Abstract
The paper references Plato's "The Republic", and focuses on Socrates' beliefs that out of four degenerate polises or cities, the democratic polis is the second-worst. This paper examines the reasons behind Socrates' decision, in addition to considering the characteristics of his ideal city, known as the kallipolis.

From the Paper
"Examining the characteristics of the degenerate polises and the ideal city designed by Socrates, the essay will attempt to uncover the reasons behind the mentioned philosopher's disapproval of democracy. Focus will be given to the human desires that a polis's inhabitants may experience, namely..."

Tags:socrates, republic, democracy

Abstract
This paper focuses on the role of technology in education, leaning toward concern that many young Americans are convinced that a higher education is not necessary in today's technological world, due to already possessing the skills needed for a huge selection of technology-based jobs. On the other side of the argument, the paper continues, almost every corporation in the United States that manufacturers and distributes computer-based technology equipment and software agree that technology is a necessary part of today's complicated world and that technology will help to advance education rather than destroy or erode young people's interest in obtaining a traditional education. The paper concludes with the claim that a number of American educators are convinced that the U.S. Department of Education and its affiliates are currently involved in a massive conspiracy to purposely cause young people and students to lose interest in obtaining a traditional education at the university level.

From the Paper
"With these two aspects of the question in mind, it is quite obvious that students, particularly in the United States, are losing interest in an education. The reasons for this trend are simple yet also complicated, due to the many changes that have occurred in the American public school system and to the great advances in technology over the last thirty years or so. For instance, as Tom DeWeese asserts in the article "The Fix That's Destroying Education in America," beginning around 1990, the American educational system "has been completely restructured to deliberately move away from teaching basic academics to a system that focuses on training students" for the technological jobs of today and the future (American Policy Center, Internet). As a result of this restructuring, the American educational system deliberately "dumbed-down the children" which has affected the academic strength "to make them the smartest students in the world" (American Policy Center, Internet)."

Tags:advances, teaching, classroom, computer

Abstract
This paper deals with the political, social and religious issues that faced and concerned William Blake and the common themes which are often expressed through his poetry. In particular, it examines "The Echoing Green" and "London," poems taken from Blake's "Songs of Innocence and of Experience" and uses them to discuss Blake's attitudes towards the changes taking place. It looks at how in "The Echoing Green" Blake addresses a part of life that was rapidly disappearing during his time, due to the rapid social advances that affected rural life. It also analyzes how "London" provides a clear example of Blake's disapproval of changes that occurred during his time and can be seen to encapsulate several of the implications from "Songs of Experience."

From the Paper
"William Blake lived in a world of massive transition; in a world that was developing at a speed unparalleled in British history and where changes were occurring in almost every aspect of society. The Industrial Revolution propelled developments, but although it made Britain the most technically advanced country in the world, these advances were paradoxical since many people became poorer than before, as manufacturing moved from cottage to factory, and many workers were no longer required. William Blake also witnessed both the American War of Independence and the French Revolution and he was greatly affected by both these events and their surrounding ideologies."

Tags:song, experience, rural, life, industrial, revolution

Abstract
This paper looks at how Australian law is very closely linked with legal positivism, since it revolves around the concept of power. It explains that the sovereign order is treated as the final word, which cannot be altered or amended. While the same is the case in the United States, the writer points out that there is some flexibility towards modern interpretations of law. The United States gives its judiciary enough freedom to interpret law according to the circumstances. The same is, however, missing from the Australian legal system where modern interpretations are often met with disapproval. It concludes that this is the essential difference between legal systems of the two countries, a difference that has turned Australian law into a more rigid and positivistic form of law.

From the Paper
"A law must be resistant to change for that is the whole purpose of implementing laws. However they must also be flexible enough to allow modern interpretation, which is unfortunately not the case in Australia and this, is what makes Australian constitutional law positivist in nature. In other words, when a law is so rigid that it cannot allow modern interpretation and fails to keep pace with changing times, it is said to be positivistic in nature. In such laws, the interpretation is rigidly limited and the original law cannot be molded to suit modern conditions and circumstances. While then United States constitutional law is also highly resistant to change, it is nonetheless flexible enough to allow Supreme and High Courts to seek modern interpretation. However that is not the case in Australia where constitutional law is the final word of authority and to allow the law to keep pace with changing times is seen as a threat to the constitution. A very apt example of this kind of rigidity of law can be seen in Bulun Bulun case of 1999.


In this case, the copyright Law of Australia was under consideration and it was found that the rigid interpretation of the law was closely connected with legal positivism. The painter John Bulun sought Court's help in combining customary law with the Copyright Act. Mr. Bulun Bulun wanted one of his paintings "Magpie Geese and Water Lilies at the Waterhole", to be seen as a work of co-authorship. He wanted his entire community to be the owner of this property since it was more in line with his customs and cultural beliefs.
Judge Von Doussa however refused to combine customary law with Copyright Law and decided to stay with strict interpretation of the law thus taking a positivistic approach as Bowrey (2001) explains: It is difficult to ascertain whether or not von Doussa grasped the cultural implications that flow from his endorsement of these precedents about joint authorship. At key points in the decision closure to consideration of the indigenous point of view was achieved by using legal positivist interpretative practice. He identified the appropriate legal rule concerning joint authorship without reference to any discourse about the meaning of the terminology. Copyright law is "entirely a creature of statute"."

Tags:legal, system

Abstract
This paper uses the author's tones in "Anna Karenina" and "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" to compare Leo Tolstoy's and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's cynical tone towards society. Both authors use satire and irony to criticize the corruption of society and the institution of marriage. The paper shows that Tolstoy focuses on his disapproval of the upper-class aristocracy, while Garcia Marquez satirizes society in general. Tolstoy does not present the aristocracy with much honor or morals, unlike Garcia Marquez who uses a town that, although is corrupted, still has a strong moral back bone.

From the Paper
"Tolstoy and Garcia Marquez also differ in the amount of honor and morals that their characters contain. Tolstoy's mocking tone towards society is displayed when he is describing society's view towards adultery. Vronsky thinks of "the position of a man pursuing a married woman, and, regardless of everything, staking his life on drawing her into adultery, has something fine and grand about it, and can never be ridiculous" (Tolstoy 117). Adultery is not a fine or grand act; it is a sin that defies the purity of marriage. Tolstoy uses society's indifference towards adultery as a way to create irony because society permits adultery, as long as it does not break apart a family. Once Anna leaves her husband for Vronsky, society rejects her. Tolstoy displays how society approves of adultery as long as it does not disrupt the social arrangements of marriage."

Tags:Oblonsky, Santiago, Nasar, Kitty

Abstract
This paper examines gender role definition in the ancient world by reviewing ?Antigone? by Sophocles, ?Eumenides? by Aeschylus, and the plight of Eve in ?Genesis? from the Old Testament of the Bible. The author points out that it is evident women were placed in a secondary position and that the law was traditionally determined by men or male gods. The paper relates that the three women experienced some form of judgment: Athena with social disapproval; Eve with the punishment of pain; and Antigone with death.

From the Paper
""Antigone" reflects the earliest of the feminist portrayal of woman standing against the laws of men. Sophicles does not portray Antigone as a paragon of feminine conformity, rather, she is a woman who has never married, never borne children and is only a 'daughter' in a social order that values males and devalues females. Nonetheless, she is seen as having power through her ability to motivate others toward assuming her opinion. She has strength of character and the strength of her convictions."

Tags:secondary, judgment, athena, eve, antigone

Abstract
This paper examines the abortion debate from several points but focuses on whether or not the government should make abortion illegal. The author of the paper is of the opinion that we might do all we can to discourage people from having an abortion, and the disapproval of society would have an effect. However, the government should not be able to compel a woman to carry her child to term if that is not her wish. The paper examines views of several authors on the subject, such as Zillah R. Eisenstein ("The Female Body and the Law") and B.M. Leiser ("Liberty, Justice, and Morals").

From the Paper
"The essential legalization of abortion and contraception has little to do with the various moral arguments offered or even with medical concerns about safety or physical or psychological health. The abortion decision before the Supreme Court was based on a question of privacy rights. Privacy issues intersect with the Constitution in several different aspects, though there is no specific right of privacy enumerated in the Constitution. One dimension of privacy involves questions of "life styles" and control of a person's body (Mason and Stephenson 442)."

Tags:equality, fetus, supreme, court, Roe, vs., Wade, Griswold

Abstract
This paper evaluates the problem of teen smoking which is on the rise compared to the decrease in adult smokers. It examines the history and causes of teen smoking including the factors influencing children to start smoking at a young age. Children are three times as likely to smoke if both of their parent's smoke and parents' approval or disapproval of the habit is also a significant factor. It shows how the tobacco industry from its earliest marketing days has aggressively targeted young people and the ease of buying such as from vending machines only worsens the problem. It discusses steps that can be taken to eradicate the problem through advertising and restricting sales and concludes with positive action that can be taken to help a teen smoker stop.

From the Paper
"Another way to halt the teenage smoking plague is to restrict sales. In 1992, Congress enacted the Synar Amendment, which requires states to put teeth into their laws against selling cigarettes to minors, or lose much-needed federal money for drug and alcohol treatment. The Synar Amendment has gone unforced for nearly three years, awaiting permission of the regulations by the Office of Management and Budget. In the meantime, any real progress on enforcing sales laws has arisen at the local level."

Tags:minors, children, advertising, drug, alcohol, addiction, nicotine, tobacco, companies

Abstract
This paper examines the character relationships that are found in the novel, "The Great Gatsby." The writer explores how the character of Daisy and the narrator serve as each others foils throughout the story. The first way Daisy served as a foil was by just being herself, her self-indulgence set the tone for many of her actions. Nick was Daisy's foil because she was bothered and very aware of his disapproval of many of her actions. The author points out that these differences are used to weave the lessons learned from this story.

From the Paper
"Nick was the foil of Daisy in a different way than she foiled him. For all of her arrogance and style she was always acutely aware of Nick's moral judgments of her. She felt small around him because he did not attempt to hide his disapproval of her actions. He often effused to take part in the escapades that would allow her to cheat on her husband with Jay Gatsby and she needed the help of Nick at times to pull it off. They did not agree but she felt he should do it because she was deserving just as she felt she was deserving of anything she wanted. His judgments of her brought her back to reality and the fact that she was not the diva she tried to convince the world that she was."

Tags:narrator, daisy, nick, foil, tom, story

Abstract
This paper reviews William Shakespeare's play "King Lear" with an emphasis on the storm which is featured primarily in Act III. It examines how the storm operates on several levels both integral to the plot and purely metaphorical or aesthetic. It looks at how it serves as an icon of the treachery and ruthlessness of Lear?s disloyal daughters and how the pounding rain and thunder is clearly representative of his confusion, anger and increasing madness. It evaluates how it could be a sign of divine disapproval for Lear?s abdication of a God-assigned position as earthly ruler since without the storm, Lear would never have met Edgar, nor would Kent run into the gentleman whom he sends to Dover to inform Cordelia of the alliance between Albany and Cornwall.

From the Paper
"After giving up his land to them, Lear is at the mercy of Goneril and Regan, who, despite their professed love of the king, conspire to take all of his power away. Goneril perpetually finds faults in the king, uttering ridicules like: ?Here do you keep a hundred knights and squires, men so disordered, so debauched and bold, that this our court, infected with their manners, shows like a riotous inn,? (Lr. 1.4.248-51). After this, Lear makes a plethora of particularly damning statements, including: ?Into her womb convey sterility. Dry up in her the organs of increase, and from her derogate body never spring a babe to honor her. "

Tags:cordelia, kent, edgar, goneril, regan