Money should not be an issue to receive treatment Marisel Diaz Essay

Introduction The Healthcare Reform policy sounds very complicated, even for our House of Representatives, which has been dealing with it for the past years. And for regular citizens, it is extremely complex to understand as well. During the Progressive Era, President Theodore Roosevelt was a strong supporter of health insurance. He believed that â€Å"no country could be strong whose people were sick and poor.† These days, we also have someone who shares the same philosophy, Senator Bernie Sanders, who is advocating for Universal Healthcare. I also share the same idea as Senator Sanders, that if we need to fix the Healthcare system, it should be in order to improve the life of all, not only of those who are able to afford it.   Despite the efforts of President Barack Obama, 27.6 million Americans still are without health insurance today (Kaiser, pg. 1). The insurance system is very complicated America’s Healthcare system has different kinds of insurance. For instance, life insurance, car insurance, home insurance; but only healthcare insurance becomes more complicated and more expensive. Currently, the United States uses a combination of public and private healthcare, and the cost is one of the highest in the world. Insurance. Is a contract between the insurer and insured, whereby the insurer undertakes to pay the insured a fixed amount in exchange of a fixed sum (premium) on the happening of a certain event (like at in a certain age or at death), or compensate the actual loss when it takes place, due to the risk insured. High prices for premiums. The amount health insurance companies charge each month for coverage. It must be paid every month, regardless of whether you use the services or not. For instance, premiums can be paid by the employers, shared by both the employees and the insured, and the plan’s sponsor. Deductibles. The deductible is a level expenditure that must be incurred before any benefits are paid out. Health insurance policies generally have yearly deductibles, which is less effective in removing moral hazard (Dewar, pg. 59). Coinsurance. Coinsurance is the proportion of the total expenditure that is paid by the insured. Coinsurance helps to reduce the moral hazard factor for the insured who has spent more than his or her deductible because healthcare is not free to the consumer (Dewar, pg. 59) Today, 27 million people have no health insurance The majority of people who are left uninsured are from low-income families or even moderate-income families that simply cannot afford the high prices of insurance, do not have the option of obtaining insurance through their jobs, live in states where Medicaid was not expanded, or simply are immigrants who are not eligible for coverage. A solution to the high prices of health care and uninsured citizens would be the adoption of a universal healthcare system. For instance, Canada has a national health insurance program, which is basically a government-run health insurance system covering the entire population. Universal care has proven to be less expensive and would likely improve health care access and outcomes for Americans (Gleason & Ridic, pg. 4). In addition, nationalized health care is a logical, moral imperative for the U.S., and it should be a right, not a privilege. One of the advantages of adopting a national health insurance will be the significant economic advantage because the entire population will have access to health care regardless of money. Most cases of bankruptcy are not caused by reckless spending. According to Deb.org, most citizens claim bankruptcy by financial hardship, and many of them are low-income individuals who cannot afford to pay unexpected major expenses, for instance, due to job losses or medical bills. According to a study published in early 2005, 46 percent of bankruptcies were related to outstanding medical conditions. For example, medical expenses not covered by insurance, or losing at least two weeks’ worth of work because of illness (Krulick, 2012). Additionally, copayments will be insignificant to pay. Citizens will not be filing for bankruptcy due to lack of money. Another advantage will be that physicians will receive payments on a negotiated fee service, and hospitals will receive global budget payments. Cons of adopting Universal Healthcare (Single payer system) In order to see the cons of the system, we should take a look at the outcomes and technology. I will remark that financial barrier does not exist. A research shows that approximately fifty-six percent of the respondents in Canada believed their health care system requires minor changes, and only five percent of the population think that Canada’s healthcare system needs complete rebuilding (Blendon, Leitman & Morrison, pg. 7).   Overall, Canadians are very content with their healthcare system.  The waiting list for diagnosis and surgery exist in Canada. The U.S. could experience waiting lists as well. The reason why Canada has been experiencing a waiting list could be because the government is currently spending less on healthcare than in other years. However, when Taiwan made the switch, wait times were not an issue. This could be different depending on the size of our population and how many people would utilize care once it is available to them. Higher taxes. Canada tax system represents the main revenue. Many of the benefits that Canadians enjoy are made possible through taxes. For instance, the government provides roads, schools, healthcare, social security, public safety, and others benefits to low-income families, charities, students, seniors, and people with disabilities. Tax revenues provide social benefits. Old age security, Canada child tax, working income tax, universal child care benefits. Canadian residents support their tax system by paying their fair share of taxes, and in return, they benefit from the programs and services provided by their government. Importation of drugs from other countries. Senator Bernie Sanders proposes a â€Å"rule that would allow pharmaceutical companies to charge fair prices for drugs developed with taxpayer-backed research.† It sounds very logical since all citizens are paying for it, prices for American citizens should be more economical. In 2013, per capita, spending on prescription drugs was $858 compared with an average of $400 for nineteen other industrialized nations (Kesselheim & Ross, pg. 12). We should be able to negotiate prescription drug prices. According to GoodRx discount, a 30-tablet supply of Invokana at a 100 mg dose will set you back $411 at Walgreens in the U.S., even with a coupon. Meanwhile, a month’s supply of that same dose of Invokana in Canada costs about $234. Having a competition in the market helps to reduce prices and open choices for patients or consumers. Importing prescription drugs from other countries will help to lower the prices and improve the quality as well. Another way could be, perhaps, the use of technology such as virtual doctor appointments. Innovation is a risk, but we will never know if we do not try it out. Additionally, the life style would be improved. Reducing poverty in the U.S. should be the most important thing to do. Inequities in the structure of societal resources vary and can be striking. According to Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, â€Å"A population’s health is shaped 10% by the physical envi ronment, 20% by clinical health care (access and quality), 30% by health behaviors (themselves largely determined by social and physical environments), and 40% by social and economic factors.† (Senterfitt et al., 2013). Sometimes, the perception of paying more does not necessary means or makes things better. Conclusion: Despite having one of the best healthcare systems in the world, the bureaucracy that governs the healthcare industry has to be transformed to be more effective and to promote health, not just mitigate illnesses. References American Bankruptcy Institute. (2012). Annual Business and Non-business Filings by Year (1980-2011). Retrieved from http://www.abiworld.org/AM/AMTemplate.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=65139&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfmhttps://www.kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2545691?JamaNetworkReader=True&redirect=truehttps://www.cihi.ca/en/nhex_2014_report_en.pdfhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633404/Senterfitt, J.W., Long, A., Shih, M., & Teutsch, S.M. (2013). How Social and Economic Factors Affect Health. Social Determinants of Health, Issue no.1. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. https://berniesanders.com/issues/medicare-for-all/#more.

Are Mobile Phones a Necessity?

Mobile phones take a big part in our lifes nowadays. Although they are very useful, some people are beginning to ask if they are good for us or we really need them. In my opinion, we can’t talk about an easy life without mobile phone. In the first place, as their reason to be invented, we can connect with other people whenever and wherever we want. We can send messages to people and sometimes it can be very important. Especially at deathlines your saviors are mobile phones. Furthermore, as technology is improved, we can do more than just sending messages or talking with someone with mobile phones. We can save our files, listen music and we can connect to internet. We can receive and share a lot of things. And mobile phones’ cameras are very improved, we can catch very good scenes from life†¦ Nevertheles, there are so many people who say that mobile phones are making our lifes â€Å"short†. I mean mobile phones have a weak point: Radition. As many doctors say, mobile phones spread radition, which can be very dangerous for human life. Also, people say that mobile phones kill face to face relationship, basically people do not go to see their relatives, just call them. All in all, despite their weak points, mobile phones are making the life easier. I believe in future radition problem will be solved and mobiles phones will be exactly safe. And we have not to forget this: People make inventions good or bad†¦

Hydraulic Fracturing & Policy Actions in New York Research Paper

Hydraulic Fracturing & Policy Actions in New York - Research Paper Example The country has several potential sites for oil deposits which recently have been explored by oil-drilling companies. The latest innovation on oil drilling techniques has opened opportunities for the United States to become oil dependent, opening abundant supply of natural gases which the US didn’t have several years ago. One of the newest techniques being used for extracting high volume oil is called â€Å"Hydraulic Fracturing†. Even though this new technique would open up a big opportunity for the United States to become self-sufficient on oil, there is still manifold repudiation on the ratification of the proposal on several states as bunch of claims were raised that this type of gas extraction might come at the expense of the health of the public as well as the environment. Many government agencies proposed policies in order to regulate the natural gas explorations in various states in the country. This particular study focuses on the pathway of the states of New Yo rk alongside Pennsylvania in the writing of parametric policies that will regulate the oil-drilling operations and at the same time to protect the public safety by ensuring prevention of contaminating the water supplies and precluding some other side effects of Hydraulic Fracturing from taking place. What is Hydraulic Fracturing? â€Å"Hydraulic Fracturing is the propagation of fractures in a rock layer caused by the presence of a pressurized fluid. Hydraulic fractures may form naturally, as in the case of veins or dikes, or may be man-made in order to release petroleum, natural gas, coal seam gas, or other substances for extraction, where the technique is often called frackin or hydrofracking.†Ã‚  frackin  or  hydrofracking.† Since there are solid rock formations underneath the soil, hydraulic fracturing also uses chemicals and other substances in a form of highly-pressurized fluid that will fracture the rock formation paving the way towards the recovery of fossil fuels which are later to be converted into various petroleum products. In the United States, Hydraulic Fracturing is defined as â€Å"†¦is the process of utilizing pressurized water, chemical additives, and physical proppants to fracture rock layers and release petroleum, natural gas, or other substances so that they can be e xtracted.† Proppants are substances in forms of sand or fine coarse to prevent drilled holes from closing when operations are tentatively ceased. Hydraulic Fracturing is also common outside the United States. In Canada, though they have started the drilling operations by fracking in the 1990s, complaints about its safety as verbalized by the concerned and affected residents arose only after eleven years. In Australia, hydraulic fracturing is also very common; however, there were reported breakage or leaks on the pipes used for extraction which as per the report has contaminated the water supply in some parts of Australia. This has triggered the national and local governments in Australia to regulate the oil-drilling operations by potently prohibiting the inclusion of chemicals in the drilling process. Some other countries which use hydraulic fracturing are New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Further, France had also used the technique but was eventually sent to c losure after manifold public complaints. THE HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND POLICY ACTION IN NEW YORK 4 The environmental and

A past future city vision, explaning what the main ideas were and Essay

A past future city vision, explaning what the main ideas were and commenting on the possible sucess it may or may not have had as a sustainable - Essay Example d and therefore it is not surprising that a common theme in the visions of future is addressing the challenges of growth and development of cities, without endangering the surrounding environment and employing sustainable natural resources. Built into these visions were attempts to address the issues of production of resources, its consumptions, and the threat of rising sea levels due to global warming (Ng, 2008). The vision for Washington D.C. includes the use of the military forts surrounding the city that defended it in the past to bring life to the city in the future. Sinuous towers are envisaged on these forts to enable harvesting of wind, solar energy and rainwater and the production of food through the use of hydrophonic farms. Food supply will be further augmented through communal farming on the greenway that will be created in the present avenues of the city (Ng, 2008). Addressing transportation requirements in a unique way is seen in the vision for San Francisco, based on the use of Hydro-net consisting of walls made of carbon nanotubes. The underground Hydro-net is a network that transports individuals, vehicles, water and energy in the city. The Hydro-net also acts as a resource production system with hydrogen-producing algae farms, fog catchers to collect air moisture, and water extractors to collect fresh water from an aquifer below the city (Ng, 2008). For Atlanta the vision includes the reintroduction of treated water from the old sewage system around the ground to produce a natural waterway that flows through city. The surrounding forests would be allowed to creep into the city reducing the city grid and creating new hybrid environments. The idea here is to restore the natural systems to offset the burden of the man-made infrastructure of the city (Ng, 2008). While such a competition may result in what may appear as far fetched solutions for the development, they do provide ideas and solutions for the man made problems in the cities. An example

Lesson Planning with SIOP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lesson Planning with SIOP - Essay Example Although, A-Level English learners can use various language materials, cognitive mastering, communicative skills and effective strategies for learning and reading expository texts is incredibly significant for an inclusive understanding of the language. As a result of the ever increasing English language requirements, an A-Level English teacher ought to develop an effective plan for managing the complexity of English skills and content as well as ensuring accessibility of English learning instruction to A-Level English language learners. The essay intends to come up with a practical and instrumental plan for A-level English learners’ students. The essay will as well compare and contrasts two major language acquisition theories and explore the success of the identified lesson plan based on the identified theories. The way in which English learning institutions and states deal with issues of language diversity plays a significant role in the definition of the social status of population segments that use exceptional language in the society. Generally, language forms the central conduit for human communication. English language is used in different ways by different people to communicate personal needs, experiences, and expectations. Different A-Level English scholars have used diverse theories to understand the most helpful process of learning English language by A-Level English language learners in diverse geographical, social, and historical backgrounds. In the 1960s, Chomsky observed language development as genetically predetermined and innate phenomenon. According to this theory, human beings are always born with rational and physical abilities to learn and understand language. This instinctive ability makes human being develop the capability of understanding new sentences and wordings. Chomsky suggested that, people develop their language through Language Acquisition Device (LAD). The Language Acquisition Device is

Sexist, racist, and homophobic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexist, racist, and homophobic - Essay Example The most common forms of communication failure and barriers that exist are with regards to language that is racist, homophobic, or sexist. Racist language creates an understanding on the part of the stakeholders within the communication that the individual is blinded to the realities of life and can only focus upon narrow-minded understandings of racial distinctions. Accordingly, the core communication barrier that is exhibited is with respect to an individual within the communication determining that wasting further time attempting to understand or integrate with an individual that exhibits racist tendencies is ultimately a colossal waste of time. Secondly, homophobic language creates an understanding of the fact that an individual who integrates with such a view is unable to accept an individual based upon their sexual orientation. Not only does this represent another close minded approach to the world, it also indicates a situation in which any type of difference with regards to the way in which such a person views the world is understood in terms of â€Å"aberrance†. Once again, communicators within the situation can come to the conclusion that an individual that espouses such a closed minded view is necessarily likely not to integrate with a particular point of view or ideas that might be promoted further within the conversation. As a direct result of homophobic language, individuals within communication settings are oftentimes encouraged to merely in the communications and move on without addressing any further issues; losing a golden opportunity for development of relations. Finally, sexist language might be the most damaging of all. The underlying rationale for this has to do with the fact that even though racial minorities comprise a large percentage of the global population, there are only two genders; male and female. As a direct result of this, within any

Conference paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conference - Research Paper Example The discussion of this paper focuses on the different cultural perspectives and how this influences the personal and social interactions of the students and scientists’ perceptions. Personal interaction is the manner in which individuals interact with each other in a group or a community through communication. The language of people to a great extend determines how an individual interact with each other. There is high power vested on personal relations, with communication playing a vital role in unifying the members of a particular group (Eby & Allen, 2012). Communication plays an important role in ensuring a smooth running of events in a group or community. Language as a form of communication unites the people speaking the common language. Differences in communication and language could be a source of conflict. It is believed that language classifies people into different social and is responsible for people’s ethnicity and social grouping. Social interaction is the way in which two or more people who are mutually oriented interact with each other through acts, actions, or practices (Argyle, 2007). The behaviour of these people affects each of the parties’ subjective experiences or intentions. Parties involved in this form of relationship should be aware of one another and put each other into consideration. Such a relationship requires the parties to behave towards each other, portraying the mutual consent of the existence and presence of the other person. Trust is essential to the success of the social interaction, and secret spying on the other party without their consent is likely to bring issues into the relationship. The behaviour of the parties influences the success of social interaction. According to Nganga & â€Å"University of Wyoming† (2006), people need to be aware of their cultural influences as they relate to one another in the society. Students of different backgrounds and cultures sharing the same learning facilities need to

International Market Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

International Market Expansion - Essay Example per prevailing accounting standards, all firms must translate their foreign currency exposures in local currency in order to represent them on their balance sheets. This exposure normally arises when a parent company needs to convert the liabilities/assets of its subsidiary in its balance sheet. The risk arising as a result of this translation is termed as translation exposure. (Wang, 2009) It actually measures the sensitivity when the assets or liabilities of Citibank are actually liquidated due to fluctuations in currency exchange rate. Transaction risk and exposure arises when they are liquidated and hence may gain or lose value in the process of conversion. It is critical to note that transaction exposure do not create any impact on the cash flows of the firm whereas transaction exposure does have an impact on the cash flows of the firm. International firms therefore have to consider this aspect into account also. Translation exposure often arises due to recording of items on the balance sheet therefore Citibank can engage into standards balance sheet hedge in order to safeguard themselves against any changes in the values. Transaction exposure can also be managed by entering into foreign exchange derivatives. Citibank can actually manage its transaction exposure by entering into forward and future exchange rates with counterparties. Foreign currency swaps as well as other more sophisticated instruments may also be used to manage transaction risk. More specifically, Citibank however, need to define risk limits against each currency besides forming policy regarding counterparties. This will actually allow Citi Group to manage counterparty risk associated with the parties with whom it actually enters into foreign currency transactions. (Riad A. Ajami & Goddard, 2006) 1. International banks tend to facilitate international trade and to ensure the movement of goods and services across political borders. International banks though not deal in goods but provide

Grand Theft Childhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Grand Theft Childhood - Essay Example This case, an exemplary example, is not only cause for concern, but is evidence that media does direct our values and in doing so promotes activities outside acceptable social norms. The vast array of entertainment available through video games has made them a mainstay of children's pastime. A full 79% of our children between 7 and 17 years of age play an average of 8 hours a week (Walsh). Many video games are appropriate and often aid educational purposes and project positive images of society. They often offer instruction, problem solving, and entertainment. However, when games step outside our sense of a well-ordered society, they bring with them a baggage of debate on their influence. The recent explosion of violent video games has brought controversy from the living room and into the halls of Congress. Games that feature gun play, excessive mutilation, and behavior associated with criminal activity have raised concern across the board from parents to medical professionals. The intense concern about video and computer games is based on the belief that the ultra violent games are inappropriate for all children and harmful to some. Exposure to "Grand Theft Auto" increases physiological arousal, aggressive thoughts, and aggressive emotions and actions (Walsh). According to Walsh, "In a study of 8th and 9th graders, students who played more violent video games were also more likely to see the world as a hostile place, to get into frequent arguments with teachers, and to be involved in physical fights". Critics are quick to point out that the problem is not the video game, but underlying hostility in the child. However, this does not seem to be validated by research. According to a 2004 research study, Gentile, Lynch, Linder, and Walsh concluded, It was hypothesized that exposure to video game violence would be positively related to aggressive behaviors, such as arguments with teachers and physical threats. This hypothesis was confirmed. Students who play more violent video games are more likely to have been involved in physical acts and get into arguments with teachers more frequently. It should come as no great shock that exposure to violence, even with the knowledge that it is just a game, can initiate and manifest aggressive behavior. I have seen my friends after a period of playing "Grand Theft Auto" and have noticed a change in behavior immediately following the game. Their speech is more coarse, actions more rude, and their driving becomes more reckless. Yet, they play it off as being just a game. They explain that it is no different than an eight year old watching the violence taking place in a Tom and Jerry cartoon. Their theory of the self realization that its only a game and can't translate to the real world may have some validity. A study of 5 to 9 year old children's cartoon viewing habits indicated that children might be discerning between fantasy and reality. The study noted that, " [...] [M]others were shocked by the aggressive and "dark" programmes their children were watching. However, even though some of the children found them disturbing they realised they were simply cartoons, that nobody got hurt and that the good characters always won" ("Children's Cartoons Harmless"). So as children can tell good from bad in a cartoon, can a

Descent of Inanna Essay Example for Free

Descent of Inanna Essay Throughout history women have had an enormous influence on the men of their times. The Descent of Inanna provides us with an example of the role women had during this era and the influence they had over creation stories. Women were very powerful and held in high esteem during this time, and it was not until after the introduction of monotheism that woman lost their position of power. The Descent of Inanna is a story full of irony about a goddess who is powerful yet weak, respected but disregarded, caring and concerned yet selfish and manipulative. The story begins with Inanna preparing to descend to the underworld to deliver a message to Ereshkigal, her sister, of her husband’s death. She gathered her me-garments and gave her servant Ninshubur very specific instructions what she should do should Inanna not make it back from the underworld. Although Inanna is very confident in herself, she is very uncertain about the journey ahead. She knows she may die, which is why she tells Ninshubur to go to the temple of the gods to beg for mercy on Inanna’s behalf. When Inanna reaches the underworld Neti, the gatekeeper, stops her and he goes to tell his queen and Inanna’s sister, Ereshkigal of the visitor. Ereshkigal knows that Inanna is shielding herself behind her me garments and without them she will be vulnerable. Ereshkigal instructs Neti to strip Inanna of her me at each gate and by the time Inanna enters the thrown room she is naked and vulnerable. It is only then that Ereshkigal is able to kill Inanna. After three days and nights of Inanna’s absence, Ninshubur did exactly as Inanna had instructed her to. Ninshubur had such a high respect for her goddess and was forever Inanna’s faithful servant. She set up lament for her by the ruins, tore at her eyes and mouth, and dressed in a single garment as a beggar. She went to the gods to plead for Inanna’s life. After she is refused help from Enlil and Nanna, Ninshubur goes to Enki. Enki is troubled and agrees to save Inanna from her fate. Enki creates two creatures to retrieve Inanna’s body from the underworld and gives them instruction on how to ask Ereshkigal for the corpse. The creatures do exactly as instructed and are able to retrieve Inanna’s body. They sprinkled the food and water of life over her body and Inanna rises. Just as Inanna was ready to ascend from the underworld, she is told that no one leaves and she must find someone to replace her. The galla were sent with her to bring back the person who would replace Inanna. When Ninshubur saw Inanna outside the palace gates, she immediately threw herself at her feet. When the gala tried to take Ninshubur, Inanna refused. It is obvious that Inanna cared deeply for Ninshubur and had a mutual respect toward her. Inanna knows that she owes her life to Ninshubur which is why she refused to allow her to be taken. If her servant had not followed her directions exactly, Inanna may have remained in the underworld for eternity. However, when they reached Inanna’s husband Dumuzi, he was dressed in his me-garments and sitting on his throne. He did not look as someone who was mourning over the loss of his wife, such as Ninshubur had. He did not even move as Inanna and the galla approached. His lack of respect and lack of mourning is why Inanna allowed the galla to take Dumuzi in her place. Inanna held higher regard towards her servant than she had towards her own husband! When the galla try to take Dumuzi, he prays to Utu, Inanna’s brother, to let his hand and feet be turned into snakes so that he may escape their grasp. His request is granted and for a moment, Dumuzi escapes. Inanna finds him and although she seems to try to console Dumuzi, it does not erase the fact that she is giving her husband up to take her place in the underworld. In what appears to be some sort of a compromise, she tells him that his sister will remain in the underworld for half a year, and he the other half. In the end, Dumuzi is handed over to Ereshkigal. Irony seems to be the common theme throughout this story. Inanna was a goddess who was powerful and protected with her me, however without them she was weak and vulnerable. Inanna was well respected by her faithful servant, but not even mourned over by her husband. And Inanna cared enough for her sons and Ninshubur not to allow the galla to take them, however she was selfish and manipulative enough to allow someone else to take her place in the underworld. Ironically enough, Inanna descends to the underworld to pay her respects to her sister, Ereshkigal, and to bring news of her husband’s death. However in the end, it is Inanna who sends her own husband to the underworld in order to take her place and pay her debt.

The Personality And Academic Achievement

The Personality And Academic Achievement ABSTRACT Chemistry achievement is one of the major interests of educators. Educational psychologists have been always concerned to identify the factors that affect students achievement. The emphasis continued to change and shift from one aspect to the other from time to time. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of students personality and attitude on Chemistry achievement. Data were collected by self-prepared survey instrument. The opinions of personally approached 780 secondary school students of government, semi-government and private school sectors were surveyed through stratified random sampling. Data was analyzed by calculating mean, and by applying one way ANOVA. The results revealed that Gender, Family Type, School sectors, Parents Education, and Choice of Course have significant effect on chemistry achievement. Findings of study also revealed that out of five sub-factors of personality, the two sub-factors (Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience) effect signific antly on students having 50-80% marks achievement in chemistry. From 81-90% the significant determinant of chemistry achievement is the sub-factor Achievement Motivation and above 90% marks the significant predictor of Chemistry Achievement is sub-factor Motivation. The research will benefit Educators, Curriculum developers, Teacher, Parents and students. Findings of the factors influencing academic achievement will help educators to develop fair academic curricula that can compensate for known weaknesses a student might carry in the classroom, and those that can nurture a students strengths. Keywords: Attitude towards chemistry; Personality traits; Chemistry Achievement; Openness to experience; Conscientiousness; Motivation; Achievement Motivation. Introduction Academic achievement represents the understanding of the student about different concepts and skills developed in different subjects. In most of the countries, parents usually desire that their children show high level of academic achievement which sets a lot of burden on children, teachers, schools and in general the whole education system. Thus the whole education system revolves round the academic achievement of students so, the schools set a lot of time for helping students to achieve high grades. Academic achievement may be influenced by different factors like intelligence, study habits, and attitudes of students, socio economic status, motivation, opportunities, and different characteristics of their personality. Academic achievement is considered as a core standard to measure students total potential and capabilities of learning. Hence academic achievement occupies a very vital place in our education as well as in the learning process. Achievement is the major outcome of education, the level to which a student, teacher has accomplished their educational goals. According to Crow and Crow (1964) academic achievement is reflected by the extent to which a skill or knowledge has been acquired by a person from the training imparted to him. Previous studies in science education revealed that students at all levels struggle to learn chemistry, but most of them remain unsuccessful (Herron, 1975; Nakhleh, 1992; Sawrey, 1990). Knowledge of the factors that influence academic success has important implications for learning and education. Academic success is strongly influenced by individual differences in personality and attitude. Literature Review Personality and Academic Achievement: Personality is the basic area of study for psychologists. Hall and Lindzey (1991) state that personality may be defined in terms of characteristics or abilities, that are highly representative of an individual and is an important part of the overall impression created on others. According to Pervin, and John (2005) Personality comprises of unique set of characteristics that define an individual feelings, way of thinking, and behavior. Personality is a person set of relatively stable characteristics that account patterns of behavior, in various situations each individual in some ways is different and in some ways is unique. There is much concern about the science achievement of the students in high schools recently. Accordingly a strong emphasis is currently placed on improving the quality of science education (Morrel Lederman, 1998). A widely used personality model, McCrae and Costas NEO Five Factor Model, or Big Five Model (1990), comprises of Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience and Agreeableness. Recent studies show that Big Five traits measurement is powerful enough to explain a moderate percentage of the variance in academic achievement (Blickle, 1996; Rolfhus Ackerman, 1999). The relationship between Extraversion and academic achievement shows that Extravert students perform better in primary schools where as introverts perform well in secondary schools and university (Eysenck Cookson, 1969). Introverts are benefited in written exams, while extraverts have an advantage in oral exams (Chamorro- Premuzic Furnham, 2003a; Furnham Medhurst, 1995). Table 2.1: Characteristics of Big Five Personality Traits Big five traits Characteristics Sample Items Extraversion Impulsive, Ambitious, Social, Caring, optimistic, Confident I learn more through cooperating and discussing with my classmates. Agreeableness Friendly, helping, trusting, Kind, Cooperative Kindhearted, Supportive. I realize that helping my classmates in chemistry benefits me. Conscientiousness Hardworking, Motivated, well organized, dutiful, achievement-oriented I strive to achieve excellence in everything I do. Neuroticism Nervous, Sensitive, disturbed, confuse, distract I cannot understand the imaginary concept of Chemistry. Openness to Experience Open-minded, Inventive, Curious, Imaginative, Innovative I am always willing to accept the new experiences of Chemistry. Neuroticism is the condition of fear, nervousness in stressful conditions i.e., exams (Hembree, 1988; Siepp, 1991). Neuroticism leads to poor self-concept (Wells Matthews, 1994) and low self-estimated intelligence (Furnham, Chamorro-Premuzic, and Moutafi, under review). Chamorro-Premuzie and Furnham (2003) found that Neuroticism may impair academic achievement or has no significant associations with academic achievement (Puklek Levpu[scaron] [caron] ek Zupan[caron] i[caron] 2009a).Openness to experience is significant predictor of academic achievement(Bratko et al., 2006; Laidra et al., 2007). Openness to experience and agreeableness are positively related to academic achievement (Lounsbury et al., 2003; Farsides Woodfield, 2003). Researchers have shown significant associations between Conscientiousness and academic achievement in school (Noftle Robins, 2007) because careful, organized, hardworking, and achievement-oriented students may expect to succeed in academic settings. Attitude and Academic Achievement Osborne et al. (2003) state that attitudes are the feelings, beliefs, and values held about an object, in terms of chemistry may be enthusiasm about chemistry, perceptions of chemistry, and the contribution of chemistry to society or scientists. Thus attitude play a vital role in fostering long-lasting learning and to determine students academic achievement. Affective characteristics are considered as an important domain of attitude so in this study we select seven affective characteristics that are motivation, interest, confidence, enjoyment, importance, anxiety and achievement motivation. Table.2.2: Characteristics of Affective Domain of Attitude Scale Description Sample Item Enjoyment Fascinating, Exciting, Fun, Interesting, Attractive, Captivating Chemistry lessons are interesting and fun to study. Anxiety Worry, Nervous, Fear, Confuse, Uncomfortable Chemistry usually makes me feel uncomfortable, nervous and confused. Importance Useful, beneficial, Advantageous, Helpful, Aware Chemistry is useful if the topics are connected with our daily life. Interest Aware, Curious, Like, I am interested to know about the new researches in chemistry. Motivation Inspiration, Reinforcement, Stimulation, Encouragement When I fail in Chemistry course, it encourages me to try much harder to do well in Chemistry. Confidence Success, Sureness, Sef-reliance I am sure I can learn and can do advance work in Chemistry Achievement Motivation Extent to which students are motivated to achieve their goals. I get good grades in Chemistry than any other subject. An examination of literature on attitude and chemistry achievement reveals conflicting results (Shibley et al., 2003; Turner and Lindsay, 2003). While some claim a low correlation between attitude and achievement, others claim the two are strongly positively correlated. Wei-nburghs (1995) meta-analysis of the research suggests that there is only a moderate relation between attitude and achievement. Previous researches show the effect of affective characteristics of attitude on academic achievement. Skaalvik and Rankin (1995), Egitimidergisi, (2007) found that motivation is correlated with academic achievement. Academic achievement is most likely to occur when learning is self-directed and students are motivated (Ryan, Connell, Deci, 1985). Furthermore, researchers have found that motivation leads to engagement in academic tasks, which is related to achievement (DeCharms, 1984; Dweck, 1986). Interest is an individual predisposition and a psychological state of mind, which is important for cognitive engagement, learning, and achievement (Ainley, Hidi, Berndorff, 2002; Pintrich Schunk, 2002). Krapp approach interest in two different point of views, Personal and situational interest. Personal interest is topic-specific, persists over time (Schiefele 1991). However, situational interest is aroused as a function of the interestingness of the event or object and it is also changeab le and partially under the control of teachers (Schraw, Flowerday, Lehman 2001). Interest is related to students devotion, goals, and depth of learning (Hidi Renninger, 2006). Interests increase when students feel competent, so even if students are not initially interested in a subject or activity, they may develop interests as they experience success. (Stipek, 2002). Whitfield (1979) reported chemistry and physics as the least enjoyable subject. Analysis indicates that there is significant mean difference between Grade 9 and Grade 10 students attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject on enjoyment and importance dimensions (Can Boz, 2012). Achievement motivation is correlated with academic achievement (Camara, 1986). Individuals academic achievement depends not only on their motivation to achieve but also on whether they expect to achieve and whether they fear failure. Students work hard when they perceive a reasonable chance to succeed than when they perceive a goal to be o ut of reach (Atkinson, 1964). Demographics (Gender, School Sector, Parents Qualification, Choice of Course) and Academic Achievement: Previous studies demonstrate that achievement in science is gender dependent. Male and female students achievement in science is significantly correlated (Schibeci and Riley 1986, Weinburgh 1995). Previous research revealed that boys outperform girls in science in most countries (Pinchas 1988, Wang Staver 1995). Gender differences in science achievement test scores have not typically been large when compared. However, recent studies on gender differences in science achievement reported a change in pattern, thus reporting either no gender differences (Ventura 1992, Calsambis 1995) or girls outperforming boys in science (Young and Fraser 1990, Soyibo 1999). Fraser-Abder (1990) investigated the effects of gender, school-type (single-sex or coeducational schools, private denominational or government schools), parental occupation, and socioeconomic status on science achievement in Trinidad. Fraser-Abder found that girls scored significantly higher than boys on the science test. Zappala ( 2002) argue that the type of school a child attends influences academic achievement. Schools according to Sentamu (2003) are social institutions in which groups of individuals are brought together to share educational experiences and such interactions may breed positive or negative influences on learners. Parents education is positively related to students academic achievement. This is supported by Dills (2006) and Owens (1999). Considine and Zappala (2002) Kwesiga (2002) reveal that School sector (public or private) is linked to academic performance of students. Parents who scaffold learning experiences and provide support to their children when needed early in childrens lives may prepare their children for school entry and provide basis for them to benefit from educational activities (Pianta Egeland, 1994; Pianta et al., 1990; Pianta et al., 1997). Parents own behavior as well as joint family activities have been shown to influence childrens academic motivation and behavior ( Chen, Lee Stevenson, 1996; De Garmo, Forgatch Martinez, 1999; Grolnick Slowiaczek, 1994; Heiss, 1996). Authoritative parenting, has positive effects on how students approach the demands they face in school (Bradley et al., 2000; Gutman Eccles, 1999). Interest and attitude of learners towards the subject plays a decisive role for the success of the learner. Students choose course by their interest are believed to be highly motivated to learn than students placed in a department without their interest. High motivation is a factor which can lead students to a better achievement. Studies done by different authors disclosed that motivated students perform better academically than unmotivated ones (Bank and Finlapson, 1980; Broussard and Garrison, 2004; Sandra, 2002). Significance of the Study Attitude towards Chemistry and personality traits vary over time and effect academic achievement of students in different ways. Previous studies show that attitudes and personality towards Chemistry achievement are cultural dependent. Culture varies between and within countries. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume large number of variations in students achievement in chemistry reported from different parts of the world. Gender role varies in different cultures; it is therefore likely that chemistry achievement is gender dependent. Chemistry achievement is one of the major interests of educators. Although being not very frequent affective characteristics are studied together with personality and achievement in chemistry education. However studies based on Affective Characteristics and Achievement or on Personality and Achievement is found separately but combine study of all these three factors is not found in chemistry education. Prior research has established that both personality traits and attitude are associated with academic achievement. However, not much is known about the joint influence of personality traits and attitude on learners Chemistry academic achievement. In the current study, researcher sought to fill in this gap in the literature by directly examining the relationship between personality, attitude and academic achievement. Three major research questions were investigated: (1) what is the relationship between secondary school science students Big 5 personality traits and affective characteristics of attitude on their Chemistry academic achievement? (2) How demographic factors (age, gender, family type, school sector, choice of course and educational levels of parents) influence Chemistry academic achievement of secondary school science students. (3) Are the Affective Characteristics of Attitude depends on each other? Methods Development and Validation of Instrument To investigate the aim of this study, the first step was to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire for measuring students personality trait and attitudes toward chemistry achievement. Rather than translating an attitude and personality questionnaire among those available in literature, we constructed a new questionnaire, in order to be more relevant to the curriculum and conditions applied in the Pakistan schools. The questionnaire was prepared on the basis of Likert scale type. It was prepared by keeping in view different aspects of the problem. All participants completed a 37-statement investigator-developed questionnaire. The Questionnaire includes six demographic variables as well as two factors (Personality Attitude). Six demographic variables are included that elicits respondents background information. All participants were asked to rate each item using a five-point scale where a 5 represented strongly agree and a 1 represented strongly disagree. The ratings for all statement on each scale are summed, and a higher score indicates more obvious trait characteristics. All items were written in a structured alternative format design to reduce the tendency to give socially desirable responses (Harter, 1982). The pilot testing was done on a sample of 50 students. The reliability of the research instrument was 0.84 and level of difficulty of questionnaire was moderate. Procedures The authors obtained authorization from school administrators to conduct the study. Through individual meeting communications were provided to the school counselors (or classroom teachers) to explain the purpose of this study and the research instrument. Students were recruited through voluntary participation. There were 780 students who participate in this study. The investigators administered the Questionnaire to consenting students either during classes. Before administering the survey, the purpose of the study and the procedures to complete the Questionnaire were explained to the students. Students understanding of the survey was verified and questions about the survey were answered. Data Analyses Quantitative analysis was performed with the help of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Mean and one way ANOVA was applied on the data to investigate questionnaire in terms of personality traits and attitudes toward chemistry. Effect of Gender and Family Type on Students Chemistry Achievement Figure 1 illustrates a significant effect of Gender and Family Type on students Chemistry Achievement. Figure indicates that Male students have the mean value 3.66 and are high achievers in chemistry as compare to female students having mean value 3.60, while students belongs to Nuclear Family have the mean value 3.65 and are high achievers in chemistry as compare to students who belongs to Joint family system having mean value 3.62. Figure 1: Mean values of Class, Gender and Family Type on the basis of secondary school students Chemistry Achievement. Effect of School Sector on Students Chemistry Achievement Figure 2 shows a significant effect of School Sector on students Chemistry Achievement. Figure indicates that the Private school show highest mean value 4.14 of Chemistry Achievement while the Government School show lowest mean value 2.78 of Chemistry Achievement and Semi-Government School show moderate mean value 3.98 of Chemistry Achievement. Figure 2 shows Mean values of School Sector on the basis secondary school students Chemistry Achievement. Effect of Father Qualification on students Chemistry Achievement Figure 3 indicates that the students whose Father qualification is Masters show highest mean value 4.17 of Chemistry Achievement and the students whose fathers are Uneducated show lowest mean value 2.34 of Chemistry Achievement as compare to the students whose father qualifications is Matric, Intermediate, Graduation and Masters. Figure 3 illustrates a positive significant effect of Father Qualification on secondary school students Chemistry Achievement. Figure 3 shows Mean values Father Qualification based on secondary school students Chemistry Achievement. Effect of Mother Qualification on Students Chemistry Achievement Figure 4 indicates that the students whose mother qualification is Masters show highest mean value 4.21 of Chemistry Achievement and the students whose mothers are Uneducated show lowest mean value 2.37 of Chemistry Achievement as compare to the students whose mother qualifications are Matric, Intermediate, Graduation and Masters. Figure 4 illustrates a positive significant effect of Mother Qualification on secondary school students Chemistry Achievement. Figure 4 shows Mean values of Mother Qualification on the basis of Secondary School students Chemistry Achievement. Effect of Choice of Course on Students Chemistry Achievement Figure 5 illustrates a significant effect of Choice of Course on Students Chemistry Achievement. Figure indicates that the students who choose chemistry for Better Academic Accomplishment show highest mean value 3.93 of Chemistry Achievement and the students who choose chemistry Out of Interest show lowest mean value 3.36 of Chemistry Achievement. Figure 5 shows Mean values of Choice of Course based on secondary school students Chemistry Achievement. Sum of Squares (df ) Mean Square F-values (p-values) Post hoc (p-values) 51%-60%Vs. 61%-70% 51%-60%Vs. 71%-80% 91%-100%Vs. 50% below 50% 91%-100% Vs. 51%-60% 91%-100% Vs.61%-70% 91%-100% Vs. 71%-80% Extraversion Between group 2.445 (5) 0.489 1.136 (0.340) Within group 333.101 (774) 0.430 Agreeableness Between group 5.249 (5) 1.050 2.196 (0.053) Within group 369.982 (774) 0.478 Conscientiousness Between group 8.395 5 1.679 4.180 (0.001) -0.2453 (0.015) -0.2992 (0.001) Within group 310.866 (774) 0.402 Neuroticism Between group 4.343 (5) 0.869 1.485 (0.192) Within group 452.680 (774) 0.585 Openness to Experience Between group 10.273 (5) 2.055 3.661 (0.003) -0.55686 (0.009) -0.34645 (0.048) -0.31730 (0.042) -0.38241 (0.005) Within group 434.327 (774) 0.561 -0.15460 (0.017) Personality Between group 2.616 (5) 0.523 3.044 (0.010) Within group 133.024 (774) 0.172 Table 3: One way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc for multiple comparisons of Chemistry Achievement on secondary school students Personality trait Effect of Personality Traits on Students Chemistry Achievement Table 3 indicates that there is no significant effect of secondary school students Personality trait Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism on Chemistry Achievement. Table 3 also reveals that there is significant effect of secondary school students Personality trait Conscientiousness on Chemistry Achievement. From the Tukey Post Hoc Test of Multiple Comparisons reveals that the students who got marks 61%-70% and 71%-80% show more Conscientiousness that the students who got 51%-60% marks. Table 3 also specifies that there is significant effect of secondary school students Personality trait Openness to Experience on Chemistry Achievement.Tukey Post Hoc Test of Multiple Comparisons reveals that the students who got marks 50% below 50%, 51%-60%, 61%-70% and 71%-80% show more Openness to Experience than the students who got 91%-100% marks. Table 3 also illustrates that there is significant effect of secondary school students Personality on Chemistry Achievement.Tukey Post Hoc Test of Multiple Comparisons reveals that the students who got marks 71%-80% show more Personality than the students who got marks 51%-60%. Sum of Squares (df ) Mean Square F-values (p-values) Post hoc (p-values) 81%-90% Vs.51%-60% 81%-90%Vs. 61%-70% 91%-100%Vs. 50% below 50% 91%-100% Vs.61%-70% 91%-100% Vs. 71%-80% Interest Between group 3.199 (5) 0.640 0.857 (0.510) Within group 577.815 (774) 0.747 Motivation Between group 12.250 (5) 2.450 3.923 (0.002) -0.61783 (0.005) -0.33498 (0.042) -0.36734 (0.015) Within group 483.388 (774) 0.625 Enjoyment Between group 5.923 (5) 1.185 1.197 (0.309) Within group 766.010 (774) 0.990 Confidence Between group 4.141 (5) 0.828 1.790 (0.112) Within group 358.069 (774) 0.463 Importance Between group 2.379 (5) 0.476 0.832 (0.527) ) Within group 442.382 (774) 0.572 Anxiety Between group 5.907 (5) 1.181 1.419 (0.215) Within group 644.330 (774) 0.832 Achievement Motivation Between group 12.150 (5) 2.430 3.637 (0.003) 0.36081 (0.015) 0.28473 (0.033) Within group 517.194 (774) 0.668 Attitude Between group 1.168 (5) 0.234 0.671 (0.646) Within group 269.496 (774) 0.348 Table 4: One way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc for multiple comparisons of Chemistry Achievement on secondary school students Affective Characteristics of Attitude Effect of Attitude on Students Chemistry Achievement Table 4 also indicates that there is no significant effect of secondary school students Interest, Enjoyment, Confidence, Importance, and Anxiety of Chemistry lessons. Table 4 indicates that there is significant effect of secondary school students Motivation towards Chemistry on Chemistry Achievement. Tukey Post Hoc Test of Multiple Comparisons it is evident that the students who got marks 91-100% show more Motivation as compare to students who got 50% below 50%, 61%-70% and 71%-80% marks. Table 4 illustrates that there is significant effect of secondary school students Achievement Motivation towards Chemistry on Chemistry Achievement.Tukey Post Hoc Test of Multiple Comparisons revealed that there is significant effect of secondary school students Achievement Motivation on Chemistry Achievement. The students who got marks 81%-90% show more Achievement Motivation than the students who got 51%-60% and 61%-70% marks. Table indicates that there is no significant effect of secondary school students Attitude towards Chemistry on Chemistry Achievement. Inter-relationship between different sub-factors of affective attitude Variable r- value Sig. Enjoyment and Interest 0.765 0.000 Interest and Motivation 0.694 0.000 Interest and Confidence 0.623 0.000 Interest and Importance 0.574 0.574 Interest and Anxiety 0.031 0.389 Interest and Achievement Motivation 0.666 0.000 Motivation and Enjoyment 0.566 0.000 Motivation and Confidence 0.824 0.000 Motivation and Importance 0.476 0.000 Motivation and Anxiety 0.014 0.687 Motivation and Achievement Motivation 0.464 0.000 Confidence and Importance 0.500 0.000 Confidence and Anxiety 0.009 0.793 Confidence and Achievement Motivation 0.445 0.000 Importance and Anxiety 0.008 0.834 Importance and Achievement Motivation 0.407 0.000 Anxiety and Achievement Motivation 0.196 0.000 Table 1 shows that r-ratio (0.765) SO, there is strong positive relationship between secondary school students Interest in chemistry and students Enjoyment in learning chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.694) indicates strong positive relationship between secondary school students Interest in chemistry and students Motivation in learning chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.623) illustrate the strong positive relationship between secondary school students Interest in chemistry and students Confidence in learning chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.574) is not significant at pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤0.05 level of significance and there is no significant relationship between secondary school students Interest in chemistry and they do not know the Importance of chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.031) is not significant at pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤0.05 level of significance so,there is no significant relationship between secondary school students Interest in chemistry and their Anxiety about chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.666) il lustrate the strong positive relationship between secondary school students Interest in chemistry and students Achievement Motivation about chemistry lessons. Table 1 also shows that r-ratio (0.566) shows the moderate positive relationship between secondary school students Motivation about chemistry and students Enjoyment of chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.824) represents strong positive relationship between secondary school students Motivation about chemistry and students and Confidence about chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.476) shows the intermediate positive relationship between secondary school students Motivation about chemistry and Importance of chemistry lessons. r-ratio (0.014) is not significant at pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤0.05 level of significance So, it is evident that there is no significant relationship between secon

Alcohol Producing Yeast :: Environment, Fossil Fuel, Crude Oil

Food and energy security have always been essential needs in various ways. This is due to their limited resources and their increasing demand by a growing human population [1, 2, 3]. At the same time demands of ethanol has been increasing since it is considered to be an alternative transportation energy source other than food consumption [4, 5]. Considerable attention has been given to ethanol production from various available sugar substrates such as molasses, sugar cane juice [6]; starchy materials like rice, millet, corn, sorghum, wheat, potato, cassava [3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10]; as first generation ethanol and cellulosic materials as second generation ethanol [11]. Pearl millet, broken rice and sorghum are the major starchy materials used by Indian distilleries not only for the production of potable alcohol [12] but also for the fuel purpose (http://www.icrisat.org/text/research/grep/homepage/sgmm/chapter12.pdf). Moreover, Indian distilleries use these raw materials based on their avai lability and cost since these are seasonal grains [12, 13]. The increasing price of crude oil and other fossil fuels have increased the interest in alternative fuel sources around the world [14, 15]. Fuel alcohol production from starch materials needs constant process improvement for meeting the economic payback by lowering the high price energy consumption and improvement in fermentation efficiency in order to be considered as a viable alternative to fossil fuel. At present, production costs for ethanol is INR 20 to 23 per liter from molasses based ethanol plant (1.0 INR = 0.0225683 USD), which is slightly higher than the Brazil using molasses (INR 14 to 16 per liter) [16]. The Indian distilleries seek technological alternatives that would lower cost and provide higher margins in order to compete with gasoline and other fossil fuels. For the molasses based industry with 100KL per day capacity will require 450KWH power, 1620 to 1800 KL water per day for molasses dilution; and cooling water requirement will be 1080 KL per day. For a plant of s uch capacity, 2.0 to 2.3 MT of steam for 1.0 KL of ethanol production is required. In India, due to limited availability of molasses, molasses alone is not sufficient to meet the growing ethanol needs of the country, especially for use as a biofuel. Furthermore, the government of India is aggressively promoting the concept of blending petrol (gasoline) with ethanol to reduce dependence on petrol, and about 500 million liters of ethanol would be required every year, even if 10% ethanol is blended with gasoline (http://www.

scarlet letter summary :: essays research papers

ANALYSIS OF PLOT STRUCTURE The Scarlet Letter is a unified, masterfully written novel. It is structured around three crucial scaffold scenes and three major characters that are all related. The story is about Hester Prynne, who is given a scarlet letter to wear as a symbol of her adultery. Her life is closely tied to two men, Roger Chillingworth, her husband, and Arthur Dimmesdale, her minister and the father of her child. Her husband is an old, misshapen man who Hester married while still in Europe. Chillingworth sends her ahead of him to New England, and then does not follow her or correspond with her for two years. Ironically, he shows up on the day that Hester is publicly punished for her sin of adultery. It is the first of the three scaffold scenes. Hester stands alone, clutching her infant. Chillingworth and Dimmesdale stand in the crowd watching her. Chillingworth is incensed over her sinfulness and vows to find out the identity of her partner so that he can have his revenge. is tormented by Chillingworth. As a result, Dimmesdale suffers from failing health as well as from his guilt. He tries to confess and cannot find the courage to do it. He even mounts the scaffold one night and calls Hester and Pearl to his side -- but it is under the cover of darkness. Unfortunately, Chillingworth watches this second scaffold scene in the darkness. He now has his final proof that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl. His revenge intensifies. Hester realizes what is going on between Dimmesdale and Chillingworth and gains permission from her husband to reveal his true identity to the minister. Dimmesdale is devastated by the news and agrees to flee Boston with Hester and Pearl. He will do anything to escape the hold that Chillingworth has on him. In the end, however, Dimmesdale realizes that he can only be rid of his tormentor by publicly acknowledging his guilt. At the end of the novel, on Election Day, Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold with Hester and Pearl again. This third scaffold scene is in the light of day and before a crowd. With his family at his side, Dimmesdale finally confesses his sin and shows the scarlet "A" on his chest. He then dies peacefully. Hawthorne has perfectly structured The Scarlet Letter around three scaffold scenes. At the first one, located in the very beginning of the novel, Hester openly confesses her sin of adultery in the light of day while Dimmesdale and Chillingworth look on from the crowd that has gathered.

Themes in White Noise by Don DeLillo Essay -- White Noise Don DeLillo

White Noise â€Å"The world†¦is crowded, not necessarily with occupants and not at all with memorable experiences, but with happenings; it is a ceaseless flow of seductive trivialities which invoke neither reflection, nor choice but instant participation.† (Oakeshott) The idea of the lacking of realness is one of the major themes carried out throughout the novel White Noise by Don DeLillo, especially through the device of the television. â€Å"For most people there are only two places in the world. Where they live and their TV set. If a thing happens on television, we have every right to find it fascinating, whatever it is.† (DeLillo 66) The television in the novel White Noise is portrayed almost as a character and plays a significant role in the lives of the individuals in the story. The TV set is always on in the house and emits a constant flow of words, sounds, and images into the home. McCarthy depicts the TV set itself as â€Å"both a piece of furniture in a room and a window to an imaged elsewhere, both a commodity and a way of looking at commodities.† (1) In other words, not only is the television an American commodity, it also gives rise to hundreds upon thousands of other â€Å"must-haves†. There is hardly a home in America lacking at least one television set, giving this mode of communication enormous influence ability. â€Å"The world has but one language, soon learned: the language of appetite.† (Oakeshott 41) In order to feed this appetite Americans especially, glue their eyes to the TV to see what new ways of living and new products are out there to make their lives better. The character, Jack Gladney shows this modern-day way of thinking when he goes shopping at the mall. After looking at the â€Å"mass and variety† of hi... ... nothing" since "there is no media in Iron City." (DeLillo 92) To the characters as well as to most of society, only the amount of coverage of the incident by the media brings the event into existence. It wouldn’t matter how many casualties how many lives ruined if the occurrences weren’t captured on film and plastered over every news station. â€Å"For most people, events are not ‘news’ unless they appear on television.† (Johnson 212) Once again this is seen when the refugees from the toxic cloud are upset that they only got fifty-two words on television, and not even on network news. â€Å"Are they telling us that it was insignificant†¦? Do they think this is just television? ... Don’t they know it’s real?† (DeLillo 162) Once again this concept that remains throughout the entire novel of distinguishing real from not real is brought up, and once again, is misunderstood.

Influence of Buddhism in the Catcher in the Rye Essay

J.D. Salinger, the author of The Catcher in the Rye, witnessed the atrocities of the Second World War firsthand as a soldier. In doing so, the horrors that he saw gave him concerns about his society. The fact that his native society could do such things repelled him. As a result, he began to read about Eastern Philosophy after the war. The eastern principles he learned about were appealing to him, so he decided to model Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye, after Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as The Buddha. Siddhartha was a Prince whose father hid from him the atrocities of humankind, but when Siddhartha eventually did see poverty, he was dejected. He decided to become an ascetic, a lifestyle where one supplies himself with minimal materials. Eventually Siddhartha achieved enlightenment, and he created the principles of Buddhism. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is born into a wealthy family and attends a prestigious boarding school, although he is kicked out early in the novel. Salinger makes Holden’s life very similar to that of Siddhartha Gautama’s. Holden’s story mirrors that of the Buddha’s because poverty and sickness call them into action, they are displeased by the idea that people are not created equally, and they both veer of the path that has been set out for them. Holden and Siddhartha come across the unpleasant things in life for the first time in very different ways. Siddhartha is twenty-nine years old when he first sees an old man, after being sheltered for the early portion of his life, while Holden is just thirteen years old when his younger brother, Allie, grows sick and dies. When Siddhartha comes across poverty, it inspires him to devote the rest of his life to trying to end suffering. On the night that Allie died, Holden slept in the garage and, â€Å"†¦broke all of the goddam windows with my fist† (Salinger 39). Holden is irate because he couldn’t save Allie from death, the same way Siddhartha was displeased by the fact that he couldn’t save people either, the people that he was supposed to rule over someday, from poverty and suffering. Additionally, Holden, like the Buddha, enjoys helping out those in need. When Holden sees two nuns in Grand Central Station, he strikes up a conversation, and then gives them ten dollars as a donation. That amount of money is equivalent to around ninety-five dollars today. Later on, he says, â€Å"I started getting sorry that I’d only given them ten bucks for their collection†(Salinger 113). Instead of being happy in giving his donation, he is unhappy because he knows that what he has given is still not nearly enough to make a substantial dent in the poverty of the world. Nonetheless, Holden still strives to protect those who cannot protect themselves from the negative aspects of life, just as the Buddha endeavors to save humanity for suffering. One of the lessons that Siddhartha Gautama taught to his Buddhist followers was to reject the traditional class system. The Hindu people of India follow the belief of reincarnation, and that people are born into their social class based on how well they lived their previous lives, and thus those who are born into a low class deserve to be there. However, Buddha rejected that class system, preferring a society without classes, because he believed that all men should be treated as equals. Holden also believes that all men are created equal. In his conversation with his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, Holden says to himself in response to Mr. Spencer’s remark that life is a game that, â€Å"If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game,†¦but if you get on the other side†¦then what’s a game about it† (Salinger 8). Holden doesn’t think that life should be better for some people than others just because they were born wealthy or have superior traits and abilities than others. He believes that no matter what someone’s social status is, he or she should be entitled to the same things as a wealthy person. When he sees the nuns in Grand Central Station, he is depressed when he sees what they are eating. He says â€Å"I hate it if I’m eating bacon and eggs or something and somebody else is only eating toast and coffee† (Salinger 110). Holden is from a wealthy family, and is saddened by the fact that not everyone can experience the same luxuries that he can. The Buddha was also saddened by the same thing; he could not provide his people with the same amenities that are given to him. For that reason both Holden and Siddhartha wish to find a better way to organize society than the traditional class system. Holden could easily choose to apply himself in school, go to college and get a well-paying job. However, the idea of following the path that society has set out for him displeases Holden, and he desires to create a new path for himself. Near the end of the book, Holden envisions himself hitchhiking out west and living in a cabin for the rest of his life. He exclaims, â€Å"I got excited as hell thinking about it† (Salinger 199). He falls in love with the thought of himself rebelling against society; the society that was the cause of so much poverty. Likewise, Siddhartha Gautama, a prince, chose not to live his life as royalty, which was expected of him, but rather become an ascetic, denying himself of worldly pleasures, as he strove to find a way to end suffering. Siddhartha found success, and he achieved enlightenment, as well as a way to end suffering, which is what Buddhism is. On the other hand, Holden found it to be difficult to break away from his path that is set before him. In response to Holden’s idea to run away, Sally, a friend of Holden, retorts, â€Å"You can’t just do something like that† (Salinger 132). Holden struggles to relate with fellow members of his society, and when they strike down his ideas, he finds it to be even harder to connect with them. Holden’s journey resembles the Buddha’s in three significant ways: he is inspired to end suffering, he believes that everybody should have the same opportunities in life, and he is determined to separate himself from his culture. But perhaps J.D. Salinger did not mirror Holden’s life after the Buddha’s, but after his own. Salinger also saw great suffering when he participated in World War Two. He refuted the values of Western Civilization, wondering how such great atrocities could be committed in it. Holden’s clash with his native land bears striking resemblance to that of Salinger’s. Salinger expresses his beliefs through Holden in the novel. Holden says, â€Å"I don’t think I could stand it if I had to go to war. I really couldn’t.† Salinger could not stand being in the war, just as Holden cannot stand the thought of being in it. Eastern philosophy influenced Salinger greatly after he served in the war, and in turn The Catcher in the Rye is influenced by that philosophy. Salinger subtly teaches his readers about Eastern philosophy as they follow Holden’s journey. Salinger attempts to push the reader into their own journey, in which he or she might wrestle between Western and Eastern thought in a similar way as he did.

Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle

Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle against the British Empire was a result of the political situation in India. Prior to World War II, the world has witnessed the rise of the Soviet Union in terms of political and military power. We also saw the rise of popular national liberation movements across the colonized world. In most colonies, the way of gaining independence from Western colonialism has been through the waging of armed revolutions, such as the struggle of the Chinese and the Malaysians, led by Mao Tsetung and Sukarno, respectively. However, such a type of struggle for Indian independence was essentially difficult in Indian society where a strict and clearly defined caste system was in place. The caste system hindered the creation of unity of Indians as a united people while transcending class divisions. More so, divisions between the ranks of the Indian people became more pronounced as fighting between rightist Hindu fundamentalists and left-wing communists never stopped, with both espousing violent means of securing Indian independence. All of these confused the majority of a people who continued to wallow in poverty and desolation. In all of these, Mahatma Gandhi emerged to present an alternative viewpoint, a seeming middle-ground between the pro-people radicalism of the left and the religious conservatism of the right. Related article: Favoring Pragmatism Over Principle It was founded on the principle of non-violent struggle. It dismantled all previous ideas that political power comes from the barrel of a gun. Gandhi turned the idea of revolution on its head and succeeded in doing so. While a major factor for their triumph was the waning power of the British empire after World War II, their struggle through non-violent means inspired other civil libertarians the world over to give peace and non-violent struggle a chance prior to the taking of arms. As can be seen from above, Mahatma Gandhi was clearly faced with almost immense tasks, particularly leading the Indian people in the path to independence, despite the power of the British Empire and the ethnic tensions evident in Indian society. At a time when almost the entire colonial peoples of the world were engaged in armed struggle, Gandhi decisively implemented his idea of non-violent struggle to force the British Empire to recognize their demands for sovereignty and independence. He utilized creative forms of protest, such as the non-payment of taxes, peaceful marches to the sea, even if these actions were met with brutal force by British security forces. One of the great things about Gandhi was his ability to present his vision of a free and independent India to the masses in very simple terms which could be clearly understood and grasped. More so, he fully understood that Indian culture was still basically rooted in Hinduism. He believed that the application of foreign theories such as Marxism and nationalism might isolate the independence movement from the vast majority of the people. He was also a very simple man, who embraced the entire cross-section of Indian society, even the so-called untouchables, to the extent of earning the ire of the elite Brahmin caste. As such, his own person was a concrete mobilizing force to move the Indian people into action and determine their destiny. On the other hand, a minor weakness of his leadership was the seeming personality cult that ensued even years after his death. This is shown by the absence of second-liners to continue his work in building a just and peaceful Indian society. While all the mass actions were joined by Indians from different castes, the focus was always primarily on Gandhi’s thoughts and decisions. Such a personality-based leadership, while effective in inspiring people into action, cannot work in the long-term insofar as empowering the people and sustaining the gains of Indian independence. This is due to the lack of a concrete organizational structure to effectively implement the ideas of Gandhi. Lastly, Mahatma seemed to favor speaking in very mystical and vague language, which tends to confuse his followers as to the exact meaning of what he wants to articulate. Nonetheless, his leadership style was still very effective in mobilizing almost a billion people to demand their independence from the British Empire. Being a charismatic leader, he used his gift of astute yet mystical articulation to convince all sectors of Indian society about the necessity of seeking independence. The clearness of vision and objectives, and the creativity of his means of action of pursuit of these goals, were also indispensable factors of his success in leadership. More so, his propensity for personal sacrifice, at the cost of his life and liberty, in pursuit of his goals are very high on the list of his outstanding leadership qualities. Years of imprisonment and the beatings he received from the British security forces did not deter him from continuing his leadership. This is a crucial part of his leadership style, especially when not many leaders in the world are prepared to do sacrifices like such. Usually, leaders are hidden above their ivory towers and palaces, to the extent of alienating themselves from the people they serve. Gandhi, however, was different, as he was like the common everyman, save that it was his leadership of commitment and sacrifice that helped his people achieve independence. In terms of my own personal leadership style, I accede to the leadership traits of Gandhi, in terms of his clarity of vision and propensity for sacrifice. In any organization, these are very fundamental because these will determine how the followers will appreciate their role in the organization. If the vision and goals are clear, the followers can quantitatively measure, in a given amount of time, the progress of the organization and their individual development as well, relative to the vision and objectives. It ensures that the organization does not operate in limbo, without any purpose or necessity of existence. Gandhi’s propensity for sacrifice can also be incorporated in my leadership style. It is important for followers to see and realize that the leader himself is willing to lay himself on the line in pursuit of the vision and goals of the organization. Such a leadership trait reassures the followers that the leader is serious about the success and development of the organization and dismantles notions that the leader’s only interest is to make his people follow orders and deliver results. However, my leadership style differs with Gandhi insofar as adopting a pragmatic and realistic view on plans and actions. I would accede more, in this regard, to the Leninist maxim of â€Å"concrete analysis of concrete conditions†, instead of the Gandhian mode of relying heavily on a notion of non-violence in the face of difficult odds, as I still contend that the success of Gandhi and his movement was also based on external factors (e.g. British losses after World War II) than his non-violence alone. I even surmise that without the world wars and the decline of the British Empire, his non-violent movement would never have been successful. Nonetheless, the above mentioned leadership traits of Gandhi are included in my notion of the ideal leader – clarity of vision and goals, and propensity for sacrifice. In analyzing situations and challenges, and making decisions, it must include the Leninist maxim of â€Å"concrete analysis of concrete conditions†, without, of course, prejudicing the principles and objectives inherent in the organization. A leader must always seek to create candor and camaraderie among his followers, to drive home the point that no unseen barrier exists between them. More importantly, the leader must always seek ways of empowering his people and training new second liners, based on the idea that leaders, no matter how great they are, will always have to step down and be replaced by new blood. If possible, the leader must shun micro-managing the affairs of the organization, especially when competent persons have been assigned to ensure the success of projects and goals. However, while being democratic and consultative as possible, the leader must exercise full control of the more important decisions of the organization, based on the notion that his experience and vision will always be beneficial for the future of the organization. Works Cited: 1. Gandhi, M. (1962). Essential Gandhi. Edited by Louis Fischer. New York: Vintage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Books.

Charles Dickens and Curley’s Wife Essay

A comparison of Nancy from ‘Oliver Twist’ by Charles Dickens and Curley’s Wife from ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck. In the two books both characters can be compared with each other but in many ways they are different in looks, language and personality, but the reasons for which the authors created them is much the same. I believe that Steinbeck created Curley’s wife, so that the reader feels sorry for her because most of the other characters in the book try to stay clear of her and do not get to know her, and in a sense, judge her by the way she dresses. On the other hand Steinbeck is trying to express to the reader that looks do not count for everything. The main reason for Curley’s wife’s creation in my personal opinion is because all of the characters in the book are misfits for example; Lennie is not clever and acts like a child when he is with George by the riverbank and threatens to leave because George becomes annoyed with him. Also Crooks the Negro is crippled and cannot walk very well, but in his own way he is special and well educated. In the same way Dickens creates Nancy as the type of character that the reader feels sorry for but at the same time accuse her for the mistakes she has made, such as running away from Bill Sikes but returning to him because she loves him and cannot bring herself to leave. As the book progresses the reader begins to gain more respect for Nancy but I believe that there is a reason for Nancy’s death, which is brought about by Oliver and this, is that doing the right thing does not always mean that it is not dangerous to yourself. The two characters have different opinions on their partners and are not treated in the same way, but neither of them is happy with her life. Curley’s wife is unhappy with her life and this is most likely because Curly is over possessive of her and all he ever talks about is fighting which makes her a little scared of what he may do to her if he is in a mood. She is always flirting with other men on the ranch like when she is alone with Lennie she says, ‘What you got there sonny boy. ‘ We are also given the impression that she is a ‘tart’ by the way Steinbeck describes what she wears, ‘She wore her bright cotton dress and the mules with red ostrich feathers. Her face was made up and the little sausage curls were all in place. ‘ Curley’s wife married Curley to get back at her mother after her dreams had been broken because the letter, which she had been promised from Hollywood never, arrived. On the other hand the only reason Curley married her was for his reputation and we know that he is vein due to the way he keeps one hand in a glove in order to keep it soft for her. Curley is also worried about what she may be up to when he is absent and therefore is always snooping around after her, which makes his wife feel trapped. Nancy in much the same way is not loved either but she does really care about Bill Sikes. Unlike Curley’s wife, Nancy is assaulted by Bill on many different occasions and is eventually killed by him. The main difference between the two characters is that Sikes is not overprotective of Nancy in the same way Curley is and will let her go out as long as he knows where she is going, the reason for this is that Sikes knows that Nancy is loyal to him. When Nancy meets up with Rose and helps to save Oliver she also offers Nancy a new start but the offer is declined because Nancy does not want to leave Bill Sikes and she says, The main contrast between the two characters is that Nancy loves Bill, but Curley’s wife does not love her husband but she cannot leave him because she lives on the ranch and has no other place to stay. The characters partner’s opinions compare because neither of them really care for their lover. Sikes treats Nancy like a ‘punch bag’ and she is scared of Curley because he has hit many other people and she is suspense waiting to see if he will lash out at her. In ‘Of Mice and Men’ Curley’s wife is known to some of the other characters such as Crooks, George and Candy as a ‘tart’ or a ‘bitch’ and a good example of this is when she walks into the bunkhouse and George says, ‘Jesus what a tramp, so that’s what Curly picked for a wife. ‘ As George is saying this Lennie is admiringly staring at her saying’ ‘She’s purty’ in response to Georges insult. Most of the men on the ranch try to stay clear of her and George warns Lennie about her too, ‘ Listen to me you crazy bastard, don’t you even take a look at that bitch. I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ’em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her. You leave her be. ‘ Lennie refuses not to listen and ends up not taking any real notice of what George has says to him. Oliver respects Nancy, like Lennie is fond of Curley’s wife and both of them seem to have child like qualities that judge the characters for who they are and not how they dress or look. In the same way as Curley’s wife is despised by the ranch workers, Nancy is looked down on by the upper class people of the nineteenth century. The main reason the upper class residents do not respect Nancy is because she is a prostitute and in the time of Dickens this occupation was the lowest of the low for a woman. When Nancy goes to visit Rose, who is the adopted daughter of the women whose house Oliver broke in to, she is looked down on by the servants and thrown out of the hotel because of the way she looks. ‘Come! ‘ said the man taking her to the door, ‘None of this, take yourself off. ‘ The servants are not the only characters that look down on Nancy, Fagin and Sikes treat her badly and Dickens describes Sikes as using Nancy as his punch bag. Bill Sikes persists this behaviour even though Nancy looks after him when she is ill and says that she would even walk around the jail if he was arrested, just to be with him, but Sikes replies that she would be useless to him unless she brought a file to help him escape. On the whole I feel that neither of the character are loved and they are judged by the way they look, not by the people they really are inside. Each of the characters is special to one person, in Curley’s wife’s case Lennie and in Nancy’s, Oliver. I feel that the biggest difference between the two books is the language and the reason for this difference is the time at which they were written. In John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ the language is simple but strong, the reason Steinbeck’s characters speak in this way is because that’s the way 1930s Americans would have spoken, for example, when George, Crooks and Slim are talking about Lennie, George says, ‘If that crazy bastard foolin’ around too much, jus’ kick him out, Slim. ‘ There is also a large amount of slang used between the characters, like when George and Curly are talking and George replies, ‘He was ‘gunna’ put some tar on a split roof. ‘

Horatio Alger’s “Ragged Dick” Essay

In the story of â€Å"Ragged Dick†, Horatio Alger tells an inspirational story portraying a hero, Dick, to be the embodiment of individual opportunity in American culture. Dick gains mobility up the socio ­economic ladder through his good virtue and dedication to higher education. Dick is an honest young â€Å"black ­boot† with a second ­rate shared apartment and low vernacular. However, Dick is generous and industrious, while keeping a frugal stance as to know the value of a dollar. while en route of finding new work, a young boy falls into the east river, and the father swears great rewards to the rescuer. Dick, an excellent swimmer, dives off a ferry and saves the boy, without hearing of any reward. The father, a wealthy industrialist himself, rewards Dick by giving him a well ­paying job as a clerk at his office. Dick, now realizing his potential, has allowed himself a new name with his new career, signifying his upward climb on the ladder claiming that he i s finally, â€Å"cut off from the old vagabond life which he hoped never to resume† and sealing his grip upon the American Dream. Alger’s â€Å"rags to riches† story contains valuable tools that can be used to motivate a person’s social psychology, it’s myths can be unrealistic which can lead a person to believe a dream that could be impossible to obtain. The example of valor, hard work, and initiative are concrete tools for one’s toolbox, whereas relying only on gallantry can only go so far in our socio ­economic world. First, you could just take a look into the professions throughout our economy. Art, literature, and education are thrown on the back burner as business degrees are the #1 funded, and sought after, sectors.

Naturalized Epistemology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Naturalized Epistemology - Term Paper Example This implies that ‘x’ is in such context or state that the possibility of ‘x’ being known is increased. Finally, third, the question of certainty, which is highlighted by the question by the question ‘how do I know that I know x? In the face of such questions, can it be hold that certainty is something that eludes humanity since the basis for the certainty of what people may claim to know is not stable and solid. In fact, some modern philosophers have asserted the supposition that maybe there is an evil demon that is playing a trick on us making people believe that x can be known when in fact, it is not. Nonetheless, what is vital in this scenario is that epistemology has been considered as humanity’s response to uncertainty as presented by the malum genie. In this sense, epistemology has become field that sought to eliminate uncertainty by providing the solid ground wherein one may claim with certainty that one has a knowledge of X. Is this que st of epistemology significant? Coming from a common perspective, the certainty of what we may claim to know is vital in the relationship with our claims regarding the world and the ensuing empirical claims, in which, scientific knowledge is claimed to be anchored. Unfortunately, epistemology is still in the process of discourse how can people justify what they claim they know even if the ultimate goal of epistemology is to provide the certainty that what proceeds from our claims about the world are in fact rooted in that experienced of the world. In this condition, Quine argues for the futility of the epistemological quest for certainty and affords a re-framing of epistemology, belief, justification and knowledge. In this regard, this paper have the following structure. The first part of the paper will deal with the arguments raise by Quine against the epistemological goal of certainty and his proposal regarding what ought to be done to epistemology. Meanwhile, the second part deal s with the criticisms against Quine’s position. The third part will be the exposition of the researcher’s view regarding the debate. Finally, the last section is the conclusion. Hopefully, in the end a clearer understanding of both sides is attained. On Quine Quine’s counter-arguments regarding achieving certainty through epistemology is grounded on the position that Arithmetic itself, which has long been considered as certain because of its deductive method has been proven to be incomplete by Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem (71). Creating a parallel argument, Quine claims that since arithmetic itself which is considered as certain because of the rigors of deduction has been proven to be incapable of being grounded or fully justified, how much more is epistemology whose knowledge claims are built on induction. This is a very important criticism against the certainty of epistemology which is grounded on induction and the â€Å"Humean Predicament† is the counter –arguments against induction. This asserts that no theory can be derived from mere observation. Primarily because there is no way that the validity of the observation is transferred to the theory derived from it. In the same sense, Quine is raising the argument that if arithmetic itself is something that cannot be validly deduced from the theorems themselves, which is already a close system, how much more are the epistemological claims made about the world. In this regard, both conceptual reduction and doctrinal reduction are

Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company - Essay Example For comparison purposes, it will also tackle the marketing performance of Motel 6. Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is popular due to its upscale, luxury brand of hotels and resorts with locations in major cities in the United States and other internationally famous destinations such as Montego Bay, Jamaica, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bali, Hong Kong and Qatar. The hotel company owns 59 hotels in 20 countries 37 of which are hotels while 22 are resorts. The operation of the hotel company began in 1983 with the purchase of the Ritz-Carlton, Boston by William B. Johnson. However, the legacy of the hotel is attributed to the celebrated "king of hoteliers and hotelier to kings," Csar Ritz. The company states that "his philosophy of service and innovations redefined the luxury hotel experience in Europe through his management of The Ritz in Paris and The Carlton in London." The company's quest of providing quality accommodation and service named it one of the best hotels in the world as it consistently reaped awards from prestigious organizations like Forbes, Travel Weekly, Luxu ry Institute, and Consumer Reports. In 2006, it was awarded the Mobil Five-Star Award and AAA Five Diamond Award. On the other hand, Motel 6 is a large budget motel chain the United States and Canada. It was founded in Santa Barbara, California in 1962. The company got its name from the original room rate which was $6 a night. The brand's commitment of offering value at low prices enabled it to expand rapidly. Currently, the motel chain is in more than 840 locations with approximately 870, 000 rooms in the United States and Canada. The company also boasts of being the largest owned and operated hotel chain in America, thanks to Accor the largest hotel operator. MARKET SEGMENTATION Market segmentation is defined as the "division of market into homogenous group of consumers (Market Segmentation 1)." Market segmentation is a very essential tool in devising an effective marketing strategy for a firm. Market segmentation allows every company to develop marketing strategies for each segment to maximize product profitability. This tool enables the company to gain competitive market positioning as well as deliver maximum customer value. Ritz-Carlton's market segmentation can be seen on its different product offerings. The company irrefutably utilized geographic, psychographic, as well as behavioral factors in designing their product line. In terms of geographic it can be noticed that Ritz-Carlton offers accommodation in four key strategic locations-tourist spots, business districts, metropolitan, and countryside. The company offers luxurious accommodations in scenic tourists' destinations like Bali, Milan, and Barcelona as well as in the business districts of New York, Tokyo, and Dubai International Financial Center. Metropolitan like areas like Seoul and Kula Lumpur as well as the countryside of Florida and Montego Bay are conquered by the pleasure offered by Ritz Carlton. In terms of psychographic and behavioral factors, Ritz-Carlton segments its market by looking at the general and specific interests of its customers. The hotel company divides its target company according to the purpose of their use of facility. Three