Medieval Chivalry Essay -- essays research papers fc

Western Civilization Medieval Chivalry and Knighthood During medieval times knighthood was a class culture, cherished and jealousy guarded by the knightly caste. Knight had the honor of defending the king as well as their country. On the bloody fields of battle a code of chivalry evolved that tempered anger and fury with mercy. It created ways of turning the grim business of fighting into something tolerable, perhaps even acceptable. Chivalry was not only looked upon as a code for war; it was looked upon as a setting for stories of love and romance. Chivalry meant a higher social status as well as recognition. Chivalry as we know it denotes the ideals and practices considered suitable to be a noble. Over time chivalry has been used as the primal word to describe the attitude and actions of men towards women. "The word itself is reminiscent of the milieu in which the ideas connected with it took shape-the aristocratic society of mediaeval France dominated by mounted warriors or chevaliers." From as early as the eleventh century several different sets of ideas represented different standards of chivalric behavior. Over the next four hundred years the concepts of Hanuka, 2 The ideal nobleman developed by and for the feudal class under the influence of changing environments, ideas, political views and economies. The concept of being born into a certain class in society was a great part of medieval life. This concept of the class system was based on the land ownership and duties that were owed to other people. The knights were the military supporters of the feudal lords. The knight fought for his lord and if necessary died for him. However, the feudal inheritance was provided only for the eldest son. Younger sons therefore tended to the church or joined groups of knight lacking land. They worked and did their jobs waiting for the opportunity to marry into an estate. There were three methods of becoming a knight. "The most common involved the King or tenant-in-chief conferring the title, known as 'dubbing'. The second method involved religion, the soon to be knight kept a night vigil with his arms on the altar in front of him. He then took a purifying bath, heard Mass and had his spurs put on it. The dubbing then followed with a formal sermon and a sword. The third method involved the readings of a service Benedictio Novi Militis. Hanuka, 3... ...; Works Cited Barber, Richard. The Knight and Chivalry. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970. Boutlon, Jonathan Dacre. The Knights of the Crown. Great Britain: The Boydell Press, 1987. Cabell, James Branch. Chivalry. New York and London: 1909. Davis, William Stearns, Life on a Mediaeval Barony. New York and London: Harper and Brothers, 1923. Harper-Bill and Harvey, Christopher and Ruth. Medieval Knighthood IV. Rochester: The Boydell Press, 1992. Lang, Lloyd and Jennifer. Medieval Britain: The Age of Chivalry. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. Morgan, Gwendolyn A. Medieval Ballads. New York: Peter Lang, 1996. Painter, Sydney. French Chivalry: Chivalry Ideas and Practices and Mediaeval France. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1985. Ramsey, Lee C. Chivalric Romances: Popular Literature in Medieval England. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983. Wood, Charles T. The Age of Chivalry. New York: Universe Books, 1970. Young, Alan. Tudor and Jacobean Tournaments. London: George Phillips, 1987. British Orders and Awards. London: Kaye and Ward, 1968.

Elaine Decides to Try Her Hand at investing Essay

Common stock is a form of corporate equity ownership, a type of security. The terms â€Å"voting share† or â€Å"ordinary share† are also used frequently in other parts of the world; â€Å"common stock† being primarily used in the United States. It is called â€Å"common† to distinguish it from preferred stock. If both types of stock exist, common stock holders cannot be paid dividends until all preferred stock dividends are paid in full. In the event of bankruptcy, common stock investors receive any remaining funds after bondholders, creditors (including employees), and preferred stock holders are paid. As such, common stock investors often receive nothing after a bankruptcy. On the other hand, common shares on average perform better than preferred shares or bonds over time.[1] Shareholders’ rights[edit] Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote on certain matters, such as electing the board of directors. However, a company can have both a â€Å"voting† and â€Å"non-voting† class of common stock. Holders of voting common stock are able to influence the corporation through votes on establishing corporate objectives and policy, stock splits, and electing the company’s board of directors. Some holders of common stock also receive preemptive rights, which enable them to retain their proportional ownership in a company should it issue another stock offering. There is no fixed dividend paid out to common stock holders and so their returns are uncertain, contingent on earnings, company reinvestment, efficiency of the market to value and sell stock.[2] Additional benefits from common stock include earning dividends and capital appreciation. Ordinary shares[edit] Ordinary shares are also known as equity shares and they are the most common form of share in the UK. An ordinary share gives the right to its owner to share in the profits of the company (dividends) and to vote at general meetings of the company. The residual value of the company is called common stock. A voting share (also called common stock or an ordinary share) is a share of stock giving the stockholder the right to vote on matters of corporate policy and the composition of the members of the board of directors.

Moral/Ethical Implications of Euthanasia

Euthanasia refers to the act of removing support systems for the maintenance of life of a person suffering from a terminal or grave illness. Despite the negative arguments put forward against euthanasia, at least four ethical philosophies support the practice of euthanasia. Among these are utilitarianism, Kantianism, egoism, and emotivism. Each of these moral philosophies shall be discussed below to provide support to the practice of euthanasia. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is an indispensable word in the study of normative ethics, whether it is medical, legal, or other professional ethics (Merriam-Webster Online). Indeed, utilitarianism could provide sufficient arguments against or in favor of removing life support systems of one who appears to have no hope of recovery from an illness. Utilitarianism, the theory that could either save a life or relieve pain and suffering in the above situation, has been entered in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as â€Å"a doctrine that the useful is the good and that the determining consideration of right conduct should be the usefulness of its consequences; specifically: a theory that the aim of action should be the largest possible balance of pleasure over pain or the greatest happiness of the greatest number (Merriam-Webster Online).† Utilitarianism is anchored on the principle called the â€Å"Greatest Happiness Principle,† which holds as morally right or ethical such actions that promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number (Mill). John Stuart Mill explained the said principle in his work entitled Utilitarianism in 1863. He explained, thus: The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote    happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of   Ã‚   pleasure (Mill). Utilitarianism still exists at the present as a strong argument in favor of many ethical issues, such as the propriety of euthanasia. Applying utilitarianism to such a scenario, one could argue that removing the life support system would be in accordance with the â€Å"Greatest Happiness Principle.† Euthanasia would be justified under this moral philosophy because it is an act that would remove pain from the patient who, on his own, could not continue living. The same conclusion would be had if the situation is observed from the viewpoint of the patient’s family and friends, whose suffering would not be needlessly prolonged by the sight of their ailing loved one. Kantianism Kantianism is an ethical philosophy put forward by 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant (The Categorical Imperative, 2001). Kant, in his writings, presented a criterion of moral obligation that is a break away from the traditional moral philosophies of his time. Whereas traditional moral philosophies prior to his time focused on good character traits and the consequence of actions, Kant formulated one supreme principle of morality, which he called the categorical imperative. (The Categorical Imperative, 2001). He belongs to the deontological tradition, which is believes in the ethical theory based on conformity to duty, rather than utility or practical bearing. It is thus clear that deontology is in direct opposition to utilitarianism or pragmatism. (Deontology, 2006). Kant’s ethical theory provides for the categorical imperative, which is the ‘supreme principle of Morality’ on which moral actions are based. The categorical imperative is characterized by objectivity, reason and freedom of choice (The Categorical Imperative, 2001). In describing this standard, Kant stated , â€Å"So act, that the rule on which thou actest would admit of being adopted as a law by all rational beings (Kant, 1886).† According to Kant, this standard is â€Å"the only possible standard of moral obligation (Kant, 1886).† Under the categorical imperative, subjective considerations like emotions have no place; rather, morality is determined through rational considerations of necessity and obligation (The Categorical Imperative, 2001). Kant realizes that human will could be influenced by positive and negative factors, but claims that the human will remains supreme. According to him, only rational considerations matter when deciding moral dilemmas (The Categorical Imperative, 2001). Applying Kant’s moral philosophy on euthanasia, it could be argued that stripped of emotional underpinnings, reason would dictate the rule that a person wholly supporting on extraneous factors be relieved of his suffering, when all facts show no hope of recovery. Given such a situation, the general rule of removing life support systems would be wholly supported by reason. Egoism Another ethical philosophy that could be used to justify euthanasia is egoism. This moral philosophy is grounded on the notion of â€Å"self-interest† or welfare (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2002). This means that a person desires to promote his own welfare or interest in all his actions (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2002). Thus, this philosophy works in direct contradiction to the principle of altruism, which tend to minimize the maximization of one’s self-interest (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2002). Egoism obviously supports the concept of euthanasia, both from the point of view of the ill persona nd his friends and family. On the part of the former, it would be for his interest to remove all his sufferings in favor of non-being. On the other hand, the latter would benefit from the alleviation of worries and the deduction of expenses related to the hospitalization and medical support of the former. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Finally, another ethical philosophy that could support euthanasia is the one posited by Aristotle in his work entitled Nicomachean Ethics (Kilcullen, 1996). In this work, Aristotle expounded on the notion called virtue, which is is the determinant of a person’s or a thing’s nature or character (Kilcullen, 1996). Similar to the philosophy of Kant, Aristotle gives primacy to the notion of reason in determining or attaching moral value to any act or thought (Kilcullen, 1996). Applying this philosophy to euthanasia, it could be argued that reason would support the removal of life support systems provided that the facts warrant the lack of hope for the recovery of   the patient, because reason would recognize the futility of keeping support systes when there is no chance of recovery. References Deontology. (2006). Tiscali Encyclopaedia. Retrieved December 1, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0023766.html Kant, I. (1886). The Metaphysics of Ethics. Kilcullen, R. J. (1996). Aristotle's Ethics: Essay. Retrieved April 22 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/Ockham/y67s08.html Merriam-Webster Online. Utilitarianism. Retrieved April 26, 2007. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2002).   Egoism. Retrieved February 19, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/egoism/ The Categorical Imperative. (2001). The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   December 1, 2006, from http://www.nd.edu/~rbarger/categorical-imperative.html ;

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg essays

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg essays The outcome of the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg trial for espionage in 1951 and their subsequent execution in 1953 was directly related to the political climate at that time. The governments evidence against the Rosenbergs was not overwhelming, but due to a combination of fear and political pressure, the guilty verdict was inevitable. Even though Julius did not deliver the secrets of the atomic bomb to Moscow, nor did they cause the Korean War, as Judge Kaufman claimed, the pair were sentenced to death. Their death confirmed their guilt because America would never kill innocent people. Their execution also reinforced the heinous nature of their crime and other soviet spys crimes as well. The fear of communism and the cold war sealed the fate for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. "The cold war was the general term for the post-1945 political, ideological, strategic and military conflict between the western allies led by the United States and the Soviet Union and other communist countries." 1 This global confrontation was fuel by mutual fear and distrust. Both camps defaulted on postwar agreements which, led to further alienation.2 The end of WWII saw Europe economically devastated and in political turmoil. 3 The defeat of Germany left the European continent vulnerable to outside influence. In addition to the economic strength shown by the western allies, the United States not only had nuclear capabilities, but also without hesitation used the power twice. 4 The Soviet Union, in an effort to contract the economic and military might of the United States and its allies, set about tightening its grasp on the east European countries it had occupied during WWII. 5 In the years between 1945 and 1948 the Soviet Union gained control of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. The Soviet Union hoped that by adding these separate governments and militaries, it could offset the United States nuc...

Vexillology - the Study of Flags

Vexillology - the Study of Flags Vexillology is the scholarly study of something seen very associated with geography - flags! The word comes from the Latin vexillum, meaning flag or banner. Flags originally helped ancient armies coordinate on the battlefield. Today, every country and many organizations have a flag. Flags can represent land or maritime boundaries and possessions. Flags are usually hoisted on a flagpole and flown so that everyone can be reminded of the values and history of the country. Flags incite patriotism and respect for those who lost their lives fighting for its values. Common Flag Designs Many flags have three vertical (pales) or horizontal (fesses) divisions, each of a different or rotating color. Frances Tricolore has vertical divisions of blue, white, and red. Hungarys flag has horizontal bands of red, white, and green. The Scandinavian countries all have crosses of different colors on their flags, representing Christianity. Denmarks flag is the oldest flag design still in use, as it was designed in the 13th century. Many flags, such as Turkey, Algeria, Pakistan, and Israel have images of religious symbols, such as crescents to represent Islam. Many countries in Africa have green, red, black, and yellow on their flags, representing people, bloodshed, fertile land, and hope for independence and peace (for example - Uganda and the Republic of the Congo). Some flags show national coats of arms or shields, such as Spain. Vexillology Is Based on Colors and Symbols A vexillologist is someone who designs flags. A vexillographer studies flags and what their shapes, patterns, colors, and images represent. For example, the flag of Mexico has three colors - green, white, and red, formed in vertical lines of equal size. In the center is a picture of the Mexican coat of arms, a Golden Eagle eating a snake. This represents Mexicos Aztec history. Green represents hope, white represents purity, and red represents religion. Vexillographers also study the changes made to flags through time. For example, the previous flag of Rwanda had a large R in the middle. It was changed in 2001 (new flag) because the flag was largely seen as a symbol of the horrific 1994 Rwandan genocide. Prominent Vexillologists and Vexillographers There are perhaps two main authorities on flags today. Dr. Whitney Smith, an American, coined the term vexillology in 1957 when he was a teenager. Today, he is a flag scholar and helped create the North American Vexillological Association in the late 1960s. He runs the Flag Research Center in Massachusetts. Many countries have recognized his great abilities and asked for his help designing their flags. He was chosen to design the flag of Guyana in 1966. After studying the countrys culture, economy, and history, he made green represent Guyanas agriculture, gold represents great mineral deposits, and red represents the peoples great determination and love for their country. Graham Bartram is a British vexillologist who designed the most commonly used flag for Antarctica. It has a light blue background with a white map of Antarctica in the center. The United States Flag The United States flag has thirteen stripes, for the thirteen original colonies, and one star for every state. The United Kingdom Flag The United Kingdoms flag, called the Union Jack, is a combination of the flags of patron saints St. George, St. Patrick, and St. Andrew. The Union Jack appears on the flag of numerous other countries and territories, which were historically or currently are possessions of the United Kingdom. Unusually Shaped or Designed Flags Every countrys flag is a quadrilateral except for Nepals flag. It is shaped like two stacked triangles, representing the Himalaya Mountains and the two religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The sun and moon represent the hope that the country will live as long as these celestial bodies. (Znamierowski) Switzerland and the Vatican City are the only two countries with square flags. Libyas flag is entirely green, representing Islam. It has no other colors or designs, making it the only flag like it in the world. Bhutans flag has a dragon on it. It is called the Thunder Dragon, which is the symbol of the nation. Kenyas flag has a shield on it, representing the courage of the Masai warriors. The flag of Cyprus has an outline of the country on it. Cambodias flag has Angkor Wat on it, a popular historical attraction. Flags That Differ on Their Front and Reverse Sides Saudi Arabias flag has a sword and the Arabic inscription for There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Since the flag contains sacred writing, the reverse side of the flag is a duplicate of the front and two flags are usually sewn together. The reverse side of Moldovas flag does not include the emblem. The reverse side of Paraguays flag contains the treasury seal. The flag of the U.S. state of Oregon has the state seal on the front and the reverse side includes a beaver. States and Provinces Each U.S. state and Canadian province has its own unique flag. Some flags are quite unique. Californias flag has a picture of a grizzly bear, which represents strength. The states flag also includes the inscription, California Republic, referring to the short period of time that California had declared independence from Mexico. Wyomings flag has a picture of a bison, for Wyomings agricultural and livestock heritage. The red symbolizes Native Americans and the blue represents landscapes such as skies and mountains. The state of Washingtons flag has a portrait of President George Washington. Ohios flag is shaped like a pennant. It is the only state flag that is not rectangular. New Brunswick, a Canadian province, has a picture of a ship on its flag for its shipbuilding and seafaring history. Conclusion Flags have many similarities, but many are quite distinctive. Flags symbolize past struggles such as bloody quests for independence, present virtues and identity, and future goals of a country and its inhabitants. Vexillologists and vexillographers research how flags change through time, and how that knowledge can be used to make the world more peaceful and diplomatic, as many people are willing to die to defend their beloved countrys flag and its values. Reference Znamierowski, Alfred. The World Encyclopedia of Flags. Hermes House, 2003.

New Media & International Communcation (Please refer to the Essay

New Media & International Communcation (Please refer to the attachment) - Essay Example The author is then able to describe how television and technology continue to evolve with self – generating forms through mediums such as new enhancements to movies and demands from individuals that are interested in watching the television. Opinion of Reading The main concept which Williams uses in the article is one which draws logical conclusions about the idea of technology and television and how it has evolved. The concept of television and technology becoming a natural part of evolution while meeting new needs in society can be seen and determined with the approach which Williams uses. The main point which can be seen as true, as well as the main strength of the reading, comes from the idea that this was the next step in technology and science. While there may have been components which were altered by inspiration or the desire to create something new, there were also several ideals which led to the evolution of technology with the television as the next step for society and specific needs. The second strength of the argument that Williams uses is by stating that this was a social concept that was based on natural evolution. The strength of the argument is one which can be noted by the demands in society which occurred before the television, specifically with the uses of entertainment, radio and other forms of technology which began to appear. From one perspective, these demands were created by social groups because of a desire to have something new. However, it can also be proven that the demands led to the idea of creating something new for entertainment which society could respond to for communication. From this perspective, Williams’ argument holds strength in showing that the television was a natural part of social evolution. While these two main points show strength in the argument, there is also a question of whether this can be considered natural evolution. If the television were never invented and didn’t become a demand in so ciety, then evolution may still have continued but with different devices. The concept of whether the social demand was a need and had to be created becomes the main weakness by Williams. The use of the television was created to build a response in society and to create new expectations with what technology could do. More important, it can be seen that the evolution was based on innovation and inspiration from different devices which had led up to the television. While the evolution was a natural ideology from past innovations and expectations of society, it was also created for new communication as one that was inspirational then built demand, as opposed to being the next evolutionary process in technology. The main weakness that Williams has with the idea of evolution can be seen from examples which are used today. The Internet is an example which shows how the evolution, while seeming natural, is also innovation that creates responses from social groups. The Internet boom from th e 1990s and to the present day was based on using more communication, faster technology and other approaches. Different portals are now used to enhance this. When looking at these portals, one can see that some are successful and

Gun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gun control - Research Paper Example The basis of the gun control debate lies squarely at the feet of the 2nd amendment. Created in 1791, the 2nd amendment states: "a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed". The purpose of the 2nd amendment was to allow individual states to form their own militias to protect themselves and their country in the event of an attack from outside sources. Such an amendment was deemed necessary by the founding fathers due to the fact that the Revolutionary War had ended several years earlier, and by necessity, civilian men (and at times boys) needed to take up arms as a matter of defense. During the civil war, African American men were also called upon to join militias in an effort to defend the South from the invading Union soldiers. After the Civil War ended, there was much debate on whether the freed slaves should still be permitted the right to bear arms as a means of protection for themselves and their assets. The 14th amendment was drafted as a means to quelling the uncertainty surrounding the rights of former slaves in regards to the possession of firearms (Wilson 163). ... The 1856 Supreme Court decision in the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford denied African Americans the right to full citizenship. Due to this denial of full rights, African Americans were prohibited from carrying weapons and firearms of any sort. It wasn't until 1866 when the Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress that carrying a firearm became legal for all citizens despite their ethnic background (Wilson 164). Since that time gun control policy has been scrutinized for various reasons, but none stemming from racial or ethnic bias. Gun Control Policy 1900-2008 Since the year 1900, there have been reviews of gun control policy in the United States. During the early 1900's, terrorist factions, such as the mafia began to take hold of major cities across the United States. Gun violence was erupting on a daily basis as crime bosses fought their battles to control the streets. Many individuals who were not involved in criminal activity were losing their lives. As a response to the increase in gun violence across the country, the Supreme Court passed the National Firearms act. The National Firearms Act of 1934 imposes an excise tax on those firearms believed to be used routinely in criminal activity (Lott 125). This excise tax was imposed on the manufacturer of the firearm as well as the individual selling the firearm. Guns such as machine guns, short barreled rifles, short barreled shotguns and hand grenades topped the list of those firearms subjected to the increased excise tax. Congress first mandated that guns less than 16 inches would be considered short barreled, and thus subjected to the tax, but in 1960 the National Firearms Act was amended, changing the mandated barrel length to 14 inches (Lott 183). The assassination of several prominent