How Far Does ‘The Fall of The House of Usher’ Meet With The Conventions Of Gothic Fiction? Essay

The Gothic novel dominated English literature from 1764 when ‘The Castle of Ortranto’ by Horace Warpole was published, until the early to mid 19th century. The Gothic novel is characterised by darkness, dense forests, old castles, dreary rooms and melancholy characters. Although Gothicism began to relinquish its dominance around 1815, it influenced many emerging genres and can still be seen in some of today’s popular styles. Stephen King, a famous horror writer, draws on suspense, the fear of loneliness and the fear of the unknown whilst Anne Rice, the current ‘queen’ of gothic fiction draws on much the same themes as ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’. Her latest novel ‘Blackwood Farm’ is set in a huge house in the middle of nowhere and tells the story of a young man trapped in a neither living nor dead world where he is haunted by a spirit which prevents him from belonging anywhere. The Fall of the House of Usher is set on a ‘dark, soundless day in the autumn’, an ideal setting for a Gothic tale. Autumn, with its cold dreary months following the warmth of summer and nothing to look forward to apart from the hardships of winter, gives an immediately depressing feel to the story. The clouds are said to be â€Å"low in the heavens† making the reader aware of a grey oppressive sky, again referring to darkness and shortage of sunlight. As the narrator approaches of the house he describes it as having â€Å"bleak walls† and â€Å"eye like windows†. The latter of these gives the reader a feeling of the house watching him like a person. The reader can sense the narrator’s apprehension. Poe uses descriptions such as â€Å"rank†, meaning a strong rancid odour, a certain indication that something in some way has gone bad. And then he describes the â€Å"white trunks of decayed trees† thus highlighting the ghostly, â₠¬Å"death like† setting. The narrator seems very unnerved by the setting and this is portrayed when he says â€Å"nor could I grapple with the shadowy fancies the crowded upon me as I pondered†, as if he is scared or wary of the objects around him. The plot fits perfectly into the Gothic genre. It contains a strange man with an unknown illness, a house which in some way has a powerful negative effect on the family and a person who either returns from the dead or was entombed alive. All this is set in a vast and ancient decaying house surrounded by a bleak forest. The background to the story is that the narrator has been asked to visit by the owner of the house who was a boyhood companion of his. The narrator hasn’t seen or even given much thought to this man for many years. We are made aware of the loneliness of the life Roderick Usher, the owner, when the narrator speaks of not really knowing his friend very well. As a child Roderick was excessively reserved. It seems strange that the only person he feels able to call on in his time of need is someone who doesn’t feel he knows him very well. We are also told that there are no other branches of the Usher family. The story starts with the narrator approaching the h ouse alone through the bleak setting. The reader is aware of his vulnerability and starts to feel concerned about what lies ahead. The narrator approaches the house nervously and trying to calm his anxiety, looks into a lake. The image reflected, however, is even more horrific and chaotic than what he was imagining previously and this throws the narrators mind into a state of temporary disarray. This is a theme prevalent throughout the story but is usually displayed by Roderick Usher not the narrator. Nearing the house the narrator notices a fissure running from the roof of the house to the ground, this is not dwelt on at the time but is very relevant to the ending of the story. Once inside the house the narrator is led through many â€Å"dark and intricate passages† to meet Roderick Usher. He finds him much changed and describes him as â€Å"terribly altered†. Not only does Usher look physically ill but he also seems to been in a very agitated state of mind â€Å"alternately vivacious and sullen†. There are moments when Usher seems hopeful that his guest will be able to help him and talks o f â€Å"the solace he expected me (the narrator) to afford him†. At one point he describes his illness as a â€Å"constitutional and a family evil, and one for which he despaired to find a remedy† but then immediately says that it is a â€Å"mere nervous affection† which will soon pass. He seems almost haunted by the things he is afraid of and confides in the narrator as to what he feels will be the death of him. It is fear, a most crucial component of Gothic literature. Our introduction to Lady Madeline, Usher’s twin sister, is brief, no more than a sighting but we are told of her mysterious illness and later her death. The narrator assists Usher, who is anxious to prevent doctors from interfering with his sisters body, to entomb Madeline in a vault. After this Usher’s mental health goes into rapid decline. On the â€Å"seventh or eighth night† after her entombment the narrator retires to his room but feels troubled and cannot sleep. Usher knocks at his door, also troubled and demanding in a rather hysterical manner â€Å"And you have not seen it?† In an effort to calm him the narrator grabs a book and starts reading to Usher. As he reads, noises described in the book seem to be mirrored within the house. Even after this has happened twice the narrator tries to remain calm so as not to further excite the unstable Usher. However when it happens a third time the narrator can no longer contain his alarm and rushes over to Usher who seems to be having a complete breakdown. Usher declares that the noises were Madeline breaking free from her tomb were they had placed her still living. Terrified he feels her presence outside the door † I tell you that she now stands without the door†. The door flies open and there is Madeline who falls heavily upon her brother who dies of fright just as he predicted. The narrator flees from the house and looking back from a safe distance sees the fissure which he had noticed on his arrival widening and then the walls of the house collapsing until the whole building disappears into the tarn. Poe plays with the readers emotions by alternating the dramatic and sinister with the relatively normal. The typically gothic setting at the beginning of the story and the narrators reaction to it â€Å"a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit† draw the reader in and create an unsettling mood. Poe depicts the house and its surroundings in detail so we are thoroughly immersed in it. In the opening paragraph Poe describes the setting and the narrators feelings in great detail. In this part of the piece Poe is unrestrained by having to follow the details of the storyline. He is free to show off his talents at description of both setting and human emotions whilst creating a powerfully gothic atmosphere. â€Å"I reined my horse to the precipitous brink of a black and lurid tarn that lay in unruffled lustre by the dwelling, and gazed down – but with a shudder even more thrilling than before – upon the remodelled and inverted images of the gray sedge, and the ghastly tree-stems, and the vacant and eye-like windows† Once settled into the house the narrator appears to develop some sort of routine to his days with Usher. Whilst the narrators life is not exactly normal in the strict sense of the word as Ushers grip on sanity is fragile and some of his behaviour very peculiar, the reader is reassured by the calm and sensible voice of the narrator. Though even within this period of relative calm Poe often inserts accounts of some of Usher’s bizarre behaviour such as his improvisations on guitar. The apparent death of lady Madeline signals the start of the build in tension to the climax of the story. The narrator has to help Usher deposit her coffin in a small, damp, copper lined vault which lies â€Å"at great depth, immediately beneath that portion of the building in which was my own sleeping apartment†. The vault is sealed with a massive iron door after the coffin lid has been screwed down. On the final night of the story the narrator is anxious, too anxious to sleep. The reader is not used to this so feels anxious too. We are told of the tattered draperies which â€Å"swayed fitfully to and fro upon the walls† it creates unease. When Usher comes into the narrators room he is in a very agitated state. He throws open the window to the storm and to the â€Å"unnatural light of a faintly luminous and distinctly visible gaseous exhalation † which enshrouds the mansion. The ghostly sight makes the narrator shudder and he tells Usher that the air is â€Å"chilling and dangerous to his frame†. The suggestion of cold chilling air makes goose bumps rise on the readers skin, the same effect that fear would have. Then the narrator reads to Usher taking the reader away from the unnerving atmosphere in the room only to be brought back suddenly when noises in the house mirror the noises described in the story. This becomes increasingly alarming as it happens not twice but three times. The reader identifies strongly with the narrator and so feels the fear that he feels. By the time Madeline appears at the door the reader is at his most anxious and it would probably be very anticlimactic if the story didn’t climax with the violence that it does. Poe’s use of intricate language is extensive and well structured. In the first paragraph he uses a large number of adjectives as this is the most descriptive part of the story. He refers to the â€Å"melancholy House of Usher†. Here he uses personification to assign a human emotion to the house. This could refer back to the narrators own emotions but I think it probably reflects the atmosphere of the house, also described as â€Å"dull† and â€Å"dark†. Poe also compares the narrators feelings to the â€Å"after dream of the reveller upon opium†. The experience of opium taking would have been well known to his readers as it was readily available and frequently taken among the middle and upper classes. The effect of opium taking that he is referring to is not the ‘high’ but the terrible low as one plunges back into reality after the ‘high’. Poe tends to use words that sound old-fashioned (archaic nouns) and also words that g ive his descriptions more atmosphere. When he writes â€Å"no goading of the imagination could torture into the aught of the sublime†, we are given perfect examples of both of these devices. He could have used ‘shape’ or ‘create’ instead of ‘torture’ but to add to the sinister feeling of the first paragraph he uses the later word which carries much more painful connotations. He also uses the word ‘aught’ an archaic noun meaning ‘anything’. Again he could have used a much simpler word but ‘aught’ gives his writing weight. The use of archaic nouns would make his writing seem old fashioned which would be beneficial to Poe, firstly because readers of his work at that time would consider him a greater writer, and secondly because the use of archaic nouns give his writing a stronger link with the medieval foundations of Gothicism. Poe also strengthens the gothic feel of his story by commenting on the architecture. In the sixth paragraph he refers to a â€Å"†Gothic archway†. The archway is symbolic of entering so he is reminding the reader that they are entering a Gothic world, one where anything could happen. In the same paragraph he also has the narrator led through â€Å"many dark and intricate passages† by a silent valet, these things are commonplace in Gothic novels. The valets silence is menacing and the dark, intricate passages give a claustrophobic feel to the house, much the same as the windows which are said to be â€Å"so vast a distance from the black oaken floor as to be altogether inaccessible from within†. This is most certainly symbolic Poe is giving the reader a sense of the difficulty of escape and of being trapped. Poe uses symbolism a lot to reflect the sate of mind of the characters. He writes â€Å"musical instruments scattered about†, we know that music is an important part of Ushers heritage and something which he is fond of . One would expect these instruments to be treated with care and the fact that they are scattered about mirrors Ushers disordered state of mind. Poe also uses complex adjectives such as â€Å"phantasmagoric†, in this case to describe the armorial trophies. Phantasmagoric means an effect where objects appear to rush towards the observer with increasing size. This makes the trophies very threatening and creates a feeling of paranoia. Later in the story, when Madeline is taken to the vault Poe mentions a â€Å"donjon-keep† used in feudal times. Another archaic word (meaning dungeon) but also alluding to a more sinister background behind the ancient family and its mansion than the art, music and charity that the narrator has spoken about. A dark and sinister past is very typical in Gothic novels. In the dramatic final speech that Usher makes Poe uses repetition to great effect. â€Å"Not hear it? – yes I hear it, and have heard it. Long – long – long â⠂¬â€œ many minutes, many hours, many days, have I heard it†¦.† This draws attention to Ushers agitated state of mind. He cannot speak without repeating himself. We are given the impression that he is hurrying his words mumbling them intensely like a madman. To give us this impression Poe, for the first time in the story uses a lot of short simple words. He builds up the pace of the speech until just before the end using â€Å"the horrible beating of her heart† to pre climax the words â€Å"MADMAN! I TELL YOU SHE NOW STANDS WITHOUT THE DOOR!† The first part of the speech is very effective at building tension so that when her beating heart is mentioned the readers heart is racing. The climax line is delivered with the opening word â€Å"MADMAN†. Usher seems to be addressing everyone, not just the narrator but himself and the reader as well because if we believe she is alive then we are ‘mad’ too. There was not enough air in the vault to keep her alive for so long. ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ meets the conventions of Gothic fiction well. The Gothic novel was characterised by intense images of vast dark forest landscapes, large castles with dreary interiors and forlorn characters. All of these are portrayed to full effect and the use of adjectives which may have seemed a little excessive, tied in with the atmosphere of the story and actually played off the excessive madness of Usher. The house provides a supernatural mystic background, it is very old with many dark and sinister secrets and the â€Å"donjon-keep† provides a direct connection to the medieval roots of the Gothic. Poe creates for the reader a feeling of apprehension and unease which leads to fear and then to terror. All are essential elements for the Gothic novel. This novel still has an appeal to readers in 2002 as a classical book but at the time it was originally published its genre was fairly common and that’s why when he could, Poe had to use is talent of manipulating the readers mind to full effect. Although his style seems old fashioned to us, I feel that this style of writing has greater impact on the reader than a modern gothic author such as Ann Rice because the language ties in more closely with the roots of the gothic.

From Belief to Agnosticism

I was always wondering why people experience miseries, travails and hardships while others are on cloud 9 experiencing great happiness and contentment. Then I questioned myself why it so? Why is it that not all people experience happiness that they deserve? Why is life unfair? It was not until one day, I heard my parents talking about Jesus. I then asked myself, who is Jesus? Is he that important to the lives of the people? Why were my mom, grandparents and dad talking about him? In their conversation, they said that Jesus is the Savior of all humanity.It was the only time I heard them talking about Jesus. That probably was the effect of their TV watching about religion and great evangelist. My parents, especially my mother, taught us that faith in God is very important. My mother is very religious, very active in other church activities and the one who really pushes us to go to church though my father is very lazy in attending Sunday services in the church. Just like my mother, my g randparents are also very religious. They never miss to go to church every Sunday. My parents and my grandparents actually meet in the church.My parent’s wants that we should earnestly go to church every Sunday and see to it that it will only be spent for Jesus alone. Eventually, we found a church where we always fellowship. It is also where I grew and mature spiritually. As I served Jesus through the years, I never experienced such great manifestation of His goodness. I always hear my friends and church mates talk about Him and the miracles and help that Jesus did for them and for their family. But why is it that I still do not experience it all? It was not until my dad passed away.I felt so empty inside of me; it was like something is just so missing. I questioned the existence of God that if He really existed why would all this sufferings happen to me? I was faithful to Him all along and all I deserve is this, the lost of my father? I was so miserable and so discouraged at that time. I was full of uncertainties and insecurities at that time. Then one day, I found my bible inside my cabinet and when I opened it I saw God’s words saying that whoever is lonely, weary and tired should just call upon His name and He will feel all of the emptiness one feels.He is also our great loving father that even we lose our earthly father; He will remain our father now and forever. I then realize my worth and regained my faith back to him. I put on my mind that whatever happens, God has a plan for it. That everything happens for a purpose, for a reason. I continued my relationship with God and as I mature I began to see things in a different perspective. In the ways that Jesus wants me to. Things that I should perceive that are right, noble and perfect. But I cannot deny that this generation becomes cruel.Others do not consider religion an important tool in ones life. As we all know Religion involves the relationship between mankind and what is regarded as sac red. Religion almost always includes the belief in the supernatural and a code of ethical behavior. Why do men suffer? What is the nature of the Universe and how it is governed? What is the nature of man and what is his destiny? Religion tries to answer the questions of ultimate existence and of life and death and human and destiny. Many religions hold the universe is governed by God.Through religion man may see meaning in the universe and find a personal role in it. Thousands of years ago, religion played a very vital role in the lives of the people. Even thought that time things were not that so complicated not like now, people still has a closer connection to God. People then put a greater emphasis on going to church, fellowshipping with their brother’s and sister’s in the Lord and in maintaining their relationship with their creator. As of now, in our present times I think that Religion is ten times important than it was before.As the modern world is evolving and i s now being introduced to different kinds of beliefs and theories that could likely shake our foundation of faith for God. The basis and the only foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ. We must hold on to him more especially these days that there are many deceivers out there that are being used by the enemy to destroy us and to keep us away from the loving arms of God. When we don’t have a strong foundation of our relationship to God, we can easily yield to the temptations and offerings that Satan will present to us, like the technology of today.If we don’t know how to control the usage of technology of today, we can be manipulated and controlled by it. That is just one of the tactics of Satan to let us fall into the pit he is preparing for us, for us to be kept away from God’s destiny for us. Today, there are many existing religions. There are the Protestants, Orthodox and the Roman Catholics. But whatever our religion is, let us always remember that salvation is an individual concern. One cannot be saved because of his religion but what counts is his relationship with Jesus.As I look around and observe the magnificent things, I can really say to myself that how awesome is he who created the heavens and the earth. I can truly say to myself that there is someone up there, who is greater than us and omnipotent. There are times that I try to figure out things but the truth is I cannot fathom it; thus, that is how religion came in. Through religion, I have learned that there is God; the God who created the universe and I am his masterpieces. But his existence has been questioned for many years now whether he does exist or not. Doubts and disbeliefs reign in others’ minds because of lack of knowledge in knowing God.Religion plays a vital role in helping us to know our Creator; thus, many religions are coming out because they want to help the mankind to know about God. Like the family and the economy, religion is a universal and pervasi ve phenomenon, a part of the cultural system, because it is assumed to meet some basic need of human being. Religion is an integrated part of human experience and shows remarkable continuity through time. Personally, religion has a significant role in my life. It helps me know who my creator is. Through religion I can be able to know the words and the ways of God.Yes, I do have religious convictions. My principles and philosophies in life are guided with the teachings of my religion. I have faith in my religion because it helps me to do what is right in the sight of God; thus, it helps me live life wisely by loving and putting God first and love my neighbors as myself. I believe that God is my Savior, He is my redeemer. He redeemed from the darkness. I was once was lost but now I am found in His arms already. I believe He created from His image and likeness. He restored my dying soul when I was still lost. I believe that He rose from the dead and ascended in heaven.He is my comforte r, my best friend and my loving father that I could never have here on earth. My personal perceptions with regards to religion are very much different from my mother and my grandparents. They believe that the Bible is for every individual and its principles can be applied to all ages and everything should works the same way as the word of God never changes and still the same yesterday, today and forever. But in my own opinion, I believe that the Bible was written to the older audiences so some of the concepts and rules do not apply to the world we are in today.An example of this is that, the Bible says that parents should train up their children to where they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it. As I have observed, most of the parents right now do not train their children to the right thing (excluding my parents). They fail to supervise their children. They just let their children talk back to them and allow them to do their own thing even though it is not right. Just like aborting a baby without a valid reason. They consent and condone their child’s immoral act by aborting the babies. I can say that because I have observed it.Another thing, the Bible also agrees that parents should not spare the rod in disciplining their children. In addition to this, the Bible commanded the children to obey their parents for this is right and honor them so that we may live long. Yet, children nowadays are very disrespectful to their parents’ authorities. There are still a number of religious issues being tackled by now. The issues that keeps affecting the different aspects of human life. Different religions keep on competing for them to invite individuals to come and join with them. Sometimes because of these, the essence of having a religion is lost.The real perspective of establishing a deeper relationship with God is lost because of the overwhelming issues that could bother the spiritual and emotional aspect of a person. The real ro le of having a religion is to develop a deeper and serious relationship with our Almighty Creator. God does not base our salvation on what religious denomination we join to. He looks at the position of our hearts and of we really love Him and long to be with Him sincerely. He does not base his judgment on the things we do and achieve. It is our hearts that He looks up to.

John Deere Time line Essay

Deere married his first wife, Demarius Lamb, in January 1827. The newlyweds perceived to have 5 children, Francis Albert, Jeanette, Ellen, Francis Alma and Charles. Demarius’s past away and Deere married Lucinda Lamb, in June 1867. They had four children together Emma, Hiram, Alice and Mary. John Deere was an Illinois blacksmith from the Midwest and inventor. John Deere realized the wood and cast iron plow invention currently being used was weak and not working to its full ability. 1837- John Deere invents the first steel plow in his shop located in grand detour, IL. This let the pioneer farmers cut cleaner and faster furrows through the Midwest’s sticky prairie soils. 1838- John Deere evolved into John Deere, manufacturer co. 1842- John Deere business added retailing, taking orders for the patent Cary Plow. 1843- Deere and Leonard Andrus become â€Å"co-partners in the art and trade of blacksmithing, plow-making and all things thereto†¦Ã¢â‚¬  1848- The growing plow business moves to Moline, Illinois, 75 miles southwest of Grand Detour. Moline offers water power and transportation advantages. Deere chooses a new partner, Robert N. Tate, who moves to Moline and raises the rafters on their three-story blacksmith shop by July 28. 1849 A work force of about 16 builds 2,136 plows. 1852 Deere buys out his partners. For the next 16 years, the company is known variously as John Deere, John Deere & Company, Deere & Company, and Moline Plow Manufactory. 1853 Sixteen-year old Charles, Deere’s only living son, joins the firm as a bookkeeper following graduation from a Chicago commercial college. 1858 The business totters during a nationwide financial panic. Maneuverings to avoid bankruptcy shuffle ownership and managerial arrangements. John Deere remains president, but power passes to 21-year-old Charles Deere. He will run the company for the next 49 years. 1863 The company makes the Hawkeye Riding Cultivator, the first Deere implement adapted for riding. 1864 John Deere obtains the company’s first actual patent for moulds used in casting steel plows. Another follows in a few months and a third the next year. 1867 Charles Deere sues Candee, Swan & Co., a competitor, for trademark infringement. The case has precedent-setting implications for trademark law. Could Deere preempt the word â€Å"Moline† which it has been using in its advertising, so that no similar product could incorporate it? The ultimate answer is no. The Walking Cultivator is patented in August 1867. Although farmers might prefer riding, the lower cost of this unit makes it sell even though the man has to walk in soft ground while straddling a row of corn. 1868 After 31 years as a partnership or single proprietorship, the concern is incorporated under the name Deere & Company. There are four shareholders at first, six within a year. Charles and John Deere control 65 percent of the stock. 1869 Charles Deere and Alvah Mansur establish the first branch house, Deere, Mansur & Co., in Kansas City. A semi-independent distributor of Deere products within a certain geographic area, it is the forerunner of the company’s current farm and industrial-equipment sales branches and sales regions.

Literature Review Paper about The children of Vietnam 's veteran with Essay

Literature Review Paper about The children of Vietnam 's veteran with PTSD - Essay Example y other traits are linked to PTSD due to which, such people are in need of treatment and intervention steps with the support of which, they can become effective parents as the greatest loss they can give someone is to their families and children. Children of Vietnamese veterans with PTSD undergo through traumatic disorders because of their parents traumatized experiences at the war. The persons attached to one exposed to â€Å"unusual and intensely disturbing event† show signs of negative influence. People with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) influence their families negatively and this negative influence can be seen in form of PTSD in the families and children of survivors of Holocaust. The problems include â€Å"depression, mistrust, aggression, emotional numbing, and isolation† (Jordan, et al, 1992). These problems are found out in the children of Vietnam’s veterans. According to the scientific studies on the behavior of families of Vietnam’s veterans with PTSD, the majority of families of male veterans undergo increased violence, comparatively elevated levels of demoralization, elevated level of stress, inability to handle personal and family problems, having behavioral problems and disturbed children (Jordan, et al, 1992). People with PTSD influence their family members negatively and their children show severe developmental, behavioral, emotional and psychiatric problems. A person with PTSD is ineligible to show effective parenting after having direct combat experience in a war due to which, his children suffer through many issues. The children of war veterans with PTSD show influence of their PTSD parents through transformations in normal â€Å"biopsychosocial functioning and personality† development. The traumatized parents with PTSD deliver their traumatic experiences to their children eventually are further traumatized and stressed (Klaric, et al, 2008). Veterans with PTSD show re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance and numbing symptoms and hyper

Examine the nature and limits of the EU as a global actor with Assignment

Examine the nature and limits of the EU as a global actor with particular reference to trade, aid, security and politics regarding its relations with Ukraine - Assignment Example However, given the complex limits specified by EU to its member states, it has become impossible to admit Ukraine. Ukraine is considered a defiant member since in most occasions it has failed to agree on EU limits. On the other hand, the country has not upgraded to partnership status ‘similar to that accorded to Russia’ given its low volume on trade and quality of infrastructure. The incoming research will examine the nature of limits that have continued binding successfully status maturity. The report will demonstrate the power of European union in different perspectives, most especially sanctions against Russia. As well, the report will investigate EU security ability against possible aggression. The report will prove that the current political crises are not near conclusion given that membership into the union has taken a different form. The current problem began with Ukraine refusing to sign a trade deal with European Union. The treaty that was both an economic and political entity compelled Ukraine to be subjective to European Union. There were a number of political crises, which resulted to questions of corruption. Students and other young people constantly protested against the incoming and outgoing regimes. In fact, concerns of corruption polarized the entire scene. Militia who continued fighting in the countryside joined rowdy youths. As a result, the country has heavily been balkanized by gangs wanting to control different areas. The number of current segments is four. Meanwhile, Russia annexed Crimea due to gas concerns. This made the Kiev based government to panic. As such, Ukraine is being involved in one of the worst trading zone disputes of the 21st, century. As a result, the country has been entangled in a revolutionary political arena. At the center, the European Union (EU) backed by the United States is promoting policies, which compels Ukraine to

Thomas Pierce's Pragmatic Criterion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Thomas Pierce's Pragmatic Criterion - Essay Example Pierce’s view in this essay is that for us to arrive at the correct and clear apprehension of an object, we must â€Å"consider what effects, which might conceivably have practical bearings, we conceive the object of our conception to have. Then, our conception of these effects is the whole of our conception of the object.† Significance of Pierce's Pragmatic Criterion Pragmatism is based on the premise that for intelligence practice to be possible, it is important that human beings have the capability to theorize. Pierce’s pragmatic criterion is significant in that it enables the two spheres of theory and practice to be integrated together into a functional unit and thus form the basis of intelligence practice. In this way, it enables people to have a clear and distinct conception about something. It also enables them to differentiate between clear and unclear/obscure, and between distinct and confused conceptions (Haack 36). Pierce’s pragmatic criterion e liminates the chances of forming conception about an object out of haste conclusions or personal perception. This is because it calls for a thorough analysis of the object in terms of its practical effects for example, if one was to state that something is soft or hard. The person will have to consider many effects of the hard or soft object on other objects and effects of other objects on this particular object. For example, the hard object can scratch other objects but it is not easily scratched by others and a good example is a stone. On the other hand, a soft object can easily be scratched by other objects but itself, it may not be able to scratch other objects. An example of this is a mattress. The practical effects/consequences in this case refers to results from experimental practice. In Pierce’s pragmatic criterion, only the sum of the consequences posed by the object constitutes its whole meaning of the conception and not any external feeling or perceptions (Pierce 2 90). It is therefore reasonable to conclude that Pierce’s pragmatic criterion is a criterion of truth. That is, a means through which we can judge the accuracy and validity of claims and statements about various objects. This is important given that various people can make different claims about a single object. From the above, it is clear that Pierce’s pragmatic criterion provides evidence of certainty and intellectual conception that is important for intelligence practice. Without this evidence of certainty or results from experimental practice, it would be difficult to distinguish some objects. For example without scratching a hard and soft object, it is very difficult to tell which one among them is soft and which one among them is hard. By the outlook, a diamond crystallized in the midst of a soft cotton cushion may seem softer than a mattress. However, this is not the reality of a diamond and a mattress (Pierce 291). Bringing the two objects to test is therefore the surest way of developing the correct conception of the two objects. Reflection is important in philosophy and Pierce’s pragmatic criterion provides an important means of reflection. The ultimate end of this is that it makes ideas clear. This is achieved through a good study of logic instead of putting them aside or eliminating them with haste answers. Haack and Lane (45) explain that in Pierce’

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 63

Marketing - Essay Example While marketing identifies and determines the needs of the consumers, its promotional techniques become critical elements that help create customer base for the products. It is important that the needs of the customers are met by the products. The various channels of communication provide the necessary platform to showcase the features of the product. They not only attract target consumers but also motivate them to try and cultivate consumption habit towards the product. Hence, effectiveness of channels and the creativity in the advertisement become two most important factors for the success of the product. In other words, aggressive market growth of RDA would mainly depend on the channels that are chosen to advertise the products. While there are various direct channels of direct marketing like email, questionnaire, free sampling, social networking etc., the integrated market communication hugely helps in delivering effective messages regarding products to wider network of target consumers. Television advertising is more prolific but costly. However, various channels of viral marketing are not only cost effective but also well accepted. Products can be advertised on tickets, carry bags, balloons, posters, hoardings etc. The social networking sites and blogs have also emerged as cost effective channels of marketing that are very effective and trendy. Most importantly, they promote interactive sessions between consumer and producer, thereby providing ample of opportunities for creating a need for the product. The free sampling of RDA as supplement with chocolate flavored drink as promotion would also help develop taste for the product. Developing linkages with health centers and restaurants that serve healthy food would also help to expand its market. Its nutrient content would add value to it and thereby greatly contribute to its market growth. The major

Critical examination of exchange rate changes on the financial Essay

Critical examination of exchange rate changes on the financial performance of Honda Motors - Essay Example Having clearly outlined the risk management framework for Honda as its financial strength pillar, it is important to highlight the limitations in achieving results with such policy initiatives. According to Guay and Kothari, there is a huge â€Å"difference† between the amount of money that a firm wants to hedge with derivatives, and the amount that it actually succeeds in hedging. In previous section, we discussed the relative importance of different hedging options for Honda’s case. But, it is not an easy route as it is fraught with some practical limitations, which we shall study on an individual case by case basis. 1. Continuing with financial instruments as primary safeguards: Three major problems with financial instruments are inconsistency, asymmetry and indeterminacy. Inconsistency refers to the wide gaps in hedging schemes with a complicated web which can make auditing a difficult task. Asymmetry refers to the unreliable nature of the entries itself, and indete rminacy refers to the probability of fraudulent data entry. If these problems with financial instruments are not sorted out in the beginning itself, it could lead to a colossal financial disaster, the likes of Nick Leeson.

Steady-State Economics and Environmental Philosophy Research Paper

Steady-State Economics and Environmental Philosophy - Research Paper Example According to an article â€Å"CASSE proposes the establishment of a steady state economy with stabilized population and per capita consumption.† (U.S. Fed News Service) To begin let’s examine the significance the environment has on a state’s economy. Why is it important that the two thrive together to produce a stabilized economy, The environment and the economy rarely have traveled together on the same path. Gains in the economy come at the sacrifice of the environment. Protection of our natural resources hamstrings business development. Or so the argument goes. But what if by protecting special lands, cleaning up environmental problems and growing responsibly, we actually increase jobs, stop the population migration, and revitalize our communities? (DiBerardinis) According to an article published for Environmental Law the state of the environment plays a very significant role in the advancement or the downslide of the economy, The warning of "global environment al crisis" is being sounded more and more frequently by scientists, politicians, and other observers. The doomsday predictors of the 1960s, like ecologists Paul Ehrlich(1) and Rachel Carson,(2) have been joined by an ever-growing chorus of doomsayers in the 1990s.(3) Rachel Carson's concerns regarding pesticides were prominent in the early 1960s; today, concerns about the potential myriad of ecological effects from global warming predominate. Loss of biodiversity from habitat destruction, pollution, and other threats is also a major present concern.(4) The proliferation of environmental alarms has, as expected, been accompanied by claims of critics that the alarms are overstated.(5) Besides denying the existence or magnitude of environmental threats, these critics question the priorities of the leading environmental advocates and their focus on government regulation, rather than the market, to address those priorities.(6) Underlying the debate over whether humans' demands on the Ear th have exceeded its ecological carrying capacity is a debate over the propriety of economic growth, the primary goal for rich and poor countries and for most international institutions.(7) The doomsayers generally see humans' unbridled pursuit of economic growth as a major root of all or most environmental evils; their critics generally see growth as providing a solution to environmental problems.(8) While this debate has continued, there has been increasing consensus behind the concept of "sustainable development," which became a global future through its adoption by the United Nations-sponsored Brundtland Commission in a 1987 report entitled Our Common Future.(9) That report defined sustainable development vaguely as development that "meet[s] the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future."(10) Although that concept has helped raise the prominence of environmental protection on national and global policy agendas, it has not u nseated economic growth as the primary public policy objective. (Wenig) The impact of the environment is crucial to the survival of a state’s economy. There are many ways to help ensure the environment’s safety. There are organizations that rise up to protect natural habitat from extinction. There are organi