Animal rights the Strength and Weakness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Animal rights the Strength and Weakness - Essay Example While some argue that humans should be distinguished from the rest of the other animals and that they are in a separate moral category, some are against this ideology. The ones that believe that animals have no moral status will support any treatment to the animals including practices that cause discomfort, pain, suffering and death. Some people treat the animals according to the way they feel is fit for them and their beliefs an action which elicited the need to develop a forum where animal rights could be guarded and this secure them from the jaws of the malicious owners. Contrary to them, many philosophers believe that though there are differences in all manners of ways between the animals and the humans, there lacks a philosophical defense for denying the animals a moral consideration. The two sides have debated on the justification of these moral rights for ages (Mack, 2012). The philosophers who came forward to develop this argument supported their argument by purporting that since animals have a distinct life just like the humans they also should be considered as living things with their rights no matter how developed they may be closer or further from the humans. The explanation of various philosophers in regard to the subject will be discussed in the following chapters. It is important to note that the explanation may not give a conclusive decision as what is offered is a mere explanation and leave the reader to decide independently. The Kantian approach towards animals, which is said to have marked progress from Descartes theory that stated that animals were mere automata, acknowledges animal pain. The theory however, still states that animals were not self-conscious and were there merely as a means to an end. Kant claimed that man’s duties towards the animals were but indirect duties towards humanity. This means that though man should strive to treat the animals well, it was not because he owed them any

Personal activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal activities - Essay Example The privilege of sharing my passion with the audience only brings me greater joy. If I can inspire even one other individual, I feel it will melt away all my years of toil and endless practices. 2. Apart from your first and second languages, what other languages do you speak and write Baring English and Chinese, which are my first and second languages, respectively, I am currently studying Gaeilge through home study courses. When I first heard Gaeilge spoken I was enthralled with it. I feel its oral beauty, fluidity and woven vocal patterns are unmatched. However, in the future, I also desire to pursue the Spanish and Japanese languages. 3. Do you already have a university course in mind If so, give details. I am yet to ascertain my course of study, though, I am sure to pursue a career in diplomacy. I have varied interests including, but not limited to: finance, economics and world history; however, prior to selecting a major course, I feel it best to explore the possibilities in the direction of my current interests. I am not a scholarship recipient now; however I am applying for a 50% award. Such a scholarship will give me the opportunity to find, explore and fund my own future.

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Psychology - Essay Example During the development of the personality the primary caregiver must connect with positive regard to the child in order for his or her personality to develop correctly. This becomes the basis for congruence and the personality is more directly connected between the real self and the perceived self. This Rogers perceives as a required psychological adjustment, â€Å"...which is characterized by an openness to experience without defensiveness, congruence between self and experience, and living by an internal locus of evaluation rather than by externally determined conditions of worth." (Demorest 144) His methods puts the clients back in control and Rogerian Therapy is basically a client centered non-directive approach whereby the therapist acts as a conduit for the client so that he can view him or herself more clearly. As human beings we have an "idea" or concept of who we are and what we really should be, hence we create an Ideal Self that we constantly strive for, often in vain. If the perceived self, our own self-image, is not aligned with the actual self, how we really are, there will always be personality problems and dysfunction as one relates to one's self and the rest of the world. (Kail & Wicks).

Personal activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal activities - Essay Example The privilege of sharing my passion with the audience only brings me greater joy. If I can inspire even one other individual, I feel it will melt away all my years of toil and endless practices. 2. Apart from your first and second languages, what other languages do you speak and write Baring English and Chinese, which are my first and second languages, respectively, I am currently studying Gaeilge through home study courses. When I first heard Gaeilge spoken I was enthralled with it. I feel its oral beauty, fluidity and woven vocal patterns are unmatched. However, in the future, I also desire to pursue the Spanish and Japanese languages. 3. Do you already have a university course in mind If so, give details. I am yet to ascertain my course of study, though, I am sure to pursue a career in diplomacy. I have varied interests including, but not limited to: finance, economics and world history; however, prior to selecting a major course, I feel it best to explore the possibilities in the direction of my current interests. I am not a scholarship recipient now; however I am applying for a 50% award. Such a scholarship will give me the opportunity to find, explore and fund my own future.

Chapter's summery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter's summery - Essay Example Seizing leadership in everyday conversations is a great art. To an extent it is God-given but one can achieve that level by constant practice. Such perfection in the art of conversation with the backup of solid backgrounder information is an attainable reality, so that the words spoken carry a deep impact and not a passing influence. The listener responds with the feeling that something tangible is added to his knowledge on the subject. When a person speaks, one’s inner perceptions come to the fore and the speech has the impact on the person or the audience with whom one interacts. If the impact is positive, the framing aspect is perfect. If it is negative, more efforts and exercises in the area of framing are needed. With the charismatic leadership the role of language is unique and such leadership makes proper use of metaphor, analogy etc.at the proper time. What you speak is no doubt important; but how you speak what you speak, supported by the wealth of relevant informatio n is more important. Such level in the art of speaking is possible by proper framing. The listener feels amply rewarded and shows an express intent to get more and more details when he interacts. He remains attentive. In chapter I the quote that appeals to my heart immensely, is what we remember of John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address when he said, â€Å"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.†(1) The brevity of the idea and the profound impact that it creates instantly on the audience is worth emulating. This type framing carries the universal appeal and it addresses to the entire humankind. This quote has two important parts. It appeals to the citizen to be less demanding and perform more in the interest of the nation. The hearty expectation of sacrifice for the national interests is ingrained in the appeal of President Kennedy. It hints in style about the responsibilities

Carrying a Concealed Handgun Essay Example for Free

Carrying a Concealed Handgun Essay Carrying a concealed handgun is widely argued. It is legal in 49 states. Many people think carrying a gun will increase crime and start public shootouts. This is not the case. Carrying a concealed handgun is okay. It is also a right protected by the Constitution. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects â€Å"the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation. This meaning is strongly confirmed by the historical background of the Second Amendment. † Handguns aren’t given to just anyone that walks in. The Gun Control Act of 1968 limits who can receive a handgun. Criminals cannot receive permits to carry a concealed handgun. Law enforcement agencies do background checks to ensure they are allowing the right people to carry a handgun. The mentally ill are also included in the Gun Control Act. If someone commits a crime with a legal carry permit, they would do it whether the handgun was legal or not. This doesn’t happen often though. According to ConcealedGuns.ProCon.org, only .003 % of murders between May 2007 and March 2010 were committed by handgun permit holders. The website also shows that the â€Å"general public is 5.7 times more likely to be arrested for violent offenses and 13.5 times more likely to be arrested for non-violent offenses, than concealed carry weapon permit holders.† Concealed handgun permit holders are, for the most part, good people. Some do lose their permits but permit revocation rates are very low. The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute Report, Concealed Carry Legislation, shares this data: -In 2004, Utah had a permit revocation rate of .4% -From 1986-2003, Kentucky had a permit revocation rate of .8% -In 2001, Indiana had a permit revocation rate of .2% -From 1995 to 2005, NorthCarolina had a permit revocation rate of .1% -From 1995-2006, Virginia had a permit revocation rate of .2% -From 1994-1996, Wyoming had a permit revocation rate of .2% -From 1996-1999, Oklahoma had a permit revocation rate of .2% This data clearly shows that only a very small group of people do something to have their permit revoked. It also means that a vast majority of permit holders are responsible, law abiding citizens. The handgun itself doesn’t have to do the defending. If a criminal knows that individuals can carry handguns, they are less likely to attack, which helps the public as a whole. If someone carrying a handgun and is attacked, the attacker usually retreats when the handgun is drawn. The police do not have to protect us. According to www.nraila.org, the Warren v. District of Columbia (1981) court ruled that â€Å"official police personnel and the government employing them are not generally liable to victims of criminal acts for failure to provide adequate police protection . . . a government and its agents are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any particular citizen.† Also, the court ruled in Bowers v. DeVito (1982) that â€Å"[T]here is no constitutional right to be protected by the state against being murdered by criminals or madmen.† The government cannot guarantee the safety of everyone. Personal protection is important. Carrying a handgun also makes the carrier feel safe. Americans should not be scared going outside at night or walking through certain neighborhoods. Concealed handguns could also aid in public shooting sprees. If the individuals in the Virginia Tech or any other public shooting massacre had been armed, the spree could have ended much sooner. Some believe the massacre would have been made worse but what could be worse than a 32-victim massacre? Most of the victims were of legal age to possess a firearm. If they had been allowed a handgun on campus, could lives have been saved? I strongly believe so. With that said, this doesn’t mean people should run around as vigilantes hunting down criminals. The concealed carry permit holders are not the police. They do not have the authority to shoot just anyone. There are laws that make sure this doesn’t happen. Handguns would just be used for defense. Although you can’t run around fighting crime, your situational awareness while carrying a handgun will go up. You know that you are carrying and anyone else can be carrying too. This situational awareness can help you deal with bad situations or even prevent them. How do schools fit into this? Legally, a person with a concealed handgun cannot be within one thousand feet of a K-12 school. For the most part, concealed weapons are not allowed on college campuses either. This creates a large upset in the college community. Very few colleges have allowed students to carry concealed weapons. There have been no problems. Twelve schools, from Virginia, Colorado, and Utah, have allowed students with handgun permits to carry them on campus. Not one of these schools has had a handgun-related problem. This includes murder, suicide, threats, and handgun theft. Some believe that carrying handguns will distract students from the educational environment. These handguns are concealed. People should not know if you are carrying one or not. The students aren’t distracted in their daily lives by handgun permit holders so why should the college campus be any different? The same goes for the argument that guns and crowded schools don’t mix. Public areas are crowded too. College students are adults. A twenty one year old who is not in college can have a concealed handgun so why can’t an individual who is in college have one? They know what they are doing. They still have to follow the handgun laws like any other permit holder. College life may be defined with alcohol and drugs but the law doesn’t make exceptions for college parties. If an individual is intoxicated, they cannot be carrying their weapon. In the end, handguns are not a bad thing to carry. They can protect you in many ways. Crime rates may drop if criminals are too scared to attack. Carrying a concealed handgun is a right given to Americans. It should not be wasted. Almost all legal permit holders are law abiding. Guns can help.

Andy Warhol: Modernism Vs Postmodernism

Andy Warhol: Modernism Vs Postmodernism By reference to both art works and writings- within the period of 1950-1970, critically discuss to the extent in which Andy Warhol has produced art after Modernism. In what ways has the artist upheld, adapted or rejected modernist values. This essay will critically discuss the extent to which Andy Warhol upheld, adapted or rejected Modernist values which will further investigate how Warhol created art after Modernism. In order to answer this question the main Modernist values will be discussed, these include ideas such as avant-garde, the machine age, transhistorical, equilibrium, aesthetic, individualism, form, purity, essentialism, universality. This will then form the basis to which a conclusion will be made as to whether or not Andy Warhol upheld, adapted or rejected these Modernist values. Modernism described cultural tendencies and a cultural movement which started in the late 19th century and ran into the early 20th Century which fixes its origins at the shattering of cultural symbols and norms. Modernist artists believed that the traditional, social and political order is no longer able to portray the modern needs as different from the past. They sought stylistic innovations that could better expose their present reality. The first Modernist value to be discussed is avant-garde. The Modernist avant-garde practice can be defined as the combination of three qualities: technological experimentation, aesthetic engagement with the means of signification and an immanent social political commitment. This definition refers to Modernists experimental and innovative art which pushed boundaries of what was socially accepted. Warhol emerged alongside Neo-avant-garde in the mid 1950s, where Modernist values were subverted by the values associated with modern art within the Modernist period through the eruption of more diverse, new practices. Warhol and his Pop Art work was an example used to show that the neo avant-garde is an avant-garde that exists as a mere inauthentic mirage of the avant-garde of the 1910s and 20s. Warhols use of the photographic silk screening process was the decisive step by which Warhol aligned his working method with the content of his paintings. It was through this step that he made conspicuous and quite specific contribution to the advance of avant-garde art. The neo-avant-garde was a new take on avant-garde which wanted to bridge the gap between life-as-art and art-as-life and remodel our day to day existence. Pop Art was used to tell a melancholic story of arts inability to imagine socially better works. Warhol therefore adapted the Modernist value of the avant-garde where he added to the ideas of this Modernist value. He did this by adapting to the ever globalising society and created new means of creating and viewing artworks. In the 1960s, Andy Warhol created several mass-produced images from photographs of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. He used the technique of silkscreen printing, this is seen as neo-avant-garde. This can be seen in his Turquoise Marilyn (Fig 1.) is based on a publicity still of Marilyn Monroe, with vivid colours highlighting her eyes, lips and earrings. He also famously replicated the same image in a variety of different colours. Warhol created many pieces using the silkscreen technique which was a useful technique as many of the same image was easily replicable. This idea leads me onto the next Modernist value of the Machine Age. Within the Modernist period, artists had to come to terms with the idea of machines. Many embraced the idea, soughing to fuse art and life through an expanded approach to mass culture, performance and production. For example the Italian Futurists encompassed the ever advancing machine age. They created work whereby they repeated shapes over and over like a machine. Warhol sought to be machine like in his everyday life and also his artwork. He did this by using repetition in a lot of his work. He stated: I think everybody should be like a machine, I think everybody should be like everybody. Within his day to day life he acted like a machine and this was reflected within his work entitled Campbells Soup Cans (Fig.2.) He claims he created this piece of work because he drank it daily, it was a routine. I use to have the same lunch everyday, for twenty yearsthe same thing over and over again. Warhol liked the idea of other people creating the same work as him; he said I think it would be so great if more people took up the silk screens so that no one would know whether my picture was mine or someone elses. People thought that this would turn the art world upside down yet Warhol argued back by repeating that he just wanted to be machine like; I feel that whatever I do and do machine like is what I want to do. While working as a commercial artist Warhol believed the process of doing work in commercial art was machine-like, but the attitude had feeling to it. This feeling within work was seen as bad to Warhol as he wanted to be more detatched from his work, hence the wanted to be machine like. Peter Halley admired Warhols work and felt that one had a sense that one could actually participate in the making of the work. This was what Warhol was aiming for. He upheld the Modernist value of the machine age and brought it further forward into a more developed art practice ideal. Warhol upheld the Modernist value of the machine age through his use of repetition and other people doing his work for him. Earlier mentioned was that Warhol wanted to be like a machine, thus meaning that he rejected the Modernist value of Individualism. His work has been described as having a sense that one could actually participate in the making of the work. The idea of art not being individual caused emphasis on depersonalized production process, forming an attack on the artists role. Transhistorical is another Modernist value which can be said to create timelessness among Modernist art. It described the same style yet a change in materials throughout history. The intention of artwork has been described as fulfilling the idea of the transhistorical, it specifies the invariant condition for something being art in every world and which there is art at all. The transhistorical concept of art is the largely unacknowledged foundation for the first general art history. Warhols art has been described as providing an illustration of the essential emptiness of art. His art can be seen as the termination point for the visual arts in world history when art as a medium has become inadequate, exhausted. In relation to the question, Warhol would be seen to reject the modernist value of the transhistorical, this is because he changed art itself, not just the mediums used. The next Modernist issue which I am going to address is the idea of Equilibrium. Equilibrium stands for a balance, where by a considered harmonious decision making process takes place within art. Warhol seems to reject the idea of equilibrium, when the equilibrium is not in itself so intrinsically compelling, and the handling of the paint is kept adamant, the result is that the painting tends not to hold the eye: the spectators eye keeps bouncing off, no matter how hard he tries to keep it fixed on the painting that has no inherent depth and ends up erecting a kind of hand ball court for the eye. Another Modernist value is aesthetic which is an emotion derived from the appearance of artwork. The aesthetic was very important to Modernist artists as they aimed to create a spiritual place for the viewer observing their art. Warhol incorporated the idea of the symbolism between the aesthetic of art works and those of other non art products. Warhol as it were redefined aesthetic experience in terms of critical resistance. Warhol developed his own comprehensive aesthetic theories, so we can say that Warhol adapted the Modernist idea of the aesthetic. He did this by changing the way in which we viewed work by changing the way in which work was made. Form was another important value in Modernism where Clement Greenberg drew much attention to the importance of form and in particular; flatness. Greenberg believed flatness was wanted in art because it was what something which was exclusive to painting. He says: For painting, such a focus means, most importantly, the exploration and assertion of flatness, that is, of the two dimensionality that distinguishes a painting from a sculpture. Warhol used form in his work, but in a way that differed to most Modernists work. Form is the organisation of materials. Warholsuse of photo silk screensplays a role in the progressive discarding of paintings tradition-laden baggage, while preserving its form. The Modernists values of Purity and Essentialism link together in Modernist work, as they refer to what is needed in art works and what is essential and left after everything is taken away. It was Warhol himself who revealed as mearly accidental most of the things his predecessors supposed essential to art he brought the history to an end by demonstrating that no visual criterion could not solve the problem through art alone. Warhol reproduces rather than represents, he seems to reject artistic sophistication, he does not take authorship for his work. Earlier mentioned he was said to wish for others to create his work for him, however, he strips his works down into a limited palette of colours, rather than defining every detail he uses only the essential lines so that the viewer can recognise what the subject matter is. Warhol has adapted the ideas of purity and essentialism. The final Modernist value is universality and the idea that art applies to everyone and that everyone can respond to art work. He does this by using famous people so that the everyday man could recognise his subject matter, he also believed that anyone could be an artist and wanted equality in society. Warhol also used everyday objects or subjects in his work, so that everyone could relate to his art. He upheld the Modernist Value of universality, for example in designing his Brillo Box-Soap Pads (Fig.3.) out of an every day material to show the defining role of theory to be a universal truth about all art. Warhol speaks of making his Brillo Boxes in conjunction with his Campbells soup cans: I did all the (Campbells soup) cans in a row on a canvas, and then I got a box made to do them on a box, and then it looked funny because it didnt look real I did the cans on the box, but it came out looking funny. I had the boxes already made up. They were brown and looked just like boxes, so I thought it would be great just to do an ordinary box. The second part of the question asks how Warhol created art after Modernism, through influence of modernist values Warhol successfully created art after modernism in the movement entitled Pop Art. Lawrence Alloway was the first person to render the idea of Pop Art in 1958 which he described as mass produced culture , it then became commonly used to describe new works of art which had been produced in the period that had become a central stylistic concept of the pop scene and a synonym for the cultural movement for the period in general. Warhol became part of this movement through his use of colour and subject. Art is anything you can get away with was a famous statement by Andy Warhol, who produced artwork after the Modernist period which influenced and inspired many. Warhol was born in Pittsburgh in 1928 and died in 1987. He moved to New York and became a successful graphic designer in the early 1950s, he worked for shoe fashions and as designer of display windows, then towards the late 1950s he began to produce and exhibit his own drawings, in 1960 he produced his first canvas and then he developed into an chic artist becoming part of the up and coming avant-garde movement known as Pop Art. If they told me to draw a shoe, Id do it, and if they told me to correct it, I would-Id do anything they told me to do, correct it and do it right. Id have to invent it and now I dont; after that correction those commercial drawings would have feelings , they would have a style. The attitude of those who hired me had feeling or something to it; they knew what they wanted, they insisted; sometimes they got very emotional. The process of doing work in commercial art was machine-like, but the attitude had feeling to it. Warhol was described as mercilessly debunking Modernist protocols. Warhol took an anti-Modernist approach in some aspects of his art work and disregarded the Modernist idea of Abstract Expressionism; a movement deeply informed by its subject matter and the artists attitudes towards their themes directing their attitudes towards form and process. Warhols process of creating Silkscreens was a whole new technique. The silkscreen is simply a stencil, however Warhol combined it with photographical techniques which created different tonal ends. Warhol selected his images from newspapers and magazines he then sent it to a commercial silkscreen makers with a note as to the desired dimensions of the screen and the number of colours to be printed. When the screen had been prepared for printing, it was returned to Warhols Factory. This process of silk screening meant Warhol could reproduce work quickly, simply and identically. Warhol also employed assistants to print his silk screens in his Factory. Warhols use of silkscreening can also be linked to the earlier point of universiality as this technique was mass produced and identical mirrored his views on an equal society. Warhol was openly homosexual and his anti Modernist position educated his most renowned subjects, Marylin Monroe (Fig.4.) and Elizabeth Taylor. These celebrities were as much gay icons as objects of male heterosexual desire, not just because of their publicised suffering in heterosexual relationships, and his silkscreen-printed portraits of 1962-3 the garish inks virtually functioned as make-up, creating drag queen connotations. The Coca Cola bottle represents an image of mass produced consumer culture which was encountered often in American society. Andy Warhols 210 Coca Cola Bottles (Fig. 5.) was made using the printing technique common to most of his work. The stacking of his products in rows implied a submission to the routinisation of supermarket-era shopping, as well as mimicking the techniques of mass production. This also links to the earlier mentioned idea of universiality In conclusion, Andy Warhol changed art as was once know. He upheld the Modernist ideas of the machine age and the universal, whilst rejecting the idea of equilibrium, purity and essentialism and finally adapting the ideas of the avant-garde and aesthetic. Finally he said: Someday everybody will think just what they want to think and then everybody will properly be thinking alike; that seems to be whats happening. I feel that this sums up art after Modernism as it shows how the changing ideas are adapting the ever changing world.