Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Synthesis Essay - Animal Testing

    Animal testing has been a long debated question in the scientific community. Animal testing is a vital and common procedure that has raised controversy regarding humanistic values. Animal testing has allowed for the development of safe medicine, vaccines, and advancements in scientific knowledge. Without the sacrifices made during animal testing, we would not have the achievements in medication, knowledge, cosmetics, and saving lives. Without animal testing, it would be impossible to conduct further research that would benefit the public.

    People against animal testing argue that animals suffer pain and may die from the experiments imposed on them. According to source E, it is still a myth whether or not animals actually have sentience. If animal tests are imposed on animals without sentience and on animals that have low cognitive capacities, it would reduce psychological pressure for scientists. The author of source F argues that humans have the freedom to make choices while animals don't. The author of source F also states that it is the responsibility of human beings to protect the rights of animals. If animals do not have sentience and if they cannot recognize the circumstances they are in, why should we not perform experiments on them?

    Humanists would argue that all living organisms have their right to survive and their right to be free from pain. Humanists would also argue that animal experiments should not be performed. Then how, how are we able to find replacements for these animals to conduct our experiments on? According to source B, 20 million animals are killed in experiments annually. It would be absurd to believe that there are enough human volunteers to even get close to that number. Without developed human cloning technologies, it would be hard to find replacements for such a large number to experiment subjects. 20 million animals is surely a large number, but the number that benefit from these 20 million is surely greater.

    People tend to have an egocentric thought when they think about animal testing. The idea that sparks in the mind when someone hear about animal testing is usually the thought that, "Oh, another animal is sacrificed for human benefits". That isn't necessarily true. Take the examples that source A describe.The amount of organisms that would die if animal experiments were not conducted would actually be greater than the amount of tested subjects that have died. It is not just humans that benefit from animal testing, but many other organisms as well.

    Animal testing is vital for developing new scientific ideas, saving lives, and reducing illness. Within a limited moral boundary, animal testing should be allowed. Before criticizing animal tests, people should try to gain a better understanding of the balance between the effects of these tests and the sacrifices put into these tests. Clearly, the benefits brought by animal testing are far greater than the price we pay for these tests.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Soapstone Analysis for "Is Business Bluffing Ethical"

    The speaker of the article is very clear. Albert Carr is the speaker of the article and he is trying to persuade us a series of ideas.
    The occasion could be any time or place where there was business to be made. This article could apply to events in field of business or any company.
    The audiences of the article are companies and businessmen, both young and old. The article is written for those people in order to convey his ideas.
    The purpose of the article is clear. The author wants to present and convey his idea that people in businesses may not be as bright as people think. Carr also states that people should bluff when dealing with business in order to win out and gain advantage on others.
    The subject of the article is how people use bluffing as a tactic in order to gain advantage on others. The article also talks about the ethical use of bluffing.
    The author speaks in a very analytical tone and he also speaks in a persuasive one. He speaks persuasively in order to convey his idea that using bluff as a tactic is beneficial but he also condemns the unethical use of bluffing.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Outline for the "Henry David Thoreau Quote" Essay

Main Idea: Henry David Thoreau's quote would be defined in the opening paragraph of the article and I would argue that this quote would fit extremely well on people in modern society.

1. Society, social expectations and social pressure, and cultural values sometimes intervene with the lives of people. The future of some people are expected by others and this may lead to someone bot knowing what they want in life.

2. Education and systems of education also effect the goals people have in life. When people choose their paths in education, inaccurate advices may lead them off their interests.

3. Work and life are sometimes forced upon people and this pressure to do something that they don't like blind them from reality. Some people work just to make a living, but they ignore their interests and their dreams.

Conclusion: Modern people follow the quote by Thoreau perfectly because people in modern society have been placed under vast amounts of concept that are perceived to be. That leads people off their personal interests and goals.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Essay on Illness as Metaphor

    Susan Sontag presents her unique attitude towards the usage of metaphor through tone, diction, and paradox. The metaphors that she uses also increases the completeness of the article in general and they also give the article its distinct meaning. After analysing the article, it becomes evident that the author possesses a skeptical attitude towards the usage of metaphor. This skepticism can be determined by interpreting the tone, diction, and paradox presented. The metaphors used add to the strength of the paradox and together present the author's attitude in an outstanding way.

     The skeptical tone that the author writes in can be seen pretty clearly throughout the article itself. The author speaks by presenting her ideas with contradictions. A contradiction that leads to the skepticism the author tries to present. The author states that the best way to think "is one most purified of, most resistant to, metaphoric thinking". By saying this, the author makes it clear that she believes metaphoric thinking lead people off their desired personality. When people use metaphoric thinking, they no longer belong to the the "kingdom of the well". The author also dedicates the article to people who are trying to clarify themselves from metaphors, to free themselves from the "kingdom of the ill".

    The diction of the author reveals an underlying attitude that she possesses towards metaphors. The words "dual citizenship" and "good passport" show the author's prejudice towards using metaphors. The author uses "kingdom of the well" and "kingdom of the ill" to describe the difference between people who think metaphorically and those who do not. The words "elucidation" and "liberation" demonstrates the author's attitude very clearly. She believes that metaphors lead people into the "kingdom of the ill", but she uses metaphors in her article. The paradox presented helps clarify her diction and her tone.

    The most important paradox that exists in the article is the phrase "the healthiest way of being ill". In the beginning of the article, the author states that "....sooner of later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of the other place". We are destined to think about thing in regard with metaphors, but we should think in most purified of, most resistant to, metaphoric thinking. This contradiction shows that the author doesn't trust metaphor because they blind people from their truthful selves. Sontag uses metaphors to convey her point that people shouldn't think metaphorically.

    Tone and diction play a role in revealing the attitude of the author, but paradox is the most influential tool that the author uses to convey her points. Even though Sontag is skeptical and and dislikes the idea of thinking metaphorically, she clarifies her ideas though metaphoric phrases inside the article. Paradox leave the readers with a strong impression in the readers mind and the author is very successful in conveying her ideas.

Outline for the "Illness as Metaphor" Essay

Main Idea: The tone, diction, and paradox of the article reveal Susan Sontag's attitudes towards using metaphor and this usage of metaphor strengthens the attitude she reveals.

1. The tone that the author speaks in give the readers a clear idea of how the article develops its ideas. The skeptical tone that the author speaks in provides the readers with an idea of her attitude towards using metaphors.

2. The author's diction also reveals the attitude she possesses towards using metaphors. The diction she gives also changes the meaning of metaphors present in the article.

3. The metaphor that the author presents and the diction give the article a whole new meaning. Paradox is created when the two are combined and they give a complete meaning to the article.

Conclusion: The author warns her readers to be cautious when using metaphors and she also warns her readers that they should keep a skeptical attitude.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Essay for the Declaration of Independence

    The final version of the "Declaration of Independence" written by Thomas Jefferson presents the ideas encompassed in the initial draft of the declaration and Jefferson is also able to present those ideas in a stronger fashion. By making changes regarding diction, tone, and purpose, a stronger stance and certainty is presented in the words Jefferson put down. The initial draft uses words that are not powerful enough to move an audience and Jefferson made changes to those words in order to declare and hammer the points he want to make into the head of his intended audience.

    The biggest change from the draft to the finalized version of is declaration is the diction. The word choice in the draft of the declaration still presents the American colonists as subject of the King of England. Words and phrases such as"his present majesty", "subordination", and "our British brethren" are signs of attachment to the British crown. In the finalized draft of the declaration, Jefferson uses words and phrases that identify the American colonies as an organization with with equal status as Britain. Changing the phrases gives more status and power to the American people.

    The tone Jefferson speaks in also alters the meaning of the document. With assertive and forceful tone, Jefferson changes the document from a friendly request to a powerful announcement. In order to have an assertive and forceful tone, Jefferson cuts off unnecessary words that present the declaration in a weak attitude and he makes his points clearly and directly. The first draft of the declaration has many sections removed and it also has many parts rewritten for precision and clarity. The section of the declaration that states the crimes of the British King is simplified and is separated into different paragraphs. With such clarity, the determination and the stance of the American colonists have been changed from the first draft to the finalized draft.

    The purpose of the document also changes the meaning from one draft to another. In the last paragraph of the declaration, Jefferson add commas to present an emotion. Anger, an emotional appeal, greatly changes the meaning of the document from draft to draft. In the beginning of the document, Jefferson uses logical appeals and point out that the American colonists have the right to be free because all people have the right of life, happiness, and liberty. The meaning of the document changes with the addition of emotional appeals. The original document moves from a friendly request to an emotional accusation of the King of England and a strong declaration for independence.


    The changes in diction, tone, and purpose of the document results in a change in the meaning of the declaration as a whole. The meaning of the declaration moves from requesting the British crown to allow independence of the colonies to stating the independence of the American colonies as well as accusing the King of England. The changes made by Jefferson have successfully changes the meaning of the document and conveyed the determination of the people in the American colonies.

Outline for the "Declaration of Independence Essay"

Main Idea: The changes made in diction, tone, and sentence structure between the two versions of the declaration have changed the meaning of the declaration as well as the stance of the people who are represented by the declaration.

1. Thomas Jefferson made changes in diction and this change affected the stance/attitude of the American colonists.

2. The tone and attitude of Thomas Jefferson in the final draft of the declaration becomes firmly declarative and this gives a stronger stance to the American colonists.

3. The change in sentence structure of the essay causes emotional appeal to the readers of the declaration and it also strengthens the stance of the American colonists.

Conclusion: The changes made on the document now presents the desires and stance of the American people in a stronger way.