American expressionism: art and social change Essay

Art is a dynamic concept that has continued to evolve. Since its inception, art has evolved through various movements representing diverse themes and philosophies. Artists aligned to specific art movements have contributed in advancing their philosophies in the specific periods represented. From the 18th to the 21st century, art movements have impacted greatly on the society. The Romanticism Movement               Ã‚  The Romanticism movement originated towards the end of the 18th century in Europe. The movement advocated for the bold use of color to bring out the authentic emotional feel of an aesthetic experience. According to Dempsey (2002), the validation of intense emotional experience in visual arts stressed on emotions likes anxiety and horror. The liberal expression of an artist was an imperative aspect in the Romantic era; an artist’s feelings and expressions formed the basis of inspiration towards the production of art work (Scaglia, 2011). Creativity formed the basis of innovation upon which the Romanticism movement thrived. Nationalism and nature were central themes advanced by Romantic artists (Scaglia, 2011). The Romanticism movement placed an immense interest in nature. The reason behind the love for nature in artistic work during the movement was the philosophical tenet that a connection with nature was emotionally and ethically healthy. Moreover, artists based their works on a nationalism platform by fostering national development. The graphic design of the period drew strong influence from the political circles. The aristocratic political and social norms of the period triggered the rise of Romanticism. Romantic artists revolted against aristocracy sought to instill liberal tendencies through their expressions. On an economic ground, the industrial revolution had an influence on the movement. The movement was opposed to the corrupt nature that the society was adopting. The culture of liberalism and free expression contributed in the development of the movement. Thomas Jones’, The Bard (1774) Egide Charles (1834) The Belgian Revolution The visual arts explore the connection between Romanticism and nationalism. The paintings illustrate the artists’ use of nature as well as showing society’s need for nationalism respectively. Synchromism               Ã‚  The movement started in 1912 under the innovative works of Stanton Mc-Donald-Wright and Morgan Russell (Scaglia, 2011). The artists are acknowledged as among the pioneer abstract painters in the US. Wright and Russell used the â€Å"syncromy† style in their abstract paintings. The style was based on the artistic innovation, that sound and color have a connection. The idea behind Synchromism posited that colors in art can have the similar harmonious character as notes in music. The innovation behind the movement was that a painting can have the same complexity as music, if colors are arranged in scales. Contrary to other forms, Synchromism did not use lines, but only color and shape in artistic expressions. Having begun before the First World War, the movement posited that realism was no longer significant in visual art; there was need for a meaningful expression of art in the modern world (Scaglia, 2011). The culture of realism in the modern art world was fading; hence, the rise of the movement was attributed to the philosophy that innovation, and an artist’s feelings, as opposed to realism, was more dominant. Stanton MacDonald-Wright, Airplane Synchromy in Yellow-Orange (1920) Morgan Russell, Cosmic Synchromy (1913-14) The paintings by Wright and Russell display the use of color to come up with abstract paintings. The shapes illustrate the influence of imaginative artistic expression to come up ideas that are not in the realist physical nature. The style of the movement affects the graphic design of today by emphasizing on the use of color, particularly in the amount of hue used in painting. The intensity of color in contemporary art is an important factor to consider. Classical Realism               Ã‚  The movement became prominent towards the end of the 20th century. Designers in the movement regarded skill and beauty as imperative factors in their paintings (Scaglia, 2011). The movement’s style is edged on the visible world; this brings out its realism nature. Through an artist’s observation, he is in a position to bring out beauty and completeness (Scaglia, 2011). In Classical Realism, an artist concentrates on drawing and painting, and avoids mechanical aids. Classical Realism artists employ the artistic eye to explore harmony and skill in their paintings. A major cultural tenet behind the growth of Classical Realism is the belief that most artistic movements of the 20th century disregard the contribution of traditional art; hence, leading to the degradation of skill (Scaglia, 2011). Therefore, artists in this movement seek to restore the traditional concept of drawing and painting objects seen in the modern world. Jean-Là ©on Gà ©rà ´me. The artistic works illustrate the traditional art of drawing and painting objects from what people see. The emphasis on order, skill and harmony on the visual arts is a reflection of the realistic culture in artistic expressions. The movement influences modern graphic designs in using color to achieve harmony, and the utilization of skill. Expressionism               Ã‚  The movement started in Germany at the turn of the 20th century; Franz Marc and Alvar Cawà ©n were among the pioneer designers of the movement (Dijkstra, 2003). Stylistically, the movement sought to illustrate the world in a subjective perspective. In essence, artists in this movement sought to create meaning from their paintings, which was distant from the physical reality (Dijkstra, 2003). Artists achieve this through distorting the physical reality and evoking subjective emotional experience and mood. The growth of the movement in the early 20th century is attributed to the dehumanizing influence of industrialization. Moreover, expressionists were not in favor of realism; hence, sought to introduce an artistic style that would capitalize solely on the expressions of an artist. Alvar Cawà ©n, (Blind Musician), 1922 Franz Marc, Fighting Forms (1914) The paintings show an emphasis on the expression of emotion and mood. The paintings evoke a subjective meaning from what is intended in the physical world. The contemporary graphic industry draws inspiration from the movement through the use of color, foreground and background features to drive meaning. The Pop art movement               Ã‚  The Pop art movement begun in the 1950s in Britain and the United States; it was a break from the conventional orientations of art. Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns were among the prominent artists of the movement (Spilsbury, 2009). Argued as a reflection of modern art, the pop art movement introduced the use of imagery. The imagery used in the pop art movement derived its inspiration from the popular culture. Consequently, as a reflection of popular culture, pop art expressions are understood from the perspective of the approaches that produce them. The mass culture in the 1950s influenced the growth of the artistic movement; pop artists employed the images of the dominant culture in their graphic designs (Spilsbury, 2009).Technology also played an important role in the growth of the movement particularly in the expansion of abstract expressionism (Spilsbury, 2009). Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup I (1968) Jasper Johns, Flag 1954–1955 The artistic works by the above artists shows the reflection of the impact of popular culture in artistic expressions. Andy Warhol shows the influence of pop art in the advertising industry, while Jasper Johns expresses liberty as a popular culture through the representation of the flag. The movement influences contemporary graphic design by expanding the use of advertisement as an important platform of communication. Constructivism               Ã‚  The art movement, which started in 1919, popularized the use of art for social purposes. Experts assert that the movement sought to eliminate autonomy in art (Jones, 2006). Consequently, the growth of the movement is attributed to its participation in the Russian revolution. Constructivists came up with street designs that had social connotations during the revolution. During the early years of the movement, artists used their paintings as a means of communication to the people during the Russian civil war (Jones, 2006). The philosophy behind the movement was the advancement of social reconstruction. Constructivists used bright colors, arithmetic shapes and conspicuious lettering in their paintings in order to evoke emotions from the viewers and trigger deep understanding of the intended message. Vladimir Mayakovsky, An advertising construction (1921) Tatlin’s Tower (1919) The paintings above show the social connotations explored by constructivists. The use of bold colors and geometric shapes shows the intensity of communication developed by the artists. The constructivism movement affects modern graphic design by emphasizing on the use of art for social construction. Sensitizing people for political action through is an example of constructivist’s influence on contemporary art. Conclusion               Ã‚  Certainly, art is a dynamic phenomenon that represents the social, cultural and political expressions of different societies. The use of artistic features to demonstrate the influence of graphic design on a society shows that art is a powerful instrument; its ability to trigger emotional and objective connotations demonstrates its communication authority. References Dempsey, A. (2002). Art in the modern era: a guide to styles, schools & movements 1860 to the present. New York: Harry N. Abrams. Dijkstra, B. (2003). American expressionism: art and social change, 1920-1950. New York: H.N. Abrams, in association with the Columbus Museum of Art. Jones, A. (2006). A companion to contemporary art since 1945. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub..Scaglia, B. (2011). The aesthetic variable: defining the contemporary art movement of the 2000s (classical realism, relational art, street art, stuckism, superflat, and more). United States: Webster’s Digital Services? :. Spilsbury, R. (2009). Pop art. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library. Source document

Night Vision Technology

NIGHT VISION TECHNOLOGY 1) Introduction 2) Definition 3) Types of Night Vision Technology 4) Night Vision Devices 5) Generation 6) Application INTRODUCTION Night vision technology is basically allows us to saw in night. It is originally developed for military use. All humans have very poor night vision as compare to other animals. With the poor night vision we cannot see a person standing over so far away (many miles) on a deep dark cloudy night. It is first time invented for military purpose to see the enemy in deep dark and target them easily. The german army gave the idea of night vision and from that time it is fastly develops so strong. They gave the idea in 1935 and start working on it so fastly to cover all battle condition in night time. Then they develop night vision items in their rifles and in other necessary materials of battle field. From there this technology is grown up and all other countries also make sure to use this technology and also to modify this according to their need. These all equipment are use in camera (either simple or in gun front) for the purpose of hunting at night time and in battle affected areas. But they are so advance technology made up of. Then with the help of this equipment they are visible clearly in front of human eyes as in full light to saw it clearly. Today also in houses security and high alert situation these technology is used in vast for the purpose of safety. DEFINITION The definition of night vision technology is basically the detail of its work that how this technology work and what is this in real word. Every one defines it in their own word of experiences, but in my opinion its definition is not its word of expression but its definition is expressed as:†Night vision technology is basically the ability to see things in dark night condition. (Whether by biological or technological mean).Night vision is the combination of two approaches. TYPES OF NIGHT VISION TECHNOLOGY There are two types of night vision technology: 1) Biological Night VisionSome animal like cat and deep sea animal can see in night because they are tissue present in their eye which is called tiputem lucidum. Which is present on the back side of retina? But this layer is not present in human eyes, thus they cannot able to see in night. They need to use some material to saw in night. RODOPOSIN is use for night see. This is a chemical. With help of this chemical human can see for few hours in dark and deep night. Biological is even God gifted senses in humans and animals, by which they saw things in night. These senses are used for night vision. Commonly green eyes of human have the ability to see in night and even in dark night. These all are the naturally created senses in humans and animal eyes. 2) Technical Night VisionTechnical night vision is working in two different ways.In this type of vision many lens are used to achieve pictures in night time. All the material use for this is released specific type of electron which is felt on the picture and they capture the same picture and show on the front of human eyes. Then they saw easily all the things in dark night. As same in the war situation the advance developed material for night vision is used to see the enemy easily in night and mountain dark then with the help of this advance technology they hit the enemy on exact target. Simply technical vision technology is those devices include in which advance technique is used to able one to see in night time in deep dark. Night Vision DevicesNight vision devices are called observation equipment. They observe and detect the pictures and other things in dark night. It is also some time known as night vision goggles. It does works as: the light from night vision excrete and felt on the targeted area this particle is made up of photons which includes all the colors. Then they reflect back and entered in the lens and the whole area is seen to be visible in dark, but it is so sensitive case. Its the same as we see in the games which is made in night scenes. There the whole environment is dark but we clearly saw the targeted area of enemies.All devices which are uses in night vision is shown below: these all devices is used in night time. GENERATIONS 1) 0 GENERATION: The early generation was establishing in (1950-1955) which is not in complete vast Form. 2) 1st GENERATION: In the first generation tubes are used in the equipment in series. They work so will. They also work so perfect than 2nd and 3rd generation. But one defect is present in this generation that the image is show clear at the center but it can distort at all its adages. This heaviest and largest one of first three generation, later is modified and the name has change in other generation. 3) 2ndGENERATION: This generation was made in (1970-1972).A high micro channel plate is used in it. And it is also called high electron multiplier. They also magnify the image in clear form. Its magnifier and resolution is under well developed technology. These channels are built from millions of microscopic hollow glass, and each glass is of 0.0125 in diameter. Sensitive lenses are used in it; they detected the images by its sensitive wavelength. 4) 3rd GENERATION: the previous generations are made advanced and name as 3rd generation. The advancement take place in (1971-1978).the photocathode rays is used in it as an ion barrier. Then they detect images from far distances clear in dark night. It is much better than firstly built generations but not perfect because further development take place fastly in very day life in advance technology world. 5) 4th GENERATION: The American army made advance the 3rd generation with highly developed photocathode lenses and rays and made sure the work of these devices to detect all images in deep dark night clear at center and all of its edges. The ion barrier is also removed which is used in 3rd generation for the purpose to finish the background noise. The switch on and off system made sure rapidly. This generation is used all over the world because it is well developed equipment at all. Higher magnifying lenses are used in it. They are full of all needed and advanced technology materials. APPLICATION The main purpose of night vision technology is to detect enemy target in dark night. Security officers, police officers and also investigating officers use night vision technology broadly according to their need. They trace their position and places in dark night and then perform action on it. Application of night vision is as under below: I. For hunting purposes II. For military purposes III. For security purposes IV. For law enforcement V. For entertainment VI. For navigation purposes VII. For hidden object detection VIII. For surveillance IX. For wildlife observation X. And for automatic brightness control purposes.

Greenpeace and the 21st century Environmentalism Essay

In today’s expanding and growing population in local economies, various technological changes and improvements have been happening that have been an important catalyst towards development. However, corresponding to these innovations that shape human lives is a threat that critics have often attributed as a setback for development. These are societal and environmental problems deemed to be a vital cause of concern as evidence and manifestations have been appearing more rapidly. But amongst these two problems, one important facet has been affected the most: the environment. With the rising challenges that man faces with the environment, various groups have stood up and started to make a stand towards environmental degradation. An example of such organizations is Greenpeace. The organization has continually lobbied for legislation as it tries to create law-binding solutions and increased awareness with the overall aim of environmental sustainability. This, in turn, has sparked a new phase of social, political and economic concern, which was later coined ‘environmentalism. ’ With all of these, it can be argued that since its inception, Greenpeace has adopted a role towards creating environmental awareness and protection. It has continuously been adapting towards the betterment of both global and local societies. In the end, as new issues and challenges emerge, the organization is committed towards adjusting and administering proper avenues for change. Prior to 1960’s, the drive for environmentalism has been a spurting one and occurred at a minimal level. Boston Review argues that â€Å"until the late 1960s, much (not all) of environmental protection in the United States occurred via private law suits and judge-made common law† (p. 1). However, this aim proved to be biased and limiting as it created temporary solutions and non-accountable judicial bodies. (Boston Review) Since the creation of Greenpeace in 1971, the period has been classified to be an important era for environmentalism as recognizable and large scale changes started to take place. Various legislating bodies across America have recognized the importance maintaining and preserving the environment for future exploitation and usage. Moreover, the system during this time was more accountable; in taking responsibility of actions and democratic in nature; by providing fair and equal provision of processes, which greatly improved the outcome of various decision making and regulation among concerned groups. Boston Review mentions that â€Å"between 1970 and the present, much (not all) of environmental protection has occurred via a remarkably ambitious, complex, and cumbersome system of national regulation† (p. 1). Defining Environmentalism Before dwelling further on the contributions of Greenpeace towards local and international societies, one must look at the focal and foundation of the organization’s endeavors – environmentalism. To fully grasp such concept one must be able to define the parameters and evolution of environmentalism and link it towards how Greenpeace operates. Looking at the concept, one can define environmentalism to be the goal towards preservation of the natural environment. However, since its conception, the term has reached out in various fields and areas that made the term dynamic and continuously evolving. Tao of Prosperity points out that â€Å"in defining environmentalism, we must recognize that it is not a monolithic movement† (p. 1). With all of these, it can be argued that the term environmentalism takes a holistic approach and embraces various dimensions and norms in society and therefore creating a balanced approach. Bidinotto stipulates that environmentalism thought is â€Å"the view that everything in nature exists in a perfectly harmonious balance–a balance ever threatened by the activities of Man† (p. 1) This means that the environmental movement has been moving towards the creation of better practices on the basis of experiences learned in the process of harmonizing and interaction with society. It is in here that they form their own respective views and points out what needs to be done. The Strands of Environmentalism Since its initial creation, the term environmentalism has evolved into various forms and various strands of the movements have been seen in the years. Though these groups vary in their thoughts, their contribution and mindset remains to be united and aimed towards one goal but various alternatives of practice. Looking at it, these facets have been credited as hues of environmentalism. Examples of these groups include (1) dark greens, (2) light green and (3) bright green environmentalism. The first strand deals with the belief of dark green environmentalism. The ideals of this strand are extreme in nature and are unwilling to compromise their objectives among other groups or organizations. Environment Support mentions that â€Å"Dark Greens have a more radical point of view, believing that we need to change our worldview drastically in order to be in harmony with the earth† (p. 1). Moreover, the philosophy of the group revolves around the concept that â€Å"all living things have the same right to live and flourish† (Environmental Support). The second strand deals with Light Green environmentalism. Compared to Dark Greens, this people advocate a lesser way of promoting environmental security. Looking at their beliefs, Light Greens believe that â€Å"belief that all living things have the same right to live and flourish† (Environmental Support). In addition, these groups propose reforms to important movers of society by cooperating and bargaining towards changes. Also, the promoters of this strand seek to have a positive relationship with the conventional ideologies. Environmental Support points out that environmentalism should not be approached â€Å"as a separate ideology but as something that needs greater importance within political schools of thought like conservatism, socialism, and liberalism† (p. 1) The last strand involves a new approach towards environmentalism. The Bright Greens, which was coined in 2003, seeks to promote a new outlook of the concept towards the future. (Environmental Support) Seeing the current developments in today’s society, the group seeks to exhaust the positive effects of technological innovations and apply it to the environment. Environmental Support mentions that the process can be achieved by using â€Å"new technology, improved and modified designs of products, plus eco-communities and sustainable lifestyles† (p. 1). Furthermore, the supporters of this claim argues that by using alternative measures backed up by technology such as renewable energy, biotechnology and nanotechnologies, environmentalism is achieved. In the end, the group favors advancement and progress but with responsibility and taking into consideration the environment. Looking at this, there is a â€Å"need to adopt open-source models of information exchange, so ideas and innovation can grow and be shared and develop as fast as possible† (Tao of Prosperity). This means that environmentalist must continuously open communication lines so as better sharing of information necessary for change can be possible. Linking Greenpeace and the strands Environmentalism After pointing out the relevant hues of environmentalism, it is better to point where Greenpeace can be associated with. The formation of Greenpeace is a reaction towards the clamor for environmental protection and security. Moreover, it is an activism in its organizational form; a grouping of individuals who fight for one common goal. Looking at the facets of each strand, the organization can be associated with the Light Green Environmentalism. Greenpeace creates avenues of cooperation among various organizations and governments to create a consensus towards creating better outcomes for the environment. Environmental Support mentions that the â€Å"groups belonging to this category are Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and Friends of the Earth† (p. 1) However, Greenpeace has gradually been diversifying and adopting a different environmentalist approach (Bright Green) while retaining important and valuable objectives of environmentalism. Take for example, the case of the regional office of Greenpeace in USA. Many scholars attribute their current programs and schemes aimed at the balance of the three hues of environmentalism. Shaiko argues that â€Å"Greenpeace U. S. A. exhibits characteristics of both and new social movements and is thus classified as an organizational hybrid† (88). Quoting Eyerman and Jamison, both argued that: â€Å"Greenpeace is environmentalist because behind its non-ideological ‘profile’ lies a continuation of the basics of environmental cosmology: that modern societies have reached the limits of growth, that the consumption of resources has reached dangerous and crisis proportions and that there is a need for fundamental social change if society is to survive† (114) II. Tracing the roots: Greenpeace The beginnings of Greenpeace began during the time when there was a renowned interest in testing nuclear weapons. The story of the organization begins in 1971 when activists sailed towards a destination where nuclear testing was taking place – Amchitka. Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"Amchitka was the last refuge for 3000 endangered sea otters, and home to bald eagles, peregrine falcons and other wildlife† (p. 1) Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"in 1971, motivated by their vision of a green and peaceful world, a small team of activists set sail from Vancouver, Canada, in an old fishing boat. These activists, the founders of Greenpeace, believed a few individuals could make a difference† (p. 1) Looking at it, the relevance of Amchitka was indeed important in the point of activists. This is because the event proved to be a catalyst towards the creation of the organization and a plight to stop nuclear testing at a far greater level. Though the nuclear testing took place on the same year and the team of Dorothy and Irving Stowe, Marie and Jim Bohlen, Ben and Dorothy Metcalfe, and Bob Hunter were prevented from arriving in the island; it raised international clamors seeking its protection. After such, an international organization; Greenpeace, was founded and recruited millions of followers. The Rainbow Warrior One important aspect of Greenpeace’s history is its prized ship – the Rainbow Warrior. According to Greenpeace International â€Å"it was renamed ‘Rainbow Warrior’ after the Warriors in a North American Cree Indian prophecy: ‘When the world is sick and dying, the people will rise up like Warriors of the Rainbow† (p. 1). It is a symbol of the first collaborative effort by members towards one particular objective. Also, it is a significant symbol towards the organizations commitment towards worldwide consensus to protect and save the environment. Their first efforts were to sail towards Iceland and advocate the abolishment of commercial whaling. (Greenpeace International) After that, the Rainbow Warrior has been associated as an instrument for environmentalism. Though it was bombed in 1985 allegedly by the French Government due to its contributions towards pressuring the state against nuclear testing, the spirit that it carried was always part of the organization. (Greenpeace International) Currently, the new Rainbow Warrior is a manifestation of old traditions of the organization and a mixture of new environmental friendly technological developments – a symbol of Greenpeace’ past and present. Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"it is also a showcase of environmentally friendly technologies including solar panels for hot water, a specially designed fuel-saving wind/motor propulsion system, and a recycling system for engine heat† (p. 1) Core Values and Structure For any organization to function according to their objectives and goals, one must have a firm foundation of structure and core values. With regards to Greenpeace, their foundation and values are structured heavily on environmental protection and democracy. Greenpeace International mentions that â€Å"in developing our campaign strategies and policies we take great care to reflect our fundamental respect for democratic principles and to seek solutions that will promote global social equity† (p. 1) Looking closely, the core values of the organization revolve on the following: â€Å"(1) ‘bear witness’ to environmental destruction in a peaceful, non-violent manner, (2) use non-violent confrontation to raise the level and quality of public debate, (3) exposing threats to the environment and finding solutions we have no permanent allies or adversaries, (4) ensure our financial independence from political or commercial interests and (5) seek solutions for, and promote open, informed debate about society’s environmental choices† (Greenpeace International).

Media Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Globalisation - Essay Example The usage of facts and figures has been excellent here and the writer has not stepped back in accepting the fact that the Japanese television industry is highly influenced by the American industry. Then the trend of the Japanese television industry has been explained. The trend shifted towards more television shows from movies due to the huge boom in the popularity of television serials (Chun, 2006, p.368). Though American influence was present but since 1980s except some television serials imported from America others haven't fare well in Japan. American movie culture is still quite famous and people enjoy watching movies produced in Hollywood. The fame of television series' led to a decline in the movie audience and this lead to more filmmakers turning towards television industry, which only led to an increase in the popularity of television serials (Blumenthal et al, 2006, p.592). The importance given to a television serial is on the basis of its local touch that is the viewers do n't really care if the serial is a copy from some other television industry what they really care about is the 'Japanese odor' in the serial. The solution to this situation was to import television shows from different industries and run them in Japan adding a local touch, which proved to be quite successful in the end. One of the example of such television show mentioned by the writer here is 'Who wants to be a millionaire'. The success rate of this show in Japan was huge though it was an imported show but the cultural touch relevant to Japan that was given to it proved outstanding. The Japanese version is mostly the same as of the version running in Britain but with some amendments like the appearance of celebrities as challengers. The draw back that this article has here is the mentioning of an international television show being popular when the writer himself mentioned that locally produced television serials are more liked by Japanese people. To level out this effect the write r than discusses a show that was imported from America but failed to make its mark in the Japanese television industry, the name of the program is 'Survivor'. The cultural products that Japan exports are called culturally odorless as they do not depict any cultural theme of the country. It is in this context that the Japanese is called Mukokuseki which means something or someone lacking any nationality. Now the writer directs his attention towards the television serials that are being exported from Japan. The interesting fact here that the writer mentions is the number of programs being exported by Japan is far more than imported. The writer also discusses the point raised by many critics who say that the largest shareholder of Japanese exported programs is animation and cartoons. This point is further supported by the fact that the writer presents, the fact is that animated programs produced in Japanese only consist of 1 percent of the total animated programs being produced by Japan confirming that they are being produced to export. The animation producers do not portray Japanese culture in the cartoons and games because they think that this is better for these programs as they are for export. (Gomery & Hockley, 2006, p.142) By glocalizing, the Japanese are buying highly prominent program formats in the West and then localizing them according to the tastes of the Japanese. The author points that the format business is considered as a highly effective and

How Gorbachev's regime come to an end, collapsing the Soviet Union Research Paper

How Gorbachev's regime come to an end, collapsing the Soviet Union - Research Paper Example There are a variety of reasons why the Soviet Union collapsed, bringing the era of Communism with it. Wohlworth (1994-1995) states that the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War is a complex event that has no easy answers. He also states that the theories which have been put forth to explain the end of the Cold War have been weak, and that it is necessary to disaggregate the end of the Cold War to get to a theory which might be plausible. He states that there were three keys to understanding what happened with the Soviet Union at the end of the Gorbachev era. The first key is that the â€Å"decision-makers' assessments of power are what matters† (Wohlworth, 1994-1995, p. 97). In particular, Wohlworth states that power is complex and it can be thought of either in terms of capabilities or influence. Capabilities are reassessed according to new and different information about non-material elements of capability, even when there is only a slight change in the mater ial measures. He also states that expectations inform policy, as all policies are future oriented. Therefore, a decision to reform, go to war, or retrench is contingent upon an assessment of what the future may hold. For instance, a nation may look and see that it is in decline. If this decline is reversible, then the nation may decide against a risky decision, such as warfare, and opt instead of a less-risky course of action, such as reform or retrenchment. The second key, according to Wohlworth (1994-1995), is that if the nation in the decline is a challenger, as opposed to a hegemon, that nation is more likely to retrench and reform instead of opting for war. This would help explain the end of the Soviet Union, as it was not a declining hegemon, but, rather, a declining challenger. The Soviet Union, while chafing against the American-dominated system of global influence, knew that it was not the predominant influence in the world. Therefore, as the Soviet Union was aware of its s tatus on the world stage – that it was not the dominant influence in the world, but, rather, a challenger, it did not want to go to war to preserve the status quo of its country. This theory is in contrast of an early theory of hegemonic war, put forth by Thucydides, that war may occur when there is a dynamic challenger and a moribund hegemon. In Thucydides' theory, the Soviet Union would have to have been dynamic, which means that it was in the process of transitioning to a hegemon, and the United States would have to be a moribund, which would mean that it was on the decline. While Wohlworth acknowledges that, at one point, the Soviet Union was a dynamic challenger, in the 1950s and 1960s, by the time the Soviet Union collapsed, it was a moribund challenger. In contrast, at this same point, the United States was a dynamic defender and hegemon. Therefore, the Soviet Union could not, rationally, have chosen to go to war to protect itself, because it saw the end

Chlamydia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chlamydia - Research Paper Example Further, this essay will zone in on ways to which the onset of this infection may delay and how to promote substantive productive health. According to numerous researches, Chlamydia is a relatively inactive infection with minimal visible alarming signs and symptoms. Despite this, some signs of the infection may include a burning sensation in women especially when excreting urine and to some extremes pain during sexual intercourse. In addition, women may experience the discharging of a heavy and abnormal discharge that may be scentless. On the other hand, a heavy whitish discharge may be visible in men and pain during the passing of urine is also a symptom that characterizes the infection. According to Kacian (2012), the prevalence of Chlamydia and other sexually related infections are high between the ages of sixteen and twenty. Further, it is a health threat especially to those with multiple sex partners within this age bracket. Additionally, pregnant women also serve as potential victims of the infection. Remarkably, Chlamydia is the most reported sexually related infection across the United States. In addition, sexually active women within this age bracket should also subject themselves to annual screening in order to increase the chances of early detection and treatment. Subsequently, the infection may lead to infertility especially in women if no medical intervention occurs. Further, if untreated the mother may pass on the infection to her unborn child which may in turn affect their ability to see (Kacian, 2011). Moreover, having Chlamydia also makes one susceptible to HIV once one exposes themselves to it (Baby Center, 2013). However, the infection is preventab le through the consistent use of condoms and also through abstinence, which is more effective. Therefore, screening of pregnant mothers is vital in the prevention of blindness in newborns as result of this infection (Healthy People, 2012) Mostly, the prevention of contracting this

Television Incorporated and Face Validity Case Study - 91

Television Incorporated and Face Validity - Case Study Example Jack makes a decision to reduce some of her duties so that she can resume to her normal level of success but things get worse with so many tasks left undone. The person job fits and placement are applied in this case as we see Ada performing so well in her tasks in the first few months before she is overcome with the work overload that she initiated by requesting more tasks from Jack. Face validity is a form of validity that is used to determine if a measure has given the expected results in regards to what it was supposed to measure. In this case, face validity was used to make decisions in various instances. First, Jack is able to pick Ada among the applicants since her credentials show that she can fit in the job of an administrative assistant. Second, Jack used face validity to summon Ada and reduce her duties and responsibilities since he notices the gradual change in how Ada is performing her tasks. The steps in validating a selection device include observing the behavior of an employee and noting whether he or she is performing tasks as allocated. If there is a gradual change as seen in the case of Ada, get concerned and seek to get a solution to the problem. If multiple predictors are used it becomes easier to make a decision that is in line with the firm or organizational goal. Jack has applied predictors in such a case to handle the case related to Ada. The compensatory approach seems to be ineffective here since Ada is not ready to let off some duties even after Jack noting that she is not doing well in her tasks. In addition, after Jack reduces her workload, it becomes worse than it was before as Ada is unable to perform her tasks Validity generalization would not be appropriate for jobs at AAA television. It is clear that there are many tasks associated with AAA television and they are interrelated. If one employee slows down, the rest are affected.

Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study - Essay Example However, small businesses are an asset to any country and really enhance the overall GDP. Limited funds are a challenge as they have a direct effect on the growth of the business because there is pressure to pay off debts and concentration on growth is low. Even once the initial investment is made, there might not be enough cash to carry on with the daily operations, and hence, capital is always the main concern. The location is of utmost importance especially in the case of the retailer. In the case study Urban Outfitters decided to focus their store openings near colleges so that the students seeking for funky designs and used clothes can easily purchase in close proximity. Location in terms of clusters and target market are factors to be considered. The proximity and unique distribution creates exclusivity and helps companies with their niche marketing tactics. Employing efficient human resource is vital for creating an impact on consumers. In the case study, Richard and Belair, h ad entrepreuniral skills and a genuine interest in running their business, therefore they did a good job. Q2) Define what a "niche" product is. Give at least three examples of niche products.   A) A niche product is the one made and marketed for a small but profitable market. It is made for a high potential market which is small in size but profitable to cater. The specific product features designed are aimed to satisfy a specific market (Advantages of Niche Marketing 2009). In order to tap this sort of a potential market, the gap in the market has to be identified. These can be customized items too for example a cake shop customizing cakes for every individual according to their choice. Occasions are always brightened with some delicacy and catering to a customized market can be profitable. Catering to the elite by exclusively creating something can also be called a niche product for example a Rolls Royce. Catering to a particular demographics, class and personality all create ni ches. A case in point can be websites that provide services for specific categories for example finding your perfect match online, relationships and dating. Such services fulfill the needs of thousands of people but are very limited in its service and not mass marketed. Q3) Explain why a niche company might have an advantage in a market. Would price necessarily be an advantage? Explain why or why not.   A) Customization and exclusivity creates the importance of a niche market. Besides these factors, satisfying the needs of specific demographics in itself is an advantage because the customer feels his/her specific wants are been catered too. In the case study, the stores were located near colleges and the college students were being targeted, therefore, the sale of used clothes was identified as the missing gap for college students that have an economical budget. Therefore, the niche market allows the company to exert out energy on reaching out to the right people. resources are no t wasted in mass marketing but are instead focused on serving the small segment of loyal customers. Price may not necessarily be an advantage as seen clearly in this case study. Richard and Belair identified the needs of college students and then further increased their product line in order to synchronize the unique feel and look of each store. Many businesses in the world that operate in niche markets do have an advantage over price such as Lexus that produces limited cars and earns

The yellow wallpaper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The yellow wallpaper - Essay Example The persona is the woman who due to her condition (temporary nervous depression.) the husband puts her in a secluded upper room with the intention of availing total rest meant for quick recuperation. The husbands’ idea draws consensus from his brother in law. Therefore, woman acts as the recipient of her husband decisions’ actualization since he is a doctor (Wang 11). The room where she lives comprises of torn yellow wallpaper and after a close examination, she makes out an image of entangled woman seeking liberty from numerous aspects that restrain her. The account intensively utilizes dramatic irony, setting and symbolism with the intention of transmitting its message to the reader indirectly. The â€Å"Yellow wallpaper’s† symbol of an entangled woman by numerous aspects restraining her from freedom represents the persona of this account (Wang 10). The woman in this account is a recipient of all ideas from her husband and brother due to the condition she is experiencing. Besides, all her arguments do not have any significance towards recuperation, but disregarded because she is ailing (Wang 14). The restraints encompass the ideas of the husband and those of the brother in law. Besides, the author of this account has selectively chosen its setting, which is also part of the elaboration and reference all through, whereby the persona is capable of interacting with it. Account’s inception entails the application of dramatic irony evidenced when the persona is explaining the room chosen to house and give her the in tended rest; its explanation does not fit the abode of an insane person (Wang

Carving Leaders from the Warped Wood of Humanity Essay - 34

Carving Leaders from the Warped Wood of Humanity - Essay Example A statement made by the author that was very interesting in regards to this discussion was, â€Å"We respect leaders who put the interest of the followers first, but most leaders don’t pay a price for doing that on a regular basis, nor do most circumstances require them to calculate their interest in relation to the interest of their followers† (Ciulla, 2001). I agree with the author that managers have to consider many factors and variables in their decision making the process that has nothing to do with altruism. The interest of the customers of a company and the community are important to consider, but managers are supposed to maximize shareholders wealth. For that to occur companies have to optimize the use of their economic resources to improve the sales and profits of the company. My personal opinion in regards to the topic of whether leadership and altruism are correlated concepts differs from the opinion of Joanne Ciulla. I think that altruism can enhance the perception of a company, thus the strategy can be beneficial for the profitability of the company. Altruism is a win-win proposition for all the parties involved. A company that has a true sense of the importance of ethics will make a concerted effort to help interest groups in need through altruism efforts. Altruism can enhance the public image of a corporation. The use of altruism reflects well on the leadership abilities of a manager. Altruism should not be visualized as a cost; instead, it should be viewed as a moral and socially responsible way to give back to the community that builds the brand value of a company. Despite my difference of opinion with the author in regards to the relation between these two concepts, I agree with the author in that it is possible to be ethically responsible withou t using altruism. There are lots of ethical decisions that managers must make that do not involve altruism.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and 19 century American Society Research Paper - 2

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and 19 century American Society - Research Paper Example Other Calvinists also explained that the salvation was held in the hands of God. In the nineteenth century evangelicals like Finney and other evangelicals were in the fore front to preach to the sinners. They focused on the sins of the human beings in action. They also preached about the hellfire in order to try and divert the sinners from the exercise. They went ahead and insisted that the sinners were supposed to repent and get away from all the sin. In the nineteenth century, the Protestants through the evangelicalism laid much emphasis on the conversion. This was obliged by ideas about the sinfulness of the human beings after the fall of Adam and also the omnipotence of God. It is said after all this that God has got mercy towards his people and he promises them salvation after all these. The evangelicalism also laid strong emphasis on the how Christ died on the cross for the sake of the sins of the humans. They tried to explain that the best thing to understand is that conversio n was just an experience and it was not hard. Many of the people did not believe the message that these evangelists gave. Believing was a very important thing and so for the evangelists I was not easy to convince the people. But still what they preached was heard by many people and though many would have not responded but they were psychologically transformed. (Claudia 2006). This did not just leave them as the ordinary people they were there before but it came to be like a transformation and most of them had changed and they had those characters of Christians deep inside them2. The evangelicals explained that what happened to them was a spiritual rebirth and death of the old someone to the transformation and the birth of another person who has gone through transformation. Conversion consisted of steps that had to be followed.  

Chinese Nationalism Essay Essay Example for Free

Chinese Nationalism Essay Essay A? er a long ? me of peace and success the Qing dynasty was the highest point of its power. However, as ? me passes they were harassed and humiliated by western powers, quickly the Qing dynasty collapsed. But the Qing collapsed due to the tremendous external pressures of moderniza? on that the west implemented. Extraterritoriality was a huge contribu? ng factor to the fall of the Qing dynasty. China set aside (ve coastal ports for the Bri? sh to use in the southern part of the country. From the start this was a bad idea, basically China was giving them a part of their land for them to save and make money o* of. This caused a limit on their taxes for imported goods. Essen? ally, the Bri? sh were saving and making so much money from this that their army prospered. The Bri? sh army grew because now that they had an outstanding amount of money they were able to cover the costs of war and spend the money on their own country. But it didn’t stop there; China also gave the Bri? sh the island of Hong Kong. This meant that they were able to obtain even more wealth by taking advantage of the land. The ac? On that China made which allowed the Bri? sh to use a part of their country was set up to fail, nothing good could have came out of this to help China which is why external pressures were such a big factor in the fall of the Qing dynasty. Similar to extraterritoriality, an interna? onal economy also caused a decline in the Qing dynasty. During the ? me European traders moved into China, China’s trade and industry were doing extremely in large ci? es. At this ? me, westerners forced China to join the interna? Onal economy; this was huge for China’s economy because it would reach its utmost height; but in the long run was not bene(cial for China at all. Imperialism started to become a problem in China. Many of the Chinese were being used, and it caused a state of dependence on China. Also due to imperialism China was in a period of underdevelopment. This meant that because of foreign countries taking advantage of China; instead of the pro(ts Chinas new economy was making going to its own country it went to foreign na? ons. Chinas industry and trade went through a ? Me of deteriora? ng, which caused the economy to go down and China as a whole to weakening. China was also being used for its land and resources, which is why Jack Petersohn History in-class essay other countries were â€Å"carving up the Chinese melon†. Many European and western countries wanted to have a piece of China; therefore they were â€Å"carving up the Chinese melon†. These foreign na? ons forced China to reform to new ways and change even though they wanted to keep tradi? on. For example westerners introduced China to new means of transporta? On and technology. China may have enjoyed and used these new advances but it took them away from their tradi? on; this caused an outbreak for rebellion and revolt. Therefore triggering a decline in the na? on due to external pressures. The foreign in6uences on China caused the Qing dynasty to struggle in maintaining power. Westerners use China for its individual economical bene(ts while China was in a ? me of stress and were barely keeping power. Eventually China declined and the Qing dynasty fell due to the external pressures.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 1. Introduction Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a procedure that requires developers to follow in order to be granted permission for a development and was first introduced in European Union (EU) in 1985 (Glasson, 1999). The guidelines and requirements of EIA come from a European Directive (85/33/EEC as amended by 97/11/EC). In this process, developer requires to compile an Environmental Statement (ES) where significant impacts and its effects on the environment as a result of a development are described including mitigation measures (Lee, 1995). However, there are weaknesses in EIA process. As a result of EIA weaknesses, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was introduced. SEA process was first introduced by EU Directive 2001/42/EC which environmental protection and sustainable development may be considered. It ensures that potential impact of proposed plans, policies and programmes on the environment are taking into consideration so that mitigation and communication between public and decision-makers are provided (Benson, 2003). Therefore, SEA is undertaken in the decision-making process of a development much earlier than EIA. In this section, the differences between EIA and SEA as well as the weaknesses of EIA that led the development of SEA in EU Directive in 2001 are being discussed. 2. Differences between EIA and SEA 2.1. Differences in provisions between SEA and EIA Directives Table 1: Summary of differences in action for EIA and SEA processes (Partidà ¡rio, 2000). SEA EIA Nature of action It is more strategic and contains visions and concepts in its action Actions towards the construction and operation level Assessment Involved evaluation Involved only assessment Focus More critical decision moments (decision windows) along with decision processes Only in project level Level of decision It involves policy and planning Only project level Relation to decision Facilitator Involved evaluator which often taking into consideration of administrative requirement Alternatives Broader and spatial balance of location, social and physical strategies, technologies and economics. More specific alternative in construction, operation, locations and design Scale of impacts Macroscopic involved local, regional, national and global Microscopic mainly involved local Scope of impacts Sustainability issues, economic and social issues may be more tangible than physical or ecological issues Environmental with a sustainability focus, physical or ecological issues, and also social and economic Time scale and review Long to medium term (after 5 years and then 7 years interval) Medium to short-term (after 5 years then silent continuing review). Key data sources State of the Environment Reports, Local Agenda 21, statistical data, policy and planning instruments Field work, sample analysis, statistical data Data Mainly descriptive and mixture with quantifiable More quantifiable Rigor of analysis (uncertainty) More uncertainty and less rigor Less uncertainty and more rigor Assessment benchmarks Sustainability benchmarks (criteria and objectives) Best practice and legal restrictions Public perception Vague/ distant More reactive Post-evaluation Other strategic actions and project planning Objective evidence in relation with construction and operation 2.2 Differences in procedural requirements of the EIA and SEA Directives. Table 2: Summary of the main differences between EIA and SEA Directives in procedural requirements ( Sources from : Sheate et al., 2005). STAGE SEA EIA Screening It requires consultation from the environmental authorities. Publicity: SEA does not need determination and reasons. It requires no consultation. Publicity: EIA requires determination and reasons. Environmental information/report Member States (MSs) have to ensure that sufficient quality and stronger emphasis on alternatives are provided in environmental reports (ERs). No quality control requires in EIA and only minimun information shoud be provided Consultation Involved relevant parties other than MSs such as public and autorities. Involved relevant parties other than MSs such as public and autorities and also consultation provision from Public Participation Directive. Decision-making All consultation comments and ER are to be taken into account. Consultation comments and environmental informations are included in decision-making. Info on decision More specific and detailed requirements. Information provision from Public Participation Directive are mademore specific in the requirement. Monitoring Long term monitoring required Not require monitoring 3. Weaknesses of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 3.1. Lack of consideration of cumulative impacts EIA process is often facing difficulty in addressing cumulative impacts of a development. The significant impacts of a development especially issues on biodiversity, human health and cultural heritage are no included in their assessment (McDonald Brown 1995). For example in Scotland, several developments of wind farms proposed in close proximity have led to a very complicated EIA process (Glasson, 1999). Each developer required assessing the cumulative impact of landscape and visual application with those of neighboring projects (Benson, 2003). The planning process could face a delay due to this issue. 3.2. Insufficient public participation Public involvement has shown to be insufficient in EIA process (Gailus, 1995). In a recent research suggested that this is due to the attitude of the developer that discourages the participation of public in EIA process in the European Community. Due to lack of legislation and extensive for public involvement in Europe in the early 90s to influence the decision of a development, the general public is not aware of their rights and causes them not interested in the development involvement (Caddy, 1996). 3.3. Little monitoring and auditing process Previous study has showed that monitoring and auditing issues are still weak in EIA. Follow-up process is only performed by developers in a minority of cases (Arts and Nootebloom 1999). Monitoring process enables practioners to have better understanding for future extension, design and restoration projects (Frost, 1997). However, the river restoration process in United Kingdom (UK) was hampered by lack of monitoring process in EIA. 3.4. Inadequate consideration of alternatives The compilation of alternatives appears to be very limited in EIA report (Tesli, 2002). For example in Hungary for radioactive disposal, the report did not provide in details or rather limited in reducing the impacts of the project to the human health (Benson, 2003). It is important to include various alternatives to allow solutions being taken in a development. 3.5. The poor quality of environmental impact statements and reports The reports produced in EIA are often too complex in term of length and technical which is not easily understood by the public and decision makers (Lee, 1995). It is important for ES to be simple as it has to be made available to the public. 3.6. The timing of decisions The decision-making process in EIA project enters too late where the effects of policy and planning critical decisions are not being considered (Lee, 1995). This is due to the absence of systematic impact assessment process where the outcome of it could subsequently influence the project planning and design (Harrop Nixon 1999). 4. Conclusion There were various weaknesses have been identified in EIA process. Due to these weaknesses, SEA was developed in 2001 under EU Directive to strengthen the environmental assessment process. 5. References Arts, J. and Nootebloom, S. (1999) ‘Environmental Impact Assessment Monitoring and Auditing in: Petts, J. (ed.) Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment Volume 1, Blackwell, Oxford: 229-251 Benson, J.F. (2003) ‘What is the alternative? Impact assessment tools and sustainable planning, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 21 (4): 261-266 Caddy, J. (1996). Working Group on Environmental Studies, European University Institute, Florence. [Online] http://www.iue.it/WGES/Iss16/caddy.htm [Accessed: 29/01/2010]. Frost, R. (1997) Planning and Environmental Impact Assessment in Practice. Chapter 7 EIA monitoring and audit in Weston, J (ed). Longman, Harlow. pp 141 175. Gailus, J. (1995). Regional Environmental Centre: Hungary. [Online] http://www.rec.org/REC/Bulletin/Bull52/PublPart.html [Accessed: 29/01/2010] Glasson, J. (1999) ‘The First 10 Years of the UK EIA System: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, Planning Practice and Research, 14 (3): 363-375 Glasson, J. Therivel, R. and Chadwick, A. (1999) Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, Spon Press, London Harrop, O. and Nixon, A. (1999) Environmental Impact Assessment in Practice, Routledge, London Lee, N. (1995) ‘Environmental Assessment in the European Union: a tenth anniversary, Project Appraisal, 10 (2): 77-90 McDonald, G.T. and Brown, A.L. (1995) ‘Going Beyond Environmental Impact Assessment: environmental input to planning and design, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 15: 483-495 Partidà ¡rio, M.R., 2000, Elements of an SEA framework improving the added-value of SEA, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 20: 647-663. Sheate, W. Byron, H. Dagg, S. Cooper, L (2005), The Relationship between SEA and EIA Directives: Final Report to the European Commission. Imperial College London Tesli, A. (2002). The use of EIA and SEA relative to the objective of sustainable development, Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR). 1. Content of an SEA report as required by EU Directive The implementation of plans and programmes (PPs) in which likely significant effects produce by the project on the environment is the key requirement in preparation of an SEA report (European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2001). Figure 1 shows the summary of the contents required by EU Directive (2001/42/EC) in producing SEA reports. Not all projects need to perform SEA process (Barth Fuder, 2002). The diagram in Figure 2 shows a set of set of criteria for application to PPs under the EU Directive (2001/42/EC). It specifies whether SEA is required or not according to the Directive. For simplicity, the developments of the PPs and reasonable alternative options of SEA are summarized in five key stages according to the government guidance in England (URL 1). 1.1. The key five stages Stage A: Context, Baseline and Scoping (SEA Directive Annex 1) Authority needs to include indicators, objectives and background information for SEA in the plan. The decisions of the scope can be decide by the authority including consultation on the statutory environmental bodies (URL 1). Stage B:Alternatives and Assessment (SEA Directive Article 5.1) Authority need to identify reasonable alternatives and assess the effects of the project on the environment. Ways of reducing, preventing and offsets the effects have to be provided as well (URL 1). Stage C: Preparing the Environmental Report Draft plan/programme which includes the information of the effects has to be presented as a key output of SEA process (URL 1). Stage D: Consultation (SEA Directive Article 6.2 and Annex 1) The draft plan and environmental report should be ready together for consultation where a statement are made from the consultation responses in order to produce an evolving plan (URL 1). Stage E: Monitoring (SEA Directive Article 10.1) The implementation of the plan where environment effects are produced needs monitoring process. It helps to provide more baseline information for future plans (URL 1). 2. Difficulties and limitations in fulfilling these requirements Table 1: Summary of the difficulties and limitations of SEA reports as required in EU Directive. Requirements issues Difficulties and limitations Availability and access to data Environmental data is often limited and not relevant because it is not collected and stored systematically. The process of data collection requires extensive resources and using these data are difficult because different departments tend to collect different set of data. The quality of good data is lacking and this issue has been reported by Member States such as Germany and Poland (European Commission, 2009). Best example of this issue is Poland. They are facing difficulties of generating and collecting data of affected area because of the implementation of a plan/programme. The current picture of the environment has to be identified especially in large areas but they indicate that it is very problematic (European Commission, 2009). Sometimes, the coverage areas of SEA are large (including few countries and produces large amount of alternatives (URL 1). This will increase the complexity of data collection and analysis (URL 1). Public Participation The availability of the data for the public is limited. In the UK, documents and information of the plan are not required to be published on their website until ER is finalized according to the draft Regulations (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). As a result, public participation is limited as not many public will travel to the plan-makers office to view the documents at a minimum time period for consultation. It is important to set up a website to facilitate the consultation process for the public to participate (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). Else, public is unaware that inspection of these documents are available to them and no feedback can be made (Kà ¸rnà ¸v Thissen, 2000). EA at higher levels of decision making As SEA involves higher levels of decision making, the implementation policy of PPs are subject to various departments decisions (Kà ¸rnà ¸v Thissen, 2000). For example, a Local Transport Plan requires policy from Regional Spatial Strategies, Aviation and Transport White Papers and Sustainable Communities Plan and Planning Policy Statements (Brown Thà ©rivel, 2000). Due to these requirements, a complex screening process has to be performed and decisions for PPS are even more very difficult in the assessment (Brown Thà ©rivel, 2000). Deciding on the level of detail of the environmental report The details of require information in SEA reports are vary due to lack of adaptation in assessment for the level of abstraction in PPs (European Commission, 2009). According to Member States (Latvia and Germany), the possible impacts of PPs are difficult to be included in SEA reports because of less information of the right scale and level required (European Commission, 2009). Therefore, important information for long term PPs is difficult as no appropriate spatial scale of information need to be included in the report (European Commission, 2009). Development of assessment methods As there are no specific guidelines, strong methodological background and lack of exchange for best practices, developing an effective assessment is very challenging (Brown Thà ©rivel, 2000). For example in Operational Programmes objectives, high level plans in a viable assessment do not necessary show the actual physical ground effects although strategic policies are implemented European Commission, 2009). Assessment of impacts Although SEA addressing the importance of cumulative impacts, there is no standard and effective assessment methodologies are being developed (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). The significant environmental impacts of PPs are difficult to assess and the identification of these aspects are limited (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). Monitoring and enforcement (Including issues of indicators) The assessment of plans is limited because there is no sustainability and environmental criteria developed in the monitoring programme (European Commission, 2009). Therefore, monitoring indicators (local agenda 21 for instance) is being used however it is difficult for monitoring process as mentioned by Member States like France. Environmental authorities have no proper enforcement tool to ensure that monitoring programme is being performed (European Commission, 2009). For example in the UK, no quality control body is being set up by the government to monitor the efficiency of monitoring process which is a limitation for SEA (Verheem, R. Tonk, J. 2000). Institutional and legal issues The supports for SEA process are still insufficient politically (European Commission, 2009). The bureaucratic prerogatives may hinder the effectiveness of SEA performance. As SEA process is relatively new, lack of human resources especially knowledgeable authorities is a major limitation for SEA (European Commission, 2009). 3. Comparison between requirement of SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA). In the United Kingdom (UK), SA and SEA are required in planning system and law for Government Plans and Programmes (Smith Sheate 2001). For most Development Plan Documents (DPD) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD), both SA and SEA process have to be carried out and include in the Local Development Framework (LDF) in the UK (Smith Sheate 2001). SA was developed to assess the likely economic, social and environmental impacts so proposed PPs can be implemented that leads to sustainable development unlike SEA which was previously described (Lee Kirkpatrick, 2000). The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) and European Directive EC/2001/42 require both SA and SEA processes to be performed in any planning (Smith Sheate 2001). It is also requires by the Environmental Assessment Regulations for Plans and Programmes in UK (Smith Sheate 2001). In table 2, comparison of SA and SEA in terms of UK planning system for Government PPs are being summarized. Table 2: Comparison between SA and SEA requirements within the UK planning system Requirements Strategic Environmental Assessment Sustainability Appraisals Overall aims The aim of SEA is to raise the profile of environmental considerations as part of an advocative approach during decision-making process (Kà ¸rnà ¸v Thissen, 2000). In contrast to SEA, it is use as a support process in decision-making and representing an integrated approach that working towards in all aspects of sustainable development. Therefore, the interests at stake are remained neutral during this process (Minas, 2002). Focus Environmental effects (Lee Kirkpatrick, 2000) A full range of environmental, social and economic issues (Minas, 2002). Environmental/ Sustainability aspects It involves 15 components which is suggested in the 1993 guidance with additional social and economic factors to be considered in 1999 guidance (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Aspects of biodiversity, human health, cultural factors, water, landscape, population and material assets are considered primarily (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Report requirements There are no formal requirements for SA. In good practice guidance, identification of scoping and impacts stages is recommended (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). The 1999 guidance also recommends that planners should provide and evaluates alternatives. Environmental baseline conditions should be considered as well. It involved extensive requirements of Annex 1 which have previously discussed (Barth Fuder, 2002). Methodology According to DETR Guide, the appraisal should emphasize on strategic options, alternatives, and policy impact matrices in achieving sustainable development. Therefore, the methodological statement is very brief if compare to SEA (Minas, 2002). In contrast to SA, heavy emphasis is in place on actually baseline data which set as a benchmark to assess the alternatives performance. It is also requires authorities to consult the final environmental report from the public on the scope of the assessment (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Timing The process is being carried out very early where every stage of the development plan process is considered as an important element (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). In contrast to SA, it is usually being carried out during the preparation of a plan before the submission to the legislative procedure (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Involvement The appraisals are subjected to consultation with outside groups such as public consultation during the plan preparation. The appraisal usually made available on the internet where it is being carried out sporadically (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). It is not required to make available on the internet. The consultation can be done during scoping stage by specified environmental authorities. Opportunity has to be given to the public to comment the draft plan (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). Documentation required No formal requirements according to the guidance A statement need to be produced by an authority to summarize all the considerations of the plan have been integrated. They need to provide a report of consultees opinion which taken during the consultation process and valid reasons on why the alternatives are being chosen (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). 4. Success of SEA report in delivering sustainable development objectives A wide range of processes has been integrated with SEA report. It has shown to be a systematic process where accountable decision making can be achieve due to the earlier evaluating process being taken with strong alternative visions (Wood Dejeddour, 1992). All these have incorporated in SEA policy, planning and program initiatives (PPPs) to ensure sustainable development with full integration of economic, social and political considerations (Partidà ¡rio Clarke, 2000). Although SEA shows to be a great tool in project level but the process of SEA is not easily accepted or consider as an effective solution due to its complexity (Thà ©rivel Partidà ¡rio, 2000). Recent research has shown that SEA produces both great opportunities as well as failures in sustainable development (Sadler, 1998). 4.1. Sustainability objectives are included in the integrated process of policy making and planning During the design stage of SEA, objectives of sustainability are being considered which provides a greater plan and policy in decision making (Thompson et al., 1995). It gradually delivers its objectives of sustainable development because the use of SEA articulates sustainability goals by enhancing the political action where substantive action can be taken (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). As the expectation of internal and external public of its delivery increasing, it offers the possibility of bringing better policy towards sustainable development into success. The transition of SEA involved two main steps: Information gathering and analysis work The core of strategic decision making Sustainable development consideration is being covered in a broader range where strategic level matters are separated from advisory conventionally-focused (Pezzoli, 1997). Sustainability criteria are used as the key bases to help in strategic decision making on the selection among best options available (Pezzoli, 1997). With these steps being taken, larger context of core policies and programmes in strategic assessment are identified in pursuing the objectives of national sustainability. Therefore, SEA report may be an important instrument in promoting sustainable development when it is fully integrated (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). 4.2. Operationalises sustainability principles In practical application, the concept of sustainability is very difficult because it faces high complexity and uncertain reality (Pezzoli, 1997). Interconnected generational boundaries and disciplinary of sustainability may further complicates the concept (Marsden, 1998). Therefore, the application of specific context of sustainability and commonly recognized principles are being clarified by SEA. SEA identified three key principle of sustainability: Integrated pursuit of ecological and socio-economic improvements Uncertainty imposes precautionary obligations Public choices involved SEA is a visible confirmation of commitment to sustainability as it offers broader exposure to notions such as natural capital and the precautionary principle (Pezzoli, 1997). Therefore, it can be translated into the language of politics of sustainability and functions as a heuristic device (Thà ©rivel et al., 1992). 4.3. Improves analysis of broad public purposes and alternatives With alternative technologies, lifestyle choices and better resources, SEA offers better possibility in achieving sustainable development because it has the capability to contemplating these factors that cannot be address at lower levels (Wood Dejeddour, 1992). Therefore, SEA report is the most effective and efficient point in finding alternatives and addressing the needs in pursuing the objectives of sustainability development (Thà ©rivel et al., 1992). 4.4. Facilitates proper attention to cumulative effects Strategic level proves to be the best way to deal with increasing number of cumulative impacts. The scope of SEA helps to identifying these impacts because of its space scales (Ortolano Shepherd, 1995; Scott, 1992). As SEA is performed in an early stage, this assessment allows assessors to provide more attention in a wider range of actions in a larger area. It allows them to provide a broader context of cumulative impacts in addressing each of the impacts (Thà ©rivel Partidà ¡rio 1996). According to Thà ©rivel Partidà ¡rio, undesirable activities as a results of a project can be removed before the project stage begins because these cumulative impacts have influence the project decision where SEA has incorporated environmental issues intrinsically during the planning stage. Earlier detection of these impacts helps to promote sustainable development. 4.5. Facilitates greater transparency and more effective public participation at the strategic level With the extensive involvement of public participation in SEA, it has improved the credibility and accountability of SEA in sustainability where they facilitating external scrutiny of decision (Wood Dejeddour, 1992). It creates increasing pressures in strategic decision making process to overcome bureaucratic fragmentation because in many jurisdictions, bureaucratic disorganisation and wastefulness in citizen has been declining. The expanding role of public provided in SEA allows an intrinsic connection between environmental sustainability and equity (George, 1999) to promote basic sustainability goals. 5. Conclusion There are many challenges ahead for SEA report. There are many difficulties in producing a good SEA report. Nevertheless, SEA report requirements did show success in achieving sustainable development goals. In order to ensure SEA report success, weaknesses and limitation needs to be considered and solution needed in order to overcome it. 6. References Barth, R. Fuder, A. (2002) Implementing Article 10 of the SEA Directive 2001/42/EC. Final Report : Freiburg, Darmstadt, Berlin. Brown, A L, and Thà ©rivel, R. (2000), â€Å"Principles to guide the development of strategic environmental assessment methodology†, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal , 18(3), September, pages 183-189. Environment Agency (2004) SEA Good Practice Guidelines www.environment-agency.gov.uk/seaguidelines. Accessed on 27/01/10. European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2001) Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment Commission of the European Communities, Brussels. www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2001/l_197/l_19720010721en00300037.pdf European Commission (2009) Study concerning the report on the application and

Connection of the Mind and Body

Connection of the Mind and Body Paragraphs 1) Why do we feel the way we feel? They rush through you menacingly on a mountain trail when you mistake a twisted stick for a snake or when you feel as if a spider is walking down your neck) . They wash over you gently when your newborn looks your way or when you see any affectionate scene. And when you gaze upon a Monet or call to mind a lilting line of verse, they bring you warmth. Feelings and emotions are woven through every human experience. Emotions are just a part of the human nature. simply, human beings are the most self-conscious animals, and their emotions are considered as base leftovers of their animal selves. societies created civilizations which demanded the need for emotions. the development and prosperities required the formation of numerous feelings. emotions are astounding, indescribable and ineffable ingredients of the human spirit. they are naturally occurring responses and the result of judgments to any situation or a perception of changes taking place within our bodies . for example, we experie nce disgust because our body undergoes physiological changes like queasiness and increased skin temperature at the sight of vomit. emotions generally are dictated to individuals rather than society; they are a result of a persons own evaluation or automatic one to an incident. they are stimulators of reactions based on self-awareness, self consciousness, and the ability to emphasize with others. emotions represent a synthesis of subjective experience, expressive behavior and neurochemical activity. there is a great wide variety of emotions including: anger, fear surprise, disgust, joy and sadness. Feelings can be conscious or unconscious, expressed or unexpressed, positive or negativeor simultaneous. Emotion is at the core of human beings lives, underlying perhaps peoples every motivation, many researchers now agree. It is what we are about, said UC San Francisco psychologist Paul Ekman, an expert decoder of facial expressions. emotions were also described by Department of Veterans Affairs psychiatrist Leslie Brothers as an intangible matter, When you get right down to it, she said, emotion is just a fuzzy, moving target. . . . Its like trying to grab fog. Your hand keeps moving through it. http://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/ 2) How do our thoughts and emotions affect our health? In Woody Allens movie Manhattan, Diane Keaton is breaking up with Woody and wants to know why he isnt angry. I dont get angry, Allen replies, I grow a tumor instead. the mind and emotions play a very important role in the state of health. Therefore, its important for us to recognize and identify our thoughts and emotions, and to be aware of the impact they have—not only on each other, but also on our bodies, behavior, and relationships. Emotions that are freely experienced and expressed without judgment or attachment tend to flow fluidly. On the other hand, repressed emotions (especially fearful or negative ones) can zap mental energy and lead to health problems. emotional disturbances and disorders lead to poor performance of body activities and brings down the immune system making a person more vulnerable for infection, also leads to metabolic illnesses like diabetes. negative feelings like chronic stress from negative attitudes and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can upset the bodys hormone balance and deplete the brain chemicals required for feelings of happiness. New scientific understandings have also identified the process by which chronic stress can actually decrease peoples lifespan by shortening their telomeres (the â€Å"end caps† of our DNA strands, which play a big role in aging). Poorly managed or repressed anger (hostility) is also related to a slew of health conditions, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, and infection. negative feelings generally are found to cause heart attacks, cancer, back pain, change in appetite, and chest pain. not only that, but also constipation or diarrhea, dry mouth, insomnia (sleep disorder), sexual problem and sweating. in addition, negative feelings cause palpitations (heart racing), shortness of breath and stiff neck. Positive attitudes on the other hand—such as playfulness, gratitude, awe, love, interest, serenity, and feeling connected to others—have a direct impact on health and wellbeing. The attitude of forgiveness—fully accepting that a negative circumstance has occurred and relinquishing negative feelings surrounding the event—can lead us to experience better mental, emotional and physical health. The Stanford Forgiveness Project trained 260 adults in forgiveness in a 6-week course.70% reported a decrease in their feelings of hurt, 13% experienced reduced anger, 27% experienced fewer physical complaints (for example, pain, gastrointestinal upset, dizziness, etc.) In a landmark study, people who were asked to count their blessings felt happier, exercised more, had fewer physical complaints, and slept better than those who created lists of hassles. Positive emotions generally lead to faster recovery from cardiovascular stress, better sleep, and fewer colds. not onl y that, but also they generate a great sense of overall happiness, physical homeostasis and evokes healthy behavioral responses: less likely to smoke or drink and more likely to exercise. positive feelings lead to a Beneficial physiological responses which include improved sleep quality, and higher levels of antioxidants or good (HDL) cholesterol. 3) Are our bodies and minds distinct from each other or do they function together as parts of an interconnected systems? In the history of thought, the idea that the mind and body are separate has been hotly debated. Probably the most famous statement of mind/body dualism is from the philosopherRenà © Descartes, who in the 17th century argued that there are two different kinds of stuff in the world: stuff extended in space (such as chairs, computers, and human bodies) and stuff which lacks extension but somehow exists as an immaterial substance (the human mind). Many ancient healing systems emphasize the interconnection between mind and body in healing, including Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, who taught that good health depends on a balance of mind, body, and environment. our bodies and minds are interconnected. the mind is responsible for sending signals which are basically the language of the body. These signals can be hormones which are a type of chemical messengers released by cells and glands. These hormones can be growth factors or other chemicals that influence cells and neurons. there are many systems in the brain that are regulates various functions in the body. First, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a part of the inner structure of the brain and is a part of the nervous system. It is responsible for regulating involuntary body functions, such as heartbeat, blood flow, breathing and digestion. it also controls all the muscles, organs and glands. When something goes wrong in this system, it can cause serious problems, including blood pressure problems, heart problems, trouble with breathing and swallowing, and erectile dysfunction in men. Autonomic nervous system disorders can occur alone or as the result of another disease, such asParkinsons disease, alcoholism and diabetes. Some autonomic nervous system disorders get better when an underlying disease is treated. This system is further divided into two branches: the sympathetic system and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system regulates the flight-or-fig ht responses (refers to a physiological reaction that occurs in the presence of something that is terrifying, either mentally or physically). This division also performs such tasks as relaxing the bladder, speeding up heart rate and dilating eye pupils. It increases blood pressure and heart rate. Furthermore, the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system helps maintain normal body functions and conserves physical resources. This division also performs such tasks as controlling the bladder, slowing down heart rate and constricting eye pupils. most importantly, the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic system is extremely vital. last but not least, the prefrontal cortex is located in the front of the brain below the forehead. it is responsible for personality expression and planning of complex behaviors and decision-making. people experience the connection everyday in situations ranging from mouth-watering over a delicious looking dessert to butterflies be fore a presentation. in the end, negative outcomes can result from the mind and body interconnection including the failure to meet athletic, academic or professional goal due to fear by the mind. 4) What is the mystery behind the gap that connects our brains to our emotions? The mystery behind the gap that connects the brains to the emotions can be represented in one simple word, neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the master mind of communication; they are the brain chemicals that communicate information throughout our brain and body. It is a simple process in which the brains consists of nervous cells called neurons which pass notes to control everything in the body. the neurotransmitter send messages from neuron to neuron which consequently determines our emotions and feelings and positive or negative mood. The brain uses neurotransmitters to tell your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe, and your stomach to digest. They can also affect mood, sleep, concentration, weight, and can cause adverse symptoms when they are out of balance. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that 86% of Americans have suboptimal neurotransmitter levels. Stress, poor diet, neurotoxins, genetic predisposition, drugs (prescription and recreational), alcohol and caffeine u sage can cause these levels to be out of optimal range. Different neurotransmitters govern different emotions. For example, serotonin calms us down and helps keep us in a good mood. Serotonin also regulates many other processes such as carbohydrate cravings, sleep cycle, pain control and appropriate digestion. Low serotonin levels are also associated with decreased immune system function. Second, dopamine helps people face life challenges with energy and confidence. It helps with depression as well as focus. Third, norepinephrine disperses concentration, alertness and motivation. It can cause anxiety at elevated excretion levels as well as some mood dampening effects. Low levels of norepinephrine are associated with low energy, decreased focus ability and sleep cycle problems.

A Story About Seeing Nofx :: essays research papers

On November 26th I went to the Stone Pony in New York to see another of my favorite bands, NOFX. NOFX is a punk-ska band. Punk meaning fast paced drumbeats and quick singing and ska meaning a song played with trumpets. The band members are Fat Mike (vocals, bass), El Hefe (guitar, trumpet, vocals), Eric Melvin (guitar, vocals), and Erik Sandin (drums). The one thing I found out there was that El Hefe sings a lot. I thought he only sings in a few songs but when I heard them play, I noticed that he sang about half of the songs. NOFX music has considerable groove for a punk band and is sparked by the two lead guitarists, Eric Melvin and El Hefe. Tight play between the band's four members, and short, fast, punchy songs, with a laid back approach would even have non-punk fans entertained.Their songs talk about racism, politics, social problems, sex, drugs, lesbians, bums, alcohol, animal freedom... and many other strange subjects. In their music you will find punk, of course, but also rock, hardcore, ska, even reggae and jazz. If you ask me they are a just a punk-ska band. Their songs are interesting and different from one another. Each song has it's own characteristics. The lyrics are very interesting, sometimes strange, and sometimes incomprehensible. You basically just have to understand them in your own way.The club was packed, or more accurately, stuffed. After much anticipation the punk gods, NOFX hit the stage and the crowd surged with excitement even before they opened the set with one of my favorite songs, "Reagan Sucks." The next song they played was "Bob". They played songs from the album "Flossing a Dead Horse" - which is one massive trumpet solo presented by El Hefe. The next song they played was "Eat the Meek" with trumpet and lead vocals by El Hefe. The mosh pit was monstrous and seemed to gain in size as it rotated in circles and swallowed innocent bystanders into the craziness. People were being knocked over everywhere and smashed by the surging waves of dancers. People were body surfing and there seemed to be chaos going on everywhere. After that, the seventh song they played was "Hobophobic" (Scared of bums not just because they stink bad. Not just because they're crackers. From drinking too much lysol. Let them be.) Then they played "Six Pack Girls".

Capital Punishment Essay: Death Penalty Distribution - Is It Unfair? :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Death Penalty Distribution - Is It Unfair?   Ã‚     The subject of this essay should be obvious from the title. Considerable detail is included in this presentation of the facts on the issue.    In an average year about 20,000 homicides occur in the United States. Fewer than 300 convicted murderers are sentenced to death. But because no more than thirty murderers have been executed in any recent year, most convicts sentenced to death are likely to die of old age (1). Nonetheless, the death penalty looms large in discussions: it raises important moral questions independent of the number of executions (2).    The death penalty is our harshest punishment (3). It is irrevocable: it ends the existence of those punished, instead of temporarily imprisoning them. Further, although not intended to cause physical pain, execution is the only corporal punishment still applied to adults (4). These singular characteristics contribute to the perennial, impassioned controversy about capital punishment.    Consideration of the justice, morality, or usefulness, of capital punishment is often conflated with objections to its alleged discriminatory or capricious distribution among the guilty. Wrongly so. If capital punishment is immoral in se, no distribution cannot affect the quality of what is distributed, be it punishments or rewards. Discriminatory or capricious distribution thus could not justify abolition of the death penalty. Further, maldistribution inheres no more in capital punishment than in any other punishment. Maldistribution between the guilty and the innocent is, by definition, unjust. But the injustice does not lie in the nature of the punishment. Because of the finality of the death penalty, the most grievous maldistribution occurs when it is imposed upon the innocent. However, the frequent allegations of discrimination and capriciousness refer to maldistribution among the guilty and not to the punishment of the innocent (5). Maldistribution of any punishment among those who deserves it is irrelevant to its justice or morality. Even if poor or black convicts guilty of capital offenses suffer capital punishment, and other convicts equally guilty of the same crimes do not, a more equal distribution, however desirable, would merely be more equal. It would not be more just to the convicts under sentence of death.    Punishments are imposed on person, not on racial or economic groups. Guilt is personal. The only relevant question is: does the person to be executed deserve the punishment? Whether or not others who deserved the same punishment, whatever their economic or racial group, have avoided execution is irrelevant.

John Locke: A Presentation Essay

John Locke wrote on many subjects. ‘An Essay Concerning Human Understanding’ is mostly about knowledge, reality and mind in philosophy, and is a major classic in all those fields. He also wrote a major classic of political philosophy, ‘Essay on Civil Government’, along with major works on religion, education and economics. Friday, December 3, 2010 CHARLES II OF ENGLAND (1630-1685) CLAIMED ABSOLUTE POWERS, BUT WAS RESTRAINED IN USING THEM. THE TEXT BELOW THE PICTURE REFERS TO CHARLES’ WORK AS PATRON OF THE SCIENCES. LOCKE’S POLITICAL THOUGHT WAS DIRECTED AGAINST ABSOLUTISM AND HIS ETHICAL THOUGHT HAS A RELATED INDIVIDUALISM. Friday, December 3, 2010 He had a great knowledge of the science of the time, as he met the leading scientists as a student and fellow of the University of Oxford: Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle, Robert Hooke. His philosophical approach reflected a desire to provide a suitable philosophical framework for the experimental sciences. His approach followed a British Empiricist tradition, which puts experience at the centre of philosophy, a tradition which previously included Francis Bacon and Thomas Hobbes. Friday, December 3, 2010 JAMES II OF ENGLAND (1633-1701). REIGNED FROM 1685-1688 JAMES UNDERMINED HIS POSITION IN THREE YEARS BY TAKING HIS CLAIMS TO ABSOLUTE POWERS TOO FAR AND TRYING TO GIVE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MORE RIGHTS AND POWERS IN BRITAIN. LEADING TO THE PARLIAMENTARY ‘GLORIOUS REVOLUTION’ Friday, December 3, 2010 Locke had teaching positions at Oxford in Greek and Rhetoric, but preferred to be a doctor, as the university atmosphere at that time was not the best for new ideas in philosophy, or related ideas in religion and politics. His life as a doctor led him towards (or reinforced) the other interests he developed, as he became a doctor to Anthony Ashley Cooper, who later became the first Earl of Shaftesbury. Friday, December 3, 2010 THE RIGHT TO RESIST AN OPPRESSIVE EXECUTIVE WILLIAM OF ORANGE (DUTCH PRINCE MARRIED TO THE HEIR TO THE ENGLISH MONARCHY) SETS SAILS FOR ENGLAND AT THE INVITATION OF THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT WHICH WANTED ASSISTANCE IN RESISTING THE RULE OF JAMES II Friday, December 3, 2010 Shaftesbury was a prominent figure in Whig politics of the time. The Whig party was one of two political currents in Parliament at that time, the other was the Tories. The Whigs were more supportive of parliament, less supportive to the power of the monarchy, and closer to the major economic enterprises of the time. Friday, December 3, 2010 THIS PAINTING SHOWS WILLIAM III AND MARY BEING CROWNED JOINT MONARCHS OF ENGLAND AFTER THE FLIGHT OF JAMES II IN 1688. THE TEXT REFERS TO THE BILL OF RIGHTS OF 1689 WHICH ENSURED THAT ONLY PARLIAMENT COULD PASS LAWS AND RAISE TAXES. LOCKE’S POLITICAL THOUGHT IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REVOLUTION, MAKING HIS ETHICS CONNECTED. Friday, December 3, 2010 As a radically minded Whig, Cooper was close to the most anti-monarchist circles at a time, when English kings were trying to establish absolute royal power. In an atmosphere of conspiracy and accusation, Cooper spent time in prison before the 1688 Glorious Revolution, which established parliamentary power under a new king. Locke shared Cooper’s politics, and had to spend time in exile in the Netherlands, where he had the opportunity to extend his knowledge of new philosophical, scientific, and political ideas. Friday, December 3, 2010 LOCKE THOUGHT THERE SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT LEGISLATIVE BODY IN A CIVIL GOVERNMENT. HIS BELIEF IN A POLITICS OF A STATE UNDER LAW REFLECTS A BELIEF IN INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, AND THE INDIVIDUAL FOUNDATION OF ETHICS ENGLISH PARLIAMENT (1610) Friday, December 3, 2010 Locke went beyond a position as Cooper’s doctor and worked with Cooper in all his interests. This included a government Board to promote colonisation and trade in the Carolinas (what are now the US states of North and South Carolina). Locke served as the Secretary, and his role included writing, or at least participating in, the writing of the Constitution of the Carolinas. Friday, December 3, 2010 LOCKE’S PLACE OF BIRTH WRINGTON, SOMERSET, ENGLAND A VILLAGE IN RURAL SOUTH-WEST ENGLAND Friday, December 3, 2010 Locke’s philosophy in ‘An Essay Concerning Human Understanding’ is empiricist (based on experience). Locke defines the simplest possible experiences, which he thinks is what enters our mind before the mind creates complex and abstract ideas. What we experience, before the mind transforms simple experience into all that we find in the mind, is simple ideas. Friday, December 3, 2010. MAP OF 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND LOCKE’S HOME COUNTY OF SOMERSET IS IN THE SOUTHWEST BELOW WALES. THE MAP REFERS TO THE MID-CENTURY CIVIL WAR BETWEEN MONARCH AND PARLIAMENT. LOCKE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LATER TRIUMPH OF PARLIAMENT IN 1689. Friday, December 3, 2010 Simple ideas come both from sensation and from the reflection of the mind on itself. These ideas are the starting point for knowledge for Locke, and for everything else in the mind, including our sense of good and evil. Our ideas of good and evil come from simple ideas of pleasure and pain. That is ideas which come from sensations, which we cannot describe, or define, in any way, other than to say that they are painful or pleasurable. Friday, December 3, 2010 PENSFORD A LARGER TOWN IN RURAL SOMERSET, WHERE LOCKE’S FAMILY MOVED SOON AFTER HIS BIRTH Friday, December 3, 2010 Our passions depend completely on pleasure and pain. When we reflect on how pleasure or pain modifies our mind, we have the ideas of our passions. Reflection on delight produces love; the thought of pain produces hatred. Friday, December 3, 2010 JUST OUTSIDE PENSFORD WHERE LOCKE WAS BROUGHT UP. BELLUTON Friday, December 3, 2010 Absence of something, which is the source of something, which gives us pleasures causes us an uneasiness. That uneasiness is the source of desire. Uneasiness, and the desire it creates, are good things because they lead us to act and work in order to get our objects of desire. Friday, December 3, 2010 WESTMINISTER SCHOOL, LONDON LOCKE ATTENDED THIS FAMOUS HIGH SCHOOL Friday, December 3, 2010 Joy is the delight of the mind from considering a present good, or a good that we are certain of having. A man who is starving has joy from food even before he eats it, which is an example of joy in its second aspect. The father who has delight in the well-being of his children, has this delight all the time that his children are in that state, by reflecting on that state (which seems to be part of the second aspect of joy for Locke). Friday, December 3, 2010 17TH CENTURY VIEW OF LONDON PAINTED BY NICOLAES JANSZ VISSCHER Friday, December 3, 2010 Sorrow is the uneasiness, which comes from thinking of a good we have lost, but might have enjoyed for longer. Sorrow also comes from the sense of an evil present to us. Again the passion comes from either the presence of something, or something in the mind, but in this case from remembering what is lost, not anticipating something that will happen. Friday, December 3, 2010 CHRIST CHURCH COLLEGE WHERE LOCKE WAS STUDENT, EVENTUALLY QUALIFYING AS A DOCTOR UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Friday, December 3, 2010 Hope is a passion completely tied to expectation. It is the pleasure, which comes from expecting something that gives us delight. Fear is also directed to expectation, but expectation of an expected evil. Friday, December 3, 2010 JOHN LOCKE Friday, December 3, 2010 Anger and envy have a particular place in the passions caused by pleasure and pain, because they involve reference to ourselves, and to others, which is lacking in other passions. In anger, I want revenge against someone who caused me pain; in envy I want something that someone else has. Not all people feel anger and envy, because though everyone feels pleasure and pain, not everyone has this reaction to other people. Friday, December 3, 2010 FIRST EARL OF SHAFTESBURY LOCKE’S PATRON ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER Friday, December 3, 2010 Pleasure and pain, delight and uneasiness, do not just come from the bodily pain and pleasure. They also come the delight, or uneasiness, that come from welcome and unwelcome sensation, or reflection. Locke thinks it is necessary to emphasise that pain and pleasure are not just in the body, and goes on to emphasise that pain comes from lessening of pleasure, and that pleasure comes from lessening of pain. Friday, December 3, 2010 THOMAS SYDENHAM (1624-1689) THE FATHER OF ENGLISH MEDICINE/ THE ENGLISH HIPPOCRATES TAUGHT MEDICINE TO LOCKE DID MAJOR WORK ON THE ‘BLACK PLAGUE’ AND THE GENERAL METHODS OF MEDICINE. A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON LOCKE. Friday, December 3, 2010 There is a simple idea of power, which comes from the way that things bring about changes or are changed by other things. Where we see that some thing brings about some regular change in some other thing, we have the idea of an active power; and where we see that some thing regularly has changes brought out by some other thing, we have the idea of passive power. The idea of power does not come clearly from a source outside ourselves, since the power is something we infer from out sensations, it is not something we sense directly. Friday, December 3, 2010 REPUBLICANS AND SUPPORTERS OF PARLIAMENTARY POWER CONSPIRED TO KILL KING CHARLES II AND HIS BROTHER JAMES, DUKE OF YORK (THE FUTURE JAMES II) ON THEIR WAY BACK TO LONDON, IN 1683. THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLOT LED TO SEVERE REPRESSION OF OPPONENTS OF ABSOLUTISM. COOPER WAS ARRESTED, LOCKE FLED TO THE NETHERLANDS RYE HOUSE, HODDESON, HERTFORSHIRE Friday, December 3, 2010 We get the idea of power most directly from reflection on our minds. We can observe a power, which controls the order of our ideas and our actions, inside the mind. That power is the will. Friday, December 3, 2010. MAJOR ENGLISH REPUBLICAN THINKER AND ACTIVIST, ARRESTED AND EXECUTED AFTER THE RYE HOUSE PLOT ALGERNON SYDNEY (1623-1683) Friday, December 3, 2010 The performance of an action, or our forbearance (putting up with) of action from outside, which comes from a command of the mind, is where we have the voluntary. Where such a command is lacking, the action/ forbearance is involuntary as the will was not doing anything. Locke is now moving into questions of free will and determinism in human action, which itself brings up questions of how much moral responsibility, and choice, we have. Friday, December 3, 2010 SAYS GOOD BYE TO HIS FAMILY JUST BEFORE HIS EXECUTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE RYE HOUSE PLOT. MAY HAVE BEEN EXECUTED AS A POLITICAL MEASURE RATHER THAN FOR ANY GENUINE CONNECTION WITH THE PLOT. A LEADER OF THE COUNTRY PARTY, LATER KNOWN AS WHIGS WILLIAM RUSSELL, LORD RUSSELL (1639-83) Friday, December 3, 2010 The will is a faculty, or power, of the mind, which comes under another faculty. That is the faculty of understanding, which is the power of perception. The power of perception is how we perceive: ideas, signs, relations between ideas. Friday, December 3, 2010 HOBBES WAS AN EARLIER ENGISH EMPIRICIST. HE IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS IDEAS ABOUT POLITICS WHICH CONTAIN LIBERAL INDIVIDUALISTIC AND LAW GOVERNED ELEMENTS AS IN LOCKE, BUT ALSO A STRONGER NOTION OF STATE AUTHORITY AND A PREFERENCE FOR MONARCHY. THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679) Friday, December 3, 2010 The ideas of liberty and necessity (free will and determinism) comes from perceiving our power to act or forbear. In this case, Locke is making free will/liberty primary in relation to necessity/determinism. Liberty is the power of the will over ideas and actions, and we have liberty where we have complete command; there is necessity where we lack such complete power, and this can be case even where we have thought, volition, will. Friday, December 3, 2010 THE FRONT PAGE OF HOBBES’ MOST INFLUENTIAL THE GIANT REPRESENTS THE POWER OF THE STATE BOOK LEVIATHAN (1660) NECESSARY TO DEFEND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND LAW. Friday, December 3, 2010 The term voluntary is to be opposed to the term involuntary, not to necessity. It maybe that we are in a place we want to be, but we are not able to leave. The fact that we are there is voluntary, because we want to be there, but it is a situation in which we lack liberty to change the situation. There are situations which are both voluntary and necessary (determined, lacking in free will). Friday, December 3, 2010 NATHANIEL CULVERWELL (1619-1651) THEOLOGIAN AND PHILOSOPHER. A LEADING EARLY 17TH CENTURY ETHICAL THINKER, WHO INFLUENCED LOCKE THOUGH FROM A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW, THE NATURAL LAW TRADITION GOING BACK TO ARISTOTLE IN WHICH ETHICAL LAWS CAN BE FOUND IN OUR NATURE Friday, December 3, 2010 We are lacking in liberty (free will), where we cannot control our thought and ideas. Examples of this include: waking up in the morning when we find our ideas do not follow our will, and the person being tortured who cannot escape from the idea of pain. An individual is a free agent only when freed of such constraints on ideas in the mind. Friday, December 3, 2010 RICHARD CUMBERLAND (1631-1718) PHILOSOPHER AND BISHOP. ONE OF THE MAJOR ETHICAL THINKERS OF LOCKE’S TIME, THOUGH NOT WIDELY READ NOW. AM STRONG ADVOCATE OF NATURAL LAW, WHO INFLUENCED CONTINENTAL THINKING. HE ALSO INFLUENCED UTILITARIANISM WITH HIS BELIEF THAT NATURAL LAW SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BECAUSE IT MAXIMISES BENEFITS TO HUMANITY Friday, December 3, 2010 We should not say that the will has freedom (though since Locke it has become normal to talk about ‘free will’). Freedom is an attribute, or property, as is will. Attributes or properties, belong to a substance which in thus case is an agent (the individual person). Freedom and will are two attributes/properties of an agent. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 Will is the ability to prefer, or choose, and that is something that characterises what is voluntary, and is not a characteristic of freedom. The will and the understanding to not act on each other, the power of thinking is not the same thing as the power of choice. Friday, December 3, 2010 CUMBERLAND’S EUROPEAN INFLUENCE IS CONFIRMED BY 1744 THIS TRANSLATION OF ‘ON NATURAL LAW’. THE TRANSLATOR IS JEAN BARBEYRAC (1674-1744), HIMSELF A MAJOR FIGURE IN NATURAL LAW. Friday, December 3, 2010 Willing/volition is an action, freedom is a power of acting or not acting. Willing follows upon a thought, a preference, in our mind, and it is that thought which is free, not the act which follows from it. Freedom is where we can act on our preference. Friday, December 3, 2010. RALPH CUDWORTH (1617-88) CUDWORTH WAS A PHILOSOPHER AND CHURCH MINISTER, WHO PREACHED SERMONS AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. HE WAS CONNECTED WITH THE INFLUENTIAL CAMBRIDGE PLATONISTS, AND HAD A RATIONALIST BASIS FOR ETHICS. LIKE THE OTHER ETHICISTS OF THE TIME, HE WAS A ‘LATITUDINARIAN’, THAT IS HE ADVOCATED A STATE CHURCH OF TOLERANCE AND CHARITY Friday, December 3, 2010 The will is moved by desire, and desire is moved by unease. Unease is the result of the lack of an object that brings about pleasure. It is lack which brings about desire, because the pain of not having something outweighs the positive good of having something. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 It is desire which determines the will, not good or evil. Most of our life is determined by desire reacting to the unease of lack, which has much more influence on us that good and evil, though these are sometimes present in the mind. Misery and happiness are the extreme states of pain and pleasure. Friday, December 3, 2010 LADY DAMARIS (CUDWORTH) MASHAM (1658-1708) LOCKE FORMED A ROMANTIC ATTACHMENT WITH THE DAUGHTER OF RALPH CUDWORTH IN 1682. THIS WAS INTERRUPTED BY LOCKE’S EXILE IN THE NETHERLANDS. SHE MARRIED SIR FRANCIS MASHAM AND LOCKE BECAME A CLOSE FRIEND OF BOTH ON HIS RETURN. SHE IS THE FIRST PUBLISHED WOMAN PHILOSOPHER IN BRITAIN, WITH VIEWS CLOSE TO HER FATHER Friday, December 3, 2010 Our desires are mostly controlled by comparisons between pleasure and pain, in which we try to minimise pain. This has more influence over us than the positive idea of the good of reward in the afterlife, or of ideas of good and evil. Our life is dominated by the desire to avoid unease: some unease comes from natural sources, like hunger and thirst, and is then multiplied by the education and fashions of human life. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 Someone who is completely satisfied with the condition of life has no uneasiness, is not disturbed by anything. Everyone can see that this must be the case, and that in these circumstances we have no will towards anything, except to remain in that state. Locke suggests that only pain makes us do anything. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 It is God, the ‘all-wise maker’ the pain of hunger, thirst and other natural desires. Te pain, and the desire to end the pain, is what makes us do things. The actions that follow from this, protect the lives of he individuals who act, and the human species as a whole. Thinking about good ends, for individuals and humanity, does not make us act, on its own. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 If just thinking about good ends made us do anything, we would not need pain. So it looks like God gave us pain to make us improve ourselves, and humanity as a whole. Locke quotes St Paul (originally Saul of Tarsus), whose letters form part of the ‘New Testament’ of the Bible, and who was one of the main shapers of early Christianity. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010. Locke quotes one of Paul’s most famous sayings (in Letters to Corinthians, Book 7, Verse 9), ‘it is better to marry than burn’. That is, it is better to marry than to be obsessed with desire. Locke’s suggestion is that God moves us to the morally desirable state of marriage which also ensures the continuation of the human race, through desires which are painful if not satisfied. Avoiding the pain is a bigger influence on our actions than the idea of marriage. Friday, December 3, 2010 ROYAL ACADEMY LONDON Friday, December 3, 2010 Trying to avoid a current pain is a much bigger motive for us than the hope of a future pleasure. People only try to escape from poverty when they are disturbed by the situation, and not because they think it might be more pleasurable than the pleasure they already have in their lives. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 Locke looks at moral motivation itself. We are not motived to virtue because we think about it and see it as good. We act from virtue, when we are full with the desire to be righteous, and feel uncomfortable at lacking a high state of righteousness. This is religious language, or being righteous in the eyes of God, which Locke translates into moral reasoning. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 Even an alcoholic, who is destroying his wealth and life through drink, is unwilling to give up the pleasures of drinking in a bar with his friends. The alcoholic knows he risks his health and money, and may even fail to enter heaven in the next life (as Locke suggests indirectly). He knows that drink and chat in the bar is a lesser good than what he is losing, but he cannot bear to lose his present pleasure. Friday, December 3, 2010 Werner Horvath: â€Å"John Locke†. Color pencils on paper, 32 x 24 cm, Crete 1999 (left) and â€Å"John Locke†, oil on canvas, 50 x 40 cm, Crete. Friday, December 3, 2010 Mere knowledge of the good in life, and in the next live, cannot influence our actions. The same problem applies to everything to do with the next life. Knowledge that we should act in certain ways to be rewarded by God in the future, has a very weak influence on our actions. It is present conditions which influence us. Our will cannot direct us to future states, however great the good that we may win or lose in the future. Friday, December 3, 2010 Friday, December 3, 2010 Current uneasiness, that is pain, influences us much more deeply than an infinite good in the future. We can see this in the behaviour of someone who is passionately in love. The pain of not having the person, who is loved, is a physical pain, as is the desire for revenge. It is physical pain which influences us. Friday, December 3, 2010 TWO TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT (1690) A BOOK CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION. THE FIRST TREATISE IS AN ATTACK ON THE MONARCHICAL ABSOLUTIST ROBERT FILMER. THE SECOND TREATISE IS AN ESSAY ON CIVIL GOVERNMENT, THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PART. HERE LOCKE SAYS WE HAVE NATURAL RIGHTS, WHICH MAY CONFLICT WITH HIS EMPIRICISM IN THE ‘ESSAY’ Friday, December 3, 2010. One problem that is sometimes raised with Locke’s ethics and philosophy, is that there may be a contradiction between his view of the mind as determined by present sensations, and his view of natural rights in politics. In ‘The Essay Concerning Civil Government’, Locke argues that we have rights before government emerges. Friday, December 3, 2010 BOOK BY LOCKE IN THE ITU LIBRARY Friday, December 3, 2010 In a state of nature, without government, Locke suggests that we have rights to preserve our life, have liberty from other people’s interference, and keep our possessions. Governments are formed to make those rights better protected. If Locke thinks our morality comes from reaction to sensation, there is a question of how we have rights belonging to all humans at all times regardless of context. Friday, December 3, 2010 THIS IS IN SERIES DESIGNED TO BE READ BY STUDENTS LOWE IS A PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM, ENGLAND BOOK IN ITU LIBRARY Friday, December 3, 2010 Related books by John Locke: Most important book related to ethics, ‘Two Treatises on Government’, particularly the ‘Second Treatise’, ‘Essay on Civil Government’. Also. ‘A Letter concerning Toleration’. Friday, December 3, 2010 BOOK IN ITU LIBRARY RELATED TO ETHICS IN LOCKE AND LATER BRITISH PHILOSOPHER. THE SHAFTESBURY REFERRED TO WAS THE GRANDSON ON LOCKE’S PATRON, THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY. CAREY TEACHES AT THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND IN GALWAY. Friday, December 3, 2010 Books on Locke (in the ITU library): Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Locke on Human Understanding, by E. J. Lowe. Routledge Philosophhy Guidebook to Locke on Government, by D. A. Lloyd Thomas. (E-version) Friday, December 3, 2010 PHOTOGRAPH ‘THE END’ RICHARD ROBERTS Friday, December 3, 2010.