The Ethical and Legal Standards of Capital Punishment

Table of Contents Introduction Death penalty and deterrence of crime Judicial errors The economic costs of death penalty Capital punishment and retribution Conclusion Reference List Introduction The use of death penalty has been debated by many legislators and policy-makers who find the most optimal solutions to different social problems. Various professionals attempt to determine whether capital punishment is an effective policy or a costly mistake.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethical and Legal Standards of Capital Punishment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is the main issue that should be discussed in this paper. Overall, it is possible to argue that this policy should be abolished because it is not an effective method of crime prevention. This is the main thesis that should be illustrated. In particular, one can say that this policy does not deter people from committing felonies, especially h omicides. There is no relationship between such variables as capital punishment and the level violence in the society. Secondly, this form of punishment can pose a threat to innocent people who may be falsely convicted. Furthermore, the economic costs of this policy should not be overlooked because in many cases they are excessive. Yet, one should consider the arguments of people who support capital punishment. Much attention should be paid to the claim according to which death penalty is the only possible punishment for some crimes such as genocide or mass killings. These are the main questions that should be discussed more closely. Death penalty and deterrence of crime The supporters of death penalty argue that this policy can be viewed an effective deterrent of violent crime. To some degree, this argument is based on the premise that individuals always evaluate the positive and negative consequences of their decisions. Therefore, a person is less likely to commit a felony if he/s he knows that this action may lead to his/her death. The validity of this argument has been examined by many scholars. First, they note that many homicides do not entail capital punishment (Fagan, Zimring, Geller, 2006, p. 1803). For instance, one can mention the murder that can be committed in the state of emotional distress or intoxication (Fagan et al., 2006). Therefore, one should not include the statistical data about such felonies when speaking about the deterrent effects of capital punishment (Fagan et al., 2006). In turn, the use of this policy does not contribute the decline of homicides that are condemned by the community.Advertising Looking for essay on criminal law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Among these felonies, one can mention the killings of police officers or children. The main issue is that the use of capital punishment does not deter such felonies (Fagan et al. 2006, p. 1803). Researchers have not foun d any evidence suggesting that the use or abolition of death penalty can influence the level of violent crime in the community. This is one of the details that can be identified. Furthermore, in many cases, the murders that are punishable by death do not involve premeditation or rational choice (Hance Kay, Larson Lewis 2013). In other words, a person does not always consider the consequences of his/her decision which is often spontaneous. These examples indicate that death penalty can deter crime in a society. So, it does not serve its intended purposes. Finally, it is critical to remember the level of violent crime in a community can depend on such factors as the economic situation in the country or unemployment levels, rather than the severity of punishment. This is one of the reasons why this form of penalty should be abolished by the state. Judicial errors Another limitation is the possibility of judicial error. The policy-makers should take into account that even the most impa rtial investigation can miss some crucial piece of evidence that can eventually exonerate a defendant. Additionally, one should not overlook the risks of biased attitude toward a person. In this case, much attention should be paid to such a problem as racial prejudices because they can affect the attitudes of legal professionals. So, in many cases, the outcome is strongly dependent on the accuracy of investigation or impartiality of jurors. In other words, there is always a risk of mistake that can take the life of a person and produce disastrous impacts on his/her relatives or friends. These arguments are supported by scholars who identify the shortcomings in the functioning of the criminal justice system. For instance, one can mention the research article written by Jean Blackerby; this author argues that at least one of ten people executed for a serious felony can be falsely convicted (Blackerby, 2003, p. 1179). In addition to that, DNA tests show that the results of many investi gations conducted in the past were inaccurate (Blackerby, 2003). Very often, people, who are placed on the death row, are exonerated. Yet, it is quite possible that this exoneration will come too late. This is the most crucial limitation of this policy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethical and Legal Standards of Capital Punishment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, one should not forget that the outcome of trials strongly depends on the competency of defense attorneys. They are able to shape the opinions of judges or jurors and identify the limitations in the arguments of prosecutors. However, some people may not afford the services of such professionals. Therefore, it may be more difficult for them to defend their rights in the court. Therefore, it is not possible to disregard the role of social and economic inequalities can create additional difficulties for many people. Additionally, one can sa y that life imprisonment can be a better solution because it reduced the risk of fatal mistakes. The economic costs of death penalty Apart from that, it is important to speak about the economic costs of death penalty. To illustrate this problem, one can look at such a state as California which has to spend millions on the maintenance of death row inmates (Hance et al. 2013). In contrast, the government spends a lesser amount money on people who are sentenced to life imprisonment (Hance et al. 2013). This is one of the points that can be made. One should also bear in mind the executions of death penalty are often delayed. Sometimes, these people can stay on the death row for more than a decade. This policy is critical for eliminating the risk of a judicial error. Many of the inmates can die of natural causes, but the government has to spend more money for the needs of these people (Hance et al. 2013). In the long term, these practices can result in billion dollar expenditures (Hance et al. 2013). Thus, life imprisonment can be a more reasonable solution that legislators need to consider. Furthermore, capital punishment trials are usually more expensive than life-without-parole cases (Hance et al. 2013). Therefore, one can say that the use of death penalty is very expensive, and these costs are not justified. This issue should also be considered by policy-makers because they need to make the most efficient use of tax-payers’ money. Admittedly, economic considerations are not closely related to ethical and judicial questions. However, they form an important part of governmental policies. Capital punishment and retribution However, there are some arguments that can be advanced in support of death penalty. They are based on the premise that a punishment should be proportionate to the crime committed by a person (Finkelstein, 2003, p. 12). For instance, it is not possible to compare the felony committed in the state of emotional distress and the cold-blooded murder of a child. Moreover, one can mention mass killings of people.Advertising Looking for essay on criminal law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, under some circumstances, capital punishment can be viewed as the only possible retribution that should be imposed on a criminal. This is one of the justifications for practicing capital punishment. Moreover, one should not forget about the experiences of victims’ relatives who may believe that death penalty is the only means of restoring justice (McKee Feather, 2008). Additionally, there are situations when the accusations are based on numerous testimonies, video recordings, or other materials leave virtually no room for doubt. The advocates of death penalty can mention such people like Anders Breiwik or Timothy McVeigh who killed more than two hundred people. There are no extenuating circumstances that can be used by defense attorney. Therefore, the advocates of capital punishment can refer to these cases in order to justify this policy. Moreover, one should not forget about such crimes as genocide or ethnic cleansings (Black, 1999). The sentences that were pass ed during the Nuremberg Trials have not been disputed even by the opponents of capital punishment. These are the cases showing that the validity of a death penalty cannot be fully dismissed since there are situations when this form of punishment seems the only possible response of a society to the crimes of a person. Certainly, these situations can be viewed as rare exceptions but they should not be disregarded. Nevertheless, these cases do not justify the use of a death penalty by the society. It should be kept in mind that people, who perpetrate such horrible crimes, may not be deterred by the possibility of capital punishment. The behavior of such individuals cannot be controlled or manipulated. In many cases, they accept the possibility of this outcome. This is one of the details that should be considered. Therefore, one cannot refer to exceptional situations in order to justify the effectiveness of capital punishment. Such an approach can lead to the adoption of laws which may harm people. This is one of the pitfalls that should be avoided. Conclusion Overall, this discussion suggests that the ethical and legal standards of capital punishment still remain a subject of heated debates. Yet, the examples presented in this paper show that the use of this penalty is not effective for the prevention of crimes such as homicide. Moreover, one should not suppose about the costs of these policy. Finally, it is vital to remember about the possibility of a judicial error. Therefore, it is not reasonable to continue this policy. There are certain exceptional cases that can be used to justify the effectiveness of capital punishment. Yet, these exceptions are not sufficient for justifying this policy. More likely, this strategy can victimize many innocent people. Reference List Black, P. (1999). Do circumstances ever justify capital punishment? Theological  Studies, 60(2), 338-345. Blackerby, J. (2003). Life after death row: Preventing wrongful capital convictions and restoring innocence after exoneration. Vanderbilt Law Review, 56(4), 1179-1226. Fagan, J., Zimring, F., Geller, A. (2006). Capital Punishment and Capital Murder: Market Share and the Deterrent Effects of the Death Penalty. Texas Law Review 84(7), 1803-1867. Finkelstein, C. (2002). Death and retribution. Criminal Justice Ethics, 21(2), 12-21. Hance, B., Kay, K., Larson, J., Lewis, V. (2013). Death of the death penalty? An examination of California’s capital punishment system. Journal Of Legal Issues Cases In Business, 10(2), 10-21. McKee, I. R., Feather, N. T. (2008). Revenge, retribution, and values: Social attitudes and punitive sentencing. Social Justice Research, 21(2), 138-163. This essay on The Ethical and Legal Standards of Capital Punishment was written and submitted by user The Hunter to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Indispensable Get

The Indispensable Get The Indispensable Get The Indispensable Get By Maeve Maddox I’ve been amusing myself lately by eavesdropping on people, listening for the use of the word get. I’ve concluded that get is as necessary to English speakers as the verb to be. The most common synonyms for the verb get are receive, obtain, and buy: I get the daily paper. (receive) Next month I will get my first raise in salary. (obtain) He got a 45† television set at the auction. (bought) In his sonnet â€Å"The World is Too Much With Us† Wordsworth uses get in the sense of â€Å"to accumulate wealth†: The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; The verb get has so many additional meanings that I wonder how ESL learners sort them all out. For example, used with the preposition on, get can have at least four different meanings: How are you getting on with your studies? (managing, progressing) Sallie gets on with her mother-in-law. (has a good relationship) At 93, Mr. Biggs is really getting on. (becoming older) Stop obsessing about the past and get on with your life. (continue) Here are a few more uses of get: Don’t get so nervous when you have an interview. (become) How do you get to Carnegie Hall? (reach, arrive at) I can’t get used to your new hairdo. (become accustomed to) So he mispronounced your name; get over it. (forget it, let it go). Now that everyone is in town, let’s get together for dinner. (meet) I know that losing your best friend is difficult, but you’ll get through it. (survive, overcome) I want my neighbor to get rid of his vicious dog. (dispose of) She’s trapped in a dead-end job and wants to get out. (escape) We hope to get away this weekend. (travel, go somewhere else) I’ve tried and tried to master algebra, but I just don’t get it. (understand) Then there are the imperatives with get: Get busy! Get a move on! (Hurry up.) Get lost! (Stop bothering me and go away!) And these two, which have different meanings according to the context: Get out! Get out of here! These expressions can mean â€Å"go away, leave my presence,† as in â€Å"Get out! I never want to see you again,† or â€Å"Get out of here! The dam is about to burst.† Or they can be slang expressions of disbelief: â€Å"You pay only $600 a month for an apartment in Manhattan? Get out of here!† Listen for get in your own speech for a day. You may be surprised by how often you use it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with HeartWhat's a Male Mistress?Woof or Weft?

Human Geography - an Overview (Cultural Geography)

Human Geography - an Overview (Cultural Geography) Human geography is one of the two major branches of geography (versus physical geography) and is often called cultural geography. Human geography is the study of the many cultural aspects found throughout the world and how they relate to the spaces and places where they originate and then travel as people continually move across various areas. Some of the main cultural phenomena studied in human geography include language, religion, different economic and governmental structures, art, music, and other cultural aspects that explain how and/or why people function as they do in the areas in which they live. Globalization is also becoming increasingly important to the field of human geography as it is allowing these specific aspects of culture to easily travel across the globe. Cultural landscapes are also important because they link culture to the physical environments in which people live. This is vital because it can either limit or nurture the development of various aspects of culture. For instance, people living in a rural area are often more culturally tied to the natural environment around them than those living in a large metropolitan area. This is generally the focus of the Man-Land Tradition in the Four Traditions of geography and studies human impact on nature, the impact of nature on humans, and peoples perception of the environment. History of Human Geography Human geography developed out of the University of California, Berkeley and was led by Carl Sauer. He used landscapes as the defining unit of geographic study and said that cultures develop because of the landscape but also help to develop the landscape as well. In addition, his work and the cultural geography of today is highly qualitative rather than quantitative - a main tenant of physical geography. Human Geography Today Today, human geography is still practiced and more specialized fields within it such as feminist geography, childrens geography, tourism studies, urban geography, the geography of sexuality and space, and political geography have developed to further aid in the study of cultural practices and human activities as they relate spatially to the world.

The Differences Between Microsoft IIS Server, Apache Web Server, and Research Paper

The Differences Between Microsoft IIS Server, Apache Web Server, and Other Web Server Hosting Applications - Research Paper Example Web server stores web pages (contain graphics, text, and multimedia) written using mark up language, and they serve static content across the network to a client’s computer web-browser program. The browser and the server communicate using HTTP. A web server provides essential services across the network to both the private users within organizations, or to public users through the internet, and manages network resources. This is usually based on client-server computing, whereby the client represents the user’s workstations, which acquire services from the server. Web servers contain the following components; platform (computer hardware, network operating system, and software), software (receives and processes requests for documents), and information. There is a variety of web servers; this includes Apache HTTP server, Internet Information Services, Lighttpd, Sun Java System Web Server, Apache Tomcat, Xitami, Zues, and Jigsaw server. They possess an IP address, and a dom ain name, both of which are used for request, retrieval, and sending of information to clients and other servers (Yeager, McGrath, 1996). Microsoft IIS Server IIS is Microsoft’s web server, which runs under versions of windows 2000, 2003, and 2008. IIS describes different servers and services responsible for transferring files, supporting user communication, and publishing information. IIS is composed of five components handled by a number of service hosts. It has HTTP capabilities added to the windows operating system and supports the worldwide publishing services, protocols such as FTP service, Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) service, and SMTP service for e-mail. Its operating system supports .NET applications, and it allows efficient addition of internet capabilities that weave directly into the organizations infrastructure (Jones, Brown, 2003). Advantages of IIS IIS improves the performance for both static and dynamic pages. Stability is guaranteed in terms of prote ction of individual processes so that problems with clients or third party application do not result in slowing down or crashing the entire system. IIS enables users to run different applications using the browser, without installation of special software. IIS applications are compatible with a variety of browser software and operating systems, and provide a familiar development environment and model. It provides reusability of components through the ease of access of web classes from subsequent web classes. IIS prevents non-malicious scripts from modifying files through its expanded set of authentication methods, hence guaranteeing security. The IIS has a variety of features including application health monitoring, dynamic content caching (reduces CPU overhead), process isolation (enables assigning applications to different pools), and improved logging. IIS is multithreaded. Disadvantages of IIS The IIS is designed to work under the windows environment only hence limiting its funct ionality, IIS limits users to HTTP only while using Windows XP and Windows server 2003. There are overhead costs incurred in terms of purchasing the product, and installation. Apache Web Server Apache is a program that runs under a suitable multitasking operating

BURGER KING CASE STUDY Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

BURGER KING CASE STUDY - Term Paper Example Experts suggested that the campaign was a clear indicator that Burger King was the favorite burger of the Americans. This is because consumers ate Whopper more often than the other products. The campaign also doubled Whopper sales in the quarter that ended on December 2007. The burger also got a replica of Whopper at Madame Tussauds in the same year. The campaign was able to reach both the old and the young. It was also well received by the advertising and branding experts (Faheem 3). The Pros and Cons of Using Viral Marketing Campaigns to Promote a Product Consumers are capable of spreading online information about services and products to their peers through forwarding e-mail through viral marketing campaigns. Because the information spreads very fast and through the online medium, it cannot be obstructed by geographical boundaries. Therefore, it has the ability to reach many potential customers within a very short time (Dekimpe, Gijsbrechts, and Wuyts 257). Viral marketing assists a business to remain afloat in the competitive business world through a strategy that is easy to incorporate in a defined buyer-society and empower the unattached audience with marketing tips, guidance, and training. The word of mouth idea strengthens the peer-to-peer recommendation of the service or product. It also assists the business to get revenue from local interest in the scheme (Borade 1). There are possible risks linked with the use of viral marketing campaigns. When the message spreads like a virus over the internet, it is difficult to gain control of the process again. Furthermore, because the customers are free to spread any message, it is impossible to control the message they are writing to their peers. When consumers are unable to edit the message, they are less likely to spread the message thus making the campaign ineffective. If the process of spreading the messages gets out of control, it may cause logistical issues such as high costs and slowing down of the Web s ites (Dekimpe, Gijsbrechts, Wuyts 261). Thus, the process can be costly to the company if gets out of control. Factors That Resulted In the Success of the Whopper Freakout Campaign The success of the Whopper Freakout campaign can be asserted by the innovative advertising campaigns that Burger King had run back in the late 1950s. The most successful of all the campaigns was the 1974 â€Å"Have it Your Way† campaign, which motivated customers to order a burger the way they preferred it. In the following years, the fast food company has launched a number of innovative and unconventional campaigns that assisted Burger King in increasing its visibility among the target customers and promote its products. Another factor that can be attributed to its success is the fact the campaign featured a viral marketing website, which was composed of the videotaped consumer reactions. The campaign was also backed by other promotional components such as print, online ads, and TV advertisements. A reputable company CP + B. designed the advertisements (Faheem 3). The Whopper Freakout campaign generated a lot of interest among the target consumers who consisted of the technology savvy youngsters and it quickly spread by the word-of-mouth marketing (Faheem 3). In other words, the campaign made people start talking about the products as they even spread through the internet. Word-of-mouth marketing puts the brand directly into the conversations among

Essay --

It should be necessary to provide hydrogen in an enormous amount at a great price. However, it is possible to accept if hydrogen is produced without CO2 emission because CO2 elimination is energy demanding and costly process related with environment problem, such as greenhouse effect. Unfortunately, currently conventional process of hydrogen production is the steam reforming process which has highly CO2 emission. Currently, approximately 48 % of hydrogen derives from natural gas by steam reforming process, 30 % from oil reforming in the chemical manufacturing and 18 % from coal gasification.3 It replies that 96 % of the hydrogen production derives from fossil associated with a huge amount of CO2 emission. Only 4 % of hydrogen production is come from water electrolysis.4 It also expected that hydrogen production without CO2 technologies are the great wish for the future of a sustainable hydrogen economy. Zero CO2 emissions are possible when the raw materials are from renewable source such as bio-gas. For instance, water electrolysis with renewable electricity and thermo-chemical cycle processes using renewable heat are the representative hydrogen production without CO2 emission.5, 6 However, the cost of hydrogen production using renewable processes is currently prohibitive cost. Thus, a changeover to a hydrogen economy would probably start with hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, especially natural gas (NG). Steam reforming of natural gas process is the most efficient and generally used process for the hydrogen production in commercial field.7 Steam reforming process is basically the transformation of methane and water to hydrogen gas and carbon oxides, and has two main reactions, as shown in Fig. X:7 Synthesis gas genera... ...ches have a catalyst deactivation problem related with the carbon, which come from methane decomposition, can be covered on the catalyst surface. Therefore, it needs the burning process17 or gasifying with steam18 for removing carbon on the catalyst surface. However, gasification or combustion of carbon residues on the catalyst surface causes to produce a huge amount of CO2 as byproduct. So, there have been researched the concurrent production of hydrogen and nanostructured carbon by Ni-and Fe- catalyst for decomposition of methane.19, 20 Also, another group reported the possibility of using carbon materials as catalyst for thermal decomposition.21, 22 They reported carbon catalyst is an environment-friendly method to the production of hydrogen and carbon. Carbon is precious byproduct of the thermal-catalytic process. It could reduce the cost of hydrogen production.

Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy Essay

Hundreds of philosophers existed thousands of years ago. It was a time when the only leisure you could probably do was think, theorize, analyze and discover things. Obviously, two thousand years can change the habit of people and these days, thinking would take a lot of effort. The discovery of new things never stop as people have that urge to continue improves lives. In history and philosophy classes, great thinkers and philosophers were often studied. It is pretty amazing to read their works and come up with such incredible thoughts at that time. Often, they talk about leadership and politics. It was a time when countries are still developed and lands are yet to be discovered so a great leadership was very important. Although we would still analyze and review the philosophers’ works, more often their teachings cannot be applied to the current times. Sometimes change does not only involve technology and advancement, it can also apply to leadership and certain philosophical views. A great factor would involve the changing times. The lifestyle and the culture of the people are much different thousands of years ago. It was a time that women were limited to do domestic chores. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, wrote about what they of women during that time. It was probably a time when the role of women in the society is not defined. Of course, women nowadays are powerful and strong. They have created their mark in the society and gender bias in a lot of major industries is non-existent. That is why a lot of rules and laws cannot be applied to the world today. However, there are still some teachings that can be used up to now. These are the teachings that involve a great perspective in life. Sometimes, an illustrious perspective on life makes a person great. Anyway, the brain is the most powerful organ that is why the mind should take control of one’s lives. Teachings about life are very important that is why some philosophers and great thinkers are idolized and people formed a religion to continue preaching their teachings. One of the members of the long list of philosophers is Boethius. Although not as familiar as Aristotle and Plato, Anicius Manlius Severinus is the real name of this Roman philosopher but he was more famously known as Boethius. Boethius was born from a wealthy and educated family and like any other kids during that time; he studied poetry, mathematics and philosophy. Theodoric, the Gothic King ruling from Italy to Rome, appointed him court minister. Soon, his two sons became court ministers as well. He was a bold and brave man, with thoughts envied by a lot of people. His boldness is what brought him down as he became the object of vengeance of those oppressed. Boethius was known to check in the oppressions of some leaders. He was then accused of treason and was stripped of his dignities. In 524, he was executed in Pavia. While in prison, Boethius immersed himself in writing and there he wrote his greatest work. His masterpiece, The Consolation of Philosophy, talks about random thoughts about nature, justice and evil doings. The Consolation of Philosophy is a work mixed of prose and verse. It is a copy of Boethius conversation with Philosophy during the lonely years of the prisoners’ life. The work was theistic overall but it did not indicate whether the writer was Christian or not. In the Consolation of Philosophy, Philosophy showed Boethius how uncertain earthly fortune is and there is nothing more secure than virtue. Boethius was the last great Roman writer who translated Aristotle’s work. His translations were the sole means of studying Greek philosophy for a long time. His manuals on geometry, music, philosophy, arithmetic and astronomy were used in medieval schools. It may seem that Boethius may be having apparitions in his prison, but these visions came with a great message and a deeper insight. Boethius saw the reason behind his imprisonment and his conversations with Philosophy ended his misery and opened his eyes to better things, better perception. There was more to a great fortune and earthly things. It was probably some of the great things that Philosophy advised him that can still be applied up to the modern times. The first part of the book opens with Boethius having some afternoon thinking and writing when all of a sudden a woman appears in front of her. He described the woman as very beautiful and having a very powerful presence. He distinctively described her dress having embroidered the Greek letter Pi at the bottom and on the top hem, Theta. There was a ladder in between the two letters. She was holding books to her right hand and a scepter in the left. She was the Muse of Poetry. Boethius was currently having one of his many melancholy moments. Tears were trickling down Boethius’ eyes when the Muse of Poetry became angry. She was questioning the existence of sluts in Boethius’ place. She says that they only provide him temporary happiness that will not help him in his condition but instead will worsen it. The Muse of Poetry then pushed away the girls and they left in dismay. Boethius was teary-eyed as they left but eventually the Muse will explain why she did such thing (O’Donnell 21). The first part of the book shows how deserted Boethius feelings was in the prison that he tries to enjoy his self from getting temporary happiness. Apparitions or not, the Muse of Poetry shooed away the cause of all these but Boethius couldn’t help but feel terrible of her act he even questioned her authority. This lesson can still be applied to modern times. Often, when people have problems they are pushed to do band-aid solutions that will give them a short term solution to their problem. It is such an emotional thing to do that people do not even think of the long term effect or even the long term solution to their problem. A concrete example would be poverty. It is a sad fact that poor people are often pushed to do the bad thing. When a person is desperate to get food, he often steals. This solution just makes things more complicated as that person ends up ruining his life by spending it in jail. It is one of the many things that emotions take over and the mind stays behind. People often think of short-term solutions to their problems without considering the long-term consequences of these short-term solutions. The next stanza talks about how the Muse of Poetry consoled Boethius grieving soul. It was very well written with descriptions of how miserable Boethius has been. She assured Boethius that everything was going to be okay and that it was a time of healing not grieving. The Muse narrated how he brought up Boethius—being the great man that he is now. And although his situation may seem to be not bright, these too shall pass for the Muse is there to protect him and assure him that his virtues will prevail in this hardship (O’Donnell 24). This stanza was definitely was of the most touching part of the book. Really, this was the consolation of philosophy and one can’t help but feel for Boethius suffering. He was deprived of the life he deserved yet his imprisonment didn’t stop him from writing wonderful works. The second stanza also hints on the probable religion of the Philosopher—Christianity. The Muse somehow reminds me of Mother Mary and how she would protect her son from danger. It also signifies that the philosopher believes in a supernatural being that is more powerful than the earthly soul. Like any other human being, Boethius was going through probably the toughest battle in his life. And every human goes through that. No matter how driven or optimistic we are in our lives, there will always come a point that we want to give up. What the Muse was trying to communicate was that Boethius was born and made greater than his problems. And that does not exempt us. This made be theistic, but God won’t give us a problem that we could not bear. It is just normal that we feel like giving up at times especially when all hope’s lost but all we have to do is to stick to that goal and the universe will conspire to make life better for us. The next stanza talks about how the night ended and the day started with Boethius describing his physician examining him. The physician turned out to be Philosophy and she narrated how she has been with Boethius all along. She narrated how she started with Plato and Socrates and how she has turned out to be what she is now. She explained to Boethius how she has been taking care of him all throughout his life. The next stanza narrates his conversation with Philosophy. She tested him of the things he knew and welcomed him of her questions. The first thing that Philosophy asked him was if believed that life is full of chances. And he bluntly answered that God governs his creations and everything happens for a reason and he will never abandon His creation. The Philosophy then asked him why he was in such grief when he believes that God knows the best for him. By then, the writer was dumbstruck for he did not know the answer. The Philosophy knew something was missing and she was right. Boethius soon confessed that he was overpowered by grief. He knew the answer but he was just miserable to realize that the answer was just right in front of him. Philosophy then declared that the reason of his sickness is his grief and it was he who created all of those (O’Donnell 28). The following lines were so powerful that one cannot help but relate to Boethius’ situation. Pretty sure every one has gone through that pain. It was a feeling of emptiness and pity. It was as if the world has gone against us and everything is so not going our way. At the back of our minds, we know that something great is lurking around. We just have to be patient as good things come to those who wait. It was also just a matter of believing and working for whatever it that we want. It was a matter of realizing that we are in control of our lives—through God’s guidance that is. In general, the teachings of Philosophy can definitely still be applied to modern times. We all go through trials no matter what time or age we may be. It is just a matter of perspective. And although Boethius didn’t have any material thing left for him, it was his virtue that was more important than anything else. And that applies to all of us as well. Work Cited O’Donell, J. Life of Boethius. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania. Pages, 1996.