Psychology †A Beautiful Mind Essay

A Beautiful Mind was a film released in 2001 directed by Ron Howard and largely based on the life of the Nobel Prize – winning mathematician, John Forbes Nash. It was a film adaptation of the book of Sylvia Nasar of the same title. The screen adaptation was written by Akiva Goldsman. The film explored the life of John Nash as he developed paranoid schizophrenia and suffered delusional episodes starting when he studied at Princeton University. The movie showed how this condition has impacted his wife and friends. John Nash, played by Russell Crowe, entered as a graduate student at Princeton University for being a recipient of the Carnegie Prize, a prominent academic award in mathematics. Included in the prize is a guaranteed single room accommodation but John Nash was surprised to see Charles Herman, played by Paul Bettany, who greeted and informed him that he is going to be his roommate. Charles, a literature student, soon became John’s best friend. John also got acquainted with a group of other gifted math and science graduate students and formed a discomforted friendship with them. John one time revealed to Charles that he is more at ease with numbers than with people. This did not surprise that group after they witnessed one time how disastrous his attempts were at having a chat with some women at a local bar. John had repudiated going to class since he viewed it as beneath him. He wasted most of his time scribbling on the windows in an attempt on solving a variety of mathematical equations and ideas. His classes were amused with but still recognized John’s talents. His roommate Charles both encouraged him and attempted to keep him sane. But with so many skipped classes, John was informed by the headmaster of Princeton that he could not commence on his graduate work until he has completed a thesis paper. This encouraged John to look for a really inventive idea for his thesis paper. John was finally motivated with his successful work in governing dynamics concept, a theory in mathematical economics, after he watched four beautiful women walked in at the local bar one night. Although he was spurred by his classmates into making a pass at the prettiest of the four, Nash instead started discussing about Adam Smith’s economic principles and their significance (or not) to the battle of the sexes. All of sudden he hurried out of the bar to start working on his theory which he called game theory – the mathematics of competition. John accepted an esteemed appointment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after he completed his studies at Princeton University together with his friends Sol (played by Adam Goldberg) and Bender (played by Anthony Rapp) both also coming out of Princeton University. After five years at MIT and while lecturing a class on calculus, he left an exceptionally fascinating problem on the board that he challenged his students to answer. One of his students Alicia Larde (played by Jennifer Connelly) turned up at his office to talk about the problem. From there, the two developed a good friendship, fell in love and later married. John met by chance Charles, his former roommate, on a return visit to Princeton. John also met Charles’ young nice Marcee (played by Vivien Cardone) and adored her. John was invited to a top secret facility of the Department of Defense in the Pentagon to solve an intricate encryption of an alleged enemy communication. Amazingly John figured out the code mentally that left the other code breakers bewildered. In the same facility John met the enigmatic William Parcher (played by Ed Harris), who claimed to be a member of the United States Department of Defense. William monitored John’s work from a viewing room above that is partially covered up at the back of a screen. William provided John with a new project to search for patterns and clues in newspapers and magazines presumably to prevent a plot by the Soviets. He was required by William to write a report of what he found and deliver the reports in a particular mailbox covertly. John became progressively more obsessed and suspicious and began to act unpredictably after he was allegedly pursued by Russian agents and a gunfire exchange in one of his clandestine deliveries. Alicia reported to a psychiatric hospital after she saw John’s worsening unpredictable behavior. When John delivered a guest lecture at Princeton University, he became conscious that he was being kept under surveillance by a group of intimidating people. He tried to escape but this group sedated him by force and dispatched him to a psychiatric facility. This confinement further convinced John that the Russians are striving to obtain information from him and regarded the psychiatric facility staff as Soviet kidnappers. One time John crazily attempted to take out an alleged implant from his arm leading to too much bleeding. The implant was allegedly given by the Pentagon. Alicia went to see the mailbox and recovered the top secret documents that John delivered in a frantic attempt to help John. She was surprised to see that all the â€Å"top secret† documents were unopened. John was dealt with this evidence and he was convinced at last that he has been hallucinating. He was confronted with the fact that the Department of Defense agent William Parcher and John’s clandestine task of decoding Russian messages were all hallucinations. He was even more surprised to learn that his friend and former roommate Charles and his niece Marcee were also merely offshoots of his mind. This was confirmed when John was informed that there was no Charles Herman enrolled and stayed in Princeton in the same time and the same room as him. John was subjected to a succession of insulin shock therapy sessions and was later released on the requirement that he consented to taking antipsychotic medication. The drugs have negative side-effects that have an effect on John’s emotional and sexual connection with his wife and most considerably, his intellectual ability. With these frustrations, John stopped taking his antipsychotic medication in secret and hid away the pills that resulted to a relapse of John’s psychosis with Alicia not being aware of it. In one occasion, John was bathing his infant son and was distracted and wandered away into the grove of trees beyond their backyard. Alicia at that time was in the backyard hanging laundry when she noticed that the back gate was opened. She found out that John has converted a deserted shed in the grove of trees into a workshop for John’s assignments for Parcher. With this realization, Alicia rushed to the house to confront John and just returned on time to save their infant child from drowning in the bathtub. John asserted that his friend and former roommate Charles was looking after their son when he went out to the grove. This left Alicia in disbelief and she immediately got the phone to ask for emergency assistance from the psychiatric hospital. All of a sudden John saw Parcher who was encouraging him to kill Alicia. John rejected Parcher’s instruction in anger but he saw Parcher suddenly pointing a gun at Alicia. John sprang at Parcher in response but ended up accidently thumping Alicia to the ground, scaring her all the more. Alicia ran away from the house in panic and fear with their child. John blocked Alicia in front of her car to foil her from going away. In the middle of the confusion, John came to the realization that Charles’ niece Marcee is a hallucination since she continued to look precisely the same age and remained a little girl even though years have went by since they first met. With this awareness, John told Alicia that Marcee never gets old. It was the turning point for John when he acknowledged that even if Parcher, Charles and Marcee appear totally real, they are actually just figments of his imagination. John and Alicia recognized that they are caught with the dilemma of John’s intellectual struggles with the antipsychotic drugs and his hallucinations. They both made the decision to strive to live with John’s abnormal condition. At one time, John intentionally bade farewell to Charles, Marcee and Parcher forever in his effort to pay no attention to his hallucinations and not nourish his psychological demons. Nevertheless he expressed his gratitude to Charles for being his best friend all those years and he said farewell to Marcee and told both of them that he would not talk to them any longer. Even with that, Charles and Marcee continued to hang around with Charles scorning John for bringing an end to their friendship but John has trained himself on how to ignore them. John grew older and made contact with one of his old friend from his Princeton years and intellectual adversary Martin Hansen (played by Josh Lucas) who was now the Princeton mathematics department head. Martin gave the authorization for John to work out of the library and audit classes. Albeit John still experienced hallucinations and now taking newer antipsychotic medications, he eventually was able to live with and for the most part ignored his psychotic occurrences. John adapted to his situation in steps and amusingly verified any new friends and contacts to make sure that they are actually real people and not hallucinations. In the end, John secured the opportunity to teach again. His fellow professors paid tribute to him for his accomplishments in mathematics. John went on to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his ground-breaking work on game theory. In the Nobel Prize awarding ceremony, John especially thanked Alicia for being with him the whole time with his journey from madness to sanity. As they left the awards auditorium in Stockholm, John saw Charles, Marcee and Parcher who looked at him with empty facial expressions. Alicia asked John what was wrong and John replied, â€Å"Nothing, Nothing at all. † The script of the movie differs significantly with the actual details of John Nash’s life. There are discrepancies with some of the events and characters around John Nash in the film but those are not the focus of this paper. This paper is centered on the accuracy of the film with regards to the field of psychology. One difficulty that the makers of the movie experienced was on how to visually represent stress and mental illness within an individual’s mind (e. g. John Nash). The film showed John suffering from visual and auditory hallucinations when in real life his hallucinations were completely auditory. The film depicted John Nash developing schizophrenic hallucinations in graduate school although he did not develop it not until a few years later. The part of the movie when John Nash said that he was taking newer medication around the same time as the Nobel Prize in 1994 was also not true since he did not take any antipsychotic medication since 1970. The film staff purposely added that statement since they believed that without it they think the film is supporting the idea that schizophrenics can get healed without taking any medication. The movie portrayed a patient with schizophrenia very well. It was very impressively done as the movie sequence was well planned too. While watching the movie, one could never guessed that his friend in the university was a mere visual hallucination. It reflected patients with schizophrenia so well with regards to their level of functioning. Based on the literature I have read, symptoms and manifestations of the patient with schizophrenia in the movie was properly and accurately portrayed. Schizophrenia is one of the leading causes of disability all over the world. This mental disorder is characterized and illustrated with delusions, hallucinations and paranoia (Woodham & Peters, 2004). A chemical imbalance in the brain is contemplated to be its cause, however, it still is believed to be unknown. Contribution of both genetic and environmental factors still remain unclear up to this time, though, it cause susceptible people to develop this mental disorder. In addition, the use of drugs activates some cases of schizophrenia. Evidence and proofs from researches and sudies showed that the early stages of this disability are critical in the formation and prediction of its course as well as its outcome (Frangou & Byrne, 2000). With this, clinical studies and researches are focusing on the early stages of the illness since early detection and treatment regimen may yield better prognosis and functional outcome. Typically, the first and early episodes of schizophrenia occurs in the early twenties or even late teenage years. Its early recognition may sometimes be masked by its insidious nature of the onset of the disease as it occurs with history and background of language problems, cognitive ability and behaviour. Antisocial behaviour, social withdrawal, failure to be motivated and obsessional ideas manifest this mental disorder. Auditory hallucinations and delusions are the most common reported pyschotic manifestations from schizophrenic individuals. Once this mental disorder is diagnosed, patients may then require hospitalization to prevent them from harming themselves as well as others. In order to control its symptoms, antipsychotic drugs are prescribed. Psychotherapy to these patients are also advised. Most of these patients return to the community and recommence their normal lives. The primary goal of treatment once patients are diagnosed with schizophrenia is to manage acute psychotic episodes. Rapid remission is necessary with the use of the most efficient and tolerated medications. The use of low dosage of typical neuroleptics and atypical antipsychotic medications may be the fisrt choice treatment regimen for the early onset of the disorder (Frangou & Byrne, 2000). It is very important to be vigilant with the first onset of manifestations as studies have shown that patients are more responsive to treatment during this stage regardless of whatever antipsychotic medications being prescribed and used. Prognosis for recovery is nearly 80% especially with patients treated right after the first episode of schizophrenia. Second psychotic episodes post treatment after five to seven years is not uncommon. It is not recommended to withdraw from the medications taken right away. Gradual withrawal from its treatment regimen is required to refrain from getting adverse withrawal reactions. Clozapine had been the licensed drug in the United Kingdom used for the treatment and management of patients with schizophrenia who responded poorly to the standard antipsychotic treatment regimen (Frangou & Byrne, 2000). Patient support from family, relatives and friends are important during schizophrenic patients’ recovery period. These patients have a hard time reintegrating into the community. Educational and employment underachievement problems arise not to mention problems in forming social relationships. Intensive rehabilitation after the treatment therapy aids in minimizing these social disadvantages of the disorder. Family support in nurturing their emotional and psychosocial needs enhance better results during this recovery period. Provison of information regarding schiophrenia to the patients’ families will also aid in the understanding of the disorder. Explanantion of the course and outcome of the disease process to their family members will also enable them to be aware of what to expect. Good communication betweeen patients and their care givers also play an important role to obtain positive results during the recovery stage. Together with other mental diseases like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia is a difficult and complicated illness to diagnose (Uyttebrouck, 2009). Since it is a tricky disease to diagnose, it ends up in treatment delays causing disappointments and a great deal of discouragements to patients and their families. Results from recent researches pointed out using brain MRIs in detecting mental illnesses like schizophrenia. This study very well help in speeding up diagnosis once patient’s come with symptoms of schizophrenia. This brain imaging technology if proven with high accuracy could offer a great and powerful measures for diagnosing these mental disorders. The use of functional MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) were able to recognize with 93% precision patients with schizophrenia from those healthy control group. Presently, the fundamental and underlying cause of schizophrenia is not completely understood, making its diagnosis entirely based on its symptoms. With the use of MRI in establishing prompt and early diagnosis, efficient and successful treatment very well facilitates improvement on the lives of patients with schizophrenia (Uyttebrouck, 2009). The movie showed that it took so long for the patient to be diagnosed with the disease. His visual and auditory hallucinations were so real that even people around him were never able to know and even complain that he was having these symptoms. It seemed like his symptoms did not have any effects on the people around him. He was able to function well with his life. Even during his wedding, one could never tell that the presence of his friend there was only a hallucination. It was already when he got married that his wife was getting worried with his actions. It was then the time when medical treatment was sought. Since it took several years before he sought for medical attention and resulted to the delay of its diagnosis, it made a big impact on the course of the mental disorder. Also, the patient himself was denying that those people he had been seeing were mere hallucinations. Even when his wife and other health care team members had already explained to him that they were unreal, it was very difficult for him to accept the truth. He was admitted to a mental facility and was administered with antipsychotic medications to relieve the symptoms. He was discharged from the mental facility with the condition that he will continue with the treatment regimen. Since the antipsychotic medications affected his intellectual capacity and abilities, he decided to cease taking these medications causing remissions and relapses. This part of the movie showed the importance of being strict in following the treatment regimen to obtain positive results. The establishment of the diagnosis and treatment was very realistic. However, the psychologists should have given priority to home visits and follow ups. One thing that was not shown in the movie was the availability of health care professionals visiting in the community. Nobody from the health care team seemed to check up on him while he was at home. It did not show any home care check ups and visits from social workers, psychiatrists. For me, health care professionals need to follow up closely those patients with mental disorders post discharge from mental facilities. The movie reflects the psychologists’ level of understanding corectly. It presented the importance of family’s support to the patient. His wife was with his side and was supportive to his treatments. The support of his wife created a positive outcome to the course of his mental disorder. Interpersonal and social issues were presented well. It showed very well what symptoms, manifestations and characteristics to expect from patients afflicted with this mental disorder. It also showed the hardships and sacrifices the wife had to go through while taking care of a husband with schizophrenia. References Frangou, S. & Byrne, P. (2000). How to manage the first episode of schizophrenia. British MedicalJ ournal (International Edition), 321:7260. p522. Uyttebrouck, O. (2009, February 18). MRIs detect mental illness: Findings may help speed diagnosis. Albuquerque Journa, Metro and New Mexico section Woodham, A. & Peters, D. (2004). Schizophrenia. In Encyclopedia of Natural Healing. Dorling Kindersley.

Administer Medicine To Individuals And Monitor The Effects

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Risk & Uncertainty - Microeconomics 3rd Year Essay

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Organisational Change - Case Study Example Since its inception in 2003, the company found itself as relatively young in the industry. However it emerged as a market leader in the industry going over 225 destinations with 6 cruises. The company has taken the necessary strategies to ensure that it responds to the external changes in the industry. It is one of the leading players currently in the cruise industry and has been able to create a competitive edge in the industry which many operators have not been able to create although they have been in the industry for along time now. The company is serving more than 2050 passengers going for journeys of more than 100 nights in the sea. The company has already expressed its interest in Asia and European markets.Like other companies P & O Cruise was challenged by the changes that were taking place in the external environment. Let us look at some of the changes that led to implementation of the current changes in the operation of the company that affected the tourism industry. One of the security threats that have affected the industry has been the issue of terrorism. The attacks by IRL in Britain’s transport industry have been one of the threats that the industry has been facing. Many people have feared that the attacks would be diverted from railway travelling system to the cruise industry. But the September 11 attack in the US affected the industry in a way that all people feared travelling. The subsequent attack of the British Railway system on July 7th was like a final blow to the industry. There were record low booking in the cruise industry. Social changes The cruise industry has been led by the social changes taking place in the market. Changes in customer's preference have been instrument in instating social changes that have affected the operations of the cruise industry. Since 1997, it has been observed that there has been more preference to group and family travelling in the cruise industry. Technological changes Cruise industry has been forced to respond to technological changes that directly or indirectly affects the industry. Since 1997, technology has reduced face to face business transaction especially in making the bookings. Many people also take their holidays and at the same time continue with their business. Environmental changes There have been changes in the marine pollution laws that have made the industry to put in place new strategies in order to manage these changes and operate within the new marine pollution laws. Several laws have been put in place by International Maritime Organization which has affected the industry. Political and government policies New legislation concerning the maintenance of ports and the subsequent new changers that have been put in place has been a challenge to the industry. Acts like Crimes at Sea Act 2000 and others like Admiralty Act has continued to be a challenge for the industry. (Jolene 2000, p. 4)) Political stability has been a big challenge for the

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Human Performance in Running a Multi-Division Form Company - Essay Example These semi-autonomous units are guided and controlled by various financial and performance targets that together form core objective of the organization. These units therefore, operate as their own separate entities. Each unit plays a vital role in the organization in areas of conflict management, customer service, employee retention, overall productivity and profitability (Rohlander & Snell, 2009). Multi-divisional form of business is usually adopted by organizations to facilitate prudent changes without encountering an extensive chain of approval. Human performance is therefore a vital factor in ensuring efficiency and effectiveness with regards to productivity of the organization. It is for this reason that firms, both public and private must seek to quantify the value of their human performance. In the process of measuring this performance, several challenges are likely to arise, some intended while others unplanned. Measures must therefore be put in place to minimize the consequ ences of measuring human performance that were not planned. Since there are multiple divisions in these organizations it is of great significance to know both the performance and contribution of each division to the overall performance of the enterprise. Human performance Human performance is at the core of an organization’s well being; it incorporates total quality management, improvement of processes, appropriate employee behavior and sound instructional systems all under the banner of human resource management. In as much as employees are not listed in the balance sheet, they are such an essential asset to an enterprise and their contribution is a vital factor that should not only be quantified but also harnessed for the achievement of the set objectives. Multi-divisional private companies are not listed in the stock markets and therefore the effects of their human performance do not translate into a drop or rise in the prices of their stocks. This is however not the case for public traded companies that have their shares not only affected by financial but also human performance (Rohlander & Snell, 2009). Effectively, when there is news or even a feeling of inefficiency in a public company the ripple effects will be immediately felt at the stock market. This has the dire consequence of insolvency if drastic measures are not taken to make the necessary corrections. Measuring human performance begins with putting in place targets that must be achieved within specific timelines. Each unit (division) is given its overall targets that are then broken down to individual targets. With the kind of autonomy enjoyed by divisions in most M-form businesses, it is very easy for the individual units to then come with performance strategies and the best ways of evaluating the set targets. Multi divisional forms of business therefore help in meeting the needs of employees by enabling managers to delegate various responsibilities leaving them with ample time to monit or and make sure that everything is done for the achievement of an organization’s objectives (Wang &King 2009). This model makes communication between units more effective, problem solving manageable and team work is encouraged. The ways and means of achieving the set

The Chinese Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Chinese Made Toy Recalls at Mattel - Essay Example Any toy quality/safety problems could be overcome by making manufacturing changes. The article also mentions that there was â€Å"lax regulatory enforcement,† (The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc., 179) in the factories that Mattel had set up in China, which often meant thatâ€Å"these laws were routinely ignored† (The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc., 179); problems of toy quality and safety could clearly be avoided if there was stricter control and supervision of product quality in these factories. Also, this problem of safety and quality could be eliminated if Mattel had developed its Global Manufacturing Principles before it had started a supply chain trading partnership with China, and ensured that the Chinese industries followed the rules and regulations of the GMP and terminating the partnership in case the Chinese did not follow the rules. (A2) Mattel made a number of positive responses to the toy recalls that largely had the impact of improving it s public image and in winning back its good reputation. Firstly, its CEO Robert Eckert appeared in a video, in which he made a public apology for the defected and harmful toys Mattel had produced and also pledged to â€Å"change how we work in the future†(The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc,176). Mattel representatives in September 2007 even made clear to the American Congressional Committee that the defected toys were a result of Mattel’s â€Å"own flawed toy designs†; this then lead to Mattel making changes in its manufacturing process. Apart from this, Mattel also guaranteed to â€Å"increase the frequency of its paint inspections, testing every batch delivered† (The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc., 176). In 2007, it also put a check on its products that were being shipped out of its Asian factories in order to thoroughly examine them for quality and potential health hazards; this had the effect of preventing â€Å"more than two-thirds of the recalled toys from reaching consumers† (The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc,177).Lastly, Mattel set up a â€Å"Corporate Responsibility division, which had accountability internally and externally for adherence to company safety and compliance procedures† (The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc., 177). The effect of all these actions was that it restored the positive image of Mattel in the public eyes. (A3) The article includes coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers and customers† (The Chinese-Made Toy Recalls at Mattel Inc., 179). Between Mattel and Early Light, there is a supply chain trading partnership that involves the two companies to work with one another when making decisions about manufacturing and distributing products. As the article states, the two companies have enjoyed this kind of collaboration for 15 years, and in my opinion, the two should contin ue to work together as supply chain trading partners since this entails a number of benefits. Firstly, the long amount of time (15 years) Mattel and Early Light have worked together in collaboration means that a high level of

Clandestine labs and the dangers it poses to law enforcement and Essay

Clandestine labs and the dangers it poses to law enforcement and emergency personnel - Essay Example One of the most important growing issues that are provided a particular attention by the US government and US departments on law enforcement is the continuous increase of number of clandestine laboratories in the country. So far, although the government has tried hard to practically create massive definitions on how the law enforcers should actually be involved in handling the situation properly through training and increased competence in the process, it could be seen how the increase of rate in connection with the number of clandestine laboratories in the country today provides a rather different picture on the part of the efforts placed by the national officials on the matter in concern. In this paper, a practical presentation on the issues and particular dangers that both law enforcers and emergency personnel face every time they risk their lives in attacking clandestine laboratories for the sake of protecting the security of the greater population making up the nation. Clandestine laboratories are well known local factories of drug production particularly that of Methamphetamines. These laboratories are noted to be located in hidden areas that are usually kept from the human naked eye due to its being illegal especially in the United States. Many operators of Clan Labs hide their laboratories in places where no one would actually suspect such as garage areas, and other home areas that are not likely much visited by outsiders. However, although placed in such areas, the recognition of these laboratories becomes easy due to the smell of chemicals coming out from the said sources of drug production. Usually, the smell of urine [due to the existence of ammonia] could be recognised from the area of production. An alarming cue that a clan lab may exist in an area should actually give one the right push to tell about the matter to law enforcers who are appointed to oversee the concerned place under the case of a possible clan lab existence. Why is this a must It has been researched and well studied through experience based cases that clan labs are highly dangerous especially for those living within its vicinities. Considerably, the imposed position of the people living around the area is endangered due to the existence of the chemicals that are used for the production of the illegal drugs. These substances are noted to be highly flammable and are also considered dangerous to the health of those who are living around the area where they are used for mass production of drug substances. For this reason, it is highly recommended that community security law enforcers closely see to it that nothing is unnoticeably passed through especially when the issue comes to unknown areas of clan labs hidden within populated communities. Along with that, the aim of protecting the values of the law enforcers appointed for the areas concerned is

Death and Grief in Midterm Essay Example for Free

Death and Grief in Midterm Essay Out Out was written by Robert Frost who was an American poet born in 1874. He moved to New England, a farming region, where most of his poems were inspired. Mid Term Break was written by Seamus Heaney, who was born on a farm in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It is evident that both poets backgrounds have had much influence in their poetry writing which can be seen from these two poems. Although, Robert Frost attended Harvard University he had to leave early to support his family by moving to a farm in New Hampshire. He also had six children but four of them died before he did. In Out Out, he writes about the harsh reality of a young boy from a poor working class background having to work on a farm in order to help his family which led to his horrific and unmourned death. Apparently this was based on a true event. Seamus Heaney was one of nine children. When he was twelve he won a scholarship to St Columbs College in Londonderry. When he was studying there his four year old brother, Christopher, was killed in a road accident. Mid Term Break is based on this event. In contrast the death of Seamus Heaneys brother is described as a very emotional event mourned by family and friends. I am able to point out many similarities between these the poems but also a number of differences. The themes of the two poems focus on the death of two young boys. However in Mid Term Break the focus is on the aftermath and emotional responses of friends and family to a terrible accident. The boy is dead at the start of the poem. In Out Out the boy dies during the poem. This poem is written like a running commentary and his family show little emotion when he dies. I find this shocking. Also, both boys have died due to an accident at the hands of a machine. In Mid Term Break, the boy was killed by a car and in Out Out he was killed by a buzz saw. The difference is that one boy is left with hardly a scar, only a poppy bruise yet the other boy sustains horrific injuries by losing his hand and bleeding to death. One boy is killed instantly by a car and the other boy slowly bleeds to death. Both poems create an uneasy opening and an atmosphere of suspense. In Mid Term Break, Seamus Heaney describes the knelling of bells which is a sinister phrase used to describe funeral bells. He is also waiting to be picked up by his neighbour which indicates something may have happened to a family member. In Out Out, the poems tone begins with the description of the buzz saw which is threatening and sinister. The poet uses words like Buzz, snarled, rattled. These words are words used to describe a hungry ferocious animals like a venomous snake or a wild dog. The words are a good use of onomatopoeia. They introduce a sense of threat into the poem as they might be associated with danger and accidents. Robert Frost uses sibilance at the start of his poem. He changes the tone of the poem and refers to Sweet scented stuff when the breeze blew across it. This sentence appeals to our sight, smell and hearing. These are calm, gentle words in contrast to the threatening words used to describe the buzz saw. Seamus Heaney uses alliteration at the start of his poem, Counting bells knelling classes to a close. The sounds used here make you think of the tick tock of a clock. It also a metaphor as knelling bells are also bringing his brothers life to a close. Both of the poems have shocking endings. In Mid Term break we realise that the dead child was only 4 years old. A four foot box, a foot for every year. Nearly every word in the last line is short. It gives a sense of shortness and comes to an abrupt ending just like the brothers life. The ending in Out Out is equally appalling as it ends with the family showing little or no emotion to the death of their son. It also had an abrupt ending. Another similarity between the poems is that time is referred to in both of them. In Out Out, reference is made to the sunset far in Vermont. This suggests that light is becoming dimmer and the dim light could also have led to the accident occurring and the eerie atmosphere. In Mid Term break the poet refers to 10 Oclock twice which is a bright part of the day. Both poems use language with attitude. In Mid-Term Break Seamus Heaney uses metaphors wearing a poppy bruise this helps create an image because even though we know the dead child is not literally wearing a poppy bruise we can imagine what the bruise would look like and it is also a symbol of death. Also alliteration is used in a four foot box, a foot for every year. This makes the text seem more aggressive. It uses this technique to show the families anger at the death of the young child. Both poets use caesura in their poems. The effect of this is to build up tension and perhaps prepare the reader for unexpected events. Caesura is used in Mid Term Break just as Heaney is about to enter the room where his dead brother was resting. He does not know what to expect. It is used in Out Out at And nothing happened: day was all but done. The effect of the caesura is to put on pause the scene painted. It is near the end of the working day and the work is nearly completed and everything appears to be normal. In the first line of the poem we had that feeling that something sinister and threatening was going to happen and this pause may be used to allow the reader to prepare us for an expected significant event that was about to take place. Enjambment is used throughout Mid Term break. It gives the effect that the poet is in a sort of daze. There are also many differences between the two poems. The two families are from a different class. One boy comes from a working class background and another boy is from a more affluent background as the other boy is attending boarding school. Also, Mid Term Break was written in 1st person while Out Out was written in third person. You can understand more about the emotions that are felt in Mid Term Break. Although, Out Out has more action in it as it is a fast flowing poem. There is also a striking difference in how the families react to the death of the children. In Out Out there was no real emotion shown when the boy finally died. He is left alone and they then return to their work. In contrast, Mid Term Break describes the scene of the father crying uncontrollably. This would not be an expected reaction for men in Ireland to cry as they would normally bottle their emotions up. The fact that Jim Evans said it was a hard blow shows that it was someone close to the family. Friends and family gather at the house to offer their condolences. The body was then brought home and viewed in a coffin. Another difference is how the two boys are treated by their families. The boy in Out Out is treated as an adult who is doing a mans job. He is treated no different than anyone else. In Mid Term Break, the boy is being educated. He is however treated like a man when old men stand up to shake his hand as his father is in a bad state, people told strangers that he was the eldest. However, he is then reduced to a small child again when his mother holds on to his hand as she doesnt want to let him out of her sight. There is also a difference in the acceptance of the two deaths. In Out Out there wasnt any grieving amongst the family members but in Mid Term Break there is little acceptance particularly from the boys mother. The poem says she coughed out angry tearless sighs. She may be blaming herself as should have been with her child or not let him out of her sight.

Does plato’s republic still stand in today’s society?

Does plato’s republic still stand in today’s society? Few philosophers in ancient and modern history continue to have as much influence as Plato. More than 2500 years after Platos death, his teachings regarding justice and the ideal state continue to inspire discussion and debate. The ideal community he envisioned in The Republic continues to influence leaders and political thinkers, and his study of the ideal state formed the foundations of political science. This paper examines the continuing relevance of the book The Republic, with particular focus on Platos concepts of justice, happiness and the ideal society. Plato was born in Athens in 427 BC. He belonged to an aristocratic family, as his father was a descendant of an Athenian king while his mother was distantly related to the lawmaker Solon. Platos father died early, and his mother re-married an associate of Pericles, the statesman. Based on familial ties, Plato had strong connections with both democracy and the oligarchy. Following his stepfathers footsteps, the young Plato had political ambitions. Soon, however, he became disillusioned by the corrupt and inefficient political leadership in Athens. Plato then followed his older brothers who had become pupils of Socrates. Plato eventually became a great follower of Socrates, adopting the great teachers basic philosophy and style of debate. Plato also vigorously adopted Socrates motto, Know thyself, and he pursued this knowledge through Socrates dialectical system of questions, answers and additional questions. This critical method of instruction, however, caused Socrates to fall into disfavor with his students. The teacher was tried for religious impiety and corruption of youth and was sentenced to death. Socrates death further increased Platos dissatisfaction with all existing political regimes. In 387 BC, Plato founded his own school, the Academy, in Athens. This university was for higher studies, with instruction in the sciences, mathematics and philosophy. The academy attracted students for more than nine centuries. Plato continued to teach and served as president of the Academy until his death in 347 at the age of 80. In The Republic, Plato proposes his theory that the ideal state or polis can only be achieved through a balance of elements. Political justice can only be present when people serve their functions, as determined by their tripartite souls. Plato believed that the human soul is divided into three elements. First, there are the bodily appetites, expressed through bodily needs such as hunger and thirst. Second are the spiritual elements, expressed through emotions like love, anger and compassion. Above all, the third element that separates people from animals and makes them unique is the human ability to use language and reason. Plato compared the soul to an organism. An imbalance among these elements leads to conflict, sickness and misery. Plato also believed that there are three types of personalities. The most common is the person dominated by bodily appetites. This person is desires, money and possessions. The second personality is dominated by the spirit. This person would be driven by goals like success, fame and power. Finally, there is the person who is dominated by reason, the person who aspires towards truth and wisdom. He or she would be willing to give up family, forgo basic appetites and live the austere lifestyle to discover the unchangeable human essence. Plato believed that happiness comes when these three elements of the soul are satisfied under the rule of reason. This is a difficult endeavor, for the bodily drives often conflict with reason. However, knowledge and right conduct can only come from a soul dominated by reason. Hence, only those who are governed by reason and knowledge should be in a position to govern the other members of society. Like the human soul, Plato also viewed society as an organism. In Platos ideal society, each persons social role will be determined by the element dominant in his or her soul. People who are ruled by bodily appetites would make the best producers farmers, laborers, hunters, merchants and the others whose work sustains a populaces physical needs. People who are driven by spiritual desires like honor, loyalty, fame and other spiritual elements should be members of a citys auxiliary and military staff. Finally, there are the men and women who are ruled by reason. They are devoid of family ties and do not possess private property. Through years of training, they could enact laws and make decisions based on reason and wisdom, on what Plato termed the idea of the good. These, Plato believed, are the philosophers who should also be kings. Only people who are dominated by reason should become guardians. Plato was critical of Athenian society, which allowed even people who are ruled by bodily appetites to govern. In Platos view, this leads to an imbalance in the social organism, manifesting in the societal conflict and corruption that turned him away from politics as a young man. Platos belief in establishing harmony within conflicting human and social elements led him to conclude that an ideal society must be governed by knowledgeable and reason-driven elite. Platos descriptions of justice, virtue and happiness are very different from the modern understandings of these terms. For Plato, all these concepts are entwined in his understanding of the ideal state and, again, his concept of the tripartite soul. In The Republic, Plato wrote of his concept of individual justice as an offshoot of what he sees as a tripartite soul. Plato believed that the human soul is divided into three elements. First, there are the bodily appetites, expressed through bodily needs such as hunger and thirst. Second are the spiritual elements, expressed through emotions like love, anger and compassion. Above all, the third element that separates people from animals and makes them unique is the human ability to use language and reason (Rice 58-61). The theory of political justice parallels the theory of individual justice. For Plato, a city is man writ large against the sky. Since people are social animals, cities are a natural extension and mirror of the human soul. In Platos ideal society, each persons social role should be determined by the element dominant in his or her soul. Political justice occurs when the guardians rule wisely and the other classes do their tasks, ensuring the smooth function of the social organism. As in the body, when all aspects of society function as one, there will be harmony. This harmony engenders the reign of political justice, resulting in a state that is free from war or civil disorder. An imbalance among these elements leads to conflict, sickness and misery. Individual happiness can only happen when all three elements are in balance. Only when this balance occurs can a person live a just and harmonious life (Rice 61). For Plato, ensuring that the guardians rule wisely and the other classes do their tasks will facilitate the smooth function of the social organism. When all aspects of society function as one, there will be harmony. This harmony begets the reign of political justice, resulting in a state that is free from war or civil disorder. Only in such a society can human happiness be possible, as the alternative is chaos. Plato thus viewed happiness as an abstract, a fringe benefit of living a virtuous life and facilitating a harmonious social organization. Plato used the haunting allegory of the cave as a metaphor for the human condition. Plato believed that ordinary humans who do not bother to, in the Socratic tradition, examine their lives were doomed to live like prisoners in a cave. These prisoners can only see shadows, which are created by artificial light and manipulated by unseen overlords (Plato 514a-519a). These individuals cannot have proper concepts of their existence and their needs. They do not have the knowledge to recognize their victimization and therefore have to desire to be free. Any interruption in their ways of thought such as a prisoner who escapes and returns, telling of the sunlight outside the cave is regarded with disrespect and suspicion. Only by leaving the cave can these prisoners ever learn the difference between what is real and what are artificial shadows. Several criticisms have been written regarding the weaknesses in Platos formulations. Though a modern reading of Plato would find his concepts of democracy and justice as strange, criticisms regarding this work began much earlier. For example, Platos formulation of happiness is understandable given how the ancient Greeks stressed the importance of the polis. However, viewed from a modern perspective, what Plato defines as happiness is more like contentment. People live their lives according to an inner nature that is inflexible. They derive satisfaction from fulfilling their assigned societal roles. Platos definition, however, lacks an important component of happiness passion. True human happiness involves the active and passionate pursuit of a goal. Platos student Aristotle was also one of his earliest critics. Aristotle recognized the weaknesses of Platos concept of happiness and introduced a much-needed layer of empiricism to Platos philosophy. Aristotle was critical of Platos reliance on intuitive reason and a supposedly immutable world of ideas. Instead, Aristotle believed that knowledge should be anchored in real experiences that can be perceived by the senses. Plato thus viewed happiness as an abstract, a fringe benefit of living a virtuous life and facilitating a harmonious social organization. Like Plato, Aristotle also placed emphasis on the virtuous life. However, Aristotles concept of happiness also differed significantly from his predecessor. In contrast to Platos tripartite soul, Aristotle divided the human soul into two elements the rational and the irrational. While humans share irrational elements with animals, they also possess faculties that are distinctly human. For example, humans have the ability to control their bodily desires through reason. In addition, only humans are capable of logical calculation and intellectual activities, which Aristotle defines as intellectual virtue (Grant 256). Unlike Platos concept of happiness as an abstraction, Aristotle believed that happiness is based on human nature. The nature of happiness is itself based on human nature. For Aristotle, happiness can only spring from the rational part of the human soul and is therefore a goal unique to humans (Grant 256-257). The contrast between the two philosophers illustrates one of the greatest weaknesses in Platos philosophy. By emphasizing the all-importance of reason, Plato neglects other important aspects of human nature. These include the emotions, such as happiness and love, as well as desires, such as sex. This strict division of social labor between the social classes runs counter to many feelings that are considered fundamental parts of human nature. For example, while Plato is one of the few philosophers who believes that women can be governed by reason, he also stipulates that guardian women must not raise their own families. If they procreate and bear children, their offspring will be raised by another woman from the lower social ranks. With regards to sex, Plato views the sexual appetites as illicit. The failure to impose restrictions on ones appetites makes a person the victim of disorganized and unfocused demands. This leads Plato to make conclusions that corruption and social illnesses spring from uncontrolled human appetites (Kraut 325-226). Furthermore, other critics have pointed to the absence of a concept of good character in Platos teachings. There is no concept of sympathy or empathy for fellow human beings. As philosopher Max Eastman later writes, Plato sees the good person as ruled by reason, whereas most moral codes see good people as ruled by a passion that of love forfellow (humans) (96). The analogy of the cave underscores Platos emphasis on the importance of the examined life. People who see only manipulated shadows fail to see the bigger picture outside and can thus never be able to make properly informed decisions. They will continue to hold false values and ideals, and will continue to resist efforts made on their behalf to improve their lives. Though Platos vision of the ideal polis is rightly criticized for its strict hierarchical roles, he makes a significant contribution to political thought by maintaining that the political community must promote the well being of its citizens. After all, Plato wrote at a time when tyrants routinely used the resources of the nation-state in their own interests. The idea of the greater good being more important than the rights of the sovereign ruler is thus an important departure. As a result of this, Plato maintained that a good political leader must be educated. Also, while Plato is rightly criticized for ignoring human needs when he abolishes family ties for the ruling class, this severing of ties is geared towards the abolition of property. By removing family and property ties, Plato hopes that a political leader can truly make informed decisions based on reason and not simply based on their won or their loved ones interests. Finally, perhaps the most remarkable feature of Platos Republic is his startling idea of equality although limited among the sexes. Plato believed that qualified women can become members of the guardian class. Like men, Plato believed that there are women who are governed by reason and, by rights, should be accorded the responsibilities of governing (Smith 467). In addition to the Philosopher-Kings, Plato also believed in the possibility of Philosopher-Queens. Plato later expanded this thesis in Laws, saying that all citizen women should be allowed to take part in public affairs. They should be allowed to join athletic and military training, to dine in public communally and to receive education in political virtues (Saunders 480). In summary, much of the weaknesses in Platos political theory, as set about in the Republic, arise from an imperfect and rigid classification of human nature. Plato does not make allowances for basic human emotions and needs. As such, he prescribes social roles that, while supposedly serving the greater social good, force people to sublimate their own needs and desires. However, these weaknesses do not take away from the enduring importance of the Republic. First, Plato laid the foundations for a true democracy by stipulating that those who govern should act in the best interests of their citizens. Second, Plato recognized the importance of education, both in ensuring the qualifications of those who govern and that the citizens themselves can make informed political decisions. Most importantly, Plato presents an ideal community, where no one person is automatically privileged by wealth, birth or gender. It is an attractive ideal, where no ones needs are ignored and where every member strives to live an examined life. Platos ideal society has figured prominently in many later normative conceptions of ideal social orders. In Utopia, the influential 16th century vision of the ideal state, Thomas More incorporated Platos earlier negation of private property and the necessity for educated and qualified rulers. By the 18th century, French philosopher Emile Durkheim once again wrote of society as an organism requiring the integrated function of its parts in his The Division of Labor in Society. More recent history continues to show appropriation of Platos work, even though in very different forms. Max Nomad found significant parallels between the supposedly classless society of the Soviet Union under Nikita Kruschev and Platos ideal society. This included the division in Soviet society between peasants and merchants, the warriors/soldiers and finally, the members of the elite government (Nomad 10). Platos rejection of Athenian democracy should be viewed in its proper historical context, since during his time, the highest government offices were chosen by lottery. Though some may contest whether current democracy, as practiced in the United States, is truly representative, the availability of free expression and genuine public debate remains a cornerstone of many democratic societies today. In summary, despite their limitations, many of Platos ideal principles continue to hold relevance today. First is the general belief that leaders should be qualified through education, and that voters should be empowered to make informed decisions. Most societies also subscribe to the idea of a meritocracy, where the ability to rule is measured independently of wealth, gender or other forms of privilege. Finally, Platos belief in the importance of debate and dialogue continues to be upheld. In conclusion, Platos Republic was, in many ways, a product of its time. It was born out of Platos dissatisfaction with the way Athens was governed, a corrupt democracy and oligarchy that was ruled by the inept. As such, the ruling government did not take care of the needs of its citizens. Those who dared to question their authority, like Socrates, were executed. Many have rightly criticized Platos formulation of the tripartite soul and, based on this principle, the ideal society of guardians, auxiliaries and producers. This formulation privileges reason over other essential aspects of human nature, like emotions and passions. However, a critical reading and appropriation shows that Platos Republic has much to offer political and democratic theory today. The idea that governments should act in their citizens interests seems a given, but tyrants and despots were the norm when Plato wrote about his ideal society. Furthermore, the idea of a meritocracy a system that allows people to progress based on their own qualifications, rather than on privileges of wealth or status remains a strikingly modern idea. In the Republic, Platos most important contribution was to imagine an ideal that addressed the prevailing political and social injustices of his time. Today, more than 2500 years later, societies around the world continue to strive for Platos ideal. Works Cited Durkheim, Emile. The Division of Labor in Society. Translated by W. D. Halls. New York: Free Press 1997. Eastman, Max. Seven Kinds of Goodness. New York: Horizon Press, 1967. Grant, Michael. The Classical Greeks. New York: Charles Scribers Sons, 1989. Kraut, Richard. The Defense of Justice in Platos Republic. The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Richard Kraut, ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Nomad, Max. Political Heretics: From Plato to Mao Tse-tung. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1963. Rice, Daryl H. A Guide to Platos Republic. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Plato. The Republic. Translated by Allan Bloom. New York: Basic Books, 1968. Saunders, Trevor J. Platos Later Political Thought. The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Richard Kraut, ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.