Free Response #6

The Economist (taken from Intelligent Life magazine). "The Limits of Science," by Anthony Gottlieb.

Main argument: Science does have limits and all of it cannot be trusted as it always changing or not always right.

The field of science is an ever-growing and an ever-changing one. New discoveries are made every day about technology, the environment, or something in outer space, but can all this science be trusted? According Anthony Gottlieb in "The Limits of Science," science is not always accurate because most if it is changed overtime, or disproved among scientists. Science is truly not concrete and right, which can be reflected in the argument over global warming, the mystery behind dreams, and many other theories that have been disproved and abandoned.

The issue of global warming has taken over the world. Cutting down trees is bad because less carbon dioxide is absorbed. Driving cars is bad because cars give out gases that contribute to the increasing levels of greenhouse gases. Using lots of water is bad because the Earth is going to run out water when all the glaciers melt and the ocean evaporates. All these problems could arise, but why isn't the whole world taking action? The fact is, there are more theories that explain the rise in temperature and the melting of glaciers and the increasing levels of gases. The theory of global warming is not the only theory, and there are people who believe in logic other than that of global warming. Some people believe that global warming is just an impetus for the ice age, while some believe that global warming is a sham by environmentalists to exercise political power. Scientific results have shown multiple results to be likely, and in the end, there's no actual conclusion to the phenomenon. Science has no actual proof in this case, and shows that science does have its limits.

Dreams are another idea for which no concrete results have been found. There exist many speculations on why people have dreams, and none of them have been proven. There is Freud's theory that dreams are a person's unconscious desires, while others say that dreams could be our way of reacting to things around us while we sleep. Our dreams are said to make us feel better sometimes, or just a way that our brain organizes all the signals that may be going through our bodies while we are sleeping. Dreams are truly a mystery, and no  science has been able to prove what it actually is. Ideas have existed for a long time, from the early 1900's by Freud, to the present day, where dreams are being studied by psychologists all around the world. Dreams cannot be explained by science, and go beyond the logic of science.

There are numerous other theories that have been found to be wrong throughout time. There was the theory that the earth was flat, which was disproved when people realized that the world was actually round. There was the belief that the universe was geocentric, which meant that everything revolved around the Earth. This was disproved with the heliocentric theory by Copernicus, which stated that everything, including the Earth revolved around the Sun. There was the blank slate theory which Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas contributed to, stating that all humans were born without any personalities and that they developed based on external influences. It has been found that genes already influence our personalities before we have been exposed to external factors. Though these theories are at this point, accepted, they could very well be disproved in the future, just like how the previous theories were abandoned for new ones.

Science can't always be right because it is always contradicted or changed, as stated by Anthony Gottlieb in his article. There are multiple theories on global warming and dreams, each more extreme than the other. There are numerous theories that have been proven wrong in the past, and could very well be disproved of in the future. Science, like the Earth, seems to be changing constantly, and cannot be relied upon all the time. Science has shown itself to have limits, and these limits prove that science is not as concrete and rooted as many believe.

Free Response # 5

Philosophy Now. "Does Surveillance Make Us Better?", by Emrys Westacott.

Main argument: Surveillance does play a role in morality, and makes people "morally right."

The idea that surveillance increases the morality of a person has existed through ages, and grows stronger in our society today. When watched, chances are little that a person would commit any "wrong" act that goes against the virtues and moral standards people believe in upholding. In an article for Philosophy Now, "Does Surveillance Make Us Morally Better?", Emrys Westacott argues that there is a relationship between surveillance and morality, as most people behave better when they are being watched. Westacott's argument that surveillance makes people morally better is true, and can be seen in George Orwell's 1984, and William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Each book contains a form of surveillance which keeps the characters morally right while it is present. 

1984, by George Orwell, is a book about a society where everyone is being watched by the leader, a man who is only known as Big Brother. There are televisions everywhere, and the group in charge of the country can see the people all the time. Winston, the protagonist in the book, works for the ruling group in rewriting history according to the group's perspective. One day, Winston falls in love with Julia, a co-worker, but fears the actions of the group, since sex, love, and any other private thing is not allowed. Winston and Julia have an affair, but only in secret, away from the eyes of Big Brother. When any form of surveillance is present, Winston and Julia remain indifferent and "morally" right, but without surveillance, they continue their relationship. To escape surveillance, they get a house in the prole district, an area where the poor people live with little surveillance from the group. They eventually get caught and "worked on" so that "rebellious" ideas are removed from their minds. In the end, the couple has only attempted to escape from the "morals" and surveillance of their society to act as they want when in reality, surveillance has been all around them. They pretend to be good when watched, but do not realize that they cannot go against the morals by hiding from surveillance as it is present everywhere.

In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, surveillance took the form of civilization. When the plane carrying the school boys first crashes onto the deserted island, the boys still believe in the morals that society had instilled in them. They are civilized, and they even assign jobs and create an organized structure among themselves. A conch shell that they find calls all the boys together, and represents a government and civilization. As the book progresses, the boys slowly turn into savages, and the group is divided between the boys who still hold onto the morals of civilization and society and the boys who have lost their moralities. This division becomes less evident as one by one, the population of the boys turns into savages, whether it is due to deaths of the moral boys, or because of the transition from civilized boys to savage ones. Towards the end of the book, they have already killed two boys, and the conch shell shatters into pieces, symbolizing the end of civilization. The end shows the impact breakdown of morals without surveillance from society, when the boys burn down the entire island in their attempt to take the life of one boy who tries desperately to hold on to his morality and sanity. The transformation throughout the book signifies the role that civilization and surveillance played in the morality and sanity of the boys. Without civilization and society watching over these boys, they turn feral and savage, abandoning the ideas and virtues that society had instilled in them.

Surveillance has played a great role in upholding the morals of a society regardless of how different they may be. In 1984, the presence of surveillance keeps the people "morally right" by watching over their every move, while in Lord of the Flies, the lack of surveillance shows the decline of morals and virtues, which can be compared from the beginning and the ending of the novel. The knowledge that a person is being watched can exert pressure on that individual to follow the rules and laws of society, regardless of how twisted they maybe.  Surveillance maintains the structure and morals of a society, and even though its methods can be extreme, surveillance does create results. 

Free Response #4

"Of Studies," by Francis Bacon

Main Argument: Studies are important because they can be applied in everything and anyone can use it.

Knowledge is said to be everything. Studies and education have played a large role in today’s society, and its importance is reflected in every school, every textbook, and every human, to a certain extent. In his essay, “Of Studies,” Francis Bacon argues that studies are very important as they can be used in everything and by everyone. Bacon’s argument is strong and right, as shown in the books A Series of Unfortunate Events and the world we live in today.

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events follows the lives of three orphan siblings, Klaus, Sunny, and Violet, who are fleeing from the clutches of Count Olaf, an evil man who wants their fortune. Each of the orphans has their own special talent: Sunny can bite things, Klaus remembers and uses everything that he’s learnt from his books, and Violet can invent things. Their talents help them escape from Count Olaf in every book, and the way the orphans apply everything they’ve studied or learnt is admirable. The brother, Klaus, reads all types of books, and oldest girl, Violet, reads books on inventing and technology. The knowledge they gain from their books is apparent in every book in the series. In the third book, Klaus deciphers a coded message based on his knowledge from a code breaking book that he read when he was small. In the first book, Violet creates a grappling hook from a string of scarves which she uses to climb up a tall, crooked tower. In the tenth book, both Klaus and Violet save their own lives as they stop their cart before it falls down the mountain. Throughout the series, the orphans display their intelligence with their ingenious plans that always manage to help them get to safety, away from Count Olaf.

All around the world, in rural and remote areas in many countries, people are being educated. In India, there are family planning programs for poor, uneducated families who with such programs realize the importance of maintaining a small family. In Bangladesh, farmers are being taught techniques which will help them raise crops even during flood seasons. In many developing countries, people are learning about sanitation and health. Village children who learn to read and write are teaching their parents and opening conservative views to new ideas and thoughts. Children going to school study to give to society, whether it be through conserving the environment or fighting against oppression if minorities. Poor farmers, village children, women, and global citizens all over the world show the application of knowledge in different facets of their lives. Our world today truly reflects the idea that studies are important, and can be used for everything and by everyone.

“Of Studies,” by Francis Bacon, emphasized the point that studies were important, and could be used by everyone. Bacon’s perspective on education can be seen in fictional books like A Series of Unfortunate Events, and in reality, in a world where knowledge can be everything. The people of the Earth advance with studies, and studies ultimately can determine our future. 

Free Response #3

"Of Marriage and Single Life," by Francis Bacon

Main Argument: Men should do new things and contribute to society when they are young, and get married and have a family when they're in their middle ages or older.

     There is always a special time in life for everything. There's a time to live freely and independently, and a time to settle down to a calm and tranquil life. In Francis Bacon's essay, "Of Marriage and Single Life," Bacon states that a man should discover new things and give to society when he is young, and get married and start a family when he is older, somewhere around his middle age. Bacon's statement is true, as supported by Mr. Rochester in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and Dexter from the movie One Day.
     The idea of getting married during the adulthood of one's life is shown in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. In the book, the main character Jane Eyre, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, a rich man in his late 30's. As a young man, Mr. Rochester traveled to different continents and spent a lot of his youth going to grand parties and socializing with the rich people. Being young and erratic, he married an older woman who he was infatuated with.  Mr. Rochester ends up regretting marrying the woman so early, who is actually crazy and scary, as he finds out later. As Mr. Rochester tells Jane Eyre this story, he is nostalgic about his youth and regrets getting married during the prime of a man's life. At the end of the book, Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester realize that they will always love each other, and get married even though Mr. Rochester is blind and has had his left arm amputated. They have a child, and live blissfully for the rest of their lives together.Mr. Rochester's marriage during his late 30's showed how he had matured, and the fact that they lived happily shows that the right time to marry is in the middle ages and the right time to enjoy and live life to the fullest is during your youth.
            The movie, One Day, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, follows the lives of a boy and a girl who are friends in the beginning, but slowly realize that they love each other. Dexter (the boy), goes to parties and enjoys life after graduating from university. At that point, he is in his early 20's. He gets a job being a host for a show, and becomes famous and rich. He lives that period of his life discovering new things and giving to society (he gives entertainment). As the movie progresses, an older Dexter gets married and has a daughter. He plays the role of a husband well and takes good care of his family. Even though he gets divorced and marries Em (the girl he's been friends with), he finds his place with his wife, pulls himself together, and stays a good husband. When Em dies in an accident, he realizes that his wife (the second one) was the one who made him good. He's now in his late 30's, and after mourning after his wife's death, he gets his act together and starts his own restaurant and acts like a good father to his daughter. The movie shows the growth of a young, lively boy to a mature and experienced man. Dexter's life is a memorable one because he lives freely when he's young, and settles down when he is older.
                   In his essay, "Of Marriage and Single Life," Francis Bacon shows that the time to do new things and help society is when you are young, and the time to marry and have a family is for middle age. The book Jane Eyre, and the movie, One Day, support bacon's statement and show that maybe, there is a pattern in living life, and a time for everything. Each man has his life, and each man can determine whether he wants to live a life that could work or be doomed.
       

Free Response #2

Main Argument: Prenatal testing and abortion are not bad, and should not be criticized, as such actions could have rational reasons.

     With technology, medicine and biology have developed, especially in methods such as prenatal determination and testing. The idea of determining the disabilities and sicknesses of a child before they are born could save numerous lives. These sicknesses could range from instant death upon birth, inevitable death after birth (after a few years), or a disability that a person would have to live with for the rest of their lives. Therefore, being informed about these sicknesses could prevent a child from pain and suffering, as seen in the poor family which Salman Khan sponsors, and the movie, The Mighty.

            Testing for signs of such diseases is also beneficial to parents, who might choose to keep, or drop a child with a discovered disability. Koffee with Karan, and Indian show with celebrity guests, once had the actor, Salman Khan, on show. During the show, Karan (the host) showed a touching video about a poor family with a disabled son, and a normal child. The son had a disease similar to osteoporosis, which restricted movement and speech. Thus, the only thing the son could do all do was sit on a bed in the corner of the small mud house. The family was already living  on a meager amount of money, and feeding a person that could not contribute to the income made life a lot harder than it already was. Prenatal testing in a case like this could have saved the family from such financial difficulties as they could have chosen to abort after discoveringa disease.

      Other than financial trouble, physically or mentally disabled people can also have an affect on people around  such them, psychologically. In the movie The Mighty, for example, there is a boy who is physically weak and cannot walk on his own. The family knows that the boy does not have much time to live, so they treat him normally and send him to a normal school, where he meets an introverted big boy who has no friends. The disabled boy is mostly ignored, pushed around, or bullied, at the school, and his problems are stressful for the parents, who worry for him all the time. The big boy, who also becomes his friend later on, has to worry about the disabled boy dying or having an attack at any moment. Lastly, the disabled boy worries and is scared knowing that he doesn't have much time to live. Everyone is basically very worried and emotionally unstable because of the disabled child who is going to die soon. Prenatal testing or abortion could have been the solution. If the sick boy had been aborted, the parents wouldn't be emotionally attached to a disabled boy and would not have to worry about a child who cannot walk, and the big boy would not have to constantly wonder when his friend is going to die. The child itself, if aborted, would not have known he was meant to be alive, and everyone would have been more or less happy in the end.
         
      As harsh as abortion and prenatal testing can sound, they could also be solutions to better lives, financially and emotionally. Testing and abortion still gives parents a choice of whether to drop the fetus or still allow it to live, with all its disabilities. In providing such choices, people can make educated decisions about the future of the child that they may or may not have. Abortion and prenatal testing are not necessarily ways to destroy or take away a life, but to prevent a life of possible sadness, misery, and hopelessness.

Free Response #1

Main argument: Television is good because it educates people in rural areas about human (especially women) rights, and give knowledge about modern ideologies and ways that people might not be aware of.

With time, television has developed from black-and-white to color, and so have the people. The television now shows TV shows, news, movies, and even yoga and fitness workout videos! The increasing variety of things to watch has led to a wider range of audience, making television a medium through which to share and convey ideas. The TV has stretched out to audiences all the way in rural villages, spreading modern ideologies that are portrayed to groups of people unfamiliar, or not exposed to such ideas. The vital role that TV plays in society is shown through TV shows with independent women, broadcasts with working men from urban backgrounds, and news from around the world.

     In the past few years, many Hindi TV shows have transformed from shows with Indian housewives and family feuds to plots with independent women who are trying to make it in today's society. A TV show on the channel Sony follows the life of a middle-aged, middle-class woman who works to make a living. She lives with her family, goes to work everyday, and is not married. The fact that she's not married is really amazing in a society where child marriages used to be normal. The woman reads books, knows how to use a computer, but can also cook and clean. She becomes a symbol of the perfect woman in society for women in rural areas, where boys are given preference for education and girls are taught to become submissive housewives. Independent women are now as important as independent men in our society, as women have shown higher potential in studies and can also contribute to the income of families.

    The impact of television is not only apparent in women, but also in men. Most men in rural villages farm to provide for their families. The sons are expected to work on the farm when they grow up, and so the cycle continues, but in recent times, statistics have shown mass migration from rural areas to urban areas, where there are more job opportunities and higher standard of education. The portrait of men going to work everyday in fancy suits and briefcases can be seen in Hindi TV shows with the male protagonist, in news broadcasts of which many focus on the economy and business, and even advertisements for fabric companies which show famous actors who speak in English. When viewing such men on television, other men can be impressed and thus, encouraged to work towards the same goals; education and higher-level jobs.

    The mass media on television show people of problems, revolutions, and uprisings all around the world. The news show Muslim women who fight for their rights to drive in Saudi Arabia, middle-class and poor-class citizens fighting against corrupt governments, and even small news like people who have been punished for abuse and violation of human rights. Such broadcasts could be essential in instigating a sense of confidence and knowledge about laws, human rights, and justice, getting people to act in the footsteps of those that are doing the same thing, thousands of miles away.

   The television has worked to connect people all around the world with ideas and modern thinking through shows, news, movies, and even advertisements. Witnessing the world that they are not opened to daily, people in the most remote areas of countries can gain knowledge and ideas inspired by others.