Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Humanities - Essay Example The Literature is a long and complex and tackles a combination of themes centered on the limits of the human knowledge, the origin of the human ideas as well as religion and morality (Ben-Chaim). The literature presents a theory of belief and knowledge that was established on the principle that most human feelings or ideas are normally obtained through experience. In particular, he names describes this phenomenon as the â€Å"tabula rasa† or the black slate philosophy. This philosophy presumes that human beings are born with a blank mind that is almost similar to a white sheet of paper. However, the various experiences that human beings normally face when growing up serves to fill up the blank min with new thoughts and ideas. In this literature, Locke contests Descartes idea that human ideas are innate. He asserts that most human thoughts cannot be considered as correct unless there is another explanation for the same idea. This means that the fact that two or more individuals can have the same thoughts pertaining to a given situation, their thoughts is not necessary correct (Newman). He explains that understanding is what sets man above the rest of all other sensible beings, which further confers him all the advantage and dominion that he has over them. This therefore implies that human beings are rational agents capable of choice and, hence, acting responsibly. He therefore insisted that learning should be made pleasant so as to facilitate the acquisition of new and meaningful experience bearing in mind that the formation of character for an individual is deemed as very crucial than just mere information (Ward). Indeed, in his paper, Locke further argued that the both human adults and children tend to share a common disposition that motivates them to pursue pleasure while avoiding painful experiences. Moreover, he also presented that there are no innate moral ideas; instead, human knowledge consists only

Hitchens vs Blair debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hitchens vs Blair debate - Essay Example Hitchens found it easy to make strong arguments concerning a wide range of bad things that humans have done in the name of religion, and he in fact did not find it difficult to explain how religion, which is considered to be good, has done more harm not only to individuals in the society, but also to the world as well. On stage, Hitchens raised very pertinent points many of which worked against Blair’s arguments. Among the most prominent statements that he made is that â€Å"religion forces nice people to do unkind things ... and to do stupid things." Hitchens made this statement in a bid to emphasize the fact that religion is among the most disastrous institutions in the world because it has often been the source of conflict. In addition to this statement, he also made a pass at circumcision, which he considers to be a violation of human rights, since it involves the mutilation of the human body. Hitchens sarcastically states, "Please pass me that sharp stone for its genital ia so that I might do the work of the Lord" (CSPANJUNKIEd0Torg) A major point of argument in the debate concerned the exclusivity of religion, on which Hitchens states that it had always struck him as strange that there should be a special church for English people. His argument implied that religion in itself was a divisive factor in the world, and that the world would probably function better without it. In response to Hitchens’ comparing religion to the North Korean regime where God is considered similar to the North Korean ruler, Blair stated that he did not consider the leader of North Korea to be a religious icon. Blair seems to have conceded some ground to Hitchens’ argument by stating that it was undoubtedly true that there were people who had throughout history committed horrendous acts in the name of religion. Blair goes on to quickly state that while this might be the case, it is also true that some religious people also do good things, providing the example of how Christians and progressive secularists worked hand in hand to ensure the abolition of slavery (CSPANJUNKIEd0Torg). Blair questions whether Hitchens is after a world that it without religions, going further to provide examples from the twentieth century who had no religion. He gives the example of Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot, who committed great atrocities against their people because of the fact that they did not have religion, hence lacked a conscience. Blair goes on to state that if religion is gotten rid of then â€Å"you're not going to get rid of fascism, and you're not going to get rid of wrong in the world." It is Blair’s belief that the lack of religion in the world would be disastrous because it would be a source of unspeakable evil that might lead to atrocities. Hitchens on the other hand, feels that religion is an oppressive force which should not be allowed to continue because to do so would be to destroy the freedoms which are the natural right of all hu man beings (CSPANJUNKIEd0Torg). Throughout the debate, one would state that Hitchens had the sympathy of most of the audience and this may have been as a result of his terminal condition. Blair, on the other hand, seems to have been less forceful with his argument, perhaps because of his sympathy for his rival’s condition. While this may have been

The Consequential Or Teleological Theories Philosophy Essay

The Consequential Or Teleological Theories Philosophy Essay Introduction This chapter presents an overview of the literature on the concept of ethics. First, we present the different definitions of ethics in the existing literature. An overview of the ethics current theoretical developments is then presented. Section 1: Concept of ethics Contrary to what one might think, ethics is not a new pheromone (Gà ©nard, 1992). It was originally identified by Greek and Roman philosophers. Inspired by the works of his predecessors Socrates and Plato, Aristotle is considered as the father of the ethics concept (Lavorata, 2004) which had been widely discussed over several decades by many philosophers who proposed several definitions to this concept. I. Ethics definitions The word Ethics is derived from the ancient Greek word Ethikos, which mean character (Reese, 1990). According to the Universal Philosophical Encyclopedia, ethics is the science of moral and human conduct. Nonetheless, many definitions of this concept had been suggested in the literature. For example, Taylor (1975, p.1) defined ethics as an: inquiry into the nature and grounds of morality, where morality means moral judgments, standards, and rules of conduct. Gove (1976, p.210) defines ethics as the study of what constitutes good and bad human conduct, including related actions and values. For Beauchamp and Bowie (1983, p.3), ethics is the inquiry into theories of what is good and evil and into what is right and wrong, and thus is inquiry into what we ought and ought not to do. As it could be noticed, in all the above definitions the term ethics refers to the study of moral conduct (Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989). However, the boundaries between morality and ethics are sometimes blurred and they should be differentiated in order to clarify the concept of ethics (Shaw and Barry, 2001). 1. Ethics and morality The terms ethics and morality are derived from the same root which often causes confusion. Some authors consider that the distinction between the two concepts is unnecessary (Ricoeur, 1990; Even-Granboulan, 1998). However, others academicians make a distinction between them (Iannone, 1989; Boatright, 2000; Ferrell et al.; 2000; and Petrick and Quinn, 2001). For example, Grace and Cohen (1998, p.4) claim that there is no reason to make a distinction in meaning between ethical and moral. There is no difference in meaning which could be attributed to their etymological roots, while, Beauchamp and Bowie (2001) argued that morality is the principles of moral as defined by society, while ethics refers to individual rules. In fact, ethics concept had been also closely related to deontology. In the following, this relation is presented in more details. 2. Ethics and deontology Ricoeur (1990) identifies three components of ethics: a subjective component (life good for itself according to Aristotle), an interpersonal one (or the concern for others in reference to Kant) and a societal component (or the concern for the institution). The societal component refers to the concept of deontology. Thus, the definition of deontology is literally a set of codes of conduct specific to a profession. The following diagram summarizes the different concepts and relationships between ethics, morality and deontology. Figure 1: Definitions and relationships between Ethics, morality and deontology, (Lavorata, 2004, p.20) II. Ethics school of thoughts There are three approaches in the study of ethics: normative ethics, descriptive ethics, and meta-ethics (De George, 1982). Normative ethics Normative ethics is the study of how we should behave (Pascal, 1670; Spinoza, 1677; Kant, 1781). It attempts to justify the principles or the values of a moral system (Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989). The normative ethical theories are classified into three groups: 1-Consequential or teleological theories; 2- Single rule non-consequential or deontological theories; and 3-Multiple rule non-consequential theories. Consequential or teleological theories These theories argue that the evaluation of the rightness of an action is determined by considering its consequences (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985). Researchers have demonstrated that teleological theories involve several constructs such as: (1) the individuals behavior and its effect on various stakeholder groups particularly customers and employers; (2) the estimate probability that the consequences will occur to the stakeholders;  (3) the evaluation of desirability or undesirability of each consequence; (4) the analysis of the importance of the stakeholder groups (Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989). Moreover, according to these authors, when using teleological evaluation, the individual acts in a manner that produces at least as great a ratio of good to evil as any other course (Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989, p.697). The two major consequential theories are egoism and utilitarianism. Egoism holds that individuals act in a way that creates the greatest gain for their self-interest (Hunt and Vitell, 1986). Contrary to ethical egoism, utilitarianism holds that the individual behaves in a manner that produces the greatest good for everyone (DeConinck and Lewis, 1997; Loo, 2004). These theories only look at the consequences of actions, not at its foundations (the end justifies the means) (Bougerra et al., 2011). Single rule non-consequential or deontological theories Some researchers contend that to determine the morality of an action, many other factors should be taken into account other than its consequences. These theories appeal to a single rule. The two main single rules non-consequential theories are: the golden rule: Do unto others as youd have them unto you. In other words, we have to treat individuals the way we want to be treated (Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989). The other single-rule non-consequential theory is Kants categorical imperative (Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end.). Multiple rule non-consequential theories These theories claim that the moral rightness or  wrongness is determined by moral rules that cant be reduced to a single moral rule. These theories are a mixture of teleological and deontological theories. 2. Descriptive ethics The second approach is descriptive ethics and it deals with the human behavior. This approach aims to study and describe what is moral and immoral, as well as the factors affecting the evolution of moral principles and values (Rich, 1994). According to Pera and Van Tonder (2005, p.7), descriptive ethics does not pass moral judgments on conduct or beliefs; it merely describes what certain people believe to be right or wrong without judging these beliefs. Desjardins and McCall (2000, p.5) noted that the distinction between descriptive and normative ethics is related to the difference between what is and what ought to be. In the same vein, Beauchamp and Bowie (2001, p.6-7) claimed that normative moral philosophy aims at determining what ought to be done, which needs to be distinguished from what is, in fact, practiced. 3. Meta-ethics The third approach was defined as the study of moral reasoning (Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989). It analyzes ethical concepts, which explains why it is also called analytical ethics (Rich, 1994). Meta-ethics analyses questions about the meaning of right and wrong or good and bad (Pera and Van Tonder, 2005). According to Creasia and Parker (1991), meta-ethics is the linking between ethical beliefs and the real world. Section 2: Business ethics As we stated before, research on business ethics, and most importantly on marketing ethics has begun to expand since the publication of Bogarts article (1962) The Researchers Dilemma (Jones and Kavanagh, 1996; Rao and Singhapakdi, 1997; Tsalikis and Fritzsche, 1989). It has gained growing interest among marketing scholars in the 1980s (Hunt and Vitell, 1983; Chonko and Burnett, 1983; Gresham, 1985). Studies in this domain had taken two main orientations: normative one or positive one. Normative studies aimed to develop guidelines and rules for marketers. Positive studies, in particular, in the last three decades focus on the description and the development of models and theories (Chonko and Hunt, 2000). But, what are the reasons behind this interest to study ethics in marketing? I. Reasons of the growing interest in business ethics According to Lavorata (2004), this growing interest in business ethics can be explained by several reasons: 1- external reasons and 2- internal reasons. 1. External reasons The integration of ethics by organizations can be explained by external reasons such as consumers pressure (Mercier, 1999). According to a survey conducted by the Foundation of France in 1997, 63% of consumers claimed to be sensitive to firms supporting a humanitarian cause. Thus, Ethics becomes a way to retain consumers. In fact, competitive pressure incited firms to look for new positioning and for means of differentiation from their competitors. Implementing strategies based on social responsibility and ethical practices is considered as a means to achieve this objective. Indeed; this may boost one firms public image and contribute in building long-term relationships with clients (Schwepker and Hartline 2005; Thomas et al., 2004). Moreover, the awareness about ethics importance and consequences seems to be boosted by top managers as a result of many scandals that had shaken the business world: WorldCom, a huge accounting scandal estimated at $11 billion. Enron, fraud and conspiracy in January 2006. Merck and GlaxoSmithKline, pharmaceutical companies, have had to retire drugs that have been considered unsafe for public use. Each new disgrace seemed to create a buzz for organizational change (Barnes, 2006). As a matter of fact, in 1920, Henry Ford wrote: A company must make profits otherwise it will die. But if we want the company to only run for profit, it will also die since it will have no reason for being. In 2001, the CEO of Lafarge B. Colomb has echoed these ethical concerns: Far from being expensive, ethics is a critical success factor. 2. Internal reasons The internationalization of organizations has led to a weakening of the corporate culture and in particular a loss of collective benchmarks (Lavorata, 2004). Moreover, individual ethics is the subject of an ongoing dilemma (Seidel, 1995). In fact, the organization must ensure its profitability and profit: its objective is then to reduce costs while boosting employee productivity (Mercier, 1999). Conclusion Despite its historical origins, ethics remains a subject matter of a special concern for contemporary academicians. In fact, it has been shown that ethics domain has undergone major changes in its foundations. This current widespread preoccupation among researchers about ethics led to an increased awareness about business ethics. The marketing is seemingly even more concerned. Indeed, the activities in this domain are often considered to be unethical (Baumhart, 1961; Brenner and Molander, 1977; Murphy and Lazcniak, 1981). According to Chonko et al. (1996), ethical abuse may take place as marketing professionals and particularly salespersons often face bothersome ethical problems in business. In fact, sales representatives are under great pressure and they are constant targets of ethical criticism (Mantel, 2005; Abratt and Penman, 2002). In this context, according to a survey of 1,324 workers including salespersons, managers, and executives conducted by USA Today, 48% of workers admit to do unethical or illegal acts (Jones 1997, p.1). In the same line, Jolson (1997) argued that for a long time, the sales representative was a person who put pressure on his customer by questionable techniques and whose only philosophy was increasing sales regardless the means used. The following chapter deals more in details with the (un)ethical behavior of sales representatives in marketing literature.

beziehung zwischen deutschland und england :: essays research papers

England ein Land voller Traditionen Trotz allen Beharrens auf liebgewonnenen Traditionen, die manchmal in unseren Augen etwas skurril anmuten – zum Beispiel, dass der Speaker of the House of Commons, der Prà ¤sident des britischen Unterhauses, vor jeder Parlamentssitzung mit einer Handvoll seiner Mitarbeiter im Gleichschritt im Parlamentsgebà ¤ude einen ganz bestimmten, festgelegten Weg nehmen muss, um zu seinem Arbeitsplatz zu kommen, und dass sein Kommen dabei jedes Mal umstà ¤ndlich angekà ¼ndigt wird, wo doch jeder weiß, wann morgens die Plenarsitzung beginnt – also obwohl Tradition immer noch hoch im Kurs steht: Großbritannien ist sehr viel moderner als frà ¼her. Eine neue Generation hat in allen Bereichen, von der Politik à ¼ber die Wirtschaft bis zur Publizistik, den Stab à ¼bernommen. Das ist unverkennbar. Und das hat natà ¼rlich auch Auswirkungen auf das deutsch-britische Verhà ¤ltnis. Schon vor à ¼ber hundert Jahren schrieb Lord Salisbury an Bismarck: "Zwischen keinen zwei L à ¤ndern sollte die Verstà ¤ndigung so gut sein wie zwischen den unsrigen". Und tatsà ¤chlich: Die politischen Beziehungen zwischen Deutschland und dem Vereinigten Kà ¶nigreich sind nun schon à ¼ber mehreren Generationen hinweg stabil gut. Es gibt einen regen Austausch zwischen den Regierungschefs, aber auch auf den niedrigeren Regierungsebenen und zwischen den Parlamenten. Und wie eng unsere Gesellschaften gerade im Bereich der Wirtschaft miteinander verbunden sind, braucht man sicher nicht besonders hervorzuheben. Deutschland ist nach den USA fà ¼r Großbritannien der wichtigste Handelspartner, und bei uns kommt Großbritannien nach Frankreich und den USA auch gleich an dritter Stelle. Es findet also auch hier ein reger Austausch statt. Und dennoch drà ¤ngt sich, trotz der guten politischen und wirtschaftlichen Beziehungen, oft der Eindruck auf, dass Deutschland und Großbritannien im Grunde ferne Nachbarn sind. Zurecht ist von einem gescheiten Beobachter gesagt worden, dass es eine "Illusion der Vertrautheit" in unseren Beziehungen gebe. Hier spielt der Generationswechsel eine Rolle, aber keineswegs nur eine positive. So paradox es klingen mag im Zeichen von Internet und weltweiter Kommunikation: Die Grà ¼ndergenerationen seit Beginn der 50er Jahre wussten in mancherlei Hinsicht wahrscheinlich mehr voneinander als die heutige Generation. So geht die Zahl der jungen Menschen, die in Großbritannien Deutsch lernen – wie insgesamt die Zahl derer, die eine Fremdsprache lernen – seit Jahren immer mehr zurà ¼ck. Inzwischen legen nur noch etwa 1 % der Oberschà ¼ler eine ihrer A-Level Prà ¼fungen – in etwa mit unserem Abitur vergleichbar - im Fach Deutsch ab. Entsprechend wenige studieren anschließend Deutsch, und entsprechend ist auch auf britischer Seite das ohnehin eher bescheidene Interesse an Schà ¼leraustauschprogrammen mit Deutschland zurà ¼ckgegangen.

Ethics approaches Essay

Ethics approaches BY tealx021 Ethics in Communication After reading about the ethical considerations considering interpersonal and group communication, there are many similarities. The two differ in the sense of size. This leads to more considerations in the larger of the two, group communication, where there may be many different interpersonal relationships within the small group. However, for this analysis, like the book, I will focus on ethical considerations of the small group as a whole. Interpersonal relationships are unique in themselves, as each one is different han the next. One major ethical consideration in this context is fairness. When people are interdependent, or share mutuality, there are almost always issues of fairness or Justice that arise. These two issues are most commonly based off of individual’s feelings and relational satisfaction. In our culture, this sense of Justice or fairness can be attributed to the distribution of rewards in proportion to each partner’s contributions. Relationships are often times weighed on costs and rewards. When this cost-reward system is unbalanced in relationships, we often see issues rise. Another major consideration in interpersonal relationships is privacy and autonomy, or openness and closeness. In communication, this comes down to self- disclosure. Issues can arise if one partner in the relationship is disclosing too much or too little about themselves, and there is an unbalance between the two relational partners. One major issue in relationships is Jealousy, which can stem from any of these ethical considerations. In small-group communication, there are a few unique ethical considerations that arise. One major issue in small groups is groupthink. Groupthink is the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility. Another unique ethical consideration is issues that involve symbolic convergence within in-groups and out- groups. Symbolic convergence can create or develop stereotypes or exclusion within and outside a small group setting. Small-group and interpersonal relationships do also share ethical issues in communication. One of these is the issue of responsibility, which can be constituted as individual responsibility or the other affects responsibility of the whole relationship, and each one. In small-groups, individual responsibility can be hampered by groupthink or Symbolic convergence. In interpersonal relationships, individual responsibility can be hampered by lack of fairness, or lack of interdependence based on self-disclosure. Much or this is based on context, but interpersonal and small group communication share these same ethical considerations. Many of these ethical issues surrounding interpersonal communication can be channeled well through dialogical ethics. Dialogical ethics involves approaching decisions by considering attitudes and behaviors, and illingness or ability of each participant to surrender ones self-interest. This involves having an open mind, and viewing you and the relational partner as equals, almost putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, setting aside your perceptual interpersonal relationships. I can attribute this to my own experience, as I feel many of the arguments I have with friends or family members would be solved if we each put ourselves in each other’s shoes. A good approach to small-group communication is the virtue ethics approach. This approach puts a lot of emphasis on character, and oesn’t put a set of rules in place that could potentially cause ethical issues involved in groupthink or stereotypes. This approach would hold people accountable based on character, and would promote creativity and good ideas within a small group. In my own experience in small-groups, everything comes down to virtue, including responsibility, prudence, etc. Many issues could be solved with this approach in a small group context. Both mentioned approaches would fit well in both interpersonal and group relationships, but I feel that I have placed them in their best-fit places.

Analysis of environment, industry and SWOT analysis

The Australian food retailing industry is characterized by a high level of competitiveness. The intense competitiveness has led to an environment in which emphasis on cost efficiency has become the critical success factor. In the general environment, the key to maintaining competitiveness has become ensuring cost efficiency through efficient supply chain management.This efficiency can be promoted technologically. Economic factors are also important in the environment. These factors manifest themselves in high levels of household debt, a low national rate of saving, falling house prices, falling oil prices and increases in unemployment and interest rates. In Aldi’s case, these environmental factors are likely to exercise a negative influence on consumer spending.The threat of new entrants is high in this industry. For example, Aldi faces the threat of its main European rival Lidl entering the Australian market. Therefore the threat of substitute products is also high. This thre at is underscored by the fact that most competitors are carrying house brands which are enabling them to offer high quality at a low price. This has resulted in a high level of competitive rivalry.The main competitors currently are Woolworths and Coles-Myer. These are the two major national chains. There are also smaller regional players such Action, IGA and Franklins. These companies are focusing on cost efficiencies and therefore sustainability of competitive advantage has become difficult to maintain. Bargaining power of customers in the FMCG industry is also high. However the bargaining power of suppliers is not that high. Costs in this case have been streamlined through building long term relations.Aldi’s main strength is the process of decentralization empowering managers. There is a high degree of delegation in the company. The company’s weakness is in its lack of investment in marketing. Currently this is not a problem but in the future, as new entrants stake o ut a claim in the industry, the company might have to invest in aggressive promotional strategies (cited in Hill, 2008).However the company is not structured to shift focus accordingly. Lack of market research might also become a problem in case of increased competitiveness. The opportunity for the company is to move into other Australian states and territories.In the immediate time frame, the company should focus on South Australia because of its proximity to its current locations. The threat is the rising level of competition not only from the existing players but also from new entrants. The competitive threat is being created in terms of cost improvements and product diversifications (cited in Aaker, 2004).Key resources and capabilitiesThe source of Aldi’s competitive advantage is cost leadership. Implementation of this strategy has been facilitated by maintaining good relations with channel members and ensuring employee satisfaction.Channel members include the suppliers a nd the customers. Aldi’s strategic focus is to ensure maximum customer satisfaction by maintaining a product range that is in alignment with customer tastes and preferences. The company also maintains good relations with the suppliers by maintaining a shared information network.Its cultural orientation is also unique in terms of facilitating the highest degree of decentralization and delegation. This gives the managers a sense of ownership over their processes and as a result they are committed to the continuous improvement process. This is a critical success factor for the company in the highly competitive environment in which it operates and these resources ensure a sustainable competitive advantage.What gives Aldi a sustainable competitive advantage is its limited product range that consists of house brands. The advantage of maintaining this orientation is that strategies against the threat of product differentiation can be implemented.This is particularly relevant in Aldi ’s case because it faces intense competition from Woolworths and Coles-Meyer which are major national chains and draw their competitive advantage from maintaining a widely diversified product portfolio.Therefore Aldi has to position itself as a low cost provider of products of comparable quality. This is facilitated through cutting costs in areas such as not providing free shopping bags, surcharges on credit card payments and motivating customers to manage their own shopping trolleys.These strategies enable the company to cut down the size of its manpower and therefore reduce costs. Being cost conscious is the first part of its guiding philosophy. The second and third parts of the philosophy are related to ensuring satisfaction with customers and suppliers.

Definition Essay Sample on Logic

Definition Essay Sample on Logic The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines logic as â€Å"the science of reasoning, proof, thinking, or influence.† Critical thinking as described by Vincent Ryan Ruggiero, ‘is the process by which we test claims and arguments and determine which have merit and which do not.† (Beyond Feelings, 6) At one level, I think we all know what critical thinking  means - it means good thinking as opposed to illogical, irrational thinking. Since critical thinking is not necessarily being â€Å"critical† and negative I think it would be appropriate or more accurate to call it evaluative thinking. The results of the evaluation can range from acceptance to rejection, positive, negative, or anything in between. As I understand it the essence of critical thinking is logic and that we use very little explicit logic in ordinary life. I understand that the basic principles of logic use in evaluating arguments are as follows: (1) Premises are either true or false (incorre ct or correct); (2) Conclusions are either valid or invalid, (3) Correct premises plus valid reasoning equal a sound argument ,and lastly (3) An incorrect premise or invalid reasoning makes an argument unsound. Perceptual process I think most of my thinking at the ordinary level is based on perception, language , and information. At the most there is one logic step: If this than that. I think most thinking takes place in the perceptual stage. These are the questions that arise, How much do I take in? and How do I look at things? This perception is based on habits of perceptions and what I hear, what I read and how I express myself. I understand that we do not need to use much explicit logic because we have already built the logic into our language. For example, killing is ‘bad’ unless justified by war or self-dense. I know that with investment decisions I followed what was recommended and what my friends were doing and then rationalized it with the following rationalization: Everyone does this and the stock rises for a while and when the market eventually gets a severe correction I rationalize that as well. This rationalization is based on  information - not all-available information but a sel ection that fits what I was inclined to do anyway. I think that logic can be used to reinforce perceptions (and prejudices) but logic and argument will not change perceptions. Perception is more than sensing, it is processing, reacting, and interpreting. Faith Bryne describes perception as, â€Å"detecting the nature of both outer and inner worlds. In many cases, it also means responding in some way, either consciously or unconsciously.† (Perception, 57) Perception is the way we look at things and I think processing is what we do with that perception. In my view if we take processing for granted then perception becomes even more important, because the way we look at a situation will determine what we can do about it. Perceptual Blocks The influences (family, teachers, religion, race, environment, and economic level) that have shaped or conditioned my identity by instilling values, beliefs, viewpoints or attitudes that I have accepted without challenge serves as a perceptual block. The situations in which I am less of an individual because of these influences occur when I refuse to understand someone else’s opinion or look for other points of view because of something I have been conditioned to believe is true. I am not very consistent in ensuring that my opinions are informed. Often times I have not taken careful consideration of the evidence and have treated opinions as facts especially if I have expressed it to the point that I have begun to believe it as truth. At times, in what matters most I am inclined to assume too much and take too much for granted. I feel the strongest urge to conform when someone is a positive role model and conforming to this type of behavior I believe adds value. However, a situ ation in which this conformist tendency has interfered with my judgment is following others because it seemed the lesser of two evils. All to often at the workplace this is how some decisions are made just to close an issue that ultimately will recycle. I think I seek to confirm my biases rather than control them in seeking evidence that only confirms my bias and not questioning or seeking the opposing point of view. Additionally, I tend to jump or make hasty conclusions more often than I would like. This occurs more so in the area of personal relationships. Lessons Learned I have learned that there are some errors and bad habits that can lead to shallow or uncritical decisions instead of careful judgments. I have gained the most insight from the following errors and bad habits, which are: Ethnocentricity, Resistance to change (habits), Conformity, Face saving (ego), Rationalization, Stereotyping, Faulty common sense, Oversimplification, Hasty conclusions, and Unwarranted assumptions. I think the real key to each the of errors and habits mentioned above is my being conscious of the tendency to do them and to get into the habit of applying and practicing the different ways or approaches to avoiding the blockers to critical thinking. This will be an ongoing process if I am to be in control of my own beliefs, and to somehow gain an understanding of the truth, then I must know what good reasoning is, and be aware of the ways in which my reasoning (and that of others) can go astray. You can also order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis or dissertation on logic from our professional custom essay writing service which provides students with high-quality custom written papers at an affordable cost.

Nationalism Essays

Nationalism Essays Nationalism Essay Nationalism Essay Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Nationalism Nationalism is an ideology in political terms that define a strong identification of a given group of people with common national terms defining their political entity. It involves masquerades in the form of patriotism but in general is extremely intolerant. Individuals who practice nationalism display mixed emotional reactions. In one scenario, they are complaining about their grievances and in the next, they become vicious and aggressive. One of the most successful forces of political maneuvers in the 19th century was nationalism. Two main sources; the liberal requirement for a state to be determined by its people rather than its imperial domination, and the Roman exhalation of identity and feeling led to the emergence of nationalism (Pohlsander, 13). In this time, two methods used to define exemplification. The first was the French method; where anybody who pledged loyalty to the civil French state was deemed a citizen. The other was the German method. Political circumstances in this method were based on ethnicity. This came down to whether one had a German name and could speak German. When practiced, all forms of nationalism were viewed as aggressive and chauvinistic. In its very nature, nationalism calls for boundaries to be drawn. Boundaries other than those that were purely civic usually resulted in grouping outsiders in â€Å"nation states†. Klemens von Metternich acted as the chief minister of the European politics for conservative diplomats as well as the Austrian empire from the year 1815 to 1848. He was the architect who masterminded an alliance of great powers (concert of Europe) which sought to hold firmly the pillars of the old rule-churches, aristocracy, privilege, and monarchy. He did this against the forces of nationalism and liberalism. As a minister who was a member of the national empire led by Germany, Metternich had a purpose to fear and rebel against the forces of liberalism and nationalism (both which had a tendency of functioning together in the 19 the century period). Nationalists residing in the empire in Austria were threatening to develop small national states that were autonomous; something that would consequently rip apart the empire. Nationalists in Germany were looking to unite unstable states in Germany, henceforth putting in jeopardy Austria’s status, which boasted as a massive power (t ogether with Prussia) in Germany’s matters (Pohlsander, 17). . Metternich devoted himself further in attempting to solve severe internal problems in Austria. The empire in Austria was a combination of eleven different nationalities that had been fostered by Hadsburg’s family rule, through military conquests. The revolutionary movement in France was threatening the multinational structure of the empire ruled by Habsburge, because it was soliciting nationalism for particular groups in the system, Hungarians to be specific. This prompted Metternich to act in order to suppress it as he viewed nationalism and liberalism as potential hazards threatening the Austrian empire. Metternich viewed Germany and Italy as geographic expressions with no central authority since they were subdivided into numerous individual governments. Metternich tried in vain to persuade the Austrian emperor to elect him ruler over Germany, as he preferred a united Germany under Austrian rule. The emperor’s rejection of the idea would eventually lead Prussia unit ing Germany, as Metternich had perceived (Pohlsander, 33). . Herder, who was a superintendent, was mainly an idealist as compared to Metternich. He was more of a philosopher in history and humanity producing works that largely originated from a historical school of thought. Herder provided new pride for the Germans with new pride for their origins as well as modifying their dominance through his ideology. He was deeply attached to the concepts and importance of patriotism and nationality. His ideology spoke of individuals belonging to the same category. Herder’s ideology at times highlighted on bordered patriotism in terms of national pantheism by vouching for unity in Germany’s territories. He however detested absolutism as well as Prussian nationalism. He thought of Germany as being brought together through the use of a common language as well as common cultures, qualities that make Germany unique compared to other countries (Pohlsander, 45). He declares that the ideology of a nation is natural and compares it to natural famili es. He also goes on to state that an empire constituting 120 provinces as well as 100 peoples incorporated together, is not a state body but a monstrosity. He therefore believed in a nation with a common community bound together by similar history, language and culture. Giuseppe Mazzini, who founded Young Italy, is arguably the most phenomenal figure in terms of liberal nationalism. To him, Italy’s development was largely dependent on the creation of a democratic state. He had committed himself to soliciting unity and independence in Italy since his early life as a teenager. His vision for revolutionizing vision extended beyond the primitive view on national unity. His main goal was to end Italy’s oppression from hegemony from Austria as well as the massive powers bestowed upon the pope, democracy, republicanism, and the liberation of anyone who was oppressed under these rules. Mazzini believed that by uniting Italians under one rule, they would succeed in overthrowing oppressive rulers, and establish a republic with democratic unity with its headquarters in Rome. He envisioned a new revolutionized Europe characterized by unity and freedom independent from sovereigns. Mazzini was immediately considered a brilliant leader in the nationa list movement for revolutionizing Italy. Despite constant pressure from oppressive governments, his influence however never deterred on the Italians. All these three men have a common thought on nationalism. They may have lived in different locations and times, but the circumstances surrounding them were similar. They were determined to unite their respective nations and tried to steer them from separation despite the oppression consequently. Many might have tried to rival or challenge their ideology, but it in the end proved fundamental for the progress of their nations. Pohlsander, Hans A. National Monuments and Nationalism in 19th Century Germany. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2008. Print.

Phrases to Use to Confirm Information

Phrases to Use to Confirm Information There are certain times in our lives that we need to make sure we understand everything. That’s when clarifying information becomes important. If we want to double-check, we can ask for clarification. If we want to make sure that someone has understood, you can request confirmation that someone has received the message. This type of clarification is especially useful in business meetings, but also in everyday events like taking directions over the telephone or checking an address and telephone number. Use these phrases to clarify and check information.   Phrases and Structures Used to Clarify and Check that You Understand Question Tags Question tags are used when you are sure you have understood but would like to double check. Use the opposite form of the helping verb of the original sentence at the end of the sentence to check. S Tense (positive or negative) Objects , Opposite Auxiliary Verb S You’re going to attend the meeting next week, aren’t you?They don’t sell computers, do they?Tom hasn’t arrived yet, has he? Phrases Used to Rephrase to Double Check Use these phrases to indicate that you would like to rephrase what someone has said in order to make sure you have understood something correctly. Can I rephrase what you said/have/said?So, you mean/think/believe that ...Let me see if I’ve understood you correctly. You ... Can I rephrase what you mean? You feel it’s important to enter the market now.Let me see if I’ve understood you correctly. You would like to hire a marketing consultant. Phrases Used to Ask for Clarification Could you repeat that?I’m afraid I don’t understand.Could you say that again? Could you repeat that? I think I may have misunderstood you.I’m afraid I don’t understand how you plan to implement this plan. Phrases Used to Make Sure Others have Understood You It’s common to ask for clarifying questions after you presented information that might be new to those listening. Use these phrases to make sure everyone has understood. Are we all on the same page?Have I made everything clear?Are there any (more, further) questions? Are we all on the same page? I’d be happy to clarify anything that’s not clear.Are there any further questions? Let’s take a look at a few examples to help clarify. Phrases Use these phrases to repeat information to make sure everyone has understood. Let me repeat that.Let’s go through that again.If you don’t mind, I’d like to go over this again. Let me repeat that. We’d like to find new partners for our business.Let’s go through that again. First, I take a left at Stevens St. and then a right at 15th Ave. Is that correct? Example Situations Example 1 - At a Meeting Frank: ... to end this conversation, let me repeat that we don’t expect everything to happen at once. Are we all on the same page?Marcia: Can I rephrase just a bit to make sure I’ve understood? Frank: Certainly.Marcia: As I understood, we’re going to open up three new branches over the next few months. Frank: Yes, that’s correct.Marcia: However, we don’t have to make all the final decisions right now, do we? Frank: We only need to decide who should be responsible for making those decisions when the time comes.Marcia: Yes, Let’s go through how we’re going to decide that again. Frank: OK. I’d like you to choose a local supervisor you feel would be up to the task.Marcia: I’m supposed to let him or her choose the location, aren’t I? Frank: Yes, that way we’ll have the best local knowledge.Marcia: OK. I think I’m up to speed. Let’s meet again in a few weeks. Frank: How about Wednesday in two weeks?Marcia: OK. See you then. Example 2 - Getting Directions Neighbor 1: Hi Holly, could you help me out?Neighbor 2: Sure, what can I do? Neighbor 1: I need directions to the new supermarket.Neighbor 2: Sure, that’s easy. Take a left on 5th Ave., turn right on Johnson and continue straight ahead for two miles. It’s on the left. Neighbor 1: Just a moment. Could you say that again? I’d like to get this down.Neighbor 2: No problem, take a left on 5th Ave., turn right on Johnson and continue straight ahead for two miles. It’s on the left.Neighbor 1: I take the second right on Johnson, don’t I?Neighbor 2: No, take the first right. Got it? Neighbor 1: Uh, yes, let me just repeat. Take a left on 5th Ave., turn right on Johnson and continue straight ahead for two miles.Neighbor 2: Yes, that’s it. Neighbor 1: Great. Thanks for your help.Neighbor 2: No problem.

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

Discussion Questions - Essay Example Ethics can add value to a business by ensuring the company does not get involved in any undesirable scandals. I believe that companies have a responsibility to comply with the demand of many stakeholders groups. Some of the key stakeholder groups that must be considered in the decision making process of the company are lenders, shareholders, governmental entities, suppliers, the community, and the environment. An example of a company that satisfies the needs of various stakeholders is Starbuck Cafà ©. Starbucks supports poor farmers by purchasing only fair trade coffee. Companies cannot focus only on the investors because many firms have other missions and goals that go beyond making money. Wal-Mart is proud to be the largest private employer in the world with 2.1 million employees (Businessinsider, 2012). I believe that proper ethical conduct is important both in the private life of a person and in the workplace. People are often faced with ethical dilemmas in their private life. Ethical decisions affect consumer buying patters. Some people prefer to purchase green products because they are environmentally friendly. In the workplace acting in an ethical manner is mandatory. Unethical behavior can lead to bad results in the workplace. It is essential for employees to follow the ethical code of conduct of an enterprise. Violations of the ethical code of conduct of a company can lead to suspensions or termination of employment. â€Å"Consequentialism says that right or wrong depend on the consequences of an act, and that the more good consequences are produced, the better the act† (Bbc, 2012). Often politicians based their decision on consequentialism ethical principles. Deontological is an ethical theory concerned with duties and right (Freedictionary, 2012). This ethical perspective is often utilized by law enforcement agents. The ethical theory is relative since different people perceive duties and rights differently. A third ethical

An analysis of the theoretical ideals of Thtre des Champs-lyses Essay

An analysis of the theoretical ideals of Thtre des Champs-lyses - Essay Example That said, the Theatre des Champs-Elysees itself also showed other elements, including avant-garde and art deco. This was because it was built in 1913 in Paris, and, during this time, art was experiencing a kind of cultural renaissance. The artists during this time were blending African influences with the newest movements, which include futurism, a movement which disdained the past in full. Therefore, the building was in keeping of the spirit of the times, while blending the classicism and lines of the past. This report will detail Perret and his influences, along with a brief discussion of the artistic environment surrounding the building of the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, with a description of the key architectural elements of this structure. Influence and Theory of Perret Auguste Perret (1874-1954), was a French architect whose architecture was founded upon using reinforced concrete frame construction. As Frampton (1995) notes, Perret was influenced by the Romans, who used reinfo rced concrete in their construction of their vaults, including the Roman Pantheon. These structures gained their strength through their monolithic shells, as opposed to the â€Å"thrust and counterthrust of arch and buttress† (p. 121). ... 123). His frames were based upon classicized rationalism, which combined the classical with the rational. Perret had another influence around the time that he created the Theatre des Champs Elysees, and that was Paul Valery. Valery, according to Frampton (1995), stated that the importance of architecture is the durability of the framework, which means that the building will stand up through time. It is through the passage of time that the building will attain its character, which was the thinking of Valery, who noted that the buildings are currently furnished with elements and forms, but its harmonious style and character would come with time. This is what makes a building beautiful, according to Valery, as time gives it character, style and harmony. Moreover, buildings which have stood through time would give the culture memory of form, which complements the structure of the building of steeples and towers (Frampton, 1995). Frampton (1995) explains that Perret met Valery around 1909 , which was just three years before Perret realized the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. Valery was fond of the theatre, and he was on personal terms with luminaries such as Maurice Denis and Antoine Bourdelle, who are the artists who supplied the decor and sculptural relief for the theatre. Valery’s theory was that bearing constructions must be separated from reticulated construction, which also must be separated from consolidated construction cast in reinforced concrete. However, Perret’s theory for the Theatre des Champs-Elysees was that the tectonic potential of the concrete frame must be realized, which means that it was removed from Valery’s ideas of the tectonic which was based upon Greek culture. Other influences for Perret, according to

MPAA Censorship Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MPAA Censorship - Research Paper Example MPAA is alternate to federal regulation of motion picture content by United States government. This is because America lagged behind other countries in implementing motion picture rating. After the desertion of Production Codes in the 1950s, (Acland, 2009) movies became explicit all in the name of expressing realism. The realism movement had its significant contribution to the film industry and disadvantages. Realism movement boasts of production of great and timeless movies like Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock. However, it also gave arise to low-budget films that became extremely graphic in their sexual and violence content. The brutal and vicious content of movies such as Straw Dogs directed by Sam Peckinpah startled and troubled most conservative Americans. Moreover, a sequence of movies released later buried the realism movement to its grave by their obscene content. Due to this, a form of regulation had to be established, resulting to the birth of Motion Picture Association of America. In addition, National Association of Theater Owners consented to implement uniform rating system to all the movies shown. The distributors and exhibitors would enforce the system (Sklar, 2009). . The MPAA rates movies according to their content. It assists consumers especially parents to select appropriate movies for their children in different age groups. MPAA works in association with major movie production studios in America like, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studio and many others. The core functions of this rating system body includes, control and of distribution of movies, fighting unlawful copying of films and managing film ratings (Balio, 2000). Submission of movies for rating should be voluntary. Despite this, some producers prefer not to submit their films for rating to avoid incurring losses. To reinforce the submission on movies MPAA has a de facto obligatory position in the film industry. Since independent films do not focus on entertainmen t but rather on the artistic and aesthetic values of a film, they do not submit their films to the rating system. Independent filmmakers argue that their films require no distribution since they already have an existing consumer base. Hence, submission of their films to the rating system incurs unnecessary expenditure. When it comes to the rating process, MPAA does not have publication of a standard requirement of words, actions, or exposed body parts that filmmakers should incorporate in their films to get PG-13 rating (Balio, 2000). If a film contains use of drugs and callous sexually derived words, it gets a PG-13 rating. However, if the film uses such words a couple of times it gets an R rating. After rating, a film, the members submit their verdict to the producer of the film. The producer has the will to re-edit the film or appeal to the Appeals Board of the rating system if the results are not satisfactory. To avoid wrangles during the rating process movie publishers state th e desired MPAA rating with the movie producer. Some of the main rating categories MPAA uses to rate movie include- G— a film to that gets a G-rating should have mild humor. It should not have any form of crude language. There should be no nudity or sex scenes. Drug use and violence should not be present in the motion picture. PG—

Analytical essay on debate and conflict between federalists and anti

Analytical on debate and conflict between federalists and anti federalists - Essay Example Those opposed to the constitution, the Anti-Federalists which included John Hancock, Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams, also wrote a series of arguments now known as the Anti-Federalist papers. They feared the potential powers of centralized federal government dominating the will of the states. The Federalists gave assurances that this was not their intention; that they were not trying to create a tyrannical governing system much like the one in Britain which the colonies had just fought a war to escape. This is how the Bill of Rights was formed. It was a compromise forged between the two conflicting viewpoints. The terms describing these differing opinions is somewhat misleading. Federalists are better defined as Nationalists because they supported a powerful federal government. The Anti-Federalists could be more accurately described as federalists because they preferred the government be a federation of autonomous states. This discussion examines the perspective of both Federalists an d Anti-Federalists, how they reached a compromise after two years of heated debate and the reasons why one was ultimately the better choice. The Federalist Papers conveyed the shortcomings of the loosely confederated union between the states that existed at the time and the benefits of unifying the states into an effective central government. The Federalists, being wealthy land and business owners, believed that a strong centralized federal government operated by learned, influential persons would encourage commerce which was to their own and the country’s benefit. In the second of the Federalist Papers, John Jay enumerated this motive first over all other reasons to unite the states by enacting a constitution. â€Å"It has until lately been a received and uncontradicted opinion that the prosperity of the people of America depended on their continuing firmly united, and the wishes, prayers, and efforts of our best and wisest citizens have been constantly

Problem Formulation and Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Problem Formulation and Identification - Essay Example This reduces the cognitive demands involved in making decisions by restricting the range of issues that must be considered. Typically, past experience in similar situations provides guidance in framing situations. Without prior experiences, decision makers must consider a large array of issues to evaluative standards and derive an appropriate interpretation. Computer supported decision making allows to identity the process of determining what knowledge is relevant. It is made in order to act upon the world, to make sure that the future does not look like the past. This process helps to save time and avoid anxiety, delays in decisions and action. Also, computer supported decision making is about making the best decision at given conditions at the moment; it is specifically about process and only indirectly about outcome. In a computer service support organization, decision makers go to great lengths to insure that they have the ability to control key future events, and controllability is factored into their decisions. The main problem is that observed that corporate decision makers usually rely on their "subjective mode" to make decisions, even when extensive, computerized technology is available. Critics explain that because the databases for deriving probabilities and projecting trends consist of records of past events, the probabilities and trends are "backward looking" and therefore of questionable pertinence to decisions that often concern time frames projecting 20 years or more into the future. A decision making expert system allows managers to solve day-to day problems. By the same token, reliance upon data about the past assumes that the world is static; the data are useful only for predicting what will happen if the future looks a great deal like the past, or if identified trends continue (Decision Making Techniques n.d.). For problem identification and formulation, the organization can use balanced scorecard analysis. One first identifies

According to the British charity Action Aid, cheap fashion comes at a Essay

According to the British charity Action Aid, cheap fashion comes at a human price (BBC news 20th July 2010). Critically discuss - Essay Example Therefore the basic theory of trade is supported by the fact that it makes both the participating nations better off in terms of their economic positions. Trade is further facilitated with reduction in protectionism or import tariffs. The advantageous position is usually assessed in terms of cost. This can further lead to the belief that: â€Å"When trading partners use more of their time and resources producing things they do best, they are able to produce a larger joint output, which provides the source for mutual gain† (Carbaugh, 2008, p.14). Now looking at the comparative advantage theory of trade one can study the labor market where Krugman observes that the developing nations have been able to compete with the developed ones on the basis of their ability to supply cheap labor. Therefore export-oriented growth is of great help to these people. The industries like textiles and garments firms have capitalized on the unskilled labor force of the developing nations and it mig ht not be very just to oppose the idea of providing cheap fashion at human cost unless a suitable alternative can be provided to industrialization on the basis of low wages. While it cannot be denied that while people crave for the designer sport shoes, they might not realize that the products are manufactured at the cost of hard labor efforts of women and children compelled to work in malnourished conditions and almost â€Å"slave wages†.... Hence the remark of the British charity Action Aid, that is, â€Å"cheap fashion comes at a human price† might be analyzed in the light of trade in industrial goods with a specific focus on fashion and textiles. Trade is also supposed to keep the domestic producers busy in innovations and increasing efficiency of their production processes. It helps in curtailing monopolies and decreasing the prices of goods like electronics, clothes and household appliances. However other sectors like sport tickets, car repair and other service segments which are unaffected by globalization show rise in prices. Thus the industrial goods sector mostly witness a control of inflationary pressures. Now if one looks at the technology behind the production process there always exists an asymmetry of information across the nations such that one group shall have technological advantage over the industrial sectors than the other group. The dependency theory proposed by Baran also divides the world int o center and periphery where the center is represented by the developed nations with the technological advantage and the periphery is concentrated by developing countries that mainly produce raw materials for the center and lack of the technological know-how is the essential factor behind their setback. A line of inequity also marked the multilateral trading framework. The GATT ignored two very significant sectors – textiles and agricultural and no stabilization was rendered for commodity prices which declines against the prices of industrial goods (WTO, 1999). The steady decline in commodity prices deteriorated their conditions further and hence led to worsening of economic conditions of the

Problem Formulation and Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Problem Formulation and Identification - Essay Example This reduces the cognitive demands involved in making decisions by restricting the range of issues that must be considered. Typically, past experience in similar situations provides guidance in framing situations. Without prior experiences, decision makers must consider a large array of issues to evaluative standards and derive an appropriate interpretation. Computer supported decision making allows to identity the process of determining what knowledge is relevant. It is made in order to act upon the world, to make sure that the future does not look like the past. This process helps to save time and avoid anxiety, delays in decisions and action. Also, computer supported decision making is about making the best decision at given conditions at the moment; it is specifically about process and only indirectly about outcome. In a computer service support organization, decision makers go to great lengths to insure that they have the ability to control key future events, and controllability is factored into their decisions. The main problem is that observed that corporate decision makers usually rely on their "subjective mode" to make decisions, even when extensive, computerized technology is available. Critics explain that because the databases for deriving probabilities and projecting trends consist of records of past events, the probabilities and trends are "backward looking" and therefore of questionable pertinence to decisions that often concern time frames projecting 20 years or more into the future. A decision making expert system allows managers to solve day-to day problems. By the same token, reliance upon data about the past assumes that the world is static; the data are useful only for predicting what will happen if the future looks a great deal like the past, or if identified trends continue (Decision Making Techniques n.d.). For problem identification and formulation, the organization can use balanced scorecard analysis. One first identifies

Response Essays Essay Example for Free

Response Essays Essay Response to: Foul Shots In Foul Shots, Rogelio R. Gomez writes about his Chicano background and the neighborhood he grew up in. Furthermore, he describes himself being stereotyped as one of the â€Å"barrio boys† basically meaning that he is considered inferior to the Anglos. In high school, the writer states that he was on a basketball team and that there was one day when his coach announced that his team was to â€Å"buddy up† with the opposite team. The opposite team was all White and therefore had a big conflict with the â€Å"barrio boys† due to racism. One of the Anglos threw a bag of Fritos to the â€Å"barrio boys† as an insult because of the â€Å"Frito Bandito† commercial which was, at its time, very popular and involved a stereotyped â€Å"Mexican bandit† from the Western movies who would steal Fritos. Gomez states in his essay that this insult still persists in his mind after â€Å"more than 20 years† have passed because he still wonders what he should have done in the situation and always comes to a though in where he is crushing â€Å"a silly bag of Fritos. The title seems to go well with the whole theme of this essay and has two meanings on being that since they are on a basketball team and a â€Å"foul† in basketball is an illegal move and also using the meaning of the word â€Å"foul† as unfair; they are being compared in a sense. The Anglos in the essay are very stereotypical due to the fact that they threw a bag of Fritos at the â€Å"barrio boys† and treated them very rudely; they basically thought of them as â€Å"inferior† as stated in by the author. Something that can also be said in this situation; however, is that the stereotypical thoughts could be turned towards the Anglos implying that the Mexican-Americans discriminate towards them too. The reason why is because, in the essay, it says that the â€Å"barrio boys† tried to act like they were superior because of their â€Å"toughness† and how they played basketball much better than the Anglos, beating them at every game. This whole problem could have probably been prevented if the coaches took a different approach towards the conflicts between the two teams. Rather than having the two teams get together, which obviously magnified the problem, the coach should have talked to the students about the different ethnic backgrounds and how to deal with racism and stereotypes. Response to: The Happiest Day of My Life In the essay, The Happiest Day of My Life, a man by the name of Michael T. Smith worked in an office with large windows that were facing a busy overpass. One day, Smith decided to start waving at the people that would pass by. Smith started these â€Å"window antics† to bring joy and relieve the stress during work. Smith kept on waving to these people to the point where it became a daily routine. Eventually, his co-workers began to notice this and share the laughs he would get from waving at these people. Around Christmas time, it began to get stressful because of all of the job cuts and to help cheer everyone up, Smith decided to dress up as Santa Claus during work. When his supervisor found out about this, he called Smith into his office which made Smith become very nervous, especially during this time, but to his surprise, his supervisor couldn’t help but laugh and thanked him for what he had done to cheer everyone up. I personally thought that Smith was going to get warned not to do something like this again or he would lose his job because of the reaction given in which it says that his supervisor â€Å"†¦turned and left. † After a while, Smith began to see a bond growing between the people he would wave to, especially the bus riders, but didn’t realize how strong it was until the day when his daughter was born and they held up a sign saying â€Å"congratulations! †

Economic Development of East Asia

Economic Development of East Asia The East Asia Miracle: Lessons for the developing countries The East Asia region has been drawing global attention as fruits of its growth and development over the past thirty years continuously awe many. The most successful developing countries over the last half century apparently have come form this region. ­Ã‚  [1]  It has a remarkable record of high and sustained economic growth as 23 economies in it grew faster that those in other parts of the world.  [2]  However, when the Asian Financial Crisis hit this region in 1997 some structural and institutional weaknesses have cast doubt on the East Asian Miracle. Hasty recovery and resiliency which the region revealed in fighting off and prevailing over most of the negative drawbacks brought by the crisis was enough to sustain the belief in the miracle. Although East Asian economies applied varying strategies in their economic development, a salient and strong factor common to all is the presence and the role of the government in their development. East Asian countries have assume d a role of a developmental state in which the government played an important hands-on role in the process of industrialization and economic development.  [3]   Thus, understanding the economic development and experiences of East Asia may offer helpful lessons that other developing countries trapped in stagnation may want to consider. According to Thorbecke and Wan (2004) there are two critical factors and corresponding phases of development that occurred in East Asia. First, countries need to reach first a take-off point which emphasizes on promotion of education, to build up on human capital and the promotion of the agricultural sector in order to eventually finance investments on physical infrastructure. The second phase, development calls for industrialization that brings structural and technological upgrading.  [4]   First lesson implied in the first phase of development is that economic development cannot be hurried. There are certain processes that need to be readied before countries reach the take-off point. At the beginning of the development process a country is predominantly agrarian and the economy is relatively closed.  [5]  East Asian governments understood that the major mechanism for obtaining the resources needed to escape the poverty trap and for industrialization was through and inter-sectoral transfer out of agriculture. The major role of the agricultural sector was to generate the necessary capital to finance the outset of the industrialization process.  [6]  The main lesson to be drawn from the experience was summarized by Thorbecke and Morrison cited in the Revisiting East and (South East) Asias development model (2004): A lesson learned from those countries which were most successful in achieving both growth and equity throughout their development history (e.g. Taiwan and South Korea) is that a continuing gross flow of resources should be provided to agriculture in the form of such elements as irrigation, inputs, research and credit, combined with appropriate institutions and price policies to increase this sectors productivity and potential capacity of contributing an even larger flow to the rest of the economy In addition, the East Asian countries invested heavily on universal education with a long-term goal in mind. They spread of education in the rural areas provided farmers and their children the skills they need to operate in non-farming activities after the take-off.  [7]  They sponsored education of technical skills in the college level. This strategy resulted in a very competitive labor force able to man their industries.  [8]   In the second phase, East Asian economies recognized that the international economy is highly interdependent and that a development process of interdependence is much more favorable than individual growth.  [9]  Interaction among countries lets in trade, investment and technology transfer. East Asian economies took advantage of the positive spill over effects the interactions brought with it. It should be noted however that Thorbecke and Wan perceived of openness as a necessary yet insufficient condition for successful development. Catching up though is impossible without openness.  [10]   In an increasingly interdependent world, competition is much potent. To ensure high economic growth rate major structural changes like industrialization should undertaken. Structural changes needed by less developed countries require acquisition of technology. This is a step familiar to East Asian economies. They took advantage of the technology and knowledge transfer by making their countries attractive to foreign direct investments; they became subcontractors of high-tech firms and studied how they can localize the ideas and eventually create their own. Case in point is Taiwan which invested in industrial parks and attracted many foreign firms.  [11]  They acquired technology and idea transfer from joint ventures and foreign direct investments. Policies also played a great role in the development of East Asian economies. Although there are certain differences in the initial conditions for development and growth, economic development and growth pattern that East Asian economies that are common to them also is linked to growth factors and the policy system they adopted.  [12]   East Asian economies have growth led by investments, exports and enforcing of sound policies to support their industries. Moreover, the governments in East Asian countries are very much involved and unhesitatingly intervene in the market-oriented economies.  [13]  The role of the government is to maintain macroeconomic stability, overcome possible coordination failure and act as an intermediary in promoting growth initiations.  [14]  The economic system was based on wide ranging cooperative relationship between government and the local and transnational firms based in their country.  [15]   The industrial policies enforced seek to encourage the development of industries through various government measures such as tax incentives, Research and Development subsidies, credit allocation and protection against foreign imports.  [16]  In addition, the export-oriented industries did not develop without these particular measures of the government to accelerate investment in such industries; provision of infrastructure, universal education.  [17]  The role of the government was mainly to set up institutional policy foundations required for growth and overcoming coordination failures that can stop a the economy from flourishing.  [18]   The Asian Financial Crisis unearthed and exposed certain weaknesses of the East Asian economic model. Weak and inefficient financial systems, lack of corporate transparency and accountability, and widespread corruption became apparent after the crisis broke out.  [19]  This occurrence explicitly calls for constant improvement on institutions in the country which serves as the pillar of economic development. This is a lesson not only for developing countries but for the East Asian economies as well. The East Asia economic development model is applicable to the Philippines to a certain extent. The former policies and steps undertaken needed to be modified to suit the condition of the Philippines. The Philippines can consider setting its neighbors and the East Asia Miracle as benchmark of development and a goal to be achieved. The Philippines always has to remember that East Asian economies started modestly and took advantage and cultivated the initial conditions and resource endowments to their advantage. A step back to reexamine where the Philippines went wrong, why it seems to be experiencing a prolonged period at the take-off stage, would be a humble at the same time brave gesture on the part of the countries leaders. Although it may be too late to shift the focus back on agriculture because of changing conditions, it is still important that the government invest in infrastructure (i.e. farm-to-market roads) and R D as many in the country still rely on agriculture for a living ._ If it is possible that the government nurture the current industries it has and the agricultural sector at the same may be beneficial for the country. The Philippines have a lot of catching up to do, the East Asian miracle may also come true for the Philippines if it would only reconsider some of the policies being implemented and strengthen its institutions that would foster economic development. Sources: Chang, H. The Economic Theory of the Developmental State. 182-199. East Asia Analytical Unit. The Philippines: Beyond the Crisis . Manila: Department of Foreign  Affairs, 1998. Page, John. The East Asian Miracle: Four Lessons for Development Policy. NBER  Macroeconomics Annual, 1994: 219-269. Park, Jong. The East Asian Model of Economic development and developing countries.  Journal of Developing Societies, 2002: 330-335. Sakurai, Makoto. The Sustainable Development of East Asia and accompanying issues.  Economic and Social Research Institute, 2003. Thorbecke, E, and H Wan. Revisiting East and (South East) Asias development model. Cornell Conference on Seventy five years of Development. New York, 2004. 1-38. Wade. Lessons from East Asias Development Experience. 2005.

Oliver Cromwell Essay -- Biography

A strong man, with skillful military ability, helped to construct a plan to overthrow King Charles I during his reign of tyranny (Iggulden, Conn and Iggulden 79). Oliver Cromwell was well-known as one of the most controversial heroes of his time. Cromwell played a big part in the military as a soldier and a general. He was also a part of the English Parliament, which was somewhat corrupt during this time period. Oliver Cromwell was born April 25, 1599, in Huntingdon, England; near the end of the Elizabethan age (Kaplan 5). Cromwell was the son of the wealthy Robert Cromwell and Elizabeth Steward. Oliver was vaguely related to Thomas Cromwell; Henry VIII's minister. His early years were ordinary; he went to Huntingdon Grammar School, and went on to complete his education at Sidney Sussex College (â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†). In the year of 1616 Cromwell attended Sidney Sussex College, where he earned a reputation for his commitment to Puritanism. There he was noted for his enthusiasm for sports and games rather than for his academic abilities. Cromwell's university career was cut short when his father died June 1617 and he returned home to manage his family estate and to look after his widowed mother and seven unmarried sisters (â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†). So during those years he lived in London; where he began drinking and wrenching. Through those years his behavior was very much frowned upon in his society (â€Å"Cromwell: Profiles in Power†). On August 22, 1620, at the age of twenty-one he married Elizabeth Bourchier, the daughter of Sir James Bourchier, a wealthy leather merchant. Oliver and his wife had a total of nine children, only eight of them survived infancy. Robert was the oldest child who was born October 1621, died aged 17 ... ...s power to Cromwell. This is ironic because Cromwell and the Parliament were fighting for equal power. The Parliament easily gave away their power without any disagreements. He had more power than King Charles would have ever hoped to have. Cromwell used the Parliament to his advantage; he influenced Parliament into funding just about everything he wanted to do. During that time Parliament helped to fund English wars and stop royalist rebellions (â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†). Cromwell was an excellent military general but not such a great leader. Oliver Cromwell died September 3, 1658 from malaria (Iggulden, Conn and Iggulden 120). His successor was his fifth son Richard but, his reign did not last long. In 1660 Monarchy returned to England and Charles II the son of Charles I became king. Cromwell’s body was embalmed and was secretly held in Westminster Abbey. Oliver Cromwell Essay -- Biography A strong man, with skillful military ability, helped to construct a plan to overthrow King Charles I during his reign of tyranny (Iggulden, Conn and Iggulden 79). Oliver Cromwell was well-known as one of the most controversial heroes of his time. Cromwell played a big part in the military as a soldier and a general. He was also a part of the English Parliament, which was somewhat corrupt during this time period. Oliver Cromwell was born April 25, 1599, in Huntingdon, England; near the end of the Elizabethan age (Kaplan 5). Cromwell was the son of the wealthy Robert Cromwell and Elizabeth Steward. Oliver was vaguely related to Thomas Cromwell; Henry VIII's minister. His early years were ordinary; he went to Huntingdon Grammar School, and went on to complete his education at Sidney Sussex College (â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†). In the year of 1616 Cromwell attended Sidney Sussex College, where he earned a reputation for his commitment to Puritanism. There he was noted for his enthusiasm for sports and games rather than for his academic abilities. Cromwell's university career was cut short when his father died June 1617 and he returned home to manage his family estate and to look after his widowed mother and seven unmarried sisters (â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†). So during those years he lived in London; where he began drinking and wrenching. Through those years his behavior was very much frowned upon in his society (â€Å"Cromwell: Profiles in Power†). On August 22, 1620, at the age of twenty-one he married Elizabeth Bourchier, the daughter of Sir James Bourchier, a wealthy leather merchant. Oliver and his wife had a total of nine children, only eight of them survived infancy. Robert was the oldest child who was born October 1621, died aged 17 ... ...s power to Cromwell. This is ironic because Cromwell and the Parliament were fighting for equal power. The Parliament easily gave away their power without any disagreements. He had more power than King Charles would have ever hoped to have. Cromwell used the Parliament to his advantage; he influenced Parliament into funding just about everything he wanted to do. During that time Parliament helped to fund English wars and stop royalist rebellions (â€Å"Oliver Cromwell†). Cromwell was an excellent military general but not such a great leader. Oliver Cromwell died September 3, 1658 from malaria (Iggulden, Conn and Iggulden 120). His successor was his fifth son Richard but, his reign did not last long. In 1660 Monarchy returned to England and Charles II the son of Charles I became king. Cromwell’s body was embalmed and was secretly held in Westminster Abbey.

Effects of Civil War Essay -- essays research papers

When a war occurs, it takes years for the society or societies involved to return to a more normal, calm state. In the case of the American Civil War, many aspects of the country were disrupted after the war ended in 1865. Relations were strained, land had been destroyed, families torn apart, and much more. The economy struggled, and many Southerners did not want to accept a loss. The death count for the American Civil War was also an amazing number, and made a large dent into families, businesses, and towns across the nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When examining the physical damage to the land after the end of the war, it was obvious that much of the country had been brutally trampled and scarred by the battles and rampages of the war. As troops had moved across areas, they had burnt many fields and homes in proof of their defiance against their enemies. Also, many cities, towns, and businesses had been set fire as the troops had captured and traveled through them. Many of these fires took lives, and often made making a fresh start and rebuilding seem like an impossible venture. The land that had been destroyed by these fires also was very tattered and would take many years to rehabilitate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The countless buildings, homes, businesses and structures that had been torn down and broken apart, were definitely very discouraging matters for the citizens after the war ended. Many families had lost their homes to traveling troops during battles...

Summary of an Introduction by Kamala Das

â€Å"An Introduction† is perhaps the most famous of the poems written by Kamala Das in a self-reflective and confessional tone from her maiden publication Summer in Calcutta(1965). The poem is a strong remark on Patriarchal Society prevalent today and brings to light the miseries, bondage, pain suffered by the fairer sex in such times. The poet says that she is not interested in politics but claims that she can name all the people who have been in power right from the time of Nehru.By saying that she can repeat them as fluently as days of week, or names of the month, she indirectly states the fact that politics in the country is a game of few chosen elite who ironically rule a democracy. The fact that she remembers them so well depicts that these people have been in power for repetitive cycles. Next, she describes herself saying that she is an Indian, born in Malabar and very brown in colour. She speaks in three languages, writes in two and dreams in one, articulating the tho ught that Dreams have their own universal language.Kamala Das echoes that the medium of writing is not as significant as is the comfort level that one requires. People asked her not to write in English since isn’t her mother tongue. Moreover, the fact that English was a colonial language prevalent as medium of communication during British times drew even more criticism every time she had an encounter with a critic, friends, or visiting cousins. She emphasizes that the language she speaks becomes her own, all its imperfections and queerness become her own. It is half-English, half-Hindi, which seems rather amusing but the point is that it is honest.Its imperfections only make it more human, rendering it close to what we call Naturality. It is the language of her expression and emotion as it voices her joys, sorrows and hopes. It is as integral to her as cawing is to the crows and roaring to the lions. Though imperfect, It is not a deaf, blind speech like that of trees in storm or the clouds of rain. Neither does it echo the â€Å"incoherent mutterings of the funeral pyre†. It possesses a coherence of its own: an emotional coherence. She moves on telling her own story.She was a child, and later people told her that she had grown up for her body had started showing signs of puberty. But she didn’t seem to understand this interpretation because at the heart she was still but a child. When she asked for love from her soulmate not knowing what else to ask, he took the sixteen-year-old to his bedroom. The expression is a strong criticism of child marriage which pushes children into such a predicament while they are still very childish at heart. Though he didn’t beat her, she felt beaten and her body seemed crushed under her own weight.This is a very emphatic expression of how unprepared the body of a sixteen-year-old is for the assault it gets subjected to. She shrank pitifully, ashamed of her feminity. She tries to overcome such humiliati on by being tomboyish. And thereafter when she opts for male clothing to hide her femininity, the guardians enforce typical female attire, with warnings to fit into the socially determined attributes of a woman, to become a wife and a mother and get confined to the domestic routine. She is threatened to remain within the four walls of her female space lest she should make herself a psychic or a maniac.They even ask her to hold her tears when rejected in love. She calls them categorizers since they tend to categorise every person on the basis of points that are purely whimsical. She explains her encounter with a man. She attributes him with not a proper noun, but a common noun-â€Å"every man† to reflect his universality—the fact that in such a patriarchal society, this is a nature inherent to every male by the sheer fact that he belongs to the stronger sex. He defined himself by the â€Å"I†, the supreme male ego. He is tightly compartmentalized as â€Å"the sw ord in its sheath†.It portrays the power politics of the patriarchal society that we thrive in that is all about control. It is this â€Å"I† that stays long away without any restrictions, is free to laugh at his own will, succumbs to a woman only out of lust and later feels ashamed of his own weakness that lets himself lose to a woman. Towards the end of the poem, a role-reversal occurs as this â€Å"I† gradually transitions to the poetess herself. She pronounces how this â€Å"I† is also sinner and saint†, beloved and betrayed. As the role-reversal occurs, the woman too becomes the â€Å"I† reaching the pinnacle of self-assertion.

Distracted Driving

I do it; you do it, that guy over there definitely does it. What do we all do? We drive! When the automobile was first produced in 1885 it was designed to get people from one place to another. However, their purpose has evolved- now we use them as a beauty parlor, a lunchroom, or home office location. But however you use it approximately 115 people will use their cars as a death bed everyday. Distracted driving has become one of today’s largest transportation issues.On a daily basis distracted driving puts millions of drivers and passengers in danger. So today we will look at what distracted driving really is, what the consequences of driving while distracted are, and what people can do to drive more safely. We all know we have been at fault at some point; we do it without thinking about it. When our phone rings our first instinct is to answer it, when we pick up McDonalds we eat it, we see a pimple we cover it.Most of us don’t think about the consequences that are to c ome along if we do them while driving. According to studies released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 80% of crashed and 65% of near-crashed involves some kind of driver distraction. Driving with distractions has become one of today’s leading causes of death for 16-20 year olds. Distractions while driving includes texting, note taking, applying makeup, eating, and much more. Distracted Driving I do it; you do it, that guy over there definitely does it. What do we all do? We drive! When the automobile was first produced in 1885 it was designed to get people from one place to another. However, their purpose has evolved- now we use them as a beauty parlor, a lunchroom, or home office location. But however you use it approximately 115 people will use their cars as a death bed everyday. Distracted driving has become one of today’s largest transportation issues.On a daily basis distracted driving puts millions of drivers and passengers in danger. So today we will look at what distracted driving really is, what the consequences of driving while distracted are, and what people can do to drive more safely. We all know we have been at fault at some point; we do it without thinking about it. When our phone rings our first instinct is to answer it, when we pick up McDonalds we eat it, we see a pimple we cover it.Most of us don’t think about the consequences that are to c ome along if we do them while driving. According to studies released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 80% of crashed and 65% of near-crashed involves some kind of driver distraction. Driving with distractions has become one of today’s leading causes of death for 16-20 year olds. Distractions while driving includes texting, note taking, applying makeup, eating, and much more.

The galatians of the new testament

While text editions stress the descent of Europe from classical civilization, the face of Europe throughout most of the historical period was dominated by a individual cultural group, a powerful, culturally diverse group of peoples, the Celts. By the start of the Middle Ages, the Celts had been struck on two foreparts by two really powerful civilizations, Rome in the South, and the Germans, who were derived from Gaelic civilization, from the North. Through the period of classical Greece ( matching to the La T & A ; ecirc ; ne civilization in cardinal Europe ) to first centuries AD, most of Europe was under the shadow of this civilization which, in its diverse signifiers, still represented a reasonably incorporate civilization. This massive civilization spread from Ireland to Asia Minor ( the Galatians of the New Testament ) . The Celts even sacked Rome in 390 BC and successfully invaded and sacked several Grecian metropoliss in 280 BC. Though the Celts were preliterate during most of the classical period, the Greeks and Romans discourse them rather a spot, normally disfavorably. From this great civilization would originate the Germans ( we think ) and many of the cultural signifiers, thoughts, and values of mediaeval Europe. For non merely did mediaeval Europe expression back to the Celtic universe as a aureate age of Europe, they besides lived with societal constructions and universe positions that finally owe their beginning to the Celts every bit good as to the Romans and Greeks. The period of Gaelic laterality in Europe began to unknot in the first centuries AD, with the enlargement of Rome, the migrations of the Germans, and subsequently the inflow of an Asiatic immigrant population, the Huns. By the clip Rome fell to Gothic encroachers, the Celts had been pushed west and north, to England, Wales and Ireland and subsequently to Scotland and the northern seashore of France. The Celts are traditionally ignored in universe history text editions and class, but the Celtic manner of life, Celtic establishments, and the Celtic universe position were superimposed onto Germanic and classical civilization. The ulterior massive European civilization is greatly influenced by these early peoples. Most of what we know about Celtic life comes from Ireland-the largest and most extended of the Celtic populations, the Gauls in cardinal and western Europe, we merely know about through Roman sources-and these beginnings are unquestionably unfriendly to the Gauls. We know that the early Gaelic societies were organized around warfare-this construction would normally qualify civilizations in the procedure of migration: the Celts, the Huns, and subsequently the Germans. Although classical Greek and Roman authors considered the Celts to be violently insane, warfare was non an organized procedure of territorial conquering. Among the Celts, warfare seems to hold chiefly been a athletics, concentrating on foraies and runing. In Ireland, the establishment of the fianna involved immature, blue warriors who left the tribal country for a clip to carry on foraies and to run. When the Celts came into contact with the Romans, they changed their mode of warfare to a more organized defence agains a larger ground forces. It was these groups that the classical authors encountered and considered insane. The Gaelic method of warfare was to stand in forepart of the opposing ground forces and shriek and crush their lances and blades against their shields. They woul d so run headfirst into the opposing ground forces and screamed the full way-this frequently had the consequence of frightening the opposing soldiers who so broke into a tally ; contending a fleeing ground forces is comparatively easy work. If the opposing ground forces did non interrupt ranks, the Celts would halt short of the ground forces, return to their original place, and get down the procedure over agina. Gaelic society was hierarchal and class-based. Tribes were led by male monarchs but political organisations were unusually fictile. Harmonizing to both Roman and Irish beginnings, Celtic society was divided into three groups: a warrior nobility, an rational category that included Druids, poets, and legal experts, and everyone else.SocietySociety was tribal and kinship-based ; one ‘s cultural individuality was mostly derived from the larger tribal group, called the tuath ( â€Å" too-awth † ) in Irish ( intending â€Å" people † ) but finally based on the smallest kinship organisational unit, the kin, called the cenedl ( ke-na-dl ) , or â€Å" kindred, † in Irish. The kin provided individuality and protection-disputes between persons were ever differences between kins. Since it was the responsibility of the kin to protect persons, offenses against an person would be prosecuted against an full kin. One of the outstanding establishments among the Celts was the blood-feud in which slaying or abuses against an person would necessitate the full kin to violently exact requital. The blood-feud was in portion avoided by the establishment of professional go-betweens. At least an Ireland, a professional category of legal experts, called brithem, would intercede differences and exact reparations on the offending kin. Even though Gaelic society centered around a warrior nobility, the place of adult females was reasonably high in Gaelic society. In the earliest periods, adult females participated both in warfare and in kingship. While the ulterior Celts would follow a rigorous patriarchal theoretical account, they still have a memory of adult females leaders and warriors. Gaelic society was based about wholly on pastoralism and the elevation of cowss or sheep ; there was some agribusiness in the Celtic universe, but non much. The importance of cowss and the pastoral life created a alone establishment in Celtic, peculiarly Irish, life: the cattle-raid. The larceny of another group ‘s cows was frequently the turn outing point of a group of immature warriors ; the greatest lasting Irish myth, the T & A ; aacute ; in B & A ; oacute ; Cualingne, or â€Å" The Cattle Raid of Cooley, † centers about one such mythically-enhanced cattle-raid. There was no urbanisation of any sort among the Celts until the coming of Roman regulation ; in Ireland, urbanisation did non happen until the Danish and Norse invasions. Society was non based on trade or commercialism ; what trade took topographic point was mostly in the signifier of swap. Gaelic economic system was likely based on the economic rule of most tribal economic systems: reciprocality. In a mutual economic system, goods and other services are non exchanged for other goods, but they are given by persons to persons based on common affinity relationships and duties. ( A household economic system is typical of a mutual economy-parents and kids give each other stuff goods and services non in trade but because they are portion of a household ) . From the 19th century onwards, Celtic faith has enjoyed a captivation among modern Europeans and European-derived civilizations. In peculiar, the last few decennaries have seen a phenomenal growing non merely involvement in Celtic faith, but in spiritual patterns in portion derived from Gaelic beginnings. For all this involvement, nevertheless, we know following to nil about Celtic faith and patterns. The lone beginnings for Celtic spiritual patterns were written by Romans and Greeks, who considered the Celts little more than animate beings, and by subsequently Gaelic authors in Ireland and Wales who were composing from a Christian position. Simply put, although the Celts had a rich and permeant spiritual civilization, it has been for good lost to human memory. We can do some general remarks about Celtic faith based on the often-hostile histories of classical authors. The Celts were polytheistic ; these Gods were finally derived from more crude, Indo-germanic beginnings that gave rise to the polytheistic faiths of Greece, Persia, and India. The Romans in seeking to explicate these Gods, nevertheless, linked them with Roman Gods as did the Romanized Gauls-so we truly have no thought as to the Celtic character of these Gods and their maps. We do cognize that Gaelic Gods tended to come in 3s ; the Celtic logic of deity about ever centered on threes. This triadic logic no uncertainty had enormous significance in the interlingual rendition of Christianity into northern European cultural theoretical accounts.ReligionIt is about certain that the material universe of the Celts was suffused with deity that was both advantageous and harmful. Certain countries were considered more charged with deity than others, particularly pools, lakes and little Gr ovess, which were the sites of the cental ritual activities of Celtic life. The Celts were non-urbanized and harmonizing to Roman beginnings, Celtic ritual involved no temples or constructing structures-Celtic ritual life, so, was centered chiefly on the natural environment. Gaelic ritual life centered on a particular category, called the druides or â€Å" Druids † by the Romans, presumptively from a Gaulish word. Although much has been written about Druids and Celtic ritual pattern, we know following to nil about either. Here ‘s what we can garner. As a particular group, the Druids performed many of the maps that we would see â€Å" priestly † maps, including ritual and forfeit, but they besides included maps that we would put under â€Å" instruction † and â€Å" jurisprudence. † These rites and patterns were likely kept secret-a tradition common among early Indo-germanic peoples-which aid to explicate why the classical universe knows nil about them. The lone thing that the classical beginnings attest is that the Druids performed â€Å" barbarian † or â€Å" horrid † rites at lakes and Grovess ; there was a just sum of consensus among the Greeks and Romans that these rites involved human forfeit. This may or may non be true ; there is some grounds of human forfeit among the Celts, but it does non look to hold been a prevailing pattern. Harmonizing to Julius Caesar, who gives the longest history of Druids, the centre of Gaelic belief was the passing of psyches from one organic structure to another. From an archeological position, it is clear that the Celts believed in an after-life, for material goods are buried with the dead. The earliest Kelts who were major participants in the classical universe were the Gauls, who controlled an country widening from France to Switzerland. It was the Gauls who sacked Rome and subsequently invaded Greece ; it was besides the Gauls that migrated to Asia Minor to establish their ain, independent civilization at that place, that of the Galatians. Through invasion and migration, they spread into Spain and subsequently crossed the Alps into Italy and for good settled the country South of the Alps which the Romans so named, Cisalpine Gaul. The Gauls were a tribal and agricultural society. They were ruled by male monarchs, but single male monarchs reigned merely over little countries. Occasionally a individual powerful male monarch could derive the commitment of several male monarchs as a sort of â€Å" over-king, † but on the whole the Gauls throughout Europe were mostly an cultural continuity instead than a individual state. Cultural individuality among the early Gauls was really unstable. Cultural individuality was foremost and first based on little affinity groups, or clans-this cardinal cultural individuality frequently got collapsed into a larger individuality, that of folks. The chief political constructions, that of kingship, organized themselves around this tribal cultural individuality. For the most portion, the Gauls did non look to hold a larger cultural individuality that united the Gaulish universe into a individual cultural group-the â€Å" Gauls † as an cultural group was mostly invented by the Romans and the Greeks and applied to all the diverse folks spread across the face of northern Europe. The Gauls did hold a sense of territorial ethnicity ; the Romans and Greeks tell us that there were 16 separate territorial states of Gauls. These territorial groups were divided into a series of pagi, which were military units composed of work forces who had voluntarily united as fellow soldi ers.The GaulsThe Gauls, nevertheless, were non the original Europeans. Get downing in an country about Switzerland, the Celts spread westward and eastward displacing native Europeans in the procedure. These migrations begin around 500 BC. The Gaulish invasion of Italy in 400 was portion of this larger out-migration. The Romans, nevertheless, pushed them back by the 3rd century BC ; native Europeans in the North, nevertheless, were non so lucky. Two Gaelic folks, the Cimbri and the Teutones ( â€Å" Teuton, † an cultural for Germans, is derived from the Celtic root for â€Å" people † ) , emigrated E and settled in district in Germany. The centre of Gaelic enlargement, nevertheless, was Gaul, which lay North of the Alps in the part now within the boundary lines of France and Belgium and portion of Spain. The earliest history of the Gauls comes from Julius Caesar. In his history of his military expedition foremost into Gaul and so as far north as Britain, Caesar dexcribed the tribal and regional divisions among the Gauls, of which some seem to hold been original European populations and non Celtic at all. The Gaulish folks or districts often built munitions that served as the military and political centre of the part. These bastioned centres took their names from the larger tribe-for case, Paris took its name from the folk of Parisi and Chartres was originally named after the folk, the Carnuti, which had built it.India GlossaryGaulish society, like all of Celtic society, was stiffly divided into a category system. Similar category systems predominated among the Indians every bit good with mostly the same classs. Harmonizing to Julius Caesar, the three categories of Gaulish society were the druides, equites, and plebs, all Roman words. The Druids were the educated among the Gauls and occupied the highest societal place, merely as the Brahmin category occupied the highest societal place among the Indians. The Druids were responsible for cultural and spiritual cognition every bit good as the public presentation of rites, merely as the Brahmins in India. However vague these spiritual maps might be, the Druids were regarded as powerful over both society and the universe around them. The most powerful tool the Druids had was the power of excommunication-when a Druid excommunicated a member of a folk, it was tantamount to kicking that individual out of the society.Brahmin CaturvarnasThe British did non look in history until Julius Caesar crosses the English Channel from northern Gaul and began his failed conquering of Britain. The Romans returned in 43 AD and began a systematic conquering of the island until they reached the Pictish folks in the Scots Highlandss. Rome would abandon northern England, nevertheless, in 117 Ad The Romans found a disunified group of tribal lands organized around the same logic of warfare as the Gauls. Most of the folks were new arrivals-the majority of southern Britain had been conquered by the Belgae from northern Gaul. In the procedure of emigrating to the island, the Celts pushed the native populations north-these refugee tribal groups would go the cultural ascendants of the Picts, a cryptic civilization that dominated Scotland until the Irish invasions. Many of the folks, peculiarly those in Wales, nevertheless, were edgy. The Romans were beset by rebellions by some Celtic folks and depredations by the northen Picts-throughout the 4th century, as the Roman imperium was strained in every one-fourth, the Romans easy lost control of Britain. The official interruption came in 446 when the Romans in response to a British supplication for aid against the Picts and the Scots, declared Britain independent.BratainAs in Gaul, the Romans brought Roman urban and military civilization ; nevertheless, other than southern England, Roman establishments and civilization were non tremendously influential on the British Celts. The Celts in the North and in Wales ferociously resisted Roman civilization, and the Romans ne'er even put pes in Ireland. On the whole, the Romans more greatly respected and tolerated Gaelic establishments and faiths in Britain, so there was well less assimilation than in Gaul. Because of this, when the Romans left Britain, there was a Renaissance of Gaelic civilization. The British, nevertheless, had learned a really of import construct from the Romans: political integrity. The most celebrated of the Celtic princes was Vortigern, who ruled over eastern Britain. In order to contend against the Pictish invasions, he sent across the channel to acquire aid from the Saxons, a Germanic folk that had begun emigrating into western Europe in the 5th century. The Saxon soldier of fortunes, nevertheless, grew in figure as more and more Saxons came to Britain. Whether or non the narrative of Vortigern is true, Britain fell prey to the same Germanic out-migrations and invasions that spread across Gaul, Spain, and Italy. The Saxon out-migration began in eastern England until they spread wholly across lowland England. The cragged countries to the West ( Wales ) and the North ( Scotland ) , nevertheless, remained Celtic, as did Ireland. By the terminal of the 5th century AD, merely Wales, Scotland, and Ireland remained of the great Celtic tribal lands that had dominated the face of Europe. It was in Ireland that Gaelic civilization and establishments lasted the longest-although Christianity was introduced at an early day of the month, Ireland did non endure any major invasions or cultural alterations until the invasions of the Norwegians and the Danish in the 8th century. The Irish besides represent the last great migration of Celtic peoples. In the 4th and 5th centuries, the Irish crossed over into Scotland and consistently invaded that district until they politically dominated the Picts who lived at that place. The subsiding of Scotland in the 5th century was the really last moving ridge of Celtic migration. For Gaelic civilization, Ireland is much like Iceland was to the Norse. It was sufficiently removed from mainstream Europe to protect it from invasions and to insulate it from many of the cultural alterations which wracked the face of early Europe. It allowed a remarkable prolongation of heathen Gaelic civilization to blend with Christian and the emerging European civilization. This alone synthesis would supply the individual most productive line of cultural transmittal between Gaelic civilization and the European civilization which grew out of classical and German beginnings. Written history in Ireland began in the 5th century when Patrick came to Ireland and introduced literacy. Patrick came to the Celtic tribal land of Tara, which was ruled by Leary, the boy of Niall No & amp ; iacute ; gallich. The boies of Niall ruled over two lands in northern Ireland ; these swayers formed a dynasty that would be called the U & A ; iacute ; N & A ; eacute ; ailment ; the South of Ireland was mostly under the control of Munster. Patrick himself confined all of his activities to northern Ireland and the U & A ; iacute ; N & A ; eacute ; sick, peculiarly around the country of Armagh. Because he introduced the Irish to Christianity, European civilization, and authorship, he became the frequenter saint of Ireland. In the 700 ‘s, Ireland became capable to Norse foraies and out-migrations, merely as most of the remainder of Europe. The first to get were the Norwegians who attacked assorted islands and some of the promontories ; in the 800 ‘s, nevertheless, the Norwegians began to assail the western seashore of Ireland. In the mid-800 ‘s and all through the 900 ‘s, the Norse actively began to construct bastioned towns along the eastern seashore of Ireland. In 841, they built the bastioned town of Dublin ( which the Irish called Ath Cliath, or, â€Å" the hurdle Ford † ) , and would subsequently set up munitions at Cork, Waterford, and Wicklow, some of the cardinal towns of ulterior Irish history. Of these towns, nevertheless, Dublin was the centre of all the Norse activity and served as their cardinal base for foraies all around Ireland and the Irish Sea. The Irish at this clip did non concentrate their population along the seashore but lived inland-the Irish besides did non populate in big and bastioned towns. The debut of both munitions and something resembling urban life was originally introduced by the Norse. Finally, nevertheless, the Norse would come in struggle with the Danish and the country around Dublin became portion of the Danish land that had been established in northern England. The Irish, nevertheless, lived in single tribal groups that were non united-it was n't until 1014 that Munster Irish under the leading of Brian B & A ; oacute ; ruma defeated the Danish at Clontarf and eventually expelled the Norse for good. The Norwegians and the Danish, nevertheless, had mostly stripped Irish civilization of its greatest cultural artefacts. The lone histories that were written of the Norse in Ireland were written by the Irish-these historiographers were far from sympathetic to the encroachers! Ireland, nevertheless, gained a cardinal displacement in its cultural and economic patterns. The Irish inherited from the Danes and Norwegians fortified coastal towns and a new economic system based on trade and commercialism with other Europeans. They besides gave to the Irish more sophisticated accomplishments in ship-building and travel.Irish republicThe most of import bequest that the Irish bequeathed to Europe was Irish Christianity. When Patrick came to Ireland in the 5th century, Christianity had spread across the face of Gaelic civilization but had n't truly penetrated the assorted Gaelic civilizations. It was dispersed really thin and practiced by a perishingly little minority in Gaul and Britain. It was besides presuming a new, distinguishable character among the Celts, who combined Christianity non merely with native Celtic establishments and faiths, but with a overplus of eastern enigma faiths. ( Much of what we call modern â€Å" pagan religion † which points to Gaelic beginnings really originates in eastern, mystery faiths that had been imported into Gaelic civilization. ) It was this Celticized version of Christianity that Patrick brought with him to Ireland. The Saxon invasions, nevertheless, wiped out Christianity in England, but non in Wales or Ireland or Scotland, where the faith had been introduced by Columba, an Irish saint. It was n't until the late 6th century that Christianity was reintroduced into Britain ; this trade name of Christianity, more aligned with the patterns of the Roman church, came into struggle with Celtic Christianity and its alone patterns. By the 10th century, the alone Celtic Christianity of Britain had mostly been subordinated to Saxon Christianity. It was in Ireland that Celtic Christianity thrived during the Germanic invasions and so the ulterior subordination of Celtic Christian patterns to Saxon patterns. The Christianity that Patrick brought to Ireland was Episcopal or diocesan Christianity-the standard signifier of Christianity in Roman occupied districts. Episcopal Christianity is oriented around the organisation of Christians as laic people under the religious and partiall secular control of a bishop ( â€Å" episcopus † in Latin ) . Episcopal Christianity, nevertheless, was entirely ill-sorted to Ireland, for it relies on a certain degree of urbanisation. For the mostly rural, disorganized, and tribal nature of early Irish society, the Episcopal construction had nil to work with. So Irish Christianity shortly developed into cloistered Christianity, which is oriented around the centralisation of a little Christian community under the leading of an archimandrite. This would go the uniquely Irish signifier of Christianity that in spirit and in pattern was much different from the preponderantly Episcopal character of Roman Christianity. The cloistered centres became the countries where Irish Christian civilization thrived-they besides introduced some political stableness and agribusiness into Irish society. While they were nominally under the authorization of Rome, because they were so removed they operated with comparative independency. This would finally convey them in terrible struggle with the Roman church. Before that, nevertheless, Irish missionaries would distribute Gaelic civilization and Christianity all over the face of Europe. Even though the Irish Christians finally submitted to Roman force per unit areas, Irish Christianity had diffused across the face of Europe. This is because the most advanced and distinguishable characteristic of Irish Christianity was rolling, called perigrinatio in Latin. While many Christians became monastics in monasteries, some became hermits, that is, lone monastics. The Irish hermits, nevertheless, saw their mission non as life in isolation, but as rolling around by themselves. These were non specifically missional rovings, but they had that consequence. In the 6th century, one of Ireland ‘s greatest saints, Columicille ( or â€Å" Columba † in Latin ) , successfully introduced Christianity to Scotland. As the in-between ages progressed, nevertheless, the unambiguously Gaelic character of the Irish church, with its profoundly superb merger of Celtic art with Christian art, its merger of Celtic societal organisation and Torahs with cloistered life, and its alone perigrinative character disappeared into the homogenising tendency of the higher center