Character Sketch - Cephalus from Plato S Republic Essay Example for Free

Character Sketch Cephalus from Plato S Republic Essay Choose one of the three main characters from Book One of Platos Republic (Cephalus, Polemarchus or Thrasymachus). Write a character sketch that shows how the personality, social status, life situation and position affect the views the character holds about life and about the virtue of justice. Include the definition of justice for the character you are describing. In book one, we are introduced to four main characters: Socrates, Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus. Republic takes place in the home of Cephalus and Polemarchus, in the Piraeus. Cephalus is a elderly and financially secure merchant and businessman. He lives his life in moderation, he doesn’t over-reach and try to become too wealthy, and was also not a fan of excessive spending. He certainly wouldn’t approve of the credit card debts that many Americans have. But thanks to his financial security, Cephalus has a comfortable life in old age. By living his life in moderation, the transition to an elderly lifestyle has not been shocking or depressing. Cephalus will admit that these are not his Golden Years, per say – it’s certainly not the greatest period in his life, but thanks to that moderation, he finds the old age to not be as much of a burden as his friends do. His friends are depressed and woeful of their age. They miss the lifestyle that they had in their youth. Because of their age, they can no longer partake in the things they thought made them happy – sex, drugs, rock and roll, essentially. Cephalus has a simple idea of justice. Though he never goes to describe it himself, we can pull some context from his discussion with Socrates to fill in the details. Cephalus is an honest man, and as we said, he lives his life in moderation in all aspects. He doesn’t strive for unlimited wealth, but still values that wealth he has, and likely behaves ethically and morally for that reason. Cephalus keeps his desires at bay – he works hard, and he enjoys himself, but always manages to hold onto most of his money. The problem is, it seems to Socrates to be easier to live a ‘just’ and moderate life, because of the wealth that Cephalus possesses. Because Cephalus values wealth, he seems to put a heavy emphasis on the repayment of debts (and avoidance of debt in the first place as well) in his ideal of justice. He feels that if he can go to his next life not owing anyone a penny, it will lift a burden on his soul, in a metaphysical sense. A peace of mind comes with not lying or engaging in deception – which is easier to maintain when wealthy and not faced with problems (like, for example, feeding and clothing your family – some people will do anything when they are seemingly backed into a corner). Thanks to wealth, Cephalus is (at least in his own point of view) able to live a life without lies, without deception, and without debts.

Bureaucracy and the Pacific Way Essay -- Literary Analysis, The Sevent

Bureaucracy and the Pacific Way In Mike Judge’s movie Office Space, the main character Peter is a cog in the bureaucratic wheel. He works a middling job for several different bosses, none of who care about him on any personal or emotional level. The system functions smoothly, allowing the business to operate efficiently and effectively. These corporations, like a government bureaucracy are compartmentalized, impersonal, and utilitarian. Every component of every department works toward the goal of efficiency and development. Consequently, the bureaucracy represents the culmination and manifestation of Western business ideal. Ultimately, the bureaucracy is successful when its members relinquish their own personal identity in favor of the bureaucratic ideal. Although these organizations have a significant importance in a society that values efficiency, punctuality, and materialism, the reality is that these values of Western progress are not embodied throughout the world. Other cultures have and maintain belie fs independent from this mindset. In Epeli Hau’ofa’s novel Tales of the Tikongs, the island of Tiko is a uniquely Pacific land that is the subject of a new development effort by the United Kingdom. In the name of progress, the imperialists attempt to modernize a culture they consider â€Å"native† (5). Although the Western imperialists claim these efforts are for the benefit of the Tikongs, through an analysis of the bureaucratic institutions in the stories â€Å"The Seventh and Other Days† and â€Å"The Glorious Pacific Way†, the true purpose of development is exposed to be the pacification of Pacific culture. The opening of the collection of short stories, â€Å"The Seventh and Other Days† provides the contextual background for an understand... ...orming Tiko into a submissive participant in their international funding games. The Tikongs lost their tradition and identity because of the premeditated actions of the bureaucracy. Furthermore, as evidenced by Pasifikiwei’s symbolic change, even their self-respect disappeared. Like Peter in Office Space, the people of Tiko became the faceless and nameless workers in a government induced pipe dream for the attainment of actual progress. Although the bureaucracy never truly succeeded in incorporating its policies in Tiko, by dehumanizing the Tikongs, undercutting their culture, and convincing the populace to work for â€Å"progress†, the bureaucracy pacified the Tikongs. Development did not improve their way of life; instead it turned them into another casualty of colonialism, a people without a culture in a perpetual struggle towards a non-existent goal.

Descartes’ Dualism

The concept of Dualism or the theory that there is a division between the mind and the body is not a novel one. It originated as early as the time of Plato and Aristotle. Rene Descartes’ concept of Dualism, otherwise known as Cartesian Dualism, is considered one of his greatest contributions in the history of philosophy. He was the first to argue that the mind is a non-material entity which is distinct and separate from the brain. He also identified the mind with concepts such as self-awareness and self-consciousness. It is widely regarded that the sharp division between the mind and the body is the most basic fact of our human existence. This essay will focus on Descartes’ concept of Dualism. The very foundations of his philosophy which led him to the theory of dualism will likewise be tackled. Concepts such as Cogito Ergo Sum will also be discussed since it serves as the foundation for Cartesian dualism. At the concluding part of this paper, I intend to state my position on Descartes’ Dualism Descartes’ Dualism In his work, Meditations, Descartes began his journey by clearing the mind of all the rubbish knowledge that had been handed down from generations to generations. He was aware that the ideas of his contemporaries were all shaped by biases and prejudices. He challenged himself to eliminate these prejudices so that he could arrive at the very foundations of knowledge. He also refused to accept the Aristotelian and Scholastic philosophy which had dominated the traditional philosophical thought throughout the Medieval Period. (â€Å"Rene Descartes†) He thought that if true knowledge is to be attained then we must start from the very foundation of our knowledge. He thus began his philosophy by doubting everything that he could not be certain. Descartes doubted everything around him. He doubted the existence of the physical universe and even his body. He thought that it is very much possible that he could be hallucinating about the existence of this physical world or his physical self. He even doubted his senses, to wit: â€Å"All that I have, up to this moment, accepted as possessed of the highest truth and certainty, I received either from or through the senses. I observed, however, that these sometimes misled us; and it is the part of prudence not to place absolute confidence in that by which we have even once been deceived. † He cautioned us not to trust everything that our senses tell us since they are deceiving. He even argued that there is a thin line that separates the walking state from the dreaming state – meaning, we cannot be actually certain whether as of the moment we are imagining or not. (Bryan Kidd) Descartes argued that on many occasions, he had actually thought that he was awake when in reality he was merely dreaming. It is possible, according to him that our whole life could be a dream. He also questioned the truths of logic and reason since it is possible that he could be deceived by a demon which has the power to make things appear to be logical. Despite all these skepticisms, Descartes argued that there is one thing that he could be certain of and that is he doubted. The mere fact that he was uncertain whether he is dreaming or awake manifests that he is in a state of doubt. If he doubted then this could only mean that he is thinking. Because he is thinking, then he is a thinking being. Thus â€Å"Cogito Ergo Sum† or â€Å"I think therefore I am. † This expression summarizes Descartes philosophy. Unlike his contemporaries who adopted the philosophical attitude of skepticism and began to doubt everything, Descartes believed that in reality it is not possible for us to doubt everything. But it is possible to arrive at true knowledge of certain things. Descartes proceeds to argue that he is sure that he has a mind that exists. Since he has a mind that thinks then it follows that the mind could exist separately from the body. He argues that he is sure that he has a mind but he still is not sure about the existence of his body since it is possible for him to be in a state of delusion still. It is possible for him to doubt that his body exists but it is not possible for him to doubt that his mind exists. He then concludes that he has a mind that is distinct from the body. He then proceeds to make a distinction between the mind and the body. The body is unconscious and is only an extension which takes up room in space while the mind which is conscious and does not take up room. The body is divisible and is subjected to the laws of physical science. The mind, on the other hand, is indivisible and is not subjected to the laws of physical science. We know that the body exists because we can perceive it. On the other hand, we know that the mind exists because of intuition. â€Å"The Argument for Mind/Body Dualism: Descartes†) Despite these differences, however, Descartes is assured after sufficient reflection that the body exists because God gave us sufficient senses of perception and the capacity to distinguish what is real from what is not. In Meditation VI, Descartes states that: â€Å" For there can be no doubt that God possesses the power of producing all the objects I am abl e distinctly to conceive, and I never considered anything impossible to him, unless when I experienced a contradiction in the attempt to conceive it aright. Further, the faculty of imagination which I possess, and of which I am conscious that I make use when I apply myself to the consideration of material things, is sufficient to persuade me of their existence. † The fundamental problem with dualism is how does the mind, which is non material and is not subjected to the laws of nature, interact with the body, which is material and is subjected to the laws of nature. It is a reality that the mind is able to influence and affect the body. The same is true with the body which can affect the mind. Descartes attempted this solve this problem in his letter to Elisabeth of Bohemia, Princess Palatine, he explained that there is an organ that links the mind from the body which is the pineal gland, a small gland in the center of the brain. With the help of this gland, the mind can control the body by sending signals to the body which enables it to walk, run or sit. Descartes emphasized however that the end goal of man is for reason to get control of the body. Since the body is associated with passions and feelings it is important for the mind to take control so that it will be able to behave rationally and rise above the needs of the body. Comments on Descartes’ Philosophy Descartes’ flirtation with the Mind and Body problem is a thorny issue which is full of complications. This is because scientific evidence itself is against this view. They consider that that the mind and the body are only one thing. From the scientists’ point of view, what Descartes’ called as the activities in the mind which is caused by non-material processes is actually caused by the neurological and chemical reactions in the brain. Nevertheless, I fully argue with his concept of dualism. The mind is not simply a result of the chemical reactions in the brain. Consciousness and self-awareness are concepts that are beyond the capacity of the material body to comprehend. Also, I believe in the immortality of the human soul which is the theory that the soul continues to exist even after it is separated from the body. The dualism of Descartes sufficiently explains why the soul continues to exist after the person dies and why it is not affected by the processes in the body. On Descartes’ theory that it is difficult to determine whether one is awake or sound asleep, I find the same to be very objectionable. I believe that if a person is thinking, perceiving, feeling, drawing inferences and making conclusions then one can be certain that he is awake and that he is not dreaming. According to Descartes, on several occasions, he had actually thought that he was awake when in reality he was merely dreaming. I believe that it is erroneous for one to say that one cannot tell the difference between being in a state of dream and being awake. Indeed it is not possible to state that a person is awake when he is really asleep precisely because when one is reflecting or thinking then he is not asleep. It would not be possible for a person to think when he is sleeping or dreaming. When one feels something then it is not possible for him to be dreaming. Indeed, experiencing the sensations of pain and pleasure are manifestations that one is awake and is not dreaming.

Marcus Brutus A Tragic Hero - 2084 Words

Sir William Drummond once said â€Å"He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave† (Drummond). Everyone has the innate ability to reason through situations and come to a resolution by evaluating the consequences. Everyone, however, does not actively reason to come to an effective solution. Some choose not to reason, while others basically cannot due to their naivety. In any case the incapability to reason turns out to be a flaw, and in the instance of Marcus Brutus, a tragic flaw. Reasoning is not characteristically present in Marcus Brutus. Brutus cannot look past his philosophical view of the world and consequently his reasoning is meddled with. This flaw he exhibits will eventually lead to his death. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero must be of noble stature and embody nobility, they cannot be perfect, their downfall must partially be their own fault, their demise is not exclusively justified for their punishment, somethin g is gained from the fall, and the audience must not leave in a state of depression; Brutus fits Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero because he embodies all of these characteristics. A tragic hero must be of noble stature and express nobility; Marcus Brutus is one of Rome s noblemen and is also literally noble. Also a tragic hero; although he is good, he is not perfect, and his fall results from his hamartia. Hamartia is a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero. If the hero is perfect theShow MoreRelatedMarcus Brutus as a Tragic Hero Essay1002 Words   |  5 Pages A tragic hero in Shakespearean literature is understood as a noble and heroic character who makes a series of bad decisions based on his bad judgment that leads to his downfall and eventually death. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the tragic hero is Marcus Brutus, a powerful Roman senator who joins a conspiracy to assassinate the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar. Marcus Brutus is a tragic hero because of his noble reputation, his moral personality, the cathartic experience that the audienceRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Marcus Junius Brutus Minor Essay1418 Words   |  6 Pagesblock October 27, 2015 Tragic hero Marcus Junius Brutus Minor was the son of Marcus Junius Brutus Maior and Servilia Caepionis. His father was killed by Pompey the Great in dubious circumstances after he had taken part in the rebellion of Lepidus; his mother was the half-sister of Cato the Younger, and later Julius Caesar s mistress. Some sources refer to the possibility of Caesar being his real father,despite Caesar s being only 15 years old when Brutus was born. Brutus uncle, Quintus ServiliusRead MoreMarcus Brutus: The Tragic Hero Of Julius Ceasar972 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.†(Aristotle). It should be noted that the Heroes downfall is his own fault as a result of his own free will, At times his death is seen as a waste of human potential. His death usually is not a pure loss, because it results in greater knowledge and awareness. In Julius Ceasar, William Shakespeare develops Marcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero whose ambition and naive ty in his blind confidence in the nobility of man sparked guidanceRead More Marcus Brutus as a Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar1441 Words   |  6 PagesMarcus Brutus as a Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar In the play Julius Caesar, the tragedy of the play was directed mainly at one specific character, Marcus Brutus. Brutus was the tragic hero of the play, because of his idealistic and pragmatic qualities. The mindset that Brutus possessed only allowed him to see the world and its people from one point of view. This point of view allowed him to make judgments that assumed only the best of people. This tragic weakness resulted in manyRead MoreEssay about Marcus Brutus: Praetor, Senator, and Tragic Hero858 Words   |  4 PagesMarcus Brutus: Praetor, Senator, and Tragic Hero The famous play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by the esteemed playwright William Shakespeare, details the plight of Marcus Brutus and the other Roman conspirators against the dictator Julius Caesar. There are several tragic heroes in this play who suffer extreme downfalls. A tragic hero is a character who was once in high regard or standing but encounters a series of terrible events that contribute to a giant downfall from that position.Read More Marcus Brutus as Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar Essays735 Words   |  3 PagesMarcus Brutus as Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar      Ã‚   In many stories there is a tragic hero. The hero finds out about himself and the people around him in the story. In Shakespeares play, Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero. The play Julius Caesar is about politics and betrayal in ancient Rome. Brutus is part of the senate, which is below Caesar, who is soon to be crowned. The senate wants to overthrow Caesar to save Rome. To do this the senate has to get BrutusRead MoreMarcus Brutus: Shakespeares Tragic Hero in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar1238 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare illustrates Marcus Brutus as a tragic hero in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Shakespeare defines tragic hero as a flawed character who has good fortune, and then loses all he has prized, leading to his misfortune, but a tragic hero must have that moment of enlightenment, that moment where a character can see that he caused his own downfall and receives the blame for his own tragedy. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is ba sed on an historical event- the assassination of JuliusRead MoreMarcus Brutus: The True Tragic Hero in Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare576 Words   |  2 Pagesthe conspiracy, tries to recruit Marcus Brutus into the group because he believes it will make them look less like murderers and more like heroes. He agrees and helps carry out the assassination. The story continues after Caesar’s death with a series of disagreements between characters and ultimately a civil war involving Brutus and Cassius and their armies, and Mark Antony’s army. Even though the play is called Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus is the real tragic hero because he is very well respectedRead MoreMarcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar1267 Words   |  6 PagesBrutus as the Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar Because of Shakespeares popularity among scholars and literary critics, his plays have been studied time after time. In the four hundred or so years since they were written, Shakespeares plays and other literary masterpieces have been categorized. Many of them, including Shakespeares portrayal of Julius Caesars murder and the resulting events for Rome and for Caesars conspirators, have been put into the tragedies category. AccordingRead MoreMarcus Brutus: The Tragic Hero in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar1069 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the title leads the mind to believe that Caesar is the tragic hero; however, this is not the case. The noble Brutus is a much more accurate fit for the role of tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character with a tragic flaw that goes from good fortune to complete misfortune in a fairly quick downfall. Although some may argue that Caesar fits this depiction, Brutus is a better choice. He goes from the top of the social standings to international scumbag when