Fodor’s Misconstrual of Wittgenstein in the Language of Thought :: Philosophy Essays

Fodor’s Misconstrual of Wittgenstein in the Language of Thought In his book, The Language of Thought, Jerry Fodor claims that i) Wittgenstein’s private language argument is not in fact against Fodor’s theory, and ii) Wittgenstein’s private language argument â€Å"isn’t really any good† (70). In this paper I hope to show that Fodor’s second claim is patently false. In aid of this I will consider Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations (243-363), Jerry Fodor's The Language of Thought (55-97), as well as Anthony Kenny’s Wittgenstein (178-202). First I shall summarize Wittgenstein’s argument; then I will examine Fodor’s response and explain why it is fallacious. In my view, Fodor is wrong because he takes Wittgenstein to be a verificationist, and also because he makes a false analogy between people and computers. Anthony Kenny, in his book Wittgenstein, provides a concise summary and penetrating interpretation of Wittgenstein’s so-called â€Å"private language argument† (henceforth â€Å"PLA†). According to Kenny, the basic agenda of the PLA can be summed up in a quotation from Wittgenstein’s Tractatus: "Scepticism is not irrefutable, but obviously nonsensical, when it tries to raise doubts where no questions can be asked. For doubt only can exist where a question exists, a question only where an answer exists, and an answer only where something can be said." (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, 6.51) In making his argument, Wittgenstein addresses the belief that the knowledge we have of our own experiences can be expressed to ourselves or others, and that this expression does not assume acquaintance with the external world or other minds. Logically entailed by these beliefs is the idea that there is a private language in which words derive their meani ng by being linked with private experiences. In other words, a subject forms â€Å"internal ostensive definitions.† This means simply that the subject is exposed to and attends to an experience and associates it with a word. For Wittgenstein, this view is mistaken: experience is not private, and words do not acquire meaning by bare ostensive definition. Wittgenstein takes â€Å"private language† to mean a language in which words refer to the immediate private sensations of the speaker in this manner of private ostensive definitions. If a speaker has a certain sensation, she does not necessarily know that sensation only from her own case.

Representation of gender in Men Behaving Badly and Absolutely Fabulous Essay

Compare how the representation of gender is constructed by the way character’s appearance and dialogue in your two chosen television programmes In comparing Men Behaving Badly and Absolutely Fabulous I will find both differences and similarities in gender construction. Absolutely Fabulous is heavily set towards extreme female stereotypes and the male characters are mainly weak, whereas in Men Behaving Badly the male characters are more dominant and their attitudes and relationships to the female characters is more obvious. In the Absolutely Fabulous episode Menopause, there are many stereotypes regarding women. Through Edina we see the woman struggling to be a mother, have a career and delay the ageing progress. Edina wears clothes inappropriate to her age and applies a lot of vibrant coloured makeup to try and make herself appear youthful and fashionable which she miserable fails to do. Edwina’s language throughout the episode is far from the traditional stereotype of women being ladylike and polite. Edina is much the opposite, a very loud and flamboyant woman. This contributes much to her character as it emphasises her struggle to keep herself young and stylish. In this particular episode we see Edina’s PR company failing to strive alongside the rival company, and it shows the viewers Edina’s desperate desire to become famous and popular, which gives reason to her appearance. Edina’s attitude of old age is revealed when Patsy, her best friend and the person she is most clo se to, shows signs of age. Edina shrieks in horror at Patsy’s weak bones, and insists the menopause support group sit on bin bags. Although these actions are extreme, viewers who also fear the problems ageing brings may relate to her panic. The role of Patsy is played even more raucous and brash then Edina. Patsy’s character wears much more sophisticated clothes then Edina, although her make up is not as vibrant it is still thickly implied. This implies perhaps Patsy is just as scared of ageing as Edina, and her makeup is there to cover up tell-tale signs of ageing such as wrinkles and lines. In this episode Patsy appears in Edina’s daughters daydream, and in this we see Patsy acting the opposite of how she usually does. Patsy decides to have a baby, constantly wears an apron and speaks much more polite and quietly then her normal self. Through this opposite view of Patsy we get an idea of what her characteristics are normally. Through her dialogue in this daydream we hear comments that imply Patsy has never had a maternal instinct before. In telling Edina of her decision to have a baby, Edina cries â€Å"But you don’t have ovaries!† to which Patsy calmly replies â€Å"I do! They found them lodged up by my ribs were that silly Arab doctor put them!† Patsy’s dialogue conveys a lot of information about her character to the audience. The way Patsy reacts to her easily broken wrist shows her denial at the seriousness of her condition, and her reluctance to go to the doctor shows deep down she knows she is ageing. Patsy and Edina’s lifestyle is not that of responsible middle age women, at the very beginning of this episode we see the two of them using drugs and in their confusion mistaking a phone ringing for illogical things such as bees and shoes. The responsible character in the house is ironically Edina’s daughter Saffron. Saffron is a young university student and this group would normally be stereotyped as being careless, rebellious and wild, though in a reverse stereotype Saffron is in fact very sensible and intelligent! Saffron is dressed in smart trousers and a brown woolly pullover, has unruly hair and wears smart glasses. These clothes are not the sort of fashion for a girl her age, and it emphasises her reversal on the normal student stereotype. It is amusing to the audience as the mother and daughter seem to take on each other’s normal stereotypical characteristics. Edina hanging out with her best friend taking drugs, and Saffron attempting to control her. In comparison, the male characters of Men Behaving Badly lack responsibility and this relates to Edina’s neglect of parental duty. Gary shows lack of responsibility in his relationship with Dorothy, as he can’t seem to decide whether to kick out his best friend Tony or his girlfriend. As a thirty year old men it would seem obvious to choose Tony to leave, but the fact he debates over makes the scenario seem immature and amusing to the viewers. Gary is dressed smartly and although he runs a security company, he dresses his ageing employers in absurd security outfits which highlights his childish side. Gary talks in slang about Dorothy, referring to her as ‘his bird’ which shows he perhaps doesn’t respect her as a girlfriend quite as much as he should do at his age, as the term is more used with younger men as references to their new and latest conquest. Gary seems to value his late night drinks with his ‘mate’ Tony so much he actually considers Dorothy second best to him, and the stress of their reactions causes him to have nightmares ending in tragedy over him, which is ironic since they both move out in the end! Tony’s character is much more ‘laddish’ then Gary as he seems much more lazy and careless. Tony has no job and spends the entire episode thinking of ways to get his female neighbour into bed, and then attempting to tattoo himself. His clothes are scruffy and look old and well worn and he doesn’t seem to make much effort with his appearance. Tony is being stereotyped as what some people would perceive as a ‘normal man’, though perhaps more exaggerated than normal. His love of beer and his ‘mates’ make him fit the male pub crowd, his scruffy clothes and lack of interest in his appearance and his casual language and constant use of swearing is all seen as very manly. His attitude to Debs, his neighbour, is also a typical stereotype of men that only think about sex. Debs is a single, blonde attractive woman upstairs from the other three characters, and is constantly lusted after by Tony. Deb’s clothes are fashionable and sophisticated and she acts very ladylike. Deb’s appearance shows she looks after herself and takes time with her makeup and clothes. Deb’s character contrasts with the characteristics of Dorothy, who simply rushes out of the door once she is dressed in her nurse’s uniform. Dorothy is dark haired and is in a relationship with Gary, Dorothy looks smart but doesn’t seem to bother much with her appearance and make up, which shows her relaxed attitude around Gary. It highlights the idea that when women are single they make more effort with themselves, and it relates to Gary’s attitude to living with Dorothy. â€Å"Living with your bird is a bit like living at home with your parents. You have to keep your room tidy and you can’t put up the posters you want!† Dorothy uses sarcasm around Gary, and it seems she is just as bored of him as he is of her. Dorothy does not seem to show much affection to Gary, when she addresses him she uses a flat tone with not much emotion in her voice. Through Dorothy’s dialogue the viewers can pick up on faults in their relationship and her attitudes to Gary.

Narrative traits in Indian cinema Essay

In a nation that produces around 800 films a year Indian people see films a a very important part of their culture. For Indian people â€Å"cinema is integral to their lives; it is not a distant, two to three hour distraction, but an explicit life-style for them.†(Jaya Ramanathan). The large screen provides an alternative, an escape from the realities of day-to-day life. The protagonists are totally identified with, the hero is applauded, the virtuous is worshipped and the villain is condemned. The actors and actresses are household names; there is no escaping their omnipresence. Through this essay I will try to examine what makes Indian cinema Indian. By that I mean what narrative and visual traits are intrinsic to Indian cinema and have little relevance to cinema of America or Europe. The subjects I am going to look at are the song and dance routine, how it came about, what it means and why it’s so important to Indian cinema. I will look at the treatment of women and how sexuality of women is represented in Indian cinema, the importance of the actor within Indian society and will briefly look at the use of costumes and elaborate sets used within the Indian film industry. First I will briefly consider some traits associated with American and European cinema as to see how these cinema types differ from that of India. The cinema industry in Europe has a highly complex make-up, reflecting the cultural and expressive diversity of individual nations. If, on the one hand, the quantitative production levels of Europe’s cinema industry have remained high (at roughly 600 full-length features a year, on a par with the United States, However only a minority of European titles manage to cross the borders of their country of origin. This is one major difference from Indian film with it having one of the highest worldly distribution figures off all cinemas. Hollywood makes films for the public, and if the public’s tastes change then Hollywood films will also change. They pay money to have their ideals massaged and their values reaffirmed. And if Americans won’t pay money for it, then Hollywood doesn’t want to sell it. The narrative of Hollywood films’ is a straight plot, in which nothing is left unclear, unsettling or unexplained and every shot is justified by a link to strictest cause and  effect. Hollywood films are often viewed as dulling the mind. This is far from the case in Indian cinema where the plot is created with the aim of making people think about what has happened, this is often applied to their own lives in some way. In America people generally view films for mere entertainment where as Indian people watch films and use the moral codes implied within the narrative to better their own lives. Special effects, violence, and actors’ names are often major themes that bring Americans to the movies. While most Hollywood films are made purely for entertainment value, many foreign films are entertaining as well as forcing the viewer think and question their surroundings at the same time. In India, movies are more than simply entertainment. They are dreams, escape, fantasy and alternative realities – a necessity in dealing with the drudge of everyday existence and routine. Especially now that they have the cinematography, acting, scripting and associated parts down like a science – to the point of stretching the limits of imagination and modifying what â€Å"is† into another realm altogether. While perhaps lacking in the area of Western sophistication, this lack is probably the biggest advantage Indian films have over the rest of the World. They are simply fun to watch. Indians enjoy seeing people interacting with each other and the films reflect societal practices and norms. The form of Indian cinema has a great deal to do with how popular entertainment has been traditionally perceived and defined in India. â€Å"Entertainment is quantified as a combination of the essence of the nine basic emotions. Complete entertainment is possible only when the nine emotions, love, hate, joy, sorrow, pity, disgust, fear, anger and compassion, are blended expertly in different ways around a predominant emotion. The main emotion could be love, joy, hate or compassion, but if not complemented by the others, is neither defined nor experienced.† (V. Damodaran & M. Unnithan-Kumar) There are certain traits that are commonly associated with Bollywood movies. These include: â€Å"XExtensive use of other performing arts such as singing and dancing â€Å"X Treatment/representation of women â€Å"XThe importance of the Actor within society â€Å"XThemes centred on Moral values and cultural struggles â€Å"XLarge studio sets with elaborate decoration & elaborate and brightly coloured costumes Bollywood is a term used to describe the Indian film industry, the largest in the world in terms of film production. In 1990 India produced 800+ films (more than two a day). Bollywood’s cinema going audience, in India, Pakistan and elsewhere is also one of the biggest in the world. Song & Dance Indian films are known all over the world, but ask an English or American person and they will probably say Indian films are about singing and dancing. If you ask someone in the Middle East they may say Indian films revolve around action and if you ask someone elsewhere in Asia they often define Indian movies as love stories. So, overall it is probably Westerners who most of all see Indian movies as just song-and-dance. This is probably partly down to ignorance on our behalf and also due to the fact that musical film has been largely abandoned in Europe and America, or it is defined under its own genre ‘musical’ which often deters people from watching.. Therefore I feel this is a good place to start in terms of considering what makes Indian film different from American or European film. The narrative structure of popular Indian films is punctuated with songs and dances, usually around six songs. The origins of this tradition can be traced back to the ballets in Indian dance-drama. These song and dances are often referred to as filmi music (a desi word) . Song and dance can have many narrative functions within an Indian film. It can be used to show the  emotions and show the real interiority of characters. These song and dance sequences are more often than not used as merely musical interludes or rest periods between the dialogues of the film. The music director’s main effort in the film is to compose attractive melodies set to often fine lyrics of a high literary quality. In early Indian film the heroes and heroines sang their way through the four hour movie. The acting quality and appearance of the character counted for little as it was singing talent that was important. To this day the Indian film song has a unique thrill. The music director, the songwriter and the playback singers have an unparalleled status in India. These song and dance sequences have played a very important part in Indian films since their birth, around 1913, and they have contained some of the best Urdu and Hindi poetry within its lyrics – this was especially the case during the 1950†² and 1960’s period of filmmaking. This era was considered the golden era in this genre with films such as Pakeezah (purity), directed by Kamaal Amrohi, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, directed by Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram as excellent examples of the use of song and dance. The most popular form of music in India still continues to be the film song. In the last few years, the market for popular music has grown massively. â€Å"Today, it is not unusual for films to be designed around a set of songs rather than the other way around. There is an increasing trend to use the narrative of a film simply as a string to hang song and dance numbers, much like a music hall revue. With the new audiovisual technology available, they can often resemble an extended music video peppered with action and dialogue.†(V. Damodaran & M. Unnithan-Kumar) Indian cinema has some of the best song and dance sequences in the world cinema and often excels Hollywood musicals through the way in which they link their dialogue and musical lyrics. Examples of this quality can be seen in the work of Guru Dutt in films such as Pyaasa (1957) which he Directed, wrote, produced and also starred in. This film is interesting because the songs are often inserted in the story itself, (apart from the Guru Dutt-Mala Sinha duet scene) and are not only musical picturizations of fantasies, dreams, etc., as it is often the case in later Bollywood films. Examples of his song sequences rival the best in world cinema and in many cases excel the Hollywood musical in the subtle linking of dialogue and lyric. These  directors transformed the film song into an art form and confirmed that music was Indian cinema’s greatest strength. Even today, Indian filmmakers are aware that their moment of cinematic glory can come from the songs. Every decade since the 19 50s, a huge majority of films that would otherwise have been completely forgotten are saved by a marvellous musical sequence in which melody, lyrics, camera movements, choreography and performance combine to magical effect. More than anything the phenomenon of song and dance gives Indian Cinema its unique identity. Unlike Hollywood, where the ‘Musical’ was a separate genre by itself, song and dance has been an integral part of the narrative in Indian Cinema be it in any language or whichever genre often leading and us Westerners often describe them as Indian musicals – often not realised by us that almost every different genre of Indian film contains song and dance. Film songs have been used to express all aspects of Indian life – weddings, funerals, state occasions, religious festivals, parades, parties or political conventions. Over the years, The Indian film song has evolved and many critics say that it has no reached perfection. Consequently film music is by far the most popular brand of music in India. Film makers have realised the importance of the song and dance in their films. Even today with all the visual aspects of the Indian films such as costume and sets, the song is often the single factor that determines the success or failure of a film in India. Stars of Indian films are often seen as heroes and are idolised. Nasreen Munni Kabir tells us how â€Å"people want to act, talk and look like their idols. In every decade, barbers have been asked to give their clients an Ashok Kumar, or Dilip Kumar or Shah Rukh Khan cut and tailors have always been told to copy the clothes of the beautiful Madhubala or Aishwarya Rai†. Until the early 90s, star gossip was almost exclusively reported in the dozens of film magazines but now interest in the world of cinema is so extensive that virtually every daily newspaper devotes endless print space to who is doing what in Bollywood. Representation of Women & Sexuality In early Indian cinema codes of practise followed by performing arts were also applied to the film industry. One ‘rule’ was that women of high reputation discouraged from working on screen as it was considered unacceptable by society for women to perform to perform in front of men whom were total strangers. As a result of this rule men played the roles of women. Nasreen Munni Kabir2, in his book Bollywood: The Indian cinema story, discusses how women were only gradually accepted in theatre but soon after the production of films in India women became increasing willing to act on screen, however Muslim or Hindu actresses were often frowned upon and thought to have not come from good families. This was not the case for Jewish or Christian actresses; these were seen as being above this type of criticism because of their religion. According to the Manusmriti, an ancient classical work dealing with laws, ethics, and morality, a woman should be subject to her father in childhood, in youth to her husband, and when her husband is dead, to her children. Within the guidelines of the Manusmriti, women do not enjoy independence. Women are supposed to adhere to the role of a happy figure that takes care of the household. They are supposed to be obedient to their husbands and go to every length to honour them even after death. These ethics were transferred to film and the role of the woman in Indian films is often one of extreme loyalty towards her father, husband and children. The female character is often a centrepiece to a narrative with other, predominantly male characters working around her. In traditional Indian Society, there are certain prescribed roles which regulate the conduct of women. For example, the conception of the woman as Sita is prevalent in Indian society and film. Sita is a character in the Ramayana, one of the great epics, which embodies values and the differences between right and wrong. She is the wife of Rama, who is representative of many virtues including honor, courage, and loyalty. Much of Indian popular cinema is influenced by the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, another epic, which involves the hero Lord Krishna. Sita is the ideal woman and wife that  sees her husband as an idol. Indian popular cinema represents this role of the ideal wife’s admiration and unfaltering respect. In a great deal of popular Indian Cinema the role of the women can be separated into four categories. The four categories to consider include the ideal wife, ideal mother, the vamp, and the courtesan (Dissanayake 77). The Ideal Wife (often Heroine) This character is represented by sexual purity and fidelity. The wife must be consistent with traditional Indian roles by honouring the family and depending on the husband. The definintion of the heroine in early Indian films was closely linked with mythological charaters. Nasreen Munni Kabir uses the virtous Sati Savitri as the perfect model of the women. Savitri is famous in mythology for bringing back her husband from the clutches of Yam, the god of death through her endless devotion to him. From that moment on all portrayals of women in cinema were measured against Savitri. Heriones were almost always seen as virtuous, weepy, helpless characters whose sole existence relied upon the presence of a man in her life – husband, brother or father. If the heroine were not married then it was assumed that she was a virgin. The basic idea in all Indian films from 1930’s to the present day is that the heroine will finally get her man. Rani Mukerji states â€Å"The ultimate goal of the heroine is to get her man in the end†¦This may not be shared by the hero. Whether it’s a comedy, a romantic film, an action film, a horror film – you always have romance winning in the end†. The Ideal Mother Indian reference to the mother involves religious suggestion. The country is connected with the mother goddess, Shakti, who represents great strength. The role of the mother in Indian film is often seen as a strong force, such as in Mother India. This film showcased the Indian Woman completely with her strength and emotions. (1957). Radha (Nargis) is a mother, who is left to look after her sons after her husband leaves out of shame of not being able to fend for his family, due to an accident. Radha throughout the film faces  many struggles, raising three boys, fighting poverty and debt, as well as other tragedy in the family. She is a representation of the mother being strong and the backbone of any family. Mehboob Khan’s Mother India is really a great tribute to an Indian woman. The Vamp The vamp in Indian film is modern and imitates western women and is usually more of an equal partner to the man than the heroine. Her stereotypical behaviour can include smoking, drinking, and dancing. She represents unacceptable behaviour and is seen as unwholesome and is almost always punished for her behaviour. Indian films are representative of Indian society†¦from beginning to end it is full of values†¦The character of the vamp is used to pass judgement on sections of society that are not acceptable to the traditional middle class†¦The middle class always pats itself on the back when it see ‘the vamp’: ‘Oh see, she’s smoking and drinking and she’s wearing those skimpy clothes. My daughter in doesn’t, mother doesn’t etc.†( Archana Puran Singh) These images help the middle classes reaffirm their faith in their own values. An example of this type of woman is the character of Chandramukhi, a prositue in the film Dev das (P.C. Barua) whom falls in love with Devdas (hero) however, he loves Paro. There is one film that goes against moral convention in Indian cinema, with the hero choosing to fall in love and end up with the vamp – Guru Dutts Pyassa. The Courtesan The courtesan is outside the normal realm of Indian womanhood she is a type of dancing girl. She embodies sexuality. She is a character who helps with the physical and emotional needs of men. Often in Indian film, she gives the man comfort and care, after which, he leaves her to desperately mourn the loss of him. Archana Puran Singh explains the difference between the vamp and the courtesan â€Å"The difference is that the vamp has choices. The courtesan is someone who had no choice in being a courtesan. †¦there is always said to be a sad story behind her.† Indians are therefore sympathetic towards this character whereas the vamp is frowned upon. â€Å"If the courtesan  is performing a dance it’s not out of choice and amazingly very often the courtesan remains a virgin with purity of mind and body†. The hero is attracted to her because she represents a forbidden aspect of sexuality, one not shown in the heroine, but shown often too much in the vamp. The he ro can watch her and she often will fall in love with him – often causing confusion in communication causing what is often depicted in Indian cinema – The love triangle. Although Indian cinema continues to change and evolve, reflecting new trends in gender relations, at least in very traditional Indian cinema women who live by these traditional norms are portrayed as happy and ethical. Women who go against these rules of narrative and culture in film are punished and seen as immoral. Indian films never show scenes of a sexual nature; even kissing was unknown in Indian film for a long time, however, this is not to say that Indian films lack passion and desire. The women in Indian films are often the focus of male desire. Public displays of affection are associated with western life and tend to be omitted from Indian film. Although more recent films often include scenes of overt sexual relations, traditionally Indian film has used three techniques to convey this sexuality as categorized by Richards as tribal dress, dream sequences/wet saris, and behind the bush. Tribal Dress Because many Indian films involve music and dance, Richards explains, â€Å"tribal costumes are used for the exposure of vast expanses of the body, in particular the pelvic region† ( Dissanayake ). Dream Sequences/Wet Sari Dreams offer the ability to express sexual desires and explore forbidden pleasure. Wet saris are often involved in these dreams and are caused by a downpour in which the woman’s flimsy sari allows for exposure of the female body. Dance director Lollipop, known for choreographing the song ‘Aati Kya  khandala’ in the film Ghulum (Vikram Bhatt, 1998) notes that â€Å"the wet sari must not only have the heroine wearing a sari but the hero wearing a cap so that the rain falls in front of his eyes† this is a sequence that has become a audience expectation. Psychotherapist Udayan Patel has his own views on this wet sari dance. â€Å"The gyrations are repeated and the use of the eyes and lips, all suggest overt sexuality. In our culture, we are split between living through private imaginations and social behaviour. .. . There is no kiss, there is no sex. If its explicit they people cant ignore it and parents will say it’s a bad film. I don’t think producers want this as they would lose big audiences. So sexuality is expressed through dance and the movement you of sexual intercourse without touching or kissing.† Behind the Bush The music and dance in films often gives characters the opportunity to run behind the bushes quickly. Afterwards the woman wipes off her lips, insinuating what occurred. Importance of actor within society There are high levels of devotion and hero worship towards leading stars of Indian cinema. People want to act, talk and look like their idols. In every decade, barbers have been asked to give their clients an Ashok Kumar or Dilip Kumar or Shah Rukh Khan Cut and tailors have always been told to copy the clothes of the beautiful Madhubala or Aishwarya Rai. Until the early 90s, star gossip was almost exclusively reported in the dozens of film magazines but now interest in the world of cinema is so extensive that virtually every daily newspaper devotes endless print space to whom is doing what in Bollywood. It is not only in terms of magazines and haircuts that these people are followed, it has been known for highly acclaimed actors or actresses to become members of government, as it is believed that because people follow them on screen and idolise them then this will be the case in government where they can actively change the lives of their fans and society in general. One example of this occurrence is with Shabana Azmi. Shabana is an internationally acclaimed actress, Member of the Indian  Parliament, and UN Goodwill Ambassador. She is the winner of an unprecedented five National Awards for Best Actress in India for the films Ankur (1974), Arth (1983), Khandhar (1984), Paar (1985), and Godmother (1999). She is also an extremely vocal and committed social activist, for which she was presented the Rajiv Gandhi Award as well as the Yash Bhartiya award from the government of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Most significantly she was awarded the Padma Shri in 1988 by the Government of India, an award given to eminent citizens for excellence in their field and distinguished contribution to society. She describes why she was driven into politics after movie making. â€Å"What ultimately drove me towards politics was this essential contradiction: if the whole purpose of art is to sensitize people, how can you say that this sensitivity is only going to be directed towards yourself and giving a better performance? This is simply not possible since the best resources of an actor must come from life itself. So when you are in films playing characters struggling with social injustice and exploitation, then a time comes when you can no longer treat your work like a nine-to-five job. I could n ot think that as of 6:00pm everyday, I would no longer concern myself with the lives of the people I choose to play. This turn came about some time in the early-80s† (Shabana Azmi) Moral Values & Cultural struggles Indian movies usually centre around moral values and binary oppositions such as unconditional love, the conflict between fathers and sons, revenge, redemption, the hero, the villain, survival against the odds, the importance of honour and self-respect, and the mission to uphold religious and moral values – grand themes that Hollywood generally leaves to the now rarely produced epic. The characterizations in Indian films are often based on archetypes of good and evil. Here are some examples of this binary opposition in Indian film: GOODEVIL HeroineVamp HeroVillain Indian societyWesternisation MoneyPoverty Love Loneliness Ever Indian film shows a struggle between at least one set of these oppositions above. Independence films had tended to deal with the confrontation of Western culture with Indian tradition. Westernization was seen as an aspect of colonialism. Western values were considered inimical and threatening to Indian familial social tradition. Villains tended to wear western clothes; westernized women were seen as vamps. In the hero versus villain situation, it was always the villain who was westernized and therefore, depraved and perverse. The Indian tradition was seen as being liberating and also the sole repository of moral and social values. Costumes & Setting Other key contributors to Indian film are the set and costume designs. There is a huge demand for exciting, colourful action scenes as this has great appeal for the young male audience. This is also how the handful of set and costume designers work. In the Bollywood movie, set design can range from the rickety and make-shift to the elaborate and lavish. Costume design has always been important but never as much as in today’s culture of glamour and beauty. Bollywood designers have become so trendy that many create clothes for exclusive weddings of the ultra rich as a side line. The unique style of Indian cinema is explored through an analysis of the mis-en-scene of the film itself–the locations, the sets and costumes–and shows how they, along with the song and dance sequences, construct the ‘look’ and meaning of a film. Use of hairstyles and make-up is examined in the context of  representations of the body in order to explore changing ideas of beauty and sexuality within the film genre. Conclusion From this essay I can conclude that Indian film is very different from that of American or European films in many ways. Some of these being: *Indian cinema is more socially challenging than American cinema *Indian film delivers messages about how Indian people should live their lives *Indian cinema treats women as objects inferior to men *Women are stereotyped either good or bad ( heroine or tramp) *Indian cinema always has romance *Indian cinema does not use spectactular specil effects *Indian cinema does not include any sexual relations *Indian cinema focuses around song and dance Eventually, Americans and British alike can begin to appreciate a more intellectual type of film such as the films popular in India. We need to learn to be willing to open our minds to new possibilities and new ideas. Once we are willing to think for ourselves occasionally, Hollywood can stand out as the film capitol it supposedly is While Indian cinema is unique to Indian culture and history, its energetic style, the emotional appeal of its themes, the glamorous lifestyles portrayed, the enduring melodies and lush settings, all contribute to its increasing popularity worldwide.

Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems The WritePass Journal

Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems Summary: Critique on Constraint-Based Approaches for Balancing Bike-Sharing Systems ). Moreover, the article does not clearly illustrate its results and does not offer a thorough and simple explanation of what the authors have found and what their findings mean. Thus, it may be difficult for the reader to comprehend the authors’ findings and what benefit the article has given to readers related to the topic in question. Accordingly, there are various other approaches that the authors could have used in order to enhance the level of comprehension of the article and increase its usefulness for ordinary readers. The first alternative suggested approach for the authors of this article was to adopt a qualitative methodology consisting of interviews with the customers of the bike-sharing systems and gain in-depth knowledge of the prevailing problem and suggested solutions. However, there may be some limitations to using this methodology which include confirming the validity of the results and analyzing or measuring data. The quantitative approach allows the authors to appropriately measure and analyze data and confirm that the results obtained are authentic and valid. Using qualitative data may mean that the results obtained may contain elements of interviewer or respondent bias (Flick, 2009). Another alternative approach that the authors could have used consists of conducting a thorough literature review on the topic which could have helped increase reader understanding and retain reader attention. However, the main problem involved in adopting this approach lies in the fact that this topic may not have an expanse of literature available for analysis and it may have been difficult for the authors to gather this level of information. The authors could have still enhanced understanding of this study by including more previous literature or including related topics to the analysis (Daymon Holloway, 2010).The authors could have also opted to simplify the quantitative analysis and use simple statistical measurements in order to enhance reader understanding and comprehension. Methods such as regression, descriptive statistics, and other statistical measures could have been used instead of complicated heuristics calculations. This would have enabled readers to understand the fi ndings in a better manner and improve comprehension (Liamputtong Ezzy, 2006). However, the article was well-written and thoroughly explained which enhanced reader attention and enabled comprehension. Moreover, the calculations enhanced validity and authenticity of the results and enabled the appropriate calculation of the information needed. The methodology of the paper could have been simplified and the structure could have been improved with further sub-headings and a broader literature review (Denzin Lincoln, 2011). Thus, while the article had certain shortcomings it also had quite a few strengths in the sense of the level of expression, the level of understanding, and the quantitative analysis conducted. However, the authors of the study can improve the clarity and comprehension of the study by incorporating the recommendations mentioned and the authors should also expand upon the section on further research and include further ideas for future research. Suggestions for Further Work: The authors of this study can further conduct research upon other methods of transport or can replicate this study by implementing a qualitative methodology in the future. The authors can also conduct research on other new business activities and possibly choose topics which cater to a vaster market rather than only catering to a niche business activity. References Liamputtong, P., Ezzy, D. (2006).Qualitative research methods. New York: Oxford University Press. Daymon, C., Holloway, I. (2010).Qualitative research methods in public relations and marketing communications. Routledge. Denzin, N. K., Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011).The SAGE handbook of qualitative research. Sage. Miller, T., Mauthner, M., Birch, M., Jessop, J. (Eds.). (2012).Ethics in qualitative research. Sage. Flick, U. (2009).An introduction to qualitative research. Sage. Alston, M., Bowles, W. (2012).Research for social workers: An introduction to methods. Allen Unwin. Delamont, S., Atkinson, P. (Eds.). (2010).SAGE Qualitative Research Methods. SAGE Publications Limited. Method of Gathering Data: The literature gathered for this critique was gathered from journals, books, and online sources. Particular keywords were used in order to find relevant sources for this critique and emphasis was given upon finding sources regarding qualitative and quantitative analysis. The literature used for this critique was thoroughly read, examined, and relevant points were extracted in order to form an analysis for the article in question.

Dong Son Drums - Symbols of a Maritime Bronze Age Society in Asia

Dong Son Drums - Symbols of a Maritime Bronze Age Society in Asia The Dong Son Drum (or Dongson Drum) is ​the  most famous artifact of the Southeast Asian Dongson culture, a complex society of farmers and sailors who lived in what is today northern Vietnam, and made bronze and iron objects between about 600 BC and AD 200. The drums, which are found throughout southeast Asia, can be enormousa typical drum is 70 centimeters (27 inches) in diameterwith a flat top, bulbous rim, straight sides, and a splayed foot. The Dong Son drum is the earliest form of bronze drum found in southern China and southeast Asia, and they have been used by many different ethnic groups from prehistoric times to the present. Most of the early examples are found in northern Vietnam and southwestern China, specifically, Yunnan Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Dong Son drums were produced in the Tonkin area of northern Vietnam and southern China beginning about 500 BC and then traded or otherwise distributed throughout island Southeast Asia as far as the western New Guinea mainland and the island of Manus. The earliest written records describing the Dongson drum appear in the Shi Ben, a Chinese book dated from the 3rd century BC. The Hou Han Shu, a late Han dynasty book dated to the 5th century AD, describes how the Han dynasty rulers collected bronze drums from what is now northern Vietnam to melt down and recast into bronze horses. Examples of Dongson Drums have been found in elite burial assemblages at the major Dongson culture sites of Dong Son, Viet Khe, and Shizhie Shan. Dong Son Drum Designs Designs on the highly ornamented Dong Son drums reflect a sea-oriented society. Some have elaborate friezes of figured scenes, featuring boats and warriors wearing elaborate feather head-dresses. Other common watery designs include bird-motifs, small three-dimensional animals (frogs or toads?), long boats, fish, and geometric symbols of clouds and thunder. Human figures, long-tailed flying birds and stylized depictions of boats are typical on the bulging upper part of the drums. One iconic image found on the top of all Dongson drums is a classic starburst, with a various number of spikes radiating out from a center. This image is immediately recognizable to westerners as a representation of a sun or a star. Whether that was what the makers had in mind is something of a puzzle. Interpretive Clashes Vietnamese scholars tend to view the decorations on the drums as a reflection of cultural characteristics of the Lac Viet people, early residents of Vietnam; Chinese scholars interpret the same decorations as evidence of a cultural exchange between interior China and Chinas southern frontier. One outlier theorist is Austrian scholar Robert von Heine-Geldern, who pointed out that the earliest Bronze Age drums in the world come from 8th century BC Scandinavia and the Balkans: he suggested that some of the decorative motifs including tangent-circles, ladder-motif, meanders and hatched triangles may have roots in the Balkans. Heine-Gelderns theory is a minority position. Another point of contention is the central star: it has been interpreted by western scholars to represent the sun (suggesting the drums are part of a solar cult), or perhaps the Pole Star, marking the center of the sky (but the Pole Star is not visible in much of southeast Asia). The real crux of the issue is that the typical southeast Asian sun/star icon is not a round center with triangles representing the rays, but rather a circle with straight or wavy lines emanating from its edges. The star form is undeniably a decorative element found on Dongson drums, but its meaning and nature is unknown at present. Long-beaked and long-tailed birds with outstretched wings are often seen on the drums, and interpreted as typically aquatic, such as herons or cranes. These too have been used to argue a foreign contact from Mesopotamia/Egypt/Europe with southeast Asia. Again, this is a minority theory that crops up in the literature (see Loofs-Wissowa for a detailed discussion). But, contact with such far-flung societies is not a totally crazy idea: Dongson sailors likely participated in the Maritime Silk Road which could account for long-distance contact with late Bronze Age societies in India and the rest of the world.There is no doubt that the drums themselves were made by the Dongson people, and where they got the ideas for some of their motifs is (to my mind anyway) not particularly significant.   Studying Dong Son Drums The first archaeologist to comprehensively study southeast Asian drums was Franz Heger, an Austrian archaeologist, who categorized the drums into four types and three transitory types. Hegers Type 1 was the earliest form, and that is the one called the Dong Son drum. It wasnt until the 1950s that Vietnamese and Chinese scholars began their own investigations. A rift was established between the two countries, in that each set of scholars claimed the invention of bronze drums for their resident countries. That split of interpretation has persisted. In terms of classifying drum styles, for example, Vietnamese scholars kept Hegers typology, while Chinese scholars created their own classifications. While antagonism between the two sets of scholars has melted away, neither side has changed its overall position. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Dongson Culture, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Ballard C, Bradley R, Myhre LN, and Wilson M. 2004. The ship as symbol in the prehistory of Scandinavia and Southeast Asia. World Archaeology 35(3):385-403.  . Chinh HX, and Tien BV. 1980. The Dongson Culture and Cultural Centers in the Metal Age in Vietnam. Asian Perspectives 23(1):55-65. Han X. 1998. The present echoes of the ancient bronze drums: Nationalism and archaeology in modern Vietnam and China. Explorations 2(2):27-46. Han X. 2004. Who Invented the Bronze Drum? Nationalism, Politics, and a Sino-Vietnamese Archaeological Debate of the 1970s and 1980s. Asian Perspectives 43(1):7-33. Loofs-Wissowa HHE. 1991. Dongson Drums: Instruments of shamanism or regalia? Arts Asiatiques 46(1):39-49. Solheim WG. 1988. A Brief History of the Dongson Concept. Asian Perspectives 28(1):23-30. Tessitore J. 1988. View from the East Mountain: An Examination of the Relationship between the Dong Son and Lake Tien Civilizations in the First Millennium B.C. Asian Perspectives 28(1):31-44. Yao, Alice. Recent Developments in the Archaeology of Southwestern China. Journal of Archaeological Research, Volume 18, Issue 3, February 5, 2010.

A View from the Bridge Essay Example for Free (#32)

A View from the Bridge Essay ? Marco is married and has got two children whilst Rodolfo is still single. When, both Catherine and Rodolfo see each other, it is almost like love at first site. Catherine uses flirtatious procedures to convey to the audience that she feels somewhat of him. When she starts using these actions, â€Å"High heels† Eddie does not like this and so sends her back to the room to get changed, â€Å"Do me a favour, will you? Go ahead. † This makes Catherine undergo embarrassment as Rodolfo was at the scene. I would want the audience to observe that both Catherine and Rodolfo have got feelings for each other and that Eddie is in the surroundings being jealous. Due to the relationship between Eddie and Catherine, Beatrice’s relationship is suffering as he is paying attention more towards Catherine then Beatrice. Another crucial scene/turning point in this play is when both, Rodolfo and Catherine are left unaccompanied in the apartment. Whilst in the room, Catherine questions Rodolfo about his motives, in which he is traumatized and was wondering if Eddie thought that too. This is because Eddie warns Catherine that he is after an American citizenship. She asks him, â€Å"Would you still want to do it if it turned out we had to go live in Italy† His reaction was, â€Å"No; I will not marry you in Italy. I want to be a citizen†. At this instant I would want the audience to become conscious that Rodolfo wants to marry Catherine just to be an American Citizen and that they could change their minds later on. Catherine replies to this and says that she does not want to leave Eddie after what he has done for her (Eddie has treated her as a daughter and paid for her to go to extra classes of her interest after leaving high school. ) She makes it sound that Eddie was an ex-lover or ex-husband of her, â€Å"You thinks it’s so easy to turn around and say to a man he’s noting’ to you no more? † As a director I would want the audience to realize that Catherine is aware that she needs to grow up as she gets advice from Beatrice saying, â€Å"Beatrice says to be a woman†. At this point Catherine gets aggravated as she makes it sound as if she has to choose between Rodolfo and Eddie, â€Å"I know him and now I’m supposed to turn around and make a stranger out of him. † She takes in mind what Beatrice suggested to her about being a woman which leads to her having sex with Rodolfo. This is a turning point to the audience and to Catherine. At this turning point I would want the audience to reconsider their views on Rodolfo about wanting to be an American citizen. No one would sleep with a woman and not have feelings for her. The light rises on Eddie. He enters the flat drunk and see’s a glimpse of Catherine adjusting her dress and coming from the bedroom. At this particular moment, Eddie senses what the two have been up to. â€Å"Rodolfo appears in the bedroom doorway. Eddie see’s him and his arm jerks slightly in shock. † He does this action as he wants to hit Rodolfo as he knows what they have been up to and that he is jealous and cannot bear it. He can not handle that Catherine is taking responsible of her own life. When a pause appears, as a director I would want to create tension in the audience as the characters are all hiked up. Shortly after the build up of tension, Eddie switches his actions and tells Rodolfo to â€Å"Pack it up† and â€Å"Get out of here†. Eddie gets dominant over Catherine by grabbing her and stopping her from following Rodolfo to her bedroom. â€Å"She frees her arm,† which indicates her rebelling against him and her wanting his approval. Eddie, at his point is jealous following what Rodolfo and Catherine have been up to and knows that he cannot have her. Soon after there is a sudden breakthrough of Eddies feelings as he, â€Å"reaches out suddenly, draws her to him and as she strives to free himself he kisses her on the mouth. † He kisses her to provoke Rodolfo and to see how she and he react. This all leads to violence in which, â€Å"Rodolfo flies at him in attack†. At this point Eddie kisses Rodolfo to show Catherine he is gay and to show her that Rodolfo did not prevent this from happening. The last crucial scene in this play is the last scene where Eddie gets killed. This consequence was created when Eddie did a very unintelligent thing of phoning the immigration bureau to report the two illegal immigrants, Rodolfo and Marco. He then regrets phoning the bureau up and tells them to move as they moved with more illegal immigrants which had a very violent family. This way Rodolfo and Marco would not get caught and would remain safe whereas the other illegal immigrants wouldn’t. Soon after they decided, they did not have enough time to move, as the officers came to pick Rodolfo and Marco up. Eddie had begged Beatrice to tell them to move and soon after, she had realized what Eddie had done. She turned against Eddie and used harsh language against him, â€Å"He’s a rat. † At this time I would want my audience to turn against Eddie. This then lead to more violence of Eddie getting killed by Marco as he has suffered from his family being without food and money. I would want my audience to feel more sympathy for Marco rather than Rodolfo. The culture of this play is all in relation to a child who grassed his uncle to the immigration bureau seeing that he was an illegal immigrant. The kid was completely beaten up by his family and no-one wanted to know him after what he did. In an Italian family, the families need to be loyal to each other and if something goes wrong outside the family, the Sicilian community requires the law to be taken in hand and that justice should be done. I would want the audience to relate back to this during the last scene and keep this in mind as this is a sort of thing that Eddie had done but the consequences were much worse. If I was directing A View from the Bridge I would want my audience to see that there is a mixed relationship portrayed in this play. This is because of the actions, dialogue and motives used between the two characters. Throughout the play, I would want the audience to change their views on what they thought of the character of Eddie as he did some good quality things however he also did horrific things. The relationship between Eddie and Catherine would have never been further than an uncle and niece. Two relationships between, Eddie and Beatrice and Catherine and Rodolfo both got disturbed due to the actions undertaken by Eddie which affected the characters. I would want my audience to keep on re-evaluating their views on the relationship between Eddie and Catherine as this would make the play more interesting. Coming to the end of the play, the audience would have found out that Eddie did have feelings for Beatrice as his last words were ‘My lovely B’. BY JULAN SHAH Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section. A View from the Bridge. (2017, Oct 25).

Medicaid in Texas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medicaid in Texas - Essay Example While some states spend as much as 75 percent of every new tax dollar on Medicaid, in Texas the amount is just over 25 percent, still a substantial amount (Recap of 80th Texas Legislature). Budgetary concerns and federal mandates have forced the Texas legislature to successfully implement significant Medicaid reform in the last ten years. The overriding problem for Texas, and Medicaid's biggest impact, has been the escalating costs during the last ten years. Since 1998, the total Medicaid budget in Texas has nearly doubled, and the 80th legislature session in 2007 budgeted almost $20 billion dollars for the program for 2008 of which over $8 billion was from Texas state taxes (State & Federal Medicaid Spending in Texas; Recap of 80th Texas Legislature). Texas's biennial process, and their low level of per capita state taxes has presented Texas with significant financial challenges as they are forced to budget well in advance during uncertain economic times (Kaiser Commission 1). Affected by this uncertainty are the citizens in Texas where Medicaid, "provides health coverage for one out of every three children in Texas, pays for more than half of all births and covers two-thirds of all nursing home care" (State & Federal Medicaid Spending in Texas). The once simple program has expanded to become a complex institution w ith complicated eligibility requirements and federal guidelines. ... In an effort to bring more children under the Medicaid umbrella, the federal government enacted the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 1997 to cover children who lived in families that earned too much money to qualify for Medicaid assistance. By 2005, 72 percent of the non-elderly participants in Medicaid were children who were eligible for "a full range of health services including regular checkups, immunizations, prescription drugs, lab tests, X-rays, hospital visits and more" (State & Federal Medicaid Spending in Texas). In 2001, the 77th legislature further expanded access to the children's program by eliminating the "face-to-face interview requirements for application and recertification of children's Medicaid benefits in an effort to ensure that Texas Medicaid eligibility verification procedures will be no more difficult than those of the Children Health Insurance Program" (Stout 31). Today, children comprise the largest portion of aid recipients, but the majo rity of the costs are incurred by the elderly and nursing home care. This has prompted Texas to fully implement the SCHIP program and fundamentally change the way Texas finances their health care. Medicaid, and the SCHIP program, have helped move Texas from a system of public hospitals and county health support systems to a system of expanded public coverage (Kaiser Commission). In Texas more than 25 percent of the population is uninsured and their reliance on emergency room care and safety net providers has led to poorer health, higher cost of care, and an increase in insurance premiums in an effort to shift the cost of health care to insurance premium holders (Texas Health and Human Services Commission (1) 3). To alleviate these pressures, Texas has