The Ambiguity of Plato Essay -- Philosophy Essays

The Ambiguity of Plato For hundreds of years, Plato has been admired as a writer, a master rhetorician, an artist, and above all, a philosopher; however, Plato's backlashes against sophistry and art have led to much confusion concerning his ideas and beliefs. John Poulakos says of Plato, "[F]or most rhetoricians Plato has always played the same role he assigned to the sophists--the enemy" (Nienkamp 1). Plato will always appear to be the skilled rhetorician or artist who speaks out against rhetoric and art. In Apology and Phaedrus we see the character of Socrates rail against writing because it can quickly get out of control of the author and just as easily be misinterpreted, yet Plato is known for his skillful dialogical writing. In reference to the Divided Line, Plato informs us that art is one of the lowest forms because it is no more than an illusion, yet Plato uses his artistic ability in "Simile of a Cave" to help us understand the journey to knowledge. This ambiguity within the texts leads to, what a ppears to be, Plato contradicting himself; however, to fully understand these contradictions we must ask ourselves, "Who is the real Plato?" Plato's contradictory nature and overall ambiguity make the lines of distinction between the writer, the rhetorician, the artist, and the philosopher become blurred, so it is difficult for anyone to understand or explain the real Plato. Jean Nienkamp says of Plato, "[He is] the writer who writes that nothing of importance can be conveyed through writing; the word-smith who argues that words are but imitations of imitations at the same time that he insists on precise definitions, divisions... " (1). In Phaedrus, Plato presents some of his more powerful arguments against writing. Most... ...1: 23-44. Plato. Euthyphro. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company Inc., 1981: 5-22. Plato. Meno. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company Inc., 1981: 57-88. Plato. Phaedo. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company Inc., 1981: 89-155. Plato. Phaedrus. Trans. A. Nehamas and P. Woodruff. Amherst: Hermagoras Press, 1999: 165-213. Plato. "Simile of a Cave." The Republic. Trans. Desmond Lee. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2002: 1-9. Tejera, Victorino. "The Apology and the Phaedo: Plato's Tragic Humor." Plato's Dialogues One by One: A Dialogical Interpretation. Lanham: University Press of America, Inc., 1999. Thesleff, Holger. "In Search of Dialogue." Plato's Dialogues: New Studies and Interpretations. Ed. Gerald A. Press. Lanham: Rowan and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1993: 259-266.

Was Shakespeare Really in Love? Essay -- William Shakespeare Playwrigh

Was Shakespeare Really in Love? William Shakespeare is arguably one of the best playwrights of all time, and he is certainly one of the most well-known writers in the history of literature. Shakespeare is a classic example of how art and literature can touch so many people’s lives and hearts. His work has been enjoyed by millions of people for four hundred years, and today, his plays are still being performed daily all over the world. He wrote a total of thirty-seven plays and 154 sonnets in his lifetime. Plays like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth are recognized by most people, and they, coupled with his beautiful sonnets, are clear evidence that Shakespeare was a romantic man. Over four hundred years ago, Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, about 100 miles northwest of London, in April of 1564. Shakespeare was the first son and the third child born to his parents, John and Mary Shakespeare. His father was a â€Å"glover,† a maker, worker and seller of leather goods, such as gloves, purses, and belts. Most scholars agree that Shakespeare attended the Stratford grammar school, where he learned the English alphabet, as well as reading and writing in Latin. In grammar school, Shakespeare would have been exposed to Latin authors such as Cicero, Virgil, Seneca, and Ovid. It was in grammar school that Shakespeare fell in love with literature, yet when Shakespeare was around thirteen years old, his father was forced to take him out of grammar school to help him with the business at home. Most scholars believe Shakespeare continued enjoying Latin and English literature throughout his entire lifetime. Clearly, he was familiar with such literature, and a life-long student, because many of his plays are modeled after pr... ...Shakespeare. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 2002. Mabillard, Amanda. â€Å"Shakespeare of Stratford.†Shakespeare Online. 2000. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/default.asp. (11/20/2002). Kinney, Sarah. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Marriage – Is it Reflected in His Plays?† http://www.calvin.edu/academic/engl/346/proj/skinney.htm. (11/27/2002). Almasy, Rudolph. Daniel, Rebecca. Gerlach, Jeanne. â€Å"Revisiting Shakespeare and Gender.†Digital Library & Archives. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/WILLA/fall96/gerlach.html Gray, Terry. â€Å"1564 Birth & Early Years.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"1582 Marriage.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"1608 Romance & Reconciliation.†A Shakespeare Timeline. 1998. http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/timeline.htm Ward, Ian. â€Å"Shakespeare and the Politics of Community.† Early Modern Literary Studies. 1999. http://www.shu.ac.uk/emls/04-3/wardshak.html

Blade Runner and Frankenstein: A Comparison

Texts, in order to effectively convey a message, commonly reflect on social views, attitudes and contextual values. A comparison between Ridley Scotts sci-fi thriller â€Å"Blade Runner: the Directors Cut† and the Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel â€Å"Frankenstein† will reveal that there are elements of human nature which will remain constant over time. These two texts reflect of the possibility of scientific and technological development and caution about possible physical and moral consequences of this development.The seductive nature of knowledge is explored in both texts as the fine line that separates man and monster is revealed as our capacity for true human emotion is questioned. As a critique of scientific and enlightened rationalism, Shelley’s gothic text â€Å"Frankenstein† explores the duality of the human condition as man is capable of both good and evil. Walton’s letters portray man’s capacity for arrogance and moral b lindness and foreshadow the subsequent folly committed by Dr Frankenstein. The sun is for ever visible, its broad disk just skirting the horizon, and diffusing a perpetual splendor† Walton’s romantic ideals are juxtaposed with his own arrogance as he refers to Shakespeare’s play Macbeth â€Å"but success shall crown my endeavors. Wherefore not? † Shelley’s intertextual allusion to Macbeth portrays the arrogance Walton holds about his voyages success. Just as Macbeth was ambition, so to does Walton lose his moral direction on his question for discovery. This aptitude is characteristic of romantic writers in the 1700’s who similarly used to romantic writing styles to contrast mans moral blindness.Similarly, Ridley Scott also explores the moral blindness of humans as the pragmatism of the 80’s is reflected though the loss of god in the dystopian 2019 Los Angles. Through corporate prosperity, Scott suggests that god has been replaced by th e creator, Tyrell. â€Å"Nothing the god of bio-mechanics wouldn’t let you in heaven for† the direct allusion of Tyrell to â€Å"the god of bio-mechanics† reflects that Tyrell, as the owner of the supreme corporation on earth has been elevated to a god like status, reflecting the importance of corporate dominance in the 80’s.As Roy confronts Tyrell, the creator plays with an extravagant, human like chess set, symbolic of his god like status over humans. Tyrell’s eyes are hidden behind the glare of his glasses as he peers over the figures, his tone as he confronts Roy is arrogant as he states â€Å"the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long, and you have burned so bright† the objectification of Roy dehumanizes and belittles the replicant and portrays Tyrell’s control and dominance over humanity. Humanity has been embedded with the capacity to celebrate the divinity of nature and this appreciation of the natural world is a key element of the human spirit.Shelley’s text â€Å"Frankenstein† reflects the Romantic’s pantheistic view of god and nature as the two are inextricably linked. The Romantic belief that god is revealed through the natural world is shown as Frankenstein takes solace in the sublime beauty of nature. â€Å"The vary winds whispered in soothing accents, and maternal nature bade me weep no more† the personification of the wind and comparison of natural to a mother reflects the romantic influences over Shelley as nature is portrayed as divine and splendid. Similarly, other characters in the novel also marvel at the magnificence of nature.Walton, in his letters, reflects on the beauty of the Artic on his voyage â€Å"Sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe† Walton fascination with the discovery and exploration of the Artic also reproduces Shelleyâ€⠄¢s romantic ideals, reflecting the romantic writers common pre-occupation with the unspoiled domain of the artic. The dangers of circumventing the natural order are also explored in Ridley Scotts â€Å"Blade Runner: The Directors Cut†. The text reflects how nature has been compromised for industrial profit of transnational corporations.The soaring oblique camera angle and the hellish image of fire, works with the dramatic, eerie music at the beginning of the film to suggest the capitalistic world has destroyed the natural world for the creation of profit. The film noir technique used throughout the film adds a sense of lifelessness to the Los Angles environment and offers contrast to Frankenstein, where nature is respected and revered. Scott uses his text to didactically warn the audience about the degradation of the natural environment as the capitalist world of Los Angles and the on world colony has become degraded urban sprawl devoid of natural life.In Blade Runner, the n atural world is represented by the breakdown of the physical environment. In Frankenstein, the natural world is broken down morally as the creator defies the natural order. Ultimately both texts caution against the perception that all progress is beneficial. Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scotts Blade Runner each challenge human supremacy as the created is portrayed as moral, emotionally and physically superior to their creator. The Replicants in Scotts Blade Runner challenge this Darwinian view of human supremacy as, in contrast to the humans of LA 2019; they are emotive, compassionate and moral. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain† the raw emotion shown by Roy as his image is silhouetted against filtered blue light life reflects the elements of humanity that have been lost in the dystopic world as the replicants are the only beings capable of true emotive, human behavior. Similarly, Shelley’s Frankenstein portrays the reversal of the D arwinian Theory with Frankenstein creating a being superior physically and emotionally to man.Shelley uses the Romantic belief of the loss of innocence, shown in the inter-textual allusion to Milton’s â€Å"Paradise lost† as the monster is portrayed as benevolent and being capable of both compassion and love, similar to man before his expulsion from the Garden of Eden. â€Å"I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed† the biblical allusion to Adam and the Devil portray the monsters human elements as he is shown as compassionate, intelligent and munificent â€Å"I was benevolent and good, misery made me a fiend† contrasting Frankenstein who seems incapable of showing human emotion.Shelley uses the rivalry between Victor and his Creature to reflect the hostility between the devil and god in Milton’s epic poem â€Å"Paradise lost†, Shelley was influenced by her husbands writing on the poe m and used his general interpretation to present the antagonism between Frankenstein and his monster.Despite the different contexts of both Shelly’s Frankenstein and Scott’s Blade Runner, each texts reflects similar themes and a further knowledge and greater understanding of context enables the reader to hold a deeper appreciation of the texts. Both texts challenge our assumption that knowledge is beneficial and expose the physical and moral consequences of circumventing the natural order. However the two texts question our more primal practices as each they question to what extent our human nature has remained the same.

Choosing a Course Book Essay

Every teacher knows the students need a course book. It would seem that a course book is an essential element in any course, at any age, no matter how young or old the students are. Every teacher also knows it should be the best course book possible for those students. But what exactly is the best course book? So, how do we choose the course books we want use with our students? Choosing a course book is not a frivolous matter. When deciding on a course book for the students, we should be making an informed decision. It should be made based on analysis and knowledge. It shouldn’t be made lightly and we shouldn’t feel that ‘any old course book’ will do. Furthermore, we shouldn’t be coerced or bullied into choosing one course book over another, by anyone. Choose your course books based on a clear, detailed analysis of what it offers and what your students need. Many researchers have compiled checklists and guidelines for choosing appropriate course books for different students. Some are more detailed and some are less so, but all deal with more or less the same issues. It is very important to know what to look for when choosing a book. Before choosing a course book for the students in any course, it is important to create a needs-analysis for your own students. What will the students need to know by the end of the course or school year? Once the needs-analysis is done, it’s a good idea to create a list of items that you consider desirable in a course book. Based on these lists, any course book can then be analyzed. Below are a few basic questions (to help get you started) that should be asked when we are in the process of choosing a course book for our classes and our students.

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Journal entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Journal entry - Essay Example Prior to composing poems and children books, Donald Hall was a teacher; he did not enjoy the job especially when marking the papers of the students. He quit the teaching job to become a poet (Hall 348). Donald Hall provided insufficient information as to how he became a poet. How did he learn that he would enjoy spending the rest of his time at home, writing poems and children books? In addition, he also failed to recognize that it requires a talent for one to be a poet or writer. Not all people are blessed on the same level, and Donald Hall was a gifted individual since he enjoyed writing poems and was gifted in the sector. Through the poems, people were inspired and motivated to change their ways. Nonetheless, not everyone has the capability of using personal interest to earn a living (Hall 349). Therefore, people are forced to work in areas of less interest, to fulfill life’s goals. This has led to a number of people complaining about their careers. Donald Hall could have d iscussed further, how an individual could be able to discover personal interest that could be useful throughout their

Social Media and Academics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Media and Academics - Essay Example New media technology is highly associated with the transfer of information that is designated to be manipulated in some way. There are basic traits that are common to all forms of new media technology that confirm that social media is a form of new media. First, all forms of new media technology can be utilized in nearly all the markets across the world, that is, they are not bound or limited to any geographical factor such as distance. New media technologies also have the great level and speed of communication, which is attributed to the fact that they highly utilize the internet. Thirdly, the high level of interactivity enables the users to adopt new methodologies while they are transferring their own information. Fourthly, the new media technologies can incorporate other forms of communication such as telephony and video, which were previously isolated by old media (Leah and Sonia, 2002). Based on this traits, it is correct to assert that social media is a form of new media since the studies by Neal (2012), equally stated that various social media sites have the traits listed above. Social media sites The discussion in this present study will be referring to social media sites such as Facebook, which is the world’s most popular social media sites, followed by Twitter. LinkedIn is a popular social networking site mainly for businesspersons and professional while academia.edu is a social networking site for researchers and academicians. Other popular social media networking sites with mixed capabilities include MySpace, Google Plus, and Tagged, among others. According to Leah and Sonia (2002), one of the most critical features of these social media sites is interactivity. In this regard, the authors stated that social media technologies have the capacity to enable user-to-user interactivity and interactivity between the information and the user. This statement tends to prove that social media has brought about a paradigm shift that existed in the tradit ional model of communication which was â€Å"one-to-many† i.e. mass media communication. However, social media has enabled communicated to be conducted via the approach of â€Å"many to many† communication i.e. individualization media. Oliver (2007) further stated that interactivity option in most social media sites has so far been enabled by media convergence, the digitalization of media and dissemination of internet access points. The interactive capabilities of social media sites enable it to be applied for various uses that include socialization, educational, marketing, and a medium of communication. How social media is linked to academics As it has been noted above social media, has great capabilities of improving the interactivity between users and therefore, from an academic's perspective Joosten (2012), stated that it has recently been integrated into the online learning or e-learning platform, whereby besides using the official e-learning websites, the teacher s and learners also interact with each other via social media sites. In the writings by Wankel (2011), he stated that social media has created a link with academics since learners have developed their own links or pages whereby they interact and share notes as well as ideas that pertain to their learning process.