Analyse & assess how hobbes & locke's views differ on the state of Essay

Analyse & assess how hobbes & locke's views differ on the state of nature, the social contract, and the system of government. To what extent was each philosophe - Essay Example â€Å"The ‘State of Nature’ is a term in political philosophy used in social contract theories to describe the hypothetical condition of humanity before the state’s foundation and its monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force.† (Wikipedia, 2006). In simpler words it is the condition before the rule of positive law comes into being or a way to discuss the conditions of society and government. Thinkers during the 17th and 18th century believed that whatever good things one had in the state of nature should not be lost when one entered into society. They evaluated the governments based on this condition. Locke believed that in the state of nature men mostly kept their promises. American frontier is an example of people in the state of nature, where property rights and (for the most part) peace existed (James, n.d.). He believed that the state of nature was good. People are in a state of nature when it is socially acceptable to punish for wrongdoings done against you. Hence, if the government could not do as much for people as they did for themselves in the state of nature, the government could be invalidated. Hobbes’ idea of the state of nature concern power and security and not the moral obligations. He believed that in state of nature people could behave badly towards each other. He compared the English Revolution to the ‘state of nature’, which was brutal. He had a very negative view of the Revolution and this convinced him that kingship was essential. Hobbes opposed Locke’s view that people will generally follow the law of nature because they are naturally rational and not given to constant war. Locke believed that government should be from the people and that it should be limited so as not to violate the natural rights of people. â€Å"Locke states that the entire population has the right to punish an offender so that he will not commit the crime again and so that others will be deterred from moral law breaking.† (Wikipedia, 2006).

A Character From Everyman Essay Example for Free

A Character From Everyman Essay Everyman is a medieval play written by an anonymous author. The central theme of the play is that when the time to leave the world is approaching, an individual may end up being betrayed by his or her family and friends, and only good deeds is important at the end. God and religion are also important aspects in this Middle Age drama, because it portrays Everyman’s progress from fear of death to a â€Å"Christian resignation that is prelude to redemption† (115). The characters in the play consist of subjects, verbs, and objects. The main character in the drama is Everyman, but the name is a representation of mankind in general. Everyman asks other characters to follow him on his journey to death. Firstly, Everyman goes to Fellowship who is his friend, but the first to forsake him by suggesting drinking or socializing with women instead of going on journey of death. Secondly, he asks his family members, Kindred and Cousin, to join him on his journey. However, Kindred and Cousin are disloyal to Everyman by reminding him of the things he has never done for them. Thirdly, Everyman refers to Goods, which are Everyman’s belongings. However, he is disappointed to find out that he cannot take his material possessions with him to his grave. Fourthly, Everyman calls upon Good Deeds. Good Deeds is unable to accompany Everyman immediately, but recommends first going and speaking to knowledge. Lastly, Everyman takes Good Deed’s advice and goes to Knowledge. Knowledge leads Everyman to Confession in order for Everyman to acknowledge his sin and be forgiven. Good Deeds rises again and Everyman asks Good Deeds, Beauty, Strength, Discretion, and Five Wits to join him on his journey to death. Although they all agree and follow him, they run away when they approach his grave except for Good Deeds. Therefore, by closing of the play the audience can conclude that Good Deeds is the only character who did not betray Everyman. In conclusion, Everyman is a medieval theater piece that teaches a lesson to the readers about the importance of life, which is that the things an individual does for others during his lifetime are what counts at the end of one’s life. Everyman first thought his family, friends, and belongings would be there when he dies, but realizes that none of that matters when life ends.

How reliable a narrator do you think Nick is based on what you have Ess

How reliable a narrator do you think Nick is based on what you have read in chapters 1 and 2 Throughout the opening of the book we meet Nick Carroway and he exposes many strengths How reliable a narrator do you think Nick is based on what you have read in chapters 1 and 2 Throughout the opening of the book we meet Nick Carroway and he exposes many strengths and weaknesses as the narrator of the book â€Å"Great Gatsby†. In this essay I will explore what contributes to him being reliable as well as his drawbacks as the narrator. Nick is never directly involved in any of the events. He only ever observes what is going on and this leads to a very unbiased outlook on the events. If Nick was more involved he may not give the reader such a clear outlook on the story line. This also suggests Nick is possibly not used to being in social situations, like at Gatsby’s house party, and this could hinder his interpretations of the events. Nick continues to contradict himself throughout the first two chapters. He ironically claims ‘I’m inclined to reserve all judgements,’ yet...

Non-duality: Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen Essays -- Religion, Buddhis

Buddhism first developed in India by Siddhartha Gautama as a means to end suffering. Nirvana could ultimately be achieved with adherence to the Four Noble Truths and the middle way. The Mahayana tradition arose within Buddhist with different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings and new ideals. It emphasized the role of the bodhisattva and the bodhisattva path as the means to attain enlightenment, or Buddhahood. The nature of the Buddha is no longer equivalent to that of the arhant, rather, he is beyond the level of the arhant; he is a transcended being. Within Mahayana, Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophical schools developed in India and the Zen tradition arose once Buddhism spread to East Asia. While Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen emphasize several different concepts in an effort to attain enlightenment, all three adhere to the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness and non-duality. At the core of the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness lays in the early Buddhist belief in anatman, or no self. There is both a spiritual and material part to human nature, but it is the â€Å"moral identity that survives death and is reborn† (Prebish and Keown 56). The concept of anatman eliminates attachment to the material by claiming that an individual has no real core, or soul, and the five skandhas, or aggregates of attachment, namely the material form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, provides evidence. â€Å"It is held that none of the five skandhas are able to exist in the absence of the other four† (Hershock). Desire is one of the main causes of suffering, and the five aggregates are the objects of desire. Dependent origination holds that everything is conditioned and â€Å"lack intrinsic being of their own† (Prebish and Keown 49)... ...anslation can be seen in translating emptiness. If emptiness is translated as upaya, or skillful means, then emptiness is a way of eliminating attachment to all views by criticizing them much like Nagarjuna does. â€Å"Emptiness potentially can liberate or trap one further into greater conceptual illusions† (Low 133). The trap occurs when the view is not is not ultimately true. Enlightenment is central to Buddhism; it is a form of freedom. Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen have different ways of interpreting the different stages of enlightenment, but they all hold that the realization of enlightenment means having the wisdom to view reality in its natural form. All sentient beings and dharmas are empty and free from the subject-object dualism. Once the individual understands the impermanence of reality, the individual has attained wisdom and therefore enlightenment. Non-duality: Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen Essays -- Religion, Buddhis Buddhism first developed in India by Siddhartha Gautama as a means to end suffering. Nirvana could ultimately be achieved with adherence to the Four Noble Truths and the middle way. The Mahayana tradition arose within Buddhist with different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings and new ideals. It emphasized the role of the bodhisattva and the bodhisattva path as the means to attain enlightenment, or Buddhahood. The nature of the Buddha is no longer equivalent to that of the arhant, rather, he is beyond the level of the arhant; he is a transcended being. Within Mahayana, Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophical schools developed in India and the Zen tradition arose once Buddhism spread to East Asia. While Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen emphasize several different concepts in an effort to attain enlightenment, all three adhere to the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness and non-duality. At the core of the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness lays in the early Buddhist belief in anatman, or no self. There is both a spiritual and material part to human nature, but it is the â€Å"moral identity that survives death and is reborn† (Prebish and Keown 56). The concept of anatman eliminates attachment to the material by claiming that an individual has no real core, or soul, and the five skandhas, or aggregates of attachment, namely the material form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, provides evidence. â€Å"It is held that none of the five skandhas are able to exist in the absence of the other four† (Hershock). Desire is one of the main causes of suffering, and the five aggregates are the objects of desire. Dependent origination holds that everything is conditioned and â€Å"lack intrinsic being of their own† (Prebish and Keown 49)... ...anslation can be seen in translating emptiness. If emptiness is translated as upaya, or skillful means, then emptiness is a way of eliminating attachment to all views by criticizing them much like Nagarjuna does. â€Å"Emptiness potentially can liberate or trap one further into greater conceptual illusions† (Low 133). The trap occurs when the view is not is not ultimately true. Enlightenment is central to Buddhism; it is a form of freedom. Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen have different ways of interpreting the different stages of enlightenment, but they all hold that the realization of enlightenment means having the wisdom to view reality in its natural form. All sentient beings and dharmas are empty and free from the subject-object dualism. Once the individual understands the impermanence of reality, the individual has attained wisdom and therefore enlightenment.

Theory of Knowledge Full Essay- Language and Vocabulary

Q: The vocabulary we have does more than communicate our knowledge; it shapes what we can know. Evaluate this claim with reference to different areas of knowledge. According to the Sapir-Whorf Theory, language is not merely a reproducing instrument for voicing ideas but rather is the shaper of ideas. The Sapir-Whorf Thesis states that language controls what we think and determines and limits our thoughts. Many language experts identify with the Sapir-Whorf Theory and among these is Wittgenstein, who once said, â€Å"the limits of my language are the limits of my world†.Thus, many believe that the vocabulary we have does more than communicate our knowledge and rather, it shapes what we can know. However, to what extent can this statement be said to be true? Is vocabulary really the only way to communicate our knowledge? What else can vocabulary do besides communicate knowledge? Do you need to be able to communicate your knowledge to show your knowledge? Is our knowledge only ga ined through language and vocabulary? Lastly, if vocabulary â€Å"shapes† what we can know, can we say that knowing more languages will gain us access to more knowledge?First of all, vocabulary refers to the body of words that are used in a particular language, such as the very words I am using to write this essay. Without vocabulary, there are no words and as a result, language is also non-existent. Imagine a life without words; we cannot describe or speak out the ideas in our mind, we cannot ask questions, or communicate with one another. In fact, even when we think in our mind, it involves the use of words. Does that mean that without words we would not have thoughts? Without vocabulary and language, we would not know most of the current knowledge that we do today.Think about the knowledge that we currently possess; many of us would agree that most of the knowledge that we currently have and understand is learnt through school, books and education— but how could we have possibly grasped all the physics theories, math formulas and others that we’ve learnt without the use of vocabulary or words? How would the teachers teach in a world where language is non-existent? Books would just be a fictitious myth if language does not exist. How could we expand our knowledge capabilities through reading if books do not exist?Thus, in a way vocabulary shapes what we can know because without vocabulary, we cannot communicate with one another and thus, knowledge cannot be passed down or shared. As a result, the knowledge we know will be limited to only what we experience or discover by ourselves. However, we would not have the ability to have knowledge about other people’s experiences or way of life and culture. For example, the Aloe Vera plant originated from Northern India and is now regarded highly for its healing and rejuvenating properties. Its antiquity was first discovered in 1862 in an Egyptian papyrus dated 1550 BC.Thus, the healing pow er of Aloe Vera was first discovered by ancient Egyptians, who decided to note this down on a piece of papyrus. If language had not existed and the ancient Egyptians during that time had decided not to write down the healing properties of Aloe Vera, that sliver of knowledge would not be passed down and shared among us and we would not know what we know today. We would not be able to benefit from the natural therapeutic quality of Aloe Vera. Therefore, in this example, language and vocabulary has shown to be a powerful tool for communicating knowledge.In a way, vocabulary does shape what we can know but to what extent is this true? Can vocabulary be said to be the crux of knowledge? Is vocabulary really the only method to communicate and share knowledge? Although vocabulary can be said to make up a large part of our understanding and our knowledge, it is not the only way that we can learn and gain knowledge. Another way would be through our own life experiences. For example, when we touch a hot cup of coffee and scald our skin, we learn from our own experience to be careful of touching hot surfaces as it can harm us.In this manner, we have learnt or acquired new knowledge without the use of vocabulary or communication but rather through our own experience. Our nervous system has sent a signal to our brain. Vocabulary is also not the only way for us to communicate our knowledge. Another method would be through the use of body language, facial expressions or hand signals. For example, traffic officers mainly rely on hand signals to direct the traffic at a particular junction or intersection. Through the use of body language, the traffic officer is able to communicate their knowledge to the drivers bout whether they should stop or go. In this example, knowledge is being passed on without the use of language. Similarly, by looking at a person’s facial expression or body language, we can know how they are feeling (e. g. sad, happy, angry). Furthermore, thinki ng does not have to always involve words. We can think in other ways such as through images. It is important to understand that to be able to communicate our knowledge through the use of vocabulary and language, we first have to be able to put that certain piece of knowledge into words.At age 6, my mom used to test me on my vocabulary and would ask me the definition of words. Oftentimes, I would reply her saying â€Å"I know what the word means but I just can’t explain it! † My mom would then answer, â€Å"If you can’t explain it then that means you don’t really understand it! † I would protest and tell her that I do understand but that it was just difficult to put into words. Thus, this led me to ask myself a question; do we need to be able to explain something with words to understand the concept of it? 6 year old me would beg to differ.However, I believe that even if we can’t explain things in words, it doesn’t mean that we donâ₠¬â„¢t understand it. Has your friend ever tried telling you a personal problem but he says that he can’t really put how he feels into words and you replied saying â€Å"I know exactly what you mean and how you feel†? Most of the time, this happens when we have gone through the same experience and thus, we can relate to them and recall how they feel. Art is another way to communicate knowledge without the use of vocabulary. For example, using graphics or art. As Napolean Bonaparte once said, â€Å"a picture tells a thousand words†.Similarly, an artwork can communicate knowledge to us. For example, the artist Chris Jordan, turns statistics into art. One of his pieces features a picture of 2 million plastic cups stacked up above each other, which is the number of cups we use every 5 minutes. It is much more impactful to visually see the numbers than to hear the numbers. A simple picture with no words was able to relay knowledge to us and raise our awareness. Thus, even though language does restrict the knowledge that we can know, there are still other ways to interpret knowledge.Another area of knowledge we can look at is mathematics. In mathematics, language is not used to communicate knowledge, but rather, the use of numbers. Numbers are a universal language that the world can understand. 2+2 will always equal to 4, regardless of your nationality or what language you speak. Therefore, we can say that in math, language and vocabulary is not very significant. According to the statement in the question, vocabulary is said to do more than just â€Å"communicate knowledge, it shapes what we can know†.If this is true, does that mean that knowing more languages will gain us more access to knowledge? As Federccopellini once said, â€Å"a different language is a different vision of life†. Federccopellini believed that language is a way of life and the more languages you know and understand, then, the more access to knowledge that you p ossess. To a certain extent, this statement can be said to be true. For example, there is a word in Bahasa Indonesia known as lidah buaya. The direct translation of lidah is tongue while buaya means crocodile in English. Together it means crocodile tongue.However, people who speak Bahasa Indonesia know that lidah buaya doesn’t literally mean crocodile tongue. In fact, it is actually the name given to the Aloe Vera plant in Bahasa Indonesia! Hence, to a certain extent, it can be said to be true that knowing more languages will allow us to possess more knowledge, as we would be exposed to different cultures, which would help us to understand their way of life. However, it is also important to note that the meaning of words otherwise known as semantics, have a propensity to change and evolve over time.For example, in the past, the definition of the word â€Å"gay† meant â€Å"carefree† and â€Å"cheerful†. However, in modern times, the word â€Å"gay† is used to describe someone that is homosexual. In this example, we can see how words can change its meaning over time. Thus, if the meanings of words vary over time, how true can it be said that language is a reliable method to communicate knowledge? Furthermore, oftentimes, words are made up to explain or describe a complex set of behaviours that in truth, nobody has really observed or seen.This is known as occult quantity. For example, in the sciences such as physics, the term â€Å"electronic field† is used to define a region around a charged particle or object within which a force would be exerted on other charged particles or objects. However, we can never really prove whether electronic fields exist because we cannot actually see the field with our own eyes. The existence of electronic fields is only â€Å"proven† when physicians make assumptions based on the observations and results of an experiment.However, how do we know that the experiment results aren†™t just an effect of some other unknown cause that we have yet to discover? Occult quantity leads to doubts about the knowledge surrounding a term or a word. Thus, this shows how words can be misleading or tell us false information that we will believe due to the â€Å"research† thought to have been carried out. Can these made-up terms or words be included in our vocabulary when they are not proven? How can these made-up terms or words communicate true knowledge?In conclusion, I believe that vocabulary is a crucial part of acquiring and communicating knowledge and to a certain extent it does â€Å"shape† what we can know. However, vocabulary is not the only way to acquire or communicate knowledge as shown from the examples above. (1794 words) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www. ted. com/talks/chris_jordan_pictures_some_shocking_stats. html [ 2 ]. http://www. ted. c om/speakers/chris_jordan. html [ 3 ]. (http://east. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/electric%20field)

Free Essays on Poe

Many authors have made great contributions to the world of literature. Mark Twain introduced Americans to life on the Mississippi. Thomas Hardy wrote on his pessimistic views of the Victorian Age. Another author that influenced literature is Edgar Allan Poe. Poe is known as the father of the American short story and father of the detective story. To understand the literary contributions of Edgar Allan Poe, one must look at his early life, his literary life, and a summary of his famous works. "Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston'' (Inglis 505) "on January 19, 1809'' (Asselineau 409). He was born to a southern family that were in a traveling company of actors (Inglis 505). His father, David Poe, was from a Baltimore family. He was an actor by profession and a heavy drinker. Soon after Edgar Allan Poe was born, he left his family. Poe's mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe, was a widow at the age of eighteen. Two years after his birth, she died of tuberculosis (Asselineau 409). When his mother d ied, Poe was adopted by John Allan (Perry XI) at the urging of Mr. Allan's wife. In 1815, John Allan moved his family to England. While there, Poe was sent to private schools (Asselineau 410). In the spring of 1826, Poe entered the University of Virginia. There he studied Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin. He had an excellent scholastic record. He got into difficulties almost at once. Mr. Allan did not provide him with the money to pay for his fees and other necessities. Poe was confused and homesick. He learned to play cards and started drinking. Soon he was in debt in excess of two thousand dollars. Poe discovered that he could not depend upon Allan for financial support. His foster father refused to pay his debts, and Poe had to withdraw from the University (Asselineau 410). In May of 1827, Poe enlisted in the army as a common soldier. He did this under the name of Edgar A. Perry. He was stationed on Sullivan's Island in Charleston Harbor for over a yea... Free Essays on Poe Free Essays on Poe Edgar Allan Poe era un predominio y una figura altamente influyente en literatura del mundo. Mucho del notability de Poe se basa en sus historias cortas ingeniosas y profundas, poemas, y teorà ­as crà ­ticas. La manera innovadora que à ©l escribià ³ establecià ³ un pretense de cà ³mo la forma corta en poesà ­a y la ficcià ³n debe ser, que es una razà ³n ella mira Poe en historias literarias y manuales como el arquitecto de la historia corta moderna. Era el genio particular de Poe que en su trabajo à ©l dio a forma artà ­stica consumada a sus obsesiones personales y a las de generaciones literarias anteriores, en el mismo tiempo que creaba las nuevas formas que proporcionaron medios de la expresià ³n para los artistas futuros. Edgar Allan Poe fue llevado a los padres pobres del agente. Su padre David era agente medio y un bebedor pesado que abandonà ³ a su hijo y esposa y desaparecido por siempre. Dijeron su madre Elizabeth, por otra parte, para haber sido actriz carismtica y talentosa. Elizabeth murià ³ de tuberculosis en diciembre de 1811. Edgar Poe no era absolutamente tres, sino recordà ³ siempre su sangre el vomitar de la madre y siendo llevado de à ©l por siempre por los hombres siniestros vestidos en negro. Era su muerte repentina que fue dicha para haber combado Poe para el resto de su vida. Despuà ©s de la muerte de su madre Poe fue tomado en el hogar de Juan y de Frances Allan - por lo tanto su nombre medio. En Poe 1834 traà ­do su tà ­a seà ±ora Clemm y su hija Virginia a vivir con à ©l y en 1836 à ©l casà ³ a su primo joven. Era durante este tiempo que una produccià ³n extrema de la literatura vino de Poe. Él escribià ³ historias y muchas revisiones poderosas y de reducciones radicales, emprendiendo guerra en mediocrity e intentando hacer cumplir altos estndares literarios. Desafortunadamente sus esfuerzos fueron perdidos a menudo en trabajos algo insignificantes. Despuà ©s de seis aà ±os de la unià ³n Virginia tenà ­a f... Free Essays on Poe In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," the author combines vivid symbolism with subtle irony. Although the story runs only four pages, within those few pages many examples of symbolism and irony abound. In short, the symbolism and irony lead to an enormously improved story as compared to a story with the same plot but with these two elements missing. "The Tell-Tale Heart" consists of a monologue in which the murderer of an old man protests his insanity rather than his guilt: "You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded . . ." (Poe 121). By the narrator insisting so emphatically that he is sane, the reader is assured that he is indeed deranged. E. Arthur Robinson feels that by using this irony the narrator creates a feeling of hysteria, and the turmoil resulting from this hysteria is what places "The Tell-Tale Heart" in the list of the greatest horror stories of all time (94). Julian Symons suggests that the murder of the old man is motiveless, and unconnected with passion or profit (212). But in a deeper sense, the murder does have a purpose: to ensure that the narrator does not have to endure the haunting of the Evil Eye any longer. To a madman, this is as good of a reason as any; in the mind of a madman, reason does not always win out over emotion. Edward H. Davidson insists that emotion had a large part to play in the crime, suggesting that the narrator suffers and commits a crime because of an excess of emotion over intelligence (203). Poe relates how the narrator believes the validity of the previous statement: ". . . very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease has sharpened my sensesnot destroyednot dulled them . . ." (121). The disease in this case is obviously a severe case of emotions, nervousness among them. Thus, even in the story the narrator realizes that he is overcome by emotions, a... Free Essays on Poe By telling the story of a perfectly sane man driven mad by his own fear and sense of terror, Poe establishes a very important point that one’s fear is determined by one’s reaction to a situation. In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story "The Fall of the House of Usher," the narrator starts out as a sane person, but, after living with his mentally disturbed and depressed childhood friend, Roderick Usher, the narrator begins to go mad and finally loses his mind to his own personal fears. After being with Roderick for a short time, the narrator learns many details about Roderick’s personal life, including his fascination with death and the supernatural and his close relationship with his dying sister, Madeline. After Madeline’s death, the narrator begins to lose his mind in the same way as Roderick, and his fears are visually manifested when he sees an image of Madeline still alive even after she is locked in a temporary tomb. First of all, one can see tha t the narrator is, for the most part, sane at the beginning of the story. When he first sees the decaying and crumbling House of Usher, he begins to feel "...an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime" (Poe 1). While these feelings strike fear in his heart, the narrator is able to reassure himself that "...there are certain combinations of very simple natural objects which have the power of thus affecting us† (Poe 1). He thinks about how "...a mere different arrangement of the particulars of the scene, of the details of the picture, would be sufficient to modify or perhaps to annihilate its capacity for sorrowful impression...† (Poe 1). Also, when Roderick throws open the shutters to the narrator’s room and shows him the strange glow surrounding the house, the narrator tries to explain it logically by reassuring Roderick that "These appearance s, which be... Free Essays on Poe Many authors have made great contributions to the world of literature. Mark Twain introduced Americans to life on the Mississippi. Thomas Hardy wrote on his pessimistic views of the Victorian Age. Another author that influenced literature is Edgar Allan Poe. Poe is known as the father of the American short story and father of the detective story. To understand the literary contributions of Edgar Allan Poe, one must look at his early life, his literary life, and a summary of his famous works. "Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston'' (Inglis 505) "on January 19, 1809'' (Asselineau 409). He was born to a southern family that were in a traveling company of actors (Inglis 505). His father, David Poe, was from a Baltimore family. He was an actor by profession and a heavy drinker. Soon after Edgar Allan Poe was born, he left his family. Poe's mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe, was a widow at the age of eighteen. Two years after his birth, she died of tuberculosis (Asselineau 409). When his mother d ied, Poe was adopted by John Allan (Perry XI) at the urging of Mr. Allan's wife. In 1815, John Allan moved his family to England. While there, Poe was sent to private schools (Asselineau 410). In the spring of 1826, Poe entered the University of Virginia. There he studied Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin. He had an excellent scholastic record. He got into difficulties almost at once. Mr. Allan did not provide him with the money to pay for his fees and other necessities. Poe was confused and homesick. He learned to play cards and started drinking. Soon he was in debt in excess of two thousand dollars. Poe discovered that he could not depend upon Allan for financial support. His foster father refused to pay his debts, and Poe had to withdraw from the University (Asselineau 410). In May of 1827, Poe enlisted in the army as a common soldier. He did this under the name of Edgar A. Perry. He was stationed on Sullivan's Island in Charleston Harbor for over a yea...

Free Essays on Kfc Situation Analysis

I. Situation Analysis Kentucky Fried Chicken was one of the first fast-food chains to go international in the 1950’s and has remained a strong competitor in the industry. By 2000, KFC had become the third largest chain in the world with 11,000 locations in 85 countries. Even though the ownership of the corporation has changed hands many times over the past few decades, the values that Colonel Sanders lived by are still alive and functioning today. Some of these essential values are product quality, service, and restaurant cleanliness. The strategies utilized by KFC and its management appear to be quite effective. In 1999, KFC was ranked number six in the top 50 fast-food restaurants in the United States with sales exceeding 4.3 million dollars. They were number one in the chicken chain category with a substantial market share of 55.2%. Their sales grew at a steady rate of 4%. The competitors had growth rates that doubled and almost tripled the rate of KFC, but these rates were not sufficient to threaten KFC’S vast holding in the market which allows them to remain strong and stable for the time being. Kentucky Fried Chicken encountered many issues over time. The strict reliance on values of company owned stores was quite important but franchising stores was much more cost-effective. The American market was becoming saturated with fast-food establishments and real estate was difficult to locate and quite costly, so the need to expand on an international level became a necessity. By 2000, Tricon Global Restaurants, which consists of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, had close to 30,000 international locations. Over the years competition in the chicken chain category has grown enormously. Companies like Boston Market and Chic-Fil-A catered to those who preferred a healthier version of chicken. Even though growth in this market has been rapid, it has not greatly affected the sales of KFC. It appears as though customers flocking to ... Free Essays on Kfc Situation Analysis Free Essays on Kfc Situation Analysis I. Situation Analysis Kentucky Fried Chicken was one of the first fast-food chains to go international in the 1950’s and has remained a strong competitor in the industry. By 2000, KFC had become the third largest chain in the world with 11,000 locations in 85 countries. Even though the ownership of the corporation has changed hands many times over the past few decades, the values that Colonel Sanders lived by are still alive and functioning today. Some of these essential values are product quality, service, and restaurant cleanliness. The strategies utilized by KFC and its management appear to be quite effective. In 1999, KFC was ranked number six in the top 50 fast-food restaurants in the United States with sales exceeding 4.3 million dollars. They were number one in the chicken chain category with a substantial market share of 55.2%. Their sales grew at a steady rate of 4%. The competitors had growth rates that doubled and almost tripled the rate of KFC, but these rates were not sufficient to threaten KFC’S vast holding in the market which allows them to remain strong and stable for the time being. Kentucky Fried Chicken encountered many issues over time. The strict reliance on values of company owned stores was quite important but franchising stores was much more cost-effective. The American market was becoming saturated with fast-food establishments and real estate was difficult to locate and quite costly, so the need to expand on an international level became a necessity. By 2000, Tricon Global Restaurants, which consists of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, had close to 30,000 international locations. Over the years competition in the chicken chain category has grown enormously. Companies like Boston Market and Chic-Fil-A catered to those who preferred a healthier version of chicken. Even though growth in this market has been rapid, it has not greatly affected the sales of KFC. It appears as though customers flocking to ...

How to Know If Teaching Is the Right Profession for You

How to Know If Teaching Is the Right Profession for You Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers that one can embark on. It is also one of the most stressful as demands and expectations are always changing. It takes a special person to handle everything that is thrown at teachers. Before making a life-changing decision, you need to be sure that teaching is the right profession for you. If the following five reasons ring true, then you are likely headed in the right direction. You Are Passionate About Young People If you are thinking about going into teaching for any other reason than this, you need to find another career. Teaching is difficult. Students can be difficult. Parents can be difficult. If you do not have an absolute passion for the young people that you teach, you will burn out quickly. Having a passion for the young people that you teach is what keeps a terrific teacher going. It is what drives them to spend long hours trying to figure out how to help those students who are struggling â€Å"get it.† That passion is the driving force behind doing your job year after year. If you do not have a total passion for your students, you might last a year or two, but you will not make it to year twenty-five. It is a must have quality for every good teacher. You Want to Make a Difference Teaching can be immensely rewarding, but you shouldn’t expect that reward to come easily. To make a real difference in a student’s life you have to be adept at reading people and figuring out their own unique preferences. Children of all ages can spot a phony quicker than any adult. If you are not there for the right reasons, they will certainly figure it out quickly. Teachers who are real with their students are the ones who make the most difference in their students’ lives because the students buy into what they are doing. Making the students believe that you are there to make a difference is something you have to show them over time. You Are Skilled at Instructing People in a Variety of Ways Students come from such diverse backgrounds that it is difficult to approach any two students in the same way. You have to be willing and able to teach the same concept through many different approaches, or you may not reach all your students. You will unquestionably not be an effective teacher if you only teach one way. A fantastic teacher is an evolving teacher. Teachers who search out better and new methods are the ones who will make it. Being flexible and adaptable are two key characteristics of a good teacher. It allows you to provide instruction in a variety of method that will meet all your students’ needs. You Are a Team Player If you are someone who does not work well with others, teaching is not the career for you. Teaching is all about relationships and not just the relationships with your students. You can be the greatest instructor in the world, and you limit yourself if you cannot effectively communicate with the parents of your students as well as your peers. Your peers can offer you so much information and advice that it is an absolute necessity be a team player who is willing to not only listen to advice but then to try to apply it to your teaching. If you cannot communicate well with parents, then you will not last long. Parents expect to know what is going on in their child’s life. You provide a large chunk of that information for parents of school-age children. A good teacher needs to be able to work with everyone involved in the school community. You Can Handle Stress Factors All teachers cope with stress. It is essential that you be able to handle everything thrown at you. There will be days when you are dealing with personal issues, and you have to overcome those once you walk through your classroom doors. You cannot let a difficult student get to you. You cannot allow a parent to dictate how you handle your class or a particular student. There are so many opportunities for stress within a classroom that an excellent teacher has to be able to handle it, or they will be burned out tremendously quick. If you cannot manage stress extremely well, then education may not be the right profession for you.

Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Coursework Example The two females featured in Bend it like Beckham experience their gender in different ways. Jesminder â€Å"Jess† Bhamra is infatuated with football but her parents who are Indians have forbidden her to play because she is a girl. However, Juliette â€Å"Jules† Paxton parents are okay with it yet she is still a girl. Jess family expect her to have a job that is suitable for ladies her age that’s why she pretends to have a job so that she can play with the Hounslow Harrier a local women’s team. Jules is allowed to follow her passion for female football. Both Jess and Jule’s parents become concerned when these two best friends fight and they fear that their daughters are lesbians thinking that the girls’ disagreement is a lover’s quarrel. All in all, both families expect Jess and Jules to dance at a Sikh wedding in which Jess’ elder sister is getting married. In the fifty years since television became commonplace for western civilization, this one piece of technology has had incredible impact on society and basically revolutionized the way people see themselves and the world around them. The debate as to whether the impact is positive or negative has been taking place since the inception of the TV in the late 1940’s. Television’s potential to connect, educate and inform the public is often overshadowed by the lack of individual responsibility in using this modern-day miracle, therefore causing its impact on society to be viewed as negative. Television provides viewers access to arts, music, religion, new technology and information. Such technology is a venue for inspiration and enrichment and it also allows the viewer to become engaged in issues that have personal and societal implications. Viewers have been able to witness everything from presidential debates to man walking on the moon to wars being fought right in front of them. They have discovered ways to renovate their homes, look

Reflection Assignment for the Intro to Orienteering Class Essay

Reflection Assignment for the Intro to Orienteering Class - Essay Example Consequently, we split into several groups and allowed to walk through the park, carrying out our studies on the environment. Most of the tracks were muddy and led deep down the forests. As a result, most of us could not trace their way back to the camp at the end of the day. However, the game rangers and tour guides came to our rescue. The reason for getting lost in the forests was the lack of adequate orientation on the geography of the park. We did not have a map to guide us on the tracks and routes to use while in the forests. In addition, neither the school nor the game wardens assisted us with compasses that could help us back to the camp. Orientation is critical before one engages in any outdoor activity as it helps them to conduct a reconnaissance. Notably, this helps the person to familiarize him or herself with the routes to use, the culture of the people, the nature of the environment, and the potential risks. Consequently, one can prepare adequately for the activity. There are instances when people get lost due to lack of orientation and lack of map reading or both. Our experience exemplifies the adverse effects of the lack of direction. In other cases, one may fail to interpret a map correctly especially when they have to locate a place using longitudes and latitudes. The trip changed my mentality towards approaching new places. I learnt that it was important to gather information about new places prior to the visit. It also scrapped off my all-knowing mentality. The highlight of the trip was the instance when we got lost in the forest. It was awkward how we could not retrace the routes we had used. None of us wanted to imagine a night in the cold with a prospect of wild animal attacks. One of the things I learnt on the trip is that it is always critical to consult when one is clueless. None of us had taken the initiative of asking for a map or a compass from the teacher or game rangers.

The nurse as a professional (mental health) Essay - 1

The nurse as a professional (mental health) - Essay Example Mental health nursing is a profession that focuses on providing treatment, caring, and strong support to patients who are experiencing severe mental, emotional, and psychological problems. In relation to mental health nursing, this report will focus on discussing the role and responsibilities of mental health nurses who are taking care of a mentally ill patient who could no longer decide for his own preferred care and treatment. In line with this, important factors that could guide the mental health nurses improve the quality of caring they deliver to their patients will be identified and tackled in relation to nursing ethics. Based on the gathered information, a list of recommendations together with the rationale behind each of the recommended solutions will be provided at the end of this report. Role and Responsibilities of Mental Health Nurses In general, the role and responsibilities of mental health nurses is very broad. ... gic ways on how a mental health nurse could deliver an effective patient care treatment will be tackled based on the nurse’s role as a therapist and counsellor, educator, assessor, reflector, manager, supervisor, researcher, and a clinician. Therapist and Counsellor Even though a mentally ill patient could no longer decide for his own preferred care and treatment, mental health nurses should always have in mind that the patient at this point can be very sensitive and emotional. Although the patient is not capable of communicating his preferred care and treatment, mental health nurses should still treat the patient with respect. To prevent the patient from experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression, mental health nurses should act as therapist and counsellor in order to give them a â€Å"sense of hope† and a reason to live (O'Neill, Moore, & Ryan, 2008). At this point, the patient may be limited in expressing his thoughts and feelings verbally but it is still pos sible for the patient to hear what the nurse is trying to communicate to them. Therefore, taking time to communicate with the patients could make the nurse develop a long-term nurse-patient relationship. In general, having a competitive social skills is required to enable mental health nurses established a good working relationship with patient. To establish a therapeutic relationship with the patients, mental health nurses should first establish and develop trust with the patients (Forster, 2001, pp. 65 – 66). Right after establishing the patient’s trust, mental health nurses should provide client-centered counselling each time this kind of caring intervention is necessary (Foster, 2001, p. 72). Since mental health nurses should provide holistic caring to the patients who are mentally ill, nurses

Misplaced trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Misplaced trust - Essay Example In spite of all my misgivings, I did help her though, and I wish I had listened to my intuitions. A week had gone by since I consented to my sister’s wishes and accommodated Poppy in my house. For the time I stayed with Poppy, all I heard was complaints and shoves in my face, literary, my body ached due to the kicking I had to endure from her gigantic feet. I never had peace in my place again which made me consider my options which of course were not many. Was to either continue living with Poppy or ask her to leave before she could drive me insane. After many considerations, I made a decision after the torturous weeks to dumb her on my friend’s doorstep and I did just that. The following month, I met my best friend who informed me that Poppy was planning on suing her. I was keen to get the facts for I knew the intrigues and drama that comes with being around Poppy. I laughed my heart out when I learned the reason for the latest episode of Poppy’s drama; my friend’s cat scratched her cat’s eye. That was the most ridicules thing I had heard in a long time. As a result of my best friend’s current mishaps, all the blame for her situation was heaped on me, from facilitating Poppy’s move to the tiniest scratch. As a consequence of all these denunciations from my best friend, I had a fight with her about trust as she was accusing me damping these issues on her and therefore she could not trust me anymore because I had lied too much. Our relationship changed from being really close to basically not contacting each other. Poppy of course wanted to move because of what happened, as always, I was the one to rescue her and indeed, I did help her find a place to stay. I sought help from one of another of oldest best friends I have ever had which proved to be a mistake that led to a big disaster. Poppy was not satisfied with the new place, her reason being that the place was far. My

Older Population as a Vulnerable Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Older Population as a Vulnerable Group - Essay Example The research paper â€Å"Older Population as a Vulnerable Group† investigates the difficulties faced by older adults, who belong to the vulnerable group mainly because of their limited physical mobility, cognitive impairment, and weakened social networks. The explosive technological developments in the field of medicine over the last few decades have significantly improved health status of people, particularly in economically developed countries like the U.S and the UK. Those developments and innovations were capable of increasing the life expectancy of people, and this situation in turn resulted in a phenomenon called population ageing. The older population is a vulnerable group, and this group’s vulnerability is a combination of three factors like health status, cognitive ability, and social support. Older people are likely to be affected by issues like loneliness, stress, and depression. Therefore, they are increasingly exposed to deception and fraud. Population agei ng is a process where a country’s median age rises due to increasing life expectancy and/or decreasing birth rates. In economically developed countries like the UK and the U.S, rising life expectancy is the major cause leading to population ageing. Recently, even less economically developed countries have also improved their life expectancy and significantly contribute population ageing. Growing life expectancy is the prime cause of population ageing in the world except in 18 countries which are ‘demographic outliers’ according to the United Nations.... The Department of Health indicates that an individual over 85 is approximately three times more expensive to health care as compared to a person between the ages of 65 and 75 ("More than 10 million people..†). Although the UK government has framed extensive mechanisms to ensure rapid and quality care for the older population, the needs of a notable percent of aging people still go unnoticed. Causes of vulnerability The fast growth of the older population raises great challenges to the wellbeing of the old age people because they are exposed to various vulnerabilities. It is identified that older population is increasingly prone to vulnerabilities like exploitation, abuse, and negligence by others. Referring to the words of Kim and Geistfeld, older population constitutes a vulnerable group and they are â€Å"more susceptible to unscrupulous business practices than younger groups† ("What makes older adults vulnerable...). The authors continue that the older population ofte n becomes the target group for fraud because one can easily convince them. Scholars indicate that older individuals’ loneliness increases their vulnerability to fraudulent business transactions to a considerable extent. Psychological practitioners suggest that old age people are greatly in need of social interactions, and this is the reason why older consumers could be easily convinced by telemarketers. Majority of the older people have little market knowledge, and this weakness increases their susceptibility to fraud. It is awful to see that many of the old age people are not aware of the risk of losing ownership once payments are not made in time. Furthermore, they do not know whom they should contact in case

Misplaced trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Misplaced trust - Essay Example In spite of all my misgivings, I did help her though, and I wish I had listened to my intuitions. A week had gone by since I consented to my sister’s wishes and accommodated Poppy in my house. For the time I stayed with Poppy, all I heard was complaints and shoves in my face, literary, my body ached due to the kicking I had to endure from her gigantic feet. I never had peace in my place again which made me consider my options which of course were not many. Was to either continue living with Poppy or ask her to leave before she could drive me insane. After many considerations, I made a decision after the torturous weeks to dumb her on my friend’s doorstep and I did just that. The following month, I met my best friend who informed me that Poppy was planning on suing her. I was keen to get the facts for I knew the intrigues and drama that comes with being around Poppy. I laughed my heart out when I learned the reason for the latest episode of Poppy’s drama; my friend’s cat scratched her cat’s eye. That was the most ridicules thing I had heard in a long time. As a result of my best friend’s current mishaps, all the blame for her situation was heaped on me, from facilitating Poppy’s move to the tiniest scratch. As a consequence of all these denunciations from my best friend, I had a fight with her about trust as she was accusing me damping these issues on her and therefore she could not trust me anymore because I had lied too much. Our relationship changed from being really close to basically not contacting each other. Poppy of course wanted to move because of what happened, as always, I was the one to rescue her and indeed, I did help her find a place to stay. I sought help from one of another of oldest best friends I have ever had which proved to be a mistake that led to a big disaster. Poppy was not satisfied with the new place, her reason being that the place was far. My

Cross Culture Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cross Culture Communication - Essay Example Emphasis on universal national values of culture suggests that individuals are able to shape their values from experiences gained within a society (Kim, 2008:44). When studying values as noted by Schwartz it comes out that, a bipolar relationship can only exist between and among a number of cultural values. This paper will present a personal reflection on the experience of working in the cross-cultural team and managing the cross-cultural team. During the research when holding the managing post for various sessions, it is worth noting that the task of organization and management in a firm relies heavily on communication between and among all employees present in that firm. The organization should exhibit a great knowledge and application of bipolar relationship whereby conservatism and autonomy dominated the task. Since conservatism and autonomy highlight that the nature of a relationship exists between individuals and a group, it is upon the managing team to ensure communication flo ws effectively. This means that as a manager, one must break down all barriers to effective communication (Fabbi, 2011:79). As such, there are platform that highlight and note presence of effective communication tools. ... Apart from that, from the experience of managing it is worth noting that for employees to perform efficiently, they need motivation. Motivation is a key factor towards realizing the best out of the available employees in an organization (Reisinger, 2009:57). When a manager recognizes efforts of employees and subsequently awards him or her, their output increases automatically. This shows that elements that boost the morale of employees are important as have the capability of taking the organization to the next desired level (Norales, 2006:152). During the management session, a number of issues related to cross culture arise. For instance, since culture is a broad subject, it becomes clear that some employees might not understand particular values and attitudes of the organization (Gross, Jan, and Paula, 2009:67). Furthermore, there are barrier in terms of technology and material culture within and among different employees all in the same organization. Aesthetics and education are al so part of the issues related to cross culture that have chances of arising during the learning sessions (William, 2003:302). Nevertheless, given the point that there are means in which managers can deal with issues arising from cross-cultural dimensions, my learning experience points out that organizational training and practice can be part of the solutions to a large number of cross-cultural issues (Wu, 2008:77). Through performance orientation, it will be easy to deal with the erupting issues. Besides, presence of more orientations based on humane, collectivism, and future prospects makes the procedure of handling any issues arising from cross culture more efficient (Wu, 2008:100). As a result, experience based on management of

MEMO Example Essay Example for Free

MEMO Example Essay Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher  degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX Company Name: Idea, Inc. Date: February 19, 2014 From: XXXXXXX To: MXXXX, IT Director Your absence at the meeting was greatly missed. We presented issues about why college tuition has been on the rise for the past 40 years. Here is a brief overview on the topics covered. Lack of State Funding †¢Over the past few decades state funding has not kept up with the rise of economic inflation. †¢The average inflation rate for college tuition is nearly double the economies. †¢State funding has appeared to become less over the years. Does More Money Equal to a Better College †¢Students will typically go to more expensive colleges expecting a higher degree of education. †¢University of Massachusetts Lowell and North Eastern University both offer the same high educational criteria with their Business Schools AACSB certified. Faculty Costs vs. Administrative Costs †¢The rise in administrative jobs has increased, whereas the Faculty jobs have stayed neutral. †¢Administrative Employees of the schools tend to make more money than faculty. Response If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me by phone during your regular business hours, or anytime through email. XXX XXXXX University Of Massachusetts Lowell Email: [emailprotected] Phone: (XXX)XXX_XXXX

Is The Concept Of Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical Philosophy Essay

Is The Concept Of Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical Philosophy Essay Is it ethical for a physician to participate in physician-assisted suicide when this practice clearly defies what is stated in the Hippocratic Oath? People look at their personal physician as a healer or lifesaver but what if the physician gave you the option to end your life in the situation of chronic, painful illness or injury? Would this cloud your opinion of them or would you still consider them to be helping us? Is it ethical to train physicians to assist in suicide? These questions are what I want to discuss throughout this paper. I would like to discuss the beliefs and opinions on the topic of physician-assisted suicide through the eyes of medical professionals, the Hippocratic Oath, states countries that have legalized this practice, various religious beliefs, and different moral theories such as Kant and Utilitarianism. The background of this practice will also be discussed. In the areas of the world where it is legalized, should there be certain criteria in place in order to receive it? What about the perspective of insurance companies on the matter? Is this truly devaluing human life? This is a very controversial topic that I hope to make more understandable. 2. Background Physician-assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia in which the physician does not actually give the patient a life-ending drug, but provides the patient with the drug that they can take themselves. It is a form of suicide, with the doctor providing the materials used to carry it out (Mackinnon 141). The Netherlands and Great Britain have legalized physician-assisted-suicide. This practice has not been legalized in every state in North America. Montana and Oregon currently allow the practice with no legal consequences for the physician who participates. Thirty five states currently have laws making it a crime to assist in a suicide. Oregon was the first state to pass the Death With Dignity Act, which allowed physician-assisted suicide to be practiced, but there are certain criteria that must be met for it to be considered legal. Two doctors must examine the patient and come to the conclusion that he or she is mentally stable and has less than six months to live. This must then be certified by a third doctor. The patient has to submit a written request as well as an oral request. A few days following, the patient is given a barbiturate: secobarbital or pentobarbital, and they must take the medication on their own (Mackinnon 143). When researching among patients the reason for requesting physician-assisted suicide, it was not to relieve pain or financial problems, but to preserve autonomy and personal control. Using Kants moral theory to view this situation, others would look at the motives behind the action. Why are they doing this? For what reason? Some may even view it as a selfish act. Family and friends would be put through much sadness if a loved one were to have their live ended, but they need to consider the true reasoning behind the request for physician-assisted suicide. They want control of their own lives. One physician, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, was a well known right-to-die activist, who in the 1990s, assisted in more than 100 suicides. He believed that people who were suffering from an illness or injury and that wanted to end their life, had the right to die. He believed these people deserved control of their own bodies and lives. He created a euthanasia device consisting of a metal pole that had containers of medications attached to it. The medications were then connected to a line going into the persons vein. The patient would push a button, starting a flow of simple saline into their bodies. Anesthesia would then run into their bodies, causing them to become unconscious. About a minute following, potassium chloride would then start to flow, causing cardiac arrest, and death. Kevorkian was brought to trial in numerous cases but never convicted of what many considered homicide. After allowing the euthanasia of one of his patients to be videotaped and aired on television, it was seen that Kevorkian directly administered the deadly medication himself to this certain pat ient. He was then arrested and found guilty of first-degree homicide, sentenced to spend ten to twenty-five years in prison. When asked if he believes physicians should offer the option to end life to their patients, Dr. Kevorkian solemnly stated This is a medical service. It always was (Almeder, Humber, and Kasting 100). Are physicians not trained to improve our health or save our life? This leads to much debate on the subject. The Hippocratic Oath The Hippocratic Oath, believed to have been written by Hippocrates in 5th century B.C., is recited by physicians upon graduation from medical school. This oath states that as a physician these new graduates swear to practice medicine ethically. When applying this to the subject of physician-assisted suicide, we should focus upon this quote taken from the Oath: I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion. Physicians are trained in medical school to do what they can in any given situation to save a life. They are taught about various treatments and medications that work to preserve human life, not end it. Physicians do have obligations to their patients, which include relieving pain and suffering. When looking at the subject of physician-assisted suicide through the eyes of terminally ill patients who request this service, the negative viewpoints change. Emmanuel Levinas, a Jewish philosopher, closely researched ethics and morals related to the topic of physician-assisted suicide in comparison to the Hippocratic Oath. One immediate objection to assisted suicide can be raised from within a Levinasean perspective. That is, if what constitutes u s primarily as human are our obligations to one another, and not to our rights as individuals, then what of the obligations of a terminally ill person to their community. The obligations (or value) of such a person to their community cannot be measured simply in terms of economics or active contributions. Instead, the drawing together of a community or of family members in service to the needs of a terminal patient could serve to deepen and increase their own humanity. Does the terminal patient have the right to take this possibility, this response-ability, away from society (Degnin 12)? Are physicians preserving a terminally ill patients autonomy and human dignity when fulfilling their request to end their life? Most of the medical schools in todays society use updated versions of the Hippocratic Oath. Only one school, The State University of New York Upstate Medical School in Syracuse, NY, continues to use the traditional version of the Oath at their graduation ceremonies. Dr. Antonio Grotto, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, admitted that students did laugh when reciting the original version of the famous Oath. [Students] would laugh at certain parts, Dr. Gotto said. Then Id give them dire threats that I wouldnt graduate them the next day if they laughed during the ceremony (OReilly 1). The majority of students graduating from medical schools today no longer are required to say that they will not recommend the idea of ending a persons life. Does this mean the idea is open for actual consideration and should be legal in situations that meet certain criteria in the entire United States as well as other countries throughout the world? There are still many ethical theories and personal beliefs from physicians that object to this idea. 4. Ethical Principles Utilitarianism, the ethical principle of bringing the greatest good to the greatest number of people, is one principle that could be used as a looking glass to view the topic of physician-assisted suicide. Many physicians feel like they were educated to bring relief to those who are suffering from illness or injury. The state of Montana has most recently joined the states that legalize physician-assisted suicide, but they are having trouble finding physicians who will end peoples life upon their request. One patient is upset by the fact that her final wish cannot be carried out due to so many objections. I feel as though my doctors do not feel able to respect my decision to choose aid in dying, said Janet Murdock. Access to physician aid in dying would restore my hope for a peaceful, dignified death in keeping with my values and beliefs. Dr. Kirk Stoner, president of the Montana Medical Association, said assisted suicide goes against the groups code of ethics. Our reason for being is to care for our patients, he said in the AP report (Baklinksi 1). Is good truly being brought to the greatest number of people by allowing the right to die? It may be, if the thing that is good for that person is to end their suffering. There will always be objections to this theory, such as physicians are doing harm by ending life rather than doing good by saving or prolonging it. Kants moral theory focuses on the morals behind an action. Why are we wanting do we want(?) to end this life? What is the true motive? This theory also discusses acting out of duty. or doing what we know is right in our eyes. A doctor finds it right to end suffering or pain, and if this includes ending the persons life for that reason, then they will/should want to do it. Th e belief that people should have the highest intrinsic or monetary value to us also comes into practice (Mackinnon 76). Are we devaluing human life by allowing physician-assisted suicide? Human life is supposed to be regarded as something that is very precious. By allowing physicians to take life away so easily, this could make others feel that it really does not have high intrinsic value, since it can be ended so quickly and easily, with no questions asked. If you are a physician who wants to end a life because you do not like a persons personality or attitude, then this would be considered homicide, at which you would face criminal charges. On the other hand, if you want to end life to end pain, suffering, or to let someone die with dignity from a terminal illness then this would be legal in the eyes of authority, and no criminal charges would be brought against you. This is how Kants followers would view the subject. The end result is not important, but the motives used to get to the end are! Another viewpoint is that of virtue ethics. A person has certain virtues or strengths built into them through the influence of those around them. You become the kind of person you would want to be. Our social interaction with authority figures throughout our upbringing form how we ought to be, or our virtue ethics. Aristotle states that there are two types of virtues: intellectual virtues and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues help us reason and judge well, while moral virtues dispose us to act well (Mackinnon 112). He was most well known for his idea that virtue is the means between the extremes. Our virtues are a middle between deficiency and excess. Physicians or medical students show virtues towards their patients. They want to care for them, give them relief, and/or make them better if they are sick or injured. Are they going against their inner virtues if they participate in physician-assisted suicide? Physician-assisted suicide isnt about physicians becoming killers. Its abou t patients whose suffering we cant relieve, and about not turning away from them when they ask for help. Will there be physicians who feel they cant do this? Of course, and they shouldnt be obliged to. But if other physicians consider it merciful to help such patients by merely writing a prescription, it is unreasonable to place them in jeopardy of criminal prosecution, loss of license, or other penalty for doing so (Rogatz). A physician should be able to bring relief to their patient in any way they see if, and if includes helping someone end their life, then so be it. The physicians obligations are many but, when cure is impossible and palliation has failed to achieve its objectives, there is always a residual obligation to relieve suffering. Ultimately, if the physician has exhausted all reasonable palliative measures, it is the patient-and only the patient-who can judge whether death is harmful or a good to be sought. Marcia Angell, former executive editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, has put it this way: The highest ethical imperative of doctors should be to provide care in whatever way best serves patients interests, in accord with each patients wishes, not with a theoretical commitment to preserve life no matter what the cost in suffering. . . .The greatest harm we can do is to consign a desperate patient to unbearable Suffering or force the patient to seek out a stranger like Dr. Kevorkian (Rogatz).' When applying virtue ethics, we should look as what our own personal beliefs (virtues) are and examine them closely. 5. Physicians, Medical Students, Families, Insurance Companies-Their Views Physicians may never see eye to eye on this highly controversial topic. Some think it is a doctors right to end suffering while others see the practice as going against what the Hippocratic Oath directly states. An organization called Physicians For Compassionate Care Education Foundation is dedicated to preserving the traditional relation of the physician and patient as one in which the physicians primary task is to heal when possible, comfort always, and never intentionally harm. The view of physicians that take part in this practice is help, not harm. You are helping the person by ending their pain and suffering. However, objectors to the practice feel that ending a life is harmful. You are devaluing the potential of that person. Taking them away physically from their family, creating sadness, and ultimately taking away what they have to have to society before it is even fully experienced. That is a very solid argument. Anyone who loses a loved one is going to feel grief, it is natural. I feel that everyone on this earth has a special talent to offer society but how can they offer it fully if they are in constant suffering? The association promotes the health and well being of patients by encouraging physicians to comfort patients and to assist those who are dying by support systems, minimizing pain, and treating depression. The association affirms the health restoring role of the physician and works to educate the profession and the public to the dangers of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. As physicians, they come from primary care specialties as well as subspecialties. They work to support each other and to speak out for the inherent value of human life (http://www.pccef.org/whoweare/index.htm). These physicians focus on the belief that the solution to pain and suffering is not death, but good palliative care. The disciples of the cult of euthanasia and assisted suicide would have society believe that the logical solution for pain and suffering is death. They may even see the infliction of death or the provision of assisted suicide as part of hospice palliative care. They pursue with mission ary zeal their gospel of death. Further, they often succeed in getting mainstream media to support their cause. The legalization of euthanasia would remove a patients autonomy and put it into the hands of professionals with potential control issues; who may be angry, sadistic and abusive. In Oregon, people see the legalization of euthanasia as giving autonomy to the person who requests it. They are able to have complete control of their life, give permission to a physician to end it, and once the procedures to approve the action are in place, it is carried out. As was discussed earlier, there are exact criteria that must be met for physician-assisted suicide to be carried out legally. It is a slippery slope where we must retain caution. If we allow euthanasia for someone who is suffering, and we continue to do so, then we may end up allowing it in a case where the criteria are not met. Is there a high likelihood that we would slip? This question is the center of many arguments over this subject. We have all seen colleagues both at the bedside and in health care management who have significant personality flaws, and, lacking compassion for the pain and suffering of others, feel they can take the law into their own hands (Echlin 3). Medical students are now reciting the updated version of the Hippocratic Oath, as we discussed earlier. Does this mean that the subject is becoming okay? Should families be allowed to make this decision for their child who may be on life-support, with little chance of remaining function or should the government take over? It is very expensive to keep someone on life-support when they have a poor prognosis. Is it ethical to end their lives in order to save money? If physician-assisted suicide is legalized throughout the world or the United States, insurance companies may begin to support it. Why spend millions of dollars of palliative or comfort measures, if the person can end their life quickly and easily. Why would we need to spend money to research cures for cancer or other chronic diseases if a persons suffering can be ended this way? Many factors play a part in making a decision of this magnitude. 6. Argument and Conclusion When addressing my ethical question, Is it ethical for a physician to participate in physician-assisted suicide when this practice clearly defies what is stated in the Hippocratic Oath?, I have been influenced by various opinions to believe it can be an ethical practice when closely monitored. Physicians have said that they are trained to care for people, to be a healer. They must examine their own morals when they first take the Hippocratic Oath and begin direct patient care. They do not want to see continual suffering of their patients. To many, it would be more humane to give relief this way than allowing suffering to remain until death. The judgment to allow physician-assisted suicide would give those diagnosed with chronic, debilitating illness hope that their suffering can be relieved when all other methods of relief fail. The patient would also be able to maintain autonomy, having a voice throughout the process. I believe that the system of meeting certain criteria must remain in place if this practice were legalized throughout the country. If it were not, then the motive behind the means (Kant) could not be justified, leading to easy cover-up of homicide. In others views, this practice does devalue human life. I feel if someone is in a state of constant struggle and suffering, what true value does their life have. To them, they may feel as if they are a burden to family and friends. When does life become less precious? These subjects are where this practice sits on a fine line. Life is something that should be nurtured and cared for, event in the event of serious illness or injury. There are holistic ways to provide comfort that can be used on a trial basis, with euthanasia being a last resort. The use of medications, counseling, massage, diet change, and activity level changes. These have all been used to provide relief for those suffering with chronic illnesses and have been shown to be successful. If these practices fail to bring long-term relief and improve quality of life, they should be documented in the criteria when under consideration for physician-assisted suicide. The major objection would be that a physician is trained to make us feel better, and if that means ending life to end pain, then they have failed as a healer. Family and friends never want to see someone they love die. They also not want to see them suffer. They should come together with the afflicted family member to research other methods of relief, while letting the person maintain control of their own life and the situation surrounding it. Overall, physicians should be allowed to participate in this practice when the patient is meeting the criteria that were originally discussed. Many will feel that legalizing physician-assisted suicide completely goes against what medical professionals stated in the Hippocratic Oath, do no harm. They are helping to relieve someones suffering, which is what a physician is trained to do. This practice could be beneficial to many if controlled and used under a watchful eye. For future physicians, they must look inside themselves, and personally examine their own beliefs. They also need to maintain their autonomy. When involved in an ethical dilemma so personal and controversial as this one is, they should have every right to not participate. We control our own actions. In the end it is our choice. In the case of physician-assisted suicide, there are two major participants: the physician and the patient. They must always be heard! If our court could work to lay proper criteria into a groundwork for this practice, I believe it would be beneficial to those who are plagued with chronic pain. The criteria being met would provide proof to others that the situation was closely monitored and it was the persons decision, with no persuasion from the doctor. It is controversial ethical decision, but one that I feel physicians as well as their patients should have voice in. We have a right to be heard!

Queen Elizabeth Essay -- essays research papers

Queen Elizabeth I Queen Elizabeth, the first, proved to be a very good and loyal monarch to England. She brought about many changes, both good and bad. On September 7, 1533 a baby girl came into the world. Back then many parents would have been greatly disappointed to have had a baby girl, rather then a boy. However these parents were glad by the birth of their first child together. These proud parents were the king and queen of England, King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. The girl child was named Elizabeth. The only reason for the birth of Elizabeth had been that she would have been male so that he could have been the heir to King Henry the VIII. It wasn’t until two years later that Henry realized he wasn’t going to get a healthy male heir from Anne Boleyn. She had miscarried twice before delivering a stillborn son. When Elizabeth was two her father had her mother beheaded for adultery and treason, this was just a way to rid himself of her rather then get a divorce. This was not Henry’s first wife; this was his second wife. His first wife had also born him a female child. He had divorced her in hopes that he would get an heir from Anne. With his first wife, Catherine, he had a daughter, which they named Mary. Between the time of Elizabeth’s mothers death and 1537 Henry married yet again. The woman was named Jane Seymour and she cared greatly for Elizabeth. She forced Henry to take Elizabeth back into the house, as it was, Elizabeth had been sent away for schooling and whatnot. In 1537 Elizabeth’s new stepmother, Jane Seymour, gave birth to a son, the birth of this son however brought about the death of Jane from bed fever. The child was named Edward. Once Edward had been born Elizabeth faded into the background, everyday receiving less and less attention. From the time Edward was born Elizabeth spent a lot of time with him. Growing up they were very close, they spent all of their spare time together. The only real time that the two of them were apart was when it came to schooling. She received her education under the famous scholar and humanist Roger Ascham. Under his guidance, Elizabeth studied Greek and Roman classics, read history and theology, and learned both classical and modern languages. She was considered extremely intelligent, and records say that, in her youth, she spoke six languages. In 1547 He... ...izabeth’s favorites, to whom she had given lucrative and much resented monopolies. By the turn of the century, even her admirers, such as Sir Walter Raleigh, said she was "a lady surprised by time". Queen Elizabeth had never married and had never born any children this brought about the nicknames such as Good Queen Bess, and The Virgin Queen. Oftentimes poets compared her to the Moon Goddess, to a Virgin and Fertility Goddess, the bringer of justice, and the cornerstone of the Empire. Painters portrayed her in impossible magnificence and with the symbols of peace, virtue, majesty, and truth. During Elizabeth’s reign there was a boom of the arts that would be impossible for almost any other period of English history to match. Edmund Spencer, Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, and Ben Johnson are great names not only in English literature, but also in World literature. The English Renaissance was a highlight that appeared bloody, dark, and drear y. Elizabeth’s reign was and still is sometimes referred to as the Elizabethan Period. Shortly before Queen Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603, she designated James VI of Scotland as her successor.

An Overview of Selective Mutism Essay -- Health, Disorder, Aphasia Vol

Hesselman coined the term â€Å"selective mutism† in 1983 to describe the disorder previously called â€Å"aphasia voluntaria, elective mutism, speech phobia, psychological mutism, and hearing mute† among fourteen other historic terms (Dow, Freeman, Garcia, Leonard, & Miller, 2004; Kearney, 2010). The American Psychiatric Association, or APA, characterizes selective mutism by a â€Å"persistent failure to speak in specific social situations where speech is expected, despite speaking in other situations.† Selective mutism shifted in recent years from being viewed as a response to trauma sustained early in life to a manifestation of an anxiety disorder (Dow et al, 2004). This paper briefly covers all aspects of selective mutism from signs and symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. Selective mutism is a rare condition and some discrepancies exist pertaining to its incidence. Beidel and Turner (2005) state that the incidence falls between .18-.76 percent, while Kearney (2010) states that the incidence falls between .20-2.0 percent. No known cause currently exists. Researchers identified common similarities between children with selective mutism. The most prevalent similarities are gender (1.5 females have selective mutism compared to every one male), having a language or anxiety disorder, having a social phobia, and a family history of selective mutism or social phobia. Dow, Freeman, Garcia, Leonard, and Miller (2004) state that out of patients with selective mutism, â€Å"70 percent had a first degree relative with a social phobia or avoidant disorder and 37 percent had a first degree relative with selective mutism† (p. 286). The APA classifies selective mutism under DSM-IV. A child’s behavior must meet these criteria for diagnosis of sele... ...n. If a child’s speech and language skills are inadequate, the speech-language pathologist will work with the child to improve the skill that the child struggles with. They also help parents and teachers understand what the child is experiencing and how to assist with implementing the provided treatment plan. Selective mutism is a rare disorder that affects mainly children. Treating selective mutism early and vigorously leads to success. Research about treatment methods and causes of selective mutism is limited due to the rarity and uniqueness of the disorder. While no known cause is recognized for contributing to selective mutism, professionals use many indicators to assess and diagnose a child. Children with selective mutism, contrary to popular belief, do communicate through gestures and nods but fail to speak in unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations.

Are Asians higher performing than Caucasians

Asian Americans are portrayed in the spotlight of being more successful in both school and the work field than Caucasian Americans. They are raised upon higher standards than children of Caucasian parents and tend to excelled in all aspects of life. With the high expectations placed on them by their parents and peers, Asian Americans tend to be pushed harder to be more prosperous in life. The stereotype of Asians doing better in school, being held to higher standards with their parents, and more success in life, is supported through the evidence of grade point averages and observers of Asian American families.Asian students in high school tend to earn better grades than most Caucasian students. Asian American students try to push themselves in school by taking higher level courses than required by the school. With those harder classes, students of the Asian American race on average spend more time studying and doing homework than students of the Caucasian race. Working in the homewor k room of an afterschool program, I help children with homework and see what they are working on. Many of the Asian children in the afterschool program have extra homework that they receive from a class they  take at night called Kumon.Kumon is a class that children take to help increase their success in school by learning higher level math and English than what is taught at their public school. Siddha, one of the Asian kindergarteners at the Williams Martial Arts and Fitness after school program takes Kumon classes. He is successfully reading small sentences and doing addition and subtraction problems at the level of a second grader, if not a little bit higher.Children of Asian parents usually have less of a choice when it comes to extracurricular activities and their social life. Asian parents typically make their children spend more time studying and doing schoolwork and do not allow them to spend much time with friends outside of school. Aside from school, most of the extracur ricular activities done by Asian Americans are more focus on intelligence and knowledge rather than enjoyment and socializing.Many Asian American children learn to play the piano or violin as supposed to participating in sports such as soccer or basketball. Asian parents tend to instill better morals in their children as supposed to those instilled in Caucasian children. According to the article from USA Today, â€Å"Study: Asian Americans value hard work, family† more Caucasian children are born to unwed woman then Asian American children.The hard work of Asian Americans is typically shown through a more successful and enjoyable life after completing their education. The article from USA Today stated, â€Å"Asians as a whole have a median household income of $66,000 (half make more, half less) compared with the U.S. median of $49,800.† With that being said, Indians (still considered Asian Americans) make the highest median household income based on race at $88,000 per year.These statistics show the success in school results in higher paying jobs after college than people of the Caucasian race. Asian Americans set themselves up for more success in life through their work ethic and doing everything to the best of their abilities and household income is just one example of how they succeed in life more than the average Caucasian American.All of the examples used in explaining the stereotypes of Asians are all connected through good work ethic instilled by their parents. Yes, they tend to get higher grades, but they also are taught to spend more time studying and are put into knowledge enhancing extracurricular activities. All of these combined lead to a happier and overall more successful life because they put in the hard work to get higher up into the career world and continue to work hard to keep their position.

Morality, Meet Brave New World Essay

â€Å"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.†1 Concerning Aldous Huxley’s dystopian novel, Brave New World, readers find themselves thinking the theme of the novel is not of proper conduct and it would not take place in their current world. Brave New World follows a futuristic society, the World State, where citizens are mass-produced and conditioned to suit the ways of the government and the society as a whole. Everyone is born to fit in certain classes and they crave pleasure, order and conformity. John the Savage, the protagonist, is of strict Christian moral codes and is shocked by the government’s control over citizens and their behavior. He rejects their mentality and tries to go against it, with no avail. The citizens’ sexual freedom, conditioning, risky use of drugs, dissolution of families and manipulation of religion to accommodate the society irritates many a moral critic. â€Å"Moral education, which ought never, in any circumstances, to be rational,† is said by a director (Huxley 32). It implies that the leaders do believe in moral education. However, without God or sense, it is they who make the morals. Huxley warns readers of how technology and power in the hands of the government can cause the downfall of man. With the concept of socialist morality in mind, the World State’s power is absolute and citizens follow societal codes and morals whether they like it or not, without a fight. Babies are born and nurtured in the community for the purpose of becoming productive members of the society. Citizens are conditioned to think that everyone is equal and they are made useful for the good of the society and the government. They satisfy themselves through food, sex, clothes, drugs and other entertainment promoting fun and consumption. This ensures the State’s stability. Hypnopaedic (sleep-teaching) messages such as â€Å"Every one works for every one else. We can’t do without anyone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Huxley 66), and â€Å"Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Huxley 50) promote the part of socialism where every member of the society must work in a way that benefits the community. The second part promotes  consumerism; people must throw away old possessions and buy newer ones. The State’s ability to satisfy these desires of the people promises economic growth and affluence. Humans are just devices in this social and scientific world, manipulated and controlled by the World State for the good of the community. â€Å"Wheels must turn steadily, but cannot turn untended. There must be men to tend them, men as steady as the wheels upon their axles, sane men, obedient men, stable in contentment,† reasons Mustapha Mond, the World Controller (Huxley 44). This quote entails that this dictatorial government knows what is best for the society, not individuals, and that is why the leaders have set the moral standards. The State maintains power through technology and medical operations which allows citizens to feel so happy, they do not care about personal freedom, thoughts or choices. At the beginning, the Director says, â€Å"Bokanovsky’s Process is one of the major instruments of social stability!† (Huxley 18) The Bokanovsky’s Process is a biological version of Henry Ford’s assembly line. It is a means of churning out test tube babies, who will live and work in a predetermined society. The populace, the social castes and the mental processes of embryos are easier to control due to this process. There is also a lack of individuality with the concept of the assembly line where everyone is indistinguishable and managed by the government to maximize efficiency and profit. Individuality does not represent community to them and therefore, is not beneficial. With the World State’s control over birth, life and death of its citizens, it is able to achieve community amity. Effective people are needed for an effective society. To accomplish this task, definite stability is needed. Progress and science allows the State to create a happy and a superficial world. World Controllers, the leaders of the society, are careful with the use of science and technology. The use of soma, which clouds present reality and makes people experience happy hallucinations, ‘feelies’, hypnopaedia and conditioning machines are tools to promote social stability. It is to keep citizens busy with work and entertainment. In the novel, citizens must go through different kinds of conditioning. â€Å"All conditioning aims at that; making people like their inescapable social destiny,† (Huxley 24) says the Director of Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, where test tube babies, called â€Å"bottle  babies†, are decanted. Members of the society are taught to never be unsatisfied with their jobs, which eliminates individuals going against their â €˜destinies’. In turn, stability is created. Citizens learn through slogans, rhymes and hynopaedic messages to use soma and have sex with countless members of society. The Director shouts triumphantly, â€Å"Till at last the child’s mind is these suggestions and the sum of the suggestions is the child’s mind. And not the child’s mind only. The adult’s mind too – all his life long. The mind that judges and desires and decides is made up of these suggestions. But these suggestions are our suggestions†¦suggestions from the State.† (Huxley 34) They do not realize this but individual thoughts are done away with in the novel. Humans are just followers for the governments who can’t think for themselves because they’ve been conditioned to become that way. Elimination of emotion, families, history and literature also plays a significant part in achieving stability. Mond explains to boys touring the Hatchery, â€Å"Mother, monogamy, romance†¦ What with mothers and lovers, what with the prohibitions they were not conditioned to obey, what with the temptations and the lonely remorses, what with all the diseases and the endless isolating pain, what with the uncertainties and the poverty-they were forced to feel strongly. And feeling strongly and strongly, what was more, in solitude, in hopelessly individual isolation, how could they be stable?† (Huxley 43) Mond says by doing away with things such as mother, monogamy, â€Å"feeling strongly† and other things mentioned in the quote is how stability and harmony is gained in a society. This quote also shows the viewpoint of the World State that all humans must conduct themselves in one way. In the system, members must always remain happy for the sake of social stability. A recent report in Psychology Today concluded, â€Å"The most significant predictor of a person’s moral behavior may be religious commitment.†2 Huxley uses Christian morality to further illustrate the socialist morality of the plot. The religious conviction in man has been evident throughout the ages. The World State recognizes this urge and manipulates it toward the relevance of supporting and indulging society. The State in Brave New World creates a single religion for its people based on Henry Ford, his teachings and his representation of an assembly-line society than based on a Christ, his  teachings and a spiritual God with whom people may communicate by themselves. The services are government-funded and are mandatory, such as, the Solidarity Service, which is a parody and a substitution of the Christian Communion Service. The song of the service goes like this, â€Å"Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one, Like, drops within the Social River; Oh, make us now together run†¦Orgy-porgy gives release.† (Huxley 74) This gives readers an idea about of the control the government has on religion and sexual practices. Though trivial, it is an example of a religion the World State forms to keep citizens in line and in accord. The phrase, â€Å"Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Huxley 74) summons Ford and reinforces the lack of individuality where humans are the same as items on the assembly line. Twelve members are the same as one, without any difference. This service gives release of emotions, a human nature the World State had not been able to stop through conditioning. It is advantageous as it does not pose a threat to power and control of the State. Karl Marx is quoted to have said, â€Å"Religion is the opiate of the people.†3 He means to say that religions are organized to relieve people’s anxieties about their personal responsibilities for the unfairness in life. In the novel, it is soma that is substituted for religion. Mond refers soma as, â€Å"Christianity without tears†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Huxley 185) Soma allows the public to feel at ease than the sadness and guilt caused by Christianity. Their act of prayer is taking in soma and they feel fulfilled and happy. In Brave New World Revisited, Huxley states that soma is the religion of the people.4 It can be said that the citizens of the World State are very religious in adhering to moral standards organized by the government for themselves. With the caste system strict and firm, authority in the World State is not questioned nor challenged. As a group, members fear and respect the government and would never go against it. Members may feel dissatisfied with their way of living. When the Director asks Bernard, â€Å"†¦ can you show any reason why I should not now execute the judgment passed upon you?’, Bernard answers with a confident â€Å"Yes, I can.† (Huxley 121) He proceeds to present the Director his son, John. Having a son goes against all the social morals taught by the World State. Although Bernard did not act in an anarchist fashion, he took a small step towards being disrespectful to and humiliating  a man of authority. John the Savage does not like what he sees. With â€Å"O brave new world† resonating in his head, John cries out for people at the Park Lane Hospital of Dying to stop taking the soma rations. He attempts to throw out the soma through the window and asks the people to choose freedom (Huxley 168). John hadn’t been able to go against the government. Although chaos doesn’t fully place take and seeds of confusion have been planted in the society, the government is still in control. The goals of morality, as described by C.S. Lewis, are to ensure fair play and harmony between individuals, help form good people to have a good society and keep them in a good relationship with the power that is responsible for creating them. By their motto of â€Å"Community, Stability, Identity† (Huxley 18), the Brave New World achieves these goals, given through questionable methods. The State’s ability to satisfy needs and wants of the public through entertainment, work and consumption leads to stability and economic growth for society. The government’s different conditioning techniques, intentional drug use, manipulation of religion and view that everyone belongs to and works for everyone else are used to benefit society in creating useful citizens. The consequences are a loss of dignity, values and emotions – in short, a loss of humanity. This is the idea of extreme socialist morality that takes place in the book. This version of society reflects the current society’s economic values – individual happiness is the satisfaction of his or her needs and success of growth and prosperity. The social moral codes of Brave New World create a superior society where people cooperate instead of compete. Although some critics and readers may think this is accomplished through wrong conduct, this may be what our current society strives for. WORKS CITED 1. Oscar Wilde. â€Å"Oscar Wilde Quotes†. Thinkexist.com. 2006. Thinkexist.com. 2. Morality By Design. Allaboutphilosophy.org 3. Religion: An Opaite of People?† www.ancientdays.net 4. Brave New World Revisited 5. atheism.about.com Brave New World by Aldous Huxley â€Å"Moral Criticism of Brave New World.† Associated Content. News, 2007