Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Justice System Essay -- Race Racial

Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Justice System Introduction In modern-day America the issue of racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is controversial because there is substantial evidence confirming both individual and systemic biases. While there is reason to believe that there are discriminatory elements at every step of the judicial process, this treatment will investigate and attempt to elucidate such elements in two of the most critical judicial junctures, criminal apprehension and prosecution. Criminal Apprehension Statistical accounts show consistent accord in that African Americans are disproportionately arrested over whites. What is much less lucid, however, is the real reason for this disparity. Both criminologists and political scientists alike have expounded remarkably polarized explanations for this phenomenon. Exemplary of this are two arguments as developed as they are diametrically opposed, that of William Wilbanks and that of Samuel Walker, Cassia Spohn and Miriam DeLone. These authors’ arguments are both well-articulated and comprehensive, addressing virtually every pertinent concept in the issue of explaining racially disparate arrest rates. In The Myth of a Racist Criminal Justice System, Wilbanks insists that racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is a fabrication, explaining the over-representation of African Americans in arrest numbers simply through higher incidence of crime. Walker, Spohn and DeLone’s The Color of Justice dissents that not only are African Americans not anywhere near the disproportionate level of crime that police statistics would indicate, they are also arrested more because they are policed discriminately. Walker, Spohn and DeLone addi... ...ican Sociological Review 55(5): 609-627. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1224%28199010%2955%3A5%3C609%3ACADOTL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4 Tappan, Paul W. 1947. â€Å"Who Is the Criminal?† American Sociological Review 12 (1): 96-102. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1224%28194702%2912%3A1%3C96%3AWITC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z Turner, Billy. 1986. â€Å"Race and Peremptory Challenges During Voir Dire: Do Prosecution and Defense Agree?† Journal of Criminal Justice 14: 61-69. U.S. Department of Justice. 2002. â€Å"What is the Sequence of Events in the Criminal Justice System?† http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/cjsflowco.pdf. Walker, Samuel, Cassia Spohn, and Miriam DeLone. 2000. The Color of Justice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Wilbanks, William. 1987. The Myth of the Racist Criminal Justice System. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

Impressment of British Men and the Draft of the Vietnam War Essay

In this paper, I would briefly discuss the Impressment of British Men and the Draft of Vietnam War. I would present the similarities and differences of the two eras in answering the question â€Å"How are the two eras of Impressment of British Men and Draft of Vietnam wars can be compared and contrast? † In addition, I would also try to present some argument regarding these era. Impressment is defined as the enforcement of fitted but unwilling men through crude and violent methods (Britannica Corporate Site, 2007) or forcibly inducting men into military service or in navy. (Politics and Public Service Impressment, 2005) Impressment is more common on navy than on military service. Physically fitted men were forced to serve on ships to fill the crew complement and on military in times of conflict. Conditions in European navy and military were very hard were the navy and military men experience scarcity of food, brutal punishment, different diseases and homesickness. These conditions resulted to impressments of men because only few volunteer in enlistments and they really need manpower. And most of the times, men at ages 18-55 were in danger of this practice. Impressment goes this way. Strong sailors formed a press gang. It is usually headed by a ship officer who chose strong and ruthless crew. They were armed with sly tongues and clubs. They would wait for other ships where they first offer employment to sailors as an attempt to make them come willingly. If they don’t want to come, this is where they forced them. They grab men and experienced sailors to impressed forcing them on board the ship. Their targets are mostly poor and criminals, those who have least social power over them. (Alternative Canadian Heritage Moments) Some of the men seized by the press gang chose to jump off and leave the British ship. They choose to come to the American merchant marine who offers better pay and more comfortable positions and adopt also the American citizenship. British navy targeted the British deserters and searched any ship including the American ship. Supposedly, impressment should only be for British men. However, sailors from other nations, particularly in America were also seized because they look similarly to British men in appearance, clothing or language. (War of 1812) British men stop their ships at sea and since they were unable to get enough men, they wouldn’t believe any document as proof of their citizenship. (Smith, 2007) Once a man was impressed, he was offered choices of whether he would sign as volunteer and receive benefits and salary or just remain as pressed man and receive nothing at all. (Royal Naval Museum Library, 2001). The impressment of American by the British men is considered as violations to America’s sovereignty and maritime rights. Because of this, the Americans were really offended which resulted to war they declared against Britain on June 1812. At that time, British were engaged in the war with the Napoleonic Empire so they did not give that much attention to the United States complaints even after the declaration of war against them. But after taking some considerations they formed First Nations allies and campaigns to protect Canada. The allies and Canadian military worked together to stop the American invasion even if they are inexperienced in this field. (War of 1812) The practice of impressment in Britain was last used in 1803-1815 during the Napoleonic wars but the right of using it still retained. By the year 1853, some changes were made like giving a pension for the sailors who continuously served in the navy for a certain number of years. The changes made reduced the need of impressments until it died out the form it used to be since many men would volunteer already. (Royal Naval Museum Library, 2001) Drafting of men during Vietnam War or what we call conscription is similar in impressments of British men during the Napoleonic war. Conscription means the same as impressment which is forced service to the military force or any institution with established authority. So they are similar in the sense that the physically-abled and fitted men are forced to do serve in the military service. About 2. 2 million of approximately 8. 6 million men and 250,000 women who served the military during the Vietnam War era were drafted. In contrast to the Impressment where their way of avoiding it is escaping, the draftees could avoid the draft resistance by deferment, exemption or medical disqualification. (Seely) These two eras are also different in the process of getting unwilling men involved into military service. In Vietnam War, the draftees were chosen in deferment system in 1792 until it was changed into a â€Å"lottery† manner in 1863. The remarkable date of the first draft lottery is on December 1, 1969. This is a way of United States of drafting young men to fight the war in Vietnam. There are 366 capsules representing each day of the year. Inside the capsules were pieces of papers were draftee’s birthday whose age ranges from 18 to 26 is written. The birthdays are between January 1, 1944 and December 31, 1950. The drawing of these capsules is shown to the national television and broadcast on radios. Capsules were drawn one by one and the dates drawn were assigned a certain number depending on the order respectively. (CNN Perspective Series) The draftees were then called for duty still according to order that they were drawn until the number needed for military manpower is reached. Draftees would then undergo screening before they could actually be sent to Vietnam. Some might be rejected because of their physical and mental fitness or legal grounds such as conviction to crimes. (CNN Perspective Series) Still, because of draftees mass armies were raised at little cost and sustained the military force. But then discrimination was rampant making the draft controversial. This is obvious when the working class and the rich could pay money for $300 to avoid being drafted. (Gill, 2005) During the Vietnam War, the draft prepared can easily be tapped by the authority and send to war. That is why the war lasted for almost ten years. (Jahnkow, 2007) This conscription in United States ended in 1973 when Vietnam War ended and political oppositions to the draft started to progress. From getting draftees, military became a volunteer force when the US Congress abolished the draft. (Friedman, 2006). The issue of draft or constriction or impressments remains debatable between an individual concern and a national society security concern. When we practice democracy of choosing what you want, we cannot deny the fact that the manpower needed by the military forces of the nation is not enough and volunteer enlistment remains low. Others argue that one who enjoys the security offered by the country’s army forces owe not only their property but their service to the nation. Many people who talk about renewing and bringing back the draft believes that the US armed forces need more members to serve and defend the country. (Gill, 2005) On the other hand, some argue that a military group or army consists of volunteer citizens would be a more effective armed force. Since they volunteer their dedications to work can be expected. There is also a big probability that they will stay in the service for a long time. The time supposedly be used in constriction would then be used in practicing and developing military skills. Moreover, there is less morale problems. (Friedman, 2006) Some say there’s no more need of draft because of the technologies used in wars today. The military needs professionals and not just men who have combat skills. Another argument is that of expanding the reserve corps and activating them in times of conflicts rather than recruiting through constriction. At least, reserve corps was trained with the military skills needed for an effective troupe, something that a draft could not provide. Generalizing the research I’ve made regarding the two eras of Impressment of British men and the Draft of Vietnam War, I guess history would repeat itself if in the present the legislators will consider reviving the draft or impressment for the armed forces. Let’s say they approved draft or impressment, there will also be protests, rallies and riots from the people to stop it. This would mean another conflict within the country. And more lives will be sacrificed for this matter. Taking into consideration the national security concern on the other hand, we can also see the need of recruiting and getting more men involve in the military and armed forces. But as some people are saying, there could be a better way of doing it so than renewing the draft and impressment practices of the 1700s. With this I want to quote Rich Janhkow, a member of Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft, in the article he wrote Muddled Thinking About Conscription. He said, â€Å"People who are now advocating a draft need to be challenged to look more carefully at the facts and consider the full, global implications of what they are proposing. Otherwise, they may eventually get what they are asking for, which would come back to haunt us all† (Jahnkow, 2007). Bibliography Alternative Canadian Heritage Moments. (n. d. ). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from Alternative Heritage Moments Project: http://www. opirg-carleton. org/alt-khm/ pmwiki/pmwiki. php/Main/Impressment Britannica Corporate Site. (2007). Retrieved August 26, 2007, from ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA ONLINE: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9042221/impressment CNN Perspective Series. (n. d. ). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from CNN interactive: http://www. cnn. com/SPECIALS/cold. war/episodes/13/the. draft/ Friedman, G. (2006, November 21). A Fresh Look at the Draft. Retrieved August 28, 2007, from STRATFOR: https://www. stratfor. com/offers/061109-MCA/280234. php? ref=061109-MCA&camp=06 Gill, K. (2005, June 27). US Politics. Retrieved August 28, 2007, from Military Conscriptin, Recruiting and The Draft: http://uspolitics. about. com/od/electionissues/a/draft. htm Jahnkow, R. (2007, January 21). ZNET. Retrieved August 28, 2007, from Muddled Thinking About Conscription: http://www. zmag. org/content/showarticle. cfm? SectionID=51&ItemID=11909 Politics and Public Service Impressment. (2005). Retrieved August 26, 2007, from us history. com: http://www. u-s-history. com/pages/h456. html Royal Naval Museum Library. (2001). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from Royal Naval Museum: http://www. royalnavalmuseum. org/info_sheet_impressment. htm Seely, R. A. (n. d. ). A Further Flight. Retrieved August 27, 2007, from givewings. com: http://www. givewings. com/writings/essays_on_war/vietnam. html Smith, S. (2007). wiseGEEK. Retrieved August 27, 2007, from Conjecture Corporation: http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-impressment. htm War of 1812. (n. d. ). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from galafilm: http://www. galafilm. com/1812/e/background/brit_impress. html.

Thomas Nagel’s: The Absurdity of Life

In this term paper, I will discuss about life, death and the absurdity of life, by showing the different methods of this term paper which are the following the synthesis, analysis, critique and the last one is the conclusion. Personally, I admit that the book of Thomas Nagel entitled â€Å"The view from nowhere† as my one reference, is so difficult to comprehend and I think, this reference or book is not fit for the first timer who takes the philosophy course. But rather, I think it is intended only for those experts’s in philosophy course, who can easily understand the chapters in the book.However, in spite of that difficulty that I have been experienced, what I did was to go beyond my best with pressing mind just to give some insights of that book and of course, so that the readers will give some intention to read this works. However, when I did this term paper, I always kept on thinking that this difficulty, is part of my training, even though it gives my mind so pai nful but I never stop to work on it, just for that difficulties. Even though, the book implies a very analytic approach.Indeed, I’m happy to say that the book teaches my mind to think beyond this world and it gives me some techniques to expand my mind and more so to acknowledge my topic which is the absurdity of life. Honestly, I haven’t finished reading the book but I think if I’m going to continue reading the book, although every chapter have a connection and has difference interpretation, it would makes my mind more complex to dissect the different insights of every chapters. I read only the last chapter of the book which focuses more about life.Because I think, it would make me interesting to discuss about life, because some people or majority are now have this kind of fear to face life and to face death. So, in this term paper, I also dedicate my work to those people who are struggling about the different phobia in life. Thus, I heard some voices that would say that the book is an interesting book. But, I deny there words and I did not affirm yet. In the sense, that it’s very hard to understand the different connections in every chapter. In the other sense, I have also this feeling to affirm on what they said, in the sense that it gives us enlightenment and wider mind.Thomas Nagel as contemporary philosopher wanted to break the vicious circle regarding many possibilities that would happen in life and even in death. Yes, possibility would positively happen in our life but as my suggestion, we will minimize the fear in life in all that we experience because we know that â€Å"The one† guides us in every steps of our journey. I. Synthesis: Life is like the â€Å"analogy of the spider†1 where directly appeared in the urinal of the men’s room who have a unique attitude of existence.It keeps on moving until it finds a comfortable and secure place to continue feeding any tiny attractive insects. So, from this anal ogy I think the spider has two standpoints here by looking at life. These two standpoints here are the characteristics in life which are synthetic and analytic. It is somehow called as the passivity of life in looking to the physical world because it seems that it keeps on moving to find the infinite satisfaction but as human being can’t satisfy. Thomas Nagel presented life as instances, while explaining the metaphysical life.However, as I could see Nagel somehow used also the anthropological explanation about life. As what I understood the book of Nagel that life is the center in the universe. It simply means that if we negate to recognize life, the universe also affected and experience negation because universe is composed of bodily life, which every living organism seems to experience existence. As Blondel said, that we should recognized our responsibility or duty to live life. It means that life would undergo a certain process to go back to the origin.In other words, it h as certain path of reflexive to think what should life to be. There is a movement in life which seems to be the prime mover in controlling the condition of the world. Thus, dissatisfaction in life is unavoidable but as human being, we keep on desiring more and more and we think that all what we desire can achieve it. As Maurice Blondel would say â€Å"never stop† continue to seek what is in life. As Blondel said â€Å"it can be less perfect but it cannot be perfect as we seek life. This means that we can achieve what should life to be but not totally.As human being, we have life and we try rendering life by moving self to attain the very meaning of life. However, we should not forget to go beyond the contradiction of freedom is infinite reality as Blondel said. We should act life according to our norm, rendering ourselves into action in sacrifices that undergo a hectic process to attain the very meaning of life. Thomas Nagel, emphasis life in general. Including the life of t he animals, and as we can see the different animals, keeps also in finding the space in this world wherein they were capable to survive whatever challenge that would give to nature.Like for example the life of a turtle that is not incapable of living in the limited water, so the turtle would be transfer near in the abundant water areas such as in fishpond, near in the posits where the water keep on flowing towards the certain area where the turtle is capable to live. However, it doesn’t matter like this situation but there is a slight the same standpoints. Indeed, Thomas Nagel presented life as instances or in the word accidental and still a mystery. A mystery which is cannot be solved in a logical way. Thus, life for me has something to negate the objectivity and it is necessary in life, as Thomas Aquinas would say.If we try to looks at the case of life in our time, we possible know the flow of life; it has been a structure to make. However, we annunciated to someone by just comparing our existence to other self. LIFE: â€Å"The point of objectivity with respect to value runs the risk of having value behind altogether. We may reach a standpoint so removed from the perspective of human life that all we can do is to observe: nothing seems to have a value of the kind it appears to have from inside and all we can see is human desires, human striving – human valuing as an activity or condition†2As far as I understand from this footnote, it seems that it aims to negate the human life so that we could somehow focus only on the objectivity as basis to look at life giving distance to evaluate life beyond the value of life itself. It is just like to deny the essence of life and then transcend in objective way, so that we can evaluate life by observing the condition of the world. â€Å"The uneasy relation between inner and outer perspectives, neither of which we can escape, makes it hard to maintain a coherent attitude toward the fact that we exist , toward the meaning or point our lives†3 4Yes, since we exist in a mystery or accidental way by means of our parents. We cannot detached the coherent attitudes of life because of the fact that we are imperfect being that have the access to look at the physical world as full of dissatisfaction and as well as looking the content of the world objectively. In other hand, by doing such different functions in our existence, we can slowly know the identity of what should life to be. â€Å"The same person who is subjectively submitted without destroying it – leaving him divided.And objection self, noticing that it is personally identical with the object of its detachment, comes to feel trapped in this particular life – detached but unable to disengage and dragged along by a subjective seriousness it can’t even attempt to rid of† It means that Thomas Nagel from this passages life reduced from universal to particular which the individual life. We have indivi dual insights by looking at life. That there is something things that we not yet to know in each individual, that is why Nagel reduce the objective self.However, it is like this if we try to compare our self to other personally, it seems that there is something that makes us human being different and yet we cannot grasp at it easily, as if we are passive to grasp it. As if, it is known to us but we cannot hold it and that makes everyone unique. It is just like comparing the two people and then eliminates the thing makes different. â€Å"No doubt many who have experienced the discomfort of objective detachment from themselves simply forget about it and live inside the world as if there were no external view†5It means that sometimes as we continue to live in the world, we sometimes forget the basis in life to go back the objective detachment and we simply live our life miserable without seeing the external world, as if we are in blind fold to see the external world. Thomas Nage l emphases that we should not forget what govern life to find the very essence of it by looking the flow of life itself. â€Å"The wish to live so far as possible in full recognition that one’s position in the universe is not central has anelement of the religious impulse about it, or at least an on acknowledges and includes it can be fruitful, even if complete integration inevitably eludes us†6 We cannot deny the fact that most human being searched life through religious impulse or spiritual aspects. Because, some would think in the sense that it can somehow find the authentic answer of life, on what life should be. Even though, some people believe in different doctrines it is necessary to them to worship because they believe that by means of worshiping to something, it can trigger to answer stands of life.I believe that many did this way as contemplation to transcend there self to find the answer of life. â€Å"The external standpoint and the contemplation of death lead to loss of equilibrium in life. Most of us have felt a constant undertow of absurdity in the projects and ambitions that give our lives their forward drive†7 Life is like a substance it has the capacity to transcend in every moment, and it has mind that keeps on thinking in advance on what will happened about natural phenomenon of life basing to the objective reality.It is somehow like putting life into distance and fronting with the external standpoint in able to destroy the objective reality. However, it is always keep on contemplating to transcend life itself looking to others which also keep on wondering that is why the external would allow breaking life into death. If we look the very context of life, it seems that if we could look closely the phenomenon beyond life, there is something would appear that life is like cycle. If there is life, there is also the time of death, which is call as the natural phenomenon of life?So, we could not confiscate life because life i s only cooperating according to existence. I addition , if put life in the particular box and then life would able to get out from that certain box, the life would separate from the external reality and it would create a phenomenon which is in negative side which is death. â€Å"The real me is not merely part of my world. The person who I am is a contingent on me, I depend for my existence on TN, and TN depends on the world and is inessential to it.This is another of the discomforts of being someone in particular; my world depends for its existence on his birth, even though he also appears in it as a character. It is eerie to see oneself and one’s entire world in this way as a natural product†. 8 Thomas from this footnote refers his life according to TN which remind him the being ness of his self in particular. It means that without TN as body, the self which represent as I of Thomas Nagel cannot exist anymore in particular.In addition, there should be something body w hich can represent the whole life of Thomas Nagel which can recognize regarding his existence where he depend on it. In other words, If we elaborate the whole point, I which is TN represents as the one who is doing the action and it would combine the self so that we can see the being ness of Thomas Nagel. MEANING: â€Å"In seeing ourselves from outside we find it difficult to take our lives seriously. This loss of conviction, and attempt to regain it, is the problem of meaning of life†. 9So, Thomas Nagel stated that if we look at life outside vision, we could see the self has a genuine problem. Because, if we put self outside reality it has lots of possibility to be consider and it has potential to not attain the meaning of life. This problem is quite difficult to reconcile. In this problem, I will give this my answer, regarding this one by exposing my analysis at successive parts of the term paper. â€Å"The capacity for transcendence brings with it a liability to alienatio n, and the wish to escape this condition and to find a larger meaning can lead to even greater absurdity.Yet we can’t abandon the external standpoint because it is our own. †10 Transcendence is a factor to attain knowledge, but in this case it’s quite different. Thus, if we keep on transcending her, the life would become absurd it is. We can somehow arrived into absurdity and its very depressing point that the life would arrived into negation. Because if try to put life in the external reality we can somehow see the concrete issue of life to be absurd. Although, we have been sets the different aim in living our existence. In fact, in this footnotes, we could not say that life can attain the meaning of life.Moreover, if keep on transcending ourselves externally, we can not say in the first place that life has a reason to be exists because life in the first place it’s a mystery and aside from that it’s full of negation of permeated by neurotic obsessi on. â€Å"The real problem is with external point of view, which cannot remain a mere spectator once the self has expanded to accommodate it. It has to join in with the rest and lead this life from which it is disengaged. As a result the person becomes in significant part detached from what he is doing†. 11This is just a problem of self from external reality, when it is on the way to expand in leading life into disengaged which can detached from the I, which is the one doing such action. However, this is remaining a problem of self, in putting self into external reality. Once, it is reconcile already, it will give us such conclusion about what should the possibility of life to be. It is absurd or it is life a meaning. This is the clue of this paper, to dissect the essence of life. â€Å"The internal view resist to reduction to a subject interpretation of its contents which the external view tries to force on it.But this puts the objective standpoint in conflict with itself. Finding my objectively insignificant, I am nevertheless unable to extricate myself from an unqualified commitment to it – to my aspirations and ambitions, my wishes for fulfillment, recognition, and understanding, and so forth. The sense of absurd is the result of this juxtaposition†. 12 The fact that the self govern from external reality, the self would return into passivity which can test the objectivity to create a conflict and the internal reality would reduce to particular self.The standpoints of objectivity will calculate the particular object. â€Å"The loss of self in the individual sense is thought to require by the revelations of an impersonal view, which takes precedence over the view from here. And apparently it is possible for some individuals to achieve this withering away of the ego, so that personal life continues only as a vehicle for the transcendent self, not as an end itself†. 13 The particular individuals can achieve the ego of others, if the ego or the â€Å"I† will sensitive on counteracting the possibility of transcendence.Moreover, transcendence is the factor to recall all the past experience of the particular self. But, it will cause also the conflict in the part of transcendence, if the Ego will not aware of the external reality. So, that would that the self should be careful of transcending while looking the self to the external or outside reality because as Thomas Nagel said that it will the possible can that the life will absurd and he agreed about that thought. â€Å"I would rather lead absurd life engaged in the particular than a seamless transcendental life immersed in the universal†. 14As what I understood from this passage from the book, it seems that Thomas Nagel would rather like to project his vision of life in the particular subjective standpoints than to project life in the universal objective reality. Here, we can see the important of particular subjectivity and we can also find here th e deduction point of view about life, wherein life reduces from universal to particular subjectivity. I would rather to affirm the point of Thomas Nagel that life should be in the particular stands so that it will become easy to us to eliminate the habitual weakness in life which are the failures.â€Å"Objectivity is not content to remain a servant of the individual perspective and its values. It has a life of its own inspiration for transcendence that will not be quieted in response to the call to reassume our true identity. This shows itself not only in the permanent disaffection from individual life that is the sense of the absurd†. 15 The objectivity has a life, as what Thomas Nagel clarifies from this passage, in which can drives the whole rule of transcendence. So, objectivity is not the things subject can be independent itself. It is a matter of looking at the particular subjective reality.â€Å"The external standpoint plays an important positive role in human motivat ion as well as a negative one, and the two cannot separate. Both depend on the independence of the external view and the pressure it puts us under to bring it into our lives. The sense of the absurd is just a perception of the limits of this effort; reached when we ascend higher on the transcendental ladder than a mere human individuality can follow, even with the help of considerable readjustment†. 16 It means that if our life climb to objectivity and yet it will not successfully fulfill to complete, the will arrived to absurdity.In this passage, it seems that we can find two movements here of life. To go up to objectivity and to retreat from the objectivity to go down, return to particular subjective being and yet this would be the primary cause of absurd life. Thomas Nagel agreed with this kind of thought and he presented that the subject not the complete in objectivity, it would full to go down and then, he said that this is the origin of the absurdity in life. In addition , we transcend objectively and yet we fail to reach the completeness of our transcendence and the possible life to do is to go back into particular.This is the reason why our life will absurd and Thomas Nagel defended on this argument, in saying partially that life will absurd through this instances. We can copy this argument by citing again the analogy of certain spider which chain in the men’s urinal room. So, if we try to trace back the analogy of the spider, it seems we can find the same cases to what Thomas Nagel saying about the absurdity of life. So, in the case of the spider, since the spider is in chain for almost ten years and the only thing that the spider can do is to keep climbing the wall up and down in any moment.The same also about the reason why our life will be absurd according Thomas Nagel. This point will be included in the part of my critique. â€Å"Finally, there is an attitude which cuts through the opposition between transcendent universality and paro chial self – absorption and that is the attitude of nonegocentric respect for the particular†. 17 As what my analogy would explain this passage that there is something an impulse of cutting the universal and particular which can be the cause of life to be absurd.However, from this instance in times of cutting both universal and particular, it would try to say that the subject or the individual self can be the attitude of nonegocentric of the particular subjectivity. DEATH: â€Å"Particular things can have a noncompetitive completeness which is transparent to all aspects to all aspects of the self. This also helps explain why the experience of great beauty tends to unify the self: the object engages us immediately and totally in a way that makes distinctions among points of view of irrelevant†.18 It seems that particular can freely stand transparently to all aspects of self with no competitions to objective reality. The particular here also has its own unifying id entity which cultivate by any subject. Most of us can deal about personal self without consulting to the other self and it is an overview of the independent of particular to stand alone and looking only in future by using present individual self. This is formally called as unifying idea of the particular which is the principle of particular itself.However, this could not suppose that this is only the attitudes or characteristic of particular, which is to unify the principle itself, as a basis in looking to other reality. But rather, the particular has also consists of several transparent characteristics to set as guidelines to eliminate the completeness of the objectivity. â€Å"Our constitutional self – absorption together with our capacity to recognize its excessiveness make us irreducibly absurd even if we achieve a measure of subjective-objective integration by bringing the two standpoints closer together.The gap is too wide to be closed entirely, for anyone who is fully human†. 19 From this footnote, Thomas Nagel put self as having limitation to integrate other subject which irreducible to reach the point of absurdity of life in each subject-objective by bringing the two standpoints, in which the two points have a connection to limit the movement of self to other self which can possible, made the absurdity of human life. This is still the problem here, even if life will organized other subject which also had life.So, the capacity of self here is quite limited, in short self has limited territory to move. Unlike, the part objectivity, it us has universal movement which means the objectivity has the unlimited to move anytime. â€Å"We are so accustomed to the parallel progress of subjective and objective time that there is some that there is some shock in the realization that the world will go calmly on without me after I disappear. It is the ultimate form of abandonment†.20 It simply means that if the self will experienced in track of death, the objective time will not stop to function but it will spontaneously working to keep on transcending and transcending, even if all existence will in that track of death. The objective still continues to exist and do the function to the world. â€Å"In our objective conception of the world, particular things can come to an end because the possibility of their non- existence is allowed for.The possibility of both the existence and the nonexistence of a particular object, artifact, organism, or person is given by actualities which underlie either possibility and coexist with both of them. Thus the existence of certain elements and truth of the laws of chemistry underlie the possibility of synthesizing a particular chemical compound, or of decomposing it. Such possibilities rest on actualities†21. The issue here regarding this footnote, is that particular things was already have a place wherein it was being actualize and this actuality is no other than death.It is someho w the same with the act and potency. In such life continue moving towards the existence itself and yet as a result is the actuality to be actualize which is death. Death is actuality, because the possibility of nonexistence is allowed to enter in the particular things which the human being is involved which underlie for this stage to not again exist. â€Å"This is a very strong form of nothingness, the disappearance of an inner world that had not been thought of as a contingent manifestation at all and whose absence is therefore not the realization of a possibility already contained in the conception of it.It turns out that I am not the sort of a thing I was unconsciously tempted to think I was a set of ungrounded possibilities as opposed to a set of possibilities grounded in a contingent actuality†22 From these footnotes, refers to the definition of death and it is being referred also to the possibility of realization that had been set to be actualizing as ungrounded series to the possibility of life. This realization that I’m referring to is not â€Å"in the future events† but it is rather in the present events of life.It is just like that we can only think in the present but nothingness comes, nothing cans future to think of. â€Å"Another reason to regard death without too much concern is that everyone’s mortality is part of the general cycle of biological renewal which, like the fact that hawks eat mice, it makes no sense to deplore†. 23 Practical speaking death is a part of life which all of the living things including us are subject to dies. On other hand, life has a biological renewal, even if our life will absurd to exist.As Blondel said that life and death has no other way to escape, but to undergo a process to of life which is death is natural to be taken those who exist. Our life is not permanent here on earth. We only barrowed these lives in order for us exist. â€Å"My death was going to occur in consequence of the end of the world†. 24 It means that if human being experienced life to exist, human being also will have to experience death which is the consequences of our existence. Human life is not permanent even other living being it has the access to take death. In short, no one is excused to take life in death.Because, our life here on earth were pass by and because of the very fact that we are mortal being. In short, all things living organism is subject to destined in death. However, living organism even human being hasn’t known what specific time death will come to us, we just unaware of the time to take death. Conclusion: Well, based on the footnotes that I have been explained, the Skeptical mind of Thomas Nagel looking at life, he really believes that life will absurd by putting life in external reality and proving the common ground of human being which gives us a view that the life will absurd.Thus, I would like first to elaborate why our life will absurd by again us ing the analogy of the spider. So, as I look at the analogy of the spider, for almost ten years in chain in the men’s urinal room, so, the only thing that can spider did was to repeated and repeated climbed up in the wall finding the tiny attractive insects to feed as means survival and yet it goes down where the spider started to climb from that particular wall any moment of instances and that makes the absurdity of the life.However, if we try also to elaborate our life as human being, we can see the big deal here about the absurdity of life by just looking at our self to the objective reality, in which our life are restless, always keep on in desiring and struggling just to go beyond the objective reality and yet, we fail to go beyond objectively because we have only limited capacity to grasp that, then we stop to go beyond and go back the origin because we cannot hold the very beyond of life because we are limited to reached that beyond ness and we cannot force ourselves t o tap for something divine for us, that’s why our life will arrived at absurdity.I will negate the idea of Thomas Nagel because actually in the very nature of life there is no infinite movement to escape from this absurdity of life and this is the very nature of life because, in the first place, we were exist in mystery way with limited knowledge of the external reality. So, what we should to do is only to accept whatever the consequence of our existence.On the other hand, Thomas Nagel considered this absurdity as a consequence of our existence. However, as we know that life will have the access to be absurd, then we should not let our life do what is not good for us but to rather, continue nurture our life in right path. I therefore, conclude that life wills absurd because our life has a limitation to look at objectively and the limitation is hindrance to absurd life.

Aids India

Matter of Life or Death India is the seventh largest Country in the world, home to one billion people and vast ethnic diversity. It has been making great leaps with education, industrialization and technology. Literacy rates are continuously going up along with life expectancy. India has been making continuous progress in many aspects for a country that has been relatively poor and extremely poverty-stricken. India is also one of the world’s largest democracies meaning that citizens have a great deal of political freedom.The average Indian citizen lives in a rural area and consumes 30 times less resources than an American citizen consumes. Although India is making many improvements, there are certain issues that continue to creep around and into the lives of Indian people and will continue to do so for a very long time. HIV/AIDS is one of these issues, an issue that has been taking millions of lives and affecting the lifestyles of many Indian people. HIV/AIDS is one of the mos t concerning problems for India; it continues to manifest regardless of the many efforts made by the Indian government.HIV/AIDS is not just a problem that India must deal with; it has affected nearly every region in the world but every country and population responds to epidemics with a different approach and one must consider all the different aspects. In India, many unique factors have been linked with the growth, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The causes for the emergence of HIV/AIDS in India are still unclear however; some believe that foreign visitors that had sexual contact with the sex workers in India are to blame. Many believe this because initial cases were found in sex worker and truck drivers.HIV/AIDS emerged into India later than most other countries and the first cases were reported in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Studies also indicate that heterosexual sex was the method in which most initial cases occurred through. It was first identified in the early 80’s in s ex workers from Tamil Nadu. The infection rates of the disease peaked in the early 90’s and it had made its way into low – risk individuals across the whole country in just ten years. (Avert, 2011) The most recent estimates state that there are currently 2. million individuals living with HIV in India and of that, 39% are females and 3. 5% are children. Considering age as a factor, the highest infection rates occur in people aged 30-34 in India. HIV rates for the nation have been decreasing according to recent studies (NACO, 2007) and the area of southern India which was impacted the most by this epidemic has shown a decrease in infection rates (Kumar R. , Jha P. et al. , 2006). Seventy percent of infections are reported in six states: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Karnataka.Currently the state of Andhra Pradesh holds the highest prevalence rate (1%) out of the 28 states and out of the high-risk groups in this Andhra Pradesh; the highes t rate is among MSM (17%) (Avert, 2011). In recent years the rate of injection drug users has been increasing in many states and has given HIV an opportunity to spread. One of these states are Punjab in the northeast of India where a third of the population is addicted to drugs and has become one of the world’s leading areas in drug trafficking and usage (Glut, 2011). In the Punjab’s capital city Amritsar, the prevalence rate among IDU’s is as high as 30%.In many states of India drug use has become another concerning phenomenon that is helping with the spread of HIV/AIDS. Although the nation’s prevalence rates of HIV have decreased, it does not mean that the situation is getting better. This disease will continue to claim millions of lives because India does not have the equipment or resources needed in most areas; along with that the taboos, and stigma in India will negatively affect the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The way that Indians think ab out HIV/AIDS plays a major role in treatment and prevention efforts.There are many parts of the world where one with HIV/AIDS is able to go to a doctor, friend or family member to get support. In India, this is not the case for the most part. It is a country with a strict social hierarchy and most Indian people still believe in arranged marriages. The people of India stigmatize HIV/AIDS, which often leads to discrimination, denial, humiliation and rejection from family/community and medical staff. HIV/AIDS is not just any disease in India, since it is linked to controversial behaviours HIV/AIDS comes with a lot more baggage than for instance cancer does.HIV/AIDS is extremely under reported due to the many psychological hardships one must face in order to get the help that they need. Currently 50% of people with HIV are aware of their status; people that seek treatment often face traumatizing experiences with the medical staff. The government of India supports voluntary testing howev er, a very high percentage of cases have been reported in which the patient had been tested against their will, which in return would dictate the quality of medical care they would receive.In many cases, individuals have been denied medical services because of their status and people that are HIV+ and belong to a high-risk group face double the discrimination and stigma because they are a part of a controversial group. There is a direct correlation with Indian culture and the identification of HIV/AIDS in India. In order to successfully educate and treat the Indian population we must take into account the very sensitive cultural values of Indian people and customize action plans accordingly. Sex in India is highly discouraged amongst non-married couples and the topic is hushed.Indians greatly value marriage and hold the lowest divorce rate in world (Divorce Mag, 2011). Woman are seen as disgraceful, worthless and disgusting if they engage in sex with a partner before marriage and in most cases are disowned or face harsh consequences for their actions from family members and other social groups. For Indian people it is ideal to have and maintain one sexual partner although woman in India face double standards while men are able to participate in sexual intercourse with multiple partners there for the HIV status of women is highly dependent on the behaviour of their partner(s)/spouse.The taboo of talking about sex publically and sex in general is the main reason for the hardships faced by educators, organizations and other public figures who try to make efforts with the awareness of HIV/AIDS. India is a place where a bar can possibly be shut down if any public display of affection is shown. There can be many explanations for the way Indian people think about sex that date back to the history of the first civilizations and religious texts that may have influenced and shaped the ideology of Indian people today.This is a way of thinking that has existed in India fo r thousands of year and will continue to do so for a very long time. Education and communication is extremely difficult in a place where the population is not willing to listen, Indian people tend to ignore and underestimate HIV/AIDS because they are unwilling to talk about it. Most Indian people are unaware of the facts that in return cause them to link it to unacceptable behaviours creating stigma, discrimination and denial due to lack of knowledge.People are hesitant to expose their HIV status and discuss issues with people. HIV/AIDS has claimed many lives in India, more so then many other parts of the world. The world fact book estimated 170 000 deaths in the year 2009 (ranked third highest in the world). Causality rates of HIV/AIDS related deaths have been decreasing in recent years. Many efforts have been made to prevent the spread of the disease by the government and other organizations yet India ranks as one of the top countries on HIV/AIDS hit list.The people of India have a hard time explaining and discussing the impact that HIV/AIDS has left on their country. People often are surprised and thrown off when they are presented with actual statistics, they see the disease as someone else’s problem with the attitude that it is a disease that infects the â€Å"scum of society† but once they are presented with the statistics they are immediately appalled. Indian youth is continuously encouraged to ignore such topics and refrain from talking about sex by their families.Another interesting issue is the misleading statistics that the government of India presents which understates the real statistics, Indian people lose trust in the government and don’t know which statistics to believe (Drynan, 2001). Indian people that live in poor areas with very low income believe that the spread of infection is mainly because a family member has to migrate to another location for a long period of time to find work and make an income to support his/her family. Since the majority of the population in India is poor, this is the leading explanation that most families will have.Indian people that are HIV + believe that the spread of the disease is linked to the decision of keeping HIV statuses a secret. Some sex workers admit that they do not expose their status to clients in fear of losing their job. Indian people are aware that health care systems need to improve in order to stop HIV/AIDS from spreading. There also a large portion of people who believe in fate and that if someone is infected with HIV/AIDS it is in their fate to die that way. â€Å"In the past I never thought that I would contract such a big disease, or neither would my husband.I had that much faith in him because we wouldn’t do such things. Now I don’t talk to my husband, I don’t know his whereabouts. God gave me this disease, what God metes out, Only God can judge. I have a daughter who is HIV + as well. I feel bad that my child has it but wha t can one do. I have a lot of problems at work, my co-workers tease me and shun me. They do not come near me† Anita who is HIV+ explained her thoughts about her status (Lets Break Through, 2006). Since the creation of antiretroviral therapy (ART/ARV) many lives have been extended and maybe even saved.In India these drugs are becoming more available and the price of these drugs is declining as time goes by how ever not everyone has access to these drugs. Many areas of India where these drugs are needed are poor areas where Doctors refuse to practise due to lack of income available. Many villages do not have access to someone who can administrate these drugs. The main factor is money, these drugs are expensive and many families simply cannot afford them. Recently the government has been focusing on distributing free antiretroviral drugs but it is impossible to reach everyone in need with the available funds.India is also actively manufacturing generic low-cost ARV’s. Out of all the people that need treatment only ? are receiving it (Avert, 2011) and many are not adhering due to high costs of drugs/testing, poor counselling, inadequate understanding and intolerance to drugs. Treatment centres are located in every state where HIV/AIDS is prevalent, screening is voluntary (ideally) and counselling is provided. The types of screening available are: Western blot test, ELISA, viral load test, CD4 count and blood biochemistry.Luckily India has a strong pharmaceutical industry and is taking advantage of it by reaching out to its patients. Another issue is drug resistant people; in Mumbai 18% of newly diagnosed people were resistant to at least one drug (World Bank, 2011) so second-line therapy is required. Another concerning problem is that therapy in India is unstructured. Although these drugs are becoming more available in India, those in need are often denied access by the health care providers. The poor are ignored and usually do not have the funds or t he resources to obtain the drugs. HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention in India, 2011) Some other popular alternative traditional therapy in India includes Chinese medicine, Homeopathy, acupuncture and siddha medicine (Life Positive, 2011).The impact that HIV/AIDS will have on India in the future may be devastating if the current trends do not change. Treatment needs to be made more available, Health care providers need to be trained adequately and the general population needs to be educated. Many organizations and government have helped with the control of this epidemic such as promoting condom use are making improvements. Condoms are now used among many sex workers who ecite the policy of â€Å"no condom, no sex† to their customers and this is important because as of today condoms are the single most convenient and effective way of preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. There is no doubt that India is putting resources towards organizations that will pro vide services for the Indian population but this alone is not enough, Indian people themselves will need to accept and face this issue in order to make progress. Since India has a large portion of High-risk groups, there is always going to be danger and opportunity for HIV/AIDS to spread.The rates vary from state to state but World Banks estimates that by 2033 mortality by infectious diseases will increase and of that, AIDS will represent 22% of total deaths. India has economic, cultural and other demographic factors that hamper prevention efforts. Discrimination, denial and stigma will continue to cause damaged relationships, torn families, physical isolation, desertion, economic implications, lower quality of life and death. This disease will continue to control the lives of people that are infected.

The Laws of Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Laws of Nature - Essay Example These laws form the backbone of the moral structure of the society hence can supersede any law made by man. Â  Natural laws are also referred to as the laws of nature. They are universal since they were there before the existence of human beings, hence, determined by nature. Classically, natural laws refer to using construct reasoning in analyzing the nature of human either personal or social to deduce any rules that are binding on moral behavior from it. Natural laws and positive laws are laws put into the construct in a certain society, state or political community. Natural laws can be put forth to criticize decisions of the judiciary on whether the law states, but not in criticizing the best interpretation of the law itself. Â  Even though, many times, natural laws are always confused with common laws but the two are different and distinct. Natural law is a view that a given set of values or rights is universally cognizant by virtues of human nature or human reasoning and by that inherent. On the other hand, common laws are the legal tradition where certain human values and rights are cognizable legally by virtue of articulation or judicial recognition. The theories of natural laws have however exercised a great influence on the English common laws development and have been featuring the philosophies of Thomas Aquinas, Richard hooker, Thomas Hobbes among other philosophers4. Â  Classical natural law - There are indeed some valid standard and truth of human rights and conducts in philosophy as stated by Plato. In his writing, Plato found out that by nature, naturally, both the selfish and the strong should prevail over those who are weak and weaken themselves by care for other people or promises or responsibilities.

Beneficial usage of flat tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beneficial usage of flat tax - Essay Example If the tax burden is redistributed, some people will pay more and some will pay less under the new flat tax system. This paper will discuss the benefits of going to a flat tax system, and examine the implications for taxpayers, businesses, and the government. The most often cited benefit to a flat tax would be to simplify the current code. The current tax code and amendments is over 16,000 pages long, takes up over 20 volumes, and costs in excess of $1100 to purchase (Greenberg). Nearly every source of income or deduction has a special attachment and entails complex complications that require the intervention of a certified tax accountant. The flat tax would simply place a given percentage of tax on all personal and business income. There would be a single exemption, and no deductions for things such as mortgage interest or charitable donations. For example, every family would get a $20,000 exemption and pay a 15 percent tax on all income in excess of $20,000. While there are some flat tax schemes that tax spending rather than income, this paper will focus on the flat tax on income. A single exemption flat tax on income is the most simplified form of taxation available. In addition to the simplicity that a flat tax would have, it would also be more fair. A flat tax would have no penalties for capital gains, savings, old capital, and pension incomes (Gale 43). Under the flat tax system, no one gets preferential treatment and there are no special provisions for individuals or specific businesses. In addition, "The low, flat rate solves the problem of high marginal tax rates by reducing penalties against productive behavior, such as work, risk taking, and entrepreneurship" (Mitchell). Everyone, without exception, would pay the same rate of taxes on their income. Because the flat tax is so simple to implement and calculate, there would be substantial savings for businesses, individuals, and the government. Businesses would no longer be subject to the

Wrist Tendinosis among Blue-Collar Workers Article

Wrist Tendinosis among Blue-Collar Workers - Article Example The report tries to show a study of this problem among those who have blue collar jobs. The report involved the study of workers who had performed jobs involving hand intensive manual work and were involved in more than four tasks in the day. The whole study took 28 months and it was designed to investigate the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders and factors which cause the problem at workplaces. The interview assessed several aspects of work, these included the following; history about previous employment, organizational factors, and pain in various parts of the body especially the upper body and the wrist. During the process of doing the research, a physical medical examination was conducted on the arm and the interview was conducted in the language that the participants preferred. The physical examination was conducted by a licensed physical therapist and it involved identification of eleven disorders that are related to the wrist. Main signs that were identified during the examination included: swelling, redness, crepitance of the wrist as well as tenderness to palpation. After the initial physical examination had been conducted, a periodic follow up was done after every four months. The interview involved collecting information about changes in jobs, for instance, change in stress, tasks and also over time. Conditions of the wrist were also checked to asses whether there were any changes in the level of pain. The ability of the wrist to conduct work, type of medication that the workers were using and healthcare were also inquired. After the research, survival analysis was conducted the entire variable in the data. The variables were divided into tertiles on the basis of the number of cases, that is, the highly exposed, medium and low exposure groups.