Free Essays on Plato

Some assumed that homosexuality alone is capable of satisfying â€Å"a man’s highest and noblest aspirations†. Whereas heterosexual love is placed at an inferior level, being described as only existing for carnal reasons; its ultimate purpose being procreation. There are differing views in these dialogues, Aristophanes contradicts his peers by treating heterosexuality at the same level as homosexuality, arguing that both are predestined. Aristophanes considered himself as the comic poet and he began his discourse as such. Yet as the speech continued, he professed to open another vein of discourse; he had a mind to praise Love in another way, unlike that of either Pausanias or Eryximachus. â€Å"Mankind†, he said, â€Å"judging by their neglect of him, have never at all understood the power of Love†. He argued that if they had understood him they would have built noble temples and altars, and offered solemn sacrifices in his honor. He sought to describe his power and wanted to teach the rest of the world what he was teaching at that moment. Aristophanes spoke first of the nature of man and what had become of it. He said that human nature had changed: The sexes were originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the two. At one time there was a distinct kind, with a bodily shape and a name of its own, constituted by the union of the male and the female: but now only the word 'androgynous' remains, and that as a term of reproach. Aristophanes proceeded by telling an anecdote about the terrible might and strength of mankind and how â€Å"the thoughts of their hearts were so great that they made an attack upon the gods†, leaving the celestial councils to decide whether or not to kill them. Zeus found a solution, and decided to cut them in two so as to divide their strength. As he cut them one after another, he bade Apollo give the face and the half of the neck a turn in order that man might contemplate the secti on of himsel... Free Essays on Plato Free Essays on Plato In Plato’s parable of the misgoverned ship to a poorly run city government he believes that the ship, Athenian democracy, is headed for destruction. Each person is acting in his own interest’s not keeping in mind what he is best for the entire crew. The captain on the ship is physically stronger and bigger then all others onboard the ship, but his hearing, eyesight and knowledge of seafaring are lacking. This captain is being compared the main rulers or leaders of a city; rulers must be propionate members of their society and well as respected just like a captain must be the propionate member on his ship. The captain can not be expected to understand and run all aspects of their everyday city operation just as the ruler can not be. Plato’s captain is not given credit for his work and functions onboard a ship. Not all captains/leaders suffer from â€Å"blindness† about what is happening under their rule. Also Athenian democracy did not have a distinct ruler that stayed in a position of overwhelming power for very long; so the captain is not represented very well. The sailors are constantly arguing with each other, each thinking that they should be the pilot, even though none of them have education on how to navigate. They also think that navigation can not be taught, so they are constantly trying to control the captain through flattery and deceit. They are not skilled in the art of navigation and do not feel that they should have learn it because it is something that we are all inherently born with. The sailors are seeking to control the ship for their benefit and not for that of everyone on board. Once they do get control they drink and eat all the supplies onboard and do not leave supplies for trading which is their reason for sailing. The sailors are a representation of politicians who act in their own interests. These people get in positions of power through flattery and once there suck money from the society or ... Free Essays on Plato Class Divisions in Plato’s Ideal State In his search for justice in The Republic, Plato describes three separate class divisions in the ideal state. The philosophers who possess knowledge, the warriors who possess courage, and the common man who lives to fulfill their wants make up the Plato’s class hierarchy and form the basis for Plato’s efficient city. The three virtues that Plato describes are wisdom, courage, and moderation. Wisdom or â€Å"the love of knowledge† describes the rulers of the city. Since philosophers innately possess this love of knowledge, Plato believes the philosophers should be the ruling class. The other â€Å"guardians† that Plato describes possess courage achieved through an unconquerable spirit. Plato states that, â€Å"a man that is devoid of†¦spirit cannot possibly make a good guardian.† This constitutes a second class of warriors in Plato’s ideal state. The third class or the â€Å"common man† lives only to fulfill his desires. The virtue he’s in search of is moderation and he is in need of this because unlimited desire is evil in Plato’s ideal state. Philosophers are the only ones that possess the knowledge necessary to be the rulers of the ideal state. Philosophers possess this so-called â€Å"love of knowledge† that makes them the best of the guardian class. The common man is not qualified to be in the ruling class because he is concerned only with satisfying his own desires thus incapable of fulfilling the citizens’ needs and serving the general welfare of the state. They are in need of moderation and this occurs only when desires are controlled by the rulers. The problem with this scenario lies in the fact that this is not the way the world works which can be verified through empirical evidence. These characteristics cannot be separated into three different classes; all three characteristics exist in each man. In Plato’s ideal state the ruling class is required to give up thei... Free Essays on Plato What are some of the ways that love can help humans to achieve happiness and fulfillment? There are many ways in which love can help humans to achieve happiness and fulfillment. In Plato’s discussion on love, he explains to us that love offers us a pathway from chaos (25-31 Plato, Aristophanes), the romantic companionship that it offers can lead people out of loneliness. Love also leads us to happiness and fulfillment by leading us too our matching half who we can spend the rest of our lives with. Love can also make us feel different emotions depending on how the love is carried out. Phadreus claims that love gives us a sense of shame for acting badly and a sense of pride for acting well. Another positive aspect of love is that is helps us to overcome selfishness therefore leading to happiness and fulfillment. What are some of the ways that CERTAIN forms of love can pose an obstacle to human’s achievement of happiness and fulfillment? There are many ways in which different kinds of love such as sexual love, romantic love, friendship love, love of god, ect†¦ can in turn pose as an obstacle for human’s achievement of happiness and fulfillment. Firstly, if we take sexual love, Augustine believes that his desire for sexual love pushed him away from achieving happiness because sex prevented him from figuring out what he should believe in the area of religion. The focus on sexual love prevented Augustine to form a strong spiritual relationship with God and a healthy relationship with his wife as he mentioned in book VI. Another problem that Augustine was faced with which many of people today are faced with is winning the love of your friends. In the Theft of Pears, Augustine presents a perfect example of one trying to obtain the love of his friends by stealing the pears and gaining praise by doing so. Thus he was trying to imitate God in order to obtain happiness and fulfillment, however, â€Å"Happin ess doesn’... Free Essays on Plato Plato was born in Athens, Greece in about 427 B.C (based on the Gregorian Calendar). Born into a family of aristocrats, Plato’s father, Ariston, was said to have been a descendant of the royal kings of Athens. This might explain Plato’s why as a young man, Plato’s interest were in political leadership. He was disillusioned by the low level of politics in his time and felt that the only hope for Athens political state was to found a school and create a new kind of political character. Socrates, a great philosopher at that time, was said to have been the reason for Plato renouncing his political practice. Plato became a disciple of Socrates, following in his basic philosophy and dialectical style of debate. The relationship between Plato and Socrates was cut short by the death of Socrates at the hands of the Athenian democracy in 399 B.C. Afraid for his life; Plato left Athens and began to travel. Plato continued in the pursuit of truth through questions, answers and additional questions. Plato traveled around to many Greek cities in search of more knowledge and truth. It wasn’t until about 385 B.C that Plato returned to Athens. There, he founded the Academy, which is said to be the first University in history. This school provided a comprehensive curriculum for those future scholars that would follow in Plato’s path. The great philosopher, Plato wrote many dialogues, which can be defined as the parts of a literary or dramatic work that represents conversation. For him, dialogues were a part of his conception of philosophy. Although his works are not dated, they all come from one of three periods; the early, middle or late periods. Plato also wrote some letters, but his dialogues are what made him great. His early dialogues such as Lysis, (a discussion of friendship), and Book I of the Republic (a discussion of justice) were dedicated solely to the memory of Socrates. His middle to late while still using Socrates in them re... Free Essays on Plato Some assumed that homosexuality alone is capable of satisfying â€Å"a man’s highest and noblest aspirations†. Whereas heterosexual love is placed at an inferior level, being described as only existing for carnal reasons; its ultimate purpose being procreation. There are differing views in these dialogues, Aristophanes contradicts his peers by treating heterosexuality at the same level as homosexuality, arguing that both are predestined. Aristophanes considered himself as the comic poet and he began his discourse as such. Yet as the speech continued, he professed to open another vein of discourse; he had a mind to praise Love in another way, unlike that of either Pausanias or Eryximachus. â€Å"Mankind†, he said, â€Å"judging by their neglect of him, have never at all understood the power of Love†. He argued that if they had understood him they would have built noble temples and altars, and offered solemn sacrifices in his honor. He sought to describe his power and wanted to teach the rest of the world what he was teaching at that moment. Aristophanes spoke first of the nature of man and what had become of it. He said that human nature had changed: The sexes were originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the two. At one time there was a distinct kind, with a bodily shape and a name of its own, constituted by the union of the male and the female: but now only the word 'androgynous' remains, and that as a term of reproach. Aristophanes proceeded by telling an anecdote about the terrible might and strength of mankind and how â€Å"the thoughts of their hearts were so great that they made an attack upon the gods†, leaving the celestial councils to decide whether or not to kill them. Zeus found a solution, and decided to cut them in two so as to divide their strength. As he cut them one after another, he bade Apollo give the face and the half of the neck a turn in order that man might contemplate the secti on of himsel... Free Essays on Plato The Allegory of the Cave is Plato's explanation of the education of the soul toward enlightenment. He sees it as what happens when someone is educated to the level of philosopher. He contends that they must "go back into the cave" or return to the everyday world of politics, greed and power struggles. The Allegory also attacks people who rely upon or are slaves to their senses. The chains that bind the prisoners are the senses. The fun of the allegory is to try to put all the details of the cave into your interpretation. In other words, what are the models the guards carry? the fire? the struggle out of the cave? the sunlight? the shadows on the cave wall? Socrates, in Book VII of The Republic, just after the allegory told us that the cave was our world and the fire was our sun. He said the path of the prisoner was our soul's ascent to knowledge or enlightenment. He equated our world of sight with the intellect's world of opinion. Both were at the bottom of the ladder of knowledge. Our world of sight allows us to "see" things that are not real, such as parallel lines and perfect circles. He calls this higher understanding the world "abstract Reality" or the Intelligeble world. He equates this abstract reality with the knowledge that comes from reasoning and finally understanding. On the physical side, our world of sight, the stages of growth are first recognition of images (the shadows on the cave wall) then the recognition of objects (the models the guards carry) To understand abstract reality requires the understanding of mathematics and finally the forms or the Ideals of all things (the world outside the cave). But our understanding of the physical world is mirrored in our minds by our ways of thinking. First comes imagination (Socrates thought little of creativity), then our unfounded but real beliefs. Opinion gives way to knowledge through reasoning (learned though mathematics). Finally, the realization of the forms is mirrored ... Free Essays on Plato The message of Plato’s myth of the cave conveys his theory of how we come to know or how we attain true knowledge. In the cavern people are chained so they can look forward only at the wall of the cave. Behind them, a fire burns which they are never able to see. Nevertheless, between them and the fire runs a path with a low wall, along which people carry pictures, puppets, and statues. The prisoners cannot see the exit out of the cave, the fire burning behind them, or the people carrying objects in front of the fire. They only see the shadows. Plato makes an Appearance/Reality distinction. For example, the relation between what things appear to be to the senses and what they really are. The prisoners are only familiar with the appearances of shadows and thus they mistake appearance, which are the shadows, for Reality. Furthermore, they do not know what causes the shadows. We can reach the forms through the mind much like a sixth sense. We apprehend the higher world through min d in much the same way that we apprehend this world with our eyes. The cave allegory also proves that the role of education is not to teach in the sense of feeding people information they do not have, but rather to shed light on things they already know. Since the soul is immortal, we are born knowing everything we will ever know. All we have to do is remember it or be guided into remembering it. Professors often say that they give the knowledge just as we give gifts, but in all reality we are born with this knowledge which must be inspired and turned on to fully acquire true knowledge. A professor’s job is to guide students into remembrance of things known, rather than filling them with new things. The light of the Sun, or the Good, shines down upon things and helps the man to a remembrance of them. Knowledge is within us, going inward, not mere surface appearance. Therefore he does not have to be told what they are once the light is on them, he recognizes wh... Free Essays on Plato Society today is changing at a phenomenal rate. Many people are left behind only to find themselves being forced to catch up. More than 2000 years ago, Plato wrote â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† which contemplates the process of change and the acceptance of it. The views Plato expressed in his writings can still be used to describe the world today. Everyone begins in the dark. We enter this world a blank slate where our parents and the formal education system nurture, protect, and try to prepare us for life. After we finish school and move out of our parent’s home we are rudely awakened by the harsh reality of the real world. The enlightenment we experience when we reach adulthood is only the beginning, but it is enough for us to know we don’t want to go back where we started. As infants we see things in the most basic form; we do not have any understanding of what we see or hear. Our parents teach us what they think we should know, and how we should act. Our schools teach us what we need to know to survive in today’s economic society. We accept what they teach, and do not question why because we do not know for sure what lies ahead. Plato symbolizes this when he writes â€Å"human beings living in an underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light†¦their legs and neck chained so that they cannot move† (315, 316). We finally finish school and leave the comfort of our parent’s home; we are tossed into the midst of the real world and all of its harshness. At first it is a struggle, in most instances we are afraid, and many are not ready for the change. We are eventually able to meet the challenge; we settle into our routine and welcome the next challenge. Plato sums this up when he writes â€Å"when any of them is liberated and compelled to suddenly stand up and turn his neck around and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains†¦ and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision† (3... Free Essays on Plato Plato believed that education of the guardian starts in the early childhood. "Don’t you know that the beginning is the most important part of every work and that this is especially so with anything young and tender? For at that stage it’s most plastic, and each thing assimilates itself to the model whose stamp anyone wishes to give to it" (377 b). He then proposes children must learn speech or logic (376 d), gymnastic and music (376 e). American elementary schools implement his ideas by teaching reading and writing for logic exercise, physical education and athletics for gymnastic, and specialist session for learning music. For reading, or storytelling for preliterate children, Plato suggests telling stories that enlighten children about the good values – in this case justice in the society – so they will not be contaminated with lies and injustice. For example, children should learn about the history of America, the biography of American founding fathers, and the values that the United States of America is based upon, such as patriotism, freedom, and justice. Considering Plato’s suggestion, we should not allow children to listen to or to read stories about sexual scandals and other misconduct among politicians in the higher public offices. Plato recommends it is equally good for children to learn divine aspects about God. He insisted that the God’s works were just and good (380 b), and the God and what belongs to the God are in every way the best condition (381 b). He disagrees to any effort to tell children about God as wizard, God as a high-tempered figure, or even about the thoughts that God is a liar. Plato criticized poems, tales and stories that undermined God. It seems that Plato believed in God. It is difficult to implement Plato’s ideas about teaching about God’s existence in American public schools because religion is not part of the subject matter. In fact, it is prohibited by the Constitution. Educator... Free Essays on Plato Plato’s â€Å"Crito,† begins with dialogue between Socrates and Crito which takes place in Socrate’s prison cell, where he awaits execution. Crito had been watching Socrates for a long time and was amazed how peacefully he slept awaiting death. But Socrates replies that it would be odd to fear death at such an old age Crito has made arrangements to smuggle his friend Socrates out of prison to safety. But since Socrates is willing to wait for his execution, Crito presents many arguments to persuade him to escape. He first tell Socrates that he should not worry about the risk or the financial cost to his friends. The next two arguments state that if Socrates remained in prison, he would be helping his enemies in wrondoing him unjustly, and this would result in acting unjustly himself. Crito also mentioned that he would be abandoning his children and leaving them without a father. Socrates replies to Crito that he should not worry about public opinion and to only listen to expert and wise advise. He tells Crito that if escaping from prison is just, he will go with Crito, if it is unjust, he must remain in prison and face death. Next, Socrates begins to tell about the Laws of Athens, which speaks to him and explain why it would be unjust for him to leave his cell. He believes that breaking one rule means breaking them all which would cause great harm since these laws provided for his upbringing and education. Socrates provides a very convincing argument of why he should not escape from the Athenian prison. He states that if he does as Crito suggests and escapes, it will not be justifiable nor true. Although his family and friends will be much happier if he escapes, he will not follow the justice or moral code of the state in which he was born and raised. Socrates also gives the idea that if he were to escape, his family and friends would be happy for him, but their fellow citizens and their state in which they reside would no... Free Essays on Plato Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† and Black Elk’s â€Å"The Great Vision† each make a case for a particular way of knowing through a vision or higher realm. Black Elk describes a far more detailed version of his own vision as a young child. His experience provides a way of knowing the spiritual world. Plato describes a man imprisoned in a cave who finds a way of knowing and understanding the world through an enlightening experience. Both authors share similar ideas of gaining knowledge at a higher level, but smaller details of their writings show the differences in their positions. In â€Å"Allegory of the Cave,† Plato created a metaphoric story beginning at the far end of a cave, a long way from the outside world where men had lived since childhood with their legs and necks tied up in a way that kept them in one place and only allowed them to look straight ahead. Further up the cave, a fire was burning which allowed minimal lighting. There was a wall between the fire and the men, behind which people carried all sorts of artifacts. The men were only able to see shadows of these artifacts. They did not have any knowledge of definite objects. One of the men was untied and dragged into the sunlight. After his eyes adjusted to the light, he feasted his eyes â€Å"on the heavenly bodies and the heavens themselves.† He was told he was now closer to reality and was seeing more accurately. When the man saw the sun, he deducted that it was â€Å"the source of the seasons and the yearly cycle that the whole of the visible realm is its domain.† Plato called the upward journey the mind’s ascent to the intelligible realm. â€Å"In the realm of knowledge is goodness† which is responsible for everything that is right and fine and â€Å"is the source and provider of truth.† Plato deducted that after visiting the higher realm, one would not want â€Å"to engage in human business† in the lower realm because his mind would rather be in the upper regi... Free Essays on Plato Plato's Theory of Knowledge Plato’s Theory of Knowledge is very interesting. He expresses this theory with three approaches: his allegory of The Cave, his metaphor of the Divided Line and his doctrine The Forms. Each theory is interconnected; one could not be without the other. Here we will explore how one relates to the other. In The Cave, Plato describes a vision of shackled prisoners seated in a dark cave facing the wall. Chained also by their necks, the prisoners can only look forward and see only shadows, These shadows are produced by men, with shapes of objects or men, walking in front of a fire behind the prisoners. Plato states that for the prisoners, reality is only the mere shadows thrown onto the wall. Another vision is releasing a prisoner from his chains, how his movements are difficult, his eye adjustment painful and suggestions of the effects of returning to the cave. The Cave suggests to us that Plato saw most of humanity living in â€Å"the cave†, in the dark, and that the vision of knowledge and the â€Å"conversion† to that knowledge was salvation from darkness. He put it this way, â€Å"the conversion of the soul is not to put the power of sight in the soul’s eye, which already has it, but to insure that, insisted of looking in the wrong direction it is turned the way it ought to be.† Plato’s two worlds: the dark, the cave, and the bright were his way of rejecting the Sophists, who found â€Å"true knowledge† impossible because of constant change. Plato believed there was a â€Å" true Idea of Justice†. The Cave showed us this quite dramatically. The Divided Line visualizes the levels of knowledge in a more systematic way. Plato states there are four stages of knowledge development: Imagining, Belief, Thinking, and Perfect Intelligence. Imagining is at the lowest level of this developmental ladder. Imagining, here in Plato’s world, is not taken at its conventional level but of appearances seen as â€Å"tru e re... Free Essays on Plato The Greek philosopher Plato (428-347 BC) was among the most important and creative thinkers of the ancient world. His work set forth most of the important problems and concepts of Western philosophy, psychology, logic, and politics, and his influence has remained profound from ancient to modern times. Plato was born in Athens in 428 BC. Both his parents were of distinguished Athenian families, and his stepfather, an associate of Pericles, was an active participant in the political and cultural life of Periclean Athens. Plato seems as a young man to have been destined for an aristocratic political career. The excesses of Athenian political life, however, both under the oligarchical rule of the so-called Thirty Tyrants and under the restored democracy, seem to have led him to give up these ambitions. In particular, the execution of Socrates had a profound effect on his plans. The older philosopher was a close friend of Plato's family, and Plato's writings attest to Socrates' great infl uence on him. After Socrates' death Plato retired from active Athenian life and traveled widely for a number of years. In 388 BC he journeyed to Italy and Sicily, where he became the friend of Dionysius the Elder, ruler of Syracuse, and his brother-in-law Dion. The following year he returned to Athens, where he founded the Academy, an institution devoted to research and instruction in philosophy and the sciences. Most of his life thereafter was spent in teaching and guiding the activities of the Academy. When Dionysius died, Dion invited Plato to return to Syracuse to undertake the philosophical education of the new ruler, Dionysius the Younger. Plato went, perhaps with the hope of founding the rule of a philosopher-king as envisioned in his work the Republic. The visit, however, ended in failure. In 361, Plato went to Syracuse again. This visit proved even more disastrous, and he returned to the Academy. Plato died in 347 BC. Plato's published writings, of ... Free Essays on Plato Socrates' ideal city is described through Plato in his work The Republic, some questions pondered through the text could be; How is this an "ideal" city formed, and is justice in the city relative to that of the human soul? I believe Socrates found the true meaning of justice in the larger atmosphere of the city and applied that concept to the human soul. Socrates describes his idea of an "ideal city" as one that has all the necessary parts to function and to show that justice is truly the harmony between the three stages of the city and soul in the human body. Plato introduces the idea of the happiness. Socrates says, "†¦in establishing our city, we aren’t aiming to make any one group outstanding happy but to make the whole city so, as far as possible " (Plato 420b). I agree that in order to examine one thing that is difficult to comprehend, it is wise to look on a larger scale. In this case, Socrates had to examine the difference of a whole city and other concepts of ci ties in order to determine justice in the world and inner soul. In order to develop the perfect city Socrates had to develop the other ideas that contribute to the "ideal city", the City of Need, and the City of Luxury in order to develop the Perfect City. I believe Socrates in-depth discovery process for the perfect city is a great philosophical look into the idea of justice. Socrates brought up a subject many men at that time would never have thought about and Plato believed that the idea of justice was worthy of writing a literary work to pass his philosophy on to future generations. Since the crucial elements of justice may be easier to observe on the larger scale like a city than on one individual. The focus for Socrates is a perfect city, because the city will represent human soul, Socrates says; "we'll go on to consider it in the individuals, considering the likeness of the bigger in the idea of the littler?"(Plato 369a). Plato's "ideal city" is really the sea... Free Essays on Plato Plato and Aristotle, 4th century philosophers, hold polar views on politics and philosophy in general. This fact is very cleverly illustrated by Raphael's "School of Athens" , in which Plato is portrayed looking up to the higher forms; as Aristotle points down emphasizing his leanings toward the 'second philosophy' of the natural sciences. In a discussion of politics, the stand point of each philosopher becomes an essential factor. It is not coincidental that Plato states in "The Republic" that Philosopher Rulers who possess knowledge of the good should be the governors in a city state. His strong interest in metaphysics is demonstrated in The Republic various times: for example, the similes of the cave, the sun, and the line, and his theory of the forms. Because he is so involved in metaphysics, his views on politics are more theoretical as opposed to actual. Aristotle, contrarily, holds the view that politics is the art of ruling and being ruled in turn. In "The Politics", he attempts to outline a way of governing that would be ideal for an actual state. Balance is a key term in discussing Aristotle because he believes that balance is the necessary element to creating a stable government. His less-metaphysical approach to politics suggests that Aristotle could be in tune with the modern world, although millennia removed from it. Plato's concept of what politics and government should be is a direct result of his belief in the theory of forms. The theory of forms basically states that there is a higher "form" for everything that exists in the world. Each material thing is simply a representation of the real thing which is the form. According to Plato, most people cannot see the forms, they only see their representation or their shadows, as in the simile of the cave. Only those who love knowledge and contemplate on the reality of things will achieve understanding of the forms. Philosophers, who by definition are knowledge lovers, ar...

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buy custom Obesity essay Obesity commonly reported lifestyle disorder that is said to have no cure. This is a chronic condition that is caused by excessive body fat. It is possible to acquire this disease when you gain a lot of unnecessary weight, and then you are unable to burn the same amount of calories earned. There are definitely very many causes of this particular disease that occur both in children, and in adults. Well, the body needs a particular amount of fat in the body in order to function normally, and this also varies with individuals. In women, the quantity of fat should be between 25% and 30%. In men, the quantity should be between 18% and 23% .With these average figures, then a man with over 25% and a woman with over 30% is considered to be obese (Heymsfield et al. 525). Again, from the current research, at least a third of the total American population is obese or overweight. There have been enormous conflicting views from popular scholarly journals on whether obesity should be considered to be a disease. There has not been any valid prove to support any of the arguments that have been proposed. Although obesity is not the only public health problem, it would be wrong to label it as a disease from the traditional point of view, because it does not meet the reasonable criteria for such diseases. This disorder is a serious health dilemma that is directly harmful to ones health. For instance, in America, 300,000 deaths occur per year with the major cause being obesity. When an individual is suffering from this disorder, they are exposed to greater chances of being infected by a number of chronic diseases. These include the Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, cancer, among others (Manson et al. 885). The fat cells in the body are mainly responsible for the insulin resistance more than the muscle cells, and this is why this is a major cause of obesity. The insulin resistance state can always last for s many years, and when the pancrease is no longer able to produce the high levels of insulin, the blood glucose levels begin to rise, which finally results to type 2 diabetes. From the medical report, it is also evident that, during the period when there is insulin resistance, there will also be the hardening of the arteries, which is also a complication of this disease. Among the older obese individuals, the common complications that they suffer from are High blood pressure, heart attack, and cancer issues. As the body weight increases among the women, so does their risk of their blood pressure. The report also showed that the risk is greater in women than in men. The same case applies to women whose BMI is greater than 29. These individuals suffer a great risk of undergoing death from the coronary heart disease (Williamson et al. 178). With the first heart attack, there is increased risk of a preceding one to occur if obesity is the underlying disorder. Obesity is also associated with posing a great risk to cancer infection. It is linked to causing colon cancer in both men and women. Due to estrogen increase in the blood stream, the women are also at greater risk of being infected with breast cancer, especially in their postmenopausal stages. At present, it is clear than apart from overeating and physical inactivity, there are several other underlying factors that contribute to obesity. One of these factors is the genetic component. If one or more parents have the history of being obese, then an individual will stand the chance of having their hormones being infected, and tamper with the fat regulation. Foods that are high in fat and sugars have been known to have a high fat content, hence contribute to great weight gain (Droyvold et al. 340). A diet that has excessive carbohydrate levels will in turn lead to increased glucose levels that stimulate the insulin release by the pancreases. This process eventually leads to the growth of fat tissues, which causse weight gain. The reason why more women are at the risk of being obese is the fact that, they have fewer muscles than the men. For this particular reason, they have slower metabolic rates than men, and in the same manner, weight loss is more difficult. People lose their muscles as they progress in age, and their metabolic levels slow down. This happens more often if an individual does not reduce their caloric intake. In the hopes of reaching the average body weights, the individuals may be forced to adapt a strenuous diet. After some time, there might be some remarkable weight loss recognized, but it usually returns quickly (Yuker and Allison 250). This is why a more lasting solution to treat obesity should be not being administered in short-term basis, but it should be an ongoing life-long process. Individuals should not attach more meaning to gaining an ideal weight as a way of treating obesity, but the overall goal should be to reach and maintain a healthier weight, for a longer time. Scientists have made efforts of improving the medication and treatment of this disorder (Heymsfield et al. 557). Their main target is to have a better and safer way to deal with this problem. At the moment, there is no proven treatment for obesity that is considered to be instant, but it is rather a gradual process. This is achieved by a long-life of proper diet and regular exercise. Medication is given to those patients whose risk of having obesity is greater than the potential side of healing safely. In conclusion, it is important for every individual to try and maintain their ideal body weight by balancing their food consumption and calories needed by their body. The health of a person is determined by what they eat, hence, it is important to keep checking the amounts and quality of foods that one eats. This habit should be practiced in all age groups to prevent the occurrence of obesity and its complications among the citizens. Buy custom Obesity essay

Campaign Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Campaign Evaluation - Essay Example It incorporates specialized skills and expertise in the practice to incorporate and navigate through media relations and public relations without infringing on the practices of each continuum. Public relations relies on the critical and practical tools of media release, media conference and media kits. Further, these tools also combine with the management skills in advising bout the most preferable course of practice or action to follow. Thus, there is need to understand the role of media relations and public relations accordingly in facilitating the establishment of a successful campaign (Delahaye, 2011, p 18). A successful campaign meets the evaluation criteria that encompass the residual practices from media and public relations as facilitating continuums to the topic of campaign evaluation. Media has the potential to evolve the practice of public relations accordingly to reflect a global strategy that features interactive and symmetrical dialogue that is socially responsible. In modeling the two fields, various theoretical approaches are key to facilitate the processes of campaign strategy development and execution (Delahaye, 2011, p 23). Notably, the initial models that define public relations in this context entail the following. First, is the press agency, which constitutes the publicity of the campaign in the process. The fundamental element of publicity develops in the context of evaluating campaign since; publicity uses persuasion and manipulation in the pursuit to influence the audience towards behaving according to the organization objectives and desires (De Beer & Merrill, 2004, p 43). Thus, the audience in this sense relies on the ability of the media agency to develop strategic message that persuades and manipulates the audience accordingly to incline toward s the message of the press agency. Thus, public relations possessing this fundamental element, media relations

Art & Eight Different Kinds of Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art & Eight Different Kinds of Art - Assignment Example Examples of such art have also been stated for better understanding. Introduction Art has been in existence since time memorial and has played second nature to man since it’s expressed in various forms. From stone carvings and cave drawings in the Neanderthal days, to modern day art such like graffiti, art has truly evolved. We shall therefore be discussing the different meanings and eight different kinds of art to be precise. A conclusion on what art is based on the eight discussed areas and the future of art will then be drawn. Definition of Art According to George Dickie (1956), art in the classificatory sense is an abstract or a collection of pieces of which are meant for appreciation by a person or individuals acting on their own behalf or that of an institution. Monroe Beardsley's (1982) on the other hand defines artwork as either an arrangement of conditions anticipated to have the ability of affording an experience with marked aesthetic disposition or an arrangement be longing to a class or type of arrangements that is typically intended to have this capacity. But according to the definition by Levinson (1990), an artwork is an object that has been purposely projected for consideration in any way prior works were appropriately regarded. Painting As a form of art, painting refers to the artistic impression of images using colors that represent different abstract meanings. An example of a painting is The Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. The painting has been conferred upon it a status because of its sentimental value and it’s deep hidden meaning that its artist intended to portray Sculpture This form of art is used to describe an artwork which has three dimensions, height, width and depth. Most sculptures are free standing but can be in relief where the form stands out from a flat background. Relief sculpture decorates the walls of many buildings.   Sculptures are conventionally made by  carving wood or stone, or by modeling clay and then casting into bronze. Modern sculptors however, have made use of the new technology and materials to construct artworks in many different media using techniques of gluing and welding, nailing or wiring. A good example of a sculpture is the statue of Liberty, in the United States of America. As a form of art, the statue of liberty has been conferred upon it a status as being the identifiable landmark that represents the freedom and democracy of the American people. Architectural Art This is a realistic, prosaic and philosophical art by which we organize and give form to space; it is a means through which sense is made of the world both in terms of space and physically. Different architects have diverse concepts of building designs. This form of art is visually stunning and also has an artistic feel that gives individuals pleasure in making use of them. For instance, great architectural buildings, other than being visually stunning, also offer comfort and ease of movement to u sers. An example of a stunning architectural building is the Burj Al Arab, in Dubai, such an architectural piece was designed not only to be the identifiable landmark of the region, but also make use of the open seas since it has been constructed within the seas of Dubai. Photography Photography is the process of capturing taking pictures and transforming them into visual images. Such images are often used to

Internet Marketing †Acquisition and Retention Essay Example for Free

Internet Marketing – Acquisition and Retention Essay The methods of conducting business have really changed as the impact of globalization has causes several flexibilities and easiness in our lifestyles and daily life. Many businesses find it costly to open it in a physical location and expanding through outlets, which often does not target large audience. Therefore, many businesses are starting through internet where they can target customers from all over the world, market their products or services easily and economically, and get payments right away. Not only this, those businesses that do not operate virtually and have physical locations are finding it more effective and financially beneficial to market their products through internet, and that what is called Internet Marketing. Internet marketing also contains the elements of Direct Marketing, where the promotion of products is done online such as, websites (ResearchStarters, 2008). It does not mean that when businesses are started online they would always save costs and be successful; in fact, many businesses fail due to several factors and one significant of them is poor marketing strategies. Of course, the consumers would not have any idea that a new business has started that for instance, sells soccer jerseys, through its website. The target market should have to be made aware of that business, the products, new offers/deals, customer value, feedback, etc. Therefore, all this requires the business to use effective marketing tools and strategies where it can convey the message to the audience, impress them, convince them to purchase, and provide feedback. Businesses can use online marketing strategies such as, designing websites that grab the attention of the customers at first sight, force them to explore, make them realize that they are everything for the company, provide them with ease in shopping online, and let them give a chance to give a feedback. Moreover, businesses can also use the strategy of mass-emailing to the customers or potential customers whether they are individuals or other entities. Placing ads on popular and most-visited websites is another strategy but is quite expensive. And finally, the use of social networking websites such as, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, is lucrative since it is inexpensive and targets wide range of audience. Customer Acquisition and Retention There is absolutely no doubt about the fact that it takes a business much more to spend in acquiring new customers than to retain the old or present customers. The reason being that the acquisition of new customers require the business to conduct market research, target them in a new way, shape the products or services according to their needs, reposition the brand that might damage it, and shape the marketing strategies accordingly. These all result in occurring more and more costs for the company; whereas, retaining old or present customers is quite prolific since they have already tried the products, have an image for it, know the company and its reputation, and most importantly can result in promoting them through word-of-mouth. Other marketing strategies for retaining such customers include offering them membership programs, building good relationships with them, increasing the contact with them, asking them for feedback about whether they are satisfied or not, enhancing support for them, and making them realize that they are part of the database and are given importance (Hughes, 2010). Moreover, retention of customers require the company to reshape and bring innovative features and qualities in their products to make those dormant customers restart buying the products if they have stopped to. There is a rule called 80/20 rule, which means that 80% of the revenue comes from 20% of the loyal customers. Therefore, businesses should not feel bothered if they have to invest more on those customers because they are providing them with more sales. So, companies can conduct sales promotion activities or other marketing campaigns for rejuvenating them and milking them. Also, when businesses get to know that their certain customers have stopped buying the products, they should conduct surveys where they should ask the customers what were the reason due to which they stopped buying, what flaw they saw in it, what improvements they want, etc (Businessfast4ward, 2010).

Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- American Literature, Biography

Shirley Jackson is said to be one of the most â€Å"brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century.† â€Å"Her fiction writing is some of the most important to come out of the American literary canon.† (http://shirleyjackson.org/Reviews.html) Jackson wrote many short stories and even some books. They are more on the dark, witchlike side, however. Kelleher explains that Jackson stated in some interviews that she practiced magic. No one really knows if she was serious while practicing witchcraft or not, but it ended up helping her write her stories http://www.literarytraveler.com/literary_articles/shirley_jackson_bennington.aspx). A major story that throws people for a loop is â€Å"The Lottery†. This was Jackson’s first short story and many people did not know how to take the story. Your everyday person may be offended by it,but an everyday writer may think it is a work of art. Even though Jackson seemed like a normal person, she enjoyed writing about the dark side of things; hence, â€Å"The Lottery† was written. Shirley Jackson was born December 14, 1919, in San Francisco. She spent all of her childhood in Burlingame, California, and started her writing, as well. Then when she turned seventeen, her and her family moved east, where she enrolled in the University of Rochester. After only a year in the university, she left and decided to pursue writing. Another year passed and she attended Syracuse University. There she published her first story, â€Å"Janice† and also won a poetry contest. After winning the contest, she met Stanley Edgar Hyman. They got acquainted and founded a magazine together called: The Spectre. Later in life they ended up getting married. Together they had four children and moved around so Hyman could have a job with... ..." Study Guides & Essay Editing | GradeSaver. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour.† An Introduction to Literature. Eds. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain. 15th ed. New York: Longman, 2008. 193-199 Kelleher, Katy. "Shirley Jackson in Bennington Vermont, Shirley Jackson Ebooks, Shirley Jackson First Editions, Shirley Jackson Tours LiteraryTraveler.com." Literary Traveler, Literary Tours, Travel Writing, Travel Literature, Ereaders, EBooks, Travel, HemingwayLiteraryTraveler.com. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . "Literary Analysis: The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson - by Amelia Tibbett - Page 2 - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . "Shirley Jackson - Biography of Shirley Jackson - English 101." Simple Writers Student Papers and Essays. 2006. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. . Shirley Jackson's Bio. 2009. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. .

Existentialism & Fight Club Essay

In modern day society, individuals usually experience the same routine over and over again, but rarely become aware of the drudgery of daily life. These people are unable to achieve a higher level of existence by being uniform. Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett, is an existential play where two men are stuck in the same routine day after day. They sit around all day waiting for the inevitable arrival of a man named Godot, who seems like he will never come; the two lose track of time. The men are completely unaware of what day of the week it is; they seem to be achieving nothing in their dull lives due to their tedious ways. Waiting for Godot is more than a mere existential play; there are heavy undertones of Christianity, creating a religious aspect to the play, yet the author manipulates Christian beliefs to strengthen existentialistic ideas. There are many existential elements in this play, mainly monotony and the inability to take action. Both Acts one and two of the play are similar because they contain identical events. First, Vladimir meets Estragon at the same tree. Estragon sleeps in a ditch all night and is continually beaten up. They become acquainted with Pozzo and Lucky, and then a boy notifies them that Godot will arrive tomorrow. At the end of the act, Vladimir and Estragon are unable to leave, and the second act repeats the same sequence of events. Vladimir admits that â€Å"habit is a great deadener† (Beckett 105). A fundamental belief of existentialism is, individuals who repeat the same mundane task will not live life to the fullest and are stuck in a lull. The characters in Waiting for Godot are constantly stating that they will take action but do not acquire the initiative to finalize the task. Their life is not complete or entirely satisfied because of their â€Å"lack of perfection, power, and control†¦over their [lives]† (All About Philosophy). Pozzo realizes his inability to maneuver and remarks, â€Å"I don’t seem to be able†¦to deport† (Beckett 5). Estragon then rejoins stating, â€Å"Such is life† (Beckett 5). People are inflicted with the difficult task of taking initiative and become dormant when they do not choose to take their own future into their hands. According to Kierkegaard, people constantly have to choose what they become of and therefore, â€Å"must take responsibility for [their] future† (Philosopher). The men in this play are unable to take action and need an outer force to act upon them (Philosophy Paradise). They are afraid to â€Å"accept the risk and responsibility of following their commitment wherever it leads† (Age of the Sage). The men do not want to act on their own because they are scared to take a chance. They are unable to determine their own fates and therefore, wait for God to decide. Existentialists believe that the individual should to take charge in what becomes of their fate. That burden cannot be shifted â€Å"onto God, or nature, or the ways of the world. –Professor Robert Solomon† (Dividing Line). By taking control, one can enjoy their life as an individual because they choose what becomes of their existence. Christianity plays a major role in Waiting for Godot, as there are many references relating God to Godot and Jesus Christ to Estragon. During the first act, Estragon decides to walk around barefoot and claims, â€Å"[a]ll my life I’ve compared myself to [Christ]† (Beckett 57). He is able to compare himself to Christ because all men, including Jesus, are God’s children. Moreover, â€Å"Godot stands for God† (New York Times) because â€Å"only God know what the future contains. † (Urbana). This is relevant to Godot because the men are depending on him to decide their fate. They will not settle on a path for their futures until they meet Godot. The two men inquired Godot for â€Å"a kind of prayer† and are waiting for his reply (Beckett 12). This religious act is an allusion the prayers that many Christians make to God. Thus far, the men have not been aquatinted with Godot because â€Å"God does not calculate time as [they] do. † (Urbana). Their day may not be the same amount of time as what Godot designates it to be. The men are forced to wait endlessly for the day that he will arrive. This is yet another allusion to Christianity; the men lingering around for Godot and the Christians waiting for the Lord’s coming. The Christians believe that â€Å"in God’s good time [he will] again enable men to see clear† (Reformation Ink). By allowing men to see clearly, they can make their own decisions in life and become more of an individualist. Christians believe they should live in awareness for a unique time when they are needed to set everything aside to â€Å"receive something from God or to do something for God† (Urbana). When this time comes, one should know the difference between what needs to be done and what is truly important (Urbana). A time when this is relevant, is when Vladimir contemplates whether he should assist Pozzo up or go harass Lucky with Estragon. He discovers that it is important to help Pozzo up. He declares, â€Å"It is not every day that we are needed† (Beckett 90). Vladimir realizes how valuable life is and how â€Å"[f]reedom is a gift from God† (Christian-Philosopher). Both Estragon and Vladimir are, â€Å"waiting for†¦waiting† (Beckett 5o). This is against Christian beliefs because the men are not cherishing the time God has given them. The time God bestows upon them must be spent with responsibility and should be seen as a divine gift (Urbana). Christianity and existentialism are intertwined in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Although they both have different beliefs about the demise of one’s life, they have the same principles on how to live. Christianity and existentialism both believe that time should be cherished. Christians view time as a heavenly offering from God, while existentialists believe that individuals must live in the now, because they will not be on earth for long. When Vladimir and Estragon encounter Pozzo in the second act, Pozzo divulges, â€Å"I don’t remember having met anyone yesterday. But to-morrow I won’t remember having met anyone to-day† (Beckett 101). It has been stated earlier in the play that Pozzo is the â€Å"universe. † He is trying to convey that one day someone is born and the next, another person dies. Eventually there is no recollection of the deceased human, and the world keeps going on. According to both existentialism and Christianity, it is up to the individual to choose what they do in life, since â€Å"time is limited† (Urbana). John Cassidy declares â€Å"[n]o one [can] do their work for them, and no one [can] stand behind† them (Christen-Philosopher). It is up to the individual decide what they become of in life. No one, including God, has to deal with their way of living, except for themselves. They are the ultimate rulers of their existence and â€Å"have some control over the course† their future takes (Urbana). ? Bibliography Banks, Robert. Complete Book of Everyday Christianity. 1997. Urbana. 7 December 2009 Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. New York: Grove Press, 1954 Cassidy, John. Christian Existentialism. Christian – Philosopher. 13 December 2009 Eiermann, Katharena. DividingLine. com. Dividing Line. 13 December 2009. < http://www. dividingline. com/> Existentialism – A Philosophy. Philosophy All About. 12 December 2009 Existentialism. Philosopher. 13 December 2009 Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. 2006. Philosophy Paradise. 30 Nov. 2009 The origins of Existentialism. Age of the Sage. 17 December 2009 . Machen, J. Gresham. What is Christianity? Reformation INK. 17 December 2009. Atkinson, Brooks. Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot. ’ 20 April 1956. The New York Times. 17 December 2009.