The Overview of an Article about Japanese Animation Essay

The Overview of an Article about Japanese Animation - Essay Example The essay "The Overview of an Article about Japanese Animation" talks about the article that describes the Japanese attempts to animate the western ways of imagination and even some aspects of its art culture. The article starts with a sort of story and this continues for a while but at the end of the paragraph comes the thesis statement which explicitly enables the reader to know what the article will be about. The thesis presented in the article is backed up by the artwork of Monet’s La Japonaise where even though it has a bit of Japanese theme based on clothing, the other impressionists are all western. This is a new thing in the Japanese art. This is evidence of the painting is also in coincidence with the films and other artwork by the Japanese whose direction has changed from purely Japanese themes to a mixture of Japanese and western ideas. Questions and even answers about more evidence of this thesis statement and in support of the article are found further in the article. The author also specifies the time changes of these art impressions and direction and hence anyone with more questions can check this up against historical books. The explicit explanations offered by the author about this subject of discussion leaves the audience satisfied. The author’s discussion about the change in direction of Japanese art and also the pictorial evidence makes me agree with her. I do not agree with her argument that Japanese culture still has great influence over the western type of art since the 19th Century to date.

What Is Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi's Relevance on Economy, Ideology and Dissertation

What Is Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi's Relevance on Economy, Ideology and Religion in Modern Day India - Dissertation Example For instance, he took part in political protests in South Africa against the ill-treatment of Indians in that region by the prevailing government. Gandhi believed that the weak should not be oppressed by those in power and was against any political system that was oppressive1 Although Gandhi was actively persuading Indians to resist British ideologies, he was against any form of violence. He encouraged Indians to protest peacefully against British political and economic systems as well as the British approach to religion and morality. Gandhi’s ideologies led to his imprisonment on several occasions. However, many leaders made reference to his ideologies that promoted cohesion, peace and love among individuals and religions. He was assassinated for his belief by a fellow Hindu who was against his beliefs about the Muslims.2 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi made a significant contribution to India’s economy through his ideologies and campaign for an independent economy. Many In dians supported his religious, political and economic beliefs. Gandhi was against discrimination and violation of human rights. He campaigned for unity and resistance against westernisation. His efforts yield fruits and India’s economy achieved significant levels of growth and independence. This paper examines Gandhi’s ideologies, religious beliefs and economic contribution to determine his relevance to modern India. The Relevance of Gandhi’s Economic Ideas, Ideologies and Religious Beliefs to Modern India Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi played an important role in freeing India from British colonialism. Gandhi had a political vision of a free country that had control over all its sectors including social, economic, and political sectors in India. Gandhi’s vision had a moral and economic perspective of what India would be as a free country.4 Gandhi’s personal philosophies and beliefs were adopted in many political systems across the world. For instance, human rights activists in the United States based their movements on Gandhi’s philosophies. The relevance of Gandhi’s philosophies and beliefs to modern societies has been ignored until recently. Political analysts and historians are examining the state of nations to determine if Gand hi’s ideologies are still applicable to modern societies. Gandhi was determined to lay down a foundation that would unite Indians towards achieving their economic freedom. His ideology was to prepare Indians for a self-sustaining economy.5 Gandhi was against adopting a Western economic model and according to him; such a model would not help Indian establish an egalitarian and independent economy. Gandhi argued that with the high population growth rate and poverty levels in India, a consumer economy as suggested by western countries was inappropriate. His idea of an independent economy in India was based on conservation and systematic exploitation of natural resources. Consumerism would harm India’s given its demographics and Gandhi advocated for limited consumption of the scarce resources in the country. One of Gandhi’s concerns about India’s economy was the state of the agricultural sector. He believed that agriculture would help India achieve significan t economic growth. However, his idea of a sustainable agricultural sector involved exploiting the readily available human resources as opposed to importing technology from the west.6 Gandhi’s speeches on India’s economic welfare indicated his passion for the nationals to recognise and exploit India’

Advancing Nursing Practice Current Role and Personal Learning

Advancing Nursing Practice Current Role and Personal Learning The idea of Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) is reported to have commenced in the USA in the early parts of the 20th century (Mantzoukas, 2006) and its development has been well recorded in the literature (Ketefian, Redman, Hanucharurnkul, Masterson Neves, 2001; Furlong Smith, 2005). But lack of clear definitions for the concept, its scope of practice and standards has resulted in a great diversity in practice (Woods, 1999; Pearson Peels, 2002; Daly and Carnwell, 2003). Furlong and Smith (2005) identifies that several attempts have been made to conceptualise advanced nursing practice. This has resulted in some consensus on the core concepts that underpin ANP such as clinical autonomy, professional and clinical leadership, research capabilities, application of theory and research to practice and graduate level education requirement (Ketefian et al., 2001; Furlong Smith, 2005; Mantzoukas, 2006). Knowledge level, skill level and population of response model developed by Calkin (1984) and from novice to expert model by Benner (1984) are some of the models that were developed but none of these analysed contextual influences on advanced nursing practice. Manley (1997) developed a conceptual framework that describes four integrated sub roles (expert practitioner, educator, researcher and consultant); necessary skills and processes as well as contextual prerequisites for the advanced nurse practitioner to achieve outcomes strove for. This framework was developed from a model by Hamric (1989) and shares similarities in the four sub roles, some skills and processes. However, the framework by Manley (1997) establishes a relationship between the ANP role, its context and its outcomes, giving it an advantage over the models of Calkin, Benner and Hamric. It is worth stating, at this point, that the term ANP is not for a single role but for different advanced nursing roles such as nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, nurse anaesthetists and clinical nurse specialists (Ketefian et al., 2001) I have worked for one year as a general nurse (Nursing Officer rank) after completing my four-year nursing training in Ghana. My responsibilities include ensuring adequate nutrition and elimination, administering medication and reporting on patients response, allocating task based on skill of staff, supervising staff and students in the ward, and participating in ward rounds (GHS, 2005). Henry (2007) states that Ghanaian nurses have automatic promotion after every five years of service until they reach the rank of Principal Nursing Officer. It seems that this is changing. My experience is that, recently, higher education certificate as well as evidence of continuous professional and personal development is a requirement for certain roles in the nursing profession. Moreover, research, leadership and application of theory to practice are some of the advanced nursing skills that are not well developed in my current role. I have, therefore, enrolled in the MSc. Advanced Nursing course to develop these skills to advance my nursing practice. It appears that the four advanced nursing roles described by Ketefian et al. (2001) are present in Ghana, although the term ANP is not used. East and Arudo (2009) identifies that due to shortage of health personnel, nurses in sub-Saharan Africa perform certain roles and tasks that would be classified, in other countries, as advanced practice. Ghanaian nurses in these roles have some degree of clinical autonomy, especially in the district hospitals, but not necessarily a graduate level education. Instead, a post-basic diploma is required for some of them (nurse anaesthetist and clinical nurse specialist roles). Until recently, post-basic diploma was the qualification for medical assistants (similar to nurse practitioner role). Thus, ANP roles in Ghana developed as a result of shortage of health personnel and the health needs of the population. However, the roles are different from those in the UK and USA in areas such as research, professional and clinical leadership, academic qualifi cation, and clinical autonomy. Therefore, with the ANP conceptual framework of Manley (1997) as the focus, I hope to achieve the following objectives in advancing my practice: Develop a teaching package to slow progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among patients with diabetes Advance myself as a nurse educator and the other sub roles identified by Manley (1997) Develop leadership and effective change management skills Contribute to the professional development of my colleagues. The Project: Introduction and Rationale for Selection In advancing my nursing practice, my focus for this project is to develop a teaching package to slow progression of chronic kidney disease among patients with diabetes. Other patients at risk of developing kidney failure, including those with hypertension would also benefit from this project. The package would, also, be used among patients with stages 1 4 chronic kidney disease. In the final year of my nursing training, I had to submit a care study to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana. The patient I worked with had been diagnosed with type II diabetes. The care study required that I participate in the active management of the patient and present a report on that, as well as a literature review on the condition. I reflect on the entire process now and I realise that complications of diabetes were just mentioned to the patient, with no adequate information on how they can be prevented. This project is, therefore, anticipated to create awareness of chronic kidney disease as a major complication among patients with diabetes in Ghana and how to delay its progression, if not avoid it. My primary focus would be to develop a strategy that would reach out to all patients, including those with low literacy skills. This would advance the nursing care and health education given to such patients, thereby, delaying the need for dialysis (Thomas et al., 2008). Literature Review WHO (2002:11) defines chronic conditions as health problems that require ongoing management over a period of years or decades and has labelled them as the biggest challenge faced by the health sector in the 21st century. While the economic cost of managing chronic diseases is high, Suhrcke, Fahey McKee (2008) identify some strong economic arguments that may be made in support of the need for societies to invest in their (chronic diseases) management. They identify some primary benefits such as improved health (in terms of patients quantity and quality of life in years), long-term cost savings from complications avoided and workplace productivity experienced by patients and their employers. Nevertheless, preventing their occurrence is central in the general management of chronic conditions (Nolte McKee, 2008) and this is a responsibility for all, including governments, private sectors, healthcare systems and individuals (Novotny, 2008). Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is becoming a global pandemic (Mahon, 2006; Chen, Scott, Mattern, Mohini Nissenson, 2006; Clements Ashurst, 2006). The disease causes gradual decline in kidney function (Silvestri, 2002). It has been categorised into 5 stages according to the glomerular filtration rates (Johnson Usherwood, 2005) and the progression through these stages is influenced by several processes, mostly lifestyle-related (Riegersperger Sunder-Plassmann, 2007). Management of stage 5 (end stage) is either by dialysis or kidney transplant (Johnson Usherwood, 2005, Chen et al., 2006). Patients with CKD stages 4 and 5 experience other complications such as anaemia and metabolic acidosis that must, also, be managed efficiently (Silvestri, 2002; Murphy, Jenkins, McCann Sedgewick, 2008). This, in addition to dialysis, accounts for the reported higher costs of managing CKD (Gonzalez-Perez, Vale, Stearns, Wordsworth, 2005; Kaitelidou, Ziroyanis, Maniadakis, Liaropoulos, 2005). Presently, more than 23,000 adults in the UK undergo dialysis treatment as a result of kidney failure and this number is expected to increase yearly (World Kidney Day, 2009). Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (Ghana) recorded 558 cases of CKD between January 2006 and July 2008 in the country (All Africa, 2009) and this may represent less than 30% of the total disease burden as the hospital serves a few regions in the country. Several studies have identified diabetes mellitus and hypertension as the major causes of CKD (Clements Ashurst, 2006; Rosenberg, Kalda, KasiuleviÄ ius Lember, 2008; Marchant, 2008; Stropp, 2008; Thomas, Bryar, Mankanjuola, 2008; Ulrich, 2009). Amoah, Owusu and Adjei (2002) report of little, but outdated, statistics on the prevalence of diabetes in Ghana. Another report is on the assumption that diabetes is uncommon in Ghana (ibid.). However, it appears that my clinical experience at KATH alone suggests otherwise to the latter. Amoah et al. (2002), again, report that data on diabetes in Ghana is unreliable and this is confirmed by incongruent data observed in the literature. For example, Abubakari and Bhopal (2008) report that prevalence of diabetes in Ghanaian adults (25years and above) was 6.3% in 1998 while the Ministry of Health, Ghana (2001 cited by Aikins, 2004) estimates diabetes in 4% of Ghanaians between 15 to 70 years. Notwithstanding, Aikins (2004) reports of incr ease in the prevalence rates of chronic illnesses in the country, and diabetes is no exception. Primary care management delays nephropathy and other complications of diabetes (Thomas et al., 2008). They add that there could be a lot of potential savings if the need for dialysis can be delayed, even if for a short period for a few patients. Since prevention reduces healthcare costs (Booth, Gordon, Carlson Hamilton, 2000), Ghana, not being a rich country (CIA, 2008) stands to benefit from such an approach. Chen et al. (2006), also, identify that delaying the progression of CKD improves clinical outcomes and moderates costs. Strategies to delay progression include good glycaemic control, blood pressure control, smoking cessation and other lifestyle modification (Nicholls, 2005; Clements Ashurst, 2006; Rosenberg et al., 2008). Patients knowledge on these factors may lead to a change in behaviour which, in turn, would yield positive outcomes in the management of their conditions. Health education is one of such strategies to achieve positive outcomes and prevent complications, especially if the method used is appropriate for the age group as well as their cultural background (Funnell et al., 2008). It is often used interchangeably with health promotion in the nursing literature and criticisms have been made on that (Whitehead). The argument has been that health promotion has shifted from preventing specific diseases or detecting risk groups towards health and well being of whole populations (Naidoo Will, 2000). Hitherto, health education remains central to health promotion (Whitehead, 2), and, because of the dominance of the medical model, health promotion is mostly equated to prevention of disease, through primary, secondary or tertiary prevention in clinical settings (Naidoo Wills, 2000). Secondary and tertiary prevention interventions prevent complications such as chronic nephropathy development in patients with diabetes and health education is one of such interventions (Rosenberg et al., 2008; Naidoo Wills, 2008). Diabetes is, predominantly, self-managed (Collins et al., 1994; Funnell Anderson, 2002), making education very necessary as it empowers the patients to take charge of their health behaviour and other factors that influence their health status (Piper, 2009). Whitehead (1) adds that health education focuses on lifestyle-related and behavioural change processes, making it an integral part of comprehensive diabetes care (type II education). The above implies that when patients with diabetes receive health education, it enhances their ability to collaborate with the effective management of the disease and, consequently, avoid its complications. However, very little knowledge on CKD as well as misunderstandings of illness and treatment has been reported (Jain, 2008; Holstrà ¶m Rosenqvist, 2005). Patients may not appreciate the role that lifestyle modification, in addition to pharmacological interventions, can play in effective management of diabetes. Since diabetes, usually, do not present any physical symptoms, patients tend to distance themselves from it and, as a result, ignore the education being provided because they do not feel ill (Holstrà ¶m Rosenqvist, 2005). Complexity of self-management of diabetes may also be a major contributor to the reported misunderstandings (Szromba, 2009). The primary concern then becomes who should educate these patients and what strategies should be used to achieve positive outcome s? Making time to educate patients and their families on everything that they need to know is seldom easy because of the busy schedules of nurses in the ward (Rankin Stallings, 2001). Yet, Hamric (1989) and Manley (1997) have documented the integration of health education into the roles of advanced nurse practitioners and Rankin Stallings (2001) have attested to this. Advanced nurse practitioners are able to draw on their knowledge and skills related to higher education as well as their expertise from practice to achieve positive outcomes in the clinical settings (Manley, 1997). Szromba (2009) suggests that alternative methods to the traditional lecture method of health education should be utilized to enhance self-care. Babcock and Miller (1994) suggest that discussion, demonstration, modelling, group activities and role playing are other teaching strategies that the health educator can employ. However, they add that consideration should be given to the strategy that best fits the obj ectives, content, the clients, the health educator and the reality of the learning situation. This underscores the importance of client needs assessment in health education. Literacy skills of the clients should, also, be taken into consideration during health education. This project is to be implemented in Ghana and WHO (2009) estimates an adult illiteracy rate of about 35% of the total population. The use of written materials may be a difficulty in such settings, especially as the literates may not understand the jargons used in health very well. Therefore, the health educator should ensure that materials are simplified so readers do not have difficulties in understanding the content. Rankin Stallings (2001) suggest that health educators should, therefore, focus information on the core of knowledge and skills that clients need to survive and cope with problems, teach the smallest amount possible, make points vivid, present information sequentially and allow patients to restate and demonstrate what has been learnt. They also suggest the strategic use of educational media such as flipcharts, photographs, drawings and videotapes to enhance understanding. Aims and Anticipated Outcome The primary focus of this project is to develop a teaching strategy to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease among patients with diabetes in Ghana. Consideration would be given to strategies that would reach out to and promote understanding among patients with low literacy skills. It is anticipated that when patients have enough information on their disease condition, they would collaborate with the healthcare team in the management of the condition. I hope to enhance my knowledge on the management of chronic kidney disease and my role as a nurse educator. This experience would, also, be transferred to my colleagues in Ghana and lead to general improvement in the management of chronic kidney disease in the hospital. This collaboration would, therefore, reduce complications of the disease and enhance patients quality of life. As has been identified by Thomas et al. (2008), when complications such as kidney failure and the need for dialysis is delayed for a short period among few patients, a lot of financial savings is made. Therefore, in addition to providing quality care for patients and enhancing their quality of life, this project would reduce the cost of managing complications of diabetes and chronic kidney disease in Ghana. The Professional and Organizational Context Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is the second largest teaching hospital in Ghana, training many doctors, nurses and other paramedics in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is an autonomous service delivery agent under the Ministry of Health of Ghana (MOH, 2009a). In addition to training many of the health personnel in the Ashanti Region at KATH, many people within and outside the Ashanti Region seek healthcare there. As a result, provision of quality healthcare has always been the focus. An organisation that recognises the need for change, weighs costs and benefits, and plans for the change when the benefits outweigh the costs is ready for a change (Dalton Gottlieb, 2003). KATH is, therefore, ready for change because some of its employees are sent overseas or to other parts of the country, whenever there is the need for a new skill or knowledge to be gained, to bring about a positive change within the institution. This may be a factor that would facilitate my agenda to implement s ome changes within the institution upon my return to Ghana. However, Ghana, as a country is underdeveloped (CIA, 2008). Therefore, financial support, many a time, becomes a difficulty. Another challenge may be the fewer nursing staff. The Ministry of Health (2009b) estimates that there was a nurse-to-population ratio of 1:2024 in Ashanti Region and 1:1451 for the entire country in year 2007 while the WHO estimates that there are 9 nurses/midwives per 10,000 of the Ghanaian population (WHO, 2009xxxxx). Nevertheless, the desire to provide quality patient care and reduce healthcare costs, and dedication from the health personnel are factors that would supersede the anticipated obstacles to the implementation of this project.

The Government Denial of Agent Orange Claims Essay -- Vietnam Governme

The Government Reaction to Agent Orange Claims PREFACE United States involvement in Vietnam has been surrounded by controversy since the 1960s. Many felt that controversy would end with the withdrawal of US troops in the 1970s. The troops came home and were not welcomed with the fanfare that surrounded veterans of previous wars. Was the controversy surrounding Vietnam a â€Å"dead† issue now that the troops were home? The answer is no. The controversy continues to this very day. The issue of whether or not the US should have gotten involved with Vietnam is still undecided. The even larger issue, on the other hand, is that of exposure to Agent Orange. I have been interested in the controversy surrounding Agent Orange since I was in 10th grade. I knew nothing of the topic before that. In 1997, my uncle died of lung cancer. When he was first diagnosed with the disease, I had thought that it was because he owned a bar. I believed that the cause of his cancer was due to all the second- hand smoke he inhaled over the years (he had quit smoking in the 1970s, after 6 years of being addicted). However, I realized that this might not be the case when I overheard him talking to a doctor. My uncle wanted his disability benefits from the Army to go to his son while he was sick and after he died. So, I asked him about his and he started to tell me about Agent Orange. He was drafted in the Army and stationed in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. His job was to deliver and clean the buckets that Agent Orange was stored in. He attributed his illness to his exposure to Agent Orange. The story of my uncle has motivated me to learn more on the topic of Agent Orange. However, because of the story of my uncle, I am bias in the way... ...mber 1993. New York State Temporary Commission on Dioxin Exposure, Dioxin Agent Orange: Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations. Albany: September 1983. Scheim, Rich, â€Å"VA to Take Vets’ Word on Agent Orange Exposure,† Courier- Express, November 3, 1981. U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Veterans Affairs, Statement of John. F. Sommer, Jr., Director National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission Before the Committee on Veterans Affairs, 14 July 1988. Veterans Administration, Worried About Agent Orange? Washington D.C., July 1, 1980 pamphlet. Vietnam Veterans of America, Agent Orange, â€Å"VVA Sues VA Over AO Comp. Rules†. Washington, D.C., December 1986. VVA Legal Services, â€Å"Agent Orange Settlement Upheld†, Agent Orange Claim forms, July 1983. Wolff, Leslie Patten, â€Å"Defoliant Manufactures Launch Counter-suit,† Buffalo Veteran, 1980.

Castle Family Resturant Stage

The HAIR that I think would best benefit the company is the Management Information System (MIS). A MIS provides information that organizations require to manage themselves efficiently and effectively. Management information systems are typically computer systems used for managing five primary components: 1 . ) Hardware, 2. ) Software, 3. Data (information for decision making), 4. ) Procedures (design, placement and documentation), and 5. ) People (individuals, groups, or organizations). Management information systems are distinct from other information systems, in that they are used to analyze and facilitate strategic and operational activities. (Wisped, 2013) The MIS system will allow all eight stores to be connected to your location that you work at. This will allow you to cut down the time you spend on the road away from the office and save on spending money on gas.The MIS will provide you with reports, current performance and let you access past information. It will also allow fo r better leaning, control and make important decisions without traveling to each store. The company will be able to maintain proper payroll information for each store via the internet, it will be an easier task because you will be able to access employees weekly work schedule without leaving the office. There will be software that will allow you to process the time sheets and send checks in a timely manner each pay period.With the MIS it will give you a transaction processing system, which records the routine transactions needed to conduct business, such as shipping, sales orders, and office automation systems, which are intended to increase productivity in the office for electronic mail and digital filing. Using the MIS will allow you to concentrate more on things that need to be completed from the office. This will cut down a significant amount of travel time to and from each restaurant. You will be able to stay at the main office more and communicate with managers and employee fr om every location through email.This will help with getting information on recruiting ideas, and hiring information on potential employees. Once the communication line is open through mail you will be able to determine how often you may actually have to physically make trips to the different locations. If there is ever a need for you to bring in additional help with office work this will be an easier transaction for them. The cost of the system may be costly but in the long run it will pay for itself by cutting down on travel time and gas cost.HAIR VENDOR CHOICE While looking for a vendor that would best suit the companies needs I have come across two that you can choose from to help with your business needs. I first went to Hearthstone(http://www. Gallium. Com/index. HTML) they give a detailed list of the information and systems they offer to small businesses. These items are: These items are: Heroics HAIR: database that will manage HER employee data from hire to end- of-employment . Import all data into an integrated system that will store, track, analyze, and generate reports and letters.Self-source: add on that managers can personal information and update online). Online Leave Request: online request that can be viewed and approved in a timely manner via the internet. Online project / time tracking: employees enter tidemark information and managers review and approve the time cards via the internet. Online Employment application, online Job requisition, HER portal, Heroics payroll interface. System support services such as Data Loading, Annual Maintenance and Support, Onsite Training, and System Implementation Support. Hearthstone) The second place I visited was Simple HER(http://www. Simpler. Ca/); this site offers easy instillation, quick setup, and no training. They also have Salary History and Benefits, Performance reviews and Training, Vacations, Attendance and sick leave, Health and Safety Records, HER Dashboards, Automated Reminders, Document Library , and Reports. ( HAIR – HER system for small business) Hearthstone site does not offer a price right away, but there is a free 14 day trial. Simple HER says that the cost is $199.I know I was not able to access a price from Hearthstone, but I feel that Hearthstone might be the better of the two. It seems that there is more offered to the business than what Simple HER has to offer. Both web sites offer a free trial or a Demo. I recommend that you try them both to see what works best for you, once you make your decision make sure you check both sites to figure out which offers the most products for your money.

Ethical dimensions associated with Information systems Essay

The ethical dimensions linked with the information systems bring professionalism and work ethics to its full extent. It strives to achieve the best quality, effectiveness and decorum in both the process and products of professional work. It must believe in acquiring, nurturing and preserving the organized nature of information systems. Optimally taking care of comprehensive and thorough evaluations of computer systems and their impacts, including analysis of possible risks must be managed (Hoffer, 2002). The very trend of technology would raise ethical issues. The impact of organizations on the trend of the computing power doubling every 9 months would make them more dependent on information systems for the critical execution of operations. Organizations can easily maintain huge databases about employees as data storage capabilities are increasing at skyrocketing speed. As data analysis advances organizations grasp the capability to organize and analyze vast quantities of data to ascertain individual behavior of the resources involved. Networking capabilities make it possible to access remote data quite easily. How the ethical dimensions of are IS different from the behavior of the individuals generally? The ethical choices are decisions made by the individuals are responsible for their actions. The appropriate moral choice which requires to be made when exposed to several options would make the individual ultimately accountable for it. Responsibility is one of the ethical measures which bind an individual with their own decisions they make. The potential duties they perform, they would be responsible for all the cost and obligations with regard to the moral choices they adhere to. It is quite different from the ethical dimensions associated with information systems, where the responsibility has a larger domain and caters to the entire internal and external environment surrounding it. Often the duties and responsibilities they perform make them cover up with a lot of resources involved, such as stakeholders and risk managers who manage the risk and the organisation does not have to take everything on its shoulders alone, it is shared. Accountability is a feature of holding one responsible for what they did and how they reacted. It is all about who took what action (Loudon, 2002). In respect to organisation or system the accountability is shared among a lot of people and other factors. Liability is a feature where the binding laws in place would make the individuals recuperate from damages done to them by other entities or organizations themselves. The information systems in the other place would make the liability spread across a greater domain of stakeholders so that the risk is distributed. Mechanisms for simulating control and their practicability The measures contemplate higher maturity assumptions in dealing with complex situations. Identifying critical and dynamic variables in the atmosphere and capitalizing on them is the key behavior for bringing practicability in the control mechanisms to be exercised. The following are the various control mechanisms: †¢ Identifying and defining clearly the facts: Keeping track of all activities would ensure that every movement is tracked and recorded so that any exception situation is predicted well before it and all measures can be taken to prevent it.  It is usually done so that the opposing parties can be substantiated with greater proof of the facing dilemmas. †¢ Define the problem involved: Defining the problem and the possible solutions would make sure that there is a clear cut solution to a problem and the steps to be adhered to for its resolution. It makes the process quite easy so that appropriate compliance to it would make things quite distinguishable in nature. †¢ Identify the stakeholders: Every ethical environment possess valuable stakeholders who have interest in the initiation and outcome of events and processes.  There are people who have invested in the situation and would expect something productive out of it. Identification of their demands, outlook and desires would focus on resolving of the crucial issues timely and effectively. †¢ Figuring out the viable options that can be taken: It can be found that every option cannot be exercised or ruled out in the light of all situations. The right amount and dimension of the options would make the situation recover faster. Evaluate the circumstances of the options that can be taken: The options must be evaluated and analyzed to match the positive attitude of the situation as not all options would be good for a situation. Placing oneself in the shoes of another person would go a long road to make a feasible solution. Conclusion Ethical dimensions depends on the situation greatly and the approach taken or making the best out of those situation. The various actions to be taken must be evaluated so that they stand quite realistic which would make the situation quite favorable in nature.

Recommendations for Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay

Recommendations for Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay Five-Paragraph Essay: Basic Recommendations for Writing Among academic writing tasks, the five-paragraph essay is one of the simplest tasks. The main challenge here is a selection of topic. But for some students, it also can be different from formatting the text right or from conducting some research to provide the relevant info according to the essay topic But you need to keep in mind that the main thing here is to arrange the sentences logically in every paragraph. You have only 5 paragraphs, but usually, they allow disclosing the topic completely. The subject of your essay can be selected from the teacher’s suggestions, online examples or your own preferences. By the way, the examples, that are available online, can be not only the sources of inspiration but your templates as well. You can borrow the style, approach, topic, but you cannot copy the entire text as this is called plagiarism, which is forbidden. In academic writing, it is not accepted. Now you know the general facts about this type of writing. To start with, you should create an outline first to arrange a further writing process. As a rule, you will have to write an outline on your own, without any teacher’s help. Here’s an example for you: Abstract paragraph (in case you are writing in APA style). This part of the text should contain the main point of the essay (usually 3-5) and this paragraph should not be longer than 150-200 words. Introductory part. Make your first sentence catching to get the attention of the reader. Make a short outline of the further thoughts you are about to disclose in your essay. Point out the goals of your essay and the main statement you are about to prove. We advise mentioning your main thought, the theses in the last sentence of the introduction to make your reader intrigued and keep reading. This part will be the longest as this is where you put details and prove your points. You should provide here strong arguments to defend your point of view. We recommend conducting deep research before writing to get the cases of a decent level. Also, it would be wise to add at least one paragraph that will reveal the opposite point of view with proof why this point of view can or cannot exist. Considering that, your essay body may consist of three paragraphs to fit the 5-paragraph structure. It may be similar to abstract in length, but you should add here more than just a summary of the main points of your essay and the strongest arguments. You should rewrite the thesis of the paper and make some conclusions considering the presented info and thoughts. This can be some forecast, for instance. Or you may provide any other ideas that are appeared in your head after researching the topic. Depending on the chosen or required style, this part may be called â€Å"Reference page,† â€Å",† etc. But in any case, you should include here any sources of information you have used in your research, especially if you have cited any of them. Give credit to the books, articles, papers that have influenced your writing. Here’s an explanation of why this type of essay is called a five-paragraph essay. This is one of the common tasks that you can find on English language exams, like SAT, TOEFL, and IELTS. The similar structure with 5 parts is also used for general admissions essay writing. If you want to get the highest grades on your exam, you should study various style requirements to make sure that your approach fits them in any aspect. Also, keep in mind that you will have a restricted period of time for writing task. As a rule, you get no more than 50 minutes to complete the whole work. Your successful 5-paragraphs essay together with college admission can add more points to raise your chances for entering. Here are 5 main styles that could be chosen for writing an essay: Narrative; Argumentative; Expository; Persuasive; Cause Effect. Expository essays consist of 5 paragraphs and you need to conduct in-depth research to disclose the problem. You need to present examples and proofs that help to maintain the ideas of your essay, and you can find them in the relevant resources. You do not have to write your own opinion in this article. But you should provide a decent number of thoughts and arguments from the sources you have found. Narrative essays with 5 paragraphs refer more to the creative side of the student. You should not write here exclusively informative content. You can share your thoughts, experience and other information that you can come up without any additional sources - this essay helps in developing the writing skills required for college applicants. When you are assigned with argumentative or persuasive essays, you should know that they have a lot in common. First thing here is the 5-paragraph structure, for sure. But also the purpose of these essays is the same as you need to persuade the reader and provide strong arguments. When you have a 5-paragraph limit, you need to select arguments and thoughts carefully in order to provide the most relevant ones. Use trustworthy sources of information as well. Also keep in mind, that here you will have to follow the strict formatting requirements. Cause and effect essay can also consist of 5 paragraphs. It presents the events in a way that affect each other. Shortly speaking, you should write here about how two events are related. Ideas for Introductory Paragraph You need to hook your reader from the first sentence, so we have prepared some ideas for a strong start for your intro: add a quote; set a scene; cite words of well-known people; tell a joke; add a movie quote; ask a rhetorical question; ask a regular question; add a piece of poetry; use a metaphor; tell your personal story in 1-2 sentences. Or you can come up with your personal ideas. Tips for Body Paragraphs and Conclusion in 5-Paragraph Essay As soon as you have got the reader’s attention, you need to justify their time and provide an exciting and relevant body as well. Make sure that you can add to your essay strong arguments, relevant real-life examples, various points of views, etc. to disclose the topic and lead to the expected results. Keep in mind using the transition words as they help to move from one point to another smoothly. Use words like â€Å"moreover,† â€Å"finally,† â€Å"so as† etc. to connect the thoughts in your essay. The repetition of the theses will serve as a reminder to the readers why you are writing this essay. You can even try to end up with a provocative question or thought in order to leave a strong impression. Also, you can motivate readers to conduct a particular action like researching, debating and so on. The excellent choice of topic is defied when readers keep discussing it after reading the essay. Formatting Tips for a Five-Paragraph Paper Keep in mind that any essay should be formatted in a particular way. Check formatting matching along with grammar and plagiarism check. You need to format the reference page correctly as well. Check whether you have added the following info: the name of the author of the source; the name of the source; the publisher; the date of publishing. If you still not sure you can create a decent essay, ask for professional help. You can ask our expert to create a great essay to show you how things should be done.

Free Essays on Homelessness Cause And Effect

Homelessness has taken a toll in many peoples lives in this world. Whether you’re a child or an adult you may experience these gruesome situations. Homelessness is having no home or haven or people without homes considered as a group (Webster 1). Homelessness is no permanent address. There are many causes to homelessness, some extremely sad, others just being selfish then ending up in awful situations which are serious problems. Such things as a missed paycheck, a health crisis, or an unpaid bill push the poor over the edge into homelessness. Homeless population is diverse. Here is a breakdown of homelessness 25%-40% is work, 37% are families with children, 25% are children, 25%-30% are mentally disabled, 30% are veterans and 40% are drug or alcohol dependent. These homeless people live in abandoned buildings, areas under bridges, bus stations, cheap hotels, emergency shelters, subways, and the streets. There are 100 million people homeless worldwide. Some people start on the street and are stranded for a short time. Others are permanently out there for the rest of their life. Sometimes people that go out on the street do get homes but end up back on the street. They say homelessness persists because the growing economy and low unemployment. These reasons include stagnant or falling incomes and less secure jobs which offer fewer benefits. Over the past fifteen to twenty years’ homelessness has risen largely. The reasons for the rise are a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. Poor people are often unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, and education. Many people have to make difficult choices when they have limited resources and have to cover some necessities. The first thing they choose is housing which absorbs a high proportion of income, which must be dropped. Being poor is the next step of an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on ... Free Essays on Homelessness Cause And Effect Free Essays on Homelessness Cause And Effect Homelessness has taken a toll in many peoples lives in this world. Whether you’re a child or an adult you may experience these gruesome situations. Homelessness is having no home or haven or people without homes considered as a group (Webster 1). Homelessness is no permanent address. There are many causes to homelessness, some extremely sad, others just being selfish then ending up in awful situations which are serious problems. Such things as a missed paycheck, a health crisis, or an unpaid bill push the poor over the edge into homelessness. Homeless population is diverse. Here is a breakdown of homelessness 25%-40% is work, 37% are families with children, 25% are children, 25%-30% are mentally disabled, 30% are veterans and 40% are drug or alcohol dependent. These homeless people live in abandoned buildings, areas under bridges, bus stations, cheap hotels, emergency shelters, subways, and the streets. There are 100 million people homeless worldwide. Some people start on the street and are stranded for a short time. Others are permanently out there for the rest of their life. Sometimes people that go out on the street do get homes but end up back on the street. They say homelessness persists because the growing economy and low unemployment. These reasons include stagnant or falling incomes and less secure jobs which offer fewer benefits. Over the past fifteen to twenty years’ homelessness has risen largely. The reasons for the rise are a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. Poor people are often unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, and education. Many people have to make difficult choices when they have limited resources and have to cover some necessities. The first thing they choose is housing which absorbs a high proportion of income, which must be dropped. Being poor is the next step of an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on ...

Locating Historical U.S. Deeds Online

Locating Historical U.S. Deeds Online The Bureau of Land Managements General Land Office records are a great online resource for U.S. genealogists researching homestead records, bounty land grants, and other records for ancestors who purchased or received land in the thirty federal or public land states. In the eastern United States, many state archives have made available at least a portion of original grants and patents online. These online land records are all wonderful resources, however they generally only provide information on first owners or purchasers of the land. The bulk of American land records are found in the form of deeds, or private land/property transfers between individuals and corporations (non-governments). The vast majority of deeds in the United States are recorded and maintained by the county, parish (Louisiana), or district (Alaska). In the New England states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, deeds are recorded at the town level. Due primarily to increased interest by title searchers for online access, as well as to help cut access/personnel costs in the future, many U.S. counties, especially in the eastern part of the country, have started putting their historical deed records online. The best place to begin your search for online historical deed records is the website of the Register of Deeds, or Clerk of Court, or whoever is in charge of recording deeds and other real estate records for your county/locality of interest. Salem, Massachusetts historic deed books 1-20 (1641-1709), for example, are available online from the Essex County Registry of Deeds. Thirty Pennsylvania counties have deeds available online (several going back to the time of county formation) through a system called Landex (fee for access). There are also other online sources for historical deed records, such as state archives and local historical societies. The Maryland State Archives is especially notable for its cooperative project to provide access to deeds and other land record instruments from across the state. Check out MDLandRec.net with searchable indexes and viewable volumes from Maryland counties dating back to the 1600s. The Georgia Virtual Vault, hosted by the Georgia State Archives, includes Chatham County, Georgia Deed Books 1785-1806. How to Find Historical Deeds Online Locate and browse the website of the local office in charge of recording property deeds. This might be the Register of Deeds, Recorder, Auditor, or County Clerk, depending on the particular locality. You can often locate these offices through a Google search ([county name] state deeds, or by going directly to the county government site and then drilling down to the appropriate department. If the county uses a third-party service to provide online access to historical deeds, they will generally include access information on the home page of the Register of Deeds. Explore FamilySearch. Search the user-supported FamilySearch Research Wiki for your locality of interest, preferably the government level at which deeds are recorded, to learn what deeds might be available and whether they may be available either online or on microfilm from FamilySearch. The FamilySearch Research Wiki often includes links to external resources with online records as well, and may include details on any poten tial loss of deed records due to fire, flood, etc. If FamilySearch has deed or other land records for your locality online, you can find this by browsing FamilySearch Historical Records. The Family History Library Catalog (browse this by location as well) includes information on any microfilmed deed records, and may link to the record set online at FamilySearch, if it has also been digitized. Investigate the holdings of state archives, local historical society and other historical repositories. In some areas, the state archives or other historical records repository hold either the originals or copies of older deed records, and some have placed these online. U.S. State Archives Online includes links to each U.S. State Archives website, along with information on digitized online records. Or try a Google search such as locality name historical deeds. Look for state-level finding aids. A Google search such as digital deeds [state name] or historical deeds [state name] may turn up helpful finding aids such as this collection on North Carolina Digital Records, which brings together information and links for each North Carolina county deeds office, including dates and coverage for available online digital deed records. Tips for Researching Historical Deeds Online Once you locate a deeds collection of interest, explore it thoroughly to be sure the actual records available match the stated description. County record offices are putting digitized deeds online so fast that the available online documents sometimes exceed the text description. For example, the online Document Retrieval System for Martin County, North Carolina, states that it includes Old Deed Books U (08/26/1866) thru XXXXX, however, if you manually enter the book and page numbers from the older books in the search box, you will find that the digitized deed books available online actually go back to 1774, the date of county formation. Understand what you are looking at before you give up. Researchers new to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, research might move on after entering their ancestors name in the search box for Historical Deeds 1792–1857 and receiving no results. What they might not realize, however, is that this database, despite its misleading name, is a collection of documents recorded in deed books that described people who were involved in the slave trade in the early days of Allegheny County, and does not include all deeds recorded between 1792 and 1857. Take advantage of current property records, tax maps and plat maps. Edgecombe County, North Carolina, has their historical deed indexes online, but the actual deed books are available online only back to September 1973. However, in some cases the deeds of current property owners include information on previous owners going back several generations, including deed book and page references. This type of online research can be especially helpful when platting historical deeds or conducting other types of historical neighborhood reconstruction. The Edgecombe County GIS Maps database, for example, lets you select parcel locations on a map and view information on the neighbors, along with digital copies of the most recent deed record for that parcel.

Nursing - Literature Search Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing - Literature Search - Essay Example The rise of internet has made it easier for researchers to locate information from online journals, books, government documents, and websites through choice of search words simply typed on the search engines to expose different sources with relevant information to the topic of choice. The entire process of literature should be guided by a well-formulated research question. This paper entails literature research for the research topic, how effective is cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of anxiety and depression in adults? The main objective of the study revolves around demonstrating how five articles on the chosen topic were arrived at. The topic on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of depression and anxiety is relevant to the field of mental health owing to the increased concerns on the best intervention on the increasing incidences of depression and anxiety among the aging people in health care. The literature search provides evidence on the application of the intervention thereby contributing to the resolution of the dilemma on the effectiveness of the cognitive behavior therapy intervention on depression and anxiety in adults. ... The next step involved selection of the target sources with secondary sources such as journals articles as main evidence sources targeted in this literature study. This was followed by selection Medline, EBSCOhost, ProQuest as the main databases where relevant journal articles could be located. The literature search involved different search words including, effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and depression treatment in adults, Cognitive behavioral therapy in adult anxiety disorders, and evidence for effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy treatment in treatment of adult anxiety and depression disorders. The use of ‘effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and depression treatment in adults’ as the search word in the EBSCOhost database resulted in 20 hits. Upon review of the article abstracts and titles of the hits, two articles were identified based on their relevance to the research topic. Literature search in the EBSCOhost database provided numer ous articles on the cognitive behavioral therapy topic although most were eliminated on the basis of the targeted group. The articles chosen from this database included cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult anxiety disorders in clinical practice: a meta-analysis of effectiveness studies by Stewart and Chambles (2009) and the training and dissemination of cognitive behavior therapy for depression in adults: a preliminary competence and client outcomes by Simons et al. (2010). The search in the ProQuest database using the second search term resulted into 22727 hits with the first 20 article being the closest to the relevance of the chosen topic. The other three articles were chosen from this database

Hydrosphere, Biosphere & Lithosphere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hydrosphere, Biosphere & Lithosphere - Essay Example Explain the relationship between the saturated zone, the water table, a ground water well and the cone of depression, all within the sub-surface. In the hydrological cycle, the water circulates between the oceans, the atmosphere and the continents. The water can exist in any of the three states during the transportation, i.e. as vapor expressed as humidity, as liquid in the form of droplets or as solid such as in the form of ice crystals or snowflakes. During the various process involved in the hydrological cycle, the quantity of water or 'water balance' that changes between inflow and outflow can be estimated based on the principle of conservation of mass. The movement of the water including the formation of water vapor is driven mainly by solar energy although other forces are also involved. The water evaporates from the surface of the ocean during the vapor phase. It then usually either falls as rain onto the surface of the earth (liquid phase) or as snowfall (solid phase) under t he process of precipitation, and on land a large portion of it usually flows in rivulets and rivers from the mountain tops to the seas in liquid form under the influence of gravity (surface runoff). Some of the water reaching land surfaces is also absorbed by the soil (infiltration) which can then follow one of several paths such as directly to the atmosphere by plants through transpiration. Within the sub-surface, a 'saturated zone' develops near the water table which is the surface that separates this zone from the zone of aeration (Monroe et al., 2006: 524). The saturated zone develops from the capillary rise of water in the pores of the soil, sediments and rocks. When a water well is used to pump the groundwater, the lowering of the water table in the area of the well can create a 'cone of depression', which refers to the loss of water having exceeded its inflow. 2.The food chain is a valuable concept in biogeography. Give an example of a specific food chain, labeling the variou s levels of the food chain. After looking at characteristics of food chains, explain how a geographer’s approach to the study of organisms might be different than biologist’s study of organisms; what would each try to emphasize more than the other? What exactly is a biome? Compare/contrast the concept of the biome with that of the zoogeographic region. Compare/contrast the floral characteristics of 2 of the following biomes: Desert, Tundra, Midlatitude Grassland and Boreal Forest. An example of a simple three-step specific food chain is given below with the deer as the herbivore and the lion as the carnivore. Food chains indicate a unidirectional transfer of energy beginning with the producers (as autotrophs) and ending with the topmost carnivores. Knowing the food chains help in identifying the interactions and interdependence between living organisms. The distributions of the energies and biomasses in each food chain are typically though not always pyramidal. In real ity, many food chains have at least four steps and several are intricately linked forming food webs. Grass (producer) > Deer (herbivore) > Lion (carnivore) In studying the characteristics of food chains, a geographer would be more interested in the wider ecosystems; in how the components of the chain are interdependent, in the flow of energy through the whole system between the different trophic levels, in examining the levels of biomass, and so on. A biome is a natural ecological grouping of animals and plants on the basis of climates, i.e. â€Å"all the ecosystems taken together in a given geographical area having the same type of climate† (Bharatdwaj, 2006: 100). Other environmental factors could also differentiate biomes but they are

CHARACTER TRANSFORMATIONS IN FILM STORIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CHARACTER TRANSFORMATIONS IN FILM STORIES - Essay Example The Long Kiss Goodnight does not really involve an occasion or event; rather it is just a positive change in this character’s life. "Back when we first met you were all like oh phooey I burned the darn muffins. Now, you go into a bar and ten minutes later sailors come running out" (The long kiss goodnight). This line from the film, The Long Kiss Goodnight, spoken by Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Mitch Henessey, perfectly summarizes the character transformation made by Geena Davis’ character from Samantha Caine back to Charly Baltimore. As Charly Baltimore, Davis’ character was originally a top-secret agent working for the United States’ Government. After suffering from Amnesia, she transforms into Samantha Caine, a suburban housewife, and beloved member of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at her eight-year-old daughter, Caitlin’s school. However, her memories slowly begin to return to her while chopping vegetables during preparation of her family’s dinner one night. At first she thinks she may have been a chef, due to her above average knife skills. She is forced to learn that she was not a chef, but a lethal assassin, when characters from her past begin to seek her out to kill her. Character transformation films are an interesting genre. While generally somewhat predictable, the viewer has seen the â€Å"Ugly Duckling† story repeated in various forms throughout cinematic history, this film’s transformation did not wholly fit the typical mold. ‘Transformation movies’ 2005, Characteristics of transformation movies, viewed 10 December 2011,

Customer Service Delivery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Customer Service Delivery - Essay Example This study highlights that the pipeline of processes i.e. appropriate management and disposal comes next to collection because waste is nothing good by any means to have warehoused or stored, it needs to be disposed on an urgent basis alongside waste cannot be left lying idle for long. So there is tremendous importance of its appropriate mechanisms and scheduling of collection. In addition, timely collection of wastage leads to cleanliness in town that has several other benefits such as healthy environment, attraction for foreigners (tourism and investment), etc. Secondly, the road cleansing is also of extreme importance. Keeping roads cleaned not just keeps the environment and town cleaned but also extends the life of the roads by means of good maintenance. And again keeping the towns clean attracts masses to enjoy and adds to the beautification.This discussion declares that  the problem arises due to the fact that in accordance with the rules of economics, there are limited or sc arce resources; thus, appropriate allocation is a mandatory action. Accordingly, there are limited resources for the waste management and street cleansing department as well in terms of machinery and human resource available. Consequently, it becomes difficult to have an eye on all the streets and places at the same time.  Reforms in the waste management sector over the past years have been extensive. These reforms have altered the industry’s structures, its rigid oversight and pricing measures.... Consequently, it becomes difficult to have an eye on all the streets and places at the same time. Therefore, there is need of public cooperation rather than criticism. So the problem here is making public realize that there are constraints and making them feel that it is their responsibility to lodge complain once there is an issue, and wait patiently till it is resolved. Reforms in the waste management sector over the past years have been extensive. These reforms have altered the industry's structures, its rigid oversight and pricing measures. The reforms have delivered considerable good organizational gains in the form of lesser real prices, higher dividends, and higher real rates of return, higher standards and greater capital investment. However additional efficiency may be obtainable in the industry, it is reasonable to say that future gains will be poorer and that higher standards may result in increased prices for services. Literature Review Analyzing the Regulations The want for regulation in the industry is self-evident, but it is very important that it be as effectual and efficient as probable and should deliver real community benefits. One controlling area of significance to the industry is standard setting. The concern is that the industry suggests that the increasing trend in standards in the areas of customer service, public health and the environment is resulting in sharp increases in capital expenditure for the urban water industry. The problem is that in general capital costs accounting for sixty percent of the industry's total costs and with underground pipes amounting to around seventy percent of all capital costs, setting standards for areas such as water continuity is particularly important. This makes it important to make decisions

The more we learn about culture, the greater our understanding of Essay - 2

The more we learn about culture, the greater our understanding of global consumerism,Discuss - Essay Example They go on to claim that people are â€Å"free and rational,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p) to make whatever choices they want about what to purchase, and that they have the desire to be different from others; this is what has resulted in the â€Å"rapid turn†over in goods and services,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p). Globalization has influenced this consumer culture in the way that ideas about what is fashionable spread from many parts of the world through the media and internet, creating what is a â€Å"global style,† (Globalization, 2010). Now we can sense that the consumer culture is becoming a global consumer culture; globalization has â€Å"homogenized images of the good life,† and created â€Å"sense of global identify and memory without which any cultural identity is incomplete,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p). Next, it should be helpful to explore what effect this globalization has on retailers and manufacturers in the fashion industry. Doherty notices how in UK there is a multitude of fashion retailers, both national and international, and how global brands have â€Å"come to characterize our major high streets and consumption patterns, and undoubtedly have an increasingly important influence on our lives and spending habits,† (Doherty, 2009, n.p). Globalization however means that the products provided by these international shops go through an extensive â€Å"network of contractors and subcontractors,† in different countries (Globalization, n.d, n.p). For example, a dress from a Gucci shop in Italy will be stitched and assembled in another country like Guatemala. It is rare that these international retailers like Nike, Gucci or Target produce their goods themselves; rather, they â€Å"source and market goods produced on contract in low-wage environments,† (Globaliza tion, n.d, n.p). Since these international retailers usually make huge profits,

German and European Banks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

German and European Banks - Essay Example This survey was conducted by the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation, Johannesburg, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. The survey identified liquidity, credit risk and credit spreads as the top three factors that pose a risk to banks. The report highlights the fact that the global financial situation has changed the importance of various risks; liquidity is now the highest risk to threaten banks. The shortage of liquidity has the power to impact the credit and derivative markets and this fear can lead to further worsening of the recessionary situation. Of the three top risks, liquidity and credit spreads had never before been considered as a risk; this is a clear indication of the changing risk scenario. The survey listing also has 'regulatory over-reaction' as the only non-financial risk in its top ten factors. This again is a clear indication that the market fears actions by politicians and regulators who will try to rectify the issue. The survey had varied opinions depending on the class of the respondent. While the bankers saw sharp variations in the credit, derivative and equity market as the most important risks, the non-banking people saw poor risk management and a liberal system of bonuses as the chief risks. The global economic crunch has affected not only the US but also Europe. Not only are the East European banks going to be affected but also the West European banks having loaned out to these banks, will be equally affected. A survey done by credit rating agency Moody's Investors Services states that Hungary and Latvia has already appealed to the IMF for a bailout; Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania may soon be going the same way. Some of the Western European banks were affected; UniCredit of Italy fell 7.3 percent and Societe Generale of France fell by 9.5 percent. The German Banking scenario is dominated by savings banks, cooperative banks and landesbanks, all of which are less-profit oriented than commercial banks. The market is fragmented and there is lot of competition. September 2008, saw two big mergers in the German banking sector. Commerzbank took over Dresdner Bank and Deutsche Bank took over Postbank. This was a direct reaction to other European banks entering German terrain. Banco Santander of Spain, UniCredit of Italy and 'ING of Netherland were the new entrants in the German market. UniCredit purchased Hypo Vereinsbank while Credit Mutuel of France took over Citigroup's German subsidiary. The German banks realised that size matters and the only way they could keep off European banks were through merger. The current economic crisis has led to banks writing down approximately 400 billion dollars in bad loans. Market liquidity and funding liquidity are two factors that interplay to create the funding environment. Market liquidity is said to be low when it becomes difficult to sell an asset that is when it is difficult to raise money by selling an asset. Funding liquidity is said to be high, when money to buy an asset can be easily borrowed. According to Brunnermeier and Pedersen (2008), more funding can be garnered (funding liquidity) if more assets

The more we learn about culture, the greater our understanding of Essay - 2

The more we learn about culture, the greater our understanding of global consumerism,Discuss - Essay Example They go on to claim that people are â€Å"free and rational,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p) to make whatever choices they want about what to purchase, and that they have the desire to be different from others; this is what has resulted in the â€Å"rapid turn†over in goods and services,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p). Globalization has influenced this consumer culture in the way that ideas about what is fashionable spread from many parts of the world through the media and internet, creating what is a â€Å"global style,† (Globalization, 2010). Now we can sense that the consumer culture is becoming a global consumer culture; globalization has â€Å"homogenized images of the good life,† and created â€Å"sense of global identify and memory without which any cultural identity is incomplete,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p). Next, it should be helpful to explore what effect this globalization has on retailers and manufacturers in the fashion industry. Doherty notices how in UK there is a multitude of fashion retailers, both national and international, and how global brands have â€Å"come to characterize our major high streets and consumption patterns, and undoubtedly have an increasingly important influence on our lives and spending habits,† (Doherty, 2009, n.p). Globalization however means that the products provided by these international shops go through an extensive â€Å"network of contractors and subcontractors,† in different countries (Globalization, n.d, n.p). For example, a dress from a Gucci shop in Italy will be stitched and assembled in another country like Guatemala. It is rare that these international retailers like Nike, Gucci or Target produce their goods themselves; rather, they â€Å"source and market goods produced on contract in low-wage environments,† (Globaliza tion, n.d, n.p). Since these international retailers usually make huge profits,

Kant and Equality Essay Example for Free

Kant and Equality Essay Some readers of this essay will have become impatient by now; because they believe that the problem that perplexes me has been definitively solved by Immanuel Kant. It is certainly true that Kant held strong opinions on this matter. In an often-quoted passage, he reports a personal conversion from elitism: â€Å"I am myself a researcher by inclination. I feel the whole thirst for knowledge and the eager unrest to move further on into it, also satisfaction with each acquisition. There was a time when I thought this alone could constitute the honor of humanity and despised the know nothing rabble. Rousseau set me straight. This delusory superiority vanishes, I learn to honor men, and I would find myself more useless than a common laborer if I did not believe this observation could give everyone a value which restores the rights of humanity. †What Kant learned from Rousseau was the proposition that the basis of human equality is the dignity that each human person possesses in virtue of the capacity for autonomy (moral freedom). This moral freedom has two aspects, the capacity to set ends for oneself according to one’s conception of what is good, and the capacity to regulate one’s choice of ends and of actions to achieve one’s ends by one’s conception of what morality requires. According to Kant’s psychology, brute animals are determined to act as instinct inclines them, but a rational being has the power to interrogate the inclinations it feels, to raise the question what it is reasonable to do in given circumstances, and to choose to do what reason suggests even against all inclinations. The question arises whether Kant’s psychology is correct, or remotely close to correct. Perhaps something like the conflict between conscience and inclination is experienced by social animals other than humans. Perhaps the freedom that Kant imputes to human on metaphysical grounds can be shown to be either empirically nonexistent or illusory. For our purposes we can set these questions aside and simply presume that the human psychological complexity envisaged by Kant does describe capacity we possess, whether or not it is shared with other animals. My question is whether Kant’s characterization, if it was correct, would have the normative implication she draws from it. It might seem that the Kantian picture helps to show how moral freedom is arrange concept, which does not significantly admit of degrees. If one has the capacity to set an end for oneself, one does not possess this freedom to a lesser extent just because one cannot set fancy ends, or because other persons can set fancier ends. If one has the power to regulate choice of ends by one’s sense of what is morally right, one does not possess this freedom to a lesser extent because one cannot understand sophisticated moral considerations, or because other persons can understand more sophisticated moral considerations. Moreover, one might hold that it is having or lacking the freedom which is important, not having or lacking the capacity to exercise the freedom in fancy ways. But the old worries lurk just around the corner. The Kantian view is that there are indeed capacities that are crucial for the ascription of fundamental moral status that do not vary in degree. One either has the capacity or one does not, and that’s that. If the crucial capacities have this character, then the problem of how to draw a no arbitrary line on a continuum and hold all beings on one side of the line full persons and all beings on the other side of the line lesser beings does not arise. The line separating persons and nonpersons will be non arbitrary, and there will be no basis for further differentiation of moral status. One is either a person or not, and all persons are equal. Consider the capacity to set an end, to choose a goal and decide on an action to achieve it. One might suppose that all humans have this capacity except for the permanently comatose and the anencephalic. So all humans are entitled to a fundamental equal moral status. This view is strengthened by noting that there are other capacities that do admit of degrees that interact with the no degree capacities. Individuals who equally have the capacity to set an end may well differ in the quality of their end-setting performances. Some are able to set ends more reasonably than others. But these differences in performance do not gainsay the fundamental equal capacity. It is just that having a high or low level of associated capacities enables or impedes successful performance. So the fact that individuals differ in their abilities to do arithmetic and more complex mathematical operations that affect their ability to make rational choices should have no tendency to obscure the more basic and morally status-conferring equality in the capacity of each person to make choices. In response: First of all, if several of these no degree capacities were relevant to moral status, one must possess all to be at the top status, and some individuals possess more and others fewer of the relevant capacities, a problem of hierarchy, though perhaps a manageable one, would emerge anew. More important, I doubt there is a plausible no degree capacity that can do the work this argument assigns to it. Take the capacity to set ends and make choices. Consider a being that has little brain power, but over the course of its life can set just a few ends and make just a few choices based on considering two or three simple alternatives. It sets one end (lunch, now) per decade three times over the course of its life. If there is a capacity to set ends, period, not admitting of degrees, this being possesses it. The point is that it is clearly not merely the capacity to set ends, but something more complex that renders a being a person in our eyes. What matters is whether or not one has the capacity to set sensible ends and to pick among alternative end at a reasonable pace, sorting through complex considerations that bear on the choice of ends and responding in a rational way to these considerations. But this capacity, along with any similar or related capacity that might be urged as a substitute for it, definitely admits of degrees. The same point would hold if we pointed to free will or moral autonomy as the relevant person-determining capacity. It is not the ability to choose an end on ground of consideration for moral considerations merely, but the ability to do this in a nuanced and fine-grained responsive way, that is plausibly deemed to entitle a being to personhood status. In general, we single out rationality, the ability to respond appropriately to reasons, as the capacity that is pertinent to personhood, by itself or in conjunction with related abilities, and rationality so understood admits of degrees. Kant may well have held that the uses of reason that are required in order to have a well-functioning conscience that can tell right from wrong are not very sophisticated and are well within the reach of all non crazy non feebleminded humans. Ordinary intelligence suffices. His discussions of applying the categorical imperative test certainly convey this impression. But commentators tend to agree that there is no simple all-purpose moral test that easily answers all significant moral questions. Thus Christine Korsgaard cautions that the categorical imperative test is not a â€Å"Geiger counter† for detecting the presence of moral duties, and Barbara Herman observes that the application of the categorical imperative test to cases cannot be a mechanical procedure but relies on prior moral understanding by the agent and on the agent’s capacity to make relevant moral discriminations and judgments and to characterize her own proposed maxims perspicuously. These comments confirm what should be clear in any event: Moral problems can be complex and difficult, and there is no discernible upper bound to the complexity of the reasoning required to master and perhaps solve them. But suppose I do the best I can with my limited cognitive resources, I make a judgment as to what is morally right, however misguided, and I am conscientiously resolved to do what I take to be morally right. The capacity to do what is right can be factored into two components, the ability to decide what is right and the ability to dispose oneself to do what one thinks is right. One might hold the latter capacity to be the true locus of human dignity and worth. Resisting temptation and doing what one thinks is right is noble and admirable even if one’s conscience is a broken thermometer. However, one might doubt that being disposed to follow one’s conscience is unambiguously good when one’s conscience is seriously in error. For one thing, moral flaws such as a lazy indisposition to hard thinking and an obsequious deference toward established power and authority might play a large role in fixing the content of one’s judgments of conscience. A conceited lack of healthy skepticism about one’s cognitive powers might be a determinant of one’s strong disposition to do whatever one thinks to be right. Even if Kant is correct that the good will, the will directed unfailingly at what is truly right, has an absolute and unconditional worth, it is doubtful that the would-be good will, a will directed toward what it takes to be right on whatever flimsy or solid grounds appeal to it, has such worth. Take an extreme case: Suppose a particular person has a would-be good will that is always in error. This could be strong or righteous, so that the agent always does what he thinks is right, or weak and corrupt, so that the agent never does what she thinks is right. If the will is always in error, the odds of doing the right thing are increased if the would-be good will is weak and corrupt. Some might value more highly on consequential grounds the weak and corrupt erroneous will, even though the strong and righteous invariably erroneous will always shines like a jewel in its own right. And some might hold that quite aside from the expected consequences, acting on a seriously erroneous judgment of right is inherently of lesser worth than acting on correct judgment of right. Even if the disposition to do what one thinks morally right is unassailable, its purported value does not provide a sound basis for asserting the equal worth and dignity of human persons. The capacity to act conscientiously itself varies empirically across persons like any other valued capacity. A favorable genetic endowment and favorable early socialization experiences bestow more of this capacity on some persons and less on others. If we think of an agent’s will as disposed more or less strongly to do what she conscientiously believes to be right, different individuals with the same disposition will experience good and bad luck in facing temptations that exceed their resolve. Even if we assume that agents always have freedom of the will, it will be difficult to different degrees for different persons to exercise their free will as conscience dictates. Moreover, individuals will vary in their psychological capacities to dispose their will to do what conscience dictates. One might retreat further to the claim that all persons equally can try to dispose their will to do what is right, even if they will succeed in this enterprise to different degrees. But the ability to try is also a psychological capacity that we should expect would vary empirically across persons. At times Kant seems to appeal to epistemic grounds in reasoning from the goodness of the good will to the equal worth and dignity of all human persons. We don’t know what anyone’s inner motivations are, even our own, so the judgment that anyone is firmly disposed to do what is right can never be confirmed. But surely the main issue is whether humans are so ordered that we ought to accord them fundamental equal moral status, not whether, given our beliefs, it is reasonable for us to act as if they are so ordered. The idea that there is a threshold of rational agency capacity such that any being with a capacity above the threshold is a person equal in fundamental moral status to all other persons prompts a worry about how to identify this threshold non arbitrarily. It might seem that only the difference between nil capacity and some capacity would preclude the skeptical doubt that the line set at any positive level of capacity could just as well have been set higher or lower. Regarding the proposal to identify any above-zero capacity as qualifying one for personhood, we imagine a being with barely a glimmer of capacity to perceive the good and the right and to dispose its will toward their attainment. The difference between none and some might be infinitesimal, after all. However, a threshold need not be razor-thin. Perhaps there is a line below which beings with rational capacities in this range are definitely not persons and a higher level such that all beings with capacities above this level are definitely persons. Beings with rational capacities that fall in the middle range or gray area between these levels are near-persons. The levels can be set sufficiently far apart that the difference between scoring at the lower and the higher levels is undeniably of moral significance. But the difference between the rational capacities of the beings just above the higher line, call them marginal persons, and the beings at the upper end of the scale who have saintly genius capacities, is not thereby shown to be insignificant. At the lower end we might imagine persons like the villains depicted in the Dirty Harry Clint Eastwood movies. These unfortunates are not shown as having moral capacities which they are flouting, but rather as bad by nature, and perhaps not entitled to full human rights. No doubt this is a crass outlook, but the question remains whether the analysis we can offer of the basis for human equality generates a refutation of it. Suppose someone asserts that the difference between the rational agency capacities of the most perceptive saints and the most unreflective and animalistic villains defines a difference in fundamental moral status that is just as important for morality as the difference between the rational agency capacities of near-persons and marginal persons. What mistake does this claim embody? COMMENTS ON KANTS ETHICAL THEORY Because we so commonly take it for granted that moral values are intimately connected with the goal of human well-being or happiness, Kants insistence that these two concepts are absolutely independent makes it difficult to grasp his point of view and easy to misunderstand it. The following comments are intended to help the you to avoid the most common misunderstandings and appreciate the sort of outlook that characterizes what Kant takes to be the heart of the ethical life. Kants ethical theory is often cited as the paradigm of a deontological theory. Although the theory certainly can be seriously criticized, it remains probably the finest analysis of the bases of the concepts of moral principle and moral obligation. Kants endeavor to ground moral duty in the nature of the human being as essentially a rational being marks him as the last great Enlightenment thinker. In spite of the fact that his critical philosophy in epistemology and metaphysics brought an end to The Age of Reason, in ethics his attempt to derive the form of any ethical duty from the very nature of a rational being is the philosophical high water mark of the Enlightenments vision of humanity as essentially and uniquely rational. What Kant aims to provide is a metaphysics of morals in the sense of an analysis of the grounds of moral obligation in the nature of a rational being. In other words, Kant aims to deduce his ethical theory purely by a priori reasoning from the concept of what it is to be a human person as a rational agent. The fact that people have the faculty of being able to use reason to decide how to act expresses the fundamental metaphysical principle -the basis or foundation in the nature of reality- on which Kants ethical theory is erected. Kant begins his treatise, The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals with the famous dramatic sentence: Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good without qualification, except a good will. 1. What does Kant mean by good without qualification? Obviously people try to seek and avoid many different sorts of things; those things which they seek they call good, while those they try to avoid, they call bad. These goods which people seek may be divided into those which are sought as means to some further end and those which they seek as good as ends in themselves. Obviously some things may be good as means to one end and bad as means to some other end. Different persons, motivated by different ends, will thus find different things good and bad (relative to their different ends). More food is good to a starving man, but it is bad to one overweight. In order for something to be good without qualification it must not be merely good as means to one end but bad as means to some other end. It must be sought as good totally independently of serving as a means to something else; it must be good in-itself. Furthermore, while one thing may be good as means relative to a particular end, that end becomes a means relative to some other end. So a college diploma may be sought as good as a means for the end of a higher-paying job. And a higher-paying job may be good as a means to increased financial security; and increased financial security may be good as a means to obtaining the necessities of life as well as a few of its luxuries. However, if we seek A only for the sake of B, and B only for the sake of C, etc. , then there is never a justification for seeking A at the beginning of such a series unless there is something at the end of that series which we seek as a good in-itself not merely as means to some further end. Such an ultimate end would then be an absolute rather than a relative good. Kant means that a good will is good without qualification as such an absolute good in-itself, universally good in every instance and never merely as good to some yet further end. 2. Why is a good will the only thing which is universally absolutely good? Kants point is that to be universally and absolutely good, something must be good in every instance of its occurrence. He argues that all those things which people call good (including intelligence, wit, judgment, courage, resolution, perseverance, power, riches, honor, health, and even happiness itself) can become extremely bad and mischievous if the will which is to make use of them is not good. In other words, if we imagine a bad person (i. e. one who willed or wanted to do evil), who had all of these so-called goods (intelligence, wit, etc. ), these very traits would make only that much worse his will to do what is wrong. (We would get the criminal master-mind of the comic books. ) Even health often also cited as a good in- itself may serve to make a person insensitive and indifferent to the lack of good health in others. 3. Isnt happiness such a universal, absolute good in-itself? Kant answers clearly, No. However, many philosophers (the ones we call eudaemonists) have assumed the obvious answer to be Yes. All ancient eudaemonistic ethical theories as well as modern utilitarian theories virtually define happiness as the absolute end of all ethical behavior. Such eudaemonistic ethical theories are attractive because of the fact that they make it easy to answer the question Why should I do what is morally right? For any eudaemonistic theory the answer will always be Because the morally right action is always ultimately in the interest of your own happiness. Since these theories generally assume that people really are motivated by a desire for their own happiness, their only problem is to show that the morally right action really does serve as the best means to obtain the end of happiness. Once you are led to see this, so such theories assume, the question Why should I do what is morally right? is automatically answered. Kant totally rejects this eudaemonistic way of ethical theorizing; he calls decisions made according to such a calculation of what produces your own happiness prudential decisions and he distinguishes them sharply from ethical decisions. This is not because Kant thinks we are not motivated by a desire for happiness, in fact like the ancient philosophers, he takes it for granted that we are; however, such motivation cannot be that which makes an action ethically right or wrong. The fact that an action might lead to happiness cannot be the grounds of moral obligation. Kant regards the notion of happiness as both too indefinite and too empirical to serve as the grounds for moral obligation why we ought to do something. In the first place it is too indefinite because all people have very different sorts of talents, tastes and enjoyments which mean in effect that one persons happiness may be another persons misery. This is because the concept is empirical in the sense that the only way you can know whether what you seek will actually serve to bring you happiness is by experience. As Kant points out, it is impossible that the most clear-sighted [man] should frame to himself a definite conception of what he really wills in this. Since we cannot know a priori before an action whether it really will be conducive to our happiness (because the notion is so indefinite that even the most clear-sighted amongst us cannot know everything that must form part of his own happiness) the desire for our own happiness cannot serve as a motive to determine our will to do this or that action. Moreover, Kant observes that even the general well-being and contentment with ones condition that is called happiness, can inspire pride, and often presumption, if there is not a good will to correct the influence of these on the mind. In other words happiness cannot be good without qualification for if we imagine it occurring in a person totally devoid of the desire to do what is right, it could very well lead to all sorts of immoral actions. 4. What does Kant mean by a good will? To act out of a good will for Kant means to act out of a sense of moral obligation or duty. In other words, the moral agent does a particular action not because of what it produces (its consequences) in terms of human experience, but because he or she recognizes by reasoning that it is morally the right thing to do and thus regards him or herself as having a moral duty or obligation to do that action. One may of course as an added fact get some pleasure or other gain from doing the right thing, but to act morally, one does not do it for the sake of its desirable consequences, but rather because one understands that it is morally the right thing to do. In this respect Kants view towards morality parallels the Christians view concerning obedience to Gods commandments, according to which the Christian obeys Gods commandments simply because God commands them, not for the sake of rewards in heaven after death or from fear of punishment in hell. In a similar way, for Kant the rational being does what is morally right because he recognizes himself as having a moral duty to do so rather than for anything he or she may get out of it. 5. When does one act from a motive of doing ones duty? Kant answers that we do our moral duty when our motive is determined by a principle recognized by reason rather than the desire for any expected consequence or emotional feeling which may cause us to act the way we do. The will is defined as that which provides the motives for our actions. Obviously many times we are motivated by specific desires or emotions. I may act the way I do from a feeling of friendship for a particular individual, or from desire for a particular consequence. I may also be motivated by particular emotions of fear, or envy, or pity, etc. When I act in these ways, I am motivated by a desire for a particular end; in Kants vocabulary I am said to act out of inclination. Insofar as an action is motivated by inclination, the motive to do it is contingent upon the desire for the particular end which the action is imagined to produce. Thus as different rational agents might have different inclinations, there is no one motive from inclination common to all rational beings. Kant distinguishes acts motivated by inclination from those done on principle. For example someone may ask why I did a certain thing, and point out that it brought me no gain, or perhaps even made life a bit less pleasant; to which I might reply, I know I do not stand to gain by this action, but I do it because of the principle of the thing. For Kant, this sort of state of mind is the essence of the moral consciousness. When I act on principle the sole factor determining my motive is that this particular action exemplifies a particular case falling under a general law or maxim. For Kant the mental process by which the actor understands that a particular case falls under a certain principle is an exercise in reasoning, or to be more precise, what Kant called practical reason, reason used as a guide to action. (Pure Reason is reason used to attain certainty, or what Kant called scientific knowledge. ) Since to have moral worth an action must be done on principle, and to see that a certain principle applies to a particular action requires the exercise of reason, only rational beings can be said to behave morally. 6. Why does Kant believe that to have moral worth an action must be done on principle rather than inclination? Kants argument here may seem strange to the contemporary outlook, for it assumes that everything in nature is designed to serve a purpose. Now it is an obvious fact that human beings do have a faculty of practical reason, reason applied to the guidance of actions. (Kant is of course fully aware the people often fail to employ this faculty; i. e. they act non-rationally (without reason) or even irrationally (against what reason dictates); but he intends that his ethical theory is normative, prescribing how people ought to behave, rather than descriptive of how they actually do behave.) If everything in nature serves some purpose then the faculty of practical reason must have some purpose. Kant argues that this purpose cannot be merely the attainment of some specific desired end, or even the attainment of happiness in general, for if it were, it would have been far better for nature simply to have endowed persons with an instinct to achieve this end, as is the case with the non- rational animals. Therefore, the fact that human beings have a faculty of practical reason cannot be explained by claiming that it allows them to attain some particular end. So the fact that reason can guide our actions, but cannot do so for the sake of achieving some desired end, leads Kant to the conclusion that the function of practical reason must be to allow humans as rational beings to apply general principles to particular instances of action, or in other words to engage in moral reasoning as a way of determining ones moral obligation: what is the right action to do. Thus we act morally only when we act rationally to apply a moral principle to determine the motive of our action. 7. Do all persons have the same moral duties? According to Kant only rational beings can be said to act morally. Reason for Kant (as for all the Enlightenment thinkers) is the same for all persons; in other words there isnt a poor mans reason versus a rich mans reason or a white mans reason versus a black mans reason. All persons are equal as potentially rational beings. Therefore, if reason dictates that one person, in a particular situation, has a moral duty to do a particular thing, then any person, in that same situation, would equally well have a duty to do that same thing. In this sense Kants reasoning parallels the way in which stoicism led Roman lawyers to the conclusion that all citizens are equal before the law. Thus Kant is a moral absolutist in the sense that all persons have the same moral duties, for all persons are equal as rational beings. But this absolutism does not mean that Kant holds that our moral duties are not relative to the situation in which we find ourselves. Thus it is quite possible for Kant to conclude that in one particular situation I may have a duty to keep my promise, but in another situation (in which, for example, keeping a promise conflicts with a higher duty) I may equally well be morally obligated to break a promise. 8. Why is it that actions done for the sake of some end cannot have moral worth? Since what ones moral duties are in a particular situation are the same for all persons, ones moral duties must be independent of the particular likes and dislikes of the moral agent. Now any action which is motivated by the desire for some particular end presupposes that the agent has the desire for that end. However, from the simple concept of a rational being it is not possible to deduce that any particular rational being would have any particular desired ends. Most people, of course, desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain, but there is no logical contradiction involved in the notion of a rational being who does not desire pleasure or perhaps who desires pain. Thus reason does not dictate that any particular rational being has any particular end. But if the desire for a particular end gave an action its moral worth, then only those rational beings who happened in fact to desire that end would regard such actions as good, while those that desired to avoid such an end, would regard the action as bad. (Thus for example eudaemonistic theories which assume the end of achieving happiness is what gives an action its moral value, would serve to induce only those beings who happened to have the desire for happiness to behave morally. For those rational beings who happened to desire to avoid happiness, there would be no incentive to behave morally and what appears good to the happiness-seeker will appear positively bad to one who seeks to avoid happiness. ) But, as we have seen above, Kants absolutism reaches the conclusion that moral obligation is the same for all persons. Thus the ground of moral obligation, what makes an action a moral duty, cannot lie in the end which that act produces. 9. What does reason tell us about the principle that determines the morally dutiful motive? Since Kant has ruled out the ends (i. e. the consequences) which an act produces as well as any motive but those determined by the application of principle as determining moral duty, he is faced now with the task of deriving the fundamental principles of his ethical theory solely from the concept of what it is to be a rational being. He now argues (in a very obscure manner) that from this notion of what is demanded by being rational, he can deduce that it would be irrational to act on any principle which would not apply equally to any other actor in the same situation. In other words, Kant claims that reason dictates that the act we are morally obligated to do is one which is motivated by adherence to a principle which could, without inconsistency, be held to apply to any (and all) rational agents. This fundamental ethical principle, which is commonly called The Categorical Imperative, Kant summarizes with the statement that I am never to act otherwise than so that I could also will that my maxim become a universal law. Kants claim that Reason demands the moral agent to act on a universal law thus in many ways parallels Jesus dictum that God commands that those who love Him obey The Golden Rule. 10. What is a categorical imperative? Any statement of moral obligation which I make the principle of my action (my maxim in Kants vocabulary), in the context of a specific situation, constitutes an imperative. I might, in such a situation, choose to act on a statement of the form, If I desire some specific end (e. g. happiness, maximum pleasure, power, etc. ), then I ought to do such and such an action. In doing so I would be acting on what Kant calls a hypothetical imperative. However, Kant has already ruled out ends as the grounds for moral obligation; thus hypothetical imperatives cannot serve as the basis for determining my moral duty. However, if I act on a principle which has the form, In circumstances of such and such a character, I ought to.