Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice Essay Example

Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice Essay PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORIES in the APPLICATION of CRIMINAL JUSTICE Mark P. Robertson Deviant Behavior Instructor Tomasina Cook EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE July 30, 2012 There are several Psychosocial Theories pertaining to human behavior. The relation of some of these theories can be directly applied to the Criminal Justice field. Theories focus on why some behavior develops, when and where the development begins, who is affected by it and may be particularly more susceptible, what signs or behaviors to look for, and what may be done to prevent it. Psychologist Terrie Moffitt proposed her Developmental Theory identifying two developmental ‘paths’ or ‘patterns’ in which an individual may exhibit. Moffitt claims that criminal behavior can mainly be classified into one of these categories. Moffitt states that the ‘Life-Course-Persistent (LCP) offender’ continues their antisocial ways and behavior across or throughout all kinds of conditions and situations, and throughout the life course (or life span). This is a developmental path in which the offender shows various psychological and antisocial difficulty, and defiance on a consistent basis at an early age, on through youth and adolescence, and further into adulthood and beyond. It appears as though once LCP’s become involved in a deviant and offensive lifestyle they continue and increase their offending as they grow older. Young children as LCP’s often show evidence of this developmental ‘path’ in ways such as wild temper tantrums and mood swings, to biting and hitting. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As adolescents, LCP’s show signs such as truancy, shoplifting and substance abuse. This may seem like rather common or somewhat ‘normal’ behavior for many younger individuals, and in many cases it is. However, when the young person or adolescent does not ‘grow-out’ of this phase or behavioral ‘pattern’, it can progress into adulthood. The adult LCP may often develop such behavior as robbery, rape, child abuse, even murder. Adult LCP’s show high levels of antisocial behavior, and are almost exclusively male in gender. The offending might even escalate, with the offenses and behavior becoming more violent in nature, more erratic, and unpredictable. As stated earlier, some criminal behavior may be seen or viewed as relatively ‘normal’ behavior for younger individuals, especially males. In fact, most young individuals do ‘grow-up and out’ of this, and choose (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) another developmental pathway. They may offend or display some type of criminal or ‘bad’ behavior as children, adolescents, or young adults, but usually stop in their late-teens to early twenties. Terrie Moffitt states that these ‘youths’ are ‘Adolescent-Limited (AL) offenders’, and these individuals usually do not have or display the early developmental, persistent antisocial, or problem behavioral histories as their LCP counterparts. However the case may be, there is an occasional commonality between LCP and AL youth. Often times, the frequency and severity of offending among LCP and AL youth, is ‘mirrored’. The patterns of offending between them can be almost identical, but with the onset of young adulthood looming near, these patterns then abruptly change. For many reasons, the AL youth realizes that continued offending will not lead to any sort of positive outcome, and he or she then stops. Ultimately, when applied in a criminal justice setting, Moffitt’s developmental theory of the LCP person and the AL person shows that the AL ‘criminals’ or ‘delinquents’ have the ability, or at the very least, are more likely to regain control of their lives. They desist in their malevolent and/or devious behavior when they begin to mature and evolve into a more social, conventional, realistic, and ‘acceptable’ person. The LCP ‘criminal’ or ‘delinquent’ maintains their malevolent behavior, possibly and usually escalating into a more antisocial, unpredictable and dangerous person. LCP’s generally have long histories wrought with aggressive and violent crimes, with genuine ‘disregard’ for legality, posing as a ‘threat’ to everyone. Psychologist Erik Erikson proposed another theory of Psychosocial Development, which focuses on ‘Stages’. He states that each stage plays a major role in the development of personality and psychological ‘skills’. Erikson says there are a series of eight stages, coinciding with infancy to late adulthood, in which a person experiences different ‘challenges’. Each stage requires the successful completion of the prior stage to move onto the next, otherwise incomplete stages may reappear in the future and pose potential problems. However, absolute perfection or mastery of a stage is not necessary. Erikson’s developmental stages are as follows: 1. Hopes: Trust vs. Mistrust (Oral-Sensory, Birth – 2 yrs) 2. Will: Autonomy vs. Shame Doubt (Muscular-Anal, 2 -4 yrs) 3. Purpose: Initiative vs. Guilt (Locomotor-Genital, Preschool, 4 -5 yrs) 4. Competence: Industry vs. Inferiority (Latency, 5 – 12 yrs) 5. Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence, 13 – 19 yrs) 6. Love: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood, 20 – 24, or 20 – 40 yrs) 7. Care: Generativist vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 25 – 64, or 40 – 64 yrs) 8. Wisdom: Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood, 65 – death) In regards to Erik Erikson’s developmental theory of the ‘Stages’, there is particular importance in relation to the criminal justice field. Stage 5, (Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion) plays a key role in psychosocial ability and behavior. ‘Identity’ is unique to every individual. There may be a distinct correlation between identity and why some people stray from the ‘norms’ of society and venture off into a life of deviant or criminal activity. This is especially true when it involves young people. Young people/persons are quite easily influenced, and impressionable. It is a very critical and important time in one’s life, trapped somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It is a period of extreme change, extreme choices, and big decisions. Lack of one’s own identity, confusion, and the need and desire to belong, or to ‘fit in’ somewhere, can and often does provoke irrational thought. The inability or difficulty to become accepted by one’s peers gives way to potentially ‘bad’ choices. This can be especially difficult for certain cultural, ethnic, and societal groups. For example, inner-city youth (regardless of race) who grow up in areas with higher crime rates and/or criminal activity, or lower-income families (many with only one parental figure) are by default, at higher risk of ‘exposure’ to criminal activity. They in essence, have little or almost no chance of meeting or interacting with (or being influenced by) someone from the suburbs, or the country (rural areas), where criminal activity is lower. These inner-city youths are more frequently exposed to crime (it is sometimes all they see and know), and without ‘positive’ influence, they are more susceptible to adopt an ‘identity’ relative and according to what they experience on a regular basis. They believe that is the ‘norm’ and in turn, they tend to lean towards what they believe. Rather than having no identity at all, and having the desire to ‘fit in’ somewhere, they naturally fall into place. Unfortunately, the choice(s) for these youths are often very limited, and this is a major problem. This may be a reason why Hans J. Eysenck developed his psychosocial development theory of Personality and Crime. Hans J. Eysenck’s theory is regarded as one of the most influential psychological perspectives on crime today. (Cale, 2006) Eysenck states that criminal behavior is the result of an interaction between certain environmental conditions and certain features of the nervous system. In other words, certain types of personalities, combined with certain types of surroundings, lead to certain types of criminal activity. This equates to a perfect combination of attributes which are a recipe for juvenile, delinquent, and/or criminal behavior. This theory is unlike most contemporary theories of crime, because Eysenck heavily emphasizes that genetic predispositions are largely responsible for antisocial and criminal conduct. Theoretically, some people are just ‘born different’ from the majority of the population, and their genetics result in their inability to adapt and conform to society’s rules, regulations, and expectancies. Therein lays the problem. To assist Eysenck in measuring different variables of, and predisposure to commit crimes and offenses, he developed several ‘questionnaires’. The best known questionnaire would be the British Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI). Additional editions would be the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R). These questionnaires can be very helpful in providing researchers with valuable insight on how personality traits may coincide with criminality however it is not yet ‘conclusive’ research. Although Eysenck’s theory of Personality and Crime cannot be definitively proven, it is still worth looking at. Criminal justice practitioners would be wise to examine and contemplate its useful and unique suggestions. While there are still several theories on psychosocial development to be discussed, Gerald Patterson’s ‘Coercion Developmental Theory’ is in alignment with Terrie Moffitt’s theory. Patterson states and believes that ‘early starters are at greater risk for more serious criminal offending’. (Bartol and Bartol, p. 65) Patterson theorizes that while early starters are at greater risk, he focuses on how the parents and their roles with their children are more important, and much more instrumental. Essentially when young children experience different types of ‘traumatic’ events (e. g. ivorce, family violence, inconsistent parental discipline), they are prone to or are at greater likelihood to begin using or displaying ‘coercive behavior’. Coercive behavior can become the child’s way of avoiding or escaping his or her immediate (parental, social) environment. This ‘coercive’ behavior could be as minor or u nassuming as lying, temper tantrums, or whining. Eventually this coercive behavior becomes the child’s ‘go to’ strategy to obtain the desired result(s) he or she wants. If left unchecked, or uncorrected by parents, the problem behavior can be prolonged, well into adolescence and on to adulthood. Therefore, parents need to gain and maintain control, in a non-threatening, non-demanding, appropriate way, as early as the coercive behavior is recognized. Summarizing that society has no shortage of people with some type of developmental disability that inhibits or prohibits their behavior, it can usually be traced back or down to its source. In conclusion, the theories discussed here can assist in narrowing down the ‘root’ causes of or perhaps the reasons why some individuals seem to veer astray from societal normality. Whether the causes or reasons are psychological, developmental, or environmental in nature, criminal justice practitioners can utilize these theories to evaluate, and possibly explain the behavior of those in question. REFERENCES, NOTES, and CITATIONS 1. Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach, 8th Edition, By: Bartol and Bartol 2. Generalist Case Management: A Method of Human Service Delivery, 3rd Edition, By: Woodside and McClam 3. Online Research on Juvenile Delinquency and Criminal Behavior http://www. fbi. gov. juveniledelinquency. icr Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice Essay Example Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice Paper PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORIES in the APPLICATION of CRIMINAL JUSTICE Mark P. Robertson Deviant Behavior Instructor Tomasina Cook EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE July 30, 2012 There are several Psychosocial Theories pertaining to human behavior. The relation of some of these theories can be directly applied to the Criminal Justice field. Theories focus on why some behavior develops, when and where the development begins, who is affected by it and may be particularly more susceptible, what signs or behaviors to look for, and what may be done to prevent it. Psychologist Terrie Moffitt proposed her Developmental Theory identifying two developmental ‘paths’ or ‘patterns’ in which an individual may exhibit. Moffitt claims that criminal behavior can mainly be classified into one of these categories. Moffitt states that the ‘Life-Course-Persistent (LCP) offender’ continues their antisocial ways and behavior across or throughout all kinds of conditions and situations, and throughout the life course (or life span). This is a developmental path in which the offender shows various psychological and antisocial difficulty, and defiance on a consistent basis at an early age, on through youth and adolescence, and further into adulthood and beyond. It appears as though once LCP’s become involved in a deviant and offensive lifestyle they continue and increase their offending as they grow older. Young children as LCP’s often show evidence of this developmental ‘path’ in ways such as wild temper tantrums and mood swings, to biting and hitting. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As adolescents, LCP’s show signs such as truancy, shoplifting and substance abuse. This may seem like rather common or somewhat ‘normal’ behavior for many younger individuals, and in many cases it is. However, when the young person or adolescent does not ‘grow-out’ of this phase or behavioral ‘pattern’, it can progress into adulthood. The adult LCP may often develop such behavior as robbery, rape, child abuse, even murder. Adult LCP’s show high levels of antisocial behavior, and are almost exclusively male in gender. The offending might even escalate, with the offenses and behavior becoming more violent in nature, more erratic, and unpredictable. As stated earlier, some criminal behavior may be seen or viewed as relatively ‘normal’ behavior for younger individuals, especially males. In fact, most young individuals do ‘grow-up and out’ of this, and choose (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) another developmental pathway. They may offend or display some type of criminal or ‘bad’ behavior as children, adolescents, or young adults, but usually stop in their late-teens to early twenties. Terrie Moffitt states that these ‘youths’ are ‘Adolescent-Limited (AL) offenders’, and these individuals usually do not have or display the early developmental, persistent antisocial, or problem behavioral histories as their LCP counterparts. However the case may be, there is an occasional commonality between LCP and AL youth. Often times, the frequency and severity of offending among LCP and AL youth, is ‘mirrored’. The patterns of offending between them can be almost identical, but with the onset of young adulthood looming near, these patterns then abruptly change. For many reasons, the AL youth realizes that continued offending will not lead to any sort of positive outcome, and he or she then stops. Ultimately, when applied in a criminal justice setting, Moffitt’s developmental theory of the LCP person and the AL person shows that the AL ‘criminals’ or ‘delinquents’ have the ability, or at the very least, are more likely to regain control of their lives. They desist in their malevolent and/or devious behavior when they begin to mature and evolve into a more social, conventional, realistic, and ‘acceptable’ person. The LCP ‘criminal’ or ‘delinquent’ maintains their malevolent behavior, possibly and usually escalating into a more antisocial, unpredictable and dangerous person. LCP’s generally have long histories wrought with aggressive and violent crimes, with genuine ‘disregard’ for legality, posing as a ‘threat’ to everyone. Psychologist Erik Erikson proposed another theory of Psychosocial Development, which focuses on ‘Stages’. He states that each stage plays a major role in the development of personality and psychological ‘skills’. Erikson says there are a series of eight stages, coinciding with infancy to late adulthood, in which a person experiences different ‘challenges’. Each stage requires the successful completion of the prior stage to move onto the next, otherwise incomplete stages may reappear in the future and pose potential problems. However, absolute perfection or mastery of a stage is not necessary. Erikson’s developmental stages are as follows: 1. Hopes: Trust vs. Mistrust (Oral-Sensory, Birth – 2 yrs) 2. Will: Autonomy vs. Shame Doubt (Muscular-Anal, 2 -4 yrs) 3. Purpose: Initiative vs. Guilt (Locomotor-Genital, Preschool, 4 -5 yrs) 4. Competence: Industry vs. Inferiority (Latency, 5 – 12 yrs) 5. Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence, 13 – 19 yrs) 6. Love: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood, 20 – 24, or 20 – 40 yrs) 7. Care: Generativist vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 25 – 64, or 40 – 64 yrs) 8. Wisdom: Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood, 65 – death) In regards to Erik Erikson’s developmental theory of the ‘Stages’, there is particular importance in relation to the criminal justice field. Stage 5, (Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion) plays a key role in psychosocial ability and behavior. ‘Identity’ is unique to every individual. There may be a distinct correlation between identity and why some people stray from the ‘norms’ of society and venture off into a life of deviant or criminal activity. This is especially true when it involves young people. Young people/persons are quite easily influenced, and impressionable. It is a very critical and important time in one’s life, trapped somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It is a period of extreme change, extreme choices, and big decisions. Lack of one’s own identity, confusion, and the need and desire to belong, or to ‘fit in’ somewhere, can and often does provoke irrational thought. The inability or difficulty to become accepted by one’s peers gives way to potentially ‘bad’ choices. This can be especially difficult for certain cultural, ethnic, and societal groups. For example, inner-city youth (regardless of race) who grow up in areas with higher crime rates and/or criminal activity, or lower-income families (many with only one parental figure) are by default, at higher risk of ‘exposure’ to criminal activity. They in essence, have little or almost no chance of meeting or interacting with (or being influenced by) someone from the suburbs, or the country (rural areas), where criminal activity is lower. These inner-city youths are more frequently exposed to crime (it is sometimes all they see and know), and without ‘positive’ influence, they are more susceptible to adopt an ‘identity’ relative and according to what they experience on a regular basis. They believe that is the ‘norm’ and in turn, they tend to lean towards what they believe. Rather than having no identity at all, and having the desire to ‘fit in’ somewhere, they naturally fall into place. Unfortunately, the choice(s) for these youths are often very limited, and this is a major problem. This may be a reason why Hans J. Eysenck developed his psychosocial development theory of Personality and Crime. Hans J. Eysenck’s theory is regarded as one of the most influential psychological perspectives on crime today. (Cale, 2006) Eysenck states that criminal behavior is the result of an interaction between certain environmental conditions and certain features of the nervous system. In other words, certain types of personalities, combined with certain types of surroundings, lead to certain types of criminal activity. This equates to a perfect combination of attributes which are a recipe for juvenile, delinquent, and/or criminal behavior. This theory is unlike most contemporary theories of crime, because Eysenck heavily emphasizes that genetic predispositions are largely responsible for antisocial and criminal conduct. Theoretically, some people are just ‘born different’ from the majority of the population, and their genetics result in their inability to adapt and conform to society’s rules, regulations, and expectancies. Therein lays the problem. To assist Eysenck in measuring different variables of, and predisposure to commit crimes and offenses, he developed several ‘questionnaires’. The best known questionnaire would be the British Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI). Additional editions would be the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R). These questionnaires can be very helpful in providing researchers with valuable insight on how personality traits may coincide with criminality however it is not yet ‘conclusive’ research. Although Eysenck’s theory of Personality and Crime cannot be definitively proven, it is still worth looking at. Criminal justice practitioners would be wise to examine and contemplate its useful and unique suggestions. While there are still several theories on psychosocial development to be discussed, Gerald Patterson’s ‘Coercion Developmental Theory’ is in alignment with Terrie Moffitt’s theory. Patterson states and believes that ‘early starters are at greater risk for more serious criminal offending’. (Bartol and Bartol, p. 65) Patterson theorizes that while early starters are at greater risk, he focuses on how the parents and their roles with their children are more important, and much more instrumental. Essentially when young children experience different types of ‘traumatic’ events (e. g. ivorce, family violence, inconsistent parental discipline), they are prone to or are at greater likelihood to begin using or displaying ‘coercive behavior’. Coercive behavior can become the child’s way of avoiding or escaping his or her immediate (parental, social) environment. This ‘coercive’ behavior could be as minor or u nassuming as lying, temper tantrums, or whining. Eventually this coercive behavior becomes the child’s ‘go to’ strategy to obtain the desired result(s) he or she wants. If left unchecked, or uncorrected by parents, the problem behavior can be prolonged, well into adolescence and on to adulthood. Therefore, parents need to gain and maintain control, in a non-threatening, non-demanding, appropriate way, as early as the coercive behavior is recognized. Summarizing that society has no shortage of people with some type of developmental disability that inhibits or prohibits their behavior, it can usually be traced back or down to its source. In conclusion, the theories discussed here can assist in narrowing down the ‘root’ causes of or perhaps the reasons why some individuals seem to veer astray from societal normality. Whether the causes or reasons are psychological, developmental, or environmental in nature, criminal justice practitioners can utilize these theories to evaluate, and possibly explain the behavior of those in question. REFERENCES, NOTES, and CITATIONS 1. Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach, 8th Edition, By: Bartol and Bartol 2. Generalist Case Management: A Method of Human Service Delivery, 3rd Edition, By: Woodside and McClam 3. Online Research on Juvenile Delinquency and Criminal Behavior http://www. fbi. gov. juveniledelinquency. icr

Narcissism essays

Narcissism essays Narcissism is a pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and ambition. Narcissism is named after the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus who was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of the nymph Echo. In punishment of his cruelty, he was doomed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, he pined away and changed into the flower that bears his name to this very day. Narcissism is a common disorder and appears in many families and relationships. Throughout this paper I will explain what the disorder is, the symptoms, the forms of treatment, and the effects it has on relationships. My first psychologist who is a major researcher and writer about Narcissism is Dr. Sam Vaknin. He explains that there is nothing wrong with loving oneself, but this goes to a certain extent. The popular thing that narcissists are known for is that they love themselves (but this isnt true). In reality, they get their love from other peoples impressions of them. But the narcissist does possess the to love and to be loved. If he cannot love himself then he cannot love his reflection. But for the person to love his reflection it has to be loveable. Then he is taken by his need to love (which we all have), and the narcissist is busy giving off a lovable image for other people, that fits with the way that he sees himself. The person then keeps the image that they have of themselves and puts a lot of their time and energy into it, sometimes it drains the person so much that they are vulnerable to other threats. The most important thing of this image is its lovability. To a narcissist, love is changes with other emotions, such as awe, respect, admiration, or even mere attention. This is known as the Narcissistic Supply. To him the image...

Woman Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Woman Renaissance - Essay Example One such case of women renaissances lies in the curiosity that came up amongst women in modern Europe following the recognition of a patriarchal order in society thus women were put in their own unique situation to engage in their desires. This is especially so in England, where women discovered overcame the issue of contemporary dressing that was common at that time and adopted a more adventurous dress code. The above-mentioned dress code defied their role as people who stayed at home and away from the public limelight for preservation of a pure bloodline, and made them into suspicious beings in the eyes of men. The women’s revolution further covered the ownership of property by women, where to many, if any could own property. Concerning those that owned property it was regarded as highly unusual as it was unlikely in the first place for a woman to have property of any kind in her own name. In this case property was totally patriarchal in that it could only be passed to male members of a family (McKay 395). Looking at merchant families reveals that in spite of family background in terms of religious differences and only allowed inheritance through the male line. The different social backgrounds that were overlooked by this patriarchal tendency include religion and social values, as all this was embedded in classical values as shown by the sidelines at which women were kept. There were also leadership issues towards the renaissance of women in early modern Europe, where there was debate about female rulers, where royal born women were given an education and rights (McKay 393). This was part of the renaissance in that it openly defied gender roles and partially welcomed female responsibility, where women could be rulers. In addition, ownership of property was fully meant for the glory of men, where they were to be honored and respected by women at all times since they were at the mercy of men. These also involved keeping women away from public life and we re isolated at home in an attempt to ensure that their fertility was preserved towards the purity of bloodlines. This is in an attempt to ensure that male line of inheritance was purely familial and not from bastard sons. The above is termed as part of keeping man away from evil following biblical accounts stating that Eve was the villain that brought about suffering unto man thus purity as further depicted by the story of the virgin Mary had to be maintained (McKay 396). In addition, this occurred by keeping women isolated in their homes, where even artwork in the form of paintings indicate the isolation of women by being drawn next to windows (McKay 417). This is especially so in the case of England and France, where the church had a strong influence and only served to ensure that the traditionalist trends of the day and age were followed. This serves towards showing the lack of a renaissance for women in modern Europe due to religious lines and traditionalist ideologies that kept women away from owning property and even having a life outside of their houses as they were seen as treacherous beings (McKay 396). In addition to this, their sense of worth was highly demeaned, as their parents had to pay bride price for their marriage making the perception towards them be highly negative as they were of no economic worth except bringing expenses. However, women did have a renaissance in early modern Europe, as it brought about curiosity, as earlier mentioned in the concept of sexuality, only that in this case it was drawn towards knowledge. During this time, there arose a sense of awareness amongst women who strived to have more knowledge and overcome their conventional roles

Worldview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Worldview - Essay Example According to Walters, a worldview can be defined as a manner through which an individual comprehends and makes sense of what is around him this means that one’s worldview essentially includes aspects such as reality, emotions, cognition as well as a person’s ability to give meaning to or interpret the happenings of the world (33). An atheistic worldview puts forward the concept of â€Å"naturalism† as its foundation; this notion postulates that the world we see around us is all there is (Walters 36). Therefore, atheism does not advocate the existence of any supernatural or mystical entities nor does it believe in any form of spiritualism. Baggini notes that the definition of atheism is exceptionally straightforward – it is a credence which says that there is no God (4). From this belief stem several ideas, according to which it is understood that there is in fact no life after death and consequently, no heaven or hell (Baggini 6). Therefore, when a human b eing dies that is the end of their life; atheism does not support the existence of spirits or mystical souls. The most important question that arises however is that, if there is no divine creator or Supreme Being, how would an atheist explain the nature of the universe? Dawkins argues that simply relying on the theory that the complexity of living organisms is an evidence of God is not enough. In fact, evolution by natural selection competently elucidates the complexity of all living creations which in turn defines the nature of the universe (Dawkins). Baggini observes that there exists a general perception which implies that since atheism negates the existence of God, consequently, an atheistic worldview might also challenge morality and not hold confidence in doing good and being good to others (5). However, that is not the case. While, atheism views the existence of a divine creator negatively, it does not advocate pessimism in other facets of life (Baggini 5). A sound and solid upbringing that is guided with and shaped by education develops and enhances an individual’s ability to reason, think and distinguish between right and wrong, thereby, instilling morals and ethics to abide by in life. Baggini argues that unlike an individual who follows religion, an atheist is frequently bombarded with questions such as; if there is no God then what is the meaning of life? While, it is believed that the religious do not have problems in defining the purpose of life (84). The meaning, point and purpose of life is to be happy, prosperous and satisfied throughout one’s existence, it is to live with no regrets or disappointments. In comparison with an atheistic worldview, a Christian worldview encompasses the incorporation and integration of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible into one’s life. According to Goheen and Bartholomew the religion of Christianity requires a believer to abide by a Christocentric belief system that comprehensively covers each and every aspect of a follower’s life (14). Therefore, a Christian worldview is centered around accepting the teachings of Jesus Christ, accomplishing salvation and acknowledging the nature of the universe as guided by the Old Testament’s outlook of creation (Goheen and Bartholomew 14). Several prominent writers on the concept of the Christian worldview have suggested that impartial and rational human reasoning which is not barred by any preconceived notions or ideas is most likely to side with Christian ideologies (Goheen and Bartholomew 16) rather than supporting any contradictory beliefs. However, commentators who believe in this idea have failed to present scientific evidence and logical arguments to support their

Understanding The Periodic Table Research Paper

Understanding The Periodic Table - Research Paper Example All matter is made up of very small particles called atoms. They are small, indivisible particles that cannot be seen by the naked eye. With the advancement of technology, atoms can now be viewed through scanning microscopes (Genesis, n.d.). Protons, electrons and neutrons are the particles that can be found in an atom. Protons are positively charged particles, while the electron is negatively charged. Neutrons are uncharged particles (Genesis, n.d.). The mass of the atom is measured from the mass of the proton and neutron, and they are located at the center of the atom clumping together and called the nucleus. Protons weigh approximately 1.67 x 10-24 grams or 1 atomic mass unit (amu) and the neutron also weighs 1 atomic mass unit (Interactives, n.d.). As mentioned earlier, all elements are made up of atoms. The similarity of the elements and their differences are also characterized by the properties of the atoms. Periodicity Dmitri Mendeleev was the scientist who created the periodic table of elements. In 1868, he arranged the different known elements during his time in order of their mass. That time, there were only sixty elements, so it was not so difficult. He observed that there was a pattern of similarity in characteristics on the arranged elements. This pattern was referred to as periodicity. In 1913, a scientist named Henry Moseley rearranged Mendeleev’s table in order of the atomic number. ... The blocks in the periodic table have the atomic symbol at the center of each block, usually in capitalized, larger, bold-faced fonts. The atomic symbol stands for the first letter of the English name of the element, or sometimes, its Latin name. If there are two letters, meaning there is already an existing element with the symbol of only the first letter, the second letter is already written in small case. Figure 2 shows a typical block of a periodic table. Figure 2. A Typical Block in the Periodic Table of Elements (Source: science.howstuffworks.com) Periodic tables have different designs in terms of the location of the information and the type of information placed on each block. Usually, they have an example of the block to identify the parts of the block, and legends to identify the metals, non-metals and transition metals. Colorful periodic tables are much easier to understand since the colors also serve as legends making it easier to identify the elements. The atomic symbol o f gold, Au, is from its Latin name Aurium. The number at the upper center of the block is the atomic number, which is representative of the number of protons of an element (Genesis, n.d.). In this case, 79 is the atomic number of gold, which means that the element has 79 protons. The number at the lower center of the block is the atomic mass of gold. Some periodic tables also include other physical properties in the blocks such as the element’s specific gravity and melting point. Again, these can be identified using the sample diagram of the blocks in the periodic table. Groups and Periods Figure 3 is a simple representation of the modern periodic table of elements. As can be seen, the elements are

Developing Profit with Online Sales Promotions

Developing Profit with Online Sales Promotions Promotional Mix is consists of 4ps (Sales promotion, advertising, personal selling, and publicity/public relations) and has a very significant role to play in Business success .Basically, Sales promotion is concerned with ensuring that customer are aware of the different products manufactured by companies and makes available to their customers (Rowley J. 1998).Promotion alters consumer behaviour beyond the normal price/quantity trade-off, change in buying time of the product, as well as how much the customer buys (Blattberg et al., 1995). Marketing Communication is one of the very important Marketing activities and is generally preferred to the term PROMOTION. All of the Marketing communication activities are the form of promotion that is in one way or another try to promote product range brand and/or company (Rowley J. 1998). The Internet is a best tool to provide an efficient way for, Marketing communication. It has been observed that the adoption of the Internet is faster than any other media. Other Medias like Radio (took 38 years) and TV (took 13 years) to reach 50 million users, whereas Internet took only five years to achieve this level (Ellsworth and Ellsworth, 1997). Companies are also conducting promotional programs using social networking websites such as Facebook, Orkut, Hi5, and Twitter. Many researchers realized that Internet would improve the Marketing communication process and it will increase future sales. Internet websites act like an information provider, and organizations encourage customers to visit their websites. Tools such as print advertising, text messaging and broadcast are being used to bring about such visits (Harridge and March, 2004). The development of different tools of promotion, such as sales promotion, advertising and direct marketing have been improved by the development of the technology, which has offered the potential to communicate with customers ( Harridge and March, 2004).This has been done in order to maximize the effectiveness of the tools, but to achieve this a unified integration is needed ( Cornelisessen and Lock, 2001).The synergy generated by such a integration far outweighs the use of individual tools in isolation, although it has been suggested that the Internet has increased effectiveness and efficiency in communicating with customers ( Harridge and March, 2004). Promotions should not be considered as a simply price promotions, rather it should be considered in a broader content and will include advertising budgets, display allowance to the trade, as well as feature and display advertising activity direct to the customer (Blattberg et al., 1995). In order to meet the promotional objectives of any given promotion strategy an appropriate promotional mix must be created. The promotional mix is the mixture of two or more different promotional channels that is used to communicate a promotional message with customers (Rowley J, 1998). 1.2 Problem Discussion In year 2001, over a one third adults of the UK who accessed the Internet also purchased goods or services through it. This means remaining two-third do not shop online. Some companies have been criticized for apparently thinking that all the Internet shoppers are the same, instead of realizing that there are many reasons why a customer may visit a web site (ibid). On the other hand, due to very high competition in Market there is a massive pressure on marketers to increase their spending on the promotional mix. While at the same time top management has examined carefully that promotional expenditures are among one of the most promising areas left for cutting costs and increasing profits. This study puts extreme pressure on Marketers to develop and implement promotional programs within the constraints of tighter budgets and can contribute to their organizations. Hence, it is important to reexamine how promotional money is spent (Srinivasan and Anderson, 2008). In todays Businesses sales promotions are very important Marketing tools but they command a greater portion of the Marketing budget than advertisements. For example, in the USA investments amount on sales promotion is nearly 30 percent of what company spend on advertising alone (d Astous and Jacob, 2005) and in many European countries, expenditures on sales promotion are larger than advertising expenditures (ibid). However, advertisements are very popular and a big business on the Internet, sales promotions on the Internet are still limited. The reason behind this is that Internet is not so common in underdeveloped and developing nations and reaching customers using this technology is difficult because not everyone is accessing Internet (Kumar et al., 2005). Since there are many other problems on which research is needed and I will try to cover them in Dissertation. 1.3 Research purpose and research questions. The Purpose of my Dissertation is to provide understanding on the use of online sales promotions in todays competitive market. How it can be improved and make it more profitable? In order to achieve this purpose I have constructed the following research questions. Que1-How can the types of sales promotions for consumer goods be described? Que2-How can online environment (i.e. Internet) providing types of sales promotion be described? Methodology Purpose of Research According to Yin (2004) the purpose of Research study can be described in three categories: exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory. According to Zikmund (2000) good researchers strive for descriptive precision. Descriptive Research includes: Surveys (questionnaires, Delphi method, normative, interviews) Case studies Job Analysis Co relational studies Documentary Analysis *Development studies and, I will try to conduct questionnaires and include case studies to my dissertation. Descriptive Research is useful to find out the answer of who, what, when, where, and how, and to find the need, difference, Characteristics, and features of subgroups (ibid). Explanatory Research is conducted when we are supposed to identify the causal relationships, among variables (Zikmund, 2000). It helps in determining the best research design, selection of subjects and data collection methods. It relies on secondary Research such as literature reviewing, qualitative approaches such as informal discussion with consumers, management or employees and formal approaches through focus groups, case studies, etc. The Research purpose and questions show that this Dissertation is going to be mainly descriptive and somewhere I will use explanatory Research also to explore and find out the answers to Research questions and to draw conclusions. Research Approach In this study qualitative approach will be used. Qualitative research is used to determine the answer to Why not the How through case studies, emails, interviews, customers feedback forms, photos and videos. It is used to understand peoples attitudes, concerns, behaviours, culture or lifestyles, motivations and helps in taking Business decisions (Yin, 2004). According to Amaratunga et al., (2002) it is difficult to make accountable speech on Qualitative Research in Business economics. The purpose of my Dissertation is to enhance understanding on the use of online environment for sales promotions. On the basis of above discussion Qualitative approach is suitable and hence I will use Qualitative approach. Data collection method According to Yin (2004), for data collection, participant observations are one of the most important sources of case study. These observations provide strength of being real, contextual, and also provide understanding of interpersonal behaviour and motives. It is a mode of observation where researcher is not a passive observer. Instead, researcher may have to play many roles within a case according to situation and may participate in the events being studied (ibid). Therefore, for this Dissertation data would be collected by participant observation. Sample Selection According to Gragiano and Raulin (1997), it is not possible to collect and gain data from all the available sources to solve the research problems and to find the solutions. Techniques provided by sampling reduce the amount of data that is needed to collect from a sub-group (Saunders Thorn hill, 2000). Sample for case studies can be chosen in many ways (Yin, 2004). For my dissertation I will use judgmental or purposive sampling. According to Saunders (2000) purposive sampling enables researcher to use judgment to select cases that will best enable researcher to answer research questions and to meet objectives. It can be use when we have to work with very small samples such as in case study research. http://www.qsrinternational.com/what-is-qualitative-research.aspx

Using the Internet as a Medium for Art Essay -- Computers Technology W

Using the Internet as a Medium for Art â€Å" This is my space, this is my world. I can express how I feel and what I believe, it’s a different type of freedom.†(1) This quote could speak of so many places in a creative world; a university, a gallery, a bedroom, a studio, and so many others that people commonly associate with artistic space however it refers to none of these and all of these at once. I am talking about the web. The web is a new space and like all technology pushed to its limits by artists. This essay will discuss the impact that new technologies have had on the young and emerging visual artist. In particular this essay will focus on the advantages that the internet as a medium has had over a new generation of artists that are coming into being. Starting with the tools that have been developed to create works and early examples of ‘net art.’ The essay shall also move on to websites being a new genre of art onto themselves. I shall show examples of websites that explore the many possibilities and capabilities that this new ‘web art’ genre has created and how people have exploited them to great advantage. Looking at browser based art that has been created for and only exists within the confines of a browser window. The essay shall end exploring how websites are also a medium for artists young and old, new media and traditional to deliver their work to a new audience not accessible to them before internet technology became a household standard. As stated in the introduction, many, if not all technologies are used by artists and pushed to its limits. The internet is no exception. Originally developed for and by the US Department of Defense in 1969 it quickly grew from 3 computers to hundreds and then thousand... ...nt† http://www.ihasz.com 8. Unknown Author (2000-current) â€Å"Deviant Art† http://www.deviantart.com 9. Thorson, Joshua (2003) â€Å"Clock Work Crow† http://www.clockworkcrow.com/ 10. Gilligan, Amanda (2002- current) â€Å"Shutterfly, Amanda Gilligan Photography† http://www.lyptonvillage.org/shutterfly/ 11. Cameron,Katsuki (2003-current) â€Å"TEAM k!itten.com† http://www.teamkitten.com/site/index02.html 12. Unknown, (2004) â€Å"escape|route† ACMI – Australian Centre for the Moving Image http://www.acmi.net.au/ Arts Hub- For Australian Arts Workers http://www.artshub.com.au Australia Council – New Media Arts http://www.ozco.gov.au/boards/new_media_arts/ Free Dictionary.com – Generation Y http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Generation%20Y History of the Internet- Where did the Internet come from http://net.gurus.com/history/?FRAME=no Using the Internet as a Medium for Art Essay -- Computers Technology W Using the Internet as a Medium for Art â€Å" This is my space, this is my world. I can express how I feel and what I believe, it’s a different type of freedom.†(1) This quote could speak of so many places in a creative world; a university, a gallery, a bedroom, a studio, and so many others that people commonly associate with artistic space however it refers to none of these and all of these at once. I am talking about the web. The web is a new space and like all technology pushed to its limits by artists. This essay will discuss the impact that new technologies have had on the young and emerging visual artist. In particular this essay will focus on the advantages that the internet as a medium has had over a new generation of artists that are coming into being. Starting with the tools that have been developed to create works and early examples of ‘net art.’ The essay shall also move on to websites being a new genre of art onto themselves. I shall show examples of websites that explore the many possibilities and capabilities that this new ‘web art’ genre has created and how people have exploited them to great advantage. Looking at browser based art that has been created for and only exists within the confines of a browser window. The essay shall end exploring how websites are also a medium for artists young and old, new media and traditional to deliver their work to a new audience not accessible to them before internet technology became a household standard. As stated in the introduction, many, if not all technologies are used by artists and pushed to its limits. The internet is no exception. Originally developed for and by the US Department of Defense in 1969 it quickly grew from 3 computers to hundreds and then thousand... ...nt† http://www.ihasz.com 8. Unknown Author (2000-current) â€Å"Deviant Art† http://www.deviantart.com 9. Thorson, Joshua (2003) â€Å"Clock Work Crow† http://www.clockworkcrow.com/ 10. Gilligan, Amanda (2002- current) â€Å"Shutterfly, Amanda Gilligan Photography† http://www.lyptonvillage.org/shutterfly/ 11. Cameron,Katsuki (2003-current) â€Å"TEAM k!itten.com† http://www.teamkitten.com/site/index02.html 12. Unknown, (2004) â€Å"escape|route† ACMI – Australian Centre for the Moving Image http://www.acmi.net.au/ Arts Hub- For Australian Arts Workers http://www.artshub.com.au Australia Council – New Media Arts http://www.ozco.gov.au/boards/new_media_arts/ Free Dictionary.com – Generation Y http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Generation%20Y History of the Internet- Where did the Internet come from http://net.gurus.com/history/?FRAME=no

Invention: History of the Internet and Wheel

From the earliest record of civilization stemming twelve thousand years ago in Kyushu, Japan, mankind has strived to make the quality of life easier, better and more convenient with each generation. Great imagination combined with science, research, skill and patience are the tools used to create remarkable inventions that allow people today to take so much for granted in life. From my point of view, the three inventions that are the most important ones to mankind are the wheel, electricity, and the Internet.The most profound invention of all time is the wheel. Not only does it provide many sources of convenience in life, but it is also essential in the success of several other inventions. Without the wheel, discovering new lands would have been impossible, as explorers needed carriages to carry supplies, people, medicines, and other essential items for journeys. Agriculture would not be anywhere near what it is today without the basic wheel. Planes would not be able to take off or l and without the wheel.People would not be able to commute long distances to and from work. Police cars, fire engines, and ambulances would not be able to get to victims with speed without the wheel. In every aspect of life, the wheel is the one invention that people cannot live without. Long gone are the days where the sun determined when a functional day would start or end. It is the invention of electricity that gives people the opportunity to read books printed in mass copies from a machine at any time of the night and gives everyone freedom to come home to a warm meal.Today, it is routine to wake up to the sound of an alarm, and turn on the coffee maker. With each step taken during the day comes the need to use more electricity. From starting a car to get to one’s destination, and listening to the radio, or watching television, and using computers to write essays such as this one, electricity is the driving force that enables man to accomplish these tasks, which makes ele ctricity one of the greatest inventions of all time.With the invention of the Internet and its implementation in society, the world as we know it has changed drastically in the last fifteen years. The idea of direct communication first introduced by the telephone has far been surpassed with online communication tools such as Skype and Facetime. The convenience of ordering everything imaginable, from groceries, to books, to clothes, to vacation packages, and making dinner reservations all with the click of a button, is a convenience that is only possible because of the Internet.Today, the entire world and answers to all questions are easily accessible and so convenient that society has become as dependent on internet, as they are to electricity and the wheel. From the discussion above, we may safely draw the conclusion that the wheel, electricity and the internet are the most important inventions that shape society. For most, living without these is an impossibility. Not only do the serve as the foundation to other inventions, but they will continue to influence inventions to come.

Expected Pattern of Development from Birth to 19years

Expected pattern of development from birth to 19years AgePhysicalCommunication and intellectualSocial,emotional and behavioural 0-3 monthsGross- waves arms and brings hands together over body. Fine-clasps and unclasps handsThrough crying and physical contact. Smiles back when they see a smiling face.. Babies may stop crying after they are picked up or by hearing a familiar voice. By 3 months they get excited when its time to feed 3-6 monthsGross-rolls over from back to front and moves head to watch others Fine-reaches for a toy and moves it from one hand to anotherEnjoys rhymes and action songs. Uses sounds to gain attention.Can laugh showing a range of feelings. Stops crying when talked to and reaches out to be held. 6-12 monthsGross-sits unsupported and likely to be mobile e. g. rolling or crawling. by 12 months may stand alone briefly. Fine-grasps objects with index finger and thumb. Starts to babble and enjoys looking at books. They also watch and copy adults. Is affectionate tow ards family and primary carers but discriminates between strangers and family. plays peek-a-boo. 1-2 yearsGross-may walk holding onto furniture, by 2 years will walk unaided. Fine-uses spoon to feed, can hold own cup and will start to scribble. Also read: Child Development Not Following Expected PatternWaves bye-bye, fingers point to objects to draw attention to adults. Less babbling and more recognisable words e. g. â€Å"no†,†come†Cries when left with someone they don’t know. keen to explore as they become more confident. Also interested in other children but does not play cooperatively. 2-3yearsGross-uses sit and ride toys and able to run. At this stage they are able play on slides. Fine-draws circles and turns pages in books. Points to pictures of familiar objects and names them. Start to recognise shapes. Starting to use sentences or putting words together. Playing imaginatively e. g. on the home corner.Shows kindness Begins to understand anger and feelings. Gets frustrated when they don't get what they want. Separation from carers remains an issue for some unless they know who they staying with. 3-4yearsGross-walks upstairs with alternate feet. Runs backwards and forwards. throws a ball. Fine -draws face with features washes and dries hands with help. Use language to say how they are feeling because speech is understandable most of the time. Can name some colours and can verbally count to 10. constantly asks questions. Listens attentively to age appropriate stories. Start to understand the consequences of own behaviour.Can express their thoughts resulting in decrease in tantrums. Seeks approval from adults. 4-5 yearsGross- aims and throws ball, walks in a line. Climbs ladders, tree and playground equipment. Fine-draws a person with head, trunks and legs. Memory develops which allows recall of songs and rhymes. Imagination develops. Start to understand symbols e. g. writing and reading. Aware of others emotions and gender roles. Will follow basic rules and seeks play with peers in groups. Attends to own toilet needs 5-6 yearsGross- runs quickly and able to avoid obstacles. throws a ball to a partner and catches it.Fine-has control of pencil to form letters. Colours in pic tures. Attention span increases and the development of vocabulary extends communication. Most children know the alphabet and can name upper case and lower case. Enjoy a joke. Physical care needs are developed. Understand the rules of games. Often has one or two focused friendships. 6-7yearsGross-hops skips and jumps confidently, balances on a beam and uses wheeled toys e. g. roller skates. Fine-cuts out shapes accurately. ties and unties shoelacesShows reasoning skills but still using trial and error learning. Able to carry adult like conversations.Uses appropriate verb tenses, word order and sentence structure. Have strong friendships. Develops self help skills e. g. wiping up spills. Uses language rather than tantrums or physical aggression to express displeasure. 7-12 years Gross- Increased coordination skills which allow more concentration on games like football/netball. Fine-skills are refined allowing work like model making and typing. Able to reason and use logic to solve pro blems. Show creativity in role play. Begins to use information form one situation and transfer to another.Some are keen to show inappropriate behaviour to gain attention from adults and admiration from other children. 12-19 yearsPuberty begins for boys between 14-17 years and for girls between 13-16 years. May became sexually active Gross-stamina increases which allow for them to walk for longer distances and take part in energetic sports. Fine -increase of strength in hands enables movement such as twisting lids of jars. Question sources of information e. g. parents,books and teachers. Start to change physically and hormones affect their mood. Making a transition from dependence on family to independence.

Federalists vs Antifederalists essays

Federalists vs Antifederalists essays To amend the Articles of Confederation, unanimous approval by all thirteen colonies was a necessity. Instead of reforming the preexisting document, it was decided that once approved by nine states, a newly written document would become the supreme law of the land. Framers of the constitution were voted on by the individual colonies to amend the existing law, the Articles of Confederation, but instead, created something entirely different altogether. They wrote the new document and gave it to the people, who were amazed and frightened at the new piece of legislation. Because of the introduction of such a radical change, conflict sprouted throughout the country over views of how government should be, and the rights that it should grant the people. People who were against a strong federal government were the antifederalists. They were in opposition of the federalists who supported the constitution and a strong central government. The antifederalists consisted mostly of the poorer classes, those who were poorly educated, backcountry dwellers, single-horse farmers, etc. Along with them were debtors who feared that a strong central government would force them to pay off their debts. Antifederalists suspected that the aristocrats were up to something sinister and trying to somehow trick them. Federalists were more respectable and cultured people. They mostly owned property and lived in settled areas, unlike the antifederalists. who lived in the backcountry. Many of them were former loyalists who had a conservative attitude. Antifederalists voiced strong objections about the constitution. It had been drawn up by the aristocrats, and therefore was believed to be undemocratic. They spoke out about the loss of sovereignty of the states, and how the freedoms of individuals were in jeopardy because of an absence of a bill of rights. They criticized that there would no longer be annual elections for congressional ...

Religious Clothing Restrictions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Religious Clothing Restrictions - Essay Example In most cases, the wearers of religious symbols such as crosses, crucifixes and prayer beads, hijabs, burqas and niqabs are genuine religious people with a strong and real personal connection with religion. In other minority cases, people do wear religious symbols especially crosses and crucifixes as fashion accessories while some Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Jews wear these attire and symbols due to the politics of identity. However, this discussion proves that, a majority of these people who put on these religious clothing are honest followers of their respective religion. It is important for people to respect other people’s religious beliefs, and consequently abolish the restrictions imposed on the wearing of religious clothing; this is because most people wear religious attire as an expression of their respect for their traditions and religion. Wearing these clothes gives people a religious identity, and gives them a sense of self awareness and awareness of the requirements of their beliefs and traditions. Most of these people believe that wearing this clothes enhances their commitment to spiritual life and that affirming this to the public only strengthens their belief (Grimm). It is the work of the followers of a particular religious belief to decide among themselves what religious dress and symbols are appropriate in light of the teachings of their religion. Criticizing people’s policies and religious belief on clothing and religious symbol is usually received as criticism. of not only the individual, but the religion as well. Making observations in a prejudiced and uncourteous manner about the religious and traditional clothes and symbols of certain members of society would appear to be racial or religious discrimination which is against civil and human rights. In a democratic society, people should be accorded many rights, religion included. The right to religion translates to the right to express ones faith through actions, belief and even dress code. In Britain for example, the Government has expressed its social commitment to religious by promoting a diverse society with different faiths whose followers are universally treated as citizens of t he United Kingdom. In France on the other hand, the government officially banned the wearing of facial veils; this comes at an age where most Muslim women are married to domineering men who force them to wear veils. Some of the

Ideal Society in the Republic of Plato Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ideal Society in the Republic of Plato - Essay Example Plato's ideal society, among others, is inhabited by three classes, namely, Philosopher Kings, Guardians (soldiers) and Artisans. These three represent three elements in human nature – reason, spirit and appetite respectively. These three elements also have three corresponding virtues – wisdom, courage and temperance. There is an oft quoted saying of Plato where he puts philosophy and wisdom on the highest pedestal in the state. He says â€Å"Until philosophers are kings or the kings and princes of this world have the power of philosophy, cities will never have rest from their evils.†As such, his ideal society comprises the three main classes while his Ideal State is constructed through duly trained Philosopher Kings and Guardians. The training and discipline of philosopher kings is such that they are provided all safeguards preventing them form indulging in any digression vis-à  -vis justice in the state. Justice in the state rests in everyone following oneâ₠¬â„¢s own trade and activity for which one is suited best by nature and training (where required). The concept of justice here is linked to the Greek conception of dike, i.e., the just order. In such an order, each individual with respective and corresponding elements, virtues and metals of bronze, silver and gold is doing ones own job to a level of highest excellence. Justice, for Plato, is this excellence of work pursued in the area of one’s own best suited craft. Duly trained Guardians are to protect this Platonic city from invaders and wrong doers. These soldiers are like watchdogs and faithful to the dictates of philosopher kings and justice. Philosopher kings are the ones who can see the reality, knowledge, truth and justice. They are those who ‘know’. The education system and communism of wives and children helps prevent philosopher kings form indulging in any act of digression away from justice. Philosopher kings have come out like shining pieces of gold from the test of fire. Plato starts from state as an institution and moves to individual in his quest for justice. He considers division of labour and reciprocal needs. In this effort, he even discusses various other forms of government such as democracy, totalitarianism and aristocracy etc. He finds his ideal state as the best possible option among them all. Even entry of private property is also abolished in Republic.