Materialism and the Power of Competition In Darwin

Materialism, the belief that the natural world, as well as man's social and economic circumstance were governed by inexorable laws and phenomena, is at the heart of nineteenth century philosophy. For these men, the discovery of principles like gravitation and thermodynamics, which govern the natural world, prove that an understanding of the universe is within man's grasp. The investigation of the natural world would no longer be constrained by religious dogma or moral certainty.Instead, a reliance on man's powers of observation, as well as his rational faculties could tide him to a comprehensive understanding of the physical world, as well as the progress of human society. Mar's historical materialism and Darning's evolutionary theory of natural selection are examples that reflect this philosophical trend. Both views describe a progress, which is historically Inevitable. Progress within the natural world, as well as human society, would no longer be divinely guided. In a universe no longer governed by delve force, history could no longer be explained as moving inexorably toward final delve Judgment.Rather, history and human progress must owe be explained by an internal self-directed energy. The nature of this force had been anticipated a generation earlier by Thomas Malthusian. It is the power of competition. For Darwin, this competition between animals of different species and among members of the same species was a competition for both for scarce resources, as well as reproductive dominance. This was an example of survival of those best adapted to their environment, or what he termed survival of the fittest. For Marx, similar competitive forces were at work throughout human history.He argues hat all facets of humanity are attributable to mans' material circumstances. Consequently, he argues there would be a natural antagonism between those who controlled the means of production and those who labor for them. This competitive tension, which he termed class stru ggle, was the motivating force for historical progress. Marx and Darwin then share common roots In materialism. The evolution of species and the progress of humanity, as described by these men, share a common source in the power of competition as an objective motivator for adaptation within the natural world and progress in human civilization.In Marxist ideology, the history of civilizations reflects a continuous struggle between those in positions of wealth and power and those who are exploited by them. This conflict has been described as class struggle. Class struggle is identified in each historical era. Medieval society was characterized by a complex arrangement of social classes, Including lords, the vassals, tradesmen and serfs. The organization of society always reflected the antagonism between the powerful who ruled and the powerless who were ruled by them.The dissolution of the complex medieval social arrangement was brought on by the Industrial revolution. The seeds for th e collapse of the old order were sown by a change In the material circumstances of society, medieval society, was however, considerably simpler than the one it replaced. The new material conditions of production meant there would be a tension between those who own the means of production and those whose labor for them. In nineteenth industrial society, class conflict pitted the industrial entrepreneurial class, the bourgeoisie against the toiling masses or proletariat.This success of the bourgeoisie was made possible by the increasing demand for capital necessary to enhance Rupee's growing industries. The impetus for the creation of this class was the expansion of trade during the age of exploration. Trade expansion, beginning with exploration, created a growing demand for raw materials and manufactured products. The increasing scale of industrial demand outstripped the capacity of medieval guilds to supply manufactured goods. Large-scale manufacturing was necessary to meet this new demand.Industrial expansion requires larger volumes of capital, which meant that new forms of financing were needed to underwrite industrial expansion. The need for capital requires the creation off new class of financiers, as well as new industrial leadership, the bourgeoisie. The failure of the old medieval system was the result of its inability to adapt to the changes in industrial production, necessitated by growing market forces. The success of the new Industrial order made the bourgeoisie rich and powerful, ultimately signaling the death of the old economic organization.With this newfound wealth, the bourgeoisie was able to successfully displace the established aristocracy of the past and seize the reigns of political power. The expansion of political rights during this period meant little more than the protection of the right of private property, which served to protect the economic gains of the Bourgeoisie. The state and its legal system became the handmaiden of the bourgeo is class, serving to enhance its economic control. The ascendancy of the moneyed class meant the increasing transformation of society along monetary terms. In bourgeois society, money became the measure of all things.A world defined by the conditions of the competitive market meant that the bourgeoisie needed to constantly innovate. This innovation meant greater productivity and the need to expand markets. While these forces succeeded in enhancing the wealth of the industrial class, it resulted in increasing exploitation of the working class. The increasing profitability of industrial production was made possible by improving worker productivity. This surplus value meant increasing profits for the factory owners at the expense of the very workers whose labor had made enhanced productivity possible.But Just as the changes in productive resources at the inception of the industrial age spelled the end of feudal society; the rowing exploitation of the working class created by industrial overproduction would expose the contradictions of modern industrial society, triggering its downfall. Overproduction and falling prices would precipitate a depression that would further depress wages and result in hardships for the laboring masses, ultimately threatening the security of bourgeois society.As Marx describes it when he stated, â€Å"It is enough to mention the commercial crises that by their periodic return put on trial, each time more threateningly, the existence of the entire bourgeois society' (225-226). The very forces of production, which the bourgeoisie had harnessed to its advantage earlier, were now sowing the seeds of social instability for organization and resistance to bourgeois domination, fueling class conflict and revolution. Once again, as in the feudal period, it is the material circumstances and economic relationships of class that fuel social transformation.Just as man's material circumstance created the dynamic for economic transformation; the forc es of competition and conflict are vital for the evolution of species in the natural world. In Darning's natural selection, traits that enjoy a imitative advantage for the species survive and are transmitted to successive generations. The variations in any one generation may appear minimal, however the cumulative impact of generations can be profound. Evolution of species is a selective process.Those inherited variations in traits, which enjoy a selective advantage over other variants in the same trait, are successfully transmitted to the succeeding generation. Over time, this process of competitive selection, which he termed survival of the fittest, would result in significant changes in species, as well as, the creation of ewe species and subspecies. In deriving his theory of evolution based on competition, Darwin drew on the theories of Thomas Malthusian.Malthusian proposed that populations that increase geometrically would be a constant competition for scarce resources in order to survive. All natural populations, like their human counterparts, would be under constant pressure to adapt to a harsh natural world of scarcity. The result was that only those populations, which were best adapted, would succeed. Then, the perfect adaptations we observe in nature are the byproduct of a brutal and morally indifferent process of selection.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Three

The first light of dawn was streaking the night sky with pink and palest green. Stefan watched it from the window of his room in the boarding house. He had rented this room specifically because of the trapdoor in the ceiling, a trapdoor that opened onto the widow's walk on the roof above. Just now that door was open, and a cool damp wind blew down the ladder below it. Stefan was fully dressed, but not because he was up early. He had never been to sleep. He'd just returned from the woods, and a few scraps of wet leaf clung to the side of his boot. He brushed them off fastidiously. The comments of the students yesterday had not escaped him, and he knew they had been staring at his clothes. He had always dressed in the best, not merely out of vanity, but because it was the right thing to do. His tutor had often said it: Anaristocrat should dress as befits his position. If he does not, he is showing contempt for others . Everyone had a place in the world, and his place had once been among the nobility. Once. Why was he dwelling on these things? Of course, he should have realized that playing the role of a student was likely to bring his own student days back. Now the memories came thick and fast, as if he were skimming through the pages of a journal, his eyes catching an entry here and there. One flashed before him vividly now: his father's face when Damon had announced he was quitting the University. He would never forget that. He had never seen his father so angry†¦ â€Å"What do you mean, you are not going back?† Giuseppe was usually a fair man, but he had a temper, and his elder son brought out the violence in him. Just now that son was dabbing at his lips with a saffron-colored silk handkerchief. â€Å"I would have thought even you could understand such a simple sentence, father. Shall I repeat it in Latin for you?† â€Å"Damon-† Stefan began tightly, appalled at this disrespect. But his father interrupted. â€Å"You are telling me that I, Giuseppe, Conte di Salvatore, will have to face my friends knowing that my son is ascioparto ? A ne'er-do-well? An idler who makes no useful contribution to Florence?† Servants were edging away as Giuseppe worked himself into a rage. Damon did not even blink. â€Å"Apparently. If you can call those who fawn on you in the hopes that you will lend them money your friends.† † Sporco parassito!† cried Giuseppe, rising from his chair. â€Å"Is it not bad enough that when youare at school you waste your time and my money? Oh, yes, I know all about the gambling, the jousting, the women. And I know that if it were not for your secretary and your tutors you would be failing every course. But now you mean to disgrace me utterly. And why? Why?† His large hand whipped up to grasp Damon's chin. â€Å"So that you may return to your hunting and hawking?† Stefan had to give his brother credit; Damon did not wince. He stood, almost lounging in his father's grip, every inch the aristocrat, from the elegantly plain cap on his dark head to his ermine-trimmed cloak to his soft leather shoes. His upper lip was curved in a line of pure arrogance. You've gone too far this time, thought Stefan, watching the two men whose eyes were locked together. Even you won't be able to charm your way out this time. But just then there was a light step in the study doorway. Turning, Stefan had been dazzled by eyes the color of lapis lazuli, framed with long golden lashes. It was Katherine. Her father, Baron von Swartzschild, had brought her from the cold lands of the German princes to the Italian countryside, hoping it would help her recover from a prolonged illness. And since the day she had arrived, everything had changed for Stefan. â€Å"I beg your pardon. I did not mean to intrude.† Her voice was soft and clear. She made a slight motion as if to leave. â€Å"No, don't go. Stay,† Stefan said quickly. He wanted to say more, to catch her hand-but he didn't dare. Not with his father here. All he could do was gaze into those jewellike blue eyes that were raised to his. â€Å"Yes, stay,† Giuseppe said, and Stefan saw that his father's thunderous expression had lightened and that he had released Damon. He stepped forward, straightening the heavy folds of his long fur-trimmed gown. â€Å"Your father should be returning from his business in the city today, and he will be delighted to see you. But your cheeks are pale, little Katherine. You are not ill again, I hope?† â€Å"You know I am always pale, sir. I do not use rouge like your bold Italian girls.† â€Å"You don't need it,† said Stefan before he could stop himself, and Katherine smiled at him. She was so beautiful. An ache began in his chest. His father continued, â€Å"And I see all too little of you during the day. You seldom give us the pleasure of your company until twilight.† â€Å"I have my studies and devotions in my own rooms, sir,† said Katherine quietly, her lashes dropping. Stefan knew this was not true, but he said nothing; he would never betray Katherine's secret. She looked up at his father again. â€Å"But I am here now, sir.† â€Å"Yes, yes, that is true. And I must see that tonight we have a very special meal for your father's return. Damon†¦ we will speak later.† As Giuseppe motioned to a servant and strode out, Stefan turned to Katherine in delight. It was seldom they could speak to each other without the presence of his father or of Gudren, her stolid German maid. But what Stefan saw then was like a blow to his stomach. Katherine was smiling-the little secret smile that she had often shared with him. But she was not looking at him. She was looking at Damon. Stefan hated his brother at that moment, hated Damon's dark beauty and grace and the sensuality that drew women to him like moths to a flame. He wanted, in that instant, to strike Damon, to smash that beauty to pieces. Instead he had to stand and watch as Katherine moved slowly toward his brother, step by step, her golden brocade gown whispering on the tiled floor. And even as he watched, Damon held out a hand to Katherine, and smiled the cruel smile of triumph†¦ Stefan turned away from the window sharply. Why was he reopening old wounds? But, even as he thought it, he drew out the slender gold chain he wore under his shirt. His thumb and forefinger caressed the ring that hung from it, then he held it up to the light. The little circlet was exquisitely worked in gold, and five centuries had not dimmed its luster. It was set with one stone, a lapis the size of his little fingernail. Stefan looked at it, then at the heavy silver ring, also set with lapis, on his own hand. In his chest was a familiar tightness. He could not forget the past, and he didn't really wish to. Despite everything that had happened, he cherished Katherine's memory. But there was one memory he must truly not disturb, one page of the journal he must not turn. If he had to relive that horror, that†¦ abomination, he would go mad. As he had been mad that day, that final day, when he had looked upon his own damnation†¦ Stefan leaned against the window, his forehead pressed to its coolness. His tutor had had another saying: Evil will never find peace. It may triumph, but it will never find peace . Why had he even come to Fell's Church? He had hoped to find peace here, but that was impossible. He would never be accepted, he would never rest. Because he was evil. He could not change what he was. Elena was up even earlier than usual that morning. She could hear Aunt Judith pottering about in her room, getting ready for her shower. Margaret was still fast asleep, curled up like a little mouse in her bed. Elena passed her younger sister's half-open door noiselessly and continued down the hallway to let herself out of the house. The air was fresh and clear this morning; the quince tree was inhabited only by the usual jays and sparrows. Elena, who had gone to bed with a throbbing headache, lifted her face to the clean blue sky and breathed deeply. She felt much better than she had yesterday. She'd promised to meet Matt before school, and though she wasn't looking forward to it she was sure it was going to be all right. Matt lived only two streets away from the high school. It was a simple frame house, like all the others on that street, except that maybe the swing on the porch was a little shabbier, the paint a little more peeled. Matt was already standing outside, and for a moment her heart picked up at the sight of him as it used to. He was good-looking. There was no doubt about that. Not in the stunning, almost disturbing way that-that some people were, but in a healthy American way. Matt Honeycutt was all-American. His blond hair was cropped short for the football season, and his skin was sunburnt from working outdoors on his grandparents' farm. His blue eyes were honest and straightforward. And just today, as he held out his arms to hug her gently, they were a little sad. â€Å"You want to come inside?† â€Å"No. Let's just walk,† Elena said. They went side by side without touching. Maples and black walnut trees lined this street, and the air still had a morning hush. Elena watched her feet on the wet sidewalk, feeling suddenly uncertain. She didn't know how to start after all. â€Å"So you still haven't told me about France,† he said. â€Å"Oh, it was great,† said Elena. She glanced sideways at him. He was looking at the sidewalk, too. â€Å"Everything about it was great,† she continued, trying to put some enthusiasm in her voice. â€Å"The people, the food, everything. It was really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off, and she laughed nervously. â€Å"Yeah, I know. Great,† he finished for her. He stopped and stood looking down at his scuffed tennis shoes. Elena recognized them from last year. Matt's family barely got by; maybe he hadn't been able to afford new shoes. She looked up to find those steady blue eyes on her face. â€Å"You know,you look pretty great right now,† he said. Elena opened her mouth in dismay, but he was speaking again. â€Å"And I guess you have something to tell me.† She stared at him, and he smiled, a crooked, rueful smile. Then he held out his arms again. â€Å"Oh,Matt ,† she said, hugging him hard. She stepped back to look into his face. â€Å"Matt, you are the nicest guy I've ever met. I don't deserve you.† â€Å"Oh, so that's why you're dumping me,† said Matt as they started walking again. â€Å"Because I'm too good for you. I should have realized that before.† She punched him in the arm. â€Å"No, that isn't why, and I am not dumping you. We're going to be friends, right?† â€Å"Oh, sure. Oh, absolutely.† â€Å"Because that's what I've realized we are.† She stopped, looking up at him again. â€Å"Good friends. Be honest, now, Matt, isn't that how you really feel about me?† He looked at her, then rolled his eyes heavenward. â€Å"Can I take the Fifth on that?† he said. As Elena's face fell, he added, â€Å"It doesn't have anything to do with that new guy, does it?† â€Å"No,† Elena said after a hesitation, and then added quickly, â€Å"I haven't even met him yet. I don't know him.† â€Å"But you want to. No, don't say it.† He put an arm around her and gently turned her. â€Å"Come on, let's head toward school. If we have time, I'll even buy you a doughnut.† As they walked, something thrashed in the walnut tree above them. Matt whistled and pointed. â€Å"Look at that! Biggest crow I've ever seen.† Elena looked, but it was already gone. School that day was merely a convenient place for Elena to review her plan. She had woken up this morning knowing what to do. And today she gathered as much information as she could on the subject of Stefan Salvatore. Which wasn't hard, because everyone at Robert E. Lee was talking about him. It was common knowledge that he'd had some sort of run-in with the admissions secretary yesterday. And today he'd been called to the principal's office. Something about his papers. But the principal had sent him back to class (after, it was rumored, a long-distance call to Rome-or was it Washington?), and everything seemed to be settled now. Officially, at least. When Elena arrived for Euro History class that afternoon, she was greeted by a low whistle in the hall. Dick Carter and Tyler Smallwood were loitering there. A couple of prize jerks, she thought, ignoring the whistle and their staring. They thought being tackle and safety on the varsity football team made them hot stuff. She kept an eye on them as she loitered in the corridor herself, refreshing her lipstick and fiddling with her compact. She'd given Bonnie her special instructions, and the plan was ready to be put into effect as soon as Stefan showed up. The compact mirror gave her a wonderful view of the hall behind her. Still, she missed him coming somehow. He was beside her suddenly, and she snapped the compact shut as he passed. She meant to stop him, but something happened before she could. Stefan tensed-or, at least, there was something about him that seemed wary all at once. Just then Dick and Tyler stepped in front of the door to the history classroom. Blocking the way. World-class jerks, thought Elena. Fuming, she glared at them over Stefan's shoulder. They were enjoying the game, slouching in the doorway, pretending they were completely blind to Stefan standing there. â€Å"Excuse me.† It was the same tone he'd used with the history teacher. Quiet, detached. Dick and Tyler looked at each other, then all around, as if hearing spirit voices. â€Å"Scoozi?† Tyler said in a falsetto. â€Å"Scoozi me? Me scoozi? Jacuzzi?† They both laughed. Elena watched muscles tighten under the T-shirt in front of her. This was completely unfair; they were both taller than Stefan, and Tyler was about twice as broad. â€Å"Is there a problem here?† Elena was as startled as the boys were at the new voice behind her. She turned to see Matt. His blue eyes were hard. Elena bit her lips on a smile as Tyler and Dick moved slowly, resentfully out of the way. Good old Matt, she thought. But now good old Matt was walking into class beside Stefan, and she was left following them, staring at the backs oftwo T-shirts. When they sat down, she slid into the desk behind Stefan, where she could watch him without being watched herself. Her plan would have to wait until after class. Matt was rattling change in his pocket, which meant he wanted to say something. â€Å"Uh, hey,† he began at last, uncomfortably. â€Å"Those guys, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Stefan laughed. It was a bitter sound. â€Å"Who am I to judge?† There was more emotion in his voice than Elena had heard before, even when he had spoken to Mr. Tanner. And that emotion was raw unhappiness. â€Å"Anyway, why should I be welcome here?† he finished, almost to himself. â€Å"Why shouldn't you be?† Matt had been staring at Stefan; now his jaw squared with decision. â€Å"Listen,† he said. â€Å"You were talking about football yesterday. Well, our star wide receiver tore a ligament yesterday afternoon, and we need a replacement. Tryouts are this afternoon. What do you think?† â€Å"Me?† Stefan sounded caught off guard. â€Å"Ah†¦ I don't know if I could.† â€Å"Can you run?† â€Å"Can-?† Stefan half turned toward Matt, and Elena could see a faint hint of a smile curve his lips. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Can you catch?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"That's all a wide receiver has to do. I'm the quarterback. If you can catch what I throw and run with it, you can play.† â€Å"I see.† Stefan was actually almost smiling, and though Matt's mouth was serious his blue eyes were dancing. Astonished at herself, Elena realized she was jealous. There was a warmth between the two boys that shut her out completely. But the next instant Stefan's smile disappeared. He said distantly, â€Å"Thank you†¦ but no. I have other commitments.† At that moment, Bonnie and Caroline arrived and class started. Throughout Tanner's lecture on Europe, Elena repeated to herself, â€Å"Hello. I'm Elena Gilbert. I'm on the Senior Welcoming Committee, and I've been assigned to show you around the school. Now, you wouldn't want to get me in trouble, would you, by not letting me do my job?† That last with wide, wistful eyes-but only if he looked like he might try to get out of it. It was virtually foolproof. He was a sucker for maidens who needed to be rescued. Halfway through class, the girl sitting to her right passed her a note. Elena opened it and recognized Bonnie's round, childish handwriting. It read: â€Å"I kept C. away for as long as I could. What happened? Did it work† Elena looked up to see Bonnie twisted around in her front-row seat. Elena pointed to the note and shook her head, mouthing, â€Å"After class.† It seemed a century until Tanner gave some last-minute instructions about oral reports and dismissed them. Then everybody sprang up at once. Here goes, thought Elena, and, with her heart pounding, she stepped squarely into Stefan's path, blocking the aisle so that he couldn't get around her. Just like Dick and Tyler, she thought, feeling a hysterical urge to giggle. She looked up and found her eyes exactly on a level with his mouth. Her mind went blank. What was it she was supposed to say? She opened her mouth, and somehow the words she'd been practicing came tumbling out. â€Å"Hi, I'm Elena Gilbert, and I'm on the Senior Welcoming Committee and I've been assigned-† â€Å"I'm sorry; I don't have time.† For a minute, she couldn't believe he was speaking, that he wasn't even going to give her a chance to finish. Her mouth went right on with the speech. â€Å"-to show you around the school-† â€Å"I'm sorry; I can't. I have to-to get to football tryouts.† Stefan turned to Matt, who was standing by looking amazed. â€Å"You said they were right after school, didn't you?† â€Å"Yes,† Matt said slowly. â€Å"But-† â€Å"Then I'd better get moving. Maybe you could show me the way.† Matt looked helplessly at Elena, then shrugged. â€Å"Well†¦ sure. Come on.† He glanced back once as they left. Stefan didn't. Elena found herself looking around at a circle of interested observers, including Caroline, who was openly smirking. Elena felt a numbness in her body and a fullness in her throat. She couldn't stand to be here for one more second. She turned and walked as quickly as she could from the room.

China’s Olympic Torch Controversy

In a world where media are able to put a glaring spotlight on certain events, actions done by ordinary individuals gain greater attention from other people. The internet further amplifies the magnitude of these events because people from other countries can immediately know what is happening. This enables them to draw their own conclusions regarding the actions that were just covered. Such is the case of the controversy surrounding the on-going Olympic Torch relay. What was supposed to be a journey that could promote peace and understanding among different cultures has turned into a fiasco. Protesters have come in full force to disrupt this event. From Paris to London, the world has to come to witness several people trying to grab the Olympic Torch. The protesters targeted this event as a venue to ventilate their sentiments regarding China’s treatment of the unrest that had erupted in Tibet last month where China sent its paramilitary forces to crackdown on the Tibetan protesters (â€Å"China’s View of the Olympic Torch†. 09 April 2008. TIME Magazine online). This has led to protest calls from various sectors especially in Western countries. Some clamor by asking China to stop its heavy handed treatment of dissenters in Tibet while others like Hillary Clinton have asked their governments to boycott the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies as a strong disapproval of Beijing’s standing policy with regard to Tibet. This issue can be seen as part of a long standing question in international relations (â€Å"Clinton urges Bush to boycott Beijing Olympics†. 7 April 2008. Yahoo News). The question being, should individuals from other countries be involved in another country’s problems? To be able to generate an answer to this question, one must define the parameters for the terms individuals, involvement and problems. In the case of the individuals, there are two kinds that are pertinent to this discussion. These are the private citizens and the public officials. The ordinary citizens include those who try to disrupt the proceedings by attempting to wrest the Olympic torch and by displaying the Tibetan flag are examples of what are known as private citizens. Public officials refer to politicians in other countries that are expressing their dissent over the policies of other countries. Involvement is defined here as the actions done by the identified individuals. This may include cajoling, beseeching or pressuring officials through such acts disrupting the events or by issuing officials statements condemning the policies of the country in question. Problems, due to space constraints and timeliness, would be limited to issues on human rights. This issue is one of the most important points of contention between Western countries especially the United States and other nations such as China and Russia in recent years. This paper argues that involvement in issues such as human rights should be limited to the actions done by private citizens and that public officials should refrain from issuing official statements that criticizes the policies of other government’s with regard to human rights. Why is this so? If one is to look at the recent track record of the US government regarding the issue of human rights, one would find sufficient ammunition to fire back to the US side of the fence. The well-documented infamous cases of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prison camps highlight the abuses that are also taking place within the backyard of the United States. Theses cases have led some officials from both China and Russia to criticize the alleged double standards being practiced by the United States in its dealings with other countries. China and Russia often challenge the US claims made through official State Department reports regarding their respective human rights record (Cody A14). In a nutshell, they argued that before the US issues such official statements it should first see to it that its own house is in order. One could also consider the lack of efficacy of these official calls on these countries to reform. It had only infuriated them and their existing policies on human rights have not changed despite these repeated calls. Also, these official statements have contributed to making negotiations in other important areas such as security and trade even more difficult at best and highly contentious at worst. Now if one is to engage in involvement, one can argue that it would be best left in the hands of private citizens. This is warranted for several reasons. In an era where there have been numerous cases of human rights of abuses, there is a recognizable need to highlight this particular issue. The private citizens at this point are in the best position to do it for two reasons. One is that they are not burdened by the labels of hypocrisy and lacking in moral authority that have been attached to the US government in the aftermath of its prison camps fiasco. When an individual like Steven Spielberg protests by declaring himself unavailable to be a technical consultant for the Beijing Games he is not labeled as hypocrite and his message is delivered to the public. Two, private citizens who exhibit involvement; especially in the form of very dramatic forms of protests can get their much desired media mileage. They consequently derive public sympathy for their respective causes as well. One could cite the case of Olympic medalist Sebastian Coe who was manhandled by the paramilitary forces assigned by Beijing to protect the Olympic torch(â€Å"China’s View of the Olympic Torch†. April 2008. TIME Magazine online). The incident involving him generated substantial media attention on the protest against the Chinese government’s action on Tibet while not causing any direct problems among government officials. The protests done by ordinary citizens if carried by major news outfits can generate support from around the world wit hout exactly obliging their governments to issue officials statements that can adversely affect immediate and long-term relationships with countries whose policies are being questioned.

AP language rhetorical terms list Essay

Look up the words and fill in the chart as best as you can. Some of the terms are review and some are new. We will use this list throughout the year so keep an updated copy with you in class. You may choose to make note cards for study but they are not required for a grade. Periodically, you will be quizzed on how well you know the terms by using in your writing and recognizing in text. Terms When do I use it? Define it Can I recognize it? Can I use it in my writing? ad hominen argument appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect ad populum fallacious argument that concludes a proposition to be true because many or most people believe it. allegory literary device The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form. alliteration style The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables allusion rhetoric device reference ambiguity tone Doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards interpretation analogy Similarity of functions or properties; likeness antecedent grammar A preceding occurrence, cause, or event. antithesis opposite aphorism A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage apostrophe The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech or composition. attitude essay A state of mind or a feeling; disposition atmosphere A dominant intellectual or emotional environment or attitude begging the question type of informal fallacy in which an implicit premise would directly entail the conclusion; in other words, basing a conclusion on an assumption that is as much in need of proof or demonstration as the conclusion itself chiasmus A rhetorical inversion of the second of two parallel structures clause A group of words containing a subject and a predicate and forming part of a compound or complex sentence. colloquialism Characteristic of or appropriate to the spoken language or to writing that seeks the effect of speech; informal. conceit A favorable and especially unduly high opinion of one’s own abilities or worth. concrete detail Specific details that form the backbone or core of the body paragraphs. Synonyms for concrete details include facts, specifics, examples, descriptions, illustrations, support, proof, evidence, quotations, paraphrases, or plot references. connotation An idea or feeling that a word invokes person in addition to its literal or primary meaning denotation The action or process of indicating or referring to something by means of a word, symbol, etc descriptive detail devices A turn of phrase intended to produce a particular effect in speech or a literary work diction Word choice didactic ntended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive euphemism Mild expression in place of a severe one extended metaphor An extended metaphor, also called a conceit, is a metaphor that continues into the sentences that follow. It is often developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work, and are especially effective in poems and fiction. false analogy An informal fallacy applying to inductive arguments, in which the similarity in one respect of two concepts, objects, or events is taken as sufficient to establish that they are similar in another respect in which they actually are dissimilar figurative language Language that communicates ideas beyond the ordinary or literal meaning of the words. figure of speech A figure of speech is a use of a word that diverges from its normal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words in it such as a metaphor, simile, or personification. genre A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter hasty- over/ generalization A general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases homily genre type of sermon, serious talk, speech or lecture hyperbole exaggeration imagery Visually descriptive or figurative language, esp. in a literary work inference/ infer A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning invective diction Strong use of language used to attack irony/ironic The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect verbal Relating to or in the form of words situational A term denoting a tactic or combo that can only be used under certain circumstances and cannot be done in a neutral state where both characters are on the ground. dramatic Sudden or striking juxtaposition The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect language The method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way loose sentence A loose sentence is a type of sentence in which the main idea is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrases. metaphor in literature and rhetoric, an analogy between two objects or ideas, conveyed by using a word instead of another word metonymy Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated with that thing or concept. mood the affective setting of a piece of literature narrative A narrative (or story) is any account of connected events, presented to a reader or listener in a sequence of written or spoken words, or in a sequence of (moving) pictures. narrative devices Methods to help convey the message in the story narrative technique The methods involved in telling a story; the procedures used by a writer of stories or accounts. Narrative technique is a general term (like â€Å"devices,† or â€Å"resources of language†) that asks you to discuss the procedures used in the telling of a story. onomatopoeia the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical, dramatic, or poeticeffect. oxymoron a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictoryeffect, as in â€Å"cruel kindness† or â€Å"to make haste slowly. † paradox a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in realityexpresses a possible truth. parallelism Parallel comparison parody Mocking imitation pedantic tone Overly scholarly, academic, or bookish periodic sentence A periodic sentence is a sentence that is not grammatically complete until the final clause or phrase. Personification the attribution of human nature or character to animals, inanimate objects, or abstractnotions, especially as a rhetorical figure. persuasive devices Techniques the author uses to influence the way you feel persuasive essay Persuasive writing, known as creative writing or an argument, is a piece of writing in which the writer uses words to convince the reader that the writer’s opinion is correct with regard to an issue. point of view(know all) narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the pronoun used in narration post hoc fallacy Post hoc ergo propter hoc, Latin for â€Å"after this, therefore because of this†, is a logical fallacy (of the questionable cause variety) that states â€Å"Since that event followed this one, that event must have been caused by this one. prose Prose is a form of language which applies ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure (as in traditional poetry). red herring Red herring is an English-language idiom, a logical fallacy that misleads or detracts from the issue. It is also a literary device that leads readers or characters towards a false conclusion, often used in mystery or detective fiction. repetition Repetition is the simple repeating of a word, within a sentence or a poetical line, with no particular placement of the words, in order to provide emphasis. rhetoric Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the capability of writers or speakers that attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. rhetorical appeal Ethos, pathos, logos logos Originally a word meaning â€Å"a ground†, â€Å"a plea†, â€Å"an opinion†, â€Å"an expectation†, â€Å"word,† â€Å"speech,† â€Å"account,† â€Å"reason, ethos Cultures guiding ideals pathos Appealing to the audience’s emotions rhetorical features his may involve the use of elaborate words or phrases that create a particular set of sounds. Perhaps puns, double meanings,alliteration, assonance or unusual grammatical forms may be used. rhetorical modes describe the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing. compare/ contrast Evaluate differences and similarities definition Expressing the nature of something cause/effect Cause is why something happens and effect is what happens division/ classification Organize into category example/illustration or type of composition intended to give information about (or an explanation of) an issue, subject, method, or idea. exposition type of composition intended to give information about (or an explanation of) an issue, subject, method, or idea. process analysis A method of paragraph or essay development by which a writer explains step by step how something is done or how to do something. argumentation/persuasive Social influence description a statement, picture in words, or account that describes; descriptive representation. rhetorical question A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point. rhetorical situation The Rhetorical Situation is the context of a rhetorical event that consists of an issue, an audience, and a set of constraints. sarcasm harsh or bitter derision or irony. satire a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up toscorn, derision, or ridicule. simile a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared sentence structures Grammatical arrangement of words in sentences simple Easy to understand compound combinations of two or more elements complex In general usage, complexity tends to be used to characterize something with many parts in intricate arrangement. inverted word order style variation in language use to which social meanings are attributed stylistic devices In literature and writing, a stylistic device is the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an auxiliary meaning, idea, or feeling to the literal or written. syllogism a piece of deductive reasoning from the general to the particular symbol/ symbolism something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representingsomething, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign. synecdoche a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for thegeneral or the general for the special syntax the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language. theme the unifying subject or idea of a story thesis Central argument tone a literary technique which encompasses the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work that is compatible with the other drive transition general aspects of writing style that signal changes in a story understatement Understatement is a form of speech which contains an expression of less strength than what would be expected. litotes In rhetoric, litotes (or) is a figure of speech in which understatement is employed for rhetorical effect, principally via double negatives. meiosis reproduction wit Wit is a form of intelligent humour, the ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny.

A Biography Of The John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice Of The United States

A Biography Of The John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice Of The United States John Marshall: Life and Legacy Before John Marshall, the most basic responsibilities of the judicial system did not exist. In fact, justices could not even overturn blatantly unconstitutional laws. With Marshall, however, everything changed. Through his tenure as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Marshall established the ground rules for the new American government by strengthening the judicial branch and bringing forth the equal three branches of government essential to American politics. Great men often rose from the humblest of beginnings, and John Marshall was no exception. He was born in a log cabin in Germantown, Virginia, on September 24, 1755, the first of fifteen children born to Thomas Marshall and Mary Keith. He was not the only member of his family to rise to greatness; his brother James served as judge for the Circuit Court of Washington, D.C., his brothers Keith, William, and Charles were lawyers, and his cousin Humphrey became a U.S. senator for Kentucky. As a child, Marshall’s education was formative to his future. He was homeschooled by his father for most of his childhood, cultivating a love of classical and contemporary literature that would aid him in his future endeavors. At the age of fourteen, he was sent to Campbell Academy in Washington, where he attended class with future president James Monroe. From 1775 to 1780, Marshall served in the Continental Army, initially as a lieutenant and eventually as a captain; his admiration of his comman der George Washington grew, especially after they endured the harsh winter at Valley Forge together. After the war he studied law at the College of William and Mary and was admitted to the bar in 1780. He began a legal practice by defending clients against British creditors, which prepared him for the long legal and political career he had in front of him. Marshall’s political career was long indeed, and was crucial in forming the newly independent America. It began in 1782 when he won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, a position he would return to in later years. He began to prepare himself for his future as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1785 when he became a city recorder, where one of his duties was to preside over small court cases. Marshall made a name for himself as a fair, intelligent man who ruled based on the common good (Life and Legacy). A few years later, his reputation earned him a role in Virginia’s convention to ratify the United States Constitution; he then used his popularity to encourage others to ratify the Constitution and won by a narrow margin (Britannica). Shortly after this, he turned down several positions such as U.S. Attorney General and minister to France in favor of continuing his private law practice, which was flourishing at the time. In 1798, however, he accepted the re quest of President John Adams to participate as an envoy in the diplomatic mission that later became known as the XYZ affair. Along with Elbridge Gerry and Charles Pinckney, Marshall was sent to France in an attempt to restore harmony between the United States and France, specifically to stop French attacks on American ships. The three men were to meet with the Foreign Minister, the Marquis de Talleyrand, but instead were greeted by several mediators known anonymously as X, Y, and Z. The French agreed to stop the attacks in exchange for an agreement to pay American merchant claims against the French and give a large amount of money to the Marquis. This resulted in a Cold War-like conflict between France and America and culminated in the formal severance of any official alliances with the United States (history.state.gov). During this time, Marshall had been elected Secretary of State and conducted the negotiations that led to America’s continuing isolationism. He served as Se cretary of State for about a year and was then appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, after the first Chief Justice John Jay declined reappointment. Marshall was sworn in on February 4th, 1801, which marked the end of his political career and opened his long and successful legal career. Marshall served as Chief Justice for thirty-four years, the longest tenure of any chief justice, and in this time established the ground rules of American government (Smith). He ruled on over 1000 decisions, writing the opinions for over half of them. This was a major change in Supreme Court workings; prior to Marshall it was common for each justice to write his own opinion for each case, but Marshall’s court only published one opinion. This practice led to an impression of authority from the Supreme Court, as multiple opinions concerning a new and unexplored body of law created a lack of certainty and trust in both the lawmakers and the law itself (Britannica). Marshall’s court was also known for its unanimity and stability; with only the occasional dissenter, the court was able to rule far more effectively and authoritatively than it had with the previous Chief Justices. Because of the capable manner in which Marshall ran the Supreme Court, he was able to rule on coun tless decisions that shaped the very structure of the American government. Marshall’s most famous ruling, and arguably the most important ruling in Supreme Court history, was with Marbury v. Madison in 1803. The circumstances surrounding this case were complicated (PBS). In the controversial election of 1800, Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson defeated Federalist John Adams, causing a few months of political panic for the largely-Federalist Congress before Jefferson’s inauguration. With the help of the Judiciary Act, Adams created several positions for judges and appointed a large number of justices of the peace and circuit judges in his last days and hours of the Presidency; in fact, this was when Marshall received his appointment to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Adams did this with the intention of ensuring that the Federalists would remain in power even with a Democratic-Republican president, since judicial positions were typically filled for life. These commissions were not delivered on time, however, and when President Jefferson took office on March 5, 1801, he ordered that James Madison, his secretary of state, could not deliver the remaining commissions, thus invalidating them. William Marbury was one of the appointees whose commission was not delivered and he requested a writ of mandamus from the Supreme Court forcing Madison to deliver the commissions. Marshall’s court considered several questions when determining its ruling: â€Å"Does Marbury have a right to the commission? Does the law grant Marbury a remedy? Does the Supreme Court have the authority to review acts of Congress and determine whether they are unconstitutional and therefore void (lawnix.com)?† were among the most important. It was decided that while Marbury had a right to the commission and the law granted him a remedy, the court could not write a mandamus for him because the Judiciary Act of 1789 which granted that right was directly contradicted by the Constitution. By ruling this way, Marshall’s court establishe d that the purpose of the Supreme Court was judicial review; that is, the Supreme Court could nullify laws passed by Congress if they were found to be unconstitutional. This important ruling gave the Supreme Court a clear purpose and place in the American government. Marbury v. Madison made clear that the Supreme Court would greatly influence the laws in America, and Marshall kept true to this promise (PBS). In 1816, Congress created the Second Bank of the United States, the success of which caused state banks to resent it when they began to fail in the depression of 1818. Maryland targeted the Bank by imposing taxes on any non-state bank and sued James McCulloch, cashier for the Bank’s Baltimore branch, when they refused to pay this tax. The Supreme Court ruled in this case that Congress was constitutionally allowed to create the Bank and that Maryland lacked the power to tax it. More importantly, it ruled that Congress had implied powers, meaning if the desired end result is constitutional, Congress was allowed to implement any means to achieve that goal, as long as it was not explicitly prohibited in the Constitution. This ruling on McCulloch v. Maryland, combined with Marbury v. Madison, set the stage for the Supreme Court to make many important decisions over the next two centuries. Marshall’s rulings, particularly Marbury v. Madison, have left an important legacy that has been utilized by Supreme Court even until the present day. After Marshall’s court, the next time the Supreme Court declared a federal law unconstitutional was with Dred Scott v. Sandford in 1857. The issue to be ruled on in this case was whether Dred Scott, a slave, was still considered a slave after spending time in a free state (PBS). Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that Scott remained a slave, citing Marbury v. Madison by declaring the Missouri Compromise of 1820 unconstitutional. A more modern example of utilizing judicial review would be Obergefell v. Hodges, the case in which same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in June 2015. The Supreme Court redefined â€Å"marriage† to be extended to same-sex couples. While the argument can be made that these rulings were immoral or simply wrong, the Supreme Court upheld its responsibility for judicial review, instituted by Marshall. Practically since its inception, Marbury v. Madison has been used to overturn unconstitutional laws. John Marshall’s court changed the American government. Marbury v. Madison chiefly provided a purpose for the Supreme Court; the inception of judicial review permitted the court to overturn any unconstitutional acts of Congress and paved the way for a society grounded in the laws on which it was founded. This brought the judicial branch up to the same level as the executive and legislative branches, creating the three-branch system for which the United States was known. His other rulings, such as McCulloch v. Maryland, created other powers for the government, such as implied powers for Congress. Overall, Marshall’s rulings allowed for a fairer America no longer subject to the whims of the elected officials, but rather one that followed the laws upon which it was founded in 1776.

Redesign of a Toy Revolver Gun Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Redesign of a Toy Revolver Gun - Assignment Example This assignment aims at redesigning a physical product for assembly and would put forward DFMA as it occurs in real engineering world. The physical product selected for this assignment is toy revolver gun which inherited this name because of its revolving cylinder consisting of multiple chambers .This physical product has various part and they can be describes as below; †¢ Cover of the gun. †¢ Base of the gun. †¢ (Hummer): to strikes the primer to cause ignition. †¢ Ejector †¢ Ejector button †¢ (Left and right grip): to handle of the handgun. †¢ (Trigger): small lever that is squeezed to start firing. †¢ Revolver cylinder †¢ (Muzzle): the end of the barrel (bullet or shot exist). †¢ 3 screws †¢ Compression spring †¢ 2 Torsion spring As a part of redesigning, a table analysis will be done as well the picture of the physical product will be projected.

Public Key Infrastructure Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Key Infrastructure - Case Study Example dly, there is the idea of encryption where encryption algorithms ensure that the communications are secure and that data remain private as it is sent from one computer to another. Finally, through digital signatures, PKI helps to provide non-repudiation. The concept of non-repudiation helps prove that a particular individual performed a certain operation at a certain time (El-Ashqar, 2012). Therefore PKI can be of great benefit to the organization by guaranteeing the quality, source & destination, the timing and privacy of information. The PKI could help in signing the company’s software by providing code signing certificates. This certification is done by the Certification Authority (CA) unit under the PKI which uses its private key to assign a certificate and signs it with the private key for that certificate authority (Zissis & Lekkas, 2013). The CA in this case refers to the company itself which will be involved in issuing and revoking of the digital signatures. In addition to the private key, the CA has its public key which is published. Therefore, the company may take advantage of this process and assign its software products digital certificates. The public key that is used in the authentication of the code signature can be traced back to the root Certification Authority (Zissis & Lekkas, 2013). Clients make use of the root certificate generated by the CA to verify that the signatures have originated from that certificate authority. This will help the user know that a given software product is from t he stated source or company. This will help show the user that the software is authentic and is from the trusted company. Companies have to choose whether to use an external certification authority (CA) or an in-house CA that is controlled by the organization. Each of these approaches has its own merits and drawbacks. First, when it comes to internal CAs, it is easy for the organization to manage since there is no need to consult another party. Internal CAs