Arthur Schopenhauer Essay

Arthur Schopenhauer is a German philosopher who was born on February 22nd, 1788 and died on September 21st, 1860. He was born in the city of Danzig but later moved to the city of Hamburg where he became interested in studying metaphysics, ethics and psychology. Schopenhauer is known as the philosopher of Pessimism because he created a theory that challenged the value of existence. Schopenhauer’s main focus was on individual motivation ‘the will’ and how human desires cause pain and suffering. He wrote a book on the will called The World as Will and Representation. This book was a collaboration of Kant’s idea of idealism with his own theory on that the will is the thing-in-itself. Schopenhauer was greatly influenced by thinkers like Kant and Plato. He as well influenced thinkers like Sigmund Freud, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Friedrich Nietzsche. Summary of Ideas: The ‘Will†: Schopenhauer believed that humans were only motivated by their basic desires. He believed that human desires only cause suffering and pain. As well he believed that human desires are illogical and directionless. He believed that the will controls all aspects of human life. Schopenhauer’s ideas on the will are similar to the ideas of Buddhism and the four noble truths. He believed that free will exists but humans are not able to achieve it because everything is determined by how the body reacts to a situation. He stated that â€Å"Man can indeed do what he wants, but he cannot will what he wants. †(On the Freedom of the Will) Ethics: The basics of Schopenhauer ethics is about compassion. He believes compassion can’t be taught but only learned by experience. Compassion is the knowledge of seeing someone suffer equally to a suffering they have faced in their life and being able to relate and have sympathy for them. Schopenhauer distinguishes a good person not from the nature of their actions but the level of compassion they have for them. He believes that the difference between a good person and a normal person is distinguished by when seeing someone suffer the good person will sacrifice his own well-being for the other person. Therefore he takes on all their troubles. Schopenhauer believes this is the highest degree in ethical conduct. Pessimism: Schopenhauer believes since the will has no purpose or goal that the will can never achieve satisfaction. He believes the main goal of existence is to gain satisfaction but trying to achieve it is unsustainable because it leads to frustration. For that reason he says existence of human beings can only be characterized by suffering. He believes this theory is for all animals and since humans have a higher intellectual capacity that they will suffer more in life than any other animal. He as well stated that even using reasoning will not change the amount of suffering the person experiences because reason only increases the suffering. Schopenhauer concludes that nonexistence is and should be more preferable then existence. He believes people should realize that to exist is to suffer and the goal in life for people should be to try and resist one’s desires. Application: Animal Welfare: Schopenhauer believed humans and animals are essentially equal and the same. He believed that everything is basically will and that humans and animals are the same because they can recognize characteristics and emotion in each other. Schopenhauer stated â€Å"Unlike the intellect, it [the Will] does not depend on the perfection of the organism, but is essentially the same in all animals as that which is known to us so intimately. Accordingly, the animal has all the emotions of humans, such as joy, grief, fear, anger, love, hatred, strong desire, envy, and so on. The great difference between human and animal rests solely on the intellect’s degrees of perfection. † (On the Will in Nature, Physiology and Pathology) He believed that a good person will have compassion for animals when they are hurt because they are fellow sufferers. People who are cruel to animals are not good people because they do not have compassion.

Irony a Common Theme

Although they have very different plots with vastly different different characters, a common theme is cleverly intertwined by the authors of the following stories. â€Å"The Interlopers,† by Saki narrates a duel between two neighbors, torn apart by their forefather's grudge. â€Å"Gimpel the Fool,† by Isaac Bashevis Singer, is told by a man thought of as a fool, and forgives all those who mistreat and abuse him. The play â€Å"Pygmalion,† by Bernard Shaw shows the story of a normal flower girl becoming an upper class lady, and all the woes that come with it. The Interlopers,† â€Å"Gimpel the Fool,† and â€Å"Pygmalion† all share the common theme of irony. Even in such different contexts, irony is seen in these tales. â€Å"The Interlopers† has an ironic ending that shocks the reader. Saki starts the short story with Ulrich von Gradwitz seeking his nemisis, Georg Znaeym in a vast forest he calls his own. The reason for such hate would b e many generations before dispute over land and game, which was still existed. When they both face each other, they are both prepared to kill one another, until a tree falls on them. After endless bickering under the tree, Gradwitz tells Znaeym, â€Å"Neighbor, if you will help me to bury the old quarrel I- I will ask you to be my friend,† (4) who then agrees. After this, â€Å"The Interlopers† abruptly ends with the two men ironically being eaten alive by a pack of wolves. In â€Å"Gimpel the Fool,† the main character, Gimpel, is treated as a fool all his life in a village, and doesn't let it bother him, which further convinces the townspeople of his ignorance. This is ironic since Gimpel is actually the smartest of the bunch by thinking to himself, â€Å"let it pass† (1) even though he is labeled throughout the story as a fool. Till the end, the village makes a fool out of Gimpel, through forcing him to marry an outwardly unfaithful woman to acting to his face as if they don't know that all children born from her have different fathers. Finally, after his wife's death, Gimpel leaves his sad little hometown. He then travels around the world, telling tales to many audiences, and enjoying pleasureful company. Indeed, Gimpel was not a fool. In â€Å"Pygmalion,† a phonetics professor, Mr. Higgins, takes the responsibility of training a lower class flower girl, to becoming an upper class woman, which has an ironic outcome due to the fact that her new lifestyle would seem be more comfortable, but in reality is not. Mr. Higgins is forced to teach Eliza the whole English language to her once again due to her own version containing words/sounds such as â€Å"Ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-ow-oo! † (1749) Eliza already being beautiful, it only takes washing up to look like a lady. Resulting from becoming a proper lady, ironically Eliza has to sell herself in order to find a husband, while when she was a flower girl she just had to sell flowers. Keeping up with the superficial world of appearances with everyone watching her every move proves to be too stressful, and Eliza eventually breaks. She then leaves Mr. Higgins to marry someone he considered a fool, Freddy, who was smitten with her. In all these stories,different types of irony is expressed. The Interlopers† has situational irony since the result of the truce of the two men did not result in their freedom, but contrary, their death. In â€Å"Gimpel the Fool,† there is verbal irony since Gimpel is purposely labeled as a fool by the author though the truth is the opposite. â€Å"Pygmalion† has dramatic irony since Eliza believes her life will be better as an upper class woman, though we know that will not be the case, as she herself also finds out the next day. Using irony not only adds twists to these stories, but also contributes to character development and increases suspense.

Psychosocial Paper

â€Å"Erikson whole heartedly held to the idea that development was not simply psychosexual but also psychosocial. The idea of this paper is to recognize my personal and present psychosocial stage of development. I will attempt to review the behaviors and influences on my relationships along with the negative and positive outcomes of my stage of psychosocial development. I will also discuss other developmental influences that have shaped my personality. Erikson had developed a chart of eight stages of psychosocial development. Each of these stages shows positive and negative outcomes for personality development.These eight stages are the following: Trust vs. Mistrust at 1 year old, autonomy vs. doubt/shame at 2-3 years old, Initiative vs. guilt at 4-5 years old, industry vs. inferiority at latency, identity vs. diffusion at adolescence, intimacy vs. isolation early- adulthood, and lastly, integrity vs. despair at later years. Current Psychosocial Stage of Development: In looking ove r Erikson’s psychosocial stage chart I have come to the conclusion that my current stage of development is Intimacy versus Isolation. Erikson states that this stage of development usually occurs in early adulthood.According to Erikson the positives of this stage of development are sharing with family, friends, coworkers and partners about all work, thoughts and feelings. The negatives include avoidance of intimacy and superficial relationships. (Cervone & Pervin, p 102 ) Influences on Behaviors: The influences on my behavior of this developmental stage are mixed at best. I am capable of sharing my thoughts, feelings and work with others, but I often choose to keep to myself. Often I am anti-social. I am a mixture of overly cautious and overly empathetic. I choose, at times, to share all or nothing of myself with others.I am careful with who I confide in but at the same time who I do confide in I share too much of myself. I am very controlling and don’t like to share my true feelings and emotions most of the time. I often feel fear that people will not understand or like me if they knew how I really felt and thought. Influences on Relationships: The fear of not being understood and feeling anti-social for the most part has kept me from having many friends. When I was younger I did not date a lot maybe because of this same thing. I don’t feel comfortable with expressing my most personal self with people in general.This relates to my childhood and the abuse I suffered through at the hands of my step brother. Also because of the sexual abuse that I was put through by my babysitter’s daughter caused a general mistrust of people. I often feel violated and threatened around men and women if I am not in total control and on my guard at all times. Negative and Positive Outcomes: A positive outcome of this stage is how it has given me much empathy; and that I am able to have intimate relationships with women, though not sexual in nature, I am more comfortable around them.I am able to share my thoughts and feelings with women and children, I am able to connect with them and listen to them. Negative outcomes are in that I am not able to maintain close relationship with other guys. I have isolated myself from all people except family and a few select friends that I have known for years. Erikson, in the case of Isolation versus Intimacy, should negative outcomes persist, states, â€Å"If these issues are not resolved during this time, the individual is, in later life, filled with a sense of despair: Life is too short, and it is too late to start all over again† (Cervone & Pervin, p 103).I disagree with this assumption. I believe that these issues can be resolved and addressed later in life. It truly depends on the individual. I am 30 years of age and have been dealing with these issues for most of my life, and will most likely continue to work on them. Other Developmental Influences: The most consistent and prevailin g influences on my personality development is the abuse I suffered as a child. Though the sixth stage is the most prevalent stage of my current development, I also fall into the second stage of Erikson’s theory which is the Autonomy versus shame and doubt stages.This brings about mostly negative outcomes such as shame and self-doubt. I also feel guilt over what I experienced as a child and guilt in not being able to protect my sister and brother. Though logically I know that there was nothing I could do to protect them as I was a child too, it does not negate the fact that my behaviors, relationships with my brother and sister and feelings are influenced by the guilt and shame. In conclusion just because we are of certain age it does not mean that we are in the Erkisonians stage of development. Mentally we might be behind and in some instances we might be ahead due to life experiences.Due to many past experiences the stages of my development have been altered and are not wher e I should be. Can we ever catch up to our appropriate stage of development? Maybe we can with the help of professionals and a lot of dedication. I have learned how to cope with everything and little by little I am where I want to be. My life is happy as of now, even though I carry all of these past experiences with me I only allow for these to only make me a stronger person and refuse to ever put anybody or allow for anybody to experience what I did.Lastly the intent of this paper was to show how Erikson’s stages of psychosocial personality development applied to me. A description of my current personal psychosocial stage of development was discussed. I also discussed the influences on behaviors, relationships as well as negative and positive outcomes of my stage of psychosocial development. Finally I discussed how Erikson’s second stage of psychosocial development influenced my personality.

The influence of Fast food on life-span in Japan Research Paper

The influence of Fast food on life-span in Japan - Research Paper Example The above issues are analyzed in current paper; effort has been made in order to present the various aspects of the relationship between the long life span of Japanese and their eating behavior especially regarding their trend to avoid fast food. At the next level, the potential use of the specific eating behavior on the life-span of other populations worldwide is evaluated, aiming to answer the following question: would the avoidance of fast food – as an eating behavior adopted by Japanese – could help people worldwide to increase their life span – as this trend has contributed in the long life-span of Japanese? In order to understand the potential relationship between the avoidance of fast food and the long life span as observed in Japan, it would be necessary to present the common effects of fast food of health – as highlighted in the literature focusing on the specific subject. Then the trends of Japanese regarding fast food will be identified and evaluated showing the potential relationship of the specific eating behavior and the long life span. In this way, it will be possible to understand the potential value of the avoidance of fast food for health, a practice that could be suggested to people with different social and cultural characteristics who are likely to eat fast food, especially as a result of their style of life. The term ‘fast food’ is used in order to indicate food of the following characteristics: ‘a) either the food which can be prepared and served quickly or b) the food designed for ready availability, use or consumption’ (Merriam Webster, 2011). Fast food has a series of advantages, which is the reason for the expansion of this type of food in countries worldwide; at a first level, the access to the particular type of food is easy – referring to the fact that the number of restaurants providing the specific type of food is extremely high. Moreover, the cost of fast food is low, a significant advantage of this type of food; in fact, the low cost of fast food – compared to other types of food – is one of its key reasons for its popularity among people of low income – who cannot afford other types of food. Another advantage of fast food is the limited time required for its preparation; as the term itself declares, fast food can be prep ared quite quickly helping consumers to save time for their various activities. Despite its advantages, fast food has been proved to have a series of negative effects. In fact, the research over the health problems related to fast food has proved that the specific type of food can have severe health implications, leading to various health problems either in the short or the long term (Health Food Guide 2011). The most usual negative effect of fast food is the obesity; other damages that the fast food causes on health are the following ones: ‘heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and even cancer’ (Health Food Guide 2011). Most commonly, the effects of fast food on health cannot be identified early; usually, it is after a severe problem of health, as a result of consuming fast food for a long period of time, that the dangers of the specific types of food are considered and evaluated. The specific issue can be identified in the article of Martindale (2011 ) where reference is made to the case of a ‘victim’ of fast food, a 56-year old woman who has suffered severe problems of health because of her eating practices – referring specifically to fast food. The particular woman has sued the most known fast food chains in her city – Wendy’s, McDonalds, Burger King and KFC – considering that the food served in these restaurants has been the cause for her health problems

The Hospital Rules and Regulations for Medical Staff Research Paper

The Hospital Rules and Regulations for Medical Staff - Research Paper Example One of the main points of significance of a dictated report is, this is the kind of communication used by doctors to medical transcriptionist in order for these transcriptionists to encode the patients last known medical assessment, treatment and health status into the hospital's database. This is vital to acute care inpatients because these records are their status reports, and can be used by other physicians if needed, in order to provide accurate and appropriate healthcare. According to medword.com in their â€Å"Physician Dictation Guide† article, dictation is not the easiest of things too. It is a skill that must be practiced in order to get it right. It also mentioned that because medical schools expect new doctors to learn dictation skills on their own, the results are not as good as they should be. Because of this, the article lists down some dos and don’t sin dictation, such as, being ready with any papers before recording and learning about the equipment used for recording. Summary of state of Florida standard, with respect to physician's dictated reports According to http://www.myflsunshine.com, in the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual chapter called â€Å"What are the statutory exemptions relating to hospital and medical records? â€Å" the paragraph called â€Å"Patient records† stated the following: Patient medical records made by health care practitioners may not be furnished to any person other than the patient, his or her legal representative or other health care practitioners and providers involved in the patient's care and treatment without written authorization except as provided by ss. 440.13(4)(c) and 456.057, F.S. Section 456.057(7)(a), F.S. This guideline states that all patient medical records are confidential. Medical records include physician reports both written and recorded. This means that in order for our facility to follow State guidelines and avoid due sanctions, none of our patient records may be accessed by other individuals unless there is written consent by the patient. This makes the protection, transcription, and documentation of patient medical records as one of our top priorities, especially the physician dictated reports, as in their state, they can easily be accessed.

Key Areas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Key Areas - Essay Example Town hall meetings are an effective strategy because they offer opportunities for the nurses to discuss a policy issue with a policy maker in the presence of community members (Stewart et al., 2009). These structured discussions offer the nurses and the policy maker to listen to the community and identify some of the concerns and ways of dealing with the issue. In addition, the nurses can inquire for follow up questions to clarify some of the responses (Mason et al., 2011). Additionally, when people are going for a town hall meeting, they are aware of the issue at hand and try to get more information to ask the host (Mason et al., 2011). In this regards, it acts as a way of helping people get more information within the society to learn about its effects, prevalence and ways on how to control it. However, town halls are not an effective strategy because the people may become â€Å"numb† to town halls especially if there have been numerous others that have not addressed their concerns (Stewart et al., 2009). Therefore, in order to make town halls effective, it would be imperative to address the concerns aired and adopt some of the solutions offered. Stewart, P. A., Salter, F. K., & Mehu, M. (2009). Taking leaders at face value: Ethology and the analysis of televised leader displays. Politics and the Life Sciences: The Journal of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences, 28(1),

How can tax cuts help revive the economy Explain Essay

How can tax cuts help revive the economy Explain - Essay Example Pertaining to the reduction of the gap and to take the economy out of the crisis, the package of fiscal stimulus was observed as an effective way-out for the economy. The planning of the government within the economy was not held effective enough in mitigating the problem of economic crisis. According to the plan of the US government, the amount of public spending consisted in the policy towards enhancing multiplier effect through discretionary fiscal policy was merely about 480 billion Dollars. This amount has a multiplier of about 1.5 which means government spending of each Dollar would increase the GDP of the economy by 1.5 Dollar (Shostak, 2009). With regard to the less reliance on the natural forces in the economy, successful management of the government is essential in line with the inducement of individuals’ spending within the economy. Tax cuts act as an economic booster during the times of recession when generally people decrease their level of spending in order to fi ght with the economic crisis. Tax cuts can be termed as an important aspect of the expansionary fiscal policy of the government and it helps to a greater extent in strengthening the aggregate demand within the economy and thus eliminate the slump resulted due to the economic crisis.

Flexible Working Practices and Their Place in Todays Organizations Essay

Flexible Working Practices and Their Place in Todays Organizations - Essay Example This is the reason why companies need to focus on increasing employees’ satisfaction with their jobs. Provision of flexible work environment to employees is one of the main steps a company takes to increase employee motivation and satisfaction levels (Brenner, Fairris & Ruser 2004). In this paper, we will discuss some of the key flexible work practices that can make jobs attractive for employees. The paper will include a discussion on the way human resources can be managed so that employees become more motivated and satisfied with their jobs. 2. Flexible Work Practices Flexible work practices mean different things for different organizations. Some organizations think of flexible work practices as a way to establish a good working relationship between partners, customers, and shareholders, whereas some companies take flexible work practices as the ways to improve employee performance. Generally speaking, flexibility in doing job is all about the way an employer and an employee make changes to when, how, and in which way he/she will work to meet business and individual needs in a proper manner. Flexible work practices help companies in reducing workplace conflicts and employee turnover problems. As Batt and Valcour (2003, p. 189) state, â€Å"the most effective organizational responses to work-family conflict and to turnover are those that combine work-family policies with other human resources practices, including work redesign and commitment-enhancing incentives†. Flexible work practices refer to that type of flexibility that serves both employees and companies in accommodating individual needs (Avery & Zabel 2001, p. 139). Flexible work practice enables businesses as well as individuals to meet their respective needs by making appropriate changes to location (where), time (when), and manner (how) in which employers and employees carry out their job activities. â€Å"Flexibility should be mutually beneficial to both the employer and employee and result in superior outcomes† (Workplace Flexibility 2011). There is a number of flexible work practices that managers can carry out to make employees satisfied with their jobs. Some of those practices include flexible working hours, part-time work, variable year and part-year employment, motivation through recognition, facilitating remote working, job sharing, phased retirement, and flexible job hours. Allowing employees to work in ways that can help them balance their personal and professional life requirements easily is good for employees, as well as for businesses (Stredwick & Ellis 2005, p. 1). Let us discuss some of the main flexible working practices in detail to know how they contribute to improved employee and organizational performances. 2.1 Flexible Working Hours One of the best flexible work practices is to allow flexible working hours to employees (Pil & Macduffie 1996). Managers can schedule the working hours of employees in such a way that employees can feel rela xed. For example, they can change the work timings of 8am - 4pm to 9am – 5pm. Similarly, they can alter the scheduling of work timings to facilitate employees in doing their personal works. For example, they can make employees work for 10 hours a day and then give a 2 hours relaxation for the next day. In this way, the total number of working hours for employees will be the same as in normal case.

RF Energy Harvesting - Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

RF Energy Harvesting - - Literature review Example Energy harvesting allows for recycling and harvesting of wasted ambient electromagnetic energy to cater for the energy requirements of devices suing wireless technology such as wireless personal area networks (WPANs), wireless local networks (WLANs) and Cellular networks. In RF energy harvesting, electrical power is transmitted from one location to another without the application of an artificial conductor. As such, there is a significant requirement for rectennas to be present in the circuit as they important in the harvesting of ambient RF power. The rectennas should be preconditioned for efficient energy harvesting by ensuring good performance at low incident power density, relative high rectification efficiency at wide bandwidth and arbitrary polarization. The advantage of harvesting energy using rectennas is in its ability to generate unlimited energy due to it unlimited lifetime without the need of replacement as in batteries. Furthermore, the energy generated is green and ther efore suitable or energy sustainability (Suh & Chang, 2002). The term rectenna refers to a rectifying antenna that serves to combine the functions of high efficient rectifier circuits and an antennae at microwave power transmission systems. Rectennas were developed with the aim of completing the wireless power transmission system. The purpose of the rectennas is to convert electromagnetic wave into DC power after being received. Rectennas can exists in the their simplest form where they consist of multiple receiving antennae elements that enter a low pass filter circuits that is usually terminated at certain rectifying diodes. In RF energy harvesting, a rectenna is used due to its desirable characteristics; the efficiency of energy harvesting resulting from conversion of microwave power to DC power can reach 85% and they can be designed to cater for different desirable frequencies capable of harvesting RF power that is easy to design and economical

Job Search process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Search process - Essay Example A curriculum vita offers a detailed portfolio that represents a wide-ranging achievements and competences of an individual. This enables an individual to provide an up to date account of his accomplishment, which explicitly portrays the areas that an individual is suited. This function allows the employer to evaluate and determine the salary of a particular person. A CV provides the pertinent ingredients that enable an individual to secure an interview slot. During the job searching process, the desire to get an interview appointment forms the inherent wishes in every individual. Curriculum vitae act as a tool that facilitates the process of securing a job as it forms part of the agreed rules in job searching process. A Curriculum vita depicts the educational background of an individual that employers gauge in order to determine a qualified workforce (Bunz, 2008). Employers use educational qualifications to classify the work force in various structures within a venture. The last function of a curriculum vita is that helps to augment the marketability of an individual. The portfolio indicates the skills an individual has acquired in history, the educational levels and competencies he or she has attained (Stevens, 1992). The amalgamation of these entire components represented in a concise and elaborate way act as a marketing tool that enables a person to secure a job. The three types of curriculum vitae includechronological, functional and combined curriculum vitae. Chronological curriculum vitae represent a history of experiences acquired in a reverse chronological order. The merits encompass its easier nature of preparation as it constitutes the recent account of experiences. This type provides an easy recount of job history of an employee that helps the employer to acquire the recent knowledge of an individual (Wise, 2013). Chronological curriculum vitae further ensure the marketability of a person as it reflects reputable organization a person

Skills and Characteristics of Mental Health Human Service Workers Essay Example for Free

Skills and Characteristics of Mental Health Human Service Workers Essay Skills and Characteristics of Mental Health Human Service Workers Human service workers are people who are chosen to work with people. Human service workers help clients become more self-sufficient. The workers are there to help what issues the client is currently experiencing to be handled with some ease. Human services workers evaluate and plan, put the plan into action, and provide emotional support (Moffat, 2011). These workers help in the mental health care because they allow the person to become a part of their treatment and believe that someone is on his or her side. Human service workers work in many capacities in the mental health care system and other agencies. They have to meet clients at the level in which they understand and operate. They not only help the client, but also help bridge family input to help the client adjust. Human service workers become vital in the recovery process. Human Service Workers in the Mental Health Service are social workers who strive to make better options for their clients. They help the client obtain the treatment they require and in some instances if family connections are needed they help restore him or her. Human service workers become a part of a client’s life until he or she can enter mainstream America and survive on his or her own. Surviving on their own may not always be an option and the assistance of other agencies, families, and workers are vital to the clients survival. The human services worker is like a life coach to the client. Each session has to provide them with a life skill and an assignment for them to complete. This is part of the recovery process because there is an ending to this process. It is done in stages, and it is a lesson learned every time. The human services worker becomes a part of the client’s life but must recognize that once the session ends he or she progresses on to the next client and assist them with their concerns. The client has to know that in that moment that he or she matter. Personal characteristics of people differ for those of a career in human services. Human service workers have to understand that a career in this field is a calling and not a choice. To work with people and make them feel as if they matter is a calling and not something they choose to be good at. Human service workers have to be personal, friendly, willing to go the extra mile, and fight on behalf of the client. The person has to relate to people and understand his or her level to understand. The characteristics that I feel are most important are able to meet people on their level and know that sometimes you have to change your manner of speech. Empathy is a characteristic is useful in being a human services and one that I do not show very often. I have sympathy, but empathy is something that I personally have to work on. In addition to the empathy leadership is a characteristic and the most important is communication. You must be able to communicate with the client, your peers, and other agencies to complete your task of helping your client. Empowerment would be a huge characteristic as well. This will give you a feeling of being able to do what needs to be done within your scope of available resources. This makes human service workers effective in the jobs they do and meeting the needs of the clients they assist. I know you must separate your personal feelings from your professional feelings. An effective worker knows how to separate them and make sure that the lines do not cross. Human service workers are needed to help with facilitating the assistance that some clients need and without their help agencies would not be able to be effective. Human service workers have a definite position and the must also exhibit certain characteristics that make them worthy of the position they hold as well as the work they do. The thought process for human services can occur in different manners. Most agencies that provide human services are nonprofit. One of the largest nonprofit organizations that help in human services is the church. They may not provide mental services but the do provide assistance and are also able to direct individuals as well as families to other agencies that may also offer assistance. The church in its capacity may provide living arrangements, food vouchers, or even some travel expenses. The church will help those in the community it is in or the members who attend. The church I am most familiar with is my church. The church has a benevolent committee that assists members as well as others in the community. If there is a need the church tries to fulfill that need. Our benevolent committee will meet with the person who has a need, such as paying their electrical bill. The person needs to provide a copy of his or her electrical bill for review. They also have rules and guidelines as well and one rule is that you cannot request the assistance of the committee but one-time within a 90 day time frame. Special circumstances occur in agencies whether private or public services and will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Example of how services are provided. A family had come to the area, and they were struggling. The husband was the only one working at a minimum wage job, the wife was pregnant, and he and she were about to be evicted from his and her apartment. The attended church but no one knew his and her struggle. Upon learning in their struggle it was learned that they did not have a fully furnished apartment. Our benevolent committee was notified of this and went into effect. They assisted in getting the apartment rent current, paid the electrical bill, and other necessities bills that were not current. The family was then taken to the grocery store and other cleaning supplies. The church family, which was not a part of the benevolent committee but saw the need went into effect and donated furnishings to the family, which included living room furniture, dining room furniture, and bedroom furniture. These items were much needed and the family truly appreciated them and as things occur when you believe in a higher power the husband was offered employment that allowed him to leave his minimum wage job. The services of the church as a nonprofit human services advocate shows that help is available. Mental Health Services are most commonly linked to human service workers. Mental Health Services can be a good option to some, and it can also follow under corrupt actions by family members who abuse the assistance offered. The good is offered by mental health services and the human service workers who work on their behalf is funded by the states. Human service workers who work for the state and help families apply for services and funds that are available for their way of living. The state funded agencies will allow clients to have housing at a reduced amount as well as qualify for Medicaid, food stamps, and a government checks. These checks give the client a level of freedom and a normalcy to living. Social Security Disability (SSI or SSDI) is offered to families whether they are children or adults. Not everyone qualifies for these benefits, but it is the job of the human services worker to help with filing for these services and the individual to supply the worker with the information needed to ensure services are provided. I know of a child who was born prematurely, and she was able to obtain SSI benefits due to her being born before the mothers estimated due date. This provided the mother the option to purchase items needed for the child. The above is the good that comes from receiving SSI. There are some corrupt individuals who receive disability checks. I say corrupt because the person who helps oversee the individuals that receive the checks does not use them in the manner in which who are supposed to. The human service worker does not have any control over the individuals and who they designate as his or her caretaker. I know of a family in which they receive five SSI checks in their household. However, the person designated as the caretaker does not take care of the individuals who receive the checks. Their household bills are never current and they never have enough to make ends meet until the end of the month. However the caretaker does just enough to keep the family a float and uses the majority to take care of her family. For example the family in which the five checks are disbursed to have had to move from a three bedroom home to a two bedroom home because they were evicted. The eviction did not come due to the monies not being available, but because the monies were not used to pay rent. The family runs the risk of their utilities disconnected every month as well as the cable television services. The family also receives food stamps, but whenever you visit the family they are always hungry. The amazing thing in this is that the caretaker was recently able to have two new cars added to her household that require a monthly payment yet the caretaker is not willing to provide any transportation services for the individuals who receive the disability checks. This issue is a common known issue among the family yet when the other family members approach her she rejects this information. Adult protective services have been contacted and visits have been made to the house. The caretaker however is always able to pull off a well taken care home. The case manager assigned to the family cannot make any changes to the way the house is run because the person whose name appears on the check is within her sound mind. The effects this type of behavior has on the human services worker is that they work so hard to obtain services for the individuals, and the services are not being disbursed properly. The human services must make sure that in their evaluation they take into consideration the needs of the client and that the needs are being met. Human services workers can be seen as saints in the eyes of some clients and the devil in eyes of others. Human service workers must have the insight to determine legitimate cases yet it is not totally up to their discernments. Human services workers require some type of documentation to support their finding. The findings can be related to mental health services, medical services, and household services. The services have to be justified because many of these services are provided by nonprofit agencies. Everyone wants to feel as if they matter. I believe the goal and the priority of the human service worker. The client has issues or he or she would not have been looking for the help. The skills that the human service worker passes on to the client are useful and become useful to the client. The client begins to gain some self-respect and self-esteem about themselves. They start approaching life differently.

Doing Business in the U.K. Essay Example for Free

Doing Business in the U.K. Essay Business Etiquette UKThe United Kingdom (UK) is comprised of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is important not only to be aware of these geographical distinctions but also the strong sense of identity and nationalism felt by the populations of these four countries. The terms English and British are not interchangeable. British denotes someone who is from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. English refers to people from England. People from Scotland are referred to as Scots. People from England are not likely to take offence at being called â€Å"English†, whereas a Welsh, Scots, or Northern Irish person will. Cultural Diversity Formerly a very homogenous society, since World War II, Britain has become increasingly diverse as it has accommodated large immigrant populations. The mixture of ethnic groups and cultures make it difficult to define British as looking or acting in one particular manner. People may sound British and retain the cultural heritage of their forefathers while others may become more British than someone who can trace his/her lineage to the 5th century. The fact that the nation’s favourite dish is now a curry sums up the cultural mish-mash that is modern day Britain. Doing business in the UK The British are rather formal. Many from the older generation still prefer to work with people and companies they know or who are known to their associates. Younger businesspeople do not need long-standing personal relationships before they do business with people and do not require an intermediary to make business introductions. Nonetheless, networking and relationship building are often key to long-term business success. Rank is respected and businesspeople prefer to deal with people at their level. If at all possible, include an elder statesman on your team as he/she will present the aura of authority that is necessary to good business relationships in many companies. British communication styles The British have an interesting mix of communication styles encompassing both understatement and direct communication. Many older businesspeople or those from the upper class rely heavily upon formal use of established protocol. Most British are masters of understatement and do not use effusive language. If anything, they have a marked tendency to qualify their statements with such as perhaps or it could be. When communicating with people they see as equal to themselves in rank or class, the British are direct, but modest. If communicating with someone they know well, their style may be more informal, although they will still be reserved. Business meetings Punctuality is a very British trait. It is especially important in business situations. In most cases, the people you are meeting will be on time. Always call if you will be even 5 minutes later than agreed. If you are kept waiting a few minutes, do not make an issue of it. How meetings are conducted is often determined by the composition of people attending. If everyone is at the same level, there is generally a free flow of ideas and opinions. If there is a senior ranking person in the room, that person will do most of the speaking. In general, meetings will be rather formal and always have a clearly defined purpose, which may include an agenda. There will be a brief amount of small talk before getting down to the business at hand. If you make a presentation, avoid making exaggerated claims. Make certain your presentation and any materials provided appear professional and well thought out. Be prepared to back up your claims with facts and figures. The British rely on facts, rather than emotions, to make decisions. Maintain eye contact and a few feet of personal space. After a meeting, send a letter summarising what was decided and the next steps to be taken. Basic British Etiquette Tips: Business Dress * Business attire is conservative. * Men should wear a dark coloured, conservative business suit. * Women should wear either a business suit or a conservative dress. Greetings * Shake hands with everyone at a meeting upon arrival. * Maintain eye contact during the greeting. Titles * Only medical doctors and the clergy use their professional or academic titles in business. * Most people use the courtesy titles or Mr, Mrs or Miss and their surname. (Mr and Mrs are words in the United Kingdom and do not require a period after them as they are not abbreviations.) * If someone has been knighted, they are called Sir followed by their first and surnames or Sir followed simply by their first name. * Wait until invited before moving to a first-name basis. People under the age of 35 may make this move more rapidly than older British. Business Cards * Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction without formal ritual. * The business card may be put away with only a cursory glance. Business Gifts * Business gift giving is not part of the business culture. * If you choose to give a gift, make certain it is small and tasteful. * Good gifts include desk accessories, a paperweight with your company logo, or a book about your home country. * Inviting someone out for a meal can be viewed as a gift. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-uk.html http://books.google.com.my/books?id=1ccPcVjaRGMCpg=PA30lpg=PA30dq=how+to+bargain+with+britainsource=blots=FB64L7Wk6Fsig=6QVjUrzk4AcQ2OuUezZuyL64Mlwhl=ensa=Xei=2kALUeu0BcKPrgfjooH4Cwved=0CHAQ6AEwCA#v=onepageq=britishf=false

Womens Rights in Islam

Womens Rights in Islam Thesis Statement: Women’s rights in Islam is rather still seen to be much more liberated according to the Quran yet subjugated under Sharia Law since the enhancement of Islam. Introduction Since the beginning of time to today’s society, the epitome of the debatable discussions based about the status, position, and the role of a woman have been greatly indicated and reflected by culture, tradition, religion, feminism and misogyny. However, there is a high level of controversy when it comes to the issue of women in Islam that are basically caused from the many misrepresentations and misinterpretations with distortions due to having such a lack of understanding of the Quran and the teachings of Islam stating women in the Muslim societies being degraded or low and living under oppression and subjugation. This paper will discuss and focus on Women’s Rights in the Muslim world in regards to it being much more liberated according to the Quran but yet subjugated under the Sharia Law and to appropriately simplify an easy understanding to the allocated question – are women in Muslim societies really subjugated or are these misconceptions falsely fabricated f rom biased sources? To do this, it will begin with a brief discussion on the rights and status of Women in Islam according to the Quran and Prophetic traditions right from its enhancement through to the Muslim world today with additional information concerning its main violation of Women’s rights, followed by discussions and reasons on the many misconception of Women’s rights in Islam and distinguish the differences between the Quran and the Sharia law, and finally, this report will examine several Muslim countries that will identify the existence and sustainability of Women’s rights within some Muslim countries and distinguish any differences. Overall this paper will support and contend that Women’s rights in Islam is rather still seen to be much more liberated according to the Quran yet subjugated under Sharia Law since the enhancement of Islam. The woman’s question based on Quranic teachings depends very much on how we or the individual understands and interprets the Quranic text. The Quran itself states in 2:228 â€Å"(women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them in kindness, and men are a degree above them†. Afkhami (1995) simplifies this quote from the Quran indicating that in regards to their respective responsibilities, merits, and virtues women and men are equal and Islam does not accept for either of them anything but good treatment and fairness. The roles of a mother within Islam possess such important status over a father according also to verses from the Quran but especially within the Hadith which comes to show how valuable a woman is. According to Baveja (1985), in early Arab traditions, woman exercised great influence over the family and the tribes due to having such a supreme authority with opinions that counted as a great deal within inter-tribal warfare. Though however, due to contra dictory evidence available before the advent of Islam, women were treated worse off as men were given precedence over women, oppression was widespread, and women were degraded and considered shameful. Engineer (1940), El-Solh, Mabro (1994) and Beyer (2001) supports this position with examples such as â€Å"the killing of daughters† all agreeing to the fact that having a boy was much greater to the Arabs as they believed that females were considered as an embarrassment and regarded as a disgrace because they could not fight in wars and they were always captured by the enemy hence the custom of burying the daughters alive was practiced as a simplest way out to kill the daughters. To some extent, women were also kept as slaves; women were not given any share in inheritance and prostitution was rampant. Kurzman (1998), Sonbol (2005), Beyer (2001) and Quran itselfs points out the abolishment of such practices mentioned above due to the establishment and rise of Islam regarding wom en to be more valuable and treasurable and to not be mistreated or shamed. Anwar and Abdullah (2000) argue that despite the equality given towards women since the beginning of Islam, most abuse or mistreatment of women today is mainly due to cultural / traditional factors that are wrongly followed by many Muslim families within the middle-eastern countries which will be explained and looked into further in the last paragraph. Furthermore it is appropriate to also include the differences of Islamic law especially the Sharia Law applied in different Muslim societies across the world which is believed to have also caused such violation to women’s rights in Islam as a whole due to conservative societal norms and interpretations that has become one of the fundamental features to cause the lack of women’s freedom and outright abuse Middle East Quarterly (1997). Even though the role of women and men do differ in terms of responsibilities, virtues and merits, nevertheless, und er the Islamic law women’s rights are empowered and protected, and is certainly no different to rights of men in accordance to the Quran which therefore supports Women’s rights in Islam is rather still seen to be much more liberated according to the Quran since the enhancement of Islam. Ordinarily, the histories of women in general focus on western women and see their history as a way of life as models, against which the histories and lives of other women in the past and present are compared, Sonbol (2005) pg. 3-4. However, according to Kurzman (1998), Hirata (2005) and Abdul-Ghafur (2005), women in the west and their method of gaining rights has taken a long while to overcome which includes their first biggest achievement in winning the right to vote that took place in the post industrial revolution era. Yet nevertheless, Bajeva (1985), Engineer (1992) Muslim Women’s League (2003) and few other sources claim that women in Islam were given their rights 1400 years ago – these include rights pertained to inheritance, marriage, divorce, custody of children, property, evidence, rewards and punishments these rights given to the women in Islam were only recently enjoyed by the west. To examine common misconceptions and mistruths in regards to women’s rights in Islam, it’s important to observe the Quran as well as the Islamic teachings and authentic sources in order to understand the truth behind women’s rights in Islam. According to Bajeva (1985), rights given to women directly from the Quran were curtailed and if not, trampled on by Islamic jurists who formulated the Sharia law. Engineer (1992) supports this position by giving one of a few examples such as venturing out of home alone – the Quran places no restrictions on the movement of women nor did it require them to completely hide their faces while moving out of the house. But yet, leading jurists’ interpretations on relevant verses and traditions of the Prophet required women not to move out their house except in an emergency and even then to have their faces covered. El-Solh and Mabro (1994) expresses that the jurist has placed such restriction to women in the context of their situation which paints a clear picture of how rights given by the Q uran are taken away by the jurists in view of their situation and yet these sharia rules are enforced even when the context has changed. Furthermore, Afkhami (1994) and Kurzman (1998) points out the many sharia formulations are based on the human factor as well as such traditions and therefore many rules reflect cultural prejudice of the Persians and the Arabs rather than the just and liberal outlook from the greatness of the Quran. Therefore, based on the information provided above, it’s appropriate to contend and support that despite discovering that certain hadiths and the formulation of the sharia has been the reasons of taking rights away from women due to their own interpretation based on human factors and traditions Women’s rights in Islam is rather still seen to be much more liberated according to the Quran yet subjugated under Sharia Law since the enhancement of Islam. In the Muslim society or in fact the world, there are probably half a billion women who live in vastly different societies, lands, climates, cultures, economies and polities, Karaman (2010). Afkhami (1995) further suggests that contemporary Islamists regimes are most coherently recognized, and differentiated from other regimes by the positions that they allocate to women within the society as well as in the family. However Engineer (1992) and El Solh, Mabro (1994) points out information regarding Muslim fundamentalisms giving women negotiable solutions for domestic issues except rights for women and their position in society. Adding on, the Islam resurgence epitomized by movements as varied as the Islamic Republic in Iran, Jama’at-i Islami in Pakistan and Ikhwan al-Muslimin in Egypt , just a few to name, maintain to single out women’s relation to society according to the Islamic order. Bajeva (1995) and Papas (2009), supports this position by giving examples of differen t Muslim women in different countries that portray the religious fiat being often manifested alongside as discursive text and naked violence that depends on its legality on traditions that adopts based assumptions and capitalizes social structure and customs with an ethic code of womanhood suitable to Islam. These include men gaining control to an extent that include the power of life and crucial death to women within these Muslim societies. For example, men carry out honour killing (stoning, beating with chains til death, acid attacks) against women within their own family, due to disobedience, dishonour or suspected sexual transgression which were practiced in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and India just to name a few. Papas (2009) however suggest that women in Turkey are known to be more liberated in the Muslim world through secularisation as the notion of Islamic reformation did not work. It is for this reason; it is most unfortunate that i n the so called Islamic states, women are seen only in their medieval image, not in the revolutionary Islamic image portrayed in the Quran. They are placed in purdah and relegated to a secondary role within the four walls of the house. Islamic jurists in these countries give more importance to certain doubtful traditions than to the clear statements of the Quran to see women in their own image Kurzman (1998), Engineer (1992) and Anwar, Abdullah (2000). El-Sohl and Mabro (1994) discuss approaches that have begun to surface in a number of Muslim countries that aim to set the issue of gender relations and the concomitant rights of women within the realm of human rights by combining social and political levels which affects women’s status in society. Yet however, the concept of human rights as laid down in the 1948 Universal declaration Of Human Rights is not easy to reconcile with interpretations of the Sharia which emphasises the hierarchical aspects of the Islamic social order , in which the free males Muslim possesses the most rights. Furthermore, given such rulings by male interpreters’ intent on maintaining the patriarchal system with women in a subordinate role, modernist Muslim feminists and human rights activists are arguing that this is not the real voice of Islam. Thus, despite discovering the use of sharia law that Muslim women are living under in certain strict Muslim societies – it is because of this, women are being oppressed and subjugated in these countries. Therefore it is important to understand and differentiate what the Quran says and the approach of the Sharia law however it is appropriate to support and contend that Women’s rights in Islam is rather still seen to be much more liberated according to the Quran yet subjugated under Sharia Law since the enhancement of Islam. Conclusion In summary, the Quran has emphasized many rights given to Muslim women, yet due to Islamic jurists who have formulated the Sharia Law is the cause that has led alot of women to be mistreated, oppressed and subjugated due to cultural and traditional factors that formulate such law. Yes they have gone through phases of allowing some freedoms, yet, they have not been successful for the reason that modernisation is strictly forbidden according to Islamic teachings. This report has examined the role of women and their status according to the Quran and Prophetic traditions, it has also discussed misconceptions based on women’s rights in Islam and distinguished the differences of what the Quran states on the rights of women and what the Sharia Law says about the rights of women, and, it has explored various Muslim societies or countries with women who live under the Sharia Law. Nevertheless, this paper has discussed and considered information for an understanding that appropriately supports and contends as well as responds to the issue based on Women’s rights in Islam. References Abdul-Ghafur S, 2005, Living Islam Out Loud – American Muslim Women Speak, Boston: Wilsted and Taylor Publishing Services Afkhami M, 1995, Faith and Freedom – Women’s Human Rights in the Muslim World, New York: Syracuse University Press Anwar Z, Abdullah R, (2000), Islam, Reproductive Health and Women’s Rights, Kuala Lampur: Sisters in Islam (SIS FORUM MALAYSIA) Bajeva R.M, 1985, Women in Islam, New York: Advent Books, Inc. Beyer L, 2001, The Women of Islam, [online], viewed from 4th -6th of April 2014 http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,185647,00.html> El-Solh C.F, Mabro J, 1994, Muslim Women’s Choices – Religious Belief and Social Reality, Oxford: Berg Publishers. Engineer A. A, 1992, The Rights of Women in Islam, London: C. Hurst Co Ltd. Falah G, Nagel C, 2005, Geographies of Muslim Women – Gender, Religion and Space, New York: The Guilford Press. Karaman H, 2010, Revelations in the source of Rights and Responsibilities, [online] viewed on 28th April 2014 http://www.lastprophet.info/revelation-is-the-source-of-rights-and-responsibilities> Kurzman C, 1998, Liberal Islam – A sourcebook, New York: Oxford University Press. Middle East Quarterly, 1997, The Rights of Muslim Women, [online] viewed from 7th -9th May 2014 http://www.meforum.org/378/the-rights-of-muslim-women> Muslim Women’s League, 2003, Women in Islam – Muslim Women, [online] 24th -25th April 2014 http://islam.uga.edu/Islamwomen.html> Papas V, 2009, Islam and Women’s Rights, [online] viewed from 26th – 28th of April 2014 http://atheistfoundation.org.au/article/islam-and-womens-rights/> Sonbol A.E, 2005, Beyond the Exotic – Women’s Histories in Islamic Societies, New York: Syracuse University Press.

Percy Bysshe Shelleys The Cloud and the Romantic Theme of Deity in Nat

Percy Bysshe Shelley's The Cloud and the Romantic Theme of Deity in Nature    Percy Bysshe Shelley was born in 1792, the eldest of seven children. Shelley was very hostile to organized religion, declaring religion must perish. Moroever, Shelley read widely, including the Bible, and thus knew his opponents. "The Cloud," written in 1820 is a short poem written in abcb (as opposed to the heroic couplets of previous generations) rhyme scheme but this feature is the least of its norm breaking properties. In "The Cloud," Shelley expresses the Romantic theme of man finding deity in nature. In the first stanza, Shelley reveals the cloud's deity by expressing the multiple functions of the cloud. In the same way the Christian God has multiple functions like Creator, Redeemer, and Comforter, the cloud has many functions. First, Shelley portrays the cloud as a gardener. He brings water to the thirsty flowers. This is a picture of a nurturer. Second, Shelley personifies the leaves as Mother Nature's children. The cloud is a shade bearer for the leaves who take a noonday nap. In addition, Shelley personifies the buds as Mother Nature's children. Each night Mother Nature rocks the buds to rest at her breast, a symbol of nurture. Moreover, Shelley gives Mother Nature human characteristics by saying she dances around the moon. This is simply Shelley's symbolism for the rotation of the Earth. In addition, the wind showers forth hail as a sign of judgement. Then he shows his power over the hail by dissolving it in rain. Finally, Shelley gives the cloud the ability to laugh like a human being. The cloud's laughing is his thunder. This is the laughing of a boastful arrogant deity as he shows his power. Shelley believes nature to be a more be... ...ase after an immortal Spirit. This is a highly figurative expression of science with a double meaning. Furthermore, Shelley continues to describe the cloud in terms of bird imagery. Like a bird, the cloud soars on the wind. In addition the cloud boastfully exclaims his deity. He does this by inferring he is not mortal. In this same stanza Shelley gives an intense reflection on the activity of the cloud during the night. Then Shelley displays a glowing representation of nature by alluding to biblical images. The devout Anglican would easily pick up on this reflection and relate the likeness in his head. Finally, the last stanza displays the life cycle of a cloud. Shelley does this by describing the precipitation cycle in poetic language.    Works Cited: MacEachen, Dougald. Cliffs Notes on Keats and Shelley. Lincoln, Nebraska: Cliffs Notes Incorporated, 1996.

Hamlet: The Character of Claudius in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

Hamlet: The Character of Claudius  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of all the characters in Shakespeare's Hamlet, perhaps the role of Claudius is the most intriguing and crucial. Claudius is the most controversial, the most mysterious and the most talked about character in this play. Many people look at Claudius and only see a villain, but there are additional sides to him that are often overlooked: Claudius the father, the husband, the ruler and the mortal individual. In this play the characters are not super-human beings. They make mistakes, just as Claudius does, but it goes to show that they are only human. Claudius, the father is very recognizable in Scene 2 of Act 1. He states to Hamlet starting at Line 109 "...think of us as of a father: for let the world take note, you are the most immediate to our throne, and with no less nobility of love that that which dearest father bears his son do I impart toward you." Hamlet is "Our chiefest courtier, cousin and our son." (Line 119) Here Claudius is speaking to Hamlet and saying that he is loved and accepted even since he is not Claudius' natural son. Claudius seems to have no trouble speaking to his son Hamlet in front of a crowd. But when the two men are alone, Claudius is at a loss for words and cannot figure out what to say, or when to say it. It could be that the King feels so guilty about murdering King Hamlet that he is unable to speak to Hamlet in private, for fear of his true self emerging. Along the same lines, Claudius is also a great and sovereign leader. When young Fortinbras came to demand the surrender of those lands lost by hi s father to King Hamlet, Claudius handled the matter with such ease and grace. He informed Fortinbras that a letter was going to be sent to the King of Nor... ...d turned-bad turned-even worse characters of all time. His strength to get through all of the circumstances in this play is tremendous. In the end, Claudius was the cause of nine deaths, including himself. Claudius' obsession for control and power ruined one of the greatest kingdoms in history. Works Cited and Consulted: Bradley, A.C. "Shakespeare's Tragic Period--Hamlet." Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Toronto: MacMillan, 1967. 79-174. Oakes, Elizabeth. " Claudius." New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. NY: AMS Press, 1994. 103-112. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Sven Birkerts, ed., Literature The Evolving Canon, Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1977. States, Bert O. "Horatio-Our Man in Elsinore: An Essay on Dramatic Logic." South Atlantic Quarterly, Vol. 78, No. 1 (Winter 1979) 46-56

Voltaire and the Beginning of the Enlightment Essay -- Enlightenment of

Francis Marie Arouet was born on November 21, 1694 in Paris, France. As a child, Arouet grew up in an atmosphere that strictly obeyed the rules of the church. During this time, faith in the church was an obligation for everyone in society and the authority of the church was never questioned, for this would definitely mean instant death. Meanwhile, Arouet enrolled at the Jesuit College of Louis-Le-Grande where he excelled in academics especially his skills in writing. After his schooling, Arouet became noticed by much of the aristocracy for his writing and eventually was imprisoned for supposedly composing two offensive works, the Puerto Regnanto and J’aivu.1 While serving his confinement, he assumed the name de Voltaire. After choosing the new name, Voltaire said, "I was very unlucky under my first name. I want to see if this one will succeed any better."2 Upon his release from the Bastille, Voltaire was exiled to England, a country he grew very fond of. At this time, freedom of speech was continuously exemplified throughout the country of England; Voltaire found this toleration very advantageous to the beginnings of his opinion. While in England, Voltaire decided to redirect his purpose of writing; he now decided to fight for the right of human liberty. From the time Voltaire moved to England through the remainder of his life, he marked the beginning of a new period, the Englightment, a time where he would continuously mock the idea of religion and reinforce the idea of human liberty and opinion fearlessly through his many plays, literature, and essays. Furthermore, Voltaire remained in England for three years while publishing an English version of the La Henriade, an essay concerning the defense of religious toleration.3 Aft... ...zes Voltaire the best when he comments, "Probably no man ever lived who assailed the Church and the State with the same wit and keenness that always at Voltaire’s command; and yet in spite of this he managed to live comfortably, accumulate rich and die in peace."13 Notes 1. "Francis Marie Arouet de Voltaire." http://www.ericjonas.com/ /features/candied/Voltaire/default.asp (20 Feb. 2000). 2. Darrow, Charles. "Voltaire." http://www.aracnet.com/~atheism/hist/ darrow5.htm (20 Feb. 2000). 3. "Francis Marie Arouet de Voltaire," 1. 4. Darrow, 6. 5. Darrow, 9. 6. Darrow, 9. 7. Darrow, 13. 8. Darrow, 17. 9. Darrow, 11. 10. Wendy McElroy, "Voltaire vs. Intolerance," Free Inquiry, Winter 1999, 61. 11. Darrow, 15. 12. Darrow, 16. 13. Darrow, 4.

Resources in market and command economies Essay

In a market economy, decisions on how resources are to be allocated are usually taken by millions of households and thousands of firms the exact number depends on the size of the economy. They interact as buyers and sellers in the market for goods and services. The government has a very restricted part to play. However, in a Command economy the government has a central role in all decisions that are made and unlike the market economy, the emphasis is on centralization. Decision making is taken by central planning boards and organizations to enterprises that are state-owned or under state regulation and control. Whereas in a market economy consumer sovereignty influences resource allocation, in a command economy it is central planners who have to determine the collective preferences of consumers and manufacturing enterprises. In a market economy, prices and the operation of the price system underpin this interaction; in turn prices act to indicate the likely market value or particular resources. For example, a commodity in short supply but which has a high demand attached to it will have a high price. Alternatively, one which has a high supply and low demand will have a much lower price attached to it. Prices and the self-interest of people and businesses therefore act as a guide to the decisions that have to be taken. The self interest which drives suppliers to allocate resources is called the invisible hand. This invisible hand brings together private and social interests in a harmonious way: this is the fundamental philosophy underpinning the workings of the market economy. Central planning tends to set numerous goals for the economy that differ from those in a market economy. In a command economy, the scarce resource of human labour in employment is generally greater in proportion when compared to humans employed in market economies. This is because central planning institutions opt for the even distribution of wealth. This is in high contrast to the phenomenon of self-interest of suppliers in a market economy.

Importance of science Essay

Before understanding the importance of science and technology, it is important for us to understand that science and technology are closely associated with our lives. They are closely linked aspects of society and the studies and developments in both of science and technology are essential for the overall progress of society. Why is technology so important? How does scientific development affect society? Let us find out. Scientific research comprises a wide variety of fields ranging from the study of different branches of science to relatively advanced fields like space exploration, human genetics and cloning. Scientific study attempts to explore and understand the working of the physical world. It tries to analyze the occurrences in nature and gain knowledge about nature through experimentation. As scientific research aims at gaining knowledge of the complexities of nature, it is important for the progress of mankind. The seemingly impossible feats have been made possible, thanks to the scientific research. Natural sciences deal with the study of nature and human life. The studies of natural and artificial sciences reveal the relationship between nature and human life. Research in science has paved a path to many brilliant inventions and discoveries. When it comes to science and technology, we cannot forget the automobile and the transport industries that have grown tremendously on account of the developments in science and engineering. Technological advancements have driven the developments in the different modes of transport. Bicycles have transformed into scooters and sport bikes. Four and six wheeled vehicles have started running on the roads, thanks to the advancing technology. The developments in air transport have winged the common man to soar high! The importance of technology lies in the benefits of technology on society. The positive effects of technology on society are many. The advancements in technology have revolutionized human life. It has provided a great impetus to the computer and the telecommunication industry. The developments in the communication technology have made the world a smaller place. The Internet  serving as an excellent communication platform has made the world flat! The World Wide Web has proved being an enormous information base, from which information can be retrieved by the means of search engines. Information from all around the world is housed on the web. Thanks to the development of the web technology, the information can be stored in an organized manner and relevant information can be retrieved on supplying search strings to the web search engines. Digitization of information has been a major breakthrough in the world of information technology. It has made possible the compaction of information, which in turn allows efficient information storage. The most important benefit of science has been the luxury it has brought to daily life. The mechanization of industrial processes has reduced human effort. Household appliances that are in the daily use of the common man are a result of scientific research. Machines have replaced human beings in monotonous and risk-bearing tasks. Scientific discoveries have made life easy.

Impact of Nursing Unit Turnover on Patient Outcomes Essay

The problem addressed by the article is the impact of nursing turnover on patient care.   It has been assumed that patient care is affected by turnover but there has not been a good understanding of the relationship between turnover and quality of care. Most research has simply shown that there is a direct relationship between the two without exploring the underlying mechanisms. Study purpose The study aims at describing the underlying mechanisms in the relationship between nursing turnover and quality of care of patients. The objective of the study was to find out how turnover in nursing units affects processes among key work groups and how the impact of these processes affects outcomes of patients. Study variables The study variables are nursing unit turnover, workgroup processes, patient outcomes, control variables and education level.   The independent variables was nursing unit turnover while the dependent variable was patient outcomes which included patient satisfaction, average length of stay, medication errors and patient falls. Workgroup cohesion, relational coordination and workgroup learning were the process variables. Other variables included in the article were control variables which included work complexity, teaching status, technological sophistication, hospital size and unit size as well as nurse characteristics such as RN hours, unit tenure, education level and patient characteristics (health status, patient age and previous hospitalizations). Conceptual framework The conceptual framework applied was modeled around the IPO framework (input-process-outcome) which assesses workgroup behavior and performance effectiveness. It is incorporated in most models of workgroup effectiveness. Workgroup processes are those mechanisms which inhibit or encourage members of a team to combine their abilities and behavior (Kozlowski et al, 2003). These include workgroup cohesion, workgroup learning and relational coordination. The unit level patient outcomes include patient satisfaction, length of stay, patient falls and medication errors. In the conceptual framework, the hospital, nurse and patient characteristics as well as the nursing unit were identified as control variables. Literature Review The literature review supports a need for the study as it identifies the fact that there has been research that establishes that there truly is an effect of nursing turnover on patient outcomes. However there is very little information that describes the actual relationship between nursing turnover and patient outcomes. The literature review identifies some of the effects of turnover as detachment, a disruption in communication flow and a disruption of established relationships (Sung-Heui et al, 2010). A nursing unit with high turnover requires more time for new staff to adjust while the staff that remain have to be more careful when supervising the new staff. This has the overall effect of lowering relational coordination. The article also identifies that work learning is does not occur well when there is no stability as is the case in units with high turnover (Sung-Heui et al, 2010). Learning needs both change and stability thus units with very high or very low turnover may not hav e much cognitive growth. When there is greater cohesion among staff members there is also greater motivation for the employees to provide better service which leads to better patient satisfaction (Sung-Heui et al, 2010). Other patient outcomes addressed by the article include length of stay which measures how efficient the hospital is, which in turn is an indication of the efficiency in communication between healthcare providers. If a workgroup is well coordinated then there outcomes are of higher quality and they outcomes are achieved more efficiently. The article also focuses on patient falls and medication errors as an indicator that there is work group coordination and workgroup learning. When errors occur there is opportunity for learning however if there is too high turnover, then learning does not occur and there is likelihood for errors to be repeated. Study design The study design was a non-experimental longitudinal study causal modeling study. This design was appropriate for the study since it tries to establish a relationship between two variables that is whether one causes the other. Some of the threats to internal validity that the study may have include history which means that as more time elapses between measurements there is a likelihood that time may contribute to differences in results in the variables. Testing is also a possible threat to internal validity in a longitudinal study as it requires the participants to take certain tests on several occasions (Barry, 2005) Attrition is a threat to the longitudinal study design; when participants drop out of the study before all the data is collected is likely to distort the accuracy of results (Barry, 2005). Sample and setting The sample consisted of 268 nursing units from 141 hospitals. This sample size was adequate to ensure generalizability of the research findings. Additionally using nursing units from various hospitals served to increase the generalizability of the findings. The sample was derived from the medical-surgical units and nursing units of acute care facilities of various hospitals, settings that again provided a good representation of all the hospitals and helped to increase the external validity of the study. Identification and control of extraneous variables Some of the identified extraneous variables included environmental uncertainty such as volumes, types of patients which increased the complexity in work processes and group dynamics among nurses. Work complexity was measured using a 7-item scale developed to measure environmental uncertainty. The scale measured work complexity by identifying frequent interruptions or unanticipated events. Technological sophistication was also measured using the Saidin Index which provided a weighted sum of the number of technologies and services that were available in the hospital. Study instruments/tools Both primary and secondary data were collected in this study. Secondary data was obtained from secondary data collected from the Outcomes Research in Nursing Administration Project (II) (ORNA II). Nursing units provided turnover rates for six months and nurses also completed questionnaires which measured various workgroup processes. The patient data collected was also from the ORNA II project. The use of such data collection methods was appropriate as it provided a rich data source. Additionally, the use of data from the ORNA project provided a reliable source of good quality data. Data analysis procedures The unit of analysis in the study was the nursing unit. The variables relational coordination, work group learning, patient satisfaction, workgroup cohesion, patient satisfaction and work complexity were measured at the individual level and were then aggregated to the unit level. The study used linear and count models to determine the distribution of the outcome and process variables. The average LOS was estimated using a model of random effects while the medication errors and patient falls were analyzed using a Poisson regression model that was adjusted for dispersion. The Poisson regression is appropriate for rate data such as the one collected in this study. The use of the linear counts is also appropriate as it allows for a relation between the linear model and the response variable. Strengths/limitations The strength of the study lies in the use of the IPO framework. Using this framework allows for the underlying mechanisms such as workgroup processes to be evaluated and considered as variables. Thus the study looks at input variables, process variables and output variables providing adequate data with which to describe the underlying mechanisms and relationship between nursing turnover and patient outcomes. Some of the limitations of the study include the model which assumes that the turnover affects relational coordination a few months after it has occurred. The time period of two months may not have been sufficient to assess true variation of the turnover levels. Another limitation was the missing variables that have an effect on turnover, patient outcomes and workgroup processes. Some of these include the support of managers, supervision and organizational effectiveness which also have an impact on whether a nurse stays or not. Implications The results of the study make it necessary that there be further research on the effect of nursing turnover on patient outcomes and workgroup processes. The findings of the study support a need to increase work group coordination and cohesion so as to improve patient satisfaction. These findings are consistent with previous research findings. The research findings also show that the in nursing units where there was higher workgroup learning there were fewer errors in giving medications. This supports empirical evidence for the development and sustenance of processes where nurses are supported in discussing and learning from their errors.

Morality and Respect Essay

Respect Respect has great importance in everyday life. As children we are taught to respect our parents, teachers, and elders, family and cultural traditions, other people’s feelings, our country’s flag and leaders. And we do tend to value these things; when we grow older, we may shake our heads at people who seem not to have learned to respect them. We develop the tendency to respect only those who are popular. We may also come to believe that, at some level, all people are worthy of respect. We may learn that jobs and relationships become unbearable if we receive no respect in them. Calls to respect certain things are increasingly part of public life: environmentalists exhort us to respect nature, foes of abortion and capital punishment insist on respect for human life, members of racial and ethnic minorities and those discriminated against because of their gender, sexual orientation, age, religious beliefs, or economic status demand respect both as social and moral equals and for their cultural differences. We may learn both that our lives together go better when we respect the things that deserve to be respected and that we should respect some things independently of considerations of how our lives would go. We may also learn that how our lives go depends every bit as much on whether we respect ourselves. The value of self-respect may be something we can take for granted, or we may discover how very important it is when our self-respect is threatened, or we lose it and have to work to regain it, or we have to struggle to develop or maintain it in a hostile environment. Some people find that finally being able to respect themselves is what matters most about getting off welfare, kicking a disgusting habit, or defending something they value; others, sadly, discover that life is no longer worth living if self-respect is irretrievably lost. It is part of everyday wisdom that respect and self-respect are deeply connected, that it is difficult if not impossible both to respect others if we don’t respect ourselves and to respect ourselves if others don’t respect us. It is increasingly part of political wisdom both that unjust social institutions can devastatingly damage self-respect and that robust and resilient self-respect can be a potent force in struggles against injustice. 1. The Concept of Respect In the process of understanding respect there a few questions that come to mind: (1) How can respect be understood? (a) What category of thing is it? (b) What are the elements of respect? (c) To what other forms is respect similar to, and with what does it contrast? (d) What beliefs, attitudes, emotions, motives, and conduct does respect involve, and with what is it incompatible? (2) What are the appropriate objects of respect? (3) What are the bases or grounds for respect (4) What ways of acting and forbearing to act express or constitute or are regulated by respect? (5) What moral requirements, if any, are there to respect certain types of objects, and what is the scope and theoretical status of such requirements? (6) Are there different levels or degrees of respect? Can an object come to deserve less or no respect? (7) Why is respect morally important? What, if anything, does it add to morality over and above the conduct, attitudes, and character traits required or encouraged by various moral principles or virtues? (8) What are the implications of respect for problematic moral and socio-political issues such as racism and sexism, pornography, privacy, punishment, responses to terrorism, paternalism in health care contexts, cultural diversity, affirmative action, abortion, and so on? 1. 1 Elements of respect It is widely acknowledged that there are different kinds of respect, which complicates the answering of these questions. For example, answers concerning one kind of respect can diverge significantly from those about another kind. One general distinction is between respect simply as behaviour and respect as an attitude or feeling which may or may not be expressed in or signified by behaviour. We might speak of drivers respecting the speed limit, hostile forces as respecting a cease fire agreement etc. In such cases we can be referring simply to behaviour which avoids violation of or interference with some boundary, limit, or rule, without any reference to attitudes, feelings, intentions, or dispositions. In other cases, we take respect to be or to express or signify an attitude or feeling, as when we speak of having respect for another person or for nature or of certain behaviours as showing respect or disrespect. In what follows, focus would chiefly be on respect as attitude or feeling. There are, again, several different attitudes or feelings to which the term â€Å"respect† refers. Before looking at differences, however, it is useful first to note some elements common among varieties. An attitude of respect is, most generally, a relation between a subject and an object in which the subject responds to the object from a certain perspective in some appropriate way. Respect necessarily has an object: respect is always directed toward, paid to, felt about, and shown for some object. While a very wide variety of things can be appropriate objects of one kind of respect or another, the subject of respect (the respecter) is always a person, that is, a conscious rational being capable of recognizing and acknowledging things, of self-consciously and intentionally responding to them, of having and expressing values with regard to them, and of being accountable for disrespecting or failing to respect them. Though animals may love or fear us, only persons can respect and disrespect us or anything else. First, as suggested by its derivation from the Latin respicere, respect is a particular mode of apprehending the object: the person who respects something pays attention to it and perceives it differently from someone who does not and responds to it in light of that perception. This perceptual element is common also to synonyms such as regard (from â€Å"to watch out for†) and consideration (â€Å"examine (the stars) carefully†). Thus, respecting something contrasts with being oblivious or indifferent to it. An object can be perceived by a subject from a variety of perspectives; for example, one might rightly regard another human individual as a rights-bearer, a judge, a superlative singer, a trustworthy person, or a threat to one’s security. The respect one accords her in each case will be different, yet all will involve attention to her as she really is as a judge, threat, etc. As responsive, respect is object-generated rather than wholly subject-generated, something that is owed to, called for, deserved, elicited, or claimed by the object. We respect something not because we want to but because we recognize that we have to respect it. It thus is motivational: it is the recognition of something â€Å"as directly determining our will without reference to what is wanted by our inclinations†. In this way respect differs from, for example, liking and fearing, which have their sources in the subject’s interests or desires. At the same time, respect is also an expression of agency: it is deliberate, a matter of directed rather than grabbed attention, of reflective consideration and judgment. In particular, the subject judges that the object is due, deserves, or rightfully claims a certain response in virtue of some feature of or fact about the object that warrants that response. This feature or fact is the ground or basis in the object, that in virtue of which it calls for respect. The basis gives us a reason to respect the object; it may also indicate more precisely how to respect it. Respect is thus both subjective and objective. There are many different kinds of objects that can reasonably be respected and many different reasons why they warrant respect. Some things are dangerous or powerful and respect of them can involve fear, awe, self-protection, or submission. Other things have authority over us and the respect they are due includes acknowledgment of their authority and perhaps obedience to their authoritative commands. Other forms of respect are modes of valuing, appreciating the object as having an objective worth or importance that is independent of, perhaps even at variance with, our antecedent desires or commitments. Thus, we can respect things we don’t like or agree with, such as our enemies or someone else’s opinion. Valuing respect is akin to esteem, admiration, veneration, reverence, and honour, while regarding something as utterly worthless or insignificant or disdaining or having contempt for it is incompatible with respecting it. Respect also aims to value its object appropriately, so it contrasts with degradation and discounting. Finally, respect is generally regarded as having a behavioural component. In respecting an object, we often consider it be making legitimate claims on our conduct as well as our thoughts and feelings and are disposed to behave appropriately. Appropriate behaviour includes refraining from certain treatment of the object or acting only in particular ways in connection with it, ways that are regarded as fitting, deserved by, or owed to the object. And there are very many ways to respect things: keeping our distance from them, helping them, praising or emulating them, protecting or being careful with them. To be a form or expression of respect, behaviour has to be motivated by one’s acknowledgment of the object as calling for that behaviour, and it has to be motivated directly by consideration that the object is what it is, without reference to one’s own interests and desires. The attitudes of respect, then, have cognitive dimensions (beliefs, acknowledgments, judgments, deliberations, commitments), affective dimensions (emotions, feelings, ways of experiencing things), and conative dimensions (motivations, dispositions to act and forbear from acting); some forms also have valuation dimensions. The attitude is typically regarded as central to respect: actions and modes of treatment typically count as respect insofar as they either manifest an attitude of respect or are of a sort through which the attitude of respect is characteristically expressed. 1. 2 Kinds of Respect There is a four-fold distinction among kinds of respect, according to the bases in the objects. Consider the following sets of examples: (a) respecting a colleague highly as a scholar and having a lot of respect for someone with â€Å"guts†; (b) a mountain climber’s respect for the elements and a tennis player’s respect for her opponent’s strong backhand; (c) respecting the terms of an agreement and respecting a person’s rights; and (d) showing respect for a judge by rising when she enters the courtroom and respecting a worn-out flag by burning it rather than tossing it in the trash. The respect in (a), evaluative respect, is similar to other favourable attitudes such as esteem and admiration. Obstacle respect, in (b), is a matter of regarding the object as something that, if not taken proper account of in one’s decisions about how to act, could prevent one from achieving one’s ends. The objects of (c) directive respect are directives: things such as requests, rules, advice, laws, or rights claims that may be taken as guides to action. The objects of (d) institutional respect are social institutions or practices, the positions or roles defined within an institution or practice, and persons or things that occupy the positions or represent the institution. These four forms of respect differ in several ways. Each identifies a quite different kind of feature of objects as the basis of respect. Besides four-fold classification, some argue there should be a fifth form, care respect, which is exemplified in an environmentalist’s deep respect for nature. This analysis of respect draws explicitly from a feminist ethics of care and has been influential in feminist and non-feminist discussions of respecting persons as unique, particular individuals. Other kinds of respect: recognition respect and appraisal respect. Recognition respect is the disposition to give appropriate weight or consideration in one’s practical deliberations to some fact about the object and to regulate one’s conduct by constraints derived from that fact. Appraisal respect, by contrast, is an attitude of positive appraisal of a person or their merits, which are features of persons that manifest excellences of character. 2. Respect for Persons People can be the objects or recipients of different forms of respect. We can (directive) respect a person’s legal rights, show (institutional) respect for the president by calling him â€Å"Mr. President,† have a healthy (obstacle) respect for an easily angered person, (care) respect someone by cherishing her in her concrete particularity, (evaluative) respect an individual for her commitment to a worthy project. Thus the idea of respect for persons is ambiguous. 3. Respect for Nature and Other Nonpersons Although persons are the paradigm objects of moral recognition respect, it is a matter of some debate whether they are the only things that we ought morally to respect. One serious objection raised is that in claiming that only rational beings are ends in themselves deserving of respect, it licenses treating all things which aren’t persons as mere means to the ends of rational beings, and so it supports morally abhorrent attitudes of domination and exploitation toward all nonpersons and toward our natural environment. Taking issue that only persons are respect worthy, many philosophers have argued that such nonpersons as humans who are not agents or not yet agents, human embryos, plants, species, all living things, the natural ecosystem of our planet, and even mountains, and rocks, have moral standing or worth and so are appropriate objects of or are owed moral recognition respect. Of course, it is possible to value such things instrumentally as they serve human interests, but the idea is that such things matter morally and have a claim to respect in their own right, independently of their usefulness to humans. 4. Self-Respect While there is much controversy about respect for persons and other things, there is surprising agreement among moral and political philosophers about at least this much concerning respect for oneself: self-respect is something of great importance in everyday life. Indeed, it is regarded both as morally required and as essential to the ability to live a satisfying, meaningful, flourishing life—a life worth living—and just as vital to the quality of our lives together. Saying that a person has no self-respect or acts in a way no self-respecting person would act, or that a social institution undermines the self-respect of some people, is generally a strong moral criticism. Nevertheless, as with respect itself, there is philosophical disagreement, both real and merely apparent, about the nature, scope, grounds, and requirements of self-respect. Self-respect is often defined as a sense of worth or as due respect for oneself; it is frequently (but not always correctly) identified with or compared to self-esteem, self-confidence, dignity, self-love, a sense of honour, self-reliance, pride, and it is contrasted (but not always correctly) with servility, shame, humility, self-abnegation, arrogance, self-importance. In addition to the questions philosophers have addressed about respect in general, a number of other questions have been of particular concern to those interested in self-respect, such as: (1) What is self-respect, and how is it different from related notions such as self-esteem, self-confidence, pride, and so on? (2) Are there objective conditions—for example, moral standards or correct judgments—that a person must meet in order to have self-respect, or is self-respect a subjective phenomenon that gains support from any sort of self-valuing without regard to correctness or moral acceptability? (3) Does respecting oneself conceptually or causally require or lead to respecting other persons (or anything else)? And how are respect for other persons and respect for oneself alike and unalike? (4) How is self-respect related to such things as moral rights, virtue, autonomy, integrity, and identity? (5) Is there a moral duty to respect ourselves as there is a duty to respect others? (6) What features of an individual’s psychology and experience, what aspects of the social context, and what modes of interactions with others support or undermine self-respect? (7) Are social institutions and practices to be judged just or unjust (at least in part) by how they affect self-respect? Can considerations of self-respect help us to better understand the nature and wrongness of injustices such as oppression and to determine effective and morally appropriate ways to resist or end them? 5. Conclusion Everyday actions insist that respect and self-respect are personally, socially, politically, and morally important and philosophical discussions of the concepts bear this out. Their roles in our lives as individuals, as people living in complex relations with other people and surrounded by a plethora of other beings and things on which our attitudes and actions have tremendous effects, cannot, as these discussions reveal, be taken lightly. The discussions thus far shed light on the nature and significance of the various forms of respect and self-respect and their positions in a nexus of profoundly important but philosophically challenging and contestable concepts. These discussions also reveal that much more work remains to be done in clarifying these attitudes and their places among and implications for our concepts and our lives.