Criminal law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal law - Essay Example Moreover, there are instances where the concept of crime within a particular country changes as society adapts to the tides of time. What used to be a crime yesterday is now legal today. A classic example for the changing concept of crime over a period of time is the case of defamation which had been decriminalized through the amendment to the Coroners and Justice Act in 2009 (OSCE). UK lawmakers have decided to relax the definition of crime insofar as defamation is concerned to make more room for the right to freedom of speech. This will remain true until the parliament decides to make further changes to the law on defamation. On the matter of relativity of crime in different jurisdictions, a good example would be possession of cannabis. There is no common consensus among the governments of the world as to the dangers and benefits of the plant and its derivatives. The countries that see more benefits have already legalized it, under certain conditions, while those who insist that ca nnabis does more harm than good continue to make its possession and use as a crime punishable with penalties ranging from light to life imprisonment and even death penalty. In the UK, possession and use of cannabis in any form is a crime but in Peru, it is perfectly legal.

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Argument - Essay Example Therein exists a dilemma; it is apparent that all we do is determined and controlled by the mind; however, it would require defining features of the psychological condition that are not explicable on the basis of the human physical operations. Descartes argues that the connection between mind and body is a wholly arbitrary without regard to the laws of physics; for instance he demonstrates that a particle striking another will move in a direction that is determined by the angle of the first particle. In contrary, in the human body, there is no connection between the physical sensations and the ensuing mental reaction; he argues that hunger pangs; for instance, have no direct connection to the reaction they provoke (Desire to eat) and can just as well produce a desire to sleep or drink (Descartes 54). In modern day, cognitive scientists are more than ever before curious about the engenderment of the human perception and thought process; unlike in the past, information process in the abstract are no longer seen as conclusive accounts of the mind. Scientists are concerned with the interactions of the body and the environment and how the relationship contributes in shaping human perception and the mind. Thinkers who support this school of thought postulate that by such examination, the Cartesian rift between the body and mind may be bridged so the material and immaterial aspect of human existence can be seen a unified whole. (Robinson). One of the areas expected to provide answers is the examination of non-reflexive actions which are not indication of an individual’s mentality and whose arbitrary connection is to the motor features of the action in question such as pressing a button. In dualism the mind and body are contrasted; however over the years of study different parts of the mind have been the focus of attention; for instance before Descartes in the mediaeval period the intellect was seen as the least likely to be affected by a