Consider the View That Free

Consider the View That Free Will is an Illusion Essay You decide on the chocolate cake confident that you could have chosen the sandwich instead. You were free to do both, but as a matter of fact, you chose to eat the unhealthy option. But were you actually free to choose the unchosen alternative? Many philosophers think that free will is actually an illusion – that the choice you actually made was inevitable. Schopenhauer, for example, argued that for a man to say that he could have chosen an alternative is analogous to water in a still pond saying it could be flowing. Yes, he said, the water could be flowing if that same water were in a river, but given that it is actually in a pond its stillness is inevitable. I will argue that the arguments that purport to show that free will is an illusion are weak, and that we have such a thing as free will. First let us look at the arguments for determinism (here I will understand the determinism being discussed to be hard determinism – the view that our free will is illusory – rather than the compatibilist idea that free will can exist alongside causal determinism). What makes you take the chocolate cake instead of the sandwich? We think that the chocolate taking is the result of our deliberation and that the motive for eating the chocolate cake overcame our desire to be healthy. But what determined or caused us to be the kind of being that preferred the one to the other? It was our overall character. But what caused this? We say it is our upbringing and our genes. Now did we decide upon our upbringing that started the casual chain of events that culminated in the taking of the chocolate? No, so there was no other action that was in fact possible. Think of a snooker ball falling into the pocket. What caused this to happen? It was the combination of its shape, the direction of the cue, and the nature of the table. These factors combined with the laws of physics made the event inevitable. Of course, the snooker ball was not logically required to go into the pocket. There could have been a gust a wind at the crucial moment, but then this other event would have been causally necessary. Other things can only happen if other things which cause these other things to happen occur. So whatever happens is determined. If this is true of snooker balls, why should it be not true of us as well? If we are physical beings, and our brains composed of physical stuff, why should I be not constrained by the same physical forces as everything else? The hard determinist says that there is no reason to believe that we are not subject, like the billiard ball, to the laws of nature. We feel like we could have chosen the sandwich, but given the physical facts about the situation the taking of the chocolate was inevitable. Of course, we could have taken the sandwich if the physical facts were different, but they weren’t! So free will – the sense that we could have done otherwise in the same situation – is an illusion say the hard determinists. We are not free. This is a radical thesis, and if accepted would result in a radical readjustment of our concept of ourselves. And it from this that my first argument comes. According to phenomenalism we should proceed according to this methodology: accept the appearances – accept what you have the most warrant for believing. Descartes, for example, says we can be more philosophically assured of the existence of our own minds than the existence of the physical world. Hence his famous proposition: Cogito ergo sum. Why should the more doubtful propositions of science about the nature of the doubtable physical world take precedence over the immediate data of consciousness? Why should the philosophically disputable over-ride the philosophically indubitable? Physical determinists are committed to this doubtful methodology: let the world, which we cannot prove to exist, take precedence over the mental world whose existence we simply cannot doubt. The phenomenalist like Sartre says the mental appearances are indisputable. We certainly have the phenomenology of the appearance that we could have chosen otherwise. And it is from these certainties that we should proceed. So our freedom is here an inevitable part of our conception of ourselves and no argument from the outside world of physics can over-ride these certainties. Here’s another argument against the acceptance of the idea that free will is an illusion. Kant says that ought implies can. In other words, we cannot be obliged to do something if it is not within our ability to do it. Someone may say that I ought to eliminate third world poverty – that if I do not do so I am guilty of a neglect of duty. But this is unreasonable. It is not within my power to eliminate third world poverty, so it cannot be said that I ought to do so. Of course, if someone were to say that I ought to help to eliminate third world poverty, this is a reasonable ‘ought’ because I can do it. Ought then implies can. The argument proceeds from this presupposition and says that if Eric murders Sam we say that he ought not to have done so. He ought to have done differently – he ought to have refrained from murder. But if determinism is true, then, Eric had no alternative open to him. He was caused by his nature, the laws of physics, and his environment to kill Sam. We cannot therefore say that he ought not to have done it. We cannot expect people to do things that are not within their power to do. Our moral beliefs then presuppose that determinism is false. If we are not free then a morality of oughts and duty is incoherent. Again, we could proceed phenomenologically on this – we are more sure and have more warrant for our oughts than we have for our beliefs in determinism, so moral oughts should over-ride any belief we might be entertaining for determinism. Another argument against determinism says this: if I am caused to inevitably accept the conclusions of an argument then I cannot have been rational to accept the conclusions of the argument. If I am determinist I have to say that my belief in determinism was caused by physical processes. The determinist has to accept that it is true for his opponent. Both are caused by ignorant physical forces to accept their beliefs. But this is self-refuting. The determinist is in effect saying that there is no rationality, so we cannot be rational in accepting or rejecting beliefs. So the consistent determinist cannot say that he is offering reasons for accepting determinism; he must say he is putting in new causal inputs that cause a new belief state to emerge. This seems little better than irrational brain-washing! To conclude: belief in determinism is not warranted. It goes against our fundamental conceptions of ourselves and threatens to make morality meaningless. Moreover, determinism is self-refuting. It says of itself ‘There is no rational reason for accepting me. ’ I cannot rationally accept that which has no rational reason for its justification.

Night by Elie Wiesel and A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay

The autobiography Night by Elie Wiesel contains similarities to A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. These works are similar through the struggles that the main characters must face. The main characters, Elie Wiesel and Lieutenant Frederic Henry, both face complete alterations of personality. The struggles of life make a person stronger, yet significantly altering identity to the point where it no longer exists. This identity can be lost through extreme devotion, new experience, and immense tragedy. Devotion towards another human being must be developed, it does not occur instantaneously. In the autobiography Night, Elie was not so much concerned with the welfare of his family while living in Sighet, Transylvania. Elie goes against his father when it comes to his religious studies, â€Å"One day I asked my father to find me a master who could guide me in my studies of the Kabbalah. ‘You are too young for that’† (Wiesel 4). Just as most children, Elie does not accept his father’s answer. Elie finds his own teacher, Moishe the Beadle. When forced into the struggles of concentration camp, Elie becomes faithful to his father. Elie does not have any friends or family members left. For this reason, his father becomes the reason for life itself. This devotion towards his father alters the reasons for his life’s continuance as a whole. This can be seen as life in the camp continues and Elie develops a selfless attitude. His only concern lies in the hea lth of his loving father. Elie states, â€Å"My father’s presence was the only thing that stopped me. He was running next to me, out of breath, out of strength, desperate. I had no right to let myself die. What would he do without me? I was his sole support† (Wiesel 86). This insta... ...ing identity to the point where it no longer exists. This identity can be lost through extreme devotion, new experience, and immense tragedy. Relationships with the most meaningful companions impact both main characters, Elie and Frederic. Due to the events they must encounter alongside loved ones, Elie and Frederic change completely, losing the identity that once existed. The most impactful events of any life are those that involve struggle and tragedy. Any tragic event that one encounters can significantly alter the purpose of life forever. Tragic events such as taking away what one may hold dearest, such as a loved one in the cases of Elie and Frederic. This type of loss can create a saddened, purposeless life in all humans. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 2003. Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Hill and Wang, 2006.

The man we call Benjamin Franklin

The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast the websites on Ben Franklin’s biography and his autobiography. While disseminating the life of Benjamin Franklin through his autobiography, one learns much about the man. However when disseminating information found in the three websites below, another man slowly creeps out from behind the man already revealed. Which one is the real Benjamin Franklin? While observing the cornucopia of a man one learns that only by the process of comparing and contrasting will one be able to fix a solid face on the man we call Benjamin Franklin. All the websites addressed in this paper share common subject matter yet are different in terms of analytical approach and main focus. The biography by Edmund S. Morgan calls upon the reader to reconsider traditional assumptions about Benjamin Franklin and move away from standardized cliches. While he is best known as the author of the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, and the Constitution, these weren’t his main achievements; furthermore, the documents (with the exception of the Declaration of Independence) didn’t reflect his views and beliefs.However, this shouldn’t lead to the conclusion that Franklin was a not-so-important figure in the American history. Rather than that, the author suggests that Franklin should be applauded for other achievement and traits of character: ‘His was probably the most brilliant mind that most people who knew him had ever met, but he seldom showed it in public†¦[H]is mind would be quietly at work, trying to understand the world and the people he found in it, thinking of ways to make their lives easier’ (Morgan, 2005, para. 4). Edmund S.Morgan believes that one of the major contributions of Benjamin Franklin was through his writings. Also, more attention should be paid to Franklin’s role as an advocate for American interests in England. In general, the biography tries to present a softer side of Franklin’s personality: ‘It may be well at first to dispel the image of him as an overweight scholar peering from his desk over the bifocal glasses he invented’ (Morgan, 2005, para. 8). PBS website also tries to reveal Ben Franklin’s personality to the readers. The website focuses on multiple identities Franklin possessed — both as a public figure and personality.The website glorifies Franklin as Abolitionist, Almanac maker, Advertiser, Balloon enthusiast, Bifocals inventor, Composer, Cartoonist, Civic Citizen, Chess Player, Deist, Diplomat, Daylight Savings advocate, Enlightenment thinker, Electricity pioneer, Experimenter, Entrepreneur, Founding Father, Flirt, Fire fighter, Glass Armonica creator, Gulf Stream mapper, Genius, Humorist, Health nut, Inventor, International celebrity, Insurer, Junto creator, Journalist, Kite flyer, Librarian, Lightning rod inventor, Londoner, Medical Engineer, Militia member, Mathematician, M ason, Natural philosopher, Organizer (militia, fire dept., street cleaning), Odometer maker, Printer, Public relations master, Publisher, Prankster, Questioner, Quartermaster, Quintessential American, Revolutionary, Reader, Scientist, Swimmer, Self-made man, Traveler, Treaty signer, University builder, Volunteer, Visionary, Vegetarian (temporarily), Writer, Weight lifter, Xenophile, Young prodigy, Yankee, Yarn spinner, and Zealot. Perhaps the most interesting out of all these epithets is ‘Quintessential American.’ The website tries to paint a picture of Franklin as a typical representative of the American nation and a symbol of all its virtues and achievements, such as Self-education, Physical Activity, and Moral Perfection. At the same time, the website acknowledges that Benjamin Franklin was no ordinary man, since he possessed outstanding qualities and skills. It is suggested that Ben Franklin helped define the concept of ‘good citizenship’ through his in volvement in and commitment to community on the local level and the nation on the global level:‘Ben Franklin believed that people volunteering together in a spirit of cooperation could accomplish great things. Driven by a strong sense of civic duty, he involved himself in his community and his nation’ (PBS, 2002, ‘Citizen Ben,’ para. 1). The website presents Franklin’s biography in an interactive and engaging way without compromising accuracy and objectivity. The only limitation of this resource is that the information is not well-structured and far from presenting a comprehensive picture.The third website present the most, in my opinion, consistent and informative version of Franklin’s biography. It is structured according to the major periods of Franklin’s life, i. e. ‘Humble Beginnings: Franklin in Boston,’ ‘A True Journeyman: Franklin in Philadelphia,’ ‘A Promise Unfulfilled: Franklin in London,â€⠄¢ ‘Sprouting Roots: Back in Philadelphia,’ ‘A Busy Retirement,’ and ‘The American Patriot: Franklin and Independence.’ Each section of the biography presents all the necessary information without going into unnecessary detail. Another compelling feature of this biography is that it is accompanied with abundant graphical aid. Yet it would be a mistake to say that ThinkQuest presents a dry and scholarly biography of Benjamin Franklin; it offers human touch through little entertaining details about this great man:‘Inspired by his namesake uncle Benjamin, young Ben composed historical ballads (one was about the pirate Blackbeard) that were printed by his brother James in his fledgling print shop. The poems sold well’ (ThinkQuest, 1998, ‘Interesting Facts’). In order to determine how credible a certain piece of information is, it is necessary to analyze the source of this information in terms of legitimacy and possible bia s. Edmund S. Morgan is a well-established historian specializing in early colonial history of America:‘Edmund Morgan has authored dozens of books on Puritan and early colonial history, which are acclaimed for both their scholarly focus and their appeal to a general audience†¦ Morgan, who joined the Yale faculty in 1955 and retired in 1986, has received many†¦honors during his long teaching career at Yale†¦Currently the chair of the board of The Benjamin Franklin Papers—the University's massive project publishing materials related to the Founding Father and inventor—Morgan is now at work on a study of Franklin, who, he believes, is one of the most interesting people who ever lived’ (Gonzalez, 2001).However, excessive admiration with Benjamin Franklin might come as a detriment to impartiality and objectivity — the two essential characteristics of any biographical writing. PBS website has little bias of this kind, however, it is often un clear where the information they are using comes from. There are no references or acknowledgements; no links to any works of Franklin or credible historical evidence is present. While Edmund S. Morgan extensively refers to Franklin’s own works, PBS website presents a simplified and pared-down version of Franklin biography. ThinkQuest is the only website that cites its references in an appropriate way.The authors of the biography acknowledge that they based their writing on such publications as Benjamin Franklin by Carl Van Doren, The Man Who Dared the Lightning-A New Look at Benjamin Franklin by Thomas Fleming, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Ben Franklin Laughing by P. M. Zall, Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father and Inventor by Leila Merrell Foster, and a number of other books and media resources. ThinkQuest is also an interesting information resource since it provides a sound general overview of the historical conditions existing in America in Franklin’s time s.The website offers definition of different historical phenomena that are important for the general narrative, such as King George I, French and Indian War (1754-1763), and other. All the biographies present a certain picture of colonial America: through the life career of Benjamin Franklin, it is possible to understand tense relations between Europe and America, heated debate around the issue of slavery, and the rise of American identity and civil consciousness. However, the most credible source of information on Franklin’s life and times is his autobiography.This autobiography is of great relevance to the modern reader, and not merely for the reason that it provides an insight into the life of Benjamin Franklin. In his autobiography, Franklin shares his thoughts as to the organization of state and society, role of the citizens, position of America on the world’s stage and other matters of great interest and importance even for the modern reader. For example, he expr esses concerns over the clash between religion and civil notion of citizenship, as he recollects that English were trying to plant certain religious ideas in America:‘[S]ince not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc'd, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens (Franklin, 2003, p. 66). ‘As for additional and types of sources, that would give greater confidence in your understanding Franklin, it is necessary to mention Franklin’s writings in the first place. As Edmund S. Morgan (2005, para. 5) correctly points out, ‘[i]n the awesome bulk of his papers, equivalent of 47 fat volumes of print, all available on this website, we can see Franklin whole.’ Additional insight can be gained from reviewing resources dedicated to the American colonial history: greater understanding of conditions and developments of that era can aid the process of enhancing knowledge about Benjamin Franklin as a statesman, scientist, and outstanding public figure. References Franklin, Benjamin. (2003). The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Touchstone. Gonzalez, Susan. (January 12, 2001). ‘Edmund S. Morgan: Sterling Professor Emeritus. ’ Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://www.yale. edu/history/faculty/morgan. html Morgan, Edmund S. (2005). ‘Introduction to the Papers of Benjamin Franklin. ’ Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://www. franklinpapers. org/franklin/framedMorgan. jsp;jsessionid=86AD99C9931B8DF535D2C1CD6A1E6923 PBS. (2002). ‘Benjamin Franklin. ’ Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://www. pbs. org/benfranklin/ ThinkQuest. (1998). ‘The Biography of Benjamin Franklin. ’ Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://library. thinkquest. org/22254/home. htm

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Essay

In the first hundred days of FDR’s presidency he passed fifteen major bills. One of the most famous was the proclamation nationally issued that all banks would be temporarily closed, forming the Emergency Banking Act. Other bills passed in this â€Å"Hundred Days of Action† include the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, the Beer- Wine Revenue Act, the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Home Owners Loan Act. These and many other like bills were the shining light at the end of tunnel for Americans as Roosevelt came into office striving to end the Depression. Fireside chats, which were radio broadcasts, were a way for Roosevelt to connect with Americans on a more personal level while managing to give them a sense of comfort. He was able to give insight to the general public through these broadcasts. He gave Americans hope that things would be better and they put their trust in him. Successful in short term relief, the New Deal did not end the Great Depression but did push the economic circumstances to a higher quality. As far as long term effects are concerned our country’s governmental structure has been forever changed. After the New Deal’s policies were administered a dominant new political coalition was in place, in turn, creating Democratic majority that lasted for half a century. Roosevelt gave Americans something new and different to expect from government and pushed the country toward its post war boom that many say was the â€Å"golden age of American capitalism†. Through the New Deal and his presidency he formed our views and outlook to how the modern American government should and is conducted. Programs put in place by the New Deal gave hope to Americans in this morbid, bleak time. He gave us the layout in which we practice modern government. As said by Roosevelt, â€Å"The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. † He tried and pushed forward through a troublesome, oppressive time that seemed as if it would not ever end. If he had not done so it is unimaginable to think what would have become of our country.

Barbie Doll Poem Essays

Barbie Doll Poem Essays Barbie Doll Poem Paper Barbie Doll Poem Paper English 1B 7 November 2011 Never Enough, Never Perfect, Never Happy Society tells us what we should be, who we should be, what we should look and act like and what is perfect. Too many women try to fit this ideal of what we should be based on media and society in an imperfect world. Marge Piercy is criticizing this in her poem â€Å"Barbie doll†. The poem shows how ridiculous it is the way we try to conform to what society’s ideals are for the perfect woman. And presented dolls that did pee-pee/ miniature GE stoves and irons/ and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy† (2-4). These are all traditional toys for girls but also things that have an influence on a girls identity and essentially put them in their place for their future roles in life. The dolls body image is what to look up to and a role model of sorts for how it is expected you should look to be pretty. The â€Å"GE stoves and irons† (3) show what kinds of things they wil l be expected to do when they grow up. The lipstick shows sexuality and that appearance is the most important of all. â€Å"Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:/ you have a great big nose and fat legs† (5-6). Puberty not only emphasizes the growing up and into a different stage in life because a girl starts her period but also when life can start to be more difficult because this is when kids start to be more mean and more critical of each other. The classmate criticizing her appearance starts a downward spiral into her endless struggle for perfection. â€Å"She went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs† (10-11) shows how she repeatedly we try to gain others approvals and change things to make people happy and when we don’t we apologize for our imperfections. We have such a skewed view at this point that we think it is our fault and that we need to try harder if others don’t see us as the ideal woman in our society. We start to let others perceptions define w ho we are and skew our self-image into something grotesque. â€Å"She was advised†¦/exercise, diet, smile and wheedle† (12, 14) Piercy describes how society tells us what we must do to have others like us and to become the ideal. We must obey, shut up, and have the perfect body image or nobody will love us and we mustn’t love ourselves the way we are we must be continually trying to be someone we aren’t but someone everyone else thinks we should be. â€Å"Doesn’t she look pretty? everyone said. / To every woman a happy ending† (23, 25). These last few lines I think are the most important. You can hear them dripping with sarcasm and irony that only have she has killed herself and destroyed who she is by taking away what others deem to be imperfect is she finally accepted but at what cost? The reality is that it will never be enough no matter what we do because there will always be people who don’t like the way we are and demand that we change if we want to be accepted and so we will keep on trying and trying until there is nothing left of ourselves. We behave based on how others perceive us and we take offense and try to change ourselves when others put us down and try to tell us we aren’t who society says we should be. Marge Pierce describes in her poem how our struggle to conform to society and media can make us self destruct and harm ourselves in that endless pursuit. Stereotypical gender roles in our society dissolve our self-confidence and destroy our self-image. She ironically uses a Barbie doll to describe this as a Barbie is made to look perfect and made to look exactly like what we believe is the ideal for our society in the time that our society is in. The Barbie doll is idealized as a blonde who is attractive but dull, who doesn’t speak up and who knows little other than what she is told to do. Unfortunately, this is not a realistic image for girls today but it is exactly what they are being told is an acceptable role model.

Advantages of Skilled Worker Migration

Advantages of Skilled Worker Migration Doctors Without Borders â€Å"Doctors Without Borders†, written by Charles Kenny, discusses the advantages of allowing skilled workers to migrate from a â€Å"poor† state into a â€Å"rich† state and vice versa. Kenny also states that when medical doctors are allowed to migrate and work in other states it can cause all of the states involved to benifit. His main point in this article is that allowing skilled workers to migrate would boost the global economy and lower poverty rate in lower class states where the individual migrant workers migrated from. Kenny uses key facts regarding migrant workers total income to strengthen his argument. He states that between 1985 and 2005, the amount of foreign high income citizens in a state has jumped to nearly 10 percent. Kenny says â€Å"That’s great news for the rich states that benefit from their skills, of course. But as it turns out, it is also great news for the poor countries the migrants leave behind† . Kenny states that every immigrant on average sends approximately six thousand dollars in remittance per year to their home country. Also when migrant workers immigrate, they increase the trade between the two states by ten percent (Kenny 2). With this remittance, migrant workers can cut down poverty by nearly one third percent in low class countries (Kenny 2). Another fact that Kenny uses to prove his point is the booming IT industry in India. Kenny says that because so much information about technology was transmitted back to India in the 1990’s it has caused over 2.5 million people to be hired for IT work. The final point that Charles Kenny uses in his article is that the United States is moving in the opposite direction regarding this topic. Kenny’s opinion toward the United States and its idea about this article is this, â€Å"It is hard to find a more confused discussion than that surrounding ‘brain drain’. Opposition to unskilled migration is usua lly based on perceived self-interest, the threat of stolen jobs — a misguided fear, but at least a rational one.† Kenny says And at the other end of the degree process, there is growing concern about a â€Å"reverse brain drain,† as more foreign graduates from U.S. schools decide to return home rather than find jobs in America — again, often on account of byzantine immigration rules. Meanwhile, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee has proposed deep cuts to State Department international exchange program budgets that support the Fulbright program, among others. This shortsightedness regarding a program that promotes the talent trade in both directions isn’t just bad news for the development prospects in Africa or Asia; it’s likely to convert into a further erosion of America’s long-term productivity. The idea of doctors without borders has also affected the international system and its main actors tremendously. It has caused an incre asing number of politicians to being favoring immigration and bringing attention to the gains an individual state in the international system can create for itself on the individual scale within the state. For individual states in the international system, this topic draws much interest. Nearly every state in today’s global economy would like to strengthen themselves economically. With the increase of knowledgeable, skilled, migrant workers, individual states citizens will have more inspiration to acquire higher paying jobs. Kenny says that this is possible due to the amount of remittance sent back to a migrant’s home state. â€Å"If the amount of remittance sent to a migrant’s home state was doubled, it would lower the poverty rate and begin to balance the national economy. The amount of money sent back to home countries would triple the amount of foreign aid sent in the past year. This topic also effects individual global state on a more national level. As a growing number of educated immigrant workers enter into a country, non-governmental organizations will be strengthened. Fields of study like healthcare and technology would be improved drastically. For example intergovernmental organizations regarding workers of a skilled background can be strengthened by the increase of skilled migrant workers. In the global scale, the admittance of migrant workers into states needing skilled labor can benefit not just the country with the migrant worker, but the whole global community. On a lower scale, organizations located inside a state can be boosted also. With the increase of skilled migrants, organizations like IDCI’s, NDGO, SCOS, and many other non-governmental organizations can benefit by the increase of foreign workers.

American global supremacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American global supremacy - Essay Example Walters, whom I interviewed for this project. I chose to interview him, my uncle who is going to be 75 in December, because he is a very knowledgeable and shrewd man. He was with the army as a doctor for his entire career until retirement. During his many appointments, he was posted in various countries all over the world and thus was an ideal candidate to elucidate on this topic. I took notes as we had a casual conversation. When I asked him whether he thought America was a ‘superpower’ right now, he explained to me what a superpower is. He said: The superpower is the nation that has a say in the world events and decisions the most. There cannot be a superpower without there being nations who give it that status, just like there cannot be a leader without having followers who want him to lead†¦ Before the 20th century, Great Britain provided tutelage to the world, as it had colonies and followers all over†¦ Look up history, you know, books and biographies and you will see the superpowers the world has seen, rule and then disintegrate. Soviet Union happened just a couple decades ago. However, the world has never been as global as it is now. America was building up to take this position when there was want of hope and optimism in the 17th, 18th centuries. It gained that position, and the acceptance from other nations in the 20th century. When I asked him how America came to be a superpower, he said it was through invention, progress and trade. Americans have always been very open, adventurous and have opted to set up work sites (Steingart) and joint ventures in countries all over the world. American language, food and culture have precipitated world over. From McDonalds to Apple, email to ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S’, American items have penetrated all the cultures of the world in some form. Another very important factor that established the position of the US in the global arena is the US dollar. It has become the global currency for trade in the