Saturday, August 31, 2019

Introduction To Duty Of Care In Health Essay

I heard you were thinking of working in the Care Profession which is excellent, I just wanted to fill you in on a few things which would help you. Health and Social Care work places have what is called a duty of care which means that you have a duty of care towards the people that you are looking after that means you must do everything you can to keep the individuals you look after safe from harm. It is not only the work place that has to prioritise the safety, welfare and interests of the individuals using the service but also the care staff. Care workers must also have a duty of care towards other staff members to ensure that all working conditions are safe and suitable to deliver the best service they can. It also means being a responsible care giver for other individuals who could be too ill or physically unable to care for themselves and requires another person to assist them on a daily basis, this could include assisting the individuals with their personal hygiene, safety, meal preparation or other medical and physical needs until they are met to the highest standards that the individual is happy with. Duty of Care affects the way people work as the employer provides policies and procedures and ways of being aware of any dangers by carrying out Risk Assessments. Social Care workers and Care organisations must do as much as possible to keep individuals safe from harm, we do these Risk Assessments by looking for either a hazard which is an actual or potential such as a chemical or process that may lead to an accident, also risks a situation that can lead to a hazard and carry the possibilities of something serious happening.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Baseball: Then and Now Essay

â€Å"The game of baseball has now become beyond question the leading feature of the outdoor sports of the United States†¦It is a game which is peculiarly suited to the American temperament and disposition:†¦ in short, the pastime suits the people, and the people suit the pastime†(Charles Peverelly, 1866). Although baseball is still America’s favorite pastime, the way it is played has changed greatly since it’s founding in the 1800’s. Baseball was originally created so there would be something the boys could do to keep busy during the summer months. Now, baseball has changed greatly because of technological and technique advancements, rule alterations, and the commercialization of the game. Since its origination in the mid 1800’s, baseball has undergone many changes and advancements in technology and technique. When it was first played, there was no such thing as a glove used to help catch the ball. The fielders would play bare-handed, making line drives automatic hits and ground balls even harder to handle. The bat has undergone many changes as well. Batters used to hit the ball with a bat that had a flat side. This was comparable to a cricket paddle except slightly longer and slimmer. Now, players of any age or level use bats that are cylinder shaped with a slightly wider section on the end. In the 1800’s, the general public was not as safety oriented as is today’s society. This is shown by the complete lack of helmets worn by players in the mid 1800’s. Now, helmets are required by rule to be worn by the batter when he is hitting. Helmets are made of a highly durable, shock absorbent outer shell with soft interior padding for comfort. Other advances were demonstrated by the change in pitching style and technique. The first pitchers threw two kinds of pitches: a high pitch and a low pitch. Then, they added outside and inside pitches. After that, change ups and fastballs were developed. Now, sliders, sinkers, curveballs, forkballs, screwballs, and knuckleballs are routine pitches. As a result of today’s pitchers like Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux – who throw less hittable pitches – hitting techniques have been worked on, and players have become better hitters. For  example, the first great hitters such as Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle would not be able to compete with Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds – the best batters of today. The advancements in technology and style have completely changed the way baseball is played, as have the many changes that were made to the rulebook. Since its early beginning in the mid 1800’s through 1975, baseball has developed and modified many old rules into new rules that keep the game flowing. In 1889, a rule was introduced that if four balls were thrown during the span of one player’s at-bat, the player was allowed to â€Å"walk† to first base. This was an immense change from the old rule, which stated that if nine pitches total were thrown during the at-bat, the hitter would â€Å"walk† to first base. Also that year, the batter could be thrown only three strikes before he was called out. In 1969, a standard strike zone was added that included the area from the batter’s armpits to the top of his knees. These three rules eliminated the lengthy at bats that slowed down the game, standardized play, and made less room for controversial called strikes or balls. Not only were changes made in the playing rules, there were also many changes in the equipment rules. In 1889, the catcher was allowed to wear a padded leather mitt and a chest protector. This rule made being the catcher more bearable. By 1893, bat size and shape was enforced, and in 1975, the last change was made; the baseball could be covered with cowhide because of the shortage of horses. Because of the plethora of changes that were made to the rulebook, baseball today contrasts baseball in the 1800’s. The most explicit cause of the changes in baseball is the amount of commercialization that occurs today. The professional baseball players of today are shown on TV and in newspapers; their replica jerseys are sold at around $70 per item; and the players make an average of $600,000 per year. Compared to the absence of salary until the 1920’s, this is a major difference. In 1922, Babe Ruth made $50,000 in 1989, Kirby Puckett made $3,000,000 and in 2000, Alex Rodriguez made $27,000,000. Many players of today play for money, not for their love of the game like they used to. This shows that baseball is no longer a game, but a job. Another change is the publicity baseball receives. Stadiums today can hold as many as 62,409 people (Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia). The first ball parks did not even have a place for spectators to watch. Not only do professional stadiums attract viewers, but they attract salesmen and the media. For example, Hormel ® does not provide 7th inning stretch entertainment to show their support for baseball; they do it simply to advertise to a very large crowd for a very small price. Baseball today has grown rapidly into a target for cheap advertising and money-making. With the emphasis and importance of baseball on Americans’ lives today, it has rapidly grown into America’s favorite pastime. Through technological and technique advancements, rule alterations, and the commercialization of the game, baseball has changed greatly from the unorganized backyard game into America’s favorite pastime. â€Å"I think Little League Baseball is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house.† (Yogi Berra, 1954)

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Which Is Better: A Dual Degree or a Double Major?

Choosing a career path is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your college journey. While a majority of students have a tough enough time choosing just one major, there are an increasing number of students who are deciding to pursue dual degrees and double majors. For these students, this choice must be weighed carefully. Is it better to work towards a dual degree or should you double major instead? This post will answer questions most commonly asked about the differences between a dual degree and double major, discuss the pros and cons of both, and provide insight on what is the best option for you as you embark on your college journey and ultimately your career path. When you receive a dual degree, you essentially receive two degrees. These could be either two bachelor’s degrees, such as a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts, or a bachelor’s degree and an advanced degree, such as a B.A. and an M.A., simultaneously. Often, candidates receive the dual degree in less than the amount of time it would generally take to receive two degrees consecutively and independently, although that’s not always the case. Some schools offer joint degree programs that enable students to receive a dual degree upon completion. One example of of a dual degree program in which students receive two bachelor’s degrees is the University of Pennsylvania ’s Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business, in which participants earn a B.A. in International Studies from the School of Arts and Sciences and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School. Some schools offer joint degrees with art schools or conservatories. For instance, Columbia and Juilliard offer a program in which students receive a bachelor of music in addition to a B.A. or BS.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Apply The Prescribed Ethical Decimation Making Model (P.30 ) Using The Essay

Apply The Prescribed Ethical Decimation Making Model (P.30 ) Using The case California Parks Department Scandal - Essay Example In his model, Cooper further explains the consequences of the individual decisions and alternatives. In fact, Cooper is very clear that the consequences are in four broad categories, that is, Moral Rule, Ethical Principle, Rehearsal of Defenses, and Anticipatory Self-Appraisal (Cooper, 2012). These are the virtues that an individual holds, in most cases they are propelled by religious convictions, evolution of the conscience, and the fear of being caught and being exposed. Lopez was faced with an ethical problem whose first alternative would have had a moral rule that he had a criminal record in the past and he in that he participated in hiding the parks funds. In whatever way the Lopez would try to justify his deeds, the moral judgment in either case would be that he be fired and prosecuted for having a hand in mismanaging public money. It was apparent that Lopez even had a share of the funds for himself. Ethical principles by far falls under the category of the outlined codes of conducts in this case those of a public officer. In fact, these codes are extensively spelt out in the constitution, which public officers must obey or else be prosecuted. It is expected that any public officer is conversant with these laid down guidelines. As such, Lopez acted contrary to the ethical codes he is expected to safeguard and uphold. Consequently, being delegated for such an office is an honor and the public officer is expected to serve the public’s interest first rather than act on personal gains. Lopez, has the alternatives named earlier, however, whatever alternative he chooses will lead to on ethical principle consequence; be fired from holding any public office and be prosecuted for acting centrally to the ethical codes knowingly. In this element the administrators is expected to asses and align the alternatives they have and this should be guided by the norms of the organization as well as the involved political forces. The results of cases that are

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Comparison Between Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Essay

Comparison Between Macroeconomic and Microeconomic - Essay Example Macroeconomics also analyses some sub aggregates like spending on consumptions and investments and their components. These are also treated to be the components of GDP or Gross Domestic Product. The effect of fiscal as well as monetary policy is under the purview of macroeconomics. It can be characterized as modeling of sectors on the basis of some micro components. The factors that can shed its impact on the long term growth prospects as well as can affect the level of national income fall under the domain of macroeconomics. The factors that have such kind of potential include modifications in technology, the rate of capital accumulation and augmentation of the labor force (Cencini, 2005, p. 2). The models of macroeconomics can be used to find out the trends in some specific sector and forecast or anticipate the future results. These forecasted results determined using those models are used by the government as well as for the large ownership corporations as this kind of analysis wi ll help them in their path of development and build new strategies of business that suites their purpose. Some of the famous macroeconomic models include Aggregate demand, the Aggregate supply model and the ISLM model. The once divided fields of monetary policy and the business cycles led to the emergence of macroeconomics. The contribution of J.M. Keynes to macroeconomics cannot be ignored. His book â€Å"General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money† depicts the key concepts of macroeconomics. He offered a modern theory of economics which dealt with the problem on why the market is not clear and eventually a school of economists evolved who seemed to follow the Keynesian theory (Andolfatto, 2005, p. 2). Microeconomics deals with the basic elements in the economy. The households and the firms are treated to be the agents involved in the circle of microeconomics.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Capital Expenditure Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capital Expenditure Analysis - Research Paper Example Is this a good investment There are four calculations one could use to answer this question: (1) payback, (2) discounted cash flow, (3) internal rate of return, and (4) opportunity cost. But before one could make these calculations, two other sets of information are needed. First, the alternative financing schemes for the project are identified: (1) all equity, (2) all-debt, or (3) a combination of debt and equity. Second, the following variables need to be determined: (1) discount rate, (2) inflation rate, (3) risk-free rate of return, and (4) loan rate. An important set of assumptions can also be made: taxes, depreciation, and the costs of improvements and operations would be disregarded in this first stage of evaluating the alternatives. An all-equity purchase means the property will be paid for in cash from personal savings or investments. In this option, the buyer withdraws $360,000 from savings or puts together one or more investors (friends or relatives) to pay the property owner this amount. An all-debt purchase means borrowing the full amount of $360,000 from the bank at a certain loan interest rate. One problem is finding a bank willing to lend the full amount of the property, not impossible given the way property prices are rising, but neither easy. The other is getting a loan maturity of five years or more to coincide with the sale date for the property. The mixed option combines savings/investments and a loan. The buyer can combine $100,000 of his money with $100,000 from a friend and borrow $160,000 from the bank. Deciding the right equity-debt mix is tricky depending on the loan rate and whether the rate is fixed or adjustable (usually annually), because rising rates would affect the cash flow. Variables There are four variables to be inputted into the formulas for the investment analysis. The (1) discount rate, which reflects the time value of money, is needed for discounted cash flow calculations. The (2) risk-free and (3) inflation rates are needed for opportunity cost calculations. We also need the risk-free rate and the (4) loan rate for the discounted cash flow and internal rate of return analysis as these affect the cash flow. The risk-free rate is the rate of return of a risk-free investment such as a Treasury Note or Bond, and acts as the benchmark for banks and businessmen in determining whether a project is worth the risk of the investment. If a risky investment gives the same return as the risk-free rate, it would not be attractive as an investor would expect to be compensated for higher investment risk. Looking at the updated statistics in the latest issue of The Economist (2007: 105), the risk-free rate, using the return for five-year Treasury Notes, ranges from 4.9% to 6.4%. The inflation rate is important because it "eats up" the value of money. If an investment gives only a return equal to the risk-free rate, the investor ends up losing money due to inflation. Therefore, the inflation rate has to be included in calculating the discount rate to ensure that the calculations take inflation into account. The table shows inflation ranging from 2.4% to 2.7%. The loan rate is the annual interest a bank charges from borrowers and may differ for each bank depending on several factors that are complex to enumerate. However, the loan rate is normally close to or between the discount and risk-free rates because loans are risky for banks (so they expect higher returns) but should not be too high to discourage borrowing. Since banks get their funds from depositors willing to accept

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Find a small company that does not have a website and writing about Research Paper

Find a small company that does not have a website and writing about the benefits of a website for this company and the benefits of other uses for the the internet for this company - Research Paper Example It is essential for any business to have a website especially at this era of globalization and industrialization so as to be able to compete with the rapid changing world. Most companies have however embraced this type technology, because this is where they communicate their business mission or rather their business requirement. It enables an organization to make information about their business easily available to people and as well as their services offered and products available. Additionally, increased competition among companies producing products that satisfy the same need, has made entrepreneurs look for all possible ways so as to enjoy customer share (Diamond, 2008). A website designed professionally is necessary for such a case. In the following text am going to discuss on a sole proprietorship company. It is an auto repair and tire shop town outside Chicago in a small town (Tire Inc). When the shop was being started, the primary aim was to make it known for its quality repair. However, along the way the owner felt it would be better to satisfy customers need by selling tires. The shop has a wide variety of selection for tires so that the customer can never lack tire there. The staffs are trained and knowledgeable about tire. Therefore, they offer quality services; hence the business of tires has turned out to be more profitable than the initial business. As much as the owner wants to maintain the repair work he also wants to expand the tire business. He believes if he uses the internet he will expand his sales and also benefit from the understanding of his staffs on customer need. The management believes that the right web strategy will help the shop to improve on customer service, increase sales and also create retail outlets in other locations. It is crucial for a business to know what internet business model that is appropriate for them, so as to be able to select right internet business

Global marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global marketing - Assignment Example The partnership with industry giants such as Toyota, Porsche, BMW and Mitsubishi will give the company a competitive advantage against American cars. The automobile industry in China is very competitive and this has necessitated the need to globalize the industry. Global market of automotive is characterized with numerous competitors, which has seen the market grow tremendous for the past decade. Jamaican consumers are becoming affluent, and this makes them to be specific in the type of cars that want to purchase. The factors that consumers will take into consideration before they purchase is price, performance, brand and economical aspect. The market segment in Jamaica can be divided according to commercial and private, private cars will be characterized with aspects such as luxury and sporty while commercial cars will be characterized by economical and capacity. In an industry that has intensive competition in Jamaica, and deterring factors such as shipping the cars from China to Jamaica, it will be prudent to market Brilliance Auto Group in a holistic manner in Jamaica. Brilliance Auto Group operates in a huge macro-environment of forces that shape chances and stance threats to the company. Competitors such as Toyota, BMW, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Porsche and VW which are all foreign in Jamaica. Jamaica don’t produce its own cars, and this levels the competition with other firms. Jamaica is a developing country, and this makes it middle earning country characterized by the majority of the population using public transport. However, the country can be said to be characterized by lifestyle that will make model such as FRV, H530, M2, M2 Wagon and V5 SUV have a greater demand for the majority of the population that is keen about lifestyle. There is a stiff competition in the market from other international companies in Jamaica that offer automotive industries. The sales figure of Jamaican

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Evaluate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluate - Essay Example Evaluation Rationale The justification behind evaluation in human resource development can be attributed to instructional provision of empirical data that would be helpful in improving the outcome of the training program. Most organizations expect a better overall performance but this is attached to individual productivity. This explains the need for individual focused training that is likely to help trainees realize their unique and diverse potentials. There will be three general levels of evaluation and the first one will be perception. In this level, the recruits or employees will be initiated to develop sense of training environment where instructors use different approaches to express ideas (Piskurich, 2003). In this case, much attention will be shifted to level 2 type of evaluation which constitutes learning. This level of evaluation will be executed through administration of written test to find out the content knowledge of the trainees at the end of the program. In regard to biometric voter registration kits applications, this test may equally include practical requirement that trainees show their newly acquired skills in ease of using the kit, successfully assembling and disassembling it. The tests are taken through review by the human resource team to identify the strengths and weak points of each employee for further actions and improvement strategies. The last part and third part which is performance is critical as it will help the trainers and human resource team identify the pitfalls when the trainees have begun to undertake trials with the kit. The five W’s and H of learning as a critical aspect of training in human resource development and for the use of biometric voter registration kit is presented in the table below. Who What when where why how Perception Administered by electoral body Facilitator Measure recruits perception of the training Immediately after training session In the classroom before they leave the training program Determ ine if the recruits/staff were satisfied with the content and / or the instructor Survey Learning Administered by electoral body Facilitator Measure knowledge and skills learned in using the BVR kit Administered at the end of the training program In the classroom and on the job To ensure that recruits/staff have acquired necessary knowledge to use the kits Hands on test In class practice Performance Administered by electoral body HR Development and Training head. Measure of actual transfer of learning of assembling the BVR kit components, using it to successfully register potential electorate and disassemble after use. After the recruits finish a given stage of training On the orientation phase Determine recruits’ ability to understand and use the Biometric voter registration kit. Observation Supervisor assessment Performance checklist Evaluation Tools Level 1 Training Survey Evaluation Scale: Evaluation Scale (1) Superior (2) Excellent (3) Good (4) Fair (5) Poor The content of the module was practical and useful to my contract I will be able to use the knowledge and skills gained through this training program The content of this activity matched announced objectives The delivery method (handouts, videos and demonstration) were appropriate The instructor was

Friday, August 23, 2019

Marketing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Marketing - Term Paper Example The main strength of the Wild planet is the quality and the product pricing. All the products of the Wild Planet’s are tested several times before they come to the market for sales. The internal strength of the company is the idea generation team. They have a tremendous branding and marketing strategies which attract the kids as well the parents towards the brand. Mattel: Mattel is the market leader in the United States. While the Mattel acquired the third largest toy manufacturing company Tyco Toys Inc in 1996, the company became extremely confident over the future performance. The Barbie and the Hot Wheels are the two show stoppers in the toy market. However, the companies combined sales represented only 19 percent of the total American Toy market. (Snyder, 2002, p 14) The Mattel Inc is a giant company in the toy industry. It is rated as the biggest toymakers in the world. The main strengths are the two brands and they are the Barbie and Hot Wheels. The company’s sales are being driven by these two brands. However, Soul Mate is in manufacturing innovative toys and they don’t manufacture small scale models of cars. Mattel is a threat to any toy manufacturing company as the deep financial pockets can allow them to buy any company in the toy industry. Mattel is a big company with a global exposure. However in the United States kids are boarded with the same old Barbie and Hot Wheels cars and may be that is the reason it contributes only 19 percent in the total sales of toys in United States. The new product idea is not that strong. From the above analysis it is very clear that the Wild Planet is the main competitor for the company. To differentiate soul Mate from its competitor it is very vital to understand the strength and weakness of the competitor. The business strategy of the Soul Mate and that of the Wild Planet is more or less same. The Wild Planet sells the innovative toys like Soul Mate and some of their products are Spy gadgets, Spy

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The sense of stability Essay Example for Free

The sense of stability Essay For those who belong to communities it provides the sense of stability. The three essays chosen to support these ideas were: Garrison Keillor, A Wobegon Holiday Dinner; David Berreby, It Takes a Tribe; and John A. Hostetler, The Amish Charter. Garrison Keillor’s essay, Holiday Dinner, supports this assumption, because even thought the story states an abnormal family holiday gathering; it shows at the end â€Å"Life is good. Even when it is lousy, it still good†. Even thought bad things were possibilities by bringing the fiancà ©, due to the past holidays with the family. There was no hesitation because that would bring tradition and stability to life. David Berreby, It Takes a Tribe, it is supporting as well because â€Å"students don’t attend college, they join into tribes†, â€Å"a college campus is full of people inventing a sense of us and a sense of them†. This describes students coming to college to feel a place of belonging. That is why students join fraternities and sororities to feel a sense of them and us. John A. Hostetler, The Amish Charter, supports as well, in order to not break tradition, bright colors were not allowed or disrupt stability. For the Amish community â€Å"the fundamentals if right and wrong are made relevant in the life of the society†.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Jaguar Business Analysis

Jaguar Business Analysis This report will evaluate the strategic position of Jaguar Cars Limited and how emerging technologies might impact on this position. To achieve this, the report will look at both the internal and external environment as well as other techniques such as SWOT analysis. The internal environment will be evaluated through the use of Jaguars culture web and value chain. The external environment will be evaluated through techniques such as the PESTL diagram and the five forces diagram. A SWOT analysis of Jaguar will also be carried out; this will outline the companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Finally the report will look at emerging technologies in the motor industry and their impact on Jaguar and its strategic position outlining whether they could potentially strengthen or weaken this position. 2 Background Jaguar Cars Limited was founded by Sir William Lyons and William Walmsley in September 1922 in Blackpool and was originally known as Swallow Sidecar Company. It began life as a manufacturer of motorcycle sidecars before moving onto cars. It was not until 1945 that the name Jaguar was first used, this was due to the companys desire to avoid connotations with the German SS. [1] Jaguar went on to design and manufacture a range of sports cars, such as the XK120, in the late 1940s to early 1950s. This opened the door into motorsport for Jaguar where they went on to have a lot of success throughout the 1950s particularly in the Le Mans 24 Hour races where they won in 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1957. [2] In 1968 Jaguar merged with the British Motor Corporation which later became British Leyland, however this was not to last as Jaguar became independent once more in 1984 before being acquired by Ford in 1989. Under Fords control, Jaguar and Land Rover were brought together to form a parent company known as Jaguar Land Rover. It was during this time that Jaguar produced the XJ220 which, at the time, was the worlds fastest production car ever built. [3] From 2000-2004 Jaguar also had a racing team which competed in Formula 1, however this did not prove to be successful and the team was sold to Red Bull at the end of 2004 which later went on to become Red Bull Racing. [4] In 2008 Ford sold Jaguar Land Rover to Tata Motors. Today Jaguar and Land Rover are still closely linked together and are both headquartered in the same plant in Whitley, Coventry. Jaguar Land Rover employs around 24,000 workers across six different facilities, 10,000 of which are involved solely in Jaguar. 3 Environment 3.1 Internal The internal environment is focused solely around factors inside the company. These factors can relate to elements such as company culture, employees and management style and directly affect how the company may operate. 3.1.1 Mission Statement Vision A mission statement is a brief, to the point statement that accurately sums up what a company stands for and their reason for existing in the first place. The mission statement of Jaguar is as follows: To create and build beautiful fast cars that bring the enjoyment and exhilaration of driving to life. This mission statement leaves no doubt in the readers mind what Jaguar stands for and what their overall aim as a company is. Jaguars vision or aims stem from its history for making top of the range cars: The Jaguar Brand is founded on a long history of distinctive cars offering a unique blend of style, performance, refinement, prestige and affordability. Our aim is to build on this tradition by reinterpreting the values that made the Jaguar legend. We will be a relevant premium competitor, desired by customers for stimulating performance and captivating style. This vision outlines Jaguars overall aims and where they see themselves in the car industry. They outline that they have a history for making quality cars and that they will continue to do this. They aim to be seen as relevant and desirable by customers by offering cars that are both stylish and enjoyable to drive. 3.1.2 Culture Web The culture web is a paradigm of six elements within a companys internal environment that helps to outline the culture within the company. These six elements are stories, symbols, power structures, organisational structures, control systems and rituals and routines. The six elements of the culture web as applied to Jaguar are outlined below in figure 3.1. Stories Celebrating historic cars Jaguar often celebrate historic cars anniversaries. Job Creation Recent news of thousands of new jobs being made. Employee outings Employee team building or nights out. Symbols Jaguar logo Instantly recognisable to the general public. Quality Jaguar cars are synonymous with good quality. Cars Instantly Recognisable car design. Power structures Directors 5 directors are in charge of Jaguar. Customers Customer demand influences Jaguar. Government Jaguar must adhere to relevant legislation. Organisational Structures Directors The five directors are at the top of the chain. Hierarchical Jaguar operates under a hierarchical system with 8 levels. Chain of Command Jaguar operates under a chain of command where engineers will report to a manager who will then report to their manager etc. Control Systems Unions Unions are in place to protect employees. Quality control Jaguar has strict quality measures in place to ensure products reach customers high expectations. Responsibility Employees are responsible for their own work. Rituals Routines Shift patterns Employees work shifts eg, 9-5 every weekday. Annual reports Annual reports are produced and made available to all staff. Quality Strict quality control routines are in place. Figure 3.1 Table of Jaguars Culture. The paradigm of the culture web is the main common ground of the organisation and is at the heart of everything they do, it is often taken for granted. In Jaguars case this could be thought of as quality and professionalism as the company is highly regarded for the high quality of their cars and is a main driving factor behind their success as well as the professionalism of the staff to deliver this continuously. 3.1.3 Value Chain The value chain is a concept that describes the chain of activities within a company and helps to identify the competitive strength of the business through these activities. The chain suggests that each section is connected and thus one section performing poorly could have a detrimental effect on other sections. The value chain can be thought of as two main sections: Primary Activities These activities directly relate to producing the product, in the case of Jaguar, a car. This would involve for example gathering materials, assembly distribution of the finished product. Support Activities These activities do not directly relate to the production but nonetheless are key to success. For example human resources are responsible for staff and a failure to hire effective staff would cause production to suffer. 3.1.4 Core Competencies The core competencies within a company can be seen as areas in which the company are exceptionally good at and thus set them apart from the competition. One of Jaguars key strengths is the highly skilled and motivated workforce that they employ. This excellent workforce has a positive knock on effect for the rest of production, for example tasks such as assembly and maintenance are well done providing well built and reliable vehicles, which Jaguar is renowned for. This can be related back to Jaguars vision to produce desirable cars and it could be said that they are aiming to achieve this through the excellent staff throughout the company. 3.2 External The external environment is based on influences outwith the company. These influences could be for example competitors, buyers or suppliers. 3.2.1 PESTL Analysis A PESTL analysis looks into five key external factors that could potentially influence a company. These are Political, Economic, Social, Technological and Legal. Figure 3.4 demonstrates PESTL applied to Jaguar. (P)olitical Continuing interest in reducing carbon emissions both from vehicles and factories. Increased research into alternative fuel sources may be required. (E)conomic The current climate causing less spending. Retirement age changes. People will be less inclined to pay for higher priced cars which would cause problems due to Jaguars lack of budget cars. (S)ocial Sports cars becoming less relevant or desirable due to not being environmentally friendly. Research into making cars that are more efficient or green may be required. (T)echnological Hybrid/electric cars becoming much more commonplace. Again, Jaguar will need to develop hybrid or electric cars or risk being left behind by their competitors. (L)egal Changes in health and safety laws and regulations. Jaguar would need to adapt the way the company works to accommodate new regulations or laws. Figure 3.4: PESTL Analysis of Jaguar. 3.2.2 The Five Forces The five forces model represents the competition within the sector that Jaguar is in. The five forces include buyers, suppliers, existing competition, new competition and substitutes. Buyers The buyers are people who are willing to purchase the products and services of Jaguar. This could be through dealerships and distributors as well as other car manufacturers who may wish to use Jaguars engines in their cars. Suppliers The suppliers are people who provide Jaguar with parts or machinery to enable them to manufacture their cars. A strong established relationship between Jaguar and their suppliers is key to the companys success as it ensures raw materials or machinery can be delivered as and when Jaguar need it. Existing competition This is quite simply other car companies who operate in the luxury/sports car industry, for example Aston Martin, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Bentley and BMW to name a few. These companies all produce cars that could be seen as an alternative to a Jaguar product and thus take away buyers from Jaguar. New competition New competition could be from existing car companies who might delve into the luxury car market, this competition could come from companies such as Ford, Volkswagen or Peugeot for example. It could also come from completely brand new companies; however this is less likely due to the current climate and the need for large amounts of capital to start a business in the luxury car industry. Companies from other markets could also move into the car industry, SAAB being an example of this as they were originally a manufacturer of fighter planes before cars. [5] Substitutes These are alternatives to cars. Potential substitutes could be public transport, however due to the nature of luxury cars it could be said that this would pose a very minimal risk. Potential customers who may be looking for a high performance vehicle could be swayed by motorcycles as an alternative. 4 Strategic Position The strategic position of a company gives an indication of where it lies in its target market. This can highlight how it compares with its competitors or how its customers may view the company. 4.1 SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis can be utilised to identify the strategic position of a company and highlights four key areas that are either helpful or harmful to the companys objectives. The four key areas are strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths Jaguars strengths lie in the companys well renowned reputation for producing top of the range cars as well as its excellent staff. Jaguar also have strengths in research and development, allowing them to continually have a competitive edge over the competition. Weaknesses Jaguar are not seen as a particularly eco friendly company and this could have an increasingly negative impact on the company. As Jaguar sell high end cars, they are selling to a smaller niche market and thus missing out on tapping into the market for cheaper alternatives. Opportunities Jaguar must continue to improve upon their excellent reputation for quality if they are to maintain their competitive edge in the market. Continued research and development is a must as Jaguar have an excellent RD department and should utilise this to improve their eco-friendly image as this is becoming increasingly important in the car industry. Jaguar will look to exploit the growing Chinese market. Threats The global economic climate will continue to threaten Jaguars strategic position due to increasing fuel prices, less disposable income and changing interest rates to name but a few. Governmental regulations will also threaten Jaguar, for example, stricter emission regulations will cause Jaguar to incur additional expenditure to upgrade and improve existing products and facilities. Strengths Reputation Staff RD Weaknesses Poor eco image Niche market Opportunities Improve upon reputation for quality Development of eco-friendly cars Growing Chinese market Threats Global climate Governmental Regulations Figure 4.1 SWOT Analysis of Jaguar. 4.2 Strategic Position of Jaguar Jaguars strategy, as highlighted in their 2010-2011 annual report is as follows: The company has a multifaceted strategy to position itself as a leading manufacturer of premium vehicles offering high-quality products tailored to specific markets. The companys success is tied to its investment in product development, and is reflected in the strategic focus on capital expenditure, RD and product design. [6] The strategic position of Jaguar as can be seen through the previous analyses is strong within their target market. It can be seen that Jaguars aims to maintain this position through research and development are indeed, how they are maintaining this position in reality. If Jaguar wish to strengthen this position, however, they must improve their image as being eco-friendly. This could be achieved through their already well established research and development department. 5 Emerging Technology 5.1 Technology The technologies that are affecting not just Jaguar but the automotive industry as a whole are the variety of methods aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving eco-friendliness. One such technology which is arguably the most popular and well known is the Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology. This technology utilises the standard gasoline engine that works in conjunction with a separate electric engine. This technology is advantageous as the average consumer does not have to change their driving and refuelling routines as, on the surface, the HEV operates exactly the same as a traditional vehicle but with greatly reduced carbon emissions and greater fuel economy. There are, however, concerns over the batteries, mainly due to performance and reliability as well as concerns over toxicity. [7] Electric cars are also growing in popularity in recent years. As the name suggests these cars run entirely from electricity and, assuming the electricity is gathered from a renewable source, they are completely carbon free. Range and lack of charging stations are proving to be the technologys main stumbling block as well as overall performance of the car. [8] Another technology is the hydrogen fuel cell. Hydrogen is advantageous over typical petrol and diesel fuel sources as it does not produce any carbon dioxide emissions and, unlike electric cars, it does not greatly hinder the cars performance and range. Unfortunately, at this time, hydrogen is proving difficult to exploit in large useable quantities and there are currently no effective means of storing it. [9] Biofuels such as biodiesel are another alternative that researchers are looking into. Another replacement for standard gasolines, biofuels are often made from vegetable oils or animal fats. Many companies are already using biofuels effectively. In East Ayrshire, Stagecoach operate a fleet of Bio-Buses that run on the fuel. It has been noted that due to this Stagecoach have reduced their carbon emissions by around 2450 tonnes. A key advantage to this is that used vegetable oils can be exploited and this can be seen as a form of recycling. Although biofuels will help to reduce carbon emissions, they are not as clean as hydrogen or purely electric cars and as such, are not placed in high regard by many. [10] 5.2 Impact on Jaguar The impact these eco-friendly technologies have on Jaguar is huge. If Jaguar were to continue to produce cars in the current way they would simply lose their strategic position and be left well behind their competitors. Not only that but there could be the potential for new government regulations that could completely force them out of business, for example if the company were required by law to produce cars that did not produce above a threshold amount of carbon dioxide. Jaguar have, of course, outlined these concerns and have begun research into a variety of methods to ensure their carbon footprint is reduced as can be seen from this excerpt from their annual report 2010-2011: To comply with current and future environmental norms, the company may have to incur additional capital expenditure and RD expenditure to upgrade products and manufacturing facilities, which would have an impact on the companys cost of production and the results of operations and may be difficult to pass through to the companys customers. If the company is unable to develop commercially viable technologies within the time frames set by the new standards, the company could face significant civil penalties or be forced to restrict product offerings drastically to remain in compliance. [11] One such method is an innovative new aluminium body as opposed to the traditional steel body of most cars. Jaguar claim that using aluminium results in significant reduction in weight and thus reduced carbon emissions. Of course, being that Jaguar are renowned for producing cars that are of high performance, simply changing materials with the sole focus on reducing emissions could also be detrimental to their position. Jaguar claim that in conjunction with reduced emissions, the new material offers a stiffer body and thus better performance and handling. It can be seen that Jaguar have implemented necessary changes to reduce their carbon footprint without affecting their strategic position. It could also be argued that this has even strengthened their position by improving the performance of their vehicles. Intent on ensuring they continue to be a leader in their market, Jaguar have also began production of hybrid vehicles. Two of the first hybrid vehicles produced by Jaguar were concept cars known as the C-X75 supercar, which was unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, and the more conventional C-X16 sports car, which was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The C-X75 was built with the intent of inspiring and influencing ideas for future hybrid cars and due to its success, Jaguar have announced plans to develop a road legal variant in conjunction with the Williams F1 team in 2013. 250 cars will be built at a price of  £700,000 each and Jaguar claim that the car will boast emissions of just 99g/km. The C-X16 will also be made into a road variant at a much cheaper cost of under  £100,000. The C-X16 will boast an acceleration time of 4.4 seconds from 0-60mph and a top speed of almost 190mph. [12] It can thus be seen that Jaguar look set to overcome this major obstacle whilst still maintaining their strong position as a top quality car manufacturer. This has been achievable through their strengths in research and development. 6 Conclusion This report has successfully evaluated Jaguars strategic position and identified emerging technologies and their impact on this position. The internal environment was evaluated and showed through the culture web, value chain and core competencies that Jaguar operates very strongly and how they successfully achieve this. The mission statement and vision also showed a clear understanding of what they stood for and where they see themselves. The external environment was also evaluated and showed Jaguars position in its relevant market area. PESTL and five forces analyses were carried out to demonstrate just how strong Jaguars position in their market was. The overall strategic position was then outlined and a SWOT diagram showed Jaguars strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. Overall, Jaguar sit very comfortably as a leader in their market. Finally, emerging technologies affecting Jaguar were shown to be related to global warming and eco-friendliness. It was shown that Jaguar had taken necessary steps to combat this and maintain their strong strategic position.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Life And Work Of Euclid

The Life And Work Of Euclid While studying geometry with Euclid a youth inquired after having learned the first proposition, What do I get by learning these things? Euclid called a slave to them and said, Give him threepence, since he must make a gain out of what he learns. [8] Euclid, a Greek mathematician and teacher, changed the course of the world. Euclids work not only affected the work of other prominent scientists to come after him, but also the lives of ordinary people, which contributed to the rise of modern science in western civilization. What is perplexing is that despite him changing the course of world, we know very little about him. Unlike some other well-known historical figures, Euclids influence did not spread simply by fame. Historians dont even know his exact date of birth. To this day, we do not know which continent he was born on, much less the city. Of the little we do know about Euclid, we know that he taught in Alexandria around 300 B.C. [9], and that he wrote, amongst approximately 10 other books, arguably one of the greatest mathematical textbooks in history, The Elements. The Elements is a geometry textbook that unified all of the previously known principles of geometry. It was unique in that it was constructive in its delivery of its principles. Basically, it explained mathematic principles from the ground up and added onto what was already established. Imagine trying to study science if one concept didnt flow into the next and everything was garbled and out of order. The Elements solved this problem through careful organization and logical delivery of its principles. The Elements wasnt a revolutionary observation or a new and exciting revelation, but rather a book of brilliant deductive reasoning, analysis, and organization. The Elements was explained so well that every Geometry textbook preceding it was practically discarded, and because of this the term Euclidean wasnt necessary or used for over two thousand years because there was no other known form of geometry[17]. Concerning Euclids deductive reasoning and analysis, his axiomatic systems are most prominent. His axiomatic systems are considered to be constructive. [18] This means that he never reached any conclusions or spoke about concepts that he did not yet explain to the reader. He arranged the geometric theorems so that they flowed logically from one to the next. [9] For example, he started with the simplest of concepts such as describing a geometric point and worked his way into derived propositions. [16] More specifically he took a small number of axioms (self-evident logical truths) and deduced many other theorems from them. He even filled in the blanks whenever it was necessary by filling in the missing steps absent from others processes, and even by developing his own proofs [9]. For example, Euclid proved that it is impossible to find the largest prime number. He proved that if you were to take the largest known prime number and 1 to the product of all the prime numbers leading up to it and including it then you will get another prime number. This is accepted as being one of the classics proofs in mathematics because of how clear and concise it is. [5] Euclid put a lot of effort into making it possible for common people to understand geometry rather than just professional mathematicians. How the natural flow and style of explanation of The Elements affected the world is self-evident. Since it is easier to understand scientific concepts when they are communicated clearly and concisely and delivered in a logical order, Euclids book made it much easier for the people to acquire a complete understanding of geometry. As newborns in this world often one of the first things we get to play with are blocks of different geometric shapes. This helps us to develop our minds both visually and mathematically. Euclidean shapes are quite literally everywhere in our society. Unlike Calculus where there is usually a fixed method for solving a given problem, when it comes to geometry, using Euclidean axioms allows people to solve any one problem in several different ways. It also inspires development of problem solving skills. One of the ways Euclidean geometry has been applied and influences our day to day lives is through construction and architecture. For example, if somebody wants to construct a wooden table. If they wanted to figure out if it was square or not they could measure each corner of the table to see if it was at a 90 angle. With Euclidean Geometry, however, they would need only to measure two of the corners. The properties of right triangles within The Elements tells us that if two corners are square then the whole shape is square. This is probably very obvious to a person of our modern day, but it was not at the tme. Unless you are a mathematician you may not even know who such properties can be attributed to and just consider them common knowledge. Another, less obvious way they could have done this is to have measured the distance between two diagonal corners of the table. If the two distances are the same then the table must be a square. The latter method I have described is a common wa y for construction workers or home-improvement workers to check their work. There are countless examples of this that common people can utilize in their everyday lives with the principles of Euclidean Geometry. Euclids influence doesnt end there. Examples of Euclidean geometry can be found in modern day computer graphics. It is used in mesh generation. A mesh is basically a combination of geometric polygons or polyhedrons that create the illusion of a curve. Although the Euclidean Geometry may be widespread within western civilization, in some third world countries there are houses are constructed as lop-sided indeterminate shapes. This is a real-life example of what our architecture would have looked like without Euclids influence.[4] It is fair to say that the study of Euclids book was one of the main contributing factors to the Scientific Revolution and subsequently the rise of science in Europe rather than in Asia. The Elements made the concept of one principle being built upon another glaringly obvious and, over the course of time, it became considered common knowledge in western civilization. Of course, scientists such as Newton, Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo played significant roles as well [9], but as Sir Isaac Newton said If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants [21]. Euclids book provided for us, not just a shoulder, but an entire foundation built of giants shoulders that would have otherwise been scattered and disorganized. This solid base of knowledge allowed western civilization to reach new heights. For example, when it came to Isaac Newton and his book, Principles Of Natural Philosophy, many of his proofs were set in a geometric form similar to those found in The Elements . [12] As it is with any great work of science, The Elements allows others to build upon it or advance into new areas of discovery. Some men, such as Girolamo Saccehri, have tried to disprove or find flaws in Euclids axioms. Saccehri was an Italian mathematician who in 1733 almost discovered a form of non-Euclidean geometry. He studied for years to find a flaw in Euclids work. He was supposedly on the verge of a breakthrough but gave up before his work came to fruition. It wasnt until about a hundred years later in 1899 that a German mathematician by the name of David Hilbert found another set of geometric axioms that differed from Euclid. [13] Non-Euclidean geometry allows us to describe physical space in new ways. Following Hilbert came another German, by the name of Albert Einstein. Einstein recalls receiving two gifts that had particular influence on him as a child, one a magnetic compass, and the other Euclids The Elements. He referred to The Elements as the holy little geometry book. [3] Another example of a great scientist that was influenced by Euclid is Galileo Galilei. In his old age Galileo told his biographers that while attending the University of Pisa he would nose-drop in on lectures being given by Ostilio Ricci to the court pages on Euclid. These lectures were only available to members of the court so he would try to stay quiet whenever he attended them. His interest in Euclid got the better of him after a while and he approached Ricci to ask him questions on Euclid. Ricci noticed Galileos talent for math and eventually became his teacher. Although Galileo was supposed to be going to college to study medicine, (Galen) he secretly studied mathematics (Euclid) instead. Galileo later used Euclids Book Five, Definition Five, to show how bodies of certain arbitrary weight have weights directly proportional to their volumes. [2] This is one of the best examples how influential Euclids work was to anybody with a mind for mathematics and how he changed the course o f history by capturing the interest of a man such as Galileo. Euclids work also influenced philosophers such as Benedict Spinoza. Benedict Spinoza was a prominent philosopher of 17th century. He wrote the ambitious philosophicical book Ethics where he attempts to provide us with a coherent view of the universe and our place in it. To explain such concepts he used Euclids style of delivery complete with axioms and propositions. Speaking of the system within his book and the style in which he chose to present it in Spinoza said that it was demonstrated in geometrical order. [23] Usually philosophical books were written differently, such as Rene Descartes Meditations that was written like a diary. When it comes to mathematicians I think every mathematician alive since the time of Euclid had to have been influenced by his work in some form or another, but, of some of the most prominent mathematicians, Euclid specifically influenced the work of Bertrand Rusell, Alred North Whitehead, Blaise Pascal, Marin Mersenne , and Adrien-Marie Legendre. Interestingly enough Bertrand Russell, an English 20th century mathematician and logician, used Euclids work to push mathematics into the next level by explaining to people in his book An Essay On The Foundations Of Geometry [11] how Euclidean Geometry was being replaced by more advanced forms of geometry. Both Russell and Whitehead were co-authored the epoch Principia Mathmatica in which they referenced Euclid a number of times as evidence in their work. Pascal, a 17th century French mathematician, received a copy of Euclids Elements as a boy and before the age of 13 he had proven the 32nd proposition of Euclid and discovered a flaw in Rene Descartes geometry [25]. Mersenne, also a 17th century French mathematician, used Euclids proof on prime numbers to develop his own ways or forms as they are called, making it even easier to find large prime numbers. Prime numbers are important to modern day society because they are used in cryptographic software security systems. Basically, large prime numbers can be implemented into coding schemes that are difficult to break. Legendre, a 19th century French mathematician, wrote his most famous book Elà ©ments de Gà ©omà ©trie based entirely off of The Elements. In it he sought to simplify Euclids propositions even further. Elà ©ments de Gà ©omà ©trie was used in elementary school classrooms for over a 100 years. [13][24][6] Euclid influenced politicians such as Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln, as a lawyer traveling on horseback would carry a copy of Euclids Elements in his saddlebag. According to his law partner, at night Lincoln would lay on the floor for hours at night studying Euclids Elements by lamplight. [5] He was a great admirer of the logical delivery of information that The Elements contained and used Euclids systematic approach in many of his speeches. It is no coincidence that the phrase dedicated to the proposition bears such striking similarities to Euclids axioms. Lincoln, speaking of his study of Euclid, said, In the course of my law reading I constantly came upon the word demonstrate. I thought at first that I understood its meaning, but soon became satisfied that I did not. I said to myself, What do I do when I demonstrate more than when I reason or prove? How does demonstration differ from any other proof? I consulted Websters Dictionary. They told of certain proof, proof beyond the possibility of doubt; but I could form no idea of what sort of proof that was. I thought a great many things were proved beyond the possibility of doubt, without recourse to any such extraordinary process of reasoning as I understood demonstration to be. I consulted all the dictionaries and books of reference I could find, but with no better results. You might as well have defined blue to a blind man. At last I said,- Lincoln, you never can make a lawyer if you do not understand what demonstrate means; and I left my situation in Springfield, went home to my fathers house, and stayed there till I could give any proposition in the six books of Euclid at sight. I then found out what demonstrate means, and went back to my law studies. [1][5] The astronomers Johannes Kepler and Nicolaus Copernicus were also influenced by Euclids work. When it came to Keplers approach to astronomy he depended almost entirely on Euclid. Kepler, much like Galileo studied Euclid while attending a university (Tà ¼bingen). Kepler was a devout Lutheran and considered Euclid geometry to be the only geometry that could be applied to the heavens and refused to use any other form of geometry because he considered such forms to be heretical. He developed a proof of concerning planetary motion based entirely off propositions found in The Elements [22]. Copernicus used Euclids work on optics as evidence in his book On The Revolutions Of The Celestial Spheres which was considered the starting point of modern astronomy and the defining epiphany that began the scientific revolution. All these great men of science were not able to use Euclids work as evidence simply because he was well known or famous for doing something exciting and spectacular. It was the intellectual quality of Euclids work that made the difference. We dont know enough about Euclid to either love him nor hate him and unless you happen to be a mathematician, his work is undoubtedly not awe inspiring. Nevertheless, Euclid still managed to affect some of the most important figures of the Scientific Revolution by setting the foundations necessary for the development of modern science. Sources: 1. The Lincoln year book, written by Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, passage 32 2. Galileo at Work: His Scientific Biography, written by Stillman Drake, pages 2-3 3. Einstein as a Student, written by Dudley Herschbach, page 3 4. How To Use Euclidean Geometry, written by Henri Bauholz, http://www.ehow.com/how_4461018_use-euclidean-geometry.html 5. Euclid, Math Open Reference, http://www.mathopenref.com/euclid.html 6. Great Scientists: from Euclid to Stephen Hawking, written by John Farndon, 2007 7. A Chronicle of Mathematical People, written by Robert A. Nowlan 8. Geometry Quotes, History of Mathematics Archive, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~john/MT4521/Lectures/Q1.html 9. The 100: A Ranking Of The Most Influential Persons In History, written by Michael H. Hart, 2000 10. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Euclid 11. The Teaching of Euclid, written by Bertrand Russell, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Extras/Russell_Euclid.html 12. Isaac Newton, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton 13. Mathematicians Are People, Too: Stories from the Lives of Great Mathematicians, written by Luetta Reimer Wilbert Reimer, 1990 14. The Beginnings of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Context, Prehistory to A.D. 1450, written by David C. Lindberg, 2008 15. Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers, written by Jan Gulberg, 1996 16. Euclids Elements, written by D.E. Joyce, http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/elements.html 17. Euclid, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid 18. Axiomatic Systems for Geometry, written by George Francis, 2002 19. The Thirteen Books of the Elements, written by Euclid / Thomas L. Heath 20. Mathmatical Thought, University of Arkansas, http://math2033.uark.edu/wiki/index.php/EuclidHYPERLINK http://math2033.uark.edu/wiki/index.php/Euclids_ElementsHYPERLINK http://math2033.uark.edu/wiki/index.php/Euclids_Elementss_Elements 21. Newton: Understanding the Cosmos, New Horizons, Letter from Isaac Newton to Robert Hooke, 1676, as transcribed by Jean-Pierre Maury, 1992 22. KEPLERS PLANETARY LAWS, written by A. E. Davis, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/HistTopics/Keplers_laws.html 23. Spinoza and Jefferson, The Teaching Community, http://teachingcompany.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2147 24. A History of Mathematics, written by Carl B. Boyer, 1985 25. The History of Computing Project, Blaise Pascal, http://www.thocp.net/biographies/pascal_blaise.html

Monday, August 19, 2019

Humor in Chaucers The Millers Tale Essay examples -- Comic Effect in

Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" should be tragic, because a lot of horrible things happen to the characters. The carpenter's wife is disloyal to him, sleeping with others and making fun of him with Nicholas. Also, he is depicted as a fool. However, readers get a humorous feeling from the story, rather than feeling sorry for the carpenter's unfair life. Chaucer makes the whole story come across as comic rather than tragic. This humor is created by the Miller's narration, the use of irony, the cartoon-like characters, and the twists of plot. These elements combine to produce an emotional distance which enhances the comic effect. The narrator is the first element of humor Chaucer uses in his story. The Miller is rude and drunk but generally a jolly fellow. This sets the tone of story as being fun and even a bit coarse, just like the Miller himself. He tells a few jokes before he tells his story: "One shouldn't be two inquisitive in life? / Either about God's secrets or one's wife. / You'll find God's plenty all you could desire"(53). As well, the Miller wants to punish the Reeve, a ...

God :: essays research papers

Anthropomorphism is defined as attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. The Bible teaches many lessons for life, including how to be a good parent. In Genesis, the first book of The Bible, God is given human motivation, characteristics, and behaviors of a father. God sets rules and limits, he protects and provides for his people, and he punishes his people. In the beginning, God creates the world. He separates the dark from the light, the oceans from the dry lands; he creates all wildlife, animals and people. The story starts in the Garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve are living. God sets one rule for them and it is to not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Although there is only one rule set on them, both Adam and Eve both disobey it and eat of the tree. Another rule that is set by God is that nobody is to kill Cain. Cain murders his brother Abel and God puts a mark on Cain. This mark is to let people know that he is a murderer and if anyone kills him â€Å"vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.† In Genesis 9:6, God says, â€Å"Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.† This is saying that if a man kills someone else, then that man will be killed. This is another rule that God sets, even though there are other parts in The Bible that will contradict this. God protects and provides for everyone and everything that he has created. When God creates the first man, Adam, he decides that he should provide him with a wife. He removes a rib from Adams body and out of it, he creates Eve, Adams wife. God provides Adam and Eve with everything they need while they are in the Garden of Eden. All their food sources come from the wildlife around them. Food from the trees, drinks from the rivers, anything they need, they had. When God sees that the entire world is turning wicked, he wants to punish them, but also protect the one righteous family that he knows of. He also wants to protect all species of animals. He tells Noah to build an ark, and to bring on it: his wife, his three sons and their wives, and a pair of every animal. By doing this, God protects this family and all of the animals from total destruction. To be a

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Home Schooling is Not the Best Option Essay example -- Argumentative P

Home Schooling is Not the Best Option For those of us who have never been exposed into the world of home schooling, it carries a certain mystique. We might envision a family alternating between algebra and Bible study, keeping a safe distance from the rampant worldliness in schools. Or perhaps we see children sitting around the kitchen table practicing spelling while mother supervises. Despite these traditional images, home schooling is growing and gaining respect. This is due in part to high profile success stories like home schoolers finishing first, second and third in the 2000 Scripps - Howard National Spelling Bee or the Colfax family in California who sent three sons to Harvard. However, home schooling raises many questions including issues of academics, socialization, and religion. Thus, despite the significant growth and special cases where home schooling is deemed necessary, I propose that it is not the strongest alternative for a child's education. The idea and practice of home schooling are not new. For centuries children have learned outside of formals school settings, even when schools were readily available. It was not until the 1950s that the contemporary home schooling movement began as a liberal, not conservative, alternative to public school (Lines 1/8). According to Patricia Lines, a senior research analyst for the U.S. Department of Education, schools were too rigidly conservative for a handful of families in the fifties and sixties who instead pursued the liberal philosophy that the best learning takes place without an established curriculum, and that the child should pursue his or her own interests with the support and encouragement of parents and other adults (2/8). Then, in the 1980s many conse... ...ek 5 Oct. 1998: 64-71. Kleiner, Carolyn, and Mary Lord. "Home School Comes of Age." U.S. News and World Report 16 Oct. 2000: 52-55. Paulson, Amanda. "Where the School Is." Christian Science Monitor 10 Oct. 2000: 18-22. Rakestraw, Jennie, and Donald Rakestraw. "Home Schooling: A Question of Quality, an Issue of Rights." Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Childhood and Society. Eds. Robert and Diana DelCampo. Guilford, CN: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1995. 274-281. Rudner, Lawerence M. Abstract. "The Scholastic Acievement of Home School Students in 1998." Education Policy Analysis Archives. 7.8 (1999). Date Accessed 22 Nov 2000. http://olam.ed.asu.edu/epaa/abs7.html. "Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschooling." Home School Legal Defense Association. www.hslda.org 16 Nov 2000. http://www.hslda.org/media/faqs/index.stm.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Articles of Confederations Fails Essay

In order for a country to work to its fullest potential, it needs a great government. This government needs to do three important tasks. It needs to set up laws, enforce the laws, and provide many different services. Also, it needs to make sure it brings everyone together. Finally, if the government has a problem it should be able to be fixed easily. When the 13 colonies had the Articles of Confederation it couldn’t do many of the things it was supposed to do, thus it failed as a government. First, the Articles couldn’t fulfill the purposes of government like it was supposed to. They were supposed to set up many laws to keep the states and the country as a whole in order. They couldn’t do that; so instead the states made up their own rules and followed them. That also caused the states to become more independent. Also, since there were no laws, that means that the government couldn’t enforce any laws. Although, it could provide some services, but that was the only purpose the government could fulfill. Who wants a government that can’t do what it was meant to do? The Articles didn’t fulfill the purposes of government and that is why it failed as a government. Next, a strong a government can bring it’s entire nation together, unlike the Articles of Confederation. Nobody in the states really liked or agreed with the Articles. The 13 different states started making up their own rules and just followed them. This caused separation between the states, which was not good in the least bit. In order to have a good country, it is much better if the government can unite everyone. The Articles of Confederations couldn’t bring it’s nation together, so it failed as a government. Finally, the Articles couldn’t been fixed easily. It took all the 13 states to agree on something to be fixed within the Articles. If one state didn’t want a change it didn’t happen. That means that it would be very hard to fix anything with the government. The Articles could not fix itself for fulfilling the purposes of government or uniting the country. For a country starting out with its first government, they should’ve have known there were probably going to be problems. Usually, the first time you try something it doesn’t work out perfectly. With that, they should have made a way to easily fix the Articles, but they could not. With this huge problem, the United States definitely needed a change of government. The Articles of Confederation could not easily be fixed, a final reason to why it failed as a government. We had the Articles, for many reasons. They could not fulfill the purposes of government under it. Also, we couldn’t bring all the 13 states together as a nation, protect the people of the country, or fix the problems of government with ease. The states needed all of those items to become a great country. Instead, it caused many problems for the people of the states. In conclusion, the Articles of Confederation were overturned for the greater good.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Compare and Contrast Gibson’s and Gregory’s theories of perception

Gibson’s and Gregory’s theories of perception both suggest that eye-retina is important for perception. The both believe that without eye-retina, a person will not be able to see. This is a common view of both of the theories of perception. The idea is supported by the case of SB. SB was a man who had been blind from birth due to cataracts. When he was 52, he had an operation which restored his sight and hence he could see. Thus, this case has shown the importance of eye-retina for things to be perceived.And therefore, supports both of theories of perception which eye-retina is essential for perception. Gibson believes in the direct theories of perception which he used the theory of bottom-up processing to explain visual illusions whereas Gregory believes in the indirect theories of perception and he used the theory of top-down processing to explain visual illusions. The bottom-up are based on the assumption that we work upwards in our analysis of the visual world form basic sensory inputs at the bottom level towards the higher, more cognitive levels of the brain.The top-down processing theories are based on the assumption that we can only perceive our visual world accurately if we use stored knowledge and problem-solving skills. Thus, there are differences between their theories of perception. Gregory’s indirect theory of perception and Gibson’s direction theory of perception had led to the debate of nature-nurture. This is a big debate in Psychology whether perception is determined by genetics as proposed by Gibson’s theory or whether it is learnt or determined by upbringing and social context as proposed by Gregory’s theory.On the one hand, Nativists think that nature is more important factor which people are the products of their genetics and that we are born with certain behaviours. On the other hand, empiricists think that experience and nurture is the more important factor. They think that situational factors and upbringing have a greater influence on outcome. An eclectic approach might show that it is an interaction between nature and nurture and that neither side can tell the full story. It may be that a genetic predisposition to perception exists, but that situational factors also have to be in place for it to develop.Apart from the above, there are a few more differences between Gibson’s and Gregory’s theories of perception. Gregory believes that additional processing is required for perception which some forms of background knowledge is needed to make sense of the environment than just the sensory input while Gibson believes that perception is part of an inbuilt adaptive mechanism for survival which does not rely on stored knowledge or past experience. Gregory believes that expectations have an impact on perceptions which Gibson disagrees.There is empirical evidence supporting the idea of Gregory, and this comes from a study carried out by Simons and Levin. 50% of the par ticipants failed to realise that there was a switch of people. This is probably due to the fact that the participants had not expected a change of person. Hence, they were unable to perceive it. Furthermore, a study carried out by Selfridge also supports the idea of Gregory. Selfridge’s study demonstrates that our perceptions are mediated by our expectations as people are able to read the figures as ‘’the cat’’.This is because people have the expectations of the cat as they are words in common usage. These studies have shown that people saw what they have been expecting to see. Thus, the study demonstrates that expectations affect perception. And hence suggest that Gregory’s theory of perception might be right instead of Gibson’s. Gregory also suggests that we use context for our perceptions which Gibson disagrees. There are supporting evidences for Gregory’s assumptions. Selfridge’s study has shown context effects on vis ual perception. This study suggests that context aids perception.Similarly, Boring has demonstrated the use of top-down processing as well as the fact that context influences visual perception. These two studies demonstrate that visual perception is influenced by context. In addition, Gregory’s idea is supported by the study carried out by Warren which context influences auditory perception as well. The participants used context to hear the word in the sentence entirely. This shows the importance of context which helps to fill in the missing words. These findings suggested that it may be true that context is necessary for perception to occur successfully.These studies support Gregory’s theory instead of Gibson’s. Furthermore, Gregory’s theory explains how we can make errors in perception. For instance, we do not necessarily see spelling errors in our written work as we word- through-context. Besides, Gregory suggests that we use stored knowledge and past experience to make sense of our visual environment which Gibson does not agree. Moreover, Gregory suggested that some forms of background knowledge, through learning, are needed to make sense of the environment than just the sensory input as suggested by Gibson.Gregory said that, when looking at the Muller-Lyer figure, the line on the left looks longer than that on the right. He believed that this was because we were using top-down processing and assuming that the figure on the left is like the corner of a room that we are in, while the figure on the right is like the corner of a building seen from the outside. Hence, this suggested that we use context for our perceptions. He also pointed to the idea of the hollow mask. When we see a hollow mask from the inside, we perceive it as pointing outwards, because this is what we are used to.However, there are problems with Gregory’s outlook. Firstly, if we take a derivation of the Muller-Lyer illusion and replace the arrows with cir cles, we can see that the effect still holds, even though we could not possibly be imagining the corners of rooms or buildings, etc. Thus, Gregory’s assumption of the theory of perception might be wrong. Furthermore, Gibson argues that information form visual illusions should not be used because it is a fake stimulus that could not happen in the real world which suggested that the theory cannot be applied in real life situation.However, visual illusions do happen in real life such as trains and car wash. Even so, Gibson believes in the direct theory of perception which is an opposing theory to Gregory’s. He believes that we do not need prior knowledge to perceive objects correctly. Gibson suggests that perception is shaped by biological inheritance instead of what Gregory has suggested. According to Warren and Hannon, participants were able to make judgements about direction using dots which support Gibson’s optic flow patterns.And this demonstrates that Gibsonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s theory might be right instead of Gregory’s. However, study carried out by Lee and Lishman has shown that adults have more experiences about the world than children and thus has cast doubt upon Gibson’s theory. Also, a study carried Hahn, Anderson and Saidpour has demonstrated that regardless of which condition the participants were, they could tell direction and movement. And this finding goes against Gibson’s idea of optic flow. Thus, Gibson’s theory might not be right, instead, Gregory’s theory might be more realistic.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Milk Powder in China Essay

Firstly, the customers of Milk powder market in China can be devided in to three parts.Which are high income, working-class,and low income. In China now, most of young parents pay most of their attention to children’s health. They often look foreign goods like food and clothes for children. but not everyone has ablity As mentioned above, our milk powder will be easily accepted by the young parents who are highly educated, and have high income due to its high quanlity and the suitble for asian babies in demographics. In psychographics, as we know, resently, most of Chinese milk powder has been checked out Melamine that can lead to kidney stones. Young parents have lost confidence in the manufacturing of milk powder. More and more people try to purchase foreign milk powder for baby no matter how expensive it is. But most of them buy it from internet by someone who can buy the powder derectly in the country of origin, it will pay lots attention and more money. This is a reminder that we can use this mind to develop our Chinese market. In the past , most Chinese parents buy milk powder which was advertised well, they thought the products that film star recommended would be high quantity. Facts had proved that it would not work. People have lost their confidence on advertisment. It is a problem for us how to promote our milk powder. If we over- used advertisement, it may cause resentment from parents. Some other people will buy milk powder which is recommended by friends or experts from China and other countries. According to the above analysis. We can use concentrated global marketing srtategy. As have related we must use single marketing mix to suit the customer Our milk powder is expensive, not everyone has ability r to bear the expense. So our customer groups is who have high income and highly educated and think baby’s health is the most important thing they have concerned. This part will have little family of hostility, at least they will firstly consider the needs of their baby.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Ideology vs. united church of Canada’s advertisement Essay

Ideology is a ‘Representation’ of the Imaginary Relationship of Individuals to their Real Conditions of Existence — Louis Althusser, 1970 Many companies use advertisement as their way of attracting customers. They tend to create ideological perspective within their advertisements to show their stand on the society’s standards. Most of the time, advertisements are made for women. If men and babies’ needs were advertised, women are still part of it. It shows that in the ideology of the society, women are the determiner or the decision-maker of what should be use as a necessity or luxury. This is what advertisement for, it radicalize the essence of what is important and necessary. Advertising is significant because, in consumer capitalism, individuals depend on it for meanings — a source of social information embedded in commodities that mediate interpersonal relations and personal identity. Advertising should therefore be conceived as an important institution in the consumer society because it produces â€Å"patterned systems of meaning† which play a key role in individual socialization and social reproduction. However, in the context of ideology and advertisement as a whole, advertisements are made because we want to prove something or we want to impose a law on a certain aspect of the society. Through this, we could be able to spread our ideas and perspectives towards different issues and arguments that exist in the society today. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze a certain advertisement in connection to the Ideological State Apparatus of Louis Althusser to determine its meaning and rationalization. The chosen advertisement is a child advertisement. The advertisement showed a picture of a baby with a medical wristband stating â€Å"WARNING: some re-assembly of priorities and beliefs may be required. † This advertisement suggests that parenthood is not an easy thing. As parents, people tend to view life more seriously. Once a baby is born, everything will change not according to plan but according to responsibility. Wandercafe. ca stated in the advertisement that â€Å"parenthood changes everything – including how you view the world. † Most often, this scenario happens if the baby is a wanted child because if it is not, parents tend to disregard their responsibility towards their children especially the fathers. Nevertheless, being a parent is a gift from God as we all know. In the perspective of the society and our culture, we view parenthood as a form of required responsibility. Once a child is born, we need to settle our priorities as based on the needs of the child and would not focus on our necessities and luxuries. In poor families, even if the parents could not eat, as long as their child has its milk, problem would not exist. This situation shows that parents can do everything and anything just to make their child safe and healthy. This is what the advertisement is trying to impose – parenthood is an obligation that should be taken into consideration because it requires re-assemble of priorities and beliefs. In the perspective of ideology and advertisement, this advertisement can be said as part of the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA). According to Louis Althusser (1970), an Ideological State Apparatus is a certain number of realities which present themselves to the immediate observer in the form of distinct and specialized institution. Because the advertisement came from the people of the United Church of Canada, it can be said as a religious Ideological State Apparatus. He also stated that the distinction of ISAs from (Repressive) State Apparatus is that the Repressive State Apparatus functions ‘by violence’, whereas the ideology State Apparatus function ‘by ideology’. This is the fact that the (Repressive) State Apparatus functions massively and predominantly by repression (including physical repression), while functioning secondarily by ideology. (There is no such thing as a purely repressive apparatus.)†¦ In the same way, but inversely, it is essential to say that for their part the Ideological State Apparatuses function massively and predominantly by ideology, but they also function secondarily by repression, even if ultimately, but only ultimately, this is very attenuated and concealed, even symbolic. (Althusser 1970) Advertisement has different impact to society and its institutions such as education, culture, and religion. In the chosen advertisement, these three factors exist as they give contribution to the perspective and ideology of the ad. It was seen through different aspects and reasons. In the institution of education, this advertisement educate people especially parents to become aware with their responsibilities and obligations towards their child or children because it was the most important thing that should be taken into account. When it comes to culture, it shows the stand of the society when it comes to parenthood because this is part of the culture – parents should abide by the rule of the law that they should love their children for they have conceived them. In the religious institution or the church, this advertisement shows what is right in opposition to evil. Church stated that parents should do their obligations not by their choice but by the rule of the church because it was the teaching of God. In the pre-capitalist historical period which I have examined extremely broadly, it is absolutely clear that there was one dominant Ideological State Apparatus, the Church, which concentrated within it not only religious functions, but also educational ones, and a large proportion of the functions of communications and ‘culture’. It is no accident that all ideological struggle, from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, starting with the first shocks of the Reformation, was concentrated in an anti-clerical and anti-religious struggle; rather this is a function precisely of the dominant position of the religious Ideological State Apparatus. (Althusser 1970) In the chosen advertisement, Church is dominant and ‘repressive’ in some angle because it tried to impose a law or a rule. It was shown in the medical wristband of the baby. Using the word â€Å"warning† is an implication of notice that there must be an action to consider. The ideology of the advertisement is actually true when it comes to responsibilities of the parents but the Church overpowers the parents on what they should do and act. Though it was just a simple warning, capitalism can be seen based on its attack and point of justification. As a whole, the advertisement means more than what it wanted to say. The ideology of the church can be said as a form of repression or simply a justification of what is true as based on the standard of the society. Advertisement has different meanings based on the perceiver. It was the audience’s obligation to perceive the advertisement on their own context and ideology. Ideology is innate for all of us. It should not be taken for granted because it is an armor of our thinking, rights, and stand towards the rules and laws of the society. Culture, education, and church are underlying institutions that we need to consider in analyzing a certain advertisement because these factors are the most important aspects of humanity whether we oppose or consider their specificities from the past, present, and future civilization. Works Cited Althousser, Louis. Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses. La Pensee, 1970. 27 November 2007 http://www. marxists. org/reference/archive/althusser/1970/ideology. htm Wandercafe. ca. baby. 27 November 2007 Harms, John and Kellner, Douglas. â€Å"Toward A Critical Theory of Advertising. † Illumination. (n. d. ) 27 November 2007 .

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

FAmily Health Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FAmily Health Assessment - Essay Example She reports being a binge drinker, whereby she takes one bottles of beer a day. However, during the weekends she consumes more. This risky health behaviour predisposes her to liver and cardiovascular diseases (Chesla, 2010). Nutritionally, the mother reports periods of appetite loss and often forced to consume little quantity of food. The son is allergic to most protein foods including eggs and red meat. The father and the daughter report normal indexes in nutritional standards. The family members consume an average of six glasses of water each on a daily basis. On sleep and rest pattern, the father reports that he does not sleep well especially if there are some noise in the neighbourhood. The mother reports incidences of sleep disturbance, which she cannot know the cause. Despite being college students, the son and the daughter report adequate resting time especially off the learning hours. Sleep disturbance in the father and the mother could result to increment in stress level. On elimination pattern, the father reports difficulty in micturition and a higher urgency in micturition. The mother reports incidences of constipation that resolves spontaneously. The children, however reported normal incidences in elimination pattern. The urgency and dysuria in the father could result from infection of the urinary system and could lead to an altered self-esteem. Constipation in the mother could result from alteration in appetite thus preventing consumption of roughage. Both the mother and the father were advised to seek hospital-specialised interventions (Diehl, 2007). All the family members are active partakers of activity and exercise involvement. Both the son and a daughter have a gym membership of the college and the father and mother reports frequent cases of outdoor jogging and involvement in physical activity. No member of the family reported an unnatural exhaustion during the physical activity and exercise. In the

Barack Obama Speech in Cairo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Barack Obama Speech in Cairo - Essay Example In a maiden speech delivered in Cairo University on 6 April 2009, he addressed violent extremism, Israel and Palestine war, nuclear weapons, democracy, women's rights and economic development.  He asserted that the West and Islam should start confronting these issues. This paper will only focus on the issue of violent extremism in America. It will explain why the issue is meaningful to me and analyze the assertions Obama made about the issue and the evidence he gives to support those assertions. I believe that the issue of violent extremism is very significant in this context. America is seemingly the most democratic country in the world subject to its race and religion diversity. Prior to this speech, tension between the United States and Muslims around the world had been rising for years. Islam and the West had relationships marred by cooperation as well as conflicts. While the West fostered modernization and globalization, the Muslim nations view the West acts as demeaning to th e Islam traditions. As a result, Muslims execute violence against the Americans killing Muslims, Christians, and innocent people though America. In addition, America in its right to freedom of worship encompasses both Muslims and Christians. In fact, Obama himself confesses the Muslim faith though his mother was a Christian and his father a Muslim. Indeed, this seems to be a war between America and the Muslim. Obama being the president of America, having confessed Muslim, and Egypt being a Muslim nation he is in a contradicting position to address this issue. Hence, this issue is domineering over the others. Obama asserts that America has never been, is not, and will never be at war with Islam. He confirms that just like any other nation and faith, America only rejects the killing of innocent men, women, and children. He argues that even Muslims cannot condone such killings as the Quran forbids them. He also recognizes the words of the second President of the United States, John Ada ms who proclaimed that, America has no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility of Muslims (USA Today Web). However, he observes that it is his and other willing partner’s duty to confront violent extremists for the sake of American and world security. He also asserts that American has demonstrated its goals and quest for unity in fighting the violent extremists in Afghanistan. To this assertion, he reminds the audience that the United States had international support in pursuing al Qaeda and the Taliban. In fact, a coalition of 46 countries was in the pursuit (USA Today Web). Additionally, he asserts that America was justified to venture in that pursuit. He narrates that Al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 innocent people from all nations on the September 11 attack with a vow to continue launching more killings. Indeed, these attacks have made some Americans to view Islam as an inevitably hostile way of life to all. As such, he argues that it was only fair for America, with the support of the international community, to pursue them with an aim of bringing justice to the victims and prevent more attacks. He however asserts that America will not keep its troops in Afghanistan for a long time. He confers that the pursuit has been costly, caused many casualties, and is politically difficult to manage.

Monday, August 12, 2019

Human Involvement in Hazardous Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Involvement in Hazardous Evolution - Essay Example Number of species that evolved resistance to a minimum of one insecticide had gone beyond 500 by the year 1990. It takes on an average 10 years for a species to develop resistance to a particular drug (1786, 7 September 2001, Science's Compass). The evolution is caused by the change in traits of an insect that were susceptible to a particular insecticide. As a natural adaptation to the drug by genetic variation in its offspring, it supports the survival of that particular species. It appears as a genetic directional change to overcome the lethal influence of the drug. Thus evolution triggered by excessive human activities gives way to undesirable and more resistant type of insects that would put forth a new challenge that is much more difficult to overcome. I believe human activities need to have controlled commercialisation to reduce the speed of such evolution.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Science tells us the truth about reality (or not) Essay

Science tells us the truth about reality (or not) - Essay Example Science is victorious in the curing of doubt because it helps in tracking the real world state. It however cannot tell us the truth about reality. Many people have the belief that science is purely objective (Science and Reality, 1984). That it can be likened to a machine for churning out facts and converting ignorance to knowledge. Scientists are also seen like they are a special breed of truth-discoverers. Their pronouncements are viewed like the gospel. However, in reality, the practice of science deserves a more cynical look. Scientists are human too. They have insecurities to navigate, reputations to defend and careers to progress. They also do not abandon their years-long research programs or theories the minute something bad happens (Thind, 1939). Studies that did not work are run again, equipment is repaired or replaced and assistants of research get fired. It can be a messy job. A person’s best bet might be to appeal to some account of ideal form, citing a privileged relationship to truth if they wanted to mount a defense of science. And so long as it is done right, science deserves our commitment since it exceeds subjective belief and common sense and manages to latch on to ultimate reality in some systematic way. We would be compelled by science if we are committed to reason (Latour, 1999). However, this is where the founder of the school of thought known as pragmatism, Charles Peirce would disagree. In an essay he wrote in 1877, the fixation of belief (Peirce, 1997), he tries to forward the method of science without appeal to rationality, objective truth or reason. He instead argues that science if more like a good trick that happens to trump all other prescriptions. This is what pragmatism is all about. Anyone has uncertainty? Try science. Not for any metaphysical or theoretic reason but on the rounds of pragmatism instead. It just works. That explanation may however be too easy. First we may want to ask