Book Review on Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat

James R. McDonough once stated that his story is not a comprehensive documentation of the Vietnam War, but a mere account of an American platoon leader in battle. Lt. McDonough had, for a year after West Point, been situated in specialized training bases to be part of an airborne brigade. And as he was readily equipped, he was brought to the Strategic Hamlet Program – formed by the US armed forces in the 1960s to weaken the Viet Cong through civilian control, which, failed in the 1970s. Nevertheless, the US armed forces have not dissolved this program yet. 2nd Lieutenant McDonough found himself commanding a platoon led by a non-commissioned officer. Everyone was in low morale and inefficient as the lieutenant McDonough was replacing refused to wage war – all the time keeping the platoon from being harmed. Setting his goals straight, McDonough looked forward to gain the loyalty of his platoon, as well as, completing the mission with minimal or no casualties on their part. Mc Donough journeyed through a difficult period of founding leadership. He practiced careful observation and frequent combats with the enemy to lay out plans that would ensure an accomplished mission. An air of loneliness have also been created throughout the whole story as platoon men shared their piece of sufferings, fears and yearnings both in their military and personal lives. The novel provided a realistic point of view to both sides of the war – good and bad, the thoughts that prevail to each character in the story and the choices each one of them has to make in the line of duty (Hopkins). The three things this memoir might embed in the reader’s mind might include: Doing the right thing – in the right time and with the right reasons; There is a given responsibility each soldier has to his fellow comrades – it is to protect them at all costs; and Tiny mischiefs might ignite large conflicts – this should teach vigilance in discipline (Jacobs). These are just three of three of the important points presented in this memoir. But, among the most significant to note is leadership. He has set goals for a demoralized group of men, has aided each one of them to brave in realizing these goals, and ensuring that each of his men savor the success of these goals. McDonough made a comparison between good and bad leadership through the two lieutenants – the non-commissioned officer who refuses to fight, and he who wishes to be a real leader. Vivid details in the memoir bring the setting come to life along with the compelling set of characters. McDonough seemingly did not find it necessary to delve much in the morbid images of the war, rather, on the relationships that developed throughout the story. It was reflected in moments of irony and humor – an indication of the need to be resilient. He also enumerated different strategies and tactics that had been formulated during the war. These relationships were part of the humanizing aspects of the story, including issues that involve latrines. McDonough filled his memoir with discovering varied kinds of relationships with different men – from high-ranking men to allies and enemies, and civilians. It was a compilation of the view and experiences of war by different people. The Platoon Leader also indicated the ethics and morals of the war, the dehumanizing possibility a soldier might come across in the cruelty of the war. McDonough’s instrument character in this memoir is his being a leader – it enabled him to explore relationships, establish a set of war ethics and morals, a progression into a real leader. He portrayed a wise, humane, tough and firm leader, under the most difficult circumstances. The novel is a profound documentation on wartime virtues – making it a very important piece in American literature (Mazza). References: Hopkins, Martha. â€Å"Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat.† 2003.25 May 2007 . Jacobs. â€Å"Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat : Review.† 2007. 25 May 2007 . Mazza, Michael. â€Å"Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat: Review.† 2004. 25 May 2007

Into the Wild/as You Like It

Texts may show us that a sense of belonging can emerge from connections made with people, places and the larger world. To what extent do the texts you have studied support this idea? ‘Happiness is only real if shared’. This insightful quote from Sean Penn’s 2007 film Into the Wild shows that any sense of belonging must arise through connection we make with others and the wider world. Shakespeare’s play As You Like It also demonstrates this, and shows that belonging is a natural instinct and one fundamental to a meaningful life. The setting of As You Like It plays a crucial role in shaping the idea of belonging in the play. Like the typical pastoral, the beginning of the play is set in court, a place established as a hub of corruption and political tension. Orlando’s house is described as a ‘butchery’ as his brother plots to kill him, ‘[Rosalind] is banish’d’, and Duke Senior calls courtly life ‘painted pomp’. The combination of images suggests estrangement and not belonging. By contrast, Arden is a free, untainted setting where characters are able to develop relationships without conforming to rigid social constraints. Also, the transition from the high density of formal verse in the opening scenes to the more frequent use of prose, signifying acceptance and familiarity, towards the end reinforces this transition from tension and not belonging to unity. This harmonious ending is epitomized in the final scene in which ‘these eight†¦take hands’. That the characters do form relationships there in which they belong is a clear indication that belonging is an innate part of the human condition. In essence, through the natural setting of the play, Shakespeare emphasises that belonging is a natural state of humanity. Similarly, Into the Wild contains pastoral elements that contribute to belonging in the film. Like the ‘painted pomp’ of the court in As You Like It, Penn portrays society as ‘oppressive’, employing dark metaphors of warfare to reinforce this; fence-posts are ‘black sword-tips’ and red tiles ‘hardened blood’. The dinner scene is muted, with the use of shaky hand-held camera emphasizing the tension and estrangement. By contrast, the wilderness acts as a catalyst for belonging in which he realizes the significance of onnections with people to happiness. All scenes of him in the wild are shot in rich natural light, as opposed to the exaggerated florescent lighting used in the civilized scenes. This contrast in lighting suggests that both Arden and the wild are places of healing where characters learn about the nature of belonging and the importance of connections. As You Like It shows that belonging can arise through connections with o thers. There are many ways to be accepted and Shakespeare reflects this in his use of diverse characters. Rosalind takes a more sensible, realistic approach than Orlando, stating that ‘men have died from time to time†¦but not for love’. Orlando is much more the petrachan lover, vowing to ‘live and die’ her slave. Celia and Oliver’s relationship is a more spontaneous connection, ‘whoever loved that loved not at first sight? ’ whereas Touchstone and Audrey simply see marriage as a natural part of life ‘as the ox has his bow, so wedlock does come nibbling’. The contrast between these couples combined with the comedic ending shows that belonging can arise through variety of relationships and connections. The Rainbow Fish similarly demonstrates that belonging can arise from a variety of relationships. The fish depicted in the book are of different shapes and sizes, and are even joined intermittently by other creatures; a starfish, an octopus, a shark, suggesting implying a diversity of connections that can lead to belonging. Also, the Rainbow fish’s scales are a combination of all the colours of the other monochromatic fish. Through this Pfiser is implying that we have something in common with everyone, and so connections with others are not limited to a certain type. The correlation between connections with people and belonging is perhaps seen most clearly in As You like It through the contrast between Rosalind and Jacques, the brooding melancholic. Shakespeare juxtaposes the two characters to make the point that belonging arises primarily from connections. Where Rosalind has many friends such as her ‘dear coz’ Celia, Orlando and Touchstone, Jacques is alone and friendless, reveling in his melancholy which he ‘loves better than laughing’. He chooses not to belong, symbolized in his refusal to partake in the final dance, despite being beseeched by the Duke to ‘stay, Jacques, stay! ’ Where Jacques rejects connections in favor of ‘matter to be heard and learned’, Rosalind embraces them, and as a result is the happier, more fulfilled character. Shakespeare’s use of contrast clearly shows that belonging, and hence happiness, is an intrapersonal phenomenon. In many ways, Chris of Into The Wild mirrors Jacques. He refuses to belong, striving after Platonic ideals similarly to how Jacques seeks learning. He explicitly says that ‘rather than love†¦give me truth’, paralleling Jacques preference for knowledge over belonging. Unlike Jacques however, he regrets his decisions towards the end, seen through the director’s use of the diary to convey his thoughts. In an extreme close up, he writes ‘lonely’ slowly and deliberately, and underlines it to highlight the intensity of his feeling of isolation. The music is sad and haunting, emphasizing his regret over his alienation. Further to this, the final scene consists of a series of rapid flashbacks depicting characters with which he formed relationships. The voiceover is in second person ‘what if I were smiling and running you’re your arms? ’, with the use of the conditional tense highlighting his regret at his rejection of connections. This use of voice over combined with positive cumulative images ending in a still shot of Chris, suggests that our sense of belonging is important to both happiness and a sense of self. Like Chris, the Rainbow Fish ultimately realizes the value of belonging. Initially he was a character like Jacques; when offered by the others to ‘come join in’ he would glide past, ‘proud and silent’. However, in the end he chooses to share his ‘shimmering scales’, a recurring motif symbolizing love and friendship. This transition from isolation to belonging is further emphasised by the positioning of the fish in the book. On the first page, he is depicted alone in the centre, with his back to the other fish. As he learns to belong, he begins to turn towards others, eventually ending face to face as he gives away the first scale. His change of attitude is also reflected in the shift in colour scheme, from cooler hues of blue to warmer purples. This suggests happiness and love, again implying that a sense of belonging is vital to happiness. Both As You Like It and Into the Wild show that belonging may, and does, arise out of the connections we make with other people. These connections are a natural part of the human condition and can take many shapes and forms, but they are essential to happiness as it is a shared phenomenon.

A Study Of The Use Of Microelectromechanical Systems

A Study Of The Use Of Microelectromechanical Systems In this paper, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) has been utilized to make miniaturized ion optics required for making the portable all-in-one mass spectrometer. Four different ion optics components were fabricated using deep-reactive ion etching (DRIE) of n-doped silicon-on-insulator. These components are 1 mm Bradbury-Nielsen gate, 500 Â µm coaxial ring ion trap (CRITter), reflectron optics and 500 Â µm Einzel lens. The Bradbury-Nielsen gate was made using a pattern of alternating electrode wires which either allows ions to pass or stop through the gate. The CRITter was made using five trapping rings and two end caps to make mass selection ion optics and it was also used in testing the alignment capability of fabrication process. The reflectron optics was made using a assembly of fifteen rectangular elements arranged in series. The fourth ion optics component was assembled MEMS Einzel lens which consisted of three lenses. It was used to focus the ions beam to increase the ion current and detectability. All the components were tested using ion produced with 70 eV EI ionization. These assemblies were characterized in terms of breakdown voltage, durability, and alignment. For current devices, the breakdown voltage was reported 750 V. The CRITter was tested with 1% toluene at pressure of 1 x 10-4 Torr. The resolution was limited due to the alignment errors and also aberration in etched designs got more impactful as the size of the ion trap was reduced. Current reflectron optics was not capable of resolving the peaks of toluene. Therefore, in the future analyzer path length will be increased by using multiple reflectrons. These miniaturized components were assembled using an encoded piezo-manipulator with pick and place capability. Resolution and ion attenuation was found to be the greatest concern of the current design at present. Fox, J.; Saini, R.; Tsui, K.; Verbeck, G., Microelectromechanical system assembled ion optics: An advance to miniaturization and assembly of electron and ion optics. Review of Scientific Instruments 2009, 80 (9), 093302. In this paper, a soft landing (SL) instrument has been developed with capability of depositing the ions onto the substrate for preparative analysis. The two important components of this instrument are custom made drift tube and two split rings. The drift tube is consist of 18 concentric rings along with two split rings at the end. The drift tube was filled with an inert buffer gas like He and operated from 1 to 100 Torr of pressure. High pressure gas thermalized the cluster ions on collision to 0.01 to 1.0 eV kinetic energy and separate the clusters formed by laser ablation. This helped in further analysis of deposited clusters on mica surface. Two functions of split-ring are to direct the cluster ions towards either detector or a landing surface. This instrument works on the principle of narrowing the kinetic energy of ions going through drift tube to prevent the fragmentation on landing. The gating function of split ring was performed using a homemade pulsing circuit that changes t he voltage across the split ring. The SL instruments was built with a quick door CF flange which reduced the number of gaskets required and helped in holding, adjusting and removing the detector and landing surface from the instrument without disassembling the instrument. A simple Faraday plate was used in SL instrument as detector. A 15 mm mica disk used for atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used as landing surface. Split ring pulsing helped in selecting and isolating the specific ion clusters. For initial experiments copper was used as analyte and it was ionized using laser ablation using ND-YAG laser. Mass spectrum of Copper was reported to have multiple peaks due to Cun+, CunOm+ ions formation in the presence of O2 as contaminant. After the cluster deposition on mica surface, surface was analyzed using AFM and was compared with the physical vapor deposition (PVD). In the future, other landing surfaces like gold, silicon, and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite can be used to bette r understand the deposition mechanism.

MKT 501 MoD 2 Case Assign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MKT 501 MoD 2 Case Assign - Essay Example Apple pursues a branding strategy, which mainly focuses on emotions of people. It reflects the lifestyle, liberty, imagination, passion, innovation, dreams, hopes and aspiration (Anonymous, n.d.). Furthermore, personality of the Apple brand, also, reflects simplicity as well as elimination of intricacies from lives of human beings. The company positions itself as a humanistic company, which believes in people-driven product design and maintains a cordial connection with customers. Hence, from an overall viewpoint, the branding and position strategy of Apple reflects a strong importance that the company gives to the needs and aspirations of customers. The web-based solution that manages workflow, acts as a communication tool as well as monitors real time performance from Microsoft is known as Multi Application Tracker System, or commonly known as MatsSoft (Anonymous, 2012). The product is principally aimed at speeding up daily operations of the health care, financial service and public sector. Since the last few years, the company has depended heavily on the referrals. However, the company has recently changed its branding and positioning strategy, where the firm seeks to increase overall sales by targeting new customers through channel partners as well as direct marketing efforts (Kulkarni, 2013). Nonetheless, due to adaptability to a large number of business activities, the company attempted to rebrand it in order to create a single brand identity for itself. As a result of that, the company launched a campaign and â€Å"strong blue-and-orange brand identity† was at the core of this campaign. The company positioned itsel f as a firm, which seeks others’ happiness by reducing complexities of business process. The tagline of the brand, â€Å"‘Happiness made easy’, is also consistent along with intentions of the firm. Hence, from the analysis, it is evident

Wars and Territorial Expansions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wars and Territorial Expansions - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the Middle East is still very enticing for invasion for oil. Invasion of Afghanistan by the United States in the last decade was a consequence of 9/11 and the US claims to have invaded Afghanistan because it felt insecure and wanted to prevent such terrorist attacks in the future. The Middle East, on the hand, claims that the US invaded Afghanistan to cement itself in the Middle East and take control of the oil resources. The statement in a discussion can be truer and applicable if the word â€Å"secure† is widened in its meaning. It instantly gives a meaning that a country invades another to secure its freedom. In the context of war, the security may also refer to security from economic declines, poverty, and hunger. It may be argued that many wars during the past 300 years have taken place to achieve a â€Å"balance of power† among the European countries as they had made various colonies in different parts of the world. The motive of suprem acy is in the basic human nature but it always sets in when the basic necessities of life are attained with ease. The European territorial expansions were triggered by the motive of attaining economic security as the resources are limited and wants are unlimited. The resources become abundant for a particular country when it explores that of another. As a result, the will to become the supreme power sets in. There is another reason for war which is the supremacy of religion. The Saracen territorial expansion was done in the name of the religion Islam and security had apparently no part in it. But a detailed discussion can lead us to raise the fact that Islam was threatened by its enemies very much during its flourishing years and invasion of its enemies made it secure.

Ayurvedic Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ayurvedic Medicine - Essay Example One of the most common physical sequelae of pregnancy is nausea and vomiting. While exact figures vary, most research indicates that anywhere from 70 to 85 percent of pregnant women have nausea and/or vomiting during pregnancy (Flake et al., 2004; Wilkinson, 1999). Quinlan and Hill (2003) indicate that generally nausea and vomiting begin between the fourth and seventh week after a woman's last menstrual period, and resolves by the 20th gestational week for 90% of women; Wilkinson (1999) notes simply that "morning sickness usually starts early in the pregnancy with symptoms peaking at 8-9 weeks and then disappearing by about the 14th week." Meltzer (2000) wisely notes "Studies of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are often made more challenging because of the subjective nature of the symptom of nausea versus the objective sign of vomiting." One indisputable danger from uncontrolled nausea and vomiting is development of hyperemesis gravidarum. Hyperemesis gravidarum, defined as, "persistent vomiting that is serious enough to cause fluid and electrolyte disturbance" (Jewell, 2003a) often necessitates hospitalization to rehydrate the woman and ameliorate electrolyte imbalances. Though the prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum is estimated at only .3% (Fisher-Rasmussen, 1990) to 3% (Hollyer et al., 2002), its consequences can be tragic if untreated. Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) impacts more than only the pregnant woman. Hollyer et al. (2002) report study findings where almost 50% of employed women reported reduced work efficiency due to pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, 25-66% reported having to take time off from work, with almost 50% reporting that the nausea and vomiting negatively affected their relationship with their partner including having an adverse effect on the partner's [italics added] day-to-day life. Clearly, finding a treatment to lessen NVP is long overdue, but fraught with risks. Since the 1960's thalidomide tragedy, research on medications used for pregnant women has been limited. Ethical concerns preclude "experimentation" of medications or treatments for a pregnant woman, thus much research relies on that which is known to date or is discovered spuriously. Treatments for NVP span both "traditional" (Western) and "complementary" (Eastern) medicine. A lengthy discussion of these treatment alternatives is beyond the scope of this paper, though Jewell (2003b) provides a concise summary in Clinical Evidence. This paper focuses on one particular treatment for NVP, the use of Zingiber officinale (ginger). As will be noted, ginger can be found in varying forms (syrup, tea, capsules, food products) and this variation may confound the inter-study correlations. Zingiber officinale (ginger), as noted in the Alternative Medicine Review (2003), has a long history of medicinal use, primarily in India and China, dating back 2,500 years. Though the reasons for its anti-emetic effect are not well defined, it is thought, "the aromatic, spasmolytic, carminative, and absorbent properties of ginger suggest it has direct effects on the gastrointestinal tract (Alternative Medical Review, 2003). Combining the known benefits of ginger in Ayurvedic and "Eastern"

Financial Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial Services - Essay Example Limited equity financing is used by most of the small or growth stage businesses. Whereas in debt financing, funds pour in from different quarters like from friends, relatives, etc. Venture capitalists are the most common source of equity funding. Venture capitalists may be institutional risk takers, financial institutions, wealthy persons, etc. and most of them specialize in industries. Venture capitalists are risk takers and show interest only in three to five year old companies that result in more than average profits. These venture capitalists are called as investment gurus whose interest lies in those companies that have major regional and national concerns. Commercial finance companies, financial institutions, banks, savings and loans, Lloyds Bank small business, etc. are some of the sources for debt financing. Because of their positive impact on the whole economy local and state government encourage the growth of the small companies. In debt financing additional funds comes from friends, family, relatives, and industry colleagues, etc when capital investment is smaller. Generally banks formed as a major source for loans for the establishment of small businesses. Banks don't offer long term loans to small firms instead they grant short term loans for machinery and equipment, they also offer demand loans to small firms that reduces the risk of leveraging the funds available. The Income Statement presents the summary of the income earned and the expenses incurred during a financial year. Position statement presents the financial position of the business at the end of the year. b) Financing One of the frequent reasons of business failure is poor management and insufficient and poor management of financing comes second1. For starting or relocating or expanding a business sufficient capital is required. Having good financing is not enough in attaining profits; proper knowledge and planning are required to manage it well. These help in strengthening the management of financing and avoid common mistakes like miscalculating or underestimating the cost. The Income Statement presents the summary of the income earned and the expenses incurred during a financial year. Position statement presents the financial position of the business at the end of the year. By Financial Statements, we mean two statements - (i) Profit and loss A/c or Income Statement, and (ii) Balance Sheet or Position Statements. These are prepared at the end of a given period of time. They are indicators of profitability and financial soundness of the business concern. Thus, analysis of Financial Statement means establishing meaningful relationship between various items of the two financial statements, i.e., income statement and position statement. Applying for a loan Loan application should be well written, so that the reader could get a clear picture of what your plans are. The presentation should be of the best quality in the initial loan proposal and application. Only industry specific details should be included so that reader can easily understand. Earning capacity or profitability The overall objective of a business is to earn a satisfactory return on the funds invested in it. Financial analysis helps in ascertaining whether adequate profits are being earned on the capital invested in the

Strategic Marketing Management Planning and Control Assignment

Strategic Marketing Management Planning and Control - Assignment Example For this, the Asian Star Corporation has to make a strategic marketing plan at the corporate level. Strategic planning refers to the process of maintaining and developing a strategic fit between the capabilities and goals of an organization and its varying opportunities in the market. The Asian Star Corporation should find the game plan for its growth and survival in the long run provided with its specific objectives, opportunities, resources, and situation. This should be the focus of its strategic planning. The stages for rest of the planning in the firm are set by the strategic planning. The annual plans, strategic and long-range plans are usually prepared by the companies. The long-range and annual plans deal with the current businesses of the company and the way to keep its continual operation whereas the strategic plan constitutes an adaptation of firm to take benefit of opportunities in its rapidly changing environment (Aaker, 2001). The Asian Star Corporation at its corporate level should start the process of its strategic planning by defining its overall mission and purpo se. The mission should then be turned into detailed supporting objectives guiding the whole company. Next, it should be decided that what portfolio of products and businesses is best for the company. Each product and business, in turn, should develop detailed marketing and other departmental plans to support the companywide plan (Drummond, Ensor and Ashford, 2001, pp.4-5). A mission statement is a statement of purpose of organization stating what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. So the Asian Star Corporation should develop its formal mission statement stating details like what is its current business and what should be its future business, who is its customer and what do consumers value. A clear and well-defined mission statement can give better financial and organizational performance to Asian Star Corporation.

Financial Planning Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Financial Planning Master - Essay Example This is done keeping in view the non deductible outcome regarding the superannuation funds at the age of sixty. They are advised to take Total permanent disability insurance that covers both life and disability insurance. In case of disability it will provide minimum possible income and the lump sum of amount mentioned as life cover. Along with the insurance cover, they are advised to opt for income protection scheme that replaces the 75 percent of the income and 15 percent of superannuation funds. The advice for Gavin and Joanne was given keeping their aggressive nature of investing. As they have enough cash after expenses including school fees they have enough opportunities to invest. Nevertheless, they are advised to invest with the equity of their immovable property and a limited investment in income protections and insurance schemes. This is due to the fact to keep the cash for the next next financial year for new government decisions regarding superannuation and income protecti on scheme policies. After two years of superannuation changes there is a chance of bringing changes in them and the surplus of cash in the hand can help in utilizing the new opportunities put forward by the government. 2.1 Mode of planning: The holistic approach to plan the financial future is known as financial planning. Setting short and long term goals are involved in it. Strategies are planned to achieve these goals. Financial back ground, current financial position, insurance position and the financial goals and aims. The planning should be done by developing a strategy taking into account all the factors that outline the work towards the financial goals. The investment plan will be with relevant investment vehicles and asset mixes that are been identified with the client. The financial planning depends on the following1. Setting life style goals 2. Budgeting cash flow planning 3. Structural advice 4. Wealth protection and contingency planning 5. Retirement planning and savings 6. Investment planning 7. Retirement planning and income streams 8. Estate planning 9. Product recommendations 1 2.2 Needs of the client: The needs of any client are about setting life style goals. To set a goal better than now and to sustain it. Clients Gavin and Joanne have a kid going to school and soon enter college. They have two homes one for each and a loan to repay. This makes them compulsory to plan the regular income to pay for the college of their kid in the future and to pay the bank loan on the home they own without disturbing the superannuation outcomes. This requires contingency planning with the available income. For this purpose, the incomes of Gavin and Joanne should be taken into consideration. This requires new investment in the superannuation, income protection and insurance schemes. It is better to have returns by the time of their son entering college to make him enable to study without working part time. 2.3 Superannuation ending at June 2007: They are trying to contribute superannuation to escape tax paying. By the year ending with June

Human rights and civil liberties - Choose one of the rights listed Essay

Human rights and civil liberties - Choose one of the rights listed below. Explain how the European Convention on Human Rights seeks to uphold that right, highli - Essay Example Under the Treaty, inhuman and degrading punishment would violate the rights of an individual, or even a child, to freedom from arbitrary treatment - such as excessive punishment or torture under imprisonment. There have been allegations of inhuman and degrading treatment in prisons and the provisions of the Geneva Convention have been found inadequate in this regard. However, Article 3 of the European Convention addresses all such violations of the right to freedom from discriminatory treatment. Article 3 has been primarily applied in respect to international victims of torture and cruel, arbitrary treatment while imprisoned. However corporal punishment of children is also emerging as an area where the provisions of Article 3 would apply. Such punishment would be equivalent to mental and physical torture which is deemed to be unacceptable under the Convention. Yet traditional belief has held that corporal punishment is an essential part of discipline and this conflict between punishm ent and freedom from torture has generated controversy within the European Union. In view of the fact that â€Å"we live in a society in which violence is spreading like a plague†4 and incidents of terrorist violence and destruction are soaring, the provisions of Article 3 of the Convention help to protect individuals from violence. When the violence or torture is perpetrated on children through corporal punishment, there is a special cause of action that arises for the exercise of Article 3, since children are in a weaker position as compared to adults. Corporal punishment can sometimes be excessive and thereby constitute degrading treatment that harms the child physically, emotionally and mentally. Legal reforms have been undertaken in several countries to declare corporal punishment of children unlawful - a violation of the protection against torture and inhuman treatment guaranteed under Article

Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication Essay Example for Free

Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication Essay 1.1 Review the range of groups and individuals whose communication needs must be addressed in own job role â€Å"Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader cant get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesnt even matter. — Gilbert Amelio President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp. The above statement makes a huge impact, and in the role as manager this is so true. Communication both professionally and personally starts with considerate, open and honest foundations. My team includes over 50 staff members without including the many visitors, and members of the multidisciplinary team. Everyone is different and should be treated individually; you learn very quickly people’s individual communication styles. You are dealing with a wide range of personalities and abilities and your own communication style has to deliver to a diverse group with differing skill sets, and communication abilities. My level of communication within my job role is of extreme importance with regards to the client who should be at the heart of all communication around any establishment or company. Dealing with people with hearing impairments, disabilities, cerebral palsy to name a few, it is essential my communication is clear and not lengthy. Effective communication is what enables all the different departments to work well within the organization including liaising with external agencies and individuals such as the CQC, Social Services, Continuing Health Care, Hospices and health professionals. It is also essential that whatever the form of communication, be it written, electronic, organizational, promotional, verbal, non-verbal, confidentiality is maintained. Read more: Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication As a manager in a care centre the groups and individuals I work with are varied and can range from clients with disabilities that effect many senses from hearing loss to those with sight loss or impairment. Plus the different members of the multi disciplinary team. Clients who are profoundly deaf may have the ability to sign or those with partial loss all need support to ensure they can be understood and they can communicate to the best of their ability. Key statistics state from Access Economics states that over two million people in the UK are living with sight loss and as we age we are increasingly likely to experience sight loss. Projected statistics of Dementia show there will be over one million people by 2021 and this effects peoples short and sometimes long term memory, speech, orientation, and general well being. We have clients that are borderline and able to stay with us because we can meet their needs. Dementia training is undertaking by all staff to increase the awareness and ability of everyone within the centre to support these individuals. Also in my care I have individuals with Parkinson’s, clients with Multiple Sclerosis, so it is a broad, challenging and extremely rewarding position when you see things ultimately manifest into cohesive functionality. 1.2 Explain how to support effective communication within own job role Within my role this is done by establishing the appropriate level of support and my role is to empower and promote the individuals rights. One of my observations during my time at work on the following criteria with relevant evidence as feedback from my assessor involved running a meeting with staff from all departments. Everyone has the right to communicate in which ever way is better for them and this is highlighted under the Human Rights Act 1998 which points out the freedom of expression and everyone should having the right to communicate. It is also part of my responsibility to see that the needs and preferences are assessed correctly and a benchmark can be established so we can see what level of support is required. This is done through completing documentation and making thorough assessments and continual monitoring. Any alterations are recorded and reviews and changes are highlighted to the team. There are always key elements to assessments and reviews, including the family and friends. Everyone has a responsibility to support individuals and bearing in mind ‘need to know’ information. The aim being able to achieve the highest goal to maintain effective open channels for everyone. In my role partnerships with: †¢ Family and friends †¢ Care Staff †¢ GP’s †¢ Nutritionalists †¢ Speech Therapists †¢ Social Workers †¢ Physiotherapists †¢ Consultants †¢ Other Nursing Home Managers †¢ Central Office All the above are people I may work with in order to gain information, which supports me in my role in making the best decisions and judgments’. Everyone needs educating and supporting including myself when looking at the individuals preferred method of communication, and everyone in the above list can give valid input in assessing for example swallowing by the speech therapists. This can include communication with the RN, GP for referral, to speaking with the catering chef and carers. By doing this with effective communication and documenting accurately we can ensure that everyone’s input is maximized and as well as being written and passed on verbally it is put into practice. This results in the clients personalized care needs being met fully and that best practice is recognized and understood by all individuals. Best Practice may require looking at staff training and that as a centre we have access to any specialist information, which may be through central office or outside sources. Training underpins knowledge and is the cornerstone to maintaining exceptional standards. 1.3 Analyse the barriers and challenges to communication within own job role. We hear it said ad ver batum, effective open honest communication is fundamental like breathing. It is a skill and when people communicate well it is a reflection of how smoothly things operate. Communicating in an appropriate and Communication is key. Appropriate, open, honest, practical, down to earth and accurate are words which can be associated with effective communication. There are barriers and challenges, which we will look at. A barrier is something which blocks and there can be many in the realms of communication. Anything that interrupts the flow. One thing can be the language used. Eradicating abbreviations, and avoiding corporate or professional jargon makes everything simpler. Physical Barriers: Possibly the environment, such as loud tvs can have a distracting effect. Temperature, lighting and how people are located, either close to each other. People may be in different locations as we have with central office. Failure of management to cascade information. Failure of technological equipment. Physiological/Emotional Barriers: Personal difficulties can effect concentration, clients with lack of understanding, or memory loss due to their condition. This could also include poor eyesight or hearing difficulties Poor Understanding and language differences: Different nationalities and cultural differences, understanding accents and sayings can be amusing or an ambiguity of words and meanings but again a barrier for everyone. Misinterpretation of body language could have an impact. Attitudes within an organization: This can be because of poor management, weak leadership. People refusing to communicate if they feel a lack of motivation or unhappy with work. General resistance to change can be another factor and lack of understanding about a subject or material. Is the content difficult an complex to understand. Values and Beliefs: Everyones values and beliefs can create underlying barriers often without people realizing which results in different responses to how something is dealt with. Use of Power, Corporate Bullying and Aggressiveness: These can lead to potential barriers because people do not function naturally or work to the best of their abilty Any of the above can result in the failure of communication or in a result, which was not wanted. The audience has to be considered and ultimately it is my role to act immediately to ensure barriers are overcome. 1.4 Implement a strategy to overcome communication barriers By assessing the situation, and implementing a plan initially we can quickly establish what needs to be done. By doing this we can see any barriers, which may arise. When dealing with a client a plan of care will identify the problems and what they would like to achieve. By working with everyone within the multidisciplinary team appropriate assessments with Speech Therapists for example can arrange the necessary aids, training if necessary for staff to understand food consistencies, how the client is to be seated and that they are mindful of the clients needs. Working with all professionals, interpreters, audiologists, GP’s etc, as a manager ensuring staff are adequately trained in all areas and mandatory training is up to date can eradicate many issues. 1.5 Use different means of communication to meet different needs Verbal, non verbal signing, signage, flip charts, pictures, Ipads, audio books, hearing aids, hearing loops, telephone amplifiers. Just a few of the many different ways we use to communicate within the care centre and not forgetting touch. A small gesture such as touch can go a long way and make a huge impression. Verbally I have communications with many people from the clients, staff, families, G.P’s etc and I have used an interpreter and translator for an Italian lady who was being assessed. Some research say the level of non verbal communication is as high as 80 %. There is so much we communicate through our body language, and we show how much we are engaged in communication by showing interest through our expressions. Flip charts and with new smaller technology such as IPads are a fantastic way to assist clients. Obviously hearing aids, and even the smart phones are voice activated and we have one client who loves the voice aid on the Iphone. We can see that we have a huge range and different ways of communicating. Essentially communication comes down to each individuals understanding and how we can best achieve that and making it personalized to each client.

The Old Man at the Bridge Essay Example for Free

The Old Man at the Bridge Essay The book I have read Ive recently read a book, which has made a very deep impression on me. It is named Gone with the Wind The author of the book is Margaret Mitchell. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in a family of the president of the Atlanta Historical Society. All the family was interested in American history and she grew up in an atmosphere of stones about the Civil War. After graduating from the college Margaret Mitchell worked for a time for the Atlanta Journal. In 1925 she got married. In the following ten years she put on paper all the stories she had heard about the Civil War. The result was Gone with the Wind. It was first published in 1936 and became the talking point of all America. In 1939 the book was made into a highly successful film. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable played the leading roles. Vivien Leigh won the Oscar. Everyone loved her high-spirited and beautiful heroine, Scarlett OHara. The story is set around the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865), when the Southern states went to war with the North to defend their way of life. It was a way of life in which rich gentry lived in large houses and owned huge areas of land, cultivated by black slaves. Scarlett OHara was born in one of those rich houses. But Gone with the Wind is also about a love triangle. While Scarlett loves the quiet, gentlemanly Ashley Wilkes, the wild and decidedly ungentlemanly Rhett Butler is in love with her. Not so long ago, in 1991, a publishing company asked Alexandra Ripley, a historical novelist, to write the continuation of the story. Her novel Scarlett was not in the same class as the original. Critics have been writing very bad reviews of Scarlett but the book is popular with the public. ? , .  «  ». — . ? , , ? . , ? ? ? . - ?  «Atlanta Journal ». ? 1925 ?. . ? , ? .  «  ». ? 1936 ?. ? . ? 1939 ?. . ? .  «Ã‚ ». ? , . ? (1861-1865), ? , . , ? ? , . ? .  «  » ? . ? , ?  «  » .  ? 1991 ?. , , , .  «Ã‚ » ? ? .  «Ã‚ » , . Entertainment Nowadays everybody knows that people are very busy and don’t have much time to spare. Sometimes it’s only the weekend and I think that every day-off needs some special planning. The English say: Who knows how to work, knows how to rest. I think it’s true. In my view rest is as important as work. I prefer spending my free time with the people whose company I always enjoy. I also like to spend my spare time alone, when I’m tired and haven’t got any desire to talk to anybody, very often I want to get away from noisy streets and go to the countryside and change the scenery. On the other hand I may go to different entertainment centers such as cinema, theatre, concerts halls, etc. If you want to be strong and healthy, go in for sports. There are many sports clubs, swimming-pools, gymnasiums and sport grounds for everybody who loves sports. Sport will make you not only healthier and stronger, but kinder, more sociable, cheerful and even wiser. Sport will give you its strength and energy and you’ll become a greater admirer of life with all its problems and wonders. Travelling is also a good way to spend my spare time. Visiting new places, seeing sights and meeting new people is a very exciting and useful relaxation. I can go hiking. In summer I like to be outdoors from morning till night, sunbathing, walking barefoot on the grass. My family or my friends are the very people to go with to the riverbank, to the forest or to the seashore. Its really wonderful to put up a tent, make a fire and spend time in a picturesque place. People are dreamers, our dreams are different but each person chooses his own way of spending free time, either passive or active. In any case leisure should be refreshment and a source of inspiration. Education in Great Britain: Schools In Britain it is compulsory for everyone between the ages of 5 and 16 years to receive some officially recognized form of schooling, though most secondary schools continue to provide education until the age of 18. The vast majority of pupils attend state schools, which are absolutely free (including all text books and exercise books), but there are also about 500 private schools providing secondary education. The most famous of these schools are Eton and Harrow. There is no statutory age at which students change from primary to secondary school, nor are schools specialized — pupils choose from the numerous subjects taught in their particular school. The recently introduced National Curriculum has made it compulsory, however, for three core subjects — English, mathematics, and science — and seven other foundation subjects — technology (including design), history, geography, music, art, physical education, and a modern foreign language — to be included in the curricula of all pupils. Passage from one academic year to the next is automatic. After a two-year course, usually from 14 to 16 years of age, most pupils take their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), assessed on the basis of a mixture of course work and a written examination, in individual subjects. Pupils obtaining at least five passes at GCSE can then specialize for two years (usually from 16 to 18 years of age) in two or three subjects, in which they take the General Certificate of Education Advanced level (A-level) examination. This is used as an entrance qualification for university (minimum two passes) and other types of higher education, as well as for many forms of professional training. Education in Great Britain: Higher Education (1) There is a considerable choice of post-school education in Britain. In addition to universities, there are also polytechnics and a series of different types of assisted colleges, such as colleges of technology, art, etc. , which tend to provide more work-orientated courses than universities. Virtually all students on full-time courses receive grants or loans from the Government which cover their tuition fees and everyday expenses (accommodation, food, books, etc. ). Universities in Britain enjoy complete academic freedom, choosing their own staff and deciding which students to admit, what and how to teach, and which degrees to award (first degrees are called Bachelor degrees). They are mainly government-funded, except for the totally independent University of Buckingham. There is no automatic admission to university, as there are only a limited number of places (around 100,000) available each year. Candidates are accepted on the basis of their A-level results. Virtually all degree courses are full-time and most last three years (medical and veterinary courses last five or six years). Students who obtain their Bachelor degree (graduates) can apply to take a further degree course, usually involving a mixture of exam courses and research. There are two different types of postgraduate courses — the Masters degree (MA or MSc) and higher degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Emperor Akbar And The List Of Fools English Language Essay

Emperor Akbar And The List Of Fools English Language Essay The emperor Akbar had many hobbies. He liked playing chess and flying kites; He liked listening to stories of other lands; but his favorite hobby was collecting horses, good horses. One day a horse dealer came to the palace. He had a team of horses to sell. The emperor came out and looked at the horses. They are very fine horses, said Akbar. Ill buy them. Have got any more? No sir, said the dealer. But if you give me some money, I will go to Afghanistan and buy some more. Akbar gave the horse dealer two hundred silver rupees for the team of horses, and two hundred rupees more to bring more horses from Afghanistan. He gave him the money but he did not ask him any questions. He did not ask what his name was, where he came from, or where he lived. The horse dealer took the money and went away. A few days later, Akbar asked Birbal to make a list of the ten biggest fools in India. Birbal made the list very quickly, and took it to the emperor. As Akbar began to read it, his eyes opened wide. The emperors name was at the top of the list! Whats this, Birbal? the emperor shouted. Why is my name at the top of the list? You deserve to be at the top, Birbal explained. You gave money to a stranger, and you didnt ask who he was or were he came from. Isnt that foolish? But I gave him the money to buy horses, said Akbar. When he brings me back the horses, Illà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. When he brings you the horses, Ill remove your name from the top of the list, and Ill write his name there instead, said Birbal. Then Akbar realized he had indeed been foolish. 1a) Take the story of The list of fools and write as many questions as you can think of; use as many question types as you can for each of the five levels. Obviously, you would not use all of them in one lesson. LEVEL ONE 1) What is the emperors name? Answer : his name is Akbar 2) The emperor likes to play chess? a) true b) false Answer : true 3) Did the emperor buy horses? Answer : Yes he did 4) How much did the emperor pay for the horses? Answer : the emperor paid 200 silver rupees acceptable answer : 200 silver rupees. 5) Did the emperor want to buy more horses? a) Yes b) No Answer : yes LEVEL TWO 1) How many hobbies does the emperor have? a) 1 b) 2 c) 4 d) 5 Answer : 4 2) Who came to the palace? a) Birbal b) the horse dearler Answer : the horse dealer 3) What is Akbars favourite hobby? a) playing chess b) collecting horses Answer : collecting horses 4) Did Akbar as k the horse dealer his name ? Answer : no he didnt 5) What is a fool? a) someone silly b) someone intelligent Answer : someone silly LEVEL THREE 1) Where does Akbar live? Answer : he lives in India Acceptable answer : in India 2) What did Akbar ask Birbal to do? Answer : He asked to make a list of fools Acceptable answer : a list of fools 3) Where did the horse dealer say he was going? Answer : he said he was going to Afghanistan Acceptable answer : to Afghanistan 4) Did the horse dealer come back? a) yes b) no Answer : no 5) Who was on top of the list of fools? Answer : It was Akbar Acceptable answer : Akbar LEVEL FOUR 1) Name all of Akbars hobbies? Answer : playing chess, collecting horses, flying kites and listening to stories Answers may not necessarily be in this particular order 2) What is a team of horses? Answer : It is a group or a bunch of horses. 3) When did Akbar ask Birbal to make the list of fools? Answer : A few days later 4) Why was Akbar surprised by Birbals list? Answer : he was surprised because his name was at the top. Acceptable answer : his name was on the list 5) Why did Birbal write the emperors name on the list? Answer : He wrote the emperors name because the emperor gave money to a stranger without knowing his name or where he came from. Acceptable answer : He gave money to a stranger LEVEL FIVE 1) Who is wiser, Akbar or Birbal? Answer : It is Birbal 2) Why did Akbar gave another 200 silver rupees to the horse dealer? Answer : To buy another team of horses Acceptable answer : to buy more horses 3) Do you think the horse dealer will come back ? Answer : Much of this answer will depend on the students point of view. a) The most obvious would be that the horse dealer is not going to come back and that he was smarter than the emperor. b) Some students may want to answer yes, believing that the horse dealer is an honest man. 4) In your opinion, why do you think Akbar never asked the horse dealers name or where he came from? Answer : Because Akbar trusted the horse dealer 5) Why did Akbar interrupt Birbal? Answer : because Akbar was angry to see his name on the list Acceptable answer : he was angry 1b) When you have done this, decide the approximate age and level of a class of students with whom you could use the story. i) Assume you are using it for listening comprehension, and make a selection from the above say, 20 questions for oral question and answer. Give the answers that you expect from the students and which you would find acceptable. This is a class of young adults at a pre-intermediate level. The passage The list of fools is being used for listening comprehension and speaking practice. A list of twenty questions has been set. What is the emperors name? Answer : His name is Akbar Where is the emperors palace? Answer : the palace is in India What is Akbars favorite hobby ? Answer : his favorite hobby is collecting horses What kind of horses does the emperor like ? Answer : he likes fine horses. Who came to the palace? Answer : the horse dealer Did the emperor like the horses ? Answer : yes he did What makes you think the emperor liked the horses? Answer : because he wanted to buy more horses How much in total did the emperor pay the horse dealer? Answer : he paid in total 400 silver rupees Where was the horse dealer going : Answer : he was going to Afghanistan What is the horse dealers name ? Answer : it was never mentioned Do you think the horse dealer will come back ? Answer : The answer will vary according to the students, some may choose to believe the horse dealer is an honest man, while others may believe the dealer is dishonest and will not come back. Who is Birbal in the story ? Answer : he is the court adjuster, or like the Prime Minister. Why do you think the emperor never asked the horse dealer any questions? Answer : The answer will vary according to the students, some may think the emperor trusted the horse dealer, while others may believe the emperor was not very smart. What did the emperor ask Birbal to do? Answer : he asked him to make o list of the ten biggest fools in India What is a fool ? Answer : a silly person or someone who has done something silly In the story, what do you think the expression His eyes opened wide mean? Answer : It expresses the emperors surprise when he saw his name at the top of the list of fools. Explain why was the emperor surprised to see his name on the list of fools ? Answer : The answer will generate multiple answers. The main answer will be, as the emperor he should be not be included as he is the ruler of India. Who do you think is smarter? The emperor or the horse dealer? Answer : the horse dealer for taking the money. Why did the Emperor shout at Birbal? Answer : He felt insulted to be at the top of the list Why did Birbal interrupt the Emperor at the end of the story ? Answer : to make the Emperor realize that he had been foolish for trusting a total stranger with money. 1b) When you have done this, decide the approximate age and level of a class of students with whom you could use the story. Now assume you are using the story for intensive reading. Prepare a worksheet of 10 questions testing comprehension and vocabulary. (Some but not all may be similar to those in i.) Include at least 2 multiple-choice questions and two WH questions. Indicate the answers you would find acceptable. This is a class of young adults at a pre-intermediate level. The passage The list of fools is being used for intensive reading. A worksheet of ten (10) questions has been set to test the comprehension and vocabulary. What is an Emperor ? Answer : He is a man who is the ruler of an empire / a ruler, a royal leader In the sentence A team of horses, The word team can be replaced by : players group crew company Answer : b) a group of horses Where does the story take place ? Answer : the story takes place in India Find and list all the proper nouns from the story : Answer : Akbar, Birbal, Afghanistan, India What type of stories did the Emperor like ? Answer : He liked stories of other lands In the sentence Isnt that foolish? The word foolish can be replaced by : Wise Clever Silly Sensible Answer : c) silly In the sentence : He liked listening to stories of other lands What does other lands means ? Answer : It means other countries. What are hobbies ? Answer : an activity that you enjoy doing in your free time ( interest, pastime) Was the horse dealer an honest person and why ? Answer : No he was not honest because he did not come back with more horses. Why did the horse dealer come to the palace ? Answer : He came to sell horses.

Birth of A Nation :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Birth of a Nation: 1607-1815   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It has been said that the Declaration of Independence was more democratic and for equality and the Constitution was more for a republic that benefited only some people. The Declaration was idealistic the Constitution realistic. That 1776 gave us liberty and 1787 gave us order. Although as unfair as it may sound this seems to be true. After gaining liberty this country had to establish a system that would have order.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When declaring independence, the bulk of the people thought that would be â€Å"†¦to burn the last bridge, to become traders in the eyes of the mother country.† (Garraty 110). John Dickinson had stated, â€Å" ‘Torn from the body to which we are united by religion, liberty, laws, affections, relation, language and commerce, we must bleed at every vein.’ â€Å" (Garraty 110). The people were afraid to break away, they pondered â€Å" ‘Where shall we find another Britain.’ â€Å" (Garraty 110). Eventually independence was inevitable. There was a great mistrust towards both Parliament and George III when the colonists heard that the British were sending hired Hessian soldiers to fight against them in the revolution. The pamphlet written by Thomas Paine entitled Common Sense called boldly for complete independence. This reflected his opinions on George III, calling him a brute, and also attacking the idea of monarchy itself. à ¢â‚¬Å"Virtually everyone in the colonies must have read Common Sense or heard it explained and discussed.† (Garraty 110). John Adams dismissed it as something he had said time and time again. â€Å"The tone of the debate changed sharply as Paine’s slashing attack took effect.† (Garraty 110). A committee was appointed by Congress, consisting of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and many more. â€Å"The committee had asked Jefferson to prepare a draft† that would soon become known as the Declaration of Independence. (Garraty 112). It consisted of two parts: an introduction which justified the abstract right of any people to revolt and described the theory on which the Americans based their creation of a new, republican government, and a second part that made George III, rather than Parliament, look like the ‘bad guy’. â€Å"†¦The king was the personification of the nation against which the nation was rebelling.† (Garraty 112). â⠂¬Å"The Declaration was intended to influence foreign opinion, but it had little immediate effect outside Great Britain, and there it only made people angry and determined to subdue the rebels.

Rose Madder- By Stephen King- Evaluation :: essays research papers

Rose Madder- by Stephen King- evaluation Plot Rosie lived with her husband Norman for fourteen painful and tormenting years, until she made the decision of her life, and therefor totally changed her life for all future times. Day after day Norman punched and beat his wife, who never could stand a chance. One damp morning in April she decided to hit the road in purpose to get rid of his evil fists. Totally unprepared for what the future might bring Rosie left their house with nothing but her purse, Norman’s creditcard and the clothes which she for the time being was wearing. She had nothing to loose. Her situation could hardly become worse; she was already in the kingdom of hell itself. Rosie brought out a few hundred dollars with Norman’s creditcard, before she took first best flight to the other side of the country. As she started experiencing her new hometown, eight hundred miles away from her husband, she met both kind and less kind people. Everywhere Rosie went she gazed over her shoulder in fear of spotting Norman. This Norman wasn’t a normal wife-torturing tormentor. He also was a cop who knows how to track people, after all that was his professional. If you read this book, which I suggest you do, you will see how things work out for Rosie. You will be able to follow Rosie’s new life as she makes new friends and how she equips her new apartment. One day she finds a very beautiful painting, but this very painting isn’t any kind of painting. It actually has magical powers†¦. I can’t unveil any more of the plot without destroying the readingpleasure, but there is one thing you should carry back in your mind as you read the book; the painting is the main element which most of the story circles round. Style and technique etc (dot four) â€Å"There is something inhuman about the way he looks as he comes toward her with his head lowered and his hands hanging at his sides and the long muscles in his thighs flexingâ€Å". As an affectionate King-fan I can assure you this is a typical Stephen King- line. After all he is the master of horror. Most recently I finished reading the King- novel â€Å"The eyes of the dragonâ€Å", which I have chosen to refer to in this case. â€Å"Flaggâ€Å" is the inhuman wizard who everyone is afraid of and not dares to face.

My Educational Philosophy :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Essays

My Educational Philosophy Education is diverse. Due to the various natures of knowledge and students, it is difficult to place my educational philosophy in one category. Each student is unique; curriculums vary depending on many factors. I feel that many educational philosophies are beneficial to education. The nature of students reflects many things including heredity, home life, and society as a whole. Through my experiences working with Americorps/Energy Express, I learned children from lower income families tend to lose three months of education during the summer break. The students never regain these losses. While lower income children lose learning, children from higher income families gain a month of learning. This demonstrates the importance of home life in the nature and education of students. When teaching, one must always consider the aspects that may affect the students’ nature along with the nature of knowledge. Knowledge is both relative and absolute. Literature is an example of relative knowledge. Interpretation of books or poetry depend on the person reading the material, the place where the literature is read, and the time period in which the person is living. Science and mathematics are absolute. One plus one equals two regardless of the time, place, or person. Acquiring knowledge, whether absolute or relative, is the purpose of education. Public education is important to improving society and the future. Like Plato, I feel education gives people the ability to think critically instead of being blindly led by others. As a future teacher, I am idealistic in that I hope to encourage students to challenge themselves, I also hope to encourage students to continue learning throughout life, and prepare for college. To accomplish these goals, I will incorporate pragmatic methods like hands on activities through laboratory experiments and problem solving into my teaching. This also falls under experimentalism. The Socratic method of small group discussions, lecturing, and questioning will be used to help students acquire knowledge. Using many methods will help all students to understand the material presented. Discipline will play an important role in reaching my goals for the students. I plan to use pragmatic methods also in establishing rules.

Destructors/the Lottery Compare and Contrast Essay

While the characters in the two short stories Destructors by Gramham Greene and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson had unexpected endings the characters varied in qualities, emotions, and motivation. Each story seems to reveal a surprising outcome and turn of events as their personalities unfolded. As the climax grew the outcome was not so predictable. In the Destructors the main characters were T (Trevor), the house, and Mr. Thomas (Old Misery). Trevor was the new recruit and was described as being very silent and reserved. The author begins to paint a picture of how Trevor’s life used to be. It stated that his father use to be an architect but is now a clerk as they have â€Å"come down in the world† (Greene). His mother had even viewed herself as being better than the neighbors. Trevor was very upset with the middle class and wanted to take his revenge and frustrations out on a nearby neighbor’s house, Old Misery’s. Starved with envy he concocted a scheme to destroy the house not just by vandalizing the property but by literally destroying it from the inside out until there was nothing left. It seemed as though no one really new Trevor and would have envisioned what he was actually capable of. The emotions, attitudes, and the behaviors of Trevor were intense as he was obsessed with destroying Old Misery’s house. His emotions seem to get out of control as Mr. Thomas ends up arriving home early and the rest of the Gang is ready to bail as the fear of getting caught presents itself. â€Å"Trevor yells that it is not fair. † This statement is very important as it now reflects and shows the drive and passion for destroying Old Myserys house. Blacke a fellow gang member agrees to stay and complete the tasks at hand. I thought that Trevor was very selfish for his acts. It was not right to destroy someone’s home due to envy. Later in the story he shows his compassion as he locked the Mr. Thomas in the shed and gave him some food and a blanket so that he didn’t starve or get cold during the night while they completed the job. The motivation behind Trevor’s actions was that he was upset that his house and lifestyle had been destroyed. Statements early in the story like â€Å"Wren built that house father says† reflects that T was in deep though regarding Old Misery’s house. At first the text didn’t reveal his thought and actions but as the story was told his actions were known. There are various events in the story that make you question his motivation as they find Old Misery’s money. Blacke asked Trevor was he going to steal and he says no that they were not thieves and end up burning it. It’s odd that you can view taking money as a thief but not find fault in destroying someone’s home. The fact that he even burned Old Misery’s money depicted this overwhelming need for Old Misery to experience the financial strain that he and his family was experiencing. Unlike the Destructors who had only a few characters there were many characters that made a brief appearance in the story. The author really didn’t go into great detail regarding one individual but provides just enough to set the foundation of each character. The main characters of this short story were Tessie Hutchens and The Lottery. Tessie Hutchens played a major role as I felt she was the protagonist in the story. Tessie stands out from the beginning as she arrives late to the Lottery. The fact that she was doing house work and almost forgot what day it was shows that she had very little concern. The emotions, attitudes, and the behaviors of that of the Lottery were very similar to that of the Destructors. The community carried out this horrible tradition without a second thought. Tessie was very selfish as she was willing to sacrifice her family to save herself. Everyone was well aware of the rules and regulations of this traditional event. Bill Hutchinson selected the slip of paper that would put his family in the drawing for the Lottery. But once Tess had won the Lottery she goes into a rampage and panics stating â€Å"You didn’t give him enough time to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair! † She demanded a recount and gave various excuses why they should start over. During her outrage and panic she goes as far as to suggest that her daughter and son in law should be included in the Hutchinson family. The proctor of this event states â€Å"Daughters draw with their husbands’ families, Tessie, and that â€Å"You know that as well as anyone else. † It’s odd that she didn’t think enough of the Lottery to show up on time but now that she has won the Lottery it’s a different story. At first glance you couldn’t tell the motivation of Tess. As it wasn’t clear as to what the Lottery was. At first the story had a sense of calmness by all involved It wasn’t until the end of the story that it was revealed what the lottery actually meant.. The fact that Tess was protesting the matter showed that it could not be a good thing. Her panic was created in the fear of her being stoned to death. She was also willing to break a tradition that had been conducted for over 76 years because she had won. As long as she didn’t win the lottery she had very little concern. But in the end everyone around her was eager to carry out the tradition and get on with their day. The reasons of this tradition were never revealed but it was conveyed that this was something that was carried out every year without a second thought. Both of these stories carried very unbelievable and disturbing situations. In some ways they were alike and in others very different. In the destructors it was a bit concerning that a young boy could have so much anger towards a house and be mad because of his situation. As a result he then passed on that anger and resentment to a fellow neighbor. The character Trevor seemed to not think about anyone else but himself. The story left me feeling sorry for Mr. Thomas as he now had no house and money. In the Lottery its questionable on how so many people could go along with such a horrible tradition and the lack that no one would even question the validly of it. It also showed that Tess was very selfish as she was willing to sacrifice anyone but herself. It makes you wonder how a mother could even fathom to put their child in their place for such a heinous act. In the end this reveals a scary side of human nature.

Ethics in Decision Making Essay

Decision making or the process of choosing among alternatives is practiced by almost all individuals (Mingst, 2001). In almost every situation people is faced with the idea of making decisions whether it is as simple as choosing what clothes to buy up to life changing choices like deciding on a particular career path. This kind of act is not always as simple as it looks like especially when decisions are perceived according to particular factors that affect it. The choices that a person made are often influenced by many factors and one of which is the idea of ethics. Ethics is a set of standards that directs an individual on how to act in certain situations. The idea of ethics is often confused with feelings, law, religion, science, and cultural norms. These concepts influenced ethics in one way or another but these are not synonymous with it. Ethical standards are derived from five sources namely: Utilitarian Approach, Rights Approach, Fairness or Justice Approach, Common Good Approach, and Virtue Approach (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Utilitarian Approach emphasizes the idea that ethical action gives greater good and minimal harm. This approach is after the results of particular decisions that it should strived to give more advantageous effects rather than adverse consequences. A good example of this is ethics in corporation that aim to produce more beneficial results for everyone in the company (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Rights Approach is a source of ethical standards that gives high regards in respecting and protecting the moral rights of those people concern. This can be rooted from the idea that the very essence of an individual’s humanity that enables him/her to make decisions for oneself entitled each one of them to a sense of dignity. Based on this dignity, their rights as individuals should be given due importance. These rights also come with its corresponding duties and one of which is to respect the rights of other people as well (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Fairness or Justice Approach is based on the arguments of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers that â€Å"all equals should be treated equally†. Ethical actions should treat individuals equally but if there is inequality then there should be a defensible standard as to such. A corporate environment is a best example of such approach because workers are paid according to their productivity and contribution to the company, which is perceived as fair. However, there is contention when it comes to the CEOs of companies because their salary is many times larger than the others which make such disparity unfair for some (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Common Good Approach gives value in the importance of life. They believe that the very idea of life is good which is why ethical actions should contribute to the well-being of that life. The intermingling of societal relationships as well as the respect and care for others especially the marginalized are emphasized. Furthermore, this approach also highlights the importance of conditions that bring common good (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Virtue Approach is considered as a very ancient way of looking at ethical actions. Certain virtues are to be followed in order to attain the full development of human beings. These virtues are needed in order to reach the full potential of ones character. Questions like â€Å"What kind of person will I become if I do this? † or â€Å"is this action consistent with my acting at my best? † are taken into consideration in this approach (Santa Clara University, 2007). These aforementioned sources of ethics could be applied in the process of decision making especially with the individuals or decision makers that are involved within the process. Decision makers have various motivations and characteristics that affect their choices. There are two types of motivation namely the â€Å"in-order-to motives† and the â€Å"because-of-motives†. The â€Å"in-order-to motives† explains that a decision maker will choose a particular decision in order to accomplish a certain objective (Mingst, 2001). Ethics could highly influence this kind of motivation especially in terms of the Utilitarian, Virtue, and Common Good approaches. The Utilitarian approach is manifested in the â€Å"in-order-to motives† because if an individual will make a decision based on an objective of producing more good rather than harm then it already fulfils an ethical action in the Utilitarian perspective. In terms of the Virtue approach, ethics is seen in the motivation of the decision maker when the choices made are based on an objective that helps the development of an individual towards its full potential. The Common Good approach also asserts ethics because actors are influenced to choose decisions that will bring about the greater good to the most number of people. On the other hand, the â€Å"because-of-motives† arises from the â€Å"unconscious or semiconscious motives or impulses arising out of previous life experience or inner values, interests, or drives of the decision maker† (Mingst, 2001). Ethical action becomes possible in the decisions made by an individual based on the ideas of the Rights Approach and the Fairness or Justice Approach. The Rights Approach exemplified the moral rights of the people that should be respected and protected. These rights motivate the decision maker to make choices that will uphold these values. Similarly, the Fairness or Justice Approach also influences the motive of the decision maker by putting in mind the idea of what is equal from what is not especially if such idea is something that the individual values or has interests on. According to the assumptions of the Decision Making Theory, a rational actor plays a vital role in the decision making wherein that individual is well-aware of the list of available alternatives and capable of calculating each option’s possible results and has the freedom of choice to select the one with the highest preferential value. However, the biographical knowledge of the decision maker has a crucial role in the choices that will be made. Factors such as a person’s educational background, religion, life experiences, mental and physical health as well as other activities could explain the interests and values of the decision maker (Mingst, 2001). An individual decision maker is already influenced by numerous factors that affect its decisions which make decision making for a collective entity of diverse people more complicated. A population would have various and sometimes conflicting interests and basically different decisions. In such case, the important factor for this diverse population to successfully arrive at a most advantageous decision is to acquire consensus. Consensus building is an important factor for the decision making process of a diverse population. Since they have numerous interests and motives they need to be able to arrive at a decision that everybody will benefit from even if it means having to compromise at times. In doing so, they also need an appropriate leader that would collaborate their interests. A democratic form of leadership is a good example of how the process of decision making takes place in a diverse population (Bissessar, 2004). The interests of its citizens are represented through party system as well as by elected political leaders. However, numerous party systems is still not that easy to manage which is why a rational and appropriate leader is still needed that would be able to make sound decisions for its citizens. The decision maker is the most important part of the decision making process. The motives, interests as well as the background of this rational actor are vital in order to understand the choices that are made. Being the case, ethical standards is also one of the factors that influenced these decisions. This also applies in the decision making of diverse population because they need consensus building in order to embody their various and sometimes conflicting interests. In doing so, it also need an appropriate leader that would collaborate their interests and implements the decision.Ethical standards and the other factors that influence the decision maker have a big part in the selection of sound decisions. References Bissessar. A. M. (2004). Globalization and Governance: Essays on the Challenges for Small Countries. North Carolina: McFarland. Santa Clara University. (2007). A Framework for Thinking Ethically. Retrieved 14 May 2008, from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework. html. Mingst, K. (2001). Essentials of International Relations. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

Procter & Gamble: A Company with Global Operations

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a leading manufacturer of personal and home care products. P&G is an international company that operates in 40 different countries. This paper will examine the environmental factors that affect how effective P&G’s global marketing efforts are. These factors known as environmental forces include social and economic forces, as well as technological, regulatory, and competitive forces.Any business operating internationally is impacted by these environmental factors which affect how the company will market its product. Understanding how these forces impact its operations will help P&G understand the interworkings of the economy both globally and domestically and the trends that currently impact its marketing efforts, which will help P&G, create and successfully implement its marketing plan. Operating Globally:In this day and age, globalization has allowed companies to operate internationally. According to Panayotou (2000), â€Å"Globalization is an on-go ing process of global integration that encompasses economic integration through trade, political interaction, information technology, and culture. Globalization brings people, culture, and information together. Globalization has helped P&G operate globally because it lowers trade barriers and increases the dependence between countries for goods and services, which means there is a bigger market for the goods that companies like P&G offers.Globalization came about as countries saw that other countries could produce products better and cheaper than another country could (comparative advantage), so countries began producing what they had an advantage in and selling it to other countries. This trading of products became an accepted practice and eventually spurred economic growth. This caused countries and  businesses to begin operating in the global market because it allowed companies to tap into this greater demand and new market for goods and services, which would expand their custo mer base and profit potential. Procter & Gamble: The Importance of Demographics & Physical InfrastructureP&G knows that when operating globally the company needs to market its product, and this means you have to have a clear understanding of the market of people that will be using the product. This means understanding the people and their different cultures. Every country has a different culture. Culture tells a story about where people come from, who they are, and what is socially acceptable. Culture affects the way people perceive the world around them, and this means it will affect the way products should be marketed. A significant part of our culture is our background, characteristics, and demographics.Demographics provide vital information about a country’s people. Information about a country's demographics help P&G to determine the right people to market its products to and how to appeal to them in its marketing plan. P&G manufacturers and sells its products world-wide including nations outside North America, Western Europe, Japan and Korea where there is a growing demand for its products. These countries represent places with high populations of people who are aging and take care of themselves, which means they need basic household items which P&G manufacturers such as detergents and grooming products.P&G is well- positioned in the industry segments and markets in which it operates. P&G’s success is a result of its ability to adapt its marketing mix to the standards and culture of the country in which it operates. It does this by having a good understanding of the country’s demographics and its physical infrastructure which help facilitate the development and operations of its companies. A countries physical infrastructure helps marketers determine how products will go from the manufacturer, to retailers, to the customer. Going Global: The Effect of Trade Practices and AgreementsTrade is an integral part of any country’s grow th and stability. Trade is fostered by global economic interdependence and gives counties access to a  wider array of products and services. Over the past decade trade has become global; trade negotiations have expanded to include more countries and are now regulated by international agreements and the World Trade Organization (Boundless, 2013). Trade has created a global economic interdependency. Global economic interdependence illustrates the ideal that no country is completely self-sufficient. â€Å"There is a need for trade among nations for goods and services as well as the resources needed to survive and grow in the global economy† (Nebraska Department of Education, 2013, para1).This means that decisions made in one country will directly affect what happens in another country making countries more susceptible to economic problems. Although, trade increases a country’s wealth trade also leads to inequality which is why countries have trade agreements. Trade agre ements are negotiated by each nation who has their own interests’ in-mind, which means some level of protectionism to protect industries that are essential to that nation (Boundless, 2013). Costs of Operating Globally: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977Any company with international operations is susceptible to a number of risks. These risks include complying with U.S. laws affecting operations outside of the United States, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Foreign Corruption Act was developed to eliminate the potential of bribery to foreign officials, thwart money laundering, and reduce corruption and restore confidence in the business system.When operating internationally, companies must abide by several laws and legislation on the local, national, and international level. This is because the company conducts business with other nations and this means abiding by the laws, rules and customs which govern the business transaction between the two nations. Furthe rmore, companies must also take into account that political systems directly influence international relations between nations.This is because each country has it own laws and acceptable business practices. As well as its own political system that determines what a company can do when trying to conduct business in that country. When conducting business with different countries it is important to be aware of its political systems as it determines where products can be marketed and  what laws must be abided by (Chavis, 2013).TechnologyTechnology changes the way companies operate and conduct business. Technology allows companies with international operations to achieve success by allowing them to be innovative. Technology helps companies improve its equipment and manufacturing processes and anticipating consumer acceptance. On a global perspective, technology allows companies to go outside the traditional confines of selling a product and enables them to sell their products virtually anywhere. Technology has influenced every aspect of business from increasing efficiency to providing access to information and changing how companies communicate with their customers. Social Responsibility, Ethics, & Legal Obligations:To be profitable companies must understand that there is more to staying in business than earning a hefty amount of money. Companies must also consider the social implications of their operations. This is especially important for companies operating in the global market because a damaging reputation can impact its sales domestically and internationally. Any company looking to stay in business must abide by the laws and legislation of the company in which it is operating. For example, P&G is subject to tax regulations in the United States and multiple foreign jurisdictions, and it is their responsibility to be aware of any changes in the laws and regulations of these countries.In business, social responsibility and ethics go hand in hand. A company tha t seeks to have a positive impact on society is usually a company that seeks to operate responsibly and in doing so the company upholds the highest moral and ethical standards. Ethics help ensure that companies use good business practices in its operations and help companies fulfill its social responsibility to help improve the lives of its people.For P&G social responsibility and ethics drive the company. P&G is in the business of â€Å"providing products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers, now and for generations to come† (P&G, 2013, para.2). P&G believes that by being socially responsible, and ethical its â€Å"consumers will reward P&G with leadership sales, profit and value  creation, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work to prosper† (P&G, 2013). ConclusionInternational companies understand that success is not just creating an appealing marketing campaig n. To be successful companies have to plan extensively and have a good understanding of the global market. To market a product internationally companies must examine and plan for the environmental factors that influence how effective their global marketing efforts are. In doing so, the company will effectively reach its new market of customers and create a unique position in the minds of its customer which creates brand loyalty, generates sales, and increase profit potential.

Iqbal’s Theory of Knowledge Essay

Iqbal cannot be classed under any of the three schools of philosophical thought: the empiricist, the rationalist or the intuitionist. In his theory of knowledge, sense perception, reason and intuition, all are combined in an organic whole. He knew full well that light from one direction alone could not illumine the whole of reality in all its manifestations. The ontological problem needs to be approached from all angles, scientific and religious, in order to secure some articulate, luminous and well-established grounds. It is in the light of this view that he advances his theory of knowledge, which promises both direct evidence and indirect experience of God or Reality—the former by intuition or immediate experience and the latter by reflective thought. Rationalism, though not admired, is not wholly condemned and discarded by him. On the contrary, according to him, if rationalism is not divorced from concrete reality, it represents truth. This is visible from his own attitude and is also betrayed by his admiration for prophets and mystics and non-mystic rationalists, whose quest and yearning for a coherent system of ideas resting on a rational foundation and rendering religion more secure and fruitful is well-known[1]. He admits and justifies the metaphysical methods. In his words, â€Å"Now since the transformation and guidance of man’s inner and outer life is the essential aim of religion, it is obvious that the religious truths which it embodies must not remain unsettled. No one would hazard action on the basis of doubtful principles of conduct. Indeed, in view of its function, religion stands in greater need of rational foundation of its ultimate principles than even the dogmas of science. Science may even ignore a rational metaphysics; indeed it has ignored it so far. Religion can hardly afford to ignore the search for a reconciliation of the opposition of experience and justification of the environment in which humanity finds itself. â€Å"[2] But rationalism, as preached by Iqbal, is not based upon logical categories or mere abstract representations. Born of and nursed in the realism of purely abstract ideas it is not divorced from concrete, reality. It has a definite function to perform which should not, however, be over-emphasised to the detriment of other knowledge-yielding elements—at the expense of sense experience and other sources of knowledge. Thus, while Iqbal embraces rationalism, he is not prepared to justify it at the cost of sense experience. Abstract thinking apart from the latter is of no consequence and even dangerous. He criticises Socrates, Plato, Mu’tazilites and other thinkers for avoiding visible reality as unreliable and misleading. Socrates restricts the field of inquiry to the human problems particularly to morality. â€Å"Trees†, he says, â€Å"can teach me nothing. † Even within the human field he believes knowledge is possible only through concepts. [3] Only reason could give true and ultimate know-ledge; sensation gives only imagination or at the most belief. Plato also accuses sense-perception as capable of giving mere opinion and not real knowledge. He rests all knowledge upon pure reason and weaves the whole fabric of Supreme and Ultimate Reality out of ideas, taken as Eternal and Really Real. This attitude towards sense-perception is not without a parallel in the subsequent thought. Ibn Rushd and Al-Ghazali, the former while defending and the latter while attacking Greek Philosophy, have troddden the same path as far as the avoidance of empirical reality is concerned. Iqbal attacks Ibn Rushd as well as Al-Ghazali. He contends that Ibn Rushd, through his doctrine of Immortality of the Active Intellect, takes a view opposed to what the Qur’an has to say about the value and destiny of the human ego, and thus obscures man’s vision of himself, his God and his world. Similarly, Al-Ghazali’s philosophical scepticism is held by him as an unsafe basis for religion; it is also not wholly justified by the spirit of the Qur’an[4]. All this shows that Iqbal is in favour of taking full congnizance of the visible and concrete reality. He does not encourage man’s contemplative spirit to the extent that it may lead to his withdrawal from the world of matter, which. with its tempora. flux and shifting phenomena, is organically related to Ultimate Reality. Hence, for the purposes of knowledge, it is entirely inconceivable to turn away from the material world and to withdraw into a purely contemplative circuit. There is no possibility of complete separation or independence of thought from concrete experience. On the contrary, one should take his start from here because it is the mental comprehension of the concrete that makes it possible for the intellect of man to pass beyond the concrete. [5] He invites us to take account of and to be fully awake to the material phenomena with all their passing and changing scenes and sights—heaven and earth, sun and stars, clouds and mountains, deserts and oceans. They are the signs of the Ultimate Reality and it is the duty of- one to reflect on these signs and not to pass by them as if one is like the deaf and the blind, for one who does not see these signs in this life will remain blind to the realities of the life to come. [7] They are the manifestations of Divine Effulgence and reflective observation into their ultimate nature reveals the secret of Divine Reality[8]. As a matter of fact, Iqbal takes an eclectic view of the whole question. He preaches neither reason nor sense-perception exclusively. Sensation being a chaotic jumble, upholds Iqbal, cannot lead to knowledge. It is reason that imparts harmony, organisation and coherence to this chaotic jumble and moulds it into a knowledge-yielding pattern. He pleads for reflective observation and scientific experiment. He takes full advantage of modern empirical science, though he never stops short at the visible aspect of Reality as the last word in the realm of existence. The sensible Reality is only a symbol of the Ultimate Reality, and the empirical attitude would bring us into contact with it. Qur’an also takes both the conceptual and non-conceptual attitude towards existence. It recognizes the rationalistic attitude as the cause of the superiority of man over angels, and goes on to say that man has the ability to name things which endows him with the power of capturing them intellectually and thereby rising in the level of existence. But concepts here are not abstract logical entities. They are based on facts of sensation and are indissolubly united with the sensible and observable aspect of Reality. In other words, the knowledge of things is described by Qur’an as the knowledge of names. [9] Again, Qur’an repeatedly invites man to take acount of the physical phenomena. As lqbal puts it, the Qur’an â€Å"sees in the humble be a recipient of Divine Inspiration and constantly calls upon the reader to observe the perpetual change of the winds. the alternation of day and night, the clouds, the starry heavens, and the planets swimming through infinite space†[10]. Iqbal fully agrees with the non-classical attitude of Qur’an and develops his own theory in consonance with it. Qur’an has a place for both metaphysics and empirical sciences. And it is through metaphysical search-light that Iqbal examines scientific researches and develops his own theory. But Iqbal is fully alive to the limitations and short comings of knowledge gained through the normal channels. Firstly, scientific investigation and analytic thought have inherent limitations which are unavoidable. Scientific analysis is never complete and exhaustive in its nature. Reality is an organic whole. Its parts are united by vital internal connections. This underlying relationship confers a wholeness in the diversities and pluralities. Analysis would select a part of reality which, when taken apart, would become lifeless, shorn of the qualities it has by virtue of its integral position within a whole. It is rendered meaningless apart from its relations, as a part separated from its pattern, a single dot or line taken out from the whole picture. Besides, analysis because of the immense complexity of its object can never attain ideal completeness. The ideal analysis involves the description of all the constitutive elements of a subject. It fails if any single element escapes notice or the units reached in the process are not ultimate. However, such an ideal cannot be accomplished, hampered as we are by our limitations. If we go a step further we find that the defect of analysis would also distort synthesis which is based upon it. In synthesis those elements only are combined that are discovered in the process of analysis. Thus the incompleteness of analysis results in the incompleteness of synthesis. It is obvious that an object discovered in this manner is not what it actually is but merely what it is mentally cons-trued. Even if the completeness of analysis is taken for granted, what we cannot afford to overlook is the importance of the vital inner connections underlying the whole reality, which are lost through the analytic procedure. Spaulding, who believes that the whole is nothing but â€Å"the parts and their properties and the relations relating the parts and the possibly specific properties of the whole,†[11] has tried to remedy this defect of analysis. He asserts that the knowledge of the parts when accompanied with the knowledge of their relations could give the knowledge of the whole. This assertion carries some truth in the mechanical realm but is futile in its application to the knowledge of an organic whole. The properties of the whole can be known from the observation of the behaviour of the whole as a whole; analysis does not disclose them. â€Å"‘[12] Iqbal has kept this fact in view and does not over-emphasise the role of the analytic method, though he assigns to it a legitimate place in the practical domain. According to him, empirical sciences give a sectional and fragmentary knowledge of reality which, though trust worthy, verifiable and even useful so far as the prediction and con trol of events of nature go, does not explain Ultimate Reality in its entirety. Glorify as they do in an artificial, selective and sectional process which uses concepts relatively applicable to different levels of experience, they fail to give the complete view of Reality. [13] It is an irony that our analytic thought first puts a veil on the face of Reality[14] and then endeavours to penetrate through it. Its path is zigzag and intricate; its approach and progress are gradual and slow. [15] Yet another difficulty besets the knowledge of ultimate reality. The subjective element, as the constituent element in the sensible Reality, has rendered the really Real unknowable. Kant goes so far as to reduce even space and time to subjective modes or forms of apprehending Reality; they are no more objective realities, empirical concepts or outward intuitions. They are merely the constructions or forms of inner sense, the necessary a -priori representations under-lying all outer intuitions. [16] The manifold of senses when it reaches us, has lost its purity; in order to reach us it has to fulfil the formal conditions and is bound to pass through the coloured glasses of space and time. â€Å"The thing in itself is only the limiting idea. Its function is merely regulative. If there is some actuality corresponding to the idea it falls outside the boundaries of experience and consequently its existence cannot be rationally demonstrated. â€Å"[17] Iqbal also believes that serial time and space are subjective and not objective realities. [18] But he disagrees with Kant in so far as the acquisition of the knowledge of Ultimate Reality is concerned. The Ultimate Reality lies outside the normal level of experience, inaccessible to sense-perception and pure reason. But the normal level is not the only knowledge-yielding level. [19] Though Iqbal is convinced that serial time and space ate subjective, he departs from the view that they are the final and inflexible mental forms determining and limiting all knowledge. He takes the view that our intuitive experience is not determined and systematised by space and time. When we dive within our own self and pass from sense-perception to intuition of the self, we perceive Reality, not as a concept or intellectual onstruction, not as a solid block or substratum underlying or holding together all experience, but as a dynamic and creative flow living in pure duration in which time is divested of spatiality and appears in its organic wholeness. However, it is no less true that this stage is attainable only through profound meditation, when the appreciative self gets the upper hand and all its potentialities are unfolded. It is now that the psychological experience expands into the intuition of Ultimate Rea lity—God. It discloses Ultimate Reality as a flux, a dynamic and creative flow that involves a progressive synthesis of various stages, in which life, thought and purpose all interpenetrate to form an organic whole. [20] Iqbal identifies intuition or immediate experience with love. Intuition or love would unfold to him new spheres of illumination, wherein unroll vistas of Reality comprehending Divine Presence itself. In contrast, the knowledge yielded by intellect is sectional, piece-meat and fragmentary because it is involved in the labyrinth of space and time. The knowledge through intuition is not imparted partially and byinnuendo. It is grounded in the deeper and higher self of man. It is incorporeal and eternal and leads directly to the incorporeal and the eternal. [21] Knowledge through love or intuition means knowledge through the heart, wherein we have change but no succession, pure duration but no serial time. [22] It comes with a surer step, has a higher and more profound air of authority about it and is born out of direct and immediate luminousness. But it should not be construed that intuition is antagonistic to analytic thought or intellect. Love and intellect both aim at the knowledge of reality and differ only in the courses they adopt. The intellect grasps and views certain parts of reality as abstracted from the whole; it gives only the temporal aspect of reality. Intuition reveals the reality in its wholeness and fulness. It is the method which takes things as a whole without waiting for analysis. Through a comprehensive grasp it gives the deepest truth. It forms that point of vantage which affords a perspective of the whole domain of Reality. Rather, it is the gateway at which Truth and Reality â€Å"rap and knock and enter our soul. Intuition and intellect together may be visualised as a double-edged sword in man’s hand. With one edge he invades the Ultimate Reality; with file other he invades the Universe. In other words, the ego has two eyes: with one eye he sees and approaches the inner and invisible Reality, with the other, the visible Reality. If the ego sees with one eye, it commits a great sin; if i t uses both eyes it reaches its destination. [23] Neither of them constitutes the exhaustive method or the only road to truth. Both should be employed and potentiated in the pursuit of exhaustive knowledge. They have a common source and are complementary to each other. Intuition is only a higher developmental state of intellect, and in order to view Reality as a whole it is necessary that we supplement intuition with intellect. [24] Intellect, when it is fused with love, becomes, as it were, illuminated by Divine Light; similarly, love when buttressed by intellect becomes more powerful and potent. [25] Knowledge based entirely upon reason and intellect, the intricate labyrinth of abstract reasoning, can lead to that articulation of beliefs which constitutes proof and demonstrated knowledge. But unless intellect is supplemented with intuition, this knowledge would become narrow, partial and lifeless and would lead to stagnation and pedantry. Intuition is its life and spirit; it is its â€Å"ruh ul-qudus† without which it would be reduced to a mere magic show, too impotent and crippled to lead us on to fruitful results. [26] Intellect, if not guided by love, becomes devilish or satanic—an evil force. It generates darkness and leads the world to blind power, chaos and destruction. Unanimated by love it is dead and lifeless, and its arrow, unguided as it is, flies without aim. 27] Let it be quickened and guided by intuition, love, yearning, and it shall yield knowledge par excellence—good, rounded and indispensable knowledge—knowledge which is power, encompassing heaven and deriving light from the stars, which contains the description of the whole existence and to which is related the destiny of the whole of existence. Intellect infused with intu ition gives celestial and divine knowledge. [28] Intuition or love is thus the very law of life and regulative power. It expands and enriches personality, and confers vision. At the same time, it is corrective of intellect and abstract thought, of science and common sense. If the above analysis is correct, the unqualified dismissal of the role of intuition or love in the achievement of knowledge as unscientific by the apostles of reason would appear to be highly unreasonable. Though intuition is a mode of dealing with Reality in which sense-perception has no part to play, yet it gives knowledge, which is as concrete as that yielded by any other experience. [29] Intuition has its peculiar characteristics which differentiate it from intellect and sense-perception. They can be enumerated as follows: 1. It gives the direct and immediate experience of Aboslute Reality or God. â€Å"God is not a mathematical entity or a system of concepts mutually related to one another and having no reference to experience. [30] Intuition gives the experience of God as sense-experience gives the experience of perceptible reality. And as regions of normal experience are subject to interpretation of sense-data for our knowledge of the external world, so the region of mystic experience is subject to interpretation for our knowledge of God. [31] 2. Mystic experience is characterised with un-analysable wholeness.  It gives reality as an indivisible organic unity, not as broken segments with many missing links. The reason is that it does not entangle itself in a sectional treatment of reality, which would allow only a selective study of certain parts of its visible aspects. This modus operandi is the de-light of rational consciousness, which specialises in analysis and synthesis as dictated by the practical needs of adaptation to our environment. [32] As for example, out of the innumerable sense-data in a room, our rational consciousness selects only that which on synthesis would yield us the single experience of a table. 33]In mystic experience which includes the cognitive element in its minimum degree, there is no possibility of such analysis. It is unique in so far as it ranges beyond these frontiers and brings us into contact with the total passage of reality, in which all the diverse stimuli run into one another forming a single un-analysable unity, and in which the ordinary distinctness of subject and object does not exist. [34]But we should not run away with the idea that mystic experience is some â€Å"mysterious faculty†[35] having no continuity with ordinary consciousness, as maintained by William James. 3. God or Ultimate and Perfect Reality is both immanent and transcendent. He not only permeates and encompasses the universe but also His domain rolls beyond it. He is the unique Other Self that transcends and encompasses the private personality of the finite individual Self. Mystic experience brings the mystic into direct communion with God, â€Å"momentarily suppressing†[36] his own individuality. He is for the time being submerged in Supreme Reality and loses consciousness of himself as a distinct and private personality. But he emerges from his experience all the richer for in this brief moment of intimate association with God he has perceived Him as an Independent Other Self and as a Concrete Individual. It is, therefore, erroneous to presume that the mystic state is â€Å"a mere retirement into the mists of pure subjectivity. â€Å"[37] Far from being so the contents of this experience are as objective as the knowledge yielded by an ordinary social experience. This may sound strange because we tend to believe that all objective experience must necessarily stem from sense-perception. But it is an extremely fallacious view. For, if it were true, we could never be sure of the reality of our social experience in so far as we know others as conscious beings. Granted that the knowledge of visible reality is based on sense-perception. granted also that the knowledge of our own inner and outer self is based on inner reflection and sense-perception, but when it comes to the knowledge of other conscious beings as such we are undergoing immediate experience—we are inferring the existence of a similar consciousness in them on the analogy of our own emotional states, which are exhibited by the two of us by similar physical movements. We do not tarry to work out or belabour the analogy in our daily lives; but the knowledge that the individual before us is a conscious being floods our mind as an immediate experience, which is further supplemented by his response to our signals a fact which gives completeness to our fragmentary meanings. We never entertain any doubt about the validity of this knowledge because of its inferential quality. In the ultimate analysis the mystic and the social experience are parallel to each other; and they- therefore belong to the same category. 4. The mystic experience is direct and immediate and hence does not lend itself to communication as such. it is feeling rather than thought, but like all other feelings it has a thought element which gives it direction and shapes it into an idea. it has two aspects: non-temporal and temporal. The non-temporal aspect is feeling, whereas the temporal aspect is idea. The non-temporal aspect is also not without a sense of direction. Feeling is outward-pushing as idea is outward-reporting.  Feeling is ever directed towards something that is feeling, some objective which transforms its characteristic instability into stability. It gives the direct vision of reality, But mystic experience, untouched as it is by discursive intellect, would not lend itself to transmission in logical forms. Nevertheless it seeks expression in thought and can be conveyed as interpreted by the prophet or the mystic who has experienced it. [39] 5. The mystic eperience reveals Reality as an eternal whole unbounded by past and future, as a single eternal now. nd establishes the unreality of the serial character of space and establishes the unreality of the serial character of space and time. But this state does not abide. It gives the vision of reality and soon fades away leaving a sense of authority behind it. [40] â€Å"Both the mystic and prophet return to the normal levels of experience; but with this difference that the return of the prophet may be fraught with infinite meaning for mankind. â€Å"[41] The path to intuition, according to Iqbal, lies through religion. The intuition of the self as a psychological experience is approach-able to all even at the normal level. But the higher intuition or the intuition of God is achieved gradually through a definite course only as the religious consciousness expands in intensity and richness. It consists of three stages, faith, thought and discovery. The first is the period when the individual, through his adherence to the unconditional command, cultivates self-discipline. Here we have the undemurring surrender to Divine Law without the interference of reason or logical demonstration. It enables man to find his niche in the set-up of political and social life. But so far as the evolution of man’s inner self is concerned it is of no consequence. This stage leads to the next where reason and rational understanding manifest themselves as the source and ground of the authority of discipline, thus basing religion on metaphysics or philosophy. This is followed by the third and highest stage where philosophy gives place to psychology and the individual develops a yearning to attain direct contact with Divine Reality. It is here that religion becomes a matter of assimilation of life and power; and the individual achieves a free personality, not by releasing himself from the fetters of the law, but by discovering the ultimate source of the law within the depths of his own consciousness†. [42] The Book is not imposed as something external but is revealed to a prophet. It is the period of discovery or intuition. â€Å"The climax of religious life, however, is the discovery of the ego as an individual deeper than his conceptually describable habitual self-hood. It is in contact with the Most Real that the ego discovers its uniqueness, its metaphysical status and the possibility of improvement in that status. Strictly speaking, the experience which leads to this discovery is not a conceptually manageable intellectual fact: it is a vital fact, an attitude consequent on an inner biological transformation which cannot be captured in the net of logical categories. It can embody itself only in a world-making or world-shaking act; and in this form alone the content of this timeless experience can diffuse itself in the time-movement, and make itself effectively visible to the eye of history. It seems that the method of dealing with Reality by means of concepts is not at all a serious way of dealing with it. Science does not care whether its electron is a real entity or not. It may be a mere symbol, a mere convention. Religion, which is essentially a mode of actual living, is the only serious way of handling Reality. â€Å"[43] Science deals with concepts, factual reality or the â€Å"causality-bound aspect of nature†, but the physical, sensible and external causality-bound aspect of nature does not exhaust the realm of Reality. The other aspect of reality is not less important than the visible one. It invades consciousness from another direction. untouched by rational thought dealing with the optically present universe. This broad path can be opened through religion only, because religion concerns itself with deed, which is the outcome of the constant attitude of man’s whole personality or structure to reality. The deed, â€Å"i. e. the control of man’s physiological and psychological processes†, is dynamically related to reality and prepares the finite self for immediate association with Infinite Ego. [44] Hence, religion, as lqbal would have it, is not a mere collection of dogmas or theological formulae: â€Å"Conservatism is as bad in religion as in any other department of human activity. It destroys the ego’s creative freedom and closes up the paths of fresh spiritual enterprise. â€Å"[45]Religion in its highest manifestation does not imply the life-denying and fact-avoiding attitude. It does not work as an external imposition on the free and spontaneous expression of human personality. On the contrary, it is the open sesame to fresh and mere fruitful directions to communicate with the Ultimately Real. It awakens and actualizes the level lying close to the normal level, directing one’s vision to the inner side of the self. It regenerates the inner powers and possibilities of the human self. It expands and enriches the fields of human thought and emotion. It unlocks fresh spiritual sources. During this period man gets the power to overcome his intellectual reconstruction and to penetrate the crust of causal sequence and spatio-temporal manifold. He comes into contact with the everlasting and eternal source of life and power. Here we have a picture of Iqbal’s theory of knowledge in which he endeavours to give us a clue to the Ultimate Reality. Whether the perfect knowledge of the actual and The Ultimate Reality, of the final nature and essence of things is possible is a very subtle question. Iqbal’s answer to it is an unhesitating, bold and optimistic affirmation. Reality can be known, grasped and comprehended not only in its partial and fragmentary aspect but also in its completeness. The great merit and virtue of his theory lies in the fact that he does not adopt and exalt any one method at the cost of the others.