History and Definition of Human Rights in the U.S.

The term human rights refers to rights that are considered universal to humanity regardless of citizenship, residency status, ethnicity, gender or other considerations.  The phrase first became widely used due to the abolitionist movement, which drew on the common humanity of slaves and free persons. As William Lloyd Garrison wrote in the first issue of The Liberator,  In defending the great cause of human rights, I wish to derive the assistance of all religions and of all parties. The Idea Behind Human Rights   The idea behind human rights is much older, and its much harder to trace. Rights declarations such as the Magna Carta  have historically taken the form of a benevolent monarch granting rights to his or her subjects. This idea progressed in a Western cultural context toward the idea that God is the ultimate monarch and God grants rights that all earthly leaders should respect. This was the philosophical basis of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which begins: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Far from self-evident, this was a fairly radical idea at the time. But the alternative was to accept that God works through earthly leaders, a view that seemed increasingly naive as literacy rates increased and knowledge of corrupt rulers grew. The enlightened view of God as a cosmic sovereign who grants the same basic rights to everyone with no need for earthly intermediaries still anchored human rights to the idea of power — but at least it didnt place the power in the hands of earthly rulers. Human Rights Today   Human rights are more commonly viewed today as basic to our identities as human beings. Theyre no longer typically framed in monarchical or theological terms, and theyre mutually agreed upon on a more flexible basis. Theyre not dictated by a permanent authority. This allows for a great deal of disagreement regarding what human rights are, and whether basic quality-of-life concerns such as housing and health care should be considered part of the human rights framework. Human Rights vs. Civil Liberties   Differences between human rights and civil liberties are not always particularly clear. I had the opportunity to meet with several visiting Indonesian womens rights activists in 2010 who asked me why the U.S. does not use the terminology of human rights to address domestic concerns. One might speak of civil rights or civil liberties when discussing an issue like free speech or the rights of the homeless, but its rare for the U.S. policy debate to incorporate the terminology of human rights when discussing things that happen within the boundaries of this country. Its my feeling that this comes from the U.S. tradition of rugged individualism — conceding that the U.S. can have a human rights problem implies that there are entities outside the U.S. to which our country is accountable. This is an idea that our political and cultural leaders tend to resist, although its likely to change over time due to the long-term effects of globalization. But in the short term, applying the principles of human rights to U.S. controversies may provoke more fundamental arguments about the relevance of human rights principles to the U.S.There are nine fundamental human rights treaties to which all signatories - including the United States - have agreed to hold themselves accountable under the auspices of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. In practice, there is no fully-binding enforcement mechanism for these treaties. Theyre aspirational, much as the Bill of Rights was prior to the adoption of the incorporation doctrine. And, much like the Bill o f Rights, they may gain power over time. The phrase fundamental rights is sometimes used interchangeably with human rights, but it can also refer specifically to civil liberties.

Plato s Republic The Nature Of A Just Individual And...

Plato’s Republic primarily discusses the relationship between the nature of a just individual and the just city, and how their three distinct components should be balanced with respect to each other. In The Republic, people are sorted into classes (producers, auxiliaries, guardians) according to which part of their soul motivates or rules them. The appetitive part is described as money-loving and gain-loving, and its principal concerns are the pleasures of food, drink, and sex (439d). The spirited part is honor-loving and focuses on the pleasures of competition, with doing what is noble and avoiding what is base. The reasoning part is wisdom-loving and is â€Å"entirely directed at every moment towards knowing the truth of things† (581b). Plato puts forth the notion that within just individual and the just city, these three parts should be balanced with respect to each other such that the rational and reasoning part of ultimately prevails and rules, while the spirited p art supports and maintains this order, and the appetitive part obediently submits. Since the goal of Platonic education is to produce philosophers, this necessitates the need to know how best to bring people whose primary desires may be for food or drink, or for good reputation, to the state where their primary desires are for wisdom and truth. In particular, Plato argues that such an education should be focused on properly orienting a person such that they ultimately strive to look for and seek out the originalShow MoreRelatedIdeal State1366 Words   |  6 PagesTuÄŸÃ §e ArÄ ±kan Essay Question: Explain Plato’s ideal state by referring to the Republic, book IV and VII. To what extent do you agree with Plato’s idea that the kings should be philosophers? Why? Why not? Concept of create an ideal state really need to long effort and time. This concept and long standing debate that how should be an ideal state is explains in Plato’s Republic book IV and VII. In Republic, Plato explains the features of an ideal state and he claims that the kings should be philosophersRead MoreJustice Is The Legal Or Philosophical Theory Of Justice1503 Words   |  7 Pagesis a just behavior or treatment; a concern for justice, peace, and genuine respect for people. (Oxford Dictionary, â€Å"Justice†) Justice is the legal or philosophical theory by which fairness is administered. However, justice is polymorphic; depending on eras and civilizations also differing in every culture. Although there some principles of justice that can be found to be almost universal. An early theory of justice was set out by the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato in his work The Republic. PlatoRead MorePlato s Interpretation Of Utopia1630 Words   |  7 PagesPlato and Arist otle shared many differences despite also sharing a teacher student relationship. This essay will strive to establish their understandings of reason and the role reason plays in their comprehensions of politics, differentiating between the kinds of reason and politics produced as a result. Plato is regarded as the first writer of political philosophy while Aristotle is recognised as the first political scientist. Plato’s interpretation of Utopia is founded upon the existence of threeRead MoreCivility644 Words   |  3 Pagesi.e. optimism for the betterment of society. Plato in The Republic speaks about the ideal virtues of the soul and Davetian goes on to tell us the current problems with American civility. I think what we can take from both readings is a sense that human intellect and virtue can and will ultimately lead us to a better society. To fully understand the basic concepts of societal values that should be understood, and in turn followed, The Republic (Plato, Reprinted 1985) is an important piece of literatureRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Republic And George Orwell s 1984 Essay1403 Words   |  6 PagesPLS 325 Ancient Political Theory Dr. Shu-Shan Lee First term paper Sagynysh Yeltayeva 25/10/2015 Plato’s â€Å"Republic† and George Orwell’s â€Å"1984†: two sides of one medal Plato’s â€Å"Republic† and Orwell’s â€Å"1984† represent two imaginary engineered societies. â€Å"Republic† is an utopia, in which Plato describes the goal of the city, which is to be as happy as possible, even if it requires a sacrifice of a particular group’s happiness or individual’s one . Orwell’s â€Å"1984† influenced by the outcome of the WorldRead MoreThe Tripartite Theory Of The Soul1196 Words   |  5 Pagesof tripartite soul focuses on the nature of human psyche. In the Republic, Plato (using the character â€Å"Socrates† as his mouthpiece) introduces this theory and claims that the soul contains three constituent elements: the appetitive, the rational, and the spirited parts. These three separate elements of the soul are organized in a hierarchy with reason being the superior of the two and spirit being the most inferior (Republic 439d and 441a-b). In a just soul, Plato claims, the three elements of theRead MoreInterview With Plato: . Question: What Important Questions1345 Words   |  6 PagesInterview With Plato: Question: What important questions does The Republic attempt to answer? Answer: The dialogue explores two central questions. The first question is â€Å"what is justice?† Socrates addresses this question both in terms of political communities and in terms of the individual person or soul. He does this to address the second and driving question of the dialogue: â€Å"is the just person happier than the unjust person?† or â€Å"what is the relation of justice to happiness?† Given the twoRead MoreAthens : The Best Form Of Politics891 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most powerful Greek city-states around. Before its demise during the Peloponnesian War, Athenians strongly believed their government was the superior of all and should have been emulated by any state that wanted to be considered a successful society. However, Athenian democracy was not able to withstand the test of time and eventually crumbled as a city. During the height of its success, Athens exemplifies a political paradigm for other societies to imitate. Both Plato and Thucydides argue democracyRead MoreWhy the Philospher Should Rule (Plato)1708 Words   |  7 Pages1) (From the Republic Book VII) WHY SHOULD THE PHILOSOPHER RULE? EXPLAIN WHY HE IS BEST SUITED TO RULE AND EXPLAIN 2) WHY IT IS A DILEMMA FOR HE TO CHOOSE TO RULE. WHY DOES HE HAVE TO BE COMPELLED AND WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE COMPULSION? 3) BE SURE TO COMMENT ON HOW THIS QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE ANSWER PLATO ATTEMPTS TO CONSTRUCT TO GLAUCONS CHALLENGE? Part 1 In Plato’s Republic, Plato sets out to prove that it is always better to be just than unjust. Doing so requires him to lookRead MoreAnalysis Of Plato s The Ring Of Gyges 1510 Words   |  7 Pagesif you had a magic ring like the ring of Gyges (Republic, 359d)? Why be just or moral? Develop the complete answer of Socrates in Plato s Republic, through 449a. Then consider whether Plato s Socrates in The Apology would answer in a way that was any different, in substance or in tone. Your own opinion is worth a page of so, but focus on the argument of Plato s Socrates. When Glaucon attempts to argue that no difference exists between the just and unjust man, he tells the tale of the Ring

Deception Point Page 88 Free Essays

Tolland considered it. The Mariana Trench was seven miles down, one of the last truly unexplored regions on the planet. Only a handful of robotic probes had ever ventured that deep, and most had collapsed well before they reached the bottom. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 88 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The water pressure in the trench was enormous-an astounding eighteen thousand pounds per square inch, as opposed to a mere twenty-four pounds on the ocean’s surface. Oceanographers still had very little understanding of the geologic forces at the deepest ocean floor. â€Å"So, this guy Pollock thinks the Mariana Trench can make rocks with chondrulelike features?† â€Å"It’s an extremely obscure theory,† Xavia said. â€Å"In fact, it’s never even been formally published. I only happened to stumble across Pollock’s personal notes on the Web by chance last month when I was doing research on fluid-rock interactions for our upcoming megaplume show. Otherwise, I never would have heard of it.† â€Å"The theory has never been published,† Corky said, â€Å"because it’s ridiculous. You need heat to form chondrules. There’s no way water pressure could rearrange the crystalline structure of a rock.† â€Å"Pressure,† Xavia fired back, â€Å"happens to be the single biggest contributor to geologic change on our planet. A little something called a metamorphic rock? Geology 101?† Corky scowled. Tolland realized Xavia had a point. Although heat did play a role in some of earth’s metamorphic geology, most metamorphic rocks were formed by extreme pressure. Incredibly, rocks deep in the earth’s crust were under so much pressure that they acted more like thick molasses than solid rock, becoming elastic and undergoing chemical changes as they did. Nonetheless, Dr. Pollock’s theory still seemed like a stretch. â€Å"Xavia,† Tolland said. â€Å"I’ve never heard of water pressure alone chemically altering a rock. You’re the geologist, what’s your take?† â€Å"Well,† she said, flipping through her notes, â€Å"it sounds like water pressure isn’t the only factor.† Xavia found a passage and read Pollock’s notes verbatim. â€Å"‘Oceanic crust in the Mariana Trench, already under enormous hydrostatic pressurization, can find itself further compressed by tectonic forces from the region’s subduction zones.'† Of course, Tolland thought. The Mariana Trench, in addition to being crushed under seven miles of water, was a subduction zone-the compression line where the Pacific and Indian plates moved toward one another and collided. Combined pressures in the trench could be enormous, and because the area was so remote and dangerous to study, if there were chondrules down there, chances of anyone knowing about it were very slim. Xavia kept reading. â€Å"‘Combined hydrostatic and tectonic pressures could potentially force crust into an elastic or semiliquid state, allowing lighter elements to fuse into chondrulelike structures thought to occur only in space.'† Corky rolled his eyes. â€Å"Impossible.† Tolland glanced at Corky. â€Å"Is there any alternative explanation for the chondrules in the rock Dr. Pollock found?† â€Å"Easy,† Corky said. â€Å"Pollock found an actual meteorite. Meteorites fall into the ocean all the time. Pollock would not have suspected it was a meteorite because the fusion crust would have eroded away from years under the water, making it look like a normal rock.† Corky turned to Xavia. â€Å"I don’t suppose Pollock had the brains to measure the nickel content, did he?† â€Å"Actually, yes,† Xavia fired back, flipping through the notes again. â€Å"Pollock writes: ‘I was surprised to find the nickel content of the specimen falling within a midrange value not usually associated with terrestrial rocks.'† Tolland and Rachel exchanged startled looks. Xavia continued reading. â€Å"‘Although the quantity of nickel does not fall within the normally acceptable midrange window for meteoritic origin, it is surprisingly close.'† Rachel looked troubled. â€Å"How close? Is there any way this ocean rock could be mistaken for a meteorite?† Xavia shook her head. â€Å"I’m not a chemical petrologist, but as I understand it, there are numerous chemical differences between the rock Pollock found and actual meteorites.† â€Å"What are those differences?† Tolland pressed. Xavia turned her attention to a graph in her notes. â€Å"According to this, one difference is in the chemical structure of the chondrules themselves. It looks like the titanium/zirconium ratios differ. The titanium/ zirconium ratio in the chondrules of the ocean sample showed ultradepleted zirconium.† She looked up. â€Å"Only two parts per million.† â€Å"Two ppm?† Corky blurted. â€Å"Meteorites have thousands of times that!† â€Å"Exactly,† Xavia replied. â€Å"Which is why Pollock thinks his sample’s chondrules are not from space.† Tolland leaned over and whispered to Corky, â€Å"Did NASA happen to measure the titanium/zirconium ratio in the Milne rock?† â€Å"Of course not,† Corky sputtered. â€Å"Nobody would ever measure that. It’s like looking at a car and measuring the tires’ rubber content to confirm you’re looking at a car!† Tolland heaved a sigh and looked back at Xavia. â€Å"If we give you a rock sample with chondrules in it, can you run a test to determine whether these inclusions are meteoric chondrules or†¦ one of Pollock’s deep ocean compression things?† Xavia shrugged. â€Å"I suppose. The electron microprobe’s accuracy should be close enough. What’s this all about, anyway?† Tolland turned to Corky. â€Å"Give it to her.† Corky reluctantly pulled the meteorite sample from his pocket and held it out for Xavia. Xavia’s brow furrowed as she took the stone disk. She eyed the fusion crust and then the fossil embedded in the rock. â€Å"My God!† she said, her head rocketing upward. â€Å"This isn’t part of†¦?† â€Å"Yeah,† Tolland said. â€Å"Unfortunately it is.† 106 Alone in her office, Gabrielle Ashe stood at the window, wondering what to do next. Less than an hour ago, she had left NASA feeling full of excitement to share Chris Harper’s PODS fraud with the senator. Now, she wasn’t so sure. According to Yolanda, two independent ABC reporters suspected Sexton of taking SFF bribes. Furthermore, Gabrielle had just learned that Sexton actually knew she had snuck into his apartment during the SFF meeting, and yet he had said nothing to her about it? Gabrielle sighed. Her taxi had long since departed, and although she would call another in a few minutes, she knew there was something she had to do first. Am I really going to try this? Gabrielle frowned, knowing she didn’t have a choice. She no longer knew whom to trust. Stepping out of her office, she made her way back into the secretarial lobby and into a wide hallway on the opposite side. At the far end she could see the massive oak doors of Sexton’s office flanked by two flags-Old Glory on the right and the Delaware flag on the left. His doors, like those of most senate offices in the building, were steel reinforced and secured by conventional keys, an electronic key pad entry, and an alarm system. She knew if she could get inside, even if for only a few minutes, all the answers would be revealed. Moving now toward the heavily secured doors, Gabrielle had no illusions of getting through them. She had other plans. Ten feet from Sexton’s office, Gabrielle turned sharply to the right and entered the ladies’ room. The fluorescents came on automatically, reflecting harshly off the white tile. As her eyes adjusted, Gabrielle paused, seeing herself in the mirror. As usual, her features looked softer than she’d hoped. Delicate almost. She always felt stronger than she looked. Are you sure you are ready to do this? How to cite Deception Point Page 88, Essay examples

Deception Point Page 88 Free Essays

Tolland considered it. The Mariana Trench was seven miles down, one of the last truly unexplored regions on the planet. Only a handful of robotic probes had ever ventured that deep, and most had collapsed well before they reached the bottom. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 88 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The water pressure in the trench was enormous-an astounding eighteen thousand pounds per square inch, as opposed to a mere twenty-four pounds on the ocean’s surface. Oceanographers still had very little understanding of the geologic forces at the deepest ocean floor. â€Å"So, this guy Pollock thinks the Mariana Trench can make rocks with chondrulelike features?† â€Å"It’s an extremely obscure theory,† Xavia said. â€Å"In fact, it’s never even been formally published. I only happened to stumble across Pollock’s personal notes on the Web by chance last month when I was doing research on fluid-rock interactions for our upcoming megaplume show. Otherwise, I never would have heard of it.† â€Å"The theory has never been published,† Corky said, â€Å"because it’s ridiculous. You need heat to form chondrules. There’s no way water pressure could rearrange the crystalline structure of a rock.† â€Å"Pressure,† Xavia fired back, â€Å"happens to be the single biggest contributor to geologic change on our planet. A little something called a metamorphic rock? Geology 101?† Corky scowled. Tolland realized Xavia had a point. Although heat did play a role in some of earth’s metamorphic geology, most metamorphic rocks were formed by extreme pressure. Incredibly, rocks deep in the earth’s crust were under so much pressure that they acted more like thick molasses than solid rock, becoming elastic and undergoing chemical changes as they did. Nonetheless, Dr. Pollock’s theory still seemed like a stretch. â€Å"Xavia,† Tolland said. â€Å"I’ve never heard of water pressure alone chemically altering a rock. You’re the geologist, what’s your take?† â€Å"Well,† she said, flipping through her notes, â€Å"it sounds like water pressure isn’t the only factor.† Xavia found a passage and read Pollock’s notes verbatim. â€Å"‘Oceanic crust in the Mariana Trench, already under enormous hydrostatic pressurization, can find itself further compressed by tectonic forces from the region’s subduction zones.'† Of course, Tolland thought. The Mariana Trench, in addition to being crushed under seven miles of water, was a subduction zone-the compression line where the Pacific and Indian plates moved toward one another and collided. Combined pressures in the trench could be enormous, and because the area was so remote and dangerous to study, if there were chondrules down there, chances of anyone knowing about it were very slim. Xavia kept reading. â€Å"‘Combined hydrostatic and tectonic pressures could potentially force crust into an elastic or semiliquid state, allowing lighter elements to fuse into chondrulelike structures thought to occur only in space.'† Corky rolled his eyes. â€Å"Impossible.† Tolland glanced at Corky. â€Å"Is there any alternative explanation for the chondrules in the rock Dr. Pollock found?† â€Å"Easy,† Corky said. â€Å"Pollock found an actual meteorite. Meteorites fall into the ocean all the time. Pollock would not have suspected it was a meteorite because the fusion crust would have eroded away from years under the water, making it look like a normal rock.† Corky turned to Xavia. â€Å"I don’t suppose Pollock had the brains to measure the nickel content, did he?† â€Å"Actually, yes,† Xavia fired back, flipping through the notes again. â€Å"Pollock writes: ‘I was surprised to find the nickel content of the specimen falling within a midrange value not usually associated with terrestrial rocks.'† Tolland and Rachel exchanged startled looks. Xavia continued reading. â€Å"‘Although the quantity of nickel does not fall within the normally acceptable midrange window for meteoritic origin, it is surprisingly close.'† Rachel looked troubled. â€Å"How close? Is there any way this ocean rock could be mistaken for a meteorite?† Xavia shook her head. â€Å"I’m not a chemical petrologist, but as I understand it, there are numerous chemical differences between the rock Pollock found and actual meteorites.† â€Å"What are those differences?† Tolland pressed. Xavia turned her attention to a graph in her notes. â€Å"According to this, one difference is in the chemical structure of the chondrules themselves. It looks like the titanium/zirconium ratios differ. The titanium/ zirconium ratio in the chondrules of the ocean sample showed ultradepleted zirconium.† She looked up. â€Å"Only two parts per million.† â€Å"Two ppm?† Corky blurted. â€Å"Meteorites have thousands of times that!† â€Å"Exactly,† Xavia replied. â€Å"Which is why Pollock thinks his sample’s chondrules are not from space.† Tolland leaned over and whispered to Corky, â€Å"Did NASA happen to measure the titanium/zirconium ratio in the Milne rock?† â€Å"Of course not,† Corky sputtered. â€Å"Nobody would ever measure that. It’s like looking at a car and measuring the tires’ rubber content to confirm you’re looking at a car!† Tolland heaved a sigh and looked back at Xavia. â€Å"If we give you a rock sample with chondrules in it, can you run a test to determine whether these inclusions are meteoric chondrules or†¦ one of Pollock’s deep ocean compression things?† Xavia shrugged. â€Å"I suppose. The electron microprobe’s accuracy should be close enough. What’s this all about, anyway?† Tolland turned to Corky. â€Å"Give it to her.† Corky reluctantly pulled the meteorite sample from his pocket and held it out for Xavia. Xavia’s brow furrowed as she took the stone disk. She eyed the fusion crust and then the fossil embedded in the rock. â€Å"My God!† she said, her head rocketing upward. â€Å"This isn’t part of†¦?† â€Å"Yeah,† Tolland said. â€Å"Unfortunately it is.† 106 Alone in her office, Gabrielle Ashe stood at the window, wondering what to do next. Less than an hour ago, she had left NASA feeling full of excitement to share Chris Harper’s PODS fraud with the senator. Now, she wasn’t so sure. According to Yolanda, two independent ABC reporters suspected Sexton of taking SFF bribes. Furthermore, Gabrielle had just learned that Sexton actually knew she had snuck into his apartment during the SFF meeting, and yet he had said nothing to her about it? Gabrielle sighed. Her taxi had long since departed, and although she would call another in a few minutes, she knew there was something she had to do first. Am I really going to try this? Gabrielle frowned, knowing she didn’t have a choice. She no longer knew whom to trust. Stepping out of her office, she made her way back into the secretarial lobby and into a wide hallway on the opposite side. At the far end she could see the massive oak doors of Sexton’s office flanked by two flags-Old Glory on the right and the Delaware flag on the left. His doors, like those of most senate offices in the building, were steel reinforced and secured by conventional keys, an electronic key pad entry, and an alarm system. She knew if she could get inside, even if for only a few minutes, all the answers would be revealed. Moving now toward the heavily secured doors, Gabrielle had no illusions of getting through them. She had other plans. Ten feet from Sexton’s office, Gabrielle turned sharply to the right and entered the ladies’ room. The fluorescents came on automatically, reflecting harshly off the white tile. As her eyes adjusted, Gabrielle paused, seeing herself in the mirror. As usual, her features looked softer than she’d hoped. Delicate almost. She always felt stronger than she looked. Are you sure you are ready to do this? How to cite Deception Point Page 88, Essay examples