Compare and Contrast Authors

Alan Alexander Milne and Alexander McCall Smith are two of the world’s most beloved authors, and share much more than the name Alexander. These two authors wrote several children stories, and were quite famous. Although, their writing styles may differ, they share the ability for you to unhinge your mind and let it be free. Milne started out as a comedian writer for a magazine in New York, and he eventually evolved into a champion for children’s. Both Smith’s and Milne’s written work is currently viewed on TV around the globe.The portion of Milne’s work that is broadcasted on television is the famous â€Å"Winnie the Pooh† series. â€Å"Winnie the Pooh† was the story that engraved Milne’s name into history books, and was even made into several other products. Now, Smith’s book â€Å"No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency† is one of the world’s most popular series, and a very well known television show. Unlike â€Å"Winnie the Pooh† Smith’s series won several awards including New York Bestseller and Booker Prize for Fiction Judges. Inspiration can come in many forms.It may come as a bird with a tied message, a child, war, or even your own home. As for Milne’s inspiration it came from different sources, such as WWI and his son. One of Milne’s stories, â€Å"Peace with Honor†, was written after his resignation from the army, and is a reflection on war. As for â€Å"Winnie the Pooh†, it was originally written for adults in order to bring out the inner child. The inspiration behind the Pooh books was Milne’s child. Milne’s inspiration is very different from where Smith derived. For Smith, many of his stories are enthused from African folk tales. The â€Å"No. Ladies’ Detective Agency† was inspired from watching a woman chase a chicken in her front yard, and at that moment McCall Smith literally wanted to write about an Afr ican woman, thus the â€Å"No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency† was born. But even now Smith writes a series known as â€Å"44. Scotland Street†, which is inspired from†¦nothing. Smith was merely dreaming up an interesting story at the time, and had no need for some great inspirational event to happen. A writer’s style is always identified by reading a majority of his/her books, and is usually found to have a narrow writing style.Whether it be mystery, comedy, adventurous, or drama, Milne seemed to write whatever he felt like writing, even if the public’s opinion opposed it. Many of Milne’s stories seemed to have a plot of a child’s book, but as we all know many were meant for the child within us. Smith’s style of writing is similar to Milne’s; they’ll both make you form a slight grin on your face because you might find the situation a bit humorous. However, in â€Å"No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency†, Smith wrote about adventurous mystery solvers, who would grab your attention on every page.After a story is read there is always some reflection to what was just read, and even compared to another book that was just read. In this situation A. A. Milne would win. Even though McCall Smith may be more adventurous and silly (much like me) I find having the child brought out within is much more surreal when reading one of A. A. Milne’s book. Neither fame nor an interesting birth place will help Smith, for his stories are too simple and plain much of that of a child’s brain. As for Milne, his wide view of writing style, and interesting characters are key to a reader’s enjoyment.

Higher Pleasures: Unique to Human Beings

John Stuart Mill argues In utilitarianism that higher pleasures are unique to human beings. Higher pleasures are those pleasures that require some minimum of cognitive capacities to enjoy. More specifically, higher pleasures are intellectual pleasures while lower pleasures are sensual pleasures. Mill argues that animals are not capable of experiencing higher pleasures because animals are not aware of their higher facilities; animals lack the conscious ability to be curious, to achieve a sense of self-worth from volunteering. or to hold a deep and intellectual conversation.Mill successfully argues in utilitarianism that higher pleasures are not only distinct and unique to human beings, but are also more desirable and valuable than lower pleasures because human beings have higher facilities for happiness. â€Å"It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig dissatisfied,† (pg 18. ) Mill uses this example because human beings have experienced both higher and lower pleas ures, and would not willingly switch from a life of hgher pleasures toa life of lower pleasures. Through controlled experiences, Griffen and Speck argue in New Evidence of AnimalConsciousness that animals do possess some torm ot primary consciousness enabling them to experience these lower pleasures that Mill describes. Intellectual pleasures may be unique to humans, but sensual pleasures are now being examined and documented in animals. How do we, as humans, know with certainty that higher pleasures are more desirable and valuable than lower pleasures? Mill argues that higher pleasures are superior to lower pleasures with the following example, human beings know both sides of the question, while pigs only know their side of the question.Human beings nd animals have two very different ideas of happiness and content â€Å"It is indisputable that the being whose capacities of enjoyment are low, has the greatest chance of having them fully satisfied†¦ and they will not make him e nw the being who is indeed unconscious of the imperfections, but only because he feels not at all the good which those Imperfections qualify† (page 18. ) Mill argues that no human being, who knows both sides of the question, would voluntarily go from a Ife of higher pleasures to a life of lower pleasures.Mill states that once a human being is ade aware of their higher pleasures, they would never be happy to leave a life of higher pleasures for a life of lower pleasures. Higher pleasures are therefore superior in kind to lower pleasures. We can think of levels of pleasure on a continuum, with lower pleasures, such as sex, food, and sleep on the lower end of the continuum, and higher pleasures, such as reading a book, volunteering, or seeing a good play on the higher end of the continuum.Human beings have experience both kinds of pleasure, higher and lower, and are therefore are qualified with the knowledge to distinguish that higher pleasures are more valuable and desirable tha n ower pleasures. In tne artlcle New Evidence 0T Animal consciousness, GrlTTen ana speck present evidence that support the idea that animals are capable of experiencing at least some level of consciousness. In the article, consciousness is described as â€Å"the subjective state of feeling or thinking about objects and events† (pg 6. The authors encourage us to think of consciousness also along a continuum, with basic consciousness on one end, and a â€Å"higher† form on consciousness on the other. The authors agree with Natsoula's evidence that animals have some form of basic onsciousness, â€Å"Animals are sometimes aware of objects and events, including social relationships, memories, and simple short-term anticipation of likely happenings in the near future† (page 6. However, animals do not experience a form of advanced or â€Å"higher† consciousness that is unique to humans. The chapter states that if animals are conscious, their conscious level prob ably varies from the simplest feelings to thinking about the common problems they can face, and ways to avoid it. As stated above, consciousness requires some form minimum of cognitive capacities, animals lack any form of cognitive capacities, leaving higher pleasures istinctively unique to human beings.The central question in the article is whether or not animals experience a form of basic consciousness, and if so, what is the content of their awareness, a question that can help us better understand them, their way of life, and what type of pleasures they experience. Referring back to Mill's Utilitarianism, Mill argues that higher pleasures are more desirable and more valuable than lower pleasures. Utilitarian writers, in general, agree that higher pleasures are superior to lower pleasures because they place an emphasize on mental pleasures over bodily pleasures.And in general, Utilitarian writers agree that although you can enjoy more lower pleasures, you cannot consider quality a longside quantity; the level of your happiness should depend on the quantity of your pleasures. At this point, I think it would be fair to say that animals posses some form of primary or basic consciousness, perhaps the most simple evidence to support this claim can be found in Frith et al. ‘s study. â€Å"Gestures and movements can be made with a deliberate communicative intent†¦This realization of the significance of communication as a source of evidence about conscious feelings and thoughts ntails a simple transfer to animals of the basic methods by which we infer what our human companions are thinking or feeling† (pg 12. ) Animals communicate a variety of thoughts and feelings, proving that they possess some form of primary or basic consciousness. And because animals possess some form of primary consciousness, it would be fair to say that animals experience some for of sensual experiences, or what Mill would define as lower pleasures.Another piece of evidence t hat supports the claim that animals posses some form of primary or basic consciousness, can be seen in Weir et al's experiment. In this experiment, it is shown how birds communicate through their own distinct behavior; it is shown how birds are able to adapt to an experimentally given environment. Two birds were presented with a bucket full of food, the bucket was placed at the bottom of a transparent vertical tube that could not be reached without their beak's alone. The birds were then presented with two wires, one with a straight end, and the other with a bent end that formed a hook.The food was much easier to obtain with the nook endea wire. I ne Temale Dlra was always presented wltn tne stralgnt end, ana he male bird was always presented with the hooked end; however, the female bird was able to adapt to her environment and bend the end of her wire so that her wire was also hooked at the end. When only two straight wires were presented to the birds, the female bird was able to a dapt and bend the wire to better reach her food, without any example or lead from the male bird's wire.Through this experiment, it is clear that the female bird was able to adapt to her given environment. Her primary consciousness accompanied her form of perception, and influenced her action. â€Å"She had no model to imitate and, to our knowledge, no pportunity for hook making to emerge by chance shaping or reinforcement of randomly generated behavior† (pg 12. ) It is clear to see that the female bird perceived her goals as desirable; she saw that she needed food, and she made conscious adjustments in order to attain her goal.Her primary consciousness influenced her form of action. Linking back to Mill's Utilitarianism, lower pleasures only require a simple, primary form a consciousness. New Evidence of Animal Consciousness argues that primary consciousness is, â€Å"The state or facility of being mentally conscious or aware of anything† (pg 6. The article argues thro ugh controlled experiments that animals can possess a primary form of consciousness. And because animals possess a form of simple, basic consciousness, they also possess the ability to experience lower pleasures.Animal's possess the full mental capacity to live their lives to facilitate the highest level of their lower pleasures. Higher pleasures are unique to human beings. Human beings possess the inapt mental capacity to experience a form of pleasure derived from our intellect. Higher pleasures require some minimum of cognitive capacities to enjoy; because human eings have high cognitive capacities, we are capable of reaching higher levels of pleasure than animals.In the book Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill, Mill argues that higher pleasures can only be experienced by human beings because we possess some minimum of cognitive capacities; and that lower pleasures, such as sex, food, and sleep, can be experienced by any living that has a primary or basic conscious. Through control led experiences, it is argued in New Evidence of Animal Consciousness that animals do possess some form of primary consciousness enabling them to experience these lower pleasures that Mill describes.

Evaluation of a Business Code of Ethics Essay

The purpose of this assignment is to assist you in refining problem-solving capabilities that organizations already possess for use in business ethics applications. This paper uses a structured, objective format sometimes called a system of inquiry. This assignment is a systematic formalized inquiry into or examination of the code of ethics of an organization and its effects to achieve a specific level of ethical behavior in employees, management, and executives. Each business should have a framework for ensuring ethical behavior. The structure, format, and scope of codes vary depending on the company’s business. An oil company’s code, for example, would probably have different criteria and emphases than a healthcare provider’s code of ethics. Sometimes, codes of ethics are called by other names, such as an employee code of conduct. A code of ethics, though, should be differentiated from standard good operating practices. Evaluation and analysis includes problem solving and behavior in assessing organizational ethics along with decision-making processes. In this case, you are evaluating your own company’s code of ethics, or that of another company if your employer does not have a code of ethics. Write a 1,200- to 1,400-word paper, one not using question-and-answer format, discussing your organization’s code of ethics in detail. Perform the following steps: Â · Obtain a copy of your employer’s code of ethics or find an example on the Internet from a major corporation, such as Shell Oil Company’s Statement of Ethics. This is the document upon which to base your inquiry. Â · Write a general information paragraph on the company, including its mission statement. Â · Determine the type of ethical system used by the firm and reasons or examples upon which you based your decisions. Ethical systems include ends-driven, relativistic, entitlement, and duty-driven (legal or religious) ethics. Â · Identify and discuss how the code of ethics is used. Include several paragraphs on each use: one for employees, one for management, one for the board of directors, and so forth. Some of this information comes from the company’s code of ethics. Others may be available through an Internet search. Consider the following: o Why it is used—the general or special circumstances o How it is used o When it is used Note. You may not be able to find all the information. In that case, state this fact and indicate which sources were examined with no results. Â · Why might the organization need to modify their existing code of ethics? Consider how you might modify the code if you were the new CEO and how you would implement the changes. Â · What possible reactions to the code are to be expected from employees and managers? What effects does the organizational culture have on the acceptance of the code? Â · What is the effect of the code on the organization? Â · Summarize the results of your systematic analysis or inquiry into the code of ethics of this organization.

What are four dimensions of social responsibilityWhat impact do they Essay

What are four dimensions of social responsibilityWhat impact do they have on marketing decisions - Essay Example to economic development while improving the quality of life of the work force and their family as well as the community and society at large†Ã‚  (cited in Sims, 2003). Again, Wartick and Cochran frames CSR as â€Å"a business organization’s configuration of principles of social responsibility, processes of social responsiveness, and policies, programs, and observable outcomes as they relate to the firm’s societal relationships†(Wartick and Cochran, 1985). CSR is however the most aptly defined by the World Business Council as â€Å"The continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large† (Holme and Watts, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development). One idea comes out very clearly from the above definitions, and that is, CSR is a duty to be performed by corporations towards all its stakeholders, and not simply the shareholders. CSR can be divided into 4 basic dimensions. These are The four afore-mentioned dimensions form the pyramid of social responsibilities, and are referred to as the Carroll’s CSR pyramid. As Carroll himself frames it â€Å"corporate social responsibility involves the conduct of a business so that it is economically profitable, law abiding, ethical and socially supportive. To be socially responsible then means that profitability and obedience to the law are foremost conditions when discussing the firm’s ethics and the extent to which it supports the society in which it exists with contributions of money, time and talent† (Carroll, 1983, p.608). At the very base is the economic dimension that forms the foundation for all the other aspects. Next, above the economic dimension, comes the legal aspect, where the mantra is to follow and play strictly by the rules of the game. The law clearly demarcates what is right and what is wrong, and the legal dimension simply

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence Research Paper

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence - Research Paper Example The current study examines the previous research studies on four domains of adolescence development namely, physical, cognitive, social and emotional with special emphasis on household poverty. The specific objectives of the current study are to identify the concepts which are useful for measuring poverty and adolescent development and their association to investigate the impact of poverty on four domains of adolescent development. The paper is organized as follows. The first chapter presents the models, indicators and statistical concepts useful for measuring the household poverty level, adolescence development processes and the factors which influence the adolescence development. Second chapter on literature review describes the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of the adolescents in poor families by reviewing the literature. Finally the conclusions are drawn relevant to adolescent development and poverty. Concepts The distinguished physical developmental charac teristics such as development of breasts for girls and the deepened voices and broadened shoulders for boys are probably the most prominent characteristics of the adolescent development. ... In the proceeding chapter, these domains are discussed in detail with reference to relevant research literature. Literature Review Physical Development The lower socio economic status in the family can result in impaired development and poorer health of children and increased mortality and morbidity of adults (Emerson et al., 2005). Purchasing power of the poor families is low. Limited access to foods and nutrients is a common problem faced by the third world countries. It is also well established that social support and health beliefs play an important role in physical activity level of the adolescence. These have been recorded as inadequate even among the poor youth in the USA (Debbie et al. 2008). In the US more than 25 percentage proportion of the adolescents are also overweight. More than 11 percentage proportion of the adolescents are obese which cause long term physical and mental health consequences in individuals. Wickrama et al. 2006, revealed that poverty, single parenthoo d and most of the racial minority statuses (African American, Hispanic American, and Native American racial/ethnic groups) are positively associated with obesity and overweight among adolescents in the USA. Asian American status however was found negatively correlated with these health problems. Emerson et al. 2005, used the statistics of National Statistics survey of the mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain to study the health status of the adolescents and household income. Sample consisted of 10,438 children between the ages of 5 and 15. In the above study the physical development of the adolescents were measured in terms of nine categories namely, current

Discussion board reply Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Discussion board reply - Assignment Example Another informative aspect that has been highlighted includes job evaluation that can determine the position that an employee is worth of after a period of protracted service. Same to Roer and Wills (2014) ideas, I have learned that job evaluation is essential in determining the value of an employee to an organization. In organization that are based on service delivery are an exceptional case when it comes to job evaluation. It is hard to estimate the economical values of such employees. In such case the, topic of interest can be borrowed for a redress in this scenario. In future, a person focused pay system would be the best solution for me in cases that involve service industry employees. Nadasen (2012) indicated that a person focused pay system is key in giving a justified wage to employees. This an aspect that is very informative and educative at the same time. Roer, R. E., & Wills, L. P. (2014). Department of Labor to Revise Federal Regulations Interpreting the Right to Receive Overtime Pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Employee Relations Law Journal, 40(3),

Process Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Process Report - Essay Example Working with polarities/dualities -- body and mind, duty and pleasure, straight and gay -- very much set the mood of this and past sessions and has been very challenging for me. Challenging because it brought me back to the way I was processing some aspects of my life, when I felt it was safer to be at one side or another of the spectrum, rather than the middle where unpredictability would jeopardise my safety and make me feel anxious. In (2T), when I asked Andrew what type of medication he was taking, I learned how little he has revealed to the assessor and indeed to me in the previous sessions. For example, he has not revealed to anyone that he is going to therapy or his doubts about his sexuality, and his depressive condition. The latter makes me aware of some kind of similar narratives that I could encounter in other therapeutic alliances. I feel that with Andrew I am struggling to follow the rhythm and the pace he gave to the session. The ‘dance’ between us sometimes goes out of synch, as he unexpectedly stops and starts (with his silences and overwhelming recounts). This produces in me a constant vigilant state that makes the therapeutic relationship very tiring. However, there are also times in this unsynchronised dance where I am in and out of our therapeutic alliance; the ‘in time’ is when I am present and part of the client’s world and the ‘out’ is when I am the spectator of his world. During this time I move back into my own space where I can reflect and try to make sense of my, his and our world. I am realising more and more the wide river that runs through the client’s intellect and the solid bridge that we need to construct to be able to move freely from one shore to the other. Sometimes I feel that building that bridge is a huge task, and I wonder if we will succeed. The doubt is possibly to do with Andrew being my first client and the complex world

Depression Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Depression - Research Paper Example Psychologists caution parents to handle children well in the quest to address this menace. After all, this problem affects all people in the world directly and indirectly. Depression is one of the most common mental problems in the world today. This mental condition arises when a person has much more do than they can handle at one time. Overcome Depression Organization (2009) implies that the world has become more competitive, busy, and stressful, and most people are having challenges coping with these activities. They eventually develop stress, which subsequently develops into depression. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 350 million people have depression in the world. This makes depression one of the most common disorders in the world today. The major symptoms of depression include loneliness, lack of moods, poor concentration, poor appetite, low self worth feelings and guiltiness (Marcus et al, 2012). Recent studies indicate that depression can arise due to earlier life experiences. Psychologists and scientists found out that child abuse and neglect is likely to cause depression in the future. Child abuse may take the form of physical assaults, emotional and psychological abuse including insults, and sexual abuse. The World Health Organization (2012) report on burden of disease implied that 51% of people neglected and abused in their childhood developed depression later in life. Childhood depression is easy to detect with the major symptoms, which are the same as for the adults. Childhood stress and depression is preventable and treatable with the various intervention and treatment strategies. Depression is a mental condition associated with low moods, which affects the way a person thinks, behaves, and feels. In most cases, depressed people tend to think a lot feel anxious, sad, guilty, worthless, hopeless, and worried. The depressed also lose interest in most activities

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 12

Business Ethics - Essay Example The researcher of this essay states that in current times, a success of an organization is not only judged based on their financial profits, but also based on whether they achieve those profits through ethical means. Thus, ethics has become a crucial part of any organizations’ success, brand image, etc, and so it needs to be incorporated into every aspect of its internal functioning as well as in organization’s external environment. Most organizations only follow ethics in their external environment, thereby fulfilling their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, it is of utmost importance to include ethical aspects in the internal functioning as well, particularly in relation to gender equation between the male and female employees. Although, women in current times, are playing key, optimum and leading roles in various ‘spheres’ of life including business organizations, there is still some ethical issues relating to them in the form of gender disc rimination. The researcher reviews the book, GenderTalk Works: 7 Steps for Cracking the Gender Code at Work written by Connie Glaser that focuses on these gender issues and the related ethical aspects. With certain gender-specific impediments blocking smooth communication between the male and the female employees, and also preventing women from reaching the top levels in the hierarchy, it is mentioned that this book provides practical advices on how to bridge the gender gap at work and also how to provide a conducive environment, for the development of women leaders.

Homosexuality and LGBT rights in Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homosexuality and LGBT rights in Vietnam - Essay Example The country hosts highly talented people belonging to a variety of professions including artists, scientists, lawyers, and economists. Still, the discrimination of the society toward the LGBT community in general is overt. Vietnam is just another country among a range of conservative countries in which homosexuality is perceived as a taboo. While people hold different views about it, the view against homosexuality is carried by a vast majority of people in the society. Although a Google search over the keywords â€Å"Dong tinh† leads an individual to more than 250 million links in a fraction of a second, yet most of the links reveal the negative stance of the society of Vietnam over the topic of homosexuality. Most people in Vietnam express curiosity and distress over the topic, and articles citing cases of discrimination against the homosexuals in different ways can be readily found. However, the situation has started to change recently in favor of the LGBT community in Vietn am, even though the country has to go a long way before equality of rights of the LGBT community can be established. A major hurdle in the way of social acceptance of the LGBT community in Vietnam is certain misunderstandings. At a conference organized for gay-rights, Le Quang Binh, the think-tank leader mentioned that while 57 per cent of the Vietnamese thought of homosexuality as a social fad, 48 per cent of them thought that it was a curable condition. Nguyen Thanh Tam, the Viet Pride founder recalled the curiosity shown by people to see the rainbow flags at the last year’s event in these words, â€Å"People were running up to us asking why we were carrying rainbow flags. They wanted to know what product we were marketing† (Tam cited in Phillips). According to the LGBT activist Tam, life for the lesbians is made particularly complicated by the police as the police hauls them in for questioning on charges that while their gender is mentioned as female on their identity cards, they look like boys to the cops. A major barrier in the way of the LGBT movement is social conformity. Peopl e belonging to the minority are understood by others with difficulty since people tend to follow the norm that being different is bad. Rights of the LGBT community in Vietnam is a pleasant outlier among the human-rights statistics’ bleak set. The police has arrested many dissident bloggers in 2013 whereas the total number of political prisoners in detention in Vietnam surpasses 150 (Phillips). The case of Dieu Cay, the campaigning journalist is one of the most high-profile cases in Vietnam. â€Å"Suffering a raft of serious health problems that require round-the-clock care, the activist is serving a 12-year sentence for â€Å"disseminating antistate information and materials,† and on June 22, embarked on an ongoing hunger strike to protest his treatment† (Phillips). Same-sex couples in Vietnam have been fined for many decades for holding the relationship ceremonies in the past. Contrary to the decades-long history of anti-gay sentiment in Vietnam, circumstances have started to change in favor of the LGBT community as a result of alteration in the laws. Gay and lesbian couples are likely to soon be allowed to conduct ceremonies of relationship in Vietnam. Lawmakers in Vietnam have started to conduct a debate regarding the hope of the advocates of gay rights and their allies that Vietnam might permit same-sex marriages in near future. Of late, the National Assembly of Vietnam has scheduled the commencement of a debate regarding amendment of the Law of Marriage and the Family which would, in effect, annul the ban placed over same-sex marriage, though the law would not allow

Who Wrote the Bible Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Who Wrote the Bible - Dissertation Example For instance, because it was during his lifetime that King James had the Bible translated into English, many have long believed that William Shakespeare actually wrote the book itself. There have many television programs on that subject and believers point to the 46th Psalm as their evidence. â€Å"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD , what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.† Their â€Å"evidence† consists of the fact is the word â€Å"shakes† is forty-six words from the beginning of the verse and â€Å"spear† is forty-six words from the end. Because Shakespeare was forty-six when this passage was printed, that is proof! Therefore, a book was first published in 1987 by Richard Elliott Friedman (updated in 1997) entitled Who Wrote the Bible? Many consider Friedman, a professor of Jewish studies at the University of Georgia, somewhat of an expert on Jewish history and culture and he has studied extensively in Israel, with excerpts of his works published in the Jerusalem Post. He is also a prolific author, for along with Who Wrote the Bible?, Friedman has also published such works as The Disappearance of God and The Bible Now (Friedman). Authors such as Dan Brown and Richard Leigh have concentrated on the New Testament for hidden authorship and meaning (such as Brown’s claim in the Da Vinci Code that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and fathered a child). Interestingly enough, it appears that Friedman has concentrated most of his writings on what Christians call the Old Testament, especially in the first few books of the Bible, what the Jewish people refer to as the Tanakh. As the author himself said in the 1997 preface, he wrote Who Wrote the Bible? as a scholarly work to set his research apart from what he calls the â€Å"popular† works, a thinly veiled references to such authors as Brown. Indeed, he revealed in the decade since he published the original book, many professors and students alike had communicated with him to reveal they h ad used the book in their studies. Friedman humbly dismisses those who compare his findings to that of the rediscovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls or Darwin’s conclusions. However, he does admit that the book should be looked on as a something of a puzzle whose conclusions are somewhat irrefutable (Friedman II, 15). He begins his introduction to Who Wrote the Bible? by asking that very question, concentrating on three areas, the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) was supposedly written by Moses himself and Lamentations is considered authored by Jeremiah. The third area is considered indisputable by Jews and Christians alike, whether King David wrote most of Psalms. He also mentions that the Bible is such a sacred book in most parts of the

Examine the way Mildred Essay Example for Free

Examine the way Mildred Essay He pointed in their direction with everybodys eyes following his finger. Taylor wants everything to become very sultry through this quote, Through the settling dusk three figures ambled with assurance across the wide lawn. R. W. and Melvin on either side of T. J. As they came closer Cassie could see that his clothes were different, they werent tatty like they were at the start of the book. Thanks to theft the clothes he wore were wealthier. T. J foolishly brags about the clothes that the brothers have bought him, Look see what they give me. Proudly he tugged at his suit coat. R. W. and Melvin are secretly mocking him, Melvin nodded, a condescending smirk on his face which was lost on T. J. Cassie can see that the brothers are mocking him but T. J. can not, stupidity is blinding him. He is very gullible. T. J. continued to boast about how he was R. W. and Melvins best friend, and they would get him anything he wanted. Anything including a pearl handled pistol. T. J. had wanted this for ages, he had shown it to Stacey and Cassie in the Barnetts Mercantile, the day they went up to Strawberry. On that day he had told Stacey and Cassie that he would, sell his life for that gun. He claimed that it would offer protection. Eventually his attraction to guns led to his undoing. R. W. demanded T. J. then to hurry up and enter the pickup truck so they could head down to Strawberry to retrieve his gun. Yet he didnt turn and leave immediately he stood on his own undecided for while. Cassie watched him, she felt sorry for him standing there looking, desolately alone. But in the end he turned his back on them and went with the two white brothers. This action is very final. Mildred Taylor now compels me to feel sorry for T. J. like Cassie did. I am made to think, how sad that he made the wrong decision. How sad that he didnt stay where he belonged. Later that night it became hot and all the Logans were at home asleep. Apart from Cassie who couldnt get to sleep, she was able to hear the distant thunder. As she was just about to drop off, she heard light tapping coming from outside and decided to creep out of bed to see what it was. She discovered that it was T. J. knocking on the boys bedroom door calling, Hey, Stacey, come on wake up will ya? Stacey opened door and both T.J. and Cassie slipped in. When T. J. speaks there is a lot of repetition and pausing used which creates much sadness. Help me Stacey. Help me get home I cant make it by myself. R. W. and Melvin had beaten up T. J. and as a result his stomach was becoming a deep blue-black. Stacey refused to take T. J. anywhere until he had told him why the brothers had done this to him. T. J had no choice but to tell Stacey and Cassie his story of the event. After he had left them at church himself, R. W. and Melvin had gone straight to Strawberry to retrieve the gun from the mercantile store but it was closed. This was when we learn about R. W and Melvins true motives for befriended T. J. They persuaded the young boy to squeeze through the window to let them in. With the window being so small in size only a small skinny boy like T. J. could have been able to fit through. To stop anyone from being able to identify the two brothers they cleverly covered their faces with dark stockings and their hands with gloves. So if someone were to see them they would have immediately assume that they were black. When the three boys were all inside the shop R. W. broke the glass which the gun was encased with an axe and handed it to T.J. R. W. and Melvin then went towards the wall cabinet where Mr. Barnett kept the money. R. W. had to hit the lock on that protected the cabinet a few times before it broke. Then right when Melvin had the metal tin filled with money in his hands Mr. Barnett and his wife appeared from upstairs with a flashlight. Mr. Barnett shone the flashlight at all three boys, he recognised T. J. but not his two black accomplishes. Once Mr. Barnett noticed that the cabinet had been broken into he entered into a rage and went for Melvin. They both struggled to obtain the metal box until R. W. hit Mr. Barnett over the head with the axe. Mrs. Barnett attempting to protect her husband flew at R. W. but didnt get far. He slapped her right across the face this made her stumble and hit her head. All three boys ran outside T. J. was so frightened foolishly that he threatened to tell everybody at home what happened. This is when R. W. and Melvin had beaten T. J. Fortunately T. J. managed to find someone who was filling to give him a lift back to the Logans. Cassie suspiciously questioned T. J. if he was telling the truth. T. J. was in such a desperate situation that he admitted to everything. I admit I lied bout tellin on your mamma, but I aint lyin now. We feel sympathy for T. J. he is seriously injured, his face his pale, his eyes glazed and coughs up blood. Hurt T. J. begs Stacey not to inform his Grandmother about it, for his family will only be dragged into the predicament. Stacey please! You my only friend aint never really had no true friend but you Look at how late it is before T. J. can see the truth. In the end Stacey, Cassie, Christopher-John and Little Man walked T. J. back home. Straight after T. J. had arrived home, the white men including R. W.and Melvin parked outside the Avery household. As soon as the white men had found out about the incident in Strawberry with Mr. Barnett they were ready to cause havoc. They started to pound the Averys door with their rifles screaming abuse, We want that thieving, murdering nigger of yalls. When they saw that nobody was leaving the house R. W. broke a window at the side of the house so that several other men could enter. A few seconds later the front door was flung open as Mr. and Mrs. Avery were dragged out by their feet, the small girls thrown out of the window and the older girls spat upon. Then finally T. J was dragged out of the house on his knees, his face smeared with blood. Here Taylor forces us to picture the horror of the situation, mans inhumanity to man. Soon after this, headlights of two cars appeared one of vehicles stopped at Harlan Grangers home and the other at the Averys. Mr. Jamison a white lawyer jumped out of the car aiming to save the situation. He remained calm and told the men to hand T. J. over to him and the sheriff so they can take care of it. But the men refused to listen to reason and Mr. Jamison was warned off and accused of being a nigger lover. We must admire Mr. Jamison for having the courage to stand up to all those angry and violent men for what he believes is right. The sheriff is the introduced into the scene with a message from Harlan Granger. The sheriff quotes, He say yall touch one hair on that boys head while he on this land, hes gonna hold every man here responsible. The white men did not take the news well until Mr. Kaleb had the idea to take the boy somewhere else and hang him. He also refers to Mr. Morrison as, that big black giant of a nigger so that they can hang him also. Someone then refers to Mr. Logan as, the boy he working for thinking that the white men might as well hang him too. By speaking of Mr. Logan in such a tone that he calls him boy displays total lack of respect. The Wallaces clearly think that they are above the law that they believe they can go against the sheriffs word. Also because of the incident with T. J. the Wallaces now had the opportunity to gain revenge on the Logans. The Logans stood didnt approve of how the Wallaces treated the black people. Therefore stood up for what they believed in and took trade away from the Wallace store and shopped in Vicksburg, with the support of Mr. Jamison. All the while Stacey, Cassie, Christopher-John and Little Man had never left the scene they sat quietly behind a bush and watched. But when they heard Mr. Morrison and their fathers name mentioned Stacey sent his three younger three siblings along home to warn his parents. Cassie protested against Staceys request she was worried that her older brother would do something stupid in a desperate attempt to save T. J. She made him promise that he wouldnt do anything drastic before she eventually left him alone to inform her father of what was happening. T. J. does not deserve it but Stacey has a protective nature of man. It just demonstrates what type of man Stacey really is. On Cassies way back home with the boys Taylor describes the weather. Thunder crashed against the corners of the world and lightening split the sky. Again we are made to observe the parallel between the storm in nature and the storm between the black and white people. Most importantly we are made to notice that there is mention of thunder and lightening but none of rain. When the three children arrive home their parents are furious with worry and are about to whip the children for having the cheek just for leaving the house. However their intentions soon change after Cassie informs them of what is happening back at the Avery home. Mr. Logans first reaction to the news is to go down to the Avery home and do whatever he can to protect T. J. even if it resulted in him being hung himself. He trots straight to their bedroom to fetch his gun. The wisdom of Mrs. Logan tells her husband, Get Harlan Granger to stop it. She knows that all to do is persuade Harlan Granger to say the word and all of the men would stop. T. Js predicament brought out the best in the Logan family. Their need to protect one another, their need to show love and care for one another. Before Mr. Logan leaves to go and save T. J. there is more proof that the storm is ominous. A bolt of lightening splintering the night into a dazzling brilliance. As the bible says, Men love the darkness, so their evil can be committed. This is because night is a time of darkness, which symbolises evil. Light and brilliance symbolises good. A while after Mr. Morrison and Mr. Logan had left the two women and children were all sitting in the main room. When Mrs. Logan smelt smoke she rushed outside to find that the cotton fields were on fire. The Logans land and Grangers land was right next to each other so if there was fire on one patch it was most likely to spread to the other. So back the Avery home Mr. Jamison had jumped in his car and blocked off the road so that none of the men could get passed with T. J. When suddenly Mr. Granger came flying out of his house yelling, Theres smoke coming from my forest yonder! Give that boy to Wade like he wants and get on up there! Like Mrs. Logan had predicted all that was needed to save T. Js life was to have Mr. Granger say the word. That night both blacks and whites worked together side by side to save the land. Following the fire Mr. Jamison visited the Logan house to see Mr. Logan and warned him that he should keep out of the T. J. situation otherwise people will think he should lose more than a quarter of his land. Or somebody might just get to wondering about that fire. Here we are made to assume that it was Mr. Logan that set his own land on fire, in a sacrificial attempt to save T. J. Mr. Jamison. Also came with some bad news Mr. Barnett had died that morning this would mean that because T. J. was the only person identified, he would get accused of murder. If found guilty he would serve a death sentence. Stacey and Cassie were both devastated when their father told them this information. Stacey was extremely hurt by the news that he ran off into the woods. He knew that their wasnt any evidence at all to find T. J. innocent and he would ultimately die. The problem with T. J was he never thought before he acted, which had some serious consequences. Also he didnt have any common sense to see what was really going on around him, he became blind to the obvious. Finally I think T. J. was overall an attention seeker thats the reason why he done the things he did. He wasnt obtaining enough attention at home so he looked for it somewhere else. But unfortunately he looked in the wrong places and it ended him into to trouble, which ultimately ended him. N:\MyDocuments\RollofThunderHearmyCry. doc Ebonni Chabala 10R Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mildred Taylor section.

The History and Different Critiques of Critical Pedagogy

The History and Different Critiques of Critical Pedagogy The literature of critical pedagogy is very broad indeed and contains dense information. In fact, the political perspective of critical pedagogy towards the curriculum contributes much to creating abundant scholarships in the field. In addition, as many authors perceive, critical pedagogy lacks a set of definite principles; which makes the process of setting a unified definition of its premises so challenging. Still, the implementation of aspects of critical pedagogy in the classroom setting can have wide scale results on the teaching process as a whole. Hence, it is important to give a brief examination of the literature of critical pedagogy, an analysis of its core principles, and an investigation of the critique directed against its assumptions. By virtue of being critical, critical pedagogy and critical thinking share some common grounds. However, despite the existence of the critical stance in both disciplines, there are broad differences between them. One of these differences is related to the expectation of action in each discipline. In its emphasis on analysis and deep interpretation, critical thinking does not necessitate any action to achieve social change. On the other hand, the principles of critical pedagogy aim at creating a social action that comes mainly through educational practices. Another important difference has to do with the scope of interest of each discipline. Critical thinking is, by definition, individualistic and largely ignores the collective relations. Critical pedagogy, on the other hand, is more concerned with corporate action; that is why, as Burbules and Berk suggest, in critical pedagogy individual criticality is intimately linked to social criticality (55-56). Critical pedagogy might also be thought of as an extension of critical theory. Both critical theory and critical pedagogy employ their strategies with view at obliterating the hegemonic collective standards and paradigms. However, critical pedagogy is different from critical theory in the fact that it is mainly an educational philosophy that reacts towards the oppressive systems in the educational arena. The primary concern of critical pedagogy in this aspect is with issues that have to do with maintaining equal opportunities and establishing dialogical mode of discourse. As Burbules and Berk put it in the language of critical pedagogy, the critical person is one who is empowered to seek justice, to seek emancipation (50). Collins also describes the framework of critical pedagogy as being realistically involved in enlarging the sites within our institutions where genuine, noncoercive dialogue and reasonable opposition to oppressive bureaucratic controls can emerge (63). This proves that critical pedagogy involves an entirely new orientation that departs from traditional models of education and embraces a number of principles that may not be familiar in the generic pedagogical systems. The basic characteristic that separates critical pedagogy from other approaches is its celebration of social justice and emancipation. In addition, a critical approach to pedagogy is distinguished by an emphasis on dialogic interactions with view at giving equal opportunities for all voices. Critical pedagogy values the students experiences and locates these experiences at the centre of the learning process. The mission of critical pedagogy is more complex than it seems to be, and its scope encompasses a plethora of pedagogical approaches and practices. In Life in Schools: An Introduction to Critical Pedagogy in the Social Foundations of Education, McLaren points out that critical pedagogy aims at investigating, questioning and changing the relationship among different factors in the learning experience. These factors include classroom teaching, the structure of the school, and the social relations with the community. This imposes a great task on the critical pedagogue as he has to take into account a wide range of social and educational variables in his work (26-28). Critical pedagogy has its roots in Paulo Freire who is generally considered to be the inaugural philosopher of critical pedagogy (McLaren, Paulo 1). Although at first Freire dedicated his efforts to issues related to literacy in Brazil, his philosophy expanded gradually to embrace a cornucopia of social and educational issues that have been the object of criticism. In Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage, Freire pointed out that what he called for was not merely a pedagogical method; rather, it was a strategy of living within the educational system (67). McLaren observes that the bottom-line of Freires pedagogy is to establish a non-hegemonic approach that is based on dialogue and interaction (McLaren, Paulo 2). This clearly shows the political dimensions of Freires philosophy. Freire actually stressed the importance of incorporating social and political critiques in the curriculum. This explains why his approach promotes a liberatory form of education that emphasizes emancipation and rejects all forms of oppression and domestication. In The Politics of Education, Freire maintains that the learning process should take into consideration two essential dimensions. The first is the context of authentic dialogue between learners and educators (49). The dialogue will empower students to move toward becoming knowing subjects and they will develop a relationship with the teacher in which one knowing subject [is] face to face with other knowing subjects (49). For Freire, by employing authentic dialogue in the teaching process, education becomes pedagogy of knowing rather than an experience of narration sickness (Freire, Oppressed 57). However, Freire warns that the dialogic process should not be reduced to simple to-and-fro questions that may also become tedious and sterile. Instead, there should be a focus on creating interaction between students and teachers in problematizing knowledge. In this regard, it is the responsibility of the teacher to inspire students to move forward within this critical practice (Freire, Freedom 80). The second dimension that should be considered in the learning process is the social realities in which students live. Freire states that authentic thinking, thinking that is concerned about the world is concerned with reality, and does not take place in ivory tower isolation, but only in communication (Freire, Oppressed 64). This suggests that earning should be connected to the realities of students lives. Otherwise, by ignoring these realities, educators will be creating divisions that make difficult the construction of our ideals of change and transformation (Freire, Freedom 55). A very influential concept in Freires philosophy is that of praxis. Freires praxis, which delineates critical reflection and action, entails the application of educational practices and philosophies to create a better educational experience. To this end, students should be viewed as active participants in the teaching process and in the formulation of teaching methods. They are engaged in what Simon calls a transformative critique of their everyday lives (Simon, Teaching 60). The teachers role here resides in encouraging students to get involved in reflection on their worlds so as to assist them in engaging in critical consciousness. For Freire, the development of critical consciousness in the student can be attained by means of implementing what he called the problem-posing model of education. Freire proposed this model as a counterpart to the banking system of education dominating the educational institutions. He asserts that the banking system fosters domination and oppression, whereas the problem-posing mode promotes liberation and democracy. He goes on to claim that whereas banking education anesthetizes and inhibits creative power, problem-posing education involves a constant unveiling of reality. The former attempts to maintain the submersion of consciousness; the latter strives for the emergence of consciousness and critical intervention in reality. (Freire Oppressed 68). Freires philosophy of education was adopted and modified by various writers. The most prominent figure in this aspect is Ira Shor, who was mainly influenced by Freire. In his Critical Teaching and Everyday Life, Shor criticizes the institutionalized modes of education which involve undemocratic approaches. He demonstrates that these traditional systems have restricted students from contributing to the learning processes. He calls for implementing learning activities that are democratic in nature. These activities are set against the notions of education that students have from their previous experiences within the traditional pedagogical system. The democratic methods of teaching would change the role of students from passive to active critical subjects in which they become active participants in their own learning (111-113). Shor also pointed out some of the limitations of Freires assumptions. Examining the applicability of the Freirean philosophy, he stressed the difficulties involved in implementing the principles of this philosophy within the classroom setting. In his When Students Have Power, he strongly argues that despite the benefits gained from the implementation of the assumptions of critical pedagogy; these assumptions do not go smoothly when turned into practice in the context of classroom environment (56). However, Freire responded to this claim when he stressed the fact that his educational philosophy was not merely a collection of strategies that could be implemented in all educational environments. Rather, different educational practices should be adapted depending on each individual context. Freire acknowledged that pedagogy is influenced by ideology and since ideologies vary a lot, the existence of a single philosophy of critical pedagogy is not practical. Hence, one cannot speak of pedagogy but must speak instead of pedagogies which respond to particular necessities, interests and conditions (Gaudiano and de Alba 128). The challenges of reaching a definite conception of critical pedagogy brought about different approaches to the philosophy by many writers. bell hooks, for example, supports Freire in promoting the link between theory and practice in order for the student to be the center of the teaching process. However, she does not employ Freires concept of critical pedagogy. Rather, she has introduced what she calls engaged pedagogy. She defines it as a system that combines anticolonial, critical, and feminist pedagogies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ for interrogating biases in curricula that reinscribe systems of domination à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ while simultaneously providing new ways to teach diverse groups of students (qtd. in Florence 10). A central feature of this model is the repudiation of the use of sophisticated language; a key feature of traditional educational methods that creates barriers between students and teachers. Roger Simon has introduced another significant approach to critical pedagogy which he calls pedagogy of possibility. In his Empowerment as a Pedagogy of Possibility Simon contends that proposing pedagogy is also proposing a political ideology. Hence, this model of pedagogy aims at enabling a particular moral project, a particular not yet of how we might live our lives together (372). He stresses the fact that such a pedagogy will require forms of teaching and learning linked to the goal of educating students to take risks, to struggle with ongoing relations of power, to critically appropriate forms of knowledge that exist outside their immediate experience, and to envisage versions of a world that is not yet in order to be able to alter the grounds upon which life is lived (375). Like Freire, Simon stresses the importance of not looking at his ideas as mere abstractions. Rather, they should be put into practice in all educational environments. Teachers who would implement the principles of the pedagogy of possibility must not expect a guideline for techniques to be adopted, but rather approach such a task strategically, locally and contextually formulating practice within an integrated moral and epistemological stance (Simon, Teaching 58). This will lead to a possibility for creating counterdiscursive activity that attempts to provoke a process through which people might engage in a transformative critique of their everyday lives (60). The complexities inherent in critical pedagogy have given rise to many critiques of its principles and assumptions. The scope of the criticism directed against critical pedagogy is so vast that it includes critiques from disciplines such as feminism, and postmodernism. It is of high importance to shed light on some these critiques directed against critical pedagogy in order to identify the potential challenges in implementing its practices in classroom environment. The first critique to be considered is that which comes from the very nature of critical pedagogy itself. Critical pedagogy inherently requires a constant investigation of its principles and practices. In this aspect, Giroux and McLaren contend that many current trends in critical pedagogy are embedded in the endemic weaknesses of a theoretical project overly concerned with developing a language of critique. Critical pedagogy is steeped in a posture of moral indignation toward the injustices reproduced in American public schools. Unfortunately, this one-sided emphasis on critique is matched by the lack of theoretical and pragmatic discourse upon which to ground its own vision of society and schooling and to shape the direction of a critical praxis (32). In her The Struggle for Pedagogies: Critical and Feminist Discourses as Regimes of Truth, Jennifer Gores critique of critical pedagogy is based on her contention that there are two distinct versions within critical pedagogy; she identifies these versions according the prominent figures who most contributed to the philosophy of each strand. The first version contributes to what she calls pedagogical practice. She suggests that Freire and Shor represent this strand of critical pedagogy which offers concrete suggestions and examples taken from their own pedagogical practice, and which is intended to help other educators (40). Gores criticism is directed against the other approach which she calls pedagogical project. This approach is represented in the contributions of many significant pedagogues, mainly Giroux and McLaren. Gore claims that their approach relies heavily on an abstract political vision and should not be called critical pedagogy, but critical educational theory (42). She goes on to argue that the major shortcoming of such an approach resides in its failure to delineate a set of practices for classroom teaching. As a result, their pedagogy might be seen to restrict its audience to those readers who have the time, energy, or inclination to struggle with it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and, in so limiting its audience, it subsequently limits its political potential (38). Essentially, Gores criticizes the fact that such critical pedagogues tend to focus on abstract theories that lack the potential for implementation. As an example, Gore cites the concept of empowerment, which is a key principle in critical pedagogy. Within the pedagogical project model, the concept of empowerment has been confined to extreme abstraction that forces teachers to be the agents of empowerment, without providing much in the way of tangible guidance for that work (Gore, What 66). Hence Gore calls for creating guidance for teachers so that principles of critical pedagogy can be translated into reality. However, Gore does not call for creating recipes for educational practices. Rather, she contends that theorists of critical pedagogy should take into consideration the context of the educational process instead of merely adhering to a unified theoretical background (Gore, What 67). As mentioned above, Freire himself rejected an essentialist view of critical pedagogy and called on teachers to adapt the learning process to the context of students experiences. In this regard, a great responsibility lies on teachers in determining the methodologies appropriate for each particular context. Similarly, Elizabeth Ellsworth employs a feminist perspective to refute any essentialist interpretation of critical pedagogy. She goes on to claim that even the term critical is a repressive myth[s] that perpetuate[s] relations of domination and hides the actual political agendas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ namely antiracism, antisexism, anti-elitism, anti-heterosexism, anti-ableism, anti-classism, and anti-neoconservatism (93). She also believes that theorists of critical pedagogy have failed to launch any meaningful analysis of or program for reformulating the institutionalized power imbalances between themselves and their students, or of the essentially paternalistic project of education itself (98). Moreover, Ellsworth develops a deconstructionist critique of critical pedagogues. She claims that these pedagogues are implicated in the very structures they are trying to change (101). She criticizes the fact that much of the literature of critical pedagogy is the work of the dominant white middle class men. She goes on to argue that a relation between teacher/student becomes voyeuristic when the voice of the pedagogue himself goes unexamined (104). In his Elements of a Post-liberal Theory of Education, Bowers basic criticism resides in his claim that, in a way, critical pedagogy enforces the assumptions and values of Western metaphysics. Although he promoted the contributions of Freire and his followers, Bowers believes that Freires model emphasizes the modernist way of thinking, and thus it reinforces Western values and principles. For Bowers, all Freires pedagogy is based on Western assumptions about man, freedom, progress, and the authority of the rational process (127). He claims that the problem with Freires position is not that he advocates critical reflection but that he makes it the only legitimate source of knowledge and authority (129). Although Freires emphasis on dialogue as a basic component of the educational process has been praised as a democratic strategy, Bowers criticizes the very notion of using dialogue as a tool for emancipation. He contends that relying on dialogue in this aspect shifts the locus of authority from that of community and tradition to the individual who unifies thought and action in a new praxis (129). This focus on the individual on the expense of other collective concerns has lead to the failure of critical pedagogy in addressing issues related to ecology and the nature of the world. As he puts it, The problems of inequality and restricted individual empowerment are not nearly as important as the cultural roots of our alienation from nature. Regardless of how our agenda for social reform is framed, the bottom line has to do with reversing the global ecological deterioration we are now witnessing (159). A very important critique of critical pedagogy that should be highlighted here is that which comes from a postmodern perspective. In their Dialogue across Difference: Continuing the Conversation, Burbules and Rice explore the postmodern critique of critical pedagogy. The authors start their argument by suggesting that there are two versions of postmodernism that hold different positions relative to modernism itself (397). They call these two versions postmodernism and antimodernism. The authors suggest that a basic characteristic of postmodernism is that it goes beyond the norm but at the same time accepts the basic significance of the tradition it proposes to go beyond (397). They cite Giroux and McLaren as examples on postmodernist critics who relish some key democratic assumptions of modernism and yet go beyond them. Antimodernism, on the other hand, defines itself as the antithesis of modernism and is characterized by a strong antipathy to the language, issues, and values of modernism (398). The authors criticize this strand and assert that having deconstructed all metanarratives and radically relativized all possible values, antimodernism is left with no clear way of justifying any alternatives (398). The different positions of postmodernism and antimodernism account for the dissenting views related to the relationship between critical pedagogy and postmodernism. In this regard, some writers strongly believe that critical pedagogy is far from incorporating the premises of postmodernism. In Reflective Teaching in the Postmodern World: A Manifesto for Education in Postmodernity, Parker holds the view that many critical educational practices involve some modernist assumptions and fail to account for a genuine understanding of the process of knowledge construction from a postmodern perspective (16). Similarly, there are other feminist and postmodernist writers who assert that some strands of critical pedagogy do not address such issues which are of high importance in the field. In her Freire and a Feminist Pedagogy of Difference, Weiler explores the conflict she perceives between the modernist orientations of critical pedagogy and postmodernism. As a feminist writer arguing from a postmodern perspective, she claims that her goal is to retain the vision of social justice and transformation that underlies liberatory pedagogies (450). She suggests that the universal goals of liberation do not directly analyze the contradictions between conflicting oppressed groups or the ways in which a single individual can experience oppression in one sphere while being privileged or oppressive in another (450). Accordingly, Weiler believes that the theory that calls for the existence of universal experience of oppression does not take into account the specific contexts of the classroom experience. Hence the focal point of her argument resides in redefining the collective experience in the context of historically defined struggles (Weiler 451). In this regard, Weiler claims that Freire ignored the existence of diverse experience of oppression; hence she calls for a more situated theory of oppression and subjectivity, and for the need to consider the contradictions of such universal claims of truth or process (456). Weiler argues for a feminist-postmodern approach to confront the deficits in Freires philosophy of pedagogy. In this regard, she delineates three major issues where this process can be implemented. She names these as the role and authority of the teacher, the claims for knowledge and truth in personal experience, and the question of difference. Weiler concludes by asserting that the existence of different approaches in this arena does not necessitate abandonment of the goals of social justice and empowerment, but it does make clear the need to recognize contingent and situated claims and to acknowledge our own histories and selves in process (470). On the other side of the spectrum, there are many writers who strongly believe that critical pedagogy strongly incorporates some aspects of postmodernism. In Critical Crosscurrents in Education, Collins sheds light on this link between critical pedagogy and postmodernism as he suggests that, like critical pedagogy, postmodernist critical discourse is about the struggles for power to be heard about the empowerment of other voices' (76). In the same vein, Pinar et al. suggest that there is a possibility for developing a strand of pedagogy that engages in some postmodern principles. This version of pedagogy goes beyond the issues of oppression and suffering that are merely viewed from a class- struggle perspective (305). Other writers share the same view and contend that the philosophy of Freire and other critical pedagogues does incorporate some postmodern dimensions. Most of these writers approach this issue through dividing Freires writing into different phases, stressing that the postmodern orientations appear in his later work. Peters, for example, suggests that there are some postmodern ideas that can be clearly seen in Freires later work. These ideas include Freires emphasis on textuality, subjectivity, experience and culture in addition to his own interpretation of oppression and power (117). Similar to Peters, Roberts asserts that in order to locate the modernist inclinations in Freires writing we should look at Freires work as a whole, and not to focus on his writings during the first stage of his work. Roberts contends that Freire did promote some postmodern techniques in confronting all forms of oppression. He also highlights Freires confrontation with postmodern critics, especially in his later writing. Roberts examination of this issue concluded in his contention that Freire argues for what he called progressive postmodernism. Freire has stressed the fact that educators should challenge modern ways of thinking through becoming more tolerant, open and forthright, critical, curious, and humble (112). Clearly, the above argument proves that any attempt to come up with a clear-cut definition of critical pedagogy is utterly challenging. As mentioned above, there are multiple approaches to critical pedagogy, and there are also variables from other disciplines that are easily accommodated in this literature. All this results in creating critical pedagogies rather than one definite and universally- accepted form of critical pedagogy. These critical pedagogies are always involved in a constant process of redefinition and change, thus imposing great challenge on pedagogues in this regard. Despite these variations and challenges, teachers are always urged to go beyond the mere theoretical background of critical pedagogy. The process of theorizing without action creates no change and goes against the objectives of critical pedagogy. Teachers must promote an integrated approach of theory and practice, or what Freire called praxis. In other words, they should seriously consider the potential for implementing the premises of critical pedagogy in the teaching process. This implementation should go beyond the mere adherence to an essentialist view of a critical pedagogical methodology. Teachers should attempt, to the best of their abilities, to locate the teaching process within the realities of students lives. They should take into account the various variables, realities and experiences pertinent to students lives. Hence, they should adapt their techniques according to the specific variables pertinent to the context in which they work. The critique directed against critical pedagogy maximizes the need for this constant action on the part of teachers. In addition to adapting their educational tools to the classroom context, teachers are exhorted to encourage the involvement and empowerment of the students. Without putting the assumptions, principles and paradigms of critical pedagogy into practice, teachers run the risk of going within the traditional mainstream models of education. As Bahruth and Steiner beautifully put it: in our profession we have two choices; we can succumb to the mainstream and become programmed toward deskilling our intellect, or we can become critical pedagogues and liberate ourselves and those who choose to join in the dialogue (143).

Ethical Debate On Human Cloning

Ethical Debate On Human Cloning Today, science is developing at lightning speed. Todays science allows us to do many things that we would have appeared impossible a few decades ago, such as cloning. Firstly, what is cloning? Cloning is a process of producing genetically identical individuals, where one creates copies of cells or DNA fragments. But beyond the scientific level, the cloning issue has been controversial since ethics and morality on the same day when the idea was developed, there is this almost 100 years, and ethical questions raised about human cloning are several levels. Some objections relate to safety of human cloning experiments, because the process is far from being regarded as infallible, but it raises mostly moral and ethical objections that go well beyond issues of safety and scientific concerns. Indeed, we can question the motives of human cloning, whether some reasons are more acceptable than others, but also about the likely impact that this will lead to humanity. Is cloning morally acceptab le? On the one hand, according to the theories of Greek philosopher Aristotle, it would be true to say that human cloning is unethical because of the ridiculous methods are employed to get there. Indeed, many methods developed and the many uses of cloning technologies destroy lives and do nothing but harm. For example, it took just over 277 tests before the scientists can create the first clone. Moreover, the theory of naturalism ethics, methods of cloning are not the result of an action according to the order of nature, in other words, cloning is not consistent with human nature, because is not natural for humans to be cloned. Moreover, if cloning ever becomes a reality in the near future, it will be a reasonable way to contribute to the good of humanity. Unreasonable use of cloning for the purpose of an individualistic happiness could lead to irreversible consequences on humans and society. On the other hand, if we look at the ethical theories of philosopher John Stuart Mill, human cloning would be beneficial as long as the number of people who benefit outweighs the number of people who suffer. In fact, according to Mill, the calculation of the moral value of any action is the result of the sum between the consequences and results of this action, the addition of happiness generated and pain caused. Unlike Kant, Mill gives no weight to the intent of this gesture, but he still believes that the consequences of an action determine its moral value. For example, cloning kills clones that have been a failure in experiments, but it could be a way to help prolong life. According to the theory of utilitarianism, Mill also believes that actions must be judged on how they promote human happiness for the greatest number of people, and action is deemed morally acceptable as it tends to promote happiness, because for Mill, happiness is the only true virtue. In this way, then Mill wou ld agree that improving the lot of all humanity in exchange for a small group of less fortunate people is justified because they are not the consequences that must guide us, but rather the intention which is hidden behind our action. In short, cloning is morally acceptable to society because it leads to the greatest happiness for the greatest number of men. Finally, contrary to Mill, Immanuel Kant would disagree with cloning because we use people as a means to an end, even if it is to save or to benefit a greater number of people. According to the principle of universalization, any action is not morally acceptable if it harms the interests of humanity, or if it leads to the destruction thereof. For example, we must ask ourselves whether it is possible that all humans on the planet can be cloned or have the right to do so. If we allowed everyone to be cloned, what would happen? The answer is obvious: it would lead inevitably to global overpopulation and thereby would cause the destruction of humanity. Moreover, cloning violates the principle of Kant to a certain level, because if we make a clone in order to create a superior race, having clear expectations about the personality and physical abilities of the individual or psychological, would undermine the fundamental principles of humanity or respect for others, minorities and the indivi duality of human beings. In addition, if one based on the possibility that humans could be cloned to provide organs can then be transplanted into the donor DNA without risk of rejection, he admits that creating a clone simply as a source of spare parts is a flagrant violation of the principles of Kant. Indeed, this method would be selfish for those who can not afford such a transplant, and it also results from the use of people to achieve something. In short, cloning does not therefore comply with the various principles of Kant and makes cloning morally unacceptable. In conclusion, the ethical theories of various philosophers therefore lead us to have many different views on this new scientific approach so controversial. While the proponents of human cloning argue that the initial negative reaction is simply a common response of man had something new and unknown, it is clear that the ethical debate on human cloning is not the point of fade. It remains nonetheless that cloning would violate a lot and very widespread belief about the individuality and the freedom of every human right, because what is the value of a human being is its uniqueness. The living being is unique and indeterminable.

Gravity-Centrifugal-Power-Motor :: essays research papers

SCM-Variation Gravity-Centrifugal-Power-Motor Objectives At chapter Swing-Circuit-Motor (SCM) above, a design was worked out corresponding to build-up of a loop-swing. There, two axis were demanded (system- and excenter-axis) and two  ´wheels ´ did turn within each other. So this will be a rather difficult technical construction. By this chapter now shall be examined, how effect of building-up mechancal oscillations could be realized easier. So only one axis should be neccessary, nevertheless masses should move like at uneven  ´movement of pendulum ´, above this phase shifting by intermediate storage of forces must be guaranteed. Pendulum with radial suspension At previous chapter Mechanical Oscillating Circuit Harald Chmela did mention example of a pendulum with radially working spring, like schematically shown once more at picture EV SKM 31 upside. Around system axis (SA) a pendulum, here called rotor arm (RT, German Rotortrà ¤ger), can swing. At the rotor arm effective mass (MP) can glide inside and outside. That radial movements are limited resp. controlled by a spring element (FE, German Federelement). Potential energy of level is transformed into kinetic energy at downward-phase, opposite energy of movement is re-transformed into energy of high level at upward-phase. In addition, power is stored into spring intermediately, so some later power is restored into pendulums oscillation. Mass will move at an U-shaped track. Mass will show maximum speed at its lowest point of track (A) and there will press down spring at its maximum. Following relaxation of spring will show analog relations of forces, based at symmetry, so this mechanical oscillation will be stable (no friction assumed). Effect of building-up oscillations can only be achieved, if symmetry is broken. This could be done e.g. as shown at picture EV SKM 31 downside. Asymmetric track Tension of spring downside should have to be stored for a short time, e.g. any mechanicsm could allow relaxation of spring some later (B). Counter stored energy then would exist less forces (resulting force of gravity power and centrifugal power), showing upward more and more. Power of spring afterward could move mass easier and faster towards upward-inside (C). Angles speed thus will be accelerated and mass will be brought to higher level (D) than starting level. This mechanical oscillating circuit thus will be build-up without input of energy from outside. Progressive suspension By this concept an asymmetric track is achieved. However, this pendulum swinging resp. effect of build-up oscillations is technically usable only if a momentum is achieved at a constant turning shaft.

ABC Electric Company :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

ABC Electric Company Introduction ABC Electric has been in business since 1970. The company makes hand-held arc welders its primary customers are construction firms, shipbuilders, auto-repair shops, and â€Å"self-help† amateurs. The company has 30% of the current market share along with four other competitors it has an annual sales of $800 million. The company has a satisfied customer-base. Although, their products are priced above the competitors, customers prefer ABC’s welders due to their superior finish, reliability, and durability. Recently, demand for hand-held welders in the U.S. was steadily growing at a rate of 7% rate annually but has currently drop. However, demands are growing in the West European market, which is currently value at $1 billion. Recently, ABC Electric found its market share and profitability decreasing. Due to the fact that the company has made some gain in its customer base by improving product quality and service while maintaining price. Moreover, a component supplier of ABC has raised its price by almost 10%. In addition, industry wide competition has generated excessive price reduction, which help in the fluctuation of the company profitability. Strategic Issues Facing ABC Electric ABC Electric is facing several issues that needs to be address in order to stabilize their competitors growth as well as increasing their market share and profitability. These issues are closely related to their external competitive strategy, which seems to be non-existence on a whole. Base on my brief discussion above, I believe that ABC Electric has in-voluntarily allows, one of its competitors to make advancement by improving its quality and service of their product without increasing price. Due to the fact that, ABC perceived its customers to be immune to price thereby remaining loyal to its product because of the quality and reliability that comes with the product image. As a result, this perceived brand loyalty created a threat to the company. The second issue facing the company is, a supplier of whom ABC purchases its electric motors from for its welder has raised the price by almost 10%. In looking at this, the bargaining power of the supplier is very strong bec ause the switching cost might be very high. Moreover, it will become damaging to the company based on the current reduction in price within the industry if the problem is not solved.

A Business Case for an ISO 14001 Essay

Abstract The ISO 14000 series takes the international standards system to the field of environmental concerns. ISO 14001 focuses on the development and maintenance of an Environmental Management System, within the ISO 14000 series. The ISO 14000 series is of relatively recent origin, having been instituted in 1991. However, it has emerged as a significant force within a short time. The ISO 14000 series is relevant for the world of business, for governments and regulators, for organizations that work not-for-profit and for entities of all types and sizes, wherever they may be. Its universal nature makes it a unique and dominant system for all people who are concerned with pollution, waste and about the consumption of resources that are limited and which cannot be renewed. ISO 14000 promotes professional conduct. Training people and involving them in key processes lie at the heart of the ISO 14000 system. The rigors of certification serve to develop human resources. It can serve to motivate people at all levels of the hierarchy, and to foster team spirit. The ISO 14000 system is not limited to altruism and to noble intentions. It is worth hard cash. ISO 14001 puts great pressure to bear on achieving productivity improvements that translate to valuable cost savings. Major international corporations enjoy impressive profit growth through the ISO 14000 series. All ISO certifications carry the benefits of independent and international recognition. ISO extension in to the field of environmental concerns through the 14000 series brings desirable pressure on companies that produce hazardous substances and which generate enormous amounts of waste. Customers everywhere have the choice to insist on ISO 14000 certifications. Companies may find themselves excluded from significant market segments if they continue to ignore or to avoid ISO 14000. Some organizations may find themselves out of business if they do not secure ISO 14000 certification. Apple leads a galaxy of the world’s most respected enterprises in using ISO 14001 certification as a cornerstone of competitive strategy. Lithium ion battery technology is an example of innovation that a commitment to environmental conservation can present. Solutions inspired by ISO 14001 can have welcome economic benefits, apart from noble achievements in terms of environmental conservation. Reduction in energy consumption is an outstanding example, since power generation can be both expensive as well as polluting. ISO 14000 calls for abiding commitment on the part of all entities that seek certification. The system consumes major portions of employee time. ISO 14000 becomes a major element of cost, though it does produce handsome returns. The ISO 14000 series follows a highly structured implementation procedure. There is comprehensive documentation widely available that any organization can use to enter the system. Most organizations find it expedient to use consultants to guide them through the process. Independent auditors are inevitable. External auditors must be knowledgeable, experienced and accredited. ISO 14000 has important weaknesses. Loss of proprietary information is the most serious risk. Certified companies may find that their defenses have been compromised in the event of litigation. This arises from the documentation and management reviews that are integral to ISO 14000. ISO 14000 leaves organizations free to choose their own goals, priorities and standards. It therefore lends itself to potential abuse by organizations that may push important social concerns to the background, or to prevaricate about deleterious aspects of environmental degradation. Some organizations may not be able to fund the investments in time and money that ISO 14000 requires. The benefits may therefore evade small enterprises. ISO 14000 documentation needs can also duplicate documentation that other systems and some regulations require. Training and audit infrastructure is inadequate for widespread and global application of ISO 14000. Some organizations, especially in remote regions can find themselves excluded though they may wish to enlist. ISO 14000 confines itself to the environment. It does not consider issues of human wellness. There are many community concerns that ISO 14000 does not address. It is not a guarantee of ethical performance of an organization on all fronts. Business interests may be served best if companies were to use ISO 14000 for internal review, without going in for certification or even registration. It would then be an effective tool of risk management without opening the firm to unwelcome public scrutiny. Purpose of the Study There are a number of excellent consulting services and other resources available at a cost, to help companies through the process of achieving certification. The key is the element of cost. In order to receive funds for consulting services or any other resources, you may have to justify your endeavor financially prior receiving any funding. Even if your company is capable of going through the process without any outside resources there are still direct and indirect costs associated with the process, prior to hiring a certification company to conduct an audit. You will have to buy materials, pull people in full time and part time, audit and update records. Training will be required for employees and management. The purpose is to show that the costs associated with obtaining and maintaining an ISO 14000 certification as part of an Environmental Management System, can be exceeded by the benefits of doing so. The benefits are not just monetary, but also how the company is viewed in the public eye as well, which is increasingly important in today’s global economy. Importance of the study Several industries are trying very hard to change their public image as environmentally â€Å"unfriendly†. The oil industry with its need to seek more sources, often in wilderness areas, chemical companies which have in the past legally dumped toxic waste, the timber industries and the automotive industry which continues to produce large gas guzzling SUV’s and trucks are all very sensitive to public perception. Perception is very powerful and a company does not want to be perceived as harmful to the environment or not environmentally friendly. The ISO 14000 certification system can be used as a tool to not just say we are concerned about the environment, but to show what you have been doing, are doing and will be doing to improve your performance. In doing so you should be able to add to your bottom line, both direct and indirect. As more and more of these companies and seek and obtain the ISO 14000 certification they require suppliers to do so as well. It is very likely that both public and private demand for environmental responsibility will continue to fuel the shift towards certification as proof of doing so. In the global economy today an ISO 14000 certification could become as important, to show a company’s environmental responsibility, as ISO or QS 9000 is to show a commitment to quality. It may become a prerequisite to doing business with some companies and in more industries as it has in the automotive industry. This study seeks to contribute to the on-going debate within some sections of industry about the economics of ISO 14001. We know that large corporations invest in registrations, often under duress from social activists. But is there money to be gained by following the system? Can there be purely business reasons for seeking ISO 14001 certification? Can smaller enterprises participate? These are some of the questions that this study seeks to answer. Scope of the Study The majority of the top 100 companies in the United States have already achieved ISO 14000 certification. The same trend exists in the European Union. The research will look at what is driving the movement towards certification. It will also look at what is required to become certified and to maintain that certification. This will be done through case studies of companies that have already achieved certification, how it has affected their companies and in what ways. The main focus being that it makes good business sense, and the justification thereof. The study concentrates on the business and profit reasons for ISO 14000 registrations, with tertiary scans of ethical issues and applicability of not-for-profit organizations. The study includes brief descriptions of all phases of the ISO 14001 process, with outlines of the various sections of the manual that is an integral part of the process. Rationale of the Study While a lot companies have already achieved ISO 14000 certification many more have not. One of the biggest factors in failure to achieve or to get the company to attempt certification, especially in small and medium size companies, is that often the appointed SME (subject matter expert) has little knowledge as to what is required. It is a task that is added to their current â€Å"to do† list and they are not given the proper resources or time to conduct a thorough study as to what needs to be done, the resources it will require and what is most important in some cases, R.O. I. (Return On Investment). This study will help to explain what is required, where to look for information and through case studies show that a positive R. O. I. can be achieved through ISO 14000 certification and the maintenance of the certification. Overview of the Study The study will consider the attributes of ISO 14000 as an Environmental Management System. In this paper the main focus will be to define the quantitative as well as qualitative benefits for employing an EMS, in our case ISO 14000. While ISO 14000 will be the primary focus, other EMS systems will also be discusses as alternatives and for relative comparisons. The procedures for and the costs of implementation will also be looked at as part of the study. In the process case studies will be studied and discussed through the use of Internet searches, relevant case studies and publications as well as personal experience and interviews with others in the field. This study will attempt to provide methods for justification of perusing certification. We will also try to give an overview of the process for obtaining certification from the planning stage, through implementation, certification as well as the follow up and continuous improvement required to maintain certification. The Ethical Rationale for Environmental Management Standards Concern for the environment is one of the hallmarks of social concerns during our times. Awareness has been growing since the last quarter of the 20th century. It has snowballed in to a major force. There are signs that countries and people will become increasingly demanding of all organizations with which to deal, in this respect. Though the first world is more influenced by concern for the environment, developing economies are also dragged in to the vortex of global opinion, as electronic media and desire for market access drive even poorer people to conform to conservation standards. Pollution, use of hazardous substances, non-degradable waste and consumption of limited natural resources are the four principal corners of environmental concerns. Pollution of air and water are most perceptible for lay people, but the effects of land fills can be equally devastating. Pesticides and organic solvents lead a series of chemicals with both acute and chronic effects. Mesothelioma is an example of a consequence of exposure to a hazardous substance, the fatal implications of which can surface after decades. Organochlorine pesticides persist in nature almost indefinitely. People at large have become very concerned about such residues and threats that surround them. Women and children are especially vulnerable. The concept of supply chains has spurred thoughts about life cycle analysis. Exhaustive labeling requirements have made people more generally aware that an innocuous finished product may involve the use of hazardous substances. Processed foods are common examples of convenience products that may contain harmful ingredients and sources of infection and contamination. This matter also leads to consideration of packaging materials that we have traditionally taken for granted. Consumers are now aware that products made from paper can involve the destruction of forest cover, while plastic has acquired a notorious image for its persistence. This applies to tin and other metals as well. Mercury and other heavy metals in batteries and electronic products are also causes of concern. Clean water has been in acute shortage in many parts of the third world for some time now, but even developed economies have begun to worry about large-scale use of this precious resource, Ground water contamination and depletion of the ozone layer are other matters that engage much popular attention. Large corporations that generate profits are prime targets for pressures to develop environmental management standards. Companies, whose operations transcend national boundaries, have to be especially careful of their environmental footprints. However, government, social service organizations and small business may all affect the environment in serious and indelible ways. Hence it is possible that environmental management programs may become increasingly universal with the passage of time. We may conclude that there is a strong ethical foundation for environmental concerns. All organizations regardless of their size, nature and location, will be subject to pressures to monitor their environmental impacts, and to find ways of reducing or even eliminating all harmful implications of their transactions. The ethical rationale has a firm linkage with business reasons for ISO 14000 certifications, as there are societal trends that it soon become a pre-requisite for continuing to be in business. The Sustainability Imperative for Environmental Management Mature sectors of national economies, and ones that grow rapidly, are in danger of extinction if they do not address environmental concerns. Electronic waste generated by computers and emissions from heavy industries are examples of enterprises and activities that may have a natural end if they do not address the irreversible effects that they can have on the environment. Depletion of the ozone layer is the sort of contentious issue that spreads across sectors and across countries as well. Closely held companies and ones whose stocks are actively traded on markets are most vulnerable to sustainability pressures. The effects of litigation on tobacco and pharmaceutical companies does influence market capitalization significantly, while major industrial accidents can cause companies to cease operations altogether. Government authorities responsible for solid waste disposal, drainage and water supply, may also face bottlenecks if they do not institute timely procedures for environmental management. Food safety is an issue that can affect even a small hot-dog stand. All entities are subject to irreversible degradation if they cause continuing pollution and wasteful consumption. Viral pandemics amongst poor communities are proof that the effects of a deteriorating environment are ultimately universal. We may conclude that there are survival compulsions for all sections of society, in terms of using environmental management systems. Damage and depletion have cumulative effects, some of which manifest themselves many years later. Changes in the macro-environment, such as ozone depletion have serious consequences for innocent communities. Stakeholders of all hues need the umbrella of environmental management systems for their own survival. There are indications that the only companies that will survive and prosper as the 21st century unfolds will be the ones with sound environmental management systems in place. The ones that consume too much of energy and that are relatively wasteful of materials, will be forced out of business by more efficient competitors. Companies that consume vast quantities of non-renewable resources will begin to reach deep in to irreversible crevasses. Society will become increasingly impatient with waste that cannot degrade, and even more so with air and water emissions that threaten human wellness. Companies may escape accountability for environmental degradation in the third world for awhile yet, but apocalypse for them is visible on the horizon! Recent concern for the environment in China marks a watershed, for industries and individuals in this enormous market have operated without such cares until now. The new trend in China spells a change for all corporations that sell their goods and services there, and also for those which source inputs from that vast land. India, being a democracy and a land of education, will follow suit in due course. The days for those without environmental management programs in place are numbered, and there is advantage in jumping on to the learning curve of ISO 14001 as soon as possible. The system has a business rationale, shorn of any altruistic motives.