Thoreaus’ Campaign against Blind Obedience to the Government

Led by his disgust against the slavery and the war of the United States against Mexico, Henry David Thoreau (1848) called on men and women to stand up against a government that perpetuates injustices through his essay Resistance to Civil Government, also known as Civil Disobedience. The central tenet of this essay is his pronouncement that â€Å"that government is best, which governs least. † He expounded on the role of the government as being more harmful than helpful to the overall condition of the people in the society.He said that even democracy is not an answer to this, because democracy simply highlights the decision of the majority, which is not necessarily seasoned by wisdom. One of the important expressions of the will of the government is through its laws. Thoreau, however, favors the cultivation of respect towards what is right since the law does not make humans more just. In this essay, he also used the metaphor of the machine in depicting the kind of agency the go vernment is.Moreover, he referred to people who blindly follow the government as robots without conscience. Thoreau also raised his voice against paying taxes and even voting for justice since, according to him, these activities only contribute to the injustices committed by the government. He conceded, however, that he is willing to pay taxes which will directly contribute to the upholding of his neighbor’s good.In a bold statement, he also called for the breaking of the law if the law is unjust. Being put in jail is but another means to assert one man’s freedom since the government cannot really take away from him who he is. Simple living is another value exemplified by Thoreau in his essay. By being simple, he does not have great anxieties. Thoreau’s essay has had far-reaching consequences and influence on subsequent leaders who used civil disobedience. Reference Thoreau, H. D. (1848). On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. Retrieved 19 July 2007 from http://www.panarchy.org/thoreau/disobedience.1848.html.

Why Did the Us Enter World War I

Why did the United States enter World War I in 1917? On June 28th 1914, Franz Ferdinand, the Austrian archduke, and his wife were murdered by a Bosnian revolutionary named Gavrilo Princip. This assassination triggered declarations of war. Firstly, this gave Austria a reason to attack Serbia. This then led to Russia mobilizing their army in order to defend Serbia, which then led to Germany executing â€Å"The Plan† and attacking France through Belgium. The domino effect continued and war broke out due to a mixture of things.Alliances played a great role in the war, as each nations began forming and expanding their militaries. The war was â€Å"Central Powers† vs. â€Å"Allied Powers†. The central powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria and Romania (which changed sides half way through the war). The Allied Powers consisted of France, USSR, The British Empire, Serbia and the USA. The United States initially wanted to stay out of the war mainly because they declared that they would be a â€Å"neutral† nation that only acts as a â€Å"peacemaker†.President Wilson declared numerous time that â€Å"The United States was too proud to fight† and would not be entering the war. He also mentioned that the U. S. would not tolerate unrestricted submarine warfare. Before America’s entry, The U. S-German relations were neutral. They were not much involved with each other apart from political and labor relations. America’s opinion changed throughout the war after the sinking of the Lusitania, the Zimmerman Telegram and because of the European alliances that America was involved with.America’s entry in World War 1 in 1917 was based on a number of key factors Economics, Retaliation and Pre-emption. Economics – .. At the time, the US had large economic investments with the British and French. If Germany was to win the war it was not clear what would happen to those investments. Protecting France and Britain was therefore in a way protecting their investment. If the U. S. joined the war, their strong military forces, especially allied with France, Britain and USSR, would substantially increase the chance of winning.Retaliation – One of Germany’s great t=strengths was it’s submarine fleet. By controlling the seas the Germans would be able to destroy the shipment of arms to the allies. Their prime reason for sinking the Lusitania was the German belief that their were weapons on board. Unfortunately the Germans killed 128 American nationals when they torpedoed the Lusitania. This was a key contributing fact to the US joining the wasr on the side of the Allies two years later. Prevention – One of the main reasons for the US entry in to the war however was the Zimmerman Telegram.This was a proposal from Germany to Mexico asking them to go to war against the U. S. Germany did this in the hope that by keeping the US engaged close to home with a lo cal war, it would be prevented from entering the war in European. . However, when the U. S. found out about this coded communication which was intercepted by the British,, they saw this as an act of aggression by Germany and in order to pre-emp being drawn in to the war on someone else’s terms decided to pre-empt the situation and take matters in to their own hands.Interestingly no one has seen the telegram itself and accordingly some believed that Britain made it up in order to get America involved in the war. The major objective for U. S. ’s entry in the war was its wish to have greater influence in post-war Europe, especially with their newly acquired economic strength. Even though when America joined World War 1 it was already coming to an end, their entry did make an impact on the war. In the short term, their entry was a downside as it almost caused German victory.Germany was well aware that the American troops would overwhelm the Germans when they would arrive, so Germany launched a massive offensive to gain victory before America could transport enough troops into Europe, however the offensive ended up halting and turning back just outside of Paris. In the long term, America’s entry was an upside because, as the war was already coming to an end, both sides were exhausted. America was fresh and ready to fight a war, which helped motivate the Allies. The U. S. brought new equipment and military force which was a gain for the Allies and helped win the war.The U. S. entered the war at the right time because they did manage to bring fresh troops and new equipment into Europe. Before the Lusitania, America did not have any reason to enter the war. It would also have been going against their will to be neutral. Their entry did impact positively, however may not have been necessary and did go against their initial plan. It also caused America to make some enemies in Europe, which ended up causing them to be sucked into more European issues . Positively, it also bonded the U. S. with many European nations, which were very strong politically and economically.

The Clown by Heinrich Boell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Clown by Heinrich Boell - Essay Example â€Å"The Clown† is a brilliant social mockery, an impassioned, tragic, highlighting love, spirituality, religion and politicis.The book also reflects criticism against catholic church. It is a grim post-war novel abounding in fatalism, doubt, sarcasm, melancholy, loss and survival. This novel is a biting critique not only of postwar German society, but of hypocrisy in general (religious, romantic, and otherwise). Boll captures magnificently the feeling of being down and out and rootless. It is set specifically in post World War II Germany and describes well what surely the feelings of many were. But the sense of loss, alienation, lack of love, religious doubt set forth in the book go much deeper than that. "I am a clown," says Hans. "I collect moments."2 Ostensibly intended by Boll as a simple definition of character, the statement offers considerable insight into Bolls philosophical perspective. Hans Schnier is the "Clown" of the novels title and invariably the spokesperson for Boll as the author. The Clown is a hugely life-like figure; his pain bleeds through the paper, his tears smear the words. He is an artist, destroyed by loss and betrayal, an artist who has reached the lowest point of his existence and now despairs in the knowledge of his own pathetic tragedy. The book is told first person by its hero, a clown, Hans Schneir. The "hero", a bedraggled clown, has lost everything - his job, his love Marie but not his honor. A moment of time is expanded by Boll to a whole evening of tragic and of memories of his childhood and his one-and-only love Marie. The life of Hans Schneir, a down-on-his-luck, melancholy, incisive clown could represent any human life after surviving and living the day-to-day economic and emotional traumas hatched by war and the idiocy of policy that brings it about. His thought center on his own spiritual and emotional poverty, on the loss of Marie, his ambivalence towards religion, and the attempted change among Germans

Considiring censorship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Considiring censorship - Essay Example Censorship is a wide topic which controls the spreading of harmful materials and public speeches in the society. Topics such as pornography, violence and aggressive speeches which boosts terrorism and fundamentalism are normally censored by most the governments. Though nobody questions the relevance of censorship, in some cases governments utilize this powerful tool for their own interest. However censorship can move beyond the remit of governments and into the hands of those whole control media channels. It is therefore necessary to consider censorship as something which moves beyond simply the remit of protecting people from harm and offence and into the realm of a tool for control. By claiming to protect people from offence, media channels can in fact use censorship to maintain the status quo and censorship can thus be considered a tool of control, not just of protection.One of the definitions of the Oxford English Dictionary for a censor is ‘an official in some countries wh ose duty it is to inspect all books, journals, dramatic pieces, etc., before publication, to secure that they shall contain nothing immoral, heretical, or offensive’. Censorship is often associated with the establishment and those in a position of power which have the power to take decisions over matters of morality and offensiveness. Censorship in this case takes place in order to avoid undue offence, often to minority groups and prevent the diffusion of views which are considered dangerous and corrupting.

Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Abortion - Essay Example Pro-abortion activists would say that a child is the womb as not yet been born and so cannot be considered to be life. I would go along with this position but for the fact that it has been proven that a fetus displays human characteristics when it is only a few weeks old. Ultra scans are now so good that small finger movements can be made out when a fetus is smaller than your fingernail. The unborn child does not get a say in what his or her mother chooses to do. That’s right, even a one-week old fetus already has a defined gender. The second issue that is will bring up is how abortions are hurting the growth of our country. Over the last few decades, the birth rate in America has dropped below the level that the population needs to replace itself. Thankfully, the American population is not decreasing due to the mass influx of immigrants each year. However, due to the millions of abortions performed in this country each year, who will become the leaders of our society in 30, 40, 50 years time? How many future presidents, football stars, and musicians are being taken out of the future population by people who live in the present day? All these â€Å"missing† people would have taken up a significant part of the workforce once they reached adulthood. As a result, foreigners are going to take American jobs where no one else is available to do so. The last issue that I will touch upon is the serious medical risk posed to the mother of an aborted child. Cervical cancers are common as a result of abortion, and in the most extreme cases death can occur. Besides obvious physical harm, there are psychological risks too. These are often understated because many people do not fully comprehend them. Instances of sleep difficulties, alcohol and drug abuse, and the breakdown of relationships are only some of the psychological damage that an abortion can cause. The vast majority of women who elect to have an abortion do so without knowing

Assisted Migration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assisted Migration - Essay Example The traditional environmental preservation concept sought to preserve the environmental conditions, and thus make them more suitable and habitable for the plant and animal species, without any interference with the species that would entail moving them. Climatic change has occurred following global warming, deforestation and other human-interruptive environmental activities, which has rendered the climate and the habitats for various species to consistently change, and thus become less habitable by the species that previously lived in such environments (Assisted Migration, 84). With these changes, the species of organisms are trying to move from the regions where the environmental conditions have been disrupted, to the regions where the environment is naturally suitable for them. This discussion seeks to argue that we ought to engage in Assisted Migration. Explanation of an argument Assisted Migration is necessary in the modern climatic conditions, to ensure that the plant and animal species that are living in regions that do not favor them, are rescued and moved to other regions, where they can co-exist favorably and continue to thrive. Human beings are the ultimate contributors to the environmental and the climatic changes that have been experienced in the world (Assisted Migration, 77). ... ensure that the living organisms have been moved to the safer and environmentally friendly regions, which are compatible with their natural requirements. Considering that the damage is already done in certain environmental conditions where such species used to co-exist, the only way of guarding against the extinction of such species is finding for a favorable environment for them, and then moving the species there. It is therefore the responsibility of human beings to ensure that the species that would have survived, without the climate change that the humans have caused, continues to survive, no matter what (Assisted Migration, 77). This commitment requires that humans will do everything, even if it means moving the organisms that are stressed out to an environment that is friendly to them, as long as it is sure that the species will thrive under the new climate. This serves as the fundamental basis for supporting the thesis that; we ought to engage in Assisted Migration, since the survival and safeguarding against the extinction of endangered species is paramount, which calls for the necessary measures to be adopted to ensure the survival of such organisms, notwithstanding the costs or the implication of this act on the organisms’ baseline (Assisted Migration, 76). Reasonable criticism to the argument While the concept of Assisted Migration is vital to ensure the survival and continued thrive of endangered species, while guarding them against extinction, it is detrimental and disruptive to the natural species, since it amounts to the creation of invasive species (Assisted Migration, 78). Thus, any attempt to move organisms from their natural habitat to a different one, despite the fact that it would enhance the survival of such species, will violate the integrity

Admission Essy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Admission Essy - Essay Example I realize success in this Doctoral Program requires me to apply a financial plan with efficient time management skills. I held a full-time job as a pilot while studying to receive my Master of Arts in English as a Second Language from the University of Phoenix. This combination of work and school challenged my time management skills, allowing me to successfully meet my financial obligations to the University and graduate on schedule. The difference between this program and my M.A. program is the online environment. I am experienced with the UOP learning model and appreciate its advantages for timely completion of projects. It was instrumental as a support system and the collaborative knowledge I gained was outstanding. The team approach exposed me to new ideas and perspectives in a non-threatening environment. I have an appreciation for constructive criticism as an essential learning tool and the pragmatic knowledge the UOP learning model facilitates. For many years it has been my goal to pursue a Doctorate, but until discovering the Education Specialist program there wasnt a program I felt passionate enough about to devote the time and energy. The Education Specialist program will enhance my educational background, further develop my intellectual capabilities, and prepare me to provide effective leadership in my diversified

OLD DOMINION TRAIL BIKES CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

OLD DOMINION TRAIL BIKES - Case Study Example All these information will propel Ted’s business further to the ladder of success. Ted’s business is involved leasing of bikes, ordering of new bikes from the supplier, keeping sales records and many other business activities. Technology for instance computerization of leasing process so that it can be done only can effectively impact positively on the business. The use of e-commerce in has revolutionized businesses around the world. Ted’s business can integrate an online shopping cat on their website so that customers are able to purchase their products irrespective of their geographical location. This will greatly increase the number of sales. Supply chain management (SCM) will enable Old Dominion Trail Bikes to smoothly carryout the entire operations of its interconnected sections of the business. It will enable Ted as the owner of the business plan, implement and carry out effective monitoring and evaluation of the performance of Old Dominion Trail Bikes. If Old Dominion Trail Bikes uses an effective CRM, it will be able to provide maximum support to their client while collecting relevant information about their tastes and preferences. As a result, the business will experience increase in sales. Before the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning, Ted will have to look at the resource his business has and the quality control of the plan. As such, Ted will have to plan for his business before taking any

Qunatitative Decisions in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Qunatitative Decisions in Business - Essay Example All of these topics are related to quantitative decisions in business. Plan. Problems are the groundwork of modeling that is why understanding and identifying problems are necessary before commencing with a plan. If problems are already at hand, then relevant data should also be gathered together. These two elements are needed in the formulation of spreadsheets model and in doing some calculations by hand. This initial calculation will give a background of results to be followed by second hand calculations for a checking of results, and finally the sketching of spreadsheets layout before entering the various elements. Build. After the planning stage is the building of spreadsheet model, wherein the sketch layout is moved into the new worksheet in Excel for finalization. Always start with a small version and thoroughly examined the model if the logic are working accurately before expanding to a full-scale model. Test. The manageable version of the model is being tested to determine the accuracy of results. If ever there are major problems along the way like the giving of unexpected results or the changing of values, all of these can be easily corrected because of the model’s manageable size. Build. The process of building and testing often moves back and forth especially if errors occur several times. If the testing of the small version of model verifies accuracy then it is time to build a much larger spreadsheet. There could only be a full-scale version of the model if satisfaction has already been attained. Analyze. It is not impossible to encounter problems at the evaluation stage even if the model has been into several tests. At this stage, the results of the tests in the small version and full-scale version are thoroughly examined. This is to make sure that the output cells give the accurate answers and inadequacies are being revealed. If

Deciding my future Essay Example for Free

Deciding my future Essay A dream is not something to scoff at. Dreams always seem out of reach, a siren call that leads you to new, uncharted waters. Achieving one’s dream would be to reach a true pinnacle of life; however, the road to a dream is fraught with risks. To give achieving this dream your all might be the only way to reach one’s true potential, yet it may also lead to a bitter and disappointing end. With this in mind, I have often put off achieving my own dreams. I was so frightened by the possibility of failure that I dared not even try, instead resigning myself to a life of mediocrity. However, my dreams were given life by the encouragement of my parents to not settle for less. My dreams are not a trifle, an easily obtainable goal. My ultimate goal is to be a leading Video Game Designer, to create adventures and stories that resonate with the world and revolutionize storytelling in gaming. The mere immensity of this task was enough to make me shudder in fear. I looked my dream in the eye and thought it too immense. I would have resigned myself to a life of normalcy were it not for my parents, who did not want me to settle for any less then what I was capable of. They had just discovered a college that was about to open up a new major for Video Game Development, and encouraged me to face my fears and try to achieve my dreams. They pushed me to achieve my dreams, knowing that this college would be twice as expensive as a regular school. This encouragement led me to attempting to try and chase my dreams, to have some hope that what I wanted was possible, and to never give up on my dream. Becoming a game designer is not easy. It is even more difficult if you have dreams as large and grand as mine are. The mere thought of the immensity of this task, and my preconceived notions of my own inferiority, drove me away. However, I realized that, although a dream is rarely the easiest path, and instead it is more often than not the hardest path of all, to not even try to reach ones dream is to give up on life. The path I chose may not be the easiest path, and yet I walk down it knowing full well it might end in heartbreak. I do this knowing that, if I had given up, then I would never have known if I could do it, and spend the rest of my life mourning what could have been. Again, were it not for my parents encouragement, I would never have even attempted to chase my dream. No matter how much you want something, it is impossible to achieve it if you have no hope it could succeed. A sense of hope that what you want could be possible is a vital component to making it possible. This was something I had lacked prior to my parents encouragement. I was so frightened by what I wanted to do, I had no hope it was possible. Without hope, I would not even try, for why try when you are certain you will fail? My parents helped me believe that I COULD do it, that there was a chance, and that chance was all I needed. No matter the odds facing me, I had to have hope that it was possible to overcome. Even when you want something and work very hard, it is all too possible you will fail at first. The old adage, â€Å"If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again† works beautifully in this scenario. No matter how many times you are beat down, no matter how many times I fail in convincing people to work to my dream to companies to invest in my dream, I must perspire. If a dream is weak enough to be broken at the first sign of trouble, then it was never truly one of these â€Å"dreams† of which I speak, so much as it was a passing fancy. A true dream is not something one would ever give up on, and neither should I, for although there are many obstacles I must overcome to achieve my dream, to give up my dream would be to give up on my happiness. The dream of which I seek is a lofty one, and there is little chance it will be easy. However, no matter the cost or hurdle I must overcome, I have decided to reach my dream. This courage to face the impossible would not have occurred however without the support of my parents who have helped me and want me to reach my full potential, so thanks to them, even if I do not reach my dream, I will have tried; and the fact that I will try shall be the greatest gift my parents would ever have given me.

Examining The Importance Of Requirement Elicitation Information Technology Essay

Examining The Importance Of Requirement Elicitation Information Technology Essay Requirements elicitation is a process during whichanalyst must interact with the stakeholders in many different types of elicitation sessions to draw out the user requirements for a project (Tagbo, 2011).Hossenlopp and Hass, (2008) defined requirement elication as the process of gathering business requirements for a new business solution. According to Hossenlopp and Hass, (2008), activities involved in requirement elicitation process are intended to draw out and acquire requirements for business soulutions from buisness experts. Unlike Tagbo (2011),Hossenlopp and Hass (2008) definition is specific and confined confined the source information(business requirement) to business expert Why is requirement elicitation important? Requirement elicitation is a critical activity in the requirement development process. It discovers the requirements of stakeholders. This means it is where analyst identifies what the users or owners of the system to build want to see. The success or failure of this process is based on recognizing the relevant stakeholders and detecting and discovering their needs as well as the quality of requirements (SajjadHanif, 2010). A study on requirement engineering conducted byDavis, Fuller, Tremblay, Berndt, in 2006, found accurately capturing system requirements is the major factor in the failure of 90% of large software projects. Their conclusion was in line with earlier work by Lindquist (2005) who concluded poor requirements management can be attributed to 71 percent of software projects that fail; greater than bad technology, missed deadlines, and change management issues. An insight from these two conclusions is that requirement elicitation determines the success or failure of a pro ject and proper requirement elicitation is prerequisite for project success and therefore, without complete, clear and consistent requirement project is doomed to failure.The cost of a failed project is an enormous expense to firms. A study by Browne and Rogich (2001) found that failed or abandoned systems cost $100 Billion in the USA alone in 2000. The cost of failed project is not limited to financial cost but has lasting consequences on the system during its lifespan.Fixing mistakes made at requirements elicitation stage accounts for 75 percent of all error removal costs (Urquhart, 2001). In the following figure we show the impact of invalid requirements on software development. Figure 1: Requirement -software failure. Retrieved March 23, 2011, from: http://www.scarpedia.com/general/requirement-elicitation/ This figure shows the result of a study conducted by the Standish Group in 1995. In the study, 8000 software projects from 352 companies were studied. The study exposed that in more the 50% software project failures the reason lies somewhere in requirements (Requirement Engineering, 2010). Types 0f requirement elicitation Requirement elicitation is divided into; Greenfield engineering, R-engineering and interface engineering (Requirement Engineering, 2010). We first start with the description of Greenfield engineering followed the other two. Greenfield Engineering: is requirement elicitation used when new system is to be built. No Preceding system exists so requirements are pull out from Client and End User. This type of engineering is reliant onUser needs (Requirement Engineering, 2010). Re-Engineering: unlikeGreenfieldengineering, this type of requirement elicitation is used when a system exists. Existing system is re-design and re-implemented using a newer technology. It is technology oriented type (Requirement Engineering, 2010). Interface Engineering: It is a type of requirement elicitation where the system and its functionality remain the same but the environment in which the system operates is modified. It is dependent on new market needs (Requirement Engineering, 2010). Requirement Elicitation Challenges This section of the paper deals with the underlying challenges to requirement elicitation. Three syndromes have been identified by Leffingwell and Widring, which posses challenge to requirement elicitation. These syndromes are the Yes, But, Undiscovered Ruins, and the User and the Developer syndrome. The earlier part of this section will be looking at these syndromes and the latter will give details to other challenges found in requirement elicitation. The Yes, But syndrome Stated by Leffingwell and Widring that, this kind of problem; stems from the natural reaction of users; when they get to see the final developed software product. In the initial implementation of the product, users are expected to accept the software as what they where hopping for, or have additional requirements for the product, for example when the users have their first interaction with the system they have that yes, but, wouldnt be nice if kind of comments which indicates that the system is not what they really expected. Undiscovered Ruins syndrome In many ways, the search for requirement is like a search for undiscovered ruins: the more you find, the more you know remain (Leffingwell Widring, 2003, p. 64) Thus software developers struggle to determine when they are done with software elicitation. This makes it difficult for developers to determine when they have found all the requirement that are material. User and the Developer syndrome A big gap of communication exist between users and developers thus theres a user and the developer syndrome. Leffingwell and Widring states that the syndrome arises since the users and the developers might be coming from different worlds, in terms of the languages they are speaking, the differences in their backgrounds, motivations and objectives. Other Challenges to elicitation The following are the challenges identified by Matà © and Silva (2005), in requirement elicitation. These are: The initial scope of the project is not sufficiently defined and such is open to interpretation and assumptions. Stakeholders do not know what their real needs are and are therefore limited in their ability to support the investigation of the solution domain Stakeholders do not understand or appreciate the needs of other stakeholders; users may only be concerned with those factors that affect them directly. The analyst is unfamiliar with the problem or solution domain and does not understand the needs of the users and the processes to be addressed. Requirements generated from stakeholders can be vague, lacking specifics, and not represented in such a way as can be measured or tested. Only very limited guidelines and tool support exist for the process of equipments elicitation.

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for God The words kami in Japanese and shen in Chinese both are translated into English as the word god. Although they both refer to somewhat similar supernatural elements, they are by no means identical to each other. Chinese shen is an abstract term referring to spirits and relating to abstract thoughts such as the heavens and the afterlife. In contrast, kami are very often related directly to a person or actual object and are worshiped in a hope for more day-to-day help or this worldly benefits. In order to help explain the relationship between kami and shen, I will first explore the similarities between the two terms, then discuss the unique characteristics which define both shen and kami. Motori Norinaga, an eighteenth century Japanese intellectual, said that the meanings of shen and kami "coincide seventy or eight per cent of cases†¦ Ever since ancient times, their meanings have both been expressed in a single character†¦ with no difference being paid to the difference between the two" (qtd. in Xiaolin 1). When the Japanese first borrowed the Chinese writing system to use as their own, they used the Chinese character for shen to express both kami and shin (another Japanese word for spirits, more closely associated with shen.) In all of the Chinese texts that the Japanese imported, shen was translated as either kami or shin, using kami when the spirit was well defined and shin when it was more of an abstract thought. It was not until the Japanese later differentiated their writing from Chinese that the characters for shen and kami became different. The non-differentiation between the two words helps to show their close similarity to each other. Chine... .... Practically Religious. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawai'i Press: 1998. Schipper, Kristofer. The Taoist Body. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1993. Tanabe, George J. Jr. "Introduction: Japan." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 591-612. Teeuwen, Mark. "Motoori Norinaga on the Two Shrines at Ise." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 678-693. Teiser, Stephen F. "Introduction: Chinese Religion." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 295-329. Xiaolin, Wang. "Cultural Differentiation: On shen and Xin in Chinese and Japanese." Trans. Robert Neather. City Univ. of Hong Kong. 17 Apr. 2003. <http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ccs/Newsletter/newsletter3/HomePage/CulturalDiff/CulturalDiff.html>.

The Controversial Predicament Essay -- Social Issues, Abortion

A pregnant woman patiently waits in an office for doctors to call her up. As she is called up, she feels very nervous and tense. She is told by the doctors to prop her legs on the bed as they get out their surgical devices. Several minutes later, she finds herself being operated for an abortion and sees her newborn being pulled out of her. Unfortunately, it is dead, lifeless, and decapitated. It is later discarded into an incinerator and the mother leaves casually to her home. This situation happens every day and it is seen as a common action like taking a walk. This occurrence should be condemned for the countless lives it has taken away. Abortion is remorseful because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There are many reasons for which abortion is morally incorrect. For example, in the bible, Exodus 20:13 specifically states that â€Å"you must not murder† (Bible 104). Influencing the idea to this topic, anyone can conclude that murdering is part of abortion. When abortion is done, the life of an innocent person is taken away. Another reason for which abortion is immoral is because even doctors recognize that what they are doing is regretful. â€Å"Nerville Sender, M.D., who runs an abortion clinic [even stated] ‘we know it is killing, but the states permit killing under certain circumstances.’† (Williams 38). An abortion specialist mentioning that he willingly knows it is murder shows that something is wrong with this picture. The reason for abortion being approved is because of the court case Roe vs. Wade. It â€Å"effectively legalized abortion throughout pregnancy for virtually any reason, or none at all. It is responsible for the grief of millions of men and women, and the killing of millions of unborn childre... .... Besides their rights being denied, science is coming up with reasons so that they should not be born. â€Å"Prenatal testing has become so sophisticated that doctors can now identify many disabilities before birth. But since most have no cure, the only way to ‘prevent’ the disability is to prevent the baby’s birth† (Williams 149). There is no good reason to kill a baby just because they have a physical or mental defect. Infants should not be culpable for being created that way and they should not have to suffer just because he/she will have adversities as he/she grows up. It is for these reasons why abortion promotes racism. Abortion is a horrific action because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There is no need to see that abortion is a necessary evil. It should completely be banned so that the lives of future generations can flourish. The Controversial Predicament Essay -- Social Issues, Abortion A pregnant woman patiently waits in an office for doctors to call her up. As she is called up, she feels very nervous and tense. She is told by the doctors to prop her legs on the bed as they get out their surgical devices. Several minutes later, she finds herself being operated for an abortion and sees her newborn being pulled out of her. Unfortunately, it is dead, lifeless, and decapitated. It is later discarded into an incinerator and the mother leaves casually to her home. This situation happens every day and it is seen as a common action like taking a walk. This occurrence should be condemned for the countless lives it has taken away. Abortion is remorseful because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There are many reasons for which abortion is morally incorrect. For example, in the bible, Exodus 20:13 specifically states that â€Å"you must not murder† (Bible 104). Influencing the idea to this topic, anyone can conclude that murdering is part of abortion. When abortion is done, the life of an innocent person is taken away. Another reason for which abortion is immoral is because even doctors recognize that what they are doing is regretful. â€Å"Nerville Sender, M.D., who runs an abortion clinic [even stated] ‘we know it is killing, but the states permit killing under certain circumstances.’† (Williams 38). An abortion specialist mentioning that he willingly knows it is murder shows that something is wrong with this picture. The reason for abortion being approved is because of the court case Roe vs. Wade. It â€Å"effectively legalized abortion throughout pregnancy for virtually any reason, or none at all. It is responsible for the grief of millions of men and women, and the killing of millions of unborn childre... .... Besides their rights being denied, science is coming up with reasons so that they should not be born. â€Å"Prenatal testing has become so sophisticated that doctors can now identify many disabilities before birth. But since most have no cure, the only way to ‘prevent’ the disability is to prevent the baby’s birth† (Williams 149). There is no good reason to kill a baby just because they have a physical or mental defect. Infants should not be culpable for being created that way and they should not have to suffer just because he/she will have adversities as he/she grows up. It is for these reasons why abortion promotes racism. Abortion is a horrific action because it is morally wrong, has negative effects, and promotes racism. There is no need to see that abortion is a necessary evil. It should completely be banned so that the lives of future generations can flourish.

Poetry Essay - Anaylsis of 9 Poems :: Duffy Armitage Plath Milligan Hood Clarke Heaney

In this piece of coursework I am going to analysis and compare a number of poems, some written by the same authors and some by different authors. All 9 poems have one common link which is: Youth. The first poem is called â€Å"Stealing† and it was written by Carol Ann Duffy. This poem is about a troubled young man who takes away a snowman from someone’s garden and talks about other items he has stolen before such as a camera. In this poem there are certain words and phrases which you can relate to your sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. For example when he describes the snowman as â€Å"A mate with a mind as cold as the slice of ice,† which you can use your sense of hearing and hear someone cutting through the ice. Also where he says â€Å"I was standing alone amongst lumps of snow,† where you can picture this person standing there alone with a snowman crushed at his feet. I think this add enjoyment to the poem as it is getting you to see, hear, feel exactly what is happening in the poem which makes it more real. He uses a lot of metaphors. For an example he talks about the snowman being as â€Å"cold as the slice of ice within my own brain† and â€Å"a fierce chill pierced my gut,† where he is talking about the snowman on the outside but also talking about how he feels on the inside, cold and lonely. In this poem the poet has chosen to separate the events and place a stanza in the middle, so the poem starts off talking about the snowman and what it feels like but the third verse talks about the person’s life and then back to talking about the snowman. I think the poet has done this to add more effect to the poem, as it indicates that the person in the poem does not understand themselves let alone explain them self to anyone else. Also that they think about their lifestyle a lot and that they do not understand why they do what they do. In this poem there is no rhyme. I think this is because the poet wants to make the poem sound more serious and realistic than childish with loads of rhyming words.

Heart of Darkness – Lies

According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, a lie is an untrue or inaccurate statement that may or may not be believed true by the speaker or it is something that misleads or deceives. In other words, a lie is an untruth. In life lies are told for many different reasons. In fiction they give a little more body to the plot. In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Marlow dislikes lies and therefore only tells them in extraordinary circumstances. The lie show that Marlow, even though he has been touched by evil, he is still a good man himself; that he never actually tells a lie, though he lets others continue to believe what they already believe; and by doing this, it helps him justify the lies. Marlow, in the middle of his story, interrupts himself and says â€Å"You know I hate, detest, and can't bear a lie. † If reading this and only this statement alone, we can clearly see Marlow does not like lies. Marlow feels there is a â€Å"taint of death, and a flavor of mortality in lies. Lying makes him feel â€Å"miserable and sick, like biting something rotten would do. † Since he feels this way, we as the reader know that he would only tell a lie in extraordinary circumstances. The lie was told to Kurtz’s â€Å"intended† so that the beloved image of her dead fiance would not be destroyed. She has waited at least two years for her lover to return from Africa, and now he is dead. During this time she has built his image up in her mind. To her, Kurtz is a man to be admired. She feels it would be â€Å"impossible not to love him. She was proud to have been engaged to Kurtz, and would be shocked to learn of the bad things he had done in the jungle. Marlow had to decide if he should tell her the truth about Kurtz and cause her even greater sadness, or let her go on believing that he was indeed a good man. This is an extraordinary circumstance, and so one in which Marlow could tell a lie. The significance of this lie is that it would serve no purpose to tell the truth, so Marlow does not. The truth wouldn’t matter because Kurtz is dead and to tell the truth would only hurt an innocent woman who had no idea that her fiance had an evil heart. She thought that he was loved and admired by everyone who knew him, so if she would have learned of the bad things he had done, it would eternally destroy her. Marlow also showed his good side by not telling her the truth about Kurtz. This was a good ending to the novel because it means that even though Marlow has met a man with a â€Å"Heart of Darkness,† and that even after facing his own darkness, he has come out of the jungle morally unchanged, for the most part. He is still a good human being with feelings and a sense of right and wrong. If we read closely, we see that Marlow never actually told a lie. He simply allowed others to continue to believe an untruth. The â€Å"intended† thought Kurtz as a good man, and Marlow allowed her to continue to believe just that. Also the â€Å"intended† remains as unknowing of the truth as she always has, and remains a part of the foreboding darkness with which the story ends. As a gentleman, Marlow feels that women are to be protected and insulated from any unpleasantness, he states that â€Å"the women are out of touch with truth†, that they are incapable of dealing with any reality. Since he never actually told a lie, he was better able to justify them to himself. In conclusion, Marlow dislikes lies, and only tells them in extraordinary circumstances. When he does lie, it is for the sake of others, not for himself. This shows that he is a civil and kind human being. It is unfortunate that all lies are not told with such dignified purpose. The world would be a better place if they were. Though, Marlow’s quest for truth is never really fulfilled at the end of the novel because of the lie. The truth did not set him free; instead it put him further into the â€Å"darkness†.

Don Quixote Essay

Quixotism is the ability of being caught up in the fable of pursuing some unrealistic goals or deeds. It is a world which is commonly used to describe idealism without looking at the practical side of the act. It is therefore related to â€Å"over- idealism†, something which does not consider the consequences or outcome of what somebody is doing. An act of impetuous person can be described as quixotic. This can be generally described as the ability to maintain ones ideals despite evidence to the contrary. The title character of Don Quixote is a great example of the concept of Quixotism. The prominent questions here are whether Don Quixote is sane or if â€Å"his mind dried up and went completely out of his mind† (2227). The truth is that Cervantes uses the sub-themes of an insane knight, idealism, and devotion to depict other major themes which are complex. That is why the characters exhibit incidents which are surfeit and unforgettable, happenings which are comic and tragic, but tries to present this in a significant manner. This character is actually mentally sound and he is a character who was built by the author, as a way of portraying the Spanish society in the era of sixteenth century. The text is full of quaint humor, and the author uses this in advancing his plot and the themes, which on the other hand comes out from Don Quixote. Don Quixote depicts renaissance in reality and tries to satirize the middle ages chivalric traditions by depicting them as absurd and archaic. This is a noble Spaniard who is being presented as crazy by the author intentionally, and he picks up his role as a good character and actor. He tries to revive the glamour of knighthood which was there â€Å"for the protection of damsels, the aid of windows and orphans, and the succoring of the needy† (2262) and it is evident that Cervantes does not care about the impossible dreams. The character refuses to face reality and the facts of life though he knows that what he ventures into is unrealistic and unachievable. As soon as he had seen the windmills, Don Quixote said to his squire â€Å"fortune is guiding our affairs better than we could have wished; for you see there before you (†¦) some thirty or more lawless giants with whom I mean to battle† (2247). Additionally, his relatives try to take the chivalric romances away as a way of rescuing him because they think that was all that drove him mad. On the contrary, he opts to escape with Sancho Panza whom is believed to be a good deal saner though little learned. The two characters venture into funny dreams but are different in character. According to Don Quixote knights should not complain of any pain because they are meant to bear wounds even when â€Å"their bowels may be dropping out† (2249). On the other hand, Sancho belives that he has to complain about any minor pain as God knows it, â€Å"unless the same rule applies to squires as well† (2249). For Don Quixote life is like a theater and everyone is playing a part in it. Even that life is serious always emotions are playing a big part. Don Quixote’s imagination allowed him to create a vision of a world which was more colorful, exciting, adventurous and poetic. It was for him a way to live a life because as he said: â€Å"when life is done, death takes from each the garb that differentiates him, and all at last are equal in the grave† (2307). He was a man who refused to be unhappy. The average life just got too monotonous for him, but instead of suffering, he did what most people are not brave enough to do. He reinvented his life to make it something that he was joyful living, no matter how crazy it seemed to others, because â€Å"the greatest madness that a man can be guilty of in this life is to die without good reason† (2348).He had always wanted to be a knight and one day he became one. He possessed the courage to follow his dreams, regardless of the judgment of others. The concept of Quixotism has been very well revealed in the text because Don Quixote knows very well who he is, the age he lives in, and he wants to revive the knight- errantry to be an â€Å"righter of wrongs, avenger of injustices, protector of damsels, terror of giants, and champion of battles† (2293). He wants to remain firm on his ideas and believes despite the facts from the parallel side which he knows well. From his quote â€Å"I know who I am, and who I may be, if I choose† (2244), he explains the fact that he is very sane and he knows what he is doing. His insanity is known to him and very intentional just like the character Hamlet in Shakespeare’s work. The author was being creative and exploring on the themes of idealism, which is best seen from Don Quixote character who is a â€Å"flower of chivalry† (2296). He is therefore being quixotic, and Cervantes asks us: do we consider the practicality of the goals we venture into? It is a good text with lessons on the pursuit of unrealistic goals in life. We should not have condescending attitudes towards nonconformists or judge other people, because one man’s genius is another man’s insanity, just as one man’s giant is another man’s windmill.

Macbeth: Hero or Villain? Essay

The first time in the play we hear about Macbeth is in the very first scene. The witches are discussing when they shall next meet again, and one of the witches says ‘There to meet with Macbeth’. We are yet to read about Macbeth to discover his character but because of this scene we know somehow he is or will be associated with some kind of evil. Although when we read this nowadays we do not get frightened by this fact but in the sixteenth century when this play was written the audience would have been as they believed in witchcraft. The second time we hear about Macbeth is in scene two. In this scene he is described by a Captain, he describes him ‘brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name’. The captain says this as Macbeth has defended the rebellion of Highlanders and Islanders. We still haven’t heard Macbeth himself but we have two conflicting opinions of him. The first time we hear from Macbeth is in scene three. As the witches said, he met them on the heath. He is with Banquo, his best friend. He is greeted by the witches and they greeted him ‘All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis’ they also say Thane of Cawdor and then the third witch says ‘All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter’. They then tell Banquo his future and how his son will be King. I think that this is the very first stage of the change in Macbeth’s future. Their predictions make him fell more and more confident, then when he is made Thane of Glamis he feels superior as he has a strong feeling that he will one day be King. I think if Macbeth had not have been superstitious so he believed the witches he wouldn’t think he was so indestructible and then would not have been do evil. When Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor after the Thane before was killed for treason, he writes a letter to his wife, he tells her about the witches’ predictions. I think this letter is the spark that starts Lady Macbeth’s own evil, as she is pleased with what the letter says, however she knows that although Macbeth has ambition he ‘is too full o’ the milk of human kindness’ to act upon the prediction. When Duncan stays with Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth plans to kill him, she calls on evil spirits to ‘unsex’ her, so she is not feminine as women were seen as meek and feeble so she could carry out the murder of Duncan. She tells Macbeth to leave killing up to her. When Duncan arrives, Lady Macbeth greets him warmly; she doesn’t seem to show any emotions of remorse at this point. When the banquet is taking place Macbeth thinks over the decision to kill Duncan, finally he decides the murder will not go ahead – this decision shows that Macbeth is not truly evil. However when he tells his wife he doesn’t want to go ahead with the murder she talks him around by saying things such as if he were a real man he wouldn’t back out and how if she had promised something to him she wouldn’t break her promise. The way she says this is very powerful and underlines just how evil she could be, as she says ‘I have given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me – I would while it was smiling in my face have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this’. I think the baby she describes is maybe a child that they lost, as we do not hear of this child apart from this in the play. I think she used the child as an example in her promise as it is something that they both feel strongly for and it brings them closely together. Before Lady Macbeth talks Macbeth into backing out of killing, in his soliloquy in Act one scene seven, Macbeth shows his conscience, he feels he doesn’t want to go ahead with the murder, although when he talks about killing Duncan he never mentions the word ‘murder’. At this point we still don’t really know if Macbeth is a villain or hero yet. Lady Macbeth was suppose to carry out the murder but she saw Duncan sleeping and said that she could not do it as he looked like his father, this shows that she in not totally evil either. Macbeth hallucinates a dagger pointing towards Duncan’s chamber before his murder showing he is unstable mentally and maybe nervous. These nerves make him kill the two guards that slept with Duncan and over react when the murder is revealed. After the murder Macbeth is made King as the Kings two sons had fled from Scotland. Now all of his predictions from the witches have come true, he feels threatened as the witches also predicted that Banquo’s son would be king. Now as he has already killed three people he sets out to kill Banquo and his son, Felance. Banquo is his best friend, so this really shows how Macbeth’s character is really changing for the worst. This time he doesn’t do it himself, he sends two murders that he persuades in such a way we’ve heard before. He tells them that if they were real men they would carry out the murders, this sounds like the type of persuasion that Lady Macbeth used on her husband so he would commit the murder of th e King. At the banquet he pretends he does not know when Banquo is and is upset that he isn’t there, but then he sees Banquo’s ghost. He is uneasy and he nearly says too much about all the murders when he gets upset and confused after he sees the ghost, but Lady Macbeth stops him in time and makes up a story of how he is ill so the guests do not suspect a thing. In Act four he goes back to see the witches. They tell him he is safe until Birnam wood comes to Dunsianane, and never by a man of woman born shall he be harmed. Macbeth can now relax, he thinks, as everyone is born of a woman and the wood will never move. They also tell him another prediction of Banquo’s children on the throne, this is still possible as the two murderers failed to kill Banquo’s son, Felance. Macbeth’s next actions, I think show just how much his mind is evil and he seems not to care or have any conscience left, and he sends an army to kill Macduff’s family! The first description we hear of Macbeth is ‘brave Macbeth’, but in Act four scene three Macduff describes him as a ‘tyrant’, his personality seems have to changed. In Act five scene four Lady Macbeth kills herself. At the start of the play Macbeth and his wife seem very close, but when she dies Macbeth is not moved in any way he shows no emotion at all, he is cold as if he has hardened to people dying. He says ‘she should have died hereafter’. His life seems meaningless; he doesn’t care for anything or anyone anymore, not even his wife. The army that are attacking his castle carry bits of trees from Birnam wood – Birnam wood seems to be moving. Now I thing this shows that his superstition has really ruined him. He seems to know he is going to die, he says ‘At least we will die with harness on our backs’, he wants to die a solider – but as the witches said no man of woman born can kill him. When the army attacks the castle he fights Macduff – it is then Macbeth finds out that Macduff was born of caesarean – I think now Macbeth is puzzled; should he carry on fighting or just give up? Macbeth’s last words are ‘Hold, enough!’ He almost seems childlike and in a last grasp for breath he shouts this. Ultimately Macbeth is a villain, but factors that helped to bring out these feelings are his wife, his own ambition and the fact that he was too quick to believe to witches and too trusting. Macbeth may have been a hero but he died a villain.

Poverty in the UK Essay

In 1886, Charles Booth investigated the extent of poverty in London. His was the first systematic sociological study of poverty in the UK. The results, presented in 1902-3, documented the living and working condition of the London poor. Adopting a relative approach to poverty — which was defined as the inability to meet the usual standard of life — Booth estimated that the level at which poverty set in for a family of two adults and three children was 21 shillings per week (? 1. 05 today). Booth estimated that 30. 7 per cent of London’s total population were in poverty. Around the same time, adopting an absolute perspective on poverty, Seebohm Rowntree investigated the state of the poor in the city of York in 1899. He highlighted the minimum standard of living which fulfilled people’s biological needs for food, water, clothing and shelter. This is also referred to as the subsistence level. Rowntree subsequently drew up a list of those minimum personal and household necessities required for survival and established two categories of poverty. Primary poverty is when the person is unable to acquire the minimum necessitates, secondary poverty is when a portion of the person’s total earnings is absorbed by other useful or wasteful expenditure such that it is not possible to maintain the minimum standard. Poverty can be defined in several ways, Booth took a relative approach and Rowntree took an absolute approach. In the post-war era, there has been a more pronounced shift from viewing poverty as predominantly a monetary and economic phenomenon to regarding and acknowledging its more qualitative and subjective aspects. By the end of the 1950s, the period of rationing and shortages was over and, with almost full employment, the UK seemed ‘never to have had it so good’. Yet, by the 1960s, a number of social policy academics close to the Labour Party (such as Tawney and Townsend) raised the issue of the continuing existence of poverty in a period of greater prosperity. Townsend questioned absolute definitions of poverty (such as those of Rowntree) which were outdated and failed to take account of the problems some people had in fully participating in society. Townsend’s definitive work on poverty in the UK in 1979 (Townsend 1992) went beyond an absolute definition based on physical needs, to view poverty in relation to a generally accepted standard of living, in a specific society, at a particular time. Individuals can be said to be in poverty when they lack the resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities which are customary, or at least widely encouraged and approved, in the societies which they belong. (p. 31) Townsend suggested a definition that was closer in tune to the concept of citizenship — poverty constituted a lack of resources that would enable a person to able to participate in the normal expectations and customs of a society. This kind of definition also would imply that the indicators of poverty can change over time in order to embrace changes in society. In the 1960’s, Townsend used the example of not being able to afford a proper Sunday lunch as an indicator of poverty. The idea of a Sunday roast meal might not be so relevant today because of changes in family life and the way people gather together, and therefore is not so much an integral aspect of what people can be expected to do normally. On the other hand, Townsend’s indicator of giving presents to near members of the family for birthdays or Christmas still holds. In his 1979 work, Townsend identified twelve items he believed were be relevant to the whole population, and gave each household surveyed a score on a deprivation index. The higher the score, the more deprived was the household. Townsend calculated that 22. 9 per cent of the population fell under the threshold of deprivation (Giddens 2006). When talking about poverty, researchers usually base their work on measures of deprivation rather than the identification of poverty by itself. The existence of deprivation is taken as a surrogate for the existence of poverty. People are said to be deprived materially and socially if they lack the material standards (diet, housing ad clothing) and the services and amenities (recreational, educational, environmental, social) which would allow them to participate in commonly accepted roles and relationship within society. The compass of poverty is complex, embracing the unemployed, those on low pay or in insecure work, the sick, the elderly, and the unskilled. Some minority ethnic groups also come into the picture, for example, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in the UK have, in general, high rates of poverty compared to other groups (Giddens 2006). Absolute poverty assumes that it is possible to define a minimum standard of living based on a person’s biological needs for food, water, clothing and shelter. The emphasis is on basic physical needs and not on broader social and cultural needs. Rowntree’s studies of poverty in York in 1901, 1936, and 1951 used such an approach to poverty. But another way of viewing poverty is of relative poverty, which goes beyond biological needs, and is not simply about a lack of money but also about exclusion form the customs of society. Relative poverty is about social exclusion imposed by an inadequate income. Social exclusion is a broader concept than poverty encompassing not only low material means but the inability to participate effectively in economic, social, political and cultural life, implying alienation and distance from the mainstream society (Giddens 2006). Social exclusion may both be a precursor to poverty and an important consequence of it. In 1984, Mack and Lansley study established that the poverty threshold covered not only the basic essentials for survival (such as food and shelter) but also the ability to participate in society and play a social role: for the first time ever, a majority of people see the necessities of life in Britain in the 1980s as covering a wide range of goods and activities, and†¦ people judge a minimum standard of living on socially established criteria and not just the criteria of survival or subsistence. (Mack & Lansley 1985 : 55) In the 1980s, the discussion of poverty turned increasingly to the notion of polarisation and to the shrinking portion of the UK cake held by the poorest. Poverty and wealth are not simply the ‘bottom’ and ‘top’ of the income distribution, they are polarised social conditions (Scott 1994). Income polarisation was also compounded by a number of policy measure introduced in the 1980s, such as a reduction in the level of income tax for high earners and increasing use of indirect taxes. Academics showed that polarisation and social disparities were growing between those who had benefited from the measures of the successive Thatcher administrations and those who had lost out, while the Thatcher government as the time tried to deny the excesses of Thatcherism. According to an analysis of the Child Poverty Action Group, in the regime of Margaret Thatcher, more than 63 billion has been transferred in subsidies from the poor to the rich (Oppenheim and Harker 1996) Research in the 1990’s on the distribution of wealth and poverty in the UK has been produced under a Joseph Rowntree Foundation research initiative. This research highlighted that the number of people living in households with under half the national average income fell between the early 1960s and 1970s from five million to three million, but then rose to eleven million in 1991, to a point where one in five households were living on under half the national average income. The number of individuals under 60 living in households without paid work has more than doubled – from 4.1. million, or 8 per cent, in 1979, to 9. 4 million, or 19 per cent by the mid 1990s. This has been accompanied by a widening gap in the incomes of households in paid work and those out of paid work. In 1997, 12 million people in the UK (almost 25% of the population) lived below the poverty line, defined as under half the average wage, and two out of five children were born poor. Today, according to OECD (Organisation for Economic cooperation and Development), Britain has one of the worst poverty records in the developed world (Giddens 2006). According to the latest available statistics, nearly 1 in 4 people in the UK – amounting to 13 million people – live in poverty. This includes nearly 4 million children – signifying a shocking 1 in 3 ratio (Oxfam GB 2003). The explanations that have been offered as causes of poverty fall under two categories, individualistic theories and structural theories. Here we will focus on the former. Individualistic theories identify the main causes of poverty within individuals themselves. Social and cultural factors are not entirely discounted, but more emphasis is place on inappropirated individual behaviours. There are three main types of individualistic theories. Orthodox economic theory: This theory proposes that poverty can be explained by the economic deficiency of the individual . Harold Lydall argues that the general abilities of men in the labour force determine the distribution of incomes. These abilities are assumed to be created by genetic, environmental and educational factors. To reduce poverty, policies need to target individuals’ own value systems, to develop their own personal qualities in a manner that makes them more capable and efficient. The individual is poor because he has not maximised his true potential in the labour market. Minority group theory: Minority group theory originate from the earliest studies of poverty based on the findings of Booth and Rowntree. These pioneering social scientists did not attempt to discover the causes of poverty, merely the characteristics of certain groups of poor people. Minority group theory has largely constructed its explanation for poverty through examining the characteristics of the poor – for example, being old, being married with dependent children. Going beyond such demographic indicators, the theory implicates alleged ‘faulty’ characteristics. The classification of ‘ar-risk’ groups has prompted policy makers to implement a benefit system to ensure that the most basic of needs are met, without encouraging idleness or apathy. The poverty policies of successive governments have often informed by minority group theory. Subculture of poverty theory: Subculture of poverty theory is derived form a number of anthropological and sociological studies, particularly, the work of Oscar Lewis. It was Lewis who in 1959 introduced the term ‘the culture of poverty’ in an effort to draw an analogy between the Mexican lower class families and those in other parts of the world. He attempted to explain the phenomenon of the persistence of poverty in different countries. The basic idea has its roots in the Chicago School of Sociology and the work of Robert E. Park. According to Park the patterns of the neighbourhood, and the slum in particular, once they come into being, take on a life of their own and are to a great extent self-generating and self-perpetuating. A sociological process known as labeling also underpins this phenomenon. Labelling somebody negatively may also lead to increased surveillance or segregation from the wider community which further increases (and even creates) the predicted behaviour (Fulcher and Scott 2001). These processes, whereby people tend to live up to the expectation of others are known to be self-fulfilling. Oscar Lewis implies a similar understanding in his formulation of the notion of the culture of poverty. Lewis claimed that poverty affected the very personality of slum dwellers. The poor tend to be at once apathetic yet alienated, happy-go-lucky yet miserable. Other negative characteristics that mark the psychological orientation of poor people include laziness, being unambitious, being disorganised, and fatalistic. To fight poverty at its roots, such psychological tendencies need to be gradually eroded, with more positive attitudes taking their place. Much work also needs to be done on making the destitute people more attractive to their potential employers, in terms of skills and educational qualifications. Substantial and sustained reductions in poverty depend on raising the level of qualifications among older teenagers and young adults in the bottom quarter of educational achievement. Lack of progress here is a major concern for longer term progress on reducing poverty. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2006) References: Giddens, A. (2006). Sociology. Cambridge : Polity Press Fulcher, J. & Scott J. (2001). Sociology. Oxford : Oxford University Press Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (2006). Monitoring poverty and social exclusion in the UK 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2007 from http://www.poverty. org. uk/reports/mpse%202006%20findings. pdf Mack, J. & Lansley, S. (1985). Poor Britain. London : Unwin Hyman Oppenheim,C. & Harker, L. (1996). Poverty: the Facts, 3rd ed. London : Child Poverty Action Oxfam GB. (2003). The facts about poverty in the UK. Retrieved 20 March 2007 from http://www. oxfamgb. org/ukpp/poverty/thefacts. htm Scott, J. (1994). Poverty and Wealth: Citizenship, Deprivation and Privilege (Longman Sociology Series). London : Longman Group United Kingdom Townsend, P. (1992). Poverty in the UK. Berkeley : University of California Press

Drawbacks of recession in the economy Term Paper

Drawbacks of recession in the economy - Term Paper Example 9- paragraph 1). Thus, economics and societal commentators view and gauge other range of variables such as the general welfare of people, level of prices amongst many other economic growth or decline indicators. Therefore, for the purposes of this essay, the paper will focus on the drawbacks of recession to the global economies with a skewed interest in the United States of America. Specifically, the paper would articulate how recession leads to increase in unemployment standards, reduction in the quality of life or welfare and a decline in the price of assets. To begin with, there is the instance and situation of falling output or the national production level. It is imperative to note and mention that once the country produces lesser than the actual potential, the gross domestic product or the aggregate measure of value of a country’s wealth would be reduced. The amount of real Gross domestic product directly relates to the amount of income that the same person or entity would be realize. As a result, the amount of wages would be skewed to grow in a slower rate or decline altogether. There stems a combination of employees incentives and urge to create a structure within the government to redistribute resources (Palley, 2013, p. 25-paragraph 2). For instance in the United States of America, Walmart retailers as an employer to many people has in the past established a program of rewarding its employees through bonuses and continuous salaries and wage increase. However during the time of national recession, the employees of Walmart were neither given bonuses nor salary increases. Instead, there was a reduction in their cumulative financial benefits such as being given only their basic salaries and wages. Thus, in all aspects and fairness, it would be imperative to note that the wage levels and bonus of the employees reduced. Secondly, during times of economic

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Ronal Dahl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Ronal Dahl - Essay Example These early instances of animals in literature history stood generally imbued with strong allegorical and religious significance. â€Å"Fantastic Mr. Fox† serves as criterions of moral didacticism by use of animals as instances for humans to avoid or follow (Dahl 70). Before we even encounter Mr. Fox, Roald introduces us to three loathsome farmers who go by names of Bunce, Bean and Boggis. Farmer Boggis keeps poultry and is a prime sample of obesity since he eats 3 whole chickens together with dumplings for each meal of the day daily. Farmer Bunce, conversely, has thousands of geese and ducks. He stands a pot - bellied dwarf and his diet consisting of doughnuts bloated with goose liver cream. He seems to continue with this regime although he has a persistent stomach ache and an ill temper because of it. Finally, there is Farmer Bean, a turkey’s keeper and an apple orchard owner. He does not eat turkeys: he simply brews cider from the apples to drink the brew by the gall on. Bean is extremely thin but extraordinary brilliant. These 3 farmers are so contemptible that their local children sing a rhyme about their spitefulness when they come across them. It remains actually quite shocking that they manage to liaise with each other, considering their unpleasantness (Dahl 3). They must liaise, however, if they stand having at any chance at all, to outwit Mr. Fox. The Mr. Fox has a family of a wife and 4 little foxes to nourish, and each evening he asks his wife if she would like a duck, a goose, a turkey or a chicken. He then steals from the appropriate farm and takes back the chosen birdie. He is a cunning creature who approaches farms with the wind propelling towards him, so he can pick up the farmer’s scent lying to wait with a gun and quickly change his direction. The three farmers are furious and eventually agree they should hide proximal Mr. Fox hole to attack him once he emerges. The story continues their frustrated attempts to kill Mr. Fox alongside his family, who always succeed to dig further and escape the farmers. The foxes get horrified when tractors get brought to dig them out. However, Mr. Fox finds a plan to dig several tunnels along to each farm and steal enough foodstuff and cider for a celebration. Help gets solicited from other animals, of that get summoned to a great banquet (Dahl 13). Foxes stay often depicted as antiheroes in children's literature, â€Å"Chicken Liken† being a prime illustration. In 'Fantastic Mr. Fox, conversely, readers find themselves rooting for the foxes family in the aspect of the drastic actions taken by the 3 loathsome farmers. The story continues at a fast pace over chapters of about six pages each, and it is unlikely any child can have the chance to become bored. Quentin Blake delightful illustrations add hugely to bring the tale alive. The animals stay seen as life - size compared to the chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese. Mr. Fox wears a classy jacket and neck tie wh ereas Badger wears a waistcoat. Eyes and snouts are exaggerated, and all animals more have beaming, wholehearted smiles. The farmers, in contrast, are grumpy, glum souls. The illustration of 2 tractors with their headlights grinning makes them appear like two monsters with arrays of fangs, ready to gulp a creature that would get on their way (Sax 55). The tale remains intended for read - aloud tale for children aged 3

The great Chicago fire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The great Chicago fire - Research Paper Example Will Chicago be able to return her royal title of the â€Å"Queen of the West†? The Great Chicago Fire "It was like a snowstorm only the flakes were red instead of white." Bessie Bradwell Helmer 1. Chicago started as a small settlement and grew to a very populated city during XIX. The population of Chicago had burst from approximately 4,000 souls when it received its first city charter in 1837, to 30,000 in 1850 and to an amazing 330,000 at 1871. It had passed  Saint Louis  as the fourth-biggest city in America and became a key player on the international scene. Modern for those days highly-branched railroad was a very important element of Chicago city. No American city was linked to the romance of the railroad the way Chicago was. It resembled imperial European centers – Paris, for instance – where the stations, like the points of a gigantic compass, beckoned in all directions†¦ It was the railroad that made Chicago the capital of America’s heart land, its attainable metropolis, its possible dream. (Lowe, 2010, p.51). 2. This fast increase city growth, though, happened with little planning. Several brick-and-mortar constructions were already built, but thousands of buildings were factually â€Å"thrown up† to house the enormous flood of European immigrants. There, next to rich houses was built squatter settlement where buildings often were put up very close to each other, back-to-back. The growth of the city was so speedy and similar to the fast growing bones of a teenager, which often might be subject to easy breaking. The expansion of Chicago was far from being ideal and faultless. There were class conflicts, business upheavals and urban rivalry which became common in American cities. 3. On Sunday October 8th 1871 around 9 o’clock in the evening in the small barn owned by Patrick and  Catherine O'Leary, that was on 137  DeKoven Street, the fire started. Nobody knew for certain what caused it. The investig ation by the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners has never before been fully researched and reported by the fire historians. The Board’s final report published in Chicago newspapers on December 12, 1871, indicated that the commissioners were unable to determine the fire cause.† (Bales and Schwartz, 2005, p.4) 4. There were number of equally possible stories, from the owner’s cow kicking over the lantern to meteor shower which possibly caused 3 other fires in the same area simultaneously. 5. According to Owens (2007), â€Å"The Chicago fire started in the O’Leary barn but the O’Leary Home survived.† (p.8) 6. However, many historians nowadays believe that the true culprit of the fire was Daniel Sullivan, the one who told O’Learys about the fire. They accepted as truth his story that he got inside the barn to steal their cows’ milk. Prior to his death, Daniel Sullivan admitted that he was accountable. There are some indications confirming it is true, yet it is not certain. A.T. Andreas, nineteenth-century historian wrote: "Nature had withheld her accustomed measure of prevention, and man had added to the peril by recklessness." The fire spread very fast due to the draught for fourteen weeks, multiplicity of wooden houses, jacked-up plank streets and sidewalks and powerful southwestern wind. It was similar to hundreds of matchboxes set close

Ethical Dilemmas in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Dilemmas in Education - Essay Example Ethics is an important facet when it comes to education. The dissemination of information to others requires a great deal of responsibility and accountability and it can often become a subject to ethical misconducts. This paper would focus on the ethical dilemmas that are present when it comes to education and how these challenges can be dealt with and overcome. Discussion As the world progresses education is becoming increasingly important and crucial. Education is the basis for every developed society and is the key to bring economic and social transformation. Education is a factor that leads to the growth of economies and flourishes the state of the nations. This recognition of education has made it even more important and it is now considered indispensable to invest in education. Teachers are the mediators that are responsible for the dispersion of education in societies. Hence, in order to improve the efficiency and quality of education it is fundamental to improve the quality o f teachers not only in terms of qualifications and knowledge but more importantly towards their ethical behavior which has a wider insinuation towards the efficiency and quality of education. ... Education serves the purpose of producing good citizens that are respectful towards the laws, human rights and fairness. The ethical commitments of the teachers and staff are included in the transparent system of disseminating information and knowledge and it is very crucial in order to deliver quality education. (Fenner, 1999) As the world is progressing and the expanding into the advent of globalization, so is education. Education is not only a factor of production of future cognitive capital for societies but it is also an important tool to instigate and maintain cultural and social values within individuals. Due to the interaction of different parts of the world into what we know as a global village, there is more awareness and an increasing need for multi-cultural education. As most parts of the world are becoming multi-cultural, the concept of mono-acculturation has come into being. It is important to teach people about the sex/gender system and the ethnic stereotypes. It is es sential to teach from the prospects of women also and from a postcolonial viewpoint since women around the world are becoming more and more aware of their rights for equality and self-actualization. It is vital to provide correct and unbiased information about other cultures and traditions. This may be aided with the presence of bicultural people who could be involved in discussions about cultures and hence provide the students with education of different cultures and breaks mono-culturalism. (Sunnari & Rasanen, 2000) There are a number of generalized codes of ethics that need to be followed by the educators that are often neglected and leads to the violation of ethics and proves to be challenging. The

Christianity and Native America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Christianity and Native America - Essay Example However, what is often overlooked and unasked is that whether those who rabidly defend political correctness, and attack those who disagree with their perspective could have refrained from the same kind of evangelistic fervor if confronted with a people who were savagely killing each other. One can only wonder if the politically correct missionaries (or police) would have made it any farther than the shores of the new land. The Spanish missionaries sent forward by the catholic church of Europe, although they were met with resistance, did forge relationships with the Indian tribes, and assist them in transitioning into a lifestyle that was more advantageous for them. These missionaries also were some of the forerunners for the settlers who would follow. Their work opened the doors for European settlers to establish working relationships with Indian peoples, if only in limited areas and with limited success. But missionaries measure there success not in terms of states and land mass, b ut rather in terms of the number of individuals touched and benefiting from their work. On the other hand, the Catholics' missionary zeal directed toward the new world was misguided in more than one instance. These missionaries did not understand the concept of evangelizing and spreading their faith without including a secondary goal of changing the evangelized people's culture as well. Arriving to their new "mission field" the missionaries only had their own experience to draw from. The catholic missionary work across the European continent was performed within a people group that had, for the most part, arisen from the same culture roots. All of Europe had grown out of, and out from under the influence of the Greco - Roman Empire. The continent had been conquered and re-conquered a number of times, and each time, the victorious nations would sew into the culture more of its own world view and belief system. So, while the nations and regions had different traditions, languages, etc, the continent was, as it is today, a product of a Greco-roman belief system which had been strongly influenced by Christianity for 1400 years. Upon arrival in the new world, the catholic missionaries had only their own experiences to draw from. They did not understand the concept of teaching a faith in Jesus Christ without including the effort to transpose their culture upon the new converts as well. According to the Marquette University studies of Christianity in North America: "Catholic evangelization of the Americas' aboriginal Indian peoples is a story of epic proportions. It is a saga on spreading the Gospel for over 500 years and it is a struggle for peace and justice, cultural accommodation, and the development of indigenous Christian faith communities." (2003) Today, the Catholic Church understands the goal is to create indigenous communities within the local people groups who embrace the catholic faith. However, at the time of the settlement of North America, this theory was not in place. The Roman Catholic Church viewed itself as the repository of civilized culture, and their goal was to bring local native peoples into their faith and culture regardless of the means necessary. For example, one of the most famous settlements of catholic missionaries which still exists for examination today are the set of five missions built in the

Internship course (report) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internship course (report) - Essay Example I learnt about the Murabaha where the bank sells an asset at a pre agreed cost and profit after purchasing an item either will full payment or on a deferred basis. The bank benefits from the profit earned and the seller of the property also benefits since the selling takes place in a shorter time. Another product of the bank is the good Murabaha and the vehicle Murabaha whereby the bank takes responsibility of selling goods or a vehicle at an agreed cost with the seller who is a client of the bank. Immediately after the sale takes place, the bank deducts their agreed profit% and gives the rest amount to the seller(Hammonds, 2007). I learnt about the letter of credit (L/C) which is a method of payment whereby the two parties have ample protection. The bank writes to an exporter on behalf of an importer who is their client and it verifies and guarantees payment. The bank also offers financial protection to its customers through construction surety bonds such as bid bonds and performance bonds. Through these finical protections, the client of the bank is able to evaluate a construction company. Surety and bid bonds have a slight difference but in both, the construction company agrees to pay the bank a certain amount which the client is given in case the contractor fails to complete the project. The bank also offers payment guarantee as a service to their customers and return they charge a pre-agreed % on the recovered debt. The client of the bank, who in such a case is the person demanding payment, approaches the bank and provides details of the debt agreement with the debtor and leaves the task of demanding the payment to the bank. The bank also offers a service called Mudaraba which is basically an agreement between the bank and their client. In this service, the bank provides finance for a certain project which is proposed by the client who in turn provides the technical knowhow of carrying out the venture. The venture must be

Organizational Change Management in Nokia Research Paper

Organizational Change Management in Nokia - Research Paper Example The reasons of failure could be market competitors â€Å"Samsung† and could be the old trends of business, which have restrained Nokia from true organizational success.   The Trends to be Adapted Talking about the trends of the business especially organizations, which are on the technological side include, innovation, advancement, modification and sustainability (Mohin, 2012). Firms that are operating on the mass global level are in the trench of such modern business trends. Firms especially in the mobile phone sector are marching up with such technology and advancement. Actually, the soul of such trends relate to the perception of the modern customer, which expects advancement, innovation and modification in all the products and services (Woo, 2013). Present organizations such as Apple, Samsung, Sony or HTC are moving up with modern business trends (Woo, 2013). The organizations understand that their secret of success lies behind the prevailing business trends. To progress, to compete or to accelerate in the globalized business order, organizations have identified such contemporary trends as effective compellers. Actually, consumers are more familiar with modernization and hence they want to see things changing in the business order too. For such reason, the demand is of those companies, which have the concept of change, innovation and modification. These have become the essentials of business operation- essentials of progress and succession (Mohin, 2012). The concept of a smartphone first introduced by Apple and then the Samsung’s Android phone are the major examples of innovation. This innovation, which has become the delight of modern consumers has been thoroughly adapted within the organizations’ systems (Woo, 2013). The same is what is expected from Nokia - a company, which remained in the old trends and not able to define technology in the right innovative sense (Cheng, 2012). They tried to stay on ultra cheap with and hence not ab le to meet innovation and technological grounds. The innovative concept of Samsung Galaxy X is what brought Nokia to a threat. This is where the gap of trend was there, and hence, Nokia was not able to pick the track of progression (Mohin, 2012). Furthermore, the trend of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), which is the trend of other mobile leader companies, as well also seemed lost in the Nokia operation (Cheng, 2012). Samsung one of the trademark companies has adopted the practices of green and green management (Krames, 2005). This is for sustaining resources for the future and for the Corporate Social Responsibility objective. Meanwhile, organizations when they have the leadership, the vision and ideology they work in such social business norms. They know that to survive for future generations that have to imply such valuable social trends. All such trends are followed by the trend-setting organizations and hence need to be adapted by lagging organizations such as Nokia Corpo ration. Actually, Corporate Social Responsibility and even any new business trend come from the leadership and the culture of the organization.

European Description Essay Example for Free

European Description Essay The fear when youre in a social situation in which you may be exposed to some kind of harm, or so as you may think. It can arouse a panic attack, the persons fear is noticeable and they would rather avoid such situations. It is normally diagnosed in people under 18, and can last for about 6 months. This fear is not created because of a drug, and if a general condition is present, it is not related to it in any way. European Description: Often starts in adolescence and is experienced around small groups of people. It can be seen in both males and females. In some cultures, direct eye-to-eye contact can be stressful, and nausea, hand tremor and panic attacks may be seen too. Most of this is related to low self-esteem and there is always a prevailing fear of being criticized. In extreme cases, total isolation may be experienced  Treatment:  Most phobias can be treated through therapy, however in very extreme cases, pharmacotherapy (includes the use of antidepressant drugs) may be needed. (APA 1998) The cognitive behavioral therapies reassure the patient that there is nothing that could possibly harm them. This is done by approaching a situation which may be frightening for the patient and then breaking it down into pieces to allow ways to cope with that (such as muscle relaxation). These therapies have been in practice for a while and have been proven fruitful. A limitation of this treatment is lack of therapists to take care of such situations. An article also suggested that serotonin reuptake inhibitors also help in such conditions. Is the sudden, rapid, unusual kind of behavior which may be vocal or physical called tics. It normally attacks someone before the age of 18 and there is no research to know its cause; it is neither the side effect of a drug nor a general disease. The period can last for about a year, and the tics occur as frequently as a few times a day. European Description: A tic is defined as a sudden and involuntary movement, which is of no use but may be suppressed. Common tics include blinking of the eye, sniffing, shrugging your shoulders whereas more complex ones can be more physical, such as skipping around, or even causing harm to one self. It is an uncommon, chronic disorder which occurs more in males compared to females and has been proved hereditary. De la Tourrettes Syndrome is when theres a lot of overlap of vocal and physical tics which can be observed during childhood or adolescence, and can lead on into a patients adult life too. Tics may be suppressed and can be put off by going to sleep! Recent research: + Magazine Article  Sleeping Patterns in children with Tourette syndrome: a polysomnographic study  To evaluate data on sleep quantity/quality and tics during night sleep in children with Tourette syndrome  Polysomnography of teenage and young kids who suffered from Tourettes were taken [ they did not have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ]. The control for this experiment was a group of 16year old sex and IQ matched teenagers. Their sleeping patterns were noticed to have added short movements, which lasted about 15 seconds and their tic activity and sleeping span were studied. It was seen that kids who suffered from TS showed major changes in their sleeping span and slept for longer than the control group. it was also seen that they were awake most of the time, rather than fully asleep. The number of stages that they went through had no difference. Movement was seen to be similar, but TS patients showed a little bit more movement.  It was seen that there is no direct link between sleep span and movements in your sleep. Children with TS have disturbed sleep which is because of their tics during the day. There is a need for further research on this issue Treatment: A placebo-controlled trial of risperidone in Tourette syndrome  A study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of risperidone in children and adults with TS  The study lasted for 8 weeks and patients were selected randomly for a placebo controlled trial. Total tic score was being measured.  34 participants (26 children and 8 adults) from 6 to 62 years were available. Total Tic scores were similar at baseline (26.0 +/- 5.1 for risperidone vs 27.4 +/- 8.5 for placebo). After 8 weeks of treatment (mean daily dose of 2.5 +/- 0.85), the 16 subjects on risperidone showed a 32% reduction in tic severity from baseline, compared to a 7% reduction for placebo patients. The 12 children randomized to risperidone showed a 36% reduction in tic symptoms compared to an 11% decrease in the 14 children on placebo. Two children on risperidone showed acute social phobia, which resolved with dose reduction in one subject but resulted in medication discontinuation in the other. A mean increase in body weight of 2.8 kg was observed in the risperidone group compared to no change in placebo. No extrapyramidal symptoms and no clinically significant alterations in cardiac conduction times or laboratory measures were observed.  Therefore it was seen that Risperidone appears to be safe and effective for short-term treatment of tics in children or adults with Tourette syndrome. Longer-term studies are needed to evaluate the durability of efficacy and safety over time.

Better Teaching Through Provocation Essay Example for Free

Better Teaching Through Provocation Essay The quest for an effective pedagogy differentiates the teacher from the researcher. Within the humanities and social sciences, we are constantly confronted with the challenge of communicating complex material in a novel and effective manner. Active teaming is bolstered by an approach that emphasizes creative problem solving, and critical thinking. And active learning often begins with a question. Despite those techniques, philosophical inquiry can sometimes lead to esoteric, pedantic, or even banal approaches to teaching that leave the neophyte intellectually lost or detached from the learning process. As a discipline, philosophy itself is intrinsically provocative. In the spirit of Nietzsches infamously provocative style, the use of stimulating techniques in teaching introductory college courses can be immensely beneficial. Goals of Provocation The goals of provocative teaching are grounded in a conceptual framework of critical thinking as well as in an understanding and appreciation of the many psychological processes that influence mental life. The teachers strategy should be designed to provoke or pique students to think; that is, to analyze the grounds of their beliefs, which can be directly applied to their personal lives. Stirring questions and statements should challenge (and respectfully critique) the method and rationale by which students arrive at conclusions and reexamine the grounds for their beliefs and attitudes. Guiding Principles Guiding principles in formulating provocative teaching techniques as follows: 1. Orient the technique toward the entire class, not just one student. 2. Allow an appropriate pause time for class response.  3. Respond to all students responses. 4. Validate and confirm student attempts to respond or offer an explanation. 5. Use the discussion to launch into a formal presentation of the material or to augment existing didactic strategies. Classroom Examples Provocative techniques combined with systematic questioning may be applied arbitrarily to any topic. Through provocative systematic questioning, the student realizes that this type of reasoning is an informal fallacy based on an appeal to authority that became conditioned and serves as the grounds for his belief. It is better to focus questions toward the entire class, in a case like this, by focusing on one student, others join in to offer competing arguments or supportive rationale that are further examined by the class as a whole. That generally leads to an inclusive process rather than an exclusive centering on one student. Parenting and Corporal Punishment Students believed that corporal punishment was immoral. Most students believed it was morally acceptable, and some even made a case that it was immoral not to physically discipline children when they commit transgressions, because physical punishment teaches them morals. Provocative exercises may provide a personal utility for self-discovery that departs from the traditional procedures of pedantic pedagogy. Risk of Provocation When we examine controversial issues in class, we should be respectful of individual and cultural differences that may influence certain beliefs and practices, while we still maintain intellectual integrity. It should be a tacit assumption for students that acts of provocation are designed to bring rational and emotional constructs under the rubric of knowledge. No provocation should be executed merely for shock value. Because some students may feel intimidated by philosophical questions, the professor should try to be sensitive to the students cognitive acumen as well as their emotional development. Sometimes, students who are overly emotional, rigid, or vulnerable to a particular topic simply need to be reminded that the discussion at hand is only an object of intellectual investigation and certainly not a personal attack. Conclusion  We must find a method that suits our personalities and didactic styles. Instead of traditional lecturing, the combined use of provocative questions and statements that force the class to respond to a particular issue may have more impact and personal meaning than fort-formal approaches. Furthermore, the use of probing and systematic questioning gears students toward an introspective analysis of their personal beliefs, not only grounded in reason, but also linked to emotional and psychological motives that influence their perception of cause and effect. One will notice progress in their critical thinking skills over the length of the course. Rather than professing an impetuous position based upon unreflective conditioning, students offer more solid argumentation with developed rationale for their beliefs and attitudes.