Plato s View Of The Immortal Soul, Diagnosis, And...

Introduction-Plato’s view of the immortal soul, Diagnosis, and Prescription. Plato had a dualistic view of the soul and body, meaning that he believed them to be two separate entities that could exist independently of one another. According to Plato, ‘the soul exists before birth, it is indestructible, and will exist eternally after death.†Plato believed in what he referred to as a tripartite soul. Plato’s tripartite soul consists of Appetite, Spirit, and Reason. In a just soul, Appetite and Spirit are controlled by Reason. Plato believed the soul to be more important than the body because he believed the soul retained knowledge of the forms from before birth, rather than knowledge being gained through bodily senses. The problem, according to Plato, is that which part of the soul dominates the others differs from person to person. In order to have a just soul, reason must be in control and the three parts should be in harmony with one another. Similarly, the people who are the most rational thinkers, and therefore the most suited to be ru lers, are not always those who have power in society. In order to have a just society, the most rational people must have power over spirited and appetitive people. These three classes of people should be in harmony, just as the three parts of the soul should be in harmony. Plato’s ideal society is a just society. A just society, for Plato, is a society in which the three classes of people, namely, Rulers, Auxiliaries, and Workers are

The Disney Departure Differences Before And After The...

The Disney Departure: Differences Before and After the Death of Walt Disney According to the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Walt Disney Corporation historically stood for â€Å"basic American virtues and values† but now represents a â€Å"significant departure from Disney’s family-values image, and a gratuitous insult to Christians and others who have long supported Disney.† Their belief is that Disney entertainment products produced while Walt Disney was alive differ substantially from those produced in the post-Walt era. Through time, it is inevitable that particular things have changed since the production of Walt’s personal films from the 1920’s to the 1960’s (such as being aesthetically and cinematically advanced, in†¦show more content†¦Although this is not directly under Walt’s authority, and they are predominant shifts, the basic â€Å"American virtues and values† remains the same throughout each Disney entertainment product that is released. One of the most evident changes in Disney entertainment products in the post-Walt era is the introduction of homosexual characters. Conservative Christian groups continue to argue that LGBTQ activists have a secret plan to advance homosexual lifestyles, thus destroying ‘traditional’ marriage ideas. This ‘Gay Agenda,’ according to groups such as the Southern Baptist Convention, is ‘apparent in Disney releases.’ For example, in Tangled, Flynn and Rapunzel visit a tavern that is filled with men with dreams associated with homosexuality, such as an interior designer and a pastry chef. Disney television shows have also presented homosexual characters and storylines, with Ellen Degeneres’ ‘coming out’ episode being the most infamous of the bunch. Recently, on Disney’s hit television show, Good Luck Charlie, two women were introduced to the cast as the homosexual parents of Charlie’s best friend, Taylor. However, even with the debut of these characters in the post-Walt era, the â€Å"basic American virtues and values† are still found in

Progressing Through Life Free Essays

Progressing in life could be one of the most difficult things that a person will have to face during their lifetime. The troubles and problems that they encounter helps them to develop as a person, but also puts them through extraordinary pain. Denis Waitley a man known globally for counselling some of the world’s most famous athletes, said a quote that could relate back to developing in life. We will write a custom essay sample on Progressing Through Life or any similar topic only for you Order Now He said â€Å"Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.† In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, developing as a person is portrayed in several different ways through the main character Amir. As a child Amir faced conflict between his father and himself mostly because he was trying to find a way to learn and connect with his father to help him figure out how he wants to live. As he enters his teenage years he experiences evil in this world first hand, something some people will never see. Learning to control himself and realize how to handle it is a major step for most people. Later when he enters adulthood he begins to take responsibility and puts others ahead of himself. Helping those who cannot help themselves is a considerate and remarkable thing to accomplish in life. During a human’s childhood they face a lot of self realization and this causes most kids to be confused as they are proceeding through the early stages of their lives. Amir’s father makes it very challenging for Amir to develop as a child because he does not have very much respect for Amir and does not acknowledge him enough. â€Å"This is grown-ups time. Why don’t you go read one of thosebooks of yours? † (Hosseini 3). This quote shows how Amir’s father ignored him like he did not exist. This caused Amir to get very frustrated with his father because all he ever wanted was to be accepted by him. Another point that relates back Baba not loving loving Amir as much as he should, is when Baba is talking to Rahim Kahn. They are talking about how Amir never sticks up for himself and Hassan has to do it for him. â€Å"Self defence has nothing to do with meanness. You know what always happens when the neighbourhood boys tease him? Hassan steps in and fends them off. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. And when they come home, I say to him, † How did Hassan get that scrape on his face? â€Å"†¦ † he fell down† I’m telling you, Rahim, there is something missing in that boy. â€Å"( Hosseini 18). This quote shows us how Baba has very little respect for Amir because he believes that he does not know how to stick up for himself and this causes Baba to ignore him more than he already does. This is not completely Amir’s fault because he has never been taught how to stand up for himself. This is Baba’s job, as a father and role model, to make sure he knows this. There is also a time when Baba tries to reach out to Amir and give him the chance to impress Baba but Amir fails to impress him. When Baba puts Amir into soccer, he is hoping that Amir will take an interest in it. Amir likes the idea so he tries it out, but when he does he finds out that he is not good at playing soccer and he cannot get through this athletic challenge. He is unable to keep up and his dad gets frustrated so he takes him out of it and tries to see if watching the soccer will be better for him. For the first few weeks Amir fakes being interested in it and his dad soon catches on that he has no interest in it and wants to give up on him. (Hosseini 15). Amir feels as if he has not inherited any athletic ability from Baba and this makes him feel even more discouraged than he already is. All Amir ever wanted was to get his father’s approval and he fails to do it in almost every situation as a child. As Amir entered his teenage years he faced the evil in the world first hand. Amir witnessed an event that could scar any person for their entire life. When Amir saw Hassan get sexually assaulted he did not engage in the situation to try and help his friend Hassan. Amir stood by and watched his best friend surrender to the boys who sexually assaulted him. This situation relates back to the first point in this paragraph because if Baba would have taught Amir how to stick up for himself and his friends, he could have tried to stop or prevent this horrible circumstance. This situation relates to the point because if Amir would have prevented the sexual assault then he would not have felt so guilty and lost his best friend. If this situation never happened it could have change his life completely. After Amir watched his best friend get sexually assaulted, this stalled his growth as a child because he was feeling very guilty and did not know what to do with himself. (Hosseini 61). This is demonstrated during the fight between Amir and Hassan at the pomegranate tree. Amir throws a pomegranate at Hassan trying to get him to throw one back at him because he wants to feel like he is even with Hassan again but Hassan does not react. Instead Hassan smashes one on his forehead to show that he is loyal to Amir and does not want to hurt him like Amir hurt him. (Hosseini 78). These last two examples shows how Amir is developing and maturing as a person because he now knows what he should do in a situation like that if it ever happens again and it also teaches him how he should be loyal to every person you are close to in life. In Amir’s later teenager years his father decides to move to America to get away from all the evil that was starting to happen in Kabul. He thinks that this is a good choice for him and Amir because it will give them the chance to start a new life in a different country. ( Hosseini 93) This is a turning point in Amir’s life because he gets a chance to live in a different environment and take all of the knowledge he has gained and apply it to his new life. When Amir enters his adulthood he continues to mature and starts to apply everything he has learned through his experiences while growing up as a child and teenager. After Amir finds out that Hassan has passed away, his first instinct is to go and save his son Sohrab. Amir returns back to Kabul and finds out that Sohrab is under the control of the Taliban. As Amir finally finds Sohrab he is faced with the leader of the Taliban which is the man who sexually assaulted Hassan as a child. Amir then sacrifices himself for Sohrab and takes a beating from the leader and escapes with Sohrab later on. (Hosseini 247). This is showing that Amir has figured out that he has to put others before himself sometimes in order to make them happy and do what is right. It is a major step for Amir because he has not done this before. After Amir rescues Sorhab from the Taliban he brings him to a hotel so they can stay together until he brings him back to America. The morning after they settle at the hotel, Sohrab runs away to a Mosque and Amir had no idea where he went. Amir then started to panic because he knew that Sohrab was now his responsibility. Amir then asks the man at the front desk several questions until he mentions the Mosque and Amir immediately ran there hoping to find Sohrab. He finds Sohrab there and has a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders because he has found him, and knows that he is okay. (Hosseini 271). As Amir stays with Sohrab he is trying to get the papers which allows him to enter America. When Amir first meets the man trying to help him get Sohrab into America he faces a major issue that becomes an obstacle. The man tells Amir that Sohrab will not be able to leave Kabul until Amir gets proof that he is the uncle of Sohrab. (Hosseini 290). This brave challenge would have been extremely difficult for Amir to handle previously but since he is now very responsible and mentally stronger, he now works hard and does what is necessary to make it possible for Sohrab to come back to America with Amir. Amir has grown and developed significantly since his childhood and now realizes how he can have in impact on other people’s lives if he really puts his mind to it. Mary Engelbreit once said, â€Å"If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. † Developing in life is a very difficult challenge for most people, but for some it is something that they can do overnight. In this novel it is close to impossible for Amir to develop in the main stages of his life because of the type of person he is. In his childhood he tries to get his fathers approval, but later finds out that it will be a lot more challenging than it may seem. As he enters his teenage years Amir exposed to the worlds evil first hand. He witness’ an event that he could have changed but fails to do so because of his lack of knowledge. Then when Amir becomes an adult he finally starts to figure out how to take the responsibility for others and put others in front of himself in order to make them happy. Amir finally develops in life and puts everything that he has learned to the test. Amir has come a long way and now can say that he is a fully developed man. How to cite Progressing Through Life, Papers

Corporate Downsizing Essay Paper Example For Students

Corporate Downsizing Essay Paper Organizations in every segment of business, industry, government, and education are downsizing. Downsizing is and has been a controversial phenomenon in the last few years. The controversy that surrounds downsizing may be better described as a debate in organizational theory about whether change is adaptive or disruptive. The issues which establish the outcome of the controversy include why the downsizing is taking affect, how it is implemented, and what steps are taken to enhance its effects on organizational performance. The reasons for corporate downsizing are presented in many forms. Some companies downsize due to technological changes such as automation, which brings about the need for a reduction in the production workforce. Others may feel that competitiveness with other companies warrants the need for a reduction in the workforce. Financial setbacks due to customer demand, market shares, and loss of revenue could also initiate the need for downsizing. When will it end? Expert s say it wont. For instance, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established as a universal trade agreement between the US, Cannada, and Mexico to allow free imports and exports.It was also established with the intent to help poor countries, like Mexico, export their products for economic reasons. In my opinion, it has strongly contributed to Americas massive downsizing phenomenon. Companies that have experienced financial setbacks and losses seem to relish the idea that they can downsize the workforce here in the states, move operations into places like Mexico, hire cheap labor, and export their product back to the states, while making bigger profits. The sad part about this is that it is true, and NAFTA is largely responsible for this type of downsizing. Is this ethical? That remains to be seen. The truth is that unless an organization was designed expressly for the purpose, it is not in business to provide employment. Jobs are the by-product of successful organizational endeavors, not If the decision to downsize is a response to competitive pressures, it will appear impatient or premature to those who must leave. If it is perceived as anything less than a well developed strategic response to demands on the organization, then it fails to show employees need for the criteria. Downsizing can sometimes seem to be about creating victims and displacing blame rather than accepting responsibility and choosing moral and ethical ways to implement the outcome. Management wants a quick cut that protects he companys assets, yet it wants to be gentle and compassionate to those who are let go. These two objectives are self-canceling, and to accomplish the first requires considerable compromise on the second. Many companies wait until the day of the lay-off to inform its employees. They are concerned about sabotage and productivity. They seem to think that if they retain the bad news until the last moment that the employees will leave and the rest will get back to business. However, this method of a lay-off is the least favorable for the employees. If the company gives the employees notice of the cutback in the workforce, they will have time to plan for the financial problems, look for other work, and make other necessary arrangements to prepare them for the loss. It would be in the best interest of the company to give this notice to its workers. Being a survivor of downsizing can have its own ethical issues. Those who are left after the downsizing has occurred, may share perceptions about the ethics of the decisions leading up to the dismissal of those who left. They may experience feelings such as anger, guilt, fear, and even depression. These feelings could be brought on by having to take up the slack and doing more work. They could also be asked to learn new tasks and for the same or maybe even less money than before the downsizing. Asking people to do more for less money can seem unfair. In my opinion, companies and organizations sometimes put too much pressure on surviving employees. This can cause the decision-makers to seem insensitive to the reality that employees are people with full lives and responsibility outside the workplace. Call it outsourcing with a heart. DuPont on December 11, tentatively agreed to outsource its computer and telecommunications operations, but it will do so without cutting jobs. Instead, some 3,100 DuPont staffers will be given the chance to switch employers with 2,600 spots slated for Computer Sciences Corp. and 500 for Andersen Consulting. An additional 1,100 information technology staffers are expected to stay with DuPont. The outsourcing pact is one of the biggest ever. It will be worth more than $4 billion over 10 years, with CSC taking the lions share. CSC will handle DuPonts global mainframe, mid-range, and PC hardware needs, and worldwide telecom network, while Andersen takes care of software applications. The parties have signed a letter of intent and are now hammering out the final terms.The flip-side to downsizing could be a more positive result or experience. When companies have their employees economic survival at heart when planning their downsizing tactics, an adaptive approach as well as a positive outcome can be expected. Most managers seem to understand the hard side of downsizing such as the cost of inventory, shipping, severance packages, and plant capacities. Im sure DuPont considered all of these issues. However, they took the issues one step further and considered the softer issues such as morale, loyalty, and the role of the corporate environment on employee motivation and produ ctivity. These issues should be addressed to keep a downsized company alive and well. As history would have it, more companies suffer from downsizing rather than prosper. Why is this the case? Most companies or organizations fail to focus on the entire picture. For instance, they see the need for cutbacks in money and finance, yet they often pay more attention to the people they let go than the ones they keep. They may provide the laid-off workers with outplacement counseling, resume writing assistance, and other sources for potential job leads. Some companies even extend their health benefits, offer early retirement incentives, and often give severance packages. But, wheres the generosity for those who remain to do the work? The blow of staying with a company that has downsized needs to be softened too. Employees often feel threatened that their own jobs may be in jeopardy, they may have a growing mistrust of the company, and they have little understanding of what management is doi ng or what their role will be in the companys future. Managers must pay attention to the survivors too. Beowulf the hero EssayAs we look at the reasons for downsizing, it is easy to justify the needs from an organizational and business point of view. When considering the needs of employees and the affects of downsizing on them, the picture looks very different. While a company has to do what is necessary to stay alive in the competitive world of business, it also has a moral obligation to its employees and the community. Whether or not it chooses to consider the needs of its employees and the community during a downsizing phase will greatly affect the outcome of the process and alter the benefits of the lay-off. While the companys profits are its main concern, it must be careful of the way it implements the downsizing in order for the outcome to be adaptive and positive. If the profitability is the only criteria for downsizing and the company has disgruntled and non-focused employees, the outcome of the downsizing will apparently be disruptive, causing low morale in the workforce, wh ich breeds lower productivity. If the employees can see the efforts of the company to exhaust all other possibilities before the lay-off and consider the needs and feelings of the employee and the affects on the community, they may be able to look upon the company with trust and security. A developed plan or focus for their future may allow survivors of the downsizing to adapt to the change in a more positive manner. Involvement by the Human Resource department should ease the pain of those affected by the lay-off. Counseling, job placement programs, and benefit options are all concerns for the laid-off employee. It is the responsibility of the HR department to ease the pain and keep the lines of communication open between the employee and management. Management is responsible for the decisions, but the HR department should insure that the management follows all moral and legal obligations to the employee. In order for this new change in American business to be adaptive, complete an d thorough plans should be carried out in the process of downsizing in order for the company and employee alike to accept new ideas and focus on the new direction brought about by the change. Survivors of the downsize process must have confidence in the companys honesty and its ability to secure their jobs. They must outline a strategic plan to keep morale and productivity on an upward trend.Bibliography:Big payoffs from layoffs. Business Week, G.Koretz p.30 Feb. 24 1997. Downs, Alan; Corporate Executions. AMACON, 135 West ST. New York, N.Y. 1995Downsizing is Bad for Business. USA Today,J.ChallengerVol. 125, p66-68. Jan.1997Learn From My Mistakes. Money, Apr. 1995, p.15Meyer, C.J.; Executive Blues, Down and Out In CorporateAmerica. Franklin Square Press, 666 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 1995Negbenebor, Willis; Principles of Economics. CT Publishing Company, Redding Calif. 1996. North American Free Trade Agreement. Vol.1, US GovernmentPrinting Office, 192-330-817/70635, 1995. Online News Flash. Business Week; Dec. 11,1996Seeking A Payoff. J Freedman, Business Week p. 100Jan. 8, 1990. The Casualties of Downsizing, B.B. Auster. US News AndWorld Report. Vol.118,p.31, Jan. 9,1995. The Ethics of Downsizing. Navron Associates NewsletterApr.95. Who Says Job Anxiety Is Easing? A. Bernstein, Busniss Week p.38, Apr.7,1997.