Dichotomy Between Theory and Practice in Education

The interaction between â€Å"theory† and â€Å"practice† in education is a dichotomy that people have been trying to understand for over 2,000 years. The relationship between theorists and practitioners is very complicated because there are issues that surround the pace of change in theory and practice. The debates that have occurred continue to occur through today in an array of perspectives about the purpose of education and about how to encourage learning. Practical knowledge can be defined as knowledge inhibited through practice, action, or experience. Theoretical knowledge is an idea that is a logical explanation of a set of relationships that has been experimented with plenty of research. Theorists are people who carry out in-depth research†¦show more content†¦Educators will develop a unique way of learning from their personal experiences. Professionals learn which learning theories are more effective for them to use in the classroom. In addition to thi s, educators can have certain classroom practices that can reflect their personalities and experiences. During the twentieth century, intellectual thinking has been conquered by a strong dissimilarity between theory and practice. Theoretical knowledge was considered to be of a higher standing and of more value than concrete skills. Much of the educational research concentrated on theory formation, both explanatory, for explanation, and authoritarian, for behavioral instructions. As a result, educationalists in different subjects and professions were challenged with the problem of bridging the gap between theory and practice, an undertaking that never seemed to be successful. During the previous few years, this dilemma has been evaluated in many dissimilar fields of education. Educators developed different models of knowledge in many different ways to solve the dichotomy between theory and practice. A theory should be developed from practical experience as well as research. One aspect of the learning process is any given theory. Educators can watch and carefully observe how their studen ts learn things and what they can do. From observations, professionals can create an explanation or a theory of an aspect of the learning process, such as Bloom’sShow MoreRelatedWhy The Ndp 11 Was Suspended1207 Words   |  5 Pagesalong with independence; respect for political control along with a commitment for to shape and implement policy in ways that promote the public interest. Interestingly Professor Good (1994:501) revealed corrupt and malpractices in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Local Government, Lands, and Housing were†¦ The contract for the supply of teaching materials for the country s primary schools in 1990 was awarded to the International Project Managers (1PM) without any examination of the companyRead MoreDurkheim on Totemism1573 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿In order to truly assess the legitimacy of Durkheim s functionalist definition of religion, his notion of Social facts, (upon which his theory is constructed) must be examined. Durkheim advocated that amongst the reputable fields of biology, psychology and history, Sociology also warranted a specific focus. It was, for him: a sui generis something that had to be explained on its own terms. 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For a moment, Liberal Arts caught my eye as it gave me the freedom to explore my own identity. However, upon sharing this out loud with those

The War That Transformed The World - 2362 Words

The War That Transformed the World Before 1914, European conflict had been escalating for some time. Serbian nationalism was a strong force within the Serbians, and they saw the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a threat to their nationalistic desires. On June 28 1914, Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While the immediate cause of World War I is most commonly attributed to this assassination, the system of alliances that existed before the assassination is responsible for the war being spread to a larger global scale. By the time this assassination occurred, two major alliances had already been formed. The Triple Alliance included the powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, while the Triple Entente consisted of Britain, France, and Russia. Austria-Hungary spent the month following the assassination gaining Germany’s support against Serbia. Once Germany agreed to support them, Austria- Hungary declared war on Serbia, who had gained Russia’s support if a war erupted. With multiple formed alliances and war being declared against one another, it wasn’t long before the war spread overseas involving non-European countries, and became a world war. The war took place from 1914-1918, and over the span of this time, new weapons and technology had surfaced creating a whole new dynamic to war and countries suffered devastation in their societies and economies. World War I was a completelyShow MoreRelatedComparing and Contrast Article About Wwi Wwii841 Words   |  4 PagesThe First World War 3. The Second World War 4. Venn Diagram 5. Conclusion 1. Introduction: In this article I’m going to compare World War One and World War Two with each other. I’m going to search for similarities and differences. Also I’m going to explain to you what actually happened in the First World War and the Second World War. 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Beth Bailey and David Farber’s book, The First Strange Place: Race and Sex in World War II Hawaii discusses

Describe and Evaluate the Evolutionary Theory of Food Preferences Free Essays

Describe and evaluate the evolutionary theory of food preferences According to an evolutionary approach current human behaviour can be understood in terms of how it may have been adaptive in our ancestral past. Evolutionary theorists are concerned with behaviour which is adaptive and having survival value, these researchers look for ultimate explanations. Current behaviours may be maladaptive and dysfunctional but can be understood as having been adaptive and functional in some way. We will write a custom essay sample on Describe and Evaluate the Evolutionary Theory of Food Preferences or any similar topic only for you Order Now To undertake this type of analysis they draw on the theory of natural selection and suggest that all species including humans, evolve through a process of natural selection and that only those characteristics that confer advantage or at least do not confer disadvantage survive as the species evolve. This is an interactionist approach, as an individual’s genetic predisposition is assumed to interact with their environment. In terms of eating behaviour, an evolutionary psychologist is interested in the following questions: â€Å"Are there innate preferences for certain foods? †, â€Å"How would these preferences have been adaptive in the past? and â€Å"How do these preferences function now? † Early research by Davis investigated the eating behaviour of infants and young children. Davis observed the kinds of choice children living in a paediatric unit made in relation to their diet. Based on her data, Davis concluded that young children have an innate, regulatory mechanism and are able to select a healthy diet. However she emphasized that they could only do this if healthy food was available and suggested that the children’s food preferences changed over time and ere modified by experience. Subsequent research has provided further support for some form of innate regulatory mechanisms. For example, there is consistent evidence that newborn babies demonstrate innate food preferences. Using facial expressions and sucking behaviour as an index of preference, babies have been shown to prefer sweet tasting substances and to reject bitter tastes. There is also some evidence for an innate preference for salt, based on animal research, although this has been controversial together, these studies suggest that some food preferences are innate. Beauchamp and Moran (1982) reported however that six month old babies who were accustomed to drinking sweetened water drank more sweetened water than those babies who were not. So although innate food preferences may exist, these may be modified very quickly by learning and familiarity. Our early human ancestors lived in hunter-gatherer communities in which the men were responsible for hunting and the women were responsible for gathering. Their diets consisted mainly of fruits, berries, vegetables and some meat. Our innate food preferences can be explained in different forms. An innate preference for sweet foods would have encouraged people to eat fruit with its natural fructose content. Sweet foods in nature provide important calories which are needed for energy. Natural avoidance of bitter foods would have helped to protect people from eating food that was poisonous. This would also have been helped by neophobia. A preference for salt is less easy to explain, although we do know that salt is essential for the sodium balance in our bodies. Sheep manage their sodium levels by licking naturally occurring minerals that contain salt because grass has very low sodium content. Human beings on the other hand have very little need for additional salt, particularly if they eat meat. The innate preference for salt may therefore have originally functioned by encouraging people to eat meat. In our ancestral past the main challenge facing people would have been avoiding malnutrition by eating enough food to support a physically active lifestyle. Our innate food preferences may have helped us to survive. However for much of the modern world, food is no longer scarce and our lives are no longer as physically active. Nowadays a preference for sweet foods may no longer encourage a person to eat berries, but rather to eat highly calorific, energy-dense foods, such as chocolate bars. Furthermore a preference for salty foods may facilitate the consumption of high-fat foods flavoured with salt, such as chips and processed foods. An evolutionary explanation for obesity has been put forward based on biological preferences for foods which cause overeating and problems with weight in our modern world, which has been called an â€Å"obesongenic environment†. There are many factors in our environment, such as fast food outlets and cars, which encourage an unhealthy lifestyle and may contribute to higher levels of obesity. Like biological explanations, evolutionary explanations of eating might be regarded as an oversimplification by suggesting that adaptiveness is the single, guiding principle. Such explanations are also determinists as they propose that eating behaviour is determined by past environments, thereby overlooking the notion of free will and the fact that human behaviour is affected by many other factors such as thought, emotions and social factors. Evolutionary drives are moderated and modified by social drives. Evolutionary approaches can explain innate food preferences that were important for our ancestor’s survival. An innate preference for sweet foods may lead us to consume energy-dense foods, such as chocolate bars, which are longer needed in the current obesogenic environment of the Western world, and can help to explain the recent upsurge in obesity. Innate preferences for food can be used to demonstrate the wisdom of the body, the existence of biological drives and also the importance of the environment. It is also difficult to measure eating behaviour accurately in a research context. The central concept of adaptiveness can be applied to many behaviours, including eating and is difficult to demonstrate empirically or disapprove. This means that we have no means of establishing the validity of the explanation. A strength of evolutionary explanations is that they consider ultimate causes and so may lead to more valid ways of treating seemingly maladaptive behaviours by taking account of their adaptive significance and not merely focusing on the proximate problem. Evolutionary explanations appear to suggest that we are no longer adapting to changing environmental conditions. Some scientists believe that humans are continuing to evolve both physically and psychological and are doing so at a faster rate that any other close species. How to cite Describe and Evaluate the Evolutionary Theory of Food Preferences, Essays

To What Extent Is The Conservative free essay sample

Whilst many within the Conservative party still believe themselves to be on he Right of the Political Spectrum it has become clear that under Cameramans leadership the Party has slowly but surely edged its way toward the centre of British Politics. We can see that apart from retaining a few Of the traditional Conservative principles the Party has become more liberal in its stance, this could be attributed in part to the Coalition Government but more, in my opinion, to David Cameramans personal opinions.This has left a vacuum on the far-right which has now been filled by SKIP who encompass the traditional Conservative mind-set. We can see however that not all within Cameramans Party are happy with the centralization and so a number have jumped ship to join Forages party. Parallels can be drawn be;en Cameron and his predecessor, Margaret Thatcher: Cameron is a supporter of the free market economy; has voiced his support of foreign investment; supports a competitive market which brings benefits like jobs and cheaper prices. We will write a custom essay sample on To What Extent Is The Conservative or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Cameron has spoken publicly about the need for the free market economy and said that they were the best imaginable force for improving human wealth and happiness. Cameron has invested huge amounts of money into the NASH, to not only make short-term improvements but ensure the future of he publicly-funded health service as an establishment that is a source of national pride. Cameron s passionate commitment to the NASH stemmed mainly from the treatment of his terminally ill son Ivan who died in 2009. This commitment has marked him out from other Tory leaders.The concept of the NASH opposes the ideals of New Right Conservatism which believes that prevarication of nationwide services such as the health service is the most beneficial path for the country. Throughout his time as the Party leader, David Cameron has repeatedly talked about the Big Society which has the idea of Noblesse Oblige at its centre. He places strong emphasis upon giving aid to those who are less fortunate which is particularly in-line with Disraeli ideas of One-Nation Conservatism.Cameramans focus on maintaining the Auks Welfare System is in direct contrast to the traditional or New Right Conservative view that giving financial/social aid to others makes the people lazy and reliant. Due to the way in which the Conservative party got into Government in 201 0, by forming a Coalition with the Liberal Democrats it could be said that David Cameron is closer to traditional Conservatism in his adhering. His pragmatic approach after the election ensured that his Party did gain power after shrewd dealing with Nick College and the Liberals.

Waiting For Godot Essays (671 words) - Theatre Of The Absurd

Waiting For Godot The Play about Nothing Waiting for Godot has been a subject of my thoughts for about two weeks now. While considering the work, its author, and the comments I have found about the play, I have come up with three hypotheses as to the meaning and overall theme. Either it is about Humanity waiting for a savior that does exist to return; or it could be about the hopelessness of Humanity waiting for a savior that doesnt exist, and therefore will never come; or, the easiest of possibilities, that Waiting really has no theme at all. This last theory is the one that I most readily accept, and the answer that Samuel Beckett, the author of the play, put forth when questioned about the meaning of his strange little piece. Many critics put the first theory forth as the true meaning of Waiting, and there are many aspects of it by which they can make their point. The most obvious is the title character, Godot, because the root word of the name is God. The many references to Christianity also create a close connection between the storyline and many important stories from the Bible. From the very beginning Vladimir and Estragon ponder their salvation, consider death, and draw a parallel between themselves and the two thieves that were crucified along with Jesus, according to the Gospels. Vladimir: One of the thieves was saved. Its a reasonable percentage. Gogo. Estragon: What? Vladimir: Suppose we repented. Estragon: Repented what? Vladimir: Ohwe wouldnt have to go into the details. Estragon: Our being born? (Beckett, p.8) The general attitude expressed throughout is the hopelessness, or possibly the meaningless-ness of life. Humanitys purpose is simply to wait out its existence until the Second Coming. Everything we do, say, feel, experience, etc., is just passing the time until our lives come to an end. Vladimir: That passed the time. Estragon: It would have passed in any case. Vladimir: Yes, but not so rapidly. (Beckett, p.31) Let us assume that Godot does symbolize God. He is someone who will come to make a great change in the Vladimir and Estragons lives, a great change for the better. But Godot, and whatever that change may be, does not come throughout the length of the play. They mistake Pozzo for Godot, and they mistake the messenger for Godot, because they do not know what Godot looks like or what manner of person he may be. Likewise, through our lives we mistake people and occurrences for Christ. And that helps us to pass the time until we die. The fact that Godot never comes also helps to prove the second theory about the meaning of Waiting. What if God and the afterlife do not exist? What then? We spend our entire lives waiting, biding our time in anticipation of our great reward. But when our lives end, thats it. All the preparation, all our good intentions, are useless and meaningless because there was no meaning in the first place. Beckett may have used the play to illustrate how pathetic Humanity seems as it strives toward a nonexistent goal. He also made great fun of all those philosophers that ponder on the meaning of our existence using the character of Lucky. When Lucky makes his lengthy oration of nonsense, it is illustrating what nonsense everything that all the great thinkers have said on the meaning of life. For if life has no meaning, then it is all gibberish, and Lucky makes just as much sense as Voltaire. The third and final theory about the meaning of Waiting for Godot is that it has no meaning. When questioned repeatedly on the matter, Beckett was quoted in the New York Times as saying, I know no more of this play than anyone who manages to read it attentively, and, I do not know who Godot is. I do not even know if he exists. Book Reports

The Parthenon Essays - Acropolis Of Athens, Parthenon, Free Essays

The Parthenon Essays - Acropolis Of Athens, Parthenon, Free Essays The Parthenon The Parthenon Greek culture blossomed after the Persian Wars. General Pericles around the 450s BC led the reconstruction of Athens; which became the most beautiful city in all of Greece. Pericles greatest structure built under his command was the Parthenon. The Parthenon was a temple built for the patron goddess Athena (goddess of wisdom and art). Construction started 447 BC and continued until 432 BC. The structure is located in Athens Greece, on the acropolis. The architects Ictinus and Callicrates designed the building. The Athenians wanted to achieve the appearance of perfection on the Parthenon. They did this by widening the columns at the center, making them appear strait when viewed from a distance; the steps leading to the Parthenon were lowered in the center giving the impression that they were strait from either side(Farah,116). Phidias was the artist that sculpted the art for the Parthenon. He himself did not sculpt everything but advised the other sculptors. The temple was 102 by 226 feet, rising 60 feet of the ground. It included two rooms, the naos the larger of the two is where a 42 foot tall sculpture of Athenia was located. The smaller room opisthodomos was used as a treasury(Web). Pattern of 8 by 17 Doric fluted columns surround the structure. (Parthenon floor plan) The Parthenon is a Doric peripteral temple, which means that it consists of a rectangular floor plan with a series of low steps on all sides. Pentelic marble was used as the building material, which came from Mount Pentelicus 11 miles from Athens. The pentelic marble had shots of iron. This gave it a luminescent look when viewed on sunny a day. Lintels, horizontal supporting beams that span between columns were tied by bow-tie shaped iron clamps to secure them. Sculptures once decorated the pediments of the building. The eastern pediment depicted the birth of Athena and western pediment showed the battle between Athena and the sea god Poseidon for the control of Athens(Scully,65/Web). In 1687 the pediment sculptures were smashed. This was done by Venetian Admiral Morosini. Morosini was trying to lower the pediment sculptures(Scully,90). . The metopes of the Parthenon all represent the struggle between order and chaos. The east metope depicts battle between the gods and giants(Wed). The west metope reveals the mystical battle against the Amazons(Web). The south metope, the battle between the lapiths and the centaurs(Web). Last on the north metope, Greeks versus Trojans(Wed). In addition there was a decorated band called a frieze that went all the way around the cella (central enclosed space). The frieze showed people of Athens: officials, priests, maidens, and young men on horse back celebrating Athenas birthday(Web). The statue of Athena in the naos was 42 feet tall and was constructed of gold and ivory. The flesh was ivory and the drapery gold (the drapery was made removable incase of emergencies). (model) The Parthenon was used as a Christian church at about 500 AD. The Parthenon was also used as a mosque when Turkish Muslim forces captured the city in the mid-1400s. The battered structure and columns of the Parthenon are from the explosion of gunpowder. The Turks stored the gunpowder there, and in 1687 a Venetian cannon shattered the building. The Parthenon was a beautiful structure when completed. It is probably one of the best examples of classical architecture. Most of the remaining art was removed and placed in the Acropolis Museum in Athens and the British Museum in London(Web). Now, what is left of the Parthenon sits in ruins for the tourist and citizens to be admired; the great accomplishments and sorrows of mans past.

Watergate Scandal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Watergate Scandal - Research Paper Example Five other men plead guilty, but mysteries remain. April 30 - Nixon's top White House staffers, H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resign over the scandal. White House counsel John Dean is fired. May 18 - The Senate Watergate Committee begins its nationally televised hearings. Attorney General-designate Elliot Richardson taps former solicitor general Archibald Cox as the Justice Department's special prosecutor for Watergate. June 3 - John Dean has told Watergate investigators that he discussed the Watergate cover-up with President Nixon at least 35 times, The Post reports. June 13 - Watergate prosecutors find a memo addressed to John Ehrlichman describing in detail the plans to burglarize the office of Pentagon Papers defendant Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist, The Post reports. July 13 - Alexander Butterfield, former presidential appointments secretary, reveals in congressional testimony that since 1971 Nixon had recorded all conversations and telephone calls in his offices. July 18 - Nixon reportedly orders the White House taping system disconnected. July 23 - Nixon refuses to turn over the presidential tape recordings to the Senate Watergate Committee or the special prosecutor. October 20 - Saturday Night Massacre: Nixon fires Archibald Cox and abolishes the office of the special prosecutor. Attorney General Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus resign. Pressure for impeachment mounts in Congress. November 17 - Nixon declares, "I'm not a crook," maintaining his innocence in the Watergate case. December 7 - The White House can't explain an 18 ?-minute gap in one of the subpoenaed tapes. Chief of Staff Alexander Haig says one theory is that "some sinister force" erased the segment....In the cold war era of the United States and Russia, and the war raging on in Vietnam, Nixon felt a need to increase the funding for domestic intelligence gathering. On July 23, 1970, he approves the expanded plans per taining to this action but decides to cancel the plans a few days later. This move on Nixon's part starts a snowballing of events that spin out for control the next year. The president seemed to have been developing a growing distrust of the the people around him so much so that he no longer trusted anyone within his own political party and the opposition party as well. There was never any given psychological explanation for his actions and to this very day, the reasons for his actions at Watergate remain somewhat muddled although most experts tend to believe that the event was closely tied into his re-election campaign and black mail gathering moves. These politically motivated actions have led to the term Watergate as having to refer to political burglary, bribery, extortion, phone tapping,

The Acceptance of the Conspiracy Theories Assignment

The Acceptance of the Conspiracy Theories - Assignment Example The authors open their article by claiming that conspiracy theories are not only common in America, but also Americans highly believe them. The authors then proceed to explain the meaning of conspiracy theory. They define conspiratorial belief as strong conspiratorial belief of an individual in conspiratorial terms. Further, the authors explain two major predispositions, which drive the acceptance and belief of conspiracy theories. These include: Partisan and conspiratorial predispositions. In their finding, the authors conclude that conspiracy information significantly influences the thinking of the information receivers and that predispositions exist as concerns conspiratorial thinking.In the article â€Å"Dead and Alive: Beliefs in Contradictory Conspiracy Theories,† Wood et al. explore the beliefs that surround conspiracy theory. The authors begin by defining conspiracy theory, which they define as the secret collusion of influential people or organization to achieve some objective (1). The authors conduct two different studies to prove that conspiracy theory can result into a monological belief structure. According to the authors, conspiracy theories exhibit correlation with each other. They assert that even mutually incompatible theories of conspiracy exhibit positive correlation. As such, belief in one conspiracy theory relates to the beliefs in other theories. Further, the authors hold that coherence with undoubted worldviews leaves no or little for contradiction in personal beliefs.

Children's Social Behavior And Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Children's Social Behavior And Education - Essay Example It is natural that children have a tendency to revolt against social restrictions imposed on them. They usually have a tendency to only reluctantly submit to social conditioning that happens to them in early years. But in Samuel’s case, his behavior shows an upward trend towards socially unacceptable behavior which has reached a stage in which he might even lose his opportunity for education. It is in this context that Samuel’s behavior should be analyzed and remedies sought. The expectations that others keep regarding a child’s behavior is one factor affecting the behavior itself. There is also the danger of labeling Samuel as a â€Å"bad boy†, which might aggravate his situation (Mah 2007, pp.13). It seems that the English teacher of Samuel has already labeled him as a bad boy, which is evident from their mutual hatred. But this kind of labeling can have a seriously negative impact (Mah 2007). Labeling is also related to the language that is being used to describe a child who has some kind of behavioral problem (Lee 2010). Lee has opined that â€Å"the language used to describe behavior [†¦] can cause problems in schools† (2010, pp.5). Porter has observed, â€Å"issue with language is that terms such as ‘misbehavior’ or ‘inappropriate behavior’ do not specify to whom those acts are ‘inappropriate’ (2006, pp.4). Porter has also noted an important point when he said this kind of judgment of the child â€Å" implies that teacher’s judgment on this issue is sacrosanct† (2006, pp.4). It is also noted, â€Å"the implication is that, when there is a disruption in a classroom, the offending students are to blame-there is something wrong with them† (Porter 2006, pp.4). Factors like family, early years setting, living atmosphere and social attitudes and value systems have been found to affect children’s behavior in a given context (Papatheodorou 2005).

Macbeth And Jay Gatsby | Evaluation

Macbeth And Jay Gatsby | Evaluation Jay Gatsby and Macbeth are in many ways responsible for their own downfalls, though I believe that Macbeth contributes more directly to his downfall than the comparatively indirect actions of Gatsby. Both characters are in some ways also to blame for the demise of other characters and their unrealistic hopes, dreams and ambitions bring about their untimely death. Moreover, the influence of key characters, especially women, whom are associated with Macbeth and Gatsby contribute to some extent to the two protagonists downfalls. By records, Macbeth is thought to have been written by William Shakespeare around 1603 and 1607, during the reign of James I, who became king in 1603. James was one of Shakespeares playing companys patrons, The Lord Chamberlains Men, and this play shows Shakespeares thoughts towards the king. Fitzgerald began The Great Gatsby in June 1922. It was written and takes place during the Roaring Twenties in a post World War One America, described as a time when gin was the national drink and sex was the national obsession. The novel was finally finished and published in 1925. The presentation of Gatsby and Macbeth at the start of their stories to the reader are contrasting to that at the end. The fist mention of Macbeth at the start of the play is by witches. To the audience, this automatically associates Macbeth with evil and witchcraft. To amplify this connection, Macbeth is given similar lines to the witches, Fair is foul, and foul is fair (1:1:10) from the witches and So foul and fair a day I have not seen from Macbeth to Banquo. Yet Macbeth is described by the bloody captain as a valiant and brave soldier on the battlefield, like Valours minion (1:2:19) and whose sword smoked with bloody execution (1:2:18); showing that Macbeth is worthy of the name brave Macbeth (1:2:16). But through the play, the character of Macbeth gradually deteriorates into a frail, cowardly man who is profoundly disillusioned, totally in contrast to the portrayal of him by the bloody captain. A similar change occurs during The Great Gatsby, where initially the character of Jay Gatsby is portrayed by Fitzgerald as mysterious, and who represented to Nick everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. Throughout the novel, Gatsby comes across as forlorn and lonely, and this feeling of isolation is emphasised during Gatsbys party at the beginning of chapter three in which he invites other lonely aristocrats, in the off chance that Daisy might appear. Nick feels as though there is more to this man than the stories Gatsby tells him of a gallant war hero, saying that every Allied government gave him a decoration even Montenegro, whom earned millions in the liquor business. But Gatsby is only cheating himself as he lies about his past, his family and his travels around the world. As the story goes on, Gatsbys goal becomes ever clearer, eventually reaching a point in which is similar to that of Macbeth; pathetic, dishonest, and desperate. The influence of women in the characters lives contributes towards the initial rise and then breakdown of their hopes, dreams and ambitions. During The Great Gatsby, the influence of Daisy plays on Gatsbys mind until his death. In a past life, Gatsby and Daisy had very strong feelings for each other before she and Tom became married. These feelings have long since left Daisy yet she still has a strong influence in Gatsbys life bringing to light the ultimate reason for his downfall. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby waiting at his phone and lurking outside his house as a metaphor for his and Daisys relationship. Gatsbys feelings for her are not realistic or worthy but this is what drives him on through life and it comes across that he would do anything to have her love him again. Nick observes He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: I never loved you'. Nick states that Gatsby found what a grotesque thing a rose is, a rose usually being relating to beauty, which de spite Gatsby telling Daisy that he loved her for other reasons, would have effected Gatsbys thoughts towards Daisy. Macbeth, though initially worthy of his title of Thane of Cawdor, is ironically overwhelmed by the great power that his wife, Lady Macbeth, has upon him. She comes across as a very influential woman of great strength and determination as of act three scene two in which the viscous plan of convincing Macbeth to kill Duncan is masterminded. But around act three, scene two, Lady Macbeth undertakes a dramatic change to take the appearance of a friendlier character towards Macbeth. Her level of influence over Macbeth gradually deteriorates and the guilt manifests inside her, turning her mad, eventually leading to a break down when she commits suicide. To ensure and emphasise the hopes and ambitions of Macbeth, the witches also play a direct role in influencing Macbeth by creating a prediction of the future. An example of these predictions is the title of Thane of Cawdor that Macbeth is to receive All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee Thane of Cawdor! at which Macbeth replies in disbelief But ho w of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives. The witches also foresee Macbeth becoming king, which Macbeth uses to convince himself to make this happen. Ultimately the gradual decline of the characters leads directly onto their deaths. The way in which Macbeth falls is crucial to his isolation in the castle during the attack. The most significant factor to which contributed to Macbeths downfall was paranoia. The fact that Macbeth had committed treason by killing Duncan fed his paranoia and could only ensure his safety by more action. Macbeth was aware that Banquo could suspect him of committing this crime and could not afford to let him be which lead only to one conclusion, the death of him and his family. In this way Macbeth takes on a more tyrannical view towards those he believes might succeed or even kill him. By the attack of the castle near the end of the play, there are few who would stand for Macbeth during the battle. Shakespeare then gives the reader a sense for Macbeths situation using very poetic language in the unlikely situation of combat, I have livd long enough. My way of life is falln into the sere, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age. This shows that Macbeth realises that he has brought about his own downfall, and realises that there is little or no point in trying to redeem himself of his sins other than being killed and therefore almost allows Macduff to kill him. But he is proud at death. In some ways, the way in which Gatsby falls is similar to that of Macbeth in the sense of dishonesty. Yet the most significant aspect of it is the continuing build up of lie upon lie by Gatsby to those around him and himself. His life and livelihood are based upon his hopes and ambitions of once again being together with Daisy. Gatsby does not really see Daisy for who she is, but has rather built up an idealistic image of her. This build up of lies leads Mr Wilson to believe that Gatsby is the one that is having an affair with Myrtle and to Tom implying that he ran her down in the street, and therefore these rumours lead Mr Wilson to kill Gatsby for what he thinks Gatsby has done. Gatsbys romantic feelings are lost for Daisy by her rejection, and so death is more or less accepted by Gatsby. For Macbeth, Banquo is another influence, but in contrast to the influence of the witches and Lady Macbeth. In act one, scene three, after the predictions of Macbeths future are made, the witches foresee the future for Banquo as well, comparing it to that of Macbeth Lesser than Macbeth, and greater, Not so happy, yet much happier and Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none Later in the play Macbeth portrays these predictions as a danger to his power, foreseeing them as a betrayal by Banquo. This fuels Macbeths paranoia and leads to the slaughter of Banquo and his family And the right-valiant Banquo walked too late; whom, you may say, ift please you, Fleance killed, for Fleance fled. This paranoia eventually leads to Macbeths downfall. Another influence in Gatsbys life is the mysterious character of Meyer Wolfsheim. The reader is not presented much about this character, but from Nicks observations we see that he has had business relations with Gatsby. From what we do know, he is involved in the liquor business, of which Gatsby also seems to be a part of. To Gatsby, Meyer Wolfsheim is his apparent mentor, who could possibly have influenced Gatsby into his business. But it becomes apparent that Meyer Wolfsheim is involved in illegal businesses, taking fixing the World Series for example, which brings to light the possible truth behind Gatsbys fortune. In summary, the similar effects of the characters allowing themselves be influenced by women, and the characters unrealistic and unworthy hopes, dreams, and ambitions are the ways in which they are responsible for and gradually lead to the deaths of other characters around them and to the downfall and eventual untimely demise of the characters themselves.

The Problem of Evil Essay -- essays research papers

Is there any satisfactory way of reconciling the existence of an omnipotent and all-loving God with the existence of natural evil (i.e. evil not due to the misuse of human free will)? One of the central claims of the Judaeo-Christian tradition is the existence of an omnipotent and all-loving God. Against this is the observation that people and animals suffer evil. By common sense, we would infer from this observation that God, as conceived in this tradition, does not exist - for, if He did, He would prevent the evil. This inference is called the Problem of Evil by those who profess one of the religions in the Judaeo-Christian tradition, and their attempts to 'solve' the problem have given rise to a labyrinth of sophistry. Put briefly, the solution most commonly espoused to the Problem of Evil is * Some suffering is caused by others' misuse of their own free-will (as in murder). * God does not intervene to stop people freely choosing evil because: o people can be virtuous only if they freely choose between good and evil; o having virtuous people in the world is a greater good than eradicating evil; o therefore God must allow people to be free; o therefore evil inflicted by other people is the price that God demands that we pay to enable some people to be virtuous. * Some suffering is caused by natural phenomena (as in earthquakes). Such occurrences enable people to be virtuous through: o heroics, such as rescuing those in danger; o strong faith in God, as it is harder to believe in God in the midst of grief; o humility, as people realise they are powerless against the whim of God. * Again, God does not intervene because he is using the natural disasters to engender virtue. I shall examine a number of such arguments, but first it is useful to clarify the nature of such debate. The nature of theological debate One difficulty that arises in writing about this subject is that the traditional view of God is ridiculous - as Hume's Philo says, it is fixed only "by the utmost licence of fancy and hypothesis", and the arguments put forward for it are transparently fallacious. In order to proceed with the debate at all, one must feign a deficit in the application of one's powers of reason, for if one relied exclusively on reason for deciding what to believe, then one would dismiss religion out of hand. It is well known that people hold their... ...answers here. First, although the discharge of benevolent deeds is a good thing, it is not such a great thing that it is worth inflicting war, pestilence, and old age on mankind. Second, there are ample opportunities for people to do great works that do not involve other people's suffering. For instance, they could build concert halls, or run marathons, or make scientific discoverie, or write novels. The claim that great human achievements can be secured only through other people's misery is an expression of pure evil, and not an argument for a benevolent God. Conclusion The existence of evil (natural or otherwise) in the world cannot possibly be reconciled with the existence of an omnipotent and all-loving God. If such a God existed, He would prevent the occurrence of such evil. This is therefore a definitive proof of atheism, in the sense of denying the existence of God as He is conceived in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. It must be admitted, though, that this conception of God is a sharply-delineated and simplistic one, whereas many people nowadays have a 'soft-focus' God. It is harder work for the atheist to refute the soft-focus God, although it can still be done.