Wednesday, December 25, 2019

America Needs Same-Sex Marriage and Families Essay

In the state of Massachusetts, same sex marriage has been legal since 2004 and thousands of people have had the right to marry their partners. Although it was a long and difficult process, gay and lesbian couples no longer have to face marriage discrimination in Massachusetts due to their sexual orientation. However, many couples are still barred from this process through other individual state amendments. While it has been difficult to research the exact side effects of same sex marriage, a predominant result has arisen: â€Å"there seems to be no appreciable difference between children brought up in stable homosexual homes and those brought up in stable heterosexual ones† (Sullivan 239). The research that has been conducted looks at a wide†¦show more content†¦Through court cases like Eisenstadt v. Baird(1972), the courts have upheld the right to have children and that it is the â€Å"‘right of the individual, married or single, to be free from unwarranted go vernmental intrusion into matters so fundamentally affecting a person as the decision whether to bear or beget a child’† (Murphy 296). As a legal system, the courts have the responsibility to uphold the law while also taking into consideration the welfare of the child. The justice system would not allow for same sex marriage if it believed that there was any correlation between sexual orientation and unfit parenting. Courts in different states have struck down gay marriage, yet they have upheld the idea that child bearing is an important aspect of marriage. Courts have recently begun to acknowledge gay families by permitting second-parent adoptions (Mohr 60). This change in attitude exemplifies a change in status of gay marriages by recognizing the fact that these couples have the same rights to children as heterosexual families. Although bearing children cannot be part of the definition of marriage, it should not be a reason same sex marriage is illegal. This linkage m ust insinuate that same sex marriage is neither detrimental to the children and is a right that should be privileged. Critics of same sex marriage often argue that children need toShow MoreRelatedEssay about Gay Marriage Does NOT Destroy Traditional Marriage1703 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is marriage? Marriage is defined as the legal union of a man and a woman. According to Psychology Today, marriage is the process by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official, and permanent. While given the definition of marriage and most of society making same sex marriage nearly impossible; Psychology Today recognizes that â€Å"any† two people who love each other can come together and be united. In 1970, in Minnesota, the first gay couple to apply for a marriageRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Equal?1387 Words   |  6 PagesGay Marriage in America The United Stated of America consists of many different types of people, all who take pride in their freedom. Recently, we had seen the reality of our â€Å"freedom,† which some may not really have considered America the land of the free, homosexuals especially. Just like the â€Å"normal† citizen in America, homosexuals like the idea of the American dream as well. And most Americans believe in, or enjoy the idea of marriage. People get married all across the country; people of allRead MoreThe Issue Of Same Sex Marriage1434 Words   |  6 Pagesare a variety of important public issues being discussed publicly today, same sex marriage seems to be one of the most trending of them all. Part of this is due largely to fact that a vast majority of minorities in the United States are dealing with it today. This issue, however, sheds light on a few areas, primarily ethically, family values, morals, religious views and beliefs. What we need to consider is what same sex marriag e consists of, the challenges and living as such, and finally the effectsRead MoreSame Sex Marriage : A Harmless Change1603 Words   |  7 PagesSame Sex Marriage: A Harmless Change What a great day it is to be writing about same-sex marriages! As of today, June 26th, 2015, same sex marriage is now legal in ALL fifty states. When I first started working on this project, same-sex marriages were not legal nationwide in the United States of America. In fact, it was only legal in a select few of the states. Because same sex-marriages are considered as queer and deviant, it has been a widely controversial issue. This problem, however, hasRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Essay1536 Words   |  7 PagesPeople can define marriage in numerous ways. By definition, to marry means to join together. So, a marriage would constitute as a joining together of two individuals into a legal union, which means being joined as one. Some of the many purposes of marriage would include: family, companionship, financial benefits, commitment, and love. Starting a family is an important part of getting married, as well as the commitment to love just the one person for the rest of their li ves. Financially, married couplesRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal Essay1348 Words   |  6 PagesMarriage is a commitment between two people who love each other and have chosen to spend the rest of their lives together, this is a pretty standard view of marriage. How that commitment looks from culture to culture can be very different. In the United States, today, marriage is viewed as a commitment of love and loyalty. Legally it is a binding contract between two people giving them the benefits of marriage i.e. tax benefits and legal decision making benefits. The big controversy facing theRead MoreCultural Perspectives On Sex And Relationships Essay1576 Words   |  7 PagesCultural Perspectives Love, sex and relationships. These three aspects of life are in every culture. Although they are present in every culture, the characteristics of these three are portrayed differently between each and every society. Various cultures are influenced by the media, social norms, and traditions. The media portrays sex as if everyone is â€Å"doing it† all the time. This not only includes people who are married, but single people as well. Social norms, however, seem to look downRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legalized Essay1516 Words   |  7 Pageswhat marriage is. One either saw one, participated in one or had one. The constitution of marriage is something that has existed for as long as men can remember. Marriage is a celebration, something, both men and women, look forward to since they are children. The general idea about marriage is that it includes a man and a woman, but what about same-sex marriage? Everything changes as time goes by: cars, phones, televisions, etc., therefore the idea of marriage must change as well. Same-sex marriageRead MoreA Closer Look at Same Sex Relationships Essays936 Words   |  4 Pagestheir life with, make a family with, and share the securities promised to them by this country. III. Unfortunately same sex couples are being denied these rights in about thirty three U.S states. IV. Today, I am going to illustrate the reasons why same sex marriage should be legal. And why a topic that has been discussed so many a times needs to be addressed holistically so that all of America can enjoy equal liberties. TRANSTION-Opposition nowadays towards same sex marriage is outdated and irrelevantRead More500 Word Essay on a Kind Thing I Did for Someone630 Words   |  3 Pagesof gay marriage has always been controversial. Anytime the idea of same sex couples being allowed to marry is brought up there’s almost always an argument started. It’s viewed by many as wrong and many think it should remain illegal, but why? If two people are happy, no matter the gender, why should anything stop them from marrying? Male and female, male and male, or female and female, it shouldn’t matter; if they’re happy and want to marry, let them. Most often the idea of gay marriage is viewed

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Amazon Forests The Amazon Rainforest - 1577 Words

One of the largest forests in the world, passing nine nations and over 1.4 billion acres, the Amazon rainforest stands as an amazing wonder in the world. The majority of the Amazon rainforest lies in Brazil, but also is found in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, and Guiana. Covering such a vast amount of land makes this region one of the most diverse ecological habitats in the word, but, while recognized as a priceless jewel of nature and a key factor in the global climate control, greed and selfishness are quickly destroying the Amazon Rainforest. Just as full and deep as its densest jungle the Amazon Rainforest’s history reveals secrets to the development of a unique ecosystem. This region†¦show more content†¦Even today, modern governments seek to make profit off of the Amazon. For instance, Brazil gives incentives to people to migrate to the forest in hopes of building new cities and to develop this last great frontier. The sad thing about this migration of people into the rainforest pertains to the affects they have on the region. Over the last fifty years, nearly 15% of the Amazon has been destroyed, with most of the destruction attributed to burning. With destructive forces pillaging the rain forest, many plants and animals face an uncertain future. The flora and fauna of the Amazon houses rare varieties of species that can only live in such an environment. The destruction of the rainforest is directly affecting the lives of the plants and animals of the region. Because this is the only area where they can survive, once their home is destroyed they will become extinct. Some specific flora found in the Amazon include the kapok tree, the water lily, and orchids. The kapok tree is the biggest tree of the Amazon rainforest, as it can grow to 200 feet tall with a trunk about 10 or 11 feet in diameter. This big tree is usually the home of many other species, from insects to frogs to birds, while also providin g support for tree climbers and bromeliads. Another common visitor of the Kapok trees comprises bats attracted by the trees flower smell. While one of the largest plants of the Amazon it does not

Monday, December 9, 2019

The Jobs Killer Is Coming Driverless Trucks †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: How Driverless Trucks Could Change Australia? Answer: Introduction In early 2016 a futuristic driver-less fleet of trucks drove from Sweden to the Netherlands across Europe, heralding a new dawn in which trucks will run autonomously, driven by computers and satellite routing technology and replacing human drivers. It is no doubt exciting that after just over a century of drivers requiring driving licenses and training to drive trucks; soon computers will be doing the driving; able to operate for 24 hours, not requiring any sleep or rest, and not suffering any form of fatigue. For the business community, it will mean faster transport of goods, reduced costs, and possibly, enhanced transport efficiency (mapping technologies deciding the shortest and least congested routes). While the technology is exciting, the prospects for Australia could be devastating; lost jobs for drivers, lost side businesses associated with driving (motels, pump stations), loss of rights for workers, and possible increases in dangers (fatalities) as technology is infallible. T he Australian economy largely depends on her $ 200 billion transport business, on which the economy is highly dependent. This dependency is confirmed by the fact that growth in the countrys GDP always closely mirrors the growth of the transport sector (Reynolds, 2016). This paper discusses this idea in the setting of various ethical theories and draws conclusions at the end. Utilitarianism theory The normative ethical theory of utilitarianism, posits that the perception between what is wrong and what is right depends entirely on the repercussion of choosing one policy/ action over other alternate ones (Shafer-Landau, 2013). Benthams utility principle recognizes the fundamental role that pleasure and pain plays in human life; an action is validated or invalidated based on the discomfort or delight it brings about. Evil is equates with pain while good is equated with pleasure; the principle asserts that pleasure and pain can be quantitatively ,measured (Parekh, 2006). As such, this theory goes beyond the scope of an individuals interest and takes cognizance of other peoples interests. Based on this theory, the author in the article is right; while autonomous self-driving vehicles are an exciting new technology with some benefits, including increased speed and efficiency in transport, it has far bigger ramifications for the Australian society and economy. Jobs will be lost, life time benefits and rights, and other businesses that rely on trucking (by humans) such as eateries, pump stations, and hotels will die down, affecting possibly millions and adversely affecting the entire Australian economy. In this context, the idea of driver-less cars in Australia is bad and a no-no. Deontology Theory Deontology is a concept in normative ethics that bases its judgment of actions based on rules; this theory is a duty/ rule based form of ethics since people are bound to their duty by rules. This theory argues that the single feature that confers moral worth to an action is not the outcome that the action achieves but the motive behind that action (Darwall, 2007). The right thing must always be done, even if the outcomes are bad, as it is a duty to do the right thing. Knowing what is right requires rules to be put in place (Tavani, 2016); for instance, in the driver-less car case, is it wrong to stop the utilization of self-driving cars on account that its outcome will render millions jobless to introduce new and exciting technologies that lower the costs of doing business? Based on the case and the Deontology theory; it is wrong not to enjoy the benefits of such an exciting technology such as high efficiencies, speed, and lower operating costs because such actions will render driver s, their families and other businesses that depend on the transport ecosystem jobless and with a bleak future for the purposes of enjoying higher efficiencies and reduced costs as well as having exciting new technology. Based on this, the driverless trucks should be introduced. Virtue Theory The virtue theory of ethics posits that the central element in ethical thinking is the individuals character, instead of the rules regarding the actions themselves or the repercussions of such actions (Beycioglu, 2013). The ethical theory of virtue holds that the right goal of human life is happiness and wellbeing and that these goals can be achieved over a lifetime by people practicing acts of virtue in their everyday activities, subject to exercising practical wisdom to resolve any dilemmas or problems that may arise (Poel Royakkers, 2011). Local and foreign automakers and/ or their local billionaire backers that do not see the sense of abrogating such an exciting technology and its promising benefits in order to keep drivers employed will front the autonomous/ self-driving cars. The virtue theory requires that self-sacrifice and activities that carry a personal cost be should be objected to, and instead, the interests of the family/ community be given greater consideration. With this in mind, the interests of the Australian drivers and other sub sectors that depend on them, starting from their families to roadside motels and pump stations should be given precedence over technology that has its outlined benefits. Contract Theory This is an econometrics theory that evaluates how legal agreements are developed and how decisions are made by different parties to create a contract having certain specific terms in the vent some uncertain conditions are realized. The theory investigates how entities make decisions for contracts when there is information imbalance. In the self-driving cars case, the contract theory is analyzed in the setting of adverse selection and moral hazard (Smith, 2007). When two parties have different information (information asymmetry), so that those with better information selectively vouch for a specific product, at the cost of the party with less information who is worried an unfair engagement. Moral hazard occurs when a party that is insured takes more risks because the costs of the risks are borne by another party (Green, Miozzo Dewick, 2005). In this context, the self-driving cars developers and billionaire investors (and businessmen) in Australia and from overseas take more risks by launching self-driving transport, knowing that the costs of lost jobs and attendant businesses will be borne by other parties covering the risk; that is the general public, truck drivers, and roadside business owners. In this aspect, it is still unethical and morally wrong for the self-driving cars proponents such as its makers, investors, and local agents to introduce the cars that pose risks in two ways; they are machines that cannot be perfect and can result in fatalities. Further, drivers will lose jobs and the economy will be affected; but investors in the self-driving cars, their agents, and the billionaires stakeholders will not be affected by these. Consequently, the proposition of self-driving cars based on the contract theory is a moral hazard for Australians as they (drivers and employees and owners of attendant businesses and the trucks) will bear the ultimate cost of the autonomous, self-driving vehicles, while proponents of the self-driving vehicles will only make more profit and enhance efficiency. Conclusion In conclusion, the idea of autonomous cars in Australia will have adverse consequences to the Australian drivers, attendant businesses, their families, and the general economy due to loss of jobs, as the utilitarianism theory alludes to. Rules should determine actions, and not the outcomes of those actions; the motive behind actions is what confers an action moral worth and not the outcome, based on the deontology theory so that the benefits of the self-driving cars must be given greater weight than the outcomes of that action, such as lost jobs. The virtue theory also states that the goal of human life is happiness; so the introduction of the autonomous cars is a terrible because many people will lose jobs, a situation that will significantly reduce their happiness. So the autonomous cars are a bad idea. Further, those with knowledge are likely to take increasingly higher risks because they do not bear the cost of their consequences, in which case it becomes a moral hazard. To state the authors opinion, self-driving cars issues will be tackled when a middle ground is obtained; however, the ethical dimensions show it is a bad idea. References Beycioglu, K. (2013). Ethical technology use, policy, and reactions in educational settings. Hershey PA: Information Science Reference IGI. Darwall, S. (2007). Deontology. Malden, Mass: Blackwel. Green, K., Miozzo, M., Dewick, P. (2005). Technology, knowledge and the firm: Implications for strategy and industrial change. Cheltenham: Elgar. Parekh, B. (2006). Jeremy Bentham: Critical assessments. London: Routledge. Poel, I. ., Royakkers, L. M. M. (2011). Ethics, Technology, and Engineering: An Introduction. Malden, Mass: Wiley-Blackwell. Reynolds, E. (2016). The jobs killer is coming. NewsComAu. Retrieved 12 September 2017, from https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/travel/the-jobs-killer-is-coming-how-driverless-trucks-could-change-australia/news story/4f5b8a42b0452703d62e00f3e7644d7b Shafer-Landau, R. (2013). Ethical theory: An anthology. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley- Blackwell. Smith, S. A. (2007). Contract theory. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Tavani, H. T. (2016). Ethics and technology: Controversies, questions, and strategies for ethical computing. Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley Sons, Inc.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Flashback Scene Essay Example

The Flashback Scene Paper Is it Impossible for a Director of The Flashback Scene in The Restaurant, pages 73-93 of Death of a Salesman to Show Willy as a Tragic Hero? Discuss. In Your Answer You Must Discuss how the Scene Could be Played and Base Your Answer on Textual Analysis of Character, Plot and Stage Direction Commenting on The Context of The Play. The play Death of a Salesman was written in 1949 by Arthur Miller and is one of his most successful plays. At Millers time, America was deemed to be a land of opportunity and all Americans had the right to be successful. However his fathers prosperous living as a clothing manufacturer had been ruined by the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The play examines the cost of blind faith in the American Dream, closely related with the theme of manifest destiny. There was much belief in the American Dream, and this would be achieved through hard work, courage and determination by every American. Death of a Salesman is based around the main protagonist, Willy Loman an elderly man. He is an insecure, self deluding travelling salesman. Mr Loman is past sixty years of age and dressed quietly, nonetheless he is a man with massive dreams, a mercurial nature and turbulent longings within him. He never comes to terms with reality for the reason that he is lost in an illusion and false hopes, for example Willy cannot see who he and his sons, Biff and Happy, are and he just believes that they are great men who have what it takes to beat the business world and be successful. However, he is mistaken. In reality, Willy and sons are not, and cannot ever be successful. We will write a custom essay sample on The Flashback Scene specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Flashback Scene specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Flashback Scene specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Mr Loman is unable to see through his own delusions of the American Dream, which he perceives as the ability to become great by obtaining enormous material wealth without any apparent effort, to wander into the jungle and walk out a few years later unspeakably rich. As a result to this, he is trapped in distortion of the American Dream promoted by a capitalist, materialistic modern society. In the play, although Willy does seem to show love and care towards his wife, Linda and two sons, he often becomes confused and angry unnecessarily. He shows trouble distinguishing his past and present, or his ideal life and reality. Due to this, many parts of the play are transcribed to the audience by the insertion of flashbacks, which show us some of the most significant moments in Willys confused life that have happened in his past. These flashbacks, each of which do somehow relate to the present, show an inability for Willy to see his reality. The flashback Willy experiences in the Restaurant scene, which I will be studying, is extremely significant in view of the fact that at this point, the illusions Biff has about Willy and his lies, come to an end. The use of this flashback depicts Willys affair with the Woman and Biff then comes to know about it. By using this scene, this essay will discuss whether Willy is that of a tragic hero or not. In Shakespearean tragedy, tragic heroes will be men of rank, and the calamities that befall them will be unusual and exceptionally disastrous in themselves (taken from http://global. cscc. edu/engl/264/TragedyLex. htm). In other words, Shakespearean tragic heroes should be of noble birth, have a fatal flaw, learn from their mistakes and lastly due to their flaw, this will lead to their downfall. However, the initial idea of the tragic hero had originated in Greek tragedy and it was outlined by Aristotle, who once said a tragic hero must be one of noble character and must fall from power and happiness (taken from http:// www. ccd. rightchoice. org/lit115/poetics. html). In Arthur Millers Tragedy and the Common Man, Miller argues that the common man could also be regarded to that as a very highly placed king and noble man. If this is the case and that the common man could be a tragic hero, I should be able to answer a simple question: Can Willy Loman be considered to be a tragic hero or not? To begin the first part of this essay, it is impossible to represent Willy as a tragic hero in the traditional sense. As I mentioned above, there are patterns into which Shakespearean or Aristotelian tragic heroes should fit into, and clearly Willy does not fit into these principles in one important way- he is not of noble birth or aristocracy. Willy is just a common man. According to the Collins English Dictionary, the word noble has three meanings: 1showing or having high moral qualities, 2impressive and magnificent, and 3member of the nobility (which again, according to the Collins English Dictionary, means either 1quality of being noble or 2a class of people holding titles and high social rank). Oedipus Rex, a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles, and The Oresteia, a trilogy of tragedies written by Aeschylus, both contain protagonists whom are of aristocracy and nobility. This too follows in Shakespearean tragedies. In Romeo and Juliet both protagonists originate from high, aristocratic upper class families, as do the protagonists in Macbeth, Hamlet, Richard II and King Lear. As an audience, from the flashback Willy undergoes in the Restaurant, we learn that he is having an affair with The Woman in the Boston hotel room and therefore he is cheating on his wife, Linda. Come on inside, drummer boy. Its silly to be dressing in the middle of the night. (Act Two. Page 88. The Woman) Then once knocking is heard, Willy orders The Woman to stay in the bathroom as he thinks theres a law in Massachusetts about it (it being adultery) and he finds Biff standing at the door. Biff has come to tell his dad that he flunked math and does not have enough credits to graduate. Just as Willy promises his son that he will speak to Birnbaum, and Biff is about to leave the Hotel room, he discovers The Woman and knows instantly that Willy has been having an affair. Biff becomes increasingly more saddened knowing that Willy has given The Woman Mamas stockings! Wheres my stockings? You promised me stockings, Willy! (Act Two. Page 90. The Woman) It is at this point that Willys mercurial nature becomes evident. He threatens to abuse his son if he does not follow his orders to apologise, before Biff refers to his father as a fake, a phoney little fake! However it is not only just at this moment in the scene where Willy does not coincide to being that of a tragic hero by abusing his son. In reality, when Willy and his sons are in the Restaurant talking about Biffs meeting with Bill Oliver, Willy presumes that Biff spites him, so he then strikes him and carries on downgrading his son by calling him a rotten little louse!