Abstract This paper presents presents a detailed discussion on why the use of tobacco should be made illegal. The writer takes the reader on an exploratory journey of the issue of tobacco and its addictive qualities. The writer details the health care issues associated with tobacco use, investigates the cost to taxpayers among other issues. The writer also discusses several proposals that may help to cut down or discourage tobacco use, including increased taxes, more coordinated governmental and international control over its distribution and the removal of legal protections for tobacco companies.
From the Paper "The outlawing of tobacco products would seriously cut down on the use of tobacco. Those who are stringent about obeying the law would find ways to stop and those who had not started would refuse to take up the habit. In addition it would allow the collection of funds for the purpose of furthering the campaign against its use. (Bigger, 1993) In 1990 alone tobacco use contributed to 400,000 deaths in the United States. This made it the leading cause of death, even more so than from guns or AIDS. This is reason enough to outlaw its use. The discovery in recent decades of the tobacco industry's purposeful addition of addictive chemicals to their product is enough to ban tobacco use in America. Tobacco use has no positive benefits at all."
Abstract This paper looks at the Italian Renaissance from a political science perspective with particular focus on Florence and the crisis of legitimacy of the Renaissance. In order to fully understand the politics of the times, the writer briefly examines the background of the Renaissance and why it started in the Italian city-state of Florence. The types of government and politics that developed during the period and the effect these developments had on European politics and history are also discussed.
From the Paper "Most scholars and historians are in general agreement that western civilization went into a cultural, political and intellectual decline following the eclipse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. The decline lasted through the so-called Middle Ages until a series of dynamic intellectual and cultural movements in Europe from the 14th to 16th century (the Renaissance or "re-birth") acting as a bridge between the classical and the modern age catapulted Europe towards rapid development leading to the Age of Enlightenment, the industrial revolution and the present times. The origin of Renaissance is said to be Italy, with its center of gravity the city-state of Firenze (Florence, in English), although the movement later spread to the rest of Europe. The period of Renaissance is also notable for having produced several remarkable persons such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1516 AD)?the great painter, scholar, inventor and Niccolo Machiavelli (1569-1527)?the brilliant historian and political thinker."
Abstract This paper presents an overview of Locke's theories as outlined in his essay. His arguments against a priori knowledge and the effects of his ideas on scientific thought are discussed. Cross-cultural, psychological, sociological, and developmental examples Locke gives to back up his theories are presented.
From the Paper "?I deny not that there are natural tendencies imprinted on the minds of men; and that from the very first instances of sense and perception, there are some things that are grateful and others unwelcome to them...but this makes nothing for innate characters on the mind,? (An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, I, ii, 3). With his Essay, John Locke effectively set the stage for the acceptance and practice of empiricism and the scientific method. Distancing himself from rationalists stemming back from Plato, the English philosopher argued against deductive reasoning pointing to a priori knowledge. Locke asserts throughout the Essay that the mind at birth is a blank slate and that none of our ideas are imprinted by either divine or natural sources. There are no prefabricated principles extant in the mind. Indeed, human beings can feel hunger, thirst, and pain, but our ideas about the world are based directly on sensory experiences. Hence, empiricism was born. Locke's arguments prove in many ways superior to those positions he refutes, for induction from the actual to the speculative supersedes deduction from the abstract to the real. The first book of the Essay comprises several chapters devoted to the refutation of the ?received doctrine that men have native ideas, and original characters, stamped upon their minds,? (II, i, 1). Following this undermining of established philosophical principles, Locke proceeds to describe how the mind does obtain its knowledge of the world in Book 2: ?all ideas come from sensation or reflection,? (II, i, 2). Sensory data precedes the formulation of ideas; our ideas do not and should not create our conception of reality."
Tags: empiricism, deductive, reasoning, tabula rasa, perception, experience, mind, consciousness, born
Abstract This paper examines the Jacksonian Democrats, who saw themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberties and equality of economic opportunity. The paper describes how they destroyed aristocracy in American during the antebellum period.
From the Paper "During antebellum America, the Jacksonian Democrats were created. This was a group that viewed themselves as protectors of the common people. A powerful executive whose goal was to destroy aristocracy in America, Andrew Jackson, ruled the Jacksonian Democrats. (Schlesinger)
Strangely, this group was not made up of the common people. The Jacksonian Democrats were a wealthy group that supported equality between white men, enacted radical economic policies, and disregarded any capabilities of the federal government. Many say that the group was not the introducers of democracy in America but rather users of the system for their own benefit."
Tags: indian, native, american, antebellum, equality, democracy, tariff, south, north
Abstract This paper describes the emergence of different types of pornography since its inception and analyzes how it has been regulated and its affect on society as a whole.
From the Paper "The first definition found of pornography dates from 1806 (Hunt, 1996). This writer divided what we call pornography into three categories, two of them not related to sex: religious, political and moral. Because of pornography's emergence as a vehicle for criticism and its production by the most radical thinkers in a time of great change, it was viewed as a threat to the status quo, which was its authors intent (Hunt, 1996). Pornography began more as attacks on those in power than attacks on the concept of ?decency.? Thus, as Hunt reports, the history of pornography rapidly became the history of attempts to regulate pornography."
An examination of the contribution made by President Truman to the United States and its foreign policy and how other presidents have continued his legacy.
Abstract This paper presents a review of the main development in U.S. history under President Harry S. Truman from 1945-1951. It explores his foreign policy during the post WW II era and shows the many precedents he set. The writer then examines several of the Presidents who took office after Truman and how his foreign policy and legacy influenced their decision making policies. Presidents examined are Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Ford, Reagan, Bush and Clinton.
From the Paper "President Harry S. Truman is considered by many to be one of the greater Presidents of the United States. Truman was Vice President for a few weeks before he became President on April 12, 1945. During his term as Vice President, he saw little of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was not briefed on the development of the atomic bomb or of the United States? problems with Soviet Russia. When he became President, these problems became life. Truman later told reporters, "I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me." (Cochran, 1973)"
Abstract This paper attempts to understand the role of the WTO in dispute resolutions. It looks at the extent to which the verdicts of the WTO are put into effect, thereby justifying its existence. By reviewing an article published in The Economist, (03-04-2000) ?Trade: A tussle over tax.? Vol. 354, the paper determines the actual role of the WTO. It focuses on how the author of the article creates the view that the U.S. power does not allow the WTO to be as independent as it should be. This is illustrated through the case study of the complaint lodged by the EU against the U.S. tax laws.
From the Paper "Disputes are common amongst the international communities as nations strive to create a society where their own citizens can live in the best manner possible. At times this need to strive for success creates a dispute as one nation or another does not define progress and success in the same manner as the other. In order to resolve these disputes no matter how petty we have organizations like the World Trade Organizations (WTO) that were created after the world saw and was aghast at the destruction of World War II. To avoid another widespread war these organizations negotiate, mediate and arbitrate between the various stakeholders and try to come to a peaceful solution. Yet, with the number of disputes rising people have begun to question the effectiveness of such organizations. Considering that the current international relations scenario is based on economics and trade and key words like Globalization are the basis of progress it would seem that the WTO would have an integral role to play. Yet, many fear that the effectiveness."
Abstract The paper investigates the causes, objectives and results of the Vietnamese Revolution of 1945, led by Ho Chi Mingh, in reaction to years of slavery inflicted by French imperialists.
From the Paper "The Vietnamese revolutionaries had many objectives. First, and foremost, they sought to free Vietnam from the rule of oppressive French imperialism, and subsequent Japanese occupation. The Revolutionaries sought not only to free themselves from oppression, but to create a great society of equality, where no person was superior to each other. The Revolutionaries wanted to improve the living conditions of the common people, and free them from slavery and poor working conditions. This communist objective led the Revolutionaries to attempt to create a state where all citizens were equal."
Abstract A paper which shows how the people actively involved with the gay rights movement may be highly organized and their objectives legitimate, but they are still considered a threat to traditional family values and "normal" sexual lives of other citizens. The paper discusses how the discovery of the deadly disease AIDS was yet another severe setback for the Gay rights movements, as the disease came to be linked to the gays, so much so, that AIDS was termed as a gay disease. Although the movement for the rights of gays has had its share of successes and failures, it has yet to see the movement converted into state legislation. The paper discusses sexual orientation, the HIV factor and the creation of resource centers and movements.
From the Paper "One of the achievements in this field was the creation of a resource center called the Office of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual (GLB) Student Support Services, with private funding, by the Indiana University Bloomington. It's principle objective was to serve the community of the university, with detailed information and resources on gays, lesbians, and bisexual issues, as well as offering information, support and referral for lesbian, gays and bisexual individuals. This center also refers students who have been harassed because of their sexual orientation to their GLB Anti-Harassment Team, which then assists the affected individuals, by finding a solution to their situation, and documents the incidents to ward off any future harassment. The benefits which have been highlighted by the opening up of resources centers such as stated above, is the creation of a support culture, which successfully helps those in need and guidance. [4]"
Tags: non-heterosexual, gays, lesbians, Anti-Harassment, Team, Censorship, GLAAD, Ellen, DeGeneres
Abstract The paper examines abolitionism which was a key issue in electoral politics during the thirty years that lead to the Civil War. It shows that most historians use the term abolitionism to refer to antislavery activism between the early 1830s, when William Lloyd Garrison began publishing "The Liberator", and the Civil War. It discusses too, the difference between abolitionism, a morally grounded and adamant social reform movement, from political antislavery"represented, for example, by the Free Soil or Republican parties"which promoted more restricted political solutions, such as keeping slavery out of the Western territories, and was more open to conciliation.
From the Paper "Abolitionism was never a independent or singular movement. It included a bewildering collection of national, state, and local organizations, opposing policies, and clashing personalities. Abolitionists are commonly depicted as benevolent white people deeply concerned with the well-being of enslaved blacks, symbolized by such activists as Garrison and Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852). In fact, a great number of abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, were African American. Free blacks in the North were stalwart in their commitment to the cause and provided a uneven share of the movement's financial funding."
Abstract This paper focuses on the airline transport and airport security anti-terrorist steps recently implemented. Three policies were introduced by President Bush - "Federal Grant Program to Strengthen Aircraft Security"; "Expanded Federal Air Marshal Program" and increased passenger security while in the airport. It looks at the advantages and disadvantages of these programs.
From the Paper "The aftermath of the World Trade Center bombing in New York City last September 11, 2001 made the US government formulate numerous precautions and measures that will prevent and eliminate the possibility of a terrorist attack to happen again. One of the preventive measures the US government has set up was to think of national policies in airline transportations and airports that will bring security and safety to the consumers and crew of the airline company. Three major steps were delivered by US President George W. Bush that will help attain the said objectives, that of the people and crew's safety and security."
Abstract This paper examines the writings of Aristotle and Plato on the subject of equality of all individuals versus the needs of society to be led by the best and brightest. A discussion is presented of the compromises made by contemporary American society, as a democracy, in order to acknowledge the importance of an elite.
From the Paper "We may begin our discussion with Aristotle's Nicomachean Nicomachean , which he wrote in 350 b.c. The treatise covers a range of topics, but focuses on the ways in which both a person's character and his or her intelligence are related to the chance that that person has in life to be both happy and virtuous. Aristotle's definition of "virtue" (like that of his contemporaries) was different from the ways in which we in general today define the term: It was more inclusive, perhaps being more akin to our idea of conscience or morality. In this treatise, Aristotle outlines two different kinds of virtue (which we might also translate simply as excellence): moral virtue and intellectual virtue. Moral virtue, for Aristotle, is an outgrowth of an individual's character and comes about through a lifetime of decisions and actions. In other words, for Aristotle, moral virtue is effected by the accumulation of a person's repeated and habitual choices: We make ourselves into virtuous (or unvirtuous) people by acting or failing to act in virtuous ways whenever we are presented with the chance to do so."
Abstract An essay focusing on the long and arduous process of getting elected President. Compares the elections of 1968 and 1992, both of which featured a strong third-party candidate who threatened to steal the presidency.
From the Paper "Being a citizen of the United States affords one with many opportunities that are sometimes taken for granted. As American citizens, we have the opportunity to vote for many offices at the national, state, and local levels. However, the election of the president of the United States every four years is undeniably the most important part of the American political process."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of politics and justice in Greek and Roman literature and its reflection in western civilization. It discusses the works of Plato, Aristotle and Socrates. The paper explores the common issues of ancient and modern society: human rights, political systems and equality.
From the Paper "Since the beginning of time mankind has continued to evolve and change to suit its needs. The laws, mores and norms that mankind has put in place often have to do with history and lessons learned in the past. Some of the ways the western world functions come from modern need but often times the functions, expectations and standards stem from periods long ago. The ancient Greeks and ancient Romans created societies that many believe were extremely advanced for their time. Many of things that those societies and cultures followed are still used in modern western civilization today."
Tags: plato, aristotle, socrates, human, rights, political, systems, equality, society
Abstract This paper shows how the rights to due process is an inalienable human right. Various landmark cases are presented to reinforce the statement that "due process" is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution. Includes cases that date back to Barron vs. Baltimore of 1833 all the way to present day court cases.
From the Paper "Due process is a major fabric in the quilt of the United States Constitution. It is an important right, which without it the United States would be similar to other countries that lack the Constitutional protections that we offer. The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is a major fabric that is of utmost importance because it places limitations on the government from taking our life, liberty and property without a trial or investigation. Protection of liberty is what the 14th and the 5th amendment is trying to protect based on the natural law traditions. Natural law is the tradition that humans have inalienable rights that cannot be taken by the government or any other entity, public or private. The historical traditions that go back to the days of the Hamurrabi codes have shown that there must be some type of timely manner and notification before the government can take any of your inalienable rights."
