Concepts on Strategic and Quality Management Dissertation

Ideas on Strategic and Quality Management - Dissertation Example Ireland (1991) states that quality definitions have concentrated on the fulfillment of clients rather than the productivity realized by frameworks to firms. The necessities of the clients fill in as the structure obstructs that aides firm in making quality frameworks. In the circumstance where the Company in question, the necessities of the clients incredibly influenced the choice to change the stock framework. The organization, nonetheless, likewise viewed as different viewpoints in formulating the proposed conspire. The harmony between the requirements of the clients and the objectives of the Company is fundamental. There are some solid advances that should be embraced to guarantee that quality is accomplished. Kerzner (2003) gave an examination of experts’ sees on advisers for satisfy quality guidelines. The Company needs to impart mindfulness in the association that changes should be finished. Objectives must be set and legitimate assets must be pooled to understand these objectives. The Company needs to guarantee that progress of the venture is recorded and plentiful modifications are made over the span of the usage. Generally significant, the Company needs to continue all the constructive outcomes made by the stock framework and channel these to other powerless focuses. ... Undertaking supervisors ordinarily partition the procedure into stages so extends are made do with effectiveness. Dim and Larson (2003) expressed that the undertaking life cycle gives a structure that distinguishes the key issues and wellsprings of contentions. As Evans and Lindsay (1993) proposed, arranging is a basic phase of value the board. The principal phase of the cycle identifies with the origination of activities. The administration defines elevated objectives that must be accomplished given a timeframe. The objectives are in accordance with the stock focuses of the organization. After the administration has chosen for the reasonable rules, the following move is to join the plans to all substances in the association. The last advance in the primary stage permits the administration to assign people who will be entrusted to oversee and keep up the task. Quality work force are chosen to guarantee that objectives are met. Hormozi et al (2000) clarified that the improvement of th e task needs to create an all-inclusive strategy. The all-inclusive strategy will detail the way where the accessible assets will be utilized to cause the task to succeed. The essential credits that must be advanced in this stage are forcefulness and thoroughness. The all-inclusive strategy shows the spending plan and the timetable. Planning is critical to forestall imperatives once the venture begins the acknowledgment stage. The timetable uncovers the quantity of days required for the undertaking to be done and in the long run be joined with the current creation process. The execution covers the presentation of the undertaking that requires control (Evans and Lindsay, 1993). Customary checking and estimating of execution is beneficial for the undertaking. The control stage additionally discovers regions where upgrades are required and the disappointments of the task. The

The Long Term free essay sample

The response to the topic of whether Hitler or Stalin was more awful is rarely straightforward, thinking about unadulterated numbers, yet in addition the explanations for the murdering, the slaughtering techniques, the objectives of the executing, lastly the drawn out impacts of their systems. While Stalin murdered bigger numbers, he slaughtered dependent on political philosophy dissimilar to Hitler, who executed individuals dependent on their innate attributes, for example, religion, inabilities and sexuality. Regardless of whether abhor slaughtering or unpredictable homicide is more terrible, the two men, if that word is even a relevant name for them, were awful past the extent of anyone’s seeing so contrasting their revulsions is basically unthinkable, since unadulterated insights can't show the genuine measure of enduring each caused as such a large number of factors exist and were not adequately reported. One of the potential approaches to emotionally look at the two and further comprehend them both multidimensionally, is analyze their enduring positive or negative consequences for the cutting edge world. World War II had perhaps the biggest impact on Covert Intelligence since the innovation of long-go correspondences, for example, the radio. The advances made in spy create in the WWII and Cold War Era are enormous to the point that they totally changed the knowledge game, to improve things. Everybody was keeping an eye on everybody, with clandestine agents in high places of other their enemies’ governments, which made a worldwide doubt yet in addition realized the absolute best insight offices the world has ever observed, for example, the CIA (conceived from the OSS) and the NSA. One can contend, in the Orwellian light, that Big Brother’s power expanding is anything but a constructive outcome, and that this period generated such broad surveillance that the world will never really know security again. Spy offices are not by any means the only offenders in this marvel, media has gone incredibly to insightful news-casting, and are increasingly ready to check the intensity of lawmakers just as keep them fair. Obviously, the two sides are at fault in this circumstance, so it doesn't generally help with the subject of relative wickedness. In the fallout of the Holocaust, individuals met up: to grieve their misfortunes, to forestall further religion based executing, and to revamp their nations. This new feeling of solidarity achieved a rush of against prejudice in America and Western Europe, which would have liked to forestall further slaughters and adequately diminished enemy of Semitism’s power through western culture. This marvel proceeds to today, where conversations of the Holocaust flash empathy for the millions who kicked the bucket, because of the accessibility of tales demonstrating its bad form. Then again, Stalin’s casualties are not as promptly recalled, however they were progressively various that Hitler’s casualties, as Stalin’s casualties were not moved in one religion and culture. Since the USSR was broad and comprised of a wide range of people groups, which Stalin executed aimlessly, there was no single gathering that attempted to monitor all the passings, and with such a lu xurious number of passings, whole families, neighborhoods, even areas kicked the bucket without a moment's delay, leaving nobody to keep up their recollections. The recollections engraved in the brains of Holocaust survivors and their families figured out how to made a figurative place of refuge that has gone on as of recently, which Stalin’s casualties would not require, as the belief system causing their demises passed on with Stalin. In a positive light, this expanded feeling of solidarity stays right up 'til today and has brought a large number of the rest of the Jews together, making an enormous number of European Jews move to Israel, and which has been incredibly valuable to its proceeding with endurance in the temperamental district. Unforrtunately, the biggest recognizable impact of these two systems results from the a large number of passings. A typical portrayal of somebody huge, for example, a real existence sparing researcher, an incredibly famous craftsman, or an astounding pioneer, is that they are â€Å"one in a million.† With the approximated loss of life of WWII more than 60 million, with Hitler’s and Stalin’s casualties making up the vast greater part of that, what number of â€Å"one in a million† people were lost? Sixty? More? Where could mankind be, as a human advancement, had we not lost each one of those individuals? Maybe the researcher who could have relieved disease passed on under Hitler’s rule, so maybe the loss of life ought to likewise incorporate all the individuals who kicked the bucket of malignant growth after the war. Maybe the following Picasso, Renoir, Cezanne, Dali, Mozart, Bach, Shakespeare or Faulkner was executed for hostile to socialist exercis es. My own granddad, Vladislav (name changed), was captured for participating in hostile to Stalinist fights. In that time, guilty parties were frequently executed for that very wrongdoing, so Vladislav was in karma, as was the imaginative network. After his capture, Vladislav fled to Switzerland and afterward in the long run to the United States and got outstanding amongst other imaginative and helpful book covers on the planet. Among his rebuilding efforts are first-release Shakespeares, and a unique Gutenberg Bible; his imaginative pieces extend from miniatures which fit inside pecans to 7 foot fish molded books, and his unparalleled aptitudes won him the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guild of Book Workers upon his demise in 2012. World War II undermined the presence of Vladislav’s craftsmanship, yet in addition that of his imaginative bookbinding methods. Tragically, for each survivor, for example, Vladislav, a great many similarly skilled individuals passed on and couldn't contribute their capacities to human progress. Obviously, in this circumstance, it is difficult to perceive which of the two shades of malice, right of left, caused all the more long haul harm in this circumstance since Stalin murdered more individuals, yet Jews, the subject of Hitler’s executing, are regularly over-spoke to in the realm of expressions and sciences. On an increasingly disastrous note, Hitler adherents despite everything exist today, as neo-Nazis. Luckily, while the quantity of enemies of Semites stays high, the quantity of Nazis, neo-Nazis and Hitler adherents are an outrageous minority with no open help because of the measure of honest blood on their hands. On account of the barbarity that was the Holocaust, individuals are reluctant to follow any system that is even practically identical to Nazism. In the present day, fierce government officials have embraced the terms socialist and Nazi as affront intended to tear their adversaries down, abusing the sheer dread these gatherings ingrain in people’s psyches to connect their rivals with fear. On the specific inverse side of the remaining Nazi’s are the individuals who guarantee the Holocaust never occur and belittle the repulsions that so a huge number battled through. Their following is additionally restricted because of the plentiful confirmation of the monstrosi ties that happened under Hitler, yet their reality all by itself is an insult to any relative of any one who lived (or kicked the bucket) through the Holocaust. These â€Å"non-believers† may not be immediate off-spring of the Holocaust, however they compromise one of the main positive long haul parts of Hitler’s system: solidarity. In Orwell’s popular novel, â€Å"1984†, news was revamped to suit people with great influence and forestall an unrest, and the individuals who decide to preclude the presence from securing the Holocaust are especially endeavoring to shroud that piece of history, which is extremely run of the mill of an authoritarian outlook. While Hitler and Stalin are both long dead, the impacts of their loathsome activities live on. In the long haul, Hitler’s system may have diminished the quantities of the Jewish people group, and perhaps set the world back fifty years formatively because of that misfortune, yet it reinforced minority groups’ solidarity, ideally diminishing the chances of another slaughter of the Holocaust extent in the cutting edge world. Stalin’s system then again separated the Eastern Block and pulverized its populace. Both these monsters added to the exceptional ascent in worldwide secret activities, and maybe, had World War II and afterward the Cold War not occurred, the United States would not be telephone tapping their nearest partners and the NSA would not be so wild. In spite of the fact that the world would be such a great amount of happier had Hitler been acknowledged into workmanship school, and had Marx never composed his acclaimed declaration, we can't overlook that these injustices happened so history doesn't rehash itself as it so regularly does.

Peripheral Intimacy in Neil Gaimans THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS

Peripheral Intimacy in Neil Gaimans THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS A lot has been written about what the Internet has done to memoirs and creative nonfictionâ€"that our hundred and forty character bare-all confessions have both escalated the intimacy of the content and desensitized us to it. Are we hungry for secrets? Do we expect every personal essay to take us back to our slumber party years when we’d sit on our pillows and open up our hearts like the bags of Cheetos we had nearby in great numbers? I can’t speak for the rest of the class here, but I think I do. I do expect those things. I recently experienced this with Neil Gaiman. I bought his first collection of nonfiction, The View from the Cheap Seats, with nothing short of atomic bombs of delight exploding in the New Mexico of my chest. I’m a curious soul, interested in people and obsessed with context. So holding this massive volume of Real Life Neil Gaiman, I was just about over the moon. I cracked it open, ready to stay up past my bedtime to pass Neil the Cheetos and listen as he shared his deepest fears, most embarrassing moments, and secret crushes. As I worked my way through the essays, it became clear this was not going to be that kind of slumber party. Not exactly. The first time I encountered Neil Gaiman, I didn’t know who he was or what he was all about. I was in seventh grade, and head over heels in love with SimCity2000. I’d cheat code the heck out of it because I’m an idiot at most things including city planning, and with my pile of ill-gotten Simoleons I would stack my simulated city with libraries until they outnumbered my residents. I am what I am. I also liked to click on everything I could, because as I said I’m curious. Something special happens when you click on your libraryâ€"you have the option to “ruminate.” It was a big word for me, but I clicked it anyway. And that’s how I learned that “ruminate” is a just another way of saying “read a short essay by Nail Gaiman about the wonder and terror and personalities and anthropomorphic essence of cities.” It was incredible, and I loved it and was kind of shaken by it. But I loved it. I ruminated often. Even before I was a fully bloomed reader, I was a book lover. I know how backward that sounds, believe me. I would ruminate over the white shelf in our basement that held my dad’s science fiction and fantasy collection. I would admire the spines and the covers and wonder what secrets they would tell me if these books and I were sitting on our pillows swapping stories late into the night. But I hesitated to find out; I don’t really know why. There was too much SimCity2000 to play, I suppose. Too many Cheetos to crunch. Neil Gaiman also loves books. (see also: surprise!) He has loved reading and books for pretty much the whole of his life, and most of the essays collected in The View from the Cheap Seats are book-related. Most are introductions, many are speeches, some are interviews and short works of journalism. And as I kept going, as I kept turning the pages, I realized that was I was actually doing was following Neil as he ruminated through the stacks of the SimLibrary central to his career, his character, his everything. He was ruminating. And he was letting us ruminate with him. John Waters gave famous advice about what to do if you accept an invitation upstairs with someone you might want to spend a night with. Let’s assume they do indeed own books, and you do indeed stay the night, and they do indeed get up for a drink of water and you have just enough time to scamper to their shelf and admire the spines and covers of their personal collection. That, my friends, is intimacy; that’s vulnerability. That’s rumination. This changed the way I finished reading this book. I forgave in an instant what at first felt like too much psychic distance for my taste. As he pointed out volumes or pulled them from the metaphysical shelf as we passed together, I took them in my arms lovingly. It’s how I found The Einstein Intersection , The Kryptonite Kid, and many many more. He was giving gifts. In addition to introducing us to the books he loved, Neil Gaiman also introduces us to people living and dead that he loved in various ways. The essays he wrote for Amanda Palmer each admire her differently from different points on their timeline (they’re married now, in case you did not know). His words for Terry Pratchett capture a life from different points on a timeline, too. (He has since passed away, in case you did not know.) All are tender, honest, and celebratory even when weighed down with sadness. I dare you to read “Jack Kirby: King of Comics” and not find yourself on fire for the comic book legend on whose shoulders Neil stood to recreate Sandman. I double dog dare you to read “Hi, by the Way” or its successor and not feel even slightly tipsy by proxy from sexy Spanish wine and the madcap beauty of Neil’s friendship with Tori Amos. I triple dog dare you to read “So Many Ways To Die in Syria Now: May 2014”, for which Neil turns down the volume on his writi ng at the sentence level in order to lift up the voice of the subjectâ€"human beings crying out for help in real-timeâ€"and not feel called to action. He loves these refugees, and hopes we will love them too and will extend a hand in whatever way we can. These essays are all about love, and though the intimacy seems peripheral it’s there in great supply. And maybe there’s wisdom in keeping the intimacy somewhat oblique. In “Waiting for the Man” Gaiman interviews Lou Reed, a personal and creative hero of his. As Reed moves from periphery into plain sightâ€"warts and prickliness and allâ€"Neil has a moment of understanding that this is probably too close for comfort. “I’d been around long enough,” he writes, “to know the person isn’t the art…I went back to being a fan, happy to celebrate the magic without the magician.” My craving for a Neil Gaiman tell-all may never be satisfied. I’m okay with that now. We have his stories, marbled to varying degrees with his beliefs, his fears, his memories, his secret crushes, his not secret crushes, his dreams, and of course of course of course his magic. You can keep your Cheetos. Just pass me more of that instead. Actually who am I kidding, I’ll take some Cheetos, too.

Potassium-Argon Dating Methods K-Ar and Ar-Ar Dating

The potassium-argon (K-Ar) isotopic dating method is especially useful for determining the age of lavas. Developed in the 1950s, it was important in developing the theory of plate tectonics and in calibrating the geologic time scale. Potassium-Argon Basics Potassium occurs in two stable isotopes (41K and 39K) and one radioactive isotope (40K). Potassium-40 decays with a half-life of 1250 million years, meaning that half of the 40K atoms are gone after that span of time. Its decay yields argon-40 and calcium-40 in a ratio of 11 to 89. The K-Ar method works by counting these radiogenic 40Ar atoms trapped inside minerals. What simplifies things is that potassium is a reactive metal and argon is an inert gas: Potassium is always tightly locked up in minerals whereas argon is not part of any minerals. Argon makes up 1 percent of the atmosphere. So assuming that no air gets into a mineral grain when it first forms, it has zero argon content. That is, a fresh mineral grain has its K-Ar clock set at zero. The method relies on satisfying some important assumptions: The potassium and argon must both stay put in the mineral over geologic time. This is the hardest one to satisfy.We can measure everything accurately. Advanced instruments, rigorous procedures and the use of standard minerals ensure this.We know the precise natural mix of potassium and argon isotopes. Decades of basic research has given us this data.We can correct for any argon from the air that gets into the mineral. This requires an extra step. Given careful work in the field and in the lab, these assumptions can be met. The K-Ar Method in Practice The rock sample to be dated must be chosen very carefully. Any alteration or fracturing means that the potassium or the argon or both have been disturbed. The site also must be geologically meaningful, clearly related to fossil-bearing rocks or other features that need a good date to join the big story. Lava flows that lie above and below rock beds with ancient human fossils are a good—and true—example. The mineral sanidine, the high-temperature form of potassium feldspar, is the most desirable. But micas, plagioclase, hornblende, clays, and other minerals can yield good data, as can whole-rock analyses. Young rocks have low levels of 40Ar, so as much as several kilograms may be needed. Rock samples are recorded, marked, sealed and kept free of contamination and excessive heat on the way to the lab. The rock samples are crushed, in clean equipment, to a size that preserves whole grains of the mineral to be dated, then sieved to help concentrate these grains of the target mineral. The selected size fraction is cleaned in ultrasound and acid baths, then gently oven-dried. The target mineral is separated using heavy liquids, then hand-picked under the microscope for the purest possible sample. This mineral sample is then baked gently overnight in a vacuum furnace. These steps help remove as much atmospheric 40Ar from the sample as possible before making the measurement. Next, ​the mineral sample is heated to melting in a vacuum furnace, driving out all the gas. A precise amount of argon-38 is added to the gas as a spike to help calibrate the measurement, and the gas sample is collected onto activated charcoal cooled by liquid nitrogen. Then the gas sample is cleaned of all unwanted gasses such as H2O, CO2, SO2, nitrogen and so on until all that remains are the inert gasses, argon among them. Finally, ​the argon atoms are counted in a mass spectrometer, a machine with its own complexities. Three argon isotopes are measured: 36Ar, 38Ar, and 40Ar. If the data from this step is clean, the abundance of atmospheric argon can be determined and then subtracted to yield the radiogenic 40Ar content. This air correction relies on the level of argon-36, which comes only from the air and is not created by any nuclear decay reaction. It is subtracted, and a proportional amount of the 38Ar and 40Ar are also subtracted. The remaining 38Ar is from the spike, and the remaining 40Ar is radiogenic. Because the spike is precisely known, the 40Ar is determined by comparison to it. Variations in this data may point to errors anywhere in the process, which is why all the steps of preparation are recorded in detail. K-Ar analyses cost several hundred dollars per sample and take a week or two. The 40Ar-39Ar Method A variant of the K-Ar method gives better data by making the overall measurement process simpler. The key is to put the mineral sample in a neutron beam, which converts potassium-39 into argon-39. Because 39Ar has a very short half-life, it is guaranteed to be absent in the sample beforehand, so its a clear indicator of the potassium content. The advantage is that all the information needed for dating the sample comes from the same argon measurement. Accuracy is greater and errors are lower. This method is commonly called argon-argon dating. The physical procedure for 40Ar-39Ar dating is the same except for three differences: Before the mineral sample is put in the vacuum oven, it is irradiated along with samples of standard materials by a neutron source.There is no 38Ar spike needed.Four Ar isotopes are measured: 36Ar, 37Ar, 39Ar, and 40Ar. The analysis of the data is more complex than in the K-Ar method  because the irradiation creates argon atoms from other isotopes besides​ 40K. These effects must be corrected, and the process is intricate enough to require computers. Ar-Ar analyses cost around $1000 per sample and take several weeks. Conclusion The Ar-Ar method is considered superior, but some of its problems are avoided in the older K-Ar method. Also, the cheaper K-Ar method can be used for screening or reconnaissance purposes, saving Ar-Ar for the most demanding or interesting problems. These dating methods have been under constant improvement for more than 50 years. The learning curve has been long and is far from over today. With each increment in quality, more subtle sources of error have been found and taken into account. Good materials and skilled hands can yield ages that are certain to within 1 percent, even in rocks only 10,000 years old, in which quantities of 40Ar are vanishingly small.

What Are the Various Subfields of Economics

At the most basic level, the field of economics is divided into microeconomics, or the study of individual markets, and macroeconomics, or the study of the economy as a whole.  At a more granular level, however, economics has many subfields, depending on how finely you wish to divide the science. A useful classification system is provided by The Journal of Economic Literature. Subsets of Economics Here are some of the subfields that the JEL identifies: Mathematical and Quantitative MethodsEconometricsGame Theory and Bargaining TheoryExperimental EconomicsMicroeconomicsMacroeconomics and Monetary EconomicsThe Business CycleMoney and Interest RatesInternational Economics and International TradeFinance and Financial EconomicsPublic Economics, Taxation, and Government SpendingHealth, Education, and WelfareLabor and Demographic EconomicsLaw and EconomicsIndustrial OrganizationBusiness Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; AccountingEconomic HistoryEconomic Development, Technological Change, and GrowthEconomic SystemsAgricultural and Natural Resource EconomicsUrban, Rural, and Regional Economics In addition, there are a number of fields within economics that didnt significantly exist when the JEL classification was developed, such as behavioral economics, organizational economics, market design, social choice theory, and a number of others.

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 24~25 Free Essays

string(117) " the Food Guy and his female and the Tall Guy who always smelled of burning weeds and sometimes gave him hamburgers\." Twenty-four The Sheriff Sheriff John Burton stood by the ruins of Theo’s Volvo, pounding the keys of his cell phone. He could smell the cow shit he’d stepped in coming off his Guccis and the damp wind was blowing cowlicks in his gelled silver hair. His black Armani suit was smudged with the ashes he’d poked through at Theo’s cabin, thinking there might be a burned body underneath. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 24~25 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He was not happy. Didn’t anybody answer their goddamn phone anymore? He’d called Joseph Leander, Theophilus Crowe, and Jim Beer, the man who owned the ranch, and no one was answering. Which is what had brought him to Pine Cove in the middle of the night in a state of near panic in the first place. The second shift of crank cookers should be working in the lab right now, but there was no one around. His world was falling down around him, all because of the meddling of a pothead constable who had forgotten that he was supposed to be incompetent. Crowe’s line was ringing. Burton heard a click, then was immediately disconnected. â€Å"Fuck!† He slammed the cell phone shut and dropped it into the pocket of his suit jacket. Someone was answering Crowe’s phone. Either he was still alive or Leander had killed him, taken his phone, and was fucking with him. But Leander’s van had been parked at Crowe’s cabin? So where was he? Not at home, Burton had already checked, finding nothing but a sleepy baby-sitter and two groggy little girls in nightgowns. Would Leander run and not take his daughters? Burton pulled out the phone and dialed the data offices at the department. The Spider answered. â€Å"Nailsworth,† the Spider said. Burton could hear him chewing. â€Å"Put down that Twinkie, you fucking tub of lard, I need you to find me a name and an address.† â€Å"It’s a Sno Ball. Pink. I only eat the marshmallow covers.† Burton could feel his pulse rising in his temples and made an effort to control his rage. In the rush to get to Pine Cove, he’d forgotten to take his blood pressure medication. â€Å"The name is Betsy Butler. I need a Pine Cove address.† â€Å"Joseph Leander’s girlfriend?† the Spider asked. â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"Please, Sheriff,† the Spider said with a snort. â€Å"Remember who you’re talking to.† â€Å"Just get me the address.† Burton could hear Nailsworth typing. The Spider was dangerous, a constant threat to his operation, and Burton couldn’t figure out how to get to him. He was immune to bribes or threats of any kind and seemed content with his lot in life as long as he could make others squirm. And Burton was too afraid of what the corpulent information officer might really know to fire him. Maybe some of that foxglove tea that Leander had used on his wife. Certainly, no one would question heart failure in a man who got winded unwrapping a Snickers. â€Å"No address,† Nailsworth said. â€Å"Just a P.O. box. I checked DMV, TRW, and Social Security. She works at H.P.’s Cafe in Pine Cove. You want the address?† â€Å"It’s five in the morning, Nailsworth. I need to find this woman now.† The Spider sighed. â€Å"They open for breakfast at six. Do you want the address?† Burton was seething again. â€Å"Give it to me,† he said through gritted teeth. The Spider gave him an address on Cypress Street and said, â€Å"Try the Eggs-Sothoth, they’re supposed to be great.† â€Å"How would you know? You never leave the goddamn office.† â€Å"Ah, what fools these mortals be,† the Spider said in a very bad British accent. â€Å"I know everything, Sheriff. Everything.† Then he hung up. Burton took a deep breath and checked his Rolex. He had enough time to make a little visit to Jim Beer’s ranch house before the restaurant opened. The old shit kicker was probably already up and punching doggies, or whatever the fuck ranchers did at this hour. He certainly wasn’t answering his phone. Burton climbed into the black Eldorado and roared across the rutted ranch road toward the gate by Theo’s cabin. As he headed out to the Coast Highway to loop back to the front of the ranch (he’d be damned if he’d take his Caddy across two miles of cow trails), someone stepped into his headlights and he slammed on the brakes. The antilocks throbbed and the Caddy stopped just short of running over a woman in a white choir robe. There was a whole line of them, making their way down the Coast Highway, shielding candles against the wind. They didn’t even look up, but walked past the front of his car as if in a trance. Burton rolled down the window and stuck his head out. â€Å"What are you people doing? It’s five in the morning.† A balding man whose choir robe was three sizes too small looked up with a beatific smile and said, â€Å"We’ve been called by the Holy Spirit. We’ve been called.† Then he walked on. â€Å"Yeah, well, you almost got to see him early!† Burton yelled, but no one paid attention. He fell back into the seat and waited as the procession passed. It wasn’t just people in choir robes, but aging hippies in jeans and Birkenstocks, half a dozen Gen X’ers dressed in their Sunday best, and one skinny guy who was wearing the saffron robes of a Buddhist monk. Burton wrenched his briefcase off the passenger seat and popped it open. False passport, driver’s license, Social Security card, stick-on beard, and a ticket to the Caymans: the platinum parachute kit he kept with him at all times. Maybe it was time to bail. Skinner Well, the Food Guy finally got a female, Skinner thought. Probably because he had the scent of those mashed cows on him. Skinner had been tempted to roll in the goo himself, but was afraid the Food Guy would yell at him. (He hated that.) But this was even better: riding in the different car with the Food Guy and his female and the Tall Guy who always smelled of burning weeds and sometimes gave him hamburgers. You read "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 24~25" in category "Essay examples" He looked out the window and wagged his tail, which repeatedly smacked Theo in the face. They were stopping. Oh boy, maybe they would leave him in the car. That would be good; the seats were chewy and tasted of cow. But no, they let him out, told him to come along with them to the small house. An Old Guy answered the door and Skinner said hi with a nose to the crotch. The Old Guy scratched his ears. Skinner liked him. He smelled like a dog who’d been howling all night. Being near him made Skinner want to howl and he did, one time, enjoying the sad sound of his own voice. The Food Guy told him to shut up. The Old Guy said, â€Å"I guess I know how you feel.† They all went inside and left Skinner there on the steps. They were all nervous, Skinner could smell it, and they probably wouldn’t be inside long. He had work to do. It was a big yard with a lot of shrubs where other dogs had left him messages. He needed to reply to them all, so each could only get a short spray. Dog e-mail. He was only half-finished when they came back out. The Tall Guy said, â€Å"Well, Mr. Jefferson, we’re going to find the monster and we’d like your help. You’re the only one who has seen it.† â€Å"Oh, I think you’ll know him when you see him,† said the old guy. â€Å"Y’all don’t need my help.† Everyone smelled sad and afraid and Skinner couldn’t help himself. He let loose a forlorn howl that he held until the Food Guy grabbed his collar and dragged him to the car. Skinner had a bad feeling that they might be going to the place where there was danger. Danger, Food Guy, he warned. His barking was deafening in the confines of the Mercedes. Estelle Estelle was fuming as she cleared the teacups from the table and threw them into the sink. Two broke and she swore to herself, then turned to Catfish, who was sitting on the bed picking out a soft version of â€Å"Walkin’ Man’s Blues† on the National steel guitar. â€Å"You could have helped them,† Estelle said. Catfish looked at the guitar and sang, â€Å"Got a mean old woman, Lawd, stay angry all the time.† â€Å"There’s nothing noble in using your art to escape life. You should have helped them.† â€Å"Got a mean old woman, Lawd, Lawd, Lawd. She just stay angry all the time.† â€Å"Don’t you ignore me, Catfish Jefferson. I’m talking to you. People in this town have been good to you. You should help them.† Catfish threw back his head and sang to the ceiling, â€Å"She gots no idea, Lawd, what’s hers and what’s mine.† Estelle snagged a skillet out of the dish rack, crossed the room, and raised it for a rocketing forehand shot to Catfish’s head. â€Å"Go ahead, sing another verse about your ‘mean old woman,’ Catfish. I’m curious, what rhymes with ‘clobbered’?† Catfish put the guitar aside and slipped on his sunglasses. â€Å"You know, they say a woman was the one poisoned Robert Johnson?† â€Å"Do you know what she used?† Estelle wasn’t smiling. â€Å"I’m making my shopping list.† â€Å"Dang, woman, why you talk like that? I ain’t been nothin but good to you.† â€Å"And me to you. That’s why you keep singing that mean old woman song, right?† â€Å"Don’t sound right singin ‘sweet old woman.'† Estelle lowered the pan. Tears welled up in her eyes. â€Å"You can help them and when it’s over you can stay here. you can play your music, I can paint. People in Pine Cove love your music.† â€Å"People here sayin hello to me on the street, puttin too much money in the tip jar, buying me drinks – I ain’t got the Blues on me no more.† â€Å"So you have to go wreck your car, or pick cotton, or shoot a man in Memphis, or whatever it is that you have to do to put the Blues on you? For what?† â€Å"It’s what I do. I don’t know nothin else.† â€Å"You’ve never tried anything else. I’m here, I’m real. Is it so bad to know that you have a warm bed to sleep in with someone who loves you? There’s nothing out there, Catfish.† â€Å"That dragon out there. He always be out there.† â€Å"So face it. You got away from it before.† â€Å"Why you care?† â€Å"Because it took a lot for me to open my heart to you after what I’ve been through, and I don’t have much tolerance for cowards anymore.† â€Å"Call it like you sees it, Mama.† Estelle turned and went back to the kitchen. â€Å"Then maybe you better go.† â€Å"I’ll get my hat,† Catfish said. He snapped the National back into its case, grabbed his hat from the table, and in a moment he was gone. Estelle turned and stared at the door. When she heard his station wagon start, she fell to the floor and felt a once warm future bleed a black stain around her. Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch The cave lay under a hillside, less than a mile from the ranch road at Theo’s cabin. The narrow mouth looked down over a wide, grassy marine terrace to the Pacific, and the interior, which opened into a huge cathedral chamber, echoed with the sound of crashing waves. Fossilized starfish and trilobites peppered the walls and the rocky floor was covered with a patina of bat guano and crystallized sea salt. The last time Steve had visited the cave it had been underwater, and he had spent a pleasant autumn there feeding on the gray whales that migrated down the coast to Baja to bear their young. He didn’t remember the cave consciously, of course, but when he sensed that Molly was searching for a hiding place, the map in his mind that had long ago gone to instinct led them there. Since they’d arrived at the cave, a dark mood had fallen on Steve and, in turn, over Molly. She’d used the weed-whacker on the Sea Beast several times to try to cheer him up, but now the sex machine was out of gas and Molly was developing a heat rash on the inside of her thighs from repeated tongue lashings. It had been two days since she had eaten, and even Steve refused to touch his cows (Black Angus steers, now that Molly knew he couldn’t tolerate dairy). Since the coming of the Sea Beast, Molly had been in a state of controlled euphoria. Worries about her sanity had melted away and she had joined him in the Zen moment that is the life of an animal, but since the dream and the horrible self-consciousness that had descended on Steve, the notion of their incompatibility had begun to rise in Molly’s mind like a trout to a fly. â€Å"Steve,† she said, leaning on her broadsword and staring him squarely in one of his basketball eyes, â€Å"your breath could knock a buzzard off a shit wagon.† The Sea Beast, rather than go on the defensive (which was fortunate for Molly, because the only defense he could think of was to bite her legs off), let out a pathetic whimper and tried to tuck his huge head under a forelimb. Molly immediately regretted her comment and tried to patch the damage. â€Å"Oh, I know, it’s not your fault. Maybe someone sells Tic Tacs the size of easy chairs. We’ll get through it.† But she didn’t mean it, and Steve could sense her insincerity. â€Å"Maybe we need to get out more,† she added. Dawn had broken outside and a beam of sunlight was streaming into the cathedral like a cop’s flashlight in a smoky bar. â€Å"Maybe a swim,† Molly said. â€Å"Your gills seem to be healing.† How she knew the treelike growths on his neck were gills, she wasn’t sure – perhaps more of the unspoken communication that passes between lovers. Steve lifted his head and Molly thought that she might have gotten his attention, but then she noticed that a shadow had come over the entrance to the cave. She looked up to see half a dozen people in choir robes standing at the opening of the cathedral. â€Å"We’ve come to offer sacrifice,† one woman managed to say. â€Å"And not a breath mint among you, I’ll bet,† Molly said. Twenty-five Theo H.P.’s Cafe was crowded with early morning old guys drinking coffee. Theo downed three cups of coffee quickly, which only served to make him anxious. Val and Gabe had ordered a cinnamon roll to share, and now Val was feeding a piece of it to Gabe as if the man had somehow managed to reach middle age and earn two Ph.D.s without ever having learned to feed himself. Theo just wanted to blow the bitter chunks of indignation. Val said, â€Å"I certainly hope that the presence of this creature isn’t responsible for how I feel right now.† She licked icing from her fingers. Right, Theo thought, the fact that you’ve fucked up all the previously fucked-up people in town and committed a string of felonies in the process shouldn’t be the rain on your little love parade. However, Theo did sub-scribe to the â€Å"honest mistake† school of law enforcement, and he honestly believed that she was trying to right a wrong by taking her patients off their medication. So although Val was currently irritating him like a porcu-pine suppository, he was honest enough to realize that he was merely jealous of what she had found with Gabe. That realized, Gabe started to irritate him as well. â€Å"What do we do, Gabe? Tranquilize this thing? Shoot it? What?† â€Å"Assuming it exists.† â€Å"Assume it,† Theo spat. â€Å"I’m afraid if you wait for enough evidence to be sure, we’ll have to find you an ass donor, because this creature will have bitten yours off.† â€Å"No need to be snotty, Theo. I’m just being sensibly skeptical, as any researcher would.† â€Å"Theo,† Val said, â€Å"I can write you a scrip for some Valium. Might take the edge off your withdrawal symptoms.† Theo scoffed. He didn’t scoff often, so he wasn’t good at it, and it appeared to Gabe and Val that he might be gacking up a hair ball. â€Å"You all right?† Gabe asked. â€Å"I’m fine. I was scoffing.† â€Å"At what?† â€Å"At Dr. Feelgood here wanting to give me a prescription for Valium so Winston Krauss can fill it with MMs.† â€Å"I’d forgotten about that,† Val said. â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"It would appear that we have multifarious problems with which to deal, and I don’t have a clue where to start,† Theo said. â€Å"Multifarious?† Gabe said. â€Å"A shitload,† said Theo. â€Å"I know what it means, Theo. I just can’t believe it came out of your mouth.† Val laughed gaily at Gabe’s kinda-sorta humor. Theo glared at her. Jenny, who was almost as cranky as Theo for having had to close H.P.’s the night before and then open the restaurant in the morning when the morning girl called in sick, came by to refill their coffees. â€Å"That’s your boss pulling up, isn’t it, Theo?† she asked, nodding toward the front. Out the window Theo could see Sheriff John Burton crawling out of his black Eldorado. â€Å"Back door?† Theo said, urgent pleading in his eyes. â€Å"Sure, through the kitchen and Howard’s office.† Theo was up in a second and halfway to the kitchen when he noticed that Val and Gabe had missed the entire exchange and were staring into each other’s eyes. He ran back and slapped the table with his open palm. They looked at him as if they’d been dragged out of a dream. â€Å"Attention,† Theo said, trying not to raise his voice. â€Å"Sheriff coming in? My boss? Deadly drug dealer? We’re criminals. We’ll be making a break for the back door? Now? Hello?† â€Å"I’m not a criminal,† Gabe said. â€Å"I’m a biologist.† Theo grabbed him by the front of the shirt and made for the kitchen, dragging the biologist behind him. The criminal shrink brought up the rear. The Sheriff â€Å"I’m looking for Betsy Butler,† Burton said, flipping open a badge wallet as if everyone in the county didn’t immediately recognize his white Stetsonover-Armani look. â€Å"What’s she done?† Jenny asked, putting herself between the sheriff and the door to the kitchen. â€Å"That’s not your affair. I just need to talk to her.† â€Å"Well, I’m on the floor alone, so you have to follow me if you want to talk or I’ll get behind.† â€Å"I don’t want to talk to you.† â€Å"Fine.† Jenny turned her back on the sheriff and went to the waitress station behind the counter to start a fresh pot of coffee. Burton followed her, suppressing the urge to put her in a choke hold. â€Å"Do you know where she lives?† â€Å"Yes,† Jenny said. â€Å"But she’s not home.† Jenny glanced back through the kitchen window to make sure that Theo and his bunch had made it through to Howard’s office. Burton’s face was going red now. â€Å"Please. Could you tell me where she is?† Jenny thought she could jerk this guy around for another ten minutes or so, but it didn’t look as if it was necessary. Besides, she was pissed at Betsy for calling in anyway. â€Å"She called in this morning with a spiritual emergency. Her words, by the way. The flu I can understand, but I’m working a double after closing last night over her spiritual emergency – â€Å" â€Å"Where is Betsy Butler?† the sheriff barked. Jenny jumped back a step. The man looked as if he might go for his gun any second. No wonder Theo had bolted out the back. â€Å"She said she was going with a group up to the Beer Bar Ranch. That they were being called by the spirit to make a sacrifice. Pretty weird, huh?† â€Å"Was Joseph Leander going with her?† â€Å"No one’s supposed to know about Betsy and Joseph.† â€Å"I know about them. Was he going with her?† â€Å"She didn’t say. She sounded a little spaced out.† â€Å"Does Theo Crowe come in here?† â€Å"Sometimes.† Jenny wasn’t volunteering anything to this creep. He was rude, he was mean, and he was wearing enough Aramis to choke a skunk. â€Å"Has he been in here today?† â€Å"No, haven’t seen him.† Without a word, Burton turned and stormed out the door to his Cadillac. Jenny went back to the kitchen, where Gabe, Val, and Theo were standing by the fryers, trying to stay out of the way of the two cooks, who were flipping eggs and thrashing hash browns. Gabe pointed to the back door. â€Å"It’s locked.† â€Å"He’s gone,† Jenny said. â€Å"He was looking for Betsy and Joseph, but he asked about you, Theo. I think he’s going up to the Beer Bar to find Betsy.† â€Å"What’s Betsy doing at the ranch?† Theo asked. â€Å"Something about making a sacrifice. That girl needs help.† Theo turned to Val. â€Å"Give me the keys to your car. I’m going after him.† â€Å"I don’t think so,† the psychiatrist said, holding her purse away from him. â€Å"Please, Val. I’ve got to see what he’s up to. This is my life here.† â€Å"And that’s my Mercedes, and you’re not taking it.† â€Å"I have guns, Val.† â€Å"Yeah, but you don’t have a Mercedes. It’s mine.† Gabe looked at her as if she’d squirted a grapefruit in his eyes. â€Å"You really won’t let Theo use your car?† His voice was flat with disappointment. â€Å"It’s just a car.† They all stared at her, even the two cooks, burly Hispanic men who had until now refused to acknowledge their existence. Val reached into her purse, brought out the keys, and handed them to Theo as if she were giving up a child for sacrifice. â€Å"How will we get home?† Gabe asked. â€Å"Go to the Head of the Slug and wait. I’ll either pick you up or call you from my cell phone and let you know what’s going on. It shouldn’t take long.† With that, Theo ran out of the kitchen. A few seconds later Valerie Riordan cringed at the sound of squealing tires as Theo pulled out of the restaurant parking lot. Skinner Skinner liked chasing cars as much as the next dog, and they didn’t get away as easily when you chased them in another car, but despite the excite-ment of the chase, Skinner was anxious. When he had seen the Tall Guy come out to the car, he thought that the Food Guy was coming too. But now they were driving away from the Food Guy and toward the danger. Skinner could feel it. He whined and ran back and forth across the backseat of the Mercedes, leaving nose prints on the window, then jumped into the front seat and stuck his head out the passenger window. There was no joy to the turbo-charged smells or the wind in his ears, only danger. He barked and scratched at the door handle to warn the Tall Guy, but all he got for his efforts was a perfunctory ear scratching, so he crawled into the Tall Guy’s lap, where it felt at least a little safer. The Sheriff Burton first noticed the Mercedes behind him when he turned onto the access road to the Coast Highway. A week ago he might not have thought twice about it, but now he was seeing an enemy in every tree. DEA wouldn’t use a Mercedes, and neither would FBI, but the Mexican Mafia could. Except for his operation, they ran the meth trade out of the West; perhaps they’d decided that they wanted the whole trade. That would explain the disap-pearance of Leander, Crowe, and the guys at the lab, except that it had been a little too clean. They would have left bodies as a warning, and they would have burned down all of Crowe’s cabin, not just the pot patch. He pulled his Beretta 9 mm. out of its holster and placed it on the seat next to him. He had a shotgun in the trunk, but it might as well be in Canada for all the good it would do him. if there were two or less in the car, he might take them. If more, they probably had Uzis or Mac 10 machine guns and he would run. The Mexicans liked to have a crowd in on their hits. Burton made a quick right off the highway and stopped a block up a side street. Theo Why hadn’t he let Skinner out at the cafe? He hadn’t been able to figure out the electric seat adjustment on the Mercedes, so he was driving with his knees up around the wheel anyway, but now he had an eighty-pound dog in his lap and he had to whip his head from side to side to keep Burton’s Caddy in sight. The Caddy made an abrupt turn off the highway and it was all Theo could do to get the Mercedes around the corner without screeching the tires. By the time he could see around Skinner’s head again, the Caddy was stopped only fifty yards ahead. Theo ducked quickly onto the passenger seat and tried to call on THE FORCE to steer as they passed the Caddy. The Sheriff Sheriff John Burton was prepared for a confrontation with DEA agents, he was prepared for a high-speed escape, he was even prepared for a shoot-out with Mexican drug dealers, if it came to that. He prided himself on being tough and adaptable and thought himself superior to other men be-cause of his cool response to pressure. He was, however, not prepared to see a Mercedes cruise by with a Labrador retriever at the wheel. His Uber-mensch arrogance shriveled as he stared gape-jawed at the passing Mercedes. It made an erratic turn at the next corner, bouncing off a curb before disap-pearing behind a hedge. He wasn’t the sort of man who doubted his own perceptions – if he saw it, he saw it – so his mind dropped into politician mode to file the experi-ence. â€Å"That right there,† he said aloud, â€Å"is why I will never support a bill to license dogs to drive.† Still, political certainties weren’t going to count for much if he didn’t get to Betsy Butler and find out what had happened to his prized drug mule. He pulled a U-turn and headed back to the Coast Highway, where he found himself looking a little more closely than usual at the drivers in oncoming cars. Molly There were thirty of them all together. Six stood side by side at the cave entrance; the rest crowded behind them, trying to get a look inside. Molly recognized the one doing the talking, she was the ditzy waitress from H.P.’s cafe. She was in her mid-twenties, with short blonde hair and a figure that promised to go pear-shaped by the time she hit forty. She wore a white choir robe over jeans and aerobics shoes. â€Å"You’re Betsy from H.P.’s, right?† Molly asked, leaning on her broadsword. Betsy seemed to recognize Molly for the first time, â€Å"You’re the craz – â€Å" Molly held up her sword to hush the girl. â€Å"Be nice.† â€Å"Sorry,† said Betsy. â€Å"We’ve been called. I didn’t expect you to be here.† Two women stepped up beside Betsy, the pastel church ladies that Molly had chased away from the dragon trailer. â€Å"Remember us?† Molly shook her head. â€Å"What exactly do you all think you are doing here?† They looked to each other, as if the question hadn’t occurred to them before this. They craned their necks and squinted into the cathedral chamber to see what was behind Molly. Steve lay curled up in the dark at the back of the chamber, sulking. Molly turned and spoke to the back of the chamber. â€Å"Steve, did you bring these people here? What were you thinking?† A loud and low-pitched whimper came out of the dark. The crowd at the entrance murmured among themselves. Suddenly a man stepped for-ward and pushed Betsy aside. He was in his forties and wore an African dashiki over khakis and Birkenstocks, his long hair held out of his face with a beaded headband. â€Å"Look, man, you can’t stop us. There’s something very special and very spiritual happening here, and we’re not going to let some crazy woman keep us from being part of it. So just back off.† Molly smiled. â€Å"You want to be a part of this, do you?† â€Å"Yeah, that’s right,† the man said. The others nodded behind him. â€Å"Fine, I want you all to empty your pockets before you come in here. Leave your keys, wallets, money, everything outside.† â€Å"We don’t have to do that,† Betsy said. Molly stepped up and thrust her sword into the ground between the girl’s feet. â€Å"Okay then, naked.† Molly said. â€Å"What?† â€Å"No one comes in here unless they are naked. Now get to it.† Protests arose until a short Asian man with a shaved head shrugged off his saffron robes, stepped forward, and bowed to Molly, thus mooning the rest of the group. Molly shook her head dolefully at the monk. â€Å"I thought you guys had more sense.† Then she turned to the back of the cave and shouted, â€Å"Hey, Steve, cheer up, I brought home Chinese for lunch.† How to cite The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 24~25, Essay examples

Suicide according to the dicti... free essay sample

Suicide according to the dictionary of sociology (2005) is referred to as the intentional killing of oneself. Suicide is not a new phenomenon there have been accounts of suicide that go back centuries. Suicide is a label applied to certain types of death and is constructed by society therefore the meaning of suicide may also differ in different societies and over time. Hobbs ( ) stated, men who voluntarily hurt or kill themselves were not compos mentis. A century later Hume ( ) wrote Suicide is courageous and society could benefit from the actions. Suicide is an important issue in society and sociologists have been attempting to explain why suicides happens over many years. One of the founding fathers of sociology Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) carried out a major study of suicide in the nineteenth century, this work has influenced many other sociologists to understand suicide, causes of suicide and is a classical reference point for sociologists (Giddens 1971) Durkheims theory on suicide (1897) suggests that it is the society that causes suicidal tendencies, Durkheim explains this through social facts to do this Durkheim theory used statistical data which is a positive approach to research. This has led to criticism of Durkheims work by sociologists that take an interpretive view on suicide they suggest suicide needs to be explored and understood subjectively. This work will explain the differences between positive and interpretivist research, look at the definitions of suicide in relation to the different interpretations of positive and interpretive theorists and assess their successes or failures in the interpretation. Positivists such as Durkheim prefer quantitative statistical data, a natural scientific method that leads to a macro approach to the research and assume that society has objective social facts and society shapes the individual. These social facts can therefore exert influence on the members of society. Positivists remain detached from the research and believe the results of this type of research is reliable due to the statistics used, the reproductivity and the research is objective (Bryman 20012). On the other-hand interpretivist dont fully reject positivist theory. Max Weber (1864-1920) a main influencer of interpretivist theory understood that the natural science and social science are very different and need differ ent methods and interpretations (Bryman 2012). Interpretivists argue that individuals can change their behaviour. Interpretivists believe that reality is constructed by the individuals. Therefore, the individuals actions are a consequence to the meanings they attach to it. Interpretivists disagree with the external forces. Interpretivists view research with a micro approach focus is on the individual not the whole society as with the positivists macro approach. Interpretivists build rapport and empathise with ethnographic research that is qualitive with subjective meanings that create the validity (Bryman 2012).Durkheim believed that suicide was a result of sociological causes. Social solidarity or lack of solidarity in society leads too suicide (Durkheim 1975). He used suicide rates to define suicide and then label suicide as a social fact (Giddens 1971). Durkheims study of suicide (1897) used statistical data from different countries looking at race, age, gender, relationship status and religion to establish patterns in suicide statistics. Durkheim discusses three main types of suicide with a few comments on a fourth type of suicide in societies. Durkheim categorises suicide as Egoistic, Altruistic, Anomie and Fatalistic suicide.Egoistic suicide where there is low integration with the family which increases the risks of suicide (Durkheim 1975). For Durkheim the family structure was important factor not the characteristics of the spouses. Along with differences in structures of religion. Durkheim (1975) discussed that the suicide rate was lower for Catholics than Protestant and believed this was due to the Protestant religion encouraged individualism while the Catholic encourage a greater sense of solidarity a catholic family. Weber( DATE) also discussed the self-reliant nature of the Protestant work ethic and how this could cause anxiety and egotism. Altruistic suicide where suicide occurs due to high levels of integration. An individuals life is overwhelmed by customs that are ridged. Durkheim (1975) stated that in modern societies army members are at risk due to the level of obedience and when religious sacrifice suicides occur.Durkheim (1975) discussed Anomie suicide as disconnect from social change which occurs when the social norms of the society are confused at times of social change and the individual is not able to adapt to these changes. Durkheim suggested this would happen if there was a sudden unexpected death in the family leaving behind a widow or economic changes and the individual is unable to cope with prosperity or austerity. Fatalistic suicide Durkheim did not go into a great amount of detail with fatalistic suicide but states this is when there is excessive social control and suicide is higher when this is the case. This would apply to prisoners and slaves who experience no freedom or individuality. Durkheims intention was not to explain the individual causes of suicide he classified different suicide to show the variables in suicides with regards to either high or levels of social solidarity. Durkheims (1975) positive approach to suicide that puts the society as the cause of suicide however Durkheim was also inconsistent with this as at some points within the study he places the individual consciousness and the individual ability to cope in certain situations as influences on suicide. This has led to Durkheims work being highly criticised. Douglas (1967) criticised Durkheims view on suicide and stated Durkheim ignored the individual. Douglas wanted to put meaning to the suicide, his study relied on interviews of people connected to the victim and suggested the need to interpret the meanings given to the action of suicide by looking at notes diaries and considering the cultural context. Douglas (1967) argued with Durkheims statistics as the cultural differences in the meaning of suicide may alter the statistics Durkheim used. Douglas (1967) claimed that coroners were influenced by other parties connected to the victim again giving inaccurate information in Durkheims findings as the suicide. Douglas (1967) suggested that the coroners decisions were based on probability and were untrustworthy. However, Douglas can be easily criticised as sociologists would still need to interpret the death as suicide just as the coroners interpret the deaths as suicide. Douglas research is also inconsistent as he does relate to statistical information can be used but then states it is a product of the coroners interpretation.Atkinson (1978) suggests there are problems with statistical data Also, the coroner interprets the death and applies the label Steve Taylor a realist approach does not agree that statistics should be taken as facts. Not all suicidal attempts are carried out with the intent on dying. Taylor (1982) there are 2 types of suicide Ectopic and Symphysic.Agrees that use of stats gives a broad idea but cannot give the full picture of suicide as it ignores the individual and there motives along with the fact that it is important to include failed attempts of suicide to analyse why the individual would attempt to commit suicide however research into this would be extremely ethical today.Conclusion – suicide cannot be explained as simply as Durkheim theorised it. Drawing from the information there is no ideal way to study suicide. Statistical information may be able to give a guide on suicide rates however the accuracy of the statistical data will always be questioned as not only are coroner reports and the label of suicide attached to a death made on a variety of clues or assumptions. There will be influences from society families in making the decision but also no one will ever know if the death was intentional, if suicide notes are real. There are many ways to approach the study of suicide. Durkheims work has been highly criticised and there are flaws within his research. Issues with methodology and picking the data he used however Durkheim has highlighted an issue in all societies that suicide is constant fact over time.

Democratic Eco-Humanism, Market Civilization Essays -

Democratic Eco-Humanism, Market Civilization In an effort to dramatize his neo-Polanyian critique of neo-liberal global capitalism, Stephen Gill questions the tenability of his own term market civilization, proposing it as oxymoronic in that a market civilization qua the neo-liberal order contradicts Gill's view of civilization qua democratic eco-humanism (i.e. representation, civility, social well-being and inclusion). In this formation, Gill's argument is essentially circular in its reliance on his own subjective standard of civilization, (democratic eco-humanism), to prove the uncivilized nature of the neo-liberal order. By adopting a more objective, (and necessarily more general), definition of civilization, we can disband with Gill's tautology, allowing us to embrace the term market civilization as a precise definition of neo-liberal global capitalism. In doing so, however, we merely adjust Gill's propensity for grandiose formulations; what remains is his well-reasoned explication of the inherent contradictions of neo-libe ralism, an explication that underscores the ways in which Anglo-American neo-liberalism departs from a certain aesthetic of civilization as democratic eco-humanism. Though he fails to prove the system uncivilized in the broad sense, Gill's arguments make a strong case for the rise of a Polanyian double movement that would address the critical excesses of the neo-liberal order. To understand Gill's claim about the oxymoronic nature of market civilization, one must understand the differences between the two relevant definitions of civilization. In Gill's words: civilization implies not only a pattern of society (def. 1) but also an active historical process that fosters a more humanized, literate and civil way of life, involving social well-being on a broad and inclusive basis (def. 2). (Gill, 422) Gill's claim regards only the second definition, a version of which the American Heritage Dictionary pictures as: An advanced state of intellectual, cultural, and material development, progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of writing, and the appearance of complex political and social institutions.(American Heritage) Though Gill's version of civilization mirrors closely the story told by the dictionary, both claims about the parameters of civilization are so problematically subjective as to add little or nothing to Gill's analysis of neo-liberalism. The fallacy of both definitions of civilization is rooted in a subjective set of truth claims masked in an ethos of democratic eco-humanism that is as guilty of attempting to proclaim the end of history as neo-liberalism itself. The embedded nature of these claims makes them initially hard to penetrate; broader political participation, literacy, civility and wealth distribution all function in a sort of Hegelian determinism where humanity appears to be progressing towards ever-deeper understanding of civilization qua democratic eco-humanism. And yet this very determinism, though perhaps satisfying in that it situates Gill's rejection of neo-liberalism within a certain sociopolitical philosophical system, dissolves when outside Gill's limited context. In other words, what does Gill's definition allow us to make of past civilizations like the Romans, where a slave class existed, the Hebrews, where religious tolerance was subsumed under a telos of religiopolitical election, or the Mayan s, where the state sanctioned human sacrifice? To claim that these civilizations were mere stepping-stones to our more enlightened version of civilization is to refuse to treat their participants as self-conscious agents and to lapse into cultural chauvinism. Gill's subjective aesthetic of civilization is equally problematic if we turn our eyes in the other direction. What effect will artificial intelligence and the creation of cyborgs have on Gill's definition of democratic eco-humanism? Will these new beings be included in the franchise? Will the depletion of natural resources create a future civilization where it is more humane to denude the earth in order to save humans? Even with the neo-liberal straw man as a foil, Gill's idea of civilization rings hollow; after all, while one ideological pole would have us include plants as neo-sentient beings deserving representation in society, another would proclaim human dominion of the earth (a la Genesis 2) as the paradigm for rational human interaction with the planet. Where Thoreau might call a cabin in the wood civilized, Donald Trump sees a new apartment building. Though we can prefer one model to the other on a subjectively aesthetic basis, it seems artificial and indeed impossible to cr eate a salient line of progress that could possibly reconcile drastically different worldviews and material

Cost of Cloning essays

Cost of Cloning essays The Cost of Cloning in Brave New World Imagine living in a world where your child grows up to look and act like you. Human cloning can make that a reality. Cloning is the process of creating a genetic duplicate of an individual. February of 1997 marked the birth of Dolly, a sheep cloned by Ian Walnut. 7 years later and scientists seem to be on the edge of a huge breakthrough with human cloning. Since the birth of Dolly we as a society have been forced to ask ourselves whether the cloning of human embryos can be morally justified, which leads us to the discussion about whether human cloning should even be allowed. While some believe the possible improvements that the cloning of human embryos may provide to our quality of life outweigh any sort of moral restraint, others are horrified by the idea. However, no matter the persons view, we can be certain that society, religion, and upbringing play a definite role in your stance on this issue. Debaters against the cloning of human embryos say they are concerned about the medical risks and uncertainty associated with the process. Opponents also argue that cloning will cause emotional harm to our society and claim that our society may suffer from a lack of individuality or purpose in life. Many opponents cite the potential emotional harm cloning may have on children due to parents who may value how well their children can genetically meet their expectations, rather than loving them for just being their children. Activists also argue that cloned humans will lose a sense of their humanity and will eventually be viewed by society as an object rather than a person. The debaters who are for the act claim that cloning human embryos would enable doctors to determine the cause of spontaneous abortions, give oncologists an understanding of the rapid cell growth of cancer, allow the use of stem cells to regenerate nerve tissues, and advance work on aging, genetics, and medicin...

The Elephant Man Demands of Society in the play Essay

The Elephant Man Demands of Society in the play - Essay Example However, the name Elephant Man was mistakenly given as his sobriquet because many thought that he was afflicted with elephantiasis. Born in England in 1862, it became apparent that there was something wrong with him while he was still a toddler. It was during this early stage in his life that disfiguring tumors began to emerge on his face. It was Merrick's belief that his deformity was caused by his mother's having been frightened by an elephant. Even this notion was quite ludicrous for Victorian England, but Merrick stuck to this belief since he was unable to receive ample quality education. His mother died when Merrick was 10 and his stepmother, unable to cope with the child's growing deformity, convinced her husband to throw the boy into the streets. And so at a young age, Merrick had his first taste of human cruelty and became a street urchin. Merrick was peddling shoe polish by the time he was 12 years old. Still living on the streets, he was not only exposed to the elements but was also subject to regular taunting, bullying and even persecution. He afterwards became a ward of the state and was forced to work in a welfare sweatshop. Merrick's face and also his body were covered with lumpy growths and tumors. The tumors were also made up of hard bone. An attempt was made to cut away the excess growths but this ended in failure. Merrick's deformity grew through time. People stared and gaped at Merrick wherever he went. Thus, Merrick decided that if they have to look, they might as well pay for it and so he began his career as a sideshow freak (Kayser 1966). Merrick remained in the London Hospital until he died mysteriously of suffocation. In a way, he became a sport of pet monster for the upper-class Victorians. His presence took away their fear of the strange and unusual. The Nature of Joseph Merrick Merrick wrote a short autobiography wherein he stated that his experiences as a sideshow freak was not hurtful. He said that he was treated with the "greatest kindness." In contrast, he wrote, it was real life that proved to be hurtful (Daily Chronicle 1890). Although brutally exploited as a sideshow freak, Merrick showed his gentleness even among those who persecuted him. He was eventually able to read widely, learned the arts, visited beautiful places and entertained royalty. As Lady Geraldine Somerset described his gentle nature and circumstance, "such a gentle, kindly man, poor thing!" (Howell & Ford, 1980). Although his physical appearance elicited shudders from the public, his genuinely sterling character made him the perfect fairy tale monstrosity. Merrick was a very ill man and his condition worsened through time. The pain became more pronounced and crippling as the disease advanced. He would spend hours sitting and staring into emptiness, seemingly despondent as he tapped the fingers of his disfigured right hand on the arm of his chair or a pillow. Despite his despondent state, Merrick gave hope to his well-wishers reiterating that the world they live in is a good one. He also expressed his gratitude to those who called on him: "Tis true my form is something odd, But blaming me is blaming God; Could I create myself anew I would not fail in pleasing you. "If I could reach from pole to pole Or grasp the ocean with a span, I would be measured by the soul; The mind's the standard of the man." (Howard & Ford, 189) In the first verse, Merrick accepts his oddity. But he also does not cast any blame on

How Businesses Use Learning & Memory to Affect Consumers Essay - 1

How Businesses Use Learning & Memory to Affect Consumers - Essay Example What makes the study of memory so complicated is that humans have disparate methods by which information is encoded and retrieved, which is largely dependent on the level to which the human finds information relevant and important. Marketers, today, seem to understand these differences in learning and memory processing and generate marketing content (i.e. advertisements, banner ads or even digital marketing via technology) that alter the encoding process of consumers so that they will be better able to recall a brand or find personal preference toward the product or service. Consumers all have different learning processes, however there is research evidence that consumers are biased in learning as it relates to their personal stereotypes as well as the degree to which marketing information is considered relevant to the consumer. This essay focuses on the phenomenon of constraint theory in learning, consumer biases and offers an evaluation of how marketers persuade consumers to favour their brand based on consumer memory processing and learning characteristics of important target consumers. Consumer biases in learning and constraint theory It is the goal of marketers, from a competitive standpoint, to establish brand recognition in the minds of important and profitable consumers. Brand recognition is the ability of consumers to recall a particular brand under disparate conditions and be able to effectively recall logo, brand name and even brand-related slogans and jingles and link this recognition to the product or service (Schiffman and Kanuk 2010). Establishing brand recognition is critical to marketers as if they cannot recall the brand, the brand will not be considered as a potential purchase or sought as an alternative in the consumer behaviour model (Tan 2010). However, in order to establish this important aspect of brand management, marketers must first understand how consumers encode and retrieve information. The memory encoding process is complex in con sumers and is often associated with the degree to which a consumer finds a particular stimulus to be enjoyable or relevant to their lifestyles or needs. Encoding processes are strongly related to the pre-existing personal experiences and phenomenon to which consumers are exposed (Yun Yoo 2008; Cameron 1999). For instance, a consumer that is given a glass of branded alcohol in an environment where there is a crying child will likely not result in the production of strong memories that favour the brand. However, when given the same branded beverage in an environment where there is fun social activity in the individual’s peer network, the situation will be encoded as a powerful memory with positive associations between brand and experience (Cameron 1999). Therefore, there is significant evidence in the memory encoding process that a person’s level of interest and involvement determines whether positive or negative cognitive associations are created in the memory encoding and retrieval processes. This is how marketers, today, are able to utilise memory processes in consumer target groups to gain positive brand recognition and general positive sentiment toward a brand. Marketing literature tells business leaders that when a brand is able to provide consumers with a perception that the brand can enhance their lifestyles and provide self-expansion (i.e. social status improvement or lifestyle enrichment), they are likely to develop very strong emotional attachments to the brand

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Research Paper Related to Prevention of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Beginning in the 1990s, the number of cases of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (DMT2) began increasing. This increase occurred alongside an increase in obesity, poor diet choices, and a decrease in exercise among the American population. DMT2 is the most common form of diabetes and is particularly affecting the younger population. With one in five children now said to be overweight, some studies indicate that the number of young people with DMT2 has quadrupled in recent years. This paper will examine the complexity of DMT2 and its rising incidence among the United States (US) population as well as demonstrate that community education and prevention are key components to controlling this disease (American Diabetes Association, 2007). It will consider six dimensions: 1) pathophysiology, 2) incidence and prevalence, 3) audience, 4) survey and other research, 5) disease prevention, and 6) teaching plan with final conclusions. Dimension One: Pathophysiology DMT2 is a chronic disease previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes. It is caused by several complex metabolic disorders which can lead to high levels of sugar in the blood. These disorders result from defects of multiple organ sites including insulin resistance in muscles and tissues, a decline in insulin secretion from the pancreas, unrestrained hepatic glucose production or secretion, and/or declining ÃŽ ²-cell function. Patients who have DMT2 are not able to regulate the glucose levels in the body. If glucose is not able to reach cells in the body, the body is not able to use it for energy and the glucose will stay in the blood causing the main symptoms of diabetes (Barr, Myslinksi, Scarborough, 2008). ÃŽ ²-cell dysfunction is thought to be partly genetic and contributes to the onset of glucose intolerance in DMT2. It is characterized by impairment in the first phase of insulin secretion during glucose stimulation. The endocrine pancreas is unable to compensate for insulin resistance that could lead to hyperglycemia and the onset of diabetes. ÃŽ ²-cell dysfunction along with glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, and other inflammatory agents on pancreatic insulin production all play a contributing role in the development of DMT2 (Rizvi, 2004). Tissue resistance to glucose uptake is also recognized as a major cause of DMT2. Insulin resistance has been linked to elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that trigger endothelial cell dysfunction and promote vascular abnormalities. These mechanisms may lead to atherosclerosis and coagulation tendencies which can also be present with DMT2. Although these causes are not linked to diabetes alone, they are found in other chronic diseases such as dyslipidemia and hypertension which are known risk factors of diabetes. (Rizvi, 2004). Dimension Two: Incidence and Prevalence DMT2 accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes and usually begins as insulin resistance. It is often associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. In the US, the populations most affected are Native Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) (2007), there are approximately 798,000 new cases of diabetes annually in the US, which is an estimated 1 in 340 people per year. Broken down even further, this is about â€Å"66,499 per month, 15,346 per week, 2,186 per day, 91 per hour, and 1 per minute† cases (NDIC, 2007,  ¶6). In 2002, there were 150 million people affected with DMT2 worldwide and 15.7 million people in the US, with an estimated 5.4 million of those undiagnosed. DMT2 affects approximately 1 in 16 people (NDIC, 2007). Dimension Three: Audience Student nurses at Southwestern Community College recently hosted a health fair discussing various diseases and concerns amongst the community. To present the information, student nurses used a demographic audience analysis in order to identify the population attending the health fair. This type of audience examination described the qualities of a group of people by considering several aspects, such as the size of the audience, diversity, captivity or circumstances, as well as the audience composition (Outloud Online, n.d.). The size of the audience determined the way of presenting information; for instance, the large audience would likely have a wide variety of characteristics whereas the smaller audience may have fewer differences. Consequently, presenting information to a large group of people required a more formal approach (Outloud Online, n.d.). On the other hand, small audiences allow for a more personal and informal presentation. Because the health fair was designed to attract a large group of people from three different counties the student nurses concluded that the formal way of presenting information during the health fair would be more appropriate. The second component of the audience analysis referred to the diversity of people attending the health fair. Generally, the larger audiences are more diverse and require a broader approach (Outloud Online, n.d.). On the other hand, special occasions such as health fairs attract a variety of people who are interested in health and wellness. Consequently, the student nurses decided to address the topic of increasing incidence of diabetes during the health fair in a non-judgmental way with the consideration for cultural variations among people. The next element of the audience analysis was related to circumstances of presenting information. For example, people who chose to listen on their own were more receptive than the people were forced to hear something. The term captive described the audience who may resent a speaker; therefore the speaker needed to exert an extra effort to get the audiences attention (Outloud Online, n.d.). Generally, an assumption can be made that the audience is captive and works hard to show the importance of the topic. In order to capture the attention of the audience, the student nurses decided to utilize variety of visual, tactile, auditory, as well as psychomotor teaching methods to present the information about diabetes during the health fair, which will be explained further below. The last component of the demographic audience analysis was related to the composition of the audience. The student nurses considered the factors, such as age, race or culture, gender, as well as education level of the community population. Although the composition of the audience was important, the simplifying peoples interest and beliefs could have easily led to stereotyping (Outloud Online, n.d.). In order to avoid stereotyping of audience, the student nurses decided to provide information without cultural and ethnical preconceptions as well as in a non-judgmental way. Dimension Four: Survey and Other Research In prior years, much research has been conducted on the incidence and prevalence of DMT2. This research validates the increasing rate of diabetes amongst the US population. It was estimated that in 1999-2002, 19.3 million Americans (about 9.3 percent of the total population) had diabetes. By 2005, approximately 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in the US and at this rate, it is estimated that more than 25 million people in the US will have diabetes by the year 2025. According to research conducted by the Tufts-New England Medical Center (2007), the rise of DMT2 anticipated over the next few decades can be attributed to the changes is diagnostic criteria, increased awareness which leads to increased diagnosis, the aging population, increase the prevalence of obesity, and decreasing mortality. Although the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes from 1980-2004 increased in all age groups, it is similar to other chronic conditions and affects the older population. It is estimat ed that over 22 percent of the elderly population (age 65 and older) make up almost 40 percent of those diagnosed with diabetes. In 2005, there were 575,000 new cases of diabetes among those 60 years and older (Balk, et al., 2005). Other research has shown that DMT2 may be described as a new epidemic in the American pediatric population. In 1994, DMT2 accounted for up to 16 percent of new pediatric diabetes cases, and by 1999, it account for 8-45 percent of new cases. This increase coincided with the increased prevalence of childhood obesity. In 2000, the prevalence of diabetes for all ages worldwide was estimated to be 2.8 percent. Based on current research, it is predicted that 4.4 percent will be diagnosed with DMT2 in 2030, which will be an estimated total number of 366 million (Balk, et al., 2005). Results from a Pan American Health Organization survey conducted in 2007 along the Mexico-US border can be found in Appendix A. Another survey on the rising prevalence of obesity among the younger population can be found in Appendix B. Dimension Five: Disease Prevention Although the need to prevent DMT2 was recognized in the 1920s, little has been done in the area of prevention in the decades following despite the technological advances. This lack of implementing a prevention plan was also due to the lack of evidenced-based studies. Several clinical trials were conducted, but many were flawed in design and most studies used anti-diabetes drugs as the only intervention. Fortunately in the intervening years, positive results from several controlled trials using lifestyle changes have become available. More recent trials show it is possible to reduce the rate of DMT2 in high-risk clients through lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise (Tuomilehto, 2007). Pre-diabetes is a condition in which a clients blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be termed diabetes. Either the impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance tests will be higher. If a client shows increased test results with these two tests, however, progression to diabetes is not inevitable. Losing weight and increasing physical activity has been shown to reduce the blood sugar levels to a more normal range and delay the onset of diabetes. These lifestyle interventions are attainable and much more cost-effective and it is proven that lose 5-10 percent of body weight can reverse pre-diabetes symptoms. (Adams, 2009). Physical activity increases the bodys use of insulin which in turn lowers blood glucose levels. Reducing the amount of time sitting in front of a television is an effective way to increase physical activity. A study in 2007 showed a direct link between television watching and an increased risk of diabetes. Those with a two-hour increase in television viewing had a 23 percent increase in the risk of obesity, leading to a 14 percent increase risk of DMT2 (Tuomilehto, 2007). Nutrition recommendations for prevention of diabetes include high intakes of dietary fiber and low-glycemic-index foods. Eating a well-balanced diet with adequate amounts of protein and carbohydrates with lower amounts of saturated fats and sugars has proven to be effective in the prevention of DMT2 (Mann, 2006). Dimension Six: Teaching Plan A health fair was recently held on the campus of Southwestern Community College. Each group attending the health fair was given one table to present information in a systematic manner that would be beneficial to those passing by. The authors of this research paper, who are also student nurses, chose to concentrate on basic DMT2 pathophysiology and prevention. To effectively present the material to a varied audience, the student nurses came up with strategies to teach the materials that would appeal to various learning styles. For those who may learn visually, the student nurses provided visual aids including a large display board along with two posters. These materials included written information, pictures, and diagrams of DMT2s effects on the body as well as descriptions of the pathophysiology and causes. For the audience to take with them or look through while browsing, the student nurses provided tactile objects such as pamphlets about diabetes and exercise, diabetic cookbooks, diabetic desserts from the cookbooks, and three factual information sheets about DMT2 from a local diabetes educator. For those who were audio-style learners, several student nurses stayed near the information table and were available to answer questions and speak with those interested and/or concerned they may be at risk for developing DMT2. Also available to the audience as reinforcement of this information was a video which spoke of signs and symptoms of pre-diabetes as well as preventative strategies. To further test for symptoms of pre-diabetes, student nurses were available with a glucose monitor to check glucose levels when requested. Overall, the health fair seemed to be quite effective and pleasing to the audience present based on review.

Existence of God Essay

†¢Translate and/or explain the following terms: aesity, arete, endoxa, ergon, eudaimonia, peccatum, telos, virtus, vitium – Arete: Greek for virtue, or excellence – Virtus and vitium: Latin for virtue and vice – Endoxon (endoxa): Greek, reputable opinion(s) †¢Ergon: Greek, function/characteristic activity – †¢Eudaimonia: Greek, happiness, well being †¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Peccatum: Latin, sin †¢Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Telos: Greek, end, aim †¢Discuss and/or apply the following concepts: doctrine of the mean, the endoxic method, the function argument, omnipotence The Endoxic Method- reputable opinions for ex. Happiness as uniquely human, as under our control, as requiring activity. The Function Argument-To know whether P is a good instance of its kind, you need to know the function (ergon) of P ? A virtue/excellence (arete) of P is a characteristic P needs in order to fulfill its function. The Doctrine of the mean-1. For any given situation, there is a specific affectation appropriate to it, e. g. , desire, anger, fear, confidence, envy, joy, pity, etc. 2. For any given affectation, one can exhibit it either too much, too little, or in the appropriate amount 3. The virtuous person always exhibits an affectation in the appropriate amount. -for ex. Truthfulness: virtue regarding telling the truth about oneself? Defect: self-depreciating Excess: phony omnipotence- all power and unlimited power †¢Distinguish goods that are, according to Aristotle, valued for the sake of other things, valued for their own sake, and valued for their own sake and for the sake of other things you want some things that gets you other stuff. for example money so its a sake for other things. valued for own sake-having a yacht gives you pleasure but then enjoying it with more friends and travel the world and give you more pleasure. the one good. happiness is the one thing that every one wants and is valued for its own sake. e †¢That which is valued only for its own sake and for whose sake everything else is desired †¢That which is valued for its own sake and for the sake of other things †¢That which is valued only for the sake of other things. †¢Discuss why Aristotle rejects conventional views that identify happiness with pleasure, honor, and virtue, and what he thinks this tells us about the nature of happiness Aristotle rejects three common conceptions of happiness—pleasure, honor, and wealth. Happiness, he says, cannot be identified with any of these things (even though all three may be part of an overall happy life). Pleasure, he says, is found in satisfying desires—but whether or not we can satisfy our desires is as much up to chance as it is up to us. †¢The life of pleasure. Problem: the life fit for a pig †¢The life of honor. Problem: not under our control †¢The life of virtue. Problem: compatible with inaction †¢Distinguish between psychological, somatic, and external goods, explaining how they contribute to Aristotle’s conception of happiness External goods- attractiveness, wealth.. Psychological Goods- mental health.. Somatic goods- â€Å"Nonetheless, happiness evidently needs external goods to be added, as we said, since we cannot, or cannot easily, do fine actions if we lack the resources. For, first of all, in many actions we use friends, wealth, and political power just as we use instruments. Further, deprivation of certain things —for instance, good birth, good children, beauty— mars our blessedness. For we do not altogether have the character of happiness if we look utterly repulsive or are ill-born, solitary, or childless; and we have it even less, presumably, if our children or friends are totally bad, or were good but have died. †¢Discuss the roles of habituation and right reason in Aristotle’s analysis of virtuous action function of human beings is knowledge and it what  separates from animals. virtuous action is what a rational person who acts for the right reason. but you also have to feel the correct emotions and feelings to do virtuous actions and be properly affected which means that you find the right things pleasant. And wants to do the right thing. so if you don’t feel like you want to give money to homeless and still give it it does not count as a virtous thing. the teachers ice cream technique- don’t want to do it but do it for ice cream but over time the kids want to do it because it is the virtuous thing to do. †¢Identify and describe Aristotle’s three requirements for friendship and his three different kinds of friendship Pleasure-friendships- Most common among theyoung, fades easily utility-friendships,- most common among the old and also fades easily. character-friendships- You love a person because of the good qualities she or he possesses. genuine friendship. †¢Explain what Aristotle means when he claims that friends are â€Å"second selves† â€Å"A friend is a second self, so that our consciousness of a friend’s existence†¦ makes us more fully conscious of our own existence. † and Friendly relations with one’s neighbors, and the marks by which friendships are defined, seem to have proceeded from a man’s relation with himself. For men think a friend is one who wishes well and does what is good, or seems so, for the sake of his friend, or one who wishes his friend to exist and live, for his sake† †¢Explain why Aquinas thinks God’s existence is self-evident, why it nonetheless may not be evident to us, and how Aquinas thinks God’s existence can be made evident Not every human realizes the existence of god. †¢Examples of self-evident propositions: †¢A pig is an animal; a bachelor is an unmarried male †¢Being self-evident in itself versus self-evident to us †¢Aquinas: â€Å"I maintain that God exists is self-evident in itself since its subject and predicate are identical†¦[but] the proposition is not self-evident to us† (197). †¢Question 02: can God’s existence be made evident? †¢Perhaps God’s existence is an article of faith, not of reason †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"There are two types of demonstration: those that argue from cause to effect†¦and those that argue from effect to cause† (198). †¢Hitting a pool ball, pressing the ‘on’ button, hand on the stove. †¢So, from what effects do we infer God’s existence? †¢God’s effects in the world, Mozart and his music †¢Understand Aquinas’ ‘unmoved mover’ and ‘teleological’ arguments for the existence of God and articulate at least one objection to each Argument one of five: the unmoved mover (200). Everything has a cause, but causes can’t go on infinitely. The first uncaused cause is God. Objections: why must it be God? Maybe time is infinite? Telos: the end toward which a thing strives. Everything in nature has a telos. If a thing is non-intelligent, some intelligence must give it its telos. Objection: nature is not telonic in this way †¢Discuss why the question ‘can God create a stone that God cannot lift? ’ is said to be paradoxical and how Aquinas tries to resolve the paradox †¢The paradox of omnipotence: can God create a stone he cannot lift? †¢If God can, there is something God cannot do, i. e. , lift the stone †¢If God cannot, there is something God cannot do, i. e. , create the stone †¢If there is something God cannot do, God is not omnipotent †¢Therefore, God is not omnipotent †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"So we conclude that God’s power extends to anything possible in itself and not implying contradiction. Clearly then God is called omnipotent because he can do everything possible in itself. † (p. 249). because if god cannot lift the the stone he created, he is not omintipitent and also if he cannot create that he cannot lift therefore he is not omnipotent so either way god is not omnipotent so aquinas says that god creates certain laws in the universe that he himself cannot break which is considered absolute possibility and relativee possibility is what he can change. †¢Explain what Aquinas means when he claims evil does not exist because evil does not exit because evil is absence of happiness. †¢Understand the weak and strong versions of the problem of evil and discuss Aquinas’ solution to the problem Strong version of the problem †¢If an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God exists, then evil does not exist †¢Evil exists †¢Therefore, an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God does not exist Weak version of the problem †¢Evil exists †¢The non-existence of God is a more plausible explanation of evil than is the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God †¢Therefore, it’s more plausible that God does not exist If an omnipotent, omniscient, perfectly good God exists, then evil does not exist. †¢Aquinas’ answer to the problem of evil †¢Why is there evil and sin in thet world? †¢Evil is the necessary result of freedom of the will †¢Thus, God does not command sin, God permits sin †¢Does God cause evil and sin? †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"God is responsible for sinful actions but not for sins† 296 †¢Distinguish Aquinas’ conceptions of eternal, natural, and human law †¢Human law †¢Quoting Cicero: â€Å"laws start with what nature produces, then by use of reason certain things become customs, and finally things produced by nature and tested by custom are sanctified with†¦the weight of laws† (420). †¢Eternal law †¢God as divine legislator: â€Å"Clearly†¦the entire community of the universe is governed by God’s reason† (417). †¢Divine providence: ordering of the universe toward good †¢Natural law †¢Non-moral sense: laws of nature. †¢Moral sense: guides the actions of animals †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Since everything subjected to God’s providence is measured by the standards of his eternal law, as we have said, everything shares in some way in the eternal law, bearing its imprint in the form of a natural tendency to pursue the behavior and goals appropriate to it. Reasoning creatures are subject to God’s providence is a special, more profound way than others by themselves sharing in the planning† (418). Eternal law is identical to the mind of God as seen by God himself. It can be called law because God stands to the universe which he creates as a ruler does to a community which he rules. When God’s reason is considered as it is understood by God Himself, i. e. in its unchanging, eternal nature (q91, a1) , it is eternal law.