Saturday, August 31, 2019

Effective Study Skills Are the Sole Foundation of a Sound Education Essay

There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration when analysing the above phrase. According to the Oxford Dictionary ‘Effective’ is defined as ‘Successful in producing a desired or intended result’. Individuals tend to adopt their own strategies for learning, as we can see below. The studies of Peter Honey and Alan Mumford in the late 1970’s, identified four different ways in which people learn. An Activist likes to takes a ‘hands on’ approach and experience what is being studied. A Pragmatist wants to have a go and experiment with the results. A Theorist needs to understand why and what are the underlying reasons for the result. Finally, the Reflector, observes and considers the various outcomes before putting into practise. The study leads us to understand that there is not a singular effective study skill but study skills, that vary according to an individual’s preference and style. ‘Effective study depends on your state of mind, space, time and materials organised in the ways that best suit your learning.’ Stella Cottrell. The Study skills handbook 3rd edition pg67. Social and cultural beliefs regarding education may also affect the foundation of an individual’s education. Gender bias may place additional limitations on a student with regards to expectations, some individuals are placed under pressure to achieve good academic qualifications whilst others may be left to their own devices and will have to find their own motivation for study. Parental involvement and inspirational role models also have a strong influence on our ability,motivation and willingness to learn. Source: www.gov.uk research brief, institute of learning, University of London, Sabates and Duckworth, July 2009. Let us consider ‘sound education’. In the 1980’s it was considered a reasonable achievement to gain 5 O levels. Today employers have much higher expectations, many will not consider a potential employee without a degree. It is reasonable to conclude that ‘sound education’ fundamentally changes with time. Environment can also have a significant effect on educational achievement. A student at school can concentrate solely on studies whilst others may study from home on a part time basis if they work full time and have a family. Age also affects the way individuals approach study, for example older people who have not studied for many years will find it much harder to go back to study than someone who has just left school. We can conclude from the above that individuals need to adapt their style of study for it to be effective. Students of all ages also need to be willing and motivated to learn. This will have a significant impact on success even when outside influences can disrupt the foundation of our study. Whilst effective study is extremely important it is not the sole foundation as we adapt to suit our requirements and ultimately achieve what we consider to be our own interpretation of a sound education.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Comic Strip Lesson Plan Essay

In this lesson the students will discuss memories in front of the class that they enjoy remembering; along with their speech they will present their interpretation of the memory through art. It will also help with their public speaking skills. Objectives: * I want the students to learn how to give a short presentation in front of the classroom. Materials and Technologies (Teacher and student): Teacher notes for lessons. Students will need comic strip sheets, color pencils, crayons, and markers. Preparation of the room: I will put the needed comic strip paper on each students desk. If the students have any of their own crayon, color pencils, or markers they will have them on their desk. All of the classroom crayon, color pencils, or markers on a small table in front center of the classroom, along with extra comic strip paper. Artist (s): – Roy Lichtenstein; comic strip type art – Maya Lin; demonstration of longstanding memories in art work. Artmaking medium: color pencils, crayons, and markers. (Not all must be used on project if not desired by student.) Instruction (Activities and Procedures): Be very specific!!! Opening: â€Å" Today we will be discussing memories that are special to each of us. We will also be presenting our memories to the class through a short speech, and a comic strip drawing.† Attention Grabber (Anticipatory set): For an attention grabber I as the teacher would present my own comic strip, and present a fond memory of my own. This memory would be one that is possibly embarrassing or funny so I could loosen the class up about presenting their own memories. Tap into prior knowledge: I can ask if any of them have ever had to speak in front of a crowd. How did they feel? Did they enjoy? Or if they didn’t, why? Introduction of artist: For Roy Lichtenstein I will tell about his part in Pop Art. I will show them â€Å"Masterpiece† It shows how the comic strips were drawn, and they should resemble there own. I will also show Maya Lin, and her Vietnam Memorial. This shows how the memory of someone or an event is not forgotten if there is art to remember it with. Art making activity: The student will have a 4-6 panels strips of paper. On the strip they will draw there recollection of a particular memory. They will do this with color pencils, crayons, and markers. If less or more panels are needed the adductions will be made. Closure: We will end the lesson with each student presenting their comic with a short presentation. Interdisciplinary connections: This lesson will connect with writing/spelling, because the student will have to have some dialogue/description on the comic. It will also connect with reading, because they will have to read the comic in front of the class as part of their presentation. Accommodating individual differences: To meet the needs of all students, I will make sure that all needed materials are readily available and easily assessable. Feedback: How and what manner will you provide feedback to students. I will give feedback on a comment sheet. On this sheet I will give marks for the students spelling on comic strip, the presentation, and on the drawing themselves.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Thesis Statment

Thesis Statement: Definition: the thesis statement is the most important sentence in your essay. It is the main idea for the whole essay; it is frequently shows (directly, indirectly) the number and the content of the body paragraphs of the essay. Clear thesis statement are essential for good writing. Parts of a thesis statement: A thesis statement has two main parts: the topic and the controlling and additional one not necessary predictor. A- Topic: the subject of the essay, what the essay is about. Ex: Frank McCourt faced two obstacles.B- Controlling: what you are going to say about the topic. Ex. Frank McCourt faced two obstacles. C- Predictor: it is a third component in a thesis statement. It tells the reader how many body paragraphs there will be in the essay and what their content will be. Ex. Frank McCourt faced two obstacles lack of education and poverty. Activity 1: predict the content of the body paragraphs of the following statements circle the topic, underline the control ling: 1- As we human beings shape our environment by building and producing, we are increasingly polluting our air, water and our soil. – The main advantages of urban planning are that we can control a city's appearance, we can organize transportation effectively, and we can make sure there are enough open spaces. 3- With its winding paths, lake, and small forests, Central Park in New York City is the most important example of the romantic style of landscape architecture in the United States. Rules for Thesis Statement: 1- Thesis statement must be a complete sentence with a subject and a verb. City living hazardous to your health. (not a thesis) City living is hazardous to your health. – Thesis statement must be a statement not a question. Are dogs good companions? Dogs are good companions. 3- Thesis statement is an opinion it can't be a simple statement of fact (doesn’t need any support) I have an older brother and a younger brother. I have much in common with my younger brother than I do with my older brother. 4- Thesis statement is a statement not announcement and must state the controlling idea. This essay I'm going to talk about air pollution. Recent methods of reducing air pollution are showing some positive results 5- Thesis statement should have only one controlling idea.Public transportation in my hometown is too expensive, and it is slower than that in Tokyo. Public transportation in my hometown is too expensive. Activity: 2 state if the following sentences is a good thesis statement or not and state the rule it violates. 1- Japanese car are better than American cars. 2- A Mitsubishi is a Japanese car. 3- I'm going to show you why seat belts are necessary. 4- Are seat belts necessary? 5- Wearing a seat belt can save your life. 6- Students who work while they are studying meet a lot of people, and their professors also work hard. 7- Work-study programs an analysis. – In this essay, I will compare working on campus and worki ng off campus. Activity 3: choose 4 topics to write 4 thesis statements. 2 must have a predictor: 1- __________________________________________________________________________ 2- __________________________________________________________________________ 3- __________________________________________________________________________ 4- __________________________________________________________________________ ———————– Wild animalsendangered speciestransportationocean/ water Climate changeworld's food productioneducationforest/ vegetation

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Jihad Religion and Theology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jihad Religion and Theology - Research Paper Example Jihad therefore means fighting to have a positive attitude towards Allah’s teachings, and determining to follow them (Khan 48). There are four known form of jihads according to Islamic scholars’ opinions. There is the Jihad of the heart, Jihad of the tongue, jihad of the hand and jihad of the sword. Some people have taken the word to mean â€Å"Holly War†. They therefore have taken advantage of this word, to expand Islamic boundaries and influence. Some Muslims have used such war to fight physically against other non-Muslim people and countries. Jihad started back in the time of Prophet Muhammad. At that time, Muslims had to protect themselves when Prophet Muhammad was moving from Makkah to Madinah where he lived until he died. At that time in Makka, Muslims were in extreme danger, and the chances of their eradication were high. At this point, they gave them permission to guard themselves by afflicting those who were oppressing them violently. The holly Qurâ€⠄¢an allows Muslims address the concerns of aggressive neighbors since God will sustain them. However, it outlaws them thus; they should not exceed their limits. They should maintain discipline by avoiding hurting the blameless. Apparently, according to Qur’an, the Jihad that necessitates the fight within one’s self is the greatest Jihad. ... Muslims should pray for their enemies and those who shun God. Additionally, the jihad of the heart requires that, Muslims should love their fellow Muslims, and feel the brotherhood of faith, which connects them with other Muslims worldwide. Through faith, Muslims should believe that the people of devotion to Allah are in one tent that is different from those of unbelievers. This is so, until God grants the Islamic nation, one regime, which will join all Muslims under this nation, God willing (Anwar 219). The jihad of the heart is a reticent kind of jihad. This happens when Muslims see a person sinning and they think that confronting the person is not wise; they can just silently reject the injustice. Furthermore, Muslims can engage in this kind of jihad by praying constantly, fasting accordingly, and memorizing the Koran. Apparently, Muslims believe that by practicing all this, Allah with his angels will always be close to them. According to Islam, these practices are jihad because; they are all efforts to bring a believer close to Allah. Jihad of the Tongue After the Muslims have achieved purity of spirits, they can conduct the Jihad of the Tongue. This is the kind of jihad where Muslims spread the word of Allah by preaching to other Muslims and non-Muslims. This Jihad is for the most daring Muslims, as they ought to tackle the non-believers with the use of Koran. They ask the non-believers to try to read Koran expecting that they will believe whatever it says. Since this kind of Jihad requires more effort than the Jihad of the heart, which involves keeping to thoughts to ones self, Muslims believe that it receive more reward in heaven. Jihad of the hand After Muslims have successfully gone through the â€Å"Jihad of the heart†, and the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Importance of joining a national professional nursing organization Assignment

Importance of joining a national professional nursing organization - Assignment Example This organization produces a number of publications in the form of various E-newsletters, HIMSS Books and various journals. The Journal of Healthcare Information Management is one such publication that serves the purpose of providing IT related information to its readers. This organization works to serve humanity by realizing that ambulatory practice is necessary to ensure delivery of accessible, high-quality and cost-effective treatment. Being a not for profit organization, the body engages in ventures that enhances patient care at all levels. Its publications include Care Coordination and Transition Management, Scope & Standards of Practice (Ambulatory & Telehealth) and Core Curriculum for Ambulatory care Nursing. This body takes into consideration the problems of the nursing community as a whole and aims to provide assistance to nearly all the nursing practitioners that reside in the United States. Their publications include Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, which is a scholarly peer review journal. Since occupational health services are extremely important for contribution to the health of workers of industries etc, this body takes into account the problems that are faced by nursing staff that is working in the occupational health. Its journal includes the ‘Workplace Health & Safety

Monday, August 26, 2019

Case study about Starbucks (marketing) Assignment

Case study about Starbucks (marketing) - Assignment Example This report will be solely based on the Starbucks case study and will focus on how the specialty coffee player can better survive and survive in the industry. In order to do this, this paper will look at the historical performance of the company, noting the company's strategies in response to its external market. The first portion will provide an account on how Starbucks has prospered and gained wide success in the early 1990s. Next, this report will look at the changes which have transpired in Starbucks market which significantly differentiates it from the 1990s. Through this analysis, this paper will evaluate why the customer satisfaction rating of the specialty coffee retailer declined. Lastly, Starbucks problems will be identified, stressing on how they can be reconciled and remedied. The success of Starbucks in early 1990s has been well documented. The main idea of its "founder" Schultz is to create a third place for the Americans to stay. It should be noted that during that time, Americans are confined to only two destinations-work and home. Schultz then wanted to create a place where the people can relax and enjoy themselves alone or with other people. This business concept has been instrumental in the success of the business organization in the early 1990s. Schultz did not just envision a retail shop which specializes in selling coffee but in creating the proper "ambiance" and strategies in order to convey the "Starbucks experience." Starbucks has operated in a three pronged strategy in order to capture its target market. First, the company concentrates in offering the best coffee in the US by sourcing its coffee beans from Africa, South America, and Asia Pacific. In order to ensure that it is distributing the highest quality coffee beans, Starbucks takes control as much of its supply chain as possible. This means working directly with the growers, supervising the roasting process, and controlling the distribution process worldwide. Secondly, Starbucks have focused on delivering excellent customer service to complement its products. It should be noted that the company's baristas are well trained in entertaining and dealing with the customers. The company believes that the Starbucks experience is not just a matter of delivering quality coffee products but excellent customer service. Thirdly, the specialty coffee retailer also invests in completing the experience by creating the appropriate ambiance. Starbucks has created an atmosphere which is inviting for its customers. In the words of Day, "People come for the coffee but the ambiance is what makes them want to stay." Consistent with what is emphasized in the course, it can be seen that the product offered by Starbucks is comprised of a tangible component, intangible component, and a symbol component. The tangible component, the substance, is addressed by Starbucks' quest in producing and delivering the highest quality coffee in its stores. As discussed above, it becomes an essential component of the value proposition and strategy of the company. The second component, which is service, is exemplified by the company's pursuit in offering

Fire and Emergency Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Fire and Emergency Management - Research Paper Example History There is a rich history that comes with the use of both the ISO grading system and the standards of coverage. The ISO grading system is actually adopted version of the fire suppression rating schedule (FSRS). The FSRS had been used as an independent rating system for several years in selected States until the need to ensuring that there is a global standardization of the activities of the fire and emergency service was brought up (ISO, 2014). Meanwhile, the insurance service office (ISO) had been functioning as an internationally recognized body that was responsible for setting standards of operation for various industries across the globe. To ensure that the rating schedule used for the purposes of fire and emergency fighting was at par with what was internationally recognized, the rating schedule was merged with the ISO standards to form what is today referred to as the ISO grading system of fire fighting. The history behind the standards of coverage can however be traced to very specific fire and emergency agencies across the country. This is because when the use of the standards of coverage started as an assessment system, it was only certified and used by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). These fire chiefs were the ones who ensured that within the limit of the agencies that managed, there was a standard that defined the way they operated and responded to fire.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

To What Extent is it Justifiable to Deviate from Fundamental Essay

To What Extent is it Justifiable to Deviate from Fundamental Principles of Criminal Law by Creating Driving Offences of Strict Liability, in the Interests of Maintaining Road Safety - Essay Example Without an iota of doubt, it can be said that the concept of law, and for that purpose criminal law, has come to find a midpoint between these two schools of thoughts by setting principles that both give freedom to people to behave as individual beings and also protect the interest of other people. Typical examples of such rules and regulations that can be identified as directly catering for both the freedom of the bearer and the interest of the holder are driving laws on the possession of insurance and valid driver’s license by car users. Such laws are in place to ensure that as much as people have the freedom to drive any car of their choice, they also have the needed training and security that will put other road users at safety. Notwithstanding the presence of such road user laws, which have been inculcated into existing criminal laws, there are studies and case laws that suggest increases in driving offenses and road user related offenses. This essay has therefore been written to hold a debate on the justification in deviating from fundamental principles of criminal law to create driving offenses of strict liability that will be in place with the interest of maintaining road safety. There are a number of thematic legal arguments that can be developed from the question under discussion. These are considered thematic legal arguments because they seem to raise issues that could be given different legal interpretations, an analysis of which can lead to a successful conclusion on the justification of deviating from principles of criminal law by creating driving offenses of strict liability in the interest of maintaining road safety. These thematic legal arguments have thus been discussed as follows.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Chechnya and Russia conflict Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chechnya and Russia conflict - Research Paper Example However, the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed for separatist groups within Chechnya to place a renewed emphasis and focus upon independence; thereby drawing the Russian Federation to act as a means of protecting the sovereignty the sovereignty of its newly redefined borders. Chechnya naturally refers to the geographic region within Dagestan that represents and ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse people. Whereas incorporation within the Russian Empire and subsequent Soviet Union had provided a great deal of commonality with regards to the vast geographic areas that could be defined as Russian or Soviet, Chechnya exhibited a strong will to independence from the time that it was first colonized up until the present. Accordingly, this region has become a flashpoint for both independence and radical Islam within Russia’s southern border. Whereas there are many other trouble spots within Dagestan and the southern Caucasus, Chechnya has become the focal point of these due to its strong cultural traditions and continual resistance to whatever Empire or Federation seeks to define it a given time. The pro-unification Chechen government refers to something of a puppet regime that was set up by the government of Vladimir Putin upon the conclusion of the Second Chechen War. Headed by Akhmad Kadyrov, the pro–unification government naturally sought a greater degree of integration within the Russian Federation. In such a way, the Russian Federation was able to utilize a pseudo-– democratic process to seek to ease tensions within the region. However, Akhmad Kadryov was assassinated by a bomb blast in 2004.3 His assassination prompted Moscow to promote his son Ramzan Kadyrov to represent the pro—unification Chechen government. The degree of success that this process has been able to integrate with regards to revolutionary violence within Chechnya has been marked. Although violent repression still continues to exist, the region has experienced a great deal of growth and rebuilding of formerly leveled cities have helped to integrate individuals within the framework of society. Although there are many who continue to push back against the pro—unification Chechen government, it exhibits a great deal of influence and provides the Russian Federation the level of power that has not been seen within Chechnya since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.4 Naturally, representing the flip side of this are the separatist rebels. The separatist rebels are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and degree of appreciation and adherence to Islam. Ultimately, the separatist rebels failure can be seen as a function of the fact that they do not have a solitary voice. In such a way, the separatist rebels exhibit a weakness that is been able to be exploited by the Russian Federation as a means of subverting and subduing the movement that they represent. Regardless of this splintered nature, elements of the separatist rebels continue to promote radical revolution and ask of violence against both military and civilian assets of the Russian Fe deration. Naturally, in order to understand the situation, one cannot and should not discount the role that religion plays. Whereas the Russian Federation is almost exclusively Eastern Orthodox, Chechnya and other areas within Dagestan and the South Caucasus are exclusively Islam. Although individuals within the rebel movements of Chechnya cannot and should not be considered as solely motivated by radical interpretations Islam, the fact that matter is that Islam

Friday, August 23, 2019

Motorola in china case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Motorola in china case study - Essay Example China, represented a very significant market for Motorola in terms of manufacturing and research. According to the company sources, Motorola was successful in the Chinese market due to its understanding of the market, the people and the strategies it adopted. In 1978, Motorola established its Beijing office, then in 1992 it developed a makeshift plant in Tianjin to manufacture paging devices. In 2003, the company was regarded as the most successful foreign company in China, courtesy of its adoption of a four-point strategy which as follows: In managing success in its new environment, Motorola developed a new 2+3+3 strategy, which it used to create and sustain its competitive advantage. The numbers in the strategy represented goals that the company had developed in the process of achieving its success. The strategy was developed, following the need to consolidate on its market returns that had been found to be as follows, In this new strategy, the first â€Å"2† represented two goals, which included creating a reliable R&D centre and a successful manufacturing company worldwide. The second â€Å"3† in the strategy included the company succeeding in three main areas, that is, trunking systems, broadband creation of semiconductors. The final â€Å"3† showed goals that the company was willing to achieve by 2006. These goals were, increasing the value of its particular yearly productions to about $10 billion, increasing its investments up to $10 billion as well as purchasing trading components of the same amount. One of the important market entry strategies that the company had was an effective understanding of the Chinese market (Edmonds, 2000). Motorola Company had to take time in order to study and understand the Chinese people, thereby devising market growth and development strategies that effectively articulated their needs. In any market, the ability to succeed and develop

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Contrasting Differences in Family Life in USA and Mexico Essay Example for Free

Contrasting Differences in Family Life in USA and Mexico Essay The family is the basic unit of any particular society or community. It is therefore imperative that for the society to exist the family has to be there to produce members into the community. The community or national character any particular country is basically determined by the nature of the family values. An individual is shaped in the early ages by the family. In the contemporary society there are increased diversity changes in the family a characteristic of the many changes in culture, political, economic, social, and psychological and even the environment. The content definition of has not been agreed upon because of the great changes that are so accommodating. In the previous many years the family was considered as the people who are related by blood. This definition based on the kinship ties has been revoked due to the influence of many forms of families which has stripped off the family its actual definition. For instance there can husband and wife who do not have any kinship ties and they go ahead to adopt children. Another case that has changed such a definition of the family based on kinship ties is the increasing number of intermarriage within the context of race or ethnicity. This brings out a mixture of offspring and therefore it is difficult to trace the family bonds based on kinship ties. The issue of who is next to kin is no longer important in the current families. The most common aspect in the current families is the bonding based on mutual understanding. The many changes of husband and wife have been changed by the introduction of lesbianism and gay. These try to go against the grain of opposite gender type of marriage. The concept of marriage has changed from opposite gender type of marriage to a mixture of gay, lesbianism and opposite gender marriages. These are some of the dynamisms that are facing the contemporary families. This paper shall give an indebt analysis of the family, the changes in roles and functions of the families and the general effects of such changes to the contemporary families. A close reference and examples shall be drawn from the US and Mexico, the countries that border each other geographically. The contrasting differences I n family issues shall be pointed out clearly. Family life in the United States The family relationship in the United States has undergone several transformations due to the effect of globalization. Race and ethnicity are the most significant factors in shaping the variety of values, attitudes and behaviour amongst the families in the United States. There are a number of changes in families in the United States. These changes range from political, social, economic, and psychological to spiritual. The social dislocations have given rise to new ideas and values especially there is increased individualism among the members of the community. In the US there increased diversity in the organizational structures. There are many cases of divorce and separation in the United Stated which has grabbed the family the unity and love that is supposed to be enjoyed. Most the single families that are common in the US are as a result of divorce and remarriage due to greater democratization. (Hines Morrison, 2005) Cultural diversity in the US is accounting for the many different types of families that have emerged in the recent past. The United States constitutes almost all races and ethnic groups in the world. For this reason there are diverse cultural values as a resulting of this contact. The factor that there are free intermarriages between these diverse races and ethnic groups has made the US to have diverse cultural values which transcend the native culture. The immigrants who move to the United State try to maintain their native language despite the fact that they are forced to learn the official language of the United States, which is English. The immigrants from Spanish speaking countries (Hispanic) when they move to the United States they try to maintain their languages. The culture of the people is usually transmitted through language and due to the numerous languages in the United States there exists different cultures. This means that there are very many family clusters formed through the sharing of the languages. For instance most of the Hispanic immigrants have formed family clusters in the sides of Florida. The black American speaks a variety of English as they identify themselves as belonging or originating from one family. These disparities have affected the notion of the family because these people are allowed to mix freely with people from different cultures. The concept of the family in the United States is changing even the more during the advent of the green card where people from different pasts acquire citizenship. Many people from different races and ethnic groups have found their way to the US and as such most of them are allowed to move with their families. The nuclear family still remains an ideal source of the society in the United States. The United States families are characterized by the great social stratification. In the United the families are organized according to different classes. Among these classes there are great disparities in terms of economic value. The choice of families has not taken shift from mutual understanding to materials and resources. This has affected relationships from a sociological point of view. This issue of the class is a dominant phenomenon among the families in the United States as those who are rich wants to maintain the status quo. This is done through the inheritance that is passed within the nuclear families. The nuclear families in the United States are created and broken up and then reconstituted. This has led to the decline of family values which consequently affects the family patterns. This diversity in family pattern has been identified as the cause of problems such as violence, crime and drug use in the united state. The parents are usually very busy with their duties (United States, Congress, 1992). The increasing cases of divorce and separation in the United States have a negative effect on maintaining the ideal norms of the nuclear family value. The families that are exposed to values outside the parental domain are likely to deviate from norms. The human rights in the United States are considered fundamental. There is protection of the universal human right which is a recipe to the process of democratization. This the reason why the US government invest huge amount of money in education health and other basic sectors so as to enhance the promotion of the human rights among the citizens. The Family Life in Mexico Most people have preferred to live in Mexico for a variety of reasons such as social, political, economic and even good climatic reasons. Living in Mexico requires one to learn the Spanish language so as to increase effective communication. This is because the families are socialized in the Spanish language. The Mexican people are extremely warm and friendly as they are organized in smaller communities that come from the mutually intelligible families. This means that the socialization process is high since there tow much contact between the families. The family bonds are tightly held together and for this reason there is cultural uniformity. The society per se is integrated under common cultural values through the common language shared. Piped water is relatively inexpensive, but not always potable (drinkable). Decades of under-investment, combined with an attitude of impertinence towards paying water bills, has left Mexicos mains water system in poor condition. As a result, most people purchase bottled water, often in 20L containers. Bottled water is very expensive. Rents in Mexico can be higher than in equivalent-sized US towns or cities if the place is popular or fashionable, particularly places within easy reach of the US border. Mexico has a centralized economy: that is, most of the countrys economic activity revolves around. The Mexican pace of life is relatively slower than in the US Especially when the life in major cities is given consideration. The families in Mexico are closely tied as most of the families have time to attend to their families. There is a high degree of parental responsibility among the families. This transcends to greater heights of good values that the society enjoys. Mexico’s culture has a rich history in a consolidated family religion, people and tradition. The Mexican people are proud of their culture that they keep on passing from one generation to another. This is because there is little infusion of the foreign cultures. The family is the basic unit in Mexico and a cornerstone to the maintenance of the culture. The rate of socialization and interaction among these people is too high. It is a usual phenomenon to meet two or more families meeting for a common interest or for a special event. This part of the family function in Mexico, people in Mexico have free time to visit resort centers for the purpose of relaxation which is not a common phenomenon in the United States, where people are too busy. (Heymann, 2006) The Mexican People are too religious which is a big contrast with the United States where people feel that they are in control; of their own life. A large number of people are Christian and they are usually committed to going to church. When you walk in the Mexican homes it is easy for you to see the religious images. In America people stay a non-religious life thus an effect of religious intermingling that has made it difficult for the people to which religious practice to adopt. Thus they resign from subscribing to any of the religious practice. The social stratification is not prevalent in the Mexican family as it is in the United States; people are seeking for money the Mexican people strive for titles. The professionals in Mexico prefer to be addressed with the titles that they deserve. This is as a result of the traditional emphasis given to the tittles within the family domain. The economic living standards in Mexico are slightly lower than in the United State. There are many poor people in Mexico than in the United States. The impact of these high levels of poverty in Mexico has necessitated the immigration of most Mexican families to the United States in search of better jobs and pay of most illegal immigrants from Mexico have gotten their way into the United States through the Mexican borders. These immigrants have settled in cities such as Florida. Working in the United States gives them better pay. This aspect of brain drain is lowering the general development of the families in Mexico as most of the people move leaving behind other family members Basically the cost of living in Mexico is lower than that of the US particularly for agricultural produce. Other sectors such as transport and communication are also lower in Mexico than I n the United States. Other utilities as electricity are more expensive compared to the United State. Working families in the United States, observing how parents struggled to find a balance between caring for children and earning a decent income. When parents split and one of the parents went from Mexico to the United States and was no longer available to give the necessary care, families suffer. What significantly exacerbates the problem is when the borders are so tight that they prevent families from reuniting. This has been a common phenomenon when the immigrants are not given the opportunity by the America to even visit their families in back home in Mexico. (Poole M. et al, 1993) Globalization of the economy created increased pressure for workers to accept lower labor standards, accept lower wages, longer hours, fewer benefits, and less paid leave. Both Nations likewise feel pressure from economic globalization not to implement family-friendly policies, such as paid leave for illness or when a child is sick, or paid parental leave. And that leaves working families struggling to balance work and their care-giving duties. The globalization process has affected families in both Mexico and United States economy was transforming the relationship between work and care-giving in similar ways everywhere. Globalization has forcing both countries to at a very high pace as far as labor standards and social policies are concerned hence leaving working parents with less and less time to raise their children. Parents work has shifted markedly around the world and that goes for every region. The child rearing process has been left in the hands of maids who offer supportive care while the parents are away working till late hours of the day. Men in particular have been moving away from one place to another in search of better jobs especially in various industries. Globalization has made men and women to work day and night and this has made them move away from their homes to go work in various places. A good example is that of outsourcing where people work in shifts where some work during the day and others at night. Women, likewise, have moved into the paid labor force and away from the home. From the period between 1960 and 2000 the number of women in the labor force went from 26 to 38 percent in America. The percentage of women in the workplace has increased both in the United States and Mexico. This has adversely affected the family care services that were provided by the women while their men were working in various sectors. This is a result of civilization which been brought about by the factors such as education, religion, work, urbanization among others. These factors have changed the various roles that were supposed to be executed by the family so as to prepare an individual to be a responsible member of the society. (Cecil, 1992) What has happened is that the world has seen women get better job opportunities which has assisted then them raise income to cater for their families. The increased number of single parent families has made it possible for the women to struggle to get money for rearing their families. While this is was going on there is also massive urbanization occurring all across the world. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, as people who move from very poor rural areas to urban areas often get better jobs, and become less dependent on, for instance, a good rain to feed their families. (Rowntree, Lewis, Price Wyckoff, 2006). References Hines D. A. , Morrison K. (2005) Family Violence in the United States: Defining, Understanding, and Combating. Sage Publisher. Heymann J. (2006) Forgotten Families: Ending the Growing Crisis Confronting Children and Working Parents in the Global Economy. Oxford University Press Poole M. et al (1993) Family: Changing Families, Changing Times. Allen Unwin publisher. Robinson, Cecil. (1992). No short journeys: The interplay of cultures in the history and Literature of the borderlands. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Rowntree L. , Lewis M. , Price M. and Wyckoff W. (2006). Diversity amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development. United States, Congress. House America’s (1992) Families: Conditions, Trends, Hopes, and Fears: Family policy. United States, Congress, House publisher.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Violence on Television is Harmful to Children Essay Example for Free

Violence on Television is Harmful to Children Essay Violence is fast becoming a common theme in television shows of today. Series that involve cops and other branches of the police force are continually multiplying on air. For this reason, it is inevitable for kids to be able to watch these kinds of shows. They are exposed to violence at a young age and this has been proven to not have a very good effect on them. Effects of TV Violence Violence these days does not only pertain to heinous crimes happening outside the walls of the house. Even beyond closed doors people are exposed to violence via the materials they read, the shows they see and listen to. Not only are adults exposed to these things, the children of the household are also exposed. These shows pose as a threat to their innocent minds. This is because their young minds might not be able to comprehend the reality from the show itself (TV Violence , 2010). According to studies conducted, most households always have their television sets on from morning to late evening. The worst part is that even childrens rooms have its own television set inside from which they may watch without the guidance of their parents. While watching TV violence does not make criminals out of children, findings show that the children who are often exposed to TV violence are those who fight kids at school or turn oyt to be bullies. The shows cloud childrens minds making them believe that bringing harm to others is not bad. It also makes the children believe that it is but natural for some people to become victims of bad habits or crimes (TV Violence , 2010). This is definitely not healthy. It can hinder the normal flow of their studies and may lead to early delinquency in the next school terms. Further studies analyzed,, indicated that the rate of children being exposed to violence on television shows have significantly increased in the in the last decade. From the year 1998 to this year. The statistics also indicated that about 10 percent of youth violence may be blamed on children being exposed to violence on television. These findings support the thesis that violence on television can only lead to harm of the childrens minds (Violence in Media, 2003). The children are driven to act aggressively or violently because most of violent shows presented on television do not show the truth behind the violent acts. It does not give the effect of the action. For instance, the crime movies show the protagonist being a very good shooter even of innocent people. Being a protagonist in the story, people commend his excellence in the field and neglect the reality that shooting people can cause lives and make the relatives of the victims aggrieved. Violent shows also do not imply how the law punishes the act. It only gives emphasis on the act itself and the machismo it can bring to the protagonist. More importantly, violence on television makes crimes look easier to be done than it really is. For these reasons, children are lured into emulating the actions despite the reality that they should not (Kaufman, 2004).

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Utilitarian And Deontological Ethical Theories

Utilitarian And Deontological Ethical Theories Thesis: Despite both utilitarian ethical theory and deontological ethical theory can be applied usefully to the issue of stem cell research. I shall argue that utilitarian ethical theory is preferable, because it is most consistent with the considered moral judgments and can give most reasonable answers to the issue. Abstract The paper deals with the area of philosophical inquiry and discussion referred to as ethics or moral philosophy. As suggested by these terms, the primary focus of this inquiry area is about issues that emerge in moral or ethical situations, situations that pose questions regarding what we should or ought to do when the issue is not strictly a self-interest matter, but of right or wrong .For this case the issue is on controversy surrounding stem cell research. There are attempts to try to put some clarity of thought to the issue: This is to clearly define the language used to discuss it, to reveal the inference forms that underlie our thinking about it, and to justify and determine principles that can give guidance in solving these issue through bringing into consistency the best intuitions and thoughts on these matters. Background on Stem Cell Research Stem cell research has emerged to be one of the major issues dividing the religious and scientific communities around the globe. There is one central question with regards to the core of the issue: When does life begin? (Kristen et al, 313).To obtain reliable stem cells, either scientists need to use already conceived embryo or else clone an embryo using a cell from the patient body and a donated egg. Either way, scientists must destroy the embryo when harvesting an embryos stem cells. Despite that embryo may only have 4-5 cells, some religious leaders argue that destroying it is same as terminating human life. Inevitably, the issue is in the political arena. (Kristen et al, 313). Congress passed a rider to the federal appropriations bill in 1996, referred to as Dickey-Wicker amendment. Representatives Roger Wicker and Jay Dickey proposed abolishing the federal monies use for any research where a human embryo is destroyed or created. Federal monies are a primary funding source for stem cell research. Since then the amendment has been renewed every year. President George W. Bush, in 2001 restricted further the federal stem cell research. Bush stated in an executive order that federal funds may only be employed for research involving already established (only 22 cell lines) human embryonic stem cell lines. This restricted researchers from generating more embryonic stem cell lines for research. In 2009, an executive order issued, was issued by President Barack Obama to expand embryonic stem cell research. Obamas administration permitted embryonic stem cell research federal funding following conditions applied: The cell line was among the 22 cell lines that existed during the Bush administration or was generated from discarded embryos after the procedures of in vitro fertilization. The embryos donors were not paid in any way. The donors were fully aware that the embryos could be used for research purposes before giving consent. The political debate However, in political terms, at the heart of debate on stem cell is a battle over abortion but its with a twist. Yes, the cells are from embryos. And with regards to religious orthodoxy, an embryo is considered to be life. Infact, some pro-life advocates have not objected employing stem cells for research to what was done by Nazi doctors during World War II ( Maureen et al,29). But also the embryo cells hold great promise for many sick patients with their families. Furthermore, several embryos might otherwise be discarded unceremoniously. There are high political stakes, and those involved in the debate are obliged to review their position. Embryonic stem cells that come from the inner blastocyst (fertilized egg after four days of conception) are controversial ( Maureen et al,26). But while several pro-life advocates remain firm in their opposition to embryonic cells use for research, others including scientific community are in favor of research funding. High-profile activists, such as actor Michael J. Fox, with Parkinsons disease, appeared before subcommittees of congressional claiming that stem cell research should continue. The scientific debate We exactly dont know what stem cells can do for us; however, we do know that due to the fact that stem cells are undifferentiated, scientists may prompt them to whatever cell type. The cells can as well replace sick or damaged cells in an injured patient or in a patient with degenerative disease. The question is; where are scientists obtaining these cells? Until of recent, it was known that majority of various stem cells employed in research were obtained from embryos discarded (or excess) stored at in-vitro fertilization clinics. If potential parents make a decision of not having more children, they may be requested by scientists working with stem cells to donate embryos not needed for research. For the method that is most controversial, stem cells can be pulled from aborted fetuses by scientists. This can be after providing signed consent by the patient who previously decided to terminate her pregnancy. This is the most often highlighted procedure considered by pro-life activists who object stem cell research.( Maureen et al,28). For pro-life advocates, the moral cost of undertaking stem cell research supersedes any potential benefits. However, for scientists, the likelihood is both bewildering and awe-inspiring. Nobody denies the stem cell debate moral dilemma. Background on Utilitarian Ethical Theory. The utilitarian ethical theory is established on the capacity to predict actions consequences. According to a utilitarian, the choice which gives the greatest benefit to the majority is a correct choice ethically. One benefit of this ethical theory is that the utilitarian can compare similar predicted solutions and a point system is employed in the determination of more beneficial choice for the majority. This point system gives a rationale and logical argument for every decision and enables an individual to employ it on a case-by-case context (Postema et al, 56). There are two utilitarianism types, rule utilitarianism and act utilitarianism. In act utilitarianism, an individual performs the acts which benefit the majority, regardless of societal constraints like laws and personal feelings. However, rule utilitarianism, is concerned with fairness. Hence takes into account the law. A rule utilitarian aims to benefit the majority but through the most just and fairest means available. Therefore, additional rule utilitarianism benefits are that it values justice as well as at the same time it includes beneficence (Ryan, 125). However, similarly to other ethical theories, both rule and act utilitarianism consists of numerous flaws. Inherent in both are the flaws related with future prediction. Despite persons can employ their life experiences to try to predict the outcomes, there is no one who can be sure that his predictions will be true. This can result to unexpected outcomes, hence it will make utilitarian appear unethical as time passes due to his choice never benefited the majority as he predicted (Ryan, 126).For instance, if an individual lights a fire to warm his friends, then later the fire burns down the house resulting from the soot in the chimney caught on fire, then now it seems the utilitarian chose an unethical decision. The outcome of unexpected house fire is taken to be unethical due to it never benefited his friends. Another assumption to be made by utilitarian is that he has the capacity to compare several forms of consequences against each other basing on similar scale. However, material gains comparison like money against intangible gains like happiness is not possible because their quality varies to such a bigger extent (Ryan, 129). Another failing that is found in utilitarianism is that it never allows supererogation existence. In other terms, persons needs to constantly behave so that the majority benefit despite the danger related to an act (Ryan, 127). As noted above, act utilitarianism is strictly concerned with maximum good achievement. With regards to this theory, the rights of an individual might be infringed upon for the sake of benefiting a greater population. In other terms, act utilitarianism always is never concerned with beneficence, justice or autonomy for a person if the individual oppression results to the solution that benefits a majority. Another instability source within act utilitarianism is experienced when a utilitarian encounters one variable conditions set and then experiences suddenly a change in those variables that makes her original decision to be changed. This indicates that an act utilitarian may be good to you at one moment then dislike you at the later moment due to the change of variables, hence no longer beneficial to the majority (Ryan, 124). Background on Deontological Ethical Theory The deontological theory states that persons need to stick to their duties and obligations when evaluating an ethical dilemma. This implies that an individual will follow her or his obligations to benefit another person or society because what is taken to be ethically correct is upholding ones duty (Freeman, 10). For example, often a deontologist will follow the law as well as keep his promises to a friend. Very consistent decisions can be made by a person who follows this theory because will be based on the set duties of an individual. Deontology gives a basis for special obligations and duties to particular people, like those within ones family. For instance, an older brother obligation may be to protect his little sister in crossing a busy road. This theory as well acknowledges those deontologists who exceed their obligations and duties, referred to as supererogation (Ellis, 859). For instance, if a train is hijacked and is with full of students and the demand of the hijackers is that one person should have to die in order for the rest to live, an individual who volunteers to die is exceeding her or his duty to the other students, hence supererogation act. Despite deontology has several positive attributes, it also has a number of flaws. One weakness with this theory is that there is no logical or rationale basis for deciding the duties of an individual. For example, a decision can be made by a businessman that it is his duty to be going for meetings on time. Despite this seems to be a noble duty, it is not known why the person decided to make this his duty. A similar scenario explains two other deontology drawbacks including the fact that duties of a person conflict sometimes, and that deontology is never concerned with other peoples welfare. For example, how is deontologist supposed to drive if he must be in the meetings on time and time is running late? Is he needed to speed, to uphold the law by breaking his duty to society, or is he required to arrive late to the meeting, to be on time by breaking his duty? This conflicting obligations scenario neither leads us to a clear resolution that is ethically correct nor does it protect ot her peoples welfare from the decision of deontologist. Because deontology is not based on each situation context, it never gives any guidance in a complex situation where there is conflicting obligations (Ellis, 860) Application of Act Utilitarianism In the avoidance of confusion, it is critical to clarify different issues which can be addressed from a utilitarian perspective. One of the issues, which is the primary focus in this paper, is the sensible moral value determination of an action in a moral situation which is controversy on stem cell research. This is a moral obligation question that is appropriate in deliberation: What is the right action among all alternative actions to perform in stem cell research controversy (moral situation)? From the act utilitarianism perspective, the answer is;The right action is the only one which will give the best probable consequences, as discussed earlier. Another different question that probably can be addressed from the perspective of act utilitarian is, moral responsibility: Is a moral agent morally accountable for the action already performed by him; is it logical to praise or blame the agent for their action. For instance, President George W. Bush, in 2001 restricted further, the federal stem cell research or Obamas administration permitted embryonic stem cell research federal funding. Basing on this, will they be responsible for their decision? The basis for such judgments will be considered in some greater detail. However, it should be noted here that from an act utilitarian perspective it is fallacious to determine the agents moral responsibility based on unavailable information present at the time they made their decision. However, it would not be fare to put blame on a moral agent for the consequences he/she could not probably foresee. Consequently, to determine moral responsibility from the perspective of act utilitarian it is crucial to make a judgment basing on available information at the time, and such a judgment made may be so different from the one that might be made from the privileged hindsight standpoint of what action was the right one to take. For instance, considering Stem cell research dilemma, it might be probably consistent upon act utilitarianism to come up with a judgment on hindsight that it is wrong to destroy embryo cells for the sake of stem cell research, but that the scientist need not to be blamed for taking the wrong action since they cant foresee the ultimate acti ons consequences. Now, with regards to moral deliberation issue, what must a moral agent do when he/she encounters a moral dilemma? The act utilitarianism answer is that the moral agents is required to do what is (basing on all available information and evidence) in their best judgment, the moral agent determines an action that is morally right, the action that will result to the best consequences for all. Therefore, moral judgment is a risky action. It is not possible to be sure in a given perfect foresight, of what the actions consequences will be. Still, we predict constantly the actions consequences, and it is believed that the reasonable predictions can be made basing on past experience. Invariably, due to the relative prediction uncertainty, moral judgment from the perspective of an act utilitarian includes considering the relative consequences probabilities of our actions. In certain cases, in the presence of accurate statistics, the probability mathematics can give a precise way of handling these issues. Hence, if a state legislature is considering whether to pass a bill that supports stem cell research, statistics indicating embryo destruction rate from the embryo donation as a function of the legal embryo donation can be used in the determination of the probability that the life cut short in embryo donation will increase by a certain amount if the donation limit is raised. In several moral situations, accurate statistics is not available; in this case, a moral agent will be required to rely on intuitive, less precise sense of probabilities (Frankena, 10). Despite intuitive probabilities assessments are imprecise; still they can be made reasonably basing on evidence available of past experience. It is sensible to judge, for instance, that the probability is greater to have lettuce available for purchase in the grocery than to say, imported Camembert cheese. Whether or not precise probability calculations are possible, derivative obligation is posed by act utilitarianism upon any moral agent to seek any and all evidence or information available that is relevant in the determination of the possible ones actions consequences, and consider in a conscientious and serious manner. Application of Rule Utilitarianism Rule utilitarianism widens the focus of ethical discussion and moral deliberation considerably when it is compared to act utilitarianism. The major concern here is not the limited consequences of specific acts of a persons moral agents, but the long-range and more encompassing consequences of social practices viewed by all moral agents in the society. Hence the idea is not what will take place if I do this and this, but what will result if everybody as a rule did this and this, as compared to other accepted practice forms. This moral issue (Stem cell research) raises a complication that may need attention when applying rule utilitarianism. In todays society, several persons believe, on the basis of traditional ethical perspective or religious convictions that human life is sacred. In such a case, to take or terminate any human life, even in brain death cases or embryo destruction is morally wrong. Individual with such views may be greatly aggrieved or distressed if passive euthanasia or embryo destruction for stem cell research were permitted in such cases. Must the rule utilitarian consider such moral sentiments as one probable negative consequence of allowing passive euthanasia or embryo destruction in such cases? What is strange with this issue, definitely, at this issue, it is that, sentiments are ones that result from moral perspective on ethical issue under consideration. It is not possible for a rule utilitarian to consistently rule out the consideration of any negative impact of certain rule implementation or practice in the society. Due to this, a rule utilitarian is restricted by their position to even take into the account the moral opinions of persons who might be opposed to such implementation. However, the crucial point to take into account from a rule utilitarian viewpoint is that it is not only the immediate implementations consequences of a particular social practice that should be considered, but also the long-range consequences. Moral opinions normally change with time, and usually, they change following major changes in social practice and policy. In the past, prior to the establishment of womens economic and political rights, several men, and infact, some women, had a belief that women need not be given equal rights in society as a matter of moral principle and traditional practice. No doubt such individuals were greatly disturbed by th e gradual womens rights advancement in society. But over time, such attitudes have considerably diminished. Today, few believe that it is objectionable morally for women to have same role in society; this is contrary to most individuals who are against women equal rights as it is a social injustice. And few may deny that the social and economic opportunities now open to women have benefited the womens lives, and society as well. Thus history provides us better reason in believing that when reasonable changes in social practices and policies are instituted, any negative feelings that may arise as a result of conservative moral perspective are relatively short-lived than those which are long-term benefits. Basing on this, concerns on negative moral opinions significantly diminish in rule utilitarian ethical evaluation. In summary, with regards to this rule utilitarianism, it should be noted that several points considered above regarding act utilitarianism application apply in a equall y to rule utilitarianism application as well. Also, as with act, in rule utilitarianism, predictions uncertainties must be dealt with inevitably, but in this case predictions regarding the impact of the social institution of rules. Also, in utilitarianism, such Uncertainties need to be dealt with through weighing the relative probabilities of uncertain outcomes. The rule utilitarian will as well presume that such assessments can be made sensible, because lawmakers evaluate routinely the probable institutions outcomes of socially adopted rules. In rule utilitarianism application, as with the theorys act formulation, the moral deliberation aim is to make the most intelligent and informed assessment of outcomes possible and moral decisions will be based on this assessment. Application of Universal Law Formulation First it is required to note a clear distinction between utilitarian theory and Kants theory: Kant argues that moral judgments made can be with greater certainty as compared with any utilitarian may consistently claim. This can be due to; as discussed earlier, utilitarian moral judgment is based on factual judgments regarding future consequences of current actions, and such judgments cant be made with certainty. On the other hand, Kant denies the idea that actions consequences are morally appropriate, hence moral judgment doesnt rely, with regards to his theory, on the predictions uncertainties. In fact, Kant claimed that moral judgment was a priori judgment instance, meaning, judgment that can be justified prior to or independently of empirical evidence, just as we normally believe that no empirical evidence is required to know that 2+2=4 is true. Hence, is not required to know anything empirically about where or when a a certain act will be performed, or what will be the consequences of the act, to offer a moral actions evaluation. But despite moral judgment is not based on Kants empirically known facts, in Kantian theory there is one major factual issue which should be resolved for the sake of determining the actions moral value. This is all relevant and sometimes, complex issue of maxim formulation of the moral agents action, because it is the maxim which determines action type that a moral agent does or should do. Kant gave no particular guidelines on the way one need to describe an action in the maxim form as moral judgment basis, but reasonable and clear guidelines can be made. First, because maxim is an actions rule adopted by the moral agent, it is supposed to be formulated normatively, but not descriptively, as an action guide. Hence, formulation of any maxim can be in a general form I (or one) should (or ought t o) do such and such. (Simpler and acceptable alternative to this form is critical, Do such and such.) This may seem to be strange, because as seen earlier, the maxim descriptively determines what the moral agent does or should do. Deontologists lack a lot of rules. In some situations, this offers a fair amount of freedom. Because their rules require or forbid only particular actions, other actions are there for them. A deontologist will never say, It is good to preserve the rain forest. After all, rain forest preservation all concerns consequences and this is not what a deontologist base on. So the deontologist will chop away the forest and not feel guilty for the act. Deontologists may say, respect the world God gave us and to respect the world may need rain forest protection but that may not be the reason why deontologists did so. The conflicting obligations scenario neither leads us to a clear resolution that is ethically correct nor does it protect other peoples welfare from the decision of deontologist. Because deontology is not based on each situation context, it never gives any guidance in a complex situation where there is conflicting obligations (Ellis, 857). In conclusion, deontologists are persons who freely decide to accept particular constraints and who choose what is right basing on the nature of the act itself. Some establish particular rules such as do not kill, keep your promises etc. and some follow Gods commandments or Kants categorical imperatives. They never evaluate consequences as a rule and in other cases they find themselves in very complicated situations. This is in contrary to utilitarian ethical theory that is established on the capacity to predict actions consequences. According to a utilitarian, the choice which gives the greatest benefit to the majority is a correct choice ethically. One benefit of this ethical theory is that the utilitarian can compare similar predicted solutions and a point system is employed in the determination of more beneficial choice for more people. This point system gives a rationale and logical argument for every decision and enables an individual to employ it on a case-by-case context. It is not possible for a rule utilitarian to consistently rule out the consideration of any negative impact of certain rule implementation or practice in the society. Due to this, a rule utilitarian is restricted by their position to even take into the account the moral opinions of persons who might be opposed to such implementation. Therefore, despite both utilitarian ethical theory and deontological ethical theory can be applied usefully to the issue of stem cell research. It is clearly evident that utilitarian ethical theory is preferable, because it is most consistent with the considered moral judgments and can give most reasonable answers to this issue. Philosophy can be of help in identifying the range of ethical conversations, methods and value systems which can be applied to a certain problem. But after clarifying these things, every individual is supposed to make his/her own personal decision on what to do, and then respond appropriately to the consequences. Uncertainties need to be dealt with through weighing the relative probabilities of uncertain outcomes. The rule utilitarian will as well presume that such assessments can be made sensible, because lawmakers evaluate routinely the probable institutions outcomes of socially adopted rules.

Internet Predators Essay -- Internet Predation

Internet Predators In recent years, the Internet has become the number one choice for doing research. A person can find information on just about anything. There are websites devoted to cooking recipes, musicians, schools, and pornography. Many schools will even allow students to apply for admission over the Internet. Schools such as California State University, Northridge give students an option to register for classes through the school website, making it quick and easy to get classes. The Internet is truly the "information superhighway." Not everyone who accesses the Internet uses it for research. Many people, especially young people use the Internet for e-mail and chatting. Chat rooms and instant messengers are becoming more prevalent on the Internet. Internet service providers such as America Online (AOL) have chat rooms where people from all over the world can chat about almost anything. AOL has chat rooms for teens, singles, religious groups, sports, and many other topics. If a person in a chat room likes what someone else in the chat room is saying, he or she can send a private message. If the two people get along, they can add each other to their buddy list so they can always talk when both are online. However, a problem may arise if a person does not use this way of chatting responsibly. After all, does anyone really know whom they are talking to unless they know the person personally? Common sense must be used at all times. The Internet can be very deceptive. A person needs to use extreme caution when giving out personal information to a person they are chatting to. Many people forget about the dangers of Internet chat. People can be too trusting. The people who use chat rooms and instant messengers sometimes... ...rsonal Interview. Pennsylvania. 26 April 2002. Dean, Katie. "The Epidemic of Cyberstalking." Wired News. May 1, 2000. http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35728,00.html (April 24, 2002). Hartman, Rachel R. "Cyberstalking and Internet Safety FAQ." http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35728,00.htm (April 24, 2002). Magid, Lawrence J. "Teen Safety on the Information Highway." Safeteens.com. http://www.safekids.com/safeteens/safeteens.htm (April 24, 2002). Talton, Trista. "Internet Predators Subject of Meeting." Wilmington Star. August 23, 2001. http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/news/stories/3084newsstorypage.html (April 24, 2002). Tarbox, Katie. Oprah. Television Program. ABC, Chicago. 17 April 2002. Turkle, Sherry. "Who Am We?" Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Rusziewicz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 442-458.

Monday, August 19, 2019

An Examination of File-sharing on the Internet Essay -- Research File

An Examination of File-sharing on the Internet â€Å"Napster and its founder held the promise of everything the new medium of the Internet encompassed: youth, radical change and the free exchange of information. But youthful exuberance would soon give way to reality as the music industry placed a bull's-eye squarely on Napster.† I. Introduction Today the use of a computer has provided many privileges to its users, and among those privileges the main and largest one is the distribution of information across the internet. Through the internet, the average person has the ability to access millions of databases of information at no cost. This is the intent that the internet was founded on; that all people could come together to exchange ideas freely, without fear of rebuke or prosecution. However that time seems to be a small scratch on the long wall of history, for a few years ago a simple file-sharing program called Napster sprung up on the internet, and in doing so opened up a whole can of controversy . File-sharing became such a complicated issue as many files are, at their root, simply information. However that information has copyrights and ownership attached to it, a fact that cannot be overlooked by the world no matter how much they would like. Thus, those users around the world who choose to share files are now being pursued by huge corporations with ridiculous threats of a $15,000 fine per song downloaded (and they haven’t even began to pursue the infringements of movies or software yet). But are these companies justified in their actions? Does the basis for file-sharing really warrant such a harsh rebuttal? To determine this, let’s take a look at the long road that led us to the junction of chaos we now f... ...er Died, May 2002, Wired News, 16 Nov. 2003 . [vi] â€Å"Approaching Ethics† Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University, 2000, 3, . [vii] File Sharing Software gets the Legal OK, 2001, Amplifier, 17 November 2003, . [viii] Grossman; Hasnain; Holton; Morrissey; Roston; Taylor; Chu. â€Å"IT’S ALL FREE!† Time. May 2003:18. [ix] Ernesto Damiani. â€Å"Managing and Sharing Servents' Reputations in P2P Systems,† IEEE Transactions on Knowledge & Data Engineering 15 (2003):1 [x] Berdichevsky & Neuenschwander, â€Å"Ethics of Persuasive Technology,† Communications of the ACM, 15 November 2003, .

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Music Listening Report :: essays research papers

When I sat down to do a Listening report last night, I started thinking, "Who am I kidding?". I am never going to push myself to listen to 15 Jazz CD’s in a week and a half, so I am going to do the remainder of my listening reports on music that I like to listen to. You may think it defeats the purpose of listening reports, but that’s not true. What these guys play may sound like heavily distorted noise, and too much yelling played at way too high of volumes to the average adult, and honestly, it is. But there is music, and every day 1000’s of kids are trying to teach themselves their favorite headliners, and that’s how we learn to play our instruments in the first place. So, now that I’ve convinced you WHY I am doing this listening report, here is the actual thing: The song (the only one by this group) on the CD is New Skin by Incubus which is really cool, because to most people it sounds a lot like rap, but to me it is a really fast-paced alternative music song because of the actual instrument playing (not featured in the basic drum tracks of rap music) and the repeated chorus, which sounds really cool because the bassist and lead vocals play and sing on a perfect 4th. The second group on the tour is Orgy. Their biggest headliner is Blue Monday, which is a really kickass remake of the David Bowie Original. Its about some guy who hated Mondays, so he went out and shot a bunch people, mostly kids I think, at some convention WAY back in the day. Then David Bowie wrote a song about it, and it was under a lot of heat. But now, Orgy made the song HUGE. It is an amazing song. Orgy has a very unique sound. They are sort of an Electro-Punk band. They have some really hardcore guitar riffs, but they also got some sweet Synth tracks and stuff like that. The best thing about them, though, has got to be their Vocal Distortions. They got this cool echo-y noise added to their voice. Orgy also performs Dissention and Gender. The next group is Limp Bizkit. These guys co-starred the tour, and performed such songs as Faith, you’ve probably heard people singing this song. Its another remake, I have no idea who wrote the original or why, but it’s a cool song, "Wouldn’t it be nice, If I could touch your body . . . ." That’s the opening of the song. They also redid an old House of Pain song, "Jump Around".

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Responsibility Accounting Essay

It is impossible for top managers to make all the necessary decisions about everything except in very small organizations. Somehow at some point he has to delegate some decisions to those who are at the lower levels and are more knowledgeable to the everyday detail of the company’s operation. By empowering lower level managers to make decisions, decision-making authority is spread throughout the organization rather than being confined to a few top executives. Attached with this decentralized approach, are costs and decisions at each sub-level that managers have to be responsible for. Decentralized organizations need responsibility accounting systems to link the manager’s decision-making authority with accountability for the outcomes of those decisions and to make sure that they are in congruence with the organization’s goals. The term responsibility center is used in any part of the organization whose managers has control and is accountable for cost, profit or investment. An Organizational View of Responsibility Centers †¢The manager of an investment center has control over cost, revenue, and investments in operating assets. Investment centers are usually evaluated using return on investment (ROI) or residual income measures. †¢The manager of a profit center has control over both costs and revenue, but not over the use of investment funds. They are often evaluated by comparing actual profit to targeted or budgeted profit. †¢The manager of a cost center has control over costs, but not over revenue or the use of investment funds. Managers of cost centers are expected to minimize costs while providing the level of products and services demanded by other parts and stakeholders of the organization. For this decentralized structure to be effective, organizations need to employ responsibility accounting. Responsibility accounting refers to the various concepts and tools used by managerial accountants to measure the performance of people and departments to foster goal congruence. Below are some of the concepts and tools that managerial accountants used for responsibility accounting: 1.Segment Reporting – Income statements are generated from each part or activity of an organization (e.g. sales territories, individual stores, service centers, manufacturing plants, marketing departments, individual customers, and product lines). In utilizing this concept of reporting, managers have to identify traceable and common fixed costs and make use of activity-base costing if necessary. These segmented income statements are useful in analyzing the profitability of segments and in measuring the performance of segment managers. 2.Performance report of each responsibility centers – this shows the budgeted and actual amounts, and the variances between these amounts, of key financial results appropriate for the type of responsibility center involved. The data in a performance report help managers use management by exception either to control cost operations effectively, find ways to generate more profit or consider opportunities for investments. 3.Activity-based responsibility accounting – Under this approach, management is directed not only to the cost incurred in an activity but also to the activity itself. Questions like the following will be asked, â€Å"Is the activity necessary?† Does it add value to the organization’s product or service?† Can the activity be improved? By seeking answers to these questions, managers can eliminate non-value added activities and increase the cost effectiveness of the activities that do add value. 4.Customer Profitability Analysis – uses the concept of activity-based costing to determine how serving particular customers causes activities to be performed and costs to be incurred. This focus on major market segments, geographical regions, distribution channels or customers. This also helps managers gain insight into the factors that are driving the company’s performance. Goal congruence results when the managers of subunits throughout an organization strive to achieve the goals set by top management. Given the above concept and with proper implementation an organization is surely rising above its competitors. It is therefore recommended that while top management gave the subunit managers decision-making authority and responsibility accounting systems in place, it is still of utmost importance that both side will conduct regular dialogue and consultations for coordination and to keep each other expectations on the same level and to make sure that top management understands the concerns of the lower level managers and vice versa. Top management also must emphasize that the responsibility accounting systems main functions are information and not blame, make sure costs are distinguished properly between controllable and uncontrollable as this increases the effectiveness of cost management systems, and its usage is to motivate desired behavior that would be beneficial for both the company and the employees. So how does responsibility accounting fosters goal congruence? As companies adopt this concept, top level management can concentrate on bigger issues such as overall strategy of the company. This allows as well lower-level managers to respond more quickly to customers and to changes in the operating environment since layers of decisions makings and approvals have been eliminated, and lower managers are now given the chance to be trained for higher positions. Consequently, as lower level managers make decisions they are expected that their motivation for work and job satisfaction is increased because the decision-making authority empowers them. But the concept of responsibility accounting is not only limited to an organization’s structure. For any type of cost whether from an organization’s perspective or from your personal life, an important key to managing or controlling the cost is to make it someone’s responsibility. And whether we like it or not, decisions has to be made, the only difference is that if we are choosing to make the right decisions or the wrong ones.

Friday, August 16, 2019

The Antitrust Laws

The American government has engaged in the development of creating and enforcing legislation as the course of action for everyone to follow when dealing with labor issues and the workforce. In my research I found several pieces of legislation such as the Sherman Antitrust Act, and the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Clayton Act (Federal Trade Commission, n.d.), and per text the Wagner Act of 1935, and the Taft-Hartley Act (DeCenzo, 2016). Congress passed these legislation as the determining element in how much control that management and/or unions would have in protecting the rights of the workers and the organizations.The US government has been tangled in the development of acting as a intermediary among the corporations and unions with labor clashes. In the 1800's, there wasn't many laws that would govern how unions would operate within the organization. So in the early stages of unions organizations thought that the unions were illegal and that they would interfere with the progress of the organization.The Sherman Antitrust Act was the initial legislation implemented that shaped labor unions. This act was critical to the corporation because it prevented any â€Å"restraint of commerce across state lines and the courts ruled that union strikes or boycotts would be covered by the law†. There are two additional act of the Sherman Act, they are the Federal Trade Commission Act the prohibit bias procedures concerning competition and misleading forms of practice, the Clayton Act focuses on certain issues such as mergers and joining boards members . A main strike between the Pullman Palace Car Company and the American Railway Union, where workers walked off of the job, because wages was cut by as much as forty percent. At that time the organization was able to obtain an ruling that prevented both the walk-out and boycott. And because of this labor unions discovered that it would be harder to organize successfully (Shmoop, 2018).The National Labor Relation Act of 1935, which is also known as the Wagner Act was endorsed to protect both employers, and employees, it is the main key for union rights. The Wagner Act distinctively insist that employers should bargain in excellent confidence on issues such as wages, hours, and employment environments. This gave unions control over bias labor habits. Therefore, the Wagner Act empowered unions to be able to grow and advance, plus to establish unions permitting them to protect and bargain together, which means the workforce has the right to come as one to make their demands known even without a union (DeCenzo, 2016) (Shmoop, 2018). Because the Wagner Act sheltered the unions it led to the Taft-Hartley Act which is known as the Labor-Management Act (DeCenzo, 2016). This act covered the concerns of the employer in preventing bias practices of the unions. It prohibited closed stops by declaring them illegal and empowering the states to pass laws that would decrease mandatory union representation. It also, disallowed secondary boycotts by giving the president authority whenever differences may influence national security. Both parties must bargain in â€Å"good faith† by coming to the table intending to reach an agreement. But if they don't reach one the Taft-Hartley developed the FMCS to help in the talks (DeCenzo, 2016). All of these laws are very important to the corporations and unions since they're the source of the relationship that is among the workforce and the employer. While the NLRA has changed over time it is very important because it includes how both should work together throughout the bargaining process. And how the Taft-Hartley manages the length of the relationship. But they safeguard that everyone should work collectively throughout the conditions of the association. As a result unionized workers through combined efforts of both the union and organizations cooperative bargaining have produced better wages, benefits , safe environment, and health conditions for the workforce. They have also included better opportunities for the non-unionized workers (Walters, 2003).ReferencesDeCenzo, D. A. (2016).Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 12th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Inc.Federal Trade Commission. (n.d.).Retrieved from The Antitrust Laws: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/antitrust-lawsShmoop. (2018).Retrieved from History of Labor Unions: https://www.shmoop.com/history-labor-unions/law.htmlWalters, M. a. (2003, 8 26). Economic Policy Institute.Retrieved from How unions help all workers: https://www.epi.org/publication/briefingpapers_bp143/..

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Clarifying Personal Values

In my personal opinion a moral dilemma is one having to choose between what is right and what is wrong. This could be taken in several different ways, and might not be what others view as the right definition however this definition is in my own words. Moral. 2013. In Merriam-Webster. com. Retrieved April 11, 2013, from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/moral, the meaning of moral is â€Å"of or relating to principals of right or wrong in behavior. † When looking at this specific definition you are unable to complete your assessment without also including the definition of dilemma.Dilemma. 2013. In Merriam-Webster. com. Retrieved April 11, 2013, from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/dilemma, a dilemma is â€Å"an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent, in other words a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice. † An example of a moral dilemma that I personally have experienced was choosing whether or not i t would be acceptable to call the police and have my sister arrested for theft and possession of prescription medications which she stole from our mother.I had battled along-side my sister for 15 years with her drug addiction and I had finally come to my limit. I decided that it would be in her and her children’s best interest if she was forced into a rehabilitation situation and become the person that I knew she could be and also be capable of raising her children with the right morals and in the right type of environment. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life, but I believe it was what was best for her. That was in October of 2009 and she has remained drug free ever since and her children are growing and thriving!While ethical dilemmas are similar to moral dilemmas, it seems that there is a generous amount of definitions. Upon researching and synthesizing 38 different definitions, Lewis (1985) defines business ethics as comprising the r ules, standards, principles, or codes giving guidelines for morally right behavior and truthfulness in specific situations. This tells me that an individual must make the right decision based on the best interest of themselves and/or the company regarding any ethical dilemmas that arise. An example of an ethical dilemma that my husband has recently had to make a ecision on is co-workers cutting corners on their job details and causing machinery to be pushed back for repairs prior to approval of shipment. I am unable to reveal the name of the company, however I can tell you that it is a multi-million dollar company that is international and if a machine went to a customer with parts not working correctly, it would not just be the customer that suffers. This would affect the customer, their state, and possibly more territories. My husband had to make the choice to speak to his supervisor privately and anonymously to get this situation taken care of.Not only could the machine not work correctly, there could also have been injuries to the other workers in the plant as well as potential injuries to the customer. Appendix C Clarifying Personal Values Each of you will be faced with numerous moral and ethical dilemmas throughout your career. To be prepared to make these ethical decisions, it is helpful to clarify your personal values, and morals before you are faced with an ethical dilemma. Review the following list of values and create a list of the five values most important to you in making decisions. acceptance accomplishment adventure ambition ssertiveness beauty bravery compassion competence conformity creativity customer satisfaction discipline diversity equality fairness flexibility freedom honor humility loyalty obedience order power promise keeping respect responsibility risk taking service success teamwork tradition trust understanding winning | | |List of Five Important Values | |1. | | |Competence | |2. | | | |Diversity | |3. | | | |Respect | |4. | | |Teamwork | |5. | | | |Trust | I think that my personal decision-making process is based on each situation that arises. I would have to say that I usually go with the moral dilemma way of thinking and choose what is right versus what is wrong. When it comes to an employment situation, I have had to make a few tough decisions on the ethical side of things.I’ve witnessed fellow employees being called nasty names by upper management, customers being treated rudely because of their race or religious beliefs, and individuals with mental disabilities treated with no respect and treated no better than a bee buzzing around someone’s head. It’s not easy to make a decision that can affect so many individuals, but in my eyes, as well as with the morals that my parents raised me with, doing what is right is always the best way to go. I think that when I look at the list that I chose, that I have given myself a pretty close-nit grouping.I find that when working in any type of industry, it is pertinent to have employees that are competent within their positions. Having a diverse group of employees allows for a larger opinion base and also shows that individuals that are very different in their own personal lives are able to work well together, thus showing the teamwork. Without teamwork, most businesses would fail miserably. It may take several different types of individuals to make a whole, and each of these people have a specific position within the company, but as a whole they ARE the company.I think that respect is a major factor when looking at business ethics. I do not believe that it matters where you stand within the company. I feel that each person deserves the respect of their fellow employees as well as management, owners, customers, etc. Once all of these factors are met then you have built a trust within the company base that allows for each individual department to depend on the others to carry out their roles so that all the puzzle piec es fit. I personally think that my own values are the reason that I choose right versus wrong. Sometimes it might not be the â€Å"best† decision, but morally nd ethically I choose to be open and honest about things that I see or find that are not in the best interest of a company, or even in my own personal life. Making the decision to have my sister arrested for her drug addiction was morally right but it was devastating to her children, my parents, and my own individual family. I chose the moral route of right, but in my mind it felt so wrong. Taking my niece and nephews’ mother away from them was one of the hardest things I have ever done. The decision-making process that I had to go through took a total of 15 minutes (the time it took for me to drive from my home to my parents’ home. I knew that I HAD to make her own up to her mistakes and get the children out of that environment. Just because I did what was morally right, doesn’t make it any differe nt in my heart. I personally don’t think that my personal values differ from that of an organization. I feel that I would make the right choice no matter what the situation. If I knew that a fellow employee was stealing from the company I would turn them in, but I would also hope that because I came forward regarding the situation that the management would not punish me or look at me any differently.I would not be coming forward because of a dislike for the other person, I would be coming forward because what they were doing would be wrong and the company would suffer from it. I would report any discrimination, theft, or inappropriate behaviors by others if need be. It would not only affect the company, but it would also affect me personally. This assignment has made me look closely at my background and see that I have had to make a lot of tough decisions, as have some individuals very close to me, however I believe that doing what is right will always trump choosing to eithe r ignore it or choosing the wrong way to go.Looking at the list above, I believe that all of these things are important for any one individual. Without having a lot of these traits, a person might not be the best fit for a company, nor would they be one of those individuals that I would allow in my life, let alone my children’s lives. If I am unable to trust, rely, or respect a person because of their choices, then that person is not somebody who needs to be involved with me or the company that I am working for.References Trevino, L. , & Nelson, K. (2011). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (5th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Malpas, J. , â€Å"Donald Davidson†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = . Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary copyright  © 2013 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Lewis, P. V: 1985, ‘Defining â€Å"Business Ethics†: Like Nailing Jello to a Wall', Journal of Business Ethics 4(5), 377-383.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

If only God had made Adam & Steve, instead of Adam & Eve

In â€Å"Let Gays Marry,† Andrew Sullivan responds to conservative objections to same-sex marriages, by arguing that allowing such unions would actually promote traditional values, such as fidelity, monogamy, and love. It should logically appeal to straight conservatives, who deplore gay male promiscuity, that the declaration of Supreme Court: â€Å"A state cannot deem a class of persons a stranger to its laws,† now assigns equal rights to gays and lesbians. Andrew Sullivan is a senior editor at The New Republic, a magazine he edited from 1991 to 1996, and the U. S. columnist for the Sunday Times of London. He has a B. A. in modern history and modern languages from Oxford University and a Ph. D. in political science from Harvard University. He lives in Washington, D. C. The real problem is that there are really only three arguments against gay marriage: One is rooted in entirely God's preferences, the second cites inconclusive research on its negative effects on children, and third, the integrity of a marriage as a legal document. Sullivan effectively presents his case in a very logical fashion, calmly displaying his points, and using a statement declared by the United States Supreme Court, under which no gay men or lesbians will be considered strangers in America. They (Gays) are human beings just like you and I, â€Å"the sons and daughters of countless mothers and 2 fathers,† and should have the same opportunities to pursue happiness by marrying the one that they love. A natural process, where two people fall in love and decide to get married, is not any different for gay people. Therefore legalizing gay marriages does not provide gays with any special rights or place in America, but instead people will consider them to be an equal part of the society. The main idea is homosexuals should have the right to get married legally. Sullivan does not want churches to make any change in their practice, but to allow everyone to be who he/she is, a principle that the United States was created on. Plus, the concept of marriage has changed within the past one hundred years. The inter-caste and the inter-religion marriages which were once prohibited or forbidden between couples, has now become socially acceptable. Gay marriages do not change anyone else's rights or marriages in any way. Marriage is not just about raising children because the fact that many notable â€Å"childless heterosexual couples† exist in today's society, such as Bob Dole and his wife Elizabeth Dole, etc. Sullivan concludes by telling the general public to accept homosexual marriages and the fact that they will not be the turning point for the downfall of all society. Although I agree with Sullivan when he says, legalizing gay unions would not change anyone's right to marriage, I find Bennett's view more powerful, that it would weaken the institution of marriage, and contradict natural, moral, religious, and sexual realities. After reading Sullivan's article, I question his credibility, as he didn't provide enough evidence to get his point through. His approach toward his readers is with a lot of pathos, rather than logos. For example, when he states â€Å"And what we 3 seek is not a special place in America†¦ o give back to our society,† it is not clear as to what he means by giving back. When he argues about the definition of marriage, Sullivan fails to see the change, which was brought about for the welfare of the people (inter-caste marriages, inter-religion marriages, etc. ), consisted of a â€Å"man† and a â€Å"woman†, not two men, or two women. I would have agreed to the assertion, â€Å"the most simple, the most natural, and the most human instinct,† if it was used to prove the relationship between a male and a female. But using it to persuade about the same sex marriage doesn't cheer me up. To answer the question of whether gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry, the question of why the institution of marriage is valued so dearly in society today must be answered. To do this, the meaning of the word marriage must be found, remembering that there are different levels in which marriage can be interpreted and/or evaluated. As with many other issues, when one tries to define the word marriage and its repercussions in society, several fundamental questions arise that must be answered in order to get a better understanding of the issue in question. Questions like: What is marriage defined as? In Webster's Dictionary, marriage is defined as â€Å"The institution whereby men and women are joined in special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family. † This concept seems to have been perpetuated throughout history, one man and one woman joined â€Å"till death do them part. † Keeping the above points in view, same sex marriages defy the laws of Christianity, and it is immoral in the eyes of society. Homosexuality in almost all countries has been looked down upon, and sometimes condemned. This opposition stems from the Holy 4 Bible. The couple in the Garden of Eden was a man and a woman, not two men or two women. If God intended two men or two women to be together, he would have put them in the Garden of Eden, giving them both the ability to have children. But that didn't happen. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, for the procreation of life. God wanted man and woman to reproduce with one another in order for the human race to continue. Today, adoption has taken a turn for the worse; Gay and Lesbian couples who cannot have their own children are adopting kids. I see this as one of the concerned problems. What kind of message are these kids getting? That homosexuality is all right. Moreover, the impact of this move can be devastating on the children as they grow up. For example, they might have to face a lot of challenges, like people taunting them, name calling, making fun, etc. Homosexuality is rejected by all major religions around the globe, but Andrew Sullivan still believes that promiscuity in homosexual relationships can show heterosexual couples that adultery doesn't have to end their marriage. The Bible states, â€Å"Leviticus 20:13: If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. † Thus, a 4000 year old book had an answer to the question being asked today. i. e. = Same Sex Marriage– Ethical or Unethical?