The War On Drugs By Richard Nixon - 1684 Words

â€Å"War on Drugs† is a term which was popularized by Richard Nixon after his declaration that drug abuse is the first problem to solve. So this term means an American campaign of prohibition of drugs, military aid and military intervention, and other actions to stop the illegal drug trades. Every country has its own methods on fighting drug abuse. Cultural practices and systems have an impact on this part of society’s life. The War on Drugs has contributed the cross cultural differences to the modern globalized world. Studying cross cultural differences, it would be acceptable to analyze two different cultures: American, which represent West (not in geographic, but in cultural sense), and Japan, which is one of the largest and widely known East culture. First of all, it must be noticed that for these research comparative method have been used. â€Å"The comparative method was used by early cultural evolutionists such as Morgan and Tylor. The development of the compar ative method as used in Cross-Cultural Analysis was a reaction against the deductive reasoning of the Boasian tradition, which treated each culture as the unique product of its own historical and geographical conditions and rejected cultural theories as a whole† (Heath Kinzer and Judith L. Gillies, 6). So, comparative method is the best way to analyze cross cultural differences in a context of â€Å"The War on Drugs†. Speaking about American culture, it must be underlined that it represents guilt society or guiltShow MoreRelatedRichard Nixon s War On Drugs Essay1888 Words   |  8 PagesRichard Nixon has declared war on drugs in 1971. He announced to the Americans that America’s public enemy number one is drug abuse. Drug users are everywhere from their own homes, schools, communities, courts, jails, hospitals and prisons. Those who use drugs have nothing to good gain, it only causes problems. Children are neglected or abused, innocent civilians are robbed or ev en killed for money to buy and obtain drugs. Most eventually end up imprisoned for few years to live. The only ones benefitingRead MorePresident Richard Nixon s The War On Drugs1335 Words   |  6 PagesStarting in 1971, President Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs. He stated, â€Å"America’s public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive.† The War on Drugs aimed to fight against a supply and demand epidemic that had America at its knees. Nixon’s policies blatantly reflect society s attitude regarding the trafficking of illegal narcotics. In 1973, Nixon initiated an interdiction effort in MexicoRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1539 Words   |  7 Pages On June 17th, 1971, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be â€Å"America’s Public Enemy #1† in a press conference in which he called for an â€Å"all out offensive† against this enemy, an initiative that would later be known as America’s War on Drugs. By giving this sp eech, thus starting â€Å"The War on Drugs,† President Nixon created what would eventually become one of the most catastrophic failures in United States political history. Analysis of the historical events surrounding Nixon’s declarationRead MoreA Brief Note On The War On Drugs1356 Words   |  6 PagesRachael Radvansky Sociology 101 War on Drugs February 28, 2017 The War on Drugs can be a very controversial topic to different people around the world. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I fully respect that. Some people say that the War on Drugs is a waste of time and money while others are very concerned about the different drugs that are coming into the United States. It still amazes me that people are continuing to take/do drugs when they see and hear about how many people haveRead MoreCombating Drug Use in America1096 Words   |  5 PagesThe use of illegal drugs has plagued society for thousands of years. Illicit drugs use can be found all around the world. The War on Drugs is a term applied to a campaign on the prohibition of drugs of drug use, with the effort to reduced illegal drug trades. The current War on Drugs has affected our society physically and emotionally, and should end for the better of our society immediately. When the War on Drugs began, it was â€Å"The expectation that drug trafficking in the United States could beRead MoreBiography of Richard Milhous Nixon Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pages Richard Milhous Nixon, a US President, resigned from office. Richard Nixon went through a lot of hard troubles to get to presidency to have to resign before he could finish his second term, even though he did some great deeds as president. Nixon despite his mistakes, made a great impact on the United States. Nixon’s childhood wasn’t the childhood one dreams of having. Nixon was born on January 9, 1913 on a lemon ranch in Yorba Linda, California. His parents were not wealthy which meant NixonRead MoreRichard Nixon : The Silent1491 Words   |  6 PagesRichard Nixon was a president that dealt with many problems while he was in office, such as Vietnam, China, and civil rights. Nixon was a great politician and appeared to want the best for America. In Nixon s silent majority speech he wanted to end the war in vietnam while sparing the â€Å"democratic† citizens in southern Vietnam, but for him to do this he needed to bargain with the citizens of America and the leaders of the western world in order to accomplish his goals without too many problems, suchRead MoreDrug Abuse Prevention And Control888 Words   |  4 PagesJune 17, 1971, United States President Richard Nixon gave a press conference to publicize the publication of the special message that was given to Cong ress on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control. During this he declared drug abuse public enemy number one (Nixon, 1971). In the message to Congress Nixon states that the United States should dedicate more federal resources to â€Å"the prevention of new addicts, and the rehabilitation of those who are addicted† (Nixon, 1971). This part did not receive equalRead MoreThe War on Drugs1580 Words   |  7 PagesThe war on drugs began in the United States in 1971 when President Richard Nixon declared war. President Nixon increased the number of federal drug control agencies, increased mandatory sentences for drug offenders, and utilized no-knock warrants in attempt to get the problem under control. It has been over forty years since President Nixon declared a war on drugs. Did America win the war on drugs? Is it time to legalize illicit drugs in this country? What are other countries doing in referenceRead MoreThe Legalization Of Illegal Drugs1262 Words   |  6 PagesBefore P resident Richard Nixon declared drug abuse as America’s number one public enemy in 1971, the United States already had a long history of combating the use of illegal drugs. The first of its kind was the legislation that passed in San Francisco in 1875. This newly passed legislation banned the smoking of opium. However, this legislation seemed to be racially motivated. San Francisco citizens believed that Chinese men who resided in the community, and who were highly regarded as opium smokers

Huck Finn Moral Integrity Essay - 1267 Words

The Moral Integrity of Huckleberry Finn Morality is most often defined as â€Å"the principles concerning a distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.† A choice will always be made that defines a character and their moral integrity. In Mark Twain’s novel, â€Å"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn†, Huck encounters a frequent amount of circumstances where he or other characters are put into situations in which morality is called into question. This proves that regardless of religious influences and social expectations, it is through Huck to do what is morally right, he must challenge the moral teaching of his world and society. Through his observation, Huck makes some poor choices that may be against his moral teachings. The society†¦show more content†¦One uv’em is white en shiny, eb ‘tother one is black. De white one gits him to go right, a little while, den de black one sail in en bust it all up† (Twain 141). This is th e general idea related with morality. It connects to the expectations of the society where right and wrong influences how the people act in their normal lives. This can also be represented by the murders on the ship and how they decide not to kill Jim Turner, but say that it â€Å"ain’t good sense, it ain’t good morals† (172). The characters and how they live reflect the way that, not only how their society views them but also separate the view of the righteous and devout against the moral unjust. Clearly, Huck’s society portrays what is morally okay and yet Huck starts to question the uncertainty of the community. For instance, as Huck starts to progress and notice the wrongs of his society and his father is also challenged to progress based on the town and their goals. Twain describes this kind rehab by saying that â€Å"The new judge brought Huck’s father to his own home, cleaned him up, fed him and even got him to admit his faults and yet he reverts back to his old habits† (144). Huck’s father obviously is showing signs of uncertainty despite the revelation of his life, he is constantly trending back towards his old habits. The Judge even says that â€Å"he felt kind of sore. He said he reckoned a body could reform the old man with a shot-gun, maybe, but he didn’tShow MoreRelatedThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1164 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Paper In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain writes about the events in Huckleberry Finn’s life and the people around him. Huckleberry Finn tells the tale of life in the nineteenth century through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy struggling to find his place in this society. Throughout the story Huck deals with several moral issues; such as slavery, his distrust of society, and social order. In this essay I will discuss moral issues that Huck Finn faces in the story. The story takes placesRead MoreEssay about Huck Finn1567 Words   |  7 PagesHuck Finn Throughout the ages The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been a treasured novel to people of all ages. For young adults the pure adventuresome properties of the book captivates and inspires wild journeys into the unknown. The book appeals to them only as a quest filled with danger and narrow escapes. It is widely considered â€Å"that children of 12 or so are a little too young to absorb the book’s complexities† (Galileo: Morrow). However, as readers mature and become older, theyRead MoreRacism In Huckleberry Finn Analysis1458 Words   |  6 PagesMark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, grew up in the antebellum south where blacks were often viewed as nothing more than just ignorant, lazy, pieces of property with no feelings. As Mark Twain grew older, the perception of blacks as ignorant property with no feelings remained the same and even intensified to a certain extent. Surprisingly, around the time The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn w as written, Mark Twain opposed slavery and presumably cringed at the common notionRead MoreChanging Views And The Changing Blues1657 Words   |  7 PagesCameron- 4th Hour Honors American Literature 9 January 2015 The Changing Views and The Changing Blues Mark Twain himself had this to say about his novel: Huckleberry Finn is a book of mine about a boy with a sound heart and a deformed conscience that come into conflict...and conscience suffers defeat.† In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, his view of society starts out as naà ¯ve and childish, but as he experiences life on the Mississippi, he grows into a man with a realistic standpoint of what the worldRead More Jim Essay2872 Words   |  12 PagesCicero Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered to be possibly the Great American Novel by many scholars and is certainly the best known of Mark Twain’s works. These scholars both powerfully praise and powerfully depreciate Twain’s artistic judgment in relation to Huck’s character, themes, and political statements, but Jim’s place is often ignored or overlooked. Jim’s character is very important in his roles in supporting Huck as a father figure, his example for Twain’s portrayalRead MoreMark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1939 Words   |  8 PagesMark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the classic novel tells the story of a adolescent boy who finds it hard to fit into â€Å"civilized† society, which casts him out with an escaping slave by the name of Jim to float the Mississippi River. Throughout their journey Huck and Jim experience a combination of adventure and danger followed by a pool of humorous and foul characters. Throughout this novel Twain demonstrates that, â€Å"the existenceRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Huckleberry Finn Essay1842 Words   |  8 Pagesnature and human foibles, Huckleberry Finn is one of the most teachable books. It is especially suited for the study of American literature in the eleventh or twelfth grades. This is the time when young adults are making decisions about their lives--moral, social, emotional, academic decisions. They are making choices of jobs and friends, choices that will affect directly their behaviors away from adult supervision, away from the confine s of school and home. Since Huck has to undergo the very same initiationsRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1898 Words   |  8 PagesAmerica, currently a divided country, not only through politics and political ideologies, but by race. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, arguably one of Mark Twain s greatest pieces he ever wrote, is a hot topic due to its exploration of racism throughout the novel. Mark Twain uses characters like Huck and Jim to create a storyline that goes through the Pre-Civil War South. By doing this, Mark allows us to see the true treatment of African Americans or as said in the book â€Å"Niggers†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Which bringsRead MoreEssay Mark Twain2590 Words   |  11 Pagesbest-known novels show this trait, in his Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain immortalized the sleepy little town of Hannibal, Missouri (the fictional St. Petersburg), as well as the steamboats which passed through it daily, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The variou s characters are based on types which Twain encountered both in his hometown and while working as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, and even though A Connecticut Yankee is not based on personal experience Twain uses many of theRead MoreEssay on 103 American Literature Final Exam5447 Words   |  22 Pagesmake ironic, self-reflexive comments on the status of writing and literature itself (B) a preoccupation with making the observable surfaces of the world described in fiction seem lifelike and an interest in portraying the complexity of the interior moral and psychological lives of characters (C) a commitment to elevating the tone of American national literature by depicting characters who face difficult challenges with honor, honesty, and grace (D) a conviction that unity and coherence could not do

Economical Analysis of Caterpillar Inc Free Essays

This report will look into the use of micro and macro-economic by business management to determine business performance, future forecasts and investment decisions. Section 1 will consider management of a UK-manufacturing business, determining that the use of microeconomics will lead to the consideration and macro fundamentals. To provide relevant examples, section 23 will consider management of Caterpillar Inc. We will write a custom essay sample on Economical Analysis of Caterpillar Inc or any similar topic only for you Order Now , a global manufacturer of construction and mining machinery. Section 1 – Micro/Macro Economics This question will look into the factors under consideration by management in the UK, taking both a micro and macro-economic view. From a micro-perspective, management may look into the buying behavior of the biggest customers for their goods, (Boyes, 2012). Microeconomics considers the behaviour of individual consumers and businesses to understand the decision-making process; given this, management can use microeconomics to determine the buying behavior of their major customers. This may help management identify determinants that affect their customers buying behaviour such as economic fundamentals, which could then be used to build forecasts (Kreps, 2004). To support analyses, management could also consider macroeconomics and the wider economic outlook, given that the outlook and confidence in the economy will impact on individual business confidence. To provide an example, the study of micro-economics may then lead into a more macro view; if management determines that buying from local customers is depressed they may then consider the performance of the UK economy to determine why customers buying are lower than expected. Looking into macroeconomics, a business may look into variables such as GDP growth, inflation, employment and purchasing managers index (PMI) to gauge a view on the performance of the economy, (Arnold, 2010). For example, if the economy was performing better than expected, the business may be willing to increase production and build up stockpiles in anticipation of increased buying in the future. On the other hand, if the business considers economic fundamentals to be weak, they may decide to cut production early to reduce stockpiles (Singh, 2013) [Online]. If the company sells products internationally, then management should also consider international economic performance and exchange rates in order to gauge both international demand and prices received in the home currency. International performance may also help determine decisions in terms of future investment, if the company is developed in its home market. For example, a manufacturer of car-parts may consider forecasted exchange movements and economic conditions (e.g. future demand for cars) to determine future direction of investment (Miller, 2013). Section 2 – Economic Theory Focusing on a microeconomic perspective, management may consider sediment from customers to determine future forecasts for the market. For example this question will consider the role of management will in a real-world company. Take mining-services companies such as Caterpillar Inc., and Joy Global Inc. To gauge demand these companies may look into forecasts from major miners and so major customers such as Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Glencore-Xstrata (PWC, 2013). If these miners are bearish on market performance and demand for their commodities, then services companies such as Joy may take a bearish stance in anticipation of weaker demand in the future, (McDonald, 2013) [Online]. For example, over the economic downturn, sales to mining companies fell drastically as low commodity prices forced major miners to cut costs to remain profitable. This is important as the business demand from a certain area may be dominated by a few; for example take Caterpillar. If the business has an opera tion in Perth, Australia, it is more than likely that demand would be subject to iron ore production, which is dominated by majors such as BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. With this, Caterpillar would play close attention to these companies; there competitiveness, demand for their products, future capital expenditure plans etc. Management of Joy and Caterpillar both reacted by cutting capacity as sediment from miners continually weakened over the years; yet company presentations and reports from both companies contained quotes and reference to major miners, underscoring the importance of sediment (forecast and opinions) from customers. Using these variables would help management forecast future demand, which could then be used to build forecasts for the future performance of the company. Taking macroeconomic factors, companies such as Caterpillar Inc., would focus on economic variables in a bid to forecast future economic conditions. For example, Caterpillar’s two major markets are mining and construction machinery/ services. Given this, the business may focus attention onto Chinese macro-variables such as GDP Growth, Investment Growth and PMI to determine future production growth, which would then impact on construction and heavy-industry demand. This would then support demand for commodities and thus demand from Caterpillar’s mining customers. Given the scale and time-frame of some investments, businesses will need to construct long-term forecast models to calculate return on investment and the underlying demand in a market. By focusing on these variables, the company should be better equipped to forecast demand for their products and so tailor their production to meet market conditions. Section 3 – International Expansion To answer this question, the management at Caterpillar will be considered investing in a non-EU market, taking Peru as the example. Peru has been chosen because of its buoyant economic conditions and booming mining industry, supported by the country’s wealth of minerals, most notably copper (KPMG, 2014). Furthermore, the booming mining industry has supported economic development, thus supporting the construction industry and need for infrastructure development. Given this, demand for Caterpillar’s goods should remain resilient, which could support a greater investment into the country. Additionally, surrounding Latin American economies such as Argentina, Chile and Brazil remain strong, which could create further demand for production from the Peruvian operations. In terms of Caterpillar, one area of interest will be the mining industry. Currently, Peru is the second largest producer of copper, behind neighbour Chile, as well as the second largest producer of silver and sixth largest producer of gold. Over the past few years, investment has poured into the sector, as a number of major copper projects were announced to feed growing demand from China. According to the Peruvian Mines and Energy Ministry, copper production in 2013 is forecast at 1.57mt, representing an 18% increase over 2012, which stemmed from a 7.8% increase in 2011 (Huamani, 2014), while the current value of mining investments in the country tops $10Billion, led by major miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. Since investment activity in Peru has been the major driving force behind the private sector development, the Peruvian government has become more welcoming of business, which should benefit expansion plans by Caterpillar (Ernst Young, 2014). Table 1 below displays a number of key economic indicators for Peru (IMF, 2013) Table 1 – Key Economic Indicators – Obtained from IMF (2013) Caterpillar should also consider the stability and availability of the local currency. The national currency is the Peruvian Sol, which has remained relatively stable versus the U.S Dollar over the years (Bloomberg, 2014) [Online]. Caterpillar could also complete a SWOT analysis to determine the potential benefits/ risks behind an investment. Strengths Strong real GDP growth and the introduction of tax reforms have strengthened the public accounts, with the country’s relatively strong fiscal position expected to provide support for the economy in the long term. Peru’s investment grade status should keep foreign investment flows anchored over the long term. Weaknesses Peru’s heavy reliance on commodity exports will weigh on the country’s trade dynamics in the next few years, as a hard landing for China’s economy has the potential to dampen both demand and prices for key commodities such as copper. Underdeveloped infrastructure, capacity constraints, declines in major mining firms’ capital expenditure programmes, and continued social unrest could weigh on output levels over the medium term. This would then impact on demand for mining equipment from the likes of Caterpillar. Opportunities Another wave of privatisation schemes for several state-run companies across various sectors could help to deepen financial markets and ease the mining bias of the country’s equity market, (OECD, 2013) A growing middle class will make consumer-related sectors such as retail food and drink increasingly attractive for investors over the medium-to-long term. This should then support urbanisation in the country, which in turn will support construction projects and demand for machinery, (BBVA, 2014) Threats Social divisions within Peru threaten the economy in a variety of ways. A continued intensification of strike action could impact growth and mining output, while heightened unrest and an opposition-dominated congress could pressure the administration into substantial spending increases, weighing on the country’s fiscal position, (OECD, 2013) The end of Peru’s export boom in light of a weakened global demand has the potential to expose the country’s structural imbalances and dampen investment into vital infrastructure. Caterpillar would also consider government policy and attitudes towards spending and regulation. In terms of regulation, Peru has continued to simply legislation to attract more investment, with KPMG (2013: 21) saying â€Å"Foreign investors may set up any business enterprise in Peru without limitation and engage in any kind of business†. Furthermore the business would consider the corporate tax rate, which currently stands at 30% (KPMG, 2013). Additionally, in terms of government revenue, Table 1 shows that as government expenditure as a proportion of GDP continues to rise over the forecasted period, government net debt falls, suggesting increasing government revenues and a more stable fiscal outlook. The outlook for monetary policy may also be considered, with current sediment suggesting that Peru’s central bank will hold its benchmark policy rate at 4%, as the country looks to push down its inflation rate. Given this, it is expected that policymakers will continue to stimulate growth in the economy through government spending and also further reductions in reserve requirements for commercial banks, which should stimulate growth and support demand for Caterpillar’s construction machinery. Caterpillar may also consider demand in neighboring countries such as Brazil and Chile, which like Peru are seeing mining investment to drive production, (Scotiabank, 2014). This provides the opportunity for the investment in Peruvian operations to be seen by the company as a Latin American investment, supplying goods for export to nearby demand centres. This could be supported in Peru given the country has a number of free-trade agreements in place with Brazil, Chile, USA, China, South Korea. To conclude, Caterpillar will take into account a wide-breath of economic indicators to determine confidence in future forecasts. While the outlook does look positive, headwinds will remain, with growth in Peru determined greatly by demand for its commodities, and thus focused primarily on China. However, a strong pipeline of mining projects and also buoyant infrastructure spending should support an underlying demand for Caterpillar’s equipment which should warrant investment in the country. References Arnold, R (2010): Macroeconomics, USA, South Western. BBVA (2014): Peru Economic Outlook: First Quarter 2014, UK, BBVA Research. Bloomberg (2014) [Online]: USD-PEN Exchange Rate, Available at http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/USDPEN:CUR, Accessed 01/04/2014. Boyes, W and Melvin, M (2012): Microeconomics, USA, South Western. Ernst Young (2014): Peru’s mining metals investment guide, London, Ernst Young. Huamani, G (2014): Mining in Peru; March 2014, Peru, Ministry on Energy and Mining. IMF (2013): Data and Statistics Workbook; October 2013, USA, IMF. KPMG (2013): Investment in Peru, UK, KPMG. KPMG (2014): Country Mining Guide; Peru, UK, KPMG. Kreps, D (2004): Microeconomics for Managers, New York, WW Norton Company. McDonald, M (2013) [Online]: Weak Mining sector makes Caterpillar cut forecast, Available at http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/weak-mining-sector-makes-caterpillar-cut-2013-prof, Accessed 03/04/2014. Miller, K (2013): A Framework for Integrated Risk Management in International Business, Journal of International Business Studies, 23 (2), pg311-332. OECD (2013): Latin America Economic Outlook 2014, USA, OECD Research. PWC (2013): Mine 2013; A confidence crisis, London, PWC. Singh, S (2013) [Online]: Caterpillar cuts forecasts on decline in sales to mining, Available at http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/caterpillar-profit-misses-analysts-estimates-on-mining-slowdown.html, Accessed 03/04/2014. Scotiabank (2014): Latin America; Regional Outlook, USA, Scotiabank Research. How to cite Economical Analysis of Caterpillar Inc, Essay examples

An Analysis of The Allegory of the Cave Example For Students

An Analysis of The Allegory of the Cave The Allegory of the Cave is Platos explanation of the education of the soul toward enlightenment. He sees it as what happens when someone is educated to the level of philosopher. He contends that they must go back into the cave or return to the everyday world of politics, greed and power struggles. The Allegory also attacks people who rely upon or are slaves to their senses. The chains that bind the prisoners are the senses. The fun of the allegory is to try to put all the details of the cave into your interpretation. In other words, what are the models the guards carry? e fire? the struggle out of the cave? the sunlight? the shadows on the cave wall? Socrates, in Book VII of The Republic, just after the allegory told us that the cave was our world and the fire was our sun. He said the path of the prisoner was our souls ascent to knowledge or enlightenment. He equated our world of sight with the intellects world of opinion. Both were at the bottom of the ladder of knowledge. Our world of sight allows us to see things that are not real, such as parallel lines and perfect circles. He calls this higher understanding the world abstract Reality or the Intelligeble world. He equates this abstract reality with the knowledge that comes from reasoning and finally understanding. On the physical side, our world of sight, the stages of growth are first recognition of images (the shadows on the cave wall) then the recognition of objects (the models the guards carry) To understand abstract reality requires the understanding of mathematics and finally the forms or the Ideals of all things (the world outside the cave). But our understanding of the physical world is mirrored in our minds by our ways of thinking. First comes imagination (Socrates thought little of creativity), then our unfounded but real beliefs. Opinion gives way to knowledge through reasoning (learned though mathematics). Finally, the realization of the forms is mirrored by the level of Understanding in the Ways of Thinking. The key to the struggle for knowledge is the reasoning skills acquired through mathematics as they are applied to understanding ourselves. The shadows on the cave wall change continually and are of little worth, but the reality out side the cave never changes and that makes it important. The ideals are mainly our concepts of courage, love, friendship, justice, and other unchanging qualities. I know this is a bit tricky, but it is how I see the allegory, and most of it is in the preceding and following books of the Republic. I think you should read those chapters, think about what I have said and zero in on what the allegory means to you. CAVE Plato, the most creative and influential of Socrates disciples, wrote dialogues, in which he frequently used the figure of Socrates to espouse his own (Platos) full-fledged philosophy. In The Republic, Plato sums up his views in an image of ignorant humanity, trapped in the depths and not even aware of its own limited perspective. The rare individual escapes the limitations of that cave and, through a long, tortuous intellectual journey, discovers a higher realm, a true reality, with a final, almost mystical awareness of Goodness as the origin of everything that exists. Such a person is then the best equipped to govern in society, having a knowledge of what is ultimately most worthwhile in life and not just a knowledge of techniques; but that person will frequently be misunderstood by those ordinary folks back in the cave who havent shared in the intellectual insight. If he were living today, Plato might replace his rather awkward cave metaphor with a movie theater, with the projector replacing the fire, the film replacing the objects which cast shadows, the shadows on the cave wall with the projected movie on the screen, and the echo with the loudspeakers behind the screen. The essential point is that the prisoners in the cave are not seeing reality, but only a shadowy representation of it. The importance of the allegory lies in Platos belief that there are invisible truths lying under the apparent surface of things which only the most enlightened can grasp. Used to the world of illusion in the cave, the prisoners at first resist enlightenment, as students resist education. But those who can achieve enlightenment deserve to be the leaders and rulers of all the rest. At the end of the passage, Plato expresses another of his favorite ideas: that education is not a process of putting knowledge into empty minds, but of making people realize that which they already know. This notion that truth is somehow embedded in our minds was also powerfully influential for many centuries. A report I had to do on Platos Allegory of the Cave. Plato was born 427 B. C. and died 347 B. C. He was a pupil under Socrates. During his studies, Plato wrote the Dialogues, which are a collection of Socrates teachings. One of the parables included in the Dialogues is The Allegory of the Cave. The Allegory symbolizes mans struggle to reach understanding and enlightenment. First of all, Plato believed that one can only learn through dialectic reasoning and open-mindedness. Humans had to travel from the visible realm of image-making and objects of sense to the intelligible or invisible realm of reasoning and understanding. The Allegory of the Cave symbolizes this trek and how it would look to those still in a lower realm. Plato is saying that humans are all prisoners and that the tangible world is our cave. The things which we perceive as real are actually just shadows on a wall. Just as the escaped prisoner ascends into the light of the sun, we amass knowledge and ascend into the light of true reality: ideas in the mind. Yet, if someone goes into the light of the sun and beholds true reality and then proceeds to tell the other captives of the truth, they laugh at and ridicule the enlightened one, for the only reality they have ever known is a fuzzy shadow on a wall. They could not possibly comprehend another dimension without beholdin! g it themselves, therefore, they label the enlightened man mad. For instance, the exact thing happened to Charles Darwin. In 1837, Darwin was traveling aboard the H. M. S. Beagle in the Eastern Pacific and dropped anchor on the Galapagos Islands. Darwin found a wide array of animals. These differences in animals sparked Darwin on research, which lasted well up to his death, culminating in the publishing of The Origin of Species in 1858. He stated that had not just appeared out of thin air, but had evolved from other species through natural selection. This sparked a firestorm of criticism, for most people accepted the theory of the Creation. In this way Darwin and his scientific followers parallel the escaped prisoner. They walked into the light and saw true reality. Yet when he told the imprisoned public what he saw, he was scoffed at and labeled mad, for all the prisoners know and perceive are just shadows on a wall which are just gross distortions of reality. Darwin walked the path to understanding just like the escaped prisoner in The Allegory of the Cave. Platos parable greatly symbolizes mans struggle to reach the light and the suffering of those left behind who are forced to sit in the dark and stare at shadows on a wall. Allegory of the Cave Plato illustrates his dualistic theory of reality by his famous Allegory of the Cave, at the beginning of Book VII of the Republic. Now then, says Socrates, as he introduces the allegory, imagine mankind as living in an underground cave which has a wide entrance open to the light. Manifest Destiny EssayIn the â€Å"Allegory of the Cave,† the people in the cave are chained to see just the shadows on the wall to which they perceive to be real. As one of these prisoners escapes, they walk into the light to find that what he once saw in the cave was actually just an illusion of what the truth is. In â€Å"Existentialism,† there is no God so every man is free to make their own choices and give their own meaning of life; however, the choices men make are what they consider all men to do, causing men to be responsible of their actions. Anguish is a similarity in both essays because both the escaped prisoner in the â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† and all men in â€Å"Existentialism† have a moral responsibility to their fellow man. The escaped prisoner is responsible for going back and informing the rest of the captives of what he saw. He has to explain to them that the ultimate reality is not the shadows on the wall but what is seen once you’re in the light. He then experiences anguish because the captives will not believe him. The essay states that: â€Å"Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death† (p. 1185). The cave is their world and what they see is their truth. The escaped prisoner is now an outsider and suffers because the other captives could not comprehend that what they are really seeing is just a bad distortion of reality. In â€Å"Existentialism,† man experiences anguish because he would not be able to get away from his responsibility of his actions and his choices because the decisions he makes not only affects him but those around him too. The narrator states that: â€Å"Every man ought to say to himself, ‘Am I really the kind of man who has the right to act in such a way that humanity might guide itself by my actions? ’ And if he does not say that to himself, he is masking his anguish† (p. 1292). Every man experiences anguish because they have the freedom of choice but the responsibility of all men. Therefore every choice that man makes must be a good one. Both Plato and Sartre have many different views in their essays and one opposing view is about the good and the bad. In Sartre’s essay, good decisions or choices are made because it is what is good for every man and that , â€Å"to choose to be this or that is to affirm at the same time the value of what we choose, because we can never choose evil. We always choose the good, and nothing can be good for us without being good for all† (p. 1291). Every man then does not choose the evil because what is evil for him will be evil for all; therefore, when man has to make a decision, he values each choice on how much good will come out of them. Although in â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave,† good is not considered first but last and to get there is a long and tortuous journey. Once the good is seen, they will see everything of a higher realm which is the true reality and be aware that goodness is the origin of everything that exists. The narrator states, â€Å" whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right † (p. 1185). Instead of carefully making every decision of what is good, the very thought of goodness comes last. In Plato’s essay, to reach the goodness you have to find the enlightened path. Another difference between the two essays is the thought of the limitations of the unlighted and enlightened path and subjectivity. In â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave,† the prisoners have to struggle to understand and reach enlightenment. The escaped prisoner had to travel through the journey of the visible, image-making realm of the cave to the intelligible realm of reasoning and understanding. He was subject to transform between these two realms. At first he had to reason with what he saw outside the cave. It was hard for him in the beginning because, â€Å"when he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities† (p. 1184). It was difficult for him to go through the transition of dark to light or unlighted to the enlightened. But once he got used to the light, he could see the truth and understand that what he saw and what the other unlighted captives still see in the cave are actually an illusion. Although in â€Å"Existentialism† men are subjected to more than two sort of realms. Since an existentialist creates their own meaning of life there is no limit like there is in Plato’s essay. The meaning of life is then changed with every decision made because there is no God or enlightened path to goodness. This leaves existentialists left with no excuses for their actions. Once they have made a choice there is no going back and he lives with his choices and blames no one but himself. The essay states: â€Å"Subjectivism means, on the one hand, that an individual chooses and makes himself; and, on the other, that it is impossible for man to transcend human subjectivity. Since there is no unlighted or enlightened path he is responsible for what he chooses and he can not turn back once a mistake is made. The views of goodness, limitations, and subjectivism binds together to explain the different views of human existence between Plato and Sartre. A man confined to life in a cave like Plato’s essay, is restricted to what he sees in the dark and what he will perceive as his reality and truth. While those who go into the light will have an opposing idea of what reality is and have an understanding of what the truth really is. The narrator states that: â€Å"he will first ask whether that soul of man has come out of the brighter life, and is unable to see because unaccustomed to the dark, or having turned from darkens to the day is dazzled by excess of light† (p. 1186). In Sartre’s essay, existence precedes essence where every man is free to lead his life the way he wants to. The essay states that: â€Å"Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life† (p. 1297). Every man chooses where he wants to be in the future and his life will only go as far as he plans it to go and not restricted to any certain places or ideas like the men in the cave are in â€Å"Allegory of the Cave. † In conclusion, there are moral responsibilities in both essays, â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† and â€Å"Existentialism. † Plato and Sartre both imply that anguish are felt among all men but their views of goodness, limitations and subjectivism of life and the human existence vary in their essays. Whether it is best to believe in God or not, moral responsibility is placed on every man.