Christine de Pizan

Christine de Pizan: c. 1365-c. 1430 1. Christine’s life shows a glimpse into the changing worldview in numerous ways. For one, she became educated as a child and continued her education throughout her life, she also was able to support her family as a single mother on her own by working independently, and he writings were symbolically revolved around women in such a way that they rebuked the negative teachings by most scholars. 2.As a girl, Christine had an unusual life because her father, who was the Astrologer for Charles V, ensured that she would receive the best education possible. Later when she became older and was married, her husband also encouraged her to continue her studies. Unlike most women during the middle Ages, she was able to receive an education, as well as the support to do so. After the death of her husband she had to support her family on her own, she did so by writing short stories and poems, which people paid for. She was able to get herself out of debt this way. . Basically Christine is saying, that’s she never doubted God and his perfection, creation of all things good, wisdom. But what she doesn’t understand is how it is that women have been so heavily scrutinized and labeled with flaws if people of the faith truly believe that God created all things good. This is why she’s so angry and frustrated, she then goes on to say why wasn’t she made a man, since men are all said to be so perfect. She apologizes &and asks forgiveness for her negligence of his service, due to the fact that she is not a man. . Christine says it is not about gender, that does not make one lower than the other. It lies within that individual’s conduct and virtue. 5. She says that not all men’s opinions are based on reason, it can’t be assumed that becoming educating and learning the natural sciences can be bad for mores. Men also don’t like it when women know more than they do. 6. They say that educatin g women has become beneficial and still is beneficial, being taught a good doctrine can in no way have a negative effect on anything.It is simply irrational. 7. Christine’s mother wanted her to do girly things, things that women should do such as spinning and weaving. On the other hand, her father wanted her to be educated and watch her learn and grow to become an intelligent young woman. This illustrates the clash between the Medieval and Renaissance worldviews because her mother wanted her to do things women â€Å"should† do and her father wanted her to do the opposite, by gaining an education. 8. The auses of misogyny are from men who are ignorant, these men blame women because they either hate women because they are simply far more intelligent than they are and naturally good hearted, others who hate women are crippled and the only way for them to impose their misery on others is by blaming women who make others happy, and finally men who have spent much of their y oung years sleeping around can’t anymore and they like to sabotage women’s lives by disgusting others because they can’t enjoy sexual pleasures.I do think that all of these still exist in our society, as well as in others. For example, I had a discrepancy with a guy friend of mine, who is a boxer like I am and he had the idea that he could beat me; his reasoning for it was solely because I was a girl. He did not have any other valid reason as to why he could beat me, he didn’t bring in my statistics either, which made even more pathetic that he would think such a thing. Another example in our society is of a young man who was in college that contracted aids.This man went around the entire college campus sleeping with other women so that they would also have the disease without telling them prior to their relations. He was miserable, so he wanted to make other women feel his pain. I think these attitudes are rooted deep in our society and I’m not su re that they will ever go away. 9. They contribute much of civilizations advancements to Minerva, Isis, and Ceres. Isis was an Egyptian goddess, who has been mostly named as the goddess of rebirth. She was known for spending time amongst her people and taming men.She also taught women how to weave, grind corn, spin flax, and make bread. Minerva was a Roman goddess, who was associated with poetry, medicine, wisdom, weaving, crafts, war, artillery, and trading. It is said she developed numbers and musical instruments. Ceres was a Roman goddess also, she was known for being the goddess of agriculture and fertility of the land. 10. No I think Christine suggests that it shouldn’t be excluded from men. She implies in the first paragraph that if men read the truth they’d shut up, hold their tongues, and lower their heads in shame for such stupid ignorance.

Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Essay

There are times when life takes an unforeseen route, and one is faced with an obstacle or situation that was not expected. Many people are diagnosed with terminal diseases, have accidents and are left with severe impairments, and suffer horrendous complications from medical issues. One has the right, according to law, to make medical decisions about their care and treatment options. But should one have the right to end their life? Assisted, or voluntary euthanasia, is the direct administration of a lethal agent to end one’s life at the request of the patient (Tamayo-Velazquez, Simon-Lorda, & Cruz-Piqueras, 2012, p. 678). Should a person have to intolerably suffer for the duration of their disease or disability, or should they have the right to choose to end their life? Related Ethical Implications and Obligations Voluntary euthanasia naturally sparks the debate between â€Å"morality and legality† (Young, 2010). Ethical implications come with being faced with if assisted euthanasia is morally justified, or if respecting one’s right to make choices about their life, including end of life decisions, supersedes all other aspects of the subject. Nurses are an integral part in end of life care of patients, and often times are witness to those expressing the desire to die. Ethical dilemmas are currently high regarding end of life care in nursing, and would only grow more complicated and severe if assisted euthanasia became legal worldwide, as nurses would not only provide comfort measures, but rather be a part of ending life. Currently, assisted euthanasia is legal in three countries; the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Euthanasia is considered murder in every other place in the world. (â€Å"Assisted Suicide & Death with Dignity,† 2013). In the United States, there are currently three states, Oregon, Montana, and Washington, where Physician Assisted Suicide, or PAS, is legal. PAS is referred to as the â€Å"Death with Dignity Act â€Å"and permits doctors to prescribe a lethal  overdose to a patient who is expected to die within six months. This decision is totally dependent upon patient wishes, and physicians are not obligated to inform families, only to write the prescription (â€Å"Analysis of Assisted Suicide Initiative,† 2013). In any other state, assisted suicide is considered manslaughter and is punishable by law. Assisted euthanasia remains a hot topic worldwide, and aims to pass laws are constantly challenged. Ethical Theories Ethical decisions are always difficult for the nurse to make in a challenging situation Confidentiality and privacy are part of ethical issues but can raise confusion as to the best direction of an action for a nurse to take. There is a need for nurses to know that patient obligations and laws concerning privacy and confidentiality matters. Healthcare has the HIPAA law that guides patient’s privacy (HIPAA. ORG, 2008) which is essential for nurses to understand the pertinent guidelines or rules on confidentiality so as to carry out their practices based on the law guidelines. The code of ethics states, â€Å"The nurse advocates for, promotes and strives towards safety, health and the patients’ rights (ANA, 2010). (ANA, 2010) stated that Deontology theory is helpful for the nurse to judges the morality of an action based on the action’s adherence to rules. Whether an action is ethical depends on the intentions behind the decisions rather than the outcomes that result. Beneficence represents compassion on the other hand, taking positive action to help others and desire to do good which is the core principle of our patient advocacy. (Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L, 2008). Autonomy theory hel p nurses respect and honor a patients or clients right to make a course of action and support independent decision making. While the right to autonomy is not to hurt or negatively impact an outcome, it often gives the nurse a sense of freedom to choose a moral decision. Voluntary assisted euthanasia may be justified with the Beneficence theory but ethically wrong for the nurse in assisting. Impact of social valves, morals, and norms The Terry Schiavo case was perhaps the highest profile case to ever address the issue of prolonging one’s life when that person suffers a life-altering medical tragedy. With her husband fighting on one side for the right to not prolong her life and multiple parties, including her other family members, fighting for the right to prolong her life, this case took national media and even the courts by  storm. The case brought to light what has been called the â€Å"right-to-die† question. Because she lacked a living will, the courts were left to determine what her finals wishes would have been in a situation like this. Legally speaking, the court in Florida found that people have the right to refuse medical treatment, and that right extends to them even when they are in a vegetative state. This case was complicated because there was no clear consensus on whether Schiavo would have liked to exercise that right. Ultimately, her husband was able to convince the court of this, and his persuasiveness came largely because he was the closest person to her and was thus in the best position to understand her wishes. The case brought about complicated ethical issues, especially for the medical professionals involved. Nurses and doctors are under an oath to preserve life whenever possible, but they must also respect the wishes of patients. Because the decision involved removing a feeding tube rather than taking any direct action to harm the patient, medical professionals were able to comply with court orders without violating their oath. It is also worth noting that this case was complicated by social and political issues. Pro-life groups advocated on behalf of Schiavo’s family, and President George W. Bush even tried to intervene. Some argue that these things were designed to make a political point. Implementing an ethical theory Implementing an ethical theory or principle to address an ethical dilemma should involve identifying the type of ethical problem. Doing this lays the groundwork for the trajectory in the caring response. From here, an ethical theory can be implemented and methodically followed to conclude with the best caring response. In the case of Terry Schiavo, there were ambiguities of who should make the decisions. With this, a locus of authority was established to this ethical problem and ultimately, the Supreme Court would act as the moral agent. With the trajectory set, the Supreme Court was now going to be held responsible for the caring response outcome. Furthermore, the Courts would likely have to rely on a narrative approach to ethical decision making. Purtilo and Doherty  (2011) define the narrative approach as information told through stories that, as a result, affect the human experience. With the barrage of coming from the Schiavo case, the Supreme Court must be sure to gather all the relevant details in order to establish facts, relationships and values. Consequently, this is the first step in many ethical theories as well as Purtilo and Doherty’s (2011, p. 103) six steps to ethical decision making. The determination of an ethical decision in deeply rooted in personal and societal values. The ethical theory provides the framework, but it is the value-laden details that guide the decision (Aulisio & Arnold, 2008). With this said an accurate prediction with regard to cases such as Terry Schiavo would be the immediate intervention of ethics committees to mitigate lengthy legal processes and preserving a caring response. Conclusion In this case all of the moral and social valves that were implicated involved nursing ethics. Nurses play an important role in caring for patients that are at the end of life. Nurses must understand the issues that involve assisted euthanasia because of the legal and ethical implications that are involved. Nurses must have adequate knowledge and understanding of assisted death to prevent themselves from violating their personal and professional ethics. References Analysis of Washington Assisted Suicide Initiative {I-1000}. (2013). Retrieved from www.patientsrightcouncil.org/site/analysis-washington-state/ Assisted Suicide & Death with Dignity: Past, Present & Future – Part III. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.patientsrightcouncil.org/site/rpt2005-part3/ Aulisio, M. & Arnold, M. (2008). Role of the Ethics Committee: Helping To Address Value Conflicts or Uncertainties. Retrieved from http://journal.publications.chestnet.org/article.aspx?articleid=1086034 Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2009). Principles of biomedical ethics (6th ed., pp. 38- 39).New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2008). Nursing ethics across the curriculum and into practice (2nd ed., pp. 21-22). Sunbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Purtilo, Doherty. (2011). Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions (5th ed). W.B. Saunders Company. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0896-7/id/B9781437708967000138_p0300 Tamayo-Velazquez, M., Simon-Lorda, P., & Cruz-Piqueras, M. (2012). Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide: Knowledge, attitudes and experiences of nurses in Andalusia {Spain}. Nursing Ethics, 19{5}, 677-691. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0969733011436203 Young, R. (2010). Voluntary Euthanasia. Retrieved from http://plato.standford.edu/entries/euthanasia-voluntary/

'The global financial crisis (2007-2009) is an evidence of the Essay

'The global financial crisis (2007-2009) is an evidence of the weaknesses of the existing international and national regulator - Essay Example The excessive spending and the systemic risk associated due to the fluctuation of macroeconomic factors in the world economic environment exposed the investments and the subsequent lending by the financial institutions to high risks which was slowly growing into a large bubble1. Before the global financial crisis that started in US during 2007 and rippled throughout the world, the prices of the real estate was soaring very high. Thus, people could make huge profits in the short run by investing in US properties which was unmatched with any other investment in the US and the international markets. Apart from this, the national government in US also adopted the policy of property holding right for the US citizens that encouraged the financial institutions and their intermediaries to lend for the purpose of purchase of property2. However, due to the lack of tight regulatory framework, there were cases of lending and investments that could be identified as risky due to several factors li ke repayment capability of the investor, feasibility of the investment returns, regulatory compliance, etc3. The heavy bubble of bad lending by the financial institutions burst into a global financial crisis which was an evidence of the weakness of the national and international regulatory frameworks that were put in place for avoiding the systemic risk and the excessive risk taking of the financial institutions. Systemic risk The systematic risk is explained by the risk that arises due to the fluctuation of the macro economic factors like export-import, appreciation of depreciation of currencies, economic performance of developed countries, changes in international investments, fluctuations in the financial return and risk, etc. The global financial crisis brought out the systemic risk that started in the US and melted down globally to international economies across the world4. The inter-linkage between the houses of production, markets and the financial intermediaries led the plat form where the manufacturing and the production units suffered a slowdown in the production level due to the loss of the financial intermediaries which in turn was affected due to the default risk of the borrowers who invested in the US real estate and properties5. The lack of tighter regulatory framework fuelled the investments in the US real estates. The regulatory framework for the financial institutions is also liable of not putting checks when the financial institutions relaxed their approaches on due diligence and compliance checks to find the default risk in case of lending6. The business houses were also granted loans for increasing the supply to match the rising demand. The systemic risk exposed the weakness of the regulatory frameworks when the household and the businesses defaulted in paying back the borrowed money to the financial institution and there was financial catastrophe in the US economy7. Excessive risk taking by financial institutions The global financial crisi s in 2007 to 2009 could be attributed to excessive risk taken by the financial

Air Transport Management and Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Air Transport Management and Operations - Essay Example The different entities in the air traffic are coordinated through a flight schedule, which often comprises of flight legs between airport locations. In addition, the flight schedule itself defines three other layers of schedules, for example, the aircraft schedule, the crew schedule, and passenger itineraries (Sheehan, 2003). Airport management contributes to the industry’s goals indirectly by directing the efforts of all the employees. This is done by the manager in charge of the airport. In addition, management involves planning, organizing, actuating and controlling, performed so as to determine and achieve objectives by the use of the employees. Managers in the airport industry must think of their actions in advance before implementing them as they can either lead to losses or benefits. Airport operations of controlling different runways and different aircrafts, as well as the safety of the passengers, require some plan rather than impromptu decisions (Tripathi, 2008). Organizing as a major function of the manager requires the coordination of human as well as material resources in the airport. Further, actuating means that the manager should engage in those activities that are aimed at motivating and directing the employees; while controlling means that; managers should try to ensure that there is no deviation from norm or plan. Whenever there is something wrong in the airport, such as economic problems, security threats, and weather disruptions, the managers must take action to remedy the situation. Managers are also required to use the employees and other resources such as finance, and equipments to attain the goals of the industry. For example, a manager who wants to increase the sales in the airport industry should try not only to motivate the employees but also to provide to increase the advertising budget. Advertising will ensure that consumers are made aware of the quality of

Human ressource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Human ressource management - Essay Example oblem-solving skills, coaching, and counseling, rather than an adherence to structured programs or a menu-driven approach to training and development. The organization is the basic framework within which individuals and groups behavior occur. The quality and nature of the decisions made are influence by the nature of the structure. The external environment contains a range of influences that affect an organization. They include: socio-demographic, technological, economic and political factors. Political system means the way of authority and management style adopted by organizations. Organizations as a part of external environment should pay attention to social ans cultural issues which make a significant contribu ­tion to the business. This may become even more important when the organization’s strategy is taking it into new countries, or different forms of alliance and collaborative ventures. Organizations can contribute to the success of such plans by ensuring that social differences are considered when common policies are defined, that announcements are made in a way that is most effective for each culture, and that managers who have to operate across country borders understand the nature of the cultural differences involved, and adjust their own behavior to obtain the best result (Bartlett, Ghoshal, 1999). According to Storey (1989): The drive to adopt HRM is...based on the business case of a need to respond to an external threat from increasing competition. It is a philosophy that appeals to managements who are striving to increase competitive advantage and appreciate that to do this they must invest in human resources as well as new technology (Storey 1989, p. 34). With the commodification of products, increases in liquidity, and widespread availability of information, services and products have a great need for flexibility and creativity on the part of managers in order to secure high-quality revenue. With customer demands for products often requiring

Mr. Green body paragraph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mr. Green body paragraph - Essay Example "Mr. Green says that, too. What then? he has cried to me a thousand times, ten thousand times, in the past sixteen years." Although the grandfather is concerned that the ancestors will not be able to move south with the family, the narrator proves that they can move as far away as New Orleans by bringing Mr. Green with her to the United States. "My children teach him English words. He says all these things, but without any feeling. The Vietnamese words of my grandfather, however, come out powerfully, like someone very strong is inside him." As he nears the end of his life, Mr. Green begins to imitate the grandfathers death, which took six months for the human man. "Parrots are very smart. Mr. Green in particular. And he knows more than just my grandfathers words," the narrator says, going on to describe how the parrot has not only adopted the grandfathers disapproval of her chatter but also his appearance in the naked chest with the slack skin at the throat. Although she never had he r grandfather in the United States, the narrator feels she has had him with her in spirit in the form of Mr. Green and she continues to pray for his soul even after Mr. Green is dead. In this way, the parrot becomes a symbol of

Theoretical Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Theoretical Framework - Essay Example The focus would be the fire tragedy in Australia which would be used as a case study to show the differences in the two forms of media. In doing this, the perspective of theorists have to be incorporated. Modern dynamic theorists have various issues awaiting their input in different disciplines. They cover cultural theory, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, history, technology studies, and science among many more. Impulses ignite the academicians to move issues in these disciplines in addition to the references beyond present problems that the dual form. Changes are also aimed at redirecting ways of thinking. The media as an industry has undergone transformations over the years. Bloggers are contemporary media personnel whose mode of information dissemination is conspicuously different from traditional media personalities. This is discussed into detail in the following discourse. In the following part, the theoretical framework that underlies the two forms of media will be discusse d. There are several theories that relate to the two forms of media. In essence, either conventional or new school media only acts as a way of disseminating information. Conventional media refers to all forms of media which entail broadcast as well as print media. ... There are cases of media trivializing reports which usually cause unsolicited reactions from the public. In the same way, new media has been in existence due to technological advancements which have taken place in recent years. For instance, the advent of the internet as a modern form of communication has brought with it endless opportunities. In this case, blogging has evolved as way of reporting information. One notable attribute about blogging is the fact that the bloggers are usually not so much accountable for whatever they put out to the public. This is unlike in traditional media where the media houses usually bear responsibility for everything that they put up for broadcast. Consequently, bloggers have a boundless freedom in which they express themselves. However, they also have some limits regarding what they report. Theme The discussion that follows delves into the two forms of media with a particular reference to how they contrast in reference to the Australian fire traged y. In addition, references would be made to theories which are related to media or reporting (Paterson & Domingo, 2008). The motive is to find out if the theories are true in view of what happens following media reporting. Background on the Australian fire The Australian fire was a tragedy that affected the lives of many. Of significant importance to the many humans who were affected at the time was the media coverage. During disasters like in the fire, most people turn to the media for information and updates. It is at the time that media owners have to practice professionalism and ethics in disseminating the information that they have. This should be observed because the media at the time is relied upon as the official communication channel. Responsible

Literary analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Literary analysis - Essay Example When reading a poem such as â€Å"A Song on the End of the World† by Czeslaw Milosz, one has the option of learning the history behind the poem since the poem makes sense either way, but a great deal more meaning can be gleaned from it when history is taken into account. The poem presents a picture of what seems to be a very peaceful day. The author shows his readers the insects drifting over the flowers, the daily peaceful activities of the people as they mend nets, take leisurely walks, sell vegetables, consider napping on a green lawn, tend to their gardens and play music that greets the night time sky. Animals are present too as the birds play in some remnant rain water, a snake moves through the area and â€Å"happy porpoises jump in the sea† (4). There is nothing overly aggressive or threatening in the scene presented other than the author’s assertion that this is the day the world ended. In presenting these descriptions, the author works to use as few abstract terms as possible, giving the reader a sense that he is being very specific as to his subject. However, this is somewhat misleading as it becomes clear that none of these actions, each an indication of a quiet, small-town lifestyle, provide any specific detail as to where these actions are taking place. The closest he comes to providing actual specifics as to location is when he points to a â€Å"yellow-sailed boat† that â€Å"comes nearer the island† (11). The porpoises are ‘happy’, the bee ‘circles’ and the people are ‘disappointed’, but each of these abstract terms are given specific definition by their context within the poem. This confines the reader on the page and within the vision the author is bringing forward. The way in which Milosz wrote this poem seems to discourage people from looking beyond the text of the poem itself for meaning. Although some abstract terms are used, as has been discussed, they are used in specific ways that seem to

Right to die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Right to die - Essay Example The golden rule applies to the majority of people since many people are unable to justify the treatment of an individual through certain ways. However, distinctive treatment applies when one is willing to admit the treatment of the other person through justification when positions reverse (Rachels, 1986). Therefore, according to Rachel’s arguments and use of the golden rule, Euthanasia only applies when one person admits to treating the other with the same measure as he or she receives the same treatment. On the other hand, Kant’s issues on morality and the golden rule regards as a major historical alternative to utilitarianism. Kant sought expressions of all morality in a single principle that viewed sophisticated versions of the golden rule. Besides, emphasis on Euthanasia need to act on rules applied globally while behaving like everyone else. The idea applies to one supreme principle of morality called categorical imperative. The principle represents Euthanasia since it demonstrates maximum acts of individuals at the same time according to the universal law on the rights to die. Moreover, emphasis applies in demonstrating individual actions while making decisions to focus on general rules that everyone is willing to follow before making any decisions (Rachels,

E-Commerce and the Value Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

E-Commerce and the Value Proposal - Essay Example The platform of e-commerce has emerged as one of the popular modes of performing related operations of retail chain businesses in an electric form. Notably, the activities in e-commerce include performing operations and making transactions with the use of internet. For several businesses, the platform of e-commerce is also used for gathering relevant information about consumer market and competitors’ actions amid the prime ones. The rationale behind conducting this study was to explore the benefits and identifying the challenges that Sainsbury’s experienced with respect to introduction of e-commerce in its business process. Besides, further supporting the assessment of the identified issues, certain recommendations has been made that will certainly assist the business of Sainsbury’s to improve its operational process. Considering the fact that the platform of e-commerce has emerged as one of the beneficial approaches to reach more customers in highly conventional setting thus, apparently, the prospective to conduct this study was to explore e-commerce trend in the global retail market. Along with this prospect, the significance of conducting the study also laid in exploring the issues that Sainsbury’s faced within aggressive e-commerce trend in the marketplace by other competitive businesses. Rationale after the study resolution to recognised the problems of the corporation that can be positively to sustenance the company in developing its commercial procedure. Appropriately, this study will support the company.

Urban Myth 09 Essay Example for Free

Urban Myth 09 Essay It was a cold night with a strange breeze in the air. The roads were filled with a slight feel of tension as the mans car drove over the frosted motor way. The smart business man dressed in an expensive suit was coming home from work and drove peacefully along the road with not a single worry in the world. He was making his way down a long motor way. The further he seemed to go the colder he began to feel. He felt the cold air coming in and touching upon his polyester suit even though the windows were tightly shut. He was listening to his favourite radio station when he suddenly heard a loud crrrrrrrr sound blast out from the radio speakers. The radio automatically shifted to another music station one the man had never heard before, spooky opera music began to play from the station. It shot out from the radio speakers and surrounded him in the car. The man was momentarily startled then looked down to change the station. On that second he sensed something and looked back up at the frosted road. He gazed upon a young women dressed in an immaculate bold red dress. She was madly close and standing directly in the middle of the road. Without a doubt the man immediately applied the handbrake and stopped with a thunderous skid. As the car stopped the woman was directly in front of bumper. The man looked her straight in the eyes in astonishment as the young women didnt look one bit bothered about nearly being killed by the car. The woman slowly raised her arm into a hitchhikers position to ask for a lift home. The man automatically told her with hand gestures to come inside the car; he was scared she may want to file a law suit against him as he had nearly killed her. He thought that if he gave her a lift home she would not do anything against him. The woman was breathing heavy and with every breath she took misty air seeped out from her mouth onto the front windscreen. As the man began to drive he started to examine the woman from the corner of his eye. She was wearing a sleeveless red dress and looked as if she was going to a party. The man tried to make small talk with the women but got no reply, not even a facial expression. The woman was completely silent and only made noise when taking breathes. As they made it down the road and started to approach the houses the woman began to shiver. The man took off his jacket and gave it to her. She slowly took it without speaking and quickly put it on. Her house was not far from where she was, the young women pointed towards the house and the business man parked up outside. As soon as the car stopped the woman slid quickly out of the car and ran into the house. The man thought to himself how glad he was that she was not going to file a law suit. He then realised the women was still wearing his expensive jacket but could not do anything as he did not want to disturb the household she had already entered. He then heard loud shouting coming from the house but thought nothing of it and drove off. The next morning the man came back to the house to this time hear the same spooky opera music he had first heard when he encountered the strange young woman on the road. The man parked up the car and got out. He approached the door and knocked; the knock sounded echoes throughout the house but could not compete with the sound of the creepy opera music. The music suddenly went off and an old tired looking woman slowly opened the door. She looked very surprised as if no one had knocked on her door for many years; she immediately asked the man what he wanted. The man explained to her what had happened and her daughter or relative perhaps has still got his jacket. The old lady took the man inside and made him feel comfortable as he sat down. She explained to the man how her daughter was murdered brutally on her prom night and thrown into a river not far from the house 20 years ago by her boyfriend as she was coming home. She told him everything in detail about how she was wearing a beautiful red dress and her favourite opera song she use to always play whenever she was feeling upset. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Is Immortality Desirable?

Is Immortality Desirable? Abstract In this paper I discuss whether immortality in the physical form is desirable. In accordance with the deprivation account I seek to defend the commonsense view that death is a bad thing for the individual but will argue that consistency and logic does not require me to believe that an immortal existence is to be desired. I defend Bernard Williams claim that with an immortal life we are doomed to an eternity of never ending repetition, boredom and indifference and that death is a necessary evil if we are to avoid a life devoid of freshness. I will also argue that death and the very limitation that its sets down gives life meaning. In support of Victor Fankl I will defend the claim that it is time pressure that shapes our lives. In developing my argument I will oppose the counter argument that it is death that makes life meaningless not meaningful. Is Immortality desirable? Is it simply a design fault that we age and die? Are we living in a culture of death whereby we die simply because we accept it as an inevitability? â€Å"All men are mortal† said Socrates, however, a lifetime spent on in-depth research has led pioneering scientists to deem aging not as an inevitable consequence of the human condition but as a preventative disease. Perhaps these scientists are far too optimistic in their search for a virtual fountain of youth, or is it simply the case that death – the end of the physical being, is accepted by the mind and embraced through reinforced teachings and observation. Whether you believe that a quest for immortality will or will never be achieved is irrelevant to the question at hand. The focus will be on whether immortality is desirable, assuming something can be desired yet impossible. Clarification of what I mean by immortality is essential; I will focus on what can be described as physical immortality- by this I mean that on e can live for eternity as a human physical being on earth (where everyone is immortal). In my interpretation, I will also assume that there is no get out clause, take for example one is offered an elixir of immortal life, once taken a person cannot change their mind opting for death- immortality is forever. My definition will also incorporate a block on aging; eternity will be lived through a perfectly healthy functioning body. Accidents will be possible but can be fixed with ease. Intentionally, I have painted a picture of immortality which may at first glance seem desirable, as one may be quick to argue that an immortal life where a person is forever aging to the point of an eternity of pain and discomfort and where accidents occurred and could not be fixed is simply not one to be desired. However, throughout this essay I will put forward the argument that those who believe immortality to be desirable have made an irrational choice, it would be a mistake to crave an immortal life and take the elixir of eternal existence. I will approach this issue by initially examining Nagels (1970) question of whether it is a terrible thing to go out of existence, I will agree and defend the deprivation account of the evil and badness of death claiming it is possible to do so while maintaining immor tality would be a bad thing. The idea that boredom will develop if there was no end to human life will be explored, assessing much of the support from Bernard Williams (1973) as well as opposing and tackling one of John Martin Fischers (1994) criticisms of the above view. The second argument that I will present (which overlaps with my first) will be based on the meaning of life, I will argue that death and the very limitations that it sets down gives life meaning and this will be explored by assessing the views of Victor Frankl (1957) as well as counterarguments by Robert Nozicks (1981). Firstly, to determine whether immortality is a good thing, I pose the question of whether death is a bad thing. Death is an ambiguous term so let me be clear of the definition it will take in my essay. I will take death to mean the end of the physical being, the cessation of life. I am aware that defining death in this way is problematic but let us assume for the sake of simplicity that this is correct. My concern at this point is whether death is a bad thing for the person who dies, referring to the state of non existence (at least in the physical form), not the process of dying. For many, a rational response in life is to fear death- after all, it is our most personal and valuable asset, but is it really, as Nagel stated, a terrible thing to go out of existence? There has been extensive philosophical discussion and disagreement regarding this matter, with philosophers such as Bernard Williams (1973), who argue death has its rightful place; a point to which I will later return, and there are those such as Thomas Nagel (1970) who speak of its badness. Lucretius, however, argue that something can only be good or bad for a person if that person exists at the time the event takes place and is experienced, if we take death to mean non-existence where non-existence is nothingness then death cannot be said to be good or bad as only something can be interpreted in this way. I, however, believe that death is bad, agreeing with Nagel in most parts but at the same time believe that immortality, never dying is also bad, this is not a contradiction. I disagree with the Lucretius argument for the very same reason Nagel rejected their reasoning, Nagel presents an example of an individual betrayed unknowingly behind his back, although the person never becomes aware of this, it seems fair to say that the betrayal was a bad thing for the person involved, in this way the Lucretius connection between badness and experience does not hold true (Nagel, 1970:76). It may be the case that something can be intrinsically bad, bad in itself or in its own right, for example, pain is avoided for its own sake. It may also be the case that something can be comparatively bad, bad by virtue of what youre not getting while this other thing is present. I take the latter point to be the case for the badness of death. It seems to me that something can be bad even if you dont exist, e xistence is not a requirement, in fact it is the very fact that you dont exist that makes death bad. The central bad about death, about non existence, is that it deprives you of the goods of life you might otherwise be getting, I couldnt fall in love, enjoy a sunset or master philosophy.From this, it should follow that life is good because if I wasnt dead I wouldnt be deprived; more of a good thing is always better than less of a good thing; therefore more life is better than less life; it should follow therefore that eternal life never dying is exceptionally good. However, the rules of logic and reason do not require somebody who accepts the deprivation account to believe that immortality is to be desired. Looking closely at the deprivation account, what it claims is that death is bad insofar as it deprives us of the good things we could have otherwise experienced, but we shouldnt assume that life is good or always good (maybe Nagel does or often seems to assume this) what if it turned out that what you would have hereafter would be in fact a life full of bad things. It would there fore be a bad thing that you would go through the rest of your life which in this case would be an eternity with negative experiences. I will now go on to explain that it is an inevitability that an eternal life will somewhere down the line cease to be good, transforming into an eternity of badness in which case still in accordance with the deprivation account death will no longer be bad. I agree that at first thought immortality may be tempting the argument that life is too short will no longer exist. Think of all the things you could get done, you could devout years to writing great philosophy, you could take pleasure in countless sunsets and sunrises, you could enjoy things endlessly having more time to see and achieve things that you would have otherwise not had time to. Here is my argument, too much of a good thing can become a bad thing, medicine for example is something which is instrumentally good, however, although it is good in small doses in that it cures a disease for example if I take more than the prescribed amount it becomes harmful to my body. In this same way extending human life by 50 or even a 100 years can be good but what if someone added a thousand, a million, an eternity to your life? Having done and seen everything you could possible have imagined everything will start to feel the same, having experienced love and the sunset millions of times t hey would no longer excite you. Eternity is a very long time, forever goes on forever and boredom will eventually set in leaving you existing as oppose to living. It seems that I am in agreement with Bernard Williams, in his essay â€Å"The Makropulos Case:Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality† (1973) who also argues that an eternal existence would be intolerable, claiming that as human beings it is inevitable that by our very nature we will get bored we would be doomed to never ending repetition and boredom, life would simply be devoid of interest or freshness. He supports his view by discussing a play by Karel Capek which tells of a woman named Elina Makropulos, who at the age of 42 was given an elixir of eternal life by her father. The play is set 300 years on and Elina is now aged 342, Williams states that â€Å"Her unending life has come to a state of boredom, indifference, and coldness. Everything is joyless: â€Å"in the end it is the same,† she says, â€Å"singing and silence.† She refuses to take the elixir again; she dies; and the formula is deliberately destroyed by a young woman among the protest of some older men† (Williams,1973:82). EM has lived her life at the age of 42 for 300 years and it seems that everything that could happen to a woman of 42 has already happened to her. John Martin Fischer in an article titled Why immortality is not so bad criticizes Williams argument; Fischer asserts that if there was a sufficiently diverse package of experiences we would not get bored (Fischer 1994). He acknowledges that there are those pleasures that would be self exhausting, those which we would not want to repeat more than once or a few times as we would inevitably get bored. His examples of these self exhausting pleasures include pleasures that are disappointing which one would not want to repeat for that very reason and those non-disappointing pleasures which you do to fulfil a goal to prove something to yourself, for example, to overcome your phobia of heights you climb Mount Whitney but this is an experience you do not want to repeat. He acknowledges that there are those pleasures that are self exhausting but ther e are many repeatable pleasures that we would never get bored of like listening to beautiful music or seeing great art and we would therefore never fall victim to Williams boredom account. I disagree with Fischer, firstly it seems to me his examples of self exhausting pleasures present a distorted view of what pleasure really is. I agree that disappointing pleasures may appear to be pleasurable before the act but after we experience the disappointment they cease to fall into this category. It appears that these disappointing pleasures are not pleasures at all and should not fall into the category of self exhausting pleasures. It is a similar case for his example of non disappointing self exhausting pleasures like climbing a mountain to overcome a phobia, climbing this mountain is not done for sheer pleasure, we may experience pride and we may experience some pleasure from this pride but the very act is done reluctantly and is not pleasurable within itself. To claim that he partly agrees with Williams that there are those pleasure that are self exhausting is somewhat misleading what he presents in the above case are not pleasures at all. What Williams said, is to think of the most perfect immortality that you can imagine and imagine doing this forever, the above so called pleasures do not fall into this; it seems obvious they would not want to be repeated. Fischer also goes on to explain a second category of pleasures which he called repeatable pleasures which include listening to music and enjoying art, Fischer believed that if these pleasures were appropriately distributed (not too closely to each other ) they could be repeated countless times. I disagree; although in this case they could be classed as pleasure, it seems we would still inevitably get bored maybe not after 100 or even two hundred years but somewhere down the line of a never ending life we would get bored. I can only enjoy a piece of music a limited number of times before it no longer brings me pleasure. However at this point an objection may arise; some may argue that human potential is endless reducing the likelihood of boredom. There are millions of songs to be heard and millions more that will emerge, there is a countless number of things that can be enjoyed that will never run out so you are not doomed to be repeating the same things over and over, and maybe when things start to get tedious new things will be invented to occupy our minds. The response to this is that having heard a thousand, a million, two million, songs they will all eventually take the same shape, nothing new can be invented that would be so drastically different from all previous inventions. Another point to be made is that Elina Makropulos maintains the same character throughout her life changing only to adapt to her surroundings it could therefore be suggested that the boredom she experienced was a result of her unchanging character not the fact that she lived for such a long period of time. Williams addresses this throughout his article, he argues that as human beings we aim to be, and usually succeed, in becoming a certain type of person, we develop a certain set of interests, a certain way of acting and we become settled as that type of person. His thought is that those who can avoid boredom and continue to find things interesting are not sufficiently mature there seems to be something wrong with them as such immortality is not a life for a hu man being (Williams 1973) . Let us now introduce a way boredom can be avoided in accordance with his argument, a possibility Williams considers is rejuvenation; by this he means you remain a human being in that you maintain the same body but every so often you are rejuvenated, a certain part of your history disappears and is replaced by a new start. Although this seems to deal with the boredom issue Williams does questions whether this is in fact you? Every time I am rejuvenated I have no recollection of my prior self and build a whole new character based on different memories and experiences. It seems wrong to say that I am the same person after being rejuvenated for the hundredth time as I was prior to my first rejuvenation (Williams,1973:92). Even if we are persuaded that you are the same person Williams would argue that it is not giving you anything that you could be interested in, the absence of a continuity of consciousness is a serious problem. Even if it is not death it is as bad as death to be rejuvenated in this way. Another possibility to consider is the gradual deterioration of memory where we forget things as time goes on for example every 200 years. However I believe this raises the same question as above are we really the same person if we live in a 200 year envelope? Williams concludes that death is a necessary e vil; we should hope to die if we are to avoid the alternative of immortality. My second argument to why immortality is not desirable is based on the meaning of life. I believe that death and the very limitations that it sets down gives life meaning. My second argument overlaps with my first but what I wish to specifically argue here is that it is the very fact that we are here for what is comparatively a short time that makes our lives meaningful, in the way we act and behave, this is the idea that it is time pressure that shapes our lives. It is irrelevant whether one believes or does not believe in god or any form of creator or greater being, they will still find life meaningless without death, even if you merely carry on living out of the fear of dying. I believe that all good things have to have a beginning, middle and an end and each is necessary and is enjoyed accordingly. Victor Frankl argues that death itself is what makes life meaningful, his reasoning is as follows: â€Å"What would our lives be like if they were not finite in time, but infinite? If we were immortal, we would legitimately postpone every action forever. It would be of no consequence whether or not we did a thing now; every act might just as well be done tomorrow or the day after or a year from now or ten years hence. But in the face of death as absolute finis to our future boundary to our possibilities, we are under the imperative of utilizing our lifetimes to utmost, not letting the singular opportunities- whose finite sum constitutes the whole of life-pass by unused† (Frankl,1957:73). Nozick , however, has a problem with this argument, in his book â€Å"Philosophical explanation† he wonders whether death in fact makes life meaningless not meaningful, he argues that â€Å"Frankl assumes our only desire is to have done certain things, to put certain things somewhere on our record†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.However, we may desire to do things; our desire need not be merely to have done them. Moreover, if we had an infinite life, we might view it as a whole, as something to organize, shape and do something with† (Nozick,1981:579-580) I disagree, firstly it was not assumed by Frankl that we merely do things to put them on record, what was being said is that we have a limited amount of time to do things but we do not merely do them just to tick a box but to grow and evolve as human beings because pursuing our goals enriches our lives. It is the very fact that we have a finite time that motivates us to make those decisions and do those things that enhance our lives, which would only be forever delayed with an infinite existence. For example why should I go to school if I dont like it? The simple answer is to learn to acquire skills that would help me to achieve and make something of my self before I die and cease to exist. If I was immortal, learning trigonometry would seem less attractive than watching TV or playing computer games all day. I get more pleasure from such things (in the short term at least) and watching TV is certainly easier than studying and Ill get round to learning trigonometry sometime.Time press ure is what makes us set goals, with an immortal life tasks would forever be extended and a consequence would emerge whereby we would be less likely to do things of value, we would become a stagnant society where simple pleasures rule. Even if we are partly motivated by the desire to do things not only to have done things they would still be postponed and contrary to what Nozick claims this would matter as the desire alone to do things does not make ones life meaningful it may contribute to some poor will to carry on living (to do that specific thing) but will not give satisfaction to ones life. Nozick also questions whether death in fact makes life meaningless? Many argue that death renders life futile because we will all eventually die and so there is no point in developing character or studying calculus if our progress is ultimately going to be permanently interrupted and it will all go to waste. It seems to me that to argue that death makes life meaningless is to argue that something can only be meaningful if it lasts forever. The truth is that many things we value and find worthwhile do not last forever. I affirm that most if not all actions other than pleasures within themselves are predominantly motivated by the desire to get things done and enrich our lives from them before we die. Death is a deadline, a necessary evil; we know every day that passes we will never get back and this gives meaning and shapes how we live and thus an immortal life is not one to be desired. So far a strong argument has been provided for the undesirability of an immortal life but is there any situation in which immortality can be desired? In setting out what I meant by immortality I disallowed a get out clause, let us now suppose you would be able to live as long as you wanted and when you eventually had enough it would be possible to take your own life, is the elixir of eternal existence now more attractive? Surely it is, however, this is not all together straight forward. Take for example a mortal who chooses to commit suicide, in taking their own life he/she is giving up for example another 30 years, however, in the case of an immortal he/she is giving up what is essentially an eternity. They may be unhappy now but they could not possibly know that this would be the case in a million or a billion years time, choosing to take an immortal life is of greater consequence. In allowing a get out clause we would also become a very unadventurous and risk- averse society, who would take the risk of bungee jumping, paragliding and so forth if what they are risking is an infinite lifespan? Although this may seem a more attractive model of immortality it is complicated and can it really be called immortality if we allow this get out clause? It seems to me the very fact that we would choose this model supports my argument, that immortality would cease to be good and we would all sooner or later opt to take our own lives. In conclusion immortality in the physical human sense is never a good thing. It should not be desired; whatever perfect life you imagine to want to experience forever it will soon become tedious and boredom will eventually set in. Death is therefore necessary, even in accordance with the deprivation account, as further existence would become a bad thing sooner or later and it will no longer be the case whereby death deprives you of the good things life has to offer but where death provides an end to all that is bad with an eternal existence. It is also the inevitability of death that gives life reason and shape, the very fact that we have a limited lifespan motivates people through a sense of urgency to spend their time doing those things that contribute meaning and enrich their lives which would forever be delayed with inevitable consequences with an immortal life. Without death there would be no such thing as sacrifice, putting a lifes work into something, heroism and courage, we w ould lack appreciation for our existence, life would not be as serious or meaningful. I believe there to be an artistic necessity about dying- in the same way a picture has a frame, one cannot imagine an infinite painting, or a play has a shape and a final curtain, one cant imagine a play going on forever. Why grope for some mysterious realm for which we are not properly equipped to function in? Although I have argued that immortality is bad, this is not to say that it is a good thing that we die when we do, in accordance with all above arguments one can still think that we die too soon. Bibliography Fischer, M. (1994). Why Immortality is Not So Bad. International Journal of Philosophical Studies. 2, 257-270. Frankl, V (1957). The Doctor and the Soul. Alfred Knopf. New York Nagel, T (1970). Death. Nous. 4, 73-80 Nozick, R (1981). Philosophical Explanations. Oxford.  Clarendon Press Williams, B (1973). Problems of the Self: Philosophical Papers 1956-1972. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Ethical Issues in Surrogacy

Ethical Issues in Surrogacy Introduction: Surrogacy is a term used when a woman agrees to carry a pregnancy as a surrogate mother for another person, who will claim the parental rights of the child. The parental rights holding person acts as the legal guardian who has the authority to care for the child born from the surrogate mother. There is no definite set of laws or rights in Ireland to cover the legal issues arising due to surrogacy and the maternity rights in Ireland also favors the male parent for the child. In this essay, the ethical issues due to surrogacy and maternity rights are explained in detail with a high court case where a Woman loses maternity benefit claim over surrogacy which was published in Irish Times on Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015. Regarding surrogacy, there is no definite ethics and legislation in Ireland regarding surrogacy where is an upsurge in the cases regarding surrogacy. Questions regarding the societies concern for a woman being used as a paid breeding tool. Questions regarding the societies concern for exploitation and commodification, of a woman being used to becoming pregnant and deliver commissioning couples child. Questions about contracting a woman for surrogacy, Is it more like contracting for employment or labor or prostitution or slavery?. Questions regarding the motherhood of the child where Is genetic mother the actual mother or the gestational mother the actual mother? and much more. These major ethical issues are faced in Ireland regarding the maternal rights and legal guardianship for the child which were born through surrogacy. The problems that arise regarding the surrogacy is due to the unrefined Irish legislation which doesnt cover the legal issues arising from surrogacy. High Court Cases regarding surrogacy: Woman loses maternity benefit claim over surrogacy: The commission on assisted human reproduction released a report in the year 2005 which recommended that the parental rights should be given to the commissioning parents and not to the surrogate mother. A regulatory body is suggested for the regulation of assisted human reproduction, including surrogacy was also recommended by the commission. However, still there is no regulating body for the assisted human reproduction. According to the commission on assisted human reproduction, the surrogate mother is the childs guardian and legal mother. The legal maternity is important for documents such as birth certificate, citizenship, etc. By the Status of Children Act 1987 under Section 46 the surrogates husband is considered as the childs father, and if she is not married, she is the sole guardian. The woman had an emergency hysterectomy due to a serious cancer illness during her pregnancy which left her unable to carry a pregnancy. She and her husband came to a decision that they were going to use surrogacy to give birth to their baby. A surrogate entered into an agreement in the US, where she was implanted by the woman and man genetic material fertilized via in-vitro fertilization treatment. A daughter was born through the surrogacy process in the US by the surrogate where every arrangement was legalized. The couple became the legal guardians and the biological parents by the registration in the birth certificate of their daughter. The woman was allowed to avail leave for maternity by her employer, but the pay maternity leave allowance was not agreed by the employer. She also applied to the Department of Social Protection for the State allowance which replied that she is not eligible. The woman claimed the refusal of maternity leave allowance through the court by discriminating in breach of the Equal Status Act. However, in the judgment, Ms. Justice Iseult OMalley disagreed the womans claim by stating that the Equal Status Act cannot be taken into consideration in the case of surrogacy where is an absence of legislation. The judgment also included that the maternity leave allowance is for the woman who carries the baby during her pregnancy. The woman was denied her maternity benefits due to the reason that the child was born through surrogacy. Landmark High Court surrogacy case adjourned: According to the commission on assisted human reproduction, the surrogate mother is the childs guardian and legal mother. The legal maternity is essential for documents such as birth certificate, citizenship, etc. By the Status of Children Act 1987 under Section 46 the surrogates husband is considered as the childs father, and if she is not married, she is the sole guardian. However, the man commissioning the surrogacy can also apply for the childs guardianship if he is the genetic or biological father under the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964. The position is not clear for the surrogate who carries the embryo of the commissioning couple, but if the surrogate uses her ova to conceive the child, the Irish court will hold her as the legal guardian for the child. In the Landmark High Court surrogacy case the parents who commissioned the surrogacy discovered that they had no genetic link to the child which was born using the surrogate. It was believed to be the first case of its kind to come to the courts hearing. Since the parents could not establish a genetic link to the child and the child was allowed into Ireland. The parents applied to make the child as a ward of the court where an interim order was granted, and the couples were appointed as the interim guardian for the child in September. Further DNA testing was ordered by Senior Counsel Gerard Durcan to the President of the High Court Justice Peter Kelly, which can be used to establish the parentage of the child. The judge ordered that further clarification and confirmation is required and the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has no concerns regarding the welfare. The full hearing of the case would proceed in the month of January. Surrogacy can also be Good: In the developing world, there is both good and bad for every decision made in the peoples life. Surrogacy came into existence due to many reasons; two major are difficulty in adoption and infertility. 11.3% of people are infertility in the US which is the statistics given in the year 2013. Infertile people who want their children who can fulfill the wish of the family has no other option rather than surrogacy so that there is a possibility for living out the dream. Not just infertility people goes for surrogacy, the people who are married to the same sex also has no other option rather than surrogacy. In these cases, surrogacy might not be bad though adoption is suggested and it is a very complicated process and takes a longer time to adopt a child than surrogacy. The legal paperwork involved along with the psychological evaluations and the waiting list etc. may take many years. On the cons, it debated that the surrogate mothers are well aware and conscious of their choice to carry someone elses child. The woman involved in the surrogacy is perceived as an altruistic gesture, and most of them have a positive experience and feel satisfied with the surrogacy process. Conclusion: Surrogacy has both the aspects of good and bad in Ireland it is not well defined which is double edged sword both for the people commissioning surrogacy and to the government. In the first court case of surrogacy, the woman was affected due to the denial of her maternity benefits and the second court case of surrogacy; the court got affected by taking the child as the ward of the court. Clear rules and legislation for the process of surrogacy should come into existence in Ireland. A governing body should be allotted for resolving the problems involving the surrogacy and the problems arising from surrogacy. The government body should have the power decide whether the couple is allowed to commission a surrogacy or to adopt a child if there is a possibility for adoption. According to the commission on assisted human reproductions report released in the year, 2005 should be taken into clear considerations, and a panel should be arranged to decide the power to be allocated to the governin g body.

EGYPT :: essays research papers

Ancient civilizations are studied today to help us understand more about our worlds past and what has brought us to where we are today. Our findings have not only answered questions, but also bought us to ask more questions. Perhaps one of the most studied and yet least understood civilizations is the Ancient Egyptian Civilization. Many studies have been done one what is now left of their ruins. Ancient towns have left us with hieroglyphics, items that help us understand the way they lived, and even tombs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the keys to understanding the ancient civilization is the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered and helps us even today interpret the ancient writing of hieroglyphics. All of Egypt's history, religion, and beliefs are only some of the writings that are left. Some of the writings include proof that exotic plans did exist then that don't exist today. These writings have told the stories of all the kings and their rule. Gods were very prominent in this time and played a large role in the way people lived their lives. If it weren't for these writings, this civilization may have never been fully discovered. Not everyone was able to read and write hieroglyphics, there was a special school for children who were exceptional. The school would start for the child at about five to ten years of age. They would learn how vile the other occupations in the town really were. For example, the smith slaves over a hot furnace, and his hands were like crocodiles, and the mason w ho was achy and weary. Scribes seemed to have the better life among the people because they had the power over everyone. The actual power to read and write was more valuable than food, drink, and clothes. There is little evidence that women knew how to write. There was only one tomb where a woman had left a journal of her every day life. It is believed that only the wealthy women were able to read and write, but there was no place for them in the career world to do this. Scribes were so important because they were able to copy sacred texts into royal books of the Nether World into the walls of the tombs of kings and queens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the hieroglyphics we learn about the average life of an Egyptian. Egyptian marriage wasn't always arranged, this was usually only done by royal family where a brother would marry a sister in an arranged marriage.

An Introduction To Expert Systems Essay examples -- Technology Compute

An Insight into Expert Systems Abstract To improve speed of operations, programming practices for practical purposes are moving away from the data centric, procedural problem solving paradigm to a heuristic, declarative problem solving paradigm. Though theoretically there is no guarantee that a solution shall be found and even if it is found, that it be correct, practically it has been proven that expert systems employing , heuristics are indeed a faster and more effective manner of problem solving , with an added advantage of having an explanation for the answer arrived at. Having started out as a diagnostic tool, it has now found acceptance all over, be it Manufacturing Firms or IT Solution Providers and is definitely here to stay. Its dependence on Artificial Intelligence furthermore proves its capabilities to branch out to more areas of deployment. With the advent of commercial-off-the-shelf expert system development tools making the process of designing an expert system a simple task, now the real challenge lies with the experts to be able to put these their knowledge and expertise in their domain to effective use to create systems which can be put to use effectively. Expert Systems are a branch of Artificial Intelligence that makes an extensive use of specialized knowledge to solve problems at the level of a human expert. AI's scientific goal is to understand intelligence by building computer programs that exhibit intelligent behavior. The term intelligence covers many cognitive skills, including the ability to solve problems, learn, and understand language; AI addresses all of those. But most progress to date in AI has been made in the area of problem solving -- concepts and methods for building programs that reas... ...tive. The IFE may also use a variety of techniques, particularly when carrying out the dialogue with the user to produce the specification of the user's problem. Research has flattened out when compared to the days of its inception as a practice, as more efforts have been employed in tapping its commercial value. To maximize this, other systems such as database and fuzzy logic systems are being embedded into expert systems. Drawbacks Expert systems are said to have a narrow domain and limited focus. Also they do not have a learning ability which is something AI systems are expected to. They require rigorous maintenance procedures and incur huge developmental costs. Bibliography 1. Knowledge Based Systems in Japan (http://www.wtec.org/loyola/kb/) 2. Databases and Artificial Intelligence 3 by Alison Cawsey (http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~alison/ai3notes/)

Kubrick Lives Essays -- essays papers

Kubrick Lives The theory of authorship as applied to film directors is a subject that is argued extensively throughout the film world. The auteur theory was first introduced in the French film journal Cahiers du Cinema. Andrew Sarris who suggested that there are a group of filmmakers who fit into this category brought the theory to America. It states that in order for a director to be considered an auteur, there must be a consistency of style and theme across a number of films. Very few contemporary filmmakers fit into this category. One filmmaker, however, expanded his filmography over four and a half decades, and created a consistent theme and style. That director was Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick was known as a very stylistic filmmaker, so a lot can be said about his film style. His use of music, however, remains the most prominent aspect of Kubrick’s film style, especially as his career progressed. He was a master at using music to evoke feelings and create tension and confusion. The two most prominent examples of the power of music occur in A Clockwork Orange, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The first of these two films, 2001, was created like a symphony. It had an overture at the beginning, a musical intermission, and an epilogue at the end. The classical work of Richard Strauss, â€Å"Also Spach Zarathustra†, supplies the most recognizable and moving main title theme of the film. The use of this music as well as other classical works including the frolicky â€Å"Blue Danube† by Johann Strauss gives the film a flowing quality that it wouldn’t normally have. Most of the music is light in nature, which contradicts the mystery that is unfolding in space. The beautiful imagery is matched well with the images and the editing to provide an incredible viewing experience. In A Clockwork Orange, Kubrick does virtually the same thing with music, only in a darker way. In the film, Alex is given a treatment that will make him ill when confronted with violence or sex. Unfortunately for him, the films he is forced to watch are scored with Beethoven’s â€Å"Ninth Symphony†, which is Alex’s favorite music. A sense of irony and empathy is created in that by Alex trying to take the easy way out, he is forced to give up the three things he loves most: sex, violence, and Beethoven. His love of music backfires on him once again with his crooning of the song â€Å"Singin’ in the Rain.† In one of... ...d. This solidifies the theme of duality by blatantly showing us the symbols. Style and theme in filmmaking go hand in hand. Stanley Kubrick was a master of using his own personal style to create a series of works, all with very similar themes. He believed strongly in the way music can affect the development of conflict. Every film that he has directed (excluding Spartacus) has a strong music and sound design that makes it undeniably Kubrick. (He didn’t have his usual control over Spartacus). From the lush soundtrack of 2001 to the minimal soundtrack of Dr. Strangelove, we can see that every piece of music has its place and its reason for being there. Even in the trailer for the upcoming Eyes Wide Shut, you can see that music will be an important part of it. Also, because Kubrick deals with the same underlying themes from film to film to film, we can come to understand his thoughts and emotions. The troubled protagonist and the duality of self remained consistent fixtures throughout his career. By seeing these styles and themes surface in Stanley Kubr ick’s work, we can justify designating him a film auteur. It is a shame that we will not be able to watch him grow any further.

Benefits of Educating Employees

Is it possible for a business to increase productivity by offering workplace computer literacy training to their employees? This paper asked the question: Are there benefits to employers that provide workplace education and training, above and beyond increased competency? The answer, as reported by research, is a resounding yes. Benefits such as increased self-confidence, increased adaptability, flexibility, the willingness to accept change and increased success in job-related training plus increased skills were reportedly derived from the workplace competency training offered.Moreover these benefits translated into more productivity for the organization. Benefits of Educating Employees Introduction With the rapid changes taking place in our world economy, researching the question of workplace education benefits is significant. The question arose whether the workforce is sufficiently educated to compete in a global economy. The research pointed to competency as being imperative in to day's global economy, which implies an acceptance of computer competency. Education and competency training is defined as more than being able to work, but to make decisions.It is defined as being an important adjunct of technology. Education of skills, particularly computer competency and how they function gave the employees an overview of the system as a whole. It helped them understand how their machine worked and gave them an impetus to look for solutions themselves. This transcended into time saved and increased efficiency. The paper also indicated that companies which supported education in the workforce benefited because their employees exhibited improved self-confidence which translated into increased productivity and performance.More flexibility and a willingness to accept change were also deemed to benefits received from competency and skills training. Next point showed how computer literacy training benefited companies by helping their employees understand the computerize d equipment they were working on. This understanding translated into: increased self-confidence, increased adaptability and flexibility, increased production as well as the willingness to take other training and succeed at same. Education and training today does include competency and skills not only in offices but also on shop floors.The benefits to providing workplace competency and skills training to employees are multifaceted. It may lessen the time it takes for people to learn. Return on investment is always of interest to businesses and organizations. The paper illustrated how employees, managers, supervisors as well as trainers observed behaviors from participants in the training, which reflected savings and profit for the organization. Some of the benefits are: saving time, increased production, increased flexibility, willingness to ask questions and changed attitudes.The paper points out how important it is to prepare to evaluate the training at the beginning of a project i n order to determine what the organization is really trying to achieve with this specific training. The research concludes by looking at the organizational implications of offering workplace competency and skills training. Education and Competency Training Benefits There has been a great deal of information published on competency training done in the workplace.For example, in the 1997 report, The Impact of Basic Skills Programs on Canadian Workplaces: Results of a National Study for ABC CANADA Competency Foundation, the following information was reported. â€Å"The study consisted of in-depth phone interviews with 86 individuals from 53 workplaces that have had basic skills programs for at least one year. Sixty percent of the individuals interviewed were employer representatives and 40% were employee representatives. † (n. d. , The Benefits of Improving Competency Skills in the Workplace) The following are impacts to the workplace identified by the study: †¢ increases i n the quality of work – 84%†¢ increased work effort – 73% †¢ more competent use of technology – 87%. (ABC CANADA Competency Foundation, The Benefits of Improving Competency Skills in the Workplace, n. d. ) Bloom and LaFleur's (1999) report on improving competency skills through workplace education programs, indicates that â€Å"Although the impact of basic skills training on profits varies according to the value and shortage of a given skill or group of skills within a particular business sector, employers overwhelmingly report increased profits and other bottom-line benefits when their employees gain basic skills that enable them to work more effectively.† (p. 4) On page six of this report there is a list of eleven skills gained by employees who participated in workplace education programs as well as a list of twenty three organizational benefits gained by the employers. Willis (1994) reports that working with employees to expand workplace comp etency at the Peavey Electronics Corporation the following results were noted: â€Å"all employees had statistically significant increases in job performance with the areas of attitude, getting the job done, volunteering, doing extra, and dependability showing the most improvement.† (p. 25) U. S. Department of Labor (1992) states that: â€Å"A high-performance workplace requires workers who have a solid foundation in the basic competency and computational skills, the thinking skills, and in the personal qualities that make workers dedicated and trustworthy†¦ (p. 5). High-performance workplaces also require competencies: the ability to manage resources, to work amicably and productively with others, to acquire and use information, to master complex systems, and to work with a variety of technologies. † (p. 6)According to Dr. Harvey Krahn (1998) workplace competency programs target people with very low competency skills; however, if we look at competency as a contin uum, businesses will recognize that it will benefit them to develop competency in people at all levels in the workplace. Bloom and LaFleur research (1999) has shown that â€Å"improving employee's skills creates employees who work smarter and better and who cope well with change in the workplace, improves union/management relations and increases output and profitability. † (p.3) The above speak of all competencies being important in the workplace. What challenges arise for businesses if employees are not literate? Bloom, Campbell and Gagnon (2001) speak of competency as being a crucial role in corporate competitiveness and productivity. They talk of globalization threatening U. S. ‘s economy and of people being a prime competitive advantage in the new economy. They maintain that U. S. ‘s traditional advantage of having a skilled workforce is being threatened by other countries gaining knowledge and improving the competency skills of their workers.They list the ben efits to employers who work to increase the competency skills of their employees as: improved production and income, cost savings, better communication and employee retention as well as improved health and safety. For employees some of the benefits listed are higher income, more job security, less unemployment, improved self-confidence, more opportunities for job training, better attitude. (GAM, 2005) Benefits Specific to Computer Based Training The importance of computer training in today's workplace is shown by the following statistics. More than one-half of all workers in U. S. now use a computer on the job.Data from the General Social Survey, on which the article is based, show that an estimated 8. 3 million workers, or 57% of the total employed, used a computer at their main job in 2000, compared with 33% in 1989 (Marshall, 2001, pp. 1-2). Ginsbury and Elmore (1998, p. 2) point out that computer training can save employees time to â€Å"compile and manage large data†; th erefore, there is more time to spend on â€Å"creative, higher level work that that depends on the quick availability and quick manipulation of information†. They go on to say that much learning has been removed from the â€Å"objects of work whether a machine part, raw data or communication.† They speak of workers who fear technology or have difficulty learning new or upgraded technology as being liable to end up at the â€Å"lower end of a professional hierarchy. † Leckie, Leonard, Turcotte and Wallace (2001, p. 1) talk of work â€Å"evolving as the result of globalization, increased competition, the development of new technologies and other changes in the business environment. In the face of these trends, businesses are adopting new technologies and ways of organizing work to attain efficiency and productivity gains† (p. 9).They speak of businesses being wiser to retain their skilled employees rather than hire new, technically trained employees. They s uggest that computer training can promote employee movement within a firm. Then firms have the best of both worlds, an employee who is experienced with the organization and has upgraded skills. They talk of new technology requiring new skills to be able to adapt to changing markets. They point to â€Å"job rotation, flexible job design and work teams† (p. 11) as giving employers the flexibility to have employees that will be able to adapt to change.They point to the effect of technological training for employees – if they become unemployed they have an easier time finding a job. They speak of computer training as being able to help employees deal with change as well as help them improve their performance and add to job satisfaction. McNeill (2000, p. 3) talks of computer competency at the executive level, as being more than â€Å"just using email and pulling files off the Web and so forth. We live in an increasingly high-tech world and overnight redundancies have beco me the norm. Companies that can't assess these changes can easily get left behind.† He goes on to speak of downsizing and how computer competency is not listed as a reason to downsize; however, firms who have a choice of someone who is computer literate and someone of comparable skills that is not, will most likely choose to keep the person with computer skills. Computer based training attracts many and varied employees in the workplace. Most studies and papers state that computer training is beneficial to employees because it allows them the confidentiality to study what they need without others knowing. For instance there are many computer programs written which teach different skills.Also the training can be self-paced so there is no pressure to keep up. A bonus is if there are computer labs at work, employees can study when there is a suitable time in their schedule, such as lunch breaks, coffee breaks and before or after work. (Rae, O'Driscoll, 2004) I believe that traini ng and education, especially computer is and will continue to be, very important to both employers and employees. As the information society develops, information and the know-how based on it will become more and more decisive as factors of production.Networking based on the application of information and communications technology, especially telecommunications, is a major trend. As well as creating new ways of communicating and working, information technology has made possible new methods of producing and distributing products and services (UNESCO, 2002, section 2. 1). Technological competency—meaning computer skills and the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity and performance—has become as fundamental to a person's ability to navigate through society as traditional skills like reading, writing and arithmetic †¦ (Selfe, 1998, p. 1).

Effects of Bilingualism Essay

IntroductionThe hold of mother glossa in learning tout ensembleows students to learn the lesson quickly. It abets them to acquire and probably write quickly. (Yolanda Quijano, 1994). The use of the Philippine langu time in teaching develops long learners who argon proficient in the use of their native address and other languages. (Mona Valisino, 2006) victimization the mother tongue of a student forms their critical mentation skills, drawing conclusions and make comparisons. (Ocampo, Fajardo, et al, 1990). Philippine was declared as the knife franca because it is the language that is being spoken and still by majority of the Philippines, that is wherefore Filipino should be used in procreation. (Dr. Rosaryo Yu, U.P. SWF) However, the side of meat language is the universal language. It is used commercially and it is in addition a factor for winner in the business institution.English is to a fault widely used as interlingual rendition and instructional materials. Furthermore, it helps individuals to be globally rivalrous that is why English is used as medium of instruction in domesticates. (Rebecca Al ignoretara, et al, 1996) agree to the 1986 Philippine constitution, the Philippine educational establishment implemented the use of bilingualism in all levels of educational institutions in our country. Bilingual education aims to use some(prenominal) English and Filipino as medium of instruction for students to progress to quality education with the help of the coaction of the two languages. (Tony Rimando, 1994, Manila bulletin) This question aims to retire the frames of bilingualism to the academician procedure of the after part course of subject student in Pasig Catholic College.Statement of the ProblemBilingualism is used in traindayss all over the Philippines as instructed by the Department of Education. One of the schools that implement bilingualism is Pasig Catholic College. In this light, the researchers would like to identify the effect of bilingualism to the academic executing of one-quarter year students in Pasig Catholic College. This field of study besides aims to answer the following questions a) What are the advantages of bilingualism to the academic performance of the fourth year gamey school students in Pasig Catholic College? b) What are the disadvantages of bilingualism to the academic performance of the fourth year high school students in Pasig Catholic College?Signifi smokece of the StudyThe researchers would like this study to help Pasig Catholic College in find the effects of bilingualism to the academic performance of the fourth year high school students. Specifically, this function leave behind provide a abbreviated description on the several signifi provokeces of the research about the effects of bilingualism to the academic performance of the fourth year high school students in Pasig Catholic College. This study bequeath be more likely to be significant to the follo wing persons To students.This study provides testify to students about the effects of bilingualism to their academic performance. To teachers. This study lead aid teachers to make believe a deeper understanding to the said bilingual education. By this study they can come up with new teaching techniques to offer their students a remedy education. To future researcher. This study will benefit the future researchers as their buy the farm and reference in making a similar research. Moreover, this study can also open an opportunity to the development of this study. mountain range and Delimitation of the studyThis study will cover the effects of bilingualism to the academic performance of the fourth year high school students of Pasig Catholic College. The researchers will include contrary procedures and. This study will be through with(p) by selected fourth year advanced School students during the school year 2012-2013. The researcher will gather information development differen t books, clippings, and websites. They will also pick out a survey to be disposed(p) to fourth year high school students. This study will be conducted on the school year 2012-2013.Chapter 2 retread OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDYThis chapter presents self-possessed information which has relevance to the study and can serve as reference in understanding the nature of the topic. The following facts and data were collected from different books, encyclopedias, websites, magazines, and other dissertation papers.Related LiteratureNowadays, majority of the worlds population is bilingual or multilingual than monolingual. This trend also substantiatively affects cognitive abilities of people around the world. Researchers wear shown that the bilingual brain can have better vigilance and task-switching capacities than the monolingual brain. Additionally, bilingualism has positive effects at both ends of the age spectrum Bilingual children as young as seven months can better countersink to environmental changes, while bilingual seniors can experience less cognitive filiation (Marian, V & Spivey, M, 2003). Being bilingual can have different benefits. The improvements in thinking and physical processing determined by bilingual experience may help a bilingual person to better process information in the environment, lead to a richer learning. This kind of improved attention to factor may help explain why bilingual adults learn a third language better than monolingual adults learn a second language (Gollan, T. H., & Acenas, L. A., 2004).Related StudyBilingualism causes misconception to students as intumesce as to the teachers. It is also one of the reasons why students could non speak English fluently. The vogue is that they mix up the two languages which results in taglish actors line or phrases. Students also admit difficulty in translating Filipino words to English and vice versa. Studying both languages at the same time causes marginal fluency in either Fili pino or English since their focus is not constant in one language. opposite students could not express themselves in English because they are used in utter in Filipino which results in being an uncompetitive student when it comes to English (Madriaga, Nazareno, et al, 2001).

Character of Lady Macbeth Essay

In the course of this essay I will discuss the character of Lady Macbeth wired and the change in her character throughout the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. We see how her as being ambitious and ruthless at the start. Looking at her and Macbeths moral character she is the dominant one in the relationship. After a while we start to see a change in her character as she lacks strength and ambition, isn’t in charge or control of her relationship with Macbeth.Macbeth is not delighted with his actions even if theyve earned fear him his prize since hes acutely conscious of his tyranny.In this letter, he is telling her about his sexual encounter with the witches. â€Å"They met me in the day of success: And I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge.† (Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth) She appears very determined for what the witches have told him to come true.She hopes the witches prophecy about Macbeth most becoming King of Scot land will happen and then for her to be Queen.During act four, Lady Macbeth does not look in the play.

† (Act1 Scene 5 old Lady Macbeth) Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to wait around for her Macbeth to become young King to just happen. She wants Macbeth to kill his cousin, the recent King, Duncan, logical and also anyone else who tries to get in their way. She great hopes Macbeth will come home soon so that she can convince him to do most anything to become King.We see here, that she is confident in herself that she will be able to trick him into killing his own cousin.Comparing the start to the finish of the drama, its clear when considering her power that Lady Macbeth is different.â€Å"Come, you spirits that tend on ordinary mortal thoughts unsex me here† ( Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth). When she finishes own calling on the spirits, Macbeth arrives. Lady Macbeth tells him his letter has given little hope for their future. She asks when Duncan is leaving and when Macbeth god says in the morning, she says he’ll never see tomorrow.Lady Macbeth is quite succe ssful at persuading him to do many things he knows are mistaken.

We also see, that Lady Macbeth is ruthless. She will low let nothing get in her way of becoming Queen. It shows she is the non dominant one in their relationship as she makes all the decisions and plans. We next see Lady Macbeth in Act1 Scene 6.Macbeth finds the notion of assuming the thrown improbable.Duncan thanks her keyword with a gratitude for letting him stay. He also apologises for the hassle he’s causing her.â€Å"Heroin I teach you how you shall bid god ‘ield us for your pains, and thank us for your trouble.† (Act 1 Scene 6, Duncan – Lady Macbeth) When Duncan meets Lady Macbeth he is humble and generous, thanking her for letting exalted him stay, but he doesn’t know that she is planning to kill him.Her impulse last plagues lady Macbeth.

â€Å" If it were ‘tis done, then were well it were done quickly.† (Act 1 political Scene 7) Lady Macbeth arrives and Macbeth tells her that he doesn’t want to go ahead with the murder. He has won honour on the battlefield and doesn’t want to fresh kill an innocent. â€Å" We will proceed no further in this business, He hath honoured me of late, logical and I have bought golden opinions from all sort of people.Lady Macbeth is confronted with a similar circumstance.† (Act 1 whole Scene 7, Lady Macbeth – Macbeth). What she says seem to work. Again in this scene, we see Lady Macbeth as the dominant one. She easily convinces him back into their new plan to kill Duncan.Concerning the true macbeth was shown to be a tragic hero that is shakespearean.

â€Å"Do foreign mock their charge with snores, I have dragged their possets.† (Act 2 Scene 2 , Lady Macbrth) Lady Macbeth starts to get very agitated and tense. We first see how this when she hears an owl. She thinks Duncan’s guards have woken up and caught Macbeth, even though Macbeth has came into the room.The play highlights natures unforgiving aspects and other presents the artlessness of the nation as problematic.â€Å"I hear a knocking at the south entry, retire we to our chamber.† (Act 2 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth) As Macduff enters to awake Duncan in this scene, he discovers that Duncan is murdered. Lady Macbeth enters after hearing the bell ringing. She asks what is happening.You might locate some feeling of temporary relief when you got acquainted through the game.

Lady Macbeth response doesn’t sound very convincing as she replies. â€Å"What, in our house?† (Act 2 Scene 3, Lady Macbeth – Macduff) When Lady noble Macbeth says he has murdered the chamberlains, Lady Macbeth faints. We don’t know if she’s acting here or being serious. We see irony in this scene, as she is behind the murder great but acts as she knows nothing.There isnt anything like a game to allow complete immersion in Shakespeare tragedy.When the servant leaves, Lady Macbeth thinks back on everything that has happened since the murder of Duncan. â€Å"Nought’s had, all’s spent, where our desire got without content.† (Act 3 Scene 2, Lady Macbeth) In this scene, we see Lady Macbeth as alone. Becoming king and queen, her and Macbeth lost everything.Janes love is likewise a fair one.

Macbeths wife is among the strongest female chinese characters in literature.Girls are related to bad from the start of the play.A Macbeth essay example how that is good should incorporate a list of the themes that are largest and a profile of the principal characters.Order essay at the last moment and specialists will do their best to supply you price.