Rousseau Social Contract The social pact comes dow Essays

Rousseau Social Contract The social pact comes down to this; " Each one of us puts into the community his person and all his powers under the supreme direction of the general will; and as a body, we incorporate every member as an indivisible part of the whole " (Rousseau). The general will can itself direct the forces of the state with the intention of the whole ' s primary goal - which is the common good. The general will does not allow private opinions to prevail. The union of the people, in its passive role is known as the State and is referred to as the Sovereign in its active state. Associates of the body politic are communally known as the people, and individually referred to as citizens or subjects. The primary problem to which the social contract holds the solution is based on the total alienation of each associate to the entire community. Rousseau proposes that every individual give himself absolutely and apply the same conditions for each and every one to result in an agreement where it is in no ones interest to make the conditions burdensome for others. The critiques of this contract are so specifically determined by ones actions, that the slightest amendment must make the agreement invalid; it is crucial to obtain a unanimous recognition and admittance by the whole. If the social pact is desecrated, every man regains his inborn rights to recover his natural freedom, and loses the civil freedom in which he bargained for. Stop. The existence of natural freedom is the argument in which I intend to pursue against Rousseau. This thought shall be revisited in a short while. Rousseau implies upon freedom the definition of the sovereign; it is a reason; a collaboration with others; a civil expression of the general will. Rousseau ' s conclusion stipulates the absolute surrender of ones rights into a union; also referred to as the republic, the body politic, the state, the sovereign and as the power when compared to others o f its own kind. His conclusion is however split into three subsets. Rousseau first states that since everyone in the social pact is summoned to the same conditions, it will be of no ones interest to inconvenience others. Secondly, he states that since the alienation is unconditional, no individual citizen has any rights to claim of their own. If these rights were left to the individuals, they would revert to their natural state of own judgements in the absence of authority. And finally, Rousseau adds to his conclusion by affirming that " since each man gives himself to all, he gives himself to no one " (Rousseau); meaning that since there is no associate that he doesn ' t gain the same rights as others gain over him, each man regains the equivalent of everything he loses; gaining more than what he initially had. The first premise that Rousseau puts forward is that during a lifetime, each man will come to an obstacle that will endanger his safety and that he w ill not be able to conquer within his state of nature because it will have a power greater than his strength. What he implies with this premise is that if solitary men were continually facing the obstacles alone, the human race would eventually perish. Rousseau presents this premise as an assumption. It can be safely assumed that most people come across obstacles during their lifetime. These obstacles are hidden within births, deaths, illnesses, monetary based issues, education, relationships, weather, governments, war, etc. The meaning of an obstacle is anything that will hinder ones performance; an impediment that has the power to abolish the human race. The second premise provides that since men cannot create new forces to overcome these obstacles, they can combine and organize their existing forces to protect themselves. Meaning that by uniting their separate powers, they can achieve a congruent force strong enough to prevail over any form of obstruction. This second p remise follows Rousseau ' s first premise adequately. First, he presents the inevitable obstacle and then he follows to state that a sum of forces is required to overcome barriers that are too strong. Succeeding the premises,

The Island †Movie Review and Critical Analysis

The Island – Movie Review and Critical Analysis Free Online Research Papers Some may claim that, as a nation founded upon liberty and freedom of choice, America must well uphold its tradition as a democracy rather than backslide into a Communist reign of pure governmental authority. Individualism and capitalism have always been central themes in American literature, and private enterprises have been embraced wholeheartedly without question throughout its history. However, as modern scientific progress slowly creeps towards its potential climax, how will society face the dreading possibilities of a moral and ethical recession, which shall manifest itself as an origami of changing societal laws, especially when governmental regulation is often debated when it comes to controversial issues? We must decide. Do we want the government to control certain aspects of our lives and protect us from potential dangers looming around us? Even so, how much governmental regulation can we tolerate? It may seem that the majority vote of the House symbolizes that most people want scientific progress – and that President Bush is the only man who wants to halt it. If that were the case, however, I do not believe that America would reelect him as president. Furthermore, to answer the prompt using an ethical approach, pro-lifers argue that research of stem cells requires the destruction of an embryo, the equivalent of murdering a child. Even if researchers can extract the stem cells without harming the embryo, the issue of cloning is distressing. A movie I watched called â€Å"The Island† alludes to the issue discussed in the essay. The insinuation of the hazards of stem cell research is manifested in the movie through cloning to create doubles of these original humans. The independently-funded private corporation, apart from government control, who produced these clones did not educate them, but instead deceived them about their purpose in life. The clones, hidden in this secret building, were forbidden to step out of it and taught to believe that their purpose was to journey to this island, where luxury awaited them (it was like winning the lottery if chosen to go there). The irony is that those clones chosen were needed to supply whatever their original doubles wanted to replace (such as body parts – organs) for themselves. Thus was the health insurance of that futuristic society. The scientists who nurtured the embryos in a controlled environment also utilized tri-keys – basically one key with three different heads – that opened all the doors in the building. I thus realized that the tri-keys symbolized the (Holy) trinity, and that the movie essentially portrayed these men as trying to assume the role of God by opening the doors of science and new life. The idea that â€Å"if I can give life, then I can take life† is unethical and supports the pro-life argument. Obviously, this is an extreme view and more a form of entertainment than a predicament of the future. However, it is a social commentary about how often private interests conflict with benefits for society. Anthropology teaches that humans act in their own best-interest, which does not always benefit society. Government should regulate research by neither halting nor allowing private individuals to monopolize it. But President Bush’s veto disallowed the government to fund stem cell research, thus forcing individuals to take initiative into their own hands. An alternative proposal aimed at limiting independent stem cell research, when the claim is to propel advancements in treatments, is that society would be better off researching the preventatives of diseases than trying to find the cures. People claim that similar research is needed to find preventatives, but such claims prove false, for stem cell research is targeted at finding cures for diseases already exposed to humans. In the movie, while the cloned doubles remained in the secret building, everyday, they went through routine fitness trainings and ate healthy dietary meals to ensure a physically-fitted cloned double. In the meantime, their originals were living hedonistic lives in the real world and indulging in such pleasures as excessive drinking, smoking, and eating, until their livers, lungs, and other organs failed them, when they could have prevented the need for such research and the controversy about its ethics. Research Papers on "The Island" - Movie Review and Critical AnalysisGenetic EngineeringWhere Wild and West MeetMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesBringing Democracy to Africa19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenQuebec and CanadaResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of India

Causes of Teenage Obesity

Also, while obesity can be problem at different stages of life (for example, even a 7 year old child can classed as obese), most eating disorders are related to the teenage years. Obesity amongst children is one of the growing health concerns for parents across the world and this health risk is growing at an alarming rate. Research indicates that most obese children grow up to be obese adults. There are several factors that lead to obesity. Below are some of the key causes of obesity: Physical inactivity: This is one of the biggest causes of teenage obesity. Associated essay: Teenagers and Their Leisure Time With teenagers spending most of their time in front of the television, playing computer games or on mobiles with their friends and lack of interest in extra-curricular activities after school or college and lack of exercise are some of the key causes of teenage obesity. Bad eating habits: Another big reason for teenage obesity is bad eating habits. The surge in the consumption of high fat foods like burgers, chips, fizzy drinks and fries has already been condemned and treated as one of the main causes of child obesity. Genetic Patterns Family Behaviour: Genetic patterns and family behaviours are also important causes of obesity and it is difficult to separate the two. Whilst the probability of obese parents having obese children is around 30%, it is also true that obese parents often have poor eating habits and condone poor family nutrition, resulting in overweight kids. Chemical or hormonal imbalances: Another major reason for obesity, especially amongst teenagers, is hormonal changes. Teenagers undergo significant hormonal changes as they reach puberty, which could trigger cravings for certain foods or over-consumption of food. Lower metabolism: Some teenagers have the tendency to retain or conserve body energy and this trait is easily visible from early childhood, where growth milestones in a child seem to be much quicker than usual. The first two reasons outlined above (lack of physical activity and lack of proper diet) are the primary reasons for obesity amongst teenagers. As parents, you need o take your teenager’s obesity issue very seriously and get medical and professional help if you see your child being unable to partake in any sport or physical activity or if school/college authorities express concern over their weight or feel that your teenager is overweight. In the book â€Å"Solving Teenage Problems†, several tips to deal with teenage obesity have been provided. Along with this the book also touches upon various eating disorders, which can lead to teenage obesity – their causes and tips to solve them. Causes of Teenage Obesity Also, while obesity can be problem at different stages of life (for example, even a 7 year old child can classed as obese), most eating disorders are related to the teenage years. Obesity amongst children is one of the growing health concerns for parents across the world and this health risk is growing at an alarming rate. Research indicates that most obese children grow up to be obese adults. There are several factors that lead to obesity. Below are some of the key causes of obesity: Physical inactivity: This is one of the biggest causes of teenage obesity. Associated essay: Teenagers and Their Leisure Time With teenagers spending most of their time in front of the television, playing computer games or on mobiles with their friends and lack of interest in extra-curricular activities after school or college and lack of exercise are some of the key causes of teenage obesity. Bad eating habits: Another big reason for teenage obesity is bad eating habits. The surge in the consumption of high fat foods like burgers, chips, fizzy drinks and fries has already been condemned and treated as one of the main causes of child obesity. Genetic Patterns Family Behaviour: Genetic patterns and family behaviours are also important causes of obesity and it is difficult to separate the two. Whilst the probability of obese parents having obese children is around 30%, it is also true that obese parents often have poor eating habits and condone poor family nutrition, resulting in overweight kids. Chemical or hormonal imbalances: Another major reason for obesity, especially amongst teenagers, is hormonal changes. Teenagers undergo significant hormonal changes as they reach puberty, which could trigger cravings for certain foods or over-consumption of food. Lower metabolism: Some teenagers have the tendency to retain or conserve body energy and this trait is easily visible from early childhood, where growth milestones in a child seem to be much quicker than usual. The first two reasons outlined above (lack of physical activity and lack of proper diet) are the primary reasons for obesity amongst teenagers. As parents, you need o take your teenager’s obesity issue very seriously and get medical and professional help if you see your child being unable to partake in any sport or physical activity or if school/college authorities express concern over their weight or feel that your teenager is overweight. In the book â€Å"Solving Teenage Problems†, several tips to deal with teenage obesity have been provided. Along with this the book also touches upon various eating disorders, which can lead to teenage obesity – their causes and tips to solve them.

Cultural Diversity in the Management Hierachy Research Proposal

Cultural Diversity in the Management Hierachy - Research Proposal Example Diversity covers various aspects of the employees ranging from gender, physical ability, social background, age, educational qualifications, race, color, ethnic origin etc. Cultural diversity basically deals with diversity in the cultural backgrounds of employees, which comes from factors like race, color and ethnic origin. In contrast to the confined definition of cultural diversity, the topic of this[not sure why you say your approach is in contrast Do you mean that you're being inclusive of both approaches], cultural diversity in this proposal encompasses all the factors that come in the preview of generally accepted aspects of equal opportunity. Diversity of late is not just a matter of following rules or of being a 'good thing' to do, but an inevitable requirement in the light of recent global developments. Many organizations are now operating in a more global environment either because of their direct involvement or indirect involvement through their value chain. The end customers are also becoming more and more concerned about the treatment afforded to the employees of an organization before purchasing their product or availing their service. All the pointers clarify the urgency with which diversity management programs and equal opportunity policies have to be rolled out at an organizational as well as at a national and indeed international level. Now that the requirement to recognize and value cultural di... The cues may be taken from existing research on diversity management and specifically in the middle - eastern countries. Enforcing diversity related policies in the middle - east throw up a different set of challenges from the rest of the world. The context of enforcement should comply with the strong religious sentiments that exist in these countries. For example, rights of women pertaining to driving, family law etc are different in different middle - eastern countries. They have varying degrees of restrictions or freedom regarding several social aspects which in turn affect the work life balance. UAE in particular has been more exposed to the global world through active participation in trade. Hence the strategies may be slightly different in UAE, though the middle - eastern influence cannot be ignored. There is some form of diversity management mainly initiated by the Multi-National Corporations (MNC's) as a part of their company policies. In the absence of set legislative rules for enforcement, existing practices by the MNC's from the Middle East and outside may be used as a benchmark to analyze t he current situation of UAE. In general there have been several developments in diversity management in organizations. The status of diversity management policies and programmes has moved from a purely HR responsibility to the strategic level. The well being of an organisation in terms of effectiveness and performance could be said to be largely dependent on the changing demographics (Duffy, 1994) [if you believe this to be the case, you need to support your argument with evidence, or at the very least to say somethings like 'as I will go on to demonstrate']. This can only be achieved, with the representation of all the demographics

Skip navigation links BFS 3440-07B BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR FIRE Essay

Skip navigation links BFS 3440-07B BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR FIRE PROTECTION (BFS3440-07B) - Essay Example etail, the second and third for office space, and the fourth and fifth for apartments, the live loads for each floor starting from the first floor becomes lighter subsequently as it increases in level or distance from the street or ground. This claim can be supported by Sharry’s edition of the Life Safety Code Handbook (1978), which states that the occupancy load of mercantile or retail stores is not less than 1 person for each 30 square feet gross floor area of sales space; for office or business occupancy, it is no less than 1 person per 100 square feet of gross floor area; and finally, for apartments or residential occupancy, it is 1 person per 200 square feet gross floor area. From these figures alone, we can already foresee and surmise that the first floor will be the most densely populated followed by the second and third floors, and then the fourth and fifth. Perhaps as the resident site-safety engineer, though there is limited information given in this situation, it is imperative to assess live loads as close as possible to reality. This would give a crude idea of the dispersal of people in any given building and the maximization of other safety measure that can mitigate any damage, distortion, or discomfort to its

The Ethics of Milgram Essay Example for Free

The Ethics of Milgram Essay When this question is posed, immediately we are confronted with a subject of ethics. In three studies by; Milgram, Zimbardo and Hofling, conformity and obedience are tested to extreme levels. Thus bringing ethics to the forefront of the psychological community and the world, concerning the treatment of subjects/participants. Milgrams study addressed obedience to authority. This began three months after the start of the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, his accomplices and his/their part in the genocidal holocaust. Eichmann had said that he was simply following orders. The experiment was set up to see how varying members of society would respond to a figure of authority when asked to deliver electric shocks to another person. Milgrams orthodox view was that few subjects would administer harsh shocks to another human. The test however showed Milgram that though the participants questioned whether they should continue, surprisingly it took little prompts to get them to continue. In this scenario 65% delivered the full, potentially fatal shock to the subject. These findings are of enormous importance both from an ethical and psychological viewpoint. This simple experiment showed and extreme willingness to follow the commands of an authoritys figure, against their own morals, even when confronted with the screams of another person. In Zimbardos experiment obedience and conformity are addressed within a prison environment. This was a mock prison setup at Stanford University, participants were requested in a local newspaper, 24 were chosen. This study showed the knock on effect of demoralisation. The prisoner participants were kept in a constant state of uncertainty from the moment they were arrested, to when the guards took over. In having their individuality removed through complying with the processes applied by the rules of an institutionalised system, the display of obedience grew dramatically. The guards in turn conformed to their perceived position of authority. On the second day the guards put down a rebellion. In response the guards decided to break the prisoners moral by dividing and conquering, developing distrust amongst the inmates and consolidating themselves into a working unit. The effects of this from an ethical point of view is that the inmates were subject to mental and physical mistreatment on a grand scale, meanwhile the guards it seemed had forgotten that the situation was experimental, as they grew more sadistic an abuse of power was displayed. Every prisoner fell under the guards arbitrary control as their living conditions continually fell into the realms of degradation and depravity. When an inmate had been in the prison for approximately thirty six hours he displayed acute emotional disturbance, crying and rage. After interview it was decided that he was trying to con his way to early release. He was given the option of remaining but as an informant in exchange for no further harassment from the guards. This did not seem to work as this lead him to telling the other inmates that they could not leave or quit, this lead to his condition worsening as he screamed cursed and began to act crazy. He was released. This strongly raises the issue of ethical practice, though the experimenter wanted to maintain a real life prison scenario, the protection of the prisoners human rights were not taken into consideration enough, especially in view of the guards sadistic and aggressive methods. Possibly a real prison guard should have lead the other guards for better reality between guard and inmate. The next day the family and friends of the inmates arrived to visit them, the experimenters became concerned that the extreme conditions, if witnessed by the family and friends would possibly effect the continuation of the experiment. So they cleaned and fed the inmates, played music through a speaker system, had a cheerleader greet the awaiting visitors. The visitors mood was good, as they saw the whole thing as a bit of fun, in this way the experimenters systematically brought the visitors behaviour under situational control. Though the parents complained about the arbitrary rules they complied like good middle class citizens trusting implicitly the words of educated men of medicine. When the parents were reunited with their children they were shocked to see how drawn and fatigued they seemed to be, when this was raised, the experimenter simply used reverse psychology on a typical American family, by challenging the strength of their childs resolve and in turn challenging their parenting skills. These methods paid off, and the parents didnt want to waste anymore of the experimenters times and left. Ethically this was a poor decision as the parents werent part of the experiment, but were used without thought to how they may react or feel when they would eventually find out that they had been party to a hoax and that their children were actually being treated badly. It is impossible to tell how much the aftershock would affect a family.

The Death Penalty Is Needed In Our Uncivilized Society :: Pro Capital Punishment Essays

Introduction: Capital punishment is the most severe form of corporal punishment as it requires law enforcement officers to kill the offender. It has been banned in many countries, in the United States, an earlier move to eliminate capital punishment has now been reversed and more and more states are resorting to capital punishment for serious offenses such as murder. An Eye for and eye, a life for a life, who has never heard of the famous lex talionis? The Bible mentions it, and people have been using it regularly for centuries. We use it in reference to burglary, adultery, love and many other situations. However, some people use it on a different level, some people use it in reference to death. One steals from those who have stolen from him, one wrongs those who have wronged him, but do we really have the right to kill those who have killed. Today, there is a big controversy over capital punishment whether or not it works, or if it is morally right. We have a certain privilege on our own lives, b ut do the lives of others belong to us as well? Do we have the right to decide the kind of lives others can or cannot live? We find someone guilty of murder and sentence him to death, does that not make murderers out of ourselves? Can justice justify our acts? Those who assist in the death penalty are they not partners in crime? Is the death penalty a "Cruel and Unusual" punishment or is it now a necessary tool in the war on crime? With the increase in crime and violence in our society, how does the death penalty affect a North American family. History of the Death Penalty: Use of the death penalty has declined throughout the industrial Western World since the 19th century. In 1972, movement in America to have the death penalty declared unconstitutional during the landmark case of Furman v. Georgia, which declared the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment. However, after a supreme court decision in 1975, Gregg v. Georgia, which stated capital punishment did not violate the eighth Amendment, executions commenced again under state supervision. (Van der Haag, 1975, 3-4) The debate: Deterrence: There are four major issues in the capital punishment debate, the first being deterrence. A major purpose of criminal punishment is to deter future criminal conduct. The deterrence theory suggests that a rational person will avoid criminal behavior if the severity of the punishment outweigh the benefits of the illegal conduct.

Can Hybrid Cars Reduce the Dependency on Fossil Fuels

Can Hybrid Cars Reduce The Dependency On Fossil Fuels? I am going to talk about hybrid cars and can they reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. The hybrid cars manufactures that I’m going to use is Toyota, Honda Can hybrid cars reduce the dependency on fossil fuels? Hybrid cars can reduce the dependency of fossil fuels because it would stand between the consuming world and its gas guzzling cars by replacing them with fuel efficient hybrid cars.Hybrid cars have lower level of gasoline consumption, therefore environmentally friendly causing less pollution then gasoline- powered cars. They beat electric cars by a long run which gives about 50 – 100 miles in-between    battery charges that require many hours to fully charge up. Even then electric cars made it possible to have development towards hybrid cars. Toyota Prius was the first passenger car with hybrid technology which was brought forth in Japan in 1997. Toyota and Honda introduced hybrid cars to the American mark ets in the beginning of 1999.Hybrid car are a combination of gasoline and electric powered car. Hybrid cars consist of a internal combustion engine that is small and fuel efficient. The hybrid cars internal combustion engine is assisted by the electric motor when the car is accelerating. The electric motor is generated by rechargeable batteries that automatically recharges when the car is being driven. The Toyota and Honda hybrids work and operate in a similar manner. The engine for gasoline    is smaller then the regular conventional cars.Essentially Toyota and Honda hybrids fellow the same concepts as most hybrids, It receives backup energy from the electric motor gets energy that the motor needs to help the engine when accelerating there for not consuming a large quantity of gasoline. However the Toyota and Honda hybrids also have a different source of generating energy. When the driver hits his or her breaks the kinetic energy created by the heat and friction of the break is c laimed by the electric motor and stored in the batteries. Then it comes to transmissions most hybrids and conventional cars are alike.However the Prius has an additional generator and a circle gear complex to make a controlled, yet continues variable transmission, taking away the need for any conventional manual or automatic transmission which use up unnecessary amount of energy that go to waste. The early hybrid gave about fifty to sixty miles per gallon. The exhaust pollution was almost eliminated and also the acceleration of the hybrids were far bettered then the non-hybrid cars. By 2008 almost all car manufactures offered hybrid model cars along with a few sports hybrid cars.Many of the sports hybrid cars however did not give as much mileage and more expensive then the conventional cars. The federal government offers a good amount of tax credits to purchaser of hybrid cars. The key to the future of hybrid–car development lies in battery technology. The early hybrids resem bled the old conventional electrical system that ran with lead-acid batteries. These lead-acid batteries were bulky and carried a heavy weight and were a major factor in holding back the development of hybrid and electric cars.Most of the current hybrids contain nickel metal hydride batteries, which are smaller, lighter, and more powerful. However the cost is a big factor in this development. Nonetheless most car manufacturers are focusing on lithium-ion batteries. The way to using lithium-ion batteries on hybrid cars has opened up promise the development to a generation of new hybrid vehicles. This development of lithium-ion batteries on hybrid cars allows the capability of the cars to be plug in hybrids. The car will have extended distance without the help of their gasoline engine.This development has made hybrid cars more affordable. In the big picture if our country in whole used more hybrid cars in our day to day life it would be just that much less gasoline we would not me usi ng. If there if do get a hybrid car in the long run you a creating a clean friendly environment and saving less trips to the gas pumps, which mean more money in your pockets. Who doesn’t want that with all the rising high gas prices and our economic condition? We need to put more hybrid cars on the road so we are use less gas and better our economy as a whole.

Oedipus and the Sphinx Essay

â€Å"Know Thyself† is sage advice. â€Å"All Things in Moderation† is also a wise saying. King Oedipus, subject of the most tragic story ever written, brought about his own downfall because of his excessive obsession to know himself. And, try as he might, the more he tried to escape his tragic Fate, the closer it got†¦ Thus, some say that the moral of the story is, Even if you try to thwart your destiny, you won’t succeed. The concept of predestination plays a large role here. For example, if the gods know what will happen, and events are pre-ordained, how can people make free choices or have any semblance of free will? If the gods put challenges in our way that we fail to rise to, are we responsible for the consequences? Would knowing the future, as Oedipus does, cause us to act or behave any differently? The ancient scribe Sophocles wrote â€Å"Oedipus the King† (between 441-427 B.C.E.) for the annual festival where playwrights competed for prizes. These festivals were major civic occasions, with attendance expected of all noted writers. In his play Sophocles goes out of his way to present Oedipus as an extremely capable, beloved ruler. It should be noted that Sophocles never suggests that Oedipus has brought his destiny on himself by any â€Å"ungodly pride† (hubris) or â€Å"tragic flaw† (hamartia), common themes in Greek tragedies. Sophocles also makes a special effort to explain that Oedipus killed King Laius in self-defense, and a major theme in the tragic play is whether one can believe in oracles and seers. The title of the play, from which is derived the story, is often given in its Latin translation (â€Å"Oedipus Rex†), rather than in its original Greek (â€Å"Oedipus Tyranneus†), since the Greek term for king is the English â€Å"tyrant†, which means a monarch who rules without the consent of the people. THE TRAGEDY BEGINS Laius and his wife Jocasta (or Iocasta) were King and Queen of Thebes, a prosperous and famous city state in ancient Greece. King Laius, as many people did those days, consulted Apollo’s revered oracle of Delphi for advice and to find out what the future held for him. What the oracle announced shocked the royal couple — The Delphic oracle said that the King’s son would grow up and kill him! To make matters worse, it was prophesized that the son would marry his mother and produce offspring by her. King Laius and Queen Jocasta were understandably aghast! A short time later Queen Jocasta became pregnant and gave birth to a darling little baby boy. Remembering with fear the oracle of Delphi’s words, the royal couple of Thebes had the infant’s feet pierced and tied together — that’s the meaning of the name Oedipus, â€Å"swollen feet†. (Myth Man’s note: this mythical detail makes no sense. It must have been introduced to expla in the hero’s name. (Hold everything, I stand corrected. Here is an informative note sent by reader Adam Johnston on July 1, 2011.) Hey there, Just thought I’d let you know that the ‘pointless mythical detail’ about Oedipus’ feet being pierced and tied together actually has dual function. It was to ensure that the baby would not survive when exposed to the wilderness. But, more importantly, it is a detail that helps him decipher the answer to the sphinx’s riddle later in life. He is a crippled man who walks with a cane, and scholars see this as the assistance he needed to understand the part of the riddle regarding the 3 legs. Just thought you should know! ~Adam (Many thanks to Adam for taking time to bring this to my attention.) Laius and Jocasta knew that their baby son had to be destroyed, but they didn’t have the heart to do so themselves. They instructed their most trusted slave to expose the hapless baby on Mount Cithaeron, a wild and beast-filled place where the infant surely would perish. In those days, it was usual to leave an unwanted or defective baby in the wilderness. However, the slave glanced down at the innocent child and took pity on it. Knowing that the royal couple of the nearby city state of Corinth was childless, and desperately desired a son, the slave left the crying infant, its feet still pierced and bound by a pin, in a place sure to be found. Sure enough, a kindly shepherd discovered the baby and brought the foundling for adoption to King Polibus and Queen Merope of Corinth. Oedipus was raised as a son by Polibus and Merope and grew to be a handsome, clever and brave young man, even though he walked with a slight limp from the wounds he suffered when his real parents pierced his feet. One day, while playing with his adolescent friends, he got into an argument with them. They insisted, as mean children sometimes do, that he was a fake son, and not the real child of Polibus and Merope. When Oedipus confronted his â€Å"parents† about this, they denied that he was adopted and swore that he was their legitimate child. They told Oed ipus to forget what the mean kids had said, but now he was intrigued. To discover the truth for himself, Oedipus journeyed to Delphi and asked of the oracle, â€Å"Who am I?† The oracle, cryptic as always, replied: â€Å"You are the man who will kill his father and breed children by his mother.† Confused and devastated, the young man started to head back home. Nearing the crossroad, Oedipus decided never to return to Corinth and go to Thebes instead. He dearly loved his parents and thought that by never returning home he would keep them safe and thus overcome his Fate according to Apollo’s oracle. As he was approaching the crossroad between Delphi, Thebes and Corinth, distraught and deep in thought, Oedipus came upon an old man in a chariot, escorted by a few attendants. It was a narrow passage between two rocks and hard to navigate safely. The crabby old man in the chariot shouted: â€Å"Get lost! Go away! Get off this road!†, striking Oedipus with his long scepter. Adding further injury, the rude, regal old man ran over the young man’s sore foot with his chariot wheel. Oedipus angrily grabbed the staff from his tormentor’s hands and hit him on the head, killing the old man. The same fate befell the attendants, who tried to attack and arrest Oedipus – he valiantly fought and killed them too, save for one servant, who ran away in panic when the battle broke out. Hey, he just wanted to cross the narrow passage, that’s all! Besides, Oedipus was simply defending himself, and he got there first! Little did Oedipus suspect that the old man he had just slain was his own father, and that the first part of the oracle’s prophecy had come true†¦

Sustainable Resource Management

Sustainable Resource Management Introduction One of the major challenges facing Australia today comes in form of managing its water supply in the face of rising water demand, an increasingly drying climate brought about by global warming and subsequent industrial pollution which has affected overall water quality in locations such as Lithgow.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sustainable Resource Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sustainable resource management in this particular case comes in the form of ensuring that the water supply continues to meet demand in the foreseeable future (Levy Sidel, 2011: 1). It is due to this that the Australian Government has started the Water for the Future initiative whose four main priorities consist of: Securing sufficient water supplies Ensuring the health of rivers that feed into several of Australias cities Instituting programs aimed at using water wisely Taking some form of action/stance on global climate change. Overall it is anticipated that by instituting measures which address these four main priorities it is expected that a sufficient level of sustainable water management can be developed. Taking this into consideration the case example to be utilized in this particular paper is that of Lithgow, New South Wales and the impact sustainable water resource management has had on the area, if any. The reason why Lithgow presents itself as an interesting case example to be examined is due to the fact that a large percentage of Sydneys water supply originates from the Cox River which goes through Lithgow. Any adverse sustainable resource management practices being implemented in this area have the potential to impact millions of people in one of Australia’s most popular and largest cities (Chiew, Young, Cai Teng, 2011: 601 604). This is interesting to note due to the fact that Lithgow has one of the highest cancer and heart attack rates within Australia with estimates placing the rate of cancer and heart attacks within the area at 20% higher than anywhere else within the country. An examination of the local area reveals two distinct problems which seemingly interconnect with the detrimental health effects in the area: the presence of a massive coal mining operation located near Lithgow and the coal powered power plants that feed off the production of the local mines.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The spill off from water used in the coal mining operations as well as the production of electricity from the nearby power plant are often allowed to run back into local water systems which not only affect the local wildlife but are also thought of as the primary cause of the health problems affecting the citizens of Lithgow (Guerin, 2006: 11 16). The cause of the problem is the fact that not only does this runo ff contain coal particulates it also contains several other elements such as chemicals used in the production of electricity by the power plant such as base metals as well as an assortment of dust and minerals that are byproducts of mining. While it may be true that based on local testing the presence of base metals and other substances have been reduced to parts per million or parts per billion due to water treatment facilities the fact remains that few studies have actually confirmed whether long term ingestion of such substances will be negligible or will actually have detrimental effects on an individuals health. This is an important factor consider in regard to sustainable resource management since no matter what form of water conservation legislation or stance on global climate change the fact remains that so long as pollutants are allowed to enter into a resource supply that is utilized by people there is the very real chance that what will occur is an adverse effect on the l ocal populace (Hargreaves, 2008: 26 27). Taking this into consideration this paper will examine the current situation in Lithgow, the extent of sustainable resource management practices currently being implemented in the area and will evaluate whether current practices will have an effect on the foreseeable future. It is expected that the results of this study will reveal several key elements that the government must address in order to create an effective plan to ensure sustainable water supplies that are pollution free in the future for both Lithgow and Sydney. Review of Related Literature Current estimates of the electrical use per household within Sydney shows that on average a home/apartment in Sydney spends roughly $1,500 per year on electricity consumption with an average daily use of 17 to 31 kWhs (Kilowatt-hours) per day or 8250 kWh per annum (All charged up, 2008: 90).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sustainable Resource Management speci fically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This results in the production of 8 tones of carbon pollution per household created each year due to the fact that 90% of Australias energy needs are met through the use of fossil fuel burning power plants. With a population density of 4,575,532 this represents literally billions of tons of carbon pollution released into the atmosphere on a yearly basis. The reason this is particularly important to mention is due to the fact that Sydney is just one out of several cities that rely on fossil fuel power plants as their main source of energy (Australia: Market profile, 2004: 22). Many of these power plants are located near rivers, lakes and estuaries due to the necessity of large bodies of water for their steam cycles and cooling processes (King Lilja, 2011: 153 156). What happens as a direct result of this is an increase in the number of particulates in the water consisting of either iron, copper, magnesium, sodium , sulfates, nitrates and a variety of other inorganic materials that can be found dissolved in water as a direct result of industrial processes (King Lilja, 2011: 153 156). The inherent problem with having such particulates in the water even in the parts per million or parts per billion level is that it may have unknown long term effects on the resident population within a particular area. The city of Lithgow for example which is located roughly 150 kilometers west of Sydney is near the Wallerawang power plant owned by Delta electricity which has been observed as continuing to release water that contains toxic metals and arsenic into the Cox River. Studies conducted in 2008 showed that the power plant itself was the main reason behind the abrupt die off of local aquatic life due to the high levels of base metals within the water which increased overall water conductivity, turbidity and toxicity. Several independent studies which examined the water quality of the Cox river revealed that on average the river only contained 5 percent of the amount of oxygen fish need to survive, contained sulphate levels that were shown to be 125 times more than what was recommended and the presence of high levels of metals such as zinc, copper and manganese made it almost undrinkable.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Unfortunately, Lithgow sources a lot of its drinking water from the nearby river and as such this has the potential to create hereto unknown effects within the local populace. While regular testing by the local city council shows that the water is safe to drink after undergoing purification at local municipal water plans there are various factors that call such testing into doubt. Based on the latest data by the Sydney West Area Health Service (SWAHS) the city of Lithgow has one of highest rates of prostate cancer, asthma and lung related illnesses as compared to any other region within the state. In fact based on estimates by the SWAHS, citizens of Lithgow have a 20 percent greater propensity for cancer and a 50 percent greater risk for heart attacks and as such are indicative of something seriously affecting the local population. Various environmental groups as well as local doctors and physicians indicate that the problem is due to the area’s water supply which has been se verely affected due to the presence of the nearby power plant and mines. Of further concern is the fact that this is situation is not isolated to Lithgow alone, with 90% of Australias power supply originating from fossil fuel resources this is indicative of the fact that other towns and cities that source water from rivers from nearby power plants can also be similarly affected. One factor to consider when taking such figures into consideration is the fact that Sydneys population is estimated to grow to at least 6 million by 2035 resulting in an even greater strain on the citys resource infrastructure (Rutherfurd Finlayson, 2011: 301 312) (Tandukar, 2006: 38). The impact of this estimate on the sustainable management of water resources results in two distinct priorities that need to be addressed: The ability to continue to supply water resources to a growing population of millions Ensuring that the water supply continues to remain drinkable and non-toxic to the population. The i nherent problem with fulfilling the second priority is the fact that the due to rising energy needs within Sydney the plan of the Australian government has been to create more fossil fuel burning power plants due to their relatively inexpensive cost. Such policies have resulted in plans to build several more fossil fuel burning power plants near the Lithgow area due to its proximity to coal deposits thereby reducing the overall cost of production. Unfortunately such a plan has the effect of increasing the amount of base metals into the water which would definitely affect the overall sustainability of the Cox River as a sustainable source of drinkable water for Sydney. On the other hand it must be noted that the local Lithgow city council has deemed the water safe to consumer despite the detrimental health effects to the citizens within the immediate area showing the exact opposite of their claims. While it may be true that Sydney is relatively far away enough from Lithgow (150 miles ) for some of the base metals within the water to dilute themselves to parts per trillion the fact remains that if more power plants are to be built in the Lithgow area as they are planned to this would increase the amount of base metals within Sydneys water supply thus facilitating the same health risks within Sydney as those seen within Lithgow (Guerin, 2006: 11 16). It is due to this that it is now necessary to examine the present methods of sustainable resource management within the Lithgow area in order to determine whether they will be able to cope with the future changes that will occur within the area. Data and Methods The following is a comparative analysis between current methods of sustainable resource management implementation and a factual analysis of collected data examining the state of water sources within the Lithgow area. The purpose of examination is to compare the results of sustainable water management with the current level of pollutants within the waters that feed into Lithgow’s and Sydneys water supply in order to determine the effectiveness of such management policies. Sustainable Resource Management Plans within Lithgow: Effective or Useless? The inherent problem with any sustainable resource management plan that aims to protect the water resources of the Lithgow area is that it has to deal with the energy needs of Sydney which is one of the primary reasons behind problems within the area. While it may be true that governments have the responsibility in ensuring the continued safety and health of their populace the fact remains that in case of the ever increasing power demands of Sydney it is apparent that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and in this case the apparent effect of mining and building power plants within the local area takes precedence over the health and well-being of citizens within Lithgow. How else can it be explained that despite the flagrant environmental abuses by both the mining and powe r plant companies that their activities have continued to remain in operation. The fact is that the government can ill-afford any interruptions to Sydneys voracious appetite for power, stopping operations at power plants and mines that have exhibited flagrant abuses of the environmental code would cause a potential power crises within Sydney affecting the citys economy which would definitely be detrimental for government. Taking this particular factor into consideration an examination of current policies aimed at reducing pollutants originating from the local mines and power plants has revealed the Lithgow Clarence Colliery water transfer project which through the use of a $4 million endowment from the government the Clarence Water Transfer System will be upgraded allowing local residents from Lithgow to source more of their water from the Clarence Colliery instead of the Oberon dam. While such a method sustainable resource management is admirable since it allows local residents to source their water from a plentiful alternative the fact remains that the data sets that will be explored within this section show why this is a bad idea. What must be understood is that what is necessary in the case of Lithgow’s water supply is sustainable resource management strategies that resolve the issue of discharges by the various mines and power plants within the area into the local water supply. Within New South Wales the Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council (ANZECC) 2000 Guidelines manages the guidelines for water discharge while the ability to discharge water is licensed under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (Roberts, 2011: 6 8). While such methods of ensuring the water supply continues to remain pollution free and thus sustainable in the long run in terms of their ability to be consumed what this section will detail is why such methods of ensuring resource sustainability are far from stringent enough. (Kumar,McCullo ugh, Lund, 2009: 205 211) The following data shows the PH levels of various areas within Lithgow. What must first be understood is that a PH rate of one to six is indicative of the water being acidic with a rating of six indicating low acidity A rating of seven of is considered neutral while 8 and above is considered a base From the results it can be seen that the data from Farmers creek shows an increase in PH level from acidic to base, this indicative of the introduction of base particles such as metal particulates into the water. In fact as it can be seen in most of the results aside from the Ben Bullen state forest and Sunny Corner all of the results show PH levels indicative of bases present in the water. This means that the waters in those particular locations contain high levels of metal particulates which is further backed up by the readings taken based on their level of conductivity. (Kumar,McCullough, Lund, 2009: 205 211) What must first be understood is the fact that conductivity is the measure by which water is able to pass an electrical current. While it may be true that water is able to pass electricity rather easily the fact remains that its overall ability to do so increases based on the amount and type of inorganic dissolved solids (particulates) that have been mixed in. These particulates can come in form of iron, copper, magnesium, sodium, sulfates, nitrates and a variety of other inorganic materials that can be found dissolved in water as a direct result of industrial processes. The greater the amount of discharges into a stream from such processes the greater the likelihood of the water having a higher degree of conductivity. For example Lake Lyell has an average range of 500  µhos/cm, the Colliery shows 577  µhos/cm and Sunny corner at 438  µhos/cm. Such results, while high, can still support aquatic life yet their sheer levels is indicative of a high degree of particulates being introduced into the water which may be incredibl y poisonous for local marine life (Kumar,McCullough, Lund, 2009: 205 211). As mentioned earlier one of the main causes speculated as the reason behind the negative health conditions of the citizens of Lithgow is connected to the long term of consumption of base metals in parts per million or billion within water supplies. As the evidence from the data shows there is a relatively high degree of base metals still present within the waters surrounding Lithgow and is indicative of a failure of sustainable resource management since the surrounding waters can be considered a health hazard over long term consumption. Analysis, Results and Discussion Overall based on a comparative analysis of the given data presented it can be seen that the methods of sustainable resource management implemented over Lithgows water supply are from adequate based on the results showed. While it may be true that based on government standards of water safety that the base metal content in the water is safe fo r consumption the fact still remains that the residents of Lithgow have severe health problems and most experts point out that the cause can be traced to the water discharge from the local power plant and coal mines. While at the present the base metal levels begin to dilute as they enter into Sydneys water supply and undergo treatment at the local plants the fact remains that with future plans indicating that even more power plants are going to built near Lithgow this means that the base metal per million or billion may increase resulting in possibly negative repercussions within Sydneys population. It is based on this that it can be seen that in terms of sustainable resource management, while the Australian government has ensured that water continues to be supplied the fact remains that the overall condition of the water leaves much to be desired especially when taking into future plans for the NSW region. Conclusion and Recommendation Based on the findings of this paper it can be seen that the level of sustainable resource management within the Lithgow area is a direct result of the activities of the power plants and mining sites within the local area. Despite the source being obvious an effective resolution is not quite possible due to their connection to the power necessities of Sydney. It is based on this that it is recommended that greater government intervention in the case of Lithgow be implemented in the form of either stricter penalties or the threat of possible closure of either a power plant or a mine for failing to live up to proper environmental standards of operation. If such initiatives were to be implemented better sustainable resource management practices can also be utilized to ensure that not only does Sydneys water supply continue to flow in abundance but will be safe to drink in the foreseeable future. Reference List All charged up 2008, Australian House Garden, 3, p. 90, MasterFILE Complete, EBSCOhost. Australia: Market profile 2004, E nergy Forecast Asia Australasia, pp. 22-26, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost. Chiew, F, Young, W, Cai, W, Teng, J 2011, Current drought and future hydroclimate projections in southeast Australia and implications for water resources management, Stochastic Environmental Research Risk Assessment, 25, 4, pp. 601-612, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Guerin, TF 2006, A Survey of Sustainable Development Initiatives in the Australian Mining and Minerals Industry, Minerals Energy, 20, 3/4, pp. 11-44, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Hargreaves, S 2008, One good big idea for water reform, Policy, 24, 2, pp. 26-31, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. King, F, Lilja, C 2011, Scientific basis for corrosion of copper in water and implications for canister lifetimes, Corrosion Engineering, Science Technology, 46, 2, pp. 153-158, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Kumar, R, McCullough, C, Lund, M 2009, Water resources in australian mine pit lakes, Mining Technology: Transactions of the Institute of Mining Metallurgy, Section A, 118, 3/4, pp. 205-211, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Levy, B, Sidel, V 2011, Water Rights and Water Fights: Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Before They Boil Over, American Journal of Public Health, May, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Roberts, AS 2011, Technology and Engineering: Sanitary and Storm Water Treatment,  Technology Engineering Teacher, 70, 7, pp. 4-12, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Rutherfurd, I, Finlayson, B 2011, Whither Australia: Will Availability of Water Constrain the Growth of Australias Population?, Geographical Research, 49, 3, pp. 301-316, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Tandukar, A 2006, The first step, BRW, 28, 49, p. 38, MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost.

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 31

Ethics - Essay Example With the pursuit of perfection in the chosen specialization, a code of ethics is put into place. The topic of the paper revolves around the code of ethics in nursing and two other professions which are occupational therapy and physical therapy. Nursing code of ethics has nine principles or provisions while the occupational therapy and physical therapy has seven principles respectively. All of the said professions are meant to assist the doctors in rendering services to the patients in specific ways as nurses directly work with the doctors while occupational therapists are responsible for helping the patients cope with their daily lives. On the other hand, physical therapists focus on assisting the patients in recovering their bodies back to normal condition through exercise and proper diet. In general, all of the three codes have the same ethical principles in terms of respecting the patients and fellow professionals, promoting health, continuously enhancing health assistance skills, respecting privacy, and protecting the well-being of the patients. Each profession just differs from one another in terms of elaboration of the principles and the way the professionals practice their career. Another comparison can be done between the nursing code of ethics and Nightingale Pledge in which the latter is a modified Hippocratic Oath. The pledge had been modified to match the modern changes until the code of ethics was written based on the pledge. It is considered that Nightingale pledge is specific, personal and limited in terms of content than the nursing code of ethics (Zwemer, 1995, p. 113). The original pledge has more differences from the code since the revised pledge was closer to the code when it comes to meaning. Also the Code of Ethics is addressed objectively unlike the pledge which is subjective. It is also noticeable that the original pledge used some words that are not very much used today like the

Summary of the books of the Bible Part II (New Testament Books) Essay

Summary of the books of the Bible Part II (New Testament Books). (Matthew to Revelation) - Essay Example This book has a great emphasis on Jesus’ teaching ministry. In Matthew chapters 5-7, there is a collection of teachings called The Sermon on the Mount. In this great sermon are The Beatitudes, which is a list of heart attitudes and character qualities that bring blessings, as well as The Lord’s Prayer. Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels and tells the story of Jesus in a style that is simple and concise, yet detailed. It focuses on facts more than on themes and on actions more than attitudes. Because of Mark’s straightforward and unadorned approach, many believe this book gives a much more vivid account of Jesus’ life and ministry than the other Gospels. Scholars believe Mark’s Gospel was written during a time when Christians were viciously persecuted and killed for their faith. This may be the reason for the sense of urgency we feel in Mark and for its emphasis on the cost of following Jesus. Luke’s Gospel is the longest of the four Gospels and presents Jesus as the Savior of the world; it highlights the ministry of the Holy Spirit; and it pays particular attention to women, children, the poor, and the oppressed. Luke contains many wonderful stories and lessons, including one of the greatest and most important truths for any Christian’s life: â€Å"For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment† (1:37). In Luke 4, it is seen that the devil is tempting Jesus in the wilderness and every time the devil says something, Jesus immediately responds, â€Å"It is written, †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and fights back with a verse or passage of Scripture. This is one of the most important passages in the whole of the New Testament, as it is the passage that shows Jesus fighting, and winning over, temptation. One of the themes in John is love – loving God, receiving His love and loving others. In John 13:34, Jesus says: â€Å"I give