Advanced Audit and Assurance Essay

These briefing notes evaluate the business risks facing Grohl Co, and identify and explain four risks of material misstatement to be considered in planning the audit of the financial statements for the year ended 30 November 2012. In addition, two ethical issues are discussed and relevant actions recommended. (i) Business risks Imported goods – exchange rate fluctuations Grohl Co relies on a key component of its production process being imported from overseas. This exposes the company to exchange rate volatility and consequentially cash flow fluctuations. The company chooses not to mitigate this risk by using forward exchange contracts, which may not be a wise strategy for a business so reliant on imports. Exchange gains and losses can also cause volatility in profits, and as the company already has a loss for the year, any adverse movements in exchange rates may quickly increase this loss. Imported goods – transportation issues Heavy reliance on imports means that transportation costs will be high, and with fuel costs continuing to increase this will put pressure on Grohl Co’s margins. It is not just the cost that is an issue – reliance on imports is risky as supply could be disrupted due to aviation problems, such as the grounding of aircraft after volcanic eruptions or terrorist activities. Reliance on imported goods increases the likelihood of a stock out. Unless Grohl Co keeps a reasonable level of copper wiring as inventory, production would have to be halted if supply were interrupted, creating idle time and inefficiencies, and causing loss of customer goodwill. Reliance on single supplier All of Grohl Co’s copper wiring is supplied by one overseas supplier. This level of reliance is extremely risky, as any disruption to the supplier’s operations, for example, due to financial difficulties or political interference, could result in the curtailment of supply, leading to similar problems of stock outs and halted production as discussed above. Quality control issues Since appointing the new supplier of copper wiring, Grohl Co has subsequently experienced quality control issues with circuit boards, which could result in losing customers (discussed further below). This may have been due to changing supplier as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Given that the new supplier is overseas, it may make resolving the quality control issues more difficult. Additional costs may have to be incurred to ensure the quality of goods received, for example, extra costs in relation to electrical testing of the copper wiring. The company’s operating margins for 2012 are already low at only 4% (2011 – 7Â ·2%), and additional costs will put further pressure on margins. High-technology and competitive industry Grohl Co sells into a high-technology industry, with computers and mobile phones being subject to rapid product development. It is likely that Grohl Co will need to adapt quickly to changing demands in the marketplace, but it may not have the resources to do this.

Child care level 2 unit 1 assingment Essay

?D1: Describe the purpose of ONE setting that is statutory provision for each age range . Nursery school is for children aged 3-5. The purpose of this setting is to the children learn how to socialise, learn different shapes, different colours, objects letter and numbers. Primary school is for children 5+. Primary school will prepare an education for children in future life. In Primary School children will get the understanding about the world, they will learn how to work with different people and help children from begging antisocial. The curriculum in Primary School is children have to learn the main subjects like: English, Maths, Science etc. The purpose of having Primary School is to give the same opportunities and right to every child, and settings from government are free, so parents will not have to pay for the children education. D2: Describe the purpose of ONE setting is a different type of provision for each age range. A purpose of having a provide child-minders is provide that they can come and take care of children at home when child’s parents are working full time from morning to evening and don’t have time to take care of the children all the time take them to school or be for them at home. Child-minders are not statutory setting so parents who want a child-minder will have to pay for their service. Child-minders will run as a company or business and they not receive any financial help from the government, so they taking money from the parents who hire one of the child-minders. Child-minder is for different age range. D3: Describe the work of a professional or an agency working with children. A professional person who works with children is a speech therapist. Speech therapist is for children in all age range. Speech therapist is there for children who have difficulty, producing words, and using speech, a difficulty of understanding and using language. The role of speech therapist is to help a child how to producing words, and how to producing sounds and syllables so that the listeners can understand what the child is saying. D4: Describe how to keep information about children and they families confidential. Confidential information about children and they families should be kept private and safe so no not permitted people should be able to have a use to those files. The files should be kept in a system with password and the password should only know the manager of the setting and the head teacher, the information can be also be kept in a folders in a locked cupboard where the access should have also the manager and the head teacher. As a practitioner I cannot talk about children and a staff outside the setting, I will be also ask to live the staff room or any meeting if there is confidential information the staff will discuss. I am only a practitioner and I’m not part of the staff so I’ll not be allowed to be part of some meetings. D5: Explain how to prepare to work in a placement with children. To work in a placement with children you need to attend on time, attend on every day of your placement days, be polite to parents and children and to staff you’re working with, listen, take notes and learn about the setting, bring your own note book, and show enthusiasm to learn. Remember about your clothing to wear when attendance the setting, easy to wash clothing as you will be play with children with paint and other resources that can make your clothes dirty look also what the staff is wearing and just wear the similar clothes do not wear any large branded t-shirts with messages or slogans or short skirts or dresses as you will be getting down to play with children and bending over, try to look smart but comfortable, sometimes the setting would give you an uniform to wear, do not wear high heels to the setting as you can hurt a child , standing on the fingers or toes, and you will wear that shoes all day so it’s important to wear comfortable shoes to the setting you can also check if you can wear a trainers , do not wear a party make up as you will not be taken seriously and the natural look make you look more grown up, don’t wear a long jewellery as child can accidently pull and rip or with too much rings on your hand you can scratch a chil d with it. Remember also about your personal hygiene keep your clothes clean and fresh every day that will help to prevent any infection spreading over the children, your hands, nails , skin and hair should be kept clean as well so you will not spread any bacterial to children and staff, long hair should be tying it back , as it comfortable and also prevent you from getting lice or spreading them out over the setting and also make you look tidy. D6: Give TWO different ways in which you can show that you understand the importance of valuing each child as an individual. All children should be treated the same you need to think about each child as an individual and treat them with the same value when you treat one child differently, this is not allowed and it’s called Favouritism, when working with children this is showing discrimination in a setting which is not allowed, other children will feel sad and pushed away that also make children to have a low self-esteem and confidence. To treat children equally you may sometimes provide different activities or adapt resources. Make activities to meet individual children’s needs, listen to children and give them attention when they need it. For children from different countries you can ask them to prepare something from the countries like Christmas cards or any type of card and after all show it to the class . Every child is different so you will meet their needs differently. Observe the children and make the activities from the child interests and stage of development. D7: Show an understanding of diversity and inclusive practice.

Business Ethics and Virtue Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Business Ethics and Virtue Ethics - Essay Example In this context, it is unfair for a person to embezzle anything material or not to give people what they are privileged to receive. It is also unreasonable if somebody distributes something without a proper reason. "Individuals should be treated the same, unless they differ in ways that are relevant to the situation in which they are involved." For example, if Jack and Jill both do the same work, and there are no relevant differences between them or the work they are doing, then in justice they should be paid the same wages† (Valesquez et al 1990). A virtue like honesty or generosity is not merely doing things that honest or generous manner. It is specific as a â€Å"desirable† or â€Å"ethically valuable† personality attribute. It is, certainly a moral trait—that is, a character which is well established in a person. It also concerns with numerous other aspects as well, with emotion and associated reactions, selection, principles, wishes, perceptions, attitudes, safety, prospects and sensibilities. To be virtuous is to possess certain characteristic traits with a positive complex attitude. â€Å"An honest persons reasons and choices with respect to honest and dishonest actions reflect her views about honesty and truth—but of course such views manifest themselves with respect to other actions and to emotional reactions as well. Valuing honesty as she does, she chooses, where possible to work with honest people, to have honest friends, to bring up her children to be honest† (Virtue Ethics 2003 Para 6). This mainly focuses on how reasonably or arbitrarily one’s actions entail benefits or burden for a specific individual or group. Benefits and burdens may be circulated supported on what an individual requires, deserve, donate, etc., It may also depend on how it series a specific group." By inspecting the GMP’s of the Mattel Inc, it is crystal clear that the

The Emancipation proclamation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Emancipation proclamation - Essay Example The declaration settled the state’s aspect towards complete abolition of slavery. Although Lincoln, the President of the United States, gave the directives to release all the African American slaves, it was only the beginning of the end of slavery. Slavery was taking place in all states, in the United States before the declaration. America by the dates of the Emancipation Proclamation was approaching its third year in the civil war. The declaration of freedom to all African American slaves had an instant and weighty effect on the progress of the war. The proclamation by President Lincoln had been carefully anticipated because he had proposed the idea to his cabinet several months before its announcement. The emancipation of Proclamation was a declaration to free all African American slaves, but it was unsuccessful, it was only the beginning of the end of slavery. The declaration saved the Union since freeing the slaves, then became a certified war target because it gathered passionate responses from both the South and the North. The proclamation led to the ending of the civil war that was taking place. As a result of the proclamation, African Americans were allowed to join the Union’s armed forces that saw almost 200,000 African Americans joining to uprightly serve in the armed forces by the end of the civil war. As time progressed, the Whites put the African Americans through other forms of slavery. This is because the Emancipation Proclamation had been limited in several ways. The declaration only applied to the states that had withdrawn from the Union, leaving slavery intact and untouched in those states that were loyal. It also deliberately excused parts of the Union, which had come to be controlled by the North. The proclamation had been made, but it was so sad when it was realized that its validity depended on the military trium ph of the Union (NA & RA 2014). The Emancipation Proclamation might not have ended the African

Learning disabilities of children Research Paper

Learning disabilities of children - Research Paper Example The paper presents the expert professional opinions and empirical evidences regarding identification of children with learning difficulties; the law that guarantees special learning education of children, and how parents and educators cope with the problem; and will come up with some recommendations on suitable treatments of children with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities of Children Introduction I grew up with the belief that there is no such thing as learning disorders, and that there are only lazy students and motivated ones; there are stupid children and there are bright ones. However, recent studies and conclusive researches proved this belief to be non-conclusive and wrong. Several studies on brain researches showed that there are differences between the brains of the individuals with learning disabilities and those without, and that the architecture of the brain of the child with learning disabilities is different (Smith 2005). Most often, the learning disabilities are not known to parents when children are born and differences are manifested only as the child goes to school and grows up. In most cases, parents and the family do not know the reasons and therefore cannot cope up with the problem. In this context, it is important that they understand the behavioral problems of the child in order to provide appropriate solutions.

Jane is a Department Head in a Library of a College or University Essay - 1

Jane is a Department Head in a Library of a College or University - Essay Example This paper declares that ponsibilities might include managing all activities to ensure that materials acquired by the library are accurately and consistently described and classified for effective and efficient retrieval and utilization, managing authority control for use in bibliographic records, develop and maintain policies and guidelines for all bibliographic, cataloguing, indexing and classification work, managing membership, subscription and keeping up to date with bibliographic utilities for purpose of acquisition of bibliographic records, and managing physical processing and binding of all library materials. It is evident from the information provided that when her staff is not at a full contingency problems arise, but from the concerns brought up at the meeting of department heads, it is also apparent that this is an ongoing problem, with some other issues involved. Two questions arise which much be answered. What are the specific problems, and what can be done to improve th e situation? Another very serious issue must be resolved for the long term. Is the underlying problem Jane’s supervision? What can she do to change her management skills that will affect the performance of her entire staff? An additional issue brought up at the Department Head meeting is the backlog of cataloguing and how to resolve this problem. This is not of lesser importance than the other issues, but its resolution is dependent on the solutions Jane devises. Jane should feel frustrated by now. Not only have the problems in her department raised her stress level for the day, they have been noticed by the other Departments. Now it’s time to look at the real issues. Apparently the chain of command in the Department is not clearly set. There should be someone beneath Jane, either an office manager or administrative assistant to organize the day-to-day functions of the department and answer questions.

The Advantages of teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Advantages of teamwork - Essay Example According to Hosftede, we get ourselves in life situations where we are dealing with people from diverse cultures and we have to work together for a common course. Hence, one needs to have knowledge of the cultural dimensions as illustrated by Hosftede. They include power, individualism, gender, uncertainty and long term orientation. Teamwork is a better illustration of the famous ancient phrase that says two heads are better than one. Teamwork enables people to share ideas among their team in relation to the shared task. It involves each person giving an idea and participating in decision making of the way forward in doing an activity or in the process of problem solving. Teamwork also saves time. Things get done much faster and efficient. When a group or team is assigned a task or responsibility, it is more likely that it will be done in less time with so many areas covered all at one time. Another merit of teamwork is the ability to account for weak areas. People are diverse; different cultures and each has their strengths and weaknesses that differ a lot. When people come together to do a similar task, it is easier to get solutions through each stage since there are possibilities of having one or two persons who are conversant with an identified area of weakness (McMillan & Reynolds, 2002, p. 23-34). In addition, teamwork is able to break the cultural differences that may present during a task. At workplaces, teamwork improves relationships among the work mates and the management of an organization. These relationships results to teamwork not only in the workplace but also outside work and across cultures (West, 2012, p. 56). In additions, it brings about job satisfaction and morale to engage in even bigger tasks. One thing that is essential for any manager to invest on in business or organization is teamwork. It saves a lot of time and dependency on the

Company Research Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company Assignment - Research Paper Example The mission statement acts as a guide to the company’s decision making. In the mission statement, an overall summary of the goals of the organization is stated. The mission statement for Coca-Cola Company aims at creating value for the goods produced by the company so that they can be differentiated from other producers in the market. Coca-Cola Company strives to refresh the customers and instigate moments of happiness and optimism. The mission statement ensures that the company maintains quality production standard using innovation to ensure that the company stays ahead of the competition (Moses, 2010). The products produced by the company are marketed using the mission statement in mind. The product content, product design, and targeted market support the company’s mission. With the changes in the technological sector, the quality of products with regards to the design and the content is constantly changing. Dietary problems in the globe with cases associated with cal ories being on the increase, the company’s focus on health products has enabled it to retain its market share (Theodore, 2009). Coca-cola Company’s goals The soft drink company has goals that it has set for ensuring continuous growth in the market. The goals can be divided into categories depending on the targeted audience. The first category deals with its commitment towards the shareholders. The company trading its shares in the stock exchange market has an obligation to its shareholders. The company aims at providing the shareholders with a high rate of return in terms of the profit generated from the investment. The company also aims at increasing the shareholders market share through making the company’s shares marketable in the stock market. The goals can also be with regards to the customers. The company aims at providing customers with their favorite drink regardless of their geographic location. This goal enables the company to increase its customer bas e. The goal ensures that all the needs and wants of the customer are met. The customers are prioritized in the company as they provide the revenue while shareholders follow because of their contribution towards capital (Moses, 2010). The other goal category relates to the environment. Conservation of the environment has been a significant concern in recent years with government imposing stiff penalties to companies that pollute the environment heavily. The company aims at reducing its carbon emission by 15% by the year 2020. This is a significant contribution to the environment aimed at reducing the effects of global warming. Reduction of carbon emissions also enables the organization to save on the penalties charged to companies with high green house emissions. How Coca-Cola positions its brand Brand positioning relates to the efforts of the company to attract a bigger market share compared to the competitors in the market. The company offers over 3500 products in the global market . Product diversity show’s that the company’s evaluation of the segmented market and producing many goods to serve the diverse client needs. This allows the company to compete adequately with regards to product diversity. To attain leadership status in the competitive beverage market increasing product variety is paramount (Theodore, 2009). The company’s innovation towards designing the right product to attract

Research Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research Method - Essay Example However, the Internet, on the other hand, introduces a new world for unethical behaviour. Whereas e-commerce has undergone extensive growth in last 10 years, consumers concerns about ethical issues continue to increase, as well. Even many businesses and consumers are revelling in e-commerce; business issues linked to online purchasing and selling become the negative side of the matter. E-Commerce is the capability of an organisation to have a lively online presence that allows the organisation to carry out its business electronically, basically having an electronic/online shop. Goods/services can be advertised, vended and paid for all electronically devoid of the need for the buying to be processed by an actual human being (Shivani and Grewal 167). Because of the vastness of online advertising, a website can be open to millions of individuals the world over for almost zero cost and with information being capable of changing almost instantly, the website can, at all times, be updated with all the newest products to match with clients’ demands (Berthon et al 261). The major advantage of E-Commerce is its ability to offer safe shopping transactions through the internet and besides instant authentication, as well as validation of credit card transactions (Shivani and Grewal 167). Ethics, in contrast, is the branch of philosophy, which studies what is right and also what is wrong. Ethical rules are regulations to follow in people interactions with others and in their actions, which impact others. They apply to everyone and are meant to attain fine results for individuals and situations, in general; not only for ourselves, and not only for a single situation (Berthon et al 261). Business ethics is involved with the several ethical questions, which managers must tackle as part of their day to day business decision-making (Shivani and Grewal 167). Acting ethically is normally practical since most of

Facts of the Case Essay Example for Free

Facts of the Case Essay New London, a city in Connecticut, used its eminent domain authority to seize private property to sell to private developers. The city said developing the land would create jobs and increase tax revenues. Kelo Susette and others whose property was seized sued New London in state court. The property owners argued the city violated the Fifth Amendments takings clause, which guaranteed the government will not take private property for public use without just compensation. Specifically the property owners argued taking private property to sell to private developers was not public use. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled for New London. In 1990, the city of New London was designated a distressed municipality. n6 The city was experiencing economic decline and suffered from an unemployment rate that was twice Connecticuts rate as a state. n7 As a result of these conditions, the New London Development Corporation (NLDC) was called upon by state and local officials to plan New Londons redevelopment. n8 After the NLDC developed a plan to build a Fort Trumbell State Park, Pfizer Inc., the pharmaceutical company, revealed its plan to build a $ 300 million research facility on a site immediately adjacent to Fort Trumbell. n9 The addition of Pfizer to the New London area was anticipated to entice other businesses to migrate to the city, effectively serving as a catalyst to the areas rejuvenation. n10 The NLDC received State approval, and the plan for Fort Trumbell State Park was completed. n11 The final plan for the Park encompassed services and businesses that would cap italize on the added commerce resulting from the inclusion of Pfizer to the area. n12 The NLDC intended to create jobs and increase tax revenue with the development plan, but the Park was also intended to bolster the areas aesthetic qualities and leisure activities. n13 The NLDC received permission from the city council to exercise eminent domain in the citys name, enabling it to acquire the property for the ninety-acre Park. n14 The NLDC was able to purchase most of the property in the target area; however, it was unable to secure fifteen pieces of real estate after negotiations. n15 One such piece of real estate was owned by Charles and Wilhelmina Dery who had lived on their property for over sixty years. n16 The properties of the nine owners who refused to sell, including the Derys property, were located in areas appropriated by the NLDC as sites for park support, such as parking, retail services, or office space. n17 In November of 2000, the NLDC condemned the fifteen properties that remained to be acquired in order for the development plan to advance. n18 LEGAL QUESTION: does a public purpose constitute a public use for purposes of the Fifth Amendments Taking Clause, nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation? Specifically, does the Fifth Amendment, applicable to the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (see main article: Incorporation of the Bill of Rights), protect landowners from the use of eminent domain for economic development, rather than, as in Berman, for the elimination of slums and blight? LENGTH: 8662 words STUDENT CASENOTE: Kelo v. City of New London NAME: Lia Sprague SUMMARY:? In Kelo v. City of New London, the Supreme Court debated whether the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes qualifies as a public use within the meaning of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. In November of 2000, the NLDC condemned the fifteen properties that remained to be acquired in order for the development plan to advance. Upon a finding that the proposed uses were not attributable to the above factors, the court affirmed the judgment for the parcel 3 takings and reversed the judgment regarding parcel 4A, allowing both parcels to be seized through eminent domain. The Court relied on this rationale to find that the use of private parties to further the public benefit was an acceptable method to achieve public use. Weighing this with the idea that transfers intended to confer benefits on particular, favored private entities, and with only incidental or pretextual public benefits, are forbidden by the Public Use clause, Justice Kennedy stated that courts should seriously investigate accusations of private party favoritism by the government entity. Justice Thomas agreed that replacing the words public use with public purpose effectively erased the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment. Establishing such a safeguard appropriately balances the public policy concerns both supporting and criticizing the use of eminent domain for economic development. TEXT:? [*381] I. Introduction In Kelo v. City of New London, n1 the Supreme Court debated whether the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes qualifies as a public use within the meaning of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. n2 The city of New London attempted to use the power of eminent domain to seize property to give to private companies in order to increase commerce in the area. n3 The Court found that, deferring to precedent, the public use requirement had been interpreted broadly. n4 Accordingly, in a five-to-four vote, the Court held that New Londons plans constituted public use within the meaning of the Fifth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. n5 II. Statement of Facts A. New Londons Development Plan and the Taking In 1990, the city of New London was designated a distressed municipality. n6 The city was experiencing economic decline and suffered from an unemployment rate that was twice Connecticuts rate as a state. n7 As a result of these conditions, the New London Development Corporation (NLDC) was called upon by state and local officials to plan New Londons redevelopment. n8 After the NLDC developed a plan to build a Fort Trumbell State Park, Pfizer Inc. , the pharmaceutical company, revealed its plan to build a $ 300 million research facility on a site immediately adjacent to Fort Trumbell. n9 The addition of Pfizer to the New London area was anticipated to entice other businesses to migrate to the city, effectively serving as a catalyst to the areas rejuvenation. n10 The NLDC received State approval, and the plan for Fort Trumbell State Park was completed. n11 [*382] The final plan for the Park encompassed services and businesses that would capitalize on the added commerce resulting from the inclusion of Pfizer to the area. n12 The NLDC intended to create jobs and increase tax revenue with the development plan, but the Park was also intended to bolster the areas aesthetic qualities and leisure activities. n13 The NLDC received permission from the city council to exercise eminent domain in the citys name, enabling it to acquire the property for the ninety-acre Park. n14 The NLDC was able to purchase most of the property in the target area; however, it was unable to secure fifteen pieces of real estate after negotiations. n15 One such piece of real estate was owned by Charles and Wilhelmina Dery who had lived on their property for over sixty years. n16 The properties of the nine owners who refused to sell, including the Derys property, were located in areas appropriated by the NLDC as sites for park support, such as parking, retail services, or office space. n17 In November of 2000, the NLDC condemned the fifteen properties that remained to be acquired in order for the development plan to advance. n18 B. The Procedural History Petitioners filed suit in the Superior Court of Connecticut for the Judicial District of New London seeking injunctive relief to prevent the acquisition of their property through the use of eminent domain. n19 Petitioners argued that the takings at issue could not satisfy the public use requirement of Article 1 Â § 11 of the Connecticut Constitution (equivalent to the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States) which reads in pertinent part: The property of no person shall be taken for public use, without just compensation therefor[e]. n20 The petitioners submitted that a taking cannot be for a public use if it is motivated by a private entity. . . and if ultimately a private entity is to determine the fate of the property owners. . . . n21 The Superior Court found that broad statements on public use and deference to the legislature must be qualified. n22 The Superior Court further stated of its role in eminent domain actions: If the court considers the [*383] purpose not to be reasonable or connected to a valid public use, it is the duty of the court to declare the act authorizing the taking as unconstitutional. n23 After review of the facts, the Superior Court held that the statements regarding the use of parcel 4A were too vague and uncertain to allow the court to conclude the takings here [were] necessary and would not be unreasonable. n24 The court granted a permanent injunction against destroying the properties located in parcel 4A and granted a temporary injunction against the destruction of the properties in parcel 3 after finding that the takings were justified as to allow the petitioners to appeal without losing their homes. n25 Both parties appealed the trial courts judgment to the Supreme Court of Connecticut. n26 The appellate court stated that since the takings were authorized by the legislature, the standard the judiciary must apply was one of unreasonableness, bad faith, or abuse of power. n27 Upon a finding that the proposed uses were not attributable to the above factors, the court affirmed the judgment for the parcel 3 takings and reversed the judgment regarding parcel 4A, allowing both parcels to be seized through eminent domain. n28 The Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari and affirmed the judgment of the Supreme Court of Connecticut. n29 III. Decision and Rationale A. The Majority Opinion of the Court The Supreme Court held that the takings proposed by the City for the purpose of economic development are for a public use as directed by the Fifth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. n30 It has been well established that the government is barred from taking private property solely for the purpose of transferring it to a private entity for its use. n31 The Court analyzed whether New London would be barred from taking property from petitioners to allocate to private parties for support services for Pfizer, a private corporation. n32 In order for the takings at issue here to violate the public use [*384] clause, the plan must have been adopted with the purpose of benefiting a particular class of identifiable individuals. n33 The Court stated that the governments pursuit of a public purpose will often benefit individual private parties. n34 The Court directed the focus to be on the future use of the taking, rather than on the immediate benefit. n35 The Court warned that by focusing solely on the benefit to private parties, the purpose of [the] taking becomes confused with the mechanics of how the resulting public benefit was accomplished. n36 The Court relied on this rationale to find that the use of private parties to further the public benefit was an acceptable method to achieve public use. However, a determination still had to be made regarding whether the development plan encompassed public use of the condemned property. n37 Even though, in this case, the property would not be opened for use by the general public, the Court had previously embraced a broad interpretation of public use that was satisfied in this situation. n38 At the end of the nineteenth century, the Court began to apply a public purpose standard, effectively rejecting the notion that the general public must be allowed actual use of the taken property. n39 Therefore, the Court applied this public purpose standard to New Londons development plan which promoted creating jobs, generating tax revenue, and helping to build momentum for the revitalization of downtown New London. n40 The Court examined how the concept of eminent domain met the changing needs of society during its public purpose analysis. n41 In Berman v. Parker, n42 the Court upheld a plan seeking to distribute property in a blighted area to both public and private entities for the purpose of redevelopment and found that non-blighted property was still a justified taking because the project was analyzed as a whole. n43 Thirty years later, the Court decided Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff n44 where it found that the elimination of a land oligopoly was a sufficient public use even though the property was put back in the hands of private parties. n45 In the same year, the [*385] Court held in Ruckleshaus v. Monsanto n46 that the benefit to competition in the pesticide market outweighed any benefit given to subsequent applicants. n47 The Court applied this trend of increasingly broad interpretations of the phrase public use to the facts of the present case and found that New Londons redevelopment plan served a public purpose. n48 New London developed a plan that it hoped would enable the city to overcome its economic strains. This plan included a variety of commercial, residential, and recreational uses of land, with the hope that they [would] form a whole greater than the sum of its parts. n49 According to Berman, the Court cannot judge the plan on a piecemeal basis, but must examine the possible outcomes of the plan as a whole. n50 The Court compared the economic benefit in this case to the previously mentioned cases and found no reason to distinguish between economic benefit received through tax revenue and increased job prospects from the economic benefits that have been previously upheld by the Court. n51 This rationale was further justified after looking at New Londons development plan. n52 Courts have long deferred to the decisions of state legislatures, absent a showing that the purpose was illegitimate or that the taking was validated by irrational justification. n53 The Courts position is to adjudicate the issue of public use and once that issue has been resolved, the legislature may use its discretion in determining by what means the plan will be accomplished. n54 The Court pointed out that states are able to place restrictions on its ability to procure property through eminent domain. n55 In this case, Connecticut had a statute specifically permitting the use of eminent domain for economic development. n56 As a result of this deference to legislation, combined with a broad interpretation of public use and the allowance of private parties as an intermediary towards the final goal of public purpose, the Court held that New Londons proposed takings satisfied the [*386] public use requirement of the Fifth Amendment of the Federal Constitution. n57 B. The Concurring Opinion of Justice Kennedy Justice Kennedy emphasized the utilization of a rational-basis standard of review for cases analyzing the public use clause. n58 Weighing this with the idea that transfers intended to confer benefits on particular, favored private entities, and with only incidental or pretextual public benefits, are forbidden by the Public Use clause, Justice Kennedy stated that courts should seriously investigate accusations of private party favoritism by the government entity. n59 Petitioners attempted to establish a need for a rule that presumptively invalidates any takings for purposes of economic development in order to allow the Court to discover the true motives behind the takings. n60 Justice Kennedy pointed out that the trial court in this case carefully examined the evidence and found that the primary motivation of the plan was to utilize Pfizers presence in the city to create an increase in commerce, a finding that eliminated the need to establish a higher standard of review in this case. n61 He was careful to note that some cases may warrant a presumption of invalidity. n62 However, Justice Kennedy stated that because the city developed a plan with substantial anticipated economic benefits that was subject to the review of the citys underlying motivations, and because the identities of the private entities were not established at the onset of the development planning, this case presented no circumstances that would justify an increased standard of review. C. The Dissenting Opinion of Justice OConnor, joined by the Chief Justice, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas Justice OConnor disagreed with the majoritys opinion which stated that there were incidental private benefits in this case that were inferior to a substantial public benefit. n63 She felt that the reverse was true, and that by ruling in such a way, the Court had effectivelydelete[d] the words for public use from the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. n64 This was consistent with the petitioners argument stating that the government may not take their property for the private use of other owners simply because the [*387] new owners may make more productive use of the property. n65 The premise of this argument was based upon the judiciarys position to determine the meaning of public use as it differed from the legislatures opinion. n66 Justice OConnor conceded that the Court should defer to the legislatures determination of what constitutes public use. n67 However, if the legislatures power to define this term was unlimited, without the possibility of a review from the judiciary branch, the Public Use Clause would amount to little more than hortatory fluff. n68 Justice OConnor recognized that certain circumstances exist in which the Public Use Clause should be interpreted broadly. She disagreed, however, that this should be a generalized holding allowing the inclusion of economic development as a public purpose. n69 As support for this argument, Justice OConnor distinguished two of the cases upon which the majority relied to reach their holding. n70 In Berman, the Court upheld a taking of blighted property, part of which was passed to private parties for the sake of redevelopment. n71 Congress had determined that the blighted area was hazardous to the health, safety, morals, and welfare, and thus eminent domain was appropriate to eliminate these conditions. n72 Looking at the neighborhood as a whole, the public purpose of eliminating hazardous conditions took precedence over allowing an owner of a non-blighted store to keep his property. n73 In Midkiff, the Court upheld a taking for the purpose of eliminating a land oligopoly that was skewing the States residential fee simple market, inflating land prices, and injuring the public tranquility and welfare. n74 Justice OConnor distinguished the two cases from the case at bar because the takings in Berman and Midkiff eliminated an affirmative harm on society rather than the public receiving a benefit that was secondary to private parties benefit. n75 By distinguishing the above cases, Justice OConnor found that precedent did not compel the majority to uphold such a broad rule that contained no limitations. n76 [*388] D. The Dissenting Opinion of Justice Thomas Justice Thomas agreed that replacing the words public use with public purpose effectively erased the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment. n77 He stated that the present case is not the only case that has misconstrued the Takings Clause; rather, the line of cases leading up to the present have strayed from the Clauses original meaning. n78 Examining the language of the Fifth Amendment, Justice Thomas concluded that the phrase public use would be unnecessary verbiage if not interpreted as a limitation, and thus states that the Public Use Clause is therefore an express limit on the governments power of eminent domain. n79 After examining the plain language of the public use requirement, Justice Thomas further concluded that the drafters intended the clause to carry a narrow meaning requiring actual public employment of the taken property. n80 He also analyzed the Constitutions common-law background as well as the historical uses of eminent domain to reach the same narrow definition of public use. n81 Justice Thomas then examined a case relied on by the majority, Fallbrook Irrigation Dist. v. Bradley, n82 by stating that the majority improperly relied on dicta in the case that was unnecessarily broad and cited no supporting authority. n83 This reasoning was brought up again by Justice Thomas when discussing United States v. Gettysburg Electric R. Co. , n84 from which the court relied on dicta stating that the judiciary shall respect the legislatures judgment when deciding a question of public use unless that judgment is unreasonable. n85 Justice Thomas claimed that the courts should not exhibit deference to the decisions of the legislature in such cases because a court owes no deference to a legislatures judgment concerning the quintessentially legal question of whether the government owns, or the public has a legal right to use, the taken property. n86 He also hypothesized that the Framers would not have subjected only the Public Use Clause to legislative deference out of all the provisions of the Bill of Rights. n87 He further argued that the Public Use Clause limits the legislative power of eminent domain, and thus by removing [*389] the power of the judiciary to oversee the limitation of that power, the purpose of the Clause is eliminated. n88 He analyzed the two cases Berman and Midkiff, and stated that the Court was wrong in those cases to equate the eminent domain power with the police power of the States. n89 He differentiated the two powers by concluding that the customary uses of police power do not require compensation to the citizens, while the uses of eminent domain always require compensation, concluding that the two powers were separate. n90 Justice Thomas further concluded that the combination of the above factors constructively eliminates the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment, and he therefore stated that the appropriate interpretation of public use is that the property be used by the government or the public. n91 IV. Analysis Public policy dictates that the government should not be expected to compensate owners that hold out on selling their property in order to demand an unreasonably high payment. The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment effectively overcomes this societal detriment; however, the public policy benefit favoring governmental takings needs to be balanced against the public policy favoring a citizens right to keep his property. With this in mind, the Framers added the Public Use Clause to the Fifth Amendment in order to limit the governments power to exercise eminent domain at its own discretion. Courts also need to remember this desire for balance between competing public policy issues when interpreting the Public Use Clause. The Supreme Court has gradually shaped the Public Use Clause to allow, in theory, any taking by the government that benefits the public regardless of whether that proposed effect is primary or secondary, substantial or minimal. The latest holding regarding eminent domain from the Supreme Court in Kelo allowed the taking of property for the abstract reasons of increased tax revenue and job opportunities. In the Courts holding, there were no express limitations on this new ability to confiscate property for such intangible benefits. Conversely, the Court stated that deference should be given to the legislatures decision of the appropriateness of the taking. n92 While the Court reviewed a comprehensive plan developed by the City outlining the intended uses of the condemned property, it did not require the City to show any proof that the intended uses [*390] were reasonably certain to result in the proposed public benefit. n93 The Court reasoned that if it were to impose such a requirement of proof, a significant impediment to the successful consummation of many such plans would result. n94 While there is a significant interest in promoting commerce, the Court seemingly overlooks the equally significant interest of affording homeowners protection from unnecessary takings. It seems reasonable to expect that if a city has an extensively planned development plan, such as was exhibited by the city of New London, it should further have planned out the financial details of such a development plan. This one additional step in the planning of the proposed takings could eliminate development plans that successfully complete the takings stage of the plan only to have the financing fall through, thus leaving the condemned homes empty and the land wasted. The law of waste is a basic property concept stating that land should be used in a way that maximizes the propertys value. n95 There can be no greater waste of property than to force owners to leave their homes and then allow the property to remain vacant while sources of funding are sought. There are many examples illustrating the aftermath of approving such a plan without forcing the legislature to obtain the means to institute that plan before issuing condemnation. n96 One particularly unjust case took place in Cincinnati, Ohio. n97 Nordstrom, the retail store, decided to locate in the city of Cincinnati. n98 However, a Walgreens store currently occupied the location that it wanted. n99 Walgreens agreed to move to a new location, but the new location was home to a CVS store. n100 The CVS store refused to move, and the city initiated condemnation proceedings in order to utilize its power of eminent domain, [*391] after which CVS agreed to settle. n101 The settlement required that the city move Walgreens to the lot across the street from CVS, which unfortunately held many small businesses of which the city condemned in order to give the land to Walgreens. n102 The problem looked resolved (at the expense of the small businesses that were forced to close their doors), but the city overlooked a clause in the agreement with Nordstrom. n103 Under the parties initial agreement, the city agreed to leave vacant the very parcel that it had just handed to Walgreens so that additional upscale' shops could be built adjacent to Nordstrom. n104 The city never rearranged the parcels, and Nordstrom never began building. n105 Nordstrom eventually announced that it would no longer be opening in Cincinnati on account of declining profit margins. n106 The city paved the vacant lot so that it could exist as a parking lot. n107 Luckily, a similar situation was resolved between the New London Development Corporation (NLDC) and Corcoran Jennison, the developer with whom the city contracted to build the hotel and convention center in Fort Trumbell. n108 An Associated Press article revealed that the NLDC claimed that Corcoran Jennison failed to find financing for the project and thus wanted to downgrade the quality of the hotel. n109 Corcoran Jennison rebutted that the NLDC was at fault because it set unrealistic standards for the hotel that were not economically feasible. n110 The president of the company, Marty Jones, stated that the company felt that the NLDCs tactics [did] not serve the communitys interests in generating timely economic development and new tax revenue at Fort Trumbull. n111 According to David Goebel, Chief Operating Officer of the NLDC, as of September 7, 2005, Corcoran Jennison has since obtained zoning approval for the plan and the plan is undergoing review as per the development agreement. n112 While funds have not been secured yet, the [*392] developer is currently pursuing final financial arrangements for construction of the hotel. n113 The fact that the city possessed an extensive proposed development plan could not have curtailed the dispute between the NLDC and the developer. The city is fortunate that it was able to compromise on its plan, thus preserving the premise that legitimized the takings, even though final funding is still absent from the project. However, a better safeguard than simply being fortunate should be required by the Court before upholding such takings. This safeguard is simple and legitimate; require proof to a reasonable certainty that such benefit will occur. If the city had been required to show proof of its financial backing, the developer would have been forced to find final funding before the condemnations were upheld by the Supreme Court. If the city of Cincinnati had been required to prove to a reasonable certainty that condemning small businesses for the sake of moving the Walgreens would allow a Nordstrom store to open in the city, perhaps city officials would not have missed the clause in the contract which delayed development of the store after which Nordstrom could no longer afford to open there. If the Court is unwilling to review the decisions of state legislatures, then it should impose a different safeguard for the property owners. This safeguard was appropriately suggested by the petitioners in Kelo and the benefit of such a review was promptly disregarded by the majority. n114 While it can be assumed that the legislature will not abuse its discretionary power, it is unreasonable to think a legislature that favors using eminent domain for the purposes of economic development will subject itself to safeguards favoring the property owners if it is not held to any review by the courts. With this in mind, some legislatures are taking it upon themselves to impose either stricter guidelines regulating the Public Use Clause or they are expressly stating that economic development is not a proper interpretation of public use. n115 This is evidenced by the fact that [j]ust five weeks after the U. S. Supreme Court upheld the use of eminent domain to seize private property for economic development, more than half of the states have introduced legislation to thwart potential abuses. n116 A legislative change route was suggested by the majority opinion and was apparently embraced by twenty-eight states. Such a change is also being embraced by federal legislation, as the House of Representatives is currently examining a bill that [*393] prohibits the dispersion of government funding to any city that uses eminent domain as a means to promote private commercial development. n117 While these twenty-eight states have taken the responsibility to ensure the fair treatment of their citizens, there remain twenty-two states that have not dealt with this pressing issue. For that reason, it is imperative that courts examine the possibility that the legislation might not have obtained all the avenues (and financing) necessary to achieve a successful result for both the city and the property owner. A balance can be struck between the needs of the public via eminent domain and the needs of the private property owner who is sacrificing his home for the public utility. The implication of a simple safeguard requiring a city to prove that its plan will be successful in achieving a public benefit is all that stands in the way of achieving this balance. V. Conclusion Eminent domain is a necessary action employed by legislatures for a variety of reasons. The Court held in Kelo v. City of New London that economic development was an appropriate reason for which eminent domain could be exercised. While noting that the city of New London possessed a comprehensive development plan, the Court imposed no express restrictions upon the ability of the legislature to exercise eminent domain for such purposes. The Court rejected the petitioners argument that the city should be required to show to a reasonable certainty that the public benefit would occur before the condemnation was allowed. This lack of legislative review by the Court constructively removed the Public Use Clause from the Fifth Amendment of the Federal Constitution as the legislature now has free reign with which to decide for itself whether a proposed taking constitutes public use. While there is an assumption that the legislature will not abuse its power when deciding to take its citizens property, it should not be assumed that the same legislature will take the appropriate measures to safeguard that its citizens property will be utilized successfully. These measures should be implemented by the Court in the form of a review requiring the city to show with a reasonable certainty that the public benefit will occur. Th

Welfare State and Social Policies in Britain

Welfare State and Social Policies in Britain What are the essential characteristics of ‘conservative’ welfare states? Given that welfare states are normally associated with left of centre governments, and the supposed hostility of conservative right wing parties toward high levels of state intervention, the term ‘conservative welfare states’ seems somewhat of an anomaly. Nonetheless, there are definite examples of conservative states that not only refrain from fighting the welfare state but actually encourage the dependence of citizens on the government. This can be traced back to the Bismarckian ‘corporatist’ system of 19th century Germany, in which it was seen as in the interests of the state to look after the welfare of its citizens. This type of welfare state (in its extreme form) is less about reducing inequality and improving citizens lives than it is maintaining the status quo – a hierarchical system based on a culture of dependence (Esping-Anderson, 1990). Conservative welfare states are often religious and/or nationalist in nature, with a strong emphasis on family values. Epitomising such characteristics is arguably George Bush’s current reign. Despite initial cuts in public expenditure, government spending has actually increased faster under Bush than it did under Bill Clinton, with an increase of almost 33%. The religious aspect of Bush’s conservative system is illustrated with reference to his 2001 pledge to give billions of dollars to faith-based charities. Accepting the inevitability of ‘big government’ (and thus the end of Conservative emphasis on cutting spending), the republican government under Bush has prioritised public spending partly according to religious preferences. Therefore, a ‘conservative’ welfare state is one which uses welfare as a control mechanism, to advance a particular way of thinking – for instance religion, nationalism – on its citizens. What impact has social policy in Britain had on minority ethnic groups? One of the greatest challenges for social policy in Britain has been to encompass minority ethnic groups, and in many ways it has failed to achieve this. Bochel points out that for many years social policy has been reluctant to recognize ethnic diversity, intending to be universal in character, so the issue of race has long been overlooked. This has had a significant impact on minority ethnic groups as the discrimination that they most definitely suffer in the labour market and in the community has not been properly addressed. Research has shown that men and women from ethnic minority groups are twice as likely to be unemployed as white Britons, and other social indicators echo this pattern. Ethnic minorities are also more likely to undertake low-paid, low-skilled work, and the vicious circle that stems from this – inferior housing, poorer living standards, and substandard schools in deprived areas – is actually partly caused by the welfare state system, which instituti onalises this discrimination. The unique problems faced by ethnic minorities must be addressed individually, and until recently social policy has failed to do this. Furthermore, the emphasis on tackling crime that has underpinned New Labour’s social policy and that of the previous Conservative governments has impacted on ethnic minorities due to the often discriminatory nature of initiatives to cut crime. The ‘stop and search’ programme is unfairly targeted toward black youths, to the extent that many believe being black is tantamount to a social problem (McGhee, 2005). Such flaws in British social policy have undoubtedly contributed to a growing sense of isolation amongst ethnic minority groups, and thus it could be argued that social policy is often more harmful than beneficial. What have been the most significant changes in the size and use of public social expenditure in the UK in the past 30 years? The 1970s certainly marked a watershed in British history with regard to the welfare state; however, to claim that the past 30 years has witnessed a roll-back of the state and a decline in public spending is at best too simplistic and at worst incorrect. In fact, research has shown that from the late 1970s, public spending as a proportion of GDP has remained fairly stable. Thatcher certainly espoused the merits of small government and individualism and bemoaned the high levels of government spending associated with the economic crises of the 1970s, but the welfare state had become entrenched in British society, practically to the point of no return. There have, though, been significant changes in the use of public spending, as governments have been forced to re-prioritise spending (Alcock et al). For example, spending on education has increased in the past 30 years, whereas the Conservative and New Labour governments have attempted to tighten their budgets in the area of income suppo rt through an increase in means testing for benefits. NHS spending has also increased significantly under Labour following the 1999 Comprehensive Spending Review, by approximately 4.7% annually (Alcock et al). Ultimately, governments in the past 30 years have strived to improve the efficiency of public services, and this has accounted for the changes in the use of public social expenditure. What was distinctive about the ‘classic welfare state’ in Britain from the 1940s to the 1970s? Although it is important not to overlook the pre-1940 foundations upon which the welfare state was built, one cannot deny that the concept of the welfare state was most fully realized in Britain between 1940 and 1970. Building on the strong sense of collectivism that characterized the war years, the public and the government alike reached the consensus that state intervention was necessary to ensure that Britain would meet its full economic potential. It is widely regarded that the subsequent policies stemmed from a combination of the economic philosophy of John Maynard Keynes and the social philosophy of William Beveridge. The fact that a basic framework of social policy emerged for the first time was distinctive because it complemented the political and economic rights afforded to citizens from the turn of the century. Moreover, it represented the beginning of a rights-based citizenship in Britain (Alcock et al). It was also effectively the first time since the development of polit ical parties that the common good of the nation prevailed over partisan differences. Asa Briggs’ classic essay identified three principal elements of the welfare state which were distinctive from the pre-war period. The aim was to ensure the guarantee of minimum standards (including income), social protection by the state at times of need and the provision of services at a maximum level (Briggs, 1985). Another distinctive factor was that this protection was to be universal – unlike the poor laws of the Victorian times, access to welfare was to be ‘free at the point of delivery’ for all, without the stigma previously attached to welfare support. Of course, the ideal of the welfare state was never truly realized and disagreements regarding policy were common, but the consensus that emerged from the Second World War undoubtedly marked a major turning point in British history regarding the development of social policy. References Alcock, C. Introducing Social Policy, Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004. Bochel, H. Social Policy: Issues and Development, Oxford University Press, 2005 Briggs, A. The Collected Essays of Asa Briggs, Harvester Press, 1985 Esping-Anderson, G. The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, Cambridge, 1990 McGhee, D. Intolerant Britain, Open University Press, 2005

Switched Networks :: essays research papers

Switched Networks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Networks are getting more and more popular, and because of this more people use them, which slows them down. Networks in the future will need to have enough bandwidth to support applications, like multimedia, witch require larger bandwidth. Switching will change the way networks are designed. These changes will maximize productivity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Switching technology is increasing the efficiency and speed of networks. This technology is making current systems more powerful. Many networks are experiencing bandwidth shortages. There are several reasons for this including: an increase in traffic, because networks have so many users, Amount of data between client/server applications, and the inefficient traffic patterns of most networks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Switching directs network traffic in a very efficient manner. It sends information directly from the port of origin directly to its destination port. Switching increases network performance, enhances flexibility and eases moves, add-ons and changes. One of the benefits of switching is that it maintains a direct line of communication between two ports, and maintains multiple simultaneous links between various ports. It reduces network traffic by reducing media sharing. This technology has some benefits over ethernet routed networks. First, a 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps shared media can be changed to 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps of dedicated bandwidth. Routers have many devices attached to their ports, sharing the bandwidth. Switches let you to connect either a shared segment of bandwidth (workgroup) or a dedicated one (server) to each port. Second, this can be done without changing any software or hardware already on the workstations Finally, a switch installation is less complex than a bridge/router configuration. A ethernet LAN runs at 10 Mbps. Stations attach through a hub or repeater. Every station can receive transmissions from all of the stations, but only in a half-duplex. This means that stations cannot send and receive data simultaneously. In a ethernet network only one packet can transmit at one time, this is what slows down networks. The bridge, the router and the switch, all attempt to reduce transmission time to increase performance. A two-port bridge splits a network into two physical segments and only lets a transmission cross if its destination is on the other side. It also will only move a packet to the other side if it is necessary. This reduces network traffic because traffic on one side stays local. Routers link multiple networks together. It maintains the flow of traffic and routes data to the network that it must go to.

Musical Development as a Cognitive Ability Essay -- Psychology Psychol

Musical Development as a Cognitive Ability Cognitive Psychology Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper discusses theories of cognitive development and its relationship to musical development. Cognitive development is closely related to musical development and learning. Jean Piaget developed theories of the cognitive development in children. Musicologists have developed theories on how musical development has cognitive components. Cognitive development is acquired through interaction with an environment, just as musical development is acquired through interaction with a musical environment. Jean Piaget on Cognitive Development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cognitive development is the investigation of how mental skills build and change with increasing physiological maturity (maturation) and experience (learning) (Sternberg, p.444). Cognitive development involves qualitative changes in thinking, as well as quantitative changes, such as increasing knowledge and ability (Sternberg, p.444). Most cognitive psychologists agree that developmental changes occur as a result of the interaction of maturation (nature) and learning (nurture) (Sternberg, p. 444). According to Sternberg, despite the differences in theoretical approaches, there are some basic principles that that crosscut the study of cognitive development (Sternberg, p.446). First, over the course of development, people seem to gain more sophisticated control over their own thinking and learning. As people grow older, they become more capable of more complex interactions between thought and behavior. Second, people engage in more thorough information processing with age. Third, people become increasingly able to comprehend successively more complex relationships over the course of development. Finally, over time, people develop increasing flexibility in their uses of strategies or information. (Sternberg, p.446) He explains that as people grow older they become less bound to using information in just a single context, and they learn how to apply it in a greater context (Sternberg, p.446).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most influential contributors to developmental research is Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget (1896- 1980). His theory of cognitive development is one of the most comprehensive in the field (Sternberg, p.446). Piaget believed that the function of intelligence is to aid in adaptation to the environment (Sternberg, p.44... ...derlying tonal and metrical structures to guide their song performance, even though they seem to have no reflective awareness of such structures (Sloboda, p. 214). Changes in musical awareness between the ages of five and ten seem to reflect a general intellectual change from inactive competence, which is displayed only within the bounds of specific and directed activities, to a reflective awareness of the structures and principles which underlie such competence (Sloboda, p. 215). Piaget would characterize this change as moving from pre-operational to operational though (Sloboda, p. 215). In music it is marked by an increased ability to explicitly classify music as conforming to rule or style, and an increasing advantage of memory and perceptual tasks for those sequences which conform to rule (Sloboda, p. 215) Works Cited Sloboda, J.A. (1985) The Musical Mind: The Cognitive Psychology of Music. Oxford Psychology Series No. 5. Clarendon Press, Oxford. pp. 194-215. Sternberg, Robert J. (2003) Cognitive Psychology. Thomson-Wadsworth. Third edition. pp. 444- 449. Swanwick, Keith (2001) â€Å"Musical Development Theories Revisited†. Music Education Research, Vol.3, No.2.

Fast Food vs Organic Essay

Have you ever sat and back and wondered why there are so many obese people in the U. S.? You would think that with all of the buzz about organic foods that we have available, that we would slowly be getting better with our weight as a country. Unfortunately the reality of the situation is organic food are expensive and with the way the economy is today many people are working on a budget and simply cannot afford to splurge on the organic items. So now that we know that lets look at the second half of that equation, Fast Food! Now as much as people criticize the fast food industry it’s convenient and like the name says fast. Now days most people do not want to come home after a long, hard day of work and slave over the stove to cook a hot meal for their family. However what they don’t realize is how much that food is poisoning us. Take McDonalds for example, it has been brought to the public’s attention just what goes on when they are making their food. The food looks like food that you would make in your kitchen, but it is actually manufactured. French fries use to be made by potatoes peeled in the back room and cut into strips. Today they are made in large factories, frozen and processed. Some of the ingredients are very fatty. Even though they have said that they â€Å"were† injecting the chicken nuggets with a pink dye, people are still running to the franchise for their food. I am not judging anyone by any means just stating my observations. Now if you think about it most families probably spend about $100 a week on fast food. Why would so people spend so much money on fast food you ask? Its simple it’s easy, and it’s convenient and inexpensive. Compared to other foods it’s something that working people and ordinary people can go out and enjoy. The design of a fast food restaurant is very well thought out. We form our eating habits as children so they try to nurture clients as youngsters. It’s very important that the fast food companies make sure that their fast food meals for children are healthier. In contrast the benefits of eating organic foods are great and if you can afford them should definitely take advantage of them. The are good for both the earth and the environment. The animals are living stress-free, free-grazing on the land and not being manufactured in deplorable living conditions. Organic farmers use less energy, less water resources, and NO pesticides. Organic farmers’ soil stays rich in content, moisture and nutrients due to careful management of land and using only natural organic matter to grow their crops. When industrialized agriculture arrives in farming communities, many farmers are forced out of business. Each month dozens of new pesticides, show up in local supermarkets and stores. Because they are advertised heavily are purchased and used and thus the destruction of the earth continues slow and steady. Organic farmers, live cleanly. Free of pesticides and toxins.

Boredom †What Can Teens Do About It Essay

I have heard it time and again â€Å"I am bored! â€Å". These words have came from the mouths of many teenagers. Sure, we have the libraries, the parks, the internet cafes, the malls all around us. Yet, we still hear many teenagers around us saying that they long for something completely different than the aforementioned – something that caters more to their interests. So what can we do for these bored teenagers? You see, we have all the facilities etc. From bars to reacreational areas, places offering live music, a countless amount of shopping malls. Yet, teenagers are still bored. Thus I think it is crucial to ask the young people would like to do, then officials can plan their activities and build the venues accordingly. If we don’t, we will face the risk of continually seeing teens loitering around at the back alley or even committing crimes. More town meetings and conferences involving teenagers is vital to planning activities that they will enjoy. To simply assume that these adolescents will benefit from certain activities without asking them first will leave the place with empty centers and businesses that alienate many teens. For example, business catering to teen hobbies could be set up to host events for teenagers. Perhaps they could create some kind of contest, that would offer various skatebored equipments and apparel as prizes. The contest could include what many teenagers would enjoy: Music and Food. This way, instead of wasting money to build expensive venues to provide â€Å"entertainment† to curb teenagers’ boredom, the money could be spent on setting up activities that can guarantee success as they cater to the wants of the teens through the survey, therefore this could be done for these bored teens. As the world grows, the technology advances and companies like Apple come out with creative new devices like iPhones and iPads. When teens get caught up by these addictive trends of using iPad and iPhone, they would love to access them and use the interesting applications everyday. However, eventually their interest does not last as they would get tired of doing the same thing of staring into the iPhone or iPad screen. Instead of investing time into things that are not of much productivity, and does not help them develop any useful skill, they could first try to be creative and explore their artistic side is really great when they have nothing else to do. They could think of what things in life are really exciting or interesting to them, and think of a way they could incorporate some aspect of those things into their alone time. Once they start doing something creative,they can always go back to it, and they will never be bored. For example, they could take some free time to learn how to play a music instrument, in particular an easier one that you could easily learn by themselves at home which would be a guitar. This would help them develop an appreciation for music of they could learn well and it would bring out the more artistic side of them, instead of wasting time and getting bored from blindly following the trends of using electronic devices. Doing anything creative like learning an instrument will be beneficial to your growth as a person, it will broaden your skills and perspective on life, and it will also be fun. It begins with a recognition that every circumstance, every activity, contains within it the potential to yield value, either to us or to someone else. If we insist on always being passively entertained by life, we will find ourselves bored by much of it. On the other hand, if we can transform that expectation into a determination to make an effort to create value at every moment, we can begin to make even the most mundane experience interesting. For example, we can start up a conversation with a friend and know more about them which would enhance the friendship between the both of them. One minute you will be bored ad the next minute you will be busy talking with your friend to kill time. Talking also makes us forget about the time passing without our realisation. This also allows us to be engaged in something rather than staring into space, doing nothing which would benefit them in one way or another. Talking enhances communication skills and at least, one can bond more with her friends which would make one less bored. Engaged in the conversation, new facts about one another rise up to create a stronger bond between them. This would benefit one rather than doing nothing and feeling bored. Another way could be to eliminate boredom by looking for any interesting or purposeful activity in which you will feel energetic and less bored. A question that one may like to consider would be to think of how the activity will benefit one befoe doing something when one feels bored. Communication would make one more open-minded and an extrovert. In conclusion, there are many ways to escape boredom. But the problem here is that teenagers now do not know how to kill time. If they invest enough time to do something worthwhile such as learning how to play a musical instrument or enhancing their communication skills by conversing with a friend, they will not find themselves getting bored. Teenagers should engage in activities that they know will entertain them. For example, an avid reader can find time to visit the library rather than staying at home and watch television or do something unproductive. Thus, teenagers should know themselves and what they like and take part in activities that interest them. This will solve the problem of teenagers being bored all the time.

Judy Baca’s Art for Peace Essay

Making connections: Judy Baca’s Art for Peace. Change: According to Baca, â€Å"Adversity breeds a certain kind of strength† Do you agree? Give an example to support your opinion. Is it really true that what does not kill you makes you stronger? I do believe so. Maybe when people face a problem it does not makes too much sense in the near future, however it will do. The story that Baca’s grandmother told her when she was a girl is an example of how sometimes people is not able to overcome problems, nevertheless this does not implies that this happens all the time. It is common to appreciate how people become pessimist and often depressive when adversity meet their lives. According to Seery (2011) â€Å"†¦ some theory and empirical evidence suggest that the experience of facing difficulties can also promote benefits in the form of greater propensity for resilience when dealing with subsequent stressful situations. † (p. 90) Mark Seery carried a study in which followed 2,398 subjects for a span of three years, he found that there is a balance of adverse life experiences: some adversity seems to make us stronger than those with a life of either no adverse life experiences or many serious struggles. The study concluded that those people who had experienced a lot of adversity had poorer outcomes, on average, than people who reporte d no history of adversity – they were more depressed and anxious, were less satisfied with their lives, and were more likely to have physical or emotional problems that interfered with their ability to work and socialize. Every day, all the time we meet or we know stories of people who had to endure physical abuse, who was exposed to homelessness, or those who had faced natural disaster of physical limitations. A well-known story is the Nick VuJicic’s story. He was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. He was born without limbs. By the age of eight he was already depressed and by the age often he decided to end his life by drowning himself in a bathtub. After a couple attempts, he realized that he did not want to leave his loved ones with the burden and guilt that would result from his suicide. He had spoken on motivational topics after creating the company, attitude is altitude. He also launched a non-profit ministry, life without limbs, to spread his messages of faith and hope around the world. Finally, seems like Nietzche was right, what does not kill you makes you stronger. No matter what type of difficulties a erson could have face, always we have the chance of learning of them and breed strength.

Expectations

Finally, the blade deepens and hits just right, the scar of what the doubtful and painful knife has left me insecure and filled with emptiness. The sparks of love I had was weak and burning low, it soon became a weapon that only caused me harm. This body soon became an empty vessel searching for a purpose in this constant non-fiction world. Tick tock, tick tock, the clock goes, teachers writing riddles on the board, speaking of a foreign language that I cannot comprehend. Various noises filled the classroom, speaking of gibberish as I sit in this isolated bubble of my own. Surviving in this vessel, searching for a purpose- no, but rather waiting to be re-wired and commanded day by day. I love the languages subjects so I am pretty good at it, but I hate maths and sciences, hence I am bad at it. With no further comments I scanned through the whiteboard, but everyday I worry on how people kept instructing me how to grow as a person; giving me options on what's right and wrong, but in the end, the things that I will choose will forever be false.Everyday, I noticed to have a work that is always incomplete; I stare at the blank piece of paper reflecting about my life. With not much personality as an individual, hence I do not find it as an inconvenience to survive in this school. As time continued to pass by, I realized that I'm currently stuck in a never ending cycle of hypnotism, staggering through the same hallways each day, and soon it feels as though everything is on repeat. In class again, questions and answers that are not even needed in my daily life, being drilled into my mind, as I flipped through the textbook, which contains no specific answer. â€Å"How are your grades?† you asked with a smile.I shrugged, â€Å"The same, I guess.†Piercing me with your eyes, reminding me of the â€Å"future† I will soon have. If my tears were colours, then my pillow would be painted with rainbows. Thus in the morning, I would wake up with dark rings around my eyes, taunting me every time I look at myreflection. I would try and cover it up so that they would be a shade lighter, but I know they can never completely disappear. Staggering through the same hallways, towards an empty seat, one far from the sunlight, but rays still reached, blinded me and left me a daze, as if it is trying to question me; â€Å"What were you expecting in life?† â€Å"What are your dreams?†Searching frantically for an answer in that textbook, I can't breathe, I'm choking and it hurts. The stares that they give, beating down my confidence and pride all over again, I tried to find an answer, but its all the same; still an empty white paper, reflecting about my accomplishment in life. â€Å"I can do this†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I keep repeating those words in my mind, as I stare at that incomplete work, reminding me about â€Å"responsibilities†, â€Å"success†, â€Å"achievements†, â€Å"grades†, and so on, and every time I climb back up, your words kept knocking down my stance, chaining me down, to expectations, that I cannot achieve. Expectations and dreams, which are so heavy chaining me, more than gravity ever will. â€Å"I've tried†¦I'm tired†¦It hurts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ When will you ever grow up?† But let me ask, what is the meaning of â€Å"growing up† in the first place? If this is what's it feels like, then I just want to stop. The path they build for me is dictated to be perfect and filled with beautiful lies. Feeding me with expectations, rewiring my senses, choking me with perfection. I cannot breathe, I feel nauseous. My body cannot sustain it. Staggering to a mirror, I see the rings under my eyes, as a constant reminder the about those disappointing glares I noticed:†Ah†¦ they are getting darker.†

Political thinkers

Shocked by the scenario of the political events, which according to him was not how a state would exist and far from the idealist principles which he had sought. He especially was taken aback with the execution of Socrates in 399 BCC and which prompted him to turn to philosophy instead which he believed, â€Å"Was the only it could rescue human beings from civil war and political upheaval and provide a sound foundation for ethics and politics†. L Plato was a multi-dalliance's In the sense that In his writings metaphysics, epistemology, cosmology, philosophical study of the natural sciences, language and of the mind.Plato also founded his own Academy and also was its director. It was through this academy through which he was seeking to guide his students according to his philosophical principles pertaining to the various disciplines. With his academy, Plato taught various theoretical subjects like philosophy and mathematics which had various theories along with research work bu t was also involved in practical tasks of developing political constitutions where the kings sought his principles and morals for developing their states. He emphasized on creating an ideal and peaceful learning environment for his students. Alto's most famous work, â€Å"The Republic† is a prime example of an exemplary blend of thematic, philosophy, politics and natural sciences and basically all what his Academy represented. Plato died in the year 347 BCC. Plato was well ahead of his time in his teachings and therefore was accused of misguiding the youth with his ideas. He wrote â€Å"The Ideal State† and when this work was believed to be a Utopian concept, he wrote â€Å"The Second Best State† which was less rigid. This made him the first thinker or philosopher to write about the importance of governance in society.Plat's best works and writings were put down in his work, â€Å"The Republic†. This famous work of Plato has lasted through the ages due to the fact that it had three significant characteristics. The first is that of political philosophy which was method rejected in the times before Plato such as the well being of society, the theory of the state and individual by which he prescribed certain methods through which an individual needs to live his life according to certain guidelines to maintain equilibrium in society.The second characteristic which has ensured that this famous work has endured the test of time is that the Republic arrives at certain bold tenements and conclusions having major interest in its own way, which is independent of the merits of his theories as well as the arguments which augment them. The third characteristic is such that the Republic seeks to provide solid foundations across time periods to Justify its political theories and also elaborate the various theories and views stated by Plato such as education, physics metaphysics, etc.The best way to understand the philosophy of the Republic is by e xamining its core principles and there are three fundamental ones: 1 . â€Å"A political society constitutes a natural whole, with its own kind of excellence and well being†. Plato. 2 Plat's writings in the Republic are in stark contrast to those holding atomistic views which states that the a political society consists of a group of individuals who co-exist in harmony with cohesive characteristics or are hostile to each other.Plat's writings do not claim that his ideal society is superior to individual parts existing in society, nor does it have possession of an individual destiny with a separate set of goals. Plat's writings are somewhat in the balance between the two contrasting principles. His view of society is more of that of unity than many liberal minded thinkers would low. He argues that man and society are so similar that each has similar set of virtues. Even though Plato makes this statement, he does not contend that a society needs to contain people that are wise, courageous and Just or temperate.He preaches that society needs to be so set with its values that in itself it can be Just, even goes to the extent of stating that the virtues of a society are relatively easier to understand as they help us with the understanding of an individual. Plato even states that the actions of an individual with his opinions and attitude are the by reduces of the overall virtues of society and therefore has no existence without society. In the second book of the Republic, Plato mentions what exactly he means by justice.He states that Justice is founded based on the needs common to men and which the latter can satisfy only if there is co-operation among SST them by division of labor. This is where he states that every individual is gifted with a particular skill set such as a potter, shoemaker, etc. With this principle of specialization there becomes a need for soldiers and rulers. He states that in keeping with the principle of division f labor, gives ruler s the natural responsibility of caring for the co-operative whole of society.Their responsibility therefore includes caring for the society as it is their sole task and do work with determination towards what we believe is good for the overall betterment of society. Also the kings need to possess the kind of knowledge and understanding of not emphasizing on a particular aspect but rather on society as a whole. Along with these principles of a harmonious society, Plato also mentions about corrupt societies where the sight of the common good is lost and where individualistic interests prevail.Plato as we see above emphasizes on the importance of the creation of a society par excellence. This he states is possible when there is an agreement between all the sections within society about who governs, who fights, who provides for society major and so on. The basis of all of this is education and makes these goals attainable. Plato therefore very rightly states that societal Justice can be attained when the well being of not a particular group, but the whole of the society is secured.By this statement Plato does not mean the happiness quotient of he society which is the amount of happiness of the people but rather the well being of the whole of society is attained when the interest of no particular group dominates society whether the group consists of the rich or the aristocratic class. It would be wrong to say that Plato does not care about the individual in society. His concern for man in society is of a different nature as he believes that for man to progress and maintain harmony in society, the whole and not the individual should be taken into consideration.He even states that it is better rather for an individual to attain Justice n society than injustice for the entire society. This is an exception and this is where the well being of the individual prevails. Justice thereby forming a big part of his first principle in the Republic. 2. â€Å"A political society should look to its well being as a whole as an overriding aim:that is as an aim which, in cases of conflict, takes precedence over others. 3 This principle opposes the notion that whatever concerns the well being of an individual have natural, sovereign and inalienable rights given to them for their well being at the cost of society.It does not however contradict the claim that individuals within a society eve some influence and claim over it and this influence in a way is derived from society is in a way responsible for its well being. What we can derive from both of these statements is that there is a fine line between an individual's well being and that of society and a correct balance needs to be attained. Taking the example of to be a right which is essential for an individual, nor does he see in it the intrinsic worth by which it can be Justified.As stated earlier, everything is for the well being of society and is the same case with education as well. An individual according to Plato s trained for this very purpose till he attains 35 years of age (Tireless and dedicated service towards society). Plato also is a firm believer in the censorship of the arts as he believes that a child exposed to too much nudity or vulgarity in the arts during his/her formative years will have significant impact on the mind and in turn the society as a whole.Similarly, falsified stories about the after life and the gods need to be given the same treatment as this will have a negative impact on the future rulers and society as a whole. Plato emphasizes that those educated to rule can only be Euler to attain an ideally Just society. What Plato states with conviction that an unjust society is the result of haphazard governance consisting of people not having character required to run the administration as well as the prescribed education.Plato also states that he does does not believe that all of the rulers belong to the heredity class. He rather establishes that a child born of a ruler but lacking the quality of a ruler is not fit for the role of a king whereas a child of individuals not belonging to the aristocratic class but possessing all of the qualities fit for kingship can be appointed as the ruler. This writing of Plato is contradictory to the very grain of Plat's aristocratic upbringing but rather accords for the sovereignty of the common good of society.Other philosophers of his time ascribed men and women in society the right to marry and have children and own property, be truthful in political matters or be truthful in order to uphold virtue. Plato on the other hand, for the wider interest of society prevents his rulers from marrying, they are prevented from ownership of property, they are prescribed to consummate with women who the elders or the wise men select for them which meant that the â€Å"women with the best emetics† were chosen as this would produce superior offspring and once the child is born the ruler did not know about w ho his children are.This Plato believes is essential for societal Justice. In the Republic, the importance of Justice is mentioned and Justified multiple times. Plato states that those who are not rulers, future rulers and soldiers lead a much easier and freer life in the sense that they have no formal means of voting to influence the running of society. The rulers can move them as well as separate them from their families. The working class in society are not even allowed to make money as they please as even this aspect is decided by the ruler to prevent extreme accumulation of wealth and prevent poverty.Plato as we can see, places utmost trust in his rulers who he states go through a rigorous selection process and this makes him an embodiment of wisdom and knowledge. He can make decisions on what is right or wrong in society due to this wisdom. Plato states that the Philosopher king cannot make mistakes and he is well suited to take decisions thus making the Philosopher king the u ltimate power in society of course only by means of true Justice as mentioned earlier. . â€Å"What constitutes the well being of society is a matter of objective fact, discoverable by those who have the relevant ability and specialized training†. Plato. 4 Political claims for Plato are not questions of decision, convention or prescription. The facts which the rulers have to live up to. Plato always tried to back up his findings and the same goes with this principle. He tries to back up this principle with a theory. The explanation for this theory is as follows. First off are the cases in which the statements are true because it corresponds to the way the reality is which is basically he facts of the world and reality in general.Secondly, there are two kinds of statements which are possible in the world. First are those whose claims are contingent which means that the truth-values could have been different than what they really are and then there are those statements that are necessary where the truth-values could not have been different. Plato states that the the items which cannot be altered and certain aspects of reality are called â€Å"Forms†. They are intangible in nature and are the solid truth.Justice, virtue and goodness are examples of forms as they are capable of making changes towards the subject matter f necessary truths which cannot be manipulated or altered. What Plato ascribes in order for his theory to be applicable is that the task which the future rulers of the Greek city states need to fulfill is to become philosophers and in the sense put forth only by Plato. They need to acquire Forms such as Justice, courage, temperance and most of all goodness. The other classes in the society do not hold the training or virtue to have all of the Forms at once.Plato also wants his rulers to have a firm and confident grasp of these Forms after fifteen years of specialized training. The society and the world Plato agrees is constantly changi ng but the philosopher king should be able to apply his knowledge of the Forms to the ever changing world. Plato compares his Philosopher king to a mathematician as a mathematician is able to apply unalterable truths which is formula such as the circles, square and other geometrical terms to the ever changing figures which are to be seen in the physical world around.The philosopher king he believes would successfully be able to apply morals which cannot be altered and political formula which are the truths associated with Justice ND goodness to the ever changing behavior of men in society along with their imperfect affairs. The philosopher king has this quality and only he is entitled to rule. ANALYSIS OF PLAT'S THREE PRINCIPLES: Plat's first principle concerning the nature of society and how it concerns its own well being is likely to be rejected only by the most extreme political scholars.Plato does not in any way ascribe special status to society and hence it is hard to see this principle as excessive. What Plato is trying to explain is that, men are not separate or detached from society resembling the organs of the body which are together without avian any aims or purposes of its own or like the grains in a heap of sand. Plato states that men by nature are social animals and unlike other animals have evolved and survived with notable success due to these social characteristics. Even if the social characteristics of man are flawed, they can certainly be corrected through co- operation.He stresses on this co-operation and sometimes even over-stresses on this aspect by which he literally means division of labor. Plat's second principle requires a little more attention and discussion in which he states that a society's well being different school of thought hold the view that a society's well being is a goal which has to be pursued and at least needs to be part of society's many goals. The factor which prompts this view is that, the different interests of indi viduals clash and clash in such a way that it becomes impossible to resolve all of them.A moral principle therefore is needed to ease out the conflict in a manner which is Just and fair. The right answer to this distinct problem as stated earlier is the target of attaining maximum happiness for a maximum number of people. This principle though has a fundamental weakness. For example, the assumption of torture and killing of a few individual people will leading to societal happiness is Justified by Plato and this view has persuaded many philosophers to reject it.Society thereby should not be arranged in a way which would be advantageous to a certain group but rather the interest of all must be considered. This proposal is thereby less sharply defined by Plato and hence makes it difficult to be applied yet not impossible. This kind of consideration can be compared to that of a parent towards the family where they are not concerned with the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people, but rather on one hand it is ensured that none of the children are favored unduly and also providing a balanced distribution of goods among them.Regarding the restrictions placed on the rulers such as the denial of the right to marriage, ownership of property and living on only the basic needs required on a daily basis, it may seem like the denial of the right to life to a normal reader but Plato sees the wider picture here. He states that there are no restrictions on what might be done to secure the well being of society and Plato sees these denial of rights to the philosophers as moving towards the desired target. This makes us wonder of what Plato would imply to the statement made earlier about killing the innocent for the benefit of society.There are no signs in Plat's writings anywhere that he would accept any actions of such nature and Justify them and rather all of the evidence is contradictory. The big philosophical question though which remains here is th at whether or not would Plato himself succumb to his theoretical beliefs and therefore commit him to endorse these deeds. This principle certainly puts Plato in trouble. Having gone far as striping the rulers of their basic rights, what is it that is holding Plato back.The only obvious way open to him is to assert that built into his idea of the well being of society are certain fundamental components and one of the rules being that innocent men and women are not to be killed. The argument which arises from this principle. People have the natural right to freedom from torture and death and this contradicts the theory which puts forth that the philosopher king can go to any extent for the good of society and the ruler cannot be questioned as he has attained ultimate wisdom due to the rigorous training imparted to him.Therefore, in he one case the conclusion is drawn from considering the society and in the other the individual. What then of Plat's third principle of the declaration th at morals and politics being questions of objective, expert knowledge? Regarding discussions on fundamental political and moral issues, the language of objective assertion is used by philosophers and normal people as though they are speaking of matters of plain fact.Cases where men can make mistake, argue over these mistakes and make What is more is that, they cannot do without the notion of assumption since without t there is no discussion and then they are left with only professions of faith. Comparing with the complex issues of today's time such as nuclear warfare and abortion, there is a tendency to make the added assumption that to arrive there is a need for expertise as well as ability and there cannot be dependence of wit and intuition. Men and women in society need to have the required information but at the same time need to be educated to analyze problems and in assessing consequences.Now, if common assumption such as these mentioned above are justified, then Plato has a v ery good case for holding that morals are principles too re matters of objective fact as well being matters of expertise (The philosopher king). Plato though does not stop here and adds that people who are political and moral experts ought to be the righteous rulers of society. Also while discussing the democratic virtue in relation to Plato, two sets of arguments need to be distinguished which: 1 . That in the absence of Platonic philosophers, the concept of democracy is supported . 2.The concept of democracy being supported absolutely by philosophers and if such philosophers are to be had or not in society. It can be disputed that western models of constitutional models are in the best forms f political societies developed so far and that too in the absence of Platonic philosophers. Plato I believe would've allowed this to happen as it comes closer to his earlier stated goal of securing Justice for the whole and not for the individual. He would've conceded this solely on balance b y pointing out that the conduct of democracy towards society would be uniformly Just.Now coming to the discussion about Plat's Justification of non-acceptance of the concept of democracy, Plato through the Republic reminds us that it was this ideology which put Socrates to death Just because he initiated open discussions. Also he mentions that the same democracy had either enslaved or killed an entire population for not wishing to be part of Athens. It is for these very reasons that Plato would argue that democracies of today would be no match to his concept of the ideal society. Recent philosophers might argue that democracy's case rests with the ultimate sovereign worth of an individual.A person has the ultimate say on how he is governed and how he wishes to be governed without which the philosophers state that they would not be fulfilling heir duties as adults and hence would be no different from slaves and children. On the contrary, Plato would argue that he had not seeded to lo wer the status of man in society. While the modern philosopher sees the dignity of man in the fulfillment of self, Plato has always seen it as surrender of self Just for the betterment of the good of society.He believed that in spite of having philosophers to rule and give political expertise and contribute to administration, it would be foolish to argue that all individuals should be a part of administration and it is the same as saying that non- authentications should provide calculations for building bridges. All of these points however does not make the democrat any weaker, as he has no major worry yet. The reason being that even if the rulers in the Platonic society possessed the attributes of morals and virtues, it cannot be said with certainty that they wouldn't become oppressive and corrupt and thereby not favor sectional interests at all.Plato places individual in the administration turns out to be corrupt. Plato thereby in order to prevent such a scenario and maintain this foolproof system created by him believed hat education can go a long way in maintaining Plat's concept of the ideal society. The training lasts for fifteen long years involving morality and virtue along with ten academics and religion. An education with a combination containing all these aspects is very less likely to make a person corrupt.Plat's emphasis on religious training makes the biggest difference as a God fearing man wont be morally wrong and at the same time be virtuous therefore making his system extremely rigid. ARISTOTLE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Aristotle lifespan was the period which can be termed as the turn in the history of hilltop's out of which branched an independent discipline of politics. 5 He was born in the year 384 BCC in the village of Staggers in located in present day Central Macedonia which was one of HTH Greek city states. Aristotle is called the father of Political Science and is one of the most celebrated political thinkers.He was the first thinker to separate the discipline of philosophy from politics and this resulted in the birth of a new discipline of Political Science. He came up with the term of Greek city state of â€Å"Polis† and also invented the term politics. His father was the royal physician n the Macedonian Court and shared a good relationship Witt the King of Macedonia. As he was part of the aristocratic class, he was sent to Plat's academy in Athens for education at eighteen years of age. He spent close to twenty years in the academy and also taught there. Aristotle was heavily influenced by Plat's teachings and writings and he was his mentor.Aristotle though differed on some of Plat's teachings which I will highlight further in this paper. He returned to the Kingdom of Macedon in the year 343 BCC and he was appointed to run and lead the Royal academy of Macedon. At this period, he was also the private tutor of Alexander the Great. In the year 335 BCC, he came back to Athens and started his own academy by t he name of Lacey. Aristotle in his teachings whilst at his own academy wrote about different theories of nature and emphasized that for nature to function without any hindrance, change is certain.Aristotle unlike the other philosopher of his time, looked at nature from a different perspective. He like Plato believed in creating an ideal environment for learning and taught outdoors as believed that being close to nature is ideal for the overall growth of an individual. Aristotle was forced to flee Athens in the year 322 BCC when there was an uprising in Athens gains the Macedonian and as he had published many works supporting the history of Macedonian rule, it left him vulnerable to attack by the Athenians. He left for Above during the uprising and died in the same year.Aristotle like Plato was believed to be misguiding the youth with his ideas and teachings. What makes Aristotle unique is the fact that is to put forth that politics can be devoid of ethics, the complete opposite of P lato who emphasized a lot on ethics. Aristotle like Plato wrote about his win â€Å"Ideal State† which is a continuation of Plat's â€Å"Second Best State†. ARISTOTLE AND POLITY: The politics of Aristotle for the reader becomes intensely empirical at once and also factual knowledge throughout the ancient world known to the Greeks and he put all of this information together to guide action.He used political processes to guide people towards the right path and giving them a good life by following certain guidelines. These moral views laid down by Aristotle are expressed in his work the ‘Politics' and also on his other work ‘Noncompliance ethics'. Aristotle unlike Plato held hat moral views can be held by a person and known without the complete precision of mathematics or the physical and biological sciences. Living a good life is essential for the well being of man in society and such life can come into existence only when human capacities are developed to th e maximum.Put it simply, one has to feel and act in a way required for working towards a whole hearted commitment towards a well rounded life and this life should be truly moral and most importantly truly human. Aristotle describes this well living as ‘daemonic', slightly mistranslated as happiness. Well being can be a closer word for this term and he states that the ultimate of ethics and politics is to attain daemonic. Aristotle introduces his writings in the Politics with two key ideas: 1. The state is a community 2.The state is the highest among all communities, â€Å"Which embraces all the rest, aims for good in a greater degree than any other and at the highest good. 7 Aristotle considers the state to be a natural being and was the first thinker to consider it as a community. Aristotle also puts forth that the state is an instrument, a sort of mechanism and like machinery can be used to meet ends higher than itself. This view of Aristotle is called the ‘instrument alist' view of the state and which actually not invented by him but rather propounded by Sophists who lived a century before Aristotle.This view was however rejected by Plato and revived only by the modern thinkers such as John Locke, Jack Hobbes and John Dewey. The good life within the natural creation being the state can be achieved by whole heartedly acting in ways truly human. Aristotle states that to act in such a manner becomes a struggle for man and he can do so only with utmost pain and difficulty. He observed that young hillier are moved by instincts such as pleasure and pain. They need to trained so that they achieve acts of reason once they grow to be adults such as those of courage or cowardice.They can be trained to endure pain and agony and not to give in to every bodily desire so that everything falls into place and things come easily and naturally. Aristotle like Plato in this case states that education becomes an important element for grooming an individual by devel oping the right reason, the right desire and their harmony. Aristotle unlike Plato in his ideal state where he gives ultimate importance to the philosopher king gives great importance to laws. He states that for individuals, to do good to do good for themselves or others does not come naturally. Man lacks virtue and compulsion through law is therefore needed.In the Monomaniacs ethics, Aristotle states that people have the tendency to resent to things told to them by other people but no resentment is seen when law is enforced upon them. Aristotle states law to be reason which is unfazed by desires. The community: Aristotle difference in political thought to his mentor Plato becomes extremely clear hen he puts forth that the state is the highest form of association concerning man's family for example man reproduces himself; companionship is resolved when living in a village community; and it is only in the state that man realizes himself and his true worth particularly the highest par t of himself.Aristotle therefore does not make division of labor an essential component of society in his political thought but rather expresses that family is the lowest in the hierarchy of the society and man's biological appetites and material appetites are expressed within the family. A man's social sentiment of companionship and that of community is expressed in the bigger association of the village and then ultimately man's morality the quality which makes him most human is expressed and fulfilled in the state.Aristotle unlike Plato in his organic view of the state very clearly explains and expresses what are the implicit and explicit factors for society. He unlike his teacher Plato is unwilling to go as far as where he states that it is not necessary for the betterment of the society, that the happiness of the rulers as well as the ruled needs to be sacrificed. Aristotle is against he principle of excessive unity in the state which he anyways believes to be idealistic and not realistic and even if it is attained it should be rejected as he states that, â€Å"It would result in the destruction of the state†. Aristotle describes the role of Plat's guardian rulers as Just filling a vacuum and that the ideal state put forth by Plato merely contains two states in one with hostility emerging as tube most likely outcome due to the importance associated to the philosopher king. Aristotle in his concept of the origin of the state expresses that every state is a community of some kind and it s created with the intention of some good no matter what the methods used.Aristotle in his concept of politics states that when a ruler has a personal government that he referred to as a king and when according to the rules and principles of political science, then he referred Thomas a statesman. Aristotle tries to look at things in a scientific perspective and the state is no exception where he puts forth that different kinds of rules differ in different societies and it is essential to attain scientific information from them. Property: Aristotle theory of property is completely against Plat's theory of communism of repertory..Plato regarded property to be a hindrance to the proper functioning of the state as it blurred human thought process by encouraging the need for wants and, therefore, suggested the guardian class even though the rulers of society have no claim over any property in the entire city state. For Aristotle on the other hand, ownership of property provided psychological satisfaction to man as human beings he believes have the inherent instinct of possessing and owning property. It is the rightful claim of an individual to own property.Aristotle claims that if an individual goes not own property, then he won't learn the principle of generosity such as giving alms to the needy as well as the connect of hospitable treatment towards the oppressed class of society. What then is the use of moral and virtuous training as stated by Plato when it cannot be put into practice in the wider concept of society. Ownership of property leads to the creation of a good household as the family is society at the micro level and a happy and content family would ultimately lead to the creation of a better society as your needs get fulfilled. Ownership of property is s