Saturday, October 5, 2019
EC 417 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
EC 417 - Essay Example He stresses the point that economists and the World Bank which he represent, have great concerns about improved standards of living for poor countries which would enable people in villages like Gulvera to live better. This Easterly (2002) indicates would prevent them from being hungry and diseased. He indicates that increases in GDP per capita would translate into rising income for the poor, lifting them out of poverty. Easterly (2002) then uses the situation in Lahore to look at a number of problems facing the poorest countries compared to the richest. These include infant mortality, diseases and nutritional deficiencies. Easterly (2002) also provides an explanation of the higher infant mortality rates and provides information on the low cost per dose of oral rehydration and vaccination that would prevent these deaths and diseases; and exclaimed that despite the low cost, the extent of poverty is significant. Easterly (2002) sought to emphasize the point that wealth has positive imp lications for oneââ¬â¢s health and indicates that findings suggest a relationship between infant mortality and economic growth which implies that the high death rate of infants in Africa in 1990 could have been prevented if the standards of living in was just a little higher than it was. In terms of assessing the poorest of the poor the Easterly points to how they are treated in the poorest countries of the world by the poor themselves and how they are described. Some of the countries mentioned are Tombouctou, commonly referred to as Timbuktu in Mali which is one of the poorest countries in the world and where a 1987 survey showed that 41% of children die before reaching age five. Easterly (2002) also gives some startling statistics on the calorie intake of the poorest 5th countries and the richest 5th countries, and notes the absence of famine in the richest countries while a 1/4th of the poorest countries faced famines in the last three decades. Easterly also looked at the oppr ession of the poor worldwide, child labor which is ignored in 88% of the countries, child prostitution and the oppression of women which takes many forms including wife beating in Jamaica. Easterly (2002) then provides a definition of poverty as: ââ¬Å"that part of the population with incomes below $1 per dayâ⬠. Easterly (2002) stresses the point that a fast growth rate will lead to fast poverty reduction as economic contraction goes along with increased poverty. Easterly (2002) also gave examples of poverty increasing significantly with severe recession in countries in West Africa as well as the effects of economic growth and economic contractions in Asia. Easterly also points to World Bank statistics that found that a change in the average income of a society led to a proportionate change in the poorest 20% of the population and suggests that the poor could improve their standard of living through the redistribution of income and economic growth. In concluding the Chapter Ea sterly points to the quest of improving the welfare of poor and re-emphasizes the importance of this to the next generation. Chapter 2 ââ¬â Aid for Investment Easterly starts with a quote, this time from Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Two Gentlemen of Veronaâ⬠as to how something becomes a habit. The focus this time was on
Friday, October 4, 2019
Early Italian Poetry and Woman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
Early Italian Poetry and Woman - Essay Example 3). Through this form of poetry, poets were able to reflect inwards to their own voice, which provided them a mode through which to discover themselves. However, the medium of the written word also enabled the separation of the ââ¬Å"speaker from the spokenâ⬠, in which the author was able to construct an ââ¬Å"alter egoâ⬠that could express the actual speakerââ¬â¢s unrestrained feelings (Holmes 2000, p. 4). This shift also marked a shift towards authorship of the autobiographical, in which the Italian poets of the middle ages utilized the written word as a ââ¬Å"confessional self-portraitâ⬠, where the words represented the poetââ¬â¢s innermost thoughts on such themes as life, religion, salvation, loss, etc. (2000, p. 7). Through a critical look at selected poems by Guinizelli, Dante, and Petrarch, the central theme of love will be discussed, as it is portrayed through the character of the heavenly or angelic idealized woman. Prior to a critical reading of the poetry, a brief biographical discussion on the poets is necessary to understanding the importance of the literary genre. In several of his poems, Dante referred to Guido Guinizelli as the ââ¬Å"father of me and father of my bettersâ⬠for having founded the school of poetry referred to as the dolce stil nuovo (Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 248). Born in 1230, in Bologna, Italy, Guinizelli founded the new style of poetry, which included the literary contributions of several Bolognese poets, including the prominent poetry by Dante. Unlike the Sicilian poets, ââ¬Å"Guinizelliââ¬â¢s analogies, metaphors, poetic language, and concept of love reflect his effort to write not from the heart but from the head, and to analyze love and its effectsâ⬠(Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 248). ... 248). His most well-known poem, ââ¬Å"Al cor gentil rempaira sempre amoreâ⬠critically analyzes courtly love by emphasizing the central importance of internal integrity as the true source of nobility, rather than basing nobility on status. He goes on to compare the noble love between a woman and man to the relationship between God and the angels. Dante used the image of Guinizelliââ¬â¢s noble lady in his anthology of works, entitled Vita nuova, and Dante accredits Guinizelli for playing the ââ¬Å"role of both poetic father and prophet in establishing the dolce stil nuovo manifesto as the poetic vehicle for articulating philosophic truth through loveâ⬠(Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 249). Guinizelliââ¬â¢s most famous successor was Dante Alighieri, who was born in Florence in 1265. Seeing his life-long love, Beatrice Portinari, at the age of nine served as inspiration for his entire artistic career, and the love story between Dante and Beatrice unfolds in Danteâ⠬â¢s Vita nuova, which was written after (and inspired by) the deep emotional impact of Beatriceââ¬â¢s death in 1290 (Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 118). During the political turmoil in Florence at the end of the 13th century, Dante was exiled from Florence until his death; according to Danteââ¬â¢s first biographer, Boccaccio, the meeting with Beatrice and his exile from Florence was the two more important events in Danteââ¬â¢s life which strongly impacted his artistic work. Written between 1293 to 1294, Vita nuova consists of thirty-one poems written to, and about, Beatrice, whom he viewed as ââ¬Å"representative of divine goodness and beatitude on earthâ⬠; and it is in this anthology that Dante rejects
Thursday, October 3, 2019
The English Language Essay Example for Free
The English Language Essay Language is a constant. It is a component that will be forever intertwined into the fabrication of our global society. This multi-sensory means of communication, consists of not only the verbal and writing, but also touch, smell, sound, body, and gestural elements. As human beings are social animals, people have the instinct to communicate with others, to share our feelings and thoughts, and as a result, language development in each individual becomes an instinct (Pinker, 1994). Since language is the tool used for communication, Wittgenstein says, ââ¬Å"The limits of my language are the limits of my worldâ⬠. It is implied that people speak just one language and thus live in only one world, and if you are not capable of using the language, your world is narrowed. However, Einstein has an opposite opinion; he devalues the importance of language and says, ââ¬Å"The words of a language as they are written and spoken do not seem to play any role in the mechanism of my thought.â⬠It is widely believed believe that language is the bridge connecting individuals and the outside world; thus, it is a crucial element of human life. Language can be inextricably tied to identity, and it can also be disentangled. In Einsteinââ¬â¢s quote, he says that the language of speech and writing doesnââ¬â¢t influence his thought, because the mechanism of his thought is extraordinary. As a widely recognized great scientist, his point might be that people should think something beyond what is already written, and also, ââ¬Å"the sum of human wisdom is not contained in any one language, and no single language is CAPABLE of expressing all forms and degrees of human comprehension.â⬠(Ezra Pound, The ABC of Reading). With language as your tool, you are capable of exploring other worlds. Wittgensteinââ¬â¢s statement failed to include the fact that there are worlds formed based on different languages. It is through such language that one is either included or excluded fro m social groups. Language pervades social life. It is the principal vehicle for the transmission of cultural knowledge, and the primary means by which we gain access to the contents of others minds. Language is implicated in most of the phenomena that lie at the core of social psychology: attitude change, social perception, personal identity, social interaction, intergroup bias and stereotyping, attribution, and so on. Just as language use pervades social life, the elements of social life constitute an intrinsic part of the way language is used. Linguists regard language as an abstract structure that exists independently of specific instances of usage (much as the calculus is a logico-mathematical structure that is independent of its application to concrete problems), but any communicative exchange is situated in a social context that constrains the linguistic forms participants use. How these participants define the social situation, their perceptions of what others know, think and believe, and the claims the make about their own and others identities will affect the form and content of their acts of speaking. For present purposes, it may be more helpful to think about language as a set of complex, organized systems that operate in concert. A particular act of speaking can be examined with respect to any of these systems (G. Miller, 1975), and each level of analysis can have significance for social behaviour. For example, languages are made up of four systemsââ¬âthe phonological, the morphological, the syntactic, and the semanticââ¬âwhich, taken together, constitute its grammar. Australia is often described as one of the ââ¬Ëclassical countries of immigrationââ¬â¢. The concept of being a ââ¬Ënation of immigrantsââ¬â¢ is at the centre of Australian identity. Australia is a unique country, and it has a long history of population growth due to immigration. Australia is a young country and has not fully developed. It is commonly called ââ¬Å"The Land of Opportunity.â⬠Such grammar can be exclusive to specific culture along with social purposes. Melbourne, for example, has many sub-cultures that combine to create the overwhelmingly diverse and generalized culture that defines the city as a whole. We are constantly influence through the language that other cultures have introduced into our traditional linguistics. The English Language has changed and shifted drastically form the Anglo-Saxon version to our current speech. Over time, linguistics from cultures such as French, Latin and Greek have evaded our traditional tongue, creating a new cultural identity; ever evolving and adapting to the modern world. In the modern world, human need to belong still influences language development and identity established through such language. People are proud of their accents, dialects, and languages. It is a mark of uniqueness and simultaneously a mark of belonging and excluding. People who live in different areas are proud to speak the way they do, because they are different from the rest, but are still part of a group. Whereas, accents and dialects are marks of belonging, and something that most people are proud of, language development has been influenced by less idealistic reasons. We can see how important language is in both the purpose of communication and widening the world of an individual; it is a way of knowing. If an individual is not capable of using a language, his world is limited yet it is reasonable to assume that the language used by most people is not always significant in mechanism of everybodyââ¬â¢s thoughts, because somebodyââ¬â¢s mind might work differently. Throughout history, human needs have affected their behaviour, how they lived, and how their language develops. Food, water, and a place to belong were some of the major needs to begin with, but as time went by, they were joined by other needs. Economic, political and scholarly needs also influence language development. The influence of human development and need will continue to effect language expansion, and will continue to as long as the world lasts.
State The Meaning Of Psalm 23 By Exegesis Religion Essay
State The Meaning Of Psalm 23 By Exegesis Religion Essay The aim of this assignment is to state the meaning of Psalm 23 by exegesis and analysing it. Exegesis comes from a Greek word that means to guide out, It is the process of going to the text to determine what it means, and to draw out the correct interpretation.Ã [1]Ã Shepherd The psalm is poetry and is transformed into simple metaphors employing that it is God who is the shepherd. The metaphor of the Shepherd in found in verse 1 of the psalm, the Lord is my Shepherd. King David of Israel is said to have written at least half of the psalms within the book of the Old Testament as well as this one.Ã [2]Ã David found it appropriate to write this psalm because he was a shepherd, and describes his work as a shepherd protecting caring and delivering the sheep from all form of attack. In addition to this David relates the work of the shepherd to the work of God (1.Sam 17: 34-37). The Hebrew word for shepherding is translated feeding. Sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. The shepherd takes care of the sheep, he even carried weak lambs in their arms (Isa.40:11) they led the sheeps to pasture and water protecting them from wild animals and dangerous places. They also guard their flocks at night whether in the open (Luke 2:8) or in sheepfolds.Ã [3]Ã Shepherds come to designate not only a person who herded sheep but also kings (2 Sam. 5:2). Later Israel prophets referred to Israels leaders as shepherds. Some New Testament references used a shepherd and the sheep to illustrate Christs relationship to His followers who referred to Him as the great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb.13:20). Jesus also spoke of himself as the good shepherd who knew His sheep and would lay down His life for them (John 10:7-18). Verse 1- 4 The opening of the first four verses establishes the dominant theme for the psalm as a whole and contains a metaphor; where by in verse one the Lord is called Shepherd and the Psalmist is a sheep belonging to His flock. The psalmist used a simple language for the use of the shepherd metaphor, which can be understood by all living in a world where land was dotted with sheep and shepherds. The distinctiveness in the opening words of this psalm lies in the use of the pronoun, my shepherd which gives a personal association with the shepherd. The fact that the Lord is his shepherd the psalmist can say I shall not wan, here the psalmist is saying as long as the Lord is my shepherd I shall lack for nothing, this recall Gods provision for His people during their forty years travelling through the wilderness as Moses stated in (Deut. 2:7), you have lacked nothing. In verse two the psalmist paints a scene of abundant life in three descriptive statements each speaking of the shepherd in the third person and employing and imperfect verb form. All three images emphasize the shepherds role as provider. First of all the psalmist says, He makes me lie down in green pastures, secondly He leads me beside still waters. The palmist speaks in confidence of the Lords guidance and provision. As the shepherd leads his sheep in pleasant places full of all the necessities of life, green pastures of grass experiencing plenty, quiet peaceful stream which provides water for drinking. Grass and water are the sheeps source of life, and the shepherd knows how to find them both and leads the hungry, thirsty sheep to them. Within verse three he writes, He restores my soul He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake. He chooses the right paths that are right with him, making sense to him. In this He acts for His names sake, in accordance with His revealed character. Paths of righteousness take on the meaning of a way of life fulfil Gods expectation for his follower. The sheep are not left to their own devices but are led by the shepherd to take the right path, that is the one that gets the sheep where he need to go. The shepherd (God) acts in a way that reveal and confirms his character and nature. To have a name is to bear a good reputation, the shepherd (God) acts to benefit of the sheep, in a way that is consistent with the nature His name reveals. In verse four the palmist says, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Here the psalmist moves to a description of fearful threat he purposefully emphasise the danger and threat that confront the flock. Shadow of death is really deepest darkness which includes the darkness of death, but in these experiences the he of (v1-3) becomes the you, significant of closer person touch, and the leader (v2) comes alongside (with me). The darker the shadow the closer the Lord! The psalmists confidence rests in the fact even in the shadow of death itself, he need fear no evil, confidence is found in Gods protection described in the metaphor as the shepherds rod and staff. The rod possibly signifies protection; and the staff, possibly support. According to Craigie the Palestinian shepherd normally carried two implements, a cub or rod to fend of wild beasts and a crook or staff to guide and con trol sheep.Ã [4]Ã Despite the oppressive and threatening setting the psalmist sheep is unafraid. The psalmist reasons for fear fade in the presence of the shepherd (God). Verse 5 6 From verse five the metaphor changes to that of a host and his guest, the role of the shepherd no longer dominates. God is no longer seen as a shepherd but assumes the role as a host, preparing a table with food and drink, and anointing the head of the visitor. The psalmist is no longer a sheep but a person; who is honoured by God in the presence of the enemy.Ã [5]Ã The picture is one of the realisations of ultimate communion with God. Verse five says, You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil my cup overflows. The word table continues the metaphor and is to be understood as God spreading a table, a banquet celebrating Gods provision and protection. One can assume from this that the psalmist had endured affliction in the past at the hand of enemies and had risen above the affliction in confidence, and as he anticipates the future, he has no illusions; there would still be enemies, but Gods provisions would come even in the present of those enemies. The anointing of the head with oil is the custom of hospitality by a gracious host or to an anointed king; in (Luke 7:44-46) Simons failure not to do so was recognised as a deliberate insult to Jesus; the overflowing cup which the psalmist drank from is a symbol of the hosts generosity. To sit at Gods table is to enjoy fellowship and communion with Him, and to do so in the presence of your enemies is to have a special relati onship with Him, receiving blessings and protection under His care while the enemy looks on, powerless to do you harm. The psalm gives closure in verse six as the psalmist says, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. This goodness and love will continue as long as life last and beyond. The psalmist looks forward in confidence to dwelling in the house of God for ever. In regard to the house of the Lord (the temple), this places the psalm in the context of worship, it gives an example of a hyperbole which is an exaggeration to make a point, the psalmist is not going to move into the temple to live the rest of his days. He means that he will spend the rest of his days in the presence of God in worship and praise remaining always in His caring and effective presence. To dwell with God is an image of eternal security and ongoing relationship. God offer the hope necessary to sustain through rough times, remembrance of the past and anticipation of the future, provides the necessity to bind the two halves of psalm 23 together. Conclusion The psalmist expression is one of confidence dependence and trust. God is presented not only as a shepherd who guides, protects, and leads you of the right path, but also as host who provides in the mist of life. In verse 2-3 he shows the shepherd leading his sheep into abundant life, verse 4 shows show the shepherd providing for His sheep with secure life. Verse 5 shifts and the shepherd shows God blessing on the trusting faithful, verse 6 ends with the expression of confidence. As the Lord is the good shepherd, so we are his sheep, not frightened, passive animals, but obedient followers, wise enough to follow one who will lead us in the right place and in the right way. This psalm does not focus on the animal-like qualities of sheep but on the discipleship qualities of those who follow. When you recognise the good shepherd, follow him! The psalm inspired us, comfort us, correct us and God is seen as a caring shepherd, and a dependable guide and host.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Dr. Noddings Philosophy of Education Essay -- Education Teaching Nodd
Dr. Noddings' Philosophy of Education Nel Noddings is a name unfamiliar to most people outside the educational community; but within it, even at 78, she remains one of the most influential voices. Her central passion which has carried her through 23 years of public school teaching, 10 children, a masters and Ph. D. degree, and over 20 years as a member of the faculty at Stanford can be summed up in one word: care. She writes of it, speaks about it, and practices it. What does Noddings mean when she writes of guiding teachers, ââ¬Å"toward greater sensitivity and competence across all the domains of care.â⬠Does it have a practical methodology behind it? Is it an appeal to pathos? It is difficult to thoroughly unpack all the Noddings has said about caring, but we can initiate our exploration of her concept by reading Maxine Greene's summary of the idea: ââ¬Å"...the caring teacher tries to look through students' eyes, to struggle with them as subjects in search of their own projects, their own ways of making sense of the world.â⬠(129, Philosophical Documentsâ⬠¦) The idea appears exciting and innovative at first glance, but upon further analysis (as well as comparison with competing educational philosophies) we see that it is a modern form of one of two predominant, competing paradigms within Western tradition. The first paradigm tells us that a welleducated person is, as Locke puts it, ââ¬Å"producedâ⬠(55) by the educator. The second paradigm is apparent in Reed and Johnson's summary of Aristotle, ââ¬Å"...to assist human beings in developing their unique capacity to contemplate the world and their role in it.â⬠(18) Noddings compels her reader to the furthest corners of the ââ¬Å"assistâ⬠paradigm. For a teacher to ââ¬Å"careâ⬠as Noddings prescrib... ...ed about just as much as theirs. Bibliography Noddings, Nel. ââ¬Å"Renewing Democracy in Schools.â⬠Phi Delta Kappan. Bloomington: April 1999. Vol. 80, Iss. 8; pg. 579, 5 pgs. Noddings, Nel. ââ¬Å"Educating Whole People: A Response to Jonathan Cohen.â⬠Harvard Educational Review: Summer 1999. Vol. 76, Iss. 2; pg. 338. Noddings, Nel. ââ¬Å"Teaching Themes of Care.â⬠Phi Delta Kappan. Bloomington: May 1995. Vol. 76, Iss. 9; pg. 675, 5pgs. Noddings, Nel. ââ¬Å"Thinking About Standards.â⬠Phi Delta Kappan. Bloomington: Nov 1997. Vol. 79, Iss. 3; pg. 184, 6 pgs. Noddings, Nel. " Two Concepts of Caring." Philosophy of Education Yearbook. May 29, 2007 http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/eps/PES-Yearbook/1999/noddings.asp>. Reed, Ronald; Johnson, Tony W., ed. "Aristotle,â⬠and ââ¬Å"Maxine Greene." Philosophical Documents in Education. 2nd ed. Vol. 77. Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., 2000.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Decision Making in End-of-life Circumstances :: Right To Die Death Essays
Decision Making in End-of-life Circumstances Traveling home on a cold January evening in 1983, a car loses control going around a slippery corner. The car spins, then flips, and the woman inside is thrown into a ditch thirty feet from where the car eventually comes to rest. She sustained numerous injuries and eventually stopped breathing. By the time paramedics arrived, she had not taken a breath for at least 15 minutes, her blood pressure was 0 over 0 and her pulse was 0 beats per minute: This is what is known as a ââ¬Å"Code Blueâ⬠(PBS Frontline). Twenty minutes had passed before adequate amounts of oxygen had reached her brain. (Permanent brain damage generally results after six minutes without oxygen.) The womanââ¬â¢s name is Nancy Cruzan and her story is considered one of the most important milestones in the development of ââ¬Å"right to dieâ⬠policies in the United States because it is the first right to die case the Supreme Court ever heard. After extensive evaluation following her accident, Nancy was diagnosed with ââ¬Å"probable brain damage compounded by significant oxygen deprivationâ⬠(Sisters of Leavenworth). Nancy remained in a coma for approximately three weeks and then progressed to an unconscious state in which she was able to ingest some nutrients orally. However, it soon became too difficult for Nancy to orally ingest the proper amount of nutrition, and it was necessary to implant a feeding and hydration tube. The tube was placed under consent from her father. Nancyââ¬â¢s eyes were open and she could move her mouth, but she did not have an understanding of what she heard or saw and could not speak. Nancy was described as being in a ââ¬Å"permanent vegetative stateâ⬠(American Medical Association). Ten months after her tragic accident, Nancy was moved to a state hospital, where various treatments and rehabilitative efforts were shown to be unsuccessful. After the realization that Nancy would most probably never regain her mental faculties, her parents Joe and Joyce Cruzan asked for the cessation of the administration of medically assisted nutrition and hydration via the gastronomy tube. The hospital did not feel they were authorized to honor the familyââ¬â¢s request without court approval (Sisters of Leavenworth). The family was now faced with the emotional difficulties of requesting the removal of the same tube of which they had authorized the placement just a short time before.
Second Foundation 16. Beginning of War
For reason or reasons unknown to members of the Galaxy at the time of the era under discussion, Intergalactic Standard Time defines its fundamental unit, the second, as the time in which light travels 299,776 kilometers. 86,400 seconds are arbitrarily set equal to one Intergalactic Standard Day; and 365 of these days to one Intergalactic Standard Year. Why 299,776?- Or 86,400?- Or 365? Tradition, says the historian, begging the question. Because of certain and various mysterious numerical relationships, say the mystics, cultists, numerologists, metaphysicists. Because the original home-planet of humanity had certain natural periods of rotation and revolution from which those relationships could be derived, say a very few. No one really knew. Nevertheless, the date on which the Foundation cruiser, the Hober Mallow met the Kalganian squadron, headed by the Fearless, and, upon refusing to allow a search party to board, was blasted into smoldering wreckage was 185; 11692 G.E. That is, it was the 185th day of the 11,692nd year of the Galactic Era which dated from the accession of the first Emperor of the traditional Kamble dynasty. It was also 185; 419 A.S. ââ¬â dating from the birth of Seldon ââ¬â or 185; 348 Y.F. ââ¬â dating from the establishment of the Foundation. On Kalgan it was 185; 56 F.C. ââ¬â dating from the establishment of the First Citizenship by the Mule. In each case, of course, for convenience, the year was so arranged as to yield the same day number regardless of the actual day upon which the era began. And, in addition, to all the millions of worlds of the Galaxy, there were millions of local times, based on the motions of their own particular heavenly neighbors. But whichever you choose: 185; 11692-419-348-56 ââ¬â or anything ââ¬â it was this day which historians later pointed to when they spoke of the start of the Stettinian war. Yet to Dr. Darell, it was none of these at all. It was simply and quite precisely the thirty-second day since Arcadia had left Terminus. What it cost Darell to maintain stolidity through these days was not obvious to everyone. But Elvett Semic thought he could guess. He was an old man and fond of saying that his neuronic sheaths had calcified to the point where his thinking processes were stiff and unwieldy. He invited and almost welcomed the universal underestimation of his decaying powers by being the first to laugh at them. But his eyes were none the less seeing for being faded; his mind none the less experienced and wise, for being no longer agile. He merely twisted his pinched lips and said, ââ¬Å"Why don't you do something about it?â⬠The sound was a physical jar to Darell, under which he winced. He said, gruffly, ââ¬Å"Where were we?â⬠Semic regarded him with grave eyes. ââ¬Å"You'd better do something about the girl.â⬠His sparse, yellow teeth showed in a mouth that was open in inquiry. But Darell replied coldly, ââ¬Å"The question is: Can you get a Symes-Molff Resonator in the range required?â⬠Well, I said I could and you weren't listening-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"I'm sorry, Elvett. It's like this. What we're doing now can be more important to everyone in the Galaxy than the question of whether Arcadia is safe. At least, to everyone but Arcadia and myself, and I'm willing to go along with the majority. How big would the Resonator be?â⬠Semic looked doubtful, ââ¬Å"I don't know. You can find it somewheres in the catalogues.â⬠ââ¬Å"About how big. A ton? A pound? A block long?â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, I thought you meant exactly. It's a little jigger.â⬠He indicated the first joint of his thumb. ââ¬Å"About that.â⬠ââ¬Å"All right, can you do something like this?â⬠He sketched rapidly on the pad he held in his lap, then passed it over to the old physicist, who peered at it doubtfully, then chuckled. ââ¬Å"Y'know, the brain gets calcified when you get as old as I am. What are you trying to do?â⬠Darell hesitated. He longed desperately, at the moment, for the physical knowledge locked in the other's brain, so that he need not put his thought into words. But the longing was useless, and he explained. Semic was shaking his head. ââ¬Å"You'd need hyper-relays. The only things that would work fast enough. A thundering lot of them.â⬠ââ¬Å"But it can be built?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, sure.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can you get all the parts? I mean, without causing comment? In line with your general work.â⬠Semic lifted his upper lip. ââ¬Å"Can't get fifty hyper-relays? I wouldn't use that many in my whole life.â⬠ââ¬Å"We're on a defense project, now. Can't you think of something harmless that would use them? We've got the money.â⬠ââ¬Å"Hm-m-m. Maybe I can think of something.â⬠ââ¬Å"How small can you make the whole gadget?â⬠ââ¬Å"Hyper-relays can be had micro-sizeâ⬠¦ wiringâ⬠¦ tubes ââ¬â Space, you've got a few hundred circuits there.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know. How big?â⬠Semic indicated with his hands. ââ¬Å"Too big,â⬠said Darell. ââ¬Å"I've got to swing it from my beltâ⬠Slowly, he was crumpling his sketch into a tight ball. When it was a hard, yellow grape, he dropped it into the ash tray and it was gone with the tiny white flare of molecular decomposition. He said, ââ¬Å"Who's at your door?â⬠Semic leaned over his desk to the little milky screen above the door signal. He said, ââ¬Å"The young fellow, Anthor. Someone with him, too.â⬠Darell scraped his chair back. ââ¬Å"Nothing about this, Semic, to the others yet. It's deadly knowledge, if they find out, and two lives are enough to risk.â⬠Pelleas Anthor was a pulsing vortex of activity in Semic's office, which, somehow, managed to partake of the age of its occupant. In the slow turgor of the quiet room, the loose, summery sleeves of Anthor's tunic seemed still a-quiver with the outer breezes. He said, ââ¬Å"Dr. Darell, Dr. Semic ââ¬â Orum Dirige.â⬠The other man was tall. A long straight nose that lent his thin face a saturnine appearance. Dr. Darell held out a hand. Anthor smiled slightly. ââ¬Å"Police Lieutenant Dirige,â⬠he amplified. Then, significantly, ââ¬Å"Of Kalgan.â⬠And Darell turned to stare with force at the young man. ââ¬Å"Police Lieutenant Dirige of Kalgan,â⬠he repeated, distinctly. ââ¬Å"And you bring him here. Why?â⬠ââ¬Å"Because he was the last man on Kalgan to see your daughter. Hold, man.â⬠Anthor's look of triumph was suddenly one of concern, and he was between the two, struggling violently with Darell. Slowly, and not gently, he forced the older man back into the chair. ââ¬Å"What are you trying to do?â⬠Anthor brushed a lock of brown hair from his forehead, tossed a hip lightly upon the desk, and swung a leg, thoughtfully. ââ¬Å"I thought I was bringing you good news.â⬠Darell addressed the policeman directly, ââ¬Å"What does he mean by calling you the last man to see my daughter? Is my daughter dead? Please tell me without preliminary.â⬠His face was white with apprehension. Lieutenant Dirige said expressionlessly, â⬠ââ¬ËLast man on Kalgan' was the phrase. She's not on Kalgan now. I have no knowledge past that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Here,â⬠broke in Anthor, ââ¬Å"let me put it straight. Sorry if I overplayed the drama a bit, Doc. You're so inhuman about this, I forget you have feelings. In the first place, Lieutenant Dirige is one of us. He was born on Kalgan, but his father was a Foundation man brought to that planet in the service of the Mule. I answer for the lieutenant's loyalty to the Foundation. ââ¬Å"Now I was in touch with him the day after we stopped getting the daily report from Munn-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠broke in Darell, fiercely. ââ¬Å"I thought it was quite decided that we were not to make a move in the matter. You were risking their lives and ours.â⬠ââ¬Å"Because,â⬠was the equally fierce retort, ââ¬Å"I've been involved in this game for longer than you. Because I know of certain contacts on Kalgan of which you know nothing. Because I act from deeper knowledge, do you understand?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think you're completely mad.â⬠ââ¬Å"Will you listen?â⬠A pause, and Darell's eyes dropped. Anthor's lips quirked into a half smile, ââ¬Å"All right, Doc. Give me a few minutes. Tell him, Dirige.â⬠Dirige spoke easily: ââ¬Å"As far as I know, Dr. Darell, your daughter is at Trantor. At least, she had a ticket to Trantor at the Eastern Spaceport. She was with a Trading Representative from that planet who claimed she was his niece. Your daughter seems to have a queer collection of relatives, doctor. That was the second uncle she had in a period of two weeks, eh? The Trantorian even tried to bribe me ââ¬â probably thinks that's why they got away.â⬠He smiled grimly at the thought. ââ¬Å"How was she?â⬠ââ¬Å"Unharmed, as far as I could see. Frightened. I don't blame her for that. The whole department was after her. I still don't know why.â⬠Darell drew a breath for what seemed the first time in several minutes. He was conscious of the trembling of his hands and controlled them with an effort. ââ¬Å"Then she's all right. This Trading Representative, who was he? Go back to him. What part does he play in it?â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't know. Do you know anything about Trantor?â⬠ââ¬Å"I lived there once.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's an agricultural world, now. Exports animal fodder and grains, mostly. High quality! They sell them all over the Galaxy. There are a dozen or two farm co-operatives on the planet and each has its representatives overseas. Shrewd sons of guns, too- I knew this one's record. He'd been on Kalgan before, usually with his wife. Perfectly honest. Perfectly harmless.â⬠ââ¬Å"Um-m-m,â⬠said Anthor. ââ¬Å"Arcadia was born in Trantor, wasn't she, Doc?â⬠Darell nodded. ââ¬Å"It hangs together, you see. She wanted to go away ââ¬â quickly and far ââ¬â and Trantor would suggest itself. Don't you think so?â⬠Darell said: ââ¬Å"Why not back here?â⬠ââ¬Å"Perhaps she was being pursued and felt that she had to double off in a new angle, eh?' Dr. Darell lacked the heart to question further. Well, then, let her be safe on Trantor, or as safe as one could be anywhere in this dark and horrible Galaxy. He groped toward the door, felt Anthor's light touch on his sleeve, and stopped, but did not turn. ââ¬Å"Mind if I go home with you, Doc?â⬠ââ¬Å"You're welcome,â⬠was the automatic response. By evening, the exteriormost reaches of Dr. Darell's personality, the ones that made immediate contact with other people had solidified once more. He had refused to eat his evening meal and had, instead, with feverish insistence, returned to the inchwise advance into the intricate mathematics of encephalographic analysis. It was not till nearly midnight, that he entered the living room again. Pelleas Anthor was still there, twiddling at the controls of the video. The footsteps behind him caused him to glance over his shoulder. ââ¬Å"Hi. Aren't you in bed yet? I've been spending hours on the video, trying to get something other than bulletins. It seems the F.S. Hober Mallow is delayed in course and hasn't been heard fromâ⬠ââ¬Å"Really? What do they suspect?â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you think? Kalganian skulduggery. There are reports that Kalganian vessels were sighted in the general space sector in which the Hober Mallow was last heard from?â⬠Darell shrugged, and Anthor rubbed his forehead doubtfully. ââ¬Å"Look doc,â⬠he said, ââ¬Å"why don't you go to Trantor?â⬠ââ¬Å"Why should I?â⬠ââ¬Å"Because ââ¬Å"You're no good to us here. You're not yourself. You can't be. And you could accomplish a purpose by going to Trantor, too. The old Imperial Library with the complete records of the Proceedings of the Seldon Commission are there-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"No! The Library has been picked clean and it hasn't helped anyone.â⬠ââ¬Å"It helped Ebling Mis once.â⬠ââ¬Å"How do you know? Yes, he said he found the Second Foundation, and my mother killed him five seconds later as the only way to keep him from unwittingly revealing its location to the Mule. But in doing so, she also, you realize, made it impossible ever to tell whether Mis really did know the location. After all, no one else has ever been able to deduce the truth from those records.â⬠ââ¬Å"Ebling Mis, if you'll remember, was working under the driving impetus of the Mule's mind.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know that, too, but Mis' mind was, by that very token, in an abnormal state. Do you and I know anything about the properties of a mind under the emotional control of another; about its abilities and shortcomings? In any case, I will not go to Trantor.â⬠Anthor frowned, ââ¬Å"Well, why the vehemence? I merely suggested it as ââ¬â well, by Space, I don't understand you. You look ten years older. You're obviously having a hellish time of it. You're not doing anything of value here. If I were you, I'd go and get the girl.â⬠ââ¬Å"Exactly! It's what I want to do, too. That's why I won't do it. Look, Anthor, and try to understand. You're playing ââ¬â we're both playing ââ¬â with something completely beyond our powers to fight. In cold blood, if you have any, you know that, whatever you may think in your moments of quixoticism. ââ¬Å"For fifty years, we've known that the Second Foundation is the real descendent and pupil of Seldonian mathematics. What that means, and you know that, too, is that nothing in the Galaxy happens which does not play a part in their reckoning. To us, all life is a series of accidents, to be met with by improvisations To them, all life is purposive and should be met by precalculation. ââ¬Å"But they have their weakness. Their work is statistical and only the mass action of humanity is truly inevitable. Now how I play a part, as an individual, in the foreseen course of history, I don't know. Perhaps I have no definite part, since the Plan leaves individuals to indeterminacy and free will. But I am important and they ââ¬â they, you understand ââ¬â may at least have calculated my probable reaction. So I distrust, my impulses, my desires, my probable reactions. ââ¬Å"I would rather present them with an improbable reaction. I will stay here, despite the fact that I yearn very desperately to leave.*** ââ¬Å"No! Because I yearn very desperately to leave.â⬠The younger man smiled sourly. ââ¬Å"You don't know your own mind as well as they might. Suppose that ââ¬â knowing you ââ¬â they might count on what you think, merely think, is the improbable reaction, simply by knowing in advance what your line of reasoning would be.â⬠ââ¬Å"In that case, there is no escape. For if I follow the reasoning you have just outlined and go to Trantor, they may have foreseen that, too. There is an endless cycle of double-double-double-double-crosses. No matter how far I follow that cycle, I can only either go or stay. The intricate act of luring my daughter halfway across the Galaxy cannot be meant to make me stay where I am, since I would most certainly have stayed if they had done nothing. It can only be to make me move, and so I will stay. ââ¬Å"And besides, Anthor, not everything bears the breath of the Second Foundation; not all events are the results of their puppeting. They may have had nothing to do with Arcadia's leave-taking, and she may be safe on Trantor when all the rest of us are dead.â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Anthor, sharply, ââ¬Å"now you are off the track.â⬠ââ¬Å"You have an alternative interpretation?â⬠ââ¬Å"I have ââ¬â if you'll listen.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, go ahead. I don't lack patience.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, then ââ¬â how well do you know your own daughter?â⬠ââ¬Å"How well can any individual know any other? Obviously, my knowledge is inadequate.â⬠ââ¬Å"So is mine on that basis, perhaps even more so ââ¬â but at least, I viewed her with fresh eyes. Item one: She is a ferocious little romantic, the only child of an ivory-tower academician, growing up in an unreal world of video and book-film adventure. She lives in a weird self-constructed fantasy of espionage and intrigue. Item two: She's intelligent about it; intelligent enough to outwit us, at any rate. She planned carefully to overhear our first conference and succeeded. She planned carefully to go to Kalgan with Munn and succeeded. Item three: She has an unholy hero-worship of her grandmother ââ¬â your mother ââ¬â who defeated the Mule. ââ¬Å"I'm right so far, I think? All right, then. Now, unlike you, I've received a complete report from Lieutenant Dirige and, in addition, my sources of information on Kalgan are rather complete, and all sources check. We know, for instance, that Homir Munn, in conference with the Lord of Kalgan was refused admission to the Mule's Palace, and that this refusal was suddenly abrogated after Arcadia had spoken to Lady Callia, the First Citizen's very good friend.â⬠Darell interrupted. ââ¬Å"And how do you know all this?â⬠ââ¬Å"For one thing, Munn was interviewed by Dirige as part of the police campaign to locate Arcadia. Naturally, we have a complete transcript of the questions and answers. ââ¬Å"And take Lady Callia herself. It is rumored that she has lost Stettin's interest, but the rumor isn't borne out by facts. She not only remains unreplaced; is not only able to mediate the lord's refusal to Munn into an acceptance; but can even engineer Arcadia's escape openly. Why, a dozen of the soldiers about Stettin's executive mansion testified that they were seen together on the last evening. Yet she remains unpunished. This despite the fact that Arcadia was searched for with every appearance of diligence.â⬠ââ¬Å"But what is your conclusion from all this torrent of ill-connection?â⬠ââ¬Å"That Arcadia's escape was arranged.â⬠ââ¬Å"As I said.â⬠ââ¬Å"With this addition. That Arcadia must have known it was arranged; that Arcadia, the bright little girl who saw cabals everywhere, saw this one and followed your own type of reasoning. They wanted her to return to the Foundation, and so she went to Trantor, instead. But why Trantor?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, why?â⬠ââ¬Å"Because that is where Bayta, her idolized grandmother, escaped when she was in flight. Consciously or unconsciously, Arcadia imitated that. I wonder, then, if Arcadia was fleeing the same enemy.â⬠ââ¬Å"The Mule?â⬠asked Darell with polite sarcasm. ââ¬Å"Of course not. I mean, by the enemy, a mentality that she could not fight. She was running from the Second Foundation, or such influence thereof as could be found on Kalgan.â⬠ââ¬Å"What influence is this you speak of?â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you expect Kalgan to be immune from that ubiquitous menace? We both have come to the conclusion, somehow, that Arcadia's escape was arranged. Right? She was searched for and found, but deliberately allowed to slip away by Dirige. By Dirige, do you understand? But how was that? Because he was our man. But how did they know that? Were they counting on him to be a traitor? Eh, doc?â⬠ââ¬Å"Now you're saying that they honestly meant to recapture her. Frankly, you're tiring me a bit, Anthor. Finish your say; I want to go to bed.â⬠ââ¬Å"My say is quickly finished.â⬠Anthor reached for a small group of photo-records in his inner pocket. It was the familiar wigglings of the encephalograph. ââ¬Å"Dirige's brainwaves,â⬠Anthor said, casually, ââ¬Å"taken since he returned.â⬠It was quite visible to Darell's naked eye, and his face was gray when he looked up. ââ¬Å"He is Controlled.â⬠ââ¬Å"Exactly. He allowed Arcadia to escape not because he was our man but because he was the Second Foundation's.â⬠ââ¬Å"Even after he knew she was going to Trantor, and not to Terminus.â⬠Anthor shrugged. ââ¬Å"He had been geared to let her go. There was no way he could modify that. He was only a tool, you see. It was just that Arcadia followed the least probable course, and is probably safe. Or at least safe until such time as the Second Foundation can modify the plans to take into account this changed state of affairs-ââ¬Å" He paused. The little signal light on the video set was flashing. On an independent circuit, it signified the presence of emergency news. Darell saw it, too, and with the mechanical movement of long habit turned on the video. They broke in upon the middle of a sentence but before its completion, they knew that the Hober Mallow, or the wreck thereof, had been found and that, for the first time in nearly half a century, the Foundation was again at war. Anthor's jaw was set in a hard line. ââ¬Å"All right, doc, you heard that. Kalgan has attacked; and Kalgan is under the control of the Second Foundation. Will you follow your daughter's lead and move to Trantor?â⬠ââ¬Å"No. I will risk it. Here.â⬠ââ¬Å"Dr. Darell. You are not as intelligent as your daughter. I wonder how far you can be trusted.â⬠His long level stare held Darell for a moment, and then without a word, he left. And Darell was left in uncertainty and ââ¬â almost ââ¬â despair. Unheeded, the video was a medley of excited sight-sound, as it described in nervous detail the first hour of the war between Kalgan and the Foundation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)