Some Issues in Political Science - Assignment Example

Political Science In every community or rather the coming together of people is fuelled by some common view of good whatever it may be but in many instances one may find that for every constituent of a given community there is often the constituent intentions. Therefore when this constituent intents are overwhelmingly good that is through its political class then it is in this, that the highest level of good is achieved. Therefore it is provided that for effective resolution in any query the entire structure should be broken down to its constituent sections. The community is inherently a fabrication of nature. This is vividly observed in the fact that no single individual is self-sustaining or in lay mans terms “no man is an island.” The social trait is a predisposition in every human by nature. In this social setting man is governed by law and justice therefore, virtuous. In an event he discards this it becomes the genesis of havoc, this giving way to injustice, savageness as the beasts, lust and gluttony. In so saying it is therefore clear, for there to be order in the state or community, justice is paramount. With a political disposition, the government is the one that upholds the justice among men. The means towards a good life is where the constituent families in a state live in a happy, honourable, self-sufficing perfect life. This is facilitated by the government. This government is the ultimate authority for all men in the community/state. It is made up of people and subsequently in the hands of one or many individuals depending on the government type. In one whereby it is concentrated round a single individual is referred to as kingship or loyalty. That which, there is more than one but not many rule, aristocracy. However in an instance where the citizens at large govern for the common interest it is referred to in a generic name as constitutional government. In the above forms perversions cannot lack, they are: for the constitutional government, democracy, of royalty, tyranny, of aristocracy, oligarchy. In tyranny the interests of the monarch are paramount in every conceivable respect, for the oligarchy interests are in the wealthy and not the citizenry, for democracy it is in the poor. Though democracy may be perceived as the lesser evil, neither has the common good of all at heart. For each and every leader according to Niccolo Machiavelli a leader that does what ought to be done will instead of maintaining his power undermine it. If a morally straight leader surrounds himself with dishonest and corrupt individuals his downfall is at hand. And so if a leader is interested in maintaing his hold on to power he/she must be ready to be immoral when necessary. Thus, impossible for a ruler to maintain the good qualities eternally due to his circumstances. So one must be shrewd as to exercise virtuousness in some instances while in others vice so as to avoid ruin To a ruler there is therefore, a thin line between generosity and meanness, mercy and cruelty and thus between virtue and vice depending on the circumstances. #2 In this day an age where real time affordable and instant technology, information and communication is readily and easily accessible. The individual and consequently a society is caught up between two quite controversial options that is privacy and the much needed open information. Therefore, the expectations and actual perception of privacy is  changing quite fast. And this is as a consequence of the current developments in technologies used for surveillance. This brings with it the question, if these new and fast evolving surveillance technologies are indeed endangering morals, values and even security of the individuals and the society at large. Surveillance is obviously not a foreign or new concept. It has been applied every since the beginning of time or more acceptably civilization. But by adding the technology variable, in comparison to surveillance in the ancient times and now it has evolved to staggering heights. From listening through adjacent walls, to sifting through garbage, and other archaic modes to the more efficient and comprehensive as tracking ones digital trail, through the cell phone, credit records not forgetting others like medical records. In the book there is emphasis on the varied and complicated slavery forms that were in the southern states of the US. The American south consisted of the typical large plantations to family farm which were smaller in size in comparison to the plantations. In the small households the slaves lived with their so called ‘owners’ in unusual proximities to their “masters”. Nevertheless the supreme characteristic of slavery was terror from above and resistance from those in bondage. This suppression was maintained not only through terror, isolation and brainwashing but through assimilation and accommodation. A part of surveillance is identification. Identity is a significant constituent in the creation of human subjectivity. Their white masters in this era registered, and policed them to great lengths. It was thus within this political setting that identity became one of the pedestals upon which the African Americans waged a class and race tussle. Each and every person has a right to privacy. Therefore, it is impertive that measures be taken so as to address this issues brought about by technology. This advanced and fast evolving technology may pose a threat when ever used for the wrong reasons, but in the right hands can be ultimately quite useful if properly handled. On the other hand, privacy involves not exposing a person in which ever way to other people without his/her go ahead. To every problem there is a solution and tentatively, there is solution to the problems that subsist in infringement of privacy through surveillance. The government’s use of programmes such as Echelon which monitors calls emanating from the US and that are international, searching for key words that may have an impact on national security (86) and the use of software such as the keystroke loggers as spyware. This loggers are usully types of computer software programs which are used to keep track of the records on ones computer. This program can also be used for tracking production in a common workplaces by employers. However, due to such an invaluable role in computers it inevitably ensures that these programs are used as and for spyware. So as to acertain that privacy is secured if it is used for surveillance by our government. The federal law requires favourable amendments in protecting againist the keystroke loggers’ to back proper enforcements. It is necesary to develop advanced technological surveillance systems with which, comes lots of benefits without privacy intrusion. The development of the rapid DNA-based tests and logs that will be very instrumental in the diagnosis of disease. Such tests will certainly help to reveal more about predispositions,geographical variables if any among many others to health professionals. However this are prone to surveilance abuse by pharmacutical companies, and thus, technology system may undermine a persons privacy. Their importance will therefore require the government to make  amendments to the associated laws so as to regulate the patients privacy in this regard. Development of location technologies such as the CCTV’s are also an important solution to privacy in surveillance. For instance in the Tampa hosted 2001 Superbowl the police computer had nineteen hits for people with monor warrants. There are also tracking devices used in cell phones and also in the car navigation systems. These technologies inspite of ensuring that individuals are safe and secure can be used illegally to track a persons movements. Inspite of the fact that the government naturally has a responsibility ensure maximum security and thus may monitor one’s movement. This has to be carried out with in the confines of the law so as to maintain and protect individuals privacy rights in their surveillance. #3 Physiognomy is the study of the static features of ones face which are not related to the individuals emotions but his/her underlying character. It has its ancestry in a very distant past. As early as 500 B.C., Pythagoras was accepting or rejecting students based on how gifted they looked. To Aristotle the individuals with large heads were mean, those who had small face are steadfast, they that have broad faces usually reflected stupidity, and they that have faces which are round showed courage. Lavater goes into great detail of how the face when broken down to its constituent pieces, that is the mouth, eyes, nose, and the brows. When an individual’s nose bends slightly upwards it is read as having a disdainful, superior attitude.- Lavater believes that the profile is the best perspective by which to analyze an individual’s character. Lavater fills his essays with many human faces. Actually this is perceived to have significantly contributed to its popularity. The reason being that such a detail and quality of portraits was quite hard to come by and so cheaply in this period. In addition to this Lavater through his network, it was possible to obtain contributions of some accomplished artist of the time. Lavater in his physiognomy work provided an initial point of such assessment. As one may note through the portraits that were used by Lavater, verge on the caricature. In that the diversity of his portraits that are already in much detail physiognomic and therefore obviously and conveniently emphasizing to a reader the claim of a ‘self-evident’ connection between ones face and his or her character. Lavter’s physiognomic techniques offered a practical approach for negotiating urban existence that is for use in judging others at face value. He built on the premise that each and every human have a predisposition to judge others on basis of the first impression (46). In this light, he decided to pursue this tendency in more detail, this would be by making the necessary observations and deductions to facilitate a trained pysiognomist appraise connection between the “external and internal man” Physiognomic discourses are still and remain relevant today. While we are certain that they’ve changed in that, in contrast to years past one is unlikely to come across a physiognomic racist presentations. However, they certainly remain very central to our perceptions of the others. Lavater tried to apply science so as to bring a better view of peoples morality, instead of showing religion as second or rather submissive to science.in this he operationalizes and champions the notion whereby appearances reflects on one’s innate morality. In his physiognomy Lavater could appeal to the people without infringing on their Christianity. Which was very important in that period.  Read More