Civil Disobedience in an Unjust America

Ahmed Syed Professor Ravy Eng 112-536 04/27/2010 Civil Disobedience in an Unjust America According to the infamous essay by Henry David Thoreau, civil disobedience is the conscious and intentional disobeying of a law to advance a moral principle or change government policy. Throughout the essay, Thoreau urges the need for individuals to put their personal and social consciousness before their allegiance to their government and its range of policies. Thoreau believed that if a government is unjust, citizens should simply refuse to follow the law and eventually begin to distance themselves from their government in a variety of ways.Although published 105 years one of the most turbulent and crucial times in American history, the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement saw the congruence between their plight and the teachings in Civil Disobedience. The protests led by legendary activist Martin Luther King and the watershed event of Rosa Park’s infamous bus ride were just two instance s in which civil disobedience came to fruition in modern day America. The following quote by Thoreau laid the groundwork for the basis of the actions of many civil rights activists, King and Parks included, â€Å"I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward†¦The only obligation which I have is the right to do what I think right. † (Civil Disobedience 475). The aforementioned quote reveals Thoreau’s belief that it was a citizen’s obligation to withdraw from participating in an unjust and evil government and gives support to future opposition to the American Government as scene during the 1950s and 1960s. Thoreau argues on several issues throughout his essay which include disassociation and reform, however one overarching and undeniable argument that is present throughout his essay is that the American government is an unjust government that must be corrected.This belief was also held by civil rights activists. Through this research paper, the foundation of Thoreau’s ideas and their penetration into modern American history will be explored. The social context surrounding Thoreau and his work includes two prevalent issues: slavery and The Mexican-American War. During the 1840s, when Civil Disobedience was published, the North and South were at odds over the issue of slavery. During the same time, many Americans also believed it was their â€Å"manifest destiny† to claim parts of Mexico as the United States.Based on these two issues, Thoreau argues that the United States is an evil and unjust government. Thoreau and Paul Power’s Civil Disobedience as Functional Opposition both argue that if the government were not evil in its objectives and agenda then the idea and practice of civil disobedience would not have been needed nor created. According to Powers, â€Å"due the established evil of our government, there are both moral and ideological grounds for justifying civil disobedience,† (Powers 37). This is because civil disobedience is a reaction to unjust government.Although many argue against civil disobedience by saying unjust laws made by a democratic legislature can be changed by a democratic legislature and that the existence of lawful channels of change make civil disobedience unnecessary, Thoreau and Powers would argue that the constitution and said laws are the problem, not the solution. According to Thoreau, governments are often â€Å"abused and perverted† (Civil Disobedience 249) so that they no longer reflect the needs and opinions of the common people.The American government showcased the aforementioned abuse and perversion during Thoreau’s time in their partaking in the Mexican-American War. The main objective of the war was the take land from Mexico in order to create a larger and more powerful America. According to Thoreau, the American government achieved these objectives through an unfair armed conflict that was reminiscent of the long arm of European monarchies Thoreau also argued that the American government was unjust in its total support of slavery.Thoreau believed that citizens of the United States must stop slavery and the war with Mexico, even if it costs them their existence as a people. In order to truly make his arguments effective, Thoreau used ethos and pathos to persuade the people of his era. His use of ethos is evident throughout the entire essay. Thoreau establishes that he is a credible source as he himself has practiced civil disobedience and has been imprisoned for doing so. Thoreau says, â€Å"I have paid no poll-tax for six years.I was put into jail once on this account, for one night; and, as I stood considering the walls of solid stone†¦I cold not help being struck with the foolishness of that institution† (Civil Disobedience 249). In the aforementioned quote, not only does he build his own credibility as a sort of martyr for his cause, but he discredits the opposition, the government. Thoreau engages the audience by way of pathos as he speaks on such an emotional level about pressing issues that almost every American had an opinion on, the war and slavery (Civil Disobedience 243. Thoreau’s use of ethos and pathos was so successful and convincing that that it resonated with Americans over 100 years later. Thoreau’s teachings helped to form and energize the American civil rights movement. His ideas and teachings were applied to sit-ins at lunch counters, the freedom ride to Mississippi, peaceful protests in Georgia, and the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. All of these defining moments were the outcome of Thoreau's insistence that â€Å"evil must be resisted and that no moral man can patiently adjust to injustice† (Thoreau 244).Thoreau also uses sensory imagery to convince and reach his audience in the following quote: â€Å"If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consi der whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil†¦Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine† (Civil Disobedience 248). This quote applies Thoreau’s somewhat abstract theories and ideas about evil and injustice to tangible and common objects, allowing all members of his audience to understand the major arguments of his essay.The use of the concrete words machine, spring, pulley, rope, and crank allow Thoreau’s audience to take what he is saying and apply it to common processes and mages that they understand because they are parts of their common and everyday lives. Columnist Bob Herbert, of the New York Times, recently wrote an article about Martin Luther King’s opposition to the Vietnam War, which can be compared with Thoreau’s thoughts on the Mexican-American War. Herbert cited King as saying the United States Government, in regards to their war efforts was, â€Å"Corrupt, inept, and without popular support,† (Herber t 2010).Herbert went on to further to say, â€Å"Dr. King spoke about the damage the Vietnam War was doing to America’s war on poverty, and the way it was undermining other important domestic initiatives. What he wanted from the U. S. was not warfare overseas but a renewed commitment to economic and social justice at home. As he put it: â€Å"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death,† (Herbert 2010). Not only did King agree with Thoreau on the social, piritual, and moral wrongs of war, but he also practiced civil disobedience and was sent to jail just as Thoreau was. In April of 1963, King was imprisoned in Birmingham, Alabama for his participation and leadership of the Birmingham campaign, a planned non-violent protest conducted by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference against racial segregation (King). While imprisoned, King wrote a Letter from a Birmingham Jail, which is equivalent to Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience in that he demonstrated that he was in Birmingham in the first place because injustice resided there.Within the letter he also stated the sole reason for his imprisonment was for protesting those injustices. Letter from a Birmingham Jail was the root of King’s views on civil disobedience. As the primary leader the Civil Rights Movement, King was known for his views on the value of civil disobedience as a way to achieve political attention and change, similar to Thoreau. Specifically, King studied and used methods of Thoreau’s civil disobedience to combat and change segregation laws.King’s thoughts on civil disobedience raised similar theoretical questions to Thoreau’s about the relationship between an individual, their government, and one’s moral and political duties in upholding their personal social contract with the US governm ent (Melendez). Within the letter, King utilizes the same ethos and pathos that Thoreau used 100 years earlier. King builds his credibility and rapport by explaining himself as a reliable, competent, activist who has the utmost respect for his audience's ideas and values. This can be seen as he writes, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B. C. left their villages and carried their â€Å"thus saith the Lord† far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid† (Letter from a Birmingham Jail 207). In conclusion, while Thoreau and his disciple Martin Luther King Jr. ncourage the need for individuals to correctly and justly prioritize their individua l conscious and the laws of their government, they essentially argue that the reason for the institution of civil disobedience is because the American government is and will always be an unjust government. Thoreau believes this is true not only because of their involvement in the Mexican-American War and their firm support of slavery, but because the American government’s actions are derived from the needs, opinions, and desires of a small group of citizens who fail to represent the majority.

International Assignments Essay

1. Determine four to six (4-6) components that the pre-departure training will need to cover. Provide a rationale for the use of using the training components in question. The four components that pre-departure training will need to cover are cultural awareness training, preliminary visits, language instruction, and assistance with practical, day to day matters. A well-designed cultural awareness training program seeks to foster an appreciation of the host country’s culture so that expatriates can behave accordingly, or at least develop appropriate coping patterns. A preliminary trip to the host country provides a preview to assess their suitability for and interest in the assignment and country. It helps to encourage more informed external stakeholders as well as host-country nationals. Language skills are a critical component in assignment performance and a gauge on ability to adapt and perform on assignment. Hiring of language competent staff to increase the â€Å"language pool† and up-to-date information on language skills is important and critical. Practical assistance helps provide guidance and assistance with relocation to the host country. Having one fend for themselves in a new country can result in a negative response towards the host country so any assistance from relocation specialists is of value to the candidate/employee (Dowling & Festing, 2009). 2. Propose three (3) criteria that management will use to assess the performance of expatriates working abroad. Support your proposal with examples of the fundamental ways in which these performance requirements have improved performance. An assessment of an expatriate employee’s performance is critical to the success of an international assignment. Issues such as the criteria and timing of performance reviews, raises, and bonuses should be discussed and agreed on before the employees are selected and placed on international assignments. Each international office should use a different appraisal system. Employers should not use a performance appraisal system that was  used for domestic employees and try to modify it for use with expatriate employees because many variables need to be understood and taken into consideration. Performance criteria and goals are best established by combining the values and norms of each local environment with the home-office’s performance standards. An individual country profile should be developed and should take into account the foreign subsidiary’s environment. This profile should be used to review any factors that may have an effect on the expatriate employee’s performance. Such factors include language, culture, politics, labor relations, economy, government, control, and communication. 3. Recommend the recruiting and selection strategy that you believe your firm should use when offering international assignments. Provide a rationale for your recommendation. International assignments, or the act of sending employees to different countries on project assignments, are a growing trend. Because international assignments are typically very expensive, failure can have big impacts on the business. It is imperative to hire more reliable and effective international assignees. The following are criteria that should be used to select the appropriate candidate: 1-Use of a selection panel which consists of a manager from the function being recruited for, staff who have detailed knowledge of living working and conducting business in the intended assignment destination, HR staff from home and host country and international HR. 2- Choose candidates that have successfully completed similar international assignments. Candidates should have previously succeeded in the target country or in a similar culture setting. Consideration should also be taken for those who have studied abroad or performed some other role in the country. 3-Prioritize candidates who are fluent in the language of the assignment destination. 4- Use of intercultural adaptability assessment tools potential of candidates to innovate, lead, manage, collaborate and socialize in different cultures. 5- Candidates should be provided with a realistic job assignment preview so that they know both the good and bad aspects of the assignment. 6- Allow candidates a reconnaissance trip after an offer has been made so that they  see if they are a good match for the work and life in the host country, pending budget plans. If these criteria are taken into consideration, then the assignment has a greater chance of succeeding (Ladimeji, 2012). 4. Compare and contrast two (2) staffing alternatives for foreign operations at your multinational firm. Select the staffing alternative that you believe to be the best fit for your scenario and provide a rationale for your selection. Two staffing alternatives are ethnocentric and polycentric staffing approach. The ethnocentric staffing approach involves the Parent-country nationals, or people from the home country of the corporation who are employed to fill key managerial positions because they are familiar with the goals, policies and procedures, technology and products of the parent company. They are in a much better position to report to the company, especially where there is an inadequacy of managerial skills at the local level. It is the preferred method with a centralized approach to globalization. The second approach is the polycentric and uses HCNs to fill key positions. This is more effective when a company wants to act â€Å"local.† It is also usually less expensive to hire locals, however, there could be difficulty in the areas of coordinating goals between the main and regional offices. 5. Analyze the importance of providing a high-quality mentoring system for international assignees. Provide o ne (1) example of a high-quality mentoring system for international assignees to support your analysis. A successful mentoring system can only succeed if the following are taken: Commitment from senior management, creation of a program that has some flexibility and not too much formality, training for mentors that helps them to support rather than teach assignees, understanding that mentoring needs to fit in with senior employees’ heavy workloads. Just like any job, there needs to be guidance and instruction and a good mentorship will aid the candidate in their international assignment (Cowell, 2004). 6. Suggest the manner in which you plan to measure return on investment (ROI) for international assignments. Provide a rationale for your decision. The best evaluation for ROI investment assignments is to set expectations  for several baseline competencies that will be gained from the international experience. The creation of new networks in the host countries as well as new hires or development of intercultural skills. References Cowell, P (2004, November 8). Mentoring: a step towards successful repatriationRetrieved August 15, 2014. http://www.expatica.com/hr/story/mentoring-a-step-towards-successful-repatriation–10573.html Dowling, P. & Festing, M. (2009). International human resource management: Managing people in a multinational context (5th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western. Ladimeji, K. (2012, August 31). How To Pick the Right People for International Assignments. Retrieved August 15, 2014. http://www.recruiter.com/i/how-to-pick-the-right-people-for-international-assignments/ Major Alternative Staffing Approaches for international operations. (2004, July 19). In WriteWork.com. Retrieved 15 August, 2014, from http://www.writework.com/essay/major-alternative-staffing-approaches-international-operat

Vampires in Modern Culture

One of the oldest and well known mythological monsters throughout history are blood sucking immortals known as vampires. They transgress the boundaries that humans are always trying to establish. Vampire lore has reflected the values and social structures of the culture it has existed in, but over the past century the values have transformed. From the classic story of Stoker’s Dracula where he is presented as sinister and non-human, the vampire aspect of literature has evolved drastically to a more heroic immortal.Physically, vampires have changed their appearance over the last century from the dark and non-human approach to a more modern and humanistic look. Earlier authors focused on gothic themed vampire narratives giving them malevolent features making them appear foul and evil. Nosferatu, being one of the most famous vampire narratives from the early twentieth century was abject and debase. His rat-like features eluded a sense of fear and horror to everyone around him, an d his physical appearance was unappealing and nightmarish.Vampires from early history were connected to the appearance of bloated leeches since they were blood sucking immortal monsters, but over the past hundred years they have turned into beautiful immortals. The qualities of vampire narratives from Eastern Europe descent which consist of dark and frightening apparel, long bloodcurdling fangs, and chilling accents have transformed entirely to look nothing like its predecessor. Modern vampires are dangerously gorgeous with lean bodies, sparkling skin, and beautiful facial features.The notable change in physical appearance of vampires over time is the disappearance of terror and evil and the welcoming of beauty. Vampires have always had a certain sex appeal, but the level of it has changed over the last century from luring and mysterious to a more romantic approach where love is the focus and instead of just the sexual charge of the relationship. Throughout the past century, vampire s transformed from the demonic, to aristocratic and sensual, to sexualized and misunderstood.In the modern media, sex appeal is what characterizes the roles of vampires, but love overpowers lust which was not the case in the twentieth century. Dracula’s character focused more on just the sexual aspect of his prey, and he was seen as a threatening predator. Modern vampires develop a deeper connection with other immortals as well as humans, but the thirst for blood still remains in vampires no matter what the time period. Since a key aspect to the being of a vampire itself is the fact that they live off of drinking blood, the hunting quality is crucial.Vampires, such as Dracula, would hunt solo not surrounded by other vampires. The focus was more on the individual rather than a family of vampires. But over decades, the culture of societies influenced the way vampire societies were formed. Instead of focusing on solitary actions like Dracula did, society played a role in the way vampires reacted to other species. Because of the growing population, vampires tend to group together and hunt as a gang for protection. Fear is crucial in considering the actions of vampires, and if they want to focus on themselves or their fellow vampires as well.In Stephanie Meyers’, Twilight, family is a key part of the relationship of vampires, and they all stick together to support and protect each other. Not only has the physical facet of vampire narratives evolved over the past century, but the power and force of them has changed also. The limitations of vampires differ from each piece of literature, but the level of these precincts change more with each decade. Throughout history there is the battle between living versus nonliving, and what is real and what classifies as a monster. Although vampires are immortal and differ from humans, the way in which they act varies on their surroundings.In the early twentieth century, the popular vampire myth known as Dracula was known as having the strength of twenty men and being fast and forceful. Over time, the powers of vampires have advanced along with the influence of the western culture. Powers such as mind reading and seeing into the future help with the immortals ability to defeat their enemies. Limitations have also evolved to more human friendly affiliations, and vampires are now blended in with modern society. Although vampires have always been known for drinking blood and immortal, the nature of their kind has developed over time into a more compassionate kind.Dracula and Lestat centered more on European and aristocratic culture and the immortal aspect of the monster where they were sinister and preyed on the weak. The culture of vampires were seen as malicious and predators, whereas the Cullens are the â€Å"good vampires† that do not feed on human blood. Throughout the twentieth century, vampires main focus in on the Western culture. Since the barrier between human society and the imm ortals has been broken down over the past century, the vampires in modern media are now viewed as more of a misunderstood, heroic character. Protection over the nes the vampires care about is a vital part of their identity. An important detail of the role of vampires is how they can be destroyed. The death of vampires has evolved over the last century from a stake to the heart to breaking the neck and being burned. While it has always been known for vampires to stay away from the light, the severity of it changes with each vampire narrative. Sunlight is key to giving away the discreet features of the immortal being, whereas Dracula loses his powers during daylight hours, and Edward Cullen sparkles and gives away his identity which can lead to his death.The transformation of vampire narratives over the last century has a lot to do with society and the focus on culture. Instead of vampires being seen as evil predators, they are now seen as misunderstood protectors. The history of vamp ires in the 20th century is one of domestication. In response to society, they are defined by external rulings and that is why they are categorized as inhumane along with the fact of them being immortal. Works Cited Brandy Ball Blake and L. Andrew Cooper, ed. Monsters. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead, 2012.Print. Dracula. † Count. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Nosferatu. † Turner Classic Movies. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"The Real History of Vampires. † Squidoo. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"The Vampire in Modern American Media. † Dartmouth. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. .

Law of international organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Law of international organisations - Essay Example The idea of human rights receives formal universal recognition that the international community strives to maintain and enforce encoded through the United Nations Charter signed on June 26, 1945 with the main objective of saving generations of humans from war and reaffirms the faith in fundamental rights and freedoms. The main objective of the United Nations is to achieve international cooperation, through promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and the fundamental freedoms that accrue to them without the discrimination in terms of aspects such as sex, race, language or religion. It is important to note that the enforcement of these rights and freedoms can be undertaken through joint or separate actions by the member states. The provisions of the Articles of the United Nations Charter have the force of prudent international law as the charter is a treaty and binds to those nations that have ratified it. Therefore, state parties are required to fulfil the obligations and th e responsibilities enshrined in the Charter including the obligations to defend human privileges and the major liberties, the promotion of the observance of the civil liberties and the cooperation with the United Nations in attaining these inherent obligations. ... Since the Universal Declaration became international law there have been other conventions and treaties that create regional courts that also help in the enforcement of fundamental rights and freedoms. Due to the dramatic increase of human rights activities in the twentieth and twenty first century, there has been need to combine the monitoring of the human rights violations and matters concerning their enforcement. The establishment of the International Criminal Court formed a vital part of an emerging system of international human rights protection in that it is empowered to take legal action and castigate individuals liable for offenses against humankind. The growing international awareness of the need to protect human rights and guarantee freedoms has rejuvenated the need for upholding them. Yet, serious violation and deprivation of human rights and fundamental freedoms still exist that require a remedy in the shortest time possible. To remedy this situation, there have been regi onal courts with the jurisdiction to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. However, these courts must strive and adhere to the already established norm that the supremacy of the United Nations Charter. In Britain, for example, the Human Rights Act of 1998 is an act of Parliament, whose main aim is to ensure that it gives further force the laws concerning human rights, contained in the European Convention and the United Nations Charter. It gives the courts in the United Kingdom the power to deal with those issues, which might cause the citizens of this country to go to the European Court of Human Rights. The act makes it illegal for all public bodies

Human Rootedness and Its Importance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rootedness and Its Importance - Essay Example By establishing a hierarchy in the appreciation of the senses though, there is also the propensity for man to detach himself from his inherent humanness. Apparently, it is not just vision that makes a human being; it is also the other four senses. Aside from sight, man can only enjoy his existence and make it relevant if he has the senses of hearing, touch, scent, and taste. In fact, he can even discern further on the existence of other things by using not just his eyes but all the other faculties related to the other four senses. This is the point raised by Juhani Pallasmaa in the book The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. In Vision and Knowledge, which is a definitive portion of the book, the renowned architect provides valuable philosophical inputs on the dominant mode of thinking regarding the designs of buildings and other works of architecture. Pallasmaa categorically expresses the perspective that the overemphasis on vision and the tendency to set aside or to rele gate the other senses to a minor role can be seen in the very architectural designs that are prevalent. As a consequence, building designs too are no longer anchored on comprehensive humanness but only one aspect, vision, which is often associated to aesthetics when it comes to architecture. Pallasmaa’s view, however, is not only relevant to architecture. It may even be considered as a current truth seen in how human beings actually treat themselves and everything else that surrounds them. By ignoring the importance of the other four senses, people are predisposed to lose their human rootedness. By losing such rootedness, they drift towards the creation of objects that are not really founded on the most positive and innate characteristics of humans. The feeling of the alienation and detachment not just from others but from one’s own humanness can be attributed to environmental factors. Ironically, such external conditions are not natural but are made by man too. As an architect, Pallasmaa points out that the man’s own products in building design and construction have led to such situation. He writes that â€Å"the growing experiences of alienation, detachment, and solitude in the technological world today, for instance, may be related with a certain pathology of the senses.† (284) It is clear that technology is a product of man’s ingenuity. Since it is always associated with the future, technology is a product of man’s vision. The other senses could only appreciate the present; it is vision that is capable of grasping the things that has yet to come. However, alienation and solitude are obvious symptoms of the lack of human rootedness. Human rootedness is the condition in which an individual is in touch with himself and with the world around him. This can only be achieved by relying on all his senses and not just sight. Sight can take one’s attention away from objective conditions but the other senses would cert ainly keep him grounded. It is true that having sight means having sense of direction. With it, man is able to build and travel from the present to the future. However, â€Å"the art of the eye has certainly produced imposing and thought-provoking structures, but it has not facilitated human rootedness in the world.† (Pallasmaa 286) There are beautifully designed buildings that satisfy the sight but have failed to provide contentment to the individual. There are structures that may be visually appealing but also strike a feeling of loneliness and of isolation. There are imposing buildings that convey authority but these also trigger the sense of isolation of those who do not own or control it. All these are proofs that the neglect of other senses and the overemphasis on sight can adversely affect

Organization Management Task Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organization Management Task - Term Paper Example Industry experts had forecasted that the attendants would fall considerably during the recession. However, increase in the price of tickets would not be effective as the expense increased by 2.5% leading to considerable operating deficit. However, the strength of the Symphony lies in the fact that it had earned a huge brand name for itself being one of the most famous orchestral groups. The financial strength of the organizations is also revealed through the immense reputation that it enjoyed and which consequently reflected through high ticket sales. Also the high paid musicians employed by the organization earning full time salaries only depicts the financial stability of the organization. The financial weakness of the organization was that it did not get any funds from the state and was the entire was generated through individual contributions and tickets sales. Moreover, ticket sales kept fluctuating depending on external conditions which weakened its financial position even furt her. The leadership strength of the company gets reflected by the fact it was led by Maurice Abravanel, who was hired as the conductor in the organization. The orchestra had developed under Abravanel starting from a small and part time community ensemble to a huge and renowned world class symphony. He was responsible for the growth of USA and for becoming the first orchestra in USA to have performed in the international platform. The leadership weakness of Utah Symphony gets revealed through the fact that it was subjected to too many leadership changes. The leadership of Abravanel was taken over by Lockhart and Lockhart continued to follow the initial strategies. However, since external conditions had changed it was necessary that Lockhart had made his own strategies which would be suitable for the present conditions at Symphony. a. Recommendations for addressing the weaknesses Firstly Anne should ensure that the organization would continue functioning under strong leadership and gu idance as they had done before. Otherwise it would lead to a fall in quality and performance. Secondly she would also have to ensure that the crisis which had resulted in revenue losses for the company would be eradicated. The crucial aspect of the merger was to ensure that the merger would result in economic benefits and remove the deficits which had been prevailing (Dymski, 1999, p.56). The merger would definitely result in realizing scale economies as both the organizations were into the same business. This would be possible by making thorough analysis of the financial position of the two organizations, measuring their strengths and weaknesses and working on them. The key strategy would be to use the strength of one organization to realize the benefit of the other. Merging Opera with Symphony could be effective in drawing audiences having affinity towards traditions and culture which could control the problem of falling ticket sales to an extent. Enhancing the brand name and repu tation through advertizing and publicity would also be effective in earning reputation and fame drawing in additional audiences which would consequently strengthen financial position of the organization. The improved financial position would be make it eligible for being part of the big merger. 2. Financial and leadership strengths and weaknesses of the Utah Opera The Utah Opera was also initiated and led by the best

Scottish Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Scottish Law - Essay Example A separate parliament for Scotland was established in 1999, with power to legislate on most areas of private law." (Real Property Law, 16 September 2008). The year 1707 saw the union of Scotland and England; prior to this both the countries were separate states and many similarities in their laws. English Law has a great influence on the Scottish Law; many rules followed by the English were included in the Scottish Law. This paper will throw light upon the Scottish law focusing majorly upon three traditional rules of statutory interpretation which are mischief rule, the golden rule and the literal rule Mischief rule is applied when the judge can't quite make out whether an act done by a person can be called as a prohibited law, this creates a confused situation and this is exactly when the mischief rule can be applied. "For example, the Street Offences Act 1959 made it an offence for a prostitute to solicit men 'in a street or public place'. In Smith v. Hughes the question was whether a woman who had tapped on a balcony and hissed at men passing by was guilty of an offence under the Act. Parker, L.C.J., found her guilty: 'I approach the matter by considering what is the mischief aimed at by this Act. Everybody (sic) knows that this was an Act intended to clean up the streets, to enable people to walk along the streets without being molested or solicited by common prostitutes. Viewed in that way, it can matter little whether the prostitute is soliciting while in the street or standing in a doorway or on a balcony." (Interpretation of Law 16 September 2008). The case given as an exa mple did not create a big hitch in applying the Mischief Law because the circumstances in which the mischief was committed were well known but in other cases it is often a very difficult task to apply the Mischief Rule. This rule has several benefits over the Golden Rule and the Literal which will be seen in the paper at a later stage. One advantage which this rule provides is that, the Law provides a feeling of satisfaction to the Law commission the Law commission considers this as one of the most satisfying rule to judge a situation because when this rule is applied, the Law commission looks at various things like what does the Law provide before the act is made and numerous other things, this rule is applied with reasoning hence it provides the Law commission with satisfaction. Another advantage of this law is that it provides the convict with what he/she deserves, in the sense that there is room for unjust in this rule, making this as one of the want to bee's for any legislature . The Golden Rule "Where the meaning of words in a statute, if strictly applied, would lead to an absurdity, the golden rule is that the courts are entitled to assume that Parliament did not intend such absurdity, and they will construe the Act to give it the meaning which Parliament intended." (Interpretation of Law 16 September 2008). This rule mainly focuses upon giving an absurd or a silly result, when a judge feels that he/she is about to pass a silly result or verdict this is when the Golden rule plays its part. This rule is also called a compromise between the two other rules which are the mischief rule and the literal rule. This basically means that this rule falls somewhere in the middle of the two other rules and tries to find a way out and the way out differs from the solutions provided by

Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Term Paper Example These two distinctive and great philosophers of their time has critically analyzed the sources of morality and the way it affects humans in conducting various actions or making different decisions. Introduction Ethics covers wide areas of human life similarly it has great significance in the overall societal boundaries and social welfare. Morality and ethics are often used interchangeably because on the communal level they both represent the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. Morals actually directs minor to major human actions, motives and desires. It often happens that you want to do something really crazy; however, you stop yourself from committing any offense just because of social morals or ethical conduct. This happens with almost everyone in the world and therefore we must pay tribute to ethics and moral principles which actually alleviate evil human desires and taught us the just way of living a life. Morals are not only limited to the difference and recognitio n of good and bad deeds rather they have a very broad spectrum which widens through the social justice to the animal rights. Obligations towards the poor, declination of suicidal activities, preservation of natural environment, protection of government assets and above all paying respect to every individual comes under the ethical and moral principles (Singer). In the contemporary world people often believe that morality and ethics have gone out of date and that these vague ideas actually stop humans from effusively enjoying life or fulfilling the human desires in whatever way they like. However, reality is far different from the common perception. Ethics are required by humans in order to live a peaceful and contented life. They are responsible to limit the evil desires and also to confront common societal issues. Though humans have made great advancements in last few centuries still their evil side needs to be limited by some effective and efficient moral principles so as to safeg uard the human civilization. Furthermore, morals are wrongly considered as the list of prohibitions rather they should be better understood as a set of considerations regarding our natural environment, social set up and overall human development (Singer). Peter Singer has presented a substantial form of moral sphere which is commonly associated with the theory of Utilitarianism. This moral sphere has primarily two distinctive parts which provides a better understanding of the overall concept of ethics and morals. Peter Singer has made a greater emphasis over the application of morals in human lives since people especially philosophers frequently talk about the importance of ethics but they hardly emphasize upon its application in personal and collective lives. In broader terms Utilitarianism is a complex combination of two doctrines namely; theory of what is good and the theory of what is right. Things which appear correct are often regarded as unethical due to the bad aspects attac hed to them similarly things which seem good are again rejected by the morality principles because of their association to some wrong actions (Singer). However, the moral sphere of Singer is closely related to the consequences of deeds and actions. For instance, things which are categorized as right would always bring good or positive consequences. As mentioned previously that Singer’

STRATEGIC MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

STRATEGIC MARKETING - Essay Example however, it seems that the company’s competitor’s have an upper hand in the market share mainly due to the fact that they have strong marketing strategies. To be at par with, or even at a better position than their competitors, the company needs to reevaluate their marketing strategy. Making use of strategic marketing practices such as strategic thinking will enable the organization to find out what their customers expect form them. Strategic Thinking BT has put in place a marketing plan for its technological products to the mass market. Although the products are doing quite well in the market place, there is room for improvement. Incorporating strategic thinking into the company’s marketing strategy will go a long way in improving the company’s competitive advantage. Strategic thinking can be defined as the process of thinking about transformations and how to prepare for them (Parvinen, Tikkanen, 2007). Strategic thinking will definitely help the company determine and understand the direction of the business and how to create a niche in the competitive marketplace. How can it help my company do a better job of ‘Marketing’? Strategic thinking will help the company be aware of industry changes that may affect its standing on the market and hence, its profitability (Alsem, 2006). The concept of strategic thinking in strategic marketing is very likely to increase the company’s profitability. Before placing products in the market, the company needs to know about the market operates. For instance, information regarding the consumers, pricing and competitors is very important in making a proper marketing plan. At BT Tech, the current marketing strategy can be greatly improved through the incorporation of strategic thinking in the whole marketing process. Strategic thinking will help the marketing team in the organization to know and understand the needs and expectations of the target market (Alsem, 2006). Successful mar keting is not possible without the consideration of how to reach the consumers. Strategic thinking will help the marketing team to not only identify the target market, but also understand their wants, how they reason and even how and where to reach them (West, Ford and Ibrahim, 2010). Knowing the target market well enough is essential if the company wants to reach them before their competitors do. Identifying and selecting a market niche is only the first step in marketing. The managers also need to strategically think about the best way of marketing the company’s products to its target market (Drummond, Ensor and Ashford, 2008). In this respect, the kind of products the company makes should be well designed to fit the needs and preferences of the market. There is no need of making a perfect strategic marketing plan when the product does not meet the needs of the customers (Parvinen, Tikkanen, 2007). Strategic thinking will therefore enable the company to produce products tha t will be well received in the market. In other words, the company will be able to produce and distribute products which will help it get ahead of the competition. Strategic thinking is also important when formulating promotional details for a specific product. In any marketing mix, promotion is a very important step as it is used to introduce products and their benefits to the audience (Drummond, Ensor

Frederick Douglass’ Paper Essay Example for Free

Frederick Douglass’ Paper Essay This map portrays a mass exodus into the Northern states as well as Canada. The trip from Louisiana to Indian was an arduous expedition taking several weeks or months to transverse. In this trek African Americans prove their stalwart bravado in the face of danger and prove that their freedom is worth the trail . Frederick Douglass With the idea African American influence in the Civil War, the name of Frederick Douglass is synonymous with freedom, or free blacks. His belief in an unshackled African American race led him to be the spokesman of abolishing slavery. His importance in shaping the fate of the Civil War is found in his being a voice for the freed slave, the oppressed slave, and the sympathizers of abolition. He changed the course of the war simply by speaking out and demanding to be heard, as well as his actions against oppression. His advocacy in abolition changed the tide of not just the war, but also the mentality of many whites to the capabilities of blacks, their intellect, as well as their strength and ingenuity in battle. Douglass was not only a lecturer on anti-slavery but he was a journalist and writer as well. Douglass was invited to join the Anti-Slavery Society and journeyed on a circuit across the Northern states to speak out against slavery by using his own life as a basis for others to become abolitionists. During one of Douglass’ speeches in Pendleton Indiana he is accosted by a mob and has his right hand broken, only a friend and fellow abolitionist stopped the mob from murdering Douglass; in this story and many others, Frederick proves to be a guiding light for other African Americans to unite and be free. Along with these feats of bravery, Frederick Douglass has a magazine entitled Frederick Douglass’ Paper, and subsequently has another paper entitled, Douglass Monthly in which he speaks of the horrendous nature of slavery, its disgrace to humanity and ways in which free blacks are regaining their lives in this country. (Tracy O. 2005). Bordewich describes Frederick Douglass as such, Douglass was one of the most charismatic members of an emerging generation of black intellectuals who were beginning to give African Americans a national voice through antislavery lecturing, journalism, and the ministry. More than anything else, however, it was the steady growth of independent black churches that provided the African American with what John Mercer Langston, the found of the Ohio State Anti-Slavery Society, a black organization called the ‘opportunity to be himself, to test his own powers. ’ (226) The bases of Douglass’ speeches were to encourage abolitionists’ fight in freedom of the African Americans. Many parts of the Northern states were still segregated, especially in areas that could prove to encourage African Americans to learn and be educated. In a Philadelphia, Robert Purvis instituted a black library . In New York, David Ruggles instituted a similar library. Blacks were rising up; they were speaking their minds about suffrage, about oppression, discrimination on public transportation, and schools. Frederick Douglass aided in the movement of a race to define themselves as free to a forming nation, and with the idea of personal liberty laws helping to protect fugitives once they entered the North, this movement quickly became a staple in Douglass’ speeches as well as becoming a changing force in the course of the Civil War. (Bordewich, 226). In striking contrast to white abolitionists, black abolitionists incited their own personal struggles with slavery to get their point across that humans do not belong in bondage. In extreme cases of rebellion groups, some believed in the taking up of arms against their former masters and in the issue of slavery using the events happening on the Amistad d as a vehicle to incite further rebellion and to stoke the fires of freedom and to attest that the supposed supremacy of white slave owners could be overthrown (Bordewich, 227). The antislavery movement, with the help of Frederick Douglass, became one which, though devastated the South’s economy, defined the history of a nation during the Civil War. During his speech with the Anti-Slavery Society, Douglass met with many other like-minded abolitionists, and the lectures proved to be indispensable in allowing the general public to know what abolition was and why it was so integral in the Civil War. As Bordewich describes of Douglass’ life during these lectures. The antislavery movement provided Douglass and a host of his fellow speakers with a forum for their views and life experience that African Americans had never enjoyed before. The stories that they told of floggings, sadistic overseers, shattered families, and prostituted mothers and sisters overwhelmed skeptical Yankees for whom slavery was an unpleasant but abstract national problem, and turned thousands of them into active abolitionists. Douglass soon became one of the movement’s most popular lecturers. ‘All the other speakers seemed tame after Frederick Douglass,’ Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote, after a convention at Boston’s Faneuil Hall. His immensely popular autobiography, first published n 18445, made his name close to a household word (227) Douglass was so adamant about his views of abolition that once during a train ride where he paid for his first class ticket he refused to leave his seat despite the insistence of the conductor. When his refusal couldn’t be tolerated any longer, the conductor had six men physically lift him from his seat to try and remove him due to the enforcement of Jim Crow laws. (Bordewich, 228). The Anti-Slavery Society offered Douglass the opportunity to lecture in New England in the spring of 1843. The lectures began in Vermont and New Hampshire and they ended in Ohio and Indiana. As Bordewich states of this event, Douglass was selected as one of the corps of traveling speakers who would cross the country. He was thrilled. This was his breakthrough, his opportunity to carry his message to a national audience. ‘I never entered upon any work with more heart and hope,’ Douglass wrote. ‘All that the American people needed, I thought was light. Could they know slavery as I knew it, they would hasten to the work of its extinction. ’ 228. Among some of the other noted lecturers there were Charles L. Remond, Henry Highland Gernet, Amos Beaman, and Charles M. Ray. During this period, Frederick Douglass found within himself the ability to offer to an audience the reality of slavery through his own tale of it, and his eventual fugitive state and then freedom. The Church In times of crises, faith is tested, and through this testing there is a revelation of belief and a growing of churches. During the Civil War, both the enslaved blacks and the freed blacks depended on a source of stability and in no other place was this found more strongly than in the church. The church provided a meetinghouse for abolition events (lectures, etc. ), it gave the black community not only a place in which to worship but also a place in which to become united as a people. Not only were many Northern abolitionists found within the sight of the church and religion but also many blacks found within the church a place of sanctuary. As Bordewich states on the subject of black revival religion. Between 1863 and 1846, African Methodist Episcopal congregations grew from eighty-six to nearly three hundred, and spread from the churche’s orginal base in Philadephia as faw wast as Indiana. Black Baptist churches, meanwile, had grown from just ten in 1830 to thirty-four in 1844. Not surprisingly, black churches were usually outspoken in their denunciation of slavery, and many of them were woeven into the web of the abolitionist underground, like the Bethel AME church in Indianapolis, a key station on the Underground Railroad, and Cincinnati’s Zion Baptist Church, which regularysheltered fugitives in its basement (226). Religion was also a source by which the African Americans could be educated. In this turn of events it is not necessarily the African Americans who were a great influence on the Civil War but the war gave them an opportunity to become educated and this happened mainly through studying the bible and learning to read it and become familiar with its morality. In the South, the general opinion was that education for blacks was not stunted through un-exposure to education, but the North held a very different idea ; being removed from the obstacle of slavery allowed freeman to discover their propensity for learning. It is through religion that this education was made possible, as Glatthaar states, â€Å"The more Southern black soldiers studied the Bible, and the better they learned to read and write, the sooner proper character, represented by morality, thrift, industry, and striving for perfection, would take shape among these new freedmen. In turn, this would help to uplift the entire South† (225). The view taken by the abolitionist movement in regards to religion and education was that in the reconstruction it was essential for African Americans to be able to read, write and do arithmetic. One of the overwhelming sentiments that came out of the Civil War was the engrossment of religion to the newly freed blacks. Their strength now came form a religious source and this source gave them the means by which to discover for themselves the true meaning of freedom and gratitude for that freedom. This can best be described through McPherson’s quoting of Susie King Taylor , There are good friends to the negro. Why, there are still thousands that have not bowed to Baal†¦Man thinks two hundred years is a long time, and it is, too; but it is only as a week to God, and in his own time-I know I shall not live to see the day, but it will come-the South will be like the North, and when it comes it will be prized higher than we prize the North to-day. God is just; when he created man he made him in his image, and never intended on should misuse the other. All men are born free and equal in his sight (314). McPherson goes on to give detail about sentiment in the church, and Rev. J. Sella Martin a former slave became pastor of the Joy Street Baptist Church in Boston and wrote this note to Frederick Douglass, Just think of Dimmick and Slemmer (Union Officers) sending back the fugitives that sought protection of them. They refuse to let white men sell the Southerners food, and yet they return slaves to work on the plantation to raise all the food that the Southerners want. They arrest traitors, and yet make enemies of the colored people, North and South; and if they do force the slave to fight for his master, as the only hope of being benefited by the war, they may thank their own cowardice and prejudice for the revenge of the negro’s aid and the retribution of his bullet while fighting against hem in the Southern States. I received a letter form Mobile, in which the writer states that the returning of those slaves by Slemmer has made the slaves determined to fight for the South, in the hope that their masters may set them free after the war, an when remonstrated with, they say that hey North will not let them fight for them (23). The influence that can be seen today with religion and African Americans is the vastness of churches rising across America, and the gospel hymns inspired by wanting to break free of slavery.

Leon Battista Albertis Treatise on Architecture

Leon Battista Albertis Treatise on Architecture Discuss Albertis treatise on Architecture in relation to San Andrea in Mantua. In particular, discuss the role of humanistic philosophy in his work giving careful attention to the question of proportion Leon Battista Alberti (1404-72) was a true Renaissance man. He was a gifted playwright, mathematician and sportsman trained in Law. As the person in charge of the constructions commanded by the Pope, he had the occasion to write one of the greatest works of the theory of architecture De Re Aedificatoria (On Building). Most of it was completed in 1452 and printed in 1485. In the Ten books of the Art of Building Alberti has explained the usefulness of a roof and wall for human. He said that it helps us to come close to one another and also grow together. Therefore we should be grateful to architects not only because they provides us a safe and welcome place but also for its many innovations, which are useful to both individuals and the public and the also provide our daily needs (page 3). Commissioned by Ludovico II Gonzaga, the church was begun in 1462 according to designs by Leon Battista Alberti on a site occupied by a Benedictine monastery, of which the bell tower (1414) remains. The building, however, was finished only 328 years later. Though later changes and expansions altered Albertis design, the church is still considered to be one of Albertis most complete works. The purpose of the renaissance building was to contain the pilgrims who visited it during the feast of Ascension when a vial, that the faithful argue contains the Blood of Christ, is brought up from the crypt below through a hole in the floor directly under the dome. According to tradition the Most Precious Blood was brought to Mantua by the Roman centurion Longinus and is preserved in the Sacred Vessels. It was held with high respect during the Renaissance which is only display on Holy Friday. Humanism is the studying of the classics (Greek and Latin) and incorporating their ideas into ones own. It is the cultural movement of the Renaissance architecture. Most renaissance classical architecture shows more clarity than the older ones, because it emphasizes clean lines, geometric shapes, symmetry. It argues whether that is more enlightened than medieval architecture. It was more thought out, perhaps; more consistent, more systematic. Alberti had many philosophies when designing for buildings, and like the works of Vitruvius, created text that gave instruction on how to build, but saved main emphasis on the decoration and the exterior aesthetics of the structure. One principle that Alberti made use of was a system of Proportionality that he developed using systematic harmony of musical ratio, to make his buildings appealing. Defined as the precise and correct outline, conceived in the mind, made up of lines and angles, and perfected in the learned intellect and imagination, this theory and lineamenta were fundamental in Albertis process of design. Alberti believed that the Lineamenta stood as an outline and allowed proportions to be perceived in the design , where The very same numbers that cause sound to have that concinnitas, pleasing to the ears, can also fill the eyes and mind with wondrous delight. Reapplying emphasis on the humanistic approach to design The tie with the humanistic style of design is a constant theme throughout Albertis ten books, and the beauty of Buildings also features heavily. Alberts definition, Beauty resides in a reasoned harmony of all the parts within a body, so that nothing may be added, taken away, or altered, but for the worse. It is a great and holy matter, all our resources of skill and ingenuity will be taxed in achieving it; and rarely is it granted even to Nature herself, to produce anything that is entirely complete and perfect in every respect. (VI, ii, 156). Albertis view of what Beauty is has connection to the analogy of anthropomorphism, seeing Man as a component that uses energy to serve and do well. This philosophy maintains that Alberti believed that men were made in Gods image and likeness, creator of the universe, and through this thought, understood that what qualities make a building beautiful opens the path to the route of all Knowledge and the original source of beauty to draw from, God himself. In his treatise nature is used as inspiration, where the reason of Nature permits an architect to investigate into the features of the natural world, including mans influence, to become better equipped to perceive and make use of Concinnitas, (which Alberti refers to as the spouse and soul of reason) to link presenting nature as the source of art in architecture and the nature based laws embedded in the outside world. As in the San Andrea, Mantua the faà §ade of the church is exquisitely decorated with curves and flowing patterns on the ordered columns, drawing from Albertis treatise and its guidance on how to not only create a building, but how to make its beauty reflect that of Gods love and Nature Refrences: sacredarchitecture.org/authors/carroll_william_westfall/ -Carroll William Westfall(Journal entry 16) http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/S._Andrea.html Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism. p295-6 References Title: On the Art of Building in Ten Books Author: Leon Battista Alberti Translator: Joseph Rykwert, Neil Leach, Robert Tavernor Published by the MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England http://www.albertiefirenze.it/english/leon_battista_alberti/index.htm http://eng.archinform.net/projekte/4126.htm

Are Humans Naturally Bad Or Good Philosophy Essay

Are Humans Naturally Bad Or Good Philosophy Essay I believe that humans are naturally bad because our base mentality is one of evil. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, human beings fought unnecessary wars, tortured prisoners, raped, murdered, and pillaged. Not surprisingly, all of that still occurs in todays society. The world we live in is an essentially bad one. Radical vigilantes bomb cities, open fire in crowded places, and incite disastrous riots every day. From looking at the world around us and seeing our degeneration, it is ludicrous to believe that we are naturally good. Although the evolutionary process has instilled a modicum of civility and humanity in us, we are still naturally evil beings. Thomas Hobbes recognizes the evil nature of humans and paints a very blatant picture of it in Leviathan. He states that laws were devised for the sole purpose of keeping our evil nature in check. Without them, our base instincts would resurface and chaos would reign supreme. That is why Hobbes was in favor of authoritarian governments; they were necessary to keep us under control. Basically, they are needed to protect us from ourselves. Hobbes also states that our true natures arise in times of strife. For example, in war-torn countries, civilians kill and steal form each other in order to survive. Self-preservation is one of the most natural of human compulsions and we will do anything to survive. Hobbes also asks an interesting question to those who believe that human are good. He asks that if humans are so benevolent in nature, then why do we lock our doors at night and guard our possessions? By doing so, we are unconsciously recognizing the evil nature of humans. Hsun Tzu also maintained that mans nature is inherently evil. He believed that humans are born evil, but it is a teachers responsibility to educate them and reign in those evil instincts and eradicate them. Although he has valid points, it is still unrealistic to think that mans naturally evil instincts can be curbed so easily. Those suppressed instincts that have been stored away in the annals of the human psyche will resurface eventually. It is also unrealistic to think that one can make man good simply by means of education. If anything, education leads to evil because it has the power to corrupt. Those who oppose Hobbes and say that humans are naturally good are, frankly, idealists. The Chinese philosopher Mencius states that humans are naturally good and that ones circumstances influence their nature. The idea of ones circumstances influencing their nature is ridiculous. One may be unfortunate enough to be born into less than favorable circumstances, but it is up to that person to overcome them. Yes, one can become embittered and callous by their debilitating situation, but to say that their circumstances influence their nature is to give a justification for bad behavior. Attributed to Plato, the idea that love can make one good has become another idealistic opinion for many. Plato stated that love is one of, if not the most, natural emotions that humans have, thus we are naturally good because love itself is good. While love is a very fulfilling emotion that can lead to change within a person, that change is not always for the better. Love has led to wars, murders, and the destruction of kingdoms, throughout history. For example, Helen of Troy and the iconic war fought over her. Her love for a foreign prince led to the deaths of thousands of soldiers and civilians and the complete destruction of an empire. Another example is Henry VIII and his love for Anne Boleyn. He divorced his queen, broke with the Catholic Church, and tore his country apart in order to marry his mistress. Perhaps the most common examples of how love can change a person are domestic violence cases. In simpler terms, love often leads to recklessness, irrationality, impairment of j udgment, and, in some cases, bad behavior in an individual. In 20th century opinions, the idea of Nature vs. Nurture was believed by some. Nature meaning that we are born with whatever behavior we exhibit, and nurture meaning that our culture has the ability to mold us into what we are. The scientist Edward O. Wilson stated that if the process of natural selection has determined our biological functions, then natural selection must have determined the operations of our brains. Basically speaking, he believed that humans are born with whatever nature they possess, therefore validating my argument that we are born evil. At the opposite end of the philosophical spectrum, the anthropologist Ruth Benedict wrote that ones culture and its social norm has the ability to mold that individual into a good or bad being. Once again, the concept of ones surroundings influencing their nature is introduced. Benedict basically gives the same justification for bad behavior that Mencius gave thousands of years earlier. In conclusion, humans are inherently evil in nature because it is our base mentality. Sadly, it is a part of us that is unchangeable and, try as one might, it cannot be quelled by education or instruction, nor can it be influenced by our culture or surroundings. We are born the way we are, and we must accept it.

Ritalin - The Wonder Drug Or The Monster Creator? Essay -- essays rese

`Why didn't the ADHD boy introduce his girlfriend to any of his friends? A) He can't remember her name; or better yet, How would they diagnose ADD in a chicken? A) It never gets all the way across the road because of all the distractions. You could say growing up was hard; everyday I had to endure cruel teeny bopping teenagers who didn’t understand my condition. What really made it hard was that I didn’t even understand my condition. Seven years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD or Attention Deficit/ Hyper- activity Disorder. In other words, my brain was like a light constantly going off and on at the worst possible times. As a form of treatment for ADHD, I was put on a controversial drug called Ritalin. At the age of sixteen, it was not really my choice whether I wanted to take a doctor’s prescription or not. Now that I have grown up a bit and understand things better, I am questioning the benefits of prescribing Ritalin to treat ADHD. My personal experience with Ritalin is mixed. I use it when I am in school and at work and it allows me to concentrate and focus on what I need to do. I use to be a troubled student. I use to have consent run-ins with the law. Things never came easy to me and far too often they never came at all. Ritalin was like putting on a pair of glasses worn by Superman. Suddenly everything became focused and organized. My schoolwork went form a category I will refer to as second-rate to a straight A student. I was no longer battling with myself to comprehend something. People who knew me as a child would never believe me as to what I have accomplished. That came at a price though, when I am taking Ritalin I drop about fifteen pounds and have constant nausea. I also feel it changes my personality making me a very bland person to talk to just like Al Gore. Last year I found myself in the hospital with what can be described as a mild heart attack because of Ritalin. Most of these side effects I ha ve been able to coupe with because the benefits have been so high. I do question if I could have gotten this far without it and if it was really worth it. On the other hand, According to a Time magazine article about the benefits of Ritalin, Ritalin even though its controversial, it seems to be the most effective way of treating ADHD. Lisa Horowitz of Brooklyn, says, "I was against the medication at first, like everybody else," Lisa was u... ...fails.html 08 Feb 1999. Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology. â€Å"Ritalin--Other Resources.† <a href="http://www.bregin.com/ritalin.html">http://www.bregin.com/ritalin.html 08 Feb 1999. CHADD. â€Å"A Disability Named ADD.† http://www.chadd.com/fact1-a.htm 06 Feb 1999. Diller, Dr. Lawrence H. â€Å"Running On Ritalin.† <a href="http://www.docdiller.com/html/running.htm">http://www.docdiller.com/html/running.htm 07 Feb 1999. Hallowell, Dr. Edward M. â€Å"Whats it like to have ADD.† 11 Feb 1999. <a href="http://www.add.org/content/abc/hallowell.htm">http://www.add.org/content/abc/hallowell.htm Long, Dr. Phillip W. â€Å"Methylphenidate .â€Å" 07 Feb 1999. <a href="http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-r03.html">http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-r03.html 08 Feb 1999. Mediconsult Limited. â€Å"Attention Deficit Disorder News.† 11 Feb 1999. <a href="http://www.mediconsult.com/add/news/">http://www.mediconsult.com/add/news/ 08 Feb 1999. Time Magazine. â€Å"When Pills Make Sense† 20 March 2000. <a href="http://www.www.time.com/time/magazine/articles">http://www.www.time.com/time/magazine/articles (20 March 2000)

Misconceive?o By John Leo :: essays research papers fc

Misconceive’o by John Leo John Leo is a columnist and contributing editor that has been writing for U.S. News & World Report since 1988. Prior to that he worked for Time magazine and The New York Times covering topics such as social sciences and popular culture. The thesis of John Leo’s latest U.S. News & World Report article, â€Å"Fu Manchu on Naboo,† does not leave the reader any room to guess what his discussion is going to be about. He drives the point home from the beginning of the article. The central idea is very direct and easy to locate. It appears at the end of the first paragraph and simply states â€Å"Episode I: The Phantom Menace is packed with awful stereotypes.† Mr. Leo wrote this piece not only for informative purposes, but also to convince a particular audience that, whether intentional or not, characters have taken on harmful images some may find offensive. He is not speaking only to his fairly educated, loyal readers, but also to those who may have taken part in producing the movie. Mr. Leo makes visible to his readers what he believes to be stereotypes in the film. People may not have noticed these before, so he makes clear definitions and comparisons. To the rest of the audience, those who had a hand in making the movie, he makes a plea not to redevelop these characters in future films. Mr. Leo uses several analogies and examples in his presentation, and they are all tied to his thesis. He points out some images that strikingly resemble stereotypes that are commonly found in society today. He uses movie characters from Star Wars, such as Watto to support his claim. Mr. Leo finds that â€Å"Watto, the fat, greedy junk dealer with wings, is a conventional, crooked Middle Eastern merchant.† He goes on with other character references as evidence: Jar-Jar Binks as the inferior black, the Neimidians as sinister Asians. One of the problems with this argument is that not everyone in society identifies with these stereotypes. If the audience does not find the characteristics to be true they could shut off thought, thereby defeating his purpose for writing the article. There are no statistics presented in this article. The lack of statistics or other evidence, such as results of surveys, could lead Mr. Leo’s audience to believe that these are his own perceptions. In the seventh paragraph, Leo makes references to Catholics, Asians, Republicans, and Africans.

The Effects of the Media on Body Image

The pressure to be thin has amplified significantly due to the growing influence of the media. Despite numerous of other factors that contribute to society's view of the ideal body image, the media by far has the largest influence on society through icons that constantly reinforce unrealistic beauty standards and idealize the thin. The media persistently glamorizes the extremely skinny, which greatly impacts how society views different body types. Pictures of impossibly thin models are continuously pasted all over billboards and magazines. The skinny are looked up to, and the obese are shunned. Popular television shows that include overweight characters depict them either as comical outcasts or failures. There is also an abundance of television programs that focus solely on overweight individuals attempting to lose weight. For instance, The Biggest Loser is a very successful television series and publishing enterprise which selects participants based on body size. According to John Whyte, MD, in â€Å"Media Portrayal of People Who are Obese,† â€Å"The Biggest Loser promotes the perception that obesity is caused by individual failure rather than a mixture of individual, environment, and genetic sources. The popular television show also suggests that obese people are fat because they are lazy and that the only way for them to be respected and accepted is to lose the extra weight. These type of shows portray obesity in a certain way that promotes negative perceptions and fosters prejudice against the obese. Viewers don't consciously think about it, but the more they a re around the media that subtly promotes these perceptions, the more likely the perceptions are to be engrained in their minds. Moreover, the high standards of beauty that the media implements daily are nearly impossible for the majority of people to meet. Even though the average American is at least slightly overweight or obese, popular media pushes out derogatory themes that discriminate unfairly against the obese. The media's strong influence on society against bigger body types has caused numerous of dire effects on the way people think today. As stated by Shelly Grabe of Medical News Today in her article â€Å"Concern over Strong Media Influence on Women's Body Image,† researchers have recently conducted a meticulous study on the extent to which the media affects women. They found a tremendous difference between those who were exposed to media and those who were not; the women who had been exposed reported less satisfaction with their bodies (Grabe). Exposure to media that depicts dangerously thin actresses and models significantly increases people's distress about their bodies, thereby influencing dissatisfaction and chances of engaging in unhealthy eating behaviors. Furthermore, research has â€Å"repeatedly shown that constant exposure to thin models fosters body image concerns and disordered eating† in many people. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have been steadily more common in younger generations today. Subliminal messages from the media about what the â€Å"ideal† body should look like molds the naive teenagers' mindset and influences their definitions of what is ugly and what is beautiful. There are few that escape the inundating influences of the media. In fact, â€Å"the average American sees three thousand ads per day† (Jean Kilbourne). Therefore, the media does not just play a small role in influencing society's view on different body types. The media relentlessly bombards society with negative connotations of the overweight and the fat, unwelcomingly shaping America's perception of the ideal body. Discrimination against body types that do not fit into the media's definition of beauty has immensely impacted society. However, the media does not have to be such a big influence. There have been a plethora of organizations that exist to help boost the self esteem of those who suffer from harmful messages sent by the media about what their bodies should look like. According to the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), a civil rights organization, was started in 1969 to â€Å"eliminate discrimination based on body size and to provide obese people with the tools for self-empowerment though public education, advocacy, and support. † NAAFA delivers a message to society that belies the media's input of the ideal body type. The non-profit organization seeks to better society and to limit discrimination against the obese. There are many similar organizations and groups that help support people who are facing discrimination from their peers. Additionally, there has been an ongoing growth of celebrities who embrace their bodies for what they are. Celebrities such as Adele serve as an excellent inspiration and role model to people who look up to them. Seventeen Magazine has also initiated a Beauty Peace Treaty which encourages females all around the world to pledge to accept their bodies. The treaty has gained the signatures and vows of over four thousand people and continues to grow in popularity. Even though popular media is the root of the negative impressions of the obese, society does not have to be anchored in place to those stereotypes. The media has the greatest incessant impact on society’s view of the ideal body type. From advertisements to song lyrics, popular media is ubiquitous, constantly reinforcing erroneous standards of beauty and flawed perceptions of the obese. However, there are a variety of different resources that help combat the negative influences from the media and encourage those that suffer from low body image.

Prose Written Before Nineteen Hundred Essay

This assessment objective requires students to respond to the question with views informed by the interpretations of others. By others is meant fellow students, teachers and, more obviously, professional critics. Others can also refer to cultural perspectives adopted from varying standpoints: religious, political, class, age or gender based. The requirement can be looked at in two ways: (i) as a request that we include the views of critics to illuminate a point, support an argument or as claims that needs to be challenged. Remember that external critical opinions need to be acknowledged ( and referenced where possible) in order to pre-empt accusations of plagiarism. (ii) as an invite to demonstrate awareness that we tend, as individuals, to interpret texts from within sets of personal and cultural frameworks: gender, age, class, race, nationality, creed, historical era and psychological make-up. For example, your sympathy or otherwise Henry Fleming in The Red Badge of Courage may be influenced your gender age, class and political affiliation, creed, psychological make-up and the era in which you are rooted. General McClurg’s famous diatribe on the novel clearly relates to his upbringing, military experience and status and particular brand of patriotism. Other, more appreciative views of the work may have been constructed from within a different, more humanistic sphere. Coriolanus has been interpreted in different places and eras as military hero, fascist strongman and tyrannical opponent of democracy. It is obvious that at the present day one’s sympathy or otherwise for Coriolanus could relate to one’s politics. The question of whether King Lear implies the existence of an after life and an ultimate moral order may be determined by whether or not the reader possesses a religious sensibility. Whereas a Christian might see the plot as having a ‘redemptive pattern’, an atheist might view the conclusion as patently pessimistic. Again, attitudes to the sisters in the play could relate, at least partially, to the reader’s views on feminism and attitude to patriarchy.

Laws of England and Wales Essay

â€Å"The defendant who seeks to avoid criminal liability on the basis that s/he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the alleged crime must have a defence that falls within one of the following, legally recognised, categories: Insanity, Diminished Responsibility or Automatism. While, at one level or another, these â€Å"mental disorder defences† share common characteristics, they each differ significantly. Unfortunately, this point does not appear to be fully appreciated in English Law.† Discuss the validity of this statement. Inherent in our legal system is an idea of culpability. The word itself embodies notions of moral responsibility and blame. There are two elements that will allow us to determine whether or not someone is to be considered culpable. The first is that the person on whom we wish to apportion blame is an actual agent of harm as opposed to a mere causer. That is to say that they are instrumental in an action and are not simply a victim of a spasm or similar associated condition. The second is that he/she has the capacity to understand the laws and moral order that exist within society. Hart’s principles of justice assert that ‘a moral license to punish is needed by society and unless a man has the capacity and fair opportunity or chance to adjust his behaviour to the law, its penalties ought not be applied to him.† Such deep-rooted notions of culpability have necessitated development in the area of defences to ensure that those who fall outside of the legally recognised parameters of accountability are afforded ‘protection’. Amongst such defences are Insanity, Automatism and Diminished responsibility. This essay will identify the similarities and differences of these defences by exploring their theoretical foundations and determine whether, in practice, they are sufficiently understood by the courts to achieve their desired end. The theoretical basis for an insanity defence is embedded in the notions of fair opportunity as discussed above. It is felt that the insane man is ‘too far removed from normality to make us angry with him’. The impetus of the law and its functions might well be considered outside of his comprehension and similarly, so too might the moral implications of his act. Therefore, it would not be either ‘efficacious or equitable’ to hold such a man criminally  responsible . As Duff remarks of the potential insane defendant â€Å"if she cannot understand what is being done to her, or why it is being done, or how it is related as a punishment to her past offence, her punishment becomes a travesty?†. Therefore, if a defence of insanity is successful the defendant will be given a ‘special verdict’ namely ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’. Although this special verdict may bring indefinite detention (a fact which is reconciled in theor y by ‘compelling considerations of public interest’ ) it still serves to reflect a lack of culpability and therefore, blame. The basis on which the non-insane automatism defence is founded is somewhat more fundamental than that of insanity. It was developed to exculpate those who had been the victim of events rather than those who had fallen foul to circumstance . A plea of automatism is ‘not merely a denial of fault, or of responsibility. It is more a denial of authorship’ in the sense that the automaton is in no way instrumental in any criminal act. Lord Dilhorne remarked in Alphacell that â€Å"an inadvertent and unintended act without negligence? might be said, not caused’. Others have described such acts as ‘acts of god’. It is with this class of act that the defence of automatism is concerned – acts which might be said seen as ‘inconsistent with the requirement of an actus reus’ . This lack-of-instrumentality concept is reflected by the fact that on a finding of automatism a defendant will be granted an unqualified acquittal by the courts. Detenti on is unnecessary for as well being blameless, the automaton presents no future threat to society. Whilst Insanity and Automatism serve as general defences in law, Diminished responsibility operates only as a defence to murder. It offers those ‘bordering on insanity’ the opportunity to argue that at the time of the killing they were ‘suffering from such abnormality of mind’ so as to ‘substantially impair their mental responsibility’. If such an argument is successful (all other things being equal) the potential murderer will be convicted of manslaughter and hence will escape the mandatory life sentence that a finding of murder brings. The defence’s existence is justified (much like insanity) by notions of responsibility and blame. The doctrine, it was felt, ‘was needed to reflect the view that where there was less responsibility there ought to be less punishment.† Despite some clear differences in the three defences’ theoretical foundations and intentions, it could be said that technically they have become somewhat confused in law. Discussion will now turn to the two automatism defences before then going on to examine diminished responsibility in context. Whilst both automatism defences are grounded in the idea that ‘where there is no responsibility there should be no blame,’ policy reasons have necessitated their independent development. Because of this, the person who seeks to raise automatism as a defence is subject to a very tight definitional distinction. This tight definitional distinction between automatism and insanity is highlighted by Glanville Williams when he describes non-insane automatism as ‘any abnormal state of consciousness†¦.while not amounting to insanity.’ Such statements offer little definitional worth, as to understand automatism we must first understand insanity and this, as will become clear, is no easy task. The contemporary framework of the insanity defence can be found in M’Naghten’s Case where Lord Tindal authoritatively ruled that?: â€Å"?to establish a defence on the ground of insanity, it must be clearly proved that, at the time of the committing of the act, the party accused was labouring under such a defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing; or, if he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong.† Subsequent development of a non-insane automatism defence, for reasons discussed above, necessitated judicious refinement of these insanity parameters to insure that those who sought to invoke the former were deserving . Therefore, considerable onus was placed upon the meaning of the rules, especially the phrase ‘disease of the mind’. First, it was decided that ‘mind’ referred to the mental faculties of reason, memory and understanding and not simply the organic mass that is the brain. Then, in Sullivan, (the defendant was charged with assault which, he  claimed, was the result of the post-ictal stage of an epileptic seizure) the definition expanded to catch transient and intermittent impairment of the mind. It was held that the permanence of a disease ‘cannot on any rational ground be relevant to the application by the courts of the M’Naghten rules’. This finding ran contrary to contemporary medical definitions and began to impinge upon the design of the non-insane automatism defence: that being to catch one-off, faultless incidents of automatism. Perhaps more significantly, Sullivan continued to develop Quick on what is now thought to be the defining boundary between the two defences, that of internal and external causes. This distinction was cemented in Burgess where Lord Lane explicitly referred to the difference between internal and external causes as the point on which the ‘case depends, as others have depended in the past’ The defendant in Burgess was a sleepwalker who assaulted a friend whilst in a somnambulistic state. It was held that somnambulism was a disease of the mind under the M’Naghten rules largely because it was considered a ‘pathological’ (and therefore, internal) condition by expert witnesses in cross-examination. While, to some, this internal/external distinction ‘makes good sense,’ to others its effect is wholly inappropriate, as it fudges the boundaries between the theoretical rationales of insane and non-insane automatism. Irene Mackay, for example (as well as pointing to contradictory obiter ) attacks the distinction with reference to its effect. She contends that sleep ‘can hardly be called an illness, disorder or abnormal condition. It is a perfectly normal condition.’ Of interest here, Graham Virgo points to anecdotal evidence that cheese might cause sleepwalking. If such evidence could be substantiated, the somnambulist could potentially escape a special verdict by virtue of the fact that eating cheese would be considered an external cause. Such a consideration is far from easily reconcilable with the aforementioned notions of blame and responsibility as expounded by Hart’s principles of justice. Mackay continues to attack Burgess on a second defining point. She contends that the court failed to properly adopt the definition of ‘disease of the  mind’ as put forward by Lord Denning in Bratty – namely that it is â€Å"any mental disorder which has manifested itself in violence and is prone to recur.† Considering statistical evidence showing that no one had ever appeared before a court twice charged with somnambulistic violence, Mackay remarks ‘something which is prone to recur must be at least ‘inclined to recur or have a tendency to recur or be to some extent likely to recur.’ Despite such protestations, current medical opinion is that sleepwalking is caused by internal factors and may be likely to recur . Therefore it is suitable for M’Naghten insanity as defined. The result of these calculated distinctions between the two defences is that ‘epileptics, sleepwalkers, those suffering from arteriosclerosis and diabetics during a hyperglycaemic episode, may all now be regarded as insane.’ This is surely an unacceptable position. After all, such people appear to fit far more comfortably within the (theoretical) realms of automatism than insanity. They are rational people, capable of recognising rule following situations, who are (largely) the victims of one off incidents of involuntariness. If we are to label a diabetic insane because they neglected to take their medication, are we to do the same with one who gets a migraine from omitting to take aspirin? The difference of cause is the resultant harm and the need for the courts to protect society. Incidentally, close scrutiny of the M’Naghten rules leads us to conclude that where a defendant’s inability to recognise he was doing something wrong was due to something other than a defect of reason caused by a disease of the mind he would generally have no defence at all. Things do not get any clearer when the defence of Diminished Responsibility is brought into the frame. The statutory provision for the defence is found in Section 2(1) of the Homicide Act 1957 and provides that a person shall not be convicted of murder: â€Å"If he was suffering from such abnormality of mind (whether arising from a condition of arrested or retarded development of mind or any inherent causes or induced by disease or injury) as substantially impaired his mental  responsibility for his acts or omissions in doing or being a party to the killing.† The problems begin with semantics and normative questions of degree: what qualifies as ‘abnormality of mind,’ how much is ‘substantially’ and what is ‘mental responsibility’? Even debates on the questions have offered little assistance. For example, the Government, in an attempt to explain the key term, said that ‘abnormality of mind’ referred to conditions ‘bordering on insanity’ while excluding ‘the mere outburst of rage or jealousy’. Such an explanation is obviously of little worth considering that ‘the response of judges and psychiatrists?[to the section]? have ranged from the very generous to the very strict’. In fact the courts it seems, have entertained ‘practically any ground where it was thought morally inappropriate to convict the defendant of murder’. For example, psychopaths, reactive depressives , alcoholics and those in ‘disassociated states’ or suffering from ‘irresistible impulses’ have all been brought within the protective scope of the section. Lord Parker in Byrne, also attempting to clarify the section’s ambit, said that it dealt with ‘partial insanity or being on the border line of insanity’. He went on to add that ‘Inability to exercise will-power to control physical acts? is? sufficient to entitle the accused to the benefit of this section; difficulty in controlling his acts? may be’. Confusions are evident here for, as Smith and Hogan note: ‘A man whose impulse is irresistible bears no moral responsibility for his act, for he has no choice; a man whose impulse is much more difficult to resist than that of an ordinary man bears a diminished degree of moral responsibility for his act’ It would appear then, that the former should be acquitted as insane rather than have his punishment mitigated. However, if the inability to control his acts is not caused by a ‘defect of reason’ or ‘disease of the mind’ then the defendant has no defence in insanity. In this respect therefore, the defence of diminished responsibility appears to be patching up the deficiencies of M’Naghten; acting as ‘a device for circumventing the embarrassments that flow from a mandatory sentence,’ or the stigma attached to a finding of insanity, by allowing judges to â€Å"follow in a common sense way their sense of  fairness.† Greiw, writing in 1988 comments on the section. He suggests that the section is not to be seen as a definitional aid rather it is ‘to be seen as legitimising an expression of the decision-maker’s personal sense of the proper boundaries between murder and manslaughter’. The result of the lax and open wording has allowed the defence of diminished responsibility to be used almost as a catch-all excuse, spanning, and adding to, the defences of insane and non-insane automatism. It has been able to accommodate states of mind and circumstance that would be insufficient for either automatism or insanity whilst at the same time justifying this accommodation by virtue of the increased severity of a murder charge. To some this position is considered entirely unacceptable and contrary to the theories of blame and responsibility discussed hereto. Sparks for example, comments ‘to say that we are less willing to blame?a man if he does something wrong, surely does not mean: we are willing to blame him less, if he does something wrong.’ It would seem however, that due to the inadequacies of M’Naghten and the acceptance that some states of mind falling short of insanity should be considered mitigatory, the courts had little choice but to develop the defence of diminished responsibility in this way. From the issues discussed in this essay it is clear that whilst, in theory, the three defences of Insanity, Automatism and Diminished Responsibility, do indeed exhibit differences, in practice they have become somewhat amalgamated. This is probably due to two factors: First, it must be accepted that ‘there is no sharp dividing line between sanity and insanity, but that the two extremes? shade into one another by imperceptible gradations.’ This proposition leads us to conclude that first, the problem is one of definition. Second, the courts are aware that ‘pleading a blackout is one of the first refuges of a guilty conscience and is a popular excuse’. Therefore, they have tended to view the problem of involuntariness ‘with great circumspection and have adopted a restrictive approach as to when there should be a complete exemption from liability’. In order to balance this definitional problem with the requirement of  certainty, whilst ensuring that only the deserving are completely acquitted, the law has had no alternative but to define distinct parameters. It is these parameters which have both caused the fudging of the two automatism defences and necessitated the creation of a diminished responsibility defe nce. Whilst, in some respects, this amalgamation is unacceptable, its effect has been to provide blanket coverage for those defendants suffering from either a mental disorder, disassociated condition or episode of sudden involuntariness. Far from saying that the law has failed to ‘fully appreciate’ the differences it appears that the courts, due to restrictions, have simply created ad hoc a range of defences whose purpose is to reflect, on a continuum, impeachable notions of culpability. Bibliography. Books 1. Ashworth, Principles of Criminal Law (2nd ed., Oxford, 1995) 2. Clarkson. C.M.V. & Keating. H.M. Criminal Law. Text and Materials. (4th ed., 1998, Sweet & Maxwell) 3. Hart. H.L.A., Punishment and Responsibility, (1968, Oxford) 4. Smith , J.C. B. Hogan., Criminal Law (6th Edition, 1988, London, Butterworths.) 5. Williams. G., Textbook of Criminal Law (2nd ed., Stevens & Sons. 1983) Articles Dell, Diminished Responsibility Reconsidered. [1982] Crim.L.R. 809 Duff. R.A., Trial and Punishments J.L.S.S. 1986, 31(11), 433 Goldstein. A., The insanity Defense (1967) Griew. E., The future of Diminished Responsibility. Crim. L.R. 1988, Feb, 75-87 Laurie. G.T., Automatism and Insanity in the Laws of England and Scotland. Jur. Rev. 1995, 3, 253-265 Mackay. I., The Sleepwalker is Not Insane. M.L.R. 1992, 55(5), 714-720 Padfield. N.,Exploring a quagmire: insanity and automatism. C.L.J. 1989, 48(3), 354-357 Royal Commission on Capital Punishment, Cmnd. 8932 (1949-1953) Smith. J.C., Case and Comment. R. v. Hennessy. (1989) 86(9) L.S.G. 41; (1989) 133 S.J. 263 (CA) Smith. K.J.M. & Wilson. W., Impaired Voluntariness and Criminal Responsibility: Reworking Hart’s Theory of Excuses ? The English Judicial Response. O.J.L.S. 1993, 13(1), 69-98 Sparks. Diminished Responsibility in theory and Practice (1964) 27 M.L.R 9 Virgo. G., Sanitising Insanity ? Sleepwalking and Statutory Reform C.L.J. 1991, 50(3), 386-388 Cases 1. Alphacell [1972] 2 All ER 475 2. Burgess [1991] 2 W.L.R. 106 C.O.A. (Criminal Division) 3. Byrne [1960] 3 All ER 1 4. Cooper v. McKenna [1960] Q.L.R 406 5. Hennessy (1989) 89 Cr.App.R 10, CA 6. Kemp [1956] 3 All ER 249; [1957] 1 Q.B.399 7. M’Naghten’s Case (1843) 10 C & F, 200, 8 Eng. Rep. 718. 8. Quick and Paddison [1973] Q.B. 910 9. Seers [1985] Crim.L.R, 315 10. Sullivan [1984] A.C. 156 (House of Lords) 11. Tandy [1988] Crim.L.R 308 12. Tolson (1889) Legislation 1. Homicide Act. 1957. 2. Trial of Lunatics Act 1883