Utilitarianism Theory

Utilitarianism theory argues that the consequence of an action determines whether that particular action is morally right or wrong. Philosophers behind this theory include Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, R.M. Hare and Peter Singer. All these philosophers evaluate morality of actions depending on overall happiness or well-being. Thus, they see utilitarianism as a consequentialist ethic.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Utilitarianism Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequentialist ethics holds that in determining whether an act, policy, rule or motive is morally right, we should check whether it has good consequences for all affected persons. Rather than asking if an action has good consequences for a person, we should just inquire whether that action adds to the person’s happiness. Therefore, utilitarianism is an ethical theory that centers on happiness, not just the happiness of one person, but happiness of many people. Thus, the greatest happiness principle is synonymous with the principle of utility. The principle of greatest happiness states that a person should do things that will have the most happiness for all involved persons. Critics of utilitarian ethics argue that because utilitarianism emphasizes on results, utilitarian theorists should agree that the theory of ethical relativism solves the problem of relativism. These critics claim that since utilitarian theorists argue that morality of an action depends on what the product of the action will take to all affected persons, then almost every action is moral. That is to say, utilitarianism is a consequentialistic ethic and thus, we cannot know whether an action is immoral until we see its bad consequences. Given that, utilitarian ethics in some ways holds  morality of an action hostage to the result,  morality of the action appears relative. However, we refute ethical relativism since utilitarian ethics is a t ype of universalism, given its grounds in trust in universal human nature. Utilitarian theorists say that all people have altruistic and egoistic elements, and all people seek to evade pain and augment pleasure. Then, instead of  ethical relativism, they support a liberal ethics that acknowledges there are universal principles and values. The utilitarian perspective that ethics is more inclined to our feelings and not our rationality may seem to give evidence that utilitarianism is a type of relativism. Obviously, people have different outlooks about different matters. However, description of ethics may not always be from this perspective. Think about a cruel act such as premeditated murder. How comes that this act immoral? Is it due to societal, divine, or natural laws? The truth is that human beings cannot make the moral judgment that premeditated murder is immoral until they experience negative sentiments about such acts. If there are human beings who do not get negative sentim ents after reflecting on the idea of premeditated murder, or other monstrous acts, it is because those persons have something wrong with them and thus, cannot feel others pain.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Desensitization is the contemporary psychological word that describes why some people may not have feeling for the pain of others. People become desensitized making them not feel others pain. This psychological thought matches perfectly well with the utilitarian idea of sentience. However, human nature is universal and a universal ethics rests upon nothing more than human sentiments. At the center of the utilitarian argument that shifts from the concern we physically have for our personal feelings of pain and pleasure, to others feelings of pain and pleasure, is the belief that this is the nature of human beings. When we hear about calamities happening to others, we may find our selves flinching or grimacing. However, to go from a claim about our human nature to a moral claim that we ought to do this, and it is correct that we do this, and wrong when we fail to do this, includes an extra step in the argument. The crucial step is to ask ourselves whether there is actually a difference between our pains and joys and other peoples’ pains and joys. This, for instance, is a problem to any racist. If dissimilar races experience equal pleasures and pains, then how come one race sees itself as superior to another race? If there is actually no difference between our pains and pleasures with others pains and pleasures, then we ought to, just due to consistency, view their suffering as just as significant as ours. This is the heart of the justification of the theory of utility; we should do what will have the best outcomes for all persons involved, not only for ourselves, since there actually is no significant difference involving our welfare and other peopleâ €™s welfare. It is clear that equality is a main concept involved in this reasoning. A different way to portray the central utilitarian concept is just to say humans are equal; your pain or happiness is equal to another person’s anguish or happiness. However, another person’s happiness, well-being, suffering, pleasure and pain are not more crucial than yours. Hence, considering ethics along utilitarian line takes us from egoism through altruism to equality. Other critics of utilitarianism argue that it is difficult and impossible to apply its principles. Those that hold that it is difficult to apply utilitarian principles argue that calculating the outcomes for all persons is impractical due to uncertainty and the big number involved. The truth, however, is that utilitarianism offers a clear way of determining whether an action is moral or not, and this does not involve calculations. As mentioned earlier, a morally right action should have pleasurable consequences. Therefore, a person who says that it is difficult to apply this theory should support his/her claims with examples of actions that produce pleasurable outcomes, but are wrong. Therefore, the argument that it is difficult to calculate what is right does not hold any water, since it has no harm to the principle of utility. Rather, this is a problem of the human condition.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Utilitarianism Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other critics that oppose the application of utilitarian principles argue that it is not possible to gauge or quantify happiness and there is no defined method of weighing happiness against suffering. However, the truth is that happiness is measurable and comparable through words like happier and happiest. If it were not measurable, then these words would have little meaning. In conclusion, the theory of utilitarianism is sound, logical and consistent. Utilita rian ethics follow the law of greatest happiness. According to this law, human beings seek to decrease suffering and maximize happiness. Hence, an action that is correct morally must lead to the greatest possible pleasure. This also implies that actions that cause pain on human beings are morally wrong. As seen in the arguments above, this theory is beyond reproach, as it caters for all possible objections. This essay on Utilitarianism Theory was written and submitted by user Joey Acosta to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

World Order Essays

World Order Essays World Order Essay World Order Essay Evaluate the effectiveness of the law relating to world order in achieving justice for individuals, justice for society and justice for the nation state. World order is a term that to the balance among nation of the world. The need for world order has changed as the balance of power changes, as a result of differences between nations, the aspiration for territory or power, conflicts follow therefore resulting in a change in the balance of power. At the build up to the Gulf War, President George Bush Snr. alled for a ‘new world order’ to replace the hostile world order of the Cold War. This world order was no longer simply divided in two; it was to be ‘a world order where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle, a world where the strong respect the rights of the weak’. The effectiveness of the law in achieving justice for individuals, society and nation-states in relation to world order has been predominantly ineffective in ac hieving justice. One of the utmost criticisms of the international law has been its focus on nation states. Article 34(1) of the Statue of the International court of Justice (ICJ) explicitly states that only nation states may be parties in cases of the ICJ, and there is virtually no provision for individuals to use international law in order to achieve justice. The wording of the article has also attracted much attention as it also excludes the organizations such as the International Red Cross access to the ICJ in helping to achieve world order. The ICJ consists of 15 judges elected for a 9 year term by the UN General Assembly and Security Council. The work of the Court has had to reflect the main forms of civilisation and the principal legal system of the world. An ineffectiveness of the ICJ is that a nation cannot be compelled to appear before the court therefore its enforceability and accessibility is limited. However the effectiveness of the law in achieving justice for the individual includes the establishment of the International Criminal Court in accordance to Article 8 of the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court (Statue). The Rome Statue gave the ICC jurisdiction over a wide range of war crimes committed during international armed conflicts. The ICC’s role in protecting individuals is through it’s ability to prosecute people accused of grave breaches in the Geneva Conventions of 1949- these individuals include: wounded or shipwrecked soldiers (protected by the 1st and 2nd Geneva Convention), prisoners of war (POW) (3rd Geneva Convention) and civilians (4th Geneva Convention) in occupied territories. The ICC protects these individuals by being able to persecute those who: commit wilful killing, torture or commit inhuman treatment such as biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health and other crimes against humanity. The ICC also has jurisdiction to prosecute any person who use: prohibited attacks on civilians, harm to defenceless persons such as killing or wounding soldiers who have surrendered, certain prohibited methods of warfare such as the misuse of a flag of truce and certain prohibited acts in occupied territory or against nationals including the transfer, directly or indirectly, by the occupier of parts of its own civilians population into the territory. With the growing numbers of crimes against humanity such as genocide, the law has responded to the change of the nature of these crimes such as the recognition that rape now constitute as genocide. This was through the landmark Akayesu case in 1998 where a Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda held that when rape was used a method to destroy a protected group by causing serious bodily or mental harm to the members of the group it constituted genocide. By this the law has show it effectiveness in achieving justice through its ability to respond to changes. International Law also protects the rights of individuals by ensuring justice for victims of war crimes. The ICC allows for victims to participate in the proceedings through contributions such as their views and concerns, it also ensures that victims and witnesses are protected mainly through the establishment of the Victims and Witness Unit in the ICC registry by Article 43 (6) of the Rome Statue. This unit provides protective measures such as security and counselling to victims and witness as well as their families who may be at risk because of their testimonial. Also victims are protected through reparations such as Article 75 (1) which established principles relating to compensation, and may order a convicted person to provide that reparation to the victims. Children as an individual are also protected by international law which ensures under Article 6 of the Rome Statue the definition of genocide to include â€Å"forcibly transferring children of the group to another group† if committed with the intention to destroy all or part of a national, ethical, racial or religious groups as such. Finally there is a range of UN bodies that are designed to protect the rights of individuals. However the committee structure of the UN has been widely criticised for being ineffective. Non government organizations have claimed that the committee lacks the necessary legal authority to bring governments or individuals to justice. One recent controversy in Aust. is the mandatory detention of asylum seekers while their claims for refugee status are processed by the Dept. of Immigration. The Howard Govt. onsidered these individuals to have broken Australian law by arriving in the country without a visa or travel documents, whereas international law seeks to remind Australia of the fundamental human rights of each refugee. The individuals in this case are not benefiting from this international pressure because international law and the UN have no enforcement powers. Amnesty International (an NGO) can speak out against the conditions in the detention centres but cannot force conditions to be changed. The effectiveness of the law in achieving justice for society can be accessed by the effectiveness of peacekeeping mission such as the Australian- led mission in East Timor or the ineffectiveness of the Uruguayan-led Peace Keeping mission in Congo. Since 1948 there have been 45 peacekeeping missions conducted by the UN, 2/3 of these conducted since 1991 (possibility because of the rise in guerrilla warfare). 29 missions have been successful (a 65% success rate), achieving all of its objectives. A peace keeping mission are outside of the UN budget and direct control, peacekeepers are placed under the command of a national defence forces. As well nations cannot be forced to commit troops to peacekeeping missions, instead the Secretary –General must request their assistance. This often creates strain in putting together a sufficiently large force. This highlights the inefficiency of resource efficiency by international law.

Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da vinci Essay

Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da vinci - Essay Example The essay "Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da vinci" discovers the art of two famous artists, Leonardo da vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti. His arts which were carved out of inspiration from the former structures gradually resulted in matured state of his unique style and his passion in differentiating his work. He was known as the master in reinventing the renaissance of western art in Europe His art mainly targets towards larger audience. Michelangelo used to carve on large pieces of marble. His human manifestation were more wholesome as it was clearly indicated in work â€Å"David† for which the others contemporary sculptures gave a less muscular frame. The Sistine ceiling frescoes depict the unique composition he used to adopt to express his perceptions. Michelangelo sculptures depict the homosexual inhibition in his sculptures as some of the sculptures were nude His sculpture depicts the male dominance factors the dynamism and supremacy. The sculpture introduces thr ee unique historically significant figures like the Adam eve, the great creation and the Noah. The artistic creations changed according to the evolution of the prevailing situation in Rome and Italy as it was clearly reflected in the artifacts in the mid 1520’s.The sculptures exhibited extreme emotions, turmoil and aggression. Leonardo Da vinci is a human prodigy. He used to concentrate deeply in digging the spirituality .He pioneered works in field of technology and science. His inventions almost elevated the features of science.

Strategic isuues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic isuues - Essay Example rder to analyze the strategic position of Toyota, we would evaluate the political scenario, the company’s economic position, the social impacts, the technological position, position in automobile industry and the stakeholder’s influence (Lees and Technical Information Service, 2008, p.1). Considering the political influence on Toyota as a part of its external environment, the company has lot of friends on both the parties of federal government in Washington, D.C and has a record of considerable political donations given for the campaign of several political leaders who have been good friend to the company (U.S News Rankings & Reviews, 2010, p.1). Toyota has taken over General Motors in 2012 and has reclaimed its position as the world’s biggest car-maker. Toyota’s sale rose by 22% in 2012 as compared to General Motors’ 2.9%. Toyota has sold 9.7 million cars and trucks worldwide in 2012 (TheStreet, 2013, p.1). Toyota’s corporate culture has placed them in a position which focuses at adding value to current and future generations of the world, promote activities leading to social contribution, maintain healthy environment with the people, government and its internal human resources (Vezjak, Stuhler and  Mulej, 1997, p.25). Toyota’s global vision has been to be an industry leader in tackling technological advances. This has put Toyota in a leading position to integrate information technology with automobiles in producing quality products like world’s best cars which are having original designs and advanced technology. Toyota’s strong value chain, continuous effort of reducing non-value added activities, strong inbound and outbound logistics, suppliers and creditors, strong equations with distributors, strategies for trade association and activists have put them in a position of world leader in automobile. The sales growth of Toyota which rose to 22% in 2012 has dethroned General motors’ from the position of industry leader. The total equity of

Defensive Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Defensive Communication - Essay Example By examining these forms of messages in the context of interpersonal communication, I shall reaffirm previous research findings that defensive communication results in 'losses in efficiency in communication' (Gibb 14). The strategy of defensive communication has various tactics and in the limited space afforded by this paper I will separately analyse in the following order only control messages, dogmatic messages, messages of indifference, and messages of superiority. Control messages predominantly operate as imperatives, commands, and instructions. Control messages therefore imply authority, that is, the 'right to give orders or make decisions' (Lewis). Authority, however, implies varying degrees of power. 'A power relation is a causal relation between the preferences of an actor regarding an outcome and the outcome itself' (Pettigrew 188). For example, a police officer has authority to issue commands and power to enforce those commands. In contrast, a teacher has authority to issue commands and instruction but less power to enforce those commands. Parents like teachers have authority and a limited degree of power. What is more, as the context of one's communication becomes more personal authority and power wan, so that no real power relations exist between friends. For instance, in intimate relations defensive communication can occur when 'individuals are sensitive about their own flaws as well as the flaws of others close to them' (Becker, Ell evold and Stamp 95). Complicating the matter is that not all communication is verbal - body language for instance. So that, without explicit messages or in fact any intent, one may communicate irritation or annoyance. Furthermore, control is not simply the directing of action; 'information may become an instrument for advancing, attacking, or defending status' (Burns and Stalker cited in Pettigrew 189). For example, one may use control messages to avoid a topic of discussion, as in family secrets (see for example Caughlin et al.). Dogmatic messages fall within the compass of defensive communication by virtue of the denotation of dogma; 'a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative' (Lewis). In contrast to control messages, that expose authority and power, dogmatic messages expose censorship. Defensive communication in general, and dogmatic messages in particular, involve 'a self-perceived flaw that an individual refuses to admit to another person' (Becker, Halbesleben and O'Hair 144). Resisting the model of a dialogue (Pope 173), dogmatic messages rely on the monologue. For, 'every word is directed towards an answer and cannot escape the profound influence of the answering word that it anticipates' (Bakhtin cited in Pope 235). We may think of a dialogue as the collaboration between people to come to a mutual understanding. Yet in contrast, dogmatic messages attempt to curtail the give-and-take of communication. Such messages contain a deep irony; for, despite the effort to avoid a topic or point via an assertion of strength, the effort itself communicates a defensive attitude grounded on weakness. Dogmatic messages, therefore, undermine any authority or power asserted by a conversational partner. Furthermore, because a dogmatic message

The Social Worker: Addressing Social Exclusion Essay

The Social Worker: Addressing Social Exclusion Essay The aim of this essay is to discuss the role of the social worker addressing social exclusion and discrimination along with the impact it has on individuals, groups and communities. I will also discuss my understanding of anti-oppressive practice and ethical issues within the Welsh context, and the issues social workers will face daily throughout their profession. To allow a social worker to carry out their roles and responsibilities they will need to understand the meaning of social work itself, Social work is the purposeful and ethical application of personal skills in interpersonal relationships directed towards enhancing the personal and social functioning of an individual, family, group or neighbourhood, which necessarily involves using evidence obtained from practice to help create a social environment conducive to the wellbeing of all (Pierson 2010 p494/495). A social worker needs to have knowledge and multiple skills to carry out their complex roles within society. One of those areas social workers will face within their professional role is social exclusion and discrimination. Social exclusion happens to a minority of people in society and those who suffer from social exclusion have different life experience and opportunities from other people. Pierson (2002,p18) defines social exclusion as a process that deprives individuals and families, groups and neighbourhoods of the resources required for participation in the social, economic and political activity of society as a whole. There are many contributing factors that can cause someone to face social exclusion or discrimination, social workers will need have an understanding of peoples life experiences, using a holistic approach, be able to listen, communicate with all service users in an appropriate manner and work in partnership with service users so they do not discriminate. Social workers also need to be mindful that Wales is now a multi-ethnic society and will be challenged with ethical issues and their dilemmas, such as languages, religion and other areas. According to the Welsh statistics 2009 Wales have a population of 2,875,700 of which 29.800 are mixed race, 52,700 are Asian or Asian British, 18.600 are Black or Black British and 22,600 are of other ethnic groups (http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx accessed 26th October 2012). Those that are most at risk of social exclusion are children, older people, disabled, and unemployed, but the most significant factors are poverty and low income. Those living in poverty are vulnerable in a number of different ways. We know that they are more at risk of poor health and poor educational attainment, have lower skills and aspirations, and are more likely to be low paid, unemployed and welfare-dependent (Huw Lewis AM 2010 p2). Poverty is seen in different approaches, absolute, relative and consensual. Thornes, P (2007 p77) defines absolute poverty as not having the very basic means to live adequately. Relative poverty as a measurement of poverty based on working out the income needed to attain the accepted standard of living in a society and consensual poverty as whether or not people can afford a series of items which most people, when questioned regards as necessities. Between 2005-2008 an average of 32% of children in Wales was living in relatively low-income households. There has been a general downward trend, but the two most recent figures show an increase on the previous years.   Social workers will need to have an understanding of the impacts that social exclusion and discrimination can have upon a service user and their families. For this to happen social workers will need to be able to identify areas that cause social exclusion, be able to investigate and what actions will need to be taken to address it. The Welsh Government have put in place a number of policies, strategies and initiatives to fight against poverty and social exclusion which have impacted on those that live in Wales. These include Child Poverty Strategy for Wales, Flying start, Child tax credits, Winter fuel allowances, plus many more. Over the past ten years in Wales, overall poverty has fallen by three percentage points, compared with two percentage points for the UK as a whole. However, the extent of poverty for all groups in Wales (apart from older people) is slightly higher than for the UK as a whole. (Huw Lewis AM, 2010). Since social exclusion is a process we must be mindful that there could be hidden barriers involved which in turn will affect others areas of their lives, it will be like a domino effect. So in order for social workers to address social exclusion they need to have a holistic view of the service users, and consider any hidden barriers this will enable them to have an overall view of how the service user has lived up to date, what potentially triggered social exclusion and how to redress the situation. To enable good practice the social worker should be working in partnership with the service user where a trusting relationship can be built. Both sides will need to listen and engage with each other so needs can be identified and addressed, whist doing so social workers needs to be empowering the service user and practise in an anti-discriminatory way. Once the needs have been identified the social worker needs to understand how the impacts can affect the service users, their families an d their lives. Social welfare practitioners have a key role to play in terms of working directly with children, young people and families to help them improve their circumstances and mitigate the worst excesses of poverty and social exclusion. (Williams 2011). People can become socially excluded and discriminated against through poverty, isolation, lack of life opportunities, lack of education, availability of resources such as health and public transport, employment, living environment, demography, social participation and economic resources. The effects upon a service user and their families can be devastating, it can lead to service users losing their dignity which can then lead to low self-esteem and lack of confidence. People can then feel powerless, and that their voice is not being heard and become disempowered. People who are in poverty are in a cycle of deprivation and once in this cycle find it very hard to get out of because of the domino effect. They may be in poverty due to low income or unemployment. Unemployment is a major risk factor for low income in Wales, that risk rising from 5% for a full-working family to over 60% for a workless one. Even when another adult in the family remains in work, the familys risk of low income still rises to 25%. (www.jrf.org.uk/publications/monitoring-poverty-wales-2009 accessed 27th October 2012). Children who live within these household will also suffer the impacts of social exclusion and discrimination which have become a great concern for Governments. Research confirms the negative outcomes for children associated with poverty, including poor health, low self-esteem, poor educational achievement and homelessness. Outcomes associated with child poverty are mortality, accidents mental illness, suicide, child abuse, teenage pregnancy, homelessness, low educational attainment, smoking and morbidity (Bradshore and Mayhem, 2005). People who are unemployed also face the stigma of society, being classed as lazy and scroungers, so in turn are being discriminated against. We should be mindful that there are people who are claiming benefits due to ill health, being a lone parent with no social network available, been made redundant or the fact is there simply isnt any jobs available. Although the Government have implemented initiatives such as Free swimming, free Breakfast Clubs Schemes Free School Lunch (eligibility criteria must be met) in a number of schools, Genesis Wales and Child Poverty Expert Groups. There are people also being excluded due to the area in which they live, especially if in rural areas where the transport is less scarce, health provision is harder to access and resources are less available. Poor public transport networks in rural areas results in higher levels of car ownership. Consequently, poorer households are likely to spend a higher proportion of their income on transport than urban counterparts, and access to private transport remain a problem for many people. (Williams, 2011). Older people can become excluded due to isolation which could have a knock on effect to loneliness or health issues such as depression, they may not have family around or been moved into a residential home. Activities such as day centres or community activities may be hard to access or lack of transportation maybe an issue. Low income is rising in older people, despite initiatives such as Winter Fuel Allowances, concessions on TV Licences and public transport and Pension Credit according to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 26 per cent of people of pensionable ages in Wales were on low income households in 1996/97 compared to 18 per cent in 2008/09 (Francis, 2010 p59). Poor housing also causes social exclusion for people in society as its impact can have an impact on someones life. living in poor quality housing impacts significantly on quality of life, e.g. by contributing to poor physical and mental health, increasing spent on keeping warm ect.(Stirling, 2010 ). Overcrowding, inadequate heating, dampness within the home can also cause health issues for service users. Debt/credit also plays a big part in social exclusion, anyone who is in poverty will be faced with financial problems and again like a domino effect people borrow from one to pay another. And those who borrow are likely to borrow off high interest rate lenders because they have not got a good credit score, which in turn gets them deeper into debt and more difficult to get out of. Those who have a disability also face exclusion and high risk of poverty, they are discriminated against through lack of employment, shops, building, schools and transport still have restricted access, Part of a social workers role is use an anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory approach when working with service users, this means considering their experiences, who the service users are as a person, such as their gender, if they have a disability, their race, and values. The way we communicate with service users is vital, engaging and working in partnership. We must focus on peoples strengths as well as weaknesses and empower service users to have choices, knowledge and encourage decision making whenever appropriate. The more people become involved in determining their own destiny, the higher will be their self-esteem. They grow in confidence. And when group members learn that knowledge is power, they demand to know, to be kept informed, to be given information (Howe, 2009 p149). To work in an anti-oppressive way we must work in an ethical way, we must respect and value service users whilst ensuring we protect the vulnerable. As social workers we should be treating each service user as an individual with individual personal and social needs working in an empowering way so they can develop their own potentials. Social workers must be open and honest with service users to gain trust and relationships, this will enable both parties to work in partnership. Social workers will come across barriers they must be competent in overcoming, for example, language, we must allow any service user to use their preferred language, and this could be Welsh or any other language. If you cannot speak the language yourself then find an alternative way to communicate such as through a translator. Other barriers may include demography, available resources, religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. From all the above information we can see social exclusion, discrimination and poverty can play a part in many lives of people living in Wales. Even though Welsh Government has implemented policies and initiatives to eradicate these issues, people in Wales are still suffering the effects and impacts . Despite both the UK and Welsh governments commitments to the eradication of child poverty and support for this aim across all political parties and a range of policies and programmes to achieve this goal, statistically, child poverty in Wales remains stubbornly high. In order to meet the Welsh Governments target or eradicating child poverty by 2020, the rate of child poverty in Wales would have to fall four times as fast over the next 10 years as it has over the last 10 (New Policy Institute, 2011).(Williams, 2010). Overall I personally dont think we can eliminate social exclusion and discrimination because whatever Governments gives, they always take back in other areas. Here is just one example, LOW income families in Wales face losing an average  £74 a year in support to pay their council tax bills, a study warned yesterday. Cuts of 10% will be passed on to claimants when the UK Government transfers responsibility for council tax benefit to the Welsh Government from 2013. The support is more widely claimed than any other means-tested benefit with 328,000 recipients in Wales. The move will slash the benefit by more than  £24m across Wales. (www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2012/06/22/low-income-families-in-wales-face-74-council-tax-benefit-cut-says-report-55578-31235972/ acessed 27th October 2012). I also feel society can play a big part to exclusion, many are still ignorant to diversity and can, directly and indirectly, discriminate certain groups of society. References Howe, D. (2009) A Brief Introduction to Social Work Theory, Basingstoke: Palgrave Lewis, H, (2010) Poverty and Social Exclusion in Wales, Blaenau Gwent, Bevenfoundation Pierson, J and Thomas, M. (2010) Dictionary of Social Work, Berkshire: Open University Press McGraw-Hill Walker, H. (2008) Studying for Your Social Degree, Exeter: Learning Matters Williams, C. (2011) Social Policy for Social Welfare Practice in a Devolved Wales (2e). Birmingham: BASW British Association of Social Workers LTD (www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2012/06/22/low-income-families-in-wales-face-74-council-tax-benefit-cut-says-report-55578-31235972/ accessed 27th October 2012). (www.jrf.org.uk/publications/monitoring-poverty-wales-2009 accessed 27th October 2012). (www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=14038#_5._Income_Poverty

History of the Computer :: Technology

History of the Computer The Analytical and Difference Engines (1835-1869): The English mathematician Charles Babbage (1792-1871) never got to build his invention, but his design had an uncanny resemblance to the modern computer. Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron's daughter, wrote eloquently about the device and was history's first programmer. The ABC (Atanasoff Berry Computer) (1938): John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry designed the first electronic digital computer at Iowa State, and urged the university to patent their design. Nothing was ever done and millions in potential royalties were lost. The project was abandoned in 1942 without building the computer. The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) (1946): was built at the University of Pennsylvania by John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. Recognized as the first operational electronic computer, it could perform 5,000 additions per second, weighed 30 tons, and required 1,500 square feet of floor space. UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer) (1951): The world's first commercial computer (a total of 15 were sold) gained public recognition when it was used by CBS to predict Eisenhower's 1952 presidential election. The original UNIVAC was officially retired on October 3, 1963, after 73,000 hours of operation, and is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution. The IBM 360 (1964): The 360 series pioneered the concept of upward compatibility whereby a user could upgrade from one computer to the next without having to reprogram existing applications. The machine was viewed as an enormous financial gamble, but paid off handsomely as it gave IBM a dominance in mainframes which it has never relinquished. Altair 8800 (1975): The January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics featured the Altair 8800 on its cover: the first personal computer and a machine that the hobbyist could build from a kit. 2000 adventurous readers sent in their orders (sight unseen) for a kit that cost $439. The Altair had no keyboard or monitor and no available software and was programmed by switches on the front panel. Apple II (1977): The Apple Il was a fully assembled home computer in an attractive case, complete with keyboard, connection to a TV screen, color, memory to 64Kb, and BASIC interpreter. The machine was to launch the personal computer revolution and vault its founders, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, from garage to glory. IBM PC (1981): IBM was neither first nor technologically innovative, but their announcement put the personal computer on the desks of America's business people, just as Apple had put the computer in the home. History of the Computer :: Technology History of the Computer The Analytical and Difference Engines (1835-1869): The English mathematician Charles Babbage (1792-1871) never got to build his invention, but his design had an uncanny resemblance to the modern computer. Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron's daughter, wrote eloquently about the device and was history's first programmer. The ABC (Atanasoff Berry Computer) (1938): John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry designed the first electronic digital computer at Iowa State, and urged the university to patent their design. Nothing was ever done and millions in potential royalties were lost. The project was abandoned in 1942 without building the computer. The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) (1946): was built at the University of Pennsylvania by John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. Recognized as the first operational electronic computer, it could perform 5,000 additions per second, weighed 30 tons, and required 1,500 square feet of floor space. UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer) (1951): The world's first commercial computer (a total of 15 were sold) gained public recognition when it was used by CBS to predict Eisenhower's 1952 presidential election. The original UNIVAC was officially retired on October 3, 1963, after 73,000 hours of operation, and is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution. The IBM 360 (1964): The 360 series pioneered the concept of upward compatibility whereby a user could upgrade from one computer to the next without having to reprogram existing applications. The machine was viewed as an enormous financial gamble, but paid off handsomely as it gave IBM a dominance in mainframes which it has never relinquished. Altair 8800 (1975): The January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics featured the Altair 8800 on its cover: the first personal computer and a machine that the hobbyist could build from a kit. 2000 adventurous readers sent in their orders (sight unseen) for a kit that cost $439. The Altair had no keyboard or monitor and no available software and was programmed by switches on the front panel. Apple II (1977): The Apple Il was a fully assembled home computer in an attractive case, complete with keyboard, connection to a TV screen, color, memory to 64Kb, and BASIC interpreter. The machine was to launch the personal computer revolution and vault its founders, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, from garage to glory. IBM PC (1981): IBM was neither first nor technologically innovative, but their announcement put the personal computer on the desks of America's business people, just as Apple had put the computer in the home.

Abraham Lincoln: a True Leader Essay

Abraham Lincoln is known to be one of the Unites State’s chief presidents. Lincoln’s leadership paved huge accomplishments for America. Perhaps, Abraham Lincoln’s greatest accomplishment was going from a non-educated boy, to the president of the United States. Lincoln did not only achieve the name of Presidency, but he was able to shape America to the way it sits today. President Lincoln deserves to be shown in every history textbook across America. President Lincoln shines mostly because of his advanced leadership. Lincoln’s leadership stands as a model to future politicians. His speeches were so strong and thoughtful; some of the best known quotes to this day. Often politicians try to emulate his thinking by using Lincoln quotes in their speeches. Lincoln was always under so much pressure, from the bickering of the cabinet to the assassination threats from the people who disagreed with his thoughts. With all this opposition talking in Lincoln’s ear, he stuck with his gut and did not stop the war and his goals were achieved (R.J Norton). See more: Ethnic groups and racism essay Abraham Lincoln made sure to think about America and what he had to do to keep the country moving smoothly and safely. Lincoln was able to take his leadership to a whole new level, when he got the whole nation involved. Lincoln included in his famous Gettysburg Address that the war is a test of our nations strength and we must finish the battle for all of those who lost their lives protecting the country (R.J Norton). Lincoln’s strategies to bring the nation together helped nationalism break through and he was able to achieve the goals he wanted to achieve. It is hard to believe that Lincoln went from an un-educated boy to the sixteenth President of America. Abraham Lincoln demonstrates that even starting from the bottom, people can grow and become more as long as hard work is put in. Lincoln grew older and started to educate himself on law books and eventually became a lawyer (R.J Norton). Lincoln is an inspiration for kids to have drive and succeed at goals. Lincoln grew even stronger; he served as a great attorney and advanced to four years in Illinois State House of Representatives. After that, Lincoln joined congress for a year and eventually blew the nations mind as President of the Unites States of America (R.J Newton). As President, Lincoln was able to accomplish great things for our nation. Although, he was assassinated a short time before the thirteenth amendment was official, â€Å"freeing the slaves† Lincoln was able to shape the nation up to the point where it was able to accomplish the goal and end slavery in the United States. Lincoln was also able to help out America with his foreign policy; leaving all other nations out of the Civil War going on in the Unites States. This helped other nations from intervening and causing even more problems for the nation. The most important accomplishment was Lincoln’s decision to fight in order to save the Union. Lincoln is believed to be the President who contributed the most to America and to the future of America. Although, he was assassinated before he could accomplish all the goals he had in mind, Lincoln still got the ball rolling and ready for changes to be made. From an un-educated boy, to a president, to a role model for the world, President Lincoln deserves to be known all over for the years and years to come.

Mind Travel

Mind Travel Free Online Research Papers Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"What I Have Been Doing Lately† and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s â€Å"Kubla Khan† by comparison seem to share a similar theme. The narrators in both stories take the reader with them as they travel through a realm of delusion. Both authors give a depiction of a dream using vivid imagery, in which they both tell his or her story from a first-person point of view, giving the reader a fantastical description of the landscape. One of the most noticeable elements in kincaid’s short story is that of reality versus fantasy. The story begins with the narrator in bed, which perhaps implies that the story is a capricious dream. There are many details in this short story that depicts this idea. The narrator gives many descriptions that support this idea such as, the narrator describes how the landscape changes as the narrator passes through it and includes the detail that years passed as the narrator waited on the banks of the body of water. The narrator tells the reader of â€Å"Looking at the horizon again, I saw a lone figure coming toward me, but I wasn’t frightened because I was sure it was my mother† (244). The narrator discovered that the figure was a woman, and not the narrator’s mother. The woman said â€Å"’it’s you. Just look at that. It’s you’† (244). Although the woman recognized the narrator, the narrator did not recognize her. The woman asked, â€Å"’ and what have you been doing lately?’† (244). The narrator contemplated on how to answer the question and comes up with several different answers including, â€Å"I could have said,† â€Å"’I have been praying not to grow any taller’† (244), which implies that the narrator is tall. One answer in which the narrator contemplates finally tells the gender of the narrator, â€Å"I could have said,† â€Å"’ I have been listening carefully to my mother’s words, so as to make a good imitation of a dutiful daughter’† (244); this statement concludes to the reader that the narrator is a woman. Rather than answer the woman’s question using one of these answers she has conjured up in her mind, the narrator decides to tell the woman her story from the beginning, in which starts in the bed. The narrator essentially covers the same story twice: first when the recounted events ostensibly happen to the narrator and then when she answers the woman who asks her what it is she has been doing lately. However, the story does not place any of the events that take place within any specific time periods or national boundaries. The story carries the reader through diverse terrain, which may in fact exist only within a dream. In comparison, the narrator in Coleridge’s poem takes the reader on a drug-induced trip through Paradise in a dream. Referring to Paradise as Xanadu the narrator speaks of In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. (1-5) This passage imparts that the narrator is describing a place he has imagined in his mind, a place that he has imagined in a state of euphoria. In the next passage the narrator uses vivid imagery to describe to the reader the landscape surrounding him: So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round: And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.(6-11) Furthermore the speaker is repeating the contrasting images of the â€Å"sunny pleasure-dome†, and the â€Å"caves of ice† (36). The speaker gives his evaluation of the phenomenon depicted in the preceding lines; he terms it as a â€Å"miracle† (35), an unexpected event of a super- natural kind, and, at the same time, as based upon a very strange kind of design or plan â€Å"of rare device† (35). The poem contrasts a man-made, earthly paradise, which proves unable to resist demonic forces and is destined to be destroyed, with a true form of Paradise. The contradiction comes in the â€Å"sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice.† Because light is associated with heat, and ice with winter and death, this contradiction is both mystical and confounding. By using this fantastic image, the dome becomes once again a prison of nature, where the dome is warm, yet amidst the frigid caverns that lay beyond it or even as a part of it. From this point on, the pleas ure dome becomes a point of nostalgia for the speaker, and will be a point of reference to describe the extraordinary and ultimately unobtainable in the real world. In comparison both narrators speak of the beautiful landscape that surrounds them, however using vivid imagery they also describe dark places perhaps even demonic places that they visited in their dreams. In a sense the reader of Kincaid’s short story and Coleridge’s poem might get the impression that both authors are describing Heaven and Hell here on Earth. Both narrators’ language reflects a detachment from bizarre events in which they tell in a reportorial fashion. In the same way both authors use symbols and allegory to depict to the reader a fantastical dream. In Kincaid’s short story and Coleridge’s poem it is hard for the reader to pinpoint a specific theme, each tell a tale of supernatural events and describe mystical landscapes in which gives the reader a clear vision of surreal happenings. I have concluded that the only theme for both the story and the poem is that each author is describing a whimsical dream. In both the story and poem ea ch author take the reader on a journey through their imagination. Kincaid , Jamaica. â€Å"What I Have Been Doing Lately.† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed, Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River Pearson, 2007. 243-245. Coleridge, Taylor, Samuel. â€Å"Kubla Khan.† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River Pearson, 2007. 767-768. Research Papers on "Mind Travel"The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHip-Hop is ArtHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementStandardized TestingComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionWhere Wild and West MeetCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionThe Spring and Autumn

Free Essays on Water Pollution & Conservation

Research Paper Water and Water Pollution and Conservation in Bulgaria The water is one of the most important substances for the survival of the people on Earth. It is also essential for every single national economy and the conditions of life of populations. In connection with the rapid development of industries especially power and water supply, the necessity of water is growing enormous. In a world of scarcity Bulgaria is among the last places of water usage per capita in Europe, nevertheless the country has very limited resources. Despite that fact the state is in leading positions of water usage per capita, again in Europe, with 454m ³ annually (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). The water resources of any given territory include under soil water, rivers, dams, marshlands, glaciers. The relief, geological structure, weather, soil, vegetation are among the main factors influencing the formation of the water, and again these conditions are the reasons why there aren’t any glaciers in Bulgaria (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). If the mankind wants to survive, it must prevent water pollution, which can even lead to death in some areas where the H2O is highly polluted, in regions near Power Plants, Oil Refineries and around other industries releasing their chemicals in the water. New purification stations must be built next to these industries, otherwise people will continue to shift the potential pollutants from one part of the biosphere to another â€Å"until thresholds levels of damage are exceeded as more people, farms households and industries produce more waste. Emissions of organic water pollutants Industry shares of emissions of organic water pollutants Kilograms per day Kg per day per worker Primary metals Paper& pulp Chemicals Food & Beverages Stones, ceramics & glass Textiles Wood Other Country/Year 1980 1998 1980 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 Bulgari... Free Essays on Water Pollution & Conservation Free Essays on Water Pollution & Conservation Research Paper Water and Water Pollution and Conservation in Bulgaria The water is one of the most important substances for the survival of the people on Earth. It is also essential for every single national economy and the conditions of life of populations. In connection with the rapid development of industries especially power and water supply, the necessity of water is growing enormous. In a world of scarcity Bulgaria is among the last places of water usage per capita in Europe, nevertheless the country has very limited resources. Despite that fact the state is in leading positions of water usage per capita, again in Europe, with 454m ³ annually (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). The water resources of any given territory include under soil water, rivers, dams, marshlands, glaciers. The relief, geological structure, weather, soil, vegetation are among the main factors influencing the formation of the water, and again these conditions are the reasons why there aren’t any glaciers in Bulgaria (Pf. Doncho Donchev and Pf. Hristo Karakashev, 2000). If the mankind wants to survive, it must prevent water pollution, which can even lead to death in some areas where the H2O is highly polluted, in regions near Power Plants, Oil Refineries and around other industries releasing their chemicals in the water. New purification stations must be built next to these industries, otherwise people will continue to shift the potential pollutants from one part of the biosphere to another â€Å"until thresholds levels of damage are exceeded as more people, farms households and industries produce more waste. Emissions of organic water pollutants Industry shares of emissions of organic water pollutants Kilograms per day Kg per day per worker Primary metals Paper& pulp Chemicals Food & Beverages Stones, ceramics & glass Textiles Wood Other Country/Year 1980 1998 1980 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 Bulgari...

International Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Business Strategy - Essay Example Wal-Mart is known to be slow in internationalization. It has been flopped in Germany already. Its endeavour into India is full of strategic risks. 2. Wal-Mart has entered into India with a 50-50 partnership with Bhartia, a legendry retail brand. This has minimized Wal-Mart’s own business freedom. 3. Government policies in India have not allowed Wal-Mart to use its brand name and logos. It is a mere back-end supporter, not a retailing brand there. Thus, Wal-Mart is facing a great and risky business challenge in India. It has to be careful enough not to deviate from cultural regulations and norms as it is already facing reservations from patriotic political parties and local retailers being only foreign. Any more deviation might repeat what happened in Germany. To be successful, Wal-Mart has to merge into the national culture so as not to present the image of an alien to the Indian clientele. Introduction Wal-Mart is a U.S based Multinational Corporation, which operates chains o f warehouse stores and discount departmental stores in the U.S and 15 other countries. The company is listed on the NYSE, and is reported to be the world’s largest public corporation by revenue (Forbes Global 2000 as cited in Hayden et al, 2002). Wal-Mart has 8500 stores in 15 countries and has been mostly successful in its venture into the global market. Once asked if Wal-Mart was trying to take over the world, the reply from one of the senior heads from Wal-Mart, with a smile on his face was, â€Å"I don't think so, and all we want to do is grow†. This has been evident from the aggressive growth and expansion strategy adopted by Wal-Mart both within and outside the U.S. It has been expanding with massive momentum, with the strategy of â€Å"Always Low Prices Always† and has taken over the retail industry in many countries. However, it has stumbled in its smooth expansion in countries like Germany, where Wal-Mart became a text book case of â€Å"how not to ent er a foreign market† (Peng, 2009). The success of Wal-Mart in its home country, and a variety of other markets like Argentina, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, Japan, Mexico and Puerto Rico do not seem to have translated into the German market and therefore, Wal-Mart’s expansion plans must be carefully evaluated before giving them a green signal. Wal-Mart knows that venture into India will not be an easy feat because of the market dynamics. Analysis of Wal-Mart Business Strategies To understand Wal-Mart’s position in international business, an analysis of its internationalization, entry and corporate strategies is must. This analysis is as follows: Firm Motivations for Internationalization Internationalization has always been a risky move. Wal-Mart’s failure in Germany or its initial struggle in Mexico clearly indicates that expansion abroad should be carefully evaluated to see whether going abroad is warranted. Source: Global strategy by Mike Peng Wal-Mart falls in cell 3 and may be termed as slow as it internationalizes. The company is still in exploring locations in U.S. In 2010, it opened about 600 international stores, while only about 150 in U.S. However, its pace of internalization is slower than some of its competitors, like Carrefour in France, or Metro in Germany. According to John B. Menzer, Wal-Mart India’

A Day in the Sleep Clinic CS4 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Day in the Sleep Clinic CS4 - Case Study Example Clearly, perception is can be negative or positive, and the most positive it is then, the more efficiently a crisis can be averted. Dr. Williams had a negative attitude towards his clients whose children ended up not getting help. The most likely outcome is that the children will be taken back home, and their conditions will also worsen. People who view things at an optimistic angle can make sound decisions and be able to communicate with any person in a more effective way (Jones, 2012). If Dr. Williams was more positive and be patient with his clients then the children could have gotten the correct medication. Negative attitude brings negative emotions that are possible to avoid. The culture, ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic status have contributed to health illiteracy. Many individuals from these backgrounds do not can acquire process and comprehend basic health information (Hayward & Miles, 2000). Language barrier, for instance, sometimes leads to insufficient healthcare services because patients do not understand the doctors. It is easy to find that people from the minority races and ethnic groups are hospitalized due to limited literacy on healthcare. Health care disparities are making it difficult for patients to navigate and get medical attention. Ethnic and racial minorities also receive less medical care because sometimes they do not believe in any therapy provided by doctors. It is cultural beliefs that make some people use primitive measures to cure diseases affecting them. Research shows that Hispanic, African American and Asian patients have less trust in their physicians because they practice culture biomedicine that is difficult to relate wit h the practice of medicine (Kingston &Nickens, 2001). Socioeconomic status especially income and education levels affect health care system. Thus, people with low income are likely to have poor healthcare treatment. There are various