Essay about Kant - 1684 Words

Cant find it here? Try Collegiate Care Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant was a man before his time. His philosophies, as outlined in Perpetual Peace, paved the way for modern political relations. Unbeknownst to his day and age, his insights were a revelation. They were seeds planted and left unsewn for 120 years. As a first and second image theorist, Kant mixes his liberal and realist views to paint a picture of quot;perpetual peace.quot; His essay outlines the actions that nations should take to achieve this lofty objective. Through his layout of behavioral and philosophical ideologies, he believes nations can truly live synchronically. The first section of Kants essay contains articles that specifically state the†¦show more content†¦Nations, he says, must not interfere with the constitution of another. He implicitly reaffirms the principals of the Treaty of Wesphaylia - sovereignty and noninterference. In the final article, Kant addresses war directly. He states that if nations are at war, then they should refrain from doing things during the course of war that would cause the other nations to distrust them in future times of peace. By this, he is referring to the use of assassins and treasonous deeds. This concludes the first section of his essay. The second section of quot;Perpetual Peacequot; is more in depth. Kant gives us three articles that define what type of government nations must apply to reach a perpetual peace. He begins this section by arguing that it is not in mans nature to be at peace. He declares that the natural state of man is war. He goes on to say: quot;...for the suspension of hostilities does not provide the security of peace...quot; (111) However, it can be reached in a state of lawfulness. Kant explains why republican constitutions are vital to ensure the peace of nations. He reasons this by arguing that this is the only type of government that guarantees freedom and equality of the people. Kant goes on to state that the republican form of government is the most difficult to form and maintain. But, he reaffirms that a republic is the type of government most apt to achieve peace because it gives its people a voice, ensures consequencesShow MoreRelatedImmanuel Kant And The Kant Essay1263 Words   |  6 Pages Immanuel Kant Lying Chiyane Peterson MCCC Ethics MW 1:30pm Parviz Dehghani Lying the one form of communication that is the untruth expressed to be the truth. Immanuel Kant states that lying is morally wrong in all possible ways. His hatred for lying has made him â€Å"just assumed that anyone who lied would be operating with a maxim like this: tell a lie so as to gain some benefit.†(Landau,pp.171) This is true for a vast number of people, they will lie in orderRead MoreKant s Principles Of Kant1743 Words   |  7 Pages The work of Immanuel Kant focuses on the idea that of everything in the world it is only good will that can be taken as â€Å"good without qualification† (Kant, 393). Unlike qualities or talents, which can be used both for good and for bad, good will is considered by Kant to be unequivocally good. Therefore, Kant’s principles require an individual to make decisions only based rationally upon the principles, or maxim, behind that decision, without consideration of the consequences that that actionRead MoreKant And Kant s Philosophy1657 Words   |  7 Pagesuniversal a priori condition which alone things can become objects of our cognition in general[.]† -Immanuel Kant, p 20 of Critique of Judgment This quote most aptly describes Kant’s purpose in writing a critique of aesthetic judgment, with the most important term being â€Å"transcendental.† The Oxford Dictionary defines the word as â€Å"presupposed in and necessary to experience† (what Kant refers to as a priori). In this sense, it is something that pertains to elements of human experience and thenRead MoreKant : Kant s Ethics1293 Words   |  6 PagesKhaled AlMarwani Philosophical Ethics PHL270 Dr. Elizabeth F. Cooke Question # 1: Kant’s Ethics According to my humble reading, Kant is considered the hardest to read, grasp and understand among the philosophers that we came across studying ethics. According to Kant, nothing could be called good without qualification except a good will. And the good will is the desire or the tendency to do your duty because it is your duty, not anything else. Thus, nothing can be gained out of an actionRead MoreImmanuel Kant And Kant On Morality1097 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent societies. Examples would be don’t cheat, don’t steal, and treat others as you would want to be treated. When dealing with the philosophers take on morality, there are two which are usually compared to one another, Immanuel Kant and David Hume. Immanuel Kant had many theories throughout his philosophical time. Here are some of his ethical works, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), the Critique of Practical Reason (1788), and the Metaphysics of Morals (1797), which contains bothRe ad MoreKant And Kant s Philosophy2023 Words   |  9 PagesImmanuel Kant was an exceptional philosopher who often fantasized about the wonders of the human perception. Through the power of imagination in the human mind Kant was able to postulate possible answers to the great questions of existence. He was daring and bold to wonder what constitutes the beauty of the human soul, how the existence of an all-powerful entity would be possible, and also what do human beings really do to perceive their surroundings. With such notable works as Critiques of PracticalRead MoreKant And Kant s Metaphysical Theorizing1303 Words   |  6 Pageswere possible. For Kant, the question of how synthetic a-priori judgements operated was central to understanding the nature of human thinking, and to enabling metaphysics. Previously Kant had been alerted to the writings of David Hume. Hume had effectively claimed that knowledge only came from analytic a-priori judgments or by synthetic a-posteriori. Hume criticized the notion of cause and effect, and claimed it to be product of conventions of thought, rather than reason. Kant had recognized thatRead MoreKant And Kant s Categorical Imperative1241 Words   |  5 Pages Immanuel Kant, an 18th-century moral philosopher, had contended that the fundamental principle of morality is the Categorical Imperative, from here will be additionally labeled as (CI) or otherwise mentioned. He supported his view by suggesting a pure moral philosophy; a metaphysics of morals that is not solely for rational beings to explore different ¬ sources of basic moral principles that are found through their own observational experience a priori, but additionally for the sake of morality asRead MoreKant And Kant s Universal Law Essay1458 Words   |  6 PagesDoes Kant successfully establish that one must never under any circumstances or for any purpose tell a lie? In this essay, I will argue that Immanuel Kant fails to successfully establish lying as morally impermissible because the claim that lying is morally impermissible goes against common sense. Kant defines his Universal Law to demonstrate the necessary action one must take in order to act in a way that is morally permissible and uses it in support of his belief that one’s motive is the soleRead MoreKant And Kant s Moral Ethics862 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Kant, We have these absolute duties to ourselves and these duties to oneself become the supreme principle of all duties. Therefore, these supreme self-duties are the reason why moral ethics exist, and without our duties to oneself there would be no other duties, nor would we, as a species, survive at all. However, these self-regarding duties can be very contradicting, but can help us understand the bigger picture of the categorical imperative. Kant believes that we must â€Å"act only according

FRQ APUSH Practice free essay sample

Cameron Martin P: 3 FRQ 7-9 Thesis FRQ 7. In what ways and to what extent was industrial development from 1800 to 1860 a factor in the relationship between the northern and the southern states? (2006B) Industrial development from 1800 to 1860 played a role in the relationship between the northern and southern states mainly through the industrial revolution. The Transportation Revolution benefitted the north the most with railroads while the south was dug into slavery. The Market Revolution changed both the North and South by changing a mercantilist based economy into a capitalist economy. The industrial revolution itself created more jobs in factory based environments. Tensions grew between the two as they became to grow more apart when the north was transitioning into industrial work when the south depended on agriculture. Overall, their differences between 1800 to 1860 created tensions between the two areas. FRQ 8. Compare the experiences of ALL of the following groups of immigrants during the period 1830 to 1860. We will write a custom essay sample on FRQ APUSH Practice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page English  Irish German (2007B) The English, Irish, and German immigrants from 1830 to 1860 shared many of the same traits and experiences during that time. The three groups of immigrants shared a poor lifestyle where the Irish faced the potato famine, the English were facing a poor economy and most desired to move to America, and the Germans came from all places as there was no Germany at the time making them poor and spread throughout the states. The Irish were hates for reasons such as ruining the Lowell system and overpopulating the cities whereas the English blended in as citizens of America getting standard treatment. The Germans on the other hand stuck to their own kind and treated in mixed ways. FRQ 9. Analyze the impact of the market revolution (1815–1860) on the economies of ALL Of the following regions. The Northeast The Midwest The South The Market Economy between 1815 and 1860 changed economics in the northeast, midwest, and south by switching from a mercantilist based economy to one of capitalist economics. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin gave the South the status of the main and largest exporter of cotton which boosted their economy. The Northeast became very factory based and opened jobs for many people allowing for their industrial economy to boom along with the market revolution. The Midwest was the center of an agricultural society and the market revolution brought machinery to work instead of the farmers.

The Influence of Social Status on Individuals Assessment and Self

Abstract People are perceived to be smarter or more knowledgeable depending on their positions or their roles in society. Social status does not only influence the way powerful individuals are assessed but it also has an impact on individuals’ self-assessment and the choice of behavioral patterns which can be the reason why they are perceived more knowledgeable.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Influence of Social Status on Individuals’ Assessment and Self-Assessment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In terms of the present research it was conducted a quiz game which required the role of a questioner and that of the answerer thus the target of evaluation became â€Å"self† versus â€Å"partner†. Results indicate that the roles in the Quiz-Game affected how observers judged the questioner and answerer. We also saw that role did have an effect of how the questioner and answere r viewed themselves. Powerful individuals act more situation-consistent not only in terms of researches but in the real life as well, which can be either beneficial or harmful for the development of overall society. Introduction People are perceived to be smarter or more knowledgeable depending on their positions or their roles in society. Additionally how we perceive ourselves when compared to others on same level of role with ourselves as equal or less knowledge to someone similar to ourselves, I basically agree with their research that we are perceived according to our role that we play in society so this is what my research is about it can also be referred to as (FAE) fundamental attribution error and related article as supported in social psychology. Admittedly, more powerful people act in a different way and reveal more variable reactions to various situations which can be the reason why they are perceived more knowledgeable. Thus, Guinote (2008) reported that powerful individ uals tended to act differently in accordance with different situations. The survey’s findings also suggest that powerful individuals change their behavioral patterns across various situations more as compared to powerless individuals. Due to such situation-consistency powerful individuals are regarded as more experienced and more knowledgeable. Notably, this perception is often generalized since powerful individuals are not assessed by their past behavior or performance, instead they are perceived as knowledgeable due to their social status. Social status does not only influence the way powerful individuals are assessed but it also has an impact on individuals’ self-assessment and the choice of behavioral patterns. For instance, according to Lammers and Stapel (2009) having power influences the way individuals try to solve moral dilemmas.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Lea rn More Lammers and Stapel (2009) found that more powerful individuals tended to concentrate on rules and principles, whereas less powerful individuals focused on the consequences. It is worth mentioning that in situations when decisions based on principles and rules threatened participants’ self-interest, more powerful individuals tended to solve the problem concentrating on the consequences. Thus, individuals’ status is a very important (if not essential) factor which influences their behavior. Notably, not only other people regard powerful people as more knowledgeable, but powerful individuals assess themselves likewise. Such self-assessment makes powerful individuals act in accordance with their self-interest and in terms of conventional rules. Nevertheless, sometimes this peculiarity of people’s assessment can be harmful, since some more powerful people can use their position in to reach their own aims. Cooper (2002) reports that police officers who are m ore powerful individuals do not always try to help less powerful individuals. Instead these more powerful individuals make use of their position, and their decisions often regarded as correct due to the assessment that more powerful people are more knowledgeable. Admittedly, powerful individuals are regarded as more knowledgeable and due to this perception they are often in more favorable position than less powerful individuals. Ross et al. (1977) considered the correlation between social status and individuals’ assessment. According to Ross et al. (1977) powerful individuals are perceived as more knowledgeable on the basis of their status. Moreover, powerful people are aware of their favorable position and often use it to â€Å"inappropriately deem members of their own caste well-suited to their particular leadership tasks† (Ross et al., 1977, p.494). It is necessary to point out that despite the considerable amount of surveys on the correlation between status and ind ividual perception, the problem needs further research. Discussion In psychology attribute biases are ubiquitous, to some extent they are referred to contemporary social psychology’s bedrock. The attribution biases lead us to underrating the significance of unresponsive, situational factors over the responsive human factors. Ross et al (1977) indicates that when making correct social judgments, self-presentation benefits and limitations should be adequately recognized on performers of social roles. Experimentation used to examine social insight in an encounter where a participant made hard questions that were based on general knowledge while another participant attempted to solve the exact questions.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Influence of Social Status on Individuals’ Assessment and Self-Assessment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Findings showed that perceivers do not give adequ ate allowance and leave a biasing effect on the â€Å"interviewer† and the â€Å"interviewee.† When judging the both of the participants the questioners gave an allowance to demonstrate esoteric knowledge that they exhibit in composing the questions. They were always recognized as superior to the ones answering their questions. Interpersonal encounters present adequate knowledge on social judgments and when evaluating oneself. Personal performances on such occasion fortified by the social roles each individual partakes. There are notable biased effects upon performance. In regard to the quiz game the specific empirical demonstration deals with the roles of the â€Å"questioner† and the â€Å"answerer† it also entails the bias discernment of the general knowledge that lead to random task, it purposes to fulfill the roles of the quiz game. Ross et al (1977) the tasks participated by the questioner is to compose a list of general knowledge quiz and then give them to the answerer contestant. The two participants and a couple of observers are present in the whole process. The role of the observers is to assess the contestants’ general knowledge in the whole exercise. Great emphasis is put on the role conferred, in general knowledge the advantages and the disadvantages of self-presentation in quiz game. Their role of these advantages and setbacks are neither understated nor concealed. The present research also proves that social status does influence individuals’ assessment. In the first place, individuals who were put in more favorable position, i.e. the position of the questioner who had the questions and the answers at hand, were regarded by observers as more powerful, i.e. more knowledgeable. Notably, the observers were likely to think that the questioners were more knowledgeable largely concentrating on the superior status of the more powerful individuals. It goes without saying that questioners did not have to reveal t he scope of their knowledge to prove their level, they only asked questions. It follows that the observers did not have the real opportunity to assess the level of the questioners’ knowledge, but they still evaluated the questioners as more knowledgeable. The observers assessed the questioners focusing on their social status and behavior, not on their exact knowledge. What the observers did see was that the questioners were confident enough and could correct the answerer if the latter was not right. The observers did not take into account that the questioners simply had the answers written in their papers which made them more knowledgeable. It is necessary to point out that many questioners could fail to answer the questions if they were in the position of answerers. Apparently, the observers did not pay much attention to that fact. It is possible to assume that the observers based their judgments on their previous experience: those who ask questions are, as a rule, more powe rful and more knowledgeable. This kind of generalization works in the particular case of the quiz game.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from this stereotypes which had impact on the observers’ assessment, influenced questioners and answerers’ self-assessment as well. It is important to state that not only observers but questioners and answerers shared the viewpoints about more and less powerful positions. Admittedly, individuals who found themselves in superior position (even if they occupied the position at random) felt more confident and that is why they did produce the impression of being more knowledgeable. At the same time, answerers felt that they were in less favorable position. They could even feel a bit subordinate to questioners. The answerers were not very confident since they did not have the right answers at hand. The answerers did not feel that confident and could be even a bit nervous since they wanted to give the correct answers. It goes without saying that the answerers considered themselves to be less knowledgeable. This is supported by the present research findings. The answere rs’ self-assessment was also based on stereotypes to great extent. It is important to note that self-assessment influenced the participants’ behavior. Thus, questioners were confident and enjoyed their being regarded as powerful and more knowledgeable, the answerers were regarded as less knowledgeable and shared this opinion. It is possible to state that self-assessment influenced the participants’ behavior which contributed to creation of certain evaluation by observers. Reportedly, the peculiarities of individuals’ assessment and self-assessment can be revealed not only during some surveys but in the real life. Admittedly, people tend to regard people who are in more powerful position as more knowledgeable due to their social status. Initially people judge other individuals in terms of their social status and only after this some personal features and behavior is taken into account. It goes without saying that individuals’ self-assessment id depe ndant on their social status. More powerful individuals are more confident and can often make use of their position, whereas less powerful individuals may often feel subordinate to the former. Moreover, in the real life less powerful individuals tend to rely on more powerful people. Reportedly, powerful individuals act more situation-consistent not only in terms of researches but in the real life as well, which is beneficial for the development of overall society since powerful people are thought to be bound to help powerless individuals. For instance, McWilliams (1993) revealed a very useful trend when powerful individuals were called for being responsible for powerless individuals, children in particular. Admittedly, it is believed that powerful individuals being more knowledgeable and experienced can and should solve difficult issues. Fortunately, powerful people share such opinion and tend to take control of various situations which in its turn contributes to their image of powe rful individuals. Thus, the society admits that people occupying powerful position (like lawyers or officials) should take care of less powerful people due to the fact that they are more knowledgeable and, of course, they are able to implement the necessary changes in the society. In this case the peculiarities of individuals’ assessment can lead (and do lead) to many improvements the society. On the one hand, such tendency when more powerful people take control of numerous situations is quite favorable, since the higher position is used to develop the society. Nevertheless, sometimes powerful individuals may use their position in some inappropriate way. First of all, they can use their position to achieve some personal goals which can have negative consequences for others. This kind of situation can worsen since less powerful people tend to accept more powerful individuals’ decisions. On the other hand, individuals who are in more favorable, i.e. powerful, position ar e not necessarily more knowledgeable and experienced as other people can think. Thus, many decisions may be erroneous due to the fact that in reality more powerful individuals lack the necessary knowledge or experience. Again this can lead to some undesirable effects since less powerful individuals who may really know the right solution will not be listened to because of the lack of authority or even will not express their opinion since they regard themselves as subordinates. This kind of situation is illustrated by the present research when questioners were regarded as more knowledgeable due to their position, though in reality they could know less than the answerers. Conclusion In conclusion, it is possible to state that the present research proves that individuals’ assessment is to great extent based on the social position occupied by people assessed. Moreover, the social status also influences individuals’ self-assessment and their behavior. Thus, the questioners i n the Quiz-Game were regarded as more knowledgeable basing on their superior position. The self-assessment was very much alike: questioners and answerers regarded themselves as less knowledgeable. Admittedly, the same assessment patterns are found in the real life where people occupying higher social positions are considered to be more powerful, knowledgeable and experienced. Such peculiarity of people’s perception can have both positive and negative effects. On the one hand, the society promulgates the authority of powerful people and makes them responsible for less powerful individuals. Powerful individuals share this opinion and are ready to implement the necessary changes and to make the necessary decisions. On the other hand, some powerful individuals may use their position to reach their personal aims which can have negative effects for others. Moreover, not all powerful people are that knowledgeable as they are considered to be so they can often make erroneous decision s which will be brought to life due to their high position. In this case the entire society can be threatened by the authority of people who in reality are not worth their positions. Thus, it is yet to find out whether the psychological peculiarity of people assessing other individuals on the basis of their social status is beneficial or ruinous for the society. It can be also helpful to research whether individuals’ assessment and self-assessment can be changed and how. References Cooper, S. (2002). A Closer Look at Racial Profiling. Foundation for American Communications. Web. Guinote, A. (2008). Power and Affordances: When the Situation Has More Power Over Powerful Than Powerless Individuals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(2), 237-252. Lammers, J. and Stapel, D.A. (2009). How Power Influences Moral Thinking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97(2), 279-289. McWilliams, J.M. (1993, February). Standing Up for the Powerless. ABA Journal, 8. Ross. L., Amabile, T.M., and Steinmetz, J. (1977). Social Roles, Social Control, and Biases in Social-Perception Processes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(7), 485-494. Ross, L. (1977). The Intuitive Psychologist and His Shortcomings: Distortions in the Attribution Process. New York: Academic Press. This research paper on The Influence of Social Status on Individuals’ Assessment and Self-Assessment was written and submitted by user Dam0n to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Queen Isabella of Castile Essay Example

Queen Isabella of Castile Essay Example Queen Isabella of Castile Paper Queen Isabella of Castile Paper Queen Isabella of Castile Imagine being born into a place renewing and renovating its knowledge. Not only imagine this, but imagine being a part of the royal family. Imagine choosing a suitor, and then imagine being a queen. Now, when you’re imagining these things put yourself in their shoes. Deeply and thoroughly look into all the challenging responsibilities a queen must go through on a daily basis. Queen Isabella of Castile is such a shining prime example of powerful queen ship during the Renaissance. Isabella of Castile had blue eyes, chestnut-haired, and beautiful. She favored jewels and lovely gowns that she wore throughout her life. As heiress to the throne of Castile she had her pick of royal suitors. Her brother, King Henry IV of Castile, arranged a marriage to Don Carlos, the Prince of Viana. But before the final arrangements could be made, Don Carlos died. King Henry IV had tried to arrange other marriages to Isabella, but she had already chosen Ferdinand. Her brother was furious. He threatened to throw her into the dungeon. Because of her powerful supporters, he knew he could not do that. Instead, he made her promise that she wouldn’t make any arrangements until after he returned from Andalusia. However, as soon as her brother left she began to make arrangements with Ferdinand. However, she had to find him. So she sent out noblemen to search for him and he was finally found in Sicily, Italy. He braved a trip back to Spain and married Isabella in 1469. This began the thirty-five year joint rule of a unified Spain by the Catholic Monarchs. Isabella had five children with Ferdinand which include: Isabella, Queen of Portugal, John, Prince of Asturias, Joanna I, Queen of Castile, Maria, Queen of Portugal, and Catherine, Queen of England. Isabella is famous for many important things. The most famous would be her sponsorship for Christopher Columbus to sail across the Atlantic Ocean in hopes to find a way to get to India. In 1492, Isabella was convinced by Christopher Columbus to sponsor his voyage of discovery. By the traditions of the time, when Columbus discovered lands in the New World, they were given to Castile. Isabella took a special interest in the Native Americans of the new lands. When some of them were brought back to Spain as slaves she insisted they be returned and freed, and her will expressed her wish that the Indians be treated with justice and fairness. Another important thing she is famous for is the Inquisition in Spain, one of many changes to the role of the church instituted by the monarchs. The Inquisition was aimed mostly at Jews and Muslims who had overtly converted to Christianity but were thought to be practicing their faiths secretly. Isabella and Ferdinand proceeded with their plans to unify all of Spain by continuing a long-standing effort to expel the Muslims who held parts of Spain. In 1492, the Muslim Kingdom of Granada fell to Isabella and Ferdinand. That same year, all Jews in Spain who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled by royal edict. Queen Isabella of Castile is such a shining prime example of powerful queen ship during the Renaissance. She had disagreements with her brother, married Ferdinand, sponsored a voyage to The New World, and started the Spanish Inquisition. So how would you like to be a queen during the Renaissance, again?

What do childrens experiences of race tell us about the social Essay

What do childrens experiences of race tell us about the social psychology of racism Discuss with reference to empirical research on race and multiculture - Essay Example Through the process of identifying certain biological human characteristics, the population of the world started being classified into separate groups. Miles refers to this process as racialisation and defines it as one which characterizes meanings â€Å"to particular biological features of human beings, as a result of which individuals may be assigned to or categorized into a general collectivity of persons reproducing itself biologically† (Miles, 1989). Research on children’s racialised thinking conventionally used numerous theoretical and interpretive paradigms that intended to explain the development of racial attitudes. Some of these models connected children’s racist beliefs to personality troubles and gave details of the appearance of prejudiced attitudes in relation to rigid cognition credited to strict parenting style (Adorno, 1950). Some recent researches put forward that children play a dynamic role in their own learning and expand knowledge through social interaction. Furthermore, children also have a certain amount of ability that permits them to understand process and express their needs and knowledge (Connolly, 1996). Thus children are not merely seen as submissive receivers of racist beliefs, but as vigorous agents who struggle to deal with conflicting information they obtain in relation to the racial ‘other’ so as to make sense of the social world around them. Because of this, they do not just imitate racist viewpoints to which they are exposed, but actively strive with their contingent and often opposing nature, while trying to make sense of their social world (Connolly, 1998b). Children establish their racialised notions of diversity and social relations within the specific framework of their daily experiences and that these experiences are socially planned, determined by social events that expand

Gun Control and Its Effects on Crime Rates Research Paper

Gun Control and Its Effects on Crime Rates - Research Paper Example Keeping this in view, many countries across the world banned the acquisition of harmful weapons on civilians. Logically speaking, if B accompanies A most of the time and one does not want B then one should be more likely to avoid A, too. Similarly, if crimes involve armed weapon and if someone wants to lower down the criminal activity, then the logical course of action should be to ban the possession of armed weapon. However, ironically, opposite is true. The phenomenon of gun control, which is the ban on supply or usage of guns by civilians, correlates highly with the increase of crime rates. This theory faces great opposition by pro-gun control schools of thought, which maintain that less weapons means less crime. This paper addresses this debate in a more enlightened space substantiating each point with relevant evidence. However, the paper holds and attempts to prove that gun control does, directly or indirectly, leads to increase in crime rates. Before diving into the actual debate, a glance at the background of the issue and historical anecdotes will clear the space for the discussion to build up in a more neutral, bias-free fashion. Gun control has been a popular topic of discussion and argument since a century. Nazis and Fascist were strong proponents of enforcing gun control to disable the civilians to counterattack. Therefore, people belong to anti-Hitler clan usually oppose the enforcement of fun control, saying that this is remains of the brutality of fascism (Wilson, 2007). On the other hand, US have a strong history of gun control, especially with respect to its Civil Rights Act and racial discrimination against African Americans. After the slavery abolished and Reconstruction was underway, slavery codes were replaced with Black Codes, which contained laws only for African Americans. These codes include gun control. Later on, when Black Codes were deconstitutionalized and racial

Political Language Essay Example for Free

Political Language Essay Language is the life blood of politics. Political power struggles, and the legitimisation of political policies and authorities occurs primarily through discourse and verbal representations. Power can either be exercised through coercion or what US commentator Walter Lippman termed in the 1930s the manufacture of consent. Largely unable, and hopefully unwilling, to coerce; political authorities in so called democratic polities often need to manufacture consent in order to undertake their agendas. While this most obviously concerns relations between a government and its wider public, this process has profound effects on the workings inside governments and is an important aspect of socialisation into governmental work cultures. Put simply the manufacture of consent is a language based process of ideological indoctrination. While being astonishingly comprehensive, it is a remarkably subtle process. Discourse carries the very assumptions under which the things it alludes to are known and ordered in the context in which it is used. In concrete terms this means that the content of political language contains the very rationale by which it is to be framed, defined, understood and acted upon. Commonly this produces the manufacture of consent. Political language, as Michael Geis points out in The Language of Politics, conveys both the linguistic meaning of what is said and the corpus, or a part of it, of the political beliefs underpinning any given statement (p7). Whether circulating inside or outside governments this means that political discourse transmits and unconsciously reinforces the ideological foundations and the ways of knowing of the dominant political authorities. Applied to government agencies this means that the language of its official texts contains the means by which things are known and understood within these agencies. This means that official documents are shaped according to the way in which things are known and understood in the context in which they are primarily employed. What is included, excluded and how the document is structured is largely determined by these methods of knowing, understanding, and what these are ideologically deemed to encompass. None of this is to necessarily say that the contents of a document are untrue. In the case of Randolf Pauls report nothing alleged in it has been refuted. However its structure reflects the prizing of particular modes of linear rational thought, empiricism, and ideas of objectivity characteristic of the US bureaucracy. What he represented may well have been far less straightforward than how he presented it. The events Paul portrayed may well have included other significant happenings that were not included because they were either not recognised as such within the knowledge structures of the US bureaucracy, or because they may have contentiously reflected unfavourably on the ideological principles underlying the US government. On the flip side official documents can be used to identify the ideological principles of a government agency and the political authorities it represents. Where there is conflict in political discourse, there is conflict about the ideological and philosophical assumptions underlying political authority. Official texts, and their structures should be analysed to uncover the assumptions of knowledge and ideology at the foundations of the authority producing the text. According to Foucault, the most useful question in such an analysis is something along the lines of how is it that one particular statement appeared instead of another statement . Further reading : Burton, F., Carlen, P. , Official Discourse : On Discourse Analysis, Government Publications, Ideology, and the State, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1979. Fairclough, N. , Language and Power, Longman, London, 1989. Foucault, M. The Archaeology of Knowledge and the Discourse on Language, trans. A. M. Sheridan Smith, Pantheon Books, New York, 1972. Geis, M. , The Language of Politics, Spring Verlag, New York, 1987. HOME DOCUMENT http://teaching. arts. usyd. edu. au/history/hsty3080/3rdYr3080/Callous%20Bystanders/language. html v.