Clever Quotes From Great Thinkers

Would you like to sound smart? Do you want to impress your peers with clever words? Here are some clever quotes rescue you when the situation arises. Kiss those thinking caps goodbye because who needs to think on their feet, when they have clever quotes handy? Henry FordWhether you think you can or whether you think you cant, youre right. Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs. George Bernard ShawYou see things; and you say Why? But I dream things that never were; and I say Why not? We learn from experience that men never learn anything from experience. Bertrand RussellMost people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so. Maya AngelouA bird doesnt sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. Groucho MarxOnly one man in a thousand is a leader of men -- the other 999 follow women. Albert EinsteinTwo things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and Im not sure about the universe. When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. Thats relativity. Benjamin FranklinWine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. Harry S. TrumanYou want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. Elbert HubbardEvery man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit. Ralph Waldo EmersonThe years teach much which the days never knew. Johann Wolfgang von GoetheEnjoy when you can, and endure when you must. Toni MorrisonIf you surrender to the wind, you can ride it.

Short Story - 806 Words

Sefa left, and Gwen ducked into the reading nook, which was dimly lit by electric lanterns hanging from the ceiling. She settled onto the beanbag chair beside Gareth. He was already absorbed in the tale of the red and white dragons. Sefa mentioned Gareth was a little behind in terms of his reading ability, but Gwen was impressed with how hard he tried. When she looked at Gareth, she saw nothing but pure determination. And that adorably bright smile. He glanced up from his book, grinning. â€Å"I’m on page five already.† â€Å"You speedy reader.† Gwen ruffled his soft hair. Gareth snapped the book shut. â€Å"I like the book, but I want to talk to you.† â€Å"Sure. Go ahead.† â€Å"Okay, there’s this girl I like in my class. Her name is Vivian. I told her I†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"But he’s the best grandpa. I won’t let anyone say anything mean about him.† â€Å"Your mother told me all about him. He’s a wonderful grandpa. We all deal with loss differently.† â€Å"How do you deal with loss, Gwen?† he asked, his gaze searching. â€Å"I used to isolate myself, but now, I talk to people. My friends, my therapist, and you.† â€Å"I’m your friend, Gwen. I’m proud to be your friend.† â€Å"And I’m proud to be yours.† XXXX It was Monday, and Gwen flipped open her laptop in Probability and Statistics. The course took place in a large classroom, not a lecture hall, since there were only thirty people enrolled in this section. She settled in and waited for the professor to enter, hoping that Gwaine was recovering from his cold. He’d called her yesterday morning and sounded like utter death. She jokingly told him to stay home and keep his germs to himself, so they’d hadn’t had the chance to chat. She’d check in with him after class. The professor, all business, marched in. â€Å"Hello, class,† he said. â€Å"Go ahead and log into the portal. You’ll see your grades from the recent exam there. I just finished grading them. I know many of you will be disappointed, but the concepts on the test are things you need to grasp. If you’re struggling, now is the time to ask for help.† Tension stiffening her shoulders, Gwen logged in. When she saw the grade sixty-eight pop onto the screen, it was all she could toShow MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. Because of its shorter length, the characters and situations are fewer and less complicated than those of a novel.† In the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s DictionaryRead MoreShort Stories648 Words   |  3 Pageswhat the title to the short story is. The short story theme I am going conduct on is â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ by James Thurber (1973). In this short story the literary elements being used is plot and symbols and the theme being full of distractions and disruption. The narrator is giving a third person point of view in sharing the thoughts of the characters. Walter Mitty the daydreamer is very humorous in the different plots of his dr ifting off. In the start of the story the plot, symbols,Read MoreShort Stories1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe themes of short stories are often relevant to real life? To what extent do you agree with this view? In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. And with thatRead MoreShort Story Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesA short story concentrates on creating a single dynamic effect and is limited in character and situation. It is a language of maximum yet economical effect. Every word must do a job, sometimes several jobs. Short stories are filled with numerous language and sound devices. These language and sound devices create a stronger image of the scenario or the characters within the text, which contribute to the overall pre-designed effect.As it is shown in the metaphor lipstick bleeding gently in CinnamonRead MoreGothic Short Story1447 W ords   |  6 Pages The End. In the short story, â€Å"Emma Barrett,† the reader follows a search party group searching for a missing girl named Emma deep in a forest in Oregon. The story follows through first person narration by a group member named Holden. This story would be considered a gothic short story because of its use of setting, theme, symbolism, and literary devices used to portray the horror of a missing six-year-old girl. Plot is the literal chronological development of the story, the sequence of eventsRead MoreRacism in the Short Stories1837 Words   |  7 PagesOften we read stories that tell stories of mixing the grouping may not always be what is legal or what people consider moral at the time. The things that you can learn from someone who is not like you is amazing if people took the time to consider this before judging someone the world as we know it would be a completely different place. The notion to overlook someone because they are not the same race, gender, creed, religion seems to be the way of the world for a long time. Racism is so prevalentRead MoreThe Idol Short Story1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe short stories â€Å"The Idol† by Adolfo Bioy Casares and â€Å"Axolotl† by Julio Cortà ¡zar address the notion of obsession, and the resulting harm that can come from it. Like all addictions, obsession makes one feel overwhelmed, as a single thought comes to continuously intr uding our mind, causing the individual to not be able to ignore these thoughts. In â€Å"Axolotl†, the narrator is drawn upon the axolotls at the Jardin des Plantes aquarium and his fascination towards the axolotls becomes an obsession. In Short Story - 806 Words â€Å"Abel, where are you going?† He freezes and drops a large bag, one that held our supplies during the wars, not expecting me to be there. â€Å"Cain†¦ what are you doing up this late?† â€Å"I asked my question first.† He sighs. â€Å"How do I explain this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Your bags are stuffed! Where–â€Å" â€Å"I’m going after Est.† He sighs, partly embarrassed but mostly just sad. I freeze. â€Å"What?† â€Å"When she left me, she didn’t tell me why, just that she had to leave. She just looked so†¦ so sad, so broken†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I see now that his eyes are swollen and red, a rare sight on his face. â€Å"I have to go after her.† â€Å"Are you insane? Abel, she rides a pegasus. She could be anywhere by now. And besides, she obviously didn’t want to be with you for whatever reason. Or anyone.† â€Å"I†¦show more content†¦I can’t imagine life without him, but as much as I don’t want to admit it, I’ve lost. I know Abel like the back of my hand. I have since we were kids. He’s made up his mind. â€Å"Please,† I beg, â€Å"at least wait until the morning. Sleep first.† He sighs. â€Å"I can’t sleep. What if she was running from someone? What if she’s been captured? What if she’s already dead? I have to find Est as soon as possible.† A tear rolls down my cheek. Oh shit; I can’t let him notice. â€Å"Well, be careful, I guess.† â€Å"Of course I’ll be careful; I’m not – hey, are you crying?† Shit. â€Å"No, stupid, I’m sweating through my eyes!† â€Å"There’s snow on the ground.† Double shit. â€Å"Alright, I have allergies!† â€Å"It’s January.† Triple shit? Quadruple shit? Math is his area of expertise, not mine. Do you add another shit or do you multiply the existing shit by two? Either way, I’m crying in front of Abel. Infinite shit. â€Å"Fuck you.† He laughs weakly. â€Å"I’m going to miss you, Cain.† â€Å"I’ll miss you more, Abel.† And then, I do the unthinkable – I forego my reservations about affection and throw my arms around him and bury my face in his neck. He stiffens, not expecting this, but embraces me as well. I’ve never felt warmer but sadder, fearing that I won’t see him again, let alone touch him. I hope that if I don’t let go of him, he’ll decide to stay; then his hands no longer, and my heart tears from my body. I watch as he slings his bag over his shoulders, grabs his javelin, and mounts his horse. â€Å"Please,Show MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. Because of its shorter length, the characters and situations are fewer and less complicated than those of a novel.† In the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s DictionaryRead MoreShort Stories648 Words   |  3 Pageswhat the title to the short story is. The short story theme I am going conduct on is â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ by James Thurber (1973). In this short story the literary elements being used is plot and symbols and the theme being full of distractions and disruption. The narrator is giving a third person point of view in sharing the thoughts of the characters. Walter Mitty the daydreamer is very humorous in the different plots of his dr ifting off. In the start of the story the plot, symbols,Read MoreShort Stories1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe themes of short stories are often relevant to real life? To what extent do you agree with this view? In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. And with thatRead MoreShort Story Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesA short story concentrates on creating a single dynamic effect and is limited in character and situation. It is a language of maximum yet economical effect. Every word must do a job, sometimes several jobs. Short stories are filled with numerous language and sound devices. These language and sound devices create a stronger image of the scenario or the characters within the text, which contribute to the overall pre-designed effect.As it is shown in the metaphor lipstick bleeding gently in CinnamonRead MoreRacism in the Short Stor ies1837 Words   |  7 PagesOften we read stories that tell stories of mixing the grouping may not always be what is legal or what people consider moral at the time. The things that you can learn from someone who is not like you is amazing if people took the time to consider this before judging someone the world as we know it would be a completely different place. The notion to overlook someone because they are not the same race, gender, creed, religion seems to be the way of the world for a long time. Racism is so prevalentRead MoreThe Idol Short Story1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe short stories â€Å"The Idol† by Adolfo Bioy Casares and â€Å"Axolotl† by Julio Cortà ¡zar address the notion of obsession, and the resulting harm that can come from it. Like all addictions, obsession makes one feel overwhelmed, as a single thought comes to continuously intruding our mind, causing the individual to not be able to ignore these thoughts. In â€Å"Axolotl†, the narr ator is drawn upon the axolotls at the Jardin des Plantes aquarium and his fascination towards the axolotls becomes an obsession. InRead MoreGothic Short Story1447 Words   |  6 Pages The End. In the short story, â€Å"Emma Barrett,† the reader follows a search party group searching for a missing girl named Emma deep in a forest in Oregon. The story follows through first person narration by a group member named Holden. This story would be considered a gothic short story because of its use of setting, theme, symbolism, and literary devices used to portray the horror of a missing six-year-old girl. Plot is the literal chronological development of the story, the sequence of events

Kant and Socrates Free Essays

Morality is generally defined as the rightness or wrongness of an action or conduct based on an agreed standard or measure of ethical norms. This argues a society where there is no dissenting voice, which in reality is not true. Cultural subjectivism promotes tolerance, but not for all, as fundamentalist thought excludes any deviation from their prescribed moral values (Jowett, 2000). We will write a custom essay sample on Kant and Socrates or any similar topic only for you Order Now Society, on the other hand, is a group of individuals that share a common system of beliefs, intent and thought. Moral standards are required so that a stable society may exist; however, the dilemma in ethics theory is how the morality within a society is formed (Vlastos, 1991). Morality and society, apparently, is in a state of flux while ethics theorists attempt to come up with an adequate ethical formula to qualify what is right and wrong based on all cultural, social, political and religious realities. The notion of morality is often taken from a cultural context yet this presumes that societies are likewise always right in their judgments, so to disagree with society is morally wrong (Nikolaos, 2005). Among the most noted for their philosophical studies regarding morality and ethics are Socrates and Immanuel Kant. Both point out that the definition of what is evil depends on culture and experience and motivations of the individual and society. Their definition of morality discusses not only the concept itself but also its implications to man’s existence (â€Å"Kant’s Moral Philosophy†, 2007). Thus, understanding what is moral is not to be considered as an intellectual discourse alone but is an endeavor to understand better the world. Socrates Socrates has provided great food of thought in his studies for what he knew but more importantly because of his treatise and understanding of what he does not know. Socrates did not believe in the need to explain his actions or thoughts and instead questioned others’ exhaustively. Socrates’ regard for Sparta, his association with the Thirty Tyrants and his own personal philosophical stance was used by his enemies for the accusation of treason against the state (Vlastos, 1991). At the time of the trial, which led to his subsequent death by hemlock, there was not any element in Greek society that would represent modern day district attorney offices. At the same time jury selection also did not have the criteria that is implemented today and often represents the political dominants of the time. Civil cases were brought to trial by private individuals who often also acted as the prosecution. Thus, there was no way to determine whether there was probable cause as to accusations. There is also a presumption of guilt rather than that of innocence. In Plato’s recollections of the trial, he points out that the prosecution, the restored democrats, deliberately made assumptions contextually of Socrates’ teachings and philosophies (Jowett, 2000). Plato also recognizes that Socrates defense was one that seemed to have ultimately given the jury the behest to find him guilty. His defense did not actually defend his actions but rather questioned the institution by which he was being tried in. Though in hindsight it is obvious that he held Athens in high regard, his philosophical speeches during his lifetime were sufficiently vague that his detractors easily could manipulate to appear the opposite (Nikolaos, 2005). Socrates on Morality Unlike traditional Sophistic views on the purpose of life which focused on public life or works, Socrates viewed the moral excellence of the soul or virtue as paramount. He considered morality as not just limited to internal aspects or characteristics of an individual but extended its definition into the public life of the individual. One of the key virtues according to Socrates is knowledge. Socrates proposed that rhetorical studies should consider morality practically rather than for the purpose of public service alone. According to Socrates, the lack of knowledge leads to the absence of virtue. Following this viewpoint, understanding what is moral is critical in understanding virtue which in turn is important to be able to lead a moral life. Socrates describes these efforts at gaingin knowledge and thus leaving morally as the means to create value out of life: â€Å"a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying; he ought only to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong – acting the part of a good man or of a bad† (Jowett, 2000, para. 55) The first step for this process is to understand what virtue is and what it is not. What is not moral is considered as evil: an act of evil can then be done by actions against another property causing him loss, against the person by physical harm or by treating him unjustly such as the denial of rights or freedoms.   In Plato’s Gorgias, Socrates states that â€Å"good and evil are not simultaneous, and do not cease simultaneously†, implying that though good and bad contradict each other, they can not exist without the other (Jowett, 1999, lines 361-362). Many of Socrates’ actions may be interpreted as satire on the Athenian society and even his statements during his trial can not be considered as defense was rather a philosophical treatise. When Socrates was asked why he did choose to flee before the trial or after it when his friends tried to liberate him from prison despite what they believed was a mockery of a trial, Socrates replied that since he chose to live in Athens, he must bow to its laws regardless of the trial (Nikolaos, 2005). However, if one already considers the ethical or moral components into the equation, it is then that the question of justice becomes more difficult to evaluate. Thus, Socrates may in fact be making a statement as to the justice of the trial if not to its legality. Considering the components of prosecution, defense, jury and judge alone, one can consider that the trial prescribe to all requirements for the delivery of justice. Kant on Socrates Kant’s Moral philosophy is one of the main alternatives to utilitarianism which marginalizes moral humanistic virtues. Kant’s view on morality is essentially deontological which implies a focus on the action to be done regardless of the consequences (â€Å"Kant: The Moral†, 2001). This implies that if a person is doing something that is right, then even if the results of his actions create a negative outcome, then he still did the right thing. There is also a prescriptive quality to Kant’s view: the assumption is that everyone should do what is right and that it should be universally right (Wood, 2004). Thus, for an action to be considered moral, it should be within the capacity of everyone and viewed as a correct action universally (â€Å"Kant’s Moral Philosophy†, 2007). Viewing Socrates’ action through Kant’s Moral Philosophy, there are arguments both to support the morality of Socrates actions. The challenge is in deciphering Socrates’ intentions and purpose which can sometime prove difficult since it is basic in and Socratic Method to question something. From Kant’s definition of morals in terms of the action rather than the outcome, Socrates can be considered as moral since his purpose for questioning the state and its leaders is to emphasize the need for the knowledge virtue (â€Å"Kant: The Moral†, 2001). According to Plato, Socrates did not question the institutions of the states but rather the ignorance behind it. Thus, Kant will consider Socrates moral because he in facts teaches other virtue by his philosophical studies. As stated by Socrates in Apology, â€Å"I can give you as proofs of this, not words only, but deeds, which you value more than words,† (Jowett, 2000, para. 59) Another example is Socrates’ lack of defense for himself during his trial. According to Plato’s Apology, the accusations against Socrates were an intimidation scheme gone badly. Rather than acceding to his detractors, Socrates chose not to give up his stands as a testament to his view of the mockery of justice that has become of the Athenian society. Supporting the Kant’s view of universality in the form of the law implemented in Athens, Socrates believed that he should be executed because of the fact that he has been found guilty according to Athenian law as attested by Socrates himself in his statement that to live in Athens, one must bow to its laws regardless. Even his efforts at defensce according to him are not for his sake but rather for the sake of the citizenry: â€Å"I am not going to argue for my own sake, as you may think, but for yours, that you may not sin against the God, or lightly reject his boon by condemning me† (para. 57) Just the same time, it can be argued that Socrates’ actions are immoral based on Kant’s views (â€Å"Kant: The Moral†, 2001). Socrates questioning the state is indeed against the Athenian law and therefore regardless his intentions for enlightenment, it is considered as sedition. The absolute nature of Kantian moral philosophies leaves no exceptions: commands are imperatives without categories. Though Socrates argued that virtuous characteristics represent absence of virtue is evil, he also stated that â€Å"good and evil are not simultaneous, and do not cease simultaneously† (Jowett, 1999, lines 342-344). Socrates, Kant and Morality The main source of conflict between the two philosophies on morality is that Kant’s definition is so absolute and leaves very little space more the resolution of moral dilemmas which in contrast was the focus of Socrates work if not his own life (Wood, 2004). Consider Socrates’ closing statement during his trial: â€Å"For if I tell you that this would be a disobedience to a divine command, and therefore that I cannot hold my tongue, you will not believe that I am serious; and if I say again that the greatest good of man is daily to converse about virtue, and all that concerning which you hear me examining myself and others, and that the life which is unexamined is not worth living – that you are still less likely to believe† (Jowett, 2000, para. 63). The strict requirements for rationality then precludes morality for those who are fully rational such as those who are mentally incapacitated or limited because of retardation or any other psychological condition (â€Å"Kant’s Moral Philosophy†, 2007). Though moral autonomy does exist in both perspectives, Kant’s moral philosophy leaves less flexibility towards its definition because of its requirement of universality. It should be kept in mind that the setting of the two works is distinctly different. In the case of Socrates, the motivation and the consequences are given as much importance as the act itself. When he was accused that he did spoke falsely of the gods, he used as evidence his belief in the spiritual, such as the existence of the soul, and divinities by stating that, â€Å"Can a man believe in spiritual and divine agencies, and not in spirits or demigods?† (Jowett, 2000, para. 49). In the case of Kant, this will not be a valid argument since In Socrates’ discourse, punishment of the act contravenes evil and while in Kant, contravention is from the doing what is right alone. In both instances, what is not moral is considered a reality on man’s life and both definitions require affirmative action against what is not moral. To be able to do so, one’s character and virtue must juxtapose what is considered what is not moral. Therefore restoration of evil done is equated with the punishment that one receives for the act. The fundamental difference in the definition between the two is that Kant’s moral failure is an independent act to a moral right by virtue of the lack of impact of consequences while Socrates’ main model of immorality is based on injustice resulting form the action. Thus the dilemma of immorality in the former is an ethical one and immorality in the latter is presented as a social dilemma. Reflecting on both works, there is a realization that definitions of what is not moral may differ in many ways but all studies that focus on it have a common purpose. In understanding the nature and manner of what is not moral, a person is able to better not according it to it. References Jowett, Benjamin (1999).Gorgias by Plato. Project Guttenberg. Retrieved on April 2, 2007 http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1672?msg=welcome_stranger Jowett, Benjamin (2000). Plato’s Apology. Retrieved on April 2, 2007 http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html = How to cite Kant and Socrates, Essay examples