Ethics and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics and Religion - Essay Example This paper approves that speaking about ethics and religion it is impossible to ignore the notion of theology. Theology itself is a science about spirits and God. Theology analyses all the religious features and makes the interpretation of it into a simpler knowledge, it discusses the main religious issues. One of the main tasks of the theology is to define the difference between the religious traditions of every culture, to point out the main factors which determined the formation of the ethical norms in these cultures, to define the reasons of the difference using the historical background of a nation. Speaking about ethics as about a branch of theology we should pay attention to the fact that theology is strongly connected with the mentality of every nation and with the special features of its religion. Theological history of every religion has a great impact on the way of formation of the ethical norms and categories. It proves that these two sciences are interdependent and influ ence each other. According to Robert Gascoigne â€Å"any discussion of the relationship between religion and ethics has to come to terms with misunderstandings that have developed over the centuries, which Christians themselves are often responsible for because of a fundamentalist use of the Bible or because of other aspects of Christian tradition†. This essay makes a conclusion that it is worth saying that the problem of ethics and religion is impossible to solve and to come to a certain points. The process of interconnection of these two notions is developing.

Leadership And The Competing Values Management Essay

Leadership And The Competing Values Management Essay This chapter has two parts: a management theory part of leadership and the competing values framework that puts the topic of research in context; and the second part provides a background insight on the applied field of research which is newspapering in Yemen. This part of the literature review chapter represents an attempt to dive into the ocean-deep literature on leadership is exerted to provide a theoretical background on this heavily studied domain in management. This argumentative collection and discussion of leadership literature will attempt to provide a quick overview of leadership different definitions and the associated theories that enrich leadership literature. A quick reference to the most important models and tools used in leadership studies will be made and discussed. From the various models, the selected theoretical framework of leadership the (Competing Values for Leadership) by Quinn (1983, 1993, 2006) will be subject of more focused presentation and discussion. The reasons of selecting this model not any other will be explained. This part concludes with reference to effective leadership and the role of leadership in the overall organizational effectiveness. 2. 2.2. Leadership 2.2.2.1 Leadership as an Area of Research Due to the extensive attention, leadership is one of the most extensively researched  areas  in organizational contexts for the significance role leadership play in organizations or at a larger scale in nations. Early studies and theories of leadership provided theoretical frameworks which were used as basis for the following eras of studies. Historically, leadership was studied from different perspectives and the following chronology of major studies and resulted theories: the Personality Traits (1841-1927); the Power and Influence of a Leader (1928-1956); the Behavioral Leadership (1955- 1983), where famous Managerial Grid Model was first presented by Blake and Mouton in 1964; the Situation theory (1943-1978) with a new research model: Open-Systems Model presented by Kats and Kahn in 1978; the Contingency approach to leadership (1964-1989) during which the situational theory presented by Hersey and Blanchard, 1969-1977); the Transactional model (1958-1979);and finally the Transformational approach (1977-1989). This volume of theoretical work is categorized under four generational groups. These are in chronological order: Trait theories, Behavioral theories, Contingency theories, and Transf ormational theories. Across sectional, leadership becomes an interdisciplinary field with contributions from political science, psychology education, history, agriculture, public administration management, community studies, law, medicine anthropology, biology, military sciences, philosophy and sociology. In many of these disciplines, leader ship is now an established subfield (Goethals, et al., 2004 p. xxxiv). These different approaches to leadership across management and organizational literature particularly the researches made in the second half of last century call for different leadership styles, and competencies. However, Hofstede (1980) argued that most process leadership theories share a common factor which is their advocacy for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦participation in the managers decisions by his/her subordinates participative management' (Hofstede, 1980 p. 56). As referenced above, the past century witnessed a remarkable change in the field of leadership research and the major in-depth wave of studies started in seventies and eighties. Two features stand out when the current situation is compared to that of today. These two features are the greater optimism about the field and its greater methodological diversity (Bryman, 2004). However, the evolution of leadership theories did not stop at this stage, a new era emerged in which researchers attempt to develop a more integrated approach to leadership (Vilkinas, et al., 2006). One of the most important theoretical advancement toward this result is the Competing Values Framework (CVF) for leadership (Quinn, et al., 1981, 1983), (Denison, et al., 1993), (Cacioppe, 1998), (Vilkinas, et al., 2006). 2.2.2.2 Definition of leadership Different scholars come up with different theories and consequently introduce their definition to the term leadership based on their respective areas of study. Leaderships guru, Bernard M. Bass (1990) for instance, considers leadership as one of the worlds oldest preoccupations and that its understanding has figured strongly in the quest of knowledge. Leaders of organizations or nations who were described as effective leaders did not have necessarily the same traits, which poses a challenge to the traits theory, especially when it come to the secondary attributes. Researchers traced the lives of these leaders and came up with general characteristics that distinguish leaders from subordinates. John Gardner, in his book On Leadership by Free Press in 1989, studied a large number of North American organizations and leaders and came to the conclusion that there were some qualities or attributes that did appear to mean that a leader in one situation could lead in another. These characteristics included: Physical vitality and stamina; Intelligence and action-oriented judgment; Eagerness to accept responsibility; Task competence; Understanding of followers and their needs; Skill in dealing with people; Need for achievement; Capacity to motivate people; Courage and resolution Trustworthiness; Decisiveness; Self-confidence; Assertiveness; and finally Adaptability/flexibility (Doyle, et al., 2001). On the contrary, leadership gurus Bass and Stogdill conceive leadership as the focus of group processes, as a matter of personality, as a matter of inducing compliance, as the exercise of influence, as particular behaviors, as a form or persuasion, as a power relation, as a instrument to achieve goals, as an effect of interaction, as a differentiated role, as initiation of structures, and as many combinations of these definitions. Under each phrase above, scholars define leadership, and the handbook defines leadership as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ an interaction between two or more members of a group that often involves a structure or restructuring of the situation and the perceptions and expectations of the members. Leaders are agents of change-persons whose acts affect other people more than other peoples acts affect them, (Bass, 1990 pp. 20-21) Bass and Stogdill (1990) present above a competency-based definition, which comes after an extensive digest of the various concepts and approaches of organizational leadership. This definition goes along with Chemers (200) who defines leadership as process of  social influence  in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task (Chemers, 2002). As leadership is a process not a person; involves influence; occurs in groups; and involves a common goal, Northouse (2010) defines leadership as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Northouse, 2010 p. 3). Following the same path yet in a wider scope, John W. Gardner (1993) defines leadership as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the process of persuation or example by which an individual (leadership team) induces a group to pursue objectives held by the leader or shared by the leaderand his/her followers (Gardner, 1993 p. 1) Another example of the process perspective leadership is found in Burns book Leadership (1978), in which he introduced two types of leaders: transformational leader and transactional leader, presenting a new approach to leadership literature. Burns (1978) said, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ transforming leadership ultimately becomes moral in that it raises the level of human conduct and ethical aspiration of both leader and the led, and thus it has a transforming effect on both. (Homrig, 2001). However, these two types are deemed as modern leadership styles in the organizational contexts. The argumentative set of definitions brought above are built on the interaction between a leader and follower, rather than the personality traits or behaviors of a leader, although leadership traits approach suggests otherwise. This approach suggests that if these traits are truly present in a person, they will manifest themselves almost without regard to the situation in which the person is functioning (Gardner, 1993 p. 6). The researched confidently can argue that a leader is identified by followers/subordinates as well as an organization or any collective effort with a common goal that provides situational context in which he/she practices leadership. However, having those traits identified in a person, but without people of context, the traits will make of him/her a leader just for the sake owning them. In conclusion, it can be inferred that leadership is process of complex behavior whereby a person is set to inspire, and motivate his/her followers toward achieving common goals that are not effectively achievable otherwise. 2.2.2.3 Leadership vs. Management Both leadership and management are used in organizational context with little sensitivity to the terms especially when the right balance is maintained among all organizational elements that include people, processes, design, system, and technology. However, Doyle, et al. (2001), argued that not all managers, for example, are leaders; and not all leaders are managers. An attempt to make a distinction between managing and leading, one risk of this separation is that management is pushed into the background. Technically there is an overlap of domains and activities between management and leadership and thus in literature you will find managerial leadership (Gosling Mintzberg, 2003). Although leadership is not confined to management, there is wide agreement that the most successful organizations have strong, effective leaders. Most organizations contain both formal and informal leaders, some of which are in management positions, some are not (Albarran, 2006). To lead is to take risks on behalf of purpose and the greater good.   To manage is to mitigate risk on behalf of the bottom line.   A successful organization does both as well as a successful executive. A valuable employee at any level of the organization does both too (McBride, 2010). Although Gardner (1993) believes that leaders perform managerial jobs, he made several points to differentiate managers from leaders. The manager is more tightly linked to an organization than is the leader. Although he stresses on the interchangeable roles of leaders and managers, he argues that leaders do not necessarily have organizations and used Ghandi who was a leader before he had an organization (Gardner, 1993 p. 4). This leads to the term managerial leadership which is more practical in terms of leadership development and training. 2.1.2.4 Leadership Models and Tools As highlighted above, leadership has been studied extensively and dimensionally for more than a century (Seters, et al., 1990). The remarkable change and dimensional development in leadership research resulted in the introduction of several models and frameworks on leadership. Some researchers combine more than one theoretical framework to come up with a unique approach based on the scope of their studies. Yet, each approach is based on a theoretical framework whether it examines leaders personality traits, and behaviors or examine leadership as a process of interaction. Numerous tools and instruments have been developed to examine, study, and evaluate the impact of leadership in search of developing effective leaders (Ladyshewsky, 2007). Over the last decade the 360-degree review process has become a very popular tool in evaluating the impact of Leadership Development programs. The 360-degree assessment is now replacing the traditional performance appraisal (Toegel, et al., 2003). Despite its growing popularity, is not without its weaknesses. Some of these weaknesses include collusion to promote self-interests and selection of raters who will influence results positively. This reduces the value of the 360-degree review because the opportunity for receiving accurate feedback is lessened. Managers, peers and subordinates may also ground their responses using different perspectives because of their relationship to the ratee. These tools give a comprehensive understanding of the roles, and behaviors of leaders/managers One of the recent popular tools is The Leadership Circle Profile (TLCP), which contributes effectively to major advances on the best 360 instruments. As a validated tool, TLCP is designed to measure a battery of key leadership competencies. The Leadership Circle Profile is designed to integrate many of the best theoretical frameworks from the leadership, adult development, psychological and spiritual bodies of knowledge. Few, if any, 360 tools have a theoretical framework to complement their research base. TLCP has a rich and integrated theory base. This allows practitioners to use multiple frameworks that help the client connect the data to deeper insight (Anderson, 2006). Bryman (2004) concludes that leadership research is dominated by a single kind of data gathering instrument-the self-administered questionnaire. The field is replete with countless studies that employ questionnaires within the context of experimental, cross-sectional, and longitudinal designs. The Ohio State LBDQ scales, Fiedlers LPC scale, and more recently the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), which exemplify respectively the style, contingency and new leadership phases of the fields development, are emblematic of this feature. The questionnaire has become the instrument of choice for researchers working in a variety of different theoretical traditions and within different research designs. The Full Range Leadership Development Theory provides the backbone for analyzing the leadership style of each manager by using the MLQ (Saad, 2008). The different tools and models create more confusion for organizations, leaders/managers, and researchers which is more valid or more appropriate as each assumes and defines different set of competencies (Cacioppe, et al., 2000). Regardless of the confusion between these models and framework in the leadership literature, none can argue if one particular framework to be right while others are wrong. Rather, the most appropriate frameworks should be based on empirical evidence, should capture accurately the reality being described (in other words, they should be valid), and should be able to integrate and organize most of the dimensions being proposed (Cameron, et al., 2006). One of the most popular leadership-management assessment instruments that integrates several aspects of leadership and previous models is the Competing Values Framework (CVF) introduced by Quinn and colleagues in 1981 and 1983. The CVF has been the subject of several organizational studies ever since. In all previous studies, it achieved high level of reliability and validity (Yu, et al., 2009) based on all empirical studies structured around the concept of organizational effectiveness (Quinn and Rohrbaugh, 1983; Quinn  et al., 2003; Belasen, et al., 2008; (Cameron, et al., 2006); (Denison, et al., 1993) (Ladyshewsky, 2007) (Quinn, 2006) (Vilkinas, et al., 2006) (Vilkinas, et al., 2009). The CVF instrument is developed to study the behavioral complexity of leaders (Denison, et al., 1993) and a later stage the CVF, which was developed in the early 1980s as a tool to examine the organizational culture and its variables was introduced as a framework of leadership effectiveness (Cameron, et al., 2006) (Belasen, et al., 2008). 2.1.3 The Competing Value Leadership 2.1.3.1 Theory and Definition The Competing Values Framework was developed initially from research conducted on the major indicators of effective organizations (Cameron, et al., 2006, p 33). It was developed as a result of empirical research on the question of what makes organizations effective (Quinn, et al., 1981) followed by studies of culture, leadership, structure, and information processing (Denison, et al., 1995) (Cameron, et al., 2006). Those conducting the preliminary research asked certain key questions like: What are the main criteria for determining if an organization is effective or not? What key factors define organizational effectiveness? When people judge an organization to be effective, what indicators do they have in mind? A spatial model was developed from the judgment data. It indicated that three value dimensions, focus (taskpeople), structure (controlflexibility), and time (short-termlong-term) underlie conceptualizations of organizational effectiveness. Furthermore, the model suggested some fundamental criteria of organizational effectiveness that differentially reflect these three value dimensions (Quinn, et al., 1981). However, Quinn and Rohrbaugh (1983) conducted further analysis and came up with two major dimensions; (a) one that differentiates a focus on flexibility, discretion, and dynamism from a focus on stability, order, and control; and (b) a second that differentiates a focus on an internal orientation, integration, and unity from a focus on an external orientation, differentiation, and rivalry (Cameron, et al., 2006, p 34). Figure 1: The Competing Values Framework Together these two dimensions form four quadrants, with four different organizational cultures. Figure 1 illustrates the relationships of these two dimensions to one another. What is notable about these four core values is that they represent opposite or competing assumptions: flexibility versus stability and control, internal versus external. The upper left quadrant, for example, identifies values that emphasize an internal, organic focus, whereas the lower right quadrant identifies values that emphasize an external, control focus. Similarly, the upper right quadrant identifies values that emphasize an external, organic focus, whereas the lower left quadrant emphasizes internal, control values. The competing or opposite values in each quadrant give rise to the name for the model, the Competing Values Framework. The resulted quadrants are labeled to distinguish their most notable characteristics-clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy, which were derived from the scholarly literature. They also match key management theories about organizational success, approaches to organizational quality, leadership roles, and management skills (Cameron, et al., 2006, p 35-37). 2.1.3.2 The Competing Values Approach to Leadership The Competing Values Framework (CVF) has been named as one of the forty most important models in the history of business (Cameron, 2010). The framework was developed as a result of extensive empirical researches focusing on organizational effectiveness (Quinn, et al., 1983). It predicts that balancing the full range of leadership roles should help managers perform their job effectively; yet, limited cognitive and emotional resources constrain employment of the full range of roles (Belasen, et al., 2008). 2.1.3.3 The CVF Leadership Quadrants In keeping with the emphasis of this model on behavioral complexity and leadership as a portfolio of capabilities, the eight roles in the model are defined in terms of a set of skills necessary to perform each role (Denison, et al., 1993 p. 6). The figure 2 below highlights the rights managerial leadership roles. Figure 2 Eight CVF roles of managerial leadership (Denison, et al., 1993 p. 6 27) Figure 2 suggests a spatial model with eight separate roles presented in terms of two underlying dimensions, with a specific set of relationships among these roles. The roles should take the form of a circle within these two dimensions, such that some pairs of roles (such as the monitor and the coordinator) should be very closely related, while other pairs of roles (such as the mentor and the producer) should be far less closely related. Opposite roles are presumably more contradictory and adjacent roles are more similar. One might expect, for example, that a leader who was highly proficient as a mentor would also have facilitator skills in their behavioral portfolio, but might be somewhat less likely to be highly proficient as a director or producer (Denison, et al., 1993 p. 9). 2.1.3.4 The CVF Leadership Roles As we have seen above the CVF has four quadrants with four types of cultures, the Competing Values leadership model divides each of its four quadrants into two leadership roles (Quinn, et al., 1983), (Denison, et al., 1993), (Cameron, et al., 2006), (Belasen, et al., 2008), (Cameron, 2010). The CVF leadership quadrants and roles are explained below (Denison, et al., 1993, pp. 6-8). The upper-right quadrant, which the effectiveness framework links to open-systems theory and the process of adaptation to the organizations external environment, defines two leadership roles: Innovator Role The innovator is creative and envisions, encourages, and facilitates change. Broker Role The broker is politically astute, acquires resources and maintains the units external legitimacy through the development, scanning, and maintenance of a network of external contacts. Moving clockwise to the lower right quadrant, labeled the rational goal model in the effectiveness framework, two more leadership roles are specified. These roles emphasize the rational pursuit of goals external to the group, and the leaders role in defining and motivating the attainment of those goals. Producer Role The producer is the task-oriented, work-focused role. The producer seeks closure, and motivates those behaviors that will result in the completion of the groups task. Director Role The director engages in goal setting and role clarification, sets objectives, and establishes clear expectations. The lower left quadrant is referred to in the effectiveness framework as the internal process model and places primary emphasis on internal control and stability. Two additional leadership roles are specified in that quadrant. Coordinator Role The coordinator maintains structure, does the scheduling, coordinating, and problem solving, and sees that rules and standards are met. Monitor Role The monitor collects and distributes information, checks on performance, and provides a sense of continuity and stability. The upper left quadrant is referred to in the framework as the human relations quadrant, placing primary emphasis on human interaction and process. Two final leadership roles are defined within that quadrant. Facilitator Role The facilitator encourages the expression of opinions, seeks consensus, and negotiates compromise. Mentor Role The mentor is aware of individual needs, listens actively, is fair, supports legitimate requests, and attempts to facilitate the development of individuals. 2.1.3.5 Leadership Effectiveness Extensive research by management scholars has identified critical competencies that characterize the most effective leaders and the most effective organizations worldwide. Quinn and Cameron (2006) introduced an instrument that assesses 20 key areas of leadership competency based on the Competing Values Framework. The leadership skills being assessed were not arbitrarily selected, but were derived from more than a dozen studies of leadership effectiveness. Figure 3 The Competing Values Framework culture, leadership, value drivers, and effectiveness. The focus of this study is to identify the competing values leadership roles of the chief editors of the participant newspapers, rather than assessing their competencies. Therefore, the suggested leadership competency assessment by Quinn, et al. (2006) will not be used in this study. However, it is of paramount significance to get a comprehensive view of the CVF different instruments. The congruence of leadership competencies and organizational culture leads to effectiveness, according to Quinn and Cameron (2006). To create value, managers competencies must be congruent with their organizations dominant culture. Demonstrating leadership competencies in the quadrants that dominate the organizations culture is associated with higher levels of success for the leader (Cameron, et al., 2006, p. 160). The management guru, Drucker (2006) in his book Effective Executive argued that effective executives should be able to manage time; choose what contributed to the organization; know where and how to mobilize strength for best effect; setting the right priorities; and knitting all of these together with effective decision-making. 2.1.3.6 CVF Model Application Though the framework is most often thought of as a leadership tool it has shown to have many important advantages. The CVF can be used for all aspects and levels in organizations. For example, It can be applied to personal style, yet the same framework can also be used to assess communication, leadership, organizational culture, core competencies, decision making, motivation, human resources practices, quality, employee selection, organizational capabilities, organizational change patterns, strategy, financial performance and many others (Cameron, 2010). The CVF is an approach to thinking that is, to interpreting or making sense of complex phenomena as well as to developing a repertoire of competencies and strategies that address the complexities being encountered (Cameron, et al., 2006). Criticism Development of the CVF Model Beyond the organizational effectiveness, the CVF has been studied and tested in numerous organizations for the past 25 years by scholars and professional experts not only in the United States but also in China (Vilkinas, et al., 2009); Australia (Vilkinas, et al., 2006); Malaysia (Yiing, et al., 2009); Yemen (Al-Marhadhi, 1996) and elsewhere. As a tool, the CVF is not only used in academic research, but also in as an assessment tool in the service industry (Degraff, et al., 2010). Although the model has been widely used in management and leadership research and development, it receives some criticism and further development by other researchers. Hooijberg (1996)  questioned the two dimensions of the CVF model and some of the questionnaire items that measure the leadership role distributed across the model. According to Cacioppe et al (2000), who reference the work of Hooijberg (1996) the CV framework, for instance, does not adequately capture vision or customer orientation roles or competencies that are fundamental to many models of leadership and management. As a result, Cacioppe and Albrecht developed a framework that used several of the aspects of the CV model supported by research with modifications to a number of roles and question items (Cacioppe, et al., 2000). Further application and empirical testing of the CVF led to further advancement. In response to developing researches, Quinn and colleagues developed the model further. In Australia, for instance, the Integrated Competing Values Framework (ICVF) was approached by Vilkinas and her co-authers who introduced the Integrator, as the ninth leadership role (Vilkinas, et al., 2006). Why the CVF? The Competing Values Framework provides a theory of effective leadership through managing tensions, which is the subject of this research. It includes predictions that congruence among disparate elements in organizations leads to success, paradoxical management is required for effectiveness, and comprehensive strategies and tactics representing all parts of the are needed to create value. (Cameron, et al., 2006, p.158-159). The selection of the CVF as a framework for this research is not because it is the best model or framework, but rather because of the significance it has left on leadership and organizational effectiveness, through hundreds of studies around the world. Moreover, the simplicity of the model; and its relevance to the internal and external competing environments of newspapering in Yemen represent supportive factors for selection. Besides, the CVF as a model can be applied as a multi-purpose model to assess leadership effectiveness; leadership managerial competencies, organizational culture, and overall organizational effectiveness. The abundance of literature on CVF, its measurement tools, research questionnaires, and analysis frameworks contribute positively to be the chosen model for this research. The CVF has been adopted in various organizational contexts as an assessment as well as a development tool. According to Quinn and Cameron (2006), the CVF is valid and significant for organizational and personal contexts alike. Chapter II: Literature Review Part 2 Yemeni Newspaper Industry 2.2.1 Introduction This part of the literature review is dedicated to the newspaper history, background and industry in general. A discussion of the environment, newspapers exist is given with examples and citations from existing literature. The overall part aims to present a comprehensive view of newspapering in Yemen with existing merits and challenges. 2.2.2 Background The Republic of Yemen embarked on democracy, political plurality and public freedoms in 1990 after northern and southern parts of the country were reunified. The reunification gave birth to a national constitution which guarantees political and social rights and public freedoms including freedom of the press. The emerging democracy in Yemen and plurality of the political system necessitated the plurality of media as one of the main pillars of a healthy democracy. Although the state continues to control the broadcast media including TV and radio until today, a wide spectrum of print media outlets exists. Although, Yemen has known journalism as early as 1872 when the Turks established a printing press and issued Yemen and then Sanaa newsletters in both Arabic and Turkish (The Evolution and Development of Journalism in Yemen, 2008) Free press plays a key role in sustaining and monitoring a healthy democracy, as well as in contributing to greater accountability, good governance, and economic development. People need to be able to watch the performance of their government and public authorities through a free and independent coverage of relevant news and events. Media as an educational tool is supposed to contribute to raise peoples awareness about their rights and duties. It is assumed that the news media can best fulfill its functions in a democracy if there is a rich and pluralistic information environment that is easily available to all citizens. There is a large body of American literature which suggests that if TV has taken over from the press as our main source of news this may limit our capacity to learn about public affairs; newspapers are believed to be far more effective than television at conveying detailed information necessary to understand complex and detailed policy issues (Norris, Fall 2000). In Yemen today, there are three major types of media: broadcast (TV and Radio); print (newspapers and magazines); and electronic (internet). 2.2.3 Classification of Print Media in Yemen The print media, which includes newspapers and magazines, in Yemen is categorized into three categories from ownership perspective: public or state-run newspapers, political or partisan newspapers, and privately owned newspapers (Al-Asaadi, 2007, Raja, 2010). However, Hassan Mansour (2009) added a fourth category that includes newspapers published by civil society organizations or trade unions, which I believe shoul

Biblical References in Haydn Middletons The Lie of the Land :: Middleton Lie of the Land Essays

Biblical References in Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1: 18)." Throughout The Lie of the Land, Haydn Middleton creates "David's Story" through a series of biblical references. These references allow for the speculation of David Nennius as the son of God. This speculation comes about as a result of the rape of his mother by a stranger, the figure of God. Through the use of these references, Middleton allows the reader to see the obvious correlation between the conception and birth of David Nennius, and that of Jesus Christ. Mary is described as "bookish and dried-up," a virgin unscathed by the touch of another male (Middleton 71). Mary returns home one day to find an intruder. "She never worked out exactly how the intruder had got in. He took her arm from behind, quite gently (72)." Though the presence of an intruder, would certainly be enough to strike any woman with certain fear, Mary is seemingly unafraid, almost as if there is something about the presence of this man which comforts her in a way in which words could not express. Throughout his presence, Mary remains unafraid, "it was as if the hideous fact of his presence was shedding its own brilliant light (72)." The use of "brilliant light" suggests the presence of a divine being, almost as if a halo of light is surrounding him as that which surrounds God. Though the actual conception of Jesus did not occur on a physical level in the story set forth by the Bible, Middleton insists on displaying the creation of Jesus through the actual sexual acts of two people. This is interesting from the standpoint that the intruder, though depicted as a powerful and gentle being, is never seen through the eyes of Mary as particularly strong. She speaks of the "weakness" behind his smile; a weakness which overcomes any male when faced with the prospect of sexually satisfying a woman (74). God is, in a sense depicted as having the weaknesses of a normal, immortal male. Like any man, he too has yearned for what only a woman could give him. This becomes the weakness which is so apparent to Mary at the time of conception. Biblical References in Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land :: Middleton Lie of the Land Essays Biblical References in Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1: 18)." Throughout The Lie of the Land, Haydn Middleton creates "David's Story" through a series of biblical references. These references allow for the speculation of David Nennius as the son of God. This speculation comes about as a result of the rape of his mother by a stranger, the figure of God. Through the use of these references, Middleton allows the reader to see the obvious correlation between the conception and birth of David Nennius, and that of Jesus Christ. Mary is described as "bookish and dried-up," a virgin unscathed by the touch of another male (Middleton 71). Mary returns home one day to find an intruder. "She never worked out exactly how the intruder had got in. He took her arm from behind, quite gently (72)." Though the presence of an intruder, would certainly be enough to strike any woman with certain fear, Mary is seemingly unafraid, almost as if there is something about the presence of this man which comforts her in a way in which words could not express. Throughout his presence, Mary remains unafraid, "it was as if the hideous fact of his presence was shedding its own brilliant light (72)." The use of "brilliant light" suggests the presence of a divine being, almost as if a halo of light is surrounding him as that which surrounds God. Though the actual conception of Jesus did not occur on a physical level in the story set forth by the Bible, Middleton insists on displaying the creation of Jesus through the actual sexual acts of two people. This is interesting from the standpoint that the intruder, though depicted as a powerful and gentle being, is never seen through the eyes of Mary as particularly strong. She speaks of the "weakness" behind his smile; a weakness which overcomes any male when faced with the prospect of sexually satisfying a woman (74). God is, in a sense depicted as having the weaknesses of a normal, immortal male. Like any man, he too has yearned for what only a woman could give him. This becomes the weakness which is so apparent to Mary at the time of conception.

History of Plato Essay

Plato was born around the year 428 BCE into an established Athenian household with a rich history of political connections — including distant relations to both Solon and Pisistratus. Plato’s parents were Ariston and Perictone, his older brothers were Adeimantus and Glaucon, and his younger sister was Potone. In keeping with his family heritage, Plato was destined for the political life. But the Peloponnesian War, which began a couple of years before he was born and continued until well after he was twenty, led to the decline of the Athenian Empire. The war was followed by a rabid conservative religious movement that led to the execution of Plato’s mentor, Socrates. Together these events forever altered the course of Plato’s life. The biographical tradition is unanimous in its observation that Plato engaged in many forms of poetry as a young man, only later turning to philosophy. Aristotle tells us that sometime during Plato’s youth the philosopher-to-be became acquainted with the doctrines of Cratylus, a student of Heraclitus, who, along with other Presocratic thinkers such as Pythagoras and Parmenides, provided Plato with the foundations of his metaphysics and epistemology. Upon meeting Socrates, however, Plato directed his inquiries toward the question of virtue. The formation of a noble character was to be before all else. Indeed, it is a mark of Plato’s brilliance that he was to find in metaphysics and epistemology a host of moral and political implications. How we think and what we take to be real have an important role in how we act. Thus, Plato came to believe that a philosophical comportment toward life would lead one to being just and, ultimately, happy. It is difficult to determine the precise chain of events that led Plato to the intricate web of beliefs that unify metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and politics into a single inquiry. We can be certain, however, that the establishment of a government by Sparta (after the chaos of Athens’ final defeat in 404), and the events that followed, dramatically affected the direction of his thinking. Following the turmoil of the war, a short eight month oligarchical tyranny known as the Thirty Tyrants governed Athens. Two of Plato’s relatives, Critias (his mother’s uncle) and Charmides (his mother’s brother) played roles in this regime. Critias was identified as one of the more extreme members and chief advocate of the government, while Charmides played a smaller role as one of the Eleven, a customs/police force which oversaw the Piraeus. The oligarchy made a practice of confiscating the estates of wealthy Athenians and resident aliens and of putting many individuals to death. In an effort to implicate Socrates in their actions, the Thirty ordered him to arrest Leon of Salamis. Socrates, however, resisted and was spared punishment only because a civil war eventually replaced the Thirty with a new and most radical democracy. A general amnesty, the first in history, was issued absolving those who participated in the reign of terror and other crimes committed during the war. But because many of Socrates’ associates were involved with the Thirty, public sentiment had turned against him, and he now had the reputation of being profoundly anti-democratic. In what appears to be a matter of guilt-by-association, a general prejudice was ultimately responsible for bringing Socrates to trial in 399 on the charges of corrupting the youth, introducing new gods into the city, atheism, and engaging in unusual religious practices. During his trial, which is documented in Plato’s Apology, Socrates explained that he had no interest to engage in politics, because a certain divine sign told him that he was to foster a just and noble lifestyle within the young men of Athens. This he did in casual conversations with whomever he happened to meet on the streets. When Socrates told the court that if set free, he would not stop this practice, claiming that he must follow the voice of his god over the dictates of the state, the court found him guilty (though by a narrow margin), and he was executed one month later. This final sequence of events must have weighed heavily on Plato, who then turned away from politics, somewhat jaded by the unjust behavior of the Thirty, disappointed by the follies of the democracy, and forever affected by the execution of Socrates. At this point Plato left Attica with other friends of Socrates and spent the next twelve years in travel and study. During this period, he sought out the philosophers of his day. He met with the wise-men, priests, and prophets of many different lands, and he apparently studied not only philosophy but geometry, geology, astronomy, and religious matters. His exact itinerary is not known, but the earliest accounts report that Plato left Athens with Euclides and went to Megara from where he went to visit Theodorus in Cyrene. From there he went to Italy to study with the Pythagoreans (including Philolaus and Echecrates mentioned in the Phaedo), and then after Italy he went to Egypt. Whether or not Plato began to write philosophical dialogues prior to Socrates’ execution is a matter of debate. But most scholars agree that shortly after 399 Plato began to write extensively. Although the order in which his dialogues were written is a matter of strong debate, there is some consensus about how the Platonic corpus evolved. This consensus divides Plato’s writings into three broad groups. The first group, generally known as the â€Å"Socratic† dialogues, was probably written between the years 399 and 387. These texts are called â€Å"Socratic† because here Plato appears to remain relatively close to what the historical Socrates advocated and taught. One of these, the Apology, was probably written shortly after the death of Socrates. The Crito, Laches, Lysis, Charmides, Euthyphro, Hippias Minor and Major, Protagoras, Gorgias and Ion, were probably written throughout this twelve year period as well, some of them, like the Protagoras and Gorgias, most likely at its end. Plato was forty the first time he visited Italy. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Athens and founded the Academy, located nearly a mile outside the city walls and named after the Attic hero Academus. The Academy included a nice grove of trees, gardens, a gymnasium and many shrines — including one dedicated to Athena herself, the goddess of the city. Plato created his own cult association, setting aside a portion of the Academy for his purposes and dedicating his cult to the Muses. Soon this ‘school’ became rather well-known on account of its common meals and sympotic lifestyle, modified, of course, to suit a new agenda. Indeed, Plato’s Academy was famed for its moderate eating and talk as well as all the appropriate sacrifices and religious observances. Overshadowing all of that was, of course, its philosophical activity. It seems that over the next twenty six years Plato’s philosophical speculation became more profound and his dramatic talents more refined. During this period, what is sometimes called Plato’s â€Å"middle† or transitional period, Plato could have written the Meno, Euthydemus, Menexenus, Cratylus, Republic, Phaedrus, Symposium and Phaedo. These texts differ from the earlier in that they tend toward the grand metaphysical speculation that provides us with many hallmarks of Platonism, such as the method of hypothesis, the recollection theory and, of course, the theory of ideas, or forms, as they are sometimes called. In 367 Dionysus of Syracuse died, leaving his son as the supreme ruler of a growing empire. Dion, his uncle and guardian, persuaded young Dionysus II to send for Plato, who was to serve as his personal tutor. Upon arriving, Plato found the situation unfavorable for philosophy, though he attempted to teach the young ruler anyway. In 365, Syracuse entered into war, and Plato returned to Athens. (Around the same time, Plato’s most famous pupil, Aristotle, entered the Academy. ) In 361, Dion wrote Plato begging him to return. Reluctantly, Plato did so, setting out on his third and final voyage to Italy. But the situation had deteriorated beyond hope. Plato was soon spirited out of Syracuse from where he went back to Athens. We know little of the remaining thirteen years in Plato’s life. Probably sick of his wanderings and misfortunes in Sicily, Plato returned to the philosophical life of the Academy and, most likely, lived out his days conversing and writing. During this period, Plato could have written the so-called â€Å"later† dialogues, the Parmenides, Theatetus, Sophist, Statesman, Timaeus, Critias, Philebus and Laws, in which Socrates plays a relatively minor role and the metaphysical speculation of the â€Å"middle† dialogues is meticulously scrutinized. Plato died in 347, leaving the Academy to Speusippus, his sister’s son. The Academy served as the model for institutions of higher learning until it was closed by the Emperor Justinian in 529 CE, almost one thousand years later.

Poetry and its Power Essays - Diospyros, Persimmon, Emotion

Poetry and its Power Essays - Diospyros, Persimmon, Emotion Poetry and its Power English 002 Online Professor Cobene Essay 4 Poetry and its Power There is a significant power in all poetry. There is symbolism and power in the words. Poetry creates and gives us all the power of what we cannot say or may not want to say. Instead, we use poetry to convey our loves, or wants and desires, and all of our innermost feelings and thoughts that we normally cannot divulge or say to people in normal writings or settings. Poetry becomes the vehicle by which we can use to move people through our thoughts, feelings, experiences, and lives, and we can tell our story of our journeys along the way. Jane Hirschfield, author and poet of Poetry and the Mind of Concentration puts six central realms or energies onto what lies beneath poetry. In the exploration of poetry, Hirschfield explains that there are six realms that poetry can be put into: music, image, emotion, sound, rhetoric, and voice. Here, we eliminate music and voice, although they are not totally void in these poems, but we focus more on image, emotion, sound, and rhetoric. In the poetry by Li-Young Lee, Persimmons, we find the imagery of a fruit, the persimmon with its taste and look. The author Lee, gives us a vivid rendition of the fruit, by saying what it looks like, what it might smell like, and what it is. Lee writes about ripe persimmons as being soft and brown spotted. He also writes about how they are sweet and fragrant, and how you eat the fruit. There is a joy in this fruit because it invokes images of being sweet, ripe, and smelling good. Lee then goes on to talk about Donna, a woman lying in the grass with him, who is also sweet and smells good. Lee goes on to talk about watching his mother tie yarn, and make animals out of the yarn. Lee talks about how his mother said every persimmon has a sun inside, and we can see the images of a persimmon looking like it has a sun inside of it, in our heads. Lee talks about his father, and him holding the persimmons, and we can see this image as well. We can see Lee in the cellar rummaging through, look ing for different things in his cellar. In the poetry by Debra Allbery, Chronictown, we can see a young girl affected by the fact that she has had to deal with adversity growing up, because those images are described so vividly. Our imagination goes to what Allbery is writing, and we can see every word she is writing. We can hear the metal rattle of the elevator freight lift in her building, and we can see the mattresses on the floor, because it takes our minds there. Allbery wants us to see the life she was living, how she grew up, and what experiences she had had. The poetry by Allbery leads our imaginations to see green floors and walls. This is where the poet wants our minds to go with the imagery. I think that both Lee and Allbery are using imagery to talk about times of their pasts. I think they are outlining or detailing their experiences, and wanting us to share in them, so they are sharing them with us. They are making us see what their lives were like, when they were little, or when they were growing up. For Lee, I think the most important things to him are remembering his times growing up, his mother, his father, and his love or maybe even first love, and comparing a sweet life to sweet fruit. Allbery shows us a different life, one that was close to the nurses and the ill and the sick. In other works, I believe Allbery is showing us the imagery of the hospitals clinics, saying that she then got over that, grew up, and here she is. I think the Allberys works could center on overcoming what was, and Lees work could focus on becoming who he is, from what was. I see the emotion in both of the poems by Lee and Allbery as emotion from the past of emotion from growing

Globalization and Global Governance essays

Globalization and Global Governance essays The globalization of technology has most significantly helped by making jobs, entertainment, education, safety, accessibility, more efficient and organized. One of the most prominent effects of technological advances is how much more compacted everything has become. No longer do we need a planner, a watch, access to the Internet, a calculator, an address book, a camera etc., now all these necessities are conveniently combined into one small contraption. The globalization of technology has enabled most modernized countries to live life much easier and more enjoyable through the Internet, through cellular phones or generally the inventions in digitization. As the human race is in constant intellectual competition, more and more inventions are being created to make the lives of individuals easier. As author Joseph E. Stiglitz better summarizes, Fundamentally [Globalization] is the closer integration of the countries and people of the world which has been brought about by the enormous reduction of costs of transportation and communication, and the breaking down of artificial barriers to the flows of goods, services, capital, knowledge and people across borders (Stiglitz 2003, 9). Since the twenty- first century approached, more and more individuals are using modern technology as vital tools in their everyday lives. These technological advances have been spreading at a fast pace nationwide which has improved the lives of many and will continue to do so. Anti-globalists might argue that globalization is becoming irreversible, and that technology is becoming over connected and dehumanizing. A common thought that globalization is irreversible is better described by author Thomas L. Friedman explaining: Globalization is very difficult to reverse because it is driven both by enormously powerful human aspirations for higher standards of living, and by enormously powerful technologies which are integrating us more and more every...

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Essay Example There were several moments when Finn had to undergo moral conflict as he went against the usual social norms by protecting Jim. Moral of Huck Finn Finn has been portrayed as an extremely loyal and courageous boy who because of his unique childhood did not get proper education. His sense of right and wrong is guided by the social structure in which he has been brought up. In the entire trip with Jim, Huck was faced with internal conflicts. On the one hand he felt it is his duty to surrender Jim to the authorities, on the other hand his loyalty and compassion makes him take extreme measures to save him. Several times he was torn between his â€Å"reason and desires – where he believes the former is correct and the latter wrong† (Kleist, 258). Every time he followed his heart and fulfilled his desire to save his friend thus performing the right action even thought he felt that he was wrong. The question arises that why Finn performed such moral deeds. The general ideas are that enslaving people because of their color is an immoral act, Jim deserves to enjoy freedom like a white man, or it is an obligation of a decent man to protect the oppressed. Throughout the novel Finn was never struck by these thoughts. On the contrary he kept on telling himself that by protecting Jim he was doing wrong and going against his moral duties. Although there is no way to know the exact reasons of his actions, it can be concluded that Finn was saving Jim because â€Å"his heart is in the right place† (Kleist, 259). Finn is a character who rejects the perspectives of civilization on what is right and wrong. He makes decisions based on what his heart instructs him. Throughout the journey made in this novel, Finn undergoes an â€Å"inner growth† and he does not surrender to the conventional values of the society. He learns to be compassionate to others irrespective of their races. In the end, Finn decides to â€Å"construct a new life among men who, like hi m, have left a patterned society† (Cummins). Value of friendship The portrayal of the warm and compassionate friendship between Finn and Jim is a major aspect of this novel. Belonging to two different backgrounds in a society where one (Finn) must always neglect the other (Jim) these two characters stand out to form an unbreakable bond. Jim who is one of the â€Å"noblest characters in American literature† (Wrobel, 6) knows how to value true friendship. In one sequence he sacrificed his sleep so that Finn can take some rest. Finn appreciated this gesture by saying that Jim was a good person. This revealed the â€Å"warm and cordial† (Wrobel, 6) side of Jim and he cared for Finn like a parent. Another day on Jackson’s island they find a house which they loot. Inside the house was a corpse which Jim did not want Finn to see because the face was â€Å"too gashly† (Twain, 47). This proved how Jim wanted to protect Finn from the ugly things. Finn too fel t â€Å"safe and comfortable† with Jim (Wrobel, 6). At one time Finn and Jim observed some men looking for slaves who escaped. During that time Finn felt a moral obligation to hand over Jim to Miss Watson because he belonged to her and protecting him means taking care of stolen property. But then Finn listened to his heart and saved Jim by lying to the men that his father is on the raft and is recovering from small pox, hearing which the men fled. This was a very