Personal Statement Essay

I write this statement to support my application to Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care vourse at your university. Due to previous experiences of working with a range of people in the care sector I believe that throughout my time on various work placements with individuals with different disabilities and requirements in care along with the experiences gained throughout my studies, my wish to pursue a career in the care profession has grown. To further my interest in working with and around people I completed my first degree as a health visitor in Hungary. Prior of that I took a gap year in Germany with a church’s volunteer service called Freiwilliges Sociales Jahr (Voluntary Sociales Year). I worked as a health care assistant in a nursing home with 144 beds. While this year was very challenging I also found it an extremely rewarding and enjoyable experience. To further my knowledge and passion for working with those individuals who are in need of care I studied at Semmelweis University, Medical College Faculty and graduated as a health visitor. To put my academic knowledge into practice I worked as a school nurse in 3 different schools. It was an enjoyable experince but only to realize that I was more interested to do something with elderly people and move away from children. I decided to move to England and started to work as a home care worker first, but rapidly I was promoted to a field care supervisor and aft er that to a care coordinator. Working for different care companies in different cities was a valuable and great experience where I learnt how to improve my leadership and management’s skills and also to put my academic knowledge in practice. I always was looking to improve the company and bring innovative ideas to my role and complete my work to a high standard. I currently work as a care coordinator, which incolves human resource management, arranging and coordinating training, dealing with social workers and other health care professionals on a daily basis. I manage around 60 home care workers in terms of their compliancy and adequate training. I completed National Vocational Qualification in Health and Social Care Level 3 only to realize that I would like to study more and broaden my leadership skills in this area. Working in a senior team gives me a great satisfaction , where I can show my effective communication and organisation skills ad good working relationships. During my spare time I mainly like to read books, travel to other countries to explore different cultures. I also go to the gym to keep myself fit. I also attended a various events related to self development and self-management. This helps to increase my confidence and also gives me great oppurtunities to meet like-minded people. I feel that university is definitely the right path for me. I always work extremely hard to achieve my best, a feat which I intend to carry on throughout my university years. I believe I have the necessary skills needed to enjoy university to the full and also be successful in future years. In addition I would also like to go to university to develop my management and leadership skills even further so I can gain a valuable and rewarding, higher position in health and social care sector and lead that senior team to an absolute success.

Teaching Strategies

The book â€Å"Dharma Punx† was written by Noah Levine, the son of bestselling author and Buddhist teacher Stephen Levine. As a writer, he uses a natural, conversational and empathic voice to narrate his story in order to reach out to others who have gone through the same ordeal as he did.This book, which was written in a very thorough narrative serves more or less as his autobiography, focusing primarily on what would probably the most turbulent moments of this life when drifted from one â€Å"movement† to another, from punk rock to drugs and alcohol which nearly sent his life crashing down to the point of self-destruction or suicide which he attempted several times, hence the title of the first chapter is â€Å"Suicide Solution† (Levine, 2003, p. 1).The starting point of Levine's story was at the detention facility where he was confined and at the time, he was going through withdrawal symptoms as the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol were being flushed out o f his system. It was at this point that he would begin to retell his tale on how he got into that situation. Born in 1971, his parents hailed from the â€Å"hippies† generation of the 1960's where they revolted against the establishment at the height of the Vietnam War and one of their mantras was â€Å"Make Love, Not War!† as well as the overflowing freedom of expression of their generation that also indulged in free drugs and sexual promiscuity as well, thereby making the term â€Å"psychedelic† an understatement for their generation that turned to drugs as a way to escape a harsh, brutal and cynical reality they wanted to repudiate.They were trying to create their own brand of utopia but somehow, this would not be perfect as well, and this would be reflected in Levine's own family.  In his childhood years in the late 1970s and early '80s, Levine loved to skateboard but partly out of curiosity and influence, he got hooked into punk rock and often watched pun k-rock concerts as well as looking the part of a punk rocker by the time he was in his teens. Punk rock was to his generation what the psychadelic â€Å"hippie† movement was to his parents. Levine said that the situation of his generation made them turn to this fad – like him, the youth of his generation had to cope with problems like broken homes, irresponsible parents who were either alcoholic or drug dependents; there was no responsible adult who could guide them.His parents had divorced by then and he would spend time with each of them, shuttling between their homes in California and New Mexico. Both his parents remarried but his mother's second marriage was fraught with trouble and the irony of that was she met her second husband in a meditation retreat while his father was able to move on and remarry a woman whom he truly loved and gave him a happier marriage (Levine, 2003, p. 5). However, without his â€Å"enlightened† father around to guide him, the youn ger Levine was susceptible to the temptations of the materialistic world.By the time he was six years old, he already began smoking marijuana and was also trying out other banned substances as well like cocaine. This also came hand in hand in partaking of alcohol which would stay with him for most of his youth. He was so addicted into drugs and alcohol that by the time he was in high school, he had become very violent, often getting into trouble ranging from brawls to vandalism that he was arrested several times for such behavior, something he appeared to have welcomed, owing to his punk rock influence, his own way of defying authority.He eventually dropped out of school and lived like a vagrant, often stealing to support his habit (Levine, 2003, pp. 21-24). In his recent detention in 1988, the point where he was at his very low that his road to â€Å"enlightenment† would begin. When his father visited him, he was the one who had set him on the path by encouraging him to try meditation (Levine, 2003, pp. 3-4). At first, Levine regarded Buddhist teachings as â€Å"bullshit† but the moment he made an effort to try it, he underwent a profound transformation.He began the 12-step program and started attending meditation sessions. He was eventually released and he started on a new path in life. Over the next few years, Levine worked hard on his spiritual growth, even practicing celibacy and taking a pilgrimage to the Far East in search of enlightenment and even meeting and learning from the Dalai Lama himself! He would eventually finish his studies by getting a college degree but he did not stop there.He went further and obtained a graduate degree in counseling psychology as well. He followed in his father's footsteps by also becoming a Buddhist teacher and of all the places where he would like to teach, he chose to be at the very same detention facility where he used to be remanded. Although he is a totally reformed and transformed individual, there i s one thing from Levine's past that he has not repudiated, his passion for punk rock. He still listens to punk rock, and still acts, looks and dresses the part.He still sports tattoos but the difference now is that his tattoos are Buddhist-inspired such as the lotus flower and Sanskrit inscriptions, making Levine a look-alike of Hollywood actor Vin Diesel famous for his role as agent â€Å"XXX† where he would also sport tattoos. One of the things Levine discovered about Buddhism is that it is very open-minded into tolerating anything that would compliment it. Buddhist teachings, particularly the Zen school of thought, say that if an individual can be one with that particular subject, that is also Buddhism.Levine himself will attest that punk rock, contrary to what conservative thinkers may think, is not anathema to society at all. This is, of course, looking at it from a Buddhist perspective. Other people tend to view punk rock as wild, violent and to a certain extent, destru ctive. As Levine would also admit, he turned to punk rock as a way of defying the status quo of his generation, much like his parents were part of the â€Å"hippie† movement as an expression of defiance of the status quo of their own generation as well (Levine, 2003, p.  34).The nice thing about Buddhism is that it has a way of channeling the excess energy away from the destructive path. If there was one other thing that Levine learned from his enlightenment, it is that death is not the answer to his problems when he was attempting to commit suicide. For most people, to take one's life is the way of the loser, notwithstanding the â€Å"samurai† concept of suicide where they would take their own lives to erase the stigma of the shame. It does not apply here and this can be interpreted in several ways.From the Hindu/Buddhist perspective, there is the concept of â€Å"karma† and reincarnation where one's conduct in the present life would have an influence on what will become of them in the next. While these beliefs recognize death (as a natural occurrence), it does not encourage people to commit suicide. Based on â€Å"karma,† the one who commits suicide might find himself or herself reincarnated in a much lower life form because of this and surely, no one would like to be reborn as an animal or a microscopic organism!In most beliefs, death is not the end, but rather the beginning of the next phase, provided it would be allowed to take its natural course. Committing suicide would disrupt the grand design for the individual in the universe. One notable aspect of Buddhist Dharma is the direction one's path will be, depending on the choices made. Levine's somewhat troubled past serve as the basis of his writings and teachings. â€Å"We all sort of have a different doorway to dharma or spiritual practice. Suffering is a doorway.For me it was the suffering of addiction, violence and crime which opened me at a young age, 17 years old. I w as incarcerated, looking at the rest of my life in prison and thought, ‘Maybe I will try dad's hippie meditation bullshit. ‘ Suffering opened me to the possibility of trying meditation. † (Levine, 2003, p. 246) All in all, â€Å"Dharma Punx† is not only an autobiography, it is a spiritual journey of one individual who has endured probably the worst life can throw at him, send him on the wrong direction but through corrective â€Å"enlightenment,† was able to bounce back and become spiritually whole again.And if the spirit is â€Å"whole,† the physical body will follow as well. Noah Levine went through hell and came out of it intact. If this were to be applied in international relations, one thing Buddhism can teach is violence and hatred is not the answer to the problems in the world. Buddhist teachings teach compassion and empathy and if nations would like to establish close relations with one another, they have to begin by establishing a spir itual connection which is first done by â€Å"letting go† of one's self.Buddhism teaches that the reason why there is so much suffering in this world is due to worldly desires. In international relations, the struggle for power often puts nations at odds with one another and this often leads to wars. Buddhism teaches the opposite, in letting go of these desires and to empathize. In doing do, not only are friendly relations established, but one's own interests will be met by others and one need not worry about it anymore.Finally, â€Å"Dharma Punx† is a very enlightening book which is highly recommended to anyone, not necessarily to those who went through the same ordeal as the author went. The author had been there and had done that yet he would not encourage anyone to go through it. Nevertheless, the book is very helpful for anyone who needs to be steered to the right direction of real happiness which is something no worldly goods can provide.

Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of globalization

Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of globalization Globalization can be defined in a variety of ways since it is a very important term as it influences the global economies. It can be defined as the movement toward communications, financial, economic, and trade integration. Globalization entails opening out beyond nationalistic and local perspectives to a wider outlook of an interdependent and interconnected world through free transfer of goods, services, and capital over national frontiers. Globalization is a term that is frequently employed to place a trend in the direction of increased flow of ideas, money, goods, and services across national borders and the resultant consolidation of the global economy (Waters 2001, pg.36). Globalization is closely related to international trade which can be defined as the exchange of goods, services, and capital across territories or national border. The increase in the international trade enhances the continuance of globalization. If there were no international trade, then apparently nations w ould not get access to the variety of goods and services produced in different nations of the world (World Bank 2008, pg.56). It has been found that globalization does not involve unhindered labor movement, and as intimated by some economists, globalization may hurt fragile or smaller economies if practiced indiscriminately. Globalization is generally recognized as being goaded by a combination of technological, political, economic, biological and socio-cultural factors. From some other perspective, globalization can refer to the multinational circulation of languages, popular culture, or ideas by acculturation (Tomlinson 1999, pg. 123). This paper will provide an outstanding analysis of the weaknesses and strengths the term globalization. Strengths of globalization Supporters of globalization contend that globalization can possibly better the world economically by solving many problems which are deep-seated for example poverty and unemployment. According to the economic theory, inc reased globalization will lower the wage of unskilled labor in developed nations and raise the wage of unskilled labor within the developing nations as the two groups start to trade with each other. Globalization generates resources and encourages the transfer of ideas that can be utilized for both individual and community improvement. Among many other things, globalization makes rural economic diversification and agricultural productivity gains more achievable. Globalization also makes environmental stewardship, improved conditions of living, and food security more attainable. Due to globalization, the marginal can now get the opportunity to exhibit themselves in the world market (Bauman 1998, pg.121). Globalization encourages the industrialized nations to provide significant market places for exports of poor individuals within poor countries. The global agricultural and food companies can assist the third world countries incorporate required safety, and quality practices by gettin g access to markets in developed nations. Since globalization means delocalization of various enterprises within the word, many people can get access to many industries and in due course globalization promotes economic growth in the global world, brings about competition among companies, enables producers and retailers to reduce the prices of various commodities so that consumers can afford them and therefore increases the demand on the commodities. Because of the increased efficiency, the welfare is raised by offering more affordable goods and services such that the purchasing power is increased. Globalization reallocates capital and labor to more efficient and effective lines of production. Globalization helps poor countries by infusions of technology and foreign capital which enhances economic development. The economic development due to globalization brings modern ways of connecting people, from roads to electricity to telecommunications. The global companies offer training to e mployees and provide time, money and talent that helps them to address needs of the community, lifting communal and individual aspirations and providing ways for accomplishing them. Since globalization brings about spreading of prosperity, it enables various countries to possess conditions in which respect for human right and democracy can flourish (Appadurai 1996, pg.65).

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Globalization - Essay Example Understanding this reality is part and parcel of seeking to understand the means by which the transnational and national are juxtapose with one another in the film. A perfect example of this is with regards to the scene construction, costume design, and representation of tradition that is denoted with regards to the police academy. What is represented is a police academy, norms and traditions that are indicative of the British colonial and postcolonial governments that ruled over the region of Hong Kong for well over a century. Within these scenes, British uniforms, traditions, salutes, and other social constructs are clearly evidenced. This is of course represented to be a traditional understanding of Hong Kong culture and nationalism. Although the pure and true definition of this harkens back to a prior colonial influence, the viewer is nonetheless engaged with an appreciation for the fact that these traditions and norms have a common relationship to the cultures, norms, and tradit ions of Hong Kong and the modern interpretation of how it views itself. Alongside this traditional and somewhat stiff interpretation of morality, culture, and tradition, there exists an underworld of fast-paced, luxurious, sexy, well-dressed villains that seek to exploit individuals from Hong Kong and around the world by various acts of illegality. Although it is not a new construct to cast and symbolize the criminal elements as having large amounts of wealth, influence, and power, the particular film in question draws a very strong level of parallel between the fact that a very local, domestic, and national police force finds itself in a position of engaging with a national crime syndicate that operates on a global level and can easily leverage influence far beyond that which the...The analyst does not need to look very hard in order to discern how this is first represented. A careful fabric of images, tacit understanding, music, and scene construction all put forward an understand ing and notion that a conflict exists between the domestic and the â€Å"other†. Although this could easily been represented in many different jurisdictions or locations around the globe, the setting of Hong Kong is unique due to the fact that it has only recently experienced a change in governmental/protectorate status. Understanding this reality is part and parcel of seeking to understand the means by which the transnational and national are juxtapose with one another in the film. Although the pure and true definition of this harkens back to a prior colonial influence, the viewer is nonetheless engaged with an appreciation for the fact that these traditions and norms have a common relationship to the cultures, norms, and traditions of Hong Kong and the modern interpretation of how it views itself. the reader can come to an appreciation for how national and transnational issues are related to the viewer within the film in question. Although many of the mechanisms which are utilized by the filmmakers have been utilized in many other films previously, they are nonetheless effective in engaging the viewer with an understanding of the fact that a litany of different factors impact upon the plot in question. So, we can safely assume that a film instead is able to engage the viewer with an appreciation by which both entities question leverage an understanding and application of a national and transnational approach.

Analyse and assess the key issues in managing conflict within the Essay

Analyse and assess the key issues in managing conflict within the workplace, with special regard to the relative decline in indu - Essay Example Either of these will be used depending on the scenario at hand, which is a task befalling HR managers, as they must correctly assess the scenario and identify which conflict management style would be effective. From a broader perspective, HR professionals should look to equipping their workforce with not only technical skills but also intercultural and interpersonal skills to enable them deal with the rising pressure (Trudel and Reio 2011, p.395). Conflicts at the workplace are inevitable and need not be feared as non-existence of them indicates unhealthy work relationships. The focus should be on making the conflicts constructive as constructive conflicts are characterized by increased cooperation, stronger relationships, improved outcome quality, being mostly cognitive and separating the person from the problem. Therefore, managers should look to proper handling of conflicts rather than eliminating them all together so as to reap these benefits. The primary tool of handling conflic ts is communication, according to the communication systems approach, where conflicts are seen to be a result of failed or poor communication between the conflicting parties. There are elements within communication systems established in an organization, where the elements are the parties communicating, medium being used and messages being sent and/or received. When these elements are interconnected, the communication systems adopted may trigger the process of conflict. Hence, managers are urged to set up proper communication systems to ensure that where conflicts arise, they are constructive (Collins 2008, p.6). Following the communication systems approach, conflicts are viewed as episodes that occur during the process of communication. These episodes come about when the aforementioned elements interconnect and subsequently all the elements affect the conflict process and its outcomes. In addition, according to this approach, the conflict process arises in two contexts- physical an d psychological, where the former refers to the attributes of the actual physical environment such as the size of the room, noise in the surrounding area and how furniture is arranged within the room. The latter refers to culture of an organization that determines how communication will take place; both these contexts affect the way in which the sender constructs the message and the way the recipient interprets it (Collins 2008, p.6). Regardless of the approach to be adopted, HR should understand that failure to properly handle conflicts within the workplace increases the level along with frequency of future conflicts. This goes on to affect productivity, job performance and employee learning. Closely linked to conflict management styles is workplace incivility as it is seen to determine the outcome. Workplace incivility refers to individual responses to certain scenarios that are brought about by negative actions. These responses may be counterproductive and as such should be monit ored to avoid further escalation and repeat of workplace conflicts. When dealing with conflicts it is important to look into the instigators together with the targets of deviant behaviour; and also consider that deviant behaviour could be a trigger, cause or outcome of workplace conflicts. Additional exchanges as a result of deviant behaviour create a conflict spiral where a conflict will be seen to escalate and possibly spread to ‘

Environment, soil survey and land suitability assessment for Coursework

Environment, soil survey and land suitability assessment for conservation management - Coursework Example Center of discussion in this paper is a land-use as a kind of land use which is described in terms of its products as well as management practices. For efficient reconnaissance surveys being conducted at the national levels, highly generalized descriptions may be adequate i.e. â€Å"wildlife habitat†, â€Å"forestry conservation†. At district as well as lower levels, it is vital to specify the use in more details. Such descriptions usually serve two purposes. First they are the basis of determining the requirements for use. Secondly, the management specifications can be used as the basis for the extension services as well as the planning for the necessary inputs. The particular land use requirements are usually illustrated by the land qualities required for the sustained production. A land quality is a very complex attribute of land which usually has a direct effect on the land use. The various examples are the availability of water, nutrients, rooting conditions and er osion hazards. Most of the given lands qualities are determined by the interaction of the several land characteristics as well as measurable attributes of a land. For example, the quality â€Å"availability of water† is usually determined by the potential balance between the water demand as well as the water supply. The water demand is the potential evaporation from the surface of the crop as well as the soil whereas the water supply is determined by the rainfall, infiltration, water storage in the soil and the ability of the grassland to extract the stored water. After selection of the relevant land qualities, it is vital to decide which particular land characteristics are to be used for measuring them. For instance, the quality â€Å"erosion hazard† demands information on rainfall intensity, slope angle as well as soil properties. A compromise is then reached between the characteristics that most define the given land quality with those that are less precise. Land evaluation can also at times be conducted directly in terms of the land characteristics i.e. by using rainfall as opposed to water availability, slope angle instead of erosion hazards. Despite the above, the following are the land suitability constraints that are imposed by the interaction of the soil, climate, topographic, hydrological as well as the geological factors. Mapping of land units and their characteristics The land is first identified as a basis for diagnosis of problems. The given units are then mapped into more details i.e. by dividing the land

Teenage pregnancy a crtically debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Teenage pregnancy a crtically debate - Essay Example Efforts had been undertaken to resolve the said situation. From a total of 42,988 cases in 2007, the number of teenage pregnancy decreased by 3.9% in 2008 which is equivalent to 41,325. Although the government failed to achieve the goal of cutting the number pregnancy rates by 50% from that of 1999, significant results had been recorded. In other regions such as the North East, the highest rate recorded had been in 2008 specifically for pregnant cases under 18 years old at 4.9% while East of England had the lowest rate, 3.14% (Department for Children Schools and Families, 2009) In the social context, teenage pregnancy is viewed on varying light on the basis of the effects that it can bring about to the life of the young teenage mother, the child and the people related. One side criticizes the situation on the basis of the negative effects of teenage pregnancy. On the other side, opposing groups can perceive the presence of positive attribute in the event of a teenage girl’s pregnancy. (This one has no reference because it’s my point of view). Due to the significant effects of the issue on teenage pregnancy, a presentation and study of the opposing sides had been undertaken. The study is aimed to present the two sides of the issue on teenage pregnancy on the basis of the negative effects and the positive effects. Resolutions to the issue on teenage pregnancy are being established and applied to be able to lessen the negative effects and repercussions on the life of the people involved such as the young mother, the baby, the immediate family and the community. There are different detrimental effects associated with teenage pregnancy. One negative effect is in the physiological aspect of both the mother and the baby. It had been known that there is a considerably high level of health risk associated to the teenage pregnancy (Blank, Goyder and Peters, 2003). Included in the health risks are poor mental health for the baby, the mother and other

The First Continental Congress Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The First Continental Congress - Research Paper Example Each colony sent representatives to the Congress except Georgia which did not want to jeopardize the aid of British troops which were needed in that colony to help fend off Indian attacks. These representatives were not of one mind, however. The historically significant meeting of 54 men which included George Washington, John Adams and Patrick Henry were divided in purpose. Some delegates such as John Adam’s cousin Samuel Adams favored democratizing the colonies though were not yet suggesting forming their own country, at least not publically. Others insisted resolving the issues with Britain were the only sensible way and the meeting’s only intention. The convening of the First Continental Congress was meant to unite the colonies and gain the attention of the Mother Country and in that, its goal was accomplished. The colonists had considered themselves British citizens for the approximately century and a half they had been in America and likely would have continued thi s loyalty to country if the British Parliament and King George III had not restricted trade, increased taxation and permitted Colonies seats in House of Commons. Britain and France were engaged in costly battles both in Europe and America. Desperate to raise funds to pay back debts caused by continued military endeavors, Britain passed the Sugar Act on April 5, 1774 which not only levied a tax on American sugar but prohibited the importation of rum and French wine. The Stamp Act followed the next year requiring stamps to be purchased to sell many common products such as newspapers and playing cards. Stamps are still required today on liquor and cigarettes. Britain justified the tax claiming it was to pay for the protection provided its soldiers to protect citizens from Indian raids, a reason that did fell on deaf ears. Since 1770 the majority of colonists had been against British soldiers occupying America. On March 5th of that year tensions between soldiers and citizens reached its peak when soldiers fired shots into a taunting mob throwing ice-balls and sharp oyster shells at them. The event is popularly known as the Boston Massacre, an incident that might have escalated into all-out war at that time if not for John Adams. He successfully defended the British soldiers against a backdrop of a mob-mentality existing in Boston and spreading through Massachusetts along with the other colonies. (â€Å"American Revolution,† (2012). Following the Boston Massacre, Parliament abolished the Townshend tax which ended the taxes on just about everything except tea which led to another historical event. In December, 1773, colonists disguised as Indians boarded several English ships anchored in Boston Harbor. They tossed 342containers of tea into the sea to protest the tax and British occupation. George Washington, a member of the Virginia House, was concerned this overreaction to a three pence tax would cause the British, known for their ruthless tactics, to retali ate. Samuel Adams, leader of the Sons of Liberty, was â€Å"convinced that the tea duty had to be stopped at all costs and that their symbolic action had aroused America from its slumber.† (Chorlton, 2011 p. 34). Unlike Washington, they were happy because it forced American colonists to take sides. In May of 1774, Parliament passed the Massachusetts Government Act which nullified the Colony’s Charter and made town meetings illegal. The Administration of Justice Act soon followed. It allowed for British

Legal Concepts Worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal Concepts Worksheet - Essay Example Federal courts - supercede jurisdiction over state courts. In order to file a lawsuit in federal court there must be a federal question or diversity in jurisdiction. A state action will not lie in federal court. Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court - The US supreme court trumps all courts. It is the law of the land and all courts bow to it. The decisions of the supreme court guide all courts in the nation on how to rule on a specific issue. A judge must not rule in a manner that is contra to established supreme court law. Judicial restraint - The court will restrain itself from ruling on areas not with in the ambit of the legal question before them. However sometimes, we can take a guess on their stance on a particular issue by reading the dissenting opinion, stare decisis or dicta. Subject-matter jurisdiction - the court must have the authority to decide a particular issue. For example, the small claims courts in New York cannot have jurisdiction in a matter that requests over three thousand in damages. Personal jurisdiction - the defendant must either reside, or live in the state that the action is commenced in or there is no jurisdiction. When this happens, you start to look at long arm jurisdiction possibilities. Class-action suits - an action that is brought by a class of people. This does not mean that a group of friends get together to bring a suit.

COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN CHINA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN CHINA - Essay Example A large number of new operas on modern and historical themes were created, and previous operas continued to be performed. As a trendy form of art, opera has often been the foremost of the arts to highlight transformations in Chinese policy. For instance, in the middle period of 1950, it was the first to gain from the Hundreds Flowers Campaign. Identically, the November 1965 criticism on Wu Han, the deputy mayor of Beijing and his historical play indicated the start of the Cultural Revolution. In the Cultural Revolution, a large number of opera soldiers were dismissed, scriptwriters and performers were singled out, and all operas apart from the eight model operas endorsed by Jiang Qing and her partners were outlawed. Also, Western-style plays were damned as poisonous weeds and dead drama and were not presented. After the demise of the Gang of four in 1976, Beijing opera was restored and continued to be an extremely admired form of entertainment both on television and in theaters (Chu, 1977). This paper will discuss the role of revolutionary model operas in the 1960s and 70s in the People’s Republic of China. ... Therefore, if people were to comprehend the features of modernity, that is, the life situations developed by the modern societies and institutional elements of modern societies, then they should give a core responsibility to the establishment of communication media and their effect (Thompson, 1995a). In addition, there was a revival of the Western-style Theater following the Cultural Revolution. A large number of works that were created, and banned and revised from abroad and China were restored in the national collection. A large number of the new acts stressed at the perimeters of imaginative freedom and were condemned and commended, on the basis of the political situation. One of the most vocal of the novel class of playwrights was Sha Yexin. He developed a contentious play, The Imposter, in 1979, which dealt unsympathetically with the prerequisites and favoritism given to party associates. In addition, the most widespread entertainment for the Chinese citizens prior to the revolu tionary model operas in the 1960s to 70s entailed public gatherings, art shows, and fireworks displays. Individuals felt tremendous happiness and derived inspiration among the cheering crowds. For instance, Yangge stilt walking and performances became admired shows. The people of People’s Republic of China enjoyed engrossing themselves in carnival groups, in which they felt a rousing spirit of unity. In addition, filmmakers erupted into new eagerness to develop novel performances. Also, this period saw Chinese filmmakers developed a sizeable amount of movies (Clark, 2008). Context in Which the Case Became Significant The people of the People’s Republic of China went through a strenuous period during the 1960s and 1970s. The natural catastrophe during the initial three years

Policing Development and Operation Trends Essay Example for Free

Policing Development and Operation Trends Essay Write a 1,050-1,400-word paper in which you analyze the organizational management, administration, and operational aspects of policing within policing organizations. In your analysis, be sure to evaluate past, present, and future trends pertaining to the continuing development and operation of the field of policing and how these evolutions impact various policing organizations (local, state, federal). Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. You can learn lots in college. It is not only a great place to get an academic education, but you can get a social education, too. When you use the advice from this article, you can make your time in college success and productive and the best time of your life.

Merger and Acquisition Essay Example for Free

Merger and Acquisition Essay Indian Trade Unions In India the Trade Union movement is generally divided on political lines. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, trade unions had a combined membership of 24,601,589 in 2002. As of 2008, there are 11 Central Trade Union Organizations (CTUO) recognized by the Ministry of Labour These are different recognized Central Trade organizations All India Central Council of Trade Unions All India Central Council of Trade Unions, a central trade union federation in India. AICCTU is politically attached to Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, AICCTU had a membership of 639,962 in 2002. The affiliated unions of All India Central Council of Trade Unions are * All India Agrarian Labourers Association * All India Construction Workers Federation * Bengal Chatkal Mazdoor Federation is a trade union of jute mill workers in West Bengal, India.[1] The union is affiliated to the All India Central Council of Trade Unions. * Bunkar Mahasabha is a trade union of weavers in Varanasi, India. Bunkar Mahasabha was formed in 2001 * Rajasthan Nirman Mazdoor Sangathan (Rajasthan Construction Workers Organization) is a trade union of construction workers in Rajasthan, India. RNMS is affiliated to All India Central Council of Trade Unions. The President of RNMS is Shrilata Swaminathan. * The Tamil Nadu Democratic Construction Labour Union is a trade union of construction workers in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. TNDCLU is affiliated with the All India Central Council of Trade Unions. TNDCLU hopes to increase its membership to 15,000 during 2005. * Indo Japan Air Services Staff Union (IJASSU) is a registered staff union of Indo Japan Air Services Private Limited (a 100% subsidiary of Japan Airlines Company Limited) under the Indian Trade Unions Act 1926 having registration no. F-10/RTU/E/06/11. Indo Japan Air Services Staff Union is affiliated to All India Central Council of Trade Unions * All India General Kamgar Union * Building Workers Union * DTC Unity Centre * Mahila Kamgar Union * Khet Mazdoor Sabha All India Trade Union Congress The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) is the oldest trade union federations in India and one of the five largest. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, AITUC had a membership of 2,677,979 in 2002. It was founded on 31 October 1920 in Bombay by Lala Lajpat Rai and a few others and, until 1945 when unions became organised on party lines, it was the primary trade union organisation in India. Since then it has been associated with the Communist Party of India. AITUC is governed by a body headed by National President Ramedra Kumar and General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, both the politician affiliated with Communist Party of India. AITUC is a founder member of the World Federation of Trade Unions. Today, its institutional records are part of the Archives at the Nehru Memorial Museum Library, at Teen Murti House, Delhi Following are the affiliated unions to the All India Trade Union Congress * Andhra Pradesh Auto Rickshaw Drivers and Workers Federation,. a trade union of auto rickshaw drivers in Andhra Pradesh, India. APARDWF is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress * Andhra Pradesh Mica Mine Workers Union A.P. Mica Mine Workers Union, a trade union of mica mine labourers in the Gudur minesfields in Andhra Pradesh, India. APMMU is affiliated to All India Trade Union Congress. APMMU claims a membership of 1200 out of a total of 7000 workers. Andhra Pradesh is one of the three leading areas where mica is mined in India. India produces roughly 62% of the worlds mica but in recent years other materials substituting mica in its main applications (such as electronics) have impacted the price and mining of mica in India. * Calcutta Hawkers Men Union is a trade union of hawkers in Kolkata. CHMU was founded in 1971. CHMU is affiliated to All India Trade Union Congress. Its membership is mainly based amongst food vendors. * Federation of Chatkal Mazdoor Unions, a trade union of jute mill workers in West Bengal, India. The union is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. The general secretary of FCMU is Debasish Dutta * Nikhila Orissa Beedi Shramika Federation (All Orissa Beedi Workers Federation), a trade union in Orissa, India, organizing women beedi workers. NOBSF is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. * Patiala Aviation Club Workers Union, a trade union organizing workers at the Patiala Aviation Club in Patiala, Punjab, India. PACWU is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. The president of PACWU is Balinder Kumar Sharma. In the period of 1999-2001 PAC workers were not paid salaries for over two years, something that was highlighted by the PACWU. * Pondicherry Textile Labour Union, a trade union of textile workers in Puducherry, India. PTLU is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. The secretary of PTLU is V.S. Abishegam. * Powerloom Workers Union, a trade union of powerloom workers in Andhra Pradesh, India. PWU is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. The president of PWU is S. Mallesham. * Punjab Breweries Workers Union, a trade union of brewery workers in Punjab, India. PBWU is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. The president of PBWU is gurbir singh and the general secretary Kishan Chand * Vegetable Market Workers Union, a trade union in Andhra Pradesh, India. VMWU is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress. The president of VMWU is Moulana. * Visakha Steel Workers Union, a trade union of steel workers at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, in Visakhapatnam, India. VSWU is affiliated with the All India Trade Union Congress. In March 2008 VSWU, contesting union elections in coalition with the CITU-affiliated Steel Plant Employees Union, regained the union recognition at the plant. The AITUC-CITU front won 6,597 votes against 4,361 votes for the INTUC-affiliated Visakha Steel Employees Congress. All India United Trade Union Centre The All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), formerly known as United Trade Union Centre (Lanin Sarani) or UTUC-LS, is a Central Trade Union Organisation in India and the labour wing of the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist). Presently its activities are spread over 19 states. The organisation claims to have 600 affiliated unions, comprising an individual membership of over two million. It is the 6th largest trade union in India. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, UTUC-LS had a membership of 1,368,535 in 200 History All India UTUC was founded at a conference held in Kolkata 26–27 April 1958, following a split in the United Trade Union Congress. Initially it used the name UTUC, but in the general media it was referred to as UTUC (Dharamtala Street) (where it had its offices) to distinguish it from the original UTUC. In 1969, at the initiative of Subodh Banerjee, West Bengal State Committee President of the organisation and PWD Minister in anti-Congress United Front Government in the state, the name of the street was changed to Lenin Sarani. Thus the new name of the organisation became UTUC (Lenin Sarani). In the 17th UTUC(LS) conference held in Delhi in 1985 the organisation was renamed as United Trade Union Centre (Lenin Sarani). In the 18th conference held in 1992 in Calcutta Lenin Sarani was un-bracketed, implying that it no longer referred to the name of the street where the office is located but became an integral part of the name of the organisation which was thereafter known as United Trade Union Centre-Lenin Sarani (UTUC-LS). The 19th all India conference of the organization held in Delhi on 27 March 2008 approved the change of name to All India United Trade Union Centre (All India UTUC) Activities The All India UTUC is functioning in both formal and informal sectors. In informal sector, the most important segment where it has been working from the very inception is agriculture. In the formal sectors All India UTUC has unions, federations and activities in basic, heavy and key industries and important service sectors like Iron and Steel, Engineering, Electricity, Coal and Non-Coal Mines, Railways, Port and Dock, Road-Transport, Banks and Financial Institutions, Insurance, Central and State Government Services. On the basis of its membership strength All India UTUC has been recognised as a Central Trade Union Organisation by the Government of India and has its representations in apex level tripartite committees as well as in International Labour Conferences (ILC) of the ILO. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (Indian Workers Union) is the largest central trade union organization in India. It was founded by Dattopantji Thengdi on July 23, 1955, which also happens to the birthday of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The BMS itself claims to have over 8.3 million members. At present it is estimated around 5860 unions are affiliated to the BMS. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, the BMS had a membership of 6,215,797 in 2002.It can also be noted that the BMS is not affiliated to any International Trade Union Confederation. History BMS was founded on 23 July 1955 – the day being the birth anniversary of Lok Manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak – veteran of Freedom Movement. Two important aspects stand out in connection with this: (a) Formation of BMS was not the result of split in the existing trade union organisations, unlike in the case of almost all other trade unions. Hence it had the formidable responsibility of building its organisational structure from the grass root level. It started from zero having no trade union, no membership, no activist (karyakarta), no office and no fund. (b) On the very first day it was visualised as a trade union whose base-sheet anchors – would be Nationalism, would work as a genuine trade union, keeping itself scrupulously away from party politics. This was also unlike other trade unions which were linked to one or the other political party, overtly or otherwise. Aims and Objective (a) To establish ultimately the Bharatiya order of society in which there shall be secured among other things: i. Complete utilisation of manpower and resources leading to full employment and maximum production. ii. Replacement of profit motive by service motive and establishment of economic democracy resulting in equitable distribution of wealth to the best advantage of all individual citizens and of the national as a whole. iii. Development of autonomous industrial communities forming part and parcel of the nation, culminating in ‘Labourisation of industry’ iv. Provision of work with living wage to every individual through maximum industrialisation of the nation. (b) With a view to enable the workers to strive successfully for the ultimate realisation of the above objects and to strengthen them, in the meanwhile, to make their own contribution to the cause of protecting and promoting their interest consistent with those of the community: v. To assist workers in organis ing themselves in trade unions as a medium of service to the motherland irrespective of faiths and political affinities. vi. To guide, direct, supervise and coordinate the activities of the affiliated unions. vii. To assist the affiliated unions in the formation of state BMS units and Industrial Federations as constituent units of the BMS and viii. To bring about unity in the trade union movement. (c) To secure and preserve for the workers: ix. The right to work, the right for security of service and for social security, the right to conduct trade union activities and the right to strike as a last resort after having exhausted other legitimate methods of trade unionism for redressal of grievances. x. Improvement in conditions of work, life and social and industrial status. xi. A living wage consistent with a national minimum and due share in the profits in their respective industries as partners. xii. Other appropriate amenities xiii. Expeditious enforcement and appropriate amendment of existing labour legislation in their interest and xiv. Enactment of new labour laws from time to time in consultation with the labour representatives. (d) To inculcate in the minds of the workers the spirit of service, cooperation and dutifulness and develop in them a sense of responsibility towards the nation in general and industry in particular (e) To educate the labour by organising worker’s training classes, study circles, guest lectures, seminars, symposia, excursions etc., in cooperation with institutions and organisations having similar aims and objects such as the Central Board of Workers Education. Labour Research Centre, Universities etc., and also to maintain libraries. (f) To publish or cause publication of journals, periodicals, pamphlets, pictures, books and many other types of literature mainly concerning labor and their interests and to purchase, sell circulate them. (g) To establish, encourage and organize Labor Research Centers and similar activities. (h) Generally to take such other steps as may be necessary to ameliorate the social, economic, cultural, civic and general conditions of the workers. For sound health of workers and society BMS has been against the use of any type of drugs, liquor, alcohol and smoking. (i) To render assistance or to establish cooperative societies, welfare institutions, clubs etc., for the overall welfare of the common man in general and the workers and their families in particular. National Labour Day India has a heritage of thousands of year where the dignity of labour as well as those of labourers was well established. The dire need of the hour is to re-establish the same the Dignity of Labour by observing our own labour day. As also, most of the Nations have their National Labour Day. National Labour Day was rediscovered to be on Vishwakarma Jayanti, Vishwakarma, being the first craftsman – artisan, sculptor, and engineer and in fact the traditional symbol of hard labour. This falls on Kanya Sankranti of each year. BMS, since its inception, has been observing Vishwakarma Jayanti – on 17 September of English Calendar Year as National Labour Day. While functioning since 1955 it has given to the labour movement new slogans benefiting its ideology: * Bharat Mata Ki Jai * We will work in the interest of the country and will take full wage for the work done (Desh ki hit me kam karenge, kam ki lenge poore dham) * The sacrifice, penance and martyrdom are identification of BMS (BMS ki kya pehchan, Tyag, Tapasya aur Balidan) * Understand the value of Capital and Labour is equal and same (Paise aur pasine ki kimmat samjo ek samaan). * Workers unite the world (Mazdooron duniya ko ek karo) * Industrialise the nation, Nationalise the Labour, Labourise the Industry (Rashtra Udyogikaran, Sharamik ka Rashtriyakaran, Udyog ka Mazdoorikaran) * Bonus to all wage earners – as deferred wage (Sabi Vetanbogiyonko der se diya hua vetan ki roop me bonus) * Stop discrimination. Income-ratio should be one and ten. (Bed-bhav bandh karo. Aay ka anupath Ek aur Dus ho) New trends in the trade union movement BMS has contributed quite a few new ideas which have virtually become trend setters. The non-political nature of BMS has now gained currency and has become acceptable not only in India but also abroad. The XII World Trade Union Congress of WFTU, held in Moscow, in 1990, adopted a document to this effect. BMS doesnt believe in class concept and rejects the class theory propounded by Marx. Instead its struggle and fight is against the injustice on workers from whatever quarters. Being non-political, its attitude towards any democratically elected government is governed by the principle of â€Å"Responsive Co-operation†. BMS idea of â€Å"Labourisation† of Industries – a stage where workers would collectively own and manage the industrial units has initiated a national debate on it. This experiment has been successfully undertaken in New Central Jute Mills, West Bengal. New Economic Policy (NEP) and New Industrial Policy (NIP) While opposing the above policies BMS was first to give slogan for 2nd war of economic independence. At the same time it has suggested some positive alternatives. It has vigorously condemned the object surrender to the conditionality of the IMF and WB as that would amount to giving up our sovereignty. BMS considers the movement as an opportunity to build up Swadeshi Model of Economy. Hence it has inspired movement for the use of Swadeshi (Indigenous) Products as against the foreign or MNC products. It has offered to cooperate in turning the loss making PSUs profitable where practicable, it has agreed to induce the workers to take up their unit to run them on sound lines. To curb excessive profiteering, which is the main culprit behind price rise; it has suggested that the Government should take steps to make the consumer aware of the cost of production of each product to daily use. This awareness will serve as a watch dog to restrain the prices. BMS is also of the view that for creating enough job opportunities, agricultural development should get more attention as also agro-based and small and tiny industries. Vishwakarma Sector (Self-employment sector) should get more encouragement than at present. On modern technology, BMS while not being antagonistic would prefer developing our own technology based on indigenous and traditional knowledge to best suit our conditions. From this angle national technology policy should be drawn. Indian National Trade Union Congress Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) is the trade union wing of the Indian National Congress. It was founded May 3, 1947, and is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation Objectives of INTUC To establish an order of society which is free from hindrance in the way on an all round development of its individual members, which fosters the growth of human personality in all its aspects and goes to the utmost limit in progressively eliminating social political or economic exploitation and inequality, the profit motive in the economic activity and organization of society and the anti-social concentration in any form. To place industry under national ownership and control in suitable form in order to realize the aforesaid objectives in the quickest time. * To organize society in such a manner as to ensure full employment and the best utilization of its manpower and other resources. * To secure increasing association of the worker in the administration of industry and their full participation in its control. * To promote generally the social civic and political interest of the working class to secure an effective and complete organization of all categories of workers, including agricultural labour. * To guide and co-ordinate the activities of the affiliated organizations. * To assist and co-ordinate the activities of the affiliated organizations. * To assist in the formation of trade unions. * To promote the organization of workers of each industry on a nation-wide basis. * To assist in the formation of Regional or Pradesh Branches or Federations. * To secure speedy improvement of conditions of work and life and of the status of the workers in industry and society. * To obtain for the workers various measures of social security, including adequate provision in respect of accidents, maternity, sickness, old age and unemployment. * To secure a living wage for every worker in normal employment and to bring about a progressive improvement in the workers standard of living. * To regulate hours and other conditions of work in keeping with the conditions of the workers and to ensure the proper enforcement of legislation for the protection and up-lift of labour. * To establish just industrial relations. * To secure redressal of grievances, without stoppages of work, by means of negotiations and conciliation and failing these by arbitration or adjudication. * To take recourse to other legitimate method, including strikes or any suitable form of satyagraha, where adjudication is not applied and settlement of disputes within a reasonable time by arbitration is not available for the redress of grievances. * To make necessary arrangements for the efficient conduct satisfactory and speedy conclusion of authorized strikes or satyagraha. * To foster the spirit of solidarity, service, brotherhood co-operation and mutual help among the workers. * To develop in the workers a sense of responsibility towards the industry and community. * To raise the workers standard of efficiency and discipline.

A Critical Analysis Of Fast Food

A Critical Analysis Of Fast Food The paper is an essay a critical analysis of fast food. Both arguments for and against fast food are brought forth and thoroughly explained. A brief history of first food also constitutes part of this essay. It has been argued that change is as good as rest. The development of fast food was instigated by swift pace of life, the need to save time, energy, engaging in other activities other than cooking and spending time in the field and hectic schedule currently experience by the working human populations. Fast food is refers to those kinds of food that are prepared and ready to be eaten within the shortest time possible. Additionally, fast food constitute foodstuffs that are available for sale in restaurants and stores made up of ingredients that that can be preheated or precooked without any problem and served in a take away form (Egerton Bleidt 13). Fast foods are characterized by high fat content, high calories, high cholesterol, and quick, convenient and high sodium concentration. Similarly, it is inexpensive made from ingredients that are cheap such as fat meat and refined grains. These kinds of foods are not only available in restaurants but also in vending equipment as well as 24-hour expediency stores. According to Brown 1, U.S.A had the number of fast food restaurants about 14,000 followed by Japan which had approximately 4,000 restaurants. Globally, there are close to 11, 000 restaurants that serve fast food as at 2008. Additionally, close to 10 million people are served with fast food in the entire world in any given day. It is worth noting that although fast food has gain popularity, there are disadvantages as well as advantages of the same which thus forms the backbone of this paper. Examples of fast food include the following, sandwiches, hot dogs, pitas, fried chicken, French fries, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, hamburgers, fish and chips and ice cream to mention but a few (Egerton Bleidt 313). 2.0 History of fast food History of fast food can be linked to urbanization as well as the various activities done by certain persons within the community for instance soldiers, shepherds, hunters among others who were in need of foodstuffs that can be consumed very fast and of course far from homes. Historically, in the past men were born to work in the field while women were to spend most of their lives in activities associated with the kitchen which include cooking. When we consider family size, the work done by a woman for instance cooking for a family of 10 for a full year using the tradition way of chopping, grinding is nothing but slavery. For instance, in Mexico, those families that had no servant in their disposal, a woman could spend over five hours preparing dough and waking as early as 3:00am in the morning to prepared breakfast (Laudan 38). The need to change this scenario is attributed to development of fast food. In the wake of 20th century Italy enjoyed the first pasta made from a factory and canned tomatoes. Later, Japanese women were relieved from waking up early to prepared bread by simply buying bread baked in factories. Similarly, in Greece, barley was roasted so that it can be eaten straight or mixed with milk, water or butter. In Mexico and the Aztecs, they roasted and ground maize. Further development followed in coming up with fast food and eventually supermarkets opened their doors in Eastern Europe making people enjoyed convenience and reliability of ready made food. This is what was needed over this long period of time; food that was fast can be preserved, affordable and processed. 3.0 Arguments supporting fast food It is worth noting from the onset that there is a tussle between supporters and opponents of fast food. According to Laudan 34, those against the idea of fast food lack appreciation by demeaning the efforts of and home economists that have tried to come up with crops that have very high yield and recipes for our daily meals respectively. 3.1. Saves time The most notable argument brought forth in support of fast food is that it saves time as well as convenience. Considering the fact that the current society is characterized with hectic work schedule making individuals be very busy most of their times, no time is available for them to look for food (Egerton Bleidt 203). Hence, fast food comes in handy. It is worth noting that minimal time is spend by visiting those restaurant as customers are served quickly, the time that could be lost in waiting for other foods to be cooked or cooking at home can be used to do other things. Additionally, the traditional role of men working in the fields and women spending almost their entire life in cooking for their families has changed as they can engage in other activities that are profitable to the society. On the same note fast food save time in the context that one will not engage in all those activities of buying, cleaning such food stuffs, cooking as well as washing dishes. It is also true that when one gets home after a tiresome day thus very tired and bored, the efforts needed to cook can be substituted with having fast food which are considered God sent especially during such moments. 3.2 Saves money Similarly, fast foods are cheaper. This is because they are made from cheaper ingredients such as refined grains, meat with a lot of fat among others instead of ingredients that are expensive and nutritious such as vegetables, lean meat and fresh fruits. On the same note considering people who live alone, the expenses of cooking are much higher compared to when buying fast food. It has been noted that with as low as $5.0 one can get a fulfilling meal without undergoing the numerous hustle of acquiring the same. In addition taking the context of soldiers or those who engage in similar activities, a lot of money is saved when these individual carry processed fast food. One, they will not need energy to cook such food and if need be, energy consumption will be minimal as compared to energy needed to cook à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“slow foodà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢. The money save can be used elsewhere. 3.3 Health advantage Despite the fact that those opposing fast food claim that it results to various problems in human health, it is worth noting that fast foods have contributed to taller and individuals with higher life expectancy. When our ancestors are compared with the current generation, it is evident that we are better off in fighting diseases hence living longer this is thanks to better medication, health science as well as fast food stuffs (Egerton Bleidt 113). 3.4 Sharing and convenience It is evident that fast food are usually packed in away that it can be taken out of the restaurant and eaten from anywhere, be it in the car, office, at the bus station. Additionally, unlike other kinds of food, fast food comes with the absolute advantage of splitting and sharing between or even amongst individuals (Watson 32). On the same note, there are those individual who do not like eating in public places, in this case fast food comes in handy as it can be consumed from any point. On the same note, when one is in a rush, he or she does not need to find a parking space; similarly, one does not need to get out of the car especially during bad whether. 3.5 Provision of employment and revenue generation In the current society, job opportunities have proved to be scarce. The faster growth of this industry globally stands at bout 5% and in the case of India, it stands at 41%. This kind of growth has seen to it a number of individuals are absorbed in this industry easing the problem of unemployment and overdependence on those few individuals who are employed. It is worth noting that the industry provide job opportunities to a range of professionals such as chefs, accountants, drivers, bakers, human resource managers (Lee et al 84). In terms of revenue generation, U.S alone generated about $100 billion in 2000 up from around 6 billion dollars thirty years ago. This value hit $145 billion mark in 2006; this kind of money can be used in various areas of fostering economy of the country such as financial medical care, education building infrastructure and so on. 3.6 Reliability A study carried out asking why individuals bought fast food established that reliability of such kind of food is what propels them to buying them. Fast foods are easy to obtain, are in plenty, varied in nature and readily available. 3.7 Nutritional information Most of the fast food joints have adopted a culture of making available the information concerning nutrients of their food. It is worth mentioning that with such kind of information as well as a number food stuff variety, one has a chance to choose the best kind of food that suits him or her. According to Conway many fast food restaurants provide guideline on nutrition in their menu, and those menus have significantly changed to include various healthy food stuffs for instance salads (Lee et al 77). 3.8 Promoted agriculture Since the ingredients used in making fast5 food are either from plant or animal origin, the rapid development of the industry has tremendously increased the number of individuals who practice crop farming as well as livestock keeping. Considering the large number of chickens, fish, grain mattock and beef needed more and more persons have engaged themselves in agricultural activities with the aim of earning an income as they try to meet the demand of fast food market (Watson 43). It is worth noting that agricultural development and growth especially in third world countries provide a larger portion of the population with job opportunities. This in turn help cut down the escalating number of unemployed citizen in any given country. The economic multiplier effect of expansion in agriculture has resulted to a positive Gross Domestic Product of various countries. 4.0 Arguments against fast food Those individuals that strongly oppose the idea of fast food in most cases cite the health risk the food poses to human kind. They totally disagree with those points brought forth by those who are pro fast food saying that nothing comes first than human health. 4.1 Health issues It has been brought forth that fast foods are characterized by high fat content, high calories, high cholesterol, and quick, high sodium concentration and made from ingredients that are cheap such as fat meat and refined grains. All these pose a greater risk to human health. Prominent scholars and health professionals have linked too much eating of fast food with such health problems as obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disorders, and liver problems. 4.1.1 Heart attack Fast foods are prepared using Trans fat which is an artery-clogging fat. Food prepared using this fat includes French fries as well as chicken nuggets to mention but a few. When an individual takes this kind of food, there are very high chances of such an individual to have higher level of cholesterol which tremendously increases the risk of suffering from heart failures that can be fatal. 4.1.2 Increased high blood pressure As previously mention, fast food contains a good deal of sodium concentration, this aggravates the risk of high blood pressure. Higher concentration of sodium not only causes high blood pressure but also leads to a build up of fluid in those individuals affected by cirrhosis, heart problems as well as kidney disorders (Brennan Carpenter 510). 4.1.3 Obesity According to Wood 21 food such as cheeseburger do contain substantially larger amount of calories than what our body needs. Continual eating of such kind of food means that we accumulate a lot of calories in our body that are not useful leading to individuals being obese. This scenario is a perfect environment thus for a number of serious health problems as heart attack, cancer as well as diabetes. It is important to remember that this leads to other cost. In 2006 it was estimated that approximately $145 billion were spent in buying fast food, the amount coined to treating the problems associated with fast food did surpass the revenue generated. 4.1.4 Liver problem According to Doctor Ballantyne Christine of Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, frequent consumption of fast food leads to liver damage. Since the liver is responsible for purification/filtering of harmful substances as well as producing substances that help breakdown fats, when fast foods are consumed every now and then, the liver will be overloaded and damaged. This in turn leads to very serious health problems that can be fatal. 4.1.5 Stroke A study carried out by the University of Michigan established that those individuals who lived within a walking distance to a restaurant where fast food are sold have 13% chances of suffering from stroke. This is thus linked to the effects of obesity, high blood pressure and so on. 4.2 Addiction It has been documented that fast food is addictive. What this means is that individuals who are used to eating such foods cannot go for long without having a bit of such food. This is despite the fact of the health risk they are posing themselves to. Addiction is attributed to the fact that fast food high in calories, fats, salt and sugar usually reconfigure certain hormones in human body making the body yearn for more fast food (Brennan Carpenter 510). This leads to uncontrolled intake of such kind of foods making it more difficult for an individual to change their eating habits. 4.3 Higher chances of contamination Since fast food constitutes the type of foodstuffs that can be prepared within a very short time, some ingredients especially from plant origin have contaminants. The presence of these contaminants coupled with such cooking methods as frying and grilling do aggravate the problem of carcinogens as well as other kinds of contaminant which are deadly to human health. Additionally, the manner with which fast food are cooked leaves room for survival of microbes this is due to the fact that they are half-cooked. The presence of such microbes usually leads to a suffering from numerous diseases that when not properly and quickly treated lead to death. 4.4 Family bond The issue of fast food has been brought forth as another factor that jeopardizes family bond. This is because no or very minimal time is used in preparing food together, leave alone eating together. Young people are spending more of their time in having a meal with their fellow friends other than their family members (Schlosser 211). Psychologist hold that meal time is a family meeting where each and every member is in a position to share their thought, ideas, problems as well as feelings. This usually helps in strengthening the bond between and among family members. This is in jeopardy during this era of growth in fast food industries. 4.5 Lower nutritional content Fast food has been linked and it is a fact that most of them apart from pizza lack dietary fiber as well as essential micro-nutrients such as vitamin and minerals. It is worth mentioning that food that lack fiber brings with it a number of stomach complication such as constipation. In the same respect, fruit usually lack in this sort of diet. In addition fast food are not nutritionally balanced, this lack of essential nutrients leads to malnutrition to both adults and kids (Arsenault 5). 4.6 Environmental impact Although this can be disputed as mere statement with no facts, the impact of fast food when critically analyzed will leave one puzzled. According to the finding of New Community Project, approximately 15 pounds of grain and close to 2,500 gallons of water is used to come up with one pound of hamburger. Similarly considering the pace with which meat is consumed through fast food, more land will need to be created especially through deforestation to provide enough space to rising up castles, sheep and goats (Brennan Carpenter 507). What this mean is that our natural ecosystems will be interfered with in the long ran leading to serious consequences as species extinction, habitat destruction, global warming and many negative environmental impacts that do have serious and lethal consequences to human beings. Additionally, over reliance on animal food product will mean that both terrestrial and marine life will be overexploited to meet the ever increasing human demand on fast food (Schlosser 300). 4.7 Expensive Although previously it was stated that fast food is inexpensive, that was only true when considering an individual buying such kind of food Vis avis cooking at home. It is important to not that a family visiting or buying fast food once in a while is not that expensive, but when this is done more often, then the amount of money spent can be quite much more as compared to if the family could just buy the food in super market, take the time to prepared it and enjoy a dinner or lunch together as a family (Arsenault 12). Additionally, in fast food joints, even if the whole family goes there, the environment is not very conducive to ensure that each and every family members share their thought, feeling and ideas because the time to spend in such areas are always limited. 5.0 Dealing with the problem On the basis of the argument for and against fast food, it will only be rational if we seriously think and act properly. Proponents of fast food usually say those who that argue against fast food are misplaced, what they need to do is to advocate for high quality processed food. At present, what is needed is to develop a culture that is in line with fast processed food. The culture need to provide choices to individuals, ethos that does not intolerant. It is worth to note that this will create the kind of uniformity we need at the present (Laudan 39). It will be responsible if; Parents do not encourage their kids to frequently eat fast food as well as teaching them on how to eat healthy Parent should lead by example and encourage eating together at home Choosing healthy food with vegetables, less sodium, sugar and fat In cases where one is addicted to such kind of food, efforts should be made to help him/her out of the problem through the various available ways for instance seeing a nutritionist (Laudan 39) 6.0 Conclusion From the review of both arguments for and against fast food, it is very easy for one to advocate doing away with it. But further consideration can make one to on which side to take. Among the arguments brought forth by proponent of fast food include the following; fast food are cheap, convenient, reliable, Saves time, provide an opportunity of sharing, provision of employment and revenue generation among others. On the other hand, the various disadvantages that have been used to argue against fast food include the health concern of such food stuffs, the lower nutritional content, the negative impact it posses to the environment, higher chances of contamination there by increasing the risk of diseases, addiction, destruction or jeopardizing family bond to mention but a few. It is worth mentioning that the types of diseases or health hazard associated with fast food include but not limited to obesity, high blood pressure, liver problems, and heart problems/failure. From my point of view, I do not advocate for doing away with fast food due to its various disadvantages, I thus borrow from what Laudan, Rachel brought forth, that we should not fight the industry and bring it down to its knees but rather champion for further improvement of fast food that will bring out high quality and healthy food. This will indeed ensure that people consume healthy foods and at the same time cushioning those that depend on the industry for their daily bread from economic uncertainty of doing way with the sector.

Essay on The Value of Dreams in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown

Young Goodman Brown: The Value of Dreams Young Goodman Brown The Birthmark Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Birthmark" both make use of dreams to affect the story and reveal the central characters. With each story, the dreams presented are extremely beneficial to the development of the story as they give the reader a new view of the plot itself, or the characters within. At the same time, however, it becomes difficult to determine how much of the dream has been affected by the character, and how much is pure fantasy. This is true with Young Goodman Brown, who cannot determine whether the events in his life actually occurred, or if they simply were created in his troubled mind while he slept. In "The Birthmark," Aylmer too is haunted by his night-time musings as he dreams of mutilating his wife in order to rid her of a small birthmark. This small detail later turns out to foreshadow the conclusion of the story, while giving readers further insight into his diabolical nature. Dreams thusly play an important developmental role in the explica... ...he beauty of his bride, which is, at least, unsettling, until his dream of butchering Georgianna is revealed. Troubled, too is Young Goodman Brown, who can not determine whether or not the incredible visions of the previous night were real. As a precaution, he avoids contact with the dream-related peole and lives the remainder of his life alone, but surrounded by those who were once his friends, associates, and family. As evidenced by these two short stories, we can see the important role that dreams can play in the effective telling of a tale.

Foreshadowing in Oedipus the King and The Marriage of Figaro :: comparison compare contrast essays

Foreshadowing in Oedipus the King and The Marriage of Figaro      Ã‚   `You are the curse, the corruption of the land!'.   With these words, Tiresias, a blind prophet in `Oedipus The King' set the actions in play that would turn king to beggar within the day.   Prophecy and foreshadowing is an important part of playwriting, and adds an element of suspense that is not possible any other way.   Whether it be the witches of MacBeth, the ramblings of Tiresias in Oedipus the King, and Antigone, or whether it is the unrealized foreshadowing by Figaro in `The Marriage of Figaro', foreshadowing gives the reader or the audience something to puzzle themselves over, until the play or novel is actually over.   It would not be a stretch of the imagination to say that some of the greatest plays ever written would be impotent if their elements of foreshadowing was removed.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Foreshadowing is defined, in Webster's dictionary, as `to give a hint or suggestion of beforehand'.   In drama, foreshadowing is generally used for several purposes, including the creation of tension, creation of atmosphere, and adds an element of credibility to a character.   All of these are important elements of a play.   However it is not hard to imagine a play in which more then half of the elements of a plot, namely exposition, discovery, point of attack, complication and crisis all be caused by an act of foreshadowing or prophecy.   Indeed, "Oedipus the King", which was considered the greatest play in history by Aristotle, was one such play.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Oedipus the King" was the story of the King of Thebes, Oedipus, and his dark past history which no one, including himself to a point, was aware of, one that involved abandonment, patricide and incest.   Thebes was beset by a plague, and a delegation was sent to Apollo, the Greek God of healing, where they received instructions to find the murderer of the previous king of Thebes, King Laius.   This form of foreshadowing was necessary for the storyline to have a starting place, and acts not only as foreshadowing, but also as discovery, because it gave new information that moved the plot forwards.   A problem with this is the fact that it requires an act of God, something that Aristotle frowned upon in his definitive text

Analysis of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodice by Muriel Spark Essay

Analysis of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodice by Muriel Spark â€Å"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is a novel about a teacher’s dedication to her pupils. It is also about loyalty and betrayal.† The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is a novel about a teacher’s dedication to her pupils. It is also about loyalty and betrayal. The novel emphasises the effects of dedication, loyalty and betrayal within a small group of people and the way in which they are all intertwined. It forces the reader to look at particular aspects of these themes. When has dedication gone too far? To what extent is loyalty due to another? Can betrayal be justified? These themes are joined when a teacher’s dedication becomes interference in her student’s life forcing that student to retract her loyalty and put a stop to the situation, an action branded by the teacher as â€Å"betrayal†. The most obvious theme in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is that dedication to the young has a definite limit, it should stop at guidance. It becomes evil when it is extended to domination of their and direction of their lives. Miss Brodie is very protective of her class of 1931, she feels the are the ‘crà ¨me de la crà ¨me† and they attract her special dedication. Miss Brodie took them to the theatre, to galleries and museums where they were encouraged to emulate the dedication of powerful female figures such as Pavlova and Sybil Thorndike. However, her dedication is deep: â€Å"These are the years of my prime. You are benefiting by my prime†¦one’s prime is the moment one was born for.† (P44) Miss Brodie believed that her great dedication was in the best interests of her girls. However, it is quite apparent that the girls do not receive a ‘prime’ education. Miss Brodie felt that the knowledge the girls were meant to have for exams was unimportant: â€Å"If there are any intruders, we are doing our history lesson†¦ our poetry†¦ English gramma†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The small girls held up their books with eyes not on them, but on Miss Brodie.† (P11) It is impossible to deny that Miss Brodie had great dedication towards her girls. However, her motives for her dedication and the lengths she goes to are in her own interests rather than in the interests of her girls. Miss Brodie’s dedication to her girls went too far, she went beyond the stage of merely bringing out the best in the girls and began too meddle in their lives: â€Å"It was plain... ... her decision was regrettable but inevitable. The themes of dedication, loyalty and betrayal in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie are all quite closely connected. Miss Brodie is liked to a ‘God’ figure: â€Å"She thinks she is Providence, she thinks she is the God of Calvin, she sees the beginning and the end† (P120) Her dedication is largely focused on her set, who can be seen as her disciples, and Sandy who would therefore be Judus. The difference being that Sandy’s ‘betrayal’ is justified: â€Å"’It’s only possible to betray where loyalty is due,’ said Sandy. ‘Well, wasn’t it due to Miss Brodie?’ ‘Only up to a point,’ said Sandy† (P127) The three themes of dedication, loyalty and betrayal are all closely knit and so they complement each other in the way they are woven into the story. As Miss Brodie’s girls were being formed, Miss Brodie’s nature was also growing and the principals governing the end of her ‘prime’ started with her dedication, climaxed with a breach of loyalty and finished with a betrayal. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie demonstrates clearly that dedication should stop at guidance, that loyalty is due only up to a point and that betrayal can be justifiable.

Meaning and Definition of Philosophy Essay

The term â€Å"Philosophy† is derived from two Greek words, Philia meaning â€Å"to love† or â€Å"to befriend† and, Sophia meaning â€Å"wisdom. † Thus, philosophy, means â€Å"the love of wisdom†. It was coined by Pythagoras, one of the sages of ancient Greece, born about the year 584 B. C. Philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other. As an academic discipline philosophy is much the same. Those who study philosophy are perpetually engaged in asking, answering, and arguing for their answers to life’s most basic questions. To make such a pursuit more systematic academic philosophy is traditionally divided into major areas of study. Characteristics of Philosophy Philosophy is distinguished from theology in that philosophy rejects dogma and deals with speculation rather than faith. Covers areas of inquiry where no facts as such are available. Philosophy attains knowledge, not by making use of the principles or articles of faith, but by the use of the principle of natural cognition, which may be obtained from the investigation of nature and the natural study of things. Methods of Philosophy Philosophy investigates the ultimate causes of things, it is enough for it to part from unquestionable experience. It employs rational inference as its main instrumentality. Hence, it is experiential, but chiefly rational. Philosophy uses the rational method in solving problems. The rational method means not only reasoning but also contemplation combined with and confirmed by experience, observation, reflection and tradition. Philosophy as a Science and as an Art Philosophy is a science that systematically develops a hypothesis with the use of analytical tools that would help resolve the problem through logical reasoning. It is open for debates as a human endeavor to seek the truth through learnt knowledge. Philosophy is an art because you require inherent skills & natural ability to apply the philosophical principles. Philosophy stands at the pinnacle of artistic pursuits. Philosophy is the crystallization of artistic expression. Distinction and Commonalities between Science and Philosophy a) Objects – Both science and philosophy attempts to understand and explain nature and reality. Science asks what and how and is only concerned with measurable data. In philosophy, it also asks why and is also concerned with things that can’t be measured. b) Methods – The methods of both science and philosophy is done through observation and rationality. The only difference is that science uses instruments while philosophy only uses reflection. c) Procedure – Both science and philosophy starts with a thing that is unknown which you want to know something about. The only difference between the two is that science uses scientific method to come up with a result while philosophy don’t. d) Conclusions – Both science and philosophy raises questions even after they have come up with a conclusion. Science’ conclusion, if proven, may become a law while in philosophy is only a way of how to look at things and can’t become a law. Main Branches of Philosophy Metaphysics It is a branch of philosophy that studies the ultimate structure and constitution of reality. It is usually concerned with questions such as, what is being, what is a thing, what is the thing hood of things and what makes our world a world of things at all? Aristotle, Plato and Aquinas are some of the people who supported Metaphysics. Ethics Also known as moral philosophy, the field of ethics involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Philosophers in this branch attempts to answer questions such as: what is good? What is right? Is morality objective or subjective? How should I treat others? Immanuel Kant and Plato are some who advocated ethics. Ethics today are divided into three general subject areas: meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. a. Meta-ethics – Investigates where our ethical principles come from, and what they mean. Meta-ethics answers to the questions of, are they merely social inventions, and do they involve more the expressions of our individual emotions? b. Normative Ethics – Takes on a more practical task, which is to arrive at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. Involves in having good habits, following duties, and knowing the consequences of our behavior on others. c. Applied Ethics – Involves in examining specific controversial issues, such as abortion, capital punishments or homosexuality. Aesthetics A branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of art, beauty, and taste, with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensory-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiments and taste. Some of the questions are concerned with the value of aesthetics and the variety of aesthetic attitudes, what can life be like? Immanuel Kant is the most influential theorist in this branch of philosophy. Epistemology It is the study of knowledge. Epistemologists concern themselves with a number of tasks, which we might sort into two categories. First is to determine the nature of knowledge; what does it mean to say that someone knows, or fails to know something? Second is to determine the extent of human knowledge; how much do we, can we, know? Aside from its focus on the nature of knowledge, Epistemology also focuses how it relates to connected notions such as truth, belief, and justification. a. Belief – Knowledge is a kind of belief. If one has no beliefs about a particular matter, one cannot have knowledge about it. b. Truth – Knowledge, then, requires belief. Of course, not all beliefs constitute knowledge. Belief is necessary but not sufficient for knowledge. We are all sometimes mistaken in what we believe; in other words, while some of our beliefs are true, others are false. As we try to acquire knowledge, then, we are trying to increase our stock of true beliefs. c. Justification – Just as knowledge requires successfully achieving the objective of true belief, it also requires success with regard to the formation of that belief. In other words, not all true beliefs constitute knowledge; only true beliefs arrived at in the right way constitute knowledge. Rational Psychology Metaphysical discipline that attempted to determine the nature of the human soul by a priori reasoning. Its subject-matter is the soul or mind, and its major task is to prove the immortality of the soul. It is also called Pneumatology, study of spirit or soul. One of three disciplines under â€Å"special metaphysics† in Christian Wolff’s division of metaphysics. Theodicy This philosophy study concerns God: His existence and His nature. It also attempts to reconcile the seeming conflict between the goodness of God and the existence of evil in the world. The term was coined in 1710 by German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz. Do you believe in God? Does God really exist? These are some of the questions that are raised in Theodicy. Social Philosophy The philosophical study of questions about social behavior of humans. The philosophy of social science can be described broadly as having two aims. First, it seeks to produce a rational reconstruction of social science. Second, the philosophy of social science seeks to critique the social sciences with the aim of enhancing their ability to explain the social world or otherwise improve our understanding of it. Thus philosophy of social science is both descriptive and prescriptive. What is the method of social science? Does social science use the same methods as natural science? These are some of the questions that concerns the philosophers. Logic Logic is one of the most important and oldest branches of philosophy and its subject matter falls at the core of philosophizing. Logic studies patterns of reasoning dividing them into those that are valid and invalid with respect to a set of given rules. Aristotle is one of the proponent of this branch of philosophy. Aristotle does not believe that the purpose of logic is to prove that human beings can have knowledge, instead, the aim of logic is the elaboration of a coherent system that allows us to investigate, classify, and evaluate good and bad forms of reasoning. Other Subfields Philosophy of Science This is probably the largest subfield generated by epistemology. Philosophy of science is usually divided into philosophy of the natural sciences and philosophy of the social sciences. It has recently been divided further, into philosophy of physics, biology, psychology, economics, and other sciences. Philosophy of science clarifies both the quest for scientific knowledge and the results yielded by that quest. It does this by exploring the logic of scientific evidence; the nature of scientific laws, explanations, and theories; and the possible connections among the various branches of science. How, for instance, is psychology related to brain biology, and biology to chemistry? And how are the social sciences related to the natural sciences? It is not an attempt to â€Å"do† science, but to ask questions about how science is done or why science is done and how and why it may be a good method. It is concerned with all the assumptions, foundations, methods, implications of science, and with the use and merit of science. This discipline sometimes overlaps metaphysics, ontology and epistemology when it explores whether scientific results comprise a study of truth. Plato, Aristotle, and Empedocles are some of the many philosophers of science. Philosophy of Education. A field of applied philosophy that examines the aims, forms, methods, and results of education as both a process and a field of study. It is influenced both by developments within philosophy, especially questions of ethics and epistemology, and by concerns arising from instructional practice. Some of the philosophers of philosophy of education: Socrates, contributed his dialectic method of inquiry. Plato and his vision of ideal Republic. Aristotle who considered human nature, habit and reason to be equally important forces to be cultivated in education. Philosophy of Religion. Philosophy of religion is the philosophical study of the meaning and nature of religion. It includes the analyses of religious concepts, beliefs, terms, arguments, and practices of religious adherents. The range of those engaged in the field of philosophy of religion is broad and diverse and includes philosophers from the analytic and continental traditions, Eastern and Western thinkers, religious believers and agnostics, skeptics and atheists. Philosophy of religion draws on all of the major areas of philosophy as well as other relevant fields, including theology, history, sociology, psychology, and the natural sciences. Aristotle, Peter Abelard and St. Thomas Aquinas are some of the major philosophers of religion. Six main focus of philosophy of religion: a) Religious Language and Belief b) Religious Diversity c) Concepts of God / Ultimate Reality d) Arguments for and against the Existence of God e) Problems of Evil and Suffering f) Miracles Philosophy of History History is the study of the past in all its forms. Philosophy of history examines the theoretical foundations of the practice, application, and social consequences of history and historiography. It is similar to other area studies – such as philosophy of science or philosophy of religion – in two respects. First, philosophy of history utilizes the best theories in the core areas of philosophy like metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics to address questions about the nature of the past and how we come to know it: whether the past proceeds in a random way or is guided by some principle of order, how best to explain or describe the events and objects of the past, how historical events can be considered causally efficacious on one another, and how to adjudicate testimony and evidence. Second, as is the case with the other area-studies, philosophy of history investigates problems that are unique to its subject matter. History focuses on the unique rather than the general. The founding philosopher of history is St. Augustine. St. Augustine was the first Christian to offer a comprehensive Philosophy of History. One of his greatest accomplishments was the sanctification of Plato’s understanding of the two realms: the perfect Celestial Kingdom and the corrupt copy. Philosophy of Politics and Law. Study of such topics as politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what makes a government legitimate. Philosophy of law (or legal philosophy) is concerned with providing a general philosophical analysis of law and legal institutions. Issues in the field range from abstract conceptual questions about the nature of law and legal systems to normative questions about the relationship between law and morality and the justification for various legal institutions. Three categories into which the topics of legal philosophy fall: analytic jurisprudence, normative jurisprudence, and critical theories of law. a) Analytic jurisprudence – Involves providing an analysis of the essence of law so as to understand what differentiates it from other systems of norms, such as ethics. b) Normative jurisprudence – Involves the examination of normative, evaluative, and otherwise prescriptive issues about the law, such as restrictions on freedom, obligations to obey the law, and the grounds for punishment. c) Critical Theories of Law – Challenges more traditional forms of legal philosophy such as, critical legal studies and feminist jurisprudence. Philosophy of Mind This subfield has emerged from metaphysical concerns with the mind and mental phenomena. The philosophy of mind addresses not only the possible relations of the mental to the physical, but the many concepts having an essential mental element: belief, desire, emotion, feeling, sensation, passion, will, personality, and others. A number of major questions in the philosophy of mind cluster in the area of action theory: What differentiates actions, such as raising an arm, from mere body movements, such as the rising of an arm? Must mental elements, for example intentions and beliefs, enter into adequate explanations of our actions, or can actions be explained by appeal to ordinary physical events? And what is required for our actions to be free? Aristotle is one proponent of this discipline.