Macro Econ Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Macro Econ - Assignment Example For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials. Proponents of the benefits of free markets argue that markets create â€Å"efficiency† in the distribution of goods and services. A great example of the increased efficiency in distribution by increasing the scope of market mechanisms is the impact of internet markets in used goods, such as Ebay and Craigslist. Items that might have once only been able to be resold for rock-bottom prices at garage, garden and stoop sales are now valued in a more universal fashion as they find a wider potential market on the web. Items which might be of interest to only a very few people can be much more easily located by these select few customers. In both cases, the consolidation of many small markets into a single large one increases the efficiency of valuation and distribution. On the other hand, the stock market has provided of the pitfalls of market mechanisms, which has fuelled criticism o f markets. The ongoing economic recession was launched when market speculation in real estate caused inflation of home prices and created incentives at every level of the market, from real estate agents, to mortgage brokers to stock sales to sell and buy at prices far beyond the value of the properties or homeowners ability to pay.

The Meaning of Lives Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of Lives Essay In her article The Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf, a moral philosopher and philosopher of action, investigates whether meaning can exist in lives without postulating the existance of God. Wolf establishes her position on this philosophical question from an agnostic perspective and rationally argues that such a question can in fact â€Å"fit within a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life† (Wolf 63). With this paper, I will first summarize the prominent points of Wolf’s article then highlight and expound upon areas of her argument that contradict her line of reason. Lastly, I will introduce the theistic perspective on meaningful lives along with presenting Wolf’s reason and argument as supporting evidence for the theistic view. In the Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf opens briefly with an evaluation of the philosophically ambiguous question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † She argues this particular question is impossible to rationalize because it dependents upon a postulation for the existence of God. Wolf claims it is necessary to postulate the existence of God in order to argue this original question because if God does exist, then He â€Å"may have created us for a reason, with a plan in mind†(Wolf 63). Thus, if God exists then there would be purpose and meaning to human existence dependent upon the creator God. Wolf does not deny the existence of God; she simply suggests that a divine existence is improvable. Therefore the question of a grand purpose and meaning in life is an unnecessary and an improvable argument to find an answer to, due to the improvable nature of God. However, she does believe that meaning in lives is not contingent upon the existence of God stating, â€Å"Meaningfulness is an intelligible feature to be sought in life† and that â€Å"a positive view about the possibility of meaning in lives can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 63). She expounds on this argument in three distinct sections. The first part of Wolf’s argument observes three different examples of meaningless lifestyle. Wolf articulates that learning from three paradigms of meaningless lives, one can construct an understanding for meaningfulness. She begins with a lifestyle she labeled the Blob. The Blob is defined by a lifestyle that â€Å"is lived in hazy passivity†¦ unconnected to anyone or anything, going nowhere, achieving nothing† (Wolf 64). Wolf deduces from the Blobs meaningless lifestyle, that in order to attain a meaningful life one must be engaged in a project, which can include relationships. The second meaningless lifestyle, in contrast to the Blob’s lifestyle of passivity, is regarded as the Useless life; â€Å"a life whose dominant activities seem pointless, useless or empty† (Wolf 65). After reviewing the lifestyle of the Useless life, a life void of worth, to achieve meaning â€Å"one must be engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). The final category of a meaningless life would be the lifestyle of the Bankrupt, â€Å"someone who is engaged or even dedicated, to a project that is ultimately revealed as bankrupt, not because the person’s values are shallow or misguided, but because the project fails†(Wolf 65). Ultimately, Wolf concludes that in order to achieve meaningfulness one must not only be engaged in a project of positive value but that project must be in some way successful. After providing a working definition for a meaningful life, Wolf raises the question as to what constitutes â€Å"positive value† and who has the right to objectively determine value. Similarly to Wolf’s construction of meaningfulness, she argues reasons for why an individual is incapable of objectively determining positive value. This incapability for determining objective value is due to the individual’s subjectivity and â€Å"interest in living a life that feels or seems meaningful†(Wolf 66). Therefore, because an individual is incapable of distinguishing objective positive value from interest, it is unlikely that the individual can distinguish what is required for a meaningful life. She argues that objective value is determined and achieved through observing value in other people’s lives. Wolf clarifies that the objective good she is referring to is not compared to moral goodness, â€Å"benefiting or honoring humanity† (Wolf 67). Wolf claims that meaningfulness is not contingent upon moral value. Instead, Wolf suggests that while there are examples of lives exhibiting great moral value, such as Mother Teresa and Gandhi, that are full of meaning; there are also examples of other lives, such as â€Å"artists, scholars, musicians and athletes†, that possess great meaning, not based upon their moral value. These lives are considered valuable and meaningful due to their ability to â€Å"develop our skills and our understanding of the world† which â€Å"give meaning to our lives- but they do not give moral value to them †(Wolf 67). A greater understanding of our own worth and the Universe is what Wolf constitutes for lives to have meaning. The final stage in Wolf’s argument poses the question â€Å"what is the good, after all, of living a meaningful life†(Wolf 67)? Wolf does not wish to define goodness, but rather discusses the advantages for living a life full of meaning. Wolf makes the final stand, that in order to grasp meaningfulness and understand how one can achieve it in their life; an individual must become enlightened to their status in the world as â€Å"a tiny speck in a vast universe† (Wolf 69). This description of where an individual lies in relation to the vastness of the Universe, provides the reality that meaning in lives cannot logically be contingent upon the desires and benefits for the individual, due to humanities insignificance. It seems illogical to Wolf, that a person who seeks to find meaning in their life could conclude that is dependent upon their independent happiness claiming, â€Å"to devote oneself wholly to one’s own satisfaction seems to me to fly in the face of truth, to act as if one is the only thing that matters, or perhaps, more, that one’s own psychology is the only source of (determining) what matters† (Wolf 70). The truth, to which Wolf refers, is the reality that individuals have very little significance in relation to the value of the vast Universe. It is because of this truth that a self-center and egocentric life goes against of logic after such a truth is realized. Wolf argues that instead of egocentric priorities to achieve meaning, an individual should alternatively be focused on the needs of the Universe and others. She understands that â€Å"you are just one person among others, equally real- is the source of practical reason-in this case, it gives you reason to take the pains of others to constitute reasons for action†¦reason to care about the pain of others that is grounded, not in our own psychologies, but a fact about the world†(Wolf 70). In this section, I will address three areas of Wolf’s reasoning I find to be inconsistent with her argument as a whole. A concern that I have regarding Wolf’s argument is her use of the word â€Å"meaning†, in regards to the meaning of lives. A very different connotation of the word â€Å"meaning† suggested by the philosophical question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † Wolf states that the question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † requires an individual to postulate the existence of God because it implies their ultimate aim â€Å"to find a purpose or a point to human existence†(Wolf 63). However, Wolf also argues, â€Å"whether or not God exists, the fact remains that some objects, activities and ideas are better than others. Whether or not God exists some ways of living are more worthwhile than others†(Wolf 72). At the beginning of Wolf’s argument about the meaning of lives, suggests that she neither denies nor rejects the existence of God. She argues this as true because she believes the question behind the meaning in lives can be answered as â€Å"an intelligible feature to be sought in life and that it is at least sometimes attainable but not everywhere assured†(Wolf 63). Wolf reduces the meaning of lives to that which can be determined by human reasoning a finite measurement of this transitory world. Thus Wolf, who has neither denied nor rejected the existence of God has unreasonably eliminated the question of origin of lives, as irrelevant to meaning in lives. She focuses how certain types of lives merit significance in existence and consequently refers to the word â€Å"meaning† as synonymous with value. Finally, Wolf argues that there is value in human lives that â€Å"can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 66). This statement is far less controversial than her attempts to argue that meaning in lives is achievable without the postulation of God. Logically, to explore meaning in lives, one must consider the beginning of life, which must have been constructed either by accident or by a creator. Meaning cannot be cited as more or less significant at a particular point in an individual’s life. Thus, the point that one comes into existence must be regarded for defining meaning within an individual’s life. The second problem in Wolf’s argument comes in her evaluation of what is considered a project of positive value. An individual who is engaged in a project of positive value is central to Wolf’s definition of a meaningful life. Although, projects of positive value can add to meaning in an individual’s life, Wolf’s reasoning as to â€Å"who is to decide which projects have positive value† is vague and inconsistent with her earlier positions (Wolf 66). Wolf concludes that individuals are incapable of objectively deciding what has positive value, due to subjective interests, which skew their understanding of objective value. Wolf deduces that in order for an individual to understand projects of positive value, which will eventually adds meaning to heir lives, they must experience an â€Å"epiphany†¦ to the recognition that our life to date has been meaningless† (Wolf 66). This comment is completely inconsistent with Wolf’s fundamental goal to acquire an understanding of meaning in lives from an intelligible process of reason. The understanding for projects of positive value through an epiphany is inconsistent with her pervious arguments because it depends she suggests that understanding meaning comes from an unintelligible source of knowledge. Who is to say that that epiphany is not guided by a supreme higher being? The irony of Wolf’s conclusion about the necessary epiphany, is that her statement â€Å"It is the sort of experience that one might describe in terms of scales falling from ones eyes†, compares closely to the allusion found in Acts 9:18 (Wolf 66). The verse reads â€Å"And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized† (NIV 1000). The language of scales falling from the eyes in order to gain true understanding is regarded in both versions as an act depended upon a supernatural entity enabling the change. This very interesting comment by Wolf, suggests that understanding how an individual recognizes truth through epiphany is beyond the capabilities of human control and intellect. Her attempted arguments about how a meaningful life is realized are sound up until the point about epiphany. Lastly, Wolf’s argument for meaning in lives lacks any discussion of immortality as a necessary property for meaning. Wolf reasons that there are certain lifestyles that are more meaningful than others. This argument for certain lifestyle having greater meaning has limited relevance because as she rationalizes, lives are finite and temporary as are the lives of others whom we must focus in our acknowledgement of the truth that we are just a â€Å"speck in the vast Universe†(Wolf 69). Wolf does a fine job at articulating the insignificance and temporary state of human life. However, she fails to recognize that in her attempts to construct a logical framework for meaning in finite lives she disregards the possibility for immortality to give further meaning to lives. Thus, she reduces the idea of meaning as an avoidance of an egocentric lifestyle and recognizes insignificance and meaning within an individuals’ life alone. Wolf’s claim that meaning is attainable through certain actions only satisfies temporary lives for a finite amount of time. This argument surrounding meaning as dependent upon an inward realization of insignificance manifesting into outward actions, is simply a cycle of meaningless people helping other meaningless people, and causes only a temporary impact. In an argument for the importance of immortality to meaning in lives, Gianluca Di Muzio states, â€Å"If a human being dies and her actions have no lasting effect, because the world itself perished, then her life was meaningless. If, in the end, all comes to nothing, then it does not matter in the first place whether a particular person existed or not† (Di Muzio 2). In order for actions and lives to be meaningful, they must have a lasting impact or something to gain, and provide for others in a way that is not reducible to the finite and temporary world. Thus, achievable immortality must exist for meaning to be possible. Although she attempts to determine the meaning in lives for an agnostic world, I would argue that Wolf’s argument actually supports many theistic views regarding the meaning of lives. Though many of Wolf’s arguments do not adequately provide understanding for meaning in lives from an agnostic perspective, many of her points parallel to the theistic view of â€Å"purpose theory. † Before I expound on these similarities, an understanding of the theistic view regarding the meaning of must be addressed. According to Borchert, the theistic view argues that, â€Å"life is meaningful insofar as one fulfills a purpose that God has assigned† (Borchert 295). In â€Å"Confession†, Leo Tolstoy discusses meaning in life from the theistic perspective and claims â€Å"now I see clearly that my faith-my only real faith-that which apart from my animal instincts gave impulse to my life- was a belief in perfecting myself† (Klemke 2). Tolstoy sought such perfection in artistic achievements and loving his family. In trying to find meaning in family and people, Tolstoy ultimately realizes that â€Å"My family — wife and children — are also human. They are placed just as I am: they must either live in a lie or see the terrible truth† (Klemke 10). In other words, Tolstoy realizes that if meaning resides in the finite and temporary nature of humanity, meaning too will die along with the life. Tolstoy further suggests that meaning cannot reside within artistic modes when he writes Art, poetry? Under the influence of success and the praise of men, I had long assured myself that this was a thing one could do though death was drawing near — death which destroys all things, including my work and its remembrance; but soon I saw that that too was a fraud† (Klemke 10). This declaration further supports Tolstoy’s theistic belief that everything of and in this world cannot be the ultimate source of meaning in lives. Although, the substance of this world may increase value within life, it cannot supply ultimate, enduring meaning. Tolstoy finally declares, â€Å"To know God and to live is one and the same thing. God is life- Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God† (Klemke 11). This passage concludes with his theistic assertion that without a â€Å"divine plan for the world, then all efforts come to nothing, because everything comes to nothing. Hence our lives are meaningless without God† (Metz 293). Though Wolf attempts to support an agnostic view for the question, â€Å"is there meaning in lives? † her central points mirror those of the theistic view and supports many of its claims. This final section will concentrate on central points within Wolf’s argument that support a theistic view for understanding meaning in lives. To begin, she claims that a life has meaning insofar as it is â€Å"engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). Although this statements seems logical, Wolf fails to provide an intelligible source for acquiring knowledge about whether or not a project has positive value and which projects do not. She betrays the agnostic attempt to provide an understanding of meaning in lives through reason, by suggesting that realization of projects with positive value relies upon an epiphany. The concept of an epiphany for realization is inconsistent with her attempts to rationalize. However, when Wolf’s definition is placed against the theistic view, it is logically consistent with theological beliefs. Theists believe that an individual must be actively engaged in positively affecting peoples lives with in the world, while ultimately contributing to God’s divine plan in order for their lives to have meaning. This concept is articulated beautifully in Gianluca Di Muzio’s argument: Theism and the Meaning of Life, in which he states, â€Å"In order to have meaning, our lives must make a difference to a higher scheme. And theism sees human action as doing a sort of double duty. On one hand, they affect other people and events in this world, on the other, they further or hinder God’s ultimate plan† (Di Muzio 2). This statement suggests that humanities actions in projects have the ability to have two different forms of significance, both relative and ultimate. Relative significance refers to the theistic perspective that, â€Å"actions and events have relative significance when they only influence other actions and events†(Di Muzio 3). Ultimate significance is when our actions and events â€Å"contribute to God’s plan† (Di Muzio 3). Both of these forms contribute to theistic view, however Wolf’s argument focuses solely on relative significance. The theistic understanding of relative significance is paralleled to Wolf’s understanding of meaning in lives. She believes that when individuals realize their insignificance and begin to seek beyond themselves for meaning by actively engaging in projects of positive value, they can acquire meaning. Though this insignificance is transient, it supports the theistic belief that, â€Å"human beings have access to value† without having to postulate the existence of God, because â€Å"existence affords the opportunity to attain the kinds of goods that make a human life worthwhile and fulfilling† (Di Muzio 5-6). Wolf’s profound point that human life is just a â€Å"speck in a vast universe† lays the foundation for the theistic belief in ultimate significance (Wolf 71). Theists believe that there is A fundamental disproportion between aspirations and reality is a powerful source of the idea that our lives are absurd and meaningless. We think we matter, and yet we don’t. The world is not intoned with our hope, desires and projects. The possibility of out destruction looms everywhere; and human suffering, however enormous, seems to be nothing but a passing accident, a byproduct of the presence of sentient creatures in a world that merely tolerates them for a short time. (Di Muzio 9) This understanding of human insignificance plays a vital role in the theistic belief that despite human fragility, purpose and significance are achievable within the most tragic circumstances. Wolf’s recognition of our insignificance implies our need to look beyond our own lives for meaning. If a life of meaning depends upon recognizing the truth about our insignificance and continuing to be â€Å"actively engaged in a project of positive value†, and one cannot perform these projects due to tragic circumstances, then within Wolf’s reasoning their life can not have meaning. Wolf’s understanding of meaning depends upon individual human performance. In trying times of suffering, whether great or small, this concept of looking outside of ones own circumstances is hard to accomplish and in some circumstances impossible, thus in such cases meaning cannot be unachieved. The theistic view of ultimate significance provides a hope that a life of suffering can have meaning and purpose too in that, â€Å"the idea of God and hope for immortality can help us look again at the world and our fragile lives as meaningful†(Di Muzio 9). The project of participating in God’s divine plan is the only project that has lasting and unwavering value for meaning in lives. Wolf’s central argument concerning meaning in lives provides many logically convincing and sound points. However, Wolf’s definition of a life of meaning is both disconnected from her original argument and lacks a consistent, authoritative source and process for achieving meaning. She attempts to suggest that meaning is an â€Å"intelligible feature to be sought in life†, then provides the solution for achieving this insight of through the unintelligible source of epiphany. Secondly, Wolf’s argument for the realization of insignificance as the truth, unlocks the need for an individual to look beyond serving his or her own self-centered desires for meaning. However, though her point about insignificance seems valid, Wolf fails to provide examples or an understanding of how an individual can objectively determine how to look outside of themselves. In total, Wolf produces an understanding of meaning that depends upon an individuals abilities to undergo an epiphany and properly manifest their understanding of the need to look outside one’s self and recognize Universal needs. The problem with this stance is that focusing on the Universe provides no lasting impact, or meaning to a particular life because the things of this Universe are finite and temporary. The individual’s life will eventually end along with the actions and events they affected. Though existence can provide an opportunity for value, as understood in Wolf’s argument and the theistic view, meaning is dependent upon a infinite being whose performance can not be temporary. An individual must not be reliant on their personal performances and finite experiences to obtain meaning, but rather is actively engaged in an eternal project of positive value, determined by an infinite and constant authority, God. Works Cited Borchert, Donald M. Theism. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2nd ed. 10. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Web. 25 Apr 2012. Di Muzio, Gianluca. Theism and the Meaning of Life life’s meaning? Ars Disputandi . 6. (2006): 1-12. Print. Klemke, E. D. â€Å"The Meaning of Life†. 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print. Metz, Thaddeus. â€Å"Could God’s purpose be the source of life’s meaning? † Cambridge Journals. (2000): 293-311. Print. Wolf, Susan. The Meaning Of Lives. 62-73. Print.

Importance of Reflective Practice in Counselling

Importance of Reflective Practice in Counselling Reflective practice refers to the capability to reflect on our everyday actions and frameworks, as well as concepts on personal experience as part of a process of life-long learning (Schon, 1983). According to this definition, Bolton (2010) termed this as developmental insight, where the emphasis is placed on the learning from our own experience rather than knowledge gained from lectures or tutorials. On a personal note, I think what is significant about reflection during the course of our practice in this subject is that I am not just looking back on events and actions that has happened to us in the past, but also I am conscious of my emotions, experiences, actions, and behavioural reactions, and thus the utilization of these factors to add on to my existing knowledge database. As such, it is to draw out new and perhaps better knowledge, and in the long run, I hope to have a higher level of understanding. These would be achievable via the few factors that would be discussed in the e ssay, such as questioning and reflecting on my own moral and ethical values and comparing it with the Ethics Code in situations where I am required to act extremely. On another note, by reflecting on my personality profile, I check and reflect if my ideals and passion are congruent with the test that measured my psychological preference and my criterions on decision making. By reflecting on these frameworks, I hope to shed some light on my self-awareness and hopefully gain some new insights so that ultimately, I can improve as a better human being. The Ethics Code The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, in another light denoted as the Ethics Code, consists of several clause and terms which serves as a guideline as how a psychologist should behave when conflicting scenarios arise, which could possibly happen on a daily basis. The Ethics Code, however, applies only to psychologists and their work-related activities that are part of their nature of job scope. These usually include an array of activities such as counselling, teaching, supervision, social intervention, as well as conducting assessments through the development of assessment instruments. On the other hand, the violation of the Ethics Code itself does not instantly determine whether a psychologist has violated a law and is liable for legal actions in court. When considering a professional behaviour to be conducted, psychologists must not only consider the Ethics Code, but also to put into consideration applicable laws and the relevant board regulations. Psychologi sts must ensure that the ethical standards are met if the Ethics Code establishes a more stringent standard of conduct that is mandatory by law. Greenberg and Shuman (1998) elucidate that although not always the case, during practice, the law would usually be compliant with the Ethics Code. If, at any point in time, the Ethics Code happens to be with conflict with the requirements of law, I feel that psychologists are supposed to remain committed to the Ethics Code and exercise caution to resolve any conflict while not violating any civil laws. Since the work of a psychologist is to develop a reliable and valid construct of information which are backed by research, and are applied with the intention of broadening our vision and knowledge on behaviour, which essentially creates an opportunity to improve conditions of interaction between society and the individual, the Ethics Code is thought to be able to provide a common set of values in which it is envisioned to offer the general pr inciples as well as rules of decision making to ensure that most of the possible situations encountered by a psychologist can be referred to and resolved. However, Corey, Corey and Callanan (1998) argues that while it holds true that the Ethics Code provides guidelines for ethical conducts, it was not intended to be able to provide specific guidance or solutions to each and every situations that could arise. Though I feel that the Ethics Code is very thorough in its descriptions as it covers a wide scope of possible situations, it is still nonetheless not fool-proof as in specific field such as forensic psychology, where there is a fine line between ethical practice and legal laws. This was backed up by Day and White (2008), who mentioned that ethical dilemmas would arise and explain that especially in the field of forensic psychology, it is not uncommon that practitioners are drawn into legal proceedings. Furthermore, it was brought up by Herlihy and Corey (1997) that although it m ay be consistent with the Ethics Code to breach client confidentiality in situations such as when a client is seen as a threat to self or others, there are many occasions when the ethically responsible course of action is less clear. As such, I feel that while the Ethics Code offers a valid guideline on actions to be conducted in various situations, psychologists should still take into considerations which are the correct and just actions to take and certainly to exercise caution in the behaviours to be taken as a wrong decision could damage a person’s life or damage their reputation. Field trip to Institute of Mental Health The grey area of applicability of ethics in mental health settings is an intriguing issue, especially with personal experience, i.e., field trip to the Institute of Mental Health. While many consider the correct course of action to be in a particular way, health practitioners and their set of code and values may present itself differently. I realized that there exist difficult and conflicting cases that may arise when dealing with people with mental disorders. For example, the ethical standard of conduct would be to inform the clients the truth of their conditions, and avoid actions that are likely to harm clients. However, the very act of informing the clients of their conditions is likely to invoke a response, which in return would most likely aggravate their emotional suffering. An array of misconceptions was cleared when the nurses at the Institute of Mental Health provided a clear explanation of the evolution of treatment of patients changed from the past to the present. One exa mple brought up by the nurse was the usage of straitjacket. A straitjacket is a garment which resembles a jacket, but with long sleeves and is generally used to restrain individuals who would possibly harm themselves, damage furniture, or injure surrounding staffs. Before the development of psychiatric medications, doctors did not know how to properly treat mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. A variety of treatments that was deemed to be cruel by current standards were thus attempted by the doctors, and the straitjacket was one of the treatments used. However, as research allows the development of drugs to suppress the effects of the mental disorders, such treatments were stopped and disallowed to be continued to be carried out to the clients. It was very fortunate to hear from the nurse at the institute that the straitjacket is no longer in usage as it was deemed to be inhumane, and I personally think so as well. Since the drugs are now capable of suppressing the effects of mental disorders, the approach of institutionalizing the clients has been reviewed. Townsend (1976) posits that clients who are institutionalized gets convinced that they are mentally ill, and as they integrate themselves with the institutional life, it would reduce the client’s ability to live outside if they were to get deinstitutionalized. Personally, I feel that dealing with individuals who are affected by mental disorders is a tricky issue, as there are many possible ways to approach the situation. One example would be making the decision as to whether an individual should be institutionalized or not. However, as far as I would suggest, I think that it should be advocated that the criterion of institutionalizing the clients be more strict, for example, admitting only the extreme cases of mental disorders where the clients are not able to sustain normal daily life, as the said effect would cause them to rely on the institution and progressively unable to l ive by themselves, even if symptoms of mental disorders were to subside and doctors claim that they can be discharged from the institution. Awareness Program Autism disorder was the focal point of the awareness program for my group, and there are several pointers in which I am ashamed that I personally have committed. Firstly, it has been found that the lack of awareness in autism disorders has been a very concerning issue, especially in Singapore. Sigman, Mundy, Sherman and Ungerer (1986) explains that many people correctly identified some of the key characteristics of autism, including difficulty communicating, difficulty making friends, love of routine, as well as obsessive behaviours. However, some other common characteristics which I realized upon research, was that individuals who are affected by autism require the need for clear and unambiguous instructions and are susceptible to being disturbed by noise and touch; these points were less well known and could develop misconceptions if the other party was not aware; these were the points in which I was unaware of and would negligibly scrutinize them if I had to repeat my words multip le times and yet they would not understand what I would have said. Upon raising my own awareness of the particular disorder and through some reflection, I felt that many individuals with autism act differently when compared to our typical population. Whether at school, at work or in social settings, people with autism are often taken at face value and thus misunderstood. Individuals with autism may not respond when spoken to or may avoid eye contact from the people asking the question. They could possibly behave in unusual manners in which most people do not understand. Some behaviours are so out of the norm that they were misinterpreted as poor discipline. However, people in society tend to arrive at this opinion solely based on just a brief observation, rather than putting in effort to try to look for further signs to comprehend the nature of those actions taken by these individuals affected with autism, and as such, they often suffer discrimination, intolerance and isolation. For many, that means a lifetime of exclusion from everyday society. We, as individuals, should not be doing this, but rather, embrace the difference and aid them into being comfortable with their surroundings so that they can cope with their everyday lives. Just a simple act of observing them would go a long way in creating a society in which such individuals affected by autism disorder can coexist with us. Nonetheless, the completion for the autism awareness program did not come as an easy task, as it was difficult to acquire access to the relevant institutes of interest. For example, my group was not able to gain access and direct first-hand experience of understanding how individuals with autism would behave in schools, where they are required to interact with their surroundings, and more importantly, their peers. However, this setback did not deter my group from obtaining information. Pathlight school, a school for individuals with autism, however, did release some interactive info rmation such as articles and newspaper cut-outs with regards to the related field, and were cooperative in allowing us to gain as much knowledge as possible despite our lack of first-hand experience. As such, the only methods we were able to procure information was through the information released by the management of Pathlight, as well as the many questions that were relayed through e-mails so that we can gain accurate knowledge regarding autism disorders, and shed some light to others who are not as aware of such a disorder. Nonetheless, I feel that even with the information amassed through research; it is still insufficient to properly account for the wide array of characteristics that are exclusive to individuals with autism. Personality Profile Individuals who go through personal development includes going through events that improve our self-awareness, and it allows us to cultivate our talents and potential, and as such, enrich our quality of life which ultimately contributes to the realization of our passion and aspirations. Based on the MBTI, Davies (2008) proposed that it is an assessment tool used to measure psychological preferences in how individuals perceive the world and make decisions, my personality profile is INTJ. Lawrence and Martin (2001) suggested that the MBTI is a reliable and valid instrument to measure our personality. They mentioned that the test is capable of being retested and are good across age and ethnic groups, and they pointed out that the instrument is set out to measure what the test is supposed to test originally. Based on the MBTI assessment by Myers (1998), it is conceived that INTJs see things from a top-down approach, and are capable of relating new information to overall patterns. They al so find themselves readily synthesizing abstract and complicated theoretical matters, and such mind-sets would lead the INTJs them to value knowledge, as well as expect competence of themselves and others. Personally, I would agree to these points as my ideals of work reside in the fact that if all of the group members are competent, we would be able to complete the work beforehand and leave time and room for improvements to be made before any actual submission is due. This is especially important as having gone through numerous group works, my belief is that the more the content is reviewed, the more insightful it gets as we gain mastery and command in the particular context of research. I feel that in aspects of productive work, even if it is a group project, I prefer to work independently and thereafter team members come together to share their points to strengthen the validity and reliability of the entire project; though I favour the notion of working independently, I would not differ from group norms and still be cooperative towards team members. This was supported by Baron and Baron-Tieger (1995), where they elucidated that INTJs prefer to work independently, and have no particular problems in meeting group requirements as teamwork is not an issue. In another aspect, I value accuracy in my work and ensure that most, if not all of my curiosity in the area I am researching in is satisfied, and, because of my values I find myself inclined to field such as science and research, particularly in fields of forensic psychology. Through the test in which also supports my ideals of inclination to abstract matters and challenges, I feel that forensic psychology is a very interesting path in psychology as it presents abstract ideas and challenges in actual situations and it is my passion, as well as satisfaction to be able to decipher the true meaning and rationale behind human behaviour. Another technique in which I find useful in promoting my self-awareness is th e Johari window. Based on what I understand, the concept of reducing the blind spot by being inquisitive about myself would help in promoting self-awareness, because by understanding how others perceive my in another aspect which I was not able to see, I would be able to reflect on my actions and determine whether adjustments to my behaviour are required. Similarly, Joseph (1969) clarifies that in order to become self-aware and develop as a person, we should know more about ourselves and be informed about what others know about us as well. To conclude, reflection and practice can be considered a subset of the many concepts and values we can pick up along the way of gaining insight on skills that are useful and applicable in our field of study. Through various lessons and facilitation, i.e. the Ethics Code, I was able to build up knowledge with regards to identifying, accessing, as well as making evaluations of information and its applicability to actual practice. Furthermore, the development of skills in professional and personal reflection was significant, as seen I feel that I have gained the capability to identify approaches for the development of appropriate outcomes and predict the indicators of success. Furthermore, by reflecting on the various concepts brought up in the essay, as well as through the course of subject, I feel that I have gained some new knowledge about myself; for example through the concept of Johari window, I realized that to be better self-aware, I needed to be inquisitive about myself, and th is is one of the crucial part of what I think helps in my personal development. References Bolton, G. (2010). Reflective Practice, Writing and Professional Development (3rd ed.). California: SAGE Publications. Corey, G., Corey, M., Callanan, G. (1998). Issues and ethics in the helping professions (5th ed.). California, CA: Brooks/Cole. Davies, S. J. (2008). Psychometric testing: what is Myers Briggs? The Foundation Years, 4(2), 81-82. Day, A., White, J. (2008). Ethical practice from the perspective of the forensic psychologist:Commentary on the uses and value of the Australian Psychological Society (2007) Code of Ethics. Australian Psychologist, 43(3), 186-193. Greenberg, S. A., Shuman, D. W. (1997). Irreconcilable conflict between therapeutic and forensic roles. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28, 50-57. Herlihy, B., Corey, G. (1997). Boundary issues in counselling: Multiple roles and responsiblities. Alexandria: American Counselling Association. Joseph, L. (1969). Of Human Interaction. Palo Alto, CA: National Press. Lawrence, G., Martin, C. R. (2001). Building People, Building Programs: A Practitioners Guide for Introducing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to Individuals and Organizations. United States of America: Center for Application of Psychological Type. Myers, I. B. (1998). Introduction to type: A guide to understanding your results on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Schà ¶n, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner, How Professionals Think In Action. United States of America: Basic Books. Sigman, M., Mundy, P., Sherman, T., Ungerer, J. (1986). Social interactions of autistic, mentally retarded and normal children and their caregivers. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 27(5), 647-656. Tieger, P. D., Barron-Tieger, B. (1995). Do what you are: discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of personality type (2nd ed.). Boston: Brown. Townsend, J. M. (1976). Self-concept and the institutionalization of mental patients: An overview and Critique. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 17, 263-271.

The Quest for Nothing in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay -- Frankens

A Quest for Nothing in Shelly's Frankenstein    The last chapter of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein concludes Victor Frankenstein's search for the monster. His obsession with finding the wretch leads him into the most desolate territories in the world, led on with clues left by the monster itself. The motive for his quest goes beyond the desire for revenge, but is shaped over the primal need for Victor to become the ideal self. The monster, in which Victor placed his most intense hours of isolated contemplation, represents, if not the unconscious then at least an outlet and a means for the fulfillment of Victor's dark repressed wishes. Victor therefore is bent on achieving "the wholeness that was ravaged instantly and for always in the formative stages of his mental growth, specifically the mirror stage."(Reed 64)    In the mirror stage, the spark of knowledge, which will ultimately mark the splitting of the self, infuses the child at the moment when the child, still in state of dependency, identifies its reflection in the mirror. The child is then left to the mercy of the gigantic and fiendish realization that it may never again become unified with the ideal-I, or as Jacques Lacan names it, the Gestalt. The Gestalt represents the "rigid structure of the subject's entire mental development," an ideal goal that cannot be obtained, and the subject "will only rejoin the coming-into-being of the subject asymptotically. This is to say that at the moment when the child views its reflection in the mirror, it is doomed by eternal distance from the exemplary self, the fully functioning and accessible mind, and can only hope to arrive infinitely closer to becoming it. Lacan emphasizes that the subject must realize the impossibility of b... ...ts in nothing. Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. New York: Chelsea, 1987. Botting, Fred. Making monstrous. Frankenstein, criticism, theory. Manchester University Press, 1991. Boyd, Stephen. York Notes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Longman York Press, 1992. Garber, Frederick. The Autonomy of the Self from Richardson to Huysmans. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1982. Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley. Her Life, her Fiction, her Monsters. Methuen. New York, London, 1988. Marcel, Anthony J. "Conscious and Unconscious Perception." Cognitive Psychology 15 (1983): 197-237 Reed, Kenneth T. "A Freudian Note on Shelley's 'Frankenstein'". Literature and Psychology 19 (1969): 61-72. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992

Historical Investigation Essay

â€Å"Assess the impact of the period from 1969 – 1982 on the IRA/Sinn Fein and their development into a significant political force in Northern Ireland† â€Å"Assess the impact of the period from 1969 – 1982 on the IRA/Sinn Fein and their development into a significant political force in Northern Ireland† During the period from 1969-1982 both the IRA and Sinn Fein underwent significant change. Sinn Fein moved from a fringe role, in the nationalist movement of Northern Ireland, to a dominant political position. During a time of intense violence in the region an internal discussion was taking place, deliberating on the value of armed resistance versus political engagement. The ideals that rose out of this transformed the movement and laid the basis for the central role it would play in the eventual Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The re-emergence of the nationalist movement led to the rise and resurrection of groups such as the IRA. Naturally this caused much tension, and incidences of violence began to rise. Acts of exceptional protest showed the incomparable power of politics over violence and led to international recognition of the issue. Ultimately Sinn Fein developed into one of the most powerful political forces in Northern Ireland. After years in the dark the nationalist movement began to rapidly gain momentum when the Belfast Troubles began in 1969. The IRA had been deeply divided since 1921 when Dail Eireann chose to ratify the Anglo- Irish treaty. The treaty established the autonomous Irish Free State whilst the province of Ulster remained under the direct control of the United Kingdom. Despite the fact that IRA member Michael Collins had played a role in writing the treaty there was still a major difference of opinion between members of the IRA.1 They were divided between those who were for the establishment of the Free State and those who believed it was illegitimate and illegal. The Split over the treaty led to the Irish Civil War from 1922-3. Many of the opposing leaders had been close friends and comrades during the Irish War of Independence. The civil war split the IRA and this rift would continue to haunt Irish politics for many years to come. In the 1960’s the IRA was further marginalised as it came under the influence of left wing thinkers. This caused a split between the factions of the IRA based in Dublin and Belfast.2 In 1969 the wounds of old were once stirred again when Northern Ireland was rocked by bloody sectarian rioting. The bloodiest rioting was in Belfast where seven people were killed and hundreds injured.3 Violence escalated sharply after these events and new paramilitary groups came into existence on either side of the conflict. The Provisional IRA received an upsurge in membership. It was from here that ‘The Troubles,’ one of the most infamous periods in Irish history began. The violence was characterised by armed campaigns of paramilitary groups. Conflict hit the streets and many innocent people were often attacked. Alongside the violence there was deadlock between the major political parties of Northern Ireland over how the province would be administered and governed. 1972 saw an explosion of political violence in Northern Ireland in which many people lost their lives. The nationalist community saw the Provisional IRA as their defenders, who began an armed campaign in reaction to loyalist provoked violence. During this period the party Sinn Fein had no interest in electoral politics.4 They voiced the need for military opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland. They gained control of the Republican movement and began to focus on flooding nationalist propaganda throughout Northern Ireland. Membership began to skyrocket as anti-British sentiment ran rife. The Republican political party Sinn Fein built the foundations for a movement which in ten years would expand to have branches in every town in Ireland. Atrocities by loyalists and British forces themselves were used to justify the IRA as a movement and inspired many to stand up and fight for the cause they all believed in. On 30 January 19725 in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland border, perhaps one of the largest single atrocities of the ‘Troubles’ period occurred. During a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march in the bogside area of the city members of the 1st Battalion of the British Parachute regiment opened fire on many unarmed protestors. Twenty seven people are known to have been shot and fourteen of those were killed with at least five of the latter confirmed as being shot in the back. 6 Witnesses, including bystanders and British journalists, testify that all those shot appeared to be unarmed. Many individual atrocities occurred that day witnessed by hundreds of people. Eye witness Michael McCallion testified that â€Å"A fellow came out with a white flag, no sooner had he done this when the middle of three British soldiers pulled the trigger and shot him through the head†¦.I have witnessed this as God is my judge and I say that it was cold blooded murder.†7 Testimonies such as this confirm the extreme acts of violence the British committed unnecessarily on that day. One paratrooper who gave evidence testified that they were told by an officer to expect a gunfight and â€Å"we want some kills.†8 The reason for the uproar over such killings was the British soldiers were essentially not an occupying force but a measure of peace between nationalist and loyalist paramilitary groups. As Catholic Bishop of Derry Edward Daly commented â€Å"What really made Bloody Sunday so obscene was the fact that afterwards at the highest level British justice justified it.†9 Acts such as this by official British forces reaffirmed the belief of many that the British Government was still the real enemy and behind the problems that continued in Northern Ireland. This justified the cause of the nationalist movement and subsequently the IRA and Sinn Fein as well. Both organisations had now developed a strong following throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland. Whilst such occurrences did cause much suffering and pain they proved useful to both the IRA and Sinn Fein in acquiring widespread support for the movement. Sinn Fein and the IRA were not officially linked but both strived for the same goal. The Provisional Irish Republican Army was a paramilitary organisation that considered itself a direct continuation of the IRA that had fought in the Irish war of Independence.10 Its stated objective was to end British rule in Ireland and withdraw Northern Irelands status as part of the United Kingdom. The Provisionals advocated for armed defence of Catholic communities in the north and an offensive campaign to end British rule. As the violence in Northern Ireland steadily increased the IRA began to call for a more aggressive campaign against British loyalists. Sinn Fein was a political party of the Republican movement. It was formed in 1970 but has traces back to the original party founded in 1905.11 The party is believed to be directly associated with the IRA. Both Sinn Fein and the IRA played different but converging roles in the war for liberation. Whilst the movements were not officially linked it was widely thought that they were different faces of the same movement. In 2005 the British Government stated â€Å"We had always said all the way through that we believed the IRA and Sinn Fein were inextricably linked and that had obvious implications at leadership level.†12 Throughout the early seventies there was much internal argument between factions of the IRA and Sinn Fein over whether their movement’s primary role should chiefly military or political, although both groups viewed Britain as a colonial occupier and therefore viewed the political process as illegal. Until 1973 Sinn Fein had little interest in politics as the party was still deemed illegal by the British Government. Political activity began in 1973 when Sinn Fein opened the Republican press centre on Falls Road. In 1973 the first attempt at negotiations to resolve the situation led to the Sunningdale Agreement, which devised a power sharing system in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Although this did no include Sinn Fein and quickly collapsed under pressure from loyalist strikes.13 In May 1974 British secretary of State Merlyn Rees legalised Sinn Fein as a political party.14 This was perhaps the beginning of tacit recognition by the British Government that negotiations were only meaningful if they were directly with the IRA. Whilst local politicians such as John Hume, of the Nationalist Party, were respected they did not command enough power to have any effect. Secret meetings between Provisional IRA leaders Ruairi O’Bradaigh and Billy McKee with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Merlyn Rees resulted in a ceasefire which began in February 1975.15 The truce proved to be disastrous for the IRA; leading to infiltration by many British informers into their ranks. After a build up of tensions and a series of sectarian killings the ceasefire broke down in January 1976.16 It was clear that the original aims of the IRA leadership for a quick military victory were receding. It was acts of violence by British authorities that justified the military side of the movement and ensured tensions would continue for years to come. As Sinn Fein began to move into the political process so did many former revolutionaries and IRA members. One such person was Gerry Adams; after being in prison for alleged IRA membership17 he turned himself in a new direction a moved towards the political process. In 1978 he was elected as the vice president of Sinn Fein. This most likely came as a result of the realisation by many senior figures that it was becoming more and more unlikely that a military victory could be achieved. Whilst significant events such as Bloody Sunday lead to anti-British sentiment to sky rocket many turned away from violence and embraced the political system. Protests by a number of imprisoned IRA members in Long Kesh gaol showed the power of political tactics, leading to the dominance of Sinn Fein as a political force. The 1981 hunger strike was the climax of a five year protest by Republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest originally began in 197618 when the British Government removed its special category status for convicted paramilitary prisoners. This status had provided them with Prisoner of War privileges as specified in the Geneva Convention.19 Prisoners did not have to wear prison uniforms, do prison work and were allowed to be housed within their own paramilitary factions. They were also entitled to receive extra food parcels and have extra visits. When these rights were removed by the British Government, as recommended by the Gardiner Committee20, the prisoners began a protest to gain them back. It started with a blanket protest in which prisoners refused to wear uniforms but instead wrapped themselves in prison blan kets; they stated that they were not criminals but political prisoners. In 197821 the dispute escalated into a dirty protest in which prisoners refused to wash and covered their cell walls with excrement. In 1980 the first hunger strike took place but to no avail ending after 53 days.22 The second strike in 1981 is perhaps one of the best know instances of protest throughout the campaign. The strike was lead by former IRA Officer Commanding in the prison, Bobby Sands.23 At the beginning of the strike there was little progress and it didn’t receive much outside support. But after five days the strike received a much needed boost; the Independent Republican MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone died and a by-election was called to appoint his replacement. It was decided that Bobby Sands would stand against the Ulster Unionist Party candidate Harry West.24 On 9 April 1981 Sands won a narrow victory and was elected to the British House of Commons.25 The victory attracted worldwide attention and thousands of media personnel descended on Belfast. On the six ty sixth day of the hunger strikes, May 5, Sands died causing riots across Northern Ireland. One hundred thousand people lined the route of his funeral a few days later.26 In the weeks after Sands death three more hunger strikers died,27 and another by-election had to be held for the seat of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Due to the fact that the British Government had rushed through the Representation of the People Act,28 which meant prisoners serving more than one year could not run for parliament, so Sands’ election agent Owen Carron had to run instead. He claimed a similar victory gaining a larger percentage of the votes. The success of hunger strike created a firm platform for Irish republicanism and paved the way for the formal entry of Sinn Fein into electoral politics the following year. It was also around this period that the British Government began reforming its policies in relation to the IRA and Sinn Fein. They now viewed Sinn Fein as a legitimate political movement who would be included in official negotiations. The achievements of the hunger strikers proved the power of political activism as opposed to violence; they also exposed the falseness of the British Governments claim that the Republican movement had no support. The events of 1969-82 transformed the Republican movement from a violence orientated force to a significant political force. As Sinn Fein began to grow as a political force the IRA slowly, and with considerable internal difficulties, changed its ways. This eventually paved the way for an official ceasefire in 1994. Their agreement to decommission their weapons meant that Sinn Fein was allowed to come to the negotiation table and play a significant role in the Good Friday agreement of 1998. That agreement resulted in a devolved power sharing structure of self government for Northern Ireland, whilst it still remained within the United Kingdom.29 In 2007 Martin McGuiness of Sinn Fein was appointed deputy first minister and held equal power alongside Ian Paisely of the DUP in the Northern Ireland Assembly Government.30 From the split in the nationalist movement in 1969 to its reemergence throughout the seventies, alongside the IRA, there was much change. Events such as Bloody Sunday increased the military overtone of the movement but ultimately peaceful political power prevailed. Acts such as the 1981 hunger strike proved the power of political protest as compared to violence. Ultimately Sinn Fein grew into a legitimate political party and as of 2009 they became the largest party in Northern Ireland following European Parliamentary elections.31 _______________________________________________________ Bibliography Literary Sources English, Richard (2003), Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, Pan Books, Stuttgart, Germany ________________________________________________________________________ Geraghty, Tony (2000), The Irish War: The Hidden Conflict Between the IRA and British Intelligence, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland, USA ________________________________________________________________________ Hastings, Max (1970), Ulster 1969 – The Fight for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland, Victor Gollancz LTD, London, United Kingdom ________________________________________________________________________ McEvoy, Kieran (2001), Paramilitary Imprisonment in Northern Ireland: Resistance, Management, and Release, Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom ________________________________________________________________________ Moloney, Ed (2002), A Secret History of the IRA, Penguin Books, New Jersey, USA ________________________________________________________________________ Mullan, Don (1997), Eyewitness Bloody Sunday – The Truth, Wolfhound Press, Dublin, Ireland ________________________________________________________________________ O’Brien, Brendan (1995), the Long War, the IRA and Sinn Fein, Syracuse University Press, New York, USA ________________________________________________________________________ Electronic Sources BBC (2009), on this day – 9 Decmeber1973 (online), BBC, London, United Kingdom. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/9/newsid_2536000/2536767.stm (Accessed 26 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ BBC (2009), Profile: Martin McGuinness (online), BBC, London, United Kingdom. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1303355.stm (Accessed 29 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ CAIN Web Service (2009), A chronology of the conflict (online), University of Ulster, Belfast, United Kingdom. Available from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch76.htm (Accessed 27 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ Lord Gardiner (1975), Report of a Committee to consider, in the context of civil liberties and human rights, measures to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland – Extract (online), University of Ulster, Belfast, United Kingdom. Available from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/hmso/gardiner.htm#1 (Accessed July 28 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ McClean, Raymond, The Road to Bloody Sunday – Extracts (online), University of Ulster, Belfast, United Kingdom. Available from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/bsunday/mcclean.htm (Accessed 28 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ National Archives of Ireland (no date), Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Series: text of the Anglo-Irish Treaty (online), Irish Government, Dublin, Ireland, Available from http://www.nationalarchives.ie/topics/anglo_irish/dfaexhib2.html (Accessed 1 August 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ Prime Ministers Office (2005), Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Anti Terror Law, President Bush/EU, Foreign Doctors in NHS, Hunting and Northern Ireland (online), British Government, London, United Kingdom, Available from http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page7148 (Accessed 29 July 20090 ________________________________________________________________________ Sinn Fein Official Website (2009), History made – Sinn Fein is now the largest party in the six counties (online), Belfast, United Kingdom, Available from http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/16580 (Accessed 29 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ University College Cork (2009), Multitext project in Irish History – Movements for Political and Social Reform, 1870 – 1914 (online), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, Available from http://multitext.ucc.ie/d/Ireland_politics__administration_1870-1914#12TheFirstSinnFeacuteinParty> (Accessed 25 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ 1 National Archives of Ireland, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Series: text of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, n.d, (1 August 2009) 2 Moloney, Ed (2002), A Secret History of the IRA, Penguin Books. p. 246 3 English, Richard (2003), Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, Pan Books. p. 136 4 O’Brien, Brendan, the Long War, the IRA and Sinn Fein (1995) 5 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA. p. 80 6 McClean, Raymond, The Road to Bloody Sunday – Extracts, 1997, < http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/bsunday/mcclean.htm> (28 July 2009) 7 Mullan, Don, Eyewitness Bloody Sunday – The Truth, Wolfhound Press 8 Geraghty, Tony, The Irish War: The Hidden Conflict Between the IRA and British Intelligence, unknown p. 65 9 Mullan, Don, Eyewitness Bloody Sunday – The Truth 10 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA. p. 432 11 University College Cork, Multitext project in Irish History – Movements for Political and Social Reform, 1870 – 1914, 2009, < http://multitext.ucc.ie/d/Ireland_politics__administration_1870-1914#12TheFirstSinnFeacuteinParty> (25 July 2009) 12 Prime Ministers Office, Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Anti Terror Law, President Bush/EU, Foreign Doctors in NHS, Hunting and Northern Ireland, 21 February 2005, < http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page7148> 13 BBC, On this day – 9 Decmeber1973, 2009, < http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/9/newsid_2536000/2536767.stm> (26 July 2009) 14 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA 15 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA 16 English, Richard, Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, p. 136 17 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA p. 140. 18 McClean, Raymond, The Road to Bloody Sunday – Extracts 19 McEvoy, Kieran, Paramilitary Imprisonment in Northern Ireland: Resistance, Management, and Release, Oxford University Press 20 Lord Gardiner, Report of a Committee to consider, in the context of civil liberties and human rights, measures to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland – Extract, 1975, < http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/hmso/gardiner.htm#1> (July 28 2009) 21 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict, 2009, < http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch76.htm> (27 July 2009) 22 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 23 English, Richard, Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA p. 196 24 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA p. 211 25 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 26 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 27 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 28 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 29 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 30 BBC, Profile: Martin McGuinness, 2009, < http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1303355.stm> (29 July 2009) 31 Sinn Fein Online, History made – Sinn Fein is now the largest party in the six counties, 2009, < http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/16580> (29 July 2009)

Learning from the patient

The healthcare profession involves augmentation of a patient’s condition through therapeutic intervention.   The shared moment between a healthcare worker and a patient who is unbearably suffering by himself provides guidance for proper course of action, often resulting in greater patient satisfaction and healing potentialities (Gooden et al., 2001).   During this interaction, the healthcare professional establishes his presence by using a human care transaction mind-body-soul with another’s mind-body-soul in a lived moment. Presence has been defined as a relational style within healthcare professional interactions that involves being with, as well as doing with.   The core of this interaction is to learn and understand the circumstances of the situation and to direct the course of action to achieve the desired outcome of healing and recuperation in the part of the patient (Rachagan and Sharon, 2003; Hagihara A and Tarumi K, 2006).   In addition, the focused shared moments with the patient and his family teaches the healthcare professional to identify the key turning point necessary for patient’s healing process (Gore and Ogden, 1998; Street et al., 2003). The professional learns the needs of his patient by being fully present and consciously relating to his whole being, enabling the professional to use aesthetic ways of discovering the obstructions in the hidden pathways preventing the healing process (Murphy DD and Lam CL, 2002).   The healthcare professional plays a major role as a therapeutic agent by getting deeply involved with the situation using his inner energy of caring, being open and listening with solid awareness, and developing and sustaining a helping-trusting, authentic caring relationship (Ornstein, 1977; Heszen-Klemens and Lapinska E, 1984; Berry, 2007). Healthcare guidelines highlight that every healthcare professional is accountable for his decision and action and for maintaining competencies in every day of practice. This strong foundation requires that all nurses provide a therapeutic professional-patient relationship and provide care to patients under the scope of practice according to their needs, which will in turn, lead to significant outcomes (Clark, 2002).   Healthcare workers use different types of presence in order to learn from their patient, in order a therapeutic relationship and mutual understanding under any circumstance. References Berry PA (2007):   The absence of sadness: darker reflections on the doctor-patient relationship.   J. Med. Ethics 33(5):266-8. Clark PA (2002):   Confidentiality and the physician-patient relationship — ethical reflections from a surgical waiting room.   Med. Sci. Monit. 8(11):SR31-4. Gooden BR, Smith MJ, Tattersall SJ and Stockler MR (2001):   Hospitalised patients' views on doctors and white coats.   Med. J. Aust. 175(4):219-22. Gore J and Ogden J (1998):   Developing, validating and consolidating the doctor-patient relationship: the patients' views of a dynamic process.   Br. J. Gen. Pract. 48(432):1391-4. Hagihara A and Tarumi K (2006):   Doctor and patient perceptions of the level of doctor explanation and quality of patient-doctor communication.   Scand. J. Caring Sci. 20(2):143-50. Heszen-Klemens I and Lapinska E (1984):   Doctor-patient interaction, patients' health behavior and effects of treatment.   Soc. Sci. Med. 19(1):9-18. Murphy DD and Lam CL (2002):   Functional needs: agreement between perception of rural patients and health professionals in China.   Occup. Ther. Int. 9(2):91-110. Ornstein PH (1977):   The family physician as a â€Å"therapeutic instrument†.   J. Fam. Pract. 4(4):659-61. Rachagan SS and Sharon K (2003):   The patient's view.   Med J Malaysia. 58 Suppl A:86-101. Street RL Jr, Krupat E, Bell RA, Kravitz RL and Haidet P (2003):   Beliefs about control in the physician-patient relationship: effect on communication in medical encounters.   J. Gen. Intern. Med. 18(8):609-16.

History and Timeline of the Wheelchair

History and Timeline of the Wheelchair It is uncertain as to what can be considered the first wheelchair, or who invented it. The first known dedicated wheelchair (invented in 1595 and called an invalids chair) was made for Phillip II of Spain by an unknown inventor. In 1655, Stephen Farfler, a paraplegic watchmaker, built a self-propelling chair on a three-wheel chassis. The Bath Wheelchair In 1783, John Dawson of Bath, England, invented a wheelchair named after the town of Bath. Dawson designed a chair with two large wheels and one small one. The Bath wheelchair outsold all other wheelchairs throughout the early part of the 19th century. Late 1800s The Bath wheelchair was not that comfortable and during the last half of the 19th century, many improvements were made to wheelchairs. An 1869 patent for a wheelchair showed the first model with rear push wheels and small front casters. Between, 1867 to 1875, inventors added new hollow rubber wheels similar to those used on bicycles on metal rims. In 1881, the pushrims for added self-propulsion were invented. The 1900s In 1900, the first spoked wheels were used on wheelchairs. In 1916, the first motorized wheelchair was manufactured in London. The Folding Wheelchair In 1932, engineer, Harry Jennings, built the first folding, tubular steel wheelchair. That was the earliest wheelchair similar to what is in modern use today. That wheelchair was built for a paraplegic friend of Jennings called Herbert Everest. Together they founded Everest Jennings, a company that monopolized the wheelchair market for many years. An antitrust suit was actually brought against Everest Jennings by the Department of Justice, who charged the company with rigging wheelchair prices. The case was finally settled out of court. First Motorized Wheelchair - Electric Wheelchair The first wheelchairs were self-powered and worked by a patient turning the wheels of their chair manually. If a patient was unable to do this, another person would have to push the wheelchair and patient from behind. A motorized or power wheelchair is one where a small motor drives the wheels to revolve. Attempts to invent a motorized wheelchair were made as far back as 1916, however, no successful commercial production occurred at that time. The first electric-powered wheelchair was invented by Canadian inventor, George Klein and his team of engineers while working for the National Research Council of Canada in a program to assist the injured veterans returning after World War II. George Klein also invented the microsurgical staple gun. Everest Jennings, the same company whose founders created the folding wheelchair were the first to manufacture the electric wheelchair on a mass scale beginning in 1956. Mind Control John Donoghue and Braingate invented a new wheelchair technology intended for a patient with very limited mobility, who otherwise would have issues using a wheelchair by themselves. The BrainGate device is implanted into the patients brain and hooked to a computer to which the patient can send mental commands that results in any machine including wheelchairs doing what they want it to. The new technology is called BCI or brain-computer interface.

Biography of Mary Read, English Pirate

Biography of Mary Read, English Pirate Mary Read (1685–buried April 28, 1721) was an English pirate who sailed with Calico Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny. Though little is known for certain about her former life, she was well-known as a pirate from 1718 to 1720. After being captured, she was spared hanging because she was pregnant but died shortly after due to an illness. Fast Facts: Mary Read Known For: One of the most famous female pirates of all time, Read sailed with Calico Jack Rackham during the early 1700s.Also Known As: Mark ReadBorn: 1685 in EnglandDied: 1721 (buried April 28, 1721) in Port Royal, Jamaica Early Life Most of the limited information about Mary Reads life comes from Captain Charles Johnson (believed by many, but not all, pirate historians to be a pseudonym for Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe). Johnson was descriptive, but never mentioned his sources, so most of Reads alleged background is in doubt. Read was supposedly born sometime around 1690 to the widow of a sea captain. Mary’s mother dressed her up as a boy to pass her off as her older brother, who had died, to get money out of Mary’s paternal grandmother. Mary found she liked dressing as a boy, and as a young â€Å"man† she found work as a soldier and sailor. Marriage Read was fighting for the British in Holland when she met and fell in love with a Flemish soldier. She revealed her secret to him and they married. For a time, they operated an inn called The Three Horseshoes not far from the castle at the town of Breda in the Netherlands. After her husband died, Read could not operate the inn alone, so she went back to war, dressing once again as a man. Peace was soon signed, however, and she was out of work. Read took a ship to the West Indies in hopes of finding new opportunities. Joining the Pirates While en route to the West Indies, Read’s ship was attacked and she was captured by pirates. Read decided to join them and for a while, she lived the life of a pirate in the Caribbean before accepting the king’s pardon in 1718. Like many former pirates, she signed on board a privateer commissioned to hunt down those buccaneers who had not accepted the pardon. The mission didn’t last long, however, as the whole crew soon mutinied and took over the ship. By 1720, she had found her way on board the pirate ship of â€Å"Calico Jack† Rackham. Anne Bonny Calico Jack already had a woman on board: his lover Anne Bonny, who had left her husband for a life of piracy. According to legend, Bonny developed an attraction to Mary, not knowing that she was a woman. When Bonny tried to seduce her, Read revealed herself. According to some accounts, they became lovers anyway, with Rackham’s blessing (or participation). In any event, Bonny and Read were two of Rackham’s most bloodthirsty pirates, each carrying- according to one report- a machete and a pistol. Read was a good fighter. According to legend, she developed an attraction to a man who had been forced to join the pirate crew. The object of her affection managed to irritate a certain cutthroat on board, who challenged him to a duel. Read, fearing that her would-be lover might get killed, challenged the brute to a duel of her own, scheduling it a couple of hours before the other duel was supposed to take place. She promptly killed the pirate, in the process saving the object of her affection. Capture and Trial By late 1720, Rackham and his crew were well known as dangerous pirates, and bounty hunters were sent out to capture or kill them. Captain Jonathan Barnet cornered Rackhams ship in late October 1720. According to some accounts, Bonny and Read fought valiantly while the men hid below deck. Rackham and the other male pirates were quickly tried and hanged in Port Royal, Jamaica, on November 18, 1720. Bonny and Read declared at their trial that they were pregnant, which was soon determined to be true. They would be spared the gallows until they had given birth. Death Mary Read never got to taste freedom again. She developed a fever and died in prison not long after her trial, probably sometime in early April 1721. Records from St. Catherine Parish in Jamaica show that Read was buried on April 28, 1721. Legacy Most of the information about Read comes from Captain Johnson, who most likely embellished at least some of it. It is impossible to say how much of what is commonly known about Read is true. It is certainly true that a woman by that name served with Rackham, and evidence is strong that both women on his ship were able, skilled pirates who were every bit as tough and ruthless as their male counterparts. As a pirate, Read didnt leave much of a mark. Rackham is famous for having female pirates on board (and for having an impressive pirate flag), but he was strictly a small-time operator, never getting close to the levels of infamy of someone like Blackbeard or the success of someone like Edward Low or Black Bart Roberts. Nevertheless, Read and Bonny have captured the public imagination as being the only two well-documented female pirates in the so-called Golden Age of Piracy. In an age and society where the freedom of women was greatly restricted, Read and Bonny lived a life at sea as full members of a pirate crew. As subsequent generations increasingly romanticize piracy and the likes of Rackham, Bonny, and Read, their stature has grown even further. Sources Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag:  The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996.Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999.Johnson, Charles, and Margarette Lincoln. A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. The Folio Society, 2018.Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: The Lyons Press, 2009.Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. Mariner Books, 2008.

America at the Turn of the Century

As America gets closer to the 21st century, we face many challenges as a nation. America has a very strong country. There is something that can maintain the status of the country. A powerful economy is the foundation of the world economy, the United States has very advanced technology, and today dominates the world. These three things are so strong that we will not be so disappointed. At the turn of the century America is one of the best original places. Due to the rapid growth of technology and industry, the government and most citizens are not ready to deal with that effect. The combination of philosophy like Laissez Fair and social Darwinism has created the United States with little concern for oppressed people. Ultimate citizens, ordinary people like you and me condemn these conditions and changes in demand. The necessity of change and progress is called a progressive era Perhaps at the turn of the century, one of the most romantic images of America is Wild West. One of the most famous images of the wild west is the advocate of the cowboy, the American border. The American cowboy has become an architectural image of merchants and literature, and in recent years it is an image of the reconstruction of contemporary historians. Merchants and literature showed a very beautiful view of American cowboys, which encouraged bovine farming and the development of new railroads and offered imagination to Americans. In order to clarify the inaccuracies of these myths of the cowboy, modern historians emphasized the more dull and difficult aspects of the cowboy's life. Both sides borrowed the evidence of the fact, but both speech has mythical evidence. In his book on American Jewish immigration at the turn of the century, the time described by our father 's world Owen Ho does not sound obsolete. Howe said migrant workers remembered adolescence in Russia: How can I explain it ... When we talked about Dostoyevski, did we share excitement? In America, only young people You c an choose movies, music, art and dance, only God knows.

Research/review paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

/review - Research Paper Example This figure is the amount of money that young adults seek to earn by the time they reach the age of thirty years. However, they give a much lower figure of 27,000 dollars a year. On this basis therefore, the optimism of people under this age bracket is replaced by signs of sadness, and depression. To correct these misconceptions, the authors denote that these people need to be wise, tenacious and fearless, for them to make an impact in the society. I completely agree with the claims contained the article. In my own opinion, majority of people under this age bracket are not able to fulfill their ambitions because of the structure of the economy, government policies, and fierce competition on the available scarce resources. For example, when these people graduate from their colleges, most organizations want to hire people who are highly experienced. On this basis, these young adults will miss on the opportunity of acquiring the job under consideration. This will force them to look for alternative sources of employment, which do not earn them as much money as they would like to earn. On this basis, these young adults are unable to meet their target of making 75,000 dollars per year before reaching the ages of 30 years. The structure of the economy also plays a great role in affecting the ability of these people to achieve their goals, and thereafter fulfill their ambitions. ... These people are always optimistic about the future, because of their parents and teachers. Parents usually encourage them on while they are young on the importance of working hard in school, and on the available resources they will enjoy after finishing school. However, their parents do not tell them that these resources are scarce, and there is fierce competition for purposes of accessing these resources. After graduating from school, and realizing that these resources are scarce, that is when these people became sad, and some develop depression. On this basis, I completely agree with the assertions of Whelan (4) that these people are always optimistic, but later on become disappointed because they are unable to achieve their expectations, and goals. The author of this article proposes a solution that these young adults need to be wise, tenacious and fearless. For them to succeed therefore, they should be under the guidance of purposes and hope. Whelan (12) denotes that for these p eople to be wise, they have to identify what drives them, and in which direction they want to go. These young adults must also identify the meaning behind the choices that they make, and they must portray honesty about their feelings. In my own opinion, wisdom is an important element in an individual’s life. Without wisdom, a person is bound to make wrong choices in life. These wrong choices might lead to the destruction of the person under consideration. In my own opinion therefore, I agree with the assertions that these young adults must review the choices they make, and identify the meaning behind those choices. These will therefore help them to make choices that will help

STAT212 Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

STAT212 - Statistics Project Example It is crucial that recruiters, students and parents are aware of the impacts of holding work while at school. The outcome assists in determination of how elimination of work and attending school equally. This piece of work assumes that possessing a part-time job will seriously affect learners’ grades. Additionally, there is anticipation that learners working for more hours perform poorly compared to the ones who work a few hours in a week. A shaky assumption is the amount of time worked has null impact on the learner’s grade. The data was taken in two stages. The first being in 2011 when a survey carried out annually was mailed to all 5,353 undergraduate learners. A totality of 2,637 learners estimated to be 49% of the population that is targeted, gave a response to the survey. During the survey, all students were asked to give their status of employment. A sum of 1000 learners, estimated as 38% of those who responded indicated that their reason for work was for pay. Further questions were made for those who laboured for pay. The questions were on work experiences and financial situations. Although the experiences in college are the same for non working and working students, the results as rated using the GPA are different. From the targeted groups that were chosen for this study it is found out that learners who work are either not aware of or do not admit that their performance in academic is compromised due to lack of good time for their studies. Form the research it was found out that learners not only search for jobs but the ones that have meaning in their lives. For beginners, they choose work that needs less skill. What inspires them to keep the job is the payment or salaries. Moreover, employment helps to step up their experiences and career. Employment has three meanings in many forms. The first being when students go searching for jobs, they find it interesting as it gives them an experience in job hunting. Then, after getting a job

Qualitative Methodology Review of Australian Homeless Essay

Qualitative Methodology Review of Australian Homeless - Essay Example This paper will discuss the meaning of homelessness, its implication and importance of understanding homelessness. It will also explore and analyse the different research methods used and how the research was approached focussing on the choice of research method and why the method was used. It will try to identify the data collection and analysis used. This paper will try to identify why and how the chosen methods were effective. It will also try to point out the themes, language and focus arguments involving homelessness sin Australia. Homelessness, according to Robinson (2003) means lack of belonging which has grown into a significant social issue. Homelessness can be attributed to the status of an individual, from children to elderly population in a given territory or location with regards to shelter. An individual may be temporarily homeless or can be homeless for a long time. Those who are considered homeless in a temporary manner are the stowaways or teens who ran away from home due to family problems. They may be couch-surfing with friends’ homes. There are also young adults who may be temporarily homeless due to partner problems. In a report prepared by Homelessness Australia, it was estimated that about 105,000 people are homeless across Australia. It was suggested by the report that about 7,483 families with children are without home among them. More striking about the report was that about 12,133 are children or ages 12 or below. About 1 in 39 children under 5 years of age were provided homeless service the previous year. About 27.2 percent are Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children, but the report also cited that 2 in 3 children are turned away for homeless services (Homelessness Australia, 2010). The Council to Homeless Persons presented several reasons why individuals become homeless including youths aged 12 to 24. Reasons include the breakdown of the family or a relationship,

Human Resources in Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human Resources in Organisation - Essay Example Had the management drafted a detailed employment contract where a proper notice period was outlined, the process of dismissing Karen would have been very easy. However, upon reasonable notice, the human resource manager can always terminate the employment of an employee should the employee become a bother within the company (Henry, 1999). In any company, a reasonable notice period for an employment to be terminated will depend on how senior the employee is, the length of service, their age, remuneration, etc (John, 2008). Catastrophe Concepts can use the statutory minimum notice period where for the case of Karen who have worked with the company for eight years, two weeks for the first three years and a week every year for the remaining five years are the minimum time that the company can give to Karen as the notice period. This sums to a total of eight weeks notice period that the company must give to Karen in order to successfully terminate the employment. If the employment is term inated without this period on notice, Karen has a right to sue the company for wrongful dismissal. The company may be required to pay compensation for wrongfully dismissing her.Instant DismissalIf Catastrophe Concepts want Karen to stop working immediately, instant dismissal is the most effective. The reason for this could be that the management is worried that Karen may not work effectively in the company if she is allowed to remain in the company knowing that she is just about to leave not willingly but being dismissed by the company. The management could also be worried that Karen may be disruptive in the work place and may even disrupt the operations of the machines so that poor quality products may be produced. However, for instant dismissal, the company will have to pay a particular amount of money for compensation for their failure to give notice. This payment is also known as a sum in lieu of notice. Since there was no detailed employment contract for the case of Karen, the payment made will be tax-free and will be up to a limit of '30,000 and national insurance deductions will not be included (John, 2008). When the calculations for the amount will be made, Karen's benefits such as the car will have to be included in addition to her salary

Wittgenstein picture theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Wittgenstein picture theory - Essay Example What is the difference between a picture and a proposition? How according, to Wittgenstein, are pictures and propositions alike? How are they different? Introduction Ludwig Wittgenstein, a renowned Philosopher, has contributed greatly on the field of meaning of language and how it relates to the world. This relationship has language being looked at as possessing the capability to communicate facts in a precise and concise way, such that, the propositions are able to reflect reality falsely or rightly. In his book, Wittgenstein formulates the exact features a language should have so as to be able to reflect reality and hence make meaning. The languages that do not possess these features he says of them as lacking any important meaning. Still in his book Wittgenstein seeks out to delineate the vital features of propositions that are meaningful. He tries to address the question of the minimum circumstances of meaningfulness. This means, questioning what qualities a proposition should ha ve so as to be able to picture a possibility. With this background then, it therefore is possible to see the philosophers’ arguments about propositions and also better understand the picture’s theory of meaning he advanced in trying to better understand his work (Wittgenstein 1-19). ... e when the truth-conditions are satisfied thus enabling a statement to be judged as being true or false but which again depends on the actual facts found in the world is true in the use of language. Wittgenstein (22-97), argues that propositions are pictures of states of affairs. He does this by trying to distinguish the differences that emerge between saying something and showing something in trying to explain the use of language. His main objective is trying to show what can be described in language and that which cannot be described. He emphasizes on the importance of facts and objects and how they are paramount in showing the relationship that can be viewed by propositions and the elements of these propositions. By treating language thus it is meant to help people understand that just like facts propositions are also very complex in nature. This complex nature is seen in the order of how words and other language items occur also in the way names can only occur in the nexus of pro positions. As propositions are able at all costs determine reality precisely and whether falsely or rightly means that one can be able to deduce and make their own individual judgments. Wittgenstein’s picture theory of meaning and how the theory applies to what Wittgenstein calls propositions or propositional signs. Wittgenstein’s picture theory of meaning as seen in his book is one that is trying to look for the connection or relationship between language and the word. This he is doing by exploring the affinity of picturing. Seen clearly in the theory of meaning is the notion that the basic objective of a linguistic endeavor is to portray the world precisely and accurately. The philosopher looks at the world and language as two separate and independents entities that can only be

Qualitative Methodology Review of Australian Homeless Essay

Qualitative Methodology Review of Australian Homeless - Essay Example This paper will discuss the meaning of homelessness, its implication and importance of understanding homelessness. It will also explore and analyse the different research methods used and how the research was approached focussing on the choice of research method and why the method was used. It will try to identify the data collection and analysis used. This paper will try to identify why and how the chosen methods were effective. It will also try to point out the themes, language and focus arguments involving homelessness sin Australia. Homelessness, according to Robinson (2003) means lack of belonging which has grown into a significant social issue. Homelessness can be attributed to the status of an individual, from children to elderly population in a given territory or location with regards to shelter. An individual may be temporarily homeless or can be homeless for a long time. Those who are considered homeless in a temporary manner are the stowaways or teens who ran away from home due to family problems. They may be couch-surfing with friends’ homes. There are also young adults who may be temporarily homeless due to partner problems. In a report prepared by Homelessness Australia, it was estimated that about 105,000 people are homeless across Australia. It was suggested by the report that about 7,483 families with children are without home among them. More striking about the report was that about 12,133 are children or ages 12 or below. About 1 in 39 children under 5 years of age were provided homeless service the previous year. About 27.2 percent are Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children, but the report also cited that 2 in 3 children are turned away for homeless services (Homelessness Australia, 2010). The Council to Homeless Persons presented several reasons why individuals become homeless including youths aged 12 to 24. Reasons include the breakdown of the family or a relationship,

Wittgenstein picture theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Wittgenstein picture theory - Essay Example What is the difference between a picture and a proposition? How according, to Wittgenstein, are pictures and propositions alike? How are they different? Introduction Ludwig Wittgenstein, a renowned Philosopher, has contributed greatly on the field of meaning of language and how it relates to the world. This relationship has language being looked at as possessing the capability to communicate facts in a precise and concise way, such that, the propositions are able to reflect reality falsely or rightly. In his book, Wittgenstein formulates the exact features a language should have so as to be able to reflect reality and hence make meaning. The languages that do not possess these features he says of them as lacking any important meaning. Still in his book Wittgenstein seeks out to delineate the vital features of propositions that are meaningful. He tries to address the question of the minimum circumstances of meaningfulness. This means, questioning what qualities a proposition should ha ve so as to be able to picture a possibility. With this background then, it therefore is possible to see the philosophers’ arguments about propositions and also better understand the picture’s theory of meaning he advanced in trying to better understand his work (Wittgenstein 1-19). ... e when the truth-conditions are satisfied thus enabling a statement to be judged as being true or false but which again depends on the actual facts found in the world is true in the use of language. Wittgenstein (22-97), argues that propositions are pictures of states of affairs. He does this by trying to distinguish the differences that emerge between saying something and showing something in trying to explain the use of language. His main objective is trying to show what can be described in language and that which cannot be described. He emphasizes on the importance of facts and objects and how they are paramount in showing the relationship that can be viewed by propositions and the elements of these propositions. By treating language thus it is meant to help people understand that just like facts propositions are also very complex in nature. This complex nature is seen in the order of how words and other language items occur also in the way names can only occur in the nexus of pro positions. As propositions are able at all costs determine reality precisely and whether falsely or rightly means that one can be able to deduce and make their own individual judgments. Wittgenstein’s picture theory of meaning and how the theory applies to what Wittgenstein calls propositions or propositional signs. Wittgenstein’s picture theory of meaning as seen in his book is one that is trying to look for the connection or relationship between language and the word. This he is doing by exploring the affinity of picturing. Seen clearly in the theory of meaning is the notion that the basic objective of a linguistic endeavor is to portray the world precisely and accurately. The philosopher looks at the world and language as two separate and independents entities that can only be