Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Philosophy - Essay Example The above explanation is the reason why it is possible for a person to know for certain that what he is doing is morally correct. This is true if we view morality through the criteria required by reason and not from the point of view of religion or culture. Reason and conscience are universal concepts and they allow people to clearly understand and feel that there are some acts that are inherently good regardless of the perspective one is coming from. For instance, harming another person or killing him without any valid or justifiable reason is immoral. No one can dispute that, the case is as clear to any human being capable of thinking. It does not take a complicated analysis to know whether one has committed goodness or a moral act. If one helped a person in need, who in his right mind would suggest the possibility that it could be immoral? This is especially true as the person helping knows his motivations and intents. Morality maybe a concept and some may argue that it could be d ifficult to quantify or exactly prove. However, it is real as much as happiness is or love, anger and grief. One cannot hold them and say, there is nothing here so it may be it is true to you but not for me or I cannot see it, therefore, it might not exist. These concepts, though intangible, exist as truths in themselves and nobody can dispute them.

Auditing Process and Procedures for Smackey's Dog Food Inc Term Paper

Auditing Process and Procedures for Smackey's Dog Food Inc - Term Paper Example SEC influence over the Smackey Dogs food Inc. relate to issues of independence roles for the audit team. The audit standards is one of the influences to be observed, that have to be followed in establishing the independence of auditing team involved in the audit of Smackey. The relationship between the owner’s (Kim) husband and the audit manager Pete is going to influence the disclosure and materiality of the audit contents. The fact that there is a relationship between the bank the loan is being sort and Alan, Kim’s Husband depicts a loan relationship. SEC requires ethical principles to be observed by auditors. Independence is one of the six ethical principles of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Code of Professional Conduct. The other principles are responsibilities, the public interest, integrity, objectivity and independence, due care, and scope and nature of services. Section 303 of the SEC prohibits officers or directors of a company f rom manipulating, misleading, coercing or acting fraudulently towards the audit team in a manner to influence the auditor to issues financial information, knowingly or not, that the act could lead to rendering the audit immaterial. In this case, Alan obtains information from the audit manager during beers that will be shared with Kim, the owner and further Sarah who is seeking the loan. This is an issue that ought to be addressed as the result will be an adverse opinion. The underlying issues of Ben’s relationship with the bookkeeper Anita could be controversial in the resulting audit opinion. SEC elaborates on quality of disclosure and evidence. There is no proof of how far the relationship went but the reliance on the word of mouth. Mutuality of interests is identified in this case between the two parties. This is likely to jeopardize the independence of the audit staff. Over auditing of a company’s financial reports only materializes to full disclosure. However, the audit process should be within the required set guidelines given by SEC. Question two In the initial planning of the audit, the activities to be included are: an understanding of the company in terms of description and history of the company, tax issues disclosure, types of the customers, the internal audits, timing of the audit process amongst others. An assessment of the client’s business risk will be done to see whether it is achieving its objectives. The audit team should assess the risk of material misstatements arising from Smackey’s business risk. This is seen in the high wastage in Smackey’s Best Dog division that presents a lot of business risk, and therefore material misstatement risk. Performance of preliminary analytical procedures. – A comparison will be made to that of the industry. This helps in identifying the areas of high risk of materiality. Set materiality and assess acceptable audit risk and inherent risk- precise and reliable judgme nt is going to be applied by the auditor in assessing the materiality levels. Question three Stages of an audit Planning – the auditor outlines all the activities that he will follow during the entire process. The auditor should lay down his plan for the vital internal controls to be assessed. In the case of Smackey, the team should focus on: sales forecast, receivables approval and authority followed, stock taking, fraudulent dealings in the company, debts approval etc. Test of Internal control – this process follows a critical analysis internal controls of the records, procedures and processes followed in the company. The auditor should analyze the sales forecast process, be present during the stock take, and consider evaluating the control checks for stores. The weakness in the stock control is seen where the employee is stealing from the company, assessing the debts and the pending legal suits. The effects of the customers’

Pathological gambler Essay Example for Free

Pathological gambler Essay The dynamics of gambling disorder and the gambler’s personality profiles were asserted by Dr. Richard Rosenthal, a well known gambling addiction expert and cited the three criteria in assessing a pathological gambler. These criteria are the individual’s feeling of helplessness, guilt and depression, a well developed capacity for self–deception and the actual exposure to gambling. The individual’s physical and hereditary predispositions are also major causes that link gambling addiction to depression that may result to suicide. In terms of physical attributes, a gambler’s brain contains a higher level of chemical known as norepinephrine than a normal individual, due to excreted stress and excitement to win the game. Signs and Symptoms To determine the extent of gambling addiction, the American Psychological Association reported different diagnostic criteria (Lieberman, L. 2003). These include the individual’s preoccupation with gambling, one good example is a gambler who keeps on reliving his past gambling experiences and planning for his next gambling venture while thinking of ways on how and where to get money as gambling capital. Tolerance is a gambling addiction criterion in which a gambler needs a greater amount of money to achieve his desired excitement in gambling. Being restless and irritable is a withdrawal symptom when a gambler attempts to cut down his desire to gamble. Escaping from the feeling of helplessness, depression and guilt is a gambler’s escape from problems and to relieve his dysphoric mood. A classical behavior of pathological gamblers include frequent returns to gambling places in order to chase losses. Lying from family members and other people is a symptom that a gambler is concealing his over-involvement with gambling. Illegal acts like fraud, theft and forgery are signs that a gambler is searching for more finances for his gambling addiction. There is a possibility of risking some significant relationships for a gambler to suffice his gambling addiction including his job, career or other growth opportunities (Eadington, W. 2002). There are bailout circumstances wherein a gambler would rely on other people to provide financial assistance for his desperate situation due to gambling. The repeated loss of control to stop gambling is another symptom that an individual is a pathological gambler. Phases of Gambling Addiction Gambling addiction has three phases of progressive cycle such as winning phase, losing phase and the desperation phase. The pattern of gambling addictive behavior is a progressive and downward cycle that may lead to depression and later on suicide attempt. The winning phase is the time that gamblers experience a series of wins and became optimistic that the streak will continue. The feeling of great excitement will lead the gambler to increase the amount of his bets. The losing phase is the period that a gambler experiences losses and the time that he will reminisce his past wins and will start gambling alone, think more on gambling and start borrowing money even with high interest to continue his gambling. The losing phase is the time that gamblers start lying to family and friends, the home life becomes unhappy and restless. Chasing the gambler’s losses to win back their losses is a critical point on gambling addiction. Desperation is characterized by increase in the time spent to gamble, alienate family and friends with remorseful feelings. Gamblers may even resort to illegal acts to finance his gambling addiction. This is the period that a gambler experiences hopelessness, separation and divorce, get inclined to drug addiction, alcoholism and eventually suicidal tendencies. The third and final phase of gambling addiction is the hopelessness phase characterized by emotional breakdown and cannot think and see a way to be out of their gambling predicament. Most gamblers upon reaching the hopelessness phase or the bottom line of their gambling addiction will consider suicide as the only solution to their problem.

First Language Acquisition Theories

First Language Acquisition Theories Imagine a blank template, a white sheet of paper, thats how human being starts off. From a crying baby in a cradle, to babbling, to simple single words, slowly progressing into two-words, then finally a complete sentence, ever wonder how one acquires the ability to produce the language? Linguists throughout the ages have tried to find out how does one ACQUIRE a language, is it a deep structure as claimed by Kimball? Or is it an innate ability, a build-in human capacity propagated by Chomsky? Various theories have arose since language studies came to fore, and the ability to acquire language has interested various parties since the dawn of man. From the dunes of Egypt,  Psammeticus, the Pharaoh during the 7th  century BC, believed language was inborn and that children isolated from birth from any linguistic influence would develop the language they had been born with. Fast forward to the 15th century,  King James V  of Scotland performed a similar experiment; the children were reported to have spoken good Hebrew. Akbar, a 16th century Mogul emperor of India, desired to learn whether language was innate or acquired through exposure to the speech of adults.   He believed that language was learned by people listening to each other and therefore a child could not develop language alone.   So he ordered a house built for two infants and stationed a mute nurse to care for them.   The children did not acquire speech, which seemed to prove Akbars hypothesis that language is acquired and does not simply emerge spontaneously in the absence of exposure to speech.   Henceforth, modern linguists have been trying hard to crack the codes which govern the acquisition and learning of a language. Theories ranging from Jean Piagets Cognitive Theory(1929), Skinners Behaviorist Theory (1957), to Chomskys The Innateness Hypothesis, and Lamberts Critical Period Hypothesis(1967) for first language acquisition, and finally Krashens 5 hypothesis of second language learning have paved a way for an insight, a way to unravel the way the mind works in acquiring and learning a language -which happen to be distinct from one another-, and here, we will be looking at the theories that have been the workhorse of language acquisition and learning. Definition First Language Acquisition is touted by linguist as the process of acquiring a language via exposure whilst young. First language is defined as the primary language -not necessarily mother tongue- which the speaker first acquires and use on a constant basis. According to Lennenberg (1967) the language that one picks up during the critical period will generally be the persons first language. The Canadian census agrees that the first language that one acquires during childhood is the first language. A second language, however, can be a related language or a totally different one from the first language. Language acquisition is a cognitive process cognitive process (reasoning, perception, judgment and memory) of acquiring a language. It is usually done subconsciously, with the mind slowly structuring the template to mold the language into shape. Language learning however, means a person is trying to learn the language consciously through practice, training, or experience. Amongst the most prominent theories of language acquisition that has been put forward by linguists is the: Cognitive Development Theory According to Jean Piagets cognitive theory (1970s), language is a subordinate part of cognitive development. Language is mapped onto an individuals set of prior cognitive structures. The principles of language are no different from other cognitive principles. A person becomes capable of abstraction, of formal thinking which excels concrete experience and direct perception (Freeservers.com, 2012). Firstly, the child becomes aware of a concept, they acquire the words and patterns to convey the concept. Simple ideas are expressed earlier than more complex ideas even if they are grammatically more complicated. Piaget described four distinct stages of childhood cognitive development which include sensorimotor stage, pre-operational stage, concrete operational stage and formal operational stage and relates them to a persons ability to understand and assimilate new information (Springhouse Corporation, 1990). First language learners are thought to creatively use their skills of cognition in order to figure out the second language of their own. For adult learners, they have the ability to abstract, classify and generalize gives them an advantage to systematically solve problems. Adult language learners rely on their cognitive activities of general information processing because their Language Acquisition Device gradually becomes unavailable for them (Hadley, 2002). Piaget claims that the human mind has a template known as the schema: The representation in the mind of a set of perceptions, ideas and /or actions which go together (Atherton , 2011). The schema helps individuals understand the various happenings around them, an understanding of oneself (self-schemata), other people (people schemata), events/situations (event schemata) and roles/occupations (role schemata). According to psychologists, cognitive development starts at adaptation, followed by assimilation and accommodation close after. Assimilation is the process of incorporating new information into pre-existing schema, more often than not leading to overgeneralization. For example, the child refers to a whale as a fish, due to the fact the whales and fish, have fins and lives in the ocean. After assimilation, comes accommodation, whereby the mind is able to differentiate concepts made during the prior phase. Piaget contends there are four stages of cognitive development which are sensorimotor stage (birth-2years), pre-operational stage (2-7 years), concrete operational stage (7-11years) and formal operational stage (11 years and up). The first stage or the sensorimotor stage is the stage where a child learns about himself and his environment through motor and reflex movements. The childs thoughts are derived from movement and sensation (Springhouse Corporation, 1990). They learn and progress by doing simple motor movements such as looking, grasping, crying, listening, touching and sucking. Further down the road, they will also gain a basic understanding of the relationships of cause and effect. Object permanence appears around 9 months and further physical development allows the children to begin developing new intellectual abilities. Piaget contends that some basic language abilities are developed at the end of this stage. Pre-operational stage follows after the child reaches at the age of 2. During that stage, a childs intelligence is demonstrated through the use of symbols, and his language use matures, advancing to basic sentences. The childs memory and imagination are developed to a certain extend but thinking is done in non-logical and non-reversible manner. The following stage is the concrete operational stage -where the child reaches the age of 7-11-: Children then develops seven types of conservation, namely number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area and volume. The childs intelligence is further demonstrated through logical and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects, and his operational thinking develops exponentially, however, his thinking at this stage is still concrete. The final stage in the cognitive development is the formal operational stage, where the childs developed intelligence is demonstrated through the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts. This is reflected in his/her speech as in choice of words, and capability of metaphorical usage. Humanistic Approach (Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers) Abraham Maslow proposed the humanistic approach as a method of language acquisition and learning. The theory takes into considerations of the feelings, motivation levels and confidence of a person According to Carl Rogers however, the persons consciousness of their own identity is about behavior central to oneself. Rogers believed that people could only fulfill their potential for growth if they had basically positive self-regard. On the contrary Abraham Maslows believed that those who satisfied all their needs might become self-actualizers (Sammons, n.d.). Humanistic approach differs it tries to encourage positive emotions that help language acquisition such as self-esteem, motivation, empathy and risk taking. It also tries to dampen negative emotions such as low self-confidence, nervousness and mental inhibition (Villatoro, n.d.) and in a sense, it coincides with Skinners Behaviorist Theory. Behaviorist Theory B.F. Skinner described learning as a behavior produced by learners response to stimuli which can be reinforced with positive or negative feedback to environmental stimuli. Skinner added that learning can be observed, explained, and predicted through observing antecedents and consequences. Both positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement increase the probability that the antecedent behavior will happen again. In contrast,  punishment  (both positive and negative) decreases the likelihood that the antecedent behavior will happen again. Positive indicates the application of a stimulus; Negative indicates the withholding of a stimulus. Learning is therefore defined as a change in behavior in the learner. Punishment is sometimes used in eliminating or reducing incorrect actions, followed by clarifying desired actions. Educational effects of behaviorism are important in developing basic skills and foundations of understanding in all subject areas and in classroom manage ment.   Skinners Behaviorist approach contends that children learn language through imitation, repetition and the reinforcement of the successful linguistics attempts. Mistakes are considered to be the result of imperfect learning or insufficient opportunities for practice. In such, that a child having a pleasant learning experience (such as rewards or praise) is positive reinforced. Through that positively reinforcing stimulus, a childs learning capacity is triggered. However, unpleasant experiences (such as punishment) serve as negative reinforcements, and cause learners to avoid undesirable responses to stimuli. As such, continuous reinforcement increases the rate of learning, be it positive or negative; a child will respond to different triggers and with experience, remember what is to do and to avoid. Hence, intermittent reinforcement helps a child to a longer retention of what is learned. Skinner contends that both positive and negative reinforcement can shape behavior, and this in turn affects their language acquisition capability, as such, a lack of any reinforcement can also shape behavior. If people receive no acknowledgement of their behavior, they will likely change that behavior until they receive some kind of reinforcement. Behaviorism gave birth to a stimulus-response (S-R) theory which sees language as a set of structures and acquisition as a matter of habit formation. Ignoring any internal mechanisms, it takes into account the linguistic environment and the stimuli it produces. Learning is an observable behavior which is automatically acquired by means of stimulus and response in the form of mechanical repetition. Thus, to acquire a language is to acquire automatic linguistic habits. According to Johnson (2004:18), Behaviorism undermined the role of mental processes and viewed learning as the ability to inductively discover patterns of rule-governed behavior from the examples provided to the learner by his or her environment. Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991:266) consider that S-R models offer little promises as explanations of SLA, except for perhaps pronunciation and the rote-memorization of formulae (Menezes, V. n.d.). This view of language learning gave birth to research on contrastive analysis, especially error analysis, the main focus of which is the interference of ones first language in the target language. An important reaction to behaviorism was the interlanguage studies, as the simple comparison between first and second language neither explained nor described the language produced by SL learners. Interlanguage studies will be present in other SLA perspectives, as the concern of the area has been mainly with the acquisition of grammatical morphemes or specific language structures. Behaviorist Theory for Second Language Learning Under this theory, it is believed that the second language learning learner tries to imitate what he hears and practices the second language regularly to develop habits in the language. This theory also believes that learners try to relate their knowledge of the native language to the second language and this could lead to positive as well as negative results. However the imitation of one language with the other is not recommended as this does not help in real life situations. The behaviorists believe that First language learners (FLL) consists of learners imitating what they hear and develop habits in the first language (FL) by routine practice. In this view, the learners are thought to relate what they know of their first language to what they recognize in the second language. Positive transfer is a result of similarities between the first language and the second language, because habits used in the first language easily transfer to the second language. On the other hand, negative transfer is caused by differences between the first language and the second language, because errors result from using habits from the first language in the second language. Problems with this view of FLL include the fact that imitation does not help the learner in real-life situations. Learners are continually required to form sentences they have never previously seen. A finite number of pre-practiced sentences is not enough to carry on conversation, not even with an instructor. Another problem with this view is that many of the errors made by FL learners are not based on the first language. Instead, the problems most often encountered by learners resemble errors made by children during the period of first language acquisition. The Innateness Hypothesis Noam Chomsky believes that children are born with a language acquisition device (LAD) which encodes the major principles of a language and its grammatical structure into the childs brain and thus possesses an inherited ability to learn any human language. He claims that certain linguistic structures which children use so accurately must be already imprinted on the childs mind.  Children have then only to learn new vocabulary and apply the syntactic structures from the LAD to form sentences.  Chomsky points out that a child could not possibly learn a language through imitation alone because the language spoken around them is highly irregular adults speech is often broken up and even sometimes ungrammatical.  Chomskys theory applies to all languages as they all contain nouns, verbs, consonants and vowels and children appear to be hard-wired to acquire the grammar.   Chomsky defends the innate hypothesis in terms of an elaborated linguistic theory which postulates not only a general ability in humans to acquire language, but also the ability that comes from a specific language acquisition device in the brain, equipped already at birth with specific grammatical rules and principles. The main arguments in favour of the innateness hypothesis are first, language acquisition would be dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã†â€™cult or even impossible without an innate grammar: How do we come to have such rich and specià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ c knowledge, or such intricate systems of belief and understanding, when the evidence available to us is so meager? (Cook, 1985). Chomsky claims that the mere existence of language universals supports the hypothesis that these are innate, and most essentially all humans acquire language, and no other animals do. The LAD is a hypothetical brain mechanism that Chomsky suggested to explain human acquisition of the syntactic structure of language. This mechanism endows children with the capacity to derive the syntactic structure and rules of their native language rapidly and accurately from the impoverished input provided by adult language users. The device is comprised of a finite set of variables which languages vary, which are set at different levels for different languages on the basis of language exposure. The LAD reflects Chomskys underlying assumption that many aspects of language are universal (common to all languages and cultures) and constrained by innate core knowledge about language called Universal Grammar.   Universal grammar is defined by Chomsky as the system of principles, conditions and rules that are elements or properties of all human languages (Cook, 1985). The language properties inherent in the human mind make up Universal Grammar, which consists, not of particular rules or of a particular grammar, but of a set of general principles that apply to all grammars and that leave certain parameters open; Universal Grammar sets the limits within which human languages can vary. Universal Grammar present in the childs mind grows into the adults knowledge of the language so long as certain environmental triggers are provided; it is not learnt in the same way that, say, riding a bicycle or playing the guitar are learnt: a central part of what we call learning is actually better understood as the growth of cognitive structures along an internally directed course under the triggering and potentially shaping effect of the environment (Cook, 1985). Language acquisition is the growth of the mental organ of language triggered by certain language experiences. Hence the theory of Universal Grammar is frequently referred to as part of biology. Indeed the theory is not dissimilar from ideas current in biology on other issues, for instance the view that Embryogenesis may then be seen as the progressive, orderly manifestation of the knowledge which is latent in the egg (Cook, 1985). So, to acquire language, the child needs not only Universal Grammar but also evidence about a particular language; he needs to hear sentences of English to know how to fix the parameter for the order of Verb, Subject, and Object. The evidence he encounters can be positive or negative (Cook, 1985).   By using the same language principles, a French child constructs a grammar of French, an English child a grammar of English. The two grammars represent different choices within the guidelines set by Universal Grammar, different applications of the same linguistic principles in response to different environments; Experience is necessary to fix the parameters of core grammar (Cook, V, 1985). But the children also have to learn aspects of language that are peripheral, that do not conform to Universal Grammar. The childs mind prefers to adopt rules based on the handy set of principles with which it is equipped; they are in a sense the easy way out, and need only triggering experience to be learnt. By listening to the language around him, he can decide how to fix the parameter of sentence order as SVO or SOV, for instance. His mind prefers not to adopt peripheral solutions, as they fall outside his pre-programmed instructions; they are more demanding. This may be interpreted through the c oncept of markedness: the child prefers to learn unmarked knowledge that conforms to Universal Grammar, rather than marked knowledge that is less compatible with it.   Chomskys work has been highly controversial, rekindling the age-old debate over whether language exists in the mind before experience. Despite its few limitations, The Innateness Hypothesis is rich enough to provide a substantial idea of how a child acquires his/her first language. The Critical Period Hypothesis According to Eric Lennebergs Cirtical Period Hypothesis in 1967, the hypothesis theorized that the acquisition of language is an innate process that determined biologically. The notion of critical period was connected only in the first language acquisition (freeservers.com, 2012). Lenneberg assumed that the structural reorganizations within the brain were developed only from roughly the age of two to puberty which was around thirteen or fourteen. Language skills which were neither learned nor being taught during this age would remain permanently undeveloped (Schouten, 2011). Lennebergs hypothesis claimed that the absence of language was very limited in the first language acquisition during the early childhood exposure (citizendium.org, 2009). He believed that the brain would lose the plasticity after two sides of the brain has developed specialized functions. The Critical Period Hypothesis is Lennebergs response to the long-standing debate in language acquisition  over the extent to which the acquire  language  is  biologically  linked to age (citizendium.org, 2009) Lenneberg proposed that the ability of brain to acquire a language is stopped at puberty with the onset of brain lateralization. He refers that brain lateralization, which is a process which the both sides of brain develop specialized function, in which after the process, the brain would lose its plasticity as the function of the brain is set. Lenneberg stated that if the child did not learn the language before the puberty, the language could never be learned in a full and functional way. He proves his theory by referring to cases of feral children, such as Genie. Discovered in the age of thirteen and a half in 1970 in an isolated and neglected living condition, Genie did not had any form of communication, and she was neither able to speak nor write. After being saved from her ordeal, she began to learn language slowly, but she never regained full language capabilities. According to Lenneberg, first language learners should receive exposure on their first language prior to puberty for the best acquisition results. He contends that the critical period for learning a first language would same apply to acquiring a second language Studies have shown that before the brain is fully developed a second language can be learned more easily. However, while many people have been able to master the syntax and vocabulary of a second language after puberty, not many achieve native-speaker fluency, compared to first language learners, or bilinguals who start off at a young age. A notable trait for FLL is that their phonological is the most obvious evidence for the critical period hypothesis, as their learning a second language would be impacted by their first language accent. Lennebergs works is still highly regarded as one of the most well regarded psycholinguistic argument of language acquisition. Krashens Theory of Second Language Acquisition Stephen Krashens theory of second language acquisition has been of much debate in the psycholinguistic circles. His theories are well regarded, and provide a different insight into how the mind works in learning a second language. The first of the five of Krashens theories is the Natural Order Hypothesis. Based on a powerful analysis of research results, Krashens natural order hypothesis suggests that the acquisition of language, especially the rules of language, follows a predictable natural order. For any given language, some grammatical structures tend to be acquired earlier than others. This idea reflects Noam Chomskys revolutionary notion that have a built-in Language Acquisition Device (LAD), which within the first year of the children lives begins to enable them to understand and acquire language. Because of the nature of the LAD, children tend to learn different structures at different levels as young children. Researchers have found that the same pattern occurs for older learners not a surprise to seasoned language teachers! This is the predictable natural order of this hypothesis. Secondly, is the Acquisition or Learning Hypothesis. The distinction between acquisition and learning is the most fundamental of all the hypotheses in Krashens theory, since it suggests that language comes to children in two rather different ways. Acquisition is one. Language can be acquired by using it for real communication while learning, which he describes as knowing about language, is quite a different thing. Acquisition is the product of a subconscious process very similar to the process children undergo when they acquire their first language. It requires meaningful interaction in the target language-natural communication, in which speakers concentrate not on the form of their utterances, but in the communicative act. Learning, on the other hand, provides conscious knowledge about the target language. It is therefore less important than acquisition for basic communication, but it still plays an important role in language learning. In short, learning is likely to occur in the study segment of an English lesson, while acquisition takes place during language activation. Thirdly, is the Monitor Hypothesis. The fundamental distinction between acquisition and learning leads directly to the next hypothesis. The monitor hypothesis relegates language learning (that is, a students responses to what the teacher teaches) to a secondary place in the scheme of language learning.   The monitor hypothesis is the idea that conscious learning that is, the outcome of grammar instruction and other activities that were the traditional stock in trade of the language teacher serve only as a monitor or an editor for the language student. Real acquisition takes place as meaningful interaction in the target language natural communication in which speakers is concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the messages they are conveying and understanding.   Following that is the  Input Hypothesis. The input hypothesis suggests that people acquire language in only one way: by understanding messages, or by receiving comprehensible input. According to the input hypothesis, learners progress by receiving second language input that is one step beyond their current stage of linguistic competence. Acquisition for learners with language knowledge i can only take place if they are exposed to comprehensible input at a slightly higher level, which Krashen describes as level i + 1.   And last but not least, the Affective Filter Hypothesis. Finally, the Affective Filter Hypothesis proposes that a mental block caused by affective or emotional factors can prevent input from reaching the students language acquisition device. The affective filter hypothesis says that affective variables like self-confidence and anxiety play a role in language acquisition. When the filter is up, that is, when negative emotional factors are in play, language acquisition suffers while when the filter is down, language acquisition benefits. Similarities between First Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning There have been many arguments about language acquisition, some claims that acquisition and learning is the same process, whilst some beg to differ. Here are some similarities between first language acquisition and second language learning that have been argued before. Physical process wise, the learners of both first language and second language hear the spoken language and begin to understand how it sounds, the mind works to grasp the basic sounds, which in turn, facilitates learning. The learners pick up words and phrases in the language and begin to build up a vocabulary, this is then followed up by grasping the grammatical structure and learning how to form simple and complex sentences in the language. Subsequently the learners are eventually able to understand new words by context and they are able to express complex ideas and thoughts in the language, and finally, learn to pick up writing and reading skills in the language (Panse, 2010). Universal grammar may  influence learning  either independently or through the first language in second language learning. For both first language acquisition and second language learning there are  predictable stages, and particular structures, are acquired in a set order.   Individuals may move more slowly or quickly through these stages, but they cannot skip ahead. Making errors is a part of learning.   Learners need to make and test hypotheses about language to build an internal representation of the language.   In the initial stages of learning, learners may use chunks of language without breaking them down or processing them as independent units.   In later stages, they may make new errors as they begin to process the parts of each chunk according to the rules of their language system.   For example, a learner may start out using the correct form of an irregular verb as part of a language chunk, but later overgeneralize and place a regular affix on that same verb. Differences between First Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning Many studies addressed the distinction between first language acquisition and second language learning. The first distinction is the natural process in which first language learners acquire their knowledge naturally and the conscious process in which second language learners learn their second language. First language acquisition is a natural process which is genetically triggered at the most crucial stage of the childs cognitive development in which children subconsciously process and develop the linguistic knowledge of the setting they live in and are unaware of grammatical rules. In contrast, second language learning takes place where the target language is the language spoken in the language spoken in the language community that differs from the first language. Second language is not genetically triggered in any way unless the child grows up bilingually in which case, it is not considered second language learning at all. First  language acquisition  is mostly passive. Children usually listen to the people around them, their speech melody, their sounds, their words, and their sentence structures. Before the child can even read or write a single word in his first language, he is already using an impressive vocabulary and many important grammar structures. Some people never learn how to read or write but can still speak their first language fluently. Most babies learn rules while listening to the people around them. They are able to distinguish sentence structures at the early age of seven months as experiments have shown. They also pick up new words from their surrounding people. At the age of six, most children have acquired their native language(s) without any effort. Second language learning, on the other hand, is an active process. Second language learners need to learn vocabulary and grammar in order to achieve their goals. Most people will need an instructor, either a teacher at school or the instructions of a course book or audio course. For those learners to achieve fluency or near fluency in a second language, it requires years of studying and likely a long stay in another country. Many people will never reach anywhere near fluency with any second language. Most experts see the ages between three to four years as the  critical age  when first language acquisition ends and second language learning begins. Another area of difference between first language acquisition and second language learning is input specifically the quality and quantity of input. Language learning process depends on the input frequency and regularity. The quantity of exposure to a target language a child gets is immense compared to the amount an adult receives. A child hears the language all day every day, whereas an adult learner may only hear the target language in the classroom which could be as little as three hours a week. Even if one looks at an adult in a total submersion situation the quan

Excess in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar :: Julius Caesar Essays

Excess in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Excess makes for a very relevant theme in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Being excessively large compared to his followers is a trait that credits Julius Caesar's character. Excessiveness encompasses the leading conspirators. Excessiveness also marks Antony and Octavius in several ways. Â   Caesar's descriptions as well as his attitude contain excessiveness. Cassius describes Caesar as excessively large in relationship to his followers. This is shown when he says, "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Colossus, and we petty men/Walk under his huge legs..."(1.2.135-137). He states that Caesar's followers and close associates make themselves unnecessarily small and meek in their actions when they are around Caesar. He says that this way of acting has become unnecessary and dangerous because it allows Caesar too much room to act like a king. Also, Caesar asks to ."..have men about me that are fat,..."(1.2.192) and he has grown to be scared by Cassius because scrawnyness marks one of his traits. Â   Excessiveness surrounds Cassius and Brutus Cassius declares that the terrifying and supernatural events of the night merely show that something will come that Casca should look forward to and not be afraid of. He enumerates a number of fantastic things that have happened over the course of the night. He states that all of these things, like the ."..birds and beasts from quality and kind,..."(1.3.64), do not represent fear and horror, but the coming of a wonderful new change. Involving Brutus, Portia must resort to gashing her thigh in order to get her husband's attention and make him tell her the truth about his plans. She reveals this to him during a speech where she makes every excessive plea to convince Brutus that knowledge, reliability, and a strong lineage characterize her. Therefor, she has earned her worthyness to not be left out of his matters. Â   Antony and Octavius also express excessiveness or lack thereof. After reading Caesar's will, Antony takes the clothes off Caesar's body so that the Roman populous to whom he speaks can see Caesar's wounds, thus inflaming the public opinion against Brutus. He personalizes every wound, which raises the public's opinion against Brutus even more.

Diversity in the Classroom: A Cognitive Call to Action Essay -- Educati

Diversity in the Classroom: A Cognitive Call to Action The United States is expecting drastic changes in the diversity of its population over the next 50 years. Minorities will become a larger portion of the country’s population. Changes will need to be made to the way our country operates, especially in education. New, innovative and inclusive ways of teaching will replace traditional methods. For these new changes to go smoothly, steps will be taken to implement diverse populations in schools, helping students benefit from the values of other cultures while learning to live along side each other. The competitive and biased curriculums will take back seat to new ones that cater to all members of the population, leaving behind disruptive and antisocial behaviors. And finally, the teacher population will become as diverse as the student counterpart, creating more chances for students to identify with their leaders. This research paper will identify problematic situations for educational diversity as well as examine the effec tiveness of diverse populations in classroom settings with respect to the development of student's world skills and understanding, openness and tolerance of diversity. What do we mean when we say diversity in the classroom? Diversity in the classroom is the different cultural make-up of a student body. Right now, it is estimated that by 2050, the non-Hispanic White portion of the U.S. population is projected to decrease from approximately 72% to less than 53%. The African American population is expected to increase from under 13% to over 15% and the Hispanic population is expected to increase from 11% to 24%. As well, the Asian and Pacific Islander population is expected to increase from 4% to ... ...ool and high school. I have overcome these in my own personal and professional endeavors, but it can be hard to do for young students. Not only was my school majority white students, but the schools it fed into were quite the opposite, creating drastic contrast. Montgomery Blair High School, not 20 minutes, prides itself in being one the most diverse schools in the nation (Hadidi, A.24). My school was made up of kids that were all exactly or mostly the same. When it comes down to it, although I had the most caring teachers in the world, I learned very little about life and our nation’s great diversity as a student there. The nation is changing and the school systems throughout the country need to adapt their curriculums to handle it. Through new strategies and responsive teaching, teachers will pave the way for a heterogenous, successful and peaceful society. Diversity in the Classroom: A Cognitive Call to Action Essay -- Educati Diversity in the Classroom: A Cognitive Call to Action The United States is expecting drastic changes in the diversity of its population over the next 50 years. Minorities will become a larger portion of the country’s population. Changes will need to be made to the way our country operates, especially in education. New, innovative and inclusive ways of teaching will replace traditional methods. For these new changes to go smoothly, steps will be taken to implement diverse populations in schools, helping students benefit from the values of other cultures while learning to live along side each other. The competitive and biased curriculums will take back seat to new ones that cater to all members of the population, leaving behind disruptive and antisocial behaviors. And finally, the teacher population will become as diverse as the student counterpart, creating more chances for students to identify with their leaders. This research paper will identify problematic situations for educational diversity as well as examine the effec tiveness of diverse populations in classroom settings with respect to the development of student's world skills and understanding, openness and tolerance of diversity. What do we mean when we say diversity in the classroom? Diversity in the classroom is the different cultural make-up of a student body. Right now, it is estimated that by 2050, the non-Hispanic White portion of the U.S. population is projected to decrease from approximately 72% to less than 53%. The African American population is expected to increase from under 13% to over 15% and the Hispanic population is expected to increase from 11% to 24%. As well, the Asian and Pacific Islander population is expected to increase from 4% to ... ...ool and high school. I have overcome these in my own personal and professional endeavors, but it can be hard to do for young students. Not only was my school majority white students, but the schools it fed into were quite the opposite, creating drastic contrast. Montgomery Blair High School, not 20 minutes, prides itself in being one the most diverse schools in the nation (Hadidi, A.24). My school was made up of kids that were all exactly or mostly the same. When it comes down to it, although I had the most caring teachers in the world, I learned very little about life and our nation’s great diversity as a student there. The nation is changing and the school systems throughout the country need to adapt their curriculums to handle it. Through new strategies and responsive teaching, teachers will pave the way for a heterogenous, successful and peaceful society.

The Impacts of Devaluation on Export Performance: The Case of Ethiopia

Agriculture plays a vital role in the Ethiopian economy, contributing 42 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 80 percent of the employment and 90 percent of total export earnings (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development [MoFED] 2011; Diao et al. 2010). In 2009 with an effort to remove the vicious socio-economic circle, the government of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) developed a Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) with a priority to export orientated agricultural development led industrialization (MoFED 2010 P. 22). Despite the over-ambitious plan, however, the performance of the export sector has remained undeveloped which calls for sound macroeconomic policies that are crucial to combat the bottlenecks constraining the sector. This essay examines the consequences of devaluation on the performance of Ethiopia's export sector. Foreign exchange rate is a key macroeconomic variable that determines performance of export in a country. The reasons why export performance depends on the foreign exchange regime in developing countries include: the characteristics of exportable goods, the effectiveness of financial sectors and trading with foreign currencies rather than with the domestic currency (Nilsson and Nilsson 2000). Accordingly, Ethiopia's export is characterized by primary agricultural products with inelastic export demand and supply, concentration of market and products, and little value addition. The result of primary agricultural product export is a smaller marketing margin and insignificant bargaining power on the world market. The financial sector is also constrained with higher probabilities of the existence of parallel markets that fail at allocating resources to their most efficient usage. More... ...tional Economics: Theory and Policy. 9th ed. Edinburgh Gate: Pearson Education. Melesse, Wondemhunegn Ezezew. 2011. â€Å"The Dynamics between Real Exchange Rate Movements and Trends in Trade Performance: The Case of Ethiopia.† Munich Personal Research Papers in Economics Archive (MPRA). MPRA Paper No. 29161. Munich. Michael, Nwidobie Barine. 2011. â€Å"An Impact Analysis of Foreign Exchange Rate Volatility on Nigeria’s Export Performance.† European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences V (37): 47-55. National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE). 2011. National Bank Annual Report 2009/10. Addis Abeba: NBE. Nilsson, Kristian and Lars Nilsson. 2000. â€Å"Exchange Rate Regimes and Export Performance in Developing Countries.† Oxford: Blackwell Publishers: 331-349. World Bank (WB). 2012. â€Å"World Development Indicators Database: Ethiopia.† Washington, DC: WB.

Health Ans Social Care Diploma Level 3 Essay

Types of abuse and the signs: Physical Abuse- This is actual hands on intentional contact meant to deliver pain or suffering to the recipient, such as hitting, pushing, leaving people soiled and inappropriate sanctions. Signs- Bruises/ scratches. Unexplained physical marks on the body, the person may change their usual behavior such as becomes anxious or angry. Sexual Abuse- This is when an individual is not able or willing to consent to a sexual act or the person is bribed or tricked into the act. Signs- Unexplained pregnancy or STI, withdrawn, angry or anxious around specific people or persons. Emotional/Psychological Abuse – This is when a person or people of trust will make someone do things that they don’t want to do via threats of harm, bullying or fear of being humiliated or abandoned. Signs- avoiding specific people or person, becoming withdrawn or anxious in their presence. Financial Abuse- is when a trusted person or people coerce less able persons into paying for gifts, giving moneys or willing property or inheritance for personal gain, fraud or theft. Signs- Unable to pay normal bills attend outings or maintain their hobbies. They may behave differently around specific people becoming Angry or withdrawn. Institutional Abuse- is when people are treated as a group and not as individuals by an organization or care provider, such as set mealtimes and meals, bedtimes. Signs- rebellious behavior, loss of self-esteem with possible depression, may become angry with family, friends and advocates. Self-Neglect- This situation needs to be monitored over time to establish if this is Personal choice or mental health onset. Staff MUST NOT impose their own personal beliefs; it is the service user’s choice to maintain their own standards and values as part of their own individuality. Signs- when a service user’s own standards are gradually slipping and they are not expressing this as a personal choice. Staff must record all findings and discuss with the team, managers. If the service user is putting themselves or others at risk then a multi-disciplinary team will form to plan with service user agreed boundaries to keep all parties safe. Neglect by â€Å"others†- This is when â€Å"care† is not provided for a person and they suffer because of it. Signs- Over use of PRN medication. Bed sores and urine burns, Decline in the service users appearance. The service user may be withdrawn or angry, suffer from low self-esteem. Suspicion requires ACTION!!!! If you suspect Abuse or the service user reports abuse to you MUST ACT: 1 Protect The service user must be protected from the alleged abuser; they must be made safe given assurances and feel supported. They must have Medical treatment if required. They may need you to contact their friends or family for further emotional support. 2 Report Staff must report ALL suspicions of abuse and allegations of abuse made by the service user to their line manager as soon as possible. Management will inform social workers and the Adults at Risk help desk, they will instruct you to contact the police if necessary. Company policies must be followed:- Use TED (tell me, explain to me, describe to me ) to record the allegation this must not include staff members thoughts or feelings ONLY facts. Write appointment sheets if medical or police contact is made to include names, addresses and contact details. Record the outcome of each meeting. 3 Preserve Preserve any/ all of the evidence of the potential abuse. This could be a crime scene, with valuable evidence for a conviction. If in the case of sexual abuse then the forensic evidence will be necessary, discourage the service user from:- *cleaning up the area in which the alleged crime took place *Do not remove bedding or clothing * They Must not was or shower, brush hair or teeth * Keep everyone else out of the area to reduce contamination 4 Record and Refer All information the staff may have whether it be an allegation, hard evidence or simply a suspicion of abuse, it must be properly recorded in the daily notes or on statement sheets that are given to your line manager. Always record observations things you have seen or heard yourself and remember this is a legal document and you may be required to attend a court hearing. The service user in some cases will be directed to give a full account of the alleged abuse to the police which will be recorded and transcribe. All documentation of information or details of allegations should be given directly to your line manager to be stored in a safe place and made ready for the other agencies involved to access if necessary, this information is kept private and confidential to protect the service user and the investigation process. People who may be part of the multi-disciplinary team: – in the event of sexual abuse Managers -They usually refer information to the social workers and adult at risk Help Desk, they would update risk assessments and put preferred staff in place. Adult Help Desk – the managers call the help desk to inform and seek advice on specific protocol for the management of the incident. The help Desk inform social services and are the central contact threw out the gathering of information process. Social workers- To be made aware of the situation and be informed of advice/ requests made by Managers and the Adult help desk team. Police – Take professional statements and organise the collection of evidence from the scene. In the case of rape, the police will send the victim to a rape sweet to collect evidence from their person. They will give advice and support to the victim and informat ion to pass on to management and the help desk team. Family or Advocate – to assist in the support of the service user, to help them feel safe and support them to feel part of the process and understand the process. Doctors –Assist with any treatment of injuries. Offer meditational support for depression or high anxiety if required. CPN – To help ensure existing mental health issues do not deteriorate due to incident. Support workers – Preferred staff would offer on-going support to the service user for a period of time until the evidence had been gathered and the investigation was complete, and the multi-disciplinary team could put a plan together. Sources of advice, support, information to support understanding of safeguarding; Council Safeguarding course Deprivation of liberties training (DOLS) Adult At risk help desk Police non-emergency number Quality care commission Managers and senior staff Always, Always REMEMBER ! If in Doubt Check It out !!!!

Hamlet’s 4th Soliloquy Analyze

Hamlet’s 4th soliloquy analyze â€Å"To be or not to be† can arguably be Shakespeare’s most recognizable quote in all of his work. Hamlet attempts to reason with himself on whether or not death is the only solution to end all life suffering portrays him as both confused and cowardly. In this monologue, Hamlet goes into a tough debate over whether he should end his own suffering by commit suicide, or to step it up and revenge for his father. This solilguy also shows the reader on how Hamlet deals with stress and the lost of love one. In conclusion, he decided to live and fulfill his promise. Indication from this monologue exposed Hamlet’s flaws for lacking of action, being hesitant, and unable to settle his mind. This help lay the foundation of Hamlet’s characteristic and his reasons behind his actions in the later part of the play. Like many Shakespeare’s writing, it is up to the reader to decide on the characteristic of Hamlet. Many may view â€Å"to be or not to be† as Hamlet’s suicide attempt, however, it really portrays Hamlet as a stressed out young man that can not deal with his surrounding. Hamlet position himself between the two extremes with life and death by questioning himself on â€Å"†Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them†. He asked himself if it is â€Å"nobler† to commit suicide, but quickly goes against his early statement by saying actions requires â€Å"arms against a sea of troubles†. This shows that Hamlet is puzzled with himself on whether he should end his â€Å"sea of troubles† by means of death, or to suffer through the pain of living. As Hamlet thinks towards death and ending all life stress, he quoted: â€Å"To die-to sleep, No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to :’to consummation devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream†. Hamlet wishes if he was dead, he will no longer have to suffer through his â€Å"heart-ache† and â€Å"thousand natural shocks†. The monologue continues as Hamlet debate on his decisions. Finally, Hamlet points out the reason why he choice to live instead of death. He choice to live because â€Å"the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will†. In other words, Hamlet unwilling to commit suicide is because he does not know what lies after death and it was against his religious believe. Ironically, through out the soliloquy, the reader can conclude from Hamlet’s sorrow and depression that he himself knows his weakness in thinking too much on his revenge and yet Hamlet does not react or even tries to. It has been weeks before Hamlet’s promises towards his father on revenge to kill Cladius, but once again, we see Hamlet is confused as ever. He then quotes: â€Å"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action†. This further fortifies the above statement for stating himself for being cowardly and did not take action when he had the chance. It seems that Hamlet needs to list out every possible outcome of his action before processing it. Hamlet is helpless of his own lack of confidence and this will lead to his ultimate doom. This important soliloquy exposed the flaws of Hamlet’s character and it shows Hamlet’s self conflict and his possible solutions in taking action. This is the main point of the play as it signifies a development in Hamlet’s thought and his readiness in finally starting to act. It also shows Hamlet’s approach on the question of life and death and how he compares both of them by over examine each and every possible outcome. This soliloquy also shows Hamlet’s puzzlement, lack of action and his overall cowardly behavior. We knows that Hamlet’s unwilling to commit suicide is because he wants revenge, but the more important question is whether revenge is truly keeping him alive, or that he is just too cowardly to face the mystery after death.

How to answers Case Studies Essay

1. What are the inputs, processing, and outputs of UPS’s package tracking system? Inputs: The inputs include package information, customer signature, pickup, delivery, time-card data, current location (while en route), and billing and customer clearance documentation. Processing: The data are transmitted to a central computer and stored for retrieval. Data are also reorganized so that they can be tracked by customer account, date, driver, and other criteria. Outputs: The outputs include pickup and delivery times, location while en route, and package recipient. The outputs also include various reports, such as all packages for a specific account or a specific driver or route, as well as summary reports for management. 2. What technologies are used by UPS? How are these technologies related to UPS’s business strategy? Technologies include handheld computers (DIADs), barcode scanning systems, wired and wireless communications networks, desktop computers, UPS‘s central computer (large mainframe computers), and storage technology for the package delivery data. UPS also uses telecommunication technologies for transmitting data through pagers and cellular phone networks. The company uses in-house software for tracking packages, calculating fees, maintaining customer accounts and managing logistics, as well as software to access the World Wide Web. UPS has used the same strategy for over 90 years. Its strategy is to provide the ―best service and lowest rates.â€â€" One of the most visible aspects of technology is the customer‘s ability to track his/her package via the UPS Web site. However, technology also enables data to seamlessly flow throughout UPS and helps streamline the workflow at UPS. Thus, the technology described in the scenario enables UPS to be more competitive, efficient, and profitable. The result is an information system solution to the business challenge of providing a high level service with low prices in the face of mounting competition. 3. What strategic business objectives do UPS’s information systems address? Some problems this information system solves relate directly to logistics and supply chain activities, not just for itself, but also for other companies. These services include supply chain design and management, freight forwarding, customs brokerage, mail services, multimodal transportation, and financial services, in addition to logistics services. Because of the advanced integration of its technology, UPS can provide these services cheaper and more efficient than most companies can create them in-house. 4. What would happen if these systems were not available? Arguably, UPS might not be able to compete effectively without technology. If the technology were not available, then UPS would, as it has through most of its history, attempt to provide that information to its customers, but at higher prices. From the customers‘ perspective, these technologies provide value because they help customers complete their tasks more efficiently. Customers view UPS‘s technology as value-added services as opposed to increasing the cost of sending packages.

Buddhism and Islam throughout the world Essay

Buddhism and Islam throughout the world Essay Buddhism and Islam throughout the world Essay Michael Ahn Fung Laoshi The Buddha: His life and Teachings 2/25/13 Short-term Paper Mahayana, meaning â€Å"Great Vehicle†, is considered itself as a more authentic version of Buddha’s teachings. Mahayana Buddhism is essentially a vision of what Buddhism is really about and contains a vast corpus of philosophical and devotional texts and Buddha’s teachings. One of the most distinctive themes in the Mahayana Buddhism is Emptiness of mind. According to the Mahayana teaching of Emptiness, sunyata, refers void or openness, symbolizing that all beings and phenomena have no intrinsic existence in themselves. From Mahayana teachings, Emptiness is the understanding that the things of the phenomenal world do not exist as separate, independent and permanent entities, but rather appear as the result of an infinite number of causes and conditions, are a product of dependent origination. From the Mahayana Buddhism, Sunyata refers to the fact that everything is dependently originated, including the causes and conditions. â€Å"All phenomena are dependent for their existence on complex networks of causes and conditions† (pg.26). For example, suppose there is a book. A Book is dependent on the printing press that printed it, and dependent for its existence on the papers and ink that constitute the book. Printing press, ink and papers are dependent to each other to create the book itself. There is no inherent book essence inhabiting the ink and papers. The material is not the book, the shape is not the book, and the function is not the book. All these combined features make up the book. In addition, Emptiness means no permanent and unchangeable existence. â€Å"All phenomena are empty of essence, but exist impermanent† (pg.26). For instance, the human body is changing every second like any phenomenon. It does not have permanent and unchangeable existence. Body can be the emptiness. From the Buddhism teachings, this is the truth of nature which is a continuous process. Beings and phenomena arise and perpetuall y cease for other new beings and phenomena. Rising and falling are the common characteristics of worldly existence. All phenomena are always in the cycle of rising and falling. Thus the truth of sunyata is the nature of each individual existence. Each step in understanding that each minor form has a nature that is not described by words is steps to the realization of sunyata. According to Buddhist teachings, when people realize that we ourselves are empty, freedom from suffering accomplished. The fourth noble path is closely related to sunyata. In fourth noble path, the third one is â€Å"the cessation of suffering is attainable.† From this path, it states that the state of Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. The state of Nirvana can be reached when the emptiness is

Free Essays on A Comparison Of ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ And ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ Focusing On The Techniques Used By Each Author To Create Suspense

‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ and ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’, two different stories written in different centuries, yet very similar. I am going to compare these two stories focusing on the techniques used by each writer to create an atmosphere of suspense. Both stories are in the horror genre, which allows the author to explore the concept of fear. The horror genre ranges from tales of psychopathic murders, to supernatural ghost tales. Any story where the characters feel scared and threatened. Wilkie Collins wrote ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ in 1856. Wilkie Collins was an English man though he travelled extensively, particularly in France and Italy, often with his companion the English author Charles Dickens. Collins is well known for developing the detective story genre, into what we now know it as. He was very critical of his own class, as is reflected in ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ where the Narrator says, ‘let us get away from fashionable Frascati’s to a house where they don’t mind letting in a man with a ragged coat.’ This shows that Collins Narrator thinks of the lower class and their poverty as a bit of fun not something serious. This is not a reflection of Collins, who, as he grew older took a more and more socialist view. Collins could relate to his Narrator though, as he knew what it was to be intoxicated, he was addicted to laudanum, which probably helped him to be more graphic while writing ‘A Terribly S trange Bed’. He also stayed in France; where he discovered an appetite for dry champagne, French cuisine and prostitutes. He is also similar in the sense that they are both well-educated, well travelled, upper/middle class young men. Ray Bradbury wrote ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ in 1950. ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ has a lot more visual imagery, as a film director may use, in it than ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’, ‘back among a clump of bushes-half hidden, but laid out as thoug... Free Essays on A Comparison Of ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ And ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ Focusing On The Techniques Used By Each Author To Create Suspense Free Essays on A Comparison Of ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ And ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ Focusing On The Techniques Used By Each Author To Create Suspense ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ and ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’, two different stories written in different centuries, yet very similar. I am going to compare these two stories focusing on the techniques used by each writer to create an atmosphere of suspense. Both stories are in the horror genre, which allows the author to explore the concept of fear. The horror genre ranges from tales of psychopathic murders, to supernatural ghost tales. Any story where the characters feel scared and threatened. Wilkie Collins wrote ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ in 1856. Wilkie Collins was an English man though he travelled extensively, particularly in France and Italy, often with his companion the English author Charles Dickens. Collins is well known for developing the detective story genre, into what we now know it as. He was very critical of his own class, as is reflected in ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’ where the Narrator says, ‘let us get away from fashionable Frascati’s to a house where they don’t mind letting in a man with a ragged coat.’ This shows that Collins Narrator thinks of the lower class and their poverty as a bit of fun not something serious. This is not a reflection of Collins, who, as he grew older took a more and more socialist view. Collins could relate to his Narrator though, as he knew what it was to be intoxicated, he was addicted to laudanum, which probably helped him to be more graphic while writing ‘A Terribly S trange Bed’. He also stayed in France; where he discovered an appetite for dry champagne, French cuisine and prostitutes. He is also similar in the sense that they are both well-educated, well travelled, upper/middle class young men. Ray Bradbury wrote ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ in 1950. ‘The Whole Town’s Sleeping’ has a lot more visual imagery, as a film director may use, in it than ‘A Terribly Strange Bed’, ‘back among a clump of bushes-half hidden, but laid out as thoug...

Free Essays on Nokia Corporation

Nokia Corporation Since Nokia entered the world of telecommunications it faced competition from well-established international competitors. However, it didn’t take long for Nokia to make a strong name for itself and earn global success. The ability this company has to constantly update technology, create opportunities for themselves and constantly gain new business, shaped them into the successful business that they have today. The go above and beyond what they say they do and that is â€Å"Connecting People.† Nokia is the kind of company that just knows what the people want. Having this knowledge made it easy for Nokia to climb to the top of the market share, take the lead away from its competition, and run with it. Nokia has expanded themselves into more then just phones. They have different models for digital satellite receivers called Nokia MediaMasters. They have Multimedia Terminals, which combine the Internet, television and broadband access, and they also have Mediascreens, which is a new concept of digital television with features such as the flatscreen display. That part of the product line is segmented into four different series. The series include, Performance Series, Business Series, Value Series, and Specialty Series. To read more about these series, see Exhibit A. One of the biggest aspects of the Nokia Corporation is the wireless phone product line. This product line is divided up by model. The 3300 Digital Series, the 8800 Digital Series, the 8820 Digital Series, the 7100 Digital Phone, the 6100 Digital Series, the 5100 Redefined Digital Series, the 5100 Digital Series, the 2100 Digital Series, the 9000 Communicators Series, the 282 Analog Phone, the 252 Analog Phone, a nd finally the 918 Analog Phone. When Nokia first started out they were not on well economic standing at all. Net sales and profit were both really low. In 1991-1992 net profit was negative which caused return on equit... Free Essays on Nokia Corporation Free Essays on Nokia Corporation Nokia Corporation Since Nokia entered the world of telecommunications it faced competition from well-established international competitors. However, it didn’t take long for Nokia to make a strong name for itself and earn global success. The ability this company has to constantly update technology, create opportunities for themselves and constantly gain new business, shaped them into the successful business that they have today. The go above and beyond what they say they do and that is â€Å"Connecting People.† Nokia is the kind of company that just knows what the people want. Having this knowledge made it easy for Nokia to climb to the top of the market share, take the lead away from its competition, and run with it. Nokia has expanded themselves into more then just phones. They have different models for digital satellite receivers called Nokia MediaMasters. They have Multimedia Terminals, which combine the Internet, television and broadband access, and they also have Mediascreens, which is a new concept of digital television with features such as the flatscreen display. That part of the product line is segmented into four different series. The series include, Performance Series, Business Series, Value Series, and Specialty Series. To read more about these series, see Exhibit A. One of the biggest aspects of the Nokia Corporation is the wireless phone product line. This product line is divided up by model. The 3300 Digital Series, the 8800 Digital Series, the 8820 Digital Series, the 7100 Digital Phone, the 6100 Digital Series, the 5100 Redefined Digital Series, the 5100 Digital Series, the 2100 Digital Series, the 9000 Communicators Series, the 282 Analog Phone, the 252 Analog Phone, a nd finally the 918 Analog Phone. When Nokia first started out they were not on well economic standing at all. Net sales and profit were both really low. In 1991-1992 net profit was negative which caused return on equit...

The National Flag of Canada

The National Flag of Canada The Canadian red and white maple leaf flag is officially called the National Flag of Canada. The flag bears a stylized red maple leaf with 11 points on a white background, with red borders down each side. The Canadian flag is twice as long as it is wide. The white square containing the red maple leaf is the same length on each side as the width of the flag. The red and white used in the National Flag of Canada were proclaimed the official colors of Canada in 1921 by King George V. Although the maple leaf did not have official status as an emblem of Canada until 1965, it had historically been used as a Canadian symbol and was employed in 1860 in decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada. The 11 points on the maple leaf have no special significance. A Flag for Canada It wasnt until the 1965 inauguration of the maple leaf flag that Canada had its own national banner. In the early days of the Canadian Confederation, the Royal Union flag, or Union Jack, was still flown in British North America. The Red Ensign, with a Union Jack in the upper left corner and a shield containing the coats of arms of the Canadian provinces, was used as the unofficial flag of Canada from about 1870 to 1924. The composite shield was then replaced with the Royal Arms of Canada and was approved for use overseas. In 1945 it was authorized for general use. In 1925 and again in 1946, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King tried to get a national flag of Canada adopted but he failed, although more than 2,600 designs were proposed for the second try. In 1964, Prime Minister Lester Pearson appointed a 15-member, all-party committee to come up with the design of a new flag for Canada. The committee was given six weeks to complete its task. Three Finalists The process resulted in three final designs: A red ensign with a fleur-de-lis, recognizing Canadas French history, and the Union Jack.Three joined maple leaves between blue borders.A single red maple leaf design between red borders. The suggestion for a red and white, single maple leaf design that was selected for the Canadian flag came from George Stanley, a professor at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. In his speech at the national flag inauguration ceremony, Pearson said: Under this Flag may our youth find new inspiration for loyalty to Canada; for a patriotism based not on any mean or narrow nationalism, but on the deep and equal pride that all Canadians will feel for every part of this good land. Dignity of the Canadian Flag The Department of Canadian Heritage provides the rules of Canadian flag etiquette, which govern how the flag should be flown and displayed in different situations: affixed to a car, carried in a procession, or flown on ships or boats, for example. Fundamental to these rules is the principle that the National Flag of Canada should always be treated with dignity and that it takes precedence over all other national flags and ensigns when it is flown in Canada. Sources History of the National Flag of Canada. Government of Canada.Rules for flying the National Flag of Canada. Government of Canada.

The Flow of Life essays

The Flow of Life essays Imagine a young girl is injured in a car accident and her mother dies instantly. The young girl is still alive but she needs to have a blood transfusion within minutes in order to save her life. The only problem is that the nearest hospital does not have enough blood reserves and the next closest hospital is too far away. This situation may sound farfetched but it could actually happen to anybody. According to Carolyn Gard, a writer for Current Health 2, ninety-seven percent of the people in the United States will receive blood at some point in their lives (Gard 28). A serious problem that Americans face today is the shortage of a reserve blood supply for emergency situations. Unfortunately, fewer than 5 percent of people who are eligible to donate blood actually take the time to do it (Feiman 17). People have many common misconceptions which lead them to refuse donating blood. Many people do not believe that their donation will make a difference. Also, many believe that donating blood carries certain risks, such as contracting AIDS and other diseases. Others are scared that the procedure of donating blood is painful. People who are eligible to donate blood should do so because the process is risk free, virtually painless and can help save lives. Eligibility differs from state to state, but most states allow you to donate blood if you are 18 years of age or older and weigh at least 105 pounds (Dinsmoor 23). One of the misconceptions that keeps those who are eligible from donating is the belief that their donation is not important. This misconception is very untrue. For instance, students at Calhoun High School in Merrick, New York, turned their gym into a blood donating center. The students collected 100 pints of blood which can be used to save as many as 500 lives (Feiman 17). Each person who is eligible to donate blood has the opportunity to make a big difference and save lives. Another ...

Query Boot Camp Vol. 2 Thrillers

Query Boot Camp Vol. 2 Thrillers Query Boot Camp Vol. 2: Thrillers Here is our editor Rebecca with the second installment of Query Boot Camp, focusing on†¦ thrillers! If you missed the first installment of QBC, or you’re not sure what this segment is all about, check out the introduction to Rebecca’s first post here. I’m so excited to bring you this second installment of Query Boot Camp, and want to start by thanking you for the comments, shares, likes and support for Volume 1. A few of you expressed concern that without seeing the query letters directly, the article feedback was less meaningful. But to respect the privacy of our authors and their work, I’ll continue to â€Å"narrate† what I see and relay the important bits as needed. Think of all you can learn about a book from a thorough Amazon review; that’s the same idea we’re working with here. Special thanks to the authors who submitted letters and excerpts for this month’s entry. Let’s get started!

Comparing and contrasting the slave narratives of Frederick Douglass Essay

Comparing and contrasting the slave narratives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs - Essay Example Douglas was born into slavery on the shore of Maryland in 1818 and successfully escaped in 1838 after which he settled in Bedford. While there, he got involved with Massachusetts Anti-Slavery society and lectured audiences about slavery. Later, he wrote his book and became an American abolition movement leader. Jacobs was also born into slavery in 1813 in North Carolina. She was taught to read and write by her master who later died and she was left under his relatives. Her new master attempted to sexually abuse her which led her to spend seven years in hiding. She later worked as a domestic servant in New York and eventually settled in Massachusetts in 1862. It is after this that she wrote her slave narrative. Both writers’ lives as slaves had great effects on their writings. Douglas life as a slave enabled him to bring out the necessary emotion and experiences of a slave and hence becoming a victorious abolitionist writer. Having grown up as a slave and experiencing the hards hips of slavery such as lack of meals and whipping, his desire for freedom led him to write successful stories about his miserable life (Douglas 97). In Jacob’s narrative, she condemns slavery by revealing the horrifying mistreatments of the slaves in her time. She advances the view that slavery is a curse both to the whites and the blacks. She says â€Å"I never would consent to give my past life to anyone, for I will do it without giving the whole truth, if I could help save another from fate, it would be selfish and unchristian of me to keep it back†. Slave narratives were then used to show why the abolition of slavery was justified and thus their success lied on how well they presented the abuses in the system. Today, the narratives are used as an instrument to study the slavery institution and to examine the narrator’s capability to define them in the world. This new focus has

Provided in the Doc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Provided in the Doc - Essay Example Susan Greenfield in her news column in Mail Online furthers this idea by demonstrating how the brain is a constantly changing organ, shaped by our environment and experiences upon which technology is impacting unfathomable effects. John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y.A McKenna exemplifies how technology, especially the internet, has influenced our psychological well-being and social identity. There is are ultimate resultant changes in our personality, behavior, and characteristic. Gahan has detailed both the cellular and psychological changes taking place as a result of technology. The contemporary life of technology is well modifying our human identity. The case of three study groups not previously exposed to piano showed significant change in the brain section responsible for finger movement for the group that underwent intense training and no change at all in the control group. According to Gahan, the present generation is interpreting the world through digital filters, and there’s a vague line as to where individuality boundaries begin. Greenfield agrees with the apparent benefits of the dynamic technology and also asserts the oblivious imminent dangers are tagging along such advancements. She has outlined how pharmaceutical and electronic advancements are impacting on our biochemistry and micro-cellular structure that in turn affects our characteristics, personality and behavior and ultimately our human identity (â€Å"Modern technology is changing the way our brains work, says neuroscientist,† n.d.). Humans are not passive consumers of technology but are instead actively shaped and transformed by it. John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y.A McKenna also adds that advent of these technological advancements will undeniably produce dramatic changes to our personal identity. However, John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y.A McKenna contest that such technology, especially in communication does not pose a significant threat

Law and Order Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law and Order - Essay Example Basically every country needs a sequence and order to operate its functions properly. In order to make all the tasks of the country go smoothly law and order is implied. Law and order also make sure that a country has peaceful conditions and every one is treated equally. Law and order make sure that every person of the country has its share of rights. If a country lacks stableness in Law and order than it deteriorates economically, its neighbor countries avoid major communications with the country and the conditions of the country meaning peace is not maintained. If a country’s law and order is not imposed properly than automatically it loses political stability. In order to maintain Law and order in a country certain aspects need to be given special importance and it should be made sure that ignorance is avoided. The major factor for an efficient Law and order is to have a good balanced Lawsuit. Other factors include an effective check system on the Law imposers in order to check their credibility and the ratio of police to citizens. Another important factor is the role of the citizens in maintaining Law and order in their country. It’s important for the citizens to abide by law and obey every lawful order.

Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized - Essay Example The arguments of Nathan were actually appropriately substantiated and credible due to his medical background. Therefore, his expertise on the profound effects of marijuana is validated. In fact, he confirmed that â€Å"I am also a physician who understands that the negative legal consequences of marijuana use are far worse than the medical consequences† (Nathan par. 2). But despite the obvious negative effects, it was deemed more advantageous to promote for its legalization given the following reasons: (1) at the current status of marijuana still being considered prohibited by law; there apparently continues continued trade and sale which apparently contributes to vagrant criminal activities through illicit drug use and trade; (2) the continued popularity of marijuana leads to â€Å"the potential for adulteration of black-market cannabis and the substitution of even more dangerous copycat compounds† (Nathan par. 9); (3) as emphasized, â€Å"natural marijuana poses much less danger than synthetic cannabinoids -- legal or otherwise† (Nathan par. 9). His arguments are therefore worth reflecting.

How Executive Females Sustain their positions Research Paper

How Executive Females Sustain their positions - Research Paper Example Rather the fact is that women of European and American countries also face gender discrimination in almost all fields of life. In this paper, we will discuss the challenges that female executive face when trying to sustain their positions. The paper will also include the methods or techniques that females executives use to sustain their positions which they reach as the result of their commitment, hard work, and dedication. Challenges for Female Executives Female executives come across many challenges in their struggle towards reaching a higher position in the firm where they work (Wipperman, 2010). Their experience of gender discrimination starts even before they are actually hired for any particular position and continues till the last day of their job. For example, they face gender discrimination during recruitment process when HR executives prefer to hire male employees rather than females. The reason behind this is that HR executives consider male employees more productive and d edicated as compared to females employees. Therefore, most of the times they reject women’s job application at the earliest stages of recruitment without any logical reason. And even if a female gets a chance to work for some company, she faces discrimination at every stage of her progress towards higher ranks. For example, in cases where a female and a male employee are in the seniority list and the time occurs to promote one of them to the next rank, the HR department usually promotes the male candidate even when the performance of the female candidate is better than her male colleague. These examples show that female employees face severe discrimination at almost every stage of their job life. A very little percentage of women get the chance to attain higher positions in companies where they work (Francls & Penrose, 2011). Experiencing a male-dominated work culture and getting suitable promotions is not easy for female employees (Berneke & Strella, n.d.). Some of the main challenges that female executives face in sustaining their job positions include external male pressure, balancing work with family, and the need to show skills required for higher positions. Let us discuss these challenges in some detail, as well as the ways female executive employees overcome these challenges. External Male Pressure One of the main challenges that female executives face is the external make pressure. External male pressure refers to the overall male dominant job politics which is aimed towards bringing men forward in every job position. Although such politics is mainly played between male employees to snatch each other’s positions to reach higher ranks, but when a female employee reaches a top position by chance, then all efforts are geared towards getting the position back from that employee because the general perception in the minds of men is that higher positions are only for males and that women are not supposed to run organizational system. To deal wi th such situations, female executives usually show more commitment and dedication with their assigned roles in order to show that they are well-suited for their current positions, as well as to convince higher authorities that they can carry out their job responsibilities effectively. It has been noted that women at higher positions have more positive job attitude and are more sincere with the job work as compared to men. The reason behind this is that women are more caring and responsible by nature and when some big

Ethical case study( The loss of the Shuttle Columbia) Essay

Ethical case study( The loss of the Shuttle Columbia) - Essay Example The recommendations balance deontological and utilitarian ethics; thus, NASA would achieve better outcomes in terms of research and space exploration. The Loss of the Shuttle Columbia: An Ethical Case Study The 28th flight of the Columbia forming the 113th mission of the Space Shuttle Program ended in loss of the mission and a tragic loss of the crew. The mechanical cause of the loss of the Shuttle Columbia and the seven crew members on board has been reported to be a breach in the spaceship’s Thermal Protection System on the left side-wing resulting from a piece of insulating foam (Niewoehner, Steidle, and Johnson 11). However, the loss of the Shuttle Columbia has attracted different perspectives of analysis, besides the mechanical viewpoint, as to other determinants of the outcomes. Studies into the loss of the Shuttle Columbia are important since a number of lessons can be discerned from the mechanical, leadership and ethical view points. Besides, it helps to generate recom mendations for action that would guide space missions and the wider engineering field to avert similar occurrences. This study provides a background on the engineering/technical failure that resulted in the loss of the Shuttle Columbia as reported. An in-depth evaluation of the engineering, management, regulatory and socio-technical issues surrounding the unfortunate incident is undertaken. This is then followed by an analysis of the ethical lapses that contributed to the loss of the Shuttle Columbia, before the generation of recommendations based on an ethical framework. BACKGROUND Engineering Failures: As a prelude, the Space Shuttle Program launched the Columbia in January 28, 1986; a launch had never been undertaken at such cold temperatures. The shuttle exploded after only 7 seconds of launching (Baura 148). Lessons had not been learned when similar oversights occurred seventeen years later with the loss of the Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003. Shuttle Columbia was launched on January 16, 2003 for a 16 day mission to orbit the earth and promote science research. The first evidence of engineering failure appeared 81.7 seconds after the launch when Columbia was approximately 65,820 feet above the ground. With the shuttle traveling at about 1650 mph, a large piece of insulating form that was hand-crafted came off the Orbiter-external tank attachment area. The fall-out piece then struck the leading edge of the shuttle’s left wing at 81.9 seconds after the launch. These incidents were not detected immediately either by the on-board crew or by the ground team; rather, they were observed the next day by the ground support team upon detailed analysis of the launch’s videos and pictures. The damage on the lead left wing appeared to have not had any effects on the 16 day space operations of the shuttle as the mission met its space objectives. Reports provide details that the Columbia Shuttle re-entered the earth’s atmosphere with an existin g breach to its leading edge of the left wing. The exact position of the breach is reported as proximal to the panel 8 of the RCC (Reinforced Carbon-Carbon). The breach is deemed sufficiently big enough to allow for the penetration of super-heated air – above 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit – into the space behind the RCC panel. The super-heated air was then able to penetrate the left wing and destroy its structural parts such as the insulation and the aluminum wing spur. Detailed analysis o

The Business of Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Business of Health Care - Essay Example This paper seeks to determine the extent to what the health care can be a business, and seek evidence that may suggest the cost and quality improvement of the health care. The business aspect of health care encompasses the entire system, from financial analysis to personnel management. Similar to other businesses, the health care providers need qualified individuals for the management of resources, finance, database and computer systems, and other aspects of the health care administration. Those concerned with health care management essential deal with the ‘business side’ of the health care system, which include budget and staff needs, databases, accountability, and organizational systems. These personnel prepare reports on funds or resources allocation, focus on improving efficiency by ensuring that patients enjoy timely access to health care services, and engage in reorganization of departments through streamlining processes as well as assisting employees to achieve th eir best productivity (Greener, 2007:258). Small physicians and private practice groups may only require the services of a single administrator or a few staff members, but large organizations with a relatively higher number of physician, nurses, and surgeons may require an entire department to keep operations running smoothly. In recent times, the debate over the increasing costs of the health care system has sparked different opinions and proposals from scholars and experts in the field. Additionally, studies and research show that the health care system is less than ideal. These two factors constitute a significant problem to the system. There are numerous possible causes of these deficiencies, including the rapid development of technology, poorly informed customers, difficulties in measuring the performance of providers, resistance by providers to embrace information technologies and other potentially quality-improvement techniques. Turnover of workers and enrolees among employer s and insurers, administered prices, and delayed impact of investment in health promotion. A portion of health services researchers argue that National Health Service, a United Kingdom health care system, should lead the way in effort to promote quality healthcare in the UK and the rest of the world (Department of Health, 2008:6). There are many key stakeholders in the health care system, including the government, consumers, health plans, providers, hospitals, health insurers, and pharmacy-benefit managers, although the private sector is also an important catalyst for improving the health care. This is so because, first, more than 160 million non-elderly employees receive health insurance from their employers. Second, employers provide a substantial amount of compensation to employees in form of health insurance. Third, a section of employers is leading initiative to assess the quality of health care and hold providers accountable. Fourth, private employers may move focus to the pub lic sector after conviction that investing in the programs that seek to improve the quality of the health care services is profitable. There are two important points worth noting in this context. One, improving the quality of he