Significance of Austrian and Post-Keynesian criticisms of the standard Essay

Significance of Austrian and Post-Keynesian criticisms of the standard neoclassical view of the competitive process - Essay Example These markets which are referred to in the neoclassical viewpoint are considered to be a group of optimizing individuals trading amongst each other at predetermined prices and are endowed with the means of production given (Henry,  2012, p. 321). The concept of competitive process in neoclassical view revolves around the utility optimization in an environment of Perfect Competition. Perfect Competition is where there is no market power exhibited by the firms and they act as the price takers. Thus, the extent of the market power indicated the competition in a particular market. The economists of this theory believe that the equilibrium is the point where the utility is maximized. Profit maximization is an example of this as it is a fundamental aspect of a firm within their market structure. Equilibrium, according to them, also provides the market clearing process to take place. As this theory has been providing a simple ideology for the functioning of the market under the Perfect Co mpetition, there are many modern economists who have considered the real life situations and concluded that a number of other factors are also to be included to analyze the competitive process in the markets (Leask, Parnell, 2005, p. 469). There have been some theorists that have criticized the traditional approach over the time as modern aspects were introduced, and so alternative schools of thought were created. Two of these alternative schools are the Austrian and the Post-Keynesian theories. The Austrian school of thought is rooted from the work of Menger, Hayek and Mises. The approach was concerned with the significance of Subjectivism,... This paper stresses that the perfect competition structure of the market is the key approach of the neoclassical theory of competition and on the other hand, the Austrian and Post-Keynesian theories emphasize on the importance of Oligopoly as greater in the modern economics. Being philosophically distant from one another, the neoclassic view had been under constant pressure throughout the years. As much as it is important to assess the criticisms, it is also important to assess the significance of those criticisms and their affects. The author talks that the concept of competitive process in neoclassical view revolves around the utility optimization in an environment of Perfect Competition. Perfect Competition is where there is no market power exhibited by the firms and they act as the price takers. Thus, the extent of the market power indicated the competition in a particular market. This report makes a conlusion that it is evident that the criticisms made by the Austrian and the Post-Keynesians hold a very significant impact on the business economics and this impact is unquestionable. These criticisms were a rise to much advancement that was needed in the modern economics. In fact, the impact that they had were not only on the academics but also on the general knowledge for the public. These criticisms drove the extensions to the neoclassical theories and gave them a sense of realism. These criticisms are however, significant only until the neoclassical school finds a way to enhance their role and advance their models to come up to the level of the two alternative schools. Modern economics and realism are the key factors to be looked upon.

Tata Motors Essay Example for Free

Tata Motors Essay The Tata group comprises over 100 operating companies in seven business sectors: communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products and chemicals. The group has operations in more than 80 countries across six continents, and its companies export products and services to 85 countries. The total revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $100. 09 billion (around Rs475,721 crore) in 2011-12, with 58 percent of this coming from business outside India. Tata companies employ over 450,000 people worldwide. The Tata name has been respected in India for more than 140 years for its adherence to strong values and business ethics. Every Tata company or enterprise operates independently. Each of these companies has its own board of directors and shareholders, to whom it is answerable. There are 32 publicly listed Tata enterprises and they have a combined market capitalisation of about $89. 53 billion (as on June 6, 2013), and a shareholder base of 3. 8 million. The major Tata companies are Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communications and Indian Hotels. Tata Steel is among the top ten steelmakers, and Tata Motors is among the top five commercial vehicle manufacturers, in the world. TCS is a leading global software company, with delivery centres in the US, UK, Hungary, Brazil, Uruguay and China, besides India. Tata Global Beverages is the second-largest player in tea in the world. Tata Chemicals is the world’s second-largest manufacturer of soda ash and Tata Communications is one of the world’s largest wholesale voice carriers. In tandem with the increasing international footprint of Tata companies, the Tata brand is also gaining international recognition. Brand Finance, a UK-based consultancy firm, valued the Tata brand at $18. 16 billion and ranked it 39th among the top 500 most valuable global brands in their BrandFinance ® Global 500 2013 report. In 2010, BusinessWeek magazine ranked Tata 17th among the 50 Most Innovative Companies list. Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, Tata’s early years were inspired by the spirit of nationalism. It pioneered several industries of national importance in India: steel, power, hospitality and airlines. In more recent times, its pioneering spirit has been showcased by companies such as TCS, India’s first software company, and Tata Motors, which made India’s first indigenously developed car, the Indica, in 1998 and recently unveiled the world’s most affordable car, the Tata Nano. Tata companies have always believed in returning wealth to the society they serve. Two-thirds of the equity of Tata Sons, the Tata promoter holding company, is held by philanthropic trusts that have created national institutions for science and technology, medical research, social studies and the performing arts. The trusts also provide aid and assistance to non-government organisations working in the areas of education, healthcare and livelihoods. Tata companies also extend social welfare activities to communities around their industrial units. The combined development-related expenditure of the trusts and the companies amounts to around 3 percent of the groups net profits in 2011. Going forward, Tata is focusing on new technologies and innovation to drive its business in India and internationally. The Nano car is one example, as is the Eka supercomputer (developed by another Tata company), which in 2008 was ranked the world’s fourth fastest. Anchored in India and wedded to traditional values and strong ethics, Tata companies are building multinational businesses that will achieve growth through excellence and innovation, while balancing the interests of shareholders, employees and civil society.

Christian Ethics And Secular Ethical Systems Theology Religion Essay

Christian Ethics And Secular Ethical Systems Theology Religion Essay In this essay, I will enumerate the differences between Christian and secular ethics. The role of theology on ethical decision making will be indicated, along with secular and diverse religious stands on ethical discourses on abortion and divorce. Miscellaneous Christian views which include those of: the Liberals, the Evangelicals and the Neo-orthodox will also be examined. Furthermore, I will explore the implications of the aforementioned ethical issues on interfaith dialogue involving Buddhism and the Abrahamic faiths. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIAN AND SECULAR ETHICS Ethics is a word that originated from the Greek words: ethikos and ethos which respectively implies custom and character.  [1]  However, Collins dictionary defines ethics as a social, religious, or civil code of behaviour considered correct, especially that of a particular group, profession, or individual.  [2]   I found a clear-cut definition of Christian ethics by Dr Harkness (a professor of applied theology) as the systematic study of the way of life set forth by Jesus Christ applied to the daily demands and decisions of human existence.  [3]  It is the Christians code of conduct derived from the scriptures. While Christian ethics aim is to determine what conforms to Gods character and what does not it is more of a practical entity in comparison with theory oriented Christian theology.  [4]   Conversely, James Bernat in his book, Ethical issues in neurology defines secular ethics as the invention of human rational dialogue that assumes that mankind can create a comprehensive and world-wide structure of morality that is void of religious framework.  [5]  The main approaches to secular ethics are predicated on: reason, experience or moral sense.  [6]   Additionally, secular ethics consists of various models as: utilitarianism, egoism or hedonism, emotivism and cultural relativism.  [7]  These models form the framework for most ethical postulations. I will now examine the contrasts between Christian and secular ethics. A dissimilarity between Christian and secular ethics is that the latter serves as a basis for arriving at moral judgments as it appraises existing customs, while supporting the enactment of laws and policies. Secular ethics are used as a yardstick to evaluate religious doctrines by application of a determined set of moral principles.  [8]  Christian ethics are founded on godly revelations. BASES FOR CHRISTIAN ETHICAL DECISIONS Evangelical Christians base moral ethical decisions on Gods revelation which is from nature itself (the general) or from the scriptures (the special). An example derived from the scriptures is the Ten Commandments in Exodus 21-23. Biblical scholars emphasize that the natural law derived from nature itself is inherent in mankind and it is responsible for doing things right without Biblical guidelines. This is referred to in the book of Romans 2:14-15, where Apostle Paul mentioned the clarity of the human conscience in the decision making mechanism. Similarly, Jesus Christ affirms the same principle when he said men should do unto others what they will have done to themselves, (Matt 7:12). This particular view is upheld by renowned philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Clive Lewis in their writings.  [9]  The application of moral decisions on ethical issues is subject to debate as will be indicated in subsequent paragraphs. SOME ETHICAL ISSUES This range from: abortion, divorce, homosexuality, same sex marriage, war, money, marriage, sexuality, death, forgiveness, euthanasia, business etc. I will be focusing on the ethical theme of abortion and divorce within the: secular, Christian and interfaith discourse. SECULAR VIEWS ON ABORTION Abortion is any artificial means to induce the loss of a pregnancy. An average pregnancy is for forty weeks or nine months. Pregnancy terminated due to natural causes during the first twenty weeks is called a miscarriage, while further than twenty weeks are pre-term delivery.  [10]   Nonetheless, abortion involves the moral choice of the mother, as well as the ethical right of the baby to live. Abortion might be inevitable in: rape, poverty, deformity of baby etc. Abortion supporters see it as a retroactive contraceptive while those against it see it as a little less than prenatal infanticide.  [11]  It has been established that moral justification of abortion is common in the secular world. Under the United Kingdom law (Abortions act 1967); abortion is endorsed within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy as long as certain conditions are fulfilled. It must be in an approved institution, the mother and childs health are considered, and decisions to be made with the consensus of two medical doctors.  [12]   CHRISTIANS ON ABORTION The Liberals are broadminded on abortion, as long as it is done legally and safely.  [13]  The woman has full rights over her own body when it involves the decision to abort or not.  [14]  The Liberals do not deliberate over ethical issues concerning the unborn baby, in contrast to evangelicals position. Evangelical Christians are on strict stand against abortion with scriptural arguments used to portray (babys) life in high esteem. They also support of all social aspects regarding pregnancy care and adoption issues.  [15]  The position of the Neo-orthodox Christians will be examined next. The Neo-Orthodoxy originated from Germany after the First World War when Karl Barth (a protestant theologian) advanced the theology of crisis. It was an era when people were disappointed from most beliefs.  [16]  Neo-Orthodoxy assumes that the scripture can be a faulty human invention, although Gods revelation is continuously present under personal experience.  [17]  Nevertheless, abortion is not allowed except if carried out to protect the pregnant woman. The Christian ethics of divorce will be examined next. CHRISTIAN ETHICS ON DIVORCE Jesus response to the permission given by Moses for the issuance of the bill of divorce to women was followed by the injunction that divorce is a direct covenant-breaking departure from Gods master plan for marriage, (Matt 19:6 Rom 7:2). Jesus also denounces divorce in the dialogue with his disciples in Mark 10: 1-11, while arguments resulting from the exception clause (i.e. Condition for divorce) is interpreted by some scholars in the context to mean fornication established against the wife during the betrothal phase of marriage according to Jewish tradition. Unfortunately, the biblical divorce law interpretation is diverse. Some scholars argue that the exemption clause means adultery which is a leverage to institute divorce. However, a suitable rejoinder is the reaction of the disciples who concluded that it is not advantageous to marry this is interpreted by some Evangelicals as voiding the powers of the husband to divorce a wife under any circumstance, as they are expected to forgive their spouse.  [18]  The ethical issue applicable to the Old Testament bill of divorce allowed by Moses is that the Bill is meant to protect the women from the frivolity of men, so that they can re-marry rather than be outcasts. Some Evangelicals justified grounds for divorce to be desertion (by either spouse) and evidence of physical abuse against the wife. There is also a Pauline privilege in (1st Corinthians 7:15) which allows a believing wife to be free from an unbelieving husband who wants a divorce. There are resultant Christian ethical debates concerning the modalities of the freedom, whether it allows re-marrying or remaining single till death. Contrastingly, Liberal Christians see the scriptural dialogues on divorce as being applicable to the historical contexts of their various times, hence divorce is permitted according to the merit of each case. Marriage characterized with physical abuse is seen as a marriage pledge violation, whereby divorce is granted.  [19]  The American inception of no fault divorce regulation in the 1960s and 1970s weakened the marriage institution, as spouses obtained divorces against their partners wish. Similarly, despite independence from the secular laws of the day, liberal Christians amidst their objective application of divorce laws was criticized for being pro-secular because of contractual approaches used instead of covenant obligation by some Christians.  [20]  The Neo-orthodox view turned out to be permissive. Neo-Orthodox Christians are permissive due to their existential system which sees Bible precepts as only relevant to the culture of when they were admonished; hence they could not be categorically applied to our times. Therefore they established no ethical grounds for opposing divorce.  [21]   THE ABRAHAMIC FAITHS AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE The Abrahamic faith is used to make reference to Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other religions that trace their spiritual culture back to Abraham.  [22]  The platform which religions and cultures meet to exchange views for better understanding of each other is called the interfaith dialogue. The dialogue was prompted by the WCC (World Council of Churches) in 1961, when fledgling Asian Churches needed to coexist with diverse Asian religions.  [23]   Fundamentally, the existence of diverse social issues such as universal poverty has prompted the study and use of ethical approaches to interfaith dialogues. Examples are medical and economic ethics.  [24]  The Medical ethical considerations are evoked in several issues like Euthanasia, Abortion, Ecology, DNA researches etc. I will be examining the Islamic laws on abortion the next. ISLAMIC FAITH ON ABORTION AND DIVORCE Islamic faith which is based on the Quran and the leadership of Prophet Mohammed is guided by five pillars of faith, of which two are: faith in one God and at least one pilgrimage to Mecca. Other admonitions require taking care of orphans, prisoners and desisting from: adultery, unfair business practices and unwarranted killings.  [25]  Some Muslims prohibit abortion. The area of ethical contention is the actual time soul is given to a formed foetus. This is termed ensoulment which some Muslims take as 16 weeks into the pregnancy. However, abortion performed prior to the completion of 16th week is accepted if the health of the mother is endangered or if the baby is under the threat of mental or physical malformation. Another consideration is if the well-being of the family is not going to be properly sustained because of the child.  [26]  The Islamic religion takes abortion as being immoral in view the revered value of life as indicated in Surah 17:31 which states that: Slay not your Childrenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.killing of them is a great sin. Nevertheless, an Islamic consequentialism holds the mother answerable to the aborted child at judgement day; this is supported by verses from Surah 81, verses 7-14.  [27]  Surah is a supportive reference in Islam. Abortion applied to pre-marital pregnancy is allowed because the sin of having a child out of wedlock is considered worse than abortion.  [28]   Concerning divorce, Islam encourages the termination of irreconcilable marriages in good faith rather than co-existence of spouses in bitterness. There is an injunction for settling differences through relatives of spouses. Nevertheless, where this mediation fails then divorce can be instituted, (Quran 4:35). Mubarat is the term used to describe mutually divorce by couples without court proceedings. Procedures called fasakh or Khula are based on the initiation of divorce by the woman. However, talaq (meaning to separate) is used to denote the divorce instigated by the husband. This can be done without much official protocols but must be verbalized or documented.  [29]  The traditional laws of the Jews will be examined next. JUDAISM ON ABORTION AND DIVORCE Judaism as practiced by the Jews precedes Christianity which became distinct in the first Century at the time when Apostle Paul and Peter had contentions with the Jews. The Bible book of Acts Chapter 15, recorded the deviations of the gentiles from the Law of Moses. This caused an argument about the acceptance of uncircumcised Gentiles into the community of believers. Some scholars take the advent of Judaism to be the Biblical time of Abraham while others choose the time of Moses.  [30]   Nonetheless, two out of the many beliefs of Judaism are as follows: 1) God made a covenant with his people (the Hebrews) through Moses which is the Ten Commandments. 2) Abrahams offspring are to be the ideal model for all nations to emulate in preparation for the coming of the future Messiah who will rule the world in harmony and fairness.  [31]   In similarity to the Islamic faith, high regard is given to the value of life, but the safety of the pregnant woman remains paramount. Nevertheless, the law of Judaism on abortion assumes the insignificance of fertilized egg cells until the 40th day of pregnancy when it is taken as part of the womans body. Judaism allows abortion within the first 40 days of pregnancy but does not permit it thereafter, till full term. Judaism ethically upholds that the foetus is a part of the human body that must not be damaged.  [32]  The Jewish law allows sanction of persons who cause miscarriage due to a physical strife that involve pregnant women. Furthermore, intended abortion on an advance pregnancy that threatens the mother in any circumstances would have to be undoubtedly established. The baby is literally considered as trying to kill the mother, in which case severing the limbs of the baby and other similar acts is allowed to save the mother. A critical aspect of applying the abortion law by the Rabbis (who are in charge of the Judaism laws) is the equal importance given to the life of the baby and the mother at the moment the babys head is on the way out of the mother.  [33]   The issues of divorce cannot be addressed without talking about the marriage tradition of the Jews. Judaism upholds the sanctity and integrity of marriage to such an extent that the Talmud (sacred writings) states that even the altar sheds tears during separation of couples. Although formal grounds for divorce do not exist, it is recognized that some circumstances make it inevitable. The divorce is predicated on the agreement of the couple and it involves documentation called the get which is the certificate of divorce. There are no hindrances placed against divorced couples who want to get back together in marriage. However priests are prohibited from marrying a divorcee. The certificate of divorce (the get) specially written by a scribe (in the presence of a judge) is traditionally kept by the woman, and must be made available whenever she wants to re-marry. In modern times the rabbinic courts keep the get and issue the woman with a certificate in place of it. There is a serious ethical issue that the woman cannot re-marry if there is no evidence of the death of her husband. This situation is called Agunah, which implies that the woman is bound to the husband. It is generally expected that anyone who breaches divorce conditions are not allowed to be integrated into the Jewish community.  [34]   BUDHISM ON ABORTION AND DIVORCE This religion has its origin from India in the 6th Century with Siddhartha Gautama (Known as Buddha, the enlightened one). Buddhism is a spiritual way of life rather than a religion. Beliefs range from non-existence of a deity and that all things are being constantly transformed, hence the belief in re-incarnation, decency, understanding and reflection.  [35]   Over 300 million Buddhists worldwide have no doctrinal guidance on abortion. They however believe in re-incarnation which stands against abortion, therefore consider it ethically wrong, although not too keen on its total prohibition by law. Nevertheless, another Buddhist expectation is the decision of abortion to be exclusively that of the pregnant woman. In Japan abortion is rampant and there is a post abortion ceremony called Mizuko kuyo done by Buddhist priest to assist women in recovering from the after effect of abortion.  [36]  The following paragraph will cover the Buddhist view on divorce. Buddhism does not see marriage as a core religious matter. They view non-entanglement with basic family life as a path to greater levels of monkish Buddhist practice, rather than the low-grade lay position where one is free to raise a family. An example was set by the Buddha himself at 29 years of age when he left his family to remain celibate till the end of his life.  [37]   Buddhist tenets support moral chastity where marriages remain intact for the sake of the children. Separated couples are encouraged to re-unite. The man who chooses celibate life must renounce his wife so that she is free to remarry  [38]  . CONCLUSION Worldwide moral laws made from the Ten Commandments are somewhat entrenched in most religions and secular regulations  [39]  . Needless to say that ethics imparted through religion will have most impact on religious peoples behaviour. I discovered from my findings that most religions have some kind of diversity based on ethical principles (such as hedonism and consequentialism) considered in creating the creed of their subdivisions. Just as the Christians views vary, so is the specific application of certain tenets of the Abrahamic faiths in various countries. These variations are also present in the Buddhist faith where disparities in India, Japan and other countries are considered. All facts point to the use of ethical principles to determine religious creeds. The same fact is applicable to the current trend in interfaith dialogues such that participants unavoidably approach most themes brought forward, within the framework of ethical agendas. This has created awareness for the study of ethics by those already equipped with vast knowledge of their faiths.

Dont Mess with Nature :: science

Don't Mess with Nature Of all the things a student needs to make it through a typical day, probably the most important, yet least appreciated, is paper. Paper is used for academic, social, and personal purposes by nearly all students every day. The most obvious use is for the academic or classroom assignment, whether it comes in the form of a test, an essay, or a summary of plant life on Easter Island. The social uses of paper center around the "note," which any student can tell you is s important a part of a student’s social life as Friday night ball games or the Junior Prom. As for the personal applications, there is doodling for the nervous mind, and there is scrunching for the nervous hand. The traditional paper airplanes and spit wads are still around, but they seem less popular than in days gone by-probably because it is easier for a student to move freely about the classroom today than it used to be. In any case, there can be no doubt that paper is just as important as ever to the student whose days would be a waste without it. Not only students, but everyone needs paper. Just as students use the paper, so does everyone else. The social purpose surrounds the mail, which we receive everyday. For personal use, there’s the diary and the note pads to remind us the things we need to remember. There are many examples that I can give for instance, paper plates, paper bags, cardboard boxes, etc†¦ Anyhow, the point that I am deriving at is that paper and cardboard boxes are all made from trees. Millions of trees are being destroyed every year to produce paper. Not only for paper, but for housing projects as well. New programs are being set up to plant trees in replace of the destroyed ones. Little do people realize how much damage could be done when dealing with nature. These housing projects are built, where beautiful trees use to sit letting cool breeze pass through their leaves. Now, the Recycling foundation has set up a program for young kids to plant trees in their neighborhood to save "Mother Earth." These trees are being planted at almost every street corner. The kids don’t know what’s likely to happen. They think they are doing good for their community. Now, trees as thick as fifteen baseballs put together, creep up underneath the sidewalk all over town.

Social Interaction

‘Social Interaction’ Social Interaction: Social Interaction is the foundation of society. Studying social interaction in everyday life sheds light on larger social systems & institutions. It is the building block of the entire Social Order and Social Relations. Definition: Social interaction is the process by which two or more individuals act and react to the people around us. It is the way people talk to each other and how they interact with various structures in society. It also includes the mutual influence of two or more people on each other’s behavior.Example: Interaction between the members of a family with each other, such as eating, sleeping and even family get-togethers. You will read more examples later in this assignment. Importance of social interaction: The opportunity for social interactions with others is very important for the development of all children. Through social interactions, children begin to establish a sense of â€Å"self† and to learn what others expect of them. Although social interactions for very young children primarily occur within the family, as children grow and develop, they become more and more interested in playing and interacting with other children.While playing with others, children learn appropriate social behaviors, such as sharing, cooperating and respecting the property of others. In addition, while interacting with their peers, young children learn communication, cognitive, and motor skills. Children with disabilities and nondisabled children to play together is an extremely important part of instruction in integrated preschools. The children must have the opportunity to play together if they are to become friends. These friendships will help the nondisabled child form positive, accepting attitudes toward persons who are disabled.In addition, the child who is disabled will have the opportunity to learn age-appropriate social skills. Children who learn appropriate social skills often have a higher self-esteem and show a greater willingness to interact with their environment as they grow. Opportunities for social interaction not only enhance development in the early years, but also may be important for the future of the young child who is disabled. The ability to interact competently with is a skill that is required throughout life and may affect future educational and vocational opportunities.Assisting young children who are disabled to learn through positive social interaction with nondisabled children may help them acquire skills from which they will benefit throughout their life. Interacting and playing with peers provides many learning opportunities for young children. In integrated preschool settings, nondisabled children and children with disabilities may need to be encouraged to play together. Social interaction between the two groups of children can be encouraged in a number of different ways.Suggestions for ways to use teacher attention and to structure the c lassroom to promote socially interactive play are discussed below. Teachers and adults can be very effective in promoting social interaction by encouraging children to play together and by praising them when they do. Teachers and other adults also can promote interactions by teaching children specific ways to ask other children to play, to share toys, to take turns, to express affection and to help other children. Assisting children to control their aggressive behavior encourages the formation of friendships.Planning small group activities that require cooperation and sharing motivates socially interactive behavior. For example, painting a mural or making soup as a group encourages children to learn to work together. Being certain that children with disabilities are seated next to nondisabled children makes it easy for the children to interact with and learn from each other. Allowing the child who is disabled to lead activities, pass out materials, and be praised in front of his or her classmates helps the nondisabled child view the child who is disabled as a competent friend.Toys such as blocks, dolls, dress-up clothes, trains, and cars promote social interactions much more than do toys such as beads, clay, puzzles and paints. Providing toys with which the child who is disabled can play competently encourages the children to play together. Limiting the number of toys available and requesting that children play in a small area requires the children to share and engage in the same activity, thereby encouraging social interaction. As you get older and retire or move to a new community, you may not have quite as many opportunities to socialize as you did when you were younger.People who continue to maintain close friendships and find other ways to interact socially live longer than those who become isolated. Relationships and social interactions even help protect against illness by boosting your immune system. The benefits of being social: Specific health benefit s of social interaction in older adults include: * Potentially reduced risk for cardiovascular problems, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis * Potentially reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease * Lower blood pressure Reduced risk for mental health issues such as depression Conversely, social isolation carries real risks. Some of these risks are: * Feeling lonely and depressed * Being less physically active * Having a greater risk of death * Having high blood pressure Social interaction helps keep your brain from getting rusty, but it's most effective when coupled with an overall healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet and physical activity. Keeping your connections strong: Start by staying in touch with friends and family, and try to visit with them regularly.Here are other ways you can maintain a high level of social interaction: * Volunteer in your community. * Visit a senior center and participate in offered activities with other seniors—this is a gre at way to make new friends. * Join a group focused on activities you enjoy, such as playing cards or a book club. * Try taking a class—learn a new language or a new style of cooking or experiment with a new hobby. * Join a gym or fitness center to stay physically fit and engage with others. Find ways to stay young at heart, stimulated, busy and out of the house.Schedule regular visits with grandkids or volunteer at a school or children's organization to enjoy time with little ones and absorb some of their youthful energy. Although staying in touch in person is important, phone calls, snail mail, and e-mail can keep you connected, too—if you're not yet comfortable with computers, ask a young relative to help you. Staying socially active and maintaining your relationships are an important part of healthy aging. Reach out to your loved ones—neighbors, friends, family members—and stay as vibrant, active, and social as you've always been. Kinds of social inter action:There are six kinds of social interaction: 1) Cooperation 2) Conflict 3) Competition 4) Accommodation 5) Acculturation 6) Assimilation 1) Cooperation: Green: According to Green, cooperation can be defined as â€Å"The continuous and common endeavor of two or more persons to perform a task or to realize a goal that is commonly cherished. † Cooperation is one of the fundamental processes of social life. Cooperation is that basic form of human interaction in which men strive jointly with each other for a good goal or value. At the same time, cooperation is the most pervasive and continuous of the social processes.It is an integrating activity. It is an associative process which means working together in the pursuit of common interests or common goal. Modes of Cooperation: There are two modes of cooperation in a social life: * Direct cooperation: includes â€Å"those activities in which men do like things together† –like play together, worship together, etc. * Indirect cooperation: is found wherever people perform unlike tasks towards a single end – like where there is a division of labor or mass production. Importance: Cooperation is a universal phenomenon.All the progress that mankind has made in various fields is to be attributed to the cooperating spirit of the people. It is so important in the life of an individual that it is difficult to survive without it. Cooperation for human beings is both a psychological and a social necessity. Collective goals in our social life cannot be achieved without cooperation. 2) Conflict: Mac Iver and Page: â€Å"Form of struggle in which â€Å"men contend against one other for any object. † Conflict is as ever-present process in human relations. Conflict is universal and occurs in all places and at all time.There has never been a time or a society in which some individuals or groups did not come into conflict. Social conflict is a struggle between opponents over values and claims to scarce status, power and resources. Conflict therefore, expresses itself in thousands of ways and degrees and over every range of human contact. It is a dissociative process. In conflict, the person or group thwarts injuries or destroys the opponent in order to secure a goal or reward. Darwin states that – â€Å"the principles of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest are the main causes of conflict. † Types of Conflict:There are four basic types of conflict: * Man vs. Man: It occurs when a character (some other person) has an argument or disagreement with the other character. * Man vs. Society: It occurs when a man disagrees with a societal values, laws or beliefs. * Man vs. Nature: It occurs when a man has problem with outside forces; weather, animals (like in a TV show ‘Man vs. Wild'), and land. Etc * Man vs. Self: It occurs when a person develops an internal struggle between his ideas and thoughts. This can be a cause of other conflicts mentioned. Modes of Conflict: There are two modes of conflict: Direct Conflict: The direct conflict is in which people seek to attain some objective by restraining, injuring or destroying one another. Revolution was and street fights are example of direct conflict. * Indirect Conflict: The indirect conflict is in which the people do not restrain or injure other in seeking there ends but manage to attain their own goals which the opponent cannot approach to his goal in any way. It means obstruction in rivals is created. Group opinion is colored against the rival about his aims. Talking ill of others and backbiting are also indirect conflicts.These are the frequently occurring instances in the social life of people. Importance: Conflict generally occurs due to individual differences, cultural differences, clash of interests and social changes. Conflict in its extreme form brings war and destruction of lives and property. Those conflicts which cause wars or may take hostile form may destroy live s and property of the people – may cause great negative psychological and moral change. Conflict serves as constructive and positive ends. In corporate conflicts – that is, between groups and societies, solidarity and fellow-feelings are increased.Thus we may conclude that all types of conflicts are not harmful to the society because it performs certain positive functions also. Mac Iver therefore, rightly observes that – Society is cooperation crossed by conflict. 3) Competition: Competition is the most fundamental form of opposition or social struggle. It is a struggle of two or more persons for the same object which is so limited that all cannot share it. Anderson and Parker: â€Å"Competition is that form of social action in which we strive against each other for the possession of or use of some limited material and non-material good.   In our society, for instance, there is competition for jobs, for goods, power, social position, fame and all other things one cannot get by mere asking. Thus competition goes on an impersonal manner. The eye is on the goal or reward rather than the competitors. Importance: Competition therefore, exists everywhere, but appears in many ways. It varies as to scope, intensity and type from one system to another. It performs many useful functions in our society. Competition tends to stimulate economy, efficiency, and inventiveness.It tends to increase one’s ego and to give one satisfaction. Since competition rests upon a set of rules, it creates respect for the ruling of the game. 4) Accommodation: If conflict goes on for an indefinite period, our social life becomes unbearable. Hence, attempts are always made for the resolution of conflicts. Accommodation means resolution of conflict by adjusting oneself to the new environment. Mac Iver and Page: â€Å"The term accommodation refers particularly to the process on which man attains a sense of harmony with his environment. † Ogburn and Nimkoff: Accommodation is a term used by sociologists to describe the adjustment of hostile individuals or groups†. Accommodation is the term used by the sociologists to describe the process by those once in conflicts who can work together in common enterprises. It brings arrangements which permit groups to work together. A structure of interdependent roles arises and organizes people in ways which permit them to live and Act in spite of differences in latent hostility. Thus, the social order arises through the process of accommodation. Accommodation is thus, the basis of all social organizations. Importance:The term ‘accommodation' refers to several sorts of working agreements between rival groups that permit at least limited cooperation between them even though the issues dividing them remain unsettled. It does not technically end the conflict, but holds it in abeyance. The accommodation may last for only a short time and may be for the purpose of allowing the conflicting part ies to consolidate their positions and to prepare for further conflict. Or, as is more often the case, the initial accommodation agreed upon by the parties may be part of the process of seeking solutions to the issues that divide them.If those solutions are not found, the accommodation itself may become permanent. 5) Acculturation: Acculturation is defined as, â€Å"Acculturation is a process in which members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs and behaviors of another group. † Although acculturation is usually in the direction of a minority group adopting habits and language patterns of the dominant group, acculturation can be reciprocal–that is, the dominant group also adopts patterns typical of the minority group. Importance:This term is used to describe both the process of contacts between different cultures and also the customs of such contacts. As the process of contact between cultures, acculturation may involve either direct social interaction or exposure t o other cultures by means of the mass media of communication. As the outcome of such contact, acculturation refers to the assimilation by one group of the culture of another which modifies the existing culture and so changes group identity. There may be a tension between old and new cultures which leads to the adapting of the new as well as the old. ) Assimilation: Assimilation is the process whereby persons and groups acquire the culture of the other persons and groups in which they come to live  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ by adopting its attitudes and values and its way of life. Assimilation is the blending or fusing of minority groups into the dominant society. Young and Mack: â€Å"Assimilation is a slow and a gradual process†. It takes time. For example, immigrants take time to get assimilated with majority group. Assimilation is concerned with the absorption and incorporation of the culture by another.Assimilation is therefore, another form of interaction which cannot be neglected in t he social process. But the same time, the extreme differences in cultural background, prejudice and physical differences usually Act as barriers to assimilation. Importance: The term ‘assimilation' again is in general use, being applied most often to the process whereby large numbers of migrants from Europe were absorbed into the American population during the 19th and the early part of the 20th century. The assimilation of immigrants was a dramatic and highly visible set of events and illustrates the process well.There are other types of assimilation, however, and there are aspects of the assimilation of European migrants that might be put in propositional form. First, assimilation is a two-way process. Second, assimilation of groups as well as individuals takes place. Third some assimilation probably occurs in all lasting interpersonal situations. Fourth, assimilation is often incomplete and creates adjustment problems for individuals. And, fifth, assimilation does not proce ed equally rapidly and equally effectively in all inter-group situations fusion or blending of two previously distinct groups into one. Social Interaction ‘Social Interaction’ Social Interaction: Social Interaction is the foundation of society. Studying social interaction in everyday life sheds light on larger social systems & institutions. It is the building block of the entire Social Order and Social Relations. Definition: Social interaction is the process by which two or more individuals act and react to the people around us. It is the way people talk to each other and how they interact with various structures in society. It also includes the mutual influence of two or more people on each other’s behavior.Example: Interaction between the members of a family with each other, such as eating, sleeping and even family get-togethers. You will read more examples later in this assignment. Importance of social interaction: The opportunity for social interactions with others is very important for the development of all children. Through social interactions, children begin to establish a sense of â€Å"self† and to learn what others expect of them. Although social interactions for very young children primarily occur within the family, as children grow and develop, they become more and more interested in playing and interacting with other children.While playing with others, children learn appropriate social behaviors, such as sharing, cooperating and respecting the property of others. In addition, while interacting with their peers, young children learn communication, cognitive, and motor skills. Children with disabilities and nondisabled children to play together is an extremely important part of instruction in integrated preschools. The children must have the opportunity to play together if they are to become friends. These friendships will help the nondisabled child form positive, accepting attitudes toward persons who are disabled.In addition, the child who is disabled will have the opportunity to learn age-appropriate social skills. Children who learn appropriate social skills often have a higher self-esteem and show a greater willingness to interact with their environment as they grow. Opportunities for social interaction not only enhance development in the early years, but also may be important for the future of the young child who is disabled. The ability to interact competently with is a skill that is required throughout life and may affect future educational and vocational opportunities.Assisting young children who are disabled to learn through positive social interaction with nondisabled children may help them acquire skills from which they will benefit throughout their life. Interacting and playing with peers provides many learning opportunities for young children. In integrated preschool settings, nondisabled children and children with disabilities may need to be encouraged to play together. Social interaction between the two groups of children can be encouraged in a number of different ways.Suggestions for ways to use teacher attention and to structure the c lassroom to promote socially interactive play are discussed below. Teachers and adults can be very effective in promoting social interaction by encouraging children to play together and by praising them when they do. Teachers and other adults also can promote interactions by teaching children specific ways to ask other children to play, to share toys, to take turns, to express affection and to help other children. Assisting children to control their aggressive behavior encourages the formation of friendships.Planning small group activities that require cooperation and sharing motivates socially interactive behavior. For example, painting a mural or making soup as a group encourages children to learn to work together. Being certain that children with disabilities are seated next to nondisabled children makes it easy for the children to interact with and learn from each other. Allowing the child who is disabled to lead activities, pass out materials, and be praised in front of his or her classmates helps the nondisabled child view the child who is disabled as a competent friend.Toys such as blocks, dolls, dress-up clothes, trains, and cars promote social interactions much more than do toys such as beads, clay, puzzles and paints. Providing toys with which the child who is disabled can play competently encourages the children to play together. Limiting the number of toys available and requesting that children play in a small area requires the children to share and engage in the same activity, thereby encouraging social interaction. As you get older and retire or move to a new community, you may not have quite as many opportunities to socialize as you did when you were younger.People who continue to maintain close friendships and find other ways to interact socially live longer than those who become isolated. Relationships and social interactions even help protect against illness by boosting your immune system. The benefits of being social: Specific health benefit s of social interaction in older adults include: * Potentially reduced risk for cardiovascular problems, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis * Potentially reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease * Lower blood pressure Reduced risk for mental health issues such as depression Conversely, social isolation carries real risks. Some of these risks are: * Feeling lonely and depressed * Being less physically active * Having a greater risk of death * Having high blood pressure Social interaction helps keep your brain from getting rusty, but it's most effective when coupled with an overall healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet and physical activity. Keeping your connections strong: Start by staying in touch with friends and family, and try to visit with them regularly.Here are other ways you can maintain a high level of social interaction: * Volunteer in your community. * Visit a senior center and participate in offered activities with other seniors—this is a gre at way to make new friends. * Join a group focused on activities you enjoy, such as playing cards or a book club. * Try taking a class—learn a new language or a new style of cooking or experiment with a new hobby. * Join a gym or fitness center to stay physically fit and engage with others. Find ways to stay young at heart, stimulated, busy and out of the house.Schedule regular visits with grandkids or volunteer at a school or children's organization to enjoy time with little ones and absorb some of their youthful energy. Although staying in touch in person is important, phone calls, snail mail, and e-mail can keep you connected, too—if you're not yet comfortable with computers, ask a young relative to help you. Staying socially active and maintaining your relationships are an important part of healthy aging. Reach out to your loved ones—neighbors, friends, family members—and stay as vibrant, active, and social as you've always been. Kinds of social inter action:There are six kinds of social interaction: 1) Cooperation 2) Conflict 3) Competition 4) Accommodation 5) Acculturation 6) Assimilation 1) Cooperation: Green: According to Green, cooperation can be defined as â€Å"The continuous and common endeavor of two or more persons to perform a task or to realize a goal that is commonly cherished. † Cooperation is one of the fundamental processes of social life. Cooperation is that basic form of human interaction in which men strive jointly with each other for a good goal or value. At the same time, cooperation is the most pervasive and continuous of the social processes.It is an integrating activity. It is an associative process which means working together in the pursuit of common interests or common goal. Modes of Cooperation: There are two modes of cooperation in a social life: * Direct cooperation: includes â€Å"those activities in which men do like things together† –like play together, worship together, etc. * Indirect cooperation: is found wherever people perform unlike tasks towards a single end – like where there is a division of labor or mass production. Importance: Cooperation is a universal phenomenon.All the progress that mankind has made in various fields is to be attributed to the cooperating spirit of the people. It is so important in the life of an individual that it is difficult to survive without it. Cooperation for human beings is both a psychological and a social necessity. Collective goals in our social life cannot be achieved without cooperation. 2) Conflict: Mac Iver and Page: â€Å"Form of struggle in which â€Å"men contend against one other for any object. † Conflict is as ever-present process in human relations. Conflict is universal and occurs in all places and at all time.There has never been a time or a society in which some individuals or groups did not come into conflict. Social conflict is a struggle between opponents over values and claims to scarce status, power and resources. Conflict therefore, expresses itself in thousands of ways and degrees and over every range of human contact. It is a dissociative process. In conflict, the person or group thwarts injuries or destroys the opponent in order to secure a goal or reward. Darwin states that – â€Å"the principles of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest are the main causes of conflict. † Types of Conflict:There are four basic types of conflict: * Man vs. Man: It occurs when a character (some other person) has an argument or disagreement with the other character. * Man vs. Society: It occurs when a man disagrees with a societal values, laws or beliefs. * Man vs. Nature: It occurs when a man has problem with outside forces; weather, animals (like in a TV show ‘Man vs. Wild'), and land. Etc * Man vs. Self: It occurs when a person develops an internal struggle between his ideas and thoughts. This can be a cause of other conflicts mentioned. Modes of Conflict: There are two modes of conflict: Direct Conflict: The direct conflict is in which people seek to attain some objective by restraining, injuring or destroying one another. Revolution was and street fights are example of direct conflict. * Indirect Conflict: The indirect conflict is in which the people do not restrain or injure other in seeking there ends but manage to attain their own goals which the opponent cannot approach to his goal in any way. It means obstruction in rivals is created. Group opinion is colored against the rival about his aims. Talking ill of others and backbiting are also indirect conflicts.These are the frequently occurring instances in the social life of people. Importance: Conflict generally occurs due to individual differences, cultural differences, clash of interests and social changes. Conflict in its extreme form brings war and destruction of lives and property. Those conflicts which cause wars or may take hostile form may destroy live s and property of the people – may cause great negative psychological and moral change. Conflict serves as constructive and positive ends. In corporate conflicts – that is, between groups and societies, solidarity and fellow-feelings are increased.Thus we may conclude that all types of conflicts are not harmful to the society because it performs certain positive functions also. Mac Iver therefore, rightly observes that – Society is cooperation crossed by conflict. 3) Competition: Competition is the most fundamental form of opposition or social struggle. It is a struggle of two or more persons for the same object which is so limited that all cannot share it. Anderson and Parker: â€Å"Competition is that form of social action in which we strive against each other for the possession of or use of some limited material and non-material good.   In our society, for instance, there is competition for jobs, for goods, power, social position, fame and all other things one cannot get by mere asking. Thus competition goes on an impersonal manner. The eye is on the goal or reward rather than the competitors. Importance: Competition therefore, exists everywhere, but appears in many ways. It varies as to scope, intensity and type from one system to another. It performs many useful functions in our society. Competition tends to stimulate economy, efficiency, and inventiveness.It tends to increase one’s ego and to give one satisfaction. Since competition rests upon a set of rules, it creates respect for the ruling of the game. 4) Accommodation: If conflict goes on for an indefinite period, our social life becomes unbearable. Hence, attempts are always made for the resolution of conflicts. Accommodation means resolution of conflict by adjusting oneself to the new environment. Mac Iver and Page: â€Å"The term accommodation refers particularly to the process on which man attains a sense of harmony with his environment. † Ogburn and Nimkoff: Accommodation is a term used by sociologists to describe the adjustment of hostile individuals or groups†. Accommodation is the term used by the sociologists to describe the process by those once in conflicts who can work together in common enterprises. It brings arrangements which permit groups to work together. A structure of interdependent roles arises and organizes people in ways which permit them to live and Act in spite of differences in latent hostility. Thus, the social order arises through the process of accommodation. Accommodation is thus, the basis of all social organizations. Importance:The term ‘accommodation' refers to several sorts of working agreements between rival groups that permit at least limited cooperation between them even though the issues dividing them remain unsettled. It does not technically end the conflict, but holds it in abeyance. The accommodation may last for only a short time and may be for the purpose of allowing the conflicting part ies to consolidate their positions and to prepare for further conflict. Or, as is more often the case, the initial accommodation agreed upon by the parties may be part of the process of seeking solutions to the issues that divide them.If those solutions are not found, the accommodation itself may become permanent. 5) Acculturation: Acculturation is defined as, â€Å"Acculturation is a process in which members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs and behaviors of another group. † Although acculturation is usually in the direction of a minority group adopting habits and language patterns of the dominant group, acculturation can be reciprocal–that is, the dominant group also adopts patterns typical of the minority group. Importance:This term is used to describe both the process of contacts between different cultures and also the customs of such contacts. As the process of contact between cultures, acculturation may involve either direct social interaction or exposure t o other cultures by means of the mass media of communication. As the outcome of such contact, acculturation refers to the assimilation by one group of the culture of another which modifies the existing culture and so changes group identity. There may be a tension between old and new cultures which leads to the adapting of the new as well as the old. ) Assimilation: Assimilation is the process whereby persons and groups acquire the culture of the other persons and groups in which they come to live  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ by adopting its attitudes and values and its way of life. Assimilation is the blending or fusing of minority groups into the dominant society. Young and Mack: â€Å"Assimilation is a slow and a gradual process†. It takes time. For example, immigrants take time to get assimilated with majority group. Assimilation is concerned with the absorption and incorporation of the culture by another.Assimilation is therefore, another form of interaction which cannot be neglected in t he social process. But the same time, the extreme differences in cultural background, prejudice and physical differences usually Act as barriers to assimilation. Importance: The term ‘assimilation' again is in general use, being applied most often to the process whereby large numbers of migrants from Europe were absorbed into the American population during the 19th and the early part of the 20th century. The assimilation of immigrants was a dramatic and highly visible set of events and illustrates the process well.There are other types of assimilation, however, and there are aspects of the assimilation of European migrants that might be put in propositional form. First, assimilation is a two-way process. Second, assimilation of groups as well as individuals takes place. Third some assimilation probably occurs in all lasting interpersonal situations. Fourth, assimilation is often incomplete and creates adjustment problems for individuals. And, fifth, assimilation does not proce ed equally rapidly and equally effectively in all inter-group situations fusion or blending of two previously distinct groups into one.

Madea Possibly the Litarary Worlds First Feminist essays

Madea Possibly the Litarary Worlds First Feminist essays Medea: Possibly the Literary Worlds First Feminist Ancient Greece was an extremely misogynistic culture, and believed that women were a lesser breed. Because of these beliefs women were portrayed as weak, irrational, and vain creatures, and men bore the responsibility of taking care of them. Euripides created Medea, a women who is betrayed by her husband, and exiled by the king. It is only after King Kreon exiles Medea, and her children that she gets angry. Medea uses these assumptions about women to manipulate these characters in order to get her revenge. Medea is a very intelligent woman, and she uses her intelligence to plan her revenge. Men considered women weak, and because of this presumption it makes it easy for Madea to influence them. After she is exiled she must seek refuge, and she finds it in Athens with King Aigeus. In exchange for a place in his kingdom she promises to use her powers as a witch to bring him and his wife children. She makes him promise before all the Gods That you yourself will never cast me from your land, Nor, if any of my enemies should demand me, Will you, in your life, willingly hand me over (733-735) He has no idea of her intentions, but because he swore before the gods he must now honor is oath. Even though she will have murdered her children he must protect her, and give her a haven within his kingdom. Now that she has security she can carry out her plan. Her next step is to trick Jason, and does so by making peace with him. He treats her as if she were just an irrational woman who finally comes to her senses. She uses this as an excuse for her behavior and to make him believe that he is right. But we women are what we are,-perhaps a little Worthless; and you men must not be like us in this, Nor be foolish in return when we are foolish. Now I give in, and admit that then I was wrong (865-868). ...

Definition of Secession

Definition of Secession Secession was the act by which a state left the Union. The Secession Crisis of late 1860 and early 1861 led to the Civil War when southern states seceded from the Union and declared themselves a separate nation, the Confederate States of America. There is no provision for secession in the U.S. Constitution. Threats to secede from the Union had arisen for decades, and during the Nullification Crisis three decades earlier it appeared that South Carolina might try to break away from the Union. Even earlier, the Hartford Convention of 1814-15 was a gathering of New England states which considered breaking away from the Union. South Carolina Was the First State to Secede Following the election of Abraham Lincoln, southern states began to make more serious threats to secede. The first state to secede was South Carolina, which passed an Ordinance of Secession on December 20, 1860. The document was brief, essentially a paragraph which stated that South Carolina was leaving the Union. Four days later, South Carolina issued a â€Å"Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Justified the Secession of South Carolina from the Union.† South Carolinas declaration made it abundantly clear that the reason for secession was the desire to preserve slavery. South Carolina’s declaration noted that a number of states wouldnt fully enforce fugitive slave laws; that a number of states had â€Å"denounced as sinful the institution of slavery†; and that â€Å"societies,† meaning abolitionist groups, had been allowed to operate openly in many states. The declaration from South Carolina also referred specifically to the election of Abraham Lincoln, stating that his opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery. Other Slave States Followed South Carolina After South Carolina seceded, other states also broke from the Union, including Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas in January 1861; Virginia in April 1861; and Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina in May 1861. Missouri and Kentucky were also considered to be part of the Confederate States of America, though they never issued documents of secession.