Thoreau And Jefferson A Comparison Essays - Civil Disobedience

Thoreau and Jefferson: A Comparison Henry David Thoreau and Thomas Jefferson were two of our nation's greatest thinkers, writers, and shapers of political thought. Both have been regarded since their (respective) times as visionaries and prolific intellectuals. However, when one compares Jefferson's original composition of the Declaration of Independence with Thoreau's essay "Resistance to Civil Disobedience", the differences (as well as similarities) are striking. Both Thoreau and Jefferson express their parallel ideas of the creation of (and rebellion to) a sovereign authority. When Jefferson states, We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable; that all men are created equal and independent...and...whenever any form of government shall become destructive of [the preservation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government. ...His direct tone reflects his purpose ? that is, the institution of his afore-mentioned new government. Likewise, Thoreau argues that, "All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable." He cements Jefferson's ideals, but brings to the table a harsher sentence for the intolerable government. While Jefferson calls for the abolition of a state if it becomes destructive of the preservation of life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness, Thoreau states that revolt is called for even when the state's level of inefficiency is too high. The criteria for revolution seem to be flexible. Probably the most basic of Thoreau and Jefferson's ideas is that of government as a product of the people. "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their power from the consent of the governed," Jefferson writes. The same democratic thoughts manifest themselves as Thoreau ends, "The authority of government ...is still an impure one: to be strictly just, it must have the sanction and consent of the governed." The parallel between these two statements is fairly straightforward. Again, we see the analogous nature of Thoreau and Jefferson's arguments when they speak of the response to intolerable abuse by a political power. ...But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, began at a distinguished period, and perusing invariably the same object, evinces a design to subject them to arbitrary power, it is [the people's] right, it is their duty, to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security. As in their arguments for independent sovereignty, revolt and revolution play direct roles in their quest for a just government. Thoreau writes, ...When a sixth of the population of a nation which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty are slaves, and a whole country is unjustly overrun and conquered by a foreign army, and subjected to military law, I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize. Once again, the basis for their statements is the same. Also, rather interestingly, both bring up the question of slavery and utilize it to justify part of their argument, albeit in different ways. This is striking since Thoreau's vehement abolitionist stance conflicts with Jefferson's ownership of slaves, yet they both seem to argue against it. As similar as their ideologies seem to be, however, they differ in very fundamental ways. Thoreau ardently believes that just because something is popular doesn't make it right, while Jefferson is much less critical of democracy and thinks it better to have the large majority rule justly rather than an unjust minority at the expense of others. While both works write persuasively and directly, Jefferson's pragmatic idealism is strikingly absent from Thoreau's comments; when one reads lines like, "I am not responsible for the successful working of the machinery of society," it is obvious the criticism is that of Henry David Thoreau. Part of these ideological differences stem from basic differences of context; while Jefferson was declaring war for his new nation's independence, Thoreau is writing a more passive response to grievances he has suffered at the hands of his government. Thoreau's is not a war cry, only a rebuttal to the system that he feels is not working the way it should. While contextual differences may account for some of the differences is Jefferson and Thoreau's writing, a larger one is

A Guideline for Conducting Research

A Guideline for Conducting Research Here is a guideline on conducting research for writing a research paper or any kind of essay. Research can be defined as systematic investigation and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Research involves collecting data on a given subject that usually relates to the real world. Data includes information found in surveys, interviews, observations, primary/secondary sources, journals, magazines, and books. In the academic setting, the research obtained on a subject will be used by the student in a paper or essay of some sort. Questions to Answer When Conducting Research: What do I want to discover? How do I plan on discovering it? (Recognized as research methods/methodology) Who am I going to talk to? Who or what will I be observing?   What are my biases about this topic? How can I make sure my biases are not reflected in my research methods? What do I expect to discover? Regardless of the assignment, the writer at the college level usually needs to conduct research before anything else – long before they ever put a word on paper. It involves hours spent doing some kind of work to answer a question, which is either determined by the student or the assignment instructions. If you need to choose a topic to conduct a research on here are some lists that may help you: 60 Best Research Paper Topics Argumentative Essay Topics A Guideline on Conducting Research 1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are many experts and resources on a college campus. The student should if they’re having trouble conducting appropriate research, talk with their professor who has given them the assignment. In most cases that professor will be more than willing to direct them to a good place to start, usually the college’s library or to online academic sources. Librarians are there to help, as well. It is their job to direct students to sources where they can find information on any given subject. 2. Read extensively on that subject. The more a student reads on a subject, the better they will understand it   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ which means they will be better able to write at length on it and in a professional manner. There is a good chance someone else, in the best scenario, a scholar, has researched a subject or topic extensively and has already produced a lengthy treatise on that subject. The student should search for these treatises to learn the basics about this subject, and to understand the issues or controversies that surround it. 3. Know the reason for gathering the information. This helps the student decide what exactly they are looking for, how much information they need, and what they are going to do with the research they find. Not all the research the student finds needs to be incorporated into their paper; most of the time, research helps a student to better understand a topic in general, which helps make their paper’s content more clear, concise and accurate. 4. Look for credible sources. This includes being skeptical about the sources the one finds – as not all are helpful, credible or even accurate. Since issues change and evolve, it is also best for a student to obtain and identify scholarly sources that have been currently published. A student unsure of the legitimacy of a source should ask their professor or librarian for help, or to teach them how to identify a worthy scholarly source. When the process of conducting research is completed a student is to start writing a research paper. Here is a guideline of research paper writing: How to Write a Research Paper The process of conducting research effects the goals set thats why its important to make this process effective and gather all information on the topic possible. If you dont have time to gather information and write a research paper you may outsource your assignment to a professional writer.

Jimmy Carter - 39th President of the United States

Jimmy Carter - 39th President of the United States Jimmy Carters Childhood and Education: James Earl Carter was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. He grew up in Archery, Georgia. His father was a local public official. Jimmy grew up working in the fields to help bring in money. He attended public schools in Plains, Georgia. After high school, he attended Georgia Institute of Technology before being accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy in 1943 from which he graduated in 1946. Family Ties: Carter was the son of  James Earl Carter, Sr., a farmer and public official and Bessie Lillian Gordy, a Peace Corps volunteer. He had two sisters, Gloria and Ruth, and a brother, Billy. On  July 7, 1946, Carter married  Eleanor Rosalynn Smith. She was his sister Ruths best friend. Together they had three sons and one daughter. His daughter, Amy, was a child while Carter was in the White House. Military Service: Carter joined the navy from 1946-53. He began as an ensign. He attended submarine school and was stationed aboard the submarine Pomfret. He was then placed in 1950 on an anti-sub submarine. He then went on to study nuclear physics and was chosen to serve as an engineering officer on one of the first atomic submarines. He resigned from the navy in 1953 upon the death of his father. Career Before the Presidency: After leaving the military in 1953, he returned to Plains, Georgia to help on the farm upon his fathers death. He expanded the peanut business to the point of making him very wealthy. Carter served in the Georgia State Senate from 1963-67. In 1971, Carter became the governor of Georgia. In 1976, he was the dark horse candidate for president. The campaign centered around Fords pardon of Nixon. Carter won by a narrow margin with 50% of the vote and 297 out of 538 electoral votes. Becoming the President: Carter declared his candidacy for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination in 1974. He ran with the idea of restoring trust after the debacle of Watergate. He was opposed by Republican President Gerald Ford. The vote was very close with Carter winning 50% of the popular vote and 297 out of 538 electoral votes. Events and Accomplishments of Jimmy Carters Presidency: On Carters first day in office, he issued a pardon for all those who dodged the draft in the  Vietnam War  era. He did not pardon deserters, however. Nonetheless, his actions were offensive to many veterans.   Energy was a huge issue during Carters administration. With the  Three Mile Island  incident, stricter regulations on Nuclear Energy plants were required. Further, the  Department of Energy  was created. Much of Carters time as president was spent dealing with diplomatic issues. In 1978,  President Carter  invited Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to Camp David for peace talks. This led to a formal peace treaty in 1979. In 1979, diplomatic relations were formally established between China and the U.S. On November 4, 1979, the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran was seized and 60 Americans were taken hostage. 52 of the hostages were held for more than a year. Carter suspended oil imports from Iran and the UN Security Council called for the release of the hostages. He imposed economic sanctions. He also attempted in 1980 to rescue the hostages. However, three helicopters malfunctioned and they were unable to follow through with the rescue. Eventually, the Ayatollah Khomeini agreed to release the hostages in exchange for unfreezing Iranian assets in the U.S. They were not released, however, until Reagan was president. The hostage crisis was part of the reason that Carter did not win reelection. Post-Presidential Period: Carter left the presidency on January 20, 1981 after losing to Ronald Reagan. He retired to Plains, Georgia. He became an important figure in Habitat for Humanity. Carter has been involved in diplomatic endeavors including helping forge an agreement with North Korea. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Historical Significance: Carter was president at a time when energy issues came to the forefront. During his time, the Department of Energy was created. Further, the Three Mile Island incident showed possible problems inherent in relying on nuclear energy. Carter is also important for his part in the Middle East peace process with the Camp David Accords in 1972.

Referring to the 5 main problems of philosophy, show how each of the Essay

Referring to the 5 main problems of philosophy, show how each of the readings (Plato through Descartes.) - Essay Example Analysis of Knowledge The philosopher defined knowledge with level of doubt which is basically the contrast of certainity (Jerry 33). The philosopher Plato argues about mathematics denoting the logic. His work considerably influenced logic, linguistics, mathematics, set theory, and philosophy, particularly philosophy of language, metaphysics and epistemology. The true belief is already mobilized to resemble a modal logic and possibility of including world’s semantics. Epistemology has received greatest attention although it still lacks formal representation (Jerry 16). The concept of scientific inventions are currently dwelling much on metaphysics which is far much beyond human perception as the concern gets deeper relying on three main factors, for instance, God mind and soul, which are unique to an extent that man kind is not able to understand. Descartes embraces the principle deployed in order to be certain (doubtless). However, the philosopher acknowledge that everything within the earth shall be over and they an existing by their nature. This affirms that Descartes fears and recognized that God is Omni present. In metaphysics, and is determined to derive the ultimate reality in the existence between man, nature, mind and all matters that ad related to ultimate reality personal view on Meta physics (Jerry 19). Despite the human perception on God’s creation, people do think that they have the ability to let God’s work change. This is totally a perception which still requires a lot of argument both physically and through the bible to determine the reasons ass to why man in working with perception instead of ajusti9ng to the requirements. The religion philosopher clearly indicates that our God is not far from Earth, his prayers for many (Jerry 23). Ethically, the slave trade that erupted in the USA, which lead to death of thousands

Assignment for the American Government Class Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

For the American Government Class - Assignment Example Each member of congress has a member of staff who manages the office and in the drafting of legislature. Members of the congressional committee also have their own staff similar to the congressional budget office, office of technology assessment. b. What are the differences between departments, agencies, and bureaus? Departments are pieces of a business, that is, a business can be divided into several departments, to make it easier to manage, an agency part of a large bureau and a bureau is the highest in the chain of command. c. How is the federal bureaucracy staffed, and how has this changed since the nineteenth century? In the 19th century, the presidents could hire and fire staff of the federal bureaucracy as they saw fit, this created an office, which was filled with the president’s allies and friends, but no work was being done. Today the staffs do not have to be hired by the president only, but the senate must come in and approve of them, as well. Question # 2 a. What did Justice Meyer mean by "ancient liberty?" He means that it is necessary to consider ancient and active liberty this is the liberty to engage in active and constant involvement, in collective power, this is when considering the resolution of a case. b. Discuss his three basic views, in detail, with regard to the constitution. Make sure to include and discuss the framework he writes that the constitution creates.

Reflective Essay on Reality Shows

Reflective Essay on Reality Shows Reality Shows should be Banned The main essence of reality shows is to put ordinary people in a social confined setting with extraordinary environment and activities with the aim of entertaining audiences with the illusion that what is going on is not scripted nor rehearsed. Most reality shows attempt to convince the audience that the participants of the show are being pushed to their physical, emotional or physiological limits in order to complete a specific task or attain a certain goal of which audience cheer on their favorite participant. With the change in times and technology most reality shows have gone over board and have forgotten the basic concept of reality shows and are now focusing more on entertainment than reality that has lead to increase in sexual exposure, humiliation and immorality. Reality shows have lost their way from original series like survivor to the new mediocre series of two celebrities living in a farm yard for a week. Reality TV has joined the ranks of day time entertainment and has l ost the spark of spontaneous originality from other forms of scripted entertainment. Additionally, the most famous reality shows worldwide are big brother and Idols; these two are examples of scripted and well rehearsed reality shows. In the just concluded episode of idols a judge was dared to sing out of the blue and it so happened just by â€Å"coincidence† that the band started playing a song which the judge joined in emphatically without hesitation. The crowed cheered and applauded for the â€Å"unexpected† performance by the judge. Such reality T.V. shows give viewers and more so children false hope of a â€Å"happily ever after† reality were heroes and heroines live thus insulting the intelligence of the viewers. In the case of big brother viewers are subjected to sex as a form of entertainment. Relationships formed in the big brother house give the participant a better chance of winning the competition and increase his/her ratings thus the audience spends time and money voting for the participant so they can enjoy seeing the participants relationship grow. And due to the full disclosure nature of the show all activities are broadcasted and shown live on our T.V. sets exposing and encouraging our youths, young adults and children to sex, immorality and promiscuous behaviors. Furthermore, the common comic saying â€Å"its funny until someone gets hurt, then its hilarious† comes to life in most reality shows. Producers of reality shows capitalize on the demise and misfortunes of participants. When a contestant falls down or gets hurt in anyway it is taken as a form of entertainment or comedy not knowing the humiliation and psychological trauma they instill in the participant. Examples of such shows are â€Å"show me the funny† â€Å"Real T.V.† and â€Å"Fear factor†. Show me the funny capitalizes on bloopers of home made videos which show family member having accidents such as hitting each other being bitten by a snake or having a ball hit them on their faces. Turning such perilous or even fatal accidents to o form of humor encourages children to view violence and accidents as vivacious events and not the precarious activities they are. Producers also capitalize on the eviction or the inability of a participant to complete a cer tain assignment. The humiliation and reaction of a participant being evicted or accepting defeat is a high point of most reality T.V. which is morally and ethically wrong. The failure of a fellow human being should be frowned upon and not celebrated. The planned scripting and acting that happens in reality T.V. shows insults the viewers intelligence. A good example of this is the most popular TV show on the planet, the WWE wrestling. Such shows give the viewers the misapprehensions that what is going on is ad hoc, spontaneous and impulsive and yet they are not. The physical abuse that is entailed in the WWE wrestling show is unfeasible, ridiculous and impracticable. No human being can with stand such maltreatment and continue to show aggression to his opponent with full body strength. Majority of the audience know that such reality shows are scripted and premeditated but to the young and young at heart, the level of belief and credence they have in reality shows is hazardous to their mental capability to distinguish authentic violence from fictional performances. Such reality shows affect the social interactions of youths. They encourage violence as a form of entertainment and not the atrocious, offensive conduct that it is. Suc h Reality shows have promoted violence in children which has consequently increased gang related bloodshed in America and violent behavior schools. Though most violent reality shows try and warn the audience against performing their impractical physical fetes and aptitude, audiences cannot help but to try out what they see on T.V. and in turn end up hurting themselves and others in the process. Contrarily the banning of reality shows would give us false hope of protecting our children from the bad aspect of â€Å"sex and violence† because it is not only in reality shows that our children are exposed to sex and violence, technology has made it possible for our children to access sexual contents and violent games and videos via the internet. Though banning reality shows would reduce the amount of sexual content they would be exposed to it would only pave way to new forms of sexual and violent entertainment which would conveniently reach our children. Reality TV shows are one but not the most sexually explicit forms of entertainment, so we should not elude our selves that banning reality television would solve the problem, it will only reduce it for a some time, until other forms of explicit entertainment come along. Banning reality TV will be breaking of international laws. It would be an infringement of basic rights, freedom of speech. Every and all human have the right to express themselves in a way they deem fit and so by banning reality TV show we would contravene with their democratic right to convey their grievances and views. With this in mind it would be erroneous to ban the shows since most of the producers know their rights and follow them to the latter, this will convey the violation of these rights and hence it will be impracticable. The viewers too have the absolute right to watch these shows and amuse themselves; banning these shows will create an international outcry from the viewers who derive pleasure from these shows, it will also be in breach of the viewers rights. We should also take heart in the fact that most people will se right through scripted reality shows. We live in an informed world where information is at our finger tips. The shallow scripts and predictability of mediocre reality TV are clichà ©s and with time audiences will distinguish between scripted premeditated and organized reality TV shows and the real thing. At the end of the day if a reality show does not appeal to your everyday life and situation then one should know that the show is scripted. More so with information and technology easy accessibility most viewers get to know the hollowness of reality TV shows and watch them primly for entertainment. This makes the banning of the shows irrelevant and unimportant because to the viewers they are more or less a form of amusement. Finally we need to accept that reality shows have fallen from grace and are not what they used to be. We need to ask ourselves who is to blame, the producers who make the reality TV shows or we the audience who give the producers reason to dramatize reality in a sexually immoral way that that affect the behavior and morals of our young. If the producers made real reality shows that speak to the day to day events of our lives would we watch them with the same interests we watch the current scripted shows? Would we still enjoy the true conflicts triumphs and struggles or are we already hooked to the soap opera type of reality TV that is being broadcasted through out the world/ are we our own worst victims, influencing the increase of sex violence and immorality that is reality TV shows? Or should we shift the blame to those who produce the shows? If we didnt create a market for low quality TV productions would our children be exposed to such appalling entertainment range? The question remains would it help if reality TV was banned? References Murray, S. Ouellete, L. (2008). Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture.(2nd Ed). New York, NYU Press.

E.M Forster

E. M Forster Essay â€Å"I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country. † It appears to me that E. M Forster does make a valuable point in her personal speculation to believe that personal relations are more important than a simple cause or patriotism. In this essay I will give reason to Forster’s opinion as well as the other view of things. Without beloved friends, not only would there be no country,but also the world would seem lonely and one would be lost. (Correlative conj. At some unexpected point in all our lives, we must come to an end, and when we do we want to be able to think, â€Å" When I must leave this world, I’m actually going to be satisfied† (complex sentence) Friends engender a certain warmth that your country will never be able to formulate within. â€Å"A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally conf ide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity. † (Compound Sentence) This quote is a true definition of a dear friend. The comprehension between two friends is something that you simply cannot get anywhere else, let alone from your country. A single rose can be my garden, but a single friend can be my world. † Friends are roses. (metaphor) Friends blossom with you, helping you grow as a person, enlightening you, every step you take. Friendship is like a violin; the music may stop now and then, but the strings will last forever. (simile) Although this esoteric view may seem like the correct way into choosing a friend over a country, others may contradict that and think otherwise. One may think that being there for one’s country is the absolute least thing you can do to show honor and pride. The love of one's country is a splendid thing. † It’s true, having pride of what land you reside in is great. Some may argue with t he thought of standing by their country rather than a friend is a much wiser idea simply because of how your country will physically never abandon you like some friends might do over time. â€Å"Patriotism is easy to understand in America; it means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country† One can create a certain barrier of so-called protection by simply protecting their country in hope of receiving something spiritual in return.Loyalty and pride are two traits everyone should have when speaking of their homeland, how far they take it, is entirely their own path and choice to take. Overall, I agree with E. M Forster’s main idea in choosing friends over her own country if it would ever result to that. â€Å"As the year go by our friendship will never die† Even when it may not be physically visible friendship will always be there to comfort you with lengthy arms of warmth, encouragement, and companionship, traits that your own shining country will never have.