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Summary Of Benjamin Franklin's Valuable Qualities Of The Mind

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Benjamin Franklin-- inventor, scientist, and a man of many success was an intelligent and interesting man. Through various deeds, he has improved and changed the lives of numerous individuals. Of many published accounts, he wrote “The Columbian Magazine” in 1786 where he tells us of his love for chess and how it has “been the amusement of all civilized nations of Asia.” He believed the game taught valuable life lessons and that “[it contained] several very valuable qualities of the mind [that are] useful in the course of human life [which are to] be acquired or strengthened by [the game].” Included in the passage, is a familiar form of his writing known as process analysis. Moreover, Franklin uses the mode of definition, illustration, and analogy to develop his argument on how “life is a kind of chess.” One strategy Franklin employs is the mode of definition. He identifies the factors inherited by the game and the definitions that follow. In paragraph 3, he lists the first factor foresight, which states, “I. Foresight, which looks a little into futurity and considers the consequences that may attend an action… ” Usually before you move a chess piece, you analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the outcome. In your head you think, “What will be the …show more content…

He describes how “life is a kind of chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with…” Throughout the passage, Franklin describes playing the game to life and illustrates the chessboard and its pieces to scenarios we go through in reality. Franklin writes, “For life is a kind of chess...and in which there is a vast variety of good and evil events that are in some degree the effects of prudence or the wants of it.” The illustration of the game to life helps us see how chess is really portrayed and its value on how we should live our

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Also with the awards he has won such as the Bancroft Prize which is known as one of the most prestigious awards in the field of American History writing it comes to show that he is very educated and cut out to be the one to right this informatory book. In Wood's work he states that "Franklin was not even destined to be an American. How he became one is the theme of this book," showing that the main idea or ideas are to show how Franklin came

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In his writing a theme that is most prevalent is that of the American dream. Although not coined that yet, as the United States didn’t exist at the time. But right from the beginning Franklin speaks to the fact that he created his success and fortune from nothing but hard work, and intelligence. When describing Franklin’s Autobiography as a primary source, it is important to note that this theme of the American Dream. Most famously from the Declaration of Independence preamble, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” ( Dec. of Ind. Pre.).

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One of his quote has to do with Mr. Franklin’s philosophy on a nation’s acquisition of wealth. “There seem to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war, as

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Franklin transitions from having everything planned for him to reality where he encounters each difficulty but learns from them and moves on. He matures and accepts that running away doesn’t solve any problems other than create

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Benjamin Franklin’s resumé starts from a print shop to a politician, and finally to a scientist. Having worked in different

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All of these factors, according to Franklin, were instrumental in the development of the American nation, and thus his thesis is a significant contribution to the understanding of the history of the United States. (Franklin,

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Franklin’s early passion for reading develop and shape his life as a young adult, and influence the formation, and importance placed on a public persona. He mentions his early affection for reading , “My early Readiness in learning to read (which must have been very early, as I do not remember when I could not read),” leads to a more advanced ability to study philosophy as a young man, including that of Socrates (Franklin 8). This develops his skills in debate, encouraging him to abandon “abrupt Contradiction, and positive Argumentation, and put on the humble Inquirer & Doubter…” (Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin was a major asset in American history as being one of the Founding Fathers, inventor, and to shape America as it is today. Benjamin Franklin was intelligent at an early age even though that math was his weakest subject; he was an extraordinary writer. When Benjamin turned ten, he was removed from school and to work as a candle and soap maker with his father. During this time at his father 's shop, Benjamin developed fascinations about the sea and wished to become a sailor, but was prohibited by his parents. Then at the age of 12, Benjamin signed a contract at his brother 's printing compony for eight years.

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As a young man he had very little formal education due to his poor father. It is precisely this trait that makes him an ideal person to guide the field of education. Benjamin Franklin took it upon himself to educate himself, to learn about all fields, even though he was not formally educated in his young life he grew to be what we call a polymath. There can be no better education than one gained through trial and error experimentation. This passion for knowledge is just what is needed to formulate a better curriculum for the nations of the world.

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The importance of Ben Franklin has been told all throughout history, along with the famous $100 bill with his face on it. Drafting the Declaration of Independence, foudning universities and libraries, the post office, shaping policies in the U.S., publishing newspapers, making advances in science, and letting us use bifocals and using lighting for electricity. Even if this man never finished school, he did much reading and experiments that help us out today. The reason why I chose to write about Benjamin Franklin was because he was a very important Founding Father and it’s important for people to learn all about

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Franklin describes this inner conflict as having to balance “principle and inclination.” He then justified his desire for the fish with fairly sound reasoning. He writes that if fish can eat other fish, it is okay that he eats the fish that he desired so much. Both of Franklin’s actions can be justified by using proportionate reasoning and logic. His reasons for both eating fish and not eating fish were justified to him with his reasoning in both cases.

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Benjamin Franklin is known to be an “Archetypal American,” because of his beliefs on religion, self-improvement, hard work, and determination; but also his somewhat prideful spirit. Much of modern America is quite similar to Franklin in his actions throughout his lifetime. In his early years, Franklin’s father, Josiah, had a set plan for what he was supposed to do with his life, as a minister. Soon into his education, he found an interest in reading and writing, so he began pursuing a career in printing.

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Historians have argued whether the American Revolution was a conservative attempt to protect the colonist’s traditional rights as Englishmen or a radical attempt to implement dangerous enlightenment ideas. I believe that the American Revolution was a radical attempt to implement dangerous enlightenment ideas. Colonists new government, their acts of treason and new identity were mostly based on enlightenment ideas. Colonial leaders used Enlightenment ideas to vindicate freedom from Britain(Fiore Notes).

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There are good people and there are bad people, but none of them are perfect. Perfection is impossible in this world, and, by failing to recognize that, Franklin presents the world in far simpler terms than what would do the world

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Franklin made it a huge part of his life to continue bettering his education and himself. Due to Franklins determination, he became a very successful politician along with so much more. Lastly, religion was another large part of Franklin’s book, he speaks thoroughly about his thoughts on different religions and his search for what he truly believed in. Despite leaving his religious group and stating that he doubted the Revelation he still stated that he had respect for other religious groups and supported the

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