Gung Ho free essay sample

This paper will examine the film Gung Ho through a cultural eye. We will try to show how Michael Keaton’s character Hunt, fails to understand Japanese culture. At the same the goal will be to show the variation in the behavior displayed compared to how it should have taken place. It is clear from the onset of the movie that Hunt has not been schooled in Japanese business etiquette and culture. From the time he arrives in Japan, he disrupts a management disciplinary session in which certain management personnel are being tested to see if they should move up in the rank, or continue to go through boot camp. Hunt shows no endearing qualities of respect or honor. In the first meeting with Assan Motors, he fails to establish a hierarchy with the Japanese, as is important in most dealings. He decides to prop himself in any available seat. It is important for people to sit in order of rank. We will write a custom essay sample on Gung Ho or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In his presentation, he talks about himself. The Japanese like to view themselves as part of a company. When he decided to discuss himself, it shows that he is somewhat egotistical and selfish. After the meeting concludes, he is given business cards. Instead of taking them with both hands, he gingerly accepts them with one hand. It is important to accept business cards with both hands. He should have viewed the cards with attention and detail. By failing to view the business cards individually with careful examination, he made himself look bad. Also it is important to make sure that the business cards are kept in a crisp clean manner. He also failed to present his own business card to them. When a business card is handed to the Japanese, it must be handed with two hands, with the Japanese side propped up. There were also other instances where Hunt failed to follow proper protocol. During the meeting he decides to pat one of the guys on the shoulder. The Japanese don’t like to be touched, and this totally goes against that. He asks the men whether they have any questions about the company he works for, but no one speaks up. This is a common practice, where no one wants to embarrass themselves, so no one speaks. Also there is a common practice of silence in Japanese culture. Whenever he is dealing with Assan Motors management, he uses a lot of colloquial phrases. It is best to keep it straightforward when dealing with the Japanese. When using uncommon phrases, it can cause confusion. Hunt has a hard time coming to grips with the Japanese workplace environment. He tells the management that this is the United States and things are done differently here. The superiors at Assan Motors tell him that American workers are lazy, they come 5 minutes late and leave 2 minutes early. There seems to be no dedication to the job and to the company. Hunt and other workers seem to take a carefree attitude. On one instance a worker says not every car is perfect. On the other hand, an Assan Motors manager says that every car in Japan is free of defects. Throughout the film Hunt fails to deal with the Japanese in the proper accord. In one instance, he is invited to a dinner, but he decides to bring his woman. It is usually seen that you come alone; however he lucked out by other women being present as well. At the conclusion of dinner all the women walk away so that the men can talk business. In that instance, his woman decides to stay, while he is dealt the news that he’s being fired for poor performance. The problem here is that he should have led his woman along with the rest of the women, so that they could have a proper conversation. When business takes place, it is usually done in private. Finally, Hunt fails to follow the arrangements of a deal that he struck with his boss. He vows that his men will build 15,000 cars in a month; however he alters the terms of the agreement by telling his men they will get a bonus even if they come close. When the Japanese make a deal with you, they want to make sure that it is fulfilled. He is able to work with his men after all, and build 14,994 cars. Even though they are short 6 cars, Hunt is congratulated for completing the order, because the CEO at Assan Motors knows they will fix the remaining cars and deliver. What we have learned is that it is important to learn about the Japanese culture and business etiquette before doing dealings with the Japanese. It is important to engage in proper behavior, thus showing respect. It would also be a good idea that the right representative is chosen to engage in business dealings with the Japanese so they get a good impression of the people they are working with. In all, Michael Keaton’s character Hunt, failed to do his due diligence before taking part in business. At the end of the film though he showed his true character, for which he was rewarded.

10 Resume Writing Tips to Engage the Employer

10 Resume Writing Tips to Engage the Employer The job hunt is on, and in order to get to the interview process you need a resume that will attract your future employer in the midst of all the other stacks he will receive. A reader wrote in asking if she should send a colorful resume on pink or blue paper so that it would stand out in the pile of white and our answer was no. It is not professional; although you dont want your resume sounding like a boring list of things that you do, we do want you to present it in a businesslike manner. Use these steps to a better resume and get your foot in the door towards that coveted interview. Get a Professional to do it Sometimes we just do not know how to put into words what our worth is. If you can afford to invest in your future. This is the best way to go. A professional is going to work hard to make sure that everything that you have listed on your profile sheet is enunciated in the way that makes a potential employer take notice. They will also provide cover letters to make your resume even more professional looking. Speak to the Employer As soon as the reader of your resume picks it up they are looking for the human being behind the words. Passivity will get your resume thrown in the trash pile. You could bore them with this example: Responsibilities: Carried out duties in the mailroom; edited copy; made sure schedules were clocked in. However, you could write replace passive verbs with adverbs and wow them like this: I was in charge of making sure mailroom duties were carried out in a timely manner while editing copy for the senior editor. At the appropriate times I detailed the entry time of employee schedules and reported the documentation to the appropriate supervisor. Wow what a difference, right? Were not saying to over think what you have done, but give it some pizazz. Show that you were active The wording you use will make the difference in what you were doing. Use in charge of, responsible for, coordinate, collaborate, etc. re-read it out loud how does it sound to you? If there are spaces that seem unclear, then it will seem unclear to your perspective employer. Make the words live. Grammar You have an average of 6-10 seconds to make a manager want to interview you, and if your CV is full of grammar mistakes that is a clear sign that you are not detailed oriented. You didnt even take the time to read through your resume to give a good first impression. They read these resumes at top speed and you have to have all of your statements lined up to grab their attention. MS Word is not enough; it may let words slide through just because they are spelled correctly. Read through your resume, and look for things such as comma splices. You can hate them all you want, but they pop up within your writing and you dont even know they are there with corrective software. Why should they hire you? Do your homework before you begin the process of telling your story on your resume. You may have an in-depth beautiful story of your life, but the manager is not looking for that story. He or she is looking for what is it about you that makes you worth hiring. Find out what the company needs and sell from your perspective what you can provide. How are you going to go to a company that needs a writer that has experience using a particular software such as excel and you have never used excel? Putting your value on a pedestal After you find out where their sore spot is, begin to market what you will bring to the table to fix their needs. Is it team building? Unfinished projects? A tarnished brand? Declining sales? How you will solve their problems is what you will fill your resume with, and that will make you valuable to them. Map your life first Before you write a single line of your resume, if you have decided to do it yourself, map out the information with a mapping program or on paper. The link here leads to a good one to use, you can get the free version or one that is for pro-use. Mind mapping comes in handy for more than just resumes, it is good for essay writing, and collaborating on projects. Let the Job Post Be Your Guide Make your resume sound like the language that delivered the job post. It was possibly made with a computer program. Use similar font and style to submit your paperwork, and use the same keywords that were used to call for submissions. Do this for each job posting. Personalize each one for each company. Being Professional Online and with Your e-mail Today it is a good idea to submit your blog along with your resume. Businesses have even asked for your Facebook page information. Before you decide to start sending out your resumes, if your online presence is wild and crazy, clean it up. Your hiring managers will look; they are first and foremost concerned with how their company looks in the eyes of the world. If you are going to represent them, a site with you looking out into the world holding up your middle finger just wont do. Also, get a business sounding e-mail address. Many companies will have business cards made up for their employees and you do not want boomboombetty @ blah, blah, blah on your card, and neither do they. Proofread, Copy, File, Submit After you have proofread your resume, and made sure all the relevant information is included, copy it and keep it in a safe place. This will be changed over time and you do not want to have to start over. Remember every time that you submit your resume to change the date to reflect the day you are submitting. Managers have reported that they receive resumes with dates going back a full year and they have thrown them out. Job-hunting can be a daunting experience; it does not have to be a dead end experience with the right resume. Good Luck in your search!

Aerospace engineering Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Aerospace engineering - Personal Statement Example Go fight the slash of rain and face the force of wind, your cheeks will tan and the palm of your hands shall thicken. This is a motto that has constantly driven me and given me the zeal to work even harder, whether on the hundred occasions when I contacted people and hosted events at the ‘I can fly’ program both in high school and college, or whenever I face a challenge in my program at the university. My deep interest in aerospace engineering has provided me with a focus in my life and noteworthy opportunities. I am currently a bioengineering student, but intent to fulfill my long cherished dream by studying aerospace engineering. Further, I want to apply for other internships offered by other airlines, but they are limited to aerospace engineering major, and I may never get a chance if I am a bioengineering. In the past few years I have been in the university, I have had experiences that have assisted me become more familiar with aerospace, while at the same time boosting my interest. I joined the ‘I can fly’ program at the Cathy Pacific Airways, which explores several careers in aviation. Through the several lecturers, field trips, and hands-on exercises within the program, I gained valuable experiences in the aviation field. I was later elected the vice-president of the advanced ‘I can fly’ program, an opportunity that equipped me with the knowledge of a real employee within aviation. In program, I had an opportunity to help the people repair jets and planes an d hear stories from the retired veterans, which would help me in future. I have gained more than my expectations from this program and books, and I intent to further my knowledge by enrolling as a student in your esteemed university. Despite being a woman, I have a passion in aviation, believing nothing is impossible. I have some personal attributes that I believe have been a source of motivation and success in my academic and social life. I intent to use these attributes

Qualitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative Research - Essay Example Students who go to teach abroad have experience and deal better with diversity issues and hence when it comes to employment, employers prefer these students as they can be able to handle students better as students are not the same. The interview has yielded three different coding after undergoing in depth analysis of the themes mentioned above. The first is that teaching abroad leads to a re-evaluation of an individual’s personal values having experienced the lifestyle of other people different from what one is used to. The second is that this experience of different cultures eventually leads to acculturation and this marks the end of stereotypes against people and communities. Lastly, there is the issue of the student having a broader perspective not only on the issues of teaching but about life in general as they get to live another life totally different from theirs and get to understand what life is really about as well as know the importance of not taking things for

Discussion-MODULE 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion-MODULE 5 - Essay Example The Chinese rivers fostered agricultural development and population growth while the Chinese coastline and the Grand Canal unified China by promoting communication and integration. The Chinese history entailed Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties that developed early ideologies. The Confucian ideology promoted the Xia dynasty. The Shang dynasty promoted the development of Bronze technology and written language as well as ancestral beliefs. The Zhou dynasty established a strong centralized government that manifested how heaven delegates authority to strong and wise rulers and condemns failed leaders. From the primary source readings, we derive the Confucian philosophy that valued universal order, respect of children for their parents, moral cultivation of men, social harmony, state service, and ethical and competent leadership. The Confucian philosophy asserts that a virtuous person should know their place in the society and offer their best. Daoism addressed violence, arbitrary laws, and strict social hierarchy by valuing a simple and individual life. Daoism asserts that a virtuous person should cultivate harmony with nature and with other individuals by living a simple life and fostering unity of purpose. Legalism values strict laws and harsh punishments to maintain centralized leadership. It also values the head of state as a divine leader who should derive respect and authority from a virtuous person. From the video "Engineering an Empire,† Qin Shih Huang Di came to power after defeating the last Warring State in 221 BC and declaring himself the first Sovereign Emperor of Qin. Qin Shih Huang Di brought stability and unity to China after the Warring States Period by introducing a new currency, standardizing the Chinese units of measurements, abolishing Confucianism and feudalism, and using military power to enhance state unity. Indeed, Qin Shih Huang Di manifested extensive power by relying on military power, abolishing feudal holdings, forcing

Is Immortality Desirable?

Is Immortality Desirable? Abstract In this paper I discuss whether immortality in the physical form is desirable. In accordance with the deprivation account I seek to defend the commonsense view that death is a bad thing for the individual but will argue that consistency and logic does not require me to believe that an immortal existence is to be desired. I defend Bernard Williams claim that with an immortal life we are doomed to an eternity of never ending repetition, boredom and indifference and that death is a necessary evil if we are to avoid a life devoid of freshness. I will also argue that death and the very limitation that its sets down gives life meaning. In support of Victor Fankl I will defend the claim that it is time pressure that shapes our lives. In developing my argument I will oppose the counter argument that it is death that makes life meaningless not meaningful. Is Immortality desirable? Is it simply a design fault that we age and die? Are we living in a culture of death whereby we die simply because we accept it as an inevitability? â€Å"All men are mortal† said Socrates, however, a lifetime spent on in-depth research has led pioneering scientists to deem aging not as an inevitable consequence of the human condition but as a preventative disease. Perhaps these scientists are far too optimistic in their search for a virtual fountain of youth, or is it simply the case that death – the end of the physical being, is accepted by the mind and embraced through reinforced teachings and observation. Whether you believe that a quest for immortality will or will never be achieved is irrelevant to the question at hand. The focus will be on whether immortality is desirable, assuming something can be desired yet impossible. Clarification of what I mean by immortality is essential; I will focus on what can be described as physical immortality- by this I mean that on e can live for eternity as a human physical being on earth (where everyone is immortal). In my interpretation, I will also assume that there is no get out clause, take for example one is offered an elixir of immortal life, once taken a person cannot change their mind opting for death- immortality is forever. My definition will also incorporate a block on aging; eternity will be lived through a perfectly healthy functioning body. Accidents will be possible but can be fixed with ease. Intentionally, I have painted a picture of immortality which may at first glance seem desirable, as one may be quick to argue that an immortal life where a person is forever aging to the point of an eternity of pain and discomfort and where accidents occurred and could not be fixed is simply not one to be desired. However, throughout this essay I will put forward the argument that those who believe immortality to be desirable have made an irrational choice, it would be a mistake to crave an immortal life and take the elixir of eternal existence. I will approach this issue by initially examining Nagels (1970) question of whether it is a terrible thing to go out of existence, I will agree and defend the deprivation account of the evil and badness of death claiming it is possible to do so while maintaining immor tality would be a bad thing. The idea that boredom will develop if there was no end to human life will be explored, assessing much of the support from Bernard Williams (1973) as well as opposing and tackling one of John Martin Fischers (1994) criticisms of the above view. The second argument that I will present (which overlaps with my first) will be based on the meaning of life, I will argue that death and the very limitations that it sets down gives life meaning and this will be explored by assessing the views of Victor Frankl (1957) as well as counterarguments by Robert Nozicks (1981). Firstly, to determine whether immortality is a good thing, I pose the question of whether death is a bad thing. Death is an ambiguous term so let me be clear of the definition it will take in my essay. I will take death to mean the end of the physical being, the cessation of life. I am aware that defining death in this way is problematic but let us assume for the sake of simplicity that this is correct. My concern at this point is whether death is a bad thing for the person who dies, referring to the state of non existence (at least in the physical form), not the process of dying. For many, a rational response in life is to fear death- after all, it is our most personal and valuable asset, but is it really, as Nagel stated, a terrible thing to go out of existence? There has been extensive philosophical discussion and disagreement regarding this matter, with philosophers such as Bernard Williams (1973), who argue death has its rightful place; a point to which I will later return, and there are those such as Thomas Nagel (1970) who speak of its badness. Lucretius, however, argue that something can only be good or bad for a person if that person exists at the time the event takes place and is experienced, if we take death to mean non-existence where non-existence is nothingness then death cannot be said to be good or bad as only something can be interpreted in this way. I, however, believe that death is bad, agreeing with Nagel in most parts but at the same time believe that immortality, never dying is also bad, this is not a contradiction. I disagree with the Lucretius argument for the very same reason Nagel rejected their reasoning, Nagel presents an example of an individual betrayed unknowingly behind his back, although the person never becomes aware of this, it seems fair to say that the betrayal was a bad thing for the person involved, in this way the Lucretius connection between badness and experience does not hold true (Nagel, 1970:76). It may be the case that something can be intrinsically bad, bad in itself or in its own right, for example, pain is avoided for its own sake. It may also be the case that something can be comparatively bad, bad by virtue of what youre not getting while this other thing is present. I take the latter point to be the case for the badness of death. It seems to me that something can be bad even if you dont exist, e xistence is not a requirement, in fact it is the very fact that you dont exist that makes death bad. The central bad about death, about non existence, is that it deprives you of the goods of life you might otherwise be getting, I couldnt fall in love, enjoy a sunset or master philosophy.From this, it should follow that life is good because if I wasnt dead I wouldnt be deprived; more of a good thing is always better than less of a good thing; therefore more life is better than less life; it should follow therefore that eternal life never dying is exceptionally good. However, the rules of logic and reason do not require somebody who accepts the deprivation account to believe that immortality is to be desired. Looking closely at the deprivation account, what it claims is that death is bad insofar as it deprives us of the good things we could have otherwise experienced, but we shouldnt assume that life is good or always good (maybe Nagel does or often seems to assume this) what if it turned out that what you would have hereafter would be in fact a life full of bad things. It would there fore be a bad thing that you would go through the rest of your life which in this case would be an eternity with negative experiences. I will now go on to explain that it is an inevitability that an eternal life will somewhere down the line cease to be good, transforming into an eternity of badness in which case still in accordance with the deprivation account death will no longer be bad. I agree that at first thought immortality may be tempting the argument that life is too short will no longer exist. Think of all the things you could get done, you could devout years to writing great philosophy, you could take pleasure in countless sunsets and sunrises, you could enjoy things endlessly having more time to see and achieve things that you would have otherwise not had time to. Here is my argument, too much of a good thing can become a bad thing, medicine for example is something which is instrumentally good, however, although it is good in small doses in that it cures a disease for example if I take more than the prescribed amount it becomes harmful to my body. In this same way extending human life by 50 or even a 100 years can be good but what if someone added a thousand, a million, an eternity to your life? Having done and seen everything you could possible have imagined everything will start to feel the same, having experienced love and the sunset millions of times t hey would no longer excite you. Eternity is a very long time, forever goes on forever and boredom will eventually set in leaving you existing as oppose to living. It seems that I am in agreement with Bernard Williams, in his essay â€Å"The Makropulos Case:Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality† (1973) who also argues that an eternal existence would be intolerable, claiming that as human beings it is inevitable that by our very nature we will get bored we would be doomed to never ending repetition and boredom, life would simply be devoid of interest or freshness. He supports his view by discussing a play by Karel Capek which tells of a woman named Elina Makropulos, who at the age of 42 was given an elixir of eternal life by her father. The play is set 300 years on and Elina is now aged 342, Williams states that â€Å"Her unending life has come to a state of boredom, indifference, and coldness. Everything is joyless: â€Å"in the end it is the same,† she says, â€Å"singing and silence.† She refuses to take the elixir again; she dies; and the formula is deliberately destroyed by a young woman among the protest of some older men† (Williams,1973:82). EM has lived her life at the age of 42 for 300 years and it seems that everything that could happen to a woman of 42 has already happened to her. John Martin Fischer in an article titled Why immortality is not so bad criticizes Williams argument; Fischer asserts that if there was a sufficiently diverse package of experiences we would not get bored (Fischer 1994). He acknowledges that there are those pleasures that would be self exhausting, those which we would not want to repeat more than once or a few times as we would inevitably get bored. His examples of these self exhausting pleasures include pleasures that are disappointing which one would not want to repeat for that very reason and those non-disappointing pleasures which you do to fulfil a goal to prove something to yourself, for example, to overcome your phobia of heights you climb Mount Whitney but this is an experience you do not want to repeat. He acknowledges that there are those pleasures that are self exhausting but ther e are many repeatable pleasures that we would never get bored of like listening to beautiful music or seeing great art and we would therefore never fall victim to Williams boredom account. I disagree with Fischer, firstly it seems to me his examples of self exhausting pleasures present a distorted view of what pleasure really is. I agree that disappointing pleasures may appear to be pleasurable before the act but after we experience the disappointment they cease to fall into this category. It appears that these disappointing pleasures are not pleasures at all and should not fall into the category of self exhausting pleasures. It is a similar case for his example of non disappointing self exhausting pleasures like climbing a mountain to overcome a phobia, climbing this mountain is not done for sheer pleasure, we may experience pride and we may experience some pleasure from this pride but the very act is done reluctantly and is not pleasurable within itself. To claim that he partly agrees with Williams that there are those pleasure that are self exhausting is somewhat misleading what he presents in the above case are not pleasures at all. What Williams said, is to think of the most perfect immortality that you can imagine and imagine doing this forever, the above so called pleasures do not fall into this; it seems obvious they would not want to be repeated. Fischer also goes on to explain a second category of pleasures which he called repeatable pleasures which include listening to music and enjoying art, Fischer believed that if these pleasures were appropriately distributed (not too closely to each other ) they could be repeated countless times. I disagree; although in this case they could be classed as pleasure, it seems we would still inevitably get bored maybe not after 100 or even two hundred years but somewhere down the line of a never ending life we would get bored. I can only enjoy a piece of music a limited number of times before it no longer brings me pleasure. However at this point an objection may arise; some may argue that human potential is endless reducing the likelihood of boredom. There are millions of songs to be heard and millions more that will emerge, there is a countless number of things that can be enjoyed that will never run out so you are not doomed to be repeating the same things over and over, and maybe when things start to get tedious new things will be invented to occupy our minds. The response to this is that having heard a thousand, a million, two million, songs they will all eventually take the same shape, nothing new can be invented that would be so drastically different from all previous inventions. Another point to be made is that Elina Makropulos maintains the same character throughout her life changing only to adapt to her surroundings it could therefore be suggested that the boredom she experienced was a result of her unchanging character not the fact that she lived for such a long period of time. Williams addresses this throughout his article, he argues that as human beings we aim to be, and usually succeed, in becoming a certain type of person, we develop a certain set of interests, a certain way of acting and we become settled as that type of person. His thought is that those who can avoid boredom and continue to find things interesting are not sufficiently mature there seems to be something wrong with them as such immortality is not a life for a hu man being (Williams 1973) . Let us now introduce a way boredom can be avoided in accordance with his argument, a possibility Williams considers is rejuvenation; by this he means you remain a human being in that you maintain the same body but every so often you are rejuvenated, a certain part of your history disappears and is replaced by a new start. Although this seems to deal with the boredom issue Williams does questions whether this is in fact you? Every time I am rejuvenated I have no recollection of my prior self and build a whole new character based on different memories and experiences. It seems wrong to say that I am the same person after being rejuvenated for the hundredth time as I was prior to my first rejuvenation (Williams,1973:92). Even if we are persuaded that you are the same person Williams would argue that it is not giving you anything that you could be interested in, the absence of a continuity of consciousness is a serious problem. Even if it is not death it is as bad as death to be rejuvenated in this way. Another possibility to consider is the gradual deterioration of memory where we forget things as time goes on for example every 200 years. However I believe this raises the same question as above are we really the same person if we live in a 200 year envelope? Williams concludes that death is a necessary e vil; we should hope to die if we are to avoid the alternative of immortality. My second argument to why immortality is not desirable is based on the meaning of life. I believe that death and the very limitations that it sets down gives life meaning. My second argument overlaps with my first but what I wish to specifically argue here is that it is the very fact that we are here for what is comparatively a short time that makes our lives meaningful, in the way we act and behave, this is the idea that it is time pressure that shapes our lives. It is irrelevant whether one believes or does not believe in god or any form of creator or greater being, they will still find life meaningless without death, even if you merely carry on living out of the fear of dying. I believe that all good things have to have a beginning, middle and an end and each is necessary and is enjoyed accordingly. Victor Frankl argues that death itself is what makes life meaningful, his reasoning is as follows: â€Å"What would our lives be like if they were not finite in time, but infinite? If we were immortal, we would legitimately postpone every action forever. It would be of no consequence whether or not we did a thing now; every act might just as well be done tomorrow or the day after or a year from now or ten years hence. But in the face of death as absolute finis to our future boundary to our possibilities, we are under the imperative of utilizing our lifetimes to utmost, not letting the singular opportunities- whose finite sum constitutes the whole of life-pass by unused† (Frankl,1957:73). Nozick , however, has a problem with this argument, in his book â€Å"Philosophical explanation† he wonders whether death in fact makes life meaningless not meaningful, he argues that â€Å"Frankl assumes our only desire is to have done certain things, to put certain things somewhere on our record†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.However, we may desire to do things; our desire need not be merely to have done them. Moreover, if we had an infinite life, we might view it as a whole, as something to organize, shape and do something with† (Nozick,1981:579-580) I disagree, firstly it was not assumed by Frankl that we merely do things to put them on record, what was being said is that we have a limited amount of time to do things but we do not merely do them just to tick a box but to grow and evolve as human beings because pursuing our goals enriches our lives. It is the very fact that we have a finite time that motivates us to make those decisions and do those things that enhance our lives, which would only be forever delayed with an infinite existence. For example why should I go to school if I dont like it? The simple answer is to learn to acquire skills that would help me to achieve and make something of my self before I die and cease to exist. If I was immortal, learning trigonometry would seem less attractive than watching TV or playing computer games all day. I get more pleasure from such things (in the short term at least) and watching TV is certainly easier than studying and Ill get round to learning trigonometry sometime.Time press ure is what makes us set goals, with an immortal life tasks would forever be extended and a consequence would emerge whereby we would be less likely to do things of value, we would become a stagnant society where simple pleasures rule. Even if we are partly motivated by the desire to do things not only to have done things they would still be postponed and contrary to what Nozick claims this would matter as the desire alone to do things does not make ones life meaningful it may contribute to some poor will to carry on living (to do that specific thing) but will not give satisfaction to ones life. Nozick also questions whether death in fact makes life meaningless? Many argue that death renders life futile because we will all eventually die and so there is no point in developing character or studying calculus if our progress is ultimately going to be permanently interrupted and it will all go to waste. It seems to me that to argue that death makes life meaningless is to argue that something can only be meaningful if it lasts forever. The truth is that many things we value and find worthwhile do not last forever. I affirm that most if not all actions other than pleasures within themselves are predominantly motivated by the desire to get things done and enrich our lives from them before we die. Death is a deadline, a necessary evil; we know every day that passes we will never get back and this gives meaning and shapes how we live and thus an immortal life is not one to be desired. So far a strong argument has been provided for the undesirability of an immortal life but is there any situation in which immortality can be desired? In setting out what I meant by immortality I disallowed a get out clause, let us now suppose you would be able to live as long as you wanted and when you eventually had enough it would be possible to take your own life, is the elixir of eternal existence now more attractive? Surely it is, however, this is not all together straight forward. Take for example a mortal who chooses to commit suicide, in taking their own life he/she is giving up for example another 30 years, however, in the case of an immortal he/she is giving up what is essentially an eternity. They may be unhappy now but they could not possibly know that this would be the case in a million or a billion years time, choosing to take an immortal life is of greater consequence. In allowing a get out clause we would also become a very unadventurous and risk- averse society, who would take the risk of bungee jumping, paragliding and so forth if what they are risking is an infinite lifespan? Although this may seem a more attractive model of immortality it is complicated and can it really be called immortality if we allow this get out clause? It seems to me the very fact that we would choose this model supports my argument, that immortality would cease to be good and we would all sooner or later opt to take our own lives. In conclusion immortality in the physical human sense is never a good thing. It should not be desired; whatever perfect life you imagine to want to experience forever it will soon become tedious and boredom will eventually set in. Death is therefore necessary, even in accordance with the deprivation account, as further existence would become a bad thing sooner or later and it will no longer be the case whereby death deprives you of the good things life has to offer but where death provides an end to all that is bad with an eternal existence. It is also the inevitability of death that gives life reason and shape, the very fact that we have a limited lifespan motivates people through a sense of urgency to spend their time doing those things that contribute meaning and enrich their lives which would forever be delayed with inevitable consequences with an immortal life. Without death there would be no such thing as sacrifice, putting a lifes work into something, heroism and courage, we w ould lack appreciation for our existence, life would not be as serious or meaningful. I believe there to be an artistic necessity about dying- in the same way a picture has a frame, one cannot imagine an infinite painting, or a play has a shape and a final curtain, one cant imagine a play going on forever. Why grope for some mysterious realm for which we are not properly equipped to function in? Although I have argued that immortality is bad, this is not to say that it is a good thing that we die when we do, in accordance with all above arguments one can still think that we die too soon. Bibliography Fischer, M. (1994). Why Immortality is Not So Bad. International Journal of Philosophical Studies. 2, 257-270. Frankl, V (1957). The Doctor and the Soul. Alfred Knopf. New York Nagel, T (1970). Death. Nous. 4, 73-80 Nozick, R (1981). Philosophical Explanations. Oxford.  Clarendon Press Williams, B (1973). Problems of the Self: Philosophical Papers 1956-1972. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Hallucinations :: essays research papers

Hallucinations Hallucinations are defined as a perception of and external object when no object is really present. There are many reasons why people have hallucinations. Some reasons for hallucinations are prescribed drugs (SSRI), illegal drugs (LSD), and sleeping disorders (Narcolepsy). Some causes of hallucinations are from taking drugs, both prescribed and illegal. Both produce the same effect. The hallucinations from these have been described as dà ©jà   vu or hearing or seeing thing that aren't really there. Prescribed drugs such as SSRI which is used for ulcers has been reported to have hallucinations as a side effect. Dronabinol, which is used for the treatment of nausea in chemotherapy, has had the same reports. People with Parkinson's disease have complained of hallucinations when taking an antibiotic called selegiline. Illegal drugs have also been reported to produce hallucinations. These drugs are called hallucinogens. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) is a commonly used hallucinogen among the under ground drug world. Hallucinations from this are very unrealistic. Users say that they see very vivid color and geometric shapes when on a "trip". They tend to hear and see things that aren't there. For example, they will hear someone call their name or see something preposterous like a purple elephant. Peyote is another illegal drug that creates hallucinations for the user. It is much like LSD in that it has the same hallucinations. It is made from a small cactus in the southwestern region of the U.S. and in parts of Mexico. There have been several studies made on hallucinations and the effects of drugs in relation to hallucinations. Ronald Seigle did a study on the effects of peyote on the Huichol Indians. He concluded that the hallucinations of the Indians were exceptionally similar to that of college kids doing similar drugs. He believed that the portions of the brain that respond to incoming stimuli become disorganized while the entire central nervous system is aroused. There are no long-term effects to having hallucinations unless it is through drugs, in which case the drug will mess the user up in the future.