Tragedy of Fate or Character Essay Example

Tragedy of Fate or Character Essay In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. OEDIPUS REX: A TRAGEDY OF FATE OR CHARACTER The dilemma of human sufferings is a very perplexing one. The question that always agitates our minds is why man suffers. Is he responsible for his sufferings, calamities, and misfortunes for his innate defects: Tragic Flaw; or these are the result of enmity of heavenly forces. We also find this enigma in almost all great tragedies of Shakespeare. In King Lear, he says: As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods They kill us for their sports. On the opposite, he says in Julius Caesar: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, for we are underlings. Sophocles’ play ‘Oedipus Rex’ intensifies this perplexity in particular. Just like a common tragedy, the hero suffers in the long run but the readers cannot decide whether he suffers because of his ill luck or his own misdeeds. If we accept that he suffers because it was his destiny and he was not responsible for his actions, then he cannot be viewed as a tragic figure since he would be a mere puppet of fate in this case. We will write a custom essay sample on Tragedy of Fate or Character specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Tragedy of Fate or Character specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Tragedy of Fate or Character specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer According to Dr. Rhoda Sirlin, Oedipus’ explosive and volatile temper was his tragic flaw. It seems Oedipus’ inability to control his violent anger and extraordinarily suspicious, probing and inquisitive nature lead him to his final doom. No doubt, Oedipus possesses superior qualities of head and heart. At the very start of the play, he proves that he is a sympathetic and magnanimous emperor of the Thebans. He calls the suffering people as â€Å"My Children†. In response to the people’s moaning, he says, Not one is as sick as I,Each of you suffers in himself alone But my spirit groans for the city,For myself, for you. If strength, skill, determination, glory, great deeds of valour, strength and intellect are essential components of a hero, then Oedipus is essentially a great hero. He is one who believes; There is no fairer duty, Than that of helping others in distress. No doubt, Oedipus is impetuous and rash like King Lear, Suspicious like Othello and arrogant like Julius Caesar. The way he blasphemes the teachings of Greek gods and his derogatory treatment with Teiresias and his hubris may be responsible for the calamity that befalls him. Despite all these human limitations, indispensable to all human beings, we cannot pin all responsibility of calamity on Oedipus. A bird’s eye view of the play clearly reveals that Oedipus Rex is a tragedy of fate and not a tragedy of character. His sufferings may be ascribed to the sadistic forces of Nature. How can we impeach him for Parricide and Incest when both these inveterate sins had been prophesied by Oracle even before his birth? As he himself says, I have been preserved for some unthinkable fate. At the injustice and cruel nature of gods, he cries out after blinding himself. If I was created so, born to this fate,Who could deny the savagery of gods. Just like Julius Caesar who says, What can be avoided Whose end is purposed by mighty gods. A perusal of the play substantiates that Oedipus is unfairly accused of parricide and incest. Just like King Lear, he is also, â€Å"More sinned against than sinning. † His elevation to the status of the king is not the result of any personal ambition. His matter of marriage to Jocasta is not his own choice. It was just a custom of the Theban society. He killed the king only in self defence which is permitted by and law of justice. Then where is man’s free will that the sages often clamour. How can we attribute both these sins to Oedipus in the presence of his piety and effort to shun these sins? He tells Jocasta that he was afraid of both these sins and wanted to run away from them. I heard this and fled from that day Corinth to me was only in the stars, To a land where I should not see the evil. Some critics attribute all suffering of Oedipus to his inquisitive nature. He is man who wants to seek truth at any cost. If he is a lover of truth and solver of riddles, he cannot rest content with a lie. Being a great hero, he must tear away the last veil from the illusion in which he had lived so long. He must read the last riddle: the riddle of his of his own life, â€Å"The truth must be made known. † According to Dr. Nagle, Oedipus is a tragic figure because it is his own heroic qualities, his loyalty to Thebes, and his fidelity to truth that ruined him. † No doubt fate has dealt Oedipus and his family a bad hand right from the start. The royal house of Thebes has a long history of undeserved misfortunes starting with Oedipus’ great great grandfather Cadmus and his wife Hermonia. They were both turned into snakes by gods. All four of his daughters were visited with great misfortunes. Zeus killed a daughter. Another became mad while the youngest committed suicide. Likewise Oedipus’ fate resembles that of Tess about whom Hardy says, â€Å" Justice was done and the President of Immortals had ended his sport with Tess. † Same is the case with Oedipus’ tragic fall. At the end of the tragedy, he himself says, Apollo! Apollo, Dear Children, the god was Apollo; He brought my sick, sick fate upon me His saying reminds us of Horatio’s famous saying, â€Å"There is a Divinity that shapes our ends. In a nutshell we can say that Oedipus Rex is a tragedy of Fate. From first page to the last one, even prior to his birth to the final doom, he is a powerless puppet in the hands of gods who play havoc with his life. We sum up the discussion with a Greek thinker’s remarks that clearly explain main theme of the play; â€Å"We men are wretched things and the gods who have no care themselves, have woven the sorrow into the very pattern of our lives. † A critical Note on Oedipus Rex prepared by Mian Zulfiqar, Govt. College, Samundri.

Some Advice about Advise

Some Advice about Advise Some Advice about â€Å"Advise† Some Advice about â€Å"Advise† By Maeve Maddox Two comments on writing sites jumped out at me recently: Whereas other kinds of writing you could slide a bit, although that is not adviced or recommended. and Very smart advise. Also always check with the publisher for submission guidelines as they all can be a little diferent but they all want perfection to their rules. I know that it’s easy to write comments in a hurry and then see, too late, that you’ve misspelled something or written an ungrammatical sentence and can’t go back to correct it. I have a lot of experience in doing just that. However, it’s not just in rapidly-written comments that advice and advise are mixed up. ESL speakers and writers must find the words easy to confuse. This from the Norway Post: Swine Flu: Mass vaccination adviced As expected the Norwegian Health authorities on Friday announced that they advice all Norwegians to be vaccinated against the swine flu Many bloggers and forum commentators, possibly native English speakers, suffer from the same confusion: nature Viewer discretion advicedegh (headline over unpleasant photo) Why heart patients are adviced for morning work (headline on medical advice site) Post Tooth Extraction Care as adviced to my patients (headline on the blog of a dental surgeon) Why are people adviced to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables? (Answers.com wiki question) We Adviced a New Mum How to Cope With a New Baby and the New Role of Motherhood (Articlesbase headline) Advice and advise are pronounced differently. The c in advice has the sound /s/. The s in advise has the sound /z/. Both words have numerous meanings, but the usual ones are: Advice: a noun meaning â€Å"opinion given or offered as to action.† Advise: a verb meaning â€Å"to counsel, caution, or warn.† The past tense form of the verb advise is advised. Tip for keeping them straight: The word advice never changes its form. You can talk about â€Å"different pieces of advice† but never â€Å"advices.† If you catch yourself trying to add any kind of ending to advice, you’re about to commit an error. Examples of use: Take my advice and stay home when it snows. I am advising you for your own good. He advised her to stay home. She failed to heed his advice. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, WhetherBody Parts as Tools of MeasurementI wish I were...

How to write excellent reports [Webinar recording] - Emphasis

How to write excellent reports [Webinar recording] How to write excellent reports [Webinar recording] Over 120 people took part in our webinar on 23 November to learn some expert advice on  writing exceptional reports from our specialist  trainer, Gary Woodward. Many attendees sent in their questions  and key challenges  when it comes to writing reports and there were some common themes, which Gary addressed during this thirty-minute session. Gary focused on three areas: Engaging your readers and encouraging them to act Presenting your information with maximum visual impact Writing efficiently with effective editing Engaging readers Gary kicked off by  talking us through some proven  techniques for engaging your readers. Key to this is asking yourself reader-centred questions before you even start writing. What information is your reader looking for? Another crucial part of your reports success is its summary. It need to be concise and set out the content of your report in a way thats relevant to the interests of your reader (or readers). By the end of the summary, your  reader(s) need to know why they should be reading the document, what they need to know and what is expected of them. Presenting information Through your research, hard work and technical knowledge, you can produce excellent stats and insightful data. However, if you dont present this well, you risk confusing your reader and wasting your hard work. Gary showed us some editing techniques for  presenting information in a clear, easy-to-scan way. In particular, he  talked about one of his favourite techniques, Words in Tables (WiT). (For more information on WiT, visit www.jmoon.co.uk.) Effective editing Writing well  is not just about getting every word and sentence  right first time. Its about editing your writing so youre as clear and concise as possible. How many times do we edit the content we have written? Do we really look at ways of making it easier to read? And how  many times has a reader complained that a document was too easy to read? Gary had three top tips for making your writing concise, clear and easy to read: Put the ‘what’ before the ‘why’, so that your main messages come first. Keep verbs rather than change them into nouns. Favour the active voice over the passive. Want to access a copy of the webinar? To view a recording of the webinar and to access the full slide deck, click here. Interested in more free learning? If you want more advice on improving your business writing, why not download our free guide, The Write Stuff? Click here to get your free copy today.

Rapid Change in Sentencing Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rapid Change in Sentencing Processes - Essay Example In addition, use of evidence-based research has also enhanced fairness in the sentencing process. In a bid to promote peace and unity in the country through the sentencing and correction process, the state adopted the restorative and community justice (Allen, Latessa and Ponder, 2009). This program provides new ways of viewing and responding to crimes in the country. The fundamental assumption of this program is that crime is destructive and results in poor relationship ties in the community. The sentence decision-making process involves the offender and the victim with the rest of community members free to contribute their views. Though this program is in effect in the country, it is only useful in limited cases. The program is adopted in cases that involve juveniles and minor offenses in the society. In addition, the decision of the Supreme Court to abolish the mandatory use of federal sentencing guidelines also impacted positively on the sentencing process. In the past decades, the government expected judges to follow the federal guidelines strictly to determine cases. These guidelines provided a range of jail terms for different cases committed. Besides the guidelines provided exact fines for various offenses committed. The decision of the Supreme Court gave judges freedom to perform their work efficiently. The decision meant judges were at liberty to make their decisions concerning sentencing and fines for various crimes. Although the decision gave judges freedom, the decisions they make must be rational and wise. The need for fairness and independence of judges and other arbitrators necessitated this decision. Furthermore, it also brought the much-needed fairness in the judicial system for both the judges and the victims. In addition, the judicial system adopted evidence-based corrections (Mackenzie, 2001). Currently, the legal system uses research-based evidence as opposed to the previous verbal based corrections. The sentencing

Social Disorganization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Disorganization - Research Paper Example The paper "Social Disorganization" examines how does social disorganization relate to organized crime and its evolution. The case of gang culture could remarkably deviate from the prevailing order within the society. Within the gang culture, it could be evident that in one way or another, there is a presence of leadership that is either organized or unorganized. There might be order within this culture, but from the point of view of the society, there is a deviation from the actual law enforced by the people. It is in this case that one could link the case of gang culture with social disorganization. It is important to understand how does social disorganization relate to organized crime and its evolution. One substantial case that could explicate this point is gang culture. Gangs have substantive culture that within it there is a great presence of shared values and beliefs. What makes this shared values and beliefs became a success is the point in which gangs have remarkably hired ne w set of members and flourish due to unsuccessful prosecution effort and even worst, becoming legitimate business. All of these could remarkably start within street gangs. The evolution is so tough, but the bottom line paves the way for organizing street gangs into something vibrant readily associated with business that could also interconnect with corrupt officials, which eventually strengthens them further to become established crime groups. Social disorganization could become established organized crime.... Eventually social disorganization meets the criteria of organized crime because just like the latter, it is completely against the prevailing values and set standard by the society through the prevailing law emancipated for the protection of everybody’s freedom or right. Law-breaking behavior is generally present within the context of social disorganization and ultimately street gangs could evolve as groups that would have fundamental association with corrupt officials leading to their social, economic and political power. Due to these fundamental reasons, there is not doubt that social disorganization such as in the case of gang culture eventually meets the criteria for organized crime. In fact, its evolution substantially completes the achievement of these criteria. Corrupt political machine and social disorganization As already stated, a full-pledged or grown up group of street gangs eventually make it a point to consider undertaking maximum gain through establishing a busi ness for the survival of the group and maximum benefits of each member. However, along the way, social disorganization such as in the case of street gangs and their evolution would try to make it a point to maximize the achievement of relevant gains for the benefits of their groups. In reality, they have close tie or connection with corrupt officials (Lyman & Porter, 2007). In other words, the more there will be corrupt officials, social disorganization continues to prevail and even continue to move in an upward spiral. It is due to the fact that the presence of these corrupt political machines creates the competitive advantage of social disorganization and

Involves and acid and a metal Essay Example for Free

Involves and acid and a metal Essay The Problem: To investigate one of the factors affecting the rate of reaction between a metal and an acid. Background Knowledge: The balanced equation for the reaction that takes place between magnesium and hydrochloric acid is: Mg + 2HCl == MgCl + Cl From this equation, we can already see that it involves and acid and a metal, therefore: Acid + metal == salt + hydrogen The ionisation equation of the hydrochloric acid is: HCl(aq) == H + Cl This experiment will demonstrate the breaking of bonds. Bonds break in order to allow certain atoms to re-arrange before the new bonds are formed. When magnesium reacts with the hydrochloric acid, a particle of this acid must collide with a particle of the magnesium with adequate energy in order to break the bonds between the magnesium and the hydrochloric acid. This is known as the Collision Theory. The collisions between the particles must collide more often and with more sufficient energy in order for the rate of reaction to increase. Although, not every collision produces a successful reaction as they require a certain amount of energy to break bonds. This is called activation energy. The rate of a chemical reaction refers to the speed at which it happens, and different metals react at various rates. The progress of a reaction can be measured by the rate of a formation of a product or by the decrease of reactants. There are four main factors that can be varied to affect the rate of reaction between magnesium and acid: 1. Surface area (of the reactants) 2. Concentration (of the reactant) 3. Temperature 4. The presence of a specific catalyst If the surface area were increased by using a magnesium powder, then the reaction would speed up, as there are more particles that are able to collide with the hydrochloric acid. The products of a reaction are formed as a result of the collisions between the reactant particles. Consequently, if the concentration of a solution is increased, collisions are more likely to occur. The more often the particles collide, the higher the chance that a reaction will take place. Subsequently, the rate of a chemical reaction increases if the concentration of the reactant is also increased. This is also because the rate is proportional to the concentration. E. g. Diagram to illustrate a high concentration and a low concentration: When the temperature at which the reaction is carried out is increased, the energy of the particles also increases. As a result of this, the particles move much faster allowing them to collide more often with other particles. Therefore, as there are more collisions and these collisions are more energetic, the rate of reaction increases. Catalysts are used to speed up a reaction. These biological catalysts are extremely specific, therefore only speed up certain reactions. Every chemical reaction taking place has an exclusive enzyme catalyst (an enzyme is a protein molecule produced in a living cell.) A catalyst will decrease the activation energy and forms an alternative path to help the collisions to be more successful. Safety: As I will be using glass conical flasks and burettes, I will be very careful when handling them in case I harm myself or others by dropping them. The hydrochloric acid is also corrosive, which means that it is able to eat away at materials that it is within contact with. Again, I should handle this carefully and ensure that there are no spillages. Water seems quite harmless, but if I spill any, it is possible that someone may skid or trip on it. For safety precautions, I will wear goggles and an overall and also tie my hair back. Method:   I will begin by attatching a plastic burette clamp to a clamp stand at a practical height to begin my experiment.   I will then fill my water tub approximately 1/2 full with water, and place it next to my clamp stand (so that the burette clamp is able to hole the burette above the tub. )   Next, I will fill my burette with tap water above 50cmi   and attach it to my clamp stand using the burette clamp. Very quickly, I will swiftly turn the burette upside down and speedily submerge it under the water. Afterwards, I will produce the solution of hydrochloric acid and water using separate measuring cylinders. I will remove the bung that is stopping the conical flask, and pour in the measurements of hydrochloric acid and water. I will then drop the magnesium ribbon (which will be cut using scissors), replace the bung and swirl the solution for a second, whilst starting the stop clock. I will take readings every 10 seconds. Diagram: Apparatus:   Burette   Delivery tube Clamp stand   Burette clamp   Magnesium tape   Distilled water   Stop clock   Conical flask Measuring cylinders (at least 2).

Three Eras, Three Novels Essay -- Literary Analysis, Shelly, Well, Hu

Progress is a distinctive venture of man. The constant need to predict and control, instrumented by science and technology, has led to astonishing possibilities for which the long term consequences are unpredictable. There is, however, no ultimate goal of progress; and as limits continue to be broken, the boundaries of human interference in nature are expanding indefinitely. Everywhere, there is a sense of the unconquerable forces unwittingly evoked to serve the project of progress, bringing the project itself into question. This idea has produced three novels that suggest the improvidence of man's quest for authority from natural law; they are: Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, H.G. Well's The Time Machine, and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley. The purpose of progress is to attain greater control over the environment, allowing man a sense of certainty and security. With more and more conveniences and enlightenments given by science and technology, man hopes to reign in the natural forces that affect him. Aldous Huxley imagines the state of these ideals several centuries into the future: A society in which everything is contained and regulated, down to free will itself. The very motto of the state is "community, identity, stability" (1). Their Science has advanced on our current remedies insofar that humans fall into a mental state or condition in which the varieties of expression and behavior of that individual become restricted; total human inhibition. The idea of a one world government seems ridiculous, because humans over the course of history have rejected such totalitarian governments over and over in the past. In Huxley's world, however, the people have completely submitted to the order. The people of this ad... ...kind meddles in nature's affairs to create a world of his own design, the effects of his actions are monumental. Man would do better to understand his place as a species with no control, and without the ability to predict or to understand the effects of experimentation on the natural world. No matter the era, man’s push towards progression happens on a daily basis. Whether it be not asking for directions and failed attempts to find a location, spending hours on craigslist for parts to their â€Å"projects†, or creating machines, even creating humans to better prove progression—man will not stop. These novels throughout the centuries have become clear methods of the wrong doings that led from excessive progression, but no matter the date man will continue to look for answers but with the help of Wells, Shelley and Huxley, perhaps they won’t overstep their boundaries.

Postcolonialism

Postcolonial is that which questions, overturns, and / or critically refracts colonial authority-its epistemology and forms of violence, its claims to superiority. Postcolonial therefore refers to those theories, texts, political strategies, and modes of activism that engage in such questioning, that aim to challenge structural inequalities and bring about social Justice. It is helpful to view postcolonial in a comparative frame alongside feminism.Both these approaches arrived at points of critical self-awareness in definitive periods of civil rights protests. This conjunction ay be partly explained by the fact that both approaches champion resistance to entrenched singular forms of authority (patriarchy, empire) from below or from positions of so called weakness. Both too seek the politicians of areas conventionally considered as non political: the domestic space, education, sport, the street, who may walk where, who may sit where, and how.Some of the central critical concepts of po stcolonial developed out of nationalist struggles for independence in the early half of the twentieth century. The political and cultural reforms proposed y anti-colonial movements in such countries as India, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Kenya and in the Caribbean, formed the fountainhead of what we now call postcolonial. At first, these movements advocated a politics of assimilation of ‘natives' or the colonized into colonial society for them to obtain self representation.They began with limited demands for piecemeal constitutional reforms but it became rapidly clear that the colonial authorities were not ready to dismantle the social, economic and political hierarchies on which their control rested. After the end of World War II, anti colonial nationalist movements took a more confrontational, no-compromise attitude. The demand was for complete independence. This demand extended not only to the liberation of political structures but also to the obliteration of the colonization of the psyche.The sass marked a period of growing militancy in movements across the colonized world. Alongside came the retrieval and animation of indigenous culture as an important vehicle of national self expression and thus of resistance to the colonial exclusion of the native as uncouth, uncivilized inarticulate and irrational. The nationalist leaders and intellectuals like Gandhi and Nehru in India, fanons in Algeria and Came Markham in Ghana, helped define the major ideologies of postcolonial liberation.They shaped some of the definitive concepts of postcolonial studies, as later interpreted in the works of Edward Said. They understood the anti-colonial struggle as a Mechanical, or binary, conflict of us against them, of self versus ‘other'. The binary between the so-called rational, superior colonial self and the barbarism and irrationality indicated by everything that was not-self or ‘other' was to be repudiated wholesale. It was not Just to be turned upside down, b ut also destroyed. The chains of oppression were to be obliterated and not simply filed down.If natives or others were always seen as secondary figures, imperfect replicas of the colonizer, wearers of borrowed cultural rags; if native society was invariably represented as disorderly or ethically degenerate; it was important that they remake themselves from scratch. It was essential that they reconstitute their identity on their own terms, that they Initialized, Africanize, or Caribbean themselves. They effectively needed to give birth to a new identity, to peak in a language that was chosen, not imposed. The liberation struggle involved a tripartite process.It led from attempted cultural assimilation with the colonizers, the first stage, through attempts at political reform, sometimes of an intensively radical kind, as in demands for self -help and self-representation, the second stage. But if the colonial state proved intransigent, as it so often did, from this phase of forceful se lf-assertion developed a possible third stage; outright militant resistance. As Robbing wrote , conditions could arise where ‘national life' had to become ‘perforce a national assault'.

Enron: What Caused the Ethical Collapse

It is not easy to find one single person, who can be blamed for the collapse of Enron, because there was so many players in so many levels. We can’t find one responsible person, but there are many person who shared the blame for the scandal that turned Enron into the ultimate poster child for fraudulent accounting practices, and caused one of the largest bankruptcies in the us history. The key people involved internally at Enron were the executives, Kenneth Lay (Chairman and CEO), Jeffrey Skilling (President and CEO), and Andrew Fastow (CFO). They built up a highly successful company, but soon they began to divert funds into phony investments, and cashed their own stocks, while the price was still high. From October 1999 to November 2001, Lay sold a total 1. 8 million shares for $101 million. Altogether, 29 Enron officers pocketed $1. 2billion from selling Enron shares, while unsuspecting employees went broke. Simultaneously, while this was going on, more than half of employees’ 401(k) savings, or about $1. 2 billion, were invested in Enron stock, which were rendered worthless. The chairman sent an email to the workers: the company had â€Å"never been stronger† and its future growth â€Å"has never been more certain†, so most of the workers held their stocks, because nobody could foresee what was about to happen. In Texas, the Teachers Retirement system lost $35. 7 million in Enron stock, In Florida; the pension fund for teachers, state employees, and county workers bought 7 million shares of Enron stock (the fund that covers 650,000 workers and 150,000 retirees estimate they lost $306 million). In the end millions in 401(k) savings were lost. Enron was hiding massive losses by using their strategy of â€Å"mark to market† accounting. Fastow was also found by an internal Enron investigation to have secretly made $30 million from managing one of these partnerships. Outside of the company, Arthur Andersen, the gigantic accounting firm responsible for Enron’s accounting and outside auditing, also shares some blame for the scandal. In theory, companies can't get away with cooking their books because honest, independent accounting firms are looking over their shoulders, protecting the public. In the case of Enron, however, Arthur Andersen failed at their duties. Four days before Enron reported a staggering loss of $618 million for the third quarter of 2001, one of Andersen's top lawyers sent out a memo ordering his staff to shred all Enron-related audit documents. Dvid Duncan got the maximum sentence for his crimes is ten years. redit rating agencys: Credit rating agencies like Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch failed to inform investors how risky buying a company’s bonds might be, failed to spot any problems with Enron until the company was nearly bankrupt, only downgrading its bonds on 28 November 2001. t S&P and Fitch told a Fortune reporter they had no idea how Enron made its money. The lack of regulations, and the good relations with the White House, allowed Enron to have major influ ence over policy in America. On economic policy, Enron wanted complete deregulation with no government interference. They got it. On energy policy, Enron wanted no caps on electricity prices in California. They got it. On tax policy, Enron wanted elimination of the corporate alternative minimum tax. They got it. In the end these policies created the perfect environment for their unethical games. The ultimate example occurred throughout the year 2000 during the California Electricity Crisis. The Enron traders exported the cheap electricity from California to another state and later they take it back and sold it for a higher price. This causes 42 billion losses in California in three years.

Free Essays on Social Construction Of Reality

Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann wrote about the social construction of reality. Within this reading, one can probably conceive that their work is probably another attempt to integrate the two social theories of Durkheim and Weber. Focusing on Durkheim’s analysis on the integrative aspects of social structure, and methodological individualism focused on by Weber, which deals with individual actions as being the basis of social actions and structure. Berger and Luckmann's idea of society can be represented by one word they use many times throughout the book; "dialectic". Humans are viewed to be engaged in the perpetual cycle of the â€Å"dialectic† of creating the objective reality socially, while internalizing these very created realities as their own subjectively. As they call their approaches the "sociology of knowledge", they pay a great deal of attention to the role of knowledge in constructing these objective and subjective realities. It is extremely critical to understand that when Berger and Luckmann talk about knowledge, they are not just discussing knowledge based upon ideology, theoretical knowledge, or a type of scientific knowledge, but rather as everything that humans take part in within their everyday lives, giving them the potential to come to know about whatever knowledge might be attainable. By taking this view of knowledge and putting it into a perspective easier to grasp, Berger and Luckmann seem to perceive knowledge as a tool for social construction of realities, which means that no meaningful creation of either subjective or objective realities would be feasible. Ultimately, where they end up conclusion-wise seems to fit along with the works of Giddens and his ideas on "structure-based analysis" and "individual-based analysis", with the idea that all realities are socially constructed as results of distinctive social actions that individuals perform. While keeping this conclusion in mind, it can be specula... Free Essays on Social Construction Of Reality Free Essays on Social Construction Of Reality Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann wrote about the social construction of reality. Within this reading, one can probably conceive that their work is probably another attempt to integrate the two social theories of Durkheim and Weber. Focusing on Durkheim’s analysis on the integrative aspects of social structure, and methodological individualism focused on by Weber, which deals with individual actions as being the basis of social actions and structure. Berger and Luckmann's idea of society can be represented by one word they use many times throughout the book; "dialectic". Humans are viewed to be engaged in the perpetual cycle of the â€Å"dialectic† of creating the objective reality socially, while internalizing these very created realities as their own subjectively. As they call their approaches the "sociology of knowledge", they pay a great deal of attention to the role of knowledge in constructing these objective and subjective realities. It is extremely critical to understand that when Berger and Luckmann talk about knowledge, they are not just discussing knowledge based upon ideology, theoretical knowledge, or a type of scientific knowledge, but rather as everything that humans take part in within their everyday lives, giving them the potential to come to know about whatever knowledge might be attainable. By taking this view of knowledge and putting it into a perspective easier to grasp, Berger and Luckmann seem to perceive knowledge as a tool for social construction of realities, which means that no meaningful creation of either subjective or objective realities would be feasible. Ultimately, where they end up conclusion-wise seems to fit along with the works of Giddens and his ideas on "structure-based analysis" and "individual-based analysis", with the idea that all realities are socially constructed as results of distinctive social actions that individuals perform. While keeping this conclusion in mind, it can be specula...

Complete List of Transition Words

Complete List of Transition Words Once you have completed the first draft of your paper, you will need to rewrite some of the introductory sentences at the beginning and  the transition statements at the end of every paragraph. Transitions, which connect one idea to the next, may seem challenging at first, but they get easier once you consider the many possible methods for linking paragraphs together- even if they seem to be unrelated. Transition words and phrases  can help your paper move along, smoothly gliding from one topic to the next.  If you have trouble thinking of a way to connect your paragraphs, consider a few  of these 100 top transitions as inspiration. The type of transition words or phrases you use depends on the category of transition you need, as explained below. Additive Transitions Probably the most common type, additive transitions are those  you use when you want to show that the current point is an addition to the previous  one, notes  Edusson, a website that provides students with essay-writing tips and advice. Put another way, additive transitions signal to the reader that you are adding to an idea and/or your ideas are similar, says  Quizlet, an online teacher and student learning community. Some examples of additive transition words and phrases were compiled by Michigan State University  writing lab. Follow each transition word or phrase with a comma: IndeedIn the first placeAndOrTooNorFurtherMoreoverFurthermoreIn factLet aloneAlternativelyAs well (as this)What is moreIn addition (to this)ActuallyMuch lessOn the other handEither (neither)As a matter of factBesides (this)To say nothing ofAdditionallyNot to mention (this)Not only (this) but also (that) as wellIn all honestyTo tell the truth An example of  additive transitions used in a sentence would be: In the first place, no burning in the sense of combustion, as in the burning of wood, occurs in a volcano;  moreover, volcanoes are not necessarily mountains;  furthermore, the activity takes place not always at the summit but more commonly on the sides or flanks....– Fred Bullard,  Volcanoes in History, in Theory, in Eruption In this and the examples of transitions  in subsequent sections, the transition words or phrases are printed in italics to make them easier to find as you peruse the passages. Adversative Transitions Adversative transitions are used to signal conflict, contradiction, concession, and dismissal says Michigan State University. Examples include: ButHoweverOn the other handIn contrastWhileWhereasConverselyEven moreAbove allBut even soNeverthelessNonethelessAlthoughThoughHowever(And) still(And) yetEither wayIn either case(Or) at leastWhichever happensWhatever happensIn ether event An example of an adversative transition phrase used in a sentence would be: On the other hand, professor Smith completely disagreed with the authors argument. Causal Transitions Causal transitionss include: AccordinglyAnd soAs a resultConsequentlyFor this reasonHenceSoThenThereforeThusGranting (that)On the condition (that)In the event thatAs a result (of this)Because (of this)As a consequenceConsequentlyIn consequenceSo  much (so) thatFor the purpose ofWith this intentionWith this in mindUnder those circumstancesThat being the caseThen An example of a causal transition used in a sentence would be: The study of human chromosomes is in its infancy,  and so  it has only recently become possible to study the effect of environmental factors upon them.–Rachel Carson, Silent Spring Sequential Transitions Sequential transitions express a numerical sequence, continuation, conclusion, digression, resumption, or summation, says Michigan State, which gives these examples: In the (first, second, third, etc.) placeTo begin withTo start withInitiallySecondlyNextSubsequentlyBeforeAfterwardAfter thisTo conclude withAs a final pointLast but not leastTo change the topicIncidentallyBy the wayTo get back to the pointTo resumeAnyhowAs was previously statedSoIn shortThusIn sumFinally An example of a sequential transition would be: We should teach that words are not the things to which they refer. We should teach that words are best understood as convenient tools for handling reality....Finally, we should teach widely that new words can and should be invented if the need arises.–Karol Janicki, Language Misconceived In sum, use transition words and phrases judiciously to keep your paper moving, hold your readers attention, and retain your audience until the final word.

Insure your life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Insure your life - Essay Example In this paper, importance of education will be discussed by comparing the lifestyle of two guys one of whom studies and the other runs away from studies. Two guys grew up together in the same neighborhood. One of them had a fight in school and he went to jail because of it. He completed studying his middle school in the jail. After two years, he came out of the jail. He tried to continue his high school but was not given admission because of his certificate from the jail. He got a job as a car cleaner for a while. Later, he got a better job as a driver. He worked hard and was improving. Now he has contract as a Director in Government’s Relations department in one of the biggest contract companies and is getting a very good salary. He got married and had children, but the children feel guilty because their father lacks good skills. Now his life is in risk since he has no certificate and the contract will expire one day. The other guy finished his high school in Saudi Arabia and went to the United States to complete his university. He had a hard time at the beginning because of the new culture. He faced troubles like Ashley Wagner who was also fearing because of studying in unfamiliar school (Wagner 317). He also had to learn a new language. He spent his time at the library and asked other students for help if he did not understand anything. He studied hard and got good grades in school. He went back to Saudi Arabia with full happiness. He made his family proud of him. He wasn’t happy that he left his friends in the United States. He got a job for the Saudi government with special offers like free house, car, gas, health insurance, best salary. He got married to a beautiful woman and got kids. Every vacation, he goes back to the U.S to show his kids his university and tells them that he will send them to study there so that they become like him. He has the best job. He is working. In the start, the first guy ran away from studies and spent time play ing with friends and wasting time in video games but the second guy studied hard and used all his time in studies. The way they spent time before is now affecting their lifestyles. â€Å"Years from now, when all the junk [first guy] got is broken and long forgotten, [second guy will] still have your stars† (Walls 41). The difference between them is that who has degree has comfortable lifestyle but the other one is nervous, stressed and has put himself and his family in the risk. In my personal opinion, the second guy bought insurance for his complete life by working hard in his childhood. He not only kept his parents, teachers, brothers and sisters happy when he was little, he is also keeping his wife, sons and daughters happy now. All the time, he kept people happy by studying but the first guy always teased his parents. His parents did not like him because he wasted time and went to jail. Then, he was not given admission because of his jail certificate. This was big failure and very embarrassing. After that, he was looking for jobs and everybody was saying no to him. Now he has a job but the contract will expire. What will he do after that? Maybe he will ask his parents for money again like a child. After comparing the life of both guys, I conclude that to live a happy good life always, you have to work hard, get a degree and do the job. It is good to go outside your country to study because of good university. After studying, one can get a very good job, get married and live a very good life