Plato’s account of philosophy Essay Example

Plato’s account of philosophy Paper Plato was born in Athens, in c. 427 B.C.E. During this period, Athens was involved in a long drawn, resource intensive and disastrous war with Sparta, also known as the   Peloponnesian War. The scion of an aristocratic ancestry, Plato came from a distinguished family. He was the son of Ariston descending from Codrus, one of the early kings of Athens and Perictione, descending from Solon, the prominent reformer of the Athenian constitution, both of Athenian aristocratic ancestry.. Plato spent the greater part of his life in Athens, with occasional visits to Sicily and Southern Italy and as per one account, he also traveled to Egypt. Details regarding the early part of his life is not known, but he was certainly privileged enough to get the finest education Athens had to offer to people of noble lineage. Plato was a disciple of Socrates, whom he considered the most learned man of his times. Plato’s association with Socrates was a turning point in his life, as it had a profound and lasting influence on the course of his life, philosophy and thinking. The compelling power of his arguments and methods impressed Plato and he became a close associate of Socrates. Socrates was amongst the most influential scholar of his times and he was a pioneer who concerned himself with the study of exclusively moral and political issues unlike his contemporaries who were more preoccupied with cosmology and ontology.Considering his distinguished origins and the association with Socrates, he was naturally destined to take an active role in political life. Plato aspired to assume a significant position in the political landscape of Athens, but he found his attempts being consistently thwarted. The frustration is expressed by him in the autobiographical Seventh Letter, wherein he conveys his inability to assimilate himself with any of the political parties or the successively corrupt regimes of his time, all of which contributed to the downfall of Athens(324b-326a).Socratesâ⠂¬â„¢ execution on an unjust charge of impiety had been overwhelmingly voted for(approved) by a democratic   court with a large majority in 399. This led Plato to the conclusion that all existing governments were flawed and ruinous; and would continue to be so, unless the rulers themselves became philosophers or unless the philosophers themselves gained political power.It was perhaps because of this opinion that he retreated to his Academy and to Sicily for implementing his ideas. Plato utilized his extensive knowledge and wisdom to the pursuit of politics and the writing of tragedy and other forms of poetry. He thrice visited Syracuse with the purpose of imparting a philosophical attitude and line of thought to the tyrannical rulers, but his effort proved futile. The brief attempt at imparting practical wisdom having failed, he retreated to Athens. His Academy was the institution of learning for subjects as diverse as Mathematics, rhetoric, astronomy, dialectics, and other subjec ts, all identified as crucial for the intellectual and philosophical development of students. The Academy proved to be a valuable base for successive generations of Platonic philosophers until its final closure in C.E. 529. Some of Plato’s pupils later became leaders, mentors, and constitutional advisers in Greek city-states, the most distinguished amongst them being Aristotle. Plato died in c. 347 B.C.E.The focus of this research paper is to conduct a brief study on the philosophical outlook of Plato to incorporate an analysis of his best works and to illustrate the significant contribution made by him in the field of philosophy.Philosophical Tools    Plato is more well known for his writings like the Republic, the Statesman, the Laws and a few shorter dialogues which are considered to be strictly political treatises,   and hence it can be stated that Plato was an accomplished political philosopher of his times. Compared to Socrates, Plato was much more systematic as a t hinker and meticulous in his ways. He established his own school of philosophy, the Academy; which became a major source of learning for the successive generation of scholars in Athens. Unlike Socrates, Plato extended his areas of concern to include the study of metaphysics and epistemology, as he endeavored to discover the ultimate constituents of reality.The introduction of the process of conceptual analysis was initiated by Plato for the first time in the history of Philosophy, as a means to clarify a concept or its meaning. In contrast to most other philosophers of his time, Plato considered conceptual analysis as a preliminary step and not as an end in itself. He considered critical evaluation of beliefs, the deciding of which one of the incompatible ideas is correct and which one is wrong as the second step and more important step. Plato considered decision making about the political order on the same pedestal of importance as the choice between peace and war. This belief was based on the conviction that the public is not the best suited or mature enough to arrive at the correct decision, as it is capable of wisdom only in hindsight, mostly after the occurrence of disastrous experiences. In his political philosophy, the clarification of concepts is thus a preliminary step in evaluating beliefs, and right beliefs in turn lead to an answer to the question of the best political order. This gradual progression from the stages of conceptual analysis, followed by a critical assessment of beliefs, to the best political order is demonstrated in the writings of his book ‘The Republic’.The most notable and outstanding example of Plato’s mature philosophies   appears in The Republic, which is an extended argument for the most fundamental about the   conduct of human life. Plato utilizes dialogue with a fictional character ‘Socrates’ and proceeds to examine the nature and value of justice and other virtues as they occur   in da y to day life, both from the perspective of human society and in the personality of a human being. This discussion thereafter leads to an in depth assessment of the various aspects of human nature, the attainment of knowledge, the ability to distinguish between substance and appearance and the basic edifice of morality. Due to the diverse range of issues it addresses, the book can be read from several different perspectives: as a political treatise, or a book on the conduct of life, as a study of society and the relation of society with that of a person, an exhaustive study on the   basic metaphysical and epistemological issues or as a pedagogical handbook.Justice as Defined in The republic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first section of the Republic is a discussion on the nature of justice and the aim of the discussion is to arrive at the genuine definition of the subject, through a process which involves the proposal, criticism, and rejection of several inadequate attempts at defining just ice. Since Justice is the most fundamental ethical and political concepts, it incorporates individual virtue, the order of society, and individual rights which may contradict the interests of the society. Four definitions of justice are propounded; all of them are discussed elaborately and then discarded as not being wholly consistent with the basic premises, and due to   the associated variable factors.   Thus the first section of the book ends on a negative note with all the participants in agreement that the concept of justice is not as easily defiened as it seemed due to the inconsistencies involved in popular opinions of justice. the e This negative outcome can be seen as a linguistic and philosophical therapy.The reportive definitions of justice as understood by us from its use in daily life serves to provide a partial understanding of its meaning, but the holistic definition continues to be elusive in the absence of true communications between people and a conceptual clar ity on beliefs. A definition that is merely arbitrary or either too narrow or too broad, based on a false belief about justice, does not give the possibility of communication. Platonic dialogues are expressions of the ultimate communication that can take place between humans; and true communication is likely to take place only if individuals can share meanings of the words they use. Communication based on false beliefs, such as statements of ideology, is still possible, but seems limited, dividing people into factions, and, as history teaches us, can finally lead only to confusion. Therefore, in the Republic, as well as in other Platonic dialogues, there is a relationship between conceptual analysis and critical evaluation of beliefs. The focus of the second part of Book I is no longer clarification of concepts, but evaluation of beliefs.In Platonic dialogues, rather than telling them what they have to think, Socrates is often getting his interlocutors to tell him what they think. I n the fifth and fourth century B.C.E., the sophists were paid teachers of rhetoric and other practical skills, mostly non-Athenians, offering courses of instruction and claiming to be best qualified to prepare young men for success in public life. Plato describes the sophists as itinerant individuals, known for their rhetorical abilities, who reject religious beliefs and traditional morality, and he contrasts them with Socrates, who as a teacher would refuse to accept payment and instead of teaching skills would commit himself to a disinterested inquiry into what is true. One of the participants in the discussions, Thrasymachus presents a skeptical and negativist definition of justice which states that justice is not a universally applicable moral value but a notion utilized as a tool by the dominant group in the society; and that since it comes in handy for the dominant group to suppress a vast majority of people, it is their exclusive interest and that it is has different connotat ions for the different sections of the society. Although this definition is brushed aside by Plato in the book, it is a statement that     has taxed whole generations of thinkers to struggle with and the debate still continues.emphasis of The Republic is vastly on the topic of the creation of an ideal state run by philosophers and its subsequent decline, the basic theme of the book is Justice. It is obvious that Plato does not intend his interpretation of the ideal political order to be practically implemented (592a-b), instead his motive is to convey the thesis that   justice if understood to stand for goodness and virtue could form the foundation of a good political order. Plato contends that if the concept of Justice is correctly appreciated and exercised, it would be for the collective good of the society as a whole and the benefits would not be restricted to any particular faction. It provides the state with a sense of purpose and unity and consequently its well being. It provides the city with a sense of unity, and thus, is a basic condition for its health. â€Å"Injustice causes civil war, hatred, and fighting, while justice brings friendship and a sense of common purpose† (351d).A clear understanding of Plato’s perception of Justice and Social Order can be arrived at if Plato’s philosophy and thoughts are compared with the pre-philosophical insights of Solon, his maternal grandfather. Solon had been responsible for the complete restructuring of the social order of Athens at a time when Athens was poised for a rapid decline. The political and social stability of Athens had been badly shaken by the serious differences that had cropped up between the rich and the poor, the lenders and the serfs. Solon had impartially gone about the task of social and economic reforms and had brought Athens back from the brink of political and social and political collapse. Considering the fact that education at that time was imparted at home, it is probable that Plato had been deeply influenced by Solon. Solon’s reforms provided the Greeks with a model of political leadership based on the principles of fairness, equality and justice. Solon digressed from the accepted arithmetical interpretation and implementation of justice by approaching the issue holistically and relying upon fairness based upon difference.To a remarkable extent, Plato’s thoughts, writings, ideas of political order, leadership, and justice can be seen to be influenced by Solon. For Plato,   the starting point for the inquiry about the best political order is the fact of social diversity and conflicting interests, which involve the danger of civil strife. The political community consists of different parts or social classes, such as the noble, the rich, and the poor, each representing different values, interests, and claims to rule. This gives rise to the controversy of who should rule the community, and what is the best political system. In both the Republic and the Laws, Plato asserts not only that factionalism and civil war are the greatest dangers to the city, more dangerous even than war against external enemies, but also that peace obtained by the victory of one part and the destruction of its rivals is not to be preferred to social peace obtained through the friendship and cooperation of all the city’s parts (Republic 462a-b, Laws 628a-b). The best political order for Plato is that which promotes social peace in the environment of cooperation and friendship among different social groups, each benefiting from and each adding to the common good. The best form of government, which he advances in the Republic, is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy, but that which he proposes in his last dialogue the Laws is a traditional polity: the mixed or composite constitution that reconciles different partisan interests and includes aristocratic, oligarchic, and democratic elements.Philosopher Rulers   Ã‚   . De spite the fact that the fundamental components of democracy are equality and freedom, Plato does not consider democracy to be the best form of government. In the Republic, he is severely critical of unchecked democracy because of certain features   (557a-564a) like excessive freedom, which can potentially lead to anarchy. Similarly, he felt that the concept of equality can also be abused by power hungry people, motivated by personal gain rather than public good. Plato felt that democracy was thus highly corruptible as it provided easy access to demagogues, potential dictators, and can thus lead to tyranny. Although, this reasoning is not applicable to modern democracies, it could be seen to be highly applicable to the democratic setup existing at that point of time in Greece. Democracy depends on chance and must be mixed with competent leadership (501b).Without able and virtuous leaders, such as Solon or Pericles, who come and go by chance, it is not a good form of government. Pla to argues that since governing a state involves judicious decision making and wisdom, the people who are selected to rule should not be in a position to do so by accident of circumstances, they should be trained and prepared in the course of extensive training. Making political decisions requires good judgment. Politics needs competence, at least in the form of today’s civil servants. In spite of the idealism with which he is usually associated, Plato is not politically naive. He does not idealize, but is deeply pessimistic about human beings. Most people, corrupted as they are, are for him fundamentally irrational, driven by their appetites, egoistic passions, and informed by false beliefs. If they choose to be just and obey laws, it is only because they lack the power to act criminally and are afraid of punishment (Republic, 359a). Nevertheless, human beings are not vicious by nature. They are social animals, incapable of living alone (369a-b). Living in communities and exc hanging products of their labor is natural for them, so that they have capacities for rationality and goodness. Plato, as later Rousseau, believes that once political society is properly ordered, it can contribute to the restoration of morals. A good political order, good education and upbringing can produce â€Å"good natures; and [these] useful natures, who are in turn well educated, grow up even better than their predecessors† (424a). Hence, there are in Plato such elements of the idealistic or liberal world view as the belief in education and progress, and a hope for a better future. The quality of human life can be improved if people learn to be rational and understand that their real interests lie in harmonious cooperation with one another, and not in war or partisan strife. However, unlike Rousseau, Plato does not see the best social and political order in a democratic republic. If philosophers are those who can distinguish between true and false beliefs, who love know ledge and are motivated by the common good, and finally if they are not only master-theoreticians, but also the master-practitioners who can heal the ills of their society, then they, and not democratically elected representatives, must be chosen as leaders and educators of the political community and guide it to proper ends. Plato assumes that a city in which the rulers do not govern out of desire for private gain, but are least motivated by personal ambition, is governed in the way which is the finest and freest from civil strife (520d). Philosophers will rule not only because they will be best prepared for this, but also because if they do not, the city will no longer be well governed and may fall prey to economic decline, factionalism, and civil war. They will approach ruling not as something really enjoyable, but as something necessary (347c-d).Other Works  Ã‚   In a few dialogues, such as Phaedo, the Republic, Phaedrus, Timaeus, and the Laws, Plato introduces his doctrine of the immortality of the soul. His ultimate answer to the question â€Å"Who am I?† is not an â€Å"egoistic animal† or an â€Å"independent variable,† as the twentieth century behavioral researcher blatantly might say, but an â€Å"immortal soul, corrupted by vice and purified by virtue, of whom the body is only an instrument† (129a-130c). Expert political knowledge for him should include not only knowledge of things out there, but also knowledge of oneself. This is because whoever is ignorant of himself will also be ignorant of others and of political things, and, therefore, will never be an expert politician (133e). Those who are ignorant will go wrong, moving from one misery to another (134a). For them history will be a tough teacher, but as long they do not recognize themselves and practice virtue, they will learn nothing. Plato’s good society is impossible without transcendence, without a link to the perfect being who is God, the true measure of all things. It is also impossible without an ongoing philosophical reflection on whom we truly are. Therefore, democracy would not be a good form of government for him unless, as it is proposed in the Laws, the element of freedom is mixed with the element of wisdom, which includes ultimate knowledge of the self. Unmixed and unchecked democracy, marked by the general permissiveness that spurs vices, makes people impious, and lets them forget about their true self, is only be the second worst in the rank of flawed regimes after tyranny headed by a vicious individual. This does not mean that Plato would support a theocratic government based on shallow religiosity and religious hypocrisy. There is no evidence for this. Freedom of speech, forming opinions and expressing them, which may be denied in theocracy, is a true value for Plato, along with wisdom. It is the basic requirement for philosophy. In shallow religiosity, like in atheism, there is ignorance and no knowledge of the self either. In Book II of the Republic, Plato criticizes the popular religious beliefs of the Athenians, who under the influence of Homer and Hesiod attribute vices to the gods and heroes (377d-383c). He tries to show that God is the perfect being, the purest and brightest, always the same, immortal and true, to whom we should look in order to know ourselves and become pure and virtuous (585b-e). God, and not human beings, is the measure of political order (Laws, 716c).Criticism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Objections against the government of philosopher-rulers can be made. Firstly, because of the restrictions concerning family and private property, Plato is often accused of totalitarianism. However, Plato’s political vision differs from a totalitarian state in a number of important aspects. Especially in the Laws he makes clear that freedom is one of the main values of society (701d). Other values for which Plato stands include justice, friendship, wisdom, courage, and mode ration, and not factionalism or terror that can be associated with a totalitarian state. The restrictions which he proposes are placed on the governors, rather than on the governed. Secondly, one can argue that there may obviously be a danger in the self-professed claim to rule of the philosophers. Individuals may imagine themselves to be best qualified to govern a country, but in fact they may lose contact with political realities and not be good leaders at all.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato’s achievement as a political philosopher may be seen in that he believed that there could be a body of knowledge whose attainment would make it possible to heal political problems, such as factionalism and the corruption of morals, which can bring a city to a decline. The doctrine of the harmony of interests, fairness as the basis of the best political order, the mixed constitution, the rule of law, the distinction between good and deviated forms of government, practical wisdom as the quality of good leadership, and the importance of virtue and transcendence for politics are the political ideas that can rightly be associated with Plato. They have profoundly influenced subsequent political thinkers.

Review The Buddhas Instructions To Monks In The Mahaparinibbana Sutta

Review The Buddhas Instructions To Monks In The Mahaparinibbana Sutta Review The Buddha's Instructions To Monks In The Mahaparinibbana Sutta And Develop Your Own Theory – Essay Example Buddha’s Instructions How does he describe the processes for attaining enlightenment? He describes enlightenment as the process of attaining the status of a Buddha. It is a state of life, which links one with the totality of truth, the entire phases of life, death, space, individual, and others, and directs people to adhere to Buddha’s assurances. The assurance is to lead others to attain Buddhahood. He tells Ananda â€Å"Have recourse to none else for refuge. Hold fast to the Dhamma as an island. Hold fast to the Dhamma as a refuge. Resort to no other refuge Whosoever, nanda, either now or after I am gone, shall be islands unto themselves, refuges unto themselves, shall seek no external refuge† (Ashvaghosha, 1998, Sister Vajira, 33, 8). In addition, he also describes enlightenment as a process towards total liberty; "Therefore, nanda, be islands unto yourselves. Be your own refuge†(Ashvaghosha, 1998, 33, 8). He also describes it as complete happiness, abso lute sympathy, and eradiating suffering. Moreover, he describes enlightenment as a process and not a destination, in that one cannot claim to have reached at the highest level, â€Å"Whosoever, nanda, either now or after I am gone, shall be islands unto themselves, refuges unto themselves, shall seek no external refuge, it is they, nanda, among my disciples who shall reach the very topmost height! But they must be keen to progress† (Ashvaghosha, 1998, 25, 20). Develop your own theory of enlightenment in about three paragraphs and share it with the class In the past few years, I experienced a life affirming, a complete spiritual change in my life while in my holiday vacation. I felt a complete transformation and my perception changed, and I started seeing things in a completely different way. I am not certain whether it was God’s grace or some other overwhelming emotional state, but, this was tremendous, and I could not quite comprehend. In my theory of enlightenment, I relate my enlightenment situation with the following. The aptitude to step beyond one’s normal state of consciousness, into another level, that perceives the normal sense of realization, perception, and awareness. Such a situation is necessitated by certain conditions that include; freedom from disruption and societal disturbances, freedom from anxiety of needs and wants liberty from communal rejection, knowledge about the nature of survival and many others. Such perception and awareness of self is not achieved with ease, but must be practiced.

Audit and Internal Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Audit and Internal Control - Essay Example There are no hard and fast rules for auditing, which can be prescribed for all the countries. These rules can be different for different countries according to their needs and cultural settings. According to ICAEW (2002) with all the contrasts present in the rules and regulations of different countries emphasis is given to generic auditing principles of responsibility, accountability, transparency and fairness. "Inventory controls are designed to ensure the safe custody. Such controls include restriction of access documentation and authorisation of movements regular Independent inventory counting and review of Inventory condition." (BPP, 2008) Recording of Inventory: In order to effectively control the Inventory on the basis of book inventory it is important to segregate the duties of custody and recording of inventory. It is important to check if the pair of shoes are checked and recorded at their reception. Inventory issues are supported by appropriate documentation. It is also important to maintain Inventory records such as Inventory ledger, Bin cards and Transfer records. The physical counts of the inventory should be recon ciliated with the computed amounts. The transactions having high values should be analyzed. The inventory items should be divided into different divisions according to group, location, type, etc. The inventory age should be calculated by the date of receipt. The sales transactions should be checked according to the prices, quantities, extension and totals in the sales register. There is not any evidence of issuing the invoices to the customers. The sales transactions should also be checked according to the sequential numbers of blank invoices and regular sequential checks. The sample of the inventory movement records should be taken and cross checked with the goods received and dispatched according to the

The Colorado Healthy Communities Initiative Lab Report

The Colorado Healthy Communities Initiative - Lab Report Example This uniqueness of this program that differentiates it from others is that it focused on the community based definition of health that means it gave a personal touch to it. The second important thing that was introduced was collaboration between those different individuals of the society to work for a common purpose. It helped an individual to build its own individual capacity. The involvement of different kinds of communities prevailing in that state was evident too. This study was conducted over a period of 8 years and extensive exploration took place in these years that have validated the research as being fruitful and a true representative of the thoughts of the common man living in Colorado about his health. It involved extensive evaluation of all the processes and steps that were involved in the process to understand the diversity of the individuals and implementing the health conscious techniques according to the individual's diverse background and value system. Four evaluatio n reports were produced through this program. These reports were the highlights of the program and the article is based on the important findings of those four reports only. The findings of this study were worth mentioning. The less participation on the part of the Coloradoan citizens in the decision making process that determines their future was reported. The citizens felt they weren't being given enough opportunities to foster participation. Another factor that was revealed through this study was the Coloradoan citizen's love, affection and sense of belonging with the state and the people of that state, the neighborhood and the government. A further astonishing finding was that they considered the local government more powerful and important than the overall government. They gave more weight to the local government as to solving their problems. Another thing that they believed strongly in was that the adult participation and prevention as being the two most effective ways of solving problems. The CHCI model was adapted from the National Civil League's approach to healthy community. It consisted of two phases; the first one was of 18 months of extensive strategic planning, the second phase consisted of 2 to 3 years of action-oriented implementation activities. The final step in the planning process was by the stakeholders to develop activities and plans to address to the issue. The stakeholder's could then apply for implementation grants and use those grants accordingly to the benefit of their respective communities. In addition to all this, a community indicators project was also initiated in the middle stages. The Colorado trust made additional funds to be made available to 15 other communities and this act turned out to be pretty fruitful. Evaluation The major outcomes from this initiative were that there was a lot of commitment shown on the part of the citizens of that state. They were a diverse group of people varying from the business to the education sector. The commitment and collaboration yielded from issue-focused outcomes to the creation of a new family based nonprofit resource

You can choose what ever you think Research Paper

You can choose what ever you think - Research Paper Example De Nittis (2008) observes that Oates places special significance on the issue of subordination of women and the feminist perspective of our male-dominated society. She finds that the story displays the theme of violence, especially on females and "male characters are the perpetrators of violence, often physical violence, upon females" (De Nittis 7). Apart from the fact that the story describes issues of violence against women, there is also the integration of fantasy over reality among young girls and how the society responds to it. It can be noted that Connie constantly displays narcissistic acts by always looking at herself at the mirror, fixing her hair time and again, and would act as if she is a matured woman and experienced with men. The repudiation comes directly from her mother who often scolds her for being so immature and contrary to her sister, June. This is where the issue of fantasy versus reality comes into play: because women toil so much in order to be recognized at a certain level by certain male categories, particularly matured men, the society reacts the against it by considering girls as sexual fantasies rather than respectable women. Oates finds a surface realism wherein she deems Arnold friend as a "symbolic Satan" (Christle 1). The roots of Connie, and females in general, being a recipient of sexual violence is because female sexuality has always been perceived based on the masculine parameters (2). For instance, it is as if that being beautiful is all that really matters for Connie - when she sees herself nicely in the mirror, she would think that she would get the kind of recognition she wants from boys. This is always ironic in a sense that the more females define their sexuality in terms of beauty and attractiveness, the more male are going to treat them indecently; and that is the sad

Objectives of sustainable development

Objectives of sustainable development Introduction The UK construction industry has undergone an unprecedented change in construction technology. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) have been invented and are increasingly being used. With regard to residential apartment blocks, up to the 1980s greater emphasis was being placed on economy of construction rather than sustainability and lifestyles. Since 1980s, factors such as (i) the speed of construction (ii) sustainability (ii) flexible use of space. The need for rapid construction has led to more use of off-site prefabrication to reduce time spent on site and increase cost-effectiveness. The advancement of construction technology has also benefited from Government policies particularly relating to sustainable development. Perhaps one of the most significant initiatives of the UK Government to encourage sustainable construction was the setting op of the â€Å"Construction Task Force† by the Deputy Prime Minister Mr John Prescott. The task force, which comprised Sir Michael Lathum and Sir John Egan, produced a report ‘Rethinking construction (Egan, 1998). This report became influential in making Government policy. Sir John Egan argued that the use of standardization, prefabrication and innovation would improve the sustainability of the construction industry in the UK. Egan also compared construction to a manufacturing process where improvements are always sustained. The report recommended the use of prefabrication and standardization in building work as a method of achieving value of money, better value for clients and other users. Such an approach is now favoured by most people in the building industry, especially in house building. The use of modern methods of construction allows homes to be built more quickly and efficiently. Modern methods also improve site safety and supplement skilled workmanship where there may be shortages. Nevertheless, modern methods of construction have some disadvantages compared to traditional methods in that construction costs are relatively higher and also some section the public may object to futuristic building designs that go against what they are used to. Developers using MMC may need to be accredited to certain regulating authorities (such as NHBC in the UK) to ensure high quality and durability of their materials. Prefabrication Review-History of MMC Prefabrication was used in UK during periods of high dement, as after the world wars and the slum clearances in 1960s. The technical success of many of these systems was shadowed by social failing of high-rise living. In the 20th century about a million prefabricated houses were build. Most technical problems which were experienced were related to materials and poor workmanship. Prefabricated systems have been used in many public building in UK and other European Countries. The UK parliamentary office of Science and Technology studies showed (MORI poll, 2001) negative attitudes pre-fabrication were result of a big published disaster problem in the 60s. In mid of 1990s interest of UK was significant based system (e.g. roof trusses, steel frames etc) but the complete system of housing development was little, using relatively unskilled labour has been the predominant of UK house building. Off-site Review Government reports suggest that modern methods of construction (MMC) could be part of the solution to improve the quality of housing (Baker 2003). The industry has been slow to develop innovative building technologies, according to Ball and Barrow (1999). Many studies of modern methods of construction have taken the approach of promoting off-site applications without considering all the issues (Roy et al. 2003). The off-site processes help reduce the project construction time. Bakers review 2003 In 2003 the UK Government appointed Sir Martin Baker to review and report on the economic and social impacts of home building. The review examined affordability of homes in the UK. The Government is encouraging modern methods of construction (MMC) and increased supply of homes. One of Bakers highlights (2003) is that it challenges the home building industry to change construction to satisfy housing needs. Planning new levels of housing stock been based on demographic trends (Baker 2004). Benefits of MMC involve the manufacture of homes in factories, which is the faster construction. Evidence-Audits report The Commission for Architecture and Build Environment (CABE) has been investigate for the scope for building more quickly using modern methods of construction (MMC). The objective criteria of the audits, they are open to criticism them also some in house building industry criticized which schemes are determined ‘good or ‘average. In 2005 the modern methods of cost might be higher, it was report and it was possible to: Reduce the construction of houses on-site To build home up to four times with the same amount of on-site labour The performance should be also good as for home build in traditional way. During the twentieth century The new building in the UK (1996) were smaller 13% than the existing stock compared to the European countries houses that were largest that order ones. The size of a new home it was roughly 15.m2, the smallest in the Western Europe and the other European countries tend to be 20 m2 and 30 m2. In the 1981-2001 a particular in new buildings is roughly 20% smaller than the typical pre-1919 home. A combination of social in 1950s, economical and political factors renewed to construct housing system (Boverker,2004). Modern Methods of construction-Embodied carbon The most serious threat to human society that has created itself is climate change. In the 1750s the global atmospheric concentrations of greenhouses gases, carbon dioxide (CO2). The building construction is a substantial contributor of global CO2. Global emissions attributable to energy use in buildings with quarter of total CO2. An important goal for the Government climate police is the reducing of energy and carbon emissions attributed to buildings. In housing construction standard embodied energy is equivalent to a few years of energy; there are some exceptions to low energy buildings. Embodied carbon is important for low energy buildings, because less energy is used in occupation, and additional energy required for the insulation level, energy consumed in the construction materials, transport and installation. However the embodied carbon of low energy house is to contribute a better proportion of lifecycle carbon emissions during the building lifetime than a convention house. Many of the benefits of Modern methods of construction for housing are contentious and unproven. The manufacture suggest of the Government of MMC are: Environment- houses can be more energy efficient, less transport of materials and produce less waste. Social- fewer accidents and less impact during construction. Economic- MMC can be build more quickly. Overview of MMC-Types Modern methods of construction its a term to saw a number of construction methods. In the UK, the methods that being introduced in the building industry significant from so-called construction methods such as brick and block. The MMC was debated in the industry and was no universally agreed definition. The housing corporation that is used for its own purposes in 2003 is a published construction classification system (table 1). Housing corporation construction 1. Off-site manufactured -Volumetric 2. Off-site manufactured -Panelized 3. Off-site manufactured-Hybrid 4. Off-site manufactured -Sub-assemblies and components 5. Non Off-site manufactured construction Other terms of describing the MMC, is the factory building assembled, industrialized construction, innovative systems constructed on-site and pre-fabrication construction. The sectors of the modern methods of construction have five categories used by the housing corporation: off-site manufactured volumetric, three dimensions units produced in the factory, fully fitted out before being transported in the site. The majority of off-site manufactured volumetric construction in the UK to date has been used in housing. Modules may be delivered to site in variety of forms; volumetric off-site brings all the critical activities to the structure to a factory based environment which ensures better quality control. Light steel frame off-site techniques are more used to the traditional construction methods and are used in all sectors of constructions industry. Light steel offers better quality control and reduction in waste. Off-site manufactured-panellised construction is flat panel units build in factory, fully fitted out before being transported to site, panellised systems such as walls, roofs, floors and it consists two types of panels, open panels when assembled forms a skeleton structure and are usually timber or frame and closed panels may include internal lining materials. Off-site manufactured-hybrid is the combination of panellised and volumetric systems, is used to create the skeleton of the structure and volumetric units are used for the bathrooms and the kitchens. The environmental impact of MMC products sector were assessed including timber frame, timber frame with straw bale. A hybrid construction is a panellised system and is good design for economy. There are many manufactured of panellished systems and volumetric. Precast concrete is a construction material where concrete is cast mold which is the cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into pl ace. Barriers of MMC Some MMC homes builders are less expensive that the traditional methods of construction, increased cost about 7-10%. The reasons of different cost (higher) are difficult to discern because most of projects traditional masonry buildings cost widely. The cost apper high because in the MMC, there are different used of benefits such as better quality of construction, fewer accidents and reflect in project account MMC is the faster construction buildup to 50% and thus reducing labour costs. Capacity is a barrier of increasing the number of houses using MMC. In the two categories difficulties fall: factory capacity to manufacture parts and shortage of skills. Historical overview of sustainable development A great number of civilizations in human history it had been recognized the need of harmony between the society, the environment and the economy. More to the point, sustainable development is a very old idea that focuses, on improving the quality of life without exceeding the environmental supplies of natural resources. Unfortunately despite the predictions, the concept of sustainability gained momentum in 1980s when the problem became extremely obvious (Kenny, M., Meadowcroft, J., (1999). In 1973 was the first time that United Nations discussed about environmental solutions in Stockholm (Langton, C., A., Ding, G., K., C., (2001). Subsequently, the ideas discussed again in the World Conservation Strategy and new strategies were adopted by the governments of fifty countries but with very small practical impact. In 1983 the United Nations created the Worlds Commission in Environment and Development (WCED) and in 1987 they published a report in sustainable development with the name â€Å"Our common future† also known as the Brundtland Report (Langton, C., A., Ding, G., K., C., (2001). According to Langton, C., A., Ding, G., K., C., (2001) this report had critically signaled the rush of thinking for a second time the ways of governing and living as also the need of international coordination and cooperation. In 1992 in Rio Conference was the first time that the worlds leaders discussed about the future of the planet and agreed to set out principles to achieve sustainable development. The major agreement of this meeting was a 900 page program of actions with steps towards sustainable development at international levels. In 1997 the Kyoto climate summit set targets for the industrial countries in order to bring their gas emissions 5% below 1990 levels by 2012. Pioneering ways must be found to ensure that individual behavior and institutional structures will change targets, towards a sustainable future and will understand the consequences of inaction. Sustainable concept To begin with, it can be critically mentioned that the sustainable development should take into consideration the potential impacts on three main sectors, the environmental, the social and the economic; as it has been advised from Munasinghe (1993). Essentially, he advocated that, the natural habitats, the people, and the economy are interrelated and should be managed as a one. Therefore, the environmental approach it can be claimed that is so to protect the biological features, the social concept is to stabilize the cultural system and the economic approach are to maximize the income and preserve the stock of resources (Munasinghe, 1993).Ultimately, it would be imperative to append that some more important concepts in sustainable development are the futurity the equity and the irreversibility. Table 3 provides further details as per those important concepts. Further Important Concepts: Futurity: concern is given not only for the short term horizon, but also for the long term that affect the future generations. Equity: Emphasis is given to the least advantaged in society in order to provide their needs and a fair treatment. Irreversibility: Some types of environmental degradation are not possible to be restored by human ingenuity. Source: Based on Strange, T., Bayley, A., (2008) Objectives of sustainable development Taking into consideration all of the above, hence explicit information that academic definitions are providing; the reviewed literature suggests that numerous previous empirical studies have been conducted based on main advantages supported as a result of the sustainable developments up to date. Economy: Sustainable development is so to promote an economy that improves environmental quality and meet peoples needs. Energy: Reduction of energy use to suitable levels and encouragement of the consumers to spend less energy. Land use: The main concern is to minimize the loss of rural land and to maintain the viability of town centers Forestry: The main issue is the management of forests in a way that sustains their ecological qualities and their productive potentials. Climate change: The key objective is the limitation of gas emissions that contribute to climate change and global warming. Air quality: Key issues: reduction of pollutant emissions in order to improve local air quality and chemical pollution control especially in urban areas. Mineral extraction: The main objective is the minimization of the environmental harm from mineral extraction by the efficient use of materials. Waste materials: Sustainable Waste management can decrease the amount of waste production. The hierarchy of waste management options start with the reduction of waste materials, it then goes to the re-use and finally to disposal. Raw materials The raw materials inputs change depending upon the systems of MMC being factored. Common raw materials including metal, board materials, timber, concrete, class wool insulation. Off-cuts of these materials typically end up as waste within the factory environment. Timber is a raw and recycled material, timber panel products are usually kept separate from the clean timber as they are currently different to recycle. Steel is readily recycled material, due to its value established recycling routes. Also glass wool insulation is potentially recyclable Raw materials are often packaged and it is this packaging that ends up as waste. Packaging wastes have various waste management routes depending on the individual manufacturer. Modern methods of construction are about better product and processes. They aim improve business efficiency, quality environmental performance, sustainability and the predictability. MMC are more broadly based that a particular focus on product MMC should make it possible to build more with the same amount of on-site labor.MMC other than open panel techniques continue to be slightly more expensive than more established techniques but the cost ranges for different techniques overlap substantially, in any particular set of conditions in MMC could be as cost-effective as brick and block or more cost effective. Sustainable development definition One of the most popular definitions for sustainable development was given in Brundtland report (1995): â€Å"Sustainable is the development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (Kirby, J, OKeefe, P., Timberlake L., 1995). This definition indicates that an activity can be considered sustainable if it doesnt exhaust the natural resources and doesnt have serious impacts to the environment that the future generations will inherit. For instance, if the ozone layer is destroyed, if the green-house gases build up, if the natural resources are exhausted and if water and air are polluted, it is reasonably obvious that this generation dont give the ability to the next one to support their selves. Sustainable development can be considered as: A theoretical framework: a method that will make the world more balanced and holistic. A process: techniques to apply the principles of integration to all decision. A target: methods of fixing the problems Sustainable construction Sustainable construction focuses on the issues of procurement, assembly and Procurement: The processes of procurement introduce the objectives that the contractors must have during the construction. These objectives may include environmental commissioning. It consist matters like site planning, tendering, selection of materials, recycling and waste minimization (Smith, P., F., (2007). standards and reporting requirements. Assembly: The assembly activities are managed by the contractors in order to contribute to the ecological performance. It consist issues as the excavation methods, the reduction of noise, the disposal of wastes and storm-water containment. Commissioning: It gives information of how the design will operate in the future. It should relate performance specifications and maintenance methods. In order the environmental performance of the construction to be improved, the site operatives and the supervisors should have a proper training (Smith, P., F., (2007).

Adult Education Essays -- Teaching Education Essays

Adult Education Education is the most important activity that every human should be an active partaker. Education is an activity that is designed to bring about changes in the knowledge, skills, attitudes and perceptions of individuals, groups or communities. Adult learning does not occur in a vacuum. What one needs or wants to learn, what opportunities are available, the manner in which one learns-all are to a large extent determined by the society in which one lives. Whenever adults are asked about their learning, they most often mention education and training programs sponsored by the workplace, colleges and universities, public schools, and other formal organizations. They first picture classrooms with â€Å"students† learning and â€Å"teachers† teaching in a highly structured format. Yet when we ask these same adults about what they have learned informally over the last year, they typically respond with descriptions of learning activities outside these formal settings. They discuss, for example, remodeling a house, which has involved everything form reading and talking...

If Women Ruled the World Essay

I was intrigued after ready your essay ‘What if women ruled the world’ and after reading it, I myself being a women, I discovered I have some opinions of my own; I would like to share them with you. For hundreds of years women have been classed as ‘weaker’ then men and ‘second class’ compared to men. We get most of these believes because of what is often stated in the bible: 1 Timothy 2:12 â€Å"I do not permit a women to teach or to have authority over a man; she must remain silent† this has, in my opinion, helped shaped the fact that we see women as not as strong, or be unable to rule. I personally disagree with what the bible says and I am a bit of a feminist, although it is up for interpretation, God also states that we are created in image of him, so we are all equality important. In my opinion, I do think that there would be some change to the world if it was ruled by women, but not a humungous difference, I think we make such a big deal out of the fact that women are second class to men, that we have this is strange idea that if that women ruled world, it would be completely different, when realistically speaking, It wouldn’t be so different†¦ would it? Many people say that if women ruled the world, there would be less war and more peace. It is true that women dislike conflict more than men, but that is stereotype, a lot of women enjoy conflict and victory and being better than others so they can feel smug. They say this even if they don’t know what its like to be a leader, which they don’t, I for one am not a leader of any large government or country so I can only hardly imagine the pressure someone is put under when they have to decide whether to go to war or not, I do not think it matters what gender you are, you want to do what is best for your country and your people, it is the instinct for survival and the survival of our children. They are under your care and you must make sure they are safe, if they are in danger of being attacked, you want them to be safe and protect your country-sometimes war is the only option, do you honestly think Winston Churchill was keen to go to war with Germany in 1939 and risk the lives of people? Sometimes you cannot do what you want, but what you must. In your letter you state that women often experience life ‘differently’ to men, this I do agree on, although men and women are very similar, it is a fact that we think using different parts of our brains. I do think that the economically would be different, and perhaps we would be in such a bad economic state. Women do think differently to men in the way that we analyse things more thoroughly and think of different ways to find a solution. Then again, back onto my topic of war some women do not like the thought of war, as they mostly care about their own families and the families of people they care about, and we do suffer the most in wars-as you said. if we worked with men, we could help them build bridges between countries and keep peace and ensure, as you said â€Å"broader range of issues, from food security to sexual violence, are addressed† Maybe we wouldn’t be so drastic in going to war, as I stated before, we would probably think it through and decide whether it was worth it. Furthermore, as you said in your essay, women are more team oriented, so women could try and work together and make alliances with other countries and keep peace. In your essay you also say that, when women have more money they spend it on essential things like education and health. I think, if women ruled the world there would be less poverty as we would try and spend money on things that truly matter in LEDC’s like Africa. If women ruled the world, if they there were less wars because of what I stated earlier, we wouldn’t have to spend much money of weapons for war, we could use that saved money to spend it on better schools and health care, so, as you said â€Å"the entire community prospers’’. In conclusion, I honestly do not know what the world would be like if it were ruled by women, for it never has been and probably will not be for a while, all we can do is purely speculate because of our believes and our own opinions. I do, however, think there would be a difference, but not a massive one.

Free Essays on Kinesics

One of the 8 types of non-verbal communication, I feel most aware of is Kinesics. Peoples response to things can be vary unique at times. We respond differently according to how we feel about something. We can say something, but mean something else with non-verbal communication. You can respond to something or someone in many ways according to how you feel towards the situation. Kinesics also carry a message behind it, in which sometimes can not be understood clearly. When watching someone being lectured to and seeing the different non-verbal responses they have, is like reading the persons mind. One can tell if someone is paying attention to something or if their avoiding the situation. As much as alert one is, their posture, eye contact, and facial expressions will be more serious. If one slouches, looks elsewhere, and unhappy, I would conclude that they not interested. Responsiveness is very important when it comes to relationships. Relationships between children and parents can be very complicated, especially when your trying to unscramble their non-verbal responses. Children have a way of listening to something, but it is mostly going through one ear and coming out of the other. The way children respond to something they don’t want to hear includes tapping their fingers, looking around and messing with something else. Whenever I observe a couple arguing, I pick up on expressions and the feeling on is non-verbally responding to. When one is doing more of the talking and the other is mostly ignoring everything they say. Folding the arms, tapping the feet or fingers, and taking deep breaths indicate how he/she feels toward the conversation. After all some people know how one feels about something, but will completely ignore their response to it. Responses can also be misunderstood when you are not familiar with a particular response. At the same time, the meaning to response can be sensed only by the one who knows you bette... Free Essays on Kinesics Free Essays on Kinesics One of the 8 types of non-verbal communication, I feel most aware of is Kinesics. Peoples response to things can be vary unique at times. We respond differently according to how we feel about something. We can say something, but mean something else with non-verbal communication. You can respond to something or someone in many ways according to how you feel towards the situation. Kinesics also carry a message behind it, in which sometimes can not be understood clearly. When watching someone being lectured to and seeing the different non-verbal responses they have, is like reading the persons mind. One can tell if someone is paying attention to something or if their avoiding the situation. As much as alert one is, their posture, eye contact, and facial expressions will be more serious. If one slouches, looks elsewhere, and unhappy, I would conclude that they not interested. Responsiveness is very important when it comes to relationships. Relationships between children and parents can be very complicated, especially when your trying to unscramble their non-verbal responses. Children have a way of listening to something, but it is mostly going through one ear and coming out of the other. The way children respond to something they don’t want to hear includes tapping their fingers, looking around and messing with something else. Whenever I observe a couple arguing, I pick up on expressions and the feeling on is non-verbally responding to. When one is doing more of the talking and the other is mostly ignoring everything they say. Folding the arms, tapping the feet or fingers, and taking deep breaths indicate how he/she feels toward the conversation. After all some people know how one feels about something, but will completely ignore their response to it. Responses can also be misunderstood when you are not familiar with a particular response. At the same time, the meaning to response can be sensed only by the one who knows you bette...

What Does It Mean to Be Agnostic

What Does It Mean to Be Agnostic SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In 2018, Scientific American published an article titled â€Å"The Number of Americans with No Religious Affiliation Is Rising,† which looked at the rising number of Americans who don’t identify with any religion. In 2018, a survey done by the Pew Research Center found 34 to 36 percent of millennials identify as atheist, agnostic, or just â€Å"nothing in particular.† While most people have a general understanding of atheism, agnosticism can be a little more confusing since it falls in the grey area between total belief and total disbelief in the existence of a higher power and/or God. In this article, we’ll explore what it means to be agnostic.First, we’ll define the term agnostic and talk about what agnosticism looks like in practice, then we’ll dive into the differences between being agnostic vs. atheist. Finally, we’ll share a list of famous people who are agnostics. So let’s get started! Agnostic Definition: Understanding the Origin of the Term Let’s take a moment to define agnostic. The term was first coined by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley in 1884, who coined the term â€Å"agnostic† to refer to people who: â€Å"...confess themselves to be hopelessly ignorant concerning a variety of matters, about which metaphysicians and theologians, both orthodox and heterodox, dogmatise with the utmost confidence.† For Huxley, being agnostic meant recognizing that you couldn’t confidently believe in- or disbelieve in- the orthodoxy of religion or metaphysics. Huxley’s idea is still a key piece of what it means to be agnostic today. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, theagnostic definition is "a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (such as God) is unknown and probably unknowable.† In other words, someone who is agnostic is â€Å"not committed to believing in either the existence or non-existence of God,† a god, gods, or some sort of higher power. So what does this mean, exactly? To understand it, we first have to look at what it means to believe in a god. Many of the world’s major religions- like Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism- believe that there is a higher power that controls the universe and orchestrates the events in a person’s life. These religions believe this higher power is incredibly powerful and transcendent, meaning that it’s totally beyond man’s comprehension. While these religions disagree about the particulars of who and/or what god is, they all agree on one thing: the universe was created by a higher power, which continues intervene in both the world and human life. When someone is agnostic, however, that person neither believes nor disbelieves that there is any sort of higher power. In other words, agnostics aren’t persuaded by arguments that there is a God (or gods, as the case may be)...nor are they convinced arguments that God doesn’t exist. More importantly, they believe that the existence of a higher power cannot be proven or disproven, just like Huxley explained back in 1884. In short, if you answer the question â€Å"Does God exist?† with â€Å"I don’t know,† you’re probably agnostic! The 3 Categories of Agnosticism The term â€Å"agnostic† refers to being in the middle between belief and unbelief in god(s), which makes it a catch-all term for anyone who isn’t sure whether there is or isn’t a higher power. But that doesn’t explain why agnostics think the way they do! That’s why philosophers tend to break agnosticism down into three distinct categories, which we’ll talk about below. Category 1: Strong Agnosticism Strong agnostics- which are sometimes called hard or absolute agnostics- believe that there is no way that anyone can know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that God exists. In the same way, they don’t believe that anyone can totally, 100 percent prove that God doesn’t exist, either! That’s because we can only know what we experience, which means our belief in God is subjective rather than objective. Here’s what we mean. A verifiable, provable, objective observation is something that- through verifiable science or universal experience- everyone can see is true. A good example of an objective fact is that the sun rises and sets every day in most parts of the world. Even without scientific calculations to verify that this happens, it’s a universally observable phenomenon. That’s why everyone can agree that it happens! Because of that, you can think of the sun rising and setting as an objective fact. A subjective observation is one that relies on a person’s individual thoughts, perspectives, and feelings about a subject. For example, think of someone you know that hates spicy food. For them, eating spicy food is an uncomfortable- and maybe even painful!- experience, so they steer clear of anything with hot peppers in it. You, however, might live for spicy food, so much so that you add hot sauce to pretty much everything you eat! Neither you nor the other person is wrong...it’s just that you’ve had different subjective experiences that impact the way you think about habaà ±ero peppers. And that’s the difference between an objective observation and a subjective one: subjective observations only hold true for the person who experiences them. Strong agnostics believe there is no way for anyone to prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that God neither exists or doesn’t exist. That means that any argument people make for one side or the other are using subjective arguments to try and prove their point. And because those depend on a person’s unique beliefs, thoughts, and experiences, they aren’t objective...which means that neither side’s arguments about the existence of a higher power can’t be considered â€Å"fact.† Weak agnosticism doesn't mean that it breaks under pressure. It has more to do with whether the existence of God can ever be proven! Category 2: Weak Agnosticism Weak agnosticism- which is also known as mild or open agnosticism- agrees with strong agnosticism in that they believe no one currently knows whether a higher power exists. But weak agnostics believe that just because something cannot be proven right now doesn’t mean it can never be proven! Germ theory is a good example of how previously unprovable ideas can become fact. In 1546, an Italian scholar named Girolamo Fracastoro wrote that epidemic diseases were caused by tiny, seed-like organisms called seminaria morbi that were spread by touch or by air. It would take another 300 years before scientists like Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch would prove Fracastoro’s hypothesis about germs was correct! Just because Fracastoro couldn’t prove his idea was right in 1546 didn’t mean it would never be proven correct...which is the same idea behind weak agnosticism. Thus, people who are weak agnostics are agnostic because they’re waiting on objective evidence. They don’t believe that the answer to this question will forever be unknowable...they just think the answer isn’t knowableyet. In many ways, weak agnostics can be seen as â€Å"withholding judgement† on whether God exists until undeniable facts can be brought to the table. Category 3: Apathetic Agnosticism The third category of agnosticism is apathetic agnosticism. Like the first two schools of agnosticism, apathetic agnostics also believe that there is no proof that a higher power does or doesn’t exist. But unlike strong and weak agnostics, apathetic agnostics believe that in the end, it doesn’t matter. Here’s why: apathetic agnostics believe that any God (or gods) that may exist seem to be completely unconcerned with the well-being of the world or its inhabitants. They point to issues like war, famine, and ecological destruction...and the lack of observable divine intervention. Thus, apathetic agnostics believe that since any higher power that might exist isn’t intervening in the people’s affairs, it doesn’t matter whether that entity exists or not. They think of the debate about God as an academic exercise rather than one that has any real-world impact. While there are agnostic groups you can join, agnostics don't worship or have services like theists (or believers in God) do. How Does Someone Practice Agnosticism? Because agnostic is a label for people who neither believe or don’t believe in a higher power, the term serves as a broad category that encompasses people from all races, classes, and walks of life. In that way, agnosticism is known for inclusivity. Because agnosticism doesn’t have a set of rules and rituals that a person can practice, it’s easier to understand agnosticism as a way of thinking rather than a system of belief. (Those fall more in line with organized religion, which as we mentioned earlier, falls on the â€Å"belief† side of the â€Å"does a higher power exist?† equation.) That means that you probably aren’t going to find specifically â€Å"agnostic† buildings or group services in your town like you might for specifically religious organizations. (There are, however, agnostic organizations that you can join, like Atheist and Agnostic Unitarian Universalists or the Center for Inquiry.) Just like these shoes, atheism and agnosticism have a lot in common...but they aren't exactly the same! Agnostic vs Atheist: What’s the Difference? Now that you know more about agnosticism, you’re probably wondering about what makes it different from atheism. The answer is actually pretty straight-forward: Merriam-Webster defines an atheist as â€Å"a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods† or â€Å"one who subscribes to or advocates atheism.† In other words, whereas agnostics are uncertain about the existence (or non-existence) of God, atheists don’t believe any god exists. Unlike agnostics, who answer the question â€Å"Does God exist?† with â€Å"I don’t know,† atheists answer the same question with a solid â€Å"no.† Like agnosticism, atheism can be broken down into subcategories based on why a person does not believe in the existence of a higher power. Strong atheists (sometimes called â€Å"positive† atheists) firmly assert that there is no God, gods, or controlling higher power. Strong atheists are so firm in their stance that they consider God’s non-existence to be fact. Weak atheists, which are sometimes called â€Å"negative† atheists, also don’t believe in the existence of any higher power. However, unlike strong atheists who actively believe that the non-existence of God(s) is fact, weak atheism is better understood as the absence of a belief in a higher power. While weak atheists don’t believe in God, they also don’t assert there are no God(s) as a fact. Someone who is a weak atheist might sum up their beliefs like this: â€Å"I don’t believe there is a higher power, but I cannot say for 100 percent certain that there isn’t a higher power. I just know that the arguments in favor of God’s existence aren’t persuasive, so I don’t believe God exists.† Now go back and look at the definitions for strong and weak agnosticism. You’ll notice that the key difference between atheism and agnosticism hinges on their position on God’s existence. While both strong and weak atheists believe that there is no God(s), agnostics of all varieties believe that there’s no way to know whether God is real. Because of that, agnostics neither believe nor disbelieve that a higher power exists, whereas atheists believe that no higher power exists. 6 Famous Agnostics Although the tension between atheism and religion gets the most press, there are plenty of people who fall into the middle, grey area of agnosticism. Here are some famous people who self-identify as agnostic: Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906): women’s rights activist and suffragette Carrie Fisher (1956-2016): actress, screenwriter, and author Neil Gaiman (1960-present): novelist, screenwriter, and comic book author Brad Pitt (1963-present): actor and film producer Albert Einstein (1879-1955): theoretical physicist Warren Buffett (1930-present): Business mogul and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Now What? Are you thinking about using your experience with agnosticism as a topic for one of your college admissions essays? Be sure to check out our step-by-step essay guide to make sure you’re writing an essay that will catch the admission committee’s attention! If you’re not sure what a good college admissions essay looks like, don’t worry. Here’s a list of 101 essay examples with expert analysis to get you started on the right foot. But what are college admissions committees, anyway? Get to know more about what a college admissions committee is, and its role in the admissions process, here.

NURSE TO PATIENT RATIO POLICY Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

NURSE TO PATIENT RATIO POLICY - Coursework Example Focus should be placed on whether one nurse can cater to a smaller number of patients, hence; providing all the necessary attention and care needed (Aiken et al., 2008). This may work toward ensuring that the emotional stability of both the patient and nurse is maintained. This paper will examine how such a revision may guarantee proper functioning of the nursing fraternity in terms of provision of care, and how this might increase satisfaction among the nurses and patients. It is clear from different books and articles present that the issue of mandatory nurse to patient staffing ratios is not new to the healthcare system. This debate probably goes back a decade before significant change, some of which can now be seen, could be made in the present day healthcare field. In 1999, a bill was passed into law by Gray Davis who was the Governor of California, which established that health services in the state needed to adopt regulations on minimum nurse to patient ratio staffing. This came after growing concern on the safety of the patients in the care of different health facilities. Assembly bill 394 was aimed at improving the quality of care, and the safety of patients. It also tried to reduce the nurse to patient ratios that existed at the time, which were associated with negative outcomes among the patients and loss of nurses (Sloan & Chee-Ruey, 2012). According to Aiken et al., different aspects of the nurse to patient staffing ratios led to higher patient mortality, nurse dissatisfaction, and even medical errors. This was in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Furthermore, nurses who happen to care for a significantly larger number of patients tend to be overworked and may fall short of what is expected of them in their respective healthcare facilities. In my opinion, Staffing, often seen as a structural function, is crucial in determining patient outcomes, and thus; should be paid attention to if the problem is to be

The Process of Recruitment of the New Employees Essay - 1

The Process of Recruitment of the New Employees - Essay Example Conversely, the selection process starts when the applications from the interested candidates are received, when the organization now performs short-listing and determination of the best candidates for the job (Cooper and Robertson, 2000). In this process of recruitment and selection, the organization tries to identify those individuals with the right skill sets to work in the organization, and before they are inducted into the organization, they have to be interviewed and trained to attain the skills that they need to perform the tasks that they are being hired for. In the hiring process, the organization can decide to perform external or internal recruitment and selection, where the candidates are chosen from within or outside the organization. The selection process for the employees can involve many processes, but the most common one is the selection interview, where the potential candidate is put in front of a panel and interviewed to determine the ability to work for the organization (Cooper and Robertson, 2000). The selection interview process has been criticized by many experts, but many organizations still prefer to use it for the selection process. As part of the selection process, many organizations will usually conduct interviews to determine the competences of the different applicants and select the best applicant for the job. The selection interview process is used by the employer as an assessment or evaluation of the potential employee for the job at hand. The selection interview process can take many different formats, for example, the telephone interview used by the interview before any other interview. The telephone interview is usually used by the employer before any other interview process and is used as a way of reducing potential applicants for the job (Warr, 2003). After the pre-interview phase, the other formats include the panel interview, which is the most common format used by employers.