Thomas Moore Lacked Common Sense :: Philosophy Essays

Thomas Moore Lacked Common Sense Moore was a great philosopher. He really deserves a hand for his proof for an external world. Moore did something that no other philosopher had done before or has done since; he successfully proved the existence of an external world. Not only did he prove the existence of an external world in fact, but he also did it rather briefly and with no further resources necessary than his own two hands. Once one is acquainted with Moore’s proof, it becomes evident almost immediately just how much sense Moore’s â€Å"common sense† makes. To start with, in the proof of an external world, Moore sets some goals. These goals are to â€Å"clarify the problem of the existence of external objects† and to â€Å"prove that external objects exist† (Goldstein 2002, handout). Moore goes on to prove these goals with his brilliant proof of his theories. The proof as a whole is actually two proofs, one being a sub-derivation of the other. It is beneficial to the student of philosophy if they attempt these proofs as the study Moore. The requirements for the first proof are two hands, so anyone attempting this proof needs to acquire two hands. Now, one must follow Moore’s proof exactly, saying first â€Å"here is one hand, and here is another,† then gesturing with both hands (Pojman 2003, 53). It is important that these steps be followed precisely; else, Moore’s proof is not reproduced but is instead bastardized. The conclusion, which follows from this premise, is that there are two hands. The second proof begins with these premises: 1. If there are two hands here, there are physical objects. 2. There are two hands here. 3. If there are physical objects, there are external objects. 4. There are physical objects. The conclusion that follows is, â€Å"Therefore, there are external objects,† (Pojman 2003, 53-54). So, there is no possible argument that could break so sound a logic as this, if the premises are true then they must guarantee the truth of the conclusion if this is a valid argument.

The Importance of Roger Spottiswoode’s Screen Adaptation of And The Ban

The Importance of Roger Spottiswoode’s Screen Adaptation of And The Band Played On [1] Hollywood is no longer just a name, it is a business, a living entity holding America’s people in its grasp, and it is not about to let them go. Gradually taking on more responsibility and trying to build up its reputation over the years, Hollywood has progressively assumed the position of history-teller for the American public. This role, whether or not an appropriate one for an industry such as Hollywood to tackle, has catapulted actors and actresses into high paying, high visibility positions. History has and will continue to be one of the main subjects that the movie industry has been fascinated with. It is an alive and very fragile subject that, through its multi-dimensional character, requires careful attention by everyone involved in the project. Whenever Hollywood tackles an historical topic, whether portraying a non-disputable factual event or only a vaguely one, the industry is bound to encounter dispute and criticism. [2] Regardless of how careful the director, producer, and actors are at being loyal to the subject matter, then, the question still remains whether or not Hollywood is a legitimate resource for historical matter. Is it possible for a dramatic, high priced and glitzy medium to be honest and true to its subject matter in such a way that viewers are not confused but more educated walking out than they were walking in? Is the Movie Theater any place for history to be learned? Directors fight and argue that indeed Hollywood is equally as reliable and legitimate a source as other "texts." The movies provide a more immediate resource, allowing history to change from the dreaded school subject to an appea... ...-. Conduct Unbecoming: Lesbians and Gays in the U.S. Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993. ---. The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life & Times of Harvey Milk. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1982. â€Å"The True Virus.† The Economist 8 June 1991 (v319 n7710): 83. Video Against AIDS. v1-3. Curated by John Greyson and Bill Horrigan. The Video Data Bank with V Tape/Canada, 1988 Voices From the Front. Video. Dir. Robyn Hutt, David Meieran and Sandra Elgear. Cinemax/Vangaurd Cinema, 1991. Wallis, Claudia. â€Å"Battling AIDS; More Misery, Less Mystery.† Time 29 April 1985: 68. Weintraub, Bernard. â€Å"Stars Flock to Be in HBO Film About the Early Years of AIDS.† Rev of And the Band Played On, by HBO Productions. New York Times 11 Jan 1993, Current Events ed.: C11. Werth, Barry. â€Å"By AIDS Obsessed.† GQ Aug 1991.

Becoming a Teacher

Becoming a Teacher Becoming a Teacher Every person has his or her own dreams of becoming somebody when he or she grows up. Some would say they want to be a doctor, engineer, lawyer, accountant, or businessman. In my case, ever since I was a child, I have been nurturing this dream of becoming a teacher. I decided to embark on this noble profession for three main reasons.The first reason can be attributed to my wish to have an impact on people’s lives. Specifically, I wish to become a role model for the youth of today, many of whom are in need of guidance.I believe that I can be a good example and a teacher to every student that I will be teaching in the future. By being a role model, I can help my future students grow and mold them to become better individuals—a feat that, when achieved, can certainly leave me fulfilled. Second, I want to become a teacher for a very simple reason: I want to share knowledge and make a difference in people’s lives. I seek to educate the young ones not only about the sub jects that they have to learn, but also about the realities of the world and the values that they should live out.I also wish to have the chance to help them achieve their goals and dreams in the future. By doing so, I would be able to draw out every student’s potential and help him or her lead a successful life founded on integrity. Third, my passion for and interest in dealing with children prompted me to decide on becoming a teacher.For me, children are just like angels; being around them makes me feel happy and content in life. They are cute, sweet, and adorable. They may be stubborn, hardheaded, and noisy, but these are the qualities that make them a child, so their display of such behavior is only natural.Hence, I, as a teacher, should start teaching children during their formative years so that they will grow up to become principled individuals. These are the reasons why I am very eager and enthusiastic to become a teacher.Teaching is a very challenging profession. Thu s, in order to survive and become a successful and effective teacher, I believe that teachers should possess the following characteristics and skills. First of all, a teacher should have compassion, a trait that entails empathy, kindness, and benevolence.Teachers with compassion possess a genuine desire to help students. Hence, being compassionate is one of the most important traits that a teacher should have. Another quality that is crucial to teachers is dedication. Teaching is not just a profession; it is a commitment that an individual takes due to his or her great intention to help others and pass on the knowledge and skills that he or she has. Teachers should also have confidence in themselves in order to be an effective teacher. They must know what they are doing and have the courage to lead every student to the right path.Strength is also another important trait that teachers should possess in order for students to regard them with respect. Moreover, teachers should exhibit enthusiasm in order to motivate the students to learn and develop. They should also be approachable and have good communication skills in order to prevent misunderstandings or miscommunications with and among their students.Open communication is imperative in a teacher-student relationship so that the teacher will know whether there is development or problem in his or her students.In addition, I also believe that a teacher should demonstrate a good attitude and character to his or her students. They should always be a good example to their students and always show positive feelings and emotions (Glenn, 2001). Finally, the most important personal characteristic that a teacher should have is a lot of patience. Patience is said to be a virtue, a virtue that is very hard to keep and maintain. Being a teacher requires having a lot of patience because of all the responsibilities that he or she has to fulfill, such as making sure that the students learn and develop their skills.Considering this list of the personal characteristics that a teacher should possess in order to become effective, one may perceive the profession as very difficult and complicated to fulfill. However, knowing that the purpose of teachers is to help and change other people’s life for the better does not hinder me to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher someday. There are different types of schooling in the society nowadays. One of these is special education. Special education is a very different setting compared to a normal school.It is a school or a place where various special and additional services are provided for children or people with disabilities, including blind, deaf, mute, and mentally challenged individuals, among others (Watson, 2003). To stay updated in the field of special education, teachers can attend seminars or taking a special course that directly provides information especially relevant to this field. This may involve taking a course that offers different technique s and strategies in teaching and handling special children.Learning that is based on personal observation could be helpful as well in this field. Keeping one’s passion sounds very easy especially if it is something that a person enjoys doing. Nonetheless, in the field of teaching, it might appear very difficult to keep a teacher’s passion in teaching, for it is said to be a very stressful and difficult career. However, in my opinion, maintaining my passion for teaching is easy. There are a lot of things that I can do in order to maintain my strong will and desire in teaching.Being innovative in my teaching style, combined with a positive attitude towards this profession, would keep me happy and satisfied with this job. Dealing with children, getting to know different students, and gaining love, respect and care from students are also rewarding reasons to be passionate about being a teacher. Building relationships and fostering creativity within my students, which are s ome of many exciting things that I am looking forward to achieve when I become a teacher, would perpetually rekindle my passion for teaching.In addition to this, keeping in mind that the students future lies on my hands would certainly maintain my passion and keenness to be a great teacher and a role model to every student I will have. Indeed, having a career in teaching can be considered as a blessing and an honor to an individual. It is one of the most noble and respected jobs in the world, and its intangible rewards will always arouse the passion that I have always possessed towards teaching.I believe that a great teacher has the responsibility to bring out the best in every student. A teacher should have an open mind, positive attitude, and high expectations everyday as he or she goes to school. This is my educational philosophy. When I become a teacher, I would gladly and proudly become an inspiration to every child. I would like to be an instrument that will make these childre n grow and succeed in their lives. I wish to live a life of service to other people most especially to children.I want to be a teacher to be able to nurture children and instill all the necessary knowledge and values that one should have in order to have a blissful and rewarding life. Teaching will always be my passion, and I will never harbor feelings of regret in choosing this career path. References Glenn, R. E. (2001). Admirable Teaching Traits. Education World. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http://www. education-world. com/a_curr/curr387. shtml. Watson, S. (2003). What is special education?. About. com. Retrieved January 28, 2009 from http://specialed. about. com/od/idea/a/Special101. htm

John Locke V Thomas Hobbes Essay

Locke and Hobbes both had detailed accounts as to what the state of nature is. I will start with Hobbes and what he felt the state of nature is made up of. Hobbes believed in defining the state of nature as what it is instead of what it ought to be. So he focused in on the nature of people and came to a very descriptive conclusion as to how survive in this particular state of nature. He stated that man was equal in ambition, cruelty, and treachery, which in turn makes humans equal in the ability to kill each other. This is important because he believes that people can not live in peace in the state of nature because of those reasons. Also because of this he states that there are three principals of quarrels; competition, diffidence, and glory. Hobbes feels that because of human nature these three reasons to fight would take over and make the state of nature a state of war. Locke also has an opinion to the state of nature. He feels that men would respond to things and people around them with reason and rationality. Therefore he feels that a state of nature for the most part peaceful and pleasant. He also states that the natural law would guide humans in a state of nature. He thinks that people know right from wrong and are capable of doing both but it is upon the individual to carry out these values. In order to deal with the state of nature each of the two suggests a social contract. Whatever the contract is should be the obligations placed upon the people. They both believe in this particular agreement they just differ as to who it should be between. Hobbes speaks of the Leviathan and believes that the contract should be between the ruled and the ruler. He states that a strong ruler is the only way to enforce the social contract. He says that all me are born with three rights: the right to property, liberty, and life. He believes that the only important right is the right to life because without that right you cannot have a chance to enjoy the other two. So his contract consists of the subjects giving up the other two to the leviathan so that he can ensure the right to life. Locke’s social contract differs in many ways. One of them is Locke does not believe that individuals should not give up liberty, but instead give up the right to punish people who commit wrongdoings and leave that up to a overwhelming force, in this case the popular sovereignty. His belief of the state of nature which is that man would use their reasoning and be rational when dealing with other people. So his contract is between the elected and the people. Locke and Hobbes social contract may be different but in ways they are similar. They both believe in revolt if the contract is broken, but they state it differently. Hobbes believes in the monarch so the revolt against him would be different then Locke’s society of popular sovereignty, but in short it both of them called for persecution in such case. Still the case that called for persecution would naturally be different because of the different types of governments these men called for. For example Locke says it is time to revolt when a ruler tries to get absolute power of the people; but Hobbes states that the leviathan needs to have absolute power and the only time to revolt is if the monarch is not able to protect the people he rules over. Hobbes explains the relationship between the subjects and ruler as do what you told and you will not be killed. This means that these people could not say anything about the way the sovereign is running the kingdom or you are subject to death. This is so in the way Hobbes looked at it because the only way to control the people is a state strong enough to persecute someone for this particular reason. The monarch that Hobbes feels is the only way to govern should not be questioned by anyone as so long he is able to protect the people of the land. Locke’s view of the relationship is really different. Based on the concept of popular sovereignty the sovereign are the people; so the relationship is more give and take or democratic. This is a very important concept to Locke’s ideas because this is what differs him the most from Hobbes. His democracy is broken down into three branches; executive, legislative, and federal. The elected officials in these positions are an extension of the people so the people who make up the state serves the people until the people are tired of them. What Hobbes and Locke say about people moving into a political society from a state of nature is pretty similar and all most the same. Both say that contracts between people were necessary, but the dilemma in that is that in a state of nature there is no one to enforce the contracts between people. Both of them thought about this concept and figured that in order to move in to a political society someone was needed to enforce these contracts. Hobbes believes that the only one strong enough to force contracts is the monarch. Locke believes the same thing about someone being strong enough to force the contracts but he thinks it should be the elected doing so. Locke’s two treatises limited sovereignty more so than it has before. Locke called for a separation of powers. He broke it down into three sections and combined it with the popular sovereignty; therefore the many limitations were in place. I believe Locke included this idea into is first and second treatise because he wanted to not allow the abuse of power that is so evident in a monarchy. This is important because this is what our American system of democracy is based upon. Hobbes system of government there is very little limitation. The only limitation I can see is when the monarch does not provide for the security of the people and they revolt. Though that limitation is called upon by Hobbes the rest of the terms of the monarch have no limitations. The monarch is the ruler and no one can go against him because he is the divine and going against him is going against god. So the limitations of a monarch are pretty much is inexistent in Hobbes’s the Leviathan. The rights of the subjects according to Hobbes are the right to live and that is it. The other rights now belong to the Leviathan; this is needed according to Hobbes to ensure security. A monarch that gives too many rights to the people is too weak to defend them. This is so because if the monarch is questioned a lot it takes away the fear of the ruler. Hobbes says that fear is needed to keep the people in check. Therefore a sovereign must practice a policy known as shock and awe. Without this strategy someone would feel that they might be able to challenge the monarch. So rights that the subjects hold on the sovereign are limited to the right to revolt if the monarch fails to protect them. Locke thinks that people should hold more rights to the elected. The subjects have the right to put people in the state and take them out. Locke gives people the right to liberty and property. This is different from Hobbes because Hobbes said to give those rights up. Locke says that you can have rights that Hobbes said would not work in transforming into a political society. Hobbes says that subjects cannot ensure that the sovereign roles for the greater good. Because if they are alive it is the greater good according to Hobbes; so what can they do to ensure that the ruler is operating for the greater good? According to Hobbes nothing because you can not go against the Leviathan on how he is ruling, and to do so can result in you getting killed. So once again the subject has very little to say in the Hobbes ideology. Locke also has a conflicting view with Hobbes on this ability to check the sovereign to make sure he is operating for the good of the people. The main thing that allows them to ensure what the government doing is right is the ability bring charges against any wrongdoings. This is powerful because it does not only kick those people out of office but also brings persecution to them. Another powerful way to make sure government is doing the right thing is the ability to vote or not to vote for people who make up the state. Both Locke and Hobbes are modern political philosophers with different ways of reaching the same objective. Their objective is to transform a state of nature into a political society. Though they disagree on what a state of nature is and they disagree on which is the better political society, but both were apparently right. This is so because both of the philosophies can be applied to life today, which is in a whole different context of their time.

Philippine Racism Essay

In a famous trial in Manila about Neil Puache, convicted of rape, exclaimed: â€Å"You’re all racists and you don’t even know it!† This topic may be quite controversial but I have enough evidences to back up my opinions. Racism refers to any theory or doctrine stating that inherited physical characteristics such as skin color, facial features, hair texture, and the like determine behavior patterns, personality traits and intellectual abilities. They do not know that, according to the values’ standards, that the actions of man define what values they have instead of how they look because through these values, one can know that a person is acting in a proper or improper way. In practice, racism takes the form of a claim that some human races are superior to others. Did you know that the term â€Å"Mangyan†, the name of the indigenous peoples in Mindoro comes from the Tagalog phrase: â€Å"mangmang iyan† meaning â€Å"that person is stupid†? Why would people who have been oppressed by whites want to act like them? Because the oppression was effective in instilling the belief that whites are better than Filipinos. Instead of responding to this in an aggressive mood, Filipinos took the belief as something true. That’s why Filipinos are really conscious about their skin color. How about this: did you know that our country is the world’s capital of whitening products? Yes, it’s a fact. Filipinos seem to think that with lighter skin, one can climb the social ladder. Haven’t you noticed that Filipinos respond to sunlight the same way Clark Kent does to kryptonite? And this: did you know that only two dark-skinned Filipinas managed to get the title of Binibining Pilipinas Universe? This is another visible practice of racism in the Philippines. It might be coincidental if there were ten or fifteen candidates but two out of forty-one is just unacceptable. It isn’t only amongst us that Filipinos have shown preference of a certain race. Did you know that people with Chinese blood were often discriminated in the Philippines because of the way they look? Only because of the current  norms of what people perceive to be beautiful are Chinese people thought of as better than us. They make their Chinese blood a feature of their humanity. This is why â€Å"Tsinoys† are more frequently seen on T.V. than Filipinos with the traditional Filipino beauty. Historians claim that this fever started the same time colonial mentality seeped into our veins and pointed out that it was widespread by 1572. The colonizers start with the assumption that their ways are inherently superior to those of the colonized. Racist men were put into positions of power where they were expected to promote, first and foremost, the economic and fashion interests of the country’s elite. In the name of God, civilization progress and development, the colonizers justified the most barbaric acts they inflicted on the colonized. The brainwashing committed by the colonizers was meant to tell the imposed that their culture is way behind civilization. They did not know that the acts also made the Filipinos think that lighter skin meant more superior beings. Particularly when face-to-face with a person in authority, Filipinos have the tendency to be submissive. They have an obsessive desire to please, serve and accept the opinion of a person in authority. Rather than asserting their rights, they prefer to suffer in silence for fear of offending another person or being thought of as uncooperative or dumb. The Filipinos have practiced pakikisama but this value turned out to be a non-assertive mentality that started the whole disease. This is the kind of mindset and barbarism that shaped the history of the Filipinos. We must also talk about the ancestral influence. If parents cut corners, their children will too. If parents spend all their money on themselves and tithe no portion of it for charities, colleges, churches, synagogues and civic causes, their children won’t either. The same way, if parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, a new generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out. According to Rogdiger in his article from rubak.com, â€Å"a typical Filipino parent would say that being white is good because it shows superiority (the  female parent is likely to suggest this, most males tend to be contented with their own race) because only a small percent of Filipinos is lucky enough to have this gift†. The truth is, to think so is being as racist as the people who enslaved them and told them that they were inferior. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Filipinos are so caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. The parents sent the word and strength of racism to many generations in the future and it will never stop until Filipinos accept that they are racists. In the past, racism was easily defined and institutional. The colonizers have been successful in promoting their race to a higher level but they, surely enough, didn’t expect the Philippines to be a racist society in the future. The refusal to accept this sickness has allowed it to transform into new forms. Racism has evolved from an aggressive prejudicial behavior to a more subtle one. This type of subtle prejudicial behavior has advanced to a degree that is much more difficult to se, yet is regarded as more severe. This modern form of racism has entered the workplace. Filipinos are so caught up with trying to be an independent race, yet they would prefer to be a part of a different race. A foreigner came back from the Philippines and said: â€Å"All I saw was a lot of racists!† More that a quarter of the females in the Philippines have died their hair blonde, with an effort to be â€Å"more cool† or â€Å"more foreign† only to have most turn out an ugly orangy-color. These women also wear too much makeup to lighten their skin. We must also discredit the title of â€Å"the bearers of racism† to our ancestors, colonizers and the society. The media also has a lot to do with this. Most of the people who accepted the title of being â€Å"ugly† in showbiz entertainment are people with dark skin. The victims of racism have suffered from direct or indirect forms of racial discrimination. Direct forms include being laughed at; indirect forms include the â€Å"glass ceiling effect, a modern type of racism which describes the invisible differences in other Filipino’s views. This type of thinking may very well be the cause of a victim’s mental and psychological damage. It  has also affected the victim’s social health and yes, also his/her spiritual health. So it’s your choice. You can either be a lazy fool, influenced by the society’s wrong perspective or you can park the car, stand on hard ground and take a look at the real Philippine Islands.

Types of Technology that Track Repeat Offenders Research Paper

Types of Technology that Track Repeat Offenders - Research Paper Example d more than 200,000 injuries, with over 25,000 being fatal injuries, occur annually as a result of traffic crashes which has a wide documentation indicating that 80% to 90% of the crashes are attributable to repeat-offender related behavior. Of the 3000 motor vehicle crashes related deaths, 800 are as a result of red lights running (Greenlaw, 1997). Similarly, most murders and sex related capital offences are believed to be done by repeat offenders. These among other reasons show that there is need for concerted efforts to advocate for innovative and new approaches such as technological repeat-offender tracking because available studies elucidate that much less impact have been achieved by traditional countermeasures. This paper therefore aims at examining the various technological measures that have been adopted to track repeat offenders, with a particular understanding that this is an area that has not been intensively investigated into as compared to other scientific insights into crime aberration. Furthermore, this paper will move from policy identification to the myriad challenges in operational requirements as they are faced by law enforcement agents. The main objective is to arrive at a conclusion that would give some viable recommendations that would assist or contribute to reduced future victimization to the general public and increased general community safety. Some examples of repeat offences and tracking technologies that will be highlighted include: red light running and red light cameras; impaired driving as a result of alcohol influence and breath tests gadgets; DNA database tracking; GPS- Global Positioning Satellite technology and repeat sex offenders; among other capital offences. There has been a profound global increase of electronic monitoring and tracking technology legislation within the last decade as a further repeat and future offenses prevention measure. In 2006 in America for example, legislation authorizing or requiring wide

Informan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Informan - Coursework Example This is of particular interests in high-risk cases such as armed criminals or narcotics cases. In such cases, the police can only obtain crucial and confidential information from informants who might be an accomplice. Nevertheless, informants are also criminals and, their contributions should be scrutinized thoroughly. If not well managed, informants can nullify an investigation, destroy the credibility of an investigation agency, and endanger the lives of police officers. In order to benefit from the services of confidential informants, agencies/police departments should have well-developed informant regulations and procedures. Before using informants, agencies must define the duties and responsibilities of all officers in the chain of command. Secondly, the agency should have concrete personal, descriptive information about an informant. Lastly, investigators must obtain approval from the necessary authority before they can use informants. Consequently, informants should work under the authority of the investigating officer. Informants should not be allowed to conduct arrests, carry weapons, conduct searches, or seize contrabands. Even with adequate regulations and policies, investigators need ethical protection while working with informants. Moreover, informants also need protection from the agency in order to conduct their roles