Epicureans: A Debate Essays -- Philosophy, Rosenbaum, Luper

My topic focuses on Rosenbaum’s defense of the epicurean view, Luper’s critique of this view and my argument on who has a stronger position in regards to the topic. I am going to do this by describing both arguments in a detailed manner. Rosenbaum defends the epicurean view while Luper argues against, both sides provide excellent arguments and my argument is that which I feel is more superior. Rosenbaum defends the epicurean view throughout his essay. Epicurus â€Å"argued that since death is neither good or bad for the person dead and since the fear of that which is not bad for one is groundless, it is unreasonable to fear death† (Benatar, 175). A person when dead is lifeless and therefore cannot feel anything. This person is nonexistent and according to Rosenbaum because of this, the statement of whether death is good or bad does not apply to this situation. Since one cannot feel anything, one cannot experience a death situation and determine whether it is good or bad. Therefore it does not matter and there is no reason to fear death. According to Rosenbaum there are three different concepts, which must be understood. These are, dying, death and being dead. The first two are often not distinguished; Rosenbaum says they must be distinguished as they mean two completely different things. â€Å"Dying we may say is the process whereby one comes to dead or the process wherein certain causes operate to bring about one’s being dead† (Benatar, 176). This is essentially the last phase of one’s life. It is the prelude to death itself. It is the process, which leads to becoming dead. Rosenbaum goes on to explain, â€Å"the process of dying may be comfortable or uncomfortable† (Benatar, 176). The process leading to eventua... ...uper’s argument he is missing the point of Epicurus’s argument, which Rosenbaum has further explained. Of the two arguments Rosenbaum’s argument arguably has more points to back up the epicurean view than Luper’s. Luper’s is based on assumptions and we cannot live on assumptions. In my essay, I provided a detailed description of both Rosenbaum’s argument and Luper’s in an unbiased manner. I did this by highlighting the main points of both arguments and getting this main point across. Both sides of the arguments are presented and I contrast and compare deciding which one I feel is superior. In my argument, I present points, which I have, accurate counter points for, from each argument. In conclusion, Rosenbaum and Luper both present arguments both for and against the Epicurean view, this essay is mainly describing each one and choosing a side at the end.

Persuasion, Manipulation, and Ethics

There is a thin line that goes between persuasion, manipulation, and being downright unethical. There is a huge difference between what is persuasive and what is manipulative or unethical. However, there is a certain degree wherein these ideas come into a junction. Perhaps, the shared meaning between these words is influenced and is dependent on the objective and the intention of the speaker. To be clear on the similarities and or differences of these words, the definition of each must be placed into position. Persuasion is an act of influencing or pleading others to understand and recognize certain ideologies, beliefs, viewpoints, etc. Manipulation, on the other hand, is a form of social control wherein others are dealt with forcefully, capably, or cleverly, to bring about an end that is beneficial to the manipulator. (Merriam-Webster, 2008) Judging by the definition of the word ‘manipulation’ makes it unethical. If persuasion were a form of influence, then it would be accurate to establish the idea that in persuading an audience, there is a sense of sending out information and enlightening the audience to sway and encourage them to believe in or adhere to an idea. Manipulation on the other hand is a more dynamic  Ã‚  Ã‚   way of bringing about action and change to the audience. (Sager, 2008) If it is a cleverly way to win over an audience and controlling them to accomplish an objective, it would also be precise to establish the idea that in manipulation, there might be a tendency to go beyond what is ethical, such as covering-up the truth, to make people believe in or adhere to an idea. (Maxfield, 2007) Somehow, persuasion and manipulation are one in the same in the sense that both ideas are common in their objectives and purpose, and that is to cause change behaviorally or ideologically speaking to their audience. The difference between the two lies in their means of carrying out this objective. Persuasion is only a part of the bigger picture and that is manipulation. However, persuading an audience does not make it manipulation or an unethical act. References Maxfield, D. (2007). Influence vs. Persuasion and Manipulation. Retrieved: February 28, 2008, from InfluencerBook. Website: http://www.influencerbook.com/blog/influencer/1191540540000.html Merriam-Webster. (2008). Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved: February 28, 2008, from Merriam-Webster Incorporated. Website: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manipulate Sager, Lynn Marie. (2008). Persuasion Versus Manipulation – What’s the Difference?. Retrieved: February 28, 2008, from EzineArticles. Website: http://ezinearticles.com/?Persuasion-Versus-Manipulation—Whats-the-Difference?&id=980122      

Great Depression Essay - 1662 Words

Canada is a nation constructed from small stones of determination, and piles of perseverance. Today, Canada stands tall as a beacon of democracy and a fortress of ideological freedom. From the small stones of determination, to the status it wears proudly today, much has changed. It is the history that has shaped Canada into the nation it is; from the victorious moments to the days of misery and hardship. A prominent decade of true misery and hardship recalled by Canadians is the Great Depression. The Great Depression of the 1930s was a time of severe poverty, unemployment and unjust treatment experienced like never before by Canada. The Great Depression was unforeseen, yet inevitable. The Great Depression led many families to undertake†¦show more content†¦The needy families suffered the most. The government offered relief, or welfare, for those who qualified. An odd form of welfare was an open jail for the homeless. Similar to the relief camps, the state of jail was horribl e. It was described as a very old, thick-walled stone building, with two stories. At the end of the corridor stood the toilet and one wash basin. No beds or bedding was provided and the floors were black and swarming with bed bugs. One recalls, â€Å"Men were all suffering from gastric trouble due to hunger and the hard boiled beans, weak kidneys from the freezing cold, and frozen feet. In consequence, there was a steady line-up all night through at the toilet- two to three hundred men to one toilet...† Another form of relief was a soup kitchen. Again, the conditions were terrible. People suffered from hours of waiting in harsh weather conditions to be served dry bread, boiled beans, and coffee or tea. In addition, eating the meal was often done in ankle deep sludge. This was not something to be thankful for, as the cost to feed a single person was four cents. It was clear the soup kitchens could put in more effort. The Prairies suffered the most, as their way of life had al ways been less secure. Moreover, the families required a car and gas in order to get relief, as they had to travel to the city. In addition, many Canadian and American farmers had their property taken away for failing to meetShow MoreRelated The Great Depression Essay1234 Words   |  5 PagesThe Causes of the Great Depression The cause of the Great Depression has been debated for many years. The actual cause of the Great Depression is a multitude of factors, there was no single cause. Several reasons for the Great Depression were supply and demand, the banking system, wages of workers, success and failure of business, government policy, excessive speculation in the stock market and the unequal distribution of wealth between the rich and the middle class. While there are manyRead MoreEssay on Great Depression1174 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Depression During the 1920’s America was experiencing great economic growth. 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