Dance Discourse Community Essay Essay Example

Dance: Discourse Community Essay Essay On May 13, 2016, was my last appearance dancing on stage performing in front of 550 people. I go back to this moment and realize, wow was I really in a discourse community this entire time of my high school career. A discourse community â€Å"testifies to the increasingly common assumption that discourse operates within conventions defined by communities, be they academic disciplines or social groups.† We’re living in a society where possibilities are endless.There’s greatness in every individual; however, one must realize that greatness requires a lot of dedication, sacrifices, resilience, and perseverance. I successfully uphold my role in a discourse community of high school dance drill team. Having the opportunity to express my discourse community within these three essential qualities, gives you a great amount of essence to flow into my mindset of my discourse community and why it dominates me as a person. Dance has transformed me into a leader during my high school years to express a quality of overcoming obstacles of being an inexperienced dancer, advanced terminology and expanding my learning qualities. Have you ever been in a community, or didn’t know 100% sure if you were in a community and asked yourself do you really have the necessary tools to possess qualities in this community? Well these were the numerous of thoughts that were going through a maze in my brain as I joined my community.As a freshman in high school, I tried out for the Illusions Dance Team. It was an exciting time for me, I worked diligently so that I can be part of an extraordinary organization. Although, I worked hard daily, there were dancers who had extensive training, such as ballet and gymnastics. These students started training at the age of 5 years old. They had a tremendous amount of experience. I had no prior professional training. However, I was determined to perform well. On the dance team, I had the opportunity to become an officer. We will write a custom essay sample on Dance: Discourse Community Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Dance: Discourse Community Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Dance: Discourse Community Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Jimi Hendrix vs Kurt Cobain essays

Jimi Hendrix vs Kurt Cobain essays History has always been marked by great music. Every generation has its own unique genre; from classical to swing, people have always found a song or a melody that seemed as if it was written just for them. However, truly great music is created by a certain type of genius. It takes more than the average guy to forge a classic like Stairway to Heaven. Two men in the late twentieth century were such masterminds: Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. While both will live forever in musical infamy, they will remain legends for different reasons. One of the most important factors in becoming a rock legend is bringing about a revolution, opening people to something bold and new. Kurt Cobain, along with his band, Nirvana, changed rock music forever. In a time when music was becoming mass-produced, emotionless muck, Cobain brought about something that was repulsively beautiful and alive. He introduced grunge rock to the world: music filled with screaming distortion, tremendous angst, and overwhelming passion rarely seen from the generation that invented the term whatever. Nevertheless, let us not forget a similar revolution, which took place over a decade earlier. In an era when hippies wandered free and drugs were just mind expanding, another such musical phenomenon occurred. A young black man caught the ear of millions with his awe-inspiring guitar tunes. This man was Jimi Hendrix. Unlike Cobain, Hendrix wrote music to support and inspire his followers, as opposed to creating a method of shock treatment through music . Hendrix created brilliant melodies along with lyrics that touched the hearts of all who would listen. One habit that both musicians shared was the ability to excite and invigorate listeners, especially live audiences. Cobain had the ability to make thousands of slackers stand up and scream for more. Throughout his many tours, Cobain always arrived to a packed venue fi ...

Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Music - Essay Example Mozart’s ability to deviate from this provided the listener a welcome sense of surprise and emotions of the unexpected when listening to his works. All of these factors helped to add to the new and fresh flavor that Mozart’s music brought to his contemporary audience. Likewise, in keeping with his ability to bend and/or break the rules of music, Mozart combined many different styles of music into his pieces, drawing from the breadth and range of contemporary and historical works to augment his ideas. Sonatas generally begin with an introduction. This is shortly followed by an exposition that explores a series of themes. Following this is the development of harmony and texture of the exposition. After a sometimes lengthy development, the piece refers back to a recapitulation of the original exposition. Afterwards the sonata is oftentimes concluded by a coda. Beethoven’s third piano concerto is interesting in the fact that it also broke many of the musical norms that existed at his time. What is of special interest about this piece in particular is the range and modality of the minor keys that are exhibited therein. For instance, the first movement of the piece begins in c minor, the second movement progresses to E major, and the third is in Eb major. What is unique about this is the fact that it is yet another example of how Beethoven broke the â€Å"rules† of composition and music as they existed in the 18th century. Instead of adhering to the rigid structure that defined the concerto, Mozart was able to break out from this and develop upon ideas that had not been previously explored. Although to us, his music is nothing new, to the audiences of that time, the piece was pushing the boundaries of convention. Likewise, as a direct result of his practices, Beethoven helped to shift the dynamic of how music was played and composed by his contemporaries as

Project Management - planning, conduct, administering, and closing Essay

Project Management - planning, conduct, administering, and closing supply chains [sap5] - Essay Example There are companies that successfully manage internal aspects of their supply chain plan. However, external issues create a greater problem, specifically for  small businesses (Kouvelis, Chambers and Wang, 2006). Small firms have smaller network of  suppliers by building relationships and increasing efficiency hence lowering risk. Ordinarily, certain industries experience higher  supply chain  risks. For instance, pharmaceutical and food companies have strong foundation and understanding of strategy for safeguarding against supply chain problems and interruptions. Effective strategies on supply chain management improve aspects of business like operations and customer service. Code of Conduct Responsibility for people and the environment affects supply chain operations. The role of supply chain includes verifying compliance, making demands, and creating long-term relationships with suppliers (Tyndall, 2004). Moreover, it has to support efforts for sustainable improvements. Cod e of Conduct forms the fundamentals of efforts for improving work environment and working conditions for manufactured products. The code comprises demands pertaining environmental impacts and human rights targeting operations, suppliers and manufacturers. The Code of conduct requirements are derived from the Rights of the Child and the UN Declaration on Human Rights. All manufacturers and suppliers should ratify the Code of Conduct so as to be part of the supply chain. The responsibility of Suppliers is in ensuring that their own manufacturers and suppliers adhere to the Code (Kouvelis, Chambers and Wang, 2006). Manufacturers and Suppliers who cannot or will not sign the Code or live up to organizational needs may not be allowed business. The Code requirements include prohibition of child or forced labour, non discrimination based on personal characteristics or beliefs. Workplace health and safety should be prioritized alongside safe and correct handling of waste and hazardous subst ances. Ultimately, the working conditions must be acceptable. Administering Supply Chain Administering supply chain requires performance of cost-to-serve analysis and regular demand. Fundamentals of segmentation are based on profitability of customers, products and demand dynamics. This analysis gives the required information meant to tailor supply chain policies and service concessions meant to raise the overall profitability of the portfolio. The change in the dynamics of demand and profitability in today's quickly changing business landscape has institutionalized a standard cadence. In the recent past, demand has been regarded as a single requirement to reactions of supply chain. Today, demand signals emanates from forecasts, orders, and safety stock coming from different channels such as Web, retail, enterprise and distributors (Kouvelis, Chambers and Wang, 2006). Furthermore, demand signals originate from different customer types where large, highly profitably customers are com pared to small, unprofitable customers. Besides, diverse customers have different fulfilling relationships depending on the service needed, the customer volume and profitability, and customer support channels. One of the problems facing supply chain managers is the dynamics of supply chain cost structures. There is a greater fluctuation on fuel costs, labor costs, and currency exchange rates for low-cost countries. Profitable sourcing strategies will change to

Impact of globalization on the cultural environment of business China Essay

Impact of globalization on the cultural environment of business China - Essay Example China’s economy has shifted from being developing to being the fourth largest economy in the world. This is attributed to the high capital flows across its borders and hence, globalization. Globalization has had substantive impact on the business environment in Chinese organizations. The following paper critically investigates and analyses globalization’s impact on the cultural business environment in Chinese organizations. Globalization is viewed differently by economists and business leaders. According to Lui, Anti-globalists views capitalize on the cons of this phenomenon which include employment insecurity associated by production shifts. Another major minus of globalization is pay cuts due to increased competition associated to opening up local markets to global competition. Lastly, global companies are associated with social injustices in their business practices and unfair working conditions such as slavery and mismanagement of the environment. Pro-globalists maintain a strong view that globalization lead to higher standards of living. They argue that competitive markets lead to more efficiency in resource utilization, elimination of monopoly markets and how it promotes democracy all over the world. To understand what net impact globalization has, it is vital to appreciate that globalization refers to a process based on the formation of a single market of goods, services and factors of productions, including capital, labor, technology and natural resources, covering all the economic regions of all countries. The two main aspects which led to the sudden transformation were sophistication in information technology field and innovation of internet. In this process, national and international markets are combined in to a single complex whole. In the world economy, globalization lead to an increased dependency on different

Economic thought from ancient societies

Economic thought from ancient societies INTRODUCTION The oriental school of economic thought basically deals with the study of the origin of economic thought from various ancient societies including the Hindu, Hebrew, Indian, Roman, Greek, and Islamic societies. It has been observed that the main area looked into by the Hebrews and Hindus was based on agricultural economics and all this information was drawn from the writing of the pious law givers who were present at the time. These ancient writings consisted of ideas on various economic aspects such as: division of labour, cottage industries, forest and mines, trade and trading practices, concept of wealth, transport, banking and loans, etc. Some of the writers who also played a role in the development of this economic thought include Roman writers such as Cicero, Pliny Gato, Varro and Columella. During this period, and until the industrial revolution, economics was not a separate discipline but part of philosophy. Its evolution into a distinct discipline of study in the social sciences can be attributed greatly to these early writers. Roman law also developed the contract recognizing that planning and commitments over time are necessary for efficient production and trade. This large body of law was unified as the Corpus Juris Civilis in the 530s AD by Justinian, who was Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. In Ancient India, Chulavamsa records that Parakramabahu of Sri Lanka had debased the currency of Ancient Sri Lanka in order to produce money to support this large scale infrastructure projects. Parakramabahu also pioneered free trade during his reign. Many of the topics discussed during these ancient times are still prevalent in modern economics, including discussions on the management of a solid and efficient economy and the ethics of economics. These ancient thoughts als o focused on issues of welfare, for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Ancient economic thought is very much wide and its study provides a broad basis for comparison of the ancient approach to economic issues as compared to issues arising in the modern world economies. The large number of ancient thinkers who contributed to this thought differed in beliefs and practices. Also, information on some of these ancient cultural-economic practices is very scanty and thus makes this enquiry into the oriental school of economic thought necessary so as to be able to get a better understanding of the underlying economic issues of both the past and present. JUSTIFICATION With the evolution of economics, many writers have come up with different theories about different areas in the subject. So as to be able to critically assess these different theories and understand the unity which connects us with the ancient times, knowledge on the origin of the early stages of economic thought is necessary for one to be able to take a well informed and unbiased stand on contentious economic issues arising today and hence the need for this study. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To understand the principles and concepts of the oriental school of economic thought. To know the key contributors of ancient economic thought. To evaluate and criticize how the ancient societies carried out their economic activities. To find out the major contributions of the oriental school of thought to the body of knowledge that exists today. To get a clearer understanding of the position of economics as a distinct member of a group of social sciences. Ancient near East Economic organizations in the earliest civilizations of the Fertile Crescent were driven by the need to efficiently grow crops in the river basins. The Euphrates and Nile Valleys were homes to earliest examples of codified measurements written in base 60 and Egyptian fractions. Keepers of royal granaries and absentee Egyptian land owners reported in the Heganakht Papyri. Historians of this period note that the major tool of accounting for agrarian societies, the sales used to measure grain inventory, reflected dual religious and ethical symbolic meaning. The Erlenmeyer tablets give a picture of Sumerian production in the Euphrates valley around 2, 200 2, 100 B.C., and shows an understanding of the relationship between grain and labour inputs (valued in female labour days) and outputs and an emphasis on efficiency. Egyptians measured work output in man-days. The development of sophisticated economic administration continued in the Euphrates and Nile Valleys during the Babylonian Empi re and Egyptian Empires when trading units spread through the Near East within monetary systems. Egyptian fraction and base 60 monetary units were extended in use and diversity to Greek, early Islamic culture, and medieval cultures. By 1202 A.D, Leonardo Pisa Fibonacci use of zero and Vedic-Islamic numerals motivated Europeans to apply zero as an exponent, birthing modern decimals 350 years later. The city states of Sumer developed a trade market economy based originally on the commodity money of the shekel which was a certain weight measure of barley, while the Babylonians and their city state neighbours later developed the earliest system of economics using a metric of various commodities, which was fixed in a legal code. The early law codes from Sumer could be considered the first (written) economic formula, and had many attributes still in use in the current price system today, such as codified amounts of money for business deals (interest rates), fines in money for wrong doing, inheritance rules, laws concerning how private property is to be taxed or divided, etc. Ancient Greco-Roman world Some prominent classical scholars assert that relevant economic thought was based on metaphysical principles which are incommensurate with contemporary dominant economic theories such as neo-classical economics. However, several ancient Greek and Roman thinkers made various economic observations especially Aristotle and Xenophon. Many other Greek writings show understanding of sophisticated economic concepts. For instance, a form of Greshams law is presented in Aristophanes Frogs, and beyond Platos application of sophisticated mathematical advances influenced by the Pythagoreans in his appreciation of flat money in his Laws: (742 a-b) and in the pseudo-Platonic dialogue, Eryxlas. Bryson of Heraclea was a neo-platonic who is cited as having heavily influenced early Muslim economic scholarship. The influence of Babylonian and Persian thought on Greek administrative economics is present in the work of Greek historian Xenophon. Discussions of economic principles are especially present in his Oeconomicus, his biography of Cyrus the Great, Cyropaedia, Hiero and Ways and Means. Hiero is a minor work which includes discussion of leaders stimulating private production and technology through various means including public recognition and awarding of prizes. Ways and Means is a short treatise on economic development, and showed an understanding of the importance of taking advantage of economies of scale and advocated laws promoting foreign merchants. The Oeconomicus disc uses the administration of agricultural land. In the work, subjective personal value of goods is analyzed and compared with exchange value; Xenophon gives an example of a horse which may be of no use to a person who does not know how to handle it, but still has exchange value. In Cyropaedia, Xenophon presents what in hindsight can be seen as the foundation for a theory of fair exchange in the market which will result in the analysis of better fit or suitability to either party who wants to purchase the same item. Xenophon discusses the concept of division of labour, referencing specialized cooks and workers in a shoe making shop. Marx attributes to Cyropaedia the idea that the division of labour correlates to the size of a market. Roman law developed the contract recognizing that planning and commitments over time are necessary for efficient production and trade. Ancient India Chulavamsa records that Parakramabahu I of Sri Lanka had debased the currency of Ancient Sri Lanka in order to produce monies to support his large scale infrastructure projects. Parakramabahu I also pioneered free trade during his reign, a war was fought with Burma to defend free trade. Chanakya (c. 350 BC 275 BC) considered economic issues. He was a professor of Political Science at the Takshashila University of Ancient India, and later the Prime Minister of the Mauryan Emperor, Chandragupta Maurya. He wrote the Arthashastra (science of material gain). Many of the topics discussed in the Arthashastra are still prevalent in modern economics, including its discussions in the management of an efficient and solid economy. Chanakya also focuses on issues of welfare, for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine and the collective ethics that hold a society together. The Arthashastra argues for an autocracy managing an efficient or solid economy. The qualities described are in effect that of a command economy. It discusses the ethics of economics and the duties and obligations of a king. Chanakya writes on the economic duties of a king: The king shall be ever active in the management of the economy. The root of wealth is economic activity and lack of it brings material distress. In the absence of fruitful economic activity, both current prosperity and future growth will be destroyed. A king can achieve the desired objectives and abundance of riches by undertaking productive economic activity. Ancient China Ideal and effective economic policy was long sort for in ancient China, one of the greatest early reformers being the Emperor Qin Shi Huang (r. 221 BC 210 BC), who standardized coin currency throughout the old warring states once he unified them under a strong central bureaucracy (which the Zhou dynasty had always lacked). However, one of the greatest reformists in China lived during the medieval Song dynasty (960 1279 AD), that being Chancellor Wang Anshi (1021 1086 AD). Wang Anshis political faction of the New Policies Group enacted a series of reforms that centered on military reform, bureaucratic reform and economic reform. The economic reforms included low cost loans for farmers who he considered the backbone of the Chinese economy in terms of production of goods and the greatest source of the land tax. Replacing the corvee labour service with a tax instead, he enacted government monopolies on crucial industries producing tea, salt, and wine, introduction of local militia to ease the budget spending on the official standing army of one million troops and the establishment of a Finance Planning Commission staffed largely by political loyalists so that his reforms could pass quickly with less time for conservatives to oppose it in court. Medieval Islamic World To some degree, the early Muslims based their economic analyses on the Quran (such as the opposition of riba, interest) and from Sunnah, the sayings and doings of Muhammad. Early Muslim thinkers, Al-Ghazali (1058 1111 A.D.) classified economics as one of the sciences connected with religion, along with metaphysics, ethics and psychology. Authors have noted, however, that this connection has not caused early Muslim economic thought to remain static. Persian philosopher Nasir al-Din-al-Tusi (1201 1274) presents an early definition of economics (what he calls Hekmat-e-madani, the science of city life) in discourse three of his ethics: the study of universal laws governing the public interest welfare: in so far as they are directed, through cooperation, toward the optimal (i.e. perfection). Many scholars trace the history of economic thought through the Muslim world, which was in a Golden Age from the 8th to 13th century and whose philosophy continued the work of the Greek Hellenistic thinkers and came to influence Aquinas when Europe rediscovered Greek philosophy through Arabic translation. A common theme among these scholars was the praise of economic activity and even self-interested accumulation of wealth. The influence of earlier Greek and Hellenistic thought on the Muslim world began largely when Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun, who sponsored the translation of Greek texts into Arabic in the 9th century by Syrian Christians in Baghdad. But already by that time numerous Muslim scholars had written on economic issues, and early Muslim leaders had shown sophisticated attempts to enforce fiscal and monetary financing, use of deficit financing, use of taxes to encourage production, use of credit instruments for banking, including rudimentary savings and checking of accounts, a nd contract law. The origins of capitalism and free markets can be traced back to Caliphate where the first market economy and earliest form of merchant capitalism took root between the 8th and 12th centuries, which some refer to as Islamic capitalism. A vigorous monetary economy was created on the basis of expanding levels of circulation of a stable high-value currency (the dinar) and the integration of monetary areas that were previously independent. Innovative new business techniques and forms of business organizations were introduced by economists, merchants and traders during this time. Such innovations included the earliest trading companies, credit cards, big businesses, contracts, bills of exchange, long distance, international trade, the first forms of partnerships and the earliest forms of credit, debt, profit, loss, capital (al-mal), capital accumulation (nama-al-mal), circulating capital, capital expenditure, revenue, cheques, promissory notes, trusts, startup companies, savings accounts, transactional accounts, pawning, loaning, exchange rates, bankers, money changers, ledgers, deposits, assignments, the double entry bookkeeping system, and lawsuits. MAIN FINDINGS After going through the history of the oriental school of thought in the previous section, the following economic aspects come out clearly as having been discovered and practiced by these early thinkers: The Concept of Production and Technology Ancient leaders stimulated private production and technology through various means including public recognition and awarding of prizes to successful inventors and producers. Economies of Scale Ways and Means was a short treatise on economic development written by Xenophon, which showed an understanding of the importance of taking advantage of economies of scale in production activity and advocated for laws promoting foreign merchants. Administration of Agricultural Land Agriculture was considered the most dignified occupation. In ancient India, the state took a leading part in developing agriculture and also demanded a fixed share of the gross produce. Price system The early law codes from Sumer were the first (written) economic formula, and had many attributes still in use in the current price system today, such as codified amounts of money for business deals (interest rates), fines in money for wrong doing, inheritance rules, laws concerning how private property is to be taxed or divided, etc. Grain and Labour Inputs Relationship The Erlenmeyer tablets gave a picture of Sumerian production in the Euphrates valley around 2, 200 2, 100 B.C., and showed an understanding of the relationship between grain and labour inputs (valued in female labour days) and outputs and an emphasis on efficiency in production. Output of Work The Egyptians measured work output in man-days. Monetary Units The Egyptian fraction and base 60 monetary units were extended in use and diversity to Greek, early Islamic culture, and medieval cultures. By 1202 A.D, Leonardo Pisa Fibonacci use of zero and Vedic-Islamic numerals motivated Europeans to apply zero as an exponent, birthing modern decimals 350 years later and hence the development of monetary units. Value Subjective personal value of goods was analyzed and compared with exchange value. Xenophon gave an example of a horse which may be of no use to a person who does not know how to handle it, but still has exchange value. Theory of Fair Exchange Xenophon presented what in hindsight could be seen as the foundation of a theory of fair exchange in the market which will result in the analysis of better fit or suitability to either party who wants to purchase the same item. Division of Labour Xenophon discussed the concept of division of labour, with reference to specialized cooks and workers in a shoe making shop who specialised in different tasks. Free Trade Parakramabahu I pioneered free trade during his reign, this is evident because a war was fought with Burma to defend free trade in ancient India. Welfare In India the leaders insisted on ensuring that the population as a whole has to be well looked after. For example, Chanakya focused on issues of welfare, for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine and the collective ethics that held a society together. Standardized Coin Currency Emperor Qin Shi Huang of Ancient China, standardized coin currency throughout the old warring states after he unified them under a strong central bureaucracy. Low Cost Loans For Farmers In Ancient China Wang Anshis political faction of the New Policies Group enacted a series of reforms that centered on military reform, bureaucratic reform and economic reform. The economic reforms included low cost loans for farmers whom he considered to be the backbone of the Chinese economy in terms of production of goods and the greatest source of the land tax. Land Tax This was a source of revenue for the Ancient Chinese government from farmers, because during that period agriculture was the main driver of the economy. Fiscal and Monetary Financing The Muslim leaders enforced various policy measures including fiscal and monetary financing, use of deficit financing, use of taxes to encourage production and use of credit instruments for banking. Banking The early Muslim leaders had shown sophisticated attempts indlucing rudimentary savings and checking accounts, and contract law. Monetary Economy Between the 8th and 12th centuries, which some refer to as the period of Islamic capitalism, a vigorous monetary economy was created on the basis of expanding levels of circulation of a stable high-value currency (the dinar) and the integration of monetary areas that were previously independent of each other. SUGGESTIONS The social organization manifested by the ancient civilizations should be critically looked at and applied to solve some socioeconomic problems still present today, especially in the developing nations. The organization of government and formulation of policies during the ancient times leaves a lot to be admired. Governments of the modern economies should pick some of these values. The concept of politics being looked at separately from economics and policy formulation should be followed in todays modern economies for faster development and equality in the distribution of wealth. Welfare economics should be taken as seriously as it was taken in ancient times. For example, during periods of drought or famine, governments should not let particular groups of people suffer and instead they should distribute the available resources to the entire population. CONCLUSION Theres no question or doubt as to whether ancient economic philosophies are still in extensive use today. The modern economy has evolved over centuries to become what it is today. The study of the history of economic thought enables the student to appreciate the contributions various writers have made to development of economics as a discipline. Although ancient economic theories were sometimes unclear, contradictory, or presented in a rudimentary manner, they form the basis of economic analysis today. These theories are still being used today by the worlds largest and most complicated and sophisticated economies. BIBLIPGRAPHY Falgas, Matthew E.; Zarkadoulia, A. Effie, (2006). Arab Science in the Golden Age (750-1258) and Today. The FASEB Journal 20(10): 1581-1586. Hosseini, S. Hamid (2003). Contributions of Medieval Muslim Scholars to the History of Economic Thought and their Impact: A Refutation of the Schumpeterian Great Gap. S. Lowry (2003). Ancient Medieval Economics. In Biddle, Jeff E.; Davis, Jon B.; Samuels, Warren J.A Companion to the History of Economic Thought. Malden, MA: Blackwell pp. 11-27. Schumpeter, Joseph (1954). History of Economic Analysis. New York, Oxford University Press.

Voltaires Candide as Vehicle to Discredit Optimism Essay -- Candide e

Voltaire's Candide as Vehicle to Discredit Optimism   Ã‚   Optimism was an attractive to many because it answered a profound philosophical question: if God is omnipotent and benevolent, then why is there so much evil in the world? Optimism provides an easy way out: God has made everything for the best, and even though one might experience personal misfortune, God (via your misfortune) is still helping the greater good.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Voltaire's experiences led him to dismiss the idea that this is the best of all possible worlds. Examining the death and destruction, both man-made and natural (including the Lisbon earthquake) Voltaire concluded that everything was not for the best. Voltaire uses Candide as the vehicle to attack optimism. Pangloss is meant not to attack Leibnitz, but rather optimism as a philosophy. Thus the reader cannot forget that all of Pangloss's ramblings are not Voltaire's personal attacks on Leibnitz, but in some way represent a characterization of the "typical" optimist. Pangloss, writes Voltaire, "Proved admirably that there cannot possibly be an effect without a cause, and that in this best of all possible worlds the Baron's castle was the most beautiful of all castles and his wife the best of all possible baronesses" (Voltaire 2). Thus we have established Pangloss as the champion of optimism.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet just as quickly, Voltaire points out the absurdity of this doctrine. "Observe," says Pangloss, seeking to demonstrate that everything has a cause and effect, "noses were made to support spectacles, hence we have spectacles. Legs, as anyone can plainly see, were made to be breeched, and so we have breeches" (Voltaire 3). The sheer stupidity of these illogical conclusions will likely... ... Candide respond, in closing, to his friend the Optimist?    "That is very well put, said Candide, but we must cultivate our garden" (Voltaire 75).    Works Cited and Consulted: Bottiglia, William. "Candide's Garden." Voltaire: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Durant, Will, Ariel Durant. The Story of Civilization: Part IX: The Age of Voltaire. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1965. Frautschi, R.L. Barron's Simplified Approach to Voltaire: Candide. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1968. Lowers, James K, ed. "Cliff Notes on Voltaire's Candide". Lincoln: Cliff Notes, Inc. 1995. Richter, Peyton. Voltaire. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1980. Voltaire's Candide and the Critics. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1996. Voltaire. Candide. New York: Viking Publishers, 1998.