Why Study Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Why Study Philosophy Essay The ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates, once said that â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living. † Philosophy provides students with the tools they need to critically examine their own lives as well as the world in which they live. Philosophers are, by definition, â€Å"lovers of wisdom† (from the Greek â€Å"philo† = love and â€Å"sophia† = wisdom). Have you ever wondered why many of your professors have a Ph. D. or â€Å"doctor of philosophy† even if they do not teach philosophy? Philosophy is the oldest academic discipline and as such has no natural boundaries. Philosophers strive to uncover wisdom in every dimension of human existence. The tools one acquires through a philosophical education can be applied to any discipline and will help you to see connections between those disciplines. Consequently, philosophy is of use to students contemplating majors in any field. The philosophy courses at IUS seek to involve students in clear, reflective thought on philosophical issues of major importance and to introduce them to the ideas of several great philosophers. In the first section of this document, you will find information on the general benefits of studying philosophy. Sections two through four, discuss the advantages philosophy majors have over other majors pursuing a graduate education. Section five contains some links to other perspective on the value of a philosophical education. Section One: General Benefits of a Philosophical Education Section Two: Philosophy Prepares Students for Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) Section Three: Philosophy Prepares Students for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Section Four: Philosophy Prepares Students for the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) Section Five: Other Perspectives on the Value of a Philosophical Education. Section One: General Benefits of a Philosophical Education The curriculum at IUS includes interesting courses in general philosophy, ethics and logic; additional courses in the history of philosophy, and upper level courses in such areas as symbolic logic, philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, theories of knowledge, and bioethics are also offered. Readings center on writings by the great philosophers. The goals of our program are as follows: 1. Comprehension and Interpretation Through the study of philosophy at IUS, students should increase their abilities to understand and to restate accurately in different words positions or arguments with which they initially disagree or which are entirely new to them. Students should also develop the skill of temporary detachment or neutrality so that they are better able to discern the strengths and weaknesses in such positions. 2 2. Analytical Reasoning Students should be able to make distinctions which are helpful for understanding and evaluating complex positions, arguments, or issues. 3. Synthetical Reasoning Students should improve their awareness of the importance of holding coherent and integrated views. They should develop skills in organizing and integrating their ideas in a systematic way. 4. Critical Thinking Students should develop an independence of thought through which they take responsibility for understanding and evaluating ideas in careful, responsible ways. 5. Skills in Evaluation Students should improve their ability to make reasoned judgments on such matters as moral and aesthetic preferences and to present cogent arguments to support their positions. Students should also improve their awareness of the factors that are involved in making sound evaluations. 6. Ethical Reasoning Students should improve their skills in making responsible, rational judgments on issues of moral rightness and wrongness as well as on matters of moral character. Students should be able to make use of classical ethical theories in formulating these judgments. 7. Openness to New Ideas Students should increase their ability to reflect upon their own views and consider whether other positions are stronger. They should be able to make modifications when their own careful thinking indicates that this is appropriate. 8. Improving Skills in Extended Written and Spoken Presentation Students should develop the ability to present comprehensive interpretations and arguments clearly, accurately, and without prejudice in both written and oral forms. 3 9. Understanding Philosophical Reflections on Other Disciplines Students should increase their understanding of basic philosophical issues and theories associated with areas such as social and political theory, science, and religion. 10. Appreciation of the Diversity of Intellectual History Students should gain an increased appreciation of the variety of philosophical reflections, arguments, and positions that have been developed in different ages and contexts. 11. Gaining Knowledge of the Philosophical Tradition The students should have an awareness and understanding of issues and positions that have been prominent in the philosophical tradition. Section Two: Philosophy prepares students for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) According to data collected by Law School Admissions Council, philosophy majors do better than any other major on the LSAT with the exception of physics/mathematics majors. Whereas philosophy majors have a mean score of 157. 4 on the LSAT, physics/mathematics majors attain a slightly higher mean of 158. 9. Even so, philosophy majors score much higher than business majors (mean: 149. 6) or education majors (mean: 148. 9). 1 The following statements provided by the American Bar Association discuss the specific advantages that philosophy affords students pursuing a career in a law-related profession. †In assessing a prospective law student’s educational qualifications, admissions committees generally consider the chosen curriculum, the grades earned, and the reputation of the colleges attended. They also view favorably scholastic honors, awards, and special recognition. Solid grades in courses such as logic, philosophy, and abstract mathematics are generally considered a plus. [†¦] [L]aw schools will respect your pursuit of subjects you find challenging. This is especially true if the courses you take are known to be more difficult, such as philosophy, engineering, and science. Also, look for courses that will strengthen the skills you need in law school. Classes that stress research and writing are excellent preparation for law school, as are courses that teach reasoning and analytical skills. † – from â€Å"Education,† from The Council on Legal Education and 1 Official Guide to ABA-approved Law Schools 2003-2004, published by the Law school Admissions Council (LSAC). 4 Opportunity, American Bar Association. (whole article available at: http://www. abanet. org/cleo/edu. html) †Preparation for legal education should include substantial experience at close reading and critical analysis of complex textural material, for much of what law students and attorneys do involves careful reading and sophisticated comprehension of judicial opinions, statutes, documents, and other written materials. As with the other skills discussed in this Statement, the requisite critical reading abilities may be acquired in a wide range of experiences, including the close reading of complex material in literature, political or economic theory, philosophy or history. The particular nature of the materials examined is not crucial; what is important is that law school not be the first time that a student has been rigorously engaged in the enterprise of carefully reading and understanding, and critically analyzing, complex written material of substantial length. Potential law students should also be aware that the study and practice of law require the ability to read and assimilate large amounts of material, often in a short period of time. † – from â€Å"Preparation for Legal Education† Prepared by The Pre-Law Committee of The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, June 1996 (whole article available at: http://www. abanet. org/cleo/edu. html). Section Three: Philosophy prepares students for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) The GRE is required by most graduate programs in arts, education, engineering, humanities, life science, physical science, and social science. Success on the GRE is an important part of a successful graduate school application. The exam is broken into three main sections: Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing. As the below statistics make clear, philosophers do extremely well on the GRE. Students declaring an intention to go to graduate school in philosophy have the highest mean scores on the Verbal section of the GRE (mean: 589) of any major. The best score outside of the humanities and arts in this category is physics, with a Verbal mean of 534. Education majors have a mean score of 450, while business majors come in even lower at 446. The story is much the same for the Analytical Writing section of the GRE. Students declaring an intention to go to graduate school in philosophy get the highest mean scores of any major on this section of the GRE (mean: 5. 1). The best score outside of the humanities in this category was political science, with an Analytical Writing mean of 4. 9. Life and physical sciences majors performed more poorly, however, with the highest mean score again going to physics majors (mean: 4.5). Education majors have a mean score of 4. 3, while business majors again come in slightly lower with a mean score of 4. 2. 5 Students declaring an intention to go to graduate school in philosophy score higher on the Quantitative section of the GRE than any of the other humanities. Compare the scores of philosophy students in Quantitative (mean: 636) with religion majors (mean: 583) or foreign language majors (mean: 573), for examples, who are the next best two in the humanities. Not surprisingly, majors in the physical sciences and engineering do better in this area than philosophy students do. But philosophy students do better here than every major in the life sciences and all but one of the majors in social science (economics students do well here, with mean scores of 706 in this area). Philosophy majors do better than all but the banking and finance students in the business area (whose majors get a mean score of 709 in Quantitative). Education majors fare worse than business majors in this area with a mean score of 534. Compare philosophy students’ mean score in Quantitative of 636, however, with accounting majors, who get a mean of 595 in this area. Aren’t they supposed to know math? 2 Section Four: Philosophy Prepares Students for the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) The GMAT is required for students applying to Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs. Much as with the GRE for other graduate programs, success on the GMAT is an important part of a successful MBA application. Although it may come as some surprise, philosophy prepares students for the GMAT better then a degree in business. Philosophy majors have a mean score of 574 which is higher than any other humanities major and also higher than any business major. Operational management/production majors scored the highest of any business major with a mean of 547. 8. Only physical science and engineering majors scored better than philosophy majors on the GMAT with Physics topping the list with a mean score of 611. So much for thinking that a business major is the best preparation for the GMAT! 3Ã'Ž Section Five: Other Perspectives on the Value of a Philosophical Education The American Philosophical Association (APA) is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. They have published an essay by philosopher Robert Audi that provides a brief guide to the discipline. It is aimed at undergraduates and is a must read for any student thinking about majoring in philosophy. 2 Guide to the Graduate Record Examination Program 2005-2006, published by the Education Testing Service. This section updates statistics from the article ‘Philosophy Rocks the Graduate Record Exam,’ (http://www.lclark. edu/~phil/gre. html). 3 Profile of Graduate Admissions Test Candidates (2000-2005), published by the Graduate Management Admissions Council. 6 For a perspective outside of philosophy, see this New York Times article by Carol Cropper on the pay-off of a philosophical education. Likewise, this Times of London article discusses how philosophy is the quintessential modern discipline and the ultimate transferable work skill. Want know what kinds of careers await philosophy majors? See this list of famous philosophy majors. Some of the names might surprise you!

Free Awakening Essays: A Reader Response :: Chopin Awakening Essays

A Reader Response to The Awakening  Ã‚   I had not read The Awakening before, and these notes are on a real â€Å"first reading† , and as a result deal mostly with my emotional response and thoughts on the style and general content of the story, I enjoyed the language and the â€Å"texture† of the writing. The subtle characterizations were done well, although the introduction of the characters seemed a bit unclear at times. The languid pace of the novel seem to fit the story and location of the action on one level, but seemed at odds with the violent, brash , turbulent nature of the emotional heart of the novel, Edna’s trying to connect to her true self. I often found myself wanting things to move on. At times the writing reminded me of Hemingway(of all people) in its description of eating and drinking , small actions that tell a lot about a character, and frequent use of French or Spanish phrases within the text: â€Å"Robert rolled a cigarette. He smoked cigarettes because he could not afford cigars,...† (44) â€Å"She was hungry again, for the Highcamp dinner, though of excellent quality, had lacked abundance. She rummaged in the larder and brought forth a slice of â€Å"Gruyere† and some crackers. She opened a bottle of beer...† (116) â€Å"Well, good-by, a jeudi,†...(108) â€Å"The sun was low in the west and the breeze was soft and warm.†(53) But unlike Hemingway, I often got the feeling that Chopin did not trust either her writing and the images and metaphors she used, or the reader to understand her more subtle sections. She seemed to feel often that she had to go back and tell the reader what a certain image or action â€Å"really† meant , as if we wouldn’t understand. It was difficult, especially at first, to identify with Edna. I thought at first that this woman just had too much time to think and little else to do with her life,(Which ultimately might be Chopin’s point). A woman with so little to really â€Å"worry about†, in the context that most of us have daily problems, mostly of a material kind, to take up our thoughts. Also. her reaction to her children,(as well as her husbands), made me feel for them.(This was the first thought that came into my mind when Edna walked into the ocean. Is finding freedom for our soul synonymous with freedom from our responsibilities?

Good Mothers Bad Gang

Anita Anderson Dr. Mike Calvert Teenage Wasteland 18, July 2011 Good Mom/Bad Gang Kids on the street, parents that don’t care, looking for a sense of family or belonging; do you see a child at risk? While in some cases this may be true, in many instances this is not the case. In her article â€Å"Mothers, Sons, and The Gangs† Susan Horton tells of three different gang members and their families. Although the families had different backgrounds, beliefs, and techniques they all shared in common sons who were gang members. They are mothers who care but have to face alone the battle of raising their sons in a community lost to gangs. In Horton's article we are introduced to three different families whose sons are involved with gangs. Teresa Rodriguez who still feels foreign and timid about the culture of America. Maggie Garcia who was raised in the same neighborhood as her son and believes that loyalty to the neighborhood is just and understandable. Gayle Thomas Kary, because of financial struggles was thrown into the gang community and fought her best to save her son. These young men were all minors living in a society pressured by gang affiliation. Although their homes had loving mothers their gangs had friends, boldness, acceptance, and a way of life. â€Å"There may be several deep-seated, underling motives for joining gangs: â€Å"Those who join gangs are struggling with the classic, desperate needs of adolescence: for the end of childhood; for acceptance as an adult; for sexual, social and economic identity; for status and success; for respect and a sense of belonging†. Sheldon, Tracy, Brown 77) Not all of these aspects are apparent in gang members but at least one is. In Teresa Rodriguez's case her son at thirteen unbeknown to her belonged to the gang Sur 13. Because of his boldness he was shot and the family home has been victim to drive-bys ever since. The bullet missed his heart and fortunately he survived. Still he did not learn his lesson and claimed that he did not care if he died. Finally his mother threatened to send him to l ive in Mexico if he continued to go out. â€Å"He did not want that, so he stayed inside. But that has not stopped him from dressing or acting like a member of the Sur 13. After the incident of the shooting Rodriguez also found out that all three of her older sons were part of gangs. Her 16-year-old threw away his cholo clothes right when he heard about his brother. He had not been with the gang since then. The two older boys are very repentant, but it is the father had always left rearing the children to the mother he did not have a strong, active, male role model. So, perhaps he felt as if he had no other alternatives. Maggie Garcia also has a son who is a gang member but her view and approach to her son’s affiliation is very different. She was raised in the same neighborhood as she raised her son in; she understands how much the neighborhood could mean. During school her son got into a fight with a rival gang member because each claimed a different neighborhood. Her son was expelled and she felt the principal at his school was upset because my son had stated that he would die for his neighborhood, but if he had said that if he would have died for his country, the principal probably would have given him an award. This mom understood that the danger in the inter-neighborhood conflicts that her son gets into because other family members have been lost to such conflicts. Sadly this is not enough for her to forbid her son from being with his friends. She feels that by doings so would be like her son telling her not to be with her friends. Garcia follows similar problems as the Rodriguez family; she mentions her history and connection to the neighborhood. In this story the father is also absent and the mother supports her son and find it difficult to believe that her son is wrong. She does not have a bad relationship with her son but he receives no discipline or clear-cut parameters from her. She seems to feel that he is loyal to his friends and at times perhaps takes his loyalty a little too far. Garcia seems to adopt the â€Å"boys will be boys† attitude and does not want to believe that her son may be committing crimes or may be with the wrong crowd or may be in a gang. When he was arrested she insisted that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She could not accept that maybe he is doing wrong and that he should have known better than to be in such situations. She tells him to stay out of the fire but her words are not strong enough to keep him out. Although she is not a bad mother, she is not giving her son reason to stay out of gangs. Because she could no longer afford to live in a community where her son had more opportunities and alternatives her son joined the only other thing, the gangs. The story of Gayle Thomas Kary may be the saddest one because the she tried everything and when she finally thought she succeeded her son, Jamee, died as a result of gang violence. Kary did more than the others, discipline, rules and action. When she caught her son cutting up soap to look like cocaine she sent him to his father, perhaps a change of venue would make the difference, but three weeks later, his dad sent him back because he couldn’t control him. She tried reasoning with him telling him â€Å"†¦ fast life goes fast. â€Å"(Horton) When he was arrested for possession of cocaine Kary was highly relieved but to her disappointment he was let out on probation. Kary refused to accept him and he was sentenced to juvenile hall and a youth camp. When he was released he had a probation officer Kary could turn to. Jamee was tired of life on the streets and his probation officer convinced him to turn himself into a youth facility away from Los Angeles. Finally things were turning around and he really seemed to have changed. He was like the child she use to know Unfortunately when she let him go out with his friends to get something to eat he was shot and died. She did everything she could but still she could not save her son's life. Unlike the other two mothers Kary was really able to turn her son Jamee around. She finally made him understand and she can say that his death was an accident. He was not just a number or a statistic of children lost to gang violence. Although, these mothers were, loving they could not help that a major factor was absent from their son’s lives, their fathers. The fathers may have been there but none seemed to take an active role in their children's lives. Parents can make a difference in their children's lives but many times they cannot do it alone. Gangs are not only the problem of the parents it is a problem of society. â€Å"To prevent gangs, society, police, and parents have to work together to keep gangs out of neighborhoods and also to address the existing gang problem†. Ojile) It may be easier to blame the parents but the truth is the parents are not only the ones to blame. We have to realize that in a society where gangs are the neighborhood it could be our son, our daughter, our nephew, etc. that is lost in the gangs. Works Cited Horton, Susan. â€Å"Mother's, Son's and the Gangs. † Los Angeles Times 16 Oct. 19 88. Print. Ojile, Todd. â€Å"Gang Activity in Wichita. † Teenage Wasteland. Baker University, Wichita Campus, Wichita, Kansas. 25 July 2011. Lecture. Shelden, Randall G. , Sharon K. Tracy, and William B. Brown. Youth Gangs in American Society. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004. Print.

Essay on Sexual Harassment and Employer Liability

Introduction Organizations have an obligation to create a harassment free environment for its employees. Harassment doesn’t have to be of a sexual nature. An organization is liable if the harassment is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in adverse employment actions such as the victim being fired, demoted, or transferred. Harassing a person based on their sex is illegal. Sexual harassment has a great impact on an employee’s productivity as well as poses a major impact on an organization’s finances in litigation. Productivity is the cornerstone of any organizations profitability. This means that any organization can be deemed productive if all its moving parts are working†¦show more content†¦Additionally, if the abuse is not reported, the employer may not be liable for the harassment. Anyone can be a victim. In most cases, women are the victims. Men, lesbians, and gays are victims as well. It doesn’t matter the sex. Many victims are ashamed or feel that they will be retaliated against to come forward to report sexual harassment against them. Fear of embarrassment and humiliation can also prevent a victim from coming forward. A common reaction from a victim is to suppress their feelings and ignore the abuse. There are many consequences to violators of workplace sexual harassment laws. It is up to the employer to exercise due care that their employees are not harassed. Sexual harassment has an impact on employers as well as its employees. When harassed workers lose concentration, when it interferes with their judgment, when they are difficult to motivate or tend to be late or absent, employers incur significant losses. In these circumstances, productivity may decrease, team work be jeopardized, and the risk of workplace accidents increase. Ultimately, employers may lose valuable workers, while others may be dissuaded from applying for vacancies. 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