Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Reform China Essay

After 1989 Tiananmen Square event, the new Chinese leaders have giventhe priority to the anti-corruption work on their agenda and strengthened the anti-corruptionefforts. But up to now, the corruption phenomenon is still very rife , and presentlyis seen as the second greatest public concerns(behind unemployment )? The abilityor inability of â€Å"third generation† political leaders to successfully curb corruptionwill play a major role in their political survival. This article will focus on theanalysis of the extent, forms and characters of corruption in current China, itscauses and effects, and the anti-corruption efforts of the Chinese Communist Partyand its government. 2 The extent, forms and characteristics of corruption in current China What is corruption? The notion of corruption varies with time and places. Accordingto Chinese official terminology , the core element of the definition of corruptionin current China is the notion of use of public power and public resources for privateinterests (‘Yi Quan Mu Si’ )? This is a very broad definition, which can includea series of phenomenon and behaviours and vary with time. Consequently, it canbe adapted to include new forms of corrupt practice. Corruption in current Chinais often links with negative phenomenon and unhealthy tendency within party andgovernment departments. As a result , anti-corruption effort also includes fightagainst all of these phenomenon and behaviours. This definition has three features. First , the core element of corruptionis not ‘abuse’ or ‘misuse’ of public power via-a-via legal norms or social standardsfor private benefits but the very ‘use’ of public power for private benefits. Onthe one hand, this is a very strict standard for determining what behaviours canbe defined as corrupt since it can includes any behaviour utilising public powerfor private benefits. On the other hand , given that legal norms and moral standardsmay change with time, the definition may take some risks to exaggerate the extentof corruption or arbitrarily label some practice as corrupt. Another feature of this definition is the ambiguous of the term ‘private interests’in contrast to â€Å"public interests† , i. e. the interests of whole nation and partyPrivate benefits include not only personal gains, but also the interests of workunits , departments and regions when they are given priority over public interests. Third , the definition leaves open the question of which the subject of corruptionis. It not only refers to individual public officials , but also can includes therelatives of public officials and retired public officials, and can also refersto some public bodies and their leaders (as legal rather than natural persons)? As mentioned above, in official terminology, corruption , â€Å"negative phenomenon†and â€Å"unhealthy tendency† are linked together. Although government officials andthe public generally agree on some practices as â€Å"corrupt† , there are fewer consensuseson other practices. Heidenheimer’s three-category classifications system providesa useful framework for understanding both the Chinese categories and the areas ofconsensus and lack of consensus. Heidenheimer’s framework includes three categories:(1 )? Class A or â€Å"black corruption†:The corrupt practices in this category,including graft , bribe, fraud, embezzlement , extortion, smuggling, tax evasion,etc. , Constitute an important part of â€Å"economic crimes†. Because they are obviouslyillegal and the main purpose of those involved in these practice is to increasetheir personal wealth , government officials and the public generally agree thatsuch practices are corrupt. (2 )? Class B or â€Å"grey corruption† : The key characteristicsof this category, into which more and more practices are being categorised , isleaders of public institutions using their institutional power to increase the oftheir institutions and improve the welfare of their staffs through various legal,semi-legal and illegal ways. Such practices includes public institutions makingprofits by engaging in business activities(such as public bank enter into the stockmarket, the bureau of environment protection selling environment protection facilitiesto their clients), setting up satellite companies , and imposing fines or collectingadministrative fees or charging the so-called ‘service fee’ and then putting theincome into their own coffers. Class B also includes such â€Å"unhealthy practices†as the extravagance and waste , e. g., spending public money to support luxuriouswork conditions and/or life style by senior officials. Such extravagance and wasteis manifested in many aspects : expensive entertainment, costly foreign cars forsenior officials, magnificent and tastefully furnished office buildings, domesticor foreign travel in the name of official business, etc. Such â€Å"unhealthy tendencies†and the associated corruption , both significantly increasing the public’s burden,ha ve led to a significant public outcry. This has led Chinese authorities to attemptto stop these practices. However they have met strong resistance from these publicinstitutions which, in turn, justify their practices in terms of the purpose oftheir practice, the legitimacy of their institutional power and the work requirement. (3 )? Class C: or â€Å"white corruption†: Class C practices constitute a kind of’common practice’ of social life. They include the nepotism and favouritism in thepersonnel recruitment and promotion , bending the law in favour of relatives andfriends in law enforcement, preferential treatment in resource-allocations forrelatives and friends , etc. They are characterised by preferential treatment byofficials of relatives, friends, fellow-villager etc. much of which is, in fact,a way of reciprocating previously given favours. Such practices have penetratedwidely into public life , influencing the behaviour of government officials andordinary citizens as well , contributing to the operation and existence of networksof personal ties throughout China. Creating and maintaining the networks of personalties to seek and give favourable treatment is accepted by most people , includinggovernment officials, as a ‘normal’ practice when they involved in these practice. However , such networks are condemned by those excluded from them although theywill not be hesitate to engage in such practice should they have an opportunityto do so. The late British China scholar Gordon White had also made a similar classification. 3 Inasmuch as the Chinese authorities combine all the above categories togetherin their anti-corruption work , in this paper I will treat them all as corruption. However by so doing , the Chinese authorities have set a difficult goal for themselvessince the limited consensus on white corruption may increase the difficulty of attackingthese practices. On the other hand, the labelling of some common practice falleninto the grey area from the white area and some common(â€Å"white† ) as â€Å"corruption†may help to delegitimize them and/or push them into the â€Å"grey† category , thuscontributing to anti-corruption and social and political progress. The extent of corruption has increased dramatically and sharply since 1978 withthe situation becoming even worse after in the 1990s. This tendency is apparentfrom the data on perception of corruption in developing countries provided by TransparencyInternational and summarised in table. The above table demonstrates a clear drop in the scores of corruption in Chinafrom until 1980 until 1995 reflecting the increase of corruption in China in thisperiod. The slight improvement is likely due to the strengthen of anti-corruptionefforts by the third generation political leadership and the deepening of market-orientedreform. But despite these slight improvements , the public and its deputies arestill very dissatisfied with the widespread corruption and the inadequate effortsat fighting corruption. The vote of nearly forty per cent of the deputies in the1997 session of National People’s Congress against General procuratorators ZhangSiqing’s Annual work report is an indication of this dissatisfaction. In the 1990’s , corruption has worsened and taken new characteristics withinthe above three categories:(1 )? Class A: corruption as a form of economiccrimes has increased with the following manifestations. First , the number of large-scalecorruption cases increased sharply.

Book Cover Analysis on the Pinocchio Effect Essay

Upon going through the vast artwork, one particular piece grabbed my attention. It was of a line up composed of men in boxer shorts in different colors. The overall look of the work gave it almost a vintage feeling because of the way the figures were drawn. It gave a sort of â€Å"pin-up† feel. Although composed of men, you can not help but be transported through time just by the visual aspect. The book was entitled â€Å"The Pinocchio Effect: On Making Italians, 1860-1920†. It dawned on me that these were Italians lined up, in a way that is reminiscent of a group of new recruits waiting to get their gears for war. As I further observed, these figures were progressing, starting from left to right. And taking this into consideration, I realized that this was a crude depiction of the evolution of an Italian man. The use of this illustration was very effective in stirring up intrigue in the work and as well as reinforcing what the book was about. Further research on the contents of the book revealed that this was indeed a book about the progression of the Italians after different Italian states began uniting into one nation (Stewart, 2007). This artwork was done by Isaac Tobin, an artist particularly renowned for his works on graphic design. The original look of the figures depicted in the work was compromised by the addition of color on the trunks. This added a comical feel to the overall mood of the figures, but is nonetheless effective in drawing out attention and to provide a contemporary feeling for the art. Overall, this artwork leaves a lasting impression and certainly a valuable addition to the cause of the book. It took the theme of the book and properly wielded the appropriate sources to tell its story at a moments glance.

Big Brother

â€Å"Oh you’re Johnny’s little brother? You must be sick bro.† Not quite. He played like he was born with a stick in his hand. And he went through school like he already knew the answers. Having dyslexia, school has never been easy for me. But for him, he aced tests with no problem, could read a book in just a few days, and solved math problems like his brain was a calculator. â€Å"Oh you’re Johnny’s little brother? You must be so smart.† Not quite. Every teacher I had after him had huge expectations for me that i wasn’t able to meet. As I got older, I fell further and further behind my big brother in all of these places, and it was making me miserable. Then everything changed. Four years ago on Christmas morning I opened up that beautiful ukulele and start playing immediately. Of course, I wasn’t as good as my big brother was, but I was drawn to it like Winnie the Pooh and the last jar of honey. Months later, as my brother gained interest in other things, my passion took over. I realized that just because my big brother didn’t do something, doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t either. From that point on, I was obsessed with my own hobbies. I started yo-yoing, playing guitar, and tie-dying everything I could find. This realization also helped me with school, sports, and being happy in general. Instead of trying to get grades as good as my big brother, I worked the hardest I could, for me. And in lacrosse, I started having fun again. Instead of always comparing myself after a game, I would just enjoy my time playing with my friends. Now people say, â€Å"Oh you’re Johnny’s little brother? I’ve heard so much about you! What he taught me changed my life. My big brother didn’t inspire me to be the best, he inspired me to be different. To be my own person. To be me.

KIDS (1995) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

KIDS (1995) - Essay Example Most of these factors tend to be influenced by the environment within which these teenagers live, the latter being further influenced by people with whom the teenager lives, the people they associate with, the economic status of their families, and finally, the values of the society within which these teenagers live. The most common character throughout the movie is Telly, who is a sixteen year old addicted to sex and he says in a soliloquy that without it, he sees no other reason to live (Goldberg 55). The fact that he is HIV positive is revealed when one of his sexual partners, Jennie, finds out that she has been infected. Telly chooses to only have sex with girls who are virgins and he, perhaps unknowingly, ends up infecting a lot of girls through his encounters with them. Throughout the movie, the viewer comes to the realization that among the main factors which influence the behavior of the characters involved is people with whom they live. ... n is perhaps the reason why he indulges in so much sexual activity, most likely in an attempt to find some meaning to his life after the rejection that he feels from his mother. It is in this instance that the conflict theory can be applied because of the fact that since Telly’s mother does not give him the attention he deserves, and for this reason, Telly indulges in the activities which in one way or the other lead to conflict in the lives of the people that he influences. It is a fact that teenagers are highly observant people, and it is a normal thing for them to imitate the behavior of their older family members or their friends. If a parent, for example, is a drug user, then it is likely that their teenage children will also become drug users and this is because these teenagers will grow up with the belief that taking drugs is not wrong. A home is the biggest influence that a teenager can have, and what goes on in that home is displayed by the character of this teenager. If the parents are negligent of their child, as Telly’s mother is of him, then it is likely that they will not notice the changes that are occurring in the teenager (Steele 46). It can be assumed that when Telly and his friends who get involved in delinquent activities, they do so to compensate for the lack of attention from their parents as well as the society. All through the movie, one of the factors which increases the risk of teenage sexual encounters as well as the use of drugs is people with whom they associate. Peer pressure is one of the premier causes of the delinquent activities among the characters of the movie as seen when Casper and his friends attack and beat up a man perhaps to death. It is seen that they indulge in such activities so that they can gain the approval of their

Communication College Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication College - Assignment Example There are many other qualities these are among the qualities essential for effective communication. My personal communication goal is to become more confident and more open with my feelings to my parents and to my friends. There are many times that I feel quite frustrated but I cannot find the words to express my thoughts and my feelings because I am afraid that I may not be understood well. I am trying to learn to be more confident in my choice of words. I should want to express my feelings and emotions without using offensive words. I should learn to use more euphemistic terms so that I can tell them what I do no like without necessarily courting disaster. I should learn to be more open and to communicate with them constantly rather than shun away because this will not do any good. Keeping quiet and keeping a distance are nonverbal expressions of my indifference and I should work that out if I want to have a better relationship with anyone that come across my life. A client you work with is constantly rude and obtrusive: This is a psychological barrier to communication. I will not be able to understand my co-worker well because of I have a negative perception as a result of his attitude double meaning may result. He might mean well but because I find him rude I will have no way of telling if he is genuine and truthful in what he is saying. The clinic I practice in becomes humid during the day. When the window is opened the sound of traffic disturbs the consultation: This is an example of a mechanical barrier. The noise and humidity are obstruction to effective communication. It is difficult to be understood well because of the noise and the patient may not be comfortable because of the humid temperature. This makes the patients not very ready to listen to what I say. A client stands very close to you when they are speaking: This is an example of organic barrier. I may be disturbed with the loudness of the voice of the client or uncomfortable with his smell or nearness and that blocks my attention to what he is saying. You are a practitioner that has a speech impediment and wears contact lenses: There is an organic barrier here. I may not be able to produce the correct sound of the words and I might not see my listeners well so they may misunderstand what I am

Internationa project finance law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Internationa project finance law - Essay Example In 2010, the gross domestic product per capita of Malaysia was about US$14,700. In the year 2009, the nominal gross domestic product (GDP) was around $383.6 billion, and the nominal GDP per capita was about us$8,100. â€Å"The IMF, in its September 2011 World Economic Outlook Report, lowered its forecast for 2012 global growth to 4 per cent, down from 5.1 per cent it had forecasted earlier. By early January 2012, its chief economist had announced that the IMF would on 24 or 25 January 2012 makes a "fairly substantial" cut to its forecast for global economic growth this year†2 Power Purchase Agreements  in Malaysia: Power Purchase Agreements  are agreements between two parties, the one who creates electricity for the cause of sale and the one who is seeks to purchase electricity. There are different kinds of power purchase agreements. They include the source of energy harnessed from solar power, wind, etc. Financing the project is defined in the agreement, which also identi fies applicable dates of the project coming into consequence, when the project starts marketable operations, and an execution date for which the agreement can be abandoned or renewed. Every sale of electrical energy is metered, to provide the buyer and the seller with the exact data regarding the amount of electricity created and bought. The electricity charges are decided upon the agreement between the aforementioned two parties, to give an economic enticement of being a  Power Purchase Agreement. â€Å"In Malaysia, the power generation sector is principally dominated by three integrated power producer companies: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) and Syarikat SESCO Berhad (SESCO). TNB and SESB fall under the jurisdiction of the Energy Commission (EC), whilst SESCO is under the jurisdiction of the Sarawak State Government. TNB is the main electricity supplier for Peninsular Malaysia while East Malaysia is covered by SESB (Sabah) and SESCO (Sarawak)â⠂¬ 3 In the year1992, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were permitted to enter the national power generation division, to move the problem of power plant financing from government owned electricity principles to the private sector. The motivations for the IPP programme too came from the prevailing then set back in power generation capability. The openings of five IPP licences were awarded to huge business units. The tariffs for first generation IPPs were as well especially more than those for subsequent IPPs, which helped capital market financing for the initial waive of IPP savings, with the auspicious risk distribution of IPP connected risks. The enduring power purchase agreement (PPA) in which generation facility is sold to TNB insulates the IPP from fuel cost and demand cost risks. Subsequent PPAs have featured lesser tariffs, and an additional balanced distribution of risks with necessary availability targets, and various quantify of demand risk sharing. The strong credit pr ofiles of most of the issuers from this division carry on to be supported by their stable and predictable cash flow generation. â€Å"

W8 Disc Knowledge Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

W8 Disc Knowledge Management System - Essay Example Likewise, aside from the internal resources, the manager should also assess the external factors which could influence and affect the organization’s performance: customers, competitors, environmental, and other politico-social factors. The benefits of developing an effective KM system include â€Å"facilitating decision-making, building learning environments by making learning routine, and stimulating cultural change and innovation† (Quast, 2012). A learned, the key ingredients of a KM system could be any of the following: people, processes, and technology; or culture, structure, and technology (What Is Knowledge Management?, n.d.). The approach that should be used depends on the resources and competencies of the organization, especially the people who would use the information in the performance of their roles and responsibilities. As emphasized, â€Å"the idea of a KM system is to enable employees to have ready access to the organizations documented base of facts, sources of information, and solutions† (Knowledge management system, n.d., p. 1). Therefore, it is important to assess the skills and competencies of the organization’s human resources, as well as Quast, L. (2012, August 20). Why Knowledge Management Is Important To The Success Of Your Company. Retrieved from Forbes:

Importance of Strng Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Importance of Strng Communication - Essay Example This is because it may help to boast the confidence of the audience (Gillis & International Association of Business Communicators, 2011). The points presented should be clear to avoid creating confusion among the audience. Additionally, eyes contacts are vital because they help the audience to feel that they are part of communication process (Gillis & International Association of Business Communicators, 2011). Connectively, Simple language should be used so that audience can understand the message (Gillis & International Association of Business Communicators, 2011). Many scientist tend to miss a point at this juncture because they use scientific jargon that ordinary audience can not comprehend (Motluk, 2011).This makes audience not comprehend the message being communicated, making communication process to be ineffective (Motluk, 2011).Therefore, the article tries to show whether strong communication skills are necessary in every type of organization. I believe that strong communication skills are vital in every type of organization and even in non academic world (Motluk, 2011). This is because failures to have effective communication in place it become difficult to deal with vendors, customer’s employees, employers and other stakeholders in an organization. For instance failure to listen keenly to customer’s needs may make an organization to incur substantial losses by producing goods and services that customers are unwilling to buy. Additionally, strong communication skills are vital in conducting marketing research. This is because for a research to be effective and efficient, researchers should posses’ strong communication skills that can convince the respondents to give out the required information (Guffey & Loewy, 2010). Additionally, effective communication helps the researchers to analyze and interpret the research findings in a manner that the intended audience can understand (Motluk, 2011). Research

Teaching Activity & Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching Activity & Reflection - Essay Example timulus which is controlled .For knowledge to be acquainted this way, it requires the use of an instructor who must be ready to demonstrate factual knoeledge,measure observe and modify behavior change in a specified direction. Conditioning reinforces behavior through reflex response to stimulus and if antecedents follow a behavior, it leads to consequences including reinforcement, reward and punishment. This is a learning theory that is composed of adoptive learning techniques, structure organization procedures, recognition, creation, reflection and evaluation. It developes conceptual knowledge procedures and techniques and solve problems using mathematical intelligence. This theory is based on generation of knowledge and expertise through interpersonal relations. It is a self directed learning and therefore it calls for motivation, decision making, personal integration and self evaluation. The chief goal of this theory is becoming self motivated with intrinsic motivation which comes from within a person and acts as driving force to accomplish acquisition of skills (Overbaugh and Lin). This is an important introductory step that involves capturing the attention of the student by a way of giving important information on what is required during the activity. It also includes provision of useful steps to be followed. So as a Trainer I will make sure that I have made my learner to understand the guidelines To conclude the challenges faced would include lack of suitable tennis balls, poor mastery of skill taught, poor concentration by students and lack of interest to play. Finally there would be lack of motivation if the learners are not

Dieting Makes People Become Fat Essay Example for Free

Dieting Makes People Become Fat Essay According to National Institute of health (NIH) over 30 % of the U. S adults population is obese a person who has an excessive amount of fat tissue- and numerous risks factors are associated such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and high cholesterol. Reversing this trend on obesity is a national concern and the institute suggests several solutions to curb this issue such as encouraging people to follow a diet. On contrary to NIHs suggestion the subject on hand claims Dieting makes people fat ; the reason why the claim needs to be examined closely. I strongly believe the claim is questionable and I will demonstrate why choosing the suitable diet decreases fat in human body. Before going any further, lets define dieting. Dieting it this context is choosing a specific food that helps to lose weight and to burn fat. If the dieting is the choice of food that has less fat or brings less calories than what one needs, how will that make people fat? Some diets have scientifically substantiated facts of making people lose weight. The Weight Watchers diet for example is proved to be very successful in an article written by ECoseed. The research conducted both in the U. S and in the U. K. ( ECoseed, 2011) investigated the weight loss progress of 740 obese study participants who were practicing a variety of dieting techniques including Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley, a group-based dietetics program, one to one counseling with a GP and one to one counseling at a pharmacy. After 12 weeks of following the diets or medical advice, all groups had seen results of weight loss, but it varied from a loss of 4. 4kg for the Weight Watchers dieters to 1. 4kg for those adhering to GP advice. This research clearly demonstrates that diet help people to burn fat instead of building it. Another example of dieting that has proven to be very effective in losing weight is the vegetarian diet. A scientific review published in April 2006 Nutrition Reviews shows that a vegetarian diet is highly effective for weight loss. The review even stressed that Vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters and compiled data from 87 previous studies where the weight-loss effect does not depend on exercise or calorie-counting, and occurs at a rate of approximately 1 pound per week. In the same way , Sabate J and Wien M state that epidemiologic studies indicate that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) and a lower prevalence of obesity in adults and children. The review suggests that plant based diet is a sensible method to prevent obesity in children ( Sabate J, Wein M 2010). Once again, this is a vivid example of how dieting brings successful results in burning fats. Some people may say the problem of dieting is the compliance to the directives and restrictions are often too hard for people to follow and ultimately some of them may fall back into their old eating habits which make them gain weight again. That can be true in some cases. Of course more than thousands of diets exist, their guidelines vary considerably as well as the eating habits of people; therefore each one of them doesnt work for everybody. Studies show that once a diet offers flexibility to people to follow but focuses on burning the amount of calories more the amount taken in the same period of time, it works successfully by enhancing the compliance of followers. For instance during the study, EcoSeed, compared the effectiveness of four weight diet programs including Weight Watcher program and 2 types of counseling. Weight Watcher program was found to be the most effective due to its flexibility and because it allows people to eat what they want in a day as long as they do not exceed their daily point allowance ( EcoSeed, 2011). Also a diet when it is customized to ones physical and physiological states as well as his expectations is likely to succeed. A diet that works with a woman who is willing to lose weight to become skinny is not the same as the one that a man who is willing to lose fat and build muscles should follow. Therefore diets really work when it is really tailored to each followers reality. Several dieting program proved their success through scientific evaluation and that contradicts the statement Dieting makes people fat. Though, dieting is not an easy behavior to follow and one can regain weight once he is no longer compliant to the recommendations. However, there is still a way to succeed in burning fat that is a careful choice of the specific diet that matches the habits and ensures a compliance in a long run.

Community education and use in University

Community education and use in University This essay discusses key approaches to learning which have importance for community education and tries to identify how one could develop the use of these during the time at university. Following wide research in academic literature a clear concept should emerge. It has two main parts; the first one, after a brief definition of learning, focuses on key approaches to learning, their strengths and weaknesses, and their importance for community education as a higher education program as well as profession. The second, more reflective part, will look at how these could be developed during my university studies. Each part is broken down into smaller units which will touch on the phenomenon of Learning, Approaches to Learning, Community Education and the Development of Approaches in Higher Education. It will look at how those are related and what is their significance for community education. As there is extensive amount of literature available on each one of these subjects this essay an introduction to these rather than than an exhaustive account. However as a result of this work a clear understanding of the position of approaches to learning within community education and the ways of their utilisation and development should emerge. Learning Even though there is lots of material available on subject of learning, it seems that this term is largely misunderstood, often used instead of the word teaching or in the narrow sense of formal education as the process through which learners acquire new knowledge and skills. There is another factor which complicates defining learning; Moon (2006) states in A handbook of reflective and experiential learning: Theory and practice that it is a lack of vocabulary that complicates this issue; some languages do not distinguish between teaching and learning, having the same word for both (e.g. Russian). (Moon, 2006, p.12) It is almost impossible to define learning without using the word itself or words like learner. However in terms of community education learning can be defined as a constant, social, interactive and constructionist process'(Burns and Sinfield, 2008, p.50) which takes place regardless of the presence of educator, it is a process in which one is gathering new ideas and information, recording them, organising them, making sense of them, remembering them, using them (Devine 1987 as cited in Burns and Sinfield, 2008, p.50) as well as deepening understanding of prior knowledge which will consequently bring a change. Therefore we should no longer assiduously acquire knowledge once and for all, but learn how to build up a continually evolving body of knowledge all through life- learn to be. (Faure et. al., 1972:vi). (Tett, 2010, p.34). Approaches to learning Biggs (1987, 1989) proposes that students seek congruence between their learning motives and strategies in a particular context. Thus an approach to learning can be understood as a process of students devising learning strategies to solve the challenges their motives have defined for them. (Wilson and Fowler, 2005, p.88) As quote suggests approaches to learning are a combination of motives for learning and strategies or methods used in the learning process. There were several studies focused on the phenomenon of students approaches to learning. The original research was carried out by Marton and Saljo in Sweden in the early 1970s, but in addition to this there were almost parallel studies by John Biggs in Australia, Entwistle in England and others around the world. As a result of these findings three approaches have been identified. These are surface approach, deep approach and achieving/ strategic approach to learning which are recognised independently by numerous researchers, although the terminology originated with Marton and Saljo (Beckwith, 1991). Students adapting the surface approach were described as ones who tend to concentrate on absorbing as much information as necessary, memorising material and not reflecting on it and see learning as something that happens to them. Biggs (1987, 1990) suggested that motivation of these students is extrinsic e.g. external conditions and pressure; where the student tries to meet given requirements and balance between working too hard and failing. This presents itself in the lack of a critical view of material, where content of learning has not been questioned and there are no connections made between learnt material and previous learning or knowledge, its purposes and structure. The student looks to simply reproduce material as evidence of learning; focusing on what appears to be the most important topic or element and does not see interconnections between these (Biggs, 1991). A consequence of this approach may be superficial learning, where the learner might have difficulty to apply what he or she learnt in different conditions or structures. This type of learning is possibly a result of low interest in the material, or perhaps because learners believe that this is the proper way of learning. It may also be the result of a state of anxiety or pressure, for example in learning for assessment situation as suggested by Moon (2004). Students who develop the deep approach to their learning are likely to be interested in the topic or material they are learning and see themselves as an active part of learning process. The motive behind their learning is to actualize interest and to gain an understanding of a particular subject; their motivation is intrinsic coming from inside (Biggs, 1990, 1991). These students relate learnt content to previous knowledge; adapt a critical view of material and question its logic and argument (Moon, 2004). They also draw connections to their own experiences, looking for practical examples as well as applications in the real world. While theorising about a subject, generalising it and drawing out hypothesis, searching for meaning and conclusions they tend to put new knowledge or deeper understanding of previous learning into the bigger picture. Their study behaviour is usually marked by wide reading, reflecting on what one reads and hears; engaging in discussion with teachers and othe r students, and the like (Biggs, 1991). Students adapting the surface approach are more able to demonstrate their understanding and creative in problem solving. In his article Learning Approach and Outcome: Some Empirical Observations, Saljo (1991) states findings of his research on approaches to learning. His experimental session started with interviews, in which participants were to describe how they experience their own learning. The point he makes is that the subjects themselves introduced this (surface and deep) kind of distinction in the interview (Saljo, 1981, p.53). The subjects whose outcome was the deep approach made it clear in all cases that in their view there were significant differences between learning as an active process and memorizing. In their view, trying to understand, comprehend, grasp the meaning and on the whole to think and reflect actively on what they hear and read was a necessary part and the true purpose to learning. They did not understand learning as mere reproduction of learnt material but as a process in which they try to relate what they read, hear or see with what they previously know and then inject meaning into what they are learning. Moon (2004, p.60) states that in the later work by Biggs in Australia and at Lancaster University another approach to learning was identified labelled the achieving approach or strategic approach. The difference between the two aforementioned approaches and the achieving approach is that the surface as well as the deep approach are more closely linked with quality of learning whereas the achieving approach focuses more on how to undertake the task with the aim of succeeding especially in an assessment situation (Biggs, 1991) and (Moon 2004). Students using the achieving approach are highly competitive, motivated by performing well and obtaining the highest grades regardless of whether or not they are interested in the learnt material. They are referred to by Biggs (1985) as model students as they are highly organised and self- disciplined, keeping clear notes, following up all suggested readings, allowing appropriate time to the task given, using time management and schedule planning skills in their learning linked to their perception of importance of the studied material. They are also likely to use one or both of the aforementioned approaches in their learning strategy, creating surface- achieving or deep- achieving approach. There seems to be plenty of evidence, says Moon (2004), that modern learners in higher education need to be strategic especially in modules where they are faced with frequent assessments. Strong lines are drawn here between surface and deep approaches to illustrate clear differences between them. However this distinction is stereotypical and therefore there are cases in which it does not demonstrate itself in practice. Memorising itself, as some studies suggest, does not mean that student has a surface approach to learning. It is often viewed as such in western culture but in Asian students it is more a question of gaining the understanding building up stage by stage Marton and Booth (as cited in Moon, 2004, p.61). Another example could be actors learning their lines and later interpreting them in the character they are playing, or students memorising new vocabulary in order to better understand foreign language. Also one student does not adopt one approach constantly. We could say that every student has his or her preferred approach but in some cases approaches students use in practice are influenced by personal and situational factors Wilson and Fowler (2010, p.88). Students might see the deep approach to learning as desirable but may be unable to use it and could slip into the surface approach if pressed by time, work load or if the environment he or she works in is too noisy for instance. The same is the case for students using predominantly the surface approach to learning, who might adapt the deep approach if the task demands it, e.g. surface approach will not be sufficient in writing reflective essays. It would therefore appear that there are many influencing factors on which approach to learning students use. As suggested earlier, learners usually use more than one approach to learning throughout their lives. However findings of the studies (try to back up with actual studies and dates) on this matter are showing evidence in favour of deep approach. Results of researches linked low performance scores to students who used the surface approach where the scores of those using the deep and achieving approaches were significantly higher. Kember and Gow (date) see encouraging students to adapt the deeper approach as the key task for higher education. (as cited in Wilson and Fowler, date.) Community Education What significance do approaches to learning have for community education? Looking at community education as a higher education course in general it is obvious that the approach to learning adopted by students will influence the study experience and its results. Therefore the chosen approach could affect individuals views on community education and its practice. Selecting the learning approach with the best results would certainly help students succeed in their chosen course and prepare for future employment. Community educations primary purpose is education within and for communities encouraging and engaging people throughout life into learning that is based on what they are interested in. (Tett, 2010, p.1). However providing services and meeting the needs merely on a surface level would not be effective. Keeping issues of individuals and communities isolated, engaging them in leisure, learning and action opportunities without considering their personal, social, economic and political needs (CeVe 1990:2 as cited by Smith) would be only a partial and temporary solution. Within this field there is a great demand for critical and reflective practice, making links between learning, development, socio-cultural, economical and political issues and thus sustaining the deep approach not only to learning but to practice as well. The work of community educators, whether their focus is on young people, adults or community capacity building will always concentrate on purposeful learning and education in communities designed to bring about change.'(Tett, 2010,p.106). And through this practice to provide the learning which will contribute to a more robust and active citizenry through enabling people to review more critically and creatively the values and workings of society and developing tolerance of diversity and difference (Tett, 2010, p.51). Practitioners whose preferred approach to learning is the deep approach have a potential to motivate individuals and communities to reflective and critical thinking about whatever situation they are in, equipping them with needed strategies to address those issues, which will help them to be more independent and active participants in society. Development of Approaches to Learning Wilson and Fowler (2005) Conclusion

Comparing Two Advertisements :: Adverts, Compare and Contrast

Comparing Advertisements For this comparison I have chosen to compare two car adverts. The first advert I chose was from the car magazine "Autocar" and this is an advert for a Chrysler PT Cruiser. The second advert I chose was from the "Sunday Times" and this is for a Fiat Ulysse. I chose these two adverts because I feel that they will be good compare as they have similarities and differences so there are many things I can comment about. There is a big difference in the sale tactics of the 2 adverts. The Fiat is a soft sell advert because there is no reference to the price of the car or any statistics about the car where as the Chrysler advert displays the price in big numbers at the top of the advert and it also refers to the fuel consumption of the car. This shows that the 2 adverts use different tactics to advertise and sell the car. I think that the target audience for these cars are the same; both of these cars are family cars. Both of the cars are designed to be comfortable and safe, they are not advertised to be fast sports cars or stylish city cars; they are advertised as normal cars. In both of the adverts there is no real reference towards the performance of the car apart from in the Chrysler where there is a reference to the fuel consumption of the car but this backs up the point that the Chrysler is a car for a sensible family person because that is the kind of person who would show interest in the economics of the car. Both of the adverts have main points that they want you to focus on as soon as you look at them, on the Chrysler advert the first thing they want you to focus on is the name of the car and the price which are both in bold font at the top of the page, the Fiat wants you to focus on the name of the car which is written in huge letters diagonally

Roswell: Fact or Fiction? :: essays research papers fc

In analyzing the hypothetical scenario(s) proposed by many UFO researchers concerning the alleged crash of an Alien spaceship in the New Mexico desert July 2nd, 1947, I beg to question, whether our bureaucracy of a government could ever clamp shut an event of such magnitude. This is the most scrutinized of all UFO cases. This story, even if partly true is the most significant event in human history, next to our own creation of course. The story is clouded in extensive myth and misinformation. Seeing as there are many version of this event, I will depict the most likely of these scenarios to have occurred according to eyewitness testimony. Now, before I describe the sequence of events that unusual evening, I will first provide you a little background information concerning the state of New Mexico during this time frame. In 1947, New Mexico was unique to the rest of the world. For instance, the 509th Composite Bomb wing (The crew which dropped the Atomic bomb Fat Man and Little Boy on the Japanese during WWII) was stationed at the Roswell Army Air Force Base. Secondly, Los Alamos nuclear facility, home to the Manhattan project was a short distance to the north of the crash site. Lastly, you had the atomic, radar, missile-testing facility of White Sands and Alamogordo/Holloman Air Force Base only a short distance to the south (Randles 68). I believe, with such facilities congregated in one general area that from the Alien visitor’s viewpoint gathering information (Spying) on the most technologically advanced area on the planet would seem logical in 1947, seeing as the humans just finished killing off millions of their own (WWII plus Holocaust), maybe space was the next likely target for humanity to invade. Also, I found some circumstantial evidence pertaining to the Base radar at the army’s 509th airfield outside the town of Roswell. Basically the army’s base radar had been tracking strange blips on the night of July 1, 1947 (Corso 8). This o bject maneuvered at such high speeds and changed direction so sharply that the radar operators said it was, â€Å" No earthly craft†. Interesting to note that through that night and the following day Army Intelligence was on high alert (Corso 8). That night a Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wilmot apparently sighted what they theorized to be a flying disk. They were sitting on their porch at 105 South Penn.

Crisis of Conscience Essays -- Literary Analysis, Joseph Heller

In Catch-22, Joseph Heller creates a surreal world of irrationality to illuminate madness and corruption. Through the satirical characterizations of the novel's leaders, Heller criticizes not just the institution of war but all forms of bureaucratic establishment. The authority figures in the novel are portrayed as selfish and deranged maniacs without any sense of morality, driven purely by their desires to expand their power and reputations. These leaders are able to skew reason to their benefits through their followers’ acceptance of conformity and conventions. The novel's protagonist, Yossarian, however, rejects the pressures of conformity and is unwilling to accept his leaders' illogical projections of truth and duty. By running away to rescue Nately's whore's sister, Yossarian is able to overcome the oppression of authority and find his own sense of purpose by deciding for himself what is right and pursuing it. This victory advances Heller’s commendation of standi ng up against the conventions of society and refusing to accept truth blindly. Joseph Heller’s novel makes use of humorous surrealism to illuminate corruption in society. Heller admits that in his novels, â€Å"the texture, the approach,† as opposed to the â€Å"basic story line, the sequence of action,† is what â€Å"makes them distinctive† (Rielly). Indeed, at its most basic level, the plot of Catch-22 is hardly surrealistic or unconventional at all; it is a reasonably historically accurate portrait of the end of the Second World War. The missions Yossarian flies, the deaths he witnesses, and the poverty he observes are all true to the setting. Many events in the book, such as the mission where Yossarian and his comrades are ordered to bomb a civilian city to create a roadbloc... ...on to be part of an "American traditions" of literary rebels who "escap[e]... in order to save [themselves] from absurdity, compromise, or dispair" (McDonald). Though Heller intended the moral ambiguity of escaping military service "to raise a question rather than answer one," Yossarian's final action ultimately represents a triumph of nonconformity (Rielly). He is able to see the fraudulence of the war and decides that a 'disobedient' life helping a lost girl is more worthy than a 'dutiful' one serving a corrupt general. Through this decision, Yossarian is able to find purpose and moral satisfaction in his own life. This personal victory celebrates the power of nonconformity. In boldly rejecting societal expectations to pursue the life one believes in, goodness can be pursued, evil can be challenged, and the truth strength and value of an individual can be found.

Rather the officials should have spoken

In the essay the author is attempting to protect the rights of free speech through persuasion rather than through threats and intimidations. In promoting his views, the author cites the example of an incident that took place at Harvard.It is the author’s contention that the university officials should not have enforced their rules on the offending students. Rather the officials should have spoken with the students in order to help them understand the effect that their action would have on the rest of the community. In developing his perspective, the author brings to light the dilemma that the first amendment presents in allowing such displays. However the author also suggests a way out. He is asking the university officials not to enforce any kind of rules on such displays.It is his contention that such a course of action will only generate more interest in such behaviors and therefore a vicious cycle will result. In other words, the author is suggesting that the university of ficial should not create too much publicity in dealing with such an issue.The author’s purpose in the essay is to explore the different ways in which arguments over free speech can be resolved. The incident that he mentions has to do with some students hanging a confederate flag in view.The First Amendment permits this. However it offends other members of the community. Therefore this is a difficult issue to resolve. On the one hand, university officials should not restrict the expression of free speech. On the other hand, they cannot allow freedom of speech to offend other members of the community.The author also mentions that some communities have enacted codes to resolve such situations while others have refused to impose such restrictions. The author’s purpose in this essay is to find a middle way. This is because enacting codes will only generate more interest in the area so that people will resort to more extreme forms of free speech.Refusing to impose restrictio ns will also not solve the problem because in this case the rights of free speech will be abused. The purpose of the author in this essay is to suggest a different way in which the issues raised can be resolved.In promoting his views, the author is citing examples of an incident that occurred at Harvard. This incident forms the core of this essay. Resolving the issues raised in this situation forms the structure of the essay. In developing the structure, the author draws upon the First Amendment to resolve the issue.However he brings to light how the First Amendment fails to resolve the situation that arose at Harvard. Therefore he argues for a greater level of communication with the students in order to help them decide for themselves whether what they did was right or wrong. The author believes that this is the only way for the university officials to resolve the situation with the minimum of publicity.The author believes that the publicity that will result from enforcing restrict ions will have the opposite effect. Therefore the university officials should try to resolve the issue internally by talking to the students. In presenting his views, the author argued the validity of imposing restrictions when such restrictions will only create more interest in the problem.The author clearly sympathizes with the students’ right to do what they did. However he seeks to communicate the importance of talking to the students in order to help them understand why what they could be considered subversive. He brings to light the fact that the students are clearly in their rights to hang the flag as it is permitted by the First Amendment.However he also argues over the inappropriateness of this action. He advises against enforcing restrictions. He believes that this will only create more awareness of this problem so that other students will be interested to create similar situations.Clearly it is in the university officials’ interest to minimize the number of these incidents and to that end, the university officials should resolve such situations privately by discussing the issues with the students.Therefore the author seeks to find a third way other than enforcing codes or doing nothing. In this respect, he stresses the importance of maintaining the balance between free speech and mutual respect. He says that this objective can be met through education and persuasion.

City of God vs. The Protestant Reformations Essay

Introduction: The belief that God is present to the human mind and soul, and can be found is part of the Christian tradition. Many Christian philosophers seem to regard this as the concern only of specially devout persons and of no interest for philosophical purposes. The evidence for it, they think, it too slender to be taken seriously by academic philosophers without particular interest in religion, who tend to regard anything in the nature of religious experience as suspect. So, philosophical discussions about religion are usually concerned with rational arguments for and against theism, usually of a technical kind. In this article, I want to discuss the Augustine world with the reformist will as proposed by Martin Luther. One of the great cornerstones in the history of Christian thought, The City of God is vital to an understanding of modern Western society and how it came into being. Begun in A.D. 413 by Saint Augustine, the great theologian who was bishop of Hippo, the book’s initial purpose was to refute the charge that Christianity was to blame for the fall of Rome (which had occurred just three years earlier). Augustine’s City of God, a monumental work of religious lore, philosophy, and history, was written as a kind of literary tombstone for Roman culture. After the downfall of Rome, Augustine wrote this book to portray the corruption of Romans’ pursuit of earthly pleasures: â€Å"grasping for praise, open-handed with their money; honest in the pursuit of wealth, they wanted to hoard glory.† Augustine contrasts his condemnation of Rome with an exaltation of Christian culture. The glory that Rome failed to attain will only be realized by citizens of the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem foreseen in Revelation. On the other hand Hans J. Hillerbrand in his book â€Å"The Protestant Reformation† says â€Å"When the reformers who had first ventured a new interpretation of the gospel had passed from the scene, the question which had haunted the Reformation from its very inception–where is truth?–was still contested by the proponents of the old and the new faith. But one fact was beyond dispute: Western Christendom was tragically divided†¦into no less than five religious factions†¦.Though these divisions were the result of intense religious conviction, they could not help but lessen the intensity of religious belief in Europe. The Reformation of the sixteenth century was the last period in the history of Western civilization when men were preoccupied with religion, argued it, fought and even died for it. Its consequences are still with us†. Argument: The two cities in city of God and the two wills in Lutheranism No book except the Bible itself had a greater influence on the Middle Ages than the â€Å"City of God†. Since medieval Europe has been the cradle of today’s Western civilization, this work by consequence is vital for an understanding of our world and how it came into being. St. Augustine is often regarded as the most influential Christian thinker after St. Paul, and this book highlights upon a vast synthesis of religious and secular knowledge. It began as a reply to the charge that Christian otherworldliness was causing the decline of the Roman Empire. Augustine produced a wealth of evidence to prove that paganism bore within itself the seeds of its own destruction. Then he proceeded to his larger theme, a cosmic interpretation of history in terms of the struggle between good and evil: the City of God in conflict with the Earthly City or the City of the Devil. This, the first serious attempt at a philosophy of history, was to have incalculable influence in forming the Western mind on the relations of church and state, and on the Christian’s place in the temporal order. It is more than a question of setting down on paper a series of abstract principles and then applying them in practice. Christianity is more than a moral code, more than a philosophy, more than a system of rites. Although it is sufficient, in the abstract, to divide the Catholic religion into three aspects and call them creed, code and cult, yet in practice, the integral Christian life is something far more than all this. It is more than a belief; it is a life. That is to say, it is a belief that is lived and experienced and expressed in action. The action in which it is expressed, experienced and lived is called a mystery. This mystery is the sacred drama which keeps ever present in history the Sacrifice that was once consummated by Christ on Calvary. In plain words–if you can accept them as plain–Christianity is the life and death and resurrection of Christ going on day after day in the souls of individual men and in the heart of society. It is this Christ-life, this incorporation into the Body of Christ, this union with His death and resurrection as a matter of conscious experience, that St. Augustine wrote of in his Confessions. But Augustine not only experienced the reality of Christ living in his own soul. He was just as keenly aware of the presence and action, the Birth, Sacrifice, Death and Resurrection of the Mystical Christ in the midst of human society. And this experience, this vision, if you would call it that, qualified him to write a book that was to be, in fact, the autobiography of the Catholic Church. That is what The City of God is. Just as truly as the Confessions are the autobiography of St. Augustine, The City of God is the autobiography of the Church written by the most Catholic of her great saints. Evidently, the treatment of the theme is so leisurely and so meandering and so diffuse that The City of God, more than any other book, requires an introduction. The best we can do here is to offer a few practical suggestions as to how to tackle it. The first of these suggestions is this: since, after all, The City of God reflects much of St. Augustine’s own personality and is colored by it, the reader who has never met Augustine before ought to go first of all to the Confessions. Once he gets to know the saint, he will be better able to understand Augustine’s view of society. Then, no one who is not a specialist, with a good background of history or of theology or of philosophy, ought not to attempt to read the City, for the first time, beginning at page one. The living heart of the City is found in Book Nineteen, and this is the section that will make the most immediate appeal to us today because it is concerned with the theology of peace. However, Book Nineteen cannot be understood all by itself. The best source for solutions to the most pressing problems it will raise is Book Fourteen, where the origin of the two Cities is sketched, in an essay on original sin. On the other hand the protestant reformation deals with the religious movement which made its appearance in western Europe in the sixteenth century, and which, while ostensibly aiming at an internal renewal of the church, really led to a great revolt against it, and an abandonment of the principal Christian beliefs. The causes of the great religious revolt of the sixteenth century must be sought as far back as the fourteenth. The doctrine of the church, it is true, had remained pure; saintly lives were yet frequent in all parts of Europe, and the numerous beneficent medieval institutions of the church continued their course uninterruptedly. Whatever unhappy conditions existed were largely due to civil and profane influences or to the exercise of authority by ecclesiastics in civil spheres; they did not obtain everywhere with equal intensity, nor did they always occur simultaneous in the same country. Ecclesiastical and religious life exhibited in many places vigor and variety; works of education and charity abounded; religious art in all its forms had a living force; domestic missionaries were many and influential; pious and edifying literature was common and appreciated. Gradually, however, and largely owing to the variously hostile spirit of the civil powers, fostered and heightened by several elements of the new order, there grew up in many parts of Europe political and social conditions which hampered the free reformatory activities of the church, and favored the bold and unscrupulous, who seized a unique opportunity to let loose all the forces of heresy and schism so long held in check by the harmonious action of the ecclesiastical and civil authorities. Luther’s theology is his understanding of God that can be summarized as Gottes Gottheit, which means â€Å"God is God.† In the deepest sense, Luther believes that God is above all and in all. God, through his creative power, reveals that he is free and immutable. He alone can bring life into existence. He alone sustains life. He alone freely wills. Moreover, what God wills can not be impeded or resisted by a mere creature. God is all-powerful and therefore, God’s will is alone immutable. Any person, therefore, that appeals to the freedom of human will attempts to usurp for themselves an attribute that belongs only to God. The free and immutable will of God is, in Luther’s writings, fundamental to a right and proper faith. Without it, God is not God and Scripture would, therefore, have to be annulled. In BOW, Luther constantly emphasizes these two characteristics of the will of God and points out their significance for the Faith. In addition, Luther argues that God has two wills as pertains His nature: (1) the revealed will of His word and, (2) the hidden or inscrutable will. These characteristics of God’s will provide the basis for understanding and interpreting Luther’s conviction that the human will is enslaved. For Luther, the free will of God is not simply God’s limitless and unobstructed ability to choose between any set of variables in any set of circumstances. Rather, it is God’s unique ability to transcend all these variables and circumstances to perform, or not perform, any action that He desires. God’s will is not contingent upon the will of any other being. In ceaseless activity, God creates the possibilities. As such, the free will of God is most plainly revealed to humanity through His creative acts. God freely chooses to create our present reality and likewise, He freely sustains this reality. In fact, reality does not exist except by the will of God. To this all-encompassing extent then, Luther asserts that God is all in all. Nothing is that God does not declare to be. And, it is this creative power that manifests God’s freedom, His free will. In recognizing Luther’s pronounced emphasis on God’s sovereignty, Paul Althaus declares: â€Å"God is the first or principal cause, all others are only secondary or instrumental causes. They are only the tools which he uses in the service of his own autonomous, free, and exclusive working; they are only the masks under which he hides his activity†. The second characteristic of God’s   will that is crucial to Luther’s understanding of the bondage of the human will, is its immutability. That is, God’s will can not be changed, altered or impeded. The immutability of God’s will is the logical conclusion to the freedom of God’s will. God’s sovereignty and almighty power demands that whatever God wills happens by necessity. Nothing occurs contingently. God’s will does not act independently of reality, as the human will does, but rather, God’s will creates reality. In Luther’s theology, the will of God is not contingent and so likewise, the foreknowledge of God is also not contingent. For whatever God wills, he foreknows and so, whatever He foreknows must, by necessity, happen. For if it did not happen, then God would be fallible and His will contingent which Luther declares â€Å"is not to be found in God!†   It is the immutable will of God, acting freely, that provides the Christian with â€Å"the assurance of things hoped for† (Heb 11:1), namely that the promises of God will be fulfilled. As Luther suggests, â€Å"the Christian’s chief and only comfort in every adversity lies in knowing that God does not lie, but brings all things to pass immutably, and that His will cannot be resisted, altered or impeded. â€Å"Indeed, for Luther, the conviction that God’s will is free and immutable must be central to the Faith. Yet, Luther’s theology presents a problem: if God wills everything and everything He wills comes to pass then one must conclude that God wills the salvation of few and the damnation of many (cf. Mt 22:14). Luther answered this dilemma by teaching that God has two wills, the revealed and the hidden. As Luther declares in BOW, God’s decree to damn â€Å"the undeserving . . . [who are] compelled by natural necessity to sin and perish† does indeed seem horrible. Moreover, all rational and philosophical knowledge of God can not avoid the terrible reality of this conclusion, for as Luther concedes, the â€Å"injustice of God . . . is traduced as such by arguments which no reason or light of nature can resist†. Luther understands this horrible decree in light of God’s justice in two ways. For Luther, the answer to these questions is twofold: (1) we must simply believe that God’s justice is righteous because in Christ God has proven His love and compassion and, (2) we should not probe into the hidden or inscrutable will of God wherein God operates paradoxically, i.e. righteousness made evident through unrighteousness. Luther’s twofold answer to the questions of damnation reveals a high view of God’s sovereignty and majesty. Moreover, the answer is in accordance with Luther’s view that God’s will is uniquely free and immutable. The answer also demands that the Christian simply trust in God. The Christian must believe all that is revealed in Scripture, not merely those things that are pleasant to the senses, and as such, we are compelled to accept the fact that God actively chooses to reject certain people. Nevertheless, if God has said in His Word that He is loving and gracious, and He has revealed himself to be such through His forbearance with the Israelites and the glorious plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, but what right can we judge the manner in which God oversees and sustains the world? For Luther, this is precisely the point at which the Christian must heed the words of God, spoken through the prophet Isaiah: â€Å"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts† (Isa 55:8-9). Luther would likewise appeal to God’s answer to Job in Job 38-41 and the words of Paul in Romans 9:20 as yet other examples of the futility of comprehending the incomprehensible and inscrutable will of God. Luther, therefore, answers the critics of predestination and defends God’s decree to affect unbelief in people by appealing to this inscrutable wisdom and will of God, a will that cannot be understood by any attempt of human reason. Because God is God, He has the right to condemn man for sins that God works in Him.10 And so, it is by faith that the Christian simply trusts that God is righteous, loving and gracious in so working. Luther consoles the Christian by exhorting them to look only to the revealed will of God that promises salvation to all who receive Christ. Thus, He does not will the death of a sinner-that is, in His Word; but He wills it by His inscrutable will. At present, however, we must keep in view His Word and leave alone His inscrutable will; for it is by His Word, and not by His inscrutable will, that we must be guided. Yet, for Luther, knowing that God does possess a hidden and inscrutable will of God provides valuable insights for the Christian. The inscrutable will of God tempers the revealed will of God. The doctrine of the free, immutable and inscrutable will of God, therefore, contributes three important foundations to the Christian Faith: (1) God is sovereign, all-powerful and therefore, even evil is under the sway of His goodness and as such, the Christian can be certain that the promises of God will be realized, (2) humanity is not free to earn or demand anything of God and so, God’s gift of salvation can truly be called free and gracious and, (3) the Christian, in response to these truths, is properly humbled and learns, in reverent adoration, to fear God, who acts freely and immutability for His glory. In consequence of his view of God’s will, Luther’s view of the human will is necessarily placed in total subjection to the Divine. It is in this respect that Luther stands in contrast to Erasmus. Luther’s discussion of this topic is theocentric, beginning with a discussion of God and His attributes whereas Erasmus belies an anthropocentric view, beginning with human experience. For Luther, that God’s will is immutable logically demands that man’s will is mutable. For if God’s will is not contingent but immutable and free, no other will can be also be immutable and free otherwise these wills could impede one another and consequently, these wills would no longer be immutable and free but rather, they would be subject to one another. As such, Luther rightly proclaims the inconsistency of the term free will. In Luther’s writings, there are three primary considerations to consider in evaluating the characteristics of the human will: (1) the human will is mutable, (2) as a consequence of the Fall, the human will is enslaved to sin and, (3) the human will requires the grace of God, offered through the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ Jesus, to affect any positive change in a person’s life. Luther’s position on the Divine and human wills was not a small matter to him. In Table-Talk, Luther once stated in regards to his position that â€Å"I know it to be the truth, though all the world should be against it; yea, the decree of Divine Majesty must stand fast against the gates of hell.† The belief that humanity is enslaved to sin and that it is only by sovereign election that God saves a person formed the basis for Luther’s conviction of justification by grace through faith. Grace is one the most important principles of biblical interpretation to Luther and no where is divine grace more evident than in the doctrine of election. And, it is this sola gratia principle of Luther’s faith that preserves the eternal significance of Christ’s death and resurrection. It is by his sacrifice, not by our own works, that God graciously extends salvation to the elect. As Luther often remarked, to assert the freedom of the will is to deny the necessity of Christ’s atoning work. Conclusion Augustine produced a wealth of evidence to prove that paganism bore within itself the seeds of its own destruction. By means of his contrast of the earthly and heavenly cities–the one pagan, self-centered, and contemptuous of God and the other devout, God-centered, and in search of grace–Augustine explored and interpreted human history in relation to eternity. Saint Augustine examines the failure of Roman religion and the flaws in human civilization, thus creating the first Christian philosophy of history. Against the ‘city’, i.e., society, of many gods, there is but one alternate society, this Augustine calls The City of God, adopting the expression found in several of King David’s psalms. Not only is the society of many gods the society of polytheists, it is also the â€Å"city† of pantheists, atheistic materialists and philosophical Cynics. In the case of the Cynics and atheists, these false gods are the myriad gods of self, indeed, at least as many gods (selves) as there are believers in them. Thus there are two â€Å"cities†, two loves, two ways to understand the big questions of existence, two destinations. Says Augustine:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The one City began with the love of God; the other had its beginnings in the love of self.† XIV:13. â€Å"The city of man seeks the praise of men, whereas the height of glory for the other is to hear God in the witness of conscience. The one lifts up its head in its own boasting; the other says to God: ‘Thou art my glory, thou liftest up my head.’ (Psalm 3.4) In the city of the world both the rulers themselves and the people they dominate are dominated by the lust for domination; whereas in the City of God all citizens serve one another in charity. . .† References 1. http://www.newadvent.org The Catholic encyclopedia The Journal Of Religion, J. Jeffery Tyler, volume 85, Part 1(2005), pages 317 – 319 Althaus, Paul. The Theology of Martin Luther. Translation of 2nd edition by Robert C. Schultz. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Fortress Press, 1966 –. Luther’s Works, Volume 31: Career of the Reformer I. ed. Philip S. Watson. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Fortress Press, 1957.

Develop MPI Essay

First, in today’s global economy, many companies are vying for a presence in the global markets. There are several ways to gain entry into a foreign market but many questions must be answered first to make sure there is a return on investment or an exit strategy. In the Foley Company case, Joanne has to determine what are her Company strategies advantages and disadvantages of entering Brazilian market for soybeans harvesters: First, she has to determine whether the Company is considering a standalone entry or entry through alliances. This could be a pivotal point in their decision because on one hand the lack of experience with foreign manufacturing operations could prove to be costly in a standalone entry for example. But as Mr. Osborne point it out this is also a â€Å"too good to lose† market, so an equity-base method of entry through alliances seemed to be a none-starter for Foley Company. But eventually, Ms. Poe has other options to consider for entry strategies: Contract Manufacturing, Licensing, Franchising or Exporting. Contract Manufacturing Contract manufacturing has a flexibility element to it as an entry method as it can be used as an added value to other method of entry. This is a major advantage. Ms. Poe could recommend this option in conjunction with franchising for example. Contract Manufacturing would also give the Foley Company a new look at the market in Brazil because the company has not seen this aspect of business in Brazil. Here, the company could focus on R&D and other improvement to its machinery to gain competitive advantage. The advantages of this method of entry could be: low capital required, low risk, manageable exit strategy, easy to structure and direct the process. The disadvantages of this method could be: the Company could lose some control due to lack of international experience, difficult to account for the cultural and differences in quality of work and standards, locally accepted practices can be hard to gauge when selecting vendors of supplies of parts etc. can be a problem for a new entran t in the market especially when there is potential for major capital investment. Licensing Licensing method of entry for companies could be reinsuring for the Foley Company because the Company would be able to legally protect its assets  while in the process conducting market establishing its name in Brazil. But this is more to prepare the â€Å"field† by licensing its rights and expertize to local companies conduct to business on its behalf. The important elements here are protection by the local regulations. The advantages here could be: Less hurdles to enter in case of import complexities in Brazil, fast entry into the market, no capital upfront required to establish a presence. But the disadvantages could be: Decrease in sales (not fully engage yet), culture differences and interpretations, and more importantly, the licensee could collaborate with competitors or become competitors themselves which would complicate future deals in Brazil. Franchising By recommending franchising a method of entry, Ms. Poe could emphasize the fact in this case rapid expansion, where a franchise would maintain a business relationship with Foley Company which would grant it the right to distribute its soybeans harvesters using Foley’s brand in exchange for a fee. The creation of a network of owner operated dealers would increase its market share and expanded territories. Less advertising programs and costs, market penetration at high rate, brand equity. The disadvantage of this method of entry could be the cost of engaging locals by Foley Company and potential lack of connection between the company goals in US and it Brazilian counterpart might cause frictions because the local might not be fully vested into the â€Å"bigger picture†. My recommendation would be: Wholly Owned Subsidiaries: Like many Companies, The Foley Company could establish itself fully in Brazil. This would give the company ownership through wholly owned subsidiaries. This method would allow Foley Company to gain control over manufacturing operations and any profits centers completely without sharing with any potential partners. The drawback to this method of entry would be the high initial investment. There can’t be guarantees here because of other intangible like politics, social, economical facts can complicate matters sometimes. But in the long-run, this method of entry which can be done through Acquisition or Greenfield investment (building entirely new facility), would yield many advantages for the company, for example brand equity, increase its competitiveness in the market. With the right  synergies, the economic benefits, in my opinion would outweigh the costs while expanding the market. References http://www.coursesmart.com/SR/7071808/0077496191/331?__hdv=6.8 https://blackboard.neu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2239043_1%26url%3D Buckley, P.J., and Casson, M.C. 1998. Analyzing Foreign Market Entry Strategies: Extending the Internationalization Approach. Journal of International Business Studies: 539-561.

Plato Essay Essay

1. a) Explain how Plato’s epistemological assumptions shape his metaphysics (Why does he think that there must be Forms? Hint: Plato says (in effect): â€Å"Since knowledge is certain, therefore the objects of knowledge must be unchanging. †). b) Define Plato’s Forms and present the theory of Forms by explaining the â€Å"divided line. † (You can use the visual image, but explain it. ) Plato was extremely devoted in answering the sophists’ skepticism about reason and morality. To do so, he spent more time than any philosopher before him studying knowledge, or epistemology. He realized that to answer the sophists’ skepticism he had to first solve the three main problems that earlier philosophers had left behind; the problems of change, the â€Å"one† and the â€Å"many†, and the problem between appearance and reality. Plato started where Heraclitus, who said that everything is changing, and Parmenides, who said that nothing ever changes, left off. He said that both philosophers were correct in their assumptions, for they were talking about different types of objects. Heraclitus is correct in terms of the sensible realm; it obviously exists, and is a flux that conforms to the â€Å"measures† as he suggested. Parmenides was correct in terms of the intelligible realm. Plato thought that beyond the world of physical objects in space and time is another world that is nonphysical, non-spatial, and non-temporal. He called this the world of ideai, or forms. These forms are nonphysical, non-spatial, non-temporal objects of thought that are more real than anything else. Whenever we are thinking, according to Plato, what we are thinking about is a form. For example, a triangle drawn on the board in class, no matter how perfect and real it may appear is merely a copy of the form of triangle; a plane figure enclosed by three straight lines. It is like a triangle and looking at it helps us think of the real triangle, but it only relates, or â€Å"participates† in Plato’s terms, to its’ true form. This theory applies to the entire sensible realm because everything changes and nothing stays exactly what it is. In the world of forms, however, everything is always what it is and never another thing. Plato believed that because the world of forms is Parmenidean, or eternal and unchanging, it is therefore possible for us to know it. To explain his theory of forms in depth, Plato used the image of the â€Å"divided line†. Take a line and divide it into two unequal parts, one part representing the physical world and one representing the world of forms. Then, subdivide these two parts in the same ratio, creating two sub-parts of the physical world (call them A and B) and two of the world of forms (call them C and D). Plato says let the first, or lowest, section of the physical world (A) stand for images, such as shadows or reflections. Let the second section of the physical world (B) stand for the actual objects that cast these shadows, like trees, humans, or desks. In the world of forms, Plato continues, let the first section (C) stand for the lower forms, or the forms of the objects in section B. The second section in the world of forms, the highest section of all, (D) then stands for the higher forms, or the science of first principles; the knowledge that, if possessed, would prove the basic assumptions of the special sciences. Plato believed that the nearer we are to the base of the divided line (A), the more conditioned our knowledge is. We can move up the line through dialectic, a process of questions and answer that utilizes hypothesis, criticism, and revision to move nearer to unconditioned knowledge. The higher we climb via this dialectic, the more we rid ourselves of conditions and the better we grasp the knowledge of the non-material abstract forms (D). According to Plato, these are the forms that possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality. 2. a) How does the Form Man explain the existence of the many individual men? b) What is the nature of man and how is the individual man analogous to the state? c) What is virtue or justice in man and in the state? Plato’s theory of Forms led him to many assumptions, one of the most important of which is his view on the form of â€Å"man† and his relation to the state. He understood that no one man has ever been perfect and that each man participates in the form â€Å"man† to different degrees. Individual men are adequate copies of the true form of â€Å"man†. Plato believed that the men who participate in the form more fully are going to more real, and therefore  better, then the men who participate less. This is better explained by his philosophy of the nature of man and his analogous relationship to the state. Plato recognized the nature of man as a psyche, or soul, that was grouped into three main parts. Each of these three parts have motions proper to them that he believed, if harmonized, would lead to eudaimonia, a total well-being. The first, and lowest, part of the soul he called the appetites. The highest part Plato called reason. The third part, between appetite and reason, he called spirit. He saw the state as having three main parts as well, each corresponding to one of the three parts of the human psyche. Every state needs a governing body, whether kings or congress, so this will be the first part. The second is reserved for the essential producing class, which includes merchants, industrial workers, agriculturists, and so on. Third, Plato held that every state needs a group, between the governing and producing classes, to maintain the state against enemies; this is the guardian group. The analogy relates the producing class to appetite in the individual, the governing class to reason, and the guardians to spirit. Plato wasn’t just satisfied with this, he wanted to know the virtues of these classes, in other words, he wanted to know what each could contribute best. Like organs in an organism’s body, Plato believed each part of the soul and state have a particular role to play in the whole; they were not discrete and complete in themselves. He thought that the function of the members of the producing class was to provide themselves and the nonproductive classes with the necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and clothing. He realized that if everybody were to be provided for sufficiently, some of the producers would have to put up with having less than others. They would have to be ready to â€Å"restrict one’s own consumption for the sake of achieving some sort of balance in the state as a whole†, thus their virtue is moderation or as Plato called it, temperance (Jones 169). The guardians, who make up the second class, must be courageous when defending the state against its enemies, thus their virtue is courage. The governors make the highest decisions in the state. They determine war or peace, educational and economic policies, and so on. To make correct decisions they require knowledge; this is their virtue. A state in which each class is performing its function is just state. Only when the rulers are making wise decisions that are executed with courage and loyalty by the guardians, and the rest of the population is exercising some restraint in its pursuit of material well being, will the citizens of the state be happy. Since the state’s three classes exactly correspond to the three parts of the soul, we are able to understand what Plato took to be their respective virtues. Just like in the state, every individual has producing part that keeps them â€Å"alive and active, a rational part that is intended to guide and direct the energy produced by the body, and a spirited part that is intended to help keep the body in order† (Jones 169). Just as the functions of the soul correspond to the state, so do its virtues. A virtuous man is temperate in satisfying his various appetites and lives a life of reason that is supported by his spirited elements. 3. a) Use the allegory of the cave to illustrate Plato’s political views. In doing so, you should b) explain how the theory of forms supports Plato’s favored form of Aristocracy (to begin with, recall the relation between individual men and the Form of man) and c) explain how the theory of Forms grounds his criticism and rejection of democracy (where in â€Å"the cave† are the Athenian democrats?where are they on the divided line? ) As we have seen, Plato uses myths and methods such as the divided line to explain his views on certain things; this is the case, too, with his views on politics. To understand these views we must examine his allegory of the cave. He said to imagine there was men in a dark cave that were chained by their necks and ankles in such a fashion that they could not move their legs or necks and could only see what was in front of them. These men had been in this cave since childhood. Higher up behind them is a fire that is separated from the prisoners by a sort of puppet-show screen. This fire and screen were used by people carrying various artificial objects, such as figures of men, animals, and other materials, to project the shadows of these objects onto the stone in front of the chained men. It was so dark that these prisoners had no clue they were not alone and if they spoke to each other, they assumed they were speaking with the projected images. Plato goes on to say, imagine if one of them were set free and forced up the steep ascent into the sunlight. He would realize that what he experienced in the cave was not as real as what actually existed. Nature and the sun would enlighten this man and therefore he would gain true knowledge of the world as it is. Plato reasoned that these men, the ones who make it out of the cave, are the men who should rule the rest. His politics were based on man being a social animal, with desires, not only for sleeping or drinking, but communicating with his fellow men in the community. Therefore, he thought communal life is good and all other human goods depend on it for any sufficient satisfaction; an individual, who is really part of the larger state, is neither complete nor himself in isolation. If the good life for the individual is possible only by community, then there must be some sort of government to give direction to the numbers of men and women who live and work together. Plato believed that the few who are wise and good should rule the many. As his theory of Forms suggests, all men participate to the form of man to different degrees. He thought that the few men who participate at the highest levels of the form, the most knowledgeable that have exited the cave and been enlightened, are the ones best for ruling, and doing so rationally; the many are lacking in knowledge and virtue. Plato favored an Aristocracy ruled by these knowledgeable philosopher-kings who would impose the temperance on the producers through selective education and controlled propaganda. Each person, in his view, would find their happiness by playing the part in the state that their degree of participation to the form of man best suited them for. Plato therefore criticized democracy because instead of philosopher-kings who have true knowledge, the rulers are chosen on irrelevant grounds. The art of ruling, which he thought to determine what is best, became in democracy the art of appealing to the masses with flattery. Plato believed that in a democracy it is impossible to exit the cave or rise to the highest section of the divided line because it is powered by rhetoric. Rhetoric works at the level of opinion and only invokes belief by emotional mean, rather than operating at the level of knowledge, where analyzing the forms allows us to discover the truth.

Inflation Control by Government of UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Inflation Control by Government of UK - Essay Example This heaving inflation delayed diverted central banks plus stalled them from lessening interest rates to assist in relieving the credit crunch. In spite of all of the above during January, the depression was expected. The predictions for 2009 are bleak: Alistair Darling declared of late that the government had misjudged the severity of it. On the other hand, a more positive school of reflection says that the nastiest of the depression perhaps might be over. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my professor for all the support, assistance and advice all along. I would also like to thank my family and friends, who also encouraged me and motivated me at every step. This report helped get into the crux of the issue, i was also able to analyze the situation from the government and the Publics perspective. The world economy has been considerably exaggerated by the monetary crisis plus analysis are the nastiest given that the Great Depression. Already, the largest developed countries, notably those where the crisis originated, have entered into recession. Drop over to the supplementary countries was primarily minute; however a lot of bussing economies are currently facing it tough. The suppositions regarding a decoupling of these economies have without a doubt demonstrated off beam. 1.1 The emergent countries: These emerging countries too are facing the influences of the calamity, which will interrupt moreover in a lot cases overturn the accomplishment of the Millennium Development purposes, together with the civilized work for all. This is of fastidious concern provided that, even during the pre calamity phase, the development outlines within specific areas, particularly within the United Kingdom, making way towards the insignificant decline within poverty. The civilized living also working state of affairs still remain out of acess for a lot of individuals .Most significantly, the crisis has made it right through the valid economy by resources of three equally strengthening diffusion channels, explicitly: the restricted accessibility of credit for the working capital, trade funding and feasible investments within the real economy , implying the credit crunch ; vigilant cost decisions, leaning towards the minor side of the yield, service and costs, in turn distressing assurance amongst th e customers and

Paper according to readings [around 10 readings] Essay

Paper according to readings [around 10 readings] - Essay Example Third world Marxism paved the way for a multiracial movement from what developed as a deeply segregated U.S. left. In all aspects, it was Third World Marxism proved to be the best framework for converting ideologies of greats like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King into an ideological revolution. The fear is that the less developed countries are looking for vengeance against Europe. The Europe in response, won’t divide reformist forces leading the mankind to delight by flaunting the threat of a Third World. The threat that rises like a tide to engulf the whole of Europe. This notion is false! They want cooperation from them, so they can help rehabilitate the regions they kept in slavery for centuries. So even if they consider it a   repudiation to amend what they had done previously   keeping colonies of the area which are the third world the third world countries,  it will help them in many ways.   Opposition to oppression is a constant aspect of the modern world. In earlier years (before the nineteenth century) these oppressions were short-lived and hence did not affect the system very much. But later, they turned into everlasting agony for the oppressed. The movements against oppression can be categorized into two classes; replacing capitalism with socialism and replacing ethno-nationalist agenda with self-determination. However, both these movements saw state power as a crucial part of the overall agenda. It has been many years since the last world war. Despite so many conflicts occurring the world, there has not been a Third World War, the reason is more than just coincidence. The formation of the UN (even though controversial) is one of the biggest factors. But it was the resilience of the Vietnamese fueled by patriotism that defeated the US forces but the French and the Japanese before them. It is the duty of ever human to be prepared to fight for the soil. This social ideology emphasizes plurality and embraces the world

Multiculturalism Issues in Curriculum Assignment

Multiculturalism Issues in Curriculum - Assignment Example It shall also make recommendations and/or predictions for the future of this issue. Finally, it shall establish support for recommendations and/or predictions with this research. Body The multicultural curriculum has its roots in the history of multicultural education which follows the history of the US civil rights movement (Fillion, n.d). The desegregation practices during the 1950s were established in order to provide equal education for all individuals, regardless of race or any other demographic considerations. The 1960s and 1970s, desegregation practices expanded to include application in seeking equity of all students in terms of their human rights (Banks, 2000). With the focus on human rights, multicultural concerns in education were considered, recognizing the importance of establishing awareness in a culturally diverse community. The changes in the teaching curriculum came under the collective heading of multiculturalism. These changes were also apparent in Britain and in A ustralia just as they were unfolding in the US (Lynch, 1983). The educational authorities recognized the fact that the curriculum must come from the social and the ethical concepts being seen in the multicultural setting. Various references to the inherent value of all human beings were also highlighted, and this attached value was also seen in the human rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s (Lynch, 1983). In these states, the focus was on acknowledging the need for the multicultural curriculum and for teachers to support and promote such a program. Research was then carried out and workshops with teachers implemented. Such actions were able to establish that even as many resources were needed in order to â€Å"bring teachers to the level to the level of multicultural teaching acceptable to the proponents of multicultural curriculum, an emphasis must be placed on institutions of higher learning to require the incorporation of inclusionary multicultural methods and practice in the teacher certification process† (Fillion, n.d, p. 1). In effect, without any inclusionary methods in the institutions of higher learning, the multicultural curriculum could not find its place in the educational system. One of the issues in the multicultural curriculum revolves around the fact that the US is composed of different racial groups, but the educational system, including the curricula, the books, the resources, and other teaching materials are founded on White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, otherwise known as the mainstream Americans (Tiedt and Tiedt, 2000). This type of curriculum largely does not consider the experiences, the history, and the culture of other racial and ethnic groupings in the US (Banks, 1988). This type of curriculum has a negative impact on minorities as well as those belonging to the mainstream culture. This is because racism and ethnocentrism are protected and nourished under this mainstream-supported culture. A mainstream-focused curriculum has a neg ative impact on the mainstream students because it further supports their sense of superiority, misleading their understanding of their relationship with other members of society, especially the ethnic minorities (Banks, 1988). The lack of a multicultural curriculum also prevents the process of understanding concepts and information from the point of view of other cultures and races. Another issue with the