Case Anaylsis Motivation

Jason Haro 10/10/2012 Management of Organizations Case Analysis: Motivation In order to have an effective performance from a group a people, effective leadership must be used along with good teamwork to have an efficient running company. After analyzing the case of Joe Chaney, it is clear that there has been a fault in leadership along with lack of motivation. In order to fix the situation with Mr. Chaney, a meeting should be established with him to discuss his performance.The first question to start out with is to make sure that Joe realizes there has been a problem with his performance at work. Chances are he will realize there is a problem, since his conversation about complaining about his job was overheard. Once it is established that there is a problem with performance, the next task is to figure out if the problem stems from inadequate subordinate ability or motivation. In the case of Joe Chaney, there is a problem with both ability and motivationThe inadequate subordinate abi lity comes from inadequate resources to do the job leading to a resource problem. Mr. Chaney was hired with mediocre recommendations from his previous employer because help was needed desperately. The firm seems to be understaffed to handle the rise in workload from the local construction boom. The absence of formal performance reviews and career counseling due to time constraints along with losing Friday social hours and making weekends mandatory is a huge demotivating factor for employees, not just Mr. Chaney.The relationship curve between level of conflict and level of performance shows that having too much conflict for extended periods of time leads to low levels of performance. More staff should be hired to ease the workload. Incentive problems are also an issue with Mr. Chaney. Mr. Chaney’s statement of â€Å"no one around here respects my opinion. I’m just a lowly draftsman†¦ because I don’t have the degree, they ignore my input, and I’m stuc k doing the grunt work† shows that there is an issue of Mr. Chaney feeling unappreciated so he has stopped caring about his work.Effective leaders should be empathetic towards his employees. Understanding that he has a wife and children shows that he has concerns for providing for his family. Between working and being a family man, he may not have an opportunity to obtain his degree to have a better title and paying wage. Restarting career counseling and performance reviews would help solve these problems. Credit should be given to Mr. Chaney as his performance, until recently, has been surprisingly well and produced high quality work.

The Comparison of Poll Tax Country” to Black Like Me

â€Å"The Comparison of Poll Tax Country† to Black like Me John Griffin was a normal white man living an average life. He like many other whites knew that people of color were discriminated against, but he never really knew how much the color of one’s skin made a difference in the way people act. If Griffin had seen â€Å"poll tax country† he would have seen racism in a new light. Griffin’s experiment was to go down south as a colored man to learn the truth of how life was a black man. By look at the painting â€Å"Poll Tax Country,† one can see who had the power in early-1900s Southern society.After slavery blacks were still discriminated against and had to travel miles just to find a bathroom for blacks. â€Å"Poll Tax Country† shows a new perspective on how blacks were treated as people and how was each others back was the only thing that kept them going. In â€Å"Poll Tax Country,† a detail that stood out was the columns that held up the roof of the platform. One of the columns matches those of the Supreme Court and the White House. The different columns symbolize different branches and groups of people that came together to makes laws to keep blacks in debt in certain areas.The column have historical significance: columns have been used since the times of the ancient Egyptians and Romans. Both civilizations had slaves to build monuments that would withstand the test of time. Similarly, the people who built the New World were indentured servants who came to the New World with the hope of starting a new life. Slaves have played a big role in society as far back as the ancient Egyptians, building towns and monuments that still stand today. The columns connect to slavery – without slaves, many of today’s wonders might not exist.Slavery is a dark time in every society’s history. However, slaves had a major contribution to the forming of nations. The first slaves of this nation came with the s ettlers that came from England. As time when on, Africans were packed on ships and brought here to be sold into slavery. Many whites like John Griffin, knew about slavery and heard many stories about it. However, in the 1940’s they never understood the extent of racism down south. When John Griffin went down south as a black man the way he was treated was very different from how he was treated as a white man.As a white man masked in black he was able to see how black people really interacted with each other. Also, he was able to see how whites really saw blacks and how they interacted with them. As one white hunter who gave Griffin a ride in Alabama said, â€Å"I’ll tell you how it is here. We’ll do business with you people. We’ll sure as hell screw your women. Other than that, you’re just completely off the record as far as we’re concerned. †(Griffin111). Griffin described this man as an ordinary, respectable family man. It is only t o black people that he revealed his ugly, racist sickness.Sadly, his words reflect the attitude of many white racists in the South. What John Griffin learned that day was very important because although slaves did the work, they are not glorified in textbooks and were mostly forgotten. John Griffin talked about how an educated black that could afford to vote, answered many questions that many people would not know how to answer; he did not get to vote because the government work would give him a poll test he could not pass. The court system was not always fair and laws were made to keep African Americans from voting so whites could keep control.In â€Å"poll tax country,† in the middle of the gazebo among all the different people is a priest. A man of god that should fair to all people is on the side of the men trying to keep you down. They had no god or person to turn to in their darkest hour African American were being squeezing down on to feel pressured. As slaves, they ca nnot not trust outsiders; they had to live in packs and work back to back. In the picture the works were almost on top of each working an area that could be manned by two to three people at the max. doesn’t make sense. This was a gang – they worked together and protected each other to survive.John Griffin saw many things in his experiment that put things into perspective. As a black man he was degraded by whites who felt that they were superior to him. Society strived to keep African Americans controlled so whites would remain dominant. Down south that made it hard for blacks to vote, get good jobs, or even use public bathroom. The whites that cashed their cash always seemed to need more that what was on the check. Doesn’t make sense the poor working black was always in debt. Griffin brought up a story about a well educated black man who wanted to vote but was never able o because the official gave him a test that was unfair and they both knew that he would not pass it. â€Å"I can read the headline†¦ It says this one negro in Mississippi who’s not going to get to vote this year. † (Griffin, 81). In this joke by P. D. East about the voting rights for blacks in the South, a black man who wants to vote is given a newspaper in Chinese in order to test his literacy. East tells the joke to shine a light on the problem facing blacks being prohibited from voting in the South. By preventing blacks from voting, whites removed their voice in matters.This way the law stayed on the side of the whites, and blacks never had a chance to make changes. In the painting, a congressman stands in front preaching to the people and filling their heads with empty words. However, shadowing the congress man is a KKK member that looks as if he is in control of what the congressman says. The audience has stopped listening to the words they have heard many times before. They have lost hope in their government that represents only the white people, k nowing that the people who lynch them are the same ones who hold public offices.Many have lost hope in seeing the change that they were promised, still working like slaves 90 years after the Civil War. John Griffin had never known how blacks felt about politicians because he had never faced laws that made it harder to get by everyday as a white man. To him the government was a government by the people for the people, but in fact government was mostly run by white, racists and even members of the KKK. Being black showed Griffin the double standards of this government of, for, and by the people.As a white man he could go to white facilities or black facilities if he chose, and he could enter, do, and say as he pleases. However, as a black man he could only go to black facilities and he had to respect whites. A white man when into a black facility on day and put up a file stating that any black man willing to bring young black female to them will get paid. The fact that white men had t he power to do such things is degrading both to a man as well as to the entire African- race. While whites were promoting pimping and prostitution, the government was simply looking the other way.However, the government imposed a steep fine on hunting alligators. The fact that a poor sawmill worker who lived on the swamp with his wife and six children could not hunt the alligators endangered his family every day: â€Å"I’ll tell you—if we don’t have meat to cook with the beans, why she just goes ahead and cooks the beans anyhow. † (Griffin111). When Griffin traveled through the rural swamp country in Alabama, he met a poor black sawmill worker who offered him a place to stay on the floor of his shack. Griffin is touched by the man’s generosity.The man and his wife are thankful for what they have. If there is no meat to cook, the man notes, his wife doesn’t complain; she just serves beans. Realistically, the man has enough meat around his hom e to feed his family for many years to come. However, because governments know that most blacks would benefit from alligator meat, they impose fines that whites could afford to pay off but not blacks. That night John Griffin thought of his kids and how they were living right now, and how if he and his family were not white they too might be reduced to this squalid standard of living.Griffin had been black for a couple of weeks and was sick to his stomach from his experience he couldn’t handle it anymore. Blacks had to handle much abuse from whites that want to keep controlling them on a daily basis but yet they stood strong to the end. â€Å"Black like me† and â€Å"Poll Tax Country† share many ideas of what racism was really like down south. John Griffins experiment showed how a normal, kind-looking family man could become so cruel to another human due to the color of the skin. He showed how the government squeezed down on anyone that was not white by any means available.Blacks could not turn for help from the government, or the even the men of god. They were made into second class citizens that had little to no rights and every apportioned was give to white society. Courts were run by whites who were prejudice, the government was filled with racists and the rest was manipulated by the very men that felt they were the only one’s fit to roam the lands. Blacks were being degraded to keep their hopes down and to control them. Keeping control by making them second class citizens and in debt there whole life makes them less likely to rebel because they would feel less likely to win.

American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Dream - Essay Example According to the author, thought of achieving a prosperous and rich life by sticking on the phenomenon of the American dream is inaccurate (Selby). The American dream is a psychological pressure on the lives of human being that leads the life of an individual to mass destruction and unpleasantness. The theory of American dream reflects the idea of only getting and demanding things in life which is insanity. People engage themselves in continuous efforts and hard work to satisfy their needs but at the end of the day when the demand is not fulfilled, it leads a person to dissatisfaction and discouragement. The lust of getting stuff and accumulating wealth is a nature of mankind. American dream gives rise to such unfavorable wishes that lead the society to more desperation and despair. It does not lead to the fulfillment of desire but creates a sense of envy among those who do not have the power and wealth. The concept of American Dream spread the sense of getting and demanding the stuff for themselves so that they can satisfy their needs and enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. In order to achieve such goals, people serve their entire life in working like a mad. Such people are of the opinion that the American dream can assist them in getting what they want (Laslett and Lipset). Unfortunately, such dreams lead the individual to agitation and self-destruction if they cannot meet their objective. It has also been observed that an individual not only risk their life in fulfilling this dream but also engage their loving ones with them. It shows how the American dream is building pressure on the lives of common citizens. Society is said to be ungrateful until they do not success in realizing their desire. The American dream is derailing people from their vision and putting their energy in collecting stuff that is inappropriate. A report in Times by David Leonhardt and Kevin Quealy says that the middle class of Canadians

Peter singer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Peter singer - Essay Example Utilitarianism, in the words of utilitarian(2011), states that the authenticity of an action can be termed as positive if â€Å"  "right if it produces as much or more of an increase in happiness of all affected by it than any alternative action, and wrong if it does not". Studies indicate how human beings’ interests should be weighed. Singer advocates strongly that the rights and interests of every individual should be considered just as one would consider his own interests and rights. The philosopher advocates Animal Rights by stating that animals have the right to be decisive of their free will just like humans do and that they should be weighed equally with humans considering that they own the ecosystem just as much as humans do. Singer advocates the killing of certain newborn infants who face genetic abnormalities that are untreatable. This killing, he proposes, should be done only at the discretion of their parents. Euthanasia should be administered to such infants, thus ceasing their life long miseries once and for all. Singer addresses the issue of world poverty by highlighting that a lavish dinner in an expensive restaurant can be put off by the thought that the cost spent at it may be used to feed several poor children who cannot afford even the basic edibles for their survival. The famous works of Peter Singer on animal rights include â€Å"All Animals are Equal†, that came into print in the later part of the 1980s. This is an excerpt from his book â€Å"Animal Rights and Human Behaviors† (1989). It highlights his decades’ old philosophy that speaks of safeguarding animal rights. Singer states that stance of respect of animals should be voiced and maintained. Singer does not emphasize that animals should have rights like humans but puts emphasis on the fact that their rights should also be recognized. He does not mean to say that animals are just like humans or should be treated just like humans. According to him

Consumer behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Consumer behaviour - Essay Example Government and leaders of the company have become increasingly aware of the people’s needs and understand that at times people would break the rules in place to satisfy them. With the help of Maslow theory marketer’s can judge consumer’s motivations they can identify the generic level of need the consumer product is capable of fulfilling. This would help the marketers better form any of the marketing strategy. Products such as foods and clothes are purchased as they fulfill safety needs; personal care products such as shaving cream, perfume, soap, toothpaste, are bought mainly as they serve social needs. While luxurious products such as expensive clothing, fancy house, jewelry, and cares are bought mainly to serve self-actualizations and ego needs. Though, Maslow's hierarchy does consider relevant from an intuitive standpoint, however, there is little evidence to proof its hierarchical aspect. Today there are evidences to contradict such aspects as explained by t his motivation theory. For example, today we find some of the cultures placing social needs ahead of any others. Maslow's hierarchy further has difficulty explaining incidents such as the "starving artist" where a person ignores lower needs to pursuit higher ones. Finally, it cannot be prove that people g up t motivated just to satisfy a single need at a time, except in situations where one finds conflict between needs. Therefore, it fails to predict and shape market well. 2. How influential is gender stereotyping in the popular magazine or the drinks markets in differentiating and expanding the total market? Gender stereotyping makes use of magazines and other advertising mediums to govern and shape people’s perception. How influential they might would depend on the assumptions made about men and women which may or may not be true. It could have been said to predict fairly for a fewer numbers however, it might not be true for the larger part. In short that everyone could con fide to the description of gender descriptions as mentioned neatly in various advertising mediums such as magazines and drinks market. Today readers are found to be much sophisticated and are aware that much of the advertising stuff does not portray their sets of beliefs, perceptions, attitudes and likings. Post modern reader would take out several magazines to form a mix up suiting their sets of thinking patterns. For instance, one of the women might select the top and sandals off a photo shoot posted in a magazine but paired it with his favorite pants. So today, readers are conforming to some parts of gender stereotypes exposed to them but have willpower to surpass them if they feel like. So, in this case it would be relevant to conclude that magazines target audience in manner that they could influence majority and hence raise the sales of their products. However, there would be many readers who would know when to absorb and what to buy. 3. Give an example of ‘cultural jamm ing’ that to your mind works really well in causing consumers to think twice about their attitudes towards a brand or a product. What techniques does this example of ‘cultural jamming’ utilize to make it so effective? Culture jamming is arousing attention in consumers of particular brand to react in an emotional manner. It can be commercial, social or political. If done properly it raises awareness among the people and is effective adding legal way to mend the consumer’s perception. One of the best examples of culture jamming that

Compare and Contrast of Administrative Law Term Paper

Compare and Contrast of Administrative Law - Term Paper Example The Congress has enacted a number of laws since the beginning of the 20th century to address the issue of bureaucracy. These prohibitions are inclusive of a 1913 repeal that sought to ban the hire of â€Å"publicity experts,† a 1951 ban on the agency spending on spending on publicity and propaganda, and a 2005 the ban on video news, with a provision that allowed the release of such videos if the source was willing to be identified as the originator. Scholars have described the evident Congress antagonism to public relations in public administration as part of an institutional planned push back by the legislature to the natural tendency of government agencies to seek autonomy. This has offered public administrators with an opportunity to mobilize support in an effort to increase autonomy of the agencies and reduction of the Congressional advantage over it (Lee, 2009). The congress in 1919 enacted a law that criminalized lobbying of the law-making agency. Funny enough, legislato rs cited the law when disagreeing on particular activities o f the agency but not a single prosecution was enacted by the by the US department of justice. The law however was revised in 2002 that decriminalized agency lobbying by the congress, but retained the provisions of engaging in such activities. Crisis Bureaucracy Bureaucratic structure is responsible for shaping the legal interpretations and regulatory decisions of agencies, offering a framework through which modern governments operate, and it is due to this reason that Policymakers fight to effect the necessary legislations. The article discusses two new issues that harbor important implications for lawyers and political scientists, which encompass how of legislative process responds during a crisis and the underlying uncertainties that surround major bureaucratic reorganizations. The result of this perspective illustrates how agencies make use of their administrative power and how they interpret their legal mandates. As cr ises enlarge opportunities for legislative action, changes in homeland security policies are mostly driven by the efforts of politicians who try to effect regulatory and administrative activities in various domains of the said sector. Changes in the nature of and scope of security policy may have adverse effects on other legal domains Coast Guards environmental regulatory functions or the application of laws in immigration departments of the country. Politicians cunningly use the occasion of legislation to force changes in other areas that have little to do with the principle issue being addressed (Cohen, et al 2006). A possible reason why the president changed his mind about the reorganization of the systems may be because he did not want to be part of the loosing side. The Administration appears to support such a move to further domestic policy priorities hat are independent of the homeland security. Such changes put the president’s legacy into question, more significantly fixing the precise extent to which the president and his top advisors knowingly planned to weaken the domestic legacy without paying attention to the corresponding homeland security benefits. Optimal Political Control of the Bureaucracy This article argues that a bureaucratic insulation degree from political control processes that is moderated by law increases rather than reduces the majority of

12 Angry men Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

12 Angry men - Essay Example The courthouse of which the movie was filmed was filled with 12 men all who seem to be of the same race and of the same general age. It seems that the only difference between the jurors are their social and economic backgrounds which the movie had illustrated on it could influence a person’s mindset and judgment. For example, Juror 5 shared the â€Å"slum upbringing â€Å" as the young boy being charged, that allowed him to relate to his living conditions but other juror like Juror 4 seemed to judge the boy harshly based on where he was raised. Juror 4 even as far to say†¦ â€Å" If you live in slum you become slum†. These statements indicates the biases of the jurors due to their backgrounds that reflect in their faulty reasoning as well as their erroneous judgment. When these prior biases and prejudices were overcome however, the jury begins to realize the error in their reasoning that finally led them to vote for non-conviction of the boy. They are many reasoning and thinking errors in film. Some of the thinking errors identified in the movie, â€Å"12 angry men† was being closed-minded, being prejudice and being impatient. We identify these as thinking errors because it demonstrates how our faulty judgment just like the case of the jurors are influenced by their background to erroneously judge the case of the boy. As an example of the thinking error of being impatient was when one of the jurors does not want to engage in a lengthy discussion about the case for fear of running late for the baseball game. Another thinking error in the film was being closed-minded and prejudice. This was shown in the case of Juror 3 whose estranged relationship with his son affected his judgment in the case of wanting to convict the suspect just because of his strained relationship with his son. Another is juror 10 who is prejudiced against the slums dwellers as killers and people

Substance use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Substance use - Essay Example On the other hand the parasympathetic nervous system slows the heart rate, causes papillary constriction, and increases digestion. 2. List and explain three mechanisms by which drug tolerance might occur.  (One paragraph-at least 4 sentences) Drug tolerance occurs through different ways in the body. Three major mechanisms of drug tolerance go down to the molecular level. It can occur when the degradation enzymes for a specific drug are increased in the body and this result in the destruction of the drug before it begins its action. In another mechanism the receptors for the drug are removed temporarily or the down regulation of receptors occurs. These receptors are necessary for the action of the drug and decreased receptors might result in drug tolerance. Enhanced excretion of the drug is the third mechanism through which tolerance to the drug occurs. Excretion of the drug increases when the tolerance to it increases. 3. Discuss why current laws on crack possession have been criti cized. Include at least three of these criticisms.  (One paragraph-at least 4 sentences) Current laws on crack possession have been criticized by many because the same laws for crack in the powder form are lenient. Critics put forward that crack in powder form should also be penalized in the same way as normal crack is.

Reflection on assignment 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection on 1 - Assignment Example And so it will be for our case study scenario. Knowledge management is generally a form of implementation expertise-centered management that focuses upon working with human expertise so as to achieve the strategized business advantages, Broadbent, M. (1988). An illustrative diagram of the knowledge management protocols that should be implemented in any organization for effectiveness in information sharing and better communication between organizations’ managers and other staffs members of the organization is shown below. As shown in the above diagram, the cycle of knowledge management system is continuous; capturing management of information flows, capturing of organizational learning exercises, leveraging the organizational knowledge base and working on sustainable business value of the organization at large, Boynton, A. (1996). ... ch team member of the working force with general/ whole experiences of the organization/ company, organized in the provided knowledge management system to enable for quicker, consistent and confidentiality in the handling of the organizations’ operational and managerial tasks. This therefore means that knowledge management helps to avoid reworks which are known to the managements as costly and common in situations of limited or no knowledge managerial skills. ii. Basing on the work as the main focus, knowledge management has demonstrated the benefits such as increased contact resolutions; decreased rates of escalations; advanced speed/ rates of performing tasks in terms of time utility; and finally, handling of the significant growths in clients related services and their satisfaction without any corresponding increase in the numbers of workers in that relation. iii. Considering situations where a client may wish to reach the management, effective knowledge management are most ly applicable to enable self-service all channels of choice as may be required by most clients. This practice allows clients to frequently get back to using an organization’s products or services, and consequently giving room for the organization’s workforce to highly concentrate on the high-value matters that require recommendable expertise. Case Analysis Organizations with well stipulated knowledge management systems in place have the characteristics of learning their own organizations with well structured and managed information flows and the general organizational behaviors in the areas of leadership, culture, managing people as assets, and both structures and processes. Having discussed the difficulties experienced in our case scenario, the importance of accessibility to and improved

A Christmas Carol Essay Example for Free

A Christmas Carol Essay What evidence is there in A Christmas Carol of social, cultural and historical contexts? A Christmas Carol is rich with historical, cultural and social contexts, all poignantly intertwined throughout the text. As the story is set in Victorian times, we are immediately given a sense of time and place in stave 1, by descriptions of both customs and daily routines. As the tale was set so long ago, there were obviously no modern appliances or conveniences. Dickens shows this as he describes Scrooges counting house. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerks fire was so much very smaller that it looked like one coal, and tried to warm himself at the candle. We are also given an insight into the era when Dickens outlines customs in the streets Meanwhile the fog and darkness thickened so, that people ran about with flaring links, proffering their services to go before horses in carriages, and to conduct them on their way The language used, I believe, is also influential to the overall story. Again Dickens is setting a time frame, which the tale adheres to, and the phrases used by some characters highlight this I am sorry with all my heart to find you so resolute. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. But I have made the trial in homage to Christmas, and Ill keep my Christmas humour to the last, Stop till I shut the door of the shop. Ah! How it skreeks! There ant such a rusty bit of metal in the place as its own hinges From the beginning of the novel and, obviously due to its title, we can see that there is much influence from the cultural aspects of Christmas. As the story is set in the festive season, great emphasis is stressed on Scrooges attitudes compared to those around him at this traditionally jovial time of year/ This is a major factor in the structure of the story, although it is the general social and cultural side of the holiday rather than the religious meaning. In fact religion is only suggested once, It might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see, but isnt as important as the suggestion of charity and kindness to ones fellow man. The social aspects of the time, particularly the attitudes of some upper class towards the lower classes, play an important role in the story and are voiced by, and then turned against, Scrooge. When asked whether he wishes to support a charity, Scrooge replies that prisons and workhouses are all the charity the poor need. The harshness of these remarks are later presented to Scrooge in a different context and he begins to realize the full error of his ways- a major point in the story. Dickens, contrary to Scrooges thinking, later criticizes these opinions when we are shown the extent of the Cratchits poverty. I believe the sympathy Dickens arouses when describing the house, stems from his own childhood where he was forced to work in a workhouse similar to those Scrooge talks about. This, I think, provides strong emotional aspects in the text and enables Dickens to effectively compel his audience to disagree with the social views presented.

Writing An Essay At Tertiary Level

Writing An Essay At Tertiary Level Academic writing, like all forms of communication, is an act of identity: it not only conveys disciplinary content but also carries a representation of the writer. The notion of identity has only surfaced in writing research relatively recently, but it is increasingly seen as less a phenomenon of private experience than a desire for affiliation and recognition. Cave men could do it, why cant I? Communication in the written form has been around for millions of years, be it on a cave wall, or the best university in the land. Mans attempt to get across a message has truly been a constant in our lives for so very long. Essay writing to many people is a difficult concept to grasp. Plenty of time is taken up preparing the makeup of the essay. There are no shortcuts in a well written essay, only time and research can bring about the results the university requires. The plan, Where to begin! The age old question when it comes to essay writing. How do you put that first word, then sentence and finally paragraph together? Well according to most of the sources that I have come across, a basic structure keeps coming up. The importance of an introduction, as well as the body and conclusion are all key areas of an essay. Then just as you embark on your writing task, more problems are faced. Outlined below are 4 key areas I believe let students down time over time. The Introduction To identify the main issue(s), explain and justify the methods(s) of analysis to be use, and assess the quality of the evidence available. Sounds straight forward enough when you start out, but without the correct introduction, the reader or audience will be lost to you. Trying to find balance between the correct amount of information, to draw the reader in, without sounding to boring or waffling on. A quote or hook is one way to draw the reader in, and have them wondering if the rest is as good or have they used up their best material. Do you agree with the question or disagree? Put together an argument that can both show your knowledge of the subject material, and putting it into an argumentative context. Avoiding Plagiarism DEFINITION OF PLAGIARISM Oxford English Dictionary (Vol XI, pg 947) 1989: 1. The action or practice of plagiarizing; the wrongful appropriation or purloining, and publication of ones own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas (literary, artistic, musical, mechanical, etc.( of another. 2. A purloined idea, design, passage, or work. Plagiarius in Latin means kidnapper, seducer, plunderer, a literary thief according to the Roman poet, Martial. Plagiarism is not simply understood. Students may deliberately choose to plagiarize their work, but others may through other means, reach the same desired goals. Students from many backgrounds may not understand the reasoning behind plagiarism, which can lead to significant problems within education. Students tend to plagiarize because they do not understand how they can write in their own voice, as it can be such a daunting task. . Others may not have developed the skills to accurately document their information. Still others may be struggling to learn English. (Thompson) Planning and research So we have been asked to write an essay 2000 words long, ideally the best thing we can do is to always start with a plan. Planning an essay makes things much easier. It gives you the chance to organize your time so you can meet your deadlines accordingly. It helps you distribute the information in a clear way. Planning provides you with a true sense of safety, since you are already half way done even before writing the first paragraph of the paper. With this particular essay I find that I am in agreement with the question. It is an extremely complex issue, as I have outlined above, to organise and write. A problem faced by so many is the ideas and information that is floating around inside their mind, but do not have the natural ability to get said material onto paper. To form an argument: introduce the concept, talking about obvious instances first, such as size and style, talk about what they tend to involve, and answer what this provides. Give the positive and negative aspects. Then assess the perfect environment, and contrast this with a good or bad situation (Northedge, 1990, pp. 110-155) BODY where the evidence is presented, examined, arguments put forward and supported or refuted. This is where you should develop your argument or themes. Taking each of your main points and support them with examples and illustrations. Start breaking your materials down into paragraphs, one paragraph for each aspect of the topic. Essay Structure The following is the basic essay structure or discernible pattern, which should help you plan your essay and organize your material, expanding the three elements that constitute any essay. MAIN BODY where the evidence is presented, examined, arguments put forward and supported or refuted. CONCLUSION where you sum up and draw the threads together. 1. Introduction Your introduction should: (a) Comment on the title or topic of the essay (b) Define or explain any difficult or ambiguous terms in the title; plus keywords (c) Direct the reader by stating which aspects off the topic you intend to cover and why The introduction should be roughly 5% of the total length of your essay, generally one paragraph. 2. Body The main body of the essay should develop your argument or theme. Take each of your main points and support them with examples and illustrations. Break your materials down into paragraphs; one paragraph for each aspect of the topic. A paragraph may: (a) raise a particular issue, or (b) develop a particular issue. Often the first sentence is the topic sentence that is, it explains what the paragraph is about. As you develop your argument, you must move from point to point and from paragraph to paragraph. This involves transitions to smooth the way for the reader. It is important to remind the reader where you have been and where you are going. Linking words are used as signposts to help the reader make the transition from one paragraph to the next. The linking words you use will depend on the way you are developing your argument. The following are ways to develop your essay from one paragraph to the next, and common linking words for each. 1. Cause and Effect: You can discuss the cause in one paragraph and the effect in the next one, or the other way round. In this case you are expressing a relationship or drawing a conclusion. (Linking words: as a result, thus, therefore, consequently, thus, for this reason, because of.) 2. Positive and Negative Aspects: You can contrast the positive and negative aspects of something. You might discuss the positive aspects in one paragraph and the negative in the next. (Linking words: but, however, on the other hand, although.) 3. Sequence of Events, i.e. before and after: You can show the next step or the previous step to the event you are discussing. (Linking words: then, after that, finally, ultimately, following, before, first, previously, firstly, secondly , thirdly.) 4. Illustration: You can illustrate or give an example of what you have been talking about. (Linking words: for example, for instance, such as, that is.) 5. Extension: You can extend an idea, add weight to your argument, give further examples. (Linking words: similarly, moreover, furthermore, in addition, not only.) 3. Conclusion Your conclusion should: Summarize your main ideas. Answer any specific questions which were asked, through your answer may be tentative. Draw a general conclusion from your argument. In your conclusion you may also, discuss the wider implications. You should not introduce any new arguments or information. The conclusion should make up about 7-8% of the total length of your essay. It is useful to check the essay for basic errors a day or two after writing it, if you have allowed time for this and you are not then tempted to start re-writing bits of it! http://www.intranet.hereford.ac.uk/Services/Study%20Skills/Essay%20Structure.htm Thompson, Celia. Discourses on Plagiarism: To Discipline and Punish or to Teach and Learn?, http://www.bond.edu.au/hss/communication/ANZCA/papers/CThompsonPaper.pdf. The purpose of the essay is the natural aim or plan of the essay itself. As the writer, it is your sole responsibility to judge just what exactly you wish to accomplish with your essay once youre done with it. A common misconception among students is that the essays purpose is to simply impress their high school teachers or professors whove requested them to write an informative or persuasive essay. This is not just harmful, but frowned upon, as professors are genuinely disappointed in such efforts by their students who dont see the wider perspective of the essay (i.e. the actual target audience). Your essay must include the following: Selection of at least four (4) key points from the Readings and/or other academic sources Presentation of ideas in an essay structure Correct referencing throughout (in-text and in the Reference List) Presentation of ideas that are related to student learning Demonstration of your understanding of the issues and concepts Demonstration of your ability to reflect on own context and present relevant argument Good Study Guide by Andrew Northedge) Norton, B. (1997). Language, identity, and the ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly, 31, 409-429. Essay Structure diagram

Industrial Revolution Essay -- essays research papers

How Did The Industrial Revolution Affect A Person’s Quality of Life? One’s quality of life is defined as the degree of well-being felt by a person or a group of persons. It is concerned with a citizen’s consumption of goods and services, human rights and the environment. The industrial revolution have produced great wealth to many citizens that influences their state of well being. Others may argue that the changes and advancements in society have brought the burden of scarce resources, diseases and pollution among it’s people. Rather the opposite is true, the positive effects that the revolution have introduced such as the high availability of employment, food, and human rights and the opportunity for future growth overpowers these problems. Therefore it is accurate to say that the benefits of the industrial revolution have improved one’s quality of life. One characteristic that concerns the condition of a person’s life is the freedom for an occupation. This period of change have conducted the use of machinery for many types of production. Some believe that the substitution of machines for human labor have created high rates of unemployment for many nations. Before the revolution, jobs were very limited because work was accomplished through animal power and hand labor. Also many tasks required men with considerable skills which could only be accomplished through long hours of work and practice. In the past and in the present it could be clearly seen that the sprouting fa...

Line by Line Analysis of Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken Essay

Line by Line Analysis of Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,   Ã‚  Ã‚   The key word here is "two". Throughout our lives we constantly face decisions where we have two choices. Even when it seems there is only one choice, we can decide either to DO it, or NOT do it; so there are STILL two alternatives. And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood   Ã‚  Ã‚   Then there are times we wish we could do BOTH; HAVE our cake and eat it too! We know we can't, so we must agonize over the choices; weigh the possibilities. And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,   Ã‚  Ã‚   Decisions, decisions! So, what we do is come up with some justification for the choice we have made, even though we are already questioning our decision, even as we make it. When the choices are so close to being equal, does it real... Line by Line Analysis of Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken Essay Line by Line Analysis of Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,   Ã‚  Ã‚   The key word here is "two". Throughout our lives we constantly face decisions where we have two choices. Even when it seems there is only one choice, we can decide either to DO it, or NOT do it; so there are STILL two alternatives. And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood   Ã‚  Ã‚   Then there are times we wish we could do BOTH; HAVE our cake and eat it too! We know we can't, so we must agonize over the choices; weigh the possibilities. And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,   Ã‚  Ã‚   Decisions, decisions! So, what we do is come up with some justification for the choice we have made, even though we are already questioning our decision, even as we make it. When the choices are so close to being equal, does it real...

I Need To Know Where I Came From To Know Where I Am Going Essay example

Growing up I learned the stories of my ancestors and how all of them were immigrants. I felt a need to learn their stories because I thought â€Å"I need to know where I came from to know where I am going†. I believe I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors and my accomplishments are not my own but resulted due to what they accomplished in their lives. I view my family history as building blocks with each generation improving, if only in millimeters. My ancestors came from Germany, Sweden and Bohemia. Three of my great-grandparents were immigrants. My parents both knew their grandparents and had a relationship I find it amazing to be so close to the immigrant generation yet so far away. I say far away because the language and customs are gone. We are completely â€Å"American† but in writing this paper I realized the values of the old countries remain alive and well within the current generation. The maternal side of my family contains Swedish and Bohemian ethnicities. My maternal grandmother was 100% ethnic Swedish. My great-grandparents arrived in America in between 1874 and 1888. The section on parenting issues for parents of color in Diller (2011) while my grandparents were not people of color they were immigrants which made them different. I wonder what experience my grandmother had growing up in a home with parents who were born in another country, spoke a different language and had different customs. I knew Grandma was raised by immigrant parents but I never thought how that would affect their parenting style and if the children were teased because their parents were different and how their parents helped the children deal with it. I now wish I had spoken to my grandmother about this and how it was to grow up in... ...ow my great-grandfather’s ethnic identity, his self-image of being German, was impacted (Diller, 2011). I can’t begin to understand how my great-grandfather must have felt during this time knowing the country he chose to become a part of and was a upright citizen in thought he was suspect in some way just because he was German. Knowing someone in my family was forced to assimilate, to give up his native language to take on English the language of the domnianat culture, made me angry and sad (Diller, 2011). I myself would personally love to be able to speak German along with the other native languages of my ancestors. I know the values I have written about provide mere snapshots of the cultural values of my ancestors but I believe they impact the way I live my life and view the world. So how does all of this affect my identity and place in American society?

Essay on Film Genre

A true film genre relies on shared iconography, formalistic themes and similar narrative structures and content. ‘What genre does is recognize that the audience any one film within a context of other films, both those they have personally seen and those they have heard about or seen represented in other media outlets. †¦In general, the function of genre is to make films comprehensible and more or less familiar. (turner 97)’.Action/adventure, the Western, Gangster/Crime, Detective/Film Noir, Comedy, Science fiction/Fantasy, Horror/Monster, Suspense Thriller/Spy/Heist and many others groups are usually used for marketing in stores where films are being sold. The majority of viewers, film critics, and film producers talk about films in relation to the categories. These categories are generally called genres. ‘The word â€Å"genre† is originally French, and it simply means â€Å"kind† or â€Å"type†. It’s related to another word,  "genus†, which is used in the biological sciences to classify groups of plant and animals. A true film genre is a product of interaction between audience and the text. Therefore, all producers and audiences must have a quite good understanding and what is more important shared knowledge of genre’s characteristics. ’ For instance,’ westerns, at least the traditional ones, tend to share the same basic conflict and usually the same type of setting. All detective films share the same basic story: the uncovering of causes. Musicals share nothing more than frequent prominent interludes of music and perhaps dancing during a story. This shared knowledge, however, is not set in stone. Different people will have divergent understandings of genre. ’ According to this statement, audiences expand general ideas about any kind of genre based on going to the cinema, media coverage or advertisements and marketing. As a result of consequence, viewers have their own a nticipations about a particular genre and define films according to their expectations. ‘Genres are based on a tacit agreement among filmmakers, reviewers and audiences. What gives the films some common identity are shared genre conventions. Shared conventions are shared thematic, stylistic and narrative structures. Although not every single film demonstrate all of the conventions, at least some of them are shown in a film. This helps the film critics to define whether this film fall into a particular group of films – genre. Moreover, critical analysis of any film can take place only if conventions are considered. These conventions are also called â€Å"repertoire of elements†. In this document shared genre conventions in terms of horror will be discussed.The horror genre has become much more popular nowadays than ever before. ‘If its beginnings were rooted in literature – Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein† (1818) and Bram Stokerâ€℠¢s â€Å"Dracula† (1897) are the titles that seem to spring to everyone’s mind – we also know that stories have always been told about ghosts, monsters, witches and the dark. ’ There are a lot of reasons why this genre is so popular today. However, it is still really difficult to clarify why it is so engaging for a great number of people regardless of its unreality. The genre of ‘Horror’ has been around since the late 1800’s giving it decades to develop and change. ’ ‘From the 1930s to the 1970s, most horror films were considered very much the poor brethren of the film world. ’ The reason was that horror films were made on a low budget. Furthermore, the target audience was young people who went to the cinemas late nights to have fun and scream their way. The great example was ‘the film â€Å"Matinee† (directed by Joe Dante, 1993)’ which demonstrates that horror films were watched mostly by young people at that time.However, there were such films like â€Å"Psycho† (1960) and â€Å"The Birds† (1963) by Alfred Hitchcock which managed to change perspective of horror films in a better way. Since audiences appreciate thrill and excitement they experience during watching horror movies they expect new stories and plots. Consequently, film producers had to come up with new ideas and more challenging plots to meet the audience’s expectations and wishes. One of the genre conventions is iconography, which ‘derives from art history, where it only referred to visual signs. The context in which an object or sound is used is crucial in defining its meaning.For example, a crucifix is readily associated with the church as a symbol of Christ`s resurrection, and is not simply an example of horror iconography. ’ In terms of a horror film a symbol of Christ would represent not only the Christ but the weapon against the evil. Another example could be a knife whi ch is used to kill somebody rather than in comedy it is used for cutting things. In order to identify that the genre of a film is horror, such visual signs like red and black colors, blue filters in films are used. The use of blue filter is called digital color correction.It was hard and expensive to achieve this correction previously. However, since computer technologies have developed a lot, much more powerful and exciting effects can be achieved by simply editing a film sequence in different computer software nowadays. Moreover, the mise- enscene of horror films also show that this film is horror film with the help of using such things like knives, guns, axes and many others. Another use of iconography is the setting. In horror films the setting is usually abandoned, isolated from people, the houses generally hide scaring past.The majority of scenes are filmed in night time but the plot can be developed during daytime as well. There are some sub-genres of horror films. Therefore, the iconography can slightly vary. For instance, paranormal horror includes such symbols like unusual things happening or really dark scenes. â€Å"Slasher† horror shows masks, screaming victims. Another thing to consider is camera work in horror films. Generally, different and weird angles of camera are used. In order to frighten and express fear for the viewers extreme close ups and point of view shots take place during film.There are many other types of iconography like the use of tense sounds and music which are generally linked with a horror genre. Therefore, aural signs should be also discussed when talking about iconography of films. ‘â€Å"One should not tell stories as straight-line narratives. There are so many other possibilities, and film would only enrich them. † Peter Greenaway’. While researching horror films, another very important genre convention is narrative structure. ‘Narrative piece events together in a linear fashion that clea rly shows the audience the reasons for, and the consequences of character behavior.The logic of cause and effect ties together character traits, goals, obstacles, and actions. ’ . The main intention of narrative structure is to tell the story. Sometimes it is conceptual, sometimes real. For instance, the purpose of film can involve saving the world or finding a love. ‘Russian narrative theorist Tzvetlan Todorov argued that all narratives involve the disruption of a stable situation, which makes restoration of equilibrium an important goal. ’ First of all, with the help of disruption people can identify the genre of a film easily. For instance, f there is a drugs baron killing someone and trying to escape, perhaps the genre is gangster or thriller; some kind of dilemma in a family can be set in a film which genre is likely to be melodrama. Basically, the equilibrium Todorov was talking about is that generally characters come to this point of equilibrium only in th e end of film after some kind of disruption: be it reconsidering goals or dealing with challenges. The great examples of films showing equilibrium are â€Å"slasher† films. Another part of narrative structure focuses on character types. There are different types of them which are strongly associated with the genre.For example, the most expected character of horror films is monster. This character is extremely important in horror genre as to realize fear and revulsion. Since there are different types of horror films, monsters also vary. Sometimes, they represent ghosts which lead and frighten other characters. In some films, monsters are creatures that are half human half animal being. However, monster does not necessarily have to appear as a monster because it simply means phenomena or â€Å"bad thing† which is scaring. Almost every horror film has a Madonna as well. She is generally an attractive woman who is suffering because of a monster.Madonna represents an ideal woman while a whore is completely opposite character that represents the worst things of women. ‘A standard narrative convention of horror film is that the exposition portrays a character or small group of characters venturing into a strange and ultimately threatening setting. Jonathan Harker (Alexander Granach) goes into the Carpathian Mountains to make a business deal with the mysterios Count Orlock in â€Å"Nosferatu†. ’ Genres are usually associated with particular themes. For instance,’ the wilderness versus civilization opposition in Westerns, and the human: non- human opposition in SF’.In the beginning horror films were based on literature. â€Å"Dracula† was one of them. Since horror genre was developing during the time, new ideas such as aliens started to appear. During the 80’s the most popular idea in horror genre was â€Å"slashers† which was mentioned before in this document. The 80’s became some kind of new era for the horror genre as they started working closely on special effects to provide audience with more fear. †The thing† (1982) and â€Å"The thing† (2011) is an example that shows how special effects have changed since 1982. The first version is full of makeup effects and costumes.There is a big difference compared to the latest version in terms of using computer generated imagery for gaining special effects and digital animation. With this progression which influenced the viewers in terms of watching horror films the popularity of horror films increased a lot. ’ During the early 20th  century psychological thrillers were introduced into the horror genre and changed the genre completely, sparking new ideas, which have grown and developed into the main theme and idea we have today. ’ Therefore, horror films expand themes about religion or unnatural things nowadays.One of the examples of today’s horror films based on these themes is  "Paranormal activity†. ‘It seems likely that a genre never dies. It may pass out of fashion for a time, only to return in updated garb. A genre may change by mixing its conventions with those of another genre. ’ Therefore, sometimes it is difficult to identify what is the genre of a particular film. Film producers are forced to take such actions like mixing some genres in order to create a new so called â€Å"hybrid† genre. The reason for this is to renew a genre by adding some conventions from another genre so that to surprise the audience and to keep them interested. The horror story [†¦] is part of a long process by which people have tried to come to terms with and find adequate descriptions and symbols for deeply rooted, primitive and powerful forces, energies and fears which are related to death, afterlife, punishment, darkness, evil, violence and destruction. † – J. A. Cuddon. According to Cuddon words, the horror film is only a part of a process. However, I do not think so because if something is a process then it has to end at some point and horror genre will never die. I think that is because the majority of people are curious about the things that are scaring or forbidden.Curiosity has to be sated somehow and horror films help to sort it out. While watching horror films or reading horror books our mind experience feeling of being scared. Stephen King told once â€Å"We have to keep the ‘gators fed†. He meant that people would find another more dangerous way to sate their curiosity if horror genre would not exist. Consequently, this kind of genre will not die. Taking into account all above mentioned, I can come to the conclusion that every genre shares its own iconography, similar narrative structures and themes.The main reason for that is to make every genre identifying and understandable. Audience chooses films to watch normally for entertainment so genre could be vital factor in this as it he lps in choosing and understanding films. Bibliography Pramaggiore, Maria, and Wallis, Tom. Film: A Critical Introduction. Laurence King Publishing, 2005. Bordwell, David and Thompson, Kristin, Film Art: An Introduction. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Lacey, Nick, Introduction to Film. London: Palgrave, 2005. Dougherty, Rachel. â€Å"Genre & Narrative in Horror Film†¦Ã¢â‚¬  27 September 2012. 3 March 2013. http://racheldoughertyfilm. blogspot. co. uk/2012/09/genre-narrative-in-horror-film. html. Nelmes, Jill, An Introduction to Film Studies. Routledge, 2003. Rayner, Philip, Wall, Peter, and Kruger, Stephen. â€Å"AS Media Studies: The Essential Introduction†. Routledge, 2001. ——————————————– [ 2 ]. Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film: A Critical Introduction, p. 310 [ 3 ]. Bordwell, D. , Thompson, K. (2010), Film Art An Introduction, p. 328 [ 4 ]. Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film: A Critical Introduction, p. 310 [ 5 ].Lacey, N. (2005), Introduction To Film, p. 46 [ 6 ]. Bordwell, D. , Thompson, K. (2010), Film Art An Introduction, p. 330 [ 7 ]. Rayner, P, Wall, P. , Kruger, S. (2001), AS Media Studies: The Essential Introduction, p. 292 [ 8 ]. http://racheldoughertyfilm. blogspot. co. uk/2012/09/genre-narrative-in-horror-f ilm. html [ 9 ]. Rayner, P, Wall, P. , Kruger, S. (2001), AS Media Studies: The Essential Introduction, p. 296 [ 10 ]. Rayner, P, Wall, P. , Kruger, S. (2001), AS Media Studies: The Essential Introduction, p. 296 [ 11 ]. Lacey, N. (2005), Introduction To Film, p. 8 [ 12 ]. Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film: A Critical Introduction, p. 32 [ 13 ]. Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film: A Critical Introduction, p. 33 [ 14 ]. Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film: A Critical Introduction, p. 33 [ 15 ]. Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film: A Critical Introduction, p. 357 [ 16 ]. Lacey , N. (2005), Introduction To Film,, page 53 [ 17 ]. http://racheldoughertyfilm. blogspot. co. uk/2012/09/genre-narrative-in-horror-film. html [ 18 ]. Bordwell, D. , Thompson, K. (2010), Film Art An Introduction, page 335

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Three

Bonnie fluffed her red curls as she hurried across Dalcrest's great lawn. It was so pretty here. Little flagstone paths bordered the lawn, leading off to the various dorms and classroom buildings. Brightly colored flowers – petunias, impatiens, daisies – were growing everywhere, by the sides of the path and in front of the buildings. The human scenery was pretty awesome, too, Bonnie thought, surreptitiously eyeing a bronzed guy lying on a toWellnear the edge of the lawn. Not surreptitiously enough, though – the guy lifted his shaggy dark head and winked at her. Bonnie giggled and walked faster, her cheeks warm. Honestly, shouldn't he be unpacking or setting up his room or something? Not just lying around half naked and winking at passing girls like a big †¦ flirt. The bag of stuff Bonnie had bought in the campus bookstore clinked gently in her hand. Of course, she hadn't been able to buy books yet, as they wouldn't sign up for classes until the next day, but it turned out the bookstore sold everything. She'd gotten some great stuff: a Dalcrest mug, a teddy bear wearing its own cute little Dalcrest T-shirt, and a few things that would come in handy, like an efficiently organized shower caddy and a col ection of pens in every color of the rainbow. She had to admit she was pretty excited about starting col ege. Bonnie shifted the bag to her left hand and flexed the cramping fingers of her right. Excited or not, al this stuff she'd bought was heavy. But she needed it. This was her plan: she was going to become a new person at col ege. Not entirely new; she liked herself fine, for the most part. But she was going to become more of a leader, more mature, the kind of person who people said, â€Å"Ask Bonnie,† or â€Å"Trust Bonnie,† rather than, â€Å"Oh, Bonnie,† which was completely different. She was determined to step out of the shadows of Meredith and Elena. They were both terrific, of course, her absolute best friends, but they didn't even realize how terrifyingly in charge they were al the time. Bonnie wanted to become a terrific, ful y in-charge person in her own right. Plus maybe she'd meet a real y special guy. That would be nice. Bonnie couldn't actual y blame Meredith or Elena for the fact that al the way through high school, she'd had plenty of dates but no serious boyfriends. But the simple fact was that, even if everyone thought you were cute, if your two closest friends were gorgeous and smart and powerful, the kind of guy who was looking to fal in love might find you a little bit †¦ fluffy †¦ in comparison. She had to admit, though, that she was relieved that she and Meredith and Elena were al living together. She might not want to be stuck in their shadows, but they were stil her best friends. And, after al †¦ Thud. Someone crashed into Bonnie's side and she lost her train of thought completely. She staggered backward. A large male body lurched into her again, briefly crushing her face against his chest, and she tripped, fal ing against someone else's side. There were guys al around her, shoving one another back and forth, joking around and arguing, paying no attention to her as she was jostled among them, until a strong hand suddenly steadied her in the midst of the turmoil. By the time she found her feet, they were moving off again, five or six male bodies swiping and shoving at one another, not stopping to apologize, as if they hadn't even noticed her as anything more than an inanimate obstacle in their path. Except for one of them. Bonnie found herself staring at a worn blue T-shirt and a slim torso with Well-muscled arms. She straightened up and smoothed her hair, and the hand gripping her arm let go. â€Å"Are you al right?† a low voice asked. I'd be better if you hadn't almost knocked me down, Bonnie was about to say snippily. She was out of breath, and her bag was heavy, and this guy and his friends seriously needed to watch where they were going. Then she looked up, and her eyes met his. Wow. The guy was gorgeous. His eyes were a clear, true blue, the blue of the sky at dawn on a summer morning. His features were sharply cut, the eyebrows arched, the cheekbones high, but his mouth was soft and sensual. And she'd never seen hair quite that color before, except on the youngest kids, that pure white-blond that made her think of tropical beaches under a summer sky†¦ â€Å"Are you okay?† he repeated more loudly, a frown of concern crinkling his perfect forehead. God. Bonnie could feel herself blushing right up to the roots of her hair. She had just been staring at him with her mouth open. â€Å"I'm fine,† she said, trying to pul herself together. â€Å"I guess I wasn't watching where I was going.† He grinned, and a tiny zing! shot right through Bonnie. His smile was gorgeous, too, and it lit up his whole face. â€Å"That's nice of you to say,† he said, â€Å"but I think maybe we should have been watching where we were going instead of shoving each other al over the path. My friends sometimes get a little †¦ rowdy.† He glanced past her, and Bonnie looked back over her shoulder. His friends had stopped and were waiting for him farther down the path. As Bonnie watched, one of them, a tal dark guy, smacked another on the back of the head, and a moment later they were scuffling and shoving again. â€Å"Yeah, I can see that,† said Bonnie, and the gorgeous white-blond guy laughed. His rich laugh made Bonnie smile, too, and pul ed her attention back to those eyes. â€Å"Anyway, please accept my apology,† he said. â€Å"I'm real y sorry.† He held out his hand. â€Å"My name's Zander.† His grip was nice and firm, his hand large and warm around hers. Bonnie felt herself blushing again, and she tossed her red curls back and stuck her chin bravely in the air. She wasn't going to act al flustered. So what if he was gorgeous? She was friends – sort of, anyway – with Damon. She ought to be immune to gorgeous guys by now. â€Å"I'm Bonnie,† she said, smiling up at him. â€Å"This is my first day here. Are you a freshman, too?† â€Å"Bonnie,† he said thoughtful y, drawing her name out a little like he was tasting it. â€Å"No, I've been here for a while.† â€Å"Zander†¦ Zander,† the guys down the path began chanting, their voices getting faster and louder as they repeated it. â€Å"Zander†¦ Zander†¦ Zander.† Zander winced, his attention slipping back toward his friends. â€Å"I'm sorry, Bonnie, I've got to run,† he said. â€Å"We've got sort of a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused. â€Å"†¦ club thing going on. But, like I said, I'm real y sorry we almost knocked you over. I hope I'l see you again soon, okay?† He squeezed her hand once more, gave her a lingering smile, and walked away, picking up speed as he got closer to his friends. Bonnie watched him rejoin the group of guys. Just before they turned past a dorm, Zander looked back at her, flashed that gorgeous smile, and waved. Bonnie raised her hand to wave back, accidental y clunking the heavy bag against her side as he turned away. Amazing, she thought, remembering the color of his eyes. I might be falling in love. Matt leaned against the wobbly pile of suitcases he'd stacked by the entrance to his dorm room. â€Å"Darn it,† he said as he jiggled the key in the door's lock. Had they even given him the right key? â€Å"Hey,† a voice said behind him, and Matt jerked, tumbling a suitcase down onto the floor. â€Å"Whoops, sorry about that. Are you Matt?† â€Å"Yeah,† Matt said, giving the key one last twist and, just like that, the door final y opened. He turned, smiling. â€Å"Are you Christopher?† The school had told him his roommate's name and that he was on the footbal team, too, but the two of them hadn't gotten in touch. Christopher looked okay. He was a big guy with a linebacker build, friendly smile, and short sandy hair that he scrubbed at with one hand as he stepped back to make way for the cheerful middle-aged couple fol owing him. â€Å"Hi there, you must be Matt,† said the woman, who was carrying a rol ed-up rug and a Dalcrest pennant. â€Å"I'm Jennifer, Christopher's mom, and this is Mark, his dad. It's so nice to meet you. Are your folks here?† â€Å"Uh, no, I just drove up by myself,† Matt said. â€Å"My hometown, Fel ‘s Church, isn't too far from here.† He grabbed his suitcases and lugged them into the room, hurrying to get out of Christopher's family's way. Their room was pretty smal . There was a bunk bed along one wal , a narrow space in the middle of the room, and two desks and dressers crammed side by side on the other wal . The girls and Stefan were no doubt living in luxury, but it hadn't seemed quite right to let Stefan use his Power to get Matt a good housing assignment. It was bad enough that Matt took someone else's slot as a student and someone else's space on the footbal team. Stefan had talked him into doing just that. â€Å"Look, Matt,† he'd said, his green eyes serious. â€Å"I understand how you feel. I don't like influencing people to get what I want either. But the fact is, we need to stay together. With the lines of Power that run through this whole part of the country, we have to be on our guard. We're the only ones who know.† Matt had to agree, when Stefan put it like that. He'd turned down the plush dorm room Stefan had offered to arrange for him, though, and taken what the housing office assigned him. He had to hang on to at least a shred of his honor. Plus if he was in the same dorm as the others, it would have been hard to say no to rooming with Stefan. He liked Stefan fine, but the idea of living with him, of watching him with Elena, the girl Matt had lost and stil loved despite al that had happened, was too much. And it would be fun to meet new people, to expand his horizons a bit after spending his whole life in Fel ‘s Church. But the room was awful y smal . And Christopher seemed to have a ton of stuff. He and his parents went up and down the stairs, hauling in a sound system, a little refrigerator, a TV, a Wii. Matt shoved his own three suitcases into the corner and helped them bring it al in. â€Å"We'l share the fridge and the entertainment stuff, of course,† Christopher told him, glancing at Matt's bags, which clearly contained nothing but clothes and maybe some sheets and towels. â€Å"If we can figure out where to put it al .† Christopher's mom was prowling around the room, directing his dad on where to move things. â€Å"Great, thanks – † Matt started to say, but Christopher's dad, having final y managed to wedge the TV on top of one of the dressers, turned to look at Matt. â€Å"Hey,† he said. â€Å"It just hit me – if you're from Fel ‘s Church, you guys were the state champions last year. You must be some player. What position do you play?† â€Å"Uh, thanks,† Matt said. â€Å"I play quarterback.† â€Å"First string?† Christopher's dad asked him. Matt blushed. â€Å"Yeah.† Now they were al staring at him. â€Å"Wow,† Christopher said. â€Å"No offense, man, but why are you going to Dalcrest? I mean, I'm excited just to play col ege bal , but you could have gone, like, Division One.† Matt shrugged uncomfortably. â€Å"Um, I had to stay close to home.† Christopher opened his mouth to say something else, but his mother gave a tiny shake of her head and he closed it again. Great, Matt thought. They probably thought he had family problems. He had to admit it warmed him a little, though, to be with people who acknowledged what he'd given up. The girls and Stefan didn't real y understand footbal . Even though Stefan had played on their high school team with him, his mind-set was stil very much that of the Renaissance European aristocrat: sports were enjoyable pastimes that kept the body fit. Stefan didn't real y care. But Christopher and his family – they got what it meant for Matt to pass up the chance of playing for a top-ranked col ege footbal team. â€Å"So,† Christopher said, a little too suddenly, as if he'd been trying to think of a way to change the subject, â€Å"which bed do you want? I don't care whether I take top or bottom.† They al looked over at the bunk beds, and that's when Matt saw it for the first time. It must have arrived while he was downstairs helping with Christopher's luggage. A cream-colored envelope sat on the bottom bunk, made of a fancy thick paper stock like a wedding invitation. On the front was written in cal igraphy â€Å"Matthew Honeycutt.† â€Å"What's that, dear?† Christopher's mom asked curiously. Matt shrugged, but he was beginning to feel a thrum of excitement in his chest. He'd heard something about invitations certain people at Dalcrest received, ones that just mysteriously appeared, but he'd always thought they were a myth. Flipping the envelope over, he saw a blue wax seal bearing the impression of an ornate letter V. Huh. After gazing at the envelope for a second, he folded it and slipped it into his back pocket. If it was what he thought it was, he was supposed to open it alone. â€Å"I guess that's fate tel ing us the bottom bunk's yours,† Christopher said amiably. â€Å"Yeah,† Matt said distractedly, his heart pounding hard. â€Å"Excuse me for a minute, okay?† He ducked out into the hal , took a deep breath, and opened the envelope. Inside was more thick fancy paper with cal igraphy on it and a narrow piece of black fabric. He read: Fortis Aeturnus For generations, the best and brightest of Dalcrest College have been chosen to join the Vitale Society. This year, you have been selected. Should you wish to accept this honor and become one of us, come tomorrow night at eight o'clock to the main campus gate. You must be blindfolded and dressed as befits a serious occasion. Tell no one. The little pulse of excitement in Matt's chest increased until he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He sank down along the wal and took a deep breath. He'd heard stories about the Vitale Society. The handful of Well-known actors, famous writers, and great Civil War general that Dalcrest counted among their alumni were al rumored to have been members. To belong to the legendary society was supposed to ensure your success, to link you to an incredible secret network that would help you throughout your life. More than that, there was talk of mysterious deeds, of secrets revealed only to members. And they were supposed to have amazing parties. But they were just gossip, the stories of the Vitale Society, and no one ever straight-out admitted to belonging to it. Matt always figured the secret society was a myth. The col ege itself so vehemently denied any knowledge of the Vitale Society that Matt suspected the admissions people might have made the whole thing up, trying to make the col ege seem a little more exclusive and mysterious than it real y was. But here – he looked down at the creamy paper clutched in his hands – was evidence that al the stories might be true. It could be a joke, he supposed, a trick someone was playing on a few of the freshmen. It didn't feel like a joke, though. The seal, the wax, the expensive paper; it seemed like a lot of effort to go to if the invitation wasn't genuine. The most exclusive, most secret society at Dalcrest was real. And they wanted him.

British Literature Essay

Literature is one of the most effective ways to protest against the society, iniquities in this society. From early times writers and poets used rhythms and stories for ridiculing the upper class of a society. Why do poets use poems to tell about social injustices? The answer is simple. This way a poet can catch and hold the reader’s attention, his emotions. Usually poets in their works present facts in order to capture attention of many people. These are not new facts that are presented to an audience. From early times poets used the words effectively to make people think about the situation and make want them to act in order to change the present state of things. Poets and writers know the exact words and phrases that can influence people’s attitude to this or that situation so that they start acting. Poems are always aimed to reach feelings of people and thus, to pull strings. Literature of every state shows all the complexity of every epoch. When the situation is the same at several countries, it has a worldwide significance. Before talking about poetry, we should answer the question: What is poetry? Poetry is a special way of describing situations, things, ideas, feelings. Poets present their ideas in short phrases. They use rhythm to emphasize their feelings and ideas. Besides, a poet can appeal to reader’s emotions via poems. That is why a poem is easily remembered. A poem can be compared to a photograph as it reflects real life, real situations and feelings. In a poem a poet captures the exact moment and represents it the way he/she has seen it. When you read a poem you see the poet’s subjective evaluation of facts, situations and the epoch in general. Poets of Romantic Movement wrote their poems to share their feelings. They wrote to help people understand their time from the poet’s point of view. This paper is about Romantic Movement in Great Britain. It is devoted to William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, William Blake, Robert Burns, Mary Wollstonecraft and Joanna Baillie who became a radical group in British literature of their epoch. In the paper special attention is paid to the use of lyric poetry (ballads) and blank verse in poetry of the nineteenth century. British poetry. â€Å"The poem on the page is only a shadow of the poem in the mind. And the poem in the mind is only a shadow of the poetry and the mystery of the things of this word.†   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Stanley Kunitz Before analyzing the British poetry of the nineteenth century it is necessary to mention the changes in political, industrial, scientific and cultural spheres of life of that time and caused the changes in British literature having challenged the standards of form and structure in poetry. From 1776 the American and French Revolutions and later the Industrial Revolution astounded Great Britain and Europe and caused disturbances among people. In the second half of the century Charles Darwin published Origins of Species and The Descent of Man that caused the revolution in scientific thought. This was an unrest period and people were forced to evaluate their values and beliefs again. There is no wonder that the British poets changed their world outlook. The first stage of Romanticism in English literature began in 1790s. William Blake was the first major poet who reacted to these changes. His poems were far from standard patterns. The poetry of Blake is characterized by long, unrhymed lines, a steady interplay of opposites (Damrosch 458). A metaphor can be found in titles of Blake’s works. For instance, his series of poems: Songs of Innocence in 1789 and Songs of Experience in 1794; The Marriage of Heaven and Hell etc. Blake believed that opposites are integral parts of life. He wrote about things that we too often forget making the reader look at events from another point of view. Blake tried to use the joy of words. He used figurative language to describe things in an unusual, in a completely new way breaking down the traditions in poetry of his time. Blake’s beginnings were supported by the efforts of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. They have written a collection of poems, anonymously authored, famous for its poems and its preface, entitled Lyrical Ballads in 1798. In the preface a poet deems that poems must regard ‘situations from life’ in ‘the everyday language’. Wordsworth describes poetry as ‘the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’. This expression was the manifesto of the Romantic Movement in poetry presenting revolutionary idea for that time. Moreover, the poet emphasizes on the avoidance of artificial poetic style. He believes language must be understandable and enjoyable for ordinary people. Lyrical Ballads is one of the most significant books which became a major change in the history of English poetry (Damrosch 462). Poems from the collection are written in simple, everyday language. They are concentrated on the appreciation of the power of nature, examination of human personality, inner feelings, emotions and thought with an emphasis on imagination. Lyrical Ballads starts from Coleridge’s long poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner and continues with poems manifesting the nature appreciation, the superiority of emotions and feelings over reason. The romance emphasizes individuality, beauty of nature contrasting to formality and artificiality of the standards in poetry of that epoch. A collection contains Tintern Abbey, The Idiot Boy and other controversial poems of Wordsworth written in everyday language. Poets used an every day language before, thus, they did not use it so that they broke down the rules and standards. Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous for marvelous The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and the ‘conversation poems’, for example, Frost at Midnight and This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison, as well as for his unfinished works Christabel and Kubla Khan, which is like an obsession that haunts your mind (Damrosch 466). Dorothy Wordsworth, William’s sister, is an English prose writer. Her famous Alfoxden Journal and invaluable Gramere Journals were published in 1897. Her works are full of imagination while describing nature and personalities of unusual qualities. Dorothy’s prose is sudden, clear and natural. You may disagree with her ideas or conclusions. However, the writer could possibly say that it is enough that a reader reflects on her ideas. William Wordsworth wrote many short poems which were aimed at breaking down neoclassical verse. He included new poems in the second edition of the collection – The Brothers and Michael. In his works the author tries to speak about life truthfully sharing his feelings with a reader. Sometimes they share ideas, sometimes – a question. These poems and marvelous lyrics were written in his great decade. Thus, the most famous poem of William Wordsworth is his autobiographical philosophical poem The Prelude. This is a spiritual autography in which the author puts questions of philosophical value, about the purpose of his existence, of his value as a poet. In this work William Wordsworth is the major hero. The author places imagination on the first place among human talents. This work is better to call an epic as it consists of 8000 lines and is separated into 14 books (Damrosch 471). It is necessary to mention Joanna Baillie, a poet and dramatist. She wrote plays in verse which were highly appreciated. However, she is famous largely for her first published work, a collection of lyrics Fugitive Verses in 1790. Another talented English writer is Mary Wollstonecraft. She is famous for her works about equality of women concerning education and social life. Mary Wollstonecraft was a member of a radical group together with William Blake and later William Wordsworth. All her life Mary Wollstonecraft remained a passionate defender of women rights. In her works she was bringing up a fulmination against social inequality of women. She wrote Thoughts on the Education of Daughters in 1787 and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, which contains a fulmination and a plea concerning equality for women, in 1792. The second stage of Romanticism began in 1805 and was marked by appreciation of history value, attention to origins, to works of Renaissance time. One of the most noted poets of the second stage is George Gordon, Lord Byron. He put the poet in the central place and spoke about imagination in his works (Damrosch 458). Romantic Movement reached its high point of art in the works of Byron. In his poems he emphasizes the individual feelings, emotions of a person, not of several ones; expression of feeling opposes to morality and value of nature to a state. The works of Byron are unique and brilliant, his poetry is an outstanding event connected with the Epoch of Romanticism. When an artist puts paint on canvas, he/she attentively traces shapes and colours for attaining a needful effect. The same Byron does when he writes a poem – he arranges words so that a poem is simple and comprehensible. Byron uses language in unusual way: he chooses words for sound and meaning. He carefully selects and arranges each word to achieve the desirable sound and effect. His major hero is a romantic person who is out of the society. In his poems the author raises the question of immortality. Besides, his works are notable for their flippancy. In 1820s there was a third stage of Romanticism that spread romantic ideas in literature worldwide (Damrosch 458). Summarizing, the Romantic Movement in Britain has three stages; every of stages is famous for poets and their works. At this time poets broke with tradition and tried the relaxed rhythms, everyday language and imagination in their poems. Conclusion. The paper briefly analyzes the three stages of Romantic Movement in Great Britain in general and poets who contributed greatly to the poetry of their country in a more detailed way. Besides, the paper analyzes the peculiarities of literature of that epoch. Having examined the works of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, William Blake, Robert Burns, Mary Wollstonecraft and Joanna Baillie, it is clear it was a new generation of poets in the British literature. References: Damrosch D., Wolfson S. J., Manning P. J. (2005). The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume 2A: The Romantics and Their Contemporaries, Longman, 3rd Edition, 1120pp.

Miracles: Possible of Not

It was not till the Enlightenment that the question began to be seriously asked, as to whether miracles are possible or not. Prior to this miracle was the substance of life in all strata of society, not only the unlettered. Belief in miracles emboldened belief per se. In the age of faith religion was the foundation of life, and belief in miracles indispensable to it. But with the rise of science and rationalism, and the corresponding demise of religion, the aspect of miracle too lost standing in the concerns of people. Where science was poised and eager to explain all observed phenomena, belief in miracles was an obvious casualty. According to David Hume’s definition, a miracle is â€Å"a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent† (1993, p. 77). The mere suggestion of a transgression of natural law was beginning to sound like a heresy to scientifically accustomed ears, even though attributed to the Deity. This paper examines the eighteenth century responses to the question of whether miracles or possible or not, and then broadens the scope to include modern and ancient perspectives. Hume was the first to tackle the question squarely, in the chapter titled â€Å"Of Miracles† in the 1948 publication An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. From purely metaphysical considerations the conclusion is that miracles are indeed possible. We must remember that the core of Hume’s philosophy is empirical skepticism. The materialists, weaned on the mechanics of Newton, were pronouncing outright miracles impossible. The laws of motion and gravity were successfully explaining the heavenly bodies, and hardly anyone suspected that they were not universal in scope. Newtonian mechanics has no place for miracles. This was almost a proof of the invalidity of miracles. But the proud determinism that they espoused had no philosophical foundation to it. Descartes, and the Cartesians, tried desperately for a metaphysics of materialism, but to know avail. Finally Hume overthrew all the strained Cartesian designs, and advanced a devastating critique of reason, as applied to empirical sense data, to deliver objective knowledge. It turned Enlightenment thinking on its head. Knowledge is not possible, and yet miracles are. The philosophers of materialism were stuck on the question as to how it is at all possible that mind interacts with matter. This is indeed a miracle of the highest order, and Hume cannot help but paint the wonder that is inherent in such an idea: For first: Is there any principle in all nature more mysterious than the union of soul with body; by which a supposed spiritual substance acquires such an influence over a material one, that the most refined thought is able to actuate the grossest matter? (Ibid 43) Hume draws the conclusion that it is quite impossible to describe or explain such a thing. So we cannot talk about interaction at all, not even in the parallel case where one inanimate object imparts momentum to another. We talk about the first body causing motion in the second, but we cannot describe an interaction having taken place between cause and effect. We can only observe that the effect has followed the cause, as if two separated events conjoined in time. There is no necessity that the effect must always follow the cause. If we do come to such a conclusion it can only be due to the fact that we have become accustomed to expect such. He then probes into the situation where the effect is unexpected. It seems that the laws of nature has been violated, and we begin to pronounce that a miracle has occurred. But we are hasty to do so, Hume points out. Just because we expect a certain outcome doesn’t imply that natural law dictates the same. He offers the example of the Indian who has never known snow hails miracle when he sees it falling, because nothing in his experience has prepared him for it. Sometimes our science makes us feel that we know the sum extent of natural law. The essence of Hume’s philosophy is that we do not know natural law, and the extent of out ability, regards knowledge, is to infer from experience. He thus leaves room for divine intervention, for natural law is in the hands of the Almighty, only that Hume is not prone to listen to the tall tales of the coarse and the gullible regarding miracles: Though the Being to whom the miracle is ascribed, be Almighty, it [the miracle] does not, upon that account, become a whit more probable, since it is impossible for us to know the attributes or actions of such a Being, otherwise than from the experience of his productions, in the usual course of nature. This still reduces us to past observations†¦ (Ibid 89) Hume is virulent and protracted in his attack against the popular report of miracles, which he thinks has more to do with base psychology than with proper faith. The common lot is so eager to see miracles that it latches on to any hoax and fraud that comes its way, and this is what Hume finds despicable. Such an attitude is understandable coming from a philosopher of the Enlightenment. However, if he had shown a little more empathy towards the gullible he would have recognized that the yearning for miracle is but a testimony of its preciousness. A Chinese proverb reads: â€Å"The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth† (qtd. in Moore, 2006, p. 69). However, it does not feel like a partaking in a miracle while walking the earth in one’s daily odyssey of toil and tears. People need to see explicit miracles only to keep them in touch with the miracle of life itself. Prayer itself, as the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev puts it, is prayer but for a miracle: â€Å"Every prayer reduces itself to this: ‘Great God grant that twice two be not four’† (qtd. in Andrews, 1987, p. 207). Some scientists are finally coming to accept that miracles are indeed possible. Not in the sense in which Hume described it, who defined a miracle as a violation of natural law. He too insists that natural law cannot be violated, and miracle in that sense is impossible. When we come across a miracle we recognize it as such because it violates natural law, only as far as our limited understanding of natural law is concerned. Experience has taught us to expect nature to behave in certain ways, and for all intents and purposes this is natural law for us, the observer. When we observe the unexpected we feel that natural law has been violated, but it may only a new experience for us, like the Indian that Hume describes as coming across the miracle of snow. Polkinghorne therefore suggests an alternative description of miracle, which is not a violation of nature, but instead â€Å"exploration of a new regime of physical experience† (2001, p. 59). All our expectations derive from custom, says Hume, and therefore our worldview is indeed a science of probabilities. That which we expect to happen is probable, but no one can vouchsafe it as certain. Therefore the door is always left open to the improbable. All miracles must find berth in the bracket of improbability. If Hume put it so before the advent of modern science, at the very frontiers of that same science the verdict came back the same. Scientists are by and large determinists, as regards their philosophy. Indeed, the must be so necessarily, for the method of science, as outlined by Francis Bacon in the seventeenth century, induces from empirical evidence the fixed laws of nature. As he asserts in the New Organon, â€Å"I open and lay out a new and certain path for the mind to proceed in, starting directly from the simple sensuous perception† [italics my own] (7). The entire rationale behind such a method is the promise of certainty, as regards knowledge. All scientists necessarily have this object in view, as followers of the method of Bacon. It is agreed among them that the apex of this science is quantum physics. According to this discipline, there is no certain knowledge, not of an atomic particle’s position, nor of its velocity. The rule is codified in Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty. It lays out a science of probabilities, with the aid of the highest mathematics and the most advanced principles of physics. Yet the essence of it is exactly the same as what Hume put forward as â€Å"custom†. In conclusion, we declare miracles possible or not depending on how we define a miracle. If we insist that it is a violation of natural law, then we must declare it impossible. On the other hand, if it is a highly improbable event, then it is by definition possible. We must remember that the realm of the improbable contains things beyond our wildest expectations, and therefore if we come across such we may mistake it for a violation of nature. References Andrews, R. (1987). The Routledge Dictionary of Quotations. New York: Routledge. Bacon, F. (2000). The New Organon. L. Jardine, M. Silverthorne (Eds.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hume, D. (1993). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. E. Steinberg (Ed.) Boston: Hackett Publishing. Moore, D. (2006). Zen Wisdom: Magnetic Quotes and Proverbs. Kennebunkport, ME: Cider Mill Press Book Publishers. Polkinghorne, J. C. (2001). Faith, Science and Understanding. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Environment Science Individual Group Project Portion Essay

Environment Science Individual Group Project Portion - Essay Example The human suffering that resulted from the ‘Irish Potato Famine’ of 1846 to 1850 occurred predominantly due to the Irish poor being reliant solely on one crop, the potato, for sustenance. Prior to the 1800’s, the Irish grew barley, rye, oats and vegetables, but the 1804 Corn Law of Britain, a tariff imposed on imported grains to safeguard the profit margin of British landowners, changed this. Grains were no longer a viable crop for Irish to produce but potatoes still were. The majority of Irish landowners, the employers of most of the working poor, converted to potato farming. Generally, the poor were paid in potatoes during this hard economic period. Millions trusted their fate to the health of the potato and the stage was set for this calamitous event. In addition, the Irish population had spiked 50 percent in the two decades prior to the famine in the regions that were hit the hardest (Japikse, 1994). In 1846, The Irish climate became wetter and warmer than usual which was conducive for the proliferation the fungus that ultimately destroyed the potato crop. The weather did not cause the fungus but acted to further its progress. The fungus, Phytophthora infestans, arrived in Ireland from Europe the year before and during a more normal weather pattern would have not produced a similar devastating outcome. â€Å"The spores of the blight were carried by wind, rain and insects and came to Ireland from Britain and the European continent. A fungus affected the potato plants, producing black spots and a white mould on the leaves, soon rotting the potato into a pulp† (Ranelagh, 1994, p.111). The 1846 potato crop perished and though potatoes can be easily stored for up to a year by simply being left in the ground, they cannot be sustained any longer therefore no surplus was stored for anytime later than 1847. The poor had food for the