Phillips-Brown 1

Anna Phillips-Brown

Prof. Cuff

February 29, 2016

ENG 101- LC 14

Cause and Effect

In his speech concerning the concept of peace, Albert Einstein describes the cause and

effect of nuclear weaponry on both warfare and reputation. He uses Alfred Nobel and his

invention of dynamite as an example, exclaiming that while Nobel may not be necessarily be

ashamed or embarrassed of his invention, it does come with a certain degree of weighted

responsibility. While the invention was beneficial in some regards, it also came with

consequences, just as all actions do. This simply enforces the age old mantra that every

action has its equal opposite reaction.

Just as Einstein describes the cause and effect of nuclear weaponry, one could address the

Supreme Court decision to nationally legalize gay marriage in a similar style. Such an act is a

pivotal stride in the fight for equality among people of all walks of life, yet remains a step

nonetheless. The right to be legally married was won, but the equality was not. The fact

alone that the nation had to implement a specific law for marriages aside from the heterosexual

variety is an indication of inequality, singling such people out as minorities who require special

exceptions from what was once perceived to be the only normal option for hundreds of years.

Inequality in the judicial and social systems of today has served as a cause for the recent

Supreme Court decision, and the decision has served as the cause for strives for further

developments in equality not only across the nation, but across the world.
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Cause and effect is present in everyday life, as every action has a cause and effect. This

allows for coherent paths of logic in both writing and action, and solidifies powerful points in

rhetoric. Also in writing, however, this leads to endless spirals of action and reaction that may

never be truly and fully justified. As every cause leads to an effect and an effect may also

serve as a cause, the cycle is forced to continue on and on, cause through effect. Causes and

effects help a reader to understand actions, but also lead one down a dangerous path of

confusion and blurred lines of morality.

1) This simply enforces the age old mantra that every action has its equal opposite

reaction.—parallelism

2) The right to be legally married was won, but the equality was not. –antithesis

3) Inequality in the judicial and social systems of today has served as a cause for the

recent Supreme Court decision, and the decision has served as the cause for strives

for further developments in equality not only across the nation, but across the

world.—parallelism

4) As every cause leads to an effect and an effect may also serve as a cause, the cycle is

forced to continue on and on, cause through effect. Causes and effects help a reader

to understand actions, but also lead one down a dangerous path of confusion and

blurred lines of morality.—antithesis

1) “In his speech concerning the concept of peace”—dependent clause, as it cannot

function alone as a sentence

2) “Albert Einstein describes the cause and effect of nuclear weaponry on both warfare

and reputation”—independent clause, as it functions as a full thought alone

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3) “Such an act is a pivotal stride in the fight for equality among people of all walks of

life”—independent, as it can function on its own

4) “yet remains a step nonetheless”—dependent, as it does not make sense on its own