Friday, May 15, 2020

The Industrial Revolution Has Caused The Current Situation...

The industrial revolution has caused the current situation of deteriorating climatic conditions in the globe. It is a topic that has received varied opinions some supporting and some going against it. Even though, scientists have tried their best to illustrate the fact. The scientists have kept track of the changes in the levels of greenhouse gasses, and they have demonstrated that the levels keep rising every day. Human action is the core cause of these changes. The impact of these greenhouse gasses is what many people call global warming. Global warming has been described as a state of ever increasing global temperatures and other adverse weather conditions mainly as a result of interference of the ozone layer.Emission of corrosive gasses into the atmosphere corrodes the ozone layer leaving huge holes that cause the ultraviolet rays of the sun to reach the earth. The result of this is human diseases like skin cancer, melting of the polar ice leading to rising sea levels and other i mpacts on agriculture. These scientists have gone a step further to give a detailed analysis of how these effects occur or, in other words, the science behind it. The aim of this paper is to offer supporting evidence of the fact that human activity, precisely the industrial revolution, is the primary cause global warming. According to Elizabeth (2006), it is estimated that since the onset industrial revolution, the human kind has burned coal, oil and natural gas enough to produce about 250Show MoreRelatedEnvironmental Degradation9511 Words   |  39 Pages Any type of activities which alters the systems of the environment and he disturbances caused to air,water,soil and the eco systems is known as environmental degradation. Its under the top ten threats in the united nations panel. Because of environmental degradation illness and premature deaths occur in large numbers. A report says that human health is deteriorating in the past decades. If improvements are being made to enhance human health millions of people will dwell aRead MoreSience23554 Words   |  95 PagesGlobal Warming And Climate Change? Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in â€Å"greenhouse† gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). A warming planet thus leads to a change in climate which can affect weather in various ways, as discussed further below. What Are The Main Indicators Of Climate Change

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Moral Relativism And The Ethical Dilemma - 1615 Words

Introduction When I first looked at the instructions for this assignment the ethical dilemma I wanted to talk about came immediately to mind. It was a decision I made more than fifteen years ago but I still remember it and had never thought of it in terms of ethics before. When I started this unit and began looking at situations from that perspective I became more intrigued and wondered if any of the readings could help me understand why I came to the decision I did . I once made the decision to engage in a behaviour deviant to the norm of my society, deciding that the â€Å"correct† action to take was to steal from one of my teachers. When I started reading about moral relativism and realised that this might be a way to explain how a â€Å"wrong† choice can sometimes be a â€Å"right† one, or at least to the person acting on it. Moral Relativism â€Å"The view that moral judgements are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint†¦and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Westacott, date unknown) The foundations of the concept of moral relativism were first expressed in 5th Century Greece; prior to this the idea of morals could be easily summed up as the following by Westacott: â€Å"In the view of most people throughout history, moral questions have objectively correct answers†¦cowardice is a bad quality†¦heroes deserve respect†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, a few intellectuals of the era began to contemplate the idea that this might not be as straightforward as previouslyShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis of Ethical Relativism Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesWhen it comes to moral dilemmas between cultures, there is a grey area that can sometimes make it difficult to resolve issues surrounding the dilemma. What is morality? How is it possible to know what is morally correct when cultures differ so vastly? To answer these questions, and many more regarding the moral dilemmas in the world, there are theories that have been developed to resolve them. One example is known as Ethical Relativism. Ethical Relativism has been developed on the basis that thereRead MoreEssay on Universalism vs. Relativism645 Words   |  3 PagesKatie Potter PHIL 213 Ethical Universalism vs. Ethical Relativism Ethical universalism and ethical relativism are two types of meta-ethical views, meaning the two theories attempt to understand the reason behind ethical properties, attitudes, boundaries and judgements. Ethical universalism can be viewed as an ideal world, while ethical relativism explains a more realistic perspective on why different cultures can view the same actions differently. The two delve more into the essential meaningRead MoreEthical Dilemmas Of A Drug Company s Regional Sales Manager1748 Words   |  7 Pageshard to make a decision, especially when an ethical dilemma is involved. Ethical dilemmas pose a challenge because there is good to be found with both choices. The problem arises when one’s personal ethics are challenged. This paper will discuss an ethical dilemma with which a drug company’s regional sales manager was faced. It will discuss: the case and explain the ethical dilemma; the four functions of management; ethical issues; ethical relativi sm; four values; case resolutions; and ChristianRead MoreEssay on Ethics: Where Do We Learn What Constitutes Right or Wrong?953 Words   |  4 Pagesschools of ethical thought, Utilitarianism, Deontological and Virtue Ethics, you will find that there are varied and different views of how we come by our value systems and how we determine right and wrong. However, in all three of these schools of thought there is one underlying commonality: ethical relativism deems that a person’s values and judgments are based upon their cultural and societal influences and their personal feelings. (DesJardins, 2011) Ethical Relativism Ethical relativism simplyRead MoreConcepts Of Ethical Absolutism And Relativism1644 Words   |  7 PagesConcepts of Ethical Absolutism and Relativism Ethical relativism and ethical absolutism are two differing theories on how we ought to or ought not to decide on right from wrong. We question and evaluate morality in the terms of right and wrong constantly throughout life. The moral values that we decide to indoctrinate into our everyday lives are strongly motivated by cultural constraints in the eyes of some, to include anthropologist Dr. Ruth Benedict. Ethical relativism is defined as moral values beingRead MoreEvaluating Ethical Decisions and Defining a Universal Standard of Good1476 Words   |  6 PagesEvaluating Ethical Decisions and Defining a Universal Standard of Good It is difficult to provide a concrete definition for the word â€Å"right.† Right can mean many different things in different situations. For example, the right answer to one plus one is two. Yet, â€Å"doing the right thing† isn’t a simple answer like the previous example. In determining the difference between right and wrong, the pursuit of making an ethical decision is born. There are many concepts of right and wrong. DespiteRead MoreCorrelation Between The Police Shooting And The Violent Crime Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pagesblacks are more likely to be shot by the police as opposed to the unarmed white counterparts (Kindy et al., 2016). In this paper, the shooting of the black man by the name Alton Sterling will be covered with the help of the ethical systems dilemmas to determine any potential dilemma components in the case. Summary of the Alton Sterling Shooting Alton Sterling was a black man of 37 years of age; he was shot dead by the police in June of this year (2016). At the time of his shooting, Alton Sterling wasRead MoreDefinition Of Moral Realism Of The Floral Industry And Owning An Interior Commercial And Residential Business968 Words   |  4 PagesMoral realism can be defined as what is real, exists and reflects the moral standard of the culture that is making a reference to what is real and what is moral. To understand the term, we must break it down to the varying parts and ask what is moral and what is real. Moral beliefs are not universal. They are not even universal in a culture. Customs and beliefs passed down through generations help form belief systems defining moral standards and realism. Asking the question about what is moral willRead MoreEffective Leadership Skills During An Ethical Dilemma1464 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Skills during an Ethical Dilemma The purpose of this paper is to introduce ethical frameworks that can help solve an ethical dilemma. I will give an example of ethical issues encountered in a jail setting and an ethical dilemma that I experienced as a result of these ethical issues. I will analyze the moral, ethical, and legal implications that I used in this ethical dilemma. Furthermore, I will explain my leadership role as a patient advocate during this particular moral issue. Lastly, I willRead MoreUtilitarianism And Utilitarianism887 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism and Kantianism are some of the popular moral philosophical theories that have been used to deliberate on ethical matters in the society. The business world, systems of government, healthcare system, and other facets of the society are dependent on the provisions of these theories. Utilitarianism and Kantianism were developed by Jeremy Bentham and Immanuel Kant respectively. While these theories can be applied in a beneficial manner in a wide array of areas, it is clear that Kantianism

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Strategic Finance Issues of Qantas Airways Limited (QAN)

Question: 1. An analysis of the information contained in the latest Annual Report and Financial Statements of the company, commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of the company over two years by applying ratio analysis in the categories listed above; 2. Suggestions or recommendations for improving the business, based on the analysis; 3. Full referencing of your sources of information, which may include any external sources such as the financial press, commentators and the internet that you may have used to strengthen your analysis. Answer: Introduction Financial statement helps to provide a clear and precise idea about the company financial position in the market. The report helps to throw light on the financial aspect of the company with the help of the ratio analysis which are calculate don he basis of the financial statement produced at the end of the each fiscal year of the company (Erickson, 1989). The company Qantas airways limited is considered to be one of the most leading airline service providers in Australia. Financial health of the company is determine by the profitability, efficiency, solvency ( short term and long term) and other key aspect such a market based ratio of the company which are analyse thoroughly over the period of two year. The paper helps to provide an in depth analysis of the company financial health of the Australian airlines services, Qantas Airways Ltd. With the help of the critical analysis of the financial statement of the company from 2012 and 2013 help to provide a clear a idea about the research study (Fridson Alvarez, 2002). Established in the year 1920, Queensland and Northern territory Air Services (QANTAS), from a domestic airline service provider the company grows rapidly and become one of the most global airline services across the world providing more than 150 destinations in more than 50 countries. Financial Analysis of Qantas Airways Ltd (2012 2013) Financial statement consist of the three key element which are balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement which help to provide key business activities which are carried by the company over the given fiscal year which help to provide the financial prison of the company in the market (Gibson Frishkoff, 1979). Balance sheet helps to provide a clear and precise idea about the company financial aspect which consists of the asset and liabilities of the company which eventfully help the user to determine the financial stability of the company regarding the utilisation of the company resource (Golbe Schachter, 1985). Income statement help to provide a clear idea on the revenue generated by the company over the given fiscal year which eventually help the company to determine the net profit or loss the company suffered during the given year which help to provide as platform to forecast or predict the company future profit figure with proper strategic procedure (Hacioglu Dincer , n.d.). Cash flow statement of the company help to [provide a clear and precise idea about the company three basic activities which involves financing activities, operating activities and investing activities. Financial statement provide the platform for the ratio calculation such as from balance sheet company provide a clear idea on the several business risk with the help of the current ratio, quick ratio, debt ratio, financial leverage and short term and long term debt. Income statement helps to throw light on the company profitability aspect (Helfert, 1987). The financial analyses on the basis of their financial statement are as follows, Profitability ratio The profitability aspect of the Qantas has been analysed and determined with the help of the net profit margin (Hickman, Lester Hickman, 1996). Tax rate, asset turnover, return on asset, financial leverage, return on equity, return on invested capital and interest coverage. From the analysis of the profitability ratio of the company it is evident that the company net margin of profit increase as in the year 2012 the net profit margin of the company was negative which increased in the year 2013 to 0.03. Profitability ratio of the company help to identify and reveal the company current state of generating profit, it is significant to analyse and determine the current potential fro investment of a company as it is directly related to the increased earnings per share (Horrigan, 1967). It is considered to be one of the most critical and vital criteria for QAN investor to take effective decision. Asset turnover ratio of the company remains stable on the consecutive two year 2012 and 2013. The asset turnover ratio implies that the company is effectively managing its resource higher the value of the asset turnover ratio is favourable. Return on asset also helps to throw light on the profitability aspect of the company (Langsen, 1988). Higher value of ROA is considered to be favourable which signifies that the company is making money with the investment on the asset, however from the financial data it is evident that the company Qantas was making loss in the year 2012 on the investment which is increase in the year 2013. Return on equity is considered to be primary factor of the profitability of the company. Higher value of the ROE is considered to be one of the most crucial and significant as it indicates that the firm is able to generate income from the new investment. Return on equity seems to be improving for the Qantas Airways ltd as the company in the year 2012 was making huge loss from the investment as the figure are in negative while the company in the year 20 13 making money from the investment which is evident from the ratio analysis of the company. From the profitability ratio analysis it is evident that the company is making profit in the year 2013 when compared with the year 2012 (Lien Shrestha, 2010). Efficiency Ratio Efficiency ratio help to provide a clear and precise idea about the company overall capability manage its resource which eventually help the company to earn profit for the given fiscal year. Efficiency ratio is determined and analysed with the help of the days sale outstanding, days inventory, payable period , receivable turnover, inventory turnover, fixed asset turnover and asset turnover ratio which help to provide clear and precise idea about the perfect utilization of resource of the company (Miller, 1972). Days sales outstanding is considered to be one of the most basic measure of the efficiency of the company, as it is evident that it is easy to convert the sales into cash easily. Therefore it is recommended that the lower value of sales outstanding is recommended for the organization whereas the higher value of the sales outstanding is unfavourable for the organization. The days sale outstanding for the company is increasing which is not favourable of the company as it signifi es that the company is inefficient in credit sales collection. Inventory days value must be lower which helps to provide the business to decrease the level of investment in the inventory. The inventory days of the company must be lower, it is evident from the analysis of the Qantas company it is lower which is favourable for the company (Myer, 1969). Payable period is considered to be one of the most significant measures which help to provide a clear idea on the company short term liquidity aspect. Higher value of the payable period indicates that the company is making their dues cleared to their supplier quickly. Qantas payable period indicate higher value of the payable period which signifies that the company is clearing the due related to their supplier quickly. Account receivable helps to provide a clear and precise idea on the efficiency of the business in collecting and generating the credit sales. The receivable turnover ratio of the company Qantas is decreasing which indicate that the company is not able to collect its credit properly wh ich result in the poor credit sales generation from the company end (Oxenbridge, Wallace, White, Tiernan Lansbury, 2010). Fixed asset turnover is also considered to be one of the significant measure which helps to provide a clear and precise idea on the company efficiency ratio. Fixed asset turnover helps the company to determine whether the fixed asset is generating revenue or not. From the figure of the fixed asset turnover of the company Qantas it is evident that the fixed asset is generating revenue for the company as the fixed asset turnover increase over the year. Solvency Solvency of the company is related with the debt and liabilities that the company have incurred during the given fiscally year and ability to meet its short term obligation and long term obligation which eventually helps to determine and identify whether the company is susceptible to solvency risk. Short-term solvency Short term solvency includes several key aspects which are current ratio, quick ratio, long term debt and other long term liabilities. Current ratio helps to provide a clear and precise idea about company ability to meet its current obligation. Current ratio of the Qantas airways is increasing which indicate that the company current liabilities exceed the current asset. The company which have current ratio below 1 indicates that the company is not able to meet its current obligation as the value of the current ratio for the Qantas Company is less than one. Similarly quick ratio is also considered to be one of the significant measures of the short term solvency which help to determine the ability of the company to meets its short term obligation (Palmer, 1983). Quick ratio helps to determine the liquidity aspect of the business as it provide a clear and precise idea about the ability of the firm to pay all of its debt with the help of the available liquid asset. Quick ratio of the Qan tas airways is below one which indicates that the company is not able to repay all its debt with the help of available liquid asset. Quick ratio of the company should be above one which indicates that the company have sufficient liquid asset to repay its debt. The other key aspect of the short tem solvency is short term debt and short term liabilities which indicate that the Qantas Company have consistent short term debt which provide a clear picture that the company debt remains constant for two consecutive years which is a negative indication for the company liquidity aspect (Pettit, 2007). Long term solvency Long term solvency of the company is considered to be one of the significant measures to determine the ability of the company regarding the solvency risk related to its business operation. Long term debt, long term liabilities, financial leverage and debt/equity are considered to be one of most important element to determine the long term debt of the company (Robinson, 2009). Lower the value of the long term debt is considered to be favourable for the company which indicate that they are less susceptible to the risk of solvency. Lower value are favourable where as higher value of the long term solvency are not favourable as the business primarily depend on the external lenders thus it increase the risk related to the overall business operation which is more susceptible to solvency risk specifically at higher interest rate. A debt/ equity ratio is the percentage of the asset of the business finance by debt and by shareholders. Financial leverage is also determined as the trading on equity where there is a utilization of debt to acquire the new asset. Financial leverage of the company is decreasing which is not favourable as the chance to utilise the debt is less if the leverage decreases. Therefore the company should focus to increase the financial leverage which helps the company to utilise the debt to purchase new asset which will help to decrease the risk related to long term solvency of the company. Leverage is also referred as gearing, leverage is considered to be one of the most key measurements for a firm to determine the long term financial solvency. It is considered to be one of the most important measures to assess the risk related to the company which is finance by external sources (RIEDL SRINIVASAN, 2010). In the year 2013 QAN laid down a key strategy which decreases the debt to octal asset ratio indicating that the company QAN is less dependent on their creditors and they can clear the due to their customer and stakeholder without any financial burden. Market based ratios Market based ratio 2013 Services industry (Industrials sector) P/E ratio 12.4 14.6% Dividend yield 0 Price earnings ratio is considered to be one of the most critical and significant measure o evaluate how much the market current value for $1 of profit a company earn for the given share which eventually help to indicate that the expectation for a company growth which will be analysed in the given report to provide a clear and precise idea about the company market based ratios (Steffy, Zearley Strunk, 1974). With the help of the industrial sector analysis the company can utilised the rate of the proper service sector as a standard or a benchmark. With the help of the industrial sector analysis with the QAN P/E makes it clear that the QAN shares are undervalued relative to the overall industry average. The indicator with the help of comparison lead to a proper measure which provide that the investor have less expectation regarding the QAN growth and thus greater loss since the 2012 fiscal year (Wild, Bernstein Subramanyam, 2001). QAN Major airlines industry 2013 Dividend yield 0.00% 27% Dividend yield provide a clear measure that eh return the shareholder receive for each share in each period. The average repayment rate distributed by the airline industry is 27% for the year 2013 however the Qantas airline are only pay 0%. Conclusion and Recommendation From the analysis of the financial statement which eventually helps to calculate financial ratio force the flying kangaroo to focus for a increased market share primarily in the competitive environment. The analysis helps to provide clear and precise idea on the weakness and strength of QAN, along with external threats and opportunities (Velez-Pareja Davila, n.d.). Weakness and threats Decreased ROA and ROE leads to a decreased net profit margin which eventually lead to the poor profitability factors. Slow debtor and asset turnover signifies that the business operation is low. Low value of current and quick ratio signifies liquidity and solvency risk. P/E and dividend is less than the industry average signifies that QAN market based performance consists of share prices. Strength and Opportunities Relatively low and satisfactorily debt to total asset ratio. Enhanced strategic policy with proper and accurate direction to overcome the challenges in the international market. With the help of the SWOT analysis it is evident that the company Qantas is struggling to overcome the issue related to the business operation. QAN has been continuously lagging behind which is clearly indicated in the overall efficient and profitability two primary indicator of long term adversity. Proper strategy should be implement which help to improve the profitability and efficiency of the company which eventually help the company to incur more revenue for the given fiscal year. References Erickson, K. (1989).The balance sheet. Washington, DC. Fridson, M., Alvarez, F. (2002).Financial statement analysis. New York: John Wiley Sons. Gibson, C., Frishkoff, P. (1979).Financial statement analysis. Boston: CBI Pub. Co. Golbe, D., Schachter, B. (1985). The Net Present Value Rule and an Algorithm for Maintaining a Constant Debt-Equity Ratio.Financial Management,14(2), 53. doi:10.2307/3665157 Hacioglu, U., Dincer, H.Managerial issues in finance and banking. Helfert, E. (1987).Techniques of financial analysis. Homewood, Ill.: Irwin. Hickman, J., Lester, E., Hickman, J. (1996).Financial ratio analyst. New York: Warren, Gorham Lamont. Horrigan, J. (1967).An evaluation of financial ratio analysis. Chicago: University of Chicago. Horrigan, J. (1978).Financial ratio analysis. New York: Arno Press. Langsen, A. (1988). Dividend Payout Policy Related to Tobin's Q-Ratio.Financial Management,17(4), 11. doi:10.2307/3665761 Lien, D., Luo, X. (1993). A Note on the Relationship between Exchange Exposure and Hedge Ratio.Financial Management,22(1), 20. doi:10.2307/3665961 Lien, D., Shrestha, K. (2010). Estimating optimal hedge ratio: a multivariate skew-normal distribution approach.Applied Financial Economics,20(8), 627-636. doi:10.1080/09603100903459907 Miller, D. (1972).The meaningful interpretation of financial statements. [New York]: American Management Association. Myer, J. (1969).Financial statement analysis. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. Oxenbridge, S., Wallace, J., White, L., Tiernan, S., Lansbury, R. (2010). A comparative analysis of restructuring employment relationships in Qantas and Aer Lingus: different routes, similar destinations.The International Journal Of Human Resource Management,21(2), 180-196. doi:10.1080/09585190903509472 Palmer, J. (1983).Financial ratio analysis. New York, N.Y.: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Pettit, J. (2007).Strategic corporate finance. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Pyke, E. (1930).The balance sheet. [Australia: s.n.]. RIEDL, E., SRINIVASAN, S. (2010). Signaling Firm Performance Through Financial Statement Presentation: An Analysis Using Special Items*.Contemporary Accounting Research,27(1), 289-332. doi:10.1111/j.1911-3846.2010.01009.x Robinson, T. (2009).International financial statement analysis. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Safi, A. Analysis of Luxury Airlines Emirates Airways and Competitors.SSRN Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2045661. Brealey, R., Myers, S. (1984).Principles of corporate finance. New York: McGraw-Hill. Ross, S., Westerfield, R., Jaffe, J. (2005).Corporate finance. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Steffy, W., Zearley, T., Strunk, J. (1974).Financial ratio analysis. Ann Arbor: Industrial Development Division, Institute of Science and Technology, University of Michigan. Velez-Pareja, I., Davila, M. Financial Analysis and Control - Financial Ratio Analysis (In Spanish).SSRN Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1366523 Velez-Pareja, I. Financial Analysis and Control - Financial Ratio Analysis (Slides).SSRN Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1638279 Velez-Pareja, I. Financial Analysis and Control - Financial Ratio Analysis (Slides in Spanish).SSRN Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1366728 Ward, K. (1994).Strategic issues in finance. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinnemann. Wild, J., Bernstein, L., Subramanyam, K. (2001).Financial statement analysis. Boston, Mass.: McGraw-Hill. Yagil, J. (1983). AN EXCHANGE-RATIO DETERMINATION MODEL FOR MERGERS: AN EXTENSION.Financial Review,18(3), 87-87. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6288.1983.tb01923.x

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Literature Essays (1200 words) - Film, English-language Films

Literature Annonymous The character of Hester Prynne changed significantly throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways, committing adultery. For this irrevocably harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. However, the Romantic philosophies of Hawthorne put down the Puritanic beliefs. She is a beautiful, young woman who has sinned, but is forgiven. Hawthorne portrays Hester as divine maternity and she can do no wrong. Not only Hester, but the physical scarlet letter, a Puritanical sign of disownment, is shown through the author's tone and diction as a beautiful, gold and colorful piece. From the beginning, we see that Hester Prynne is a young and beautiful woman who has brought a child into the world with an unknown father. She is punished by Puritan society by wearing the scarlet letter A on the bosom of her dress and standing on the scaffold for three hours. Her hair is a glossy brown and her eyes deep-set, and black, her attire is rich, carefully caressing her slender figure. The scaffold is a painful task to bear; the townspeople gathered around to gossip and stare at Hester and her newborn child, whom she suitably named Pearl, named because of her extreme value to her mother. In the disorder of faces in the crowd, young Hester Prynne sees the face of a man she once was fiercely familiar with, whom we later learn is her true husband, Roger Chillingworth. Her subjection to the crowd of Puritan onlookers is excruciating to bear, and Hester holds the child to her heart, a symbolic comparison between the child and the scarlet letter, implying that they are truly both intertwined. Prynne is imprisoned with her child, both of whom are emotionally and physically exhausted from the punishment at the scaffold. The husband, Roger Chillingworth, passes by and is commissioned to be the physician to the two, and remedy them of their sicknesses. She is surprised he had come at such a time where she was at a point of such horrendous turmoil. He demands that she cannot reveal his identity, yet he also wishes to know the identity of her lover, the father of the child. She refuses to tell him. Later in the novel, we discover that Arthur Dimmesdale is the confidential lover. Hester is released from her cell, after which she resides for the next few years in a hut by the sea. Her child, Pearl, is a devilish, impish, terribly behaved child, that is indifferent to the strict Puritan society. Pearl is a pain to please, having her way all the time because of her mothers failure to subdue her to the proper Puritan etiquette. Hester knits and weaves for the townspeople, except for weddings, which people believe would cause misfortune and unrest in their marriage. They knew that the Seventh Commandment was thou shalt not commit adultery and they stuck by those rules. The Puritans were truly a people governed by God. The novel explains that the Governors repeatedly attempt to take the child away from Hester, as she has been deemed unfit to raise the child without the influence of genuine Puritan law and order. These attempts are failed, for Arthur Dimmesdale, the father and minister of Hester Prynne, insists that the child is a bond, a necessity of the young woman who has nothing if she does not have the child. Another influence upon Hester is Mistress Ann Hibbens, who is reputed to be a witch throughout the community. When Hibbens asks Hester to join her in the forest at night to sign the Black Mans book with her own blood, she insists that she cannot, but if her little Pearl would be taken away, she would gladly join the witch-lady in the forest that night, and sign the great book in her own blood! Pearl continuously mocks authority in the novel, a key characteristic of the imp-childs demeanor. She asks stupid questions that she already knows the answer to, like, Mother, did you ever sign the black mans book, and,Why does the minister Dimmesdale hold his hand over his heart? The mockery does not end there, however, and Pearl goes on about her retarded ways, throwing rocks at other children that look at her the wrong way and swearing at them. It pains Hester to watch her child go about the world as if possessed by an agent of Satan, and she both loves, and in

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Stanford-Binet test Essays

Stanford-Binet test Essays Stanford-Binet test Paper Stanford-Binet test Paper Even the latest version of the Stanford-Binet test has been so polished and psychologists rely on their validity and it is undeniably popular, it is not perfect. In fact one of the strong critics of the scale is Gould who states that Binet originally have devised his test to be carried out with an examiner in a one-on-one method for detecting problem areas instead as a means of ranking the general intelligence testees linearly. Moreover, he noted that tests of mental abilities has suffered from inadequate support and its own internal contradictions (Gould 223) that even the mayor of Chicago, had tested as a moron on one version of the Binet scales (Gould 223) I. Robert Sternberg and his Triarchic Theory of Intelligence Another theory on Man’s intelligence is that of Robert J. Sternberg who took a truly holistic approach to the conceptualization of intelligence in his Triarchic Theory. What makes the work of Sternberg special and advantageous over the conventional psychometric test is its bases. Aside from being more cognitive, Sternberg himself proclaimed that his work is based on a theory of human intelligence, the triarchic theory that is broader than conventional differential theories which â€Å"have been based on theories of intelligence that have their roots in differential psychology the psychology of individual differences† (Rowe 183) The three subtheories of Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory are the componential or analytical subtheory , experiential or creative subtheory, and practical or contextual subtheory. These â€Å"theories seek to go beyond the IQ† ( Mackintosh 27) of a human being, though Sternberg acknowledges the importance of IQ testing. He believed that IQ tests measure only a sub-set of the† multiple intelligences† (Mackintosh 27). The first subtheory, which is the componential one deals with the components of intelligence; the experiential subtheory deals with the importance of coping with relative novelty and of automatization of information processing; and a contextual subtheory dealing with processes of adaptation, shaping, and selection. â€Å"I have referred to the theory from time to time as triarchic. †(Sternberg 456) Moreover, one of the arguments of his work is that the g factor or the â€Å"general intelligence does not exist† (Sternbeg 4)although general ability does. Although the Triarchic Theory is very useful and advantageous, even more detailed than that of Binet, it has its own share of criticisms. Quoting sociologist Linda Gottfredson in Sternberg’s book, is an obvious defense for the validity of the IQ tests. The effects of intelligencelike other psychological traitsare probabilistic, not deterministic. Higher intelligence improves the odds of success in school and work. It is an advantage, not a guarantee. Many other things matter. is an obvious qualification of the arguments Sternberg has presented and a defense for the validity of IQ tests. II. Psychometric Approach and the Information Processing Approach Psychometrics or psychometry, being the basis of the Psychometric Approach, is â€Å"the branch of psychology that deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude, and personality traits† (The Free Online Dictionary) in testing human ability. The Psychometric Approach, which presume that intelligence is a measurable factor, has became the â€Å" primary method of studying intelligence† (Corr) and thus the testing of IQ was born. There are many psychologists who devoted their time on studying intelligence and have paved ways in producing a method to measure the intelligence in a psychometric manner. Among them, as previously mentioned, is Alfred Binet with his Binet-Simon Scale. The study of psychometrics was only starting with that of Binet though and its furtherance can be seen in Dr. John C. Ravens Progressive Matrices, Kaufman couple’s Kaufman’s Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) and in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) . If a one is not following the psychometric approach, that psychologist would be using an Information Processing Approach. This is another philosophical theory in understanding the cognitive process, similar to the applications used by Sternberg in his Triarchic Theory and diverse from that approach of Binet as explained above. This approach views human as an â€Å"information processor† (Wyer 2). The same author further explains the idea of this approach on the character of the information processor as: .. capable of receiving information operating upon it according to certain rules, storing the results of these operations in memory, altering the contents of certain areas of memory to which new information is relevant, and ultimately reporting the results of these operations in a form that is implicitly or explicitly specified by a user. The Information Processing Approach, therefore, is based on the premise that humans have brains that are similar to computers. III. Conclusion Intelligence is something measurable and all the efforts done to measure it have greatly influenced the foundation and philosophical views on the cognitive process as well as the educational system all throughout the world. No matter what a person chooses to use to understand the cognitive process, any approach is useful and have their certain characteristic that is superior over the other. They have their respective disadvantages over each other as well. Finally, in measuring the intelligence of an individual, it is not the measurement that matters or the measurement method that was used. The most important is the application of that highly measured intelligence towards the betterness of humanity. Becker, Kirk. A.. History of the Stanford-Binet intelligence scales: Content and psychometrics. (Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition Assessment Service Bulletin No. 1). Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing, 2003. Corr, Bradley. The Psychometric Approach to Intelligence: How Smart am I?. Serendep. 2004. Retrieved May 5, 2008

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Discussion 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion 5 - Assignment Example He followed the Lebensraum policy, living room, in order to snatch lands outside Germany and let the German people expand their territory (Spielvogel,1988). In chapter seven the leaders of France and Britain met Hitler to discuss his demands of expanding Germany. They granted him control over a part of Czechoslovakia and in return Hitler pledged to leave the other parts of Czechoslovakia. Hitler broke his promise and took the rest of Czechoslovakia and invaded Poland. This caused the start of World War two. This occurred in September 1939 when German troops invaded Poland and Britain and France declared war. Adolf Hitler’s dream of building a German Empire across Central and Eastern Europe could not be established only through Lebensraum. Lebensraum could only be established by waging a war against the Soviet Union. Hitler’s racial ideology required it, hence the conclusion that World War two was Hitler’s war. Asia, Japan and China also were already at war. More than fifty million people lost their lives during the war, including Germans and also non-Germans In chapter eight Germanies continue with the war and Hitler brought Nazi to power. Hitler enforces his new rules with a secret police, the Gestapo. He formed camps which organized the murder of Gypsies, Jews and political opponents. There was also resistance in the war and the home front was preparing adequately for war (Spielvogel, 1988). In chapter nine the Holocaust took place. It refers to the extensive murders Hitler and his Nazis were accountable for. It involved the formation of squads that followed Hitler’s army to murder Jews and those who were not of German descent. Many camps were set up around Europe and several were determined to murder people. In the years 1939 and 1940, the Nazi army was responsible for the deaths of around fourteen million people which included six million European Jewish people. They

Thursday, February 6, 2020

The short explanation of the constitutional conventions is that they Essay

The short explanation of the constitutional conventions is that they provide the flesh that clothes the dry bones of the law th - Essay Example The UK lacks a well-written constitution, but has a collection of several legal instruments that forms the constitutional law. In this case, conventions provide the underlying principles that provide the basis for governance in the society. According to British Constitutional scholar, Sir Ivor Jennings, conventions exist as precedents, customs and practices since the actors believe they are bound by the rules3. Jennings outlined three tests for ascertaining a valid convention that include considering the precedents or political rules that have been practiced such as election of Prime Minister for the majority party4. The second test is the ministerial responsibility or acceptance of such conventions by those operating under the constitution by consent that creates an obligation to act. The third test is the existence of good political reasons. Thesis statement: constitutional conventions provide the flesh that clothes the dry bones of the law; they make the legal constitution work; a nd keep in touch with advancement in ideas. The UK constitution derives its content from various sources such as Acts of Parliament, common law, EU laws and accumulated conventions. In this case, the UK constitution is uncodified since no single written document and documents like court judgments, treaties and statutes form part of the constitution. The unwritten sources like parliamentary conventions, ministerial responsibilities and royal prerogatives form part of the constitution. Constitutional conventions are unwritten and politically enforceable since they provide the basis for the implementation of the Constitution. Some constitutional conventions in the UK include the international treaties that are presented in Parliament at least 21 days before ratification as per the Ponsonby Rule of 1924. The ministerial responsibilities to advice the monarchy forms part of the conventions since the monarchy is expected to act as the advice expect in circumstance when it needs to exercis e reserve powers. It is a constitutional conventions that the Prime Minister is the leader with of a political party or coalition of parties that command majority seats in the House of Common in order to command the support of the House of Commons in passing important legislation5. Accordingly, money bills originate from House of Common and it’s a convention for monarch to grant royal assent to all legislation. In addition, the House of Lords does not approve any legislation from House of Commons when such legislation forms part of the government’s manifesto and Westminster Parliament cannot legislate on devolved matters without the consent of the Scottish Parliament6. Constitutional conventions may not be legally binding, but are politically enforceable and ensure powers of the UK constitution are implemented in accordance with democratic ideals. The conventions are used to ensure changes in the society without enacting tedious legislations. The UK acknowledges consti tutional conventions as aids to judicial decisions and such acknowledgement of their existence is perceived as enforceability of such conventions in interpretation and implementation of