Plato And Aristotle Essays (2179 words) - Ancient Greek Philosophers

Plato And Aristotle Plato, a Greek philosopher was among the most important and creative thinkers of the ancient world. He was born in Athens in 428 BC to an aristocratic and well-off family. Even as a young child Plato was familiar with political life because he's father, Ariston was the last king of Athens. Ariston died when Plato was a young boy. However, the excessive Athenian political life, which was under the oligarchical rule of the Thirty Tyrants and the restored democracy, seem to have forced him to give up any ambitions of political life. In 388 BC he journeyed to Italy and Sicily, where he became the friend of Dionysius the ruler of Syracuse, and his brother-in-law Dion. The following year he returned to Athens, where he devoted his time to research and instruction in philosophy and the sciences. Most of his life thereafter was spent in teaching and guiding these activities. In 347 BC Plato died, while he's published writings all still live. They consist of some 26 dramatic dialogues on phil osophy and related themes. The philosopher Socrates was a close friend of Plato's family as well as his teacher. Plato's writings attest to great influence on him. This could be a good explanation to why Plato uses Socrates to voice his own opinions about his Ideal State. Book I of Plato's Republic, beings with Socrates, Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus discussing justice. Each give their own meaning of justice or dikaiosyne. Cephalus says justice is truth telling and debt paying. He views justice this way because he is an honest and just businessman. Polemarchus, who is Cephalus's son, agrees with Cephalus's definition, but continues by saying justice, is giving each his own due. By this he means, helping one's friend. Finally, Thrasymachus, who is a sophist, defines justice as the advantage of the stronger. Justice is not to the advantage of everyone but to the advantage of the rulers. Socrates proves that justice brings unity to any group of people, because it allows them to trust and rely on one another. The discussion of justice is continued in the beginning of Book II. Glaucon enters the conversation and he divides all things into three categories: 1) Those that are pleasurable for themselves and their results, 2) Those that bring good results, but with difficulty, and 3) Those that bring no results, but are pleasurable. Glacon then asks Socrates which category justice falls within. He replies by placing it in the first category. ?I myself put it among the finest goods, as something to be valued by anyone who is going to be blessed with happiness, both because of itself and what it comes from? (Republic, Book II 358a). Glaucon claims that the general view of justice lies in the second category, the mean between two extremes. Glaucon defends his argument by using the example of the ?Ring of Gyes,? a magical ring that turns its wearer invisible. He continues to argue that if humans were given the opportunity to be unjust without getting caught or without suffering any punishment or l oss of good reputation, they would naturally choose a life of injustice, in order to maximize their own interests. Now the issue at hand is to prove whether it is more beneficial to lead a just or unjust life. In an attempt to provide a satisfactory definition of justice, Socrates tries to make an analogy between the justice of an individual human being and of an entire society or city. He then begins to build and imaginary city. Socrates defines the basic city as the Health City opposed to a Feverish City. Socrates states that the fundamental needs of human beings in the society are food, shelter, and necessary clothing and things needed for production. However, Socrates is aware that the people of this city will want more then just the bare necessities. He continues to build this political correct city by manipulating a number of different things such as; adding a specialized class of soldiers, adding guardians, controlling any false information (censoring), creating men and women equal, and balancing their education between philosophy and physical training. Finally, Socrates just city is built. Now that Socrates has built his just city

Playing with Titles

Playing with Titles Playing with Titles Playing with Titles By Maeve Maddox Sometimes writers need to take time out from the slogging business of writing to play a little. This week several members of my critique group had a little fun with a feature at Lulu.com. The Titlescorer is an interactive feature that purports to analyze a book title in terms of how likely it is to find its way to the bestseller list. According to the information at the site, a research team analyzed the title of every novel to have topped the hardback fiction section of the New York Times Bestseller List during the half-century from 1955 to 2004 and then compare[d] them with the titles of a control group of less successful novels by the same authors. The data is based on about 700 titles. If you type in the titles of some bestsellers you’ll find yourself wondering how the research team arrived at its conclusions. Some blockbusters come up with â€Å"a 10.2% chance of being a bestselling title.† Along with typing the title, you have to choose from a couple of drop-down menus that ask you to specify â€Å"grammar type† and indicate part of speech. Depending how you answer, The DaVinci Code can score as high as 35.9% or as low as 10.2%. I’ll have to admit to having spent more time than I should have playing with it. No matter what combinations I tried, the highest score for any title I was able to come up with was 59.3%. One of my colleagues put in a title that scored 65%. I wouldn’t be too influenced by the results you get for your title, but playing around with the Titlescorer is as good a way as any to hash out your ideas. Just don’t play too long. That draft is waiting. 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 Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?Comma Before ButThe Two Sounds of G

A Case Study On Brand Equity Marketing Essay

A Case Study On Brand Equity Marketing Essay Brand equity can be viewed both as an intangible or tangible asset and or liability. The tangible being the monetary value of a brand and best viewed as the amount of additional income expected from a branded product over and above what might be expected from an identical, but unbranded product. To best illustrate this point would be a supermarket, they frequently sell unbranded versions of name brand products. The branded and unbranded products are produced by the same companies, but they carry a generic brand or store brand label like No Name or Home brand. Store brands sell for significantly less than their name brand counterparts, even when the contents are identical. This price difference is the monetary value of the brand name. However, according to (Aaker,1996) the most important assets of any business are intangible: its company name, brand, symbols, and slogans, and their underlying associations, perceived quality, name awareness, customer base, and proprietary resources su ch as patents, trademarks, and channel relationships. The intangible value associated with a product that can not be accounted for by price or features is illustrated by globally renowned company Nike. I has created many intangible benefits for their athletic products by associating them with star athletes. Children and adults want to wear Nike’s products to feel some association with these star athletes (â€Å"be like Mike.† ) The marketing image that has been created for Nike is the driving force of the demand for the products rather than the physical features. Buyers are willing to pay extremely high price premiums over lesser known brands which may offer the same, or better, product quality and features. Ideally brand equity is a set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brand’s name and symbol that adds to (or subtracts from) the value provided by a product or service to a firm and/or that firm’s customers.(Aaker,1996) These assets, which comprise brand equity, are a primary source of competitive advantage and future earnings. (Aaker, 1996) The overall description of Brand Equity incorporates the ability to provide added value to company’s products and services. This added value can be an advantage to charge price premiums, lower marketing costs and offer greater opportunities for customer purchase The assets/ advantages of brand equity: Allows you to charge a price premium compared to competitors with less brand equity. Strong brand names simplify the decision process for low-cost and non-essential products. Brand name can give comfort to buyers unsure of their decision by reducing their perceived risk. Maintain higher awareness of your products. Use as leverage when introducing new products. Often interpreted as an indicator of quality. High Brand Equity makes sure your products are included in most consumers consideration set. Your brand can be linked to a quality image that buyers want to be associated with. Offer a strong defense against new products and new competitors. Can lead to higher rates of product trial and repeat purchasing due to buyers’ awareness of your brand, approval of its image/reputation and trust in its quality.

Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Objectives of Accounting and Firms Assignment

Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Objectives of Accounting and Firms - Assignment Example Contra Asset accounts are accounts that are offsetting accounts for certain asset accounts which are often called valuation allowances. Credits increase contra asset accounts, and debits decrease these accounts. Accounts such as doubtful accounts, and accumulated depreciation. Liability accounts are accounts that increase credits and decrease with debits. The examples of the liability accounts are accounts payable, long-term debt (loan), taxes payable and wages payable. Contra liability accounts are accounts that are offsetting accounts for certain liability accounts which are often called valuation allowances. Debits increase contra liability accounts, and credits decrease these accounts. The short-term portion of the mortgage payable is an example of a contra liability account. The accounts in the income statement are closed out every ending period and transferred to Retained Earnings and entered into the Income Statement. The two types of accounts used in the Income Statement are called Revenue and Expense accounts. Assumption: Cash would increase thus increasing the Cash account in the Balance Sheet, and Equity would increase thus increasing the Equity account in the Balance Sheet. Both sides of the Balance Sheet increase by $5000. The primary objectives of accounting are to fairly present the financial information in the financial statements with necessary disclosures in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) so that users of the financial statements can use them to make informative decisions. This fulfills one of the main objectives which is to give assurance to the public about financial statements. The main objective of the firm producing financial statements is to monitor business performance throughout the year and possibly compare with past results. When comparative financial statements are compiled, a better understanding of the level of consistency can be obtained.

Early Childhood Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Early Childhood Studies - Essay Example However, research has shown that this does not have immediate effect on speech development in children hence they are not necessary though they are helpful. From the above argument, it has been suggested that language acquisition by children is promoted through speaking to children in special way. Mothers often speak in a slow way such that they carefully articulate basic vocabulary which is easier to understand by the children. Grady (2005) calls this motherese where the mother speaks in a slow way so the child can grasp the meaning of speech or the words uttered. To a greater extent, it can be noted that this aspect of speech development is very important given that it is commonly believed that the child adopts a language from the mother. This is the reason why the child’s first language is called the mother tongue in different social dispositions. Though this aspect of motherese is not necessary in speech development, it has been observed that it significantly contributes t o the development of speech in young children. In some cultures, adults do not simplify their language when they are talking to the children but these children still learn their language perfectly. There is a misconception among people that children require special instructions for them to learn a language. According to the author of the given article, children can still learn a language without special help from the parent but there is one external condition that has to exist in as far as language acquisition is concerned. The author argues that children need to hear sentences they can actually understand before they know a lot about the language they are... This paper approves that it can be argued that language is acquired given that in some instances, it may not be possible to create a formal learning environment for infants whose minds are still very young to be reasonable enough to learn a language at a faster rate. It is pretty difficult for a child to be taught to create a meaningful sentence at a tender age as this can be confusing. Children often construct meaningful sentences without using the same words from their parents which brings us to the conclusion that language acquisition is not an art of imitation. This report makes a conclusion that it can be observed that there are different misconceptions with regards to language acquisition and learning in children. Some scholars believe that language is acquired naturally while others believe that it is learnt from the people around. However, a closer analysis of different concepts proposed by different scholars show that there is no agreed way about how children learn a language. It can also be said that the external environment has a bearing on the way children learn or acquire their first language. The culture of a particular group has a strong influence on the way at which a child acquires a language. Normally, the behaviour of people is shaped by their cultural values as well as their language. It is also easier for the children to learn to construct meaningful sentences through the guidance of someone but this does not necessarily mean to say that they have to undergo a formal learning programme as this can be done subconsciously. Yo ung children are capable of learning from the social environment around them.

Insecurity and Ignorance Essay Example for Free

Insecurity and Ignorance Essay Grasping the idea of sexual assault and rape can be a difficult task. We know of it within our world, but it may not effect us in our own lives. Vulnerability is a more comprehensible feeling. Many girls around the world can relate the constant comparison between themselves and others, their need for attention, and insecurity. In Joyce Carol Oats’ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? , the main character, Connie, displays these feelings through her subconscious thoughts and mindless actions. Her longing for acknowledgement leads to the extremely unfortunate event, meeting Arnold Friend. Connie’s low self-esteem, constant need for male attention, and lack of judgment force her to be helpless to the manipulative people she attracts. Connie’s insecurity causes her to constantly desire for male attention. She consistently daydreams about the boys she has been with, â€Å"Her mind slipped over onto thoughts of the boy she had been with the night before. †(365) Even as Connie goes through her normal, relaxing day, her mind subconsciously slips to thoughts of boys. This shows her obsession, desiring more from the males with whom she interacts. Connie’s clothing also displays her low self-esteem, when talking about Connie’s two different appearances: â€Å"She wore a pullover jersey blouse that looked one way at home and another way when she was away from home. †(362) Connie’s need for male attention causes her to dress in an inappropriate way, that she cannot show at home. She lost all self-respect, allowing herself to dress in a way to fulfill her mind’s desires. Because of the way she dresses, males treat her as they would someone much older, who dresses in the same way. Connie’s low self-esteem causes her to think that being pretty is all that matters, â€Å"She knew she was pretty and that was everything. † (361) Connie believes she is pretty and that she is better than anyone else because of that. Her world revolves around boys, and she thinks that all men care about is how pretty women appear, therefore being pretty is everything. The actions and thoughts of Connie cause her to have little self-respect in a world that revolves around males. Connie’s attitude and action towards males does not attract her the kind of attention she desires. Her mother tends to get angry with Connie for her arrogance. When Connie explains her mother’s preference for her older sister, June, she said, â€Å"If Connie’s name was mentioned it was disapproving. † (364). In Connie’s mind, the importance of the boys in her life is much greater than the importance of family. Spending nights at the drive-in restaurant, a popular hangout spot, Connie attracts the attention of older boys. This is what she intends to happen, but she is unaware of how this can lead to trouble. Older boys treat Connie as they would a girl their own age. This pressures Connie into doing things she would not normally do with someone as young as herself. In addition to the pressure from older boys, her actions by hanging out at the drive-in put her in danger. When Connie was with a boy at the drive-in restaurant, she caught the eye of a man who would prove dangerous: â€Å"He wagged a finger and laughed and said, ‘Gonna get you, baby. ’† (363-364) Connie does not know at the time that she was attracting danger. Connie is naive of the world around her, acting without thinking about the affects these decisions could have on her life. Through flirtatious acts and her attitude, Connie attracted a rapist, from whom she was unable to escape. By hanging out at the drive-in restaurant, flirting with older boys, and wearing provocative clothing Connie attracted the attention of the creepy Arnold Friend, whose intentions can be inferred from the story. When Arnold first pulls up to Connie’s house, and they officially meet for the first time, Connie instantly thinks about his impression on her: â€Å"She couldn’t decide if she liked him or if he was a jerk. (367). Connie did not find this abrupt encounter with Arnold strange, because he showed up at her house and knew about her. She first thinks about whether she liked him or not. She is oblivious to the danger of strangers, only thinking about if he is worth her flirting. Once Connie fell into Arnold’s trap, she is unable to escape: â€Å"She thought for the first time in her life that is was nothing that was hers, that belonged to her, but just a pounding, living thing inside this body that wasn’t really hers either. (377). She no longer had control of herself or of her fate. Everything lies in the hands of Arnold Friend. A potential rapist easily takes advantage of Connie, because of her vulnerability, longing for male acknowledgement, and not thinking about her actions. Connie’s whole world is centered around boys, consistently in her thoughts, which influence her actions. As a result, Connie’s daydreams of being with boys turned into nightmares of reality.

Friendship Essay: My Best Friends Funeral -- friendship essay, my best

I never thought that I would ever had to attend to a funeral of a close friend. Aaron Smith was only 18 years old and passed away from a tragic automobile accident. He was always a really happy guy and had the biggest smile there could ever be, his smile would make anyone get cheered up. He was about 5 foot 9 inches, light brown skin, and he had a thick body, and black hair. Aaron would always help out a friend in need, even though he had trouble with his divorced parents he wouldn’t let that get him down. His mother and sisters live in Stockton, California and his father lives in Royal City, Washington so Aaron would always be traveling from California to Washington state. That made it hard on him trying to be with both families, but his favorite place to reside was Royal City because he had all of us as friends we gave him all the love that he needed to be comfortable living without his mom and sisters. So this is were the story begins. I remember November 13, 2006 like it were yesterday I was very excited because we had just moved in to a new house it wasn‘t in Royal city but it was only 30 minutes away. Our new house had three bed rooms, three bathrooms, two living rooms, and the best part of all a big swimming pool with a slide and a diving board! It was one of the most exciting days of my life, even tough we had tons of boxes to un pack it was all good. My bedroom was outside of the actual house it was the guest room but I claimed it as my room it was perfect. That day I was with my boyfriend who was also very close to Aaron, we were watching a scary movie and it was about 8Pm and Ray (my boyfriend) had a really weird feeling like he had to leave back to Royal as soon as possible ... ...ood-bye. We were all just hanging out in the room until it was all over. From Moses Lake Aaron had a last trip he was going to be buried in California we all knew that Aaron would have rather be in Royal City but his mom thought otherwise. To some up this awful story we finally left the funeral house, and everyone left back to Royal City. To all of us it was a nightmare come true to lose a close friend but now that I think about it he is in a better place not having to decide between mom or dad, California or Washington. This funeral was the worst thing that could happen to me, I lost a good friend and I would never get to see him again. When I think about him now days I look at it like if he were in California and that I will see him eventually. I dream about him once in a while and I know he’s dead but in my dream it makes me happy to see him and talk to him.