The Western Blindness to Non-Western Philosophies :: Philosophy China Culture Papers

The Western Blindness to Non-Western Philosophies Western philosophers still tend to think that philosophy, in a sense that they can take with professional interest, does not exist in non-Western traditions. To persuade them otherwise would require them to make an effort that they prefer to evade. I attempt to begin to persuade them by closely paraphrasing a few arguments by the early Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu and a few by the Indian skeptic and mystic Shriharsha (about 1150 CE). One of Chuang Tzu's arguments has some resemblance to Plato's Third-Man argument, another with the impossibility of distinguishing between waking reality and dream, and a third with the impossibility of objective victories in debates. The skeptic Shriharsha, in a way that can be taken to parallel Wittgenstein's attack on conventional philosophy, shows that philosophical definitions cannot be rigorous enough to fulfill the task that philosophers set for them. The rest of this paper is devoted to the problem of commensurability. I contend that philosophi es are either commensurable or incommensurable depending on the light in which one prefers to see them. Each way of seeing them involves a loss of a possibility that may be considered precious, but the Westerner who continues to insist on the full incommensurability of non-Western philosophies with his or her own is losing a great deal that might be intellectually helpful. We have always been and remain insular. The insularity I am referring to is our professional blindness to any but Western philosophy, which fills our whole professional horizon. Insularity tempts us by its overestimation of whatever we have learned wherever we happen to have grown up, but it is no intellectual birthright. There have been more than a few great thinkers who have done their best to resist it. Kant and Hegel, both conscientious, omnivorous scholars, took the trouble to learn what they could of Indian and Chinese thought, even though, as has become clear, they were not informed well enough to allow them to make plausible judgments. Schopenhauer was extraordinarily favorable to Indian thought but wildly subjective (or egotistical) in his use of it. Wilhelm von Humboldt, eager to understand the nature of languages, made an often painstakingly detailed study of a great number of them-Greek, Latin, Basque, the languages of Central America, Sanskrit, North-American Indian, Chi nese, Polynesia, and Malaysia. (1) What Humboldt learned convinced him that the Indo-European languages — the Sanskritic ones, as he called them — were the best for methodical reasoning.

Earl of Warwick in revolt against Edward IV by 1469 Essay

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick has been labelled by historic tradition, with some justification, as the ‘kingmaker’. It is with his support that Edward IV was able claim the throne from Henry VI, Warwick’s support during the Wars of the Roses, and especially at the Battle of Towton was vital in putting the first Yorkist king on the throne. It is clear that he was instrumental in Edwards rise to the throne, however his contribution has sometimes been overemphasised. Pickering suggests that their alliance in taking the throne was equal, the victories Edwards own and even that Edward seemed more adept in battle than his ally. He says â€Å"Edward was neither ‘made’ by Warwick, nor controlled by him.† Nevertheless, his relationship with Richard, both as an ally and a friend, must have been very good. What lead him then, less than a decade later, to revolt against Richard in support of the exiled Henry VI? The first thing to understand about Warwick was his character and to see that it was pure ambition that drove him. With the romanticism that the epithet â€Å"Kingmaker† implies, one could picture him as the noble-knight. However he seems to have far from the vignette that is perceived from the word â€Å"Kingmaker†. Keen says of him â€Å"Warwick was not a wholly attractive character. His temper was short, and when thwarted he was sullenly unforgiving.† The Old English Chronicle (edited by T.Hearne) describes the unquenched ambition that drove him â€Å"his insatiable mind could not be content†¦there was none in England who was before him or who owned half the possessions that he did†¦yet he desired more†. It is with the possessions and the patronage that Richard Neville’s grievances with the king started to appear. Edward IV, as previously explained, came to the throne very much as Warwick’s protà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½gà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. He must have thought that with Edward on the throne he would have a controlling influence over the king, and with this influence the obvious power he so desired. Warwick was rewarded handsomely for his continued support, given titles and territories such as Captain of Calais, admiral of England and constable of Dover Castle, all of which were very important (and powerful) posts. He was by far the mightiest of Richards subjects, however he lacked the monopoly of Royal power that he yearned for, as royal patronage was (rightfully) extended to other leading Yorkists. Most prominently was Warwick’s stewardship of the duchy of Lancaster, given to Lord Hastings, and the lieutenancy of Southern Wales which was given to the recently knighted, Sir William Herbert. Despite this set back for Warwick, he still was in full support of Edward, and to some extent had control of Edwards thinking. Edward was still a relatively young king, and Warwick was there for advice, and with help in making decisions. Warwick’s support was also necessary for Edward, as his kingship was still under-threat in the north and west by Margaret of Anjou’s continued attempts to re-instate her husband to the throne. This drove Edward and Warwick together further more during the early years of Edwards reign, and indeed in 1462 Warwick seemed to have won a decisive battle for Edward. He forced the lords in Bramburgh (including Somerset and Sir Ralph Percy) to surrender to Edwards allegiance, on the condition that their lands were re-instated. Although this was not the final problems Edward faced from the Lancastrian supporters during his reign, it showed that in 1462, Warwick was firmly behind Edward as King of Britain. A factor which historians have usually put forward as a major cause of Warwick’s treachery is Edwards’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. In 1464, Warwick was, to further the kings alliance to France, arranging a marriage between the King and a French Princess. In the final stages of these arrangements, on 14th September 1464, Edward revealed to Warwick and the rest of his assembled nobles at the council in Reading, that he was already married to Elizabeth. The assembled magnets were stunned and horrified at the news, and it especially hurtful to Warwick who’s embarrassment over the whole French alliance marriage affair must have been huge. The chronicle of the time (Edited by J.Warkworth), says that after the announcement â€Å"(The Earl of Warwick was) greatly displeased with the king†¦And yet they were reconciled several times; but they never loved each other afterwards† One must however beware of putting, as traditionally been done, too much emphasise on this marriage as a turning point in the relationships between Edward IV and Richard Neville. It is certainly a major factor in the breakdown of their relationship, however one must take into account that it occurred five years before Warwick’s revolt, and Warwick, at least publicly, still supported the king during these years. Having said this, Richards marriage, though romantic and loving, was a serious, irresponsible mistake for a king to make. Elizabeth was, by Richards’s standards, a commoner. Edward was the first king since the Norman Conquest to marry a commoner; however this was not really the problem it was that he missed out on strengthening his position as king by arranging a more political marriage. Furthermore by marrying a Woodville, he alienated his other major noble families, especially the Neville’s. The Woodvilles, much to Warwick’s and others annoyance, managed with this marriage to promote their family to the upper echelons of the English aristocracy. It also enabled them to marry off some of their ‘lesser relations’ to be married to either nobility or families of a very high standing which further enhanced their political position. The marriage did have significant repercussions for the relationship of Edward and Richard, however Keen points out, that rather than the damage the marriage itself caused, it was the undermining of Warwick’s plans that led to their relationship, â€Å"If the marriage of the king put a period to his friendly association with Warwick-and it did-this was not, it would seem, because of its domestic repercussions, but because it was a direct challenge to Warwick’s continual diplomacy.† It was not, as the quotation states, because of the repercussions of the marriage domestically that Warwick felt aggrieved, rather it was because it aired publicly and formally for the first time Edwards’s difference in opinion with Warwick about the foreign policy that they should employ. It was clear from Warwick’s failed attempt to marry Richard off to a French Princess that Warwick was in favour of Edward forming an alliance with England’s traditional enemies, the French. Indeed, he had been in regular contact with Louis XI of France, in an attempt to broker an alliance between France and England. Richard, conversely, wanted put his support in his present enemy, the Burgundians. This was a contentious issue for the King to deal with, his leading advisor, whose protà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½gà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, he was, had completely antithetical views upon the very important issue of foreign relations, and it was hear that Edward proved that he was no longer dependent, or felt indebt of Warwick. He favoured the Burgundian option, and ignoring Richards’s pressure, he applied for and was granted a double subsidiary from the parliament to help support the Burgundians and ‘revive English continental ambitions’. Edward was maturing into his own king and he began to take more and more control over the running of the kingdom. Conversely of course, Richard Nevilles influence over the king was rapidly diminishing, and with this influence the power he so lusted after. It was this Maturity, and the lack of power that Warwick was afforded that ultimately, I believe led to Warwicks treachery. He had, when Edward was young, influenced and controlled the King. He had had his power that his personality demanded, however as Edward matured he started to take things into his own hands, which Richard, having tasted power, could not take. To make matters worse for Richard, power was being taken away from him and given to other nobility. His siblings were being passed over for marriage that was being afforded to others, and although his brother, George Neville, was enthroned as archbishop of York in September 1465, he felt his and his families power-base was faltering. It was here that Warwick decided to act, for the first time, against the king, in an attempt to enhance his standing. Firstly Warwick continued to negotiate with Louis XI. Keen describes Warwick’s actions, â€Å"For four years he instead continued to pursue with Louis’s encouragement what was in effect a private diplomacy of his own, independent and opposed to that of the king† He was effectively siding against his own king, believing the French to be more powerful than the Burgundians and also enhancing his own power-base if he ever wanted to challenge the king (which he goes onto do). At much the same time, however, Warwick was engineering the marriage, against the Kings wishes, of his daughter, Isabel, to the king’s younger brother and presumptive heir, George, Duke of Clarence. He would, if this marriage went ahead, become immediately more powerful, and a pose a threat to the Woodville’s dominance. Clarence, like Warwick, was extremely ambitious and would do almost anything to further his own cause. By the spring of 1469 Warwick and Clarence were in league with one another and also with Louis XI to undermine the Woodville’s, and possibly to over throw the king. Pickering says â€Å"Clarence encouraged Warwick to turn against the King and helped spread the rumour that his brother was not Duke Richard’s son but the bastard of an archer called Blaybourne† This rumour was almost certainly unfounded, yet both risked turning against their own king They did this for their own gain, one with the view of taking his brothers place as king, the other with the view to once again controlling the king himself. Thus in July 1469, Clarence defied his brother’s wishes and married Isabel and on the 12th July, Warwick, with the support of his brother Archbishop Neville and George, Duke of Clarence, published the ‘Calais Manifesto’.

Effect of Csr Activities on Sales Essay

Reasons for this can be multinational corporations’ increasing influence on world economy as well as scandals revealing horrible working conditions in different industries. In spite of the fact that the demand for CSR is growing, there has always been critics. The most influential critic is Noble Prize winner Milton Friedman, who claims CSR to be a waste of stockholders’ money. However, several articles claim, opposite Friedman, that CSR rather increases a company’s financial performance in the long run. These claims have made us curious about in what way CSR is related to a company’s performance. Moreover, it has led to us wanting to find out how CSR can influence customer perceptions on a product or service offering. Conclusions –All the initiatives gave a positive influence on the respondents’ perceptions, but the ones resulting in the most positive changes of the perceptions and willingness to buy were social responsible business practises, cause-related marketing and corporate philanthropy, which are initiatives where the company are doing the largest effort instead of just encouraging others to make an effort. The respondents answered that they trust the companies’ information about CSR to some extent, but also think a third party should scrutinise the companies’ activities and inform. The most favourable channel for CSR information was from environmental organisations, government organisations and the third party web media. Therefore it seems like the respondents value that the companies provide information, but are not too forward and pushing the information on them by for example advertisements. Keywords : CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility, Cause promotion, Cause-related marketing, Corporate social marketing, Corporate philanthropy, Community volunteering, Social responsible business practices. Introduction: CSR is today a frequently used concept, as companies to a larger extent are held accountable for what is happening in the society. The company should also inform the stakeholders about their CSR activities in an appropriate way, in order to capitalise from all possible benefits. In order to make a trustworthy impression and gain the most benefits, the choice of CSR activity and way of communication is crucial for the company, and therefore the perceptions of the consumers are very important to know more about and understand. In the last decade tendencies towards a more social aware community have been strong. In itself these trends are nothing that is particularly new. People have always preached for problems like public health, wildlife protection, prevention of child labor etc. What is different now is that companies to a larger extent are held accountable for what is happening in our society. Companies that engage in CSR activities are likely to have different motives for doing so. Many researches claim that corporate social responsibility originally consists of activities that a company performs out of commitment and duty. However, there are also commercial motives for CSR activities. For example CSR activities may result in advantages when it comes to receiving funding, recruiting new employees, cost reductions etc. To capitalise from all possible advantages it is crucial for the company to communicate their CSR work in an appropriate way. Theoretical Framework: Types of CSR Activities: a) Cause promotion Cause promotion is often done in the way that the company provide funds, contribute financially or with any other resource, with the objective to increase awareness, support fundraising or participation, or to recruit volunteers for a specific cause. In this initiative persuasive communications are important, to create concern and to persuade people to contribute or participate to support the cause. In successful campaigns use of motivating messages and the choice of effective media channels are crucial. They also make use of publicity, printed materials, special events, web sites, advertising, featuring the logo and key message of the company and those who represent the cause. Further methods are employee involvement, messages on product labelling and to provide store space for promotions. Many of the potential benefits are marketing related, like strengthened brand positioning and preference, increased traffic and consumer loyalty.

piercing essays

piercing essays Despite the wishes of my mother, bod mod is my thing. I have 12 piercings (currently, I'm getting more as soon as I'm all healed up) and 2 tatoos (one of which I just got today, by the by). This little essay is about my most resent acquistion; my nipple rings. The first thing that you need to know is that my folks are both rather conservative. They have repeatedly warned me against coming home with a piercing in my face, other than my ears. They don't care what else I do, but if they can see it while talking to me, then it gets torn out. And if you knew my father, you'd know that they're serious. In their words, they don't want their daughter looking like a drug addict. Considering where we live, it's a valid fear. But I already had 4 holes in my lobes, one in my outer conch, and my belly button. So I was running out of places to puncture. After graduation, I got hit hard core by the piercing fever. So I logged onto BME (where I always go when I'm looking for inspiration), and found the pictures of nipple piercings. They were so cute! And just the right mix of femmy and kinky that is quickly becoming one of my trademarks. I had found what I wanted to do. Unfortunatly, I had to wait almost 2 months before I could carry out my plan. At the time, I was working at a paper mill, and wanted to avoid any possibly uncomfortable situations. So I started to research where I wanted to get them done. I had gone to 21st Century Studio of Tatoo the fall before to get my belly button done, and knew I didn't want to go back there. I hadn't been given any choice about jewelry, and was all in all unimpressed by the whole situation. But what did I expect from a tatoo parlor? I had heard lots of ads for Black Hole on the radio, and decided to go check it out. Built in a converted house, Black Hole is intimate, but not so much so that it could be called small. There's a waiting area and the main desk downstairs, with several display cases of all kin...

How to effectively communicate with your boss

How to effectively communicate with your boss Anyone who’s ever been employed and has had to answer to a boss- whether you have one destined for the great boss hall of fame or one who’s the devil incarnate- has come to learn that the key to having an effective working relationship is communication. Developing and maintaining an appropriate flow of thoughts, ideas, and work updates with the person you report to on a daily basis does the following:It empowers you to perform the varied tasks and responsibilities associated with your job while minimizing confusion or miscommunication.It helps you stay connected to the flow of essential information across teams and departments.It allows you to build a relationship of mutual respect and trust with your superiors and colleagues- all allowing you to do your best at work every day.Ideally, this communication flow goes two ways- and your boss will be just as eager to maintain a helpful sharing of information with you as you are with them, all of which serves to benefit your team’s productivity and effectiveness. However, we don’t always get to live in the perfect world of our dreams, and most of us don’t get to control every aspect of our work lives.Although some of us are lucky enough to work with great bosses who are naturally gifted communicators, some of us aren’t so lucky and must work harder to ensure that key information gets communicated effectively. The flip-side of the coin is also true- some of us are great communicators with minimal effort while others among us have to work harder at it.If you’re in a position where you need to figure out how to communicate effectively with your boss- whether the issue lies with you, your boss, or somewhere in the middle- there are ways to improve the situation. Like learning any new skill, effective communication requires extensive practice and effort until you get good at it.Use the following strategies to enhance communication with your boss.Cut to the chaseIn todayâ₠¬â„¢s insanely hectic work world, most of us are doing multiple jobs and juggling a small universe of responsibilities at any given time. With limited hours in the day to get things done, your work time is extremely valuable- and so is your boss’s. Therefore, it’s essential that you make the most of the limited time you have to communicate with your boss. Avoid meandering stories, long speeches, and lengthy preambles when talking to your boss- if you get a rep for being too unnecessarily verbose or too much of a time drain, they may start trying to avoid you at all costs and your relationship might suffer. Whenever possible, just cut to the chase with the precise information you need to share, which hopefully will inspire your boss to do the same. Then, your lives can move on with minimal disruption.Also, be sure to strategically choose your moments for communication. Is your boss about to go into an important meeting or is heading out for the day? Perhaps those arenâ €™t the best times to drop an important work bombshell. Choose wisely.Look aheadWhen communicating with your boss, try to anticipate their reaction to the information you’re about to share. Do you foresee specific questions? If so, then try to have answers prepared for them. Can you envision them asking for additional data or stats to back up something you’re going to share? Have it at the ready. Not only will you save time and effort every time you speak with your boss, you’ll also come across as more prepared and effective every time you interact with them- a real win-win for you.Choose your communication approachOf course, the substance of your communication matters a great deal, but what also matters is how you deliver the message. Make sure your body language and tone are appropriate and professional. It might be helpful if you took a second to make sure you look polished and put together when interacting with your boss. Figure out how and when your bos s likes to communicate with others, and do your best to adapt to their preferred style and approach- it will benefit your relationship in the long run.Don’t waitIf you have important information to share with your boss- even if it’s not great news- don’t wait. If you put off providing them with actionable information until it’s too late to act, then your news will never be well received, whether it’s good or bad. In almost every conceivable scenario, it’s to your advantage to communicate as quickly as possible, allowing everyone involved to understand and digest the information, formulate an appropriate reaction, and respond accordingly. If it is bad news, your early warning just might allow for sufficient planning to minimize the damage.Above all, remain professional, polite, direct, and clear- all traits that will move your communication in the right direction during your time at your current place of work.

The Ethics of Job Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ethics of Job Discrimination - Essay Example US Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit applied US Supreme Court's opinion (Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Inc. and McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green) that "The plaintiff must first establish a prima facie case of discrimination. Once the plaintiff has met the minimal burden of establishing a prima facie case, the burden then shifts to the defendant to produce a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the adverse employment action. The burden then shifts back to the plaintiff to show that the proffered reason was pretextual and that the defendant discriminated against the plaintiff" http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4180/is_20010620/ai_n10066999 So, in the above case, initially, it is the burden of the employees to show that they had been discriminated by Texaco and later, the burden of proof lies with the employer to demonstrate justifiable nondiscriminatory reasons supported by statistics that the decision was not influenced by discrimination (Zimmermann v. Associates First Capital Corporation). In 1973, the case of McDowell Douglas Corporation v. Green the Supreme Court established the burden of proof (Title VII) as a model by opening: Plaintiff carries the initial burden establishing that he/she belongs to a protected group, is qualified for the job, and was rejected while post remained vacant, and the burden shifts to the employer to justify himself.

Russian Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Russian Literature - Essay Example For example he talks about revolution in the words, ‘revolution is everywhere, in everything. It is infinite†¦some day an exact formula for the law of revolution will be established. And in this formula nations, classes, stars, books will be expressed as numerical quantities.’ (108). the reference to numerical quantities is the figurative reference to one social and political body. Zamyatin in his essay discusses the dependent existence of everything in this world. He states that not only a man’s present, past and future are interlinked but also an individual’s every wise decision or a mistake accounts for his future actions. Since making mistakes and then bearing the consequences or dealing with them is a very humane reaction and resultantly it is a sign of life. As mentioned in the text, ‘all truths are erroneous†¦today’s truths become errors tomorrow’ also it is stated ‘the dead-alive also write, walk, speak, and act. But they make no mistakes: only machines make no mistakes and they produce only dead things the alive-alive are constantly n error, in search, in question, in torment’ (110).