Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Music of Schoenberg and Debussy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Music of Schoenberg and Debussy - Research Paper Example The third period was marked by his invention of ââ¬Å"twelve-toneâ⬠method of composition. It is often claimed that musical pieces of this composer reflect the characteristics of Brahms and Wagner. On the one hand, the directions of musical developments of these two opposing composers cannot be compared, but on the other hand, Schoenberg succeeded in uniting them into one perfect conglomerate. A selected piece of music composed by Schoenberg is Op. 08, where he accelerates and escapes from traditional Wagnerian tones. A principle of linear time is reflected in a direct motion in music. The principles of tonality were very important for the musical pieces of 20th century and compositions of Schoenberg follow those tendencies as well. Historical context of this composition plays a very important role for further discussion. This piece of music is thought to be finished in 1909 and he completed it in 2 weeks. That period was a crisis for the composer and these feelings and emotion s are evidently reflected in his music. The record Erwartung 6 lieder Op. 08 is believed to be a new stage for musical development of the composer, when he exceeded the limits of Romanticism and German culture (Evans, 2001). This piece of music is distinguished by depth of expression, easy comprehension and distinction, though it was often argued by critics. à à à à à à à à à à The name of its piece of music is Erwartung or Expectation. It is a story about a woman, who is waiting for her lover, but then finds his body dead. The beginning and the end of the composition are calm ones, but in the middle of this piece of music are essential ascents. Therefore, these characteristics can be considered as belonging to non-conventional music. The composerââ¬â¢s personality was unconventional at that time as well, because Hitler did not like him because of his Jewish nationality. His musical pieces were full of subjectivity and unconscious. The implementation of atonal dissonance did not reflect the main characteristics of Romanticism. It was beyond harmony and it was something new and unique (McKay, 1987). Schoenberg was looking for the ways of new developments and he wanted a new field for his self-expression. A language of dodecaphony was invented by this composer. This language of music can be described in the following way: sounds, like words can be either expressed or not. They can become cultural symbols for expressions and reflections of a given individuality of a composer. This is the specific context of dodecaphonic musical expression. Lauro Machado Coelho claimed that Schoenberg managed to open new ways for musical aestheticsââ¬â¢ reflection. The composer did not intend to position his music as a revolutionary one. Schoenberg made an emphasis on creativity and imagination, that is why during 19071908 he refused from the concept of tonality and rushed into expressionism. This piece of music, ââ¬Å"Erwartungâ⬠is a bright exampl e of this tendency. Nevertheless, there is a huge psychological impact exerted on it, because it was written during a period, when Mathilde, a wife of Schoenberg, left him and had an affair with Richard Gerstl, who killed himself after Mathildeââ¬â¢
Monday, October 28, 2019
Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free
Virtue Ethics Essay Virtue ethics is a moral philosophy that encompasses morality, defined by values which are identified and classified by a range of character traits. Aristotle is the founding father of most virtue ethics theories, while some versions have incorporated Plato, Kant and Hume their contributions to the theory of virtue ethics is less emphasized (Athanassouulis, 2006). Virtue theory is often thought of as a dynamic theory of how to conduct business activities (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2008, p. 157). Virtues are acquired character traits that help people fit into society. Acquiring virtuous qualities is necessary to achieve success. According to Grenz Smith (2003): Virtue ethics is defined as an, inner disposition to perform morally right acts of a certain kind; the tendency to act rightly by habit in a particular manner; a character trait that is deemed morally praiseworthy. The virtues have also been understood to be those qualities of character that make a person morally successful. Ethicists in both the Greek and Christian moral traditions have sought to determine what traits are virtues. Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in virtues, especially with the renaissance in virtue ethics or the ethic of being (p. 125). Other definitions of virtue ethics have been described as positive traits which promote health, harmony, and balance (Engel, 2000). A virtue is an acquired quality of character that allows one to achieve personal happiness. Velasquez, Shanks, Andre and Meyer (1988) illustrated that a person that has developed the virtue of generosity is often referred to as a generous person because he or she tends to be generous in all circumstances (no page). Velasquez, Shanks, Andre, and Meyerââ¬â¢s interpretation of virtue ethics reinforces Aristotleââ¬â¢s earlier theory that once virtuosity is acquired it is maintained by repetition (1988, no page). People are by nature creatures of habit. Therefore, in order to become virtuous it is necessary to repeat virtuous acts so those acts become habits. The opposite of virtues are vices, which are negative traits that detract from health, harmony and balance. According to Engel (2000) a ââ¬Å"vice is an unbalanced virtue which needs to be brought back to centerâ⬠(no page). A vice can either be a lack of effort or an act of self indulgence. Vices are caused by impulses which are not regulated by virtues and many times the individual is unaware of their emotions (Engel, 2000, no page). Virtues and vices must work together and balance out. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extreme, a person who values the virtue of honesty and vows to always tell the truth no matter the circumstance or situation lacks harmony and balance. Honesty can be taken to an extreme 10 whereby one says everything from oneââ¬â¢s mind without any consideration or using tact (Engel, 2000, no page). On the other hand one can be an extreme 1 where the individual does not ever tell the truth. It is important to understand that being an extreme 1 or 10 on any virtuous scale is not a good thing. Aristotle is the father of virtue ethics theories; he studied ethics in a broad sense. He defined virtues of character as dispositions to act in certain ways in response to similar situations (Engel, 2000, no page). Based on Aristotleââ¬â¢s Nicomachean Ethics, things of any variety have a characteristic function that they are properly used to perform (Kemerling, 1997). The good for human beings must involve the entire proper function of human life as a whole (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, 350 B. C. ). Aristotle also gave consideration to the aspects of human nature involved in acting and accepting moral responsibility. Aristotleââ¬â¢s philosophy of virtue ethics emphasizes that acting virtuous is a habit not an act. ââ¬Å"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habitâ⬠(Landauer Rowlands, 2001). For example, individuals that consistently practice the virtue of being fair will continuously expound their knowledge of fairness in every aspect of life. Blackburn (2001) pointed out that Aristotle emphasized becoming virtuous requires education and practice (p. 113). Moral character must be taught and instilled gradually. Aristotleââ¬â¢s theory of virtue applies accordingly to todayââ¬â¢s business activities by implying to be virtuous requires extreme repetition, dedication and understanding of morality. Morality is a major component of virtue ethics. Grenz Smith defined morality as, ââ¬Å"Determining what is believed to be right and good, then living out those beliefsâ⬠(2003, p. 77). The word ethics has often been used as a synonym for morality (Frankena, 1980, p. 3). According to Frankena, conceptual thinking and analysis seek to clarify moral concepts like virtue to elucidate the logic of moral reasoning (1980, p.4). Morality has been referred to as an action guide or standard of conduct. What Makes Us Moral? Authored by Levy (2004) described ââ¬Å"morality as a system of prescriptions that are held to be conditionally binding upon all rational agentsâ⬠(p. 41). Most often morality is deemed as a type of character formation which determines how people should act and shape their lives (Frankena, 1980, p19). Essentially morality has been linked synonymously with moral judgment. Hollinger referred to moral judgment as a behavior in which people have a sense of oughtness and obligation (2002, p. 13). Moral judgment involves those decisions in particular situations where one choice may be better or worse than another. According to Cothran (2006), determining what is moral or immoral comes from either the understanding of new information or the application of information (p. 34). It is out of a sense of obligation, and knowing right from wrong that has caused people to debate the morality of an issue. Halberstam (1993) proposed that there are three basic confusions about moral judgment (p. 146). First, morality is not a matter of taste. Second, moral judgments are not social judgments. Lastly, being moral does not equate to acting legally. How people choose to deal with issues tells the world who they are. How do you make a moral decision? You can flip a coin. You can roll dice. Usually people go with their gut instincts. Moral reflection is essentially self actualization which compels people to analyze their decisions. Typically people debate about social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and everyday personal concerns. These issues are moral judgments not a matter of taste or preference. Americans have enacted laws based on moral concerns not matters of taste. Moral issues are routinely taken to Congress in order to enact laws concerning American citizens. Halberstam (1993) stated, ââ¬Å"If moral views were arbitrary inclinations, we wouldnââ¬â¢t bother trying to get others to see our wayâ⬠(p. 147). Many people confuse moral judgments with social judgments. Halberstam (1993) researched Southeast Asians cuisine and found many Asians consider monkey brains to be a delicacy (p. 148). Asians frequently dine on monkey brains, which most Americans would find repulsive. However, consumption of monkey brains is no more a moral repulsion than consumption of fried chickens. The issue of whether or not to dine on monkey brains would usually be considered a social judgment not a moral judgment (Halberstam, 1993, p. 148). However, if a particular culture worshiped monkeys then the issue could be considered a moral judgment. Moral judgments, unlike matters of taste are supported by reason (Halberstam, 2003, p. 147). People are allowed to prefer a certain food over another, the same as they are allowed to prefer wearing clothes made by a particular designer over another. An example of moral judgment would be presented if a designer employed children in sweatshops to make his or her clothes. The buyer would then have the burden of deciding whether it is morally correct to continue to purchase the designerââ¬â¢s clothing. The buyerââ¬â¢s decision would be based on his or her moral beliefs. Moral beliefs are inner beliefs that ultimately guide outward actions. Morality isnââ¬â¢t a matter of personal taste or social standards. It really isnââ¬â¢t a matter of the law, either. Morality and the law are often connected. Fried (1978) pointed out in Right and Wrong, ââ¬Å"Rights are to be used, and there are moral judgments to be made, judgments of the good and bad, better and worse, regarding the enjoyment of these rightsâ⬠(p. 171). For example some comedians tell sexist and ethnic jokes. Legally the comedian has a right to free speech, however those jokes may be considered morally offensive. In most societies people want the law to reflect morality, but there is a fine line between the two. Lying is morally wrong, but unless you lie on a witness stand itââ¬â¢s not illegal (Halbestam, 2003, p. 151). Therefore most people haven chosen not to make being a liar an illegal act; only to question the morality and character of people that lie. Cohen (2002) stated, ââ¬Å"Most of the worldââ¬â¢s misery can be traced back to a lack of virtueâ⬠(p. 21). The main virtues that support business transactions are: integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and moral leadership (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2008, p. 157). Lack of any of the previously mentioned virtues can severely hinder and harm a business. According to Lewis (1991) in A Question of Vales: Six Ways We Make The Personal Choices That Shape Our Lives, virtuosity has been closely linked to emotion, ââ¬Å"Although we do not usually associate feeling with thinking or judging we actually judge through our emotions all the timeâ⬠(p. 10). Being honest and truthful has been found to be the most emotionally challenged and judged virtue. Integrity incorporates a broad range of ethical characteristics. Plante (2004) defined integrity as ââ¬Å"following high standards of honesty, justice, and fairness; having completeness or wholenessâ⬠(p. 40). You could say that to maintain integrity is to avoid situations that violate your sense of completeness or wholeness. Hereââ¬â¢s an example to illustrate the principle of integrity. You are a lawyer with a firm and you are propositioned by a client to do legal work outside of the firm. You feel this opportunity may help you advance in your career. Also the likelihood of anyone finding out about this business transaction is unlikely. If you were a person of integrity what would you do? I you value the virtue of integrity you would likely decline the offer, due to your loyalty and commitment to the firm. Individuals that value integrity usually value honesty as well. On the other hand individuals that have not fully developed their sense of virtue emotionally agonize between being truthful and being dishonest. Grenz Smith (2003) defined honesty as ââ¬Å"being devoted to the truth and truthfulness: (p. 53). As a virtue honesty gives rise both to pursing the truth and being truthful (Grenz Smith, 2003, p.54). Even in difficult situations a truly virtuous person will always be honest. Trust is a virtue defined as a ââ¬Å"predisposition to place confidence in the behavior of others while taking the risk that the expected behavior will not be performed ââ¬Å"(Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2008, p. 158). Businesses that posse the virtue of trust eliminate the need for excessive monitoring and precise contracts and agreements (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2008, p. 158). Businesses that have complete trust convey reliability and integrity to their consumers and counterparts. Fairness is a virtue that focuses on the disposition to deal equitably with the perceived injustices of others (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2008, p. 158). According to Grenz Smith (2003) fairness is a principle of justice that asserts that all persons in a particular group ought contribute to and share in the benefits that accrue to the group in a manner that is equitable when measured according to an assumed or agreed standard. Fairness often relates to doing the right thing in any given situation. In sales and marketing environments associates often have collective team and individual objectives or sales goals to meet monthly. In order to make the sales objectives fair, upper management assess multiple components, such as the number of sales associates on a team and the amount of sales experience of each individual. It would be unfair for an associate with one month of experience to have the same goals as an associate with one year of service. It would also be unfair for a team of 6 members to have the same sales goals as a team with 10 members. The team would be at a disadvantage either by lack of experience or the number of sales agents. Moral leadership is a virtue that encompasses strength of character, peace of mind heart, and happiness in life. Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell (2008) have found ââ¬Å"moral leadership to be a character trait of leaders who follow a consistent pattern of behavior based on virtuesâ⬠(p. 158). A person that posses moral leadership will always rely on their virtues to guide them. Such an individual will remain consistent in the method in which they conduct business. Virtues are often called character traits. Character is defined as the various dimensions of personality either natural or acquired that distinguish one individual from another (Grenz Smith, 2003, p. 18). As an ethical term character refers to the traits of an individual that may be deemed morally blameworthy or praiseworthy. Character traits are usually used in a positive sense to refer to the possession of virtues. Individuals that posses character traits are considered to be as morally upright. Gier (2006) found virtue ethics to be internal and self regulating, thereby sustaining character traits as internal and self-regulating measures of standards (no page). It is important to understand that moral character develops over a period of time. People are born with all kinds of natural tendencies. Some of the tendencies will be positive such as kindness and some of the tendencies will be negative such as jealousy (Athanassoulis, 2006, no page). Natural tendencies can be encouraged and discouraged by leadership such as parentââ¬â¢s teachers and peers. Character development is shaped and molded through a long gradual process of moral education and habitation (Athanassoulis, 2006, no page). Moral education and development are a major part of virtue ethics. Cline suggested in Virtue Ethics: Morality and Character, that a person ask themselves four key questions: What sort of person do I want to be?; What virtues are characteristics of the person I want to be? ; What actions will cultivate the virtues I want to possess? : What actions will be characteristics of the sort of person I want to be? (n. d. , no page). Virtuous actions stem from some particular motivation, which implies correct moral decisions require correct moral motives. Greene (1994) pointed out Benjamin Franklinââ¬â¢s stance on the virtue of resolve in Benââ¬â¢s Book of Virtues which stated, resolutions were meant to be kept and held sacred by resolving to do what you ought (p. 8). In other words, do without fail what you resolve to do (Greene, 1994, p. 8). Resolutions are usually inner promises people make to themselves to do or follow certain plans of action. Following through with resolutions builds trust and respect in the business world. Companies that fail to honor their resolutions become weak and undesirable to their colleagues and stakeholders. There can be a different set of virtues for almost every aspect of life, such as marriage, religion, and business. For example, with regards to marriage the virtues are trust, respect, love and fidelity. Many Christianââ¬â¢s hold their religious virtues as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and above all love (Col 3:12). Most businesses set of virtues are trust, self-control, empathy, fairness, truthfulness, learning, gratitude, civility, and moral leadership (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2008, p. 158). Virtue ethics is a moral philosophy that has been proven to focus on oneââ¬â¢s internal disposition of values and beliefs. According to Aristotle, virtues are developed through moral education which instills positive character traits by repetitive practicing of virtuous habits. Virtuous people posses balance and harmony between their virtues and vices. In conclusion virtue ethics is a dynamic theory of how to conduct business activities and ultimately life activities. Reference List Aristotle. c. 350 B. C. (1985). Nicomachean Ethics. Trans by Terence Irwin. Indianapolis. IN: Hackett. Athanassoulis, Nafsika. (2006). Virtue ethics. In The Internet Encyclopedia ofPhilosophy online. Retrieved July 26, 2008 from http://www. utm. edu/research/iep/v/virtue. htm Blackburn, Simon. (2001). Being good: A short introduction to ethics. New York, NewYork: Oxford University Press Inc. Cline, Austin. (n. d. ). Virtue ethics: Morality and character. Retrieved June 30, 2008,from http://atheism. about. com/od/ethicalsystems/a/virtueethics. htm Cohen, Randy. (2002). The good the bad the difference: How to tell right fromwrongin everyday situations. New York, NY: Doubleday. Cothran, Helen. (Eds) (2006). Ethics: Opposing viewpoints. Farmington Hills, MI:Greenhaven Press. Engel, Dawn. (2000). Virtues and vices. Retrieved July 26, 2008 fromhttp://www. philosophypages. com/hy/2s. htm Frankena, William. (1980). Thinking about morality. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press. Ferrell, O. C. , Fraedrich, John, Ferrell, Linda. (2008). Individual factors: moralphilosophies and values. In, Business ethics: Ethical decision making and cases(7th ed. ). (P. 156-158) Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Fried, Charles. (1978). Right and wrong. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Gier, Nicholas f. (2006). Virtue ethics and character consequentialism. Retrieved fromhttp://www. class. uidaho. edu/ngier/introVE. htm Greene, Karen. (Eds) (1994). Benââ¬â¢s book of virtues: Ben Franklinââ¬â¢s simple weekly planfor success and happiness. New Hope, PA: New Hope Press. Grenz, Stanley J. Smith, Jay T. (2003). Pocket dictionary of ethics: Over 300 terms ideas clearly defined. Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press. Halberstam, Joshua. (1993). Everyday ethics: Inspired solutions real -life dilemmas. New York, NY: Penguin Group. Hollinger, Dennis P. (2002) Choosing the good. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. Kemerling, Garth. Aristotle: Ethics and the virtues. (1997). Retrieved July 28, 2008 from http://www. philosophypages. com/hy/2s. htm Landauer, Jeff Rowlands, Joseph. (2001). Virtue. Retrieved June 30, 2008 fromhttp://wwww. importanceofphilosophy. com/Ethics_Virtue.html Levy, Neil. (2004). What makes us moral? Crossing the boundaries of biology. Oxford,England: Oneworld Publications Lewis, Hunter. (1991). A question of values: Six ways we make the personal choicesthat shape our lives. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. Plante, Thomas G. PH. D. , ABPP. (2004). Do the right thing: Living ethically in anunethical world. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications Inc. Velasquez, Manuel Andre, Claire Shanks, Thomas Meyer, Michael. (1988). Ethics and virtue. Retrieved fromhttp://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/ethicsandvirtue. html.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Amistad Essays -- essays research papers
Amistad I have watched the ââ¬Å"Amistadâ⬠directed by Steven Spielberg, written by David Franzoni, presented by Morgan Freeman, Nigel Hawthorne, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, Mathew McConaughey, David Paymer, Pete Postlethwaite, and Stellan Skarsgard. It was rented from Hollywood Video to complete the assignment. ââ¬Å"Who we are, is who we wereâ⬠, states attorney Baldwin, the persuading point reaching into the hearts of the jurors. Telling a story about the intriguing life and life lost of the Mende people. Their ending up in America and the tragedy and violent cruel torture they endured not only on ââ¬ËLa Amistadâ⬠, but also the treatment they received here in America. Who were these people? Why was it such an issue on whose ââ¬Å"propertyâ⬠they were? The time was around 1854, and the progression toward the Civil War had begun. Stephen Spielbergââ¬â¢s film ââ¬Å"Amistadâ⬠is an illustrative tale of history inevitable course. On the surface, Spielberg relates the journey of Cinqueââ¬â¢s and his people to the America. In a larger sense, however, he contrasts a story of passage to America with its simple values and way of life to the arrival of an even more savage life and ideas of the civilization from Africa, a story of greater historical significance. The characters are not extensively developed; instead, they are simply presented, even understated at a point. Spielbergââ¬â¢s intent is to draw vivid characterizations and to create objects and characters as symbols with larger meanings. Power and autho...
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Inclusive Instructional Strategies & Accommodations Essay
Diana Pastora Carson is a special education teacher and founder of Ability Awareness in Action organization. She always had an interest in changing the lives of disabled people from pitiful life and exclusion to inclusion and life full of dignity and hope. The concern in Dianaââ¬â¢s nature came from presence of a brother who was preserved from others as a disabled and dependent human being. Dianaââ¬â¢s Brother, Joaquin, was diagnosed with Autism at an early age. While he was in school, he had been placed in an exclusive classroom for students with significant mental retardation. He was twice placed in a state institute due to misunderstanding of his character and his attempts to communicate with his services. Currently, Joaquin resides in a state institute, where he is ill, emotionally and physically, from being locked up in a building away from his friends and family. He expressed his feelings about living in such environment to his sister in a painful way as he once said: ââ¬Å"Diana, people are so boring hereâ⬠. His family has been trying to get him out of there as soon as possible. They have also taken his case to the court and are waiting for the final decision to be made. They want to get Joaquin out of there and bring him in a home of his own with people who love him instead of staying in that institute any longer. The training, titled ââ¬ËInclusive Instructional Strategies and Accommodationsââ¬â¢, is about including all children, whether they have a disability or not, in general education classrooms specifically, and in the community, generally. Everybody deserves to belong to and live in their communities. A teacher has an enormous role in making all students belong to that classroom through her knowledge about each and every student of his/hers, and through recognizing uniqueness in each one of them. This should make the teacher create a supportive environment that meets each studentââ¬â¢s needs, and an atmosphere that promotes acceptance of differences and diversity, learning, hope, and collaboration. Moreover, the teacher is responsible for building a curriculum that meets each studentââ¬â¢s level and accommodates tests and homework. A great teacher would avoid labels that discriminate individuals with disabilities to avoid lower expectations. Those labels may help professionals recognize what disabilities the students have, in order to provide them with services that meet their needs. However, people within the same label or disabilities may vary; therefore, we cannot always judge someone based on the labels. Moreover, it is very unprofessional to address someone by his/her disabilities as no one likes to be looked at for something that they did not choose for his/her self and it may affect his/her self-confidence. Studentsââ¬â¢ dignity must be preserved by the teacher and whoever is around, for instance, peers, and family. Professionals working with disabled people should advocate the community about appreciation of diversity and encourage students to speak out their thoughts, make choices, and blend in the society. Most importantly, the teachers should listen to students attentively; look at their body language, written expressions, and vocalization for effective communication. During the training, many strategies and activities to develop a classroom community were shared by Diana, such as setting roles for the classroom, encouraging reading books that promote diversity and discussions, and different cooperative games. Diana also explained how a customized lesson should be designed as a teacher must know her/his students in order to alter lessons based on each studentââ¬â¢s needs. Teachers should also know how to model, guide, and measure studentsââ¬â¢ independent achievements through knowledge of studentsââ¬â¢ strengths and limitations. Diana enlightened the importance of giving studentsââ¬â¢ time to process new information, retrieve old information, and speak out their answers. It is very important to break the lesson into smaller parts along with asking questions in between to check studentsââ¬â¢ comprehension and to encourage discussions about the lesson. It is very essential to bring movement and interaction into the curriculum, serve the different types of intelligences and most importantly honor every student for who he/she is and be aware of the impact teaching will have on his/her future life. Furthermore, visual aids can assist students in organizing their thoughts, memorizing them, and make learning more enjoyable and personal to them. Finally, commitment to learning, inclusion of all children, and building a quality future for each child is a must step for developing a loving community where everyone belongs. By having a brother with a disability, whose community isolated him from others by not providing him with education programs that serves his needs, making public places inaccessible for him, and not advocating the public about disabilities, Diana has learned to honor diversity and anyone who is working towards treating people with disabilities with dignity and respect. It has encouraged her to change the lives of those who are different from normal people, whether with a disability or not. It has motivated her to include all of them in a classroom that promotes collaboration, understanding, and hope. Furthermore, it has opened her eyes to the importance of advocating the society about disabilities and their inclusion, to change the image and future of the disabled in the community.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
My perception on Knowledge, Belief and Evidence
If I am asked, ââ¬Å"What besides the true belief do you need in order to have knowledge?â⬠I would answer that in order to have knowledge I need good reasons besides true belief. Those reasons should be able to provide enough evidences that would put the belief beyond any reasonable doubt and should be aligned to the capacity of my senses. Thus, in my idea, I can have knowledge only when it becomes a ââ¬Ëproperly grounded, true belief'. When a question like ââ¬Å"When do you have good reason for doubting that a proposition is true?â⬠arises, I would answer that I could have good reason for doubting a proposition to be true, when I would have justifiable evidence challenging that proposition, to the extent of providing good reasons for not believing the proposition in question. In my view, a proposition should not have any equally potent counterpoints (i.e., credible and aligned to my senses) towards establishing its truth. And if some asks me, ââ¬Å"Is faith a source of knowledge?â⬠My answer will be, ââ¬Å"No, Faith is not a source of knowledge to me. It is a choice of belief without any reasoning supported by evidence. It cannot be the source of knowledge, because I cannot make something true by believing it to be true. At best, Faith is something that I can induce onto someone under the parameters of human behavior to get a desired result ââ¬â which, again, is dependent on belief backed by reasoning enriched with evidence.â⬠Ends
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Arent Animals Victims Too Professor Ramos Blog
Arent Animals Victims Too Arenââ¬â¢t Animals Victims Too? à à à à à à à à à à à When you hear the word victim who do you automatically think of? These days normally some of the first things that come to mind are the children and teachers in the latest school shooting or the woman in the film industry that finally came forward about the sexual abuse she endured a few years back. But do you ever think about animals as victims? Animals have become the forgotten victims of todayââ¬â¢s society. What have they done to deserve this? The answer is absolutely nothing. It is impossible to have exact numbers of how many animal abuse cases there are because there are so many different fields of animal cruelty such as hoarding, bestiality, starvation, kicking, striking, etc. Animal abuse is generally defined as intentional behavior that causes pain, suffering or death of an animal (Ascione Shapiro, 570); bestiality and negligence are usually included. When animal cruelty is brought to public attention, people search for the best options to deal with such events. Tips on recognition of animal cruelty can be easily found with a quick online search. Additionally, legislation criminalizing this behavior already exists on a state by state basis, but these do nothing to prevent the problem. Early detection and treatment for those who are inclined toward these actions of animal abuse should be the first step. Since late 19th century every state has added to its own anti-cruelty statute. Most states rely on the same concept of animal cruelty in current legislation, more commonly human actions that inflict pain or suffering on any non-human animal. Each stateââ¬â¢s anti-cruelty law has different definitions of ââ¬Å"animalâ⬠adopted in their laws. For example, Californiaââ¬â¢s anti- cruelty law states that its requirements apply to ââ¬Å"any mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian or fishâ⬠(California Penal Code 2014). As a result, any violation of this law allows for a misdemeanor or felony charge with or without a fine up to $20,000. More than 50% of state statues also include in anti-cruelty legislation a requirement for counseling as part of sentencing; the convicted party is responsible for the costs of such therapies. While legislation is vital and necessary for the criminalizing of animal abuse, laws do nothing to prevent this behavior. Only recently has there been scientific study of animal abuse by people, beginning in the 1970s. The psychiatric community has been researching animal cruelty as a predictor of future human aggression and impersonal violence. Since that time studies have been conducted suggesting that childhood animal cruelty predicts future interpersonal violence (Holoyda and Newman 134). In 2000, animal abuse became a sign of conduct disorder according to the American Psychiatric Association. This information then led to studies in youths as a subtype of conduct disorder. Behavior of those with conduct disorder also often includes setting fires, bullying, and forced sex (Ascione and Shapiro 573). Conduct disorder is defined as children or adolescents that have a range of antisocial behavior. It has been shown that children diagnosed with conduct disorder often have a history of abuse. à Physically and sexually abused children are more likely to become abusers of animals themselves (Boat et al. 813). Children known to have conduct disorder are twice as likely to have been sexually abused themselves; this relationship is consistent and documented (Boat et al. 817). Children with conduct disorders are not the only individuals that show abusive behaviors. Conduct disorder is recognized as a prerequisite for the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) in adults; Gleyzer et al discuss a significant relationship in the article Animal Cruelty and Psychiatric Disorders (260).à Reef et al also discuss conduct disorders, noting that conduct problems are predictive of future disruptive disorders for up to 24 years (1121). Predictive behaviors linked to animal cruelty and a pattern of events that can lead to conduct disorders make recognition of high risk individuals easily accomplished. If the potential for animal cruelty is identified, there are services already available that could serve as a framework for prevention strategies. Programs currently available are designed to work with at risk youth that vary in intensity and duration. Examples of these programs include: Forget-Me-not farm provides an after school program specifically for at risk children and families in violent communities, were participants are taught the responsible care of animals (Ascione and Shapiro 580). PAL (People and Animals Learning) is a day camp for at risk youth that allows youth to gain life experience while working in animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers (Ascione and Shapiro 580). Project Second Chance teaches compassion, gentleness and accountability by pairing adolescents with shelter dogs, while also fostering healthy social interaction. An increase in higher adoption rates was also seen (Ascione and Shapiro 580). Anicare and Anicare Child are outpatient programs aimed at families already identified with having a history of animal abuse. These families do not include those who have already been diagnosed with major psychotic disorders and offer cognitive and behavioral therapies; children are better able to empathize with animals and create health attachments (Ascione and Shapiro 582). Green Chimneys is a live in program for disturbed children that include those who abuse animals. Children live at a working farm for a period of time; individual and group therapies are offered in addition to other activities (Ascione and Shapiro 582). Many of these types of programs are products of networks established with various human service, criminal justice, educational, and humane societies and shelters (Ascione and Shapiro 580).à Even with programs like these, and with the availability of mental healthcare, only approximately 50% of children and adolescents with mental disorders will get treatment.à Although conduct disorders represent only 2.1 percent of disorders overall, this shows a significant lack of treatment that could serve as prevention toward animal cruelty as a whole. To break the cycle of animal directed violence and impact the prevention of animal cruelty it is important to address the complex nature of abusive home environments where cruelty to animals is occurring. These events are often predicated by various types of abuse in future offenders, and recognition of abuse in children and of other key behaviors by these children is vital to prevent future animal cruelty. While society is primed act on behalf of abused animals with legalistic activity, very little has been accomplished to truly address the problem. Ascione, Frank R. and Kenneth Shapiro. People and Animals, Kindness and Cruelty: Research Directions and Policy Implications.à Journal of Social Issues, vol. 65, no. 3, Sept. 2009, pp. 569-587. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.2009.01614.x. This article ââ¬Å"People and Animals, Kindness and Cruelty: Research Directions and Policy Implicationsâ⬠gives many examples in ways to prevent childhood conduct disorders and as a symptom of that animal cruelty. Examples include education, at-risk populations, and intervention and treatment; terms and definitions are provided. This article provides the framework for my purposed solution/prevention of animal cruelty.à This is a scholarly published literature review that provides expert conclusions. Boat, Barbara W., et al. Childhood Cruelty to Animals: Psychiatric and Demographic Correlates.à Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment Trauma, vol. 20, no. 7, Oct. 2011, pp. 812-819. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/10926771.2011.610773. This article, ââ¬Å"Childhood Cruelty to Animals: Psychiatric and Demographic Correlates.â⬠focuses on the data that supports the correlation between animal cruelty and mental illness in children. The article finds that children who perpetrate cruelty to animals are at risk for further conduct- disordered behavior. I am using the data and paraphrasing some of the conclusions to support my argument. This source is credible because it is a retrospective study that is published in a scholarly journal. Gleyzer, Roman M.D., et al. Animal Cruelty and Psychiatric Disorders.à Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry the Law, vol. 30, no. 2, 2002, pp. 257-265. EBSCOhost,à 0-search.ebscohost.com.catalog.llu.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=sihAN=SM195963site=ehost-livescope=site. ââ¬Å"Animal Cruelty and Psychiatric Disordersâ⬠is a retrospective study that examines psychiatric disorders and animal cruelty. Animal cruelty is one of several antisocial behaviors related to conduct disorders in childhood. I am using this article to support the argument that correlates animal cruelty and psychiatric disorders.à This source is credible because it is a retrospective study that is published in a scholarly journal. Holoyda, Brian J. and William J. Newman. Childhood Animal Cruelty, Bestiality, and the Link to Adult Interpersonal Violence.à International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, vol. 47, Jul-Aug, 2016, pp. 129-135. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.02.017. Review of this article provided information about the history of animal protection laws, current California law and the link to psychiatric interest into animal cruelty. Holoyda and Newman draw a link between childhood animal cruelty and future violence. I am using this article to support the need for prevention of childhood animal cruelty. This is a scholarly published article written by professors of psychiatry at UC Davis School of Medicine and Saint Louis University School of Medicine Merikangas, Kathleen Ries. ââ¬Å"Prevelence and Treatment of Mental Disorders Among Us Children in the 2001-2004 NHANES.â⬠Pediatrics,vol.125,no.1, 2010, pp. 75-81. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1542/peds.2008-2598. This cross sectional survey shows how many children got treatments for specific mental disorders. This is the first step in creating a national database for mental health in children and teenagers. I used it to show that children with conduct disorders are not getting the treatment that they need. This source is credible because it is a cross sectional survey conducted by mental health professionals, published in a scholarly journal, and referenced in the National Institute of Health. Reef, Joni, et al. Childrens Problems Predict Adults DSM-IV Disorders across 24 Years.à Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 49, no. 11, 01 Nov. 2010, pp. 1117-1124. EBSCOhost,à 0-search.ebscohost.com.catalog.llu.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=ericAN=EJ944512site=ehost-livescope=site. Mood disorders are predicted by conduct problems in children. The same children are at high risk for DSM-IV diagnoses as adults. Disruptive disorders are predicted for up to 24 years. This will support my idea that identifying and treating conduct problems in children will help alleviate the issue of animal cruelty. This article was a research study by experts in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Best Of The Best Top Advice From 10 Marketing Experts
Best Of The Best Top Advice From 10 Marketing Experts Our favorite thing about hosting the Actionable Marketing Podcast is picking the brains of marketing heroes. So, weââ¬â¢re absolutely blown away by the amazing marketers weââ¬â¢ve gotten to learn from over the past two years. To our listeners, youââ¬â¢re the reason we do this. Itââ¬â¢s all about bringing the best of the best to you. To celebrate the 100th episode of AMP, here are some of our favorite guests, takeaways, and thoughts from more than 60 hours of marketing gold! Some of the highlights of the show include: Janna Maron: No more frustration by banking content and scheduling it to auto publish; publish less, but at higher quality Michael Brenner: The most compelling way to guide everything you do as a marketer whatââ¬â¢s in it for the customer, colleague, and company? Brian Clark: His biggest marketing mistake was the curse of knowledge a cognitive bias where you assume the audience knows certain things you know Noah Kagan: Helped Mint scale to its first 100,000 users in less than a year; whatââ¬â¢s your goal and timeline? Andrea Fryrear: Marketers are asked to do new projects all the time, but prioritize and simplify backlog of projects to be successful; plan your work, work your plan Joanna Wiebe: Describes how to go deeper than Calls To Action and into Calls To Value; clearly articulate the ultra-specific value on the other side of a click Tim Soulo: You should write 2,000+ word articles to rank in search engines, but people donââ¬â¢t want to read they want answers to questions to solve problems Nir Eyal: Psychology of habit formation and how marketers can capitalize on it; every product you use is to modulate your mood and alleviate pain Jeff Goins: Four qualities in best-performing posts piece is well written, contains a compelling promise, keeps that promise, and wows reader with value Rand Fishkin: Remarkable customer research determines TRUE influencer status and who to partner with for co-promotion; share what audience values If you enjoy AMP, write a review on iTunes and send a screenshot of it to be entered into a drawing to win the 100th episode giveaway, which includes a $100 swag package, bundle of three marketing books, and $50 Amazon gift card! If you liked todayââ¬â¢s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Links: How To Create A Bank Of Content (And Plan Ahead) With Janna Maron From Smart Passive Income 3 Questions To Guide Your Marketing Program With Michael Brenner From Marketing Insider Group Copybloggerââ¬â¢s Best Advice On How To Scale To 8 Figures With Brian Clark From Copyblogger How To Grow From 0 to 1 Million Customers With Noah Kagan From SumoMe and OkDork How To Use Agile Project Management To Organize Your Marketing With Andrea Fryrear From AgileSherpas How To Use Conversion Psychology To Get Better Results With Joanna Wiebe From Copyhackers How To Get Your Content To Rank #1 On Google With Tim Soulo Of Ahrefs How To Use The Psychology Of Habit Formation To Be A Better Marketer With Best-Selling Author Nir Eyal How To Use A Scorecard To Create More Effective Content With Jeff Goins From Goins, Writer How To Do Remarkable Customer Research With Rand Fishkin From SparkToro Quotes: ââ¬Å"Imagine no more frustration. No more fire drills. And tons of opportunity to plan ahead and shift future projects around easily.â⬠Janna Maron ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s in it for the customer, the colleague, and the company can really get you to a point where youââ¬â¢re going to end up not doing things that donââ¬â¢t work and serve your customers.â⬠Michael Brenner ââ¬Å"You have to find a way to stand out. Theres more than just the amount of value in the content. Theres your voice, the way you connect with the audience, all of that is important.â⬠Brian Clark ââ¬Å"Really limiting our work and focusing in is the only way weââ¬â¢re gonna get to the point of doing really good, high-quality work thatââ¬â¢s focused on the audience.â⬠Andrea Fryrear ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s not about length itââ¬â¢s about delivering the value and persuading the people that you can solve their problem in as less words as possible.â⬠Tim Soulo
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