What Are the Key Skills that Lawyers Need to Develop Essay

What Are the Key Skills that Lawyers Need to Develop - Essay Example Holborn (2001) notes that it cannot be assumed that all employers look for exactly same aspects; nonetheless, aspiring lawyers have to exhibit certain visible skills to succeed as a barrister or solicitor and to work successfully in the competitive business world.     In recent times, there has been increased emphasis on the need for soft skills among legal profession, and the various legal firm has responded by introducing training courses and programmes to train their lawyers and partners in oft skills (Giusti, 2007).   Soft skills are basically defined as skills that impact the manner people interact with each other (Giusti, 2007). They include effective communication, interpersonal skills, leadership, team building and on an advanced level, career planning, project management and time management. Soft skills are normally contrasted to technical skills, where for lawyers these include, knowledge of the law, legal analysis, legal drafting and legal practice.   Whereas the business world has been using soft skills for a long time, the legal profession only realized the significance of soft skills recently. Soft skills are therefore important in legal field when interacting with current and potential clients, and in the firm when interacting with superiors, juniors and other employees (Giusti, 2007). The legal world seems to have realized that to succeed in his career and employment, a layer needs to understand and effectively use both soft skills and technical skills. It is against this background that lawyers have to learn and master soft skills.   

Destined to Fail :: Free Essays Online

Destined to Fail Imagine having to wake up every morning and going to a broken down old building for seven hours a day. In the building you are forced to complete tasks which are easier in other buildings five minutes away, but since yours is poor you can not, if at all, complete these tasks. The outlook is so bleak that it almost seems as if you are destined to fail. For children in Camden, New Jersey this is school. Students in Camden are faced with an obvious, apalling educational disadvantage when viewed against the suburban Cherry Hill schools which are five minutes away. The crux of the problem with the Camden public schools is the impovershed state in which it attempts to educate its children. The main cause for the destitution in the Camden public schools is the serious lack of funds for educational materials including those for school facilities. The schools are in such dire straits that most do not have the necessary materials with which to teach. Students at times do not even have their own textbooks and science labs lack the necessary equipment to teach lessons properly. If a student is lucky enough to receive a textbook it is either outdated or falling apart. School facilities are also in a state of trouble, many are falling apart or have serious problems which inhibit learning. In Savage Inequalities, by Jonathan Kozol, the malfunctioning heating system not only makes the building extremely hot all year round, but also melted approximately forty of the fifty computers in a lab. Is this the proper environment for education? Would you want to go to a school like this? Disadvantages such as these cause greater problems as students progress in their education. The lack of proper educational materials prevents students from learning. Since it prevents students from passing state mandated tests, they have to spend approximately eight months of the year school year, usually in high school, preparing for these exams. In the long run students only learn how to take the test and spend only two months on material which may spark some intellectual interest. Students do not gain any kind of critical thinking or conceptual framework; they are simply robots which know how to pass a certain test. When viewed against students with whom they will be competiting for scholarships, college acceptance, and future employment, Camden public school students have obviously no chance.

Nature of Humanity Portrayed in Hamlet Essay

â€Å"The destiny of man is to become progressively less human and more humane, less compulsive and more creative, less instinctive and more intuitive, less material and more spiritual. Man’s destiny is to always become more fully divine. † Hamlet shows human nature to be greedy, self-involved and vengeful. Claudius is driven by his own greed to commit murder. Polonius is always looking out for himself. Hamlet thinks of vengeance from the moment he finds out about Claudius killing his father. Human nature has been all of these things, but it has also changed through the ages. We can be cruel, but we can also show great compassion and kindness. Claudius kills his own brother so that he can claim the crown and the Gertrude. He gets rid of a good king to satisfy his greed. He kills his own brother, the good of the country, and the happiness of most of the characters in the play to fulfill his desire of being king. He cares only for himself. Most people at one point or another will be driven by greed. Most humans will not have the desperation that Claudius shows in Hamlet. Greed is part of all everyone. It’s just they way people choose to deal with that feeling or if they feel is what separates many from Claudius. They see something they want and they tell themselves that it is only what they deserve. It is inevitable but we can control it to a certain degree I think. Polonius shows the characteristic of human nature that is self-concern. He is always looking for ways to get closer to the king. He sacrifices his own daughter’s happiness so that he can prove his theories about Hamlet’s madness to the king. Self-concern is another trait that humans cannot seem to avoid. People are constantly thinking about themselves and how things are going to affect their lives. They care deeply for their own well being. Certainly they think about others occasionally, but their own person is always number one in their minds. Vengefulness is yet another human trait. Hamlet’s entire character is changed by his revenge. He starts out as a calm smart young man but the need for vengeance corrupts him, where he is driven only by his need for pay back. Hamlet shows how the desire for vengeance that humans experience can completely change a persons very being, making them totally single-minded. Every person experiences a need for revenge in his or her life but the power to resist that feeling shows a lot more. In the beginning when man lived in caves and used rocks for tools. During this time man had no use for emotions or how his actions would affect someone else, just the will to survive. Man’s nature was to protect himself and his family, and to just live. As man has changed so has his nature. For a certain period human nature involved greed, self-concern, and vengeance. But man has come a long way since then. Along with change came a wanting for learning and justice. I think Shakespeare was trying to show us is how basic human nature is and that acting spontaneously on those emotions does not solve anything. I believe when you grow older and learn upon your decisions many find that doing the opposite of these instinctive feelings prove to have better outcomes. So I do agree that human nature is instinctively and inherently bad but you have the potential to change that.

The Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization Essay - 2566 Words

Abraham Lincoln spoke of prohibition as an â€Å"attempt to control a man’s appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes† (Lincoln). The prohibition and eventual repeal of the prohibition of alcohol taught the United States a valuable lesson about making essentially non-harmful entities illegal. Yet, even today the current prohibition on marijuana reforms has put the United States in a similar situation. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, â€Å"95 million Americans age 12 and older have tried pot at least once, and three out of every four illicit-drug users reported using marijuana within the previous 30 days† (ONDCP). The decriminalization and eventually legalization for the recreational use of marijuana will bring forth benefits in all aspects of life in the United States. Many oppose the idea of marijuana legalization, but there is strong e vidence to support the endless benefits its of legalization. 1. For starters, cannabis is proven to not be a life-threatening drug. 2. Furthermore, legalization will result in enormous societal benefits such as tax benefits, decreased criminal behavior, and the creation of new jobs and businesses. 3. Ultimately, the legalization of marijuana will bring forth safeguards and regulations to help insure the safe use and regulation of the product. Cannabis is not only a modern day drug, but has been used in American cultureShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Legalization of Cannabis in Ohio Marijuana is a controversial topic all across the United States. Recently marijuana has been voted on, legalized, and denied legalization in multiple states. There are still more states trying to fight the green fight for marijuana. The fight for legalization hasn’t been an easy one for cannabis supporters; they have been fighting tooth and nail to make it happen. One of the main concerns in the marijuana debates are whether or not marijuana is a gateway drugRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1282 Words   |  6 Pages On November 8th, 2016, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative may be included on the ballot. The people of California will vote on whether to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults. The move targets at regulating the consumption of the drug and taxing it like other legalized drugs. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 (National Institute of Drug Abuse). The state prohibited any legal actio ns from being taken on patients and recognized caregiversRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization1660 Words   |  7 PagesKyler Smith 9/15 â€Å"Marijuana Legalization† The legality of cannabis varies from country to country. Possession of cannabis is illegal in most countries and has been since the beginning of widespread cannabis prohibition in the late 1930s. However, possession of the drug in small quantities had been decriminalized in many countries and sub-national entities in several parts of the world. Furthermore, possession is legal or effectively legal in the Netherlands, Uruguay, and in the US states of ColoradoRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana Legalization996 Words   |  4 Pages the monetary gain of its legalization for most has been productive to say the least. For example, Denver Colorado is on track to more than triple the marijuana tax revenue this year alone. $44 million was collected in 2014. In July 2015, 73.5 million was collected, while 19.6 million went to schools. A place such as Chicago could really use the legalization to help with the school system infrastructure issues they have. With a deficit of over 1.1 bi llion marijuana sales could alleviate bothRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana1550 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization of Marijuana: Benefits and Statistics The topic of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of controversy for quite some time now not only throughout our local streets, but throughout the local and into the state government. The legalization of marijuana is such a controversial topic because some are for it and some are against it. People are for the legalization because of the great uses it has towards medicine, the money that could come from the taxation of legalized marijuana, andRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana972 Words   |  4 PagesOn January 1st the states of Colorado and Washington officially began the regulation of legal marijuana sales. Thousands of people from all over the country including tourists from Wisconsin, Ohio, Chicago, and even Georgia lined up out front of dispensaries to make a purchase. Recreational marijuana is being regulated and monitored like alcohol; you must be at least 21 years old to make a purchase. The drug, which is controversial in many states’ legislations, is currently l egal for medical useRead MoreLegalization Of Legalization For Recreational Marijuana1204 Words   |  5 Pagescalled Maryjane, Pot, Reefer, Ganga, Green and many other names, but this little plant seems to be causing a big controversy in recent decades. Can Marijuana really help us or is it a problem in the making? This question may seem simple, but in reality, it is more complex of an issue than we think. The opposing sides of legalization for recreational marijuana are so varied with many points of view to consider. Only a few of those views will be addressed in this article with simplified information to speakRead MoreThe Legalization of Marijuana628 Words   |  2 PagesThe Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana, the plant of the cannabis, has been around since the early 1900’s. Throughout history, marijuana has been used illegally, for both recreational and medical uses. Recently, marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes, like aiding HIV/AIDs patients, healing migraines and controlling nausea caused by chemotherapy. Today, there are currently 21 American states that have legalized medicinal marijuana including two states that have legalized recreational marijuanaRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana2735 Words   |  11 PagesLegalism and Marijuana People have been smoking marijuana for thousands of years while also using hemp for everything from fabric to make clothes and other items. Unfortunately, Harry J. Anslinger with a bit of power and enough determination decided pot was evil and addictive. The struggle continues to this day to overcome the lies about marijuana (â€Å"Marijuana (Weed) History and Facts†). There are many benefits to legalizing marijuana and the government should take advantage of it. Marijuana is evenRead MoreMarijuana Legalization1212 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana Legalization COMP 1500 April 20th, 2009 Word Count: 807 Outline I. Introduction Thesis Statement: Although America is the land of the free you do not really have  too many  free choices you can make. Americans  should have  the right to  choose whether or not  marijuana should be legal. II. Background III. The tax benefits that can be created A. If legalized they can tax it how ever much they want B. Can be regulated IV. Drug enforcement money can be diverted

Where The Magic s At - 1900 Words

â€Å"Where the Magic’s At† Each time spent there is different. The people I’m with are different, the conversations, and the adventures. Whether I’m with my extended family, whose first time it was being at Disneyland or with my cousins and friends from youth group, and doing things I’ve never done before. Like riding the horseless carriage, or going to Toon-town and visiting Minnie’s house. Then there was a time where my family had a little vacation and stayed at Disneyland for three days. And then there are the times, that you make a spontaneous decision with your sisters one summer, and decide to get an annual pass, to fill your weekends with things to do. I found myself eating at the Carnation cafà ©, eating the famous Mickey waffle and†¦show more content†¦Next she took the I-605 S and then the I-5 for Santa Ana. Car rides at times can be awkward depending on who you’re with. Sometimes silence fills the air, with its presence. Other times silence doesn’t make itself known. This car ride was different, we chatted away about our favorite rides at Disneyland, how our winter break has been, and how it had been way too long since we’ve last seen each other. Suddenly silence, showed up but not in the way that we expected. Shortly after, everyone was closing their eyes and taking a nap, as we realized that we had a long day ahead of us. Upon this, we arrived at the park at around 8, and were greeted by millions of cars. There were cars from myriads of different places. Cars from Arizona, Colorado, Utah and even London! After what felt like hours, we finally found a parking spot at the Goofy structure and headed down to the escalators to get our bags checked. While we were in line, our older sister pointed out that Cassandra, Grace and I were matching in our green parkas and grey hoodies. We laughed about the fact that Aylin didn’t get the memo as she was donning a brown leather jacket. Thereafter, we embarked on the tram tha t took us to the front gates of Disneyland Resort. Now for those of you who probably don’t know what Disneyland is, its an amusement park located in always sunny Southern California. It first opened on July 17th, 1955. The concept for Disneyland came about when Walt Disney (the founder of theShow MoreRelated Robertson Davies Fifth Business Essay595 Words   |  3 Pagesthe author Robertson Davies is successfully able to relate both the themes of magic and religion throughout. He achieves this relationship between the themes primarily through the characters and their actions. Dunstan Ramsay, Paul Dempster, Mary Dempster and Liselotte Vitzliputzli all help to illustrate the close relationship between magic and religion. One of the characters that Davies uses to relate the theme of magic and religion is Dunstable Ramsay. Dunny was brought up in a Scottish PresbyterianRead MoreThe Planet Jay Comes From The Earth1473 Words   |  6 Pageshuman-equivalent, mortal species are lovek, who live down on Mir and, at the time of Jay s entry into Ryslig, are just starting to venture into outer space. However, besides lovek there are several species that should be discussed in some detail for a proper understanding of the setting. Most immortal species in the setting fall under the umbrella of Spirits, based on the fact they are composed of Spirit (substances relating to magic and the soul) rather than Flesh (you know, meat). The universe is dualist andRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest And Julie Taymor s Film Version Of The Play1424 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tempest and Julie Taymor’s film version of the play is the results of Prospero’s magic. This difference has the effect(s) of the highlights of Prospero’s magic of anger and forgiveness. This paper will demonstrate the representation of Prospero’s magic and what his magic can do has the effect of the anger and forgiveness of Prospero by analyzing the difference of Prospero’s magic in the play and Prospera’s magic in the film, but equally powerful. Alonso, Antonio, Sebastian and Gonzalo has lookedRead MoreSignificance And Significance Of Mythology1743 Words   |  7 PagesIn order to understand the importance and meaning of magic in mythology, it is helpful to try to understand why human cultures create myths. Mythology can refer to the collected myths of a group of people—their body of stories which they tell to explain nature, history, and customs—or to the study of such myths. As a collection of such stories, mythology is a vital feature of every culture. Various origins for myths have been proposed, ranging from personification of nature, personification of naturalRead MoreSummary Of The Night 850 Words   |  4 Pagesso much fear instilled prejudice against magic users that even the peaceful nomads still faced persecution within various parts of his kingdom. He recalled the old woman whom he and Merlin had saved from the pyre in her village. The one who had given him the Horn of Cathbhadh. He knew nothing about her or what she had been accused of, but he d taken the ancient, magical object. Even after being warned, he d still used it without regard for the laws of magic and bringing about near-disastrous consequenceRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials And The Early Civilizations1725 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough the Salem Witch trials are commonly referred to as the start of the witchcraft persecution, witchcraft can be found the early civilizations. Evid ence of this is easily found in the societies that had Shamans or Healers of the village, where healing or blessings were done through spiritual connections. Back then, people were more accepting of it in their daily lives because they depended on it, but things were different in Europe during the Middle AGes. With the added influence of ChristianRead MoreBiography of Mark Zuccerburg Essay example1370 Words   |  6 Pagesall of these powerhouse figures made a compelling mark in the areas of business, health, and sports, none have been more influential in the field of sports than phenom† Irving â€Å"Magic† Johnson. His achievements through sports in these areas’ are outstanding and have changed history forever. In order to understand Magic Johnson’s impact in the sports industry, we must first examine the meaning of influence in the sports arena. How can we effectively measure and understand influence in the sportsRead MoreMeg Murry Should Be Granted Summary Judgement Essay909 Words   |  4 Pagesthe unprotectable elements from the works and asking whether the protectable elements, standing alone, are substantially similar. (knit, Tufenkian). The discerning ordinary observer test must be applied in conjunction with the total concept and feel where after the unprotectable elements are eliminated from consideration an assessment of the total concept and feel of the works at issue. (bOISSON) Only when the alleged infringed work consumes protectable elements does the ordinary observer apply; hereRead MoreWorld Class Athletes : The Best Athlete Of The 20th Century1725 Words   |  7 Pagesstated, â€Å"I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.† Magic Johnson is known for changing basketball by being the tallest point guard to play the game. Also being the first NBA player to come out with AIDS. He is now a successful entrepreneur. George Foreman is one of the most decorated boxers that have everRead MoreMagic Carpet Ride853 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Magic Carpet Ride† The author of â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,† Gabriel Marquez, was a man ahead of his time. The concept of Magical Realism was brought forth in the early twentieth century, but not many people were in favor of it or could grasp the concept. One could compare it to a balanced diet; In the most simplest form, Magical Realism gives an even combination of reality and fairy tales. Magical Realism has different definitions; however, they all relatively share the same

The Most Painful and Hardest Thing I Ever Had to Do.

The Most Painful amp; Hardest Thing I Ever had To Do. Life is full of pain, sorrow and difficulties. Everyone has experienced something very painful at one time in their life. What was the hardest thing was in my life? I asked the question to myself? Nothing in particular came to my mind, but what do I feel when thinking about† the hardest thing and painful† that I never can forget? Sadness and depression comes to mind. Do you know how it feels to lose someone whom we love the most and are very close to us? I know. My Grandma passed away two years ago. One early morning, while we were sleeping, I received a phone call from India (my native country), and I was informed that I had lost my grandma forever. She died of a heart attack.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , all kind of questions and lots of advice! There was a time when I thought why does she tell me things over amp; over? It was so annoying sometimes and I also got mad a few times at her. I did try to explain her that I am not a kid anymore, but it never worked! She always kept worrying about me even after I got married and I was a mother of two girls. Why because she loved and cared about me very much. Nobody pretends to know what is ahead of them in life. Sometimes out of the blue a tragedy may strike anyone. That was the first time I had to deal with the experience of death. It hit me in a way I had never felt before. For the first month after her death I felt so lonely. I could not believe that I would never get to see her again. At that moment I understood what death really meant. It steals the life out of someone’s body and we will never see them again. All we have left are just memories. We can remember the best moments spent together. I will always cherish all the memories which was the best part of my life. And always be thankful of her because she raised me to be a better person. She was a strong, loving, and caring woman and had many things to give to others. Years passed, and the grief became a dull ache instead of a heart wrenching pain. The ache began to fade. Life began to brighten again, and we were able to move on, carrying the memory of our beloved one with us. She is the one whom IShow MoreRelatedMy Hardest Writing Assignment1119 Words   |  5 PagesThe most stressful/ hardest writing assignment. The hardest writing assignment I thought I would ever have to write about would have to be this paper. Not because I have never had a hard writing assignment, but because in fact, I have had many hard writing assignments. What made me think this paper was going to be my hardest assignment was because of all of the complications I had, just to try to start this one. One major complication that I had was that my internet was not wanting to work,Read MoreMy Life Through The World Is What Makes A Man?1721 Words   |  7 Pagesmoments. Every time I see quotes or photographs, I think of all the stores that were tied to them and how these all turned out. These pictures and quotes define the chapters of my life in my ongoing book of life. Starting from my painful times that describe how I made it to where I am today. The pictures and quotes that are above are reminders to myself about how I became the strong, protective, and hardworking individual I am today. When I look at these I see my past and challenges that I was presentedRead MoreMost Memorable Moment1231 Words   |  5 PagesMost Memorable Moment Memories, memories, memories some make you laugh, get angry, even cry but the one thing is for sure they all share a place deep in our hearts. I have so many memories but the one which stands out most in my mind, heart and soul is the memory of my son Alyxaiden Eric Nicholas Cano. He was born Mothers day May 8th of 2011 at 9:50 am, weighing 7 lbs and 6 oz and 19 3 inches in length; absolute perfection. I was in labor with him 7 long painful yet worth whileRead MoreAnd If I Hurt You, Then IM Sorry. Please Dont Think That This Was Easy.1370 Words   |  6 Pages Behind every beautiful thing, there is some kind of pain -Bob Dylan s CD s There s a good side to getting hurt a lot...after a while it just doesn t bother you as much. You can try your hardest, you can do everything and say everything, but sometimes people just aren t worth trying over anymore...they aren t worth worrying about...it s important to know when to let go of someone who only brings you down. I don t know why your heart doesn t do what your mind tells it to. -BrownRead MoreLetter of Confession1428 Words   |  6 Pages~Before I begin this letter, I want you to know that the reason why Im sharing this with you is because I feel that I have to be completely honest about something thats very personal to me. Originally, I wanted to tell you, but I just did not feel comfortable and I did not trust you enough. 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Determinism and Its Moral Implications Free Essays

Drew Lewis 11/13/11 Philosophy Determinism and its Moral Implications Q: There are powerful arguments that there is no such thing as free will. But people in ordinary life tend to presuppose there is free will when they talk about people deserving good or bad treatment, rewards and punishments. Some kinds of rewards and punishments encourage good behavior and discourage bad behavior, so those make sense even if there is no free will. We will write a custom essay sample on Determinism and Its Moral Implications or any similar topic only for you Order Now But what about punishments for crimes that are impossible to deter (like crimes of passion) or rewarding talents people can’t choose to have (like Olympic medals or Nobel prizes for science)? Do these practices still make sense if there is no free will? If not, how would it make sense to change our institutions? Our entire mental state is a product of the chemical and physical properties of our neurons at any given time, and changes are produced directly by communications within the central nervous system and between the peripheral and central nervous system. To be astonished at this fact is to underestimate the design complexity and sheer number of neurons present in the body. To assert there is a magical force called free will is unfounded and illogical. Your mind is governed by the same laws which govern all other matter of which you have no control. Free will, however, remains a popular belief mainly because of its connections to religion and the perception of introspection. When we introspect it is easy to convince ourselves that there is something spiritual inside; our mind is spontaneous, indecisive, creative, and often irrational. These qualities are, for the most part, absent in robotics, which supports a widely held belief that they can’t be synthesized. Determinism simply says that the mind can be predicted like a chemical reaction can be predicted; there is nothing special about our minds which hold them above physical laws. The mind is a complicated construct, and its vast number of interactions with the environment makes it impossible to predict. The simplest computer able to accurately model exactly what will occur in the human mind would be as complex as the universe itself. Because one does not have control over the functions inside one’s own brain, and because the functions in the brain determine thought process, no one has control of their thoughts. Determinism raises a number of interesting moral questions. Determinism is an unpopular theory mostly because its conclusion is misunderstood. Determinists can agree on a type of free will, which is simply defined on an individual acting or thinking in a healthy mental state and without influence. Given this situation an individual can be said to be thinking independently. The individual, according to determinists, has no control over his thought process, but he is, by popular definition, using his free will and judgment. Even if it is intangible, the concept is none the less incredibly important. The complete rejection of free will would have devastating consequences. Without free will humans lose responsibility, and without responsibility humans lose justice, which is the purest and most righteous human construct. The theory of determinism uses logic not based on speculation, and as theories come, it is one of the most foolproof. The important question to me is how to go about recognizing the truth of determinism without allowing it to affect life negatively. No one can say for sure whether complete recognition of determinism would be a good or bad, but I believe there is an overwhelming argument that the rejection of the concept of free will would have disastrous consequences. It brings up the interesting question if it is better to know the truth about something if it has negative consequences. Though I believe strongly in determinism, I treat my actions like I have control of them. This attitude is important for my well-being for numerous reasons. If one does not have control one’s thoughts or actions, are rewards and punishments necessary or even beneficial? The answer is yes. A healthy mind needs rewards and punishments in every situation in order to grow and improve. Reinforcements increase the likelihood of an action and punishments tend to decrease the likelihood of an action. Taking away these vital signals in the brain would cause disaster for the psyche. As a child you are constantly being conditioned. It’s the reason you have the gut reaction to think for a second before making a large purchase. It’s also the reason you work hard in school or at a job. Every time you were praised for a good grade or punished for a bad one, it ingrained in your mind what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ which in turn influences your motivation and attitude. The more reinforcement you receive the better conditioned you are to cope with your environment. We don’t, however, learn simply from reinforcements. A lot of trial and error is saved because we can observe others and learn from them. Everyone tries to emulate those who they see being rewarded the most through a conscious or unconscious attraction to their reinforcement. These people are known to us as heroes. Inversely we also tend to try not to be like villains – those who fail to gain rewards or are excessively punished. This is why it is so important for us to reward athletes and scholars, even though they did not exhibit free will. As children, most people aspire to be firefighters, soldiers, astronauts, or police officers. More than other professions, these are people who are presented to kids as heroes. The sole purpose of rewarding heroes might have the trivial goal of rewarding their good deeds, however it also has the noble effect of inspiring others to emulate them. By taking away the benefit of prestige, excellence fails to stand out from mediocrity. In psychology there is a subject called attribution. It is the study of what people attribute their experiences to. Some people blame themselves for things, and therefore are called internal attributers (as opposed to external attributers). If a person believes that their experiences can be manipulated they are called dynamic attributers (as opposed to static attributers). In order to truly believe that your experience is a result of your actions and that you can also change those actions, you must also believe in a form of free will. Without free will you could not change your actions, nor can you be held accountable for them. Psychology has shown that people who attribute their experiences internally and dynamically are less likely to suffer from depression than all other attribution types. In addition to depression many other types of psychological disorders such as mania are thought to be caused by static and external attribution. Free will is a defining theme in the punishment/reform debate dealing with prisons. If free will isn’t real the American prison system should operate solely for the purpose of reform and the isolation of those determined to be a danger to society. Without free will, punishment is trivial except for its uses as a reformation tool and as a deterrent to those thinking of committing a crime. In the case of life in prison or the death sentence there is no possibility for rehabilitation. If a prisoner couldn’t be rehabilitated using a reasonable amount of resources, a determinist may accept the benefits of a life sentence or death penalty. Life sentences and death sentences are considered positive because they keep people who are dangerous isolated from those they could harm, while simultaneously serving as a warning to others to prevent them from committing acts which could prove them dangerous. It is hard, when comparing the life sentence with the death penalty, which is worse. Whichever causes the least harm to the individual in question would be the best option. I personally believe it is more humane to end a human’s life painlessly (and as soon after conviction as possible) than to keep them locked in a cell until they die slowly of disease. It is likely that our ancestors were predisposed to the idea of free will and were favored because of it. The concept of free will gives you more motivation to hand down reinforcement, whether it is positive or negative, to those around you. It also helps you accept reinforcement from others. The concept of free will is a powerful force that keeps societies working correctly. Our entire legal and social system is based on the concept of free will. Everything in society is interlocking, so if we try to change society to fit the new idea that free will is irrelevant we will find inconsistencies and injustice until a solution is found in a stable society not based on the recognition of free will. Societal upheaval would be ridiculous because it wouldn’t accomplish anything. Judgment using free will is second nature to us as humans. When asked about Hitler, a Holocaust survivor, even a determinist one, wouldn’t say, ‘He did terrible things but it wasn’t his fault because he has no control over what happens in his rain. ’ Determinist ideals can only go so far before they become eclipsed by human emotion; therefore it would be ill advised to try to change society to fit the new theory. As you can see, the theory of determinism has many interesting theoretical implications, but very little actual applications. Its theoretical implications could be the most important, however. Combined with nihilism a nd agnosticism, it forms a rounded view of the universe which is grounded in science and reason without confusion from religion or human emotion. I believe that if philosophers can pursue this track of thought, devoid of spirituality and belief, philosophers can finally make progress in finding real answers. Determinism is still widely misunderstood. I was surprised how many of my classmates did not understand even the basic principles after spending time learning about it. The challenge philosophy faces is to present determinism, and other theories like it in a way which people can relate without losing the true meaning. How to cite Determinism and Its Moral Implications, Papers