Euthyphro-Plato Research Paper - 1100 Words

Euthyphro-Plato (Research Paper Sample) Content: Euthyphro-PlatoYour name University Title Euthyphro-PlatoIntroductionA dialogue emerges between Euthyphro and Socrates, who have legal pursuits in court. Socrates a defendant of a case by Meletus against him, and Euthyphro is an educated Athenian, who charges his own father. Socrates is waiting to attend to his trial for impiety, while Euthyphro is a plaintiff against his father for killing a servant in Naxos. This excites Socrates because he believes that a man with the nature as that of Euthyphro in the society has informed knowledge of what is piety and impiety. As a result, Socrates asks Euthyphro to define piety. He listens to the explanations he is given, but he does not agree with any of them. This paper analyzes these arguments. The dialogue contains three major intentions: to gradually develop the idea of piety, to give insight into the contrast between false and true religion, and to help Socrates gather more reasons and ideas towards his defense in the case brought against himEuthyphro-Plato The concept of holiness emerges from the dialogue when Socrates learns the reasons why his friend is in court and the reason why he pursues the case against his father. It surprises him how Euthyphro can manage to get to court for such charges. Socrates is even further astonished to learn that Euthyphros father did not kill the servant who was not a close relative directly yet, Euthyphro is still keen to sue his own father. This makes Socrates think that Euthyphro clearly understands the distinction between impiety and piety. Socrates understands that for Euthyphro to make such a hard decision, he must have good insight on the nature of holiness and impiety. The issue of holiness takes prominence in the conversation because Socrates is eager to learn more from Euthyphro. The urge to understand piety and impiety makes Socrates question Euthyphro on the definition of piety. Euthyphro successfully defines piety in several ways, which Socrates contest s. In his bid to define to Socrates what piety is, Euthyphro begins by defining it as doing as I do, prosecuting your father on charge of murder; doing as the gods do- as Zeus did to Cronos, and Cronos to Uranius (Plato, 1999, 78-79). Socrates does not like such mythology as used by Euthyphro in his definition of holiness. He believes that his dislike of myths may be the reason of charging him with impiety. Euthyphro is stopped from giving more mythologies, instead, Socrates asks him to give a more satisfactory definition of piety.The impiety defendant argues to the definition as not conclusive because accusing a father of murder is only one case of piety. It is from this argument that Euthyphro gives another explanation and says that Piety is what is dear to the gods, and impiety is what is not dear to them (Plato, 1999, 90-91). Again, Socrates doubts this description of holiness. According to him, the same way there exist differences among men, they could also exist among the gods , particularly regarding evil and good. Therefore, what one god considers dear may not be the case with another god; what is pious to one god may turn out to be impious to another. He asks Euthyphro to find out if he has proof that his father murdered. Later, he amends the definition into, what all gods love is pious and what they all hate is impious (Plato, 1999, 109-110).Socrates challenges the intelligence of Euthyphro by asking him if all pious people are just and if all impious are unjust. This prompts the soothsayer to give the third definition terming holiness as the part of justice that attends to the gods because justice has another part, which attends to men. The impiety defendant begins an argument from his understanding of the word attends as used in the explanation. He questions on how acts of holiness make the gods better. Euthyphro further explains, but Socrates refutes and asks if there is an end to serving the gods. As observed, Socrates is interested in changing th e minds of Euthyphro on the concept of holiness. He aims at using a man accepted and respected in the society, to defend himself against impiety in the...

The Need for English Language in the Saudi Arabia Education System - 1650 Words

The Need for English Language in the Saudi Arabia Education System (Thesis Proposal Sample) Content: A Modern Approach to Curriculum Development: The Need for English Language in the Saudi Arabia Education System Name of StudentUniversityAbstractGlobalization poses many challenges to societies that are still steeped in their traditional worldviews. This is because the modern world requires individuals who understand other cultures to enable them function effectively in a globalized social, educational, and economic environment. One way of overcoming the challenges of globalization is developing an education system that produces globally conscious individuals. To achieve this goal, a universal language is necessary to allow effective cross-cultural interaction and communication. This essay discusses the challenges that face Saudi Arabia with regards to the medium of instruction in the education system. The paper highlights the two conflicting views regarding the integration of English language into the curriculum. It provides the arguments advanced by the traditional theorists who argue that the local language is sufficient to meet the countrys needs, and the modern theorists who support a universally recognized language as a means of equipping learners with relevant skills to function in a global environment. Finally, it emphasizes the necessity of adopting the modern approach as a way of developing a curriculum that will meet the needs of individuals who will be required to function in a multicultural environment. IntroductionOne of the most visible impacts of globalization is the breaking down of the socio-economic and cultural barriers that hindered interaction of different cultures from interacting with each other. Language is one of the key drivers of this process because it bridges the linguistic gap between people from different racial and cultural backgrounds. A universal language not only offers a medium for cross-cultural communication, but also provides a platform for the exchange of ideas, technologies, and cultural transformation a s well as for facilitating international trade. Consequently, any society that fails to learn a universally recognized language risks isolation from the rest of the world. On this front, the English language has emerged as a global language that is used in many countries around the world. The international significance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a leading oil exporter necessitates the need for a universal language that she can use to do business with other nations. However, Saudi Arabia is one of the countries whose acquisition of the language has lagged behind other countries. For a long time, her education curriculum has relied on the Arabic language, and it is not until recently that English was introduced it the curriculum. Regardless, the issue of whether or not Saudi Arabia should acquire English as a second language has generated a lot of controversy among Saudi scholars. Whereas some argue that the kingdoms native language (Arabic) is sufficient for her social, cultur al, educational, and economic needs, others contend that acquiring a second language (English) is necessary. They posit that English will not only help the country integrate easily in the global environment, but also facilitate the adoption of technology, which has become the major driver of educational and economic activities. This section of the research discusses the different views held by the opponents and proponents for the integration of English language into the Saudi Arabian education curriculum. In the end, this essay asserts the need to adopt a theoretical framework that will guide the acquisition of a universal language without eroding the countrys culture, social values and beliefs, or compromise peoples aspirations. The Traditional and Modern Perspectives In every society, education plays an important role in social and economic transformation; it equips learners with the necessary social and intellectual skills that enable them to be self reliant and effective members of the society. It opens learners to opportunities to better their lives and serve their community effectively. Language plays a central role in the dissemination of this knowledge. Towards this end, critics English argue that the local language is better equipped to serve the needs of a society (Marjanovic, Kranjc, Fekonja, 2000, p.40). They subscribe to the traditional model which lays emphasis on vocational training, which equips learners with skills the guarantee self-reliance. Consequently, learners are not provided with sufficient ESL skills that will enable them fit in a global and dynamic environment. These theorists contend that the local language is the best medium of school instruction because Theorists, who are allied to the traditional view that the native language are educated individuals requires restriction to their own society to be of any functional value (Ratcliff, 1992, p.31). In justifying their position, they observe that a curriculum that focuses (entirely) on the local values tend to empower the community because those who graduate from institutions of higher learning focus on helping their own people. Secondly, they contend that grass root level empowerment is necessary to drive social development. Accordingly, inculcating learners in their culture using their native language empowers them with the knowledge relevant to local needs. Integration with other societies, should the need arise, should not be forced but left to progress gradually as time and circumstances may dictate. Thirdly, they argue that a good curriculum should focus on preparing learners to serve their own people, as opposed to producing learners who will desert their society. The traditional theorists are informed by the logic that societies that have their elite within reach handle their problems in an efficient manner because they (the elite) are highly influential.On the other hand, the modern theorists believe that an effective curriculum should be guided by an international perspective. This will equip learners with relevant knowledge that will enable them adapt to global changes and embrace diversity as a way addressing local and global challenges (Centre for Learning and Teaching in Art and Design, 2010, p.76). The modern theorist argues that the world is a unit and, therefore, all people should work together to ensure integration in social, political, and economic spheres. To achieve this goal, it is of paramount importance to develop a curriculum that will help learners fit in a global setting from their early years of life. Children educated in such a curriculum will grow with an attitude that makes them fit in cross-cultural environments and solve problems effectively. Considering that each society plays a role in the collective advancement of the world, it is necessary for all societies to be active participants in global activities. The acquisition of a common language makes this role possible by producing learners who can intera ct and work with people from different parts of the world (Wilson, 2003, p. 76). Emphasis on a local language, in contrast, hinders this kind of association because of lack of a common code of communication. The modern theorists aim to eliminate the barriers of cross-cultural communication by proposing a curriculum that places emphasis on the learning of at least one international language. Effective cross-cultural communication is particularly necessary to promote intercultural understanding as a means of facilitating coexistence, tolerance, and international cooperation. As such, a god curriculum should embrace ...