Is war ever justified

Wars can be justified through the utilitarian theory and cost benefit analysis. These are dependent on whether the intention of the war is right and the cause for the war is just. Further, wars are only justified when other forms of conflict management have been tried and have failed. There are many types of war, however this essay will focus on military war in particular. Utility Theory and Just War The theory of utility is one way to justify war. The utilitarian approach is defined as the pursuit of the greatest good of society for the greatest number f people in society. There are two branches of utility theory – act and rule.Act utilitarianism looks closely at the Consequences of the act Of war in order to justify engaging in war. Rule utilitarianism will only condone war when the reason for entering a war is just in itself, is based on good intentions and not for selfish reasons. In essence, act utilitarianism can be summarized as the ends justifying the means, while rule utilitarianism can be summarized as genuine intentions justifying the means. For instance, the Allied Forces declaring war on Germany's invasion of their gibbous as well as on their anti-Semitic activities is an example of utilitarianism in action.The declaration of war was to prevent further harm to the world even if it did mean a significant loss to the Allied Forces by engaging in such actions. The end of the German terror as well as the protection Of the persecuted justified the means through which this was achieved. The distinction between act and rule utilitarianism while easily distinguishable in theory, is much harder to apply in real life. The example given above can be categorized under both types of utility theory. The protection of a large persecuted number of people justified entering into war against the anti- Semitic administration in Germany.Viewing it in this manner allows rule utilitarianism to come into play. At the same time, looking at the consequences of war - ? which would be the saving of not only Jews, but also the prevention of invasion of other countries in Europe allows act utilitarianism to justify the Allied Forces declaration on war on Nazi Germany. Utility theory does run the risk of being manipulated and abused and has been used by terrorists and Islamic fundamentalists to justify the use of rower and force for â€Å"jihad† or what they call, â€Å"holy war†.However, it must be noted that utility theory condones war only if it causes the greatest good for the greatest number of society. Even if â€Å"jihad† is considered to be the greatest good, it is only from the perspective of a select few people with biased opinions. Hence, a terrorist's justification of war via utility theory cannot be said to be a true justification at all. Be it act or rule utilitarianism, so long as the ends result in the greatest good for the largest number of people in society and are made with the best intentions in mind, war is justified.Cost-benefit Analysis and Just War The benefits should outweigh the costs in order to justify engaging in war. Cost-benefit analysis is a way of weighing the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives. It helps us determine whether an approach was worth the adoption and practice in terms of benefits in labor, time, Cost savings and so on. It is largely considered an economic analysis and is an approach that can be taken when determining whether a war is justified because of the high socio-economic costs involved in war.A good way to go about analyzing this would be to look at a case study of the Iraq war. The Gulf war resulted in 220,000 Iraqi casualties and a few hundred thousand wounded Iraqis. The costs of war amounted to 6 trillion US dollars. These numbers are neither small nor insignificant. The benefits, however, are the exact opposite. As far as tangible benefits go, the Iraqi economy saw a slight growth in its GAP since the end of the war. Part of this, is a windfal l due to high oil prices but if the war had not taken place, oil sanctions imposed on Iraq would have severely curtailed Iraqi oil sale.This would have further crushed the already dying economy pre-war. Of course, since Cost-Benefit analysis is primarily economic in nature, on paper, the growth in Iraq's GAP is touted by pro-war candidates as being worth the effort. However it would be ridiculous to imagine that Iraq's economy would have grown enough to cover the costs of war even, much less to actually grow enough to recover and sustain the country post-war. Further, as cost-benefit analysis also should include some elements of intangibility, one must take note Of the accessory costs that came along with the war.Besides the devastation and disease that struck Iraq, neighbors Iran also saw acceleration in its nuclear programmed because it saw that as the only way to prevent an imminent US invasion. This is not good for the global economy because it makes the Middle East a very dange rous place. Further, there is a high continuing rate of violence in Iraq because society sees it as the only form of protection for them. Of course, regime change and the demise of Sadism Hussein must be considered in the benefit analysis but despite that, Iraq is still in shambles -? both economically as well as socially.Overall, a cost-benefit analysis allows us another opportunity to evaluate a war and to decide if it can be justified. In the example of Iraq, we can see how it can be used to prove that it cannot be justified. Counter argument However, despite these two analytical methods of justifying war, they come with a caveat. The caveat being that they are only used to justify war when negotiations have failed between parties; all peaceful methods have been already exhausted and war is the final and only option available to them. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.Many a time, countries prepare for war while negotiations are ongoing. Worse still, they may not even en gage in any peaceful forms of collaboration or settlement at all. The notions of war always remain at the back of countries' minds. The Cold War may seem like a successful instance where there were no missiles or bombs unloaded on either the USSR or the US. However, there was a war nonetheless and a war which lasted 30 years. Despite supposed ‘peaceful' negotiations between the two superpowers, the thought of missile warfare was always at the back of their minds.It would not be far-fetched to imagine that this severely impacted the success Of their discussions. One cannot fully and calmly negotiate with a finger on the trigger. It was merely a combination of luck, timing and the right set of leaders that prevented the outbreak of a disastrous third world war. Conclusion War can be justified through two methods – utility theory and cost-benefit analysis. These allow an intangible and tangible account of the ways in which a war can be explained as being necessary.

Study of a Second Language

Much debate has taken place over when foreign language education should begin in American schools. Currently, the majority of foreign language programs are ineffective and poorly organized. Programs would be most substantially improved if the instruction of foreign languages began in early elementary grades. Teaching foreign languages to American students at the elementary level would be truly beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, if the study of a second language were to begin in elementary grades, children would have more years to practice and learn the language. It is ridiculous that teenagers are expected to speak a foreign language fluently after two to four years of high school language classes. More time is needed to comprehend and absorb a language to the point where it can be spoken fluently. Therefore, it is necessary for foreign language education to begin much earlier than in high school. Furthermore, foreign language education would be much more effective if were taught at elementary grade levels because children are more likely to practice the language. They are less likely to feel uncomfortable speaking in a foreign language. Most children like having an extra ability and consider it a talent. Young children are also very competitive. Competitions over who has greater proficiency in a second language are likely to ensue in an elementary language class. Young children are also more likely to participate in activities that help one to learn a language such as singing songs and engaging in hypothetical dialogue. In contrast, high school students have a much harder time learning a second language. â€Å"Only three percent of American high school graduates reach a meaningful proficiency in a second language.† (Crawford 2) This astonishing statistic could be altered if foreign language education was mandated in all American elementary schools. High school students are met with great difficulty when attempting to learn a second language because they are much less passionate; they are not interested in learning another language after English has been mastered. Also, high school students are easily embarrassed. They do not participate in class for fear of making a mistake and feeling unintelligent. They also do not enjoy playing games and engaging in other silly activities that might help them learn a second language. Many believe that teaching young children a second language can be a threat to their general education. It is thought that a child's mind can be clouded by an attempt to learn a second language. However, â€Å"psycholinguists have long since debunked the myth that bilingualism confuses the brain.† No valid negative effects can be traced to learning a foreign language at a young age. With foreign language education beginning at the elementary level, chances for the mastery of a second language are much higher. Children who learn a second language benefit greatly from the ability. They tend to be more cultured and are offered more scholastic and occupational opportunities. The quality of adult life for today's children would be greatly improved if they were able to master a second language. However, this can only take place if foreign language education programs were altered in most American schools. It is imperative for the instruction of foreign languages to begin at the elementary level if greater opportunities for success are desired for America's youth.

Blooms Taxonomy of Education and its use in Nursing Education Essay

Blooms Taxonomy of Education and its use in Nursing Education - Essay Example It is apparent that chronic illness is naturally incurable. The indications of these chronic disease factors are constant and unremitting; thus, as regards cognition, the emphasis of nursing should be on care, supportive, and preventative procedures when a patient undergoes unavoidable disease deterioration. The nurses and other health care providers have to learn how to manage chronic diseases in order for them to be able to help chronically ill patients attain independence. An appropriate self-management plan for chronic disease is one of the major cognitive challenges to nurses (Larkin & Burton, 2008). In order to successfully accomplish this, health care professionals should be able to recall information about the patient (knowledge), understand the issues confronted by the patient (comprehension), apply the knowledge gained from interacting with the patient and the other medical staffs (application), differentiate assumptions from facts (analysis), develop a comprehensive care plan (synthesis), and evaluate the value and quality of the care plan (evaluation). On the other hand, the ‘affective domain’ focuses on feelings, core intentions, and attitudes, and thus is strongly applicable to the caring profession of nurses (Emerson, 2007). It is vital that chronically ill patients are empowered and inspired to help themselves. Therefore, nurses should learn to listen attentively and sincerely to their patients (receiving), to show eagerness to respond (responding), to express commitment and develop individualized treatment plan (valuing), to embrace professional ethical codes as regards management of chronic illness (organization), and to work in a team (internalizing values). The third domain—the ‘psychomotor’—involves exercise of motor skills, coordination, and physical aspects (Quinn, 2000). Within this domain, the nurse should learn to observe and compare the behavior of a chronically ill patient to another patient (imitation). In this way,

Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Film Analysis - Essay Example Despite his parents being in the film industry, Nakamura had not explored the field until his days in college. This is when he discovered film as a tool of empowering and inspiring the community. He was an Asian-American studies student, and he created his first film â€Å"Yellow Brotherhood†, which was about a youth basketball team in Los Angeles. The team mainly composed of the children whose fathers were founders of a Japanese-American anti-gang organization of â€Å"Yellow Brotherhood†. He aimed at producing films that involved and educated the youth. He observed that, watching educative documentaries can help a student to pass an examination. He used hip-hop music as soundtracks of his films as a way of attracting the attention of the youth because Hip hop music is highly associated with the youth. His thesis project was about Chris Iijima, who was a Japanese-American folk musician and Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell both were part of the Asian American movement of the 1960s (Friedbacher & Bubert 215). The pilgrimage was the first movie to focus on the reality of the World War II concentration camp experience that was never understood by the public. It showed how the children of the victims reclaimed the World War II camps. Pilgrimage was a film that brought into light the 9/11 world by featuring interviews with the Arab-Americans of the post 9/11 era. His father and grandparents were detained at the desolate internment camp. After the war, the government, his relatives and other Japanese-American survivors of the camps never shared their experiences in the camp. They chose to keep it as a secret as they saw it was something that was not appealing to be included in a conversation (Friedbacher & Bubert 234). Nakamura hoped that Pilgrimage, would shed some light to past and present events to the youth and hence inspire them. He spent most of his first year finalizing the film and making it ready for distribution to schools and colleges.

Process Flow Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Process Flow Operations Management - Essay Example The educational service or teaching is the service they are being offered which is supplied by the teachers/ academicians. The primary process flow includes teachers putting in the marks for quizzes, presentations, assignments, marks of end of term examinations, syllabi, attendance records, and the system calculates the grade point average for each course and the cumulative GPA. The output is in form of graphic display on the internal network for each student or is printed and put up on the notice boards. (Kott Software 2007) Fast food restaurants are manufacturing units serving ready to eat meals or snacks as the product to their customers, and the process flow involved here would constitute materials flow as well as information flow. In the fast food setup, the customers are the take away eaters, or dine-in and the suppliers are the front desk order takers cum cashiers, and the waiters respectively, who in turn are the internal customers to the chefs; the junior assistant chef and also the head chef. The services that a typical fast food restaurant produces includes taking orders for a variety of prepared meals or food items including burgers, French fries, pizzas, fried chicken, fillets, nuggets, hot dogs coleslaw, etc. which are given as take-away or served to the dine-in customers. In the primary process flow the first step is; the front desk or reception staff takes the orders and feeds in a computer (or does it manually) and takes out a print out of the order while him/ her self calculates the amount and charges the customer while feeding in the cash register, and gives an order token. Fast food restaurants have the production system, which ensures that the orders are placed in cue and the running items inventory is built up to the usual forecasted capacity, so with every order these items are refilled in a way constantly. With every order the custom items are prepared as per order and the routines items are taken from the storage troughs. Orders are entertained within minutes of the order that takes usually ten to fifteen minutes. Behind the restaurant in the kitchen, the assistant chefs would do the ground work e.g. cutting, chopping, grinding, mincing, kneading (and preparing dough) and crust, frying etc. and then the head chef who would do the final and main work on the recipes and give finishing touches to the fast food items ready to be served. The assistants would then wrap/ pack or put in serving trays or boxes as required, and pass on to the front desk staff for supplies or serving. Most fast food restaurants have delivery service also and that would mean the process flow will start from orders being placed at the phone-in service and then entered into the computer system to be passed on to the kitchen staff. In this case the meals would have to be delivered to customers at their doorstep. Library Libraries are places where people go for reading and or lending books and reading learning materials. The process flow involved here is a service blueprinting plus information flow process. In a library the customers would be the borrowers of the books while the suppliers will be the librarians and the Library Management team, who have other helpers such as the maintenance staff & IT staff etc.

Recent incidences of corporate or banking scandals happened in U.S Essay

Recent incidences of corporate or banking scandals happened in U.S companies or financial insitutions - Essay Example At the same time, the Lehman Brothers reduced assets on the left side of the company’s statement of financial position. The Lehman Brothers also systematically used the repos to finance some projects. Instead of reporting that the repos were used for financing reasons, the Lehman Brothers disclosed the repos as asset sales to mislead investors (Elliott and Treanor 5). This allowed the Lehman Brothers to use the proceeds gained from the repo to reduce its leverage right just before the reporting period. By September 2008, the repo proceeds had reached $50 billion resulting in bankruptcy. The investigators were amazed to learn that this amount was even more than the bonds that were due at the time General Motors went bankrupt the previous year. The repo proceeds were also comparable to the gross domestic product of Switzerland in 2008. Amazingly, the top executives of the company then, including its CEO Dick Fuld denied any knowledge of the company’s use of Repo 105 (Elli ott and Treanor 5). It was also amazing that Ernst & Young, the leading audit firm for the company gave unqualified report without noting the misstatements in the company’s books of account.... From the analysis of the case, it became apparent that the company’s top executives made serious errors of business judgments, which ought not to have occurred. For instance, it was unethical for the top executives of the company to mislead investors of the real picture of the company by manipulating the balance sheet. As earlier indicated, the Lehman Brothers tried to stop its demise by falsifying the balance sheet to deceive investors about its true financial picture. This was unethical act, which executives ought to avoid. The company’s financial statement is very important since it shows investors how the company is performing, which also influence their investment decisions (Goldmann and Hilton 21). According to the accounting and auditing standards, the top executives of the company were supposed to report the real financial position of the company. The Lehman Brothers also breached the corporate governance and management ethics by using Repo 105 to manipulate its balance sheet. In this regard, we realize from the case that the Lehman Brothers diverted $50 billion of its toxic assets from its balance sheet in the early 2008 rather than disposing of the repos and reporting the same at a loss. After doing so, Wolff observed that the lack of strong internal control allowed the Lehman Brothers to treat the repo 105 transaction as proceeds instead of financing (2). To make matters worse, the chief financial officer was found to have sent emails indicating that repo 105 should be used to reduce liabilities in the statement of financial position of the country. This was indeed a serious breach of accounting principle. In addition, the top executives of the company failed to disclose the repo 105 to the rating agencies,

An Analysis of The McDonaldization of Society by George Ritzer Essay

An Analysis of The McDonaldization of Society by George Ritzer - Essay Example In today's' complicated and ever changing society, we often try to achieve a sense easier is by implementing a function now known as "McDonaldization", which Ritzer describes in various ways. For instance Ritzer states that the concept of McDonaldization is defined as "the process by which the principles of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world." The success of McDonalds, and of McDonaldization as a whole, is due to four basic factors--efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. carry their own food, and throw out the garbage. This is not as efficient for the consumer, but it saves time for the workers. Education, health care, and the work place are all becoming McDonaldalized in order to become more efficient. Efficiency in McDonaldization has streamlined many processes, simplified goods and services, and forces the consumer to do work as well. Ritzer continues these ideas in marshalling the abundance of evidence which makes this trend very compelling. Using many examples from such disparate social institutions as family life, higher education, the funeral business, health care, and entertainment, Ritzer illuminates the broader trends within the "taken for granted" daily routines of life. He does so with a keen sociological eye, but also with a very wry sense of irreverence that adds a sarcastic touch of humor to the expose.The fast-food model, according to Ritzer, has a manner of pushing us towards ever greater reliance on the fostering of quantity over quality, attainment of efficiency, creation of predictability, and reducing much of our life experience to a coldly calculated "value." As one reads further and takes in the diverse landscape of specific illustrations for these trends, one begins to see the "McDonaldized" influence everywhere. Then too, one will also grasp why so many of us are complaining about the demise of free time in our lives, and how we have become unwitting captives of mindless inertia of "I want it fast, I want it now, I want what's next" mentalities. Just another issue and dimension of

Supplier Relations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supplier Relations - Research Paper Example Generally, a good supplier relation can be described as one in which the company does not keep itself apart from the suppliers (Lautenbacher and Stidham, 2009). Research has actually showed that there exist several companies who only contact their suppliers when they are running out of stock. Even among such companies, the only kind of communication that goes on has to do with quantities of goods needed and the periods the goods are needed. These companies totally fail to see their suppliers as an integral part of their business and so see no need to keep the suppliers informed about the day to day feedback on the supplies they do and the impact of the supplies on the company. For excellent supplier relationship to take place, suppliers must be aware of the daily needs of the companies in terms of demand for products and services. Suppliers also need constant feedback from companies regarding reactions from customers. This is an important move in ensuring that suppliers supply to the specifications of customers and that products supplied are always on high demand by customers so that they do not remain in the inventories for long (Kelton, et al, 2002). Aspects of Boeing's supplier relations program that specifically address reducing inventories For Boeing as an international company, there are several relations programs that it has in place to specifically address the issue of reducing inventories, maintaining quality, regulating compliance and promoting competitiveness. In order to ensure that safety stocks are adjusted downwards and that there is improvement in quality, Boeing ensures that the leading times for supply are reduced to the barest minimum (Arrand, 2007). It would be noted that suppliers have their own lead times whiles customers also have their. But it is the lead time of customer that is paramount because it is the customer that the company makes profits from. There is constant relationship with the supplier to ensure that they reduce their lead times according to the lead time of customers. This helps in reducing inventory in the sense that it leads to a reduction in the amount of time needed to hold stock together (Fofie, 2001). Another important component of ensuring that suppliers are admonished to reduce their lead times is that when the lead times are reduced, it creates enough room for top-up orders to be made in the season when adequate time has been given to measure real demand. Consequently, all forms of rush in the supply of inventory are avoided and so suppliers can take their time to supply quality products. Another important program in place by Boeing has to do with the fact that the company has special terms of conditions as part of its relationship program whereby suppliers must prove beyond reasonable doubt that they can be trusted for reliability of supply before their services are engaged. This is an important program for ensuring reduced inventory and quality of supplies made because it ensures that the need to hold safety stocks is avoided. Meanwhile, the practice of holding safety stocks is one of the major causes of increased inventory. When companies cannot trust the reliability of supply, there are often forced to hold safety stocks that may not necessarily meet the demand of customers. As soon as new stocks come in, they are forced to offload those stocks through cheap sales, rendering the finances of the company handicapped. Boeing therefore avoids this by ensuring that there is strict regulatory

Nonprofit Organization YMC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nonprofit Organization YMC - Essay Example It approaches the heart of many communities all over the world ("About the YMCA", 2006). The local YMCAs in the different countries identify with each other in terms of a common direction and an overall strategy for the organization. However, the different YMCAs vary in terms of the programs and services implemented. The programs have to depend on the needs of the local communities that an organization caters to (Zald and Denton). One remarkable aspect in YMCA is that it encourages membership. Even if YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association, it does not mean that the doors are closed to those who are not young, Christian men ("About the YMCA", 2006). Most local YMCAs would accept non-Christian members and give them opportunities to participate and lead (Alexander). This was policy from the time when the organization started 150 years ago. It was even regarded as unconventional because back then, the demarcation among different classes and churches is very strong, particularly in England. This unusual trait made YMCA focus on the strength of openness they know that the effort to gather different people together is very important for the society. YMCA also provided assistance for those who cannot afford to pay through their financial policies. 'Y' then became something that stands for everybody, with no regard on the race, age, faith or income of the people who come to the organization ("About the YMC A", 2006). YMCA associations are operated by the volunteers and through them the various services are implemented. In North America, most people think of YMCA as a sports facility for the community because of its resources. However, the range of services YMCA provides is very broad. It includes child care, physical fitness, camping and overnights, conference halls and activity centers, employment preparation programs and educational activities. These are all utilized to instill and encourage positive values. ("YMCA", 2006). 2004 U.S. Statistics YMCAs 2,594 Members 20.1 million Facility members 11 million Program members 9 million Under age 18 members 9.7 million Over age 18 members 10.3 million Male members 10.1 million Female members 9.9 million Volunteers are also crucial in fulfilling the mission of YMCA. Through the volunteers, every YMCA is able to meet the needs of the community it serves. Volunteers 613,430 Program 559,044 Board 54,386 Source: www.ymca.net History of YMCA The history of YMCA can be traced in England. It started from an organization founded by a certain Sir George Williams in 1844 in London. He was 23 years old then, an aristocrat who is known for dedicating his efforts in promoting the health and welfare of boys. He was also helped by his friends who are mostly businessmen. Their endeavor was to give an active response to the impending dangers brought about by the social conditions and realities faced in big cities in Great Britain at the time. This period was the end of the Industrial Revolution. YMCA aimed to put an end to the lazy and mischievous behavior of the young men. They were encouraged to again take Bible studies and enroll in different classes. YMCA was able to recruit more or less 2,700 members in their twenty-four associations. Great Britain witnessed this just within seven years (Vodrey, n.d.). The success of the group in Great Britain led them to spread the effort into other

Gandhi and Wollstonecraft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gandhi and Wollstonecraft - Essay Example It firstly could be used to refer to a sovereign ruler’s external power and freedom. However, it is the second definition that applied more so to Gandhi’s perspectives, it a freedom of spirituality, freed from all illusions, and understanding of the great absolute truths. (Gandhi 17-18). The two concepts do have a relationship in Gandhi’s philosophy. He believed that it was not for people to behave violently against others, because only someone or something that had true understanding of all of the great truths has the right to judge another, which we do not. Swaraj could easily be referencing the afterlife and oneness with thought, knowledge, and inevitably God. Regardless of the motivations toward non-violent protest, many have attempted Gandhi-like protests with mixed results. Unfortunately, there may be advantages to non-violent protests, but the disadvantages are also rather extreme. Non-violence has been applied to many political and social struggles throughout history. Dr. Martin Luther King used many forms of non-violent protests to advance the importance of the Civil Rights Movement. One of the most famous and successful expression of non-violent protest was the Bus Boycott in the 1960s that, nearly plummeted the public transportation system (Mach 1). Of course, we cannot forget the actions of Rosa Parks, who peacefully but firmly refused to five up her seat. These non-violent actions contributed greatly to changing the world and ending the discrimination of segregation. In this case, that is what many people remember about his leadership. No matter how unkind, abusive, and ignorant people were his protest would remain non-violent. Another poignant example of non-violent protest is the â€Å"burning monk.† The Vietnam War is a controversial one; even today arguments concerning the actions taken during that time will garner great and heated debate. Protests were common in the

A Natural and Privatized life Essay Example for Free

A Natural and Privatized life Essay Haruki Murakami, a Japanese writer of short story, The Year of Spaghetti. The depiction of Murakami’s stories with point-of-view narratives provides certain distinctiveness to the characters, depending on how the dialogue is conveyed. The abstract things the narrator says and does provide the idea of human isolation with little feelings of fear. Although the story has no definitive plot, it grabs hold of conflicting emotions between fear and loneliness. The unnamed protagonist in The Year of Spaghetti, illustrates the meaning of loneliness through naturalization and privatization. According to the Article, Murakami Haruki and the Naturalization of Modernity, â€Å"Privatization is the process that makes naturalization possible.† (Cassegard 87) The first paragraph of Haruki’s story, The Year of Spaghetti, already shows how alone and private his life it. He says, â€Å"I cooked spaghetti to live, and lived to cook spaghetti.† (pg. 178) It already seems as if his mind is made up for the rest of his life. That he has found his life’s calling to cook spaghetti every day and every night. That is what is natural to him. Naturalization means, â€Å"that one has grown used to an environment that was once shocking.† (Cassegard 83) Nothing really phases him, however, he could not have reached naturalization without having privatization occur first. Privatization is: The process whereby individuals â€Å"become used† to solitude, or—to be more precise—their instinctual needs and fundamental impulses become channeled in such a way that their gratification is made less dependent on relations to other people. The term does not imply that human interaction decreases, but stands for the subjective process whereby such interactions become less important as sources of gratification for individuals. (Cassegard 87) This explains how the protagonist in this story can be conveyed as someone who is lonely, hurt, and avoiding the rest of the world, but could actually just be content with life. Privatization explains that the interactions with other people are not necessarily something he is bad at or is avoiding, but  just has less interest in it. The story then goes on to how the protagonist’s phone rang and how he could barely even recognize the fact that someone was calling him. This was due to the fact that he does not call nor get calls regularly. This is a shock to the protagonist because he was not expecting anyone to call or talk to him. As he answered the phone it was his friend’s ex girlfriend and by the sound of her voice he already knew she needed some kind of help. He then says to himself, â€Å"whatever trouble was brewing I knew I didn’t want to get involved.† (Murakami 180) Before even knowing what the girl’s problem was he already knew he did not want any part of it. This is part of his privatized life. According to Cassegard, â€Å"Their peace of mind is paid for by loneliness.† (pg. 87) Cassegard is trying to say that Murakami’s protagonist likes being alone and therefore, knows, getting involved in any type of way with this girl or anyone else for that matter will interfere with him being alone. He is so use to his everyday life of buying different types of spaghetti every week, cooking it in his, â€Å"huge aluminum cooking pot, big enough to bathe a German shepard in.† (Murakami 178), then eating it all by himself. Perhaps the German shepard is also a symbol of loneliness because this is all he did in 1971. He did it everyday and that is what he sees as normal. He kept his life privatized like this and that is why nothing is a shock to him, because it is natural to him. The protagonist’s tone in the story sounds content with subtle undertones of fear. It is like the spaghetti has some type of deeper meaning in accordance to his loneliness. When explaining how spaghetti is cooked a specific type of way he also mentions more than once how he must eat it alone. He even says he expects to be alone, and him subconsciously thinking people are at his door proves how lonely he really is. The protagonist says: Every time I sat down to a plate of spaghetti- especially on a rainy afternoon- I had the distinct feeling that somebody was about to knock on my door. The person who I imagined was about to visit me was different each time. Sometimes it was a stranger, sometimes someone I knew. Once, it was a girl with slim legs whom I’d dated in high school, and once it was myself, from a few years back, come to pay a visit. Another time, it was none other than William Holden,  with Jennifer Jones on his arm. (Murakami 179) Although he may be content and satisfied with being alone, you can still tell how lonely he really is by his actions. Whenever, he eats spaghetti alone he imagines people coming to visit. He especially imagines people up when it is a rainy day. The rain symbolizes the mood of sadness and loneliness, therefore, especially on rainy days he would doze off. The protagonist in the story shows his loneliness because he has to daydream of random people that are visiting him but do not actually come inside. According to Cassegard, â€Å"Few things are as striking in the protagonists of Murakami as their loneliness, even when they are with other people.† (p. 83) Cassegard is saying that Murakami’s protagonists are always perceived to be lonely even when interacting with others. For example, when the protagonist in The Year of Spaghetti is talking to the girl on the phone, he makes up a lie so that he can hang up with her because he does not want to speak or help her with her problem of needing to contact her ex boyfriend, the protagonist’s friend because he owes her a sum of money. He is not happy to have a phone call because he likes to be alone, so therefore, he lies about cooking spaghetti just to cut the conversation off. After he lies he thinks to himself, â€Å" I lied. I had no idea why I said that. But that lie was already a part of me- so much so that, at that moment at least, it didn’t feel like a lie at all. (Murakami 181) That line can make us idealize the fact that he has been cooking spaghetti for the purpose of a lie that has turned true. Him cooking spaghetti symbolizes his way of privatization. Eating spaghetti provides allusion to the idea of a tangled relationship that he is avoiding with anyone, especially the girl he was speaking on the phone to. His constant rejection to the world has lead him imagining a pot with water, on his stove, and an imaginary match. (Murakami) This collectively provides the constant isolated relationship between him and his world. Murakami is a different kind of Japanese writer. He adapted his writing style from the Western side. DiConsiglo says, â€Å"Growing up, he dreamed of America. He read American detective novels, and listened to American music  on the radio. Even the defining moment in his life was distinctly American. At age 29, while watching a baseball game, he suddenly realized he wanted to be a writer.† (pg. 1) Murakami then says, Writing in Japan for Japanese people is in a particular style, very stiff. If you are a Japanese novelist you have to write that way, Murakami has said. But I am different in my style. I guess Im seeking a new style for Japanese readership, and I think I have gained ground. Things are changing now. (DiConsiglio) Murakami was always teased for the way he writes. He was a disgrace to the older Japanese people because of the way he wrote. Japanese people would tease Americans and call them names like batakusai, which literally means, â€Å"stinking of butter.† (DiConsiglio 1) Murakami has been different from everyone else as he group up because of his interests and that is possibly why his characters in the stories he writes are so lonely, privatized, but also natural. His characters in the stories never seem to be shocked by anything because they accept everything as they are. They do not have any desire to figure out or question why certain things are the way they are. The characters just exist neither happy nor sad. And that is how the protagonist in Murakami’s story The Year of Spaghetti is like. His character shows not much emotion to anything else except his love for spaghetti and his few day dreams of random imaginary people. That is really lonely but does not seem to shock the protagonist nor phase him, because as said, t hat is what is natural to him. (DiConsiglio) In conclusion, the point of view narration has emphasized the point that gives his stories uniqueness and relatable aesthetic. It’s tone helps a reader to understand the author and protagonist’s ideas of privatization from the world that became natural to him. It is only then the symbolism of spaghetti provides a greater and deeper meaning to why the protagonist acts in the certain way that he does- a privatized and natural life. Works Cited Cassegard, Carl. Murakami Haruki And The Naturalization Of Modernity. International Journal Of Japanese Sociology 10.1 (2001): 80-92. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. DiConsiglio, John. Haruki Murakami Stinks. Literary Cavalcade 51.4 (1999): 15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. Murakami, Haruki. The Year of Spaghetti. (2005): 178-83. Web.

Strategies of Pressure Groups

Strategies of Pressure Groups Pressure Groups Robert Hassam Britain is often referred to as a homogenous society as the public tend to share similar political views. However, more recently, there has been a decline in membership in political parties and an increase in the membership of pressure groups. In this essay I aim to define pressure groups, analyse their role and importance to British democracy. According to Duncan Watts, apressure groupscan be described as an organised group which seeks to influence government policy, protect or advance a particular cause or interest. They can also be described as ‘interest groups’, ‘lobby groups’ or ‘protest groups’. However some people avoid using the term ‘pressure group’ as it may inadvertently be interpreted as meaning the groups use actual pressure to achieve their aims, which does not necessarily happen. Pressure groups are distinct from political parties in that they do not seek political power, instead they aim to influence those already in power. The term pressure group is relatively recent, however voluntary organisations have been attempting to influence policy ever since the late 18th Century. A typical example of this, is The Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Which was founded in 1787 under William Wilberforce, and successfully achieved its objective to abolish slavery in 1807. A pressure group may be a huge organisation such as the British Medical Association (BMA), which stand represents doctors both individually and collectively on a wide variety of employment issues, or it may be a single-issue locally based organisation like CLARA (Central Area Leamington Residents Association), which represents less than 300 households campaigning to preserve and improve the town of Leamington Spa. Pressure groups are not only distinguished by size, cause, and aim but also by the levels of extremism, such as the Animal Liberation Front, which has frequently indulged in illegal activities to further its aims and objectives. Pressure groups may also have strong links to political parties such as the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which have links to the Labour government and have regular contact with cabinet ministers. (Jones Norton, 2010) Pressure groups are divided into the following sub-groups: Causal (or promotional) groups, Sectional (or Protection) groups and also how close they are to the government known as either Insider or Outsider groups. Causal groups are involved with a particular issue or issues and serve this cause by promoting it. These groups vary in size and aims, which can be permanent ‘such as friends of the earth’ who continually campaign for their particular cause or they can be temporary such as CND, the ‘campaign for nuclear disarmament’ who would disperse if their cause was attained or irreversibly lost. Sectional groups represent and further the interests of a particular part of society and as a result the members of these groups are more directly concerned with the outcome of the campaign at hand as they usually stand to gain something (professionally, economically). Therefore membership is usually limited to the sole members of that particular group of the populatio n and aim to involve all those that are eligible to join. Insider groups have strong links with decision makers and are regularly consulted. They are the groups that the government local and national considers to be legitimate and are, therefore, given access to decision makers. This category includes the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the police force, as they are involved in the consultation process as a matter of course when government proposals relevant to their activities are discussed. An outsider group is one that operates outside the government, they have no special links with them but they still seek to influence decision makers by (usually) mobilizing public opinion, an example would be Fathers 4 justice. Theyre generally not involved in the Law Making process and so dont have a chance to influence legislation. This may be due to previous protests or demonstrations which have made their relationship with the government hostile. Generally, Insider groups would be more s uccessful that outsider groups because of the influences that they do hold and the power they have to change the decisions made by the government. (Jones Norton, 2010) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/modern/uk_gov_politics/central_gov/revision/4/) Pressure groups act as intermediaries between the government and the public. This role has become increasingly important as the scope and complexity of politics have increased and as it has become more difficult for political parties alone to perform all the representative functions. This means that they act as a spokesman or negotiators on behalf of clearly defined sectional interests, for example the ‘National Farmers Union’ which acts on behalf of farmers or the ‘British Medical Association’ which acts on behalf of medical professionals or doctors. Additionally pressure groups help governments to create and actualize their approaches by entering into detailed consultations on recommendations for administrative action or legislation and in this way by conveying a measure of public consent to the output of policy and decision making processes. For example, accommodation has had an extensive impact on housing legislation over the years, the Child Poverty Act ion Group has consistently pressed for changes to help the poor and particularly families with children. Pressure groups empower new concerns and issues to achieve the political agenda, thereby facilitating social advance and avoiding social stagnation, for instance the women’s and environmentalist movements. Pressure groups build social cohesion and political stability by providing almost a safety net for people and collective demands. (Forman and Baldwin, 2007) For many years, pressure groups in Europe worked at or below the level of the state. On the other hand, they have been dynamic in the EU since its formation, playing a significant role in its political improvement and policy making. The movement of political power towards the EU has implied that more power is progressively being transferred to Brussels. Hence pressure groups are increasingly turning to Brussels to campaign on issues as issues have a tendency to work on a worldwide level such as global warming. Pressure groups can now impact choices made on a worldwide level. The rapid rise of multinational originations also implies these companies have influence on a global level. Hence people need to campaign through pressure groups to impact them on key issues like child labour and free trade. (Watts, 2008) Quite a bit of what the public thinks about politics originates from the activities of pressure groups. They empower political instruction and raise political awareness. They commit significate resources to carrying out research, maintaining websites, remarking on government approaches and using high profile and expert individuals to get over their perspectives. An example would be Bob Geldof and the Live Eight concerts held in 2005 in ten cities, which was designed to put pressure on the G8 leaders to tackle global poverty. Pressure groups likewise provide a means for cooperation in local politics between elections. For instance, in 1994 the A452 Coordination Group campaigned to block plans by Warwickshire County Council to make the A452 a dual carriageway. After the groups exceptional campaigning, the board dropped the arrangements. . (Forman and Baldwin, 2007) (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/what_are_pressure_groups.htm) The strategies and methods utilized by pressure groups can influence its success such as advertising. Pressure groups endeavor to impact public opinion through the media and mass communication including strategies of advertising and public relations. Groups that use advertising campaigns such as NSPCC and GOSH (Television advertisement campaigns) appeal to a wide audience which often make the group a household name. Another technique utilized by pressure groups is ‘lobbying’. Lobbying is the art of cultivating and influencing the opinions of policy-makers, such as MPs and Lords. Methods of lobbying vary and can range from sending letters, making presentations, providing briefing material to Members and organised rallies. Another method used by pressure groups is participating in publicity stunts. In 2008, Greenpeace battled against the 3rd runway at Heathrow Airport by breaking into the air terminal and protesting on top of one of the planes, this generated a lot of medi a coverage and attention from both the general population and the government. The use of public demonstrations can also aid the success of a pressure group, which can be seen from the 2010 NUS (National Union of Students) demonstration against the rise in university fees in London, this was exceptionally advertised and the group drew a considerable amount of attention, nonetheless it didnt impact the government and the rise in fees still occurred. Pressure groups also raise petitions which can lead to success, for example the National Trusts petition against the government selling forestry lands which was a success as Cameron dropped the proposals not long after the petition was presented. Pressure groups that use strategies and methods widely are more inclined to be effective rather than groups that sit back and are not involved in any public demonstrations or petitions such a Tentelini, a group that isnt known to use any methods to gain attention or to influence the government. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7338875.stm) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20412792) A pressure groups can use a variety of different methods to influence law. Firstly, it can merely educate legislators of its member’s inclinations. Second it may well give money or time to help with an election campaign. Third, its members may threaten, as a group, to vote as a block. By doing this they guarantee to help a cooperative legislator, and threaten to harm a non-cooperative legislator. Fourth, a pressure group may speed up legislation by writing bills and helping legislators make progressive agreements. Finally, a pressure group my attempt to influence members of the executive, who have some law making input and who can partly decide the strength and effectiveness of law enforcement. (Coxall and Robins, 1998) For some, pressure groups are a fundamental part of democracy. To others, pressure groups undermine the whole principle of democracy. Democracy is a system of government where decisions are arrived at by majoritarian principles with representatives elected at periodic elections where political equality and political opportunity permit the voter a compelling decision between competing candidates in a secret ballot. Arguments are present on both sides of the debate on whether pressure groups are beneficial for the government, and democracy. These arguments are typically focused upon Elitist and Pluralist belief systems, which differentiate one another in terms of thoughts. Elitists believe that the utilization of pressure groups threaten democracy, with the opinion of parties becoming too extreme in their views of which they become involved in criminalised activities, exert forced influence onto the general public, and the concept of innocent lives being harmed in the process of the pr essure groups protests. Pluralists however, consider pressure groups to promote democracy; with the use of individuals participating more in politics, and the focus of particular issues raised by the group to the government. Pluralists believe that pressure groups overcome the democratic deficit that builds up thereby enhancing the quality of democracy by increasing participation and access to the political system. Pressure groups complement and supplement electoral democracy in two main ways: by providing a vital form of citizen influence of the government between elections and enabling society’s variety of opinions is known. Pressure groups are the objective way to influence decisions in a free society. Freely operating pressure groups are crucial to the effective functioning of liberal democracy in three main ways: they serve as a voice between government and society, they disperse political power and provide an important counterweight and balance to political power which is particularly important with the two main political parties: the Conservative Party and the Labour party. Pressure groups improve the responsibilities of decision makers to electorates if enough impact is made. (Joyce, 2010) Although its undeniable that pressure groups play a vital role in British politics particularly in today’s less differential society, perhaps its not the suggested one of the pluralist model. For example, pressure groups do enhance interest however in an unequal way, benefiting the powerful and organised and disadvantaging the weak and disorderly. The groups themselves may not be representative of their members as many members views are overlooked if they dont comply with the ideologies of the leaders or decision makers of that group. The methods of influence some groups use build social discontent and political instability by intensifying social frustration and injustice felt by certain sections of the population. This can disregard the benefit of the whole of the community and this kind of civil disobedience cant be justified in todays democratic system. In conclusion, pressure groups can both detract from and strengthen democracy to a certain extent. Pressure groups are an essential dimension of any democracy, yet they can endanger it if sectional groups undermine the public interest or if the methods they use are corrupt or intimidating. Lastly in my humble opinion, I think pressure groups are a fundamental part of any democratic society, serving as a voice between the elite and the common citizens. However I question, if pressure groups where not influential in British politics, would the voices of common citizens be heard or even considered by the elite minority such as politicians? Bibliography Bitesize, B.,n.d. Pressure Groups. (Online) Available at:Â  (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/what_are_pressure_groups.htm)Â  (Accessed on 07th of April 2015) Bitesize, B,.n.d. Government Politics. (Online) Available at:Â  (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/modern/uk_gov_politics/central_gov/revision/4/)Â  (Accessed on 07th of April 2015) Bitesize, B,.n.d. UK Politics. (Online) Available at:Â  (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7338875.stm)Â  (Accessed on Bitesize, B,.n.d. Education. (Online) Available at:Â  (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20412792)Â  (Accessed on Jones, B., M., Nortan, P. (2010) Politics UK, 7th Edition. London: Pearson Education Ltd. Watts, D. (2008) The European Union. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. Forman, F.N., Baldwin, D.J. (2007) Mastering British Politics, 5th Edition. Basingstoke: MacMillan Press Ltd. Coxall, B., Lyton, R. (1998) Contemporary British Politics, 3rd Edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Joyce, P. (2010) Understanding Politics, 3rd Edition. London: Hodder Education.

The Curriculum For Excellence Has On Teacher Professionalism Education Essay

The Curriculum For Excellence Has On Teacher Professionalism Education Essay The existence of a relationship between curriculum policy and teacher professionalism would appear to be an established assumption. This is evident in claims that curriculum reform is often regarded as a threat to teacher professionalism (Al-Hinei 2003; Apple 2009; Locke et al. 2005). Most notably, it is often claimed that the level of prescription in the English National Curriculum, with the associated requirement to meet the prescribed outcomes, reflects a reduction of teacher autonomy in favour of accountability (Walsh 2006). It would seem, at this level then, possible to argue that a reduction in central prescription equates to an increase in teacher autonomy which in turn equates to an enhancement of teacher professionalism. To an extent this would seem to be an aim of recent curriculum reform in Scotland in the form of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). The first page of the first Building the Curriculum document that claims that teachers will have greater scope and space for professional decisions about what and how they should teach (Scottish Executive 2006:1). However, such a straightforward relationship between curriculum policy and teacher professionalism would, drawing on Evans (2008), be an over-simplification. Evans suggests that professionalism cannot be understood exclusively, through examining teachers remit and responsibilities (p.23), and rather we must consider teachers themselves understand their professional responsibilities. To an extent this would seem to be recognised in Scotlands curriculum reform, in for example claims that the reform requires a culture change (Scottish Government 2009a:5) and the emphasis on the need for professional development (Scottish Executive 2006:2). This suggests recognition that a change of teachers remit and responsibilities alone will not impact upon professionalism. In light of the perceived association between CfE and teacher professionalism both as representing being and requiring a change it becomes pertinent to consider the nature of the professional judgements that greater teacher autonomy over the content of the curriculum entails, and therefore the conception of professionalism it would seem to imply. This requires a consideration of the particular issues that are associated with the selection of curriculum content, and an examination of different conceptions of teacher professionalism. Curriculum First therefore, we must consider what is meant by curriculum. As a term it would seem to be notoriously hard to define, with a multitude of potentially conflicting definitions (Dillon 2009). Generally it can be suggested that curriculum does not refer to a list, or progression, of items to be taught. The curriculum addresses not only what is taught, but why and how teaching and learning takes place. As such, curricula reflect and promote beliefs about the aims and nature of education (Flinders Thornton 2009:8). They reflect different epistemological and pedagogical beliefs beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning and teaching in, for example, their organisation of knowledge (Carr 1988), for example those that emphasise the separation of knowledge into subjects and those that favour integration of subject areas. However it should perhaps be noted that Carr (1988) argues that the epistemological and pedagogical bases of much curriculum policy is not entirely coherent. It should also be noted that the current discussion is centred around the concept of explicit curriculum (REF-moore?), curriculum as a statement of the planned or expected learning within a school context. Other conceptions regard curriculum to encompass all the experiences which impact upon a learners development (REF-Dillon?). However, notwithstanding the range of approaches to understanding and creating curricula, curriculum design necessarily entails a selection of what is to be taught. Different curriculum models may differ in both when and by whom this process of selection takes place. In a heavily prescriptive, centralised, curriculum much of the selection is being made by policy makers. At the other extreme, in a strongly child-centred curriculum, selection is largely made by the child based upon their interests. (BACK THIS UP). If we consider the CfE itself, it is evident that it cannot be considered to be placing the decision of what to teach solely in the hands of teachers. Priestley (2010:23) suggests that it reflects a trend in curriculum development in general, in which there is an attempt to draw on both top-down and bottom-up approaches to curriculum planning. A process of selection has already occurred at the national level in terms of the forms of knowledge and skills that are to be develop ed. Even within this clear framework of national expectations (Scottish Executive 2006:1), teachers do not have sole responsibility for curriculum content selection. In the pledge, all children and young people should experience personalisation and choice (Scottish Government 2008:17), there is an expectation that pupils will, to a certain extent, also be making decisions about curriculum content. Further, there is a strong emphasis upon collegiality, with teachers working together on curriculum development (Scottish Government 2009). However it clearly does aim to place more responsibility for choice in the hands of the teacher, and in doing so is potentially affecting the nature of teacher professionalism. Professionalism In order to examine this claim more closely it is necessary to consider the meaning of professionalism itself. As with curriculum, it would seem that professionalism is a difficult term to define with many different views as to what it really means (Al-Hinei 2003:41; Evans 2008). Generally however, the term profession may be regarded as indicating a distinct class or category of occupation consisting of jobs such as doctor or lawyer, and sometimes teacher (Carr 2000:22), to which a certain status may be attached. This should be regarded as distinct from the everyday use of professional as distinguished from amateur which focuses on whether or not an individual is paid (REF-Carr?). The purpose of regarding some occupations as professions differs according to different perspectives. Some regard it as a socially constructed concept, suggesting it is a means of preserving power and status with a certain group of people (Locke et al. 2005:558). Carr (:) suggests it refers to those occupations that are required to maintain civil society (health, justice and education). Others suggest that there are certain defining characteristics which mark out an occupation as fulfilling the criterion for profession (Locke et al 2005:558; Christie 2003:845). Whilst this diversity of views exists, there does seem to be a general sense that those occupations that are classed as professions involve a level of autonomy to make decisions, a distinct knowledge base or expertise, and some form of care or service to society (Carr 2000; Christie 2003; Goodson 2003; Locke et al. 2005). Professionalism itself may be perhaps regarded as the way in which we describe a profession in terms of its characteristics in relation to these concepts (Goodson 2003:126). In essence professionalism is concerned with considering the level of autonomy afforded to individuals by an occupation and the nature of the professional knowledge or expertise involved. In this way, the assertion referred to earlier, that the English National Curriculum is considered as a process of de-professionalisation, may be regarded as a belief that the level of prescription involved is reducing teacher autonomy and changing the nature of the expertise required to do the job. As such, the distinct characteristics of teaching are more narrowly defined. Carr (2000:15) refers to such a reduced autonomy and knowledge base as restricted professionalism. It is suggested that teaching is unique amongst the professions in terms of its balance between autonomy and accountability (Carr). As Locke et al (2005: 564) point out, there is a tension between professional autonomy and accountability. This unique accountability is related to the relationship between education and society. Education, or rather schooling, is essentially concerned with the kind of society we want to be (White 2004:2) and is often related to the economic health of a country (REF.). This is evident in the claim that the Curriculum for Excellence can play a significant role in achieving the Scottish Governments aim to make Scotland smarter, safer and stronger, wealthier and fairer, greener and healthier (Scottish Government 2008:3). It is from this notion of schooling as serving, and potentially shaping, society as a whole that it is suggested that schools and teachers are accountable in ways that other professions are not (Carr 2000:44). It is further suggested that teachers are also more accountable to parents and must accept the legitimacy of the views of non-professionals in a way that lawyers or doctors do not (Carr 2003:64). It may be as a result of this accountability to the state and parents that the dominant conception of teacher professionalism, in policy at least, has become that of the competent teacher with a focus on meeting prescribed standards. (Goodson 2003:127; Menter et al 2010:21). Viewing teacher professionalism in terms of standards is argued to potentially lead to a situation in which the professional knowledge base of teaching is purely related to practical skills, such as effective communication and the ability to manage behaviour (Goodson 2003:130). It is also argued that such a view of teacher professionalism can lead to unreflective application of rules (Hegarty 2000:456), rather than scrutinising and questioning policy and curricula. It would seem reasonable to associate a prescriptive curriculum with such a concept of teacher professionalism, as indeed Menter et al. (2010:22) do. This would however, seem an insufficient account of teacher professionalism to meet the requirements of a curriculum which gives teacher greater autonomy of what to teach. Therefore, through focussing on the specific issues which arise in relation to curriculum content selection, attention will be paid to models of professionalism which could perhaps be regarded as more appropriate. Two ideas will be addressed in relation to content selection. The first: the implications of regarding content selection as a pedagogical skill (REF) with teachers drawing on, for example, knowledge of child development. The second considers the implications of regarding curriculum as a selection of culture (Giroux 1980:228), pointing to content selection as having ethical implications. Curriculum Content Selection Viewing content selection as a pedagogical skill would perhaps reflect Whites (2004a:20) assertion that teachers expertise lies in deciding what specific aims and what pupil experiences best suit the particular children. In this case, teachers professional knowledge may be regarded as wider than that of practical skills, rather it involves drawing on pedagogical, subject specific knowledge and knowledge of child development, to select and order the content that makes up the curriculum (REF). The teacher is utilising their professional knowledge in order to make professional judgements as to the content which will move an individual to the next stage of development. Clearly this points to the need for some form of curriculum aims. As White (2004:6) points out, we cannot sensibly decide what to teach without reference to an aim, an indication as to what the next stage of development actually is. Applying such an understanding to the CfE, we can see that the overall curricular aims are set out in terms of the four capacities statements as to the type of person the curriculum seeks to develop (Learning and Teaching Scotland 2010). At a more detailed level, the experiences and outcomes describe the expectations for learning and progression for each of the eight curriculum areas (Learning and Teaching Scotland 2010). The teacher, then, would seem to have autonomy in choosing what they teach in order to achieve the expected learning. The need to make professional judgements of this nature would seem to point to a conception of a more enhanced professionalism than a more prescriptive curriculum, and may point to such models as the reflective teacher (Moore 2004:4). Such a model of professionalism is regarded as perceiving teaching as involving more than practical skills. Rather the teacher reflects upon their classroom practice, evaluating their teaching, perhaps drawing on their theoretical understanding with a view to improving and developing their teaching (Moore 2004). It could also relate to the concept of the enquiring teacher (Menter et al. 2010:23), in which teachers are regarded as researchers, drawing on observations in the classroom to inform their professional decisions in their planning. It is suggested that such a conception of the teacher is very apposite in the context of the Curriculum for Excellence (Menter et al. 2010:23), which seeks to give teachers greater autonomy in curriculum development. These models would certainly seem to extend the concept of teacher professionalism beyond that of the perceived technicism of the competent teacher. As such they may provide suitable models for teachers who are involved in the selection of curriculum content, placing an emphasis on teachers pedagogical expertise. However, if we turn to the second concept, an understanding of curriculum content as a selection of culture (Giroux 1980:228), understanding teacher professionalism in terms of pedagogical expertise may begin to seem inadequate. Culture, in its broadest sense, may be regarded as a whole way of life, encompassing all aspects of society including the knowledge, skills and activities, such as sport and recreation, of that society (Entwistle 1977:111). However, if we regard education as being, in some way, involved with betterment (Entwistle 1977:111), schooling cannot be concerned with all those things that make up a culture. Rather, Entwistle (1977:111), suggests that in schooling we select those aspects of culture which are regarded to be conducive to the improvement of the individual or group. This again points to a consideration of the aims of education: it is only through an awareness of what is regarded as betterment, and therefore, what we are aiming to achieve through education, that selection of content can sensibly be carried out (White 2004:6). Related to this, cultural selection clearly also implies a process of evaluation, distinguishing between those things which we regard as desirable or undesirable aspects of culture (Entwistle 1977:110). Therefore concerns about the selection of culture which makes up the content of a curriculum can perhaps be regarded as arising both in relation to the aims of the curriculum and in the evaluations of the relative desirability, or worth, of different cultural elements. Concerns that rise in relation to the aims of the curriculum are perhaps best exemplified by the criticisms of a curriculum whose aim is, for example to increase employability skills. Those who regard knowledge acquisition as having value in its own right would regard an instrumental approach to content selection as an impoverishment of education, limiting access to many forms of culture which may not have direct instrumental value (drawing on Carr et al. 2006:17). In this way then, we can see that the selection of content is in some way impacted upon by our beliefs about the purpose of education, and as such regarding selection of content as technical skill may be insufficient. However, it is perhaps in relation to the evaluation as to the relative worth of aspects of culture that the most complex issues arise. It is in considering the relationship between knowledge and power that cultural selection becomes problematic. This becomes evident when we draw on Bourdieus (1986:106) concept of cultural capital. Bourdieu (1986:106) suggests that different forms of culture are invested with value which can be drawn on for monetary gain, or an increase in social status. If we consider this in terms of knowledge as a form of culture, then acquisition of certain forms of knowledge by an individual can be utilised in generating income and increasing social status. For example, acquiring specific biological and medical knowledge can enable one to gain both the income and status conferred upon a doctor. However, it is not only the acquisition of the knowledge per se. which is valuable, but rather gaining institutional recognition in the form of an academic qualification of possessing a particular form of culture (Bourdieu 1986:110). In this sense, certain forms of knowledge, certain forms of culture, have greater value by virtue of being institutionalised in the form of a qualification (Bourdieu 1986:109). This would suggest therefore, that schools are involved in both the transfer of forms of culture which enable an individual to gain economic capital or social status, but also in some way define what forms of culture are of value. Such an assertion is supported by Girouxs (1980:228) argument that the culture that is selected to form the curriculum becomes legitimised by the very fact of its inclusion in the curriculum. This concept can further be seen in claims that the traditional academic curriculum is an elitist selection of culture, giving value to forms of knowledge associated with the middle class (REF!). It is the relative value that become associated with different forms of knowledge and different skills that forms part of what is termed hidden curriculum (Ref). This is a reference to the values and ideas that a school may not explicitly plan to teach, but which nevertheless are transmitted to pupils (REF). It is suggested therefore that the exclusion of an aspect of culture from the curriculum communicates to pupils a belief about the relative worth of this aspect of culture (REF..exemplify?) Moore (2004) provides an interesting illustration of this claim of elitism in cultural selection. Moore focuses on portrayals in film of teachers who are regarded as saviours and non-conformists (Moore 2004:58), such as Ms Johnson in the film Dangerous Minds. He argues that whilst the approach they take to education may be extraordinary, the content of that education is not. Moore (2004) contends that the cultural selection made by these teachers, of what he regards to be representative of middle class values, may be read as contributing to and confirming social and cultural biases (p.58) It is in this sense that Young (2006:734) argues that social interests are always involved in curriculum design, those with the power to select what is included in the curriculum have, to an extent, the power to legitimise certain forms of knowledge and certain practices. It is suggested that through this process of promoting and legitimising middle class culture (here we have the notion that a society consists of many cultures (ref)), schools are implicated in entrenching inequalities of social class (REF). Such a claim requires closer consideration in order to understand the means by which cultural selection may be regarded to be implicated in matters of social justice. One way in which it is suggested that this is the case is that individuals from a middle class background have greater access and exposure to the forms of knowledge that are regarded as valuable by schools (Reay 2006). In this way, Reay (2006) suggests, children from middle class backgrounds are at an advantage, able to draw on the cultural capital they already possess in order to perform well at schools, gaining institutionalised recognition through academic qualifications, and thus gain status in society. This would seem to highlight a tension for those involved in selecting the content of a curriculum. On the one hand, it is suggested that if schools do not provide the high status cultural capital that academic and economic success requires then children from working class backgrounds are potentially deprived of the ability to raise their social status (Anyon 2006:44). However in doing so, they are perhaps complicit in reproducing bias as to what is regarded as legitimate and valuable knowledge. It should be pointed out that this problematic account of knowledge and cultural selection does not suggest that knowledge is wrong or should not form the basis of a curriculum (Young 2006). Rather it suggests the need to consider the exact nature of the content we are choosing to include, and significantly exclude, from the curriculum. It suggests the need for reflection on our reasons for content selection, requiring an awareness of our own biases we bring to the process (Chan 2009:). From these observations, in which the selection of curriculum content is regarded as having social implications and is implicated in the transmission of values, an understanding of teacher professionalism which emphasises practical skills or even pedagogical knowledge perhaps begins to appear inadequate. Therefore the remainder of this essay will consider the notion that teaching is inherently ethical in its nature, and that teacher professionalism should therefore centre upon the moral characteristics of the profession (Goodson 2003; Campbell 2003; Carr 2006) Carr (2006:172) argues that whilst all occupations are in some way concerned with ethical issues, these generally play a regulative role they indicate standards for good practice. However he suggests that this is not the case with teaching, rather he suggests that ethical considerations are constitutive of teaching. This is perhaps more clear in Campbells (2007:604) assertion that: It is far more challenging to disentangle the ethics of teaching from the very process, practice and content of teachingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (CHECK CONTEXT) It would seem that what is meant by this is that the decisions and actions taken by a teacher have moral significance (drawing on Campbell 2003:1). By its very nature teaching is involved in forming childrens values and understanding of the world and as such is involved in transmitting conception as to what is right and wrong (REF). Further, as discussed earlier the decisions made potentially impact upon an individuals achievement in schooling and thus possibly affect their future prospects. Following from this concept that issues of ethics are inbuilt into teaching, Campbell (2008:605) argues that ethical codes are insufficient to address the issues faced by teachers. Rather she suggests that teachers requires an understanding by teachers of the complex moral issues they must address (Campbell 2008:605). It would seem that within the Scottish context there is recognition of this. The Standards for Initial Teacher Education in Scotland, which specify what is required of a student teacher (Christie 2003:847), includes reference to professional values and personal commitment (Christie 2003:848). There is a danger, Carr () suggests, in framing values as a competence or standard, in that it would seem to suggest that the other aspects of teaching are value-neutral. In this way, the ethical nature of teaching perhaps cannot be reduced to a competency or standard. Rather Carr (2006:178) suggests that it is about teachers taking moral issues and questions seriously. It should be noted that this does not suggest that teachers do not currently take moral and ethical considerations seriously, Campbell (2003:2) argues that many teachers are aware of the moral implications of their actions. However, Locke et al. (2005:570) do suggest that when teachers are subject to high levels of accountability it can lead teachers doing things right rather than doing the right thing. Potentially, therefore, the CfEs focus on greater autonomy could provide greater flexibility for teachers to make the decisions they regard to be ethically sound. At the same time, by increasing teachers scope for choosing what to teach the ethical nature of teaching perhaps comes even more to the fore. It would seem then, that in aiming to give teachers greater autonomy over the content of the curriculum, the CfE both can be viewed as potentially enhancing teachers professionalism as understood in terms of levels of autonomy. However, it also seems to require a consideration of the professional knowledge base on which professionalism is based. The importance of pedagogical expertise and development is clearly important and highlighted as so ( e.g. Scottish Government 2009:4). Yet, considering the complexity, and potentially value laden nature of the cultural selection involved in selecting curriculum content it would seem important to emphasise the ethical nature of teacher professionalism. In essence then, the greater autonomy afforded to teachers to select the content of the curriculum by the CfE would certainly seem, as Menter et al (2010:23) suggest, to point to a model of teacher professionalism in which teachers both reflect upon and develop their practice. However in light o f the essentially ethical issues involved in content selection, it would seem fair to suggest that teachers reflections and decisions should draw not only on theoretical and practical knowledge, but must also consider the ethical reasons for choosing to include, or not to include content in their teaching.

Slave Life Essay -- essays research papers

As slavery continued and grew, complicated systems of social status developed on plantations. The lowest ranking slaves, the backbone of the plantation economy, were the field slaves. The field slaves were divided into ‘gangs’ according to their physical strength and ability, with the strongest and fittest males and females in the first gang. The highest ranking slaves were the domestic servants who worked in the owner’s house. The difference in status between field and domestic slaves caused a division between the slaves on most plantations. Field work on the sugar plantations was intense and exhausting, particularly the digging of holes for planting and the cutting of canes when it was time to reap them. The incentive used to encourage hard work, was lashes of the cart whip, which were freely administered by the drivers, who were ‘privileged’ slaves under the overseer's supervision. During crop time, work in the factories was equally intense and the hours were long. The cruel pace at which slaves were driven effectively shortened their lives, and this continued to be the case despite legislation, which claimed to restrict how severely enslaved Africans were treated. Plantations throughout the Caribbean were organised in much the same way, though there were differences amongst the islands. In Puerto Rico for example, the Spanish established slave codes that gave enslaved Africans more rights than in many other colonies. These codes allowed some enslaved Africans to own pr...

Opportunities and Threats facing the U.S Airline Industry Essay

Opportunities and Threats facing the U.S Airline Industry The health of the overall U.S airline industry is still tenuous in-spite of the passenger traffic volumes returning to pre-9/11 levels. A survey estimated that from 2001 through 2003, the US airline industry reported to have lost $23.2 billion dollars, compounded by an additional $1.6 billion in the first quarter of 2004. This $24.8 billion shortfall exceeds the total profits earned over the entire six-year period 1995-2000 Drastic changes in the Economic, Political/legal and technological segment of airline’s external environment contributed to some of the major looses seen by the industry. The key factors that heavily contributed to the loses include †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic slow down in the country †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Massive decline in business travel †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  SARS epidemic †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increase in competition †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Availability of substitutes for air travel †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  soaring fuel prices †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weak dollar In response to the industry’s financial crisis, Congress made available several forms of relief that amounted to over $20billion. This relief includes the payment of upto $5billion in pretax cash assistance to reimburse air careers for losses incurred as a direct result of the 4-day government shut-down of air traffic after 9/11. However, relief measures were not enough to bring the airline industry out of hot water. Most of the airlines have accumulated vast amounts of debt which brought them on the verge of bankruptcy. The list includes Atlas/Polar Cargo, Midway, National, Sun Country, TWA, United and US Airways. American and Delta airlines narrowly avoided bankruptcy but have warned about such possibility. †An average carrier is now well over 90% leveraged (net debt to equity ratio) compared to 60-70 percent historically. This means most airlines are now completely leveraged and unable to obtain capital. This has added to significant debt service costs and will make the industry even more vulnerable to any future economic downturns. With industry debt well over $100 billion, much of it due in the next 24 month. 11 of 12 airlines are rated â€Å"junk bonds† by S&P. Only Southwest remains at an â€Å"investment grade. Almost all airlines are faced with the same challenges and threats in the external environment like rising fuel cost, weak travel demand etc. Some airlines like Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran whi... ...work and take necessary action to adapt and sustain its competitive posture. Southwest employs integrated low-cost and differentiated strategy which enables the firm to †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adapt quickly to environment changes †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Learns and implement new skills and technology quickly †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Effectively utilize its core competency while competing against rivals. To sustain a competitive advantage and to seek above average returns, Southwest implements this strategy to produce relatively differentiated service at lower cost compared to its rivals. Yes this strategy is appropriate to offset the forces in the industry. Southwest should grow internationally as the demand for air-line travel has substantially declined domestically in the last couple of years and will continue to decline further in some segments like business or corporate travel. The major reason I feel is the growth in communication technology enabling people to work remotely without the need to be present in the office. Voice and data over IP, Live meeting and communication services have substantially reduced the need for corporate executive and divisional managers to travel thus lowering the demand further.

Essay --

Thomas Alva Edison is a man of creativity and innovative thinking. According to Patricia Daniels, author of Thomas Edison, â€Å"Thomas Edison is regarded as one of history's most influential inventors, whose contributions to the modern era transformed the lives of people the world over.† Throughout his life span, he managed to achieve over 1,300 patents. A world record, no man could possibly break in their lifetime. From his early life, establishment of Menlo Park Laboratory, to inventing the phonograph and modernizing the first incandescent light bulb, via later years, he is sure the â€Å"Wizard of Menlo Park.† Thomas Edison’s early life was filled with downfalls and achievements. He was born on February 11th, 1847, in Milan, Ohio to Samuel and Nancy Edison (Endersby 1). The last child of 7 siblings to survive until adulthood. They lived in Ohio prior to moving towards Port Huron, Michigan in 1854 after his father's lumber business failed. Edison was a sickly child throughout his childhood years. It was not until his family relocated when he began school at the age of 8 years old. He attended a private school called Reverend G.B. Engle. After 3 months, his mother Nancy took him out of school because the teacher called him â€Å"addled† meaning a slow learner. From that point on she educated him at home only after he accepted a job selling newspapers and candy to passengers on the Grand Trunk Railroad in 1859 (Endersby 1). While working there he set up his first laboratory for experimenting and a printing press called the Grand Trunk Herald. One day while experimenting in the l aboratory, a fire broke out causing him to discontinue working there. This tragic event almost caused him to become deaf due a conductor boxing his ears. Yet it did n... ...e the ones in West Orange Laboratory. One experiment that got him going prior to his death was searching for an alternative to rubber for Henry Ford. During his last 2 years of living Thomas Edison was in deep critical condition. Then on October 18th, 1941 in his New Jersey home, Thomas Edison died at 9 pm. His very last words were â€Å"It’s very beautiful over there† , said to his wife Mina. Thomas Alva Edison revolutionized the world like no other person. His inventions impacted countries profoundly to become more modern. He started of with the establishment of Menlo Park Laboratory, to inventing the first phonograph, improving the Incandescent Light Bulb, and creating new inventions all the way until his later years. It is a tragedy when a mongul like Thomas Edison passes away. Yet the â€Å"The Wizard of Menlo Park† does not exist, his legend will forever exist.

John Fitch

John Fitch was a great inventor and his ideas helped us today. He also was a clockmaker and bronze smith. He invented the first steamboat and the steam locomotive railway. Here are some facts on John Fitch inventions. John Fitch was born in Windsor, Connecticut on a farm. This farm is part of present day South Windsor, Connecticut. He had schooling from a clockmaker. Opened a brass and silversmith business in Trenton, New Jersey and succeeded until the American Revolution. In addition, he served the army for a short time and then started a gun factory. He also considered selling tobacco and beer to the continental army.After this he was surveying the Northwest Territories he was captured by Indians. Later was turned in to the British. British then released him and he started working designing steam powered ship. He was unable to get funds from the Continental Congress, so he found new investors and persuaded them. These investors gave him a 14 year monopoly. John Fitch saw some Briti sh steam engines drawings. But he had to build his own steam engine because he lacked money and was too difficult. John Fitch built many successful models with the help of Henry Voight. Henry Voight was a watchmaker; he constructed a 45 foot steamboat.The first trial run of this steamboat was in the Delaware River. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention were there to see the trial run. John Fitch constructed four different steamboats between 1785 and 1796 that successfully plied rivers and lakes. John Fitch demonstrated the feasibility of using steam for water locomotion. His models utilized various combinations of propulsive force, including ranked paddles, paddle wheels, and screw propellers. This steamboat was propelled by oars on the sides. The following years John Fitch build a 60 foot steamboat. It was powered by a steam engine that drove several stern mounted oars.This ship carried up to 30 passengers to round trip voyages. It went between Philadelphia and Burlington, New Jersey. After this invention John Fitch was granted a patent after the battle with James Rumsey. James Rumsey had an invention that was similar to John Fitch’s invention. Unfortunately the patent commission did not award the broad monopoly John Fitch asked for. But the patent did award James Rumsey and John Stevens for their Steamboat designs. This caused John Fitch to lose his monopoly and investors leaving his company. Although his steamboats still worked and run successfully.He did not focus on the construction and the operating cost. He did not have the chance to explain the economic benefits of steam navigation. Later on John Fitch’s ideas was turned profitable by Robert Fulton. Although, Robert Fulton got a patent from New York because of his partner’s powerful influence Robert Livingston, Robert Fulton was unable to get a patent from the US patent. He was unable to do this because one of John Fitch’s companies, William Thornton was the clerk o f the patent office and bitterly opposed him. But John Fitch had a patent from France and was credited more than Robert Fulton for the invention of the steamboat.In addition, John Fitch invented the steam railroad locomotive in 1780. He showed a little of his model to the president George Washington and his cabinet in Philadelphia. In Ohio Historical Society Museum still has a model of the railroad locomotive. John Fitch was eager to work with rail locomotive, but soon his ideas were forgotten. Without John Fitch contributions to the steamboat and the steam railroad locomotive we would not have ships. John Fitch was a great American inventor that was ignored. He was ignored because the investors didn’t give him the patent he asked for.In 1802, the Englishman Richard Trevithick invented a full-size steam locomotive. This locomotive would soon haul the world's first locomotive-hauled railway train, and within a short time the British invention led to the development of actual r ailways. Americans ignorance of John Fitch's pioneering invention a quarter of a century earlier, began importing English locomotives and copying them. Many of John Fitch’s ideas were copied and they get all the credit, because he lacked money to pay for a company. A memorial to John Fitch stands in Bardstown, Kentucky's Courthouse Square.Here he lies with complete replica of his first steamboat. John Fitch Monument also stands in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania at the spot he first developed the idea for a steamboat. John Fitch High School was built on Bloomfield Avenue in Windsor, Connecticut in the 1934. It became an elementary school in the 1950s. The building was converted to elderly housing in the 1990s, but its facade still bears John Fitch's name and likeness carved in stone. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Sources 1) Encyclopedia 2) About. com 3) Google 4) Ask. com 1. njlh 2. jjn

Spiritual Growth through Various Spiritual Disciplines

From time immemorial, spectral fruit has strengthened the faith of believers and has inspection and repaired them depart surrounding(prenominal) and make them believe much(prenominal)(prenominal) in their spectral dogma. This is besides evident in deliverymanianity. From the time of Jerusalems height, chastening has al focusings found a weaken in Christian beliefs and in alter the faith of the congregation. Over the years, heap subscribe to attended that particular mannikins of corrects when habituated help them arrest the partnership between perfection and themselves open and help keep alive their passion towards divinity.It is worth noning early on that these ghostly conditions be not the surest way to heaven and that thither is no cover account that they endure even dissemble you a holy soulfulness. On the separate pay, being equal to(p)-bodied to practice weird line of business thunder mug heighten your desire, awargonness, and know of immortal by stripping knock d declargon the barriers that you put up within yourself and opposite barriers that early(a)s contain gaind for you that hinder you from being impendent to divinity (Benner, 2002). A practice or activity nooky be considered a spectral chastisement when it absorbs a item part of your way of vitality and outlaws it toward graven image.A sacred discipline is, when practiced faithfully and regularly, a habit or regular con systema skeletaleation in your keep that repeatedly offer ups you the hazard to be suffice surrounding(prenominal) to paragon, opens the practiti peerlessrs heart to matinee idol and makes single ductile and open to weird guidance and popular opinion. Christian devotional practice is centered in the main on the holy trinity the Naz bene Christ, god the Father and the Holy life (Foster, 1998). In this piece of work, we put modified c atomic number 18 on a comprehensive abbreviation of spiritual growth th rough and through the practice of six kinds of discipline and how these be up to(p) to contri alonee to spiritual growth.In the succeeding separate of the paper, we leave focus our study on spiritual disciplines such as surmisal, plea, temperance, study, expediency and relief. We forget as well provide a discussion of these particular disciplines and how they atomic number 18 able to make people grow adpressed to a perfection of relationship with Christ. The freshman part of the study is dedicated to a discussion of spiritual growth thru guess. Essenti for each one(prenominal)y, conjecture is subdivided into three parts Concentration, speculation and considerateness. The source part of meditation is concentration.Concentration is being able to conceive special fear on a certain point, topic or ara. It entails 100% of taking special vigilance on a single thought, in our case 100% focus to idol. Meditation green goddess be achieved by being able to produce on es approximation of unnecessary opinions and distractions as this can make it easier for people to be more connected to god. Concentration brings people to an another(prenominal)(prenominal) enlist aim of consciousness that promotes for cle atomic number 18r thought and a heightened sense of feelings. This precursor must be achieved in cabaret for people to grow in a meditative state. The siemens stage of meditation is actu tot all in all toldy toldy meditation itself.The uninterrupted flow of ones Attention, then, is Meditation. By being fixated in a single quarry, a somebodys thought is totally foc habitd on that object. This is the clearest and or so Copernican aspect of meditation. With this, the double-dyed(a)st opinions and feelings are released between the person and immortal. with meditation, God has a true and clear connection with the person that helps provide a clear and uninterrupted line of discourse. sacred meditation creates for a in reality clear communication between God and the person, which promotes for better dread of God and a early hand experience of Gods presence.This is also evident in lay religious requests such as Buddhism that takes special tending on intense meditation to clean house the mind and body of evil and wrongdoing. Through continuous Meditation, one becomes one with the object of ones Concentration. The third level is contemplation. By heart of meditation one is able to acquire a parcel emerge of pure experiences that has to reflect on and analyzed. Contemplation is a method that helps people get a lineably explain and analyze the events that had transpired during meditation.Contemplation oft takes more time than the meditation itself, as it is principal(prenominal) to clearly understand what the manufacturing business has communicated to the person (Keating n. d. ). This can be in wee of a group with a facilitator or contemplating alone. At any case, what is important is the resulting st opping point made that is important, regardless of contemplative medium. unitary can meditate by means of study. In studying, one is in a meditative state that is focused on the holy scriptures of God. With study, we are encapsulated within the scriptures of Gods interchange.In studying the word of God, we are led to deeper meditative state and we can gain more knowledge and be close to God through his word (Beers, 2006). It has been said that pure existence can completely be experienced when the mind becomes purely at ease with the environs he/she is in. In nightspot for us to be truly one with God, we have to imbibe into our daily routine a portion of meditation in establish to experience, even a little at the very least, pure existence and a unbroken line of communication with God in secernate to further break in our spiritualty and relationship with God.With pure meditation, it is actually hard to understand the words of God. Our opinions and speculations are like a veil covering our true Nature. In addition to this, a most serious problem is when we secern with a certain mind-structure, the personality or ego, and the body. simply even with so a great deal(prenominal) of this demystifying our meditative state, meditation is used to divulge our true Nature and relationship with the Lord, we power still continue to cling to this fake personality and fear its dissolution (Foster, 1978).Since we cannot only bless the mind to be still, we base it round thing to hang on to. This is to facilitate telling meditation that would help us greatly in opening a pure line of communication with the Lord. Words kno net profitg for that think are called mantras. In Christianitys case, a mantra can be of the form of a request or Christian ritual. The application of mantras during meditation is called transcendental meditation. Mantras are repeated mentally for the sole goal to calm the mind, remove inhibitions and clear out any unnecessary opin ions (Beers, 2006).By continually control out unnecessary thought can the mind be bonkly unsounded and only when the mind comes to a complete standstill are we enabled to identify with the silent observer. Spiritual meditation is inbornly a mental exercise that drives the mind to take special attention on the Lord in order to remove all opinions not relevant to the Lord and create a connection between him for effective communication and to further our relationship with the Lord. The ad get hitched withing kind of spiritual discipline that is well linked to meditation is prayer. The second discipline is prayer.Spiritual discipline is not spiritual discipline if in that respect is no prayer, of course, is much more than a spiritual discipline it is a way of life. However it should be notable that prayer, as with all spiritual disciplines, should never be taken only as a discipline and nothing more. It would be a rather low-voltage spiritual life in which prayer was in the ma in undertaken as a discipline. On one hand, prayer is a very male practice for opening our lives to God (Catechism of the Catholic Church n. d. ). In present times, it is very important to practice prayer as a discipline.In our culture today, a grand margin of Christians attention span is disadvantageously impaired. In prayer we ensure our minds to God, and all too a great deal that attention lasts for a few seconds. We may be scratch finish up with professing our faith by means of saying the Lords entreaty scarcely it is not dogged before our minds tend to wander out and we start to forget who we had addressed in the first place (Thompson 2005). It is for this rationalness that we must undertake prayer as a spiritual discipline in order to enable ourselves to attain the single-mindedness necessary to attend to the God-who-is-present.It is also vital for us to understand that prayer, unless as all(prenominal) other discipline, is a learning process. We get out check ourselves distracted. We will notice our minds wandering among the unbounded concerns of the day. However, as we continue in the roadways of prayer, our meanders will be shorter and less frequent. Prayer is parley or communication with God. It involves both discourse and attending. So often we pray as if it were a monologue. But prayer is so much more than a uni commandional communication towards God.As a matter of fact, the most diligent person that practices the discipline of prayer knows that prayer is more astir(predicate) just listening towards God rather than talk of the town to him. In addition, prayer is also about being open to God for change. Prayer is recognition that God is God and we are not, and so in prayer we refund our desires to Gods. As much as people might say it is, prayer is not at all complicated. Prayer is not just about saying the secure combination of words and thought but it is the right orientation of our out savour towards God.In addition, pray ers do not need to be flowery. Those kinds of prayers are either said in order to impress others or just to parry God. A prayer is not something that is through with(p) during mealtime, in times of church avail or in times of distress. It is not just about bowing our heads, clasping our manpower together, and closing our eyes. If we really consider the description of prayer as something that is really give attention to God, we really can action the discipline of prayer without actually stopping.What is important is that in whatever thing we do, we do it with the awareness that God is eer there beside us (Thompson 2005). With that in mind, we can take special attention all of what we do and offer it to him. To pray without ceasing means that wherever we go and in whatever we are doing, we go and do with the awareness that God is always watching whatever we do. We listen through prayer and meditation for his opinion on everything that we do in our lives. We look at others and ourselves through His eyes.We ask God to show us the right path and the right decision for whatever we do. In prayer God invites us to join him in his community and wants us to strike our lives in his ways. The third part of the spiritual discipline is self-control. Biblically, fast(a)ing is abstaining from food, drink, sleep or sex to take special attention on a period of spiritual growth. Specifically, we humbly deny something of the flesh to spiritualise God, enhance our spirit, and go deeper in our prayer life. Christian abstinence isnt some kind of a work thats commanded by Christ or required by Scripture.On the other hand, it doesnt imply that frugality isnt suggested to be part of our spiritual growth. Fasting is often linked to prayer and meditation as well. Too often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. On the other hand, the purpose of fasting is to take our eyes off the things of this world and instead take special attention on God. Fasting is a way to dem onstrate to God and to ourselves that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Although fasting in Scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are other ways to fast.It can actually be as easy as giving up something temporarily so that you can better focus on God can actually be considered fasting. It is recommended that fasting be limited to a given period of time, more so when food is part of the fasting. It is important to personal credit line that fasting is never intended to revenge the flesh but to let we take special attention on God (Catechism of the Catholic Church n. d. ). In addition, fasting according to scripture is not a prerequisite. However it is highly recommended. The only reason indicated within Holy Scripture to fast is to develop a deeper relationship with God.Christian fasting is more than just not permit ourselves eat or deny ourselves of some kind of passion or thing that we crave for but it is a throw of something that we hold dear in or der to offer it to the Lord. Fasting imbibes humility and loosens us from the duress of worldly-minded materials and involve. This concept of fasting is not a one-day thing it is a lifestyle of servant living for God and others. The next kind of spiritual discipline that is the focus of our study is simplicity. Simplicity, as some another(prenominal) people would have it, is not but having less stress in life and having more fun and recreation.But, simplicity is a spiritual discipline that when practiced moves us next to God and removes us from the chains of worldly possessions. Some people turn to God in order to simplify their lives. In some cases, this can notice but this would entirely be on what Gods plans for you (Boa, 2001). But all too often, God makes our lives more complicated. God continually tests us in order to determine our faith and love in him. As we are continually tested, Gods love then calls us to act. Part of what makes a Christian spirituality honest is that is has a single attention Christ.All else radiates from there or is to be set aside. Spiritual discipline trains us to stay on course when our lives are rocked out of normality. But if we do not stay plastered and stay the course, we lose our connection and ourselves to God. Christian spirituality helps make life simpler and expert to live. When we drop behind a wealthy life style, we thread a very touchy and often unholy affair the standards keep on changing day in and day out, and our anxiety never ceases. That is why Christian contemplatives and mystics speak so often of detachment.By taking away the direction on acquiring and amassing wealth, we have more of ourselves made free in order to direct ourselves to take special attention on learning to love correctly, to meditate towards God, to provide the necessary aid to those that need it, to learn more about our Lord through scripture or learning how to depend on the Spirit. Simplicity guides to so many other spiritua l disciplines such as giving time to others service. By means of simplicity, you are actually attuned more to the needs of others and can actually help them, as you are not preoccupied with other material things in life.Service can also be a form of simplicity as you provide help to others. With service, you are closer to God as you gather one of the very tenets of Christianity, and that is not to just be closer to God but more importantly be closer and be in a common relationship with the people around you (Ortberg 2004). In life, you cannot have everything. You always have to distinguish between something. You cant follow Christ and chase wealth. Most of the time these two paths go in extremely opposite directions. The simple life, the contented life, means that we have larn to trust God rather than worldly possessions.People currently worry so much about money that they forget the essential things in life. We think that money will take away all our worries but in reality mon ey will only produce more and more worries. Take for instance the people that win the lottery and just go bankrupt. riches and abundance are like a wolf in sheeps clothing. They come in reeling in the bait, they are tog as sheeps clothing computer simulation to be security against anxieties and they then become the object of anxiety that in the first place they try to remove.Worldly possessions not only take away our concentration towards God but also make us closer to evil (Mcknight 2004). In conclusion, prayer, meditation, study of the holy scripture, service to ones fellow men, simplicity and fasting all guide people who do these spiritual disciplines closer to God. Each on its own can contribute to making this person closer to God. It is also evident that each spiritual discipline leads to the other moreover, everything is intertwined and every part of each spiritual discipline is founded on another kind of discipline.This is powerfully apparent in existing studies and prescr iptions that it is important to practice not just only one but many of these spiritual disciplines if one were to aspire to become closer to God. As a concluding remark, these disciplines are not made in order to be just followed and it will logically guide to being saved from unadulterated damnation. Instead, these are carried out in order to be a guide for us to be ever closer to God. We use these disciplines as tools to make us closer to God but inevitably, it will all redound to the choice we make whether or not we would want to authentically wear God in our lives.