Saturday, August 31, 2019

Soc/100 Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Media Analysis

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Media Analysis Amy SOC/100 November 7, 2011 Robert Murray Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Media Analysis The show I chose is called The Big Bang Theory. The show is a comedy show themed around a group of nerdy scientists who are neighbors with a beautiful outgoing waitress. One of the nerds has a romantic interest in the neighbor but thinks he has no chance with her as she is out of his league. There is definite social inequality here as the nerds see themselves below the neighbor’s status in regards to relationships and finding love. Some scenes that apply to the social theme are when you see all the â€Å"nerds† at work it is clear that they are in the science field. There are microscopes, periodic tables, beakers, and math equations on chalk and dry erase boards. The â€Å"nerds† defiantly dress the part of the nerd. One wears thick black rimmed glasses, another is tall, skinny, and wears his t-shirts tucked into his pants. One of the nerds is from India and seems shy and does not talk to any female counterpart, or any other female for that matter. The last â€Å"nerd† has a bowl haircut and it seems he tries too hard to fit in with a crowd he will never fit into. He wears leopard silk pajamas to bed and has a bowl haircut. There is defiantly a leader of the group as the other nerds follow him around and he seems to do a bigger portion of the talking. The female neighbor is very confident in the way she walks and dresses at times a bit provocatively. When the neighbor is around the nerd with the glasses tends to get nervous and a bit looser in his posture. He almost seems to cower to her, almost as if to hide from her when she is in a room. He clearly adores her with the way he looks at her when she is around. He does talk to her however; she tends to dominate the conversations. He seems to enjoy being around her and talking to her even though he is very nervous. The female neighbor also surprisingly seems to enjoy talking to the nerd in the glasses as she isn’t as closed off to him as she is with the others. She looks at him when he talks to her and she isn’t crossing her arms or turning away from him. It seems though that they do not hang out socially outside of their apartment building except for the times the â€Å"nerds† eat at the restaurant the neighbor works at. In some of the situations I see the nerd with the glasses and the neighbor it leads me to believe that something romantic will happen eventually. I think when people look at relationships they tend to think each of the individuals as equals socially. Most people seem to think that couples come from the same social circles and it is not often you would see a young beautiful woman with a shy science nerd. The same goes for say an older man or woman with a younger person. Many people would say it’s inappropriate for older people to date those younger than them, while others think opposites attract. So when it comes to the science nerd and the beautiful neighbor I hope they get the chance to have a relationship with each other, maybe it will take them out of their norm and give them a chance to experience something new. Things would be pretty boring if we were all the same and people didn’t shake things up a bit!

Friday, August 30, 2019

Alliances in World War I

Wars are large and complicated affairs. The First World War was the product of many things. Although the war officially began on July 28th, 1914, it had been building up for a while. The beginning of the war was a lot like a domino effect. It started when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. On July 29, Russia ordered a mobilization only against Austria-Hungary in support of Serbia. The Germans threatened war on July 31 if the Russians did not demobilize. France then mobilized. On August 1, Germany declared war on Russia, and two days later, on France.The German invasion of Belgium to attack France, which violated Belgium's official neutrality, prompted Britain to declare war on Germany. World War I had begun. Nationalism, militarism, and imperialism all prompted the rivalry between nations which led to WWI. Nationalism, the love and support of one's country, has always existed. At this time, however, it was so prominent, it helped cause the First World War. Since so much pride wa s devoted to countries, it made the possibilities of peace between past rivals less probable.People felt great loyalty and were willing to do anything for their country. In history, many wars have been over territorial disputes. A country feels nationalistic, and people's pride leads to people wanting to expand with more land. A country can feel so strongly about this that they will fight for it. The spark of the world was the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife. They were shot by a Serbian nationalist because of the crisis in the Balkans. The Balkan Peninsula was a mountainous area below Austria-Hungary and consisted of many different ethnic groups.Each group was very nationalistic and wanted to extend its borders, especially Serbia. Austria-Hungary took over two Balkan Slavic areas. Document 6 describes the tension in this region at the time. Serbia did not want Austria-Hungary to have Bosnia and Herzegovina. The archduke was shot because the Serbians fear ed that when he came into power he would continue to persecute the Serbs who lived in the Austro-Hungarian borders. The assassination, however, only created more problems. A harsh ultimatum was given to Serbia and when Serbia tried to negotiate the harsh terms, war was declared upon them.Serbia's ally, Russia joined right in the war, and soon after many other European countries. Nationalism was also a contributing factor to the alliance system. A country having more people on its side meant they felt more powerful, and more nationalistic. During World War I there were two alliance systems; the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente. The Triple Alliance included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The Triple Entente included Great, Britain, France, and Russia. Later on in the war, the United States entered the war on the Triple Entente side, and Russia left.Members of the Triple Alliance were also known as the Central Powers. This is because the three countries were grouped together in the center of Europe. On each side of them, they had enemies, which is not a good spot to be in if you want to have a war. The Triple Entente became known as the Allies. By the end of the war the Allies had won. The war was officially ended on November 11, 1918 by The Treaty of Versailles. This was supposed to be the treaty to end all wars, but it ultimately just fueled future conflict.

Discuss the role of the fool in “King Lear” Essay

In ‘King Lear’, the Fool is a character of dramatic importance in the play. The Fool helps the reader, and in Shakespeare’s time would help the audience, to understand what lies beneath the surface of certain actions or verses. He equally strives to make Lear ‘see’. The Fool may be a very intriguing character and very often a complicated one but his role is necessary in ‘King Lear’. The Fool plays three major roles; one of these roles is that of an ‘inner-conscience’ of Lear. The Fool provides basic wisdom and reasoning for the King at much needed times. The Fool also works as amusement for Lear in times of sadness; often making Lear laugh at himself! He is one of the only people besides the Duke of Kent and Cordelia who are willing to stand up to the King. Right from the very first appearance we realize that he is a very ironic character and that he makes fun of Kent as well as of the situation. With his sarcastic remarks and phrases he is simply telling Kent, â€Å"..thou must needs wear my coxcomb,† telling him that he is a Fool for; â€Å"†¦taking one’s part that’s out of favour,† because Lear has given everything away and is not worth following. The role of he Fool is to help Lear â€Å"†¦see better†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , making him aware of what his daughters really are and trying to make him understand how wrong his deed of giving them everything was. He acts like Lear’s ‘inner-conscience’ and does this in the best of ways by being a â€Å"†¦bitter fool†¦Ã¢â‚¬  because the truth hurts; â€Å"Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gav’st thy golden one away†. (Act 1 Scene 4) He is straight forward and direct, â€Å"†¦I had rather be any kind o’thing than a fool, and yet I would not be thee, nuncle.† (Act 1 Scene 4) The Fool is surely the wisest of the two, â€Å"Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise,† but in his own way he is a fool too, for standing by Lear through this because Lear is, â€Å"†¦an O without a figure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he is, â€Å"†¦nothing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The directness of his words also foretells what is to happen to Lear. He is always trying to make him see things the way they  are in an extremely wise way, â€Å"†¦but for all this thou shalt have as many dolours for thy daughters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act 2 Scene 4) The Fool heightens the image of â€Å"nothing† in ‘King Lear’, taunting the King himself with his hurtful words; this is the wise-ness of the Fool The Fool and Lear share a close relationship in the play, contrary to the many relationships that turn sour. The Fool stays loyal to Lear even through his madness. In Act 3 Scene 2 the Fools role becomes one of a commentator in his soliloquy; he taunts Lear and prophesies on events that will unfold. From this point on the prominence of his role starts to lessen as Lear meets Poor Tom and now gives him most of his attention. He still sticks to his wise sarcasm and joins in Lear’s mock-trial along with Poor Tom in Act 3 Scene 6. This is the last time we see the Fool, were his exit very appropriately portrays the state of affairs of the play at this point â€Å"And I’ll go to bed at noon.† – insinuating that everything is upside down and in chaos. After having read ‘King Lear’, one may notice that the Fool and Cordelia never participate in the same scene; therefore there have been suggestions that Cordelia may have been the Fool in disguise, but there has never been any concrete proof to prove this theory. The name Fool means nothing. He is the most intelligent and insightful character in the play and provides simple and clear reasoning for a King with limited vision. The Fool is loyal to the bitter end and provides the little bits of humour, much needed in this play; he has honesty and integrity that is found in only a few other characters in this play.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Business Analysis of John Lewis Partnership Outline

Business Analysis of John Lewis Partnership - Outline Example This paper will examine the methods that have been used by the partnership as well as how these have led to initiatives that have moved ahead of competitors in the UK. The several areas of analysis performed in relation to the John Lewis Partnership will provide insight into strategies which businesses can apply to begin to move forward in the retail sector. SWOT Analysis The relevance of the SWOT analysis is to work into new strategies that will help to monitor and change the aspects within the corporation. The main ideal is to work toward a sense of knowledge management which can be applied within the organization while moving forward with different strategies and approaches that are associated with the corporation (Zhiping, Yonghong, 2002). When looking at the strategies of the John Lewis Partnership, it can be seen that the strengths of the corporation should be a continuous feature. This is based on the diversity of products that are offered with the retail store, ranging from w ine shops to business solutions and insurance (Felicitta, 2009). This diversity is followed by finding partners and small business owners that can tap into the retail store as a part owner. This allows the internal environment to have a spirit of entrepreneurship, while creating more opportunities for growth and support within the community. As this is done, it helps to stimulate loyal customers and responses among those that are in the community (Shi, 2007). The weaknesses that are from this main attribute come from the dimensions of positioning. This is a main problem with those who are in the retail industry, specifically because it changes the outcome of which customers will decide to shop in a specific area and will also alter the relationships and partnership that are provided within the company (Messinger, 2007). The positioning of the John Lewis Partnership is one that is limited by the partnerships which are incorporated as well as the sectors which have already been develo ped. This allows other competitors to begin to move into the sector and change the outlooks with other retail management options. Since most of the stores are built on partnerships, this may mean that the partners don’t have the necessary opportunities to continue and to make the desired profit (Tustin, 2006). The opportunities and threats that are associated with this can lead to further strategies to change the level of popularity against competition. The main opportunity comes from the multiple stores offered. Most competitors create a vertical relationship, meaning the association is based only on the one set of stores opened (Liu, Davies, 2007). This particular opportunity led to a 79.3% increase in 2008 and another 3.6% increase in 2009, with 11,365.4 million as the revenue (Aark, 2010). However, the partnerships established allow the John Lewis change into a multiple layer orientation of expansion, allowing them to move beyond competitors because of the diversity offer ed. While this works effectively, the mass amount of partnerships also limits other attributes. There are not as many price cuts and quality differences in most of the retail stores because of the partnerships established. Competitors with independent stores and national chains often move ahead of John Lewis Partnership because of the differences in price and the diversity of products which can be offered (Hall, 2007). TOWS Analysis The

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Global Food Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Food Crisis - Essay Example The purpose of this secondary, desk-based research study is to inform the general reader about the multitudes of problems associated with meeting supply versus demand volumes to feed the hungry and also sustain new product development efforts using food products. This information is worthy of consideration as the future of food production and distribution, currently, looks considerably bleak and it ultimately impacts the quality of life for virtually every international citizen. The information gleaned from this secondary research study provides new information and factual statistics about the current state of the global food situation as well as future projections that continue to paint a dismal picture of success in meeting food demand internationally. There is no specific target audience that would best gain from the knowledge provided in this study as the impact of the global food crisis has an influence on scientists, government, general global citizens, and even stock market in vestors interested in commodity prices and value of their investment dollars. Russia, over the last two years, has experienced significant volume reduction in agricultural output of grain due to heatwaves and drought conditions that eroded more than one-third of the country’s entire crop output (Gorst, 2011). To ensure that the Russian people had enough stored grain to sustain its population’s needs, export bans were imposed on all wheat products until the country was able to improve total grain output.... perienced significant volume reduction on agricultural output of grain due to heatwaves and drought conditions that eroded more than one-third of the country’s entire crop output (Gorst, 2011). To ensure that the Russian people had enough stored grain to sustain its population’s needs, export bans were imposed on all wheat products until the country was able to improve total grain output. This export ban created a situation where wheat prices soared in European markets, leading to ongoing internationally-driven disapproval (Gorst). A similar situation occurred in Australia just this year due to excessive flooding caused by torrential rains and a variety of tropical storms (Mendleson, 2011). Australia relies on its export capabilities for a variety of crops for financial security, as does many of its import partners that rely on adequate crop volumes produced in Australia. Even though the disasters in Russia and Australia are not preventable, this provides excellent oppo rtunity for innovators to develop new farming techniques as a contingency plan to prevent such shortages from occurring in the future. These efforts could include refertilization of non-fertile lands in Africa or developing new greenhouse technologies for indoor food production. Biofuels are also adding to the problem as countries attempt to develop new fuel technologies to avoid over-dependence on foreign, traditional oil. According to a recent report, biofuels consumed 20 percent of sugar cane crops produced across the world between 2007 and 2009, thus raising these commodity prices (Chaffin, 2011). Even though innovators looked toward this new biofuel technology as a means to reduce the costs of foreign oil, it has led to significant shortages in the food supply. This is an indicator that biofuels

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Economic Growth Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic Growth Models - Essay Example Y = AKL1-, 0where A measures the level of technology. Output per worker, y = Y/L, is thus given by y = Ak where k denotes the capital-labor ratio. Capital accumulation is given by k = sy - (n + )k, 0 where s denotes the propensity to save, n > 0 the exogenous rate of population growth, and the rate of depreciation of physical capital(Agnor and Montiel 1999, p.671). The Solow-Swan growth model predicts that growth should be uncorrelated with the ratio of national investment to total output (gross domestic product or GDP). If capital markets are open, the model predicts instantaneous convergence of output per capita across countries. Convergence is achieved by capital flows from rich to poor countries and a consequence of these flows is that the ratio of national savings to GDP in each country should differ substantially from the ratio of investment to GDP since there is no reason to expect that countries with high savings rates should be those with large investment opportunities. In the presence of capital market imperfections, such as the inability to borrow to finance human capital accumulation, convergence is predicted to occur more slowly (Farmer and Lahiri, 2003). Figure 1. Equilibrium in the Solow-Swan Model Source: Kalyvitis (n.d., p.6) Assuming that all regions possess similar technology and similar preferences, and that there are no institutional barriers to the flow of both capital and labor across state borders, the Solow-Swan neoclassical growth model predicts that states would have similar levels of real per capita income in the long run (convergence). Across regions of a given... Assuming that all regions possess similar technology and similar preferences, and that there are no institutional barriers to the flow of both capital and labor across state borders, the Solow-Swan neoclassical growth model predicts that states would have similar levels of real per capita income in the long run (convergence). Across regions of a given country that share such a common long-run level of real per capita income, convergence of per capita incomes is driven by diminishing returns to capital. That is, each addition to the capital stock generates large increases in output when the regional stock of capital is small. If the only difference between regional economies lies in the level of their initial stock of capital, the neoclassical growth model predicts that poor regions will grow faster than rich ones—regions with lower starting values of the capital-labor ratio will have higher per capita income growth rates. Other channels through which convergence can occur are interregional capital mobility; the diffusion of technology from leader to follower economies; the redistribution of incomes from relatively rich regions to relatively poor regions of a federal country by its central government; and flows of labor from poor to rich regions (Cashin and Sahay 1996, p.49).Agà ©nor and Montiel (1999, p.677) note that the neoclassical growth model only predicts â€Å"conditional† convergence, that is a tendency for per capita income to converge across countries only after controlling.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Health and saftey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Health and saftey - Essay Example Welders needed to use very awkward upper body movements to lift the canisters onto a trolley, which they then transported to their individual welding stalls as needed (American Welding Society). When the discussion of potential ergonomic injuries and accidents caused by handling a hazardous material in an awkward way was attempted, the workers always responded by saying, in essence, â€Å"But we’ve always done it this way and no one has gotten hurt.† The response of the supervisor was obviously that no one has gotten hurt yet. The awkward unloading of the acetylene was identified as a hazard that had potential to injure individuals but the loading and transporting onto the trolley could have injured many, due to the hazardous nature of the pressurized and flammable nature of the acetylene (BBC). Following the steps outlined in the Management Regulations, a baseline of injuries was established by analyzing data on injuries in the departments that handled the acetylene in the manner described (National Health Service). A higher rate of back strains was reported for these departments. The supervisor theorized that the loading and unloading of the acetylene could be a source of some of the strains. The supervisor knew that eliminating the risk of injury at the source was the best practice, so he began to investigate why the acetylene was stored in that specific area. To his surprise, he discovered that the acetylene was stored in that awkward area for the past several decades because the supplier of the acetylene and the former management agreed that this was the easiest spot to unload the canisters. In those days, this was done by hand, one canister at a time. Now the canisters were unloaded safely by hydraulic lift, so there was no longer a need to store them in that awkward spot. An alternative spot was identified and new procedures for lifting and transporting canisters were established for the welders in that shop. This example shows how the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Several Topics(Marketing 301) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Several Topics(Marketing 301) - Essay Example These compose the type of wholesalers who basically buy a large amount of product and later on resell them to the retailers. The other type is called, functional intermediaries who are responsible in speeding up the transaction between the retailers and the producers or manufacturers for a certain amount of compensation. Wholesale intermediaries are responsible for customers to have the product that they need. Without these wholesalers, people would need to buy straight from the manufacturers which is a hassle for both the consumer and the manufacturer. This is a problem, since people would need to buy a small amount of product in different manufacturers which are in different and scattered places. With respect to the possible effect of wholesale intermediaries to retailers, it is actually a mutual benefit for both party. First, the process of transfer of goods would be a lot faster and easier. Retailers would not need to buy product in different manufacturers but instead they could get different products in a single place. Also, since the purchase of product of the wholesaler is usually discounted, retailers could derive the product in a nearer place thus, reducing the amount that could have been spend for transportation if wholesalers are not present. The emergence of internet has helped retailers and wholesalers alike to get to the customers more efficiently. Through the internet, a certain consumer could decide which product he or she would prefer, eliminating the time spent for conversation and explanation that is usually done for the satisfaction of consumers. The emergence of the internet has played a vital role in connecting people from all over the world. With this, people from the other parts of the world could communicate with the retailers or wholesaler about the product which they would want to purchase. Locate advertising for two products that illustrate an effective brand name, brand mark, packaging and overall "trade dress". Explain why you think each product has a strong brand identity. Two products which I think illustrate an effective brand name, brand mark, packaging and overall "trade dress" are Motorola cellular phone and Pepsi Cola. Motorola in its television advertisement have successfully demonstrated the importance of products being just some millimeter in width. The brand mark of the Motorola products are usually slim and innovative cell phones which still functions as competitive as any other cellular phones. The packaging of the product makes one to think that the slimmest of the product could make someone look more important and that it is a millimeter worth wanting. The Pepsi ad which usually shows famous personalities drinking the product has created an impression regarding the products worth. It shows that these famous celebrities are enjoying and are purchasing the product which creates a packaging that if one would drink the product he or she could be at least in the same level as the rich and famous, at least in the brand of cola that one is purch asing. Each product has a strong brand identity because if one would mentions cola, the first thing that would come to mind is usually Pepsi. If one mentions a slim cellular phone, the brand that would pop in the mind would be Motorola. Consider a customer service experience you have had in the last month or so. Was it positive or negative Describe you're experience and then

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Loss of my Grandfather Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Loss of my Grandfather - Essay Example This discussion stresses that the death of the author's grandfather meant a disorganization in their family system. Since childhood, grandfather used to tell them that their extended family was an emotional unit that could be bonded by love and unity. In addition, grandfather had been advising the entire family against isolation and self-centeredness whereby people could do things for personal or individual gain. Soon after the death of grandfather, family meetings were no longer held as the unifying factor existed no more. For example, the author's uncle relocated, aunt transferred to her work place to the city and my family decided on staying on our grandfather’s farm where they live with our grandmother.   Ã‚  From this paper it is clear that grandfather was an elder in their local church, and for that matter, we used to go to his church. He built our spirituality in terms of getting involved in organized religion, engaging in various church ministries, going to church ev ery Sunday and even doing evangelism on weekends. Once he died, there was laziness on Sunday as they go to church whenever they feel like, they no longer participate in church ministries like they used to and they completely forgot about bible studies or even praying together as a family. The spirituality of their family was adversely affected to the extent that they no longer give tithes like they used to do as a family.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Students Talents and Potential Areas of Growth Essay

Students Talents and Potential Areas of Growth - Essay Example There are many colleges and universities that hand out scholarships on the basis of a child’s performance in sports. There are people who come from low-income families and hence do not have access to any kind of privileges related to education. Being active in sports opens up a lot of opportunities for the child. It is very necessary for a healthy growth of the children to be physically active and not being able to perform academically does not necessarily mean that the child is incapable of anything. Schools should be encouraged to have a defined syllabus, so as to make sure that they equip their students in a real way and properly rather than making them do selective studies. This sort of trend has recently emerged resulting in the increased test results of those schools who are teaching their children specifically for the tests (Smith, Fey, 2000). Here, it becomes evident that it is not at all necessary for the person to be intelligent and capable, but it shows that if the person strives then, he can for sure get what he desires. Therefore, the main factor behind this high score is none other than â€Å"MOTIVATION†. Motivation can be induced in any way either by offering some sort of monetary reward or it can be as simple as public recognition, or recognition among peers. Of course, a mentally challenged person will not be able to achieve it even with motivation, but an average person with a sound mind can easily achieve a good score with a little motivation. Many a time uninterested respondents do not even bother to go beyond a few questions or think (Salkind, 2002). It has been generally seen that people who belong to low-income strata or to areas with a lower economic growth score lower on the tests.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Clinical Judgement and Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Clinical Judgement and Decision Making - Essay Example After that discovery is when R. L could be treated and despite the fact that he took time to heal, he eventually recovered from all the diagnosis. This clearly implies that R. L had a problem with judgment and decision making process. Clinical judgment is a very critical aspect of human life because a clinic or healthcare is an environment that deals with human life (Luker and Kenrick 2002). Any judgment made is related to human life. For example, R L’s case is a problem on his body where he is unable to swallow food properly. Decision-making is very crucial in such a situation because R.L was suffering and when he goes to the hospital he refuses to share his problem with the physician. In such cases, the doctor is unable to make judgment concerning the best approach for R. L’s condition. In some cases, decision-making becomes a dilemma. For example, during operations of transplant of kidney from one person to another where both people are operated, the physician is for ced to save one person meaning that he or she has to make a critical decision. In fact, judgment in clinical field is very crucial and it requires professionalism and experience as observed in R. L’s situation. According to Dowie, judgment in clinical context is defined as the evaluation of the alternative, the choosing between alternatives, and suggests that judgments are normally in certain way an evaluation of the future (Dowie 1993). R. L’s future was determined by the speech pathologist who made a very crucial decision of assessing him and finding out what his problem was and moving further to treat him. In suggesting this, Dowie debates that if a decision is to be regarded sensible then certainly some knowledge of what the prospect might seem like... The author of this essay assumes that in the current world, there is a well-established and mounting body on judgment and decision-making (JDM). There has been a recurring discussion concerning the constructs and description of judgment and decision making process. This means that there is no universal definition of JDM because these descriptions range significantly across disciplines, philosophies and professions. Nevertheless, judgment is observed as a professional selection other than task: genuine life practice rather than imagined actions of those who view professional status as a good in its own other than a way to an attractive, namely the higher quality care and treatment of patients. In the end the authors sums up that the literature and speculations of JDM are widespread and inclusive as they are contentious. There is no single way to organize the research and literature on JDM. It is apparent that there are distinguished and contesting accounts of JDM in the research and literature. There are several researches done on Judgment in paramedic practice. Some of them are researched well with deep explanation and concrete evidence on facts. However, some researches and theories are not up to their tasks because some of their findings had no concrete proofs. However, for all the theories written concerning judgment and decision-making process, descriptive theories are the best because they are consistent with all the rules and principles of nursing and healthcare.

Early Childhood Education and Childcare Essay Example for Free

Early Childhood Education and Childcare Essay Summary â€Å"Why Universal Childcare? † is a great title for an article such as this one. The question enters the reader into a vast pool of potential answers to the question. First off, what does universal childcare mean? For me, I believe that universal childcare means all around childcare, not only in a general sense, but all over the map childcare. Most people don’t see a problem with childcare in Canada, but it seems as if there are some issues pertaining to the system of childcare in Canada. â€Å"In a country of close to five million children of 0-12 years of age, Canada now has fewer than 900,000 regulated childcare spaces. The percentage of children for whom a space is available increased only to 17. 5 percent about a 10 percent increase over the past fifteen years†. (Prentice, 2009, p. 1). A frequent problem most organizations/programs run into is often funding the programs. Without funding, the programs usually suffer and do not meet the maximum amount of care and quality that it should be able to meet. Along with this, the childhood educators/childcare providers may be undertrained. â€Å"The quality of the care is frequently troubling: limited public financing forces programs to operate as cheaply as possible, and requirements for programs are low. The early childhood educators who provide the care are underpaid and often undertrained. Overall, Canada’s early childhood education and care situation suffers from chronic neglect. † (Prentice, 2009, p. 1). Another reason why this situation may come across as shocking to most people, is because Canada is an extremely wealthy country, so you could expect Canada to have a very strong childcare programs. Childcare programs are always changing, they have changed drastically in the last few years, most programs are now looking for ways to interpret ways of learning and more social support for children. â€Å"ECEC (Early Childcare Education and Care) is about an integrated and coherent approach to policy. It is about providing care that includes all children and all children regardless of employment or socio-economic status. † (Prentice, 2009, p. 4). Integrating social support and learning into these childcare programs will expand the knowledge and adaptability of children when entering their later childhood educations. The history of childcare helps explain why today childcare programs are poorly put together. â€Å"The origins of childcare were in philanthropy and benevolence. From the mid- nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century, most of what we know today as childcare programs were provided by educational, philanthropic, or religious organizations, often led by prominent women. † (Prentice, 2009, p. 71). Women were the ones who normally ran the childcare centers, but as we see today, women are entering the paid workforce. The governments did not play a role back then, hence they did not play a part in the responsibility. Today, we count on the government to help fund and organize these programs, which is still a  developing task. After World War II, the federal government stopped funding childcare. This lead out into outbursts which lead to : The Day of Nurseries Act, which became Canada’s first provincial legislation. This lead to the number of childcare programs expanding. We saw a leading change in childcare happen in 2006, when the Harper Conservatives made childcare one of their five leading promises. â€Å"In the 2006 election the Harper Conservatives made childcare one of their five leading promises†. (Prentice, 2009, p. 84. ). Unfortunately, what was promised to parents never happened. Childcare disappeared in importance. How were parents supposed to trust anyone with their ‘childcare money’? â€Å"Following the cancellation of the national childcare plan, childcare space expansion showed the smallest increase in regulated child care in some years: an increase of only 26,661 spaces since 2006. † (Prentice, 2009, p. 86). The author is trying to show the reader the importance of history, and how the little things contribute to how childcare as a whole has developed over the years. Also, the importance of funding programs for childcare.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Analysing the Concept of and Impact of Culture

Analysing the Concept of and Impact of Culture More than a half century ago noted American poet T. S. Eliot eloquently expressed the complexity of the term culture, a term that is used so freely and with so little aforethought today. As Eliot learned, culture is quite difficult to define. He succeeded in describing the term, as Lord Evans (2001) noted, but a definition eluded even someone with Eliots gift for words. But Eliot was not alone in wrestling with defining culture; experts in a variety of disciplines have yet to agree on a consensus definition and some even contest the concept of culture itself. As this essay will demonstrate, controversy surrounding the concept of culture can be attributed, to a large degree, to the failure by those who study the topic to adopt a widely-accepted definition that adequately captures the complexity of the term. After presenting the results of a literature review on various definitions of culture and the topic of culture as a contested concept, the focus of the essay turns to the significance of culture in conflict resolution, demonstrating that culture is a critical factor in successfully resolving conflicts and, further, that a consensus definition for culture that reflects the realities of modern society would facilitate the conflict resolution process. Culture Defined Experts may not be able to agree on a definition for culture, but they apparently experience no difficulty in agreeing that culture is a difficult term to define (Edensor 2002; Hall 1980, cited in Park 2005). Susan Wright (1998) reports the existence of at least 164 definitions for culture. Noted sociologist and anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn (1949) defined culture eleven different ways in his book Mirror for Man, and he and his colleagues (1952) catalogued more than 160 definitions for culture into six categories – descriptive, historical, normative, psychological, generic, and incomplete. Raymond Williams writes that, in the term culture, history has bestowed â€Å"one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language†, adding that culture can be used to refer to a wide range of phenomena and that the concept of culture has produced major political and philosophical disagreement (Williams 1983, cited in Chay 1990). Kluckhohn (1954) developed one of the most often cited definitions for culture in writing that it â€Å"consists in patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts†. Culture has also been defined as â€Å"that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society† (Tylor 1871, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); â€Å"the human-made part of the environment† (Herskovits 1955, cited in Earley and Randal 1997); â€Å"shared meaning systems† (Shweder and LeVine 1984, cited in Earley and Randal 1997); â€Å"the sum total and organization of the social heritages which have acquired a social meaning because of racial temperament and of the historical life of the group† (Park and Burgess 1921, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); â€Å"th e mode of life followed by the community or the tribe [including] all standardized social procedures† (Wissler 1929, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); â€Å"the sum of mens adjustments to their life-conditions†¦attained only through the combined action of variation, selection, and transmission† (Sumner and Keller 1927, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); and â€Å"a product of human association† (Groves 1928, cited in Kluckhohn 1952). In the aggregate, the various definitions just presented express the theme of shared meanings acquired then passed from generation to generation. They also describe culture at group and societal levels. Other experts describe the term from the perspective of the individual or otherwise provide for differences in cultural attributes within a group or society. Hofstede (1980, cited in Earley and Randel 1997) defines culture as â€Å"a set of mental programs that control an individuals responses in a given context†. Park (2005) describes culture as a â€Å"marker for difference† in society. And Rohner (1984, cited in Earley and Randel 1997) defines the term as â€Å"the totality of equivalent and complementary learned meanings maintained by a human population, or by identifiable segments of a population, and transmitted from one generation to the next†. The phrase â€Å"equivalent and complementary learned meanings† is critical to an understanding of Rohners definition, according to Earley and Randel, because it provides for individual variances in interpretations of â€Å"learned meanings† within a culture. Although these definitions represent only a small portion of those revealed from a review of the literature, they provide some insight into the range of thought on the topic of culture, especially perspectives on assessing culture at various levels – societal, group, and individual. As will be suggested, the difficulty experts have experienced in defining culture helps to explain why culture is a contested concept and why a solution to the definitional problem is important to resolving the debate about the role of culture in conflict resolution and, ultimately, to facilitating the conflict resolution process. Culture as a Contested Concept Fantasia and Hirsch (1995, cited in Ellis and Thompson, 1997) write, with a hint of sarcasm, that cultural theorists can take pride in their creation of a â€Å"contested terrain† in the study of culture. The literature review indicated that most experts who contest the concept of culture base their disputes on the belief that, in the modern world, there is no all-embracing culture in which everyone in a given society blindly holds precisely the same shared meanings, which is suggested by most traditional definitions of culture. The concept of culture has long been contested (Cooper and Denner 1998; Mathews 2000). Bhabha (1993) writes that, as people have increasingly migrated to other lands in modern times, they have only taken part of their total culture with them. The culture of these migrants becomes a mixture of the cultures from their native societies and those found in the society in which they entered. Heath (1997) writes that experts no longer consider culture to be a viable concept â€Å"in a world of volatile, situated, and overlapping social identities†, contending that various disciplines have taken issue with culture as a concept for various reasons. She writes that educators protest the concept on the basis of â€Å"its transmission of connotations of objectivity, discreteness, essentialism, and ahistoricism†; sociologists challenge the concept on the grounds of â€Å"production, mass consumerism, and popular entertainment†; and experts from the human sciences contest the â€Å"totalizing universalizing perspectives† of culture, replacing these â€Å"arbitrary constructions† with â€Å"permeable membranes† that are not â€Å"predictable or deterministic†. Heath (1997) also points to the â€Å"fuzzy boundaries† of culture, arguing that specific cultures are hard to isolate and claiming that variations are becoming apparent within groups that have been traditionally viewed as possessing unique cultures. Edensor (2002) writes that popular culture is having a major cross-cultural effect on traditional cultures. Childs and Storry (1999) claim that cultures are changing so quickly that â€Å"a snapshot of current cultural practices is inevitably going to be blurred†. Mathews (2000), in noting that even anthropologists are increasingly avoiding the term culture, poses the question as to whether â€Å"in todays world of global flows and interactions† cultural â€Å"labels† are appropriate and claims tha t individuals personally select which elements of a given culture to apply in their behavioural decisions. Brightman (1995, cited in Mathews 2000) notes that some experts are enclosing culture in quotation marks to indicate their â€Å"ambivalence, self-consciousness or censure† about the term. In closing, perhaps Earley and Randel (1997) offer the one of the more revealing insights into the controversy over the term culture: â€Å"We suggest that while the romance of culture as a grand concept capturing the complexity of society and life is tempting, this conceptualization is both limiting and misleading†. The Significance of Culture in Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution and culture are intrinsically intertwined. Rubin and colleagues (1994, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997) define conflict as â€Å"perceived divergence of interest, or a belief that parties current aspirations cannot be achieved simultaneously†. Hopmann (1998) contends that, in a complex world, conflict is unavoidable. Conflict is an inevitable consequence of the interdependence inherent in human interaction (Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997). Processes used to resolve conflicts must be considered within a larger cultural context (Just 1991). Conflicts are cultural events in every sense of the word, according to Lederach (1991). Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997) write that â€Å"conflict resolution is a cultural phenomenon†. Avruch (1991) refers to conflicts and conflict resolution approaches as â€Å"cultural events†. Various studies have confirmed that conflict resolution processes are culture-specific (Avruch and Black 1991; Avurch, Black and Scimec ca 1991, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997). Ross (1993, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997) originated the term culture of conflict to describe the norms and institutions that a society applies in conflicts. Beliefs, attitudes, and patterns of behaviours about conflict are internalised by people in their cultural settings and, in turn, strengthened by cultural norms and institutions. And, because conflict is a cultural phenomenon, the methods used to perceive and respond to conflict are typically transparent to those involved because these methods are based on assumptions that they do not question. (Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997) Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997) urge caution in applying conflict resolution approaches across cultural lines. For instance, they recommend that generic manuals prescribing conflict resolution procedures to be used in all cultural settings should be avoided (Avruch 1991). People involved in conflict resolution should be flexible and sensitive to cultural differences, according to Lederach (1991, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist) and Benvenisti (1986, cited in Avruch 1991). Benvenisti chastises conflict resolvers â€Å"who believe that communal conflicts are like a chessboard where one can think up the best arrangement of chess pieces and move them all at once†. Cultures vary in the mechanisms they use in resolving conflict with some applying formal mechanisms such as court systems and others using informal approaches such as gossip, teasing, and exclusion (Black 1993; Fry 1992, 1994; Hollan 1988; White 1991, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997). Versi (2002) suggests that â€Å"if you know where the other person is coming from culturally†, you can develop a more effective approach to resolving conflict. Rubin (1994, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997), articulates four generic strategies used in conflict resolution: (1) contending, which involves a high level of concern for ones own results and a low level of concern for the others results; (2) problem solving, which involves high levels of concern for ones own results and those of the other party; (3) yielding, which involves a low level of concern for ones own results and a high level of concern for the others results; and (4) avoiding, which involves low levels of concern for ones own results and those of the other party. Of these, the authors argue that problem solving is the most effective strategy because it permits both contenders to win. Fortunately, the problem solving strategy is effective across a broad spectrum of cultures. In problem solving, the use of a non-partisan third-party facilitator has also been found to be effective across cultures (Black 1993, cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry 1997). The Culture Definition Dilemma and Its Effects on Optimal Conflict Resolution Outcomes The debate about culture, specifically the controversy surrounding the validity of culture as a concept, is important to the field of conflict resolution because cultural factors are so inexorably linked to conflicts and their effective resolutions. Results of the literature review of definitions for the term culture and the review of literature on culture as a contested concept suggest that definitions describing culture as a group or societal phenomenon without allowing for variance within the group or society may be at the root of the cultural concept validity dispute. As Bhabha (1993), Childs and Storry (1999), Edensor (2002), Heath (1997), and Mathews (2000) proffer, modern societies are increasingly integrating and, as this occurs, their members are mixing their unique cultural attributes with one another thereby blurring the distinctions that once defined individual cultures. But does this mean that the concept of culture is invalid? The answer to that question lies in the definitions of culture that allow for individual variance in cultural attributes. For instance, the definition offered by Rohner (1984, cited in Earley and Randel 1997), who defines the term as â€Å"the totality of equivalent and complementary learned meanings maintained by a human population, or by identifiable segments of a population, and transmitted from one generation to the next†, provides for individual variances in interpretations of â€Å"learned meanings† within a culture. This definition seems offer the flexibility to adequately define culture within the context of modern intermingled societies, thus revalidating the concept of culture. How, then, would a definition for culture that provides for individual variance relate to conflict resolution? Although a definition that considers everyone within a particular culture to share precisely the same cultural attributes would help to make conflict resolution a much more predictable process, such a definition does not reflect the realities of modern societies. However, knowing that members of a culture share â€Å"equivalent and complementary learned meanings†, as proposed by Rohner, permits a certain degree of predictability whilst simultaneously providing needed flexibility to accommodate individual variance. There may even be an additional benefit in this condition for practitioners in conflict resolution. Individual variance may actually serve to weaken strong cultural barriers that have, in the past, obstructed successful conflict resolution. For instance, as cultures integrate more fully, their members typically become more understanding of each others cultur al attributes. This understanding should provide an enhanced common basis for resolving conflicts and may even reduce the incidence of conflicts themselves. Conclusion In the modern global village, as opportunities increase for people and their cultures to interact, the need for effective conflict resolution has never been more critical or more difficult, yet experts in a variety of disciplines are engaged in seemingly endless philosophical arguments about the validity of culture as a concept, diverting their energies from what seem to be more productive endeavours such as developing new techniques for conflict resolution that could lead to a more peaceful world. Adopting a more flexible definition for culture – one that recognises individual variances and the realities of the modern world – would be a first step in achieving this worthy goal. References Avruch, K. (1991) Introduction: Culture and conflict-resolution, in K. Avruch, P. W. Black, and J. A. Scimecca, eds., Conflict Resolution: Cross Cultural Perspectives, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood. Avruch, K., and Black, P. W. (1991) The culture question and conflict resolution, Peace and Change 16. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Avruch, K., Black, P. W., and Scimecca, J. A., (1991) Conflict Resolution: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Benvenisti, Meron (1986) Conflicts and Contradictions, New York: Villard Books/Random House. Cited in Avruch (1991). Bhabha, Homi K. (1993) Cultures in between, Artforum International 32:1, September 1993. Bjà ¶rkqvist, Kaj, and Fry, Douglas P. (1997) Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution: Alternatives to Violence, Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Black, D. (1993) The Social Structure of Right and Wrong, San Diego, California: Academic Press. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Brightman, R. (1995) Forget culture: Replacement, transcendence, relexification, Cultural Anthropology 10:4. Cited in Mathews (2000). Chay, Jongsuk (1990) Culture and International Relations, New York: Praeger. Childs, Peter, and Storry, Mike (1999) Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture, London: Routledge. Cooper, Catherine R., and Denner, Jill (1998) Theories linking culture and psychology: Universal and community-specific processes, Annual Review of Psychology 49. Earley, P. Christopher, and Randel, Amy E. (1997) Culture without borders: An individual-level approach to cross-cultural research in organizational behavior, in Cary L. Cooper and Susan E. Jackson, eds., Creating Tomorrows Organizations: A Handbook for Future Research in Organizational Behavior, Chichester: John Wiley Sons. Edensor, Tim (2002) National Identity, Popular Culture and Everyday Life, Oxford: Berg. Eliot, T. S. (1949) Notes Towards the Definition of Culture, New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 62. Ellis, Richard J., and Thompson, Michael (1997) Culture Matters: Essays in Honor of Aaron Wildavsky, Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Evans, Lord (2001) The economy of the imagination, New Statesman 130:4544, July 2, 2001. Fantasia, Rick, and Hirsch, Eric L. (1995), Culture and rebellion: the appropriation and transformation of the veil in the Algerian Revolution, in Hank Johnston and Bert Klandermans, eds., Social Movements and Culture, Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press. Cited in Ellis and Thompson (1997). Fry, D. P. (1992) Female aggression among the Zapotec of Oaxaca, Mexico, in K. Bjà ¶rkqvist and P. Niemelà ¤, eds., Of Mice and Women: Aspects of Female Aggression, San Diego, California: Academic Press. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Fry, D. P. (1994) Maintaining social tranquillity: Internal and external loci of aggression control, in L. E. Sponsel and T. Gregor, eds., The Anthropology of Peace and Nonviolence, Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Groves, E. R. (1928) An Introduction to Sociology, New York. Cited in Kluckhohn (1952). Hall, S. (1980) Cultural studies: Two paradigms, in F. E. N. B. Dirk and S. B. Ortner, eds., A Reader in Contemporary Social Theory, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Cited in Park (2005). Heath, Shirley Brice (1997) Culture: Contested realm in research on children and youth, Personality and Social Psychology Review 1:3. Herskovits, M. J. (1955) Cultural Anthropology, New York: Knopf. Cited in Earley and Randel (1997). Hofstede, G. (1980) Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values, Newbury Park, California: Sage. Cited in Earley and Randel (1997). Hollan, D. (1988) Staying cool in Toraja: Informal strategies for the management of anger and hostility in a non-violent society, Ethos 16. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Hopmann, Terrence (1998) The Negotiation Process and the Resolution of International Conflicts, Columbia, South Carolina: Columbia South Carolina Press. Just, Peter (1991) Conflict resolution and moral community among the Dou Donggo, in Kevin Avruch, Peter W. Black, and Joseph A. Scimecca, eds., Conflict Resolution: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. Kluckhohn, C. (1949) Mirror for Man, New York: Wittlesey House. Kluckhohn, Clyde (1954) Culture and Behavior, New York: Free Press. Kluckhohn, Clyde et al. (1952) Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Peabody Museum. Lederach, John Paul (1991) Of nets, nails, and problems: The folk language of conflict resolution in a Central American settting, in Kevin Avruch, Peter W. Black, and Joseph A. Scimecca, eds., Conflict Resolution: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. Mathews, Gordon (2000) Searching for Home in the Cultural Supermarket, London: Routledge. Park, R. E., and Burgess, E. W. (1921) Introduction to the Science of Sociology, Chicago. Cited in Kluckhohn (1952). Park, Yoosun (2005) Culture as deficit: A critical discourse analysis of the concept of culture in contemporary social work discourse, Journal of Sociology Social Work 32:3. Rohner, R. R. (1984) Toward a conception of culture for cross-cultural psychology, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 15:2. Cited in Earley and Randel (1997). Ross, M. H. (1993) The Management of Conflict, New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Rubin, J. Z., Pruitt, D. G., and Kim, S. H. (1994) Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate and Settlement, New York: McGraw-Hill. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Shweder, R. A. and LeVine, R. A. (1984) Culture Theory: Essays on Mind, Self, and Emotion, New York: Cambridge University Press. Cited in Earley and Randel (1997). Sumner, W. G., and Keller, A. G. (1927) The Science of Society, New Haven, Connecticut. Cited in Kluckhohn (1952). Tylor, E. B. (1871) Primitive Culture, Boston. Cited in Kluckhohn (1952). Versi, Anver (2002) Coping with culture clash, African Business, May 2002. White, G. M. (1991) Rhetoric, reality, and resolving conflicts: Disentangling in a Solomon Islands society, in K. Avruch, P. W. Black, and J. A. Schimecca, eds., Conflict Resolution: Cross-Cultural Perspectives, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood. Cited in Bjà ¶rkqvist and Fry (1997). Wissler, C. (1929) An Introduction to Social Anthropology, New York. Cited in Kluckhohn (1952). Williams, Raymond (1983) Keywords, London: Fontana. Cited in Chay (1990). Wright, Susan (1998) The politicization of culture, Anthropology Today 14:1.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Media Depictions of VR and its Progressive Development

Media Depictions of VR and its Progressive Development Introduction This paper will be a review of the literature on Virtual Realitys depictions in media and how its progressing to build its projected vision for the end user. I will be using a range of academic literary studies and primary sources to provide first-hand information that is closest to my area of study. Because Virtual Reality is a relatively new area of research as the technology has only been accessible for the last half decade and previously where the most research had been conducted was before the 2000s, the technology was not effective enough to create the desired experience that VR was intended for. My review will be an examination of its current state and expected outcome. Body To establish what VR is we first look at its origins, when giving an explanation of virtual reality, you would start with explaining that virtual reality is created by computers combining images and sound to create a three-dimensional image with then create a sense of presence in another environment that does not exist in the real world. Thus, creating a feeling of physical presence within a computer-generated environment. So now by allowing the user to have interactions with the space within the generated imagery, VR as be described as a realistic and immersive simulation of a three-dimensional environment, created using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by movement of the body or typically as an immersive, interactive experience generated by a computer. Wiki Virtual reality (2016) So, by understanding what VRs intended use is, we can quickly see VR technology will quickly become a staple part of our day to day lives because of its range of uses. from academic research, designing computer engineering, business, and entertainment. But irrespective of those uses, VR would now allow us to gain a new set of data gathered together that could help develop, training, interactions and communication methods. This literature review will explain the potential definitions of VR, mainly covering VR in media. To fully understand the purpose of VR we first have to explain the concept of presence, which refers to the feeling of being in an environment that is not present in reality. The function of virtual reality thus lays in its technological capabilities. A device such as this is valuable to media producers however for anyone outside of this area of research, hardware alone does not provide any insight into the intended effect of VR. when its intended use is for the end use r. It fails to provide a functional presentation from which to exemplify to media consumers and fails to provide a tone from which to create media products, Failing to provide a means for consumers to understand the effects of VR besides their experiences with other media  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   (S. Johnathan, 1993) in Defining Virtual Reality. Johnathan then further explains the short comings of the defined are and states that these inadequacies concede truly constructing a fair review for virtual reality in gaming as the term itself suffers from inadequacies that manifest in two ways. Johnathan (ibid.) firstly, a technologically based definition explains that the most prominent aspect in recognizing what a VR system is, is through the hardware then the experience of presence or the lack off. secondly Any system arbitrarily named as a VR System, depending solely on if it includes a minimal collection of specific functions that create the environment for VR. So, there is no clear measurement system of analysis for the prerequisites VR. Hardware alone does not seem adequate for a review that aims to delve deeper into the potential of VR when the minimum requirements for establishing a proposition has not been met. With this in hand we know currently we have to perceive a VR environment as a subjective space that is generated in various ways and techniques for different purposes and uses. We could suggest that the most effective solution to these problems would be to leave the term completely in favour of a more theoretically sound definition. The paper by J. Beniger The control revolution suggests a broad explanation of hardware technology and uses in media. Beniger defines technology as any intentional extension of a natural process, that is, processing of matter, energy, and information that characterizes all living systems, Beniger (1986, p. 9) and McLuhan in The extensions of Man who defines a medium as any An extension of mankind. (1964, p. 21), Another area of VR that will be reviewed for its depictions and its progressing state is how we are already intertwining augmented reality with reality in our day to day lives and how we are beginning to overlap realities. these boundaries are a crucial question for many people, especially artists. Sally Norman professor of Performance Technologies propose s that the medium of art exemplifies our need to represent areas of our reality to contrast our regular existence by creating symbolic environments. This idea also explores the relationships that we mix in realities whether it be via hardware and technology or hybrid areas such as installations created by contemporary artists who create storytelling environments. (Sally,2003) Art practices are a creative and technical process, the forms with the practice involved must be ready to adapt and resonate with the ever-changing social environments. The artists involved must collectively push the limits of their imaginations for us to be able to push our ability to perceive and interpret serving as our translators for the new realities that are in our future. But at the same time to create a truly convincing reality the have to be respective to our present reality. Sally (ibid.)   Through installations, outdoor art site based pieces and performances incorporating image and sound, sal ly predicts that these while all become a art history category after VR has become establishes. Art testifies to our need to represent areas of existence set apart from commonplace realities Sally (ibid.) The representations of VR in Normans, her conceptualizations broaden the potential of creative media outside of its envisioned use. To contrast and ground these theories into practice and apply them to the current state of VR as a communication tool through a cognitive learning environment so that it can be approached practically and systematically as studied and conducted by Clare Regan, she precisely examines the effects and side effects of prolonged stay in a VR environment. she finds that In a VR study conducted by Clare Reagan, she set out to document the amount of times subjects experienced side-effects whilst immersed in VR, she put 150 people in VR and they were all required to provide a rating from 1 to 6 prior and straight after immersion, then after 5 minute intervals, during a 20-minute immersion period subjects would be required to complete a motion sickness questionnaire. 61% of the subjects said that they experienced some type of uncomfortableness such as motion sickness while immersed in that 20-minute period. The subjects had symptoms ranging from headaches, nausea and eyestrain and 5% of the subjects withdrew from the study from the severity of the symptoms. These side-effects could be due to a couple of things, one being that immersion in VR conflicts with the bodies equilibrium conflicting with the bodies senses. And technological barriers such as latency and the screen resolutions of the displays could be responsible for some of the symptoms experienc ed. Clear finding in VR studies are hard to find as so little practical research has been done on it as its still early specialist technology that is still not widely accessible to the majority. Bricken who also documented the study states that Learning deals with new inputs coming from environment. Bricken (1991) So what we want is to analyse this concept via memory processes in VR. Since the environment seems to play a major role in acquiring and retaining information in VR, the experiment aims to see the subjects ability to recall information when the VR environment changes, the results from this test neither nor did they find a an effect happening to memory processes and therefore virtual reality could be a potential means of educating. (Bricken 1991) emphasises that VR offers teachers and students unique experiences that are consistent with successful instructional strategies: hands-on learning, group projects and discussions, field trips, simulations, and concept visualisation . (p.178). Wicken, another researcher in this field argues that a task accruing in virtual reality would produce a long-term decrease in memory processes despite the changing user experience levels within the environment. This is because virtual reality decreases the cognitive effort needed to rete a useful or long-term links with the information learned. In summary, the more ecological interfaces require less user input and less mental stimulus from the brain thus reducing mental activity and degradation o learning. And to follow, he then argues that visualisation of abstract concepts is not the brains way of learning. With Virtual Reality, this representation may become the reality for the learner, who forgets arbitrary rules and who is a potential victim of visual distortions (Tversky, 1993)To conclude, we find that the main side-effect of learning n a VR environment leads to lower memory performance levels whilst performing tasks but the effect leaves once information is made to be recalled. We now find that VR as a learning tool is functional in its current form be it in the early stages. Even though the media depiction of seamlessly existing within a VR environment has not been achieved yet, this study proves that it can be a useful resource to build around as a foundation. This may be what Sally Norman theorises when she states that environments and site-specific works of projected sound and image will soon be a seemingly unclassifiable collection of hybrids which may one day turn out to constitute a distinct art history category after the emergence of VR and it has been fully realised as a part of everyday life. Conclusion To conclude the research into Media Depictions of VR and its progressive development, we find that even though the its depictions in the Media vary greatly, at the core of the current hardware and tools of development, we find that the expectations and reality merge at the core as the functions are being met, current VR has been proving to be functional by scientists and teachers such as Clare Reagan and Tversky. Though there are major gaps that have to be resolved such as the user experience sickness and strain after short usage and the lack of hardware that the consumer could easily use to understand what the feeling of presence is, my overall perspective would be that the potential of VR is what is driving its development and that is what we should also be studying. Bibliography SUBJECT WIKI Virtual reality (2016) [Online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality Johnathan, S. (1993) Defining Virtual Reality: Dimensions Determining Telepresence. [Online] Paper 1. P.3. Available from: http://www.cybertherapy.info/pages/telepresence.pdf [Accessed 11/12/2016] Beniger, J. R. (1986). The control revolution. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. McLuhan, M. (.ed). (1964) Understanding media: The extensions of man. New York: Penguin. Norman, Sally Jane. The art of mixing realities. International Conference on Virtual Storytelling. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2003. Regan, C. (1997) Virtual Reality. Trainings Future? (ed) Seidel and Chatelier) Plenum Press, New York, Blauert, J. (1983). Spatial hearing: The psychophysics of human sound localization. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Ashby, H. Kosinski, J. (1979). Being there. Los Angeles: Northstar International Pictures. RJ Seidel P.R. Chatelier (eds ). (1994) Learning Without Boundaries: Technology to Support Distance Distributed Learning, Defence Research Series Volume 5 Plenum Press, New York Gibson, J. J. (1966). The senses considered as perceptual systems. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Gibson, J. J. (1979). The ecological approach to visual perception. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Gibson, W. (1984). Neuromancer. New York: Ace Books. Greenbaum, P. (1992, March). The lawnmower man. Film and video Filigenzi M.T., Ruff T.M., (2000) Virtual reality for mine safety training, App Occup and Environ Hyg Querrec R., Chevaillier P, (2001) Virtual Storytelling for Training: An Application to Fire Fighting in Industrial Environment, International Conference on Virtual Storytelling, Avignon, LNCS 2197, Springer Verlag

Monday, August 19, 2019

Relativism Essay -- ethics beliefs cultural relativism essays papers

The year was 1943. Hundreds of Jewish people were being marched into the gas chambers in accordance with Adolf Hitler's orders. In the two years that followed, millions of Jews were killed and only a fraction survived the painful ordeals at the Nazi German prison camps. However, all of the chaos ended as World War II came to a close: the American and British soldiers had won and Hitler's Third Reich was no more. A certain ethical position would state that the anti-sematic Nazi German culture was neither right nor wrong in its actions. In fact, it is this view of the cultural relativist that assumes all actions considered right in a culture to be good for that culture alone. Moreover, the relativist claims that these actions cannot be judged according to their ethical correctness because there is no absolute standard by which they could be compared. In the above case, this position would not allow for the American and British soldiers to interfere with the Nazis; the relativist would claim that the Allies were wrong in fighting the Germans due to a cultural disagreement. In truth, it is the relativist position which has both negative logical and practical consequences, and negligible benefits. The first logical consequence of relativism is that the believer must contradict himself in order to uphold his belief. The view states that all ethics are relative while putting forth the idea that no absolute standard of rightness exists. If this is the case, then what is cultural relativism relative to? From a purely logical point of view, this idea is absurd, for in assuming that something is relative one must first have some absolute by which it is judged. Let the reader consider this example to reinforce the point. A young woman is five feet tall, and her older friend is six feet tall. The younger female considers herself short because she looks at her friend and sees that she is taller than her. It would be illogical to say that the first woman is short if she were the only female in existence; if this were the case then there would not be anyone for her to be relative to in height. However, this logical fallacy is what the relativist assumes by stating that there is no standard of rightness for relativity. Quite simply, the cultural relativist is stating that he is relative to an absolute which ... ...at there cannot be any moral progress in a culture per-say. As discussed, the negligible benefits of cultural relativism such as tolerance, lacking of an absolute standard, and an open mind can only be applied to a limited range of instances. As previously shown, extreme relativism "in its vulgar and unregenerate form7" leads to stagnation of cultural morals and passive acceptance of ethical injustice. Of course, just as in any ethical theory, there are some things to be learned from it. One of these is the idea of not being too critical of other cultures. Also, the theory shows the importance of not becoming so culturalcentric that one looses the ability to learn from other socities. In truth, if more cultures tempered their tolerance with wisdom, then many of the evils that plague us could be effectively eliminated. --- End Notes 1. Rachels, James. "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism." Reason and Responsibility. Ed. Joel Feinberg. p. 454. 2. Rachels, p. 454. 3. Rachels, p. 454. 4. Rachels, p. 455. 5. Rachels, p. 455. 6. Rachels, p. 457. 7. Williams, Bernard. "Relativism." Reason and Responsibility. Ed. Joel Feinberg. p. 451.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Characterization In The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers fc

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. After his graduation from Bowdoin College in Maine, he quickly became a well-known author of literary tales concerning early American life. Between 1825 and 1850, he developed his talent by writing short fiction, and he gained international fame for his fictional novel The Scarlet Letter in 1850 (Clendenning 118). Rufus Wilmot Griswold stated,The frivolous costume and brisk action of the story of fashionable life are easily depicted by the practised sketcher, but a work like "The Scarlet Letter" comes slowly upon the canvas, where passions are commingled and overlaid with the masterly elaboration with which the grandest effects are produced in pictural composition and coloring. (Griswold 352)Throughout the novel, Hawthorne reveals character through the use of imagery and metaphor.In the first Chapter of The Scarlet Letter, "The Prison-Door", the reader is immediately introduced to the people of Puritan Boston. Hawthorne begins to develop the character of the common people in order to build the mood of the story. The first sentence begins, "A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes" (Hawthorne 45). Hawthorne's use of vivid visual images and his Aaccumulation of emotionally weighted details" (Baym xii) creates sympathy for the not yet introduced character, Hester Prynne, and creates an immediate understanding of the harshness of the Puritanic code in the people. The images created give the freedom to imagine whatever entails sadness and morbidity of character for the reader; Hawthorne does not, however, allow the reader to imagine lenient or cheerful people.Nathaniel Hawthorne's eloquent contrast of the jail and its captive, Hester Prynne, also creates a sympathy for the emerging prisoner. The "ugly edifice...was already marked with weather-stains and other indications of age, which gave a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browned and gloomy front" (Hawthorne 45). The depiction of the jail emphasizes its ugliness, and the mental pictures formed in the mind of the reader suggest an aspect of gloom and suffering. However, Hester Prynne's initial description brightly contrasts the jail's. Hester "was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance...she had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off sunshine with a gleam" (50). Her face was "beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion" (50).

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Adoption is a Family Affair!

Joyce Maguire Pavao, the author of â€Å"The Family of Adoption† has been successful in capturing the essence of adoption, the challenges it brings as well as the necessities that would help in handling these challenges.   Being an adopted child herself, she has a great understanding of the challenges and needs, not only of the adopted child, but the adoptive parent and birth parent as well.The book has a more practical and realistic feel since the author willingly shared her own experiences as an adopted child. One characteristic of the book that should be noted is the way the author categorized the whole book.   Covering the essentials not limited to the adopted child alone.The author also generously shared insights about the needs of the birth and adoptive parent.   It is very important to know the rationale behind her principle that the whole process of adoption does not only include the adopted child but the other individual surrounding her as well.   Her book has admirably captured and discussed this principle.In the book, the author well discussed the processes that the birth parent and the adoptive parents.   This part recognizes the fact that even the parents (birth and adoptive) may go through the process of grief and experiences dilemmas as well.In line with this, the book stated that the parents (birth and adoptive) may also need to go through the process of healing.   To further strengthen this fact, the author mentioned that there is a need for the adoptive parent to undergo counseling since this will help the adoptive parent to better understand and have a healthy relationship with the adoptive child.The book mentioned that an adopted child may go through â€Å"developmental stages† such us feelings of loss, experiencing problems in school and the wanting to know about their past.   The author mentioned that the adopted child have every right to know as much about his or her past.The adoptive parents should be open to this fact.   Apart from this, the author was able to clarify the different challenges and developmental stages that the adopted child goes thru.   She said that these are normal.   They may be challenging, but they are a normal process that the adopted child goes thru.In the book, it is stated that adoption â€Å"is not about finding children for families, but about finding families for children.†Ã‚   The items discussed in the book are somehow a reminder that the best interest of the adopted child should always be the priority of the parents.   In the first part of Chapter 1, the author said that â€Å"There have always been mothers and fathers who have not been able to, or not chosen to, or not been allowed to, parent their children†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   This is a sad fact that Joyce Maguire Pavao has beautifully placed into proper perspective.The birth parents have had their share of criticism from many because they gave up their child.   But it is important to reme mber that the birth parents have reasons as to why they chose to give up their child for adoption.   Birth parents need the same understanding, perhaps, as that of the adopted child.This book presented us with the reality that adoption is a commitment more than anything else.   It is a process that needs the cooperation of both the birth and adoptive family of the child.Openness of both families is essential to the growth and better development of the child.   It is important to accept that the adopted child will go thru confusing stages that may prove to be a challenge for the parents.But because of the commitment that the parents choose to make, these challenges, when faced properly, may prove to be the cause of a better relationship with the child.  Ã‚   While the family (parents and child) are going through the different challenges that the process of adoption brought about, it is critical for the parents to remind themselves that the best interest of the child should al ways be the main concern.A lot of people have different opinion with regards to adoption.   Some may even have negative notions about it.   Apart from the usual challenges that an adoptive parent may face while going through the process of adoption, the opinions and reactions of the people around them is another thing that they would need to deal with.It is not enough that the adoptive couple alone understand and is happy about adopting.   It is vital that they have the support and understanding of the people they care about.The book â€Å"Adoption is a Family Affair† is perfect for the families and friends of the adoptive couple.   Patricia Irwin covered the different areas that families of the adoptive parents should know about.   Areas such as who can adopt, reasons behind the decision of adopting, kids understanding adopting and much more.She made the whole adoption process something that can be and should be shared amongst family members and even close friends.    This book is a helping hand to the families and close friends of the adoptive couple, for them to better grasp then reality of and better understand the decision made by their loved one.Patricia Irwin herself is an adoptive parent, given this, she may as well have experienced the confusions of her family and friends about her decision to adopt.   She has a clearer understanding of the need for the people who the adoptive couple cares about to know as much fact as possible with regards to adoption.It is important that the author pictured in the very beginning of her book that there can be a negative reaction from the people the adoptive parents care most about when the couple decides to share the information of adoption to them.   Like most of us, of course we would love for it for the people we equally love to feel the happiness and excitement we feel when we decide to adopt.   And as the author clearly illustrated, this is not always the case.The book acknowledges valid fears and concerns of the families and friends of the adoptive parents.   Some of the valid concerns that the author discussed were the permanence of adoption, whether the child will be different from them or will not fit, the racial difference, should grandparents include the adopted child in their will, how can the family have deeper bonds with the child, etc.These are all valid concerns and important.   In fact, the adoptive couple may have thought about all these things themselves.Patricia Irwin was great in giving solutions or suggestions on how to deal with these fears and concerns.   Some of her solutions were as simple as the family members spending time with the child to create a deeper bond, giving assurance to the family members that adoption is permanent, and the like.One interesting part of the book is where the author gave examples of the possibly irritating comments given by friends and relatives of adoptive couples upon knowing of the couples’ decision t o adopt.   These comments show how uninformed some people are about adoption.   It illustrates how some people, no matter how closely related they may be to the adoptive couple, can be insensitive about the whole adoption process.There were financial related comments where it appears as if the child is someone the adoptive couple picks from a shelf display of children and pays for it at the counter.   Some comments were just downright insensitive and would not be expected to have come from well educated individuals.Of course, we cannot expect everyone to be knowledgeable about adoption.   As the book illustrated, the families and relatives of the adoptive couple may be confused and misinformed about adoption.This book has truly been informative and is useful for the family and friends of the adoptive couple.   It plainly made clear the issues that the adoptive couples may go through in connection with the possible reactions, confusions and hesitations of the people around them who they wish to be a part of the adoption process.Reference ListPavao JM. The Family of Adoption. Boston: Beacon Press; 2004Johnston PI. Adoption is a Family Affair. Indianapolis: Perspective Press;

Friday, August 16, 2019

Money

According to eHow Money, working conditions in many if not all places were extremely poor, most died from machinery or toxicity from work areas, especially as many worked long hours for poor pay. (EconLib, 2002) For most people, whether in the I-JK or the US, the working class were really Working class', even though Jobs were developing the intensity of the Job was not lessened, they were indeed laborious. As the years went on, leading from the early ages of industrial work, developing into the current year 2013 much has changed.Till now legislations have been passed in order for all employees to have rights within the organisation that they work, Rights such as Equal Pay, Sex Discrimination, Race Relations, Gender Recognition amongst many since as early as the 1970's. (University of Bradford, 2010) Through such laws being passed, men and women are able to work side by side , earn fair pay and have the same standing as man within the working society, though even through these laws, d iscrimination of sexes is still large and racism is still a factor.Individuals differ, and very much so, through ethnicity, physique, gender, family experiences, motivation, attitudes and personality. (Laurie J Mullins, 2010, Chapter 4) ‘Sensitivity to individual needs and differences, especially in terms of their resilience, becomes particularly significant, when organisations embark on change initiatives. Such changes may lead to new mind sets, new attitudes and new perceptions that enable people to cope and adjust to the different world'. Laurie J Mullins, 2010, Chapter 4) People's perception of the working environment has changed so much that for an employer to create a scenario of discrimination is no longer a laughing matter, employers must approach every situation with such sensitivity, they have to consider how people react to situations and how they can deal with individuals as opportunities and as the company changes, especially when culture also happens to e a facto r as mentioned by Schein, ‘a pattern of basic assumptions-invented, discovered or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration'. Laurie J Mullins, 2010, Chapter 6)In Hugh Collins book ‘Employment Law, he states how the employment rights act has paved the way for so many other rights such as anti-discrimination, trade unions and human rights. Through this we can understand that it is due to such laws amongst many others that organisations are literally forced into including rights for people they would not have thought of, and the law that assembles all the issues together is the Equality Act f 2006, where it is stated that there must be equality and human rights, discrimination unlawful on grounds of religion, belief, education etc. nd to create public authorities to create equal opportunity between men and women. (University of Bradford, 2010) These laws have been passed continuously throughout the dec ades in order to allow the greater populace, ever growing in numbers and diversity to engage in work, so they are not heckled at as they choose to earn and make a living for themselves.Each law holding a certain purpose has not only paved the way for diversity in race and eligion, but fundamentally in gender, which has been the concern even till now. How these acts are implemented in the working environment is the most interesting thing, from the advertising to the selection of a person. For example many years back a well renowned advert had been broadcast for some time, by Howard Brown, an employee of Halifax Banking, turned actor to promote his organisation.He was promoted in order to promote. There are many examples like this which allow for diversities to be represented in a positive light, something that wasn't witnessed even a decade ago. Job descriptions have become broader, allowing anyone to apply, by the 1900-2005 racism was still rifled in parts of Europe, especially the I-JK and France, according to a BBC online survey made in 2002, 40% of black people say that they had witnessed racism in a place ot employment, double the tgure tor white people.Looking at t you could it can be noted that even now this number though may have decreased it is still relevantly at an all-time high. Within the selection process, through the advance of educational equality, all generations of people are now educated, hence the growing number of unemployed, eople both educated high or at a lower level are struggling to secure Jobs, this nearly almost causes an issue in selecting Just the right person for the Job, one may have one good image but lack in other etc.There is something called the ‘Halo Effect', this is where if we see them first in a good side it becomes difficult to recognise the bad side in them, for example noticing a person's glowing eyes as being the factor for someone's employment rather than them having what it takes to hold the occupation. The Ec onomist, 2009) In conclusion, looking through the laws that have been passed and the decisions aken to improve on how people are employed through fair recruitment and equality of opportunity is that it allows for greater sympathy to people who want to work, it has now developed into a liking to employ a diverse group, the public eye is ever present on what actions a company takes with its employees and how it runs itself.Organisations do the best they can to apply fair rules and run the company through the passed laws as it shows they are willing to experience each member of its team and become more adaptive in how it deals with its staff. The better they do internally the better they are presented externally.

Islamic Law Essay

Quran and Sunnah are the fundamental sources of Islamic Shariah. When the solution to the arising problems is not available in these sources, Ijtihad is used to reach an appropriate solution in Islamic jurisprudence. Secondary sources of Islamic Shariah like Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah are also forms of Ijtihad. These secondary sources provide a sequence and a data base to the Mujtahid to reach to a solution of a problem in the most appropriate way and at the same time assist in formulation of Islamic law and development of system of Shariah as a whole. Introduction Quran and Sunnah (in the form of Hadith) are the two fundamental sources of Shariah. Generally the definition and acceptability of all other sources of Shariah varies in various sects of Islam. According to Sunni school of thought, the fundamental sources of Islam include Quran, Sunnah and Ijtihad, whereas according to Shiite school of thought, Quran and Sunnah are the only authentic sources of Shariah and Ijtihad can only be a contributing factor and that too only in some circumstances. Ijtihad can be defined as use of one’s own utmost abilities in deriving secondary opinions from the four fundamental sources of Islamic law, namely Quran, Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas†. Can the Secondary Sources be Characterized as Forms of Ijtihad In the eyes of majority of Muslim scholars, especially Sunni Muslims, all the secondary sources including Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah are forms   of Ijtihad. Rather all these secondary sources in one form or the other contribute towards Ijtihad. For example, in case of an event for which no authentic proof is available in Quran and Sunnah, the only option available is Ijtaihad. This Ijtaihad will either be supported by consensus of different learned scholars of Islam, or it will be done by comparing and drawing similarities or differences in the different events of past which occurred during the times of Prophet or His companions. In case no previous event is available, and consensus does not occur among the scholars on the issue, then the only way out is to either look for the ‘good by one’s own deliberations’ (Istihsan) or to determine what is in the interests of human welfare (Istislah or Maslahah). Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that all the four secondary sources can be characterized as forms of Ijtihad and all contribute towards it. Importance of Having so Many Different Sources to Represent Ijtihad Ijtihad is a very complex phenomenon and that is why, very strict criteria have been set in Islam for a person to be a Mujtahid. Therefore, while making a judgment a Mujtahid needs to evaluate the available data before he proceeds to make a judgment. Now the most authentic and fundamental sources i. e. Quran and Sunnah have already been ruled out for the reason that if a solution was present is those sources, there was no need for Ijtihad. In the absence of those two sources, a Mujtahid needs some additional sources in order to formulate the judgment, though Quran and Sunnah must be kept at the back of the mind. These additional sources like Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah provide the Mujtahid with a data base and a sequence to analyze the event and lead him logically to an acceptable solution which is not conflicting with the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, it is extremely important to have multiple sources to represent Ijtihad. Importance of Secondary Sources in Creating Law and Development of System of Shariah While studying the Islamic law, one must keep in mind that the times have changed a lot since the era of Prophet Muhammad and with the passage of time many situations came up which were not there in the times of Prophet. For example in the times of Prophet, there was not concept of photography and only thing that was available was â€Å"Tasweer† that is the hand painted pictures and the person who made those pictures was known as â€Å"Mussawir†. The Prophet prohibited the â€Å"Tasweer† in that time and He was quoted as saying that a person who will make a â€Å"Tasweer† will be asked on the Day of Judgment to bring life into that â€Å"Tasweer†. Today, we know that in the present era photography is a compulsion in passport and identity cards etc. Therefore, Islamic scholars reached a conclusion through Ijtihad that what was prohibited was â€Å"Tasweer| and not the photography. Photography, as per modern science, is actually the image preserved on a paper and even the companions of the Prophet used to see the image in mirror or in the water, so according to scholars, it is not prohibited in Islam. Similarly there are many other problems which needed solution in the present time due to modernization and advent of technology. If these secondary sources were not used in creation of Islamic law, the Islamic law will become stagnant and will not be able to meet the requirements of changing scenario and modern developments of science and technology. Hence, the basis characteristics of these secondary sources i. e. consensus, measurement and comparison, equity and public policy are all extremely important in formulation of Islamic law. Side by side, it will also help in development of system of Shariah as a whole so as to meet the requirement of pragmatism, practicality and need of the changing times. Conclusion According to Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad has been sent as a Prophet for whole universe and this is not possible till the time his teachings are applicable to all the times. This applicability for all the times is only possible if the teachings can be interpreted according to changing times. All this is only possible through these secondary sources, if used correctly in accordance with the basic teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Hence, these secondary sources are part and parcel of Islamic law and must be taken as such. References References have not been cited as per the requirement of the client. Original language has been used without quotations.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Research Essay- Living Life to the Fullest Essay

For one to live their life to the fullest, a person must have a purpose to live. One must have a reason to wake up every day and feel the sun shine or the rain fall, as cold as ice, on your skin. A law of life is necessary for one to have this sense of a calling as to why they walk the earth every solitary twenty-four hour day. A law of life is to surround yourself with people who make you a better person, inside and out. This holds accurate because the people your surround yourself with can either make you or break you, being social with others can either aid or inhibit in self-esteem, and surrounding yourself with better people can help you achieve goals through others’ positivity. Initially, there is a quote saying, â€Å"Surround yourself with only people that will lift you higher, because friends are the family you choose yourself. –Anonymous† The people who you are surrounded by can either make you a better person as a whole, or break you down until you are as low to the ground as a tiny bug, small and easily squashed. If you surround yourself with the people who will make you a better person, then you will become a better person just by association with positive, balanced people. On the contrary, if you surround yourself with people who are adverse and irrational, then you will become adverse and irrational, also just by association. For example, â€Å"Let’s say you have plans to see a friend who is lighthearted, enthusiastic and embraces life with eagerness and zest. Thinking about this friend brings a smile to your face because you know you’ll be having fun and enjoying each other’s company. After your time together, you’re excited about the rest of your day. You want to capture every moment and see all the beauty that’s about you. Your friend may not have intentionally tried to alter your thinking, but her positive approach and attitude was infectious (Par.2-The Importance of Surrounding Yourself w/ Good People).† The people who you let be in your company ultimately affect you as a person, and this can either make you a better person or a worse person. Another example of this would be if you’re in a group of people with a less than stellar attitude, eventually, you will become a less than stellar person. In order to become a better person, inside and out, then you must surround yourself with those people who possess the qualities to make you a better person. Clearly, being a social individual aids in your self-esteem, it can either make your self-esteem skyrocket or it can make it plummet. Self-esteem is no doubt a massive part of you becoming the person that you wish to be. For instance, when you are speaking to your social group of friends, and they have a positive self-image, then you too should have a somewhat positive self-image. Another example of this would be inferiority. â€Å"People who feel inferior to others always keep comparing themselves to them and they always try to find problems with themselves. So how can such friends affect your self-esteem? Simply because they got used to scanning for any possible flaws they will try to find as many flaws in you as they can (Par. 6- How Friends Affect Your Self-Esteem).† Your friends can also limit your potential as to what you can and cannot achieve. Case in point, â€Å"If you were an ambitious person who was surrounded by non-ambitious friends then most likely they will try to put you down whenever you attempt to do something that they never managed to do (Par. 7 How Friends Affect Your Self-Esteem).† Self-esteem has the ability to support or hinder your self-esteem, and self-esteem in a colossal part of the way you, and your peers see yourself. Your vision of yourself can either make you better or bitter, and through a law of life, your self-esteem should make yourself better. Subsequently, picture yourself in a race on the track outside of your school. The blistering heat is beating down on your back as you’re running through the last lap of the race and you’re in the lead. You have your group of great friends on the sidelines cheering your name as you pass the finish line! Surrounding yourself with virtuous people will help you achieve your goals through their positivity. When you surround yourself with those people who cheer you on instead of bring you down, those people will help you reach your goals, not break you down to the point where you don’t want to reach them. There are two types of people, optimists and pessimists, these types of people are on opposite sides of the spectrum. For example, â€Å"It’s just that the optimist chooses to expect happiness, success, and pleasure and as a result, that’s what they find. The pessimist chooses to replay negative thoughts which lead to negative results. (Par. 5- The Importance Of Surrounding Yourself w/ Positive People).† Adjoining yourself with optimistic people will help you reach the success, not make you feel that you can’t, that’s what a pessimist would do. For instance, if you’re around people with an attitude of being too good to reach a goal, you will not reach the goal, but if you’re around people who will be your personal cheerleaders, than you’ll most likely get the desired result. Surrounding yourself with the people who are virtuous and optimistic, then they will aid you in reaching your goals, long or short-term. Conclusively, to live a life worth living, you must have a law of life to follow. In this case, a law of life is to surround yourself with the people who bring out the best in you, and these people will make you the best you, you can be. To surround yourself with the kinds of people that will make you better, not bitter these people must possess the qualities of the people your surround yourself with can either make you or break you, being social with others can either aid or inhibit in self-esteem, and surrounding yourself with better people can help you achieve goals through others’ positivity. Works Cited 1. Radwan, M. Farouk. â€Å"How friends affect your self esteem | 2KnowMySelf.† 2KnowMySelf | The Ultimate Source for Understanding Yourself and others. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. . 2. Silber, Debi. â€Å"The Importance of Surrounding Yourself w/ Positive People.† All About Nurses, Nurse Communication, Nurse Community | NurseTogether. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. .