The Invention of the Printing Press Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Invention of the Printing Press - Essay Example Which of these should I look into and what criteria should I use to make my mind on a judgment After much thought, I realized some things: I cannot look at the results of the events since the effects are just enormous to be weighed by anyone; I also cannot look at factors such as the people involved and the efforts they have put that eventually led to the discovery or invention because again, such can lead to a chain of infinite events and circumstances. Hence, since neither its roots nor consequences may help in finding out which of the two events are greater, I had to look at some other viable criteria. Eventually, after going through the readings, I realized that there is one more avenue I never looked at. That is, the avenue of the relation between these two events! Simply, are the invention of the printing press and the discovery of the modern scientific method related at all, in any way The answer to that question, which is a yes (and I will expound on that in this paper), gave me also the answer to the debate going on in my head. There is a relation, and the relation is that of causality, one partially caused the other, making the other partially dependent on that which caused it. At least for these two, the answer was not difficult to find: the printing press acted as partial material cause for the eventual coming of the modern scientific method. So, at least within the philosophical realm of instrumental causality, the invention of the printing press has primacy over the discovery of the scientific method. With this, my question for those who would say otherwise would be: Would the modern scientific method, as we know it, be possible if not for the partial material causality provided by the printing press Given my main question whose answer rest I now provide my thesis statement: The printing press, being an instrumental cause of some of the great developments in the west (including the discovery of the scientific method) from the time of its invention to the present, makes the invention of the press a more important historical event than the discovery of the modern scientific method. To be able to prove my thesis statement, I will divide the discussions of this paper into three parts: The printing press is an instrumental cause of some of the great developments in the West; the printing press is an instrumental cause even of the scientific method; Conclusion. The Printing Press is an Instrumental Cause of the Developments in the West At the invention of the printing press in 1440 came other developments as well: the exploration age, the renaissance, the reformation, the initiation of the information age, and of course, the modern scientific period. In this part of the essay, I will show how the printing press was an instrumental cause of these developments. But before I proceed, I will first define what an instrumental cause is. An instrumental cause, according to Aristotle, is an aid to an efficient cause in coming up with an effect. So for example, the brush and other things

America in the XXs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

America in the XXs - Essay Example and the massive depression from 1893-1897 which convinced many that equal opportunity was out of reach for Americans (The Progressive Era 1). Progressives strongly advocated the Efficiency Movement which argues that all sectors of the economy, society, and government were contributors to waste and efficiency. Thus, progressives assumed that "anything old was encrusted with inefficient and useless practices" and advocated the eradication of the eradication of the problems mentioned above. They implemented changes in all policies at every level of society, economy, and government. Their effort brought fruits as the movement reaped success at the local, stated and national levels (The Progressive Era 3). The Progressives are predominantly members of the new middle class which are composed of young professionals. Their thrust is the application of principles of professions to problems plaguing the society, having a strong faith in progress and the ability of educated people to overcome problems, and establishment of volunteer organizations to address issues. Journalists also joined the movement by attacking and exposing corruption. Political reformers showed their opposition to traditional party politics while socialists composed mostly of frustrated workers vowed to totally eradicate capitalism. Women also showed their contribution to the Progressive Era by proving their values as social workers. Together with the other progressives, they pushed for justice, general equality, and public safety (Feldmeth 3). In terms of politics, the most famous national figures were Republicans Theodore Roosevelt and Rober LaFollette and Democrats William Jennings Bryan and Woodrow Wilson. Theodore Roosevelt was as a president which used his position to lead and fight against those he felt were not acting in America's best interest. Among the most important reforms in the Progressive Era were Prohibition with the 18th Amendment and woman's suffrage through to the Nineteenth Amendment (The Progressive Era 5). The establishment of the Initiative, Referendum, Recall was created by some states led by California, Wisconsin, and Oregon to "enable the citizenry to rule more directly and circumvent political bosses (The Progressive Era 5)." Huge developments notably the usage of Primary elections and establishments of municipal reference bureaus to study budget and administrative structures of local government. America and the Great War America formally entered the Great War on April 6, 1917 when it joined its Allies-Britain, France, and Russia. The US was previously unconvinced to engaged in the World War I. However, Americans were enraged when a German submarine sunk the Lusitania, a British luxury ship killing 128 aboard. Thus, many Americans urged then President Wilson to join the war (Dowling 1-4). The Allies expected that the

Kantian and existentialist conceptions of freedom

Kantian and existentialist conceptions of freedom Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), best known for his work Critique of Pure Reason, was an instrumental philosopher in his contributions to moral philosophy. A devout Catholic, he firmly believed in the existence of God. Existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), however, countered Kantian philosophy in their stance on the meaninglessness of existence. For existentialists, life had no greater purpose as humans lived in an infinite universe unconcerned with human existence. Despite this fundamental difference, however, the Kantian and existentialist concepts of freedom had more in common than the rest of their philosophic components. Though rooted in opposing bases, both Kantian and existentialist freedom had more similarities than differences. Kantian free will and the existentialist liberation from responsibility both stipulated that man was only constricted in his choice by his own conscience. Both philosophies concepts of freedom are rooted in human consequence, but where Kantian freedom differs is the calculus of Christian morals and sin. Though his philosophy was deeply rooted in religion, Kant did not try to reduce human freedom, emphasizing the Christian concept of free will (Guyer 1992, p. 2). Though free will theoretically empowers man to any action he so desires, Kant believed in inextricably linking human freedom to the moral law indoctrinated by the specter of an all-knowing, all-seeing God (Guyer 1992, p. 4). Unlike Sartre, Kant believed in a fundamental problem posed by human freedom. Because of the unlimited possibilities and anarchy posed by the free will of millions, Kant endorsed a priori, moral-based philosophy limiting the boundaries of human will to ensure preservation of the greater good. Kants ultimate view of freedom was one that emphasized the importance of limitation as the use of freedom led to the dangers of materialism and determinism, from which the principle of freedom had to be saved at all costs (Guyer 1992, p. 52). Perhaps most concrete about Kantian philosophy is its argument that man ca nnot exist without God; mans actions exist because God allowed him free will, and for no other reason. Existentialist philosophy revolves around the precept that there is no God on whose behalf mans actions ought to be relegated. God did not create man. Instead, man created God. With no God upon whom humankind relies, there can be no limit to the potentiality of freedom. Existentialism dictates that there is no predetermined end to mans actions, that, unlike in Kantian philosophy, existence is meaningless. Man is a creature like any other creature in the universe, and though endowed with certain mental capacities, exists only to perish leaving no great imprint on the infinite universe. Furthermore, every person is unique from the existentialist standpoint, and no two people can be subject to the exact same moral conduct. As a result, the existentialist conception of man developed, portraying the individualessentially still free even when in chains[as] master of his own fate (Howells 1992, p. 68). The limits on human freedom are those of a conscious, self-implemented nature. Mans actio ns are limited only by the conscious decision of man, wherein he/she is obliged to practice good will (Howells 1992, p. 33). In his The Transcendence of the Ego, Sartre examines his moral objectivist predecessor Kant, focusing on individuality as a pivotal point in existence. Sartre asserts that Kant says nothing concerning the actual existence of the [statement] I think, purporting that in Kants notion of free will and limitation, Kant does not take into serious account the possibility of man to dismiss the a priori system altogether (Sartre 1988, p. 32). Sartre argues that Kantian philosophy relies on man as being compelled to follow a series of moral laws, which in essence limits human freedom. Sartre argues that true freedom comes without fear of consequence. Only in the existential acceptance of the futility of action and existence can true freedom to act exist. A priori laws are a binding code, and though they exist for the greater good, they still limit the boundaries of the Christian concept of free will. Essentially, acting on compulsion through an intermediary such as religion still fetters mans range of action, thought, and ultimately inhibits freedom. Despite Sartres contentions of the greater freedom of existentialist philosophy, both the Kantian and existentialist philosophies have much in common. Kant believed in free will as granted by God to man; man, in turn, has the complete freedom to do as he pleases. Though the consequences levied by religion are made clear, man has the choice to accept the consequences of his actions and can decide whether or not to endeavor to exercise free will as he sees fit. Existentialist freedom, through the acceptance of existence as meaningless, endows man with a free will as well, though of a different nature. In existentialist freedom, mans actions are meaningless in the grand scheme of the universe, and he is totally free to do as he pleases. However, man is bound by the consequence of moral transgression, implicating that he ought not to act in certain ways on behalf of his fellow man. The only differentiating aspect is the utilization of a priori laws in Kantian philosophy, as opposed to th e consideration of others in existentialist philosophy. Both philosophies perceive man as bound by knowledge of his consequences, which inhibits freedom in the same manner. Whether aware of an afterlife or the effect of actions on others, both philosophies feature the same countermeasures to free will. The similarities between existentialism and Kantian philosophy are evident only when examined in a broader sense. The more intimately examined, the fewer similarities hold. Under scrutiny, the two philosophies are complete opposites, yet the direction of the two essentially remains the same. Both philosophies dictate the limitations necessary on mans freedoms in order to peacefully co-exist with his surroundings. Where they differ is the source of limitations. For Kant, the limitation comes from the a priori moral objectivist laws attributed to God. Existentialists, on the other hand, find the same freedoms, but from a different approach as they embrace the concept of the universes indifference toward man and the inconsequential existence of humankind.

Nathan Bedford Forrest Essay -- Nathan Bedford Forrest Hero Bio Essays

Nathan Bedford Forrest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States Army, in its doctrine, lists nine basic principles. As stated in Field Manual 100-5 these include objective, offensive, mass, economy of force, maneuver, unity of command, security, surprise, and simplicity. 1 Napoleon had 115 maxims, Sun Tzu had 13 principles, but Nathan Bedford Forrest’s advice was the utmost of simplicity, â€Å"Git thar firstest with the mostest men.†2 As we look at the challenge facing our nation’s military today, our leaders would do well to look at Forrest’s campaigns and strategies as a guide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Forrest won respect for risking his life while trying to save his aging uncle. Subsequently, Forrest won the affection of Mary Montgomery who, in 1845, became his wife.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1851 Bedford moved to Memphis. He won several elections as an elderman and prospered as a businessman. When he closed out his business in late1859 war was eminent. He was involved in his own cotton business and was busy putting his family affairs in order. His net worth was 11/2 million dollars and he was netting $30 thousand a year for his cotton. While he was a slave trader during this period, Colonel Adair described his actions as â€Å"Forrest was kind, humane, and extremely considerate of his slaves. He seemed to exercise the same influence over them that in a greater degree he exercised over the soldiers who served him as devotedly as if there was between them a strong personal attachment.5 On 14 June 1861, he enlisted in Memphis as a soldier in Captain White’s Tennessee Mounted Rifles Company.6 This unit would become a subordinate unit of the Seventh Tennessee Calvary Regiment. Forrest was the unit’s commander when the war ended. Friends of Forrest’s approached Governor Harris and General Polk, which subsequently resulted in an authorization allowing Forrest to raise a battalion of mounted rangers. By October of 1861 he had eight companies of men comprising a total of 650. Most arrived with pistols and shotguns, as well as horses, which resulted in Forrest still attempting to obtain rifles for them when the unit was ordered to Dover as reinforcement for what was to be Fort Donelson. As Colonel Tate described then to General Johnston, â€Å"Colonel Forrest’s regiment of cavalry, as fine a body of men as ever went... ... York: Simon & Schuster), Volume 2, 607. 9. Wyeth, 27. 10. Robert E Corlew, Tennessee, A Short History. (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press,1989), 307 11. Wyeth. 61. 12. Ibid., 100-101. 13. Ibid., 184. 14. Edwin C. Bearss, Forrest at Brice’s Cross Roads. Dayton, Ohio: Morningside Bookshop, 1979), 28 15. Thomas Jordan & J.P.Pryor, The Campaigns of Lieutenant General N.B.Forrest. (New Orleans, 1868), 16. Wyeth, 241. Bibliography Bearss, Erwin C. Forrest at Brice’s Cross Roads. Dayton, Ohio: Morningside Bookshop, 1979 Brasher, Justin â€Å"Forrest’s Headquarters† and â€Å"NBFHQ† 2001 (a website) Corlew, Robert E. Tennessee: A Short History. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1989 Current, Richard N. Encyclopedia of the Confederacy. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985. Jordan, Thomas and Pryor, J.P. The Campaigns of Lieutenant General N.B. Forrest .New Orleans, 1868. Matloff, Maurice, General Editor, American Military History. Washington D.C.: Office of the Chief of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Military History. United States Army, 1969. Wyeth, John A. MD, Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Dayton, Ohio: Morningside Bookshop, 1975 reprint   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  of 1898 ed.

Current Economic Development of Oil Exporting Countries

Current economic development of oil exporting countries. (by the example of Saudi Arabia) Introduction3 OPEC and oil prices. 4 History4 Common development problems of OPEC member countries6 Saudi Arabia8 History8 Economic development9 Main goals9 Role of the government10 New industry sectors10 Private sector11 Foreign labor11 Social and politic structure12 Conclusion14 Literature15 Introduction. The subject of this research is the economy and society of the oil-exporting countries while the topic can be described as current economic development of the oil-exporting countries and their prospects. As the best example we have chosen Saudi Arabia. The oil-exporting countries are important players on the world market. They can set up oil prices reducing or increasing extraction rates, and mostly this is the only way they get money for their budgets, oil deposits have great influence on their economy. That’s what is called Dutch disease and what their biggest problem is. Some measures in many fields should be taken to get rid of this disease, to change economic and social structure, to make a shift to new phase in their development. This statement constitutes the thesis of this term-paper. The general purpose of this research is to find common stages and common problems of oil-exporting countries development, try to explain them and suggest some solutions. The goals can be determined as the following: 1. To look at the OPEC, its history and common problems of the Member Countries; to follow the interconnectedness between oil price and prosperity of the oil-exporters. 2. To consider brief history of Saudi Arabia for better understanding of that country. . To estimate the role of the government, private sector, new industry sectors, foreign labor and social and politic structure in economic development; to show current situation and topical problems in all these spheres. 4. In conclusion try to forecast the possible ways of further development. This term-paper can be used for further research in this sphere. OPEC and oil prices. Today oil is natural resource that has great influence on the development of oil-produ cing countries like Russia or the OPEC countries. If a country exports huge amount of oil its price determines budget of the country, political situation, prices for a wide range of goods. It's so because oil isn't just raw material for gasoline production, also for plastics, construction materials and so on. Many oil-exporting countries can set up oil prices reducing or increasing extraction rates, and in the same time no one in the modern world can live without gasoline or electricity. So, we can say that oil is a race in which the main targets are power and money, huge sum of money. But sometimes oil exporters go to the extremities – their budgets depend only on oil prices, in fact this field is a real money spinner. That's how the Dutch disease begins. A good example could be the OPEC countries. OPEC has the biggest oil deposits in the world (almost 80%) and they play a crucial role in oil pricing. This organization controls extraction rates (what leads to controlling of oil prices), foreign policy and strategy of Member Countries. That's why we'd like to consider OPEC itself, its history and common problems. History. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a cartel of 12 countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. The organization has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings among the oil ministers of its Member Countries. T he OPEC Member countries came together to form this international organization with several aims. Some of the aims are: †¢To protect the interest of the member countries. To make sure that the price of petroleum products do not change much. †¢To make certain a regular supply of petroleum oil to other countries. †¢To make sure that member countries get suitable income from sale of oil products. †¢To decide policies to follow relating to production and sale of petroleum oil. However, OPEC has not always been able to achieve all these aims. Venezuela was the first country to move towards the establishment of OPEC by approaching Iran, Gabon, Libya, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in 1949, suggesting regular and closer communication among oil-producing countries. It was a topical question because all oil-exporting countries were exploited by such corporations as British Petroleum, Chevron, Exxon, Gulf, Mobil, Royal Dutch, Shell and Texaco, which controlled crude oil refining worldwide. These corporations organized a cartel and reduced procurement prices. Initially the OPEC wasn't taken into account. Europe and the U. S. didn't believe than Arabic governments could find a compromise and reduce extraction rates. Honestly speaking first 10 years wasn't very successful for OPEC. But in the 1970-s with help of 1973 oil crisis, Arab-Israeli conflict and second crisis in 1979 OPEC transformed into important political and economic force. By the way being part of OPEC is a huge responsibility. High oil prices are the consequence of low extraction rate. But if one country in pursuit of higher incomes tries to sell a little bit more than its quota is, then price goes down even for those countries that did everything right. Nowadays oil prices are still high in comparison with 1990-s (when normal price per barrel was 22-28 dollars), but since June 2008 they have dramatically fallen, as it is shown on the graph below. The war in Iraq and increasing demand in Asian-Pacific Region, especially in India and China that are consuming large amount of fuel, can be named as a reason for such growth. Anyway the OPEC countries still have their problems and many of them are much the same because of cultural, historical, governmental and economical similarity, some countries almost overcame them and others didn't. Most illustrative will be the example of Saudi Arabia as the country having the biggest oil deposits in the world. Common development problems of OPEC member countries. Below is the list of the typical problems which OPEC countries usually face. Not long ago Arabic countries were under the reign of the USA and Europe, which exploited their resources leaving countries themselves underdeveloped. In the end of XX century everything changed. Briefly the scheme of their development could be described this way: 1. Dependence on western countries. 2. 1970-s crises. Inflow of petrodollars. 3. Euphoria, thoughtless investments and projects. 4. Attempt to create a new type of social structure. 5. Admitting mistakes, appearing of new aims like development of different industry sectors, not only oil-extracting. All these periods have their common difficulties. Firstly, Arabic countries fell behind all developed countries and because of their cultural specialty weren’t ready to radical innovations which were so needed. Women are still not interested in education; almost 50% of them are illiterate. By the way it is one of the crucial problems in such countries – the lack of educated people, especially with higher technical education, consequently appears deficit of well qualified workers on the plants and other enterprises. Employees were absolutely not ready to start working on advanced equipment. That's way many executive positions are occupied by foreign specialist, what isn't very good option for the country. Second main problem is the Dutch disease – too strong dependence on one industry sector. Budget, living standards, national projects – all these depends only on oil prices, which are not always foreseeable and controllable. For example too warm winter reduces consumption of fuel, what reduces oil demand and consequently oil price. Many other factors have the same influence, and all of them hit oil-exporters, making them too vulnerable. In Saudi Arabia 85% of budget are petrodollars, so it's clear how important for them oil price fluctuations are. And the last important problem is that government not always can make reasonable investments. Arabic sheikhs started huge constructions and projects â€Å"to the glory of the country† which were usually unprofitable. Only later this wish to spend money became weaker and investments – more useful. Actually, these are main difficulties of OPEC countries. In every oil-exporting country governments more or less successfully tried to find proper solutions to these problems. Saudi Arabia. History. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an Arab monarchical state. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south. The Persian Gulf lies to the northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It has an estimated population of 27. 6 million, and its size is approximately 2,150,000 square kilometers. Today it is one of the few fastest growing countries in the world with a high per capita income of $20,700 Some figures: Population: 27,601,038 (0. 3% of world population) Density: 11/km2 Urban population: 80% GDP (2007): $555,055 billion Oil resources: 261. 2 billion barrels, 26% of world oil resources (amount that is enough for 86 years of consumption) Extraction rate: 8 million barrels per day. Among Arabic countries Saudi Arabia is the richest, because its oil deposits are the biggest, like its OPEC quota. Country itself isn't very big, but population is growing. Literacy rate is very low – only 63% and it is very serious problem, as was said earlier. Economic development. As it was mentioned, economy of Saudi Arabia depends on oil market and it's impossible to analyze it without taking into account oil industry. Because of oil export and money inflow this country made visible leap in development and today some indexes are just like in Europe or in the U. S. Society is developing too, leaving behind prejudices. Main goals. There are three main goals for the state: 1. GDP growth 2. Diversification of national economy. 3. Development of human resources. These goals were set 30 years ago and still being a topical question. But a lot of efforts were put to reach these goals. For example in 1970 GDP was 22. 9 billion riyals and in 1982 already 524. 7 billion. A diversification is also present. The role of oil sector is reducing. Processing industry was established, and there are a lot of financing projects. What is not less important, financial sector has appeared. But anyway, as of 2007, non-oil manufacturing contributed 10% to Saudi Arabian GDP and less than 6% of total employment. But development of human resources is falling behind. Actually the problem of lacking qualified labor force was solved by inviting foreign specialists. Role of the government. Initially the most profitable oil deposits were exploited by western companies, but today the biggest oil producing company – ARAMCO – was nationalized and oil policy was reviewed. Now extraction rates became smaller and deposits were used in more rational way. Today more than 95% of all Saudi oil is produced on behalf of the Saudi Government by the ARAMCO. In June 1993, ARAMCO absorbed the state marketing and refining company (SAMAREC), becoming the worlds largest fully integrated oil company. But the second problem was how to spend money. Governors were wrong hoping that petrodollars inflow will last forever. Money was invested in useless projects, and some spending was just uncontrolled. It all led to overheated economy. Also there was an effort to copy western system of production, but it also wasn't successful. All these things were a reason to work out a new plan of economic development, attracting more private capital and making more reasonable investments. In the last few years there is a privatization tendency in Saudi economy, of course except ARAMCO. Also government supports oil industry, giving money for development of the new deposits. New industry sectors. In the world Saudi Arabia plays the role of crude oil exporter, and it isn't the best position on the world market. That's why they are trying to find new profitable spheres. And one of them could be petrochemistry. This field grows every year and today Saudi Arabia is the main manurial supplier on the Middle East. Of course today it's impossible to cure the Dutch disease, but maybe someday oil exporting countries will not depend so much on oil prices. Private sector. In 70-80-s government created good conditions for private sector. Such things like transfers, legislative support, special banks and funds were aimed at supporting this sector of economy. Powerful oil industry till now is a good base for economic development. The government is still attempting to promote growth in the private sector by privatizing industries such as power and telecom. Saudi Arabia announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies in 1999, which followed the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. Shortages of water and rapid population growth may constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products. But this governmental support has the second side – private enterprises are still hoping on help and transfers from government and western partners. Without such support it's more profitable to invest money abroad. And that's the problem. But anyway private sector is growing and private capital goes to high-tech development and research. Foreign labor. As was said, there is a lack of well educated specialists on the plants. The government tries to promote so called Saudization – national policy to encourage employment of Saudi nationals in the private sector instead of workers from South and Southeast Asia. Despite these efforts, the country draws a significant portion of its labor force from foreign countries, especially from South and Southeast Asia (notably India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nepal, and Sri Lanka), East Asia, East Africa and from other Middle Eastern countries. There are also some people from North America, South America, and Europe. Hundreds of thousands of low-skilled workers and skilled workers from regions of the developing world migrate to Saudi Arabia, sometimes only for a short period of time, to work. Although exact figures are not known, skilled experts in the banking and services professions seek work in the Kingdom. Social and politic structure. An Arabic country always remains an Arabic country with its own culture, social and politic structure. Saudi Arabian culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam. Islam's two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located in the country. Also it shouldn't be forgotten that it is the monarchical state. All it leaved an imprint on people and their set of mind. Although huge sums of money were spent on health care and educational programs, the social structure didn't change a lot. It is still important to which family or place you belong; ruling establishment stayed the same, just like the attitude to women. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are banned from driving on public roads. Women may drive off-road and in private housing compounds, that can be very huge. Their attempts to change something usually lead to nothing. Several international human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Committee have issued reports criticizing the Saudi legal system and human rights violation in various political, legal, and social areas, especially severe limitations on the women rights. The Saudi government typically dismisses such reports as being outright lies or asserts that its actions are based on its adherence to Islamic law. Political structure also is very traditional – the monarch makes all decisions and any attempts to loosen his power, like advisory board, have failed. There is no freedom of speech and no political opposition, although there are a lot o people abroad who criticize such policy. So, development of Saudi Arabia is very controversial. On the one hand, financial and oil-producing sectors are growing in high gear. On the other hand people's set of mind didn't change and with this excess baggage it's impossible to move forward. Other controversial thing: government wants to keep Islamic values, but in the same time educational system is an exact copy of the American one, and American talk-shows and cartoons are demonstrated on the national television. There is an opinion that all it happened because of too fast growth. The society wasn't ready for petrodollars and all these goods which it gets. That's why people have very vague ideas of what they need today or in the future – new way of life or traditions and Islamic values. Conclusion. To sum it all up, we'd like concern possible future of oil-exporting ountries. In a foreseeable future it is impossible to find alternative energy sources which could fully substitute oil and gas. World demand will grow and there are only four countries which can increase extracting rates. These are: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria and Gabon. It means that political and economic power of OPEC will grow. But also it's obvious that raw materials like crude oil are cheaper than processed goods like gasoline. That's why huge sums of money must be invested in the development of oil refineries and it's a very important long term investment. By the way this developing process must involve not only industries but also people themselves, because a state can change only after its citizens. Anyway, dependence on oil prices is very unreliable and undesirable, like any dependence, even if it helps to finance social projects. Current economic crisis has shown that. Governments of oil exporting countries must find a compromise between this Dutch disease with massive capital inflows and healthy but maybe not so rich economy.

Gatto Against Schools Critique

Jamille Coy â€Å"Against School: How public education cripples our kids, and why â€Å", is a piece written by John Taylor Gatto which was published in the Harpers Magazine September 2003 issue. Gatto was a New York City public school teacher for about thirty years , who after all this time teaching came to a conclusion that public schooling was nothing but, a system created by the high powers to create a large labour force and to keep the general public under some level of control.He believed that schools stifled a child maturing process and the only way to curb this issue way to educate our own children. Gatto opens his piece speaking about his personal experiences within the public school systems in Manhattan, where he says he became an expert in boredom. His expertise in this area of boredom he claims came from the kids he taught, who always complained about being bored in the class room and being taught by teachers who were also bored and uninterested in their subject.He then said we are to blame for our boredom and the only person obligated to amuse you ways one’s self. He said he learnt this remedy of amusing one’s self to cure boredom from his grandfather. The use of these personal or firsthand experiences were very effective because it tells the reader that the writer isn’t just writing from pure opinion but from something more, which allows you to trust him. He follows by saying that he believes people who didn’t know they were responsible for their own amusement were childish and should be avoided and definitely not trusted.He claims that he often defied custom and bent laws just to help kids to get out of the trap of boredom and childishness. He said teachers had a choice either help kids take an education or help them receive it and he was one who wanted to help kids receive it. Consequently he explains that he was fired after childish adults plotted against him and after nine months of tormented effort and his family having to suffer he was able to reacquire his teachers’ license.In this part of Gatto’s piece he uses a lot of strong words (avoided, not trusted, defy, trap, plotted, tormented) which can be both positive and negative. In one instance it may get scare the reader into believing him and in another it can be seen as terribly biased and cause paranoia. He end off the introductory paragraph quoting Gorge W Bush saying what if when he said â€Å"leave no child behind† he accidentally spoke the truth, was our schools designed to make sure not one child ever grows up?This quotation was the introduction to the main idea of his article and it was very effective because he used authority in using G W Bush and also ended it off with a rhetorical question to leave the reader thinking and preparing him/her for what is about to follow. In the opening to his main argument or body he asks three rhetorical questions which he follows by indirect answers â€Å"Do we really need school? Is it really necessary? If so for what? He then answers all these questions indirectly saying that 2 million happy homeschoolers showed that we didn’t need it.Then he mention some popular Americans who weren’t schooled such as Abraham Lincoln ,Thomas Jefferson, Carnegie and Rockefeller, saying that these people achieved a circumstantial level of success and wealth without schooling. He makes sure and points out that he is just saying school isn’t needed but that he totally agrees that education is, maybe just not the formal system that we all know today. He explains that’s the system (schooling) has made us to believe that school is in direct proportions with success, which he says historically isn’t true both financially and intellectually.The question and answer technique he use was very effective because it first makes the writer think and then by following with answering we unknowing accept and believe his argument. His use of popular A mericans who weren’t schooled is somewhat effective in that once can without a doubt see that some people without school can achieve success but at the same that time can argue that it was a different time and the world has changed and education is much more crucial part of life than it was in the time of Rockefeller and Washington.He used a list to explain that mass schooling was believed to make good people, good citizens and to make each his personal best but this was definitely not so. This list which is actually very effective because its helps the reader to remember and understand main points. He then quotes H. L. Mencken who said the aim of public education is not to fill the young of spices with knowledge and awaken them but it is to simply reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardize citizenry to put down dissent and originality .From this quote Gatto wants us to take what Mencken said seriously but coming from a sat irist, it lacks effectiveness. Gatto then goes on to speak about James Bryant Conant who was the president of Harvard for twenty years, world war two poison gas specialists the principal of Colubine High Colorado and the person who introduce standardized testing into the school system. He mention Conant to show a man who had very little background on education influenced it in a big way which was somewhat effective but at the same time could have been considered confusing and misplaced.Another reason for mentioning Conant was to introduce Inglis who believes the reason for school was to stem mass, incurable division so that the underclass’s can never integrate as a dangerous whole. Gatto list what Inglis found to be the purpose of schooling which was: the adjustive or adaptive function, the integrating function, the diagnostic and directive function, the differing function, the selective function and the propaedeutic function. This list was as said before very effective becau se it goes in depth and explains to the reader giving the reader more insight on what the writer is trying to delineate.He starts off his closing points of his argument with the words â€Å"There now you have it. Now you know. † Which somewhat disparages the reader and give a cocky and conceitedness about the writer which can push the reader away from agreement with what he is saying. In this closing argument he says that mandatory schooling had no other objective but to; dumb people down, separate us by classes, encourage us to be lazy not to think at all and to create non-stop consumers.He said that school has turned our children into addicts and it is no accident he quotes Plato and Rousseau to show this. They described our schools as factories in which the raw products (children) are to be shaped and fashioned and built to specification laid down. He said it is obvious what these specifications are; lack of maturity, easy divorce laws, easy credit and easy questions. He u sed very effective rhetorical strategies by comparing children to raw products and schools to factories which gave us images and made his writing more understandable.He concludes by saying that the good news is now that we understand the logic behind modern schooling, its tricks and traps are fairly easy to avoid. He said the answer is to teach own to be leaders and adventurers. He says before we can do this we have to understand that’s schools are laboratories of experimentation on young mind, drill centers for the habits and cooperate society demands. He said that mandatory education serves children only accidentally and the real purpose is to make them servants.He said that the answer is just to let children manage themselves. This closing paragraph was very ambiguous, it was effect in the imagery give with his metaphors but at the same time the answer to the entire thing was bland. After all that he had to say it seems no real solution was given to the problem, which show s he is not very solution oriented and causes his entire article to lose effectiveness. Works Cited Gatto, John Taylor. â€Å"Against School. † Harper's Magazine Sep. 2001: 35-38. Print. MLA formatting by BibMe. org.

Centrifugation Lab essays

Centrifugation Lab essays The purpose of this experiment was to separate and identify the lower density particles in a homogenous mixture. Thus, the objective of the exercise was to realize that there is more than one structure in the cytoplasm and to isolate them using homogenization and differential centrifugation. In doing so, one can recognize and identify these particles by how the separate-which can be affected by density, shape, viscosity, the speed and/or diameter of the centrifuge. By examining the effects of the centrifugation, it allows you to see these principles for yourself, which gives you a better understanding of how the exercise works. Ø Homogenization: break up pea cells in a blender to release organelles Ø Filtration: pour homogenate over beaker covered with cheesecloth to filter out large fragments-set aside for observation o Pour filtrate into 4 test tubes, evenly filled o Place tubes in opposing holes in centrifuge o Centrifuge for 3 minutes @ 1000 RPM o Centrifuge remaining 3 for 10 minutes @ 3000 RPM o Use remaining sediment for mitochondria test o Using the sediment in the remaining two test tubes, fill 3 test tubes 1/3 with sediment layer-label A,B,C Test tube A-supernatant from centrifugation 2/3 full Test tube B-sucrose buffer 2/3 full Test tube C (control tube)-sucrose buffer 2/3 full o Fill each tube 1/3 full with tetrazolium o Place test tubes in a beaker filled with water which is 37 degrees C o Place lamp over beaker to uphold temperature ...

The Logical Fallacy of Stacking the Deck

The Logical Fallacy of Stacking the Deck The term stacking the deck is a  fallacy in which any evidence that supports an opposing argument is simply rejected, omitted, or ignored. Stacking the deck is a technique thats commonly used in propaganda. It is also known as special pleading, ignoring the counterevidence, slanting, or one-sided assessment. Examples and Observations People sometimes make decisions by folding a piece of paper in half, and listing reasons in favor on one side, and reasons against on the other; then they decide intuitively which side has stronger (not necessarily more) reasons. This method forces us to look at both sides of an issue before we decide. In the incorrect form, we just look at half the picture; this is called stacking the deck. (Harry J. Gensler, Introduction to Logic. Routledge, 2002)Gamblers stack the deck in their favor by arranging the cards so that they will win. Writers stack the deck by ignoring any evidence or arguments that dont support their position. I once experienced stacking the deck when I went to buy a used car. The man trying to sell me the car talked only about how wonderful the car was. After I bought the car, another man tried to sell me an extended warranty by pointing out all the things that could break down. (Gary Layne Hatch, Arguing in Communities. Mayfield, 1996) Deck Stacking in Arguments for and Against the Legalization of Drugs [A] recent ABC show on drugs . . . distorted, omitted or manipulated drug reality. What was piously described as an attempt to open discussion on different approaches to the drug problem was simply a long promotion for legalization of drugs. . . .The program dwells with utmost respect on legalization efforts in Britain and the Netherlands. But it omits evidence of failure. It gives no time to British and Dutch experts who say they have been a disaster, or to Zurichs decision to close its infamous needle park, or to the rise in crime and drug addiction in the Netherlands, or the fact that Italy, which decriminalized possession of heroin in 1975, now leads Western Europe in per capita heroin addiction, with 350,000 addicts.The deck is stacked like a monte game. The advocates of some form of legalization include a judge, police chiefs, a mayor. But nothing is said about the great majority of judges, police officers and mayors who are opposed to legalization by any alias. (A.M. Rosentha l, On My Mind; Stacking the Deck. The New York Times, April 14, 1995) When the White House issued a statement last night saying that marijuana should remain illegalresponding to our pro-legalization editorial seriesofficials there weren’t just expressing an opinion. They were following the law. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is required by statute to oppose all efforts to legalize any banned drug.It’s one of the most anti-scientific, know-nothing provisions in any federal law, but it remains an active imposition on every White House. The drug czar, as the director of the drug control policy office is informally known, must take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance that’s listed on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act and has no approved medical use.Marijuana fits that description, as do heroin and LSD. But unlike those far more dangerous drugs, marijuana has medical benefits that are widely known and are now officially recognized in 35 states. The drug cza r, though, isn’t allowed to recognize them, and whenever any member of Congress tries to change that, the White House office is required to stand up and block the effort. It cannot allow any federal study that might demonstrate the rapidly changing medical consensus on marijuana’s benefits and its relative lack of harm compared to alcohol and tobacco.(David Firestone, The Required White House Response on Marijuana. The New York Times, July 29, 2014) Stacking the Deck on Talk Shows Biased talk-show hosts often stack the deck in their discussions of controversial issues by choosing more qualified and dynamic guests to represent the viewpoints they favor. If, by chance, the other guests seem to be overcoming the disadvantage, the host will interrupt and make it a two-on-one debate. An even more outrageous form of stacking the deck is for talk-show hosts and program directors to ignore entirely the side of the issue they disagree with.(Vincent Ryan Ruggiero, Making Your Mind Matter: Strategies for Increasing Practical Intelligence. Rowman Littlefield, 2003)

A Summary of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, a Short Story by Ursula K. Le Guin

A Summary of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, a Short Story by Ursula K. Le Guin Fiction â€Å"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas† is a fictional story that is classified as a short story by the author Ursula Le Guin. The story has a vivid description that has a lot of repetition in the narration of the way of life of the people of Omelas. The story is full of deliberate vague and vivid descriptions. The narrator explains the happiness in the city of Omela, but it becomes clear that the narrator does not know the details about the details. The fictional nature of the story comes out clearly when the narrator gives the readers the freedom of imagining the details as it suits them, it doesnt matter. As you like it† (Le, 1973). The Context of the Story In the introduction, the story gives the details of the Festival of Summer celebrated by the Omelas. The matching of the people and the singing shows the happiness that dominates among them. However, the narrator shifts from the celebration and narrates the misery of a child locked in a house secluded from the Omelas. From the story of the suffering child, the idea of scapegoat arises. According to Nugroho (2016), the scapegoat is the act of laying the blame on someone instead of others. The narrator makes the reader understand that the child suffering is in exchange for the happiness of the people of Omelas. If the child is to let out of the house and given the opportunity to enjoy life as the Omelas, then suffering is bound to befall the people of Omelas. Thus, the child is depicted as the life saver since its misery makes life possible. Ritchie (2016) postulated that allegories are stories that describe events and represents events in a metaphorical manner. In this context, the suffering child is used to represent the wealthy and the poor. The poor seem to work for the wealthy and the few happy ones. However, any conclusions about the significance and the causes of the child suffering are left by the narrator at the disposal of the reader. Apollonian Work Based on the context and the insight of the story, the story can be concluded that it is Apollonian. Leddy (2016) describes the Apollonian as works whose aspects of human nature are presented as rational, ordered and full of discipline. The happiness fills the people of Omelas, and the writer describes the child as somebody whose freedom has been limited. The people, especially the children of the Omelas, who goes to see the child pity him or her. However, the goodness of the Omelas cannot go to the extent of rescuing the child from suffering. The Value and The Message of the Story The value of this fictional story lies in the themes illustrated by the narrator. The theme of suffering as seen in the child locked up in house shows how some people suffer in the society at the expense of others. The happy ones in the society enjoy themselves while the low class in the society suffers working hard with little or no return. Moreover, on the positive side, there is love and sharing among the people of Omelas. The festival brings together the people of Omelas; they play, eat, and interact together during the festival. Recommendation to other Readers The narrator calls the readers to make their conclusions after reading the story. Moreover, the narrator seems to be unsure of the facts surrounding the lives of the Omelas. The readers can make their conclusions after reading it. Therefore, it is important for people to read the story, and make their conclusions about the Omelas.

Case Study- Applied Research skills subject Assignment

Case Study- Applied Research skills subject - Assignment Example Mr. Abdulla would be required to collect data from all the machine operators on their efficiency and also make observations on the amounts of fumes being emitted by the factory at the same time. The observations will be dependent on the levels of efficiency of the machines. These, therefore, would only mean that the type of unit of analysis being used in this study is the individual. Individual unit of analysis will allow Mr Abdulla to have an understanding of the fumes emitted by each of the machines, which forms the main reason for the individual as a choice of unit of analysis. Individual unit of analysis will also ensure that data would be obtained from every machine operator so as to get the levels of efficiency and the levels of fume production under each state. Having the results on each of the machines will allow the researcher to understand machine efficiency in comparison with fumes

Political ideologies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political ideologies - Research Paper Example This essay explores the political ideologies. The word Conservatism has been used both in an ordinary way and also in technical usage. Ordinary idea is focused on conserving something or keeping something intact. While the technical use is a bit complicated. The followers of Conservatism belief that its human nature to be conservative at times, we all want to stick to our own old culture and traditions and don’t prefer a change usually. Conservative ideas, as proposed by its allies are prevalent everywhere in our life and not just politics. Liberalism is the most complicated and obscure of all ideologies. Liberalism is associated with many kinds of moral values. These values include liberty, progress, individualism, and tolerance which have been linked with liberalism since the pre-historic era. Liberalism has been linked to philosophical thoughts because of its generosity of spirit, openness, and tolerance. Political users of liberalism view it as a source of freedom of media and worldly constitution. This term was first used in Spain and then it was spread all across Europe. Socialism is derived from a Latin ‘sociare’ whose literal meaning is to share or combine. It further succeeded to fellowship or companionship. It is a consensual contract between freemen. Socialism believes in a society in which there are liberated contracting individuals and rule of law state. The idea of socialism is based upon populus (sovereignty of people). It beliefs that people have the right to decide the best for themselves and collectively they can form a well established social society. (Vincent, A. (2009) Marxism Marxism and Communism are both a mixture of theory and practice. Marxism is the theoretical approach, and Communism deals with practicing Marxism. Karl Marx was the founder of Marxism. The believers of Marxism have always linked it with sacred thoughts and sacred beliefs and with Bible. Marx formulates a sphere of life in which human beings should be aware of their activities. They should have a control over their life activities, what they do and how they do it. Human beings are so preoccupied with pity activities of their life such as endless rules and regulations and oppressive and deceitful economy that they forget the divinely attributes of life. Marxism refurbishes those concepts. (Eatwell, R., & Wright, A. (1993). Fascism The term Fascism is derived from the Latin word ‘fasces’ which means bundles of rods which are bonded together to show the unity and parity of a nation. This political concept deals with unity and how strength is derived from being united. It is taken from the Roman Empire as it used to be the custom of Roman consuls to take decisions based on harmony. Fascism has suffered bad reputation in Europe during the past decades and is not as popular as other political ideologies. (Vincent, A. (2009) Totalitarianism Totalitarian concept urges that societies and nations can be controlled via the u se of terror. They can be terrorized to follow the rules and regulations of the state. The Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Soviet Union and also the Taliban Afghanistan in recent times have used this concept to rule their countries. It is based upon dictatorship, tyranny, using political power arbitrarily, allowing the minimal

Vertical and Horizontal Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Vertical and Horizontal Integration - Essay Example Companies, especially in the technology industry, are continuously reorganizing and restructuring. This is in order to keep their relevance in a field that HP’s CEO cites as ruthless.The technology industry has continuous consumer shifts, new inventions, and these present risks for redundancy. Companies that manufacture hardware in previous years are now acquiring the production of software. Companies that only dealt with software are acquiring hardware production facilities in a bid to stay afloat; this occurred in the case of HP and Google. HP has been, since its inception, manufacturing hardware, but in 2011, it acquired Autonomy, a software maker (Idea 2011). In the case of Google, in has since acquired Motorola, which deals with handset manufacturing (Blodget 2011). Other industries seem to be inclined to this restructuring. For example in the fashion industry, due to strict employment law and labor intensive nature of the apparel industry, companies had shifted to offsho re production in a bid to diminish costs and elevate returns margins. Nevertheless, an internalized company, Zara, bypassed the companies that operated using this model, in size and profitability. Zara is the current leader in apparel retailing, overtaking GAP and H&M. Inditex, which owns Zara, oversees the production of cotton, its processing and final conversion to fashion goods. This happens in its more than 100 companies dealing with different levels of production. Oversea production compromised lead-time (time taken for goods to reach consumers and responsiveness to customer needs. This led to higher levels of inventory cost; this was absent in Zara’s model, which controlled its production, designing, making and retailing of its products. This allows for lower inventory costs, increased lead-time, and efficiency (Grant 2005, p. 398-399). Numerous apparel companies, for example, GAP, are returning to local production to balance their market competitiveness in an industry, which moves, terribly fast. Another industry with a similar trend is the oil and gas industry. In this segment, companies with gross market shares, for example, BP and ExxonMobil control and invest in petroleum exploration, mining, transportation, processing, supply, and retailing of petroleum goods. These structural adjustments are not without controversies and questions. Regulating body determine whether, apart from the companies’ increased revenues, there are benefits to consumers. For example, authorities and litigators have extensively questioned and subjected to investigations, the move by Google. This write up will evaluate the definition and implications of the two distinct structural models, their advantages and limitations. Defining the concepts: Vertical integration Vertical integration refers to a form of management control. Companies using this model, have other affiliated companies, either in upstream or downstream, which a common owner as their basis of unity. This is achieved through mergers or acquisition of companies at different levels of production. Vertical integration refers to a company’s ownership of vertically related activities. The greater the firm’s tenure over successive stages of the value chain for its creations, the greater the extent of vertical integration. This index depends on the ratio of the company’s value added to its sales revenue. In the technology industry, specifically PC industry, these levels of production may be categorized as follows; raw materials, which mainly include plastic, silicon and other metals. Components parts manufacturing follow, examples in this category include Intel and micron technology. The next level is the final assembly done by corporations including HP and Dell. The last stage involves delivery to customers through retailers such as OfficeMax and CompUSA. In the apparel industry, the above stages would be divisible into cotton growing or petroleum