His theory suggests that the ideas themselves take on lives of their own. However, if they are, in their inception, human, doesn't the person who first created them, who first thought them up have the free will to do so? Thus, the arguments made by both Dennett (2007) and the textbook are sound ones, but the idea of free will still has a fighting chance up against these clearly logical theories. If one were to say that one was controlled by his or her biology, or something a bit more flexible such as the instinct we often ascribe to animals, than it is to forget the diversity that we, as a race, have achieved. Today, our world is populated by people who not only speak different languages and have created different cultures, but it is also filled with those who have different likes and dislikes, and who are differently…...

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References

Dennett, Dan. (2007). Talks Dan Dennett on Dangerous Memes. Retrieved September 1,

2009, from TED:  http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_on_dangerous_memes.html

Oedipus Contribute to His Own Fate
Oedipus -- fate vs. free will

Ancient Greek philosophy promotes the idea that fate plays an important role in people's lives and that it would be pointless for individuals to attempt to change it. Fate takes on an ironic turn in the Ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, with the central character being fated to encounter both success and misery in his life before it actually begins. Oedipus gets actively involved in trying to change his fate as he becomes familiarized with the fact that he is going to murder his father and marry his mother. The moment when he hears about the prophecy regarding his parents has a strong influence on Oedipus, as he leaves his adoptive parents and ends up killing his real father without actually being aware of this.

Most people would be inclined to believe that it would be wrong to say…...

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Works cited:

Sophocles, "Oedipus the King," (Hayes Barton Press, 1956)

Ekstrom 121)

The greatest strength of the concept of free will is that it allows evil deeds to be explained as poor conceptions of a weak human mind. The individual abilty to learn and become a greater agent of responsibility seeks a concept of free will to explain how this can be done and with good reason. The individual has no reason to express learning and to grow from human ideas and actions if he or she is resolved to live with a predetermined set of consequences and actions. As man's ability to reason is what is said to seprate us from animals then "free will" becomes and essential aspect of the equation.

hy exactly is it important to so many of us whether or not we can be self-directed, not just politically but also metaphysically? In certain philosophical contexts, such as some discussions of the problem of evil, the high value…...

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Works Cited

Ekstrom, Laura Waddell. Free Will: A Philosophical Study. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000.

Free Will" New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia Online. April 15, 2008,  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06259a.htm .

Kapitan, Tomis. "Chapter 6 a Master Argument for Incompatibilism?." The Oxford Handbook of Free Will. Ed. Robert Kane. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. 127-154.

Kane, Robert, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Free Will. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Therefore, they are compelled to choose what they do in order to instantiate God's foreordainment of history. It wouldn't seem to make sense, therefore, for the person to attempt to change their circumstances or to fight against fate. Affliction, tragedy and evil would be just what God wishes to throw at an individual, who could scarcely escape its occurrence. This seems to suggest a response of futility toward life in which all is merely endured and passes almost robotically. At the same time, one might interpret it as comforting, for it eliminates the human's striving and desire to achieve something before the eyes of God. Or if God allows good to enter a life, this good is not deserved or merited, but is purely random. God's character would appear fickle, if not even unjust, for subjecting people to a predestined fate they cannot hope to change. Perhaps the main…...

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Bibliography

Ali, Afroz. Understanding Predestination and Free Will. Mt. Lewis, NSW: Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences and Human Development, 1426/2005.

Cohen-Mor, Dalya. A Matter of Fate: The Concept of Fate in the Arab World as Reflected in Modern Arabic Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Mahmood, Iftekhar. Islam Beyond Terrorists and Terrorism: Biography of the Most Influential Muslims in History. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2002.

Mahmoud, Mohamed a. Quest for Divinity: A Critical Examination of the Thought of Mahmud Muhammed Taha. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2007.

Goblins in this case can be viewed as devil's agents who force people to commit sins. Food items are presented as sins that man can get involved in if he doesn't have a strong will power. They are described in attractive terms (Bloom-down-cheek'd peaches,

Swart-headed mulberries,/Wild free-born cranberries (5-14)), just like sins and vices that initially appear very tempting but are eventually harmful to one's soul. In the very same way, these fruits look attractive and are tasty but gradually rob the body of its vigor and beauty.

Laura is a risk-taker and hence fell victim to a clever and tempting ploy. Lizzie is timid and conforms to the norms and thus could save herself and later her sister. This is a rather puritanical argument but that's how the author presents it. But there is another thing which is far more important than their risk-taking capabilities. It is the ability of Lizzie…...

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References

Rossetti, Christina. Goblin Market. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1969.

Campbell, Elizabeth. "Of Mothers and Merchants: Female Economics in Christina Rossetti's 'Goblin Market.'" Victorian Studies: A Journal of the Humanities, Arts and Sciences 33 (1990): 393-410.

Evil
The free will defense suggests that God permits, but does not cause evil. Therefore, it is possible to live in a universe in which good and evil continually coexist. Human beings are blessed with the ability to make a choice that can further the objectives of God and good, or to promote the interests of evil. Although this view is logically coherent, there are clear objections to it.

One objection is that God has nothing at all to do with evil, and human beings, made in God's image, likewise have nothing to do with evil. Free will is therefore irrelevant and in fact negated. There is no such thing as free will, according to this point-of-view. All human beings have is a fate that has been pre-determined by God. Using this objection, it is easy to see how the human being is portrayed as a passive recipient of life rather than…...

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References

"Introduction to Philosophical Inquiry." Retrieved online:  http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/hick.html 

Speaks, Jeff. "Swinburne's Response to the Problem of Evil." Retrieved online:  http://www3.nd.edu/~jspeaks/courses/mcgill/201/swinburne.pdf

Oedipus also chose not to ask questions regarding his past, although this might be ascribed to the fact that he did not know to ask in the first place. It was his choice to leave his adopted family to escape the prophesy that he knows about. The adopted family however choose even at this point not to inform Oedipus of the true nature of his fate.
Another choice that Oedipus makes is to kill Laius at the crossroads, regardless of the fact that the prophesy is very specific regarding where the murder will take place. When he marries the wife of the dead king, it also does not occur to him that this is remarkably parallel to the prophesy. One might therefore argue that Oedipus might have been deliberately blind to the truth of his actions in order to further his own good fortune. On the other hand, ophocles' aim…...

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Sources

Sophocles. Oedipus Tyrannus. http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/sophocles/oedipustheking.htm

Gods in the Aeneid?
Viewed from Virgil's Aeneid perspective, gods are central to human existence and fate. They determine the fate of all mortals; Aeneid is included in the category of mortals; and is particularly interesting because his mother is a goddess. Jupiter is the supreme god and controls all other gods. Jupiter controls destiny. Thus, other gods are at his mercy. The other gods have their altercations among themselves and often drag humans into these discordances. They may, therefore either help or harm (Christos, 2012).

The fate of Aeneid is beyond the control of the gods. They make attempts to create short-lived diversions or even alter the manner that the fate comes to pass. Venus, Aeneid's mother, and the senior-most cheerleader is Aeneid's mother. She helps Aeneid to navigate the difficulties of life. She has practically protected him against Juno. She gives him sound advice on the direction he should…...

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Bibliography

Christos. (2012). How are the gods presented in Aeneid? Retrieved from Ancient Greece:  http://www.ancientgreece.com/essay/v/how_are_the_gods_presented_in_the_aeneid/ 

Johnson, S. (2014, December 16). Fate vs. Free Will in the Aeneid. Retrieved from  https://prezi.com/grmamgevzrxk/fate-vs.-free-will-in-the-aeneid/ 

LitCharts. (n.d.). The Gods and Divine Intervention. Retrieved from litcharts.com:  http://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-aeneid/themes/the-gods-and-divine-intervention 

Thuleen, N. (1992). Interaction and Reaction in Virgil and Homer. Retrieved from  http://www.nthuleen.com/papers/L10virgil.html

Essay Topic Examples 1. The Tragic Flaw in Shakespeare's Hamlet:
Discuss the concept of 'tragic flaw' or 'hamartia' and how Hamlet's indecisiveness and obsession with introspection lead to his downfall. Analyze how this flaw is essential to the plot development and the unfolding of tragedy in the play.

2. ortrayal of Women in Othello:
Examine the roles of Desdemona and Emilia in Othello and explore how Shakespeare portrays women within the context of a tragedy. Assess the impact of their characters on the plot and the societal implications of their strengths and vulnerabilities.

3. Supernatural Elements and their Influence in Macbeth:
Analyze the role that supernatural elements play in Macbeth, such as the witches and their prophecies, and how these elements contribute to the tragic theme. Discuss how the belief in the supernatural drives the actions of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, leading to their…...

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Primary Sources

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The Folger Shakespeare Library, edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Folger Shakespeare Library,  

Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Edited by Michael Neill, Oxford University Press, 2006.

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Edited by R.A Foakes, Arden Shakespeare, Bloomsbury, 1997.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by Sandra Clark and Pamela Mason, Arden Shakespeare Third Series, Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare, 2015.

Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. Edited by John Wilders, Arden Shakespeare Third Series, Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare, 1995.

https://shakespeare.folger.edu/shakespeares-works/hamlet/ .

The vengeance of the gods is further underscored by the Chorus who warns that "But if any man comes striding, high and mighty, in all he says and does, no fear of justice, no reverence for the temples of the gods-let a rough doom tear him down, repay his pride, breakneck, ruinous pride!" Oedipus portrays tyranny and the people's greatest blessing becomes their worst curse.
In the last stage, Oedipus is a man who has become humbled with the pain and dejection of knowing the truth of reality as he is forced to admit his tragic destiny by the overwhelming evidence. The writer shows the sudden change in the protagonist's persona when Oedipus condemns himself by saying, "I stand revealed at last -- cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands!" (1309-1311) Oedipus's complete transformation is demonstrated when he gouged out…...

Taiping ebellion vs. Boxer ebellion
The last two centuries are considered as the golden age of millenarianism in the sense that they brought about a change in the existing system, by means of overthrow of the system which existed. And the new system which evolved was considered as better than the old system which existed and was brought about by overthrowing the powerful. The reason is simple. As the sociologists and historians of the millenarianism say, one does not become sensitive to such ideas simply being oppressed or miserable. But instead, these ideas develop from those of whose expected and traditional lives have been destroyed and disrupted, uprooted and rendered rootless, even if they were having an unpromising and unpleasant life earlier.

As a result of the industrial revolution, many such people came to North America and Europe, but the nations which Europe was trying to bring under its control were the…...

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References

Boardman, E. Christian Influence upon the ideology of the Taiping Rebellion, 1851-1864. Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, (1952). pp. 52-81

Chesneaux, Jean; Marianne, Bastid; and Bergere, Marie Claire. "China: From the Opium Wars to the 1911 Revolution" Pantheon Books, (1976) pp. 44-51

Ch'en, Jerome 'The nature and characteristics of the Boxer movement: a morphological study', Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies vol. 23, (1960) p.20-26

Ch'en, Jerome 'The Origin of the Boxers', in Jerome Ch'en and Nicholas Tarling (eds.), Studies in the Social History of China and South East Asia Cambridge, (1970) pp.45-57

Bessie Head's "Woman from America" versus Edwidge Danticat's "Night Women"
Edwidge Danticat's "Night Women" brings dignity to the life of a woman who is a prostitute. The woman is evidently selling her body to support herself and her young son. Through soaring, poetic language, the reader is able to see that the nameless narrator has an inner life of intelligence and strength. This is not immediately observable in her social world, due to the unfortunate circumstances of the protagonist's exterior life. In the Night Woman's society, she may be an outcast woman, but her thoughts have a richness and a depth that likely goes unseen by her customers. Bessie Head's "Woman from America" also portrays a kind of outcast woman. The woman is not a curiosity due to her sexual lifestyle, but because of the fact that she comes from America. Unlike the prostitute of "Night Woman," the American woman…...

The Oedipal Loop: Substance Abusers vs. "Royalty"

The psychologies of substance abuse and of royalty may seem on one level to be worlds apart. One is, after all, literally on top of things by law, decree, and birth-the other only gets "to the top" in an illusory world created by reliance on the drug of choice. But upon closer examination, especially in the play Oedipus the King, the mindset of the substance abuser and that of a misguided monarch turn out to be similar in an almost uncanny number of ways.
It has been said that Oedipus is above all a "victim." He is a victim of fate; of the machinations of people around him; of a curse. Similarly, many people in the web of substance abuse consider themselves "victims" of their addiction. However, this sort of view of both…...

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Works Cited

"Is Substance Abuse Your Fault?" Children of Alcoholics Foundation. 2000, Phoenix House. .

"Playing the Victim Role." Workshop transcription. Marsha Summers.com Innerman page..

Stevenson, Daniel C. The Internet Classics Archive. Sophocles, "Oedipus the King." .

Post War Iraq: A Paradox in the Making: Legitimacy vs. legality
The regulations pertaining to the application of force in International Law has transformed greatly from the culmination of the Second World War, and again in the new circumstances confronting the world in the aftermath of the end of the Cold War. Novel establishments have been formed, old ones have withered away and an equally enormous quantity of intellectual writing has studied this, which is debatably the most significant sphere of international law. Any discussion on the lawful use of armed force ought to start with the United Nations Charter. The Charter redefined understanding of the legitimacy of the application of force by outlining situations under which it is allowed.1

The guiding theory of the Charter is affirmed in its Preamble that armed forces should not be used except in the general interest. Article 2(4) of the Charter preserves this code in…...

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References

Bailey, Sydney D. Four Arab-Israeli Wars and the Peace Process. Palgrave: Macmillan, 1990

Barber, Benjamin. Fear's Empire: War, Terrorism and Democracy. W.W. Norton and Company, 2003

Barton, F.D; Crocker, B. Winning the Peace in Iraq. Washington Quarterly Volume: 26, Number: 2. Spring 2003, pp. 7-22.

Bijl, Nick van der. Nine Battles to Stanley. Pen and Sword Books, 1999

Organizational Behavior
The organization that will be the object of study is the Target Corporation, one of the large, major discount retailers in the U.S. famous for its catchy advertisements and its commission of relatively well-known designers to create exclusive in-house clothing and furniture brands. As a former employee, I have seen the organization from the inside out, from a retail level upward. However, the recent U.S. recession has hit Target particularly 'hard' as a company (Gregory 2009).

Target's revenue has been decreasing while its primary competitor Wal-Mart's profits have been growing, due to the fact that Target's core consumers are looking for more bargains on necessities, because of the economic downturn. This is a problem for all employees and shareholders. Given the failure or near-failure of other discount retailers like Sears and K-Mart, Target must ensure that it does not have a similar fate (Gregory 2009). The current problem is a…...

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References

Black, S. (April 7. 2008). "Target CEO Ulrich gets $12.2 million in 2007." Minneapolis /

St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved July 11, 2011 from  http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2008/04/07/daily5.html?ana=from_rss 

Duff, Mike. (2009, January 28). Target reorganizes workforce attitude to cope with recession.

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved July 11, 2011 at  http://www.bnet.com/blog/retail-business/target-reorganizes-workforce-attitude-to-cope-with-recession/158