Compare The Great Gatsby And A Raisin In The Sun - 1392 Words

The definition of the American dream has evolved into different interpretations over time. However, one common aspect that all Americans strive for is to be respected by society. To be respected by society implies that a person is appreciated, known for his or her accomplishments and individuality. In the The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the idea of the American Dream is portrayed evidently. The American Dream is the ideal that every US citizen has an equal opportunity to achieve success through hard work and gain respect from society for those achievements. Jay Gatsby desires respect from wealthy socialites for his achievements in attaining wealth while Walter Lee Younger despairingly†¦show more content†¦For instance, Gatsby lies about his education and birthplace to deceive people into thinking that he has always been a wealthy socialite from the start. Gatsby’s own account of his prominent past is mysteriously exaggerated. His spontaneous response to give proof to justify his story is itself very mysterious. Moreover, an honest person would not have to further explain the reason for his education at Oxford, but Gatsby does which shows that Gatsby is not honest about who he truly is. Gatsby believes that exaggerating and lying will help him gain acceptance and respect from the East Egg society. Furthermore, for people of the West Egg to live or be able to fit into East Egg, it is an unfulfilled dream because the focus is not on how much money one has, but rather on how and when the money was acquired. Gatsby’s chances of being accepted are crushed when his identity and background are revealed and he is seen as a liar by Tom Buchanan. The doubts on Gatsby’s income and wealth unveil his secrets: â€Å"He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong† (Fitzgerald 134). Tom insults Gatsby on how his money was acquired, accusing Gatsby of having â€Å"side-street drug-stores† showing how the importance of wealth is not the only aspect to be considered when a personShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby And Harlem By Langston Hughes1089 Words   |  5 Pagesframe. Some examples of these works include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes. Both of these pieces of literature include literary elements to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination. A prevalent theme that has been found in works of the roaring 20’s is the wealth that someone may or may not achieve. Literary elements such as figurative language, irony, and symbolism are profound in both The Great Gatsby and â€Å"Harlem†, adding depth to both literature worksRead MoreLiterary Analysis : A Raisin Of The Sun 1480 Words   |  6 Pagesway to mend issues. When it is taken into account the hardships people have had to live through because of money and its value, it is easy to assume that a possession of that wealth would solve the issues faced. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, money is seen as the way out of the tunnel the Younger family has been stuck in for so long. The arrival of a ten thousand dollar life insurance check spins the family upside down as they try to figure out how to use the money to better themselves

Modern technology is enhancing social life Free Essays

Technology is indispensable in solving modern problems, enhancing social life and ensuring a better future (Diamond 240). Technology is the application of scientific knowledge to reach among others industrial and commercial objectives of an organization or a society. It has cultural, organizational and technical aspects (Freeman and Francisco 142). We will write a custom essay sample on Modern technology is enhancing social life or any similar topic only for you Order Now Technology has become a powerful tool that is being used to improve social life and solve human problems like poverty and deceases. In addition, technology has increased the power of human beings to control and manipulate nature thereby enhancing our ability to adapt to the environment (Global Scenario Group Report 19). Despite all the benefits of technology, it has negative side effects like unemployment. It is therefore important to assess dangers and promises of a technology in order to formulate safeguards to eliminate its negative impacts or its misuse. It is also important to put limits on some technologies like biotechnology so as to harness their full potential without lowering the dignity of human beings (Freeman and Francisco 327). Discussion There are many areas in which technology impact positively in the society. The globalization of the internet for example, has extended and empowered the human network (Cisco Systems E25). It has changed positively the manner in which social, political, commercial and personal interactions are occurring. The internet presents a platform on which businesses can be run, emergencies can be addressed and individuals can be informed. It is being used to support education, science and government. (Global Scenario Group Report 24). Education has immense impact on a society. It trains the human mind to think and make right decisions. Through education, one acquires knowledge and information which can be used to solve problems like unemployment in a society (Cisco Systems E27). Technology enhances the processes of communication, collaboration and engagement which are fundamental building blocks of education. It supports and enriches students learning experiences. It helps to deliver learning materials like interactive activities, assessments and feedbacks to a larger number of students faster and cheaper. In contrast to traditional learning methods which provide only two sources of expertise, that is, the textbook and the instructor which are limited in format and timing, online courses can contain voice, data and video which enhance understanding (Cisco Systems E30). Technology has thus removed geographical barriers to education and improved students’ learning experiences. Technology has facilitated the formation of global communities through social networks like facebook. This has fostered social interactions independent of geographical location (Global Scenario Group Report 27). The online communities enable sharing of valuable ideas and information capable of increasing productivity and opportunities in a society. For example, one can post to a forum to share health and treatment information with other members of the forum from all over the world. Though this kind of interaction is not physical, people are still able to share their social experiences and values more efficiently with people from diverse backgrounds. Technology has also helped to reduce poverty. Advancement in technology has led to new efficient sources of energy even to poor rural communities. The availability of cheap sources of energy opens up a society to investments and economic activities (Diamond 253). For example, technology has made it possible through genetic engineering to engineer crops that convert solar energy to fuels more efficiently. Governments are thus able to provide cheaper efficient sources of energy even to poor rural communities since solar energy is available virtually anywhere in the world (Freeman and Francisco 307).   Genetic engineering can also be used to create plants that produce valuable products like silicon chips for computers efficiently. This can result in improved income and living standards to members of a society. Technology can therefore bring about social revolution by enriching villages thereby attracting people and wealth from cities (Freeman and Francisco 331). Technology enables farms in remote places to function as part of the global economy. Through advancement in technology, agricultural outputs have improved thus ensuring food security. Technology helps farmers to avoid losses caused by natural disasters like drought. For example, a farmer can use a laptop enabled with a Global Positioning System to plant his or her crops with precision and efficiency resulting in high harvests. At harvest time, the farmer can use technology to co-ordinate harvesting with the availability of grain a transporter and storage facilities using mobile wireless technology. This can help to reduce losses caused by delays. The grain transporter can monitor the vehicle in-route to maintain the best fuel efficiency and safe operation. In addition, through technology changes in status can be relayed to the driver of the vehicle instantly (Cisco Systems E34).   Technology has thus improved efficiency and effectiveness in the agricultural sector. It has enabled societies to have abundant healthy food. Modern technology is also widely used in the entertainment and travel industries. The internet has enabled people to share and enjoy many forms of recreation, regardless of their location. For example, one can explore different places interactively without having to visit them. Technology has also enabled the creation of new forms of entertainment, such as online games (Cisco Systems E36). Entertainment is important in a society since it reduce stress and problems caused by depression. Fears have been raised about some technologies such as nuclear weapons being used to cause massive destructions in the world (Freeman and Francisco 308). But the global community has the ability to enforce controls and limits on technology use to ensure that technology is not misused.   A beneficial technology cannot therefore be abandoned when measures can be put in place to shape and direct its use. Moreover, governments in the form of regulatory institutions and professional bodies have the potential to regulate technologies that are susceptible to misuse to ensure that they do not impact negatively on values of the society (Freeman and Francisco 316). Conclusion Technology is embedded in all aspects of our society and has extensive implications on culture and social activities. Technology has significantly improved health, agriculture, education, transport and communication sectors. These are critical sectors in any society as they contribute to development and improvement of living standards. Although some technologies might have side effects, measures can be put in place by governments and the international community to ensure that all technologies are used for the benefits of the society. Analysis and evaluation 1.The sources I used are qualified on the subject of technology and its social impacts. Cisco Corporation is a leading and credible technology firm. Its products are widely accepted all over the world. In the Cisco Corporate Social Responsibility Report of 2009 the organization outlined its key activities and how they contribute to the social welfare of the community. Cisco also offers certification courses that are very popular world wide. The Cisco Networking Academy Program is a good example of how technology can be used to enhance learning experience. In the program, the instructor provides a syllabus and establishes a preliminary schedule for completing the course content. The expertise of the instructor is supplemented with an interactive curriculum comprising of text, graphics, audio and animations. In addition, a tool called packet tracer is provided to build virtual representations of networks and emulate functions of various networking devices (Cisco Systems E31). Freeman and Francisco in their book give a lot of examples of how technology can be used to enhance social life. They also point out some side effects of modern technology and how they can be addressed. In addition, the publisher of this book, Oxford University Press is a credible publisher and the source can thus be relied on. Some social impacts of the modern technology are common in homes and workplaces. For example, the impacts of the internet on commerce are common. Majority of people have embraced electronic commerce and are buying goods and services online from the comfort of their homes. Electronic commerce has thus opened new doors of opportunities that are being exploited in the society. Diamond in his book explores the rise of civilization, discussing the evolution of agriculture and technology and their impact on the society. He gives clear examples of how technology has improved the social welfare of communities especially through improvements in agricultural production. Some of the examples he gives are common and can easily be related to what is going around. The Global Scenario Group report is a credible source. Its main sponsors who include Stockholm Environment Institute, Rockefeller Foundation, the Nippon Foundation, and the United Nations Environment Programme are advocacy organizations in the fields of technology and the environment. The research explored the historical background of technology, the current situation and what the future might look like. It gives clear examples of major scientific discoveries that are driving technology and their potential impacts. If I had adequate time, I would do additional research to find more information on effective measures the international community can take to ensure that technology is not misused. I would particularly focus on tools the international community can employ to protect technology from irresponsible individuals like terrorists. This is because technology itself is not bad, but it is the human beings who in some cases use it irresponsibly. Therefore, if correct measures and controls are put in place technology can be used for the benefit of all in the society. This can eliminate fears and most of the side effects of technology. 2a. Technology shapes institutions, values and day to day activities in our society. It affects identities, relationships, social structures and economic activities (Freeman and Francisco 316). Technology is thus inevitable in the modern world. The internet has enhanced our social, political, commercial and personal interactions enabling us to share information and ideas more efficiently. Technology has significantly improved the quality of education. It has enabled learning materials to reach a larger number of students efficiently and cheaply. An improvement in the quality of education enhances the social life of a community since it enables individuals to make creative decisions capable of solving social problems. Technology has facilitated the formation of online communities were members can share their diverse experiences and ideas. This has the potential of increasing productivity in a society. In addition, technology has helped to reduce poverty. It has resulted in efficient sources of energy even in rural areas thereby opening up rural areas for investments and developments. Modern technology has also improved efficiency in the agricultural sector therefore ensuring food security. Moreover, I discussed how modern technology has been used in the entertainment and travel industries to create new forms of entertainments like online games. Finally, I noted that although some technologies have side effects, governments and the international community have the potential to direct and control the use of technology for the benefit of the society. 2b.Some of the evidences I used include the Cisco Networking Academy Program which is an example of how technology can be used to improve quality of education. The second evidence is of a farmer using a laptop enabled with a Global Positioning System to plant his crops with precision and efficiency. The example illustrates how technology can be used to improve agricultural production. The third evidence illustrates how genetic engineering can be used to engineer crops that convert solar energy to fuels more efficiently. The energy can then be used in the rural areas to create wealth and employment opportunities. Finally, I illustrated how technology has been used in the entertainment and travel industry to create new forms of entertainment like online games. 2c.The major assumption I made is that the international community has the potential to control and direct the use of technology. This is only possible if there is peace and cooperation among all countries of the world. But this is not the case especially in the Middle East. The instability in countries like Iran and the existence of extremists have increased fears of technology being used to cause massive destruction. 3.Someone might ague that technology is a problem because we rely on it so much and that although it makes us better it also make us worse. My position is that in any human community there must be control and order. It is therefore the responsibility of governments to ensure that the society is protected from negative effects of technology.   Some people might point out the destructive effects of technology on the environment to ague against it. But if correct measures are put in place we will be able to assess the dangers and promises of any technology in order to formulate effective safeguards against its side effects. Works cited Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Corporate Social Responsibility Report. cisco.com. Cisco Systems, Inc. 2009. Web. 2009. Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel:   The Fates of Human Societies. New York.   W.W. Norton. 1999. Web. Freeman, Chris and Francisco Louca. As Time Goes By:   From the Industrial Revolutions to the Information Revolution. England. Oxford University Press. 2001. Web. Global Scenario Group Report. Great Transition: The Promise and Lure of the Times Ahead.     gsg.org. Global Scenario Group. Web. 2002. How to cite Modern technology is enhancing social life, Essay examples

Kants Philosophy Essay Example For Students

Kants Philosophy Essay The keystone of Kants philosophy, sometimes called critical philosophy, is contained in his Critique of Pure Reason (1781), in which he examined the bases of human knowledge and created an individual epistemology. Like earlier philosophers, Kant differentiated modes of thinking into analytic and synthetic propositions. An analytic proposition is one in which the predicate is contained in the subject, as in the statement Black houses are houses. The truth of this type of proposition is evident, because to state the reverse would be to make the proposition self-contradictory. Such propositions are called analytic because truth is discovered by the analysis of the concept itself. Synthetic propositions, on the other hand, are those that cannot be arrived at by pure analysis, as in the statement The house is black. All the common propositions that result from experience of the world are synthetic. Propositions, according to Kant, can also be divided into two other types: empirical and a priori. Empirical propositions depend entirely on sense perception, but a priori propositions have a fundamental validity and are not based on such perception. The difference between these two types of proposition may be illustrated by the empirical The house is black and the a priori Two plus two makes four. Kants thesis in the Critique is that it is possible to make synthetic a priori judgments. This philosophical position is usually known as transcendentalism. In describing how this type of judgment is possible Kant regarded the objects of the material world as fundamentally unknowable; from the point of view of reason, they serve merely as the raw material from which sensations are formed. Objects of themselves have no existence, and space and time exist only as part of the mind, as intuitions by which perceptions are measured and judged. In addition to these intuitions, Kant stated that a number of a priori concepts, which he called categories, also exist. He divided the categories into four groups: those concerning quantity, which are unity, plurality, and totality; those concerning quality, which are reality, negation, and limitation; those concerning relation, which are substance-and-accident, cause-and-effect, and reciprocity; and those concerning modality, which are possibility, existence, and necessity. The intuitions and the categories can be applied to make judgments about experiences and perceptions, but cannot, according to Kant, be applied to abstract ideas such as freedom and existence without leading to inconsistencies in the form of pairs of contradictory propositions, or antinomies, in which both members of each pair can be proved true. In the Metaphysics of Ethics (1797) Kant described his ethical system, which is based on a belief that the reason is the final authority for morality. Actions of any sort, he believed, must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed for expediency or solely in obedience to law or custom can be regarded as moral. Kant described two types of commands given by reason: the hypothetical imperative, which dictates a given course of action to reach a specific end; and the categorical imperative, which dictates a course of action that must be followed because of its rightness and necessity. The categorical imperative is a three-pronged statement that succinctly outlines Kants moral views. All three must be met for an action to be morally obligatory. Formulation One-Act according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. Or, Think about what would happen if everyone acted in the same way, and for the same reasons you did.All moral laws must be universal. They are formed regardless of circumstance, since the circumstances cannot be predicted. All we can really know is the principle behind our action. Besides this, the consequences do not matter. If something is deemed to be moral, it becomes a duty. A duty must be fulfilled, no matter what the consequences. For example, making a false promise, a man in need finds himself forced to borrow money. He knows that he cannot repay, but promises to do so anyway. His maxim is when I believe myself to be in need of money, I will borrow money and promise to repay it, though I know I cannot. If it were universalized, this law of false promises destroys the entire concept of promises, since no person would believe anyone. It is thus immoral, si nce it cannot rationally be universalized. Formulation Two-Act so that you treat humanity, whether in you own person, or that of another, as an end and never as a means only. Or, Dont use people.Humans all possess rationality, this gives them inherent worth. All humans must be treated as ends in every circumstance. This formulation says that the ends of others, if morally permissible, set limits to the ends that we can pursue. We must respect the permissible ends of others, and we may make people serve our purposes only when they, as moral agents, consent to such use. For example, a worker is used as a means to the economic strength of his employer, but he agrees to his use, is paid, and is treated with respect, so he is also an end in and of himself. .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e , .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .postImageUrl , .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e , .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:hover , .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:visited , .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:active { border:0!important; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:active , .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3c55bef256879341599ddc966cac3f3e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Jewish persecution EssayFormulation Three-All maxims as proceeding from our own lawmaking ought to harmonize with a possible kingdom of ends as a kingdom of nature.Here we are told to think of ourselves as members of a society of beings whose permissible ends are to be respected. We must test our maxims by asking whether, supposing the maxims were universal laws, there would be a society of that kind. We must look at both the agent and the ricipient of the action together in a community as we legislate through our laws. Kants ethical ideas are a logical outcome of his belief in the fundamental freedom of the individual as stated in his Critique of Practical Reason (1788). This freedom he did not regard as the lawless freedom of anarchy, but rather as the freedom of self-government, the freedom to obey consciously the laws of the universe as revealed by reason. He believed that the welfare of each individual should properly be regarded as an end in itself and that the world was progressing toward an ideal society in which reason would bind every law giver to make his laws in such a way that they could have sprung from the united will of an entire people, and to regard every subject, in so far as he wishes to be a citizen, on the basis of whether he has conformed to that will. In his treatise, Perpetual Peace (1795) Kant advocated the establishment of a world federation of republican states. Kant had a greater influence than any other philosopher of modern times did. Kantian philosophy, particularly as developed by the German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel, was the basis on which the structure of Marxism was built; the dialectical method, used by both Hegel and Karl Marx, was an outgrowth of the method of reasoning by antinomies that Kant used. The German philosopher Johann Fichte, Kants pupil, rejected his teachers division of the world into objective and subjective parts and developed an idealistic philosophy that also had great influence on 19th-century socialists. One of Kants successors at the University of Knigsberg, J.F. Herbart, incorporated some of Kants ideas in his system of pedagogy.