美丽心灵 第二次作业 ISSUE 136
TOPIC:ISSUE136
2 b% ?4 Z/ }/ U$ ?! d# ?! o; B"The absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare."
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TIME: 18:47,July21, 2008: _# @5 a4 v4 A% m4 S1 ?
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Is the absence of choice a very rare circumstance? I am inclined to support the idea, primarily because this statement accords with the common sense and our everyday experience as human beings. Besides, the reverse claim that we are not free to choice—serves toundermine the notions of moral accountability, which are critical to the survival of our society.6 d" E- r# _6 y! Y
Our collective life experience is that we make decisions every day. Common sense dictates that humans have free will, and therefore the circumstance of no choice is very rare. In the university, though we are on the simular conditions of intelligence and in the same circumstance, we are making our own choices every minute. The only possible exceptions would involve extreme and rare circumstance such as solitary imprisonment or a severemental or physical deficiency— any of which might potentially strip a person of his or her ability to make conscious choices. Yet, even under these severe circumstance, a person still retains choices about voluntary bodily and movement. I would like to take one of my favorate movie “The ShawshankRedemption” to support my standpoint. Do you still remember the line “Somebirds are not meant to be caged, that’s all. Their feathers are just too bright…” and “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and good things never dies…” If the mind in prison is also free and beautiful, then the complete absence of choice would seem to be possible only in a comatose state or in death.
- R0 N& w1 n: ^3 e7 ?: Q1 n People often claim that life’s circumstance leave them with “no choice”. One might feel trapped in a job or feelings. Under financial duress a person might claim that he or she has “no choice” but to declare bankrupt, taking a demeaning job, having no ways to continue their study, or even lie and steal to obtain money. The fundamental problem with these sorts of problem is that the claimants are only considering to be not viable or attractive.The story of Liz Murray “Homeless to Harvard” just tell the truth of choice. At 15, Liz Murray finds herself living on the streets after her mentally ill,drug-addicted parents falter in their attempts to keep their family together.Instead of crumbling, the troubled teen clings to hope and determination, and works her way up and out of homelessness - all the way to Harvard University.This three-time Emmy-nominated film is based on an incredible true story. Man proposes, God disposes. From Liz’s story we can clearly see that maybe we cannot choose the circumstance, but we can choose how to live. Busying living,or busy dying, that’s it.+ C" p/ t+ F8 A) p F
Besides, on the scientific standpoint, the human beings’ behavior is decided not only by genes, but also by the elements of circumstances he or she living in. During the Second World War, Nazi developed the so called “master race” movement. Moreover, throughout the history monarchs and dictators have embraced determinism, at least ostensibly, to bolster their claim that certain individuals are preordained to assume positions of authority or to rise to the top levels of the socioeconomic infrastructure. The two examples both tell the mysteries of the statement, “no choice” is the autocrats’ lie to decieve the multitude, free will is the first choice by any humanist and in any democratic society.% B6 J' Z/ t8 ~2 R& ~7 k; {1 o
In sum, despite the fact that we all experienced occasional feelings of being trapped and having no choice, the statement is fundamentally correct. I totally support the standpoint that free will is an essential part of our human beings, that humans are responsible for their own choices and actions." [: J0 k8 D: s9 C* @8 {9 J
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[ 本帖最后由 zjydz_2008 于 2008-7-23 09:35 编辑 ]
