Essay on Karl Poppers Falsifiability - 983 Words

Karl Poppers Falsifiability Sir Karl Poppers lecture was very thought provoking concerning where to draw the line. Unlike most people, the validity of the theory was not his concern as much as how that validity is determined. This is an issue that really does not get the attention that it deserves. Poppers claims concerning, When should a theory be ranked as scientific? and Is there a criterion for the scientific character or status of a theory? seems to be put together in the following summary. At first Popper seems to just be criticizing the integrity of some sciences and/or scientists who nebulously back their vague and general theories with references to observations that may be inconclusive or scanty which they†¦show more content†¦The first half of Poppers lecture seems to coincide with Thomas Kuhns historical account of science. Kuhn speaks of the old astronomical theories held and how they resemble many types of theories today. They were believed for the same reasons: they provided plausible answers to the questions that seemed important (Kuhn p.3). Kuhn, however, would agree with Popper that theories must go beyond the content of observation; that it was psychological factors that led the early scientists to group up observations into a systematic formula. Basically, with every hypothesis, conjecture, observation, etc. I have read about in Kuhn goes to every extreme to avoid any type of test that might refute their claims. The limited observations that they did make could always be interpreted into the theory. What was worse was that those observations that did not fit into the theory were viewed as only apparent observations (Kuhn p.39). Maybe this is another factor involved as to why Copernicus was revolutionary. He did not follow this precedent. Copernicus was not the only one. Many had also refuted Aristotles views concerning laws of motion (Kuhn p.83). When observable falsifying evidence is present Kuhn agrees that the conceptual scheme must then be abandoned and replaced. However, a good distinction is made here. Conceptual scheme is a much better rendering than theory. Much like what I would call a world view-the way weShow MoreRelatedTheories And Theories Of The Calms Made By Alan Chalmers907 Words   |  4 Pagesknowledge is reliable knowledge because it is objectively proven knowledge.† I will also be discussing Karl Popper’s opposing views on the scientific method, siding with his falsification method. I think that even though both sides are rational, Alan Chalmers clams are more practical and better for humans to continue to investigate new theories and laws of the universe. Therefore, I oppo se Popper’s stance on the scientific method due to it discrediting non data driven fields sciences, labelling themRead MoreThe Theory Of Science From Non Science1778 Words   |  8 Pagesfamous, influential philosophers in the 20th century, Karl Popper, includes striking ideas of his scientific view. His aim was to understand science. Popper called the problem of distinguishing science from non-science the â€Å"problem of demarcation† (Smith, 58). Popper proposed a solution to the problem, and it was the â€Å"Falsificationism†. He described endorsing a view of scientific validity based on a conception of â€Å"falsifiability.† Falsifiability is an ability to prove that hypothesis or a theory isRead MoreEssay on Karl Popper and Falsifiability1354 Words   |  6 PagesKarl Popper and Falsifiability Karl Poppers claim that the criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its falsifiability is a clearly viable statement. This is a natural extension of his idea about how scientific knowledge is increased (Edwards, 1967). In an attempt to define science from pseudo-science, Popper states that the growth of scientific knowledge begins with an imaginative proposal of hypotheses (Edwards, 1967). Then, the scientist must search for illustrations or situationsRead MorePopper And Kuhn On Nature Of Scientific Progress1184 Words   |  5 Pages Popper and Kuhn held differing views on the nature of scientific progress. As seen in Popper’s falsification theory, he held that theories can never be proved only disproved or falsified. Once a theory is proved false we move on to the next. Kuhn, on the other, hand argued a new paradigm may solve puzzles better than the old one but you cannot describe the old science as false. Both seem to share the Kantian idea that the really real, independently existing world is completely unknowable. Read MoreScience : Conjectures And Refutations By Karl R. 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Then, I will explain why all three of these theories need to be combined by showing examples of how each individual theory incorrectlyRead More Popper and Kuhn: Two Views of Science Essay1449 Words   |  6 Pagesof Science In this essay I attempt to answer the following two questions: What is Karl Popper’s view of science? Do I feel that Thomas Kuhn makes important points against it? The two articles that I make reference to are Science: Conjectures and Refutations by Karl Popper and Logic of Discovery or Psychology of Research? by Thomas Kuhn. In the article, Science: Conjectures and Refutations, Karl Popper attempts to describe the criteria that a theory must meet for it to be consideredRead MoreThe Dilemma Of Scientific Demarcation. Science Has A Textbook1818 Words   |  8 PagesThe rest of this argument will try to illustrate the distinguishability between science and pseudoscience, but also develop a concept of science. 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In the article, Science: Conjectures and Refutations, Karl Popper attempts to describe the criteria that a theory must meetRead MoreThe Logic Of Scientific Discovery2172 Words   |  9 PagesAs a professor of Logic and the Scientific Method at the University of London, Karl Popper translated his own original version of The Logic of Scientific Discovery, which was originally called Logik der Forschung, to English (Stuermann). One statement that he makes, even before the actual text begins, is how hard answering questions and ideas in philosophy are is compared to other fields, such as the physical sciences. Compared to a physicist, for example, that is trying to prove a point by solving

The Classical Social Theory Of Sociology - 2749 Words

Theory Paper Vince Cataldi Classical Social Theory Mary Gallant May 4th, 2015 Abstract Sociology is a study that continues to grow with information everyday. What makes sociology so spectacular is they still base today’s studies off of theories that happened many years ago. Sociology would not be as powerful in today’s society without the basic knowledge it was built on from such people as Emile Durkheim himself. Among many other sociologists Emile Durkheim helped build a subject that would affect the way we look at things forever. The theories vary by subject, but it helps people look at situations with a different perspective and leave them wondering how such things are possible. Emile Durkheim was a very intelligent man who would devote time and extreme academic ability to help voice his opinion on numerous topics. Emile Durkheim: Theory Paper What is sociology? Sociology is the scientific study of social behavior, including its origins, development, organization, and institutions. It is a social science that uses various methods of critical analysis to develop knowledge about social order, social disorder and social change. Sociology has always been an important topic because it involves all people and their whereabouts. One of the people who influenced sociology greatly would be Emile Durkheim himself. Emile Durkheim was the first French sociologist. In his well-established status he differed from the men dealt with so far, and his life may seemShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Sociological Framework of Harriet Martineau1007 Words   |  5 PagesMartineau Over the past twenty years, sociology has gone through a process of self-evaluation, as field researchers and observers express a wariness about the empty universalism of speculative systems and look for ways in which to secure empirical foundations that give way to meaningful application in a pluralistic, postmodern world. The survival of sociology as a critical theoretical discipline is a concern expressed by many, such as contemporary social analyst George Ritzer, who are forging newRead MoreThe Social Theory Of Sociology1525 Words   |  7 PagesBeing one of the youngest social sciences in comparison to others, sociology is continuing to develop and form to the beliefs and opinions of present and future generations. The definition of sociology is the methodical study of various societies. These societies are thus the sum of all individuals from small clusters to complex social organizations. Sociology studies societies with a scientific perspective, in order to achieve knowledge concerning human society and ways to attain progress withinRead MoreThe Changing Meanings Of Religion975 Words   |  4 PagesThe research article: The changing meanings of religion. Sociological theories of religion in the perspective of the last 100 years was written by Irena Borowik and published on March 2011. 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Without a connection to other facts, we cannot assess anything. With theory, you can relate facts to each other. Theory is the body of interrelated logical concepts or universals that connect to empirical facts and phenomena. Empirical research is okay as long as thereRead MoreAnalysis of the sociological imagination and its use in sociology.1483 Words   |  6 Pagesconsciousness for understanding social processes. It is a way for a person to look at their life as a result of their interaction with society. It can explain why a life is lived the way it is and all events, decisions, successes, and failures that have occurred. Further more it enables us to understand the relationship between private troubles and public issues. Only by understanding how society affects us as individuals can we ever hope to change society effectively. 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Compare Contrast Hitler and Roosevelt free essay sample

The World War II era brought out many leaders, but two that were commonly acknowledged were Franklin D. Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler. Both men were very popular and were known throughout the world for their choices. The men had differed personalities but some traits were the same in both of them. The similarities and differences when comparing the two men are extremely noticeable. Hitler and Franklin are similar in the way of both being leaders of a powerful nation. Hitler led Germany while Roosevelt led the United States. These men both had a stubborn trait, which could be used good or bad. They both used the media as a way to convey their messages and to convince the public that their argument was better. Both men were also considered to be very headstrong in their ideas and opinions. In addition to their similarities, these men also have numerous differences. Roosevelt was well known for his kind demeanor and his ability to lead the United States during depression and war. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare Contrast: Hitler and Roosevelt or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hitler was known for being a dictator and a mass murderer. Roosevelt felt sympathy for the people and his choices in politics reflected this. Hitler was arrogant and racist against various groups of people. The World War II era was a difficult time for the world to overcome. There were many disputes and feuds. Franklin and Roosevelt both contributed to World War II although not always in a positive way. Roosevelt was admired by the public,while Hitler was despised by a majority of the people. The similarities and differences between the two mens personalities and strategies is interesting to learn. Compare/Contrast Works Cited Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 June 2012. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. lt;http://en. wikiepdia. org/wiki/Frankline_D. _Roosevelt Adolf Hitler. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 June 2012. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. lt;http://en. wikipeida. org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler Differences Betwen Franklin D Roosevelt And Hitle. Differences Betwen Franklin D Roosevelt And Hitle. N. p. , n. d. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. lt;http://www. writework. com/essay/differences-between-franklin-d-roosevelt-hitle

Research Paper on Amazon company Essay Example

Research Paper on Amazon company Essay Amazon.com, Inc. is an American e-commerce business company based in Seattle, Washington. American entrepreneur Jeff Bezos founded Amazon Company in 1994, and the site was started in 1995. The company name honors the Amazon River, the deepest in the world. When opened, the books was the only product for sale. In June 1998, the Company expanded the range of goods with music CDs, and with video products in November of 1998. Later, the Company diversified its goods, now the range includes all types of entertainment products: software, MP3-recording, electronics, video games, furniture, clothing, toys, and food. In 2012, the company employed 51,300 people worldwide and has established, in addition to the original U.S. site, the specific sites for the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China, Brazil, and Japan. Amazon with Google, Apple, and Facebook forms the Big Four of the Internet. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Amazon company specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Amazon company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Amazon company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For those college and university students, who have chosen to write their research proposal on Amazon Company, there is a procedure, which allows them to write interesting and accurate scientific text in compliance with the set of rules of the proper research project structuring and composing. First and foremost, you should remember that the main text of the paper have to contains the key idea and it should reflect a careful and detailed study of the subject of the research. Typically, it consists of three main sections: 1) the methodology, 2) the results and analysis of the data, and 3) a discussion. When you refer to someone else’s paper, do not make the reference to this or that work exactly the same way it is done in other papers. For example, if a certain paper X argues that paper Y had shown some results, check if there is actually something to be sure of the truth of this statement, before you repeat it in your work. The number of reputable authors, who misunderstood the results received by their colleagues, is stunning. If you make an additional experiment, write your manuscript so that the carrying out of this experiment be clearly described. Be honest and accurate. Take positively all the constructive criticism you can get. Use only reliable sources of information and use only verified facts. Take your task seriously and do not divert your attention from the main line of your investigation. Make sure that the text of your research paper is argumentative and interesting – it will double your readers. As one of the tools you need to write a good research proposal on different topics, you may consider free sample research paper topics on Amazon Company. These free samples, written by experienced authors, are capable to give you an understanding of how properly write a good research project. At EssayLib.com writing service you can order a custom research paper on Amazon topics. Your research paper will be written from scratch. We hire top-rated Ph.D. and Master’s writers only to provide students with professional research paper assistance at affordable rates. Each customer will get a non-plagiarized paper with timely delivery. Just visit our website and fill in the order form with all research paper details: Enjoy our professional research paper writing service!

Wells and Darwin essays

Wells and Darwin essays Herbert George Wells was born in Bromley, Kent, a suburb of London, to a lower-middle-class family. He attended London University and the Royal College of Science where he studied zoology. One of his professors instilled in him a belief in social as well as biological evolution which Wells later cited as the important and influential aspect of his education. This is how it all began. Maybe without this professor Wells wouldnt be the famous author he is today. Most of Wells novels are science fiction and have a great deal of some kind of human society theme, or Darwinism in mind. It is a theme that is seen in his most famous science fiction writings. H.G. Wells seems to convey a sense of Darwinism and change in the future of society in his major works. Wells has been called the father and Shakespeare of science fiction. He is best known today for his great work in science fiction novels and short stories. He depicted stories of chemical warfare, world wars, alien visitors and even ato mic weapons in a time that most authors, or even people for that matter, were not thinking of the like. His stories opened a door for future science fiction writers who followed the trend that Wells wrote about. His most popular science fiction works include The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds, and The Island of Doctor Moreau. His first novel, The Time Machine, was an immediate success. By the time the First World War had begun his style of writing and novels had made him one of the most controversial and best-selling authors in his time. In the story The Time Machine, Wells expresses his creativity with images of beauty, ugliness and great details. In this novel Wells explores what it would be like to travel in this magnificent and beautiful machine. The criterion of the prophecy in this case is influenced by the theory of natural selection. (Beresford, 424) He uses Darwins theory in the novel and relat...

Avoiding Prompt Dependency

Avoiding Prompt Dependency A serious problem for special educators can be to create prompt dependence. In the effort to teach new skills we can create new barriers to success and independence by creating prompt dependence, where a student is unable to work without the application of prompting. The Continuum of Prompting Prompting lies on a continuum from Most to Least, or Least to Most. Most prompts are those which are the most invasive, the full physical prompt. From a full physical prompt, prompting progresses to partial physical prompts (tapping an elbow) and then through verbal prompting and gestural prompting. Professionals make decisions about how best to employ prompting, usually judging the ability of the student. Some students, who are able to imitate, should probably be taught a new activity by modeling with a minimum of prompting. Prompts are intended to be faded, or removed, so that the child can perform the new skill independently. Thats why verbal is in the middle of the continuum, since they can often be harder to fade than gestural prompts. In fact, all too often prompt dependence begins with constant verbal directions teachers give children. The opposite problem can happen as well, as children get tired of constant verbal nagging from significant adults. Plan Your Prompting If students have receptive language and have a history of responding to verbal directions, you will want to plan a least to most prompting protocol. You want to teach or model the activity, give the spoken directive, and then attempt a gestural prompt, such as pointing. If that does not elicit the response/behavior that you wanted, you would progress to the next level, which would be gestural and verbal, Pick up the ball (while pointing to the ball.) At the same time, your teaching may be part of a forward or backward chain, depending on the skill and the skill level of your student. Whether you forward chain ​or backward chain will depend as well on whether you anticipate that your student will succeed best at the first or last step. If you are teaching a child to make pancakes in an electric skillet, you may want to backward chain, and make removing the pancake from the pan the first step you teach, since the reinforcement (eating the pancake) is close at hand. In the same way, planning your task analysis and chaining strategy to guarantee success is a great way to avoid prompt dependency. Children with poor or not receptive language, who dont respond, will need to be prompted most to least starting with full physical prompting, such as hand over hand prompting. There is greater danger of creating prompt dependency when you start at this level. It would probably be good to vary activities, so the student does tasks he or she has mastered interspersed with activities that they are learning. In this way, they are completing unprompted activities while at the same time working on new skills. Fading Fading is planned withdrawal of prompting in order to avoid prompt dependency. Once you have seen the child provide a decent approximation of the behavior or activity you want, you should start withdrawing the prompt . . . perhaps moving to a partial physical prompt (touching the childs hand, rather than a full physical, hand over hand prompt) or to a verbal prompt, paired with re-modeling the activity. Quickly pulling back from the most invasive prompting as quickly as possible is probably one of the most important strategies in avoiding prompt dependency. It means accepting an approximation and moving on, rather than spending too much tie on a single repeated activity. The key, then, is to: Plan your prompting.Mix mastered skills with new skills,Accept approximations of the behavior and start withdrawing prompting andFade as soon as you can.

Globalization of English (Rhetorical Analysis) Essay

Globalization of English (Rhetorical Analysis) - Essay Example There is also a host of many other scholars who share the same opinion with different reasons. People are increasingly using English all over the world as the primary language, especially in the business settings. This number of people using the English language as a linguistic of communication has been on the rise over the decades. There are indeed three genres of population who use English. The first being native English speakers for whom English is their mother tongue and most widely used language. As a matter of fact, many people in Europe and the Americas know only English and no other language. The second classes of people are people for whom English is a second or working language (not their mother tongue) and it is this segment of the world’s population who have been responsible for the propagation and dissemination of business English. The third class is people for whom English is a foreign language over which they have little if no command. The use of the English language has been spread all over and the growth seems exponential owing to the fact that it is considered an international language. This means the world has accepted that the use of English in its indulgence is inevitable and therefore individuals are trying their best to get a mastery of the language. The fact remains that business English has proliferated because of the efforts of globalization and the spread of UK and American cultures throughout the globe. Europeans have been very enterprising and innovative business people willing to take calculated risks and through colonization, the propagation and spread of English through schools and other educational places have been assured. In most parts of the globe, English medium schools are in great demand and many convents profess and inculcate English values and language systems throughout their currency. The main challenges are that most people now tend to neglect their own native languages at the cost of English and also there are

The Importance of Ensuring that Every American Has Access to Health Ca Essay

The Importance of Ensuring that Every American Has Access to Health Care They Can Afford - Essay Example The issue of health coverage for Americans has been around for many years. Attempts to enact a health system that would provide universal health for all have been made throughout the 20th century but without success (Quadagno p.g 201). For many years, economic factors have precluded the poor’s access to quality health insurance, and even either classes have been struggling with the costs. One of the significant steps forward in the health issue was made recently when the government passed the health mandate that intended to cover majority Americans. With this even, America edges close to the ultimate goal of universal health insurance. The effects of poor insurance systems transcend health issues and spill over to social and economic effects. This paper aims at highlighting the importance of ensuring that every American has access to health care they can afford. In the declaration of independence, it is stated categorically that all Americans have the right to survive. Without access to medical care they can afford, this right is turned in to privilege with only the wealthy getting the best while the other classes have to do with little or nothing in the way of health care. The high cost of insurance by many people epitomizes the lurid inequality and abuse of this right. Still, on legal matters, the general constitution’s preamble dictates that its purpose is to protect the welfare of the American people and their health is an integral part of their welfare. As such every America does not only need but deserves affordable and quality health care ergo insurance by mere virtue of being an American citizen. Furthermore, as a citizen in a country that is a signatory to the UN, health care is a human right, and as such, no factors financial or otherwise should come between them and quality health care. Considering that most Americans depend on insurance. However, for those who do not have access to insurance include those who simply cannot afford it an d those whose companies cannot cover them due to their inability to pay their premiums.

Project Management and Tran Essay Example for Free

Project Management and Tran Essay Tran was taking his dog Callie on her evening walk as the sun began to set over the coastal range. He looked forward to this time of the day. It was an opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet. It was also a time to review events on the Ajax project and plot his next moves. Ajax is the code name given by CEBEX for a high-tech security system project funded by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD). Tran is the project manager and his core them consisted of 30 full-time hardware and software engineers. Tran and his family fled he was 18 and used the education stipend to attend Washington State University. He joined CEBEX upon graduating with a dual degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. After working on a variety of projects for 10 years Tran decided he wanted to enter management. He went to night school at the University of Washington to earn an MBA. Tran became a project manager for the money. He also thought he was good at it. He enjoyed working with people and making the right thing happen. This was his fifth project and up to now he was batting. 500,with half of his projects coming ahead of schedule. Tran was proud that he could now afford to send his oldest child to Stanford University. Ajax was one of many defense projects the CEBEX Corporation had under contract with DOD. CEBEX is a huge defense company with annual sales in excess of $30 billion and more than 120,000 employees worldwide. CEBEX’s five major business areas are Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, Information Solutions, and Space Systems. Ajax was one of several new projects sponsored by the Integrated Systems Solutions division aimed at the homeland security business. CEBEX was confident that it could leverage its technical expertise and political connections to become a major player in this growing market. Ajax was one of several projects directed at designing, developing, and installing a security system at an important government installation. Tran had two major concerns when he started the Ajax project. The first was the technical risks inherent in the project. In theory the design principles made sense and the project used proven technology. Still the technology had never been applied in the field in this matter. From past experience, Tran knew there was a big difference between the laboratory and the real world. He also knew that integrating the audio, optical, tactile, and laser subsystems would test the patience and ingenuity of his team. The second concern involved his team. The team was pretty much split down the middle between hardware and electrical engineers. Not only did these engineers have different skill sets and tend to look at problems differently, but generational differences between the two groups were evident as well. The hardware engineers were almost all former military, family men with conservative attire and beliefs. The electrical engineers were a much motlier crew. They tended to be young, single, and at times very cocky. While the hardware engineers talked about the Seattle Mariners, raising teenagers, and going to Palm Desert to play golf, the software engineers talked about Vapor, the latest concert at Gorge amphitheater, and going mountain biking in Peru. To make matters worse, tension between these two groups within CEBEX festered around salary issues. Electrical engineers were at a premium, and the hardware engineers resented the new hires’ salary packages, which were comparable to what they were earning after 20 years of working for CEBEX. Still the real money was to be made from the incentives associated with project performance. These were all contingent on meeting project milestones and the final completion date. Before actual work started on the project, Tran arranged a tow-day team-building retreat at a lodge on the Olympic peninsula for his entire team as well as key staff from the government installation. He used this time to go over the major objectives of the project and unveil the basic project plan. An internal consultant facilitated several team-building activities that made light of cross-generational issues. Tran felt a real sense of camaraderie within the team. The good feelings generated from the retreat carried over to the beginning of the project. The entire team bought into the mission of the project and technical challenges it represented. Hardware and electrical engineers worked side by side to solve problems and build subsystems. The project plan was built around a series of five tests, with each test being a more rigorous verification of total system performance. Passing each test represented a key milestone for the project. The team was excited about conducting the first Alpha test one week early—only to be disappointed by a series of minor technical glitches that ook two weeks of problem solving to resolve. The team worked extra hard to make up for the lost time. Tran was proud of team and how hard members had worked together. The Alpha II test was conducted on schedule, but once again the system failed to perform. This time three weeks of debugging was needed before the team received the green light to move to the next phase of the project. By this time, team goodwill had been tested, and emotions were a bit frayed. A cloud of disappointment descended over the team as hopes of bonuses disappeared with the project falling further behind schedule. This was augmented by cynics who felt that the original schedule was unfair and the deadlines were impossible to begin with. Tran responded by starting each day with a status meeting where the team reviewed what they accomplished the previous day and set new objectives for that day. He believed these meetings were helpful in establishing positive momentum and reinforcing a team identity among the engineers. He also went out of his way to spend more time with the â€Å"troops,† helping them solve problems, offering encouragement, and a sincere pat on the back when one was deserved. He was cautiously optimistic when the time came to conduct the Alpha III test. It was the end of the day when the switch was turned on, but nothing happened. Within minutes the entire team heard the news. Screams could be heard down the hallway. Perhaps the most telling moment was when Tran looked down at the company’s parking lot and saw most of his project team walking by themselves to their cars. As Callie chased some wild bunnies, Tran pondered what he should do next. 1. How effective has Tran been as a project manager? Explain. 2. What problem(s) does Tran face?

Learning About On-Line Communities :: Internet Technology Computer Chats Essays

Learning About On-Line Communities Section 1: What I Know, Assume or Imagine. What I know, or rather, what I assume I know, about on-line communities is extremely limited since I do not really participate in these types of communities myself. I have virtually no experience in the area of on-line communities and have never actually attempted to join, or even browse, through them. Everything that I think that I know about this area of interest is simply what I have heard from my friends or family regarding their experiences in various chat rooms and other on-line communities. What I assume I know is also based partially on the bits and pieces of information that I gather occasionally from the media. When certain investigative report programs air information that reveals research from various web sites such as the different types of web sites that are available, and the types of people that might be found in certain chat rooms, I begin to grow more curious. In fact, I once watched an investigative report show that revealed how easy it is to set up your own web site from your living room. The amount of people that decided to create their own web sites for assorted reasons is not as interesting to me as the amount of people that are enticed into logging on to these web sights. Several areas of interest even include simply watching the creator of the web site as they go about their daily activities in their living room. Some online "groupies" have even become so fascinated with certain web sights that they enjoy watching the host of the site sleep or use the bathroom. I am sure that these types of communities are merely the tip of the iceberg in the vast ocean of what is available a s far as on-line communities. What interests me most about the various web sites and on-line communities available to the public is the fact that so many people are consumed by these alternative realities and seem to enjoy living in a world where they can create their alter egos. A lot of people seem to really enjoy, or perhaps even have a deep need, to create enriched versions of them. People that often engage in this activity of creating a generous picture of who they actually are have a purpose of attracting other individuals who the embellishers might feel would, otherwise, not be attracted to enlist in conversation with them.

Oxford Guide to British and American Culture Essay

I would like to talk about the culture dictionary, more specifically about the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture. The importance of such dictionaries became unquestionable when the culturological approach to the study of languages appeared. This approach means the unity of the language and culture. To acquire a language, a person should have the knowledge of special features of communication, behavior, people’s mind, habits, values, traditions in the country which language he/she learns. Surely, the history and specific features of the particular country are embodied in its language. A language is a part of a culture. So the more you know culture of a particular country, the more you understand its language. In the most of dictionaries you can find cultural information and culture words. For example, â€Å"Whitehall† and â€Å"fly-fishing† in the Macmillan Dictionary and Thesaurus online, â€Å"Big Ben† in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English online. КÐ °Ã'€Ã'‚Ð ¸Ã ½Ã ºÃ ¸ Ð ºÃ °Ã'€Ã'‚Ð ¸Ã ½Ã ºÃ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. But if we compare these words with the same words in the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, we will see that the second dictionary gives us more information and explanations about particular words and even gives us a lot of illustrations. So I would like to talk about this dictionary. It is published by the Oxford university press. This is the most up-to-date Guide to British and American culture that gives us an insight into what’s important in both countries today, what’s popular, and what people feel strongly about. It’s written for learners of English, in language that’s easy to understand. This Guide includes 10 000 entries of such areas as history, monuments, legends, festivals, music, food, shopping, literature and so on. It also includes special entries with extra vocabulary on topics such as advertising, football, beer and soap operas. This vocabulary is highlighted in dark type. So let’s look at entries of this dictionary and find out what information we can find there. Entry words or phrases are in dark type. Almost Each entry has grammar information. ( a part of speech, if it is a noun (countable or uncountable, plural or single, if it is a verb, transitive or intransitive), information about the usage of this word or phrase. Many words have the derivatives section which is marked by the special symbol. Many words have a transcription and in some entries we can see both British and American pronunciation. And we can see the information bout a stress. Many words have subject, regional or stylistic labels. If we look at some entries we can see the number in round brackets. It indicates what sense this meaning refers to. For example, the word Manhattan in this entry has the number one. It means that this word is given in the first sense. Many entries have words that are marked by the special symbol ( a star). It indicates an item with its own entry. In this dictionary there are special notes that can help to find out not only the meaning of a particular word but also offer the vocabulary on this topic. The vocabulary is highlighted in dark type. Above some head words we can see numbers. They distinguish separate entries for people, places, etc with the same name. In entries that give the information about people we can see numbers in round brackets that indicate birth and death dates or birth of a living person. In this dictionary there are a lot of â€Å"dummy† entries referring to main entries elsewhere. It can help to find a particular word if you know only its abbreviation. Also the entry gives information about an abbreviation. In some entries there are variants of head words (entry words) and explanations of uncommon words used in entry. There are a lot of examples of their usage in italic type. Many words have many senses. So in entries we can see separate numbered parts. In entries there are cross-references to contrasted entries and related entries. Also this dictionary is very good because it has a lot of illustrations and well-known quotations associated with a character or a person and extracts of famous poems. In this Guide there are boxes with additional information. In entries we can see cultural connotations. Inside front cover we can find information about abbreviations, symbols and labels used in the Guide. Inside back cover there is information about pronunciation and phonetic symbols. In this Guide there are colour pages on history and institutions of Britain and the USA (Maps, history, political parties, education, the Legal System and so on) Using this Guide you can get ideas of what to read. You can choose from lists of books that won the Booker and other prizes plus suggestions for further reading. In conclusion, Id like to say that the Oxford Guide to British and American Culture is a great choice for people who want to find out as much as possible about the culture of Great Britain and the USA without visiting these countries.

Myra Levine Theory Critique

Introduction Myra Levine proposed a grand theory of energy conservation. Using the Chinn and Kramer Model for critique, this paper will describe the theory reviewing purpose, concepts, definitions, relationships, structure, assumptions, and rationale for selection. Then, the theory will be critically examined for clarity, simplicity, generalizability, accessibility, and importance. Energy conservation provides a unique framework for education and current practice. Well-defined concepts of environment, health, nurse, and patient can guide research.However, the theory has limited application to some areas such as health promotion and disease prevention. Further refinement of this theory would beneficially develop the knowledge base of nursing, guide practice, and contribute to favorable outcomes. Description of Theory Purpose Myra Levine was an experienced nurse and teacher who sought to educate medical-surgical students about major concepts in nursing. Levine wanted the focus of nursi ng to be patient-centered instead of task-oriented (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011).Also, like other early nursing scholars, Levine wanted to distance nursing practice from medicine (Meleis, 2012). Trophicognosis is a term Levine invented to replace medical diagnosis. Trophicognosis referred to nursing judgement arrived at by the scientific method; according to Meleis (2012) trophicognosis was a â€Å"useful beginning for the use of the nursing process† (p. 291). Concepts Levine based her theoretical concepts on her personal philosophy. Levine viewed man as â€Å"an ever-changing organism in constant interaction with an ver-changing environment† (Levine, 1969, p. 93). Levine believed individuals respond to their environment in a systematic way based on their perceptual systems. Therefore, Levine conceptualized nursing based on the idea that â€Å"an appreciation of these responses will conserve the patient’s resources, alter his environment to fit his resources, and be an extension of his perceptual systems when his own are impaired† (Levine, 1969, p. 93). Conservation is unique to Levine’s theory and is the primary concept (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011).Levine identified four conservation principles as a framework for nursing interventions and established the goal of conservation as adaptation (Meleis, 2012). Other important concepts included wholeness, organismic responses, adaptation, integrity, and perceptual systems. Definitions The conservation model clearly defines major concepts related to patients, environment, adaptation and energy conservation. Levine did not think it was an accident that the word â€Å"health† was derived from the Anglo-saxon word for â€Å"whole† (Levine, 1969).Levine saw patients as complete persons made up of dynamic systems that continuously seek a state of balance. Levine viewed health and disease as patterns of adaptive change along a continuum of dynamic processes within a perso n’s unique pathophysiology and environment (Levine, 1966). Both internal and external environments were described; the external environment was categorized as perceptual, operational, or conceptual. Conservation of energy was defined as the goal, or outcome, of nursing; the concept of conservation included maintaining a person’s social, personal, and structural integrity (Meleis, 2012).Relationships According to Levine, the patient’s health is dependent on the nurse-supported process of adaptation (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011). Nurses function as an extension of the patient’s perceptual systems, but work to end the dependence as quickly as possible (Levine, 1966). Structure The conservation model follows a linear progression from desynchronization to energy conservation to adaptation. As a patient-focused and goal oriented theory, success is measured by outcome-based criteria. Assumptions Levine presented many implicit and explicit assumptions throughout her theory development.Levine’s assumptions centered on the essence of the human experience, adaptation, and nursing. The most influential assumption was the wholeness and complexity of patients (Meleis, 2012). Rationale for Selection There are many reasons to study Levine’s Conservation Model. The concept of energy conservation is unique to this model. Levine believed in holistic care and supported patient’s rights to personally define their health (Meleis, 2012). The concept of wholeness is consistent with most modern philosophies of nursing. The World Health Organization definition of health is also consistent with Levine’s concepts.Many multidisciplinary concepts relate to adaptation, including physics, physiology, and neuroscience (Meleis, 2012). These concepts may facilitate future theory development and research. Finally, in the current socio-political environment, outcome-based theory will likely become increasingly relevant as reimbursement depe nds on patient outcomes. Critical Reflection Clarity Chinn and Kramer defined clarity based on ease of understanding and consistency of concepts (Meleis, 2012). Myra Levine precisely and accurately labeled her theory Energy Conservation.It is apparent that her pedagogical practices influenced definitions of main concepts. I think she was consistent in her operational definitions of the patient, the nurse, the environment, and adaptation. However, I agree with Meleis (2012) that the derived concepts of integrity, wholeness, and humanism do not have clear boundaries. Simplicity Some of the definitions are complex, but Levine maintained simple components consistent with the theoretical assumptions & propositions (Meleis, 2012). Although human responses are a complex phenomenon, Levine limited much of her paradigm to physiologic responses.I believe this limitation benefits the use of her theory for empirical approaches to research. Generalizability The theory of energy conservation seek s to provide a broad framework for nursing care. However, the pathophysiology-based foundation biases application to acute care settings. Likewise, the specificity of the conservation principles limits implications for practice. The theory emphasizes short term goals and treatment; it does not generate propositions for modern issues of nutrition, diversity, health promotion, long-term care, family care, or community health (Meleis, 2012).Accessibility Levine’s theory has been widely used to direct education, administration, research, and practice (Meleis, 2012). The theory provides a useful framework when energy conservation is important for patient recovery. Therefore, this framework readily applies to vulnerable patient populations. However, a lack of clear definitions, boundaries between concepts, and development of propositions reduces the theory’s testability (Meleis, 2012). Importance Practically applied, Levine’s theory most readily relates to acute care settings.However, within the grand theory of energy conservation, Levine asserted concepts that are still important today. Levine emphasized science, recognized wholeness, and acknowledged patients as partners in care (Fawcett & Swoyer, 2008). Empirical knowledge remains imperative to scientific development in nursing. Also, contemporary nurses widely accept the paradigm of holistic care. Person-environment interactions and life processes are additional ideas Levine presented which current nursing practice accepts (Meleis, 2012). ConclusionLevine’s Conservation Model has proven useful as a theoretical framework to develop educational curricula, guide practice, and improve patient outcomes. The theory application is limited to acute care settings and lacks well-developed propositions for research. However, the theory possesses many salient ideas which could encourage future research on environment, energy, and adaptation. Levine accepted the evolution of theories, acknowledgin g their potential for change and development (Meleis, 2012). I think Levine would be pleased that her ideas continue to be explored.

Human Relations Theory vs Scientific Method Theory Essay Example

Human Relations Theory vs Scientific Method Theory Essay Example Human Relations Theory vs Scientific Method Theory Essay Human Relations Theory vs Scientific Method Theory Essay Scientific Method Theory By Fedrick Taylor And Human Relations Theory (Hawthorne Studies) By Elton Mayo Student Name: Subject:Human Relations Date:14th October, 2010 The Scientific Management Theory (Taylorism) In 1911, Frederick Winslow Taylor published his work, The Principles of Scientific Management, in which he described how the application of the scientific method to the management of workers greatly could improve productivity. Scientific management methods called for optimizing the way that tasks were performed and simplifying the jobs enough so that workers could be trained to perform their specialized sequence of motions in the one best way. Before the scientific management theory, work tasks were done by skilled craftsmen who were taught to do their jobs in lengthy apprenticeships. They decided upon how a task should be performed. With the introduction of scientific management allot of this autonomy was reduced and converted skilled crafts into a series of simplified jobs that could be performed by unskilled workers who could be easily trained for the task. There are four principles of scientific measurement: 1) Study how the job is being performed now then figure out new ways to do it. Gather relevant information (detailed, time and motion). Try out various methods before choosing. 2) Scientifically select, train, and develop each worker rather than passively leaving them to train themselves. 3) Cooperate with the workers to ensure that the scientifically developed methods are being followed. 4) Divide work nearly equally between managers and workers, so that the managers apply scientific management principles to planning the work and the workers actually perform the tasks. Although scientific management brought about positive changes, there were also drawbacks. * Taylorism can easily be abused to exploit human beings. Conflicts with labor unions. * Not useful to deal with groups or teams. * Leaves no room for individual preferences or initiative. * Overemphasis on measuring. No attention for soft factors. * Mechanistic. Treating people as machines. * Separation of planning function and doing. * Loss of skill level and autonomy at worker level. Not very useful in current knowledge worker environments (except as an antithesis). The Human Relations Theory (The Hawthorne Effect) The Hawthorne Studies (or experiments) were conducted from 1927 to 1932 at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago, where Harvard Business School professor Elton Mayo examined productivity and work conditions. Elton Mayo started these experiments by examining the physical and environmental influences of the workplace (e. g. brightness of lights, humidity) and later, moved into the psychological aspects (e. g. breaks, group pressure, working hours, managerial leadership) and their impact on employee motivation as it applies to productivity. The Hawthorne Effect can be summarized as Employees are more productive because  the employees  know they are being studied. Elton Mayos experiments showed an increase in worker productivity was produced by the psychological stimulus of being singled out, involved, and made to feel important. Specifically, Mayo wanted to find out what effect fatigue and monotony had on job productivity and how to control them through such variables as rest breaks, work hours, temperature and humidity. In the process, he stumbled upon a principle of human motivation that would help to revolutionize the theory and practice of management. To his amazement, Elton Mayo discovered a general upward trend in production, completely independent of any of the changes he made. Flowing from the findings of these investigations he came to certain conclusions as follows: * Work is a group activity. * The social world of the adult is primarily patterned about work activity. * The need for recognition, security and sense of belonging is more important in determining workers morale and productivity than the physical conditions under which he works. A complaint is not necessarily an objective recital of facts; it is commonly a symptom manifesting disturbance of an individuals status position. * The worker is a person whose attitudes and effectiveness are conditioned by social demands from both inside and outside the work plant. * Informal groups within the work plant exercise strong social controls over the work habits and attitudes of the individual worker. * The change from an established society in the home to an adaptive society in the work plant resulting from the use of new techniques tends continually to disrupt the social organization of a work plant and industry generally. Group collaboration does not occur by accident; it must be planned and developed. If group collaboration is achieved the human relations within a work plant may reach a cohesion which resists the disrupting effects of adaptive society. Difference of the two theories Frederick Winslow Taylor and George Elton Mayo carried out an enormous amount of research and made a substantial contribution in this area. However, although their initial aims were very similar to improve productivity, their methods and conclusions were very different. Taylor theory of Scientific Management study included his time and motion studies, his idea of ‘one best way’ to perform a job and ‘one best’ person to perform it, the fact that he thought people were primarily motivated by money, and the effects all of this would have on employees. Mayo initially seeked to prove Taylor’s theories right, however, due to the Hawthorne Experiments, he became more interested in the involvement and fair treatment of workers and their social environment. He found that people weren’t just motivated by money. The main difference between the two theories is that Taylor’s studies concentrated mostly on work organization e. g. efficiency while Mayo’s theory seeked the interest of more personal or human related aspects in the organization. Reference 1. netmba. com/, James E. Gurun, Fenghua Wang, Patrick R. Barton, Copyright  © 2002-2010 This web site is operated by the Internet Center for Management and Business Administration, Inc. 2. change. freeuk. com/learning/business/mayo. html Adrian Worsfold 3. www. wikipedia. com , Wikipedia ®

17 Creative Ways to Celebrate a College Birthday

17 Creative Ways to Celebrate a College Birthday Celebrating a birthday is a great chance to take a break from the usual rigors of college life. Of course, planning a birthday celebration might seem time-consuming or expensive, but it doesnt have to be. Even in the smallest of college towns, there are probably plenty of events you can turn into a birthday outing (that dont include the traditional group outing to a restaurant). Here are some ideas that can work with a variety of schedules and budgets. 1. Go to a Museum Youre in college and its your birthday - be as nerdy as you want. Head to an art museum, a museum of natural history, a local aquarium or whatever youll find most enjoyable. Museums can be a great way to take a break from the chaos of college while still doing something interesting and engaging. (Remember to bring your ID ask about a student discount.) 2. Attend (or Participate in) a Poetry Slam Whether you just want to watch or are interested in performing, poetry slams can be a lot of fun. See whats happening on your campus or in your community and enjoy a fun evening out that promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience. 3. Do Something Physical If you want to do something physical for your birthday, get creative. See if a local gym offers special classes, like aerial yoga or a ropes course you can do with your friends. Some community organizations also offer really zany classes, like bungee jumping, skydiving or even circus-training classes. Given how much you sit in class and study all day, pushing your body to its limits can be a great way to celebrate getting older. 4. Go to the Movies Catching up on the latest movies can be a fun way to spend an afternoon - or even a morning. Mix things up a bit and grab breakfast and a movie with some friends to start your birthday off in a fun, nontraditional, but still enjoyable way. 5. Head to an Athletic Game It could be a hockey game in your college town, a football game on your campus or something small like your friends intramural rugby game. Regardless, rooting for your team and hanging out with a large crowd just might be what you need for a birthday celebration. Treat yourself to something from the concession stand or pack snacks to give the event a more celebratory feel. 6. Celebrate With Some Time Alone College is fun, but there arent t a lot of opportunities to enjoy solitude. Doing something quiet - whether its on campus or away - like getting a massage, going for a long run or meditating can be rejuvenating, if not downright healthy for you. 7. Treat Yourself to Some Self-Care   Students spend a lot of time focusing on external things - class requirements, jobs, cocurricular obligations - and they sometimes forget to focus a little on themselves. Treat yourself to something that focuses on you for a change, like a pedicure and a wax or a haircut and a shave. You can even call ahead to see if your friends can make appointments with you. 8. Head Out for a Brewery Tour If youre over 21 (or turning 21), consider going on a brewery or distillery tour. In addition to learning all kinds of interesting facts about how beverages are made, youll get some free samples and enjoy an afternoon doing something that you might otherwise not have done. 9. Get a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Your Favorite Local Destination Not everyone knows that, for example, you can get a tour of major league baseball stadiums or the local zoo. See whats open during your birthday and what you can arrange in advance. 10. Go Home   Theres nothing wrong with ditching your hectic campus life and heading home for your own bed, your familys home cooking and some good ol RR. You work hard in college and treating yourself to the luxuries of home, however simple they may be, is a great way to reward yourself. 11. Do Something Quiet on Campus Planning an off-campus adventure can be stressful - not what you need on your birthday. Dont be shy about spending some quiet time on campus, going for a walk or run, journaling or hanging out in a coffee shop. 12. Do Something Romantic With Your Partner If youre dating and your partner is around, try to spend the day doing something romantic together. Sure, heading out to dinner is nice, but dont be afraid to mix it up a little, too. Head to a nearby town and go exploring. Do something new youve never done together. Make a scavenger hunt for each other. No matter what you end up doing, just enjoy each others company. 13. Celebrate at a Big Campus Party So the biggest fraternity on campus is throwing their biggest party of the year smack dab on your birthday. Just because they didnt plan it that way doesnt mean you cant take advantage of the situation. Let everyone elses hard work be your  birthday gift! 14. Spend Some Quality Time With a Few Good Friends Many people make lifelong friends in college. If you already know who these people are going to be, get em together and do something simple but enjoyable. Plan a picnic, go for a hike, coordinate a game night or spend time doing something creative together. 15. Volunteer Off Campus   Think about how you feel after you volunteer. You always finish feeling amazing, proud, humbled, energized and overall awesome, right? Well, why not treat yourself to that rock-star feeling on your birthday? Grab some friends and find a place to volunteer where you can work together and support a great cause. 16. Dont Do Any Homework You have 364 other days to focus on homework. Plan your time wisely in advance so that you dont have to do any homework on your birthday. After all, when was the last time you didnt even think about reading, writing a paper, doing a lab report or researching a project? If you plan well enough in advance, you can enjoy the day by letting your brain not even think (or feel guilty!) about completely avoiding your homework situation. 17. Do Something Creative You can easily fall into the routine of only producing creative pieces when you need to for a class or club requirement. On your birthday, however, treat yourself to doing something creative just for the sake of being creative.

Interview with Dr. Michael Winters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interview with Dr. Michael Winters - Essay Example As a licensed practitioner of and a firm believer in the merits of logotherapy, the search for and discovery of meaning plays a significant role in Dr. Winters' professional, clinical, teaching, and research activities.The search for meaning has had a strong basis in Dr. Winters' background, as reflected by his two choices for a college major: Theater or Psychology. Broadway's loss was psychology's gain, as he found the search for meaning more lucrative and challenging than, in a sense, its interpretation. After undergraduate and Masteral studies at Purdue, he went to Tennessee for his doctorate at the University of Memphis in 1991.However, it was not until two years ago (in 2005) that he embraced logotherapy, which is based on Frankl's insights on the beneficial psychological effects of the search for and discovery of meaning in human experience (Frankl, 1984/19871998). Frankl has had a substantial impact on Dr. Winters' life and profession, and logotherapy research has become a hug e part of his academic and clinical practice. As a counseling strategy, he uses logotherapy, which fits with the question that he asks every time he faces any of his clients: "how do I help this person to help him/herself move forward" (Winters, 2007)Dr. Winters' extensive experience, however, does not limit his counseling strategy to logotherapy. ... Among college students, though, Dr. Winters addresses more faith-based issues in search of solutions. Dr. Winters is also an expert on clinical depression, and a considerable amount of time was spent during the interview discussing this topic. We started by discussing the symptoms, which are primarily anxiety, pessimism, and lethargy. When asked what the causes of depression are, he paused for several seconds before answering: "anything". Depression is a chemical reaction that affects the mind, and this can be triggered by anxieties over relationships (romantic or otherwise), emotional or physical or psychological trauma. Among young people, common triggers of depression are issues with parents, relationships, or friends, or the search for and development of individual identity. If there is what he could call a master variable that helps one to avoid depression, it is the value of social networking. He noted from his clinical and professional experience that people who know how to get the most out of their social relationships with family, friends, and a special other are farthest away from depression. I guess that an important consideration here is the sense of security that a person feels, allowing him/her to maintain their identity in social relationships, free of false expectations and desires to be what they are not. As Dr. Winters shares with his clients, if they are not happy and truly getting their needs in their relationships, then they should either end it or fix it, working on the issues unless there is violence. He encourages his clients in a depression to move beyond a definition of love that is based on what they could get out of a relationship to one

Business Health Check for the Brighton Beach Hotel Essay

Business Health Check for the Brighton Beach Hotel - Essay Example This report starts with a study of the environment in which the business operates. It considers the main management processes used by the organization, and compares the functioning of its major departments. The analysis considers how the resources and assets deployed in the business can be more productively deployed, and the quality of the company’s strategy, in view of its strengths and the threats it faces as well. The report attempts to take a long-term perspective, considering the future values and relevance of today’s practices. PEST Analysis is a term integral to this report, which deserves a special description. This method considers the political, social, economic, and technological factors that have significant impacts on the fortunes of the company. The results of this analysis are appended to this report, after the list of references. This report also refers to the concept of a Mission Statement. The latter is an expression of the main purpose of an organizat ion. It serves to unite efforts throughout an organization.

Adaptive Project Management Framework Assignment

Adaptive Project Management Framework - Assignment Example This framework is generally used for the projects whose objectives and goals are clearly stated. Basically the framework is an approach that restricted planning for things which are next to impossible. The adaptive project management framework is implemented in project management in order to bring quality business values (Highsmith, 2009, p.167). Moreover, this framework is intended to maximize the business value under specific time and estimated fixed budget. The adaptive project management framework is the structured decision making framework in the face of uncertainty. This framework helps to reduce the uncertainty level of project outcome through quick system monitoring and controlling. As it is based on learning process, it helps to improve the long-term project management outcomes. The study deals with the evaluation of implementing project framework approach in organization. Moreover the study will reveal the obstacles that are faced by organizations while adopting this framew ork. Finally the study ends with the solutions of the problems. Implementation of Adaptive Project Management Framework The project management methodology applied within organizations for the purpose of reconfigure the project management framework. Companies should change the current regulations and policies to successfully execute the adaptive project framework approach that administrate their internal processes.

Ethical Arguments Of Electronic Surveillance Information Technology Essay

Ethical Arguments Of Electronic Surveillance Information Technology Essay 1.1 Introduction In his dystopian masterpiece, 1984, George Orwell portrays a society in which government surveillance has become all too pervasive with nightmarish consequences. Even though Orwell never envisioned the advent of the internet and how it has become part of our daily lives, he understood the dangers of a culture of surveillance and much of what he wrote has become startlingly true. Indeed governments have moved on from traditional spying to electronic surveillance, thanks to the internet and other electronic forms of communication. Corporations too have jumped on the surveillance bandwagon, though for different purposes. This has led to ethical concerns, as illustrated in the case of the research firm Phorm. 1.2 Ethical Concerns that Could Arise Phorm is a company in the United Kingdom that developed software that allows it to monitor users online activities without their consent. This has legal ramifications as allowing such activities has caused the European Commission to investigate the UK for breaching rules pertaining to consent to interception of online transactions. However, the issue has an ethical dimension as well. Phorm has tried to justify its actions citing the benefits to customers and the companies involved. However, is it morally and ethically right for a corporation, no matter how innocent its purpose, to secretly monitor the activities of internet users without their consent? Do the advantages, both in financial and non- financial terms warrant this seeming violation of basic human rights? These are some of the ethical dilemmas posed by this case and they will be critically examined in this report. 1.3 Ethical Arguments in Support of Electronic Surveillance Corporate surveillance is a new form of surveillance by companies of people and groups. The aim is to collect data for marketing purpose which is used by the corporation itself or as in the case of Phorm, sold to third party corporations or the government (Brooks and Dunn, 2010). From the companys perspective, this is an excellent form of business intelligence as the data collected can be used to refine marketing strategies to reach the target audience. Direct marketing also employs online corporate surveillance as evidenced by Google and Yahoo (New York Times, 2007). Governments also make use of corporate surveillance data to monitor the activities of users and collect information to do profiling. The U.S. government has used this approach more often in recent years to track down terrorists, and this may be good in a sense. The ethical argument in support of this type of initiative is that it benefits various stakeholders. Electronic surveillance can improve marketing activities and this leads to more revenue which in turn benefit shareholders and the employees of the corporation that uses the services of electronic surveillance company data. Supposedly, when shareholder and employee wealth is maximized, it elevates the standard of living and thus, benefits society as a whole. True, customers are literally spied on but there is no physical damage done. Most customers are oblivious and what they do not know would not harm them. In fact, such improved marketing could even help them make better decisions when buying products and services since they will receive advertisements on things that interest them. These are some of the arguments that are used to support electronic surveillance by corporations. 1.4 Ethical Arguments Against this Type of Initiative To answer why corporate electronic surveillance is unethical and unjustifiable, we need to frame it in ethical terms. Let us look at it from the theory of consequentialism. Consequentialists are intent on maximizing the utility produced by a decision (Ermann et al, 1990). For them, the rightness of an act depends on its consequences. Consequentialism holds that an act is morally right if and only if that act maximizes the net good. In other words, an act and therefore a decision is ethical if its favourable consequences outweigh its negative consequences. Moreover, some believe that only the act that maximizes the net benefit of favourable minus the negative consequences is morally right or ethical. Philosophers also debate what consequences should be counted, how they should be counted and who deserves to be included in the set of affected stakeholders that should be considered (Brooks and Dunn, 2010). Therefore, corporate electronic surveillance is morally wrong because it does not maximize the net good. True, it may improve sales slightly if done in secret but if customers are aware that they are being spied on, they will feel violated and alienate the company altogether. Other potential customers may shy away from the company as well. In the end, such a move could seriously backfire and negatively impact shareholders. The net disadvantages dramatically outweigh the advantages. It is also illegal since such activities constitute a breach of international laws on internet privacy. Deontology is different from consequentialism in that deontologists focus on the obligations or duties motivating a decision or actions that on the consequences of the action (MacKinnon, 1998). Deontological ethics takes the position that rightness depends on the respect shown for duty, and the rights and fairness that those duties reflect. Consequently, a deontological approach raises issues relating to duties, rights and justice considerations and teaches students to use moral standards, principles and rules as a guide to making the best ethical decisions (Caroll, 1991). Deontological reasoning is largely based on the thinking of Immanuel Kant. He argued that a rational person making a decision about what would be good to do, would consider what action would be good for all members of society to do. Such an act would improve the well-being of the decision maker and the well-being of society as well. Kant began to search for an overriding principle that would guide all action an imperative that everybody should follow without exception, which could therefore be considered universal or categorical (Brooks and Dunn, 2010). His search led to what is known as Kants Categorical Imperative, which is a dominant principle or rule for deontologists. Kants principal indicates that there is a duty or imperative to always act in such a way that you can also will the maxim of your action should become a universal law (MacKinnon, 1998). This means that if you cannot will that everyone follow the same decision rule, your rule is not a moral one. As a universal principle, everyone should follow it. Moreover, the Golden Rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you would readily qualify as a universal principal (Forrester and Morrision, 1990). Using the same approach could yield a universal respect for human rights and for fair treatment of all. This can be best achieved by adopting the position that one must fulfil obligations or duties that respect moral or human rights and legal or contract rights (Flaherty, 1989). Furthermore, it can only he achieved if individuals act with enlightened self-interest rather than pure self-interest. Under enlightened self-interest, the interests of individuals are taken into account in decisions (Verschoor, 1988). They are not simply ignored or overridden. Individuals are considered ends rather than used as means to achieve an end or objective. Actions based on duty, rights and justice considerations are particularly important to professionals, directors and executives who are exp ected to fulfil the obligations of a fiduciary (Wartick and Cochran, 1985). In classical management, it has been repeatedly argued that the only fiduciary duty management owes is to the shareholders of a corporation. Thus, if activities are disadvantageous to customers, it does not matter. However, such thinking has gradually gone out of favour as corporations now realize the importance of embracing all their stakeholders (Freeman, 1984). Hence, electronic surveillance would be deemed enlightened self-interest in the old way of thinking but it is now regarded as pure self-interest. Companies that spy on customers are violating their privacy and show them no respect, which is a breach of duty of care . Electronic surveillance also goes against the Golden Rule so there is no deontological basis in support of electronic surveillance. From the above discussion, it is obvious that the arguments against electronic surveillance far outweigh those in support of it. For every argument in support, there are a few against it. Hence, corporations should stop it and use other methods that are more respectable, ethical and legal to gather marketing data. 1.5 Conclusion The ethical arguments in support of corporate electronic surveillance are scant and specious. At best, it leads to improved sales and happy shareholders but it severely undermines the basic principle of respecting the privacy of others. The right to privacy is a right to be free from certain intrusions. It is highly intrusive to have all of ones online activities monitored and used to create a database about the users likes and preferences, especially when the user is an unwilling party. From all ethical perspectives, whether utilitarian, deontological consequentialism, there is little or no basis in support of such activities. Task Two 2.1 Introduction To Phorm, its monitoring software may be a legitimate form of business. However, as a software developer, it must abide by the professional code of conduct regarding professional responsibility. The question here is whether there is a conflict of interest between its business activities and its professional responsibilities. 2.2 Conflicts with software developers professional responsibilities Software developing and engineering is a profession. As such, it has professional associations which like all other professional associations have their own code of conduct regarding professional responsibility. This is done to safeguard the reputation of the profession and to maintain the highest standards of ethics. Among the professional associations for software developers are AMC, IEEE, APEGBC and the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP). To be a member of these associations, one must abide by the respective code of ethics and professional responsibility. Failure to do so would result in suspension or revocation of license to practice the profession. The Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice states that software developers should be committed to making the design, analysis, development, testing and maintenance of software a respected and beneficial profession and that all engineers should adhere to eight basic principles. Principle 6 relates to professional responsibility. This clearly stipulates that software developers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession that is consistent with the public interest. Among other things, a software developer should not promote their own interest at the expense of the profession, client or employer (6.05), obey all laws governing their work, unless in exceptional circumstances, compliance is inconsistent with the public interest (6.06) and avoid associations with businesses and organizations which are in conflict with this code (6.10). Based on this principle alone, Phorm has made many breaches of professional ethics. Monitoring software such as the one developed by Phorm goes against this professional responsibility code. In fact, this action goes against the interest of customers since it monitors their online activities without their knowledge. Similarly, such an action is inconsistent with public interest as it is morally, ethically and legally wrong for companies to do surveillance on the public without their knowledge (Flaherty, 1989). Phorm should know better than to conduct business that is in conflict with a professional code of conduct. Even though its software developers may not be members of this specific professional organization, they are sure to be members of other organizations which would have similar guidelines. Phorms actions also conflict with principle one of this code which concerns the public. It states that software engineers should act consistently with the public interest. According to paragraph 1.03, software developers should approve software only if they have a well-founded belief that it is safe, meets specifications, passes appropriate tests and does not diminish the quality of life, diminish privacy or harm the environment. Phorms monitoring software diminishes individual privacy. According to Warren and Brandies (1890), privacy can be defined as a right to be left alone. It is widely regarded that privacy is a basic human right. Phorms case is a good illustration of the problems concerning internet privacy. This is because while most agree that internet privacy must be protected, there is debate on the extent it should be protected. Should privacy protection be accorded to email usage or to websites visited as well? Privacy protection is a vital part of democracy but many countries in the world, most noticeably China, are not democracies and therefore have no qualms about seriously undermining internet privacy. Nevertheless, such arguments are mainly about the rights of governments to monitor the activities of citizens for the greater good, for instance protection against terrorism. However, in terms of corporate surveillance, laws and professional codes explicitly prohibit it. 2.3 Suitability of an established code of computer ethics or an ethical decision making model There are many professional codes of ethics such as the one mentioned in the previous section that helps professionals make ethical decisions. The problem is that they are general and not company specific. Also, some employees in a corporation are not members of a professional organization and therefore do not feel obliged to follow the guidelines stipulated by these organizations. For example, software developers may be against developing monitoring software, but if the CEO compels them to do so, they have little choice but to follow orders or leave the organization. To overcome this problem, each corporation should have its own code of ethics and ethical decision making model to make the right choice. A decision making model must be designed to enhance ethical reasoning by providing insights into the identification and analysis of key issues to be considered and questions or challenges to be raised and approaches to combining and applying decision relevant factors into practical action (Brook and Dunn, 2010). A decision or action is considered ethical or right if it conforms to certain standards. One standard alone is insufficient to ensure an ethical decision. Consequently, an ethical decision making framework should be designed so that decisions or actions are compared against four standards for a comprehensive assessment of ethical behaviour. The ethical decision making model assesses the ethicality of a decision or action by examining the consequences or well-offness created in terms of net benefits or costs, rights and duties affected, fairness involved and motivation or virtues expected (Paine, 1994). The first three of these considerations consequentialism, deontology and justice are examined by focusing on the impacts of a decision on shareholders and other affected stakeholders, an approach known as stakeholder impact analysis (Caroll, 1991). The fourth consideration, the motivation of the decision maker is known as virtue ethics (Pastin, 1986). It provides insights likely to be helpful when assessing current and future governance problems as part of a normal risk management exercise. All four considerations must be examined thoroughly and appropriate ethical values must be applied in the decision and its implementation if a decision or action is to be defensible ethically. There are three steps for making an ethical decision (Velasquez, 1992). Step one is identifying the facts and all stakeholder groups and interests likely to be affected. Step two is to rank the stakeholders and their interest, identifying the most important and weighing them more than other issues in the analysis. The final step is to assess the impact of the proposed action on each stakeholder group interests with regard to their well-being, fairness of treatment and other rights, including virtue expectations, using a comprehensive framework of questions and making sure that the common pitfalls do not enter into the analysis. These pitfalls include conforming to an unethical corporate culture, misinterpreting public expectations and focusing on short term profits and shareholder only impacts (Paine, 1994). It may be helpful to organize an ethical decision analysis using the seven steps outlined by the American Accounting Association (1993) (Cited in Brooke and Dunn, 2010). One, determine the facts such as what, who, when, where and how. Two, define the ethical issues. Three, identify major principles, rules and values. Four, specify the alternatives. Five, compare values and alternatives and see if a clear decision emerges. Six, asses the consequences and finally make the decision. 2.4 Conclusion The development and implementation of involuntary electronic monitoring, such as done by Phorm conflicts with software developers professional responsibilities. This is because no professional association of software developers would ever sanction the creation of software that violates the privacy of users and goes against the best interest of society. To overcome such a situation, each IT organization must have its own corporate code of ethics. This should compliment the professional code of ethics of software developers and serve to ensure the highest ethical standards. Yet it is not enough for a company to create a good ethics policy. Implementation is the hard part and high ethical conduct must flow from top to bottom and there must be zero tolerance for breach of professional ethics. It is only by instituting such strict policies that activities like monitoring users internet usage can be curbed.

Julius Caesar :: essays research papers

Julius Caesar was born on the thirteenth day of the month Quintilis in the year of 100 BC. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar, the same as his father’s. Gaius was his given name and Julius was his surname. He was a strong political and military leader who changed the history of the Greco-Roman world. This paper will answer the following questions: What happened during his early political career? How did he become a strong dictator of the Roman Empire? What events led up to the making of the first triumvirate? What happened during his reign as dictator of Rome? What events led up to his assassination? Julius Caesar is probably the most famous leader in history. (Grant, table of dates p.1, and foreword p.xxi)When he was young, Caesar lived through one of the worst decades in the history of Rome. The city was assaulted and captured by Roman armies twice. First, in eighty-seven BC by the leaders of the populares. (Caesar’s aunt and uncle, Marius and Cinna.) Cinna was killed the year that Caesar married Cornelia. The second attack against the city happened in eighty-two BC. Marius’ enemy Sulla, leader of the optimates, carried out the attack. On each occasion the massacre of political opponents was followed by the confiscation of their property. (Fowler, p.24)Caesar knew that his public speaking needed improvement, he therefore announced that he was leaving to study on the island of Rhodes. His professor was the famous Greek rhetorician, Apollonius Molon. When he was off the coast of Anatolia pirates kidnapped him. They demanded a large ransom for his return. Caesar broke free from the pirates and captured a large number of them. He then returned to Rome to engage in a normal political career. (Grant, p.9-11)In the Roman political world Pompey and Crassus challenged the dominance of the optimates. Quintus Latatius Catulus and Lucius Licinius Lucullus led the optimates. Sulla was responsible for creating their careers. Caesar married Pompeia after Cornelia’s death. Then, in sixty-five BC he was appointed aedile. The aedile was in charge of the programs of the city such as games, spectacles, and shows. As aedile, Caesar gained claim to the leadership of the populares. (Grant, p.12)Before leaving Rome to govern Spain for a year, Caesar divorced his wife because of an allegation that she had been involved in the offense of Publis Clodius. Clodius was awaiting trial for breaking into Caesar’s home the previous December.

Ap Euro Review Packet

Ap Packet page 6 D. English Civil War 1. Political- One of the causes was Charles’s I unsuccessful attempt to arrest five members of Parliament, known as the Grand Remonstrance, on January 4, 1642. Another cause was who should have the power in the country and inflation forced up prices in all parts of Europe. An effect would be that England became a Commonwealth and a Protectorate. Parliamentary supremacy was another effect. 2. Religious-One of the causes was that the Puritans, sought to do away with bishops and revise the Prayer book; Charles fought against them. The main cause was over religion in which the puritans accused Charles and Laud of leaning towards Roman Catholicism. Effects are the protestant church established and religious toleration. E. Glorious Revolution 1. Social- The Glorious Revolution changed England socially because Mary and William allow the people to have a say in politics and religious toleration with the Toleration Act. 2. Political- It changed England by having William and Mary sign the Bill of Rights. This made England a Constitutional Monarchy. A constitutional monarchy acknowledges the monarch as the official head of state but the real power is in the hands of the parliament. F. 1. Stuarts The House of Stuart is a European royal house. It was founded by Robert II of Scotland, and the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland. Their patrilineal ancestors had held the title High Steward of Scotland since the 12th century, after arriving by way of Norman England. The dynasty inherited further territory by the 17th century which covered the entire British Isles, including the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Ireland, also upholding a claim to the Kingdom of France. The significance of the Stuarts is that they were the first kings of the United Kingdom and that they brought disaster to England. 2. Whigs The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule. Both parties began as loose groupings or tendencies, but became quite formal by 1784, with the ascension of Charles James Fox as the leader of a reconstituted â€Å"Whig† party ranged against the governing party of the new â€Å"Tories† under William Pitt the Younger. Both parties were founded on rich politicians, more than on popular votes; there were elections to the House of Commons, but a small number of men controlled most of the voters. The significance of the Whigs is that the Whigs political program came to encompass not only the supremacy of parliament over the monarch and support for free trade, but Catholic emancipation, the abolition of slavery and expansion of the franchise. 3. Tories In the 17th century it had become a term applied to monarchists in the House of Commons. By the 18th century the Tories were politicians who favored royal authority, the established church and who sought to preserve the traditional political structure and opposed parliamentary reform. After 1834 this political group in the House of Commons preferred to use the term Conservative. The significance of the Tories was that they emerged to uphold the legitimist rights of James, Duke of York to succeed his brother Charles II to the British throne. G. 1. Politique is a term that was used during the sixteenth and seventeenth century Wars of Religion, to describe moderates of both religious faiths (Huguenots and Catholics) who held that only the restoration of a strong monarchy could save France from total collapse. It frequently included a pejorative connotation of moral or religious indifference. The term gained great currency after 1568 with the appearance of radical Catholic Leagues calling for the eradication of Protestantism in France, and by 1588 the politique were seen by detractors as an organized group, and treated as worse than heretics. 2. Henry IV was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France. As a Huguenot, Henry was involved in the Wars of Religion before ascending the throne in 1589. Before his coronation as King of France at Chartres, he changed his faith from Calvinism to Catholicism and, in 1598, he enacted the Edict of Nantes, which guaranteed religious liberties to the Protestants, thereby effectively ending the civil war. One of the most popular French kings, both during and after his reign, Henry showed great care for the welfare of his subjects and displayed an unusual religious tolerance for the time. By him granting religious liberties to the Protestants he was helping establishing a modern state in France. 3. Cardinal Richelieu was consecrated as a bishop in 1608, he later entered politics, becoming a Secretary of State in 1616. Richelieu soon rose in both the Catholic Church and the French government, becoming a Cardinal in 1622, and King Louis XIII's chief minister in 1624. The Cardinal de Richelieu was often known by the title of the King's â€Å"Chief Minister† or â€Å"First Minister†. As a result, he is considered to be the world's first Prime Minister, in the modern sense of the term. He sought to consolidate royal power and crush domestic factions. By restraining the power of the nobility, he transformed France into a strong, centralized state. His chief foreign policy objective was to check the power of the Austro-Spanish Habsburg dynasty, and to ensure French dominance in the Thirty Years' War that engulfed Europe. Although he was a cardinal, he did not hesitate to make alliances with Protestant rulers in attempting to achieve his goals. By doing all of this he was helping establish a modern state. 4. Cardinal Mazarin was a French-Italian cardinal, diplomat, and politician, who served as the chief minister of France from 1642 until his death. Mazarin succeeded his mentor, Cardinal Richelieu. He was a noted collector of art and jewels, particularly diamonds, and he bequeathed the â€Å"Mazarin diamonds† to Louis XIV in 1661, some of which remain in the collection of the Louvre museum in Paris. His personal library was the origin of the Bibliotheque Mazarine in Paris. He helps establish the basis for a modern state in France by following in Richelieu policies. . The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The Fronde was divided into two campaigns, the Fronde of the parliaments and the Fronde of the nobles. The timing of the outbreak of the Fronde des parliaments, directly after the Peace of Westphalia (1648) that ended the Thirty Years War, was significant. The nuclei of armed bands under aristocratic leader s that terrorized parts of France had been hardened in a generation of war in Germany where troops still tended to operate autonomously. Louis XIV, impressed as a young ruler with the experience of the Fronde, came to reorganize French fighting forces under a stricter hierarchy whose leaders ultimately could be made or unmade by the King. Thus the Fronde finally resulted in the disempowerment of the territorial aristocracy and the emergence of absolute monarchy. They help establish the basis for a modern state in France by strength the crown since it made people realized that it was better to be ruled by a strong king then to be dominated by competing and contentious noblemen. . Louis XIV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. He ruled France as an absolute monarch by declaring that â€Å"I am the state†. The experience of the Fronde taught him to distrust the nobles. He believed in the divine right of king provided the justification for absolute monarchy. He was smart enough to create Versailles in order to keep a track of the nobles. He help establish the basis for a modern state by pr oviding a method on how to keep the nobles content and thus make them not revolt against the king. 7. Jean-Baptiste Colbert was a French politician who served as the Minister of Finances of France from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His relentless hard work and thrift made him an esteemed minister. He achieved a reputation for his work of improving the state of French manufacturing and bringing the economy back from the brink of bankruptcy. Historians note that, despite Colbert's efforts, France actually became increasingly impoverished because of the King's excessive spending on wars. Colbert worked to create a favorable balance of trade and increase France's colonial holdings. Colbert's plan was to build a general academy. Colbert's market reforms included the foundation of the Manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs in 1665 to supplant the importation of Venetian glass and to encourage the technical expertise of Flemish cloth manufacturing in France. He also founded royal tapestry works at Gobelins and supported those at Beauvais. Colbert worked to develop the domestic economy by raising tariffs and by encouraging major public works projects. Colbert also worked to ensure that the French East India Company had access to foreign markets, so that they could always obtain coffee, cotton, dyewoods, fur, pepper, and sugar. In addition, Colbert founded the French merchant marine. Colbert issued more than 150 edicts to regulate the guilds. One such law had the intention of improving the quality of cloth. The edict declared that if the authorities found a merchant's cloth unsatisfactory on three separate occasions, they were to tie him to a post with the cloth attached to him. He establishes the basis for a way to improve economy so that the people can get jobs thus helping reducing the unemployment rate in France.