The Dictator Next Door

Eric Paul Roorda’s The Dictator Next Door is an insightful and incisive work of diplomatic history, studying the United States’ dealings from 1930 to 1945 with Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, for years a foreign policy problem unto himself. It also demonstrates how the Good Neighbor Policy, which claimed to promote solidarity and peace among western hemisphere nations, came to allow dictators in Latin America â€Å"to run their countries however they pleased, so long as they maintained common enemies with the United States: first the fascists, then the communists† (1).The book is essentially a study of how the democratic United States tolerated and even supported military dictatorships in other nations, despite some diplomats’ desire to shun dictators and promote democracy abroad. Roorda’s main argument centers on how the despotic Trujillo presented the Hoover and Roosevelt administrations with problems, because he was no pliable puppet.Difficul t to control and a frequent embarrassment to the United States, Trujillo had few friends in the State Department, but the United States military and presidents backed him because he was neither fascist nor communist, and because the Good Neighbor policy called for supporting standing rulers, regardless of their methods. Roorda traces the history of Dominican-American relations and demonstrates how American influence on the region built for years before Trujillo’s rise.A former Spanish colony, the Dominican Republic was ruled by Haiti until its independence in 1844, after which the military assumed long-lasting control and foreign powers jockeyed for influence there. The United States’ influence increased steadily between 1860 and 1904, and culminated in the United States Marine Corps’ takeover in 1915. During this period, the American military trained Dominican men to serve in its constabulary and army, thus establishing a sort of school for dictators in which R afael Trujillo was its best student.Trujillo received training from the Marine Corps and earned an Army commission during this time, despite a history of criminal activity, including rape and extortion (for which he escaped punishment), and rose to the rank of general. Not the United States’ first choice as the Dominican Republic’s leader, he rallied the army to stage a coup in 1930, three years before the Good Neighbor policy was introduced, and was helped by the Hoover administration’s nonintervention policy, which preferred commerce over militarism as a means of promoting good will.Roorda explains the process in great detail in chapter two and does not spare the American government from sharp criticism. He maintains that Hoover’s desire to redeem the United States’ image in Latin America, as well as the administration’s unwillingness to back his ambassador (who distrusted Trujillo and refused to recognize him), helped Trujillo maintain hi s control.Wary of Theodore Roosevelt’s and Woodrow Wilson’s use of â€Å"gunboat diplomacy,† the Hoover administration recognized Trujillo because he seemed likely to protect American commercial interests and it was more politically expedient to recognize de facto regimes, dictatorships or otherwise. He even states plainly that the savvy Trujillo was able to play the American legation against the American military, which trained and obviously respected Trujillo. Clearly critical of American behavior in Latin America, Roorda states that â€Å"in the history of U. S.relations with its closest neighbors . . . the rhetoric of solidarity and protection against European aggression ran counter to the brutal logic and increasing momentum of U. S. territorial expansion and imperial ambitions† (23). He deems the policy paradoxical from the outset; while it promoted friendship with Latin America (which filtered into popular culture during the 1930s and ‘40s), Latin American intellectuals were less than enthusiastic because it relied on American authority and kept authoritarian regimes in power, Trujillo’s being the most egregious.During the Depression, Trujillo consolidated his power even further despite the Dominican economy’s near-collapse, receiving additional American economic aid, mainly because of his promises to protect American business interests. However, he soon became â€Å"the greatest source of instability in U. S. -Dominican relations. . . . As U. S. officials found out, the benefits of a ‘stabilizing’ dictatorship could be canceled out by an unreliable dictator† (87).Roorda maintains that the Good Neighbor policy itself was an empty, nebulous policy created by Franklin Roosevelt, whom he characterizes as â€Å"a master of innuendo, ambiguity, paradox, and the manipulation of disparate personalities† (91). In chapter four, Roorda characterizes Trujillo as a shrewd, image-conscious ma nipulator of public opinion on a par with FDR, but with total control of an intimidating military that crushed any opposition.Trujillo flouted his authority, renaming geographical features, parks, and even the capital city for himself, surrounding his rule with public spectacle, and assuming total control of the Dominican press in order to glorify his regime and even deify himself. One telling newspaper quote deemed him â€Å"so necessary that [the people] give him permanent power† and somehow dubbed his regime â€Å"super-democracy† (95).The American government, meanwhile, was aware of Trujillo’s transgressions yet played into his hands, even assisting his censorship campaign and public-relations efforts. While the United States was not fooled, Roorda implies, it played along in an effort to heed the Good Neighbor policy’s claim to support national sovereignty and thus allowed Trujillo a free hand. The entire book centers on a single recurring theme: the folly of a democracy supporting dictators.Roorda maintains that â€Å"the reliance on dictators to attain the traditional U. S. goals of stability and cooperation in Latin America meant having to ignore those instances when the strongmen themselves incited unrest and conflict† (147). The American military is partly to blame, since it trained Trujillo and treated him as a favored protà ©gà ©, while diplomats saw through the dictator’s pageantry and disapproved of his methods (Trujillo returned their disdain).Roorda casts a good deal of the blame at the Roosevelt administration, which, in its efforts to avoid heavy-handed intervention, allowed Trujillo to remain in power because he seemed to represent stability even while disrupting Dominican-American relations (with his conduct at home and his occasional bloody attacks against neighboring Haiti). In describing American logic vis-à  -vis Trujillo, â€Å"Dominican stability made him practical to deal with,† eve n if that meant turning a blind eye to the questionable ethics of backing brutal regimes that did not threaten American dominance or prosperity.At times, he argues, this meant that Trujillo was the proverbial tail wagging the American dog, getting his way because Roosevelt lacked the will or the political clout to intervene against him. The book uses ample detail and careful research in describing the United States’ paradoxical relationship with Trujillo, relying heavily on government documents, personal papers, the contemporary press, and a large number of secondary sources.While its assertions are not groundbreaking (recent diplomatic history is harshly critical of American support for brutal dictators), it is well-written, with concise prose and well-constructed arguments, on the whole an excellent diplomatic history. For scholars seeking an explanation of American relations with Latin America, and who do not mind its sharp criticisms of American foreign policy’s et hical lapses and oversights, The Dictator Next Door is well worth one’s while.

Classification of Fish

Whitney East Mr. Beall Speech 1200 October 24, 2012 Outline: Topical Classifying Fish Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the different classifications of fish. Central Idea: Fish are classified by their different characteristics which sorts them into different classes like Agnatha, Chondrichthyes, and Osteichthyes. Introduction I. Classification of living things helps people to understand how living organisms may or may not be related to each other. A. The system of classification we use today was invented 200 years ago by Carl Linnaeus.B. Carl Linnaeus system of classification groups organisms by their characteristics or features they have in common. II. According to the book Vertebrate Biology by ORR Robert; Fish, mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians are classified together as vertebrates because they all have an internal backbone. III. In researching this particular topic, I learned that the most important characteristics used in fish classification are the type of bone in their skeleton, the gill structure, the number and shape of fins, and the type of scales. IV.Now I will introduce you to the characteristics and the three different classes of fish. â€Å"Jawless (Agnatha), Cartilaginous (Chondrichthyes), and Bony Fish (Osteichthyes). Body I. The Agnatha class is the oldest group, similar to fish but with some different characteristics. A. As explained in The Evolution of Vertebrate Design, certain characteristics like lacking jaws is what classified fish to this class. 1. The Agnatha class lacks an internal bone skeleton, jaws, and paired fins. 2. Instead of jaws, they have circular toothed mouths called cyclostomic. Which they use to suck blood from the side of their prey. . They have a smooth, scale less skin which is soft to the touch. B. There are two living groups of Agnatha the lampreys and Hagfish 1. Lamprey have a single dorsal nostril, a pineal eye, three fins (anterior, posterior, and caudal fin), and a long row or circular gill pouch openings. They make a living being a parasite that eventually kills the prey they latch onto. 2. Hagfish have long eel-like bodies, no eyes, no true fins, a single nostril, up to eight barbels (like whiskers/tentacles for fish) and have rows of horny teeth used to grasp food and draw it in. II.Chondrichthyes fish today include both fearsome predator characteristics and harmless characteristics. A. As explained in Vertebrate Biology, all Chondrichthyes lack true bone. 1. The Chondrichthyes fish have full cartilage skeletons. 2. They have teeth that are made of calcium which grow in rows throughout the fish’s life. 3. They have a regular pattern of fins and there external skin is entirely cartilaginous. B. Sharks, skates, and rays make up the Chondrichthyes class. 1. Sharks have pointed snouts and crescent shaped mouths with several rows of sharp triangular teeth.They have five gills on each side that have individual gill slits shown externally. 2. Skates are rounded to d iamond shaped. They have large pectoral fins extending from the snout to the base of their tail. The mouth and gills are on the underside of their bodies. Skates are bottom dwellers and trap their prey by dropping down on their prey from above. 3. Rays can be classified into the following groups: electric rays, sawfish, skates, and many families of rays that have slender whip like tails. III. The Osteichthyes (bony fish) is the largest class of vertebrates with over 20,000 species.A. Stephen Savage states in the book Fish that, Osteichthyes have skeletons made of bone, flat scales, and gills. 1. Bony fish have a much stiffer skeleton because it is reinforced by calcium salts. 2. Bony fish also have acute eyesight unlike other classes of fish 3. Bony fish have a special organ called a swim blatter housed under their bony skeleton is a gas filled chamber that allows the fish to remain floating in the water. B. Tuna and Seahorses are examples of bony fish (Osteichthyes) 1. The tuna is stout in the middle and tappers to points at both ends.The tuna had two closely spaced dorsal fins on its back. The tuna is generally metallic dark blue color on its sides and silvery on its underside. 2. The seahorse has a heavy bony armor which makes them poor swimmers. They mostly anchor themselves with their tails to things like seaweed or other kinds of plants. They have a transparent dorsal fin on its back that propels them forward. Conclusion I. An animal is not a fish unless it has all the right characteristics II. No matter how different fish are, most fish share several basic characteristics: fins, gills, scales, and hatch babies from eggs. III.Fish classification is sometimes confusing and difficult, but it is a useful way of learning about different groups of fascinating fish around the world.Bibliography Animal Planet. N. p. , n. d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://animals. howstuffworks. com/fish/fish-info5. htm>. ORR, ROBERT T. VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY. FOURTH ed. PHILADELP HIA: W. B. SAUNDERS, 1976. Print. Radinsky, Leonard B. The Evolution of Vertebrate Design: Leonard B. Radinsky. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1987. Print. Savage, Stephen. Fish. Austin,Texas: Raintree, 2000. Print. Wallace, Holly. Classification. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2000. Print.

Everyday Use Essay

Everyday Use is tale of two siblings who are the exact opposite of each other and how they view the world around them. Dee and Maggie are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, as Dee is more of an outgoing woman who fervently pursued education to get away from her humble beginnings. She wanted to be successful as her mother recalls â€Å"Dee (Wanergo) wanted nice things†, while Maggie always embraced the conventional role of woman (Walker 273). Dee is not quite feminine like her sister as she says â€Å"I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man† (273). However, Maggie is an introvert who prefers being at home and doing household chores. Maggie, ever since her accident is not so confident, as her mom recalls â€Å"she will stand hopeless in corners, homely and ashamed† (272). Dee is also very selfish and inconsiderate about her family’s feelings, as she views her family quilt as a mere cultural artifacts and tries to take away it away from them with no remorse. On the contrary, Maggie never tries to deny her sister any of her, although it may at the cost of her own happiness. Her mom says that Maggie â€Å"thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand† (272). However, she is very saddened by her wanting to take away the quilt that she and her grandmother made with their own hands. However, Dee says â€Å"Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts†, failing to see the sentimental value of the quilt to her sister (278). Conclusion Dee is more pretentious as she tries to put up an African persona to sound more cultured and cosmopolitan. She changes her name and her appearance to suit her new found African heritage and justifies it by saying â€Å"I couldn’t bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me† (276). Maggie, on the other hand, is content with her life and comfortable with her African-American descent. Works Cited Page Walker, A. (1973). †Everyday Use†. In Love and Trouble, 272-276.

Quails Gate Winery Experiece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Quails Gate Winery Experiece - Essay Example Brand experience I think consists of expression, interaction, responsiveness and resilience, Therefore my view on Quails Gate Winery is shaped by my positive, negative, and personal experiences that I have encountered during my short visit to the place. Customers are normally preoccupied with so many things so that a personalizing experience is one way to build brand loyalty. I observed during my trip that the company tried to make positive impressions through a different approach of a marketing strategy. The marketing strategy of this company is detailed on experience they deliver to their customers on every interaction they make. I think that the winery experience established a compelling experience to build brand loyalty faster, and this knowledge becomes a brand in customers’ mind. My encounter with the Quails Gate Winery in Canada took place few months ago. This experience exposed me to agro-tourism, and gave me some learning about winery. I have learned to appreciate nature, relationships, and learned marketing strategies that could later on be relevant in business. In the process, I came to apply the cognitive, sense, relational experience, and emotions that are related to my brand experience in that trip. So, whenever I think of red wine, I think of the Quails Gate wine, such as I have developed brand loyalty because of experience. The Quail Gates winery was established in 1989 and was operated as a family winery business. Over the years, the family has developed its vineyard, cultivated, and promoted its plantations, and today it boasts of owning 189 acres of vineyard in Okanagan, Canada. Company is regarded as a leader in viticulture practices in Canada and has produced notable grape varieties. The family is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blocks. Today, Quail Gates Winery is recognized as one of Canada’s agro-tourism sites. Visitors return again and again

How should children in trouble with the law be responded to by Essay

How should children in trouble with the law be responded to by prioritizing their welfare or by prioritizing justice - Essay Example The cognitive development of children is not at the same level as it is when they have reached adulthood. The way in which they understand complex social concepts is not the same as the concepts that adults have developed. Therefore, when children commit crimes they do not have the same perspective from which to draw logical choices. The decisions that lead to an illegal act are driven by concepts that have been twisted to include the acceptability of those decisions. Children have a centralized need to draw in all of the education that they can take, which often includes exploring less than legal experiences. As well, sometimes they perceive an action that must be taken because they do not see an alternative. The problem with treating children as criminals is that they begin to behave and adopt the identity of a criminal. The crime that they commit later in life can be far worse than the crimes of childhood, thus creating a scenario where society has the choice of growing a better a dult or creating a new criminal. Because the actions of a child do not define the future identity of the potential adult within, the welfare of the child should be protected and nurtured in order to prioritize the security of justice in the future by implementing a welfare approach to handling youth offenders. According to Barrouillet and Gaillard (2011), children do not have the capacity to understand all of the factors involved in situations that have sophisticated complexities in forming the circumstances. Cognitive capacity increases with age allowing for more information to be considered in making a decision (p. 2). Children do not have the capacity to considered highly complex situations, thus creating impulsivity and spontaneity in the way in which they react to different situations. Circumstances are often such that the immediacy of the benefit will outweigh any ability to fully consider the consequences of the action. Therefore, it is often the case that illegal activity is not framed from the point of view of an understanding of all of the potential outcomes. Without the ability to form and recognized all of the outcomes, a child does not have the ability to make a true decision about right and wrong. Using the perspective of prioritizing justice does nothing to address the causes of youthful crime. It does nothing to attend to the safety of the public and causes more harm further down the line when now trained criminals are released from prison. This is not to suggest that children cannot be taught right from wrong, but it is too much to expect that every situation can be successfully framed within that conceptualization. According to Smith, Cowie, and Blades (2003), children are seeking to learn what is right and wrong and why it is right or wrong and as they grow, they are better able to comprehend more complex concepts (p. 270). However, children will not necessarily understand what makes a situation right or wrong and this misunderstanding can c reate a gap between understanding the action in regard to the outcome. As an example, take into consideration a childhood activity of throwing apples at cars as they pass. The child is aiming at a moving target, creating a game out of the explosion of the apple as it hits the car. However, the possible outcomes of startling the driver and causing an accident, causing damage to the car, or of breaking a window and injuring the passengers, may be well beyond the capacity of the child to understand. Even if those concepts are known, the child may still believe that nothing bad will happen and give into the temptation of throwing the fruit to see what will happen. Pearson (1984) writes eloquently about a world that has become more dangerous and filled with socially reforming do-gooders who have tied the hands of those

The Song of Rolan - the Foundation of French Literacy Essay

The Song of Rolan - the Foundation of French Literacy - Essay Example As the paper outlines, a large number of top knights and Duke Roland of the Brittany Marches were killed in the massacre. Ganelon accepted the task, certain that he would die. He threatened Roland, "If God should deign that I come back again then I shall stir up such a feud with you that it will last as long as you're alive!" (Anonymous, 1957, 20, pp. 289-291). Emperor Charlemagne was firm about sending Ganelon and said his command must be followed implicitly. Ganelon had no other option, but to comply with the order.  In the fight against Muslims in Spain Charlemagne made great strides and Saragossa was the only surviving city ruled by the Muslim King Marsile. Knowing the might of the army of Charlemagne, he dispatched messengers to Charlemagne promising his conversion to Christianity and submission of treasure. In return, he urged him to go back to France. Charlemagne too wished to buy peace as he and his men were tired of the long war. The issue was about the selection of a mess enger who would represent the King at Marsile’s court. The choice fell on Ganelon, stepfather of Roland. Ganelon, however, viewed this selection with suspicion and feared that he was being sent deliberately to die in the hands of the cruel pagans. He had always hated his stepson and he thought that he had an opportunity to settle scores with Roland.  Joining the Saracen peace ambassadors, Ganelon talked at length with Blancandrin as they rode together back to Saragossa. He spat venom against Roland and blamed him for inciting the Franks for the war that was fought without intermission. â€Å"If someone killed him," said Ganelon, "we might all have peace" (Anonymous, 1957, 29, pp. 391). Blancandrin was greatly excited about this observation and both of them pledged to each other and decided to design a plot to get rid of him. Roland was brave but failed to gauge the consequences of his actions and due to this weakness, treacherous Ganelon succeeded in outwitting his knightl y companions and his army.  

Bizland ,inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bizland ,inc - Case Study Example The company is evolving as the firm has added other products to its offering including marketing advice to small businesses, payroll and telephone services. II. Had they compiled an exhaustive list of criteria for their â€Å"must haves†? Had some important qualities been omitted? Were all of the items really necessary? If he and John did make changes, how would the four candidates measure up to the revised list? The firm formulated an exhaustive list of thing they were looking for in the CEO they seek to run the firm. Upon further review of their list I believe Ravi and his management team included a lot of important items needed to perform the job well. Despite their efforts there were some critical things that were left out. First the company did not include having excellent interpersonal and communication skills as part of the list. A CEO is the highest position in a company and this person must interact with a variety of people including employees, shareholders, board of directors, suppliers, and governmental agents. Another flaw in the list is that it did not include the requirement of being an expert negotiator. The CEO during a fiscal year faces numerous business opportunities in various facets of his job in which negotiation skills are vital to the success of the missions. III. Did the four candidates offer any real possibilities? Should they invite any of them for an interview with the entire Board of Directors? Or, even though it would further elongate the process, should Ravi and John begin considering other candidates not previously screened or interviewed? I think that the four candidates have real possibilities. All candidates hold MBA degrees and have over 10 years experience working in the business industry in various positions of importance. I do not think that it is required for the board to invite any more candidates because they already have some excellent

Did the central character experience an epiphany in this story Essay

Did the central character experience an epiphany in this story - Essay Example Through this protagonist, O’Connor poses a deep reflection about the misunderstanding people may have about their values but also warns about the danger of stereotyping others based on their social status or race. O’Connor’s â€Å"Revelation† contains great moral lessons that address the perception people have about their own values. Through Mrs. Turpin, the author exposes the conflict that exists between the assumptions they have about the expression of their Christian values in contrast to the reality. Indeed, Mrs. Turpin’s deep conviction about these moral values she embodies makes her walk confidently into the waiting room and challenge the integrity of the others. The narrator informs: â€Å"The doctor’s waiting room, which was very small, was almost full when the Turpins entered and Mrs. Turpin who was large, made it look even smaller by her presence. She stood looming at the head of the magazine table set in the center† (O’Connor 341). This physical domination reflects the woman’s state of mind as she tries to overpower everybody by displaying her character and her values. Her efforts to make a good impression on people and then c onvey her good manners and social standing make her always draw attention on her. Moreover, Mrs. Turpin’s judgmental attitude towards the others informs about her personality and the disdain she feels for them. The physical, behavioral and even social judgment she operates on those around her expresses her intolerance and lack of compassion. She severely scrutinizes those around her and measures their values and worth according to her own standards of success or behavior. The narrator informs: â€Å"The girl’s face was blue with acne and Mrs. Turpin thought how pitiful it was to have a face like that at that age. She gave the girl friendly smile but the girl only scowled the harder† (O’Connor 343). This cruel thought about a teenager and this hypocritical

As a software developer give examples of where you use abstraction in Essay

As a software developer give examples of where you use abstraction in your daily job - Essay Example Due to the constant increasing complexity in the systems we use, reliance on abstractions increase in the software development industry. Each of these abstractions attempts to hide the complexity, allowing me as a software developer to create a code that can cater for all the variations in complexity that is required in the modern computing. To create reliable software, there is a greater need for me to learn and understand many of the abstractions underlying details. Abstraction also finds a lot of applications in software reuse. In this case, abstraction plays a central role. For effective software artifacts reuse, concise and expressive abstractions are essential. Higher levels abstractions in the reuse technique reduce the effort required to go from the initial concept of a software system to representations in the reuse technique (Medvidovic & Taylor 2000: 70-93). During the verification of software, abstraction is highly used. This allows debugging of a specific software component. Simulation and validation of the software component is done at each abstraction level, resulting in abstraction of different components of the target hardware architecture. The abstract architecture model hides details of the underlying implementation of the hardware platform, while ensuring a sufficient level of control that the software code can be validated in terms of performance, efficiency, and reliable functionality (Popovich, 2010: 17). Abstraction is a powerful heuristic. It has allowed development of systems that implement and integrate abstraction in problem-solving process. Development of systems with abstraction helps to improve on the efficiency of the systems. On the other hand, from the basic understanding that abstraction hides the complexity underlying the systems, we deduce that it reduces the search space. The concept of data abstraction helps software developers in the integration of both structural and

CRJS405DB2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRJS405DB2 - Research Paper Example Participant observation requires the researcher to mingle with the audience so that he can observe from the inside what happens in the community, for example. On the other hand, non- participant observation requires the researcher to be a bit far from the community to observe them in a distance where the audience may not have an idea that they are being watched. Interviews are another method of collecting data mainly involves an interviewer and an interviewee. Interviews require the researcher meeting the audience or the respondent face to face at an agreed place and time so that he can conduct the interview between him (researcher) and the respondent. Questions are prepared prior to the meeting and a copy sent to the interviewee so that he can prepare well and soon enough how to answer in the questions directed to him during the session. This is another appropriate method of collecting data and it involves the researcher having to prepare a document or a list of questions which he is supposed to distribute to his respondents so that they can give their feedback in writing on the questionnaires or in answering the questions asked in those questionnaires. Questionnaires can either be open or closed. In open questionnaires, the respondent has the freedom to note down his expressions on the document provided whereas in the closed questionnaires, the respondent is restricted only to the answers provided in the questionnaires and only has the freedom to choose either one of them. One of the challenges in collecting quantitative data is that the researcher can record wrong numbers during the documentation of his research. For example, instead of recording thirty respondents, he may make a mistake and record ten respondents. The other challenge that researchers may encounter in collecting quantitative data is limited resources. Some quantitative data requires robust and expensive equipment so as to analyze the data appropriately and lack of enough resources

Ethnic Identity and African Americans Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Identity and African Americans Essay Ethnic identity is the sum total of group member feelings about those values, symbols, and common histories that identify them as a distinct group (Smith 1991). Development of ethnic identity is important because it helps one to come to terms with their ethnic membership as a prominent reference group and significant part of an individuals overall identity. Ethnic reference group refers to an individuals psychological relatedness to groups (Smith 1991). These reference groups help adolescents sense, reflect and see things from the point of their ethnic groups in which they actively participate or seek to participate. What is ethnic identity? The establishment of identity is an important, complex task for all adolescents, and is considered a major developmental task for all adolescents. It is particularly complicated for adolescents belonging to ethnic and minority groups. Ethnic identity of the majority group of individuals is constantly validated and reinforced in a positive manner where as the minority group is constantly ridiculed and punished in a negative manner. What does this say for those adolescents who are the minority and not the majority? It is important to study or research ethnic identity because it provides better knowledge to help one understand striving for a sense of unity and connectivenesss in which the self provides meaning for direction and meaning of ethnic identity (Spencer, 1990). It is also important to study or research the differences between these groups due to beliefs and values. Adolescents that are the minority are confronted with their ethnicity at an earlier age then Caucasian adolescents majority and they are constantly aware of ethnic differences, which means it is of greater importance to understand the development of the minority individual. It should lead to different assessments when it comes to ethnic identity. For example, African American adolescents are psychologically compared to Caucasian American adolescence diagnoses, which are sometimes inaccurately assessed. Bronfenberner explains the theoretical perspective such as the ecological perspective by saying, The implications for clinical treatment of African American adolescents, mental health workers must be sensitive to the ecological context of their clients. Mental Health workers must realize that there is no single entity called the black family . The black families compared to the other families established their American family. He suggests that these families vary dramatically in backgrounds, social economic status, values, and degree of acculturation to the norms and values of mainstream America (1990). There are also, significant differences that may exist in preparation of African American adolescent, at the level of rearing family practices and in schools (1990). That is, schools continue to reflect historical values that deal with racial-stereotypes and prejudice and beliefs. At the same time there are families trying to avoid and make light out of such situations. These families and communities continue to show constancy by instilling their own beliefs and values through child rearing which maybe different from Caucasian Americas. Identity and ethnicity as adolescent issues Identity has been defined in many ways. It is the concept used to describe an individuals sense of who he or she is (Dashefsky and Shapiro, 1976). Changes in identity occur throughout the life cycle, however, the changes in identity are usually most notable during adolescence. Integrating a positive sense of ethnic identity into ones overall personal identity is an important task of late adolescence (Steinberg, 1996). Ethnic identity has been defined as the aspect of ones sense of identity concerning ancestry or racial group membership (Steinberg, 1996). Ethnic identity development is an essential human need because it provides a sense of belonging and historical continuity. Ethnic socialization Minority children are confronted with their ethnicity at an earlier age than their majority counterparts (Smith, 1991). Parents can help to speed up the early stages of ethnic identity development by taking an active approach to ethnic socialization. Ethnic socialization, according to Steinberg(1996), refers to the process through which parents teach their children about their ethnicity and about the certain experiences they may have with the broader society. Ethnic socialization consists of three themes: 1) understanding ones own culture, 2) getting along in mainstream society, and 3) dealing with racism (Steinberg, 1996). Possible outcomes of ethnic identity development. There are four ways to deal with ethnicity (Steinberg, 1996): Â ·Assimilationadopting the cultural norms of the majority while rejecting the norms of ones own culture. Â ·Separationrejecting the majority culture and associating only with members of ones own culture. Â ·Marginalityliving within majority culture but feeling estranged. Â ·Biculturalismmaintaining ties to both cultures. According to Steinberg (1996) many believe that biculturalism is more successful than the other four. With biculturalism minority youth have access to the norms of the majority and minority culture depending on the situation. References. Â ·Smith, Elise J. Ethnic Identity Development: Toward the Development of A Theory within the Context of Majority/Minority Status. Journal of Counseling and Development: JCD. v70. n1. Sept. 1991. p. 181-188. Â ·Spencer, Margaret Beale. Child Development. v61 n2. Apr. 1990. P. 290-310. Â ·Dashefsky, A. (Eds. ). (1976). Ethnic identity in society. Chicago: Rand McNally College Publishing Co. Smith, E. J. (1991). Ethnic identity development: Toward the development of a theory within the context of majority/minority status. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 181-187. Â ·Steinberg, L. (1996). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Causes of World War One Essay Example for Free

Causes of World War One Essay World War One was a turning point in history. Many scholars study this event and what caused this huge conflict. Germany used to be the sole one responsible for this war, but many controversial debates later, the blame was gradually put on the other great powers of Europe as well. In this essay, I will be analyzing the main causes of WWI, especially targeting the long-term causes. Most of these causes and events may be classified into 4 main themes: imperialism, the alliance system, militarism nationalism. Imperialism contributed greatly to the outbreak of WWI. Imperialism is when a country takes over other lands and subjects them to their rule to extend their power and influence. In the pre-WWI era, the great powers of Europe strove to expand their empires. Germany, who only became an united nation in 1871, desired a large empire like Britain’s, who at the time had an empire that stretched out over 5 continents and colonized about 1/3 of the world. However, Germany only had a few pieces of Africa. Soon, though, they decided they wanted more. In 1896, Admiral Muller said to Prince Henry of Germany, â€Å"either we harness the total strength of the nation ruthlessly, even if it means accepting the risk of a major war, or we limit ourselves to continental power alone.† This shows how much Germany would do for more land and power. It clearly shows they prioritized developing their empire over suppressing war if it arose. In 1897, Prince von Bulow of Germany said, â€Å"We don’t want to put anyone else in the shade but we too demand a place in the sun.† It is suggested that Germany wanted more of Africa and Asia. The fierce competition over lands caused incredible tension between the great powers. Each country wanted to dominate more lands to increase their trades and power. This can also be seen in the First Moroccan Crisis. France and Germany had begun to motion towards war over the colonization of Morocco. France, assisted by Britain and Russia, wanted to colonize Morocco, whilst Germany, who was weakly supported by Austria-Hungary wanted to annoy France and create strain in the Entente Cordiale’s friendship, as well as keep Morocco independent so it would be easier to conquer and keep trading with them. This shows how easily countries may begin to consider war and attack to take over new lands. Another event that shows clear intent of imperialism is the Bosnian Crisis in 1908, when Austria-Hungary took over Bosnia, tension grew so thick between Austria-Hungary and Serbia that with one tiny trigger, war would be a possible threat. Another main cause of WWI was militarism. Britain, who had the strongest navy at that time, felt threatened when Germany decided they wanted to build their navy power as well. The Anglo-German naval race of 1906-12 started when Kaiser William II of Germany released the Tirpitz Plan, which was a plan to increase Germany’s naval size. The British brought out the HMS Dreadnought, a deadly battleship, in 1906. Though Britain eventually won, it was clear Germany posed a serious threat. There was also an increase of armed forces which created the mood and atmosphere for war. By 1900, Russia had the biggest army of 1.1 million, though the number had decreased to 0.8 million by 1914. The armies of Germany and France had more than doubled from 1870, though England’s army had not increased much as they prioritized the naval race over building their army. With this attitude to building their military power, it was inevitable that these thoughts would eventually lead to putting the m to use. The alliance system also contributed greatly to the war. An alliance is when 2 or more countries form a type of ‘friendship’ where if one country is in trouble, the other/others would step in and help. The two main alliances were the Triple Entente, which consisted of France, Britain and Russia, and the Triple Alliance of Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary. The Triple Entente, formed in 1907, remained strong as ever even when Germany tried to sever their bonds in an argument with France over Morocco. Additionally, Russia and Germany signed unofficial secret ‘reassurance treaties’ though it was not renewed in 1890 when William II of Germany took over. This led Russia to search for a new ally. In the end, France and Russia formed an alliance in 1894. This was exactly what Germany had hoped to avoid as now they were sandwiched between the 2 countries, leaving them extremely vulnerable in the case of an attack. However, William II was young and felt no need to have Russia on their side. It should be taken into account that if there wasn’t an alliance system, WII might not have been a ‘world war’, just one between Austria-Hungary and Serbia after an immediate cause- the trigger event of the assassination of the heir of the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Bosnia on 28th, June 1914. The assassination of the Archduke was committed by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist. He was part of the ‘Black Hand’, a secret Serbian nationalist society. This links to nationalism as the Serbs were tired of being ruled by the Austro-Hungarians, and in return, murdered Austro-Hungary’s heir. This shows how much they were wiling to do to make their point. This also links back to the alliance system. France, bound by treaty to Russia, found themselves at war against Germany, and by extension, war against Austria Hungary. Meanwhile, Britain who was allied to France, declared war on Germany. Once again, it should be mentioned that if it were not for the alliance system, perhaps not as many countries would’ve been involved in the war.

Creating And Maintaining Stability In Ecosystem

Creating And Maintaining Stability In Ecosystem Ecosystem is a distinct space on earth where community of living organism including flora and fauna interact with the abiotic elements like air, water and soil as a system. The interaction between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem is linked together through energy flows and nutrient cycles. Biologists define biodiversity as the totality of species, genes and ecosystems of a region. This encompasses genetic diversity, species diversity and the ecosystem diversity. Traditionally, the term was used to communicate the species richness of an area. The latter definition of biodiversity is used in this essay. The word stability is defined in detail in the relevant section. In broad terms, ecosystem stability is the capability of the ecosystem to return to its equilibrium state after a disruption. The essay tries to identify the ecosystem function, which should be the indicator to demonstrate the stability of the ecosystem. This document also studies the effect of various biodiversity factors, which can modify the stability of ecosystem. Framework for the Ecological Functions of Biodiversity Organisms in an ecosystem service themselves and carry out certain other functions, which benefit other organisms of the community. These functions are the ecological functions of biodiversity. These ecological functions are classified into four categories depending on the complexity of the services provided by these organisms. Complexity level 1: Functions performed primarily by Individual Organism Primary Production Energy fixed in the process of photosynthesis or chemosynthesis is called Primary Production. In photosynthesis sunlight is used as the source of energy and is fixed as carbohydrates, proteins fats and other organic compounds needed by all herbivores. In Chemosynthesis, oxidation or reduction of chemical compounds like that of sulpher is used for energy fixation. Variety of primary producers existing in an ecosystem has a direct influence in the diversity of herbivores, carnivores and detritivores in the ecosystem. Symbiotic associations among organisms can sometime increase Primary production. Oxygen Production Oxygen production is one important function of biodiversity. The primary producers produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. Oxygen is required for respiration of aerobic biota and decomposition by detritivores. Oxygen is also required for Earths protective ozone shield. Sequestering of Carbon Dioxide Many organisms in the ecosystem does the function of removal of carbon dioxide from the earths atmosphere. They also help in removal of carbon dioxide from soil and water by process such as precipitation of calcium salts or amassing of organic deposits. Marine life like charophytes use carbon dioxide to make limestone plates; protozoans absorb dissolved carbon dioxide to create coral reefs; trees, shrubs and herbs use atmospheric carbon dioxide during the process of photosynthesis. Herbivory Herbivorous animals eat primary producers. Herbivory is the function of Herbivorous animals. Herbivorous organisms serve the function of feeding carnivorous animals and thus maintain the food chain and food web of the ecosystem. Carnivory Carnivorous animals eat other animals. Carnivory is the function of Carnivorous animals. The carnivorous organisms functions as the balancing force to regulate the population of the herbivorous organisms in an ecosystem. The trophic structures of an ecosystem would be simplified significantly if there are fewer carnivorous animals. Control of Erosion Erosion Control is a function provided by plants in a terrestrial ecosystem. The root growth of plants prevents soil erosion. Accumulation of litter and organic remnants of the plants helps in retaining and recycling nutrients. Consequently, the rate of soil build up will be faster than the erosion rate and thus control erosion. Aquatic plants play a vital role in the control of erosion in estuaries, riverine and marine ecosystem. Complexity level 2: Functions involving interactions among low numbers of different kinds of organisms Population Moderation Herbivores, Carnivores and Parasites deliver the function of population moderation in an ecosystem. Human species is the only species that could develop methods to control disease, parasites and predators selectively. This control measures has resulted in the elimination of natural method of population moderation for those selected species. Dispersal and Migration Dispersal/ Migration is an ecological function of organisms. The tendency of an organism to move away from its birth site is called natal dispersal and from its breeding site is called breeding dispersal. The seeds and spores normally undergo passive dispersal using agents such as wind, birds, animals etc. This process of dispersal facilitates the development of new adaptive variants, which could re-colonize and restore, an already destroyed or highly modified natural ecosystem. Migration is a mass directional movement of large numbers of organisms from one location to another. This is a tactical response to overcrowding in an unpredictable environment, which affect the survival. Migration can provide ecological links between different habitats. Symbiosis Symbiosis is a close and long-term, interaction between different species. These interractions may be mutually beneficial and the degree of benefit for each species is varied. Symbiosis is an ecological function of biodiversity. Pollination is one area where symbiosis is very evident. The pollinating agents like insects and birds pollinate different kinds of flowering plants. The plants respond to this by evolving different flowering-time sequence, floral fragrances and markings. The reduction in any one of the symbiotic species can reduce the possibility of new symbiosis and new life forms. Fragmentation of habitat, pollution and usage of pesticides affect symbiosis. This has resulted in extinction of many species of organisms in the ecosystem. Complexity level 3: Functions involving interactions among large numbers of different organisms Bioturbation Bioturbation is the activity of reworking of soils and sediments by flora and fauna of the habitat. This is a ecological function essential to maintain the quality of the abiotic ecosystem. Bioturbation affects the texture of sediments, bioirrigation, displacement of abiotic particles and microorganisms. The growth of roots, tunneling by worms, burrowing by animals, ingestion and defecation of sediment grains, infilling of abandoned dwellings displace sediment grains and modify the sediment composition. Climate Moderation Climate moderation is an ecological function of biodiversity. Climate affects the biodiversity of an ecosystem and the biodiversity affects the climate of the ecosystem. Macroclimate of a region is an abiotic factor, which affects the biodiversity of the region. The flora and fauna of a desert habitat is quite different from that of the tropical rain forests. This is especially true before establishing the vegetation in the region. Once the vegetation is established, the ecosystem will start influencing the climate. The transpiration from forest canopies and other vegetation can increase atmospheric humidity which can influence the rainfall. Plants have an important effect on the microclimate of an ecosystem. Trees and shrubs affect the shade and humidity, which can affect the other biodiversity of the area. Decomposition Decomposition is an essential function to ensure natural recycling of residues of life. Decomposition requires oxygen. Primary detritivorous organisms consume free organic molecules and metabolize to create nutritive blocks, which are required by primary producers in a habitat. Secondary detritivorous organisms digest all kind of plant and animal tissues both dead and alive. Mineralizing bacteria has the capability to metabolize toxic organic compounds and return harmless mineral matter. They play an important role in detoxifying soils, waters of the ecosystem. Creation and Maintenance of Ecosystem Structures Creating and maintaining a Ecosystem structure is a function of biodiversity. The evolution of different phyla into multicellular structures was derived from this ecological function. A tree can accommodate many other organisms like nesting birds, wood-boring insects and other parasites. Communication Communication is a profound function of biodiversity. The individual organisms of the same species and organisms of different species have diverse methods to communicate. These communication methods are essential for food gathering, courtship, herding, migration, flocking, escaping from carnivores and parenting. Methods used by organisms for communication could be sight, sound, smell, taste, radar, sonar, electric currents etc. The communication significantly improves with the evolution of biodiversity. Many specialized flowers reflect ultraviolet light, which can be seen only by some pollinating insects. Complexity level 4: Ecosystem Functions and Process Food Webs and Chains -Trophic Structure Trophic structure is the movement of energy through organisms in a community. This is an important ecological function, which enables species to utilize alternate trophic pathways, and shift from one to another depending on availability and thus meet the energy requirement. The species with multiple links in the food web has better survival rate than those with limited links. As the biodiversity evolves, the trophic structure will become complex and highly interlinked. Nutrient Cycling Nutrient Cycling is the movement and exchange of inorganic and organic matter back into the production of living organisms. The process of nutrient recycling is regulated through food webs pathways, which decompose matter into mineral nutrients. This is an ecological function, which describes the transport of nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and trace elements through living tissue and the abiotic part of ecosystem. Nutrient cycling is a complex process, which affects the existence of ecosystem and the population of species in it. Stability Stability is the factor that ensures the movement of ecosphere at a steady rate with no drastic change from its equilibrium. The stability is a very complex function with correlation factor mapping to all other ecological functions in various degrees. Redundancy is an important factor that provides long term resilience to the ecosystem. Similarly the Generalist Behavior of the species in the ecosystem reduces the risk of instability. Other important factor, which promotes stability, is the existence of Keystone species, which has higher influence over the entire biodiversity. The real long term stability can be evaluated by the ecosystems capability for ecological succession. The function of stability in an ecosystem is further elaborated in next section. Harmony Harmony is the ecological function of biodiversity. Harmony in nature is pervasive, diverse and persistent. This exists at all levels necessary for the maintenance of the ecosystem. Harmony means the peaceful coexistence of different elements of the ecosystem like biotic and abiotic; flora and fauna; herbivores and carnivores etc. Another aspect of harmony is the inherent capacity for many life forms to live together within a larger ecosystem, and to make linkages, symbioses and co-adaptations. Stability Ecological stability is the measure of its immunity from perturbation. Ecologists define perturbation or disturbance as any relatively discrete event in time that disrupts ecosystem, community, or population structure and changes resources, substrate availability, or the physical environment (White and Pickett 1985:7). Terminologies used to define Stability The definition for the Stability of an ecosystem is currently not very precise. However the most accurate details for stability is provided by Orions (1974) where he has suggested that stability may mean many different things: the absence of change (constancy), the length of survival (persistence), resistance to perturbation (inertia), speed of return after perturbation (elasticity), the displacement from which return is possible (amplitude), the degree of oscillation (cyclic stability), and the tendency to move towards a similar end point (trajectory stability). The scientists over a period of time have used the above terminologies interchangeably and hence there is no common understanding. This essay uses the below mentioned definitions for clarity. In the above terminologies, the persistence and elasticity have units in time (t) while Inertia and amplitude are expressed as functions of perturbation (x). If Persistence is TP, Inertia is i(x), Elasticity is TE, and Amplitude is a(x). When a perturbation is applied on an ecosystem, the ecosystem resist the disturbance by Inertia i(x) for a persistence period TP upto which the ecosystem can survive. If the cause for the disturbance can be absorbed or outdone, the system will persist and this is called resilience of the ecosystem. Similarly when a perturbation is lesser than the amplitude a(x), then ecosystem tries to get back to its previously established stable state within an Elasticity period of TE. This is called Stability of the ecosystem. (Kolding, J. 1997. Diversity, Disturbance and Dubious Dogma.) Ecosystem Model The ecological stability is a complex function, which has direct and indirect relationships with all the other ecosystem functions and other abiotic factors. For Example, the stability of the ecosystem has a relationship with other complex functions like trophic structure and nutrient cycling. These sub functions are further related to many other ecological functions like Primary Production, Herbivory, Carnivory, detritivory, Symbiosis etc. Similarly factors like natural abiotic perturbations such as wildfire, earthquake etc OR Anthropogenic perturbations like Oil-spill, building of dams etc. also affects the stability of the ecosystem. Effort of scientists to model an ecosystem was not very successful because of the complexity of the model. The parameters involved in the model are dynamic and has multiple linkages to other parameters. Scientists attempted Lyapunov stability model for non-linear systems to model the ecosystem. However the results of the model is still under investigation with conflicting views about its utility. The ecosystem modeling is a time consuming and resource hungry exercise and model can vary between different ecosystems. The primary task of stability modeling is to find the correlation of biodiversity and their different ecosystem function with different reasons of perturbation. These factors can then be integrated into a model. The effectiveness of the model need to be further tweaked through studies and investigations. Scientists believe that best method to test the applicability of this stability model is by using it to analyze ecological destructions. The projects like Biosphere 2 can contribute in developing the model. Redundancy Scientist believe that higher biodiversity in an ecosystem provides better stability. Department of Environmental Science and Policy, California in 1999 conducted a study on the effect of biodiversity on the ecosystem function. In this study, the correlation of biodiversity and Ecosystem functions were qualitatively assessed to identify to one of the types of graphs shown below. The study concluded that Although 19 of 20 experimental tests identified a generally positive relationship between species number and ecosystem function, only 3 identified a type A response curve. Thus it can be concluded that the stability of the ecosystem and biodiversity are generally maintaining a Type B graph. This means that stability of the ecosystem does not improve much once the biodiversity has achieved the saturation level. However, the study assessed the linkages between stability and biodiversity through indirect means. The assumption of the scientists that higher ecosystem function means better stability is yet to be proved. Further the study did not use perturbations to measure the elasticity and amplitude of the ecosystem, which are more direct means to assess stability. The species richness in the ecosystem beyond saturation point is the redundancy in biodiversity. This redundancy in biodiversity is an important factor, which helps stability of an ecosystem to recover from the effects of perturbation. This is theoretically demonstrated using Reliability Engineering principles by University of Minnesota. If a perturbation affects population of a species in the biodiversity, the equivalent redundant species will take its role and keep the population of dependent species unaffected. This provides improved elasticity to the ecosystem. Keystone species Keystone species are the important species of an ecosystem whose absence is detrimental to the persistence of other species. Paine (1969) was the first researcher to coin the term keystone species. According to him, keystone species are species of high trophic status whose activities exert a disproportionate influence on the pattern of species diversity in a community. The above definition did not help ecosystem managers and conservationist to identify the real keystone species. Hence keystone species was redefined as a strongly interacting species whose top-down effect on species diversity and competition is large relative to its biomass dominance within a functional group. Keystone species support the stability of the ecosystem mainly in three ways. Keystone predators maintain the population of lower level competitors and thus allow other species to survive. The typical case of key stone predator controlling other low level competitors is that of the sea otter of West Coast of North America. Sea otters kept the population of sea urchins in check. In 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters were hunted to the point of near extinction. This resulted in the population explosion of sea urchin. Sea urchins decimated kelp beds, which was critical for spawning fish. This caused reduction in fish population and affected the fishing community of the region. Later an international treaty was signed to protect sea otters. Consequently, in many regions where sea otter population could recover, fish catch improved. Keystone symbiotists provide resources for other organisms. For example, in Western Australia, a tree, Acorn Banksia is the only source of nectar for honeyeaters in certain period of year. Loss of this species of tree would cause population collapse for honeyeaters (pollinators) and consequently the pollination of other plants would be affected. Thus the implication of losing this keystone mutualist species has profound effect on the ecosystem. Keystone Engineers shape the environment for other organisms. In the African savanna, the tree shade prevents growth of grass. Grass is a primary source of energy for herbivores. Elephants help in destroying trees and make room for grassland to develop. If this keystone engineer is removed from the ecosystem, within a few years, the populations of herbivores like antelopes, zebras, and deers would shrink. Generalist Behavior A generalist species are species, which can survive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and varied diet. For Example, raccoon, which is found in North and Central America, is adoptable to wide range of environmental condition. It is omnivorous and eats berries, eggs, insects and small animals. On the contrary, specialist species can thrive only in a limited range of environmental condition and can consume restricted diet. Koala, a monophagous organism, eats only eucalyptus leaves, is a typical example for specialist species. Generalists have higher threshold to survive a perturbation and hence higher persistence. Thus an ecosystem with a predominantly generalist biodiversity is more stable than a specialist biodiversity. Scientists believe that the toxins like allelochemicals, tannins, oxalates, terpenoids, alkaloids contained in the diet of many specialist-herbivores are higher than what other animals can afford to consume. In the absence of these specialists, population of toxic biodiversity cannot be kept in check. This would result in the reduction of population of other organisms and thus affect the stability of ecosystem indirectly. Thus the specialists also play a vital role in overall stability. However, their own existence itself is precariously balanced by their special requirements. Ecological Succession: Ecological Succession is defined as a continuous directional change in an ecosystem over a longer time frame, which involves change in the composition and organization of the ecological community. During this period depending on the genetic traits, the population of certain species may diminish or flourish. In certain cases, depending on the type of perturbations, new variants of species may evolve which is more adaptable to the changes. Scientists believe that ecological succession bring in stability. The growth of hardwood trees like oak within the red pine forest is a typical example of ecological succession. The seedlings of hardwood trees are shade-tolerant while the pine tree seedlings need sun to thrive. Hence growth of pine tree seedlings in the shaded forest floor is difficult while the Oak seedlings would flourish. Over a period of time, oak would replace the red pine forest and would support a stable ecosystem for a longer time. Extinction of certain variants and evolution of new variants are symptoms of a vibrant ecosystem. Though these ecosystems may appear unstable over a short duration, these structures would last longer and hence stable in the real sense. Stability of Natural Ecosystem and Artificial Ecosystem All the above-mentioned factors affecting the stability of Ecosystem are more applicable to a natural ecosystem. In an artificial ecosystem, human beings modify the ecosystem and play a more vital role in regulating the ecosystem functions by a process of feedbacks and control action. Human is the only species, which could consistently maintain and increase the population over longer period of time. This is attributed to his ability to analyze the cause for perturbation and take necessary control measure. But mostly his response does not consider the effect of his control action to the biodiversity in the ecosystem. This leads to higher instability in the system. Indiscriminate usage of pesticides to protect agriculture is a classic example of such activity. The pesticide while eliminating the pests would kill its natural enemies and would increase pest resistance. Pesticide also contaminates unintended water source and land when they are allowed run off fields or sprayed aerially which would destroy other biodiversity and thus reduce stability. Conclusion Biodiversity plays a vital role in maintaining stability in a natural ecosystem. However, to prove the statement quantitatively, lot more research have to take place. Developing an ecosystem model and perfecting the model through analysis on a continuous basis will be the step to understand this issue more accurately. The short term and long term study on the stability is needed to understand the impact of biodiversity on the ecosystem. The changes in the ecosystem exhibited during the ecological succession process can be misunderstood for instability. In fact, the ecological succession process improves the stability of the ecosystem. This raises the question whether the extinction of species happening now is a part of ecological succession. With the burgeoning of human population, more part of ecosystem may require large-scale modification and artificial control measures to support the trophic structure. This has to be carried out responsibly without impairing the stability of the ecosystem.

Which Culture Should We Teach? Which Version of History is Correct? :: Teaching Education Philosophy

The educational process should not just be a process aimed at relaying information to students. Students have a rare opportunity to experience their youth and grow intellectually. College provides a chance for young people to experience life in a loose setting where they can grow as individuals and form their own opinions about life. When developing a school curriculum, members of college boards need to remember how vulnerable this time is in a student's life. The question of, whether colleges should emphasize a unified view of culture and the things that we have in common or whether they should emphasize people's differences is a complicated one. When first looking at this question many of people would be adamant about the fact that colleges have a certain responsibility to teach about different cultures, and I agree with that, but only to a certain extent. I think always wanting to emphasize peoples differences could be a problem. In today's multi-cultural world it is important to know about ones own culture and the cultures of others, but we can't forget to teach about our own culture. The culture we share as a whole, the American culture. Many people forget about the rich culture we have in America. A lot of the time people get wrapped up in looking at the differences between us and forget to look at all the similarities. Another problem that can arise when different cultures refuse to integrate is it thickens the walls between us. Everyone is always talking about trying to tear down these invisible walls between racial groups and religious groups, but then these same people, high ranking government and school officials are constantly pounding into peoples heads how different we are, and in some cases why some group should be angry at some other racial group. All this is doing is causing trouble and putting resentment into peoples heads, which just adds to the barriers between us. When a student graduates from high school he is faced with a decision about what he is going to with the rest of his life. One option that is open to these students is college. In college a student is given a chance to learn about a subject of his choice. While getting this education the student is surrounded by a rich wealth of knowledge and ideas that can influence the way he looks at life. High School a vulnerable time in many of these students' lives.

Death Penalty :: essays research papers fc

Death Penalty In 1972, the Supreme Court declared that under then existing laws "the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty ... constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments." The majority of the Court concentrated its objections on the way death-penalty laws had been applied, finding the result so "harsh and freakish" as to be constitutionally unacceptable. In 1976 more than 600 people had been sentenced to death under new capital-punishment statutes that provided guidance for the jury's sentencing decision. These statutes typically require a two-stage trial procedure, in which the jury first determines guilt or innocence and then chooses imprisonment or death in the light of aggravating or relieve circumstances. Executions proceeded throughout 1977 and in the early 1990s nearly 3000 people were sentenced to that death penalty and more then 180 had been executed. The death penalty does not arise from misplaced sympathy for convicted murderers. Murder demonstrates a lack of respect for human life. For this very reason, murder is despicable, and any policy of state-authorized killings is immoral. The death penalty could also be a good thing. If crazy people out there realize what the high consequences are for killing someone they may think twice before acting on hurting someone. Most people don't know which side to go on when it comes to the death penalty. Of course if it has to do with your family or close friends you will have no question about whether or not you should spare someones life that didn't spare your family member or close friends. People should suffer the way they made their victims suffer to see what it feels like to know they're going to die. To feel the pain the victim went through the moment they acted on their rage of having to hurt someone. Capital punishment does not stop crime, and the death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair. I do not think it is right no matter what the person did to sentence them to death.

Distance Learning Essay -- Education Technology Technological Papers

Distance Learning Distance learning (education) has become an integral part of the education process over the past few decades and is growing in popularity as technology advances.(Willis 1992) describes distance education (as) "the organizational framework andprocess of providing instruction at a distance. Distance education takes place when ateacher and student(s) are physically separated, and technology†¦(is) used to bridge theinstruction gap." (Coutts 1996). Furthermore, "distance learning activities are designedto fit the specific context for learning, the nature of the subject matter; intended learningoutcomes, needs and goals of the learner, the learner's environment and the instructional echnologies and methods." (American Council of Education 1996). According to Moore and Thompson (1990), there are essential elements needed for effective distance learning to take place: *Be prompt in coming online and insist students do the same. *Use a natural style of delivery; speak slowly and enunciate clearly. *Maintain spontaneity, avoid reading from a script. *Use visuals effectively. *Use frequent changes of pace to maintain interest. *Frequently draw participants into discussions. *Always refer to participants by name. *Give short concluding summaries of the concepts presented. *Provide structure by effectively using authority. *Control verbal traffic. *Provide socio-emotional support by integrating late group members and encouraging humor. *Establish a democratic atmosphere by sharing authority and asking for participation. *Create a sense of shared space and history. *Model appropriate behavior. *Seek and clarify a common definition of terms. *Set an appropriate pace (Mo... ...ournal of Distance Education . Moore, Michael G. & Thompson, Melody M. (1990) The Effects of Distance Learning. A Summary of Literature. (Research Monograph, Number 2). Southern Ohio Telecommunications Consortium. Moore, Michael G. (1989, June). Distance Education: A Learning System. Lifelong Learning. pg. 8--11. "Distance Education: A Learning System." Simonson, M. (1997). Distance Education: Does Anyone Really Want to Learn At A Distance. Contemporary Education, 68. Page 104--107. Willis, B. (1998, Jan-Feb). Effective Distance Education Planning: Lessons Learned. Educational Technology. Willis, B. (1994). Distance Education: Strategies and Tools. New Jersey:Educational Technology Publications. Willis B. (1992). Effective Distance Education: A Primer for Faculty and Administrators. Monograph Series in Distance Education. 2

Maslow’s theory Essay

There is an interrelationship between Maslow’s theory and Herzberg’s theory. These two theories have a similarity in that both of them suggest employee satisfaction as a motivation factor. Form the above discussion, it is possible to tell that Herzberg cites esteem needs and self-actualization needs from Maslow’s theory as the motivators. Others needs do not cause motivation and failure to address them in the organization setting only leads to dissatisfaction. Criticisms Maslow’s theory Several criticisms exist about Maslow’s motivation theory. To begin with, there is limited scientific evidence if any to support the above theory. Furthermore, personal need priorities may not be in the order given by Maslow. For example, there is a possibility of social needs coming before security needs since one must belong to a society in the first place. Another criticism is that people do not necessarily satisfy each level of need at a time. Needs tend to conflict such that a person may be motivated to achieve different needs at the same time or make priorities depending on the urgency of each need. Maslow’s theory is therefore general and does not consider individual differences. Herzberg’s theory Herzberg’s theory does not also consider individual differences when analyzing factors that cause satisfaction and those that cause dissatisfaction. One dissatisfaction factor may be a motivator for someone else and vise versa. For example, increased responsibility could be a dissatisfier for someone who is resistant to change. Again Hertzber’s model is too simplistic and only addresses factors that people would consider normal motivational factors in any workplace setting. Describe goal setting theory. Explain how this theory can be applied to performance appraisal and compensation This is a motivational theory developed by Edwin Locke. It is actually an improvement of the final causality theory advanced by Aristotle which put forth that purpose can lead to action. According to Locke, an individual’s behavior is to a large extent influenced by their ambitions and goals (Latham and Locke, 2002). For this reason, goals significantly improve performance. Most individuals set goals in anticipation for something; usually a reward to be obtained after achieving the set goal. Goals can be said to affect performance in three different ways (Latham and Locke, 2002). Firstly, they narrow an individual’s attention so that all efforts are directed towards activities that are relevant to achieving the set goals. Similarly, irrelevant or undesirable activities are avoided. Secondly, goals increase effort as individuals strive to achieve the set goal so as to gain the expected reward. Thirdly, goals help individuals to develop persistence. In other words, they become more willing to work even in the midst of challenges and setbacks. Goal setting is guided by factors known as moderators (Latham and Locke, 2002). These include goal –commitment, attainability and self-efficacy. In order to attain a certain goal, an individual must be ready to face every challenge that he or she finds on the way. Commitment depicts the need to achieve no matter what the circumstances. Set goals must also be attainable so that individuals must not set goals that cannot be reached. Finally, self-efficacy must be present for goals to be achieved. This refers to the ability to act in a certain way so as to be able to achieve set objectives.

Isaac Asimov Essay

Isaac Asimov, the pre-eminent popular-science writer of the day and for more than 40 years one of the best and best-known writers of science fiction, died yesterday at New York University Hospital. He was 72 years old and lived in Manhattan. He died of heart and kidney failure, said his brother, Stanley. Mr. Asimov was amazingly prolific, writing nearly 500 books on a wide range of subjects, from works for preschoolers to college textbooks. He was perhaps best known for his science fiction and was a pioneer in elevating the genre from pulp-magazine adventure to a more intellectual level that dealt with sociology, history, mathematics and science. But he also wrote mysteries, as well as critically acclaimed books about the Bible, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, limericks, humor, Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan, ancient and modern history, and many other subjects. Mr. Asimov’s first book, â€Å"Pebble in the Sky† (Ballantine), a science-fiction novel, was published in 1950. His first 100 books took him 237 months, or almost 20 years, until October 1969, to write. His second 100, a milestone he reached in March 1979, took 113 months, or about 9 1/2 years — a rate of more than 10 books a year. His third 100 took only 69 months, until December 1984, or less than 6 years. â€Å"Writing is more fun than ever,† he said in a 1984 interview. â€Å"The longer I write, the easier it gets.† He once explained how he came to write â€Å"Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare† (Crown). It began, he said, with a book called â€Å"Words of Science.† † ‘Science’ led to ‘Words on the Map,’ † he remarked, â€Å"which took me to ‘The Greeks,’ which led me to ‘The Roman Republic,’ ‘The Roman Empire,’ ‘The Egyptians,’ ‘The Near East,’ ‘The Dark Ages,’ ‘The Shaping of England’ and then ‘Words From History.’ It was an easy jump to ‘Words in Genesis,’ which brought on ‘Words From the Exodus.’ That led me to ‘Asimov’s Guide to the Old Testament,’ and then ‘The New Testament.’ So what was left except Shakespeare?† His usual routine was to awake at 6 A.M., sit down at the typewriter by 7:30 and work until 10 P.M. In â€Å"In Memory Yet Green,† the first volume of his autobiography, published in 1979, he explained how he became a compulsive writer. His Russian-born father owned a succession of candy stores in Brooklyn that were open from 6 A.M. to 1 A.M. seven days a week. Young Isaac got up at 6 o’clock every morning to deliver papers and rushed home from school to help out in the store every afternoon. If he was even a few minutes late, his father yelled at him for being a folyack, Yiddish for sluggard. Even more than 50 years later, he wrote: â€Å"It is a point of pride with me that though I have an alarm cloc k, I never set it, but get up at 6 A.M. anyway. I am still showing my father I’m not a folyack.† He Learns to Read, Then Teaches Sister Isaac Asimov was born Jan. 2, 1920, in the Soviet Union, near Smolensk, the son of Judah and Anna Rachel Berman Asimov. He was brought to the United States in 1923 and was naturalized in 1928. He taught himself to read before he was 5 years old, using the signs on his Brooklyn street. A couple of years later, with a little help from his father, he taught himself to read Yiddish. When he was 7, he taught his younger sister to read. He skipped several grades and received a high-school diploma when he was 15. After discovering science fiction on the magazine rack in his father’s store — and overcoming his father’s objections to fanciful subject matter — he tried writing science fiction himself and sold his first story when he was 18. The story, â€Å"Marooned Off Vesta,† ran in the October 1938 issue of Amazing Stories. Three years later, in 1941, he sold a story called â€Å"Nightfall† to Astounding Science Fiction, then the top magazine in the field. It was edited by John W. Campbell Jr., whose ability to find talented writers was largely responsible for what is considered the Golden Age of science fiction in the 1930’s and 40’s. Almost 30 years after â€Å"Nightfall† was published, the Science Fiction Writers of America voted it the best science-fiction short story ever written. Astounding Science paid a cent a word, Mr. Asimov once recalled. â€Å"So for a 12,000-word story I expected $120. I got a check for $150 and thought Mr. Campbell had made a mistake.† But when Mr. Asimov called to tell him, â€Å"he said the story had seemed so good to him he gave me a bonus of one-quarter cent a word.† Mr. Asimov graduated from Columbia University in 1939 with a bachelor of science degree, and earned an M.A. in 1941 and a Ph.D. in chemistry there in 1948. The next year, he accepted an offer from Boston University’s School of Medicine to teach biochemistry. â€Å"I didn’t feel impelled to tell them that I’d never had any biochemistry,† he recalled in a 1969 interview. â€Å"By 1951 I was writing a textbook on biochemistry, and I finally realized the only thing I really wanted to be was a writer.† He was made an associate professor of biochemistry in 1955 and a professor in 1979, although he stopped teaching in 1958 and only occasionally went back to the university to lecture. A Science Fiction Of Verve and Clarity Mr. Asimov’s science-fiction novels and stories won many awards: five Hugos, given by the fans, and three Nebula Awards, given by his fellow writers. His â€Å"Foundation Trilogy† (all published by Doubleday) — which takes place in a future galactic empire and consists of â€Å"Foundation† (1951), â€Å"Foundation and Empire† (1952) and â€Å"Second Founda tion† (1953) — was given a Hugo in 1966 as Best All-Time Science-Fiction Series. Among his nonfiction works, â€Å"Asimov’s New Guide to Science† is considered one of the best books about science for the layman. Reviewing â€Å"Foundation’s Edge† (Doubleday), a sequel to the trilogy and the first of Mr. Asimov’s books to make the New York Times best-seller list, the critic Gerald Jonas said in The New York Times Book Review in 1982: â€Å"He writes much better than he did 33 years ago — yet he has lost none of the verve he brought to this series when he and the galaxy were much younger. What more could one ask?† â€Å"Foundation’s Edge† won a Hugo in 1983 as the best science-fiction novel of the year. In recent years, Mr. Asimov wrote â€Å"Foundation and Earth† (1986) and â€Å"Prelude to Foundation† (1988). A final novel, â€Å"Forward the Foundation,† is to be published by Bantam Books later this year. Mr. Asimov himself made no great claims for his work. â€Å"I make no effor t to write poetically or in a high literary style,† he said in 1984. â€Å"I try only to write clearly and I have the very good fortune to think clearly so that the writing comes out as I think, in satisfactory shape.† â€Å"I never read Hemingway or Fitzgerald or Joyce or Kafka,† he once wrote. â€Å"To this day I am a stranger to 20th-century fiction and poetry, and I have no doubt that it shows in my writing.† No Typist or Agent, And No Airplanes He wrote his first drafts on his typewriter, and short articles and final drafts on a word processor, and he rewrote everything only once. â€Å"It’s not out of conceit,† he said. â€Å"But I have lots of stuff I’m committed to write and if I linger lovingly I won’t be able to write at all.† Not everything, however, fell into place easily. He once did a children’s book in a day, but the Shakespeare book took two years. The book he considered his favorite, â€Å"Murder at the A.B.A.† (1976), a mystery novel in which he himself was a character, took seven weeks; â€Å"The Gods Themselves† (1972), a science-fiction novel that won both the Hugo and the Nebula awards, took seven months. â€Å"I do all my own typing, my own research, answer my own mail,† Mr. Asimov once said. â€Å"I don’t even have a literary agent. This way there are no arguments, no instructions, no misunderstandings. I work every day. Sunday is my best day: no mail, no telephones. Writing is my only interest. Even speaking is an interruption.† Although he wrote about space travel through countless universes and light years, Mr. Asimov himself refused to fly. â€Å"Isaac says that he loves to fly into space and span the galaxies,† the editor Ben Bova once remarked. â€Å"But only in his imagination.† Among Mr. Asimov’s other well-known science-fiction works were â€Å"I, Robot† (1950), in which he invented his famous Three Laws of Robotics, which govern the relation of robots to their human masters: robots may not injure a human or, by inaction, allow a human to be harmed; robots must obey humans’ orders unless doing so conflicts with the fir st law; robots must protect their own existence unless doing so conflicts with the first two laws. Robot and galactic-empire themes eventually expanded and intertwined in 14 novels. Secret of Success: It’s All in the Genes He also wrote many nonfiction works and magazine articles on a wide range of subjects and was the editorial director of a magazine named after him — Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine — for which he wrote the editorials in each issue. He received the James T. Grady Award of the American Chemical Society in 1965 and the American Association for the Advancement of Science-Westinghouse Science Writing Award in 1967. Recently Mr. Asimov said he had had a prostate operation and was cutting back on his writing. He suspended his monthly column in Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine, to which he had contributed some 400 columns and articles over 33 years. Writing 10 or more books a year was standard procedure for Mr. Asimov, and he continued his busy pace after a heart attack in 1977 and triple bypass surgery in 1983. â€Å"I have been fortunate to be born with a restless and efficient brain, with a capacity for clear thought and an ability to put that thought into words,† he once remarked. â€Å"None of this is to my credit. I am the beneficiary of a lucky break in the genetic sweepstakes.† Mr. Asimov once told an interviewer about sadly contemplating death and the end of conscious thought. But, he said, he cheered himself with the thought that â€Å"I don’t have to worry about that, because there isn’t an idea I’ve ever had that I haven’t put down on paper.†

Grocery Gateway: Customer Delivery Operations Essay

Grocery Gateway was founded in 1997, by Bill Ni Nardo. In 2001, Grocery Gateway was Canada’s largest direct online grocer, providing a selection of 6,500 items from the GroceryGateway.com website. Nature of the Business: Grocery Gateway offers food products with a delivery service competing in the grocery industry. The service is offered to residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which is the largest urban area in Canada. Current Market Strategy: Grocery Gateways offers a 90-minute delivery window from 6:30am to 10:30 pm. The service provides a doorstep delivery service for maximum convenience, with the customer in mind. Statement from Claude Germain chief operating officer: â€Å"We Focus on low cost, high service logistics execution in one market. Some people focus on technology, others on merchandising, but right from the get go we focused on logistics execution. We wanted to get it right and have the lowest cost capability with the best service we could provide. â€Å"(pg.2,Johnson). Problem Statement: The present problem is that Dominique Van Voorhis, Vice President of industrial engineering and operation for Grocery Gateway needs to develop recommendations aimed at improving delivery operations at the weekly meeting in seven days. Sub-Problems: * Grocery Gateways has only been able to achieve 2.7 stops per hour. Falling shy of their aimed 4 stops per hour. Organization Objectives: With the stated problem in delivery time, Dominque Van Voorhis needs to increase driver stops within the hour. Grocery Gateway also wants to decrease the delivery windows from 90minutes to 30minutes. They want to initiate a 10 minutes of contact time with the customer and a 5 minute drive between customers, taking in consideration of residential speed laws. SWOT Analysis: Strengths: * Customer time saver- The efficient service saves time for the customer. Typically the average GTA resident consumes a lot of time just to get to work for their 9 to 5 job. This will allows most resident s to have time for other activities. * Product Selection- Grocery Gateway offers up to 6,500 products including dry goods, health and beauty products, meat fresh produce, frozen foods, wine and beer. * Convenience delivery times- Currently the delivery service is offered from 6:30am to 10:30pm. The offered times have a 90 minute window and customers can change orders up to 14 hours before the delivery. * Competitive prices- The cost of delivery is only 8 dollars on top of the customers grocery bill. All products offered are priced competitively. * Website- An website to advertise sales and available products. Also can order products through the website. Weaknesses: * Costumer Choice- Costumers have little to no say about which item to grab off the shelf. This may be a problem in situations when customers produce selections vary. This can cause delay in delivery and lost of time. * Customer absence- Customers may not be home and can cause large problems in time. * Unpredictable Conditions- Canadian weather can vary causes in delays in highways, roads, ect. Also, accidents can cause delays. Opportunities: * Delivery Price: Currently the cost of delivery is only 8 dollars on top of the grocery charge. 8 dollars is a small amount when the average amount of deliveries cost 135 dollars. Grocery Gateway has the ability to raise the delivery charge easily. * Expand Market- Currently Grocery Gate way deal with the Greater Toronto area and surrounding areas around it. The ability to increase the radius of delivery is there. Threats: * Competition- There are few direct competition, but many indirect competition. Many individuals may take it upon themselves to go to the grocery store. * Trust- Customers may not trust other judgment in selecting food and may want to do it themselves. Implications: Analyzing the situational factors it seems that the time factor is the main weakness that Grocery Gateway could encounter. With this evident they should work on delivery execution. Competitor Analysis: Direct: Mr. Case: Was developed in 1984, when a university student started to charge friends for picking up groceries for them. Today has become a lot larger and has a well designed website. The operation process of Mr.case is to order groceries before 11:30am and the groceries will be delivered in one business day of a day of choice after one business day. The charge is $3 for the deliveries is $3 for orders over $75 and $6 dollars for orders under $75. MR. case only delivers in the inner sections of the GTA and will put the groceries past your front door to any room in the customers house. They offer their deliveries Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am to 5pm. They accept online payment, by accepting VISA, Mastercard, American Express, cheques or PayPal. Front Door Organics: Was developed in 1997, trying to cater to the organic consuming community. They encompass a website that has organic box options. Customers can choose between a basic box that has various organic foods in it or they can choose to customize their own box. They offer 450 organic groceries and deliver between the hours of noon to 10pm. They allocate different days of the week to different areas of Toronto for deliveries. They accept cash, cheque, Visa or Mastercard as payment. Indirect: Grocery Stores: Grocery stores contain all the same products that Grocery Gateway does. This means there is another option for customers to pick up groceries instead of paying the charge for delivery. Restaurants: Restaurants offer food and most offer a delivery service for their food. This is mainly a short-term solution for customers, but it can solve their hunger instead of getting groceries.

Critical Thinking in 21st Century America Essay

The intellectual roots of critical thinking date back to the teachings of Socrates, who discovered a method of analytical questioning; known today as â€Å"Socratic questioning,† establishing that one could not rationally justify their assured claims to knowledge. Socrates established that people cannot depend upon those in â€Å"authority† to have sound knowledge and insight. He demonstrated that individuals may have power and high position and yet be deeply confused and irrational. He established the importance of asking questions and thinking deeply before we accept an idea as worthy of belief. Socrates stressed the significance of seeking evidence, closely examining reasoning and assumptions, analyzing basic concepts, and tracing out implications not only of what is said but of what is done. This, I believe, is essential to living a successful and knowledgeable life; question everything and everyone. I strongly agree with Socrates’ idea that we cannot depend upon an individual of higher power to have all-encompassing knowledge and insight solely based on their status. The use of certain words, in just the right way, is enough to make some individuals believe just about anything; most successful lawyers have built their entire careers simply by knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. Although I feel that critical thinking is a necessity throughout life, along with analyzing and questioning everything; I also feel that it is not something that is simply learned. Today, in our contemporary 21st century American society, we are certainly allowed to be and/or trained to be critical thinkers, but it is only certain individuals who will use critical thought to its highest ability to expand their knowledge and open up the mind. These individuals, sometimes rare, have the ability to reflectively question common beliefs and justifications, and use this to carefully distinguish those beliefs that are reasonable and logical from those which lack acceptable evidence or rational foundation to justify a certain belief. Socrates’ practice was followed by many great critical thinkers, such as Plato, Aristotle, and the Greek skeptics, all of whom emphasized that things are often very different from what they appear to be and that only the trained mind is prepared to see through the way things look to us on the surface, misleading appearances, to the way they really are beneath the surface, the deeper realities of life. Critical thinking, amongst many other definitions, is the ability to understand and apply, to infer and to meaningfully investigate given information; the skills needed to see equivalents, comprehend connections, identify problems, and develop justifiable explanations. It identifies bias, and a bias is not necessarily bad; it is simply a preferred way of looking at things. However, critical thinking does not necessarily benefit everyone; it can alter relationships, change attitudes, and cause family and friends to part ways. In light of our readings, many of the individuals we have discussed stress the need for a critical society, but additionally stress that it is not always beneficial, especially for those susceptible to nonsense. John Stuart Mill feared conformism among society as a whole, he saw this as a uniformity which enforced narrow-minded views and illogical rules on those individuals more open-minded and educated. A few years back while researching religion for a paper, I came across Mill’s idea of â€Å"hell belief,† where he argues that the belief in hell is made inconsistently both strong and weak by a total system failure in critical thinking; that hell belief is incompatible with the belief that God is good. He explains that the same mind set that enables them to accept a theory involving these contradictions prevents them from seeing the logical consequences of the theory. Mill’s ideas of â€Å"hell belief† are very similar to those of my own. Many, if not most, people are introduced and expected to abide by a certain religion by the time they speak their first words. Naturally, more often than not, religion and religious values are the first thing that many are taught; however religion allows little, or no room, for critical thinking. Many people carry their religious beliefs and values throughout life, where critical thinkers challenge and question it; they find the stuff that doesn’t quite make sense and demand to know where the logic lies and why exactly they’re supposed to life by these ideas. In Mill’s ideas, people come to believe in it and manage to stay sane about it for the same reason, a lack of critical thinking. In our readings, we see that Bertrand Russell emphasizes the importance of open and free analysis, and the critical need to create education systems that raise open-minded pursuit of knowledge and cautions the dangers inherent in rigid ideologies. I agree with Russell and believe that children should be taught to think critically as soon as they start their education because as adults it is almost impossible to learn, it is not simply a skill you can up and decide you want to possess. If more schools implemented a system that encourages children to keep an open mind and consistently put certain ideas and theories to the test, they would be better prepared for future education, encouraged to socialize with their peers even if they’re not from the same religious or ethnic background, and overall be well prepared for life itself; the habit of questioning everything leads to the development of well-rounded knowledge. When referencing the answers that many of us strive for, Russell explains that if philosophy cannot answer all of our questions, it at least holds the power of asking questions which increase the interest of the world, and show the strangeness and phenomenon lying just below the surface even in the simplest things of everyday life. He identifies a need for a theory of knowledge that will merge what appears to be from what really is, as well as the importance to practice knowledge responsibly. Russell explains to us that in order to make statements or hold beliefs about knowledge, we must be able to substantiate that our knowledge is accurate to reality. Although uncertainty and doubt are Descartes’ enemy, he wanted to use doubt as a tool or weapon to combat uncertainty. What, if anything, could not be doubted after subjecting all of his knowledge to the acid wash of doubt. The one thing that Descartes concluded could not be doubted was that he was doubting. There has to be an â€Å"I† who is thinking. Descartes’ famous dictum, Cogito Ergo Sum, means â€Å"I think therefore I am†.