Morality †Ethics Essay

1. What are the fundamental questions which ethics tries to resolve? Ethics seeks to resolve questions dealing with human morality—concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime. 2. Distinguish a human act from act of man. The difference between human acts and man acts is that human acts are a free will decision. This includes knowledge, freedom and voluntarism When modifiers come into play, then it makes the act become the act of man. The elements are ignorance, passion, fear, violence and habits. You act simultaneously with your feelings. A human act is an action that is considered to be carried out voluntarily, whereas an act of man is an involuntary action. The distinctions and nuances between an act of man and a human act are often a focus of philosophical debate. 3. What is morality? Morality is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good orright and those that are bad, evil or wrong. Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of conduct from a particular philosophy,religion, or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal. 4. Distinguish moral, immoral, and amoral. Moral concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character. Immoral actions or events: those areas of interest where moral categories do apply and of are such a kind as to be evil, sinful, or wrong according to some code or theory of ethics. Amoral actions or events: those areas of interest exhibiting indifference to and not abiding by the moral rules or codes of society. 5. How will you determine the goodness and badness of human act? An event which is caused solely by the effect of nature or natural causes and without any interference by humans whatsoever. 6. What qualities of human act have ethical in form? The qualities of human act that have ethical in form are the actions that are free and deliberate, those that proceeds from the free and conscious acts of man and the act that is always done for a purpose. 7. What are different connotations of the term moral? The term â€Å"morality† can be used either 1. descriptively to refer to some codes of conduct put forward by a society or, a. some other group, such as a religion, or b. accepted by an individual for her own behavior or 2.normatively to refer to a code of conduct that, given specified conditions, would be put forward by all rational persons. 8. Why is Ethics important? Ethics is a requirement for human life. It is our means of deciding a course of action. Without it, our actions would be random and aimless. There would be no way to work towards a goal because there would be no way to pick between a limitless number of goals. Even with an ethical standard, we may be unable to pursue our goals with the possibility of success. To the degree which a rational ethical standard is taken, we are able to correctly organize our goals and actions to accomplish our most important values. Any flaw in our ethics will reduce our ability to be successful in our endeavors. 9. Why should ethics always be treated a way of life? Ethics, sometimes known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophythat involves systematizing, defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. The superfield within philosophy known as axiology includes both ethics and aesthetics and is unified by each sub-branch’s concern with value. Philosophical ethics investigates what is the best way for humans to live, and what kinds of actions are right or wrong in particular circumstances. Ethics may be divided into three major areas of study. Meta-ethics, about the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions and how their truth values (if any) may be determined. Ethics seeks to resolve questions dealing with human morality—concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime. 10. How is responsibilities entaill in a human act? Responsibility for own existence is grounded on self-awareness and personal freedom to make choices. By exercising freedom to choose man becomes totally responsible for himself. But his responsibility does not stop there; it extends to other people so that at the end it assumes the form of universal responsibility. There are at least three circles in the extension of our responsibility. The Individual responsibility, if existence precedes essence man is responsible for his own actions. Total Responsibility, If man is free to choose what he is going to make of himself, he is entirely responsible for what he is becoming. Universal Responsibility, If man is fully responsible for what he is presenting as the image of man, he is responsible for all men. 11. What are the different approaches in dealing with the problem of moral principles? ?The Utilitarian Approach Utilitarianism was conceived in the 19th century by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill to help legislators determine which laws were morally best. Both Bentham and Mill suggested that ethical actions are those that provide the greatest balance of good over evil. ?The Rights Approach The second important approach to ethics has its roots in the philosophy of the 18th-century thinker Immanuel Kant and others like him, who focused on the individual’s right to choose for herself or himself. ?The Fairness or Justice Approach The fairness or justice approach to ethics has its roots in the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who said that â€Å"equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally. † ?The Common-Good Approach This approach to ethics assumes a society comprising individuals whose own good is inextricably linked to the good of the community. Community members are bound by the pursuit of common values and goals. ?The Virtue Approach The virtue approach to ethics assumes that there are certain ideals toward which we should strive, which provide for the full development of our humanity. These ideals are discovered through thoughtful reflection on what kind of people we have the potential to become. 12. Research on the following: a. The problem of Moral Principles Now, such principles come in two distinct forms: formal principles (i. e. moral principles without specific action-guiding content) and substantive principles (i. e. moral principles with specific action-guiding content). In what follows, I consider substantive principles first, then formal. Both forms of principles, I argue, are incapable of providing the sort of moral guidance necessary to achieve mature moral judgments (i. e.judgments that are appropriate to the situations they are judgments of). The problem is that such principles are unable to provide information about what actually would, in a given situation, uphold justice or maximize utility. That is, formal principles fail to provide moral agents with the tools necessary to evaluate the complex details particular situations confront them with, or to develop appropriate moral solutions. b. The problem of Scope Morality Scope of morality are moral concept which are mixed modes, are transparent, we cannot reduce the descriptions of our moral life, that is the descriptions using our moral vocabulary, to some substantial residue or some real objects. c. The problem of Moral Obligation Moral obligations are standards that do not merely advise or recommend our conformity, but demand it. Moral obligations come from the demands or expectations of society d. The problem of Freedom Freedom naturally occurs in nature, but only becomes an issue in the way that humans view themselves, their surroundings and others. Freedom grants one the right to behave without fear or punishment i. e. go anywhere they wish, do anything they wish or say anything they wish. Of course there are always limits imposed on freedom. We are all born free, but as we grow we learn the physical limits of our surroundings. We learn about the limits imposed on us by gravity or by our physical surroundings such as walls. The thing is, freedom can only exist if you recognize its existence and then exercise it while at the same time acknowledging and tolerating others freedom. e. The problem of Moral Practice Since cultures and individuals differ in certain moral practices, there are no objective moral values. Several objections can be made to this argument. First, the fact that people disagree about something does not mean there is no objective truth. If you and I disagree about whether or not the earth is round, for example, this is not proof that the earth has no shape. In moral discussion, the fact that a skinhead and I may disagree about whether we should treat people equally and fairly is not sufficient evidence to say that equality and fairness have no objective value. f. The problem of Casuistry. A bias is an unwarranted inclination or a special perspective that disposes us to mistaken or one-sided judgments. The potential for bias arises at each stage of a case method of reasoning including in describing, framing, selecting and comparing of cases and paradigms. A problem of bias occurs because to identify the relevant features for such purposes, we must use general views about what is relevant; but some of our general views are biased, both in the sense of being unwarranted inclinations and in the sense that they are one of many viable perspectives. 13. Is it right to say that â€Å"What is right for me to do is what I really want to do† and why? No,it’s not right to say it that way because you are only thinking about yourself. And sometimes even it is right for you its not what you really want to do because you’re also thinking about the others, what will be the effect of this to them and whatsoever. 14. What is basic substanceof the problem freedom. â€Å"Freedom† is one of those slippery words, difficult to define because it is an ambiguous and abstract man-made concept. It naturally occurs in nature, but only becomes an issue in the way that humans view themselves, their surroundings and others. Freedom is only an issue in the presence of oppression, and oppression only exists among humans as a result of their perceptions of the world around them. The thing is, freedom can only exist if you recognize its existence and then exercise it while at the same time acknowledging and tolerating others freedom. 15. Distinguish between moral principles and moral rules. Moral principle – the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group; â€Å"the Puritan ethic†; â€Å"a person with old-fashioned values†. Moral Rules- they come out into the open only when the person is questioned. Very often one of the rules contradicts another, thus enabling the user to resort first to one and then to the other to suit his convenience or to accord with his pre-existing prejudices. These rules are usually those they have been taught to believe.

Character Identification in Drama Essay

One of the most powerful aspects of theater is the way that dramatic expression encourages the viewer to participate in the drama by identifying closely with one or more of the characters depicted on stage. In actuality, the measure of a play’s success depends on the degree to which the playwright is able to convincingly develop and exploit the audience’s identification with the dramatic characters and, in some almost ineffable way, allow them to experience the play’s themes and ideas in an intimate way. Most people probably identify more with a single character of any given play than with the other characters. Obviously, the protagonist of a play is expected to engage the audience’s identification and sympathy, but it is not always the case for every viewer that a given play’s protagonist will supply the most expedient method of sympathy and identification. For example, in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the character of Horatio seems to me, for reasons which I hope to explain shortly, a more sympathetic character and one with which I can closely identify because Horatio is the good-hearted friend who tries to offer actionable advice to Hamlet, only to have his advice ignored and for tragedy to win the day. From the beginning of the play it is clear that Horatio is meant to serve as a psuedo-narrator of the play and his relationship with the audience is established as quickly and as innately as is possible without s direct appeal to the audience. Although Horatio’s simple lines may seem as though they play little role in the overall development of the play, they are, in fact, rich with meaning. By assuring Hamlet that he should not follow the beckoning form of his father’s ghost in the second part of Act 1 Scene 3, Horatio fully expresses his bond with Hamlet, and in doing so, begins to shift the audience-identification and audience sympathy he has established up to that point with the audience to the play’s true protagonist, Hamlet. When Horatio says â€Å"†Do not, my lord. † (Hibbard 183) he is informing the audience that Hamlet faces true danger and that he is concerned for him; so, too, should the audience be concerned. The essence of the relationship between Horatio and Hamlet is consistently portrayed as a genuine friendship. Horatio’s loyalty is important to the play’s climax at the end of Act 5 Scene 2. He cautions Hamlet, again, to avoid his tragic fate: â€Å"If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I will forestall their repair hither, and say you are not fit. † (Hibbard 344) By now, accustomed to Hamlet’s denial of his friend’s advice, the audience will recall the previous scene when Hamlet, against Horatio’s advice, sought conversation with ghost of his father. They will understand that when Hamlet chooses to disregard the advice of the single character in the play who has demonstrated friendship and loyalty to him, that Hamlet, again, embraces tragic fate. Horatio’s loyalty is â€Å"good† while Hamlet’s loyalty to the ghost of his father is destructive. Horatio represents an â€Å"existential connection to the living moment, whereas the ghost of the King represents the ambiguities of the Christian afterlife† (Holzknecht) and religious dogma as well as cultural tradition and social conservatism. My ability to identify with Horatio comes from the fact that I have also given advice to close friends who opted to ignore that advice and came to ruin. I think most people have probably faced that situation in their lives and the character of Horatio is therefore a good character to encourage audience identification. The same principle is at work in Lorraine Hansberry’s â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun,† where Hansberry challenged deep cultural ideas about African Americans. By focusing her play on realism, Hansberry created a theme which was radically different than the presentation of America typically seen on Broadway stages. The play’s impact on American audiences was very controversial. Hansberry relied on depicting extreme emotional states and conditions for her characters, as well as enticing her audience to experience the world of her characters with as much empathy as possible. In order to engage the audience, and to cause them to identify with the Youngers, Hansberry uses the device of realism, which extends to the character of Mama who is depicted as a well-meaning and hard-working person who faces insurmountable odds. One important reason why I feel an identification with Mama is because of the very beautiful language Hansberry developed for this character. Hansberry delivers the dialogue of â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† in colloquial language and this aspect of them play enhances the play’s realism. The realism of the play then causes the audience to more closely identify with the play’s characters and plot, and each of these aspects of the play helps to communicate the important sociological and racial themes that drive â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun. † Hansberry’s dialogue, in fact, becomes a key driving force of the play’s ultimate revelatory impact on the audience. As the play progresses and the characters become more clearly defined with motivations that the audience can identify with (or despise) the dialect of the play begins to attain a lyrical uniqueness — a vocal music which was unlike any other play on the Broadway stage of the time. Lines such as â€Å"Seem like God didn’t see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams†¦. ’† (Hansberry, 29) or â€Å"â€Å"There is always something left to love. And if you ain’t learned that, you ain’t learned nothing†¦. † (Hansberry, 135) attain the status of aphorism in the context of the play and divulge important social and racial realities that, for most Americans in the mid-twentieth century, existed, if at all, as merely si-debar newspaper articles or in some other abstract realization. My identification with Mama extends to her empathy for others, such as in the case of the abortion which is alluded to in the play: â€Å"Mama realizes how close the other members of the family are to despair when Ruth reveals that the â€Å"doctor† she has seen is not a conventional physician but a woman who has the capability of performing an abortion, an illegal procedure at the time that could subject Ruth to severe criminal penalties† (Domina 8). I think most people have faced situations where they were meant to do what appears to be â€Å"wrong† in order to do what is essentially right. This is the magic of Hansberry’s characterization. In plays such as Antigone which are ancient plays, identification with the characters can sometimes be more difficult for modern audiences. However, the deep identification with Creon which I experienced while reading the play emerges from the timelessness of certain â€Å"faults† of character, namely pride, which I feel is as much a part of modern life as it is â€Å"common† life, or that is, the lives of people who are not kings or royalty. The damaging impact of pride can be felt over trivial matters as well as great issues as those depicted in the play, Antigone. For my own part, I felt an extreme identification with Creon because I have personally experienced the nature of pride and arrogance in relation to my own life and my own social relationships. One of the most important aspects of my identification with Creon is the fact that — by identifying with Creon — one also, indirectly — identifies with the Chorus of the play which, in the long run, serves as a counterpoint to Creon’s increasingly egomaniacal behavior. While I can abstractly connect my own â€Å"trivial† indiscretions with personal power to Creon’s obviously near-mythic exploits, I doubt that most modern readers would necessarily be able to make that connection because the seeming influence of their â€Å"small lvies† would not seem, to them, comparable to the life and actions of a great man. However, the portrayal of â€Å"great men† in classical tragedy was used in order to exaggerate the qualities and personality traits which were viewed as being connected to tragedy. That means that the aspects of Creon which seem near-mythic in Antigone are near-mythic precisely because they are universal and can, in fact, be applied to everyday lives. This is the power of theater: to span time and culture and find universal identification through the portrayal of archetypal characters. Work Cited Domina, Lynn. Understanding a Raisin in the Sun A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Random House, New York. 1959 Holzknecht, Karl J. The Backgrounds of Shakespeare’s Plays. New York: American Book, 1950. Hibbard, G. R. , ed. Hamlet. Oxford: Oxford University, 1998. Sophocles. Sophocles Antigone. Trans. Richard Emil Braun. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Characteristics of a Metropolitan

Characteristics of a Metropolitan ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to understand what Groningen appropriates as a mini-metropolis city. The first step is to find the meaning of the metropolis from a variety of sources, the second step of searching for data about Groningen and the third step is to compare between the two data. In the end is at a conclusion that the metropolis are not only associated with the factor number of population, area and economy of a city, but a related metropolis of a character which is owned by the city. So Groningen with all matters and functions and its ability to further develop its compliance is said to be a mini-metropolis city. Metropolis Characteristics Metropolitan is a term used to describe a relatively large urban area, both of the size of area, population, and the scale of economic and social activity. While the etymology, said metropolitan (noun) or metropolis (adjective) is derived from the Ancient Greek language, which the word meter means mother, and the word polis means city. (Wackerman, 2000) In general, the metropolitan can also be defined as a large residential center that consists of a large city and some in the surrounding area with one or more major cities that serve as a point of contact (hub) to the towns in the surrounding areas. A metropolitan area is an agglomeration of several settlements, settlements should not be the city, but the overall form a unity in nature activities and lead to the city center (a large city that is the core) that can be seen from the flow of labor and commercial activities. According Goheen (in Bourne, ed. 1971), City / Metropolitan District is an urban area with a population characteristic that stand out in comparison with the surrounding countryside. This term is used to give a more precise picture of the amount and concentration of the population in a large area, which in turn can show the magnitude of the centers of the main settlements in the country. In general, the metropolitan region can be defined as l arge, with economic and social unity integrated and characterize the activity of the city. The characteristics of the Metropolitan of several aspects such as the amount of population, economic activities, mobility, activities of the population, and the structure of the region. 1. The amount of the total population The magnitude of population becomes a major consideration in determining the aspects of the definition of a metropolitan. However, some urban experts set different limits for the determination of the minimum number of metropolitan area population. 2. Economic activity In the metropolitan area occurs agglomeration residential areas and jobs. That is, the metropolitan area is an urban area with a specializing in social and economic activities function. The economic specialization is the industrial and services sectors. Industrial activities and services is the dominant sector in the growing metropolitan region. Economic activities that take place in the metropolitan area is heterogeneous and has a role as a central / center of economic activities on a regional scale, both within the province or state and national scope.

Reading Response 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Response 7 - Essay Example ocial networking sites are obvious—students feel more connected and display more confidence when they are active participants on social networking sites. From my point of view, teachers who discourage the use of social networking sites only turn students against them. While social networking sites can be used for purposes other than schoolwork, which takes away from studies, there are many instances where social networking sites can assist students’ performance. Say for example than a student does not understand a concept completely and requires some additional help. If this is so, that particular student could ask for help from their peers and receive almost an instant response. The article does mention the downsides of using Facebook, such as lower grades, less money from part-time jobs, and loneliness. While all these things must be taken into consideration, I believe that the positives outweigh the negatives, and so social networking sites are something that should be encouraged. Lori Aratani’s article â€Å"Teens Can Multitask, But What Are Costs† discusses an issue that is rarely brought up. I can relate to Megan Casady because my life follows a similar trajectory. I am always moving from one task to the next while trying to juggle a few things at a time. But I don’t think that it is all bad because it shows how productive young people can be. Teenagers are at an age where they have the energy to go out and do all sorts of stuff, so why not let them have the freedom to do that if they wish? I admit that I do not really think about the consequences of multitasking; it is just something that we do. I think it comes from the pressure to be more than we currently are. I mean, there are only so many hours in the day, and it seems like a race to get as many things done as possible. If people took the time to slow down and concentrate on the small tasks in life, it may lead a healthier individual. This is something that I should maybe take in to

How the theories are used Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

How the theories are used - Essay Example The nature of theories is explained on the basis of the evaluation of the quality of the theories. They includebeing logical and having consistency internallyaccording to. Also they should be in conformity with existing data on a given topicas put forth by because a difference may occur if one of the theories is more precise than the other. Having said, consistency of data collected has to conformtothe many independent evidences and not just one foundation. This is important as it ensures that it is in close proximity in meaning if not absolutely correct. Another important aspect is that theory'spredictions should be testable since this will determine how useful the theory will be in the subject matter. The theory can be easily adopted and modified to explain new evidences and this increases the ability to be predictive over time. In addition, according to a theory should raise new questions and suppose the questions can be easily answered using the strategies involved in problem sol ving. It is argued that a good theory is one that forbids certain things from happening and therefore the more it prohibits the better it is. It is noteworthy therefore, that there are those features that would make theories desirable, need for it to be simple in its presentation, must be economical in its attempt to explain a given phenomena and finally, it should be consistent with the theories that are related.With regard to the types of theories, there are several types as illustrated below. ... make theories desirable, need for it to be simple in its presentation, must be economical in its attempt to explain a given phenomena and finally, it should be consistent with the theories that are related. With regard to the types of theories, there are several types as illustrated below. Firstly, it is descriptive theory which seeks to classify specific characteristics of groups, events or individuals by making a summary of the similarities observed in the data collected. This type of theory is useful when very little is known about the issue at hand. There are two categories in this type of theory: the naming and classification according to (Stevens, 1984). On one hand, the naming theory simply describes the features of a particular phenomenon and on the other, classification theory is more elaborate as it notes the dimensions which are structurally interrelated. These theories are commonly known as taxonomies. These theories are tested by the descriptive theory which may or may n ot use a scientific manner of data collection. The empirical method used here involves the use of open ended questionnaires or interviews, active or non active participation, hence the data may be qualitative and or quantitative. Examples of this kind of research include case studies, ethnographies and surveys. Secondly, relational theories specifies the relationship between features of events, groups and individuals. They explain the relationship between parts of a given phenomena. The development of this theory is only when the key features are known after the validation and development of descriptive theories. It answers the question what. In addition, it is generated by the co-relational research. The features of an occurrence are observed from their natural environment and the

What differences are there between the US and the UK in either the Essay

What differences are there between the US and the UK in either the politics of abortion or the politics of same sex relation what explains these differences - Essay Example States such as Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Connecticut in United States do recognize that homosexuals have their civil rights to marry [1]. Labor Party government gives rights to homosexuals. There are only slight distinctions between marriages and same-sex couples in Britain. Plans are underway to eliminate those differences and fully accept same-sex marriage as legitimate marriages. Both UK and U.S started abortion in 1967 and 1973 respectively. Same-sex marriage recently has hit the headlines in the American politics. Britain has experienced some reactions to change laws on abortion and homosexuality in parliament and Conservative Party. United States and UK have well-defined dissimilarities in their politics of abortion and same-sex marriage. To start with, both United States and United Kingdom have abortion Acts that spells out the procedure of its application and the person to apply it. In Britain, the efforts to amend laws on abortion started back in 1967 when abortion Act was relaxed. These new amendments allowed abortion under proscribed conditions of health of fetus and mother. United States through a ruling by Supreme Court led to a change of law on abortion in January 1973. The new law stated clearly on where, who, and time limits of abortion. For the under-age, consent was required in order to allow abortion. The basic disparity in UK and U.S on laws of abortion is that it allows abortion is on request for the U.S but it is subject to location and moods of physician on the former. The United States Supreme court recognizes the rights of women to abort. They do it through very secretive manner because it values and respects personal privacy. On the contrary, British Abortion law does not provide privacy to women. It has restrictions and one has to give genuine reasons before getting a legal permission to abort. In U.S, there have been numerous incidents to stop abortion in

Critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Critical thinking - Essay Example Another definition of critical thinking is that given by Michael Scriven and Richard Paul, in a presentation at the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, Summer of 1987.They defined critical thinking as the intellectually disciplined way of active and skillful conceptualization, application, analysis and evaluation of data collected by observing, experiencing, reflecting, reasoning, and communicating, as a guidance to believing and acting. Paul and Elder (2008), defines the term as Critical thinking as the way of thinking - about something, where the person who is thinking develops the quality of his or her thinking by being skillful when taking care of the structures involved in thinking and forcing intellectual standards on them. In my understanding, for this reason, critical thinking means, thinking outside the box, having creative thoughts, and internalizing the thoughts. Critical thinking involves general intellectual values. Critical thinking includes several skills. These skills include rationality, self-awareness, honesty, open-mindedness, discipline, and judgment. Rationality is based on the fact one is thinking critically when he or she relies on reason and not emotions; when one requires prove, not ignoring evidence, and follow where the evidence leads. Also being rational in critical thinking is concerned more with coming up with the rightful way of explaining other than being right through analysis of apparent confusion and asking questions. Self-awareness in critical thinking involves comparing the effects of motives and bias, recognition of one’s assumptions, biases and point of view. Being honest in thinking critically, is evident when one recognizes emotional impulses, selfish motives, nefarious purposes, or other ways of deceiving ones-self. One is thinking critically, with an open mind when all reasonable inferences are evaluated, considerations of various viewpoints or

End of Cousre assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

End of Cousre - Assignment Example If the bank assets take a long time to sell or cannot be converted to cash with ease such as fixed assets they are considered to be illiquid. According to Melicher & Norton (2011), there are various factors that contribute to the liquidity of banks. Banks with a strong capital base can be able to effectively absorb risks associated with assets and ensure safety of depositors funds as well as maintain creditor confidence hence if a bank has a high amount of Tier 1 capital, it has a higher liquidity. Adequate liquidity also involves having a strong bank positive image. If depositors or creditors view the company negatively or suspect it does not have a sound liquidity, they will shun away from the bank and the effect is felt systematically throughout the financial market. The senior managers thus must devise efficient ways of managing liquidity risks so as to gain confidence from creditors and depositors. This can be achieved through offering quality customer services and being transpa rent in its activities by publishing reports. Positive bank image thus contributes to liquidity and vice versa as adequate liquidity ensures banks positive image (Melicher & Norton, 2011). According to Financial Services Authority (2008), asymmetric information can lead to speculation or uncertainty in the financial market regarding the banks creditworthiness and its true worth hence lead to loss in confidence by other banks who can lend it money to settle its debts and maintain liquidity and other creditors and depositors hence transparency is essential. Adequate liquidity also ensures the banks have reduced risk of asset sales at fire-sale prices (FSA, 2007). If a commercial bank wants to meet its obligations and has no assets that can be changed into cash in short time, it may result to selling its illiquid assets which are of high worth at low price leading to an imbalanced balance sheet or solvency. This has the effect of destabilizing the asset market hence influencing asset p rices thus the effect is felt in the whole market. Managing liquidity risks and having adequate liquidity prevents this from happening as a bank can take its time to convert the asset to cash without any loss. Maintaining adequate liquidity also ensures the bank does not hold a high stock of liquid assets as this increases its costs of mitigating risks. This may affect the banks competitiveness especially if other banks do not mitigate risk by maintaining high liquid assets hence run at low costs thus attracting depositors. Greuning & Bratanovic (2009:191) observe that adequate liquidity enables banks to â€Å"compensate for expected and unexpected balance sheet fluctuations and provide funds for growth†. It is also essential to have adequate liquidity as all financial transactions involve elements of liquidity. Liquidity problems have an effect on the whole financial system hence having adequate liquidity is important in maintaining the safety and solvency of commercial bank s. Capital Adequacy The availability of capital as well as its costs is essential in determining the soundness and safety of commercial banks (Greuning & Bratanovic, 2009). Capital adequacy standard is stipulated by Basel I and Basel II capital accords whereby commercial banks are supposed to ensure adequate amount of capital and reserves is maintained in order to guard the bank against solvency. According to Farid & Salahuddin (2006-2010), all countries are supposed to maintain a minimum regulatory

Culteral and Ethical Factors for International Business in Brazil Essay

Culteral and Ethical Factors for International Business in Brazil - Essay Example Ethics plays a big role in the international affairs of multinational companies. A practice that a business would not even contemplate in its home country could be an acceptable method of doing business in a foreign country. For example many third would countries have governmental institutions which require money offerings to officials in order to be able to be able to realize business in the region. Certain countries have extremely low environmental standards. Companies are sometimes tempted to lower their standards, even though they have full knowledge that by doing so they will cause tremendous damage to the environment. Brazil has been highly influenced by its Europeans ancestors. The personal appearance of Brazilians which affects business activities in the clothing and apparels segments is geared towards a European style. Italian fashion is the preferred style of the urban Brazilian (CultureGrams World Edition, 2007). Businesses have also been greatly influenced by the country’s conversion into democracy in the late 1980’s. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. Spanish is spoken a bit in Brazil in the bordering Spanish speaking countries. Male Brazilians greet each other with handshakes. Male to female and females among them greet each other with up to three kisses in the cheek or with a kiss in the head. Personal space is highly valued and when two people are speaking to each other it is considered very rude to walk near them. Gestures are utilized by the people to express their feelings. For example pulling down the lower eyelid with an index finger signifies disbelief or caution (CultureGrams World Edition, 2007). The educational system of Brazil is based on a primary and secondary school system. Children spend eight years in primary school followed by three years of secondary school. The national university system is very prestigious

Personal Values And Ethics Of An Italian Essay Example for Free

Personal Values And Ethics Of An Italian Essay Values are defined as â€Å"the deepest beliefs and we sentiments we subscribe to†. Every person has values that they put into practice in their lives whether they realize this or not in other words we all apply values in our day-to-day lives both consciously and unconsciously. An individuals’ set of personal values guides him or her on how to live his or her life. Once these values have been implemented, they enable the implementer to achieve great things in life that they would otherwise not have been able to accomplish. Once an individual has implemented his or her personal values in his or her life, these values then energizes the individual and enables him or her to tackle issues that were previously seen as impossible in other words personal values allow an individual achieve what they dream of. Once a person has identified the values that are important to them they go further and develop strategies to be used in implementation of these values. Upon implementation, these values are said to be able to work wonders in a person’s life in that the person now has a direction in life that guides them in making decisions that are in line with their overall aim. When one identifies a mission philosophy or belief that is meaningful to them in their lives, then that becomes their value. There many categories of values whereby they are ranked as either commonplace or those that is special and psychological. An individual day-to-day life including relations with others and how they approach their work is determined by their personal values. These values are the ones that determine the success of an individual in whether action they dedicate themselves to. Once they are applied it becomes very easy for the person to excel in the workplace and personal life. They are said to have the ability to multiply the impact of an action and in turn the consequences of the act. Italians are very religious people and the biggest percentages of them are Catholics. They follow the tenets of the Catholic Church very strictly. They are very emphatic on the importance of the family and especially the mothers. They come together as families as often as possible and even conduct their businesses as a family. The men are always seen as the bread winners in the house and the women are to take care of the family in all ways. Being brought up in such a setting has shaped my values in to confirming with a lot of the traditional that I found when I was born and grew up in. In 1884, the Italian Republic made an agreement with the Vatican regarding religious education in schools. There was then a provision made that ensured that there would be religious teachings offered in all schools that are below the university level (http://www. beginningwithi. com). Since Italy is a catholic state, it therefore means that these teachings are mostly catholic in nature. This therefore ensures that all Italians who are born and bred in Italy have an option of getting religious teachings in school. It was however noted that not everyone is a catholic or even a Christian. This then led to need to make these teachings optional to those who wanted to learn. Those whose parents did not want them to learn had an option of refusing to allow their children not to learn. Since my family was and still is a very strict catholic follower, I never had the option to even refuse to attend these lessons. In fact this was seen as an added advantage since I would be able to learn more about Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary alongside the various teachings found in the bible. This would in the long run make me a better Christian and it actually did. Having grown up in a catholic family and also an extended one made my personal values to develop in a way that enables me cope with then. My personal values include success commitment fairness faith family feeling hard work and tolerance. The church I have grown up in has taught me to have faith in what I do and in god and hop that all will end well. This has sustained me all through my life especially at times when I feel emotional and psychologically unstable. At these moments I prefer to go to church and say prayers to calm me down. It has also taught me to be committed and this is what has enabled me to hold one position for 15 years in the same store. In Italian culture, one tends to live with the extended family and this is expected of all people. It is customary for the grandparents to care for their grandchildren which they d thus one has to cope with having a house full of relatives and this makes one tolerant. This has gone a long way in enabling me work with other employees without losing my temper. In under standing their weaknesses I am able to correct them without causing the formation of negative altitude towards me and weakness I am able to correct them without causing the formation of negative altitudes towards the job and me. When correcting their mistakes, I do so just as I would if it were my family member and this makes them feel appreciated and thus workers are motivated. I am currently studying for my B. S in criminal justice. The desire to study this course was prompted by my belief in fairness. I have a very strong conviction that everybody of what his or her previous life has been like. As a Christian I believe that any person can change given the chance. It is also true that there are quite a number of people who are wrongfully accused and convicted and it is necessary to correct such wrongs. By learning the different theories propounded in the course study. I can be able to use them in my workplace and in my day-to-day life to blame where it his not due I avoid unnecessary confrontations with other people. In my 15 years of working at the Vons Grocery store, I have met a number of personalities made a positive impact in my life. Michelle Valverda and Shielha Mosley. These people have taught me how to deal with other employees in order to maximize their output. They have taught me the value of success. It has been clarified in my mind what success really means and not just in monetary terms but also in emotional, psychological and physical well-being. These two people have reminded me the importance of leading a round life without neglecting any part of my life since all are important and are required in measuring the success of an individual. When I joined college to study for the criminal justice course, I met other people who added to my list of personal values. One of them is Ian Barrimond who is a fellow student. He has strengthened my value of tolerance because he is becoming more enjoyable when I do not keep getting angry with people for minor mistakes. Furthermore Ian is really committed to his studies and thus has introduced a new value to my life that is commitments. Apart from attending college he has a very demanding job that does not leave him with much time for himself yet he still manages to find time to dedicate his studies. My teacher is also a major influence to my list of values since he is always insisting on the necessary of hard work. Steven Fraitas insists that only by hard work can one be able to achieve what they want from life. The other major influences in my life are my parents who have always insisted on the family unity. They have never allowed my siblings and I to be on bad terms with each other for long and they have always ensured that any problem that crops up among us is quickly resolved before it goes too far. Also they have used the many family gatherings that we hold to invite all of us including the members of the extended family to make sure that we all remain close. None of us feels like a stranger or outsider because we have never been allowed to have time to drift apart to a point of becoming strangers to each other emotionally. This has made me become even more committed to my own family in the hope that it will be as unified as the family that I grew up in. I work hard so as to provide for my family and make sure that they live as comfortably as I can make them. This is encompassed in the value of family feeling. In Italian culture, one tends to live with their parents long after they have reached the age of maturity (Giannotti E. Rocchi R. 2004). It has been argued by some people that this makes them vulnerable to emotional and mental instability. I beg to differ with this conclusion because instead of destabilizing me this has made me a stronger person in aspects in life. There is an assumption that we should all be married at a certain age but by waiting until the right moment allows one to be able to choose the right partner in life. This is important because in the catholic church one is not allowed to divorce and thus it is necessary to choose someone who one will be able to stay with for the rest of their lives. I am among those people who lived with their parents long after the time that is set as standard for people to move out of their parent’s house. I can testify to the benefits that I reaped from this. Since almost all my brothers and sisters were also living with my parents, we were able to develop our relationship into our adulthood. Not only have we remained close with my brothers and sisters but also with my parents. Since I did not start my family until I was old enough to appreciate what I needed in a spouse, I am then able to treat my spouse the way it has always been in the Italian culture. I was also able to learn a lot from my parents on how to live in peace and harmony in the same house with your spouse.

The Democratic Peace Theory

The Democratic Peace Theory The primary claim of democratic peace proponents is that democratic states do not wage war against each other[1]. This theory is based on the findings of Immanuel Kant in the late 18th century. In his findings Kant argues that the natural evolution of world politics and economics would drive mankind inexorably toward peace by means of a widening of the pacific union of liberal republican states.[2] According to Kants theory liberal republics insure that the state interests are transferred from single monarch to the society thus making wars less probable. This assumption can be explained by a notion that in democratic societies the decision of waging wars is transferred from a monarch to the average citizen who bears the costs of war. Furthermore, the interdependence between national interests and citizens self-interests establishes a tendency of placing ultimate authority in the hands of the average voter[3] thus reducing the chance for well-institutionalized democracies to fight war s against each other. Michael Doyle in his publication Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs adds another principle of pacification to Kants list of three definitive articles of liberal constitutions. According to Doyle: The regular rotation of office in liberal democratic polities is a nontrivial device that helps ensure that personal animosities among heads of government provide no lasting, escalating source of tension[4]. The inner state check and balance system does not exclude the probability of war between states, but instead it explains that liberal wars are only fought for popular, liberal purposes[5]. Accordingly, most common argument of democratic peace theory is the constitutional and legal restraints on executive action. In other words placing constraints on the ability of leaders to fight other democracies are the foundations of peace in democratic states. The democratic peace theory also suggests that Democracy tends to foster economic interdependence, which reduces the likelihood of war. Firstly, it is more likely for countries who share the same values, to have close economic ties with each other. The economic interdependence significantly reduces the probability of confrontation between states. The preponderance of systematic evidence for at least the post-World War II era, however, suggests that mutual economic interdependence, measured as the share of dyadic trade to GNP in the country where that trade is proportionately smaller, is strongly associated with peaceful relations in subsequent years.[6] In other words, economic interdependence helps create transnational ties that promote peace rather than conflict. Furthermore, states have a mutual benefit from the economic relations and conflict with each other is going to harm their economy. Thus, the potential loss of trade and its negative impact on countries critical imports or exports decreases the willingness of both sides to fight. Based on historical evidence, despite the liberal claim that democracies have never gone to war with each other, there have been more conflicts than instances of cooperation situation which provides a fertile ground for realism to flourish. Up until the end of the Cold War realism was the dominant theory of international relations as it explained most of the political events. However, after the end of the Cold War started crisis of realism due to the circumstances that it failed to predict or predicted wrongly several events, especially the unification of Germany (October 1990), dissolution of Warsaw Pact (July 1991) and the end of Cold War (dissolution of USSR December 1991). None of this events resolved in a hegemonic war as many realist predicted. It seems as if other theory such as democratic peace theory is better at explaining the events after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The democratic peace theory gives a logical explanation of the events which lead to peaceful disso lution of Soviet Union and end of the Cold War. Any understanding of the change in the Soviet Unions international behavior, before its political fragmentation, and in time reciprocated by the West, demands attention to the three legs on which the liberal vision of Immanuel Kants Perpetual Peace Stands. This stands are: 1. Development of Liberalization and democratization process in Soviet Union; 2. Desire to enter western markets rise of economical interdependence; and 3. influence of the International organizations. As Emmanuel Kant has predicted in his findings the natural evolution of world politics and economics would drive mankind inexorably toward peace by means of a widening of the pacific union of liberal republican states.[7] Democracy, economic interdependence and international organizations constitute the basis of the 21st century international relations. [1] Edward D.Mansfield and Jack Snyder, Democratization and the Danger of War, P8 [2] Michael W. Doyle, Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs, Part 2, p349 [3] Edward D.Mansfield and Jack Snyder, Democratization and the Danger of War, P21 [4] Michael W. Doyle, Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs, p.230 [5] Ibid. [6] Bruce Russet, a neo-Kantian perspective: democracy, interdependence, and international organizations in building security communities, Security Communities, Cambridge University Press, P.374 [7] Michael W. Doyle, Kant, Liberal Legacies, and Foreign Affairs, Part 2, p349

Analysis of the Dark Side of the Internet :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Dark Side of the Internet    Statement of the Problem The Internet has changed lives. It's fulfilling prophecies to be better than books, better than traditional reference material, and the next best thing since sliced bread. However, as with every other technological miracle, there are always drawbacks. I wanted to find out what people use the Internet for and the common problems that they have. I did this by making numerous observations, conducting interviews, and distributing questionnaires.    After encountering repeated difficulties both on my home computer and at school, I decided to find out what other people thought about the Internet. I heard many friends and family members frequently complain about their difficulties with the Internet. Because of these factors, I decided to conduct this study. Perhaps the answer to these problems lies in the activities or habits of users. I set out to find the answer to these questions in this study. There are evidently many problems and errors associated with Internet use. People also frequently associate the Internet with a bunch of so-called computer geeks and teenagers illegally searching for pornography. I wanted to dispel this theory with my research. It was my hypothesis that the Internet, while having many worthwhile uses, also has many problems, and a lot of progress still to be made.    Procedures My first step in researching Internet activities and behavior was to conduct observations of various people using computers and the Internet. I made these observations on three different dates. I watched fellow students in the high school library twice and observed my father using the Internet at home on one occasion. I watched to see what the subjects were doing, any problems or difficulties they had, or any comments they made.    My observations took place mainly in the library of Hempfield Area High School. During two of my study halls, I observed students in the library for other classes. During my first observation, most of the students around me were seniors. Most of the subjects of the second observation were sophomores. I looked to see what sorts of problems they had on the computers, what comments they made, their body language when dealing with teachers and friends, and what exactly they were looking at on the computers.

The Rosetta Stone Essay -- Hieroglyphs Egyptian Writing System Essays

The Rosetta Stone In 1799, when Napoleon’s army was dismantling a wall in Rashid, Egypt, they discovered the Rosetta Stone. Little did they know that this 11-inch thick piece of rock would be one of the greatest discoveries in history! It contained Egyptian scripture, with Greek also on the stone. This was used to decode the once lost Egyptian writing system. Before the 1800’s, attempts at trying to uncover the secrets held by the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics found on walls inside numerous tombs were useless. The pictures were falsely believed to be symbolic, representing some sort of object or idea. Something soon changed all of this misconception. 1799 was the year of a great breakthrough in Egyptology. French troops, under Napoleon’s command, were destroying a wall when they found a black, basalt stone. The stone was inscribed with three different forms of writing: Egyptian hieroglyphics, a shorthand form of hieroglyphs, and Greek written in 196 BC. The Rosetta Stone then be came instrumental in decrypting the long forgotten Egyptian writing system. The stone was first discovered near Rosetta, Egypt, by one of Napoleon's soldiers, named variously as Bouchard, during his expedition to Egypt in August of 1799. In no time, this discovery was mentioned to all the top scholars who were immensely interested since there was no way to decode the hieroglyphs. In 1802, Johan David Akerblad was the first to break ground in identifying the first demotic symbols. He identified a few of the proper names in the demotic text, after comparing them with the same names found in the Greek text. (Ogg 78) Next on the scene was Thomas Young, an English physicist, who took an interest to the deciphering the Rosetta Stone as well. After much researching, Young was able to prove that the proper names in the hieroglyphics section of the stone did in fact have phonetic value, and were not made up of symbols. He then introduced the idea of the proper names being written with ovals around them, known as cartouches. In reality, the hieroglyphs only contained six. Of the phonetic values that he assigned to hieroglyphs, five were correct (p, t, i, n, and f). (Budge 54) In 1814, he revealed the way in which the hieroglyphic signs were to be read by studying the direction in which the birds and other animals were all facing. He also was able to correctly identify some single-consonant... ...y death due to a stroke. The whereabouts of the Rosetta Stone today is the British Museum, in London. Without this old, black, basalt rock, we may never have deciphered the ancient egyptian scriptures. Still, there are many other writing systems of numerous lost civilizations that have yet to be deciphered. Until then, we can only make well thought inferences, and educated guesses until the next Rosetta Stone is unearthed. Works Cited 1. Budge, Sir E.A. Wallis. Egyptian Language- Easy Lessons in Egyptian Hieroglyphs. New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1991. 2. Ogg, Oscar. The 26 Letters. New York: Thomas C. Crowell Company, 1962. 3. Claiborne, Robert. The Birth of Writing. New York: Time Inc., 1974. 4. Andrews, Carol. The British Museum Book of The Rosetta Stone. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1985. 5. Giblin, James Cross. The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone - Key to Ancient Egypt. New York: Harper & Row Publishers,1990. 6. Frimmer, Steven. The Stone That Spoke- and other clues to the decipherment of lost languages. Toronto, Canada: Longmans Canada Limited, 1969. 7. Jean, Georges. Writing- The Story of Alphabets and Scripts. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992.

Unforgiving Rapids :: Personal Narratives Whitewater Rafting Essays

Unforgiving Rapids The unforgiving water rushes past the boat, waiting for a false move. Called a class 5, this rapid looks more like a class 6 with the water as low as it is. Six to ten foot swells come crashing down from time to time keeping the crew sharp and wet. To the right, a thousand-foot wall of stone reaches for the sky, yearning for the omnipresent. The canyon walls look as smooth as silk, yet upon contact are as coarse as sandpaper. Quartz crystals glisten in the summer sun. No storm clouds today. The skies are clear. To the left, a valley stretches into the distance, winding back and forth like a drunk driver. Weeds take over much of the bank on either side. They stretch out for miles in either direction like they are the sole owners of the canyon. It didn't used to be this way. Ten years ago you could actually see the sandy banks most of the way down the river. Now scouting is the only way to find a nice sandy beach to set up camp. Elk along the shore are a reminder of the necessity for b oiling even the cleanest water. Lawsuits loom large and safety is a priority. The speed of the water is frightening, yet exhilarating. The water's spray is cool and keeps us laughing. The captain looks anxiously about for rocks and logs. To one side, a cliff that must be four thousand feet tall looms over the raging river like an overgrown skyscraper. The canyon contrasts against the sky like black carpet in a house with white walls. Little metallic pieces of rock mirror the sun's rays and create a magical ambiance. The sky is very blue here, like the bluest water in the ocean on a clear day; not a cloud to be seen. To the other side of the river, a canyon winds into the distance like a freeway overpass. Lots of beautiful plants line the shore of the river, leaving only a few bare places where a sandy bank can be seen. Today, elk was spotted along the shore drinking from the muddy water. What a magnificent rack! It's all a great adventure. The old boat has seen better days; gray patches stick to the orange rubber of the 16 footer. Flexible yet sturdy, the boat is comfortable, like an old shoe. There are no surprises here.

Illegal Trade And Human Wildlife Conflict Environmental Sciences Essay

The extinction and hazard of magnetic mega-fauna is happening at an accelerated gait despite the conjunct action of concerned groups and persons worldwide. The extinction of these animate beings defies all of the international interaction that has been forcing for the convalescence and stabilizing of these flagship species. When turn toing the complicated fortunes that the different animate beings face, preservation groups find inordinately complex and extremely sensitive state of affairss and factors environing their species. Sensitivity can originate in state of affairss like the followers: the appropriation of traditional autochthonal land for habitat preservation of the animate being in inquiry. Complexity can be seen in the undermentioned state of affairs ; the debasement of the quarry species population for the preservation animate being, taking to the animate being assailing farm animal doing revenge violent deaths by the proprietors of farm animal. This is an issue compounded with economic every bit good as societal elements that push environmentalists to be advanced and experimental with their preservation attempts. The confrontation between environmentalists and these socio-economic obstructions are common phenomena in the sphere of international preservation. Each animate being that is being protected has a alone and original job confronting it. The solution to these jobs must be tailored specifically for that animate being and for the people straight affected by the animate being. However, irrespective of the singularity of the animate being ‘s state of affairs, environmentalists can larn from past instances. The rudimentss of preservation attempts such as: edifice a preservation program, accommodating it to the local community, blockading illegal activities, and happening advanced solutions are all learned throughout the procedure and past attempts and instances can impart penetration and counsel. A cardinal component nowadays in preservation of big bodied animate beings populating remote and developing countries is human-wildlife struggle. For environmentalists, human-wildlife struggle can be really sensitive and oftentimes is the basis of their preservation program. In Durban, South Africa in 2004 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) held a World ‘s Park Conference ( WPC ) about â€Å" Making Coexistence † sing human-wildlife struggle faced by environmentalists as a profession. HWC was the highlighted issue of this international conference. Harmonizing to the WPC, HWC is a consequence of the demands of wildlife negatively impacting human ends or demands and frailty versa. This becomes critical when people negatively affected by wildlife feel that their demands are subordinated to the demands of the wildlife[ 1 ]. The WPC besides discussed the germinating job of rapid human development and substructure growing in much of what were preponderantly wildlife countries. This normally means that most preservation countries are the staying fragments of what used to be wildlife but are now dominated by human development. Major home ground decrease and increased human habitation has resulted in increased intersection of wildlife and people, in consequence more HWC is happening. Along with HWC another country of preservation concern revolves around illegal trafficking, poaching, and hunting of endangered animate beings. This is a planetary activity that outputs moneymaking returns and an easiness of entree since the animate being is a natural resource that is being exploited. Since illegal trafficking is a planetary endeavor that normally entails developed communicating and exchange webs throughout different states, it takes an international attempt to stem the trade of endangered species. It is because of this trouble that in 1975 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES ) was created. This is an international understanding between the authoritiess of different states to supervise and discourage the trade of endangered speciesto protect the species from development and finally entire extinction. CITES is a legal model that can be used to implement the agreed upon international criterions nevertheless each p arty of the pact wishes. This gives a step of protection for the species nevertheless the enforcement of the convention depends on the tightness of the authorities and the resources that the state has. Often the trade of illegal animate beings occurs in tandem, hence environmentalists and people implementing the convention can utilize illustrations of other attempts to halt the trade. Since instances of illegal trade in wildlife can be so similar in signifier, the effects and solutions of one instance can be extrapolated and imprinted upon another instance. HWC and illegal trafficking of protected species appear to be two unrelated state of affairss that would hold small in common. However, both attract similar groups of militants i.e. environmentalists, preservation organisations, research workers, scientists, economic experts, and of class the people who enforce the legal regulations sing the protected animate beings. This paper deals with the inquiry of what can be learned from the success and failure of HWC direction and illegal trafficking enforcement. Both of these apparently unrelated preservation concerns can frequently happen in the same countries and trade with the same species. The empirical instance of the snow leopard illustrates the causes, effects, preservation programs, and advanced solutions that can be used for both HWC and illegal trafficking. The instance involves: the complicated state of affairss that the snow leopard finds itself in throughout its home ground, the scope of jobs that environmentalists are covering with, and the jobs dealt with in the yesteryear. To discourse this instance decently the following subdivisions will travel as follows: background, human-wildlife instance, illegal trafficking instance, discussion/analysis, and decisions.Background:The snow leopard ( Uncia uncia ) is a felid species with a scope crossing 12 different states in Central Asia and the Him alayan part: Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Tajikistan, China, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and India[ 2 ]. There are an estimated 4,500-7,500[ 3 ]snow leopards left in their natural home grounds. However, since snow leopards are elusive, preferring cragged, bouldery, and frequently difficult to make topographic points it is hard to acquire a precise count of the species. Snow leopards are top marauders so understanding the wellness of the snow leopard populations can bespeak the overall wellness of that ecosystem. This can be an of import tool in wildlife preservation. The state of affairs of the snow leopard is complex. A 3rd of the entire scope of the snow leopard crosses international boundaries, doing snow leopard monitoring and preservation vulnerable to international struggle caused by interstate difference or aggression.[ 4 ]Another complication is the sensitive nature of snow leopard preservation refering local dwellers. Where the scope of the snow leopard intersects human habitation it is chiefly in hapless countries with developing, mostly pastoral or agro-pastoral economic systems. The addition in protected snow leopard preservation countries occurs in or around these poorer communities and local dwellers frequently resent the presence of wildlife officers and preservation groups. Although many countries have been set aside for preservation usage, local people still maintain the right to utilize them in their traditional ways. Snow leopard attacks on local farm animal and the relatiative violent deaths that can result make a human-wildli fe struggle that can endanger snow leopard endurance. The farness and expansivity of the snow leopards scope creates a stratum of cultural differences in communities within the snow leopard ‘s home ground. These differences alter the socio-economic causes of snow leopard diminution and the parametric quantities of human-wildlife struggle. This necessitates a alone and intricate preservation action programs for each community in a preservation country. Snow leopards face a myriad of challenges to their endurance. Outside of relatiative violent deaths by local dwellers and human-wildlife struggle, the other major causes of snow leopard diminution are runing and poaching. These are issues that involve international jurisprudence and are facilitated by a globalized consumer economic system. However there have been initial actions to cover with this menace to the snow leopards. When CITES was created in 1975 the snow leopard was added to the CITES Appendix 1 list of endangered species which granted it international protection from illegal trafficking, trade, and poaching. Not all 12 provinces in the scope of the snow leopard were members of CITES in 1975 and some late joined every bit tardily as the 1990s.[ 5 ]Snow leopards have hence been exposed to continued poaching and trafficking in many countries without legal protection. In 1985 the Convention on Migratory Species ( CMS ) added the snow leopard to the Appendix 1 list of protecte d species.[ 6 ]This should hold given the snow leopard some protection since its scope crosses 12 different states. However, the snow leopard population has continued to worsen and in 2002 at the Bonn CoP for the CMS the snow leopard became a conjunct action species. In malice of the enterprises that have been taken to forestall snow leopard extinction in 2002 the CMS estimated that the snow leopard population had declined by approximately 50 % by the 1990s.[ 7 ]Human-wildlife Case:Researchers Rodney Jackson and Rinchen Wangchuk researched relatiative violent deaths by local people in the Hemis National Park located in snow leopard district. Their intent was to understand the grounds for snow leopard requital violent deaths and to research possible solutions to this HWC. When they conducted their research, there were about 1,600 persons spread out in approximately 16 separate communities in the Hemis country. There was some little scale agribusiness but farm animal was the chief bus iness in the country. The research worker ‘s chief method was to interview local families about their farm animal and snow leopard onslaughts. What they found was that a bulk of families had lost anyplace from 1 to 15 % of their herd.[ 8 ]This represents a monolithic loss for local families in developing economic systems extremely dependent on their farm animal for both nutrient and income. In this instance survey, the research workers found that the major issue loaning to the drastic sum of snow leopard predation happening was that livestock populations were significantly larger than the natural quarry of the snow leopards of this part. This created an instability in the distribution of available quarry for the snow leopard and Lent itself to higher snow leopard predation of farm animal. This is often the instance in a assortment of countries near snow leopard protected countries. Mishra et Al, found that rangeland in a peculiar country in the Spiti Valley was 80 % overstocke d with farm animal. These countries ‘ were resource depleted and the farm animal was potentially out-competing the natural herbivores.[ 9 ]This would make an environment that would let for higher farm animal depredation by snow leopards if the natural quarry of the leopard was being outcompeted by farm animal. Outside the simple addition in livestock population, Jackson and Wangchuk found that alternate causes for the increased snow leopard predation had to make with local crowding wonts. These included negligent daylight observation, penetrable and inadequately constructed animate being pens, and croping in countries of premier snow leopard habitation. In this case, the local persons were conformable to take parting in an Appreciative Inquiry and Participatory Learning Action ( APPA ) program to assist the local community cut down and extenuate livestock loss while halting requital violent deaths. This involved accepting outside aid of some kind, the small town of Markha opted for marauder proofing their carnal pens to cut down snow leopard predation. The research worker ‘s end was to develop a sustainable program by conserving the snow leopard populations non at the disbursal of the support of the local dwellers of the Hemis National Park and cut downing one of the chief causes of HWC. Another research worker, Naho Ikeda, working in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area ( KCA ) in Nepal looked at the effects of snow leopard predation in local small towns on the reactivity of local persons to some signifier of community action program such as the one Jackson and Wangchuk initiated in Markha. The villagers felt that an insurance or ‘compensation program ‘ would non be wholly just or realistic. Any program created without the support of the villagers would make nil to cut down the negative feelings associated with snow leopards or extenuate any harm they would do. The concluding for their uncertainties about the program revolved around the issue that they would non have adequate money for the lost farm animal to do the loss less critical and that for some households with medium to little herds any loss could be lay waste toing to their fiscal stableness. In Ikeda ‘s decisions, he suggested two things ; the community should make a program that would suit ably suit their demands and villagers with smaller flocks be taken into consideration since they can potentially endure the most.[ 10 ]These characteristics would necessitate to be addressed and corrected if any preservation program were to be implemented in this country. Otherwise the root of the HWC would simply be repressed and would take to resentment against the snow leopards and the preservation groups.Illegal Trade Case:Illegal trade in snow leopard organic structure parts, pelt, tegument, and unrecorded specimens is an industry on the rise. The trade of illegal animate beings is connected with the HWC jobs in the last subdivision but both jobs are non co-dependent or attendant. Often Herders who engage in a retaliatory violent death will seek to capitalise on the snow leopard and sell the dead specimen for its tegument, castanetss, or pelt.[ 11 ]Retaliatory killing nevertheless is non the primary motive for illegal trade in snow leopards, it is instead a simple side benefit that timeserving persons who take advantage to derive excess income. That is approximately the extent of connection between causes of HWC and illegal trade. Trafficking and trade of snow leopards was really popular in the mid 20th century and the rapid diminution that was subsequently seen in the snow leopard populations precipitated assorted international actions to protect the species. The trade in snow leopard pelt was so permeant that the International Fur Trade Federation ( IFTF ) wanted a moratorium in 1971 on the snow leopard tegument trade.[ 12 ]The snow leopard was put on CITES and CMS Appendix 1 protected species, and the Convention on Biological Diversity besides instituted protective steps for the snow leopard.[ 13 ]However these enterprises have non seen the betterment desirable for preservation attempts, in fact harmonizing to a Traffic International study issued in 2003, in some countries poaching and trafficking has been on the rise, in peculiar in Kyrgyzstan which has had a drastic addition in snow leopard violent deaths.[ 14 ]Besides harmonizing to this study there has been an addition in trade in the part of the Russia n Federation and countries of Central Asia.[ 15 ]A research worker in Baltistan, Pakistan reported snow leopards poached each winter in this country. They were trapped and beaten to decease so that no gun shooting will impair the fur of the leopard.[ 16 ]This is unreassuring for this state sing an already bing negative sentiment towards the species. China has one of the largest markets for the trade in snow leopard parts ; this can be extremely debatable since China besides has the largest population of snow leopards.[ 17 ]Snow leopard trade is commonplace in many Chinese markets and it is readily available and moneymaking for those involved. Leopard castanetss are used in traditional Chinese and Tibetan medical specialty and in assorted autochthonal rites which make trade a necessary portion for parts forbiding to these beliefs.[ 18 ]However, it is non merely China that is the perpetrator of illegal snow leopard trade. The Traffic study stated that all 12 scope provinces trade snow leopard animate beings or parts of animate beings which intimates that this is a globalized industry.[ 19 ]This market is non merely driven by local demands but has broader international beginnings. Two illustrations of this are the resuscitating fur trade in Afghanistan due to Westerners, and snow leopards that are illicitly brought into the Middle East and Europe.[ 20 ]This is particularly distressing since there are many international understandings in topographic point to forestall this from happening.Discussion/Analysis:In the Hemis National Park, the major cause of snow leopard onslaughts on local farm animal can arguably be placed at the pess of the local Herders and pastoralists. Their substructure and guarding patterns made them susceptible to snow leopard onslaughts and the disproportional sum of farm animal compared to natural herbivores made the farm animal vulnerable to snow leopard onslaught. Jackson and Wangchuk estimate a 3:1 farm animal to natural herbivore quarry ratio in the preservation countries and a potentially larger ratio difference outside the protected countries.[ 21 ]From the position of the environmentalists, the requital violent deaths would potentially be undue. However, viewed from the position of the local agro-pastoralists who are to a great extent dependent upon farm animal there is a different position. Increased Numberss of farm animal mean greater economic stableness in their families and potentially less worry sing nutrient, apparels, and protection. Being dependent upon farm animal agencies that any loss is important and can cut down families to destitution. This makes the local dwellers really vulnerable to the snow leopard populations in the country. It can be argued that from the position of the local villagers the snow leopard population jeopardizes the support and wellness of local communities if left unbridled. Jackson and Wangchuk, and several other grass root conservationists achieved a blending of the demands of both the local community and the snow leopards. By giving the villagers of Markha the financess and the assistance to construct marauder cogent evidence pens they are work outing one of the major causes of livestock depredation. With the engagement and committedness of the community in the action program, there is a feeling of ownership and regard for the snow leopards. The range of the APPA is long term with an accent on increased touristry and capitalisation of the tourer economic system. This would enable the community to increase their supports at the addition of the snow leopard communities and potentially lead to a decrease in dependance on farm animal. All of this was possible due to the reasonably conformable attitude of the villagers of Markha in the Hemis National Park and due to the specifically tailored preservation program created by Jackson and Wangchuk. However, this is non ever the instance in different countries of snow leopard habitation. Harmonizing to Shafqat Hussain, the Annapurna Conservation country and the Indian Trans-Himalayan parts had high degrees of snow leopard violent deaths.[ 22 ]A research instance done by Madan Oli et.al, in the Annapurna Conservation country showed that 59.1 % of villagers considered obliteration of snow leopard populations to be the lone solution and another 35.3 % wanted to seek obliteration ab initio followed by an alternate solution if it failed.[ 23 ]This negative attitude will straight impact preservation attempts and worsen the HWC in these countries dramatically. In these cases, the illustration of Jackson and Wangchuk could be extremely valuable. The research workers located the root cause and created an attractive solution along with a signifier of alternate income for the villagers of Markha which allowed the villagers to hold economic addition based on the endurance of the snow leopar ds. This transmutation of the job into a solution is of import in every preservation country. Acknowledging the alone circumstance of each small town and each country allows for more in-depth and sustainable solutions. There has been considerable work done late with different action programs in these developing communities that provide an insurance program for lost farm animal. Some authoritiess of scope provinces have created insurance programs for farmers/pastoralists that suffer livestock depredation due to snow leopards. These programs unluckily are normally ineffective and insufficient for the members of the program. The support is slow and unsure, the members merely receive a fraction of the market value, the procedure takes a markedly long clip, and bureaucratic issues can bog payments down.[ 24 ]The promise of recompense ends up going a larger issue and forces the members of the program to accept something less than what they were promised. This was something that Jackson and Wangchuk avoided with their APPA program. There is some sentiment among the environmentalist community that local insurance programs are really non good to local communities or wildlife. This would intend that a bulk of the local action being taken by preservation groups like The Snow Leopard Conservancy, The Snow Leopard Trust, WWF, and many others are non come oning towards the overall end of salvaging the snow leopard populations. Using an analytical theoretical account based on the clip in labour spent between different industries like farming versus hunting, a group of research workers looked into the issue of the benefits gained from insurance programs. The research workers found that when local households spend less clip runing the animate beings doing harm to their harvest or farm animal so they spend more clip agriculture. This means that increased land is being converted into farming land which creates badly negative effects for wildlife due to a farther loss of home ground.[ 25 ]The research workers suggested cert ain guidelines for preservation groups to follow that would avoid this result for illustration ; seting accent on surrogate signifiers of income coevals, punishing land transition versus funding it, and other actions that would enable a successful compensatory program for all parties. It is non clear if the ability to change over land into farming area is executable in many small towns that deal with snow leopards given the alpine tundra terrain. However, the liberating up of labour spent in relatiative violent deaths could let pastoralists to utilize more labour in increasing flock size and therefore go on the frequently skewed ratio between farm animal and natural herbivores. This could intensify the farm animal depredation issue particularly if protective steps in preservation countries allow for an addition in snow leopard population. This is non a far off decision since many rural countries are transitioning from a swap to a market based economic system with accent on commercial farm animal economic systems.[ 26 ]Given the assortment and expansivity of the snow leopard scope there are multiple countries where the direct issue of freed labour being invested into increased land transition could be an issue. It is positive to observe nevertheless that many environmentalist groups and park organisations are interested in non merely protecting the snow leopard species, but besides in enriching and easing the local communities. In the Kanchenjunga Conservation country, KWC park officers created multiple plans for local villagers that dealt with authorization of adult females and kids. These plans besides helped learn and educate villagers in different industries like run uping or accounting.[ 27 ] Attempts like the KWC plans are a critical portion of the hereafter of preservation for countries affected by snow leopard preservation. As the WPC stated at their conference in Durban, preservation countries are fast going the staying fragments of the natural home ground as human development accelerates. This is true for most countries and in peculiar, land about snow leopard preservation countries. Harmonizing to researcher Charudutt Mishra, pastoralists around the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary have a treble addition in livestock size due to the commercialisation of the industry and the rapid development of rural communities. There has been growing of all sorts, including increased literacy rates, school building, and electricity entree.[ 28 ]All of these elements increase the quality of life for members of these communities, but the growing in population and increased industry will endanger the home grounds and preservation countries of the snow leopard. This struggle of involvement i s a beginning of HWC, as the WPC explained ; human-wildlife struggle can go a struggle between people on either side of the issue, non merely a struggle between people and animate beings.[ 29 ]This does non hold to be the sole contingency and for many preservation enterprises it will non be due to the advanced and originative attempts of communities and environmentalists. Many preservation groups are implementing plans similar to the 1 at KWC, the plans will supply more dependable and moneymaking signifiers of income for small towns affected by snow leopards. One action program was assisting local villagers create ‘parachute coffeehouse ‘ for tourers that come to trek through the part, in consequence assisting the local people garner a greater sum of income from eco-tourism.[ 30 ]These signifiers of preservation will assist make a sustainable hereafter for the snow leopards every bit good as a stable signifier of economic system for people in the plans. The trade of snow leopards on the black market has been addressed by CITES in general. In their 15th Conference of the Parties ( CoPs ) they talked about making enforcement and patroling squads in the different scope provinces of snow leopard home ground.[ 31 ]This is a critical mark for the international community that the trade in large cats is both endangering to the species and strongly discouraged. This CoP besides encouraged states still non parties to the convention to fall in it, and has resulted in authorising the enforcement of anti-trading and doing the push for preservation of the species more effectual.[ 32 ]There have besides been attempts to stem the trade in snow leopards. A assortment of research is being done by the World Wildlife Fund ( WWF ) to understand why snow leopards are being traded in certain countries and ways to halt it. Other enterprises involve a similar solution to HWC which is to supply alternate signifiers of income and to switch the economic systems of certain countries so they are non dependent on snow leopard poaching/trade. What is decidedly needed is more aggressive and intensive programs to halt black market trade of the snow leopards which continues to fund the poaching, hunting, and trading of this endangered species.Decision:The snow leopard instance is complex and multi-variable in range. This prevents implementing simple preservation programs. Both of the problem-lenses discussed in this paper are two of the most critical issues confronting snow leopards today. Both are globally influenced albeit in somewhat different methods. The trade of snow leopards is fueled by an international demand for the snow leopard organic structure parts and the ordinance of that trade is enforced by an international convention. This is similar to the state of affairs of retaliatory violent deaths which i s being addressed by international preservation groups. Outside groups and persons are invested in both of these issues and outside beginnings can be used at one time to supply a solution. Human-wildlife struggle is a really critical state of affairs because the support of persons is at interest and the holiness of wildlife militias is jeopardized. However, the attempts that have been made late demo really promising beginnings. There have been many compensation plans initiated by local authoritiess that have fallen through and that do nil to extenuate the negativeness that locals feel about snow leopards. Many countries have whole small towns that wish to see the obliteration of the snow leopard. This is a really big index that conservationists need to step up the attempts being made. The overall solution most feasible and likely to bring forth sustainable consequences entails a shifting of the economic systems of these local villagers to an surrogate industry. In countries where most villagers are Herders or pastoralists, the base of their fundss revolves around farm animal. Therefore, snow leopard onslaughts on farm animal are direct menaces to the local villagers. I f there were different income beginnings non reliant on farm animal or farming so the negativeness that is associated with snow leopards would melt. An even more well-founded solution is to utilize the endurance of the snow leopards as a mechanism to convey in money. This would wholly switch the former counter attitude of the villagers to a proactive and good position for the snow leopards. An illustration is the industry of ecotourism, which relies on homestays for trekkers and tourers to remain in while going. This besides emphasizes wildlife and the animate beings that make touristry attractive and furthers preservation. The illegal trade in wildlife has a similar decision and there have been attempts to make these positive decisions. If local dwellers who once hunted the snow leopards for trade and incomewere provided chances to hold preparation and another income bring forthing beginning so the snow leopard trade would diminish. This is kindred to the solution for relatiative violent deaths because both jobs have the same derivative causes of fiscal addition and stableness. The ability to supply nutrient for a household, supply a humane life state of affairs, and an instruction are all touchable possibilities associated with holding money. Therefore both jobs while drastically different in range have a similar solution and an apprehensible connexion can be made between the two. This is one of the chief grounds the instance of the snow leopard was chosen. It demonstrates the jobs of HWC and illegal trafficking of protected animate beings. The snow leopard faces a bombardment of onslaughts on all for eparts and the cardinal characteristics of the snow leopard crises are simple and relatable to other animate beings in similar state of affairss.

Is Studying Ancient Egypt in Its African Context Afrocentric? Essay

Studying Ancient Egypt is African context can be definitively distinguished as Afrocentric. Evidence of this is given from Ancient Egypt’s geographical location, the Ancient Egyptian culture, and linguistics. What is currently known as afrocentrism is a cultural ideology first formed from the work of late nineteenth century and early twentieth century African-American intellectuals. Afrocentrism manifested into its current form because of the African-American intellectuals during the Civil Rights Movement and African-American Studies departments in black colleges and universities across the nation. Afrocentricity deals with asserting African culture and the contributions of Africans, especially in the Western world. Egypt, being a part of Africa, is well within the grounds of being a part of Afrocentricity. Ancient Egypt was a very profound society with cutting edge technological advances in its time. Its cultural influences have left a mark on today’s society. Because of this, Europeans have â€Å"adopted† the Ancient Egyptians and tried to make them seem dissonant from the rest of the African continent. They have done this through history rewriting and media making the Afr ican-American community believe that Ancient Egypt was never a factor in the growth of Africa. For this response, I will be using two articles provided to me by Dr. Woods and the third source I used was from Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, one of the founders of the idea of Afrocentrisim. The first article I chose to discuss is called â€Å"Is Studying Ancient Egypt in its African context ‘Afrocentric’?† by S.O.Y. Keita. In this article, he thoroughly answers this question by addressing points that indefinitely proves that Ancient Egypt should be considered in its African context. The second article I used is called â€Å"Egypt, Africa and the Ancient World† by Joesp Cervello Autuori where he compares Egypt to Africa more in depth. This article was very useful and helped me gain a more broad aspect of how Ancient Egypt related to the rest of Africa. The third source I used was an internet website that contained an overview of the definition of Afrocentrisim. This was very reliable in the aspect that Dr. Molefi Kete Asante was one of the founders of the idea of Afrocentrisim. It was very enlightening provided a historical context. Physically and culturally Ancient Egypt is a large part of Africa. Many scholars indicate that â€Å"†¦Egyptian prehistory are agreed on two basic principles: the African geological context, according to which the Egyptian Epipaleolithic and Neolithic cultures are included in a wide Saharan Nile context; and the continuity of time† (Autuori 113). Ancient Egypt was forged on the Nile River, a main geographical landmark in Africa. Although Ancient Egypt may be close to Asia, it is a part of the African continent. The southern and western parts of Egypt are bordered by African landmass. The Mediterranean Sea and he Sinai Peninsula separate Egypt from Asia and Europe. Africa’s flora and fauna were used in symbol systems in early Egyptian culture. Animals native to Africa were used in early hieroglyphics and iconographies. This makes it evident that there is a definite link between Egypt and its African posterity. â€Å"[Late prehistoric Egypt]†¦the essentially African nature of many of the central features of Pharaonic civilization†¦it also explains the innumerable cultural parallels between ancient Egypt and both the ancient Saharan and modern black African civilizations† (133). The geographic location and the cultural root defined by its symbol system and iconographies â€Å"†¦suggests that the people were indigenous, or at least that the culture developed locally and was not an import† (Keita 125). When examining the linguistics of a language it is believed that similar languages come from a single parent language. Over time this parent language changes due to the spreading out of its speakers. When putting back together the parent language a timeline of the language family can be found. This timeline helps to identify a culture and possibly the environment of early speakers of that language. The language that was used in Ancient Egypt belongs to the Afro-Asiatic family and the members of that family are generally found in Africa. The plants and wildlife shown in early hieroglyphics were displays of the natural environment of the African continent. The Afro-Asiatic family also originated in Africa. It was not brought to Africa from another continent. â€Å"The language was not imported from Asia or Europe. The plants and animals in the early hieroglyphs come from the local environment† (Keita 126). In conclusion, there are many ways that Ancient Egypt has influenced African and African-American culture today. â€Å"It is not a question of ‘African’ ‘influence’; ancient Egypt was originally African. Studying early Egypt in its African context is not ‘Afrocentric’ but simply correct† (Keita 130) Works Cited Asante, Dr. Molefi Kete. â€Å"Afrocentricity | Dr. Molefi Kete Asante.† Dr. Molefi Kete Asante. http://www.asante.net/articles/1/afrocentricity/ (accessed February 21, 2013). Autuori, Josep. â€Å"Egypt, Africa and the Ancient World.† History of Africa and the Diaspora ? (0): 131-137. Keita, S.O.Y.. â€Å"Is Studying Egypt in Its African Context â€Å"Afrocentric†.† History of Africa and the Diaspora ? (0): 124-130.

The schematization of aesthetics was founded in Ancient times

The schematization of aesthetics was founded in Ancient times, which is manifested in Plato and Aristotle’s philosophies. Plato stance on aesthetic is very negative because it can distract the innate nature of soul. But his pessimism on aesthetics specifically of arts in general is best represented in his conjecture that an art â€Å"is thrice removed from reality†. Aristotle, on the other hand, has positive note on aesthetics because he sees art as representation of Forms or of truth. From these two ancient philosophers, the debate and conceptualization of aesthetics has transformed greatly in different periods. Friedrich Nietzsche posits that aesthetics is a means of preservation, meaning, beauty for him is encapsulated in terms of life prolongation. Leo Tolstoy postulated that aesthetics is based on peasant artistry because these workers understand the beauty of life. The complexities of aesthetics have metamorphosized throughout the progression of different civilizations and epochs of philosophy. In line with this, contemporary aestheticians like Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and Susanne K. Langer joined the bandwagon to advance aesthetics epistemic views. And these contemporary philosophers agreed on one point, that aesthetics or the valuation of beauty, as well as, its intricacies, nuances and elements, is greatly influenced by geographic positioning. This assertion was deduced from the fact that in every period novel idea on aesthetics sprouted wherein this period shaped new debates on the topic at hand. In summation, each period in philosophy supplemented new keys on the development of philosophy. In Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows, he juxtaposed Oriental aestheticism to Western aestheticism wherein he highlighted the significance of going back to the remnants of the past because it served as the defining moment of every stance on arts. He argued that one must embrace his own aesthetics even if it is tarnished and old because it is the precursor of one’s culture and tradition, and therefore, any concept of beauty from foreign culture must be disregarded altogether since it can eradicate the innate nature of one’s aesthetics. This is very prominent in the character of Tanizaki because when he was just a budding novelist he appreciated Western aestheticism, which has influenced his writing during those times, until he realized that he must represent Japanese concept of arts and beauty through literature. Tanizaki conjectured that the key note in Japanese concept of beauty is founded on the ideas of shadow. The architectural blueprint of traditional Japanese highly embodies shadows manifested through the quiet and murky interiors, which emanates a nostalgic atmosphere due to the independent existence and presence of shadows.   Tanizaki reinforced his idea of shadow in the articulateness of beauty in the form of polished tableware, temple toilets, kimonos, and Japanese stage, which are highly affected by the intensity of its dark spectrum. In lieu to this, Tanizaki pointed out that if light was applied on Japanese aesthetics all of its essence will diminish because light is the attribute of Western aestheticism, and likewise will happen if darkness was incorporated to Western arts. His basis on the above mentioned arguments is embedded on his credence on the delineation of Western culture and Japanese culture. According to Tanizaki, Western citizens in ancient times give importance to gold because it emanates unspeakable beauty when candlelight reflects it. On the other hand, Japanese people vehemently dislike light because it exposes the imperfection of their own white skin. According to Thomas J. Harper (translator of In Praise of Shadows), Tanizaki distinguish Japanese aestheticism based on shadows because it shows an unfathomable yet beautiful reverence and somberness, which is lacking in the magnificently lit arts of the West. Like Tanizaki, Langer also believed that one’s perception of aesthetics is dependent of his geographic positioning. At the first chapter of her book entitled Philosophy in a New Key: A Study in the Symbolism of Reason, Rite, and Art, she defined philosophy as â€Å"characterized more by the formulation of its problems than by its solutions of them†[1], which implies that each groups or societies see things in different perspectives and in their perception of things, they have their own understanding of what they see and have their own questions about it. Therefore, when it comes to beauty or aesthetics definitive schema, each society has the authority to posit their own stance about it, and mostly their stance is deeply rooted in culture and tradition. Tanizaki’s key of aesthetics is logically plausible in Langer’s philosophy since she espoused a relativistic means of understanding the nature of things and the contingency of the universe, in context with aesthetics. But Langer has her own philosophic inclination on beauty, wherein her key is discourse and representation. For Langer, aesthetics expresses the emotive form of arts through symbols and logic. But it must be noted that she saw that the main problem in expressing aesthetic is the means of expressing it. According to her, music possesses a degree of mood or emotion towards the meaning of life wherein it represents a form of epistemic valuation and truth. This music that embodies a certain feeling of purely perceptible matters can be expressed in innumerable manners, but the musician has to figure out which manner because wrong choice of manner will annihilate the content of its emotion and its purity. In toto, Langer saw philosophy as perpetually progressing, as well as aesthetics, because different epochs have either discovered or created a new key to elucidate the universe. She purported that the fecundity of new keys in the philosophical realm will always exists because human understanding is innately transformational. Unlike most philosophers like Bertrand Russell who argued that novel ideas in philosophy is impossible because what is left to humanity is to recycle old philosophies, Langer believed that the pasts has influenced on our present cogito but it does not necessarily follow that it will shape the present landscape of philosophizing. The point is that man’s rationality is not fixed; therefore present and future generation can discover or create a new motif of intellectual intercourse, which will eventually define the philosophy of their period. Tanizaki and Langer’s philosophies on aesthetics are significant because of its willingness and openness to the possibility of new keys, in terms of new perspectives and theories. It broadens the horizon of philosophical enterprise since new schemes and conceptualizations are doomed to realization. The only danger on their stance on the concept of â€Å"new keys† is that it jeopardized the universality of things, specifically of aesthetics or beauty. Their postulate that aesthetics valuation is based on geographic positioning or dependent of one’s social constructs breathes relativism, meaning, every perspective on aesthetic is sound and valid, or to put it simply â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder†. And worse, the innateness of aesthetics seems impossible to be exposed because of diverse perceptions on it. REFERENCE: Langer, Susanne K. Philosophy in a New Key: A Study in the Symbolism of Reason, Rite, and Art 3rd edition ed: Harvard University Press, 1957. Tanizaki, Junichiro. In Praise of Shadows. Trans. Charles Moore, Edward G. Seidensticker and Thomas J. Harper: Leetes Island Books 1980. [1] Langer, Susanne. Philosophy in a New Key: A Study in the Symbolism of Reason, Rite, and Art.   Harvard University Press, 1957 p.4.