Functionalist and intentionalist explanations of mass murder cases Essay

Functionalist and intentionalist explanations of mass murder cases - Essay Example Genocide is thus the result of ideology, as opposed to structure. With the functionalism, it is the opposite – the structures – political, environmental, etc. - are what influences the individual to act, or the group to act. A person might have an ideology that Jews are the cause of the problems of the world, and they must be eradicated, and this is what drove the Holocaust, say some historians, along with Hitler's overall mental problems. Others state that the structure is what drove the Holocaust – the recession that Germany was in, which made the people desperate enough to latch onto the ideas of Hitler. The functionalist argument could also be what explained why the individuals under Hitler, and the groups as well, would do what they did in carrying out the orders. With Rwanda, the functionalist argument is almost the entire argument, as no one individual had the ideology to carry out the genocide. However, if group ideology can be considered in the intention alist argument, then this is one way that intentionalism can be used to explain what happened in Rwanda as well. This paper will explore these two theories, as well as explore how they fit into the parameters of these two tragedies. Intentionalism According to Crane (2007), the theory of intentionalism questions whether all mental states are intentional. Thoughts are intentional, in that they have an object (Armstrong, 1968). Or they might have multiple objects (Husserl, 1901). In other words, people who are thinking are thinking about something – there cannot be a thought about nothing. Since thoughts, by definition, are about something, they are said to be intentional thoughts (Chalmers, 2004). Crane (2007) asks the question of whether there are similar objects for emotions, sensations and perceptual experiences. Crane (2007) also explains what intentional objects are, and the intentional states of mind that are focused upon these objects. If one hopes for something, then t his is an intentional mode. If one thinks of the object in different ways – champagne can also be thought of as sparkling wine, for instance – then this would be considered intentional content. The thing in the mind must be represented in one way or another, according to Crane (2007). Therefore, one must have intentional mode and content (Parsons, 1980). Crane (2007) also asks if the contents of all intentional states are true or false, which means that they are propositional. Or, the contents of an intentional state might be conceptual or non-conceptual (Martin, 2002). This means that the â€Å"state of mind has conceptual content when a subject needs to possess the concepts definitive of its content in order to be in that state† (Crane, 2007, p. 8). Nickel (2007) explains intentionalism as visual experiences that have phenomenology and content. Phenomenology is â€Å"what it is like to have it,† and content â€Å"is how the experience represents the wo rld as being† (p. 1). He states that if two experiences differ in phenomenology, then they differ in content. Or, as Byrne (2001) understands it, one has a representation of a thought, and a sensation about the thought. The representation is the intentional part of the thought (Stalnaker, 1998). The intentional part of the thought may become separated from the sensation, according to some philosophers (Robinson, 1994). Nickel gives some helpful examples to compare and contrast when he speaks about the concepts. He explains phenomenology as being â€Å"

Theory Of Hegemony Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Theory Of Hegemony - Term Paper Example These studies are also concerned with areas like culture, digital and visual culture, cyberspace, and media and economic and super structural social organizations with the core principal of enabling communication are the core of media studies. Various scholars and researchers have come up with theories explaining critical communication and effects affecting critical communication studies this paper will examine hegemony theory and expounds how it has contributed significantly to the field critical communication studies (Anderson, 2006). An analysis of hegemony theory reveals that cultural institutions are significant in power maintenance, in capitalist societies using cultural institutions. Antonio Gramsci who is an Italian writer, political theorist, linguist, politician, philosopher, writer, and sociologist developed hegemony theory. Gramsci is of considerable significance in the founding of Communist Party of Italy and as one of the fop Marxist thinkers, during his regime Gramsci emerged as a distinguished figure in analyzing culture and political leadership. The theorist is known for the contribution to the use of cultural institutions in maintaining power in capitalist societies by use of his theory of cultural hegemony. ... The theorist views modern intellectuals to be organizers and practically minded directors significant in producing hegemony using ideological devices, for example, education and media and not talkers like the past intellectuals. He went further in bringing a distinction between thinking groups and traditional intellectuals; traditional society views itself being a class and a sector of the society while the thinking groups are products from their own ranks. Cramsci holds a view a believe that need for the creation of a working-class culture to serve the main purpose of renovating and to formulate critical of the status quo in the existing activities of the intellectuals. Gramsci could not manage to pursue his education because of financial and health problems as well have his emerging political commitment by that time he had, however, acquired a sufficient knowledge in various fields like history and philosophy. He had also interacted with thoughts from other thinkers like Antonio La briola, Benedetto Croce, Giovannini Gentile and Rodolfo Mondolfo during his studies at the university. Gramsci’s work on writing socialist including Grido dell Popolo from 1914 boost in earning positive reputation as an outstanding journalist, he later join the Piedmont edition of Avant as a co-editor that is for the Socialist official organ. His eloquence and profilic writing on political theories confirmed his ability of being a formidable commentator participating on writing of features concerning the Turin’s social and political life (Anderson, 2006). During this time, Gramsci ventured into education and the general organization of Turin workers while presenting his speech for the first time in