Thinking about surveillance in the city Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Thinking about surveillance in the city - Essay Example Closed-circuit cameras have become common in cities and they have become an important aspect of city security. Security teams and personnel form an important aspect of the city surveillance teams. Control of urban space and inaugurated surveillance measures are widely used worldwide. Ethical, legal and even moral questions arise when there is mass surveillance and accumulation of personal data from individuals without their knowledge and consent. The film and movie industry has always illustrated how city surveillance has become crucial and important in the modern age. One of the most iconic films that represents the divergent views on city surveillance is Minority Report (2002). It is vital to study and understand how minority report represents and handles the various views on mass or city surveillance through scholarly analysis2. Minority Report is a movie that was directed by Steven Spielberg based on Philip Dick’s Sci-Fi short story â€Å"The Minority Report† written in 1956. The film is set in 2054 in a modernized Washington DC where crime and murder have been wholly eliminated. Tom cruise takes the character of John Anderton, who is the head of a Pre-crime, a unit under the Justice department that works in the Jurisdiction of Washington D.C. Three psychic human beings called precogs have been harnessed and their power to see future crimes projected on computers. The precogs have the ability to see images of future murders and those who are identified are apprehended before they commit crimes after which they are incarcerated. The pre-crime unit is to face a national vote on its effectiveness and take it from the Washington D.C. jurisdiction to a national level. Anti-pre-crime advocates such as Danny Witwer who oppose the move. Witwer has been sent by the Justice department to access the abi lity and effectiveness of pre-crime. Pre-crime surveillance is 100 percent accurate but while at the labs, John Anderton becomes

The problem with determinism Essay Example for Free

The problem with determinism Essay The traditional view is that of the compatibilists which states that freedom is the ability to act, or not to act, according to the determinations of the will. It is so defined to make it compatible with the theory of determinism, which essentially states that all actions have a causal explanation due to the state of the world in the moment previous. However, the definition is clearly inadequate due to the fundamental flaws of determinism and its failure to account for deliberation or personal choice. A superior alternative is offered by what Taylor calls the theory of agency, but is more commonly known as libertarianism. In discussing a theory one must start with some data in order to prove the validity of the theory, and in discussing determinism this is no different. Two suitable criteria dealing with the decision making process are: firstly that we at times deliberate with the view of making a decision , and secondly regardless of whether I deliberate I sometimes have a personal choice in the decision making process. These criteria are ideal because they are both things that we as individuals are fairly certain of so any acceptable theory must account for them in some way. For common sense, a virtue in argumentation, suggests that it is easier to accept the veracity of partial self-determination in the decision making process than an abstract philosophical theory. To asses the applicability of the data to determinism a more in depth examination of determinism is needed, which Taylor defines as having three tenets: Firstly, that the theory of determinism is true. Secondly, that voluntary behaviour is free unless constrained, and finally that causes of voluntary behaviour are certain states, condition, decisions, and desires. The principle problem of determinism is precisely this last tenet, for what are the causes of the inner states that cause my actions? Where do they come from? Are they under my control? If determinism is true then the problem of infinite causality arises for the causes of the actions must themselves have causes. When applied to the two original data the infinite causality of determinism renders these data false. Take deliberation as an example. I can deliberate only about future actions, but there are always causes to everything I do making the outcome of the deliberation inevitable and the process itself irrelevant. The incompatibility of determinism and deliberation does not bode well for the second datum, as if I am to have a personal choice in an action then I must be able to concretely execute any of the options associated with the action. But if determinism is true there can again only be one option due to the chain of causes thus negating the option of personal choice. A better theory, one that incorporates these two essential data is what Taylor calls the theory of agency, but is more commonly known as libertarianism, which postulates that human beings are frequently, but not always, self-determining beings. To further understand the theory of agency and thus its advantages it is first necessary to examine how it deals with the causation of actions. If an individual is relatively free in his decision making it follows that the individual agent can be considered a cause for the resulting action. For example, if I move my hand then the obvious cause of the motion is me and not some infinite series of causes. The lack of such a sequence of causes, unlike the one put forward by determinism, is an advantage for it allows the theory of agency to be rid of the problems of determinism discussed above. Moreover this allows libertarianism to incorporate the two criteria originally put forth. Under libertarianism deliberation becomes not just possible, but quite logical as it makes sense to ponder a matter over which I have control of the outcome. Then obviously, if I am at least a partially self-determining entity then I have a fair amount of personal choice in what course of action I should pursue. Aside from avoiding the problems of determinism, perhaps libertarianisms greatest advantage is its common sense appeal. For example, if I am considering whether to order a Big Mac for lunch or a McChicken, it makes much more sense to me that through deliberation I can choose which sandwich I would like to eat, rather than the existence of some infinite chain of events that pre-determines that I will eat a Big Mac. It is of course necessary to acknowledge that common sense and simplicity are not absolute truths, but as Bertrand Russell wrote, in support of common sense, in The Problems of Philosophy, Since this belief [in the existence of physical objects] does not lead to any difficulties, but on the contrary tends to simplify and systemize our account of our experiences, there seems no good reason for rejecting it. (Russell, 24) While Russell was addressing another problem the logic of common sense he applied most definitely applies to the case at hand as well. As a concluding argument in favour of libertarianism consider, the very fact of reading and grading this essay. If determinism were true then this essays grade would have long been pre-determined by a series of causes stretching back to before its very creation thus rendering useless the whole process. Texts Cited Russell, B. Problems of Philosophy. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1997. Taylor, R. Metaphysics. Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993.

The Promising Future of Chinas Economy Essay -- Economy

The Promising Future of China's Economy If China's economy grows as fast for the next 20 years as it has for the past 14, it will be the biggest economy on earth: I feel that China's drastic improvements over the last 14 years are overwhelming, with their Real GNP growing at a rate of 9% a year, which means by, 1994, China's economy will match the performance of countries like Japan and Taiwan. China's standard of living has also increased, and the number of people who were considered absolutely poor decreased approximately 63%. I feel with the vast amount of people living in China, and the economic activity booming like it is, China's exports will continue to grow, as well as the standard of living. This will create more revenue, and more capital for them to produce even more goods and become even larger, prospering as one of the biggest economies on the earth. I also feel that China should try to overcome its corrupt system and steadily move into a free enterprise system. Competition has been the key to China's success: I believe that competition has been the key to China's success. When Mr. Deng opened the free market, it brought the first signs of the farmers becoming more rich since the 1950s. His political genius allowed the farmers to become rich. He also introduced the "open-door policy" which is proving to be very beneficial, as they follow in the footsteps of their strong rich neighbours. Mr. Perkins believed four conditions must be met for a market system to work well in reforming centrally planned economy. I believe if China continues to improve its productivity, and the number of monopolies decrease as studies show, China will move into a capitalist front only to... ...ver the last several years. The party has a large role to play in China's transition to a full market economy. China is on its way. the West should prepare China's interests lay in foreign investment, trade and economic reform. China's main driving force was competition, and they proved that privatisation and settling the matter of ownership are not so critical in the early stages of reform. In the years ahead, China must choose between keeping the communist party or kepping the stunning economic growth. If they continue to grow at the rate China grows, and keep improving their economy, and join the likes of Japan, they can combine forces in all aspects against the west, military wise and economically wise. if China's economy grows as fast for the next twenty years like it has for the past fourteen, it will be the biggest economy on earth.

Black man and white women Essay

Black man and white women in dark green row boat The story â€Å"Black Man and White Women in Dark Green Rowboat†, written by Russell Banks, is about an interracial relationship on the brink of disaster. The story opens up on an extremely hot day in August at a trailer park that is right next to a lake with a variety of people who live there. I was not immediately aware that the black man and the white woman were the focus of the story, but those characters gradually emerged and that’s when things started to get interesting. It becomes very obvious that white women want to control everything in the relationship and doesn’t iew the black man as an equal partner. Before they meet at the beach, the white women walks up in her bikini holding her towel, fashion magazine, and tanning lotion with her blonde hair swinging side to side. I automatically start to view her as an egotistical person. When the white women encounters the black man at the beach, she helps him push the boat to the water, but instead of helping him push the boat all the way from shore, she hops in it before her feet had even got wet. He was left to not only push the boat himself, rolling his pant legs up, but also pushing her in it as well. While he is rowing the boat he realizes he didn’t bring a hat and he is sweating. He wraps his shirt around his head and she explains to him that he looks like a sheik and a galley slave. To me this shows how she thinks of him as her own romanticized slave that she can control. She even reassures him that she was not kidding by saying â€Å"no really. Honestly’. (68). The man continues to row and she says she’s starting to put on weight and then she tells the man that she told her mother about them and their situation, but she never looked at him when she was talking to him. Her eyes were closed and directed oward the sun. She isn’t treating him like she cares; she is Just caring on with her sun bathing. Then she tells him that she is going to have an abortion that afternoon. She does this without even asking the man if that’s what he wants to do. Even after he expresses hatred towards the situation and basically tells her he wants her to keep the baby she doesn’t listen. She Just insists that everything will return to normal when it’s done. He asks her what happened and she brushes the question off and explains her mother is 0k with him. You can tell he cares about her mother’s opinion f him as he wants the reassurance that her mother actually likes him. The woman explains her mother Just thinks she is fragile from depression. Honestly I feel like the women had had other abortions and Just didn’t want to be honest with the man. After some time had passed, the woman asks him how long he was going to fish. He tells her about an hour and offers to row her to a swimming spot if she would rather swim. She turns down the offer and makes appoint to mention the fact that she has to be back in time to make it to her abortion later that afternoon; again aking it known she is making this decision on ner own. The women sta rts looking through her magazine while the man continued for a few more casts then he finally gave up and said, â€Å"No sense fishing when the fish ain’t feeding. The whole point is catching fish, right? † (71). This is the man’s turning point. I think he realized that the relationship he was in was kind of like fishing, there was no point in him being with her if she didn’t want to move on to the next level. Before rowing back into shore, he said he wished he could Just leave here there. She gets very nervous when he said hat and tells him they have to go back. That’s when the man decided that it was time to move on with his life and he said, â€Å"You mean, you have to go back. † (71). He rows back and all the people are carrying on like they were before except now things are changing for them. The White woman goes with her towel and magazine to have her abortion and back to living with her mother, while the Black man goes on his own separate way while watching the women leave.

Functionalist and Symbolic Interactionist

Functionalist and Symbolic Interactionist Functionalist and Symbolic Interactionist SO1050 Sociology Functionalist, also known as structural functionalism because of its views on the ways social structures accompanies social needs. In perspective, functionalism structures social influences by what is visible and in demand now. (Boundless. com/Sociology)Functionalism has been criticized for downplaying the role of individual action, and for being unable to account for social change. In the functionalist perspective, society and its institutions are the primary units of analysis.Individuals are significant only in terms of their places within social systems (i. e. , social status and position in patterns of social relations). Functionalists have been disputed because of its terms of how socialism is accounted, because of how it lacks the support and accredited ability of one’s actions and how socialization transforms during its process. Functionalist is the oldest theory but the most popular one used to determine groups because of its basic terms toward how social groups react and functions of how the mind and body works.The structure of how people interact with others and the ability to fit in certain groups are determined by the mind state of acceptability. When evaluating functionalism it is more of a hypothesis that could be proven right or wrong in its factor of determining how society works when it comes to grouping and organizations of people by characteristics. (Boundless. com/Sociology)Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.Symbolic Interactionist, known also as symbolic interaction perspective, is a form of social grouping based on how people are forcefully placed into groups, events and social organizations. Unlike functionalism, Symbolic Interactionist believes that peer pressure and environmental ex posure has much effect over socialization and its developments. People adapt and form social lifestyles by what they are exposed to, such as cigarette smoking, drinking, dating, etc. When ressured into doing something for the first time just to have some forms of acceptance, people tend to try things and develop habitual behaviors that are introduced by peers. (Anderson, M. L. and Taylor, H. F. , 2009). Critics of this theory claim that symbolic interactionism neglects the macro level of social interpretation—the â€Å"big picture. † In other words, symbolic Interactionist may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the â€Å"trees† rather than the â€Å"forest†.The perspective also receives criticism for slighting the influence of social forces and institutions on individual interactions. The theory of Symbolic Interactionalist has been criticized because critics believe that it focused too much on individuals and how they react to p ersonal ways of how people react to wanting to be a part of a group and/or organization, that it lacked the focus of how groups and organizations are developed based on its biological influences.I believe that the symbolic theory has a better and clearer perspective of all theories because it focuses on how peer pressures and environmental behaviors has its influences on people as individuals, which eventually becomes a group or organization of socialization when manipulated by the growth of numbers. Functionalists do make a great point about how everything works together as one unit when it comes to social groups and the coordination of how socialism is formed.I do not agree with the full aspect of functionalists but the co-ordinance of its concept does make some sense. Symbolic Interactionalist forms its theory by reviewing probable causes using surroundings and its peers as a way of understanding social formations. I choose the Symbolic Theory because of its somewhat accuracy of how groups and organizations are formed and past down from generation to generation.I do believe peers and a person’s environmental surroundings have much to do with social connections and how its functions are developed. Reference Boundless. com- https://www. boundless. com/sociology/understanding-sociology/theoretical-perspectives-in-sociology/functionalist-perspective/ Copyright  © 2011-2012, Boundless Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Anderson, M. L. and Taylor,