The Life Of Frederick Douglass s Book, Many Read It And...

When Frederick Douglass published his book, many read it and had their own ideas from the themes he referred to. One thing that was related to the theme of his book was how he said religious slaveholders were the cruelest to slaves. Religious slaveholders used the bible to prove that slavery was right. They quoted from the bible, Colossians 3:22, slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. They said that the bible tells slaves to be obedient to their masters, in which case, means that there are going to be slaves. They also looked back into the Old Testament and found times where the old prophets had slaves. At one point, a prophet returns a runaway slave back to another prophet who was his master. The Southerners saw that since the bible did not condemn slavery but mentioned it in many places, that they were right to have slaves. That is t he reason they were so cruel to slaves; they thought that they had religion on their side backing them to do what they pleased to their slaves, since the bible tells them to follow all of their master’s commands. Mr. Covey, who was a slave breaker that possessed Frederick Douglass for a while, was a religious man. Frederick Douglass said that Mr. Covey forced a woman to break the commandment that a person should not commit adultery, but since the woman was a slave, the commandment meant nothingShow MoreRelatedNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1275 Words   |  6 PagesIn Frederick Douglass s first autobiography, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass†, he provides a graphic portrayal of his childhood and disturbing experiences as a slave as well as his eventual escape to freedom. Douglass went through physical abuse, starvation, and mental fatigue during his youth, yet through unimaginable circumstances he was able to overcome everything and become a writ er, newspaper editor, and most of all one of the most influential abolitionist. In telling his storyRead MoreRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511020 Words   |  5 Pagesowning books is illegal, and the penalty for their possession—to watch them combust into ashes. Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, illustrates just such a society. Bradbury wrote his science fiction in 1951 depicting a society of modern age with technology abundant in this day and age—even though such technology was unheard of in his day. Electronics such as headphones, wall-sized television sets, and automatic doors were all a significant part of Bradbury’s description of humanity. Human life stylesRead MoreFrederick Douglass, A Brave Man Who Escaped Slavery3423 Words   |  14 Pagesamendment was added to the national constitution, and blacks held no rights within the law. The white people had total control over regulations and politics, and used that to their advantage to keep slaves and free blacks on an inferior societal level. Slaves had no records of a human being in a state, no name, title, or register. They couldn’t collect any money, make purchases, and they had no heirs, meaning they couldn’t make a will. Whatever they acquired went to their masters. Additionally, theyRead MoreEssay on the Life of Frederick Douglass1702 Words   |  7 PagesIn Frederick Douglass#8217; Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Mr. Douglass gives many examples of cruelty towards slaves as he shows many reasons that could have been used to abolish slavery. Throughout the well-written narrative, Douglass uses examples from the severe whippings that took place constantly to a form of brainwashing by the slaveholders over the slaves describing the terrible conditions that the slaves were faced with in the south in the first half of the 1800#8217;s. Read MoreFrederick Douglass : A Comparative Essay1797 Words   |  8 Pagessomething slightly more creative) Frederick Douglass, a famous abolitionist leader and writer, was born into slavery in the early 1800’s. Douglass published many books and papers illustrating the time in which he lived, all of them portraying his perspective of growing up as a slave in Talbot County, Maryland. During this time slaves had no rights. They were bought and sold constantly, and were consider property the slave owners. Slaves mainly worked in the fields, but Douglass on the other hand, was luckyRead MoreThe Moral Dilemma And Hypocrisy Of Slavery Essay1907 Words   |  8 Pagesthe moral dilemma and hypocrisy of slavery. â€Å"We cannot be free if this is, by our own national choice, to be a land of slavery.† President Lincoln’s rhetoric reflects the challenge to define freedom in America; moreover, it reflects his morality and commitment to upholding personal freedom. It justifies why he does not ignore slavery, as well as why he did not see slaves as property, but as a group of huma ns who had been abusively denied freedom, and stripped of their humanity for no reason otherRead More Interpretations of Slavery Essay3734 Words   |  15 PagesInterpretations of Slavery INTRODUCTION Slavery is known to have existed as early as the 18th century B.C. during the Shang Dynasty of China. Slavery was widely practiced in many other countries, including, Korea, India, Greece, Mexico and Africa. (Britannica 288-89). When most people consider slavery, however, they think of Western slavery in North America because it is well documented and it was such a horrible institution. Even though there is no one definition of slavery, the people who studyRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1810 Words   |  8 Pagesdefined by racism and slavery. Frederick Douglass captures this in his autobiographical-narrative, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, recounting his life as a slave, and his pursuit of freedom. Written during the Antebellum era, this narrative was one of the most influential works of literature in the advancement of the abolition movement in the 19th century and is largely considered the most famous slave narrative. Within his story, Douglass focus his primary claim on theRead MoreThe Life Of Enslaved Children And What Those Experiences Tells Us About The Institution Of Slavery1744 Words   |  7 PagesI’ll discuss the life of enslaved children and what those experiences tells us about the institution of slavery. Over the course of the semester we have been introduced to several readings concerning the enslavement of Africans. I will be basing my paper on information gathered from these readings, â€Å"African American Voices,† By Steven Mintz, â€Å"Prince Among Slaves,† By Terry Alford, â€Å"Lose Your Mother† By Saidiya Hartman and lastly a secondary piece of literature by Frederick Douglass, â€Å"My Bondage MyRead MoreThe Emergence Of The United States As An Independent Country, And African American Literature Essay1769 Words   |  8 PagesEvening Thought: Salvation by Christ with Penitential Cries†. Through his poem, he implemented the idea of a gradual eman cipation as a way to end slavery. His idea was later reprinted in some works such as â€Å"Le Mulatre† a short story published in 1837 by Victor Sejour and Clotel; or, The President’s Daughter (1853) by William Wells Brown. The second African American writer was â€Å"Lucy Terry†. She was stolen from America and sold into slavery in Rhode Island as an infant. She spent time in Rhode Island, up

Business Communication The Hub Of Economic Development

Before I enrolled in this class, I had come to the realization that business today is the hub of economic development. Business communication as a skill, on the other hand, is the main tool to success in the field. Therefore, these two factors were my greatest motivators to taking this course. I have not been in a business communication class before, and my hopes and expectation of taking this class were very high. However, one of the things on my mind then was that if I successfully completed this course, I would be a step closer to achieving my dreams in business. Business communication class has been a journey that I enjoyed every bit of the process with the many activities involved and most especially the project. The following is a recount of every aspect of the course that made the course a success. Communication is the transfer or sharing of information from one person, group or organization to another (Gopal, 2011). It entails transmitting the intended meaning from one person to another with an intention of initiating that person`s action on the information. Business communication, on the other hand, can be understood as the transfer of information from one person to another within the organization. Business communication is performed with the intention of bringing benefit to the organization. Before taking this class, I had the expectation of learning every aspect of business communication. 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Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Financial Management

Question: Discuss about the Essay for Fundamentals of Corporate Finance: Financial Management. Answer: Introduction The corporate financial management entails various business decisions including investments, financing and the return on the investment and thus, become crucial to take action on commercial wellness. The current study is based on a case of a machinery replacement where the report comprises of the projection of the initial investment, required for the new machinery installation, operating cash flow calculation and the evaluation of the viability of the same. In addition, the investment appraisal techniques have been implemented followed by the sensitivity analysis to deliver the information whether the project could be undertaken. The key purpose of this study is to recommend on the project selection along with the justification, using valid investment appraisal mechanism. Incremental initial investment Initial incremental capital Amount ($) Acquisition cost of new machine 1000000 Sale proceeds of old machine 100000 Tax adjustments on sales of old machine 60000 Additional working capital 491520 Total Initial incremental capital 1651520 The calculation for the initial investment involves the initial cost for the acquisition of new machine, sales proceeds of old machine and the tax adjustments for sale of old machine. The initial incremental investment also involves the calculation for the working capital adjusted with the discounting rate at 10% for 10 years (refer to appendix). Therefore, at the year 0 that is the beginning year, the total initial incremental capital stands at $1651520. In the words of Chemmanur and He (2016, p.72), the total initial incremental capital for an investment is used in the calculation of the net present value, internal rate of return etc for the investments. This further helps in the making the investment decision pertaining to the investments. Incremental after tax operating cash flow Annual incremental operating cash flow Yearly incremental operating expenses ($) Discounting factor Discounted incremental operating expenses ($) year 1 78000 0.909 70902 year 2 78000 0.826 64428 year 3 78000 0.751 58578 year 4 78000 0.683 53274 year 5 78000 0.621 48438 year 6 78000 0.564 43992 year 7 78000 0.513 40014 year 8 78000 0.467 36426 year 9 78000 0.424 33072 year 10 78000 0.386 30108 Total Annual incremental operating cash flow 479232 The annual incremental operating expenses involves calculations for the increase in the sales, increase in operating expenses and depreciation. In the opinion of Gao and Zhang (2015, p.110), the calculation for the annual incremental operating cash flow helps in the calculation of net present value as it reduced the net cash inflow making the net present value more realistic. In the present context, the annual incremental operating cash flow has been calculated using the following formula: Annual incremental operating cash flow = (increased sales - increased operating expenses - increased depreciation) * (1 - tax rate) + increased depreciation. Incremental terminal cash flow Particulars Amount ($) Discounting factor (10%, 10) Amount ($) Incremental salvage value 100000 0.386 38600 tax on incremental salvage value 30000 0.386 11580 Total incremental salvage value 70000 0.386 27020 The incremental terminal cash flow involves calculation for the incremental salvage value after making the adjustments for the prevailing tax rate. NPV, IRR and Profitability Index for the replacement proposal Net present value Incremental Sales ($) Discounting factor Discounted incremental sales ($) 450000 0.909 409050 450000 0.826 371700 450000 0.751 337950 450000 0.683 307350 450000 0.621 279450 450000 0.564 253800 450000 0.513 230850 450000 0.467 210150 450000 0.424 190800 450000 0.386 173700 Total Incremental sales 2764800 Net present value ($) 661068 The net present value in the present case has been calculated by adding up the cash inflows for the new machines and then subtracting the cash outflows. Therefore, in the present case, the cash flows are assumed the total incremental sales and the net salvage value of the new machine at the end to 10th year at 10% discounting rate. While on the other hand, the cash outflows for the new machine involves the total initial incremental expenses and the increased operating cash outflows. In the words of Brealey et al. (2015, p.17), the investment decisions pertaining to the new investments must be taken based on the net present value. The net present value calculation takes into consideration time value of money while also calculating the future cash inflow. Based on the net present value the company has been recommended to invest in the new machine, as it would prove to be beneficial for the company. Internal rate of return Incremental initial investment ($) -1651520 Annual incremental operating expenses ($) year 1 372000 year 2 372000 year 3 372000 year 4 372000 year 5 372000 year 6 372000 year 7 372000 year 8 372000 year 9 372000 year 10 372000 Total incremental salvage value ($) 100000 IRR 19% The calculation for the internal rate of return involves annual incremental cash inflow at subtracting the cash inflow from sales by the annual incremental operating expenses. In the given case scenario, the cash flow from the sales is $450000 per annum and the annual incremental operating expenses is $78000 (refer to appendix). The total incremental salvage value of $100000 at the end of the 10th year has also been considered for internal rate of return calculation. The internal rate of return for the new machine is 19%, which is greater than the required rate of return of 10%. Therefore, the company has been recommended to invest in the new machine, as it would help the company to increase its profit potential. Profitability index Profitability index 1.40 The profitability index for the new machine is 1.40. This means that the net cash flow from the investment is 1.4 times greater than the initial investment in the machine. The profitability index for the new machine has been made on the below stated formula: Profitability index = present value of future cash flows / initial investment In the present case scenario, the present value of the cash inflow involves net present value of sales plus total incremental salvage value subtracted by annual incremental operating expenses. Sensitivity analysis of NPV As mentioned by Huang and Petkevich (2016, p.73), the sensitivity analysis of the net present value helps in evaluating the exact internal rate of return which in turn helps in investment decision making. At 10% At 10% Total Initial incremental capital 1651520 Total incremental salvage value 27020 Total Incremental inflow 2285568 At 30% At 30% Total Initial incremental capital 1407280 Total incremental salvage value 15890 Total Incremental inflow 1149852 At 10% discounting factor the initial incremental capital is $1651520 and the total incremental salvage value is $27020. While on the other hand, at 30% discounting factor the initial incremental capital is $1407280 and the total incremental salvage value is $15890. At 10% NPV 661068 At 30% NPV -241538 Based on the net present value at different rate of return it can be concluded that when the rate of return increases the net present value starts decreasing. This net present value at different discounting rate helps in the evaluation of the internal rate of return. Sensitivity analysis of NPV Discount rate 10% 30% NPV ($) 661068 -241538 10 - IRR / 10 - 30 (661068 - 0) / (661068 - (-241538)) 10 - IRR/ - 20 661068 / 902606 10 - IRR / - 20 0.7323992971 10 - IRR - 14.64798594 - IRR - 24.64798594 IRR 24.65% The sensitivity analysis involves the discounting of the initial investments and cash flow on at various rate of return. This helps in evaluating the net present value at different discounting rate. The calculation for the internal rate of return involves use of one positive and one negative NPV. These are then applied to the sensitivity analysis for NPV formula to generate the IRR of the investment. In the present case scenario, the discounting ate for the positive net present value has been assumed 10%. While on the other hand, the discounting are for the negative NPV has been calculated at 30% after using the trial and error method. The trial and error method involves calculation for negative NPV based on the discounting rate of 16% and 20% respectively (refer to appendix). At 10% and 30% discounting rate for the present case scenario, the IRR is 24.65%. Therefore, meaning that the investment in the new machine would be profitable for the company. Theoretical background of the three investment decision methodologies In the current case of investment decision making, the evaluation for the investments decision have been made based on the results of the net present value, internal rate of return and profitability index. As mentioned by Ross et al. (2015, p.66), the net present value is considered as the most effective and efficient investment appraisal tool. The reason behind this is that the calculation for the net present value involves calculation for the time value of money. In this context, Brooks et al. (2016, p.217) stated that the net present value calculation also taken into consideration the future cash inflows while discounting them to present rate. This discounting at the present rate makes the investment decision making much more easier and relevant. However, Huang and Petkevich (2016, p.72) argued stating that the net present value calculation are ineffective in case of two different project of two different sizes. The reason behind this is that the NPV calculation results are highly influenced by the inputs thus making it ineffective in case of two different sizes projects. The internal rate of return is simpler to use as compared to other investment appraisal techniques. Like the net present value, the internal rate of return also takes into consideration the time value of money while helping in mitigating the hurdle rate. However, Goldstein and Hackbarth (2014, p.534) argued that the calculation for the internal rate of return do not take into consideration the economies of scale thus, making the calculation not dependable. Moreover, the internal rate of return cannot be taken into consideration while deciding two mutually exclusive projects. The reason behind this is that the internal rate of return calculations taken into accounts the rate of return while ignoring the return on investments. In this context, Ross et al. (2015, p.65) stated that the internal rate of return calculations shows the return on the total money invested. The profitability index calculations like the NPV and IRR takes into account the time value of money thus, making the investment decision more meaningful. Moreover, the calculation of the profitability index takes into account all the cash flows for the entire life while ascertaining the exact rate of return for the investments. In this context, Prezas and Simonyan (2015, p.105) added that the profitability index calculations are more relevant as the calculations involve different amount cash flows for different projects. While on the other hand, Hanousek et al. (2015, p.27) stated that in case of profitability index, it is difficult to understand the discounting rate as the cash flow and initial investments are shown at cumulative value. Huang and Petkevich (2016, p.71) agreed to this and further added that the calculation for the profitability index are difficult in case there are useful life of the projects differ from one another. Reason behind these being superior to ARR and payback period The calculations for the investment decision making in the present case scenario are based on the calculations of net present value, internal rate of return and profitability index. The reason behind choosing these tools of investment decision making is that they take into consideration the time value of money. Moreover, in the present case the investment decision making is based on identical project that is machines. This justifies the inclusion of the internal rate of return in the investment decision making. Moreover, both the machines in the present case have identical useful life, which makes the profitability index outcome more relevant. Furthermore, the net present value takes into consideration the risks pertaining to future cash flows, which helps in evaluating the exact amount by which the value of the company would be increased. The accounting rate of return has been excluded from the investment decision-making calculation because the ARR calculations ignore time value of money. In this context, Brooks et al. (2016, p.218) stated that the accounting rate of return ignores the cash flow from the investments, which makes the outcomes irrelevant. In the present case, the calculation for the investment decision making have taken into consideration the terminal value of the project. However, the accounting rate of return ignores the terminal value of the project thus, leading to exclusion of the investment appraisal tool in the present case. In this context, Goldstein and Hackbarth (2014, p.535) stated that the accounting rate of return calculation are simple and are based on the accounting profit. This calculation on the accounting profit helps in measuring the profit potential that the company might expect from the investment. The fact that the accounting rate of return does not involve time value of money ther efore, the accounting results cannot be considered while decision making. As mentioned by Brealey et al. (2015, p.77), the payback period provide a crude measure about the liquidity of the project assisting in decision-making. The payback period determines the period within which the initial investment in the project can be recovered. The outcome of the payback period between two different projects can be used for determining which project would return the initial investment at the earliest. In this context, Gao and Zhang (2015, p.111) cited that the payback period does not involve time value of money therefore, the outcome of this investment decision making tool cannot be considered. Chemmanur and He (2016, p.76) agreed to this and further added that the calculations for the payback period ignores the amount beyond the payback period. Moreover, the payback period does not provide any concrete evidence whether the investment would help in increasing the value of the firm. Therefore, the investment decision making in the present case scenario excludes the p ayback period calculations. Conclusion From the above calculations and findings, it is quite clear that the investment in the new machine would be profitable for the company. The net present value, internal rate of return and the profitability index are all favourable suggesting that the investment would help the company increase its profit potential. The reason behind the selection of the net present value, internal rate of return and profitability index is that the calculations for these investment tools involve time value of money consideration. Moreover, the project is identical with similar useful life thereby, making the selection of these tools more relevant. However, the accounting rate of return and the payback period have also been excluded because; the methods do not consider time value of money. While on the other hand, the calculations based on these tools do not consider all the cash flows. Recommendation The company has been recommended to consider investing in the new machines as the capital investment decision making tools provide favourable outcomes. This means that the investment in the new machine worth $1000000 would help to increase the profit potential of the company. Moreover, the company has also been recommended to continue evaluation of the investment decision making based on the NPV, IRR and profitability index as because they take into consideration time value of money and entire cash flow. Reference list Brealey, R., Myers, S. and Marcus, A. (2015). Fundamentals of corporate finance. New York, NY [u.a.]: McGraw Hill Education. Brooks, C., Godfrey, C., Hillenbrand, C. and Money, K. (2016). Do investors care about corporate taxes?. Journal of Corporate Finance, 38, pp.218-248. Chemmanur, T. and He, S. (2016). Institutional trading, information production, and corporate spin-offs.Journal of Corporate Finance, 38, pp.54-76. Corporate Finance. (2016). South-Western Pub. Gao, L. and Zhang, J. (2015). Firms earnings smoothing, corporate social responsibility, and valuation.Journal of Corporate Finance, 32, pp.108-127. Goldstein, I. and Hackbarth, D. (2014). Corporate finance theory: Introduction to special issue. Journal of Corporate Finance, 29, pp.535-541. Hanousek, J., KoÄ enda, E. and Shamshur, A. (2015). Corporate efficiency in Europe. Journal of Corporate Finance, 32, pp.24-40. Huang, K. and Petkevich, A. (2016). Corporate bond pricing and ownership heterogeneity. Journal of Corporate Finance, 36, pp.54-74. Prezas, A. and Simonyan, K. (2015). Corporate divestitures: Spin-offs vs. sell-offs. Journal of Corporate Finance, 34, pp.83-107. Ross, S., Westerfield, R., Jaffe, J., Lim, J., Tan, R. and Wong, H. (2015). Corporate finance. [Singapore?]: McGraw-Hill Education (Asia).

Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Essay Example

Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology Paper This essay will firstly, ascertain and examine what exactly critical thinking is. Secondly, it will provide a brief outline of Platos Apology, and then it will outline and assess how Platos defence is represented and understood as critical thinking. Finally, there will be a conclusion of what exactly being a critical thinker entails and a short paragraph explaining how the module has improved and expanded my own capacity for critical thinking. Young (1996, p. ) states that critical thinking is the capacity people have to question beliefs and presuppositions (their own and those of others) with a view to giving reasons for them or for amending them. Put more simply, critical thinking is the procedure for understanding and evaluating the evidence which supports a certain claim or view. Critical rationality which is the capacity to criticise, that is, to assess goals, rules and presuppositions themselves and where appropriate change them is a distinctively unique human trait, which gives human beings the power to engage critical thinking (Rationality Handout). It also involves rational decision making in whether to believe or discount a point, and it also involves accepting or rejecting certain evidence. It is not simply an exchange of opinions, but a critical and vigorous attempt to find ones way through discussion and argumentation. The Apology is Platos version of the speech given by Socrates as he defends himself against the charges of being a man who corrupted the young, refused to worship the gods, and created new deities (Schofield, 1998, p. 1). Young (1996, p. ) states that Plato sees philosophy itself as namely a style of thinking which is distinctively different from, for instance, science or religion or indeed anything else. We will write a custom essay sample on Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Platos defence of philosophy understood as critical thinking, as it is represented in Socrates trial in the Apology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer So, philosophy for Plato is not a distinctive set of conclusions or of finished truths, but a distinctive style of thinking. For Plato, Socrates embodies this distinctive way of thinking and living that is philosophy, which Young (1996, p. 2) adds is not just another way of theorizing about life but also a new attitude toward life, even a new way of living life. Socrates begins by stating that the accusations against him began because people confused him with intellectuals who claim to have expert knowledge either in the natural sciences (cosmogonists), or in the social sciences or humanities (sophists). Socrates says There is a wise man called Socrates who has theories about the heavens above and has investigated everything below the earth, and can make the weaker argument defeat, the stronger (Young, 1996, p. 2). Socrates is, in the Apology, the very embodiment of philosophy or critical thinking, so by stating the differences he is stating that philosophy does not provide expert knowledge, but instead gives a different kind of human or limited knowledge. Socrates says of himself that it seems he really possesses this. And he hints that, limited though it be, the knowledge or wisdom that can be secured via philosophy is of decisive importance for human beings (Young, 1996, p. 3). The vital knowledge Socrates talks about is the abilities and vital skills philosophy learns people of questioning everything, being inquisitive in life and not accepting things for how they are. Socrates then goes on to tell a tall story about himself, which, as with all of the Apology, it isnt just the words spoken but the action and setting plus words left unspoken, which determine the texts meaning. Socrates tells the story of his friend Chaerephon who went to Delphi and through the oracle there asks the god if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The god said that there was no one. Socrates claims to have been astonished and then states that it was reverence toward the gods which led him by his questioning activity to challenge the leaders of the State (Young, 1996, p. 3): I knew I was making myself disliked, but felt compelled to put my duty to the god before all else And by the dog, Athenians! as I pursued my questioning at the gods command, it seemed to me that those with the greatest reputations for being wise were amongst the stupidest of all; others supposed to be their inferiors were wiser, and better people too. (Young, 1996, p. 3)) An important part of critical thinking is then, according to Socrates, having the ability and open mind to listen to and question everyones views. Socrates differentiates between the all-seeing knowledge of the gods and normal knowledge which humans can gain, and states that the wisest people are those who know that they can never have this definitive and ultimate knowledge. Young (1996, p. ) adds Socrates wisdom or knowledge consists in part in the fact that he (unlike his powerful interlocutors) knows the limits of his own knowledge (or the extent of his own ignorance), whereas they do not: a person who is ignorant of x but knows herself to be ignorant of it, is to that extent wiser than someone who does not know it either but mistakenly thinks she does. Socrates gets his accusers to admit that they are ignorant and proud; to use Platos language, they are lovers of status, power and wealth, as opposed to lovers of knowledge and truth (Young, 1996, p. ) and states they will only ever become wise and less ignorant if they change their will and desire. Translating Socrates words, Young (1996, p. 4) comments Philosophical knowledge or wisdom, then, depends upon on the will at least as much as the intellect; upon desire and upon the direction of desire at least as much as abstract intellectual ratiocination; upon practice at least as, much as theorizing. Critical thinking then is an intellectual effort aiming at acquiring human self-knowledge or self- understanding. (Young, 1996, p. 4). In order to strive to achieve this, a person must have courage, be prepared to question and challenge oneself, and to continue on even though it may be upsetting some people, just as Socrates upset those in power through his philosophy of questioning and debating. Critical thinking is a way of living which one embodies in their attitudes and practices, it is also about taking others views and beliefs into consideration, and then challenging the very presuppositions that these beliefs rest on. To be a critical thinker is to be tolerant, not take things at face value and to realise that as humans our knowledge will always be limited. This should spur one on to be open-minded and to question ones thoughts and views. However, Socrates recognises that some people may be unwilling to do this out of fear of losing their credibility and reputation. One should not automatically assume what a person says is true just because they are in power, in the same way Socrates tells the youth to think for themselves and not believe everything politicians say. Young (1996, p. ) sees philosophy as a second-order study; first-order studies being those, such as sciences that deal with facts, where as second-order study focuses on the concepts using which first-order studies study the real world and its facts with a view to clarifying the structure and role of these concepts; or again instead of engaging in first-order evaluation of the world we focus on the evaluations and judgements whereby first-order evaluating is done; and so forth. Socrates was willing to die for philosophy and the distinctive way of thinking and living it entails; the statement he made he unquestioned life is not worth living (Platos Apology, p. 12) sums up his life and beliefs perfectly. He believes that critical thinking is good for both individuals and society, and that the freedom to think in this way should be defended. In asking what the good life was and how we could attain it, Socrates made critical thinking the patrimony of potentially every person who was willing to follow his leadership. His simple call to critically examine oneself and the world would both empower and challenge his followers throughout the ages. To be fully human after the example set by the life of Socrates would require any serious person to engage in the examined life (Polelle, 2008, p. 91). Socrates was the very embodiment of what it is to be a critical thinker, and he saw it as being such a crucial part of being a human being that he was willing to die for it. The very idea of critical thinking needs defending because there will always be people who are annoyed by it and who will try to take away others freedom to practice it, just as happened to Socrates in the Apology. I must admit that I have never had time for either religion or god. When I was younger I could not understand why people spent so much time out of their lives worshipping something that has never even been proved exists. It seemed very unusual to me that people would pray to a god when things got bad because how do they even know someones listening? It seemed obvious to me at the time that surely there is no higher being because if there really was, would this almighty god allow all of the suffering that goes on in the world to continue? Can there really be a god that created our earth? After studying the critical thinking module I no longer think this way. Im open to everything, even something that cant be proved, like god. I still question the ideas on which ideas and beliefs are based, but I am now more open to all ideas, no matter how strange they seem to me at the time. Instead of just ignoring the Jehovahs Witnesses at the door, I now say hi, collect some brochures from them and have a chat, although I cant see myself ever becoming a follower of Jehovah. I am open to ideas, such as god creating the world, however I do feel this is very unlikely. I have thought there must be something out there listening to gods worshippers, and surely he must exist otherwise he would not have so many followers. But then again, perhaps the bible is a hoax. I feel more inclined to believe that a big bang created the earth, mainly because there seems proof to support the fact. To be a critical thinker means to consider and debate all ideas and beliefs and I feel I am developing my ability to think critically. However, this does not mean I have to agree with everything or everyones points of view.