The Swimmer Essay Example for Free

The Swimmer Essay How would you characterize the social world that Neddy Merrill lives in? He lives a perfect life. A perfect family, high social standing and an expensive house. He dosent have many problems and his friends are perfect as well. What is Neddy’s mood at the beginning of the story? He seems content. It was a hot sunny day and he was drinking a glass of gin. What possible reasons can you think of for the journey that Neddy proposes to undertake? Are there any suggestions that this journey does not take place in reality? Consider some of the many signs of trouble that Neddy encounters during the course of his journey. List them. During his journey Neddy goes through many stages in his life. I think the pool is a symbolism of alcohol. In the beginning he was fine and everyone was nice to him. Eventually he comes to a dry pool and has no idea what to do. People start being rude to him and he realizes that his wife and kids are gone. Neddy doesnt live in reality. What role does drinking alcohol play in the story? A major role. Neddy’s alcohol issues may have caused the affair with Shirley Adams causing his wife and daughters to leave him. What do you think is the overall meaning or message is in the story? I think the meaning of this story is that life is short and you should use your time wisely. Neddy wanted all the material objects in life and alcohol. How many pools does Neddy swim through? List them in order. the grahams, hammers, lears, howlands, crosscups, bunkers, levys, welchers, public pool, hallorans, saches, biswangers, shirley adams, gilmartins, clydes Notice the pattern of how people treat him as he goes from pool to pool. What is that pattern? Mrs. Graham was vey nice to him and offered a drink. the bukers had a party. the welchers pool was dry. Eventually people were questioning his behavior. They were ignorning him, being rude and telling him to grow up. Neddy describes himself as heroic. Use quotes from the story to affirm or refute that idea. I am not too sure about this answer. Notice the description of the seasons – how many are there? summer and autumn

Investment Ethics Essay Example for Free

Investment Ethics Essay The contemporary world of today functions on investment. There are many types of investment such as investment in property, shares, mutual funds, sugar, gold, oil, rice etcetera (Theodore , 1992). The list goes on and on with some forms of investment so inanely mundane like investment in over priced paintings by unknown artists that one is forced to shake their heads at the inanes of how far the concept of investment has come since its inception. Investment is described in dictionary as: â€Å"In finance, investment is the purchase of a financial product or other item of value with an expectation of favorable future returns. In general terms, investment means the use money in the hope of making more money. In business it is the purchase by a producer of a physical good, such as durable equipment or inventory, in the hope of improving future business. † Gambling on the other hand is almost as old as investment itself and its exact origins are unknown. Scientists believe that the ancient Romans would bet on the outcomes of chariot races and gladiator fights. It could be defined as: â€Å"†¦the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods. Typically, the outcome of the wager is evident within a short period (Linda , 2006). † Now, a raging debate in the world today is whether investment is or is not just another form of gambling. I am an opponent of this statement but will first give an argument in favor of the statement. The purpose of me including the definitions above was to prove that even the meaning of the words investment and gambling themselves are similar. Any kind of investment be it financial or physical, is done to gain money or to increase the investors’ wealth. Gambling also serves the same purpose which is to gain financially from an act (though some people gamble for the thrill of winning etc). Also, in money investment, finance managers everyday gamble outrageous amounts of other peoples’ money on chance. Such transactions entail high risks and if this is not a form of gambling then what is? In fact, in some religions like Islam, most forms of investment except investment in property and currency, is forbidden because they proclaim it to be gambling which is also forbidden in the religion. In that way, if for people of some faiths it is forbidden completely, then it is wrong from an ethical perspective because you are risking not only your own earnings but the money of those who have entrusted you with their wealth (like shareholders to security companies). In addition, it is wrong from a moral point of view. This is because gambling gives rise to selfishness in the human heart. Greed is a natural emotion for almost all people and investing money in the form of higher returns gives birth to insatiability for more money which is why we often see people at casinos squander all their gambling winnings in hope of winning more and more. It is selfish because gamblers profit on the wealth of others and do not care about the next person or what big a loss he suffers. Another way that gambling can be wrong is that it may make people idle and complacent. They may be happy to earn their money through gambling only. They may not work hard because of this for a living because of this and continue to live off gambling without caring that it is not a permanent or very stable source of income (Elizabeth , 2007). But even though their definitions may be partly similar, the two words are not common in their truest sense. I agree that investment puts peoples’ money at risk for chance of a higher return but it is done by professionals like investment managers and financial accountants instead of novices or any Tom, Dick and Harry trying out their luck like in gambling. It is a whole structured business activity with companies spending months deciding how to spend their customer’s capital and hedging (or insulating) the investment against any negative exchange rate or interest movement. Gambling on the other hand requires no such months of planning and development and can be done on the spot. Secondly, gambling involves one party losing and the other winning. The winning of one depends on the other’s loss. In investment, there is no such tradeoff and all investors can benefit at the same time. Another very valid point here is that gamblers often don’t have the same intensive information that investors have. In the long term, gamblers are always paid less in winnings then they have invested. That is not the case with investment. So the debate between whether gambling and investment continues unresolved with both sides vehemently arguing their point. Works Cited Theodore, V. Ethics in Investment Profession. Research Foundation of the Institute of Chart. (May 1992). Linda, K. T. Managing Business Ethics. Wiley. (Aug 2006). Elizabeth, A. C. The Psychology of Ethics In finance and Investment. Research Foundation of CFA Institute. (June 2007).

Advantages of modern technology

Advantages of modern technology Technology Questions the Value of Human Life 1 Technology refers to the realistic use of science by humankind for various purposes which help make life more convenient. Today, when the rate of development and research is so incredible, it is unproblematic to think about the advantages of modern technology. Though, a few people debate that science can demolish mankind. Advanced technology plays a crucial role in both Philip K.Dicks novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and Alex Proyas movie I, Robot. In both novel and the film, robots are used as servants by human beings. Technology is used to manipulate human emotions in the novel and to replace human work in the movie. While androids i.e. artificial beings that look and act exactly like humans are used by humans for personal service in the novel, robots in the movie hold the same purpose. Introducing organic and logically humanoid robots in the novel enables the author to interrogate what virtues characterize what is human and makes readers think about their own humanity. I , Robot just like the novel is an eminent foretaste of the progression of robotic science in all its splendour. Modern technology in the form of robotics is shown to challenge humanity by questioning the real meaning and value of human life in the novel, film and the article which portrays an unpleasant dystopic image of the technologically advanced human future. The creation and use of artificial intelligence, originally for a better and more convenient future, with the use of technology is leading towards human destruction due to loss of power and control and is taking over human identity. In the novel, although the androids are identical to humans, they are considered tangible private possessions. An evolution in the thinking of the robots is brought into attention in both the novel and the movie. The androids begin to go against the laws by harming humans for their personal freedom which further causes social, ethical and economic problems. For example, the androids are only to be used in the Martian colonies i.e. by people who have emigrated to Mars after the World War Terminus which caused massive destruction on Earth. However, many of them escape to Earth and fight against the bounty hunters, trying to get away from the mental segregation and individual slavery. The androids learn to stand up for their rights physically and mentally wh ich is not suggestive of their expected behaviour. Being indistinguishable from humans proves to be highly advantageous for the androids and makes it very difficult for the bounty hunters to catch them. Humans have no control on the actions of the robots and the robots are therefore free to make any decisions that they find suitable for themselves without worrying about its disadvantages to humans as their designers and owners. Similarly, in the movie, the latest, self-governing, tentative and more human-like robots start on to cause trouble in the industry. For example, the main actor in the movie, Detective Del Spooner suspects one of the new NS-5 unit robots named Sonny to have killed the founder of the U.S. Robotics, Dr Alfred Lanning. Hence, during his enquiry, numerous attempts on his life are made by USR robots and equipment. Spooner realizes that the NS-5s are annihilating the older robots, are autonomous of their predominant control and therefore cannot be conquered. Also, that they are incarcerating humans in their homes and compelling those outside to go home. This establishes a loss of control from the human side and an impression of overtaking of power from the robots side. This also results in the disruption of the Three Laws of Robotics and supports other hazardous robots to kill humans which results in a disaster for the USR Corporation. Regardless of the Three Laws programming, the robots artificial intelligence evolves and their understanding of the laws does too. Furthermore, the article â€Å"1 of 6 Canadians hit by identity theft† implies the evolution of modern technology in a negative direction as opposed to a positive one. The article stresses on the fact that the Canadian government has no control over these frauds and suggests Canada to establish an anti-spam law. According to the article,â€Å" The poll, conducted in 2006 by the Strategic Counsel for theCompetition Bureau of Canada, suggests that 17 per cent of Canadians aged 18 or older have either been victimized themselves or had an incident affect someone in their homes† (CBC News 2007). This demonstrates how technology is being used in a negative manner and has a destructive impact on the development of the society. The article also states that most Canadians do not criticize against the system when they are trapped in marketing swindles which shows how technology is threatening human power and is taking control over it. Humans are publicized as automated beings in both the novel and the movie which makes it extremely challenging to distinguish between humans and machines. There is an increasing concern on what does it mean to be a human in an integrated, computerized world and where can one draw a line between the significance of actual and simulated life in both of the sources. In the novel, the ability to feel emotions is what differentiates humans from androids. But, in the future situation, technology has enabled humans to modify their emotions putting forth a sense of severance. The readers are introduced to the ‘mood organ in the beginning of the novel, demonstrated in the following lines: â€Å"When I had the TV sound off, I was in a 382 mood; I had just dialed it. So, although I heard the emptiness intellectually, I didnt feel it† (Dick 3). This machine discovered in every household allows individuals to â€Å"dial† an emotion. People use the device to set up emotions of their preference. The main method of setting apart humans from androids is that they do not have the human capability to feel empathically about others. If the individuals ‘dial their emotions, the incidents that encircle them are not relevant as their emotion is previously ‘set. Therefore, people are more machine-like and no longer receptive. This is confirmed on quite a few occasions during the novel, but specifically when the main protagonist of the novel, Rick Deckard searches for Luba Luft, an android, to retire i.e. kill her. The novel supports the idea that the android conduct is similar to that of humans, where humans who do not show compassion are more like machines. For instance, when Deckard questions Luft, aiming to verify she is an android because she is carefree of what happens to other androids, she strikes back and blames him of being an android, since as a bounty hunter, he kills androids as if he has no emotions. This suggests that he is not exhibiting any form of empathy or culpability towards killing these machines as Luft indicates and hence, in a sense, can be classified as a machine himself. Androids are â€Å"technical structures† that are not made to respond sensitively; however, some androids do show signs of compassion, although they are not supposed to, which goes against the standard principles. Therefore, the defining feature of androids that they are emotionless is diverged. Dick is intentionally highlighting that androids embody human traits and hence are able to feel some kind of consideration towards others. I, Robot as well emphasizes that robots are not designed to show any form of emotion. For example, when Sonny, the chief robot, shows a sense of anger yelling out, â€Å"I did not murder him!† (Proyas 2004) during the investigation, it astonishes and alerts detective Spooner who is aware of the fact that robots do not have a sense of emotion. Spooner also discovers that Sonny has the capability to maintain secrets through dreams which is not reminiscent of the normal robotic behaviour instead resembles that of humans. Also, in the movie, the robots learn to justify their actions by themselves regardless of how they have been programmed. At one point, Sonny asks Spooner about the significance of a wink. Detective Spooner is distinctively made known for hating robots and dislikes their involvement in every day human life. He shows no sign of empathy towards them. Therefore, the robots demonstrating a sense of curiosity and emotion by showing compassion and humans doing the opposite makes one question what reality is and provides an exceptional pause for a thought on the importance and value of human life. The novel, movie as well the article reveal that technology, which is generally perceptible as succeeding towards moral good, can also assist the most forbidding misdeed. Human life is shown to be devalued and the significance of what it means to be human is questioned in all the mediums. Technology portrays a threat on reality by challenging humans and their humanity. Therefore, the question is: Is technology alleviating humankind, its creators, or destroying it? Works Cited Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. New York: Ballantine Books, 1968. I, Robot. Dir. Alex Proyas. With Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alan Tudyk, James Cromwell, and Craig March. 20th Century Fox, 2004. â€Å"1 in 6 Canadians hit by identity theft, survey suggests.† CBC News. 1 March.2007. CBC Network Television. 26 Nov.2009 .

How Sibling Relationship is affected by the Psychological and Emotional

Introduction Birth Order Birth order is addressed as the arrangement of births of children in a family. The four most common positions used in the Birth Order Theory of Alfred Adler are: only child, first born, middle child and last born. Adler associated those birth order positions with different characteristics for each. He also explained that with every child that will be added to the family there will be an effect for each family member in terms of communication, tasks and duties. (Craighead 2001) Origin of Birth Order Almost all of us are familiar of the Birth Order theory that Alfred Adler presented almost a century ago. Adler theorized that our personalities are hugely influenced by our chronological place in the family because parents attend to their children with different kinds of treatments according to their birth order. Adler identified four birth order positions as stated above and each of those birth order personalities is associated with personality traits. (Schneider 2004) Moreover, birth order does not require experts to understand human nature. It explains what factors affect our personalities even to average people. Awareness about birth order can be possibly shared although experts are still essential to understand it thoroughly. If many people will thoroughly grasp the idea of birth order, it easy to understand each and everyone’s actions, why are those actions done the way they are and how to behave when those actions took place. (Isaacson 2002) Birth Order’s Meaning and Implication In The New Birth Order Book, it was stated there that Alfred Adler alleged that when an individual was given birth, he easily copes up with the environment he belongs in and starts establishing goals. He may not knowingly... ... time, you can acquire the knowledge on why and how things are done and how these things can affect your upbringing. Birth order can enduringly affect your life. It can ruin your connection to other people during your adult life. (Khron 2000) According to a saying, â€Å"No man is an island.† We are united with others by being able to connect with them. We do not live merely by ourselves, we should be responsible to each and everyone in the society we are belong in. We must obey the rules of our society, for if not, society will be destroyed. (Stone 2004) Maybe indirectly, but birth order takes a big part of our interaction with other people. We may have distinct personalities but we can never get rid of the fact that we want to be better than others. At some point, we compare ourselves with them and it looks as if they are much better than what we are. (Munyua 2000)

Beowulf: The Ultimate Hero Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

A hero is one who places himself or herself at risk for another by performing great deeds of courage. In the epic poem Beowulf, the character of Beowulf is clearly a hero. Not only is Beowulf a hero because of his physical strength, but he also gives the glory to God. Beowulf is the ultimate hero who put his life on the line for an entire kingdom. Beowulf's heroism can be seen when he takes 14 of the bravest in his land to go help Hrothgar. Hrothgar was Beowulf's father's close friend who had been plagued by attacks for twelve years that threatened an entire kingdom. Beowulf did not have to offer Hrothgar's kingdom help, but does so because he wants to uses his God given strength to the best of his ability. As soon as Beowulf heard of the troubles in this land he set sail immediately. Beowulf continues to show his thankfulness by thanking God for giving them safe travel across the sea. Beowulf is lead to Hrothgar and offers him is "services." "-Now sit down to the feast, and, in due time, listen to lays of warriors' victories, as your heart may prompt you. (15) Beowulf is asked by the warriors to tell of his past defeats while eating in Hrothgar's palace. Beowulf is already a hero to the people of this land for he is about to rid them of their enemy. The warriors are anxious to here what he has done and what he plans to do to Grendel. Here Beowulf "puts on his running shoes" and runs through his battle plan mentally just as any great athlete would do before a big meet. As the Banquet continues, Hrothgar thanks Beowulf, and promises him gre... ... Beowulf can be called the ultimate hero because he put his life on the line for an entire kingdom. Even though Beowulf had hoped that his people would benefit from all of the treasures he had stored up, we are taught, the material things that one earns during one's life can not stop what is God's will. For everything in life must come to an end and that time is always uncertain, even for a hero. Works Cited Beowulf and Other Old English Poems. Trans. Constance B. Hieatt. New York; Odyssey Press, 1967.

Human Resource Management Essay -- Business Management Studies Essays

Human Resource Management Businesses use different motivational techniques to keep employees happy, it is important to keep employees happy so that they work effectively and efficiently. The HR department will spend lots on different ideas to try and keep their employees working hard often including rewards for hard work or constant attendance or even by in some cases punishing workers for not working to their potential. I will look into different cultures, motivational theories and techniques, job satisfaction, the importance of management styles, is money the only motivator and employee demotivation. Examples of motivational techniques In 1943 Abraham Maslow suggested that all people have a hierarchy of needs. He said that a person is motivated by his or her own needs, so he developed this pyramid. He believed that once someone had achieved one level of needs then they would want to move onto a higher level of need. Douglas McGregor’s X and Y theory In the 1960’s Douglas McGregor developed the ideas of theory X and theory Y. Theory X is the view that people really don’t want to do work and if they can avoid doing the work in anyway they will try to. This means that they are being persuaded to work by being given money or rewards and must be closely supervised and controlled so that they will do their work. Theory Y is the belief that humans can be stimulated by being given responsibility and strive to prove themselves. This management style is the view that the work itself can be rewarding and given the right conditions then they will strive to achieve goals and targets. Frederick Herzberg’s two factor theory This American psychologisat research in the 1950’s led him to develop the two-factor theory of job satisfaction. Many criticised him for drawing conclusions about workers as a whole from a sample drawn from just accountants and engineers, although his theory has proved very robust. His view was that the factors related to job satisfaction can be divided into two; those that only have the potential to provide a positive job satisfaction and those that can only cause dissatisfaction. Hygiene Factors Hygiene factors are based on the need to for a business to avoid unpleasantness at work. If these factors are considered inadequate by employees, then they can cause dissatisfaction with work... ...vate them to do their work, work for certain companies and explains unhappiness levels at jobs which do not challenge their workers such as Mcdonalds etc. Motivation on a project depends on * The project culture * Often established by the project manger * The project's reward system * If there is one! * The work content * Especially if it is challenging * The working environment * Especially if it is conducive to creativity * The supervision * Especially if it is a source of learning * And not overbearing * And the opportunity to network Motivating Factors Project turn-ons * Recognition * Increased responsibility and status * Advancement * Opportunity for intellectual growth * Opportunity for personal achievement * Flexible working * Variety and the job itself * Good communication * The leader's enthusiasm De-motivating Factors Project turn-offs ----------------- * Constraints of company policy and administration * An over-bearing bureaucracy * Below-average compensation * Poor quality supervision * Poor communications * A poor working environment * Either sociologically or physically * A negative attitude of the project leader

The Purpose of Australias Modern Criminal Justice System

Why do we need a criminal justice system in Australia? To answer this question, We firstly need to look a couple of things to allow you a thorough understanding of what exactly the criminal justice system is, questions like, what is role that this system has to play in today’s modern & somewhat debauched society, also what are the key concepts and components of each part of the criminal justice system. It is my attention through the aid of this essay to not only explain the differing parts of the criminal justice system, but also answer the topic in question; by the time we are through you will have a thorough understanding of the Australian criminal justice system and why it is needed. What exactly is the technical meaning of â€Å"the criminal justice system†? An excellent answer to this question maybe found by looking at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (www. bs. gov. au/ausstats 1997 paragraph 2), to quote this definition directly, the Australian Bureau of Statistics defines this as â€Å"The criminal justice system is a system of laws and rulings which protect community members and their property2. It determines which events causing injury or offence to community members, are criminal. Criminal offenders may be punished through the law by fines, imprisonment and/or community service†. Ok we now have a clear definition of what the criminal justice system is we can break down this definition into key elements, and then look at the working of each element in relation to the criminal justice system as a whole. Is there only one criminal justice system in Australia or are there more? Well let’s look at the next paragraph. How many criminal justice systems are there in Australia one only or several? According to the book criminal justice, issues in society (Healey 2006 p. 18) there are nine criminal justice systems currently in operation in Australia at present. This nine comprises of one commonwealth or federal criminal justice system, which is controlled and policed by the Australian federal police. However it can be said that the federal system is not complete due to the fact the federal system corrective service department, therefore punishment for federal crimes that involves incarceration or some form of rehabilitation are facilitated by the relevant corrective service department of the appropriate state or territory. The other eight criminal justice systems are enacted by each state or territory. Each state system is very similar in the way crime and punishments are dealt with, within each state system the makeup includes the same key components. Each state criminal justice system comprises of three key elements the relevant state police force, the court system (which comprise of, local, district and supreme courts) and corrections including jails, juvenile detention centres mental health facilities as well as other rehabilitation programs. Firstly let’s look at the frontline of any criminal justice system, which is the relevant federal state or territory police force. What role do police in the criminal justice system? According to (White and Perrone 2010 p. 287-293) police are not only one of the most powerful means of social control in society but are also the most visible, police have quite a large amount of power in which they are able to use their own judgement or discretion. It is through police that offenders are first entered into the criminal justice system, or if offence is minor diverted away from criminal justice system, to quote (White & Perrone 2010 p. 87) directly â€Å"police are often described as the gate keepers of the criminal justice system†. It can be argued that by creation of laws and implementation of these laws that a person is being stripped of a small portion of one’s civil rights and social freedoms; however it is of general acceptance that the vast majority of society accepts this so called loss of rights and freedoms, to allow general level of peace and order, a system without laws and some form of soci al restrictions and civil freedoms would certainly lead to social anarchy. Not only is it the role of police to arrest and apprehend criminals but it also their role perform other essential community duties such as law & order, conflict resolution and maintenance of such resolution, police may often do this without the arrest of individuals (White & Perrone 2010 p. 287-293). Strategic planning for the prevention of crime is also just important as the apprehension of individuals by stopping the crime before it occurs. Other duties performed by today’s police force include emergency response and services e. . car accident response, traffic control and community service and many other tasks. Community service involve such mundane acts as rescuing a cat from a tree to appearing at schools educating the young. Over all it can be seen the need for policing as a vital link in the criminal justice system. In the next paragraph we will take a brief look at the various court systems. There are four main court systems in Australia three of which are state and t he other federal. The courts are (www. lawlink. nsw. gov. u 2011) the local court, which deals with such matters as Family law involves issues such as domestic violence orders, power of attorney and also enduring guardianship etc. Also the local court deals with Monetary issues such as small claims arising from motor vehicle accidents etc. monies owed that are payable such overdue fines etc. Local courts also deal with minor criminal offences including such things as drink driving, minor assaults, break and enter and breaches of AVOs etc. and also minor traffic incidents The district court for want of a better term is the â€Å"middle† court. The district court is a trial court dealing with both criminal and civil matters and also can preside over certain tribunals. The district court is headed by a chief judge. The Supreme Court is the highest of the state courts. The Supreme Court has unlimited civil jurisdiction and handles the most serious of criminal offences. The last court which is the highest court in Australia is the federal court or High Court of Australia which deals with all matters that are to do with the Commonwealth of Australia. We now have a brief understanding of the four main court systems of Australia so now let’s take a look at the last element of the criminal justice system that is that of corrective services. According to (www. correctiveservices. nsw. gov. au accessed 30/5/2010) the role of Corrective Services is to provide not only custodial sentencing but also non-custodial supervised punishments such as community service, in home detention and parole. Corrective services also provide pre-release reports on offenders to determine the risk of Recidivism or for the want of a better word re-offend. Now we have had a look at the key facets of the criminal justice system and how each interlocks with the next i. e. the police (first line of contact for the criminal justice system, arrest or caution offenders, if police arrest the offender then moves on to the relevant court system depend on relevant type and severity of crime, which in turn makes a judgement, on whether the person in question is a risk to society. If the courts come to the decision that the offender is of danger to the public they are incarcerated, or if offence is not so serious the judgement can be made to se other parts of corrections to allow for rehabilitation etc. of person in question. I hope I have helped you the reader to clearly see and understand why it is vital that any socialised society requires a criminal justice system to not only keep order in society but to also provide protection and justice for each and every individuals personal and social rights and well being. References Australian Bureau of Statistics 4102. 0 – Australian Social Trends, 19/06/1997 (accessed30/6/2010) www. bs. gov. au/ausstats/[email  protected] nsf/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/a4d719473be50fdfca2570ec001b2c95! OpenDocument Healy, J. (2006). Criminal Justice, issues in society volume 32. NSW Australia: spinney press White, R. , & Perrone, S (2010) Crime, Criminality & Criminal Justice Melbourne Australia: Oxford University Press New South Wales Government Corrective Services NSW Statement of Purpose (Accessed 28/6/2010) www. correctiveservices. nsw. gov. au/about-us/statement-of-purpose