Plato’s “Myth of Metals” and Aristotle’s Analysis of Happiness Essay Example for Free

Plato’s â€Å"Myth of Metals† and Aristotle’s Analysis of Happiness Essay According to The Oxford American College Dictionary, the term happiness is defined as â€Å"[the state of] being satisfied† or â€Å"[the state of] having a sense of confidence in or satisfaction with a†¦situation† (Lindberg 609). In their treatises on politics and the governance of man, Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato address the correlation between the concept of happiness, the establishment and management of a society, and the genetic predisposition of man. This paper will compare the following concepts discussed in Aristotle’s Ethics and Plato’s â€Å"The Myth of The Metals† from The Republic: 1. ) Man’s abilities and vocation are based on/determined by biology (genetic predisposition), and those predispositions form natural divisions or â€Å"classes,† which help to organize a community/society/nation; 2. ) Man can achieve happiness if he or she fulfills/performs his/her pre-determined role – the role for which he or she is naturally suited and that others should encourage and nurture; 3. ) Man must serve his community/society/nation, which prepares him for his â€Å"natural† role, and that service will also provide man with happiness or a â€Å"sense of satisfaction. † Plato and Aristotle describe biology as a factor in man’s choice of profession. Both philosophers note that vocation is determined by ability, and that ability is the result of genetics. This includes those who govern or rule others. In â€Å"The Myth of The Metals† chapter of The Republic, Plato states that each man (woman and child) receives a particular metal mixture at birth, and that the metal received determines a person’s skill set and station in life. Plato says, â€Å"†¦in fashioning those among you who are competent to rule, mixed gold into them at their birth, whereby they are the most precious, and silver into the auxiliaries; and iron and bronze into the farmers and the other craftsmen (107). In other words, the traits or characteristics of any person determine what that person will do with his or her life. Additionally, the person who governs or leads others has unique, unusual qualities that most other people don’t have – qualities that are innate to that person. In Ethics, Aristotle too discusses man’s biological traits as a determinant of his or her profession and classification in society. Aristotle says, â€Å"†¦from natural causes that some beings command and others obey; for a being who is endowed with a mind capable of reflection and forethought is by nature the superior and governor, whereas he whose excellence is merely corporeal is formed to be a slave (1252). Thus, like Plato, Aristotle believes that each man is â€Å"born† to perform certain roles, roles for which each person has a genetic predisposition or natural ability. That ability automatically separates a person from others based on the job or way that person earns his or her living. For example, educators and physicians will associate with other professionals; while custodians and other blue collar workers will form other associations. Plato also discusses the need to nurture a person’s natural talents, regardless of family background or origin – because those talents will bring a person the highest level of satisfaction and happiness. He states, â€Å"†¦you will mostly beget children like yourselves, but it is possible that a silver child should be born of gold, or a golden child born of silver, and so all the rest from one another†¦If their own offspring are born alloyed with bronze or iron, they will assign it the grade appropriate to its nature and thrust it out among craftsmen and farmers without pity† (107). Thus, parents, teachers, other community stakeholders and society in general must nurture the innate abilities of others, especially youth. Aristotle too describes the necessity of accepting the natural differences that exists between people and safeguarding the skills of each person. By developing individual talents, not only does the individual benefit, but society does as well. Aristotle notes, â€Å"Why is it also necessary that, without exception, the one should govern, the other always be governed? it is evident then that both parties ought to be virtuous; but there is a difference between them, as there is between those who by nature command and who by nature obey, and this originates in the soul; for in this nature has planted the governing and submitting principle;†¦and that those who enjoy the best government will live the most happily according to their circumstances† (1260). Another commonality in the messages of Plato and Aristotle is discussion of man’s need to provide service to his fellow man. Plato speaks of the responsibility that a person has not only to himself/herself, but to family and the community-at-large. He also notes that importance of â€Å"giving back† for the nurturing and kindness that others in society provide. Plato states, â€Å"†¦we reared and educated them, being formed and nurtured [within the earth]†¦they must now take counsel for the defense of their country as a mother and nurse, if anyone comes against it, and consider the rest of their fellow citizens as brothers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (107). Man’s service to others is service to a community/nation, and the provision of that service is a form of happiness. Aristotle also describes how service to others, and that includes participation in the governance of others, is a source of happiness. He states, â€Å"†¦It follows that happiness consists of virtuous activity, and that both with respect to the community as well as the individual an active life is the happiest;†¦for virtuous activity has an end, therefore is something practical; nay, those who contrive the plan which others follow are more particularly said to act† (1360). In other words, positive behavior acts provide happiness to the person that commits them and to other members of the community. Service also provides a foundation for government. In conclusion, Plato’s and Aristotle’s works address the relationship between genetics, profession and individual happiness. Both writers express that each person has innate talents and characteristics. Those talents should be nurtured and encouraged by others. Those talents help to determine a person’s career choices and provide a natural classification system in society. Those characteristics also affect whether a person will participate in the governance of others and the type of government that is established. Ultimately, if a person utilizes his or her talents and gives back to the community, that person will locate â€Å"true† happiness – a happiness that others can share. ?

NIKEs Labour Troubles Essay -- Nike Sweatshops Outsourcing Labor Essa

NIKE's Labour Troubles Nike publicizes itself as one of the leading industries in corporate responsibility. However, they do not comply with several human rights obligations overseas in countries like Thailand, Pakistan, China, Vietnam and Indonesia. In these countries, production facilities called sweatshops have been running for almost 35 years employing workers as young as 13 years of age. The conditions of these factories are adverse to say the least and deprive workers of the moral human rights they should be entitled to. Sweatshops are unethical, immoral and demonstrate Nike’s ignorance towards their social responsibilities abroad. Within these facilities, workers endure stressfully long days under undesirable conditions, often with no breaks and very little pay. While this is going on overseas, sponsored athletes are being paid million dollar salaries here in North America. Although Nike’s reputation has been foiled through the tabloids regarding this issue, they have been making a sub stantial effort to â€Å"clean up† production messes in the East. Nike, as many other companies do, facilitates production in other countries to help grow sales in those particular regions. The main difference between Nike and some of the other companies is that other companies do not support the exploitation of labourers or human rights. Not to suggest that Nike promotes labour exploitation, but they are less strict about these rules than other companies in foreign markets. Impacts on health and safety are a major factor for employees in sweatshops. However, physical and sexual abuse is another serious concern of many of the sweatshop workers. Most of the sweatshops run by Nike contractors are factories located in relatively small spaces to save on real estate costs. They are often soiled with dirt and kept unheated to save on expenses. Broken glass and dangerous equipment is left on the floors causing potential dangers to any people scattered within the factory. Employees are subject to harassment and violent punishments if work is not being comp leted as thoroughly and efficiently as the contractors would like. Workers slave under unfavourable conditions for up to 14-hour days often with no breaks. These employees are paid less than $100 US and work on average over 250 hours per month. "Substandard wages keep factory workers in poverty and force them to work excessi... ... strongly suggest that awareness of sweatshop abuses is turning consumers away from Nike.† (International Nike Mobilization - www.haleokala.com). Nike has been under a great deal of pressure to correct the misdoings that have been done regarding production facilities in the East. As Nike is responsible for these plants, their reputation has been tainted with increasing public debate about ethical matters. While Nike still promotes itself as one of the industry leaders in corporate social responsibility, workers in Asia are still forced to work excessively long hours in substandard environments and are not paid enough to meet the basic needs for themselves or their families. They are faced to a life of poverty and are unfortunate subjects to harassment and violent threats if they make any attempt to form unions or tell journalists about labour abuses in their factories. Phil Knight’s speech regarding Nike’s steps to improving human rights in Asian countries was a step in the right direction for Nike, but it would have been much more effective had Nike fully followed through with these initiatives. Works Cited Campaign For Labour Rights â€Å"International Nike Mobilization†.

Noughts and Crosses Essay

English teachers don’t need to be told the enormous value and pleasure of reading whole texts as class readers. Little compares with that feeling when a class are truly engaged in the reading of a really good book. Those moments stay with you forever – indeed, they fuel the desire to find another such book to repeat the experience, again and again. Fortunately, contemporary writers of fiction for young adults continue to offer us fresh opportunities to enjoy literature with our students. Oxford Rollercoasters is a series that offers teachers the opportunity of studying first-class novels – recently written for teenagers – as whole-class readers with Year 7, 8 and 9 students. Focus on assessment of reading Oxford Rollercoasters includes titles with varied themes, challenging subject matter and engaging plots – for example, Noughts and Crosses takes a very contemporary slant on racism, Firestarter features a modern-day compulsive arsonist, while Fire, Bed and Bone is set during the Peasants’ Revolt. Each novel is accompanied by innovative and engaging teaching materials, specifically designed to help students access the texts and to support learning as required by the National Curriculum. Rollercoasters is firmly based on the reading objectives in the Framework, and draws on approaches to reading fiction recommended by the English strand of the Secondary National Strategy. The series is written by practising teachers and consultants, and, while concentrating on the explicit teaching of reading skills, also draws on approaches to literature through drama and media. Theories behind both assessment for learning and thinking skills are also embedded in the materials. Time-saving resources For each Rollercoasters novel there is a set of Lesson Plans, specifying particular objectives, assessment focuses and learning outcomes. These are accompanied by a compact Overview (see page 4) which summarizes the scheme at a glance, including the necessary resources for each lesson. The Navigator offers a clear plot summary, linked to relevant chapters, to help speedy location of particular parts of the novel. Lesson Plans are accompanied by full, varied and practical Worksheets and OHTs, and drama activities are common within the teaching schemes. The worksheets and OHTs are customizable to meet the needs of a particular teacher and class. For every novel there are suggested guided reading sessions as well as the opportunity to develop further specific group teaching. Class, shared and independent reading are also fully supported in the Lesson Plans. The practice of keeping some form of Reading Journal during the study of the novel is encouraged in many of the schemes, and there are several attractive models for such record-keeping across the teaching materials. Every set of Lesson Plans ends with its own student Reading Assessment Progress Sheet, which the teacher can then use to identify areas for development for each student. Reading Guide Each of the novels has its own student Reading Guide, which contains a rich variety of material to help to engage students in their study of the novel. Each one features unique author’s craft material, giving students a great insight into the writing, editing and publishing process. Ideas for wider reading and for the extension of independent reading are also provided in the Pathways section at the end of the Reading Guide. Website support The Rollercoasters website provides access to the free on-line teacher’s resources, sample chapters of the novels and further author information. Oxford Rollercoasters provides first-class teaching resources for first-class contemporary fiction. The series is designed to engage the widest possible range of students in reading for pleasure, and we feel confident that it will contribute to those memorable experiences of reading together in the secondary classroom.

To What Extent was President Reagan’s Personal Role in the...

A. Plan of Investigation The investigation assesses the extent of significance of President Reagan’s role in the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980’s. Reagan’s role will be looked at while aiding the Nicaraguan Contras, releasing American hostages, both which led to the Iran-Contra affair, and during the cover up, in America and partly in Iran. An investigation account and American history are mostly used to evaluate Reagan’s role. Two of the sources used in this essay, Firewall: The Iran-Contra conspiracy and cover-up written by Lawrence E. Walsh and The Age of Reagan by Sean Wilentz will then be evaluated for their origins, purposes, values, and limitations. B. Summary of Evidence Prior to the Iran-Contra affair, Reagan was in the last†¦show more content†¦Also, Oliver North was ordered to teach the Contras military tactics and raised money for them. As Reagan and his private officials went about on doing this secretly, publicity had a way to find what was going on. Congress was lied to as a cover up by Reagan so they would not intervene. After his reelection, Reagan supported another covert program: an attempt to release hostages in Lebanon. This would soon turn into the Iran-Contra Affair. In 1984 a Shiite Islamic group that was loyal to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini had captured and held seven Americans hostage in Lebanon. The President was very much concerned for the Americans’ well being. An Israeli foreign minister, David Kimche, insisted that since Iran and Iraq were at war with each other, Iran would need more weapons, and because Israel would also gain monetary benefits, they could help with persuasion to release the officials. All the U.S. needed to do was to approve a small shipment of armaments to Iran. Reagan then agreed to this deal, to sell arms to Iran through Israel, which would induce the kidnappers in releasing the hostages. Even though Reagan stated before that â€Å"America will never make concessions to terrorists,† the transferring of arms violated that statement and the Arms Export Control Act since congress was not informed and didn’t give consent. The secret request, hidden from congress would not only help free the hostages, but alsoShow MoreRelatedThe Civil War Of Iran Essay2108 Words   |  9 PagesHistorical Background Throughout the 1980’s, Lebanon was engulfed in a brutal civil war that was waged between the government and different rebel factions. Hezbollah, a fundamentalist Shia militant group allied with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), was one of the major forces fighting against the Lebanese government. With Ronald Reagan as acting president of the United States, he made an effort toward stabilizing the Area by sending peacekeeping forces to Beirut. In retaliation to thisRead MoreEssay about The Reagen and Bush Presidencies3038 Words   |  13 Pages INTRODUCTION It is widely accepted that George Bush Snr. was forced to play out his presidency in the mighty shadow of Ronald Reagan. Reagans charm and personality was one of his greatest strengths and, even now, is widely revered for his time as President. Bush was reportedly always conscious of peoples expectations of him in view of his predecessor and this burden seemed to weigh heavily. Reagans achievements in Washington were considerable, if not in number then in impact. His politicalRead MoreNational Security Outline Essay40741 Words   |  163 Pagesï » ¿TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR NSL READING CHAPTER 1: National Security Law and the Role of Tipson 1 CHAPTER 2: Theoretical approaches to national security world order 4 CHAPTER 3: Development of the International Law of Conflict Management 5 CHAPTER 4: The Use of Force in International Relations: Norms Concerning the Initiation of Coercion (JNM) 7 CHAPTER 5: Institutional Modes of Conflict Management 17 The United Nations System 17 Proposals for Strengthening Management Institutional ModesRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesthe Contributors †¢ 343 _ IN TR OD UC TIO N Michael Adas B y any of the customary measures we deploy to demarcate historical epochs, the twentieth century does not appear to be a very coherent unit. The beginnings and ends of what we choose to call centuries are almost invariably years of little significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several points both before the year 2000 (the collapse of the Soviet Union