Managing Projects College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Projects College - Essay Example Calculation of WACC is not a simple task as many would think, this is because the only part which is simple is calculation of the debt a firm has, these debt include the bank loan and other borrowing, however this is usually the beginning of the hard task since it known that the equity finance is usually more expensive than cost debt finance, this is due to the fact that equity finance has complex computation of the risk premium making computation of WACC complex. This computation of WACC is made more complex when determining which debts or equity should be used to increase the returns on capital of the share holders. The inclusion of corporate tax- rate in this computation adds more trouble while calculating WACC in view of the fact that interest payment is taxable. From the above facts, I would not agree with the statement that calculation of the WACC is the easiest thing in the world because even though the formulae appears simple it cannot be interpreted in lay mans language, e.g. the total finance includes all the trade credits and current liabilities which are reflected in the balance sheet of a company, but for the accountants who calculate the investments alternatives and evaluate critically the account of a company whose objective is to maximize the investment returns, it may not be a hard thing. But I would conclude by disagreeing with the statement. Q2. Determining the replacement of maximus limited machinery using equivalent annual cost: year capital investment running cost scrap value gross value present value factor present value 1 9999 0 9999 9999 1 9999 0 2985 5040 2055 0.909091 1868.182 present value 11867.18 2 9999 0 9999 9999 1 9999 0 4015 3100 -915 0.909091 -831.818 0 4015 3100 -915 0.826446 -756.198 present value 8410.983 3 9999 0 9999 9999 1 9999 0 8970 1080 -7890 0.909091 -7172.73 0 8970 1080 -7890 0.826446 -6520.66 0 8970 1080 -7890 0.751315 -5927.87 present value -9622.26 From the above calculations the machines should be replaced on the third year, this is because the net present value of the machine in the third year is negative (-9622.26) as compared to the other years where the net present value is positive. A negative present value means that the machine has negative value. This is a good measure of investment because it considers the time value of money and particularly useful for selection of a mutually exclusive investment and instrumental in achieving the objective of financial management, however one major factor that needs to be considered while selecting the better investment project is that, this is an absolute measure in that it favors the investment with higher NPV but it is likely that this project has a higher investment cost therefore, its doesn't give best results. Another factor to be considered is the whether the machines have different lives. 3. MARKET EFFICIENCY AND SHAREHOLDER WEALTH MAXIMISATION ARE TWO SIDE OF THE SAME COIN. Market efficiencies is defined as a market in which all the participants have all the information in the market, that is, all buyer and seller have know the prices concerning all the products whereas

William Morris Research Paper Essay Example for Free

William Morris Research Paper Essay William Morris was a poet, artist, manufacturer, and socialist during the mid to late 19th century. He was most active as a wallpaper and textile designer and later in his life a graphic designer. Morris was born March of 1834 in Walthamstow, which was near to London. He lived with his wealthy family near London and learned to read at a young age. He later attended Oxford where he met is friend, Edward Burne-Jones, who would later become one of the greatest Pre-Raphaelite artists. Morris started at Oxford thinking of becoming a clergyman, but soon joined an aesthetic circle. Morris had a great interest in medieval art and architecture, because it was art that was made by people and for people with great skill and craft instead of art that was made by mass production. After graduating and inheriting his father’s money, Morris started working as an architect. After a few years, Edward Burne-Jones influenced him to become an artist instead. Morris started as a poet and painter, but later in his life became more interested in politics, tapestries, graphic design, and textile designs. â€Å"The Arts and Crafts movement evolved as a revolt against the new age of mechanization, a Romantic effort on part of Morris and others to implement the philosophy of the influential critic John Ruskin, who stated that true art should be both beautiful and useful and should base its forms on those found in nature.† Morris and others fought to return to the simplicity, beauty, and craftsmanship that were being destroyed by the process of mass production. He also became more active as a socialist, and had many writings and leadership roles involving this. La Belle Iseult was the only known and finished easel painting made by Morris. It was made in 1858 and shows his model, Jane Burden, who became his wife in 1859. Jane is modeling as Iseult standing in front of an unmade bed in a medieval room. The painting shows many rich colors, and there is great emphasis on the patterns throughout the painting. These patterns can be seen in many of Morris’s work in his tapestries. Throughout the painting Morris uses textures and patterns to make the piece feel more realistic. In the foreground he places Iseult who is standing and looking towards the left. She is not addressing the viewer and looks as though she has recently arisen from bed. In the middle ground he places an unmade bed with a dog snuggled  in. In the background there is a woman musician playing for Iseult. Morris paints Iseult with illuminating skin and keeps her the main focus with her light white and pink patterned dress. There are many curtains draping from the ceiling echoing the colors in her dress. The room is full of things placing it in medieval times. This painting of Iseult is showing her mourning over her lover, Tristram, who was exiled from the court of King Mark. She was locked in the tower after attempting to kill herself. Now she has been sick almost to the point of death mourning for her lover, and this is also shown in the mood of the painting. â€Å"She stands wistfully in her small chamber, her feelings for Tristram reinforced by the springs of rosemary, symbolizing remembrance, in her crown, and the word ‘DOLOURS’ (grief) written down the side of her mirror.† The greyhound also proves the subject to be Iseult, because it is said Tristram gave her the dog and it is now used as her identifying emblem. There has been confusion on the name of this piece, and it has also been called Queen Guenevere. This is most likely because Morris wrote a poem called The Defence of Guenevere in the same year the painting was made, which is addressing the same character in the painting. Morris struggled for months on this picture and spent more time on embroidery and woodcarving. Many of the furnishings in the picture, such as the Turkish rug, the Persian embroidered cover, and the white work hangings are inspired by his actual collection. Strawberry Thief is a printed cotton furnishing textile that was made to be used as curtains or draperies for a wall. It could have also been used as loose covers on furniture. This pattern is based on the thrushes that Morris would often see stealing his strawberries beside his home in the kitchen garden. This is one of his best known designs and is very colorful with the deep indigo blue he used. â€Å"The pattern was printed by the indigo discharge method, an ancient technique used for many centuries mostly in the East.† Morris liked the depth of the color and clarity in the detail. In May 1883 Morris wrote to his daughter, I was a great deal at Merton last week anxiously superintending the first printing of the Strawberry thief, which I think we shall manage this time. Morris was very pleased with his design and even got it patented. It was the first pattern using this old technique where red and yellow were added to the basic blue and white ground. The entire process was painstakingly long to make and it used very expensive cotton.  Even though it was sold at a high price, the textile was one of the most commercially successful patterns for Morris and one of the client’s favorites. Morris was primarily active as a wallpaper and textile designer. The flower motif was a favorite in his work. He would often make his designs simple and stylized and inspired by traditional folk art. Morris’s emphasis on the importance of skill and craft and making art for the people contradicted his expensive textiles that only the wealthy could afford. Morris worked to restore the art of fine fabric printing and often experimented and researched different methods in making fabrics. Strawberry Thief is a colorful design where Morris used an indigo disch arge technique to create it. â€Å"Morris found that in order to produce a true indigo blue the fabric could not be block printed because the indigo dye oxidizes, changing the color as the fabric dries. Morris reused an early technique of vat-dyeing the entire yardage in indigo. Then, by using either a resist process or through bleach printing, areas of the fabric could be opened (the indigo color removed) and redyed the desired color.† Morris would also study old dye recipes, and would wash his fabric in the nearby river and dry it on the grass to allow the sun to bleach away the residual color. He would use organic materials for his primary colors, and would blend dyes and change the strength of dye solution to get the secondary colors. Morris’s early works and patterns were simpler and were made from a contemporary style with more obvious repetition. His later patterns and designs became more complex with more depth. â€Å"Morris believed that a pattern should not be at once entirely self-revea ling and should hold some mystery for the viewer, being sufficiently complex to maintain his attention.† Daisy Wallpaper was made in 1862 and was hand-printed for the firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner Co. It is a design showing a variety of plants. The colors of plants included are white, red and yellow flowers placed on a pale background with green flecks which represent grass. â€Å"The flat simple frontal motif was adapted from a tapestry shown in an illuminated manuscript at the British Museum; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; The second paper William Morris designed, but the first to be issued (1864).† This wallpaper is another one of Morris’s flower motifs and is simple and stylized. This was also inspired by traditional folk art. This wallpaper was hand printed which made it very expensive. This was the first pattern that Morris  issued, which took place in the year of 1864. It is a simple design of meadow flowers, and these forms are very similar to those seen in the late medieval tapestries. This wallpaper has a medieval character that connects Mo rris’s early work with the Pre-Raphaelite painters. Morris also had an interest in making nature into ornament which also helped influence this design. Morris said â€Å"any decoration is futile when it does not remind you of something beyond itself.† William often observed the plants in his garden and studied them which then they would often end up in many of his works. Morris did not intend for his designs and flowers to be taken as literal transcriptions of natural forms, but instead they were supposed to be seen as stylized re-creations. Morris designed over 50 wallpapers, and advised that the choice of wallpaper for the home must take into account the function of the room. Morris still preferred woven textile hangings over wallpaper, and thought of wallpaper as a makeshift decoration. â€Å"Though naturalistic, they were not of the over-blown chintzy floral style generally described as French, then popular with aristocratic and wealthy customers. On the other hand, though many were flat and to a degree stylized, often drawing on medieval sources for their motifs and character, they did not have the severity and the mor al overtones of reformed design.† During the late 1890s, Morris’s wallpapers could be commonly seen in many artistic middle-class homes. He had great success in â€Å"creating structured patterns from natural forms, with a sense of organic growth controlled by a subtle geometry, was his most important design legacy.† He also influenced the skill of making flat and complex patterns, patterns that were stylized organic forms and motifs of nature. He even changed the way the middle-class decorated their homes. Throughout Morris’s career as a designer he worked to bring people away from the commercialization of the Industrial Revolution and he pushed people to come back and reawaken to the romantic ideas of handcraft medieval design. He would often find his inspiration in nature and today many of his designs can be found on tapestries, textiles, wallpaper, stained glass, carpets, and more. He was one of the more influential voices in Victorian art and architecture of the time. Although Morris did so many different kinds of art, there are a few stylistic elements and ideas that he incorporated throughout his work. Morris really emphasized quality in his work, not only in the quality of the  actual design itself, but also in the quality of life. He believed that the two were entwined in a way and he would encourage people around him to make things for themselves. He also used a historic style which played into all of his work. Bibliography Arnason, H. H. History of Modern Art: Painting Sculpture Architecture Photography. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. Print Chu, Petra ten-Doesschate. Nineteenth-Century European Art. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2012. Print. Cody, David. William Morris: A Brief Biography. The Victorian Web. N.p., 17 Oct. 2012. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/morris/wmbio.html. Fowle, Frances. La Belle Iseult. TATE. N.p., Dec. 2000. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/morris-la-belle-iseult-n04999/text-summary. Mackail, John WIlliam. â€Å"William Morris.† The Dictionary of National Biography. Supp. vol. 3. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1901. 197†203. Print. Marsh, Jan. William Morriss Painting and Drawing. JSTOR. The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., 1986. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.jstor.org/stable/882655. Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. â€Å"Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Alb ert Museum.† London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78889/strawberry-thief-furnishing-fabric-morris-william/. Whipple, David. Textile Designs and Books by William Morris. JSTOR. Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25159593. William Morris Wallpaper Design. Victoria and Albert Museum. Victoria and Albert Museum, 2012. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/w/william-morris-and-wallpaper- design/. Images of the Works: Title: La Belle Iseult Date: 1858 Medium: Oil Paint on Canvas Size: Support: 718 x 502 mm, Frame: 960 x755 x 61 mm Source: Tate Britain (http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/morris-la-belle-iseult-n04999) Title: Strawberry Thief Date: 1883 Medium: Furnishing Fabric/Textile Size: 60.5 x 95.2 cm Source: Victoria and Albert Museum (http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78889/strawberry-thief-furnishing-fabric-morris-william/) Title: Daisy Wallpaper Date: 1864 Medium: block-printed in distemper colors, on paper Size: Height: 687 mm, Width: 544 mm Source: Victoria Albert Museum (http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/william-morris-and-daisy-wallpaper.html) [ 1 ]. Mackail, John WIlliam. â€Å"William Morris.† The Dictionary of National Biography. Supp. vol. 3. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1901. 197†203. [ 2 ]. Chu, Petra ten-Doesschate. Nineteenth-Century European Art. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2012. [ 3 ]. Cody, David. William Morris: A Brief Biography. The Victorian Web. N.p., 17 Oct. 2012. Web. Nov. 2012. . [ 4 ]. Arnason, H. H. History of Modern Art: Painting Sculpture Architecture Photography. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. [ 5 ]. Marsh, Jan. William Morriss Painting and Drawing. JSTOR. The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., 1986. Web. Nov. 2012. . [ 6 ]. Fowle, Frances. La Belle Iseult. TATE. N.p., Dec. 2000. Web. Nov. 2012. . [ 7 ]. Fowle, Fances. â€Å"La Belle Iseult.† [ 8 ]. Marsh, Jan. â€Å"William Morris’s Painting and Drawing.† [ 9 ]. Fowle, Fances. â€Å"La Belle Iseult.† [ 10 ]. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. [ 11 ]. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections. [ 12 ]. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections. [ 13 ]. Chu, Petra ten-Doesschate. Nineteenth-Century European

The Philosophy of Religion

The Philosophy of Religion INTRODUCTION Philosophy refers to the study of the meaning of existence, thought, and knowledge (Blackburn, 1996). One prevailing view amongst philosophers is that philosophy is essentially a method of enquiry, a means of understanding the world, and human nature. Within this domain emerged a philosophy of science, a view that the world can be understood through quantification and experimentation, characterised by rigour, control, objectivity, and replication (Krige Dominique, 2003). It has evolved over time, shifting away from an emphasis on theory falsification (scientific realism) towards a requirement for explanation and prediction. Fundamental to science is positivist philosophy, the idea that only phenomena which can be measured and quantified are worthy of scientific inquiry (LeGouis, 1997). Thus, phenomena such a God, spirits, and the ‘afterlife’ aren’t worth studying. Religion refers to a set of commonly held beliefs and customs, concerned with supernatural phenomena , notably the existence of a divinity, god, or higher ‘power’ or ‘entity’ (Lindbeck, 1984; Jones, 2005). It represents a particular world view characterised by faith, spirituality, holiness, doctrine, and reverence, and often shapes a persons entire life, reasoning, and culture. Thus, it generally follows from this that science, and its associated philosophies, are generally incompatible with religion. But what are the precise sources of this tension? SOURCES OF TENSION Origin of Life Where did life come from? Evolutionary theorists, notably Charles Darwin, argued that species evolve over millennia through a process of ‘natural selection’, whereby only the fittest are able to secure mates, reproduce, and hence ensure the survival of their particular genetic footprint: the weak, by contrast are unable to compete, and ultimately become extinct, in a kind of evolutionary ‘dead-end’ (Darwin, 1852, 1869, 1872). Scientists take the view that life may have emerged ‘spontaneously’, through purely accidental but favourable biological conditions, whereby basic molecules notably amino acids combined to form more complex elements, like carbon dioxide, water, and ammonia (Martin Russell, 2002; Hazen, 2005). These biochemical events were triggered accidentally, for example by random cosmic events (e.g. meteorite/comet activity, hot-springs), as the earth formed (Russell, et al, 1988; Fernando Rowe, 2007). Religion offers a completely dif ferent account. God or some other deity, created life (Dawkins, 2006)! For example, in Christianity the earth was created by God, in six days. Scientists completely reject this view however (Dawkins, 2006). In science, notably astronomy and nuclear physics, the earth and universe are the result of a ‘big bang’, whereby all the matter we observe around us today emerged suddenly in a rapidly expanding fiery explosion of matter emanating from a single point (Peacock, 1999). Before the big bang, there was nothing, no time or matter. Although science fails to account for events preceding the ‘big bang’, the notion that it may be ‘created’ by a supernatural entity is regarded with scepticism. Faith A major feature of religious beliefs is faith (Harris, 2006). To have faith is to have trust in an appropriate divinity, notably God, and also to believe in this divinity or deity without question or reason. So, for example, in Judaism there is considerable emphasis on the notion of Emunah (faith), Christians view faith as an essential aspect of worship, while Muslims have faith – known as Iman – in the prophet Mohammed and his teachings. Faith is also an important element in Buddhism, where it is known as Saddha, meaning to have a conviction in or be determined about something. The requirement that one believes in God without asking any questions, or requesting a reason or justification is utter essential in most religions. It means that even when there is evidence to the contrary, such as an apparent failure of God to answer a prayer, the belief and trust in the divinity must be unshaken. In science by contrast, faith is a highly undesirable and hence discouraged conc ept (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). It is virtually non existent amongst scientists. In medical science for example, rather than having faith the effectiveness of a new treatment procedure, there is a universal requirement for evidence-based practice (Tonelli, 2001). Faith is also anathema amongst philosophers who believe in rational thought, the notion that any position or argument must be justified, that is, backed up by reason or evidence (Bonjour, 1998). The truth, rather than been accepted unquestioningly according to religious teachings, is entirely based on the soundness of reasoning or evidence that accompanies it (Kenny, 1986). Doctrine Religion is governed by doctrine, a set of shared beliefs, faiths, teachings, guidelines, and practices, that people adhere to unquestioningly, and which dictate how they live their lives. Thus, for example, religious dogma promoted by the Christian church, such as Christian Trinity (God is one entity simultaneously incorporating the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit) (McGrath, 1987), and virgin birth (the birth of a child by a woman who is a virgin, as in the case of Mary, mother of Jesus) (Spong, 1994) are examples of religious doctrine. By contrast, science and philosophy aren’t governed by any particular doctrine, other than ethical principles which govern research and practice (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). Admittedly ‘teachings’, or ‘movement’s do exist in science and philosophy, in the form of ‘schools of thought’ promoting one particular way of understanding phenomena. Good examples in philosophy are rationalism, empiricism, realism an d psychoanalysis. In science, there is for example theory or relativity in physics, or the biopsychosocial model perspective in health, medical, and behavioural science (Borrell-Carrio et al, 2004). However, philosophers and scientists aren’t required to adhere to any particular set of principles. In general, scientific movements gain greater acceptability as the body of supporting empirical evidence expands (Krige Dominique, 2003). However, scientists are free to pick and choose what school of thought they belong to, without violating their scientific of ethical principles. Quantification Positivist philosophy, a movement developed by the great philosopher Auguste Comte (Pickering, 1993), and on which much of modern scientific experimentation is based, promotes the notion that any phenomena which cannot be observed, measured, and quantified, isn’t worthy of scientific study (LeGouis, 1997). This ‘scientific ideology’, which implies that all true knowledge is scientific and quantifiable, is incompatible with religion, in which true knowledge is divine in nature, and based on holy scriptures (Boyer, 2001). Truth in religion is arguably unquantifiable – one cannot measure the existence of God, the effectiveness of prayer, the strength of ones faith, or the presence of the Holy Spirit, for example. Scientists generally avoid investigating religion and religious concepts, much in the same way as they side-step researching issues like UFO citings, and abductions: scientific journals with prioritise research papers on religion are few and far betwe en (Potter, 2005), reflecting the positivist attitude that anything which can’t be measured doesn’t represent the truth. Consider the practice of medical science in the UK. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is a body set up in England and Wales, in 1999, to determine what medical treatments are considered worthwhile. Decisions are based primarily on empirical (scientific) evidence, and economic cost-effectiveness analyses (Rawlings Culyer, 2004). Alternative therapies with religious underpinnings rarely receive approval, largely due to the lack of empirical verification (Franck et al, 2007). Objectivity In science there is an emphasis on objectivity, an ability to remain unbiased. This relates directly to the scientific requirement for verifiability and replicability. By suppressing personal feelings, biases, preferences, and prejudices, and adhering strictly to standard protocol, the work of one scientist can be evaluated and reproduced by another scientist, completely independently (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). Objectivity also has philosophical underpinnings, dating back to the nineteenth century with renowned philosophers like Plato, Gottlob Frege, and Immanuel Kant (Rorty, 1991). The basic philosophy is that the truth, knowledge, and reality must exist independent of the mind. Plato for example made a specific distinction between objective knowledge and personal opinion, the latter denoting an unacceptable subjectivity that does not offer an accurate description of reality (Taylor, 2001). In religion, the emphasis is on getting physically, emotionally, and spiritually proximal to ones divinity, rather than maintaining an intellectual distance (Boyer, 2001). Indeed, people are encouraged to wholly immerse themselves in their religions, such that it dictates their entire lifestyle (Boyer, 2001). Thus, the distinction between religion and culture often becomes blurred, such that a religion (e.g. Judaism) becomes highly intertwined with culture (e.g. being an Israeli) (Norris Inglehart, 2007). Religion is generally ingrained in a person’s personal belief system. Thus, whereas a scientist tries to separate his personal views from scientific knowledge, in religion, personal opinions and religious teachings merge. Authority Whereas in most religions authority is solely and ultimately in the hands of a transcendent and supernatural deity, God, or divinity, in science, scientists themselves are their own authority. They are answerable to no-one (other than the particular ethical standards of the professional bodies to which they belong), and may publish their findings at will, helping to expand, and shape, knowledge, reasoning, and general philosophy in their particular field. For this reason, scientists (especially medical doctors) are often accused of ‘playing God’ by religious activists or sympathisers (Hayles, 1999; Stock, 2002), especially with regards to issues like abortion, cloning, and morality. This is known as the transhumanism and hubris argument (Fukuyama, 2004). Philosophers are also their own authority. They take credit and criticism for and whatever philosophy they advocate. Thus, the likes of Plato, Kant, and other greater philosophers are their own authority. In religion by contrast, God or some other deity is the one sole authority, and all worshipers are ultimately answerable to this divinity (Lindbeck, 1984). Religious leaders, such as Imams, Priests, Vicars, and Buddha’s, are merely ‘messengers’ whose primary role is to spread religious teachings: they are ultimately answerable to God, any divine authority they have is extremely limited. So, for example, it can be argued that a Pentecostal priest who purports to execute miracles on particular members of his congregation is in fact merely acting on behalf of God, serving as a ‘channel’ through which God performs his miracles. JUSTIFICATION Are the tensions between religion, science, and philosophy justified? Several arguments are presented below which suggest that the answer to this question is an unequivocal ‘no’. Firstly, the idea promoted by positivist philosophy, and hence modern day science, that religion and religious subjects can’t be studied scientifically is incorrect. Although religious concepts (e.g. God, faith, sin, worship) are generally unobservable, and hence difficult to quantify, scientists do study religion, using scientific methods (e.g. Smith et al, 2003; Myers, 2007). Furthermore, religion offers quantifiable and testable predictions that make it amenable to scientific research. For example, the notion that God exists and/or answers ones prayers can easily be measured and evaluated scientifically (Dawkins, 2006). Secondly, the supposed tension between religion and science appears odd given that science actually emerged from amongst Christians, who were seeking new ways of seekin g out the ‘truth’ about the world, and humanity (Jaki, 1996). Thus, the very scientists and philosophers who embraced notions such as quantification, objectivity, and experimentation were themselves God worshipers, imbued with faith, and adhering strictly to religious doctrine (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). Thus, despite their devotion to scriptures as their main source of truth about reality, many religions allow for the application of scientific theories to everyday problems (Migliore, 2004). So, for example, there is no apparent contradiction if a clergy advices a sick member of his congregation to seek medical treatment, in addition to relying on their faith and asking for divine intervention. Thirdly, science, philosophy, and religion, do actually converge in certain areas, notably metaphysics and cosmology. Metaphysics refers to a philosophical movement concerned with understanding the meaning of reality, existence, and the world (Lowe, 2002; Loux, 2006). It addresses issues beyond the physical world, including questions such as ‘what is reality’, ‘why are we here?’, ‘does God exist’, and ‘Is there a soul?’ Metaphysicists have historically considered these legitimate scientific questions, especially prior to the eighteenth century before the development of modern scientific concepts such as empiricism, and quantification (Lowe, 2002). Yet, it is these very questions that religion and religious teachings are often concerned with. One of the best known fields of metaphysics is theology, the study of God (Migliore, 2004)! The word ‘theology’ means the ‘study of divine things’. In Europe, the Chris tian church, notably the Protestant Church and Roman Catholic Church trains their ministers in Christian theology, for example in Seminaries, or even universities (Woods, 2005). Thus, this begs the question that if religion and science are so incompatible, why would religions, for example Christianity, support academic study and scientific inquiry amongst its clergy? All in all it can be argued that there is no qualitative distinction between religion, and the philosophy of metaphysics (Hazen, 2005). Granted, the answers provided by each perspective may differ wildly. Indeed, certain questions (e.g. ‘does God exist?’) may be inappropriate in many religions. Nevertheless, the overlap between religion, theology, and metaphysics seems obvious (Hazen, 2005). Cosmology refers to the scientific (mathematical) study of the universe, and the role of humanity in it (Hawley Katerine, 1998). Thus, by definition, cosmology and religion are concerned with the same subject matter. C osmology appears to occupy a position between religion and modern science, posing arguments about the relationship between God, humanity, and the physical universe. A sub-branch of cosmology, known as religious cosmology specifically aims at explaining and understanding the universe based, in part, on religious teachings (Hetherington, 1993). Many religious cosmologists accept that God created the universe, but yet recognize the findings of modern science, notably Astrophysics, that the universe was created in the ‘Big Bang’ for example. These two positions aren’t necessarily incompatible; God may be considered to have created the Big Bang! CONCLUSION This essay considers the tension between religion, science, and philosophy, and whether this conflict is justified. Substantial differences exist between religion and science/philosophy: for example, religious notions like faith, God, and unquestioning adherence, are generally incompatible with classic scientific tenets. Similarly, traditional scientific requirements like quantification, and philosophical concepts such as rationality and empiricism, don’t ‘fit’ well with religious practice. Yet, perhaps the magnitude of these differences may be exaggerated. Religion, philosophy, and science, in fact overlap considerably, and the best evidence for this lies in the existence of fields like metaphysics, cosmology, religious cosmology, and theology. These disciplines generally involve scientific inquiry, but yet address religious concepts, and are studied by religious clergy, ministers, and other religious leaders. All in all, any conflict between religion and science /philosophy may be more myth than reality. REFERENCE Blackburn, S., Ed. (1996) The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Bonjour, L. (1998) In Defense of Pure Reason. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Borrell-Carrio, F., Suchman, A.L. Epstein, M.D. (2004) The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry. Annals of Family Medicine, 2, pp.576-582. Boyer, P. (2001) Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. New York: Basic Books. Darwin, C. (1859, 1861, 1872) On the Origin of Specifies by Means of Natural Selection, of the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1st edition). London: John Murray. Dawkins, R. (2006) Why there almost certainly is no God. The Huffington Post, August 18. Fernando CT Rowe, J (2007). Natural selection in chemical evolution. Journal of Theoretical Biology 247, pp.152-67. Fukuyama, F. (2004) The Worlds Most Dangerous Ideas [online] in Foreign Policy. http://www.mywire.com/pubs/ForeignPolicy/2004/09/01/564801?page=4 [Accessed August 16 2007]. Franck, L., Chantler, C. Dixon, M. (2007) Should NICE evaluate complementary and alternative medicine? British Medical Journal, 334, p.506. Godfrey-Smith, P. (2003) Theory and reality: an introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Science and its Conceptual Foundations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Harris, S (2006) Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. Blackstone AudioBooks. Hawley, J.F. Katerine A.H. (1998) Foundations of Modern Cosmology. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Hayles, N.K. (1999). How We Became Posthuman. University of Chicago Press Hazen, RM. (Dec 2005) Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life’s Origins. Joseph Henry Press Hetherington, N.S. (1993) Cosmology: Historical, Literary, Philosophical, Religious, and Scientific Perspectives. New York: Garland Publishing. Jaki, S. (1996) Bible and Science. Christendom Press. Jones, L. (ed) (2005) Encyclopaedia of Religion. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan. Kenny, A. (1986) Rationalism, Empiricism and Idealism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Krige, J. Dominique, P. (eds) (2003) Science in the Twentieth Century. Routledge. LeGouis, C. (1997). Positivism and Imagination: Scientism and Its Limits in Emile Hennequin, Wilhelm Scherer and Dmitril Pisarev. London: Bucknell University Press. Lindbeck, G.A. (1984) Nature of Doctrine. Louisville: John Knox Press. Lowe, E. J. (2002). A Survey of Metaphysics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Loux, M. J. (2006). Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction (3rd ed.). London: Routledge. Martin, W. Russell M.J. (2002). On the origins of cells: a hypothesis for the evolutionary transitions from abiotic geochemistry to chemoautotrophic prokaryotes, and from prokaryotes to nucleated cells. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 358, pp.59-85. McGrath, A.E. (1987) Understanding the Trinity. Eastbourne, UK: Kingsway Publications Migliore, D.L. (2004) Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Myers, D. (2007) The Science of Subjective Well-being. Guildford Press. Norris, P. Inglehart, R. (2007) Sacred and Secular, Religion and Politics Worldwide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Peacock, J. (1999). Cosmological Physics. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press. Pickering, M. (1993) Auguste Comte: An Intellectual Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Potter, R.L. (2005) Religious themes in medical journals. Journal of Religion and Health, 32, pp.217-222. Rawlins MD Culyer AJ (2004) National Institute for Clinical Excellence and its value judgements. British Medical Journal, 329, pp.224-227. Rorty, R. (1991) Objectivity, Relativism, and Truth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Russell MJ, Hall AJ, Cairns-Smith AG. Braterman PS (1988). Submarine hot springs and the origin of life. Nature 336, p.117. Spong, J.S. (1994) Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Virgin Birth. San Francisco: Harper Collins. Stock, G. (2002). Redesigning Humans: Choosing our Genes, Changing our Future. Mariner Books Taylor, A.E. (2001). Plato: The Man and his Work. Courier Dover Publications Tonelli, MR. (2001) The limits of evidence-based medicine. Respiratory Care, 46, pp.1435-1440. Woods, J.T. (2005). How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. Regnery Publishing.

Jewish Divorce Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although changes have been made to Jewish divorce laws, women are continually being mistreated when dealing with the issues of divorce. In biblical times, there were no assurances that women would be protected when faced with a man who wanted a divorce. Furthermore, women were not allowed to initiate the process by asking for one. As time went on, it was recognized that women needed to be somewhat shielded from actions that her husband could take, which she had no control over. Rabbinic law made four major changes to help the plight of women regarding divorce (Biale p.5).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, the Halackah requires a Get (bill of divorcement), which limits the possibility of a rash, thoughtless divorce (Biale p.6). Second, the Talmud introduces a number of grounds where a woman can seek a divorce. She must appeal to a Beit Din to compel him to divorce her (B. p.6). Furthermore, post-biblical Halackah introduces the Ketubah, which gives financial assurances to women in case of a divorce (B. p.6). Finally, in the Middle ages, the ban of Rabbenu Gershom forbids divorcing a woman against her consent (B. p.6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although these assurances are made, it does not hinder the man’s ability to abuse his power when initiating a divorce. The Mishnah cites three opinions regarding legitimate grounds for divorce (B. p.74). In Deuteronomy 24:1, the passage reveals a lot about the practice of divorce. One clause states ...

Assess the impact of new technologies on the music industry – Discuss the significance and implications of these developments

Over the years, the development of new technology has caused significant changes in the music industry. The presence of radio and digital radio, digital television, mini discs and the Internet has created challenges and opportunities for the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) and RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) alike. Radio works in parallel with the record industry because airplay determines to some extent, the chart position of an artist or group. If chart success is dependent on radio, then radio is an important tool to the music industry. To show just how important, ‘pluggers' are employed to approach disc jockeys to play their bands music for promotion and chart placement. Furthermore, the introduction of digital radio has excluded some of the restrictions of area broadcasting so people have more access to music. This is significant because radio now has a larger audience than before and more people are being influenced. This changes the way music is purchased and determines the success of artists and the record companies. Digital television works in the same way as radio in that the music channels help promote singles through the playing of music videos. Specialized channels and radio stations target specific audiences – this is known as narrow casting – which let every genre of music be heard enabling audiences to make up their own minds about what they like. As homogenous music exists alongside specialist music produced mainly by A and R (Artist and Repertoire), record companies want to target the right audiences for maximum exposure and therefore corresponding sales. For example, the channels ‘MTV Hits', ‘The Box' and ‘Smash Hits† play mostly pop music, whereas channels like ‘Kerrang', ‘Q' and ‘MTV2†³ specialize in alternative and rock music. The Internet has proved to be both helpful and challenging to the music industry. For record companies, it advertises and sells their music and is an easy way for people to purchase singles and albums. The introduction of selling CD's on the Internet has not meant that high-street stores will go out of business as not everyone buys music from their computers. For example younger people do not have credit cards and are therefore not able to buy music on the Internet. Instead, it has provided record companies with another profitable venture, as now there is more access to buy music. The downside of the Internet for the music industry is the emergence of MP3. This compresses material without altering the end product so it can be downloaded onto PC. Many millions of people now download music for free and burn the songs onto a blank disk. This is illegal but available and at present because of the mass numbers of people doing it, the BPI and RIAA cannot stop it from happening There are many arguments in favour of downloading, but the music industry insists outright that it should be banned. Their arguments against file sharing are that it deprives artists (and record companies) of royalties. The money gained from selling music provides an incentive to actually make it – if there is no money then there is no incentive and it will discourage artists from recording music. However, some artists may not consider money to be the main incentive to make music and even record straight to MP3 format. For example, David Bowie, the ‘Beastie Boys' and ‘Muse' do this. Other implications of downloading music are that if profits continue to fall, record companies will take fewer risks and not introduce new bands with different styles of music. This means that music will become even more predictable and formulaic which in turn creates a limited choice for the consumer. They also claim that it could undermine the record industry. The industry does feel threatened as in 1999 two hundred free music websites were shut down. Record companies say that the industry will be weakened because of MP3, and eventually smaller, independent record companies would disappear and again, people's choice in music will be limited. However, it can be argued that through buying albums choice is already limited. File sharing actually allows audiences more freedom to obtain the music that they want to hear, rather than paying for an album and only liking two out of ten songs. Alongside the threat of Internet downloading is the existence of mini disks and mini disk players. This causes a problem for the record industry as people can hold an extensive collection of music from a variety of different genres on one small disk for the price of a blank mini disk rather that a compilation compact disk for about fifteen pounds. The new technologies discussed above have a mixture of positive and negative outcomes for the record industry. They benefit from some – for example radio and digital television, even the Internet, but suffer from other developments such as file sharing. In order to compete with the ever-growing demand for music that is cheap and readily available, then it is advised that the industry make a number of significant changes that will benefit themselves and the consumer.

Free Essays on My Wood

â€Å"My Wood†, by E.M. Forster is a witty essay depicting Forster’s reaction to the ownership of a small estate he bought with the royalties from a novel he wrote. He cleverly discusses the effects the wood may have on him. Forster conveys a humorously negative attitude toward his experience of acquiring property through the use of biblical allusions, word choice, and the manipulation of sentences. The use of Biblical allusions supports Forster’s point, and reveals his attitude on his owning of land. â€Å"They point out what is perfectly obvious, yet is seldom realized: that if you have a lot of things you cannot move about a lot, that furniture requires dusting, dusters require servants, servants require insurance stamps, and the whole tangle makes you think twice before you accept an invitation to dinner or go for a bathe in the Jordan.† Forster is evidently indicating that while initially something may seem simple, a person should ‘think twice’ before they engage in any endeavor. His attitude is rather obvious; Forster is contemplating whether the purchasing of the wood will result in dire consequences. The reference to the Jordan River is regarding to the river where John the Baptist baptized repentant sinners. Forster is concluding that a person should think before they obligate themselves to something, just as one would consider being bapt ized. His conscious is forcing him to realize the negative effects the wood has on him. Forster begins the essay by explaining how he bought land, and how the purchasing of the land made him question the effect that property has on one’s character. What’s the effect on me of my wood?† Forster was concerned with the consequences that may result from the ownership of land, and uses droll word choice to exemplify his attitude. â€Å" In the first place, it makes me feel heavy. Property does have this effect. Property produces men of weight, and it was a man of weight that... Free Essays on My Wood Free Essays on My Wood â€Å"My Wood†, by E.M. Forster is a witty essay depicting Forster’s reaction to the ownership of a small estate he bought with the royalties from a novel he wrote. He cleverly discusses the effects the wood may have on him. Forster conveys a humorously negative attitude toward his experience of acquiring property through the use of biblical allusions, word choice, and the manipulation of sentences. The use of Biblical allusions supports Forster’s point, and reveals his attitude on his owning of land. â€Å"They point out what is perfectly obvious, yet is seldom realized: that if you have a lot of things you cannot move about a lot, that furniture requires dusting, dusters require servants, servants require insurance stamps, and the whole tangle makes you think twice before you accept an invitation to dinner or go for a bathe in the Jordan.† Forster is evidently indicating that while initially something may seem simple, a person should ‘think twice’ before they engage in any endeavor. His attitude is rather obvious; Forster is contemplating whether the purchasing of the wood will result in dire consequences. The reference to the Jordan River is regarding to the river where John the Baptist baptized repentant sinners. Forster is concluding that a person should think before they obligate themselves to something, just as one would consider being bapt ized. His conscious is forcing him to realize the negative effects the wood has on him. Forster begins the essay by explaining how he bought land, and how the purchasing of the land made him question the effect that property has on one’s character. What’s the effect on me of my wood?† Forster was concerned with the consequences that may result from the ownership of land, and uses droll word choice to exemplify his attitude. â€Å" In the first place, it makes me feel heavy. Property does have this effect. Property produces men of weight, and it was a man of weight that...

How Many Glasses Are in a Gallon of Water

How Many Glasses Are in a Gallon of Water SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Research suggests that there are numerous health benefits to drinking water, including increased energy, weight loss, improved skin complexion, and more. Water's many benefits are well-known and often touted, but how much water should we actually aim to drink in a day? One common recommendation is to drink a gallon of water in a day. In this article, I'll cover how many glasses in a gallon for standard and non-standard glasses and talk about how many glasses of water in a gallon you should actually drink each day. How Many Glasses in a Gallon: Standard Glass A gallon contains 128 ounces. A standard glass contains eight ounces. So, one gallon equals 16 eight ounce glasses of water. How Many Glasses in a Gallon: Non-Standard Glass Other common types of glassware include pint glasses, which normally hold 16 ounces, or smaller, lowball glasses which hold between four to eight ounces, depending on the glass. Since a pint glass holds 16 ounces, and a gallon is 128 ounces, one gallon equals eight pint glasses. A gallon holds 32 4-ounce lowball glasses, approximately 21.3 6-ounce lowball glasses, and 16 eight ounce lowball glasses. In order to find out how many glasses of a particular size are in the gallon, you can divide 128 (the number of ounces in a gallon) by the number of ounces your glass holds. How Much Water Should You Drink in a Day? Now that we know how many glasses of water are in a gallon, let's discuss how much water you should drink a day. The Mayo Clinic recommends that average, healthy adults living in temperate climates drink eight standard glasses of water a day, which is half of the 16 standard glasses of water that make up a gallon. If you're extremely active, dehydrated, or live in a more arid part of the world, you'll want to increase the amount of water you consume every day. People who sweat a lot are more likely to need to drink a gallon of water every day than people who have a normal, moderate activity level. The bottom line- you should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water every day to receive health benefits such as increase hydration, better sleep, and more. If you're highly active, consider upping the amount of water you consume to one gallon to replace the fluids you lose while sweating. What's Next? Looking for more liquid measure answers? Find out how many cups are in four quarts here.

Dramatic Irony In Oedipus Rex Essays - Operas, Oedipus The King

Dramatic Irony In Oedipus Rex Essays - Operas, Oedipus The King Dramatic Irony In Oedipus Rex In Sophocles Oedipus Rex, dramatic irony is often present in Oedipus long speeches. Oedipus constantly sees things incorrectly, and is in denial that he has, in fact, killed his father and married his mother. This is first apparent when he demands the death of the man who killed Laios. Oedipus calls the man who did this an evil murder. Oedipus assumes that, as he became a citizen of Thebes after the murder, though he did kill someone, he is ruled out as a suspect of Laios assassin. In another speech, Oedipus accuses Creon of setting him up in order to get the throne, by framing him as the murderer. At this point, Oedipus is in denial that he is guilty, even though all of the evidence points to him. In reality, Creon does not want to be king at all; he enjoys his current position of wealth and power without any real responsibility. A third occasion of irony in the speeches is Oedipuss firm belief that the people who raised him were his biological parents. Oedipus refuses to believe th at Iocaste is his mother, and that by escaping to Thebes, he did not escape the fate he was told of at Delphi. Because of Oedipuss denial and stubbornness, he did suffer greatly and commit the greatest sin.

Do native peoples today invent their traditions Essay

Do native peoples today invent their traditions - Essay Example Almost always there are valid arguments on both sides of the controversy. This, I believe is also the case in the arguments put forth by Keesing and Trask, in their difference of opinions, about whether native peoples today invent their traditions. However, I do think the arguments put forth by Trask more valid. Cultural anthropologist Roger M Keesing maintains, that the traditional culture accepted by the native people of the pacific is an invented version of their past, and that they do not really know what life was really like before the invasion of the white man. On the other hand, Haunani-Kay Trask, a Hawaiian scholar argues that Keesing relies only on western documentation, while the native people have sources like oral traditions and genealogies that western documentation does not take into account. I believe that this is a valid point because I think that there is a difference in perception between people of different cultures, and many native customs and nuances in dialects, may not be correctly understood by someone who is alien to that culture. There are subtle changes in the pronunciations of certain words in some dialects and these could convey a very different meaning. Trask herself is critical of the westerner’s understanding of native culture and the institutions therein, while Keesing too argues that â€Å"interpretation itself is fraught with difficulties, some perhaps ultimately intractable.† (Keesing, R) In the present debate, Keesing’s arguments are based on a collection of essays of Hobsbawm and Ranger, that conclude that cultures and traditions change over time due to a variety of factors. Most anthropologists agree that customs and traditions change over time. However to say that these have been invented to cater to the tourism industry, and the native people do not really know what life was like before western invasion; also is difficult to accept. It is a well documented fact, that in many cultures, knowledge and t raditions were handed down orally from father to son spanning generations. For example in India the Vedic texts are said to have been orally passed on for generations. Although it may be argued that it may not have been handed down in its purest form, allowing for some changes as a result of verbal communication, to say that these traditions have been invented by native people in the recent past cannot be accepted. It must also be accepted that documentation of these traditions were mostly carried out by the western invaders, as the local people relied on verbal communication and not on the written word that was alien to their culture. As Trask argues, it is perhaps the native scholar rather than the western one who would be the better judge of whether the present traditions are those that have come down the ages or invented in the recent past. Having the advantage of being a native, the local anthropologist would be in a better position to understand the nuances of words, and their various meanings, as they were once used in bygone times, and the sum total of what has been handed down through the ages. Keesing accepts the fact that it is important to question

Work in a Pediatric Department Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Work in a Pediatric Department - Essay Example Catering for the welfare of people requires leadership skills. I also aspire to lead my colleagues in ensuring that patients’ needs are professionally and perfectly addressed. My confidence in achieving leadership goals stems from earlier experience when I was chosen to lead a group involved in Regional Occupational Program project. I ensured that all members undertook their responsibilities. The application of my leadership skills and teamwork coordination enabled my group to achieve a perfect grade after presenting the research project. These efforts made me receive commendation from various quarters. Some of the awards I have received in the last four years include Principal Honor Roll, Volunteer of the Month Award, Faculty Honor Roll: Chemistry and History, Certificate of Achievement: Medical Assisting Office and Certificate of Achievement: World History and Chemistry. My involvement in Regional Occupation Program Career Training Courses enabled me to complete crucial cour ses that are necessary for a prosperous future in the medical field. They included Medical Core, Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Medical Abbreviations, Medical Assisting Front Office, Medical Assisting Back Office and CPR Certified and Health Unit Coordinator. The activities I participated in during my high school life established a firm medical foundation suitable for enabling excellence in the future nursing career. My interest in community health motivated me to spend over 300 hours at the Knott’s Care Center.

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 4

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example Leadership is interpreted by different theories for different situations. To some, it means control; to others, it means representation. â€Å"Leadership is ‘the behavior of an individual . . . directing the activities of a group toward a shared goal’† (Yukl, 2010). Yukl’s definition suggests that leadership is the authorization to make decisions on the behalf of others. Management is a process that interconnects and transverses every aspect of the organisation. As the integrating force, the company management coordinates, synthesizes and directs the myriads of variant activities within the organisation to maximize shareholder value. According to Easterby-Smith, a manager’s tasks include: 1) organization and coordination; 2) anticipating problems and handling them to ensure the continued operations at an acceptable level; 3) effectively overcoming functional, cultural and technical obstacles and perhaps rebuilding the organization’s structure (Mark Easterby-Smith, 2012). Decisions are based upon the unique variables of a scenario. The choice and much of the success of a leadership style depends upon the character traits of the leader. Businesses suffer and eventually fail due to inadequate or improper leadership. Values have also changed; in some instances values have disappeared from company visions and missions. Neither the employee nor the customer affects decision making, just profits – and increasing shareholder value. The employee’s perception of how the organization values his or her contribution is also important. â€Å"Perceived organizational support (POS) is the degree to which employees believe the organization values their contribution and cares about their well-being† (Robbins, 2011). Employees can sense how much the organization values their input. In order to achieve its goals, leaders must be multi-dimensional. â€Å"Effective leaders make frequent use of task-oriented and person-or iented behaviors† (Yukl, 2010). The key is consistency. If a leader can be found that can perform using the high-high model of leadership, he or she should be considered a highly valuable asset. The leader can effectively serve the staff only to the extent of his or her character. â€Å"The values are likely to be internalized by managers who grow up in a particular culture, and these values will influence their attitudes and behavior in ways that may not be conscious† (Yukl, 2010 In the past, management was mainly seen as a technical, functional and mechanistic activity related to effective organisation and implementation of resources. Although synthesis, coordination and direction are really important functions of managerial behaviour, it does not mean that they are homogeneous; on the contrary, managerial functions are extensively diverse (Bandura, 1982). Consistency is paramount during periods of recession. Implementation of sustainability programs must exist to ens ure the long run success of the operations. This is considered true by Fiksel (1999) in his study of strategies employed by top international corporations to maintain superior business performance Case Scenario: D2 Manufacturing (See Appendix A) The D2 car manufacturing case scenario will be analyzed by use of the ‘Appreciative Inquiry 5D framework’ method (Cooperrider & dan Whitney, 2001): a. Definition b. Discovery c. Dream d. Design e. Destiny The following questions will be

US moving to IFRS. (International Accounting) Essay

US moving to IFRS. (International Accounting) - Essay Example   Albrecht affirms that the best way to determine the viability of adopting a new course of action is by use of incremental analysis in which the benefits of the change should outweigh its cost. The decision of the US moving to IFRS has triggered a lot of debate, with many participants narrowing its effect to the various parties. Among them are the investors whose protection is included in the SEC mission. According to Albrecht two key elements defining financial markets under the U.S. GAAP are the low cost of seeking capital and the highest ROIs as compared to other markets in the world. This has to a major extent been attributed to the good rules that have been developed, challenged and shaped for several years, which has led to â€Å"bright lines† in reporting unlike in IFRSs where managers can manipulate numbers. If the adoption occurs the U.S. companies may experience a reduction in market value in stocks and bonds to unknown levels. According to Parks the cost of adoption could be approximately $32 million per company. In fact British Petroleum CEO said that for his company $100 million was spent for the first year and roughly $150 million for the second and third year. This is a huge cost against revenue and it’s likely to affect the profit margins and consequently returns on investment. Finally on the costs, in the U.S investors and accountants will need to learn how to read and interpret the financial statements prepared using IFRSs. This will need resources in terms of money and time to cover millions of these people. The benefits to investors will be an expected reduction in audit fees whose effect will be felt as years pass by, as auditors will have to take corporate numbers at face value. Based on this analysis the cost are more tangible and seem to outweigh the benefits hence the move would not really benefit the

Prototyping in Graphic design Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prototyping in Graphic design - Research Paper Example Graphic designers do not generate attributes and abstract relationships then derive the suitable object to consider. They instead always generate a design model and then find out its specifications. This paper looks at how design tools enable graphic designers to create functional prototypes of ever-present user interfaces. This scholarly compilation of modern essays applies quantifiable study to the graphic design practice. The whole book heartens designers to develop practices that are research-oriented which are more all-encompassing of audience input along with interdisciplinary proficiency. This is an educational book for any teacher of design. Buxton advises us to spotlight more on the blueprint of the design development than the product design. An efficient method to do this, he cites, is by â€Å"sketching† (demos, prototypes, sketches, simulations, models). Throughout this book he as well heartens teachers to incorporate into their classrooms additional scholarship, a history sense and a joint approach to the process of design. The book has provoking interviews along with genuine world examples. This is a useful guide to managing and forming a graphic design business. It is increasingly helpful for learners as many are trying to start on their careers at first as freelancers as a substitute of employees. This book outlines a greatly helpful timeframe of graphic design from 1890 to 2000. In essence, it is an efficient sketch of the history of graphic design, allowing learners to speedily put designers along with their work into chronological background. This collection of current essays and case studies initiates designers to research tools made particularly for graphic design. It covers â€Å"research through design, research into design and research for design.† Most of the research methodologies regard design as a segment of an integrated system. (11) Martin, Bella, and Bruce M. Hanington. Universal

HPV affect on women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HPV affect on women - Essay Example Social consequences include a feeling of shame in women with the infection, by which these women feel that their bodies are now deficient. Psychological consequences include depression, anguish, anger, lowering of self-esteem, and hostility towards the individual considered responsible for transmitting the infection. The infection can be prevented by vaccination that has been developed, by which the many lives lost each year from the consequences of the infection can be saved. Yet, the vaccination is not promoted with enough enthusiasm to bring about this effect. Human papillomavirus also known as HPV is a virus that can cause infection at the skin, or at the genital area of both males and females. In excess of 130 types of HPV have been found till date. Infection on the skin results in warts, while infection in the genital area may lead to genital warts. Infection of the genital area can also cause cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, mouth and throat (McGill Medicine, 2010). Genital herpes viral infection is the possible outcome of sexual intercourse with an individual already infected, while recurrence of the infection occurs when a person is under physical or psychological stress (International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF), 2003). The problem in HPV infections for women is that they unfairly bear the burden of the major proportion of the actual disease that can result from the infection (Henderson, Yasgur & Warshowsky, 2002). Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) published in the February 28, 2007, shows that 26.8% of women in the U.S. have one or more strains of HPV, and that the prevalence of HPV is highest in the age group of 20-24. Furthermore, the prevalence in women in the U.S. of the high risk types of HPV is a little over 15% (National Cancer Institute, 2007). Two peaks have been observed in the prevalence of HPV in

US moving to IFRS. (International Accounting) Essay

US moving to IFRS. (International Accounting) - Essay Example   Albrecht affirms that the best way to determine the viability of adopting a new course of action is by use of incremental analysis in which the benefits of the change should outweigh its cost. The decision of the US moving to IFRS has triggered a lot of debate, with many participants narrowing its effect to the various parties. Among them are the investors whose protection is included in the SEC mission. According to Albrecht two key elements defining financial markets under the U.S. GAAP are the low cost of seeking capital and the highest ROIs as compared to other markets in the world. This has to a major extent been attributed to the good rules that have been developed, challenged and shaped for several years, which has led to â€Å"bright lines† in reporting unlike in IFRSs where managers can manipulate numbers. If the adoption occurs the U.S. companies may experience a reduction in market value in stocks and bonds to unknown levels. According to Parks the cost of adoption could be approximately $32 million per company. In fact British Petroleum CEO said that for his company $100 million was spent for the first year and roughly $150 million for the second and third year. This is a huge cost against revenue and it’s likely to affect the profit margins and consequently returns on investment. Finally on the costs, in the U.S investors and accountants will need to learn how to read and interpret the financial statements prepared using IFRSs. This will need resources in terms of money and time to cover millions of these people. The benefits to investors will be an expected reduction in audit fees whose effect will be felt as years pass by, as auditors will have to take corporate numbers at face value. Based on this analysis the cost are more tangible and seem to outweigh the benefits hence the move would not really benefit the

HPV affect on women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HPV affect on women - Essay Example Social consequences include a feeling of shame in women with the infection, by which these women feel that their bodies are now deficient. Psychological consequences include depression, anguish, anger, lowering of self-esteem, and hostility towards the individual considered responsible for transmitting the infection. The infection can be prevented by vaccination that has been developed, by which the many lives lost each year from the consequences of the infection can be saved. Yet, the vaccination is not promoted with enough enthusiasm to bring about this effect. Human papillomavirus also known as HPV is a virus that can cause infection at the skin, or at the genital area of both males and females. In excess of 130 types of HPV have been found till date. Infection on the skin results in warts, while infection in the genital area may lead to genital warts. Infection of the genital area can also cause cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, mouth and throat (McGill Medicine, 2010). Genital herpes viral infection is the possible outcome of sexual intercourse with an individual already infected, while recurrence of the infection occurs when a person is under physical or psychological stress (International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF), 2003). The problem in HPV infections for women is that they unfairly bear the burden of the major proportion of the actual disease that can result from the infection (Henderson, Yasgur & Warshowsky, 2002). Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) published in the February 28, 2007, shows that 26.8% of women in the U.S. have one or more strains of HPV, and that the prevalence of HPV is highest in the age group of 20-24. Furthermore, the prevalence in women in the U.S. of the high risk types of HPV is a little over 15% (National Cancer Institute, 2007). Two peaks have been observed in the prevalence of HPV in

African and Native American Slavery Essay Example for Free

African and Native American Slavery Essay The 1500s, a time of discovery, was when the Europeans came to dominate most of the New World. The Europeans traveled to Africa and captured Africans to help develop their land and satisfy their need for power. I feel that the treatment of the Indians and Africans by the Europeans was completely unjustifiable. While the Indians and Africans were less technologically advanced and the Europeans were uneducated, in this particular field, nothing can compensate for the actions of the Europeans. As Europeans began to settle new lands they began their exploration of the foreign worlds. What they found was the opposite of what they expected. They found what they thought was a new breed of humans. In reality they were just Native Americans. These Indians were less technologically advanced than the Europeans. They also worshipped different and multiple gods and ate different foods. Europeans saw this as barbaric, so they treated them as barbarians. In the beginning Native Americans hadnt the faintest idea of what the Europeans had in mind when they said trade. They figured that when the White Man came and showed all that hospitality they meant it. Of course, they didnt, the Europeans captured the Indians to be used as slaves. They were also slaughtered and raped because of resistance to leave their land. If any Indians refused to leave their land they would be killed. The women were raped for sick and disgusting reasons. Europeans didnt feel that the women, or men for that matter, were worth anything as humans so they were beat and raped without any thought about what they might be doing. As we watched the movie Roots, I noticed a part in the movie where they were on a ship and a man brings in a black woman, who was a slave. The man offered her to the ships captain and referred to her as a belly warmer. That got me to thinking what could be going on in that mans head as he said that. When I heard that I was shocked that a man could treat someone like that. People have feelings and cannot be treated as objects. Maybe the Europeans didn t realize that these people were, in fact people, and that drove them to this awful conclusion that they could treat people this way. As Europeans settled their land and began to build houses, farms and plantations, they realized that they needed servants to assist them in their farming. So people would travel to Africa capture blacks and then sell them to merchants and plantation owners. They would then beat them and put them to long, grueling work. They would treat them as they did the Indians, and for much the same reason. They figured that since the blacks were black and appeared to be less advanced then they must be less significant. People of the next generation whose parents owned slaves and grew up thinking slaves were okay is understandable. I just dont feel that anything could justify treating the slaves they way they did. they had absolutely no respect for them. They would savagely beat them to get them to work harder than humanly possible and they would rape the women. I dont think that I will ever know how any one could do such a thing. I conclusion I strongly feel that the way Europeans treated people that were less technologically advanced is completely and utterly wrong. It is difficult to contemplate what was going on in their heads as they were capturing them, killing them and even raping them. I can not believe how they could think that the color of someones ones skin or religious beliefs could make them less human. I am glad I live in a country based on the belief that all men are created equal.

The Zara Business Plan Marketing Essay

The Zara Business Plan Marketing Essay Zara offers the latest trends in international fashion in an environment of thought-out design. Its stores, located in the main commercial areas of cities across Europe, America and Asia, offer fashion inspired in the tastes, wishes and lifestyles of todays men and women. Zara moves at the pace of society, fashion ideas, and trends that society itself has natured. Hence its success among people, cultures and generations that, in spite of their differences, share a special sensitivity for fashion. Due to the growing of the clothing industry and the enormous unmet need in the market in the Puget Sound, we see the long-term expansion and potential of Zara throughout the Northwest. We are visionaries who see Zara as an extreme financial launch. By achieving its sales targets, Zara will position itself for exceptional profitability and self-funded growth. With our plans of Zaras expansion in South Centre Mall, our plan is to generate revenues of $7,094,763 by 2008. Management of Zara is seeking an investment of $800,000 in addition to the $150,000 already invested by the founders. Proceeds will be reinvested into the expansion of Zara into new markets and products. Purpose Approach The purpose in business is to maintain the responsiveness to the changing trends in consumer tastes through creating new designs fast that are suitable for all customers at an affordable price. In the ongoing expansion process we have decided to move into the Puget Sound Region because of the many advantages that could be exploited. We have considered several elements that we have learned throughout the semester and applied them in our decision making process. Worth of ZARA We have created a payroll chart for the just the four owners that will be our only staff, which the profit is divided evenly for all four owner. Accounting for the identifiable logo and the cost of operations our acquisition proposal would be $#######. This figure is derived from our analysis, where we multiplied our average monthly sales figure by eight percent because we included the branding of Zara and it helps us minimize our risk by not overspending. The total cost of revenue for the first year of opening is estimated at $350,000.00. Estimate Business Cycle Comparative Statement Current Assets Current Liability Working Capital Long Term Liability Zara Income Statement Lease (including Insurance and other Expense) Operating Expense Tax for cost of revenue Total Expense Payroll Hourly Wage Hours Gross Pay Tax Managers / Owner (4) N/A 4,160 Yearly Total Balance Sheet Asset Cash AR Inventory Equipment Three departments Men Æ’Â   Son Women Æ’Â   Ashley Children Æ’Â   Justin Open Shift Æ’Â   Justin Closing Shift Æ’Â   Huy Three Sunday unless holiday or event We agree on that we as the owner are the only worker in our newly franchise Zara store. Cost distributes Lenders Suppliers Government -Assumption 8.8%- How much inventory needed? Starting Inventory Number of Employee South Center Mall Mall hours 10:00 am 9:30 pm Monday to Saturday 11:00 am 7:00 pm Sunday 80 hours open per week 52 weeks in a year 80 X 52 = 4160 hours open in a year 2467.56 X 12 = 29610.72 / 4160 = 7.12 transaction per hour Price of Space $27.76 per square feet Size of space 4000 square feet 4000 X $27.76 = $111,040.00 $111,040 / 45 = 2467.56 transaction Price Range per Item $35.00 to $79.00 Asset 640 item on displace and for sale Piece $8.00 Mark-up $2.08 $10.08 Mark-up 26% Children Selling Price $35.00 $57.00 $79.00 Mark-up $9.00 $15.00 $29.54 Cogs $44.10 $71.82 $99.54 Total Cogs $215.46 Revenue $171.00 Profit 45 Contract Specifies All included Utilities Water / Sewage / Garbage Insurance $111,040 X 12 = $1,332,480 rent per year Bank of America Available for amounts up to $100,000 Provides a one-time lump sum with fixed monthly payments Quick approval process Lets you borrow without using your business or personal assets as collateral Competitive, fixed rate of interest Maximum term up to 5 years Set the stage for the success of your practice. 100% practice financing plus working capital available Buyer/Seller referral network Demographic site analysis Fixed and variable rates with terms up to 15 years Deferred, graduated, and interest-only payment plans available Combined practice and real estate loans available Financing for equipment, cabinetry, and office furniture, fixtures, and supplies Financing for renovations and construction Financing can include architecture, design, and management consulting fees All terms and features subject to credit approval. Some restrictions apply. Zara Operations To be successful in providing high quality products to all of our customers at a price that is affordable we selected our locations based on the locations that are similar to those of other Zara stores. Our strategy is to move from city to city while continuing the business practices used by Zara and implementing information technology. Our preference in location is derived from the closeness to the entertainment, financial institutions, art museums, and upscale restaurants. This preference allows us to reach numerous customers because it would be located in areas that people will either drive or walk passed. While receiving the attention provided by our friendly personable salespeople, customers will enjoy our in-store coffee shop and the ambiance that is created by our interior designers. We intend to utilize information technology to flatten the hierarchical structure of management, thus, granting our employees more decision-making power and responsibility. Exploiting information technology through implementation of TPS and DSS will enable us to organize information that can be used to improve the decision-making quality. Customers could use our online store to receive reminders of birthdays and other holidays, so that they can send gifts as well as getting the news on the new styles to be release in the near future. We have created our website with the goal of making it east to use, therefore, allowing customers to participate in sales promotions as well as providing feedback on products. They could also view the feedback of other customers. The website can also be customized to fit the customers shopping behaviors. (pp. 295) Future Potential of ZARA This business has a lot of potential. We could possibly incorporate different marketing strategies although the one used has proven to be successful. Zara could also develop an online website. Through the online store we will sell our products and do some pre-marketing of new products before they are released in addition to collecting consumer responses about the products. Another potential factor that we have considered is to open discount stores that would allow the business to sell the surpluses in inventory. This will enable us to become more efficient. The areas we have chosen for the location of our stores are downtown Seattle, Bellevue Square, and the South Center Mall in Tukwila. These areas fit the needs of surrounding businesses, our staff members, the seasonal shoppers, and the vacationing tourists. The selected areas also offer a wide variety of restaurants, tourist attractions, and entertainment, which could prove to be an advantage. (pp. 331-332) Zara Investment Recommendations Considering the risks involved of opening a business, we are confident about the future profitability, so we highly recommend the purchase of Zara. We are confident about our recommendation because we would be entering into a franchise that has maintained its success, opened its retail stores in great locations, and utilized the products of the research and development in our business practices. These actions translate into great potential for profitability because many of the practices have already been proven to be effective. Another advantage could be created by the implementation of information technology that will improve processes and performance amongst internal customers. Looking at the future potential of the business allows us to be confident in our decision as we embrace the expansion of Zara into the Puget Sound region.

The Lottery :: essays papers

The Lottery Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines tradition as, an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) and the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction. If we are to go by the latter definition , we can understand how traditions are easily lost. Have you ever played the game telephone? You whisper something in someone's ear and they whisper it in another person^s ear until it finally returns back to you and normally what is returned isn't even close to what you originally whispered into the first person's ear In Shirley Jackson's short story ,"The Lottery" ,the main theme is how traditions that lose their meaning due to human forgetfulness can cause dreadful consequences to occur. Jackson uses a lot of symbolism to show this. The story is set in a small town, ^on the morning of June 27th^(272). It opens with false innocence , using the children building a rock pile, tricking the reader into a disturbingly unaware state. The reader almost expects the Lottery to be something wonderful since the "normal" lottery has the winner getting a prize of a large amount of money or possesion. Even the story alludes to the innocence , explaining how the the town also holds ^square dances, teenage club and the Halloween program^(273) in the same spot that the lottery is held. In "the Lottery" we discover that the town-folk use a lottery, to pick a "winner" to stone to death. The winner is picked using a black box that has been around for ages, and has even been ^rebuilt with parts supposedly from the original black box^.(273) Within the box are slips of paper, enough for the entire town. On one slip of paper is a black dot for the one lucky winner. Black has always been a symbol for death, and the color of the box and dot are no exception to this rule. One of Merriam-Webster^s dictionary definitions of black is ^marked by the occurance of disaster^ . The black dot on the slip of paper identifies the lucky winner of the lottery-the person who will get stoned to death. No-one in town really knows exactly why it is a tradition although they have some vague ideas. Old Man Warner alludes that it was once said "lottery in June, corn be heavy soon".(276) Ironically, even the oldest member of this village doesn^t even remember the real reason behind the lottery.

Differences between Acute and Invasive Streptococci Infections Essay

The Differences between Acute and Invasive Streptococci Infections: an analysis of Acute Group A Streptococci and Invasive Group A Streptococci Infections Abstract Group A Streptococci infections are commonly known throughout the world, however the idea of acute and invasive strains of Group A Streptococci are unknown. In addition, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, there are roughly 120 different strains of Group A Streptococci. The dissimilarity of the strains is what provides the various types of proteins, which are responsible for differences of acute and invasive Group A Streptococci infections. These infections can vary in severity and can, additionally, be the difference between minor throat trauma and death. In which case, it is imperative to know the differences between Acute and Invasive Group A Streptococci Infections. 5 of the 120 different strains of Group A Streptococci bacteria. Group A Streptococci infections differ in numerous ways, which can mean the difference between a minor or major infection. Today, scientists have accounted for virtually 120 different strains of Group A Streptococci (GAS), each containing its own exclusive protein to produce. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2004) Nonetheless, all Group A Streptococci are gram positive without flagella, making it non motile. (Todar?s Online Textbook of Bacteriology, 2002) Streptococcus is very common in humans and animals. Whether or not the bacteria acts and takes over the immune system is dependent upon the victims? immune system strength. Group A Streptococci can cause different degrees of illness, from none at all to very severe and life threatening. The acute Group A Streptococci ... ...oupastreptococcal_g.htm National Institutes of Health. (2004, June). Group A Streptococcal Infections. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. July 29, 2005. www.niaid.nih.gov.factsheets/strept.htm Fix F. Douglas. (1997-2005). Streptococcus. July 25, 2005. www.cehs.siu.edu/fix/medmicro/strep.html Johnson A. Paul. (2002, December). Flesh Eating Disease. Health A to Z. July 28, 2005. www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/flesh-eating_disease National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2004, November). Streptococcal Infections. Department of Health. July 28, 2005. www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/communicable_diseases/en/gas.htm ?Streptococcus Group A Infections.? Excerpt from Streptococcus Group A Infections. Emedicine. (July 25. 2005) www.emedicince.com/med/byname/streptococcus-group-a-infections.htm Acute and Invasive Streptococci Infections 8

Machiavelli: The Realist Essay

Machiavelli revolutionized the way the worldviews politics. However, when we read his writings today, the ideas don’t seem very revolutionary. This is because his thoughts came to embody political structure. Machiavelli is known for being the first political philosopher to apply realism to politics. Machiavelli wanted to find a solution to his dark reality. Machiavelli’s The Prince presents us with the reality of the political arena, and provides us with the tools to work with human nature and its shortcomings. The Prince was written as a guide for Lorenzo de’Medici of Florence to stay in power. However, Lorenzo did not agree with Machiavelli’s assumptions. Machiavelli wants to restore pride and honor to Italy (Lerner, 1950). He offers a guide of how to accomplish this in the Prince. Machiavelli wrote the Prince when Europe was engulfed in civil wars. Machiavelli challenged the idea of divine right (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli proposed the evolution of a ne w ruler, not chosen by divine right or heritage, but by military conquest. Previous to the publication of The Prince, Machiavelli had witnessed devastation in Italy (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli witnessed how power struggles and contradicting principles lead to the destruction of his nation. He wanted to offer a solution to his reality in The Prince. A nation wants stability, security, and prosperity. If the prince can provide all three while maintaining the common wealth of the people, then the ends justify the means. During the time at which Machiavelli wrote The Prince, these were revolutionary thoughts. Machiavelli’s writing was revolutionary for humanists in this era. He chose not analyze rule with divine foundations (Lerner, 1950). He rejected the notion of theology and divine right. Machiavelli decided to take a unique route. Machiavelli’s work is based on political realism. Machiavelli was the first to openly distinguish what we believe man to be, and who he really is. By acknowledging what human nature truly is, he was able to analyze the ways in which Princes can manipulate the people and their power to create a stable nation. This realism had never before been brought into political  thinking. Machiavelli argues that an ordinary citizen is the best person to analyze the ruling party. He argues that his bird’s eye view is the reason he is best suited for such analysis, â€Å"For the aim of the people is more honest than that of nobility, the latter desiring to oppress, and the former merely to avoid oppression† (Santoni, 112). Machiavelli acknowledges what Politics are rather then what then what we want them to be. Machiavelli does not say that politics can do everything and he does not say that politics can solve all societies problems. In The Prince, Machiavelli lays down the foundation for what a governor can do to maintain security, prosperity, and stability. Machiavelli does however, acknowledge that he cannot explain human nature, but rather the patterns that lie within it. Machiavelli acknowledges that he is an observer in The Prince. He uses an analogy of a man on a hill to explain the nature of his observation (Lerner, 1950). The man on the hill has t he best view of the landscape. As a citizen he has observed the patterns in decision-making made by politicians and was able to interpret them. Politics cannot answer all the questions in our society. Political thinking can only help to provide us with the framework with which we govern and are governed. The conflicting ethical principles are what cause the controversy. Machiavelli acknowledges this fact and shows that ethics are not what define politics, but are rather a component. Machiavelli argues that a Prince must be able to manipulate the attitudes of the people. Machiavelli speaks of the state. He speaks of national stability. He acknowledges that citizens and there beliefs are components of the state. The political realism emphasized in The Prince does not simply mean to accept ‘reason of the state’ as legitimacy and letting liberties be crushed (Lerner, 1950). The realism urges leaders to strive for coercion of principles. A leader unified under his people is most powerful. In The Prince, Machiavelli offers a solution to the unsuccessful development of states. The Prince gains territory by victory and sets solid foundations for the territory to flourish upon, â€Å"One, however, who becomes Prince by favor of the populace, must maintain friendship, which he will find easy, the people asking nothing but not to be oppressed†(Santoni, 1950). Machiavelli believes that a good nation with just laws will develop from an efficient military. He is not arguing that you need a war to create a state,  but rather a successful victory can create a solid foundation of the state. Machiavelli understands human nature and decides to work with it rather than disregard our flaws. He knows we are not all good, but acknowledges that there is potential for us to change (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli does not argue that the goals of politicians are always good. Machiavelli acknowledges that politicians ruthlessly seek power (Lerner, 1950). They do not care how it will affect the people. This is where a politician’s career crumbles. As noted in The Prince, you cannot rule a populace who hates you. They will overthrow you. Therefore, a prince must unite the people under his rule in order to obtain success. Human nature is the evil that is unconquerable. People will never stop having selfish motives. Therefore, we must learn to coordinate these desires. The Prince must give the people stability, security and prosperity. If he does this, then the people will dare not challenge him. Machiavelli does not provide us with an explanation of basic human nature but rather a framework, which we can use to govern and be governed. Machiavelli wants to improve politics. In the Prince he offers a plan of how to govern and how the people should be governed. He accepts that human nature is flawed. He knows that rulers are power hungry (Lerner, 1950). He also acknowledges that a ruler will not have a populace to rule if the populace hates him. Machiavelli accepts what our politics is, and tells us of what it should be. Just because human nature is flawed, doesn’t mean we are hopeless. Humanity can achieve prosperity, security, and stability if achieved within the right framework. This framework is presented in The Prince. Machiavelli is simply providing genuine insights into social organization as the foundation for Politics (Lerner, 1950). He is clear and logical. Emotion and ethics are only a small part of Machiavelli’s framework, â€Å"Everybody sees what you appear to be, few feel what you are, and those few will not dare oppose themselves to the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them† (Santoni, 123). Machiavelli provides guidance for leaders for tasks such as dealing with newly acquired territory, choosing administrators, how to conduct diplomacy, and warfare (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli gives specific examples of the way to govern newly acquired territory. He uses various situations by which a Prince could  acquire new territory and how he should govern the territory. Machiavelli is sensitive to the principles of the people of the newly acquired territory. He acknowledges that the people will overthrow the leader if he crosses them, â€Å"One who by his own valor and measures animates the mass of the people, he will not find himself deceived by them, he will find he has laid his foundations well† (Santoni, 114). To be a Prince you must be feared by your people, but not hated. Hatred will lead to destruction. Machiavelli wants the prince to form an atmosphere in which the people fear him, but also highly respect him (Lerner, 1950). The fear comes from the potential use of force by the Prince’s military against them. Machiavelli argues that a prince’s sole obligation is to protect the nation; a prince is in control of the military an d is in charge of national security. By proving military dominance, you gain power (Lerner, 1950). With this power, you can manipulate the interests of the people. Machiavelli believes that humans are in control of their actions that curb their destinies. Machiavelli also argues that humans do not have control over all events. A prince must only take into account what benefits the state when making decisions concerning the state. Machiavelli acknowledges that it is not morality of divinity that will get Italy out of this terrible mess (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli argues that self-interest and self-protection, hence national interests, should be pursued ruthlessly. A prince can only commit cruelty if his ends justify his means, â€Å"A prince, therefore, must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and faithful†(Santoni, 113). If he is being cruel for the benefit of the nation, then so be it, â€Å"In the actions of men and especially of Princes, from which there is no appeal, the end justifies the means† (Santoni, 123). Many criticized Machiavelli for being Anti-Christ and attempting to redirect our society towards immorality (Lerner, 1950). These people could not come to grasp with reality. They did not want to believe his words were true. It is apparent that Machiavelli’s ideas were far beyond his time. All humans have part of them that is ethical and normative, but we are also stubborn (Lerner, 1950). This stubbornness results in two sides of political thought. Those who pursue some passionate ideal and those who accept reality and look for solutions to our shortcomings. The prince embodies the foundations for Politics; the struggle between ethical or realistic reasoning. Machiavelli does not adhere to the  ideas of reformers or idealists. He is a realist. He gives concrete examples of ways in which a prince should govern and how a people are to be ruled. Ideals and ethics are not powerful techniques in politics. A successful statesman is an artist (Lerner, 1950). He knows how to manipulate the attitudes of the people by providing them with stability and prosperity. Religious leaders can raise moral, but they have never proven to be more powerful then a statesman (Lerner, 1950). Even in the development of the American colonies, men of god who were brought to power learned how to use their power corruptly (Lerner, 1950). Today, and during Machiavelli’s era, we are faced with a world of conflicting principalities. The struggle we face today is how much to integrate our principles to help obtain peace (Lerner, 1950). How far can we integrate before liberties are lost? What are we willing to sacrifice? Machiavelli explains that he is an observer of politics. He cannot add an ethical context to the patterns he has observed in history. He simply observed the patterns and interpreted conclusions that can be gained from them. Thus Machiavellianism provides structure, but does not provide an adequate philosophy for a way of life (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli sought to prove what politics really is, not what we believe to be. We fear Machiavelli because he speaks the truth. Machiavelli acknowledges that leaders do not always act according to the virtues they said they would act upon. Machiavelli argues that leaders seek power ruthlessly (Lerner, 1950). He acknowledges that it is easy to be ruled but hard to rule ourselves. He also acknowledges that those in different forms of government need to be dealt with differently (Lerner, 1950). Rulers of Machiavelli’s time despised him because he let the world know how their authority works. In modern society we hate Machiavelli because he is making us face the dilemma we have created (Lerner, 1950). He made visible all that which we chose to ignore. Deceit and ruthlessness are present in all governments. Machiavelli causes us to face our major issue of adapting our democratic techniques to the demands of the world (Lerner, 1950). Machiavelli’s thoughts are not unpolitical. They are in fact extremely political. Machiavelli was able to observe patterns in government and provide a solution to the devastation these institutions created. In The Prince, Machiavelli listed the tactics that need to be used by a leader to gain control of the people. Machiavelli recognized that ethical principles  are important to the citizens, and the happiness of the citizens is a component of a states stability. As a citizen he was able to get the best view of the effects of policy. Machiavelli was a realist. He knew that power was the center of politics. Machiavelli did not set out to explain human nature or to provide his reader with a way of life. He wrote The Prince to explain the dynamics of the state and they ways in which the state can be successful. Machiavelli was a revolutionary thinker who opened our eyes to the reality of the political arena. Works Cited: 1.Santoni, Ronald. Social and Political Philosophy. New York: Random House, Inc., 1963. Print. 2.Lerner, Max. â€Å"Machiavelli the Realist.† Random House, Inc.. (1950): Print.