Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Yoga And Mental Health - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 744 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/08/07 Category Sports Essay Level High school Tags: Yoga Essay Did you like this example? A person in such state is called a healthy person or Swastha. In this definition, Samadosha indicates the normal condition of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The imbalanced conditions that is either lower or higher condition is a state of disease. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Yoga And Mental Health" essay for you Create order Likewise, Samagni means the normal condition or quality of the bodyââ¬â¢s Agni, the power or energy. If the Agni is abnormal and in low quality, it is called Mandagni. Mandagni also brings the state of disease. Ayurveda describes 7 types of bodyââ¬â¢s components which are called Sapta-Dhatu. These seven Dhatu includes Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi, Majja and Shukra. All these components should be in balance and their functions must be proper, otherwise it is the abnormal state of health. The elimination of wastages is called Mala-Kriya. The balanced state of the Mala like Purisa (faeces), Mutra (urine) and Sweda (Sweat) in the body also determines health or illness in the body. Ayurveda gives equal importance to the mental health. The Sutra gives more emphasis to the mental well-being. If a person wants to be healthy, his sensory and motor organs and mind have to be in happy and pleasant conditions instead of griefful, sad and imbalanced mind which leads to psychosomatic dis eases. Unhealthy body and mind do not play any role in the overall development of an individual, a society and a nation, but instead it harms the individual. Physical and mental health are important in every fields of economics, education, value, information, science, technology etc. The condition of mental health depends on different human qualities. Yogic theory of mental and personal quality is based on Tri-Guna such as Sattvika, Rajas and Tamas Guna of Vedic concept. Among these three Gunas, Sattva represents positive, stable, peaceful, joyful and blissful condition of mind which leads to positive behavior; Rajas represents unstabale, naughty, helter-skeltar and disorganized condition of mind which leads to excessive attachment over materialistic things, momentary pleasures and ultimately, it disturbs the mind and mental health. Sharma Tiwari (1993, p. 457) stated that according to Atharva-Veda, the one who behaves abnormally and is unable to keep the Gunaââ¬â¢s level in a sufficient balance, he or she goes to abnormal condition. The ancient and modern thoughts are similar in the case of normal and abnormal behavior. According to brown (1940), ââ¬Å"The chief tenet of modern psychopathology is that abnormal psychological phenomena are simply exaggeration s (i.e. overdevelopments or under-developments) or disguised (i.e., perverted) developments of normal psychological phenomenaâ⬠(p.6). Since ancient age, the concept of the mental health and illness was developed. In Atharva-Veda, the nature of abnormal psychology and its therapy is included as insanity, mania, seizure-hysteria, epilepsy, fear-phobia, schizophrenia paranoia type, anger-rage, jealousy, feeling guilt and inferiority; eroticism, evil dream, sharp compulsive evil suggestion, memory and learning improvement, energising ego; integration and social harmony. Singh Tiwari, Ibid. pp. 457-458 Pradhan (2016), addressed that mental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspective of the discipline of positive psychology or holism, mental health may include an individualââ¬â¢s ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. The review of literature revealed that the state of the mental health depends on work and workplace; behavior of friends, family members, teachers; quality of relationship and support from the ones considered close such as parents, family members; physical conditions; social participations, learning and teaching methods, family environment and financial condition. According to the scriptures of yoga, action (Karma), quality (Guna) and state of Chitta determines a personââ¬â¢s performance and overall mental health. Characteristics of Mentally Healthy Persons Lewkan (1949) defined mentally healthy person as the one who is happy, lives peacefully with her/his neighbours, strives to makes his children healthy citizens and after fulfilling such basic responsibilities is still empowered with sufficient strength to save the cause of the society. A mentally healthy person has some characteristics and indicators, among them the major ones are enlisted below: 1. Self respect, feeling selfless, secure and reverence for other 2. Positive emotions and autoenthusiasm 3 . Behaviour according to time/situation and adjustment 4. Knowledge and acceptance of oneââ¬â¢s own shortcomings 5. True knowledge or estimation and right decision 6. General Intelligence and genuine contact with reality 7. Knowledge of own power and ability 8. Organized personality and hardworking 9. Firm determination and role execution 10. Learning from experience 11. Equal emphasis on personality, performance and behaviour Mishra Mishra (1989, p. 13-16)
Monday, December 23, 2019
Essay on Drugs, Money, Media and Advertising - 1849 Words
Drugs, Money, Media and Advertising Ads for pharmaceutical drugs are everywhere. They are in magazines, on television and radio, on billboards, and on the little bags that you get from the pharmacist. These days it is difficult to get away from all the drug advertising. All these ads are for products that require a doctors prescription. The goal of advertising is to increase profits. By advertising so heavily for drugs that the majority of the population does not need, pharmaceutical companies attempt to create as large a consumer base as they can. In advertising directly to the consumer, the drug companies accomplish two objectives. First, they get information directly to the consumer. Second, they promote the product andâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Doctors often prescribe these drugs to those who have allergy-like symptoms without checking for particular allergies (Francis, 2001; Swanson, 2001). With so many commercials that tout the drugs as relieving symptoms and causing few side effects, many people are lulled into thinking that no side effects exist. The public is bombarded by images of happy people in fun and relaxing situations. They show what life could be for those who take these drugs. Lulled into a false sense of security by all these marketing tactics, why wouldnt people go see their doctors and ask for these drugs? Ken Sanes (2000) gives a detailed description of a Claritin commercial and talks about its symbolism. This particular ad featured a hot air balloon and people enjoying an elaborate picnic in a field, after which they took a ride in the balloon. The website describes the ad as contrasting the feeling of being trapped and weighted down, . . . with a floating hot air balloon and an upbeat song about blue skies. Sanes also claims that the commercial goes beyond selling the image of the good life and suggests that, by using the product we will achieve transcendence from the weighted down world of mundane life. After all, the qualities depicted in the commercial - clarity of vision, joy, a feeling of weightlessly escaping the hold of the material world. The commercial may not be blatantly trying toShow MoreRelatedModel Answer to Question of Drug Use Adv1639 Words à |à 7 PagesEvaluate the creative strategy used by the Partnership for a Drug Free America in its advertising camp aign, particularly with respect to the use of strong fear appeals. Early spots of creative strategy used by the Partnership for Drug Free America in its advertising campaign are considered ââ¬Å"melodramaticâ⬠relying too much on scare tactics and stereotypes such as the school bus driver who snorts cocaine; African-American boys selling crack in the school yard; and the ââ¬Å"one puff and you are hookedâ⬠Read MorePrescription Drugs And The United States And New Zealand1719 Words à |à 7 PagesConsumer Advertising There are only two countries that allow advertising of prescription drugs to consumers; the United States and New Zealand. Direct to consumer advertising (DTCA) is what they call the prescription drugs advertisements that are made specifically for the consumer. Pharmaceutical companies survival depends upon a gullible public buying what they are selling, whether you need it or not. Prescription drug advertising is in a different category than toothpaste advertising. BecauseRead MoreDirect to Consumer Advertising1068 Words à |à 5 PagesDirect-to-Consumer Drug Advertising: Ethical or Not? The United States and New Zealand are the only developed countries that allow direct-to-consumer advertising. Whether the practice of direct to consumer advertising is beneficial to the consumers or not is a highly debated subject with both positions presenting sound reasoning for their position. Whether the practice is beneficial or not to the consumer is not the question, but rather, is advertising prescription drugs directly to consumersRead MoreA Strong Case For Legalizing Marijuana1096 Words à |à 5 Pagespress from the mainstream corporate media. Media companies make most of their money from advertising revenues and that results in a carefully crafted agenda dependent upon not offending their corporate sponsors. Alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs are some the mediaââ¬â¢s heaviest advertisers which creates an implied business partnership because of their aligned corporate interests. In 2007 alone, drug companies spent $3.7 billion in direct-to-consumer advertising. The media must not bite the hand that feedsRead MoreAdvertising Is A Visual Or Audio Communication That Employs1165 Words à |à 5 PagesAdvertising is a visual or audio communication that employs a non-personal message to promote to sell a product or a service ideal. Advertising is transferred through mass media including: newspapers, magazines, television, radio etc. Advertising is a way of delivering messages to customers and prospective customers. The intent is to persuade consumers that a companyââ¬â¢s services or merchandises are the best. Advertising wants you to believe that the appearances of the models are exactly what theyRead More The Most Deadly Drugs are Already Legal Essay examples1143 Words à |à 5 Pagesbrain. This is your brain on drugs. Fried egg is probably the most influential commercial of our generation. We feared it, we laughed at it, some of us stopped eating eggs, and we made a lot of t-shirts about it. And who was scaring us? Who was so concerned about our health? Our loving friends: The Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA). We used to watch those commercials and get all warm and fuzzy inside, someone out there cared enough about us to spend a lot of money on those frightening ads.Read MoreA Period When Many Developmental Changes Are Occurring.1608 Words à |à 7 Pagesintellectual capacities expand and their friends and peers become extremely influential. Not only does adolescent usage of marijuana has been linked to a range of developmental and social problems, but also early initiation of this highly addictive drug use can have a negative impact on memory, attention and learning, school performance, problematic behavior, increased risk of mental health issues, and other developmental complications. Most people who use cannabis (marijuana) do so to experienceRead More Freakonomics A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner1032 Words à |à 5 Pagesin one chapter of Freakonomics the reason why drug dealers live with their moms. Throughout this chapter, the authors discuss questions about why intelligent people sometimes do not ask questions that people really care about, advertising and surveys, and why, in general, do drug dealers still live with their moms. The use of testimonial evidence is prudent in the chapter because its proof builds the case for the qualitative evidence used during the drug dealing section of the chapter. I will discussRead MoreFive Differents Types of Consumption1020 Words à |à 5 Pagescommodities through which individuals gain prestige, identity, and standing. Media as well, has for long been contributing in increasing the level of consumption among people. There is evidence that since the 16th century, visual media such as paintings, print and architecture contributed to the expansion of consumption, a multiplier effect that has increased with the invention of mass advertising, and the growth of new media (Schama 1988, Mukerji 1983). Researchers stated that there are five typesRead MoreThe Commercialisation of Sport Essay633 Words à |à 3 Pagesplace. This is done by the use of sponsorship, funding, selling, publicity and advertising within the media, which is all rooted from money. People invest in sport not only for the success that comes from it, but for the great deal of money that can be made in the sport business, therefore money is of high importance in the sporting industry. With the commercialisation of sport comes money, which can be invested in the development of young talent so that they may improve
Sunday, December 15, 2019
The Secret Circle The Power Chapter Fifteen Free Essays
Around four oââ¬â¢clock the power went off. The house got colder. They lit candles and went on reading. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret Circle: The Power Chapter Fifteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËFor Protection Against Fire and Water,'â⬠Cassie read. But Melanie said the spell which came after wasnââ¬â¢t powerful enough to protect against a hurricane, and Cassie knew she was right. ââ¬Å"Here, this is To Cast Out Fear and Malignant Emotions,'â⬠Diana read from her own book. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËSun by day/ and moon by night/ let all dark thoughts/ be put to flight.ââ¬â¢ Nice thought.â⬠They went on reading. A Charm to Cure a Sickly Child. An Amulet for Power. Three Spells to Bind a Lover. To Raise a Storm ââ¬â that, they didnââ¬â¢t need, Cassie thought wryly. She read again about crystals: how the larger a crystal was, the more energy it could store and focus. The spell To Turn Aside Evil, she read aloud, although she didnââ¬â¢t understand it. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËInvoke the power which is yours alone, calling upon the elements or those features of the natural world which lie closest to your heart. These powers have you over all that is evil: powers of sun and moon and stars, and of everything belonging to the earth.'â⬠She read it again, puzzling. ââ¬Å"I still donââ¬â¢t get it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I think it means that as witches we can call on nature, on the things that are good, to fight evil,â⬠Melanie said. ââ¬Å"Yes, but how do we call on them?â⬠Cassie said. ââ¬Å"And what do they do when we do it?â⬠Melanie didnââ¬â¢t know. It got dark. The gray light from the windows got dimmer and dimmer and finally faded altogether. Wind banged the shutters and rattled the glass in the windows. The rain kept coming steadily in the blackness. ââ¬Å"What do you think heââ¬â¢ll do?â⬠asked Suzan. ââ¬Å"Something unfriendly,â⬠said Laurel. Cassie was proud of them. They were scared; she knew them well enough to know that fear was what was behind Deborahââ¬â¢s restless pacing and Melanieââ¬â¢s stillness, but none of them were running away or backing down. Doug cracked bad jokes, and Chris made paper airplanes. Nick sat tense and silent, and Adam kept Dougââ¬â¢s headphones on, listening to the news on the radio. At six oââ¬â¢clock the storm stopped. Cassieââ¬â¢s ears, used to the drumming of rain and the clattering and banging and howling of wind, felt suddenly empty. She looked and saw the others were all sitting alert. ââ¬Å"It canââ¬â¢t be over,â⬠Suzan said. ââ¬Å"Unless it missed us?â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s still out in the Atlantic,â⬠Adam said. ââ¬Å"They think it should hit land in about an hour. This is just the calm before the storm.â⬠ââ¬Å"Cassie?â⬠said Diana. ââ¬Å"I think heââ¬â¢s making his move,â⬠Cassie said, trying to sound calm. And then every muscle in her body tightened. Cassandra. It was his voice in her mind. She looked at the others and saw theyââ¬â¢d heard it too. Bring your coven to the end of Crowhaven Road. To Number Thirteen, Cassandra. Iââ¬â¢m waiting for you. Cassieââ¬â¢s fingers clenched on a piece of unfolded laundry lying nearby. She tried to concentrate on the power of the Master Tools, on the warmth where they touched her. Then she pushed with her mind, forming words. Weââ¬â¢re coming. Say hello to Faye. She let out her breath. Doug grinned at her. ââ¬Å"Pretty good,â⬠he said. It was sheer bravado, and they all knew it, but it made Cassie feel better. She inconspicuously wiped her wet palms on the laundry and stood up. ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s go,â⬠she said. Diana had been right; wearing the symbols of the coven leader and the white shift, she didnââ¬â¢t feel cold. Outside, the sky was clear and the earth was silent except for the sound of the waves. Yes, the calm before the storm, Cassie thought. It was a very uneasy calm, ready to erupt into violence again at any moment. Melanie said, ââ¬Å"Look at the moon.â⬠Cassieââ¬â¢s stomach lurched. It looked like a crescent moon, a silver disk with a bite out of it. But Cassie sensed the wrongness there. It wasnââ¬â¢t a crescent moon; it was a full moon being invaded, overshadowed. She was watching darkness fall on a bright world. She thought she could actually see the shadow moving, covering more of the white surface. ââ¬Å"Come on,â⬠she said. They walked up the wet street, making for the headland. They passed Suzanââ¬â¢s house with its Grecian pillars, a gray bulk against the moonlight. They passed Seanââ¬â¢s house, just as dark. Water gurgled down the sides of the road in little rivers. They passed Cassieââ¬â¢s house. They reached the vacant lot at Number Thirteen. It looked just the way it had when they had celebrated Halloween here by making a bonfire and calling up Black Johnââ¬â¢s spirit. Empty, deserted. Barren. There was nobody here. ââ¬Å"Is it a trick?â⬠Nick asked sharply. Cassie shook her head uncertainly. The little voice inside wasnââ¬â¢t telling her anything. She looked eastward at the moon, and felt another shock. It was visibly smaller, the crescent very thin now. The shadow was not black or gray, but a dull copper-brown color. ââ¬Å"Ten minutes until totality,â⬠Melanie said. ââ¬Å"About half an hour until the hurricane reaches land,â⬠said Adam. A fresh wind blew around them. Cassieââ¬â¢s feet, in the thin white shoes Diana had brought for her, were damp. They stood uncertainly. Cassie listened to the waves crashing at the base of the cliff. Her senses were alert, searching, but nothing seemed to be happening. Minutes dragged by and her nerves stretched more and more taut. ââ¬Å"Look,â⬠Diana whispered. Cassie looked at the moon again. The dull brownish shadow was swallowing up the last fingernail-thin edge of brightness. Cassie watched it go, like a candle winking out. Then she gasped. The sound was involuntary and she was ashamed of it, but everyone else was gasping too. Because the moon hadnââ¬â¢t just gone dark, like a new moon, and it wasnââ¬â¢t even the coppery-brown color. As it was covered by shadow it turned red, a deep and ominous red, like old blood. High in the sky, perfectly visible, it glowed like a coal with unnatural light. Then someone choked and Sean made a squealing noise. Cassie turned quickly, in time to see it happening. On the empty lot before them, something was appearing. A rectangular bulk was taking shape, and as Cassie watched, it became more and more solid. She could see a steeply pitched roof, flat clapboard walls, small windows irregularly placed. A door made of heavy planks. It looked like the old wing of her grandmotherââ¬â¢s house, the original dwelling from 1693. It shone with a dull light, like the blood-red moon. ââ¬Å"Is it real?â⬠Deborah whispered. Cassie had to wait a moment to get the breath to speak. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s real now,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Right now, for a few minutes, itââ¬â¢s real.â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s horrible,â⬠Laurel whispered. Cassie knew what she was feeling, what the whole coven was feeling. The house was evil, in the same way that the skull was evil. It looked twisted, askew, like something out of a nightmare. And it gripped all of them with an instinctual terror. Cassie could hear Chris and Doug breathing hard. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t go near it,â⬠Nick said tightly. ââ¬Å"Everybody stay back until he comes out.â⬠ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t worry,â⬠Deborah assured him. ââ¬Å"Nobodyââ¬â¢s going near that.â⬠Cassie knew better. The inner voice, silent just a few moments ago, was telling her clearly now what she had to do. What it wasnââ¬â¢t telling her was how to get up the courage to do it. She looked behind her, at the rest of them standing there. The Club. The Circle. Her friends. Ever since her initiation, Cassie had been so happy to be a part of this group. Sheââ¬â¢d relied on different members of it at different times, crying on Diana and clinging to Nick and Adam when she needed them. But now there was something she had to do, and not even Nick or Adam could help her with it. Not even Diana could go with her. ââ¬Å"I have to go alone,â⬠she said. She figured out that sheââ¬â¢d said it aloud when she saw them all staring at her. The next instant they were all protesting. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t be crazy, Cassie. Thatââ¬â¢s his territory; you canââ¬â¢t go in there,â⬠Deborah said. ââ¬Å"Anything could happen. Let him come out,â⬠Nick told her. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s too dangerous. We wonââ¬â¢t let you go by yourself,â⬠Adam said flatly. Cassie looked at him reproachfully, because he was the one whoââ¬â¢d said that being coven leader might not be good for her; and he was right, so he was the one who should understand now. Of course this was dangerous, but she had to do it. Black John ââ¬â John Blake ââ¬â Jack Brunswick, whatever you wanted to call him ââ¬â had summoned her here, and he was waiting for her inside. And Cassie had to go. ââ¬Å"If you didnââ¬â¢t want to listen to me you shouldnââ¬â¢t have elected me leader,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"But Iââ¬â¢m telling you now, thatââ¬â¢s what he wants. He isnââ¬â¢t coming out. He wants me to go in.â⬠ââ¬Å"But you donââ¬â¢t have to,â⬠Chris said, almost pleading. Of them all, only Diana was silent. She stood, mouth trembling, tears hanging on her lashes. It was to her that Cassie spoke. ââ¬Å"Yes, I do,â⬠she said. And Diana, who understood about being a leader, nodded. Cassie turned away before she could see Diana cry. ââ¬Å"You stay here,â⬠she said to all of them, ââ¬Å"until I come out. Iââ¬â¢ll be all right; Iââ¬â¢ve got the Master Tools, remember?â⬠Then she started walking toward the house. The nails in the heavy timber door were set in a pattern of swirls and diamonds. They seemed to glow redder than the wood around them. Cassie touched the iron door-handle hesitantly, but it was cool and solid to her fingers. The door swung open before her and she went inside. Everything here was slightly misty, like a red hologram, but it felt real enough. The kitchen was much like her grandmotherââ¬â¢s kitchen and it was empty. The parlor next door was the same. A flight of narrow, winding stairs rose from the back corner of the parlor. Cassie climbed the steps, noting with a strange amusement the incongruity of the tin lantern hanging on the wall. It was giving off a cold, eerie red light, barely brighter than the house itself. The stairs were steep and her heart was pounding when she reached the top. The first small bedroom was empty. So was the second. That left only the large room over the kitchen. Cassie walked toward it without faltering. On the threshold she saw that the red glow in here was brighter, like the surface of the shadowed moon. She went in. He was inside, standing so tall that his head almost touched the uneven ceiling. He was giving off a light of pure evil. His face was triumphant and cruel, and inside, Cassie thought she could see the outlines of the skull. Cassie stopped and looked at him. ââ¬Å"Father,â⬠she said, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ve come.â⬠ââ¬Å"With your coven,â⬠Black John said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m proud of you.â⬠He extended a hand to her, which she ignored. ââ¬Å"You brought them here very nicely,â⬠he went on. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m glad they had the sense to acclaim you as leader.â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s only temporary,â⬠Cassie said. Black John smiled. His eyes were on the Master Tools. ââ¬Å"You wear them well,â⬠he said. Cassie felt a slow writhe of panic in her stomach. Everything was going according to his plan, she could see that. She was here, with the tools heââ¬â¢d wanted for so long, on his territory, in his house. And she was afraid of him. ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s no need to be frightened, Cassandra,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t want to hurt you. We donââ¬â¢t need to quarrel. We have the same purpose: to unify the coven.â⬠ââ¬Å"We donââ¬â¢t have the same purpose.â⬠ââ¬Å"You are my daughter.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m no part of you!â⬠Cassie cried. He was playing on her emotions, looking for her weaknesses. And every minute the hurricane was getting closer to land. Cassie sought desperately for a distraction, and she glimpsed something behind the tall man. ââ¬Å"Faye,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"I didnââ¬â¢t see you there, standing in his shadow.â⬠Faye stepped forward indignantly. She was wearing the black silk shift, like a negative image of Cassieââ¬â¢s, and her own diadem, bracelet, and garter. She lifted her head proudly and gazed at Cassie with smoldering golden eyes. ââ¬Å"My two queens,â⬠Black John said fondly. ââ¬Å"Dark and bright. Together, you will rule the coven ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"And youââ¬â¢ll rule us?â⬠Cassie asked sharply. Black John smiled again. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a wise woman who knows when to be ruled by a man.â⬠Faye wasnââ¬â¢t smiling. Cassie looked at her sideways. Black John didnââ¬â¢t appear to notice. ââ¬Å"Do you want me to stop the hurricane?â⬠he asked Cassie. ââ¬Å"Yes. Of course.â⬠This was what sheââ¬â¢d come for, to hear his terms. And to try and find his weak point. Cassie waited. ââ¬Å"Then all you have to do is swear an oath. A blood oath, Cassandra; youââ¬â¢re familiar with those.â⬠He held a hand out to Faye without looking at her. Faye stared at the hand for an instant, then reached down to pull a dagger out of her garter. The black-handled knife used for casting circles on the ground. Black John held it up, then he cut his own palm. Blood welled out sluggishly, dark red. Like Adam, Cassie thought wildly, her heart accelerating. Like the oath Adam and I swore. The tall man held the dagger toward Cassie. When she made no move to step forward and take it, he held it toward Faye. ââ¬Å"Give it to her,â⬠he said. Faye took the dagger and handed it to Cassie, handle first. Slowly, Cassieââ¬â¢s fingers grasped it. Faye moved back to Black Johnââ¬â¢s side. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s just a little blood, Cassandra. Swear obedience to me and Iââ¬â¢ll release the hurricane, let it turn harmlessly back out to sea. Then you and I can begin our reign together.â⬠The dagger was actually trembling in Cassieââ¬â¢s hand. There was no way to steady her pulse now. She knew what she was going to do, but she needed time to get her nerve up. ââ¬Å"How did you kill Jeffrey?â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"And why?â⬠The tall man looked momentarily taken aback, then he recovered. ââ¬Å"By getting him to sit down for a moment; and to cause dissent between our kind and the outsiders,â⬠he said. He smiled. ââ¬Å"Besides, I didnââ¬â¢t like his attention to my daughter. He wasnââ¬â¢t one of us, Cassandra.â⬠Cassie wished Portia could see her ââ¬Å"Mr. Brunswickâ⬠now. ââ¬Å"Why did you use Sean?â⬠she asked. ââ¬Å"Because he was weak, and he already wore a stone that I could influence,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Why all these questions? Donââ¬â¢t you realize ââ¬â ââ¬Å" He broke off then and moved lightning fast. While he was in the middle of speaking, Cassie had thrown the dagger at him. Sheââ¬â¢d never thrown a knife before, but some ancestor whoââ¬â¢d worn the Master Tools must have, because the bracelet seemed to guide her right arm, and the dagger flashed end over end straight toward Black Johnââ¬â¢s heart. But the tall man was simply too quick. He caught the dagger in midair ââ¬â by the blade ââ¬â and stood holding it, looking at Cassie. ââ¬Å"That was unworthy of you, Cassandra,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"And hardly any way to behave to your father. Now Iââ¬â¢m angry with you.â⬠He didnââ¬â¢t sound angry; his voice was cold as death and poisonous. Cassie had thought sheââ¬â¢d been afraid before, but that had been nothing. Now she was truly afraid. Her knees were weak and the pounding of her heart shook her whole body. Black John tossed the dagger back and it stuck in the floor in front of Cassie, quivering. ââ¬Å"The hurricane is about to reach land,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"You donââ¬â¢t have a choice; youââ¬â¢ve never had a choice. Take the oath, Cassandra. Do it!â⬠Iââ¬â¢m frightened, Cassie thought. Please, Iââ¬â¢m so frightened . . . She was wearing the Master Tools, but she had no idea how to use them. ââ¬Å"I am your father. Do as I tell you.â⬠If only I knew how to use them â⬠¦ ââ¬Å"You have no power to defy me!â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, I do,â⬠Cassie whispered. In her mind, a door opened, a silver light dawned. Like the moon coming out of a shadow, it illuminated everything. She understood the spell to turn aside evil now. Invoke the power which is yours alone . . . these powers have you over all that is evilâ⬠¦ Suddenly, she felt as if a long line of witches were standing behind her. She was only the last, only one of them, and all their knowledge was hers. Their knowledge and their power. Words rose to her lips. ââ¬Å"Power of moon have I over thee,â⬠she said shakily. Black John stared at her, seeming to recoil. ââ¬Å"Power of moon have I over thee,â⬠Cassie repeated, more strongly. ââ¬Å"Power of sun have I over thee.â⬠Black John stepped back. Cassie stepped forward, searching for the next words in her mind. But she didnââ¬â¢t say them. A voice said them for her, a voice behind her. ââ¬Å"Power of stars have I over thee. Power of planets have I over thee.â⬠It was Diana, her fair hair stirred as if in a light wind. She came to stand behind Cassie, tall and proud and slender, like a silver sword. Cassieââ¬â¢s heart swelled; she had never been more glad to have anybody disregard her instructions in her life. ââ¬Å"Power of tides have I over thee. Power of rain have I over thee,â⬠said Adam. He was right beside Diana, his hair shining like firelight, like rubies, in the red glow. Deborah was behind him, her dark hair tumbling around a small face fierce with concentration. ââ¬Å"Power of wind have I over thee,â⬠she said. Nick joined her, his eyes cold and angry. ââ¬Å"Power of ice have I over thee.â⬠And Laurel. ââ¬Å"Power of leaf have I over thee. Power of root have I over thee.â⬠And Melanie. ââ¬Å"Power of rock have I over thee.â⬠They were all here, all joining Cassie, adding their voices to hers. And Black John was cowering before them. ââ¬Å"Power of thunder have I over thee,â⬠Doug told him, and, ââ¬Å"Power of lightning have I over thee,â⬠shouted Chris. ââ¬Å"Power of dew have I over thee,â⬠Suzan said, and pushed a small figure in front of her. It was Sean, and he was shaking, seemingly terrified to come face to face with the man who had controlled his mind. But his voice rose in a shriek. ââ¬Å"Power of blood have I over thee!â⬠Black John was against the red wall of the house now, and he looked shrunken. His features had lost definition, and the red glow had died, leaving him black in reality. But there were only eleven in Cassieââ¬â¢s coven; the Circle wasnââ¬â¢t complete. And only a full Circle could stand against this man. As Seanââ¬â¢s yell died, Black John straightened. He took a step toward them, and Cassieââ¬â¢s breath caught. ââ¬Å"Power of fire have I over thee!â⬠a husky voice cried, and he fell back. In astonishment, Cassie looked at Faye. The tall girl seemed to have gained height as Black John had lost it, and she looked every inch a barbarian queen as she stood glaring at him. Then she moved to stand beside Cassie. ââ¬Å"Power of darkness have I over thee,â⬠she said, each word a stabbing knife. ââ¬Å"Power of night have I over thee!â⬠Now, thought Cassie. He was weak, wounded, and they were united. Now, if ever, was the time to defeat him. But neither Fire nor Water had done it before. Black John had been defeated twice, had died twice, but always heââ¬â¢d come back. If they were going to get rid of him permanently they had to do more than destroy his body. They had to destroy the source of his power ââ¬â the crystal skull. If we only had a larger crystal, Cassie thought. But there was no larger crystal. She thought desperately of the protruding outcrops of granite in New Salem . . . but they werenââ¬â¢t crystal, they wouldnââ¬â¢t hold and focus energy. Besides, she didnââ¬â¢t just need a big crystal, she needed an enormous one. One so huge ââ¬â so huge . . . I like to think of crystals as a beach, she heard Melanieââ¬â¢s laughing voice say in her mind. A crystal is just fossilized water and sand . . . Along with the words came a picture. A glimpse of Cassieââ¬â¢s own hand that first day on the beach at Cape Cod. ââ¬Å"Look down,â⬠Portia had hissed, seeing Adam coming, and so Cassie had looked down, ashamed, staring at her own fingers trailing in the sand. In the sand that glittered with tiny flecks of garnet, with green and gold and brown and black crystals. A beach. A beach. ââ¬Å"With me!â⬠Cassie shouted. ââ¬Å"All of you think with me ââ¬â give me your power! Now!â⬠She pictured it clearly, the long beach stretching parallel to Crowhaven Road. More than a mile of it, of crystal piled on crystal. She sent her thoughts racing toward it, gathering the power of the coven behind her. She focused on it, through it, looking now at Black John ââ¬â at the crystal skull with its grinning teeth and its hollow eyes. And then she pushed with her mind. She felt it go out of her, like a rush of heat, like a solar flare with the energy of the entire Circle driving it. It poured through her into the beach, and from the beach into Black John, focused and intensified, with all the power of Earth and Water combined. And this time when the skull exploded it was in a shattering rain of crystal like the blasted amethyst pendant. There was a scream that Cassie would never forget. Then the floor of the house at Number Thirteen disappeared from under her feet. How to cite The Secret Circle: The Power Chapter Fifteen, Essay examples
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Accounting Theory and Current Issue
Question: Describe about theAccounting Theory and Current Issues. Answer: The potential issues that may arise is the agreement on which method or the methods that the accountants and the auditors in the company may use to value the plant, equipment and the property in the organization (Mehta et al, 2012 p193). This may arise from the fact that the different valuation methods may give different values making it hard to arrive at a conclusive amount. The management may also have a say in the valuation process making it hard to arrive at the correct amount in valuation. Risks associated with such misrepresentation are the lack of a true and fair representation of the true value of the assets that belong to the company. For instance, in case they were to take a loan and they over valued or undervalued the value of their assets; such will affect their accessibility to the funds. A false value in the financial statements affects the balancing of the statements as they do not reflect the true value of all assets in the company. KGC has the responsibility of revaluing their assets to the market value at the current standing despite the challenges and the cases in court. This is because the fixed assets held by an enterprise for other purposes other than the reselling decrease in value and should be valued an entity. The main purpose and justification for the revaluation of the assets of an organization is to bring the value to the books the fair market value of the fixed assets. This helps in making decisions on whether to resell the assets or to invest in other type of businesses depending on the value at hand (Kaeb, 2007 p237). Other reasons for revaluing the assets is that it enables the company show the true rate of returns from the capital invested. KGC will also determine the value of the plant, property and equipment as some increase in value while others decrease in values with time. The period between the purchase and the correct price may have a considerable difference. On the other hand, the company should revalue the PP E as they make the necessary plans on the replacement after their useful lives (Miller, 2006 p75). The provisions for the depreciation of the assets are based on the historic costs which indicate the inflated profits. The major principles in accounting and the provision for fixed assets dictate that the assets should be revalued at the end of each financial year as reflected in the financial statements. Principles from the International Accounting Standards (IAS) provide the guidelines of what an organization should consider as an asset which will bring forth the economic benefits to the entity (Houy et al, 2010 p627). The measurement of the PPE are based on the purchase price, the costs that are directly attributed to the asset as well as the costs incurred with the dismantling and the removal of the item at the restoring the site on which the plant, equipment or the property were located. It has two options from where to choose from in the principles to apply when revaluing the asset (Goldthau Sovacool, 2012 p233). The first is either the revalued amount which is the fair value as at the date of the revaluation less any subsequent accumulated amount in depreciation and the accumulated losses attached. The other option is the valuation of the cost minus any accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Annual depreciation= NBV / remaining useful life 16.5 billion/ 3years = 5.5 billion KGC LTD PP E Movement schedule Cost/ valuation: AUD (billions) NBV 16.5 Additions: 12.0 Reclassification:(20.5) As at the end of year:8.5 Depreciation As at the beginning:5.5 NETBOOK VALUE 8.5 5.5 = 3billion AUD The true and fair Netbook value of KGC LTD is 3 billion AUD its assets are not fully depreciated hence there was no need of revaluation. Therefore, the original cost of the PP E and annual depreciation should be disclosed in the books as the assets are used to generate income. On the other hand, the useful life of an asset was revised since the contract could be renewed up to 10 years in addition of the current 7 years. KGC Ltd has many merits within the area that it operates as it has tremendously helped to improve the life and the living standards of the people within the area, either directly or indirectly through provision of employment opportunities. Many of the employees in the organization are from the local areas and it has enabled invention of the major social amenities like the hospitals and schools within which the local people attend for medical attention and for the thirst of education for their children respectively (Godfrey et al, 2010 p1000). The triple bottom line is an accounting framework which touches on three parts that is the social, the ecological and the financial aspect of the community within which the organization operates. It also helps in creating a greater value in the business. This is also the bottom line of the effect the organization has on the environment and the introduction of the full cost accounting. The triple bottom line or the TBL as commonly known argues that the existence of an organization within an environment and the effect of the same on the environment hence affecting the quality and the life of the people around. In this case, KGC Ltd affects the community negatively through the waste products it emits to the environment and to the water bodies. Such actions risk the life of people health wise. The sludge that it deposited in the village has affected the two local villages (Muduli, et al, 2013 p335). Such has caught the attention of the Australian environmentalist who argues that the company is environmentally irresponsible due to their lack of proper disposal of their waste (Froyd Willis, 2008 p1723). This makes the organization get exposed at a risk of losing out in their existence within the local community due to the remarks from the management on the role that KGC plays on the community around, such remarks are an attempt to justify their reckless behavior. In as much that the KGC Ltd has helped in uplifting the people of the area, they do not have the mandate to have irresponsible ways of disposal of waste products. The TBL issue also helps in measuring the profits and the returns on investment of each organization. In the recent past, it has incorporated the issue of the environment and the social dimensions which makes it important for the company to have an important tool within which they can support their goals while at the same time managing their environment dimensions. The major concern that KGC Ltd should have even as they engage in their mining activities is the profits, the planet, and the people (Muske et al, 2007 p45). In order to succeed and maintain the healthy relationship between the organization and the environment, it should put measures in place within which to calculate a common ground for mutual benefit. The risks that the company faces are the possibility of having the legally recognized environmentalists take over the organization and the management of the organization. The social movements may not take it kindly that the company disregards their welfare despite the many benefits that they get from the existence of the organization within their locality. The government may step in and put harsh measures that will affect the proper management of the organization which may affect the profitability of the organization and other areas streaming down to the local people. The management should make plans on how to deal with the risks that affect them before they develop in adverse results. KGC Ltd has the legal responsibility of maintaining a legitimacy in the eyes of the traditional land owners as it has to pay the dues that it owes to the land owners. This makes it possible for the land owners to enjoy the maximum benefit they can possibly acquire from the organization. The importance of maintaining the legitimacy is that it gives the respect in matters of land ownership hence making it possible for other people on land tenure-ship to give forth the dues they owe other land owners (Fernie Sparks, 2009 p129). Such will help in improving the living conditions of the people in the local area as the impact has on the less fortunate people in the society. The ownership of land by the original owners gives them the power of asking for the dues that belong to them as part of the compensation for the amount that they owed. This depends on the rate at which they agreed from the beginning and the increasing number of rates as time goes. In essence, the rate appreciates depending on the new timing and the increase in the number of years (Esteves Vanclay, 2009 p137). Depending on the agreement of the lease, the organization should continue paying the rates to the land owner to honor the agreement and reduce the risk of conflicts arising. The government of PNG deserves some form of legitimacy in terms of the revenue that it will collect from the company as it is one of the main areas that it gets the resources to conduct public matters. Such depends on the category that the KGC Ltd falls in terms of remitting the tax returns (Donoghue, 2004 p284). They should file the tax returns at the right time to avoid the issues with the government hence enable the government provide the services that it should to the public. On the other hand, the government should ensure that their laws and regulations should not affect the normal operations of the organization through imposing new taxation requirements that the organization should pay. Such new regulations may push the company in refusing to remit the required resources hence creating more conflicts with the government and the organization. The government requires that all organizations operating within their jurisdiction should pay the relevant and required revenues as long as they make profit (Boston, 2006. p96). The tenure policies in regards to land ownership will ensure that the government does not have to get involved in court cases between the organization and the land owners which will make it a lengthy process. Such will ensure that there is legal and social legitimacy in ensuring that all dues were paid by all organizations including the KGC Ltd. The issue of legitimacy on the people of Australia is also another issue that the organization should consider. The people of Australia expect some form of respect to the land ownership issues making the KGC organization pay the dues that it respects. Their maintenance of the legitimacy will act as a communication or message to other organizations that they should respect the boundaries when it comes to land ownership (Boehm, 2005 p144). Other organizations operating within Australia may use the example of KGC Ltd if they failed to honor their rules which may make other organizations follow suit crumbling the whole economy of the country. The far end results are more important that the face value of the maintenance of the legitimacy. The legitimacy of the company is at a high risk due to the current court cases that are facing the company brought forth through their irresponsible actions. Their remarks further aggravate the situation as they feel they are justified to put the lives of the locals at a risk as a result of the many developments that they have helped the PNG people. In order to reduce the risks that they face, they should take actions and rectify the problems they have created which will instill the confidence that the people have on the company (Baskin, 2006 p29). The rare sludge spill may lead to loss of lives of both human and animals due to the reckless actions of the organization. However, in the bigger picture, the closure of the company may affect the lives of many people as most of its employees are from the area. The royalties it owes to the traditional owners of the land within where they mine may further aggravate their position in the land. The taxes to the government and the help they have extended to the community within which they operate do not justify their failure to perform their obligations to the community, the land owners, and the government. Their creditors may come up together to make their demands for the money owed (Azapagic, 2004 p639). There are many other risks that the company may have of which it takes advantage as it is the only monopoly in the organization hence enjoying all the benefits. The government may open another mine that will act as competition to the KGC Ltd PNG Company. There are many consequences that the organization may suffer and face in a position they were to lose the legitimacy. First, their end of tenure in the land may land them in an expected trouble as the landowners may kick them out of their property (Arya Zhang, 2009 p1089). Such an action may affect them in that they may have no other option to do their mining as the place has higher returns although they have not paid the dues that they owe to the others. The dragging of court cases may have further negative effects as they have to pay the court fees and processing fees against the government, the landowners, and the environmentalists. The loss may also affect their future projections as the management has the hope that within some few years to come, there would be large deposits of large deposits of silver and lead ores which may attract a large profit for the company. Such actions may have negative effects on the management and performance of the organization (Solomon et al, 2008 p148). The presence of ores in the land or the adjacent lands may necessitate the need to operate and engage in more mining activities extending to the part of the land. Loss of their legitimacy may make them lose on both opportunities. A consequence on the organization translates to effects on the people in the area. It is evident that the loves of the people around are directly related to the performance of the organization. The risks they face are directly felt by the people within the PNG area. There is hope for the company in restoration of their legitimacy and they can continue their normal operations and the way they conduct business. This may happen through taking the right steps towards rectifying the mistakes and cases that face the company at the courts. The stakeholders may approach the bank and asking for an extension through which they can request for more time within which they can repay the duties and royalties that they owe to all their creditors (Scott, 2014 p45). This may restore the confidence of the people within the area as they will have more trust in the organization. First and foremost, they should revoke their comments in the court as such comments provoked the environmentalists and other social justice groups. They should take the quickest steps in ensuring that they pay the land owners what they owe them. They may also act on the sludge that they have released to the water bodies that the communities depend on. Since it may be impossible to retrieve the sludge in the water, they could start by purchasing water treatment options and treat the water due to the harmful things they have put in the water for planting and usage by the locals. This will help in creating some form of confidence in the people around (Amanatidou et al 2012 p208). |They could also help in bringing tapped water to the locals as a safer method of source of water if it is impossible to treat the water. Engaging in other activities that benefit the community will also put the ratings of the organization within the mind of the community and other stakeholders in the right aspect making it enjoy the same profits as it in the beginning. It may also restore the legitimacy through engaging the lawyers through whom the organization will solve the cases in the courts. The restoration may have effects of benefit to those related to the organization directly or indirectly. For instance, the employees are the immediate beneficial (Riahi, 2004 p67). Other stakeholder who may benefit from the restoration of the legitimacy of the organization is the major investors on the company. This will ensure that they get their regular incomes in term of the returns on their investments. This ensures that the organization can expand its activities due to the future projections that signify that there may be other ores that may have silver and lead making it expands its activities on the positive side. On the other hand, the government gets the biggest benefit from the legitimacy as the expansion in the activities of the organization lead to an increase in the amount of taxes that it receives from the organization. This becomes a regular source of income for the organization as its existence assures that tax arm of the government that they will remit their returns. There are many ways through which KGC LTD could record the cost of the harm associated with the sludge spill in its GPFS. It may opt to start with the treatment of the water to reduce the impact of the spill on the sea and the effect it has on the people around as well as the quality of life affected therein (Widmer et al, 2005 p436). On the other hand, it has to record the cost of the hard on their expenses side as they look for options that will rectify the mistake they have already done on the environment. They may also choose to record such costs as part of the responsibility they have towards the community terming it as donations. Such will reflect on the financial statements as donations as it has to record each movement of their money. An advantage of recording the cost of the harm as an expense will reflect in their accounts and during the auditors reports; they can trace back the amount of money spent in the costs through the receipts. Such will also serve as an incentive through which the management can explain on how they used such a large amount of the shareholders and stakeholders money on an activity through the whole community including the interest parties may have such information already. The disadvantage of such a choice is that the owners of the investment may feel cheated s they may rate this expense as a waste of resources since the organization had the choice of disposing their waste in the right way. The advantages and disadvantages of recording the cost as a donation is that it may affect the financial statements through such a large amount of money as it would have no tangible evidence on using the resources. References Amanatidou, E., Butter, M., Carabias, V., Knnl, T., Leis, M., Saritas, O., Schaper-Rinkel, P. and van Rij, V., 2012. On concepts and methods in horizon scanning: Lessons from initiating policy dialogues on emerging issues.Science and Public Policy,39(2), pp.208- 221. Arya, B. and Zhang, G., 2009. Institutional reforms and investor reactions to CSR announcements: evidence from an emerging economy.Journal of Management Studies,46(7), pp.1089-1112. Azapagic, A., 2004. Developing a framework for sustainable development indicators for the mining and minerals industry.Journal of cleaner production,12(6), pp.639-662. Baskin, J., 2006. Corporate responsibility in emerging markets.Journal of Corporate Citizenship,2006(24), pp.29-47. Boehm, A., 2005. The participation of businesses in community decision making.Business Society,44(2), pp.144-177. Boston, T.D., 2006. The role of black-owned businesses in black community development.Jobs and economic development in minority communities, pp.91-118. Donoghue, A.M., 2004. Occupational health hazards in mining: an overview. Occupational Medicine,54(5), pp.283-289. Esteves, A.M. and Vanclay, F., 2009. Social Development Needs Analysis as a tool for SIA to guide corporate-community investment: Applications in the minerals industry.Environmental Impact Assessment Review,29(2), pp.137-145. Fernie, J. and Sparks, L., 2009.Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Froyd, C.A. and Willis, K.J., 2008. Emerging issues in biodiversity conservation management: the need for a palaeoecological perspective.Quaternary Science Reviews,27(17), pp.1723-1732. Godfrey, J., Hodgson, A., Tarca, A., Hamilton, J. and Holmes, S., 2010.Accounting theory.-. Wiley. Goldthau, A. and Sovacool, B.K., 2012. The uniqueness of the energy security, justice, and governance problem.Energy Policy,41, pp.232-240. Houy, C., Fettke, P. and Loos, P., 2010. Empirical Research in Business Process Management-Analysis of an emerging field of research.Business Process Management Journal,16(4), pp.619-661. Kaeb, C., 2007. Emerging issues of human rights responsibility in the extractive and manufacturing industries: patterns and liability risks.Nw. UJ Int'l Hum. Rts.,6, p.327. Mehta, L., Veldwisch, G.J. and Franco, J., 2012. Introduction to the Special Issue: Water grabbing? Focus on the (re) appropriation of finite water resources.Water Alternatives,5(2), p.193. Miller, G.W., 2006. Integrated concepts in water reuse: managing global water needs.Desalination,187(1), pp.65-75. Muduli, K., Govindan, K., Barve, A. and Geng, Y., 2013. Barriers to green supply chain management in Indian mining industries: a graph theoretic approach.Journal of Cleaner Production,47, pp.335-344. Muske, G., Woods, M., Swinney, J. and Khoo, C., 2007. Small businesses and the community: Their role and importance within a state's economy.Journal of Extension,45(1). Newton, D., Hase, S. and Ellis, A., 2002. Effective implementation of online learning: A case study of the Queensland mining industry.Journal of Workplace Learning,14(4), pp.156- 165. Pate, R., Hightower, M., Cameron, C. and Einfeld, W., 2007. Overview of energy-water interdependencies and the emerging energy demands on water resources.Report SAND,1349. Riahi-Belkaoui, A., 2004.Accounting theory. Cengage Learning EMEA. Scott, W.R., 2014.Financial accounting theory. Pearson Education Canada. Solomon, F., Katz, E. and Lovel, R., 2008. Social dimensions of mining: Research, policy and practice challenges for the minerals industry in Australia.Resources Policy,33(3), pp.142-149. Widmer, R., Oswald-Krapf, H., Sinha-Khetriwal, D., Schnellmann, M. and Bni, H., 2005. Global perspectives on e-waste.Environmental impact assessment review,25(5), pp.436-458.
Friday, November 29, 2019
American Culture of Pop Music free essay sample
Young Americans found British fashions as appealing as the music crossing the ocean. American publications carried advertisements that promoted British products or American products that fit the cool image. The London Look was epitomized by the most famous British model of the era, Twiggy (Leslie Horns, b. 1949). Along with fashion, British television shows such as The Avengers and James Bond films furthered the Swinging Britain image.Rock And Roll Music In the 1 adds American rock and roll music dominated the British popular music scene more completely than jazz and the blues had done in the 1 sass. The first rock and roll tunes to make a major impact in Britain were Bill Yales (1925-1981 ) Shake, Rattle and Roll and Rock Around the Clock, both released in 1954. Other pop singers and groups who quickly obtained wide popularity and inspired numerous British imitators were Little Richard (b. 1932), Chuck Berry (b. 1926), Jerry Lee Lewis (b. We will write a custom essay sample on American Culture of Pop Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 935), daddy Holly (1936-1959) and the Crickets, the Overly Brother (Don, b. 1937; Phil, b. 1939), and Elvis Presley (1935-1977). The influence of American music is shown by British teenagers dancing on the rock n roll railroad car, a youth club run y the Reverend John Dates, who played the bass in his clerical robes. Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Beetles stand for the era of the beginning of Rock. In my opinion, rock music reflect the character of America, which is unique. Why only the rock appeared in America in sass, while we Chinese didnt even know it until 1 sass? That is because of the different culture and situation. I think that Chinese culture would never breed music such as rockroll. America is young, open, and full of passion, which is just like the rock music. . Rap, Black Rage, and Racial Difference My music is a product of who I am and where I came from. Im made in America. Im not from Mars or nowhere else. Rap music has emerged as one of the most distinctive and controversial music genres of the past decade.A significant part Of hip hop culture, rap articulates the experiences and conditions of African-Americans living in a spectrum of normalized situations ranging from racial stereotyping and systematizing to struggle for survival in violent ghetto conditions. We can find that in this cultural context, rap provides a voice to the voiceless, a form of protest to the oppressed, and a mode of alternative ultra style and identity to the normalized. Rap is thus not only music to dance and party to, but a potent form of cultural identity. It has become a powerful vehicle for cultural political expression.It is an informational medium to tune into, one that describes the rage of African-Americans facing growing oppression, declining opportunities for advancement, changing moods on the streets, and everyday life as a matter of sheer survival. In turn, it has become a cultural virus, circula ting its images, sounds, and attitude throughout the culture and body politic. And this low-class national music is coming globally popular, which unexpectedly tells us that things that are based on real life and nature are the most acceptable all over the world.Ill. Hip-hop Music mixes with memory. As we think back over the 20th century, every decade has a melody, a rhythm, a sound track. The century starts Off blue: Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads. Then the jazz age: Louis Armstrong, Duke Elongating and, later on, Benny Goodman and Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. Indictment, things start to rock with Chuck Berry, Hop-bop-a-lo-bop a-lop bam boom! The Beetles, Retreat Franklin, a hard rains a-goanna fall, Bob Marled, Steve Wonder.
Monday, November 25, 2019
The History of Root Beer and Inventor Charles Hires
The History of Root Beer and Inventor Charles Hires According to his biography, Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Elmer Hires discovered a recipe for a delicious tisane- a form of herbal tea- while on his honeymoon in New Jersey. Not long after, he began selling a dry version of the tea blend but it had to be mixed with water, sugar, and yeast and left to ferment for the carbonation process to take place. On the suggestion of his friend Russell Conwell (founder of Temple University), Hires began working on a liquid formulation for a carbonated root beer beverage that would be more appealing to the masses. The result was a combination of more than 25 herbs, berries, and roots that Hires used to flavor carbonated soda water. At Conwells urging, Hires introduced his version of root beer to the public at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial exhibition. Hires Root Beer was a hit. In 1893, the Hires family first sold and distributed bottled root beer. The History of Root Beer While Charles Hires and his family contributed greatly to the popularity of modern root beer, its origins can be traced to pre-colonial times during which indigenous tribes commonly created beverages and medicinal remedies from sassafras roots. Root beer as we know it today is descended from small beers, a collection of beverages (some alcoholic, some not) concocted by American colonists using what they had at hand. The brews varied by region and were flavored by locally grown herbs, barks, and roots. Traditional small beers included birch beer, sarsaparilla, ginger beer, and root beer. Root beer recipes of the era contained different combinations of ingredients such as allspice, birch bark, coriander, juniper, ginger, wintergreen, hops, burdock root, dandelion root, spikenard, pipsissewa, guaiacum chips, sarsaparilla, spicewood, wild cherry bark, yellow dock, prickly ash bark, sassafras root, vanilla beans, hops, dog grass, molasses, and licorice. Many of these ingredients are still used in root beer today, along with added carbonation. There is no single recipe for root beer. Fast Facts: Top Root Beer Brands If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Charles Hires would have a lot to feel flattered about. The success of his commercial root beer sales soon inspired competition. Here are some of the most notable root beer brands.A W: In 1919, Roy Allen bought a root beer recipe and began marketing his beverage in Lodi, California. A year later, Allen partnered with Frank Wright to form AW Root Beer. In 1924, Allen bought his partner out and obtained a trademark for the brand that is now the top-selling root beer in the world.Barqs: Barqs Root Beer debuted in 1898. It was the creation of Edward Barq, who along with his brother Gaston were the principals of theà Barqs Brothers Bottling Company founded in the New Orleans French Quarter in 1890. The brand is still owned by the Barqs family but is currently manufactured and distributed by the Coca-Cola Company.Dads: The recipe for Dads Root Beer was created by Ely Klapman and Barney Berns in the basement of Klapmans Chicago-area ho me in the late 1930s. It was the first product to make use of the six-pack packagingà format invented by the Atlanta Paper Company in the 1940s.Mug Root Beer: Mug Root Beer was originally marketed as ââ¬Å"Belfast Root Beerâ⬠during the 1940s by the Belfast Beverage Company. The product name was later changed to Mug Old Fashioned Root Beer, which was then shortened to Mug Root Beer. Currently manufactured and distributed by PepsiCo, Mugs brand mascot is a bulldog named ââ¬Å"Dog.â⬠Root Beer and Health Concerns In 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of sassafras as a potential carcinogen. Sassafras is one of the main flavoring ingredients in root beer. However, it was determined that the potentially dangerous element of the plant was found only in the oil. Once a method to extract the harmful oil from the sassafras was found, sassafras could continue to be used without harmful repercussions. As with other soft drinks, classic root beer is classified by the scientific community as a sugar-sweetened beverage or SSB. Studies have linked SSBs to a number of health concerns including obesity, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. Even non-sweetened beverages, if consumed in too great a quantity, have the potential for negatively impacting health.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Obstructions to culturally competent medical care Research Paper
Obstructions to culturally competent medical care - Research Paper Example According to the study conducted the discrepancy in the existing health system and admittance to medical care facilities that subsist amid the minority sections of the population of United States has been accepted as a familiar problem by the government since the early 1970s. Due to its effect, there has been a lot of research done on this issue and it has been documented in reports that the American minority section is suffering from poorer health due to lack of cultural competency in medical care. For a majority of the ethnic groups, the debate on the cultural equation of health care cannot take place without giving ample consideration to the variety of ways in which traditions crisscross with matters of poverty and impartiality, access to health care, individual and community discrimination, and a deficit of cultural proficiency on the part of health care providers. Even though some system-wide obstructions to a proper health care system are well thought-out elsewhere, they also r equire extraordinary thoughtfulness with the majority of the ethnic minority sections because the concerns are elevated by the cultural dynamics. The urgent requirement to reflect on the cultural and traditional factors that impediment the medical care of the minorities has been identified by many countries around the globe. Yet most of these governments are not at all close to solving the problem of cultural incompetency of medical providers. , (Shortell, Hull, 1996) The main reason is that most of the time, a patientââ¬â¢s tradition is habitually perceived as a setback, which ultimately creates a barricade to providing effective medical care. Marginalization of traditions and culture of the minority groups of the ethnic patients diminishes the accountability of the medical care providers. The medical care could be more efficient in dealing with this; the problem should be seen in a different light and screening the obstructions as ensuing not from the cultures of the minority g roups but from the values that exist in the medical community, inadequate proficient training, and other barriers. Some experts of the field also argue that the medical community has been highly unsuccessful in this case, and has not been able to identify their own responsibilities of effectively attending to providing competent service to their ethic and other minority clients and patients, (Gordon, 1995). 2. OBSTRUCTIONS TO CULTURALLY COMPETENT MEDICAL CARE This section of the paper identifies some known barriers amid the patients and the medical care providers that have made a high influence on the quality of the service provided and at the same time supplement to added racial and ethnic disparities in the medical health care system. 1. Lack of Diversity amongst the Medical Care Providers and Workforce Experts on the issue concerning lack of a culturally competent medical care have often stated their worries about the lack of a diverse leadership potential in the health care sect or. The minority population holds up an effectual 29% of the total population percentage of United States but fare poorer in the employment sector. Not more than 3 percent of the minority communities hold positions in medical school faculties; approximately only 12 percent hold positions in a community health school, and 18 percent in all metropolis and province health executives. Moreover, 98 percent of the senior executives in health care management belong to the white community. These figures exercise major concern because if there would have been a higher percentage of minority health care professional in the system, they would be able to identify, recognize and take into account the socio-cultural factors that adversely affect the medical acre treatment being given to the minorities and could have better organized health care delivery decisions to meet the requirements of minority populations, (Reese, Ahern, Nair, et al., 1999). 2. Poor and inefficient medical care systems for Ethnically Diverse Patients Many experts have pointed out on the lack of proper medical care syst
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3
Stress - Essay Example After the re-structuring there is no real motivation to inspire the employees because they fear that they could lose their jobs just like their past colleagues.Ã Part of the stress suffered by the employees has to do with the rapid transformation that the company has undertaken. This may be unavoidable because the company either has a limited budget or must make the transition by a deadline. This extra work load has required every employee to contribute more to the organization as a whole. Although not a perfect option, one method could be to give a raise to employees who choose to work longer hours. If finances are out of the question, then the company could introduce more work breaks so that employees do not feel tired as much. Another cause of stress can often be job security. The only way to remedy this is to make sure that every employee has a defined set of work responsibilities and no one else is trying to take over their job. Finally, the last cause of stress can be insufficient skills for the job. If an employee is unsure about how to complete their job tasks, then they will likely stress over it. This can be prevented by encouragin g open communication channels between employees and management and transfer employees who do not feel that they are capable of performing their job. Other co-workers can be located or new staff can be hired to help fill the
Monday, November 18, 2019
Ethics in Book IV of Platos Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Ethics in Book IV of Platos Republic - Essay Example Book IV of Platoââ¬â¢s Republic presents an excellent selection of ideas with respect to morality and behaviour of a human being with regard to his soul. Through Platoââ¬â¢s dialogues, the idea of justice has been presented very well as justice has been written as ââ¬Å"A political arrangement in which each person plays the appropriate role.â⬠Every man within society has been given a role or a part to play as per what he can do best. Each individual has a duty to serve society and he has been given the role of doing so in the best manner possible by way of the contribution that he can make. Doing good deeds is the moral birthright of each and every person residing within society. This is because each man is dependent on others around him and is able to live because of the relationships that he creates. However, there are certain actions that each man must be able to carry out like keeping a good and sound moral character. According to a number of philosophers, it has been pointed out that it does not only pay enough to have a moral or sound character on the outside; in fact it is very important to have a clean and pure soul. Many people tend to be ââ¬Ëgoodââ¬â¢ on the outside and forget what is true to them within themselves. Certain terms like justice, morality and soundness are very important for people to exist in coherence and peace with each other within society. Sometimes, having an ââ¬Å"outward behaviourâ⬠in order to portray a moral character is not plausible because it might turn people against an individual. In Platoââ¬â¢s Republic, justice has been spoken about in various aspects. ââ¬ËCivic courageââ¬â¢ is one term that has been talked about that the various auxiliaries possess. Justice has been depicted as a set of actions that must be carried out. ââ¬Å"Mankind censure injustice fearing that they may be the victims of it, and not because they shrink from committing it.â⬠Each person must be able to carry out actions that lead the rest of the city to believe that he is just and morally sound and is well equipped to be able to protect his kinsmen. Through the actions and thoughts of Socrates justice has further been depicted as parts of the soul and not just of outward cha racter that a man might possess. He has termed them as sources of desire namely, ââ¬Ëa rational part of the soul lusting after truth, a spirited portion of the soul seeking honour and an appetitive part of the soul that searches for everything else after these two objects of desire have been met, like food, drink, shelter, sex and wealth in terms of financial and monetary terms. According to him all these three aspects must be fulfilled for a man to be truly satiated from within his soul and to help him understand that he has achieved all his desires. Socrates thus has been successful in identifying the kind of desires that each man wants to have within himself. However, the question still remains, is it enough for a man to fulfil such soul related desires or pleasures? Socrates claims that justice is actually not just a set of actions but an imprint of what the soul of a man is like, and if he is able to gather and satiate himself with respect to the above mentioned three desire s, then the same will reflect on his notions of justice on the outside and help others see the man as an honest and honourable man. Socrates finally mentions how it is healthy for a personââ¬â¢s soul to be just and how justice amounts to health. By attaining this stature, a man will never cheat, lie or steal for according to Socrates, he has been able to feel the love and affection of his own soul and has been able to comprehend the need to live a just lifestyle with respect to the society that he lives in. It thus pays to be just because it helps to keep a man healthy, and
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Why Smes Sometimes Face Difficulties In Raising Finance Finance Essay
Why Smes Sometimes Face Difficulties In Raising Finance Finance Essay Due to the establish of modern enterprise system and thoroughly in structural reforms of market economy, there are lot of opportunities contained in the market, but it is also existing many unexpected risks, particularly for the small to medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) which has limited resources to resist in this treacherous environment. To survive and adapts to the environment for a SME is to maintain its advantage in meticulous daily management and even more important is to have a long-term view strategic thinking especially in financial strategy. A good finance strategy can help SME to set up and expand their operations, development and also investment (OECD, 2006), further to get funds which make them competitively and can get well results they desired (Park, 2010). Making a finance strategy is very significant to a company; company has to consider both of internal condition and external environment problem and even more factors which are related to company. However, the SME has its particular characteristic, it is not suitable to adopt the same action with a large company; they better to create a strategy which fits to the company according to its demand. Finding a proper financial strategy for a developing SME, not only can help SME to reinforce its essence, the more important is the sustainability of its development. Define company There is no accurate definition for small to medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) and most of countries define it according to specific condition by their way. Nevertheless, there are some particular characteristics (Bank of England, 2001 Brookfield, 2001) about SMEs and they are: The enterprises are not quoted Ownership is often connected between family and shareholder and the business is typically restricted to few individuals. Most of SMEs are small groups business and always achieve self-employment effectively. In the past, the definition for SMEs from European Commission was unequivocal, it was defined by individual country, for instance, Germany regulated the amount of employee under 250 was part of SME, but in Belgium, the number was became 100. However, in the recent years, the data from European Commission shows that the definition has adjusted and is qualified as a SME by some criteria (see figure 1-1) (European Commission, 2010) in headcount, turnover and balance sheet total. definition of SME.JPG Figure 1-1 the definition of a small firm from European Commission Importance of finance Nowadays, the enterprises finance is facing a dynamic, diversification and complicated managing environment. Managing finance is not only to provide a specific method or device for a firm; it is to assimilate the principle and manner from strategic management. Start from the view of adapting to the environment and using the vantage, to pay much attention in financial long-term problem and strategic problem. In the situation of lacking of the resources for SME, to create a suitable financial strategic and well dominate the limited resource is significant since a better financial systems can help to improve the probability of successful innovation and bring accelerate economic growth. (King, et al., 1993) The focus of enterprises financial strategy is the basic path on future development, goal and goal accomplishment for the financial action; this is the difference between financial strategy and other strategies. The master objective of enterprises financial strategy is reasonably to assemble, dominate and use its resources, tend to balance and flow enterprises capital, also to build the core competitive strength and to achieve the maximization of enterprise value in the end. Some aspects of this goal are related/ connected to each other; from the view of a long-term performance, to seek the enterprises sustainability growth in financial resource and capability, and furthermore to accomplish the rising of enterprises capital value and make enterprises financial capability can sustained, quick and healthily increase, conduce to maintain and develop enterprises competitive advantage. While enterprise building the core competitive strength for their strategic management, they need the support from financial management. The financial management which treats capital management as a significant content, it needs to express the requirement for enterprises strategy and to guarantee its practice. The value of practicing the financial strategy is to retain a health condition in enterprises finance and also effectively in controlling the financial risk. There are twelve types of financing and growth in SMEs and it can be very usefully and provided a great help if it is supplied properly according to SMEs particular requirement (Brookfield, 2001). Initial owner financing (Equity finance) Business angel financing Trade credit Leasing Factoring Venture capital Short-term bank loans (Debt finance) Medium term bank loans Mezzanine finance Private placements Public equity Public debt A company should manage its financing structure in a way that its debt and equity are in balanced manner. This fact helps company to avoid insolvency. Excess of either debt or finance could result in loss of wealth. I will be explaining some of the important methods of financing in following section. Equity finance Equity financing is that the shareholder sells the part of corporate control to introduce the new shareholder by raising the capital (Watson, et al., 2007). The enterprise does not need to pay the interest on principal if the capital is received from equity financing and the new shareholder can share the profit from enterprise as well. Equity financing includes stock issuance, allotment and debt for equity swap. Some features of equity financing, are: Stock equity is firms first right of its property, it is the base for enterprise to absorb the civil liability and to responsibility for firms own profits and losses; furthermore, it is also the base for investor to control the enterprise and to distribute the profit. Equity financing is the base of deciding an enterprise to the outward debt. Certainly, there are some advantages of equity financing that help enterprise in investment and management. Equity financing builds a good system in corporate governance structure, which consists of shareholders meeting, board of directors, Board of supervisors and executives. It is effectively in decreasing the risk of management. In the modern finance theory, stock market is also called open market; it means that the standardization financial products are dealing in a trading area with an extensively institutionalization. It has its criterion and processes it in the condition of information revelation and fare dealing. In financial translation, the more important is publicity and availability of information; and that is why the stock market is better than loan market in both competitiveness of capital price and publicity of information. Venture capital Venture capital is the fund which is collected by private placement and set as the type of organization; invest to unlisted small and medium-sized newly emerging enterprises and in the capital type of both high risk and high reciprocation. Venture capital is different from mutual fund, unit trust and securities investment fund; it has its features in operating of investment and collection, such as, Venture capital absorbs the venture with enterprise; the venture capitalist needs to cooperate closely with entrepreneur and help the firm to make a plan. Management is part of investment. Venture capital is an investment in long-term and poor flowability; venture capitalist and entrepreneur become a common destiny once they invest. Venture capital is high risk and requires the venture capitalist with specialized skill, and need to achieve specialization and programmed in choosing the project, tend to avoid the risk. Before inspect the financial index, the venture capitalist pays more attention in market prospect, development strategy and managing quality. Sharing the bonus from enterprise is not the purpose of venture capital, they make it as a return by increasing the capital when they are exiting; the time for exiting is always when go on public or sell it. Debt finance Debt financing is also called bond financing, it is the way which the firm can raise money for enterprises external finance; and debt can also be conducted and fitted to the requirement of issuing companies and investors (Watson, et al., 2007). It is included long-term bank loans, short-term financing (such as bills, debt receivable, and letter of credit), enterprise Bond and short-term financial bonds, also long-term bond financing, finance lease, discount government loans, government loan, Loans from international financial organizations and private bond fund. The first expense enterprise needs to pay is the interest of capital which receives from debt financing and the principal on the debt will be paid to creditor at maturity (Davis, et al., 1994). The feature of purpose for debt financing is to solve the problem of deficiency in working capital rather than the expenditure under the capital account. Debt financing can be described by two features, The received capital from debt financing is only for using, it is not the property of the enterprise, and the firm needs to pay interest and the principal is repayable. Compare to equity financing, except some specific situations that debt financing may bring creditor the problem of intervention or controlling, otherwise it is barely to have the problem of corporate control. However, debt financing has its advantage for helping the firm in investment and management, The lenders have ability to collect and analyze the states of investment, also can have long-term investigate and oversee the enterprise to avoid the moral hazard. The function of the creditors right is when firm can pay off the debt, the firm will hold the corporate control, whereas of the enterprise cannot offer the debt, the corporate control will be turned to lender. Why do SMEs find financing a problem? Due to SMEs small size capital, the capability for defending the market risk is not as strong as a large firm, plus a faulty finance system, it causes the problem into SMEs finance management (Pissarides, 1999). The main reasons and problem are: No criterion in SMEs finance accounting system In application of finance system in SME exist some problems, which make loose financial control. A loose inventory control can lead to the stagnation of capital and excessive final inventory; the capital of final inventory always in a high proportion if compare to sale revenue. The firm usually loses a large number of assets due to focus on capital much more than assets and even wastes it seriously; moreover, to control the finished products, semi-manufactured goods and low-value expendable without a faultless system. It is negligent in managing the cash and weakness in debt receivable Some of enterprises think that it is good to hold cash (including bank deposit), and better to have more; the proportion of reserve is too high, it makes lot of capital cannot really run in operation, and also causes the capital idleness. In addition, some firms invest too much in real estate and lead to finance difficulty due to could not handle the emergent need of management. Also deficiency in managing working capital creates problems problem capital withdrawal. Difficulty in funding, the capital is insufficient It is not easy to run the SME in a practically environment, especially the unequal treatment in funding between SME and larger enterprise. The banks are not willing to loan to them, particularly the difficulty in guarantee and lack of the specialized agency to offer the assurance service is still the main problem for SME and it obviously happens in some huge investments. Unrestraint in investment The SME is lacking of the ability to analyze the investment accurately and to evaluate the effectiveness of operating the capital. The majority of investment in SME is from banking, due to the respectability of a SME is not as high as a large company, it is an obstacle in attracting the banking to invest or loan to the SME. The mode of management is backward Most of SME is running the business as a family workshop; they are operation the management in a backward way and an old-fashioned thinking way, do not understand and even not willing to understand or learn the modern financial management. The proprietor always treats the enterprise as an extension of familys property; in order to control the business entirely without decentralize the ownership, it causes the lost of the opportunities in growing. Conclusion SMEs play an important role in the general macroeconomic environment, and provide the enormous opportunities for employment. However, due to the small size and limited source, usually SMEs has to face to the challenge in financing problem. For solving the problem, the major impact is from government and the law (Industrial Systems Research). In existing policy has to be adjusted by government; the government needs to reinforce the related law and regulation to implement SMEs development strategy and preferential clause. Furthermore, have to set up the institution for managing and supporting SMEs development. To increase the method for financing; SMEs need to respect the debt from bank and to pay back the debt on time; then to healthy the internal system and raise the handling of material. Lastly, to improve accountants structure and criterion of financial management; enhance the punishment for the illegality to makes they pay attention in financial system.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Interview a Manager Essays -- essays research papers
à à à à à The manager interviewed for this assignment was Chief Warrant 3 Linwood Bowers, the Chief of the Personnel Support Directorate of the White House Communications Agency (WHCA). Chief Bowers has held his present position for four years. The focus of the interview was the unique challenges of good communication. à à à à à One of the unique challenges Chief Bowers has had to face is the different language that permeates throughout the organizational culture of the Agency. WHCA is a joint command with individuals of all DOD services present. This joint environment is fraught with communication stumbling blocks like learning service unique terms. The importance of common terminology has been highlighted most recently in the Agencyââ¬â¢s manpower review. Terms used to describe job functions are not clearly understood across service lines. The example given was one service uses executive officer to describe a junior officer assigned administrative duties in support of the unit commander and another uses the same term to mean the second person in the chain of command. In addition, the operational focus of the Agency tends to create an environment of we/they. Where ââ¬Å"weâ⬠is associated with the personnel in the agency that travel in support of the President, Vice President and First Lady. And ââ¬Å"theyâ⬠is associated with the support functions. The operational focus was used as a re-organizational decision point and consciously divided the Agen...
Monday, November 11, 2019
Descartes Argument for the Existence of Corporeal Things Essay
Methods and Meditations on First Philosophy is a discourse by Rene Descartes, which largely focuses on the nature of humanity and divinity. This essay is a discussion of this discourse, and will summarize, explain and object to various parts of his work. The majority of this essay focuses on Descartes Sixth Meditation, which includes his argument that corporeal things do exist. 1. There clearly exists a passive faculty of sensing and I use it involuntarily. 2. If there exists a passive faculty of sensing within me and I use it, then there exists an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in me, or in something else. 3. Therefore, there exists an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in me, or in something else. 4. God has given me a great propensity to believe that the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things. 5. If the active faculty of producing sense ideas is not in corporeal things then God is a deceiver. 6. God is not a deceiver 7. Therefore the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things. 8. If the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things then corporeal things exist. 9. The active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things. 10. Therefore corporeal things do exist. Descartesââ¬â¢ argument that corporeal things exist exemplifies his use of, and basis in epistemological foundationalism. To clearly understand how Descartes argument reflects this, we must first explain what epistemological foundationalism is. In his essay, Epistemology, Richard Feldman explains that foundationalism is when, ââ¬Å"The argument is sound. There are basic justified beliefs, and they are the foundation upon which all our other justified beliefs restâ⬠(Feldman 51). He continues this line of thought by saying further, ââ¬Å"All justified nonbasic beliefs are justified in virtue of their relation to justified basic beliefs. â⬠(Feldman 52). In other words, basic justified beliefs allow for other nonbasic beliefs to be justified through their own justification. And it is only through these basic justified beliefs that one can make sound arguments while using a fundamentalist mentality. The nonbasic justified beliefs that are used for argumentation are true only to the point that their supplemental basic justified beliefs are true. With this understanding of foundationalism through Feldmanââ¬â¢s work it can be said that Descartes meditations exhibit these features. The argument that Descartes gives for the existence of corporeal things certainly exhibits the features of foundationalism. The method that Descartes used in his meditations was to clearly ground all of his arguments upon basic justified beliefs. This foundation on basic justified beliefs provides Descartes with the ability to come up with further nonbasic justified beliefs, all of which are based upon one of his basic justified beliefs. This is evident throughout Descartesââ¬â¢ argument for corporeal beliefs as he believes that the entirety of his argument lies upon basic justified beliefs. Without the existence of God, Descartes would not be able to justify his beliefs for the existence of corporeal things. The premises that involve God in this argument are all nonbasic justified beliefs, because they all rest upon the foundation that God exits. The justified belief of Gods certain existence that Descartes holds depends upon an argument that does not use any other beliefs. Therefore his conclusion that God exists becomes a basic justified belief for Descartes, and he bases many of his nonbasic justified beliefs upon its foundation. Some of Descartes premises in his argument for the existence of corporeal things clearly rely upon his basic justified belief that God exists. For God to have given Descartes any type of inclination, as Descartes believes is justified in premise four, it is clear that his existence must first be justified. Through his argument for the existence of God, Descartes is able to use his basic justified belief that God exists to affirm his nonbasic justified beliefs through their relation to Godââ¬â¢s existence. This implication that Descartes uses for his reasoning is exemplary of foundationalism. Descartes does not use any beliefs that he does not justify through their dependence upon a basic justified belief. For his sixth premise that God is not a deceiver also depends upon this same basic justified belief for it also to be justified. Descartes criteria for what can constitute a basic justified belief mustà also be relevant if the justification of his argument lies upon such beliefs. It seems that the goal of Descartesââ¬â¢ meditations was to begin with a clean slate, and from there, distinguish only things that are certain. Descartes method required him to only accept things as true if they are certain. Through Feldmanââ¬â¢s definition of foundationalism it is apparent that Descartes method can be considered as such. Descartes primary focus was to find only what is basic, clear, distinct, and justified before further building upon those beliefs. For a belief to be basic for Descartes, it must rely upon no other beliefs. It must then be reliant upon self-evident, completely provable truths to be able to describe which beliefs can be justified through deduction. This is a very basic foundation to begin from and is truly foundationalism at its roots. For Decartesââ¬â¢ meditations the beliefs that he is a thinking thing and therefore he exists is used from the beginning as his first basic justified belief. The first premise in Descartes argument is a basic justified belief. He believes that there clearly exists a passive faculty of sensing and I use it involuntarily. The second premise of the argument raises questions about how this can be a justified belief. Descartes believe that if there exists a passive faculty of sensing within me and I use it, then there must exist an active faculty of producing sense ideas, either in myself or in something else. Descartes is able to justify this belief that there exists two different faculties of sensing, by using the basic justified beliefs about imagination and understanding and the difference between the two. Namely that understanding goes beyond our ability to imagine something, and Imagination seems to depend upon extended bodies. Through these beliefs Descartes is able to conclude that there must be two different faculties of sense ideas. A passive faculty of perceiving sense ideas within me that I use and an active faculty of producing these sense ideas. There is a problem with Descartesââ¬â¢ foundationalism, however. The problem, for Descartes is that, while everything is based upon each other, if one of the beliefs that provides justification to other beliefs is not clearly justified then none of these beliefs can be taken as truths. This not only shakes these beliefs, but, can question the soundness of his wholeà argument and any further nonbasic justified beliefs that may arise from the questioned belief. While his argument is valid and seems to be sound, upon further questioning, it may be possible to find that the argument may not be sound. If enough of a doubt can be provided so that one premise seems doubtful, I believe we can call into question the soundness of his whole argument. For Descartesââ¬â¢ fourth premise, it seems as though his only justification for the belief is an inclination supposedly given from God, who supposedly exists. This inclination is that the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things. For Descartes, as a foundationalist, to base his premise off of a natural inclination that he has should seem suspicious enough. Descartes supplements his inclination by stating that it comes from God. This is an opportunity to question the base of this premise. How does Descartes reason that this inclination is given from God. ââ¬Å"For God has given me no faculty at all for recognizing any such source for these ideas; on the contrary, he has given me a great propensity to believe that they are produced by corporeal things. ââ¬Å"Through this statement Descartes attempts to justify his premise for this active faculty existing in corporeal things. While I must agree that as humans, we are born with a propensity to believe that the active faculty of producing sense ideas is in corporeal things, it is possible to see that there could be other ways that we have gotten this propensity. Is it possible that we have received this inclination as a disillusion from a source other than God. At the time, Descartes may have seen this as irrational. But, today it is easier to imagine that this is possible through either superior technology, or through some type of force of mental control. The idea that superior technology is able to supply humans with the active faculty for producing sense ideas can be exemplified through the movie ââ¬Å"The Matrixâ⬠. In the movie it is a superior technology that controls mankind and projects into their mind that corporeal things are real, when in fact it is just images being projected into their minds that supplies them with what they believe is reality. Not only does Descartes assume that it is God who put this propensity to believe in our minds, but this follows Descartes assumption that God exists. While Descartes has an argument that proves the existence of God, it is possible to argue against the existence of God. If that argument can be objected to, this also would provide more than enough doubt to discount the soundness of Descartesââ¬â¢ argument that corporal things exist. The debate upon the existence of God is not necessary for my objection, however, as I have already provided doubt to the premise even if God does exist. The ability to fathom a different idea than God putting this active faculty in corporal things provides enough doubt that it is possible to question the soundness of Descartes foundationalist argument. How would Descartes defend his view against this objection? I think that the possibility of this, provides a similar problem to that of our dreams. If that would be projected upon us, we still are thinking, and therefore still continue to exist. So there must be some type of reality in which we are centered in. This would lead us to believe that either this ââ¬Å"matrixâ⬠is reality, or there is some other kind of reality. Since we know that this ââ¬Å"matrixâ⬠is not reality, there must be some other kind of reality. This makes it difficult for us to understand what reality truly is. The possibility of this makes me think Renee Descartes would have to submit that what he believed as justified truths, can not be so. This thought would not only shake this premise, but would compromise the rest of his argument for the belief that corporeal things exist. With the inability to clearly justify statements he previously believed to be true, I believe that Descartes would have a more difficult time trying to prove that corporeal things exist. I also believe that without this premise, this whole argument looses itââ¬â¢s soundness because of the dependency upon God being the supplier of our propensity to believe that corporeal things exist. This one belief being no longer justified, in the nature of foundationalism, would necessarily effect the nonbasic justified beliefs of Descartes which previously were believed to be justified. The more beliefs which are no longer justified, work only to further the process and dejustify beliefs dependent upon the previous ones.
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