Ethical leadership in the modern business market Essay

Ethical leadership in the modern business market - Essay Example Although seeking to understand each and every aspect of the way that ethics have shifted and changed in the years that make up the XXI century would require a thesis length response, this brief analysis will seek to understanding and briefly enumerate upon the key differentials that have come to exist within ethics of the XXI century as opposed to those that existed earlier. Furthermore, the analysis will give a particular level of discussion with regards to the means by which the recent global financial collapse was ultimately precipitated and aided by the complete disregard for ethical standards. Perhaps the most salient and important aspect of ethics that have changed within the XXI century is the level to which ethics have come to be differentiated upon the terms of both personal and systemic. If one briefly considers the way that a large company handled business back before the turn of the XXI century they would come to note that the company placed a high degree of emphasis on honesty of the employees and/or shareholders as a fundamental requirement that might be espoused (Brenkert, 2010). However, namely missing from such an ethical interpretation of company needs would be the reciprocal understanding that it was the sworn duty of the form to exhibit such a level of ethical responsibility with regards to both the employees as well as the end consumer. In this way, ethical considerations of the previous era were more focused on profitability and how the company may wish to safeguard its assets, inclusive of employees, while completely disregarding the ethical responsibilit ies that management/leadership espoused with relation to the rest of the system (Cuillla, 2011). This should of course not be understood to mean that all firms during this time were disrespectful to the ethical considerations that they must necessarily espouse to the customer or to the shareholder/employee. Rather, the level of emphasis, as it exists today was not to such a highly evolved, regulated, and legislated mandate that it has subsequently reached within the past several decades. Says the textbook that was used for this class, â€Å"An organization is concerned with regulating the behavior and performance of its employees to ensure safe, uniform, and effective conduct in the performance of duties† (McLachlan, 2009). This level of ethical understanding of as a function of profitability is perhaps the single most important reality that must be considered with regards to the global economic collapse 2007/2008. Rather than the shareholders of the situation paying particul ar attention to the ethical ramifications of their actions, profitability was ultimately championed as the greater good in each and every situation. Although it is oftentimes been convenient for individuals to point to the upper management of firms such as Lehman Brothers, the reality of the situation is that middle management as well as the line employees of such institutions bore as much ethical culpability as those at the top. Due to the fact that they were fully aware of the situation was taken place and did absolutely nothing to bring these concerns to light, these individuals are ethically and morally culpable as well. Although it is not the determination of this particular analysis to shed blame with regards to global financial collapse of 2007/2008, it must be understood that an ethical interpretation of the event demands that all parties be analyzed in an unbiased manner. This shared form of responsibility has become a fundamental hallmark of the ethics of the

The copenhagen criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The copenhagen criteria - Essay Example In order to acquire the European Union membership the candidate countries should fulfil the above-mentioned three criteria. Since the enlargement process by European Council was held at Copenhagen, the name Copenhagen criteria came into existence. "Neither the EU nor the candidate countries have the power to change the geographical reality on the ground or the definitions of terms long defined in the English language in respect of physical and political geographic descriptions" (Wikipedia). The enlargement process is resolved at the beginning before taking an opinion of the application of a particular country. There is no geographical limit for any European country to join European Union. Some cases of non-European countries2 came into picture but none the less it is not possible for non- European states to attain a European Union membership. It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. ... It has been stated that there is no possibility of non-European countries to become EU member but ironically some of the countries, which were geographically apart from Europe, were given European Union membership. Countries like French Guiana and Greenland, which were geographically not connected to Europe, were given EU membership. The reasons cited for their inclusion was French Guiana was an integral part of French Republic and Greenland joined the EEC as a Danish dependency. It clearly shows the double standards employed in the inclusion.One of the biggest headaches for European Union member states is inclusion of Turkey as a EU member. Turkey has been declared as a candidate for membership. At first European Union declined the inclusion of Turkey as a member. To become a EU member every country has to fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria and Turkey was well short of the above-mentioned criteria. One of the reasons for turning down Turkey's candidature was its being a non Christian st ate. The majority community of Turkey is Muslims. Since shariat3 law was enforced as it has been in every other Islamic country, became one of the reasons for its being declined.The human rights record of Turkey was well below the mark. They had very bad human rights record. Since it is an Islamic country there was a fear of terrorists residing in Turkey. Due to the increase in terror activities Muslim sympathisers may take advantage of the membership and might cause damage to the European Union members. They might indulge in terrorist activities. There is no gender equality in Turkey. Women were treated as slaves. They don't have any independence inside

Likelihood of Inter-State War in Southeast Asia

Likelihood of Inter-State War in Southeast Asia Critically assess the likelihood of inter-state  war in Southeast Asia in the 21st Century. TAN SEOW LIM INTRODUCTION South East Asia – a region consisting of 11 countries scattered around the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean and carries great diversity in cultures, languages and religions with Islam being the dominant one in the region). With around 620 million habitants, it is also considered one of the most populated regions in the world. With very rich heritage, it also has its fair share of conflicts from the old days to current and thru the years, every nation are trying to rebuild despite some countries with political instability, and strengthen its own economy in order not to be left behind in the competitive world. The forming of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is in a way aims to accelerate the economic growth, social progress, socio-cultural evolution among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully[1] . This essay will attempt to discuss the likelihood of inter-state war in the region in the 21st century with consideration of impact due to global trends, the effect of economic interpendence and terrorism in the region which may pose a bigger threat to national security. THE ECONOMICAL AND POLITICAL ARENA OF SOUTH EAST ASIA The countries, being in a strategy location and access to plentiful of natural resources together with their diversity and increasing integration, are a magnet for not only China but also for Europe and US to invest in. Politically, the region provides stability in a part of the world that is rapidly reshaping the global balance of power. As a result, its continued development—which depends on investments in infrastructure and education, as well as improvements in business climate—is important for the rest of the world. The ten countries have a combined GDP of $1.9 trillion and an average per-capital income close to that of China. Being a consistent good performer, they would have been a ninth largest economy if they are a country[2]. Thanks to the loosening of control by the military junta n 2011, Myanmar has also gradually opened up their market for foreign investment in the past two years. And being an emerging economy with great potential, it cannot be neglected. Th e developing economies in Vietnam and Cambodia have also performed economically well since they open up its market few years back. [3] ASEAN, who has played a pivotal stabilizing role in both the region and the world, has also aim to create an economic community which is a single market for goods, services, investments, and skilled labor by 2015. With its determination and shows of economies usefulness, it has also drawn in partnership with various countries like China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India in introducing various initiatives in boosting the economies in the region. United States commitment to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will also determine the economy of the next century for S.E.A. Amidst its developing economic potential, the political arena among the S.E.A. countries poses another challenge which may jeopardizes the progress and worse, may derail and setback the efforts put in thus far. The political turmoil in Thailand – it’s all too familiar partisan politics has been playing out in the street wanting to unseat Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of the controversial and now exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Only consolation is the military has yet to stage the 82nd coup thus far. The country has been without a proper government since December 13 and the election last done in February was considered void due to the protest causing some areas not able to conduct a proper election. The Thai economy was also badly hit and will deteriorating further if the turmoil continues with no end in sight. And as recent, the opposition has planned to boycott the July election yet again and called for Yingluck to resign. Myanmar also faces daunting cha llenges in its path to reform. The military junta’s refusal to remove clause 59(f) from the constitution, which bars from the presidency anyone whose spouse or children are foreign citizens. This effectively bars Miss Suu Kyi from standing for president. While Mr Thein Sein may be supportive of removing the clause, the internal resistance from the military junta has thus far been effective in blocking it. In the words of Mr Thein Sein â€Å"if the political demands made by the public are larger than the current political system can accommodate, we can all end up in political deadlock†¦.we could lose all the political freedom we have achieved so far. I would therefore like to urge all of you to handle such a situation with care and wisdom.†[4] This deadlock in political reform, a largely inscrutable bureaucracy, will definitely slow down the progress of development in the country. Cambodia, under the rule of authoritarian prime minister Hun Sen, has also seen tens of thousands of protestors going on the street recently to protest against flaw in election system which led to the win by Hun Sen’s party. With the instability in the political situation in the country, it is difficult to attract investment in the country. The situation is further stressed by the lack of skilled workers in the country. Indonesian will be having its presidential election this year and will decide the next President to lead this economy into the next century. Being the largest economy in S.E.A and world’s 3rd largest democracy, it will set the path and determine the progress in S.E.A. economy. With the colourful economic and political situations in the S.E.A, it is unimaginable to think that each and every country in this region would want to risk being in the last of the league in the developing economy. While ASEAN may have a known policy of not interfering in internal politics of member states, they have in the past shown to be able to come to some agreement amicably to settle their inter-state disputes as in the case of Thailand-Cambodia territory disputes which was the worse since the forming of ASEAN in 1967. It would also be disastrous if any country, having dealt with their internal politic turmoil, would want to get into another inter-states conflict instead of banding together to move together boost the region’s economy. ECONOMIC INTERDEPENDENCE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA Economic interdependence between inter-states has been known to prevent any conflicts or escalation in any conflicts. It is not restricted to just South East Asia countries. I am a believer in such advocacy. Evident over current quarrels between China and Japan over the islands – barren rocks known in China as the Diaoyu islands and in Japanese as the Senkaku islands, the conflict will not escalate mainly due to the continual reliance on the each economy. China is in need of Japanese products like machinery for its production and Japan in need of raw products from China likewise. Even in the tense atmosphere in July 2012, Japanese companies are still doing business in China e.g. a city in Chongqing hiring the Mitsui Group to develop an industrial park aimed at attracting foreign investment[5]. The leaders in both countries know very well how a deteriorating economy will damage its standing in the world. Both leaders also has a heavy responsibility to revive their economies and having been relying on each other’s economy for decades, re-strategizing and reduce or cut off reliance on each other is not an option. In South East Asia, the forming of ASEAN serves to ensure peace in the region by promoting trading in the regions as one of its aim. Along the way, member states have also came out with initiatives in propelling the economy in the region – in 1992, the integrating of its member economies by the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and later in 2003, the members further committed to forming an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), a single production base and market, by 2020. Seeing the significant and importance of the AEC, the member states agreed to advance the formation to 2015 in 2007, though the progress is slow down due to political situation in some member countries. All these initiatives require the co-operation of the member states, every one of them, in order to form a strong magnet to attract investment to the region. Thus far, with its strategic location, abundant natural resources, quality human resources and growing economies, ASEAN has engaged economicall y, by way of trade and investments, with all the large economies of the world. Even with the region facing the Asian financial crisis which dented ASEANs economic credibility and standing, they were able to quickly recover from this crisis and individually, most of the ASEAN countries are now enjoying positive growth rates of 4%-7%. It has shown the robustness of the economy despite the fall. This economic standing, with its political and strategic weight, has encouraged the ASEAN to explore an enhanced geo-political role for itself in the Asia Pacific and the global community[6]. With this standing and development, no one state would want to be left behind and not play its role in pursuing and getting the fruits of the ever revolving flourishing economy. Even East Timor, the only nation in the region yet to join ASEAN, has officially applied to be a member of the association in 4 March 2011, hoping to reap the fruit and to take advantage of the opportunity. But as ASEAN members believe the group should focus on helping poorer nations which are already members of Asean like Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos – to prepare for the opening of the groups free trade zone in 2015 and that East Timor unable to meet some of the joining criteria, the approval has been put on hold. As can see, the economic interdependence among the nations is so strong and required that any inter-state conflicts is a near impossible, even in the next century. It has been decades and proven that the region has always been a very strong trading zone due to its vast natural resources. It i s undeniable. There may be occasions where conflicts happen but those were resolved amicably thought some disputes like the Spratly islands is still on the card involving Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnams with China and Taiwan. Through the years, the association, with its founding aim to promote peace and stability, has also developed key mechanisms for dispute settlement e.g the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), the 1996 Protocolon Dispute Settlement Mechanismand subsequentlythe2004 Protocol for Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanism (EDSM) for disputes relating to ASEAN economic agreements, and the provisions of the 2007ASEAN Charter that serve as an overarching framework for dispute settlement in ASEAN etc. All these and other agreement are meant to provide a channel for the members in settling disputes. As such, the likelihood of inter-state war in South East Asia is near impossible. TERRORISM THREAT IN THE S.E.A. REGION Terrorism poses a serious and real threat to the world and it knows no border, nationality and religion. It was probably taken for granted till the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers of United States in 11 September 2001. I was stationed in Peace Prairie Detachment in Dallas, Texas and received a call from a colleague that morning. He mentioned:†Switch on the TV. Two airplanes hit the tower!† I remember telling him to not joke as I was dead tired after having returned early in the morning from work. But after switching on the TV and seeing what happened, I then realised the ideology is a clear danger. That day changes the world. Everyone is fighting against terrorism till today; sometime I feel it has become an excuse for some countries to eradicate opposing factors in the country. In South East Asia, the terrorist attack on Bali on 12 October, 2002 was a wakeup call for Southeast Asian governments. It demonstrated the severity of terrorism. The horrified act was done by a terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) whose cell in Indonesia has been blooming with sufficient support from Al Qaeda to infringe further damage in the later years. Though Indonesia has done very well in its fight against the terror cells situated in its territory, especially its counter terrorism tactical force, Detachment 88 who has killed and captured nearly 800 Indonesian terrorists and extremists, JI itself has transformed into an ideological organization and several new splinter groups emerged. They include a dozen operational groups of Al Qaeda in Indonesia such as Lashkar Hisbah, Tawhid Wal Jihad and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT)[7]. All these development have been a worrying trends and the need for all S.E.A. countries to work together to fight or guard against them cannot be over-emphasized. Fortunately, these threats have not caused any conflicts among the countries in the region and have been quite successfully been contained in respective country. The arrest of 11 ter rorists, whom are suspected of having links to terrorists in other countries, in Malaysia lately does show the needs for every country in the region to not let their guard down. The co-operation of the states also resulted in the arrest of a number of terrorist figures, quashing more terrorist cells. All these co-operation further enhanced the cohesiveness of the countries in the region and more openness and solidarity, it does help in the lessening the possibility of conflict among states in the region. CONCLUSION Amidst the peace and stability in the region, Singapore continues to play its responsible and neutral role in fostering good relationship with the neighbouring countries and that, we have been doing an excellent job playing a good brother’s keeper. Occasionally, we may have some little argument with the neighbouring states but with good foreign and open relation, we were able to overcome amicably. The need to continue to maintain a strong defence to deter potential aggression must be a continual emphasis not only for its peace and stability but also to continue to attract investment to the country to maintain a robust economy and indirectly, contribute the region’s development. I am confident to say that possibility of inter-state war in the next century is highly unlikely. Bibliography Aseanweb – Asean Motto. Asean.org. Retrieved 8 August 2011. Vikram Nehru 7 July 2011 Southeast Asia: Crouching Tiger or Hidden Dragon? Available:http://carnegieendowment.org/ieb/2011/07/07/southeast-asia-crouching-tiger-or-hidden-dragon/fuzd Politics in Myanmar, Not so fast (2014) The Economist [Online] Available: http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21595920-aung-san-suu-kyis-road-presidency-grows-longer-and-more-winding-not-so-fast (8th Feb 2014) ERIA Policy Brief, No. 2012-01, January 2012 Rohan Gunaratna, After Bali: Southeast Asia Under Threat, 2012.  Available : http://www.pvtr.org/pdf/commentaries/RSIS1912012.pdf (10 October 2012) [1] Aseanweb – Asean Motto. Asean.org. Retrieved 8 August 2011. [2] Vikram Nehru 7 July 2011 Southeast Asia: Crouching Tiger or Hidden Dragon? Available: http://carnegieendowment.org/ieb/2011/07/07/southeast-asia-crouching-tiger-or-hidden-dragon/fuzd [3] Vikram Nehru 7 July 2011 Southeast Asia: Crouching Tiger or Hidden Dragon? Available: http://carnegieendowment.org/ieb/2011/07/07/southeast-asia-crouching-tiger-or-hidden-dragon/fuzd [4] Politics in Myanmar, Not so fast (2014) The Economist [Online] Available: http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21595920-aung-san-suu-kyis-road-presidency-grows-longer-and-more-winding-not-so-fast (8th Feb 2014) [5] Katz, Richard, Mutual Assured Production: Why Trade Will Limit Conflict Between Japan and China. Foreign Affairs 92(4): 18-22 [6] ERIA Policy Brief, No. 2012-01, January 2012 [7] Rohan Gunaratna, After Bali: Southeast Asia Under Threat, 2012. Available : http://www.pvtr.org/pdf/commentaries/RSIS1912012.pdf (10 October 2012)

Decline of Amphibians Essay -- Animal Research

Introduction When researching the population decline of amphibians as a global issue, it is evident that there have been drastic changes in the past 30 years. Mike Lannoo from the U.S. Declining Amphibian Task Force says that there have been significant losses in amphibian populations for an extensive period of time (No Single Reason, 1999). Stuart et al. (2004) stated that according to scientists at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), at least 427 species, roughly 7.4%, are at a dangerously high risk of extinction (Kaylor, 2006). The problem of amphibian decline cannot be linked directly to one single cause (No Single Reason, 1999). Instead, scientists have related the decline to disease, habitat loss, changes in climate, and pollution (Hayes, Falso, Gallipeau, Stice, 2010; Brooks et al., 2002; Dunson et al., 1992). It is concluded that many of these factors are related to and possibly caused by human interaction (McCallum, 2007). The declines could be caused by pathogens, climate change, or wildlife toxicology, says Dr. Ashley Mattoon from the Worldwatch Institute (Kirby, 2000). Amphibian decline is a serious global topic and is especially harmful in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Specifically, there are many causes of amphibian decline in Virginia. The Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia ranks Virginia 12th in population at an annual growth rate of 7% (Kelhart, 2006). Of Virginia’s 79 species of amphibians, four species are classified as near threatened, three species are classified as vulnerable, and one species is classified as endangered (Amphibians in VA, n.d.). The problem of amphibian decline can be traced back to many sources, which can either be classified as n... ...ander (Desmognathus fuscus) of southern Appalachia. Retrieved from ScienceDirect website: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306456500000528 No Single Reason for Amphibian Decline. (1999, November 19). ScienceDaily. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/11/991119075426.htm Sexton, O. J., Phillips, C., & Bramble, J. E. (1990, September 19). The Effects of Temperature and Precipitation on the Breeding Migration of the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) [Press ]. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/info/1446443#ufo Stuart, S. N., Chanson, J. S., Cox, N. A., Young, B. E., Rodrigues, A. S. L., Fischman, D. L., & Waller, R. W. (2004, October 14). Status and Trends of Amphibian Declines and Extinctions Worldwide. Abstract retrieved from Science Mag website: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/306/5702/1783

Five reasons for pursuing higher education Essay

There are many reasons or purposes behind pursuing higher education, but these may change depending on each individual student. However many distinct reasons there may be, the majority of them can be grouped into five broad categories. The first of these categories relates to money, the second is the transmission of culture and history, the third has to do with esteem or social class, fourth comes education for the benefit of democracy, and last is entertainment or personal enjoyment. Almost everybody has a â€Å"dream job†, one where they do some kind of interesting work and get paid lots for it. This is one of the reasons why a person would consider going beyond high school, and pursuing higher education; so they can get that â€Å"dream job†. With degrees and Ph.D.s comes money, along with wider opportunities for the future, and less physical work. Of course, the three aforementioned traits do not always apply, but in the majority of cases they do. In learning more about your world, you can absorb some history, and in the process keep your culture alive. Culture and traditions can only survive if they are passed down from generation to generation. By studying history, you can also learn from the mistakes of those who came before you, and ensure that you do not repeat those mistakes. Good examples of this are failed strategies used in war; you would definitely not want to repeat those. Some people go for degrees because they think it earns them power, respect, and esteem. Certain socialites feel that if you do not have a Ph.D., you are not worth anything, not even a bit of their time. The third reason to pursue higher education is to appease swine like this. If you want to become one of the social elite, college is necessary. No matter how hard you try to deny it, the majority of people are dolts. In order to ensure a healthy democracy, you need well educated people to vote on modern issues. It is pretty obvious that if we had a bunch of easily duped idiots voting on important matters, for example the election of a president, liberty all around the world could be threatened. What would happen if a complete moron were to be put in charge of a world superpower?  Perhaps there would be a series of unjust wars, a few signings of acts destroying privacy, some crimes against humanity, and unnecessary bloodshed; all in the name of patriotism and freedom, an obvious lie. It is important that people know their rights, how their government works, and where to draw the line. Most importantly, they need to know the difference between right and wrong in relation to the entire world, not just their little nook. It is possible that some people enjoy education because it expands their minds, they may see it as entertainment. This is reason enough to enroll yourself in classes. If something beneficial to everybody is what you enjoy taking part in, by all means, go ahead and do it. How does Philosophy fit into these five categories? Philosophy, although mostly boring, can be interesting at some times – which leads it to be entertaining. This class could be taken by people who enjoy learning how to better understand the workings of the human mind and/or religion. For theists, Philosophy could reinforce their faith in God, making them feel all good inside, or it could lead them to question their absurd religions, grow a pair, and stop using the church as a crutch – a tie or win situation, respectively. Once they give up their silly beliefs, they could also drop the prejudices that come with them and allow everybody to be treated equally. The less prejudiced people there are voting in this country, the better, this would lead to a stronger government with more freedom for all. In conclusion, there are five purposes for education; money, history, respect, better governments, and entertainment. Philosophy fits snugly into the entertainment and governmental categories.

Ariannadenyse A. Gagonia

Arianna Denyse A. Gasgonia III-Hosea Reaction Paper in Filipino (Noli Me Tangere) When we watched the stage play of Noli Me Tangere, I was excited but not until we knew that we were headed to the Star Theater, and not at the CCP Theater as we expected. When we got out of the bus, we brought or jackets with us because we expect it to be cold as the AFP Theater. But once we were inside, it was hot and eventually, we had to fan ourselves with the hand-outs that we bought. When the play started, I was a bit disappointed because some parts of the scene were just played with a projector.We thought it was very boring and uninteresting because of the lack of props. The last 2 years, we watched Ibong Adarna and Florante at Laura at the AFP Theater and they gave us their full performance which is interesting enough. While at the Star Theater, I really thought that it sucks compared to the AFP Theater. They lack in props (as I had already said) and even the ones that they have are old and looks battered. Their costumes look cheap and I don’t find it entertaining. They have a projector background and we thought it was so uncool.At the AFP Theater, they have backgrounds and props colorful and pretty enough to be entertaining for us. At the Star Theater, they even lack characters. In some scenes, I find it odd because it was different from what I’ve read and I was looking for my favorite chapters and lines and I found out it was the ones that they’ve cut. I really thought that it was poorly directed, though the characters portray their roles well and I found no fault in them. They are good at acting but sometimes their mic would just turn on and off at their slightest movements. Overall, I think it was a tiny bit unpleasant (no offense! and I would prefer watching at the AFP Theater if given the chance. For me, everything was almost always out-of-placed, except for the characters. Well, at least they’re worth watching. They are the only ones that I liked at the play and I particularly enjoyed the last scenes where there we loud booms enough to prattle our bored minds. At least it was exciting even though it’s the only one I found interesting. It was the least of what we expected and I know its an awful lot of expecting. One thing I know is, though, is I would never ever prefer Star Theater from the AFP Theater. Ever.

The Definition and Usage of Optimality Theory

The Definition and Usage of Optimality Theory In linguistics, the theory that surface forms of language reflect resolutions of conflicts between competing constraints (i.e., specific restrictions on the form[s] of a structure). Optimality Theory was introduced in the 1990s by linguists Alan Prince and Paul Smolensky (Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar, 1993/2004). Though originally developed from generative phonology, the principles of Optimality Theory have also been applied in studies of syntax, morphology, pragmatics, language change, and other areas. In Doing Optimality Theory (2008), John J. McCarthy points out that some of the most significant work on OT is available for free on the Rutgers Optimality Archive. ROA, which was created by Alan Prince in 1993, is an electronic depository of work in, on, or about OT. Its a fabulous resource for the student as well as the veteran scholar. Observations At the heart of Optimality Theory lies the idea that language, and in fact every grammar, is a system of conflicting forces. These forces are embodied by constraints, each of which makes a requirement about some aspect of grammatical output forms. Constraints are typically conflicting, in the sense that to satisfy one constraint implies the violation of another. Given the fact that no form can satisfy all constraints simultaneously, there must be some mechanism selecting forms that incur lesser constraint violations from others that incur more serious ones. This selectional mechanism involves hierarchical ranking of constraints, such that higher-ranked constraints have priority over lower-ranked ones. While constraints are universal, the rankings are not: differences in ranking are the source of cross-linguistic variation. (Renà © Kager, Optimality Theory. Cambridge University Press, 1999) Faithfulness and Markedness Constraints [Optimality Theory] holds that all languages have a set of constraints which produce the basic phonological and grammatical patterns of that particular language. In many cases, an actual utterance violates one or more of these constraints, so a sense of well-formedness applies to that utterance which violates the least number or least important constraints. Constraints can be classified in two types: faithfulness and markedness. The faithfulness principle constrains a word to match the underlying morphological form (such as plural tram -s in trams). But words like buses or dogs do not follow this constraint (the first falls foul of the constraint that prevents the pronunciation of two consecutive /s/ sounds and the second places a /z/ instead of an /s/). These two examples, though, follow markedness constraints, and in these cases the particular markedness scores higher than the faithfulness constraint, so the alternate forms are allowed. Differences between languages, then, are a ma tter of the relative importance given to particular constraints, and a description of these constitutes a description of the language. (R.L. Trask, Language and Linguistics: The Key Concepts, 2nd ed., ed. by Peter Stockwell. Routledge, 2007) Constraint Interaction and the Domination Hierarchy [W]e assert that the constraints operating in a particular language are highly conflicting and make sharply contrary claims about the well-formedness of most representations. The grammar consists of the constraints together with a general means of resolving their conflicts. We argue further that this conception is an essential prerequisite for a substantive theory of UG. How does a grammar determine which analysis of a given input best satisfies a set of consistent well-formedness conditions? Optimality Theory relies on a conceptually simple but surprisingly rich notion of constraint interaction whereby the satisfaction of one constraint can be designated to take absolute priority over the satisfaction of another. The means that a grammar uses to resolve conflicts is to rank constraints in a strict domination hierarchy. Each constraint has absolute priority over all the constraints lower in the hierarchy. [O]nce the notion of constraint-precedence is brought in from the periphery and foregrounded, it reveals itself to be of remarkably wide generality, the formal engine driving many grammatical interactions. It will follow that much that has been attributed to narrowly specific constructional rules or to highly particularized conditions is actually the responsibility of very general well-formedness constraints. In addition, a diversity of effects, previously understood in terms of the triggering or blocking of rules by constraints (or merely by special conditions), will be seen to emerge from constraint interaction. (Alan Prince and Paul Smolensky, Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar. Blackwell, 2004) The Richness of the Base Hypothesis Optimality Theory (OT) does not allow for constraints on the inputs of phonological evaluation. Output constraints are the only mechanisms for expressing phonotactic patterns. This idea of OT is referred to as the Richness of the Base hypothesis. For instance, there is no input constraint that forbids the morpheme *bnik as a morpheme of English. The output constraints will penalize such a form, and evaluate this form in such a way that the optimal output form is not faithful to this form, but different, e.g. blik. Since forms such as bnik will never surface in English, it does not make sense to store an underlying form bnik for blik. This is the effect of lexicon optimization. Thus, the phonological output constraints of a language will be reflected by the input forms. (Geert Booij, Morpheme Structure Constraints. The Blackwell Companion to Phonology: General Issues and Subsegmental Phonology, ed. by Marc van Oostendorp, Colin J. Ewen, Elizabeth Hume, Keren Rice. Blackwell, 2011) Optimality-Theoretic Syntax [T]he emergence of OT syntax seems to fit into the general tendency in syntax to blame the ungrammaticality of a sentence on the existence of a better alternative. This view on grammaticality is also found in [Noam] Chomskys Minimalist Program (Chomsky 1995), although Chomsky takes optimization to play a much more modest role than OT syntacticians do. Whereas Chomskys only criterion for evaluation is derivational cost, the inventory of violable constraints assumed in OT syntax is richer. As a result, the OT constraints interact and conflict with each other. This interaction is exploited by the assumption that constraints are ranked, and that parametrization can be reduced to differences in ranking between languages. Chomskys economic conditions, on the other hand, have no such direct parametrizing effect. In the Minimalist Program, the locus of the parametrization is the lexicon. (Introduction to Optimality Theory: Phonology, Syntax, and Acquisition, ed. by Joost Dekkers, Frank van d er Leeuw, and Jeroen van de Weijer. Oxford University Press, 2000)

Into The Woods Essays - Grimms Fairy Tales, Tangled Characters

Into The Woods Essays - Grimms Fairy Tales, Tangled Characters "Into the Woods" ?Into the Woods was simply an amazing theatrical performance! The play combined suspense ,excitement, and fascinatingly realistic set design to captivate the audience. Half way through this play I found myself and my classmates thinking ?Wow! What a play! How could anyone dream up such a crazy idea and turn it into a production I think this is the first time that I have been taken to this level of astonishment. A kind where it just grabs you and throws you. And it knocks the wind out of you! Steven Sondheim, creator of the play, had obviously mastered the skills needed to make me say this. His style was was like a vinegar in the tomato sauce, a present yet unidentifiable hint, which reminds you of the crafter?s care. Even if you could not quite grasp it it was there. Something that made it stand out. His good sense of humor and wit and his superior plot development were blended subtly so that it wasn?t to conglomerate. But most importantly, his use of well known characters which made the audience feel as though their family was up on ! stage. The characters were extremely realistic and were an ideal image of the thoughts they seemed to ?discharge?. The catalyst of the plot were the main characters which were the baker and his wife, Jack, the witch, Red Riding Hood, the wolf and Cinderella were all major. It is this kind of interdependency that adds so much to this play. It was fascinating to me how much relied upon each character?s actions. There was more of a co-operative ?essence? about this play than most. The minor characters in this play( the two princes, the giantess, Rapunzel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and the baker?s father) were also well done, which I have found in other plays to be ?half rate? or quickly whipped up to add a twist which really wasn?t a twist at all, but something everybody knew was going to happen to a certain extent. But this thing had been thought about and thought about until it was so there was hardly any way to improve upon it without actually being there with Rapunzel and the baker. There was a sense of excitement with every word and action of the characters that was really refreshin! g to me. When discussing dynamics of this play, I would like to type on for ages, since this play was practically the definition of dynamic! All of the characters in the play were slightly dynamic, because of the fact that the existence of this play is based on change. But the most apparent dynamic characters of the play were Red Riding Hood, because of how she seemingly made a transformation from little girl, who frequently was taken advantage of, to a mature young woman who could fend for herself, Cinderella, because of how at first all she dreamt of was marrying a prince(stereotypical behavior of the time) and then turned into someone who would give anything to avoid a prince, and Jack, because he also had a slight gain of wisdom through the story. This play was also well rounded, because of the fact that we had all heard the classic stories of the characters. This gave us a sort of distorted insight into the play which actually led to bewilderment( we expected things from the stories to keep happening in the play). But in my belief, the play?s characters were all rounded except for the newly introduced, which were the baker?s Father and the giantess. However, when you take someone who just hasn?t learned a thing about fairy tales and let them watch the play, the only really round characters are the baker, his wife, The witch and Cinderella. Techniques of the characters were mainly centered around humor. Most of the actions of the characters left me laughing yet I would be puzzled at what they did. This was also something the characters focused on. The play almost had a ?unsobering? effect on the audience, and you really had to pay attention to what was going on. The confusion, I see, as planned precisely by some strategic tycoon who was trained to accomplish a task at all costs. Steven Sondheim knew

Solons Reforms and the Rise of Democracy in Athens

Solons Reforms and the Rise of Democracy in Athens First coming to prominence (c. 600 B.C.) for his patriotic exhortations when Athens was fighting a war against Megara for possession of Salamis, Solon was elected  eponymous archon  in 594/3 B.C. and perhaps, again, about 20 years later. Solon faced the daunting task of improving the condition of: debt-ridden farmerslaborers forced into bondage over debt, andthe middle classes who were excluded from government, while not alienating the increasingly wealthy landowners and aristocracy. Because of his reforming compromises and other legislation, posterity refers to him as Solon the lawgiver.   Such power I gave the people as might do, Abridged not what they had, now lavished new. Those that were great in wealth and high in place, My counsel likewise kept from all disgrace. Before them both I held my shield of might, And let not either touch the others right.- Plutarchs Life of Solon The Great Divide Between Rich and Poor in Athens In the 8th century B.C., rich farmers began exporting their goods: olive oil and wine. Such cash crops required an expensive initial investment. The poorer farmer was more limited in choice of crop, but he still could have continued to eke out a living, if only he had either rotated his crops or let his fields lie fallow. Slavery When land was mortgaged, hektemoroi (stone markers) were placed on the land to show the amount of debt. During the 7th century, these markers proliferated. The poorer wheat farmers lost their land. Laborers were free men who paid out 1/6th of all they produced. In the years of poor harvests, this wasnt enough to survive. To feed themselves and their families, laborers put up their bodies as collateral to borrow from their employers. Exorbitant interest plus living on less than 5/6ths of what was produced made it impossible to repay loans. Free men were being sold into slavery. At the point at which a tyrant or revolt seemed likely, the Athenians appointed Solon to mediate. Relief in the Form of Solon Solon, a lyric poet, and the first Athenian literary figure whose name we know, came from an aristocratic family which traced its ancestry back 10 generations to Hercules, according to Plutarch. Aristocratic beginnings did not prevent him from fearing that someone of his class would try to become tyrant. In his reform measures, he pleased neither the revolutionaries who wanted the land redistributed nor the landowners who wanted to keep all their property intact. Instead, he instituted the seisachtheia by which he canceled all pledges where a mans freedom had been given as guarantee, freed all debtors from bondage, made it illegal to enslave debtors, and put a limit on the amount of land an individual could own. Plutarch records Solons own words about his actions: The mortgage-stones that covered her, by me Removed, the land that was a slave is free;that some who had been seized for their debts he had brought back from other countries, where so far their lot to roam, They had forgot the language of their home;and some he had set at liberty, Who here in shameful servitude were held. More on the Laws of Solon Solons laws do not appear to have been systematic, but provided regulations in the areas of politics, religion, public and private life (including marriage, burial, and the use of springs and wells), civil and criminal life, commerce (including a prohibition on export of all Attic produce except olive oil, although Solon encouraged the export of artisans work), agriculture, sumptuary regulation and discipline. Sickinger estimates there were between 16 and 21 axones that may have contained 36,000 characters total (minimum). These legal records may have been placed in the Boulouterion, Stoa Basileios, and the Acropolis. Although these places would have made them accessible to the public, how many people were literate is not known.   Sources: J.B. Bury. A History of GreecePlutarchs Life of SolonRichard Hookers (wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/ATHENS.HTM)  Ancient Greece: AthensJohn Porters SolonUniversity of Keeles Classics Departments  Athenian Democracy  (www.keele.ac.uk/depts/cl/iahcla~7.htm - accessed 01/02/2000)History of Greece Vol II, by George Grote (1872).

Social Network and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social Network and Religion - Essay Example Nowadays, Social Networking Service (SNS) has become the most powerful communication technology in addition to being the fastest medium to use especially when people want to share their life stories. Specifically, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat are the most powerful social networking services that influence a larger number of users in the United States. Before the Internet was invented, television and radio were the major communication technologies in terms of mass media that were intended to reach a large number of audiences. People who could not attend the church on Sunday used to take advantage by watching TV and listening radio. However, the overall use of the word â€Å"media,† has declined because of a new idea of mass media. This new media has been defined as being associated with the Internet and interplays amongst technology, sound, and images like YouTube that shows visual test with sound in the online world. While at the same time, the definition of new media chang es consistently and therefore, is a mixture concept of both new and mass media, which is SNS, and has an enormous impact on our religious society and culture. On the other hand, these new communication technology services may sound useful but nevertheless have a dangerous effect on the religious aspect like bittersweet. Everyone can be an evangelist through an activity of SNS. For instance, people can share their personal story or even anything that is associated with the religion anytime immediately. In case of Facebook, users can interact with others simply by pressing â€Å"like† or sharing someone’s post, which is one click away communication. Through SNS activity; people who are in religion have a regressive aspect that they are more likely to overlook the real religious activity. In Latin phrase, â€Å"extra Ecclesiamnullasalus† means there is no salvation outside

Is Fashion important Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Is Fashion important - Essay Example Human nature is such that most people judge others without really caring to know their personality. Just as simple as looking at someone, it is possible to determine if an individual is stylish, neat, trendy, lazy, or disorganized (Evans 32). While one does not need to strive to be perfect every time, basic thought and upkeep into one’s appearance makes a huge difference in how people perceive the individual. Fashion also helps people to be creative. When people create something that they like, which ends up being successful, they feel good about themselves (Kawamura 21). For instance, a person who wears an outfit that he or she has never worn before and is complemented about it will have an increase in self-confidence and self-esteem. This makes the individual more willing to try out new things as he or she knows that it will be appreciated. Once an individual understand that there is no problem with looking different in comparison to the rest of society, they begin to acquire a signature look and style. This makes them less vulnerable to being stressed about their style. They do not feel the pressure of appearing similar as the rest. Through this, people gain confidence in themselves, promoting creativity in their lives and being expressive about

Thomas Nagel. What is the thesis of Nagel's article The Absurd Essay

Thomas Nagel. What is the thesis of Nagel's article The Absurd - Essay Example He mostly takes the key concern on meaning of life. Thomas Nagel sets out that there are good grounds that make absurd to apply to lives. He viewed that our lives are absurd therefore meaningless that is absurdum. In his article, Nagel opens by stating four reasons for absurdum. The first reason he cites is that our being here will not be important for a very long time from now. He states nothing we do now will matter in million years to come. Thomas Nagel said that† by the same token, nothing that will be the case in a million years matters now.† He goes on and says that everything we do now in a million times will be meaningless. (Joad, 1944).  The second cite for absurdum is that he sees that we are very small as compared to the entire universe. Thomas says that the whole universe is infinite large as compared to our lives, therefore our lives are absurd for now. ... (Jaspers, 1969).   In ordinary life, life itself is absurd; Nagel puts that â€Å"when it includes a conspicuous discrepancy between pretension or aspiration and reality: someone gives a complicated speech in support of a motion that has already been passed† in addition, Thomas Nagel continues to consider what count good ground for his thesis. He claims we try to check one that has aspiration and reality. Nagel went ahead and gave an example, to demonstrate this being knighted just as trousers fall down. He went ahead and said that for most of time we live our lives as if they are not absurd, as if there is no nothing that brings changes between our aspiration and reality that makes our live absurd. Nagel had certain perspective in mind that we look at our lives from a stand, which is not involving. In this stand, we can step back and find the whole system of critics and justifications, which controls our supports and our claims to rationality which rests upon our habits the refore we should know how to disagree without circularity. Generally Nagel claims that absurd is striking sort of thing in our lives. The most interesting aspects of his article are the problem that Nagel connects problem of the meaning of life to other problems of epistemological of radical skeptics’. Actually, he claims that such skeptic come in when there is use of disengaged standpoint. Thomas Nagel says that both cases someone wills recognizes the justification made which cannot be justified without the threat of circularity. Thomas Nagel claims, â€Å"In both cases the final, philosophical doubt is not contrasted with any unchallenged certainties, though it is arrived at by extrapolation from examples of doubt within the system of evidence or

Way companies should handle customers and employees in a Essay

Way companies should handle customers and employees in a multiculturalism environment - Essay Example Way companies should handle customers and employees in a multiculturalism environment? The purpose of the project is to inform company B on the need to implement the best practices for communicating in a multicultural environment. The objectives of the project are implemented, this includes the offer of the best practices and recommendations vital for achieving success in a multicultural environment. The conclusions are also included, which sum up done by the research report practices and recommendations vital for achieving success when dealing with diverse cultures. The globalization era has altered the way companies carry out business and communicate across diverse cultures. The Internet and current technology have paved the way to new market places, which enables companies to promote their business in the international or new geographic areas and cultures. The world demands marketing experts who are capable of recognizing the rising communication complexities across cultural borders. The intercultural communication is becoming radically significant in the current globalised world. This concerns especially the companies going global or the companies carrying out international business as well as handling customers from diverse cultural backgrounds. Developing the capacity to understand the ways of the efficient communication with customers from varied cultural settings is imperative. This skill is impera

Consumer Behavior Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Consumer Behavior - Research Paper Example This paper looks into why the consumers make the purchases that they do through problem recognition and the search for information on that product. It also looks into how the consumer evaluates the alternatives at hand prior to deciding the purchase. After making the purchase, the consumer makes an evaluation of the product by basing their judgment on the satisfaction derived from using that particular product. Consumer behavior is the study of how, where and when a consumer decides to purchase a product, like a consumer deciding on either to buy durable goods or specialty goods. Consumer behaviour can also be defined as the study of internal and external influences that affect consumers in their purchasing decisions (Mooij, 2011). The factors that affect consumer behavior can be divided into external factors and internal factors. Both of which come into play when a consumer is making the decision on whether to buy a product or not. Motivation happens upon a need arousing and the consumer wants to satisfy it. This need drives a consumer to buy the product that will fulfill the desire. If the product satisfies the desire, it may influence the consumer to make a repeat purchase. On the other hand, if it does not meet the need to satisfy the desire, the consumer may try to find a different product that will fulfill the desire (Reynolds & Wells, 1977). This refers to how a consumer collects information and organizes it. It can be determined by the number of times in which the said consumer is exposed to the information or how they interpret it individually. This refers to the overall evaluations that express how much a consumer likes or dislikes a particular product. Consumer attitudes are learned and last over a long period of time and cannot be changed easily They are also referred to as social factors and they include culture, sub-culture, family, social class, past experience, reference groups.

Water Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Water Crisis - Essay Example o global warming have caused major changes in precipitation globally which has affected the average amount of rainfall in several countries (National Resources Defense Council, 2010). All the above factors are collectively responsible for water constraints across the world. The natural water resources are being constantly depleted due to a combination of several factors such as increased demand, climatic changes and pollution. Rivers and aquifers which are a major source of clean water are being drained constantly. There is increasing withdrawal of water from groundwater, lakes, streams and manmade structures such as dams and water released from other reservoirs. With the annual population growth at 80 million people a year and projection figures indicating an addition of 3 billion people to the world population by the year 2050, the demand for clean and fresh water will see a manifold increase. Reports suggest that a majority of the population growth will occur in developing regions which are already facing water shortage. In addition, advances in science and technology have increased the use of renewable energy resources worldwide. There has been a huge increase in the generation of electricity from hydroelectric power. Other new innovations such as generation of nuclear energy and use fossil fuels for energy purposes have also affected water quantity and quality (The United Nations World Water Report, n.d). Apart from energy production water is also being used for agriculture which utilizes nearly 70% of freshwater withdrawals. The increase in world population has raised the demand for food. Subsequent rise in agricultural practices are using copious quantities of freshwater for growing crops and maintaining plants and trees (The United Nations World Water Report, n.d). Another reason which has posed serious constraints on water supply is the changes observed by scientists in the precipitation rates. This is likely to have a major negative impact on the amount

Consumer Behavior Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Consumer Behavior - Research Paper Example This paper looks into why the consumers make the purchases that they do through problem recognition and the search for information on that product. It also looks into how the consumer evaluates the alternatives at hand prior to deciding the purchase. After making the purchase, the consumer makes an evaluation of the product by basing their judgment on the satisfaction derived from using that particular product. Consumer behavior is the study of how, where and when a consumer decides to purchase a product, like a consumer deciding on either to buy durable goods or specialty goods. Consumer behaviour can also be defined as the study of internal and external influences that affect consumers in their purchasing decisions (Mooij, 2011). The factors that affect consumer behavior can be divided into external factors and internal factors. Both of which come into play when a consumer is making the decision on whether to buy a product or not. Motivation happens upon a need arousing and the consumer wants to satisfy it. This need drives a consumer to buy the product that will fulfill the desire. If the product satisfies the desire, it may influence the consumer to make a repeat purchase. On the other hand, if it does not meet the need to satisfy the desire, the consumer may try to find a different product that will fulfill the desire (Reynolds & Wells, 1977). This refers to how a consumer collects information and organizes it. It can be determined by the number of times in which the said consumer is exposed to the information or how they interpret it individually. This refers to the overall evaluations that express how much a consumer likes or dislikes a particular product. Consumer attitudes are learned and last over a long period of time and cannot be changed easily They are also referred to as social factors and they include culture, sub-culture, family, social class, past experience, reference groups.

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay Example for Free

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay What is the historical significance of The Epic of Gilgamesh? The historical significance of The Epic of Gilgamesh was being the first masterpiece of World Literature that dated back in 2800 BCE. The Epic of Gilgamesh portrayed the lifestyle, believed, and culture of people lived during that era. The story of Gilgamesh hold tremendous history values since the it was lost in 100 BEC until the British Archeologist found it again in 1840s CE. Rediscovered the tablet of the Gilgamesh allows present day to make connection with the past. What does this story tell us about the human condition? The human condition in that era are consider to be undeveloped and Gilgamesh portrait as a king with power to do whatever he wish until the gods decides to punish him. From that example of the story it tell us that the society follow under one ruler and class between rich and poor are greatly divided. What does this story tell us about the culture that produced it? Base on the story of Gilgamesh, people did not fully understand dead or know how to cope with dead but instead they strongly believe in gods and mythology creatures. I believe that Men and Women are being view as equal and they are fairly open about their sexual lifestyle in the story of Gilgamesh. Men and women share the same level of social status and women play important role during Gilgameshs era which can be seen as Shamhat, a mortal who was sent to by the gods to seduce Enkidu and change him from the beast lifestyle to human lifestyle. Does this epic hold any message for us today? The message in The Epic of Gilgamesh tell us that human in that era staring to realized and question the separation of life and dead. As of today, we are still trying to understand and define whether people life end when they die or there are other world that specify for the dead. This epic also point out that human are design to live in a society, and not meant to be alone. This can be seen as Gilgamesh changed when he met Enkidu, Gilgamesh also learned the important of a friendship, companionship, and lastly learned how to grief a love one when Enkidu died.

Multi Disciplinary Team

Multi Disciplinary Team Introduction This discussion opens with a definition of a therapeutic relationship and the key elements that impact on this. The discussion will focus on the different types of communication and explain the importance. I will also refer to the Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) in a patients care and how this can strengthen the relationship. The discussion will end with reference to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines and the impact on the relationship. Self awareness will also be discussed. A therapeutic relationship is defined as A partnership between clients and nurses, both working together to improve the clients health status (Balzer Riley, 1986). This relationship allows both the nurse and the patient to gain satisfaction, the patient feels supported and listened to and the nurse feels valued in his/her role. One of the significant points in the relationship is that if the patient feels they are being listened to by the healthcare provider they will recover at a much faster rate. The key elements are, attending, hearing, understanding and remembering. Attending is the physical part with both the nurse and the patient being present and keeping up to date with what is being said. Hearing is the part that pays the attention to the patient. Understanding, this is reassuring the patient that what they have said has been understood. This can be done by paraphrasing. Remembering can be very difficult, if the nurse has understood what the patient has said this does become easier. In order to do this the nurse needs to fully attend to the patient, listen to them and then respond to them. According to Barker (1971), the listening process consists of four different elements listed above. By actioning the concepts the nurse can start to empathise with the patient. Empathy is an important aspect of this relationship, Empathy is the act of communicating to our fellow human beings that we understand how they are feeling and what makes them feel that way (Hogan, 1969) Empathy can be shown both verbally and non verbally, the verbal part is to reflect on how the patient is feeling and the reasons why and the goal should be to meet an accurate verbal reflection. The non verbal features of empathy are as much important as the verbal part; the non verbal part should show features of warmth and genuineness does the true caring for your patient come across. To do this verbal and non verbal communication must be used. Summary Questioning is a way of verbal communication between the nurse and the patient, some would say that questioning is a way of helping others to think about their problems (Alder and Rodman, 1982). There are two types of questions that may be asked to patients, open questions and closed questions, Open questions are asking for a more verbal response from the patient whereas closed questions is only encouraging the patient to give a short simple response. Along with questioning there are many other ways of verbal communication, establishing guidelines, acknowledgement, reflecting, paraphrasing, seeking clarification, summarising and planning .Clearly verbal communication is very important as are non verbal skills. Non verbal communication has various components; some of these include Posture, gesture, eye contact, touch, facial expression, appearance, head nods, silence, proxemics and other body language. Egan ( 1977) S.O.L.E.R framework has an important part to play in a therapeutic relationship, all of the points should make both the nurse and the patient is comfortable and in control of the situation, here is a bit of information to elaborate on the soler framework- S Sit squarely this means sit face to face with the patient this does not mean the nurse has to sit directly opposite the patient, the nurse should sit upright not slouching, this will show the patient the nurse has a caring posture. O Open posture this means sit with both arms and legs uncrossed, if both arms and legs are crossed it is said to show an element of defence from the nurse. L Lean slightly forward although this does depend on the conversation, leaning forward without leaning away will lead the nurse into the intimate zone of the patient. E Eye contact is recommended to be constant although this shouldnt be a constant stare as this can be very uncomfortable for the patient. R Relax -the nurse must be relaxed in order to gain the confidence in the patient. This framework can also be used by other healthcare professionals. Professionals other than nurses can strengthen the relationship; this can be another member of the health care team that needs to take part in the patients care. The professionals could include physicians, pharmacists, dieticians, occupational therapists these professionals are known as the MDT. A member of the MDT might need to be involved in the patients care, For example if the patient had concerns about their diet you could introduce the dietician to help. By introducing a member of the MDT it will strengthen the relationship with the patient. The patient however must consent to the involvement of other disciplines. Consent within a therapeutic relationship is very important, obtaining consent is a process and not a one off event. The patient must be told in a sensitive manner and the patient must then make the decision on whether to accept or decline the proposal being offered. The NMC (2008) states that you must respect and support peoples rights to accept or decline treatment and care (NMC code May 2008). Usually the professional who is going to perform the procedure will gain the consent although it is possible this task could be delegated to another professional who has the capability of meeting the required standards, Consent maybe obtained in a number of different ways, Verbal consent this is explaining everything verbally to the patient and the patient replying with a verbal answer, written consent this is normally obtained if the procedure has any risk or is lengthy and complex, the written consent is a record of what has taken place or could be of what has been offered and not taken p lace as the patient decline the opportunity. The NMC is the code that should be adhered to all times, some of the guidelines under the code includes Privacy, dignity and confidentiality, as part of the NMC code of conduct nurses are to work within their limitations. This is about the nurse being self aware. Self awareness is about recognising, accepting, challenging who we are, what we feel, and what we can and can not do (Rungapadiachy, 1998). In a therapeutic relationship it is also important to be in control of your own self awareness, be aware of your own values and beliefs. According to Rokeach (1968),a value is an important life goal or societal condition which is despired by a person. Beliefs are subjective statements used by individuals to describe something they believe as being true. Values are seen as the central core that reflects on ones attitude this is also know to affect ones attitude. Fishben and Ajzen (1975) define beliefs as statements which indicate a persons subjective probability that an object has a particular characteristic. Conclusion The Johari window is a model that is used to explore and develop self awareness; this model concentrates on interpersonal skills that are applied to interaction, it deals with awareness in the human behaviour (Luft 1969). There are four aspects to the Johari window, open, blind, hidden and unknown. The open part is the part that is known to self and others, the blind is the area that is unknown to self but know to others, the hidden part is the area that is known to self but unknown to others and the unknown is the area that is unknown to self and unknown to others. Through communication the open self is made more accessible. This strengthens the therapeutic relationship. This Essay has defined what a therapeutic relationship is and the key elements that impact on this. Different types of communication have been discussed and explanation given to show their importance. The role of the MDT in a patients care and how this can strengthen the relationship has also been discussed. NMC guidelines have an impact on the relationship and discussed a key issue from the guidelines, with special reference to consent. This essay has also explained why self awareness is important within a therapeutic relationship

Byronic Hero Essay :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Typical heroes are perfect, they do everything right. However they are unrelateable because of it in the Romantic Era. Byron created a new kind of hero the Byronic Hero, in the movie First Blood, John Rambo is the perfect example of a Byronic Hero. In this movie John Rambo is rebellious, dark natured, hyper-sensitive, and passionate. He is willing to do whatever it takes for his cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Rambo is an ex-Green Beret, a peacetime misfit haunted by memories of Vietnam. He has no family and no one helped out of his plantation. He was tortured in Vietnam by enemies. He is dark natured through the whole movie. He has no friends; the only person he has left is his Colonel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Rambo passes through a small town in western Canada an over-zealous sheriff stops him and gives him a hard time. As the cops clean him up at the station he is reminded of how he was tortured in Vietnam. He goes crazy and beats the crap out of five cops and runs off into the mountains. This slows characteristics of the Byronic Hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Rambo may seem like and evil villain but he is not, just confused and very hard to understand. Rambo is very hyper-sensitive and emotional through the whole movie. Getting upset about his past and having very emotional flash-backs of Vietnam. He has a passion for what he thinks is right. At the end of the movie Rambo gets very emotional talking about his friends at war and how they died and how he drove million dollar machines in the military and in the real world he couldn’t even hold down a job at the car wash. So as he talks about this he is crying and holding his colonels arm. You understand after that part in the movie that he is a Byronic Hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a way you feel sorry for Rambo in the end of the movie because of the way he is, but it is not his fault.

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay -- Literary Analysis, Ernest Hemingw

Human Life: Torture of the Mind Ernest Hemingway captures the essence and origins of nihilistic thought in â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place†, written in a time of religious and moral confusion shortly after The Great War. The ideas expressed in this short story represent the post World War 1 thinking of Hemingway, and the notoriously nihilistic Lost Generation in Paris, which was greatly influenced by the many traumas of war. Learning from his unnerving experiences in battle, Hemingway enforces the idea that all humans will inevitably fade into eternal nothingness and everything valued by humans is worthless. He develops this idea by creating a brilliant mockery of two coveted religious documents, revealing authority figures as typical, despicable, human beings, and he reduces life into the most raw, simplistic, and frightening reality imaginable. Hemingway states that all humans will naturally die alone and literally be â€Å"in despair† about â€Å"nothing† (494), and that people will eithe r seek a â€Å"calm and pleasant cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬  (496), or a self-inflicted death simply to escape despair. Undoubtedly, Hemingway eliminates any consideration of a higher meaning because he believes that â€Å"[life is] all a nothing, and a man [is] nothing too† (496). By viewing the actions of three different generations, Hemingway’s â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† elaborates on the idea that human life is not continual enlightenment and growth, but gradual despair, and an inevitable death into â€Å"nada† (497). The youthful and confident waiter, representing the youngest of the three male generations, is the only apparent spec of existentialist thought in the story. However, this young man is simply an unconcerned existentialist due to his age; he is not in despair bec... ...ed Place†, represent the opinions and views of one typical person, in one ordinary life. The theme of a world of nothingness is overwhelming to the human brain, and almost inconceivable, and everything we do in this life is simply designed to help us take our mind off of death; suicide is the ultimate escape from â€Å"despair† over â€Å"nothing† (494). Hemingway’s brilliant transitions in time explain how life eventually grows worse with age, and humans will succumb to suicide, drunkenness, or something comforting and safe, much like a clean, well-lighted cafà ©. Further, Hemingway has shown the world that man has created many bogus ways to cope with the insurmountable fear of nothingness, namely religion. Bluntly, people can try to kid their selves into feeling soulful, genuine, or meaningful, but there is no need to â€Å"fear for [the human] soul†, as it is non-existent.

Individual Analysis Essay

Individual Analysis Paper There are many factors that influence and guide the registered nurse (RN) in her daily nursing practice. These factors include state laws, professional requirements and responsibilities, and personal belief systems and values. All factors work together to provide competent, safe, and quality care for society as a whole. It is vital that the RN possess both awareness and understanding of the important role these factors play in his or her daily practice. The Scope of Nursing Practice The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines the Scope of Nursing Practice as, â€Å"the description of the who, what, where, when, why, and how of nursing practice that addresses the range of nursing practice activities common to all registered nurses (2010, p. 67).† The individual RN’s degree level, knowledge base, employment position, and patient population all determine the range to which he or she is able to work within the scope of practice (ANA, 2010). Effectively working within the full scope of practice requires the RN to be able to address all physical, social, spiritual, and emotional needs from admission to discharge; by means of patient advocacy, individualized teaching, treatment planning, and utilization of family and social support systems (Oelke, Besner, Doran, McGillis-Hall, & Giovanetti, 2008). Working on a behavioral services unit allows me to completely address the full range of patient needs on a daily basis. I collaborate with mental health professionals to address psychological needs, medical doctors to manage and treat physical conditions, social workers to deal with housing and family issues, and pastoral care to address the patient’s spiritual matters. I believe that issues of mind, body, and spirit must be equally addressed for complete patient care. Legal Regulations The Ohio Revised Code sets the legal standards through which a nurse is permitted to practice. Nursing laws are mandatory rules of behavior, and when broken can result in punishment, or even the loss of the RN’s nursing license. The Ohio Board of Nursing is responsible for the licensing all nurses, as well as for ensuring that all nursing standards are maintained. As an RN it is vital that I understand the legal limits to my nursing practice. For example, I cannot legally prescribe medications, but I have the authority to administer medications under the supervision of a licensed physician. Always practicing within these defined limits assures safe patient care, nursing competence, and protection of the RN’s license. The Development of Practice The Code of Ethics for Nurses was developed as a guide for carrying out all nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession (Fowler, 2010). I will be discussing provisions seven, eight, and nine of the nursing code of ethics. Provision seven requires nurses to contribute to the promotion of the profession through involvement in the workplace, the maintaining of professional standards, and the participation in academic activities (Fowler, 2010). As an RN I have not contributed to the promotion of the profession through workplace involvement. I have had numerous opportunities to join work related committees, mentoring programs, or participate in the orientation of new RN’s. Until now have refused based on the fact I am enrolled in school. I was recently approached by my nurse manager and asked to help orient a new class of RN’s. I accepted the challenge and will start the orientation process in late September. Provision eight necessitates that all nurses work inter-professionally with other health care professionals, as well as with the community, to meet all health care needs on a municipal, federal, and global level (Fowler, 2010). Nurses must possess an understanding of both global health issues, as well as community health concerns. Working on a behavioral services unit, means that I frequently deal with the homeless or shelter living populations of my city. As nurse I know that this patient population is more susceptible to preventable communicable diseases. I work hard to encourage any patients who either homeless or live in local shelters to take advantage of the hospitals flu and pneumonia vaccines. My effort in this area helps maintain public and personal health, as well as prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Provision nine dictates that the entire nursing profession and all of its associations are accountable for upholding the integrity of the profession, the promotion of nursing values, and influencing social course of action (Fowler, 2010). It is vital that all nurses hold themselves, their peers, and other healthcare professionals to the utmost level of integrity and professionalism. I must admit that this I find this provision to be the most challenging for me professionally. I have no problem holding myself to the highest professional standards, but have a hard time holding my peers to the same standard of care. Recently, a peer chose not to medically address a patient’s incredibly high blood pressure. She reported to me that it was merely a side effect of the patient’s agitation, and assured me the high blood pressure was being controlled with an a ntipsychotic. I could not believe what I was hearing, and immediately called a medical doctor for help. In retrospect I should have had the courage to both confront my peer’s lack of concern, as well as report her disregard for the patient’s well-being. Philosophical Beliefs Philosophy is defined as, â€Å"the intense and critical examination of beliefs and assumptions (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008, p. 27). Philosophy can be further divided into the philosophy of knowledge and the philosophy of practice (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). The philosophy of knowledge concerns suppositions regarding truth and disagreement, and the philosophy of practice concerns suppositions regarding behaviors and morals (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). Philosophical beliefs can affect they type of care that the patient ultimately receives. If the nurse is not able to see the patient as an autonomous individual, care will ultimately be substandard. Part of my work as a psychiatric RN is helping patients deal with drug and alcohol addiction issues. Over the course of my nursing career I have helped hundreds of patients go through drug detoxification. Because my department deals with a lot of recidivism, it is very easy for a nurse in my role assume that all drug addicted patients are unmotivated in maintaining sobriety. I must always be on guard against developing a jaded attitude about my patient’s chances for maintaining his or her sobriety. If I assume the patient is not committed to his or her sobriety I may give end up giving substandard care. Before the start of each shift I remind myself that each patient is an individual, and must not be judged based on my own assumptions or personal experiences. How Ethics Influence Nursing Practice Ethics is a moral philosophy, a deliberate opinion of right and wrong (Naman, Nystrom, & Eriksson, 2012). Two ethical theories related to nursing are utilitarianism and deontology. The theory of utilitarianism believes that all ethical decisions should be based on the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people, and theory of deontology believes that all ethical decisions should be based on what is best for the individual person (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). Nursing values include: kindness, truthfulness, fairness, discretion, independence, loyalty, and nonmaleficence (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). The RN’s understanding of her own personal values is required for the delivery of quality care, because the art of caring manifests itself as a personal value (Nasman, Nystrom, & Eriksson, 2012). As a psychiatric RN on an acute behavioral unit I frequently care for the underserved population of my community. Most of my patients have a history of violence against peers, are uninsured, homeless, or abused. Caring for this cross section of society can be challenging to say the least. It is necessary that I as the RN approach each patient as an individual; deserving of kindness, patience, and honesty. This approach treats each patient with the respect and dignity he or she deserves. On several occasions my patients have told me that I cared for them better than their own parents. I believe that all patients are entitled to the highest quality of care regardless of their current psychosocial standing. Many factors play a role in the individual nurse’s daily practice and quality of care. It is vital that the RN professionally act within the legal standards and limitations set by forth by state laws. The RN must always strive to work fully within his or her scope of practice. Individual understanding of the code of ethics is fundamental in maintaining the integrity of the profession for all nurses. Awareness and self-assessment of the RN’s personal philosophical beliefs and value system are fundamental in providing quality care to all patients. When the RN has an understanding of all of these factors, quality patient care is assured.

English 101 Grit Essay

If â€Å"Grit†, as defined as a measure of perseverance and the way to achieve a long term goal to succeed in college, then who needs family support and resources? Angela Duckworth’s theory of ‘Grit’ is based on an area of psychology research that determines how to be successful in college. Duckworth’s theory argues that having ‘Grit’ or perseverance is the main force that will pull students through to complete college. While I believe Duckworth’s theory to be useful and that having â€Å"Grit† can be key to one’s success in college completion, I do believe that it is the backbone to many other traits and outside influences important to succeed in college. In the case of Donna Beegle’s Story, I think that Duckworth’s theory would be only somewhat useful to understand her success. In the article, â€Å"An Insider’s Perspective: The Donna Beegle Story,† Beegle tells her experience of overcoming extreme poverty and beating all odds and achieving a doctorate. During her road to success, Beegle had many outside influences that were the key to those achievements. She reached out to a Community Action Agency that really opened the doors for her and started a rippling effect towards key resources and influential people. First and foremost, the biggest stepping stone for her was when the agency connected her to the WIT (Women in Transition) program. Beegle states, â€Å"With an enormous amount of support from the WIT program staff and my family, I entered the community college to work on a two-year degree. (246) In addition to the WIT program, Beegle states, â€Å"The one thing that kept me from giving up was the â€Å"Section 8† public housing certificate from the Portland Housing Authority given to me by the WIT program. † (246) Beegle’s statement proves one of my points, that if it was not for that resource, she would have not have been â€Å"gritty† enough to continue her education. For people like Beegle, a GED was just not in the realm of capabilities for her, without those resources, she would not have been able to persevere to that point and beyond with her education. Secondly, let’s consider her family. Her family played a huge role to her success as well. Beegle’s parents watched her children while she attended college, and gave her the motivation and praise she needed to keep going. In addition Beegle’s brother Wayne provided an unusual and unexpected amount of support that led her to complete her two-year degree. Wayne was incarcerated for twelve years; during those years he had an endless amount of time to read and become something Beegle describes as â€Å"middle- class literate. †(248) It was her brother, who through letters back and forth between the two, helped her understand her assignments. Therefore, it’s her family’s support and help from her brother that allowed her to persevere. In addition to all of the resources and family support, Beegle was lucky to have crossed paths with a language specialist by the name of Dr. Bob Fulford. Fulford was the mentor in Beegle’s life that made a huge impact on her educational success. He went beyond his job as a professor of the university she attended, and really took the time to work with her and guide her through academic achievement and personal affairs. He also taught her how to write and corrected her speech. On top of that support from him, he also â€Å"linked her to a network of professionals in the community who continues to widen my range of possibilities. † (249) I believe Fulford’s guidance and encouragement were the key element to Beegle’s success. If it was not for him and other mentors like him believing in her and recognizing she was not â€Å"stupid†, she would not have the chance to better her education. For some people, Duckworth’s theory of ‘Grit’ and perseverance is just not enough to get a college student through to college completion. According to Beegle, â€Å"[m]entors, [m]iddle-[c]lass [l]anguage† (247) and people seeing her for where she was â€Å"[w]ere [k]eys to [m]y [e]ducational [s]uccess†. For me personally, if I did not have my family, financial aid and the Women’s Program at Highline Community College, I really don’t think I would be able to manage. Even if I had ‘Grit’, there are road blocks like child care and having affordable housing that make it possible for me to stay in college. In my experience, ‘grit’ has helped tremendously when combined with the other elements in my life. For example, I recently helped my mother move from her apartment she has been in for over 24 years, to her home she now owns. Between my brother and I and just a few friends, we spent weeks of packing, updating the new house and unpacking. It was ‘grit’ that helped me through doing this huge move while still making it to class every day, turning in all my homework, and acing two quizzes. I was determined to make school a priority over all the other important events that were going on around me. However, some might argue how ‘grit’ played a major role in Beegle’s and my own story, especially when faced with a big disadvantage such as poverty and severe lack of proper education and in my case, a single parent. They may say that the only way to overcome those obstacles is to persevere through it. It’s true that wanting an education and a better life is what will make someone become â€Å"gritty†. It is my ‘Grit’ that has helped me in my classes; there have been assignments that have made my eyes go cross and makes me feel like I just want to give up. But my inner grit comes out and I think of the long term and what I want for my daughter and I. It is those moments when I can say Duckworth’s theory is useful to my situation but not in the grand scheme of things. With grit alongside with these other elements, one can be successful. So in conclusion, I do think having ‘Grit’ plays a big part in one’s success to college completion or at least it is a great supporting factor. Do I think â€Å"All I need is Grit and I can get a degree? † No.  What I think is, grit can help through the hard times, when you feel like giving up, persevere through those obstacle and find another way to get to where you want to go. It is that inner quality of grittiness that will assist someone on their journey. Like Beegle states, â€Å"With subsidized housing, food stamps, mentoring from numerous people, and the support and encouragement of family and agencies, I was able to move forward and become educated. † (248) for me and others alike, ‘Grit’ is only one piece of the 500 piece puzzle.

Letter to Government Essay

I am writing to you on behalf of your article in this weeks paper I think the curfew is a fantastic idea I am in full support of the Council proposing this great curfew. Where I live under 16’s are taking over my neighbourhood me and the other residents in the area are feeling threatend by these gangs of ‘yobs’ hanging around our area. All they do is go around drinking and creating uneeded noise which I and the rest of our neighbourhood would agree on. While we adults are staying indoors scared of going out they are out commiting crimes and going round doing under age drinking and under age sex and if the parents of these children could see what I see nearly every night then I’m sure they would be in support with me. As I said before I am scared to go out of my house to go to the shops or to the pub or anywhere! because I am scared of getting jumped or mugged or even killed. Also this curfew would be a good idea because it would give new employees in the police force good experience of dealing with these situations so they are confident and experienced when it comes to a really big proper crime. Also if this curfew goes through then once all of the under 16’s are indoors then it will make life easier for the police patrolling to catch the proper criminals because they won’t have to put up with the cheek and disrespect that they recieve off the under 16’s, also the under 16’s need to respect the police force and realise that they are trying to protect them but they are just trying to show off in front of friends.

Observation is a crucial element in ensuring successful provision for Essay

Observation is a crucial element in ensuring successful provision for children in the early years setting. Detail the key elements necessary to maximize the eff - Essay Example The causes of many problems, which parents and teachers face (the lowered cognitive activity, infringements in communication, restraint and the heightened shyness, or on the contrary, aggression and hyperactivity of children, etc.), lay in the early childhood. As matter of fact correction of these deformations at preschool and school age represents essential difficulties and demands much greater efforts and expenses, than their timely prevention. High-grade development of a child in the early years setting demands an adequate and qualified psychological and pedagogical support from the professionals possessing corresponding qualification. However, nowadays there is a certain deficiency of such experts (psychologists and teachers) able to work with small children. Today a great attention is paid to a principle of the account of individuality of each child. This principle predetermines the corresponding approach to education, especially in the age of from 3 till 7 years. At first sight, all children of the same age seem similar to each other, but at detailed observation over each of them, we are able to consider born or got particular features or deviations in their development. Some of them may and should be corrected and, on the contrary, observers should provide the best development to positive qualities of a child. Not all adults working with children are involved in formal observation of the children. However, â€Å"all are observing and making judgments on a daily basis. Structured, purposeful observation is a vital tool for the educator. Through observation we can not only monitor young children and their learning, but we can monitor our own actions and reactions to situations† (Sutherland, 2005, p. 22). Observation is one of the most widespread and accessible method of studying of children in early years setting development. Scientific observation is understood as a specially organized perception of

The Third Way Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Third Way - Essay Example And so governments have to decide which programs will best reward the investment of tax dollars (Merkhofer 1987). One of the most controversial areas of public policy involves health care for that part of the population least able to pay for their own care. Socioeconomic status has been identified as a powerful factor in one's health (Bloomberg, Meyers and Braverman 1994). The more health problems that those citizens at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum have, the greater the tax burden will be on the rest of the citizenry. However, while the politics of money should play a significant part in the development of social policy, there is also the idea of social justice to consider. Social justice takes on many definitions, depending on the political leanings of the definer, but the general idea involves the creation of a sense of fairness or equality of opportunity to members at all socioeconomic levels of a society (Jordan 1998; Marshal, Swift, and Roberts 2002). Under the Thatcher administration, inequalities in access to quality health care began to widen in British society (Wagstaff, Paci, and van Doorslaer 1991). When Prime Minister Blair took office, one of his first moves was to establish improved access to health care as a top priority. There are at least three schools of thought as to how to engineer social change. The "laissez-faire" line of thinking - which basically involves allowing society to shake itself into the desired state - might argue that education alone would awaken the British public to the plight of the poor, particularly with regard to health care. The transition in the health habits of the Indian state of Kerala, between 1961 and 1974, could serve as a strong example for the laissez-faire viewpoint. Over that period of time, the birth rate fell from 39 to 26.5, while levels of literacy, life expectancy, female education, and age of marriage became the highest in all of India (Ratcliffe 1978). The cause of this change is not massive social expenditure for contraceptives, not an infrastructure of free clinics, but simply public education about the benefits of family planning, and about the importance of equitable distribution of opportunities (Ratcliffe 1978). Near the other end of the spectrum stand the Social Democrats, who believe that social justice can be achieved, if government planners can only find the right level of taxation to put into place sufficient programs and infrastructure. The natural sympathy that rightly extends to those who need medical treatment that goes beyond what they can afford has made social justice one of the central ethical principles of public health nursing. Programs that do not ultimately result in a change of behavior, however, are only short-term solutions that will not change societal patterns over time (Drevdahl, Kneipp, Canales, and Dorcy 2001). Also, programs that do not accurately address the factors that connect socioeconomic status and health will, ultimately, waste taxpayers' money and will solve nothing (Marmot and Feeney, 1997). The New Labour way of thinking sits somewhere, at least in its own mind, between the

Developmental Difficulties and Young Offenders Essay

Developmental Difficulties and Young Offenders - Essay Example As the review is based entirely upon research, we would examine each issue in the light of scientific findings supported by well-known theorists. In the end the evaluative findings would be summarised by a brief conclusion. In order to measure the depth of psychological influence on young offenders, it would be a mistake if we lag behind in considering the developmental changes that indulge young children into several difficulties, which reveal only when they become offenders. These difficulties having more to do with psychology, and the issues, which are related to it, are psychiatric disorders escorting towards bullying, crime, depression and suicidal behaviour, take place mostly between the ages of 12 to 25 years. If we analyse the stages of development according to Freud's theory, he believed the early years of life to be the most crucial determinants of personality formation and that every child passes through defined stages of development, each of which is dynamically different. So Freud felt that each of us must successfully negotiate these stages of development. If we fail, personality difficulties of various degrees are likely to appear. Piaget's theory advocates children's understanding of right and... Lawrence Kohlberg borrowed Piaget's two stages of moral reasoning into three developmental levels. Level 1, 'Preconventional Morality' refers those youngsters who avoid punishment and do things for the sake of their own personal gain, the second level 'conventional morality' is the level of reasoning in which right and wrong are defined by conformity to law and moral rules while third and highest level 'post conventional morality' refers to those who allow moral rules to be changed or broken for the sake of higher order moral principles. So it is clear that young offenders uphold in the third category where their perception allows everything fair and morally right for them. Kohlberg's theory distinguishes between "what is right" and "why do right" and research suggests that such offending attitude lies in between 'what' and 'why'. Piaget's theory depicts cognitive development from infancy to childhood as a series of four stages, each characterised by distinctive modes of thoughts that differ qualitatively from thinking in earlier and later stages. It is from those distinctive thoughts we can visualise each and every child reacts in a different manner to different circumstances. Some children perceives an offending attitude when they are subjected towards negligence and are sensitive while others not. So, it is very easy to associate youth with offending attitude but according to researchers to highlight the major aspects behind the scene is probably a difficult task. The concern is not the young offenders but the difficulties they are confronted to and the reasons behind such attitude is the major task, which is often neglected by us. According to Inhelder and Piaget the main area to be emphasised upon is the psychological