Existential Questions OR Achieving Perfection Essay

Existential Questions OR Achieving Perfection - Essay Example It relates to one’s inner world. Many philosophers have tried to provide answers to such a question in their own interpretation, but no final verdict has ever been given. In the philosophical literature elaborate commentaries about self-discovery are available in plenty, but the original questions relating to the multifaceted existentialism remain without tangible explanations. The generalization of their answers is impossible, and each inquisitive individual has to tread the investigation path of the inner world with their own efforts. Someone else cannot do the spiritual journey for your benefit. Practical Vision of the Divine is Possible How a lamp that remains extinguished can light another lamp? One can impart only what one possesses. That which does not exist, cannot be shared. The fox says that the grapes are sour, when it fails to reach up to the height of the bunch. The so-called present day saints and intellectuals proclaim that the practical vision of God is impossi ble, because they do not own that practical experience. Such people succeed in shifting the load of their darkness and ignorance on the inquisitive people. They repeatedly assert that it is impossible for the human beings to have the practical vision of God. ... on continues to ponder over questions like what the purpose of existence is, whether God exists, etc., applying logic to understand the issues that are beyond the scope of logic and reason. Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Existentialism The character of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s famous drama throws light on existential questions relating to the inquiry of truth. Human beings try to reach out solutions to questions that are beyond the scope of intelligence. Hamlet on encountering his father’s ghost does the same mistake. He exclaims, â€Å"Let me not burst in ignorance; but tells / Why thy canoniz'd bones, hearsed in death, / Have burst their cerements . . . Say, why is this? Wherefore? What should we do?† (Shakespeare, I.iv.46-48, 57). The sight of his father’s ghost confuses him, and he fails to decide the right course of action. Even though Hamlet is a highly logical character and anti-existentialist from the beginning of the story, his logical prowess get s diluted slowly, and he begins to understand the superior strength of destiny. His emotions and feelings take a different turn and suicidal tendencies engulf his inner world. He proclaims, â€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles "(Shakespeare, III.i.58-61). He asks God that suicide should not have been a sin. Life and death are two fundamental existential questions, and Hamlet is confused, unable to find answers to them with the power of reason. When Hamlet Changes his Perceptions about Life Hamlet does some profound thinking and wonders why man is hailed as the crown of creation. He proclaims, â€Å"What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in

Medicine and the Law Coursework 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Medicine and the Law Coursework 2 - Essay Example aby M case, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health observed that the judgment was in accordance with the guidelines it had set out in 2004 in consultation with parents, patient groups and representatives of different religious groups.(BBC News Report, 2006). It expressed the opinion that each case was to be treated individually and rigid rules could not be imposed that would apply in every case. But as discussed below, the precedents established by the Courts have shown that in general, the guiding principle is one of favouring life although each case is considered on its own merit. The Charlotte Wyatt case1 concerned a prematurely born baby that was suffering from a number of life threatening conditions. The Court also held in this instance that life sustaining treatment to the child could not be withdrawn. The Children Act of 1989 requires that the welfare of the child be accorded top priority and this is the guiding principle in all decisions that are made in reference to children. This is also the basis whereby the Crown can intervene in order to ensure that the interests of children are protected, because they are in effect disabled to the extent that they cannot look out for their own interests. As a result, decisions to be made about their treatment may also be taken by courts, especially when a patient has entered a persistent vegetative state (PVS). The decision of the House of Lords in Airedale NHS trust v Bland2 also held that when a patient has entered the PVS stage, then it may be lawful for the Courts to order the withdrawal of life sustaining tre atment because this would be in the best interests of the patient. It would also be lawful to withhold treatment in such cases because it would be in the patient’s best interests to be allowed to die with dignity3. Where adults are concerned, the question of how far a Court can step in to make decisions about the treatment options or welfare of an incapacitated or disabled person were at

Design of Business Research Project

Design of Business Research Project The title of the event: Research workshop Questionnaire Design and Construction The date of the event: 10 /02 /2016. Description. Developing a good survey questionnaire is a helpful tool in business. Survey questionnaires are a simple method of obtaining market research data which you need in order to acquire relevant and accurate insight on your target market or responses to a particular product you introduce. Apart from knowing abstract concepts in class, I browse different sets of questionnaires and I can tell a good questionnaire from a bad one. I have had experience administering survey questionnaires for academic and professional purposes but I never had the opportunity to design or develop a questionnaire suited to my specific needs. From my point of view, the research workshop I attended provided me with the information I needed in order develop a questionnaire which will be helpful in obtaining perceptions data on what potential consumers need from a startup computer business. In a business, market research data involves a strategic process which will ensure that you know your audience and your data reflects objective reality (Webb, 2000). For this purpose, it is necessary to have the skill in developing an instrument which can inform me at the onset what the target market wants and what customers expect from an efficient computer company. In addition, it is also necessary to develop a questionnaire which can also gauge customer satisfaction so that I may be informed what makes customers happy and unhappy with the services my company intends to offer. In a way, designing a questionnaire can be used to jumpstart the communication process between the customers and the management and provide baseline data for a business relationship. Self-analysis. At first, I thought questionnaires were pro-forma documents that researchers distribute to people and that answering them was boring and tedious. I realized that the questionnaires which I have had the opportunity to answer may not have been constructed well. In my experience, some questionnaires have redundant items written and some items seem errant and off topic. Some questionnaires are really unnecessarily lengthy so that some items are left unanswered or unmarked. Some questionnaires become spoiled because the respondents ticked two answers for an item that required only one answer. Market research data is everything when you are trying to start a business. It provides you with legs to stand on by gathering data that can help you make sound business decisions (Miller Dickson, 2001). Hence, if the questionnaire does not collect the data you need to make those decisions, then the purpose is defeated (Canada Business Network, 2016). I began to appreciate that the design and constr uction of a good and reliable questionnaire must be a systematic process that requires skill and diligence in making. Analysis of learning. As a result of the research workshop and the subsequent further reading I made on design and construction of questionnaires, I gathered the important concepts on designing a good questionnaire. The design depends on what information you need. A questionnaires design depends on the research needs and specifications. If the researcher wishes to collect numerical data in order to determine the perceptions of a target market, then it will need to take the form of a standardized questionnaire (Webb, 2000). However, if the aim is also to explore in a more in-depth manner the perceptions and views of a target audience regarding a product, then a qualitative interview questionnaire will be suitable. Exploratory questionnaires will require only a brief guide with perhaps ten open-ended questions with prompts and probing questions per interview questions (Trochim, 2008). For the formal standardized questionnaire however, which is what I need, the task is lengthier and more tedious because it needs (FAO, 2012): Prescribed wording and ordering of questions in order to assure receipt of similar stimuli Variables need to be operationalized or defined clearly in order for respondents to answer consistently A prescribed response format in order to ensure fast completion of the questionnaire A good questionnaire meets research objectives. Designing a good questionnaire requires that it accomplishes the research objectives (Schonlau et al., 2001). This entails substantial preparatory work on my part. By preparatory work, this means that before I set out to design a questionnaire I need to do research on relevant literature on the topic or issue I want to solicit perceptions about. The workshop teacher reiterated that questionnaires fail due to poor understanding and research work on the issue or topic. Complete and accurate information makes a good questionnaire. If respondents do not understand the questions outlined in the questionnaire, then the more likely it will be that they do not answer or refuse to answer (Canada Business Network, 2016). The questionnaire should be simply and adequately worded so as to elicit the proper and accurate answer from the respondents. A well-arranged questionnaire is important. Questionnaires must not only be easily understood on the part of the respondents but it should be well-arranged and structured so that it will be easier to analyze and interpret (Trochim, 2008). It is also important to ensure that the questionnaire is short and it flows in a manner as to keep the respondent interested in answering. Unnecessary or irrelevant questions should be dealt away with. Response scale An important feature of a well-designed questionnaire is the selection of an appropriate response scale where respondents may rate their experience or perception on a scale of, for instance, one to five, one being lowest and five being the highest (Trochim, 2008). Ensure pre-testing of the questionnaire It is very important to pilot test your questionnaire in order to point out what changes need to be made and how the instrument can be improved. Finalization After pre-testing the questionnaire, a final version will be produced based on the feedback and evaluation. Application in context. Learning about questionnaire design and construction allowed me to make a strong connection on the importance of surveys in market research. Based on my actual circumstances, I am interested on starting up a digital marketing business and my target audience are individuals who are inclined to use the Internet and social media in their commercial transactions. When I visit social media websites, several short online questionnaires pop up and asks the user certain questions on website usage. These questions are meant to map the frequency of user engagement with a particular social media platform, in what I could hypothesize is an attempt by the company to pull out of a profile of their user base. User data will be extremely important in making market decisions and offering suitable product choices for users. I was also able to evaluate the online survey forms that some websites offer in order to get to know their customers better. Most just deal with demographic data which are actually boring and length. I was able to link the lessons I obtained from the research workshop to come up with an initial design for a questionnaire to determine user preferences in online shopping. Evaluation. Learning more about questionnaire design and construction has allowed me to appreciate the science of survey-making especially its relevance in market research (Brown, 2008). I was able to tie the connection between a good and well-design survey questionnaire to more sound decision-making process in marketing and management (Webb, 2000; Schonlau et al., 2001). Understanding the impact of surveys in ascertaining user perceptions and employee satisfaction provided better insight for me of its importance. Due to the additional insight I learned from the research workshop, I was able to evaluate with certainty and guidelines some of the previous questionnaires I had constructed in relation to my work and I was able to assess its strong and weak spots. Based on the learning outcomes of the research workshop, I can say with confidence that I now have a clear appreciation of the importance of a good questionnaire design. I now also have a newfound appreciation on how important preparatory work is in designing the questionnaire and identifying clear what your research objectives are. I am now more challenged to design future market survey questionnaires in the future for my own personal use as well as those related to the demands of my profession. Self-concept. There was a great deal of unlearning which occurred as a process of engaging in the research workshop. The difference between being a respondent in a survey questionnaire is immense compared to when you have to design the questionnaire yourself. You need to appreciate the relevance of the content in the questionnaire as well as the suitability of the design. In short, I now consider questionnaire design both a science and an art. It is a science because it needs to be systematic; on the other hand, it becomes an art because you need to be creative and innovative so that the questionnaire keeps the respondent engaged and interested. Action In light of the learning outcomes of the research workshop, I have undertaken the construction of a preliminary survey questionnaire to produce a demographic profile of the users of a website that I manage as well as to determine user satisfaction on the design, layout, and ease of use of the website. I have scheduled it to be pre-tested among a circle of my friends in order to determine what parts of the survey needs to be improved. References Brown, L. (2008). Market research and analysis. Chicago: Wildside Press. Canada Business Network. (2016). Conducting market research. Retrieved from http://canadabusiness.ca/business-planning/market-research-and-statistics/conducting-market-research/designing-a-questionnaire/ Food and Agriculture Organisation. (2012). Chapter 4: Questionnaire Design. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/w3241e/w3241e05.htm Miller, T. W. P. R. Dickson (2001). Online Market Research. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 5(3), 139-167. Schonlau, M., R. D. J. Fricher, et al. (2001). Conducting Research Surveys via E-mail and the Web. New York: RAND Publications. Trochim, W. M. K. (2008). Social research methods. Retrieved from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/survwrit.php Webb, J. (2000). Questionnaires and their Design. The Marketing Review 1, 197-218.

Lord of the Flies - Savagery Essay -- English Literature Essays

Lord of the Flies - Savagery â€Å"There are too many people, and too few human beings.† (Robert Zend) Even though there are many people on this planet, there are very few civilized people. Most of them are naturally savaged. In the book, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, boys are stranded on an island far away, with no connections to the adult world. These children, having no rules, or civilization, have their true nature exposed. Not surprisingly, these children’s nature happens to be savagery. Savagery can clearly be identified in humans when there are no rules, when the right situation arouses, and finally when there is no civilization around us. Without rules, savagery takes over. Without rules, man is free to do whatever he desires. Meaning, their true nature will be exposed. That nature is surely savagery. For example, when you watch little kids, you tend to notice that if one has a toy, the other will start a fight just to get a toy. Since the kids don’t know the difference between rights and wrong, they’re just expressing themselves naturally, which happens to be savagery. Here is a quote from Golding from chapter 4 of his book that proves that rules are the basis to civilization. â€Å"Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and scho...

Richard Miller

Brittany Scott February 22, 2013 Prof. Brittany Scott February 22, 2013 Prof. â€Å"The Stereotypes of Freire, Miller, Rodriguez, and Bordo† Having to read four stories from four well educated authors can leave you puzzled, but it can also open your mind to other forms of learning. The stories â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education by Paulo Freire, â€Å"The Dark Knight of the Soul† by Richard Miller, â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Richard Rodriguez, and â€Å"Beauty (Re)Discovers the Males Body† by Susan Bordo all take on different aspects of learning. But while analyzing my readings I noticed that each author made a stereotype for their view of learning.Paulo Freire’s, said to be one of the most influential radical educators of our world viewings of literature were based on students and teachers. Freire created a system for teachers and students to have an equal power, but while doing his research him began to compare student teacher learning relations. Freire stereotyped students as takers (depositories) and teacher’s givers (depositors), but he also made it known that at times a student can be the giver. By students getting their education from a higher power, Freire feels as if it is depriving students of their creativity.In a passage from Freire states â€Å"Oppression – overwhelming control – is necrophilic; it is nourished by love of death, not life. The banking concept of education, which serves the interest of oppression, is also necrophilic. Based on a mechanistic, static, naturalistic, spatialized, view of consciousness, it transforms students into receiving objects. It attempts to control thinking and action, leads women and men to adjust to the world, and inhibits their creative powers. † I believe that Freire use his concepts as examples. From the quote from the book, he made it known that we as students are oppressed by the higher authority, the teacher.Through h is explanations he made it known that we receive and the more that we just receive, we are only going to regurgitate. Which leave you to having no creativity. In Richard E. Miller†s â€Å"The Dark Knight of the Soul† he compared literature to massacres. In Millers first story He used the events that happened at Columbine High School. Stating that the two young fellas Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were all these things such as middle class, follower and leader, smart kid and a loser, and the even had alcohol fueled dreams but yet Miller felt as if more education and religion would have kept the two in line.The young ma Harris was said to have applied to numerous of colleges but was rejected and he was also rejected from the Marine Corps from having some drug in his system, all of this being weeks before the big massacre. They were bright students and brilliant when it came to computers and math but only one of them had something going for themself and that was Klebold. K lebold was well known in school, had a date for prom and even visited a college wee we was going to be attending in the upcoming semester, but soon both boys worlds would meet and collide.Miller basically said that if we read, write, and talk more that we are less likely to commit to deviance acts of violence. Richard Rodriguez used himself as a personal image but used his family as reflective image for the upcoming success he was striving for in â€Å"The Achievement of Desire. † Although Rodriguez is Latino and his family is considered to be middle class, as he got older and his knowledge began to expand he began to look down on of those little or less knowledge of what he knew.He was very distant from his family because of the love he ad from his books and the little interaction he would give them because he felt different; he felt like he could/should be better than them. As he got older his family laughed at him and called him names because he somewhat considered himself better than them. As he got older he began to critique himself for the distance, looking down on his family, and wanting to be so much of a scholar that he finally realized he was basically by himself.Being in a school in another country, watching others and how they socialize made realize that he was by himself and that instead of investing so much time into books, trying to be like that teacher he should have invested his time into a family ad even having friends. In Susan Bordo’s â€Å"Beauty (Re) discovers the Male Body† she takes the pressure off of us woman and finally puts it on the man by comparing the judgment of the males’ picture and the females’ picture.Bordo took the fire off of us females and finally put it of the male by comparing the likelihood of a female dressed a certain way in a photo on a billboard or in a magazine somewhere to a male dressed with more or less clothing. I can recall Bordo saying â€Å"Woman may dread being surveyed harshly†¦ men are not supposed to enjoy being surveyed period. † She feels that men are getting more comfortable wearing little to no clothing, being looked at as meat, or maybe even a sex symbol. In a commercial advertisement that Bordo seen read â€Å"men act and woman appear. A man can sit around and do work but not pay attention to any attention that is coming his way while a woman will show off her legs and her cleavage just to get that attention she is looking for. As time changes men are becoming more self-conscious of their appearance and what others may think of them. They are more willing to pose naked and take on certain roles in movies that they would not have in once upon a time. Whether it is their size, their looks, their shape, or even their masculinity both mean and woman are creatures of appearances and actions.Each author has their own perception of imaging. Whether it is visual, hands on, or something that they actually may have been a part of. During their phases of teaching they all began to hypothesize or stereotype a human been in some shape or form of an object. They still stick to their idea and they go on to describe how and why they feel that we as people are what they are characterizing. Freire, Miller, Rodrigues, and Bordo were all well educated in their area of works. They also made it easy for me as a student to understand learning through their eyes.

Notes – Belonging

English Related Texts Text 1: Text 2: â€Å"My Big Fat Greek Wedding† Text 3: Text 1: What does it convey about belonging? The image conveys the concept of not belonging. It conveys the idea that a sense of not belonging can cause feelings of frustration and confusion. The image also communicates the message that being different physically from what is accepted as the stereotyped norm can influence whether or not one belongs. It conveys the idea that a certain image is valued in our society and that everybody who does not fall into the stereotyped image is or can be socially rejected. Techniques: Salient image: the salient image is the three tall and thin women that appear to be rejecting the lady that is slightly shorter. The fact that the taller women are the dominating aspect of the image reinforces the idea that these types of women are valued with in our society. o Colour: the dominating women are wearing the colour red while the lady that is being rejected is dressed in the colour green. The colour red is represents beauty, power and passion. The fact that the colour red is worn by the dominating women reinforces the idea that these women are valued in our society.The woman that is being socially rejected is wearing the colour green which usually is a symbol of nature. The green implies that she is naturally beautiful. The image however conveys that her natural and inner beauty is rejected and she is looked down upon as her exterior image does not resemble that that is valued and accepted. o Symbolism: the three dominating woman are looking up, with their noses lifted up in the air. This is usually a symbol of superiority. They believe themselves to more significant than the other lady whom they are rejecting.This conveys that they perceive her as worthless, insignificant and inferior. It clearly emphasises the idea they do not accept her. o Text: the written text â€Å"Damn! Should have worn red†¦ † highlights the idea that not belongi ng causes feeling of frustration and confusion. It shows the viewer that she does not comprehend the reason for her rejection as she does not perceive her self as any different. It conveys that she believes that if she had worn red she would have been accepted into the group. Text 2: What does it convey about belonging?This text conveys that one will always feel a sense of belonging to family and culture to some extent regardless of the circumstances because family and culture shape your identity and are always with you were ever you go. It illustrates the idea that family, culture and beliefs all shape ones identity. It also conveys that sometimes, in order for one to belong within a certain group, they must make change to them selves in order to meet the expectations of the other group. Scenes: 1. Opening/ introductory scene 2.Tula meets Ian’s family 3. Ian’s family meets Tula’s family 4. The wedding ceremony. o Scene one: In this scene, we are introduced to T ula, the protagonist of the movie with her father Gus. From the opening line of the movie, it is clear to us that she has not fulfilled the expectations of her family and specifically her father. â€Å"You better get married soon, you look so†¦ old† her father tells her. The atmosphere represents the mood of Tula. It is raining heavily and dark outside, suggesting that she is discontent with her life.The techniques of flash back and voice over allow us to view Tula in her childhood. These collaboratively convey that as a child Tula was not accepted with her peers as she â€Å"[she] knew she was different from the other girls†. Her culture and significant different appearance was a barrier to her belonging with the other girls at school. Tula’s unacceptance had a profound impact on her as we can clearly see that she was envious of the other girls through â€Å"I so badly wanted to be like the popular girls†.The quotes â€Å"way past my expiration dat e† and â€Å"I have no life† emphasise the idea that Tula is not content with her life and suggest that she has no aspirations for the future. o Scene two: In this scene Tula is introduced to her boyfriend’s parents. Her boyfriend Ian is a non Greek that her family disproves of. Previous to this Ian showed Tula that he accepts her despite their cultural differences through â€Å"what’s there to work out? We’re not from different species†.This conveys that he perceives them as equal and does not discriminate against her due to her culture and family. In the scene where Tula meets Ian’s family we see the cultural difference is a major barrier to belonging. The awkwardness in this scene and the silence from both parties indicates that their cultural differences restrict them as it causes a lack of communication and understanding. They are unable to empathise with each other. The lighting is dim which further highlights the awkwardness and Tula’s discomfort. Scene three: in this scene, the difference between the two families is clearly illustrated. The close up of Ian’s parents when they first arrive at Tula’s house clearly conveys their shock, confusion and disturbance. This is due to the clash in their lifestyle and also because they were expecting a â€Å"quiet dinner [to] meet [her] parents† and instead find the whole family roasting meat on a spit in the front yard. The silence from Ian’s parents when Gus introduces his â€Å"family† conveys that they are speechless and further emphasises their shock.Repetitive close-ups of Ian’s family furthermore convey their shock and inability to comprehend some of the Greeks’ actions. At the end of this scene, we see Gus Portokalos’ perception of Ian’s family and his belief that it will not work between him and his daughter due to the clash in lifestyle as his parents they â€Å"look at [them] like [thei r] from the zoo† despite their kind actions towards them. o Scene four: It is during the wedding ceremony that the Miller family and Portokalos family finally accept each other.During this scene we see that Ian’s family are finally enjoying them selves as they no longer have a confused and surprised expression on their face. They have finally reached an understanding and came to the ultimate realisation that despite their cultural differences they are still the same and that Ian and Tula should be together. It is in this scene that we see that everyone belongs as they have bonded due to the love of Ian and Toula. The mid shot of Ian’s mother after Gus’ speech allows us to see her expression and reaction to the speech.We see that she has found humour in his speech and agrees that despite their differences they are still the same. Ian’s father tells Toula that it â€Å"is just a really nice wedding† which contrasts with his reaction to when he first saw the reception. The voice over of Toula at the end of this scene â€Å"my family is big and loud. but they’re my family†¦ and where ever I go, what ever I go they will always be there† conveys that she herself has finally come to accept her family, culture and traditions and she finally feels a sense of belonging towards them.Text 3: What does it convey about belonging? This image conveys the struggle for some to belong. It conveys that sometimes difference can cause unacceptance into some groups which ultimately leads to not belonging. Techniques: o Symbolism: The yellow duckling is the outsider. It is different to the others and thus does not belong. It is literally looking up at the other duckling suggesting that it figuratively looks up to them, envies them and admires them. It shows us they the little yellow duckling is struggling to fit in. Irony: the fact that the yellow ducking is not fitting in with the black duckling is ironic because it is usua lly the yellow ducklings that are the dominant group and the black one is classified as the â€Å"ugly duckling†. This reinforces the idea that being different will cause not belonging with another group. o Colour: The colour green on the other end of the ledge that that the black ducklings are walking on symbolises another side where it is better as the saying goes â€Å"the grass is greener on the other side†. On the other hand, the yellow duckling is stuck on the grey side and is struggling to move up.This conveys that while the dominant group will progress and move forward with their lives the yellow duckling will continuously struggle and be stuck. This conveys that not belonging can affect an individual in a negative way. o Symbolism: the dominant group is above the rejected duckling which symbolises that they are superior and more significant while she is below them. The fact that she is below them conveys inferiority further reinforces the idea that not belongi ng can have negative effects on an individual.