Friday, January 31, 2020
All Ideas Derive from the Sense Experience Which They Copy. Discuss Essay Example for Free
All Ideas Derive from the Sense Experience Which They Copy. Discuss Essay All ideas derive from the sense experience which they copy. DISCUSS An empiricist would be in favour of this view as they believe that knowledge is gained through experience (a posterior). For example, John Locke believes that the mind is a blank slate, or tabula rasa, which becomes populated with ideas through sense experience ââ¬â in order to create ideas and knowledge, we must have sense experiences. Hume, also an empiricist, argues that ideas are copies of sense data. He has a method which states that faint ideas can become stronger through a fresh sense experience ââ¬â thus implying that all ideas do derive from the sense experience which they copy. He further backs up this idea through his negative view on the imagination, which in his words is ââ¬Å"confined within very narrow limitsâ⬠. His strong stance states that no idea can be constructed without any sense experience -anything that may seem like an idea built without sense-data is simply a combination of other ideas. I can give the example of a Golden Mountain. Such a thing can never be experienced, but we can have an experience of ââ¬Å"goldâ⬠similarly to the fact that we can also experience a ââ¬Å"mountainâ⬠, and through these separate ideas we can construct a singular hybrid idea. Hume also talks of the concept of ââ¬Ëa time when nothing happensââ¬â¢. The concept is easily fathomable in the human mind and seems logical. He argues that, although no sense experience was required to have an idea of this concept, such a time is actually impossible to experience thus dismissing this illusive idea as something he refers to as ââ¬Ësophistry and illusionââ¬â¢. A huge criticism of the Empiricist view is the fact that we only experience sense-data rather than the world itself. This is best explained through the idea of Noumena/Phenomena, in which the phenomena is our perception of the world and the noumena is the actual world itself. The only way to experience the noumena would be through a sense experience ââ¬â however this experience would simply be another phenomena, thus implying that experiencing the real world is impossible. If such a thing is impossible and if all knowledge is built on things that we cannot truly reach, then how can it be possible to back up the Empiricist view that all ideas derive from sense experience? However, an Empiricist might respond with the claim that it is probably highly unlikely that we are perceiving something completely different to the noumena. Both claims have no proof and can therefore only be as unlikely or likely as each other. Descartes discussed the possibility of an ââ¬ËEvil Demonââ¬â¢ who could be tricking us into believing that we exist when really we do not. However, as a religious man, he concludes that God would not let this happen. Therefore, as the argument is similar, Descartes might argue that it is highly unlikely that we are perceiving completely different to the noumena as God, who wouldnââ¬â¢t let us be tricked by an evil demon, would not let such a thing happen. A philosopher who might argue against the Empiricist view is Wittgenstein. He argues that ââ¬Å"experience does not direct us to derive anything from experienceâ⬠. He says that learning something cannot be done on sense experience alone ââ¬â it also requires teaching or applying reason to. Plato may also back up the Rationalist view that not all ideas derive from the sense experience which they copy, as he believes that some ideas are innate, such as mathematical and logical truths. An example of this can be taken from his dialogue ââ¬ËMenoââ¬â¢ in which Socrates encourages an uneducated slave boy to work out a mathematical truth relating to the lengths of sides of squares. The boy can successfully solve the problem without any prior knowledge of mathematics ââ¬â thus proving that such knowledge is innate and only requires thought to solve. Descartes also argues against the empiricist view that all knowledge is built from sense experience ââ¬â he argues that reason must also be applied to gain knowledge. This can be explained through an example in which he states the idea of a solid piece of wax. The solid wax is accidentally left to melt by the fire and become liquid. If we were to build ideas solely on sense experience, we might think that the solid wax and melted wax were TWO separate ideas. However, by applying reason we can deduce that the two forms are in fact the same thing. This idea could be opposed with the argument that if one had never experienced the melting of wax, or been taught the facts of materials changing state, then they would in fact not be able to apply such reason. In summary of all points made in this essay, we can conclude that Empiricists such as Locke and Hume would argue in favour of the claim that all ideas derive from sense experience, and that Rationalists, e.g. Descartes and Wittgenstein, would argue in opposition. This is due to a variety of beliefs but mainly due to the foundations of Empiricism (a posteriori knowledge) and Rationalism (a priori knowledge). Personally, although I believe that most knowledge is built mainly from sense experience, I sway to the Rationalistââ¬â¢s side as I agree that knowledge must be taught or applied reason to ââ¬â however, Iââ¬â¢m not entirely convinced by the idea of innate knowledge such as the kind Plato suggests.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
The Case for Torture :: Michael Levin Ethics
I seek to provide an analysis on Michael Levin's article on "The Case for Torture." This article mainly articulates that the use of torture is necessary in order to safeguard the lives of the many innocents and is justifiable. In his given example, he argues that the mass murder of millions of innocent people by a terrorist justifies the use of torture to stop such an extreme barbaric act. Indeed this is a question of moral on the action of inflicting pain. Take a look at the scenario of a war. We will never say that it is immoral to let out soldiers kill or inflict pain on the enemies in a war because we know that it is the only way to safeguard our nation's sovereignty and the lives of our people. The motives are very clear as mentioned. Thus it is justifiable to let our soldiers kill those who intended to harm the lives of our citizens. When a terrorist has clearly intended to harm the lives of millions, why is it not justified then, to inflict pain on the terrorist, with the mot ive of wanting to protect the lives of many more innocent people? Surely it is! Take a look at this argument: Constitution seeks to protect the interest of one's rights. To torture a person is to breach that protection of interest. Therefore, Torture is unconstitutional. Torturing is however, unconstitutional only when the motives behind it are deemed reasonably immoral. We should then of course not inflict pain mainly just to force the other party to confess the truth to a matter if he does not wish to. But what if the truth will then lead to the location of say, a timed-bomb, which will then be diffused in time to prevent an entire office block to collapse, bringing with it a thousand or more lives? Should the constitution then continue to protect the terrorist against such torture? The author said that millions of lives outweigh constitutionality. Surely it is not justiable for a constitution to uphold the rights of a terrorist, but at the expense of the thousands that, t oo, holds the right to live never asked to be placed in such danger. Again, the moral of one's action must be reviewed in such cases. On a personal note, I feel that to sacrifice one that is convicted, in exchanged for the many innocents, is a permissible one.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Nickââ¬â¢s View That Gatsby Essay
How far do you agree with Nickââ¬â¢s view that Gatsby is ââ¬Å"worth the whole damn bunch put togetherâ⬠? The title character of The Great Gatsby is a young man, around thirty years old, who rose from an impoverished childhood in rural North Dakota to become fabulously wealthy. Indeed, Gatsby has become famous around New York for the elaborate parties held every weekend at his mansion, ostentatious spectacles to which people long to be invited. And yet, Nick Carrawayââ¬â¢s description of the protagonist asserts that Gatsby seems curiously out of place among the ââ¬Ëwhole damn bunchââ¬â¢ which inhabit this lavish, showy world. Indeed, despite the aura of criminality surrounding his occupation, his love and loyalty to Daisy Buchanan and ultimately his capacity to dream, set him apart from the inhabitants of East Egg and West Egg. A key criticism made in Nickââ¬â¢s first person, self-aware and retrospective narration is that the ââ¬Ëwhole damn bunchââ¬â¢ entertained by Gatsby lives in extravagance. In Chapter Three, comparative adjectives and adverbs allude to the idea that the parties they attend grow ever increasingly lavish; the narrator expresses how ââ¬Ëlaughter is easierââ¬â¢, an ââ¬Ëopera of voices pitches a key higherââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëgroups change more quicklyââ¬â¢. In fact, the sheer scale of the operation required to keep them excited is emphasised by details that Nick gives, including ââ¬Ëa machine in the kitchen which could extract the juice of two hundred oranges in half an hour if a little button was pressed two hundred times by a butlerââ¬â¢s thumb.ââ¬â¢ But the ââ¬Ëvacuous bursts of laughterââ¬â¢ and the dancing ââ¬Ëin eternal graceless circlesââ¬â¢ lend a degree of artificiality to the proceedings. Indeed, the tone of the narration reveals another major shortcoming, suggesting that this outward show of opulence by the inhabitants of West Egg and East Egg is used to cover up their inner corruption and moral decay. This decadence is first exemplified by the length of festivities. Nick states that after ââ¬Ëthe first supperââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëthere would be another one after midnight.ââ¬â¢ Societyââ¬â¢s moral compass seems to invert completely, Nick ironically asserting that there were ââ¬Ëtwo deplorably sober menââ¬â¢. Being drunk appears to be proper behaviour at such a party. Moreover, Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s comical use of voice suggests that being sober is more than just frowned upon, ââ¬Ëtheir highly indignant wivesââ¬â¢ exclaiming that they ââ¬Ëhave never heard anything so selfish in my life.ââ¬â¢ But other guests contribute to this air of corruption; for example, the predatory nature of ââ¬ËYoung Englishmenââ¬â¢ selling bonds is stressed by anaphora: ââ¬Ëall well-dressed, all looking a little bit hungry, and all talking in low, earnest voices to solid and prosperous Americans.ââ¬â¢ Such obsession with money is further emphasised by musical language and assonance; they were ââ¬Ëagonizingly aware of the easy money and convinced that it was theirs for a few words in the right key.ââ¬â¢ And as time passes, such vices become ever more apparent. Increasingly ââ¬Ëwomen were now having fights with men said to be their husbandsââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ësaid to beââ¬â¢ suggesting that some may have brought mistresses rather than partners. Nick observes one man philandering with ââ¬Ëa young actressââ¬â¢, with his wife present. Her anger is humorously emphasised by simile, the narrator comparing her to ââ¬Ëan angry diamondââ¬â¢. She ââ¬Ëbroke down entirely and resorted to flank attacksââ¬â¢, reduced to hissing into his ear, ââ¬ËYou promised!ââ¬â¢ By the end, the function had turned into ââ¬Ëviolent confusionââ¬â¢. Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s use of characterisation also emphasises the flaws of those immediately around Gatsby, Tom Buchanan in particular. Tom is Daisyââ¬â¢s husband, an extremely wealthy man, a brute, and an athlete. And his vices become apparent from the beginning of the book. His ignorance is brought out when he praises the ridiculous notions of ââ¬ËThe Rise of the Coloured Empiresââ¬â¢ that ââ¬Ëthe white raceââ¬â¢, which is ââ¬Ëthe dominant raceââ¬â¢ has to ââ¬Ëwatch out or other races will have control of things.ââ¬â¢ The way he refers to it as ââ¬Ëscience and art, and all thatââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëscientific stuffââ¬â¢ only undermines his racist viewpoints even further. But more importantly, Tom is deeply immoral, Jordan Baker informing the narrator that ââ¬ËTomââ¬â¢s got some woman in New Yorkââ¬â¢. Nick is so incensed by Tomââ¬â¢s affair that his ââ¬Ëown instinct was to telephone immediately for the policeââ¬â¢. In fact, only a few months after their wedding, he appears to have had a fling with ââ¬Ëone of the chambermaids in the Santa Barbara Hotelââ¬â¢. This series of affairs must have caused his wife some emotional damage. He does not even turn up to the birth of their daughter, Daisy casually informing Nick that ââ¬ËTom was God knows where.ââ¬â¢ In this way, Tom is neither attentive nor sensitive towards Daisy, especially in contrast with Gatsby. But Tom is not just unscrupulous but abusive. When Nick meets him in Chapter One, he asserts that he had ââ¬Ëa cruel bodyââ¬â¢ which was ââ¬Ëalways leaning aggressively forward.ââ¬â¢ And though Carraway never sees him being violent with his wife, there are hints of his unbridled physicality when Daisy reveals a bruise on her finger that, although accidental, was caused by that ââ¬Ëbrute of a manââ¬â¢. She says ââ¬Ëaccusinglyââ¬â¢ that ââ¬Ëyou did it, Tomââ¬â¢. But the brutal streak really comes across when Tom is with his mistress. ââ¬ËWith a short, deft movementââ¬â¢ he ââ¬Ëbroke her nose with his open hand.ââ¬â¢ But the title character too has his flaws. Like ââ¬Ëthe whole damn bunchââ¬â¢, Gatsby lives extravagantly, replacing a guestââ¬â¢s damaged dress with one costing ââ¬Ëtwo hundred and sixty-five dollarsââ¬â¢. And like ââ¬Ëthe whole damn bunchââ¬â¢, he has made unethical choices, in his case in acquiring his fortune. Speculation among his guests first alludes to such decisions, Fitzgerald using the method of choric voices. Although various theories that ââ¬Ëhe killed a man onceââ¬â¢ or that ââ¬Ëhe was a German spy during the warââ¬â¢ may appear unrealistic, later speculation, from Tom Buchanan in particular, does start to blemish Nickââ¬â¢s idealised conception of Gatsby. When they first meet, Tom presumes that Gatsby is ââ¬Ësome big bootleggerââ¬â¢. This assumption may not be wrong, the antagonist discovering that Gatsby ââ¬Ëand Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counterââ¬â¢. In this way, though Nick never quite finds out what Gatsby did for a living, his greatest vice appears to be the source of his income. But while Tomââ¬â¢s report would never be objective, Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s characterisation of Wolfsheim also hints at the aura of criminality surrounding Gatsby. The authorââ¬â¢s use of voice emphasises the gamblerââ¬â¢s sleaze, pronouncing ââ¬Ëconnectionââ¬â¢ as ââ¬Ëgonnegtionââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËOxfordââ¬â¢ as ââ¬ËOggsfordââ¬â¢. But he also appears sinister, wearing ââ¬Ëcuffââ¬â¢ buttons made of ââ¬Ëhuman molarsââ¬â¢. Wolfsheimââ¬â¢s criminality is confirmed when Gatsby informs Nick that ââ¬Ëheââ¬â¢s the man who fixed the Worldââ¬â¢s Series back in 1919.ââ¬â¢ But the gambler may be involved in more dangerous activities than simply fixing baseball matches. Wolfsheimââ¬â¢s own dialogue suggests that he has experience in activities where men end up dead, explaining to Nick that ââ¬Ëwhen a man gets killed I never like to get mixed up in it in any way. I keep out.ââ¬â¢ The mysterious phone calls which Gatsby receives in no way vindicate him either. His reunion with Daisy is interrupted by one such call, the use of ellipses adding a sense of secrecy to his subsequent conversation: ââ¬ËYes â⬠¦ Well, I canââ¬â¢t talk now â⬠¦ I canââ¬â¢t talk now, old sport â⬠¦ I said a small town â⬠¦Ã¢â¬â¢ The confidential nature of the suggested business dealing may imply that Gatsbyââ¬â¢s work is not legitimate. In fact, only after Gatsbyââ¬â¢s death does he find out what would be said on the other end of the line. When Nick is mistaken for the title character, ââ¬ËSlagleââ¬â¢ rapidly explains that ââ¬ËYoung Parkeââ¬â¢s in troubleââ¬â¢ and that ââ¬Ëthey picked him up when he handed the bonds over the counter.ââ¬â¢ Words such as ââ¬Ëtroubleââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëpicked him upââ¬â¢ suggest that one of Gatsbyââ¬â¢s subordinates may have landed himself on the wrong side of the law. Furthermore, the ââ¬Ëfrightenedââ¬â¢ nature of Gatsbyââ¬â¢s so-called ââ¬Ëfriendââ¬â¢ Klipspringer again alludes to the criminality of Gatsbyââ¬â¢s business acquaintances. Over the telephone, Klipspringer even ââ¬Ëdemanded to know who I was before he would give his name.ââ¬â¢ For such reasons, when Wolfsheim recalls how close he and Gatsby were, ââ¬Ëthick like that in everythingââ¬â¢, the narrator ââ¬Ëwondered if this partnership had included the Worldââ¬â¢s Series transaction in 1919.ââ¬â¢ Such implications about the way Gatsby has accrued his fortune also expose his deceit. In fact, early in the plot the title character lies to Carraway by saying that his wealth was inherited, that he is ââ¬Ëthe son of some wealthy people in the Middle West ââ¬â all dead now.ââ¬â¢ He also states that he was ââ¬Ëbrought up in America but educated at Oxford, because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years.ââ¬â¢ In reality Gatsby rose from an impoverished childhood in rural North Dakota. His dishonesty is closely linked to his lack of authenticity. Indeed, Nick notices the manufactured aspects of his personality, put on to promote the image of the ââ¬ËOxfordââ¬â¢ man which he claims to be. The writerââ¬â¢s use of voice underlines his slightly forced characteristics. These include his affected accent ââ¬â ââ¬Ëan elaborate formality of speechââ¬â¢ which ââ¬Ëjust missed being absurdââ¬â¢ and his habit of calling people ââ¬Ëold sportââ¬â¢. Moreover, Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s use of scene and place, his library specifically, alludes to the idea that he is not genuine. Owl-Eyes, one of his invited guests, is surprised that the millionaireââ¬â¢s books are ââ¬Ëabsolutely real ââ¬â have pages and everythingââ¬â¢, rather than being made out of ââ¬Ënice durable cardboard.ââ¬â¢ This reaction implies a belief that so much about him is fake. Even when he realises its authenticity, Owl-Eyes compares him to ââ¬Ëa regular Belascoââ¬â¢, a Broadway producer known for the realism of his sets. Thus, though he is putting on act, this theatrical persona which he has mastered is still a very convincing act. Indeed, The novelââ¬â¢s title itself ââ¬â ââ¬ËThe Great Gatsbyââ¬â¢ ââ¬â is suggestive of the sort of vaudeville billing for a performer or magician like ââ¬ËThe Great Houdiniââ¬â¢, again subtly emphasising the showy and perhaps illusory quality of Gatsbyââ¬â¢s life. But despite both the nature of his work and this theatrical quality, Nick still suggests that Gatsby does not share the same level of moral decadence as the ââ¬Ëwhole damn bunchââ¬â¢ in his circle. Chapter Three serves to separate his personality from that of his guests. Anaphora underlines how he remains an outsider at his own function, Nick asserting that ââ¬Ëno one swooned backward on Gatsby, and no French bob touched Gatsbyââ¬â¢s shoulder, and no singing quartets were formed with Gatsbyââ¬â¢s head for one link.ââ¬â¢ Antithesis also contrasts Gatsby from the company he entertains; while ââ¬Ëno one swooned backward on Gatsbyââ¬â¢, girls were ââ¬Ëswooning backward playfully into menââ¬â¢s armsââ¬â¢ Indeed, unlike the decadents he entertains, ââ¬Ëhe grew more correct as fraternal hilarity increasedââ¬â¢. Gatsbyââ¬â¢s acquaintances also reveal his merits. Meyer Wolfsheim stresses the basic nobility which defines his character, telling Carraway that he is ââ¬Ëa man of fine breedingââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëthe kind of man youââ¬â¢d like to take home and introduce to your mother and sister.ââ¬â¢ Moreover, before the funeral, Gatsbyââ¬â¢s father also underlines his sonââ¬â¢s good nature by stating that ââ¬Ëever since he made a success he was very generous with meââ¬â¢. But he also reveals Gatsbyââ¬â¢s great ambition and desire for self-improvement. Mr Gatz tells Nick that ââ¬ËJimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or somethingââ¬â¢ and that he placed great emphasis on ââ¬Ëimproving his mindââ¬â¢. Indeed, the ââ¬Ëscheduleââ¬â¢ ââ¬â including activities such as ââ¬Ëdumbell exercise and wall-scalingââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëstudy electricityââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëpractise elocution, poise and how to attain itââ¬Ë and ââ¬Ëstudy n eeded inventionsââ¬â¢ ââ¬â which he made ââ¬Ëwhen he was a boyââ¬â¢ reveals that even before he knew what he wanted to be, Gatsby always desired to make something of himself. Furthermore, Chapter Five serves to explain that his method of acquiring millions of dollars, his lavish weekly parties and lifestyle and his manufactured persona are all merely means to a more worthy end. This end is winning back Daisy Buchanan. Indeed, in contrast with Tomââ¬â¢s cruel and unthoughtful treatment of his wife, Nick characterises Gatsby most of all with the admirable qualities of love for and loyalty to her. The title characterââ¬â¢s speech alludes to his attempts to ensure that the reunion is perfect, the man asking Nick whether he has ââ¬Ëgot everything you needââ¬â¢. He specifically checks the dayââ¬â¢s forecast in the hope that sunshine will emerge during the reunion, informing Nick that ââ¬Ëthey thought the rain would stop about four.ââ¬â¢ The writer also uses scenes and places to enhance Gatsbyââ¬â¢s need for perfection. For example, the reunion takes place at Nickââ¬â¢s house, perhaps reflecting how Gatsby wanted to meet the love of his life in a more secluded and romantic environment than his gaudy mansion. But Gatsby may also have organised the reunion at Nickââ¬â¢s house to impress Daisy, to give her a view of his ââ¬Ëhuge placeââ¬â¢. He himself proclaims that his ââ¬Ëhouse looks wellââ¬â¢. However, the use of a first-person, self-conscious and retrospective narrator emphasises his efforts most of all. Gatsby almost redecorates Nickââ¬â¢s place, not only sending a man ââ¬Ëover to cut my grassââ¬â¢ ââ¬â to make sure the lawn outside was smart ââ¬â but also adorning the interior with flowers, ââ¬Ëwith innumerable receptaclesââ¬â¢. Hyperbole emphasises the extent of this renovation, as if a whole ââ¬Ëgreenhouse arrived.ââ¬â¢ Further in the chapter, the author underlines the intensity of his love by presenting Nickââ¬â¢s speculation about Gatsbyââ¬â¢s intentions as Gatsbyââ¬â¢s actual thoughts. When Daisy goes from Nickââ¬â¢s place to her loverââ¬â¢s, Nick states: ââ¬ËI think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyesââ¬â¢, as if everything he has ever bought or owned has been simply to please her. Moreover, Gatsbyââ¬â¢s decision to take the blame for Daisy over the death of Myrtle Wilson ââ¬â telling Nick that ââ¬ËIââ¬â¢ll say I wasââ¬â¢ driving ââ¬â demonstrates the deep love he still feels for her and illustrates the basic nobility that defines his character. The image of a pitiable Gatsby keeping watch outside her house while she and Tom sit comfortably within is an indelible image that allows the reader to look past Gatsbyââ¬â¢s criminality. Indeed, the fact that he wants ââ¬Ëto wait here till Daisy goes to bedââ¬â¢, to protect her even after it appears that Daisy is not going to leave Tom, is a final testament to his undying love for her. Nick leaves Gatsby to watch over Daisy, as if his ââ¬Ëpresence marred the sacredness of the vigilââ¬â¢, the last statement suggesting that his devotion has moved to the extremes of religious worship. And yet, Nickââ¬â¢s final criticism of Gatsby questions the realism of such deep and uncompromising devotion. The parallels between his love for Daisy and religious worship ââ¬â the title character ââ¬Ëconsumed with wonder at her presenceââ¬â¢ ââ¬â suggest that Gatsby, a man who stakes everything on his ââ¬Ëdreamsââ¬â¢, now appears to have dreamed too big. Even at the beginning of their reunion, Nick recognises the unrealistic nature of his ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â¢. The way Fitzgerald presents Nickââ¬â¢s speculation about Gatsbyââ¬â¢s intentions as Gatsbyââ¬â¢s actual thoughts helps demonstrate that ââ¬Ëthere must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreamsââ¬â¢. Although Daisy possesses a number of virtues, although it is ââ¬Ënot her own faultââ¬â¢, even she cannot match Gatsbyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â¢. The narrator suggests that his ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â¢ was so alive, that ââ¬Ëhis illusionââ¬â¢ had such a ââ¬Ëcolossal vitalityââ¬â¢, that ââ¬Ëit had gone beyond her, beyond everything.ââ¬â¢ The repetition of ââ¬Ëbeyondââ¬â¢ emphasises that she cannot live up to Gatsbyââ¬â¢s idealised expectations. The authorââ¬â¢s use of poetic prose further emphasises how much the man has romanticized her. Indeed, metaphor likens Gatsby to an artist who decks his image ââ¬Ëwith every bright feather that drifted his wayââ¬â¢, with every possible virtue. The alliteration of ââ¬Ëfââ¬â¢ in the narration emphasises how permanent this idealised image has become, Nick asserting that ââ¬Ëno amount of fire or freshness can challenge itââ¬â¢. Indeed, he expects too much, wanting ââ¬Ënothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ââ¬ËI never loved you.ââ¬â¢ Tragically such expectations lead Daisy to change her mind, breaking down under his own pressure in Chapter Seven, exclaiming to Gatsby that ââ¬Ëyou want too much!ââ¬â¢ But in Chapter Eight, Nick goes a step further, suggesting that Daisy, the object of his ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â¢ is unworthy of his power of dreaming. Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s use of time and sequence, the narrative switching to Gatsbyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëstory of his youthââ¬â¢, emphasises the influence of Daisyââ¬â¢s wealth and privilege on Gatsby. The narrator states that ââ¬Ëher porch was bright with the bought luxury of star-shineââ¬â¢, and that she ââ¬Ëvanished into her rich house, into her rich, full lifeââ¬â¢, the repetition of ââ¬Ërichââ¬â¢ reflecting the aura of affluence which Gatsby is drawn to. Indeed, it becomes clear that Gatsby idolises both wealth and Daisy, the title character almost quantifying her, the fact that many men already loved Daisy increasing ââ¬Ëher value in his eyesââ¬â¢. Indeed, his attraction to Daisy may be caused in part because of what she represents, the exclusive upper class which he aspires to be a part of. Daisy thus appears almost shallow and fickle, and because she is the focus of Gatsbyââ¬â¢s life, his dream is simply reduced to a motivation for material gain. After Gatsbyââ¬â¢s death, Nick writes that Gatsby must have realized ââ¬Å"what a grotesque thing a rose is.â⬠The rose has been a conventional symbol of beauty. Nick suggests that roses arenââ¬â¢t inherently beautiful, and that people only view them that way because they choose to do so. Daisy is ââ¬Å"grotesqueâ⬠in the same way: Gatsby has invested her with beauty and meaning by making her the object of his dream. Had Gatsby not imbued her with such value, Daisy would be simply an idle, bored, rich young woman with no particular moral strength or loyalty. But this capacity to ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â¢, this ceaseless effort to recreate the past, reflects the vitality and optimism which Nick most respects about Gatsby. The active narrator first notices this quality when they meet in Chapter Three. Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s use of first person, self-aware and narration reveals Gatsbyââ¬â¢s rare ability to make anyone he smiles at feel as though he has chosen that person out of ââ¬Ëthe whole external worldââ¬â¢; it reflects that personââ¬â¢s most optimistic conception of him or herself. His smile ââ¬Ëbelieved in you as you would like to believe in yourselfââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëassured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.ââ¬â¢ And because of such ability to hope, when Gatsby waves goodbye to his guests, Nick emphasises the contrast between the immorality of his work and the virtue of his motivation. While ââ¬Ëthey guessed at his corruptionââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëhe had stood on those st eps, concealing his incorruptible dreamââ¬â¢. Nick alludes to such undying hope in the last lines of the novel, the narrator strolling along Gatbsyââ¬â¢s lawn one final time, just as the title character had done when Nick first sees him in Chapter One. And as he sprawls out on the beach behind Gatsbyââ¬â¢s house, he muses that Gatsby had failed to realize that even before his reunion with Daisy, his dream had already ended, ââ¬Ëthat it was already behind himââ¬â¢, and that his goals had become hollow and empty. But though this dream had ââ¬Ëeluded us thenââ¬â¢, Nick envisions that people everywhere are motivated by similar dreams and that ââ¬Ëtomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms furtherââ¬â¢. In this way, though there is an ambiguity over whether men such as Gatsby will ever reach their ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â¢ ââ¬â Fitzgerald leaving the phrase, ââ¬Ëand one fine morning -ââ¬â¢, open-ended ââ¬â Nick Carraway recognises that the importance lies not in reaching the ââ¬Ëdreamââ¬â ¢ but in refusing to lose heart. In the same way, Gatsbyââ¬â¢s own audacity and nobility of spirit to dream of creating a radically different future for himself, to dream of a life with Daisy, never let up. This is why one can agree with Nickââ¬â¢s viewpoint to a great extent. Even though his dream ends in failure ââ¬â because his methods are criminal, because he can never gain acceptance into the American aristocracy, and because his new identity is largely a theatrical act ââ¬â his deep-rooted ambition, his loyalty to Daisy and, uniting the two together, the strength of his capacity to dream, are what set him above the members of West Egg and East Egg. Gatsby is a visionary. This is why he is ââ¬Å"worth the whole damn bunch put togetherâ⬠.
Monday, January 6, 2020
An Introduction to Varieties of Capitalism (Peter Hall)
Abstract: This chapter outlines the theoretical perspective behind a Ãâvarieties of capitalism approach to comparative political economy, emphasizing the central role of the firm as the agent of economic adjustment and the impact of the relationships it forms in the spheres of corporate governance, labor relations, skill formation, inter-corporate relations, and employerÃâ"employee relations. It develops the distinction between liberal market economies, where firm endeavours are coordinated primarily by markets, and coordinated market economies, where coordination is more heavily strategic, and explores how the institutional complementarities in these economies give rise to distinctive forms of innovation as well as comparative institutionalâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦As any work on this topic must be, ours is deeply indebted to prior scholarship in the field. The Ãâvarieties of capitalism approach developed here can be seen as an effort to go beyond three perspectives on institutional variation that have dominated the study of comparative capitalism in the preceding thirty years. 2 2 Of necessity, this summary is brief and slightly stylized. As a result, it does not do full justice to the variety of analyses found within these literatures and neglects some discussions that fall outside them. Note that some of our own prior work can be said to fall within them. For more extensive reviews, see Hall (1999, 2001). In important respects, like ours, each of these perspectives was a response to the economic problems of its time. The first of these perspectives offers a modernization approach to comparative capitalism nicely elucidated in Shonfields magisterial treatise of 1965. Devised in the post-war decades, this approach saw the principal challenge confronting the developed economies as one of modernizing industries still dominated by pre-war practices in order to secure high rates of national growth. Analysts tried to identify a set of actors with the strategic capacity to devise plans for industry and to impress them on specific sectors. Occasionally, this capacity was said to reside in the banks but more often in public officials.Show MoreRelatedComparative Critique Of Comparative Capitalism1214 Words à |à 5 PagesCOMPARATIVE CAPITALISM Case Study #4: Comparative Capitalism Florence F. Messi St Thomas University Miami Gardens, Florida Abstract The Merriam-Wester dictionary defines capitalism as an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market. 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