Estrangement: Political Philosophy and Good Life Essay

Chapter two of Glenn Tinder’s, â€Å"Political Thinking: The Perennial Questions† on estrangement and unity asks us whether we as humans are estranged in essence. This question really sets the tone for the rest of the book, because if humans are estranged then we would not be living together in societies, therefore not needing political science to answer such questions that deal with societies. As Tinder describes it, † politics is the art of reconcilliation, and that the need for this art always arises from some kind of estrangement†(23). Tinder’s point does not answer the question of whether or not we are truly estranged in essence, that would be to easy! It merely suggests that with humans living in societies estrangement arises, not that we are estranged in essence. By deffinition estrangement signifies alienation: a separation from hostility. And it is derrived from the latin word extraneare: to treat as a stranger. So do humans by nature treat others as strangers, are they alienated from one another at there core? Tinder attempts to show us two such philosophers who would show us the two sides of this argument so that we may gain clarity and decide the essence of humans with the knowledge of great thinkers as our foundation. Those two great thinkers are Aristotle who believes that humans are not estranged, and Thomas Hobbes who subscribes to the idea that humans are estranged in essence. So with these two thinkers as the backbone of this debate we can get to the bottom of the question at hand. The seminal philosopher in the argument that humans are not estranged is Aristotle. In Politea, Aristotle states that: .. by nature man is a political animal. Hence man have a desire for life together, even when they have no need to seek each other’s help. Nevertheless, common interest too is a factor in bringing them together, in so far as it contributes to the good life of each. The good life is indeed their chief end, both communally and individually; but they form and continue to maintain a political association for the sake of life itself. Perhaps we may say that there is an element of good even in mere living, provided that life is not excessively beset with troubles. Certainly most men, in their desire to keep alive, are prepared to face a great deal of suffering, as if finding in life itself a certain well-being and a natural sweetness. (Aristotle, Politics Book II) If man indeed is a political animal, and our commmon interest does bring us together in the hopes of having â€Å"the good life† or eudeamonia then it seems somewhat impossible be estranged in essence. For, by the deffinition aforementioned of being estranged man would not and certainly could not live together, and certainly not for institutions to keep those bonds strong. Afterall who in their right mind would enjoy or choose living in a state of hostility. Aristotle would almost certainly dissapprove of this version of nature. Living in a state of hostility for him would be almost a tyrannical form of life with fear as the tyrant itself. Since Aristotle ultimately approves of a Monarchy aiming at the common interest he admits that humans do suffer from feelings of estrangement but that a single outstanding man (or small group) can, through reason, render useless feelings of estrangement in a society by way of distributive justice. Meanwhile, Thomas Hobbes asserting his viewpoint of pre-political man as a war, â€Å"of every man against every man† (Leviathan) he has little faith that man is not estranged. Hobbes alleges that the life of a man in his pre-political condition is, â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short†(Leviathan) which certainly indicates a level of hostility that would prevent, even condemn, man to be able to live together in a society. In Hobbes’ world evrery man would be in constant fear of other men taking from them their freedom to do whatever they please and their liberty to live. Hobbes basically implies that man in the state of nature is in such a horrible condition that we actually seek peace through coming together under a social contract. Hobbes suggests that to get out of the state of nature that men must build a leviathan (government) that can sustain a social contract. Since Hobbes has such little faith in us to rule ourselves democratically, he suggests that an absolute elected monarchy would best suit us. This is an interesting choice because, he implys that we need a single man who can rule absolutely to battle forms of estrangement. In other words if we were left to our own devices with out the control of an absolute monarch we would kill ourselves. Fear has a lot to do with estrangement because people who are estranged live in fear of hostility from strangers. Hobbes is quoted as saying † fear and I were born twins†. Since fear is spawned from estrangement it is easy to see how Hobbes would not trust human nature in any sense of the word.

Is the Use of the Death Penalty Justice and Is It Fair Essay

It is fair to say that capital punishment is under attack, particularly in the South where it is most commonly practiced. Not only have serious criticisms been raised by scholars in criminal justice, criminology and related disciplines, but newspapers have published scathing news reports suggesting that innocent people have been sentenced to death and even executed, and alleging racial discrimination in capital punishment practice. According to Robinson (2011), four basic facts establish the realities of American capital punishment. The first is that capital punishment is practiced in most but not all United States jurisdictions. Specifically, there are 34 states with the death penalty, and 16 without. The federal government also maintains capital punishment, as does the military, but the District of Columbia does not carry out executions. However, of these death penalty jurisdictions, only nine regularly carry out an execution, meaning they have averaged at least one execution a year since 1976 when capital punishment was reinstated; thus only about one-quarter (26%) of death penalty states (nine of 34) and 18% of all states in the country (nine of 50) average one or more executions per year. Further, only one state has carried out at least ten executions per year since 1976, Texas. In fact, only about 10% of counties with the death penalty imposed a death sentence between the years 2004 and 2009. Justice is typically defined as administering and maintaining what is just or right. Robinson (2011) says that there are three broad issues discussed and debated by scholars of justice theory: freedom, welfare, and virtue. Some justice theorists argue that what matters most for deciding what is right or just is freedom; whether individual rights are respected and protected. Another school of thought is the egalitarian libertarians. These scholars suggest that what matters most for justice is equality of opportunity in society and taking care of the least advantaged citizens. Other justice theorists focus on welfare, or general well-being and happiness of people in society. They argue that what matters most for justice is the welfare of society, or its overall happiness. Finally, other justice theorists argue that what matters most for justice is virtue, or moral goodness and righteousness. The purpose of the death penalty is incapacitation, deterrence, and retribution. Incapacitation is understood as removing the ability of offenders to commit future crimes. Incarceration is the typical form whereas execution is the ultimate form. Deterrence refers to creating fear in would be offenders through punishment to prevent future crimes. Capital punishment can only be aimed at preventing crime by would-be murderers, general deterrence, since it cannot create fear in murderers who have already been executed, specific deterrence. Retribution refers to righting or rebalancing the scales of justice through punishment in order to achieve justice for crime victims. Executions are often depicted as retribution for the crime of murder, as well as a source of closure for murder victims’ families. Robinson (2011) claims that criminologists and capital punishment scholars overwhelmingly indicate that the death penalty fails to achieve these goals, mostly because of the rarity of death sentences and executions. Logically, if death sentences and executions were more common, capital punishment would be more likely to achieve these goals. Yet we also know that the more frequently the death penalty is used, the greater the costs associated with the policy, including not only additional financial costs but also a greater risk of convicting, sentencing to death, and executing the innocent. This ultimately has great significance for the â€Å"justice† of capital punishment. Van Den Haag (1986) says that the death penalty is an effective form of deterrence because it is feared more than life imprisonment. Many of the convicts under death sentence appeal their sentence and try to get it reduced to life imprisonment. Van Den Haag argues that even though there is no factual evidence that the death penalty deters would be criminals more than life imprisonment, the fact that more people fear the death penalty makes it a better deterrent. Reiman (1985) agrees with Robinson’s view that the use of the death penalty is not successful as a deterrent. He gives four main reasons that refute Van Den Haag’s argument. His first reason is that although people fear the death penalty more than life in prison, nobody wants to spend life in prison either. People do not have the mentality that they can commit a crime because they will â€Å"only† get sentenced to life in prison. Although the person will be alive, they will have all freedom taken from them, which after awhile, can be seen just as horrible, if not worse, than death. Reiman’s second point is that if a person is contemplating committing a crime, they are already facing an enormous risk of being killed in the process. Roughly 500 to 700 suspected felons are killed by police in the line of duty every year and many Americans own their own guns. When taking that into account, it does not seem very likely that the would be criminal will be able to commit the crime without at least being injured by the police or the would be victim. His third reason against Van Den Haag’s view is that using the death penalty is hypocritical. The law states that a person cannot take the life of another, but when they do, their punishment could be death. It is not possible to say murder is illegal and then have it as a possible punishment. He argues that not having the death penalty better exemplifies that idea that murder is wrong. His last point is that it is illogical to practice the death penalty simply because it is feared more than life imprisonment. He says that people would fear death by torture more than lethal injection, so does that mean we should begin the practice of death by torture because more people are afraid of it? Unless it can be proven that the death penalty is a better deterrent than life in prison, Reiman (1985) argues that the death penalty should be abolished. Robinson (2011) says that as for the issue of innocence, there is little doubt that people are wrongly convicted of murder every year and that a handful are even sentenced to death. More than 130 people have been freed from death row during the era of â€Å"super due process† that began in 1976 when the US Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment. Wrongful convictions often occur due to honest errors such as mistaken eyewitness testimony and faulty forensic evidence, but when they occur due to issues such as: false confessions, lying informants, government misconduct, and ineffective defense counsel. There is also little doubt that innocent people have even been executed, although most of the known cases are from prior to the era of super due process in capital sentencing. There remain at least eight widely known cases where men have been recently executed despite serious doubts about their actual guilt. On the issue of executing the innocent, Van Den Haag (1986), makes the argument that the advantages of using the death penalty as a punishment outweigh the unintended losses. He states, â€Å"Miscarriages of justice are offset by the moral benefits and the usefulness of doing justice (139). His argument is that mistakes have and do occur in innocent people being sentenced to death, but the benefits of using it are more important. It would be more of a detriment to society to stop the use of the death enalty than it is when an innocent person is executed. In regards to race, America’s death penalty has always been plagued by serious racial biases. Little evidence remains of the historic discrimination by race of defendant, although state-specific anecdotal evidence suggests blacks are still occasionally discriminated against, especially when accused of killing whites and when juries are overwhelmingly white. Robinson (2011) says that most experts now point to a â€Å"race of victim† effect, whereby killers of whites are far more likely to be sentenced to death and executed than killers of other races and. For example, a comprehensive study of race and the death penalty in North Carolina showed that killers of whites were more than three times more likely to receive death sentences than killers of blacks. In the state, 80% of those people executed since 1976 killed white people; only about 40% of North Carolina homicide victims are white. Further, a study of capital punishment practice in the state from 1999 to 2006 found that blacks who killed whites were 14 times more likely to be sentenced to death than whites who killed blacks. Also, there were six executions of blacks who killed whites during the time period, yet zero executions of whites who killed blacks. Van Den Haag’s (2011) stance on the distribution of the death penalty being discriminatory is that â€Å"punishments are imposed on persons, not on racial or economic groups† (138). The death penalty is not specifically issued to certain races. It depends on the crime that the person committed. Van Den Haag also says, â€Å"Justice requires that as many of the guilty as possible be punished, regardless of whether others have avoided punishment. To let these others escape the deserved punishment does not do justice to them, or to society. But it is not unjust to those who could not escape it† (139). Van Den Haag does not view the fact that black people or other minorities receive the death penalty more than whites as being unjust. However, what is unjust is the white people who were not sentenced to death when they should have been. Given these important empirical realities of the death penalty, the next issue to address is which of them are relevant for the â€Å"justice† of capital punishment practice. As noted earlier, it depends on which theory of justice is being referred to. Libertarians ask whether capital punishment respects liberty or freedom. The most important question for egalitarians is whether capital punishment practice is equal or applied in an equal fashion. For utilitarians, the most important question is whether capital punishment increases overall utility or happiness in society. Finally, for virtue-based theorists, the question is whether capital punishment respects and promotes our values, our moral goodness, and whether it is the right thing to do. The questions above do not have universal answers. Everybody will have his or her own opinions on whether the death penalty respects a person’s freedom or whether it is the right thing to do. Reiman, Robinson and Van Den Haag all made successful and convincing arguments so it is hard to determine one view as more convincing than the other. It comes down to a personal choice and what a person chooses to believe as to whether the death penalty is fair and a proper form of justice.

Personal Profile

I will be discussing the four steps that an organization should take to change its personnel profile. These steps include; performance appraisal, staff training and development, career development, and termination. The first step I will be talking about is performance appraisal. This is usually an annual event for every employee, and sometime contains quarterly and Simi-annual progress reports. It’s useful to mangers and administrations because they are able to determine employee skills and productivity profiles.This helps supervisor and employees to get the highest performers in the main positions. For example, a supervisor would be able to look at; an employee’s work performed strengths, weakness, and level of performance though scoring systems, charting, and comparisons. The second step is staff training and development. This contains the options of in-service training provided by the agency, or out-services training workshops and institutes, which is earned through professional organizations and other groups.The third step is career development. This is set out to assist employees in achieving higher level responsibilities through on the job training and monitoring. This is done by a supervisor and employee coming together, and planning the employee’s short and long term career goals. Fourth, is termination, and is to be used in extreme circumstances. If not done correctly, it can become very costly for the agency. It is a time consuming process for the agency, and can be traumatic for both the employee and agency.Despite this unfortunate feeling it is important for an employer to remember that ignoring a poor performed employee can have a negative effect on how other staff member may view your judgment and authority. For example, employees might see that you are tolerating an employee who is not meeting par standards, and because of that might develop new minimum standards for performance that is incorrect. In conclusion, I believe tha t even though each of these steps serves a different meaning and purpose, they each contribute n some way to changing an organization personal profile.

Online education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online education - Essay Example There is no doubt about the fact that online education is increasing, however, just how effective is it and what exactly are its advantages and disadvantages are questions that need to be answered. There is no doubt that online education has some advantages; whether it is saving a lot of valuable resources, like time and money, or being more convenient for certain students, online education does have an edge over traditional education. Students can log on from their homes and not have to spend so much time commuting to and from the institution, for instance, what is more the institutes do not have to spend so much money on infrastructure when the classes are online, resulting in lowered tuition fees. However, online education also has certain disadvantages. The students taking online courses do not have much, if any, social interaction with their peers, as they would in a traditional classroom, therefore, they might end up not only missing out on normal social growth, but most defini tely also on the total experience of school life, which is considered a rite of passage in our society. Moreover, by missing out on face-to-face instruction by their teacher, the students also have less of a chance to be monitored for comprehension, i.e. it is harder for the teacher to know whether the student has understood the lesson or not.

Abortion Argument - Ethics class Personal Statement

Abortion Argument - Ethics class - Personal Statement Example That is unlikely to happen so it is not an issue. Presently stem cell research is being stunted in this country because the means of safely obtaining and testing its potentials begins with the discarded embryos that are referred to in medicine as the â€Å"product of conception,† which is an affront to some people’s sensibilities. However, once stem cell research in this country has the opportunity to spread its wings it may no longer require the use of embryo’s at all. They may find other means to obtain and research the stem cells that have so much potential in changing modern medicine. For example they may be able to harvest stem cells from our adult bodies efficiently and successfully. Therefore, I firmly believe, there is little chance of their being an increase in abortion rates because I see a future where the relationship between stem cell research and abortion will be eliminated. I think the overall argument is faulty, to me it is no different than askin g the question does organ donation increase suicide rates in order to donate more organs to those who need them? It is, in my mind, a biased attempt to gain support from those people who already have feelings against abortion to associate stem cell research with something that they already find disagreeable, forcing them to marry the two concepts in their minds; if one is â€Å"bad† then they both must be. In fact, stem cell research has nothing directly to do with abortions that are performed. The idea that this proposed increase in abortions with the legalization of stem cell research involving aborted embryos is faulty and terribly

Causes and Effects of Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Causes and Effects of Divorce - Essay Example Most of the marriage counselors highlight excessive intolerance, high temperaments, and poor communication to be the major causes of a failed marriage which are discussed in this paper along with the broad range of socioeconomic and psychological effects produced on both men and women by a failed marriage. Research done on poorly working marital relationships between husbands and wives presents the fact that women are emotionally much better groomed than men and they think that emotional handling is hugely important for appropriate maintenance of the marriage. They like to talk things over with their husbands and naturally demand suitable responses from them as well. On the other hand, most of the husbands are found completely oblivious to the difference in the emotional realities existing between men and women. Though, they do communicate with their wives at the beginning of the marriage as a way of maintaining a sense of closeness with their wives, they become less and less communi cative with the passing time due to which the wives helplessly develop an inner void that is completely inescapable. The growing silence on the part of husbands also leads the wives to develop fake illusions like they may have lost charm due to which their men no more find them attractive and worth talking-to. Obviously, women squabble about the state of their marriages much passionately than men so and as they are more vocal about various problems which they encounter, the reduced responsiveness of their men proves to be an infuriating culprit which causes divorce. Incompatibility between partners, in terms of emotional and intellectual grooming, is also a major cause of divorce. Abusive relationship between husband and wife also leads them to destroy each other’s mental well being which leads them to initiate divorce settlement. (Rowd). Zero tolerance on either side leads both partners to the decision that there is no way out except divorce which would prove to be a dead lo ck to the violent fights. Coming to the economic pressures exerted by divorce, it is mentioned in (EFFECTS OF DIVORCE) that women experience a severe drop in their standard of living after the divorce is finalized and in contrast, men enjoy a rise in their living standards after getting divorced. This is because the kind of emotional trauma experienced by women after divorce is much more detrimental than the trauma faced by their ex-spouses, as men are less emotional, more practical, and more able of handling their lives after getting divorced. In most of the cases, women are reduced to depend on alimony, which is the court-ordered financial support given by one spouse to another for a particular time period. (Melamed) specifies that aggravated depression is one of the major psychological effects produced as a result of divorce on both men and women. The social stigma experienced by women after divorce also produces troublesome repercussions for them, particularly in more convention al countries where contrastingly, many men draw sympathy and compassion towards themselves from the surrounding social network of people after getting divorced. That is why men feel more confident than women to remarry and escape the social

Final english Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Final english - Essay Example More importantly, governments are also providing incentives and tax waives to people who buy hybrid cars in order to encourage the manufacturers in their efforts to manufacture energy efficient automobile engines. Different automobile engines have evolved with time. However, the most common are the 4 cylinder inline engine, v6, v8, and hybrid engines. This paper discusses the different automobile engines whilst comparing their technology, efficiency, environmental friendliness, and the challenges faced while developing engines that are more efficient. Additionally, the paper will discuss the advantages of hybrid cars with much reference to Toyota Prius. 4 Cylinder (V4) Inline Engines Perhaps 4 cylinder inline engines are the most commonly used engines today. However, the technology for this type of engine has revolutionized for decades. Many improvements have been made on the engines to make them efficient, more powerful, and compact and environmental friendly. Technologically, the 4 cylinder inline engine has all the four cylinders arranged in a straight line with all the four pistons being used to drive a common crankshaft. In most cars, the piston displacement goes up to 2.4 liters. However, diesel powered 4 cylinder inline engines have most often gone beyond 3.0 liters displacement. Notably, a series of modifications have been made on this type of engine. Whereas most of earlier versions used carburetor, modern cars use complicated electrical systems such as the VVTi systems (â€Å"U.S department of Energy†). Indeed, most modern cars produced in the last ten years have a computerized system otherwise referred to as engine management systems for controlling fuel and air into the engine. Considering the widespread use of4 cylinder inline engines, it is safe to conclude that these are the most efficient automobile engines so far especially considering the widespread use of gasoline and diesel as the propellant (â€Å"U.S department of Energy†). V 6 Engines V6 engines are indeed the second most commonly used engines in automobiles. The v6 engine comprises of 6 cylinders with 6 pistons driving a common crankshaft. However, the 6 cylinders are not often placed in one straight line. Actually, three cylinders are put on either side making a v shape with the crankshaft. Most of these engines are either configured at 60 degrees or 90 degrees. However, the 60 degree orientation is arguably the most efficient and provides less engine vibration as well. However, it is important to note that most v6 engines are most commonly used in medium sized cars especially most of the lower end sports utility vehicles (SUVs). However, in line with the need for energy conservation, v6 engines have undergone tremendous improvements. For instance, the inline 6cylinder engines are no longer being manufactured. The piston angle has also been factored in many model manufacturing. For instance, some of the modern cars using v6 engines are either turbocha rged or use super chargers to improve fuel efficiency and produce more torque. Simply put, turbo chargers are systems that compress and sometimes preheat air and force it into combustion chambers at high pressure hence generating more energy (â€Å"U.S department of Energy†). V8 engines V8 engines have eight cylinders with four cylinders on each side. All the eight cylinders drive the same

Doing business in Europe (German) 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Doing business in Europe (German) 2 - Essay Example logical changes, and even environmental changes generate ever new problems and challenges which companies must face in order to continue to operate successfully. For instance, changes in the enforcement and interpretation of tax laws in Europe have had an impact on the operations and viability of such companies in the European continent. The problems are tied to the way Europe for instance is pushing for higher tax collections from HP and other American firms, and that these problems in turn affect the profitability and the viability of companies such as HP (Duncan, 2012). Does HP enter at all, and what kind of entry strategy makes sense in light of this problem? When it has entered, does it pull out and miss out on the large and lucrative European market for computing products and services, or does it adapt and shift strategies in order to properly deal with the problem of more persistent and higher tax collection efforts on the part of the European governments? This is one case amo ng many others that this paper discusses, presenting the problems faced by companies such as Siemens, BMW, Airbus, and Mercedes Benz, and also presenting the ways in which these companies solved these problems, using a variety of approaches specific to their circumstances and the problems that they faced, with a focus on the German market (The Economist Newspaper Limited, 2013). In the case of HP and other American companies operating in Europe, the problem has to do with the way European governments have been pushing to collect more taxes from those companies, who in turn have been trying to move the other way via a global practice that sees those firms trying to avoid paying taxes by financial accounting maneuvering so that profits are reported in so-called tax haven territories. This is tied to the problem of HP being able to enter and operate successfully in the continent, and in what manner. In the end the solution seems to be to financially retain the identity of HP as an entity

Nursing Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing Portfolio - Essay Example Usually if a Pedro rating is not incorporated in the article, then a low score will be provided on the scale. I will make exceptions on some of the articles below. Article 1: The Efficacy of Nutrition and Lifestyle Approaches in the Treatment of Depression This article's treatment plan is somewhat believable. The criteria and eligibility of who is in this study is clear to some extent but not clear enough. This study uses random allocation to measure its results. There is no mention that it is a random study nor any indication is given of whether the participants are from different backgrounds or not (1 point). This study conceals allocation by not providing any detailed information on the participants (1 + 1 = 2 points). There is a comparability of the groups at baseline and the study is blind because we have an age range and a control vs noncontrol group (1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4 points). The therapists and assessors component is not fully satisfied because there is no mention of therapis t and their techniques included along with no indication of a well established person in charge of administering the treatment. It is a random list of items to deal with finding an alternative to medication for depression. The only followup here is that the participants have no way of curing depression. That would be considered enough of a followup because participants of the study are aware that this is not a cure but rather a possible solution to depression (5 points). In other words, little mention as to a followup study has been recorded. This study does not use enough statistical analysis to provide evidence of achieving its results. Three confident interval scores were used and that is not enough to prove that nutrition and lifestyle changes help. There is mention of point estimates on the mean however this does not provide enough evidence that the items they suggest help to benefit depression. This article is granted a Pedro rating of 5 which means it is fair. I could have go ne to 4 or 6 but I think 5 is more of a proper score. Any article with a score of 6 or above would be considered a worthy study. Overall this article gets a 2b rating. Article 2: Aspirin Use and Lung, Colon, and Breast Cancer: Incidence in a prospective study Random allocation and the concealment of this allocation is clear. We know who is in the study and we also know that it remains confidential. The study is believable and states clear demographics. Also the identities of the participants is secure (1 + 1 + 1 = 3 points). The comparision of groups at baseline is illustrated throughout the research because we are comparing those who take aspirin and get various types of cancer and those who do not. There is a follow up of results with a 12.4 year period (2 + 3 = 5 points). This article provides several charts and provides a lot of analysis on those who use aspirin and whether they are less likely to get cancer. They provide a lot of substantial evidence and use appropriate measure s to establish a list of results. The background on how they use these measures is also quite thoroughly investigated (5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 8 points). Overall, this article has a Pedro rating of 8 which means that it is good in the presentation of experimental methods and it has a clear demonstration of its demographics. It is also easily conceivable that this research would have these results judging only on the presentation and the

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 44

Summary - Essay Example After reading about Avila and watching trailers of ‘Savages’, I realized that women are more deeply involved in drug trafficking than it is widely believed. The involvement of high-profile women from the world of fashion in dangerous, life-threatening and illegal activities also raises other important questions like the reasons and factors that contribute to their involvement and their manipulation on the basis of their gender in drug trafficking. A research article by Council on Hemispheric Affairs stated: Because a woman could use her appearance to bypass security officers, DTO affiliates began attending beauty pageants held in Latin America in order to approach contestants with the lures associated with drug trafficking... Colombian beauty queen and lingerie model, Angie Valencia, who was supposedly using other young, beautiful models to transport drugs in an international cocaine ring. (Mares, COHA) This research topic would not only explore the dual roles of women as victims and perpetrators but would also investigate about the ambiguous roles played by women in the complex web of the underworld. â€Å"According to the National Womens Institute (INMUJERES), the number of females convicted in connection to the drug trade rose 400 percent between 2007 and 2010.† (Ramsey, Insight) Such facts and figures about the involvement of women in drug trafficking are likely to attract students of women and gender studies, legal studies, criminal psychology etc. The data available at the official websites of law enforcement agencies, newspaper articles, human rights organizations, etc. shall prove to be the most authentic sources of acquiring information about this topic. Some sources from where official statistics can be obtained are: Almanac of Policy Issues (http://www.policyalmanac.org/); United States Drug Enforcement Administration

World Trade Organization. Origins And Characteristics Essay

World Trade Organization. Origins And Characteristics - Essay Example Simultaneously, 23 countries (11 of which were developing nations) decided to negotiate on tariff reductions and also to adapt some of the ITO rules, these agreements are called the GATT. The ITO remained subject to ratification to be accepted by national legislatures, but the USA denied due to Congress opposition, and thus GATT remained in effect just as the ‘provisional’ agreement. Seven trade rounds were completed under GATT, and trade agreements were initiated which benefited the developing countries without reciprocal offers. The GATT agreements were extended in the Uruguay Round in 1986, under which new areas were added to the services trade and intellectual property rights were included. Furthermore, a new dispute settlement system had to be redesigned and a new trade organization had to be established to replace the provisional GATT. In the year 1995, the ‘Marrakesh Agreement’ established the WTO, and the Uruguay Round agreements were implemented and by 1997 the additional agreements were also implemented which covered the financial services and the telecommunication services. Furthermore, the defining characteristics of the WTO are as follows (Ministry of Commerce and MPDF, 2005, 11-16): Transparency is the primary principle, since business people are most concerned with the environment they operate in. Thus, it is a requirement for the WTO member to publish all laws and regulations transparently which may affect domestic or international trade in any matter. Non-discrimination principle ensures that the goods of any country must not be differentiated against, and therefore no ‘most favored nation’ treatment shall not be provided, and neither the local goods should be discriminated. Progressive trade liberalization principle applies because WTO is not a free-trade organization, therefore a government can increasingly open its market to foreign competition to the extent it finds appropriate, independently of what i s prescribed by the WTO agreements. Special and Differential treatment principle ensures that developing nations receive easier terms and agreements, and thus they are allowed more time for implementation, and the stricter rules applied on the developed nations may be removed from the agreement of the poorer nations, in order to help them take benefit of being WTO members receiving special treatment. b) An imperfect World Trade Organization is better than no world trade organization.  Discuss with reference to ongoing protectionist policies and the impact of these in the relation of developed economies and lesser-developed economies (40 points). WTO is an organization that was formulated to help and benefit its members, its system of rules, principles and obligations are in place to protect its member nations, which also comprises of the economically less powerful nations, since WTO helps governments of such nations to devise programs which trigger economic reform. The multilatera l trade framework of the rules enacted also help nations in domestic policy making, they do not enforce trade policies but help governments in establishing developmental policies which are based on open and competitive markets. Regardless of the initial aim, WTO has been criticized for being unfair and hurting to

Ambition in Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and School Ties Essay Example for Free

Ambition in Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and School Ties Essay Ambition: It’s Easy to Dream a Dream, but Much Harder to Live it Napoleon Bonaparte once said: â€Å"Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. It all depends on the principles which direct them. † From this quote, one can see that great ambition is crucial to experience success whether it is achieved in an honest fashion, or a morally questionable one. In the novel The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (ADK) and the movie School Ties (ST) a strong sense of ambition is one of the driving topics for the plot and the development of many characters. For example, one can see that Duddy will do anything to achieve his dreams, even if that means betraying his friends or taking part in illegal activities. Although the amount of ambition in both works is very prominent, too much ambition can prove to be detrimental in many ways, and it is evident that ambition proves to be more severe in ST because many characters struggled with common morals and were affected by the mental destruction that comes along with too much ambition. In ADK, Duddy proves to be too ambitious for his own good throughout the entire novel, as he cares too much about owning land rather than following morals or obeying the law. Just one of these examples would be when Duddy sells contraband comic books. â€Å"American comic books were beginning to trickle into the city again, and so Duddy was attracted by this new line Barney was picked up by the police and fined. Duddy, unfortunately was caught with a large stack on hand. He took fright and threw them in the furnace. † (Richler 56). This quote shows evidence that Duddy began his overly-ambitious ways at a young age by selling pornographic comic books. Moreover, this proves Napoleon Bonaparte’s quote in that those who are ambitious are willing to commit very good or very bad acts in order to succeed. Similarly, morals are lost in ST as well when Dillon cheats on his history exam, and tells the class that it was David instead of him. â€Å"It wasn’t Connors. †¦] I should have told the truth yesterday. I know who cheated. It was Green. † (Darryl Ponicsan, Dick Wolf). At this point in the movie, it portrays Dillon as the antagonist as he lied to his friends, and cheated on his exam. Since Dillon did this in order to get into Princeton, one can conclude that he did this because he felt like he had no other options. Thus leading the reader to believe that Dillon did this out of ambition, but he let his morals get the better o f him. In this way, ADK is extremely similar to ST in the sense that characters from each text betrayed their friends, and cheated in one way or another in order to succeed. Secondly, Duddy Kravitz can be seen struggling with the mental exhaustion that comes with having too much ambition throughout the novel. An example of this is when he has a small breakdown just after he loses all of his money by playing roulette. â€Å"Duddy was seized by an uncontrollable fit of laughter. He rolled over in the grass, biting his arm to muffle the noise†¦ Three times he stopped, his laughter immense. The thought of them searching for him all through the night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Richler 90. ) This quote gives evidence that Duddy was so blinded by his ambition that he has fits of laughter over the fact that he lost all of his money. Moreover, this proves that Duddy’s mental health has diminished because he doesn’t care about the fact that the employees at the lodge are sincerely worried as they search for him. Similarly, mental destruction due to ambition is portrayed in ST as well during the scene where McGivern is so upset about his teacher insulting him in French class that he sneaks into the classroom that night in order to repeat his recitation to himself while his friends are looking for him around campus. McGivern is so distraught about this presentation that he ends up getting taken away in an ambulance at the end of the night. Although the way that mental destruction is shown in ST is slightly different than in ADK, they are very alike because both mental breakdowns by the characters are brought on through their ambitions to succeed. In conclusion, mental destruction and the loss of morals from being too ambitious are evident in both novels, but it is more severe in ST because multiple characters suffer in different ways, whereas Duddy is the only character that struggles significantly with his ambitions. Ultimately, being ambitious is a great trait because it builds character, but becoming too ambitious can harm an individual in more ways than one. So, how ambitious are you?

Developing Ones Identity Is A Lifelong Process Sociology Essay

Developing Ones Identity Is A Lifelong Process Sociology Essay Developing ones identity is a lifelong process. The definition of self-identity, according to psychology is the conscious recognition of the self as having a unique identity. I chose to focus my research on the area of adolescent identity, or youth between 12 and 19 years of age, because that is when so many huge decisions are made that affect a persons life and the direction in which it is going. Upon my research, I have discovered that this is an ever evolving theory. There is so much research and information on this particular subject, that it couldnt possibly be covered in one paper. Many of the theorists build on each other. Henri Tajfels adeveloped social identity theory. Erik Eriksons theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality (Cherry, 2012). And Urie Bronfenbrenner developed the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the childs environment affects how children grow and develop. There are many other theorist who have affected the way we look at identity as well. And there are many theorists in whom the above theorists have observed and built upon. Eriksons theory has stages, much like Freud and Piaget. One theorist who elaborated on Eriksons theory was James Marcia. Tajfels research consisted of two laboratory experiments that focused on in-groups and out-groups to determine the discrimination of out-groups and the inherent self-esteem boost the participants received when they awarded their own groups, even though they were anonymous, with the most money. He determined that there are three processes used to evaluate others as us or them or in other words, in-groups and out-groups, and that these processes take place in a particular order. First is categorization. We categorize objects in order to understand and identify them, this includes our social environment. We find things out about ourselves according to the categories we belong to. The second stage is social identity. Once categorized to a group, each of us forms our identity based on our belonging to the group and create an emotional bond. From there, we attach our self-esteem to this group membership. The final stage is social comparison. Once our group is formed and we have categorized ourselves, and developed an identity attached to that group, we tend to compare our group with other groups. Our self-esteem in wrapped up in this group, so we need to make sure that we are viewed as favorable in the eyes of other groups. If we are not, then hostility and competition forms between groups to determine the better group or groups. Essentially, we are fighting for our identity. This is especially true for teenagers. There are so many groups that determine young peoples identity. Religion, race, gender, activities, etc. all play an important role in how people define themselves. The next theorist is Erik Erikson. He based all of his work on case studies, and at times was criticized for his lack of formal research. Some felt that he lacked credibility because of his lack of research, but Erikson based his stage-theory on what he had observed in his life as well as case studies. The development of ego identity is one of the main elements of Eriksons psychosocial stage theory. Ego identity is the idea that we develop a conscious sense of self through social interaction. Due to new information and experiences that we acquire every day during our social interactions with others, our ego identity is constantly changing. Erikson also felt that behaviors and actions were motivated by a sense of competence. Erikson believed that each stage can create competence or crisis, or a turning point in ones development. Each quantitative stage presents its own achievements and challenges. The stages are as follows, with a focus on Identity versus confusion, but because his th eory is built on stages, it is important to mention the stages leading up to the adolescent identity stage. The first is Trust vs. Mistrust, because an infant is entirely dependant on their caregiver, they build a sense of trust if they are properly cared for, or mistrust if they are neglected, rejected, or abused. The second stage is Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. This stage refers to potty training and food choice. When children successfully complete this stage they either feel secure and confident or inadequate or doubt themselves. The third stage is Initiative vs. Guilt. These are the preschool years when they begin to assert themselves and discover a sense of control and power over others. If successful they feel capable, if they fail they feel that sense of self doubt and guilt. Stage four is Industry vs. Inferiority. A sense of pride begins to develop as children recognize their accomplishments and abilities through their social interactions. When children are encouraged by th eir parents and teachers they develop a sense of competence and a belief in their abilities. This brings us to the stage of Identity vs. Confusion. This is the important stage, at least as far as we are concerned. During their adolescent years, children develop a sense of self by exploring their independence. There are several contributing factors to the formation of identity. As adolescents enter puberty their cognitive skills and physical abilities increase. When teens become more independent they tend to get involved in more neighborhood, community and school activities. Erikson believed that these changes make adolescents begin to explore their future jobs, their relationships and their beliefs. According to Erikson, identity has been formed when a person can evaluate themselves and their environment and links them together expressively. When a person struggles with this identity link, that is when the issues of role confusion occurs. Role confusion causes an individual to quest ion their characteristics, their sense of self and their perceptions of others. Due to changing physical, cognitive, and social factors, nearly all adolescents experience some form of role confusion (Kroger, 2004, as quoted by Sokol, 2009). Identity helps each of us to find our place in the world. It provides us with a sense of belonging, a sense of self, and gives us each a sense of direction. Identity is what makes us move in a particular direction. Identity is what gives us reason to be. Erikson clearly believed that having a solid sense of identity is crucial to further development. Without a true sense of identity, adolescents tend to choose a lifestyle that has negative consequences, because they lack self respect or feel that they dont deserve a better life. The theorist James Marcia, based on Eriksons theory, developed four Identity Statuses of psychological identity. His main idea is that personal choices and their social commitments determine ones identity. It is important to clarify that these are NOT stages, but statuses that can happen in any order or not at all. Marcias four statuses are, first, Identity Diffusion, this is when an adolescent doesnt feel like they have a choice in things pertaining to themselves, when in reality, they just havent made one, or is not willing at that time to make a commitment to one choice or another. Second, is Identity Foreclosure, this is when an adolescent is willing to satisfy others by committing to certain roles, values, or plans for the future. This is not an identity crisis; these individuals are just choosing to conform to what others want for them. The third status is Identity Moratorium, which is when the adolescent is in a crisis, this is when an adolescent is ready to make a choice, but has not committed to any of those choices yet. The final status is Identity Achievement, this is when an adolescent has gone through an identity crisis and has committed to a choice and developed a sense of identity based on that choice. We have all experienced this in our lives. There is not a single adult that can honestly say that they went through their entire youth knowing exactly who they were and who they were going to become. It is a process, a learning curve. I daily duty filled with action and reaction. Every day teenagers, and adults, have to reevaluate certain aspects of their identity bases on what works and what doesnt work. Our final theorist is Bronfenbrenner, his theory is that every aspect of life, every little piece of our existence affects who we are. We are each in the middle of a giant circle. Directly around us is our microsystem, this entails our families, school, everything we see and deal with daily. Next is the exosystem, this is the pieces of ones life out of their direct range, such as parents work place, extended family, neighborhoods, etc. The final circle is the macrosystem, this is where culture and attitudes come into play, for example, war, the economy, and government. Although these things are outside the individuals personal circle, they are still affective in molding and shaping adolescent identity. To sum up all of the research and theories above, it is safe to say that every facet of ones life has an impact on a persons identity in one way or another. Through their upbringing, culture, social roles, and environment, adolescents develop their identity. They learn to rely on those they can trust and build perceptions about the things that they know and the things that they dont know. Their cognitive abilities have reached a point in the adolescent years where they can determine for themselves their own paths based on their own views and opinions, even though much of their thought processes are affected by the values that have been instilled in them. Parents and caregivers play a tremendous role on religion, social status, environment, education and future. Teachers also play a role in the development of a teenagers identity. Through the use of clear expectations and positive praise, a teacher can increase their students self-esteem. They also have the ability to encourage positi ve group choices through group projects and student awareness. Teachers are also powerful role models and can create a strong learning environment that encourages cognitive growth and can increase the desire for students to pursue higher education. Teachers can make a difference in their students lives and help them develop a strong sense of self and identity. The most important thing a teacher can do is to know their students. Resources Cherry, K (2012). Stages of psychosocial  development: Psychosocial development in preschool, middle Childhood, and  adolescence. Retrieved from http://psychology. about.com/od/ psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial_2.htm Feinstein, S. (2007). Teaching the at-risk teenage brain. Retrieved from http://chapters. scarecrowpress.com/15/788/1578866 464ch1.pdf Gilgun, J (1993). Erik erikson and the use of case studies. Retrieved from (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Marcia, J. E., (1966), Development and validation of ego identity status, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 3, pp. 551-558. Retrieved from http://iws2.collin.edu/lstern/JamesMarcia.pdf McLeod, S. A. (2008). Social identity theory. Retrieved from http://www.simply psychology.org/social-identity-theory.html Sokol, Justin T. (2009) Identity Development Throughout the Lifetime: An Examination of Eriksonian Theory, Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology: Vol. 1: Iss. 2, Article 14. Retrieved from http://epublications .marquette.edu/gjcp/vol1/iss2/14 Tahfel, H. (1970). Experiments in intergroup discrimination. Scientific American, 223, 96-102 Retrieved from http://www.holah.karoo.net/tajfestudy.htm Woolfolk, a., Perry, N. (2012). Child and adolescent development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

The History of Religious Conflicts in America Essay -- Essays Papers

The History of Religious Conflicts in America Throughout its history, the United States has characteristically remained a country of two things: a country of immigrants, and a country of unmatched religious diversity. And yet when compared with the rest of the world – where these two very factors alone have so often engendered horrible religious wars and decades of enduring conflict – the history of religious conflict in the United States seems almost nonexistent. That is not to say the United States has been immune to its share of conflict explicitly rooted in religion. This paper explores the various manifestations of religious conflict throughout the history of the United States, from the Revolutionary War to the attacks of September 11th and their fallout. A distinction is drawn between religious intolerance, which is not the focus of this paper, and outright religious persecution or violence. Similarly, the paper reflects efforts made to de-conflate religious conflict from ethnic and racial conflict, which has been much more prominent throughout the history of the United States. In examining the history of religious violence, intolerance, discrimination, and persecution in the United States, we arrive at some possible explanations for why the United States has seen such minimal religious conflict despite being so religiously diverse. The Revolution It has been said that the United States is a nation founded on religious conflict. The colonies were settled by those escaping religious persecution in Europe. There is even some evidence that religion played a major role in the American Revolution and that revolutionaries believed it was willed by God for the Americans to wage war against the British.[1] As the Church ... ...bits/religion/rel03.html [2] Ibid. [3] Encyclopedia of American Religious History, Revised Edition, Vol. II. â€Å"Religious violence.† Edward L. Queen II. Page 601. 2001. [4] Ibid. [5] Queen, 602. [6] Emily Eakin. â€Å"Reopening a Mormon Murder Mystery.† The New York Times, section B, page 9, Oct. 12, 2002. [7] Queen, 605. [8] â€Å"Antisemitism in the Depression Era (1933-1939),† Leonard Dinnerstein. Religion in American History, A reader. Page 413. 1998. [9] â€Å"Religious Liberty.† American Civil Liberties Union. http://www.aclu.org/ReligiousLiberty/ReligiousLibertyMain.cfm [10] â€Å"Geographic Distribution of Religious Centers in the U.S† Committee on the Study of Religion. Harvard University, Jan. 2002. http://www.plurarlism.org/resources/statistics/distribution.php [11] â€Å"Foreword.† Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/01hate.pdf

Rachel Carson :: Essays Papers

Rachel Carson Hello, my name is Rachel Lousie Carson. I was born on a farm in Springdale, Pennsylvania on May 27, 1907. My mother, Maria McLean Carson was a dedicated teacher and throughout my childhood she encouraged my interests in nature and in writing. She also encouraged me to publish my first story A Battle in the Clouds in the St. Nicholas magazine while I was in fourth grade. After graduating from Parnassus High School, I enrolled into the Pennsylvania College for Women. I majored in English and continued to write but I also had to take two semesters of science, which changed my life. In my junior year I changed my major to zoology, even though science was not considered an appropriate avenue for women. After graduating college in 1928 I had earned a full one year scholarship to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. This scholarship did not relieve me or my family of our financial burdens, so I worked throughout graduate school in the genetics department assisting Dr. Raymond Pearl and Dr. H.S. Jennings and I worked as an assistant teacher in the zoology department at the University of Maryland. In 1932 I received my masters in marine zoology. I continued working part-time as a teacher after graduating to help support my family through the early years of the Depression. In 1935 my father had a heart attack and passed away leaving me to provide for my mother. In 1936, my sister Marion passed away at the age of forty leaving behind two young daughters, and my mother encouraged me to take them in. That same year I took the civil service examination necessary for promotion to full-time junior aquatic biologist. I scored higher than all the other candidates ( who were all male) and became the first female biologist ever hired by the Bureau of Fisheries whom I was employed by for sixteen years as a writer. My article entitled â€Å"Undersea† which had been published in the Atlantic Monthly, won praise from scientists, naturalists, and literary critics, inspiring me to write my first book. Under the Sea Wind debuted in 1941 to critical acclaim in both literary and scientific circles but sales plummeted with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 1942 I began working for the Fish and Wildlife Service promoting fish as an alternative to foods in short supply because of the war. By 1948 I moved into an exclusively male domain, earning the grade of biologist, and becoming the editor-in-chief of the Information Division.

Conflict between Hindus and Muslims :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  India is the center of a very serious problem in the world today. It’s a very diverse place with people from many different religious backgrounds, who speak many different languages and come from many different regions. They are also separated economically. Two of the country’s religious sects, Muslims and Hindus, have been in conflict for hundreds of years. Their feelings of mistrust and hatred for each other are embedded in all those years and will not leave easily. What’s most disturbing is that there seems to be no plan for reconciliation available. There are numerous reasons for this conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Power struggles amongst the two groups are ever present and each group thinks the other is out to get them. Hindus comprise the majority of the population of India at eighty percent while Muslims are a minority, making up only fourteen percent, which is a problem in itself. The feeling of being dominated by the majority comes from being a part of the minority. To complicate things even more is the controversy that surrounds Ayodhya, a holy place in Gujarat claimed by both groups. The Babri Masjid, a Muslim temple in Ayodhya was burned to the ground by Hindu extremists in 1992 and caused a wave of violence that resulted in the loss of over two thousand lives. These Hindu extremists believe the temple rests on the birthplace of Ram, one of the Hinduism’s most revered deities. They want a temple built on the site to commemorate Ram’s birth. Muslims in turn want the Babri Masjid rebuilt in the same spot. Neither side wants to give in and are currently fi ghting on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most threatening conflict between Hindus and Muslims is the province of Kashmir. This is where the decision to divide India into India and Pakistan seems to have been a terrible mistake. Kashmir, which is the only Muslim majority city in India, lies between the divided India and Pakistan. After India’s independence in the 1940’s, Kashmir had to choose to either unite with India or Pakistan. The Prince of Kashmir chose India but Pakistan invaded the province soon after and have occupied part of Kashmir since then. Controversy still surrounds the province today because naturally, Muslims want to control it. While many Muslims relocated to Pakistan and the Hindus to India, half of the Muslim population was left in India and their relations did not improve after being partially separated.

Classroom Etiquette and Dealing with Disruption

University of California, Davis Office of Student Judicial Affairs Establishing Classroom Etiquette and Dealing with Disruption The tone of the classroom interaction has a significant impact on the educational environment. These days, the pervasive use of devices such as cell phones and the fact that some students may be unaware of University behavioral standards or the impact of their actions on others can lead to repeated distractions and interruptions. University of California Standards of Conduct for Students provide that students may be disciplined for â€Å"disruption or obstruction† of teaching or other University functions, and for failure to identify themselves to or comply with the directions of University officials, as well as other violations of conduct standards (see UC Standards of Conduct at http://sja. ucdavis. edu/scs. html) Set the stage for a positive classroom experience by: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Stating reasonable and clear expectations in advance Defining conduct standards and discussing rules of etiquette in your syllabus and during class Giving examples of desired conduct as well as unacceptable behavior Explaining the reasons for your classroom expectations and inviting student comments and suggestions Being a role model for expected behavior and keeping your relationship with students friendly and professional Responding when disruption occurs: If you believe inappropriate behavior is occurring, start by cautioning the whole class rather than warning a particular student. A technique is to stop class, calmly indicate the problem (e. g. side conversations, cell phones) and state that class cannot continue until the behavior stops. Before resuming, enlist the support of others by reminding the class that the disruptive behavior is taking away from class time and may result in some exam material not being covered in class. Students also have academic freedom, so it is important to exercise authority with compassion and self-restraint. It is best to correct innocent mistakes and minor first offenses gently, without ridiculing students’ remarks. †¢ If it becomes necessary to speak to an individual student about disruptive behavior, do so after class in a discreet manner. If the situation requires an immediate response in class, calmly and courteously ask the student to stop the conduct and to talk to you after class or during office hours. You may want to inform the class that students may be disciplined for disrupting class, and to reiterate that message if you talk with an individual student outside class because of his or her behavior. Remind the student that continued disruption may result in permanent removal from the class. †¢ A student should be asked to leave class if he or she engages in disruptive behavior that impedes your ability to teach the class productively. You have the right to contact the police if the student refuses to leave. If the student’s refusal to leave creates a safety risk or makes it impossible to continue class, you may also dismiss class for the day. If this happens, immediately contact Student Judicial Affairs (SJA). †¢ If a student is persistently disruptive refer him/her to SJA for disciplinary action. However, a disruptive student cannot be permanently removed from a class without a formal review, either through the student disciplinary process or through academic channels including the department and dean’s office (see Dir. 88-128) For more information about confronting cheating, about the disciplinary process, or about the Code of Academic Conduct, please call SJA at (530) 752-1128 or see our website at http://sja. ucdavis. edu. †¢ UC Davis Office of Student Judicial Affairs, January, 2007 What is disruptive behavior? Depending on the size and nature of your class what is considered â€Å"disruptive† may vary. In general, disruption and obstruction include b ehavior that interferes with, disrupts, or prevents normal classroom functions or activities. Disruptive behaviors can range from mildly distracting to clearly disorderly, violent, or dangerous. Depending on course rules set by the instructor, disruption in the classroom may include: †¢ †¢ †¢ side conversations, ringing cell phones or using a cell phone to talk or send text messages interrupting the instructor or other students monopolizing class discussion and refusing to defer to instructor, or listen to others; persisting when the instructor has indicated that the student’s remarks are off topic and it is time to move on entering late/leaving early, oving about the classroom filming, photographing, or taping the class yelling, arguing, swearing, bullying, or other intimidating behavior reading, sleeping, eating, drinking, or not paying attention shuffling through papers, cleaning out a backpack or purse during lecture showing up to class under the influence of alcohol/drugs †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Who decides what is disruptive ? Faculty have the authority and discretion to set rules that foster student learning. As a matter of academic freedom these rules can be tailored to the subject matter and the instructor’s teaching methods and learning objectives. For these reasons, the course instructor is the one who makes a determination about what constitutes disruptive behavior. SUGGESTED EXPECTATIONS TO INCLUDE IN A SYLLABUS The following expectations are to enhance your ability to learn in this class, to avoid disruption and distraction, and to improve the quality of the classroom experience. Repeated failure to meet these expectations may result in a lower grade for the course. Entering/Exiting Class: †¢ †¢ Please arrive on time to class and stay for the entire class period. Late arrivals and early departures are disruptive. If despite your best effort you arrive late, please quietly take a seat at the back of the classroom. Similarly, in the rare event that you must leave class early (e. g. for a medical appointment), email me in advance to let me know, then sit close to the rear door and leave as unobtrusively as possible. If you can’t be there on time or must always leave early because of a class or work conflict, either seek specific permission from me or do not take the class. During exams, ask permission before leaving to use the restroom. Try to use the restroom before coming to class. †¢ Noise: †¢ †¢ When class begins, please stop your conversations. Wait until class is completely over before putting your materials away in your backpack, standing up, or talking to friends. Electronic Devices: †¢ No taping, filming, or photography in class without my prior permission (whether by camera, cell phone, or other means). These activities are distracting and inhibiting to faculty and other students, may infringe upon privacy or copyright, and have a chilling effect on classroom discussion. Cell phones should be turned off. No talking on cell phones, text messaging, or emailing on laptops during class. Wait until after class to return any calls received. No listening to iPods or other electronic recording devices during class. †¢ †¢ Email Etiquette: †¢ †¢ †¢ You are expected to write as you would in any professional correspondence. Email communication should be courteous and respectful in manner and tone. Do not send emails that are curt or demanding. Do not expect an immediate response via email (normally, a response will be sent within two business days). If your email question is sent at the last minute it may not be possible to send you a response before an assignment is due or a test is given. Do not post personal information about yourself or others about third parties to the class list serve. For example, if you are having trouble with a lab partner you should see the instructor in person to discuss the specifics of the issue. Participation: †¢ †¢ †¢ [If participation is used as part of calculating the student’s grade] Because participation is counted as part of your grade, missing class could negatively impact your grade. Disrupting class could also lower your participation grade. Keep on the topic at hand. If you have questions off the current topic, address these outside of class at office hours or by email with the TA or instructor. Do not talk out of turn. Wait to be recognized before speaking and do not try to dominate a discussion with your questions or comments – give others a fair opportunity to participate. Common Courtesy: †¢ †¢ †¢ Do not read the newspaper during class. The shuffling of pages can be very distracting. Food and drink are discouraged in class. There may be times that you need a beverage or small snack during class. Avoid bringing in large meals or food that is noisy when unpackaged or chewed. Show respect for me and fellow classmates. Do not interrupt another who is speaking. It is okay to disagree with an idea but not okay to ridicule or make fun of another person and his/her ideas. Raised voices, derogatory language, name-calling, and intimidating behavior will NOT be tolerated. Do not disturb others by engaging in disruptive behavior. Disruption interferes with the learning environment and impairs the ability of others to focus, participate, and engage. †¢

Two Statuettes of Two Worshipers

â€Å"Two Statuettes of two worshipers†, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar), Iraq, ca. 2700 BCE. Ever since the beginning of time man has always had an eye for art. They have always been fascinated by what they see. For the most part art has to this day great meaning. Ranging from a person’s play toy to a sculpture opening people’s eyes to a flash back in time where Gods ruled. The art work I chose â€Å"two Statuettes of two worshipers†, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar), Iraq, ca. 2700 BCE. Gypsum inlaid with shell and black limestone, male figure approximately 2’6’’ high. This peace symbolizes something quite important it shows man’s transition from the wild to civilized society. These statuettes demonstrate how religion and social standings play a giant role in people’s lives and artwork. Man started off Living spot to spot following food whether in animal meat or plants. Never had they stopped and lived in a central place for a long period of time. The Neothithic Revolution came to be c8000-6000 BCE. Where people stopped there day to day nomadic lifestyle and actually set up a Civilization. This started in Mesopotamia known as the land between two rivers. With a civilization came Upper classes, Domestication of animals, and Specialization of labor. Unfortunately Mesopotamia had no natural defenses so large varieties of people lived there because of the takeovers from wars. Sumerians coming from Mesopotamia (now known as southern Iraq) were the people most known because of their invention of writing. The writing known as cuneiform, using pictorial language to keep track of transactions. Ancient Sumer was made up of a dozen or so independent city states so it was not unified. Along with civilization came religion and social classes. Who were early humans praising? They were praising the Gods. As for social classes it was rulers and priests at the top then laborers came under them. The Sumerians constructed ziggurats. The ziggurats acted as a place of worshiping the Gods. But the downside was that not just anyone was allowed inside. It was only available to the worshipped or the priests. At this period in time female goddesses were still worshipped. This was due to the fact that a female can reproduce and give life. The art I chose reflected an offering and sort of gift for the female goddess Inanna. The two sculptures were said to be given as a gift for divine bringing, these types of statues often came with the name of the donor and the God or specific prayers to the deity of the owner’s behalf. Looking at the â€Å"two Statuettes of two worshipers† before analyzing anything on them a person must first look at the art piece with no emotion, basically say everything you see on the surface. The man on the left has big eyes, his hands together, he seems to have no shirt on, he’s wearing a skirt reaching a little under his knees, he has a long beard, standing on his tip toes, and is made of what looks to be light brown. On the right side there is a woman with big eyes as well, she has much smaller hands then the male, she is wearing a hat, she’s wearing a fairly long dress, she is holding something in her left hand, is standing on a platform with a stick off to the right, is on her tip toes and seems to be light brown like the male. Looking at them both the women seems to have smaller features such as her hands, platform and overall size. The male has more of his body exposed such as more of his lags and torso. As for the sculptures they are both sculptures in the round. This means the artwork can be seen 360 degrees. When civilized society came to be, artwork no longer (as much as before) was only about animals or things in the wild. The philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel believed that art was a memory of man’s view of nature. Art is a kind of flashback to the original human in nature. When civilization came in people started to sculpt and make art of themselves, just like â€Å"two Statuettes of two worshipers† because people were no longer leaders of nature but leaders of themselves. This lead to self-painting/sculpting or of other people. Now viewing â€Å"two Statuettes of two worshipers† off the book Gardner’s art through the ages: The western perspective (12th edition). It states the statuettes are carved out of soft gypsum and inlaid with shell and black limestone. This was not known as a prized or sculptures of great meaning. These statues aren’t known to be that big. They range from under a foot to about thirty inches. The larger the statues simply meant how wealthy the person being portrayed in the statue really was. They have there arms crossed and are on their tip toes because they have to appear to be in a gesture of prayer because they were used for religious rites. The statuettes are not sculpted to be perfect but more rather body type and size. The exaggerated eyes are known to mean attentiveness necessary for fulfilling religious duty. From my point of view these statuettes demonstrate what males and females do in the society, their roles. I think the males’ larger features mean he is the laborer. He is in charge of going out for food and protecting his family. The smaller arms on the females suggests she is more fragile and is not meant to do hard labor. The males larger size does not necessarily mean superiority but it does mean he can be more powerful and dangerous. As for the big eyes it makes me feel scared of doing things because it seems their eyes are watching every move I make. It works like a police officer in a way because a person wouldn’t do bad things in front of a police officer. A person would feel like the police officer is watching and scare him/her into doing nothing bad, much like these statuettes. Long story short â€Å"Two Statuettes of two worshipers† were an example of man’s transition from the wild nomadic people moving place to place to a civilized society living in one place and being able to establish religion, social classes, and a home ultimately. These statuettes are very important to understanding the lives of early human. It’s amazing how people made and expressed their observations with art. People living in Mesopotamia (ancient near east) c8000-6000 BCE might have not known as much as we do now a days but they are some of the most intelligent people that have existed to this day.

Education Problem in Korea Essay

A mother gets a headache whenever she comes back home after attending mothers’ regular meetings, the purpose of which is to get some information about private instruction. Her children keep her as busy as a professional manager. She surveys popular newly opened institutes called hagwon, makes a group â€Å"for private lessons,† chooses instructors and pushes her children to study. When they are asked about their plans for the declining years of their lives, most are not saving for old age. They feel uneasy because they are not able to save money, so some mothers go to work to earn enough for extra instruction expense. Many husbands and wives argue about their children’s education. However, their children don’t care about their parents’ troubles. The children regard it as the natural role of parents, because they are the kings or queens of the family, served by sacrificing parents from birth. Parents seem to allow their children’s complaining. Children don’t appreciate their parents because they are not happy with their support. Sometimes they act like robots controlled by mother’s orders. They don’t have time to talk with family, to play with their friends or to get sufficient sleep. They always hurry to learn something. As for me, I also have anxiety about my daughter’s private education. There are moments that I want her to push to study a little bit more because I feel worried when I hear how many kinds of extra instruction her friends are taking. But I can calm down my selfish desire by looking at my exhausted daughter. I try to confirm that the most effective result of studying comes from self-studying with strong motivation. Most parents don’t wait until their children ask them to help with their studying. They’re never satisfied. For example, many Korean goose daddies decide to sacrifice their lives by themselves, not by the children’s demands, in spite of the struggle with loneliness after they send their families to a foreign country. These days, many ordinary families without sufficient finances are planning for their children to study abroad despite the huge cost. They probably need to squeeze their budget or even borrow the money. Are their precious sons and daughters going to thank their parents in the future? Will their parents be satisfied with their children later? I wonder how great their outcomes will be. In addition to problems within families, there are many side effects with private education at school, which are usually from the studying burden. They learn the material they need in advance in hagwon before they learn it at school. Many math teachers in middle school become upset while they are teaching theorems or concepts. Some students don’t concentrate on the lesson because they are under a delusion that they already know everything. Actually, they can’t solve even the easy and basic problems when slightly changed. What is the investment of the money and time for private lessons for? Math teachers say the incomplete knowledge spoils the students’ ability to think. In English class, there are several fluent students with native pronunciation gained in English speaking countries. However, sometimes teachers are upset when they are very quiet and never volunteer for the class because they don’t want to be victims of cynical teasing from their friends. The students high-leveled from private education tend to be bored during class. Another big problem is about the students who have a kind of mental disease, some of who are extremely offensive and some who have abiosis without any interest in anything. Their attitude is usually caused by the pressure of studying and of too high expectations compared to their ability. Koreans all know that economic growth is based on educating for the future generation. Korea doesn’t have enough natural resources, so we need to develop knowledge and skills. The government nowadays wants to increase autonomous high schools for competitive system to build up superior talents. But parents are not likely to reduce the private education. We hope the government listens carefully to what the citizens say. For instance, English teachers need small classes according to students’ levels in order to achieve the aim for English-speaking class. Parents and teachers don’t want epoch-making policy, but just one step in the development of education policy. Korean parents need to remember this truth: their investment in children who don’t have self-motivation might waste their money, their time and their energy. I’d like to advise parents to give their children a chance to choose what they want, and to wait until they are eager to study what they need. Also, I suggest they should ignore their neighbor’s private education, not public education.

Kantian Ethics Essay

Immanuel Kant’s moral theory has become the heart of deontological ethics. It differentiates itself by looking at morality as an extension of man’s reason. Unlike other ethical theories, the individual is seen as the primary actor of all moral decisions. His autonomy, his will is seen as the locust of ethical judgment. For Kant in order for an act to be considered morally worthy it has to be done out of duty. From my understanding of Kant, when we talk of duty it is something which our reason recognizes as a manifestation of a universal law, one which he/she cannot deny. Doing the right thing is not about whether or not the outcome might be gauged to be positive, or that because an individual â€Å"feels† that he/she must perform a particular act rather she â€Å"knows† that it is his/her duty. In order to be ethically praiseworthy, the person must ask himself, â€Å"Am â€Å"I† the one who is deciding and acting? † The morality of Kant builds on the want of the philosopher to describe and order an ethical life that is centered on the rational faculty of man, his reason. It is the case that in a lot of cases people tend to look at the possible consequences of an action in judging whether or not what they’re about to do is moral or not. At times we act out of good intentions, helping others, sharing, et al. because we feel that it’s the good thing to do. Unfortunately, Kant won’t agree with our ways. In fact, he would even say that such actions have no moral worth. For Kant, the important thing is our obligation to do something, feelings, intentions, and consequences may gain the approval of others but they are too whimsical. There is for him an a priori (before reason) law which tells us what ought to be done. As rational beings we are dignified with our ability to discern this law, much more, we are capable of making it (Kremling, n. d. ). To act contrary to what our reason dictates, is choosing to act in heteronomy, a big no-no for Immanuel Kant because it belittles the individual, the latter produces as a result, acts that are empty. If Kantian Morality sounds a bit of feel-good emotions, intentions, and happy thoughts, then I think we’re on the right track. Ethics in terms of Kant is not about making another person smile; it’s not about calculating how many people you could help out by doing something. At the end of the day, acting on such things are all half-chances, there is no guarantee that by helping someone out would be good, there’s no assurance that if you think of the number of people who would benefit, it means you won’t harm others. Autonomy plays a central role in the moral theory of Kant, in such a way that a man must in his own volition choose to legislate a universal law and act in accordance to it. How does one determine which acts are in accordance with good will per se and is thus uninversalizable? For Kant all actions can be stated as a maxim, a person as an autonomous person creates the maxim but at the same time has to make sure that it is a principle that every rational being can agree to with no exceptions. This is the categorical imperative, contrary to the hypothetical imperative which is stated as an If-then. I. e. If I want to pass this class then I have to study; the Categorical Imperative claims a universal statement that is true at all times (. When a person acts out of duty the latter is presumed to have passed the categorical maxim put forward to state the action: In layman’s terms we could state the maxim as a question first, i. e. can I will to cheat on an exam, in such a way that others would as a whole can will to do so? There are categorical imperatives that have been formulated by Kant as the most basic of ethical requirements, like for example, Lying is an act that for him will never become morally justifiable, we must always follow the imperative to never use a person but always as an end (Hillar, 2003). We again see here the theme of dignity and respect, man and his reason is central in the ethical works of Kant. Even if for example in doing an act we would do so for the good of the majority, it would still not be valid if a minority would be sacrificed along the way. We do something because it ought to be done as determined by our reason and verified through the maxim which we test and attempt to put as a categorical imperative; the latter could be thought of as the fixed rules that govern how we as rational agents act. The main criticisms to be raised with regards to other ethical theories are founded on the assumptions of Kant regarding the fulfillment of moral obligation for the sake of good in itself. Utilitarianism takes as a central part of its tenets, the concept of summum bonum (greatest good for the greatest number). If we look at this ethical formulation we shall see that it would contradict with the notion of Kant that Human Being should always be considered ends never as a means, not even for the greatest number. Problem may also arise in the altruistic claims of utilitarian moralizing. One ought not to pursue something out of happiness or other virtues like Aristotle’s notion of the good man as the man of mean and virtues. This would not qualify for Kant as enough grounds to pursue good, because as he had mentioned in the groundings, prior to the good is the good will with which there is no qualification (Johnson, 2004). If one is an individualist, he might more likely be pleased with the ethical prescriptions of Kant. I personally find strength in his moral philosophy in finding support for the need to protect certain inalienable rights. In focusing on a moral law, his theory is not vulnerable to the attacks of situational morality but rather focuses on the man as a rational being and a moral agent, whose will is in a sense the will of all (Baron, 1995). There is stability and consistency in Kant’s moral philosophy by centering on the autonomy of all individuals under the precept that when it all boils down to it, man shares a common reason and will that would allow them to determine what is right from wrong. On the other hand I think that there are certain things in life wherein following the rules set through categorical imperatives would not suffice. There are moral dilemmas wherein human lives are hanged in the balance. Although reason can help us in making our decisions, the moral duties of Kant can only go so far. I am left to wonder how a person could be satisfied with himself in pointing the whereabouts of innocent African-Americans to deranged members of the Ku Klux Clan who are vowing to kill them; on the basis of fulfilling his moral duty of always telling the truth. Take note, in Kant’s philosophy, there is no hierarchy of duties, one has to fulfill them all, regardless of the outcome. References: Baron, Marcia, 1995, Kantian Ethics Almost Without Apology Cornell: Cornell U. P. Hillar, Marian, 2003, Kant’s Moral Axioms, Retrieved August 3, 2007 from Socinian. org: http://www. socinian. org/kant. html Johnson, Robert, 2004, Kant’s Moral Philosophy, Retrieved August 4, 2007 from Stanford http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/

Cronica de Una Muerte Anunciado

Society should not be blamed for the antisocial behaviour of some individuals. Every society is made up of individuals with different values, preferences, goals and personalities. It is therefore not surprising to learn that some people feel that society should be blamed for any antisocial behaviour the individual might display. Before considering both sides of this issue we will define what is meant by the term antisocial behaviour. Behaviour that goes against what is considered acceptable by the norms opf society is said to be antisocial.Therefore, in most modern societies, murder, drug-abuse, violence and rape are among the behaviours that are antisocial. Should the society really be held accountable for the misconduct of its citizens? Some feel that it is unjust to blame the society because, as a free moral agent, the individual is responsible for his/her own decisions and actions. For instance in Cronica de una muerte anunciada by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Vicario brothers kil l Santiago Nasar to avenge the family's honour.It is a death that is foretold because they have already made their intentions known to most people i the society. As a result, there are those who blame the society for not having done anything to prevent the murder. In fact, many citizens feel guilty for having remained silent over the matter. However, who made the decision to comit this antisocial act? Who actually committed it? The truth is, the Vicario brothers are the ones who made this decision and committed the act. So should the society be held accountable?One might consider the events leading up to the murder and say that Angela, her parents, and her friends were all equally accountable. Even though she was not in love with Bayardo, her parents were taken in by his wealth. Moreover, her mother assured her: â€Å"el amor se aprende. † Her friends too, discouraged her from any thought of revealing that she was not a virgin. They also assured her that her husband would not be aware of her state, and they encouraged her to deceive him: â€Å"Lo unico que creen es lo que vean en la sabana, le dijeron. â€Å"All these factors led to her being returned to her parents in a state of disgrace, thus prompting her brothers to seek out and kill Santiago Nasar. In addition to this, the societal traditions that led the brothers to feel the need to avenge the family's honour could be blamed for the fateful events. As we have seen, even though the Vicario brothers must bear the responsibility for their actions, there is overwhelming evidence that the society, through its silence, its traditions, its deceit, and its greed, is to be blamed for the antisocial behaviour of Angela's brothers.

Examining the Stages of Interpersonal Communication Assignment

Examining the Stages of Interpersonal Communication - Assignment Example Someone was playing a prank on him and had taken away his clothes as he was swimming. He did not have a locker there since he was not a member so he had left the clothes on the benches when he went to the pool. It can then be considered that the first meeting was a bit funny and also sad. This was the initiating stage and it was characterized by us meeting in the pool area and the changing rooms and exchanging pleasantries whenever we could. I had the idea that he wanted to be my friend since he always said hello whenever we met and seemed more comfortable putting his clothes and bag near where I kept mine. When he asked me for my number so that he could get in touch and we could be swimming together, I knew that he wanted us to be friends. In the experimenting stage of our relationship, we began calling each other and planning for swimming together. This stage was definitely experimenting since we were always trying to know more about each other. I particularly wanted to find out where Tim lived, his hobbies, whether he had brothers and sisters, which school he went to and so much more. Later I came to realize that he also wanted to know the same and this was a way that would help us to reduce uncertainty (Adler & Proctor, 2012, p. 256). At this particular stage, I tried my best to appear as a good person so that Tim would be comfortable being my friend and he even let me know that there had been some guys at the gym that had always bullied him and played pranks on him and that was what had happened the first time we had met. As this stage progressed, we had more time around each other especially when going swimming since I had come to realize that Tim liked swimming the same way that I did. Severally, we visited each others’ houses and in the process I met his parents and siblings and when he came to my place, he got the chance to meet my parents and my brothers too. In this stage, I tried to be as direct as possible and told Tim the things that

Business Statistics and Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Statistics and Application - Essay Example We need to find product of p-value and standard deviation that yields $200. Hence, ii. We need to assume that the observations are normally distributed. In addition, normal distribution is to satisfy seven requirements: (1) the graph should be bell shaped curve; (2) mean, median and mode are all equal; (3) mean, median and mode are located at the center of the distribution; (4) it has only one mode, (5) it is symmetric about mean, (6) it is a continuous function; (6) it never touches x-axis; and (7) the area under curve equals one. ii. The sample is consistent with the company’s data if and only if the policy’s time is within the sample’s control limit. Since 120 seconds is within the control limit, then the 30 days’ data is consistent with the policy. f. The toothbrush that has the best performance to price ratio is Durodont Multituft. This brand of toothbrush registered the highest performance to price ratio of 51 (performance is 51, price is %1). The worst is Oral-B Spring Ideal which charges the highest price of 4.95 but garnered a low score of 59. g. I would likely recommended Mascleans Flex Direct for consumers who want the maximum comfort and has adequate amount of money to afford the high price. The brand has a price of 3.96 but also has a high performance rating of 83%. For price sensitive consumers which wants the best value for their money, I will recommend Durodont Multituft which has the best performance to price ratio. For the average consumer, I will recommend Farmland Adult with a low price of $1.95 and performance rating of 69%. To compute for the seasonal index, we compute for the ratio of values to moving average. Afterwards, the ratio is averaged for the values during the quarter. Since there is only one value, it also serves as the quarterly seasonal index. The seasonal factor is computed as the geometric mean of the quarterly indices. The values are shown in the following table. 7. a. Simple random sampling

Marketing strategy 4Ps of luxury brands and mass-market brands Essay

Marketing strategy 4Ps of luxury brands and mass-market brands - Essay Example Hence, we saw businesses catering to a specific group of people sharing similar characteristics than catering to the needs and wants for the general heterogeneous and diverse people. This way their strategies and focus would only be on a specific group, which would consequently lead to effective strategies and results. For instance, Burberry moved up-market and focused only on the first class society. Whereas, Abercrombie & Fitch targeted the middle class people and teenagers. Not only this, but we saw many businesses expanding their size of operations by going across the borders. An appropriate example of this would be Abercrombie & Fitch opening their first shop in Hong Kong in 2012, and extending their operations to the Asian market as well. Now, we are going to go to the next slide which will explicitly compare and contrast the marketing mix of the four companies named: Burberry, Coach, Next, and A&F. As you can see, the first row shows the price comparisons of these companies. The price strategy for Burberry and Coach is to provide the luxurious goods at high prices i.e. expensive and grandiose image. On the other hand, A&F and Nexts price strategy ranges from high to medium prices respectively. The second row deals with the product strategy for each business. We are going to discuss each one by one. First is Burberry. Burberrys product strategy is to provide high quality designer garments, and to diverse in its product portfolio which contains shoes, bags, and fragrances apart from the garments. It is most famous for its trench coats. Second is Coach. Coachs product strategy is similar to the Burberrys except for the fact that it focuses on leather goods such as handbags, wallets, briefcases and luggage. High quality and diversification is the product strategy. Next we have "Next". Its product strategy differs from the first two. It does not aim for high quality "pricy" luxurious goods. Instead,