Athenian Democracy and Divination Essay - 2601 Words

Athenian Democracy and Divination Divination was a prevalent feature in Archaic Greece, as it provided objective advice, to assist people in making appropriate decisions in problematic predicaments. In certain situations its ambiguity allowed decisions to be postponed, or blame to be assigned to others. Divination was also used to explain matters that seemed unexplainable, such as crop failure or drought. This is illustrated in the Homeric epics, which depicts numerous oracle interpreters, such as Calchas, consulting oracles on domestic, as well as, military decisions. Divination was a guiding authority in ancient society. However, during the fifth and fourth century BC, the democratic†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, when the Athenians suggest to the Melians that they should become allies with them, against the Spartans, the Melians state: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦We trust that the gods will give us fortune as good as yoursà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[3] In contrast, the Athenians dismiss the protection of the gods, and state: This kind of attitude is not going to be of much help to you in your absurd conquest for safety at the moment.[4] Thucydides portrays the Athenians in an arrogant light, which suggests that they will get their comeuppance for such sacrilegious opinions. Furthermore, Thucydides also highlights the scientific approach that the Athenians have towards their domination of the Peloponnese, suggesting that it is the law of nature, that they should conquer as much as they can. The rise of freethinking, that the democracy had established, had lead to the neglect of the gods. In comparison, Xerxes, in his conquest to dominate Greece, complies with a dream that is sent from the gods, which indicates to him and Artabanus that he should continue with the Persian wars.[5] Herodotus, writing in the early fifth century, highlights the importance of following divination, whereas, Thucydides, writing in the later fifth century, focuses on decisions made by the people. The Sicilian expedition, from 415BC,Show MoreRelatedEssay The History of Gambling in Ancient Civilizations3908 Words   |  16 Pagesoldest form, divination, was introduced around the same time systematic agriculture was (circa 14000 BCE). Divination is the practice of letting the outcome of an outside object determine what a person or a group should do in a certain situation. â€Å"Some examples of modern divination systems are the tarot, I Ching, scrying and using a pendulum,† (Ward, Keith). But, â€Å"the most widespread and oldest divination game was odds and evens,† (Schwartz, 6). Evidence for odds and evens divination can be found

Realities on Teen Pregnancy in America Free Essays

Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States has declined greatly within the past few years, it is still an enormous problem that needs to be addressed. These rates are still higher in the 1990’s than they were only a decade ago. The United State’s teenage birthrate exceeds that of most other industrialized nations, even though American teenagers are no more sexually active than teenagers are in Canada or Europe. We will write a custom essay sample on Realities on Teen Pregnancy in America or any similar topic only for you Order Now Recent statistics concerning the teen birthrates are alarming. About 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Almost one-sixth of all births in the United States are to eenage women are to teenage women. Eight in ten of these births resulted from unintended pregnancies. (Gormly 347) By the age of eighteen, one out of four teenage girls will have become pregnant. (Newman 679) Although the onset of pregnancy may occur in any teenager, some teens are at higher risk for unplanned pregnancy than others. Teenagers who become sexually active at an earlier age are at a greater risk primarily because young teenagers are less likely to use birthcontrol. African-American and Hispanic teenagers are twice as likely to give birth as are white teenagers. Whites are more likely to have abortions. Teenagers who come from poor neighborhoods and attend segregated schools are at a high risk for pregnancy. Also, teenagers who are doing poorly in school and have few plans for the future are more likely to become parents than those who are doing well and have high educationsl and occupational expectations. Although the rate of teenage pregnancy is higher among low- income African-Americans and Hispanics, especially those in inner city ghettoes, the number of births to teenagers is highest among white, nonpoor young women who live in mall cities and towns. (Calhoun 309) In addition to the question of which teenagers become pregnant, interest is shown in the social consequences of early parenthood. Adolescent parents (mostly mothers) may find that they have a â€Å"lost or limited opportunity for education. (Johnson 4) The higher a woman’s level of education, the more likely she is to postpone marriage and childbearing. Adolescents with little schooling are often twice as likely as those with more education to have a baby bafore their twentieth birthday. Some 58% of young women in he United States who receive less than a high school education give birth by the time they are twenty years old, compared with 13% of young women who complete at least twelve years of schooling. (Tunick 11) Teens who become pregnant during high school are more likely to drop out. Calhoun 310) A teen mother leaves school because she cannot manage the task of caring for a baby and studying, and a teen father usually chooses a job over school so that he can pay bills and provide for his child. (Johnson 4) Teen mothers usually have fewer resources than older mothers because they have had less time to gather avings or build up their â€Å"productivity† through work experience, education, or training. (Planned Parenthood 1) Because of this, teen mothers are generally poor and are dependent on government support. Newman 679) The welfare system is usually the only support a teen parent will receive. Welfare benefits are higher for families with absent fathers or dependent children. (Calhoun 309) In some cases, teen mothers may also receive help like Medicaid, Food Stamps, and â€Å"Aid to Families with Dependent Besides educational and financial problems, teenage mothers may face a great deal f emotional strain and may become very stressed. Teen mothers may have limited social contacts and friendships because they do not have time for anything other than their baby. Lack of a social life and time for herself may cause the teenage mother to become depressed or have severe mental anxiety. (Johnson 5) Depression may become worse for a teenage mother because she usually does not know much about child development or about how to care for their children. Children who are born to teenage mothers usually suffer from poor parenting. (Berk 188) Also, children of teenage parents start being exually active before their peers and they are more likely to become teenage parents themselves. These children may also suffer from financial difficulties similar to that of their parents. Children whose mothers are age seventeen or younger are three times as likely as their peers to be poor, and are likely to stay poor for a longer period of time. † (Calhoun 311) The children born to teenage mothers sometimes score lower on development tests than the children of older mothers. It seems that â€Å"rather than declining over time, educational deficits increase in severity and the children show lower academic chievement, higher drop out rates, and are more likely to be held back in school. † Teenage pregnancy comes with not only a child, but also many consequences. Teen mothers face greater health risks than older mothers, such as anemia, pregnancy induced hypertension, toxemia, premature delivery, cervical trauma, and even death. Many of these health risks are due to inadequate prenatal care and support, rather than physical immaturity. The teenage mother is more likely to be undernourished and suffer premature and prolonged labor. (Calhoun 311) The death rate from pregnancy omplications are much higher among girls who give birth under age fifteen. (Gormly 347) Poor eating habits, smoking, alcohol and drugs increase the risk of having a baby with health problems. Johnson 3) The younger the teenage mother is, the higher the chances are that she and her baby will have health problems. This is mainly due to late prenatal care (if any) and poor nutrition. (Planned Parenthood 1) An adolescent mother and her baby may not get enough nutrients and, because the mother’s body is not fully mature, she may have many complications throughout the duration of the pregnancy. Along with the mother, the children of teenage parents too often become part of a cycle of poor health, school failure, and poverty. Infants born to teenage mothers are at a high risk of prematurity, fragile health, the need for intensive care, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and mental retardation. (Johnson 5) Low birth weight is the most immediate health problem. Babies born to teenagers are often born too small, too soon. Low birthweight babies may have immature organ systems (brain, lungs, and heart), difficulty controlling body temperature and blood sugar levels, and a risk of dying in early infancy that is much igher than that of normal weight babies (five and one-half pounds or more). Calhoun 310) â€Å"The death rate for babies whose mothers are under fifteen years of age is double that of babies whose mothers are twenty to thirty years old. † (Johnson 5) Because of these extremely serious problems, many government, as well as local, organizations are fighting to stop the occurence of teenage pregnancy by helping to educate children of the risks involved and the consequences after. Some research indicates that â€Å"the percentage of teenage birthrates has declined simply because fewer eenagers are having sexual intercourse and more adolescents are using contraceptives. Researchers say that the recent trends in sexual activity and contraceptive use are the result of a number of factors, including greater emphasis on abstinence, more conservative attitudes about sex, fear of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, the popularity of long-lasting birthcontrol methods such as the contraceptive implant (Norplant) and the injectable (Depo-Provera), and even because of the economy. In addition, researchers say that young people have become somewhat more conservative in their views about casual ex and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Some attribute this change in attitude mainly to concern about sexually transmitted diseases. Others say that it is because of the involvement of conservative religious groups in the public debate over sexual behavior. Many researchers believe that the strong economy and the increasing availability of jobs at minimum wage have contributed to fewer births among teenagers. (Donovan 32) Americans, however, seem to be against some of the methods used by these various organizations to reduce the teen pregnancy rates. The most controversial aspect of adolescent pregnancy prevention is the growing movement to provide teenagers with easy access to contraceptives. † Most Americans believe that giving teenagers birthcontrol pills and/or condoms is the same as telling them that early sex is allowed. Some studies that were conducted in Europe show that some clinics in Europe that distribute contraceptives to teenagers have the same sexual activity rate as in the United States. However, in these European studies, it is apparent that teen pregnancy, childbirth, and abortion rates are Teenage pregnancy does cause many problems for the mother, child, and economy. There are, however, some incidences where the mother overcomes this down-hill trend and makes a successful life for her and her child. The outcome of teenage pregnancy turns out better if the mother goes back to school after she has given birth. (Berk 190) Staying in school may help to prevent teenage mothers from having a second pregnancy. (Planned Parenthood 2) The outcome is also better if the mother continues to live with her parents so that they can help to raise the child. Young, teen mothers need health care for themselves as well as their children. An adolescent mother also needs a great deal of encouragement to get her to remain in school. Single teenage mothers also need job training so that they can get a good job to support themselves and their children. Teen mothers need to be taught parenting and life-management skills and also need high quality and affordable daycare for their children. Schools that provide daycare centers on campus reduce the incidence of teenagers dropping out of school. These school programs also ecrease the likelihood that the teen mother will have more children. Berk 189) Because the government has begun to take action in preventing teen pregnancies, the rate has continued to decline. The large numbers of young people in America–as well as the values, health, education, skills they gain–will greatly affect the future of society. Therefore, increased attention should be given to the well-being of adolescents. Since greater care is being given to the young people, improvements are already occuring. The level of education that young people receive is much higher than that of their parents, and he â€Å"expectation that young people should obtain at least some secondary schooling† is growing. The numbers of women who have a child during their teen years is declining, and recognizing the impact of childbearing on education, parents and communities are continuing to discourage sexual activity, marriage, and motherhood at a young age. (Tunick 13) These recent trends, if continued, will more than likely educate the adolescent population about the risks and consequences of teenage pregnancy and reduce the incicence of teen pregnancy and childbirth altogether. How to cite Realities on Teen Pregnancy in America, Essay examples

Accusations free essay sample

The paper discusses some of the root causes of the September 11th attacks. The paper discusses some of the specific root causes for the September 11th attacks in the U.S. Two of the causes discussed are the use of American power and the ignorance of Osama Bin Ladens followers. The paper shows that due to the fact that the United States was so unprepared for September 11th, the root causes of the terrorist attacks are still debated by millions of people worldwide. It shows that several theories being debated are clash of civilizations, poverty of Arab lands, American policy, religious conflicts, simple jealousy and rage- all of these seem logical reasons to some and completely illogical to others. World peace is far from being a reality. With the thousands of issues that affect international conflict, it is nearly impossible to isolate one sole cause of any given problem. The tragedy of September 11th is one such occurrence. We will write a custom essay sample on Accusations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Discussion after discussion has been had in an attempt to determine the exact cause of the attacks. The majority of suggestions of the root cause have been dismissed. Poverty of the individuals who committed crimes was quickly dismissed because of simplicity. Those people who hijacked American planes were not poverty-stricken. Most were educated, middle-class citizens. Also ruled out by simplicity is the theory of envy, hate, and rage. We know that Bin Laden and his followers hate us, but would this cause them to terrorize our country? The concept is too superficial to be the root cause itself, but most definitely lies under the true cause. Some political scientists pointed to a clash of civilizations as being the culprit. Even this suggestion goes back to envy of the enemy civilization. After analyzing all these miniscule causes of September 11th, two specific root causes are apparent. The two most logical explanations to the terrorist attacks are the use of American po wer and the ignorance of the Osama Bin Ladens followers.

What human issues form the subjects of the work Did you find any of them particularly well handled Essay Example

What human issues form the subjects of the work? Did you find any of them particularly well handled? Essay The Sporting Spirit encapsulates instincts, pride, appearances, nationalism, symbolism, social identity, and human penchants as core issues that foment the gravity of the essay; â€Å"savage† instincts coagulate with nationalism and appearances to foster one’s pride, symbolizing the proudness of being labelled by one’s country – American, British, Russian, or otherwise. Pride fosters greed, which disinters the need for war – either literally or figuratively. Orwell conveys symbolic war in his essay, The Sporting Spirit, depicting sports as a means of a battle between spectators, between two nations. It is a game where you either lose or win; there is no alternative. â€Å"Sport is frankly mimic warfare,† George Orwell says. Orwell touches on many human issues as subjects, but focuses on differences of communities, spectators, and nations to elucidate his opinion, adding to his authenticity. In paragraph seven, Orwell differentiates between urban and rustic communities, and how they view sports. Sports provide escapism for people in urban societies – big towns – as a way to wander from their sedentary life. The diction of â€Å"sedentary† crafts this aura of idleness, which contrasts the theme of â€Å"savage† spectators – spectators who are ardent to win through violent ways. Orwell even describes those who believe games bring nations together as a modern cult. This cynical usage of â€Å"cult† – a group or a system of religious belief – portrays the dark humour Orwell uses to subtly mock those views. We will write a custom essay sample on What human issues form the subjects of the work? Did you find any of them particularly well handled? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What human issues form the subjects of the work? Did you find any of them particularly well handled? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What human issues form the subjects of the work? Did you find any of them particularly well handled? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The essay’s tone is didactic, conclusive, and the reader is enticed by Orwell’s sequence as he progresses from the commonplace views, to specific authoritative views and events that explicate the truthfulness of his view; the reader is to adopt Orwell’s views – the opinionated writer. Orwell touches on human issues of stratification in the first two paragraphs. He divulges what many â€Å"thinking† people have kept clandestine for so long – that sport breeds ill-will. Sport aggression is a common phenomenon nowadays; Orwell classifies teams as â€Å"Dynamo,† â€Å"Russian,† or â€Å"British,† causing the reader to deliberate the labels spectators use in order to identify with their team. The diction of Orwell – â€Å"†¦ I am told by someone,† and â€Å"†¦ someone else informs me† – signify how his opinion is not confined to him alone, but rather that others share it as well. Social id entification is one of the key human issues conveyed in the essay. Orwell says that sports create fresh animosity on both sides. The diction of â€Å"animosity† portrays the hate of spectators to one another as fervent dislike bred from the virtues and differences of one another. This is one of the human issues Orwell is able to convey sublimely. The dictum that sports create good-will between the nations is a great misnomer because it is sport that symbolizes the competitive nature of humans and their need for classification. Humans seek pride, and they love power and domination. That is why sport is war – it is about the loss, as well as the gain. (What one gains, the other loses.) Spectators are able to surmise differences of races, countries, or political predilections as a group, and either boo the referee, or sing offensive songs that degrade the other team as well as their spectators to show their judgments. Orwell insinuates that competitiveness does not build character. At best, it betrays it. At worst, it corrupts it. It is not just the players who are corrupted; it is also the spectators. The imagery of a battlefield illustrate Orwell’s view of sport as a savage, violent activity where running, jumping, and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue. Good sportsmanship – honesty, humility, imperturbableness, respect, and appreciation – is non-existent to Orwell. Orwell’s insincere pathos delineates how sports are wrongfully understood by many. Orwell also touches, in my opinion, on chauvinism rather than patriotism. In sports, if a team loses, it is for a reason. Ignoring the reasons for loss, and recklessly blaming the referee or the conditions is a form of ignorance that is only shown by a chauvinist – a person who believes that his country is the sole best county, obdurately. Orwell is able to craft the essay with one human issue as a core: sport glorifies differences, it demonises opponents, and erodes the moral character of its followers.

Free Essays on Pascals Wager

Pascal’s Wager During the seventeenth century, religion was a main segment of people’s lives. Majority of people who lived during this time had the fear of eternal damnation in hell if they were not living as Christians by the way of God. Christians believed that following the â€Å"word of God† would inevitably grant them passage to heaven in the afterlife. French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal lived during these times and was well known for his achievements in his fields. Upon converting to a meticulous form of Roman Catholicism, he experienced an overwhelming religious incident that changed the rest of his life. He then â€Å"devoted his intellectual energies primarily to religious matters† (Abel and Stumpf 129) and began writing â€Å"Apologie de la Religion Chrà ©tienne,† but was unable to finish due to his death. His notes were later compiled and published into a work titled â€Å"Pensà ©es† which contains the widely known defense for Chri stianity known as â€Å"Pascal’s Wager.† Everyone in life possesses the attribute of â€Å"free will.† This power entitles us to have numerous beliefs throughout our lives we live. Humans possess the â€Å"free will† to make a decision to believe in God or not. Pascal believes that humans alone are â€Å"incapable of knowing either what he is or if he is† (131), but we have the choice of believing in God or not. Everyone has to make this choice about God, but contained in â€Å"Apologie de la Religion Chrà ©tienne† is â€Å"Pascal’s Wager† which gives four outcomes from Pascal’s ideas of what the result will be from our own beliefs. To â€Å"live morally, as religion requires† (Abel and Stumpf 130) is a way a person expresses that they believe in God. To not believe in God is to do just the opposite. The way you live your life determines the outcome of what will happen to you in the next. According to Pascal, he believes that â€Å"you can do neither the one thing nor the ot... Free Essays on Pascal's Wager Free Essays on Pascal's Wager Pascal’s Wager During the seventeenth century, religion was a main segment of people’s lives. Majority of people who lived during this time had the fear of eternal damnation in hell if they were not living as Christians by the way of God. Christians believed that following the â€Å"word of God† would inevitably grant them passage to heaven in the afterlife. French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal lived during these times and was well known for his achievements in his fields. Upon converting to a meticulous form of Roman Catholicism, he experienced an overwhelming religious incident that changed the rest of his life. He then â€Å"devoted his intellectual energies primarily to religious matters† (Abel and Stumpf 129) and began writing â€Å"Apologie de la Religion Chrà ©tienne,† but was unable to finish due to his death. His notes were later compiled and published into a work titled â€Å"Pensà ©es† which contains the widely known defense for Chri stianity known as â€Å"Pascal’s Wager.† Everyone in life possesses the attribute of â€Å"free will.† This power entitles us to have numerous beliefs throughout our lives we live. Humans possess the â€Å"free will† to make a decision to believe in God or not. Pascal believes that humans alone are â€Å"incapable of knowing either what he is or if he is† (131), but we have the choice of believing in God or not. Everyone has to make this choice about God, but contained in â€Å"Apologie de la Religion Chrà ©tienne† is â€Å"Pascal’s Wager† which gives four outcomes from Pascal’s ideas of what the result will be from our own beliefs. To â€Å"live morally, as religion requires† (Abel and Stumpf 130) is a way a person expresses that they believe in God. To not believe in God is to do just the opposite. The way you live your life determines the outcome of what will happen to you in the next. According to Pascal, he believes that â€Å"you can do neither the one thing nor the ot...

Fashion and media - TRLG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fashion and media - TRLG - Essay Example The essay "Fashion and media - TRLG" explores the TRLG. fashion and media. According to Rahman, Osmud, Yan Jiang, and Wing-sun Liu (291-311) True religion (TRLG) has established itself through high-quality products in clothing category over the years and successful brands that have been appreciated by many worldwide; this has proven enough financial resilience, consistency growth together with stable expansion out leading to high probability of merger acquisition. The high-end denim both includes regular jeans, for instance, Lucky, True Religion Jeans and Levis which is recognized by its fabric quality and good seam dimensions. The brand and quality attracts celebrities to wear them; these include; David Beckham, Colin Farrell, Beyonce, Megan Fox, Jessica Alba, and more. The jeans among other products are flashy and distinctive flair for those who cherish the modest lifestyle and less flashy versions especially for consumers who would just want to feel the comfort brands of TRLG bran d jeans. The idea of creating different variations and at the same time high-quality products has made the company stand the taste of time with its consumers as they maintain the forces within the market. Despite other jeans being available in the market that could act as the substitute, buyers consistently keep TRLG brand jeans because of the quality issues portrayed by other brands. Although, there are always possible threats of customers turning back for other substitute products or jeans from other competitors.

Preservation of Green Spaces in Urban Areas Research Paper

Preservation of Green Spaces in Urban Areas - Research Paper Example Invasion into the urban free space is inevitable; human population have resorted to finding alternative spaces for economic and social pursuit in areas otherwise meant to preserve the green spaces. In so doing, the original and intended purpose of such places lose value and meaning. Vegetation clearing on the parks, coupled with worldwide waste management ignorance is threatening to veil the aesthetic and biophysical value accorded such spaces. Such spaces, if not adequately managed and maintained would not only undermine their sustainability but also lead to loss of urban artistic image and value. Global environmental changes also attribute to such forms of negligence as prolonged or unabated loss of urban vegetation cover. There is a strong indicator that urban free space holds a significant role in the biophysical cycles that determine socio-economic, political, and social directions on a global scale. However, degradation of such free spaces may also occur naturally. For instance, the impacts of climate change and the global warming exacerbate deterioration of urban free space in terms of both quantity and quality. It would call upon collective responsibility from both the government or local authorities and members of the public to ensure restoration, management, and preservation of urban green spaces. Various factors contribute to losing of urban green spaces all over the world. Most of such factors majorly revolve around and mainly emanate from anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, industrialization, and urban expansions. Soil pollution is a major vice negatively affecting the green spaces that exist all over the world especially in highly developed countries of the world. Most cities and towns exhibit heavy soil and land pollution owing to intensive industrial processes, chemical spillages, and construction activities. In America, the situation is similar since it is one