Metaphysics, Epistemology and Orwell's 1984
Since the beginning of recorded time, philosophers have pondered questions of metaphysics (what exists, what is real) and epistemology (how we know what exists and is real, our proof). However in George Orwell's 1984, the need to answer these questions no longer exists for the majority, as the ruling party has created a new reality for its citizens, one in which what is real and what truly exists cannot be questioned. But on the flip side, the protagonist of 1984, Winston Smith, finds himself constantly searching for what is real in his life, and in a larger sense, in the society and world that surrounds him.
In its simplest terms, metaphysics can be seen as a question of what it is that we know to be real, what truly exists. In a deeper sense, as defined by Aristotle, metaphysics attempts to understand the fundamental nature of all reality. Closely related to metaphysics is epistemology. Epistemology looks to define what knowledge is, how it is obtained, and what it is that makes anything knowledge at all. It serves to establish proof, a warrant for what we consider to be real, thus validating our knowledge of our own reality.
Within 1984, Orwell, or rather "The Party" has created Big Brother, a larger-than-life character known to all citizens, uniting and influencing all of Oceania. To the citizens of Oceania, there is no question that Big Brother does not exist. To them Big Brother is real, he exists in the flesh just as the rest of the citizens of the nation. Almost no one entertains the proposition that he is merely a character, created to enforce party agendas and goals. His face appears in movies, on posters; he is virtually everywhere. Citizens are ...
... middle of paper ...
...are being told. They will never know if what they are being told is the truth and will never distinguish between what is actually true and what is just mindless babble and propaganda.
Works Cited
Anderson, Alan. "Metaphysics: Multiple Meanings." April 14, 2000. May 31, 2000.
Floyd, Nathan T. "Rhetoric & Epistemology." November 29, 1995. May 31, 2000.
Khoury, Jonathan A. "1984 in 1996: How Orwell's 1949 Classic Describes our Government." May 31, 2000.
Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1949.
Hyperlinks
http://websyte.com/alan/metamul.htm metaphysics
http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/gallery/rhetoric/terms/epistemology.html epistemology
http://members.aol.com/jonkhoury/1984.htm 1984
Big Brother - Big Brother is the enigmatic dictator of Oceania. In the society that Orwell describes, everyone is under complete surveillance by the authorities. The people are constantly reminded of this by the phrase "Big Brother is watching you", which is the core "truth" of the propaganda system in this state. In the novel, it is unclear if Big Brother is a man or an image crafted by the Party. In a book supposedly written by the rebel Emmanuel Goldstein, it is stated that nobody has ever seen Big Brother. His function is to act as a focusing point for love, fear, and reverence.
Having studied George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four', I intend to discuss the type of Government envisaged by Orwell and to what extent his totalitarian Party, 'Ingsoc', satirises past regimes. I will also discuss Orwell's motive in writing such a piece and how his writing style helps it become clear.The main theme of Nineteen Eighty-Four concerns the restrictions imposed on individual freedom by a totalitarian regime. Orwell shows how such a system can impose its will on the people through manipulation of the press, the elimination of democracy, constant supervision (courtesy of the Telescreens) and more. Orwell also shows how the state has more subtle methods for imposing its authority, such as the manipulation of language and control of the media.
Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. Orwell, George. A. A. 1984. The. New York, NY: Signet Classics, 1977. Print.
Works Cited for: Orwell, George. 1984. The 'Standard' of the ' London: Penguin Books, 2008. Print. The.
Howe, Irving, and George Orwell. 1984 Revisited Totalitarianism in Our Century. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.
The fictional world of 1984 is best described as bleak. In the aftermath of the fall of capitalism and nuclear war, the world has been divided among three practically identical totalitarian nation-states. The novel takes place in London, which has become a part of Oceania, the nation state comprising the Americas and western Europe. A state of perpetual war and poverty is the rule in Oceania. However, this is merely a backdrop, far from the most terrifying aspect of life in 1984. Oceania is governed by a totalitarian bureaucracy, personified in the image of Big Brother, the all-knowing/ all-seeing godlike figure that represents the government. Big Brother is best described as a "totalitarian socialist dictator, a political demagogue and religious cult leader all rolled into one." So great is the power of Big Brother that the reader is unsure whether he actually exists or is simply a propaganda tool of the government. The party of Big Brother, Ingsoc (English Social...
In 1984, George Orwell presents an overly controlled society that is run by Big Brother. The protagonist, Winston, attempts to “stay human” in the face of a dehumanizing, totalitarian regime. Big Brother possesses so much control over these people that even the most natural thoughts such as love and sex are considered taboo and are punishable. Big Brother has taken this society and turned each individual against one another. Parents distrust their own offspring, husband and wife turn on one another, and some people turn on their own selves entirely. The people of Oceania become brainwashed by Big Brother. Punishment for any uprising rebellions is punishable harshly.
Wang, Jing 2008, ‘Why Are Exchange Rates So Difficult To Predict’, Economic Letter, Vol. 3, no. 6.
Drab,B.(2005) Deterniments of Nominal Exchange Rates, Unpublished paper, International Financial Management, Harvard Business School, U.S.
The use of visual supports in special education has long been a practice in developing individualized educational support systems. Visual supports are tools that are used to increase the understanding of language, environmental expectations, and provide structure and support for individuals with disabilities. Visual supports are flexible enough that they can be provided in a variety of ways, and across multiple settings. Since the rise of inclusive classrooms, students with disabilities have been included in the general education classroom for a portion, if not a majority, of their school day. These visual supports help students access aspects of general education that they may otherwise have difficulty accessing. There have been many studies proving the efficacy of visual supports in special education; one of the most prominent visual support systems is picture exchange communication, or PECS. Several studies on the effectiveness of PECS will be reviewed.
Daniel M. Chin., Preston J. Miller. (1998). Fixed vs. floating exchange rate: A dynamic general equilibrium analysis. European Economic Review 42 (1998),
At one point or another in one’s life you are faced with God, eye to eye and you know it. You can feel the Holy Spirit’s presence, like a humming sound that’s too low to hear, but it’s there and you can feel it, a feeling that you are not alone. For some, this feeling lasts for eternity, and for others God works within them again and again because the Lord’s love is persistent. The feeling I had came and went, for it was not strong enough as a child. But now, I am the strongest I have ever been.
Daily in the USA about 38 million banknotes of various face value for total amount about 541 million dollars are issued (Facts about USA money).Dollars involve deep consequences both for the USA, and for other countries. Increase of its course relatively reduces the volume of export revenue in dollars, quite often involves more considerable, than change of an exchange rate, falling of the world prices, especially on raw materials. On the contrary, decrease in a dollar rate serves as the powerful tool promoting growth of the American export and a pushing off of competitors of the USA in foreign markets. At the same time import to the USA owing to effect of a rise in prices restrains. Thus, for the USA changes in the exchange rate of dollar anyway bring benefits and advantages.Reduction of leading positions of the USA in world economy is assisted by the international role of dollar which remains the main reserve and settlement means in world monetary system. Foreign currency reserves of the central banks of other countries for 61% consist of dollars, nearly 2/3 calculations in world trade are carried out in dollars; the dollar serves as a measure of value of many important goods (for example: oil) in the world market; in dollars 3/4 international bank crediting is made (Aleksandr Popov). Changes in the exchange rate of dollar involve deep consequences both for the USA, and for other countries. Increase of its course relatively reduces the volume of export revenue in dollars, quite often involves more considerable, than change of an exchange rate, falling of the world prices, especially on raw materials. On the contrary, decrease in a dollar rate serves as the powerful tool promoting growth of the American export and a pushing off...
Blindness does not mean that the child is totally without usable vision. Most of blind children have varying amounts of vision, which can be quite helpful. “Legal blindness” is a term you may hear. It means that a child has 10% or less of normal vision. Teachers need to know that many factors affect what, and how much, a child may see at any particular time. Type of eye condition, fatigue, lighting, excitement, etc. all affect a partially sighted child’s vision.
According to the literature, 80% of the human relationships with the world is using sight. It is essential to have all the visual sensory apparatus (eyes, optic nerves, brain optic pathways and the occipital visual cortex) to live fully in our society, emotionally, socially and professionally (Brasil, 2008). The vision loss is partially offset by other senses such as hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Thus, the visually impaired people perceive the world around them through these remained senses (e.g., Braille reading) (Rangel,