Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews free essay sample

The latter, an Italian word used to describe short stories, supplied the present generic English term in the 18th century†. (Wikipedia) So, Henry Fielding was born in a period in which the novel was not fully developed, and he could be considered as a pioneer of this genre. His first major novel was â€Å"The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his friend, Mr. Abraham Adams†, published in 1742. The novel was a satire of the Samuel Richardson’s novel â€Å"Pamela† as a continuation of â€Å"Shamela†, a pamphlet which was a parody of â€Å"Pamela†. But the difference between â€Å"Shamela† and â€Å"Joseph Andews† lies in the parody, meanwhile â€Å"Shamela† is a parody, â€Å"Joseph Andrews† started as a parody but finally the novel turned into an independent work, the characters and plot have their own history. The following and most famous work of Henry Fielding was â€Å"The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling†, published in 1749. We will write a custom essay sample on Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this novel, Fielding expresses a lot of things of his own life and things of the situation of England in that moment. But, on the contrary of which is thought, â€Å"Tom Jones† is not an historical novel in the sense of express a lot of things of the context of Great Britain (for example, the Jacobite Revolution in which Fielding was very interested, is only named two times in the book, which makes the reader set the novel in a context and a specific period but do not try to tell all the story of England), but in the sense of creating â€Å"histories† of its characters, Fielding was an innovator with this structure. So the novel is considered an historical novel but not in the sense in which most people understand it. Henry Fielding had a lot of works, novels and plays. But the purpose of this essay is to make a comparison between the two novels named before, â€Å"Tom Jones† and â€Å"Joseph Andrews†, focusing on their structure in which will be analyzed the characters, and the style of the two novels trying to find the similarities and the differences. 2. A COMPARISON OF THE STRUCTURE IN TOM JONES AND JOSEPH ANDREWS 3. 1. CHARACTERS Although, there are a lot of characters in both novels, this essay is going to focus on the most important characters such as Tom Jones, Sophia Western and Allworthy in â€Å"Tom Jones†, and Joseph Andrews, Fanny, and Parson Adams in â€Å"Joseph Andrews†. Tom Jones is the main character of the novel â€Å"The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling†. And Joseph Andrews is the main character of the novel â€Å"The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his friend, Mrs. Abraham Adams†. As main characters they have many things in common. For example, at first, it was believed that Tom Jones was the son of Jenny Jones, so he was â€Å"adopted† by Mr. Allworthy and he was treated like a boy of the lower class, but finally, he discovered that he was the son of Bridget Allworthy, and his uncle, Mr. Allworthy named him heir of all his fortune. In â€Å"Joseph Andrews† was something similar. At first, it was believed that Joseph was the son of Mr. Gaffer Andrews and Mrs. Gamer Andrews who also belonged to the lower class, but finally, Joseph Andrews discovered that he is the son of a gentleman called Mr. Wilson. But a difference between Tom and Joseph is how they deal with women. Joseph was pursued by Lady Booby and he rejected her and left her house in which he was working as a servant. He travelled to his home again and he met with Fanny, a girl who he was in love with. But Tom had many affairs with women, for instance, with Molly Seagrim, and after confessing his feelings to Sophia Western (who was deeply in love with him), Tom began an affair with Lady Bellaston and Mrs. Waters. Anyway, Tom Jones is gentleman who always tries to treat women with respect. Tom also treats women with the utmost respect, obliging their desire to be courted by pretending to be the seducer even when they are seducing him. Tom refuses to abandon Molly for Sophia and is plagued by his obligations to Lady Bellaston. Nonetheless, Toms refusal of the tempting marriage proposal of Arabella Hunt—whose last name underscores the fact that Tom is hunted more often than he is the hunter—indicates that he has mended his wild ways and is ready to become Sophias husband. Toms gallantry reveals itself in his relationships with men as well as women, however. This spirit is evident in Toms insistence on paying the drinking bill for the army men at Bristol, and in his gallant defense of himself in the duel. Sparknotes) On the contrary, Joseph Andrews tries to be a gentleman but he is not. And Joseph is, as C. J. Rawson has noticed, something of a parody of a gentleman rather than a gentleman. It is really a distinction between nature and nurture, for Joseph is born a real gentleman (without knowing it) but does not quite manage to carry himself like one: he has â€Å"the most perfect Neatness in his Dres s, and an Air, which to those who have not seen many Noblemen, would give an Idea of Nobility† (38-39; 1, 8). But those who have seen many noblemen would, presumably, not be deceived by such an appearance. (Varey) Anyway, although Joseph Andrews is not a real gentleman â€Å"in his manner†, he is â€Å"unaffected†, â€Å"honest†, and â€Å"candid† (Varey). In â€Å"Tom Jones†, we find the character of Sophia Western who is the other main character in the novel. She is the person in who Fielding shows the virtue of the innocence. But, although she is like a delicate girl and innocent, she faces her father and her aunt because she loves Tom and she does not want to marry Bilfil. Sophia is the essence of womanhood in the novel. She is very honest and obedient in the novel but she also has a sense of independence towards her father’s wishes. After she and Tom are lovers and Tom is extradited from the town Sophia is willing to go against her father’s order to stay and marry Blifil and she leaves the town to go and find Jones. Although Sophia is very honest and loving she does not think like Jones. She is not dedicated like Jones. She puts her personal interest before the welfare of others. The History of Tom Jones) In â€Å"Joseph Andrews†, we find the character of Sophia in â€Å"Tom Jones†, Fanny she is the girl who is in love with Joseph and she has a lot of similarities with Sophia, both of them are innocents and sensitive, but they fight for their love. She has sensibility, sweetness, and gentility; in short, she is the perfect object for Josephs love, and the way in which she immediately takes to the road in search of Joseph af ter hearing of his plight testifies that she too has a depth of feeling all too rare in this novel. Yet she also possesses a deep sense of modesty; and, in all honesty, one must admit that Fanny is a little too perfect. But part of her charm is in the way Fielding uses her in his comic contrasts. (Cliffnotes) Finally, the last character of â€Å"Tom Jones† which will be analyzed is Mr. Allworthy. The reader only has to read the last name of this character to realize how he is, and how he is going to act along the novel. Allworthy is the person who takes Tom Jones and â€Å"adopts† him when he knew that Tom Jones’ mother commit a sin being pregnant of a man and not marrying with him. He is the protector of Tom Jones; he is like an ideal man: He is intelligent, virtuous, charitable, compassionate and cautious. Tom is good, generous and honest, but he has a lack of caution and a faith to use it as an obstacle to the temptations of the flesh to be like Mr. Allworthy. But in â€Å"Joseph Andrews† we find Parson Abraham Adams. He is who leads Joseph in the adventures. Although he is a little bit â€Å"dreamer†, he is the character which set the moral basis in the novel. Adams is a very good man and yet a very human man; he has his head in the clouds and although his feet are on the ground, they are usually in puddles. Comic though he is, he is the firm pivot of the novels moral influence. It is his belief in charitable action which distinguishes him as a parson from such hypocritical boors as Trulliber. Like Joseph and Fanny, he acts on his feelings, and it is because of this affinity that he is such a fine guardian and guide to the young pair. (Cliffnotes) 2. 2 STRUCTURE / STYLE Henry Fielding was known for his style of writing. In â€Å"Tom Jones† and â€Å"Joseph Andrews†, he represents the virtues, and he uses the satire. According to the structure, â€Å"Joseph Andrews† has a lot of picaresque: the action takes place on the road and in inns. And the most of the events, in which Joseph or Adams are involved, are independent from each other. Fielding introduces such events, and the stories between the main story, to underline and satirize the selfish and hypocritical behavior which is common in all the classes of the society. Fielding creates a lot of characters of all types, from the lower class and upper class such as aristocrats, landowners, clergies, doctors, lawyers, actors, drivers and innkeepers. In Joseph Andrews characters of inferior rank and manners are numerous. [†¦] The list includes more innkeepers, an hostler or two, a coachman, and various rustics. His portrayal of these â€Å"inferior† characters and their conversation shows Fielding’s familiarity with the lower classes and their speech, which he insists is as important to the novelist as a knowledge of â€Å"upper life†. (Bissel: 69) The structure of â€Å"Tom Jones† is very similar to â€Å"Joseph Andrews†, but it is a novel larger, which includes evocations of the life in the land and scenes of the London life. In the preface of â€Å"Joseph Andrews†, Fielding notes that he sees the novel as an â€Å"epic poem in a mocking tone and prose†. The epic poem represented a narrative way renowned for the tradition in which the author could inspire himself, without fear of the critics, when he wanted to create a new kind of literary work. â€Å"Tom Jones† is a novel extraordinary good planed. It is supported in the structure of the epic-poem: a central action which moves forward with regular steps to a final target and of which events contribute in some way to the whole narration. Tom Jones, as a new Ulysses, he sees him forced to leave his home, and after a lot of adventures which polish his personality and put his qualities down, finally he comes back to his home to meet with his â€Å"Penelope†, the faithful Sophia Western. The period of adventures reminds a lot to the picaresque atmosphere of â€Å"Joseph Andrews† and, as in this one, the war deeds take place in inns. The influence of Cervantes in â€Å"Joseph Andrews† is obvious and the author himself admits it. Parson Adams and Joseph Andrews, as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, go through the paths and share adventures which are told with humor. More obvious than any of these, the influence of Cervantes appears not only in the resemblance between Don Quixote and Parson Adams, but also in a number of similarities in manner and incident. (Battestin) Adams and Don Quixote are characters, who due to their idealism lose contact with the reality; both of them assume the good intentions of th e different characters they meet and that is the reason why all people trick him. As Adams looks like Don Quixote, Joseph Andrews looks like Sancho Panza. There are some similarities between them. Sancho represents the realism and Joseph personifies an extreme idealism almost grotesque. Sancho is a character who develops along the novel. At first, he is the rational character and Don Quixote is crazy, but finally it is to the contrary and Sancho goes crazy. And Joseph also develops. At first, he seems like a ridiculous character and without personality, but along the novel he leaves of being the parody of Pamela and he turns into a character with personality and own identity who matures and starts to realized of the reality that is around them. At the end, he turns into a character which has a more realistic vision of the world. In â€Å"Tom Jones†, the main character with the same name is the version of Don Quixote and he has the services of his own Sancho Panza who is represented in the character of Partridge, the ex-teacher of the school, victim of the destiny, who, as Tom Jones, has been exiled because of a crime which he did not commit. Of course, the humor is present along the novel and it is one of the bases of it. There are characters really hilarious such as Partridge, the servant of Tom Jones, (as it has been already said, the Sancho Panza of Tom Jones). He is always making Tom losing the patience with his plenty of verbosity and his never ending Latin cites. Another example is the Mr. Western, Sophia’s father, a mixed of bad manners, little drunk and fan of the hunting, who is responsible of many of the funniest scenes of the novel. The ability of Fielding for the satire never ends. He satirizes all the social classes, they all come off badly and there is not any character hich is not satirized. â€Å"Tom Jones† is a novel really modern. Fielding knew how to represent the double moral of the human beings, the inevitable tendency to the contradiction and the debility about the temptation; the heroes of this story give in to reprehensible impulses (at least from the point of view of the moral of that period), and their behavior is not always as people could expect. Fielding show s the inconstancy of the soul through the funny adventures, but with a background of clever satire far from negligible. Moreover, the fact that the women of this story are the model of behavior and being judged with a very advance look is very relevant. The tutor of Tom, Mr. Allworthy (whose last name shows how he is), put wisely in balance the behavior of the young’s mother, whom he accuses of have a baby without husband; additionally, he convinces Sophia’s father to allow her daughter of getting married with the person who she believes is the best. The aunt of Sophia faces his brother to defend the social position of the woman as a member of the society, with the same rights and duties as men. It is vital to appreciate the limited role that Fielding gives to burlesque; he is attempting to describe the real nature of comedy, just as Joseph Andrews will attempt to discover the real nature of everyone and everything. In linking himself with Hogarth, the comic history painter whose works are in the exactest copying of nature, Fielding presents an argument later echoed by Henry James: The only reason for the existence of a novel is that it does attempt to represent life. When it relinquishes this attempt, the same attempt that we see on the canvas of the painter, it will have arrived at a very strange pass (The Art of Fiction, 1884). (Cliffnotes) 3. CONCLUSION In summary, as it has been shown in this essay, â€Å"Tom Jones† and â€Å"Joseph Andrews† have many similarities. Fielding reproduces the same moral and virtuous style in both of them. He makes the main characters with similar personalities such as Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews, or Sophia Western and Fanny. In the style, the reader can see how Fielding tried to recreate in his novels (a part of the influence of the classical literature such as â€Å"The Odyssey†), the influence of Cervantes’ â€Å"Don Quixote†, and the introduction of the picaresque in his novels. At first, it was believed that â€Å"Joseph Andrews† was inspired in â€Å"Don Quixote†, but the fact is that â€Å"Tom Jones† has a lot of that picaresque and the role plays of the main characters as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. And of course, in both of them, the reader can find lots of moral and satire. In addition to the fact that â€Å"Joseph Andrews† started as a parody of Pamela, it became as an independent novel and finally it was a novel with personality and different stories. It became in a critic, a satire of the social classes and the society in general of his time, as â€Å"Tom Jones†, which was considered as an historical novel, but not because of the references to the History, but to the creation of histories between the characters and the similarities between them and the reality. 4. WORKS CITED Bissel, Frederick Olds. Fieldings Theory of the Novel. New York: Cooper Square Publishers Inc. , 1933. Print. Compton, Neil. Henry Fielding Tom Jones. A Casebook. Macmillan, 1970. Print. Inserni, . Primary Characters:.   The History of Tom Jones Analysis of Characters. Blogger, 13 Sep 2011. Web. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. Johnson, Maurice. Fieldings Art of Fiction. Eleven Essays on Shamela, Joseph Andrews, Tom Jones and Amelia. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1969. Print. Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding.   Cliffnotes. John Wiley amp; Sons, Inc.. Web. 21 Mar 2013. The Moral Basis of Fieldings Art. A Study of Joseph Andrews. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 1959. Print. Tom Jones (Novela).   Wikipedia. La Enciclopedia Libre. Wikipedia Commons, 12 Mar 2013. Web. 21 Mar 2013. Varey, Simon. Joseph Andrews. A Satire of Modern Times. G. K. Hall amp; Co. , 1990. Print. Withington, Keri. Character analysis: Joseph Andrews, by Henry Fielding.   Helium. Where Knowledge Rules. Helium Inc. , 05 May 2007. Web. 21 Mar 2013.

Political Science 101 essays

Political Science 101 essays There are those wordsmiths in our great society who, when they dont like the connotative meaning of a word, simply change the meaning of the word to suit their purposes. This has been done incrementally and successfully for the last several decades. The political radicals of the 1960s continue to convulse our society as the baby boomers age in place. What I will endeavor to do is to explain in basic terms the meanings of several political terms that we hear thrown around in the media with a seemingly careless concern for their actual meanings. I will discuss the meanings and practicalities of Socialism, Capitalism, Liberalism, Conservatism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, and Libertarianism. It is important to note that the meanings of these words have been steadily changing since the 1960s, so my words may sound out of date to those who have not read a book or newspaper published before 1968. I will start with the oldest, and most successful economic model ever evolved. Capitali sm has been around since one hominid (of course, this assumes you believe in evolution) traded an animal skin for a newer, sharper flint knife. This economic model has literally been around for more than a million years. Remember, capitalism is an economic model and not a political philosophy. Those were evolved to modify capitalism to suit people. Politics comes from the Greek root word Polis, or people. Politics and political models evolved to distribute the wealth generated by the free market capitalistic system. Liberalism and Conservatism have been particularly warped over the last several decades. At the turn of the last century, Theodore Roosevelt was called a liberal. The U.S. President that launched the United States onto the world stage was labeled a Liberal because he was progressive. The Democrats of the time were the conservatives, because they felt the U.S. had no business involving itself with the outside wo...

Building a Networked Organization

MWH is a global engineering services firm considered to be a leader in water, hydropower and environmental remediation. It was trying to turn the geographically organized department into one organized by function and the reorganization will depend on effective collaboration. The existing relationships are providing through ONA analysis, a method for mapping relationships among people in a group. This case looks into the old structure under which departments are fragmented by geography and constrained by hierarchy and other gaps in connectivity. Challenges are listed for discussion and recommendations are provided for steps to be taken to align the department’s network with MWH’s business objectives. An IT department organized by geography instead of functionality had been acceptable when MWH was smaller, which is now impossible for the IT department to deliver sophisticated, standardized solutions. The information-seeking relationships that existed at the birth of iNet were based on shared geography, not on shared functional areas. . There was only limited collaboration across the IT business centers and this fragmentation results in internal customers experiencing varying levels of service, functionality and costs for technical solutions and applications. Even more crucial was service to external customers. 3. The lack of standardization. Employees had no strong process base to guide them and they got work done by turning to other people for help.The leaders of the various IT groups met two or three times a year in an effort to drive standard approaches for the company, but the groups continued to operate independently, each serving its own master and employing its own measures and processes. 4. There was limited collaboration between some locations for MWH, this imposed a big challenge for the iNet project because some are planned to be built into important serve locations globally. Some groups were not providing optimal solutions to customers because they did not leverage each other’s expertise, therefore higher than industry average IT cost lead to lower competiveness of service quality and cost. 6. There was hierarchy exist. Overall, there was a relatively high level of collaboration among the most senior iNet employees, but less connectivity was evident among those at lower levels. 7. The network size varied a lot from 1~2 to more than 25 overloaded by some people which reveals a serious asymmetry of the relationship distribution. 8.A lot of relationships existed within immediate team only; few had any ties outside of MWH. 9. The serendipitous interactions could preclude effective information-seeking. RECOMMENDATION All the issues addressed above occurred from inefficient organization structure and lack of collaboration, which can be solved by carefully designing and building a networked organization. Following are the reconditions for successfully carrying out iNet project to: 1) Increase responsiveness and adaptiveness through real time operation. 2) Maximize the knowledge potential of the enterprise by leveraging expertise companywide and share information. ) Minimize disruption and duplication, which promises delivering optimal solution and with lower cost. Recommendations are from two aspects: restructure company departments and better managing networked relationships throughout the whole organization. Organization Restructure 1. Fluid boundaries MWH need to breakdown the geography base departments and carry out a function integration to increase its capacity to respond quickly and effectively to market forces, therefore improve the quality of conformance to customer requirements and reduce costs.Centralization of like tasks or functions and management of geographically separated units will enhance a more network-oriented improvement. From exhibit we can see that the new organization structure has fewer departments and levels, all the new departments are no longer designed according to geography but functions. However, having a revised organization structure graph is far from enough. To make it work, the manager needs to make sure there is no longer geography boundaries exit. New operational structure need to push functions out or pull them back in different departments as they suit company’s strategy.Large-scale integration of functions and systems required to fully manage the operation and service p rocess. 2. Information infrastructure Executives must use powerful technology to allow information to flow seamlessly across, out of, and into the company. Well-planned technical architecture need to be set up to allow information to move freely. MWH need to build up an integrated and overarching architecture for the entire company, not just a patchwork of current system linking to individual’s solutions. A through analyze of existing technology support will be needed to balance with the infrastructure requirements of the iNet project. . New management structure Advance IT systems will help to remove some mid-level management positions and creates a flatter structure, therefore, old control and planning style will be revised. Senior managers should be able to see into a larger group of employees with technology, while push down information simultaneously. Senior management should be linked with each other, therefore be able to draw on the entire management team for input when it comes to important decision process. The entire control and planning process will then become an on-line, real-time, team-based, coordinated process.This change will create deeper understanding of issue facing each senior manager and activities need to be adopted, thus more proper coordination at the senior management level. It also provides opportunities to move decisions either up or down in the organization. Team decisions making will be easier and faster, as geographically separated departments can concurrently access and assess data and communicate at the very first time. 4. Expertise group To better utilize the knowledge of experts in the organization, expertise group need to be carefully designed and make sure they can provide help and share information easily.Every knowledge worker should belong to at least two separate teams, which helps the organization achieve cross functional co-operation as well as helping individuals gain a broader perspective. Social relationship Management 1. Management of interdependence Under iNet, there is going to be considerable interdependence among all management actives. Instead of taking full control over the immediate lower level employees in the department, managers need to cope with unclear lines of authority and decision makings which rely more on interactions from other teams and departments. The managers need to share resources more freely and perate in a more diffuse responsibility and accountability environment. 2. Management of role complexity In old MWH organization structure, ONA analysis revealed the existence of highly hierarchy: senior and highly relied people had full control over the resources while lower level and highly peripheral employees with limited access to resources and authority. Within the networked organization, as the complexity of shared work, decision making, expertise and accountability increase, employees need to be involved in more complex network recourses to gain stronger skill to adapt the new responsibilities.The manager’s challenge here is to give employees confidence and resources to gain these skills including tools/techniques necessary, conceptualization, experience and interpersonal skills necessary to work efficiently with other. This can be achieved from assigning expertise groups to help and trainings. 3. Management of information seeking In the old structure, many employees seek information from their immediate teams and many others tend obtain inf ormation mainly from serendipitous interactions.The social capital was tight, informal relationships was unseen among employees, while the new networked form company functions efficiently with its flexible relationships. On one hand, managers need to improve the information seeking process for more efficient result. Formal relationships are best cemented by having agreed written process and common members in all teams. Higher trust and openness rather than higher formality environment need to be created for critical linkages. Frequent communication throughout the network must be encouraged; small groups developing its own communication dose not foster the net work spirit.On the other hand, besides of formal relationships, employees should be encouraged to maintain their personal and professional networks, even beyond the identifiable needs of the current team. 4. Management of culture Another big challenge the manger need to work on to foster iNet is creating trust culture in the organization. Transforming from the traditional structure, trust is one of the most important forces. Employees must have a clear understanding of task intent, information, and trust in the people, resources and technologies available.As a global company, establishing a trust-based culture is more difficult for MWH because of the diversified locations and mixed nationalities, there is no control over individual’s location, training, and experience. The relationship between people is fluid. Moving information in the networked organization and more complex roles demands a higher level of trust and dependence between managers and employees. This trust-based culture can be grown from joint training, team work and other continued integrations and reinforcements.

Editorial Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Editorial Overview - Essay Example Likewise, there is a need to check on sentences that were too long and which necessitate the use of appropriate punctuation marks. As such, the author is recommended to go through the manuscript in greater detail to make the necessary proofreading and corrections, as deemed necessary, prior to final submission and publication. In addition, the content needs to be revised in terms of reliability and accuracy of the information that were presented. For instance, in the prologue, as Detective Inspector Richard Moore was noted to remove the dead man’s possession, one of the items mentioned was â€Å"a thick silver wrist wetch (check spelling, should be watch), a birthday present from his wife† (Attached Fiction Essay par. 1). The author should add more details to explain how he knew that the watch was a present from the dead man’s wife (for instance, viewing from the inscriptions at the back of the watch). Overall, the manuscript was well-written and could be considered for publication after addressing the points and issues that were above

Stem Cells Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stem Cells - Research Paper Example Cell-based devices are among the most appropriate techniques that surgeons have proposed. These approaches may provide effective therapeutic opportunities for repairing damaged bones due to injury or disease. The source of cells for cell-based approaches includes xenogenic, allogenic, and autologous cells. Scientists have discovered the use of Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC), which have proved to be effective in the repair of damaged bones. The source of the ESCs includes the blastocysts’ inner cell mass, which undergo fast cell division to replace the lost bone tissues. ESCs differentiate into osteogenic cells in selective culture environment. This property makes the ESCs to be effective in repairing or replacing the lost bone tissue (Kahle et al., 2010). Materials and Methods C57BL/6 mice acted as the source of the inner cell mass of blastocysts, which provided the embryonic stem cells. It was necessary to test the cells to ensure that they were positive for the experimentation. 1.5 x 106 cells were cultured in every Petri dish containing Dulbecco Eagle to enhance osteogenic differentiation. Dulbecco Eagle was changed in a daily basis and the embryonic stems cells were split once after two days through detachment with trypsin (Kahle et al., 2010). ... 2. Kitchen, S. G., Shimizu, S., & An, D. S. (2011). Stem cell-based anti-HIV gene therapy. Virology,  411, 260–272. Background There is a pressing need to develop an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It has been a deadly disease because scientists have not yet developed effective medication or vaccination strategy. However, scientists have developed antiretroviral drug therapy, which has enabled the infected individuals to live for long before the virus takes full control of the immune system. There is a need for new techniques that can replace or complement existing antiretroviral drug therapy. It will be significant for scientists to develop new techniques that will fully control the virus and restore the damaged immune system. The recent technology of developing stem cell-based therapy as well as the technologies that make it possible for these cells to undergo genetic modification, has motivated scientists to work toward finding an appropriate medication for HIV infection (Kitchen, Shimizu, & An, 2011). Scientists have used hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy technique to ensure that the immune system of the infected individuals develops a long-term resistance to HIV. Hematopoietic stem cells have the capability of differentiation and self-renewal that bring about hematopoietic lineages. New genes due to hematopoietic stem cells have the ability to continue producing the anti-HIV genes in the differentiated cells, which includes cells such as macrophages, CD4 and T-lymphocytes (Kitchen, Shimizu, & An, 2011). Methods Because of the recent stem cell technology, scientists have a number of techniques that will possible cure HIV infection. They have employed a variety of methods to bring about an appropriate intervention such as

Long-Term Effects and Societal Impacts of Alcohol Consumption Essay Example for Free

Long-Term Effects and Societal Impacts of Alcohol Consumption Essay Studies have shown that both long-term and short-term alcohol consumption affect every organ in the body in one way or another (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Some of the most commonly affected organs are the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidneys, and lungs (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Alcohol consumption has also been shown to affect one’s mental health as well as cause damage to the developing fetus (Fergusson, 2009). â€Å"Short-term† alcohol abuse refers alcohol consumption over days, weeks, or a few months; while â€Å"long-term† alcohol abuse is referring to high consumption of alcohol over several months to several years. Alcohol abuse also goes beyond the human body; it touches every part of society, particularly families and the economy, and likely has affected every human being in way or another. Organs Affected by Long-Term Alcohol Consumption Brain The short-term effects of alcohol consumption are more obvious because they are the effects that are seen when someone is intoxicated: slurred speech, lack of balance, poor memory, and blurred vision. The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on the brain are a little more subtle. One of the most common findings amongst long-term alcohol consumers is thiamine deficiency (thiamine is also known as vitamin B1), which is an essential nutrient for all tissues in the body (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). The approximately 80 percent of alcoholics that have a thiamine deficiency are at a great risk of developing Wernike-Korsakoff Syndrome, a disease that consists of two syndromes, Wernike’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). Wernike’s encephalopathy causes mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes, and difficulty with muscle coordination, which 80-90 percent of the time develops into Korsakoff’s psychosis, a chronic syndrome characterized by memory and learning problems (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). Heart While studies have shown in recent years that the antioxidants found in red wine can actually decrease one’s risk of developing heart disease, The American Heart Association states, â€Å"Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood (triglycerides). It can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and an increased calorie intake†¦Excessive drinking and binge drinking can lead to stroke. Other serious problems include fetal alcohol syndrome, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death† (American Heart Association, 2012). Alcohol can also affect the heart indirectly. Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to conditions such as obesity and/or diabetes, which put one at a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease (American Heart Association, 2012). Liver The liver is the organ in your body that filters out toxins, such as alcohol, from the blood. Drinking more alcohol than the liver can process can actually damage liver cells, and over a long period of time can cause alcohol related liver diseases such as fatty liver disease (build up of extra fat in liver cells), alcoholic hepatitis (swelling and damage of the liver), and alcoholic cirrhosis (scarring of the liver where soft healthy tissue is replaced with hard scar tissue) (American Liver Foundation, 2011). The damaged liver cells caused from long-term alcohol abuse can lead to inflammation, increasing the risk of liver cancer (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Liver disease can be fatal, and complications from liver disease may include build up of fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from veins in the esophagus or stomach, an enlarged spleen, high blood pressure in the liver, brain disorders or coma (from hepatic encephalopathy), and/or kidney failure (American Liver Foundation, 2011). Pancreas Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to chronic pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. Pancreatitis can result from blockages in the pancreatic duct, although in alcoholics it is more commonly caused by damage to the pancreatic tissue due to the by-products of alcohol metabolism (Apte, 1997). Alcohol abuse is the most common cause for patients with chronic pancreatitis, and can usually be treated with diet modifications (avoiding alcohol and low fat diets) and medications for pain relief, without requiring surgical intervention (Freedman, 2012). Some studies even claim that long-term alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, although the studies on these claims have shown only a minor increased risk and have been mostly inconclusive (Ye, 2002). Gastrointestinal Tract The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the first stop that our foods and beverages have in the body. Alcohol usually moves from the stomach to the small intestine rather quickly, however sometimes alcohol is left behind and can actually irritate the inner lining of the stomach (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Unabsorbed alcohol left in the stomach can also increase digestive juices (hydrochloric acid), halt the digestive process and rob the body of necessary nutrients, and react with medications (such as aspirin) causing gastritis, ulcers, or severe bleeding (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Alcohol has even been linked to cancers in the GI tract. Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), and esophagus are believed to especially increase the risk of cancers of smokers because of the possibility that alcohol acts as a solvent for the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, allowing these harmful chemicals to penetrate the inner linings of the digestive tract (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Bacteria in the colon and rectum can convert alcohol into large amounts of acetaldehyde, a chemical that has been shown to cause cancer in some lab studies (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Kidneys Long-term alcohol consumption has also been shown to compromise kidney function, particularly in patients with established liver disease (Epstein, 1997). Some studies have even shown that alcohol abuse can altering the form and structure of the kidneys, noting that many alcoholics have increased kidney size and/or swelling compared to non-alcoholics (Epstein, 1997). In Dr. Murray Epstein’s research on kidney function and alcohol abuse he has stated, â€Å"Chronic alcoholic patients may experience low blood concentrations of key electrolytes as well as potentially severe alterations in the body’s acid-base balance. In addition, alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function† (Epstein, 1997). Lungs One of the systems that is not as widely linked to alcohol consumption is the respiratory system, however recent studies have helped establish this link. For example, recent studies have shown that alcoholics are actually more prone to lung infections (such as pneumonia) (Joshi, 2007). More specifically, long-term alcohol consumption can decrease the levels of glutathione (an important antioxidant) in the lungs by as much as 80-90 percent (Joshi, 2007), which in turn leaves the lungs more susceptible to infection. Some pulmonologists have even found that prolonged and heavy exposure to alcohol can complicate asthma management, as well as worsen lung function and increase mortality in patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) (Sisson, 2007). The reason why the effects of long-term alcohol consumption on the lungs is not as widely studied is because most often the lung impairment goes undetected until acutely insulted by trauma or sepsis (system wide infection) (Joshi, 2007). Breasts Recent studies are now showing that even a few alcoholic drinks can increase the risk of breast cancer in women, particularly of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). According to breastcancer.org, â€Å"Compared to women who dont drink at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day† (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). The Effect of Alcohol Abuse on Society Families Alcoholism affects each member of the family, and can even affect unborn children. The most commonly affected family members are the spouses and children of alcoholics (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Studies have shown that some of the most common symptoms found amongst spouses of alcoholics are feelings of hatred, self-pity, avoidance of social contacts, suffering from exhaustion, and/or becoming physically or mentally ill (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Children of alcoholics commonly express symptoms such as low self-esteem, loneliness, guilt, feelings of helplessness, fears of abandonment, poor performance in school, and/or chronic depression (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Unborn children can be affected by alcohol abuse when a woman drinks a significant amount of alcohol during the pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most common disorder related to alcohol use during pregnancy. A baby that has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome may have the following symptoms: poor developmental growth in the womb and after birth, decreased muscle tone and poor coordination, delayed development, heart defects such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) or atrial septal defect (ASD), and/or problems with facial features (â€Å"Fetal alcohol syndrome†, 2012). The Economy In 2011 the U.S. Centers for disease Control (the CDC) reported that alcohol abuse costs the United States approximately $223.5 billion a year, with the government paying more than 60% of the health care costs of alcohol abusers (Fox, 2011). This enormous cost includes, but is not limited to, factors such as lost productivity due to alcohol-related illnesses, medical/health consequences of alcohol abuse, lost productivity of criminals/victims from crimes involving alcohol, and motor vehicle accidents (fatal and non-fatal) in which alcohol was involved (â€Å"Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States†, 2000). Source Article: McCambridge J, McAlaney J, Rowe R (2011) Adult Consequences of Late Adolescent Alcohol Consumption: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies. PLoS Med 8(2): e1000413. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000413 References: Alcohol Alert. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Oct 2004. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm. Alcohol Use and Cancer. American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, 27 Jan 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012.http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/DietandPhysicalActivity/alcohol-use-and-cancer. American Heart Association. Alcohol and Heart Disease.www.heart.org. American Heart Association, 04 Apr 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-and-Heart-Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp. American Liver Foundation, . Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. American Liver Foundation. American Liver Foundation, 04 Oct 2011. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/. Apte, M, M Med, J Wilson, and M Korsten. Alcohol-Related Pancreatic Damage. Alcohol Health Research World. 21.1 (1997): 13-20. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/13.pdf. Berger, G, H Silverstein, and C Wekesser. Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family . AllPsych Journal. AllPsych Journal, 14 2003. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://allpsych.com/journal/alcoholism.html. College Drinking Changing the Culture. Alcohol and You: An Interactive Body. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 13 Aug 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov Drinking Alcohol. Breastcancer.org. Breastcancer.org, 17 Sep 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/alcohol. Epstein, Murray. Alcohol’s Impact on Kidney Function.Alcohol Health Research World. 1.21 (1997): 84-93. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/84.pdf. Fergusson, DM, JM Boden, and LJ Horwood. Tests of causal links between alcohol abuse or dependence and major depression. PubMed. March (2009): n. page. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19255375. Fetal alcohol syndrome. PubMed Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 08 Aug 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. Fox, Maggie. CDC: Alcohol Abuse Costs U.S. $224 Billion a Year. National Journal. National Journal, 17 2011. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://www.nationaljournal.com/healthcare/cdc-alcohol-abuse-costs-u-s-224-billion-a-year-20111017. Freedman, Steven, and J. Thomas LaMont, eds. Patient information: Chronic pancreatitis (Beyond the Basics). Up To Date. Wolters Kluwer Health, 11 Jul 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/chronic-pancreatitis-beyond-the-basics?source=see_link. Joshi, Pratibha, and David Guidot. The alcoholic lung: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and potential therapies. American Journal of Physiology Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 292.4 (2007): L813-L823. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://ajplung.physiology.org/content/292/4/L813.full.pdf html. Sisson, JH. PubMed. PubMed. 41.5 (2007): 293-307. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17764883. United States. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States. 2000. Web. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/economic-2000/alcoholcost.PDF. Ye, W, J Lagergren, E Weiderpass, O Nyrà ©n, H-O Adami, and A Ekbom. Alcohol abuse and the risk of pancreatic cancer. GUT An Internati onal Journal of

Dantes Lucifer: The Denial of the Word :: The Divine Comedy

The four words constituting the first line of Inferno 34, however, are and are not Virgil's own words. On the most obvious level, these words are his own in that the text attributes them to him. At the same time, they are not his, since they are a quotation of the first line of a hymn by Venantius Fortunatus.3 And yet, the last word, inferni, must be attributed to Virgil under all respects, for he utters it without borrowing it from the hymn that Venantius Fortunatus wrote in honor of the cross and Christ. Through Virgil, Dante the auctor, therefore, rewrites and parodies this sacred hymn at the conclusion of the infernal cantica exactly when the two wayfarers approach Lucifer.4 Although neither name is mentioned, both are conjured up. Inferno 34 thus begins by invoking a contrastive binomial, Christ and Lucifer. The irony inherent in the Christian hymn's adaptation for the purpose of announcing Lucifer's appearance to the Pilgrim stems, most strikingly, from subverting a text written for a sacred purpose and now employing it for a profane one.5 No longer the sacred poem ( «Vexilla regis prodeunt ») written by a Christian poet, the new and profane poem ( «Vexilla regis prodeunt inferni ») is proclaimed by a pagan, is dedicated, as it were, to Lucifer, and is inscribed within the book of the Commedia. Whereas the Christian Venantius writes a poem to his king, Christ, the pagan Virgil, unable to write a poem for the king whose law he opposed (Inf. 1:125), intones a poem to his de facto king, Lucifer, and he does so by borrowing and perverting a sacred text. In fine, Dante the auctor records this new hymn to Lucifer in his text, as if he were the scribe of Virgil the poet. This opposition between Christ and Lucifer is further emphasized by another textual element, which focuses on nomen. The Inferno, in fact, is the text where the word Dite __ Lucifer __ is inscribed and where the word Christ is never recorded. Thus a written sign characterizes Lucifer in the first cantica, whereas the text's silence typifies Christ. As we shall see, however, the meaning of this verbal presence and absence is ultimately turned around: Lucifer's presence becomes a failure, whereas Christ's absence signifies a victory. As a sign of his textual presence throughout the first cantica, Lucifer, the character whom the Pilgrim contemplates in the nethermost pit of the universe, is designated by means of various words and circumlocutions.

Sarah James in Mexico Case Study Analysis

This interesting case study was a terrific example of well-intentioned people doing everything correctly in terms of logistics, but failing to consider and plan for the human side of this very personal and unique interaction. As the text relates to us, Sarah James seemed on paper like a perfect representative for the inaugural term of the exchange program between Palm Lakes University (PLU) and the Instituto de Negocios Internationales (INI). Her initial performance in Mexico indicated that she was on track for success. She did well enough in her course work and in a screening process to be chosen for a business internship.Sarah’s success in Mexico was important to a number of stakeholders. Obviously, Sarah herself would benefit from her schooling and internship in Mexico; in addition to her degree, she would gain business experience and an opportunity to add references to her eventual business resume. For PLU, the exchange program offered a tremendous marketing opportunity in the ability to provide students of international management courses with international work experience. This would make the college more attractive to prospective students. Similar benefits would come to INI.Less obvious may be the potential impact to the community in which INI operates. Businesses would presumably profit from the work of student interns and might also use the internship program as a screening process for potential employees. Finally, the families which hosted the students would benefit from the stipend they would be paid, and less tangibly from the cross-cultural interaction. The text does not provide too much detail about the work experience, except for a brief reference that things ‘had gone well in her work environment.It is interesting to note that at work and in school, Sarah performed well. These are both environments in which one can be reasonably certain what is expected. Regardless of where we are working or learning, we have tasks which we are resp onsible to accomplish. It appears that Sarah’s trouble occurred exclusively in her interpersonal relations with her host family. In an article for her blog in The Huff Post: Education , author H Tavangar provides insight on an exchange experience which seems to have been very positive for all parties involved.She describes the benefits of opening her home, among them growth in global competence for her own children; confidence in ‘socializing, working, solving problems, and finding new ways to communicate with diverse colleagues and friends’ for the host and exchange families; and perhaps most importantly, ‘Adapting to living with someone raised by different parents can teach our kids much about their tolerance for different habits, and become better communicators and more cooperative, assertive, flexible, resilient, patient, grateful, compassionate and forgiving adults — which is important as a college roommate, spouse, or business partner. Early in her article, she makes an important point: ‘It’s never the right time. ’ While she is referring directly to the changed logistics in her home life which would be necessitated by hosting an exchange student, I feel she makes a broader point here about flexibility. As you read her article, it certainly seems that the experience which she, her family, and their exchange student (to whom she refers as ‘my new daughter’) was a resounding success. Several points struck me about Sarah as I read the case study. In the first paragraph of her email she says she enjoyed ‘practicing Spanish and hearing about (Mexican) culture and beliefs’.This was my first clue that here was a young woman not invested in cultural exchange but who saw the program as something exclusively for her benefit (and potential benefits she did not fully grasp, at that). Certainly it is true that using Spanish in a classroom is very different from conducting all your daily in teractions in the language; however, her very phraseology tells us that she saw her host family, fellow students and coworkers as people upon whom she could practice – conejillo de Indias, or guinea pigs.Her reference to ‘hearing’ about the culture and beliefs further tells us that she did make an effort prior to her trip, to truly learn about Mexico. A practical and a sensitive person would have studied Mexican history and culture in general and also those same subjects in terms of the specific state or region in which she would be living. The more disturbing impression, however, is that of her watching day to day life, but not participating in it, as though she were a visitor to some kind of cultural zoo.She seems to spend her time with her host family looking exclusively through her own cultural lens. This is particularly apparent in her complaints about the host family not being prepared for her vegetarian diet. The Mexican diet relies heavily on beef, on chi cken and on lard for preparing many dishes. Sarah makes no reference to having researched the commonality of vegetarianism where she would be staying; to having any advance preparations regarding it; or to offering to purchase and cook her own food to accommodate it.Far from considering the burden of additional work and expense for the host family, she seems to have simply expected them to provide for her needs, and not to have been appreciative of their efforts in that regard. It is interesting to note that she was not the only student to encounter this issue; that speaks to a failure in planning on the part of PLU. We are advised in the case study that the PLU asked only the most rudimentary questions of students chosen for the program, and that PLU had no knowledge of what preparations were made by INI with the host families.There are multiple additional indications that Sarah viewed her host home as something of a hotel which was lacking. With regard to a ride to the airport on the day of her departure, we are told the ‘host mother indicated several times’ she would provide transportation. If this subject was mentioned ‘several times’ the message may in fact have been that it was troublesome in terms of schedule, expense and/or inconvenience for the host mother. When the question arose of payment for the day of student’s departure, Sarah simply suggested the host family contact INI.Far from being concerned about whether than how the loss of a partial days’ stipend would impact the family, Sarah never gives a thought as to why the family brought it up to her in the first place. Mexico is collectivistic; that is, hierarchies (actual or perceived) are highly regarded and it is seen as taboo to try to work outside of them. In the situation described here, INI in general and Alberto Jiminez in particular may be viewed as authority figures. It might seem disloyal to Jiminez for the host family to complain (or even to be vi ewed as complaining, such as asking for the partial day stipend).They may also fear exclusion from future opportunities to host. If Sarah contacted INI to ask about the payment, the request would not be viewed as coming from the family. The final catastrophe of this experiment comes when Sarah mentions that she would be moving to her own apartment for future terms. She has no regard for how this would be perceived by either university; how it might impact the program as a whole; and how her decision might directly impact her host family. The stipend the host family earned during her stay most likely made up a significant portion of their income.Her unilateral decision to move out would adversely impact them not only in the short term (loss of stipend for her) but possibly also in the long term (if they were not offered the opportunity to host other students). Additionally, the potential negative impact to the program and the relationship between the universities is enormous. Sarah i s a product of her home culture in that she is clearly individualistic in all her views, freely sharing commentary on what she thinks should have been done to make her more comfortable.Her feedback seems to have been mainly a venue for complaint about how the program did not allow her to live her own lifestyle in the Mexican culture – completely missing the point of the program and not benefitting from the tremendous opportunity she was given. One wonders what, if anything, she truly learned about Mexico and its people. She was not open-minded and looked at the situation only from the perspective of her own benefit, learning opportunity, and convenience or inconvenience. She seems to have looked at the host family as hoteliers whose job was to provide her accommodations tailored to her liking.She completely disregards the fact that she was staying in – and disrupting – someone’s home. There is no evidence of consideration of how she could have been flexib le, helpful, better prepared, or less offensive. While Sarah may be viewed as ‘flexible and cooperative’ in her own environment, she clearly feels her own lifestyle – her culture – is superior to that in which she was set down. With regard to preparation and training, several failures are evident. From a practical standpoint, the selection and preparation process for both students and host families is clearly lacking. Even the rudimentary information collected on the students (i. . , dietary restrictions) seemed not to have been shared with, or explained to, the host families. Far from the difficult situation this created in the case study, such a glaring omission could create a medical emergency for a visiting student. The two universities need to collaborate to develop a thorough selection and preparation program. For students, there should be a requirement for them to demonstrate an understanding of the day to day world in which they will be living â₠¬â€œ diet, cooking, shopping, transportation, family schedule, religious observations – and what they can and can not expect from their hosts.Most of all, the universities need to recognize that as young adults it may never occur to some of these students that they are not entitled to special treatment from a family on whom they are, after all, imposing. Part of the preparation process should be to orient them to the fact that they are moving into a home and sharing a family situation, rather than checking in to the Marriott. For host families, it would seem that very little information was provided to them about their student; in fact, the case study tells us that PLU had no knowledge what, if any, preparation was undertaken for the host families.In terms of selection, a simple survey on attitudes, beliefs, schedules, flexibility and requirements might help make more successful matches between families and students. Providing biographical information and allowing advance cor respondence between the parties would allow them some introduction prior to the program beginning. It might also be a terrific idea to allow the student to meet someone from the district where they would be staying, and the host family to meet someone from the United States, in an informal environment.A basic talk about day to day life may increase comfort levels and given stakeholders an opportunity to ask basic questions they may not wish to ask ‘authorities’. On an ongoing basis, compiling these questions and sharing the answers with each successive group of participants would go a long way. Equally important, if a student or family is not a good fit for the program, this would give them a way to recognize that before it is too late.After each term, the students and families should be surveyed as to what went well, what did not work, and what could have been done differently to make the program more successful. Once Sarah released her email, it was critical to the fu ture of the program that the situation she created be properly handled. Professor McGill would need to personally reach out to Albert Jiminez to offer apologies for Sarah’s lack of sensitivity. A discussion with the host family (especially the mother, who likely bore the brunt of the inconvenience of Sarah’s visit) should be held to ensure that their side of situation was understood. The input of the host family should be solicited; apologies offered to INI and to the family for the offense given; and a plan drawn up to make the program more successful going forward. Careful listening, planning, and agreement between the schools may be able to ease the tension Sarah unwittingly created. As the first student in an effort intended to promote international business major program and build the relationship between PLU and INI, Sarah was in a precarious position. She does not seem to have been prepared to truly learn about Mexico by living like her hosts and considering her impact on them.Beyond expressions of gratitude for the opportunity she was given Sarah’s contact should all have been with and through Professor McGill. Also, she need not have waited until her term was over. Opening the door to communication before a problem escalates will usually allow us to control how big a problem it becomes. Globalization requires companies to seek employees who understand how business is conducted globally. The program in which Sarah enrolled was intended to prepare her for an increasingly competitive international business world.She had the opportunity to become grounded in a culture and language foreign to her, but due to her own self-absorption, as well as failure to plan on the part of both universities, I believe she missed out on the potential benefits. ? References: Steers, R. M. ; Sanchez-Ruiz, C. J. ; Nardon, L. (2010) Management Across Cultures: Challenges and Strategies. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press Tavangar, H. A. (August 2, 20 11) 5 Lessons I Learned Hosting an Exchange Student Huff Post Education Retrieved from http://www. huffingtonpost. com/homa-sabet-tavangar/5-lessons-i-learned-hosti_b_916347. tml Andrews, W. A. (January 19, 2009) Sarah James in Mexico: Often Wrong But Never in Doubt. London, Ontario: Ivey Management Services Hollenbeck, G. P. , & McCall, M. W. 2003. Competence, not competencies: Making global executive development work. In W. Mobley & P. Dorfman (Eds. ), Advances in Global Leadership (Vol. 3). Oxford: JAI Press. Canisius College International Business Program Overview, http://www. canisius. edu/international-business/program/ HSBC Careers Page, Global Employee Programs, http://www. hsbcnet. com/hr/graduate-careers/business-areas/global-research. html

Is Science a Religion Essay

Is science a religion? This topic has been debated by many creationists and scientists alike. The philosophy of science makes no claims to knowledge about the supernatural or metaphysical and, by not so doing, is left with an enterprise that although hugely successful is also permanently on trial (Manne, 2010). The only thing scientists can agree upon is the empirical nature of science, but the steps from observations to theory are not without philosophical problems. DISCUSSION Thomas Kuhn thinks that scientific paradigms are essentially pictures of the world that are consistent with observations and logically coherent. But such pictures are necessarily always incomplete, at least until such time as we know everything, and our minds seem to struggle to accept this; it seems like there is an aesthetic compulsion to create harmonious images, even if that means filling in the spaces with metaphysical constructs. Andrew Brown states that the dictionary is wrong; science can be a religion too. He explains that if you strictly use the dictionary definition of science then it cannot be considered a religion, but if you look at science objectively you can see how it could be considered one. He makes a strong argument that religion has too many definitions for science to not be considered one. Richard Dawkins believes the opposite. He states that science is based upon verifiable evidence. Religious faith not only lacks evidence, its independence from evidence is its main virtue. Dawkins makes a good argument for science not being a religion. He even goes so far as to reconsider his stance only if science can get as much education time as religion does. Dawkins’ Atheist views are widely known but there are many more scientists that believe religion has no place in the world. Michael Ruse, on the other hand, asks why religion is not being taught in public schools while science is. His argument is that if â€Å"God exists† is a religious claim, why then is â€Å"God does not exist† not a religious claim? And if Creationism implies God exists and cannot therefore be taught, why then should science which implies God does not exist be taught? I am sure Dawkins was referring to Sunday school and bible study when he referred to science getting as much education time as science, but Ruse has a valid point. Science is taught in schools due to separation of church and state, therefore everyone has to learn science. Sunday school is voluntary. Peter Harrison demonstrated how the role of religion in the rise of modern science often focused on the way in which religion motivated particular individuals, or provided the essential content of approaches to nature. These relate to the origins of science and assume that, once established, modern science becomes self-justifying. However, seventeenth century criticisms of science, such as attacks on the Royal Society, suggest that science remained unimportant for quite some time. The rise of science to cultural importance in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was possible only because science was eventually able to establish itself as religiously useful initiative. Religion played a key role not only in the origins of modern science, but in providing the ongoing social sanctions that ensured its persistence and rise to prominence. This is a concept I am sure Dawkins would not appreciate, yet it has merit. The relationship between Science and Religion can be explained from two discrete points of view. Some would argue that scientific explanations are the only means of explaining our existence, while others would argue that religion and the story of creation provide a sufficient amount of the world’s conception. Religion and science both have the same basis, which are truth and understanding. It is this similarity that allows a direct link between science and religion. I believe that there is sufficient evidence to prove that science and religion are compatible. Albert Einstein had the same opinion when he presented the idea of the nature of light that was argued for hundreds of years. Scientology is also a proven example of compatibility between religion and science. Also, when looking at the two from a more general point of view, it would be obvious to say that they can both work together to give us a better understanding of the universe. In the early 1700’s, a constructive debate on the true nature of light led to various arguments and theories. The â€Å"corpuscular† theory, which was more religious based, depicted light being tiny particles that were transferred from a source like the Sun to a destination. A more scientific theory suggested that light was a wave phenomenon where the energy was carried by a wave motion and not by movement of actual particles. In the early 1900’s, Albert Einstein discovered that light was both a wave and it was composed of tiny particles. He felt that both sides were right all along and both contributed to finding out the true nature of light. With this discovery, he felt that there was a strong link between science and religion. â€Å"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind† (Einstein, A). Saying this, he believed strongly in the fact that religion and science were compatible. He believed that religion was a byproduct of fear and a tool to help the primitive human mind deal with it. He believed that many leaders and rulers incorporated religion into their daily functions to secure their rule. The question â€Å"is science a religion? † still remains. The problem may lie in how science and religion differentiate in their distinct methodologies of searching for knowledge and belief. Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, it attempts to collect accurate information about the shared reality and to model it in a way that can be used to make reliable. They have concrete and quantitative predictions about events; everything has a hypothesis and has reasons to prove it. Science gains their knowledge through scientific method: testing hypotheses to develop theories through elucidation of facts or evaluation by experiments. It develops theories of the world which best fit the observed physical observed evidence. It can be categorized into two major types of sciences: human science and natural science and they rely mainly on empirical evidence. Religion is a set of beliefs and is related to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction. Theologians believe in the omnipotent power that God has, they put faith on God and use religion as a tool to satisfy their unanswerable questions and desire to know. Some religious people maintain that religious knowledge is absolute and infallible. However, the knowledge each person believes in varies as religious knowledge varies from religion and each individual. Science tends to be more tangible while religion is more imperceptible according to senses. There is domestic danger in being a world religious leader and technological powerhouse. Religious commitment and leadership in science and technology greatly enlarges the potential for conflict between faith and science in the United States. The relationship between religion and views of science should be of interest not just to scientists and social scientists concerned with public opinion research, but to policy makers as well. Public opinion has significant impact upon the making of public policy. Commonly held perceptions about particular scientific findings could help determine the eventual shape of laws and other policies for issues such as abortion or climate change (Keeter, 2007). Tradition has taught mankind that religion and science are two competing theories that can never be intermixed. Science and religion put forth competing theories on how the world was created, who is responsible for such creation, and what happens to individuals when they die. Further, science proposes solutions for many of society’s problems that many religions clearly define as wrong, such as abortion, stem cell research, and cloning. Early scientists and philosophers integrated science and religion to explain the course and state of the cosmos. For instance, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, and Newton all asserted that mathematical relations, the foundation of science, were a product of God. According to the four, it was God who invented mathematics and then imposed mathematical laws on the universe to back them up. More than 100 years ago, William James remarked, â€Å"I do not see why a critical science of religions might not eventually command as general a public adhesion as is commanded by a physical science†. In James view, studying religion by way of science could shed more light on the issue than philosophy alone. James believed that philosophy fell short in that it failed to â€Å"capture the depth, motion, and vitality of religion†. By focusing on religion from a scientific point of view, researchers could better determine the concreteness of the religious experience. So, is science a religion? The answer is – it depends on who you ask.  There is no concrete evidence to prove that it is or isn’t. I tend to believe that it could be. People like Richard Dawkins say emphatically no, yet he has blind faith that â€Å"what science cannot explain today, it will be able to explain tomorrow† (McGrath, pg. 148). Some have even gone so far as to compare Dawkins’ â€Å"infatuation† with Darwin with the Christian’s worship of Jesus Christ. I have not read anything that proves this but it could be another example of how science can be viewed as a religion. Either way, it seems that some level of faith is required for both and we can learn a lot from each one.

Psychodynamic play theory

Psychodynamic play theory Play therapy is a way of expressing feelings in children especially where stressful events are involved since children are unable to communicate by mouth as effectively as adults. Thus, they make use of play to express their inner feelings and interpersonal conflicts. Psychodynamic play therapy is utilized where a therapist is involved in listening to the details of a child’s play and emphasizes the causes of the child’s experiences in regard to motions of the child’s body.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Psychodynamic play theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, the child is able to express and cope with certain difficulties with the help of the therapist. This is done by the therapist getting involved in the context of the play to help the child identify the difficulty, express it emotionally and engage in solving it. The therapist, therefore, has to interpret the play in a meaningful way and then communicate with the child to elucidate indifferent engagement(s) expressed by the child during the play. In order for this to work effectively, the play or activity involved should be made interesting to the child. For instance, a therapist may choose to engage in an argumentative puppet conversation with the child. The argument could be based on a topic that is sensitive to the child or one that the therapist had noticed some reaction from the child. This way, the therapist identifies certain feelings from the child through verbal expression and this puts him/her in the best position to engage in problem solving. This could as well be done as part of the play. For example, the therapist may continue with the puppet conversation but this time, focuses on addressing the solution by telling the child what needs to be done about the problem in discussion. Psychodynamic play theory functions in finding out the complexity associated with a child’s behavi or. Psychodynamic play therapy provides education, ego support, and therapist activity which are not present in the common psychotherapy. The recommendation of this type of therapy implies belief that it applies to children with a certain mental diagnosis and is preferable to other approaches, and assessment that the child is capable thereof. Psychodynamic play therapy could be linked to treatment of psychological disorders in many children especially autistic ones. Autism represents a syndrome or collection of symptoms originating primarily from a basic neurological deficit in information processing and emotional communication. Consequently, psychological defenses against states are experienced as a result of those deficits. Lack of crucial socializing experiences during development as a result of both the deficits and the defenses is also associated with autism in children. Moreover, and whatever the origins, the autistic childs development is profoundly altered, for better or wor se, by his or her early environment and the critical interaction with his/her family.Advertising Looking for critical writing on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There exists a wide range in the severity of the initial biological predisposition and the early life experiences, such that some children may be born so disabled that parents, however healthily nurturing, make limited impact; whereas other children may be born with a milder innate vulnerability, but encounter significantly damaging parenting. However the situation, psychodynamic pay therapy may significantly make great impacts in the lives of autistic children by getting to understand how they feel about their conditions. This way, they may be engaged in playful activities to make them feel as part of the society and also to interact with other normal children. Psychodynamic play theory is not only therapeutic to children, but also educativ e. Through such plays, children get to learn many things alongside getting therapy and having fun.

UK House Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

UK House Prices - Essay Example Any government has the power to regulate the economy of a country and not only does it regulate the economy, it has a vital role to ensure that the economic condition remains stable. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that all the aspects of economy maintain a stable level so that the country can grow and expand. Government regulates many things in an economy including inflation, exports and imports, prices of many vital commodities, and also property prices to a large extent. Government of England has entrusted the job of determining the monetary policy, in the hands of Bank of England. Bank of England looks into many other big issues. One of the most important issues is that of ensuring monetary stability in the economy, which can be achieved through a combination of stable prices of goods and services across the economy coupled with a low inflation level and level of confidence of the investors in the currency of the country. The Bank comes out with the monetary policy in order to ensure a certain key objectives like, delivering price stability with a low inflation level coupled with an objective to support the Government's economic objectives of growth and employment. Price stability is taken care of, by the Government's usual inflation target of 2%. There is a need to contemplate the crucial and critical role played by price stability in achieving the aforesaid economic stability, and in providing just the right conditions for a sustainable and longe r living growth in output and employment. (How Monetary Policy Works) Inflation is a very sensitive concern that is one of the major economic factors and is generally impacted by the prices of different articles prevailing in an economy. For example, any increases in oil prices is expected to feed through into inflation over the next few years, and the gap between the value of imports and exports is growing to record levels, prompting expectations of a decline in the value of sterling, which is a welcome sign for the exporters but will hit the importers, as they will have to shell out more money for importing their raw materials leading to a further increase in inflation. Any decision is taken after considering the condition of the whole economy and all sections of the society at large and there are several other methods to tackle the prices of properties, but it will always be better to increase the rates at a slower but steady pace, rather than giving a monetary shock. Rising Inflation, if not tackled properly and at the right time may create a cycl e, wherein the inflation keeps rising due to no change in interest rates. Factors Influencing Property Prices in UK Assessing the price of a property is not an easy job, there are three main methods besides the economic factors that determine value, namely "Comparable Sales Method", "Income Approach" and the "Cost Approach" (Property Valuation for Home Buyers), but these methods are just a tool for a prospective seller to determine the price of the house they are going to sell and this price definitely influences the price at, which the transaction actually takes place. Let us now analyze how the concept of value plays a role in determining the prices and what

Investment Banking ( calculation and short answer) Essay - 1

Investment Banking ( calculation and short answer) - Essay Example The accretion analysis provides an platform for evaluating control premium of purchasing the acquisition and hence its profitability. Further, accretion analysis is also triggered by the need to evaluate project earnings from for an acquisition. Intuitively, application of accretion analysis helps the acquirer to evaluate the effect of the acquisition on the expected earnings per share and hence the ability of the project to provide favorable earnings. In LBO, assuming the sponsor sells ValueCo at the end of year 5 at an exit multiple equal to its entry multiple, determine enterprise value and equity value at exit given the ending debt balances provided. Based on equity returns and leverage levels, LBO analysis helps in evaluating purchase price. Intuitively, the firm would have to calculate the maximum price that can yield enoughreturns and also cover the debt levels. In which case, the firm in questin will apply LBO analysis to determine a maximum price through the calculation of IRR. Consequently, this ensure that the expected equity returns from the investment is adequate and can cover administrative costs and expenses for the operations. A financial buyer can also use LBO analysis to serve in characterizing the leverage and equity at various prices available for the investment. The financial buyer would consider it suitable to choose a price that would readily yield expected returns on equity for the post-transataction. Further, evaluating the charateristics of the price also allows the buyer to make a decision that would increase the potential returns from the financial leverage of the same. In this case, IRR is an essential tool used in the analysis to depict the charactertisitcs of the various prices. In a case of absence of a strategic buyer for the transaction, LBO analysis proves essential in making LBO firms to be willing buyers. Through determining