"Every new generation needs to redefine 'right' and 'wrong' in its own terms and according to the

P.S These issues(45 min) and Arguments(30 min) tasks were written timed. These are first drafts and the topics were extempore.

Argument-4

"Every new generation needs to redefine 'right' and 'wrong' in its own terms and according to the conditions of its own time."
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The most astonishing function of the human body is that it easily co-exists or co-operates with any changes in its surroundings. The human body adapting to its surroundings is a fact that puts forth the cardinal trick of living happily. Adopting things with respect to the time is the best way a man can live a right life.

The world has seen a vast change in the last few hundred years. There was the industrial revolution. The technological advancement. Analog devices were made digital and the world of computing took a great turn. This suggests that new improvisation ought to come and we need to adopt with that. A man using abacus today is termed a fool when there are super computers to compute the hardest of complex data.

The issue of "right" and "wrong" of the things we do is totally dependent on the circumstances and conditions as said by the argument. As per the India's religious belief a true Indian must not sail in the ocean. This was framed as in those olden days it was not safe to travell in the sea. Travelling in sea was considered "wrong" by them. But now as there are technological advancement, travelling in sea is safe. Now this mythology of travelling in sea was approved. This is the way in which we need to redefine the things as right and wrong. This argument lacks evidence like this to support its statement.

In the olden days there were kingdoms. Many kings use to fight with each other for a piece of land. There were big battles and decimations for the piece of land. Though this was a cruel act it was termed "right" those days. Now, the newer generation with higher intellect criticize this act and are striving for unity among all the countries throught the world. Now the situation has changed which apposes the act of battles for land and terms it "wrong". Organizations such as the United Nations are set up to achieve world peace. This gives a much stronger evidence which supports the argument.

The era in which we live is full of mutations. Even the soft wares we use go in for newer versions. People also prefer the newer forms than their older counterparts. This makes a statement that the new generations are with people who redefine things with time. This argument would have been stronger if it gives more supporting statements such as a study, a research or at least an example. This statement with the above said features would be more cogent compared to the one given.

"Governments should provide funding for artists so that the arts can flourish and be av....."

Issue-3

P.S These issues(45 min) and Arguments(30 min) tasks were written timed. These are first drafts and the topics were extempore.

"Governments should provide funding for artists so that the arts can flourish and be available to all people."
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The ancient civilizations all over the world glorified the artistic talents of a man than his technical expertise. This slowly changed the other way due to the industrial revolution. Now here arises a situation where artist face difficulties to live a good life as well as spreading the art form. When the government aids them by form of funding and special policies, the great forms of art which are considered the apex of human intelligence can be easily spread as well as preserved.

The life of an artist is a pot-pourri. He is not like all the office goers who work daily and get wages everyday. These artists earn only on the day of performance of their art. This life also demands lot of luck to rule the roost. Not all artists have a luxurious life but nearly all in other kind of jobs lead a life like that. On one hand, for example take the case of J.K Rowling, she was in fame in couple of years. Within months Rowling, a school teacher became a millionaire. But on the other hand there are many writers/artist equal in caliber to Rowling who have not tasted fame. This is the nature of art. It throws few in limelight, but many to poverty.

The ancient civilizations considered art as the primary education required by all. All the artists were honored. If not all the numbers were larger than what is today. The great artist like Beethoven, Shakespeare and Mozart were considered the ultimate humans just for their artistic talents. The governments also gave them special powers as they were artists. But nowadays the recognition has turned into the scientific and research side. The artist are not ignored but not given as much importance as they were in the past.

An artist does not get a yearly emolument, and its not a safe career to take up. This is because Luck does not favor all. As the government allots only little funds for the artist, they face a tough life. The art flourishes only when it is passed on by the father to his son and so on. Art is congenital. But now the artist encourages their sons and daughters to take up careers in other fields like technology and accounting. When such a kind of situation exists how will this be passed on the general public? Then how will all people come to know more about and learn different types of art?

This situation can be changed drastically when the government aids this artist. Even when these artists are helped little they will bring the art form to its peak and also suggest their children to take up the art. The children having a genetic propensity will flourish still. This helps in passing on the art to other people too.The government can take up many steps in encouraging the forms so that their country becomes a place that values art.

The government can allocate more funds to the arts. These can be used to organize competitions. Many art fairs can be held which appreciates even young talents. The funds should be used in conducting art exhibitions and all the participating artists can be given a sum to encourage them. It can fund the artist and ask them to form a forum or a league which helps in spreading the art form. This helps people from all walks of life to know more about the art forms. The government can give tax concession to people who patronize any art form. Huge sums can be collected from the affluent and philanthropists for improvement of art forms and can be distributed to artist. New schools of art can be established to promote art to many people. A subject called "art" can be introduced in schools so those tender minds who are the next generations know more about art. This helps in bringing out the artist in everyone.

Thus when these reforms are made by the government The art forms can fluorish. The funds help the artist not only to support themself but also helps in spreading it.

Argument -3 "We should provide breakfasts for all students before each school day"

Argument-3

The following is a memo from the superintendent of the Mylar school district.
"A recent six-month study, in which breakfast was made available at school for 100 schoolchildren ages five to twelve, found that children on the breakfast plan were less likely than other children to be absent from or late for school. Clearly, eating breakfast before school plays a role in reducing student absenteeism and tardiness. It is also well known that children who regularly eat a healthful breakfast tend to perform better in school. Therefore, in order to reduce absenteeism and tardiness and to improve academic performance in all of Mylar's elementary and secondary schools, we should provide breakfasts for all students before each school day."

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At the first glance this argument sounds good, but when analyzing different facts we see that it lacks many strong claims. In fact the argument can be proved weak due to few reasons discussed below.

Firstly, this study was confined to the students of ages five to twelve and also the study was done only for six months. This can be a real small time to know about the children behavior with regard to the absenteeism. May be those months were during the late summer where the weather was pretty fine to easily go the school without much difficulties. The other fact that is to be taken into account is that the children who enrolled themselves in the breakfast plan would mostly come from families was the parents were really busy and who would not able to make breakfast at home. So the students rather not absent themselves for school as they would have to skip breakfast that day if they did not attend school. This reason may strongly support that the study is a little incorrect.

The argument also discusses that those enrolled in breakfast are early to school. This can be due to the reason that pantry closes soon and latecomers are not left with breakfast. This argument would have been stronger if the committee had studied what is given to the students in the breakfast. If a real salubrious meal is provided which nourishes them then this finding would have made the argument stronger. Even then, some research says that people eating a real heavy or wholesome breakfast tend to perform bad in the class, as heavy dose of food before school lures them to sleep.

The other factor in which the argument is weaker is that, it did not compare an individual before and after enrolling in the breakfast scheme. If this were done and if absenteeism of the individual reduced after enrolling into the scheme then the argument would have become stronger. The argument also says that the breakfast scheme also improves the academic performance. This is not supported by any evidence. Does this mean that all students into the breakfast scheme are toppers? And are students who are not into the scheme perform badly? These questions still makes the argument weaker. The study should have been extended to the sports and games activities. This would have made the argument stronger.

As seen from the above discussion, the given argument has many flaws that has to be discussed and to accept the conclusion it says. This argument lacks strength, provided less instances and support for its statements. When the facts discussed above are satisfied this statement would sound cogent and its conclusion could be accepted.

Aesthetic Sense of Thyagaraja.....in a research prespective

Aesthetic Sense of Saint Thyagaraja

In a Research Prespective

V.Raghavan(Thats me!)
carnatech@yahoo.com
www.freewebs.com/raghavendran

We all know the mummoorthigal (the three legends in carnatic music). They have embellished this world with great compositions. Sometimes we feel life and carnatic music before these three lived would not have been as great as of now. These three legends namely Thyagaraja, Shyama Sastri and Muddu swami dikshatar are the sole obelisk of the new age carnatic music. Here comes the confusion. We (me, many musicians and may be you too) feel a sense of blithe when accompanying, playing or singing the krithis of saint Thyagaraja in spite of the fact that we all did not know Telegu!. This feeling of experiencing the apex of blithe is confined to the Thyagaiyer krithis only! This supported by a detailed statistical analysis by means of survey and query to many individuals, musicians, rasikas and vagyeyakaras. It is not that the other two fellow counterparts are well acclaimed, but human’s sense of extreme ecstasy is touched only by the compositions of thyagaiyer. So I decided to research why is this phenomena followed by our human senses. This article will discuss in verbose on the research into the compositions of Thyagaraja and find out why this phenomena exist. Hope you all find it interesting and also as an educative entertainment.

As I have plans of updating this article with many new ideas and discoveries, the updated version of this work can be found at www.freewebs.com/raghavendran/myworks.

More to come..........