Socrates Moral Obligation To Civil Law

The following is the hypothetical conversation on the subject of one’s moral obligation to a civil law, which could have had taken place between Socrates and Protagoras (sophist philosopher).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Socrates: Moral Obligation To Civil Law specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During the course of this conversation, Socrates was able to prove to Protagoras that the notion of one’s moral obligation to a civil law is indeed fully objective. The conversation was concerned with the discussion of contemporary socio-political issues. Protagoras: Dear Socrates, I am not entirely convinced that people should consider themselves being morally compelled to seek into attuning their act with the conventions of a civil law. The reason for this is simple – as you, I am sure, is being well aware of; morality itself never ceases to remain the subject of a constant transformation. As human societies advance, in social, scientific and cultural senses of this word, the morality of these societies’ members never ceases to attain qualitatively new characteristics (Foucault 101). Therefore, it would only be logical to assume that there are no good reasons to believe that, as time goes on, the concept of one’s moral obligation to a civil law will continue to be perceived as being thoroughly objective. Socrates: I do not deny the fact that, as time goes one, people’s code of behavioral ethics undergoes a qualitative transformation. Nevertheless, you should agree that the earlier mentioned transformation results in people growing ever more open-minded and tolerant. For example; whereas, as recent as hundred years ago, the majority of citizens in Western countries thought of the concept of ‘civil marriage’ as such that implied ‘sinfulness’, it is no longer the case nowadays. After all, it now became a commonplace practice among We stern men and women to enter into relationships, without having to get married (Cherlin 848). Do not you agree?Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Protagoras: Yes, I agree. This, however, only proves the validity of what I was saying earlier – as time goes on; the conventions of traditional morality become increasingly outdated. In its turn, this should lead us to a conclusion that the notion of one’s moral obligation to a civil law can no longer be thought of as representing an undeniable truth-value. After all, it may very well be the case that tomorrow, people’s newly adopted moral predispositions will prompt them to consider one’s willingness to adhere to the conventions of a civil law as being essentially ‘immoral’ – certainly, not an improbable scenario. Socrates: Your argument, in this respect, cannot be considered fully legitimate. The reason for this is simple – while stating that people’s morality undergoes a continuous transformation, you failed at pointing out to what represents such transformation’s qualitative effects. As I mentioned earlier, there is an undeniable tendency for Western societies to grow ever more tolerant. Given the fact that you admitted that my line of argumentation, in this respect, is being fully legitimate, you will have to agree that the subtleties of morality’s transformation are being dialectically predetermined. To put it plainly – it is quite possible to predict the spatial essence of morality’s continuous alteration. Protagoras: I guess I will have to agree. Still, I do not quite understand how what you have just said relates to what it being discussed. Socrates: What I have said points out to the fact that Western societies become increasingly secular (civil). Therefore, it would only be natural to think that the essence of earlier m entioned morality’s transformation is being fully consistent with the process of societies’ secularization (Dobbelaere 167).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Socrates: Moral Obligation To Civil Law specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In fact, this secularization appears to be driven by people’s realization of the fact that there is nothing wrong with the disposal of clearly outdated moral dogmas. Protagoras: Yes, this is exactly what I was trying to say. Socrates: Then, you would have to also agree that, even though the process of morality’s transformation does affect a variety of legal conventions, it nevertheless does not undermine Western law from within, as a whole. Otherwise, the process of people becoming ever more open-minded and less concerned with professing the traditional values should have resulted in Western societies being plunged into the state of anarchy. Yet, this is not being the case, is it? Protagoras: I will have to agree with you on that. Even though that, as time goes on, more and more people tend to reconsider the validity of clearly outdated moral conventions, such their tendency does not seem to affect the qualitative aspects of Western societies’ functioning. Socrates: This is because, contrary to what you were implying, the continuous transformation of a number of ethics-related traditional conventions does not result in undermining morality’s validity, as ‘thing in itself’. It is important to understand that; whereas, in the past, the notion of morality used to be perceived as something closely associated with the notion of religion, it nowadays is being increasingly looked upon as something that originates out of an impersonal civil law.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Protagoras: It is actually beginning to dawn upon me what you are trying to say. Evidently enough, you are implying that the notion of morality is being essentially synonymous to the notion of a civil/secular law, as the solemn ‘authority’ that regulates socio-political dynamics within a particular society. Socrates: Yes, you are right. Just consider the case of Muslim countries in the Third World. The majority of these countries’ citizens never cease taking pride in their strong adherence to the dogmas of Islamic morality. Moreover, even upon having immigrated to Western countries, these people continue to profess the ideals of ‘traditional living’, while bashing native-born Westerners on the account of their ‘materialism’, ‘consumerism’ and ‘non-spirituality’. This, however, does not prevent Muslim immigrants from acting as primeval barbarians, upon being exposed to the ideas that do not quite match their own (Banu 2408). I am sure, you must have heard of incidents of street-violence, instigated by the publishing of caricatures on Islamic ‘prophet’ Mohamed in Western newspapers? Protagoras: Yes, I have heard of it. The representatives of Muslim communities in Western countries used to hold mass-rallies, while protesting these caricatures’ publishing, as utterly inappropriate. As far as I remember, these protests were quite violent. Many innocent bystanders sustained physical injuries, simply because they were unfortunate enough to find themselves in close proximity to the raging crowds of Muslim immigrants. Socrates: That is correct. As the context of your latest remark implies, you do consider Muslims’ behavior, in this respect, highly inappropriate? Protagoras: Yes, of course. After all, they were not forced to immigrate to Western countries. If they do not like the ideals of Western secular living, they should simply pack up and leave to where they came from , so that nothing would prevent them from being able to celebrate their religion, in time free from indulging in tribal wars and making babies on an industrial scale. Socrates: Did it occur to you that what you have just said points out to the fact that you think of Muslims’ socially inappropriate behavior as being essentially immoral? Protagoras: I think so. Apparently, these people are being utterly intolerant to other people’s opinions. Socrates: What do you think makes them being intolerant to the extent that many of them are willing to go as far as killing their opponents? Protagoras: I think, they are being little too devoted to their religion. Socrates: Exactly! These people are simply being intellectually primitive, which in turn prompts them to act in a manner if they were absolutely unaffected by the provisions of Western secular law. They think this law has nothing to do with them, as it is only their ‘holy book’ Quran, which they consider to co ntain the only valid instructions as to how they ought to address life’s challenges (Baig 61). Do you agree now that one’s failure to observe the provisions of a civil law is being essentially immoral, as it leads to violence and chaos? Protagoras: I think you have made a good point there. Still, I am not entirely sure that the notion of ‘one’s moral obligation to civil law’ is being fully tangible, simply because there can be no instrument for defining and measuring such obligation’s objective emanations. I guess you are being aware of the fact that the concept of a civil law is based upon the premise that ‘whatever is not forbidden is permitted’. This creates a certain paradox – after all, one might very well go about proving its adherence to the provisions of a civil law by indulging in morally repugnant behavior, since such type of behavior is not being strictly forbidden. Socrates: Actually, the point you have just ma de is being explored throughout the movie Larry Flynt vs. People. Movie’s main character – the publisher of Hustler Magazine Larry Flynt, simply strived to run his business, concerned with selling pornography. This, however, did cost him dearly, as during the course of seventies; America’s Bible-thumpers were still utterly influential. This was exactly the reason why Larry Flynt never ceased being sued on the account of his business’s ‘moral inappropriateness’. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court’s final ruling, in regards to the case of Larry Flynt vs. Jerry Falwell (Christian preacher), left no doubt as to the fact that by promoting pornography, Flynt has in fact been promoting democratic/civil values (Butterbaugh 15). This shows that, regardless of how strongly immoral one’s behavior may appear, for as long as such a behavior contributes to the strengthening of a civil law, as the only legitimate societal authority, this individu al should be considered an outstanding citizen. Protagoras: In other words, there is a possibility for seemingly immoral individuals to be considered as such that experience an innate obligation to promote the provisions of a civil law? Socrates: Yes, there is. It is important to understand that, unlike what it happened to be the case with people’s most commonly irrational morality-related convictions, the morality advanced by a civil law is fully rational, which in turn means that it is being fully objective. The reason for this is apparent – it is namely the countries where civil law enjoys the status of an undisputed authority, which feature world’s highest standards of living. Why is it? This is because it is only in intellectually liberated secular societies, where an impersonal civil law is being equally applied to societies’ members, regardless of what happened to be the particulars of their racial, cultural of religious uniqueness, where the conti nuation of a scientific, cultural and social progress is possible, in the first place. In its turn, this progress creates objective preconditions for the people to be able to enjoy a nice living. After all, as I mentioned earlier, it is specifically ‘godless’, ‘immoral’ and ‘consumerist’ Western societies that serve as a magnet for the hordes of highly ‘spiritual’ and ‘culturally rich’ but intellectually backward immigrants from the Third World, and not the vice versa. Therefore, one’s willingness to observe the provisions of a civil law should indeed be considered the foremost indication of him of her being a moral individual. Protagoras: I guess, I have no option but to agree with you. It just dawned upon that, even though the conventional morality does in fact undergo the process of a continuous transformation, the very purpose of this process is make people’s moral judgments to be fully correlative wi th the provisions of a civil/secular law. Therefore, if there were an instrument for measuring the extent of people’s endowment with socially beneficial morals, it would be the observation of how comfortable they are with the implications of a civil law. Socrates: That is correct. Allow me to conclude this conversation by reinstating once again that there is not only a moral obligation for the people to act in accordance with the provisions of a civil law, but there is also an obligation for them to actively strive to resist just about anything that might undermine such law’s implicational integrity. Protagoras: Thank you for your time. I did find this conversation truly enlightening. Bibliography: Baig B. G. â€Å"Islamic Fundamentalism.† Social Scientist 9.1 (1980): 58-65. Print. Banu, Zainab. â€Å"Immigrant Groups as a Factor in Communal Riots.† Economic  and Political Weekly 29.37 (1994): 2408-2411. Print. Butterbaugh, Laura. â€Å"Is This Freedom ?† Off Our Backs 27.4 (1997): 15-18. Print. Cherlin, Andrew. â€Å"The Deinstitutionalization of American Marriage.† Journal of  Marriage and Family 66.4 (2004): 848-861. Print. Dobbelaere, Karel. Secularization: An Analysis at Three Levels. Berlin: Peter  Lang, 2004. Print. Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality. New York: Pantheon, 1978. Print. This essay on Socrates: Moral Obligation To Civil Law was written and submitted by user Aubrianna Mccarthy 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.

Bhopal India disaster Essays

Bhopal India disaster Essays Bhopal India disaster Essay Bhopal India disaster Essay Bhopal India disaster Name: Course: Date: Bhopal India disaster The Bhopal gas leak disaster that happened in India in 1984 was recorded as one of the most disastrous accidents in the world. The location of the accident was the union Carbide pesticide plant in Madhya Pradesh. The gas leak managed to affect over 100,000 people with poisonous methyl-isocyanine particles. The scope of the gas leak was estimated to be about six kilometers from the source of the gas accident. The initial death toll stood at 2,000 people most of who worked at the plant as employees. Much later, the toll rose to 8,000 after an hour. After three days of investigation, the victims of the gas leak were estimated to be over a hundred thousand (Palit, 2010). The exact health implications of the Bhopal gas leak were not fully released until 1994 when parts of the documents were released to the public. Over 500,000 people were labeled as being gas affected with most of the victims suffering from nervous system failure, different types of cancers, kidney and liver failures (Tho mas, 2010). The pesticide plant UCIL was a branch of the Union Carbide Corporation and immediately distanced itself from the gas disaster. Eventually, the Indian government forced them to pay over $400 million in compensation for the deaths and physical injuries. The occurrence of the disaster pointed toward an increased enforcing of international standards in dealing with environmentally hazardous chemicals to avoid similar accidents in the future. The topic of controversy even after the disaster was the fact that the plants’ scientists refused to divulge any information on the nature of the gas. Warren Anderson, the managing director, was accused of homicide, but he was never tried at both the US and Indian trials. Possible causes of the gas leak accident There was a lot of confusion after the plant was closed to outsiders after allegations arose that the plant had not complied with most regulations touching on worker safety, working conditions, emergency procedures and equipment maintenance. The most significant investigation into the cause of the gas leak was done by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and revealed the following results. Water seeped into MIC storage tanks and triggered an exothermal effect that exuded large amounts of toxic gas that broke open the safety valves. There were safety scrubbers that would normally cut off any excess gas, but these were dismantled for repair when the tragedy occurred (Sheehan, 2011). The main cause of the accident was established as negligence of safety procedures. First, no valves were installed to prevent water from seeping into the MIC storage tanks. The company also did a poor job of maintaining the flaring and cooling systems of the machinery and even on the fateful day, they were not in proper working condition. At the factory, coolant units had been drained off for usage in another part of the plant and the gas flare had been off for over three months. The reason given for the low safety standard at Union Carbide branch were financial in nature and involved massive budget cuts to the safety fund. The company had also made massive errors by procuring and installing equipment that had not been approved as safe for handling toxic components (Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal, 2009). Effects of the Bhopal gas leak accident Environmental effects The Dow Chemical Company that took over the control of Union Carbide Company in 2001 reported that there were still large volumes of poisonous waste at the site of the accident. As of 2011, the site was still highly contaminated with residues of mercury and hexachlorobenzene (Sheehan, 2011). Efforts were made to seal some of the toxic wastes into open barrels, but the severe rainfall and flooding washed off the chemicals into domestic water sources such as rivers and still ponds. Research done by environmentalists revealed that the locals consumed water that contained up to 500 times more toxic material than was humanly possible to consume. This has led to mutation and extinction of various species of flora and fauna in the area (Sarangi, 2012). Efforts to mitigate the accident and avoid future similar incidents The Indian Government was highly cooperative with lawmakers to ensure that repeats of such biochemical accidents were outdated. The state passed the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act as a method of ascertaining that allegations and lawsuits arising from the gas leak accident would be dealt with promptly and fairly. Within the Act, there were clauses that made such cases only adjudicated by the state. Through this act, all cases were removed from US jurisdiction and awarded to Indian courts. The agreement by UCIL to pay the $470 million was one of the results of such adjudication (Sarangi, 2012). Various stakeholders in the chemical industry globally used the Bhopal disaster as the perfect opportunity to plan to reinforce the safety regulations to deter any future lapses that would result in disasters. The Bhopal disaster proved that problems involving industrial hazards are tied to global market changes. Practical and consistent international operating guidelines for hazardous industries were proposed and ratified in international platforms such as the UN General Assembly and the European Union. These policies and norms have worked exceptionally well in measuring performance of hazardous chemical producers in India (Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal, 2009). The Bhopal incident served to change the trend and structure of industrial chemical production in India and the rest of the world. Though many lives were lost and the environment destroyed, the accident served to reinforce the authority of the Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders as well as renewing the world’s commitment at controlling the industrial activity that posed a potential threat to their well-being and that of the environment. References Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal. (2009). The Bhopal gas disaster, impacts, responses, current status, and recommendations for the future: executive summaries of studies. New Delhi: Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal Palit, A., National University of Singapore. (2010). The Bhopal tragedy verdict: Can India handle industrial disasters? Singapore: Institute of South Asian Studies. Sarangi, S. (2012). Compensation to Bhopal gas victims: will justice ever be done? Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 9, 2 Sheehan, H. E. (2011). The Bhopal gas disaster: focus on community health and environmental effects. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 8, 2 Thomas, G. (2010). The Bhopal gas disaster and the poor state of occupational health and safety India. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 7, 4

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final - Essay Example The North/South conflict in The Octoroon elaborated on the consequence of the secession of southern states, particularly Louisiana, from the United States. It gave rise to the prohibition from marriage of Whites and Octoroons or those which bears 1/8 black heritage. The segregation between Whites and those with black heritage were presented so critical in the play. In Shenandoah, marriage or romantic relationship was not emphasized. The North/South conflict was introduced as it is. Conflict of interest due to the regional associations of the character which complicated issues relating to personal engagements. In the latter, the political facet of the North/South conflict was stressed. [Student’s Last Name] 2 2. From the late 19th century to early 20th century, there were significant changes in the entertainment as a business. What were those changes and how do they reflect what we see in the entertainment today? In the later part of the 19th century, the United States develope d home entertainment, theatrical shows and folk music and dances as observed and eventually copied from different countries like Ireland, Canada and Germany. The entertainment industry in the United States focused more on consolidating different types of culture into one state aiming for a centralized entertainment that would attract more audience around the globe. Immigration surged and many foreign artist were recruited for different theatrical and musical productions which contributed a lot to the entertainment industry of the US. In 1880, years after the Civil War and the widespread emancipation of Blacks, a great variety of performers and artists flocked into one. As we can see today, Blacks are given equal opportunity. Also, more and more foreign artists are immigrating to the US to pursue career in music. 3. How were the immigrant/ethnic acts in vaudeville different from the other entertainments we’ve studied that featured people who were different from the â€Å"norm al† citizen? In principle, foreign citizens or immigrants or both essentially had their individual upbringing. Since they have grown up with the kind of culture which is customary and prevalent in their mother nations, it would most likely be reflected on their entertainment style, whether it is in music, dance, comedy, magic or any other type of artistic skill. [Student’s Last Name] 3 In 1880, years after the American Civil War, the United States started to embrace variety in entertainment. There was a mixture in the entertainment industry with different races and colour transpired into the performances of many immigrant performers. The acts in vaudeville of immigrants differ from the normal citizen largely because of cultural variations and customary influence which until now is still apparent just like musicals which play in Broadway that depict some of the old English love stories and events. PART II 1. Compare the character of the American people as it is exhibited in The Octoroon with the character as seen through Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. What changed and what remained the same? How do they compare with our attitudes about similar issues today? More than just the recurring scenes featuring cowboys, shooting and horses, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West highlighted the kind of life there was in the west or the so-called

2-1-2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

2-1-2 - Assignment Example Prior to recession that started in 2008, economy of Lithuania was found to be growing at the rate of 8%. In 2004 the country joined in European Union. It has also joined World Trade Organization. Most of the trades take place with Russia and other neighbors that are located in Eastern Europe. The process of turning old traditional Lithuanian economy into a market economy is almost complete. Most of the state owned organizations have been made private. The recent global recession that started from mid of 2008, has greatly affected the economy of the country. In 2007 Lithuania’s real GDP was growing at the rate of almost 8%, but in 2008 the figure came down to 3%. In 2009 the country’s GDP shrank at the rate of 16.8%. Such negative growth is mainly due to the global financial meltdown that has affected almost all the developed and developing economies in the world. In 2008 Lithuania’s GDP per capita was $18,000 and in 2009 the figure reduced to $15,000 per capita. According to the prediction of Bloomberg, Lithuanian economy might have positive growth in 2010. It is also predicted that in 2011 the economy might grow at the rate of 4% (Hà µbemà ¤gi, December 23, 2009). In 2008, unemployment rate was almost 5.84%, but in 2009 it increased to 15%. Inflation rate has decreased from the past. In 2008 inflation rate in the country was 10.9% and in the next year it was around 4.7% (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.). Lithuania’s economy was in growth track prior to the recession period. In 2007 GDP growth rate was 8.9%, but in the next year this rate was 3% and 2009 Lithuania’s economy was having negative growth rate. It is predicted that in 2010 economy will return on growth track. In 2011 economy is expected to grow at the rate of 3-4%. In 2008 discount rate offered by central bank was 4.73% which is almost unchanged from the previous year when the rate was 4.82%. Hà µbemà ¤gi, T. December 23, 2009, SEB: Lithuanian economy to expand 4% in 2011, Baltic

Sixth Sense Technology Introduction

Sixth Sense Technology Introduction Abstract: ‘Sixth Sense is a wearable gesture interface that augments the physical world around us with digital information and lets us use natural hand gestures to interact with that information. This technology will definitely give the user a new way of seeing the world with information at their fingertips it has been classified under the category ‘wearable computing’. The true power of Sixth Sense lies on its potential to connect the real world with the Internet, and overlaying the information on the world itself. The key here is that Sixth Sense recognizes the objects around you, displaying information automatically and letting you access it in any way you want, in the simplest way possible. This paper gives you just introduction about sixth sense. This paper makes you familiar with sixth sense technology which provides freedom of interacting with the digital world using hand gestures. The sixth sense prototype is comprised of pocket projector, a mirror, mobile components, color markers and a camera. The sixth sense technology is all about interacting to the digital world in most efficient and direct way. Sixth Sense devices are very much different from the Computers; this will be a new topic for the hackers and the other people also. Everyone can get general idea of sixth sense technology by look at this paper. Keywords: Sixth Sense, wearable computing, Augmented Reality, Gesture Recognition, Computer Vision __________________________________________________________*****_________________________________________________________ 1. INTRODUCTION We’ve evolved over millions of years to sense the world around us. When we encounter something, someone or some place, we use our five natural senses which include eye, ear, nose, tongue mind and body to perceive information about it; that information helps us make decisions and chose the right actions to take. But arguably the most useful information that can help us make the right decision is not naturally perceivable with our five senses, namely the data, information and knowledge that mankind has accumulated about everything and which is increasingly all available online. Although the miniaturization of computing devices allows us to carry computers in our pockets, keeping us continually connected to the digital world, there is no link between our digital devices and our interactions with the physical world. Information is confined traditionally on paper or digitally on a screen. Sixth Sense bridges this gap, bringing intangible, digital information out into the tangible world, and allowing us to interact with this information via natural hand gestures. ‘Sixth Sense’ frees information from its confines by seamlessly integrating it with reality, and thus making the entire world your computer. All of us are aware of the five basic senses – seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting and hearing. But there is also another sense called the sixth sense. It is basically a connection to something greater than what their physical senses are able to perceive. To a layman, it would be something supernatural. Some might just consider it to be a superstition or something psychological. But the invention of sixth sense technology has completely shocked the world. Although it is not widely known as of now but the time is not far when this technology will change our perception of the world. Fig. 1.1: Six Senses Sixth Sense is a wearable â€Å"gesture based† device that augments the physical world with digital information and lets people use natural hand gestures to interact with that information. Right now, we use our devices (computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.) to go into the internet and get information that we want. With Sixth Sense we will use a device no bigger than current cell phones and probably eventually as small as a button on our shirts to bring the internet to us in order to interact with our world! Sixth Sense will allow us to interact with our world like never before. We can get information on anything we want from anywhere within a few moments! We will not only be able to interact with things on a whole new level but also with people. One great part of the device is its ability to scan objects or even people and project out information regarding what you are looking. 1.1 History and Evolution of Sixth Sense Technology Steve Mann is father of sixth sense who made a wearable computer in 1990. The Sixth Sense Technology was first implemented as the neck worn projector + camera system. He was a media lab student at that time. There after it was used and implemented by an Indian who is the man has become very famous in the recent Pranav Mistry. There will be a long future rather than the short period of history for the Sixth Sense technology. 1.2 Why choose Sixth Sense Technology This sixth sense technology provides us with the freedom of interacting with the digital world using hand gestures. This technology has a wide application in the field of artificial intelligence. This methodology can aid in synthesis of bots that will be able to interact with humans. This technology enables people to interact in the digital world as if they are interacting in the real world. The Sixth Sense prototype implements several applications that demonstrate the usefulness, viability and flexibility of the system [4]. 2. CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING The Sixth Sense prototype comprises a pocket projector a mirror and a camera contained in a pendant like, wearable device. Both the projector and the camera are connected to a mobile computing device in the user’s pocket. The projector projects visual information enabling surfaces, walls and physical objects around us to be used as interfaces; while the camera recognizes and tracks users hand gestures and physical objects using computer-vision based techniques. The software program processes the video stream data captured by the camera and tracks the locations of the colored markers (visual tracking fiducials) at the tip of the user’s fingers. The movements and arrangements of these fiducially are interpreted into gestures that act as interaction instructions for the projected application interfaces. Sixth Sense supports multi-touch and multi-user interaction. Fig. 2.1: Sixth Sense Technology Working 3. TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE RELATED TO SIXTH SENSE DEVICES 3.1. Augmented Reality The augmented reality is a visualization technology that allows the user to experience the virtual experience added over real world in real time. Augmented reality adds graphics, sounds, hepatic feedback and smell to the natural world as it exists [3]. 3.2. Gesture Recognition It is a technology which is aimed at interpreting human gestures with the help of mathematical algorithms. Gesture recognition technique basically special type of hand gloves which provide information about hand position orientation and flux of the fingers [3]. 3.3. Computer Vision Computer Vision is the technology in which machines are able to interpret necessary information from an image. This technology includes various fields like image processing, image analysis and machine vision. It includes certain aspect of artificial intelligence techniques like pattern recognition [3]. 3.4. Radio Frequency Identification Radio Frequency Identification systems transmit the identity of an object wirelessly, using radio magnetic waves. The main purpose of this technology is to enable the transfer of a data via a portable device. This technology is widely used in the fields like asset tracking, supply chain management, manufacturing, payment system etc [3]. 4. APPLICATIONS The Sixth Sense device has a huge number of applications. The following are few of the applications of Sixth Sense Technology:- 4.1. Viewing Map: With the help of a map application the user can call upon any map of his/her choice and navigate through them by projecting the map on to any surface. By using the thumb and index fingers movements the user can zoom in, zoom out or pan the selected map[2]. Fig -4.1: Viewing Map 4.2. Taking Pictures: Another application of Sixth Sense devices is the implementation of a gestural camera. This camera takes the photo of the location user is looking at by detecting the framing gesture. After taking the desired number of photos we can project them onto any surfaces and then use gestures to sort through those photos and organize and resize them[2]. Fig 4.2: Taking Pictures 4.3. Drawing Application: The drawing application allows the user you to draw on any surface by tracking the fingertip movements of the user’s index finger. The pictures that are drawn by the user can be stored and replaced on any other surface. The user can also shuffle through various pictures and drawing by using the hand gesture movements[2]. Fig -4.3: Drawing Application 4.4. Making Calls: We can make calls with the help of Sixth Sense device. The Sixth Sense device is used to protect the keyboard into your palm and using that virtual keypad we can make calls to anyone[2]. Fig -4.4. Making Calls 4.5. Interacting with Physical Objects: The Sixth Sense system also helps to interact with physical objects we use in a better way. It augments physical objects by projecting more information about these objects projected on them. For example, a gesture of drawing a circle on the user’s wrist projects a watch on the user’s hand. Similarly a newspaper can show live video news or dynamic information can be provided on a regular piece of paper[2]. Fig -4.5: Watching News 4.6. Flight Updates: The system will recognize your boarding pass and let you know whether your flight is on time and if the gate has changed[2]. Fig 4.6: Flight Updates 4.7. Other Applications: Sixth Sense also lets the user draw icons or symbols in the air using the movement of the index finger and recognizes those symbols as interaction instructions. For example, drawing a magnifying glass symbol takes the user to the map application or drawing a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢@à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- symbol lets the user check his mail[2]. 5. KEY FEATURES OF SIXTHSENSE Sixth Sense is a user friendly interface which integrates digital information into the physical world and its objects, making the entire world your computer. Sixth Sense does not change human habits but causes computer and other machines to adapt to human needs. It uses hand gestures to interact with digital information, supports multi-touch and multi-user interaction. Data access directly from machine in real time. It is an open source and cost effective and we can mind map the idea anywhere. It is gesture-controlled wearable computing device that feeds our relevant information and turns any surface into an interactive display. It is portable and easy to carry as we can wear it in our neck. The device could be used by anyone without even a basic knowledge of a keyboard or mouse. There is no need to carry a camera anymore. If we are going for a holiday, then from now on wards it will be easy to capture photos by using mere fingers CONCLUSION As this technology will emerge may be new devices and hence forth new markets will evolve. This technology enables one to account, compute and browse data on any piece of paper we can find around. Sixth Sense devices are very much different from the computers; this will be a new topic for the hackers and the other people also. First thing is to provide the security for the Sixth Sense applications and devices. Lot of good technologies came and died due to the security threats. There are some weaknesses that can reduce the accuracy of the data. Some of them were the on palm phone keypad. It allows the user to dial a number of the phone using the keypad available on the palm. There will be a significant market competitor to the Sixth Sense technology since it still required some hardware involvement with the user. REFRENCES http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/ http://dspace.cusat.ac.in/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2207/1/SI XTH%20SENSE%20TECHNOLOGY.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SixthSense http://www.engineersgarage.com/articles/sixth-sense-technology http:/www.ted.com/talkspranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html

Old Verities and Truths of the Heart in Writing :: Writing Authors Faulkner Essays

Old Verities and Truths of the Heart in Writing In his Novel Prize Address, Faulkner states that an author must leave "no room in his workshop for anything but the old verities and truths of the heart...love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice." He accuses his younger contemporaries of ignoring these noble spiritual pillars while pondering the atomic doom of mankind with questions like, "When will I be blown up?" Such physical fears, far from conflicts of the heart, are what plague his bomb-obsessed contemporaries. Yet Faulkner stands, seemingly alone, in opposition to this weakness; he "decline[s] to accept the end of man" and in rebelling, fights for the old universal truths and the glories of the past. In classical style, he brushes away passing fears and fads, settling for nothing less than the "problems of the human heart in conflict with itself." Nothing else is worth writing about and Faulkner's work is living proof. The characters in Light in August are full of the conflicts and virtues Faulkner describes in his speech. In Lena, Hightower, and Christmas, one can find endurance, sacrifice, and honor. In other characters, such as Byron Bunch, the main ingredient is hope. Yet regardless of who he is describing, Faulkner does not forget that only the ancient feelings innate in humanity, those in the soul, are worthwhile. Hope and Love: Hope is one of Faulkner's favorite spices for cooking his characters. It is perhaps the most human of all emotions in that it is fragile like the body, but at the same time all powerful like the spirit. Lena Grove and Byron Bunch both have an endless amount of hope for the same thing: love they have never received. Hope brought her from Alabama to Mississippi in search of her runaway Lucas. Likewise, hope will carry Byron wherever Lena goes until he can find her love. Lena's hope is visible in her face, "[she] walked into the door behind him [Byron], her face already shaped with serene anticipatory smiling, her mouth already shaped upon a name" (p.50). She searches from town to town for her lost love, and in each new place renews her hope with a serene smile. Byron's hope, however, manifests itself quite differently. "There was something funny and kind of strained about him," is how the furniture repairer describes Byron (p.498). His hope is ashamed and choking; it gnaws at him trying to manifest itself with a feeble attempt in the back of a truck. Old Verities and Truths of the Heart in Writing :: Writing Authors Faulkner Essays Old Verities and Truths of the Heart in Writing In his Novel Prize Address, Faulkner states that an author must leave "no room in his workshop for anything but the old verities and truths of the heart...love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice." He accuses his younger contemporaries of ignoring these noble spiritual pillars while pondering the atomic doom of mankind with questions like, "When will I be blown up?" Such physical fears, far from conflicts of the heart, are what plague his bomb-obsessed contemporaries. Yet Faulkner stands, seemingly alone, in opposition to this weakness; he "decline[s] to accept the end of man" and in rebelling, fights for the old universal truths and the glories of the past. In classical style, he brushes away passing fears and fads, settling for nothing less than the "problems of the human heart in conflict with itself." Nothing else is worth writing about and Faulkner's work is living proof. The characters in Light in August are full of the conflicts and virtues Faulkner describes in his speech. In Lena, Hightower, and Christmas, one can find endurance, sacrifice, and honor. In other characters, such as Byron Bunch, the main ingredient is hope. Yet regardless of who he is describing, Faulkner does not forget that only the ancient feelings innate in humanity, those in the soul, are worthwhile. Hope and Love: Hope is one of Faulkner's favorite spices for cooking his characters. It is perhaps the most human of all emotions in that it is fragile like the body, but at the same time all powerful like the spirit. Lena Grove and Byron Bunch both have an endless amount of hope for the same thing: love they have never received. Hope brought her from Alabama to Mississippi in search of her runaway Lucas. Likewise, hope will carry Byron wherever Lena goes until he can find her love. Lena's hope is visible in her face, "[she] walked into the door behind him [Byron], her face already shaped with serene anticipatory smiling, her mouth already shaped upon a name" (p.50). She searches from town to town for her lost love, and in each new place renews her hope with a serene smile. Byron's hope, however, manifests itself quite differently. "There was something funny and kind of strained about him," is how the furniture repairer describes Byron (p.498). His hope is ashamed and choking; it gnaws at him trying to manifest itself with a feeble attempt in the back of a truck.

Herr Samsa Is Content Essay

In ‘Metamorphosis’ by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa, the main character turns into an insect. Although many would argue that this transformation is literal, I would argue that Kafka uses it as a metaphor or some other form of symbol. If my theory is right, this metaphor is used as a means of portraying the dehumanisation and hence insanity of Gregor Samsa caused by the intense stress and demands of his daily job that he worries about so much. I also believe that Kafka uses the particular case of Gregor to represent a whole generation of workers that all fear the same fate. Herr Samsa, Gregor’s father, in particular fears this and having seen what he fears most in his son, he becomes violent and aggressive towards him; eventually delivering him a slow, gradual death. To support this argument, we find out that, even before the actual transformation, Gregor behaves strangely with regards to his work; studying train timetables for example. It is for this reason that I have decided to carry on with this idea. With Gregor dying at the end of the novella, I decided to use this metaphor of dehumanisation again and apply it to another one of the workers of the same generation as Gregor’s – his sister’s boyfriend that she has found since the Samsa family left their home to start a new life. In order for my adaptation of Kafka’s extended metaphor to be successful, I have had to adopt his style of writing, something that is very particular to Kafka. Kafka uses long sentences yet keeps the novella moving at quite a fast pace. This is because he pays great attention to detail and turns each detail into something significant. Despite this, he is not particularly descriptive concerning the settings that he has chosen in Metamorphosis. This has the particular effect of rendering the scenes of ‘Metamorphosis’ full of action and gripping for the reader. This is what I have tried to apply in my extension of Kafka’s fantastic tale. Grete watched her father open the door, pull his feet across the mat, throw his overcoat off his shoulders and drop it on the banister. He took both his daughter’s shoulders, smiled at her for a moment with an expression that could only be associated with pride and then gently kissed her forehead. He then moved on to the kitchen, Grete in his footsteps. Once there, he placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder, squeezed it, asked her what was for supper and, in turn, kissed her. Herr Samsa presently moved to the living room and with a pleasant sigh of relief he settled into an armchair and watched in amusement as Grete gazed fixedly at the clock on the wall counting down the seconds. At precisely five, the doorbell rang and Grete let out a little squeal of delight before glancing sheepishly at her father and rushing off to answer it. The same routine had not changed one bit for the last two months yet Herr Samsa could not complain. He knew that five was the time when he could afford himself the pleasure of watching his daughter’s face light up, making her even more beautiful; reminding him of the attractive and successful woman she was turning into. He had never been happier. Simple and polite but pleasant conversation came from the kitchen – a mixture of questions, exclamations and quiet laughter. Following this, Grete entered with Franz who greeted Herr Samsa with a gentle inclination of his head. â€Å"Ah! Franz my son! How are you? And how are things at work?† asked Herr Samsa. â€Å"Well, as you know sir, not too well I’m afraid. We all have a ridiculous amount of work to get through and I, for one, can hardly cope. The only thing that keeps a smile on my face is the prospect of coming to visit your daughter each evening.† Grete looked up at him adoringly and smiled before turning to her father with a face that begged no more talk of work matters. Accepting this, Herr Samsa looked at them both. â€Å"Very well. Off you go.† â€Å"Thank you, sir† replied Franz and he eagerly scuttled behind the beautiful young woman who led him to the parlour. Herr Samsa got up and poured himself a small glass of schnapps and settled back down into the warmth of his armchair. As he let his eyes close, he reflected upon how much better life was now. Even going back to work didn’t bother him in the least. He felt healthier and fitter than he had been in a long time and he was now always able to join in with the family walks on Sundays. Franz also came with them. The four of them would walk with their arms linked, talking and laughing with a spring in their step. Thus half an hour passed very happily for Herr Samsa before he was called to join the rest of his family at the dinner table. Grete was rather sullen right throughout the meal. Her usual manner of vigorously attacking her food was not there. Eventually, whilst Grete’s mother was in the kitchen, clearing the table, he asked her what the matter was. She dismissed the question with another intense stare at the table so her father thought it best to leave the matter alone. The next evening, the atmosphere at the dinner table was tense once again. Grete insisted on glaring sullenly at her plate. Again, Herr Samsa asked her what the matter was whilst his wife was busy in the kitchen. Once more, she tried to ignore him but this time, her father insisted and she lifted her face, covered in tears, before answering. â€Å"He’s exhausted†¦I can’t stand it anymore†¦he puts on a brave face†¦but with me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She desperately tried to control herself but burst into tears. Frau Samsa, who had come back into the room, put her arm round her and encouraged her to go on. Grete’s parents watched, bemused and shocked, for this was the first time they had seen her cry since they’d decided to restart their lives. Seeing the discomfort in her parents’ faces, Grete took a deep breath and started again. â€Å"He doesn’t complain about it but when we’re alone, he talks about nothing but work, almost as if he doesn’t know how to talk about anything else. Just last night, instead of talking to me, he spent two whole hours studying a train timetable! And he’s developed a regular twitch†¦spasms every now and then. He’s not really†¦my Franz†¦anymore.† The following evening, nothing changed. As always, Herr Samsa was met in the hallway by his daughter whom he embraced before making his way to the kitchen, in order to greet his wife. As Grete waited for the clock to approach five, she had the same anxious look on her face. But it faded and was replaced with a frown because as the hands hit five she heard a far-off cry. She glanced at her father but he obviously hadn’t heard it and so she continued waiting. She was silently surprised that Franz hadn’t turned up yet, despite the fact that it wasn’t even a minute past yet. As she continued waiting, now perched on the arm of one of the sofas, she heard another cry, closer this time and it resembled more a scream. Yet again, Herr Samsa had not noticed but he was watching Grete with amusement as she visibly became more and more nervous as the minutes went by. Once again, a scream came from up the road. This time, it was accompanied by the smashing of a window. Grete rushed to the living room window and pressed herself up against the window to see what was going on. The last cry had even managed to reach her father and he too had jumped out of the comfort of his chair to see what was going on. Both wore anxious looks upon their faces and as more shouts of terror approached their house, Frau Samsa joined them from the kitchen, wiping the backs of her hands in her apron as she walked. â€Å"Where’s Franz?† she asked immediately. A look of horror crossed Grete’s face as it occurred to her that the angry manifestation outside and Franz’s lateness could be linked. She tried desperately to see what was going on through the living room window but the angle wasn’t wide enough. A couple of flying stones and an apple came into her field of vision and with that she rushed to the front door with both her parents close behind her. It was as she grabbed the cold brass handle to pull the door open that she realised what this was. She remembered the conversation last night at the table and, sure enough, as she hastily poked her head through the door and looked down the street, she clasped her heart. Franz was there sure enough, scuttling desperately down the street, followed by an angry mob yelling at him in disgust and flinging stones of hatred at him. Before her parents were able to see anything, she ran back in, bolted the door and sunk to the floor. Bibliography à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, translated by Malcolm Pasley, Penguin, 2000