Plato Vs. Rhetoric Plato And Rhetoric - 2524 Words

Plato and Rhetoric Plato is one of the greatest philosophers in history. Often his words and sayings resonate to this day. But, considering all what Plato has done, what is most peculiar about him is his condemnation of poets and sophists. Plato is in a constant fight to see that the way of true philosophy replaces these false arts. But even much more interesting is that Plato goes even further, and condemns the use of rhetoric, the art of persuasion, as a whole. He not only does this adamantly and with hearty conviction, he fights rhetoric with rhetoric itself. It is a contradiction that which seems laughable and intriguing. Through his works of the Phaedrus, in which Plato’s voice is heard through the mouth of Socrates and The Republic, Plato’s ultimate goal for civilization, the perfect place for society to function together. In these works, Plato demonstrates his dislike for the practice and implementation of rhetoric but also aims at taking sophistry and poetry down along with it. The Phaedrus is the ultimate attack on rhetoric from Plato, and its practices. It follows Socrates and Phaedrus as they discuss love, and other ideas. But it sets up somewhat of a villain within the work as well. There is a man named Lysias, trying to win Phaedrus’ heart, just as Socrates is. But they both employ different methods of doing so. There is the use of rhetoric, which Lysias uses to persuade others, he is popular amongst his peers and others as well. And then there is Socrates, aShow MoreRelatedEssay Clouds vs. The Apology1649 Words   |  7 Pages Clouds vs. The Apology In Aristophanes Clouds and in Platos Apology we see extensive fictional representations of the historical figure, Socrates, who left us no literary works under his own name. When comparing these two representations, readers often assume, as a result of the nature of the comedic genre, that Aristophanes portrayal of Socrates is exaggerated and fallacious. On the other hand, Platos account is often taken more seriously as a result of the philosophical genre and theRead MoreThe Argument For Genocide In Nazi Propaganda1556 Words   |  7 Pagespropaganda desperately expressed that the â€Å"Jews were serious about exterminating Germans, and (less often) that they, in turn, were grimly serious about exterminating Jews† (Bytwerk 38). One example of this was Theodore N. Kaufman’s strong anti-German rhetoric in the USA as a Jewish man which German propagandists used as evidence of Jewish intent (Bytwerk 42). The next step in furthering this message was by rigorous campaigning . As Goebbels stated, propaganda’s effectiveness could only be achieved whenRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Political Situation2648 Words   |  11 Pages 1. Introduction Plato and Aristotle are two of the most influential figures in academic history, yet in spite of their intricate relationship, the pair had differing, albeit not always opposing, views on language which could be argued to be a result of the changing politics of the Ancient Greek era. In this essay I will firstly explore the political situation surrounding the time of both philosophers. Following this, I will expand upon these findings and consolidate them in regards to various languageRead MoreInjustice And Injustice935 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Plato it is better to suffer injustice than to commit injustice, and I agree with it. Because the person who commits’ injustice is not happy and won be happy however the person who suffers injustice can be happy because doe s not carry with guilt. The dialogue of Gorgias is a dispute of two opposites views on different subjects. Starting with knowledge vs. opinion. In a reunion between, Socrates, Gorgias, Chaerephon, Callicles and Polus who is a student of Georgia rhetoric teachingsRead MoreThe Question of Socrates Obedience3243 Words   |  13 Pagesin Book IX of the Analects, it is stated that the Master rarely speaks of Goodness, since it is such a mystical thing, Plato shows how the idea of Goodness consumes Socrates and may be seen as the ultimate subject of all the major Dialogues from Euthyphro to Crito. The meaning of goodness is indeed discussed by Socrates quite often. In the Gorgias, Socrates counsels that rhetoric is empty and useless by itself and is only really useful if it is coupled with morality. Morality governs and directsRead MoreObamas Dnc Romneys Rnc Rhetorical Analysis1731 Words   |  7 PagesRHETORICAL ANALYSIS: Obama VS. Romney It is not relatively easy to be a great speaker. To pull your audience to you, and have them consuming every sentence you prepare for them, every word you breathe. Your audience has to believe in you, trust you. They need hope and encouragement. Every word produced, and every expression given away, has to be a part of the plan. Essentially, prevailing as a great speaker is an art; an art that must be practiced and polished until a fresh gem is formed. PresidentRead MoreEssay about History of Nature and Nurture1866 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract Nature vs. nurture has been discussed by philosophers in the past and by scientists most recently. Philosophers such as Plato argued that all knowledge was inherited through your parent and when you were told something you didnt learn it you were just reminded of it. Aristotle however argued that all humans were born with a blank slate and built on it with influence from there environment. In the 1700s the empiricists and the internalists took over the argument. They fought through lettersRead More Nature vs. Nurture Essay1836 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract Nature vs. nurture has been discussed by philosophers in the past and by scientists more recently. Philosophers such as Plato argued that all knowledge was inherited from your parents and when you were told something you didn’t learn it you were just reminded of it. Aristotle however argued that all humans were born with a blank slate and built on it with influence from there environment. In the 1700’s the empiricists and the internalists took over the argument. They fought through lettersRead MoreThe Persian Wars Were Significant For World History1441 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosophers all came from Greece and their ideologies continue onto the modern world. From Socrates to Plato, and eventually Aristotle, each gave way to modern ideals. As an illustration, modern thinkers use Socrates as â€Å"model of the free individual† which alludes to American values of freedom as an individual citizen who has rights. Both the ideals of forms and rhetoric, which derive from Plato and Aristotle, also play a huge role in modern society because of the organized structure. The advancementsRead MoreThird World Newsreel s History856 Words   |  4 Pagesneeded (5).† Equating Third World with nonwhite and working class oversimplifies the race and class inequalities at play in the Third World. It ignores the fact that anticolonial does not automatically mean class or race struggle. In the allegory, Plato likens people untutored in the Theory of Forms to prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. What the prisoners see and hear are shadows and echoes cast by objects that they do not see. This difference in reality marks a key difference

Mental Isolation in Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis Essay

Mental Isolation in Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis The metamorphosis very possibly was written by Kafka as an outlet for his feelings of isolation and helplessness. In it, the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, awakens one morning to find himself spontaneously transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin. The story continues from there in a most realistic fashion: his family rejects him, and he stays cooped up in his room until he dies. Although interpretations of the story differ, my opinion is that Kafka wrote this story as a protestation, whether consciously or unconsciously, of his own inner needs not being met. Franz Kafka suffered from severe mental disorientation. This man suffered severe tragedies as a child: as the first child†¦show more content†¦Franz Kafka, in his novella The Metamorphosis, explores the concept of total mental isolation. Kafka achieves a very proper, yet sardonic tone by employing a variety of literary devices. Again, Kafka does not bare his soul to an unfeeling world, but does manage to hide his real opinions in the structure of the story. The Metamorphosis comprises a simple analogy between a man, possibly Kafka, trying with all his might to be what his family and society expect him to be but unable to because of his inescapable mental isolation, and a well-meaning, misunderstood cockroach. Suprisingly, however, the actual word cockroach is never used. Most of the time the family mentions Gregor by name, as if refusing to accept the presence of any difference in him, or perhaps refusing to accept the real Gregor. The fact that cockroach is never actually employed leads the reader to wonder if the word is taboo, and if the author is trying to say through this euphemism that Gregor himself wont acknowledge that he is different. If Gregor won?t acknowledge that he has become a cockroach, and if being a cockroach is symbolic of Kafka?s own view of himself, then the reader cannot help but wonder if Kafka is not mentally ill to some degree. Kafkas syntax accentuates the complete non-bombasticism of the work, while at the same timeShow MoreRelatedIsolation and Feelings in Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Essay1330 Words   |  6 Pagesinvests get thrown back in their face once something drastic happens. In turn, this causes feelings of worthlessness and isolation and can eventually lead to death. Franz Kafka understands this better than anyone else and can portray this in his novella, the Metamorphosis. In his novella, The Metamorphosis, the protagonist, Gregor Samsa is one who undergoes a physical and mental transformation due to the unrelenting pressures that his father placed upon him which eventually cause him to die. At theRead MoreFranz Kafka s The Metamorphosis1544 Words   |  7 PagesFranz Kafka, struggled throughout his life with isolation, which is clearly a great influence and inspiration in his work, The Metamorphosis. Franz Kafka was born in 1883 to an upper middle class Jewish family in Prague. Kafka struggl ed with many problems in all facets of his life, most significantly in his his health, his relationships with the people in his life, and his relationship with work. Each of these problems contributed to his isolation, which is reflected in his character Gregor Samsa’sRead MoreExploration of the Common Ground Occupied by the Metamorphosis and the Wasp Factory.996 Words   |  4 PagesMetamorphosis by Franz Kafka explores the troubles of a young man named Gregor. The Wasp Factory explores the troubles of a young man named Frank. In Metamorphosis, the protagonist in the story is Gregor Samsa. He is a travelling salesman who awakes one morning to discover he has turned into an insect. It seems that Gregors only use purpose in life is to work and support his family; this seems his own concern when he finds himself as an insect. The next train went at seven oclock; to catchRead MoreFranz Kafka and Ismail Kadare861 Words   |  4 PagesFranz Kafka and Ismail Kadare were two of the most extravagant storytellers of modern times. Franz Kafka wrote the short story, The Metamorphosis and Ismail Kadare wrote the novel, Broken April. In these two stories, there is a sense of sadness and darkness that both author’s portrayed in them. The characterization between Gregor (from The Metamorphosis) and Gjorg (from Broken April) were actually similar in comparison. The similarities are isolation, loneliness, and their father figures. NeverthelessRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1324 Words   |  6 PagesFranz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ embodies the dehumanising effect placed on man by the Capitalist system, through an economical perspective. In the Capitalist ‘system’ men can only maintain their efficiency and value by the ‘status of an object’; the man must label and objectify themselves in order to know the humanitarian state of ‘being’, then contrast that state of ‘being’ with the idealised expectations placed upon them by the Capitalist system, for efficiency. This links to Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’Read MoreMetamorphosis Alienation Essay970 Words   |  4 Pages Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Alienation Essay Alienation is the primary theme in Kafkas The Metamorphosis. Much of early twentieth-century literature makes as its basic premise that man is alienated from his fellow humans and forced to work in dehumanizing jobs in order to survive. There is no choice for most in this matter. Gregor Samsa, the protagonist in The Metamorphosis, awakes from a dream to find he has become an insect. He wonders what happened, and tells himself it is notRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis 3979 Words   |  16 PagesAustin Day Professor Imali Abala English 357 18 February 2015 The Theme of Alienation in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis The Metamorphosis written by Franz Kafka in 1915 is said to be one of the greatest literary works of all time and is seen as one of Kafka’s best and most popular works of literature. A relatively short novel; the story explains how the protagonist, Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a vermin which completely estranges him from the world even moreRead MoreThe Metamorphosis, A Hunger Artist, And The Trial1371 Words   |  6 Pageson us unlike the moments of joy. It is through man’s isolation and pain that tell us not to talk to strangers or play with fire. Unfortunately, it is difficult to explain the feelings of pain than it is of joy. Franz Kafka explores these feelings. Franz Kafka journeys and displays the complicated genre of alienation and psychological tribulation of mankind in his stories, The Metamorphosis, A Hunger Artist, and The Trial. On July 3, 1883, Franz Kafka was born to a mother who was oblivious to hisRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Metamorphosis 1422 Words   |  6 PagesElaina Faerber, Hannah Lindsey, Jake Sims Mrs. De Oro Hon, English 12A Pd 3 19 October 2015 Literary Analysis Essay-Rejection When individuals are rejected by family and society, they tend to feel abandoned and unloved. In Franz Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis, Gregor’s transformation into a â€Å"monstrous vermin† (Kafka 1) results in him being psychologically and even physically abused by his family. Rejection from his mother, sister, and father leave Gregor feeling unwanted and feeling as if he is a terribleRead MoreEffects of Loneliness and Isolation in the Short Stories â€Å"Metamorphosis† and â€Å"the Yellow Wallpaper†1512 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of loneliness and isolation in the short stories â€Å"Metamorphosis† and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† In Franz Kafka’s â€Å"Metamorphosis† and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† the reader can easily see demonstrated the effects of the alienation and loneliness both of the main characters experience. The feeling of loneliness and the state of alienation leave the characters changed from who they were and manages to completely

Gamestop Analysis Free Essays

There are a lot of companies worth investing in around the country and the world. An investor cannot simply put his money into a company without doing some research beforehand. Using ratios, balance sheets, income sheets, and other financial information, a potential investor has a lot of resources to use to ensure a good investment is made. We will write a custom essay sample on Gamestop Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Considering the financials of each company can be reviewed from year to year, a potential investor is able to research trends from year to year of whatever company they might want to invest in. Based on my general knowledge of the gaming industry, I would consider investing in GameStop because gaming seems to be a booming industry. With all of the commercials on television for new releases, new consoles being developed every couple of years, and even competition gaming it seems that this industry is going to continue to climb. Since GameStop specializes in this industry and no other, I would consider it a safe investment even without doing any research on the company. GameStop is a small retailer that specializes in video game hardware and software. The company also runs Kongregate, which is an online browser based game website allowing players to play smaller games. Kongregate makes its money using micro transactions, which are smaller transactions within the games. GameStop sells new and used hardware and software games on console, and also sells new computer based games as well. GameStop has over 6,500 actual locations spread throughout multiple countries along with a website through which more business is conducted. It is a leader in the gaming industry and is ranked 262 on the Fortune 500 list. Its main competitors are retail giants such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy who sell the same blockbuster titles as well. A horizontal analysis of the company shows the following for three years ending January 2011. GameStop Income Statement Year Ending200920102011 Sales100%100%100% Cost of Sales74. 2%73. 2%73. 2% Gross Profit25. 8%26. 8%26. 8% Operating Expenses7. 7%7. 4%7. 4% Income before tax7. 2%6. 5%6. 6% Income taxes2. 7%2. 4%2. 3% Net income4. 5%4. 1%4. 3% The horizontal analysis is important when researching any company because it compares the company’s numbers side by side for two or more financial periods. Basically, you can look over multiple years once the analysis is put together and see where the company has improved and declined, and whether or not the profits have gone up or down from year to year. In the example of GameStop, we can see that gross profit increased slightly from 2009 into 2010 and stayed at the same number going into 2011. The horizontal analysis is the quickest way to look at the trends from year to year when you want to see a high level overview of a company, and deciding whether it warrants more research or not. Over the past few years GameStop has shown a small drop in their net income, which would indicate the trouble the economy has been having over those years. The cost of goods did decrease while gross profits increased each year, which means they were able to acquire goods for less and sell for more. This shows that their pre-owned game sales likely increased due to the economy. Operating costs did drop slightly going into 2010 and maintained the same cost going into 2011, which means they did not put much more into their operations, but it also means they were probably unable to find a way to cut costs. This can be difficult if they rent because some places have a fixed amount of rent while others may rise and lower depending on realty in the various areas. The current ratio for GameStop year ending 2010 was 1. 28 whereas the year ending 2011 dropped to 1. 23. This seems to indicate that that the company’s ability to pay all of its short term liabilities fell slightly. This could indicate a drop in assets or even that the company reinvested in expanding its operations. Because the ratio dropped over the course of the two years does not necessarily mean that the company is not still in good standing, there are many things that could affect the ratio. From the balance sheets, it looks like the assets did not increase as much as the current liabilities, meaning operations could have been expanded while sales fell, or even that business slowed down and operational expenses could have increased. Overall, GameStop’s assets did increase from 2010 into 2011 while the liabilities decreased slightly. The quick ratio showed a slight decrease from 0. 5 in 2010 to 0. 51 in 2011. This appears to be mainly caused by a rise in inventory that was not able to be sold by the end of the year. At the year end of 2010 the company’s inventory was marked at 1,052. 6 million dollars, and at year end in 2011 it was marked at 1,257. 5 million dollars. Sales of new hardware fell from 2010 into 2011 because no new systems were released. The sales declined from 20 09 into 2011 by 140. 2 million dollars, which would account for the company’s quick ratio declining between the two years. GameStop’s gross profit for new hardware actually increased by 7. % going into 2011 which would indicate that there were drops in the cost of the new hardware. There was actually an increase in the fiscal year of 2011 of 4. 4%, which would indicate that even with the lower numbers the company actually did better for the previous year. The cash to current liabilities ratio also dropped slightly from 0. 55 in 2010 to 0. 41 in 2011, which simply indicates a small drop in liquid assets that GameStop has available. After looking at the balance sheet between 2010 and 2011, the company had a significantly smaller amount of cash on hand which can explain the drop. This does not mean that GameStop is doing any worse as there are several explanations for this. If a company has too much cash on hand, it can mean that they are not expanding their business or trying to reinvest in the company to try to earn more revenue. Most companies will not keep a lot of cash on hand, so the cash to current liabilities ratio should not be given too much weight when considering an investment. After looking through the company’s financials, it seems that all of the numbers here are essentially straight forward. I do not see anything outside of normal reporting and a typical year that would cause the numbers o be either inflated or deflated within the year end reports. The company’s assets barely rose between 2010 and 2011 and there was almost an equal fall on the liabilities which helped keep the company somewhat balanced. Based on the most recent numbers, it seems that GameStop had less assets on hand that could be considered liquid. This is likely due to the increased inventory on hand that was not sold during the fiscal year. Even though the company technically had more assets, less of it was considered liquid because it was in inventory, less current assets, a drop in intangible assets, and a rise in current liabilities. GameStop went from 1,655. 7 million in 2010 up to 1,747. 8 million in 2011. The factor that made up the bulk of this difference was accounts payable, which indicates that there were probably loans taken out to cover the expansion of the company. Since the only real direct competitors of GameStop are giant retailers like Best Buy and Wal-Mart, they probably have more liquid assets available. GameStop does not have much in the way of liquid assets because they are still working on expanding even more. Between 2010 and 2011, total store numbers increased from 6,450 to 6,670. This is why cash and liquid assets are lower in 2011, because the company has been expanding and working on building more revenue up. It seems that GameStop is continuing to reinvest in itself by expanding and making the company available to more consumers. I think that GameStop would be a good company to invest in, and I would personally make some sort of investment if I had the resources to do so. From what I can gather by looking at the balance sheet, sales have steadily increased over the past few years and the company has been expanding. Since GameStop is working toward expanding and improving its business, it is a safe assumption that revenue should increase in the future, especially when new consoles are eventually introduced into the market from Microsoft and Sony. The only risk that I see with GameStop is that their liquid assets seem to be decreasing from year to year, at least in the past few years. This is probably mostly due to an increase in buildings, property, fixtures, and the hiring of new employees to work in the new locations. If they keep expanding and the profit margin keeps shrinking it will come to the point where the company starts losing money. I would really suggest waiting at least a quarter to see if trends improve and advising to invest if the profit did increase over that quarter. Doing the research on a company you are considering investing in is completely worth the time required to do a thorough analysis of the company. Once the research has been completed, you will be able to make a fair analysis of the company simply utilizing information available provided by whatever company you are investigating. By running a horizontal and ratio comparison, a company’s financial portfolio becomes almost transparent and trends, profits, losses, and expansion can all be seen at the top level view. References: GameStop. (2011) About GameStop. In News from GameStop. Retrieved November 1, 2012, from http://news. gamestop. com/about_us Gamestop. (2011) Annual Reports. In GameStop Corporate Information. Retrieved November 1, 2012, from http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c=130125p=irol-reportsannual Walther. (2012). Principles of Accounting: Volume IÂ  (1st ed. ). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc How to cite Gamestop Analysis, Essay examples