Epistemology and Skepticism Essay Example for Free

Epistemology and Skepticism Essay * Epistemology and Skepticism: How does The Matrix illustrate the challenge of skepticism about the external world? Explain, discuss, and critically evaluate the hallucination argument for complete epistemological skepticism. Be sure your essay includes a discussion of either Hospers or Crumley IIs criticism of complete epistemological skepticism. Is complete epistemological skepticism a logically coherent theory? Support your answer with a well-reasoned argument free of any major errors of fact, fallacy or logical contradiction. I. Introduction * The matrix questions the nature of reality * How can we know for certain that the world is how we perceive it and not just a veil over our eyes? * Explain movie- trapped in virtual world believing they are in 21st century * Explanation proposes question, what is real? II. Main Points. * Main Character Morpheus: â€Å"What is ‘real’? How do you define ‘real’? If real is simply what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.† * Consequently, â€Å"How can we be sure our brain isn’t being tricked by some simulation to believe things are real, when they aren’t? This is how matrix proposes the challenge of epistemological skepticism. * Hallucination argument: Modus Tollens, question soundness (valid) 1. If we posses knowledge (K) we must be able to rule out the possibility of systematic hallucination (S). K S 2. ~S (the matrix hypothesis.) (MT 1) 3. ~ K ( MT 1 2) * One arguer against skepticism: John Hospers * Merely verbal * Skeptics take strong sense of the word knowledge, must have proof at all times * Others use weak sense, meaning we only need proof or evidence only when someone is proving otherwise. * Doubt is an empty word * Basic point: once a test has been done to remove doubt we have a good reason to believe it is true, thus we have knowledge. III. Conclusion * Skeptics believe knowledge is unobtainable, in this case the hallucination argument proves the premises are true through Modus Tollens. Although the argument is sound, it is self-defeating because skeptics believe they know that they don’t really â€Å"know† anything. Moreover, complete epistemological skepticism is not a logically coherent view because the argument being claimed would require the person to have knowledge to conduct such argument.

My Life with Thoreau Essay example -- How Education Has Changed My Life

It was my high school teacher, Anna Shaughnessy, who introduced me to Henry David Thoreau. His Walden was not part of the course of study. She asked whether I knew of this Massachusetts writer. I didn't. Without scaring me off by proclaiming how great he was, she said he had lived and died in obscurity. But not like some romantic poet in a dusty garret. He had done all kinds of work for a living-been a schoolteacher, surveyor, pencil-maker, gardener, carpenter, mason, lecturer, naturalist, as well as keeper of a personal journal into which he wrote two million words. "Thoreau was born in 1817, about a hundred years before you," Miss Shaughnessey said. "But I think, when you read him, you'll find his ideas, his way of looking at life, will mean as much to you as if he were born yeste...

Demerits of Advertising Essay

Advertising is a form of communication used to encourage or persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to continue or take some new action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common. The purpose of advertising may also be to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful. Advertising messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various traditional media; including mass media such as newspaper, magazines, television commercial, radio advertisement, outdoor advertising or direct mail; or new media such as websites and text messagesModern advertising developed with the rise of mass production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Type Demerits1 Demerits of Advertising (Objections) Various objections against it may be listed as follows: 1. Economic Objections a) Advertising is not productive. It is true that it does not produce any tangible goods. It is said to involve wasteful expenditure. b) It forces people to desire and buy goods, which, in fact, are not within their means.  c) It increases the cost of goods. Advertising charges are included in the price, which the consumer has to pay. d) Advertising results in monopoly. The consumer becomes a slave to a particular brand. 2. Social Objections a) Most of the advertisements contain tall claims and the consumers do not enjoy the benefits advertisement in full. They are shortlived only. b) The press is influenced by the advertisers because they provide major revenue for the existence of newspapers. 3. Ethical Objections a) Advertising appeals make people to use such articles, which may affect their health. For example alcoholic drinks and cigarettes. b) People with less purchasing power cannot afford to buy articles even though advertisements create a strong need in them. Thus a section of society remains discontented. Whatever may be said against advertising, it is increasingly used almost in every branch of business to promote sales. It is not merely a means of sales promotion but today it has become a science equivalent to any other social science. Type Demerits 2 These are the disadvantages of advertising: Increases the cost: It increases the cost of goods. The cost of the advertisement is included in the price and is ultimately borne by the customers. Misleads the public: It misleads the public by giving false statements about the product. (It may be true in some cases but majority of advertisers know the value of honest statements.) Creates a dissatisfaction: It creates tastes and desires for some people whose income may not allow them to buy. Such people feel dissatisfied. Creates a monopoly: It increases monopolistic trend. Due to advertisement some manufacturers create monopoly in industry and thus reduce healthy competition. It becomes difficult for new firms to enter the field. Creates the confusion: It creates the possibility of wrong purchases. Being impressed by the advertisement, in some cases, a person is not able to purchase the commodity, which he actually wants to purchase. Encourages luxury: This encourages luxury. Mostly the commodities related to comforts and luxuries are advertised, for example, cigarettes, cosmetic goods and etc. due to advertisement of cigarettes several persons start smoking cigarettes, which becomes habit. Reduces cleanliness: It reduces cleanliness. Large number of posters and writings on the walls are used for advertisement. This makes the roads and the walls of the houses look dirty. Thus, it reduces the natural beauty. Causes wastage: It is a cause of wastage of natural resources. As a results of advertisement, style and fashion change quickly. It makes the goods out of fashion.

Comparative Analysis and Ratio Analysis of Financial...

Comparative and Ratio Analysis Introduction At the end of the financial or business year of all companies, the company management prepares and publishes their financial statements and makes them available for their shareholders and other stakeholders. This is done so that the shareholders and all other stakeholders are aware of the financial condition of the company and how it is operating in terms of financial and operational success. All these people require being aware of all this information because it is the primary source of data that helps a stakeholder understand the existing and expected future condition of the company in terms of finances. When this information is obtained, the stakeholders are able to judge this information to determine any decisions that are to be made in order to improve and grow their investments in the company (Mustakallio, Autio, Zahra, 2002). If a company is not in a sound position, which is witnessed through the operations of the company elaborated in the financial statements published by th e company, the investors show reluctance to invest their money in such a company on which return is very low and risk of losing the money is high. Comparative Analysis However, to an average shareholder, it is near to impossible to understand the financial statements of a company only by looking at the financial figures to arrive at a decision to invest or take money out of the company. For such purposes, an analysis is required to understand andShow MoreRelatedScope of the Study1611 Words   |  7 Pagesproviding an insight into the financial position by comparing the Balance Sheet of Auto Syndicate Private Ltd. This study confined to five years data from annual reports 2006-2010, financial statements and other records of the Auto Syndicate Private Ltd. 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