant. As a religious fanatic and apostle of reason Socrates attempted to teach people he argued with that instead of claiming to be wise and arguing for their ideas without reason along with claiming that any previous idea contradictory to theirs was wrong, one should be open to all objections because we are all truly ignorant. In the Apology, Socrates attempted to persuade people through argument and reason to question everything becau se not everything can be answered by saying, God did it. In order to strengthen my argument I shall refer to examples from Crito proving that Socrates is a variation of apostle of reason and religious fanatic. Socrates states that doing wrong to someone is wrong therefore it is immoral. Similar to the Apology, Socrates uses reason to prove his point. Escaping Athens and going against its verdict is disregarding the law, which is immoral and unjust. Socrates makes a connection between the laws of Athens and morals. By escaping, Socrates would be acting against the laws of Athens and disregarding everything he stood for up to this point. By fleeing, Socrates would destroy the citys laws and through the city, all of its citizens. This relationship between a citizen and the city is similar to the relationship between a parent and child. From the city, Socrates was brought to birth, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was it not through us that your father married your mother and begat you? (Socrates 50d, 2012). Athens instructed Socrates father to get him an educa tion and made sure he was nurtured. Socrates cannot deny that he was brought up being properly educated and nurtured by Athens, therefore he cannot deny being an offspring and servant to it. Just like Socrates is on equal footing with his father, he must respect his superiors wishes. If his father scolded him or beat him, he would not do the same in return to his father because he is superior. From birth Socrates was taught to obey the laws of Athens like his parents did. The laws of Athens should be respected just as much as one does their parent. Your parents teach you what is right and what is wrong, thus it is immoral to disrespect or treat your parents poorly as it is them that have invested in you and raised you into the person that you are. Due to the fact that Socrates is an apostle of reason he cannot go against his parents actions/wishes, he cannot do the same even to Athens because Athens is more sacred than your mother and father and it is to be revered. Even if one feels the sentence was unjust, they should not do anything in return, according to Socrates No Harm Principle. This principle is one of the two fundamental principles needed for a city to function properly. It states, One should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you, (Socrates 49c, 2012). The other fundamental principle is the Just-Agreement Principle which maintains that when one has come to an agreement that is just with someone , they should fulfill it and not cheat on it. By leaving Athens, Socrates will break the Just Agreement Principle and be doing harm which goes against both his principles. If no one obeyed these principles, the citizens would no longer obey the laws and the city would not exist. By remaining in Athens and accepting death Socrates shows he truly loves and respects Athens. In death one will receive peace but if one were to flee and attempt to destroy the laws which hold Athens together, they will be judged harshly and have a rough welcoming in Hades, according to Socrates. Thus, Socrates believed it was always wrong to disobey the laws. According to Socrates the only rational and reasonable way is to accept the punishment given by the law, regardless of what it is. The objective of having laws in place is to teach virtue to those who inhabit the city. The rules which are implemented in the laws act as an outline for how to behave. The laws direct behaviour, censure, and praise in such a way that ensures that the citizens within the city will go after positive goals and partake in positive activities in order to keep the city secure. The fact that Socrates would rather stay in Athens and die rather than flee and love proves that he is an apostle of reason. I believe that by Socrates following through with his death sentence ordered by the Athenians, he proved that he is wise and he stood up for what he believes in. Socrates made a wise decision by refusing to escape and accept his death sentence. If Socrates would have decided to flee Athens to avoid hi s sentence he would not be an apostle of reason; Socrates would not have been able to get his point across. I will also argue that by remaining in Athens rather than escaping it solidifies my argument that Socrates is also a religious fanatic. The gods placed him in Athens for a reason and Socrates fulfilled his service for the gods until his last breath. Work Cited Plato . A PLATO READER: Eight Essential Dialogues Apology. Ed. C. D. C. Reeve. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2012. 21-46. Print. Plato . A PLATO READER: Eight Essential Dialogues Crito. Ed. C. D. C. Reeve. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2012. 47-59. Print.

Manet - Still Life :: essays research papers

"Clarity, Condour, urbanity and virtous ability to handle paint-such are the qualities which first strike us in Manet's art". A quote by John Richardson still life grapes and figs 1864 Frank Jay Gould collection. Cannes- "The dark rich tones of this painting carry in them the strong popular Spanish influence the light hitting the fruit from the left creates a startling and brilliant luminosity." Said also by John RichardsonBefore we attempt to anaylse the meaning of what's within Edouard Manet's work entitled still life, Grapes and figs, one must first identify , and note, the somewhat colorful events which occurred within the artist life, and note the way in which they must have led his work.Born in France in 1832, Manet was raised by his parents Auguste and Eugenie-Desiree a society couple, who's social standing resulted from Auguste's successful career in the Ministry of Justice , Paris. Indeed, so successful was Auguste in his chosen field that upon his retir ement he was awarded the Legion of Honor. It is thought by many that the importance of Augustes role in both society and the ministry actually intimidated the young Manet, who constantly aspired throughout his adult life, to gain the same level of reverence as that which his father possessed.Manet's personal background to the analysis of the artists treatment of gender within his work, is apparent to his paintings, they showed deeper side of the artist and what "angle" he saw women.However, it is the actions of the artists youth which many therapists believe is the key to understanding the ambiguous portrayal of woman within his paintings throw out his career. It was during the late 1850's when Manet was serving as a naval cadet in Rio de Janeiro, that he met a number of slave girls, Manet had openly admitted in letters to his friends the extend to which he found their tropical beauty alluring. Yet, is was not until Manet returned to France that he reveled the true extent of his relationships with these girls, and confessed to the fact that he had been using his time to relate to the girls in an adult way.The answer lies in the artists life long ill-health, it was in fact Manet himself who first diagnosed although now medically proven to be wrong that the physical pain from which he suffered on a daily basis was the result of a syphilis virus contracted during one of his aforementioned youthful encounters, a misconception which haunted the artist throughout his life .