The parable of the cave by Socrates

Table of Contents Definition of the Cave Meaning of Fire Meaning of Puppets Rene Descartes and the Parable of the Cave Augustine and the Parable of the Cave Conclusion Work Cited In The parable of the cave book vii, Socrates tells us about people who have lived in a cave since their existence and they know nothing more than the darkness and shadows in the cave. This is a world in which prisoners are chained in a cave. Behind them, there is a fire and puppets. The puppets cast shadows on the wall, and they can not clearly see some things that are passing by. The things are real in the world of light but they can only see them as shadows. Above the fire there is the sun which is very bright.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The parable of the cave by Socrates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Definition of the Cave The cave is the region which can be accessed by sight and unfortunately it is what the prisoner can access. The shadows of the puppet makers which are seen by the prisoners represent and/ or build a reality to them (Reeves 191). Socrates tells us that one of the prisoners escaped from the cave and at first he was blinded by the light he meets outside the cave. After he spent time in the new world, he gets a different view of the world and he realized that his life was all along a mere illusion and controlled by other people. Meaning of Fire The prisoners are chained and they are unable to see the actual objects and the puppet makers since they can turn neither their heads nor their legs, hence they can only see what is in front of them. This is what Plato explains in â€Å"the truth will be nothing but shadows of their images†. The fire signifies the sun and the sun represents the whole truth; the light that the prisoners need to see in order to gain their freedom from the world of darkness. Socrates says that the prisoner who went out of the cave and saw the light, repr esents the philosopher who is enlightened and goes back to the rest of the people to tell them about the truth they don’t know. Meaning of Puppets Socrates asserts that, â€Å"they seem less real than shadows.† This implies that the prisoners can only see the shadows of the things reflected to them from the wall. They cannot give a clear account of what they see because it portrays half truth of the reality, which is the good in the world of light. Glaucon says that people who are still not enlightened can construct justice by making agreements after deliberations among themselves. This means that the prisoners can only tell the truth based on the ability they see the shadows. The puppets are being held by the puppet handlers, who are the masters of the prisoners in the cave. In my own view, the puppets are the things and ideas used by the masters to continue keeping the prisoners in the dark.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help y ou! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The intensity of the fire is frightening and it is used to blackmail the prisoners. The prisoners will be frightened by the brilliant light of sun because it will burn their eyes so much such that, they may want to go back to the cave. Some people will follow the sun and will know the whole truth. They may then go back to tell the others about what is found outside the cave, which is the light and the real truth. The prisoners believe in shadows because this is all what they have seen in their lives, hence their truth. The ignorance of some prisoners will prevent them from attaining the genuine truth hence they will continue to be chained in their illusions. The freed person is enlightened and goes ahead to face the truth. Rene Descartes and the Parable of the Cave According to Rene Descartes, people become what they think they are. He further asserts that people are only aware of what has existed around them. Based on his p hilosophy, the prisoners in the cave knew the life they were in and nothing beyond. Though we view their life as a dream, it was their reality (Wartenberg 56). On the contrary, the reality could also be a dream. To some extent, Descartes defends the prisoners’ ignorance to the truth and reality because all they knew was their lives in the cave. Unless they were taken out to experience life outside the cave, they will strongly hold that the shadows they see are the reality. Augustine and the Parable of the Cave Augustine poses that people cannot say that they know the truth when they don’t know how the truth looks like. On the same line of thought, people cannot say that A resembles B when one does not know how B looks like (Olivier 49). The prisoners in the cave do not know what truth and reality are because what they have seen are mere shadows and not the real objects that emit the shadows. Conclusion In conclusion, the parable of the cave takes place in the mind of Socrates and Glaucon, Plato’s Brother. From a general stance, Plato is concerned with the revelation of truth and the manner in which the psychology of people evolves. The cave is used metaphorically to portray how people are trapped in their ignorance of basic ethics. Plato further seeks to dig into the truth of things that do not exist in reality. Following the parable of the cave, the power of an individual to interpret situations that do not exist in reality determines one’s intellectual capacity. The prisoners in the cave perceived and understood reality as it was through the shadows reflected on the wall they saw inside the cave. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The parable of the cave by Socrates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The whole difference comes out when one prisoner gets out and found a completely different world outside. It is obvious that people define their world based on thei r experiences of what surrounds them physically. The challenge is on whether people will give room for other influences on the truth they have. Work Cited Olivier, Bert. Philosophy and the arts: collected essays. New York, NY: Peter Lang, 2009. Print. Reeves, Francis. Platonic engagements: a contemporary dialogue on morality, justice and the business world. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 2004. Print. Wartenberg, Thomas. Thinking on screen: film as philosophy. Oxford, UK: Taylor Francis, 2007. Print. This essay on The parable of the cave by Socrates was written and submitted by user Samiyah Davis to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Asthma Pathology Essay Example

Asthma Pathology Essay Example Asthma Pathology Essay Asthma Pathology Essay Asthma is a chronic lung disease that is very common today among many people both children and adults. It can be very severe or it can be mild, but it will always need to be monitored. Asthma is mainly about the muscles in the airways constricting making it difficult to breathe. A person with asthma may say it is hard for them to catch their breath. In this essay I am going to summarize what asthma is, the symptoms of asthma, the diagnosis, and the treatment for this disease. I want to inform people who have asthma or know anybody that has asthma to be aware what to do and how to treat it. There are many respiratory diseases that one can have, and most of them are quite frightening and can be life threatening. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways inside the lungs. With asthma, a blockage of airflow in and out of the lungs occurs from muscle squeezing, swelling and excess mucous. Approximately 12-15 million people in the United States have asthma, including up to five million children (Medical News Today, 2004). There are many causes and symptoms to this disease, however there is no cure to it but it is treatable. Asthma causes a lot of stress to the body, making it more difficult to treat it. It is important as a health care professional to know a brief understanding of these kinds of diseases so we know how to take care of the patient when you are assisting them. Also it is important to know what to do in an emergency while a patient is going through an asthma attack which can be severely dangerous. It is important to know what are the causes, symptoms, treatments, and the medications for Asthma if you are working in a health care facility or even have a family member or friend living with this disease. Asthma is a disease affecting the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. People who suffer from this chronic condition are said to be asthmatic. Asthma is characterized by three airway problems: obstruction, inflammation and hyper responsiveness. Asthma causes your airways to be swollen or inflamed. This swelling or inflammation makes the airways extremely sensitive to irritations and increases the ability to an allergic reaction. The more inflamed the bronchus becomes, the narrower the airways become making it extremely difficult to breath, almost impossible. Since the airways are getting more narrow, less air is able to come to and from the lungs. Once this occurs the person becomes anxious and scared because they are trying to grasp for air. As the airways are becoming narrow, the inhalation and exhalation causes a wheezing sound inside the chest cavity. This â€Å"wheezing† sound is a main symptom to Asthma. This sound inside the chest also feels like a vibration inside your chest, it is best heard through a stethoscope taking deep breaths. Other symptoms are chest tightness, difficulties in breathing, and severe chronic coughing. Usually these symptoms occur more frequently during the late nights and early mornings (American Lung Association, 2013). The increase factor of having symptoms of asthma during the late nights is due to the less adrenaline and corticosteroids which your body automatically makes during the day that protects against asthma. There are many causes to obtaining Asthma; it is not hard to obtain this disease. You can be doing your normal day activities and still have symptoms to asthma. Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children. Children who have a low birth weight, who are exposed to tobacco smoke, are black, and are raised in a high polluted environment. Other risks for children include having allergies, and parents who have asthma. Allergies are another significant cause to asthma. Usually the people who suffer from asthma also have allergies. Allergic reactions triggered by antibodies in the blood often lead to the airway inflammation that is associated with asthma (â€Å"Asthma, A breif†, 1997). Common sources of indoor allergens include animal allergens, usually from cats and dogs. Dust mites, cockroaches, and fungi. It is possible that the push towards energy-efficient homes has increased exposure to these causes of asthma. Another cause is tobacco smoking. Parents who smoke around their children or inside their home have a high risk of getting asthma due to the second hand smoke intake. Stress is another high risk to the cause of this disease. It is hard to avoid this cause because it is a part of life. People who undergo stress have higher asthma rates. Part of this may be explained by increases in asthma-related behaviors such as smoking that are encouraged by stress. Obese adults are another factor that contributes to the cause of asthma. Those with a body mass index between 25 and 30 are about 38% more likely to have asthma compared to adults who are not overweight. Obese adults with a body mass index of 30 or greater have twice the risk of asthma. The way you enter the world seems to impact your susceptibility to asthma. Babies who are born by a C-section have a twenty percent increase in asthma inheritance compared to babies born regular vaginal birth. It is possible that immune system-modifying infections from bacterial exposure during Cesarean sections are responsible for this difference (Medical News Today, 2004). When mothers smoke during pregnancy, their children have lower pulmonary function. This may pose additional asthma risks. Research has also shown that premature birth is a risk factor for developing asthma. The medications that help treat asthma are important in how much you take because there can be negative side effects to the medications, especially long term effects. The purpose of asthma medications is to reduce the inflammation in the airways of the lungs that cause the wheezing, coughing, tightness in chest and other symptoms. The following are types of medications that are commonly used in asthma treatment; anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and anti-leukotrienes which fight potent chemicals that are responsible for airway inflammation. Bronchodilators are commonly used during an asthma attack which is an emergency to open up the bronchial tubes to allow for more airflow. Corticosteroids are inhaled or in a oral form, depending on the severity. Anti- inflammatory drugs such as cromolyn or nedoromil are used to stop and prevent the inflammation in the lungs (Gelfand, 2012). There are several different types of asthma that all lead to similar symptoms. The types are allergic asthma, exercise-induced asthma, cough-variant asthma, occupational asthma, and nocturnal asthma. Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma. Everyone with asthma, either allergic or non-allergic gets worse after exercising in cold air or after nhaling any type of smoke or dust. Having allergic asthma, your airways are hypersensitive to the allergens to which youve become sensitized. Once these allergens get into your airways, your immune system overreacts. The muscles around your airways tighten and contract. The airways themselves become inflamed and flooded with thick mucus. During normal breathing, the air we take in is first warmed and moistened by the nasal passages. Because people tend to breathe through their mouths when they exercise, they are inhaling drier air (Gelfand, 2012). In exercise-induced asthma, the muscles around the airways are sensitive to these changes in temperature and humidity and react by contracting, which make the airway narrow. Case Study: I am interviewing my patient Bryan Smith as he had many hospital visits for his asthma attacks. He is a sixteen year old male who complains of having shortness of breath and chest pain. He states that he coughs a lot during the day and at night, and he hears himself wheezing. He explains how it is hard for him to take a deep breath because it feels like his lungs close when he inhales. For these symptoms the doctor usually checks the heart and with the stethoscope. He will tell Bryan to take slow deep breaths and the doctor will listen from the patient’s back to hear the lungs. During the test the doctor hears a wheezing sound. After, the doctor will perform a pulmonary test which is called Spirometry. This test measures how fast you can blow air out of your lungs and how quickly. It is often used to determine the amount of airway obstruction you have. The patient will have to use a bronchodilator which is called albuterol. This medication will help open up the patient’s airways allowing air to flow freely and making it easy for them to breathe. As you can see asthma is a very serious disease that needs to be taken carefully. People with asthma should monitor what they do during the day and make sure they are always prepared for having an emergency which in this case is an asthma attack. Being that there is no cure for asthma, there are ways that it can be prevented and treated. Asthma attacks can be reduced by taking medication daily and avoiding polluted environments such as dust, smoke and allergens.

A sapaaparete peace Essays - Phineas, Finny, Phillips Exeter Academy

sapaaparete peace fferences: Gene is more scholarly (Gene is near the top of his class, Phineas average in his studies) , Finny is (Phineas) the better athlete, Finny is more self-confident (able to step outside convention and challenge authority) Similarities: there are not a great deal of similiarties between the two teenagers. A similarity lies only in the fact that Gene assumes that his "friend" is as envious of his scholarly abilities as much as he is envious of Finny's athletic prowess. Of course, they have their ages and school in common, too. But Gene is severly lacking in self confidence and maturity. Finny may lack maturity as well, but his is a benevolent immaturity, while Gene's is decidely malevolent. "As Ronald Weber writes in an article from Studies in Short Fiction, "It is Phineas's innocence that Gene cannot endure. As long as he can believe Phineas shares his enmity, he can find relief, but with this assurance gone, he stands condemned before himself and must strike out against his tormentor."

How culture influence Management style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

How culture influence Management style - Essay Example The emergence of a global economy and the dissolution of the national boundaries due to the advancement of information and communication technology, have forced the organizations to constantly re-evaluate strategies and operations so as to remain competitive (Buttery & Holt, 2000). With workplaces having people from diverse cultural backgrounds, with virtual teams working across continents culture plays a significant role in how the firms operate and manage business. Culture has always been a source of influence on human behaviour. It is essential to note that culture has a major impact on the human behaviour. Also the performance of an individual at a work place is directly impacted by the culture of the organisation. The culture of the organisation is generally dependent on the management of the organisation and the way the culture of the organisation is managed can impact the overall working within the company. Various functions of the organisation such as planning, controlling the different aspects of organisation, setting goal, coordinating are the key responsibilities of the management and together they contribute to the culture of the organisation as well. The role of managers becomes more complex and difficult in case of Multinational Companies (MNCs) as the managers located at overseas locations or expatriate managers face the daunting challenge of managing people from different cultures. The managers need to concentrate on the employee s and there is a clear need to be able to balance the employees and manage them well. By doing so, the company’s culture will be very high and there will also be a chance for the employees to grow and develop and perform better here. The attitude of the managers and the focus with which they work towards the development of the culture in the company can have a clear impact on the

Health Care Utilization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Care Utilization - Assignment Example Majorly, healthcare reforms have expanded access and made many people access affordable healthcare and health insurance (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). Surveys from experts charged with seeking people’s opinions as to whether reforms have made access of healthcare easier suggest that most people agree that health reforms have been successful. For instance, they cite novel healthcare laws, and new healthcare insurance measures as some of the significant gains. After about a year of endless debates, meetings and workshops, speeches and votes, the New York Times (April 5, 2010) reported that Congress passed into law major health reform laws (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). 89 % of healthcare leaders as well as health policy makers believe the novel reform laws will expand access to healthcare and make health insurance affordable to a significant number of Americans. Many opinion leaders support the recent Modern Health Care Opinion/Commonwealth Fund. This can only mean that healthcare reforms have been immensely successful (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). What is more, opinion leaders support numerous healthcare policy legislation aimed at reducing the bottlenecks affecting efficient delivery of healthcare services. Subsidies advocated for through the health reforms allow many people to access healthcare and insurance cover. Concisely, the reforms improved service delivery. The New York Times reports that 90% of the population can access cheap insurance cover; 88% give priority for healthcare reforms; 80% support innovation, which makes access to a patient’s background information easier. Healthcare providers and Medicare enhancers are more accountable (Gulliford & Morgan, 2013). Changes in utilization of healthcare mean that the United States now joins other industrialized countries with efficient healthcare systems that make access to health care essential. The new laws brought about

The Last Empress by Daniele Varè Essay -- China Literature Essays

The Last Empress by Daniele Varà ¨ The Empress Dowager Tzi-his (1835-1908) was a unique ruler unlike any other China had ever seen. She is considered to be one of the most influential people in Chinese history, a rarity in the male dominated Chinese world. The empress dowager exerted great power over the Chinese empire and influenced the political structure in ways it had never been influenced before, making many great reforms that she believed would help the Chinese people. Born on November 29th, 1835, Tzi-hsi was named Yehonala after her tribe. Her father, Huei-cheng died when she was a child and her family took care of her until she was sent to Emperor Hsien-Feng’s court as a concubine. Although Hsien-Feng had many wives and concubines, Tzi-hsi was the only to bear him a son. In 1861, the Emperor died and his court was left to the son, who was not of age and thus Tzi-hsi was able to rule through her son, The Emperor Tung-chih. When he turned 17, she was forced to give up her immediate power to him. Tung-chih died in 1875. Through much controversy and manipulation, Tzi-hsi was able to convince the court to nominate her choice as successor, and when the Empress of the Eastern palace died, Tzi-hsi became the sole surviving regent of the empire (Varà ¨). Shortly after, Tzi-hsi was forced to give up her regency and retired to a summer palace, but she soon resumed rule over China. From that moment on until her death in 1908 she ruled China, instilling new policies and reforms into Chinese culture. There have been many assertions and assumptions about Tzi-hsi’s policies and their value to the history of China and her popularity among Chinese citizens (her tomb was raided and destroyed). Regardless of these opinio... ...its objectivity. It provides a clear picture of the Empress’ life in her cultural context and the impact it had on China. I recommend this book to anyone exploring the life of the Empress Dowager—whether it be her personal life, her social life, or her political life. The book truly does provide an extensive amount of information about the Empress—its age stands testament to this (it has been around for 70 years), and I would highly recommend it. Works Cited â€Å"Biography.† Rev. of The Last Empress by Daniele Varà ¨. Saturday Review of Literature 14 Sept. 1936: 19. Gilroy, Thomas J. Tzu-hsi: The Empress Dowager from China. 16 Nov 2002. King’s College History Department. King’s College. 3 Mar 2004. Varà ¨, Daniele. The Last Empress. New York: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1936.

KS Maniam Removal In Pasir Panjang Essay

As the first-generation descendant of indentured Indian labourers brought in to service the rubber plantations of British colonial Malaya, Maniam knows too well the trauma and losses attendant on that position of cultural, linguistic, geographic and temporal displacement. Early stories such as â€Å"Ratnamuni†, and â€Å"The Third Child† and â€Å"Removal in Pasir Panjang† capture the nuances and particular texture of diasporic Indian life, replete with its fears, failures and feelings of betrayal as its members cling desperately to familiar, long-ago rituals that are fast losing their currency in the new cultural location. Themes: Tradition vs Changes – perspectives on striking changes which have taken place in modern Malaysia and Singapore societies. Power relation – human relationship in different strata and racial aspects. Conflicts Setting Physical Penang in post independence time Small town – Pasir Panjang (refer to the text how the writer describes the town – the shop, the school, the buildings etc) The road – its significance impact to the town people Social setting Multi-racial community Nathan, Ramasamy representing the Indian, Ah Seng and CRC the Chinese community, the students etc The housing development on the other side of the river – representing changes The CRC (Chinese Recreation Club) – representing the tradition Plots (themes) A subtly paced contrast of this life with the more rapid changes brought about by urban development. There is a comic strand running throughout the story, the better because it is played by seriousness, concerning Nathan (protagonist) the school teacher’s resignation from CRC. Nathan sent in his resignation from the CRC The reaction of CRC concerning his decision CRC bent their rules to admit him, and send successive deputations to urge him to rejoin. The building of the road – Leng Leng’s death and other children who were also killed on the same road after its completion brings in the irony of the story (changes come with a price!) This highway/road causes upheaval in the slow-paced town Ironically yet tragic is the case of Leng Leng the orphan boy which in turn a comic in the case of Ah Seng the shop keeper, who fears he will lose his customers (being superstitious) Nathan’s impatience with Li Hwa (one of his students) show his desire to be out of the small town and join the development on the other side of town Nathan made his frequent visit to the jetty, watching the development on the other side of the river. As readers, we see from his observation, how the development springing but again development is partly shown in the darker side of betterment (e.g. prostitution, gangster elements etc) Nathan met Yahaya a stranger on the jetty, who warned him about interfering with the across river development. They both became friends and together contemplate the invasion of the new with a peculiar mixture of interest and dismay. There is the case alienation when Nathan who s beaten up by newer gangster elements who came with development. Cheng the school clerk came to nurse his wound Then a visit by Hock Guan, a CRC member together with Li Hwa, lightens up his misery. Li Hwa showed her charitable and respect for Nathan by giving him fruits The story ends with both Li Hwa and Nathan said sorry to one another – a pang of irony as they both did not like each other initially. Important points to look at: Language and style: 3rd person narrative – but we see the atmosphere and environment through the main protagonist, Nathan It indirectly brings us to dive into his emotion and conflict with the surrounding and himself. Irony and comic elements implanted – the portrayal of the old laterite road in contrast o the new road, the old slow-paced morbid town and the rapid development of the other  side of town (across the jetty where Nathan stood almost every evening), Ah Seng fear of losing business when the new road claimed its victim mostly children. The use of multi racial background accentuates the theme of power relation, how each character deals with their conflicts. Characters Their role and characteristics Nathan The protagonist A school teacher – he showed lack of patience at times but committed himself to his work He bit of a loner and indifferent especially with his students He desired changes and wanted to be transferred out of the town to a bigger town An ex member of CRC (he was admitted to the club on special condition – on the basis of a kind Catch 22 clause) He mixed well with other races though his efforts in mixing around looks superficial (except with Yahaya) Leng Leng An orphan mute boy who got his name from â€Å"his frenzied activity† â€Å"Street boys†, â€Å"not a pest† etc (read pg 154 for vivid description of him) Very fond of Nathan an d he will try to impress others through his comical antics He was killed at the opening of the new road by a speeding car. His short-lived character represent innocence and naivety (naà ¯ve) who was caught between tradition and changes) Ah Seng A member of CRC He owns a shop in town Superstitious Friendly to Nathan A symbol of tradition – he showed mix-feeling about the progression of the road Always trying to advise Nathan Li Hwa Curious Sensitive Strong will Forgiven self Naà ¯ve Yahaya A stranger that Nathan met A mysterious person Probably a gardener Like Nathan, he went to the jetty to see the other side of the world Friendly and smoking companion with Nathan He knew about the sleazy underworld where he constantly reminded Nathan to stay away from the development at the other side of town Ramasamy He bought lands – the developer Big mouth Ramasamy He brought changes into town