The German economy ready for war in 1939 Essay Example for Free

The German economy ready for war in 1939 Essay To what extent was the German economy ready for war in 1939? Consider all the economic strategies implemented between 1933 and 1939 in your answer. (15 Marks) Germany made military moves to expand its borders into Eastern Europe in 1939. There is certainly evidence to suggest that Germany was no-where near the targets set by Hitler for total re-armament. As well as this factor though, there is another question to consider, had Germany set out for all out international war or was it just an attempt to expand lebensraum when they took the actions of invading Poland and Austria in 1939? This is an important question because it helps to understand the motives of Hitler when he ordered the invasion of Poland. Basically, war to what extent must first be established. On the 5th November 1937 a meeting took place between Hitler and all his important military generals. The minutes from this meeting were taken down and became known as the Hossbach Memorandum. They stated that it was agreed that by 1943 active steps towards lebensraum were to be taken. This was all that was firmly agreed though; there were no steps to preparation towards a full international war. Nothing was even mentioned of the USSR. According to Tim Mason this suggests that when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939 he had no ideas of world domination just yet. He calls the invasion of Poland a, War of plunder. By this he meant that the only intention was to gain some extra land and resources for Germany to live off. This is supported by the fact that by 1939 the push for arms had become very strenuous and there was a shortage in resources, labour especially. This would support the theory that Hitler was not ready for an international war by 1939, but only ready to make attempts to expand Germanys land in-line with his ideology of creating lebensraum so that he could increase his resources. After all there were still German nationals living in Austria and Poland from when land was taken from them under the Treaty Of Versailles. This would mean that the plans that were suggested in the Hossbach Memorandum were forced to be brought forward because of the unexpected strain on resources. This evidence gives us an overall impression that Germany was only ready for a war to gain living space, through, Wars of plunder, But not ready for an international war. The counter argument to this though is that by 1939 rearmament had gone so well that Germany was ready for war. Between 1936-37 there had been an 80% increase in the rearmament budget and this resulted in two thirds of government spending by 1939 was being spent on military causes. It is evidence that leads to the idea that Germany was ready for a full international war. Indeed, by 1939 it has been suggested, there was a blueprint for World Domination being put into action. A firm subscriber to this opinion is Richard Overy. He counter-acts Masons argument as previously discussed by referring to his Marxist beliefs. Insisting that he adds too great an emphasis on the resistance from the working class- a key factor in any Marxist line of thinking. He uses evidence such as Goring investing so much in rearmament and Schacht leaving because of his reservations over the rate of rearmament. To consider whether it is Mason or Overy that my opinion lies with I must first analyse the various economic policies that were implemented during the time 1933 to 1939. This will give me an idea as to whether which sort of war Germany was attempting, World Domination or a War of plunder, And whether Germany was ready for it. One of Hitlers most famous ideological thoughts was this idea of autarky, or self sufficiency. It was not a new idea but certainly raised a few eyebrows at this time when the world was just starting to come about into a world market of imports and exports, more so than ever before after the first world war. Autarky would enable Germany to live off its own land and have no need for imports. This was essential to Hitlers plans for war. It meant that Germanys important goods would not stop being supplied in times of war. It would enable Germany and its military to maintain strength. As soon as the Nazi party came into power in 1933 provisions were made to achieve this goal. This was first seen in 1934 thought in Schachts New Plan. Regulations on imports and exports were made. Importers into Germany were forced to apply for permits so to regulate the commodities. This policy is known as a protectionist policy. Farming protection was also a huge part of this policy of autarky. This provided Germany with food so that they could fight on without looking to import from abroad. It was in farming and agriculture that autarky could not be achieved. From 1932 to 1938 there had only been a slight increase in production rates. And this was with a rapidly growing population. This would mean that it was not possible for the economic expectation to be where it should be if a world war was to take place in 1939. Hence, the economy was not ready for war by 1939 as the policy of autarky had not been achieved. This would suggest that when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939 he was trying to gain living space to make Germany stronger. This is in-line with Masons view of, War of plunder. Another rather famous thought of Hitlers was to achieve total employment. By this he meant that everyone that could work was in work. Not only would this mean that every person would be regulated and watched over, and indeed, kept out of trouble but it also had massive positive effects on the economy. If everyone was in work then this meant that money was going into the economy for such causes as rearmament. This was a hugely successful policy. These figures are simple; in 1934 there were 2.4 million people unemployed. By 1939 there were no people unemployed. This quite simply an amazing success, and undoubtedly gave the government, and Goring the resources to pour into rearmament ready for war. The amazing success of this policy by 1939 suggests that Hitler was ready for a quest of world domination, not just a war of plunder to gain resources this is because he had achieved one of his main targets. This evidence goes hand in hand with the theory that Overy puts across that when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939 he was starting his quest for the aryanisation of the world. Rearmament was an important factor in the German economy from 1934 onwards. This was due to Hitlers obsession with rearming Germany for war. It is not an easy topic to discuss. There are differing accounts which may lead some to believe that by 1939 Germany was not ready for war, but some may interpret that Germany was ready for war in 1939. I shall deal with the latter first. By 1939 Germany had attained total employment. According to Hitler this was essential before launching any attempt at war. Much of the economy had been devoted to the rearmament cause. Some sources tell us that between 1933 and 39 half of the MEFO bills, a government acknowledgement of debt, were issued in the rearmament cause. This is a substantial amount, especially when considering that the German economy was only just recovering in 1933. This would suggest that such substantial spending on rearmament would have meant that Germany would have been ready for war by 1939. This is supported when we look at the change in attitude of Hitler from 1937 onwards. Before then Germany had always taken action with caution in the hope of appeasement by the other European nations. From here onwards any foreign action taken was risky and always had the possibility of war, such as the militarization of the banned area, the Rhineland and the goal of Anschluss completed, the union of Austria and Germany. These arguments show that the German economy must have been ready for war as these risks were taken. Hence, it can only be assumed that Hitler knew that war was to occur when he invaded Poland in 1939. The invasion of Poland though can only be seen as a desperate attempt to sort out the economy- and not a prelude to world war. The Hossbach document showed that Hitler and his military official expected Germany to expand its living space in 1942-43. This is when the economy was expected to be as efficient as it could be. This estimation was wrong though, Germany was running out of resources. Hitlers hopes of autarky were to be dashed unless he took action. This is seen by the failure to meet industrial targets. In 1938 the production for rubber was only at 4.2% of its target for 1940, explosives only 20.2 for the same dates. This showed an inadequacy in the materials needed by 1940 for war. The invasion of Poland therefore can be seen only as a mission for living space and resources, in which Germany lacked both. From this analysis it is fairly plain to see that Germanys invasion of Poland in 1939 was not an attempt to trigger a world scale war. Nor was it hopeful of beginning the quest for world domination. Instead it is more in-line with Masons view that the invasion of Poland was a, War of plunder. In which the resources of Poland would be plundered or stolen and used for Germanys benefit. It is true that Germany had achieved many of their economic aims by 1939, economic recovery, arms production but more importantly total employment. Indeed these were essential if Germany was to launch an attempt at world domination but, would not suffice without the ultimate goal of autarky being achieved. This by 1939 was not. It is mentioned by Hitler many times throughout his tyranny in Germany that before Germany could achieve world domination there would need to be total autarky. It was even laid down in his book, Mein Kampf. This ultimately means that the German economy couldnt have been ready for war in 1939 because it did not match up to Hitlers standards.

Merchant of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

Antonio, a Venetian merchant, complains of melancholy; his friend Bassanio asks for a loan to travel to Belmont to court the beautiful heiress, Portia. Antonio agrees, but says that he must borrow the money from one of the city's moneylenders because all of his ships are at sea. At Belmont, Portia is also melancholy because, according to the terms of her father's will, she must marry the man who chooses the casket (out of a choice of gold, silver or lead) containing her portrait. If he chooses wrongly, he is condemned to remain unmarried forever. Antonio approaches Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to ask for a loan. Shylock hates Antonio and tricks him into promising to forfeit a pound of flesh if he cannot pay in time. Shylock's daughter Jessica elopes with the Christian gentleman Lorenzo. Bassanio, accompanied by friend Gratiano, departs for Belmont. The Prince of Morocco comes to Belmont and chooses the wrong casket; meanwhile, in Venice, rumors swirl that Antonio's ships have been lost at sea. The Prince of Arragon also chooses the wrong casket, and then Bassanio arrives at Portia's house. He and Portia fall in love, and he makes the correct choice (the lead casket), but their happiness (and that of Gratiano, who will marry Portia's lady-in-waiting, Nerissa) is interrupted by news that Antonio has lost all his money and failed to pay the debt, and Shylock is demanding his pound of flesh. In Venice, Antonio is taunted by Shylock, who refuses to listen to reason. Portia disguises herself as a man and secretly follows Bassanio to Venice. The Duke of Venice presides over the trial. When Shylock refuses to accept Bassanio's offer to repay the loan, the Duke announces that he has called on a legal expert to settle the matter. A letter arrives from the expert, saying that he has sent one of his brightest pupils to pass judgment--the pupil is Portia, who arrives dressed as a young lawyer. She reads the contract, and declares that Shylock is entitled to the flesh. The moneylender praises her, but Portia then adds that the contract says nothing about shedding blood, so Shylock must cut the flesh without making Antonio bleed or else be arrested for shedding a Christian's blood. Shylock angrily retreats and says that he will take Bassanio's money, but Portia denies him even this, declaring that he has conspired against a Venetian citizen's life and thus his own life is forfeit.

CVS Structure Essay

Module 6: Question 1: Draw a chart of your organizations domain. List the organization’s products and customers and the forces in the specific and general environments that have an effect on it. Which are the most important forces that the organization has to deal with? Part A: Draw a chart of your organizations domain. CVS Pharmacy Specific Environment General Environment An organizations domain is the goods and services, and customers of the organization. Every organizational domain consists of a specific and general environment. In CVS Pharmacy’s specific environment are its suppliers and customers. In CVS Pharmacy’s general environment are governmental regulations, advancements in technology, and economic forces. Part B: List the organizations products and customers and the forces in the specific and general environments that have an effect on it. What are the most important forces that the organization has to deal with? CVS Pharmacy offers products in the front store and the pharmacy. Products in the front store range from health and beauty products, over the counter medications, cleaning supplies, school supplies, seasonal items such as Halloween or Christmas decorations, and food and beverages. Some services offered in the front store is the photo station where customers can print photos and make albums for themselves or loved ones. Great customer service is to be given to all customers from the time they enter the store until the time they leave the store. Products offered in the pharmacy are prescription only medications and ordering medications online that cannot be found in the  front store. Some services offered in the pharmacy are immunizations such as flu shots, pneumonia, and shingles shot, MinuteClinics, patient consultations, and directing customers into a good Medicare Part D plan. CVS Pharmacy is directed towards many different customer bases. Some customers come into CVS to keep up their good health by getting their medications and becoming informed on what they are used for and how to take them. Other customers just come into CVS to do a little bit of general needs shopping. In CVS Pharmacy’s specific environment falls its customer and suppliers. These forces have a huge effect on how successful the company is or becomes. Customers play a huge role in keeping CVS alive. In 2012, CVS Pharmacy’s net revenues increased by 15 percent to a record $123.1 billion and its operating profit increased by 14.2 percent to a record $7.2 billion. Without our customers, CVS would not be able to operate. Suppliers are another huge part of CVS’s specific env ironment. In the pharmacy, our main supplier is McKesson. If we are not able get the products that we need for our customers, we will end up losing these customers to different pharmacies. Every day we place an order with McKesson to get in the medications need to fill customer’s prescriptions. Without our suppliers, we would not have any products to offer our customers. In CVS Pharmacy’s general environment are technological advancements which play a big role in keeping CVS alive. Technology is always changing and in order to keep up with the fast-paced environment, CVS needs to keep implementing the best technologies they can to keep customers interested. One huge technological advancement is ordering and managing your medications online. This lets customer easily order their medications from home and be alerted when their prescriptions are ready for pickup. Governmental regulations also play a role in CVS’s general environment. There are many rules and regulations that need to be followed in the pharmacy. One specific regulation that we must follow are HIPAA laws. This helps protect the customer from outsiders viewing any of their personal information. I think the most important forces that CVS has to deal with are keeping customers happy and getting the supplies they need from their suppliers. Question 2: Analyze the effect of the forces on the complexity, dynamism, and richness of the environment. From this analysis, how would you characterize  the level of uncertainty in your organizations environment? Part A: Analyze the effect of the forces on the complexity, dynamism, and richness of the environment. Environmental complexity is a function of strength, number, and interconnectedness of specific and general forces. CVS has many stakeholders including employees, non-governmental organizations, suppliers, clients, investors, shareholders, analysts, consumers, local communities, civic organizations, trade organizations, government and regulatory authorities, and the media. With all these stakeholders within the organizations specific and general environment makes communication and collaboration very difficult. There are a lot of voices to be heard and getting everyone interconnected and on the same page is not an easy task. CVS would fall under a complex environment. Environmental dynamism is a function of speed of change and how much change is occurring between specific and general forces. CVS is constantly changing and growing in today’s world. CVS knows they need to stay innovative and keep up with new technologies in order to stay the nation’s premier integrated pharmacy services provider. One example of CSV growing and changing is adding a new feature to their mobile app. CVS adder a new drug interaction checker as part of its top-rated CVS Mobile app. This is an industry first. This feature allows customers to quickly and easily check for potential drug interactions by comparing over-the-counter (OTC) products with their prescriptions and other OTCs on their smartphones. CVS would fall under a dynamic environment. Environmental richness is a function of quantity of resources in the organizations domain. Richness refers to the quantity of resources readily available in the organizations domain. CVS has readily available resources at all times. We are able to order from our outside vendor, McKesson, Sunday through Thursday to receive the medications we need Monday through Friday. We have a contract with them and they supply all our medications on a daily basis. CVS would fall under a rich environment. Part B: From this analysis, how would you characterize the level of uncertainty in your organizations environment? As stated above, CVS has a complex, dynamic, rich environment. While having a rich environment would lead you to believe that there was little uncertainty within the organization, having a complex and dynamic environment leads you to believe that there was much uncertainty within the organization. Overall, from my analysis above, I believe that CVS Pharmacy operated with an uncertain environment. Question 3: Review your analysis of organizational structure. How has your organization designed its structure to match the environment in which it operates? For example, how do its degree of differentiation and its use of integrating mechanisms reflect the uncertainty of its environment? I defined CVS Pharmacy’s organizational structure to be organic. CVS has decentralization within the organization. Decentralization happens when top management’s decision making has been delegated to lower managers. The pharmacist has the discretion to offer gift cards to unhappy customers. This in turn makes the customer happy and hopefully they will return to CVS in the future. The pharmacist also has the discretion to price match with other pharmacies. If Walgreens has a lower cash price for a certain medication then we can offer that price to the customer if they ask for that to be done. CVS, for the most part, is highly formalized. This is an attribute of the mechanistic model of organizational structure but as I said earlier, we are predominately organic. The technicians and employees do not have a lot of discretion to deviate from their job duties. There are rules and regulations that they need to follow otherwise they could be terminated. CVS has a very complex structure. There is great special dispersion; it has high vertical differentiation, and high horizontal differentiation. CVS has designed its structure to match its environment. I said earlier that CVS operates under a dynamic environment and in turn has designed its structure to be organic. CVS’s use of integrating mechanisms reflects the uncertainty of the environment. CVS Pharmacy is highly differentiated. CVS has various levels of management that the operative core need look up to. CVS also has over 7000 stores nation-wide creating great spatial dispersion. Some integrating mechanisms used by CVS Pharmacy are specific jobs, policies, and  standards that employees must follow. Employees at CVS are not allowed to make their own rules/tasks. Employees are given specific jobs that they are to get done and if they are not completed, there are consequences. As the lead pharmacy technician, I am in charge of inventory. Our warehouse order needs to be completed on Wednesday by 3pm. I need to use my time wisely to make sure that this gets completed otherwise there will be a lot of supplies and medications that we do not receive. This is not good for the customer or the organization. Employees also have certain policies and standards that they must adhere to otherwise they will most likely be terminated. Employees need to act with honor and integrity and they need this to follow through to the customer even if they customer seems to be out of line. CVS is differentiated and in turn, they follow an organic structure. Question 4: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, long-term contracts, strategic alliances, mergers) that your organization uses to manage its symbolic resource interdependencies. Using resource dependence theory and transaction cost theory, discuss why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization selected the most appropriate linkage mechanisms? Why or why not? Part A: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, long-term contracts, strategic alliances, mergers) that your organization uses to manage its symbolic resource interdependencies. Symbiotic resource interdependencies include reputation, cooptation, strategic alliances (long-term contracts, networks, minority ownership, and joint ventures) and mergers and acquisitions. CVS has taken the strategic alliance, long-term contract interdependency. CVS has been in a long-term contract with McKesson for a long time. CVS is McKesson’s single biggest customer. In 2012, CVS accounted for an estimated 18.5% of the company’s U.S. core drug distribution revenues. Part B: Using resource dependence theory and transaction cost theory, discuss  why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization selected the most appropriate linkage mechanisms? Why or why not? Resource dependency theory is the ability to exercise more control over resources and distribution channels which means establishing interdependencies with other organizations. Transaction cost theory helps you choose which interdependency to choose when your bureaucratic costs equal your transaction costs. Both of these theories help organizations choose which interdependency is right for them. CVS chose to hold a long-term contract with McKesson. I think this was an appropriate and beneficial way to manage their interdependency. These long-term contracts help build relationships between the parent company and the supplier. When announced that CVS was going to renew its contract with McKesson, McKesson’s statement said that it was â€Å"extremely pleased to continue the relationship†. Question 5: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, collusion, third-party linkages mechanisms, strategic alliances) that your organization uses to manage is competitive resource interdependencies. Using resource dependence theory or transaction cost theory, discuss why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization has selected the most appropriate linage mechanisms? Why or why not? Part A: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, collusion, third-party linkages mechanisms, strategic alliances) that your organization uses to manage is competitive resource interdependencies. Competitive resource interdependencies include collusion and cartels, third party linkages, strategic alliances (long-term contracts, networks, minority ownership, and joint ventures) and mergers and acquisitions. CVS has followed the mergers and acquisitions interdependency. In March of 2007, CVS Corporation and Caremark Rx, Inc. merged together creating the nation’s premier integrated pharmacy services provider. The combined company, renamed  CVS/Caremark Corporation, unifies the nation’s largest pharmacy chain with a leading pharmaceutical services company, creating the opportunity to deliver unique products and services that will help manage costs for employers and improve access and choice for consumers. Part B: Using resource dependence theory or transaction cost theory, discuss why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization has selected the most appropriate linage mechanisms? Why or why not? Resource dependency theory is the ability to exercise more control over resources and distribution channels which means establishing interdependencies with other organizations. Transaction cost theory helps you choose which interdependency to choose when your bureaucratic costs equal your transaction costs. Both of these theories help organizations choose which interdependency is right for them. CVS chose to go with the merger interdependency. I think this was an appropriate and beneficial way to manage its interdependency. This merger allowed CVS to begin delivering substantial benefits to shareholders, customers and employees. CVS was able to offer end-to-end services, from plan design to prescription fulfillment, as well as the opportunity to improve clinical outcomes, which results in better control over healthcare costs for employers and plan providers. The merge improved the delivery of pharmacy services and healthcare decision making, enabling consumers to benefit from unparalleled access, greater convenience and more choice.

Career Options For A Finance - 1206 Words

Introduction There are many career options available to an individual who has earned a degree in finance. The careers offered to students who graduate with a finance degree can be located in the corporate world or public sector. College graduates may seek careers in a corporate and public finance department, in portfolio management, or investment banking. Salary ranges for careers in finance range from under $35,000.00 annually to well over $100.000.00 annually. It is important for the finance major to choose the correct area of finance because the demand in each area will be significantly different. Investment Banking Rudy (2005) noted â€Å"corporate, public, and other financial officers enlist the help of outside experts. Investment†¦show more content†¦Stocks are securities that give the holder ownership of a portion of the company† (p. 16). The treasurer and his or her staff will also handle investment duties. These investments may include but is not limited to investment in employee retirement funds. A treasurer of a company may also be responsible for overall cash management of an organization. Cash management will include duties in the area of capital-raising and establishing and maintaining good relationships with commercial banks to solidify timely deposits for money earned and owed by the company. A treasurer will add value to an organization by establishing the overall financial plan of the organization through their vision. The treasurer will add value to a company by handling funds with a high standard with integrity. A treasurer will also add value by identify ing and managing risk of an organizations assets and confidential information. A treasurer will add value to any organization by providing timely and accurate financial reports. Accurate financial reports a vital for a business to track budget performance. Government Rudy (2005) indicated â€Å"finance is essential to the operations of the government at every level-federal, state, county, and municipal. Government bodies, unlike corporations, do not seek to make a profit; however, they need to

Presidents Without a College Degree

There are very few presidents without college degrees in American history. Thats not to say there havent been any, or that its impossible to work in politics without a college degree. Legally, you can be elected president of the United States  even if you didnt go to college.  The U.S. Constitution  does not set forth any education requirements for presidents.   But its a  pretty extraordinary achievement for a president without a college degree to be elected today. Every chief executive elected to  the White House in modern history  has held at least a bachelors degree. Most have earned advanced degrees or law degrees from Ivy League schools. In fact, every president since George H.W. Bush has held a degree from an Ivy League university.   Bush was a graduate of Yale University. So was his son, George W. Bush, the 43rd president, and Bill Clinton. Barack Obama got his law degree from Harvard University. Donald Trump, the billionaire real-estate developer and businessman elected president in 2016, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, another Ivy League school. The trend is clear: not only do modern presidents have college degrees, but theyve also earned degrees from the most elite universities in the United States. But it wasnt always common for presidents to have earned degrees or even attended college. In fact, educational attainment wasnt a prime consideration among voters. Education of Early Presidents Fewer than half of the nations first 24 presidents held college degrees. Thats because they just didnt need to. For much of the nation’s history a college education was a prerequisite for the rich, well-connected or both; of the first 24 men who became president, 11 had not graduated from college at all (though three of those had attended some college without earning a degree), wrote  Drew DeSilver, a senior writer at the Pew Research Center. The most recent president without a college degree was Harry S. Truman, who served until 1953. The 33rd president of the United States, Truman attended business college and law school but graduated from neither. List of Presidents Without College Degrees George Washington: The nations first president never took college courses but did earn a  surveyors certificate.James Monroe: The nations fifth president attended William Mary College but didnt graduate.Andrew Jackson: The seventh president did not attend college.Martin Van Buren: The nations eighth president did not attend college.William Henry Harrison: The ninth president of the United States  attended both  Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; he didnt graduate from either.Zachary Taylor: The nations 12th president did not attend college.Millard Fillmore: The 13th president did not attend college.Abraham Lincoln: The 16th president did not attend college.Andrew Johnson: The 17th president did not attend college.Grover Cleveland: The 22nd president did not attend college.William McKinley: The 25th president took courses at both Allegheny College and Albany Law School but did not graduate from either.Harry S. Truman: The 33rd presiden t took courses at Spaldings Commercial College  and the University of Kansas City School of Law but didnt earn degrees from either. Why Presidents Need College Degrees Now Even though nearly a dozen U.S. presidents - including some very successful ones - never earned degrees, every White House occupant since Truman has earned at least a bachelors degree. Would the likes of Lincoln and Washington be elected today without degrees? Probably not, wrote  Caitlin Anderson on CollegePlus, an organization that works with students to earn degrees.  Our information saturated society believes education must take place in the traditional classroom setting. Having a college degree makes candidates attractive. It makes anyone attractive. It’s essential.

Essay on Plato and the Forms - 508 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Plato’s notion of the Forms vs. the physical realm is quite and interesting topic. I believe something very similar to what Plato thinks about the Forms and our physical reality. Plato says that there is nothing that is perfect in this reality that we live in. And the Forms are the perfect ideals or thoughts that we are striving to achieve throughout our lives. Plato says it is impossible to reach the Forms in our current reality and that it is only possible to achieve perfect knowledge and truth after our soul leaves our body and goes to the next realm where we can become or attain the Forms. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Now I believe like Plato, that we can’t attain perfection while here on Earth, but†¦show more content†¦As we grow we age and become old, and will die eventually where our soul will continue to live until there is a resurrection. Our bodies and spirits or souls however you want to describe them will join together as a perfect body and we will finally have a perfect knowledge of all things and the â€Å"Forms† as Plato describes them. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Part of this test while here on Earth is to see if we can follow certain laws given to us by God. I believe that these laws are the Forms Plato talks about. What we are all trying to become and that these laws will help us to gain the perfect knowledge that we desire. I don’t believe however that all knowledge is innate with in us. I do believe that we had a great deal of knowledge and that we understood many things before we came to this Earth. However before we came here I don’t think we had bodies, and without bodies how could we know or have perfect knowledge of all things physical? It is impossible to have perfect knowledge and understanding of something that you have never experienced. So in the sense that we are trying to get back to or remember the perfect understanding of the Forms Plato describes I can’t agree with what Plato thinks in that regard. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Plato’s notion that we have perfect knowledge in the realm of the forms without a body, come to Earth and receive a body and forget all our knowledge, then spend our livesShow MoreRelatedPlato and Aristotle on Form and Matter794 Words   |  3 PagesPlato and Aristotle on Form and Matter Plato: Form and Matter Platos idea of form is also called eidos the ideal, idea, or inherent substance of the matter. To Plato, the ideal was the immanescent substance in the matter. It was always there even when the matter had expired. It was something that the matter could cling to and, sometimes, become like. It was the potential of the matter. To exemplify: the acorn tree was the matter. The acornness (or the potential for the tree to grow intoRead MorePlato s Theory Of The Forms1704 Words   |  7 Pages Plato’s Theory of the Forms Travis Meyer PHI 1090 Introduction to Philosophy 12/16/2015 Plato was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and theologian who lived from 424 BC to 348 BC in Athens, Greece. Plato was born into a high class family in Greece and therefore was very active in the Athenian community since he was from a high status family. He was the founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is known to be one of the bestRead MorePlato s Theory Of Forms Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pages Plato was a standout amongst the most innovative and persuasive masterminds in Western philosophy, his impact all through the historical backdrop of philosophy has been monumental. 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This is besides the fact that it is generally overlooked in many of Plato’s writings even though it lays the foundations to many other theories of his. The Republic is where the theory is first mentioned, followed by discussion in Phaedo and criticized in Parmenides and Timaeus thereafter. (These works will be further discussed later throughout the essay.) Plato’s theory of Forms, (sometimes referred to as the theory of Ideas) states basically:Read MorePlato s Theory Of Forms1556 Words   |  7 Pagestheory of Forms as presented in the Phaedo. Plato has an idea that all ideas are merely abstract thoughts, and what we perceive with our senses is actually an imperfect version of these abstract thoughts. This is the basic idea of Plato’s theory of the Forms. To best illustrate the theory of the Forms to others, Plato explains his famous Allegory of the Cave. From the groundwork of the Forms, Plato goes on in Phaedo to argue the immortality of the soul. He intertwines the theory of the Forms with hisRead MorePlato s Theory Of Form1111 Words   |  5 PagesPlato coined the term â€Å"Socratic questioning† to encourage the open discussion of philosophical theory for the purpose of improving said theory. Aristotle took advantage of the practice of Socratic questioning to inquire about Plato’s theory of Form and its explanation of causality in comparison to Aristotle’s own theories of causality and being. Aristotle criticizes Plato’s theory of Form because it only accounted for a one-dimensiona l explanation of what things are made up of and what identifiesRead MorePlato and Aristotle’s Forms of Government2292 Words   |  10 PagesPlato and Aristotle’s Forms of Government Throughout history, the idea of government has always been altered, discussed, and argued due to the many variation philosophers have created. Plato, a well- known philosopher is known for his book The Republic in which he discusses politics and the way society should run in order to achieve a just society. Plato was born into a aristocratic and dominant family. He lived from 428 B.C to 48 B.C. (Dale 22). Throughout his life, Plato never ceased to expandRead MoreForm and Meaning of Happiness in Plato2749 Words   |  11 PagesAn Analysis of the Form and Meaning of Happiness in Plato’s Republic I. Introduction One of the central claims of Plato’s Republic is that justice is not only desirable for its own sake, but that it maximises the happiness of those who practice it. This paper examines Plato’s arguments in support of this thesis to determine (a) what he means by happiness, (b) to what extent it exists in his proposed ideal state, and (c) whether this in any way substantiates his claims about the benefits of justiceRead More Platos Forms Essay examples1996 Words   |  8 Pagesarguments about his theory of Forms. Aristotle, along with others, cross-examines Platos proposals. Yet, I happen to see the potential of his point of view and would like to take a deeper look into his theory. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the theory of Platos Forms from his perspective and that of several others, including Aristotle. Topics nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The topics in which I will mainly focus on will be Forms as universals, Forms as separate entities (substances)

Snow Day free essay sample

GernhartGernhart 1 English Composition ENG 121 14 May 2013 Narrative Essay #1 I awaken, my feet cold under the sheets . The room is strangely quiet as I slip out of bed and realize the sea of white snow. I hurry to get dressed and start bolting for the back door of our beautiful, city home in Tualatin. Today I will walk through my snow-covered yard as if I am swimming through the ocean. I stopped at the door that faced Nelson Street aligned with beautiful fall colored trees, silently watching the snowfall. The tiny ice crystals drift peacefully down from the sky. As the door slowly creeps open, I carefully step onto the front porch so as not to slip and fall. I now have a full view of Nyberg Woods, a wintry paradise on top of the hill that is covered in the whitest snow. As I walk down the steps and to the sidewalk, the chatter and play of the children, combines with the crunch of the snow under my feet like two instruments in an orchestra. We will write a custom essay sample on Snow Day or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The white, cottony powder covers every inch of the new car. While I carefully approaching my dad’s brand new Dodge truck, I feel a snowball hit me as if it was throw by an all-star baseball player. I slowly turn around to find my little brother , Dalton laughing so hard he is about to tear up. Dalton was the darndest little, blonde boy with the personality of a clown. He always had me cracking up at the silliest thing that I remembered him joking about. As we continue to enjoy the snow and play in the driveway, I seemed to have a brilliant Gernhart 2 dea that would not be such a great idea in reality. Standing on the driveway wondering what to do, I noticed the jam packed snow and ice on my the truck. I thought to myself, â€Å"Maybe my dad would love it if I helped him in de-icing his car. † Now thinking back, this probably was not the best decision. I presented this plot to my little brother, who I never really bonded with as a child. It was interesting , yet exciting that he wanted to spend the day with me in the snow, instea d of his friends! As I wander around the car, I examine the car and tried to think which tool would do the job. Certainly a credit card was too flimsy and a hockey stick would scratch the windows and paint. I didn’t know it at the time, but thinking a chizzle would do the job, while not breaking the car in any way was the wrong way of going about this. I continue encouraging my brother to engage with through this want to help my dad. Although, he did not think it was the greatest idea. He said worriedly, â€Å"What if we mess up or scratch the color off, or even break a window?! † Not caring about what might happen and the consequences that would come along with that, I convinced him otherwise to partake in this adventurous task. As I raise the chizzle towards the window of the truck, I begin to get excited for what my dad will come outside and see. Starting to get to work, my brother and I heard a slight crack that sounded like the ice beneath us breaking. We started to panic! There would be no easy way out of this one. Looking at Dalton through a hole in the window make me realize that a chisel was not the best utensil. Gernhart 3 We both were running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to make sense of what just happened and how we were going to explain this. â€Å"Maybe, we will just say that someone threw a rock at,† Dalton expressed with a worried look on his face. I was pondering that thought of how my dad might react to this particular instance, â€Å"Will he be mad that we broke his window, or will he be happy that we tried to help? † Feeling more worried now than ever, we decided to go back inside to â€Å"Wait it out†. As I reach the front door, I encourage my brother to act like nothing appened and maybe he won’t notice. Running full speed back up the steps into the house, we shake the snow off of us like we were never even near the truck. Not knowing what would happen, the anticipation was killing us more and more and the minutes on the clock seemed like hours. Peering through the office door, we notice my dad starting to make his way outside to his beautif ul, new baby. As we dashed up the stairs we heard the door shut and the ever so deep tone of my father’s voice, â€Å"Taylor, Dalton come downstairs. † I think we know what we had coming our ways.