Friday, November 8, 2019
Pedictive and diagnostic model Essays
Pedictive and diagnostic model Essays Pedictive and diagnostic model Essay Pedictive and diagnostic model Essay Any predictive and diagnostic model of environmental change is dependent on the accuracy of its data and the soundness of its premises (Mortimore, 1998). In terms of form (or physical manifestation of the process of desertification), the received narrative promoted images of moving deserts and the southward movement of the Sahara (Swift, 1995). Yet there is considerable evidence to suggest that rather than a linear encroachment of such conditions, desertification occurs at particular points (Bernus, 1977 cited in Mortimore, 1998). The limitations of the method of analysis used by Lamprey (1975) and Ibrahim (1984) have been further exposed by subsequent studies. Following a series of investigations by Lund University throughout the 1980s, Helleden (1991) was able to state that; none of these studies verified the creation of long lasting desert-like conditions in the Sudan during the 1962-1984 period there was no trend in the creation or growth of desertification patches around 103 examined villages and water holes over the period 1961-1985. No major shifts in the northern cultivation limit were identified [and there were] no major changes in vegetation cover and crop productivity which cannot be explained by varying rainfall characteristics. Similar results were evident in the Manga Grassland survey by Mortimore in 1989. By comparing aerial plots of the dunes over the period 1950 -1969 with the boundaries delimited by the Forestry Commission Survey in 1937, he concluded that many of the basic characteristics of the area showed continuity over time (Mortimore, 1989). Also this time span covered a period of considerable settlement, agricultural intensification and expansion leading to doubt over the basic hypothesis of desertification (ibid, 1989). In terms of a process, it has already been noted that desertification may be more usefully considered with reference to its individual constituents of desiccation, drought and degradation (Warren, 1996). But a further point should also be raised here. Namely, that the desertification is often perceived as a disruption to a stable, equilibrial natural system. There is considerable evidence to suggest adequately represent dryland environments; they are unstable and disequilibrial in the short term and transitional in the longer term (Mortimore, 1998). In terms of both the form and process of desertification, the accuracy of its premises and data may be found wanting on both counts. The utility of the concept may be further questioned when the its structural causation mechanisms of population growth is considered. The very definition of desertification automatically limits the conceptualisation of dryland sustainability, through the inherent assumption of the failure of human management systems to cope with increasing population pressure (Adams, 2003). Within a desertification narrative therefore, there is little room for the possibility of adaptation and flexibility of management techniques and practices by ordinary people (Mortimore, 1998; Adams, 2003). The dominance of large-scale studies that have an emphasis on quantitative analysis (such as remote sensing) rather than micro-scale perspectives that focus upon the social science aspect of the problem may explain this omission (Mortimore, 1998). A number of studies in the last decade have sought to de-link the implicit connotation of population growth and environmental degradation that has been central to the desertification narrative. Such analyses draw on the ideas of Boserup (1965), suggesting that increasing population pressure can provide the stimulus for innovation and agricultural intensification, for example through increased cropping intensities and the introduction of land saving techniques. Tiffen et al. (1994) examine the case of the Machakos District in Kenya, where there has been considerable concern over the sustainability of agriculture since 1930s colonial administrators attempted to implement soil conservation measures. They used a variety of historical and current sources, such as oral history, to undertake the study. They show that increasing population densities have facilitated more productive agriculture and greater specialization and exchange within society (ibid, 1994). Specific strategies include migration, the diversification of incomes (including non-agricultural incomes) and agricultural intensification (ibid. , 1994). The area cultivated increased from 15 percent of the district in the 1930s to between 50 and 80 percent in 1978, and the land supports a population that has grown almost fivefold, from about 240,000 in the 1930s to about 1. 4 million in 1989 (ibid, 1994). The photographs of Kiima Kimwe in 1937 and 1991 (below, left and right respectively) clearly illustrate the use of careful terracing and subsequent increases in productivity through the planting of banana and other trees (Drylands Research website, 2003). Tiffen et al. s (1994) study illustrates how local communities can respond spontaneously to land degradation and make land improving investments that significantly increase productivity over time. Applying the desertification framework in this situation would be of little utility in the explanation of population growth concurrent with continued or even improved prospects of sustainability. Incorporating the idea of sustainable livelihoods and of social, human and human-made capital may be a further help to examining what the concept of desertification has missed through its biophysical sustainability bias (Serageldin, 1996). Such ideas open the possibility for a number of other inputs that may compromise, or indeed uphold, the sustainability of dryland production systems. An analysis of the social system in dryland production can point to the need for a sustainable social as well as natural system for the continuing use of the environment. Through the integration of this perspective, Murton (1997) is able to question whether Tiffen et. als (1994) these examples of sustainable resource use have been compatible with the maintenance of sustainable livelihoods in such marginal African environments such as the Machakos. Murtons research (1997) adds further dimensions the consideration of dryland production systems, including a requirement to consider how polarization and global markets can also impact upon the sustainability of this environment. The integration of the complex social and economic adjustments that embody the everyday decisions of local people has considerable potential to explain the disjuncture between the doomsday predictions of desertification narratives and small-scale evidence on the ground (Mortimore, 1998). An analysis of the history of the concept of desertification can easily lead to conclusions about how science got it wrong, with a consequent attribution of blame which is all too resonant with earlier desertification narratives (Thomas, 1997). A more thorough consideration will recognise that science necessitates the constant refinement and evaluation of ideas by default (ibid. , 1997). This points to the need to ensure the transmission of uncertainty at the science-action interface and a careful reconsideration of how scientific concepts can be taken selectively or used out of context (ibid, 1997). In this way, the legacy of the desertification narrative may yet prove useful as an important reminder of the differential needs of science and policy and the need for a more cautious approach to scientific truth and objectivity. This has been neatly conceptualised as the tension between models of environmental change as heuristics or truth machines by Wynne Sackley (1994, cited in Mortimore, 1998). From a slightly different perspective, an understanding of desertification may be considered critical precisely to move beyond it (Swift, 1996). Until the ghost of the received narrative is laid to rest in national governments and in major NGOs, the deconstruction (versus the understanding) of desertification will be key to the comprehension of dryland production systems (ibid., 1996). In conclusion, the narrative of desertification may be considered as particularly unhelpful to an accurate understanding of the many facets of sustainability in dryland production systems. Definitions of the terms are problematic, contested and confused, leading to problems for clear and concise communication on the topic. Moreover, the scientific evidence and data upon which the narrative is premised has been shown to be seriously flawed and also coloured by ignorance and prejudice towards indigenous livelihoods and technologies. As such the consideration of dryland sustainability in the framework of desertification may be seen to incomplete and also misguided. However, this is not to say that credible work on drylands has not been performed, nor that real environmental problems do not exist in these ecosystems. Although the term has continued to be adopted in policy circles, the use of an alternative, such as dry land degradation, may prove useful in the longer term and particularly when trying to identify effective interventions. Knowledge of the desertification narrative however, may be seen to provide an important reminder of the need to actively manage the use of science as a basis for policy, particularly when in complex issues that contain a substantial element of uncertainty. An analysis of the way in which powerful institutions have harnessed the power of the desertification narrative is also important for its deconstruction and for the possibility of its succession by a concept that is more attuned to the real and substantive issues of dryland sustainability. References Adams, W.M (2001) Green Development: environment and sustainability in the Third World. Routledge: London Adams, W. M Mortimore, M. J. (1997) Agricultural intensification and flexibility in the Nigerian Sahel Geographical Journal 163:150-160 Drylands Research Organisation Website (accessed 19/11/2003) The Machakos Study (available online at drylandsresearch. org. uk/dr_machakos. html) ICIHI (1986) The Encroaching Desert: The Consequences of Human Failure A Report for the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues. Zed Book Ltd: London.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Engineering ethics essays
Engineering ethics essays As an engineer and as a human being, human safety should always come first. Companies should not put the amount of money they could make ahead of the safety of the people they could be putting at risk. I would advocate for the use of site b, because safety should be the number one priority to companies. Sometimes companies do not put safety first and there have been dire effects because of this, like unsafe cars or faulty baby swings. With almost every engineering proposition there is going to good and bad effects accompanying the different paths that can be taken. In Deborah G. Johnsons article the Social and Professional Responsibility of Engineers, Samuel Florman gives the example Should we risk oil spills and increase our reserves by offshore drilling? [1]. This problem is along the same lines as the cell tower problem, should benefits have to be sacrificed in order to ensure the health of humanity? Johnson argues We want...engineers committed to the safety and human well- being [1], if we want to be safe then we should always should put the site b over the site a whenever possible. Engineers should not be guns for hire and always do what would maximize the outcome; they should be looking out for the good of humanity[1]. Building on site A would be a purely consequence oriented approach, and the ends would definitely not justify the means. In Terry Tempest Williams Clan of the one breasted women the government tested atomic bombs in Nevada, and several families were affected, with many women dying because of breast cancer. This is another case where the ends do not justify the means, but Thomas Murray, the atomic energy commissioner, didnt see it that way. Murray said Gentlemen, we must not let anything interfere with this series of tests, nothing [2], this clearly shows why we shouldnt p...
Monday, November 4, 2019
Gender identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Gender identity - Essay Example These stereotype environmental effects also evolve with time as the trends in recent decades have seen changes in gender behaviors and roles. Today, there is an expectation that women will show a more feminist and assertive side, while can now show a more compassionate and softer feminine side (Blakemore et al 23). Rather than reinforcing the aspect of nurture, however, this shows that one should not try too hard to nurture a child to conform to the environment. Therefore, nature must be more important in gender identity development because the child is born with a pre-determined identity. Modern research and science have contended that gender identity is not a choice made consciously. Rather, it is a result of factors in oneââ¬â¢s biological make up, such as the difference in size of specific brain areas, genetics, and hormone levels. There is evidence suggesting that genetics plays a critical role in sexual identity. Sexual identity is wired into infantââ¬â¢s brains as they d evelop because of these genetic factors. For example, there are various genes involved in brain development that are active during sexual organ development. Infants and young toddlers show typical differences in gender identity (Blakemore et al 24), which suggests that gender is the first and most important player in gender identity development. Youngsters will normally start identifying with their gender before they reach mid-childhood (Blakemore et al 32). Their awareness of being a girl or boy starts in the initial year of their life by the tenth month of their lives, especially as they become mildly aware of their genitals. By the time children are two years of age, they begin to realize the physical differences between girls and boys, while it is possible for them to call themselves a girl or boy by the time they are three, acquiring a better and stronger concept of the self-concept. The gender identity of the child is already established and stable by the time they are four ye ars of age (Blakemore et al 32). By this time, it is possible to say that they know that they will always be girls or boys. It is also possible for anyone to observe a behavior and classify it as being ââ¬Å"girlishâ⬠or ââ¬Å"boyishâ⬠. For example, without being nurtured, boys prefer playing with toy guns and truck-cars, prefer science and math, are more active physically and more aggressive, and possess better hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning (Blakemore et al 33). Girls, on the other hand, prefer cooperative play and dolls, have better motor skills, learn to talk and read earlier, and possess more empathy and emotions. Most of these things are inborn and innate without any need to teach them. This shows that nature has an important role in shaping gender identity. Even when parents choose to treat their children in a gender-neutral manner, the results are always according to nature (Blakemore et al 33). For example, a parent who insists on her young girls pl aying with trucks will find that her daughters refer to the trucks as mommy trucks that are on the way to pick their children from baby-care. On the other hand, a boy given a truck will fill it action heroes, while racing it all over the playing area and making noises of squealing tires. This is most certainly due to nature, which pre-determines the gender identity
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Industrial Relations Negotiations and Commercial Negotiations Research Paper
Industrial Relations Negotiations and Commercial Negotiations - Research Paper Example A negotiation process cannot be successful if both parties only look after their own benefits and do not come towards a win-win situation in which both the parties benefit from the negotiation process. Negotiation, in general, is of two types that are industrial negotiation and commercial negotiation. These two types of negotiation are different from each other in terms of their focus and the parties to the negotiation. Negotiation as a process also differs in different cultures. In the course of this essay first negotiation as a concept is defined and then the process involved in negotiation are taken into account. After this part differences of the negotiation in two types of a setting are discussed. In the end, the effect of culture and other elements that are specific to countries on the negotiation process is discussed. The effect of culture on negotiation is important to note in view of the concept that when people of different cultures sit to negotiation this is the most impor tant factor that has to be taken into consideration. According to the authors, Frow, Marginson and Ogden negotiation means discussion or agreements between two parties for making an acceptable and joint decision. Sometimes in this process, legal documents and rules are involved. In this process, people settle their differences. The authors say that the interests of parties are solved by making effective negotiation. The conflict also arises in the process of negotiating any matter. Two main elements are involved in the negotiation. One is constructive compromise and another one is purposeful persuasion. The main purpose of negotiation is to make an agreement by solving debates. Various factors of the parties are taken into consideration for establishing an agreement. Effective negotiation provides several advantages to all the parties involved in the process. As per these authors by discussing and solving different issues, best possible
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Personal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6
Personal - Essay Example I would be able to realize my potential as a businessman and live life to the fullest. All because my grandfather ensured that the future generations of his family would have the chance that he never had in life. So after the properties were sold and I got my share of the inheritance, I felt so rich. I know I only received $25 thousand but to me, that meant I was in the league of Donald Trump. Unfortunately, with the money that I inherited, I decided to live like Donald Trump did also. What a big mistake that was. The first thing I did was to resign from my job and enter into a silent partnership in a business with my best friend. He assured me that the business would have a 100% return on investment in a years time. I also put a down payment on a house in one of the upper middle class neighborhoods in our area and bought my dream car. It was second hand, but it was still my dream car. My parents and other relatives kept on reminding me to set some money aside for investments and liquidity and i kept telling them not to worry, I was in control of the situation. I was not going to lose the money I had. I was too shrewd and careful to do that. I had business advice coming in from my friends and they all had various investments that I could go into quite safely. Being my friends, I did not think twice about entrusting my money to them. All was well for a period of time. I was living the high life and getting dividends from my stock investments and loans that I gave to my friends. The business seemed to be doing well also. I will admit, I did not know anything about business. All I knew was that I was promised money in exchange for letting my friends handle my finances. I know realize what a big mistake that was. The Wall Street crash of 2008 happened in the blink of an eye. Just like everyone else in the world, my finances were severely affected. Suddenly, my friends who invested my finances were
Monday, October 28, 2019
Psychology Stress Coursework Essay Example for Free
Psychology Stress Coursework Essay Stressed, unbalanced and permanently under pressure. This is how in the movie ââ¬Å"Office Spaceâ⬠Peter, a programmer in a big software company, passes his days and therefore hates his bothersome job, his boss and his whole life. When seeking help in hypnosis the therapist dies suddenly and leaves him back in a state of total relaxation and casualness so that he neglects orders to do extra work at weekends, finds the courage to start dating the long admired girl next door, and surprisingly impresses some evaluation interviewers with his new coolness what ends up in unexpected promotion. In the new position he decides to strike back against his company by installing a virus-like software to invincibly transfer money from the company to their bank account together with his just fired friends Michael and Samir. By mistake, however, the plan gets totally out of control so that they fear their uncovering and decide to secretly return the money, which ââ¬â after some confusion produced by mentally handicapped Milton who has been humiliated by the boss so far and therefore sets the whole office on fire ââ¬â finally brings all of them to a happy life in relief, relaxation and harmony. But before that relaxation can ease his life, Peter is exposed to a variety of stressors (most of them having been discussed in our lesson) at the beginning of the movie. Most prominent are task-related job stressors. Peter is responsible for essential reports to fix millennium bugs in bank software and simultaneously works for eight bosses. This situation sets him under daily pressure when e.g. his boss asks him to deliver a report by the same day he didnââ¬â¢t even start working on by midday, or when he gets negative feedback from all his bosses for a single mistake. Together with high levels of monotony and the fact that he has almost no control on the type and amount of work heââ¬â¢s got to do within rigid deadlines, this situation is a constant source of psychological pressure and imbalance. Additional stress originates from physical stressors like the need to work in small and stuffed office boxes, disturbances by loud and annoying office equipment or by getting periodic calls from colleagues and bosses, like e.g. Milton, who permanently talks crab and even calls him on the phone for that. Further stressors can be identified as demanding and privacy-hostile working-time arrangements. When he for example tries hard to escape his boss on a Friday afternoon to not risk a ââ¬Å"last-minuteâ⬠weekend shift, but badly fails, one can imagine that the view of a boring and stressful Saturday at work is everything but relaxing. But even in his private life poor Peter is far from being relaxed and easygoing. When he for instance comes home to relax after a long day in the office, his neighbour can hear every single breath he does and they can talk to each other through the thin wall, which can be considered as a kind of social stressor within his own apartment. The same is true for his fear to talk to the waitress in his favourite lunch restaurant, who he always wants to invite for a date, but never finds enough courage to do so. All those stressors show obvious consequences and lead to clear symptoms of strain. While no real physiological strain in form of illness or injury is shown in the movie (although Iââ¬â¢d be quite sure that he suffers from high blood pressure!), job-related and emotional signs of strain are heavily appearing. In his job, Peter reacts to raising stressors with lack of motivation and a clearly decreased satisfaction in both his professional and private life. Emotional strain can be identified in his general burnout symptoms and e.g. in dramatic loss of patience. The latter is nicely shown at the very beginning of the movie, when he is stuck in heavy traffic and tries to be faster by permanently changing lanes to the assumed faster one ââ¬â which of course turns out to be a totally wrong strategy and makes him proceed even slower than an old and handicapped pedestrian on the sidewalk. To deal with his stressors, Peter applies several coping strategies in both problem-focussed and emotion-focussed manners. His activities to start work always late, to avoid real work as good as possible and to play computer games or surf in the internet instead, can all be classified as problem-focussed because they all are an attempt to change the stress producing conditions at work and make his daily routine more relaxed. The same is true for his regular and elongated coffee breaks with Michael and Samir, independently if there is the boss waiting or an urgent deadline approaching. On the other hand, his decision to undergo a hypnosis therapy is an emotion-focussed coping strategy, because itââ¬â¢s an internal process to change his attitude to stressful events, rather than changing the cause of stress itself. However, I believe those two categories of coping strategies are somewhat flexible and interfering, since a personsââ¬â¢ internal attitude towards a job can become a stressor itself by e.g. setting a person under additional pressure to fulfil certain tasks under high self-expectations. However, it was the hypnosis that finally brought substantial relief and relaxation in Peters life. Due to the ââ¬â unplanned ââ¬â fact that he stayed trapped in his hypnotized state, he managed to approach both his work and his private life in a very relaxed and cool way, and even when initially not expected by himself and his environment, led to an increase in his motivation, joy, brought him more credit in his professional evaluation and finally facilitated a relaxed and satisfied life. Even when the movie is clearly exaggerating at many points, the basic idea of how Peter is coping with the mentioned stressors is quite reasonable to me. In an office environment it is normally quite difficult to change tight work schedules, deadlines or an over demanding boss. For that reason, the attempt to minimize stress by e.g. keeping social contacts in coffee breaks or maintaining short resting phases during work seem to be helpful and applicable coping mechanisms. If by hypnosis or any other method, the relaxation of internal tension seems to be most reasonable to me. In real life changes will certainly never be as dramatic as shown in the movie, but reducing internal pressure can surely help to find a way back to a relaxed and balanced life, which doubtlessly can increase overall satisfaction, joy and motivation. This can by the way partially be supported by allowing aggressions against bothersome machines like the poor office printer in the movieâ⬠¦ I do believe that such behaviour can bring big relief sometimes!
Saturday, October 26, 2019
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller Analysis
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller Analysis Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible was involved in communist activities during the Cold War in the United States which, considering the historical context brought him to court. This demonization of people who expressed different political views materialized by a witch hunt impregnates the play in the sense that the author compares his situation to the one of the hundreds of thousands innocent women that were sometimes killed for the sake of personal satisfaction. This will to label people and call for abomination when someones thoughts and opinions differ from social conventions is symbolized in the play with characters like Goody Putnam or Danforth who represent Millers personalisation of judgement by both society and individuals. People convicted of witchcraft belonged to the Puritan society which is known for its severity and its devotion to Christianity. The environment is thus propitious to all sorts of judgements. It is for example the case when John Proctor is asked why he does not attend Church every Sunday: In the book of records that Mr Parris keeps, I note that you are rarely in the church on Sabbath Day (Miller 53). Hale here makes an assumption that Proctor is not a good Christian since he is rarely at the church. He does not ask whether John is a good father or if he helps his neighbours, all he cares about is whether he is physically present at the office every week. This emphasizes the importance of the social environment on ones reputation. Nowadays, in liberal countries like France for example, the factors that determine whether a person is good or not might be his frequentations, his generosity or his involvement in the community. In the Salem of the 17th century, what makes someone a good pe rson is first of all Christianity and the attendance at the Church. Judgement by society depends on the social standards and conventions that create an ideal citizen to which everyone tries to resemble as much as possible. In this precise historical context, this ideal would be a married man with children, all baptized, that would go to the Church every Sunday, respect all of the commandments and work hard on his piece of land without necessarily being rich. Since no one in Salem completely corresponds to this portrait, people judge and accuse each other of not being good Christians. It is in this context propitious to judgement of others that Miller decided to install his plot. During the Cold War, a terror campaign was led through the United States to demonize communism and the USSR. A Manichean myth was blossoming showing the ideological war that opposed both superpowers as us versus them, good versus evil. The exact same situation is present in The Crucible when in the testimonies and questions from the judge there is absolutely no space for someone like John Proctor who is neither totally good nor evil. From the judges point of view, you are either on God of the Devils side. People convicted of witchcraft usually confess under torture or because they just dont want to die. The latter case is usually a lie that permits to escape death but involves someone elses name. This is for example the case of Tituba who, under the pressure of Hales questions names other women who she says she saw with the Devil: Aye, sir, a good Christian (37) and I dont know, sir, but the Devil got him numerous witches (39). This example shows all the hypocrisy of people who call themselves good and permit judging others, but when the situation gets warm, they are capable of anything that would save them, including buying their freedom with someone elses life. It is the same for Goody Putnam whose role in the play is to make a relation to witchcraft to everything she sees. She wants to convict someone for her babies death and the arrival of Reverend Hale is a good way to prove herself it is not her fault if she cannot give birth to a vigorous baby. She thus tries to get involved in the inquiry and does not hesitate to give evidence of the guilt of whoever is named by Abigail and the girls: I knew it! Goody Osburn were midwife to me three times. I begged you, Thomas, did I not? I begged him not to call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shrivelled in her hands! (39). Goody Putnam never mentioned Goody Osburns name before Tituba in the play. This quote shows how some people dare judge others and try to hammer them down for personal satisfaction. Tho se who like Goody Putnam are not suspected of being evil because they are at the Church every Sunday are, at least in this play, the ones whose soul is the most blackened. This situation can be compared to Millers period of time, when people like Senator McCarthy who was far from being exemplar still convicted artists for un-American activities. The author fustigates this attitude by giving the reader the impression that Goody Putnam for example or Judge Danforth are simple minded people. Those they convict, like John Proctor or Rebecca Nurse are not perfect but are at least honest with themselves until proven otherwise. Throughout the play, we never see either of them spitting on someone else or trying to bring trouble to anyone. This kind of character might represent Arthur Millers ideal; someone that does not permit himself to judge others since no one is perfect. John and Rebeccas death at the end of the play might symbolise the authors wish to represent them as martyrs who died for the ideas and moral values they defended and thus bring the sympathy of the reader. The Crucible is a way for the playwright to bring the readers attention on how judgements may be dangerous and end up like a snowball effect. The judges Danforth and Hathorne already had their idea on John Proctor when he came to try to save his wife, which means nothing could have twisted his fate. He was condemned to death the minute he entered the court because of Parriss record of attendance at church. The judiciary system is represented as obsolete and totally subjective in The Crucible in the sense that the judges do not show any subjectivity and that people are sent to death with no proof of their affiliation to devilish activities. Considering this play is an allegory of what happened in the United States during the Cold War, Miller explicitly criticizes the trials of all those who were convicted of un-American activities. The reason that took Giles wife to prison for example shows how arbitrary the decisions taken by the judges were. The judgements were not based on the quality and veracity of evidence or testimonies like for Elizabeth. Had they thought more of it for a second, Hathorne and Danforth could have guessed Abigail might have seen Mary put a needle in the poppet and thus created the whole masquerade that followed. Starting from the point that Mr Parris is a minister and that John Proctor is not considered a good Christian, there is ninety percent of chance that Proc tor will lose his trial. The characters of Danforth and Hathorne represent justice as Arthur Miller sees it; a group of pretentious old men who believe almost anything as long as it fits to their opinion. When Hale asks Danforth to postpone John and Rebeccas execution, all he can answer is that its impossible since other people before them have been executed. This example shows Danforths incompetence and his lack of arguments which he compensates with a complex of superiority. The judges know their decision cannot be questioned and they do not refer to anyone about what they decided so they are the supreme authority of the court and thus, can decide whatever pleases them. John and Giles wish to save their wives with testimonies are vain in the sense that all that appeals to the judges about this list is more names of people who can be convicted of witchcraft. It seems that Hathorne and Danforth want to give ampleness to their trial and thus to their reputations of good Christian jud ges that do not show pity for Gods enemies. The hypocrisy of this religious centred society arises in the whole play and through many different characters, like the judges who, instead of praying for their soul and truly follow the love messages in the Bible, prefer to execute people who are thought of dealing with the Devil but against whom no concrete proof can be held, for the sake of the Lords power. Right before the execution, Rebecca throws a warning at the judges who she knows care more about their glory than following what the Bible says: Let you fear nothing! Another judgement waits us all!Ãâà Ãâà ». According to the holy book, God will decide who goes to Heaven and Hell on Judgement Day, and Rebecca tells John she is confident that because justice was not made in this world, it will be in the other. She is more afraid of Gods punishment than an execution decided by judges who trample His name. This last sentence brings solemnity and a heroic touch to John and Rebe ccas execution. It is thrown like a prophecy, which considering what happened to those who were responsible of their deaths and how history remembers of the Salem witch trials, can be compared to Jacques de Molays curse over Pope Clement V and King Philippe le Bel right before his execution. This shows Millers will to prove that true justice always triumphs, no matter in what form. The Crucible can be considered as a radiography of the American society during the Cold War. Fear and terror promoted by the government disturbed the balance of justice in the United States in the sense that according to Arthur Miller, it had reached the level of freedom women who were accused of witchcraft in the 17th century had. The historical context of the play is a metaphor of what Miller really wishes to criticize, and his choice to postpone his problems to another period of time might be a constraint due to censorship. However, the playwright indignation towards judgements, either by society or individuals is highly palpable throughout the story. Miller openly criticizes the hypocrisy of religious people and politics but also everyone who wishes to enhance others problems but not theirs. Whether he treats the theme of judgement through personifications or by pointing out the whole paradox of this attitude, Miller does not hide his disgust for insincerity and mockery.
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