Analysis Of Clea Simon On The Interpretation And...

The idea of feminism is being thrown around a lot in today s society, but what is feminism and why does this word invoke such a negative connotation? â€Å"The costs of inequality: For women, progress until they get near power,† is an article written by Clea Simon on the interpretation and dissection of gender inequality today and how this gap can be resolved. The soaring popularity of feminism and the idea that genders can one day be equal is important for fixing a male dominated America; to do this typical gender roles have to be analyzed, as well as gender biases addressed. Analysis alone will not fix this deep-rooted issue, to change society America must be ready to be proactive and tolerant of changes in tradition. The idea of a woman†¦show more content†¦It was also noted that in research papers male co-authors were given full credit of the research while female co-authors were not. Simon specifically researched the field of economics, where the gender gap †Å"has not changed the fraction of females for about 20 years† (Simon). Clea Simon also adopts a view of underlying gender bias against females in power. A study was conducted in which, â€Å"almost a quarter (23 percent) of teenage girls preferred male political leaders over female ones. Only 8 percent preferred women leaders. Forty percent of the boys surveyed preferred male leaders, while only 4 percent preferred women† (Simon). Why do teenagers not assume women in power will be great leaders? Is it possibly because children have grown up only seeing males in leadership roles? And how does one find justice to this problem? John Rawls proposes a solution in his paper â€Å"Justice as Fairness,† to this idea of inequality. â€Å"First, each person participating in a practice, or affected by it, has an equal right to the most extensive liberty compatible with a like liberty for all; and second, inequalities are arbitrary unless it is reasonable to expect that they will work out for everyone’s advantage, and provided the positions and offices to which they attach, or from which they might be gained, are open to all† (Solomon 282). Rawls is saying in his first premise, that all peoples should be allowed the basic right to be

Religion and School Prayer in Public Schools Essays

Americas founders envisioned a nation whose government would allow for freedoms and rights to be guaranteed to its citizens. The desire for religious freedom was prominent, sine it was not a right granted to the early colonists living under Briti sh rule. Because Englands government forced all of its citizens to learn and practice the same religion, Americas first legislators made certain that government intervention in religious matters was prohibited. Therefore, religious freedom was ensured in the First Amendment to the Constitution, as it states, Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. . . (Whitehead, Rights 49). This statement allowed†¦show more content†¦Numerous state governments displayed favoritism and partiality towards different religions in the form of lonas and support. Therefore to further ensure that religion was independent of the government, a more precise interpretation of th e first amendment was enacted. By completely making religion and the state unconnected, the new understanding became known as the separation of church and state. Secularism, the term used to define the separation of church and state, has become an increasingly debatable issue, especially when dealing with the role of prayer in public schools. The antagonists argue that the total separation of church and st ate is extreme and that the writers of the Constitution would have allowed for more religious involvement in the schools (Whitehead, Freedom 5). Not only is the antagonist group comprised of common citizens, but government officials as well. For example, former Chief Justice Warren Burger explained in 1984, The constitution does not require complete separation of church and state; it affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance of all religions, and forbids hostility toward an y (Whitehead, Rights 49). On the same note, the Northwest ordinance, passed by the same congress that ratified the Consitution, stated that religion, morality and knowledge being necessary toShow MoreRelated No Religion or School Prayer in Pu blic Schools Essay3018 Words   |  13 PagesConstitution was adopted, the separation of church and state issue focused on preventing a government mandated religion (Davis 245). The framers of the Constitution knew first hand the harmful consequences of a government that has complete control over religion. Protecting the religious freedoms of the various religions seeking refuge in America also raised great concern. Each religion s hould be given the same rights when practicing their beliefs. For these reasons, the First Amendment of hteRead More Religion and Prayer in Public Schools Essay1469 Words   |  6 PagesReligion in Public Schools    The practice of religion has been a major factor in American culture for centuries. The religion clause of the First Amendment, which states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, was developed to preserve the freedom of religion (Haynes 2). The religion clause was designed to protect religion from the control of the government, but, consequently, it restricts the expression of religionRead More Religion and Prayer Must Not be Permitted in Public School Essay1823 Words   |  8 Pagesthe inability to practice a desired religion or not to practice one at all. Since the newly formed country was made up of people from more than one religious background, the government had to come up with a way to accommodate all of its citizens. Understanding the countrys diversity, the writers of the Constitution of the United States of America included in the First Amendment the words, Congress shall make no law respect ing the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise therofRead MoreThe Constitutionality of Prayer in Public Schools Essay698 Words   |  3 PagesMany people agree against prayer in public schools, while others think that people should be able to express their religion in their own ways. In public schools, they are not allowed to hold prayers at all during the school day due to the mixed religion students that are attending the school. Over the past few years, this has become an extremely controversial issue in our nation. Many people find it proper to pray in school but many people also agree that it is extremely wrong and that if thereRead MoreEssay on Prayer Should Be Allowed in Public Schools1727 Words   |  7 PagesPrayer Should Be Allowed in Public Schools School prayer is a very controversial issue in today’s society. The issue of school prayer is about whether the public school systems should let the students pray, at the start of the school day, as a class. The issue of school prayer began in the late sixteenth century when people in England did not approve of the way one religion was forced upon them, so the Puritans, known as the Pilgrims decided to come to the colonies. Even in the colonies theRead MorePrayer in Public Schools Essay1440 Words   |  6 Pages The United States has continued to be a country where religion plays a major role in the lives of American citizens. Depending on the type of school students attend, organized prayer is mandatory, allowed, or banned. In the United States, organized prayer in public schools is prohibited because it goes against the Constitution’s separation of church and state (Jinkins 123). The United States promises religious freedom, but is yet to define the degree and li mitation of that liberty. However, AmericanRead More Prevent Coercive Prayer In Public Schools Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pages Prevent Coercive Prayer in Public Schools The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads: quot;Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.quot; This amendment, commonly called the Establishment Clause, forms the foundation of the right of every American to practice their chosen religion freely and without the interference of the government. In 1947, the Supreme Court issued a statement emphasizingRead MorePublic Schools Should Not Be The Place For Religious Practices1601 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the many foundations of the United States as a nation was religion. When people fled their homes in search of a new place, one of the many reasons was due to religious freedom. Almost immediately conflicts arose between religions, and their belief systems. No problems seem to arise with teaching religion to children in school until the 1900 s. That is when the courts decided religious instructions in public schools would be deemed unconstitutional. Court cases started around the country withRead MoreThe Prayer On Public Schools1240 Words   |  5 PagesCentury and into the 21st, school prayer has been the focal point of an ongoing debate about the position of religion in American civilization. The question of the legality of prayer in public schools brings together a number of important notions in American gover nment and legal philosophy. Opponents and proponents of school prayer set forth their arguments in such major constitutional issues as the separation of church and state, the right to free exercise of religion, and the respective powersRead MorePrayer in School Essay example1375 Words   |  6 Pagesthough public schools today are without school prayer, most schools have replaced prayer, with a Silent moment of reflection. Also, the assumption if there is a God or not is a big question as well. I think prayer should be re-instated into schools, because children should be able to express religion freely. I also feel that lack of discipline; youth pregnancy, dropouts, and violence in schools are other issues that can be more controllable if there were religious classes and school prayer. Public

Death with Dignity free essay sample

Autonomy is a fundamental right. Liberty interests of patients while coping with terminal illness, however, unlike autonomy, are protected under the Constitution as fundamental rights. Advancements in medicine are extending the average life expectancy for adults. The aging of the baby boomer generation is also contributing to the increase in the growing number of the elder population. As society ages, not only do individuals battle terminal illness, but they combat the unanticipated demands on their right to die with dignity. The ability to choose the timing of one’s death is limited to a few states in America. Additionally, there are a few countries now allowing physician assisted suicide. Even with this option, a patient must exercise advanced planning. Death with dignity is an increasing concern for all members of society. Euthanasia is a term meaning good death in the Greek culture. It is â€Å"the actual practice of preparing oneself for a dignified death† (Kiraly, 2012, p. We will write a custom essay sample on Death with Dignity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 335). Historically, several cultural beliefs favored euthanasia. Roman gladiators were encouraged to fight to their death with honor and dignity in Europe. While in Asia, samurai warriors fought to their death or committed seppuku, an act of suicide by one’s own sword. This type of suicide was honorable in the Japanese culture. Christianity took the opposing view and deemed euthanasia a sin. In accordance with Old Testament Judaism and Christianity, â€Å"the ‘certain’ death springs from sin, and it is nothing else than the payment, the punishment for sin. Thus it cannot possibly be anything that should be made better or easier† (Kiraly, 2012, p. 336). The views of Hippocrates, a Greek physician, aligned with those of Christianity, and were instrumental in curtailing views on euthanasia. He developed the Hippocratic Oath, still in practice today, regulating the medical behaviors towards death with dignity. Medical practitioners, serving as moral interpreters, help with avoiding the transgression of the euthanasia method towards societies’ view as a sin. Some philosophers interchange dignity with intrinsic worth. The principle that humans should not be used as a means to an end formulates certain moral laws. Most philosophers have rejected euthanasia based on the belief that it infringes on an individual’s autonomy. Philosopher, Immanuel Kant, asserts â€Å"it is morally impermissible to treat oneself without due respect, suicide is in all circumstances morally impermissible. Human dignity†¦does not support the legalization of assisted suicide† (Gentzler, 2003, p. 463). Pain and suffering, however, are factors that alter the opinions of several great philosophers regarding human dignity and the justification for euthanasia. Plato was opposed to active euthanasia, but he agreed that those suffering should not undergo prolonged treatment to sustain their life. â€Å"Euthanasia is the pursuit of a course of action where death is the intended outcome: it is the ‘medical management’ of death† (Harmon Sethi, 2011, p. 356). Euthanasia is organized into categories, voluntary active, voluntary passive, involuntary active, involuntary passive, non-voluntary. Individuals, with sufficient mental capacity to make their own end-of-life decisions, may request voluntary euthanasia. Individuals, lacking the mental capacity to make their own end-of-life decisions may succumb to involuntary euthanasia. Non-voluntary euthanasia occurs when an individual is competent but their wishes are unknown. Active euthanasia is the direct cause of this action, such as a lethal dose of medication, while passive euthanasia is a result of withholding life-sustaining treatment. Some may argue the act of euthanasia allows individuals the ability to die with dignity in some cultures however; death by means of euthanasia is not dignified. The Japanese medical and legal communities, â€Å"†¦ distinguish euthanasia from death with dignity in that they regard euthanasia as the administration of lethal drugs and regard death with dignity as the withholding or withdrawing of life-prolonging treatment† (Otani, 2010, p. 50). Although there is a distinction between euthanasia and death with dignity, the purpose of both is to end one’s unbearable pain and suffering. The act of euthanasia has negative connotations that stem from a history of genocide. Nazi Germany is an illustrious example of this deed. Using cyanide gas, the Germans exterminated a large portion of the Jewish population. Contrary to popular opinion, genocide is not limited to the past. The atrocities of this practice resurfaced a multitude of times, such as in the civil war, in Rwanda, as well as the conflict in Darfur. Social conditions in all of these countries contributed towards conflict and crisis situations resulting in the onset of social control. Genocide, often viewed as a deviant action, is also a type of social control. The casualties of these wars were not permitted to die with their dignity. Their deaths, indeed, did engender suffering. In these cases, the affected individuals experienced both active and non-voluntary euthanasia. History provides valuable lessons. Learning about the suffering of others affords us the opportunity to take action to prevent the possibility of reoccurrence. Karen Quinlan is an infamous case from the 1970’s. This woman was in a persistent vegetative state sustained by life-support. Her family petitioned the court to withdraw the ventilator machine, allowing her the right to die with dignity. The judge granted the family’s request to allow Karen the opportunity to breathe on her own or die with dignity. Karen continued to live in a coma for ten additional years. She survived those years with the assistance of a gastric feeding tube. Karen’s tragedy brought awareness to the importance of documenting individual’s end-of-life wishes. A health care directive is helpful in preventing the court system from making life and death decisions, such as in the case of Karen Quinlan. This document ensures a patient’s choices concerning life support are known—should they lapse into a coma. Executing a health care directive can be an example of voluntary passive euthanasia, while Karen Quinlan is an example of involuntary passive euthanasia. Jack Kevorkian provides a model for active voluntary euthanasia. Kevorkian assisted several people in the act of committing suicide. His patients sought his help in ending their lives to avoid prolonging their existence in an undignified manner. The case that brought infamy to Kevorkian was that of Janet Adkins. Adkins suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, and while she was still competent, she sought to end her own life. Many believe that â€Å"†¦when confronted with diseases or injuries that are incurable, untreatable, or poorly managed, patients may seek release from their suffering† (Harmon Sethi, 2011, p. 355). Although through unconventional means, Janet Adkins’ family was â€Å"grateful someone was willing to listen to and help a beloved member of their family† (Stutsman, 2013, p. 48). Media attention surrounding Jack Kevorkian, labeled Dr. Death, heightened awareness surrounding the rights of individual’s end-of-life decisions. Kevorkian challenged the ethical taboos surrounding assisted suicide. In doing so, however, he established a foundation for later decisions involving active euthanasia. Euthanasia provides a means to extinguish one’s life when they recognize the declining quality of their existence. Individuals seek to embrace life in whatever philosophical, religious, secular, or theoretical belief system they maintain. Failing health or unexpected circumstances influence these ideologies in the pursuit of the good life. In trying times, families are willing to consider drastic options. A terminally ill patient’s quality of life diminishes as their disease progresses. Family members do not wish to see their loved ones suffer with pain needlessly or persist in a vegetative coma for an undetermined amount of time. Allowing their loved ones to die, also relinquishes the families’ anguish of witnessing the lack of dignity. As the illness progresses, the body weakens and becomes frail. This â€Å"†¦frailty of the terminally ill [is] a reason why they need assistance in dying† (Durante, 2009, p. 28). Making the decision to end a family member’s life is not easy. Recognizing the difference between living with dignity, existing in a coma, or enduring pain and suffering, however, assists with easing the burden of making such a choice. Since dignity is a highly subjective term, â€Å"it is difficult to formulate a clear-cut and generally applicable definition† (van Gennip et. al. , 2013, p. 617). Terminally ill patients that present high anxiety symptoms would not necessarily be living in a dignified manner. On the other hand, terminally ill patients with feelings of peace and acceptance of their death are living with dignity. The state of mind in which the terminally ill patient exists transcends into the family member’s acceptance that their loved one is experiencing dignity. Certain individuals conceptualize dignity as maintaining the basic qualities of their abilities. Their capacity to function, both physically and cognitively, must remain intact. Patients interpret the loss of bodily functions as the transition phase from life to death. During an interview with an Alzheimer’s patient, a research study captured their view of dignity; â€Å"there is a little part of yourself, of your very own self, that has to keep functioning, otherwise†¦life would be†¦awful’’ (van Gennip, Pasman, Oosterveld-Vlug, Villems, Onwuteaka-Philipsen, 2013, p. 1084). Social aspects of daily living are equally important when integrating perceptions of dignity into a definition. The inability to interact with family, friends, or members of society impedes the quality of life for normally adjusted individuals. Persons with silent symptoms often experience lack of dignity as others may ignore or accuse them of faking their disability. For example, elderly individuals with early stages of dementia become isolated as social interactions with others prove to be challenging, especially with impatient people. Additional factors influencing dignity during the end stages of life include feelings of burden and the dependency on others for care. Terminal illness often requires professional oversight as the disease evolves. Medical staff routinely invades the privacy of an individual’s body with an assault of tubes and wires. The simple pleasures of taking a walk or eating a meal require assistance, that is, if an individual is even able to accomplish these basic tasks. A regimen of medications is necessary to survive, sometimes with side effects more lethal than the disease itself. The administrations of these medications are often through tubes taped to the inevitable collapsing veins. At this stage, palliative care is instrumental in maintaining the well-being of the patient. â€Å"Palliative care focuses on an individual’s comfort, relief of pain, control of symptoms, as well as psychological and spiritual support† (Nelson, 2013, p. 134). Palliative care is an extra layer of support provided by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, clergy, and other specialists. The palliative care team provides guidance with difficult decisions as well as emotional support while the patient is undergoing medical treatment. This care is appropriate at any stage of a serious illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of live for those nearing death. One of the objectives of this care is information gathering. Family members and the patients, if cognitively able, discuss matters of importance with the care team that will enhance the dignity of the terminally ill. Topics, such as the patient’s values and belief systems, are especially significant if conflict of viewpoints exists within the family structure. Hospitals must inform patients of any change in care as well as their rights to participate in treatment decisions and be able to complete a health care directive. Health care directives eliminate choices made by the family. Providing full disclosure of information to the patients allows them to process their impending death. Approaching death with acceptance is key to dignity. The palliative care team works with patients to assist them in easing into this emotional phase. Being at peace and accepting the fate of one’s own death contributes to the quality of life. A patient being â€Å" †¦in a peaceful state of mind and ready to die,†¦accepting things as they are, not feeling anxious or depressed, and having the opportunity to say goodbye to loved ones all contribute to a death that [is] dignified†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (van Gennip et. al. , 2013, p. 622). Death is certain. Dignity is not a guarantee due to the onset of conditions resulting in death. Society has recognized the need for assistance in this dilemma. Choices to end the indignity of suffering in pain or with cognitive impairments are now available. Oregon was the first state to pass legislature allowing physician assisted suicide. Washington and, most recently, Vermont also permit this action. As previously discussed, Jack Kevorkian laid the foundation for the acceptance of active euthanasia in the United States. The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg have also legalized physician-assisted suicide. Strict regulations are in force for this process, requiring more than one physician counseling individuals seeking active euthanasia. Providing palliative care treatment may avert many people from choosing physician assisted suicide. However, â€Å"a small percentage of dying patients will still experience suffering that can become intolerable and unacceptable, and a subset of those will want assistance helping death come earlier rather than later† (Quill, 2012, p. 58). The legalization of physician-assisted suicide is slowly expanding across the United States. Vermont, as of May 2013, is now the third state allowing this act. Even though active euthanasia has been an option for the terminally ill for over a decade, the number of individuals choosing this method remains low. Individuals who choose assistance with dying find comfort in recognizing that they now have options in their life. They are able to maintain a peaceful state of mind knowing they have the choice of when to end their pain and suffering. This decision is their final act of autonomy consistent with their personal values and beliefs. Having control over one’s life is essential, especially if the quality of life has diminished due to disease. Quality of life corresponds to pleasures such as love of family, friends, and security, while dignity in death corresponds to freedom from pain, suffering and debilitating disease. The end of suffering, whether it is the patient’s freedom from pain, or the family’s freedom from grief, is the ultimate goal in seeking dignity in death.

What are the shortcomings of the concept of tribe when describing the realities of African traditions Essay Example

What are the shortcomings of the concept of tribe when describing the realities of African traditions? Essay The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word tribe as A group of persons forming a community and claiming descent from a common ancestor or A particular race of recognized ancestry; a family1. The word has its etymology in pre-Roman history. The word tribus was used to describe three distinct groups of people, supposedly involved in the founding of Rome. When Western colonialists arrived in Africa, they needed a mechanism to describe the social structures they found. The familiarity of the concept and its connotations seemed perfectly apt for the situation they encountered in Africa. The term was a product of their Classical education, part of their mental furniture, and it was in this way that the term tribe came to be used to describe the people they found in Africa. They deemed tribes to be equally primitive and so in need of civilisation. Tribe could also be used as an administrative tool as a method of cultural imperialism to distance the other and integrate this alterity into a known anthropological or ethnographic framework. If we take the dictionary definitions of the word tribe at face value, it quickly becomes obvious that its application to social structures in Africa is, at best, tenuous. More importantly, it is critical to note that the term tribe is an historical construct deriving from a specific historical situation, i.e. that of Imperialism and as such is not very well suited to explaining very much beyond this specific historical situation. This essay will aim to elucidate this colonial preconception and argue that only by clearing away quintessentially colonialist stereotypes can we begin to understand the richness and diversity of African realities and the problematic dangers of its modern day usage We will write a custom essay sample on What are the shortcomings of the concept of tribe when describing the realities of African traditions? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What are the shortcomings of the concept of tribe when describing the realities of African traditions? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What are the shortcomings of the concept of tribe when describing the realities of African traditions? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Tribe is a derogatory and intellectually lazy term. Nowhere in the world, can we find a social group of common biological descent that shares a single history, a single language, that can be indentified as being a single political or economic unit with shared religious traditions or common cultural practices. Such entities simply do not exist. This is not an argument of semantics, but an example of what tribe is supposed to connote. It is convenient to think of African social structures in this way forgetting that tribes were a product of colonial partitioning of the continent. In the pre colonial state it is a truism that groupings existed whereby people spoke mutually intelligible dialects and their social customs grouped them into cohesive units, but these units were a mosaic of lineage groups, clans, villages, chiefdoms, kingdoms and empires, often with shifting and indeterminate frontiers and loose allegiances However during the partitioning of the continent when European diplomats drew straight lines on a map, the territories of these people were often bisected and trisected. It was a ruthless act of political amalgamation, whereby something of the order of 10,000 units were reduced to a mere 40. It was quite normal for a single one of the newly defined colonies to comprise two or three hundred earlier political groupings3. Colonial administrators wanted recognizable units they could control. The chief of a little-known group in Zambia once ventured to remark: My people were not Soli until 1937 when the Bwana D.C told us we were4. As such tribes as we perceive them dont exist. They not discrete single entities or coherent bodies of people. Identities in Africa are as diverse, ambiguous, complex, modern and changing as anywhere in the world. Before we wrote it, Africans had their own history, political and social structures. They were not primitive, just different to western notions of soc ial structures. This essay asks about the shortcomings of the word tribe in relation to African traditions. Taking the position that African traditions are the foundation of African history, which is essentially an oral tradition of myths and legends passed on from one generation to the next, it is hard to separate the African account from the western one. One cannot doubt that Africans have their own deeply rich history, but as a discipline, Africans writing their own history is relatively new. Post-colonial scholarship is now seeking to uncover other non-dominant voices in African History. The difficulty isolating what constitutes African traditions arises because a lot of what is documented was commissioned by colonial administrators and done so by missionaries or organizations like the Rhodes Livingstone institute, who as anthropologists didnt question their notion of tribe as they believed it was an inherent and pre-existing system/structure of social organization central to rural African lives . Missionaries often reduced Africas innumerable dialects to fewer written languages, each language supposedly defining a tribe. Yoruba, Igbo, Ewe, Shona and many other tribes were formed on this way5 When European administrators used the services of African intellectuals, they sometimes invented entirely new tribes such as the Abaluyia of western Kenya6. This demarcation was used as a tool to facilitate indirect rule. A central organizing concept in that notion of traditional African culture was of course that of the tribe7. These examples demonstrate the formation of tribalism and highlight the incongruities and questionable status of African history as we know it. Ultimately one might argue that the material this essay draws upon is fundamentally flawed. On the other hand acknowledging these limitations provide a basis for separating what really constitutes African history and tradition. It does not limit discussion on the broader topics of descent, linguistic and political structur e.