Aristotle’S Philosophy. One Of The Greatest Philosophers,

Aristotle’s Philosophy One of the greatest philosophers, Aristotle, continues to impact our society today. His theories are easily applied to ethical situations in business, and especially in accounting. Philosophy studies ideals of the meaning of life, truth, and knowledges. When in challenging situations ethics influence choices. Ethics are a crucial as we use them daily in all affairs, business and personal. Our ethics direct us to choose the most ethical solutions, even in events there is no one right or wrong answer. In this situation weighing the benefits of the different options and their outcomes assists in choosing the best course of action. Brief History Greek philosopher, Aristotle, was born 384 B.C. in northern Greece. His†¦show more content†¦In other words, in order to be of good moral character one must behave morally in all things. Ethical Practices In the end, Aristotle’s teachings show us the difference between a virtuous and non-virtuous life: A life that is good and right in the eyes of men: A life that is just and fair rather than unjust and greedy. It all boils down to how a person behaves in society determines whether that person is truly happy with the outcome and ultimately how they have lived their lives. For greed is the downfall of many, yet I am almost certain it was never their intent to hurt others but rather how to increase their way of living to the fullest. However, the collateral damage can be felt company wide, as stakeholders lose their investments, employees lose their jobs, and suppliers feel the sting of lost revenue, and money owed them. Ethical Conduct In order to protect the interests of many, ethical conduct should be of the utmost importance. Companies should have a mission statement and policy that set the expectations for both management and personnel alike. Companies must screen and hire ethically sound individuals who can mirror their own goals with the company’s expectations. When companies leave this important step out ofShow MoreRelatedForms and Causes: Philosophies of Aristotle and Plato Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle and Plato are two of the most influential philosophers in history. Plato was Socrates’ greatest student and in turn taught Aristotle. In time, Aristotle became Plato’s greatest student. Together Aristotle and Plato, along with Socrates, laid the groundwork for what we now know as Western philosophy and science. Plato, in addition to being a philosopher, wrestled at the Olympic level, is one of the classical Greek authors, mathematicians and the founder of The Academy, the first higherRead MoreAristotle s Contributions Of Western Philosophy1124 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the greatest classical Greek philosophers still known is Aristotle. 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However, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, he believesRead MorePlato vs. Aristotle: Virtue1656 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 12, 2013 Anna Umstead Plato and Aristotle, arguably two of the most influential Greek philosophers, discussed their differing views on virtue extensively throughout many of their works. Although they agree that virtue is a desirable characteristic that will lead to happiness, the ultimate good, there exists between the two philosophies salient differences. While Plato believes only philosophers are capable of true, inherent virtue, Aristotle believes all men can be virtuous with practiceRead MoreThe Main Controversies of Medieval Thought in the 12th and 13th Centuries1050 Words   |  5 Pagesfought to preserve tradition, others fought to destroy it, while still others sought to find a common ground between the two. The greatest controversy of the times, it can be said, was that of faith and reason. Most philosophical debate revolved around these and to a lesser extent the opposition of realists and nominalists on the question of universals. The type of philosophy that was being taught in the Christian s chools of the time has been given the name of scholasticism. Scholastics shared a commonRead MoreBoth Plato and Aristotle are among the most influential philosophers in the history. Socrates was900 Words   |  4 Pagesmost influential philosophers in the history. Socrates was another famous philosopher who greatly influenced Plato. Plato was the pupil of Socrates and later Plato became the teacher of Aristotle. Although Aristotle followed his teachings for a long time, he found many questionable facts in his teachings and later on became a great critic of Plato’s teachings. Since Aristotle found faults in Plato, hence their work is easily comparable as it is based on the common aspects of philosophy. In this paperRead MoreEssay on Philosophy1146 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophy Philosophy started when human beings started to ask questions, about how and what things are actually, due to curiosity. The things that caused these questions to come about were the people started to realize that everything isn’t exactly what it appears to be. Philosophy started in the town of Miletus, many early philosophers came from here. The philosophers started their work around 585 B.C. Thales, one of the early Miletus philosophers, left no writings behind, all we knowRead MoreEssay on The Life and Achievements of Aristotle1194 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle was born in 384 BC. In Stagira, a small town northern Greece. He had one older brother and one sister. His father, Nicomachus, was a doctor. His mother, Phaestis, came from the island of Euboea. She was wealthy. Owning a house which later remained in the family after she married Nicomachus. There are hardly any personal details of Aristotle because he lived so long ago. The little details we know are mostly from a Greek Historian named Diogenes Laertius. In his book he said that AristotleRead MoreThe Principles Of Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, And Immanuel Kant1555 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough the study of arguments in natural language. It deals only with propositions that are capable of being true and false. Modern logic descends mainly from the ancient Greek tradition. All three philosophers; Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, and Immanuel Kant theorized the question of what is logic. The greatest and most influential of Platos students was Aristotle, but the works of Aristotle do reflect his teachings from Plato but unlike Plato, Aristotle was concrete and practical. Aristotle definedRead MoreWho is Aristotle?763 Words   |  3 PagesAristotle is remembered as one of the greatest philosophers of all time. His ideas on human nature, life and death, politics, and other great topics have laid the foundation for our world today. Aristotle not only succeeded in the area of Philosophy, but in the studies of History, Government, Politics, Drama, and to this day he is known as the father of Biology and the sciences. His many great ideas of the world and how we should live our lives were rarely challenged by others in his time because

Lady Macbeth Is Far More Evil Than the Witches Essay

Lady Macbeth is far more evil than the witchesâ€Å"Lady Macbeth is far more evil than the witches. Do you agree? * Lady Macbeth plants the idea of murder in Macbeth’s head; however the witches only tell Macbeth the prophecies. * In the end, the witches are against Macbeth’s murders by tricking him into thinking that he is unbeatable meaning justice would be served – however Lady Macbeth does not try to serve justice. * Lady Macbeth is the reason of his corruption however in the end it is completely his choice whether he is to commit a murder or not. Lady Macbeth is far more evil than the witches; however Macbeth is more than just a dagger in her hand. Reasons for this statement are that the witches simply tell Macbeth the†¦show more content†¦The witches, knowing that he would understand this term incorrectly, did this in order to make Macbeth finally become beaten in combat so the rest of Ireland will be at peace again. The motive behind this seems somewhat just full, as Lady Macbeth had no intention of trying to somehow stop or convince Macbeth that his murders have become out of hand. This making it fair to say that the witches intentions are actually less evil than what Lady Macbeth’s intentions were. Macbeth is in fact more than a just a dagger in Lady Macbeths hand. In the beginning, Lady Macbeth does influence and plant the idea of murder into Macbeth’s head. She taunts him and plays on his manhood which forces him to commit the evil crime of murder to achieve his ambition to be king. However, as time progresses, Lady Macbeth begins to feel ashamed of the crime she had helped commit and Macbeth continues to commit the crimes by himself without shame and without telling his wife, Lady Macbeth. Though Lady Macbeth may have planted the idea of murder into Macbeth’s head, Lady Macbeth has intended to do no more harm and murder than what Macbeth had turned out to commit. In saying this, it was actually Macbeth who had set out his own plans of murder in the end and Lady Macbeth had nothingShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of The Witches In Macbeth1395 Words   |  6 Pages In the novel Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is told his prophecy by the three witches, mysteriou s, secretive creatures, who we are left to develop our own vision of. Witches are known to represent evil, envy, and are always the villains of the story. In this novel, they are illustrated very similarly. In the beginning of the story, we learn that the witches are somehow associated with the weather, can cast spells, and like to take revenge. Macbeth pays the witches a visit to ask for hisRead MoreThe Struggle Between Good and Evil in William Shakespeares Macbeth1379 Words   |  6 PagesGood and Evil in William Shakespeares Macbeth The play Macbeth was written during a period in history where in society many people believed that evil spirits were at work amongst them. Public hangings and drowning of suspected witches were frequent and the play Macbeth reflects this time in history. It is immediately made clear from the first scene that the play will involve dark and evil spirits. The disturbing weather conditions that accompany the witches show theRead MoreThe Downfall of Macbeth by William Shakespeare1258 Words   |  5 Pages The play Macbeth is set around the rise and the fall of the protagonist, Macbeth. The audience perceives that there are a number of culprits that have caused his eventual down fall, such as Lady Macbeth, the three witches and Macbeth himself. We cannot ignore the thought that each of the factors has played a fairly notable role yet only one is truly responsible for setting off the tumultuous cycle of the play. Personally, when thinking over the causes and consequences I have come to a consideredRead MoreThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth Essay996 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth In the play, Shakespeare used the witches to represent the supernatural, evil, a destructive force and an inversion of natural order. At the time the play was written, people believed this, and feared witches. People believed that witches had the power to change the weather and other special powers such as predicting the future and the power of flight. In Act 1 SceneRead MoreOverview of Macbeth1746 Words   |  7 PagesNot surprisingly, Macbeth has received volumes of critical commentary over the years. Not only is the play an audience favorite, but its complex characterization, deeply woven themes, and characteristic Shakespearean style make it rich ground for scholarly inquiry. Critics such as Harold Bloom have remarked on the importance of Macbeth in the context of Shakespeare s works. In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Bloom writes, The rough magic in Macbeth is wholly Shakespeare s; he indulgesRead MoreShakespeare s Macbeth - Ambition1585 Words   |  7 PagesAmbition in Macbeth Ambition is a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. In Williams Shakespeare s Macbeth the characters Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have a strong desire to ascend the throne and they are determined to do whatever it takes in order to achieve this goal, including deceiving and killing those they are closest to. The zeal of ambition predominately persuades both characters actions in Macbeth. Lady Macbeth portrays how the forcesRead MoreThe Fall of Macbeth in William Shakespeares Play Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fall of Macbeth in William Shakespeares Play In the play Macbeth, the audience may notice that there are three main contributors to the fall of, Great Macbeth, to the dead butcherer. These three are, the three witches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Although they all have their vital roles to play, it is Macbeth who the audience would more easily see is the main contributor. Although Macbeth is the main contributor the witches and Lady Macbeth both play a significantRead MoreEssay about Macbeth by William Shakespeare1466 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth by William Shakespeare As part of my GCSE English Macbeth coursework, I had to analyse how Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth to murder Duncan, with a detailed reference to Act 1 Scenes 5, 6 and 7 and Act II scene 1. Also, I needed to consider the events and themes of the play so far, the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and the nature of their relationship. At the beginning of Act 1 scene 5, Lady Macbeth is alone on stage with a letter, a letter fromRead MoreMacbeth: Witches Influence on Macbeths Decisions1278 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth: Witches Influence on Macbeth s Decisions In the Shakespearean play, Macbeth, the witches influence on how Macbeth made his decisions played a crucial part in contributing to his eventual destruction. The witches were trying to create chaos by prophesying to Macbeth in order to get him to act. They planted the seed of evil in Macbeth s head that grew to dominate his mind. But it was Macbeth who made the choices that determined his fate. He was not forced to kill Duncan nor any of hisRead More How does Shakespeare Exploit the Supernatural for dramatic Effect in Macbeth1375 Words   |  6 Pagesand Lightening. This creates an atmosphere of dark and evil and anticipates something frightening. There are three witches, casting a spell, as Shakespeare shows through the use of rhyming couplets at the end of lines. In addition to this, he uses the syntatic parralelism to suggest that everything is not what it will seem. Fair is foul and foul is fair. This warns the audience so that they can make predictions of what will happen in Macbeth. A Jacobean audience and Shakespeare?s contemporaries

Unfair Distribution free essay sample

Resources in the world are distributed differently amongst different people. The developed countries are granted with more resources than the developing countries such as countries in Africa. They have to of thrive on the resources of their own countries, most of the time they have no resources at all that can be useful. North Korea has a lack of food and because of that they support their families by eating grass, while the people with power and wealth get sufficient food and clean water. In Africa people have to bathe, drink and use the washroom in the same river. E Coli and other harmful bacteria are also in these rivers which makes them sick and surprisingly the diseases that kill those people can easily be cured in Canada and other developed countries. Not only that, but they have a lack of water, no electricity and proper health care. Some of these people have never even of electricity or a computer. We will write a custom essay sample on Unfair Distribution or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These people are living like the people in the olden days. This is all because of poverty and their lack of wealth and power. All of these tragedies are now o be practised as unfair distribution of resources. Water is a form of life. Without it, survival would be impossible. So how would the world react if this vital resource were depleted? Currently, 97. 5 percent of the Earths water is salty with only 2. 5 percent left as fresh water. We are lucky to be in Canada and have many fresh water lakes and facilities to clean our water from impurities . People in Africa have very few fresh water sources. These people cannot afford clean water so they drink from filthy rivers with their own feces. Over 2 million hildren die each year from impure water and diseases that can be cured with the right medicine. Statistics say that people regardless of age, wealthy or poor need at least 20 litres of clean water each day. These tragedies only happen to poor people because of their shortage of wealth and power. Many of them have to travel long distances in order to get water. We are lucky have our water in our homes. People in Africa witness and live through this every day. They only do this for survival and to help their children have a slightly better life than themselves. Computers, laptops, TVs were created due to the existence of electricity. It created these items and a lot more. It is unimaginable to have a shortage of this resource because of the place we live in. As hard as it may sound, people in developing countries have very little or limited electricity. Those who are poor have never even heard of electricity. Without this resource you never have been able to go on a computer, turn on a light or even turn on the tap. This happens because of the lack of educated people to install electricity. The people who live in these remote areas dont even have enough money to get enough food so how can they have the money to get electricity. These countries dont have enough money to buy nuclear hydroelectric plants. This relates with water filtration systems. This is partially the people are dying from impure water. Now as a result they must boil their water or drink the impure water. Our technology is far advanced from most countries and countries like Africa care about the survival of their people than the installation on electricity. Health care is really valuable to us and we have it everywhere near us. We are very fortunate to have health care. People in 3rd world countries are not so fortunate and they do not have enough walk in clinics. Sometime they dont get to see a doctor at all; this is all because of the lack of power, wealth and simply Just selfishness. We take for granted the heath care service, we cry about getting a needle or whine about not going for our yearly check-up. Some people dont even see the doctor for years. People in Africa die each year from diseases that can be cured with medicine. People like them are lacking in wealth but they continue survive and live on. The opposite of poverty is not wealth, but it is Justice. That is what these people deserve. Living like the pioneers, drinking dirty water and being illiterate doesnt stop them from being unhappy. If we really show sympathy to these people than that is what their reflection should be like. Resources such as water electricity and health care are what we take for granted. Treat others the way you want to be treated. This one statement summarizes all the problems and how they can be solved.

SM Megamall free essay sample

No matter what happens in the world of human beings, it happens in a spatial setting, and the design of that setting has a deep and persistent influence on the people in that setting. – Edward T. Hall, The Hidden Dimension Traditionally, architecture was viewed as a passive expression of a culture or society’s beliefs, experiences and aspirations; as monuments of the Zeitgeist spirit of the age; or testament to a particular artist/architect’s vision or genius. There is, however, a growing awareness of how architecture, particularly its space, signifies, organizes, and determines social structures and relations. This alternative view is called Proxemics, which the anthropologist Edward T. Hall defines as â€Å"the interrelated observation and theories of man’s use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture. † In this paper, SM Megamall is studied, not so much in its formal or stylistic aspects, but in its semiotic and proxemic aspects. We will write a custom essay sample on SM Megamall or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Emphasis is placed on space, following Hall’s assertion that â€Å"spatial experience is not just visual, but multisensory. † Furthermore, the building will also be studied as a phenomenon, in context of its larger sociohistorical setting. A. SEMIOTICS: SM Megamall solves the problems in interior lay-out and in maximum use of space encountered in the earlier SM City (North Edsa). Megamall (opened June 28, 1990) is a long, enormous six-level structure pierced at the ground level by an auxiliary road. SM City also has a large area space, but it is composed of three separate buildings: the Main, the Carpark and the Annex. The Megamall, however, has greater visual impact because its two Buildings A and B are built in one long line and are actually connected in 5 of its 6 levels. Outside, the 5 two buildings look like one big block because of the streamlined design that unifies them, emphasizing the sheer horizontality of the architecture. Inside, the longitudinal plan maximizes space. With shops lined on both sides of long and narrow balustrated corridors, it gives the impression of a six-level â€Å"court† that looks out to the artificial trees and wroughtiron tables and chairs in the ground level aptly named Gardens. Each building is illuminated by a long skylight that nearly spans its entire length. Lighting is one important factor which enhances spatial experience and helps create different moods. The sunnilylit corridors signify a more open, warm and relaxed atmosphere than the artificially lighted SM Department Store. In the same way, the dimness caused, by soft, muted lighting in several small shops and restaurants has a different effect (coziness, quiet elegance) from the dimness one finds in the lower ground level which is lighted by sleek orange and red neon bulbs. Probably the best example of how space and lighting create the right ambiance is the Silverscreen level (Bldg. A). This level has 12 cinemas in 2 groups of 6. From the warmly lit corridor one enters a smaller corridor, dimly lit by round clusters of tiny amber lights, has a dual function: it serves as a transition area that accustoms the eyes from the larger, brightly lit corridor outside, to the darkness of the cinema inside (and vice versa); at the same time, it psychologically prepares the moviegoer for the act of seeing a film. It is a â€Å"rite of passage† – in the literal sense – in the ritual of film-watching: from light to dimness to darkness, then from darkness to dimness to light once again. 1 Ma. Cecilia Tuble, â€Å"SM Megamall: Semiotics, Proxemics and Phenomenon,† Arkitekturang Filipino: Spaces Places in History, CDROM (Manila: Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining, 2002). Art Studies 2: Art Around Us | AY 2013-2014 | 1st Semester | Prof. Roberto G. Paulino 42 Names of spaces are also important signifiers of meaning. Silverscreen (Bldg. A) and Boulevard (Bldg. B), both found on the third level, bring to mind American pop culture: Hollywood, Broadway, Sunset Boulevard. In fact, the sign indicating Silverscreen, as well as the signs of each cinema are illuminated by lightbulbs all around them, reminding one of the marquees in America. Promenade (4th level) signifies a more leisurely way of life, as one slowly takes in the art galleries, old books, and cozy specialty restaurants. The implications here is that one must be rich to be able to afford these pleasures in the first place. On the other hand, the lower ground level is called Festival, and the varied sights, sounds and. smells coming from the video games, rides and court (fastfood stalls) evoke a typical Pinoy fiesta or market day. Each level not only has a name, but a symbol or sign as well. Thus: 5th level: Summit 4th level: Promenade 3rd level: Bldg. A: Silverscreen 3rd level: Bldg. B: Boulevard 2nd level: Colonnade Ground: Gardens Lower Grounds: Festival These symbols indicate the particular levels: they can be found as lighted signs along the walls of corridors 2nd etched on the glass railing. Even the lighting designs of each level echo their symbols. For example, colonnade has lights that echo the three-columned symbol, while the lights in Boulevard are similar to its semicircular window sign. Likewise, the lower round level is illuminated by wavy neon orange lights that evoke the fluttering pennant symbol of festival. Now if we read the â€Å"sign of the sign† we discover certain signifieds. The pentagram symbol of Silverscreen alludes to the world of film with its â€Å"movie stars. † The fluttering symbol of festival recalls the bright and colorful buntings of celebrations, fiestas and carnivals. And where else can we find gardens (with its leaf symbol) than on the ground level, and Summit at the topmost level? Furthermore, Summit is symbolized by a stylized mountain. These significations are not arbitrary but are based on our psychological experiences of leaves, trees close to the earth and mountains as high places: the top, apex, summit. B. PROXEMICS: This brings us to the next point to consider, that of space as definer of social relations. Thus, we do not only look at names and symbols but also at shops and units – the substance in space – located on these levels. Again, what they signify is based on our psychophysical experiences, what Robert David Sack calls â€Å"biological oppositions and asymmetries. † One of the most persistent arid important oppositions is that of up–down. According to Sack: We value ‘up’ differently from ‘down. ’ Our normal erect posture allows us to see from above and is attained by pushing upward against the universal downward pull of gravity. This effort, and the vantage in the visual field that comes from verticality, makes us feel differently about up than down in general the front and up are positively evaluated. Up is heaven, down is hell: up is light, down is darkness. And what do we find on the â€Å"up† floors (4th-5th levels)? At the 4th level we find art galleries (Gallery Genesis, Finale, Pacheco Art Gallery, etc. , along a corridor called the Artwalk); Fine Dining, most of which are specialty restaurants (Mother Sachi Vegetarian Restaurant, Saisaki, Vietnam Food House, Sukuothai, etc. ) and interiors Phil Italia, A E Lamps). Everything here connotes affluence, wealth, class: from the rich and expensive materials used (wood and cloth versus the cheaper plastic in fastfood restaurants at the lower levels), to the uniformed waiters and costumed hostesses, to the very names of the shops: Aristocrat Interiors, Heritage Art Gallery, Dona Nena’s Restaurant. Art Studies 2: Art Around Us | AY 2013-2014 | 1st Semester | Prof. Roberto G. Paulino 43 In contrast, let us look at the â€Å"down† floors: the ground and lower ground levels. On the ground level find the more â€Å"popular† names or labels like Esprit, Benetton, Giordano, Cinderella. While in the lower ground level we find not only video games, an ice-skating rink, amusement rides, but- also shops or stores that cater to more practical, mundane concerns: fabrics, repair (Heel/Sew), photography (YKL, Island Photo), package delivery (Fax and Parcel), and hardware (SM Workshop). Thus we begin to discern how these spaces, by their relative positions on the up-down hierarchy, signify different values, concepts, statuses. The â€Å"up† floors, with their art galleries, interior decor shops, exhibition spaces (5th level) and fancy restaurants connote â€Å"high† culture, class, affluence, breeding. On the other hand, the bottom or â€Å"down† levels signify low-brow, â€Å"mass culture,† â€Å"intellectually light† pursuits and concerns. The question is: who determines these social structures? According to Engr. Emmanuel Mating, Building Administrator of Shoemart Megamall, it is Shoemart which assigns store space, following certain principles. Thus we find Booksale (second-hand books) at the lower ground level, Goodwill Bookstore (popular fiction, etc. ) at the ground level and old Manila (scholarly publications and old/rare books) at the 4th level. Likewise, The Sale Club and Surplus Shop are located at the lower ground level, and #8 Saville Row and Silvia Santos or Vida Doria are found on the 2nd level. But levels are not only signifiers. As Sack puts it: â€Å"perception of space (is) based on a coordination of the senses, through sight, hearing, smelling, touch, and so on. Variations in the degree to which the senses participate create different experiences of space. † The signifiers are therefore relational, and we must deal with the spatial experience as totality that is not only visual but multisensory. Thus, the lower levels are noisy, overcrowded and visually overwhelming – in fact, one is in danger of sensory overload in these levels. The contrast with the upper or top floors is stark: here silence reigns, and shops ate less decorated, with just one or two items on display in their shop windows. These stores reflect-the â€Å"high culture† snobbery of the levels by putting distance – an air or reserve, aloofness and even disdain – between the customer and the store: if one has no money or â€Å"class† one would think twice about walking into such intimidatingly formal structures. These levels are obviously the â€Å"reserves of the rich,† and like an exclusive club, one must first claim a pedigreed membership in order to belong. But what about the middle (2nd and 3rd) levels in this hierarchy? The establishments here are more diverse, and so they signify their social standing by the exterior and interior designs of their shops. Some shops are more friendly and casual with their open doors and loud, arresting window designs that seem to crowd and overwhelm. Other shops look like they would prefer the top levels: they have wood paneling, marble surfaces, glass doors that are opened and closed by uniformed security guards. Their windows highlight only a few clothes or items, with symbols of wealth and breeding as decorations: bottles of wine, framed oil paintings. Even the choice of names is significant. On the second level we find a row of shops with Italian sounding names that evoke wealth, â€Å"high culture,† and even Renaissance art: Vincci, Portofina, Linea Uomo, Viva. It is not surprising that two restaurant located on the same level are Angelino’s and Dulcinea. It is also significant how art galleries are located on the 4th level. Art here, therefore, is equated with wealth and â€Å"class. † In John Berger’s words, it is: a sign of affluence: it belongs to the good life; it is the furnishing which the world gives to the rich and beautiful but a work of art also suggests a cultural authority, a form of dignity, even of wisdom: which is superior to any vulgar material interest: an oil painting belongs to the cultural (furthermore, it) says two almost contradictory things at the same: it denotes wealth and spirituality: it implies that the purchase being proposed is both a luxury and a cultural value. But what could be higher than art? The few shops and already present in the still largely vacant 5th level (Summit) give us an idea of how rarefied the air that is breathed in there: there are large exhibition spaces that showcase the latest trends and innovations in the marketplace. There are also the exclusive shops that pander only to the richest of the rich, such as a salon exclusively for hair-straightening (Freshaire). One suspects that this will soon be joined by other salons offering to cure such life-threatening maladies as wrinkles, varicose veins, baldness and eyebrow misalignments. At Art Studies 2: Art Around Us | AY 2013-2014 | 1st Semester | Prof. Roberto G. Paulino 44 the Summit of Megamall, such vanities are, literally, the height of materialism. So what does this highest level of SM Megamall reveal? It reiterates the central theme of the mall: capitalism and consumerist materialism. These two concepts, placed in the context of a third-world nation, have deeper implications, which will be discussed later in the paper. C. PHENOMENON The phenomena of malls as establishments that offer everything and anything, simultaneously affirm and negate the concepts of Post-Modernism. SM Megamall affirms the Post-Modern concept of pluralism and eclecticism by the presence of varied, hybrid styles in the shops and even in the building itself. Yet it negates the very idea by its function and claim as a â€Å"Center† of human activity. Megamall has everything: from the department stores, individual shops, supermarket, to amusements and entertainment, to the more â€Å"intellectual† activities and pursuits such as art exhibits, lecture-demonstrations, cultural shows. As such, the Mall can only exist in a capitalist culture that emphasizes and celebrates money and the power to acquire. The Megamall is a temple of â€Å"conspicuous consumption† where all come not so much as to buy, but to admire and imagine all varied delights money can buy. In an illuminating study of West Edmonton Mall, Tracy Davis links the shopping center’s antecedents not so much with architecture but with theater: from the theatrical entertainments of the fifteenth century to the urban arcades, trade fairs and expositions of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Whatever their actual forms were, these â€Å"suburban pleasure resorts† offered an almost unlimited number of products and services, and combined â€Å"commercial space with leisure pursuits† – all in the name of capitalist/consumerist pursuits all in the name of materialism. Indeed, the very structure of the Mall is that of large environmental theater, the â€Å"classic amusement environment design,† a wraparound theater where the spectator is completely enveloped in fantastic and illusionary atmosphere, and where the only escape is the usually difficult to find exit. † SM Megamall is thus inward-oriented, with most of its shops and units facing the central court. Like the West Edmonton Mall, it is a land of fantasy and illusion: both offer a â€Å"tour around the world† through a sampling of various countries’ cuisines. Moreover, in cold and wintry Alberta, West Edmonton Mall boasts of a Waterpark with 2 suntan decks, 20 waterslides and a wave pool. In hot and sunny Manila, SM Megamall has its fantasyland version in its Ice-skating rink and snow-machined playground. Art, too, takes its place in this business of mass entertainment and its role, however, is not new, since fine art exhibitions were already present in the urban arcades of the 1770’s(? ) On the other hand, what is clearly a 20th century phenomenon is the dynamic influence of mass-media and popular culture – both disseminated in the mall – on art. If indeed, shopping centers are â€Å"theatrically inter-active museums of the present,† then museums are artistic theme parks, pleasure-domes of mass spectacle and entertainment. Like Department stores, museums reproduce art in every conceivable form and market it as another consumable commodity. Put in the context of a poor, third-world country, the implications of the mall as temple of capitalist/consumerist materialism turn insidious and ideological: The first implication is the Mall as Grand Illusion or Fantasyland. While West Edmonton Mall and other first-world shopping centers serve as escapes into/from a dull, predictable suburban life outside, SM Megamall provides a more insidious escape from harsher incongruities and contradictions of shanties, brown-outs and other manifestations of a third-world existence. Every weekend, provincial and tourist buses disgorge hundreds of tourists to pay homage to this â€Å"pilgrimage center where performances, goods, services and ideologies are displayed and exchanged. † The second implication is the illusion, on one hand, of SM Megamall as a great equalizer – it appeals to all kinds of people from all walks of life. On the other hand it creates, defines, structures social distinctions and relationships, what Richard Sehechner calls â€Å"behavioral strips,† through levels and space: a static hierarchy in an age when traditional social classes or distinctions are no longer exact or fixed, but blurred and fluid. † Thus it struggles to Art Studies 2: Art Around Us | AY 2013-2014 | 1st Semester | Prof. Roberto G. Paulino 45 keep its hierarchy by keeping the â€Å"mass culture† in their â€Å"proper low spaces† and making the traditional reserves of the rich as inaccessible as possible. And it succeeds to some extent although the top levels are, in principle, accessible to everyone, few people venture there. It is a constant reminder of the realities of Capitalism: you may only gawk at and admire what you cannot afford to buy. Davis calls this the peeping ritual: â€Å"it is mass-recreation, but like the indoor-outdoor gardens of earlier centuries, participant-spectators are limited to those who can pay, encouraging socio-economic distinctions in the entertainments that parallel the-shopping by-way’s varying degrees of decoration and opulence of materials. † SUGGESTED FOR FURTHER READING Alcazaren, Paulo. â€Å"SM, Malls and Urbanism. † The Philippine Star. 31 Aug 2008. http://www. philstar. com/sunday-life/82679/sm-malls-andurbanism (accessed 03 Aug 2013). Gladwell, Malcolm. â€Å"The Science of Shopping. † The New Yorker. 04 Nov 1996, 66. http://www. gladwell. com/1996/1996_11_04_a_shopping. htm (accessed 04 Aug 2013). Norton, Anne. â€Å"The Signs of Shopping. † In Signs of Life in the U. S. A. : Readings on Popular Culture for Writers, 83-89. 5th ed. Edited by Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. Pangalangan, Raul C. â€Å"When Malls Replace Public Parks. † Philippine Daily Inquirer. 28 Dec 2007, A10. http://opinion. inquirer. net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20071228-109111/When_malls_replace_public_parks (accessed 03 Aug 2013). Pocock, Emil. â€Å"Shopping Mall and Shopping Center Studies. † http://www. easternct. edu/~pocock/Malls. htm (accessed 05 Aug 2009). â€Å"The U. P. Forum Roundtable on the Mall Culture. † The UP Forum. Nov-Dec 2008. Font: Futurist Condensed. According to design blog idsgn, â€Å"Futura had the honor of being the first typeface on the moon, chosen for a commemorative plaque left by the astronauts of Apollo 11 in 1969. † It was created between 1924 and 1926 by German type designer Paul Renner who was influenced by the Bauhaus. Renner avoided non-essential elements and made use of basic geometric proportions with no serifs. The crisp and clean forms of Futura is said to exude â€Å"efficiency and forwardness. †