Abstract
Michael Bratman, in his book Faces of Intention" offers a theory of identification with desires that states that "To identify with a certain desire, one needs to decide to treat it as reason-giving in some relevant practical reasoning and to be satisfied with that decision." After explaining Bratman's view in depth and the related views of Harry Frankfurt and J. David Vellemon, this paper presents an entire class of desires that by Bratman's definition should be desires that one identifies with but which in reality are not. This involves presenting examples of desires that one identifies with but that one would not treat as reason-giving in terms of his actions; that is, desires that one identifies with but would never reasonably act on. Some objections to the counterexamples are made by the author (some of which Bratman makes in his book and some of which he actually made to the author personally in the class this paper was writer for) and provides responses to them.

From the Paper
"As demonstrated by the writings of Michael Bratman, Harry Frankfurt, and J. David Velleman, explicitly defining what it means to identify with a desire has been no easy task for even the most prominent names in philosophy of action. The difficulties encountered in characterizing how we identify with certain desires and distance ourselves from others are not surprising when one considers how vague our intuitions are about the subject. There does not seem to be any simple, commonsense notion of what it means to identify with a desire nor is there an easy way to formally characterize classes, or even instances, of desires that we do or do not hold as really being "ours." In the end, "our intuitions seem to be able to tell us for sure only that there are desires we have that we do not identify with. And when one considers how little sense it seems to make that we should have such desires to begin with, it easy to see that one trying to offer a definition for identifying with a desire has an uphill battle in front of him. In this paper, I will consider one such definition offered by Bratman and show that it does not quite win this battle. After explaining Bratman's view, I will give a counterexample to his theory that highlights an entire class of desires that are not captured by his definition of identification. I will then respond to possible objections to this class of counterexamples and conclude by considering a shortcoming in Bratman's view that I believe leads to the problematic examples that I present."

Tags:actions, desire, frankfurt, identification, reasons, vellemon

From the Paper
"This paper will be concerned with the ways in which television manipulates or satisfies the desires and expectations of its viewers.

Television is first and foremost a business. Therefore, one of the most important goals of television programming is to keep viewers watching through the commercials. In recent years, television advertisements have sought to become as entertaining as the programs they sponsor. In this way, it is hoped that the viewer will not "zap" the commercials by switching channels.

Just as television's programmers and advertisers have their agenda for appealing to viewers, the viewers themselves have their own particular desires and expectations for watching TV. Many people watch television because they want to be informed and entertained. However, it can also be seen that television ... "

Abstract
The paper analyzes Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire," and the destruction of the three main characters of Blanche, Stella and Stanley by their inability to control their sexual desires. The writer discusses how Blanche ultimately goes mad, Stella retreats into this naive world and STanley becomes the animal Blanche seemed to unleash in him. The way Blanche got to New Orleans and the name of the street all three live on is also discussed.

From the Paper
"Bathing and drunkenness are two common threads exposing sexual tension in the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Even the title of the play suggests the sexual tension between the characters. There are three main characters in the play: Blanche, Stella and Stanley. All three are driven by their sexual desire. Blanche is running away from her past that is filled with sexual promiscuity including a sexual relationship with one of her male students. Stella is so attracted to Stanley physically that she loses all perspective regarding her sister and her marriage. Stanley is a dockworker so filled with sexual prowess that...."

Tags:instinct, desire, dead

Abstract
The paper analyzes how both religions teach to relinquish desires, attachments and wishful expectations. These traditions also emphasize the principle of compassion. The paper argues that these dual emphases are compatible, since there must be a harmony between action and inner beliefs.

Tags:taoism, buddhism, desire

Abstract
This paper provides an essay that explains human desires and instincts for survival and their connection to evolution. The paper also addresses how these instincts and desires that are evolved from years of existence must be moderated by contemporary human beings to create homeostasis within the individual.

From the Paper
"Basic human desires are instinctual and evolutionary in nature including the drive for survival, food and shelter. All human beings have an arsenal of instincts that help us survive, ones that are evolved from our ancestors' efforts to survive. The human is defenseless when born, compared to most other animals. Therefore a baby's piercing cry that can reach decibels equivalent to a pneumatic drill is a survival instinct that helps human babies get protection, food and attention. Another strong human desire..."

Tags:fear, discipline, animals, food, hunger, shelter, materialism, emotions

Abstract
This paper provides a comparative review of Charlotte Perkins Gillman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and James Joyce's "Araby," with a focus on unattainable desires. The paper clarifies that the novels' characters are entrenched in the need for more in one's life, and the inability to move from one's social position. The paper explains that both main characters, who consistently narrate the stories, grapple with their monotonous day-to-day lives by hoping and wishing for that which they cannot attain. In the case of Gillman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", the paper add, the main female character dreams of freedom from the oppression of her husband, while in Joyce's "Araby" the young man yearns for the affection of a young girl to whom he has never spoken. The paper notes that both seem like simple aspirations; however, because of the social setting of these stories, and specifically the classism the main characters are forced to adhere to, these desires are far from easily reached. The paper concludes that the negative endings of the stories are very harsh social critiques and to a certain extent still remain true for societies today; they are a reminder of what can happen to those who are oppressed, whether it is by individual people or by society itself.

From the Paper
"However, the ugly wallpaper to which she is referring becomes accommodating, a sentient being to which she can relate. She begins to see other women weaving in and out of the wallpaper; struggling to get out of their form and be let free into the world around them. These women slither and creep as they search for an exit, one that seems non-existent. It is not until the nameless woman comes to the realization that she is in fact the woman in the wallpaper that she becomes free of the depression that plagues her and the ever-present oppression of her husband, John. The tone of the nameless woman becomes empowered; through her insanity she has found peace of mind. There is no space in society for the insane, therefore this woman is now freer then she could ever hope to be in the reality which she was part of."

Tags:classism, social, position, hierarchy, oppression, sexism, insanity, freedom

Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of the play in terms of the theme of desire. The characters are probed and shown to demonstrate, each in their own way, the main desire of the play, lust and greed for material wealth. The desire for love in the play is also explored.

From the Paper
"All the characters of the play desire to own the farm. They plot and scheme against each other for its ownership. But then love envelopes them and their desires take them to other emotional and dangerous extremes.

"Eugene O'Neil's "Desire Under The Elm" revolves around the concept of desire. There are several states of desire that are revealed by the characters of the play. The three main characters portray their desire and passion in different categories and stages of emotional expressions. The main desire in the play however is the lust and greed for material wealth. All the characters namely Eben, Abbie and Ephraim display the desire for owning the farm eminently and it is the emotional desire and want for the ownership of the property that turns them into evil-minded characters. In the backdrop of the play is the desire and passion of love which ultimately forces the two characters Eben and Abbie to realize that there is a more powerful desire in love than the desire for property, love which takes them into a totally different direction altogether."

Tags:love, wealth, ownership, emotion, danger, passion, surrender

Abstract
This paper looks at Eugene O'Neil's classic drama, "Desire Under the Elms" and allusions that are made to the Bible. The author pays close attention to the significance of Ephraim Cabot's name and his connection to the land, the similarities between Jacob and Eben in their attempt to secure their birthright, and a perversion of the Adam/Eve account in the relationship between Eben and Abbie.

From the Paper
"While most critics will attribute O'Neil's styling to that of Greek tragedy, I feel that in many cases we can see that it goes back much further. Although he never professed a need for a "god" within his life, it is quite obvious that he often times chose to draw upon many of the tragedies found within the pages of the Bible for his inspiration. His repeated consideration of godlike figureheads was perhaps a means by which he attempted to come to a better understanding of the plague of the human condition. O'Neil once said, "Obsessed by a fairy tale, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace." Since his life was for the most part devoid of peace, much of his writing ended up being somewhat cathartic in nature. It is no surprise then that the Bible, which has always addressed the age old questions and concerns of man, figures so highly in much of his work."

Tags:20th, bedford, century, drama, eugene, o'neil, eben, abbie, ephraim, eden

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that in Margaret Laurence's 1975 novel 'The Diviners', desire becomes a vehicle of feminist and personal liberation for the middle-aged protagonist, Morag Gunn. The writer notes that more than anything, Morag desires to find a true, rather than a false identity. The writer maintains that it is not the content of her work, but Margaret Laurence's wisdom, mixed with irony and humor, that brings insight to the reader. The writer concludes that the author writes in favor of a mature decision to cease to yearn for external change, and to satisfy one's desire through internal reflection.

From the Paper
"But it is not movement that gives her peace. Rather it is actively seeking peaceful solitude within, not finding elevated social status or fulfillment in her marital or extramarital relationships. Changing her external geography is not a complete form of self-actualization for the protagonist. The novel stresses that the liberating power of desire is not only found in sexuality or a change of place for a woman, but simply a desire to achieve a complete sense of identity and selfhood in solitude can be just as empowering.
"Morag's desire for authentic selfhood shows her continually wrestling with what society construes as status, and what she believes has real worth and merit. For example, initially, Morag sought her self-actualization through her desire to experience life outside of a provincial town and outside of a life limited by education. But this mode of liberation became stifling because of the relationship she had with her husband, even though he taught at a university. She was still constrained by feelings of inferiority and a sense that she was not living her own life."

Tags:Morag, internal, reflection, relationship

Abstract
The paper examines "The Importance of Being Earnest", by Oscar Wilde and "The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus", by Christopher Marlowe and shows how both of the main characters in the works, Jack and Dr. Faustus, are men that are driven by needs and desires. The paper illustrates how each author brings out the danger of seeking something that does not belong to us, the poor choices desire causes us to make, and the influence society has on the human psyche's desire.

From the Paper
"Both plays explore the dangers of seeking something that does not belong to you and should not belong to you. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Jack desperately wants a life that is different from his own. He goes to great extremes to make this double life as real as possible. He secretly detests the Victorian values that he outwardly respects and honors. Jack is clearly a hypocrite but he likes it that way. As Earnest, he can live the life he desires without tarnishing the reputation of good Jack. His explanation for his double life is, that a "high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very much to either one's health or one's happiness" (Wilde 670)."

Tags:psyche, emotions