Ways to Serve Others This Christmas

Ways to Serve Others This Christmas Christmas is the season of giving; since our schedules offer so much flexibility, homeschooling families often have the availability to give back to their community during the holiday season. If you and your family have been considering service opportunities, try any of these 11 ways to serve others this Christmas. Serve Meals at a Soup Kitchen Call your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter to schedule a time to go serve meals. You might also inquire if they are low on any specific supply needs. This time of year many organizations host food drives, so their pantry may be full, but there may be other items that need to be restocked such as bandages, blankets, or personal hygiene items. Sing Carols at a Nursing Home Gather your family and a few friends to go sing Christmas carols at a nursing home. Ask if it’s okay to bring baked goods or wrapped candy to share with the residents. Spend some time before you go making homemade Christmas homemade cards to deliver or buy a box of assorted cards to share. Sometimes nursing homes are overwhelmed with groups that want to visit during the holiday season, so you may want to see if there are other ways that you can help or better times to visit. Adopt Someone Choose a child, grandparent, single mom, or family who is struggling this year and purchase gifts or groceries or deliver a meal. If you don’t know someone personally, you can ask local agencies and organizations that work with needy families. Pay Someone’s Utility Bill Inquire at the utility company to see if you can pay the electric, gas, or water bill for someone who is struggling. Due to privacy factors, you may not be able to pay a specific bill, but there is often a fund to which you can donate. You might also check with the Department of Family and Children’s Services. Bake a Meal or Treats for Someone Leave a little snack bag in the mailbox with a note for your mail carrier, or put a basket of snacks, soft drinks, and bottled water on the porch with a note inviting delivery people to help themselves. That’s sure to be a greatly appreciated gesture during the busy holiday season You can also call your local hospital and see if you could deliver a meal or snacks and drinks to the ICU waiting room or hospitality room for the families of patients. Leave a Generous Tip for Your Server at Restaurants We sometimes hear of people leaving a tip of $100 or even $1000 or more. That’s fantastic if you can afford to do that, but just tipping above the traditional 15-20% can be greatly appreciated during the holiday season.   Donate to the Bell Ringers The men and women ringing bells in front of stores are often recipients of the services offered by the organization for whom they’re collecting. The donations are typically used to operate homeless shelters and after-school and substance abuse programs and to provide meals and toys to needy families at Christmas. Help the Homeless Consider making bags to give out to homeless people. Fill a gallon-size storage bag with items such as gloves, a beanie, small juice boxes or water bottles, non-perishable ready-to-eat food items, lip balm, facial tissues, restaurant gifts cards, or prepaid phone cards. You might also consider giving blankets or a sleeping bag. Perhaps an even better way to help the homeless community is to  contact an organization that works directly with the homeless  and find out what they need. Often, these organizations can stretch monetary donations farther by purchasing in bulk or working with complementary organizations. Do Housework or Yard Work for Someone Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean house, or do laundry for someone who could use the extra help. You might consider a sick or elderly neighbor or a new or single parent. Obviously, you’ll have to make arrangements to do housework, but yard work can be done as a complete surprise. Take a Hot Beverage to People Working in the Cold Police officers directing traffic, mail carriers, bell ringers, or anyone else working out in the cold this Christmas season will appreciate a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, tea, or cider. Even if they don’t drink it, they’ll enjoy using it as a hand warmer for a little while.   Pay for Someone’s Meal at a Restaurant Paying for someone’s meal in a restaurant or the car behind you in the drive-thru is a fun random act of kindness any of time of year, but it’s often especially appreciated at Christmas when money is  tight for  many families.   Whether youre investing your time, your financial resources, or both to serve others this holiday season, youll likely find that its you and your family who are blessed by serving others.

Establishing A New Budget Process Accounting Essay Example

Establishing A New Budget Process Accounting Essay Example Establishing A New Budget Process Accounting Essay Establishing A New Budget Process Accounting Essay In set uping a new budget procedure, there are important things that should be taking into consideration. The budget procedure provides the medium for finding what authorities services will be provided and how they will be financed, ( Mikesell, 2007:31 ) . The legislative and executive subdivisions have to pass on to make an effectual budget system. The map of a budget procedure is to possess financial control and subject, set strategic precedences, and make an efficient execution of the budget. Division of Powers The budget procedure would be modeled after the federal and other province budgets since they already have an equal foundation of cheques and balances. The first measure is the readying of the budget by the executive subdivision. In the readying phase, the executive subdivision collects petitions such as aˆÂ ¦inputs from operating bureaus, plan staff, and particular undertaking forces, the budget office prepares recommendations for the executive budget, ( Forsythe, 2004:20 ) . The 2nd measure is the acceptance of the budget. In the acceptance phase, Congress has a opportunity to measure and change the budget. After changes, legislators will vote to hold the budget implemented. In most provinces, the governor can so do farther alterations through a line-item veto, ( Forsythe, 2004:20 ) . The concluding measure is theA executionA of the budget. In the executing phase, the budget goes into consequence at the beginning of the financial year.A With the inadvertence from the budget office, bureaus implement disbursement cuts or new plans, assistance payments are made under revised expression, and alterations in revenue enhancements take consequence, ( Forsythe, 2004:20 ) . If any accommodation needs to be made, after execution, the budget officer will do them by supervising the budget. Functions in Budget The primary participants in put to deathing a budget are runing bureaus, main executive, and legislators. The operating bureaus spend money for the bringing of authorities services. The bureaus focus on the patronage they serve, ( Mikesell, 2007:62 ) . The main executive office hires budgets specializers to execute the undertaking on behalf of the executive subdivision. Budget analysts are to be consistent with the main executive office and equilibrate the budget. Whereas bureaus have a clientele orientation, the main executive must equilibrate the involvements of the entire population, ( Mikesell, 2007:63 ) . Legislators are non focused on an, overall position of bureaus or bureaus plan. The legislators are concentrating on their components, who they represent, which is a narrow part of the population. In order to be elected, legislators need to take attention of the components precedences. Budget Format To make a budget that establishes answerability and controllability that has equal flexibleness in doing budget determinations, a combination of public presentation and policy/planning attack is in order. With the policy/planning attack added to the public presentation budget, lawgivers can hold answerability and control with sufficient flexibleness in budget determinations. In the visible radiation of big literature on public presentation budget reforms in the last two decennaries, as explained in the undermentioned paragraphs, it is observed that public presentation budget reform can heighten communicating between budget histrions, better public direction in footings of efficiency and effectivity, ease more informed budgetary decision-making, and achieve high transparence and answerability, ( Shah and Shen 2007:151 ) . The budget format will assist the authorities to communicates and trust with their components. Common Schemes When covering with budgets, the authorities must non undervalue or overrate the allowances and disbursals, disregarding the demand for nest eggs, overlooking the unanticipated events, misidentifying annual disbursals, and neglecting small but important information. If the authorities follows these schemes, so it will make a more unafraid budget. One of the first schemes that need to be taken is cultivation of an active patronage for aid in covering with both legislative assembly and the main executive, ( Mikesell, 2007:64 ) . With the coaction, electives functionaries are guaranting disbursals be prepared within the degree of appropriation, in aA methodA that comply with statute law aim, guarantying the greatest efficiency in supplying plan, and undertakings to the citizens. The 2nd most good scheme is to hold the bureau make assurance between authorities functionaries and statute law. Confidence is critical because, in the budget procedure, many elements of plan defence must deduce from the judgements of the decision makers, ( Mikesell, 2007:65 ) . It isA extremelyA significantA that they have assurance since it leads to swear. In decision, it isA essentialA to hold aA proactiveA budgetA withA coaction that acknowledges be aftering, control, andA evaluationA are different ( necessitating different tools ) . The budget should be a logical and realisticA that concentrates on the resources that components need. The executive subdivision shouldA createA multi-year budgets to run into deadlines and ensureA awarenessA of future disbursals. The budget should be easier to pull off, by the decrease of histories. The ground why the authorities should follow these recommendations is that it holds them more responsible. Question # 5 Individual Income revenue enhancements are one of the most hard revenue enhancements to roll up. One of the ways to roll up revenue enhancements includes the authorities altering Torahs to guarantee that taxpayers are paying their revenue enhancements. Lawgivers can writeA legislationA that would penalize persons that cheat on their revenue enhancements. In some instances, a signifier ofA punishmentA should beA severeA such asA captivity. In add-on, the Internal Revenue Service canA enhanceA their plans to increase aggregation. The bureau proceeded with aggressive chase of these aims, and shortly congressional hearings showed dissatisfaction with avid attempts to better conformity and media histories of taxpayer torment, ( Mikesell, 2007:222 ) . One of the disadvantages to roll uping revenue enhancements is the economic deformation. Economic deformation gives the authorities theA privilegeA of penalizing or rewardingA certainA concern, industries and persons. This can ensue in concerns traveling to other states, where their concerns receive revenue enhancement advantages. This brings considerable economic loss to the state and decay in the competitory place of American concerns in the universe economic system, ( Mikesell, 2007:339 ) . Government should notA discourageA competition in the state because it helps the economic system, promote buyerA buying power, and assistance in the trade shortage. Since most people do non to the full grok the revenue enhancement system, people are non obliged to follow with the system. Voluntary conformity is higher, regardless of enforcement T attempt by the revenue enhancement governments, if taxpayers understand what they are supposed to make to follow, ( Mikesell, 2007:497 ) . Merely a little group of experts canA fullyA understand the complexness of the revenue enhancement system. The single income revenue enhancement is so complicated that it violates the transparence. Simplification would do the revenue enhancement more transparent and would cut down its aggregation costs, ( Mikesell, 2007:338 ) . Furthermore, citizens demand more transparence. If there more transparence, so people are less likely toA avoidA their revenue enhancements. When people know where there money is traveling, citizens are more likely to pay their revenue enhancements. Peoples would be willing to for services they believe in such as military, instruction, and other services. The authorities should get down by simplifying the revenue enhancement codification. The authorities should besides increase transparence and encourage concern to pay their revenue enhancements by inducements. This would promote taxpayers to pay their revenue enhancements. Question # 7 With mounting federal shortages, the authorities is seeking to happen ways to cutA plans and acquire eliminate of extra waste. Performance budget is utilized as a usher to bring out waste and cut down disbursals. In add-on, aˆÂ ¦public functionaries [ might see this budget ] as a manner to warrant their parts to the community and perchance to spread out their budgets, ( Mikesell, 2007:205 ) . Some advantages to this budget formatA include commanding costs and gauging future disbursals. On the other manus, the disadvantages include the cost associated with this type of budget format, and it does non see whether the activityA is worth it or non. Another disadvantage is politicians being informal with the budget because they do non utilize it frequently. Even though the authorities usage this budget format, it is difficult to mensurate the consequences. Unless the authorities truly will utilize them as an built-in portion of public direction and decision-making, they are non lik ely to be a worthy usage of authorities resources, ( Mikesell, 2007: 205 ) . The usage of public presentation measuring in budgeting entails alterations in authoritiess operations, forces, constructions, and even civilizations which ever lead to a power battle and power transportation and, therefore, opposition from those who are negatively affected, ( Shah and Shen 2007: 24 ) . If lawgivers are concentrating on budget reconciliation and being responsible for outgos of publicA budgeting, so they will take different budget formats that can be easy influenced and analyze all parts of outgos and grosss. There is a power displacement from legislators to the executive subdivision. As a consequence of the power-shift, authorities should do certain legislators still contribute to the procedure ofA the budgetA to guarantee success. With components desiring toA holdA their elected functionaries more answerability, the authorities must seek for ways to do the components content. In order to run into these demands, the authoritiess have been more incline to utilize public presentation budget. Supplying information about public sector public presentation can fulfill the populace s demand to cognize, and could besides be a utile tool for authoritiess to measure their public presentation, ( Public Affairs Division, Public Affairs and Communications Directorate, 2008 ) . Performance budgeting is a tool used to mensurate consequences, while bettering efficiency. Performance budgets emphasize agency-activity public presentation aims and achievements, non the purchase of resources. Budgets present the cost of executing measureable accomplishment units during the budget twelvemonth, so the budget procedure has the double function of supplying financess and set uping public presentation aims, ( Mikesell, 2002:201 ) .

Gun Control-Argumentative Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gun Control-Argumentative Paper - Essay Example Proponents of gun control passionately argue that allowing every American to carry guns will only cause more harm than good (Crooker 13). I completely disagree with these sentiments because I believe that gun control is not right for America. Reasons for Gun Control Legislation According to Crooker, one of the main arguments of gun control proponents is that it curbs access by persons who are not supposed to have access to firearms such as juveniles, criminals and high-risk individuals. They argue that the only way to curb accessibility of guns and firearms by such groups of people can only be possible through federal legislations. Many of those who support the idea of federal restrictions of gun ownership actually do not dispute the fact that it is the right of every American citizen to own a gun. However, they point out that the right to bear such firearms should be negotiable. This, they say, will help in minimizing the increasing rate of gun crime (22). Proponents of gun control legislation also point out that regulating gun ownership does not have to affect law abiding citizens. They say that the regulations are for criminals and other individuals who would feel inclined to use guns for destructive reasons (Wuest 121). They also argue that gun control measures would stop individuals from purchasing what are considered to be dangerous guns, such as those used for military and other high risk operations. They also argue that guns pose a lot more danger to the owner than to a potential threat. Many claim that owning a gun puts the owner and his family at risk because of the possible accidents that might happen (Spitzer 46). Reasons against Gun Control Measures The constitution of the United States allows every eligible American to own a gun. Proponents of gun rights argue that if the constitution gives individuals the freedom to own guns, then there are should be no one to take away this right (Wuest 113). They emphasize on the importance of gun ownership as a useful means of personal defense in case of an attack. While the law does not allow the common law abiding citizen to freely purchase guns, thugs are continually procuring all sorts of high caliber firearms illegally. The balance here is tipped in the favor of the thug who is not afraid to use his gun to achieve whatever he wants, including killing an innocent citizen. If gun laws allowed individuals to own firearms legally, people would have live more secure lives since they would be empowered to defend themselves using those guns (Crooker 110). Spitzer says that some of the proponents of gun rights also argue that allowing widespread gun ownership is not only a true and tested means of curbing gun crime, it is also an effective way of checking tyranny in the government. The people’s government would not dare impose unjust leadership because the citizens would have the power to overthrow it. According to supporters of gun rights, unrestricted gun ownership can make people live more responsible lives. If someone knows that he has a gun in his house, he will not act in a way that will result in the careless handling of the firearm (50). I agree with the proponents of gun rights because I believe that every American citizen should enjoy the right to own guns as the constitution allows them to. Gun control measure

Promotional techniques Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Promotional techniques - Coursework Example Section-A: Advertising and Design: 1. Target Market Profile: The products of MAC target a wide range of consumers that encompasses people of all age groups, cultural and economic backgrounds and gender. However, they accord significance to working with children and families. Therefore, their target market is quite wide and diversified and they will have to incorporate variety in their products and well as promotional techniques. On the other hand, due to their emphasis on children, youngsters and families, their strategies will also have to be devised to appeal to this segment of audience. Thus, while designing product promotion strategies and visual ad materials, they have to make sure that these things appeal to the whole range of their target market. 2. Product Differentiation: In the case of MAC, product differentiation is a key component for them to gain access to a wide variety of consumers whose spatial recognition, aesthetical perceptions and expectation of quality vary drast ically. Spatial recognition plays a major role in the case of art and evidence suggests that spatial differentiation leads to â€Å"greater product differentiation† (Datta & Sudhir 2012: 2). So far it relates to products such as arts and arts classes, the expectations of MAC’s audience vary drastically. ... Ads of this nature are highly effective not only in informing and educating the consumers but also to â€Å"manipulate and persuade† them (637). Taking into consideration the target audience of MAC, which encompasses people of all ages and backgrounds, above line ad can be an effective means to introduce and strengthen their brand as well as to create â€Å"favourite images† constantly in the minds of the consumers (637). As can be discerned from the Target Market Character Profile Assessment (CPA) sheet, a major portion of the consumers for MAC falls in category that views visual media at a higher rate. Thus, the most appropriate option for promoting their products is through television advertisement. This will enable them to access a large segment of the audience such as children and youngsters who are their main focus as well as adults including elders. The rate of consumption of TV of all categories of the target audience is quite high and hence TV ads will enable t he company to make their product to reach to almost hundred percent of the population. On the other hand, it is relevant that though it is primarily locality based, MAC belongs to the category of a tourist attraction and therefore their products have relevance to audience at national and international levels. Thus, ad campaigns through national television networks will enable the company to access an audience from the domestic market as well as those who come to England for business or tourism purposes. Another major above the line ad platform for this company could be the print media such as news papers and magazines. Ads in this media will enable them to access a major portion of the audience such as elder people, adults as well as

The Sixties Cultural Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Sixties Cultural Movement - Essay Example The 1960s was a significant period within modern history. It could be said that it was when society as a whole began to realize that there was individual freedom within humanity, that life need not be dictated by those who controlled us that life is a personal choice. It was also a time when America began seeing itself for what it is, their government policies especially their foreign policy was always based on profit and the American people understood that they needed to be more sympathetic to other people. It was a reawakening because previously during history the population could be recruited for whatever means to serve the government especially during times of war however, during the sixties many people fought and protested against war recruitment. It was a moment when humanity could re-examine themselves and their lives that society could be changed just like the efforts of the African-American people as a segregated minority. It was a time of possibility. In the 1950s America h ad great faith in their political system, America went to war with Korea and not many protested, McCarthyism was rampant and the people were led to believe in rampant anticommunism. From these roots of an anticommunist stance did the 1960s take place and the war against Vietnam was built on these reasons. Even within literature did the American beliefs penetrate there was a naà ¯ve impression of American anticommunism.... dictator, General The. Aside from the war policy of America against Vietnam there were other important events that took place in the 1960s that affected the world and America was at the center where there were many movements and protests against the formal government. Science & Religion in the Sixties There was an expansive surge on science during the sixties and if the details could be believed, man has landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong, an astronaut landed on the moon in 1969 after President Kennedy launched a space race between America and Russia. Earlier on in the fifties the USSR have managed to send several dogs in orbit in space to test whether it was feasible for man to travel there. Before Armstrong was able to reach the moon the Russians in 1961 was already orbiting space3. It could be said that the science of astrology and space travel during this time was reaching its all-new high. Satellites were being sent to orbit the earth and these weren't minor achievements. Satellites are what we use today to receive signals for our televisions, our wireless internet, our mobile phones, we use satellite technology today almost everyday. Science also reached its fictitious zenith where it came to the point that it could create its own religion. The Church of Scientology was founded in 1955 by a fiction writer named L. Ron Hubbard. In the 1960s, as all counter-cultural movement goes, it developed its own stances to living daily life and cultures and created their own basic principles. Today, Scientology is no longer a completely 'New-Age' phenomenon as many people and celebrities begin to embrace its practices. Sixties and Politics When the settlers came to America they fought for a

Gothic Cathedral Essay Example for Free

Gothic Cathedral Essay Gothic architecture was developed from a Christian perspective, and therefore attained its most meaningful expression in churches. Clerics began to demand taller churches with more windows than had been present in the dark, but sturdy Romanesque churches. This desire was derived from new intellectual and spiritual concepts that took a more rational view of God, and saw God encompassed many things, such as light, reason and proportion. The Gothic church displayed a visual attempt to leave behind the mysterious world of the Romanesque, and create a setting that was drawn toward light and purity that could be an image of heaven. The middle class also had a great influence on the Gothic style as they desired churches that could reflect their economic power and social status. The most magnificent characteristics of Gothic style were the use of light and relationship between structure and appearance. Other defining characteristics were that the massive thickness of the walls from Romanesque architecture were replaced with membrane-thin frameworks used for enclosure which could support nothing but their own weight. Ribbed vaults were used to allow lighter materials to be placed between stone ribs, thus reducing weight. The weight of the walls and roof were no longer supported by columns, but by external flying buttresses. They also used pointed arches and slender columns to lift the ceiling, which created an overwhelming height. Wall paintings, which had been common in the Romanesque, were now replaced with beautiful and enormous stained glass windows that allowed more light into the structures, imbuing all with a sense of warmth and color. Chartres Cathedral-Interior Chartres CathedralInterior The cathedral at Chartres was built during the Gothic period, and it showed an ideal of harmony within its structure and contents. Work on the cathedral started in 1194, and was mostly completed in 1220. It emphasizes strong vertical lines in its structure. The stained glass windows that are used in this cathedral, (it has 176), are recognized as the finest example from the gothic style. Today, 94% of the stained glass is original, and it is the largest, most extensive collection of medieval glass in the world. Rose windows were used. The primary subject of the great roses is the Virgin and the Child. The rose windows created wholeness and completeness. Indeed, it  has a special relationship to the Virgin Mary in that it portrayed more realistic and humane qualities of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral reflects the strong influence that God held over the people at that time. It shows an expression of piety and local identity to those that were proud to live in the vicinity of the cathedral itself. It enhanced civic pride, and was the focus of the town itself.

Platos Allegory Of The Cave: Importance Today

Platos Allegory Of The Cave: Importance Today Our society so values education that sociologists have recognized the problem of over-education (Hadjicostandi). Many people are spending years pursuing degrees which they simply do not need for the jobs they perform. It is therefore prudent for students to question whether pursuing a liberal education is really as important as our society believes. What is the point of a college education? Does it have any purpose beyond its material benefits. Are these benefits worth their cost? These are important questions that need answering. In the end, we may see that there is far more to this debate than simple accounting. Perhaps what makes education worth pursuing is that it gives us the freedom to makes these kinds of decisions about what is best for us. In many ways, this debate over education has its roots in the writings of Plato (Jowett). In Book VII of The Republic, Plato discusses such topics as enlightenment, epistemology, forms, and the duties of philosophers Allegory of the Cave vs The Matrix: Imagine living through life completely bound and facing a reality that doesnt even exist. The prisoners in Platos Allegory of the Cave are blind from true reality as well as the people in the movie The Matrix written and directed by the Wachowski brothers. They are given false images and they accept what their senses are telling them, and they believe what they are experiencing is all that really exists. Plato the ancient Greek philosopher wrote The Allegory of the Cave, to explain the process of enlightenment and what true reality may be. In the movie The Matrix, Neo (the main character) was born into a world of illusions called the matrix. His true reality is being controlled by the puppet- handlers called the machines who use the human body as a source of energy. In the movie, Neo, finds and alternate reality and he has to go on a journey to discover himself and what is around him. Much like The Allegory of the Cave the prisoners in a dark underground cave, who are chained to the wall, have a view of reality solely based upon this limited view of the cave which is but a poor copy of the real world. Both the prisoners of the cave, and Neo from the Matrix, have to transcend on the path of enlightenment to know the truth of their own worlds. The Allegory of the Cave in Different Perspectives The Allegory of the Cave, written by Plato, is an interpretation of a conversation between Socrates, Platos mentor, and Glaucon, one of Socrates students.  ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ §The Allegory of the Cave ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¨ can be interpreted several different ways. Imagine men in a cave chained up by their necks and legs, forcing them to only look forward at a wall. An opening behind them lets the light in. Above the burning fire and chains, there is a road. Have these chained men ever seen anything else of themselves or others beyond the cave ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦s shadows made by the fire? Some people would say the truth is only perceived by the shadows seen on the walls of the cave. What if one of these men ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦s chains were taken off and he was free to leave? Would the man feel pain when seeing the real world? Would he be confused on believing what is real? Would it make a difference if the chained man was briefly educated about what he was going to see first? Perhaps he would understand and not be confused about what is real. Will the man think what he saw before was much more real than what he sees now? Questions like these will bring different opinions and meaning to The Allegory of the Cave. ¨ Whose interpretation, if any, is correct when explaining the meaning of The Allegory of the Cave? Does it have mathematical meaning, explain a vision of the whole world, or is it just a comparison to the field of social work? Similarities between Platos and Descartes Epistemologies Summary Philosophy is a subject that can take many twists and turns before it finds an answer to a general question. Sometimes, an answer is still left unfound. Philosophy, in its broadest terms, can be described as the systematic pursuit of knowledge and human excellence. What we are concerned with is knowledge. Many people have theories of knowledge. Amongst them, there are two we will be looking at, Descartes and Plato. We will examine Descartes epistemology in Meditations on First Philosophy and Platos in The Republic. Descartes epistemology is known as foundationalism. In the Meditations, Descartes doubts everything he was taught to believe because it is human tendency to believe what is false. In the first, he claims that most of what he believes is from his senses and that those senses are sometimes deceived. His solution to doubting everything is compared to a basket of apples. You fear that some apples have gone bad and you dont want the others to rot, so you throw all the apples out of the basket. Once this is done, you examine each one and return the good apples to the basket. This is what he does with his beliefs. He keeps only those he is certain of. We must discard our beliefs as a whole and then examine each one individually. We must build on the good beliefs. Descartes, however, does realize we cant throw every belief out because they are a part of us, unlike the apples. We would have no basis for recovering any of our beliefs. We would be unable to justify anything. No belief based on sense-perception is free from doubt. He said it is possible that his life is all a dream and he is being deceived into thinking it is reality. He also holds false anything that is physical exists, including his own body. The only things we should trust are those beliefs that are subject to rational scrutiny. We must also declare our mathematical judgments to be false also because an evil demon might be deceiving us. Now, Descartes has cast doubt on all his beliefs about everything but himself. He cannot be deceived about himself. It is on himself that he will be able to rebuild his knowledge of other things. If he had no knowledge of himself, then nothing can be certain. If he doubts, he must be an existing self which is engaged in doubting. If he doubts, he must also be thinking and Descartes said I think, therefore I am. He must also exist so that he can be deceived. If he is dreaming, then he is also thinking, thus he still exists. This is the first step to acquiring knowledge, to Descartes. You must build on what you know is certain, starting with yourself as the foundation. In the second meditation, Descartes tries to show we know bodies through reason and not through senses. He uses a piece of wax to demonstrate. Over a period of time, a freshly produced piece of wax placed by the fire loses or changes all its specific properties, yet it is known to be the same object. Its taste and odor disappear. Its color, size, and shape are completely transformed. It loses its hardness and coldness to liquidity and warmth. To know the wax, you must be able to anticipate its changes. Descartes argues, though, that the imagination could not possibly figure out all conditions, for they are infinite. One can only know an object through understanding, rather than through images, sensation or imagination. He now has knowledge about himself and any object that he has thought about through reason. We are now moving along nicely in rebuilding our house of knowledge. In the third meditation, we move into another building block of knowledge, God. We look at the example of two plus three equaling five. We see this to be clear and distinct, but it is possible that we are being deceived. He tries to dispel the doubt about propositions of mathematics by claiming that God exists and would not allow such a deception. He makes an argument for Gods existence. Premise one states that we have an idea of God. Premise two states that the only way to have an idea of God is if God exists. Therefore, the conclusion is that God exists. Us having an idea of God means us having an understanding of the infinite. We cant understand the infinite through the finite, but only through the infinite, thus God must also be the cause of the idea of God. We as finite substances cannot cause the existence of an infinite substance. The idea is also an objective reality, thus it can be held as true. God is not deceiving us and now we have added the final building block to our ho use of knowledge. In The Republic, Plato has his own epistemology. His is more along the lines of idealism. The ascent to knowledge is not based upon understanding an object, but understanding the idea of that object. The highest idea or form is the idea of the Good itself. Socrates is the main character of this section of The Republic. He engages in a conversation with Glaucon about knowledge. Socrates gives two images of the ascent from chaotic opinion to orderly knowledge, the image of the divided line and of the Cave. Knowledge is what is certain and true and opinion is what is fallible. This is where we may see a connection between Plato and Descartes. They both agree that knowledge must be certain and all other things false. Plato held that all knowledge can be derived from a single set of principles. Knowledge rests on the Good as its foundation, unlike Descartes, where ones self is the foundation. Plato compares the power of the Good to the power of the sun. The sun illuminates things and makes them visible to the eye. The absolute good illuminates things of the mind and makes them intelligible. According to Plato, the idea of the Good is too much for humans to understand, but can be thought of as the idea of absolute order. The sun is the cause of generation, nourishment, growth, and visibility. The Good is the cause of essences, structures, forms, and knowledge. This is somewhat similar to Descartes because God is the cause of the idea of Himself, thus the cause of everything else also. There are four levels of knowledge. First, there are two ruling powers though. The good is set over the intellectual world and the sun over the visible world. We start with two lines, one for knowledge and one for opinion. Now we cut them once more and now there are four sections, two belonging to the intelligible world and two belonging to the visible world, two belonging to knowledge and two belonging to opinion. The first section is that of images such as shadows and reflections. The second deals with us seeing actual things, sense-perception. Unlike Descartes, we will not discard this, but use it to build on our knowledge. Descartes believes sense-perception to be false, but Plato uses it as a stepping stone towards knowledge. Now we have the two subdivisions of the intellectual. The third section is where the soul has understanding through its assumptions based on images. The fourth section is where the soul moves past the use of any images and strictly reasons things out. One d oes not use objects, but ideas to reason. Next is the Allegory of the Cave. Platos allegory is a copy of the reality of the divided line. Plato realizes people can think and speak without being aware of the Forms. Plato treats these people as prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they are able to see is the wall of the cave and a fire burns behind them. There is a place to walk between the prisoners and the fire. There are others in that place that hold up objects to cast shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see these objects behind them. They see and hear only the shadows and echoes cast by these objects. Prisoners like these would mistake appearance for reality. They would think the shadows are real, but would be unaware of the causes. Plato points out that they would refer to the shadow rather than the real object. The only way for the prisoner to see what he is talking about is to turn his head around. We actually name things we can not see, but things that we can only grasp in the mind. When the prisoners are released, they can see the real objects and realize their error. The way we can see the causes of our shadows is by grasping the Forms with our minds. The prisoners now ascend upwards out of the cave( into the intellectual world). When they first leave the cave, their eyes feel pain the same way the jury that convicted Socrates felt pain. They were not used to the light just like the jury was not used to Socrates manner of speaking. The prisoners would, at first, react violently as the jury did and try to descend back into the cave. This is similar to when the jury sentenced Socrates to death. But the prisoners must go on. Once they adjust, they are able to see the objects and what they must possess in itself. This takes us back to Descartes again. Descartes also believed we must look for an objects uniqueness without relying on sense-perception. The light shows them what the external conditions must be and then they finally see the sun, the sour ce of the external condition. Plato and Descartes have their own epistemologies. Platos is that of Idealism and Descartes is Foundationalism. They differ somewhat while they also share similarities. Plato says what we see are shadows, not the real objects. A philosopher is one who strives to see the object and what makes the object unique. Finally, the philosopher will be able to see the idea of the object. Descartes also aims to find the uniqueness of an object and the idea of it through reason, but his approach differs. He casts doubt on what he feels isnt certain and starts to rebuild his house of knowledge on what is, himself being the foundation. Plato is not necessarily looking to cast doubts on ones beliefs, but is trying to expand ones knowledge of it. Their ends are the same, try to reach the Good or God, but their means are different.