King Kong Essays - King Kong, English-language Films, Skull Island

King Kong King Kong A classic adventure-fantasy film in the earlier talking films is King Kong (1933). King Kong was conceived by director/producer Merian C. Cooper. Cooper tells the story of an attractive blonde woman and a frightening gigantic ape-monster who are immersed in a Beauty and the Beast type tale. A major section of the film is the struggle on Skull Island between the filmmakers, the islanders, and the other resident of the island. The other resident being a mutant creature who must also fight civilization when it is brought to New York City for display. From the beginning of the movie, its screenplay by James Creelman and Ruth Rose foretells the coming terror. The film included many revolutionary technical innovations for its time, and some of the best stop-action animation ever sequences and special effects (by Willis O'Brien) ever captured. King Kong was a film with many wonderful sound and cinematic techniques. The filmed contained a dramatic musical score, which helped set the mood of the film. The sound effects were also unusual for films of its time. The director used different animal's sounds to create Kong's voice. The narrative of the story was one that was of interest of movie goes. In King Kong the story unfolds pretty directly in front of you so there is not a lot of confusion. To me the film is a montage not mise-en-scene. The story is told in a straightforward manner that doesn't show a lot of things through the shot itself. In this film the use of stop-motion photography was used unlike ever before to bring life to the beast. The film industry was changed quiet a bit from this motion picture. The acting and directing of the film King Kong was magnificent. In the film there are no particular weak performances. Everyone gives a rather enjoyable performance during the movie. In watching the movie I found that as it went on I just could not wait to see what would happen next, which shows the wonderful pace of the film. The director presents the beast in a way that is tragic. Towards the end of the picture you start to sympathize with the beast that is trapped upon the top of the building being fired upon by planes from above. As a director, having the skill to pull these emotions over a beast from an audience is astonishing. The people who assembled this movie did a wonderful job. There was a great amount of thought put into the production of this film. The composition of the picture is one that should be remembered by filmmakers of today. The scenes on the ship and on the island look as if they really take place there and not on a sound stage or on the back lot. The motion picture tells a tale which is believable because it is one of a man going to a strange island to shot a movie to gain wealth in America. Having hired the help of a beautiful young woman, he runs upon trouble while switching from one interesting scene to another. In the picture the beautiful Fay Ray is as stunning today as she was when the picture was first released. Many of the members of the tribe on Skull Island are represented as being true islanders unhappy of the white man's arrival on their island, just as a real tribe would be upset. While enjoying the tribal costumes I personally felt the filmmakers outfits to be a bit much. The pre- and post-production work put into this movie made it the classic that it still is today. King Kong has stood as an American classic for 6 decades and is one that will be considered to be one for 60 more. The fact that this movie's still considered a classic is due to the techniques used during filming, the acting/directing, and the hard work that went into the production. Cinema and Television

Four Generations of Chinese Leaders Essay

Four Generations of Chinese Leaders Essay Four Generations of Chinese Leaders Essay Example Four Generations of Chinese Leaders Essay Example China has experienced changes in ruling regimes that both faced difficulties and sought to solve them. The rulers experienced some achievements as well as failures, since no ruler is perfect. Some of them rose to power through fighting, while some rose through the peaceful handover of power. This paper seeks to examine the four ruling generations from 1949 to 2012 and the problems that these rulers left behind. Background of the Leaders Mao Zedong, the Chinese leader (1949-1976), was born in 1893 in a family of the wealthy agriculturalist. His political ambitions influenced his contribution to the formation of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921 as well as the Red army that confronted the rival Nationalists. The two parties have forged an alliance with Japan in the World War II, which was terminated in 1949, and a civil war that led to the Mao’s rise to power emerged. Mao was replaced in 1979 by Deng Xiaoping, who ruled until 1992 when Jiang Zemin rose to power. Zemin was born in 1926 in Yangzhou Province and, after graduating from university, worked in Russia in the 1950s. He joined the Communist Party upon return, becoming a Minister of Electronic Industry in 1983. Jiang was replaced through a peaceful handing over by Hu Jintao, who ruled from 2002 to 2012. Hu Jintao was born in Jiangsu province from a poor background: however, he studied up to the university level and became an engineer in 1965. In 1980, h e was discovered by his future benefactor Song Ping who assisted him when he assumed leadership positions in the Central Party. Afterwards, he served as the deputy president from 1998 until he received the presidency in 2002. All the above leaders like any other leader had both achievements and failures in the social, economic, and political spheres, thus none of them was considered impeccable. It is, therefore, worth noting that the leaders not only improved the Chinese status, but also left some areas unaddressed. Below is a comparison of the legacy left by the four leaders in different spheres. Economic Spheres Mao Zedong’s Contribution Mao initiated economic reforms that aimed at transforming China from an agricultural to an industrial society through the Great Leap Forward of 1958-1961. He promoted the development of steel furnaces in villages and urban areas, increasing the steel production as well as providing employment opportunities outside the agricultural sector. He also collectivized agricultural production by encouraging communal farming as opposed to the individual/private farming. However, his industrialization attempts caused the Great Chinese Famine that claimed many lives. The famine resulted from the shortage of labor needed in the agricultural sector in the harvesting seasons. Accordingly, most of the workers had gone to steel production and this led to rotting of grain in farms. It is also said that the urban population at the time had consumption rights over a given amount of grain compared to the rural populations, causing the starvation for the latter. Deng Xiaoping’s Contribution Xiaoping promoted economic development through an open door policy to encourage foreign investors to invest their technology and capital into the Chinese land. This impact reduced foreign borrowing as well as boosted the domestic production rising the foreign exchange earnings. He designated several coastal towns, such as Shenzhen and Shantou, as the Special Economic Zones for receiving foreign investments and transmitting them to the interior. He also liberalized trade in the areas: hence, increasing local as well as foreign investment. Furthermore, he liberalized trade and encouraged the formation of light industries, empowering the farmers. Jiang Zemin’s Contribution Jiang Zemin promoted economic growth through improved international relations, especially with Russia and the United States. He transformed China from a centralized socialist into a capitalist market economy under government control. He also funded the Special Economic Zones as well as the coastal cities to promote economic development. He appointed Zhu Rongji as the head of the economic sector, and inluenced the rise of Gross Domestic Product value. However, it was alleged that the appointment was inspired by nepotism, because Zhu was his supporter. He was also criticized for concentrating too much on economic growth, while disregarding its implications on the environment. In addition, his developmental approach is also said to have failed in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. Hu Jintao’s Contribution Jintao reinstated state control over some economic sectors, and this witnessed the economic growth and development of China to regain a status of a world power. His regime led China through the global financial crisis, and the country emerged victorious. He improved the infrastructure, thus promoting the Chinese image. Moreover, among the key achievements are hosting the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 Shanghai Expo. He also coined the Scientific Development Concept to promote the economic development of China. Additionally, he eliminated state extravagance by discarding ceremonies such as the seeing off and welcoming the president from foreign missions. Furthermore, he pursued soft power relations that encouraged international trade as well as Chinese influence in the Latin America, Africa, and other developing regions. Legal Reforms and Peace/Stability Role of Mao Zedong Maos regime modified the legislations concerning the land ownership to promote equality by transferring huge pieces of land owned by the wealthy in ranches to the landless poor. His government allocated land to the farmers, while the industrial sector remained under the state control. Private farming was replaced by collective farming that implied several households managing their farms collectively. However, the collectivization of agriculture was not fully successful, as it contributed to the Great Chinese Famine that claimed millions of lives. His regime also experienced lawlessness as militia massacred a lot of people, for instance, Xinuyang lost many people in 1960. During his regime, there was a massive destruction of property and numerous houses were demolished. The process of land reforms also led to the elimination of the previous landowners. Consequently, such regime was accused of human rights violation through the concentration camp system that imprisoning people for exce ssively long terms without proper court authorization or the right to appeal. Deng Xiaoping’s Role During his regime, Xiaoping decentralized the Chinese economy, although still upholding the socialist values. He promoted law and order to provide a good environment for trade, unlike the Maos regime`s lawlessness. He formulated laws and guidelines to direct foreign investment, and relations, which were meant for their protection, such as: Equity Joint Venture, Foreign Capital Enterprise Law, and the Chinese Corporate Ventures Law. However, the legal reforms were not quite successful, as his era tolerated elongated the same unjust imprisonment terms. Additionally, Xiaoping disregarded the issue of human rights by using excessive force in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, leading to a large number of deaths. Jiang Zemin’s Role Zemin contributed to the restoration of order in China by crushing the Falun Gong movement that had millions of members and was a threat to the national security. Even though his bid to uphold stability was rational, the barbaric means that entailed abuse of human rights had exceeded the necessity of order. He engaged in the imprisonment of several thousands of people and forceful re-education of the practitioners through labor. The effects of the crackdown were disastrous, taking numerous lives between 2000 and 2008. Hu Jintao’s role Jintao embraced peace and stability, adopting the use of conservative policies to eliminate social unrest, ethnic-based protests and people who posed a threat to the national security. He sought a reserved and a gentle leadership style based on consensus and dialogue, as well as politics relying on technocracy. As a consequence, this way of leadership propelled China to great heights and left the guiding trail for the future leaders. The resulting stability led to increased trade and investment that helped the country develop resilience during the global financial crisis. Cultural Revolution Mao Zedong’s Regime Mao transformed the Chinese from individualistic to a collectivist society through the repossession of the huge pieces of land owned by the nobles to the farmers. He also introduced and encouraged the steel industry that saw the increased industrialization and the consequent advancement of steel production. However, industrialization diminished labor in the agricultural sector, while collective farming led to the poor grain reservation that contributed to the Great Chinese Famine. Deng Xiaoping’s Regime Xiaoping contributed to the Cultural Revolution through the encouragement of foreign investment through the open door policy as well as the establishment of the Special Economic Zones to facilitate the transfer of capital and investment from the coast to the interior. He also developed the infrastructure such as roads and ports to promote trade. Additionally, he decentralized the economy to encourage technological transfer. His focus on exports helped him encourage the establishment of light industries as well as trade liberalization. He reversed the collectivization of agriculture and encouraged household responsibility by dividing the communal land among farmers, thus empowering the peasants. In addition, he encouraged the growth of cash crops and the establishment of private business. Jiang Zemin’s Regime Zemin promoted Cultural Revolution by changing the Chinese centralized socialist into a capitalist market economy regulated by the government. He introduced the theory of the Three Represents that was to guide the country towards the economic production, cultural development, and political consensus. The theory called for the introduction of capitalist business, the shift from protecting the poor to the focus of the majority, and the rise of the entrepreneurial class. Hu Jintao’s Regime Jintao contributed to the Cultural Revolution by promoting equality in the socioeconomic spheres through the Scientific Development Concept aimed at creating a harmonious socialist society free from social strife and conflicts. In addition, he strengthened the spirit of the Republic by identifying some evils and encouraging people as well as leaders to avoid them. These vices included doing harm to the country, betraying the people, perpetuating ignorance, indolence, exploiting others, lawlessness, and luxurious lives. Corruption and Wastage of Public Funds Upon his rise to power, Xi Jinping acknowledged the challenge of corruption and his need, therefore, to formulate rules to curb the vice as well as the wastage of public funds during the official activities. He targeted those perpetuating the malicious acts from the smallest to the highest office. In detail, early in his first term, he embarked on prosecuting some officials such as the former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission as well as the security chief of the Politburo Standing Committee and the chief aide to the former president Hu Jintao. The campaign was the biggest in the history of the contemporary China, thus proving the intensity of the matter. Legal Reforms The legal system requires adjustment to facilitate the rule of law in China. The judicial processes are perceived as ineffective in the delivery of justice, and the major causes are; corruption, lack of oversight, and the interference of the local government. These issues require increased constitutional role in the judicial system and processes in order to restore justice and a good image both in the eyes of the public and the international actors. China has undergone several transitions of power, both violent and peaceful. The respective leaders have contributed both positively and negatively to the economic sector, Cultural Revolution, legal reforms. Among the key achievements are industrialization and collectivization of agriculture in the Mao era that boosted steel production as well as triggered a devastating famine. Xiaoping also improved the economy through an open door policy to promote foreign change, but his legal reforms failed, especially his reaction to the Tiananmen protests. Jiang Zemins regime boosted the GDP, but he was accused of promoting nepotism by appointing his allies more beneficial jobs. Additionally, he could not bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. Hu Jintao is hailed for promoting economic development and restoring China in a status of world power. He, however, did not solve the menace of corruption, influencing negatively his successors regime.

Essay on Critical Psychology and its critics on the four mainstream

On Critical Psychology and its critics on the four mainstream psychology approaches - Essay Example These mainstream approaches are most commonly taught in universities and colleges and more often used by clinicians and researchers in explaining human behaviour (Prilleltensky & Fox, 1997, p.4). The behaviourist or behaviourism approach is concerned mainly with observable behaviour as opposed to unseen emotions like feelings or thoughts. This approach believes that behaviour manifests as a response to a stimulus. It also believes that our behaviour is largely determined by our environment (Simply Psychology, n.d.). The humanistic approach emphasizes on the importance of studying consciousness and human experience in order to completely explain behaviour. It highlights the importance of â€Å"more individualistic and idiographic methods of study, particularly in the areas of personality and abnormality† (Walker, n.d). It also focuses on the value of responsibility and freedom of choice. The cognitive approach in psychology focuses on our thought processes, how we think-and how such thought processes affect our behaviour (Psychologist World, 2008). This approach focuses on using the scientific approach in explaining human behaviour. â€Å"Cognitive†¦ psychologists attempt to create rules and explanations of human behaviour and eventually generalize them to everyones behaviour† (Psychologist World, 2008). The psychodynamic approach was popularized by several psychologists. Sigmund Freud founded this approach which â€Å"emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind on behaviour† (Wagner, 2008a). He believed that the mind was composed of three elements: id, ego, and superego. Erik Erickson’s approach was also classified as psychodynamic. He expanded on Freud’s theories and emphasized the importance of growth throughout the lifespan. These mainstream approaches to psychology have been criticized by various practitioners, especially by emerging critical psychologists. They believe that mainstream

An essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

An - Essay Example The argument of associating some people with one thing and others with a different thing is not pro-music. This article highlights an individual’s strive to achieve something that many people could only dream of back in the history addressed in the article. The move to engage in rock even when expected not to breaks the usual and points out to the possibility of achieving something unusual. From a neutral point of view, however, black or white does not make bad or good. The most important factor to consider is the interest, drive, and motive behind that music genre. What this means is that both black and white people cannot do whatever and be whomever they want by putting the racial factor aside. The result would be a harmonized society where the dreams, interests, talents, and goals of an individual overrule one’s racial or cultural background. The author makes a significant statement in the article, which notes, â€Å"Listening to rock felt like sneaking past guards of racial barriers† (Douglas, 2013). In light of this statement, it is evident that race, culture, and music are critically intertwined. The statement implies that rock music is not a black people’s thing. The truth of the matter, however, is that music and music genres have no racial boundaries. The misconception therein follows social events that sought to define who does what and why. Such misconceptions and stereotypes only stand to derail musical progress among racial differentials. Music is an art without boundaries. In other words, it should be defined in words that go beyond racial concerns. The white or black factor should not feature anywhere as far as rock is concerned. In light of this article, there is notable difference between the time referred to in the article and today. Back then, racial profiling and potential segregation were evident. Today, however, majority of people have become

How calcium is absorbed in the body Essay Example for Free

How calcium is absorbed in the body Essay Calcium in the diet of a teenager is actively absorbed in the small intestine and transferred into the intestinal capillaries. Describe the route this calcium would follow to end up in the upper arm. Describe in detail the role of calcium at the neuromuscular junction as well as its role in the mechanism of muscle contraction and relaxation of the triceps. Considering the function of calcium in bone growth, explain in detail how the humerus would grow in length. Calcium in the diet of a teenager is absorbed in the small intestine and transferred to the intestinal capillaries. It diffuses into the bloodstream through the gastric vein into the hepatic vein and then through the common iliac vein into the superior/inferior vena cava that brings the blood into the right atrium of the heart. The sinoatrial node which is located in the right atrial wall, would send an electrical impulse through the heart, causing it to contract. This would then trigger the AV node (which is located between the septum between two atria) to contract as well. When the AV node contracts it sends an impulse through the AV bundle and into the purkinje fibers (which in return causes the entire heart to contract). After going through the right atrium, when the heart contracts it opens up the tricuspid valve, therefore pushing the calcium into the right ventricle. When the heart contracts again (SA node contracts again through AV bundle and purkinje fibers) it causes the pulmonary semilunar valve to open and enters the pulmonary trunk and pulmonary arteries which then brings the blood into the lungs. Then it goes through a systemic loop (the tissue capillaries of the lungs) , which takes the now oxygenated blood and returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins from the lungs. Then from the pulmonary veins the blood enters the left atrium (SA node will contract, causing AV node to contract, sending impulse through the AV bundle, ending at the purkinje fibers) and calcium forces through the bicuspid valve, and into the left ventricle. Then the heart contracts, and (SA node/AV node/AV bundle/purkinje fibers) causing contraction and blood travels through the aortic valve and then into the aorta. From the aorta, the calcium in the blood goes into the right and left subclavian artery and branches down to the axillary artery, and then towards the bra chial artery. From the brachial artery, the oxygenated blood containing calcium in it, goes to the muscles of the upper arm (the brachii muscles) and gives nutrients to the tissue cells. Calcium plays an important role in muscle contraction. Firstly, an action potential arriving at the acon triggers the release of the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine (ACH) at the neuromuscular junction. The acetylcholine (ACH) binds with the muscle receptor and sodium ions (Na+) are released, which triggers the action potential in the muscle cell. The action potential transmits through the sarcolemma. The calcium (Ca+) ions are then released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The calcium ions bind with troponin (making it change shape) which makes the troponin release tropomyosin. The myosin then binds to the actin. With the hydrolysis of ATP the myosin head changes shape and a cross-bridge is formed causing the muscle cell to contract. This cycle repeats itself until the contraction is done, or when there is nor more calcium or ATP energy. Once the triceps muscle is relaxed then the calcium gets back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. During relaxation of muscle cells, the level of calcium in sarcoplasm is low and the troponin holds the tropomyosin in position to block myosin-binding sites on actin. During contraction of the muscle cells, a muscle action potential opens calcium channels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the calcium flows into the cytosol. The growth of bones can happen through two different types of ossification which include: intramembranous ossification and endochondral ossification. The process for the growth of a long bone like the humerus, the process of endochondral ossification is used. This takes place on the epiphyseal plate (made from remaining hyaline cartilage) in the metaphysis area of the bone. There are four zones on the epiphyseal plate: a) the resting zone which contains the chondrocytes, b) the zone of proliferation where the chondrocytes divide and push the resting cartilage outwards, c) the zone of hypertrophic cartilage where the chondrocytes enlarge and lengthen the diaphysis, d) Zone of calcification- where dead chondrocytes and new one matrix is created. At the end of the growth period, the epiphyseal plates  are completely ossified and the epiphyseal plates close around the age from 18-25. The epiphyseal plates then become the epiphyseal lines. The calcium is a necessary dietary requirement for proper bone growth, development in the body, and to prevent bone deterioration or an example of a disease called osteoporosis.

Delaying Childbearing: Why it is Important to Have Children While in Co

Like many other women, I was raised in a family that repetitively told me that I needed to finish school before thinking about getting married, and definitely before having kids. This made sense when I became an adult, why not put all my focus into my schooling. Yet, for me that would mean that I would be in my early thirties when I finished school. This has become the norm for women to marry and have children in there 30s, then in years past, where they were in their early to mid-twenties. After completing my first bachelor’s degree, I got engaged; I was in a perfect place, and I was not going to hold off just so I could finish school. Now that I have been married for two years, successfully working and going to school, starting a family is important to me. If I were to follow what my parents told me, from this day, I would still have to wait 4-5 more years to finish school, and then start that family. Even though having kids in college could keep your from completing a degr ee, you should have children in college because delaying childbearing could affect fertility and the likelihood of pregnancy complications. College is perceived as a time for young adults to have fun, and having children before or during college would provide an obstacle of completing a college education. Four million college students have children, which is roughly 25 percent of all enrolled college students (Nelson, Froehner, and Gault 1). Although this is a large number, many students would prefer to focus on themselves. Today women face the dilemma of if they even would want to have children. Focuses on getting a degree, and starting a career is ever so important for many women to create their lives on. Waiting until you are settled in your career puts ... ...n in school has many problems, as well as advantages. First, the obvious reason is that having kids in college is a financial burden, along with the stresses of maintaining family life with college life. Secondly, many students that do have children while in school, unfortunately, do not finish their degree. Works Cited Balasch, Juan, and Eduard Gratacà ³s. "Delayed Childbearing: Effects On Fertility And The Outcome Of Pregnancy." Fetal Diagnosis & Therapy 29.4 (2011): 263-273. EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. Cnattingius, Sven, et al. "Delayed childbearing and risk of adverse perinatal outcome: a population-based study." Jama 268.7 (1992): 886-890. Nelson, Bethany, Meghan Froehner, and Barbara Gault. College Students with Children Are Common and Face Many Challenges in Completing Higher Education. Mar: Institute For Women's Policy Research, Mar. 2013. PDF.

Contrasting both Kant and Aristotle’s views Essay

Aristotelian philosophy, some two thousand three hundred years old, is perhaps one of the most influential philosophies in history. After being preserved by Arab scholars during the fall of Rome, the teachings of Aristotle were found by Christians during the dark ages. His works, including Nichomachean Ethics, were of great influence to many Christian philosophers during medieval times, but soon philosophies began to shift, marking the conception of the Enlightenment. Philosophy took a drastic shift from predominantly substantive reason to procedural views, markedly seen in works by philosophers St. Augustine, Rene Descartes, and quite notably Immanuel Kant. By comparing the views shared by Aristotle in Nichomachean Ethics, and Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals it is possible to better understand the shift from substantive to procedural reasoning. Although Aristotelian philosophy and logic shares some common ground with the writings of Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals marks a shift from society and substantive thinking toward the self and procedural reason. Kant believes that each living organism serves a purpose. For example, the highest purpose of a honey bee is undoubtedly to produce honey. Much in the same sense, Kant feels that because humans alone are given the ability to reason that the highest purpose of humanity is to use reason. (Groundwork, Ch. 1, Ln. 50-80) Aristotle would agree with this statement but uses a different logic. Aristotle sees an intrinsic good within every action, as well a hierarchy of goods and actions. Using the logic that any action partaken for the purpose of some greater cause is secondary to the greater cause, Aristotle reasons that for humans, the act of reasoning is of the greatest â€Å"good† because all other actions exist only to maintain the ability to reason. (NE, Bk.1 Pg. 1-2) Between these two philosophies, the purpose of human reason differs based on what each philosopher believes to be the function of humanity within society. Aristotle states that because happiness is the ultimate goal of nearly all human actions (especially within what he considers one of the most important realms of humanity: political science) the purpose of  humanity, and thus human reason, is to find happiness. (NE, Bk.1 Pg. 4) Kant, on the other hand, feeling that to succumb to the needs of the body and desires (what he calls heteronomy) is selfish, feels that it is the responsibility of humanity to use its reason to act out of â€Å"good will.† (Groundwork, Ch. 1, Ln. 3-5) Exemplifying the procedural nature of Kant’s logic, Kant feels that it is the duty of humanity to act only out of good will by using reason to determine what Kant calls the categorical imperative. Kant defines the categorical imperative as an act of good will which is preformed with no considera tion to the ends, or consequences of an action. (Groundwork, Ch. 2, Ln. 280-300) In the world of Aristotelian philosophy, the only way to truly attain the end goal of happiness is to be virtuous. (NE, Bk.1 Pg. 4) To define virtue Aristotle looks to society’s views of an individual. People praise a brave man for being brave and strong man for his ability to run quickly or lift great objects. (NE, Bk.1 Pg. 4) Because of the importance of society within Aristotle’s thinking, he feels that for a person to truly be virtuous, society must perceive desirable characteristics within that person and recognize those characteristics through praise. To illustrate and explain his organization of virtues and what is required of them, Aristotle uses the final paragraph of book one in Nicomachean Ethics: â€Å"Virtue too is distinguished into kinds in accordance with this difference; for we say that some of the virtues are intellectual and others moral, philosophic wisdom and understanding and practical wisdom being intellectual, liberality and temperance moral. For in speaking about a man’s character we do not say that he is wise or has understanding but that he is good-tempered or temperate; yet we praise the wise man also with respect to his state of mind; and of states of mind we call those which merit praise virtues.† -Aristotle, (NE, Book 1, Final Paragraph) Unlike Aristotle, Kant finds goodness not in the views of society, but instead finds goodness by turning inward and looking individual within one’s self and their exertion of good will. Kant feels that to express good will, an individual must use what he calls a priori reason. (Groundwork, Ch. 2,  Ln. 280-300) A priori reason requires that the individual ignores subjective influences like consequences and circumstances. By focusing on objective means like morality and reason Kant suggests that the individual attempting to exert good will should act in a way that he or she would consider a moral maxim (categorical imperative). Kant thinks we must ignore the norms of society and the way society functions and act only using a priori reason because society inherently cannot function in an a priori fashion. This is because society takes into account its own needs, desires, and calculates the consequences of its own actions while placing all of these things over pure reason and good will. By taking into consideration circumstances and consequences society fails to create universal moral law and thus contradicts its own reasoning because the actions of society are not appropriate in all situations and circumstances. (Groundwork, Ch. 2, Ln. 580-590) Should a man in need of money to buy food borrow money from a lending institution knowing that he will not be able to pay that institution back? Kant argues that that man should not, for if his decision were to become universal law and every man or woman were to borrow money without the intention of paying it back than lending institutions would fail. (Groundwork, Ch. 2, Ln. 590-605) Aristotle, believing that society can teach its citizens to be virtuous (and thus happy), finds that virtues are not found intrinsically within each individual. For a person to be virtuous he must be born to a respectable family, for he were not born into respect then he would never be viewed by society with the same esteem as others. He must also not have any major disfigurations, for these too would lead to a lower value within society. Assuming these conditions are met, the individual may then begin to practice virtuous actions, because through habituation virtuous actions can become the nature of that individual, and that through practice an individual may grow to perform virtuous acts not out of desire to be virtuous, but because he simply enjoys the virtuous acts. Only if the individual finds pleasure in performing virtuous actions may that person be seen as virtuous within the eyes of society, for if pleasure is the end goal of humanity, then surely the enjoyment of virtuous a cts is worthy of praise from society. After outlining and discussing both Kant and Aristotle’s views on the purpose of humanity, its role within society and the moral and ethical consequences to those roles it is clear that Kant’s thinking is representative of enlightenment thinking. Before the Enlightenment Aristotle’s views were widely accepted. During this time it was customary that each person function in a manner accepted by society. Ethics and morality were dictated by social norms. The purpose of reason was seen as the pursuit of pleasure, and through virtue and the practice of virtuous actions reason could allow the individual to attain the end goal of life: happiness. In response to Aristotle’s logic, a shift in thought occurs. This shift, called the Enlightenment, is represented by the belief that only pure reason can lead to true morality. The consequences of this belief is that individuals no longer focused on the norms within society to dictate morality, but to look within themselves to use their own reasoning to dictate what should and should not be done. An example of this thinking can be found in Kant’s beliefs about a priori reason and the categorical imperative. By ignoring consequences within society, as well as the ends attained by each possible action Kant feels each individual can find true moral goodness through pure reason. This type of procedural logic is representative of the moral and ethical â€Å"turn inward† which exemplifies Kant’s philosophy as well as the revolutionary shift thinking that became the basis of the Enlightenment.