Nation-State Boundaries are Becoming Obsolete Essay

Nation-State Boundaries are Becoming Obsolete - Essay Example 1997, p.1). Many professionals ranging from commentators to journalists, from politicians to scholars across all disciplines, have tried to describe and analyze this phenomenon and tend to agree that "globalization," along with the halt of the Cold War, has radically changed the basic "rules of the game" for a variety of key factors, particularly states (Smith et al. 1997, p.1). With the onset of this "globalization" and transnational companies, there have been long debates about the relationship of so-called sovereign states to each other (Wallerstein 1999, p.20). Wallerstein (1999) states that views range from those who emphasize the effective sovereignty of the various states to those who are cynical about the ability of so-called weak states to resist the pressures (and blandishments) of so-called strong states. Krasner (1999, p.34), on the other hand, reports that some analysts argue to the point that the world is entering into a new era, one in which the existing institutional structures, especially the sovereign state (by which they often mean several different things) is being undermined weakened, marginalized, or transmuted, by globalization. According to Krasner (1999, p.34-35), globalization can mean some mix of developments that might include the legitimization of human rights, the digitalization of transactions, the speed of communication, the density of global non-governmental organization (NGO) networks, the transmission of diseases, the growth of international capital markets, the surge of manufacturing in geographically dispersed areas, the universal availability of MTV, the increase in illegal migration, legal migration, and the like. Most analyses that emphasize the growing importance of globalization point to the transformatory nature of modern technology e.g. costs of communication and transportation have plummeted. Kelleher and Klein (1999, p.146) defines sovereignty in that "states accept no political authority as superseding their own." According to the principle, no international institution has the right to determine the laws and policies that apply to people within the borders of any sovereign state. Sovereignty, then, has the effect of designating government as the sole representative of the population of a state (Kelleher and Klein 1999, p.146). Krasner (1999, p.35) also provided that the term sovereignty has been commonly used in at least four different ways: 1. Interdependence sovereignty has referred to the ability of a government to actually control activities within and across its borders (including the movement of goods, capital, ideas, and disease vectors). 2. Domestic sovereignty has referred to the organization of authority within a given polity. 3. Westphalian sovereignty has referred to the exclusion of external authority; the right of a government to be independent of external authority structures. 4. International legal sovereignty has referred to the recognition of one state by another; some entities have been recognized by other states; others have not. Recognition has been associated with diplomatic immunity and the right to sign treaties and join international organizations. Globalization: A Threat to Sovereignty According to Krasner (1999, p.36), many observers have suggested that the increase in

Law of Non Contradiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law of Non Contradiction - Essay Example One can also say that a premise cannot be true and at the same time not true, in the same sense (Anton, 2009). All these three statements express the law of non contradiction. In the problems and challenges that one comes across in one’s day to day life, if approached rationally, yet without adhering to the law of non contradiction, could give way to much confusion (Morrison, 2003). I arrived at this sound conclusion while dealing with my personal aim and ambition to pursue a healthy lifestyle. What one calls a healthy life style is in fact a broad based term that includes within its ambit a range of healthy practices and a long list of does and don’t does. It is only when a person sticks to or diligently pursues a list of practices and norms identified as being precursors and essentials of a healthy lifestyle that one could claim to be leading a positive and healthy life. It also stands to be true that an unhealthy lifestyle also includes within its ambit a list of pra ctices and norms that are not conducive to good health. Going by the fact that a healthy lifestyle is a set of distinct practices and values, as per the law of non contradiction, a lifestyle cannot be both healthy and unhealthy at one and the same time. ... For example when I decided to be committed to leading a healthy lifestyle, I was well aware of the fact that a healthy lifestyle involves eating those things that promote health and well being and avoiding those foods that harm or spoil good health. It naturally follows that when I stick to good and healthy foods that I could consider myself to be leading a healthy lifestyle. However, there did come moments in my life when I tried to cheat by consuming things like fast foods, shakes and sodas, believing that it was alright to have such foods and beverages once in a while, while leading a healthy lifestyle. In other words, I was trying to convince myself that while consuming unhealthy foods at some time in my life and hence leading an unhealthy lifestyle, I was also leading a healthy lifestyle. Now by the law of non contradiction, this was simply not possible. It states that at one time, either I could be pursuing a healthy lifestyle or an unhealthy lifestyle. It was simply not possib le to lead a healthy and an unhealthy life at one and the same time. The premise that logically followed was that while pursuing unhealthy habits and consuming unhealthy foods, I was conclusively following an unhealthy lifestyle at that moment of time, which positively violated my personal commitment to lead a healthy lifestyle. In other words, it meant that while adhering to unhealthy habits at a moment of time, I was positively resorting to an unhealthy life and hence could readily expect the results that go with an unhealthy lifestyle, irrespective of my commitment to stay healthy and fit. This catechism indeed turned out to be an eye opener for me and made me really respect the validity of the law of non contradiction in daily life. There is