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Themes in the melian debate
Introduction about morality
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Thucydides’ written history of the Mytilenian Debate and the Melian Dialogue reflects the reality of a period where morality is dependent on the exercise of power and those who possess it. The main theme running through the course of these two debates is that those with the power to act as they wish inherently have the power to dictate morality. The arguments that decide the fate of the Mytilene are made not strictly on the basis of morality but on how their power allows them to exercise the moral course they choose. The Melian dialogue reveals how those in power can dictate morality in terms of self-interest. Both cases also demonstrate how morality is also a function of self-interest. The question of the relationship between power and morality also hinges on the definition of these two vague terms.
Morality, in the broader sense of moral order, has been defined as “a set of rules which define what is right and wrong.” (Outka and Reeder, p.5) Who decides what is right and wrong often depends, as with Thucydides’ history, on who has the power in a given situation. Power can broadly be defined, as the capacity to achieve what one wants. (Dickerson and Flanagan, p.24) In the case of these two debates, the Athenians were the party who possessed the power. They had the coercive ability to decide the fates of both the Melians and the Mytilenians. This power was derived strictly from the military might their empire was...
Throughout Aristophanes’ “Clouds” there is a constant battle between old and new. It makes itself apparent in the Just and Unjust speech as well as between father and son. Ultimately, Pheidippides, whom would be considered ‘new’, triumphs over the old Strepsiades, his father. This is analogous to the Just and Unjust speech. In this debate, Just speech represents the old traditions and mores of Greece while the contrasting Unjust speech is considered to be newfangled and cynical towards the old. While the defeat of Just speech by Unjust speech does not render Pheidippides the ability to overcome Strepsiades, it is a parallel that may be compared with many other instances in Mythology and real life.
In this paper, I will first extract Thucydides views from the Melian Dialogue and then analyze whether or not these views are well founded. Thucydides believed that the Athenians had the stronger argument. Proof of this lies in the way Thucydides picked the arguments for each side. For the moment, we will disregard the actual content of the arguments, and look at argumentation forms and the flow of the debate. The Melians argued using consequences of an Athenian take over.
The book written by Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, contains two controversial debates between distinguished speakers of Athens. The two corresponding sides produce convincing arguments which can be taken as if produced as an honest opinion or out of self-interest. The two debates must be analyzed separately in order to conclude which one and which side was speaking out of honest opinion or self-interest, as well as which speakers are similar to each other in their approach to the situation.
Who holds the power? Which religion is stronger? In Bless Me Ultima, a coming of age story of a young boy, the protagonist struggles with the issue of which God should be followed, worshiped, and reverenced. The theme of power in religion is portrayed throughout Anaya’s book in various ways and means such as Ultima, Mrs. Marez, the sign of the cross, and Antonio himself.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy which can be used to treat a wide range of mental health problems. Cognitive Therapy is an active, directive, time limited, structured approach used to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders, for example depression, anxiety, phobias (Beck, 1967). It emerged as a rational amalgam of behavioural and cognitive theories of human behaviour and is based on the idea that our thoughts determine our behaviour and feelings (Kendall PC, 1979). On average a patient attends between 5 and 20 appointments with their therapist. (Blenkiron 2013)
I decided to do my research report on dentistry because it is a perfect blend of science and art. It is a science in that you must fully comprehend on the different types of diagnostic and procedures you are doing. It is an art in that you are constantly working with your hands to create a beautiful smile. The impact you make on helping a person achieve an impeccable smile is not one to compare with materialistic things like money or cars. People often mistake dentist as only doing practices when in fact they could do more, like research. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Dr. Sarah Pham, DDS, a close family friend who practices dentistry in her own private office in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Pham was
Sophocles’ Antigone and Euripides’ The Bacchae are indubitably plays of antitheses and conflicts, and this condition is personified in the manifestation of their characters, each completely opposed to the other. Both tragedians reveal tensions between two permanent and irreconcilable moral codes; divine law represented by Antigone and Dionysus and human law represented by Creon and Pentheus. The central purpose is evidently the association of law which has its consent in political authority and the law which has its consent in the private conscience, the association of obligations imposed on human beings as citizens and members of state, and the obligations imposed on them in the home as members of families. Both these laws presenting themselves in their most crucial form are in direct collision. Sophocles and Euripides include a great deal of controversial material, once the reader realizes the inquiries behind their work. Inquiries that pertain to the very fabric of life, that still make up the garments of society today.
Traditionally justice was regarded as one of the cardinal virtues; to avoid injustices and to deal equitable with both equals and inferiors was seen as what was expected of the good man, but it was not clear how the benefits of justice were to be reaped. Socrates wants to persuade from his audience to adopt a way of estimating the benefits of this virtue. From his perspective, it is the quality of the mind, the psyche organization which enables a person to act virtuously. It is this opposition between the two types of assessment of virtue that is the major theme explored in Socrates’ examination of the various positions towards justice. Thus the role of Book I is to turn the minds from the customary evaluation of justice towards this new vision. Through the discourse between Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus, Socaretes’ thoughts and actions towards justice are exemplified. Though their views are different and even opposed, the way all three discourse about justice and power reveal that they assume the relation between the two to be separate. They find it impossible to understand the idea that being just is an exercise of power and that true human power must include the ability to act justly. And that is exactly what Socrates seeks to refute.
The six core values that are described in the Code of Ethics by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) are social justice, service, importance of human relationships, dignity and worth of a person, integrity, and competence. According to the NASW (2016), these core values are the foundation for the purpose of the social work profession. It is essential for social work professionals to be able to put aside their personal values, and embody these core values when working with clients.
Before reading the chapter written by Allan Barksy, I had a different understanding of my values. Entering into the social work profession is providing a different outlook and definition regarding values. In the social work profession values are not only personal, they must also include my client’s values. For example, I will be working at Child Net during my field internship. Child Net is a facility for children that are abused, neglected, molested, and other situations that I will be exposed too. These families may have values similar to mine, but their values may be viewed differently. Emotional security was one of my highly desirable values for Table 1.1. After giving this some thought regarding the situations I will be working with, emotional security will be hard to maintain working at Child Net. I say this because my
My desire to go to dental school began to develop in my mid-teens while working at Plainview Oral and Maxillofacial Associates(Plainview Oral). Not only was I fortunate enough to obtain a position there as a young teenager, but since starting over six years ago, I have been mentored by Dr. Bass, a recognized oral surgeon. Under his guidance, I developed a strong appreciation for the skills required to be a successful dentist, as well as the caring and patience needed to gain a patient’s trust.
As perspectives and opinions in the realm of political science are fluid and bound to change, he receives a variety of replies, for the representatives body he sent happen to comprise a Realist, a Liberal and a Constructivist. The variances the philosophies and universal laws his representatives throw back at him intrigue General Cleomedes. He recognizes that within the power play of the world, and the role of Athens as a superpower within the world’s political arena, he must be thoroughly versed in every possible political perspective. Thus, he invites his representatives to share their own view of what transpired between the dialogue between the Melians and the Athenians.
As a social worker, there are many core values to follow. Some of which include “Respect for human rights and dignity, promotion of social justice and human well being, recognizing the worth and uniqueness of every person, and the importance of the community” (C. Phillips, lecture, October 6, 2015). By following the core values, this will allow me to have a client-focused practice, which will cause a positive experience for both the clients and myself. Well-being consists of many
What is Tuberculosis (TB)? Tuberculosis is an airborne bacterial infectious disease caused by bacteria/organism called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is known to affect the lungs but can also affect other areas of the body such as kidney, spine and the brain. According the article Learn About Tuberculosis from the website American Lung Association, almost 2.5 billion people are infected with tuberculosis of which 9.6 million people worldwide have the active TB disease. Tuberculosis can be treated but if not, Tuberculosis can be fatal. TB is a very serious disease that needs medical attention and that is why people need to be informed about TB.
Dentistry is an ancient, highly respectable career which requires team work and ambition to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a dental doctor. My interest in dentistry started at a young age. I remember going to the dentist as a child and actually enjoying my visit due to the kind friendly employees. The thought of playing dentist and cleaning clients’ mouths seemed entertaining. After my visit I went home and pretended my little sister was my patient. She sat in a little chair outside while I pretended to be her dentist, the only difference was instead of rinsing her mouth with clean water, I used the water from the kiddy pool which had love bugs inside. My visits to the dentist and my amusing experience pretending to be a dentist led me to be interested in this career field.