Free Speech Essays

Free Speech Essays Free Speech Essay Free Speech Essay Name: Course: Institution: Date: : Free Speech Free speech involves the liberty given to anyone in speaking without being constrained or limited by any authoritative body. The liberty given involves any activity of obtaining, acquiring and distributing information despite the medium being used. In reality, this concept of freedom is not qualified in any state (Shields, 11). This is because there are certain restrictions that are considered based on aspects of obscenity, bribery and insults among others. However, the internet is an extraordinary information source because it is mostly where unrestricted free speech exists. The internet is known for being the most widespread public sphere in which any individual is free to express and share their views. This medium of accessing and sharing information is spectacular because it is impossible for it to be controlled by any restraining policies or standards. The structure of the internet application makes it difficult or impossible to obstruct entirely due to the access to information, except in controlled situations. The controlled situation is whereby the settings of the internet can be manipulated through obstructing access to a particular website or page. However, if one believes in the development of civilization to rely on the freedom of expressing fresh and unique concepts, freedom of speech is considered significant in the society. People who have encountered more experiences of using the internet appear to have a strong sense of belief in the importance of enabling freedom speech (Fielden, 54). This is because the benefits they have gained from those experiences drive them to prove this significance. Aside from providing global access to free speech, the internet also encourages the concept revolving the freedom of speech. Based on this fact, the internet appears to be promoting the value of honesty because genuine decisions are made best when in a free atmosphere of exchanging information. However, the free speech availability could endanger the morals established in a particular society. The information that is being accessed could have content that degrades the moral values instilled in individuals. For example, the internet could contain information such as pornographic content and abhorrent speech that could pollute the minds of children who are not old enough to understand the concepts of immorality (Fielden, 54). Free speech could also contribute to political instability, whereby offensive information is sent between countries. For example, terrorist groups may use the medium for sending threatening information to a particular country and hence, might result to political tension between the involved countries. However, free speech on the internet can be beneficial or positively influential when it involves sharing the appropriate content of information. For example, various businesses, institutions and organizations benefit tremendously because they are able to share information that gives them ideas on how to succeed in their operations (Zuchora-Walske, 35).. In addition, various scholars from educational institutions have the opportunity to share information concerning several areas of study. They are able to exchange ideas and assist one another in understanding the complex subjects including Sciences. Free speech on the internet should therefore not be considered as an issue as long as the access of the content involved is controlled in a manner that ensures the society does not lose its integrity. Fielden, Ned L. Internet Research: Theory and Practice. Jefferson, NC [u.a.: McFarland, 2001. Print. Shields, Rob. Cultures of Internet: Virtual Spaces, Real Histories, Living Bodies. London: Sage Publications, 1996. Print. Zuchora-Walske, Christine. Internet Censorship: Protecting Citizens or Trampling Freedom?Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2010. Print.

Dactylic Hexameter

Dactylic Hexameter Dactylic Hexameter is a very important meter in Greek and Latin poetry. It is especially associated with epic poetry, and so is referred to as heroic. The very words dactylic hexameter often stand for epic poetry. Why Dactyl? Dactyl is the Greek for finger. [Note: The Homeric epithet for the goddess Eos (Dawn) is rhododactylos or rosy-fingered.] There are 3 phalanges in a finger and, likewise, there are 3 parts of a dactyl. Presumably, the first phalanx is the longest in the ideal finger, while the others are shorter and about the same length, since long, short, short is the form of the dactyl foot. The phalanges here refer to the syllables; thus, there is a long syllable, followed by two short ones, at least in the basic form. Technically, a short syllable is one mora and a long is two morae in length of time. Since the meter in question is dactylic hexameter, there are 6 sets of the dactyls. The dactylic foot is formed with one long followed by two short syllables. This may be represented with a long mark (for example, the underscore symbol _) followed by two short marks (e.g., U). Put together a dactylic foot can be written as _UU. Since were discussing dactylic hexameter, a line of poetry written in dactylic hexameter could be written like this:_UU_UU_UU_UU_UU_UU. If you count, youll see 6 underscores and 12 Us, making up six feet. However, dactylic hexameter lines can also be composed using substitutions for the dactyls. (Remember: The dactyl, as stated above, is one long and two short or, converted to morae, 4 morae.) A long is two morae, so a dactyl, which is the equivalent of two longs, is four morae long. Thus, the meter known as spondee (represented as two underscores: _ _), which is also the equivalent of 4 morae, can substitute for a dactyl. In this case, there would be two syllables and both would be long, rather than three syllables. In contrast with the other five feet, the last foot of the line of dactylic hexameter is usually not a dactyl. It may be a spondee (_ _) or a shortened spondee, with only 3 morae. In a shortened spondee, there would be two syllables, the first long and the second short (_ U). In addition to the actual form of the line of the dactylic hexameter, there are various conventions about where substitutions are likely and where word and syllable breaks should occur [see caesura and diaresis]. Dactylic hexameter describes Homeric epic meter (Iliad and Odyssey) and that of Vergils (Aeneid). It is also used in shorter poetry. In (Yale U Press, 1988), Sara Mack discusses Ovids 2 meters, dactylic hexameter and elegiac couplets. Ovid uses the dactylic hexameter for his Metamorphoses. Mack describes a metrical foot as like a whole note, the long syllable as like a half note and the short syllables as like quarter notes. This (half note, quarter note, quarter note) seems a very useful description for understanding a dactylic foot.