Challenges Faced by Records Centres in Zimbabwe Essay Example for Free

Challenges Faced by Records Centres in Zimbabwe Essay People frequently turn to technology because they find they cant manage their paper records. Either they are swamped by too much paper on site, or they cant find the documents they need, or both. By itself, technology cannot fix a records management problem; technology applications need a lot of research and planning to be effective. While automating records can be a valuable tool, there are challenges to integrating these technological devices into a record system. Tennessee State Library and Archives states that, a records centre is, â€Å"an interim storage and retrieval facility where inactive records of more than one agency may be administered on behalf of such agencies and may be stored and retrieved conveniently, economically, and in good order and inventory control until their final disposition and yet remain under the access and disposition control of their originating agencies. Roper and Miller (1999; 6) postulates that, â€Å"Records centre is a building or part of a building designed or adapted for the low-cost storage, maintenance and communication of semi-current records pending their ultimate disposal. † The Records Centre is responsible for protecting the records from unauthorized access, damage, and deterioration. Both legal control and control of access to the records is retained by the agency until the records are either transferred to the Archives section or destroyed. Automating as defined by Alexis L (1999; 5), â€Å"is the use of machines, control systems and information technologies to optimize productivity in the production of goods and delivery of services. † The scholar also propounds that, â€Å"the correct incentive for applying automation is to increase productivity, and/or quality beyond that possible with current human labor levels so as to realize economies of scale, and/or realize predictable quality levels. In the scope of industrialisation, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization provides human operators with machinery to assist them with the muscular requirements of work, automation greatly decreases the need for human sensory and mental requirements while increasing load capacity, speed, and repeatability. † Automation plays an increasingly important role in the world economy and in daily experience. In support to the above, Dorf and Bishop (1998; 8) also states that, â€Å"automating is the control of an industrial process (manufacturing production, and so on) by automating rather that manual means. Roper and Miller (1999; 6) also point out automating as, â€Å"the use of machines or systems to perform tasks normally performed or collected by people. † Some of the challenges that are faced by records centres in Zimbabwe in automating their records systems include, upkeep and maintenance expenses, specialists are required, new hardware and software need to be purchased, local management and workers need to be trained, a complete re-appraisal of specialist staffing may be necessary (the recruitment of systems analyst already familiar with the design and implementation of distributed systems) among others. In relation to upkeep and maintenance expenses, Alexis L (1999; 5) propounds that, â€Å"Once technology is purchased for a records centre, the cost of upkeep and maintenance can be too great for the building to maintain. Outdated software and hardware components can be incompatible with available programs. Also, the cost of repairing broken equipment may be too expensive for records centre budgets. † The researcher also notes that in order for a records centre to successfully automate its records system, there must be a rolling replacement or updating plan in place to keep technology current and useful. There are also incompatibility issues in automating the record systems of records centres in Zimbabwe. According to Harvest (1992; 57), â€Å"Many records centres today have curricula and programs based on state or national assessments. The majority of these tests and measures are paper-and-pencil based in order to make them accessible for all users. Because learning with technology involves typing input into a computer, there is a disconnection between the assessments that determine government funding and the use of technology in the records centres. To adequately prepare for these tests, users need practice with authentic assessments most closely imitating those of the standardized test. Waites and Knott (1992; 523) states that, â€Å"automating records present an added challenge to records managers in records centres because they must deal with users of varying computer literacy levels. Some users enter the records centre fully versed in the applications of a computer, while oth ers come with no prior experience. It is difficult for records managers to deal with this vast difference and ensure that they provide users who need assistance with that assistance while not requiring capable users to slow their academic progress and wait. † Another challenge faced by these records centres in Zimbabwe in automating their records systems is that there is lack of support. Perderson (1987; 5) states that, â€Å"While technology can be a great addition to the records centres, it also can be a source of frustration for both the records manager and the user. Unless the records manager is well trained in technology and can support the hardware in the records centre, a technology expert will be needed to troubleshoot problems. If records centre cannot support the purchased technology, it essentially renders it useless in times of crisis or disrepair. † Additionally from the researcher’s point, technology often needs frequent maintenance to keep it in good condition for use. If all these are not available it means more money will be needed for the upkeep as well as hiring experts to use the automated systems. Training the staff and patrons to use a newly automated system can be challenging. According to the Colorado Department of Education, Training is expensive and you can never pay for enough. If the staff is unfamiliar with computerized records management software, they will need many hours of training to feel comfortable operating the system. A select number of staff will also need training to manage specialized operations, such as cataloguing or patron record management. Additionally, patrons will need assistance using the system to search for library materials. Some patrons may be reluctant to change to a new system, especially if they dont like computers. With proper training and plenty of support, users will adjust to the new system. Prythesh (1996) forwarded that, â€Å"because connection problems, downloading issues, policing software and other difficulties can cause road blocks when implementing a lesson in the technology based records centre, records managers sometimes shy away from using it simply because of lack of time. With all of the demands on users, the amount of time spent in the records centre is more and more valuable. † To lose a few minutes because of connectivity issues is not feasible, and its one important reason why automating records systems often fails in records centres in Zimbabwe. More time is lost due to connection problems. Technology is another hurdle to cross while automating a records system. When selecting records automation software, one must make sure it will work with the existing equipment or be financially prepared to purchase upgraded technology. Kerri Cox Online (2013) postulates that, â€Å"Analyze the records assistants workstations, patron access points, network server, Internet access and building electrical system. Some records centres may require minor technological upgrades, while others will require an expensive technological overhaul. † The technology team, or lack of one, can be another challenge of records system automation. Harvest (1992; 57) states that, â€Å"A records centre needs a strong technology support system in place prior to automation. Someone needs to oversee the automation process and troubleshoot any software or hardware problems. The researcher also notes that once the system is in place, the technology team will need to continue to monitor and upgrade the system. Apart from the challenges, automating records system in records centres has some benefits and some of them are higher production rates and increased productivity, more efficient use of materials, better product quality, improved safety, shorter workweeks for labour. Kerri Cox (2013) outlines that, â€Å"Higher output and increased productivity have been two of the biggest reasons in justifying the use of automation. Despite the claims of high quality from good workmanship by humans, automated systems typically perform the manufacturing process with less variability than human workers, resulting in greater control and consistency of product quality. Also, increased process control makes more efficient use of materials. † Also an automated system results in efficiency, Alexis L (1999; 5) forwards that, â€Å"they get more done than humans but cost less to operate. This is because they do need breaks, wages, holidays, canteens, heating and lighting. The quality of the work done is always of the same standard being materials are not wasted due to human error. The scholar in terms of speed also states that, â€Å"automated systems can process information much more quickly than humans. † This means they are good for controlling machinery that might need to be adjusted instantly. To sum up the researcher notes that, records systems automation is a great enhancement for a records centre, but it comes with plenty of headaches. It is a time-consuming process. Records Centres may struggle to have the proper technology for the automation. Staff and patrons may need a lot of training to properly operate the new system.

19th Century Welfare Provision History Essay

19th Century Welfare Provision History Essay In what ways was 19th century welfare provision shaped by the socially constructed distinction between the deserving and undeserving poor and with what consequences for these different groups in terms of the type of welfare assistance available to them?. The origins of the Welfare State in the United Kingdom go back to Elizabethan times. The introduction of the Poor Laws was the first legislative attempt to ensure that the poor had the means to live. This method continued until the Industrial Revolution, when provision for the poor changed. The Welfare State in its modern form began with the introduction of reforms between 1906 and 1914 by the Liberal Government. These reforms included the introduction of National Insurance, Old Age Pensions and Free School Meals. In the increasingly complex society that emerged in the 19th century industrialised Britain, there was , and has continued t be, a need to support people who are unable to cope without state social welfare provision and bring order to social life. The Second World War then led to the development of welfare legislation designed to ensure that everybody in the United Kingdom had access to quality healthcare. This resulted in the introduction of the National Health Service and a range of health education and disease prevention measures being introduced in post war Britain. In the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the enactment of the first Elizabethan Poor Law in 1601 philanthropy was characterized by various hierarchical relationships within the feudal structure.   Help for others was pre-eminently a matter of royal contributions, but was also greatly supplemented by personal charity on the part of the wealthy.   Religion and concerns about life after death drove many to charitable works.   Churches continually increased their position in society and began to take a prominent role in philanthropic endeavours. Over time the churchs role evolved, becoming one of the main instruments of charitable actions.   A historical perspective is important in understanding british social policy development. Loking at the influence of 19th century social, economic and political change, particularly the A wide range of personal motivations contributed to philanthropic participation, as helping others was seen as emotionally and socially stimulating. While much was accomplished in this period, charity was often erratic and did not always fully meet the needs of the recipients. Robert Morris (1986) Philanthropy can be defined as the provision of financial, material, and ideal resources for cultural, social, and educational institutions.   During the course the 19th century these aims increasingly came to fruition through foundations, limited dividend companies, membership organizations, or by bequests and donations, and were generally facilitated by middle to upper class people. Thomas Adam (2001) Charity organization movements were one of the key characteristics of Victorian era philanthropists. With the emergence of nation states prior to and during this period, poverty and social welfare gradually became embodied in law. State advocated reform was often frenzied, highly bureaucratic, and humiliating to the poor who received aid.   However, as the duties of governments increased, aid societies and philanthropists also expanded their organizational efforts.   Civil and religious structures for taking care of the poor began to mix, resulting in a more bureaucratic and regimented approach to philanthropy.   Ã‚   Robert Morris (1986) Social sciences began to be consulted more as philanthropists and the state sought to identify and subdivide social problems, and to obtain information on specific needs that would remedy the identified problems.   The inclusion of social science in social welfare organizations helped to make philanthropic endeavours more efficient. F.K Prochaska (1980) Philanthropy in the 19th century was based on religious tradition that was centuries in the making.   Historically, wealthy people in society gave to the poor as a Christian duty.   Charity was seen as a way of saving ones own soul while also helping those in need.   Protestants, especially those with strong evangelical leanings, believed that social conscience demanded social action.   They held that by coming into contact with human nature, particularly with those in need that they were able to come in contact with Christ. Henry B. Washburn (1931) Religious philanthropists believed that by helping the needy, they were helping their own kin because everyone was a child of God. Good works were, and are part of the foundation of Christianity, and pave the way to salvation.   Through the 19th century, the church increasingly became the vehicle of private and public social work.   However, it should be noted that though philanthropy was rooted in religious and church tradition, it also spread outside the church.   Philanthropy and religion are intertwined throughout history, but are not necessarily dependent on each other. The growth of the middle classes in the 18th and 19th centuries gave rise to increased public participation on the part of women.    Work in charitable groups and institutions became an avenue for entry into elite society for women and gave them a sense of place and direction outside the home.   By the 19th century women were increasingly better educated, and viewed by some aspects of society as an underutilized resource.   Philanthropic work was seen as the ideal situation for the inclusion of women because charity work seemed to be a natural extension of their maternal qualities into wider society.   A distinctive feature of womens philanthropic work in the 19th century is the degree to which they applied their domestic experience and education outside the home. The saying charity begins at home had wider meaning than its originator suspected for it was believed that it was in the home where women developed the sympathies and skills necessary to perform good works in a wider sphere.   As the family received more and more attention as the paramount social unit in society, women, believed to be the natural guardians of the household, gained new confidence. F.K. Prochaska, (1980) The rise of evangelism in the 19th century also contributed greatly to womens expanding roles in institutional philanthropy.   As a religion of duty which placed service above doctrine, evangelism particularly appealed to women as religious sensibility and social pity stood much higher in their minds than abstract arid theology. F.K. Prochaska, (1980)    Womens industriousness in household management also proved to be beneficial for the often cash-strapped organizations.   In addition to fundraising through bazaars, dinner parties, banquets, and collection boxes women took on extra household work, and sold handiworks to earn extra cash for their organizations. Women brought a caring and industrious influence to institutional and private philanthropy that may have been lacking had philanthropic work been left solely to their male counterparts. Before 1834, the cost of looking after the poor was growing more expensive year by year. This cost was paid for by the middle and upper classes in each town through their local taxes. There was a real suspicion amongst the middle and upper classes that they were paying the poor to be lazy and avoid work. After years of complaint, a new Poor Law was introduced in 1834. The new Poor Law was meant to reduce the cost of looking after the poor, prevent scroungers and impose a system which would be the same all over the country. Under the new Poor Law, parishes were grouped into unions and each union had to build a workhouse if they did not already have one. Except in special circumstances, poor people could now only get help if they were prepared to leave their homes and go into a workhouse. Conditions inside the workhouse were deliberately harsh, so that only those who desperately needed help would ask for it. Families were split up and housed in different parts of the workhouse. The poor were made to wear a uniform and the diet was monotonous. There were also strict rules and regulations to follow. Inmates, male and female, young and old were made to work hard, often doing unpleasant jobs such as picking oakum or breaking stones. Children could also find themselves hired out to work in factories or mines. Shortly after the new Poor Law was introduced, a number of scandals hit the headlines. The most famous was Andover Workhouse, where it was reported that half-starved inmates were found eating the rotting flesh from bones. In response to these scandals the government introduced stricter rules for those who ran the workhouses and they also set up a system of regular inspections. However, inmates were still at the mercy of unscrupulous masters and matrons who treated the poor with contempt and abused the rules. Although most people did not have to go to the workhouse, it was always threatening if a worker became unemployed, sick or old. Increasingly, workhouses contained only orphans, the old, the sick and the insane. Not surprisingly the new Poor Law was very unpopular. It seemed to punish people who were poor through no fault of their own.

Is Climate Change Natural Or Man Made Environmental Sciences Essay

Is Climate Change Natural Or Man Made Environmental Sciences Essay Climate is the long term average weather conditions of different regions on earth. Some places are hot while others bear a cold climate. The different types of climates are namely, tropical, midaltitudinal, subtropical, arctic, subarctic, humid continental, Mediterranean, monsoon, desert and tropical wet-dry. The climate of the world is continuously changing. This change is not something new it is a very old concept perhaps since the birth of the universe. The factors or reasoning for the climate change can be divided into two sides. One side is of the view that this is a natural process that will and has to occur whereas the other side claims that the change has occurred because of the human activities on the earth. later in our essay we will be discussing these reasoning in more depth and with the help of some facts and figures. Literature Review: Definitions: Distinction between climate and weather. Most of the people use climate and weather terms synonymously, but the two terms have a difference between them. Climate is the long term average weather conditions of different regions on earth whereas weather is how the atmosphere behaves in a shorter period of time. Hence we can say that the distinct feature between weather and climate is the measure of time. What is Global Warming and Global Dimming? Global warming refers to the continuous warming of worlds surface. It occurs when the Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) traps the heat and light from the sun around the atmosphere of Earth which forms the root cause of the temperature increase. Some of the green house gases are, Carbon Dioxide, water vapor, methane etc. Whereas Anup Shah said, Global dimming is the opposite of global warming and should not be confused with it. It is the average reduction in heat that is reaching the earths surface. Pollutants from the fossil fuels in the air results in the larger number of droplets which makes the clouds more reflective. More of the suns heat and light is therefore reflected back in the space. (Anup Shah, 2005) Climate Change History Timeline: Earths climate is unstable and is continuously changing. It has experienced several ice ages and warmer periods. To make things simpler and focused we can split the history of climate change into several phases. These phases are briefly discussed below: If we look at The Big Bang Theory which is about the creation of the entire solar system. The temperature of the earth was very high because of which it expanded rapidly, and then it cooled down enough for rain, which became the source of the very first ocean on earths surface. Then from 3.8 to 2.5 billion years ago, the first land masses appeared and life developed on the planet. The atmosphere was still toxic and mainly consisted of ammonia and methane, the sun was only 75% as bright as today, this may depicts that the surface was covered with ice, but in reality it was warmer, scientist justify this situation by saying that this was because of the greenhouse gases i.e. methane which prevented freezing. Next phase is of about 2.5 to 500 million years ago. In this era the oxygen level on the surface started to increase, accompanied by the photosynthetic algae. There are enough evidences of glaciations periods in this era and scientists still discuss this scenario. The Earths core finally cooled down to level comparable to today about 500 to 250 million years ago. The volcanic eruptions became rarer. Earth generally saw a lot of glacial activity in this period because of the two poles known as South and North Poles, which received very less solar energy. The rapid development of photosynthetic organisms made the air more breathable. About 250 to 65 million years ago the climate of Earth became dry and seasonal with high temperature differences. More land came into contact with the oceans and therefore the humidity increased. This was the era of dinosaurs. Then the dinosaurs went extinct and mammals took over around 65 to 2.7 million years ago. The planet experienced sudden warming during this period. The global temperature shot up by 5-8 degree Celsius. This warming was enhanced by the methane bubbles which were previously hidden beneath the ice sheets. About 33 million yearn ago the very first glaciers started to form in Antarctica; this means that the sea level fell and ice grew. Than from 2.7 million to 12000 years ago a lot of the surface of Earth was covered with ice. It is been estimated that there were 25-30 Ice Ages in the history. Around 12000 years ago the last Ice Age ended and the Earth again entered to a warmer phase. From 950 to 1250 the Vikings started to emigrate from Iceland, Greenland. Excellent weather in many regions of the Earth gave a boost to the population growth. The things then rapidly changed in the 20th century when industrialization took place. It increased the temperature of Earth on a average of 0.7 degree Celsius. The British Meteorological Office predicts that 2010 will become the hottest year since the beginning of temperature records in 1880. The Debate: There are two sides of the debate as we have stated this earlier in our essay. One group supports the idea that the major causes of the global climate change are the activities by humans themselves. These activities include burning of fossil fuels, deforestation etc. the other group challenges this view with their research that the change is the natural process and it is occurring since the birth of the earth. The world temperature is increasing and it is occurring due to the activities of the people living in this world. The major culprits of this process are the developed countries of the world whose economies significantly rely on industrialization which results into the excessive emissions of carbon in the atmosphere. United States was the leader in this case followed by UK, Germany, France etc, but now China is taking over the lead and becoming the number one cause of global warming. Pearce said, Chinas annual carbon dioxide emissions have indeed recently surpassed those of the US (Fred Pearce, 2010). He further clarifies that this does not means that the whole blame should be given to China because industrialization is new to China and if we revise the statistics of carbon emissions we will come to know that major role in degrading the environment is played by other countries like US , UK, Germany and other countries of Europe. An International team headed by Nikla Hohne from the Cologne, Germany, office of Ecofys. An international climate change consultancy came up with the findings from the country by country analysis of who has contributed to the climate change and to what extent. The team also look upon other green house gases i.e. methane which is second most important after carbon dioxide. Methane is also produced by human activities from draining marshes and deforestation to cattle farming. Once methane was added to the analysis the team came up with evidence that the poor countries of the world play a much greater part in global warming. Hohne says, Others do worse. (Nikla Hohne, 2010). For instance Brazils contribution rises from1 percent to 5 percent of global total. Indonesia which extensively practices deforestation rises by a factor of between 10 to 90. The studies in this analysis estimated Indonesia as a third greatest contributor to global warming after China and US. To over come these problems and justify themselves developed countries claims that they are taking action to cut carbon emissions into the atmosphere. On example of this action is the Kyoto Protocol 1997. This protocol required the developed countries to start cutting emissions by almost 5 percent by 2008-2012. In this protocol certain quotas were assigned to industries. With in the limits of the quota they can pollute the environment. Larry Lohmann called it The Magic of the Market, (Larry Lohmann, 2002) because the a certain clause was added by the US elites in The Kyoto Protocol which allowed Northern countries to meet the emission targets by trading carbon dioxide with countries that had surplus. The trading of carbon did not solved the problem but in fact increased the climate change effect. Jens Stoltenberg who led a UN- commissioned task force to identify ways to raise finances which could be used in poor countries to deal with the climate change effects said, Carbon pricing h as a double climate effect- its a huge source for revenue, but also gives the right incentive for reducing emissions by making it expensive to pollute, (Jens Stoltenberg, 2010). The Kyoto Protocol gave an other benefit to the industries that hey can have a trade with the people who grow plants and trees as well. But it was impossible to calculate the intake of carbon by trees which make it ineffective. Larry Lohmann said that 30 more protocols with twice the level of Kyoto protocol are needed to rectify the situation. Otherwise the impact will be devastating. According to a special report more than 1000 scientists globally are changing their opinion and saying that the process of change is natural. These scientists also included people from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). the report included comments by some well known people. for instance, Nobel Prize-Winning Stanford University Physicist Dr. Robert B. Laughlin, who won the Nobel Prize for physics in 1998, and was formerly a research scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory said Please remain calm: The Earth will heal itself Climate is beyond our power to controlEarth doesnt care about governments or their legislation. You cant find much actual global warming in present-day weather observations. Climate change is a matter of geologic time, something that the earth routinely does on its own without asking anyones permission or explaining itself. (Dr.Robert, 2010). The scientist said that green house effect is not permanent and the predictions of global warmin g are not supported by the reliable data by IPCC. The economic crisis in 2009 which was very severe and affected almost every nation in the world resulted in the reduction in the carbon emissions. A report from Nature Geo science supports this statement by giving the figures like 1.3 percent reduction in the emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to the global financial crisis. The article by Hoffman says that estimated carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation have also been reduced. Doug L. Hoffman said à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦carbon dioxide will rise by 4.8% In 2010, proving that what should be treated as good news is not welcomed in climate change circles. Doug L. Hoffman, 2010). Discussion: After analyzing the both sides with reference to the articles. I am of the opinion that climate is changing because of the anthropogenic global warming i.e. made by the human activities. It is the humans themselves who are threatening their own home. They have increased the activities which involve the emission of greenhouse gases. Increased industrialization is the root cause of the problem in which dangerous gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water vapors etc are emitted in the atmosphere. On the other hand I we consider third world countries were there is less industrialization we come to know that they are also the major contributors in degrading the environment. They emit methane which is second most dangerous after carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere in the process of deforestation which is required for the agricultural needs to grow food and other cash crops. A classic example of this earlier given in this essay is of Indonesia and Brazil. All these emissions give rise to the greenhouse effect in which the greenhouse gases (GHGs) accumulate around the surface of earth and block the rays from the sun. some part of these rays are reflected back into the space and the remaining enter the atmosphere were again some of it is reflected back by the intersection with clouds and other part reaches the surface. The surface of the earth also reflects back some rays which are than trapped by these GHGs. This whole process gives a boost to the temperature of the Earth. The more the emissions of GHGs the more the impact will be. The image below illustrates the situation more clearly. The carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 0.5 percent per year and it is a major contributor in the greenhouse effect with almost 60 percent of share. The emissions of CFCs are also increasing because of the increased use of refrigerators etc. These anthropogenic activities will cause an average increase in the global temperatures between 1.5 °C and 6.8 °C from 2000 to 2100.   From my point of view we are unable to rectify the devastating impacts of global warming and other anthropogenic activities with the help of Protocols like Kyoto Protocol because they are bias and are in the interest of only certain parties. Although we have placed the price on the carbon that is being emitted in the environment but have given industries some benefits as well that in this cause can be quasi property rights. We have designed the protocol but we are almost unable to implement it because the measurement required is very difficult. Whereas on the other hand I do not oppose the second group complete because there is to some extent reality in their piece of work. When they say that the anthropogenic global warming is not supported by the accurate data by the concerned organizations they are right. Some of the changes in the climate also occur because of the natural changes in the conditions, for instance. Hurricanes, floods etc. some scientist also claim that the change in the climate is because of the uncertainty in the earths orbit. Conclusion: In the end I would like to conclude by saying that from my point of view the major cause of the climate change is the anthropogenic activities i.e. global warming and global dimming which are caused by the increased use of fossil fuels. It is we humans who are responsible for this and at the same time it is we who are unable to control its devastating impacts on our climate. If the process will continue with the same pace, one day we will have to bear a lot of problems the ice in the south will start melting which will increase the water level of the world. Higher temperature will cause increased earthquakes, the rare species on earth will extinct, their will be food shortages which will affect our increasing population. Increased sea levels will cause tsunamis. All these consequences have there own further impacts on the economies of the countries. Therefore more practical steps should be initiated by the related agencies in controlling the problem. As an individual we people also have to bear some responsibility towards the climate. We should try to adopt environmental friendly techniques in our daily routine work.

Background Information :: essays research papers

I. BACKROUND INFORMATION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jill Stacey Moreland(born Itabari Njeri) was born in Brooklyn, New York. She started off as being a singer/actress; but she found a calling in journalism. She obtained her B.S. from Boston University, and then later on she received her M.S. form Columbia University. She worked as a writer for numerous projects, and then was the author of three books. She wrote â€Å"Family Portraits and Personal Escapades,† â€Å"The Challenge of Diversity†, and â€Å"Reflections of a New World Black.† Currently Jill Stacey does public speaking at Universities about memoir, multiculturalism, and ethnic conflict. II. GENERAL SUMMARY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story, â€Å"When Morpheus Held Him,† was about a girl who had a drunk for a father. When the girl was three her parents separated, she did not see her father again until her parents reunited when she was seven. When her father came back into her life, she said that she could not stand her father. Her father ended up teaching younger students around an age where he thought was most influential. When the girl’s mother went away for a couple of weeks, the daughter wanted to stay with her aunt pearl so she would not have to stay with her father. The father said no unless aunt pearl asked her if she wanted to stay with her. Of course aunt pearl did not ask her but she went anyway. When her father found out what happened, he beat her bad enough to leave welts and bruises for months. The only time that the daughter and the father bonded was when the father would play some music on his old piano and she would come and sing for him. When the mother came back the fights continued. After the fights were over, the father would fall asleep due to his drunken rage. The only time the daughter felt safe around her father was when he was asleep. III. RELATIONSHIP TO TODAYS SOCIETY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s society, there are a lot of kids that didn’t grow up with their father due to their parents fighting all the time. A lot of the times the father is a drunk and gets violent towards his partner or his children. I think that I can relate a little to this story because I was in a similar situation with my father. When I was little my parents would separate often. I could not understand why they would separate when I was little.

Theatre In Changing Society :: essays research papers

Theatre will always survive in our changing society. It provides us with a mirror of the society within which we live, and where conflicts we experience are acted out on stage before us. It provides us with characters with which we identify with. The audience observes the emotions and actions as they happen and share the experience with the characters in real time. The survival of theatre lies in the very nature of humankind: its inner voyeuristic drive. The desire to watch other people dealing with their conflicts and fates challenges as well as reinforces values and the morality of society. The theatre provides an exciting opportunity to watch stories and situations as if they were real life, showing us the truth of our nature. For as long as humankind exists, theatre will always take on an important function within its cultures. Through theatre, a culture expresses itself, reflects its society, and displays its individuality. It invites people to experience other cultures. Nevertheless, the question at hand is whether theatre will have a role in the society of the future, where cinema, digital television, and computers will continue to expand and grow. The answer to this question is yes. Heading into the 21st century, theatre will only be a fraction in a solid media industry. However, despite all the excitement technology brings with it, they will never replace theatre because it has something that can not be recreated or offered anywhere else. The cinema and its larger than life world appeals as an affordable alternative. Digital television provides digital interaction between the viewer and the producer. Theatre on the other hand, and its contents may take on a larger dimension, but we receive it directly in flesh and blood – one to one. The magical atmosphere between an actor and spectator who are constantly aware of each other and the theatre’s level of engagement is fundamentally more human and far more intimate.

DBQ: The Enlightenment Essay

The Enlightenment known by many as the Age of Reason was a turning point in history. Man people believe that without the Enlightenment, many of the laws, and rules would exist. For example the United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were greatly influenced by the Enlightenment. For example, John Locke, an Enlightenment thinker highly influenced the Declaration of Independence by stating that the natural rights of people include life, liberty and property except the founding fathers changed it by stating life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The American Revolution itself has been called the embodiment of Enlightenment ideas. If the founding fathers were not influenced by some of these ideas, maybe the United Sates would not be a democracy; it could have been an absolute monarchy, aristocracy, etc. Some of our human rights would not exist if it were for the Enlightenment. Philosophers such as Montesquieu, Rousseau, Locke, and others lead to many great changes. These ideas were used by some to challenge absolute monarchies. An absolute monarchy is a government ruled by one ruler. These ideas also impacted both government and society. Some of the ideas of the Enlightenment were used to challenge absolute monarchy. One example is given in Document # 1, Montesquieu who was a French philosopher during the Enlightenment, states, â€Å"There can be no liberty with the executive, legislative, and judicial powers are united in one person or body it a persons, because such concentration is bound to result in arbitrary despotism. In this statement, Montesquieu is stating that liberty cannot exist where three powers of government are held by one person or body of persons. This is because then the people would not have rights for themselves. The idea was used to challenge an absolute monarchy the people thought that it was unfair that one person was ruling the state where as they wanted that people have a say in the government and everyone should have equal rights. Another idea used to challenge an absolute monarchy was in Document # 2. Voltaire, who was a French author and philosopher, states â€Å"†¦I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it†¦ The best government seems to be that in which all ranks of men are equally protected by the laws†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This statement challenged absolute monarchies because Voltaire believed that freedom of speech should be a right for each person. He believed that people should be able to express their thoughts and feelings. Freedom of speech is a very important right today, and it is used every day by people who express their thoughts. Also in Document # 3 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who was a French philosopher states â€Å"Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. † Rousseau is saying that despite the fact that man is born free, he is still tortures, still abused and has all of those free liberties taken away from him. For example, even though people in France prior to the revolution were all human, only the third estate had to pay taxes. The Enlightenment also had a large impact on both government and society. For example in Document # 5 English philosopher Locke states â€Å"Man being†¦ by nature all free, equal, and independent no one can be†¦ subjected to the political power of another without his own consent†¦ To protect natural rights governments are established†¦ Since man hope to preserve their property by establishing a government, they will not want the government to destroy the objectives. When legislators try to destroy or take away the property of people, or try to reduce them to slavery, they put themselves in to a state of war with the people who can refuse to obey the laws. This idea had a large impact on both government and society because told society that if they wanted to keep their property, they would have to establish a government that protects natural rights. This impacted the society because many people wanted natural rights and this statement influenced the society to establish a new type of government. It impacted the government because this statement told the government that if the people wanted to keep their property and other rights they would have to establish a new government meaning that the current government would have to change, so the government would be concerned. Another example of an impact on both government and society is shown in Document # 6, an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. It states, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. † This excerpt impacts government because it states that certain rights is unalienable, meaning that they cannot be taken away from you; these include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The impact of the Enlightenment had an effect on government because before the Enlightenment governments of Europe were primarily Divine Right Monarchies, meaning a King ruled, who was selected by God. Prior to the Enlightenment people believed that if you disobeyed the King, you disobeyed God. There was no difference between the State and the Church because each State had its own religion. No one had rights; there were no checks and balances or separation of powers because only one person was in control. The upper classes had the rights causing the lower classes to be angry. The impact the Enlightenment had on society was that it gave people curiosity to why they don’t have natural rights. The ideas of the Enlightenment led to the society of France to rebel and that led to the French Revolution, therefore the ideas of the Enlightenment led people to realize that they are not being given rights that they are entitled to. As you can see the Enlightenment I considered a turning point in world history, changing man’s view of government and society. Examples of these ideas are shown in documents 1-6. Many of the ideas created by the philosophers during the Enlightenment led to many revolutions and greatly influenced many countries including the United States of America. Also these ideas led people to question and rebel for rights that they are entitled to. Some of these include freedom of speech, and equality. If the ideas of the Enlightenment were not important, many countries including the United States could have been an absolute monarchy, aristocracy, or another type of government where all citizens are not equal.

Immanuel Kant Paper Essay

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is one of the most influential philosophers in history of Western philosophy. A main representative of the Western-European classical philosophy, Immanuel Kant dealt with the best traditions of the German idealism. A human personality, according to Kant is the highest and absolute value. It is the personality, in Kant’s understanding, that towers the person over its own self and links the human being with the â€Å"order of things†. The â€Å"order of things†, according to Kant is the reflection of the â€Å"common sense†. The whole perceived world around us complies with the â€Å"order of things†. The most interesting part of Kant’s philosophy is that his own notion of the â€Å"order of things† and â€Å"common sense† is dual in case of analyzing it. In his work â€Å"Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals† Kant’s thoughts come to a vital question. This question lies in the fight between the undermost and highest abilities of a desire, between the longing to happiness and a good will that is a manifestation of duty. In this work it is very easy to trace Kant’s intension to oppose the â€Å"clean† teaching of morality and its degradation to any ethical relativism, which causes this degradation of morality. He tried to create the highest form of estimation of the ethical principles that managed morality? For he believed that the degradation of morality starts from, the impossibility to evaluate what is really wrong or right. Here, is the point where Immanuel Kant enters the definition of the notion â€Å"good will†. Kant explains what a â€Å"good will† is and what difference it makes in the perception of the moral actions that a person makes. Kant’s main intention is to underline the moral value of motivation and its realization at least through the presence of a â€Å"good will† in a person. Kant 3 Analysis of Kant’s â€Å"good will† â€Å"The only thing that is good without qualification or restriction is a good will†. Kant outlines that goodness objectively remains to be goodness, even if nobody is really good. From this understanding he offers the definition of what a good will is. The notion of Kant’s ethics is the autonomous good will. This â€Å"good will† is not passive; a carrier of this will needs to make actions and deeds. A moral action looks like a result of an internal imperative command. So Kant makes an accent on the importance of the behavior, which is managed by the good will. â€Å"That is to say, a good will alone in good in all circumstances and in that sense is an absolute or unconditioned good†. Kant evaluates a good will without basing on the results, which it produces. From the point of view of the philosopher a good will keeps remaining good even if it does achieve the goal it had. In other words, even if an individual fails to do something commanded by his good will what he did remains a good thing unconditionally. At the same time Immanuel Kant views a good will as a unique goodness that is able to produce the result it intended to produce. A good will is still valuable by itself, because it objectively either exists or not in the personality. â€Å"Good will† vs. Happiness As it has been already mentioned Immanuel Kant in his work â€Å"Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals† widely uses the term â€Å"good will†. It is very important to understand the Kant 4 reason Kant valued this notion so deeply. To completely understand this it is necessary to draw the parallel between a good will and objective happiness of every individual. Let us suppose, basing on Kant’s words, that we meet a person who at all points is successful: he has power, wealth, a good health, a good state of mind, he is satisfied with his life, looks and considers himself to be a happy person. Can we say analyzing this man that he is happy? Generally yes. People would ordinarily say that this man is happy and has everything to be happy and his own perception of being happy in addition. Kant’s question to this matter is different – does this happiness have a moral base? From Kant’s point of view some conditions and qualities of a â€Å"happy person† are not combined with any moral bases. At this point is necessary to come back to the term â€Å"good will†. The absence of a good will makes unacceptable generally needed personal qualities such as wittiness, ability to judge, courage, decisiveness and many others. Kant implies that these qualities may become â€Å"evil† in case when they are not supported by the good will. From the philosopher’s opinion a good will forms, probably, the most essential condition not only of being happy but even of being worthy to be happy. The essence of a â€Å"good will† A â€Å"good will† is a will, not able to be cruel or evil. The â€Å"supposition† of goodness forms the nature of the good will. Goodness it the main requirement of the existence of the â€Å"good will† according to Immanuel Kant. A good will is a will in which subjective characteristics of an individual do not prevent but define and help the â€Å"desire to do good†. Good will in its own sense is a unity of liberty and law, mind and goodness. The purity of determination of the will by the Kant 5 mind is the real meaning of its goodness. Kant also refers to the â€Å"absolute good will†. The â€Å"sanctity† of this good will in Kant’s understanding comes from its superiority over Kant’s ordinary †good will†. Kant views the absolute good will as the moral destination of the human mind. It is the main goal of the highest gift humanity has ever gotten – the human mind. Kant interprets this form of will as a â€Å"pure† will. Kant through his notion â€Å"good will† reveals the necessity of high moral values in the life of every person, without which the life even subjectively happy individual is may not be called complete and successful, but even a failure of mind to success and to purify. Kant makes an accent on the required versatility of the good will –a good will needs to become the law of will of any creature. A good will possesses a full unity of subjective and objective beginnings of the will in the unconditional law of moralities. Plausibility of Kant’s view of the â€Å"good will† Some people claim that Kant’s idea seems to be a utopia of perfection. According to Kant the perfection of will is estimated by the completeness of absolute will in an individual. If therefore the perfection of will is a moral law, all other laws of duty remain considerably imperfect, which also makes the good will imperfect, too. Therefore, a human being is a unique creature, for which perfection in other fields is not as valid, as the good will is. The complete perfection is achieved only the good will itself, for it is objectively and unconditionally good. Can this be considered to be a universal law? And is a good will the most valuable thing philosophically? What Kant assures the reader is that the good will is good even if it does not produce the necessary effects and does not achieve the results is aimed to achieve. If the reader analyzes this point of view from a practical example he might face a certain difficulty. For instance, a person’s Kant 6 goal is to do a good thing, but while trying to do it he causes definite harm. Can it be estimated to be still a good will, even if it caused negative results, opposite to the ones aimed to achieve. The most questionable part of Kant’s opinion is the evaluation of the result of the action produced by the good will. As both positive and negative results do not postpone the goodness of the good will it is very hard to objectively judge the actions of a person. If the perfection can be found only inside of the good will and nothing else can be perfect by itself, than how can a person assume that he poses a good will. This is very doubtful, due to the difference of the notion of happiness of other people. Individual’s subjectivity does not allow them to possess a good will because even if their intensions are good they cannot know for sure that what they want to do is good in terms of the person they want to help and anything else. At the same time the fact of willing good may not be taken into count. If there are two different people with the same results obtained and if their wills are opposing each other, than the person that possessed a good will in his intentions is the â€Å"good† one. It is about the inconsistency of the will and the result of the action the will produces. Kant idea seems to be a utopia, but nevertheless, it may be called plausible due to the possibility to perfect while trying to achieve the absolute will. It is very plausible that even if a man is talented, gifted, if he posses the most suitable temperament for his ambience, even if he is clever, voluptuous, sincere it all may produce harm in case if it not directed by a good will. Immanuel Kant outlines that a good will is what makes a man highly moral and therefore evaluates him in its own definition. Conclusion Immanuel Kant provided a philosophical point of view of the morality of the society. His â€Å"good will† innovation gave the bases to the works of other famous philosophers. Immanuel Kant 7 Kant’s â€Å"good will theory† claims that only if a thing does not require anything else to be good in order to function – then it is good and if it does it is good with a certain limitation. â€Å"Good will† is estimated both by the goodness of the willing and the result of this willing, not necessarily both at the same time. As all the personal qualities require a good will to conduct them in order to be good – they are all good with limitations. At the same time a good will does not need all these qualities to be good. All the qualities and opportunities in the society around are good with limitations and the only thing that will make them truly good – is the good will, for it is the only thing that does not require anything else to be good. Kant’s unexcelled idea enraptures the thinker with its depth. The most important thing to understand, according to Kant is that the goodness of a good will is not evaluated through the result it achieves and the result itself has nothing to with the goodness of the good will and under no condition does limit its goodness. Nothing would end this paper better that Kant’s own words carrying the most important message he wanted people to hear: â€Å"It is impossible to conceive anything at all in the world, or even out of it, which can be taken as good without qualification, except a good will†. Kant 8 Bibliography Abbott, I. K. (1829). Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. New York: Broadview Press Ltd. Beck, t. L. (1959). Foundations of Metaphysics of Morals. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. Kessler. (2009). Voices of Wisdom. Mason: Cengage Learning.