Prima facie Duties and Rosss Theory of Right Conduct free essay sample

â€Å"There are other beings in this world whose condition we can make better in respect of virtue, or of intelligence or of pleasure† (Ross). W. D. Ross was a philosopher who developed the Theory of Right Conduct. The seven prima facie duties are central in Ross’s Theory of Right Conduct. The purpose of these duties is to determine what people ought to do in questionable moral situations. â€Å"A prima facie duty is a duty that is binding (obligatory) other things equal, that is, unless it is overridden or trumped by another duty or duties† (Garrett). The purpose of this paper is to explain the prima facie duties and Ross’s Theory of Right Conduct. To further demonstrate the theory it will be applied to a morally controversial case. In order to understand the concept of prima facie duties one must understand each of the seven duties. The first duty is Fidelity, this is the obligation to keep one’s promises and not participate in dishonesty. We will write a custom essay sample on Prima facie Duties and Rosss Theory of Right Conduct or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The second is Reparation, which is the duty to make up for any injuries one has caused others. The next duty is Gratitude, this states that one must show gratitude towards others for their help and if possible return the favor. The fourth duty is Harm Prevention that is the duty to prevent harm to others resulting from causes other than oneself. Next is Beneficence this is the duty to do good to others in order to promote their overall wellbeing. The sixth prima facie duty is Self-Improvement that is literally the duty to act in a way that improves one’s self and promotes one’s own wellbeing. Lastly, Justice is the duty that requires one to act in a way that promotes justice in a just manor. While all of these duties appear to be self explanatory and straightforward it can be difficult to determine when one ought to or ought not to perform an action. Ross’s Theory of Right Conduct helps to clarify when two prima facie duties conflict. Ross’s Theory of Right Conduct is a theory that demonstrates the burden to perform or not perform an action based upon the seven prima facie duties. His theory is broken down into actions that are obligatory, wrong or optional. The theory states that it is obligatory to perform an action (A) to uphold one prima facie duty over another, if (and because) action (A) satisfies the most stringent of the conflicting prima facie duty. To better illustrate this take the case of Mike. Mike promises his friend Sally he will give her a ride to work and is therefore obligated to uphold the prima facie duty of fidelity. However, when Mike is driving to pick her up he sees a car crash on the side of the road. If he does not stop to help the victim of the car crash the victim will die. Now Mike has two conflicting prima facie duties, he has the duty of fidelity toward Sally and the duty of beneficence to the stranger. Ross’s Theory of Right Conduct would favor that he uphold the duty of beneficence because it is a more stringent duty. The second part of Ross’s theory states that it is wrong to perform action (A) if and because it would mean not upholding the more stringent of the conflicting prima facie duties. In the case of the car crash this would mean that it would be wrong for Mike to leave the accident to uphold his duty of fidelity because it is not the more stringent of the two prima facie duties. Lastly, an action is optional if and because one of the two following scenarios are present: If one has no prima facie duties in the situation, or if there are conflicting prima facie duties and one or more favors each action. The main problem with Ross’s Theory of Right Conduct is how does one judge one prima facie duty to be more stringent than another. In the case of conflicting prima facie duties one must rely on moral judgment. This means following one’s own intuition that has been shaped by experiences and obtained knowledge over a period of time. There is no formula or strict principle that can be applied in moral judgment one must rely on their own intuition. In the case of the car accident one can use their own moral judgment to determine that upholding beneficence and saving a life is more important than the duty of fidelity and making sure Sally gets to work on time. In some cases it is not as simple to determine the more stringent prima facie duty. To illustrate the complexity of conflicting prima facie duties we will observe the case of George. George is a recent graduate with a Ph. D. in chemistry who is struggling to find a job. His wife is forced to get a job in order to support their family. As a result of an absent mother and the financial stress on the family the children have been experiencing damaging psychological effects. George is offered a job at a laboratory that researches biological and chemical warfare. He is against accepting the job because he believes that the use of biological and chemical warfare is wrong. However, even if he refuses the job the lab will continue to research biological and chemical warfare. Furthermore, if George does not fill the position it will go to a more experience candidate that will speed up the research process. While George is against the research of biological and chemical warfare, his wife is not morally opposed to the idea of George taking the job. This case has many conflicting prima facie duties in which moral judgment must be applied to determine weather George should accept the job or not. There are several conflicting prima facie duties that apply to this case. The first is the duty of harm-prevention. As previously mentioned this states that one must prevent harm to others from causes other than him/herself. In this case this duty applies to both the prevention of harm to George’s family and the harm as a result of his research on biological and chemical warfare. The next duty is beneficence that is concerned with the promotion of the wellbeing of others that includes his family and the potential victims of his research. Lastly, is the duty of self-improvement, and George’s obligation to improve his own wellbeing. To find a resolution to this case I have evaluated each of the prima facie duties and their conflicts. The duty of harm-prevention is best satisfied if George accepts the job. By not taking the job he is not upholding his duty of harm prevention toward his family because they will continue to suffer. On the other hand by refusing the job he is technically upholding the duty of harm prevention toward the potential victims of his chemical and biological warfare research; however, the position will be filled by a more qualified chemist that would cause more harm than if George were to accept the job. The next prima facie duty is beneficence. If George were to accept the job he would be promoting the wellbeing (health, security, and happiness) of his family; however, much like the duty of harm prevention he would not be promoting the wellbeing of the potential victims of his research. The wellbeing of his family can be promoted if he accepts the job because he will be providing them with financial security that will contribute to their health (psychological and physical), and in turn their overall happiness. Also by accepting the position he can slow the progress of research and lessen the potential effects the research can have on the victims. Lastly, the duty of self-improvement can be satisfied if he accepts the job because he will be promoting his security (financially) and health (psychological and physical) because he will alleviate the stress of unemployment and the effects on himself and his family. After a close examination and factoring the various effects of George’s decision he has a moral obligation to accept the job because it is in the best interest of himself, his family and the potential victims of the research. He will promote the wellbeing of him and his family, as well as lessen the unavoidable negative effects on the victims of the biological and chemical warfare.

Tuesdays With Morie essays

Tuesdays With Morie essays Tuesdays with Morrie is a true story that captures the compassion and wisdom of a man who only knew good in his heart. A man who lived his life to the fullest up until the very last breath of his happily fulfilled life. It is a story of a special bond of friendship that was lost for many years, but never forgotten and simply picked up again at a crucial time of both Morries and Mitchs lives. This book is a series of lessons a former student has with his teacher about facing one's death and living one's life, and to not feel sorry for yourself no matter how bad life treats you. But the main theme of this novel is the meaning of life, which is brought about in a very truthful manner. Mitch (one of the main characters who is also the author) makes sure to combine the present with flashbacks of the past, so that the reader can understand how deep the relationship between Mitch Albom and Morrie Schwartz goes. Morrie was a professor at Brandesis University in the city of Waltham, Massachusetts, and Mitch was the student. The book starts out on graduation day where Mitch is saying goodbye to his professor, Morrie. Morrie tells Mitch not to forget him and to keep in touch. But Mitch does forget about his professor until flipping through the television channels one night. Who is Morrie Schwartz? he heard on a special edition of Night Line. Merely 20 years later Mitch remembers back to his graduation day and what he had promised his Coach. More importantly, Mitch found out that Morrie had a disease that counted down the last days of his life. Mitch learned that Morrie had only a few months to live with the deadly disease of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. Mitch decided to meet back up with his old friend. Mitch and Morrie began the last class that Morrie would teach-lifes greatest lesson. Mitch met up with Morrie on Tuesdays for his weekly ...

Biography of Enrico Dandolo, Doge of Venice

Biography of Enrico Dandolo, Doge of Venice Enrico Dandolo was known for funding, organizing, and leading the forces of the Fourth Crusade, who never reached the Holy Land but instead captured Constantinople. He is also famous for taking the title of Doge at a very advanced age. Occupations DogeMilitary Leader Places of Residence and Influence Venice, ItalyByzantium (Eastern Roman Empire) Important Dates Born: c. 1107Elected Doge: June 1, 1192Died: 1205 About Enrico Dandolo The Dandolo family was wealthy and powerful, and Enricos father, Vitale, had held several high administrative positions in Venice. Because he was a member of this influential clan, Enrico was able to secure a position in the government himself with little difficulty, and eventually, he was entrusted with many important missions for Venice. This included a trip to Constantinople in 1171 with the doge at that time, Vitale II Michiel, and another a year later with the Byzantine ambassador. On the latter expedition, so diligently did Enrico protect the interests of the Venetians that it was rumored the Byzantine emperor, Manuel I Comnenus, had him blinded. However, although Enrico suffered from poor vision, the chronicler Geoffroi de Villehardouin, who knew Dandolo personally, attributes this condition to a blow to the head. Enrico Dandolo also served as Venices ambassador to the King of Sicily in 1174 and to Ferrara in 1191. With such prestigious accomplishments in his career, Dandolo was considered an excellent candidate as the next doge even though he was quite elderly. When Orio Mastropiero stepped down in order to retire to a monastery, Enrico Dandolo was elected Doge of Venice on June 1, 1192. He was believed to be at least 84 years of age at the time. Enrico Dandolo Rules Venice As doge, Dandolo worked tirelessly to increase the prestige and influence of Venice. He negotiated treaties with Verona, Treviso, the Byzantine Empire, the Patriarch of Aquileia, the King of Armenia and the Holy Roman Emperor, Philip of Swabia. He fought a war against the Pisans and won. He also reorganized Venices currency, issuing a new, large silver coin known as the grosso or matapan that bore his own image. His changes to the monetary system were the beginning of an extensive economic policy designed to increase trade, most especially with lands to the east. Dandolo also took a keen interest in the Venetian legal system. In one of his earliest official acts as ruler of Venice, he swore the â€Å"ducal promise,† an oath that specifically laid out all of the duties of the doge, as well as his rights. The grosso coin depicts him holding this promise. Dandolo also published Venices first collection of civil statutes and revised the penal code. These achievements alone would have earned Enrico Dandolo an honorable place in the history of Venice, but he would earn fame or infamy from one of the strangest episodes in Venetian history. Enrico Dandolo and the Fourth Crusade The idea of sending troops to the Eastern Roman Empire instead of to the Holy Land did not originate in Venice, but it is fair to say that the Fourth Crusade would not have turned out as it did were it not for the efforts of Enrico Dandolo. The organization of transportation for the French troops, the funding of the expedition in exchange for their help in taking Zara, and the persuading of the crusaders in helping the Venetians take Constantinople all of this was Dandolos work. He was also physically in the forefront of events, standing armed and armored in the bow of his galley, encouraging the attackers as they made their landing at Constantinople. He was well past 90 years old. After Dandolo and his forces succeeded in capturing Constantinople, he took the title lord of the fourth part and a half of the whole empire of Romania for himself and for all the doges of Venice thereafter. The title corresponded to how the spoils of the Eastern Roman Empire (Romania) were then divided as a consequence of the conquest. The doge remained in the capital city of the empire to oversee the new Latin government and to look out for Venetian interests. In 1205, Enrico Dandolo died in Constantinople at the age of 98. He was entombed in the Hagia Sophia. Resources and Further Reading Madden, Thomas F.  Enrico Dandolo the Rise of Venice. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2011.Brà ©hier, Louis.  Enrico Dandolo.  The Catholic Encyclopedia.  Vol. 4.  New York: Robert Appleton Company,  1908.

Torture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Torture - Essay Example This paper examines the pivotal differences between Alan Dershowitz and Elaine Scarry on the question of physical torture in order to determine whether the arguments of the former are adequately tackled by the latter as well as the actual possibility of establishment of public accountability standards for extraordinary measures such as the use of physical torture to prevent terrorism. The Ticking Bomb Argument The controversy surrounding the use of torture to prevent terrorism is explicitly demonstrated via the â€Å"ticking bomb scenario†, where a captured terrorist refuses to divulge information concerning the imminent use of weapon – whether nuclear, biological or chemical device – capable of killing and injuring a huge number of civilians (Dershowitz 259). The grave moral dilemma here is whether the captured terrorist should be subjected to torture in order to disclose the location of the device or the bomb to be allowed to explode and kill perhaps thousands of people because of legal and moral considerations. In other words, the safety and security of a nation’s citizens must be weighed against the preservation of human rights, which engenders a choice between one evil or another (Dershowitz 266, 272). While both Dershowitz and Scarry agree that the ‘ticking bomb’ scenario is a rather hypothetical situation, they consider its implications for the individuals and institutions involved, as well as for the society as a whole, from vastly different points of view. According to Dershowitz, in nations such as Israel, for example, where both terrorism and the use of torture to prevent terrorism are anything but hypothetical, the ticking bomb case in fact provides a moral, legal and intellectual justification for applying the system of coercive interrogation (258-9). On the other hand, although being generally deemed unproductive, those methods – euphemistically called by the Israeli Security Services (GSS or Shin Be t) themselves â€Å"moderate physical pressure† – sometimes proved successful and led to prevention of terrorist acts that otherwise might have killed many civilians (Dershowitz 258). The latter observation, however, implies that the possibility of an actual ‘ticking bomb’ case shouldn’t be readily ruled out. Similarly, following September 11, 2001, it has become not so rare practice in the US security and intelligence services to employ rough interrogation technique

4.How convincing is Porters model of national competitive advantage in Essay

4.How convincing is Porters model of national competitive advantage in explaining the characteristics and performance of the business systems of major economies - Essay Example However, irrespective of the individual firms, some countries as a whole have achieved a higher competitive position than the others (Baker, 2007). This paper will shed some light on how the nations achieve competitive advantage by using Porter’s Diamond model. This model focuses on the determining factors of national competitive advantage. The paper will discuss about the issues and loop holes of the Porter’s diamond Model and how they fail to answer certain circumstantial problems. Porter (1990) explained the competitiveness of a nation based on the four different parameters, which are factor conditions, demand conditions, supporting or related industries and firms’ strategy, structure and rivalry. Factor Conditions: The factor conditions include the production factors of a nation, like human resources and human capital, physical resources, knowledge base, financial strength. The quantity and quality of the available human resources determine the national production capabilities. Demand Conditions: The demand conditions explain the level of demands of products in the home country. The higher level of demand influences the pace of product innovation and improves service quality. Firms’ Strategy structure Rivalry: This parameter suggests how the firms in a country are organized and how they determine the domestic competitiveness. This mostly reflects the organizational cultural trends of the nation. Certain organizational behaviour and pattern of activities provide added advantage to them in terms of other foreign companies. Relating and supporting industries: The presence of other industries influences the competitive position of an organization. The presence of other industries can be leveraged by the domestic firms in order to create competitive advantage. The four parameters of the Diamond model although acts as a determinant of national competitive advantage, are mostly industry oriented. The diamond model

Australian National Identity Essay Example for Free

Australian National Identity Essay According to Zimmermann there are as many legal systems as there are national states. Every country has its own unique legal system. However, we can allocate among them three main legal systems. These are: Civil Law, Common Law and Islamic Law. Civil and Common Laws are the most influential legal systems in the world, especially in its Western part. All three of these legal systems have existed and developed for many centuries. Further will follow the description of the historically appearance of each legal system separately. Civil legal system is considered to be the oldest and the most widespread one. It also known as Continental, Roman or Romano-Germanic law. In general, Roman law consists of a combination of three main subtraditions such as Roman Civil Law, Canon Law and Commercial Law. The development of Roman Law cover more than a thousand year period, starting from the publication of the law of the XII Tables in Rome (450 B. C. ) and the code of Emperor Justinian I Corpus Juris Civilic , which was created in period from 529 – 534 A. D and later developed by medieval legal scholars. Countries with Civil legal system: France, Germany, Japan, Russia and Uzbekistan. The Common law evolved in England since 11th century after being conquered by the Normans in 1066 A. D.. Afterwards William I the Conqueror created central government and began to standardize the law by combining the best of Anglo-Saxon law with Norman Law which led to a creation of English Common Law. â€Å"William’s enduring legacy was the creation of highly centralized legal system†. [1] (Kritzer, H, M, 2002). The case law originally appeared when the King understood, that many cases, which he had to solve were similar and needed standardization. During the 14th century legal decisions on the common law started providing precedents for the judges to follow. In 1769 Sir William Blackstone wrote Commentaries on the Laws of England, which became the basics of the most common law statutes. These are countries with common legal system: England, United States of America, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, and India. The Islamic Law is called Sharia. The primary sources of Islamic Law are Qur’an and Sunnah. Sharia covers all aspects of every day life of Muslims, including such things as: economics, family and social issues. The legal systems in the World are divided into three main groups: Common, Civil and Islamic legal system, as it was discussed earlier. According to Zweigert, K. and Kotz, H. there are five main differences this two legal systems can be compared: historical background, legal investigation, legal institutions, the sources of law and last one is its ideology. Civil and Common legal systems have both similarities and differences. The main difference between these two legal systems is that common law in England was based on customs, the court existed a long time before there were any written laws. In contrast, the Civil Law developed from ancient Roman Law of Justinian I The second difference is the role of sources of law. At present time there are such sources of law as codes, legislation, customs, judicial decisions (case law), equity and doctrinal writing. Each legal system has several sources from those which were mentioned above. For instance, as De Cruz (2007) points out â€Å"the main sources of law in Civil law countries are the codes, enacted law, doctrinal writing, custom and decided cases. †[2] Civil legal system is codified statutory system, where the main principles and rules are stated in codes. This means that codes and statutes are valued higher and case law is considered just as a secondary source of law. On the other hand the Common law system is uncodified, â€Å"governed by case law and statutes play only an auxiliary role to precedents established by courts†[3](Kritzer, H M, 2002). Equity and case law are accepted sources of law in Common law countries. They do not exist in Civil law jurisdiction. Equity is understood not only as justice but is also considered as a set of legal principles, which are applied in Common legal system. Equity deals with â€Å"situations by applying notions of good sense and fairness†. [4] (Elliott, C Quinn, F, 1996). The law is dominantly created by judge and often without checking the legislation, only by drawing analogy the previous similar cases. This moment shows the difference of the legislators in civil law and in common law. In the civil law, judges should apply the law, which was created by the legislator, on the basis of separation of powers. On the other hand, in common law the judge is given the power to create the law. Another difference between civil and common law system is the force of precedents. In civil law system, the court decides the particular cases according to the legislation and legal norms. But in the common law the courts are supposed not only to solve the cases, but also give an example of how similar cases have to be solved in the future. This means, that decisions, which are made by higher level courts in a specific areas are binding the lower ones to follow them. This makes the court in the common law the basis of legislation. Court procedures are also differentiating in both civil and common legal systems. We all know that at the court two parties cooperate by presenting their evidence to each other. Civil legal system has an inquisitorial procedure. In inquisitorial procedure the judge is the active person, who also takes more investigative role. Common law countries use the accusatorial system, which is also known as the adversary procedure. † The common law principle which places the responsibility for collecting and presenting evidence on the party who seeks to introduce that evidence. †[5] (Woodley, M, 2005). In accusatorial procedure judge is a passive person in comparison with the inquisitorial procedure. Moreover, the last word in court procedure (Civil legal system) has the defendant, whereas in Common law the last world has the prosecutor. Next difference would be legal institutions. It can be seen on the following examples. Trust is a branch of law which exist in Common law countries, significantly developed in England. It regulates relationship between trust and trustee. Trust is the person who delegates their ownership, whereas trustee is the person who owns trusts’ proprieties due to many reasons (e.g. underage) The principle of presumption of innocence works differently in Common and Civil law in criminal cases. In Common law it means that a person is innocent until his gilt is proven by the prosecutor and by the facts he presents. On the other hand in civil legal system, it suggests that a person is found to be guilty until he proved that he is innocent. Convergence theory is a system, when one particular country has a mixed legal system. Mixed jurisdiction in recent time, became a subject of huge debates and discussions in European Union. This is happening because, EU has united many countries with different legal systems under a single legislation. So now EU is becoming an area of convergence, where two major legal systems, civil legal system of the continental Europe and common legal system of England, are getting mixed with each other. But this kind of situation with the mixed jurisdictions did not occur only in European Union. Louisiana and Quebec are examples of mixed jurisdiction systems. Before being a part of USA, Louisiana was a French colony since 1731 till its cession to Spain in 1763. In this period of time Louisiana had a French legal system. But after its cession, French law was replaced by Spanish Law. The Spanish law included â€Å"Nueva Recopilacion de Castilla (1567) and the Recopilacion de Leyes de los Reinos de las Indias (a rearrangement of major legal texts up to 1680), and, in default of a specific rule in a later enactment, the Siete Partidas (a compilation of laws, based on the Justinian compilation and the doctrine of the Glossators, made under King Alfonso X in 1265 and formally enacted under King Alfonso XI in 1348)† (Tetley,W., 2000). On 20 December of 1803 Louisiana became part of United States of America. USA had a common law legal system. The mixture of common and civil law systems lead to a misinterpretation of laws, because all other codes were written in different languages. That is why, Edward Livingston in 1808 created a â€Å"Louisiana civil code†, which was approved by the major advocates of common law. In 1825 the Louisiana civil code was modified by adding missing force and was organized similarly with French Civil Code. The third civil code was evolved in 1870. The complete edition of all three codes was published in 1938. Starting from 1976 Louisiana’s State University is now responsible for the Louisiana civil code. Another striking example of the mixed of jurisdictions, would be Quebec. For a long time before being ceded by the Great Britain, Quebec was the part of France, and called le Canada. This means that in Quebec was under French Civil Legal system. After cession with Great Britain, the legal systems got mixed, and this lead to a confusion of the applicable law. The French population boycotted the new English law. To make some clarifications were made by creating a Quebec Act 1774, which combined both civil and common legal systems. In 1791 The Constitutional act divided Quebec into Upper Canada, with common law system and Lower Canada with civil law. Nowadays Canada still has a mixed jurisdiction The mixed jurisdiction is, in my opinion, a myth, but many countries are trying to reach the convergence between these two main legal systems. As I stated before, some countries already have mixed jurisdiction, but this mixture often leads to some misunderstandings and confusions to the legal authorities of the country. Convergence theory is a myth, but as long as developed countries will try to mix both of these legal systems, it can become reality. Bibliography Books: 1. De Cruz, P. , (1999). Comparative law in a changing world. 2nd ed. GB: Cavendish Publishing Ltd. 2. Elliott, C Quinn, F. , (1996). English legal system. New York: Addison Wesley Longman 3. Tetley, W. , (2000). Mixed jurisdiction: Common Law vs. Civil Law (Codified and Uncodified). USA: Louisiana Law Review. 4. Woodley, M. , (2005). Osborn’s Concise law dictionary. 10th ed. London : Sweet Maxwell 5. Kritzer, H M, (2002). Legal systems of the world. California : ABC-CLIO 6. Zweigert, K. and Kotz, H. , (1998). An introduction to comparative law. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Internet Sources: 1. Pejovic, C. ,(2001). Civil Law and Common Law: Two different paths leading to the same goal. [online] Available from: [Accessed 17 March 2009]. 2. Radford University. Description and History of Common Law [online]. Available from: http://www. runet. edu/~junnever/law/commonlaw. htm [Accessed 18 March 2009]. 3. Common Law vs. Civil Law. [online] Available from: [Accessed 17 March 2009] 4. Rial, J. S. , (2002). Origins of Common Law. [online] Available from: [Accessed 17 March 2009] 5. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, (2007). Corpus Juris Civilic. [online] Columbia University Press. Available from: http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/society/A0813641. html [Accessed 16 March 2009]. 6. Law. com Dictionary. Common Law. [online]. Available from: http://dictionary. law. com/definition2. asp? selected=248 [Accessed 17 March 2009] [1] Kritzer, H M, 2002, Legal systems of the world, volume I A-D, ABC-CLIO, California. [2] De Cruz, P, 2007, Comparative law in a changing world, 3d edn, Routledge-Cavendish, Oxon. [3] Kritzer, H M, 2002, Legal systems of the world, volume I A-D, ABC-CLIO, California. [4] Elliott, C Quinn, F, 1996, English legal system, Addison Wesley Longman, New York. [5] Woodley, M, 2005, Osborn’s Concise law dictionary, 10th edn, Sweet Maxwell, London.

The Native Perspective of Urban Education Essay -- Education

I. Introduction: This essay reports the state of urban and rural educational development in public schools, while also focusing on New Orleans public education system. In the literature, we explore factors both internal and exclusive as well as factors external and inclusive that contribute to the quandaries of K-12 education in America. To be clear public education as a whole is not in crisis. Children in more affluent school districts gain a comparative advantage over their impoverished peers because they have strong investments tied to the communities overall success. In turn, these children are able to go further with more resources readily available to them. However, children in less affluent school districts face serious educational shortcomings due to little investment in the beggared communities surrounding the school. It is more accurate to say that America has two systems of public education. The first system, based principally, but not entirely in the suburbs of America and in wealthier urban districts, is in many respects mediocre, specifically in comparison to international peers in advanced industrial nations. However, the second system, based principally in poorer urban and rural areas, is an absolute failure; in which an exceeding number of students dropout well before high school graduation. An astounding number of students receive high school diplomas that do not certify academic confidence in basic subjects. An outstanding number of students are unprepared for the world of employment. An incredible number of students are unprepared to matriculate to institutions of higher education or advanced training. In this essay, I shall focus on the small yet significant aspect of this educational crisis bey... ...rs—not eliminated in all cases, but closed substantially in many cases. This is in part because a higher percentage of the expenditures in the poorer districts are now being picked up by the states. Likewise, the federal government also picks up expenditures through compensatory education programs. So while money matters, it is not the only thing that matters. School safety and discipline matter significantly. The quality of teachers matters considerably. Support from parents and the surrounding community matters radically. And a culture of learning matters drastically. Hence, all of those things must be attended to; at the same time, we must concentrate on the preexisting and remaining gaps in resources. This study points to the disparities of public education in historically poor minority communities and the steps necessary to address the issues. (Developing)

Admission Essay Fashion Design

There is a unique satisfaction that comes with fulfilling one’s career life dreams.   Without pursuing the career of one’s choice, one can never get that unique satisfaction.   As a young child I always admired and appreciated beauty.   I watched hours on end any TV programs which documented fashion design.   I was choosy and very particular with what I would put on, what my friends put on and even the make up I applied.My dad wanted me to study finance and although my heart was not there, I enrolled for a securities finance course which I did well.   However, it has been hard to secure a job in that profession, the market is rather flooded and therefore I have not been able to secure a decent, well paying job. For the past 5 years I have often found myself doing more of fashion designing to earn a daily living than any of the finance duties I studied in college.So far, I have managed to succeed in life by utilizing my talent and informal training gained throu gh interacting with well known fashion designers in Korea. Consequently I have become successful as a fashion designer although I do not have any formal training in fashion design.   I have convictions that if I added formal training to my talent in fashion design I would excel in life. I believe that fashion design has more to it than just making money; it is about lifestyle of a people with a cultural meaning.My dream is to get admission at the school of fashion design, Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York, which is one of the best fashion design schools in the world.   Given the opportunity I will study hard to acquire the necessary skills.I plan to invest back in my country by probably starting a fashion design school in Korea which would serve as a center of excellence in fashion design once I graduate. I really want to get admission into the school of fashion design, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York so as to get the exposure on European, American, Hong Kon g and Japanese fashion designs which are becoming more and more popular in Korea.ReferenceGordon, V.., & Sears, S. (2004). Selecting a college major: Exploration and decision-making (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

A Very Indian Poem in English Essay

Nissim Ezekiel is one of those Indian poets writing in English who creates an authentic flavor of India, by his use of Indian English – Pidgin English on Bazar English, as it is often called. In this poem, the Indian flavor has been created by stressing the various mistakes which Indians commit in their use of English, by bringing in the hopes and aspirations of free India, and also the attitudes of her two hostile neighbors, China and Pakistan. Poetic Inspiration for the Poem: It all started as a comment by a friend who said that you write in English no doubt and you write English well but you don’t seem to even know or realise that thousands of Indians speak what can only be called Indian English, So from that time in all his train journeys from Mithibai College back home, he started to take some interest in the way English was being spoken on the train. Every time he heard an obvious Indian English phrase like, â€Å"I’m not knowing only.† he would take it down. When he had about a thousand of these, he thought of creating this present poem. The Indian Living Conditions: Ezekiel presents that the new generation is going after ‘fashion and foreign things.’ He presents the typical Indian make – up. The Indian living conditions are sought to be portrayed. The India of yester years is no longer to be seen here, as modernization and industrialization have speeded up the process of change. The regrettable thing in the modern world is the act of violence and anti – social tendencies proving to be a menace. Still the positive aspects like regeneration, remuneration and contraception could be thought of as a way out of the present muddle. One can certainly hope for the better and propagate the best that is thought as unique. Ancient Indian Wisdom: In the second stanza, the readers get a peep into things – Indians as Gandhi’s heir, he would opt for peace and non – violence. He is puzzled why others are not following Gandhi’s advice – while in this estimate, the ancient Indian wisdom is correct, contrastively the modern generation takes it to whatever is western and fashionable – like other Indians, he too has to improve his English language. The student interest and petty agitations make him feel sickening line Antony’s appeal to the Roman mob, he will call upon the fellow citizens to think of the past masters. Thus in the third stanza, he pronounces, In order to get away from that which is disgusting, he wants to have a cup of wine which is very good for digestion. It can be taken as equivalent to the western wine if only a little salt is added to make it a lovely drink. The poet confesses that he is the total abstainer from drinks while it is taken by addicts to gunch themselves, he for his part would turn to simple drinks like lassi. Thus, the poet tries to receive the old Gandhian days. The World Situation Today: In the fourth stanza, the poet is able to think aloud and offer his comments on the world situation today. The present conditions all over the world speak of a bad trend that give an edge to the production of dangerous weapons and try to be superior to others. The countries of the world often tie with each other in keeping themselves ahead of others in this mad competitive world. This retrace often leads to conflicts resulting in loss of precious human lives. If only one considers the other as the brother; the trend could be changed. Unity in Diversity: India is a land where the principle of ‘unity in Diversity’ is practiced. Here many communities live together even though there are some problems. This ideal situation in which one Co-exists with the other is described as Ram Rajya by the poet. He gives the hand of friendliness to the visitor and expects him to come again. The poet is optimistic when he says that he enjoys every moment of good company. So, he ends the poem by saying that he does not feel the necessity of celebrating ceremonies. Common Mistakes ‘highlighted’ in the Poem: Substrate influence on grammar is quite common. It is often frowned upon as â€Å"wrong†, but eventually becomes a regular part of the new language variant. â€Å"The Patriot† contains a number of Indian English examples: the reduplication of verbs in â€Å"fighting fighting†, the lack of indefinite and definite articles in â€Å"threw stone at Indirabehn† and â€Å"all people of world†, the use of one instead of the indefinite article a in â€Å"one glass lassi†, the excessive use of the definite article the in â€Å"not that I am ever tasting the wine†, the excessive use of the continuous tense (the -ing form) in â€Å"I am standing for peace and non-violence†, the omission of an obligatory object pronoun in â€Å"modern generation is neglecting† (instead of â€Å"neglecting this†) etc. Again, this is a satirical poem rather than a genuine example of Indian English, but the phenomena exemplified are genuine enoug h. Conclusion: Nissim Ezekiel occupies a unique position among Indo-Anglian poets of post-Independence era. Nissim opposed the idealism and romanticism of the earlier group of Indian writers in English, and tried to look at any typical Indian situation with an Indian attitude, with a novel and dynamic Indian insight. He cleverly manipulated Indian English to bring out the Indian worldview. Thus Ezekiel uses ‘Indian English,’ or ‘Babu Angrezi’ in his poetry to depict the characteristics of Indian attitude. He used irony as a weapon to depict the characteristic features of Indian attitude.

Our Kind of People essays

Our Kind of People essays LAWRENCE OTIS GRAHAM: Our Kind of PeopleI: Inside America's Black Upper Class (5 .5 pp) Through six years of interviews with more than three hundred prominent families and individuals, journalist and commentator Lawrence Otis Graham weaves together the revealing stories and fascinating experiences of upper-class blacks who grew up with privilege and power. Previously known for his provocative New York magazine expos of elite golf clubs, when he left his law firm and went undercover as a busboy at an all-white Connecticut country club, Graham now turns his attention to the black elite. Bibliography lists 2 sources. BBblkeli.doc LAWRENCE OTIS GRAHAM: Our Kind of People Inside America's Black Upper Class Written by Barbara Babcock for the Paperstore, Inc., July 2000 Debutante cotillions. Arranged marriages. Summer trips to Martha's Vineyard. All-black boarding schools. Memberships in the Links, Deltas, Boul, or Jack and Jill. Million-dollar homes. An obsession with good hair, light complexions, top credentials, and colleges like Howard, Spelman, and Harvard. This is the world of the black upper class, exclusive, mostly hidden group that lives awkwardly between white America and mainstream black America. Through six years of interviews with more than three hundred prominent families and individuals, journalist and commentator Lawrence Otis Graham weaves together the revealing stories and fascinating experiences of upper-class blacks who grew up with privilege and power. Previously known for his provocative New York magazine expos of elite golf clubs, when he left his law firm and went undercover as a busboy at an all-white Connecticut country club, Graham now turns his attention to the black elite. Simply looking at the table of contents gives an overview of this quiet class of privilege: The Origins of the Black Upper Class; Jack and Jill...

Profile of Anton Chekhovs Life and Career

Profile of Anton Chekhovs Life and Career The Origins of a Storyteller Born in 1860, Anton Chekhov grew up in the Russian town of Taganrog. He spent much of his childhood quietly sitting in his fathers fledgling grocery store. He watched the customers and listened to their gossip, their hopes, and their complaints. Early on, he learned to observe the everyday lives of humans. His ability to listen would become one of his most valuable skills as a storyteller. Anton Chekhovs Youth His father, Paul Chekhov, grew up in an impoverished family. Antons grandfather was actually a serf in Czarist Russia, but through hard work and thriftiness, he purchased his familys freedom. Young Antons father became a self-employed grocer, but the business never prospered and eventually fell apart. Monetary woes dominated Chekhovs childhood. Due to his experiences with poverty, financial conflicts are prominent in his plays and fiction. Full-Time Medical Student / Part-Time Writer Despite economic hardship, Chekhov was a talented student. In 1879, he left Taganrog to attend medical school in Moscow. Due to his familys poverty, he felt the pressure of being the head of the household. Chekhov needed a way to make money without abandoning school. Writing stories provided a solution. He began writing humorous stories for local newspapers and journals. Although paid very little at first, Chekhov was a prolific humorist. By the time he was in his fourth year of medical school, he had caught the attention of several editors. By 1883, his stories were earning him not only money but notoriety. Chekhovs Literary Purpose As a writer, Chekhov did not subscribe to a particular religion or political affiliation. He wanted to satirize not preach. At the time, artists and scholars debated the purpose of literature. Some felt that literature should offer life instructions. Others felt that art should simply exist to please. For the most part, Chekhov agreed with the latter view. The artist must be, not the judge of his characters and of what they say, but merely a dispassionate observer. Anton Chekhov Chekhov the Playwright Because of his fondness for dialogue, Chekhov felt drawn to the theater. His early plays such as Ivanov and The Wood Demon artistically dissatisfied him. In 1895 he began working on a rather original theatrical project: The Seagull. It was a play that defied many of the traditional elements of common stage productions. It lacked plot and it focused on many interesting yet emotionally static characters. The Seagull - The Breakthrough Play In 1896 The Seagull received a disastrous response on opening night. The audience actually booed during the first act. Fortunately, innovative directors Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danechenko believed in Chekhovs work. Their new approach to drama invigorated audiences. The Moscow Art Theatre restaged The Seagull and created a triumphant crowd-pleaser. The Later Plays Soon after, the Moscow Art Theatre, led by Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danechenko, produced the rest of Chekhovs masterpieces: Uncle Vanya (1899)The Three Sisters (1900)The Cherry Orchard (1904) Chekhovs Love Life The Russian storyteller played with themes of romance and marriage, but throughout most of his life he did not take love seriously. He had occasional affairs, but he did not fall in love until he met Olga Knipper, an up-and-coming Russian actress. They were very discreetly married in 1901. Chekhov the Playwright Olga not only starred in Chekhovs plays, she also deeply understood them. More than anyone in Chekhovs circle, she interpreted the subtle meanings within the plays. For example, Stanislavski thought The Cherry Orchard was a tragedy of Russian life. Olga instead knew that Chekhov intended it to be a gay comedy, one that almost touched upon farce. Olga and Chekhov were kindred spirits, though they did not spend much time together. Their letters indicate that they were very affectionate to one another. Sadly, their marriage would not last very long, due to Chekhovs failing health. Chekhovs Final Days At the age of 24, Chekhov began showing signs of tuberculosis. He tried to ignore this condition; however, by his early 30s, his health had deteriorated beyond denial. When The Cherry Orchard opened in 1904, tuberculosis has ravaged his lungs. His body was visibly weakened. Most of his friends and family knew the end was near. Opening night of The Cherry Orchard became a tribute filled with speeches and heartfelt thanks. It was their was of saying goodbye to Russias greatest playwright. On July 14th, 1904, Chekhov stayed up late working on yet another short story. After going to bed, he suddenly awoke and summoned a doctor. The physician could do nothing for him but offer a glass of champagne. Reportedly, his final words were, Its a long time since I drank champagne. Then, after drinking the beverage, he died Chekhovs Legacy During and after his lifetime, Anton Chekhov was adored throughout Russia. Aside from his beloved stories and plays, he is also remembered as a humanitarian and a philanthropist. While living in the country, he often attended to the medical needs of the local peasants. Also, he was renowned for sponsoring local writers and medical students. His literary work has been embraced throughout the world. While many playwrights create intense, life-or-death scenarios, Chekhovs plays offer everyday conversations. Readers cherish his extraordinary insight into the lives of the ordinary. References Malcolm, Janet, Reading Chekhov, a Critical Journey, Granta Publications, 2004 edition.Miles, Patrick (ed), Chekhov on the British Stage, Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Summarize an economics article and reflect how the material you Essay

Summarize an economics article and reflect how the material you learned in class help you understand the article - Essay Example There is also freedom of choice. Consumers, workers, businesses and owners have the freedom to produce, buy and sell goods and service in the market. The only limiting factor is the price at which they are able and willing to pay and sell and the capital that they have (Amadeo, 1). The property economy is driven by the motive of self interest where goods and services are sold at the highest bidder while they pay the minimum for the services and goods. The forces of competition maintain the prices at reasonable levels and ensure that services and goods are offered efficiently. All sellers and buyers have the same access and information on which they base their decisions. The government ensures that markets are open and operating (Amadeo, 1). Most goods and services wanted are produced in the most effectual manner. There is innovation in this economy which is profitable. Also, the persons and business that are interested in innovations accumulate a lot of capital which can lead to higher quality of goods (Amadeo, 1). The market operates by competition and there are individuals in the society who are underprivileged. In this economic set-up, there is reward for individuals’ adeptness in competition, and thus, it reflects their values and organization (Amadeo, 1). The most commonly thought premier market economy is the US. This has been a success because of its constitution which has maximum requirements that ease and protect the features of a market economy (Amadeo, 1). The materials that we interacted with in class have helped in understanding what is meant by demand and supply and how they control the manufacturing of goods and services. They have been useful in understanding how and why producers are driven by profits while buyers want to save the highest possible amount. Through the materials, one is able to understand why the market has such characteristics as private property, freedom of choice,