Accusatory Based Discourse Strategies: Apologia, Kategoria and Strategic Image Repair Discourse

The purpose of this paper is to suggest that an orator can strategically pick discourse strategies when issuing their apologia if they understand the attitudes they are combatting in the subsequent kategoria. This paper draws heavily on works by William Benoit and Halford Ryan. Using a general understanding of apologia, and the concept of kategoria as conceptualized by Ryan, I suggest that once an orator understands apologia and kategoria as a speech set, they can use Benoit’s image repair tactics as an effective way to repair their image to their respective audience. The combination of an orators understanding of apologia, kategoria, and image repair theory are like a warriors sword and shield. It enables an orator to deflect what ought to be deflected and attack what ought to be attacked when the goal is to repair one\u27s image. This I go on to term accusatory based discourse strategies. To put it in other words, accusatory based discourse strategies simply means to choose the rhetorical strategies an orator will use in their apologia depending on the component of the negative attitude, held by the audience, one wishes to combat. By understanding the negative attitudes that compose the kategoria, an orator can better tailor their apologia to effectively repair their image

Zombies They Walk Among Us! Rethinking Consumer Capitalism

The purpose of this paper will be to describe how one would survive the zombie apocalypse from a philosophical perspective. This paper will draw on first generation critical theorist, Theodore Adorno to explicate the position. According to critical theory, the zombie apocalypse is already upon us. For Adorno, contemporary individuals in Western society live under the conditions of consumer capitalism. These individuals are manipulated by advertisements and the mass media into believing that the ideal way to relieve their inner frustrations is to mindlessly purchase goods and services that reflect their inner longings. Due to this constant manipulation, young people are ill-equipped with the tools required to think critically and evaluate both their own behaviours and the messages generated by advertisements. These individuals retain their human forms, but do not employ their mental faculties to engage in what truly makes them human (i.e. free, critical thought). Therefore, they are zombies in a figurative sense. This paper will propose that the only way to survive a zombie apocalypse of this sort would be for individuals to wake up and think critically for themselves about the socio-economic forces that manipulate the world in which they live. By becoming a free thinking, critical individual, a zombified person will awake human once again

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

The Problem of Adopting Subjective Reason in the Values of Higher Education

The purpose of this paper is to argue that the state of the education system in Canadian Universities undermines the core values of democracy. Contemporary education institutions are dominated by what Horkheimer would call ‘subjective’ or ‘formalized’ reason. The domination by subjective reason undermines the two core values, freedom and autonomy, that Canadian society theoretically holds by creating immature and money-hungry students, rather than mature and free individuals. This will be shown by first turning to Max Horkheimer’s conceptions of subjective and objective reason, in order to establish a basis by which the values of education can be judged. The current education system will then be shown as operating as something other than a way to further learning, and rather as a tool of assimilation and business. The business model of education, described by Franklin Becher, is the idea that an institution views students solely as the monetary value they provide in the form of tuition and that students view degrees solely as the wages of a potential career. The adaptation model described by Theodore Adorno and Hellmut Becker, is the idea that education works to assimilate students into the culture in which they live. These two systems are discussed, to show how the core values of democracy are undermined and replaced with capitalistic values. Finally, an analysis of the repercussions faced by both the individual and society will ensue, in order to highlight the residual effects of this system. In closing, suggestions will be made to possibly fix the residual problems left over from using subjective reason to determine the goals of education