Interaction Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interaction Theories - Essay Example Over the past few weeks, there has been some distance between the two, which Jade translated as diminishing interest and ignorance, not knowing that Mason was under job stress and pressure. One night over a phone conversation between the two, Mason was more silent and seemed disinterested in the conversation. This upset Jade, who quickly ended the conversation and sent him a text expressing her feelings. Mason’s reply was that since they were in a long distance relationship, they had little to talk about and that she was blowing his reasons for silence out of proportion. After several exchanges and arguments, the couple finally realized that they both lead busy lives, but they must ensure that they put positive efforts for their relationship to work. The argument was also a revelation for Mason. It presented Jade as a sensitive person who needs constant attention. She also holds her emotions within her when she gets upset. Eventually, the couple came to a mutual agreement. Mas on now understood her better and apologized to her. Application Evolutionary psychology is a biological approach that seeks to explain human behavior and interaction with other humans. The emphasis of the theory in human relations includes parenting, interactions within relatives and families, and interactions with unrelated people. According to this theory, most of the human behavior is explainable by internal psychological mechanisms (Chadee, 2011). In essence, this theory attributes human behaviors to adaption and psychological mechanisms, which are responses to particular contingencies in their environment, and their selection depends on their contribution to survival and reproduction. Jade’s father left at a very tender age. She therefore developed psychological mechanisms that made her sensitive, seeking attention for that fatherly love. This explains her past relationship problems, and the recent one with Mason. Her ideal romantic partner is one who cares and listens t o her. Luckily, Mason now understands her. Attachment theory explains the dynamics and principles of long-term relationships between people. The theory has an extension of adult romantic relations by Philip Shaver and Cindy Hazan. The attachment theory explains four styles of attachments in adults: anxious-preoccupied, secure, fearful-avoidant, and dismissive-avoidance (Chadee, 2011). Securely attached adults have positive views of themselves, their relationships, and their partners. They are comfortable with independence and intimacy. In the dismissive-avoidant group, adults seek independence, avoiding attachment completely. They consider themselves invulnerable to feelings and self-sufficient. They suppress their feelings and distance themselves when rejected. With fearful-avoidant adults, there is mixed feelings and reactions on emotional closeness. They desire the closeness, and at the same time feel uncomfortable. They consider themselves unworthy and mistrust their partners. A nxious-preoccupied individuals need approval, responsiveness, and high levels of intimacy. As a result, they become overly dependent on their partners (Chadee, 2011). These adults have less positive views of themselves and their relationship, are less trusting, and display high levels of impulsiveness, worry, and emotional expressiveness. Jade fits well in the anxious-preoccupied style of attachment. This is evident from her emotional

Physical Geography Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Physical Geography Articles - Essay Example This article tries to define sand dune and ripples and the cause-effect relationship. The author argues that sand dunes are result of sand waves which piles up with a particular pattern over a large area mostly of desert. However, the article shows that bedforms that result to such land forms are not only caused by wind but any other fluid. It is therefore important to note that climate factor which in turn influences movement of wind and water is responsible for the various landforms that characterize Earth surface. The central idea of the article is that Dunes and ripples are considered bedforms. Increasing changes in global climate has significant effect on various land forms. The deserts are particularly in danger as temperatures plummets and humidity dwindles. The little vegetation that covers desert landforms is at the brink of complete elimination. In other words, deserts that already have scanty vegetation cover are likely to be transformed to bare land. This would lead to other features like sand dunes among others. Besides, the trend in the desert change is closely associated with rising water levels due to increasing global temperature that melts ice. This article therefor offers an insight into the complex consequences of climate change of various landforms. This article centers on the unforeseen benefits of global warming as the ice melts. The Glacial melt constitute shift of more iron deposits which are seen as facilitating growth of phytoplankton. These phytoplankton in turn help in absorbing excess carbon dioxide with marginal reduction in greenhouse effect. This fertilization observation is attributed to the silver lining that can be observed on glacial landscapes. The author of the article therefore offers an insight into the existing relationship between physical geography and climate

Effects of Technology on Social Groups Essay Example for Free

Effects of Technology on Social Groups Essay The emergence of technology has brought about different social effects. Some have lost while others have gained from the technology. A great part of technology involves working with machines and this has resulted into less human labor and most of the people have been rendered jobless by the machines. This is a negative effect on the social group that was working together since some have to be laid off to give way for the machines. Some people have become wealthier while others have become poor and this has created a gap between the two groups. This has changed the expectations of many people in the social environment (Langdon, 1986). For those who have studied how to work with the machines they are enjoying and getting closer to their social groups. People can easy work from home and this has made working easier. Social groups can work together on the internet and they can even share a network. Most of the technology lies in the computer and through the computer; people can easily talk with all their friends in the social websites. People also find spouses and lost friends on the internet and this is a merit of technology since people keep in touch even when they are far from each other (English-Lueck 1998). In social groups like families, technology has led to breakups of close family ties sine the family members can communicate by sending an email and chatting. They feel that they are close to their relatives even when they are in distant places hence they do not bother to travel home. This has made most of the parents to lose control over their children. This is a way in which technology has created freedom for the young generation (Ruth. 1989). References 1. Ruth Schwartz Cohen, (1989), More work for mother; The Ironies of Household Technology from the open hearth to the Microwave, London, Free Association Books 2. Langdon Winner, (1986), The Whale and the Reactor; A Search for Limits in an Age of High Technology, Chicago, University of Chicago press 3. J. A. English-Lueck, (1998), Technology and Social Change; The effects of family and community retrieved October 31, 2008 from website; http://www. sjsu. edu/depts/anthropology/svcp/SVCPcosa. html

Philosophy Essays Platonic Epistemology Socratic

Philosophy Essays Platonic Epistemology Socratic Platonic epistemology seeks answers to key questions regarding the nature of reality, man, mind/soul, knowledge, being and becoming. The nature of this paper allows only the broadest brush strokes across the Platonic canvas. However following a brief introduction in which I will discuss the Socratic method and its influence on Platonic philosophy. Plato like his predecessor and mentor Socrates, aimed to identify the world around him using a more in depth methodology, from others that had been employed previously. The more Humanistic nature of Socratic enquiry was in marked contrast to the pre Socratic Naturalist approach. In The Republic Plato sets about an examination of specific concepts presented as a serious of dialogues or in a dialectic style. Through various metaphors and dialectic prose Plato delineates theories of reality (including the world of forms and being), the doctrine of Recollection, the roles of dialectic and aporia, and the tripartite structure theories of man and state. Benjamin Jowett in his edition of The Republic suggests the greater aim of Platos work is the â€Å"search after justice† embodying the fields of reality, man and knowledge discussed â€Å"On the basis of proverbial morality by Socrates and Polemarchus then caricatured by Thrasymachus reduced to an abstraction by Glaucon and Adeimantus† all based on the constructs of man and state as delineated by Socrates Influenced by his mentor Socrates and other Greek thinkers mentioned by Jowett. Platos work is still applicable today in a priori philosophies; Idealists concepts such as the tripartite nature of Man and State would have remarkable relevance in modern political theories including Utilitarianism and Communisms. Andrew Levine in his book Engaging Political Philosophy postulates: â€Å"Rousseaus investigation in The Social Contract was the realm of Platonic ideas or forms in contrast to the world of appearances, where de facto legitimate states exists† Any discussion on Platonic epistemology must inevitably weigh the influence of the Socratic school. Platos Socrates is the key to understanding the complexity of Platos thought. Socratic contrarianism and its methodology of aporia, a sort of constant intellectual [foundational] doubting, left Socrates free to claim that he was the wisest of men and was at the same time ‘wise in no way great or small. Platos later theories and epistemology would develop with Socrates almost rebellious dialectical style, questioning the accepted traditional beliefs of Greek intellectual society. (The historic Socrates stood trial and was sentenced to death for preaching his philosophy publicly; he refused to discontinue the practise) Platos adoption of Socratic contrarianism pervades much of his writings, especially in concepts as fundamentally abstract as his denial of knowledge through empirical observation; As witnessed in the Theaetetus when the Socratic midwife prepares to assist the young Theaetetus with his labours while delivering a reply to Socrates question â€Å"what is knowledge.† When questioned Theaetetus equates knowledge with perception, after intense dialectical questioning, during which Socrates successfully refutes arguments that perception is (biconditional) knowledge Theaetetus finally agrees, (with restrictions) that perception is not knowledge. So commences the search for an answer to the question Socrates asks, â€Å" what is knowledge?† Plato rejected all empirical claims to understand the true nature of knowledge â€Å" Knowledge is not constituted by sense impressions, but by the inferences we make about them, by that means being and truth are attainable, in the other way it is impossible† In the Theaetetus Plato demonstrates the concept of being as â€Å"fundamental and universal† Socrates points to the specialization of bodily sense organs. If we ask which organs enable us to formulate opinions or judgements that range across more than one field of sense-experience, we cannot identify such a grouping. â€Å"the things you perceive by means of another for example, that objects of hearing can not be objects of the seeing and vice versa?† The possession of mathematical knowledge or the ability to formulate judgements does not reside in some empirical â€Å" Sorting office†, Socrates states in the Meno, â€Å"Then knowledge is related to what is and knows what is and is as it is. The objects of mind are eternal; those of the senses always changing. Knowledge never changes; opinion, which is not tied down, is subject to change.† It now seems clear that what the mind knows is being, that which is eternal and unchanging, while the senses inform us concerning the â€Å"intermediate flux† The realm of being is comprised of ideas or forms and that of becoming by changing things. â€Å"Aporia and refutative cross examination serve to purify ambiguous formulation by excluding false and misleading interpretations and opening the path to true ones† reflects Rosemary Desjardins, in Logos in Platos Theatetus. Platos dialogues may indeed be aporetic but by subjecting both his interlocutors and readers to elenchus and meiutic method he hopes to lead from gross perceptibility to finer cognition. The relentless inquisitiveness of the Socratic method in conjunction with aporia lends to a degree of abstraction in the nature of Platos philosophy (referred to in Jowetts introduction to The Republic) evidenced by the allegory of the cave, the doctrine of recollection, the nature of reality, the concept of the divided line, and the theory of forms. The allegory of the cave allowed Plato to postulate several ideas archetypal of Platonic philosophy. The allegory of the cave describes the limit placed on mankind, by an over reliance on sensory perception, and the subsequent systems of knowledge that relied on empirical evidence alone to deduct truths. For Plato, the resultant effect of mans self-shackling (empirical observation) is described in Book VII of The Republic. Plato views mankind as: â€Å"living in a underground [den] which has its mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and neck chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads† Plato does not give a finite explanation of enlightenments form nor does he give an example of reality, what he demonstrates in the allegory of the cave is a clear method or path, that man and society must pursue to achieve deeper knowledge of reality. Like the prisoners emergence from the cave, enlightenment at first will be difficult to understand, like the temporary blindness they suffer when first exposed to sunlight, its an arduous path that takes time, patience, temperance and practice, with the temptation for a return to former ignorance always present. Ignorance when lifted will deliver us into the Real world of philosophy with man finally comprehending his own place on the path to true knowledge. Plato delineates this movement with mathematics through the image of a straight line. He divides this imaginary line into two unequal segments, the large segment represents the intelligible world, and the smaller the visible world. He further divides these segments in the same ratio as his first division. The division in the larger segment represents the world of higher and lower forms (ideas). The division in the visible world represent visible objects and the lowest segment represents their shadows and reflections (imagination). For Plato the line represents the levels of cognition available to man and society. Socrates avowed mission was to educate the Athenian populace up until the last days of his life. He likened his mission to that of a gadfly, ‘stinging the lethargic Athenian horse into wakefulness through the application of philosophical dialectic (Socratic method) Plato believed if entered into in good faith, this method would ensure a cognitive assent along the divided line. He believed until individuals and society, collectively questioned the political, ethical, and moral status quo, conciousness would remain in bondage much like the prisoners restricted mechanical life in the cave. Answering his critics regarding the phenomenon of knowledge Plato states that the soul is immortal â€Å" the soul, since it is immortal, and has been born many times, and seen all things both here and in the other world, has learned every thing that is† Plato offers proof of the souls immortality, in the Phaedrus he postulates that its the nature of the soul to initiate its own changes, in effect to be self moving, rather than moved by an outside agency. Therefore the soul cannot be destroyed nor can it come into being. ‘It was not, nor will be, but always is, one whole continuum. (Parmenides.) To contemporary ears the Platonic soul bears great similarities to the Christian Soul unlike his Doctrine of Recollection or anamnesis; Platos Socrates denies his own wisdom; in the Apology he states, â€Å" human wisdom is worth little or nothing† he merely asserts that he is a â€Å" midwife† assisting in the â€Å"rebirth† of knowledge lying dormant in the mind Opinions proven wrong in the course Socratic investigation, does not demonstrate lack of knowledge, but rather, the clouding of mind on account of sensory perception. Platos Socrates asserts that dialectical investigation (with its constant questioning) would lead the inquiring mind towards clues, allowing it a recollection of what was already known through the many cycles of rebirth. Although considered a Platonic absolute the Doctrine of Recollection cannot be contested or proved. Platonic abstraction, denies legitimate validity to Empirical investigation. The a priori solution given by the slave boy in the Meno to the mathematical question posed by Socrates, hardly resolves this problem. Tying into the Doctrine of Recollection and the minds compromised judgement on account of sensory perception, Platos Theory of forms plays a greater role in the Allegory of the cave, where the impressions cast on the caves wall are believed to be real. For Plato the shadows on the wall were a reflection of empirical reality, which in turn was a reflection of a Reality whos dwelling lay in the realm of Forms (ideas). Platos theory of Forms is base on the notion that all things in the world share in common with a greater abstract (ideas) that in turn embodies all things in the empirical world. For example a small red chair, sharing certain physical characteristics in common with a large white chair, is not a real chair, but the perception of the abstract â€Å"chair† in which the white chair and all other chairs mimic. Plato translated his notion of the intangible into the Tripartite nature of man; man Plato contended, was comprised of physical material (the body), and the abstract immaterial (soul and mind). While co-dependant, the two parts ¾ matter and form ¾, function separately of each other.

The Role of Justice in Society Essay -- Just Justice Fair Philosophy E

The Role of Justice in Society Through the egalitarian reasoning of John Rawls and the act-utilitarianist perspective of J.J.C. Smart, I will analyze the concept of justice. In accordance with Rawls, I intend to argue that any changes in society that will increase the burden carried by the poorest 5% are unjust, even if these changes increase the average level of happiness for the other 95%. With regard to ethics, justice is defined as fairness, where all situations should be treated alike. For one to exhibit justice, one must portray the quality of being fair and reasonable in all situations. While egalitarians evaluate justice based on equality, utilitarians are only interested in justice as a means to an end. Smart advocates the principle of utility, which defines the morally action as whatever produces the greatest net happiness for everyone affected by that act. To identify an act as ‘just,’ Rawls employs the theory of justice as fairness. This theory stresses the principle of equal rights, and that an act is ‘just’ if equality is realized by everyone affected by the act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before delving into John Rawls’ views on a ‘just’ society it is essential to understand his perception of the role of justice in society, as described in his book A Theory of Justice. Justice in society enforces individual’s rights and to â€Å"[deny] that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a greater good shared by others†. When the notion of justice becomes shared by all citizens, and equality is achieved, civility between members of society will restrict the use of some individuals as means to personal ends. Overall, Rawls argues that the most distinctive role of justice in society is to equally distribute rights and duties to individuals. The underlying egalitarian viewpoint is that individuals do not possess any characteristics that would â€Å"justify inequalities in the distribution of social benefits and burdens†. The principles of justice, as depicted in Rawls book, are chosen by individuals an initial position of equality. These principles can be applied to solve structural issues in society such as the distribution of social and economic advantages, the distribution of basic rights and duties to citizens. Rawls argues that in order for the principles of justice to establish an ideal society, where equality between citizens is realized, several hypothetical ... ... interest while in pursuit of maximizing happiness. Overall I agree with the principles set forth by John Rawls in his book A Theory of Justice, because it protects against discrimination of the lowest 5 of the population whose voice is usually discredited and overlooked in society. Works Cited Bayles, Michael, ed. Contemporary Utilitarianism. Garden City: Anchor, 1968  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hoffman, Michael W, Robert E. Fredrick, and Mark S. Schwartz. Business Ethics Readings and Cases in Corporate Morality. 4th Canadian ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001 Lamont, Julian. "Distributive Justice." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2003 Edition). Main. Edward N. Zalta. 13 March 2004. . Nussbaum, Martha. The Enduring Significance of John Rawls. Evatt Foundation. 13 March 2004. Rawls, John. A Theory of Justice. Revised Canadian Ed. Cambridge: The Belknap Press, 1971 Scott, Alex. John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice. 14 March 2003. Smart, and Bernard Williams. Utilitarianism: For and Against. Trowbridge: Redwood Burn, 1973 Utilitarianism Resources. BLTC Research. 15 March 2004. Williams, Jon. An Examination of John Rawls’s Critique of Utilitarianism. 13 March 2004

A Young Womans Fantasy in The Turn of the Screw Essay -- Henry James

A Young Woman's Fantasy in The Turn of the Screw   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James, is an odd story about a young woman who, leaving her small country home for the first time, takes a job as a governess in a wealthy household.   Shortly after her arrival, she begins to suffer from insomnia and fancies that she sees ghosts roaming about the grounds.   James is a master story-teller and, at times, the complexities of the story make it difficult to follow.   The Turn of the Screw is a story within a story, the tale of the governess being read aloud as a ghost story among friends.   Harold C. Goddard wrote a fascinating piece of criticism entitled "A Pre Freudian Reading of The Turn of the Screw."   When applied to the book, his theory makes perfect sense.   Goddard suggests that the governess, young and inexperienced, immediately falls in love with her employer during their meeting.   As a result of her unrequited love, her overactive mind creates a fantasy in which the the two ghosts intend to harm the children, in order to make herself a heroine, thereby getting the attention of her employer.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Goddard points out that the young woman is unstable from the beginning.   We find out little about her background, except that she is "the youngest of several daughters of a poor country parson" (4).   It becomes immediately obvious to the reader that such a drastic change of environment as she experiences is cause enough for her to experience extreme anxiety.   Indeed, she tells Mrs. Grose, "I'm rather easily carried away.   I was carried away in London!" (8).   After her interview with her potential employer, the man from Harley Street and the uncle of her young charges, she goes on and on about the man, praising him and ... ... that haunt the grounds.   The story is told through the voice of the governess, which, considering her mental state, makes it difficult to decipher what is actually occurring.   There are many questions that are never answered, rather, they are left up to the reader to decide. Works Cited and Consulted Freud, Sigmund. An Outline of Psycho-Analysis. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1969. Goddard, Harold C. A Pre Freudian Reading of The Turn of the Screw. New York: Hillary House Publishers, 1960. James, Henry. "The Turn of the Screw". The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels. New York: New American Library, 1995. Nunning, Ansgar. "Unreliable Narrator." Encyclopedia of the Novel. Ed. Paul Schellinger. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998. 1386-1388. Wagenknecht, Edward. The Tales of Henry James. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1984. A Young Woman's Fantasy in The Turn of the Screw Essay -- Henry James A Young Woman's Fantasy in The Turn of the Screw   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James, is an odd story about a young woman who, leaving her small country home for the first time, takes a job as a governess in a wealthy household.   Shortly after her arrival, she begins to suffer from insomnia and fancies that she sees ghosts roaming about the grounds.   James is a master story-teller and, at times, the complexities of the story make it difficult to follow.   The Turn of the Screw is a story within a story, the tale of the governess being read aloud as a ghost story among friends.   Harold C. Goddard wrote a fascinating piece of criticism entitled "A Pre Freudian Reading of The Turn of the Screw."   When applied to the book, his theory makes perfect sense.   Goddard suggests that the governess, young and inexperienced, immediately falls in love with her employer during their meeting.   As a result of her unrequited love, her overactive mind creates a fantasy in which the the two ghosts intend to harm the children, in order to make herself a heroine, thereby getting the attention of her employer.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Goddard points out that the young woman is unstable from the beginning.   We find out little about her background, except that she is "the youngest of several daughters of a poor country parson" (4).   It becomes immediately obvious to the reader that such a drastic change of environment as she experiences is cause enough for her to experience extreme anxiety.   Indeed, she tells Mrs. Grose, "I'm rather easily carried away.   I was carried away in London!" (8).   After her interview with her potential employer, the man from Harley Street and the uncle of her young charges, she goes on and on about the man, praising him and ... ... that haunt the grounds.   The story is told through the voice of the governess, which, considering her mental state, makes it difficult to decipher what is actually occurring.   There are many questions that are never answered, rather, they are left up to the reader to decide. Works Cited and Consulted Freud, Sigmund. An Outline of Psycho-Analysis. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1969. Goddard, Harold C. A Pre Freudian Reading of The Turn of the Screw. New York: Hillary House Publishers, 1960. James, Henry. "The Turn of the Screw". The Turn of the Screw and Other Short Novels. New York: New American Library, 1995. Nunning, Ansgar. "Unreliable Narrator." Encyclopedia of the Novel. Ed. Paul Schellinger. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998. 1386-1388. Wagenknecht, Edward. The Tales of Henry James. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1984.

Rhetorical Question Essay

In the story â€Å"Nineteen Thirty-Seven† Edwidge Danticat presents Josephine, a Haitian girl who often visits her mother at the Port Au Prince prison. In the process of Josephine’s visits the reader comes to understand that pain surrounds her life. Not only does it surround her life, however, pain is a prominent factor in all of her contemporaries’ existence. The oppressed nature of Josephine, her mom, and the woman of the river cause them to create an artificial sense of hope for their life full of suffering. Suffering seems to be a common component inherent of all Haitian women. This can be seen when Manman states â€Å"We were saved from the tomb of this river when she was still in my womb. You spared us both, her and me, from this river where I lost my mother† (Danticat, 40). Josephine was born on the day of the massacre by El Generalissimo’s soldiers representing that she is birthed from pain, as a lot of Haitians died that day. One of those who died was Manman’s mother, in an effort to alleviate her pain Manman takes Josephine as a replacement of the existence of her mother. Not only does Josephine emanate from suffering yet she carries the connation of false hope, as life can’t be replaced. The effect of suffering is once again seen when Manman mentions â€Å"Keep the Madonna when I am gone†¦Maybe you will have some flesh to console you. But if you don’t, you will always have the Madonna† (Danticat, 43). Once again Josephine’s mom creates hope for her daughter. Given that pain surrounds her life, her mother hopes that Josephine can deal with her suffering in the same way that she dealt with her mom’s death. The aforementioned quotes emphasize the repetitive occurrence of yet different pain Haitian women particularly experience. Danticat, Edwidge. â€Å"Nineteen Thirty-Seven.† Krik? Krak! New York: Vintage, 1996. 33-49. Print.