Close reading On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt Essay

Close reading On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt - Essay Example Still, we don’t know the real reason for his curiosity in the word. It is only in the last pages of the essay he says that people craft their bullshit according to their targets needs. He mentions things such as market research and opinion polls, which help bullshitters manufacture their bullshit and serve it efficiently. The real reason behind the essay can be his disgust towards the bullshit that he finds around him. There are politicians, economist and psychologists who claim to know everything in their chosen field. But the results of their actions don’t seem to be helping the societies or countries. He might be having a feeling that everyone is groping in the dark or in other words, just bullshitting. The essay then investigates into the real meaning of the word bullshit. No research can be conducted independent of previous researches. It is for this reason that Harry dissects the definition of the word ‘Humbug’. He says that bullshit and humbug are to o close words differing only in the manner of their deliverance and not content. Then he divides the definition of humbug provided by Max Black into following sets of words – 1- Deceptive misrepresentation. 2- Short of lying 3- Especially by pretentious word or deed. 4- Misrepresentation of†¦. somebody’s own thoughts, feelings and attitudes. ... To this Wittgenstien replies that Pascal doesn’t know how a dog feels after its run over by something. The point the writer makes is that people are careless towards organizing facts and so they bullshit their way through. These people are not honest, neither are they liars, they are just bullshitters. The essay argues that liars are less harmful than bullshitters because liars can be held accountable for their lies. But no such thing exists for bulshit. The essay is very successful in shedding light on the phenomenon of bullshit. It makes a clear distinction between lying and bullshitting. It is very successful in emphasizing the problem of bullshit. Bullshitters are unreliable and more dangerous than dishonest people. The essay argues that liars know what truth is and are at the opposite end of the spectrum of honesty with truthful people at the other end. But bullshitters lie somewhere in between and what makes them so dangerous is that they ‘don’t care’ to know the truth. They just assume things, make up stories and also repeat what they hear somewhere else. The article understands the meaning and the functioning of the phenomenon of bullshit. It explains that people bullshit in order to achieve some objective. But there are a few things which are lacking in the analysis. Since so much is known about bullshit, a framework should have been made for comparing bullshitters with liars. That framework can have many features such as different category and scenario of bullshit. The article also makes some statements which are in conflict with the very basic etiquettes of human civilization. If lack of knowledge and features such as repetition make

In this assignment you will create your own original argument about Essay

In this assignment you will create your own original argument about how your chosen text portrays the relationship between the u - Essay Example In the novel, crime takes place on the dark side of the city where the environment was conducive to crime. In fact, it is ironical that the detective Sherlock Holmes lives in the comfortable area of the city in Baker Street while he solves crimes that occur on the other side of the city. The detective in the story offers an intricate link between the two faces of the city of London. Although the author of A Study in Scarlet grew up in Edinburgh, he chose the city of London as the main setting for his story. London provided a setting in which the differences in men and society would be evident in the Victorian society. The city of London offered multiple layers of being that represented several classes in the society. Essentially, the city was a backdrop of the differences in the society and the occurrences that took place. For instance, there were the dark isolated alleys, the lack of gas lights and the topographical setting that provided the perfect environment for crime. These circ umstances enormously increased the crime rates and thus a perfect setting for crime solving by the detective Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet (Doyle 25). However, the other side of London, Baker Street, was an uptown suburb which was safe and well developed. It is evident that the city of London provided two seemingly different environments which espoused the conflict between the dark side of the city and the civilized world haven of Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet creates the link between the two sides. One of the evident connections between the urban environment and the characters in A Study in Scarlet is the portrayal of the detective Sherlock Holmes. The detective considers himself to be special and unique. He tells Watson that â€Å"Well, I have a trade of my own. I suppose I am the only one in the world. I’m a consulting detective† (23). This implies that Sherlock Holmes thinks very highly of himself. The detective sets himself apart from the society by living in high-end Baker Street. It is also symbolic that he lives in an apartment that was above the city from where he could easily observe all the happenings in the streets below. This further segregated him from the common masses in London and cemented his position as an outsider of the London society. Holmes is also individualistic and prefers to stay alone most of the time. Thus, the setting of his apartment in Baker Street offered him a serene environment where he could comfortably enjoy solitude. Watson notes that sometimes Sherlock Holmes could stay weeks on end in his apartment in Baker Street. He notes that Sherlock Holmes could â€Å"lie upon the sofa in the sitting-room, hardly uttering a word or moving a muscle from morning to night† (19). It is evident that the character used the serene urban environment offered by Baker Street to spend his time. Besides, the setting of Sherlock Holmes apartment was critical for his success as a detective. In fa ct, he may not have able to concentrate and lead his preferred chosen lifestyle had he been staying in the dark alleys of the other side of the city. The other reason why the city of London was an enabler of crime is its topographical setting. The urban setting of A Study in Scarlet offers the perfect environment for the emergence of the theme of crime. Due to the rapid expansion of the houses, the city became a labyrinth since there was no element of planning. People were affected by the dark alleys and passages that donned