Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy - Essay Example Critical self-examination is a necessary process in the achievement of self-knowledge, wisdom and virtue – elements that are crucial in arriving at correct judgments, decisions and behavior. This strategy is akin to an inductive approach at learning the truth. An exposition of a Delphic inscription, â€Å"Know thyself,† it provided an effective and universally applicable framework by which any individual, regardless of the period, time or circumstance he or she is in, could use in a quest for truth. The process should be able to demonstrate its merits and the claim that it is very much relevant today. The first step, explained Fuller, in knowing oneself is â€Å"to perceive how superficial and ignorant and prejudiced one really was† (62). The argument is that wisdom and the ability of discernment can only result as a consequence of an individual’s capacity to understand his surroundings. He or she will never be able to do so if he does not understand himse lf. For example, failure to identify bias taints ones ability to make objective and just decisions and correct choices. He can never claim righteousness or self-knowledge if he did not pass through the stage of humble realization and recognition of his ignorance – important variables in one’s desire and motivation to learn. ... In this regard, man cannot be considered as a mere vessel and receptacle of knowledge and experience. Discernment is required in order to effectively use the data and experience that people accumulate in order to identify truth from the fallacious. A person can examine oneself – his beliefs, values, thoughts and ideas – in various ways. The diversity in the approaches further shows how the self-examination guide and enhance our abilities to judge, decide and act. Besides self-evaluation and assessment, men can reflect on certain aspects of their acts and thoughts through conversation with other people or through the intercourse of the mind. Each mind has unique ways of acquiring and interpreting meanings. Reflections on one’s own conversation with others can help to examine and stimulate his capacity to be critical of one self and accepting of what is the truth. It is, hence, clear that without self-examination, a person would be ignorant and incapable to think a nd do what is right. In instances where this may not be true, his personal biases will cloud his ability to discern and acknowledge the truth. Unfortunately, this is aggravated by the tendency of ignorant men to become arrogant, which makes the whole affair tragic. Our circumstance might have changed since Socrates’ time. However, human nature is still the same – we are rational human being capable of rational judgments. People today just like the citizens of Athens cannot realize their full capacity to decide, choose and act correctly without self-knowledge. 8. Do you think that Hobbes is correct in denying that there is such a thing as free will? What was the basis

Corporate Interests and Their Impact on News Coverage Essay -- Media P

Corporate Interests and Their Impact on News Coverage Hypothesis There is no denying that news media is big business. The complete coverage of stories and investigative reports are certainly at risk with the rise of media as a business, rather than strictly a service to the public. Over the past few years, there have been a number of cases where television stations or news publications have killed news stories or forced reporters to slant stories due to pressure from advertisers or those in power at the news. This paper will attempt to examine the relationship between social responsibility and news editors, and apply ethical theories to explain what should and can be done. Should editors have the power to kill or slant stories, depending on their own interests or those of their advertisers? Literature Review A number of books and articles investigated the relationship between corporate and advertising interests and news coverage. In the May/June 2000 issue of Columbia Journalism Review, Lowell Bergman wrote an article entitled, "Network television news: With fear and favor." Bergman sums up his findings by saying, "Executives of the network news divisions say that they will report any story of public interest and import without fear or favor, without considering its potential commercial consequences. They say that, but they do not believe it" (p. 50). Karl Idsvoog's journal article, "TV sitting on stories to improve ratings," claims that "the decision on when (or if) to run a piece is no longer determined just by asking is the report concise, clear, and well produced; is it fair, thorough and accurate? There are now more critical questions. What's the lead-in? Where do we place the promotion? Will it deliver bett... ...V sitting on stories to improve ratings. Nieman Reports, 1, 38. Jensen, C. (1996). Censored: The news that didn't make the news and why. New York: Seven Stories Press. Kirtley, J. (1998). Second-guessing news judgment. American Journalism Review, 20, 86. Krajicek, D.J. (1998). Scooped! Media miss real story on crime while chasing sex, sleaze, and celebrities. New York: Columbia University Press. McCartney, J. (1997). News lite. In B. Levy & D.M. Bonilla (Eds.), The power of the press (pp. 44-54). New York: The H.W. Wilson Company. Trigoboff, D. (2000, August 28). Reporter wins in milk suit. Broadcasting & Cable, 130, 27. Winch, S.P. (2000). Ethical challenges for investigative journalism. In M. Greenwald & J. Bernt (Eds.), The big chill: Investigative reporting in the current media environment (pp. 121-136). Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.

A Lessoned Learned the Hard Way

Throughout my high school career I was dependent on my parents and friends for a ride to school and it was a little embarrassing. I couldn’t wait to get my first car. I was nineteen a college woman with a steady job, and it was finally time for me to get the car I deserved. After a couple of very generous paychecks and a lot of penny pinching, I was ready to hit the lots and get some test driving under my belt. After a few agonizing days of financing, credit approvals and signing dotted lines, I was the happy owner of a new shiny, blue Nissan Altima coupe. Although my car was supposed to be used for work and school, other plans came first. I immediately had fun in mind! Driving was my new favorite thing to do even when there was nowhere to go, there was somewhere to go. Needed a ride? I was there. Wanted to go out? I’d be there in a heartbeat. It was Starbucks every night during the week with my girlfriends, and the endless club nights during the weekend. When I was behind the wheel I felt like â€Å"speed racer†. The windows defiantly had to be down with the sunroof open because I just loved the wind hitting my face and blowing my hair back. Everyone new I was coming a mile away with nothing but Britney Spears blasting out of my speakers. Although I should have focused on school and work, having a new car to take me where I wanted only made me carefree. Little did I know I was writing my own recipe for disaster? I had started hanging out with acquaintances that liked partying more, and one of my â€Å"party† friends Karla invited me to a bar and grill called Wings N Rings on a Tuesday night. When I arrived a good friend of mine was playing that night in his band, Holly Madison. It was open bar for the band and their friends, including me. A good time was all I had planned for and I saw no harm in having a drink or two, but shortly thereafter it led to a shot or two or three. I had no idea what I was drinking but I drank it. Being that I’m not a big drinker, the alcohol hit me, and it hit me bad. I thought I’d be okay since I went home after work and had a big dinner with my family. As I sat at the bar with my friends I slowly felt a burning sensation in my stomach and my body composure was basically â€Å"loosey gossey†. People started o notice that I was feeling â€Å"tipsy† when I began slurring my words. Oh man, I couldn’t talk right for the life of me! I remember everyone just thinking it was the funniest thing they ever heard, and it probably was. In the middle of cracking up with everyone, the room slowly started to have a domino effect. It was then when I realized that I had way too much to drink. I was 2:00am and the bartender announced â€Å"You don’t have to go home, but you have to get the heck out of here! † I tried convincing myself that I was okay to drive, didn’t say bye to anyone and walked to my car. As soon as I sat in the drivers seat I threw up chunks of chicken and red hot cheetos. I thought I felt better after threw up so I left the Wings N Rings parking lot. I was so sure I’d make it home since it was only one exit way from the bar. I put my car on cruise control after I left so I wouldn’t get pulled over for speeding. While I was on the expressway I started feeling drowsy, my eyelids became heavy and I started â€Å"bobble heading† because I was doing nothing but steering. The next thing I new I was waking up to deployed airbags, blood running down my left shoulder and a burn on my forearm. The smell of gasoline made me picture explosion and I opened the drivers’ door without hesitation. I fell to the ground, looked around and couldn’t believe what I had just done. My new car was completely totaled under the expressway. It wasn’t the time to think it was a time to act. â€Å"What the hell do I do now? † I asked myself. I quickly pushed up with both my arms to get up from the floor when my left arm gave out. My arm was dislocated, but since I was so upset I popped it back in without thinking twice and didn’t feel a thing. I walked to the Stripes gas station on the other side of the expressway and asked if I can use the phone. She handed me the phone and the first person I called was my mom that was just three blocks away. She answered in a groggy voice I told her what had happened and she hung up scared for my life. I had just made the biggest mistake of my young life and stared crying. Instead of staying put I walked back to the scene of the accident and while I was crossing back I saw flashing red and blue lights heading my way. A police car pulled up next to me under the expressway and asked, â€Å"Where are you heading miss? † I gave him a blank stare back and said nothing. He then noticed the mascara running down my face from crying and the blood on my arm and figured I was involved in the car wreck up the road. I noticed my mom’s truck on the other side of the road and ran to her. I had never seen her so upset. She shouted â€Å"Que chingados estabas haciendo mija? † meaning what the hell have you been doing daughter? My answer to her was â€Å"I fell asleep mom! I’m sorry! † as tears came flowing down my cheek. It was at this time that the officer made his way over to me ask me to blow into a gadget I had never seen before, that just so happened to be a breathalyzer. As soon as he told me what it was I pretended to blow as hard as I could, but blew down so it wouldn’t go straight into the breathalyzer. I never in my right mind thought this would work, but the officer was fooled and thought the breathalyzer wasn’t functioning right. Right after that he asked me if I had been drinking and I told him I hadn’t. He read me my rights, handcuffed me and put me in the back seat of the police car. Everything was so surreal.

The Grapes of Wrath - Fear, Hostility, and Exploitation...

Fear, Hostility, and Exploitation in Chapter 21 of The Grapes of Wrath nbsp; Steinbecks intercalary chapters in The Grapes of Wrath have nothing to do with the Joads or other characters of the novel, but help describe the story in different terms. They are similar to poems, offering different viewpoints of the migration, and clarifying parts of the story that the reader might not understand. An excellent example of this use can be seen in chapter 21, where an examination of the attitudes of migrant Okies and the residents of California reveals the changing nature of land ownership among the changing population of California and gives greater meaning to the fierce hostility that the Joads meet in California. nbsp; The first†¦show more content†¦They suffer the anguish of losing their farms and their homes, of being forced to move endlessly and painfully in search of work on someone elses land. The anguish caused by sudden change in land ownership is a major aspect of the novel. nbsp; The next section of chapter 21 offers an explanation of the hostility that the migrants meet upon arrival in California. Steinbeck describes: nbsp; Men of property were terrified for their property. Men who had never been hungry saw the eyes of the hungry. Men who had never wanted anything very much saw the flare of want in the eyes of the migrants. And the men of the towns and of the soft suburban country gathered to defend themselves; and they reassured themselves that they were good and the invaders bad, as a man must do before he fights. nbsp; The mild people of California find in the Okies what they have yet to experience - fear and desperation. Sensing the extent to which the migrants are willing to work, the locals begin to fear for their own jobs, and most importantly, for their own property. In fearful defense, they attack the Okies as marauders who mean to destroy both populations through their desperation. This fear transforms into hostility, which reveals itself in the story through the deputies and managers who abuse and assault the Joads, as well as other migrant families in the workers