US cold war foreign policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

US cold war foreign policy - Essay Example When the Berlin Wall started to fall in November 1989, it represented the beginning of the end of a nearly 45 year conflict. All over Eastern Europe, millions of people cried out for freedom. Within two years, the Soviet Union dissolved and so too had the Cold War.Many in the West called this a victory with many praising U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his aggressive, military policy towards the Soviet Union. Francis Fukuyama called it the end of history.1 Others looked to the future with U.S. President George H. W.Bush speaking about a 'new world order'.2 Yet, the absolute victory Fukuyama spoke of is misleading. Bush's vision of the future is tainted by 'new' elements, Osama bin Laden, that are directly linked to the policies of the Cold War. To understand our Cold War policies and their effects requires us to examine some of the earliest documents of this conflict. This includes George Kennan's "Long Telegram" and his "Mr. X" article as well as Walter Lippman's response. NSC-68 a nd The Ugly American will also be analyzed. Together, these documents provide the necessary foundation from which to more completely understand how the Cold War ended and why.When Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, it ended World War II fighting in Europe. Almost immediately, though, the Soviet Union and the United States of America started to establish radically different policies in respect to recently liberated European counties. By 1946, tension between the former war allies started to mount. George Kennan, a member of the U.S. State Department stationed in Moscow, wrote a letter to Secretary of State James Byrnes describing the Soviet Union and her ambitions in the midst of this tension. In his "Long Telegram", Kennan argues that the "Kremlin's neurotic view of world affairs is traditional and instinctive Russian sense of insecurity."3 Kennan separates the Russian people from the ruling class, and, more importantly, finds complexity in the policy positions of the Soviet Union. Further, while the Soviet Union is insecure, Kennan believes that the Soviet Union thinks slowly in respect to international conflicts and internal stability is of particular importance to the regime. Accordingly, Kennan suggests that the United States should engage the Soviet Union on many fronts; diplomatic, economic and military. Kennan finishes the telegram with a note of caution: "the greatest danger that can befall us in coping with this problem of Soviet communism is that we shall allow ourselves to become like those with whom we are coping."4 In 1947, Kennan wrote an article for Foreign Affairs under the name 'Mr. X'. In "The Sources of Soviet Conduct", Kennan offers a more compact version of the 'Long Telegram'. Kennan argues that the United State must lead the 'fight' against the Soviet Union. However, he only uses the words 'military' and 'conflict' once and argues that the United States should apply "a cautious, persistent pressure toward the disruption and, weakening of all rival influence and rival power."5 Further, Kennan notes that "the United States has it in its power to increase enormously the strains under which Soviet policy must operate."6 This, though, did not mean solely military engagement. Walter Lippman responded by arguing that the United States should "concentrate our effort on treaties of peace which would end the occupation of Europe."7 Unlike Kennan, Lippman believed that recent Soviet actions demonstrated that it was a much more violent country, prone to aggressive international behavior. Accordi ngly, Lippman took a more militaristic stance again the Soviet Union and the concept of containment. Then, in 1950, the U.S. policy towards the Soviet Union was more officially codified in 'NSC 68: United States Objectives and Programs for National Security'. While using Kennan as a starting point, the document leans more towards Lippman's conception of the Soviet threat and has a more militaristic response. NSC-68 argues for a "rapid and concerted build-up of the actual strength of

What makes Canada an interesting country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What makes Canada an interesting country - Essay Example Located in North America, Canada boasts of 9.98 million square kilometers, making it the second largest country in the world with its borders touching three of the world’s largest oceans, the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans to the East, West and North respectively. Adding to the interesting facts surrounding its borders, the border between Canada and the United States (US) is the world’s longest land border. These among other facts about Canada make it one of the most interesting countries in the modern world. Canada began self-governance in 1867 and gained independence in 1931 following the enactment of the Statute of Westminster and therefore it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Canada retained its ties with the British crown hence Queen Elizabeth II is Canada’s head of state in the modern day. This implies no elections for the head of state are held since the monarch is driven by heredity. The monarch then appoints a governor general, after a five year term, with advisory assistance from the prime minister. Canada’s parliament comprises of 105 senatorial seats, members appointed by governor general and 308 members from the House of Commons who are elected by the people on a four year term basis. Additionally, governor general appointees serve up to the age of 75 years. Similarly the chief justice and 8 other judges making the high court, are appointed by the prime minister and serve up to 75 up to the age of 75 years. However, there has been attempts to break fr om the British crown but to futility such as the 2014 referendum. Canada has a strong economy that can be attributed to its significantly many natural resources, trading activities and strong relations with the neighboring US. As a result, Canada is regarded a developed countries taking the eighth position in Human Development Index. Canada has a wide

Public and social issues Essay Example for Free

Public and social issues Essay Slowly there was huge controversy regarding the manner in which domain names were allocated and provided registration by the NSI. There was a huge increase in the trademark disputes especially in the . com TLD domain. The IANA had no concern for legal issues over the domain name allocations. Hence, many nations including the US had concern over the allocation of domain names over the internet . In 1997, the management of several generic TLD’s were handed over to the International Ad Hoc Committee (IAHC). The organisation helped in framing 7 new generic TLD’s and ensuring greater amount of healthy competition in the second level domain names . The NSI and the IANA were together concerned with the development of a set of rules and regulations for the assignment of domain names. They developed a corporation that would have jurisdiction for the assignment of domain names throughout the world. This organisation (ICANN) also helped in the development of rules and regulations for the internet domain names. The US DOC also played a major role in the development of the ICANN. The final version of the bylaws by the ICANN was released on October 2, 1998, and released by the DOC. On November 1998, the ICANN and the DOC decidedly to jointly design rules, regulations, mechanisms and methods to ensure Domain name functions. The DOC and other organisations were interested in bringing about better competition and ensuring stability. The role of the US government was slowly being transferred to the ICANN. The NSI also changed its name to Verisign. It was concerned with developing a shared registration system and provides services under the generic TLD’s such as . com, . net, etc. Verisign has to sell certain number of registers in order to have authority of the . com register in 2001. However, some of the registries of Verisign and ICANN still are shared from May 2001. Verisign would operate various registries such as the . org registry till 2002, the . net registry till 2005, the . com registry till 2007. The ICANN has allocated the . org registry from 2002 to 2008 to Public Internet Registry and Verisign for the . net registry from 2005 to 2011 . The domain name has turned out to be a huge business model for several companies. The ads-per-click policy, which would ensure that advertisements placed in the domain name would make more money than the domain itself, would ensure that the domain is continued. On the other hand, if the cost of the domain is more than the advertisements, then the domain is ceased for the next year. There is also a five-day grace period (following registration), which ensures that anybody who has registered a wrong domain can go back and correct his/her mistake. Today, domain names are created and dropped at a very fast rate, and hence, people are in huge confusions. This is happening at a very fast rate, even faster than the rate trademarks are picked up and dropped. To ensure certain amount of control at the rate at which the domain names are picked up and dropped, the ICANN is monitoring several registries. It has given certain number of its registries to companies that can sell out domain name. Such companies are known as ‘registrars’, and they would usually be working on the . com and . net TLD. However, the ICANN has introduced a 5 day window period, which would allow the registering body to make changes or take back the domain name registration within a period of 5 days. The ICANN can also recommend the owner to make modify or even remove certain domain names registered during the window period. This would ensure that any illegal activities or potentially abuse over the internet can be prevented. At the same time, healthy competition can be encouraged over the internet . Since January 003, there has been a shift in the management of the . org TLD from Verisign to the Public Internet Registry, which is an organisation created in 2002 keeping the public internet in mind . During the mid-1990’s, the US government decided to shift several infrastructure and governance that the US government and the military had over the internet over to private bodies. The government felt that the main reason for implementing such policies were because the industry themselves can specialise in creating effective policies and ensure development and advancement through regulations and policies framed over internet. The US government also tried to install several institutional controls means to ensure that the private bodies that had certain governance over the internet. Several organisations such as the ICANN and the IAHC also felt that the international involvement was very important in developing a domain name policy.

Obesity and the American Disabilities Act :: Obesity and the ADA of 1990

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) bans discrimination based on disability. It provides individuals with disabilities civil rights protections like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin and religion (Mathias, 2003). The ADA defines â€Å"disability† as a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more major life activities and will not consider obese individuals as disabled unless the weight limits a major life activity. Federal courts have ruled that morbid obesity falls under the category of medical conditions which limit one or more life activities (Garcia, n.d). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 established basic federal laws on employment discrimination. It does not identify weight as a protected characteristic, and as a result, does not provide protection for obese individuals who have been discriminated against by potential or current employers. Obesity is now being called an epidemic affecting millions of individuals in the United States. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken the position that morbid obesity, even if voluntary, can be a protected disability under the ADA. Obesity-related health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension are considered disabilities based on the ADA. The article on obesity in the workplace tells the story of Joseph O’Connor. Mr. O’Connor sued McDonald’s for discriminating against him in violation of the ADA. He alleged that McDonald’s refused to hire him as a cook because of his obesity. Mr. O’Connor claimed his obesity was a disability and McDonald’s discriminated against him because of this disability. McDonald’s sought to dismiss the case, stating Mr. O’Connor was not disabled within the meaning of the ADA. The federal court, however, refused to dismiss the lawsuit. The court held that Oâ€℠¢Connor must be given the chance to prove that he is protected under the law (Garcia, n.d.). The challenge in dealing with the controversy, of discrimination and disability, surrounding obesity must involve the legal and medical communities.

Impact of Motivation on employees Essay

Motivation is the word derived from the word ‘motive’ which means needs, desires, wants or drives within the persons. It is the process of inspiring people to actions to achieve the goals The sole reason for me in order to choose this topic is that in today’s world doing Business all over the world is a very challenging aspect. The performance that is given or delivered by the corporate is highly influenced by the Internal and the external operating environmental factors. To survive in the market in a profitable way in the highly challenging and competitive global market economy, all the factors of Employee Retention and Production like machine, materials & men should be managed in an efficient and a productive way. Among the factors of production the human resource constitutes the biggest challenge because unlike the other inputs, employee management is a very complicated process which includes the burdened task concerned with the handling of thoughts, feelings & emotions to project the highest productivity. High productivity is a long-term benefit of Employee motivation. Motivated employee is a valuable asset which delivers huge value to the Organization in maintaining and strengthening its business and revenue growth. This highlights as to why employee motivation is nessacary and also the need for learning about the impact that it bears on the employees. The importance with regard to motivation was realised as early as 1943 when Abraham Maslow wrote the theory with regards to human motivation on the basis of need hierarchy. Various theories were formulated since then due to the rising need in understanding employees and how or what are the factors that motivated them in order to increase their productivity and efficiency. Some of the theories are stated below:- 1. Abraham Maslow’s need hierarchy theory-According to this theory, individual strives to seek a higher need when lower needs are fulfilled. Once a lower-level need is satisfied, it no longer serves as a source of motivation. Needs are motivators only when they are unsatisfied. The various levels of need were classified as psychological needs, safety needs, belonging needs/social needs, self-esteem needs and self-actualisation 2. Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory – According to Herzberg, individuals are not content with the satisfaction of  lower-order needs at work rather, individuals look for the gratification of higher-level psychological needs having to do with achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, and the nature of the work itself. This appears to parallel Maslow’s theory of a need hierarchy. However, Herzberg added a new dimension to this theory by proposing a two-factor model of motivation, based on the notion that the presence of one set of job characteristics or incentives leads to worker satisfaction at work, while another and separate set of job characteristics leads to dissatisfaction at work. Thus, satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not on a continuum with one increasing as the other diminishes, but are independent phenomena. 3. Adams’ Equity Theory – Developed by John Stacey Adams in 1963, Equity Theory suggests that if the individual perceives that the rewards received are equitable, that is, fair or just in comparison with those received by others in similar positions in or outside the organization, then the individual feels satisfied. Adams asserted that employees seek to maintain equity between the inputs that they bring to a job and the outcomes that they receive from it against the perceived inputs and outcomes of others. Some of the other theories are theory X and Y by Douglas McGregor, ERG Theory by Clayton Alderfer, Goal-Setting Theory by Edwin Locke, expectancy theory, etc†¦ Some of techniques that can be adopted in a work place in order to motivate employees are:- 1. Know and care about the concerns of your employees 2. Develop and communicate a compelling organizational vision. 3. Address ineffective teamwork 4. Be a role model for your organization 5. Communicate with everyone respectfully 6. Provide employees with the opportunity to be creative. 7. Invest in developing employees 8. Regularly recognize and reward effort and results 9. Ensure compensation and other rewards and benefits are fair 10. Ensure that the right person is doing the right task and fully understands their role 11. Help your employees find  work/life balance The performance of employees will make or break a company; this is why it is important to find a variety of methods of motivating employees. â€Å"Motivation is the willingness to do something,† wrote Stephen Robbins and David A. DeCenzo in their book â€Å"Supervision Today.† â€Å"It is conditioned by this action’s ability to satisfy some need for the individual.† The most obvious form of motivation for an employee is money; however, there are other motivating factors that must be considered. Every employee within a company is different and, therefore, is motivated to perform well for different reasons. Due to the differences within an organization, it is important for a manager to get to know her employees and understand what motivates their performance. â€Å"If you’re going to be successful in motivating people, you have to begin by accepting and trying to understand individual differences,† Robbins and DeCenzo report in their book â€Å"Supervision Today.† Money is the most important motivator for employee performance but it is important for companies to find other ways to motivate. This involves getting to know their employees and what drives them, then making sure managers utilize appropriate motivational techniques with each employee. When appropriate motivation techniques are used, employee performance will improve. By this time we understood the various theories of motivation and the way in which employees can be motivated now lets come to the part where we learn about why it is important to motivate an employee, what kind of changes that it brings about or results in an organisation. The various changes that are bought about (i.e. impact) or seen in an individual/employee due to motivation and the benefits that the organisation derive out of such motivation are mentioned below:- 1. Puts human resources into action :- Every organisation has its own goals and objectives and in order for any organisation to be successful it needs to achive the goals and the objectives and the main means towards achieving these goals and objectives are financial and human resources there by in order for a company to be successful it needs to boost the so called human resource to produce efficiently and this efficiency is achieved through the means of motivation 2. Improves level of efficiency of employees The level of a subordinate or a employee does not only depend upon his qualifications and abilities. For getting best of his work performance, the gap between ability and willingness has to be filled which helps in improving the level of performance of subordinates. The employees in the organisation when they are less motivated and they feel bleak and dull at this particular point of time they are at the least level of productivity this is caused due to lack of excitement and satisfaction or even repeated jobs thus in order to avoid all these and in order to build on to the efficiency of the employees many motivational techniques can be used this will lead to a great level of improvement in the performance of the employees, reduces the cost of operation and improves overall efficiency and productivity of the firm. 3. Leads to achievement of organizational goals Goals of an organisation are the drivers with regard to success of an organisation and it has a direct impact on the performance of the organisation and also the employees working within. When employees are demotivated they will not care about the organisation and they will start having a negative impact toward the organisation thereby when they are motivated by various incentives and other such techniques and made to understand the goals they tend to work toward the development, i.e. they work toward goal development rather than going haywire. Goals can only be achieved only when coordination and cooperation takes place simultaneously occurs and this can be achieved with the help of motivation 4. Leads to employee satisfaction The satisfaction of the employee is nothing but how happy an individual is in working within an organisation without feeling the need to quit or discontinue. Only when the employees are satisfied will they be able to work properly and in turn be able to satisfy the end customer. In case the employee is not satisfied this will lead to a huge downturn in the organisation as it will start losing its customer base and clients start shifting to a more friendly and cooperative organisation. Thus some of  motivational techniques lead to satisfaction of employee’s which in turn leads to customer satisfaction. 5. Builds friendly relationship The employees when they are reinforced with some kind of reward system there tends to be a friendlier atmosphere all around which leads to better co-operation between the employees which leads to steady and stable environment, all the industrial disputes will come to a rest, employees will no more show any resistance toward change all this directly leads to a smooth and sound concern where the individual interests will coincide with the interests of the organisation 6. Builds stability in the workforce The employees will gain more benefits if they are working for longer periods of time they get bonuses they get more incentives this will help in building a stable workforce where the rate of turnover of the organisation will reduce which in turn will reduce the training cost and recruitment cost of fresh employees. The skills efficiency and the experience of the employees will be a great advantage to the organisation which will lead to a great public image and building the brand reputation of the organisation. 7. Leads to an optimistic and challenging work place In an organisation the employees are motivated to think creatively only when they get something in return and when any such kind of reward is kept then the people in the organisation will start thinking creatively and will start taking interest in the work that they do they will start competing against each other which will help the organisation to get more number of creative ideas which ultimately lead to profit making by the firm, 8. Boosts employee confidence When the people who work in the organisation are given a reward in terms of money or in terms of appreciation or any other kind they will get a confidence boost and they will think of it as the right path and it kind of becomes a positive reinforcement to them in order for them to work in a better manner and more efficiently 9. Employees tend to go the extra mile Whenever people know that there is something waiting for them at the end of the day they will tend to work hard and they will want to go that extra distance and put in that extra effort in order to achieve the reward. These rewards are different for different kinds of people it cannot be generalised it is the duty of the manager to make sure the rewards are appealing and also interesting in order to extract more work out of the employees. The more the desire to have the reward the more harder the person will work on order to attain the same. 10. Less number of mistakes caused by employees When there is some kind of a punishment that is kept for people who make mistakes and have lower productivity like cutting of salary, delay of promotions, taking away the perk and benefits given to them will all help in motivating a person in order to work more efficiently and also effectively without any mistakes and causing losses to the organisation 11. Increases the contribution/productivity The main outcome of any kind of motivation ultimately leads to this. The productivity of the employees and motivation are having a direct relationship and go hand in hand. When the employee is motivated using various kinds of techniques the outcome or the impact that such motivation holds is increase in the productivity or the contribution that is given by an employee. RESEARCH DATA University of Colorado boulder – guide to motivating employees In 2006, and again in 2012, classified and exempt professional staff on the Boulder campus participated in an Employee Engagement Survey. Through this process, the campus has been able to identify what it is doing well and where it can improve. Results and key trends from the surveys are highlighted below. In 2012, 90% of employees saw their job as vital to the overall purpose of the University, an increase from 88% in 2006. In 2006, 80% of employees were willing to go above and beyond their normal work duties. In 2012, this number increased to nearly 89%. From 2006 to 2012, the percentage of employees who believe they are utilizing their talents increased by 9% (75%  overall). Currently, 72% of employees would recommend a friend to work here (an increase from 60% in 2006). In today’s world motivation has gained a lot of importance in all fields and across organisations. Organisations cannot achieve their goals or attain maximum efficiency without the motivational aspect. By looking at the impact that motivation has caused on the employees as well as the organisation every organisation should understand its importance of motivation and start implying and do more of research in order to keep employees motivated, keep up with the pace of the world and in turn reap all the benefits that are associated with it. My learning’s with regards to this topic is knowing what motivation is, what are the theories behind motivation, the different techniques of motivation and finally the importance of motivation where both the employee and the employer are benefited by the application of this powerful tool. REFERENCES 1. Patel sandeep g. (n.d).information of employee motivation and research methodology. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/ravi2907/employee-motivation-17006508 2. Silverstien Barry. (2007). BEST PRACTICES: MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES. New York, U.S.A: hydra publishing. 3. (n.d). Guide to motivating employees. Retrieved from http://hr.colorado.edu/search/Results.aspx?k=guide%20to%20motivating%20employees

Monopoly, Perfect Competition, Imperfect Competition

NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT Economics Microeconomics The Theories of the Firm [ADVANCED HIGHER] ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ²Ãâ€¡ Acknowledgements This document is produced by Learning and Teaching Scotland as part of the National Qualifications support programme for Economics. First published 2002 Electronic version 2002  © Learning and Teaching Scotland 2002 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes by educational establishments in Scotland provided that no profit accrues at any stage. ISBN 1 85955 929 8 contents Introduction 1 Section 1: The theory of perfect competition 3 Section 2: The theory of monopoly 9 Section 3: The theory of monopolistic†¦show more content†¦After a time, the existence of subnormal profits would cause firms to leave the industry. Supply would fall and prices rise. Hence long run equilibrium is one of normal profits only. Perfect Competition – Long Run [pic] Advantages of perfect competition †¢ Because firms produce where MC=MR=Price, allocative efficiency is achieved. †¢ Productive efficiency is also achieved because the firm produces at the lowest point of the AC curve. †¢ Prices are lower because of increased competition. †¢ Because of perfect knowledge firms must keep up to date and innovate or they will be forced to leave the industry. †¢ In the long run all firms will earn normal profits. †¢ Cartels and other restrictive agreements cannot emerge to exploit consumers. †¢ Perfect competition can be used as a model in economic analysis. Disadvantages of perfect competition †¢ Firms have little time to benefit from inventions because they quickly enter the public domain. †¢ Since firms make only normal profits they might not have the funds to undertake expensive research that often yields the most outstanding discoveries. †¢ Firms might not benefit from economies of large-scale production. †¢ In order to prevent abuse of the consumer, some industries are best run by the state as natural monopolies and so perfect competition would be inappropriate. †¢ Perfect competition is a goal that cannot be reached in the real world. Student exercises/activities 1. To what extent does agricultureShow MoreRelatedPerfect Competition1463 Words   |  6 PagesPerfect Competition In  economic theory,  perfect competition  describes markets such that no participants are large enough to have the  market power  to set the price of a homogeneous product. 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Monopolistic Competition Each of these market structures have unique characteristics, and can be classified according to three factors. The degree of competition, the first factor, is important as it classifies markets into different market structures. It compares the relative sizes of firms, the amount ofRead MoreHow Different Aspects Of Economics Affect The Consumer And How Helpful It Is1228 Words   |  5 Pagesinformation for making everyday decisions. In the beginning of the â€Å"AP Econ Music Video Microeconomics SPHS† video, a young man raps about the different market types. One of the market types mentioned was perfect competition (AP Econ Music Video Microeconomics SPHS 2009). Perfect competition can be seen when there is not just one person affecting market price by selling or purchasing product. It is also characterized by purchasers unconcerned with who they are buying from, mobile materials, andRead MoreBenefits Of Competition Among Firms Delivers Benefits And Performance Within Business1354 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Competition is considered one of the main driving factors of innovation and performance within business. But before we can fully assess the benefits to society of competition between firms, we must first ask, what is competition? Competition has been described as the rivalry between firms selling similar products and services with the goal of achieving revenue, profit, and market-share growth. This essay will answer the question, â€Å"Assess the extent to which competition among firms deliversRead MoreWage Determination in Perfect and Imperfect Markets1017 Words   |  5 Pagesdetermination in perfect and imperfect markets Perfect competition In perfect labor markets, everyone is wage taker – both the employee and the employer. 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The External World Skeptic Argument - 2463 Words

Skepticism argues that we do not know things about the external world. The External World Skeptic argument holds that we cannot, in principle, know things about the external world. Skeptical arguments aim to disprove the Standard Account of Knowledge, which claims that we do in fact know things about the external world. We come to know things through observation and experience, testimony, memory, introspection, and reasoning (Epistemology Lecture Notes). Skeptics claim that all of evidence we have for our knowledge are consistent with alternative hypotheses. The Traditional Account of Knowledge requires a justified, true belief for knowledge. Knowledge requires truth because we can only know things that are true. The factivity of knowledge means that everything we know must be true. Knowledge also calls for belief because you cannot know something you do not accept as true. 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SecondRead MoreDescartesArgument For Skepticism1120 Words   |  5 PagesIn Descartes’ first meditation, he proposes an argument for skepticism about the external world based on the possibility of dreaming. I will argue that Descartes’ argument for skepticism is flawed. In this essay I will explain Descartes’ argument, explain why Descartes’ argument is flawed, and consider an objection to my own argument. 1. Descartes’ Argument In order for Descartes to doubt the existence of the external world, he has to establish that he could be dreaming. In Descartes’ first meditationRead MoreIs Global Skepticism Justified? Essay1625 Words   |  7 Pagesknowledge of anything (Feldman 109). As a global skeptic, we would not only challenge the same things that limited skeptics confront, but we would challenge the very essence of our being. If this form of skepticism is valid, we would have to reexamine all of what we think we know and have knowledge of. Is there an external material world? Are we living in matrix-type situations? Perhaps, we are just brains in vats and are cruelly forced to perceive a world that is truly not reality. One can see how thisRead MoreModern Philosophy Of The Modern World And The External World1157 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosophers dance around the question, â€Å"What is real and what is not?† Although there are many arguments for and against the internal world and the externa l world, I tend to lead towards the skeptics point of view. I do this on the simple notion that many of the skeptics arguments are hard to refute. Much like Sextus Empiricus, I argue that we cannot know anything with absolute certainty about the external world. â€Å"Those who say that Sceptic deny appearances seem to me to be ignorant of what we say†Read MoreDescartes Vs. Descartes Philosophy1142 Words   |  5 Pages Rene Descartes’ begins to illustrate his skeptical argument as presented in Meditation l. Descartes basic strategy to approaching this method of doubt is to defeat skepticism. This argument begins by doubting the truth of everything, from evidence of the senses to the fundamental process of reasoning. Therefore, if there is any truth in the world that overcomes the skeptical challenge then it must be indubitably true. Thus, creating a perfect foundation for knowledge. The first Meditation is anRead MoreReasons for the Rejection of Anti-Realism in Relation to Mental Disorders 1422 Words   |  6 Pagesattempt to explain reason’s for the rejection of anti-realism in relation to mental disorders by psychologist George Graham of Georgia State University. In this essay I will explain the relevance of realism and anti-realism as well as present two arguments that Graham proclaims support anti-realism. This analysis of Graham’s thoughts and ideas on anti-realism and mental disorders will be squarely based upon the information supplied by Graham in his book titled, The Disordered Mind. In this book, theRead MoreDoes Moore Successfully Refute The Skeptic s Argument?1952 Words   |  8 PagesStudent Number: 2121206 Professor Kisolo-Ssonko Knowledge and Justification 22 October 2015 Does Moore Successfully Refute the Skeptic’s Argument? I. Introduction In his paper â€Å"Proof of an External World,† G. E. Moore discusses what exactly defines an external world, and how we can know that one exists. He addresses Kant, who laments the following: â€Å"It still remains a scandal to philosophy†¦that the existence of things outside of us†¦must be accepted merely on faith, and that, if anyone thinks goodRead MoreEpistemology : Empiricism And Rationalism Essay1505 Words   |  7 PagesThe question of whether or not there is a world outside of one’s own mind is a question that has been widely debated over time. This is such a controversial topic because there is no definite answer or explanation that can be proven to be completely accurate. An entire branch of philosophy has become committed to focusing on this topic alone. Epistemology is the study of questions regarding knowledge, how we can prove knowledge, and whether or not as humans we have any limit to the amount of knowledgeRead MoreOn Epistemology and Skep ticism Essay1687 Words   |  7 Pagesstance on how to define knowledge, skeptics simply doubt that a reason or proposition offered is correct and suppose it to be false or flawed in some manner. See the examples below as identifiers of the skeptic way of life. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines skepticism as denial or doubt of a particular belief, fact, or action. Skepticism deals primarily with questioning knowledge from an opposing perspective and refrains from making truth claims. Skeptics don’t assert that knowledge is