Charismatic Leader Essay

This type of leadership holds a lot of power. In both productive and counterproductive respects. The rhetoric employed to effectively carry out charismatic leadership acts as a double edged sword. While it is true that a message delivered in a charismatic manner inspires the followers to implement it with a lot of fervor, but in this same zest, there are a lot of important issues that are overlooked and lots of questions ignored. This entails problems when the charisma delivers its desired results, but they still leave a sour taste in the mouth. In my professional career, I have not encountered charismatic leadership neither in the top echelons of power nor in the middle management slots. However, most of us have been affected, and even wowed, by the charismatic skills of Barack Obama, while running for the US Presidency in 2008. Inspirational rhetoric, exceptional oratory skills and narcissistic excellence were expertly deployed towards millions of people. Perhaps in our lifetimes, it has proven to be a living, breathing example of pure, unadulterated charisma. It was a need of the time and a result of the disillusionment with the last 8 years. But, the cynicism that perhaps was put in the back seat during this process, made a comeback in the last two years, where more and more people have grown disillusioned by the lack of actual, and perceived, objectives being achieved. The overhyped expectations that are, in effect, created by charismatic leadership, eventually end up hampering its own effects, even though the results achieved might be significant. In the spirit of double edged swords, narcissism fits the bill perfectly. Excessive traits of this personality type have officially been diagnosed as a psychological disorder, whereas a good mix of those same qualities supposedly makes a great leader. From my personal experience, there has been a lot more interaction with unproductive narcissists, as compared to the productive ones. Charismatic leadership is an outward focusing theory, but since being confident and thoughtful requires a thorough understanding of one’s own self, unless it is coupled innately with authenticity, there would continue to be major loopholes in its implementation. As is the case with most leadership theories, the situational context of the company or market matter deeply. Charismatic leadership is the need of the hour during turbulent times and thus ends up being encouraged and nurtured. However, during mature and stable market times, charisma tends to be counter-productive and pointless. Also, since narcissistic leaders tend to believe undoubtedly in their vision, not taking into account the ideas put forward by others, it can become self-destructive for companies. This leadership theory, more than others, needs to be deployed with a lot of care and consideration.

Problems in the Computer Assembly Division Essay

1.A clear statement of the problem As the assembly unit supervisor of a small computer manufacturing firm located in the southeast, I am in charge of a five- person operation responsible for assembling personal computers. My production goals include assembling 80 personal computers per day and ensuring 95% of these computers pass the operational inspection of the quality assurance unit. Over the past several weeks I have noticed that my team is not completing enough computers, and the average fell down to only 62 computers a day. Also, 15% of the computers assembled have been returned, as they are failing to meet the quality assurance standards. Furthermore, there is an issue with the supply parts, which I was told come in defective. There are also very serious problems associated with my subordinates. Bill and Morgan are taking advantage of time, coming to work late and taking longer lunch hours than permitted. There is also a substantial drop in the communication among the group members, as Morgan, Julie and Bill ex clude Fred and Sherry from their conversations. Lastly, workers feel favoritism toward Julie and Morgan, and Sherry announced that she wants to leave because of all the infighting in the assembly unit. It all comes down to the problem relating to the performance and the morale of my work unit. 2. Stakeholders a.you: in charge of a 5 person operation, goal of 80PC with 95% good b.Fred: assembles all hard drives, retired army sergeant, 16 years experience in electronics, 6 years assembling hard drives, claims to not be getting reliable parts from supplies so repairs parts self instead of waiting, has been keeping to himself c.Bill: assembles CD ROMs and floppy disks, new out of school, first full time job, 20 years old, in assemble unit for 1 year, takes longer than permitted lunch breaks but claims to stay later, talks only to Julie and Morgan d.Sherry: assembles mother boards, single mom of 2, completing bachelor’s degree in 3 months, has been with company for 4 years, has threatened to leave. She is an outstanding employee e.Julie: final assembly, 6 month experience, 22 years old, sister in law of owner, thinks Fred is doing a slow and shoddy job, talks to Morgan during first 2 hours, seems bored, singled out by owner with a 5% pay increase, talks only to Bill and Morgan f.Morgan: 5 years experience, only attended company’s operational inspection course, 6 months working in your unit, performs final inspections, comes late but claims to stay late, given days off to attend high school reunion, talks only to Bill and Julie g.Owner: concerned with morale and performance of work unit, man of action, wants specific plan 4.What if to solutions a.If we rotate the jobs, team members will be forced to learn something new, thus decreasing boredom. However, some employees may not have the proper training to do so. b.if we have Fred train Bill and Bill train Fred, then both will experience new jobs, while being forced to actually communicate with each other c. if we make Julie in charge of both the final assembly and inspection, then she will have more to do and not get bored. However, she might lack the education needed to fulfill two jobs, and thus might be sending out bad parts d.If we make sure people start on time and take proper lunch breaks, then people will be not be forced to rush through work. However, this may cause boredom because people will feel the pace is too slow.

Pros of Electronic Communication

Electronic communication was discovered in 1998. Electronic communication is used for the transfer of data, images, signals, signs, etc. through wire, electromagnetic, radio, photoelectronic or photo-optical system. With its growing popularity people have started communicating via email. Electronic communication is not only a new tool but also a new way of communication. This has led to a change in the culture. Below mentioned are advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication. Pros of Electronic Communication The benefits of electronic communication is that people across the world can share televised pictures, conversations, graphics, circuits and interactive softwares. The interaction between people residing in different geographical locations have increased and have become promiscuous. The conversations are more visual and textual. This is helpful mainly for hearing impaired people. With electronic communication, the recipient receives the message within a few seconds of the sender sending it. The recipient can read the message anytime, anywhere according to his convenience. The speed of conversation has increased and this has resulted in faster processing of important matters related to business, finance, trade, etc. For example, you can instantly access the information present in your computer. As there are no restrictions about time and place, people can sit at home and do their office work if the required resources are available. This work arrangement is termed as telecommuting. The communicated messages can be stored permanently or temporarily on disks or tapes for years or can even be printed and stored in files. The process of learning has become simple and efficient as the information can be archived and retrieved according to the requirement. Since the communication does not take place via hard copies, money spent for paper, printing and postal deliveries is saved. After the mail is delivered to the receiver, it is placed safely in the hard disk of the receiver's computer. After the receiver retrieves the mail, it is his responsibility to keep it safely. Cons of Electronic Communication The main issue with electronic communication is security. Your computer can be hacked and affected with computer virus. This can have an adverse effect on the computer system and the network. The volume of transmitted data is large and the transmission is fast. Hence, it becomes difficult for employers and managers to absorb, process and understand it and provide proper feedbacks to their employees. The speed with which the messages are transmitted often changes the structure of the messages, which at times can be misinterpreted. Electronic data can be duplicated identically without any proof of duplication. These messages can also be modified. At times, people can intentionally send malicious programs like viruses, worms and Trojans through emails, which is difficult to detect. Another disadvantage of electronic communication is email privacy issues. An email is sent in the form of data packets via computer network. These data packets have to pass through a number of routers (a computer device used for forwarding packets in the computer network) and computers before it reaches its destination. So, there are chances of an individual tampering the emails before it reaches its recipient. While the data packets are transferred from one computer system to another, they can be lost when one router transfers it to another. If the router is bombarded with more number of data packets than its carrying capacity, the receiver can experience a delay in receiving it. The ‘from message header' of a message can be modified, which hampers the authenticity. Almost all technologies in this world have their pros and cons. Similarly, there exist advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication as well. In-spite of its disadvantages, most of us depend on electronic communication for our everyday work as it has become an integral part of our lives.

The Spiritual-Needs Assessment Tool Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Spiritual-Needs Assessment Tool - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  the reporter made several significant discoveries about the patient that he chose to assess. He found out that morality and ethics were high on his list of spiritual needs. The illness he had was a challenge and struggle to him and he needed guidance and support in maintaining a commitment to his principles that for a foundation of his spiritual life. For example, because of the realization that he could not make the decision by himself to do as he pleases in regard to his spiritual needs, for instance going to the mass, he requested that he be given particular times both in the morning and in the evening so that he can pray without disturbance. He also requested that his belongings for his spiritual needs be respected.  This study outlines that the author of the essay  discovered that the patient wanted his spiritual needs to be respected by the health care team and that he could put his trust on them to do exactly that. To him respect an d trust were very important as aspects that could help the healthcare team to fulfill his spiritual needs. His requests acted as an agreement between him and the healthcare team who will be providing care for him while he was in hospital. Therefore, this agreement ought to be respected.  The reporter discovered that the patient was not ready at any cost to compromise his spiritual needs even though he was ill.

What considerations should managers take into account in developing Essay

What considerations should managers take into account in developing strategies for staff training and development - Essay Example Thus, this will enhance efficiency and effectiveness through building the strengths and improving on the weaknesses (Jackson et al., 2012). A well-conceived performance evaluation creates benefits for both the employer and employee. The implementation of the learning and development by the Coca-Cola Company Britain is one of the effective employee training and management developments. The company creates a conducive environment for their employees to socialize, to excel in their performance, develop skills for improvement, and enable them move towards their career goals. The strengths of the staff training and development in Coca-Cola Company are linked to their training goal that attracts the best people who can help the company achieve its objectives. The only weakness of the training strategy is the management of internal talent rather than talent search from other places. Otherwise, the training and development strategy can be improved through recruitment of new employees and providing skills training and development, employee performance, employee socialization skills, and specializations management. Conclusively, the HR should embrace proper socialization strategies such as anticipatory socialization, adaptation, and integration of employees into the organization. These will ensure that the employees appreciate the working environment; thus develops a dedicated, loyal, and productive attitude in the

Mission Statement Compare & Contrast Research Paper - 1

Mission Statement Compare & Contrast - Research Paper Example The quality of the mission statements and whether they noticeably specify the companies’ profile are included as well. In addition the paper seeks to verify whether the strategies of the companies are in line with the mission. The vision of Wal-Mart and Target has been stated and whether the two companies’ are approaching in the similar way with their vision has also been mentioned. The study also seeks to explain the ethical or legal challenges of the two companies. The companies’ responsibility towards the society has been identified. The mission of Target includes â€Å"make Target the preferred shopping destination for the guests by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and an exceptional guest experience by consistently fulfilling our Expect More Pay Less brand promise" (Samples Help, 2006). The company has aimed at being the ideal shopping location for the customers and provides them with a choice of excellent value, constant innovation and special guest experience by constantly fulfilling expect more pay less strategy. Their mission is to provide $1 billion for education by the end of 2015 (Target.com, 2011). In this context, by comparing the two mission statements it can be observed that Target is providing priorities to the innovation, shopping destination and value along with low price but Wal-Mart is preferring on low price for making the life of customers much better. The mission of Target is related to the preference of its consumers and communities, but, Wal-Mart’s mission is essentially linked to the price constraint to attract the customers (Wal-Mart, 2011). The mission statements of both the companies have been prepared by focusing on the customers’ preference. The companies are continuously working on this mission in order to provide customers with utmost beneficial services. The companies are two of the largest retail stores, thus their main intention is to provide quality

HOW CAN MORAL RESPONSIBILITY BE ASCRIBED TO COMPUTER SYSTEMS Research Proposal

HOW CAN MORAL RESPONSIBILITY BE ASCRIBED TO COMPUTER SYSTEMS - Research Proposal Example Aside from this, a computer system is only helpful if its functions well and with ample amount of security. By this, it has a system that works the way it is as it is expected to work that way and be much reliable (Bace, 2000, p.29; Forester and Morrison, 1993). In other words, a computer system is created to maximise its benefits. We can actually see this happening now. Below are some actual observations we can associate with a computer system and its various benefits it offers to the humanity. Today, wherever we go, we always encounter highly systematic and computerized services, gadgets and other related technologies. Starting with our private and personal needs, many of them are now integrated with computer systems. Our mobile phones for instance, are designed with high ability to function based on a complex computerised system. Mobile phones for instance, have been revolutionised into smartphones with various features aside from their basic functions. With smartphones, we can co nnect to the whole world; extend our social networks and make it live wherever we go; we can shop in abundance or initiate business and conduct other related transactions; we can download and upload almost everything at anytime with all convenience and more. These are just some added features we can encounter with a highly innovative smartphones today aside from the very basic features of calling and sending or receiving short message service (SMS). For online access, we can even connect it anytime and almost everywhere to Wi-Fi zones and fast-speed internet broadband connections, which also perform at their best via assistance of a computer system. In addition to meeting our personal needs, the design of musical gadget such as iPods can play music and do more complex tasks with the use of simple features and commands, all are made possible because of intricate and powerful design of a working computer system. Furthermore, we can withdraw and transfer money from anywhere because of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) working online, 24 hours a day in a week, which allow us to insert our ATM cards designed to function in perfect compatibility with various banking machines. In fact, our banking transactions can even be made more complex as one could now initiate cross-banking services, all because of the upgraded computer system. Without any question, we now rely on a computer system our very crucial transactions like these. We might be unconscious about it, but we gave in to the promise of computer system into our lives, to the extent that we trust that our confidentiality will have a high value of assurance. In fact, various businesses offering service and product offerings are now depending their entire transactions on a computer system in order to meet the demand for more convenience, profitability and tough competition for gaining competitive advantage. As the world transforms and as the lifestyles of many change, we tend to rely on the capability of a computer system in order to aid our life for convenience and other substantial benefits it could possibly offer us. In addition, for various health services, we also depend on

Answer questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Answer questions - Assignment Example Groupon promise affects the consumers through high promises and values with regard to the risks. It offers them return on value. It also offers them returns in case of damages or other losses incurred. In case of cancelation of flights, or other unseen circumstances, Groupon Promise guarantees money back value and fixed percentage returns (Groupon). Groupon impacts the consumers decisions based on the market trends. They target the areas, products and services that are in and in the demand zone of the clients. They assure top quality services and in return refunds in case of poor services and products against a given package and scheme. Consumers on the other hand take into account factors such as refund, the benefits, the comparative analysis as drawn by comparing other services offering companies. The brand name and quality delivery on account of the past services and records is another area that makes up for the consumers decision making factors

Week 3 Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 3 Marketing - Essay Example In the second instance, it will be important to put emphasis on purchase behaviors. Differences in purchase behavior influence the success of any business, including those in the health sector (Hemenway, 2010).Iit is therefore important to research the proposed markets to find out if the consumers within the market have certain purchasing behaviors that are in line with the organizational culture of the medical center. Lastly, the issue of psychographics is very crucial. Psychographics have been explained to encompass qualitative attributes of the market that focus on the way the people and what they want to do (Dionne and Eeckhoudt, 2005). Clearly, the mentality of the people towards the health care delivery system is very important in undertaking the market segment. Once these factors are critically considered, it can be assured that marketing mix would change in light of the segmentation utilization. But as the segmentation takes place, it will be important to measure distribution rather than concentration because distribution will give the center the opportunity to cater for the different health needs of the markets as depicted in demographic, psychographic and purchasing behavior

Summary of Thoughts Essay Example for Free

Summary of Thoughts Essay The purpose of tourism planning Tourism has grown through the years to become the single largest industry in the world. Tourism may not be considered as a discipline or an industry considering that it is multidimensional and leverages on several disciples in satisfying functional, aesthetic and financial needs of individuals, communities, businesses and government at different levels. In this vein, it is essential to create plans and planning tools that integrate the interest of these various stakeholders without compromising the integrity of the limited resources and ensuring they are preserved for use of future generations. In carrying out tourism planning, it is essential to reconcile the various actors involved in creating plans for harnessing and use of environmental resources in the development process. These are the business sector which primary aim for planning is profit and returns; public sector with a joint aim of regulation, marketing and promotion towards economic improvement; the non-profit sector involved in creating plans that generate revenue not for investment returns but to be plowed-back for operational and capital costs; and last of all professional consultants a group that provides the most effective assistance in accomplishing better and unbiased tourism planning. Four goals which should guide the tourism development planning process in order to achieve an all-encompassing success are: the user-oriented planning policy aimed at provision of user (visitor) satisfaction; an environmental sustainability approach towards ensuring increased economic and business returns on investment; sustainable use of resources; integration of tourism into the social and economic life of communities. For successful tourism planning, plans at three scales of on site, destination zone and regional scale should be synchronised without any being considered in isolation from the others. The tourism planning process is incomplete in the absence of individual input as well as cooperation and collaboration from the affected communities. The economic benefit of tourism is very crucial especially as its development is often the bane of some destinations. However, policies on tourism development are made by a government in order to ensure a sense of control and coordination in the overall tourism development planning process as well as a sane implementation. All three players i.e. public, market and government need to cooperate, collaborate and coordinate to avoid haphazard development of the tourism planning process. The changing dimensions of tourism planning. Tourism has continued is not static and has responded to the dynamic environment and market forces due to evolving change in values, demands and challenges of the various stakeholders associated with the industry. These changes also have translated to problems in the planning of tourism, which has been associated with (but not limited to): Non-human factors (physical environmental responses), globalisation, political paradigm shift, social and planning changes, increase in knowledge and perceptive responses. The tourism policy agenda has also changed since the upward turn of growth post World War II, which resulted in reduced government control and deregulation of the process. This transformation can be captured through five distinct phases as follows: 1945-55 institutional dismantle and streamlining; 1 955-70 government involvement in economic tourism; 1970-85 government involvement in infrastructure and regional development; 1985-2000 continued government regional development and community/individual participation; and 2000- present cooperative and collaborative planning, environmental consciousness and resource orientation. The influence of the UNWTO cannot be overemphasised through some of these phases of change and evolution. Five broad approaches have been adopted through the evolution of tourism planning with each one having its distinct functional focus. These are: Boosterism – the seeming vastness of cultural and natural resources generated exploitation of the same for the sake of tourism development Economic/industry approach – characterised by economic growth, competition, market forces and returns in examination of social and environmental issues. Physical/spatial approach – emphasis on minimising the negative impacts of tourism on the physical environment Community oriented approach – partnership and local community participation in planning and decision making process and the process itself; a bottom-up form of planning. This approach has been identified as a difficult one in the face of government control and decisions being made for the communities without recourse to communal opinion or say so. Sustainable tourism approach – coordinative, iterative, integrative and strategic incorporation of economic, community and spatial approaches for sustainable development of tourism, while relying on government for regulation. Finally, to achieve sustainable tourism planning, five key mechanisms are expedient – cooperative and integrated control system; industry coordination; increased consumer awareness; increased producer awareness; and yielding of conventional planning to strategic planning. Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City Ebenezer Howard identified the need to carry out planning of cities considering the appalling state of the cities and urban areas in the late 1800s subsequent to the industrial revolution taking place across Europe. He recognised the importance of the preparing and implementing plans while giving much consideration to the influence of liberal democracy every step on the way i.e. the success of the planning process was very much dependent its reconciliation of the social and political ramifications within the target environment. Four democratic disjoints were identified and considered and a balance created between in his attempt at creating some semblance of structure in the urban development process of his garden cities. Inclusiveness vs decisiveness Central vs local control Rights vs utility Equality vs liberty In resolving the opposing inclusiveness and decisiveness, by portending that given the right conditions, a compromise will be reached towards making appropriate and timely decisions subsequent to the adoption of community and individual participation as well as cooperation in the planning process. Local interest although very essential in planning for and with members of the community, the need for concession to interests outside the immediate community and that of a central governing body is of critical importance for success to be achieved; thus bringing a balance between central and local control. A way towards reconciling between rights and utility, included adoption of collaboration between market utility, community utility and democratically established rights, at the local level. This involved upholding utility towards the ‘greater good’ of the community while not neglecting the importance of individual rights. Finally, Howard’s ideal required for individual interest and liberty to co-exist; such that personal freedom and collective responsibility were key factors in resolving the conflict between equality and liberty. Yet land was to be seen as a collective property demanding equality of ownership. Conclusion All three materials agree on imminent salient points in the planning process whether this is for a community, city, region and activities there within such as tourism. Howard’s idea of urban planning integrates social, economic and political (government) factors as essential towards a successful attainment of an ideal city while placing high importance on the need to involve members of the community in making decisions that concern the land around them. Tourism planning is not an end in itself, rather with adequate management it leads to the attainment of individual, community, corporate and governmental goals. In this vein, collective action by all stakeholders is imminent for the continued success of the process and survival of the resources on which tourism is based while yielding returns for continued growth of tourist destinations. REFERENCES March A. (2004). Democratic dilemmas, planning and Ebenezer Howard’s Garden city. Planning Perspectives. 19, 409-433. Gunn C. and Var T. (2002). Tourism planning: basics, concepts and cases. 4th ed. Routledge, New York. Hall C. M. and Lew A.A. (2009). Understanding and managing tourism impacts: an integrated approach. 1st ed. Routledge, New York Mason P. (2012). Tourism Impacts, planning and management. 1st ed. Routledge, New York The changing dimentions of tourism planning. Extract lecture note Fall 2012-2013 for course delivered by Dr. Habib Alipour

Synthesis and Optical Characteristics of AgO Thin Films

Synthesis and Optical Characteristics of AgO Thin Films Synthesis and Optical Characteristics of AgO thin films Fabricated by Chemical Bath Deposition Method 1EZENWA I. A., 2OBIAGAUZO P. O. 3EBEH L. N. ABSTRACT Binary thin films of silver oxide using chemical Bath method (CBD) have been grown and characterized. Absorbance spectral data of the films were obtained using a Shimadzu 1800 UV- VIS spectrophotometer. An Olympus optical microscope at 100X magnification was used to examine and produce micrograph of the grown thin, which showed that the films have crystal structure and have small grain sizes. A bandgap of 1.62eV and a refractive index range of 1.1- 2.31were obtained. INTRODUCTION Binary thin films are thin films that contain exactly two different elements. Binary thin film had been grown and characterized by many researchers for various applications, examples are; Ag2S (Ezenwa et al., 2012), FeS (Uhuegbu, 1989), ZnS (Ndukwe 1999), Ag4O3, (Bielmann et al, 2002), Silver being multivalent, have various phases like Ag2O, AgO, Ag3O4, Ag4O3, and Ag2O3 by interacting with oxygen (Bielmann, Scheallar, Ruffieux, Groning, Schlapbach, 2002).These oxides have different crystalline structures leading to a variety of physiochemical, electrochemical, electronic and optical properties. The most observable and stable phases are Ag2O and AgO (Garner and Reeves, 1954). Ag2O thin films have been widely studied due to their wide range of applications. The recent interest in silver oxide is for its potential use in optical memories. Photoactivation of silver oxide leads to nanosilver clusters (Hou, Ouyang, Chen et al 1998).These nanoclusters emit fluorescence and also exhibit plas monic behavior. These properties have a wide application range from ultra high density optical data storage to plasmon photonic devices (Tominaga, 2002).They are also used as a sensor for gas detection and photovoltaic materials, studies have shown that silver oxide films have a wide range of energy band gap of between 1.2 and 3.4eV(Dierson, Rousselot, 2005). The major routes used for silver oxide films deposition are reactive sputtering of silver metal in an oxygen-containing argon atmosphere and electron-beam evaporation of silver metal. Another method is the pulsed laser deposition technique (Raju, Kumar, 2011),this method takes place in gaseous phase, hence requiring high temperatures. These high temperature methods also limit the type of substrates used in high temperature resistant substrates. Alternatively wet chemistry and electrochemical methods have been used as low temperature method.Wet chemistry methods generally require the substrates to be dipped inside the precursor solution for days to form thin film materials at temperatures of up to 200Â °C, while electrochemical deposition grows thin film materials on conductive substrate at lower temperatures (

Life, Death, and Cancer :: Essays Papers

Life, Death, and Cancer The vast majority of people go though life taking things as they are; they seem to never want to know how things work or why something happens the way it does. Think about it, how does a plan fly, or how does an engine run. These innovations were discovered many years ago and took much time and effort to discover and perfect. If a person were to look at the world, there is not much that they could say â€Å"I know how this works†, rather they say â€Å"I wonder why this happens as it does†. Well one of the most important things in the world is medicine, or the medical world. Without the past works of doctors, surgeons, and those who have helped pave the way, the world would be devastated. One of the most important and dangerous areas of surgery is that of the brain. The brain is one of the most complex parts of the body and takes much time and effort to understand. If a part is so complex that is controls actions, thoughts, feelings, contains knowledge and facts , just think about how hard it would be to really understand what this part is capable of doing. Such complex things such as the brain require more effort and time to understand than any engine or plane could ever have. Without the dedication that these people had, the information that we have today would never be possible. The technology that was present back in the day was nothing more then steel, a mirror, paper, and a pen. The way that this information was received is amazing; to just imagine what the possibilities are for the future is going to be outstanding and the risks will become nothing of the past. The past generations have set a standard for excellence and a need of knowledge; what the future holds is even greater. History is one of the most important things in success of surgery but to be better educated on the topic of cancer one must know what cancer is, the types of cancer, and the solution s to eliminate cancer in general. One of the most exciting things about the discovery brain cancer is the history behind the complex operation. To think that back in the eighteen hundreds physicians and doctors had the capability to open the human brain and surgically remove the tumor in the brain.

Human Life :: essays research papers

The beliefs and views of modern society are hypocritical and unjust. By the time an individual matures from a young child to an adult, they have been taught an uncountable number of life lessons. One of the outstanding lessons that each and every person has learned is that killing another human being is wrong. This is perhaps the first recognizable lesson on the value of human life. Most children know that killing is against the law and learn religiously that it goes against all religious morals and beliefs, yet society is bombarded by violence everyday in the media and in real life. Today, the value of human life can be questioned, especially that of the young. Through numerous examples of child murder and abortion it is rather obvious that the lives of the unborn or newly born are not valued to the degree that they should be. In most cases, the young are not recognized as "people" and are robbed of their human rights and freedoms. Young lives, both born and unborn, are s een as more of a commodity these days, than as precious, magical miracles. In the media today there are ridiculous numbers of reports pertaining to accidents, shootings and robberies-these are just a few examples of unjust acts that are occurring everyday. There is also a shocking amount of coverage about parents accidentally, or on the other hand, brutally murdering their kids. Parents are supposed to be loving and supporting caregivers, they have a great influence over everything a child can possibly say or do. It is hard to believe that some parents would actually take their children’s lives into their hands. Recently in the news there have been accounts of a mother poisoning her son to a father taking a knife and slashing his son’s throat. These are all cases where the parent in charge has taken advantage of their control. Each helpless child is defenseless in these situations. In many cases, children have become victims of a parent’s mental instability. In one case a mother claims to have been "suffering form delusions about h ell when she took the life of her twenty month old child." In the end this woman was found not criminally responsible because "she had apparently been suffering from psychosis the day of the drowning." She was then committed to a psychiatric hospital. This seems to be common place today, and there is no justice done for the young slain victims.

Kingdom of God Essay -- Christianity, Psychology

In Psychology and Christianity Integration, Stevenson reveals three points about God our Father. The first point is that God is all knowing; God knows and sees all that His people do. Majority of humankind think that they can hide their evil thoughts or that He cannot see them when they sin. God sees everything and knows the hearts of his Children. It would not be implausible to assume that our Creator could be disappointed in the world today. With such evils as murder, theft, and abuse carrying on daily in this world, God is saddened. For these reasons it is that much more important that, as Christians, we stay in the light of God. (Stevenson, 2007) The second point is that God knows all possible things; God knows our present as well as what will happen in the future. Our lives have already been laid out and planned for us. He already knows what we are going to do even before we do it. God knows how our stories will be told and how they going to begin and end. He even kn ows who is going to turn their backs on him before the offender knows that he is going to do it. (Stevenson, 2007) The third point expressed in this text is that God knows what should be. (Stevenson, 2007) Many times, we as humans think we know what is best for ourselves and we stray away from God’s plan. Through free will, God allows us the ability to choose our own paths. When we travel our own path, instead of the one that God has predestined, we end up with feelings of hurt and loneliness. Even with all of these faults, our Heavenly Father is such a forgiving God that He will take us back. These three points give us an overview of how powerful and merciful the Father truly is. The author provides us with substantially positive statements abo... ...lly to deal with issues raised by the client that fall outside a counselor’s own perimeter of expertise, and a referral can be made; there are books, videos, groups, classes, broadcasts, conferences, and much more, available for the promotion of psychological health. The journey is an adventure that takes a lifetime. (Feldman, 1987) References Feldman, Robert S. (1987). Understanding psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. Holy Bible. Authorized King James Version Pittman, Bill; B., Dick (Eds.). (1998). Courage to change: The Christian roots of the twelve-step movement. Center City, MN: Hazelden. Johnson, E. (2007). Christ the lord of psychology. In D. Stevenson, B. Eck & P. Hill (Eds), Psychology & Christianity Integration: Seminal Works that Shaped the Movement Batavia, Illinois: Christian Association for Psychological Studies, Inc. .

Concept of time Essay

Time seemed to be an important aspect that influences the well-being of the elderly in the study. Time consciousness cannot be ignored when one considers the subjective experience of well-being among the institutionalized aged. The finding showed that many of them had a keen awareness of time or awareness of the present. According to their administrators, a few of them felt the urgency to make the best use of the remaining time in their life: to get closer to God and to prepare for a ‘good death. ’ The studies done by Butler & Lewis (1972); Butler et 292 al. (1998); Sue & Sue (1999); and Knight (1996) found that there is an obvious concern with time when it is clear that the remaining days are running short among the aged. The development of a sense of immediacy, of the here-and-now, of present-ness -all these aid in the evolution of a sense of enjoyment and tranquility which ultimately are decisive elements of well-being. The findings of the study exemplified this awareness of time/time consciousness among the institutionalized aged and that it has endowed them with a sense of urgency and purpose in the ‘evening’ of their lives. It could also be presumed that these two aspects of well-being, the concept time and attitude toward death are closely related. Attitude towards Death The elderly in Gladys Spellman viewed the existential problem of death and dying in different spirit. While some of them had a positive attitude toward death and looked at death as a natural transition from this life to a better life and have reconciled with this inevitable reality. Trust in God’s compassion and mercy and the expectation of heavenly reward, growing closer to God in prayer seemed to help those elderly who said they were at ease with the thought of death. Faith and spirituality change death from an ending to a new beginning of a new existence for Christians (Moberg, 2001). Accepting old age and death meaningfully makes life happier. Fear or acceptance of death is closely related to general satisfaction or well-being. When life is lived to the full, death becomes a fulfillment, a completion (Moberg, 2001). The following words of the elderly were shared with one of the administrators. â€Å"I’ve done my job. My mission is over. I have no worries about the future†¦He will take care†¦and I’m ready for final surrender/exit. † There were others who tried to put on a brave front to show that they were not afraid to die. A third category avoided talking about death, reasoning that it was not yet time for them to think about death as they felt there was plenty time left for such things. Those who avoided thinking about death and those who did not fear death but only feared ‘pain of death’ must be coping with the unrecognized fear of death. As Atchley (1997) puts it, although death is generally accepted with little fear among older people, it is only reasonable to assume that there are some who really fear death. Their trust in God’s mercy and hope in eternal reward probably help them cope with this fear.

Case Analysis †Giant Consumer Products Essay

1)Using data in Exhibits 1 & 4 develop solution templates in Exhibit 3 for Sanchez. From the table above, it is clear that the impact of a promotion cannot be considered in isolation. On the whole, the promotion has resulted in a loss instead of a profit for the Dinardo range of products. Considered in isolation a promotion on Dinardo 32 may look attractive but overall it’s a loss-making proposition. 2)Do you advise Sanchez to run a national sales promotion? If so, which one of the items the funds be allocated: Dinardo 32, dinardo 16 or natural meals? Sanchez can run a sales promotion for Natural meals. This is the only profitable option as can be seen from Solution template Part-3 in the table above. 3)Prepare Sanchez for additional strategic/ tactical questions that he anticipates from Flatt given at the end of case. a)The promotion of Natural Meals would be a win for FFD, the retailer as well as the consumer. FFD gains due to a positive increase in marketing margin due to the promotion. For the retailer, the benefit will be on account of the increased spending by FFD for promotional activities. The margins on Natural Meals are higher for retailers and an increase in volumes would directly have a positive impact on retailers’ revenues. The consumer benefits due to the reduced prices from the promotion. b)FFD should go with the pay for performance approach for promotion of Natural Meals. The price on the box of the product should not be reduced and instead a discount must be offered at the time of billing. The retailer should then be reimbursed for the discounts offered to customers. This would help retain the premium positioning of FFD’s products and avoid customers from looking at the products to be available at a deal during subsequent purchases.

Pre-Socratic Philosophers Essay

â€Å"Pre-Socratic† is the expression commonly used to describe those Greek thinkers who lived and wrote between 600 and 400 B.C. It was the Pre-Socratics who attempted to find universal principles which would explain the natural world from its origins to man’s place in it. Although Socrates died in 399 B.C., the term â€Å"Pre-Socratic† indicates not so much a chronological limit, but rather an outlook or range of interests, an outlook attacked by both Protagoras (a Sophist) and Socrates, because natural philosophy was worthless when compared with the search for the â€Å"good life.†To give the Pre-Socratic thinkers their full due would require an article of encyclopedic scope. Given that, I have decided to list a number of sites on individual Pre-Socratic thinkers.Anaximander1. Life and SourcesThe history of written Greek philosophy starts with Anaximander of Miletus in Asia Minor, a fellow-citizen of Thales. He was the first who dared to write a treatise in prose, which has been called traditionally On Nature. This book has been lost, although it probably was available in the library of the Lyceum at the times of Aristotle and his successor Theophrastus. It is said that Apollodorus, in the second century BCE, stumbled upon a copy of it, perhaps in the famous library of Alexandria. Recently, evidence has appeared that it was part of the collection of the library of Taormina in Sicily, where a fragment of a catalogue has been found, on which Anaximander’s name can be read. Only one fragment of the book has come down to us, quoted by Simplicius (after Theophrastus), in the sixth century AD. It is perhaps the most famous and most discussed phrase in the history of philosophy.We also know very little of Anaximander’s life. He is said to have led a mission that founded a colony called Apollonia on the coast of the Black Sea. He also probably introduced the gnomon (a perpendicular sun-dial) into Greece and erected one in Sparta. So he seems to have been a much-traveled man, which is not astonishing, as the Milesians were known to be audacious sailors. It is also reported that he displayed solemn manners and wore pompous garments. Most of the information on Anaximander comes from Aristotle and his pupil Theophrastus, whose book on the history of philosophy was used, excerpted, and quoted by many other authors, the so-called doxographers, before it was lost. Sometimes, in these texts words or expressions appear that can with some certainty be ascribed  to Anaximander himself. Relatively many testimonies, approximately one third of them, have to do with astronomical and cosmological questions. Hermann Diels and Walter Kranz have edited the doxography (A) and the existing texts (B) of the Presocratic philosophers in Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, Berlin 1951-19526. (A quotation like â€Å"DK 12A17†³ means: â€Å"Diels/Kranz, Anaximander, doxographical report no.17†³).| 2. The â€Å"Boundless† as Principle According to Aristotle and Theophrastus, the first Greek philosophers were looking for the â€Å"origin† or â€Å"principle† (the Greek word â€Å"archà ªÃ¢â‚¬  has both meanings) of all things. Anaximander is said to have identified it with â€Å"the Boundless† or â€Å"the Unlimited† (Greek: â€Å"apeiron,† that is, â€Å"that which has no boundaries†). Already in ancient times, it is complained that Anaximander did not explain what he meant by â€Å"the Boundless.† More recently, authors have disputed whether the Boundless should be interpreted as spatially or temporarily without limits, or perhaps as that which has no qualifications, or as that which is inexhaustible. Some scholars have even defended the meaning â€Å"that which is not experienced,† by relating the Greek word â€Å"apeiron† not to â€Å"peras† (â€Å"boundary,† â€Å"limit†), but to â€Å"perao† (â€Å"to experience,â⠂¬  â€Å"to apperceive†). The suggestion, however, is almost irresistible that Greek philosophy, by making the Boundless into the principle of all things, has started on a high level of abstraction. On the other hand, some have pointed out that this use of â€Å"apeiron† is atypical for Greek thought, which was occupied with limit, symmetry and harmony. The Pythagoreans placed the boundless (the â€Å"apeiron†) on the list of negative things, and for Aristotle, too, perfection became aligned with limit (Greek: â€Å"peras†), and thus â€Å"apeiron† with imperfection. Therefore, some authors suspect eastern (Iranian) influence on Anaximander’s ideas. Anaximenes (d. 528 BCE) According to the surviving sources on his life, Anaximenes flourished in the mid 6th century BCE and died around 528. He is the third philosopher of the Milesian School of philosophy, so named because like Thales and Anaximander, Anaximenes was an inhabitant of Miletus, in Ionia (ancient Greece). Theophrastus notes that Anaximenes was an associate, and possibly a student, of Anaximander’s. Anaximenes is best known for his doctrine that air is the source of all things. In this way, he differed with his predecessors like Thales, who held that water is the source of all things, and Anaximander, who thought that all things came from an unspecified boundless stuff. 2. Doctrine of Change Given his doctrine that all things are composed of air, Anaximenes suggested an interesting qualitative account of natural change: [Air] differs in essence in accordance with its rarity or density. When it is thinned it becomes fire, while when it is condensed it becomes wind, then cloud, when still more condensed it becomes water, then earth, then stones. Everything else comes from these. (DK13A5) Influence on later Philosophy Anaximenes’ theory of successive change of matter by rarefaction and condensation was influential in later theories. It is developed by Heraclitus (DK22B31), and criticized by Parmenides (DK28B8.23-24, 47-48). Anaximenes’ general theory of how the materials of the world arise is adopted by Anaxagoras(DK59B16), even though the latter has a very different theory of matter. Both Melissus (DK30B8.3) and Plato (Timaeus 49b-c) see Anaximenes’ theory as providing a common-sense explanation of change. Diogenes of Apollonia makes air the basis of his explicitly monistic theory. The Hippocratic treatise On Breaths uses air as the central concept in a theory of diseases. By providing cosmological accounts with a theory of change, Anaximenes separated them from the realm of mere speculation and made them, at least in conception, scientific theories capable of testing. Thales of Miletus (c. 620 BCE – c. 546 BCE) The ancient Greek philosopher Thales was born in Miletus in Greek Ionia. Aristotle, the major source for Thales’s philosophy and science, identified Thales as the first person to investigate the basic principles, the question of the originating substances of matter and, therefore, as the founder of the school of natural philosophy. Thales was interested in almost everything, investigating almost all areas of knowledge, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, engineering, geography, and politics. He  proposed theories to explain many of the events of nature, the primary substance, the support of the earth, and the cause of change. Thales was much involved in the problems of astronomy and provided a number of explanations of cosmological events which traditionally involved supernatural entities. His questioning approach to the understanding of heavenly phenomena was the beginning of Greek astronomy. Thales’ hypotheses were new and bold, and in freeing phenomena from godly intervention, he paved the way towards scientific endeavor. He founded the Milesian school of natural philosophy, developed the scientific method, and initiated the first western enlightenment. A number of anecdotes is closely connected to Thales’ investigations of the cosmos. When considered in association with his hypotheses they take on added meaning and are most enlightening. Thales was highly esteemed in ancient times, and a letter cited by Diogenes Laertius, and purporting to be from Anaximenes to Pythagoras, advised that all our discourse should begin with a reference to Thales (D.L. II.4). 1. The Writings of Thales Doubts have always existed about whether Thales wrote anything, but a number of ancient reports credit him with writings. Simplicius (Diels, Dox. p. 475) specifically attributed to Thales authorship of the so-called Nautical Star-guide. Diogenes Laertius raised doubts about authenticity, but wrote that ‘according to others [Thales] wrote nothing but two treatises, one On the Solstice and one On the Equinox‘ (D.L. I.23). Lobon of Argus asserted that the writings of Thales amounted to two hundred lines (D.L. I.34), and Plutarch associated Thales with opinions and accounts expressed in verse (Plutarch, De Pyth. or. 18. 402 E). Hesychius, recorded that ‘[Thales] wrote on celestial matters in epic verse, on the equinox, and much else’ (DK, 11A2). Callimachus credited Thales with the sage advice that navigators should navigate by Ursa Minor (D.L. I.23), advice which may have been in writing. Diogenes mentions a poet, Choerilus, who declared that ‘[Thales] was the first to maintain the immortality of the soul’ (D.L. I.24), and in De Anima, Aristotle’s words ‘from what is recorded about [Thales]‘, indicate that Aristotle was working from a written source. Diogenes recorded that  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ[Thales] seems by some accounts to have been the first to study astronomy, the first to predict eclipses of the sun and to fix the solstices; so Eudemus in his History of Astronomy. It was this which gained for him the admiration of Xenophanes and Herodotus and the notice of Heraclitus and Democritus’ (D.L. I.23). Eudemus who wrote a History of Astronomy, and also on geometry and theology, must be considered as a possible source for the hypotheses of Thales. The information provided by Diogenes is the sort of material which he would have included in his History of Astronomy, and it is possible that the titles On the Solstice, and On the Equinox were a vailable to Eudemus. Xenophanes, Herodotus, Heraclitus and Democritus were familiar with the work of Thales, and may have had a work by Thales available to them. A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the North or South Pole. The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the seasonal movement of the Sun’s path (as seen from Earth) comes to a stop before reversing direction. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In many cultures the solstices mark either the beginning or the midpoint of winter and summer. The term solstice can also be used in a broader sense, as the date (day) when this occurs. The day of the solstice is either the â€Å"longest day of the year† (in summer) or the â€Å"shortest day of the year† (in winter) for any place on Earth, because the length of time between sunrise and sunset on that day is the yearly maximum or minimum for that place. Proclus recorded that Thales was followed by a great wealth of geometers, most of whom remain as honoured names. They commence with Mamercus, who was a pupil of Thales, and include Hippias of Elis, Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Eudoxus of Cnidus, Philippus of Mende, Euclid, and Eudemus, a friend of Aristotle, who wrote histories of arithmetic, of astronomy, and of geometry, and many lesser known names. It is possible that writings of Thales were available to some of these men. Any records which Thales may have kept would have been an advantage in his own work. This is especially true of mathematics, of the dates and times determined when fixing the solstices, the positions of stars, and in  financial transactions. It is difficult to believe that Thales would not have written down the information he had gathered in his travels, particularly the geometry he investigated in Egypt and his measuring of the height of the pyramid, his hypotheses about nature, and the cause of change. Proclus acknowledged Thales as the discoverer of a number of specific theorems (A Commentary on the First Book of Euclid’s Elements 65. 8-9; 250. 16-17). This suggests that Eudemus, Proclus’s source had before him the written records of Thales’s discoveries. How did Thales ‘prove’ his theorems if not in written words and sketches? The works On the Solstice, On the Equinox, which were attributed to Thales (D.L. I.23), and the ‘Nautical Star guide, to which Simplicius referred, may have been sources for the History of Astronomy of Eudemus (D.L. I.23). Pythagoras (c.570—c.495 BCE) The pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Pythagoras must have been one of the world’s greatest persons, but he wrote nothing, and it is hard to say how much of the doctrine we know as Pythagorean is due to the founder of the society and how much is later development. It is also hard to say how much of what we are told about the life of Pythagoras is trustworthy; for a mass of legend gathered around his name at an early date. Sometimes he is represented as a man of science, and sometimes as a preacher of mystic doctrines, and we might be tempted to regard one or other of those characters as alone historical. The truth is that there is no need to reject either of the traditional views. The union of mathematical genius and mysticism is common enough. Originally from Samos, Pythagoras founded at Kroton (in southern Italy) a society which was at once a religious community and a scientific school. Such a body was bound to excite jealousy and mistrust, and we hear of many struggles. Pythagoras himself had to flee from Kroton to Metapontion, where he died. It is stated that he was a disciple of Anaximander, his astronomy was the natural development of Anaximander’s. Also, the way in which the Pythagorean geometry developed also bears witness to its descent from that of Miletos. The great problem at this date was the duplication of the square, a problem which gave rise to the theorem of the square on the hypotenuse, commonly  known still as the Pythagorean proposition (Euclid, I. 47). If we were right in assuming that Thales worked with the old 3:4:5 triangle, the connection is obvious. Pythagoras argued that there are three kinds of men, just as there are three classes of strangers who come to the Olympic Games. The lowest consists of those who come to buy and sell, and next above them are those who come to compete. Best of all are those who simply come to look on. Men may be classified accordingly as lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, and lovers of gain. That seems to imply the doctrine of the tripartite soul, which is also attributed to the early Pythagoreans on good authority, though it is common now to ascribe it to Plato. There are, however, clear references to it before his time, and it agrees much better with the general outlook of the Pythagoreans. The comparison of human life to a gathering like the Games was often repeated in later days. Pythagoras also taught the doctrine of Rebirth or transmigration, which we may have learned from the contemporary Orphics. Xenophanes made fun of him for pretending to recognize the voice of a departed friend in the howls of a beaten dog. Empedocles seems to be referring to him when he speaks of a man who could remember what happened ten or twenty generations before. It was on this that the doctrine of Recollection, which plays so great a part in Plato, was based. The things we perceive with the senses, Plato argues, remind us of things we knew when the soul was out of the body and could perceive reality directly. There is more difficulty about the cosmology of Pythagoras. Hardly any school ever professed such reverence for its founder’s authority as the Pythagoreans. ‘The Master said so’ was their watchword. On the other hand, few schools have shown so much capacity for progress and for adapting themselves to new conditions. Pythagoras started from the cosmical system of Anaximenes. Aristotle tells us that the Pythagoreans represented the world as inhaling ‘air’ form the boundless mass outside it, and this ‘air’ is identified with ‘the unlimited’. When, however, we come to the process by which things are developed out of the ‘unlimited’, we observe a great change. We hear nothing more of ‘separating out’ or even of rarefaction and condensation. Instead of that we have the theory that what gives form to the  Unlimited is the Limit. That is the great contribution of Pythagoras to philosophy, and we must try to understand it. Now the function of the Limit is usually illustrated from the arts of music and medicine, and we have seen how important these two arts were for Pythagoreans, so it is natural to infer that the key to its meaning is to be found in them. It may be taken as certain that Pythagoras himself discovered the numerical ratios which determine the concordant intervals of the musical scale. Similar to musical intervals, in medicine there are opposites, such as the hot and the cold, the wet and the dry, and it is the business of the physician to produce a proper ‘blend’ of these in the human body. In a well-known passage of Plato’s Phaedo (86 b) we are told by Simmias that the Pythagoreans held the body to be strung like an instrument to a certain pitch, hot and cold, wet and dry taking the place of high and low in music. Musical tuning and health are alike means arising from the application of Limit to the Unlimited. It was natural for Pythagoras to look for something of the same kind in the world at large. Briefly stated, the doctrine of Pythagoras was that all things are numbers. In certain fundamental cases, the early Pythagoreans represented numbers and explained their properties by means of dots arrang ed in certain ‘figures’ or patterns. Zeno’s Paradoxes In the fifth century B.C.E., Zeno of Elea offered arguments that led to conclusions contradicting what we all know from our physical experience–that runners run, that arrows fly, and that there are many different things in the world. The arguments were paradoxes for the ancient Greek philosophers. Because most of the arguments turn crucially on the notion that space and time are infinitely divisible—for example, that for any distance there is such a thing as half that distance, and so on—Zeno was the first person in history to show that the concept of infinity is problematical. In his Achilles Paradox, Achilles races to catch a slower runner–for example, a tortoise that is crawling away from him. The tortoise has a head start, so if Achilles hopes to overtake it, he must run at least to the place where the tortoise presently is, but by the time he arrives there, it will have crawled to a new place, so then Achilles must run to this new place, but the  tortoise meanwhile will have crawled on, and so forth. Achilles will never catch the tortoise, says Zeno. Therefore, good reasoning shows that fast runners never can catch slow ones. So much the worse for the claim that motion really occurs, Zeno says in defense of his mentor Parmenides who had argued that motion is an illusion. Although practically no scholars today would agree with Zeno’s conclusion, we can not escape the paradox by jumping up from our seat and chasing down a tortoise, nor by saying Achilles should run to some other target place ahead of where the tortoise is at the moment. What is required is an analysis of Zeno’s own argument that does not get us embroiled in new paradoxes nor impoverish our mathematics and science. This article explains his ten known paradoxes and considers the treatments that have been offered. Zeno assumed distances and durations can be divided into an actual infinity (what we now call a transfinite infinity) of indivisible parts, and he assumed these are too many for the runner to complete. Aristotle‘s treatment said Zeno should have assumed there are only potential infinities, and that neither places nor times divide into indivisible parts. His treatment became the generally accepted solution until the late 19th century. The current standard treatment says Zeno was right to conclude that a runner’s path contains an actual infinity of parts, but he was mistaken to assume this is too many. This treatment employs the apparatus of calculus which has proved its indispensability for the development of modern science. In the twentieth century it finally became clear that disallowing actual infinities, as Aristotle wanted, hampers the growth of set theory and ultimately of mathematics and physics. This standard treatment took hundreds of years to perfect and was due to the flexibility of intellectuals who were willing to replace old theories and their concepts with more fruitful ones, despite the damage done to common sense and our naive intuitions. The article ends by exploring newer treatments of the paradoxes—and related paradoxes such as Thomson’s Lamp Paradox—that were developed since the 1950s. Parmenides (b. 510 BCE) Parmenides was a Greek philosopher and poet, born of an illustrious family about BCE. 510, at Elea in Lower Italy, and is is the chief representative of the Eleatic philosophy. He was held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens for his excellent legislation, to which they ascribed the prosperity and wealth of the town. He was also admired for his exemplary life. A â€Å"Parmenidean life† was proverbial among the Greeks. He is commonly represented as a disciple of Xenophanes. Parmenides wrote after Heraclitus, and in conscious opposition to him, given the evident allusion to Hericlitus: â€Å"for whom it is and is not, the same and not the same, and all things travel in opposite directions† (fr. 6, 8). Little more is known of his biography than that he stopped at Athens on a journey in his sixty-fifth year, and there became acquainted with the youthful Socrates. That must have been in the middle of the fifth century BCE., or shortly after it. Parmenides broke with the older Ionic prose tradition by writing in hexameter verse. His didactic poem, called On Nature, survives in fragments, although the Proem (or introductory discourse) of the work has been preserved. Parmenides was a young man when he wrote it, for the goddess who reveals the truth to him addresses him as â€Å"youth.† The work is considered inartistic. Its Hesiodic style was appropriate for the cosmogony he describes in the second part, but is unsuited to the arid dialectic of the first. Parmenides was no born poet, and we must ask what led him to take this new departure. The example of Xenophanes’ poetic writings is not a complete explanation; for the poetry of Parmenides is as unlike that of Xenophanes as it well can be, and his style is more like Hesiod and the Orphics. In the Proem Parmenides describes his ascent to the home of the goddess who is supposed to speak the remainder of the verses; this is a reflexion of the conventional ascents i nto heaven which were almost as common as descents into hell in the apocalyptic literature of those days. The Proem opens with Parmenides representing himself as borne on a chariot and attended by the Sunmaidens who have quitted the Halls of Night to guide him on his journey. They pass along the highway till they come to the Gate of Night and Day, which is locked and barred. The key is in the keeping of Dike (Right), the Avenger, who is persuaded to unlock it by the Sunmaidens.  They pass in through the gate and are now, of course, in the realms of Day. The goal of the journey is the palace of a goddess who welcomes Parmenides and instructs him in the two ways, that of Truth and the deceptive way of Belief, in which is no truth at all. All this is described without inspiration and in a purely conventional manner, so it must be interpreted by the canons of the apocalyptic style. It is clearly meant to indicate that Parmenides had been converted, that he had passed from error (night) to truth (day), and the Two Ways must represent his former error and the truth which is now revealed to h im. There is reason to believe that the Way of Belief is an account of Pythagorean cosmology. In any case, it is surely impossible to regard it as anything else than a description of some error. The goddess says so in words that cannot be explained away. Further, this erroneous belief is not the ordinary man’s view of the world, but an elaborate system, which seems to be a natural development the Ionian cosmology on certain lines, and there is no other system but the Pythagorean that fulfils this requirement. To this it has been objected that Parmenides would not have taken the trouble to expound in detail a system he had altogether rejected, but that is to mistake the character of the apocalyptic convention. It is not Parmenides, but the goddess, that expounds the system, and it is for this reason that the beliefs described are said to be those of ‘mortals’. Now a description of the ascent of the soul would be quite incomplete without a picture of the region from which it had escaped. The goddess must reveal the two ways at the parting of which Parmenides stands, and bid him choose the better. The rise of mathematics in the Pythagorean school had revealed for the first time the power of thought. To the mathematician of all men it is the same thing that can be thought and that can be, and this is the principle from which Parmenides starts. It is impossible to think what is not, and it is impossible for what cannot be thought to be. The great question, Is it or is it not? is therefore equivalent to the question, Can it be thought or not? In any case, the work thus has two divisions. The first discusses the truth, and the second the world of illusion — that is, the world of the senses and the erroneous opinions of mankind founded upon them. In his opinion truth  lies in the perception that existence is, and error in the idea that non-existence also can be. Nothing can have real existence but what is conceivable; therefore to be imagined and to be able to exist are the same thing, and there is no development. The essence of what is conceivable is incapable of development, imperishable, immutable, unbounded, and indivisible. What is various and mutable, all development, is a delusive phantom. Perception is thought directed to the pure essence of being; the phenomenal world is a delusion, and the opinions formed concerning it can only be improbable. Parmenides goes on to consider in the light of this principle the consequences of saying that anything is. In the first place, it cannot have come into being. If it had, it must have arisen from nothing or from something. It cannot have arisen from nothing; for there is no nothing. It cannot have arisen from something; for here is nothing else than what is. Nor can anything else besides itself come into being; for there can be no empty space in which it could do so. Is it or is it not? If it is, then it is now, all at once. In this way Parmenides refutes all accounts of the origin of the world. Ex nihilo nihil fit. Further, if it is, it simply is, and it cannot be more or less. There is, therefore, as much of it in one place as in another. (That makes rarefaction and condensation impossible.) it is continuous and indivisible; for there is nothing but itself which could prevent its parts being in contact with one another. It is therefore full, a continuous indivisible plenum. (That is directed against the Pythagorean theory of a discontinuous reality.) Further, it is immovable. If it moved, it must move into empty space, and empty space is nothing, and there is no nothing. Also it is finite and spherical; for it cannot be in one direction any more than in another, and the sphere is the only figure of which this can be said. What is, therefore a finite, spherical, motionless, continuous plenum, and there is nothing beyond it. Coming into being and ceasing to be are mere ‘names’, and so is motion, and still more color and the like. They are not even thoughts; for a thought must be a thought of something that is, and none of these can be. Such is the conclusion to which the view of the real as a single body inevitably leads, and there is no escape from it. The ‘matter’ of our physical text-books is just the real of Parmenides; and, unless we can find room for something else than matter, we are shut up into his account of reality. No subsequent system could afford to ignore this, but of course it was impossible to acquiesce permanently in a doctrine like that of Parmenides. It deprives the world we know of all claim to existence, and reduces it to something which is hardly even an illusion. If we are to give an intelligible account of the world, we must certainly introduce motion again somehow. That can never be taken for granted any more, as it was by the early cosmologists; we must attempt to explain it if we are to escape from the conclusions of Parmenides. Heraclitus (fl. c.500 BCE) A Greek philosopher of the late 6th century BCE, Heraclitus criticizes his predecessors and contemporaries for their failure to see the unity in experience. He claims to announce an everlasting Word (Logos) according to which all things are one, in some sense. Opposites are necessary for life, but they are unified in a system of balanced exchanges. The world itself consists of a law-like interchange of elements, symbolized by fire. Thus the world is not to be identified with any particular substance, but rather with an ongoing process governed by a law of change. The underlying law of nature also manifests itself as a moral law for human beings. Heraclitus is the first Western philosopher to go beyond physical theory in search of metaphysical foundations and moral applications. Anaxagoras (c.500—428 BCE) Anaxagoras of Clazomenae was an important Presocratic natural philosopher and scientist who lived and taught in Athens for approximately thirty years. He gained notoriety for his materialistic views, particularly his contention that the sun was a fiery rock. This led to charges of impiety, and he was sentenced to death by the Athenian court. He avoided this penalty by leaving Athens, and he spent his remaining years in exile. While Anaxagoras proposed theories on a variety of subjects, he is most noted for two theories. First, he speculated that in the physical world everything contains a portion of everything else. His observation of how nutrition works in animals led him to conclude that in order for the food an animal eats to turn into bone,  hair, flesh, and so forth, it must already contain all of those constituents within it. The second theory of significance is Anaxagoras’ postulation of Mind (Nous) as the initiating and governing principle of the cosmos. Democritus ( 460—370 BCE) Democritus was born at Abdera, about 460 BCE, although according to some 490. His father was from a noble family and of great wealth, and contributed largely towards the entertainment of the army of Xerxes on his return to Asia. As a reward for this service the Persian monarch gave and other Abderites presents and left among them several Magi. Democritus, according to Diogenes Laertius, was instructed by these Magi in astronomy and theology. After the death of his father he traveled in search of wisdom, and devoted his inheritance to this purpose, amounting to one hundred talents. He is said to have visited Egypt, Ethiopia, Persia, and India. Whether, in the course of his travels, he visited Athens or studied under Anaxagoras is uncertain. During some part of his life he was instructed in Pythagoreanism, and was a disciple of Leucippus. After several years of traveling, Democritus returned to Abdera, with no means of subsistence. His brother Damosis, however, took him in. According to the law of Abdera, whoever wasted his patrimony would be deprived of the rites of burial. Democritus, hoping to avoid this disgrace, gave public lectures. Petronius relates that he was acquainted with the virtues of herbs, plants, and stones, and that he spent his life in making experiments upon natural bodies. He acquired fame with his knowledge of natural phenomena, and predicted changes in the weather. He used this ability to make people believe that he could predict future events. They not only viewed him as something more than mortal, but even proposed to put him in control of their public affairs. He preferred a contemplative to an active life, and therefore declined these public honors and passed the remainder of his days in solitude. Credit cannot be given to the tale that Democritus spent his leisure hours in chemical researches after the philosopher’s stone — the dream of a later age; or to the story of his conversation with Hippocrates concerning Democritus’s supposed madness, as based on spurious letters. Democritus has been commonly known as â€Å"The Laughing Philosopher,† and it is gravely related  by Seneca that he never appeared in public with out expressing his contempt of human follies while laughing. Accordingly, we find that among his fellow-citizens he had the name of â€Å"the mocker†. He died at more than a hundred years of age. It is said that from then on he spent his days and nights in caverns and sepulchers, and that, in order to master his intellectual faculties, he blinded himself with burning glass. This story, however, is discredited by the writers who mention it insofar as they say he wrote books and dissected animals, neither of which could be done we ll without eyes. Democritus expanded the atomic theory of Leucippus. He maintained the impossibility of dividing things ad infinitum. From the difficulty of assigning a beginning of time, he argued the eternity of existing nature, of void space, and of motion. He supposed the atoms, which are originally similar, to be impenetrable and have a density proportionate to their volume. All motions are the result of active and passive affection. He drew a distinction between primary motion and its secondary effects, that is, impulse and reaction. This is the basis of the law of necessity, by which all things in nature are ruled. The worlds which we see — with all their properties of immensity, resemblance, and dissimilitude — result from the endless multiplicity of falling atoms. The human soul consists of globular atoms of fire, which impart movement to the body. Maintaining his atomic theory throughout, Democritus introduced the hypothesis of images or idols (eidola), a kind of emanation from external objects, which make an impression on our senses, and from the influence of which he deduced sensation (aesthesis) and thought (noesis). He distinguished between a rude, imperfect, and therefore false perception and a true one. In the same manner, consistent with this theory, he accounted for the popular notions of Deity; partly through our incapacity to understand fully the phenomena of which we are witnesses, and partly from the impressions communicated by certain beings (eidola) of enormous stature and resembling the human figure which inhabit the air. We know these from dreams and the causes of divination. He carried his theory into practical philosophy also, laying down that happiness consisted in an even temperament. From this he deduced his moral principles and prudential maxims. It was from Democritus that  Epicurus borrowed the princi pal features of his philosophy. Empedocles (c.492—432 BCE) Empedocles (of Acagras in Sicily) was a philosopher and poet: one of the most important of the philosophers working before Socrates (the Presocratics), and a poet of outstanding ability and of great influence upon later poets such as Lucretius. His works On Nature and Purifications (whether they are two poems or only one – see below) exist in more than 150 fragments. He has been regarded variously as a materialist physicist, a shamanic magician, a mystical theologian, a healer, a democratic politician, a living god, and a fraud. To him is attributed the invention of the four-element theory of matter (earth, air, fire, and water), one of the earliest theories of particle physics, put forward seemingly to rescue the phenomenal world from the static monism of Parmenides. Empedocles’ world-view is of a cosmic cycle of eternal change, growth and decay, in which two personified cosmic forces, Love and Strife, engage in an eternal battle for supremacy. In psychology and ethics Empedocles was a follower of Pythagoras, hence a believer in the transmigration of souls, and hence also a vegetarian. He claims to be a daimà ´n, a divine or potentially divine being, who, having been banished from the immortals gods for ‘three times countless years’ for committing the sin of meat-eating and forced to suffer successive reincarnations in an purificatory journey through the different orders of nature and elements of the cosmos, has now achieved the most perfect of human states and will be reborn as an immortal. He also claims seemingly magical powers including the ability to revive the dead and to control the winds and rains.

Health as a human right Essay

The observed recent advancement in preventive, primary health care, early intervention programs, coordinated health care trials in Australia as well a the population health developments have tried to explore the possibility of changing the current emphasis of health care from the responsive acute care to the more integrated system where the entire whole population is managed for the well being of all (Michael2003). In this concept it is thus generally accepted that much of the illnesses experienced in the communities are preventable or can be managed in a more constructive manner rather than the way it has been up to today. From this view therefore, much of the disabling illnesses need not occur but rather be avoided through the better managed models, lifestyle changes and education programs (Hugh 2003). Health and wellbeing In this modern world that is becoming more and more business oriented, the idea of prevention rather than cure seems to be more appealing due to the quality of life that the individual leads as well as the health outcomes in general (Flowers 2002). A costly health care is avoided when prevention is given the first priority while at the same time helping the community to better understand how to live a more fulfilling life (Keyes 2002). The opposite to prevention would to continue to respond to the emerging health problems at a much more expense and to thus accept that a great amount of GDP would be spent on health care not forgetting that this would degrade the quality of life that the citizen lead. It is in this light therefore that the concept of a better sustainable natural health environment turns out to be even more appealing hence carrying a greater part of the community priorities (Hugh 2003). This calls for a greater consumer participation where the awareness of what supports a healthy/unhealthy lifestyle is taught to all. But though very attractive, one realistically questions if this is a workable context (Michael2003). It has been noted that the social inequality is increasingly characterizing the Australian society and thus the main concern here is that the economy may not be able in the future to support the living standards that the Australians are used to (Richard2002). For the rural communities, the problems seem be doubled. In the rural communities, the wealth that they used to create is diminishing and what used to be the rural production in Australia is now continuously being replaced with a dominating mineral industry. It was only until the early 1980s that agricultural products used to be the single most important source of income for most of the Australian community. The rapid growth of the mineral industry has replaced agriculture to an extent that the earnings from mining nearly double those from agriculture (Hugh 2003). This reduced generation of income in the rural community implies that the distribution of wealth will definitely be affected (Flowers 2002). Some observers have linked a sustainable economy to a sustainable health. Australia is however still not yet a nation that does recognize the great importance of linking the wellbeing of the general community to the economic activities (Smart and Sanson 2005). Though this be the case, the European population could maybe be regarded as the healthiest population as it enjoys a life expectancy of over 80 years (Keyes 2002). Good health and expanding economies are two ideas that are mutually compatible and thus are able to co-exist though this is not yet achieved. From this perception thus, a principle of sustainability in an environmental and economic sense can be generated and be considered to apply both equally to the ideology of shaping the health care system as well as coming up with a preventive approach to the wellbeing of the community (Hugh 2003). The Australian health system has like the education system become institutionalized and thus does no longer serve the community needs (Flowers 2002). In this regard, it is no longer able to respond to the values of as well as aspirations of the people but on the centrally alienates them from the control of their own values and consciousness (Keyes 2002). This has been the case since when the health system are under the control of institutions, then the power of the individual to determine how they exists within these structure is lost and with this kind of loss, such society ills as stigma cannot be avoided (Michael2003). It is within these communities where a strong move towards an economically rational view of capital as well as of service provision is upheld (Richard2002). In this view when the health system is seen as a ‘marketable good’ just any sector such as education, then the view of taking health care to be a public good cannot be put in question. From the WORLD health Organization, health is defined as the state of complete mental, physical, social well being and thus not just the absence of an infirmity or disease (Smart and Sanson 2005). Since most of the modern perspective is financially based, then even the health system is planed from this perspective. It is not possible to attain the vision of a well society while at the same time one is not realistically considering the all elements that would be required to make such a realization a possibility (Hugh 2003). It is within the human rights framework where the guidance of how to respond to the public health challenges is supposed to come from. Wellbeing is often measure interms of satisfaction in life and happiness (Richard2002). Wellbeing is actually about having and maintaining a meaning in life; being able to fulfill our potential and thus feel that our lives are a worthwhile. Our subjective or personal wellbeing is usually determined by our genes, social conditions, personal choices and circumstances as well as the complex manner in which all of these interact with one another (Flowers 2002). By affecting our personality, genes influence our wellbeing. This could thus translate to such traits as neuroticism and extraversion that are all associated with a lower and higher wellbeing respectively (Keyes 2002). Since the genetic influences here are not immutable or fixed, they are frequently shaped by the environment, upbringing, general conditions of life and the personal experiences. In regard to health, most of the characteristic and qualities that are related to the wellbeing of a person are also related to the health of the individual. Thus wellbeing has been regarded as one that does play a central role in enhancing health through the direct effect in such processes as the immune system, physiology, diet, exercise, drinking, smoking and other lifestyle behavior (Michael2003). The question of what cause what then emerges (Hugh 2003). A human right approach Human rights can be considered from two levels. First from the international system of treaties and from a conceptual framework that shapes the action (Richard2002). In Australia, the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is what is concerned with the voicing the concerns of health consumers. Being an independent non-governmental organization it mainly shapes the Australian health system by having the consumers involved in the health policies (Smart and Sanson 2005). If the health sector and the wellbeing of the citizens is taken from a wider view, then it is possible to invest more resources in a more effective manner so as to optimize these benefits to the whole community (Flowers 2002). Adopting this concept would require the identification of some of the key elements that would encompass a healthy society from which it would be expected that health individuals would live in. some of these concepts include but are not limited to; 1. recognizing the impact and role of work in the wellbeing of the individuals. 2. enhancing more consumer participation and improving community education. 3. Coming up with policies that will enhance a healthy sustainable environment both social and natural. 4. ecognizing the major role that the lifestyle choice plays in enhancing the community as well as individuals wellbeing. 5. implementing early prevention and intervention programs in a more extensive manner rather than having to wait to have endpoint interventions. 6. promoting the idea of having to a lead a qualitative kind of life as opposed to the quantitative view. Such a approach to a sustainable health system will be a gradual process. Many of the factors that contribute to the well being of the individual are interrelated (Michael2003). The relationship between these factors are in most cases reciprocal. A good example is the observation that happier people are more likely than the depressed sad families to do better work, have more friends, and even earn higher income. The interrelation of these factors with well being are quite clear. As work offer purpose in life, unemployment is associated with a loss of income. Other factors such as being religious offer a good flow of social connections, sense of purpose, spiritual support and a moral code that eventually sums up to the wellbeing of the person (Hugh 2003). The lack of one of these factors sometime is compensated though partly by the presence of the other. It has been estimated that an average Australian rates their satisfaction and general happiness to about 75 per cent. Of late, the Australian government has stated that a growing strong economy is their main responsibility and goal. Economic growth has in the past been associated with the indicators of better health, wellbeing and a high quality of life. In this regard, it is globally accepted that money matters most as it does help people to meet their basic needs (Flowers 2002). The link between health, law and human rights. Health systems in all sectors of life can be analyzed for the impact they have on equality, human dignity and freedom as well as how effective they are in treating or preventing disease or ill health (Smart and Sanson 2005). The close association that is there between law and health is rarely fully appreciated by the health care providers (Hugh 2003). The law and in particular that which is mainly concerned with the provision of human rights should be well understood by the health care providers who are usually reluctant to engage in it so as to be better placed to improve health care quality (Michael2003). If this is to be achieved then the following need to be achieved; 1. Ensure that all persons are empowered as well as informed to make responsible decisions regarding medical care and treatment on the basis of a genuinely informed consent. 2. Take all appropriate administrative and legislative measures to ensure that all people enjoy the right of attaining the highest possible health standard without any form of discrimination. 3. take all administrative measures to ensure that access to healthcare facilities is made possible to all persons (Flowers 2002). Conclusion Just like the wider economic system, health care is increasingly becoming concerned with prevention, sustainability, early intervention as well as the long-term management of the wellbeing of its citizens. This would imply having to move health care issues beyond the reactionary crisis that is mainly based on acute care model and thus in its place have a more integrated program that is based on preventive care. This can be accomplished on the recognition that ‘health’ is usually a function of various environmental and social variables. To prevent the health care from collapsing in the future due to the heavy weight of acute care needs, health professional must become more involved in the education, community care, self-management, prevention as well enhance the consumer empowerment processes. It is worth noting much of the illnesses today in the health sector such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and the respiratory diseases are all preventable or manageable if not totally preventable and thus it is within the realistic aim to lessen the burden.

Teaching assistants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teaching assistants - Essay Example It has been argued that teaching assistants have too much responsibility without being given sufficient recognition for what they do.Discuss the evidence that is available to support or refute this statement indicating which appears to be more persuasive..''There is a Chinese proverb," Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself." Teaching is an art and to learn is also an art. Learning depends upon the level of interest of a student and art of a teacher is that how she/he make the specific subject or lecture interesting that a student has no other option but to learn whatever is being taught to him/her. If someone asks you to categorize teachers you may say math teacher, science teacher etc etc or you might say a good teacher and a bad teacher but you will never say a teacher and a teacher assistant. Do you know why Because most of us don't give the sufficient recognition to teacher assistants, we even don't consider them as teachers but as a helper to teacher or just an assistant .Just think when you will get into your practical life and some day sit down and try to remember your school days what would first came to your mind Your class room, your table, the teacher you most hated and your favorite teacher.that's it Had you ever taught about the teachers who use to come in your class in the absence of your teacherThese teacher assistants check your papers, copies and are indirectly related to you somehow and it won't be wrong if you had considered them one of your teachers. These teacher assistants are paid less then your class teacher may be that's why they are of less importance to you or the education system. She/he sits with the teacher in class and tries to judge if students are able to understand the lecture or not. Normally he/she is friendlier than your teacher. So in short the teacher assistant is a support for teacher, students, curriculum and school as well. They sometimes play the role of a mentor as well for the students as they interact with th e students more than the teacher. In short "they exploit and create learning opportunities"3 The question that arises is if they are given the appropriate pay and recognition for what they do A teacher works come to an end after attending class but a teacher assistant have to make course outline, examination schedule etc etc. Teaching has been considered as one of the noblest professions of world especially for women. These women are very competent who choose teaching as a profession because it is not easy to teach someone; To make them understand what you want to. A teacher assistant is also a kind of teacher who works more hard than "teachers". Then why they couldn't get the respect that students usually give to the teachers The reasons would be because they are paid less, they sometimes have to face arrogance of the teacher if she/did did any mistake or if the word "assistant" had made them lesser important than teacher or they might think that assistant know less then teacher. Unqualified Teachers: In some areas of world even teachers are not qualified enough i.e. "a survey of teacher qualifications in Northern Ireland which indicates that a significant percentage of teachers are unqualified in the areas of mathematics, physics, ICT, history and

Abraham Lincoln, Slavery and the Civil War Essay - 1

Abraham Lincoln, Slavery and the Civil War - Essay Example During the war in November 1863, President Lincoln gave the famous Gettysburg Address speech at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The main point in his speech was about segregation of the blacks â€Å"our country was founded on freedom and equality† (Johnson 144). By the time the war came to an end, both African Americans and the white Americans had participated to save the union and stop slavery, and both losing a great number in the war. However, there has been a question of whether there was a connection between the recruitment of African Americans to fight in the Union Army and the overall message of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address or whether the two developments were completely separate. When the war began in 1861, black units were not used in combat as extensively as they might have been due to prejudice against them. There was fear that the blacks were not as competent enough as the white soldiers and their first recruitment came in 1862 (James 118). It was found necessary to have the blacks also join the war due to the declining number of white volunteers, and the increasingly pressing personnel needs of the Union Army which pushed the Government to reconsider the ban. The African American soldiers were referred to as the United States colored troops. Concerns over the response of white soldiers and officers, as well as the effectiveness of a colored fighting force were raised (James165). Another major fear of recruiting the Blacks in the army was the fear of response of the Border States Border States withdrawing membership from the states, â€Å"The Lincoln administration wrestled with the idea of authorizing the recruitment of black troops† (Johnson 120) . Since the government had called out people to volunteer in the army, they were afraid that should the blacks be introduced in to the army, the officers who had volunteered would withdraw and this would be a setback in the war. Even after recruitment of the blacks to the army in 1863, they were discriminated against with lower payments as compared to their counterparts. Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg rose the declaration of Independence, mentioned its principles of liberty and equality, and he talked of "a new birth of freedom" for the country (Johnson 46). In his brief address, he went ahead to reshape the aims of the war for the American people transforming it from a war for Union to that for freedom. Having advocated for freedom from slavery, winning the war meant an end to the vice thereby freedom. It is important to note that the black troops faced greater peril than white troops when captured by the Confederate Army. In 1863 the Confederate Congress threatened to punis h severely officers of black troops and to enslave black soldiers. As a result, President Lincoln issued General Order 233, threatening retaliation on Confederate prisoners of war (POWs) for any mistreatment of black troops. The South feared Lincoln’s reign which also contributed to the war when he took power. With these facts put down, we can conclude that Lincoln had sincerely advocated for equality. According to the revised official data by James, â€Å"African American soldiers comprised 10% of the entire Union Army (James 42). Of the approximately 180,000 United States Colored troops, and over 36,000 died, or 20.5% (James 32). In other words, the mortality rate amongst the United States Colored Troops in the Civil War was thirty-five percent greater than that among other troops† (James 72). These figures support Lincolns administration against