Davidsons The Folly of Trying to Define Truth :: Philosophy Argumentative Papers

Davidson's "The Folly of Trying to Define Truth" Davidson’s argument against the possibility of defining truth draws upon the work of Tarski. However, Tarski’s assumption that the semantic conception of truth holds only for formal languages which are not semantically closed is not as plausible as it seems to be since it can be shown that this would result in the impossibility of formulating a theory of truth, because the epistemological presuppositions of formal semantics undermine any theory of representation of reality in which our cognitions can be true or false representations. Yet Davidson concludes that "there cannot be a definition of ‘For all languages L, and all sentences s in L, s is true in L if and only if . . . s . . . L’." I am challenging Davidson by introducing into his above scheme my own definition of truth — "For all languages L, and all sentences s in L, s is true in L if and only if we prove s in L" — and then showing how to prove this definition philosophically. I. Introduction: Can we define truth? Davidson argues for "the folly of trying to define truth" and claims that Tarski's "accomplishment was accompanied by a proof that truth cannot (given various plausible assumptions) be defined in general" (Davidson, 1996:269). Tarski's plausible assumptions are that his "semantic conception of truth" can be formulated only for formal languages which are not semantically closed. But these assumptions are not so plausible as they seem since it can be shown that if we accept them it is impossible to formulate a theory of truth because the epistemological presuppositions of formal semantics undermine any theory of representation of reality in which our cognitions can be true or false representations (Nesher, 1996). Yet Davidson concludes from Tarski's theory of truth that "there cannot be definition of `For all languages L, and all sentences s in L, s is true in L if and only if ... s ... L'." I would like to start by challenging Davidson about his claim for the impossibility of defining truth and to introduce into his above scheme my own definition of truth; then I will show how to prove this definition philosophically: [1] `For all languages L, and all sentences s in L, s is true in L if and only if we prove s in L'. We can see immediately that the plausible assumptions of Tarski's "semantic conception of truth" for semantically formal languages do not hold in my definition of truth since I define truth in the same language in which it is used.

The Work of Leonardo da Vinci Essays -- essays research papers

Grasping the full understanding of science and perfection in creative art are the two ultimate goals that mankind had been striving for ever since these two aspects became an important part of society. Many had aimed for it but none succeeded. Most of those who attempted to obtain this Holy Grail failed but some were able to conquer many fields. Leonardo da Vinci is a perfect example of those â€Å"Universal Geniuses.† Leonardo was one of the few who achieved major success in both art and sciences including portrait painting, conceptual engineering, anatomy, and many more. Leonardo was born in 1452 in the village of Vinci near Florence, Italy. With him being born into a family of highly respected lawyers, it is said that Leonardo inherited his intelligence from his father, Ser Pierro da Vinci. Despite the family traditions, Leonardo grew up to be an apprentice of an artist named Andrea del Verrocchio. It was here that the young man developed his talent and soon surpassed his own mentor. He created new styles of painting that were so revolutionary that there was a rumor whic...

How many Ski’s do they stock?

Seaport is n very few stores; therefore they are an exclusive distributor. 3. In return for providing an exclusive, what marketing demands do exclusive brands require of Seaport? They will run an ad or put items in the windows for a limited time. 4. What is the responsibility of the merchandising team? What do they do? The merchandising team is responsible for the relationships with the vendors. They are the ones who get the vendors to join the Seaport family. They also help with what stores they will go to, marketing programs and how he brand will grow. . What is the responsibility of an inventory strategist? What do they do? The inventory strategists are responsible for the quantity of the product. 6. What is the responsibility of the distributor? The distributor places the items in every sellers doors, and keeping up with all stock levels. 7. How many brands does Seaport sell? 150_ How many Ski's do they stock? Over 1 0,000 8. What are some challenges Seaport faces in keeping all brands in stock without cookouts?Can brands keep up with the growth rate; they may not be able to produce enough products as they need. 9. What are some metrics they keep track of daily? Every time a product is sold it goes through the POS system and is automatically taken out of inventory. They can pull up: the average dollar sale, how much they are selling to a client, and the units per transaction they are selling to a client. They can pull up, at any time of the day, how much volume that is currently in the store.

Evaluate the accuracy of “The Clouds” in portraying the political, social, economic and religious life of people in the fifth century BC Athens

Greek theatre has always been a significant constituent in the past and present Athenian society. Fifth Century BC Athenian society proposed numerous playwrights in their festivities honouring the god, Dionysus. Amongst the many crowd favourites was a legend to describe him in the least, Aristophanes. His works of satirical comedy are still celebrated and enjoyed today. One such example of his famous satirical works is â€Å"The Clouds†, written in 423BC. â€Å"The Clouds† is about a father, Strepsiades, who is in debt because of his son's expensive horse hobby. Strepsiades tries to convince his son, Pheidippides, to attend the â€Å"Thinkery† (a school for sophistry), to learn the art of double talk in the hope of outwitting his creditors in court. However, Pheidippides denies his father's request, so instead Strepsiades decides to enrol himself. Strepsiades' attempts to learn sophistry but fails miserably when his old age gets the best of him. Another attempt to encourage his son to enrol becomes successful and Pheidippides learns to double-talk from the teacher Socrates. This is later regretted when, at the climax of the story, Pheidippides uses double-talk to justify him beating his father. Strepsiades, out of anger and rage, then sets fire to the Thinkery. The main theme dealt with in the â€Å"The Clouds† is that of new versus old. Aristophanes challenges the radical thinkers like sophists and the imaginative thinkers like Socrates for oppressing the traditional values held and demoralising the youth. Another theme pertaining to â€Å"the clouds† is the confliction of religion and science. In fifth century BC, around the time when Aristophanes wrote the clouds, the commotion of â€Å"scientific theory† had just begun. With religion prevailing at the time, such atheistic thinking brought about by people like Socrates was firstly unlawful and secondly prone to ridicule by conservative figures such as Aristophanes. â€Å"The Clouds† is rather accurate in depicting Athenian life. However the perception of Socrates evident in the text is not parallel to that of Socrates in real life. Aristophanes, like many, linked Socrates with the rest of the Sophists for the reason that he was a philosophical thinker, that is, he came up with reasoning without relying on faith. However, Socrates, like Aristophanes rejected the ideas of the Sophists. The sophists argued that guiding principles of a society, such as justice and truth, varied according to the needs of men in a particular time and place. In teaching their students, the sophists emphasised the art of argumentative discussion and came to be associated with deceptive and hollow reasoning. This is depicted in the clouds where better argument represents traditional thinking and the worse argument depicts that of the sophists. Despite Aristophanes' rather critical portrayal of Socrates, the description of him as expressed through Pheidippides as † pale-faced charlatans, who haven't any shoes† is actually relatively true. Since Socrates wore simple apparel, and walked barefoot through the streets, his ideas and peculiarity made him an easy subject of derision and he was often thought of as a fraudulent figure. Socrates was also ridiculed for the fact he believed in one intelligent being as the creator of the universe. This went against the religious life of the Athenians. In â€Å"The Clouds†, Poseidon, god of horses is sworn on by Pheidippides and later again by Pasias (one of Strepsiades creditors) who also swears by Hermes and Zeus. These accounts are an accurate reflection the religious beliefs upheld by Athenian society. However, since â€Å"the clouds† is a satirical play, Aristophanes pokes fun at Socrates who is depicted to believe in the â€Å"vortex† as the ruler, not Zeus. This part of the play is not accurate, as it does not hold a factual purpose but rather that of entertainment and humour. Rather than just analysing â€Å"The Clouds† on its plot, a more comprehensive read of the text reveals further details on 5th century Athenian life, all of which are precise in information. For instance, it is apparent in the text that concepts such as creditors, debtors and interest, were already in use at the time. This shows that Athenian society had in place forms of financing that still exist today. Also, there is a clear depiction of the judicial system present at the time. It is evident in the text that when taking a person to court a deposit must be made and if the case was lost the deposit was forfeited. Other instances in which â€Å"The Clouds† has effectively portrayed Athenian life is through their currency, such as drachmas and obols and also in their legal system, when the Better Argument makes reference to the punishment of adultery, this being having a radish shoved up his anus and his pubic hair singed with hot ash. The people of the 5th century BC Athenian society were rather wealthy and could afford slaves. The polarisation of the two classes of people within society is portrayed rather well. This is evident with Strepsiades' servant Xanthias who lives an unpleasant life when compared to Pheidippides who indulges in the costly hobby of buying racehorses. This is further exemplified when Pheidippides mother insists to add -hippos (meaning horse) to Pheidippides name at birth so he could have the marks of the aristocratic classes. In conclusion, â€Å"The Clouds† is a satirical play and should not be taken for face value. However, his portrayal of issues and figures within the society give an accurate insight into some of the beliefs held by the general public and if treated carefully could be considered as reliable historical source. A serious theme underlies this comedy, namely: Ideas espoused by radical thinkers like the sophists and by highly imaginative thinkers like Socrates are undermining traditional values and corrupting the morals of youths. The sophists maintained that the guiding principles of a society, such as justice and truth, were relative concepts-that is, these principles changed according to the needs of men in a particular time and place. What was right and just in Athens was not necessarily right and just in another society. One man's virtue could be another man's vice. In teaching their students, the sophists emphasized the art of argumentative discourse and came to be associated with deceptive and specious reasoning, lampooned effectively in The Clouds. Another target of Aristophanes was Socrates, along with his associate, Chaerephon. Ironically, Socrates, like Aristophanes, renounced the methods and ideas of the sophists. Nevertheless, Socrates angered the establishment (1) by declaring that the validity of many long-standing precepts could not be proved by logical reasoning, (2) by rejecting the Olympian gods and sometimes speaking of a single intelligent being as the creator of the universe, and (3) by spreading â€Å"dangerous† ideas among young people. In addition, he alienated many Athenians because he was ugly and untidy (sometimes neglecting to bathe for a long while), wore simple apparel, and walked barefoot through the streets. Thus, his ideas and eccentricities made him a ripe subject for ridicule.

Review Question: Outline the Psychosocial Issues Associated with Dementia Essay

Naturally, ageing is associated with ‘slowing down’, including changes in memory and cognitive functioning caused by physical changes in the central nervous system and brain structure. It has been established that good health behaviours, mental exercises and targeted treatment of some organic brain syndromes can help older adults maintain their good cognitive health (Hoffnung et al. , 2010). However, some degenerative brain diseases can cause dementia, particularly in older people, and with international shift towards an older population (Botsford, Clarke & Gibb, 2011), it is predicted that by 2040 there will be over 80 million people having some form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease being the most common cause (â€Å"Predicting Alzheimer’s†, 2008; Hoffnung et al. , 2010). Although dementia mostly diagnosed in those over 65 years of age, younger people also get diagnosed with this degenerative condition, commonly described as ‘younger onset dementia’ (â€Å"Exploring the Needs of Younger People with Dementia in Australia†, 2007). Symptoms of dementia include impaired orientation, intellect, memory and judgement, and as sufferers experience confusion, delusions, changes in behaviour and personality, they lose independence and require more and more care and controlled environments to keep them safe (Hoffnung et al. , 2010). While the loss of independence and gradual cognitive loss is obviously causing anguish to the patient, dementia also leads to profound changes for those around them (Botsford et al. , 2011). Burden of providing care for an aged person, for example, would often be carried by the spouse or by adult children (Hoffnung et al. , 2010). Providing care involves physical and emotional effort, and sometimes significant financial commitment, as the paid employment may have to be forgone by the caregiver. Perhaps spouses experience the most significant impact of dementia diagnosis, best described by a spouse saying how heartbreaking it is to know that you are â€Å"gradually losing your best friend† (â€Å"Predicting Alzheimer’s†, 2008). It is logical to suggest that the combination of caregivers’ experiences of grief, isolation, life stressors, restricted freedom and other issues (Hoffnung et al. , 2010) may lead to caregiver depression with nearly half of the caregivers being at risk for clinical depression, and with spouses, compared with nonspouses, being significantly more depressed (Schulz et al. , 2004). Institutionalised care facilities for dementia sufferers, subsidized by the Government, may provide some relief for the families, but they do not remove emotional issues that relatives face. Schulz et al. (2004) found that after institutionalising their loved one, relatives did not get relief from depressive symptoms and anxiety and that spouses had higher levels of depression and more anxiety after than their nonspouse counterparts. On the positive side, the benefits of caregiving, particularly by adult children, may include experiencing personal growth (Hoffnung et al. , 2010), and providing help to the relative can make one feel more useful, needed, appreciated, and important (Schulz et al. , 2004) Botsford et al. 2011) have researched the effects of dementia on partners in the context of ethnic minorities and their cultural diversity and such approach has identified that ethnic background appears to influence how people engage with diagnostic and support services and the way they organize care. For example, research identified that black Caribbean people, being conscious about maintaining autonomy and not wanting to be regarded as ‘crazy’, may present to dementia services too late or not at all, thus prompting the authors to highlight the importance of promotion of dementia awareness in specific ethnic communities (Botsford et al. 2011). Report â€Å"Exploring the Needs of Younger People with Dementia in Australia† (2007) outlines a number of additional issues specific for younger people with dementia and their families, including difficulty in diagnosis, effects on family responsibilities while still raising children, working and significant financial commitments, life plans, social and sexual implications and difficulty in accessing appropriate services, as such services are not normally designed for access by younger people.

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Zero

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Zero? In October we celebrate the man who found America. People are taught at a young age that Christopher Columbus was a hero when in fact he was a murderer. Yes, he found a land that was unknown to his people, but in his findings, he murdered, raped and enslaved the true natives of this country. Columbus and his men destroyed the civilizations, cultures, and land of the Native Americans. These actions should not be portrayed as heroic. When you read about his thoughts and actions during his voyages, you can see that Columbus was not civil towards the natives he encountered.When he first sighted what he called â€Å"Indians† he saw a group of unclothed people, their nakedness, to him, represented lack of culture and religion. To Columbus, this was an opportunity to spread the word of God and exploit the Native Americans. He thought they would be easy to defeat because of their apparent defenseless and a source of profit because the Native America ns could easily be enslaved. It clearly did not occur to Columbus to consider these people anything but slaves. His thoughts were only a fraction as to what was to come.In Columbus’s letters you can sense his arrogant attitude in claiming the lands he found. He wrote a letter telling of his discovery to his friend Luis de Santangel, in this letter he wrote, â€Å"And there I found very many islands filled with people innumerable and of them all I have taken possession for their Highnesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Columbus never considered the fact that these islands, and their inhabitants, were not his to take and change as he pleased. Columbus informed Spain of his new discovery when returned.He brought with him many new things, as well as kidnapped Indians to pay tribute to Spain and lionize himself. Any Indians that were not taken to Spain were made slaves on the islands. The settlers that came to the islands with Columbus were allowed to select any Indian they wanted for a slave. E nslavement was inevitable and no one seemed bothered by the mistreatment of the Native Americans. Columbus and his people deemed themselves as superior to them. Enslavement was not the only thing the Native Americans had to endure; Columbus also threatened and intimidated them and even tortured and killed them.Columbus felt Christians did no wrong so they never got punished for their inhumane actions towards Indians and he was in charge so he felt he could do as he pleased without consequence. Many people terrorized the Indians and instead of Columbus punishing the culprit he punished the Indian victims. Instances like that led to a war between Columbus and the settlers, and the Indians. Indians did not have the weapons necessary to defeat the settlers and were wiped out; those that were not killed were captured. Accounts of rape that Columbus and his men committed were reported by people who he traveled with.Columbus would pass captured native women out to his men so therefore they believed they did not need the women’s consent and as horrible as this seems, those were the less violent acts towards the Indians. Columbus and the settlers were very cruel. They would make examples out of Indians by doing things like cutting their hands off and telling them to share the message and they would slaughter entire villages including children. These are the acts that Columbus and his men partook in. Christopher Columbus should never have been nor should be considered a hero.He destroyed what he discovered, wiped out an entire population and never finished his goal of finding a route to Asia. How is that heroic?Works Cited â€Å"Marvelous possessions: the wonder of the New World† By Stephen Greenblatt ^quote on page 2 found on page 52^ â€Å"A short account of the destruction of the Indies† By Bartolome de las Casas Columbus: Letter to Louis De Santangel, 1493 http://www. wwnorton. com/college/history/ralph/workbook/ralprs19. htm â€Å"The mysterio us history of Columbus: an exploration of the man, the myth, the legacy† By John Noble Wilford

Fantasy or Reality the Illusion of the On-line Realm Essay

Fantasy or Reality the Illusion of the On-line Realm - Essay Example Whether it is the 75 year old grandmother, who plays online bridge, or the 7 year old child, that plays Scooby Doo, the internet is here and here to stay. I will be explaining why online should have more security and the risk of an online gaming obsession. In the article â€Å"Does Virtual Reality Need a Sheriff† by Alan Sipress.† He starts by explaining how a character in the game Second Life â€Å"allegedly raped another character†. Although this is a game meant for entertainment this incident could have possible long-term effects on the actual person in charge of controlling the character. Actions performed online such as â€Å"rape† can prove to be devastating, particularly to someone as emotionally vulnerable as a child. Unfortunately, there have been lots of sexual assault cases. One of the first known cases that had acutely been reported was back in 1993 by Julian Dibbell whom is a â€Å"prominent commentator on digital culture†(445). The natu re of Second Life as a highly complex virtual environment presents a great number of opportunities, yet it similarly poses a number of problems for Internet gamers. In addition to reported instances of sexual assault, there are also areas of the game where â€Å"avatars act out drug use, child abuse, rape and various forms of sadomasochism† (446). While individuals were outraged at such occurrences, other users indicated that simple role playing is not a serious violation, pointing out that no children were harmed during the game. While Internet gaming has generally not been considered a serious threat it is definitely a growing concern when one considers the ever increasing among of online gamers. For instance, the popular role playing game World of Warcraft has an estimated eight million participants. Within the structure of this game it’s been noted that there are regions of the game that have become highly problematic in that â€Å"Gang of animated characters have repeatedly preyed upon lone travelers, killing them and making off with their virtual belongings† (445). In these regards, gamers face the increasing threat of virtual assault. Japanese authorities even arrested an individual or such acts of virtual mugging. Indeed, the very nature of what constitutes a crime is a debated subject, with virtual depictions of child abuse not being illegal in the United States, yet being prohibited in Europe. With such a variety of legal understandings the problems for law enforcement in halting such violations is made increasingly difficult. Still, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has made strides in attempting to combat such abuses on Second Life. The F.B.I. has also launched investigations against gambling that has occurred within the online gaming environment. While the online gaming world largely remains a sort of contemporary Wild West, progress by such investigators as well as individuals desiring to institute a legal code on Sec ond Life, have started to make significant strides in combating such aspects of virtual crime. While crimes through online gaming poses significant risks to users, the nature of Internet gaming addictions poses just as large a challenge. Numerous reports have demonstrated that the effects of online gaming addiction have had similar deleterious effects on individuals as drug use. Indeed, psychological research has conducted tests wherein similar brain functions were shared by both drugs users and individuals addicted to online gaming (‘Virtual Addiction’). One such startling examined occurred in South Korea where online gaming has become so prominent that is has assumed the position similar to a national sport. Recently it was reported that in South