Three Bases for Government Essay Example for Free

Three Bases for Government Essay In government, the Lao-tzu says, it is important that â€Å"the people be kept constantly without knowledge and without desires† (Blythe 1992). Not to be misconstrued as a kind of political technique designed to manipulate or coerce, this means that they be allowed â€Å"to safeguard their true nature.† Government must in the final analysis abide by naturalness and nonaction. The sage ruler naturally never puts himself first or claims credit for his accomplishments. Consequently, the people are not aware that he has brought order and well-being to the world, assuming that the good fortune they enjoy has come about spontaneously. Ultimately the ruler himself must embrace nonaction so as to establish a model to transform the people that is, to enable those under the spell of desires to reclaim their true nature. Specific policies or techniques of government are secondary and must be â€Å"forgotten† if nonaction were to be realized. Government by nonaction is not â€Å"mysterious,† however. It does not involve mystical or esoteric practices, but rests on the claim that the transforming power of Tao, defined in terms of naturalness and exemplified by the ideal sage-ruler, would spontaneously permeate the mind and heart of the people. There is perhaps a degree of optimism to this view, but one which to Wang Pi is well justified. This is because the all-encompassing order of tzu-jan extends to the sociopolitical level. The institution of family and state is not extrinsic to nature. More specifically, the hierarchical structure of sociopolitical institutions reflects the principles governing the Taoist world. This explains Lao-tzus claim that Taoist self-cultivation, which Wang Pi again relates to realizing ones true nature, has a direct impact on the well-being of the family and the country (Blythe 1992). In this light, such concepts as nonaction, quietude acquire a more concrete meaning. In the Ho-shang Kung commentary, these concepts are subsumed under the rubric of â€Å"securing the One† (shou-i). In the Lao-tzu itself, the expression â€Å"embrace the One† (pao-i) is used twice; but Ho-shang Kung prefers the word shou to emphasize the importance of â€Å"securing† what has been â€Å"embraced.† In other words, ideal government, both politically and with respect to the interior life, depends on the rulers ability to acquire and to maintain the â€Å"One,† and to guard against harmful influences. For the ideal but practical, new democratic state, Jefferson coined the word sociocracy. Jefferson’s ideal government is neither individualistic nor collectivist. It consists of a dictatorship of three wise men who represent the technological, the temporal, and the spiritual spheres. Final veto rests in the spiritual officer in whom alone are found wisdom, philosophy, and moral ends. The temporal power, however, acts according to the laws of nature expressed through the social forces, and is guided in all things by social science. Jefferson was fundamentally right in believing that unless sociologists controlled the state, the social problem would never be solved. The first step toward the ideal government, therefore, was to indicate just what the social sciences are, and what they have to contribute to the knowledge of human problems and social progress. Jefferson insisted that the present order is the result of defective knowledge, neglect of moral teaching, and of anarchical habits of egoistic living. To erect the ideal state, the temple of humanity, there must be a consensus of organized philosophy, reformed morality, and permanent nonsupernatural religion. Capital must be moralized, the marriage institution renovated, and every other institution spiritualized by the awakening of the sympathetic instincts enlisted in the service of humanity. To lead and control the positive state, Jefferson offered his philosophy of science which is a scheme of education, a method of government, a school of wisdom, and a form of religion— in brief, a synthesis of mind, feeling and action, crowned by the religion of humanity. Carter also defended his ideal government on the grounds of economic and ethical principles which are closely associated with ach other and with the political principles which formed the basis of the ideal government. His aim was to achieve political and social solidarity through an economic but ethical revolution which would make the introduction of the new order possible and which would sustain and reinforce it after it had been established. The underlying principles of his state are, therefore, as tightly interwoven and as interactive as his aims and this was as it should have been, for Carter regarded society as an organism of the whole-and it was for the achievement of a unified, harmonious whole that he sought a solution. Because of the doctrine of evolution, Carter believed that man could not be considered as an individual apart from his surroundings, for he was born into an environment from whose effects there could be no escape. The problem, therefore, was to adjust mans conduct to the social organism, the whole, of which he was a part or to adjust the social organism so that it would further right conduct and the achievement of action that would be for the good of the whole. Ethics, therefore, became a sociological search â€Å"for right conduct† which was to be defined as the â€Å"stable adjustment of the part to the whole† (Blythe 1992).    References Blythe, J. M. 1992. Ideal Government and the Mixed Constitution. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.

Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name Essay -- Essays Papers

Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the purpose of his novel then? Well, Nabokov writes, "For me a work of fiction exists only insofar as it affords me what I shall bluntly call aesthetic bliss, that is a sense of being somehow, somewhere, connected with other states of being where art (curiosity, tenderness, kindness, ecstasy) is the norm" (314 - 315). He sees his novel in simple terms: art. Whether it be the novel Lolita or the name Lolita, a sexual meaning has been given to the word Lolita, and this is largely due to the str ong sexual overtones used by the novel's main character Humbert to describe his character of obsession Lolita; thus resulting in different and confusing interpretations of the novel and the author's intentions. In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the... ... purpose behind the book, even though it is not the purpose the writer intended. This is the less common interpretation of the novel, as is apparent by the modern definition of the name Lolita. Because Humbert Humbert defines Lolita in such a sexually explicit way, her name has become a symbol of sex and seduction; this resulted in the widely misunderstood purpose of the novel. Humbert Humbert explained it the best when before his death he wrote: Thus, neither of us is alive when the reader opens this book...and one wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple of months longer, so as to have him make you live in the minds of later generations. I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art...(309). Leave it up to the main character of Lolita to sum up Nabokov's purpose for writing the novel. Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name Essay -- Essays Papers Defining Lolita: the Novel and the Name In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the purpose of his novel then? Well, Nabokov writes, "For me a work of fiction exists only insofar as it affords me what I shall bluntly call aesthetic bliss, that is a sense of being somehow, somewhere, connected with other states of being where art (curiosity, tenderness, kindness, ecstasy) is the norm" (314 - 315). He sees his novel in simple terms: art. Whether it be the novel Lolita or the name Lolita, a sexual meaning has been given to the word Lolita, and this is largely due to the str ong sexual overtones used by the novel's main character Humbert to describe his character of obsession Lolita; thus resulting in different and confusing interpretations of the novel and the author's intentions. In his essay, "On a Novel Entitled Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov tries to answer the age-old question, "What is the objective of the novel?" He quickly replies, "...I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book..." (311). There is more to his response than this, however. He goes on to say that his book was not written to celebrate pornography or pedophilia, nor was it written to promote Anti-Americanism (313 - 315). What's the... ... purpose behind the book, even though it is not the purpose the writer intended. This is the less common interpretation of the novel, as is apparent by the modern definition of the name Lolita. Because Humbert Humbert defines Lolita in such a sexually explicit way, her name has become a symbol of sex and seduction; this resulted in the widely misunderstood purpose of the novel. Humbert Humbert explained it the best when before his death he wrote: Thus, neither of us is alive when the reader opens this book...and one wanted H.H. to exist at least a couple of months longer, so as to have him make you live in the minds of later generations. I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art...(309). Leave it up to the main character of Lolita to sum up Nabokov's purpose for writing the novel.

Lack of Proper Discipline

They are everywhere, in the malls, the grocery store, airports and even public parks.   The nation is being over run by spoiled screaming children, who know if they scream loudly enough their parents will give in and give them their way just to keep them quiet.   The reason children are allowed to behave this way is because parents fear they will be charged with abuse if they speak harshly or dare spank a child. Innocent parents are constantly being reported to the child protective workers for simply spanking children with their hands or picking up a squirming hard to hold onto child and removing them from a store.   The witness assumes that because the child is making all manners of noise the parent is causing them harm.  Ã‚   Once protective services are called, the children can tell any type of horror story they want to make up and the workers will automatically believe them, because they could not imagine that children could lie. The children have learned this and know that a parent will never discipline them in public places, therefore the child causes scenes in public places to control the parent.   There is and should be a limit to the amount of discipline a parent can inflict upon children and child abusers should be punished.   No parent who intentionally inflicts injuries such as cigarette burns or broken bones to a child should continue to be allowed to raise their children. The problem is however, that the child abuse laws have become strict to the point that normal caring parents do not dare to set limits for children for fear of losing their children. Many people every year have their children removed from their homes at least temporarily due to mistaken reports and children telling stories to turn innocent disciplinary practices into reports of child abuse.   This fear has led parents to allow children to control them, children who grow believing they can get away with breaking laws as they did parental rules, and a society of people filled with disrespectful people. In past generations, parents disciplined children when they misbehaved, thus teaching the children to follow the parent’s rules and to obey what they told them.   Unfortunately, during those generations parents sometimes went to the extremes with discipline to the point that the children were injured and actual abuse sometimes occurred.   Due to this abuse, laws were created to protect the children. These laws were important and well intentioned.   However, because of the laws, parental disciplinary practices were forced to go from parents being allowed to do whatever they needed to in order to make their children behave to being reported for child abuse if they even speak harshly to their children.   There should be some middle ground.   Parents still need to be able to make their children mind within reason (spanking with hand, scolding, and physically removing from places or situations). Children in current society know that their parents are afraid to spank or in most cases even scold them especially in public. For this reason the children throw temper tantrums in the malls if the parents tell them they do not need the expensive toy they want.   The parents could continue to say no and the child would then continue to argue until the frustrated parent gives in and gets them the toy.   The same thing happens in the grocery store for the best snack and in the park when the child refuses to go home when the parent tells them it is time to go.   This allows the child to be in control of the parent rather than the parent in control of the child. Because these children learn that they do not have to listen to or obey their parents, they grow up with the belief that they do not have to listen to anyone.   This leads them to take advantage of other people and make decisions based only upon the advantages that can be gained for themselves regardless of the effects these decisions may have on others.   This complete disregard of rules often includes such things as the law.   If they as teenagers or sometimes even adults see something in a store they want, they may be very inclined to take it. They have never been taught that they have to earn things and they can not just take what they want, therefore they feel entitled to take anything they want any time they want it.   They are more likely to cause harm to people who attempt to keep them from achieving their goals or cheat others out of opportunities.   This has helped lead to the increased crime rate in the country.   Crimes such as shoplifting, assault and in some cases even murder come as a result of spoiled undisciplined children growing into spoiled undisciplined adults. In the generations when children were still disciplined for not listening to parents, children were taught to respect their elders and other people as well as rules.   The children of the modern generation learn to respect no one and nothing, because they have no rules to follow.   They simply learn that no means they simply need to throw a bigger fit or do whatever else they need to do in order to get their way. As adults, these people yell at others and call other people names any time they want to for no reason.   They push and shove their way to the front of lines even if it means stepping on all of the people in front of them.   By taking away the rights of parents to teach their children to be respectful of others, society is creating a whole group of people who do not care about anyone. This is the society where people run over and trample each other in malls to get the last hot children’s toy in the store before Christmas.   Stampedes like those of frightened cattle herds leave people injured or even dead, when large groups of people all try to enter popular events or exit buildings in a hurry.   Once people would stop to assist others, but now if someone falls down, the others simply step over or on them and go on. It is sad to discover that laws designed to protect children have effectively led to an entire society of people who do not care about anyone but themselves.   The laws were needed, but some people have said that violence leads to violence and therefore children should never be subjected to physical discipline.   While it is true that extreme and unnecessary punishment is abusive and may lead children to imitate violence later, there is a middle ground between the two extremes. A swat from a parent’s hand on the seat of the pants does little more than embarrass the child in public.   This would lead the child to be less likely to throw screaming tantrums in public, which embarrass the well intentioned parents who did nothing more than choose to take their children out into public with them.   Children who are raised with some degree of discipline and well defined rules that are followed through with, grow up to be much more well-rounded, respectful and realistic adults. If a child is allowed to raise a parent instead of providing the parents the right to raise the child, then the crime rate will continue to rise and people will become increasingly more disrespectful.   People have begun to look at hand outs and even luxuries as entitlements rather than things that should be strived for and earned.   These declines in society are caused by over zealous people, who as well intentioned as the may have been have taken away all leverage parents once had to teach their children that rules are made for a reason and the word â€Å"no† actually means no not â€Å"scream louder†. Most people who become parents take the first look at the helpless new life and want to give the child the whole world.   They do not wish to inflict harm or create hardship for the child in any way.   They do however want that child to grow into a happy healthy, well adjusted adult.   In order to be a well-adjusted adult, the person needs to respect laws, rules and other people.   No one learns this automatically, it has to be taught, and the parents, who want the world for their children should have the right to teach this. They need to be able to set limits and follow through with discipline.   Loving parents who care for their children should not have to live in fear that if they discipline their children in order to teach them to respect rules and people, they will lose their children forever.   There should be more specific guidelines as to what constitutes abuse and it there should be more evidence to substantiate it rather than just taking the child’s word that Daddy hit me for a child to be removed from a home. In addition to this parents need to be informed as to what these guidelines are in order to insure they are operating within the limits of the laws. Although the days in which children should be seen and not heard are gone forever, the entire mall should not be subjected to hearing a child simply because the parent is afraid to discipline him. Lack of Proper Discipline They are everywhere, malls, grocery store, airports and even public places.  Running screaming as loud as they can where everyone can hear them. So that their  parents will give in to them just to keep them quiet. The reason why the children behaved  this way is that the children knows their rights. Parents are anxious to reprimand their  children or even punish their children in a certain way, otherwise, they will be  charged with child abuse. Innocent parents are the one being reported to the child  protected workers for spanking their children with their hands or just picking up a   squirming hard onto the child and removing them from any public places.And if the  observer assumes that that the child is making noise they think and conclude that the  parents is causing them harm, then call the protective services. Children can tell stories  that can get the sympathy of the workers just like telling a horror movie. The service  workers will entirely believe in the heartbreaking story of the children, because little  children doesn’t know how to fabricate stories and that they don’t tell a lie. Children  knows that there is a law that the parents cannot reprimand or hurt them in public places  as a result, the children will make scenes especially in public place. They are the ones  who are abusing their parents.There should be a boundary to the amount of discipline a parent can impose upon their children. Child abusers should be punished. No such parents who physically or emotionally abuse their children are allowed to raise them. However, the real problem is children abuse their rights to the point that normal caring parents do not dare to set limits in fear of losing their children.Every year, many children are temporarily removed from their homes due to mistaken reports and children telling stories   to turn innocent parents to disciplinary actions in child abuse.   This fear has led the parents to allow their children in control. Children who grew believing they can get away breaking laws as they did parental rules.  Ã‚   The society is full of discourteous people.In the past, parents reprimand their children when they misbehave implementing rules to follow and obey them. Unfortunately, during the past parents seem to discipline their children to the point that actual abuse occurred. Appropriate to this abuse, laws were created and implemented to protect the rights of the children. However, due to the laws, parents are forced not to take disciplinary actions for their children. They are not allowed to do what they ought to do in order to discipline them. There should be some focal points on this. Parents should be able to discipline their children at some points. In this generation, children know that parents are afraid to spank or scold them most especially in public places.Children take advantage of this by showing tantrums, refusing to listen to what parents say, ignoring them can b e a lot of trouble also to the parents. This behavior allows the child to be in control of their parents rather than the latter. Parents are more likely to feel manipulated by this kind of behavior They do not have to listen or obey because they can get what they want.  Ã‚   The last few decades have shown a rise of disobedience along with violence among children. and adolescents.This child learns that they don’t have to listen to anyone but themselves This children will grow up into spoiled, disrespectful adults and turn into a menace of the society. They do not listen to anyone, they believe in themselves and so they will break the law just to get what they want just like when they were still little children.Before, when children are well disciplined by their parents, they were taught to respect the elders and other people, as well as the law unlike in this modern generation now. In taking away, the rights of the parents in implementing their own disciplinary actions to c hildren, the society now is full of people that don’t care about anyone or anybody. They only think of themselves only. It is sad to know that the laws designed for the protection of the children were abused and used by the children. . This laws are good if you use it for the better and not exploit it.. While it is true that extreme and pointless punishments is rude and make children to imitate violence later, there is a focal point between the two extremes.If we look at it the other way, children will raise parents according to their manner as spoiled brats, discourteous individuals what will happen to the society? In reality, when an individual become a parent, most likely they do not want to inflict harm to their helpless child. They want to give the child the best of everything. Hence, protecting them from harm, showering them with love and affection. They want that child to grow up into a happy, healthy, well adjusted and good mannered adult.Parents should set limits, di scipline and teach their children about the rules and the law. They should inculcate the young minds with the rules and train them in a nice way so that when they grow up they will not depart from it. Parents should not be afraid in doing so. There are specific guidelines in constituting abuse. It is sad to realize that the laws was designed to protect the children but there is no result on the whole society because if we cannot discipline our children when they are still young, they will be more violence in the future they always think that they are always right.This is not in general but most children go in the wrong path in the future if they don’t know what discipline is. In the early generations children were closely controlled and monitored by their parents and they were trained how to respect for their elders and other people as well as they are the rulers. There’s a big difference between children born yesterday than today. Most modern children don’t kno w what respect is they have their own set of laws and one of their rules is parents should follow their set of laws. They don’t even call their parents as mom and dad, they only call them by names, not only their parents but for their sisters and brothers and even their elderly.They press on their way to the front of lines even if it means stepping on all of the people in front of them. They don’t care if other peoples hurt or not as long as they know that they are content of what they doing. Captivating away the rights of parents to teach their children to be deferential to others. But new society is creating an entire group of people who do not care about the right of a parent.A society where people run over and squash each other in malls to get the last hot children’s toy in the store before Christmas. Stampedes like those who are like a scared farm animal’s leave people hurt or even dead when huge groups of people all try to enter popular events or ex it buildings in a hurry. It’s so depressing to discover that laws wished-for to protect children have effectively led to an entire society who do not care about anyone but themselves. The laws were considered essential, but some people have said that violence leads to violence and therefore children should never be subjected to corporeal discipline.Research shows that although, love is the crucial basis on a child’s moral and civilized character is build, it is not enough. Parental discipline is extremely vital in helping a child to develop moral and civilized character.Work CitedBartkowski, John P. and W. Bradford Wilcox. â€Å"Conservative Protestant Child Discipline:The Case of Parental Yelling.† Social Forces. 79.1 (2000): 265-90.Baumrind, Diana. â€Å"The Discipline Controversy Revisited.† Family Relations. 45.4 (1996): 405-14Dowshen, Steven A., Neil Izenberg and Elizabeth R. Bass. The Kidshealth Guide forParents: Pregnancy to Age 5. Chicago, IL: McG raw-Hill Professional, 2002.Erlanger, Howard S. â€Å"Social Class and Corporal Punishment in Childrearing: AReassessment.† American Sociological Review. 39.1 (1974): 68-85.Flynn, Clifton P. â€Å"Regional Differences in Attitudes toward Corporal Punishment.† Journalof Marriage and the Family. 56.2 (1994): 314-24.Giles-Sims, Jean, Murray A. Straus and David B. Sugarman. â€Å"Child, Maternal and Family Characteristics Associated with Spanking.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Family Relations. 44.2 (1985): 170-176.Herzberger, Sharon D. and Howard Tennen. â€Å"The Effect of Self-Relevance on Judgments of Moderate and Severe Disciplinary Encounters.† Journal of Marriage and the Family.47.2 (1985): 311-18.Holden, George W., Pamela C. Miller and Susan D. Harris. â€Å"The Instrumental Side ofCorporal Punishment: Parents’ Reported Practices and Outcome Expectancies.†Journal of Marriage and the Family. 61.4 (1999): 908-19.Larzelere, Robert E. and Jack A. Merenda. â €Å"The Effectiveness of Parental Discipline forToddler Misbehavior at Different Levels of Child Distress.† Family Relations. 43.4(1994): 480-88.Larzelere, Robert E., Paul R. Sather, William N. Schneider, David B. Larson and Patricia L. Pike. â€Å"Punishment Enhances Reasoning’s Effectiveness as a Disciplinary Response to Toddlers.† Journal of Marriage and the Family. 60.2 (1998): 388-403.Pearson, Linda Joan and L. A. Stamford. The Discipline Miracle: The Clinically ProvenSystem for Raising Happy, Healthy and Well-behaved Kids. New York: AMACOM Books, 2006.Szalay, Lorand B., Jean Bryson Strohl and Kathleen T. Doherty. Psychological Forces in Substance Abuse Prevention. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.

Materials, Tips, and Tools to Help you Learn French

Learning French is an ongoing and involved process. You cant learn how to speak French overnight, and you probably cant learn on your own, no matter how many books and CDs you buy. What you can do is use this free website to supplement your learning: to get another explanation of something you didnt understand, to get extra practice between classes, and to brush up on what you once learned but have now all but forgotten. Learn French Online Learn French at About.com offers hundreds of lessons and thousands of sound files to help you learn French. If you are just starting to learn French, begin with one of these: Learn French - hundreds of online French lessons, plus study tips and sound filesFrench e-course - Learn just the basics with this 7-day introductory email courseFrench for travelers - Learn greetings, numbers, food, and other practical vocabulary for a trip If you are looking for a particular French lesson, try my Find it! page.   Learn French Offline There are also plenty of offline tools that you can use to learn French: Beginning FrenchFrench audio tapes/CDsFrench dictionariesFrench for kidsFrench grammar booksFrench learning softwareFrench schools About Learning French Not sure yet whether you want to learn French? Keep reading: What is French? - Some facts and figuresWhy learn French - What is learning French good for?Learn French as an adult - Yes, it is possibleIs Spanish easier to learn than French? - Compare them and then decideWhat is the best way to learn French? - Figure yours out Practice your French Dont forget that you also need to practice the French you learn. Daily FrenchFrench practice ideasOvercoming speaking anxiety