Different Views Of Human Nature - 1496 Words

The brain is believed to involve two different views of human nature, the first states that it is a flexible organ that adapts in order to gain new information. The second view indicates that the it is formed by evolution in order to learn to perform different functions (Splleke, 2007) This essay will aim to understand these views by discussing and comparing Spllekes (2007) ‘core knowledge’ theory, and Gopniks (2004) ‘The scientist in the crib’ theory, the two main modern approaches to developmental cognitive psychology. Splleke and Kinzer s (2007) theory states that infants have an understanding of objects, and are able to interoperate their environment. They claimed that infants also have an understanding of the basic domains of cognition, such as: Numbers, objects, action and space (Goswami, 2003). In contrast to this, Gopnik (2004) theorised that children think like scientists, introducing her ‘scientist in the crib’ theory, which is also known as the ‘theory theory’. This theory states that children observe the statistics and hypothesis of their environment, and by doing so they understand the emotions and behaviours of other individuals. Splleke (2007) states that children’s knowledge is innate. She introduced the idea of four core knowledge systems: object recognition, representation of agents and their actions, a core number system and a system of representing environmental geometry. The system that is the most widely recognised is object recognition, this ide aShow MoreRelatedThe Political Theories Of Machiavelli, Niccolo Machiavelli And Thomas Hobbes1456 Words   |  6 Pagesbeginning of history in order to provide organization for society. These theories stem from the different views of human nature, which is what people are fundamentally like. In order for a political theory to function in a certain society, it needs to understand how people think and act. Three prominent political theorists were Aristotle, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Thomas Hobbes. Aristotle viewed humans as natural â€Å"political animals† that have both rational and irrational sides to them, allowing forRead MoreHow Literature Can Promote Social Change And Personal Acceptance1416 Words   |  6 Pagesthe imagery, which stems from their very different worldviews. Browning seems to be discontent but hopeful for a better world while Baudelaire is far more pessimistic and provides little hope to his readers. This reveals the biases through which these two authors view the world. These biases also filter into their writing, enabling them to reach different messages and purposes despite the fact that they use similar writing techniques. Through the use of nature-based and religious imagery, BaudelaireRead MoreCompare and Contrast Hobbes’s and Locke’s Views of the State of Nature and the Fundamental Purpose of Political Society. Whose View Is the More Plausible? Why?1564 Words   |  7 Pagescontrast Hobbes’s and Locke’s views of the state of nature and the fundamental purpose of political society. Whose view is the more plausible? Why? Introduction Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were both natural law theorists and social contracts theorists. While most natural law theorists have predominantly been of the opinion that humans are social animals by nature, Locke and Hobbes had a different perspective. Their points of view were remarkably different from those perpetuated by otherRead MoreThe New Technology Can Save Lives960 Words   |  4 Pagesstates, â€Å"Somatic gene therapy is, in other words, much like medicine† (9). McKibben and Kurzweil have different views on what is acceptable when using this technology to help save lives. Somatic gene therapy and germline engineering are misused according to McKibben if they increase performance of the individual, while Kurzweil thinks anything is acceptable when it increases performance of the human species. Another thing that both Kurzweil and McKibben believe is that people will accept this new technologyRead MoreDifferent Viewpoints on Human Nature Essay520 Words   |  3 Pag esDifferent Viewpoints on Human Nature Throughout history there have been arguments about anything and everything that is disagreeable. People innately have there own and often different opinions. A prominent discussion topic throughout history has been the nature of mankind. Many have written works about human nature but few are discussed in greater detail than Candide, The Prince, and Essay on Man. Voltaire, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Alexander Pope, who wrote these three works respectively, concurRead MoreExamples Of Human Nature In The Tempest740 Words   |  3 PagesHuman nature is best described as how humans act in their most raw, untouched state. It describes the natural state of man before he is corrupted by society. Every person, every book, expresses a different view of what common characteristics unite mankind. The Tempest by William Shakespeare puts forth a very positive view of human nature. It shows human nature as very compassionate and caring. What changes a person from their natural state is society . Therefore, Miranda, who has had no contactRead MoreThe Philosophies Are Confucianism, Mohism And Legalism1497 Words   |  6 Pagesand philosophy have been argued upon throughout history. Philosophers and religious leaders have opposing views about how society should behave and be controlled. Just as there are many different religions, there are also many different philosophies each with their own idea about how society should behave and governments should rule. Each philosophy also has a different opinion of human nature. Chinese philosophy began in the fifth century BC with Confucius and changed and evolved as other philosophersRead MoreHannah Arendt And Hannah Arendts View Of Human Happiness1193 Words   |  5 Pagesabout what human happiness is and how it can be attained. Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, believes that happiness is attained simply by acquiring the things that one desires. On the contrary, Hannah Arendt, a German-born American theorist, claims that happ iness is attained through self-expressive speech. While both philosopher’s theories hold some degree of truth, Arendt’s view of human nature and human happiness is more ‘realistic’ because her theory more accurately describes human behaviorRead MoreHobbes And Rousseau s View Of State Of Nature1486 Words   |  6 PagesFor centuries, many political philosophers used â€Å"state of nature† as the starting point of their theories about society, chief among them Hobbes and Rousseau. Even though both philosophers saw state of nature as the phase prior to formation of societies, Hobbes saw the state of nature as a step to the better phase (a political society ruled by sovereign), while Rousseau saw it as a step to man’s misery. For Hobbes, man’s natural state is fearful and chaotic phase which create the need for an institutionRead MoreFreud vs. Rogers: the Theory of Personality Essay example996 Words   |  4 Pagesevidence, and expertise . Some views they shared, others they did not. However, both psychologists theorized that people have a ‘hidden personality within them, one which they are not aware of. Although both theories were developed through many years of clinical experience, they are each based on their own, inherently different assumptions; although both theories include a ‘hidden personality, the concept of human nature and the role it plays in the rationale behind human motivation are diametrically

Washington State Institute Public Policy Evaluation

Question #5 Washington State Institute Public Policy Evaluation Program: Going Home – Washington State Reentry Project 18-Month Recidivism Rates for Participants Authorship – none listed (contact person Elizabeth Drake) Time Period: 2007 to 2008* The focus of this paper was to evaluate a reentry program in the state of Washington. For the purpose of this evaluation, the author(s) evaluated reentry efforts and measured recidivism rates for participants in Washington State Department of Corrections Going Home project. Targeted audiences for this assessment were the general public, policy makers, program implementers, evaluators, academics, and the state government. In order to evaluate the program, a quasi experiment was conducted which comprised of a treatment group, individuals participating in the Going Home project, and a control group, individuals who did not participate in the program. The assumptions were that lower recidivism rates would be observed among individuals who participated in the program. This assumption was based on the program’s objectives in assisting the offender and community with reintegration efforts. Together, the offender and community were given resources that assis ted in alleviating transitional issues experienced by offenders. The goal of the project was to refer offenders to resources as they transition into the community; prepare communities for an offender’s return; and increase Department of Corrections staff communication to prepareShow MoreRelatedTraum Trauma And Its Effects On Mental Health1141 Words   |  5 Pagesinto early adulthood.10 The goal of the study is to identify patterns of how juvenile offenders stop antisocial behavior by comparing the effects of these patterns, how the community affects these patterns. Pathways to Desistance helps courts clarify policy debates about the best way to serve adolescent offenders. Targeted behaviors involve assessing particular issues where the effect is measured by evaluating changes in the issue or behavior being targeted. A cost-benefit analysis is a formal way ofRead MorePros And Cons Of Juvenile Drug Courts1589 Words   |  7 Pages Drug Courts Haley Klimesh Community-Based Corrections September 29, 2017 Drug Courts Drug courts are problem solving courts that take a public health approach using a specialized model in which the judiciary, prosecution, defense bar, probation, law enforcement, mental health, social service, and treatment communities work together to help addicted offenders into long-term recovery. Drug courts began in 1989 in Florida, because it was assumed that people that had first timeRead MoreViolence Is Running Rampant Within Our Society1409 Words   |  6 Pagesthe point of drawing blood and leaving scars to the early morning news broadcast of the child abuse and heart-breaking death of two year old Colton Turner of Leander, violence is running rampant within our society. Every year, all across the United States, adolescents are subjected to such violence within their own homes, schools, and communities. According to the World Health Organization (2014), violence is defined as â€Å"the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, againstRead MoreEffective Discipline in Classroom Management Essay1126 Words   |  5 Pagesbehavior issues at school. A study done by the Justice Center and the Public Policy Research Institute found that six out of ten students suffered from an â€Å"emotional disturbance† and were expelled or suspended between seventh and twelfth grade (Firke, 2011). This same study showed that discipline varied greatly between schools. This report also revealed the urgent need for a more thoughtful technique in school discipline policies. In many cases teachers have exhausted their classroom management strategiesRead MoreSchool Uniforms And The Success Of Public Schools1099 Words   |  5 Pagessuccess of public schools. In 1996 approximately three percent of all schools in the United States had a school uniform policy (Gentile Imberma n, 2009) . In 2015 23% of schools reported a uniform policy (Statistic Brain Research Institute , 2015). Inner city schools are more likely than suburban, town, and rural areas to have a school uniform policy, because urban schools often struggle with violence, failing school districts, and attendance policies (U.S Department of Education Institute of EducationRead MoreCrime Prevention Strategies in the US1367 Words   |  6 PagesWelcome to the United States, where we have a larger number of detainees than teachers, and that must say a great deal in regards to our framework. Wrongdoing is an issue that has influenced the United States and different parts of the world since the start of time. For the United States, the equity framework utilizes discipline as a technique to diminishing wrongdoing the nation over, however would it say it is truly meeting expectations? Some might say that discipline is the best manifestationRead MoreThe Effects of the 2010 Iom Report on the Future of Nursing1439 Words   |  6 PagesThe Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences. This organization was designed to secure the services of prominent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters relating to the health of the public. â€Å"The Institute acts to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education† (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, p. 5) In October 2010, The IOM (Institute of Medicine)Read More How Many People are Homeless? Essay1591 Words   |  7 PagesHow Many People are Homeless? Many people call the National Coalition for the Homeless to find out how many people are homeless in the United States. There is no easy answer to this question, and in fact, the question itself is misleading. In most cases, homelessness is a temporary circumstance -- not a permanent condition. A more appropriate measure of the magnitude of homelessness is therefore how many people experience homelessness, not how many people are homeless. Studies of homelessnessRead MoreThe Policy Design For Recreational Cannabis Model769 Words   |  4 Pagesfederal legislation, posing a major challenge in terms of public policy design, implementation and evaluation. In the next sections, for analytical purposes, the policy cycle will be divided in two major models: the legalization for recreational purposes (4 states) and legalization for medical purposes (in all of its forms) (33 cases). 3. Design stage 3.1 Policy design for recreational cannabis model The main goal pursued by the legalization policies is to convert marijuana in a tradable commodity, underRead MoreStrategic Plan Evaluation1771 Words   |  8 PagesEvaluation of a Strategic Plan Information on strategic planning in nonprofit organizations is limited (McHatton, Bradshaw, Gallagher, Reeves, 2011). However, critical elements of a strategic plan have been identified, including a vision and/or mission statement, strong leadership, collaboration of stakeholders, and a methodical way to assess progress (McHatton et al., 2011). This paper identified, reviewed and evaluated a nonprofit strategic plan. The Institute of Museum and Library Services

Learning Experience in Global Project †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Learning Experience in Global Project. Answer: Effectiveness and Usefulness of the Learning Experience Opinion about the learning experience The learning experience from the research work that I undertook proved to be very helpful for me during the research process as well as it will contribute a lot in my upcoming professional life.Global project management is one of the crucial topics in todays business environment and helps the companies in interacting with their global partners easily. As the global project management is of global sphere, the project that is undertaken is huge and includes a lot of criticalities (Binder, 2017). Thus, the research is that was undertaken was also huge and provided me the opportunities to investigate about challenges in global project management. Value of the experience The experience that I received from this research was of great value to me as it helped me to learn a lot of minute things involved in managing the challenges involved in globalproject management. Projectmanagement involves various issues and there are many opportunities available that helps in overcoming these challenges. Thus, the research helped me to realize those opportunities which allowed me to solve the issues in project management (Gemnden, 2015). Thus, such learning will be beneficial for me in near future in my course and after completion of my course. This is because project management is a process that is required in almost all the companies that operates globally. Usefulness of the Learning Experience Project management is a topic that is very useful for me in various ways. Presently as I am involved in project management course, the research will help me in managing the course easily. This is because I got to learn a lot of things from the research which means that it will help me in understanding things in the class easily. Moreover, the research will also be useful in future because I got to learn every crucial thing that one needs to handle while working in the real world scenario. Ways in which the Learning Experience serve in course, program and future career The ways to Transfer the Knowledge in the Future The crucial and small things that I learnt from my research work will be used to transfer in the future. This will happen when I will use my knowledge I gathered from the research in my future career. The first place where I will use the knowledge form the research is in the course as I got to learn many things which I can apply during my exam even without studying much. After the course I will pursue my career as a project manager in a company that operates globally (Geppert, Matten Williams, 2016). During my employment I will help the company in recognizing the challenges in project management and the ways they can overcome it. What happened in the Learning Process? What you did, read and hear? The research that I took in project management undertook a lot of research in this matter. During the research I analyzed and read various past literatures on the topic of project management. I learnt a lot from the literature review as I saw that there are many writers that stated the way globalization has increased over the years and laid its impact on managing the project of the company. During the research I read many journals and news articles about the criticality of project management and the recent problems companies are facing related to this (Gholami Murugesan, 2013). However, the research also undertook collecting data from the primary sources in which a sample size of 51 was chosen as the respondents. Thus, overall the project was of great learning to me as I got to research and find new things. Evaluate and make Judgments connected to the observations in the Business Research Usefulness of Business Research on the Research Learning Process From the research I got to learn that project management is of great importance and useful for the business. This is because project management forms a crucial part of a company that is operating globally and undertakes many projects under them. Knowing the challenges that global project management face is the biggest research a business will take in order to use the opportunity in their operations. Understanding project management is the best way a company can manage global projects easily. Learning process Reason behind doing particular activities The learning process that I undertook for knowing the challenges involved in project management is literature review and analyzing the suggestions given in past literature. Many pat authors have stated in their journals the growth of globalization and the rising need of understanding ways to manage projects. Literature review was selected as a process to gather data because these scholars has great experience in the field and used extensive research to reach a conclusion. Thus it was appropriate to use such experiences in knowing the actual opportunity and challenges the process of project management faces (Kerzner, 2013). Another activity that I took in the research is collecting primary data from companies that are involved in project management with their global partners. This is because primary data is much authentic and is collected from day to day experiences. How the learning process apply to the future The learning process is also helpful for me in future because the secondary and primary research method that I learnt will help me in taking up any future research easily. The secondary research that I undertook helped me I knowing the method of taking up literature research. Thus, I can use similar research activity in any other research that involves secondary data collection. On the other hand, the method that I undertook during the primary research such as survey method will also help me in designing pattern of primary research in the near future. Thus the process of learning that undertook not only helped me in getting the result about the challenges of global project management, it also had an long term impact on my future and on my career. References Binder, J. (2017). Global project management: Communication, collaboration and management across borders. Aldershot, UK: Gower Gemnden, H.G., (2015). Success Factors of Global New Product Development Programs, the Definition of Project Success, Knowledge Sharing, and Special Issues of Project Management Journal.Project Management Journal,46(1), 2-11. Geppert, M., Matten, D. Williams, K. eds., (2016).Challenges for European management in a global context: Experiences from Britain and Germany. Springer. Gholami, B. Murugesan, S., (2013). Global IT Project Management Using Web 2.0. InPerspectives and Techniques for Improving Information Technology Project Management (150-172). IGI Global. Kerzner, H., (2013).Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons.

Sleep Health Essay Example

Sleep Health Essay Increase public knowledge of how adequate sleep and treatment of sleep disorders improve health, productivity, wellness, quality of life, and safety on roads and in the workplace. Poor sleep health is a common problem with 25 percent of U. S. adults reporting insufficient sleep or rest at least 15 out of every 30 days. 1 The public health burden of chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders, coupled with low awareness of poor sleep health among the general population, health care professionals, and policymakers, necessitates a well-coordinated strategy to improve sleep-related health. Sleep, like nutrition and physical activity, is a critical determinant of health and well-being. 2 Sleep is a basic requirement for infant, child, and adolescent health and development. Sleep loss and untreated sleep disorders influence basic patterns of behavior that negatively affect family health and interpersonal relationships. Fatigue and sleepiness can reduce productivity and increase the chance for mishaps such as medical errors and motor vehicle or industrial accidents. Adequate sleep is necessary to: Fight off infection Support the metabolism of sugar to prevent diabetes Perform well in school Work effectively and safely Sleep timing and duration affect a number of endocrine, metabolic, and neurological functions that are critical to the maintenance of individual health. If left untreated, sleep disorders and chronic short sleep are associated with an increased risk of: Heart disease High blood pressure Obesity Diabetes All-cause mortality We will write a custom essay sample on Sleep Health specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sleep Health specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sleep Health specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Sleep health is a particular concern for individuals with chronic disabilities and disorders such as arthritis, kidney disease, pain, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and depression. Among older adults, the cognitive and medical consequences of untreated sleep disorders decrease health-related quality of life, contribute to functional limitations and loss of independence, and are associated with an increased risk of death from any cause.

HeartbreakerVs Sweetheart Essay Research Paper Heartbreaker vs free essay sample

Heartbreaker-Vs- Sweetheart Essay, Research Paper Heartbreaker -vs- Sweetheart From my dating experiences in the past, I have come to recognize that of all the different cats that there are two chief types. The first one I call the heartbreaker and the other is the sweetie. This observation, that I have made, is non based on visual aspect, and it is largely based on my ain sentiment. When I was in high school I dated the football star, who was the most popular cat in school, and I thought it was the best thing that could go on # 8230 ; until I got to cognize him. This cat was really genitive, commanding, and highly cocky. He was a heartbreaker type and fortunately plenty, I realized that before it was excessively late! The typical heartbreaker type is normally a really aggressive, selfish individual. He frequently times is the cat who seems excessively good to be true. We will write a custom essay sample on HeartbreakerVs Sweetheart Essay Research Paper Heartbreaker vs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When involved in a relationship, the heartbreaker feels the demand to be in control and to do most of the determinations. Sometimes he can be emotionally and physically opprobrious. This cat has likely been known to boast about # 8220 ; how far he got # 8221 ; with a miss sexually. Of class this would develop a bad repute for him. He has more than probably had several girlfriends with each enduring merely a short piece ( no more than 3 or 4 months each ) . Many of theses cats are scared of acquiring hurt, themselves, so they feel as if they # 8217 ; re being protective of themselves from being hurt by avoiding any sort of emotional fond regard with a female. These cats will besides hold low ego regard, but they hide this by feigning they love who they are, and moving conceited. This in bend forces them to set others down to hike themselves up. This heartbreaker cat is non respectful of the misss he dates. Some of these cats think of misss as being merely another name on their lis t of sexual accomplishme National Trusts. I ever try to avoid this sort of cat, but sometimes it’s difficult to descry them out because they are really manipulative and fallacious. Not all cats fall into that class, though. I have a loving fellow who is neer selfish, hateful, or uncaring. He is really trusty and I can number on him as my best friend every bit good as my spouse in our relationship. He is the sort of cat I call the sweetie. This caring person is honest, inactive, soft, and most ever trustworthy. You don # 8217 ; Ts have to worry about this cat rip offing on you, because he is a one-girl type of cat. The sweetie doesn # 8217 ; t hotfoot into a relationship or into physical intimacy. This cat is a good hearer and attentions about his dating spouse # 8217 ; s life. You will happen the parents of misss who day of the month this cat be given to ever O.K. of him and even like him because he is respectful and has good ethical motives every bit good as good purposes. All of his relationships likely have been long permanent, and there are really few of them. The sweetie doesn # 8217 ; t experience threatened by other cats because he has good assurance , which makes him a non-jealous individual. While involved in a relationship the sweetie cat will state and make things to demo that he cares ; whereas the heartbreaker will non turn out that actions speak louder than words. The sweetie is non speedy to state he # 8217 ; s in love, because he is cautious to be certain, so no feelings are hurt. It is safe to state that there are many cats that don # 8217 ; t autumn into either one of these classs. The heartbreaker and the sweetie are two utmost antonyms. I am sad to state that it seems as if many misss are attracted to the heartbreaker cat verses the sweetie. It # 8217 ; s true that # 8220 ; nice cats finish last, # 8221 ; but in the terminal I think that the bosom ledgeman will be lonely, whereas the sweetie will be in a happy, healthy relationship.

Microbiology †New Disease

Microbiology – New Disease Microbiology – New Disease Once at the location/site of infection where it is considered as the locus of activity of the infectious agent, the first step would entail separating people showing symptomatic and symptomatic signs of the infection. The next step would be to collecting stool samples for later laboratory analysis. In a bid to establish a possible connection point between the new suspect microbes and the disease this will ordinarily entail the microorganisms will be indentifies under a microscope identified using direct examination methods, for instance, microscopy and gram staining in order to identify some of the displayed morphological features. This would also entail the isolation of causative agents. An understanding of the types of media available and their use will increase the chances of isolating a causative agent (Shimeld Rodgers 475).Direct examination using the light microscope would be done to identify organism features using the stained components. This would entail using the most appr opriate magnification resolutions for direct microscopy. Differential staining would also be done using gram staining techniques. The difference between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria is in the permeability of the cell wall to these complexes on treatment with mixtures of acetone and alcohol solvents (Ryan, Ray Sherris 232).The basic mechanism of establishing the mode of transmission of the identified microorganism in the new hosts will involve employing inoculation procedures in which the microorganism will be introduced into a test organism, essentially described as ex-situ arrangement where is grown out of the normal host. First, the microorganisms would be cultured using nutrient media, selective media, and indicator media. Nutrient media are essentially meant to satisfy growth of the microorganism in order to allow easy isolation and propagation (Ryan, Ray Sherris 236). Selective media are essentially used for the identification of pathogenic organisms. On the other hand, indicator media are meant to demonstrate the biochemical functions of the specific pathogens under study (Ryan, Ray Sherris 237). The organisms would then be inoculated in the chosen culture media. After inoculation, the media needs to be incubated to allow growth under the right temperatures depending on whether it is an aerobic or anaerobic process. Once growth is detected in any medium, the process of identification begins. Identification involves the use of methods to obtain pure cultures from single colonies, followed by tests to characterize and identify the isolate (Ryan, Ray Sherris 238). Identifying the causative agent would then involve the pursuance of cultural characteristics, biochemical characteristics, toxin production and pathogenicity, antigenic structure, and genomic structures in order to identify the transmission mechanisms to new hosts.In addition, this would entail a consideration of the respective host resistance factors, microbial mechanisms of patho genicity, and pathological mechanisms seen in the new host (Shimeld Rodgers 23). First in host resistance, this will entail consideration of the innate and adaptive resistance factors. Secondly, microbial pathogenicity mechanisms would entail consideration of the respective routes of entry, adherence and invasion mechanisms, toxins production, avoidance of host defence mechanisms, and dissemination to a new host (Shimeld Rodgers 23). Thirdly, pathological mechanisms on the host would entail studying cellular damage, display of hypersensitivity reactions in the host and host susceptibility factors (Shimeld Rodgers 23).

Self-reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-reflection - Essay Example A patient can easily cajole a therapist to an extent a therapist assumes the role of a parent for the patient. In this case, the process is unconscious given that the therapist is a social being and does not realize that she has given into the patient’s nagging behavior. Broadly, this is one of the negative effects of counter-transference. The other negative effect of the counter-transference especially during HIV/AIDS patient counseling is compromise of the counselor. The concept helps in counseling because it enhances patient-counselor communication. Counter-transference enables the HIV/AIDS patient to be open to the counselor because of the development of trust and faith upon the counselor. The counselor also automatically listens to the challenges facing the patients because he assumes a friend role. Therefore, counter-transference is vital in counseling of HIV patients. However, counter-transference negatively influences the performance of a counselor because of the subjectivity of the counselors. The film Endgame: AIDS in Black America, AIDS statistics reveal the disparity caused by the scourge on the Black community. The most appalling thing is that half of AIDS victims are Blacks. The film covers the personal stories of the Black AIDS victims. One of the interviewees endured stigma, drugs, prejudice and prostitution. The interviewees confirm that the HIV is a human virus as opposed to the common perception that the virus was only associated with white gay men. The difference in the HIV cases in San Francisco and Oakland reveals that HIV cases are higher in Francisco than Oakland. As a result, the HIV cases in San Francisco receive adequate medical attention compared to Oakland. The creation of awareness is critical in the alleviation of the scourge. Creation of awareness on HIV made many people to be aware of their HIV status in San Francisco. One can transmit the virus to another. In this regard, Nel Davis was at crossroads with regard to

Criminal Liability Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Liability - Coursework Example The paper tells that criminal law is a body of statutes and rules that deals with crimes and their punishment; the law defines conduct that is prohibited because it can harm, endanger or threaten the welfare and safety of the public. Fitzerald is aged 13 years and is engaging in behaviours that can threaten public safety; he threw stones at passing car and it hit Gordon’s car and severely injured Gordon. In the second instance, he threw a stone at Dan but missed him and hit John instead. In advising Fitzerald, I will tell him the following legal facts relating to his behaviour; one, under UK law, age 13 years (his age) is under the age of criminal responsibility. Therefore, his behaviour should not be based on the assumption that because he considers himself a child he cannot be found guilty of a crime. As a matter of fact, within England and Wales, a child over the age of 10 years is considered to be responsible for crime as a result of their actions and should face legal con sequences if found guilty. Children below the age of ten years are considered doli incapax and are therefore not capable of forming criminal intent. The law assumes that children under the age of 10 years do not adequately understand differences between right and wrong acts and cannot be responsible for their actions. But children over 10 years are assumed to understand this difference just like adults and can be tried for their actions which may be deemed to amount to a crime. In addition, I will advise Fitzerald on what constitutes a crime according to the law. Glazebrook (2011, p. 49) explains that a person can be found guilty of a crime if it can be proven that that person had intended to commit the act before. Secondly, a crime can be committed through reckless actions of a person; that is, a person not caring about the consequences of his or her actions. Therefore, in Fitzerald situation it is clear that he can be accused from the two perspectives of what constitute a crime. F or example, in the first instance where he was throwing stones at passing cars, it can be said he did that with an intention to harm motorists or he was simply reckless and did care about the consequences of his actions. In the second instance, he had intention to hit Dan but he missed and hit John instead. In both instances, his actions can cause harm to the public and threatens public safety as well. Without doubt his actions which can be supported by substantial evidence in the court of law can result to him being charged and convicted. I will let him know what will inform the decision to convict him in court; one of the major reasons will be retribution which will make him ‘suffer’ in some way as a punishment of harming and making others suffer due to his actions (Mitchell and Farrar, 2008, p. 70). The second reason for his punishment will be rehabilitation. Law Library of Congress (2011) notes that the main aim of punishing criminal offenders especially children is to transform them into members of society who are valuable and can coexist peacefully with others. I will tell him that rehabilitation will aim at preventing future offense through convincing him that his conduct was wrong. Thus, in the light of the legal facts that I will have given to him, I will advise him to desist from such acts in the future to avoid being arrested. Instead, he should divert his time and energy to more constructive activities such as reading. Q2: A’s Criminal Liability and B’s Possible Legal Position Considering the circumstances surrounding the incident involving person A and B, A is not criminally liable for his actions because the intent to cause

Determine how our society decides gender and what elements you believe Research Paper

Determine how our society decides gender and what elements you believe are the most influential in this construction - Research Paper Example er couple from Jayme Poisson’s article â€Å"Parents Keep Child’s Gender Secret† consider a social gender as a stereotypic and tyrannical issue, scholars of social science, particularly Thomas D. Steensma in â€Å"Gender Identity Development in Adolescence† and Curt Hoffman and Nancy Hurst in â€Å"Gender Stereotypes: Perception and Rationalization?† are looking for a scientific explanation of a social gender prejudice. Gender firstly should be given a correct definition, and Steensma describes gender in â€Å"Gender Identity Development in Adolescence† as a very complex issue. It’s different from sex, because sex is an inborn biological characteristic which usually matches with genitals differentiation, while gender can be revealed during life (Steensma 289). Gender constitutes of biological inborn characteristic and gender identity, which is a personal revelation of gender, and of a gender role, which is determined by social expectations on males and females (different behavior, social roles and different personal characteristics are expected) (Steensma 291). Thus, gender depends on biological (hormones, chromosomes and genitals) and psycho-sociological (nurturing) factors. It doesn’t seem possible to reveal gender without social interference in a process. Society affects a gender identity by imposing different natures of male and female nurturing: parents and a social environment both tend to raise male and female children with a view of their future social roles (Hoffman & Hurst 197). A nurturing starts early, already from a new born period, and society behaves differently towards babies of different sex, starting from a lexicon used when talking about a baby to different toys and activities imposing. It seems important for society to define gender from the very first days of life. Witterink and Stocker who raise a transgender child admits, â€Å"When baby comes out even the people who love you and are close to you firstly ask if it’s a boy or a girl†

Nursing Reflective Essay Mentorship

Nursing Reflective Essay Mentorship According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2006) the term mentor is used to denote the role of a registered nurse who facilitates learning and supervises and assesses students in the practice place. They furthermore identify the eight mandatory standards that must be achieved to become a mentor, and within the assignment I shall be referring to the Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice; NMC standards for mentors, practice teachers and teachers, and identifying the standards for mentors required (SM). This assignment will first look at the personal and professional reasons why I wanted to undertake the mentorship module. It will also discuss the importance of a supportive learning environment in the workplace, and how essential it is. My role as a mentor to a nursing student will be evaluated, looking at the way in which I supported her on the ward and how I facilitated this. In conclusion, I will identify my own personal development in undertaking and completing this module. As a registered nurse on a busy Paediatric ward I always enjoy supporting student nurses whilst they are on placement with us. There is an apparent shortage of qualified mentors on the ward, and within my last personal development review with my line manager I identified a need to attain the mentorship qualification. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2004) states, that as a registered nurse, you must keep your knowledge and skills up-to-date throughout your working life. You also have a duty to facilitate nursing students and others to develop their competence. According to Hand (2006), teaching is seen as an important part of the health professionals role, and at some point in their career, members of most healthcare professions are expected to teach other staff, students, patients and relatives. Therefore, the standard of teachers and mentors available in the practice place will have a major impact on the quality of future practitioners, consequently making an improvement in patient care. Most students and many professionals note that learning acquired from placement experience is much more meaningful and relevant than that acquired in the lecture room (Quinn 2000). To ensure any learner has a positive learning experience it is essential that the learning environment is practically, professionally, and psychologically supportive to all who work and learn within it. Clarke et al. (2003) notes that current nurse education puts a high value on learning in the clinical environment and this places numerous demands on clinical areas and staff. The quality of these clinical placements has a significant influence on the learning process for nursing students. The ward on which I work aims to foster a good all-round learning experience to students on placement as we are fortunate to be a well resourced ward with many experienced staff. Although we are an extremely busy ward, students are positively received and supported well, the majority wishing to work with us once qualified. On commencement of the mentorship module it was found that there were no students or learners available to me initially so the time span for my period of mentoring for the purpose of the assignment was limited to just one month. I was however, able to identify my own clinical mentor on the ward, and after analysis of my own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) I decided on my short and long term goals and set a learning contract with my mentor in readiness for the allocation of a student. Jasper (2003) regards SWOT analysis as getting to know yourself. The understanding of our skills and abilities and the awareness of where our limits lie is seen as crucial to being able to act as a professional practitioner. I was finally allocated a first year child branch student, and was informed by the matron that this would be her first clinical placement. It was important to know where she was in her training for me to plan adequately when supporting her on the ward. A frequently used taxonomy in nurse education is the framework by Benner (2001) in which there are five levels; novice, beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. Benner (2001) suggests that nurses may be at different levels in different areas dependent on their previous experiences. It was unfortunate that I was not able to work with her on her first shift as I was finishing the nightshift as she was starting with the dayshift. I did however welcome her to the ward and orientated her to it, ensuring she knew who she would be working with on her first ever clinical shift. Davidson (2005) notes that students can be made to feel welcome by someone simply knowing their name and being expected. He also notes that a physical tour is a good start. This allows for brief introductions to other staff that the student will be working with. On this initial meeting I also gave her the wards student nurse orientation/resource pack. This provided her with basic information about the ward and the different teams and staff within it, this was to provide a good introduction into the environment that she would be learning in during her placement. Two days after she began, we had our first clinical shift together. I was pleased to hear that she had found other members of staff supportive during her first two days on the ward. Cahill (1996) acknowledges that the single most crucial factor in creating a positive learning environment is the relationship between staff and nursing students. She also notes that a common problem for students is that they are unable to work regularly with their mentor, so I took this opportunity to discuss and plan her off-duty taking into account any requests she had. Kenworthy and Nicklin (2000) remark that the more comfortable and safe a student feels within the environment, the more likely it is that effective learning will take place and the student will become motivated to learn. I was also able to discuss the learning pack which I had previously given her and she acknowledged that it appeared to be very informative. Morton-Cooper and Palmer (2000) state that although, in practice the mentor act s as a learning resource, it is necessary for the student to become self directed in the development of their learning needs. An important part of her placement was to establish a learning contract with myself as her clinical mentor. A learning contract is a document used to assist in the planning of a learning project. It is a written agreement negotiated between the learner and the mentor in which learning needs are identified (Lowry 1997). In order to do this successfully we needed to identify her learning objectives which included the learning outcomes of the modules to be assessed in practice. As this was her first attempt to set a learning contract it was important for me to support her through the process. Twentyman et al (2006) discuss assisted learning where the mentor asks the student to identify their goals and aim to secure learning opportunities that support the achievement. Jackson and Mannix (2001) note that amount of interest the nurse shows in the learning needs of the student and the key role he or she plays in their achievement are essential to the students development. During the shifts that I worked with her we discussed her required learning outcomes and during one of our formal meetings we agreed her learning contract. Within this learning contract she had identified that she needed to develop her awareness in the safe use of medical equipment used on the ward and the principles regarding using these. Quinn (2000a) remarks that it is important to have knowledge of the students programme and the required outcomes in order to ensure effective learning. After discussion with her it was decided that a teaching session surrounding the safe use of blood glucose monitoring equipment would be of benefit to her, as it was a procedure that was often required on the ward. It would cover one of her learning outcomes, and I agreed to facilitate this. Wallace (2003) notes, that it is important to reduce the possibility of exposing student or patient to any risk, until the student has acquired sufficient skill and knowledge when carrying out a practical procedure. The importance of assessment by a mentor is therefore crucial to ensure students become proficient in practical skills. The commonly held principle that accountability comes from training and education, is evident within the student nurse role. According to Pennels (1997) if accountability comes with knowledge, students are rightfully protected from full accountability until trained. Although responsible for their actions their knowledge base may be inadequate to allow accountability. Therefore, professional accountability lies with the registered nurse that a student nurse works with. It was reassuring for me that she and I had quickly developed an effective working relationship in which I had confidence in her ability to always ask if she became unsure about a situation. She appeared to fully understand her role as a student nurse as identified in the NMC guide for students of nursing and midwifery (NMC 2006a). Before embarking on any programme of teaching it is important to recognise that there are different learning theories and styles to consider. Reece and Walker (2003) state that there is a great deal written about the way people learn and numerous theories on the methods to teach effectively or guide people in learning. They discuss that the main learning theories are Behaviourism, Cognitivism and Humanism. According to the Behaviourism theory (Skinner 1974), the learning environment is fundamental to learning, and if this environment is right, learning occurs as connections are made between stimulus and response, and response and reinforcement (cited by Quinn, 2000a). The Cognitive theory (Bruner 1966) considers learning as an internal process that involves higher order mental activities such as memory, thinking, problem-solving, perception and reasoning (cited by Hand, 2006). The Humanistic learning theory (Maslow 1968) is based on the belief that humans have two basic needs, a need for growth and a need for positive regard by others. It is seen as the most holistic approach as it takes into account the drive and motivation of an individual to learn. Reece and Walker (2003) suggest that this theory also depends on the overall influence of the environment which may hinder or aid the learning process. Honey and Mumford (1992) discuss four different learning styles, and whenever possible, it is important to allow the students own style to influence your choice of teaching method. They describe learners as activists, pragmatists, theorists or reflectors. They further note that although many people were a mixture they generally had a preference for one style. To ensure her learning experience on the ward was successful it was important for me as her mentor to be aware of her preferred learning style as clinical education is an essential part of the nursing curriculum. During the shifts that I had worked with her, and with discussion it was established that she preferred a more practical experience therefore she favoured a pragmatist approach to learning. I therefore incorporated her preferred learning style into my planned teaching session. To enable an effective teaching session to take place, I as the facilitator needed to select an appropriate environment which was safe, clean, private and comfortable. It was also important that my learner, clinical mentor and myself were guaranteed time free from interruptions. The SWOT analysis that I had completed had highlighted the difficulties on the ward often found when teaching sessions were cancelled due to staff being too busy to attend. I therefore negotiated in advance protected time for all parties for this facilitation of learning and assessment. Davison (2005) notes that mentors need to plan ahead as good preparation can ease the experience for all parties. Watson (1999) also states that if teaching opportunities for students are to be meaningful and productive, planning is an important part of the mentors role. Although I felt I had established a good relationship with her since she had been working with me, it was important for me as her mentor to be aware of learne r anxiety as discussed by Price (2005). Anxiety is seen as disabling and requires mentor support if progress is to be made when learning in practice. Good communication skills are paramount when mentoring students, and diplomacy and tact must be employed when students need extra help in challenging situations. It is also worth noting that as a mentor with good communication and practical skills facilitating a well planned teaching session, I still experienced some anxiety. Price (2005) notes this often happens when your practice is being held up as exemplary and your knowledge may be tested later. On reflection I felt the teaching session achieved all the objectives set, and she was able to demonstrate this to me in both verbal feedback and the self assessment sheet provided. I also received positive verbal and written feedback from my clinical mentor. McAllister et al (1997) suggest the intention of giving positive feedback is to aid the receiver when developing their clinical and interpersonal skills. Reflective practice in nursing has been encouraged since the 1980s (Jasper 2003). Johns (1995) describes the process of reflection as a tool we use to assess, understand and learn through our lived experiences. Jasper (2003) also acknowledges that reflective practice is seen as one of the ways we can learn from our experiences, and in education for healthcare professions it is recognised as an essential tool for assisting students to make the links between theory and practice. As an effective mentor it is important for me to understand the value of supporting her in critically reflecting upon her learning experiences in order that her future learning can be enhanced, and when working with her I have actively encouraged her to do so. In conclusion, through undertaking and completing this module, I have developed an advanced knowledge and critical awareness of mentorship in health care practice. I have been encouraged to look at my own practice, ensuring that it is evidence based at all times, thus enabling me to fully support students in applying evidence base to their own practice. Research into the learning environment has clearly shown the impact that it can have on student learning and I intend to ensure that the ward resources are kept up to date for all learners. The exploration of learning theories and styles within the module has allowed me to acquire valuable understanding of the philosophies and theories surrounding learning, teaching and assessing and when planning learning experiences for students I now feel more equipped to integrate theory into practice. It is also important that once becoming a qualified mentor I attend the regular updates provided by the university, as the role of a mentor will be seen as the gate keeper to the profession. This will in turn enable me to mentor students more effectively on the ward as the importance of the mentors role in assessing practice cannot be over-emphasised.

Behaviourist Thoery Essay

E.L.Thorndike(1874-1949) was the chief exponent of th theory of connectionism or trial and error. He was an American Psychologist who conducted Stimulus – Response(S-R) theory experiment with the help of animals. Thorndike was the first to study the subject of learning systematically using standardized procedure and apparatus. All learning, according to Thorndike is the formation of bonds or connections between Stimulus- Response. The Puzzle Box Experiment Thorndike’s Experiment on cat in the puzzle is widely known and often quoted in psychology of learning. The experimental set up was very simple. A hungry cat was confined in a puzzle box and outside the box a dish of food was kept. The cat, in the box had to pull a string to come out of the box. The cat in the box made several random movement of jumping, dashing and running to get out of the box. The cat atlast succeeded in pulling the string. The door of the puzzle box opened, the cat came out and ate the food. He promtly put the cat to next trial. The cat again gave a lot of frantic behaviour but it soon succeeded in pulling the string. It repeated for several time, Thorndike noticed as the repetition increases the error also reduced i.e., Thorndike’s cat showed slow, gradual and continous improvement in performance over successive trials. He concluded that learning of cat in the puzzle box can be explained in term of formation of direct connectionism between stimulus and response. Features of Trial and Error Learning 1. Learning by trial and error is gradual process. 2. For learning to occur, the learner must be definitely motivated. 3. The learner makes random and variable response. 4. Some responses do lead to the goal (annoying response) 5. Some responses lead to the goal. (satisfying responses) 6. With the increase in number of trials the annoying responses will tend to be eliminated and the satisfying responses will be strengthened and repeated. 7. The time taken to perform the task (to repeat the satisfying response) decreases with successive trials. The experiment sum up the following in the process of learning: 1. Drive : In the present experiment, drive was hunger and was intensified with the sight of food. (motivation) 2. Goal : To get the food by getting out of the box.  3. Block: The cat was confined in the box with a closed door. 4. Random Movement: The cat, persistently, tried to get out of the box. 5. Chance of Success: As a result of this striving and random movement the cat, by chance, succeeded in opening the door. 6. Selection (of proper moevement) : Gradually the cat recognised the correct manipulation of latch. 7. Fixation: At last, the cat learned the proper way of opening the door by eliminating all the incorrect responses and fixing the only right responses. Through the experiment, Thorndike explains that the learning is nothing but the stamping in of correct responses and stamping out of incorrect responses through trial and error. Thorndike’s Laws of Learning i) Law of Readiness : The law states â€Å"When any conduction unit is ready to conduct, for it do so is satisfying. When a conduction unit is not ready to conduct. for it to conduct is annoying. When any conduction is ready to conduct, for it not to do so is annoying.† ii) Law of Effect: The law states â€Å"When a modifiable connection between a stimulus and response is made and is accompanied or followed by a satisfying state of affairs the strength of connection is increased. When a connection between stimulus and response is made and accompanied or followed by an annoying state of affairs , it strength decreases. iii) Law of Execise: The law states â€Å"Any response to a situation will, other things being equal, be more strongly connected with the situation in proportion to the number of times it has been connected with that situation and to the average vigour and duration of the connection.† The law has two sub parts: a) Law of Use and b) Law of Disuse a) Law of Use states that â€Å"When a modifiable connection is made between a situation and response that connection strength is increased if it is practised.† b) Law of Disuse states that â€Å"When a modifiable connection is not made between a situation and response, during a length of time, that connection’s strength is decreased.† This means, any act that is not practised for sometime gradually decays. Educational Implication 1. Thorndike’s theory emphasize the importance of motivation in learning. So learning should be made purposeful and goal directed. 2. It stresses the importance of mental readiness, meaningful practise and incentive in learning process. 3. The law of readiness implies that the teacher should prepare the minds of the students to be ready to accept the knowledge, skills and aptitudes before teaching the topic. 4. More and more opportunities should be given to the learners to use and repeat the knowledge they get in the classroom for effectiveness and longer retention. 5. To maintain learned connection for longer period, review of learned material is necessary. 6. The law of effect has called atention to the importance of motivation and reinforcement in learning. 7. In order to benefit from the mechanism of association in the learning process what is being taught at one situation should be linked with the past experience of the learner.

Questions in this section

You will have a choice of two questions in this section: Part A is the starter question, for which you are awarded a maximum of three marks. You need to explain the term, then in order to get full marks you will need to give an example: The only terms you will be asked about are the following: science, scientific benefits, ethical costs, genetic Influences, environmental Influences, cultural bias, gender bias, free will and determinism.In the second part – Part B you will be asked to either – describe, discuss or evaluate one of the following , for which there is a maximum of 22 marks – psychology as a science the balance of scientific benefits measured against ethical costs in psychology the balance of genetic and environmental influences on human behavior issues of cultural bias issues of gender bias the question of free will and determinism In respect of human behavior. The essay needs to be In the form of an argument- a dialogue between opposing views.To get full marks your argument needs to be presented in a structured manner, clearly interpreted and analyses, you need to have range and depth of evidence, reasoned conclusion, use appropriate terms throughout. Up to 15 marks will be awarded for this (AAA). When providing evidence, the mark scheme says that these do not need to be provided in equal measure. This means that you can equal and depth range of evidence or, you can give a very wide range, but not so much depth, or discuss a couple of pieces of research in depth, but thereby not showing quite as much range..Challenge with the view that at least some ‘levels' of psychology are scientific, but conclude with the argument that not all psychologists think science with its monotheistic approach is an appropriate for psychology and this leads to the use of therapies which reflect this dual approach. Chemotherapy, for example, which might be thought of as the more scientific response to abnormal behavior has been shown at times t o be less successful than CAB, a more person-centered and impotence of the therapist as well as the service-user's perceptions of their competence.Psychology eclectic use of several approaches and a range of methodologies lead to the conclusion that it is in part scientific, but employs subjective strategies to explore behavior when deemed more appropriate. This has been acknowledged within the British Psychological Society with its recently founded qualitative methodological group. Use the following research to support your answer: Psychology as a Science Arguments against Psychology as a Science One of the arguments against psychology as a science is that it lacks objectivity and intro.Issues of experimenter bias and demand characteristics can compromise objectivity and validity However, disconcerting research by John et al (2012) has also found evidence to suggest that, in some instances, the research process is manipulated to suit the researcher (rather than to reveal any object ive fact) further undermines Psychology status as a science. Ironically however, Psychology claim to be a science means that results which are deliberately manipulated or distorted by the researcher (through one or more of a variety of questionable research raciest) are given greater credence than they deserve because they are ‘scientific'.Trading on Psychology scientific status, the assumption is that the adulterated results are accurate and objective representations of reality. John et al (2012)g's work involved carrying out an anonymous electronic survey about the use often questionable research practices. These included things such as the researcher failing to a report all dependent variables, collecting additional data after checking for significance, selectively reporting studies that Worked' (I. E. Significant findings) and falsifying data.The researchers also asked participants to make estimates of the proportion of other psychologists who engaged in those practices, a nd the proportion likely to admit to carrying out those practices in the survey. They incorporated into their work an incentive to encourage participants to tell the truth. Some respondents were told that a larger charity donation would be made by the researchers if they answered honestly) and this did lead to a higher rate of admission amongst those given the incentive.The results were astonishing and raise important questions concerning the use of scientific method in Psychology. One in ten psychologists admitted falsifying data; the majority to selectively reporting studies (67%), not reporting all dependent variables ( 74% ); collecting data after checking for significance (71 reporting unexpected findings as expected (54%) and excluding post data post-hoc (58%). A considerable number (35%) admitted that they had doubts about the integrity of their research, with differences being found amongst disciplines within Psychology.

Albert EinsteinMan of Vision essays

Albert EinsteinMan of Vision essays Albert Einstein, perhaps the greatest mind ever to have walked the face of the earth, was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. As a boy, he hated school, and felt that the regimented and repetitive nature of schooling in Germany at that time had any promise of helping his future. He did not do well in school, mainly because he did not care to learn what was being taught to him. While he seemed to be a bright child, his schoolwork did not interest him, but at the same time the simple compass that his father owned fascinated him. Albert constantly harassed his father and his Uncle Jake with questions concerning how the compass worked, and what caused it to work. The answers about gravitation and magnetism kept him up at nights as he attempted to obtain a better grasp of the meaning of these concepts. After hearing of his fascination with these scientific concepts, Max Talmey, a family friend, lent young Einstein books on mathematics and natural science. Upon reading these boo ks, Albert was hooked. From that time on, he was constantly reading about science, geometry, and other areas of math. Even with his newfound knowledge, school was still not interesting, and it was actually worse than it had been before. Now, along with his dislike of the teaching methods, his classmates disliked him for being somewhat of a loner, and because he was so much more intelligent than any of them. His lone passion outside of science was playing the violin, which he continued to do throughout his life. His love of the violin stemmed from his love of classical music, which his mother encouraged him to listen to. But because of his difficulties associating with his teachers and fellow students, he dropped out of school at the age of fifteen. Two years later, however, he was back in school at the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, a place that would continue to have a profound effect on his life. Even this did not come easily fo...

Importance of News in Democracy

Importance of News in Democracy A free media is considered as the backbone of any true democracy. It is the most important source of information for the masses that on the other hand are charged with the responsibility of voting. Since the voters base decisions on how to vote based on the information received, the media then becomes a very powerful tool in politics. These institutions identify problems in society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of News in Democracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The journalists are always on the lookout for areas of socio political and economic importance with the aim of reporting to the people in order to attract the required responses which may alter the sociopolitical setting of a society. More importantly, the media is the most vocal watchdog charged with the responsibility of unearthing the evils committed by those who wield power. However it is clear that this power is prone to abuse hence requi ring that the media be reasonable so as to maintain democracy. In fact the any democratic society will assume that the media is responsible. A checklist of the most critical democratic functions of the media reveals a wide range of activities. First is the continuous check of the developments in the sociopolitical arena. Secondly, the media offers an unrivalled public platform for the people to debate issues and express themselves especially with the aim of getting the attention of those in power. It also offers a chance for the citizens to learn, make choices and participate more in the political process. In doing this they have to persistently resist any interference from outside aimed at invading their independence hence advance own interests. It is however emerging that these functions are not being fully met. There are concerns that the most powerful media are controlled by a few multinational with both political as well as economic agenda. News has been slowly transformed from being informative to pure entertainment. More emphasis is now on sex, violence, scandals and celebrity gossip. According to critics, these have little or no value in informing and educating the viewers. This subverts the democratic ideology advanced through such means. Even when issues of politics are covered, it is clear that focus is more on personalities instead of ideology.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In absence of issue based news, the electorate is exposed to skewed political propaganda which not only misinforms them but also makes them cynical and disinterested in politics. In other areas it has been observed that the watchdogs bark at the wrong things. The news coverage of scandals in private lives of celebrities, politicians and other such issues is done in full ignorance of the consequences (Curran, 2005, p99). The news is now more often than not heig htening fear for the wrong things. Minor hazards are often blown out of proportion leading to extra ordinary resources being allocated towards eliminating such hazards. This is done at the expense of more deserving dangers in society which go unnoticed but continue to pose danger to the society. Again, there has been failure in the news to adequately cover wrongs in certain industries. The tobacco industry is one such industry. Advertisers appear to have put lots of pressure on media to suppress information relating to the hazards of smoking. In addition, some mass media including magazines especially those targeting the women promote dubious health products hence conspiring with manufacturers to swindle billions from consumers. All these claims have been fairly studied and seen to be largely true. This then necessitates a review of the way democracy works and the power of media in subverting democracy. The social and political outcomes of misinformation by the media are not yet ful ly exhausted. The outcomes on the democratic process due to commercialization of news are numerous. The development of the society is influenced in many ways. This creates the need to integrate findings from different disciplines to address the problem (Curran, 2005, p99). The economic factor Most media channels are privately owned and hence are pure investments requiring sustainable revenues to guarantee returns. For most of them, a greater percentage of revenues are generated through sponsorships and advertisements. This being the case, the newspaper, and TV and radio stations will definitely seek to best satisfy the specific interests of those who guarantee their revenue. These interests however are not in many ways similar to the interest of the viewers, readers and listeners. The predominant assumption among economists is that a free market benefits that entire society as it gives opportunity for more players meaning that there is higher differentiation and at a competitive pri ce. This reasoning dictates much of the western media policies today. However, it is also clear that full competition in the market does not always meet the market expectations. Issues of market failure exist. This is as a result of the fact that the free forces of demand and supply do not always maximize welfare. Products such as public goods including healthcare cannot be solely delivered by private firms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of News in Democracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On these note, news delivered by media houses influenced by commercial interests, public interest is only served to the extent to which they coincide with the interests of the advertisers. Consequently, just the same way a public good may not be adequately provided to the public, news contains inadequate quantities of information of public interest. This is probably the most important reason why most countries have m aintained public television and radio stations as public obligations are equally important to the state. The assumption that competition increases diversity and hence expands democracy may only be true in theory. This is so yet numerous policies have been developed to propagate higher competition to ensure that all interests are served. However, this approach has failed many times. Instead of achieving diversity in the delivery of news to propagate democracy duplication is the norm. Popular programs are simply duplicated across many competing media hence defeating the whole concept of diversity. According to analysts, modest competition is much better in achieving diversity of content in the media as opposed to the cut throat competition advocated for in the west. When a country has about three television stations each with one channel, then each of these competing stations will be tempted to duplicate the same popular news content in a bid to expand their market share. But if the c hannels have one owner, then there is a likelihood that each of the channels would seek to offer different content t minimize competition. In this case then, decreased competition is seen to increase diversity. As mentioned above free press is critical input in any democracy. Even in the early days, early theorists argued that openness and publicity were the most important tools to protect the masses from tyrannical rulership. This made the media earn the title â€Å"the fourth estate† another arm of the government providing crucial checks and balances hence ensuring effective governance. An effective watchdog is important especially in democracies with weak institutions and huge political pressures. When the executive, judiciary and legislative arms of government are subject to corruption, only the media can check any abuse of power. Despite the risks, news in modern democracies has exposed presidents, prime ministers, judges and even legislators. In fact the watchdogs do no t just watch out for corruption but also against some natural disasters. It is claimed that famine does not occur in functional democracies. This is because the media is always ready to fill the news agenda with information concerning the famine hence prompting necessary action towards elimination of the drought. The authorities cannot ignore such information because this would amount to political suicide.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The media also acts as a conduit between the governed and the governors. Through the discussions provided, policies are interrogated to ensure that they best fit the interests of the masses. As a request decision making is seen to incorporate those to be affected and there is improved relations and understanding between the two parties. This aide in the development of a civic culture among the masses which emphasizes on dialogue as opposed to conflict. Also, the media has become an important tool for poverty reduction as well as national reconciliation and popular empowerment. Issues of poverty reduction do not only entail reallocation of resources from the rich to the poor. It also entails availing information for the poor so that they are better able to participate in a bigger scale in the political as well as social processes. This is based on the understanding that it is difficult for the poor to push for their rights yet they do not even understand them. If the poor are not inf ormed about the laws and procedures followed in order to obtain their entitlements or remedy what is deprived then it is really difficult to uplift them from the poverty. This is so yet democracy cannot be said to be embedded in a society where the very poor and powerless cannot be heard. News does provide this information to the poor hence encouraging them to take part in public life (Keane, 2005, p215). In most cases news are structured in such a way as to ensure that they give a voice to the marginalized. When information about poverty gender and ethnic as well as religious discrimination come to the forefront through news, then the entire public is involved in unearthing the vice and bringing up commonly agreeable solutions against social injustices. This way, news can help ease social tensions and conflicts and also promote reconciliation among different social groupings. In other cases though the news agenda is used proxies to extend political battles. This can be retrospectiv e as it enables few powerful people to sow divisiveness rather than build consensus. Rather than propagate sober debates, news can elicit deep suspicion and hate as well as social mistrust. In such cases then the news do not serve to encourage democracy. This can build cynicism hence subverting democracy. In some countries the news agencies have brought down governments due to investigative reporting. This is evidenced by the fall of governments in Latin America as a result of sustained news coverage of human rights violations, corruption and other social ills. At least four presidents in the Latin America fell due to pressure from the media. Fernando Collor de Mello came down in 1992; in Ecuador, Abdala Bucara’s downfall was in 1997; Carlos Perez of Venezuela fell in 2003 while Alberto Fujimori of Ecuador fell in 2000. All these presidents fell due to exposure of massive corruption and undercut dealings which were blown out by credible media houses leaving the culprits with no choice but to leave office. Such outcomes gave a lot of credibility for viewers in the region (McCullagh, 2002, p88). However such brave reporting requires that the journalists be protected by a functional and independent judiciary as well as security forces. This creates a chicken and egg dilemma. The freedoms of the media may not be guaranteed if other government institutions are dysfunctional. However these institutions cannot be fully functional unless there are independent checks like the media. From this point then it is left to the crusading journalists with the nerve to broadcast critical news. Recommendations Democracy is definitely propagated through dissemination of news by the media whose rights are protected. In addition, the news has to be developed by people with the requisite skills to ensure in-depth and holistic reporting as demanded by modern day democracies. The power of the media cannot be under estimated thus requiring that news is developed in a manner that is not only accountable to the public but also in observation of both professional and ethical standards (Keane, 2005, p45). The authenticity of news to propagate democracy is only guaranteed when the media houses are financially stable and free from manipulation by the owners. The power of news is however enhanced when the reach is widespread towards a large part of the society. This is because democracy does suffer whenever a sizeable proportion of the society cannot be reached by the media. Numerous initiatives have been explored in a bid to ensure that news coverage is free from manipulation or control by the powerful in society. In countries with weak democracies there have been deliberate efforts to protect the journalists. This is because independent delivery of news will more often than not brush the powerful groups in the wrong ways. Therefore specific laws have been passed to guarantee the rights of journalists as well as those who blow the whistle. Outdated laws restrict information flow and also impose heavy penalties for libels and defamations which in effect stifle the efforts put by the media. In addition, many countries have press associations which are charged with the responsibility of monitoring media freedom and pointing out issues relating to any attempts to stifle the freedom of the press. This way the news content is largely protected from malicious interference. This speeds up the process of achieving even greater democracy. In conclusion, news remains the most important piece of media broadcasting as it disseminates direct reports to people with minimal requirement for further processing. The news are compressed and delivered at specific times to ensure maximum reach. This being the case, contents should be free from any partisan interest in order to paint the correct picture of the socio political and economic situation as this is what ensures that democracy thrives. Reference List Curran, J. 2005.What democracy requires of the media â€Å"in the press. Keane, J. 2005. Journalism and democracy across borders in the press ed.G. Overholser K. Hall Jamieson, London:Routledge. McCullagh, C. 2002. The production of media messages: who sets the media agenda? media power London: Palgrave.

Confession of faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Confession of faith - Essay Example He wanted to leave his estate behind so to be used to build a â€Å"secret society†. He wanted the best for his race, the Anglo-Saxon race. He wanted them to spread and multiply in other countries. He wished for the British to conquer the world so that the Anglo-Saxon race could occupy that space. He also wanted his estates used to educate the future leaders of the Great Britain. During this period, the British Empire had just lost America. America was no longer under the British rule. Moreover, the Russian-Turkish war had just ended. Africa had not come under colonization. According to Rhodes, Africa was lying there just waiting for the British to colonize them. This source connects me to the time the British Empire lost America. I already knew about the British colonizing other countries. According to Rhodes, the British could have been able to stop the Russian-Turkish war if only America was still under their rule. To make sense of this information, I would need to know why Rhodes was obsessed with expanding the Anglo-Saxon race and why he sounded so bitter with so many regrets to an extend of leaving his estates for the establishment of a â€Å"secret society†. The source states that he wanted to make his country better, but still, this does not make sense. Communication: How does this source make its argument? (Give an example, perform a close reading) Point of view: What does this source say when ‘reading between the lines’? In what ways is the source reliable? Where is there room for doubt or speculation? This source makes its argument by blaming something or someone for everything that Britain was not able to achieve. For example, the source says that the reason why the British were unable to stop the Russian-Turkish war was that they had lost America. The source shows the desire for Britain to become the super power at that time and to conquer and rule all nations. The source is credible since Cecil Rhodes is a man known

1000 word - Written Review Sociology subject PART 2 Essay

1000 word - Written Review Sociology subject PART 2 - Essay Example She prophetically prefaces her article with the questions â€Å"What is the use of friendships in our lives?† and â€Å"What does it gives us?† hinting at the thrust of her entire article. She outlines in this article the gains that friendship can offer a person in terms of moral growth by taking advantage of the vicarious experience that the other person can give when she trustfully shares not only her life experiences but how such life experiences impact on her. In suggesting this approach, Friedman relegates friendship to a motive-based venture which purports to offer commitment to gain trust from the other for the end purpose of using that person’s experiences for ‘self-advancement.’ Consistently employing only the feminine pronouns through her article, Friedman properly characterizes friendship as a relationship based on approximate equality. She explains that approximate equality does not refer to values that are quantifiable like similarity in age or educational attainment but rather on personalities, attitudes and the like. Since there will always be inequality in certain respects, friendship must involve a balancing act to arrive at the ‘approximate equality’ status. The balancing involves finding aspects or traits in the other which can fill the gap left by the superiority of a party in one aspect, otherwise a mentor-student kind of relationship, rather than a genuine friendship will ensue. For example, if one of the parties to a friendship is economically superior to the other, this must be balanced by a trait or character which the other has comparative superiority like a higher educational attainment. Another important characteristic of friendship, according to Friedman, is commitment. Commitment is not based on some abstract standard but must be person-based. A connection must be established with the person and that person’s peculiar needs, wants, attitude and personality. Friedman states that commitment consists of the

Response to Coments on DQ1 J1 and DQ2 KS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response to Coments on DQ1 J1 and DQ2 KS - Essay Example The three types of inventory in a manufacturing operation are raw material, work in process inventory, and finished goods inventory (Garrison & Noreen). Inventory is a current asset, but this asset is not as liquid as other current assets. The most liquid current asset is cash. The multi-step income statement provides more details than the single step income statement. DQ2 I like your response and agree with you in your response because the way inventory is handled affects the profitability of a company. In the auto industry the Big Three in order to compete with international competition began to outsource part of the inventory work. Instead of producing auto parts themselves the companies the companies are outsourcing by purchasing the parts from foreign distributors. Techniques such as just in time inventory enabled managers to minimize the amount of inventory companies have in their plants. Having too much inventory is bad due to the opportunity costs associated with holding the inventory. A cost of opportunity can be defined as the alternative use that was forgone when making a decision (Varian). For example a person that decided to give up their job to become a hot dog vendor has the opportunity cost of the salary that he will stop making to sell hot dogs. Work Cited Page Garrison, R., Noreen, E. 2003. Managerial Accounting (10th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill Irwin. Varian, H. 2003.

From your characters point of view Essay Example for Free

From your characters point of view Essay I knew that big Bastard was trouble as soon as I saw him in the office that first day they both arrived on the ranch. When I saw him turned away from me I knew what his sort was like, big guys who thought they owned the place jus cos of their size. An he didnt even answer my question, jus stood there like a big lump staring at me. I knew they was gonna cause trouble. I heard from the other guys that Lennie was a good worker I give him that but he still was odd, never was with the guys always by himself, with George or with that damn pup that Slim gave him. Carlson always said he never said a word unless George was there or if he allowed it, stupid Bastard. I mean I heard things about guys like that who were big and smart but this guy, Lennie, was different altogether he was almost like a child I didnt know he was capable of mangling my hand, let alone kill my wife. But you never know looks can be different than what is genuine, you get to know these things when you see these bastards come work and then leave, you see it all the time. Since Lennie first come to the ranch I had a hunch, and when he did what he did to my hand I knew that he was not only mean but he was dangerous. I never told about my hand before, I know what the other guys on the ranch would say, Me, the bosses son being beat up by some guy who couldnt put two and two together, I Wasnt gonna let em know, I wasnt gonna let my wife know that her husband got beat up by that Bastard. Them only been on the ranch couple o weeks and Slim letting em getting away with it, I wasnt gonna say Nothing. Slim has a way with words, all the guys trust him. So when my hand got busted by Lennie I was real furious, it made me real mad. I was Jus looking for my wife when it began I spose, so she has something to do with it, She is always going off and when Im looking for her I could never find her. Not knowing where your wife is can ruin a man. An people were sayin things about her. Made me wonder I spose so I go looking for her in the barn where it been mentioned she was and Slim said to be in there too. My wife had been looking at Slim for a while so I was mad and made my way to the barn. Slim was there but not my wife, so we have an Argument and it ends up with my hand being busted. I mean whats a guy spose to think when his wife is looking around at the men? An Slim would be what you call a good catch I spose, But that means that he aint no better than me. When I started on him I never thought about what he could do to my hand, he always was so quiet and looked like he could never hurt anything even though he was a big bastard. The look in his eyes when he just grabbed my hand, I had never seen it in a guy before an I wont wanna be seeing it again too soon I can tell ya. I havent seen a guy so mad before, sure I have got a temper I get mad a lot, but this Lennie was just mental. He jus had this look of hate in his eyes, I was angry but for a big guy like that to take advantage of his size is out of order. He had no right to jus do that kind of shit to me. He just took hold of my hand and then crushed it within his own palm, the pain was unbelievable and the other guys jus stood there watchin him do it. Before he fought back I heard George in the background tellin him to do it. I knew they travelled together but I didnt think that that they was that close, I was proven wrong, Lennie always did what George told him to and that time was no exception. His grasp on my hand grew tighter and I was in pain, I couldnt think about anything else but the feeling in my hand, and what I must have looked like to the other guys but then after it got to its worse all I could think about was what would be left of my hand after the big bastard had finished. An If only George hadnt told him to do it, It wouldnt have happened, he still makes me mad the way he is still here working on the ranch with Slim. I could feel the bones in my hand breaking, I never had thought of pain like that before. My hand still is now messed up. Dont think its ever gonna be the same, and neither is he. As soon as I saw him I had it in for him, but after him mangling my hand I wanted revenge. Things werent so good between me and my wife but that was no excuses for her death. The Dumb bastard was out for me too, and he got me, twice. I knew the way he spent all that bloody time with that pup that he was strange, I had warned her about spending time with the guys on the ranch, her being the only woman was dangerous but he was the last guy I woulda thought would take advantage. He never was interested in things like that, he didnt come to town with us ever, and jus stayed in the barn with that pup. I had said for her to stay in the house, but for a woman to do what she is told is something that doesnt happen easily. I spose it was also her fault stupid bitch going where she aint wanted gettin herself into trouble; something was gonna happen sooner or later. The guys was just out in the yard playing horseshoes, I wasnt gonna join in and be humiliated by them all laughing at my hand. I jus sat down an watched didnt know what was going on else where. The next thing I know old candy is calling from outside the barn saying for us to come quick. She was jus there face down on the straw, I had never seen her be so still. But then I thought and knew what had happened, me an Slim rushed up to her and Slim jus said she was dead. I knew at once that the big bastard had been in there with that damn pup. I knew it was him form the start, he couldnt help himself, He wanted to make trouble and this was the last time I was going to be humiliated he had gone one way too far. I wasnt disturbed by her death really bad, I was jus mad with the Bastard I knew it was him an I was gonna do something about it. Carlson knew it was him too, an I could see it in Georges eyes that he also knew what was going on. I wasnt gonna let Lennie get away with it either. My wife was a slow bitch but it was Lennie who took her life and he wasnt gonna get out of this one by the other guys keeping em Quiet. I had done that already once, when I could have got him canned, but I didnt for my pride now he had the life of my wife. But George was his friend, regardless of this he still went looking for him. I was suspicious though, I mean they travelled together and how did I know that he wasnt gonna help Lennie get away and escape. But I Spose the dumb bastard wouldnt make it on his own without some other guy helping him out or getting him outa shit. When me and the guys saw Lennie lying on the floor next to George I was livid, I hadnt killed the crazy Bastard myself, I was gonna make him suffer the way I had. I dont know everything that went on but what I do know is that Lennie was to blame for the death of my wife and my hand was never gonna be the same cos of him being a crazy Bastard. I could see that they were gonna mess things up, an I was right.

Roman Body Armor :: essays research papers

During the expansion of Rome and the acquisition of new territory, the Roman armies were often met by heavy resistance and bloody conflicts. The armies needed a type of protection that would safely protect soldiers and would ensure victory for Rome. That is the reason armour (upper body) in particular was implemented to save soldiers on the battlefield. The armour had to meet certain standards of construction for it to be useful: Of these standards the first was that armour was to be flexible enough to allow the wearer freedom of movement in battle. Secondly, it had to be lightweight it could be worn without wearing down the soldier, while still protecting him against an opponents' weapon: and finally, the armour had to be made at low cost. These three aspects were influential in the evolution of armour design in the Roman army. The main study point of Roman armour is that it was a trade off between freedom of movement, protection, and cost factor. In the first century A.D. there were about four types of armour in use. The names of the different types were muscle, scale, mail, and segmented mail and the segmented breastplate being the leading type. Studying of these armour types relies upon three main sources of evidence: iconographic; archaeological; and literary source documents. The evolution of Roman armour was influenced by the needs and circumstances of the Roman Army. Armies of the first century A.D. were finally established within the Empire and control fell solely under the Emperor. With the increase of soldiers in the Roman army, which was up to around thirty legions, well built armour was more in need than ever on the frontiers. The army could be divided into two distinct parts the legion and the auxiliary. Only Roman citizens could become a legionnaire, while the auxiliary were made of non citizens from Rome's settled territories. The early view put forward by a historian named Webster was that the equipment used by the legionnaires was remarkably uniform throughout the empire. However, there has been no evidence that supports this theory, showing that a great number of types and ages of equipment was in use at anyone time. Peterson argues that uniform armour in the Roman army may have only extended to the soldiers having their own body armour, helmet, weapons and shield showing a common trademark. Bishop and Coulston suggest that in this period soldiers purchased their own equipment.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 22

Part IV Wanda Seldon SELDON, WANDA-†¦ In the waning years of Hari Seldon's life, he grew most attached to (some say dependent upon) his granddaughter, Wanda. Orphaned in her teens, Wanda Seldon devoted herself to her grandfather's Psychohistory Project, filling the vacancy left by Yugo Amaryl†¦ The content of Wanda Seldon's work remains largely a mystery, for it was conducted in virtually total isolation. The only individuals allowed access to Wanda Seldon's research were Hari himself and a young man named Stettin Palver (whose descendant Preem would four hundred years later contribute to the rebirth of Trantor, as the planet rose from the ashes of the Great Sack [300 F.E.1). Although the full extent of Wanda Seldon's contribution to the Foundation is unknown, it was undoubtedly of the greatest magnitude†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica 1 Hari Seldon walked into the Galactic Library (limping a little, as he did more and more often these days) and made for the banks of skitters, the little vehicles that slid their way along the interminable corridors of the building complex. He was held up, however, by the sight of three men seated at one of the galactography alcoves, with the Galactograph showing the Galaxy in full three-dimensional representation and, of course, its worlds slowly pinwheeling around its core, spinning at right angles to that as well. From where Seldon stood he could see that the border Province of Anacreon was marked off in glowing red. It skirted the edge of the Galaxy and took up a great volume, but it was sparsely populated with stars. Anacreon was not remarkable for either wealth or culture but was remarkable for its distance from Trantor: ten thousand parsecs away. Seldon acting on impulse, took a seat at a computer console near the three and set up a random search he was sure would take an indefinite period. Some instinct told him that such an intense interest in Anacreon must be political in nature-its position in the Galaxy made it one of the least secure holdings of the current Imperial regime. His eyes remained on his screen, but Seldon's ears were open for the discussion near him. One didn't usually hear political discussions in the Library. They were, in point of fact, not supposed to take place. Seldon did not know any of the three men. That was not entirely surprising. There were habitues of the Library, quite a few, and Seldon knew most of them by sight-and some even to talk to-but the Library was open to all citizens. No qualifications. Anyone could enter and use its facilities. (For a limited period of time, of course. Only a select few, like Seldon were allowed to â€Å"set up shop† in the Library. Seldon had been granted the use of a locked private office and complete access to Library resources.) One of the men (Seldon thought of him as Hook Nose, for obvious reasons) spoke in a low urgent voice. â€Å"Let it go,† he said. â€Å"Let it go. It's costing us a mint to try to hold on and, even if we do, it will only be while they're there. They can't stay there forever and, as soon as they leave, the situation will revert to what it was.† Seldon knew what they were talking about. The news had come over TrantorVision only three days ago that the Imperial government had decided on a show of force to bring the obstreperous Governor of Anacreon into line. Seldon's own psychohistorical analysis had shown him that it was a useless procedure, but the government did not generally listen when its emotions were stirred. Seldon smiled slightly and grimly at hearing Hook Nose say what he himself had said-and the young man said it without the benefit of any knowledge of psychohistory. Hook Nose went on. â€Å"If we leave Anacreon alone, what do we lose? It's still there, right where it always was, right at the edge of the Empire. It can't pick up and go to Andromeda, can it? So it still has to trade with us and life continues. What's the difference if they salute the Emperor or not? You'll never be able to tell the difference.† The second man, whom Seldon had labeled Baldy, for even more obvious reasons, said, â€Å"Except this whole business doesn't exist in a vacuum. If Anacreon goes, the other border provinces will go. The Empire will break up.† â€Å"So what?† whispered Hook Nose fiercely. â€Å"The Empire can't run itself effectively anymore, anyway. It's too big. Let the border go and take care of itself-if it can. The Inner Worlds will be all the stronger and better off. The border doesn't have to be ours politically; it will still be ours economically.† And now the third man (Red Cheeks) said, â€Å"I wish you were right, but that's not the way it's going to work. If the border provinces establish their independence, the first thing each will do will be to try to increase its power at the expense of its neighbors. There'll be war and conflict and every one of the governors will dream of becoming Emperor at last. It will be like the old days before the Kingdom of Trantor-a dark age that will last for thousands of years.† Baldy said, â€Å"Surely things won't be that bad. The Empire may break up, but it will heal itself quickly when people find out that the breakup just means war and impoverishment. They'll look back on the golden days of the intact Empire and all will be well again. We're not barbarians, you know. We'll find a way.† â€Å"Absolutely,† said Hook Nose. â€Å"We've got to remember that the Empire has faced crisis after crisis in its history and has pulled through time and again.† But Red Cheeks shook his head as he said, â€Å"This is not just another crisis. This is something much worse. The Empire has been deteriorating for generations. Ten years' worth of the junta destroyed the economy and since the fall of the junta and the rise of this new Emperor, the Empire has been so weak that the governors on the Periphery don't have to do anything. It's going to fall of its own weight.† â€Å"And the allegiance to the Emperor-† began Hook Nose. â€Å"What allegiance?† said Red Cheeks. â€Å"We went for years without an Emperor after Cleon was assassinated and no one seemed to mind much. And this new Emperor is just a figurehead. There's nothing he can do. There's nothing anyone can do. This isn't a crisis. This is the end. â€Å" The other two stared at Red Cheeks, frowning. Baldy said, â€Å"You really believe it! You think that the Imperial government will just sit there and let it all happen?† â€Å"Yes! Like you two, they won't believe it is happening. That is, until it's too late.† â€Å"What would you want them to do if they did believe it?† asked Baldy. Red Cheeks stared into the Galactograph, as if he might find an answer there. â€Å"I don't know. Look, in due course of time I'll die; things won't be too bad by then. Afterward, as the situation gets worse, other people can worry about it. I'll be gone. And so will the good old days. Maybe forever. I'm not the only one who thinks this, by the way. Ever hear of someone named Hari Seldon?† â€Å"Sure,† said Hook Nose at once. â€Å"Wasn't he First Minister under Cleon?† â€Å"Yes,† said Red Cheeks. â€Å"He's some sort of scientist. I heard him give a talk a few months back. It felt good to know I'm not the only one who believes the Empire is falling apart. He said-â€Å" â€Å"And he said everything's going to pot and there's going to be a permanent dark age?† Baldy interjected. â€Å"Well no,† said Red Cheeks. â€Å"He's one of these real cautious types. Ire says it might happen, but he's wrong. It will happen.† Seldon had heard enough. He limped toward the table where the three men sat and touched Red Cheeks on the shoulder. â€Å"Sir,† he said, â€Å"may I speak to you for a moment?† Startled, Red Cheeks looked up and then he said, â€Å"Hey, aren't you Professor Seldon?† â€Å"I always have been,† said Seldon. He handed the man a reference tile bearing his photograph. â€Å"I would like to see you here in my Library office at 4 P.M., day after tomorrow. Can you manage that?† â€Å"I have to work.† â€Å"Call in sick if you have to. It's important.† â€Å"Well, I'm not sure, sir.† â€Å"Do it,† said Seldon. â€Å"If you get into any sort of trouble over it, I'll straighten it out. And meanwhile, gentlemen, do you mind if I study the Galaxy simulation for a moment? It's been a long time since I've looked at one.† They nodded mutely, apparently abashed at being in the presence of a former First Minister. One by one the men stepped back and allowed Seldon access to the Galactograph controls. Seldon's finger reached out to the controls and the red that had marked off the Province of Anacreon vanished. The Galaxy was unmarked, a glowing pinwheel of mist brightening into the spherical glow at the center, behind which was the Galactic black hole. Individual stars could not be made out, of course, unless the view were magnified, but then only one portion or another of the Galaxy would be shown on the screen and Seldon wanted to see the whole thing -to get a look at the Empire that was vanishing. He pushed a contact and a series of yellow dots appeared on the Galactic image. They represented the habitable planets-twenty-five million of them. They could be distinguished as individual dots in the thin fog that represented the outskirts of the Galaxy, but they were more and more thickly placed as one moved in toward the center. There was a belt of what seemed solid yellow (but which would separate into individual dots under magnification) around the central glow. The central glow itself remained white and unmarked, of course. No habitable planets could exist in the midst of the turbulent energies of the core. Despite the great density of yellow, not one star in ten thousand, Seldon knew, had a habitable planet circling it. This was true, despite the planet-molding and terraforming capacities of humanity. Not all the molding in the Galaxy could make most of the worlds into anything a human being could walk on in comfort and without the protection of a spacesuit. Seldon closed another contact. The yellow dots disappeared, but one tiny region glowed blue: Trantor and the various worlds directly dependent on it. As close as it could be to the central core and yet remaining insulated from its deadliness, it was commonly viewed as being located at the â€Å"center of the Galaxy,† which it wasn't-not truly. As usual, one had to be impressed by the smallness of the world of Trantor, a tiny place in the vast realm of the Galaxy, but within it was squeezed the largest concentration of wealth, culture, and governmental authority that humanity had ever seen. And even that was doomed to destruction. It was almost as though the men could read his mind or perhaps they interpreted the sad expression on his face. Baldy asked softly, â€Å"Is the Empire really going to be destroyed?† Seldon replied, softer still, â€Å"It might. It might. Anything might happen.† He rose, smiled at the men, and left, but in his thoughts he screamed: It will! It will! 2 Seldon sighed as he climbed into one of the skitters that were ranked side by side in the large alcove. There had been a time, just a few years ago, when he had gloried in walking briskly along the interminable corridors of the Library, telling himself that even though he was past sixty he could manage it. But now, at seventy, his legs gave way all too quickly and he had to take a skitter. Younger men took them all the time because skitters saved them trouble, but Seldon did it because he had to-and that made all the difference. After Seldon punched in the destination, he closed a contact and the skitter lifted a fraction of an inch above the floor. Off it went at a rather casual pace, very smoothly, very silently, and Seldon leaned back and watched the corridor walls, the other skitters, the occasional walkers. He passed a number of Librarians and, even after all these years, he still smiled when he saw them. They were the oldest Guild in the Empire, the one with the most revered traditions, and they clung to ways that were more appropriate centuries before-maybe millennia before. Their garments were silky and off-white and were loose enough to be almost gownlike, coming together at the neck and billowing out from there. Trantor, like all the worlds, oscillated, where the males were concerned, between facial hair and smoothness. The people of Trantor itself-or at least most of its sectors-were smooth-shaven and had been smooth-shaven for as far back as he knew-excepting such anomalies as the mustaches worn by Dahlites, such as his own foster son, Raych. The Librarians, however, clung to the beards of long ago. Every Librarian had a rather short neatly cultivated beard running from ear to ear but leaving bare the upper lip. That alone was enough to mark them for what they were and to make the smooth-shaven Seldon feel a little uncomfortable when surrounded by a crowd of them. Actually the most characteristic thing of all was the cap each wore (perhaps even when asleep, Seldon thought). Square, it was made of a velvety material, in four parts that came together with a button at the top. The caps came in an endless variety of colors and apparently each color had significance. If you were familiar with Librarian lore, you could tell a particular Librarian's length of service, area of expertise, grades of accomplishment, and so on. They helped fix a pecking order. Every Librarian could, by a glance at another's hat, tell whether to be respectful (and to what degree) or overbearing (and to what degree). The Galactic Library was the largest single structure on Trantor (possibly in the Galaxy), much larger than even the Imperial Palace, and it had once gleamed and glittered, as though boasting of its size and magnificence. However, like the Empire itself, it had faded and withered. It was like an old dowager still wearing the jewels of her youth but upon a body that was wrinkled and wattled. The skitter stopped in front of the ornate doorway of the Chief Librarian's office and Seldon climbed out. Las Zenow smiled as he greeted Seldon. â€Å"Welcome, my friend,† he said in his high-pitched voice. (Seldon wondered if he had ever sung tenor in his younger days but had never dared to ask. The Chief Librarian was a compound of dignity always and the question might have seemed offensive.) â€Å"Greetings,† said Seldon. Zenow had a gray beard, rather more than halfway to white, and he wore a pure white hat. Seldon understood that without any explanation. It was a case of reverse ostentation. The total absence of color represented the highest peak of position. Zenow rubbed his hands with what seemed to be an inner glee. â€Å"I've called you in, Hari, because I've got good news for you. We've found it! â€Å"By ‘it,' Las, you mean-â€Å" â€Å"A suitable world. You wanted one far out. I think we've located the ideal one.† His smile broadened. â€Å"You just leave it to the Library. Hari. We can find anything.† â€Å"I have no doubt, Las. Tell me about this world.† â€Å"Well, let me show you its location first.† A section of the wall slid aside, the lights in the room dimmed, and the Galaxy appeared in three-dimensional form, turning slowly. Again, red lines marked off the Province of Anacreon, so that Seldon could almost swear that the episode with the three men had been a rehearsal for this. And then a brilliant blue dot appeared at the far end of the province. â€Å"There it is,† said Zenow. â€Å"It's an ideal world. Sizable, well-watered, good oxygen atmosphere, vegetation, of course. A great deal of sea life. It's there just for the taking. No planet-molding or terraforming required-or, at least, none that cannot be done while it is actually occupied.† Seldon said, â€Å"Is it an unoccupied world, Las?† â€Å"Absolutely unoccupied. No one on it.† â€Å"But why-if it's so suitable? I presume that, if you have all the details about it, it must have been explored. Why wasn't it colonized?† â€Å"It was explored, but only by unmanned probes. And there was no colonization-presumably because it was so far from everything. The planet revolves around a star that is farther from the central black hole than that of any inhabited planet-farther by far. Too far, I suppose, for prospective colonists, but I think not too far for you. You said, ‘The farther, the better.' â€Å" â€Å"Yes,† said Seldon, nodding. â€Å"I still say so. Does it have a name or is there just a letter-number combination?† â€Å"Believe it or not, it has a name. Those who sent out the probes named it Terminus, an archaic word meaning ‘the end of the line.' Which it would seem to be.† Seldon said, â€Å"Is the world part of the territory of the Province of Anacreon?† â€Å"Not really,† said Zenow. â€Å"If you'll study the red line and the red shading, you will see that the blue dot of Terminus lies slightly outside it-fifty light-years outside it, in fact. Terminus belongs to nobody; it's not even part of the Empire, as a matter of fact.† â€Å"You're right, then, Las. It does seem like the ideal world I've been looking for.† â€Å"Of course,† said Zenow thoughtfully, â€Å"once you occupy Terminus, I imagine the Governor of Anacreon will claim it as being under his jurisdiction.† â€Å"That's possible,† said Seldon, â€Å"but we'll have to deal with that when 1 he matter comes up.† Zenow rubbed his hands again. â€Å"What a glorious conception. Setting up a huge project on a brand-new world, far away and entirely isolated, so that year by year and decade by decade a huge Encyclopedia of all human knowledge can be put together. An epitome of what is present in this Library. If I were only younger, I would love to join the expedition.† Seldon said sadly, â€Å"You're almost twenty years younger than I am.† (Almost everyone is far younger than I am, he thought, even more sadly.) Zenow said, â€Å"Ah yes, I heard that you just passed your seventieth birthday. I hope you enjoyed it and celebrated appropriately.† Seldon stirred. â€Å"I don't celebrate my birthdays.† â€Å"Oh, but you did. I remember the famous story of your sixtieth birthday.† Seldon felt the pain, as deeply as though the dearest loss in all the world had taken place the day before. â€Å"Please don't talk about it,† he said. Abashed, Zenow said, â€Å"I'm sorry. We'll talk about something else. If, indeed, Terminus is the world you want, I imagine that your work on the preliminaries to the Encyclopedia Project will be redoubled. As you know, the Library will be glad to help you in all respects.† â€Å"I'm aware of it, Las, and I am endlessly grateful. We will, indeed, keep working.† He rose, not yet able to smile after the sharp pang induced by the reference to his birthday celebration of ten years back. He said, â€Å"So I must go to continue my labors.† And as he left, he felt, as always, a pang of conscience over the deceit he was practicing. Las Zenow did not have the slightest idea of Seldon's true intentions. 3 Hari Seldon surveyed the comfortable suite that had been his personal office at the Galactic Library these past few years. It, like the rest of the Library, had a vague air of decay about it, a kind of weariness-something that had been too long in one place. And yet Seldon knew it might remain here, in the same place, for centuries more-with judicious rebuildings-for millennia even. How did he come to be here? Over and over again, he felt the past in his mind, ran his mental tendrils along the line of development of his life. It was part of growing older, no doubt. There was so much more in the past, so much less in the future, that the mind turned away from the looming shadow ahead to contemplate the safety of what had gone before. In his case, though, there was that change. For over thirty years psychohistory had developed in what might almost be considered a straight line-progress creepingly slow but moving straight ahead. Then six years ago there had been a right-angled turn-totally unexpected. And Seldon know exactly how it had happened, how a concatenation of events came together to make it possible. It was Wanda, of course, Seldon's granddaughter. Hari closed his eyes and settled into his chair to review the events of six years before. Twelve-year-old Wanda was bereft. Her mother, Manella, had had another child, another little girl, Bellis, and for a time the new baby was a total preoccupation. Her father, Raych, having finished his book on his home sector of Dahl, found it to be a minor success and himself a minor celebrity. He was called upon to talk on the subject, something he accepted with alacrity, for he was fiercely absorbed in the subject and, as he said to Hari with a grin, â€Å"When I talk about Dahl, I don't have to hide my Dahlite accent. In fact, the public expects it of me.† The net result, though, was that he was away from home a considerable amount of time and when he wasn't, it was the baby he wanted to see. As for Dors-Dors was gone-and to Hari Seldon that wound was ever-fresh, ever-painful. And he had reacted to it in an unfortunate manner. It had been Wanda's dream that had set in motion the current of events that had ended with the loss of Dors. Wanda had had nothing to do with it-Seldon knew that very well. And yet he found himself shrinking from her, so that he also failed her in the crisis brought about by the birth of the new baby. And Wanda wandered disconsolately to the one person who always seemed glad to see her, the one person she could always count on. That WAS Yugo Amaryl, second only to Hari Seldon in the development of psychohistory and first in his absolute round-the-clock devotion to it. Hari had had Dors and Raych, but psychohistory was Yugo's life; he had no wife and children. Yet whenever Wanda came into his presence, something within him recognized her as a child and he dimly felt-for just that moment-a sense of loss that seemed to be assuaged only by showing the child affection. To be sure, he tended to treat her as a rather undersized adult, but Wanda seemed to like that. It was six years ago that she had wandered into Yugo's office. Yugo looked up at her with his owlish reconstituted eyes and, as usual, took a moment or two to recognize her. Then he said, â€Å"Why, it's my dear friend Wanda. But why do you look so sad? Surely an attractive young woman like you should never feel sad.† And Wanda, her lower lip trembling, said, â€Å"Nobody loves me.† â€Å"Oh come, that's not true.† â€Å"They just love that new baby. They don't care about me anymore.† â€Å"I love you, Wanda.† â€Å"Well, you're the only one then, Uncle Yugo.† And even though she could no longer crawl onto his lap as she had when she was younger, she cradled her head on his shoulder and wept. Amaryl, totally unaware of what he should do, could only hug the girl and say, â€Å"Don't cry. Don't cry.† And out of sheer sympathy and because he had so little in his own life to weep about, he found that tears were trickling down his own cheeks as well. And then he said with sudden energy, â€Å"Wanda, would you like to see something pretty?† â€Å"What?† sniffled Wanda. Amaryl knew only one thing in life and the Universe that was pretty. He said, â€Å"Did you ever see the Prime Radiant?† â€Å"No. What is it?† â€Å"It's what your grandfather and I use to do our work. See? It's right here.† He pointed to the black cube on his desk and Wanda looked at it woefully. â€Å"That's not pretty,† she said. â€Å"Not now,† agreed Amaryl. â€Å"But watch when I turn it on.† He did so. The room darkened and filled with dots of light and flashes of different colors. â€Å"See? Now we can magnify it so all the dots become mathematical symbols.† And so they did. There seemed a rush of material toward them and there, in the air, were signs of all sorts, letters, numbers, arrows, and shapes that Wanda had never seen before. â€Å"Isn't it pretty?† asked Amaryl. â€Å"Yes, it is,† said Wanda, staring carefully at the equations that (she didn't know) represented possible futures. â€Å"I don't like that part, though. I think it's wrong.† She pointed at a colorful equation to her left. â€Å"Wrong? Why do you say it's wrong† said Amaryl, frowning. â€Å"Because it's not†¦ pretty. I'd do it a different way.† Amaryl cleared his throat. â€Å"Well, I'll try to fix it up.† And he moved closer to the equation in question, staring at it in his owlish fashion. Wanda said, â€Å"Thank you very much, Uncle Yugo, for showing me your pretty lights. Maybe someday I'll understand what they mean.† â€Å"That's all right,† said Amaryl. â€Å"I hope you feel better.† â€Å"A little, thanks,† and, after flashing the briefest of smiles, she left the room. Amaryl stood there, feeling a trifle hurt. He didn't like having the Prime Radiant's product criticized-not even by a twelve-year-old girl who knew no better. And as he stood there, he had no idea whatsoever that the psychohistorical revolution had begun. 4 That afternoon Amaryl went to Hari Seldon's office at Streeling University. That in itself was unusual, for Amaryl virtually never left his own office, even to speak with a colleague just down the hall. â€Å"Hari,† said Amaryl, frowning and looking puzzled. â€Å"Something very odd has happened. Very peculiar.† Seldon looked at Amaryl with deepest sorrow. He was only fifty-three, but he looked much older, bent, worn down to almost transparency. When forced, he had undergone doctors' examinations and the doctors had all recommended that he leave his work for a period of time (some said permanently) and rest. Only this, the doctors said, might improve his health. Otherwise-Seldon shook his head. â€Å"Take him away from his work and he'll die all the sooner-and unhappier. We have no choice.† And then Seldon realized that, lost in such thoughts, he was not hearing Amaryl speak. He said, â€Å"I'm sorry, Yugo. I'm a little distracted. Begin again.† Amaryl said, â€Å"I'm telling you that something very odd has happened. Very peculiar.† â€Å"What is it, Yugo?† â€Å"It was Wanda. She came in to see me-very sad, very upset.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Apparently it's the new baby.† â€Å"Oh yes,† Hari said with more than a trace of guilt in his voice. â€Å"So she said and cried on my shoulder-I actually cried a bit, too, Hari. And then I thought I'd cheer her up by showing her the Prime Radiant.† Here Amaryl hesitated, as if choosing his next words carefully. â€Å"Go on, Yugo. What happened?† â€Å"Well, she stared at all the lights and I magnified a portion, actually Section 428254. You're acquainted with that?† Seldon smiled. â€Å"No, Yugo, I haven't memorized the equations quite as well as you have.† â€Å"Well, you should,† said Amaryl severely. â€Å"How can you do a good job if-But never mind that. What I'm trying to say is that Wanda pointed to a part of it and said it was no good. It wasn't pretty. â€Å" â€Å"Why not? We all have our personal likes and dislikes.† â€Å"Yes, of course, but I brooded about it and I spent some time going over it and, Hari, there was something wrong with it. The programming was inexact and that area, the precise area to which Wanda pointed, was no good. And, really, it wasn't pretty.† Seldon sat up rather stiffly, frowning. â€Å"Let me get this straight, Yugo. She pointed to something at random, said it was no good, and she was right?† â€Å"Yes. She pointed, but it wasn't at random; she was very deliberate.† â€Å"But that's impossible.† â€Å"But it happened. I was there.† â€Å"I'm not saying it didn't happen. I'm saying it was just a wild coincidence.† â€Å"Is it? Do you think, with all your knowledge of psychohistory, you could take one glance at a new set of equations and tell me that one portion is no good?† Seldon said, â€Å"Well then, Yugo, how did you come to expand that particular portion of the equations? What made you choose that piece for magnification?† Amaryl shrugged. â€Å"That was coincidence-if you like. I just fiddled with the controls.† â€Å"That couldn't be coincidence,† muttered Seldon. For a few moments he was lost in thought, then he asked the question that pushed forward the psychohistorical revolution that Wanda had begun. He said, â€Å"Yugo, did you have any suspicions about those equations beforehand? Did you have any reason to believe there was something wrong with them?† Amaryl fiddled with the sash of his unisuit and seemed embarrassed. â€Å"Yes, I think I did. You see-â€Å" â€Å"You think you did?† â€Å"I know I did. I seemed to recall when I was setting it up-it's a new section, you know-my fingers seemed to glitch on the programmer. It looked all right then, but I guess I kept worrying about it inside. I remember thinking it looked wrong, but I had other things to do and I just let it go. But then when Wanda happened to point to precisely the area I had been concerned about, I decided to check up on her-otherwise I would just have let it go as a childish statement.† â€Å"And you turned on that very fragment of the equations to show Wanda. As though it were haunting your unconscious mind.† Amaryl shrugged. â€Å"Who knows?† â€Å"And just before that, you were very close together, hugging, both crying.† Amaryl shrugged again, looking even more embarrassed. Seldon said, â€Å"I think I know what happened, Yugo. Wanda read your mind.† Amaryl jumped, as though he had been bitten. â€Å"That's impossible!† Slowly Seldon said, â€Å"I once knew someone who had unusual mental powers of that sort†-and he thought sadly of Eto Demerzel or, as Seldon had secretly known him, Daneel-â€Å"only he was somewhat more than human. But his ability to read minds, to sense other people's thoughts, to persuade people to act in a certain way-that was a mental ability. I think, somehow, that perhaps Wanda has that ability as well.† â€Å"I can't believe it,† said Amaryl stubbornly. â€Å"I can,† said Seldon â€Å"but I don't know what to do about it.† Dimly lie felt the rumblings of a revolution in psychohistorical research-but only dimly.