Abstract This paper is a philosophical evaluation of the story of Medea. The paper argues that this was not a sudden act, and that Medea's emotional state had led her to act rashly in the past, although this time she went beyond all expectations. Her emotions of anger and love controlled her, and eventually led her to murder her children to avenge her husband Jason's actions.
From the paper:
"Stoic philosophers, such as Seneca, believe that emotions, both good and bad, should be suppressed in order to make reasonable and rational judgments. Those who use emotions as a basis for their actions are not following this philosophy on life, and therefore they would lead a corrupted life filled with misguided actions. A perfect example of how emotions can corrupt a person's life is the tragedy of Medea. She killed her children to revenge her husband from leaving her family so he could regain his stature as royalty by marrying the daughter of King Kreon of Corinth. Medea's act of revenge against her husband analyzed through a stoic's perspective leads to the conclusion that she was culpable of her crime."
Abstract This paper discusses the play, "Hamlet," by William Shakespeare, claiming that the fear of culpability and having to answer to the community is much greater for Hamlet than fear of the law and even fear of God. The paper contends that, by virtue of answering only to an abstract other, Hamlet answers only to himself. The paper explains that his fear of being held responsible is a fear mediated by an unspecified community that is never seen, yet never disregarded. The absence of a specific general community shows that the culpability Hamlet so fears is as unfixed and intangible to him as his own personality.
From the Paper "Shakespeare's play Hamlet presents the audience with a protagonist who defines himself by what he does not want to be. When pressed towards action, Hamlet will often think less about what to do and more often about how what he will do is to be perceived by others. This persistent reliance upon definition of character through the negation of action seems to be tied to Hamlet's fear of culpability that, like the ghost of his father, haunts him throughout the course of the play. This is quite an immature posture for a thirtysomething Prince, and indeed can easily be read as childishness. The nature of his childishness is not the simply the result of immaturity, however, but the result of a growing concern about light being cast on the horrible revenge he thinks about and acts towards achieving but never fully does. Hamlet's fear of being seen as a culpable entity, particularly in the case of his desire to murder Claudius, causes problems because it makes him impotent to action and this impotence makes him a wildly unfocused character who is, in the final estimation, deeply shallow."
A discussion of the discovery of mad cow disease, to the present, and the role the media/government has played in control, prevention, and the dissemination of information.
Abstract Examines the treatment of Mad-cow disease in the media, and by the government.
Discusses the following topics
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Scrapie
What Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Do
Two Theories on the Action of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
British Government Admits Mad Cow Disease Exists (1987)
Testing Results by the British government MAFF
Culpability of the British Medical Society
The Spread of CJD
Steps Taken by the British Government
From the Paper "Where the industry has gone wrong is in listening to the PR people. The mad-cow epidemic is not an information management issue?it is a disease that will not go away.? These words are from an interview with Dr. Pringle, a member of the Sperling Biomedical Foundation, and the founder of www.mad-cow.org. I believe that they highlight what has been fundamentally wrong about the treatment of mad-cow disease by the British government and the British media. Several grave errors have been made about the treatment of this issue, and they continue to have repercussions today, as we explore America's mad-cow incidents, and rising problems in Europe, Asia, and South America. At the time this paper was written, mad cow disease had been confirmed in domestic cattle in Belgium, France, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain and Germany."
A literary and historical analysis of the appropriate levels of blame that should be affixed to Dido and Aeneas, two of the primary characters in Virgil's epic Latin poem "The Aeneid."
Abstract An analysis of the joint culpability of Dido and Aeneas, both of whom are responsible for their illicit relationship and yet who are also both victims of the forces of fate. This essay examines, by means of a close analysis of literary devices, Virgil's biased presentation of the story of Dido and Aeneas and offers an alternative reading that is nevertheless grounded in the text of "The Aeneid." Includes quotations from the Latin text (as well as English translations of these quotations) in support.
From the Paper "One of the most powerful natural human tendencies in reaction to any great trouble or tragedy is to attempt to assign blame. In searching for the causes of problems in life, we often try to blame the faults or shortcomings of others in order to absolve ourselves of guilt and set our minds and our consciences at ease. Even when considering tragedies or problems with which we have no personal connection, we feel an overwhelming urge to simplify, explain, and resolve the situation by affixing culpability. However, in doing so we frequently overlook extenuating circumstances and allow ourselves to succumb to narrow, biased interpretations of these circumstances. We simply cannot seem to accept the fundamental truth that in some of the greatest tragedies of life, everyone and yet no one is truly to blame. The story of Dido and Aeneas in Virgil's Aeneid epitomizes this truth; Dido and Aeneas are both equally to blame, and yet neither is truly deserving of blame because both were victims of fate and forces beyond their control."
Abstract This is a criminal law theory paper which talks about the need for a voluntary act to have taken place before culpability can be ascertained. The question at hand is whether or not it is necessary for the voluntary act requirement to be present within the criminal law. It addresses what the voluntary act requirement is, whether there any other aspects of law that must be considered and what effect the voluntary act requirement has on criminal liability.
From the Paper "An actor can not be held responsible for the occurrence of an act that they are not responsible for or were completely unable to prevent. The prior example shows for the need to look the voluntary act requirement in conjunction with that of culpability and intention. At is most basic level A's actions can be considered as voluntary and the outcome can be attributed prima facia to A. However, this is ignoring a very important aspect, that of intention. It could be argued here using Glanville Williams point that if '[the] person in question could have refrained from [the act] if he so willed' then this act could be considered as involuntary. This is backed up by Harris who posits that an act needs to be a deliberate exercise of will."
Abstract The paper reviews the life of a Nazi diplomat, Franz Von Papen, who was a lifelong apologist for the Nazi regime, through his autobiography. The writer applies Hartmann's theory of personalities to an analysis of Von Papen's life, in particular to various apologetics and excuses that Von Papen offers for his actions. The paper shows Von Papen to have "thick" boundaries in Hartmann's usage, and shows that this application is corroborated by one of Maslow's theories. In conclusion, the writer shows that Von Papen was culpable for his own actions, despite any excuses or apologies he might have made to the contrary.
From the Paper "The key to understanding people like von Papen, who were high-born, a sort of non-royal elite, was that the Germanic trait they inherited was obedience to authority. Von Papen considered himself a Monarchist who ended up serving a non-monarchist government. Dr. Earnest Hartmann, whose theories define much of personality in terms of "boundaries", would consider von Papen as having a "thick boundary": "people who strike us as being very solid and well organized... They seem rigid, even armored; we sometimes speak of them as 'thick-skinned'."
Abstract This paper discusses the insanity defense in American law. The paper explains that, in order to be morally culpable, a person must have awareness of the moral value of their actions. The paper then focuses on the case of Andrea Yates who killed all five of her children. It discusses her plea of insanity and describes how it was viewed and put into play during her trial.
From the Paper "The issue of responsibility was a key issue in the first trial with her husband blaming the psychiatrists, and the psychiatrists blaming the husband. This blame game seemed to play into the hands of the insanity defense. The husband, Russell Yates, was told that if Andrea Yates had more children it would cause her to have a psychotic episode, but this warning was not followed and Andrea had another child, her fifth (8). But the husband claimed that the psychiatrists should have been better able to keep her condition from going out of control, and that they should have kept her on the medication that he thought would work."
Abstract This paper is a brief review of a tort case in which a young child was injured as the result of an improperly fastened load. The paper suggests that the individual who advised the proprietor on the matter was more culpable than the actual owner of the rig - and that driver, by virtue of his actions, was also culpable for the child's injuries. The paper suggests, ultimately, that restitution for the emotional duress of some of the witnesses will be inevitable.
From the Paper "There can be little doubt that tort negligence is a significant and complex part of the legal canon. This paper will examine tort law as it relates to the particular case of Malcolm v. Neil. More specifically, this paper will examine the culpability of Malcolm (and of Neil) and attempt to determine the extent to which both parties are responsible to Peter and to Oliver and Rachel - and the extent to which Neil is responsible to Malcolm. In the final analysis, it appears that the laws governing tort negligence allow Neil very little defense for his actions. To begin with, there is t he matter of "fore-seeability". The modern conception of foreseeability dates back to 1932 when Lord Atkin, offering his opinion in the case of Donoghue v. Stevenson held that individuals "must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions.""
Abstract This paper addresses the wide range of studies which indicate that rates of violent crime have increased signigicantly within Western society since the 1960s. The author argues that the fluid nature of violence over time are not taken into account in these studies and looks at possible reasons why.
From the paper:
"Open any newspaper, or tune in to any news broadcast today, and you will receive accounts of many incidents of violence. Over time these incidents will take on any number of forms. Any specific incident, which occurs, especially in the case of murder, will almost certainly be disseminated on the news. These incidents will include homicides, violence against women, violence by and against children, labour violence and violence in the workplace, violence perpetrated by police officers, and non-culpable forms of violence such as car accidents, and wars (Ross, 1995). This coverage is conducive in adding to the position held by many in the media that violence in Canada is more widespread than it was fifty years ago. They would argue that ?Canada of the early twenty-first century is a more violent place in which to live than Canada in the 1950s."
Abstract The paper shows that the story of the original sin was a vitally important one for Christians throughout history, and in the extensively Christian world for which William Shakespeare wrote, its absolute truth went unquestioned. The paper discusses how in many ways, the play "Othello" may be seen as a political, emotional, and tragic response to the same questions of knowledge, culpability and death that this creation myth inspires. It shows how the serpent, Iago, convinces the original and ideal man to rebel against god in search of knowledge that he ought not have, and which will only destroy him: Thus Othello falls from strength and purity to weakness, depravity, and death.
From the Paper "Act III, Scene III, is by far the most loaded and pivotal scene in the play. It is in this scene that Othello is truly seduced to take the forbidden fruit in his hand and to let that "green-eyed monster" of jealousy to run loose in his heart. Like a newly created creature, at the beginning of the seen he is a lighthearted 16 year old bridegroom. Certainly he has seen his share of the world, won battles and undergone dire straits, but he is still in many ways childlike and innocent. "
Examines the history of fashion, psychological effects on the public, sociocultural aspects, selling of body images, impact of the industry and advertising on adolescent girls, anorexia and bulimia.
5,625 words (approx. 22.5 pages), 26 sources, 1999, $ 135.95
Abstract The purpose of this research is to examine connections between the policies, strategies, and practices of the fashion industry and the phenomenon of eating disorders. The plan of the research will be to set forth the background and context in which such connections can be credibly made and then to discuss the extent to which compelling evidence exists that there is fashion-industry culpability in the reach and severity of eating disorders.
From the Paper "The purpose of this research is to examine connections between the policies, strategies, and practices of the fashion industry and the phenomenon of eating disorders. The plan of the research will be to set forth the background and context in which such connections can be credibly made and then to discuss the extent to which compelling evidence exists that there is fashion-industry culpability in the reach and severity of eating disorders, where such disorders can be interpreted as a response of fashion-industry customers to social and cultural norms that the industry either shapes or leads.
The influence of the fashion industry on medical pathology that arises from eating pathology cannot be understood without an appreciation of the ability of cultural norms to influence a whole range of human behavior within that culture. Equally ..."
From the Paper "In the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle carefully considers the issue of responsibility and finds that the human being is indeed responsible for his or her actions and may be morally culpable even for unintended consequences. This applies both to the private conduct of individuals and to the conduct of legislators acting for the public good. For Aristotle, acting unjustly is tantamount to wishing to act unjustly. The individual is responsible both for his or her moral disposition and also for the manner in which moral questions are decided by him or her. Indeed, this is seen as a natural process so that the individual is born with the ability to differentiate between good and evil. For Aristotle, it does not matter whether the individual is born capable of differentiating good from evil or that this is ingrained by society over time as the individual grows."
Abstract The British government has been intimately and disastrously involved in Ireland for centuries. This paper examines the divisions between Roman Catholics and Protestants that culminated in the division of the island into two separate political entities. It commences with the Act of Union (1801) that united Ireland and Great Britain and concludes with partition, political formalization of the cleavages, in the twentieth century.
Abstract This paper examines Adolf Eichmann's rationalization for his participation in the Holocaust. Eichmann argues that he was not culpable as he was only following orders. This paper examines that assertion in light of Weber's theories of bureaucracy.
Abstract The essay discusses Nikita Mikhalkov's "Burnt by the Sun" and argues that "the sun of the revolution" of 1917 burnt everyone in some way, either ending or tragically altering their lives. Along with victimhood and persecution, the paper also addresses the motif of Stalin's omnipresence, which permeates the film.
From the Paper "On November 7th, 1917 the Bolshevik Revolution took place in Russia, displacing the provisional government and putting Vladimir Lenin at the helm of the newly formed communist state. The years that followed saw the country torn apart by a brutal civil war that left no village untouched and no family unmarked. Then came the collectivization campaign, dekulakization, purges of the military and the accumulation of the slave work force in the labor camps. Some twenty years after Red soldiers and sailors secured the Winter Palace and the Bolsheviks seized power, millions of Russians were dead, imprisoned or exiled. However everyone, without exception was in some way burnt by the sun of the Revolution. Nikita Mikhalkov's film "Burnt By The Sun" (1994) is a stirring account of one family's tragic downfall in the purges of the 1930s. Mikhalkov, one of Russia's most prolific filmmakers, illustrates that no matter what side of the repressions one ended up, he was interminably a sufferer, whether on behalf of the system or a more direct casualty of it. While the director is careful not to argue for moral equivalence between the characters, there is nonetheless an unmistakable theme of widespread persecution under the cult of Stalin that permeates every aspect of life."
