The Slave Boy Experiment in Platos Meno

The Slave Boy Experiment in Plato's 'Meno' One of the most famous passages in all of Platos works- indeed, in all of philosophy- occurs in the middle of the  Meno. Meno asks Socrates if he can prove the truth of his strange claim that all learning is recollection (a claim that Socrates connects to the idea of reincarnation). Socrates responds by calling over a slave boy and, after establishing that he has had no mathematical training, setting him a geometry problem. The Geometry Problem The boy is asked how to double the area of a square. His confident first answer is that you achieve this by doubling the length of the sides. Socrates shows him that this, in fact, creates a square four times larger than the original. The boy then suggests extending the sides by half their length. Socrates points out that this would turn a 2x2 square (area 4) into a 3x3 square (area 9). At this point, the boy gives up and declares himself at a loss. Socrates then guides him by means of simple step-by-step questions to the correct answer, which is to use the diagonal of the original square as the base for the new square. The Soul Immortal According to Socrates, the boys ability to reach the truth and recognize it as such proves that he already had this knowledge within him; the questions he was asked simply stirred it up, making it easier for him to recollect it. He argues, further, that since the boy didnt acquire such knowledge in this life, he must have acquired it at some earlier time; in fact, Socrates says, he must have always known it, which indicates that the soul is immortal. Moreover, what has been shown for geometry also holds for every other branch of knowledge: the soul, in some sense, already possesses the truth about all things. Some of Socrates inferences here are clearly a bit of a stretch. Why should we believe that an innate ability to reason mathematically implies that the soul is immortal? Or that we already possess within us empirical knowledge about such things as the theory of evolution, or the history of Greece? Socrates himself, in fact, acknowledges that he cant be certain about some of his conclusions. Nevertheless, he evidently believes that the demonstration with the slave boy proves something. But does it? And if so, what? One view is that the passage proves that we have innate ideas- a kind of knowledge we are quite literally born with. This doctrine is one of the most disputed in the history of philosophy. Descartes, who was clearly influenced by Plato, defended it. He argues, for instance, that God imprints an idea of Himself on each mind that he creates. Since every human being possesses this idea, faith in God is available to all. And because the idea of God is the idea of an infinitely perfect being, it makes possible other knowledge which depends on the notions of infinity and perfection, notions that we could never arrive at from experience. The doctrine of innate ideas is closely associated with the rationalist philosophies of thinkers like Descartes and Leibniz. It was fiercely attacked by John Locke, the first of the major British empiricists. Book One of Lockes  Essay on Human Understanding  is a famous polemic against the whole doctrine. According to Locke, the mind at birth is a tabula rasa, a blank slate. Everything we eventually know is learned from experience. Since the 17th century (when Descartes and Locke produced their works), the empiricist skepticism regarding innate ideas has generally had the upper hand. Nevertheless, a version of the doctrine was revived by the linguist Noam Chomsky. Chomsky was struck by the remarkable achievement of every child in learning language. Within three years, most children have mastered their native language to such an extent that they can produce an unlimited number of original sentences. This ability goes far beyond what they can have learned simply by listening to what others say: the output exceeds the input. Chomsky argues that what makes this possible is an innate capacity for learning language, a capacity that involves intuitively recognizing what he calls the universal grammar- the deep structure- that all human languages share. A Priori Although the specific doctrine of innate knowledge presented in the  Meno  finds few takers today, the more general view that we know some things a priori- i.e. prior to experience- is still widely held. Mathematics, in particular, is thought to exemplify this sort of knowledge. We dont arrive at theorems in geometry or arithmetic by conducting empirical research; we establish truths of this sort simply by reasoning. Socrates may prove his theorem using a diagram drawn with a stick in the dirt but we understand immediately that the theorem is necessarily and universally true. It applies to all squares, regardless of how big they are, what they are made of, when they exist, or where they exist. Many readers complain that the boy does not really discover how to double the area of a square himself: Socrates guides him to the answer with leading questions. This is true. The boy would probably not have arrived at the answer by himself. But this objection misses the deeper point of the demonstration: the boy is not simply learning a formula that he then repeats without real understanding (the way most of us are doing when we say something like, e mc squared). When he agrees that a certain proposition is true or an inference is valid, he does so because he grasps the truth of the matter for himself. In principle, therefore, he could discover the theorem in question, and many others, just by thinking very hard. And so could we all!

Answers to Questions About Punctuation

Answers to Questions About Punctuation Answers to Questions About Punctuation Answers to Questions About Punctuation By Mark Nichol Here are a few questions from readers about the use of various forms of punctuation, followed by my responses. 1. In the following sentence, how do you separate the statement from the description, â€Å"A system of aligned chambers supports anaerobic digestion, a biological process that happens naturally when bacteria breaks down organic matter,† or â€Å"A system of aligned chambers supports anaerobic digestion; a biological process that happens naturally when bacteria breaks down organic matter†? The first sentence is correct: A term’s definition is set off from the term by a comma. (The definition is a form of appositive, an alternative way of naming something, just as in â€Å"The boy, a fifth grader at the school, was not injured.†) A semicolon is appropriate only if what follows it could stand on its own as a complete sentence, as in â€Å"A system of aligned chambers supports anaerobic digestion; this is a biological process that happens naturally when bacteria breaks down organic matter.† 2. I avoid the serial comma whenever possible i.e., in cases where there is no ambiguity because I prefer not to have comma-heavy sentences.   However, when it is necessary, I bend my rule and use it to remove any ambiguity. Would this be considered inconsistent style (for writing and editing)? It’s correct, if you generally avoid using serial commas, to omit a serial comma for â€Å"a, b and c† constructions but make an exception to insert one for clarity in â€Å"a, b, and c and d† constructions. That’s consistent usage and it’s approved of by The Associated Press Stylebook and other guides that recommend omitting the serial comma in simple in-line lists as long as you always omit it in the first case and always insert it in the second case. (It would be inconsistent only if you varied between â€Å"a, b and c† and â€Å"a, b, and c.†) But I think it’s better to simply always, always, use a serial comma, as The Chicago Manual of Style and many other guides recommend. 3. In the sentence â€Å"Do you employ a serial comma the final comma in a sentence such as ‘I bought one apple, two bananas, and three oranges’?† you have your punctuation (question mark) outside the quotes. That’s not intentional, right? Question marks and exclamation points are located either within quotation marks or outside them based on whether the quoted material is a question or an exclamation or the framing sentence is a question or an exclamation. In the sentence, â€Å"I bought one apple, two bananas, and three oranges† is not a question; it is positioned within a sentence that is a question: â€Å"Do you employ a serial comma . . . ?† Therefore, the question mark should follow the close quotation mark. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyCannot or Can Not?Threw and Through

Responding to argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Responding to argument - Essay Example While a group of people consider homosexuality as part of what God has intended for some people in the time of creation, some others consider all kinds of sexual orientation and its practical aspects as part of human freedom and susceptibility to sin. Naturally, the former group tries to justify homosexual tendencies as normal and not something to be cured, while the latter seek religious and other sorts of help to cure themselves of this ‘disease’. Fr.Hopko tries to substantiate the orthodox position with the help of scriptures. He chooses to make use of three references from the Bible – Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1: 26-27 and I Corinthians 6:9-11 – to display how the Bible considers homosexuality an abomination that deserves due penalty and how those who practice it will fail to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. However, the arguments are not totally intolerant towards people who happen to be homosexuals by choice or circumstances. Hopko asserts the concept that Christians are redeemed sinners and reveals the extent to which sinful acts are forgiven in the Christian ideology if the people acknowledge their sins and repent for them. There could even be cases where people are led against their will to commit sins, where their passions overpower their conscience. Even as such sins remain a serious affront towards Christian faith, Hopko points out how such sinners could seek the religious and community help to come back t o a true Christian life. He tries to strike a balance in his arguments by criticizing the mindless, truly demonic hatred of anti-homosexuals and also the mindless, equally demonic homosexual activity by its misguided advocates and enablers. He brings in the analogy of the burden of a cross to define homosexuality and affirms that there is redemption for people with homosexual affinities if they are willing to struggle against it. Though the entire article sounds sensible and balanced at first reading, anyone who is aware

HUM310 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HUM310 - Essay Example eparated from the Anglican Church and perceived the New Frontiers a place where they could put up their roots and established their own institutions of the same. Bradfords journal documented these sentiments through absorbing story telling techniques so that the reader could relate to the sense of community, the struggle of the early settlers, and the peaceful manners in which the Native Americans and the Pilgrims embraced each other. Had it not been for this peaceful integration with the Natives, specifically the Wampanoag tribe, later settlers from England would not have been able to establish towns and cities so easily. Indeed, through Bradford eyes, the challenge of "self-definition and establishment" (Parini 7), the origin of many of American traditions and culture such as Thanksgiving, could be seen to have emerged to shape the new nation. Moreover, "Of Plymouth Plantation" demonstrated the importance of compromise and peacemaking in the process of making a nation. Instead, of concentrating on "wealth and adventure" alone, Bradford encouraged understanding of the Natives and communication. He believed in embracing the value the locals had to offer to the new settlers through "sacred bonds and ties" of the "sweet communion" (Parini 10). At the same time one gets the sense of change during the 17th century. Bradford was saddened by the humiliation that the new generation brought with it by their violent behaviors and willful desecration of the locals. He believed the new colonists dissipated the foundations that were built by the early settlers particularly the Pilgrims of Plymouth that took years in the making. Although, Parini (10) sometimes believed Bradford to have veered from actual historical events, nevertheless one could relate to Bradfords experience at the time which were different from the narratives of the later colonists who were fiercer, resistant and against the Natives. Their dispositions resulted in bloody wars and waste of precious lives

Social Protection And Social Safety Net

Social Protection And Social Safety Net What is social protection and safety net? Social protection is a broad set of public arrangements and instruments that help individuals, households and communities in managing risks and shocks well, assure a basic level of consumption to the extreme poor. Social protection includes: social insurance, social assistance, safety nets, social services, legal and regulatory protection. So that social protection should complement family, community, and market mechanisms for protect the vulnerable against livelihood risk, and enhance the social status and assisting the very poor. Safety nets are basically income maintenance programs that protect a person or household against two adverse outcomes: a chronic incapacity to work and earn, and a decline in this capacity caused by imperfectly predictable lifecycle events (such as the sudden death of a bread winner), sharp shortfalls in aggregate demand or expenditure shocks (through economic recession or transition), or very bad harvests. Safety net programs serve two important redistribution (such as transfers to disadvantaged groups) and insurance (such as drought relief). (World Bank, 2003) Social safety net is non-contributory, ex post intervention, it is paid for by the Government from general revenues includes taxation and development assistance, in order to deal with existing poverty or shocks that have already occurred and targeted to the poor and vulnerable. Well-designed safety net can protect the poor in the short term and it also can promote growth, for instance, it can enable the poor to engage in the economy by expanding their opportunities to take risks, diversify livelihoods, innovate, invest the human capital of their children etc. Safety net instruments include: unconditional cash and near-cash transfers, for instance, non-contributory old age pensions and disability payments; conditional transfers includes conditional cash transfers such as scholarships and conditional in-kind transfers such as food rations and nutrition and feeding programs; unconditional food and other in-kind transfers; fee waivers for health, education and other basic services; general commodity price subsidies includes for food or energy; public workfare. Social risk management concepts Arrangements to manage risks can be made in advance, before a shock has occurred risk reduction and risk mitigation can be taken into account. Risk reduction is arrangements that make it less likely that shock will occur, and risk mitigation is arrangements that ensure that if a shock does occur, the effects are small rather than large. Moreover arrangements to manage risks also can be made after a shock has occurred, coping strategies to deal with the impact of the shock Links between poverty, vulnerability and growth The poor are the most vulnerable group, they are exposed to diverse risks, so are more likely to suffer a shock; they have fewer resources to deal with these risks, so when a shock does occur, the effects of a shock are more serious for the poor; the rich can afford insurance, or use savings to cope, but the poor generally cant. High vulnerability makes the poor avoid risk, so they are unable or unwilling to engage in higher risk or higher return activities. Therefore reducing vulnerability is thus both a means and an end: as a means, reducing vulnerability expands opportunities and supports growth; as an end, reducing vulnerability reduces poverty, which is a goal in its own right. Shocks can affect people as individuals or groups Individuals Groups(geographical communities, occupational groups) Shocks Accident, illness, old age, house burns down, robbery, family business fails etc Macroeconomic and labor market shocks, war, riots, nature disasters, disease epidemic etc Safety net plays multiple roles in national development policy Safety net plays multiple roles in national development policy, such as reduce poverty and inequality directly by raising the living standards of those at the bottom of society; help households manage risk and vulnerability that experience a shock to keep their children in school, to continue eating enough, to avoid selling productive assets; enable households to make long-term investments; encourage households to innovate, take some risks, invest in their childrens education and health (human capital of the next generation); help Governments make policy reforms and ensure political support for reform by compensating those who suffer short-term losses due to reforms needed for long-term economic growth. Safety net is only one part of an overall poverty reduction strategy. à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ Sourceà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡Kalanidhi Subbarao. Social Safety Nets: Concepts and Definitions. World Bank.à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° The figure above illustrate what safety nets contains and belongs, safety nets contains and also belongs a part of social protection, equity, social risk management and poverty reduction. Equity includes land redistribution, enforcement of contracts and property rights, universal education and safety nets. Poverty Reduction contains providing services and facilities to the poor, and safety nets provide security. Social risk management supplies insurance and safety nets. Social insurance (social security) These are ex ante, contributory schemes to mitigate risk that people pay small sums (contributions) in advance, generally on a regular basis. This entitles them to benefits when shocks or events occur, for instance health insurance, contributory old-age pensions and unemployment insurance. Social insurance is most easily provided for non-poor groups in formal employment who can pay contributions; have a little spare cash left after buying food and other immediate needs; and have regular, stable wage incomes. Social insurance is very important in developed countries and middle-income developing countries, and typically plays a smaller role in low income countries. However, some low income countries are piloting insurance schemes for poor people, In Ethiopia and India, the rainfall index-based crop insurance programs have been done very successfully. The disaster insurance programs have been done very well in Bangladesh. Steps in an overall strategy in developing a national safety nets system Identify major risks and vulnerable groups by collecting and analyzing household data; Review existing programs and identify gaps in coverage Review options for instruments to address each of these gaps Identify available financial envelope, such as raise taxes, reallocate existing public spending from inefficient and ineffective programs. Review institutional capacity and weaknesses Choose a combination of instruments to cover major risks and groups. Weave different programs and instruments together into a coherent system. In a poor country with limited capacity, likely to start with safety nets, but build up social insurance over time Social safety net in Egypt One out of every five people is poor in Egypt, and the poverty increased mildly between 2001 and 2005 from 18.36 percent to 19.63 percent. The government of Egypt has worked on reforms of economic, social and political transformation. This reform driven by the need to raise sustainable economic growth, and ensure that the poor benefit from it. The role of state also redefined, the state can no longer be seen as the job provider, goods and subsidies supplier. But the state is faced with the challenge of poverty reduction, and oversees the public interest and protects the poor and vulnerable. Furthermore, the Government must redefine the social safety net to improve people serves by expand programs in fighting poverty. Poverty continues to be a major policy challenge Poverty continues to be a major challenge in Egypt, with one out of every five people (about 13.6 million people) living below the poverty line. In order to attack poverty, a better understanding of who the poor are should be included initially. In Egypt, almost three quarters of the poor live in rural areas, in Upper Egypt, most of them working in agriculture and construction and with little education. Strengthening the social safety net In Egypt, while the social safety net provide assistance to the poor critically, benefit still many more non-poor individuals and group than poor, and do little to reduce overall poverty. Egypt spends about 2 percent of its GDP on the core social safety net, a roughly stable level since 2000. It does not have every type of program above, but resources are devoted to: General social protection (5 percent of GDP); Consumer subsidies on food (1.7 percent of GDP); SFD (Social Fund for Development) programs (0.18 percent of GDP); and Social assistance cash transfers from MOISA (Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs) (0.12 percent of GDP). The largest share of resources, 8.1 percent of GDP, is spent on energy subsidies to producers and consumers which serve as an important safety net but also absorb resources that could be better directed to the poor. (World Bank, 2005) Those numbers is significantly below most European countries. So that reform of the safety net is important for three reasons: firstly, the program often does not reach the poor and the fewer subsidies can not provide meaningful assistance. Secondly, programs are too expensive when subsidies taken into account. And thirdly, inefficient programs that with overlapping beneficiaries and objectives. Administration of Social Assistance Programs in Egypt Eligibility for MOISA (Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs) social assistance cash-transfer programs require applicant supported with document including family birth certificates and salary records at a local MOISA office. This assistance program supply more subsidies to females than males. Application is followed up with a home visit by social workers and a decision is made within 60 days. Total expenditures for the programs were 1.1 billion of Egyptian Pound in 2004, this figure includes pension and social assistance functions. Geographic targeting The geographic target should aim in overall poverty reduction, but not reduces poverty in the poorest areas. If all the existing resource devoted to poorest area, no matter the resident is poor or not, the uniform distribution would decrease poverty in the Upper Rural areas. However, poverty will increase slightly in the other areas. Nowadays Egypt use basic poverty map to guide projects, which contains regularly household income, consumption and expenditure. Smart Safety Net in Egypt The project intends to create E-Government, which brings all information and services of government for citizens online, and make service more efficient. This project started in 2005, and it will be finished in 2010. The card itself contains a variety of information as the number of family members, birth, death and other eligibility criteria, which will automatically verify the rations and accurate amounts transferred. Government of Egypt expected the smart-card system will decrease the cost of providing subsidies by 10 percent, and amount of saving is 400 million Egyptian pounds annually. This is a pilot project, which will gradually be expanded nationally. (Ministry of State for Administrative Development, www.mcit.gov.eg ) Conditional Cash Transfer Programs (CCTs) Conditional cash transfer programs (CCTs) are a relatively new instrument that seeks to foster human capital development. The cash helps reduce poverty in its own right, compensates families for the opportunity cost of changing behavior, and is expected to contribute to long-term human capital development for the young. (Rawlings and Rubio, 2004) The target more focuses on vulnerable families with children. So that cash transfer can be an important mechanism to alleviate poverty, such as education and basic health care must be available for the poor. CCTs had a great impact in some countries, for instance, Mexico provided additional equipment and medicines in order to meet increased health services demanded; Nicaragua provided teachers and pay for school materials; Honduras provided direct CCTs to schools and health centers. CCTs become more popular in Latin America, Jamaica used CCT to replaced former food stamps and social assistance programs; Mexico used CCT to replaced the tortilla subsidy; Brazil created the largest CCT in the developing world by consolidating four cash transfer programs into the Bolsa Familla program. Using Nicaragua as an example, CCTs have a great impact in education, health and consumption: Nicaragua CCTs Program Impact Education (primary school) Health (children under 2 years-old) Consumption (Per capita annual) + 21.7% +18.3% +N$ 753 CCTs have also been a means to consolidate disparate cash transfer programs into more efficient, effective targeted interventions to support human capital formation. (Ayala, 2003) Conclusions Social safety nets are the most important priority, which deal with existing poverty or shocks have already occurred and targeted to the poor and vulnerable. Before policy making and action implementing, several questions should be figure out initially: Who are the poor and vulnerable group? What kind of risk face now? What programs against what risks? What programs cover what kind of groups? Where is the gap? What is the new challenge? For each program and instrument, the steps in developing national social safety nets can be: firstly set objects; secondly develop an implementation structure to clear define the institutional roles and responsibilities; thirdly, develop mechanisms for targeting, enrolment and payment, use technology to help policy making and action implementing, such as use poverty maps and smart cards in Egypt; finally, monitory and evaluate during the programs, which can be good experiences to learn. While getting better understanding of poverty causes and dynamics, however social protection and social safety nets still face many challenges, there is a need for a long-term strategy to fulfill a number of specific gaps in the future.

Bigotry in Sitcoms: All in the Family

The impact of media communication on society is interpreted by its audiences based on numerous factors. All in the Family was one of the first sitcoms that displayed bigotry in an open forum. Audiences interpreted the show based on their specific in terms of either dominant or oppositional. Audience's interpretations were based on their individual views or beliefs. Writing Intended to have the reader perceive a specific Idea or thought Is known as preferred reading.Producers and writers Intend for their audiences to interpret their material In a specific way. If their perception is different than the intended view this is known as oppositional reading or decoding. Oppositional Readings Dominant and The character of Archie Bunker is represented as a conservative, super patriotic, working class American who is a bigot. Both a dominant and oppositional view Is perceived depending upon the viewing audience. It was the Intent of producers and writers to bring bigotry out In the open where people would laugh rather than take offense.Archie was considered a bigot who was admired for his candid style by some while others were able to accept it as amorous. â€Å"Some viewers applaud Archie for his racist viewpoint, while others applaud the show for making fun of Bigotry' (Vulgar and Reach). The article, â€Å"Archly Bunker's Bigotry: A Study In Selective Perception and Exposure reveals an oppositional reading In which viewers perceive Mike as the opposition. Mike provides rebuttals to Archive's derogatory slurs and racist remarks. The show gives the viewer a character they can relate to based on their selective perception. Avider and Reach). Archie Bunker's Attitude Archie shows he is definitely without a bout racist through his verbal comments and physical expressions In the video clip, â€Å"Hollywood Knows the Truth Opt. 1: Archly Bunker In All in the Family. † Archie classifies specific races, genders and ethnic backgrounds Into categories. Some of his verb al remarks included colored as â€Å"Jews† and polish people, Mike, as â€Å"anathemas†. Archive's expressions during the toasting scene displayed different reactions when Barney drank out of his glass versus his reaction to Sammy Davis Jar. Ringing out of the same glass. Archie didn't want to drink after a colored man. Archie asks Sammy if he thinks he Is prejudice. Sammy responds sarcastically, muff can tell the difference between black and white† (â€Å"Hollywood Knows the Truth Opt. 1: Archly Bunker In All In the Family†). Finally, when Sammy gets ready to leave, he asks Archive's friend to take a picture of him and Archie. As the man snaps the picture, Sammy kisses Archie on the cheek. Archive's expression said it all! Throughout the video clip Archie tries to prove to himself and everyone else he is not racist.No matter how much he tried to play it if, everyone was aware of his feeling on racism through his verbal comments and physical expressions. S elective Perception and Exposure unaware selective perception Ana exposure, unprejudiced viewers perceive Archie as a dumb bigoted â€Å"hardhat. † The prejudice viewer perceives Mike as a long haired, lazy â€Å"anathema Pollock. † In selective perception prejudice viewers are more apt to enjoy the show for its satire while high prejudice viewers enjoy the humor. Therefore, the show is viewed equally with allowing for opposite perceptions.

The Cold War Era During World War II - 1349 Words

The Cold War Era that followed the end of World War II was unlike any Americans had seen before. After defeating Germany and its allies in the war, the United States faced a change on the home front: young Americans rushed into marriage and parenthood in unprecedented numbers. In Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era, Elaine Tyler May describes these changes from the end of the war through the early 1960s. The author makes a compelling range of arguments about the changes that affected Americans during this period. Mainly, May argues that the â€Å"domestic containment† that arose after World War II promoted the new dynamic of a suburban lifestyle, in part because of the increasing fright of looming communism during the Cold War Era. May coins the term â€Å"domestic containment† as the center of her argument in her book Homeward Bound. â€Å"Domestic containment† refers to the happy American suburban lifestyle home that was reinforced by popul ar culture because of the scare of communism. All of May’s other arguments in the book hinge on her larger focus on â€Å"domestic containment† being Americans’ overriding ideology during the early Cold War. May states, â€Å"The self-contained home held out the promise of security in insecure world. It also offered a vision of abundance and fulfillment. As the cold war began, young postwar Americans were homeward bound.† It had become evident to Americans that the world outside the natural boundaries of the country was unstable. TheShow MoreRelated The Cold War Era Essay example1046 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cold War Era Works Cited Missing The late 1940s to the mid 1980s the American society saw what could quite possibly be titled the biggest technological effect on society. 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