Technology & humankind Essay Example for Free

Technology humankind Essay Technology has done a lot for human beings. Without the development in technology it is possible that the pyramids would never have been built and neither would we be able to communicate with each other from remote places all over the world. Some say that these technological advances such as the internet and cellular phones are a boon on society and humankind yet there are also those detractors who say that it is has not simplified life in so much as it has complicated matters. One of these things is the impact that television has on society. In order to arrive at a more concrete understanding of the issue at hand, it is interesting to apply what has been discussed to a current issue. One of these issues is the effect of media, particularly television, on the moral fiber of today’s youth. This will be discussed in brief to provide an accurate detail of just how these media effects theories can be applied to today’s social problems. As a quick glimpse at the recent events that grace the newspaper’s headlines show, there is indeed a growing concern over the violence that happens in schools all over the country (Chomsky et al 2002). The issue is not limited to the increased teenage pregnancies or even drug abuse. It encompasses a whole range of issues such as bullying and perhaps the most frightening, schools shootings (Chomsky et al 2002). With all of these problems plaguing not only the education system but also the entire nation as of late, the question that comes up is whether or not this is actually caused by the violent television shows and movies in the cable TV programming. While there has been no irrefutable data that lends credence to the theory that violent shows in television is the real culprit behind today’s misguided and often violent youth, there can also be no argument against the statement that though violence on television may not be the sole cause, it is one of the contributory causes (Fisher et al 2004). There are a number of media effects theories that solidify the argument that it is violence in media or in television that has led to the deterioration in the moral foundation of today’s youth (Gauntlett 1998). A good example of this would be the â€Å"Hypodermic Needle Model†, which is a theory that the influence of media is so powerful that it can be used to â€Å"inject† messages into the minds of the audience and control them (Gauntlett 1998). While it is not being suggested that television is being used a medium to brainwash today’s youth and turn them into an army of zombies for the media, it is being proposed, however, that the programming and quality of shows on television, such as violent programs, has a profound effect upon the youth (Shanahan and Morgan 2000). The influence, therefore, that television has upon the youth is undeniable. While this influence may have waned in the advent of the internet age and YouTube, it still bears a considerably large amount of influence over the younger children who are not able to access such media devices (Fisher et al 2004). Therein lays the danger; young children with impressionable minds are exposed to violence on television leading to a deterioration in the moral and ethical foundations of today’s generation. Another interesting theory to correlate the cause, violence in television, with the effect, violent behavior of the youth, is the postmodernist thought on the approaches to the Media Effects Theory (Gauntlett 1998). The main ideas of this theory rely on the fact that the ideas and perceptions of individuals has already been preconditioned by media in a sense that whatever input or meaning that is derived from media is already placed in a predefined context (Fisher et al 2004). This school of thought therefore suggests that in analyzing the behavior and effects the fact that media has already preconditioned the minds of the individuals and influenced the reception (Shanahan and Morgan 2000). As such, given the volatile nature of the mind of a child, the input that a child receives from violent programming on the television creates a preconceived notion of what the real world is like. By showing violence on television, a child may think and perceive that such behavior is actually socially acceptable (Fisher et al 2004). Studies have shown that there have been causal links found between aggressive and violent behavior in children and the type of television programs that these children generally watch. This can also be applied to the infamous Columbine shooting wherein the investigators have theorized that the motivation for the shooters may have been influenced by forms of media (Fisher et al 2004). As stated in one of the reports, â€Å"Among the many theories that have surfaced regarding the motivation for this incident the most prevalent one remains the effect that media has on the minds of today’s youth. † (Fisher et al 2004) While there are those who theorize that it was the fact that the shooters were isolated from the rest of their classmates thus prompting feelings of helplessness, insecurity and depression, as well as cultivating a strong desire for attention, the attention has been focused on the effect violent video games such as Doom, which the shooters frequently played, and rock music such as Rammstein. Every day the world searches for answers for many of the would-be â€Å"avoidable† tragedies such as school shootings, gang wars and juvenile teen violence. The reason for the term â€Å"avoidable† stems from the fact that many consider these as effects of media influences and morally condemnable social behavior (Fisher et al 2004). While media and television, in particular, are not the main causes for these tragedies, it cannot be denied that they have contributed to these problems (Fisher et al 2004). There may not be an easy solution for this but by identifying the causes that have led to this dilemma a big step has been taken to rectify this situation and to prevent more disasters such as this from ever happening again. There are some things that we really don’t need in life. We must learn to lessen our dependencies on technology and live (if possible) without using them too much. Our ancestors were able to live without microwave ovens and television I don’t see why we can’t. This all may just be future talk but one thing is certain. Today’s society has become so dependent on the benefits that technology has brought in making online life possible that we have come to a point of no return where we can no longer imagine life without it. If you think otherwise, turn off your cellular phone and unhook the jack of your computer and see how long you can survive without it. References: Chomsky, Noam Herman, Edward (1988, 2002). Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. New York: Pantheon. Gauntlett, D. (1998) Ten things wrong with the effects model' in Harindranath, R. , and Linne, O. , (eds) Approaches to Audiences A Reader London: Arnold. http://www. leeds. ac. uk/ics/theory/effects. htm Fisher, Deborah , Hill, Douglas , Grube, Joel , Gruber, Enil . (2004) Sex on American Television: An Analysis Across Program Genres and Network Types. Journal of Broadcasting Electronic Media 48:4, 529-553 Gerbner, G. , Gross, L. , Morgan, M. , Signorielli, N. (1986). Living with television: The dynamics of the cultivation process. In J. Bryant D. Zillman (Eds), Perspectives on media effects (pp. 17-40). Hilldale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Debate Paper on the Welfare Act Essay Example for Free

Debate Paper on the Welfare Act Essay In 1996, in order to fulfill his campaign promise to end welfare as we know it President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), as a result both the fabric and management of the national welfare system were altered. With any policy change comes conflict in the form of opposing perspectives, and the two conflicting viewpoints that will be discussed for the basis of this paper were induced as a result of the enacted PRWORA. Michael Tanner, the first author to be discussed within this paper defended the belief that the alterations to welfare reform achieved desirable results. Author Stephen Pimpare, the voice of the opposition, blasts the PRWORA and its aftereffect. Michael Tanner discussed, how the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) has been the catalyst for the decline of poverty in the United States. Tanner began his argument by accenting the opposition of many American liberals, that anticipated that the passage of this bill would bare cataclysmic results such as, forcing families into absolute poverty. Through the use of statistical data, Tanner discussed how a decade later, the results of the aforesaid bill have proven to be quite opposite of the conjecture. Comparatively, Stephen Pimpare sought to discuss, how the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) has come to fail the recipients that it was originally intended to benefit. Pimpare admits that although, the number of welfare recipients were reduced, there has not been enough substantial evidence to indicate that this was, as a result of welfare reform. Instead, Pimpare believes that the decline in poverty was attributed to forces unrelated to the enactment of the PRWORA. Although, poverty declined in the mid-1990s, he affirms that it is on the rise once more and in large part due to welfare reform. Pimpare continues his argument by making the struggles of former welfare recipients a focal point. By encouraging employment among the poor, the PRWORA placed a work requirement, and a five year lifetime cap on cash assistance, which Pimpare believes has made the lives of those that left welfare, particularly single mothers, that much harder. He more or less explains that under the policies of the PRWORA the federal governments attempt at bringing an end to welfare meant giving states more control over program requirements; doing away with previous federal matching funds, and reducing the incentives for bringing in new welfare recipients. According to Pimpare, without these incentives and the increased authority given to states, many now delegate their allotments for the use of programs or budget deficits that are unrelated to the welfare expenses for which, the funding was initially intended, and the few states that do invest funds into welfare related programs do so by contracting private organizations. Each author agrees that there has been reductions in welfare rolls, but neither believe that this decline occurred for the same reasons. Michael Tanner asserts throughout his article that rolls declined in large part as a result of the PRWORA; giving only slight praise to economic growth. Tanner believes that this among other factors are an effective appraisal of the PRWORAs overall success. Although, Stephen Pimpare also acknowledges cuts in the rolls, he denies that the PRWORA was the influence. He credits the diminishment of the rolls to the decline of unemployment and higher wages. He affirms that if it had not been for the implementation of welfare reform, poverty would have been substantially lower then it was. An additional point, addressed by both authors, is how former welfare recipients have fared beyond their enrollment under the enacted PRWORA. Each side of the opposition maintains that the effects of the welfare reform have bared either negative or positive consequences. Tanner stated that although, many individuals who left welfare, as a result of the PRWORA, have only acquired full time, entry level positions, paying an average of $16,000 per year, it was progress and far better then where those individuals once were. He adds, that while these individuals take on menial employment, they are in turn, gaining valuable experience that will provide them with marketable skills for higher earnings in the future. In Pimpares article, he argues that the PRWORA has ultimately, had adverse effects on the lives of former recipients. He states that homelessness is at an all time high. According to Pimpare, more then half of former recipients remain in poverty, and around 60 percent were unemployed upon there completion of the welfare program. He adds, that poor women, a population that dominates the overall pool of welfare recipients, have become no more autonomous following the welfare reform, then they were previously. Historically, there have been generations of conflict concerning the welfare of the impoverished, and the overall tone of both articles are no exception. Each article, exemplified the current state of conflict. Within our course we have examined this shift of ideology, throughout various periods of time. Historical occurrences, from one era to the next have acted as the catalyst for the fluctuation of the perceived accountability for the poor. The view of personal versus social responsibility has shaped the response to social welfare policies. The retrenchment was a period marked by the relinquishment of responsibility to the individual, and the PRWORA was to be the means of supporting this return of autonomy to the poor. It has been sixteen years since the PRWORA took its place amongst government legislation, and the lives of its former recipients have shifted during this lapse in time, but has welfare reform changed their lives for better or for worse? Did the lunatic right accurately predict the welfare leavers destinies, or were the liberal prophets of doom correct? I strongly believe, that in order to form an educated rebuttal against the opposition, one should have a clear understanding of the vantage point that they wish to support, as well as, of the one that they wish to dismiss. After, thoroughly examining each viewpoint of the welfare reform quarrel, I believe that I am fully informed enough to take the side of most American liberals. Since, its enactment in 1996, the PRWORA has increased the power of the states, but has done very little to increase the livelihood of those who stood to benefit from it. I am sure in hindsight, the PRWORA seemed like a good idea, but it turned out to be fundamental flawed. Since its passage, single parents have been unable to adequately provide for their families. While, many former welfare recipients have managed to attain employment, a scant amount have actually evaded the reality of poverty. The rise in employment is parallel with the increased presence of single mothers, who have entered the labor force, which can clearly be attributed to welfare reform. The vast majority of former welfare recipients, who have entered the work force are only earning between $10,000 and $16,000 annually, this is substantially lower then the amount a family realistically requires to obtain lifes basic necessities. The impractical expectation of welfare reform were that these individuals would eventually climb the job ladder out of menial, entry level positions, but I am not so naive and simple-minded as to agree. History has offered insight into such situations, thus wages remain stagnant for less educated workers, and being employed does not automatically absolve a person from impoverishment. On a positive note, more monies have been earmarked for child care agendas, but difficulties still persist. Single parents continue to receive less support to work. Federal and state programs extend to few families that require child care. Head Start serves less than half of eligible children (Blank, Schulman, and Ewen 1999). The quality of child care is insufficient, as a result of low wages for child care workers. An additional problem is that, although former recipients have obtained employment, they have in turn, been left unable to afford healthcare. Many are not offered such benefits through their employers, and become excluded from government funded health coverage, due to there inability to adhere to the maximum wage requirements. While I am sure the debate over welfare reform will persist long after this assignment has been submitted, it is still worth mentioning how fundamentally backwards the passage of the PRWORA was. Although, it has succeeded in pushing individuals off of the rolls, it has failed to pull them out of poverty, and it is for this reason that I must assent with Pimpares argument. What quality of life do people have when they must survive on the bare minimum? I can make little sense of a government that would allow its citizens to continue living in poverty. The PRWORA does not offer the opportunity for betterment and empowerment, it guarantees a life of struggle.

Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance

Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance An Essay on the Relationship between Andrew Lo’s Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance 1.0  Introduction When in 1936, Keynes compared financial markets to a beauty contest where competitors had to guess who the most popular choice would be, he did not imagined that economists would become fascinated with the contest for explaining the efficiency or inefficiency of that market. Indeed, the global financial crisis of 2008 brought to bare the bitter rivalry between traditional finance theorists and their behavioural counterpart over the realism of assumptions explaining competitive market equilibrium, rational choice theory and rational expectations. Prior to the crisis, the dominant view in mainstream economics and finance (as exemplified in the assumptions of efficient market hypothesis) had been that: individuals are broadly rational, risk averse, maximize their expected utility of wealth, and follow the tenets of subjective probability theory. Hence, the capital market is seen as perfect and generating financial returns which are unforecastable. To put it more aptly in the words of Fa ma (1970), â€Å"prices fully reflect all available information†, an idea that has come to be known as market efficiency. However, the fallout from the financial crisis saw a bourgeoning interest in behavioural economics due mainly to the failings of traditional economic theory to explain many observed market anomalies. Behavioural economists pointed out a number of basic logical mistakes in the efficiency reasoning, which they attributed to behavioural biases and cognitive limitations, which are universal to human decision-making under uncertainty. Some of the documented biases cited in Lo (2004) include overconfidence, loss aversion, overreaction, psychological accounting, herding, miscalibration of probabilities, hyperbolic discounting and regrets. Accordingly, the behaviourists opine that these biases provided evidence that markets are not only inefficient, but that its participants are often irrational. Herein lies the intellectual crux of the debate, which has continue to shape the study and practice of economics and finance. Indeed, while some economists may want to uphold their firm beliefs in market efficiency and rationality, others may as well seek alternative approaches in behavioural finance. Between these two approaches, however, there may be economists who seek for a compromise. This is where Andrew Lo classic work on the adaptive market hypothesis readily falls in. This essay proceeds as follow; section two explain the Adaptive Markets Hypothesis, its theoretical postulations and relationship with behavioural finance, section three critically examine this relationship, and section four concludes the essay. 2.0The Adaptive Markets Hypothesis (AMH) Explained Andrew Lo’s adaptive market hypothesis was based on evolutionary principles of competition, mutation, reproduction and natural selection in biology. Lo, in his 2004 seminal article on the Adaptive Market Hypothesis, suggests that â€Å"individual makes choices based on past experience and their ‘best guesses as to what might be optimal, and they learn by receiving positive or negative reinforcement from the outcomes, (and) if they receive no such reinforcement, they do not learn.† Thus, the AMH implied that investor behaviours such as overreaction, loss aversion, overconfidence, and other behavioural biases are constructed and shaped by a dynamic interplay between investors’ internal cognition and their external environment that then produces evolutionary traits, in which heuristics develop, transform, boom or die out depending on the market settings. As an example, if a market setting is stable, heuristics is likely to yield an optimal or rational choice for investors. While an unstable market environment characterized by risks and uncertainties, yield various forms of behavioural biases. In such instances, ‘rational’ decisions are always evolving as investors’ develop a new set of heuristics in reaction to a changing market environment. These views was developed further by Lo (2005), where he highlighted the main propositions of the AMH to include that: Individuals act in their own self-interest. Individuals make mistakes. Individuals learn and adapt. Competition drives adaptation and innovation. Natural selection, shapes market ecology. Evolution determines market dynamics. In this context, Andrew Lo’s AMH can be said to revolve around three main processes of heuristics development, learning, and an adaptation process of decision making, whose combined impacts on financial institutions help determine market efficiencies, and the waxing and waning of investment products, industries, and even individual and institutional fortunes (Lo, 2005). 2.1The Adaptive Market Hypothesis and Behavioural Finance The uncertainty associated with efficient market hypothesis had led behavioural finance scholars to offer a departure from fully rational behaviours in finance models to behavioural biases or heuristics amongst investors that arguably explains human decision makings under uncertainty. Indeed, most empirical literature on behavioural finance have explained well-recognised market anomalies which contrast standard finance theories. Some of these studies include Kahneman and Tversky (1979), Bernard and Thomas (1990), Benartzi and Thaler (1995), Mehra and Prescott (2008), etc. however, none of this literature was able to present a coherent alternative model that could match the dominancy of standard finance literature. Fama (1998) aptly capture this non-coherence in their arguments when he said, â€Å"a problem in developing an overall perspective on long-term return studies is that they rarely test a specific alternative to market efficiency, instead the alternative hypothesis is vague, market inefficiency.† Thus, Andrew Lo’s AMH was one main attempt at providing a philosophical and theoretical foundation for behavioural finance. Indeed, one stated objective in Lo’s 2004 classic article was to reconcile understandings from efficient market hypothesis with behavioural finance and psychology. Like behavioural finance, AMH explains loss aversion, equity price premium, overreaction, momentum based trading strategies, and other heuristic driven biases by the fact that in a dynamic market environment, investors develop new sets of mental frames or heuristics to solve various economic challenges. Specifically, using Herbert Simon’s notion of bounded rationality, Lo (2004) pointed out that the presence and persistence of behavioural biases can be best understood when we appreciate the fact that cooperation, competition, market-making behaviour, general equilibrium, and disequilibrium dynamics are all adaptations designed to address certain environment challenges for the huma n species and then view these forces from the lens of evolutionary biology. Besides, Lo posits that fear and greed – which behaviourists often cite as a basis for irrational decision making are the products of evolutionary forces and adaptive behaviours that enhance the odds of survival. In this situation, emotions may be seen as an incentive system that determines investors’ behaviour and prompt them to engage in a cost-benefit analysis of various investment plans available to them. Consequently, there are no fixed rules for evaluating trading strategies as depending on market conditions, investors can engage in trade; truncate it at various points and observe the consequences of their actions. For example, where investors are timely in their investment decisions, they come back and dominate the market; if on the other hand, they are poor in market timing, they are easily eased out of the market. Hence, according to Lo supposition, market efficiency can-not be appraised in a vacuum, because is extremely context dependent and dynamic, thus resu lting in a cycle of a mental frame selection process in which investors grow, mutate and thrive or face extinction (Lo, 2004). Moreover, under the AMH, market strategies evolve to adapt to an ever changing market environment, and is driven by profit opportunities, which according to Lo, is the main source on which market participants depend for their survival. One other main aspect of behavioural finance which the AMH shed light on is the existence of arbitrage opportunities. According to Lo, arbitrage opportunities appear and disappear due to adaptive responses to a changing market environment. In this fashion, investors adapt to match new economic challenges, by developing new heuristics that are necessary to evaluating any investment strategy and which in turn depends upon its survival value. Although profitability and risk reduction values are also important factors to consider, Lo pointed out that these factors come after investors have undergone this fundamental market test. So what are the implications of the AMH for efficient markets and behavioural finance? Lo (2004) briefly outlines these implications to include that The equity risk premium are non-constant over time, but changes according to the recent path of the stock market. Risk/reward relations are nonlinear and non-stable. Arbitrage opportunities exist from time to time Investment strategy, waxes and then wane depending on the environment Adaptation and innovation are keys to survival Survival is the only objective that matters. 3.0AMH or EMH? An evaluation Fama (1998) emphasize that any alternative model to market efficiency ought to follow standard scientific rule, and should itself be potentially rejectable by empirical tests. Thus, in evaluating the relationship between AMH and behavioural finance, it is essential to consider an empirical test of how AMH differ significantly from the efficient market hypothesis (EMH), which the behaviourists seek to discard. While various tests of market efficiency had been designed over the years using standard financial models in EMH, tests of AMH are relatively few given that the hypothesis has yet to become part of the mainstream of financial economics. However, an increasing number of studies had reported results which seems consistent with the AMH. Some of these studies include Neely, et al (2009) and Kim, et al (2011). Whereas Neely, et al (2009) found some regularities in profit opportunities that appear and disappears in a foreign exchange market, Kim, et al (2011) found strong evidence tha t return predictability is driven by changing market conditions. These findings implied that testable implications of AMH can be done by testing how the level of efficiency in a market varies significantly over time. Furthermore, another possible way to conceptualise a test of the AMH may be to investigate whether investment decisions are made based on selectivity and market timing since evolutionary principle implied that natural selection shapes market ecology. In this context, Hoffman, et al (2013) found some evidence of market learning during the financial crisis. As a matter of fact, conventional econometric tests for market efficiency using formal asset pricing models such as Sharpe 1964 CAPM and Merton’s 1973 discrete time version of ICAPM would have been relevant alternative models to investigate these testable implications of AMH. Therefore, rather than see Lo’s AMH as a behavioural alternative to market efficiency, it is better regarded as another strand of efficient market hypothesis. 4.0Conclusion This essay has discussed the adaptive market hypothesis and examined its relationship with behavioural finance. We conclude that whereas the AMH offers a philosophical foundation for analysing various behavioural anomalies described by behavioural finance, its theoretical underpinning however, reflects that of the efficient market hypothesis. References Benartzi, S., and Thaler, R., (1995), â€Å"Myopic loss aversion and the equity premium puzzle†, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 110: 73-92. Bernard, V., and Thomas, J., (1990), â€Å"Evidence that stock prices do not fully reflect the implications of current earnings for future earnings†, Journal of Accounting and Economics, vol. 13: 305-340. Fama, E., (1970), â€Å"Efficient Capital Markets: A Review of Theory and Empirical Work†, Journal of Finance, vol. 25(2): 383–417. Fama, E., (1998), â€Å"Market efficiency, long-term returns, and behavioral finance, Journal of Financial Economics, vol. 49(3): 283-306. Hoffman, A.I., Thomas, P., and Joost, M.E., (2013), â€Å"Individual investor perceptions and behaviour during the financial crisis†, Journal of Banking and Finance, vol. 37(1): 60-74 Kahneman, D., and Tversky, A., (1979), â€Å"Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk†, Econometrica, vol. 47: 263–291. Kim, J., Lim, K., and Shamsuddin, A., (2009), â€Å"Stock return predictability and adaptive markets hypothesis: Evidence from century-long U.S. data†, Unpublished. Lo, A., (2004), â€Å"The Adaptive Markets Hypothesis: Market Efficiency from an Evolutionary Perspective†, Journal of Portfolio Management, 30th Anniversary Issue; 15-29 Lo, A., (2005), â€Å"Reconciling efficient markets with behavioural finance: the adaptive markets hypothesis†, Journal of Investment Consulting, vol. 7(2): 21-44. Mehra, R., and Prescott, E., (2008), â€Å"The equity premium: ABC’s Handbook of the Equity Risk- Premium†, North Holland, Amsterdam: The Netherlands. Merton, R., (1973), â€Å"An intertemporal capital asset pricing model†, Econometrica, vol. 41: 867–887 Neely, C., Weller, P., and Ulrich, J., (2009), â€Å"The Adaptive Markets Hypothesis: Evidence from the Foreign Exchange Market† Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, vol. 44(2): 467-488. Sharpe, W., (1964), â€Å"Capital asset prices: a theory of market equilibrium under conditions of risk†, Journal of Finance, vol. 19(3): 425-442

Functional areas of Cadburys and Sainsburys Marketing :: Marketing, Business, Customer Service

Functional areas of Cadburys and Sainsbury's Marketing Cadburys marketing is very important to them, for example; every now and then, they send a sales assistant round the stores to make sure that the store has a big clump of the world famous purple â€Å"home colours† so that the Cadburys chocolate is well sold. Cadburys have released 3 posters this summer on the new range of bars of dairy milk. In 2003 they have released 5 successful posters which raised their profit margin. Over the years the way Cadburys and advertise their products has seen many changes. They're very important to Cadburys because they affect the way you think about Cadbury and their products. Cadburys look at information that has already been collected and recorded. This is known as secondary data. Cadbury also have a big website pictured below in which people can be informed of the business. Sainsbury's Marketing includes their online shopping website above and posters around the shopping malls, Sainsbury's also have a television contract with Jamie Oliver with the slogan ‘Making life taste better’. Customer services Customer service is the part of Cadburys that tries to make sure customers are satisfied with the good or service they are buying. Without customers Cadburys couldn’t survive. Cadburys treat their customers is very important. Customer services can be: Pre-sales services – services for customers before customers have made a purchase; After sales Services – services which are available to customers after they have made a purchase. Staff working in customer services deal with matters such as making sure that products are delivered on time, providing help if the

Evolutionism Vs Creationism Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Questions on the origin of life and of the universe must have challenged human curiosity and imagination as soon as early man had time for activities other than survival. In 1859, Charles Darwin published the Origin of Species, and since then, people have debated between the creationism and evolutionism theories. The theory of evolution has been supported only through various religious writings, particularly the Bible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creationists believe in a divine creator, God. Creationism has a broad range of beliefs involving a reliance on God’s miraculous work to explain the origin of the universe, of life, and of the different kinds of plants and animals on Earth. According to the creationist view, God willed everything into existence, and this is how humans came onto the Earth. Creationists say that the evolution theory is biased and incomplete. They believe that the fossil records fail to provide a link between diverse groups. To find out how old fossils are, scientists use a method called radioisotope dating, which measures the amount of uranium or lead lost over the years. Creationists deny evidence from this testing because they assume no uranium or lead has been lost over the years. The process of evolution, which all living things developed from unicellular organisms, over billions of years Exactly how evolution occurs is still debated but it is a scientific fact that it does occur. Most biologists believe that the modern theory of evolution arose from a history of mutations either physically or chemically and it is still occurring. All organisms can be traced back to a common ancestor from inanimate matter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The science of paleontology or the study of life provides the most direct proof of evolution in the past through fossil remains or impressions, usually in rock. Other evidence comes from comparative studies of living animals and plants, including their structure and geographical locations. â€Å"Mollusks and vascular plants account for more than 80 percent† (Futuyma 87) of the world’s species, with about â€Å"1.4 to 1.8 million species† (Futuyma 87) in all. Changes occur in living organisms to help increase their adaptability, or potential for survival and reproduction, in the face of changing environments. Evolution apparently has no built-in direction or purpose. A given ... ...atively, is definitely an important piece of literature. To believe that the age of the earth is only 10,000 years old does not support the validity of the creationists. To many scholars, the Bible is a figurative book of parables, not to be taken literally. The use of the Bible may be hindering, instead of supporting, the validity of the creationist’s arguments. It is clear that evolution is much clearer to understand and accept than the creationism theory. There will always be people who will still be curious as to how we appeared on the earth, and some people will oppose the evolution theory, therefore, the evolutionism/creationism debate will forever continue. Works Cited Creation Science FAQ http://www.clubs.psu.edu/origins/faqsci.htm Drew Thinks About Evolutionism vs Creationism. http://petra.austinc.edu/arayburn/evolve.html Futuyma, Douglas J. Evolutionary Biology. 3rd ed. Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates inc., 1997. General QH 366.2.F87 Montagu, Ashley, ed. Science and Creationism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. General QH 371.S343 Strahler, Arthur N. Science and Earth History. The Evolution/Creation Controversy. New York: Prometheus Books, 1987. BS 652.S77

criminal justice Essay examples -- essays research papers

Tushnet's A Court Divided By R. Anastasia Tremaine - February, 2005 Tushnet's A Court Divided Tushnet (2005) takes an insightful look into the current Supreme Court and what it means for the future in his work entitled A Court Divided. Much has been discussed about the Court, particularly since the 2000 election ended up being referred to the judicial branch of government. Constitutional law has always been fascinating subject, as it broaches the areas of guaranteed legal protections. Landmark decisions change the course of history and determine which rights the people have and have not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book addresses the obvious problems. First, the author identifies the division between liberal and conservative judges. These two divisions have played a huge role not only in the court systems, but in the political arena as well. Because the president is able to appoint judges, many people believe that he will appoint someone like himself. A Republican president will appoint a conservative and a Democrat will appoint a liberal. Although this is largely the case, all too often surprises emerge. It should really not be a surprise at all that judges have their own minds and are not stereotypical. Brilliant men seldom have one mindset, even though they may lean one way or another. Still, the idea that the president may appoint chief justices does suggest that, like a game of chess, the future of Constitutional law is to some extent contingent on who is president. Depending upon the makeup of the court at the time, one appointment can change a great deal and shift the court either to the right or to the left.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author does admit that the court is divided by party or ideology, but he does contest the argument that a particular type of judge will always go a particular way. Rather, he looks at each individually and notes each of their distinct prejudices. The idea that the conservatives and liberals are at odds is not necessarily true and instead the author vies for a theory that shows divisions in certain subject areas. It is not necessarily the case that conservatives will side one way or another. For example, the author points out that many social issues are not ruled conservatively and this is because some of the fiscal conservatives on board are really just fiscal conservatives.   Ã‚  ... ...in accordance with a party platform. That said, whatever happens in the future, it seems that the Court is in good hands. By the time a judge is appointed, he or she will have been scrutinized and again, there is little in terms of predictability on which one can rely.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Will the future of the court be more conservative if a Republican president must select a new candidate? It does not matter. Again, Tushnet's (2005) premise is that the court is divided by Conservatives. Bush is a quasi-conservative president as he does support many liberal views. Immigration is one example and the topic is tied to Constitutional law to an extent. In conclusion, Tushnet writes an excellent review of the Court, and one that helps the reader understand the decisions that were handed down in recent years, and why they were made. His easy writing style and attention to detail makes for a marvelous read for any law student or layman who wants to understand what makes the Supreme Court justices tick. Reference Tushnet, M. (2005). A Court Divided: The Rehnquist Court and the Future of Constitutional Law. New York: Norton, W.W. & Company, Inc.

Play Report: Our Lady of 121st Street

Immediate Responses: -Easy read -Incredibly funny -Characters are so unlike one another -The relationships all linked together somehow -Very disappointed by the way they found Sister Rose -Loved the simple flow of the dialogue -Had to re-read several things in order to keep the sequence straight due to the jumping around of the scenes and time. Basic Conflict: The basic conflict of the play is the unsettling fact that somebody has stolen the corpse of their beloved nun Sister Rose. Major Events: -Somebody stole Sister Rose’s corpse Balthazar tells Vic a story about a man who didn’t care that his son had died -Rooftop goes to confession with Father Lux for the first time in 30 years. -Inez is Rooftop’s ex wife -Gail’s and Flip’s relationship is established. Gail is an actor. -Flip denies his relationship with Gail in front of Inez -The interrogation of Norca by Balthazar -Edwin’s and Pinky’s relationship is established -Edwin sends Pink y out for Yodels at 10:30 in the morning -Marcia’s asthma attack. Edwin takes care of her. Marcia tries hooking up with Edwin. -Norca and Inez speak in the bar for the first time since Norca slept with Rooftop, Inez’s ex husband. Balthazar takes Rooftop out of his confession. * Pinky kisses Father Lux * Pinky returns from getting yodels over 12 hours later. * He admits to Edwin that he spent time with Norca * Marcia expresses her concerns that Edwin will turn into her alcoholic grandfather * Marcia wants to marry Edwin who doesn’t want to leave Pinky alone. * Flip kisses Gail in public * Balthazar confesses that he was the guy who decided to watch a game on television over going to his son’s death sight. Major Theme: The major theme/lesson of the play is to always put somebody else before you. If you do than you will learn more about yourself in long run. Environment: The environment of our scene is a bar and grill on 121st street at 2 a. m. in the morning. Sitting in the bar I can see the smoke from the kitchen as it passes the lights on the ceiling. I can smell the fantastic aroma of fried food being cooked out back. I can taste the cold, salty, and seasoned French fries as I bite into them off of Marcia’s plate. I can hear the faint jazz music from the jukebox in the corner behind me. I can feel the cool air conditioning coming from the vents as I stand under them when I get warm. Character My character is Edwin Velasquez. Edwin is a super for a building on 121st street and has a great relationship with some of his tenants. Edwin dresses incredibly mainstream and boring. He hasn’t shaved in 3 months, so his scruff is quite visible and doesn’t waste time doing his hair. Edwin loves to eat Yodels with whole milk, and smoke. Edwin’s not the smartest 32 year old and he had to re-do 2nd grade 3 times. He is a very happy person who has taken on a huge burden that causes him to be on edge almost all of the time. Some people may see this as a bad attitude, but it’s simply a result of always worrying. Edwin has to take care of his little Brother, Pinky, by himself due to the fact that their parents are dead. Pinky is mentally challenged, and it just so happens that it’s Edwin’s fault which really weighs down on his shoulder’s 24/7. He threw a brick through a window after being yelled at by his parents for calling Pinky a retard, and the brick hit Pinky on the head causing permanent damage. Edwin’s most important relationship is the one with his brother Pinky. Their parents passed away several years ago. Social Services insisted on taking Pinky into custody, but Edwin would not let that happen, so he took full responsibility for Pinky. He feels that he owes it to his parents to be the best possible parental figure he can be for Pinky. Edwin’s overall need or desire throughout his life is to be certain Pinky is happy and safe at all times. Edwin does extremely well trying to protect Pinky and know exactly where he is at all times, but Pinky makes it incredibly difficult to do so. In our scene he does not achieve it because Pinky was out for over 12 hours and did not tell Edwin where he was going to be which worried Edwin to death, but it was truly out of his hands.