Pros and cons of technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pros and cons of technology - Essay Example asks performed, helps in complex calculations, does work incredibly faster than a human can, does work with great â€Å"accuracy†, facilitates â€Å"storage† of different kinds of files and information on the computer etc (Vogt, 2014, pp. 1). Other advantages include its usability, that is, it is now used in modern businesses for e-commerce, it is used in classrooms as a tutor, it provides an immense amount of information with the help of internet, it facilitates communication without having to meet the other party face to face etc. The cons of computer technology basically stem from the fact that it is not independent on its own, it does need some human interaction and intervention. The â€Å"high cost† of purchasing the computer technology, that is, various items that come with it such as modems and internet connection, may also be seen as a con (Vogt, 2014, pp. 1). Computers may breakdown, and this will affect the smooth functioning of business enterprises or educational institutions alike. Furthermore, the growing addiction of humans, especially children to computer technology is a concerning factor. It also puts several people out of jobs, for instance, the closing of book stores, since most books are bought and even read on computer technology such as with Kindle. Vogt, C. (2014). Advantages & Disadvantages of Using Computer Technology in Decision Making. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved 17 September 2014, from

The Ethical Systems of Noddings and Bell Term Paper

The Ethical Systems of Noddings and Bell - Term Paper Example This in itself makes the argument that all women are nurturing, which is not necessarily true. Her ethics theory is based on this premise. To illustrate, she tells the story of Ceres, who loses her daughter, Proserpine, to Pluto, god of the underworld (373). Grief-stricken, Ceres is taken in by Celeus and finds a sick boy at his home. She cures him and gives him knowledge of agriculture: â€Å"the cared-for shall be blessed not with†¦power, but with the great gift of usefulness† (374). In telling of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, Noddings posits a male system of responsibility to an abstract ideal, which is â€Å"absolute duty toward God† (375). Noddings system repudiates the ideals of an absolute deity and abstract principles in favor of an ethics based on â€Å"natural caring, that makes the ethical possible† (376). In terms of ethics, Noddings asserts that women are concrete thinkers, devoted to an ideal of â€Å"we-ness:†¦ She does not, in whatever personal agony, inflict death upon her child in devotion to either principle or abstract entity† (377). ... I believe the â€Å"have tons of the one-caring and the cared for†, which Noddings describes as â€Å"internal imperatives†(380) refer to the chains of obligation placed upon women. Even Noddings’ language internalizes the position of the oppressed. Bell’s system of ethics presupposes a paradigm. The feminist ethicist must first be aware of the larger society to which she belongs, and whose mores she has internalized, even if she is now questioning them. Class differences, racial and ethnic groups, â€Å"even different classes within those groups† as they relate to gender oppression must be included in an ethical system (18). The societal context of any moral/ethical analysis must be considered, or the analysis will be shallow (20). Bell’s definition of morality is â€Å"a set of prescriptions and prescriptions, a practical list of dos and don’ts† that govern behavior (19). To arrive at a system of feminist ethics, Bell examines different moralities and questions their origin, their place in the larger societal system, their possible inconsistencies and whether or not â€Å"one morality can be shown to be superior to any other† (19). Her ethical system is not synonymous with a common definition of morality. Bell’s paradigm includes the â€Å"reality of violence† routinely directed at women in society (21). This includes â€Å"sexual child abuse, rape, sexual harassment† as well as the legal system’s casual attitude in prosecuting the perpetrators(21). It also includes the persecution of the victim of violence when it occurs in the public sector. By characterizing such violence as a private matter, social institutions thus serve to condone it.  

Aristotle and Plato Compared Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Plato Compared Essay In the second book of The Politics, Aristotle digresses from Plato’s recommendations and provides a counter framework for what he believes is an ideal state. The best ideal state according to Aristotle is one that is not ruled by philosopher kings. This main feature of rulership is what distances Aristotle from Plato. Is it natural for there to be a group of philosophers ruling? Is it natural that these philosophers must be removed from private life? These are the questions Aristotle deals with in the second book of The Politics. In his book, Aristotle also details the role of women, slaves and foreigners. Plato would definitely be upset with his student Aristotle because of the main fact of his idea of rulership and the removal of the philosopher class. It is important to note that although Aristotle’s ideal state has greater exclusivity of groups than Plato; its benefits are far greater and practical in creating virtuous citizens. This essay will go on to discuss and critically analyze the main features of human nature, communalism, and private property of both philosophers. Before we encounter Aristotle’s practicable state we must look at Plato’s idea of communalism. Plato highlights that it is philosopher kings who should rule and be removed from private life. His notions are quite extreme because of the mere fact that his form of rulership is one that is stripped from attaining wealth and also familial roles. One can argue that this notion is doomed to fail. If this notion of communalism were to be established in a city-state, citizens would not be able to tell who there biological siblings are, which can evidently lead to incest. Another critique to Plato’s communalism is the fact that citizens would have no attachment each other and can disrupt social interaction. For example, some of the best aspects of social interaction will be eliminated if property was communal. For all citizens must share everything, or nothing, or some things but not others. It is evidently impossible for them to share nothing. For a constitution is a sort of community, and so they must, in the first instance, share their location, and citizens share that one city-state. But is it better to share some things but not others? For the citizens could share children, women, and property with one another as in Plato’s Republic. For Socrates claims there that children, women and property should be communal. (The Politics 372). Through this quote one can gather the belief that unity is impossible through this communal relationship and is only derived through hard work. This quote is very significant because it explains sharing children and women, and gives the notion that everybody in the city-state is alike, however this is not the case. A city-state is made up of a variety of citizens. Let us use this example in today’s society; will it be possible for the sharing of children, women and property in the city of Toronto? Although this is an extreme example, being that Toronto is a multicultural city; it parallels the city-state on so many levels. Plato would be upset with Aristotle’s ideal state because the majority of Plato’s demands are too far-fetched and cannot be practiced. Trying to make a city-state too much a unity or a household is not a better policy (The Politics 372). The institution of family is natural and the outright removal does not bring about virtue. As civic virtue is most practiced when given individual care and not communal care. Through Aristotle’s natural arguments we begin to see him classify roles for women Aristotle felt that the household consisted of three parts: one is mastership, another that of a father, and a third marital (The Politics 370). â€Å"For a male unless he is somehow constituted contrary to nature, is naturally more fitted to lead than a female, and someone older and completely developed is naturally more fitted to lead than someone younger and incompletely developed† (The Politics 370). This criterion proves to be dangerous in a city-state as it provides for domination and a creation of a hierarchy filled with discrimination of gender and age in this society. Slaves are another group of people that seize to exist in Aristotle’s model. Aristotle points that a slave is among things that exist through nature. Although it is not ideal for there to be slaves, it is practical and benefits the city. Plato points out that Greeks should not make other Greeks slave; this gives the impression that it is still okay to have slavery in the city. Noting that anyone who is not Greek are considered Barbarians and worthy of being slaved. Aristotle’s approach was to rationalize the use of slavery, stating that some people are slaves because they are incapable of responsibility. However we cannot dismiss the role of slaves in the city-state. Slaves play a functioning part of society and allow for the working class to have leisure. In trying to obtain an end with good and happiness, it is crucial that the middle class has leisure which allows for a space to â€Å"think† and discuss things with others, using practical wisdom in concert with others. Aristotle also justifies slavery as the natural use of their bodies. Questions of morality begin to arise; Are these justifications legitimate? At an individual level it is immoral, however in terms of a well functioning city-state slavery benefits a larger number of people (political process). The benefits are greater because it complements the organic hierarchy; where there are multiple parts that make the city-state function. Aristotle points out that private property is not only necessary but beneficial in providing for a functioning city-state. This goes against Plato’s appeal for rulership to have a communist lifestyle stripped from private property. Plato seems to be demanding too much and does not take into account that men naturally try to gain access to private property. The mere removal of private property does not seem practical, and Aristotle states that you can have some form of property that is communal. For example, the land might be grown separately, but the crops grown on it are communally stored or consumed; or the land might be owned and farmed communally, while the crops grown on it are divided up among individuals for private use (The Politics 374). Here is why Plato is upset with Aristotle’s features; he uses Plato’s Utopian idea of private property and dissects it to one which can be applied to a practical state. The major theme of what is â€Å"natural† emerges in both philosophers. It is hard to determine what is in our nature and how it effects our political position. Aristotle cleverly uses nature as a way to justify the notions of communalism, slavery, exclusion of women and private property. One can attribute Plato’s anger of Aristotle’s practicable state to his radical change in the aforementioned categories. Although Aristotle’s exclusion of women and slaves are far greater than Plato’s; the benefits applying it to his system of a practicable city-state cannot go unnoticed. Works Cited Classics of moral and political theory. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub. Co. , 2005. Print.

Growth of Islamic Banking in the UK

Growth of Islamic Banking in the UK Islam is one of the worlds three major monotheistic religions; the other two religions are Judaism and Christianity. All three religions are the same historical origins and have many familiar beliefs. The main principle of Islamic banking and finance are depend on Islamic laws known as Shariah which mean (interest) (Riba) free. Interest is strictly prohibited in Islam which means Muslim cannot receive or paid interest in any transaction in which money is exchange for money. The interest that you give in order to increase the wealth of the people does not increase in the sight of Allah and the Zakat that your pay in order to win Allahs approval, its payers do indeed increases their wealth. This is very powerful and superb statement of Holy Quran which shows that interest is .prohibited by Allah because interest only increases wealth of individual not the society. Islamic banking is a financial system which is base on Islamic Shariah law and it is interest free financial system. The concept of Islamic banking is interest free banking because interest (Riba) is totally prohibited in Islam. The main belief of Islamic banking and finance is to discover the range of Islamic financial tools for investor and businesses that how they all collaborate without interest and what is the strategy behind all that and how the banks and financial institution encourage non- Muslims clients and offer them to use Islamic banking and finance system instead of conventional banking system. The adverse impacts of interest on the world economy in general and economies of developing countries in particularly entail that it could be the biggest threat for the developing economies and also believed by many renowned economists. it is estimated that US$ 200 billion funds managed by Islamic banking. The client of Islamic banking is not only in Muslim countries but also spreading in over Europe, northern Africa and United States of America. Islamic banking is growing day by day in different part of the world, thats why Islamic bankers, keeping speed with the stylish techniques and latest development have developed investment instruments that are both profitable and fairly motivated. Approximately 250 different Islamic and Financial institutions are operating worldwide. The growth of Islamic banking is a big threat to a conventional banking system not only in UK but also all over the world. Islamic banking system has six main features according to its product analysis. Interest free product It is Trade-related and there is a perceived genuine need for the funds. It is in purest form, it is equity related Meant to avoid exploitation no interest Invests ethically There are retail, and wholesale applications. In practice there appears to be more emphasis on the prohibition and restructuring of interest than on the potentially exploitative aspect of financing. Islamic banks operate on the basis of profit and not on paying and receiving interest. The banks can earn profit from these ways like trading leasing and by direct financing in Profit and Loss sharing contracts. The structure and conditions of these transactions must confirm to Shariah and fulfil its objectives. This means that banks advance money for productive activities on the basis of profit sharing principles. LITERATURE REVIEW With the beginning of 21st century there is a radical change and the number of Islamic banks increased and their geographical spread grew exceptionally and 76 countries covering all continents. There are number of publications in Arabic and Urdu, one of the famous books of (Qureshi 1946) regarding Islam and Theory of interest in which he seem that the public health and education is responsibility of government as a social services. Islam is concerned with the problem of economic development, but treats this as an important part of a wider problem, that of total human development. The primary function of Islam is to guide human development on correct lines and in the right direction. It deals with all aspects economic development but always in the framework of total human development and never in a form divorced from this perspective (Al-Harran 1993) Gerrard and Cunninghams (1997) study establishes that, in Singapore, where Muslims are in minority. The concept of Islamic banking system was not present amongst them in Muslim and non-Muslim. There are two different herd having two entirely different thoughts regarding movement of Islamic banking. For example when asked them, if Islamic bank could not make enough profit to share out among them in a period of one year so what they will do. Fifty two per cent of Muslims said they will prefer to continue their deposit with the movement of Islamic banking, and fifty six per cent non-Muslims said they will prefer to take out their money from Islamic banking. Since 1960s too much literature has been written on the topic of selection process of the banking system. Holstius and Kaynak (1995), Kaynak (1986),Laroche et al (1986) and the working paper of Chan (1989)Eroland El-Bdour (1989) evaluate the bank selection process in relation to conventional and Islamic banks. There were three very i mportant principle in the banking process of selection for Muslims were: first the provision of a fast and efficient service second the speed of transaction and third friendliness of bank personnel and as regard the non-Muslims, the three most important bank selection principle were: first, friendliness of bank personnel, second the provision of a fast and efficient service and third, the reputation and image of the bank. An Islamic bank is a mediator and trust of other peoples money like all others conventional banks the only one important thing which distinguish the Islamic banking to conventional banking which is induce all customers share in the form of profit and loss. This difference introduces an element of mutuality in Islamic banking, making its depositors as customers with some ownership rights inherent within it. However in practice, Islamic banks hardly look different from its conventional counterpart in terms of organizational set-up (Dar and Presley, 2000). Tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and other undesirable business sectors are excluded from Islamic investment. Ahmad, Chapter 7 Economics of Islam (Ahmad 1952), he give the picture of Islamic bank on foundation of a joint stock company with limited liability. According to his plan a current account of depositors where no pre-agreed interest and dividend would be paid. He gave the concept of Current account where depositors could participate with their capital as a partner with bank and get higher dividend as compare to account holder profit. Siddiqi(1968) gave a pioneer model which provide brief outline of Islamic banking. His model depends on Mudarabah and Shirka (partnership or Musharakah as it is now usually called). He divided the operation of Islamic banking into three different groups. Islamic bank will charge fees to provide any services for example commission or fixed charges. Foundation of financing in Islamic bank would be Mudarabah and partnership and services will be provided without any charges. According to his theory Islamic banking system is a feasible substitute of conventional banking system. Mohsin (1982) offered a new brief model of Islamic banking system in contemporary setting. His banking structure integrates the features of commercial, merchant, and development banks, mingle them in novel fashion. He include many non-banking services for example trust business, factoring, real estate and consultancy, as opinion that Islamic baking would be not stay alive with banking business alone. The arrival of Islamic Banking and Islamic Finance In accordance with the philosophy, culture and merit of Islam, the Islamic banking is describe as banking which is manage besides the conventional governance and risk management rules by the principle set down by Islamic Shariah. Interest free banking system is very fine perception that stands for with many banking instruments and operations, which keep away from interest. The ideology of the Islamic banking system is not only evading interest based transactions system which is proscribed in Islamic Shariah but also stay away from corrupt activities that contribute to accomplish the goals and objectives of an Islamic economy. First Islamic bank was established in 1963 in Egypt. The activities of this bank were interest free but it was secret project that made no references to Islam as the establishment in power at that time was aggressive to any form of Islamization. The real emerging started in 1970s as result of oil industry boom in the Gulf States, which flashed the appearing of liquidity and the revival of religious wakefulness in the Muslim world. In 1975 Dubai Islamic Bank was established, was a private initiative and it was established by Arab businessman. In the beginning governments did not greet this effort because Islamic finance disagreed with their investments in World Bank to get higher interest rate. In 1980ss the first Islamic banks united to form the Islamic Development Bank seen as the World bank of the Muslim world, that covering 56 Muslim world and contributes contribute Muslim economic thought. But the 9/11 brought too much changes on world economy which changed the views of Arabs whi ch and the rich Arabs withdrawing their investment from US $ accounts to be scared of having their accounts become frozen. All these scenarios created a great need of substitute of investment either in Middle East or in Europe, at the same time system was carrying out in the Middle East and its development was enhanced in Europe to fulfil the requirements of Muslim investors. In 1977-78 Pakistan started Islamic banking and financial system. Pakistan was one of the major Countries among those countries in the world that had been trying to apply completely interest free banking system. In June 1980 the modification was implemented in the legal framework of Pakistans financial and corporate system to authorize the issue of a new interest-free tools and modification were also created in the Banking Companies ordinance, 1962. The prohibition against usury (interest) was in the Quran take place on a number of times and pointed out interest and the proposal to ignore coddle in this action in Christianity and Judaism to involves its survival and the troubles that it carried for the society. The feudal lord who by virtue charging higher interest rate according to the historian and had power over those were anxious need to finance their survival. In the Old Testament (King James Version) Exodus, CHAPTER 22 M VERSES 25: If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by theem thou shalt not be to him as anusure, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. Lecitcus Chapter 25, verses 34-36: And if the brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay by thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea though he be a stranger, or a sojourner, that he may live with thee. Take thou no usuryof him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. In spite of the counsel beside this apply against the system offered. The contemporary financial technique be taught a tutorial from this spiritually guidance and fully struggled to implement a structure that was inadequate the level of usurious abuse. To build the market of debt based upon competition which encourage unfair nature of usury which was supposed to be decided by the forces of market vie each other. If we bring light to current scenario of global arena, we can easily realize that it is a development of the ancient feudal system and different countries facing the same dilemma as individual did prior as the conventional Jewish lending system of the shylocks to the Indian feudal system. Actually Debt to GDP ratio is the vigorous gauge for the countries who burden debt. Islamic financial and banking system depend on the Islamic economy system and the success ratio of this system could be determine in such a way that conventional banks start their Islamic windows not only in Muslims countries but also in the non-Muslim countries where Muslims are not dominated. Some famous Western banks have Islamic subsidiaries as, Citibank, American Express, HSBC, ABN Amro, Bank of America, Standard Chartered, Commerz bank, Barclays, Dutch Bank, ANZ Grindlays, Royal Bank of Canada and many others banks in the world and this list of bank is raising day by day. On the other hand some countries such as Pakistan, Sudan and Iran adopted 100% Islamic banking and they are successful in banking system. It is fairly true that Islamic banking system is depend upon risk –sharing. The Islamic banks are involved in the practice of trading, leasing and various other modes of financing according to Shariah compliant. If the Islamic banks are stable to get Halal income, depositors as well get stable and Halal income definitely. Interest (riba) is proscribed in Islam either getting or giving interest, despite of what reason the loans are composed and what the rates on which interest will be charged. This is the main opinion among Muslim scholars and all are agree on it that interest and riba is same thing. Amanah is placed to recognize the formation and deal out the financial services that are linked with the necessities of the Shariah (Islamic Law). Islamic banking has the same principle as conventional banking except that it operates in accordance with the Shariah principles. The basic ideology of Islamic banking is the sharing of profit and loss and the proscription of Riba (Interest). Islamic banking has grown in the Muslim world and offer Islamic products and services to make sure that the procedure and practices of the bank abide by the sharpie principles. HSBC logged the Amana banking because to make it possible for the Muslims to bank in accordance to their values and beliefs and they do not want to lose their Muslim customers in Islamic countries as a result of the emergence of Islamic banking. Its headquarter is in the UAE and have regional representatives in the UK, US, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei have resources of HSBC group and HSBC Amanah distribute the financial resources that are according to the requirements of the Shariah (Islamic Law). The western media suggest that Islamic banking in its present form is a recent phenomenon; in fact the basic practices and principles date back to the early part of the seventh century. (Islamic finance A Euromoney publication 1997). According to Khalaf (2007) Due to the different believes in Muslims community Islamic banking facing deficient in affirmation of decisions. Shortage of scholars is a big and serious issue in Islamic banking system because managers are not qualified and trained to practices the Islamic finance (Iqbal, Ahmad and khan,1998). Islamic banking has not a big network in UK and Islamic bank of Britain has only eight branches in whole UK which is not enough to fulfil the requirement of Muslim customers. The opening of Islamic window in conventional bank is a big threat. Islamic banking needs to improve their services and keep priority of Islamic Sharia. Islamic banking has great opportunity to grow in UK. Because number of Muslims from different countries of world live in UK. Islamic banking is facing difficulties and challenges to growing in UK due to lack of understanding about Islamic banking in the customers and shortage of Islamic Scholars in UK. RESEARCH METHDOLOGY The Research Process Remenyi, Williams, Money and Swartz (2002:64-65), explains the research process as consisting of eight specific phases, namely: Reviewing the literature. Formalising a research question. Establishing the methodology. Collecting evidence. Analysing the evidence. Developing conclusions. Understanding the limitations of the research. Producing management guidelines or recommendations According to Hussey, J Hussey, R (1997:15), there are six fundamental stages in the research process, namely: The identification of the research topic. Definition of the research problem. Determine how the research is going to be conducted. Collection of the research data. Analysis and interpretation of the research data. Writing up the dissertation or thesis. There will be two analysis methods that are used in this research. Factor analysis will be used reduce group and independent variables whereas logistic regression will be used to analyze the correlation between the categorical dependent variable with the independent variables found in the factor analysis. Primary data will be located for the purpose of analysis which will be further discussed in the collection of data section Analysis of Data The topic of my dissertation is The Growth of Islamic banking in UK as conventional finance, a look in to past, present and our hopes for the future. It is surprising to realize that how far and fast Islamic finance has come and how well it has managed to meet the challenges it faced in two decades. Islamic banking has worked reasonably well even in short history, but it always does face challenges. All of these challenges are technical in nature. The rapid growth of emerging market in developing countries is a very hopeful sign that with strong commitment in the next decade due to existing institutional and technical hindrances that may have hampered efficient operation of Islamic banking will be removed. The dissertation is based on the following research questions. What are the component of Islamic banking and how it works? Why all the arguments about the rate of interest in Islam? What make Islamic bank differ from a conventional bank? How much better working of Islamic finance in the views of customers in UK? Why the growing rate of Islamic finance is high as compare to other European countries? Customers satisfaction regarding Islamic banking system in UK? How Islamic finance as a substitute to conventional banking system in UK? Different prospects and threaten for Islamic banking system in UK? Aims and Objectives: Key aims and objectives were established, for accomplishing the project. They are thoroughly explained down below. Aims of research project are: To understand the basic principle of Islamic banking system. To discuss the role of Shariah board and its importance in Islamic banking. To describe the different financial contracts, which Islamic banking offers Objectives of the project are: To compare the major differences between Islamic and conventional banking system. To explore the problems faces by Islamic banking. To find out why the growing rate of Islamic finance is high as compare to other European countries To give recommendations for the acceptance of credit card and some other problems. Actually this study in groping in nature, therefore a review of peoples and bank Managers and sub-managers was appropriate method for data collections. The data collected by this method from UK and from individuals would mean that the data bring together is given that only estimation of entire population. A questionnaire was designed for the population to analyze the perceptions towards Islamic banking. Moreover the implication of this kind of exclusive study on this topic, there were numerous constraint. Primary Data From the informal interviews and from the Questionnaire survey together the primary data from the few important people from the banking industry are gathered. For this purpose information collected from senior management from HSBC and Islamic bank of Britain through emails telephonic and face to face interview. Questionnaire survey has been arranged amongst Muslims and non-Muslims population of UK. Secondary Data The information gathered for this dissertation has been mainly obtained from the secondary data, which includes books, journals, research material and websites. Limitations This result may not be indicative for the target respondents due to small sample size and limited time period. Due to limited knowledge of respondent or unawareness about Islamic banking, their replies shown their own imagination or thoughts. The data gathered from the respondents and from the country like United Kingdom where people have a limited knowledge of Islamic banking as against to the conventional banking even the Muslim of the country have an inadequate knowledge of the Islamic banking. Therefore the result about the Islamic banking should be taken only as analytical and perspective rather than decisive. The research will familiarize the readers with the principle of Islamic Sharia and provide an insight into the rules and principles of Islamic banking as well. In spite of the fact that Islamic banks are operating successfully along with the conventional banks and playing a significant role in the economy of the United Kingdom. Delimitations: This study is limited to the findings and evidences based on my research mainly to the responses of the organisation involved in the project. I am choosing not to observe multiple teams, even though such comparisons might be valuable, in order to allow more depth of understanding regarding the group on which I will focus.   Additionally,  I will not use structured interviews in order to minimise my obtrusiveness. Ethical considerations: I shall immediately report to my supervisor or my college if any difficulties encounters in complying with the ethical standards. In the final research report i shall describe how i complied with the ethical standards in carrying out the Project. The identity of individuals from whom information is obtained in the course of the Project shall be kept strictly confidential. At the conclusion of the Project, any information that reveals the identity of individuals who were subjects of research shall be destroyed unless the individual concerned has consented in writing to its inclusion beforehand. Plagiarism According to the definition given in the 1997 New Websters Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language, plagiarism is the unauthorized use of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as ones own (508). Pyper (2000) defines plagiarism as: .. simply theft. It is taking the words, ideas and labour of other people and giving the impression that they are your own.. To avoid plagiarism I will document the sources properly using Footnotes, Endnotes, or Parenthetical References, and i will write a Bibliography, References, or Works Cited page and place it at the end of the research paper to list the sources used. I will credit another persons idea, opinion or theory I will credit any facts, graphs, drawings, any pieces of information that are not common knowledge. I will credit whenever i use quotations of another persons actual spoken or written words or paraphrase of another persons spoken or written words. I will try to use my own words. I am not expecting to write as professionally as the authors of the books and journals which i am going to read so i will be confident enough to write my own ideas in my own words. I will Plan my assignments in good time, so i am not tempted to make shortcuts.

I am a Child of the World :: Law College Admissions Essays

I am a Child of the World One of the questions I was asked most frequently when I arrived at college was "where are you from?" Unlike most students, I could not quickly answer this question. Whereas many students have spent most of their lives in one or two areas, my feeling of "home" was not that simple. I was born in Canada and lived there until I was seven; then my family moved to Belgium. After five years in Belgium, we moved to Minnesota, where I spent my high school years. As I left for college, my parents moved to Switzerland and have since divorced. Currently, my mom lives in Minnesota, and my dad resides in Liechtenstein. I am still a Canadian citizen, but have permanent residency status in the United States. While these events could have led to a confused identity and feeling of homelessness, I believe that my experiences have given me a unique perspective on the world and an ability to feel "at home" wherever I may be. The experience of living in Europe was one of the most important aspects of my personal development, as exposure to different at a young age gave me a broad worldview that I would not have gained by staying in one place. Daily life in a foreign country teaches one to have patience, respect, and tolerance for people who speak a different language and have different customs. Cultural differences can make simple tasks such as going to the grocery store difficult at first, but over time my family adapted to the norms of Belgian culture. The opportunity to travel throughout Europe also gave me a unique set of experiences that have stayed with me. After all, how many ten-year-olds from Canada have stood in awe of the Acropolis or felt the somberness of the war cemeteries at Normandy? These experiences, combined with my Canadian heritage, have provided an important backdrop for developing a sense of respect for those who are different, a sense that I have found lacking in American society. While my experiences abroad have contributed a great deal to my personal growth, they have also made it difficult to identify with one place as home. Minnesota became the closest thing to home after spending my teenage years there, but my parents' divorce during my sophomore year of college further tested my ability to maintain a sense of identity.

Designers, unlike artists, can’t follow their creative impulses, they E

Designers, unlike artists, can’t follow their creative impulses, they work in a commercial environment, which means there are a huge number of considerations influencing the design process† The work of a fashion designer is influenced by the demands of the industry in which they work, which has both positive and negative influences on the creative process. This essay looks at some of the key parameters that the fashion designer must work within, and the effect that these factors have on the creative process and the finished product. One key factor that affects the work of a designer is an element over which the individual had a certain degree of control: The company that they choose to work for. There is a vast spectrum of elements that vary from company to company and have on a knock on effect on what is expected of the designer; from company practices, culture, values and policies to the public perception of the company to the size and resources available within a given business. Ipsuis are a small British company that design and manufacture casual wear, and provide an example of how company policy effects design. The company was set up with the aim of producing a completely fairly traded product. In addition to ensuring that all labourers are fairly paid, Ipsuis will only use fairly traded fabrics which means a far more limited choice for the designer and considerably longer lead times for a new fabric. Designers in the upper end of the market, rely on their design team to produce work that is in keeping with the image they have worked hard to create. From a designer’s perspective it is beneficial to be able to move between different companies- giving the opportunity to find a business that supports a designers vision. The next thing to consider after which company a designer works for is their competition, both internal and external. Fashion design is a highly competitive job market. Designers are often given temporary contracts and only have a short time to prove themselves before their employer looks elsewhere. This, coupled with a high rate of redundancy due to the volatile nature of the market means that designers are under constant pressure to be at the forefront of their industry. The advantage of working in this competitive environment is that it spurs the designer on to achieve their best and results in hi... ...osts, so that is Tesco that benefits from increased profits. In this scenario, the designer does not see any benefit from the change to the law. Ultimately, the situation highlighted above leads onto the single most important factor that drives the fashion industry and therefore what is expected of a designer: Profit. It considered acceptable by critics that the work of the artist often has a limited appeal. A designer work must have a certain amount of mass appeal in order for the garments to sell well and make a profit. All the other considerations looked at in this essay in some way tie in to the issue of profit and the best way in which to maximise this. This inevitably puts the designer under certain pressures, which to varying extents limits their creativity. However this is a small price to pay for working in a commercial environment that gives designers a platform to get their ideas off paper and into the shops, that allows the designer freedom to concentrate on their work whilst other business related considerations are taken care of by others and most importantly allows the designer to make a living out of the very thing they are most passionate about.

Lessons from the Fog of War Essay

The War in Afghanistan was launched on October 7, 2001 by the United States and the United Kingdom in response to the September 11, 2001 Al Qaeda attacks. It marked the beginning of President George Bush’s Great War against Terrorism. The Iraqi War refers to the United States-led invasion of Iraq which began on March 20, 2003. The invasion was prompted by the common belief amongst the US-led coalition that Saddam Hussein had managed to achieve nuclear and chemical warfare capability that could fall into the hands of terrorists. In both the cases the United States and its allies have got bogged down in situations where it they can neither afford to pull out nor up the ante and charge forward. Robert McNamara who was the Secretary of Defense under President John F Kennedy and President Lyndon Johnson speaks about his experiences of war and the lessons he learnt from them during his eventful career in the award-winning documentary The Fog of War. The very title of the documentary is a statement on the nature of war which McNamara says is â€Å"so complex that it is beyond the capability of the human mind to fully comprehend it. † In the documentary, McNamara basically speaks about his experiences of the Cuban missile crisis and the Vietnamese War of the 1960s and 1970s. McNamara believes that the United States was able to avoid a war that would probably have turned nuclear and could still manage to get the Soviet missiles off Cuban soil primarily because it could empathize with its enemy. The United States was able to appreciate the exact political situation Nikita Khrushchev was in when the confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States came to a head. In the face of his party hardliners Khrushchev needed a face-saving excuse to get out of Cuba and avoid a possible nuclear war. In the case of Vietnam, however, this was not possible as the United States did not know the Vietnamese well enough to be able to empathize with them. The situations in Iraq and Afghanistan are also similar to Vietnam. Did the United States and it allies care to know the Iraqis or the Afghans well enough to be able to empathize with them? In the case of Saddam Hussein, the United States failed to appreciate the political circumstances that guided the actions of the dictator and clubbed him together with the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks. In doing so, they have created a situation which could have very well turned advantageous for the terrorists. The situation in Iraq is now quite the perfect breeding grounds for terrorists who see the United States and its allies as the enemy that wants to destroy them and their religion. In Afghanistan too, despite all claims that the United States may make, for the Afghan the every American represents an enemy who has bombed their homes and killed their near and dear ones. Referring to his tenure in Ford, McNamara gives the example of their effort to analyze accident data to device ways and means to provide safety to people in cars. Once they were able to get the accurate data, McNamara and his colleagues found that problems in packaging people in cars were the main cause of fatalities in accidents, and could come up with simple safety devices such as the seat belt which resulted in the saving of more than 20,000 lives every year in the United States alone. The importance of getting the data, and the accurate data, is quite evident in the case of Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Both the United States and the United Kingdom failed to obtain accurate data in the case of Iraq and also in the case of Afghanistan to a certain extent. With accurate data not being available, things were bound to go wrong. The very next lesson that McNamara speaks of in the documentary becomes immediately applicable in the case of both Iraq and Afghanistan – the fact that what we see believe in and see can often both be wrong. McNamara cites the example of the supposed torpedo attacks by North Vietnamese patrol boats on the US destroyer Maddox on August 2, 1964 and again on the Maddox and its sister ships on August 4, 1964. The August 2 attack was real enough, but President Johnson and the United States did not believe it to be true and chose to ignore it; the August 4 attacks were most probably conjured up by predisposed and stressed minds, but were taken to be real enough by the United State’s administration to launch attacks on North Vietnam. The dictum that we see what we choose to believe in is exemplified in the case of Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States believed that Iraq had manufactured nuclear weapons and that both Afghanistan and Iraq supported Islamic terrorists, and literally saw what they believed in. These attitudes precipitated both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The failure to find Saddam Hussein’s stockpile of nuclear arsenal proved the belief long, albeit too late. The deteriorating conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan and the continued resistance of the people have also made it clear that the populations under seize hate the occupation forces not because Iraqis and Afghans are terrorists but because they perceive the Americans as aggressors. And more and more of the occupied people turn towards the terrorists. Thousands of people have died from both sides of these wars. McNamara however feels proportionality should be a guideline of war. That raises the question whether the destruction of the Iraqi and Afghan societies and deaths of the thousands of American soldiers on the battlefield can be justified proportionally by the objectives that these wars hope to achieve. The end of global terrorism would demand a heavy price, but is this the right price to pay? McNamara says that one has to engage in evil in order to do good, the deaths and destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan could very well be the necessary evil to achieve the good of ridding the world of terrorism and making it a far more safer and secure place for the future generations. Yet human nature will never change, and McNamara admits that every general makes mistakes in wars. So are Afghanistan and Iraq mistakes, or they still shrouded in the fog of war?