The Size and Function of the Federal Government

The Size and Function of the Federal Government In the 2010 midterm elections, the federal government’s size and function have been the common topic of debate among politicians in their election campaigns.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Size and Function of the Federal Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Liberals see the federal government as essential to America’s growth and well being. It should be large enough to protect its people from foreign threats, regulate businesses to avoid unfair competition and help the less fortunate citizens. Conservatives on the other hand argue that the federal government has already grown too big that it has become costly, consuming most of the US budget. They believe that the institution should limit their involvement and leave tasks to private entities and non-profit organizations. This paper aims to evaluate the arguments of liberals and conservatives in determining if the US needs a bigger federal g overnment. According to liberals, the federal government is vital in the growth of the United States because they provide infrastructures, education and healthcare mostly to support the poor and the society as a whole. Such investments could not have been adequately undertaken by private institutions because their scope is usually limited to that within their interests. Government support is primarily required in building roads and facilitating educational and healthcare systems and structures (McKenna and Feingold 238). The federal government serves as a coordinator in harmonizing systems such as railroad, water and highway structures. The government standardized the railroad systems when different sizes of tracks were used. They also created economies of scale when they organized communities to use a single public water system. Among others, the government was also involved in managing synchronized systems for highways and international trade and currency valuation (McKenna and Fe ingold 238). Lastly, the federal government imposes regulations which often make economies work better. The federal government was able to make product and service information more open, reduce corruption, monopolistic pricing and anticompetitive policies through regulations. They were also able to temper financial regulations (McKenna and Feingold 238). The controversial key benefit of the Post World War II government is it makes the economy more stable by creating jobs and supporting incomes. In this scenario, unemployment insurances, Social Security and government employments are stabilizing factors (McKenna and Feingold 239). On the other hand, conservatives give emphasis on the protection of freedom which should be guarded by both public and private institutions against the concentration of power. Freedom is destroyed because other institutions are weakened by the presence of the federal government for power is concentrated on the latter. The federal government dominates and di minishes the role of other institutions (McKenna and Feingold 242).Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In downsizing the federal government, governors and state legislatures can take control of education, healthcare, transportation and other services, giving citizens more independence from the federal government. At the state and federal level, business leaders can unite around common goals to lessen corporate taxes, duplicative regulations and lawsuits. The growth of the federal government must be restrain because of its unsound levels of spending and debt. This may result in the financial collapse of the government and private sector’s economic structures (McKenna and Feingold 245). Studies show that economic growth occurs when government spending is on the 20 percent or below GDP range but over the years as government spending increased, exceeding the 20 percent GDP, the US economy had slowed down and declined (McKenna and Feingold 246). Congress should take responsibility in the country’s problems such as the nation’s debt, out of control spending and loose monetary policies which are creating economic insecurity. Unrestrained government spending and debt may result to the neglecting of national priorities such as defence, devaluation of the US dollar, destruction of private-sector economy and the loss of wealth and quality of life for all Americans (McKenna and Feingold 247). The government is an essential institution for the development and protection of freedom but it should not try to manage America because they are only there to make the rules and enforce them. The federal government has been trying to manage and control many aspects of America’s economy and social services which always results to disaster. It has put America on an unstable financial course with its uncontrollable spending and huge debt. Both liberal and conservative parties have clearly stated and defended their opinions on the case of the enlargement of the US federal government. Analyzing and evaluating both sides, I conclude that the United States of America should broaden the scope and functions of the federal government because, although they are not perfect, they outline systems of rules and regulations which are clear in helping the growth of the country especially through infrastructures, education, healthcare and economic reforms. Conservatives may argue that such tasks can also be done by governors and other private entities. The concern here is that these groups may not provide consistent support in executing such tasks for they will always weigh and base their decisions on their own interests. In the 2010 midterm election the incumbents have been defeated because of the bad economy. Republicans were re-re-elected and democratic incumbents lost in record numbers. During midterm elections voters tend to punish the pre sident’s party because of their dissatisfaction of economic performance (O’Connor, Sabato and Yanus 361).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Size and Function of the Federal Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More McKenna, George and Feingold, Stanley. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Political Issues. 17th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. 2011. Print. O’Connor, Karen, Sabato, Larry J., and Yanus, Alexandra B. Essentials of American Government: Roots and Reform. United States: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. Print.

10 Facts About the Geography of the Pacific Northwest

10 Facts About the Geography of the Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest is the region of the western United States located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. It runs north to south from British Columbia, Canada, to Oregon. Idaho, parts of Montana, northern California, and southeastern Alaska are also listed as parts of the Pacific Northwest in some accounts. Much of the Pacific Northwest consists of rural forested land; however, there are several large population centers which include Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Portland, Oregon. The region of the Pacific Northwest has a long history that was mainly occupied by various Native American groups. Most of these groups are believed to have been engaged in hunting and gathering as well as fishing. Today, there are still visible artifacts from the Pacific Northwests early inhabitants as well as thousands of descendants that still practice historic Native American culture. What to Know About the Pacific Northwest One of the first United States claims to the lands of the Pacific Northwest region came after Lewis and Clark explored the area in the early 1800s.The Pacific Northwest is highly active geologically. The region is dotted with several large active volcanoes in the Cascade Mountain Range. Such volcanoes include such Mount Shasta in northern California, Mount Hood in Oregon, Mount Saint Helens and Rainier in Washington and Mount Garibaldi in British Columbia.There are four mountain ranges dominating the Pacific Northwest. They are the Cascade Range, the Olympic Range, the Coast Range and parts of the Rocky Mountains.Mount Rainier is the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest at 14,410 feet (4,392 m).The Columbia River, which begins in the Columbia Plateau in western Idaho and flows through the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean, has the second-largest flow of water (behind the Mississippi River) than any other river in the lower 48 states.In general, the Pacific Northwest has a wet and co ol climate which has led to the growth of extensive forests featuring some of the largest trees in the world. The regions coastal forests are considered temperate rainforests. More inland, however, the climate can be drier with more harsh winters and warmer summers. The economy of the Pacific Northwest is varied, but some of the worlds largest and most successful technology companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Expedia, and Amazon.com are located in the region.Aerospace is also an important industry in the Pacific Northwest as Boeing was founded in Seattle and currently  some of its operations  in the Seattle area. Air Canada has a large hub at the Vancouver International Airport.The Pacific Northwest is considered an educational center for both the United States and Canada as large universities such as the University of Washington, the University of Oregon and the University of British Columbia are located there.The dominant ethnic groups of the Pacific Northwest are Caucasian, Mexican and Chinese.

Strategic management - C5 Intel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic management - C5 Intel - Essay Example Before Paul Pressler became the CEO of Gap Inc. between the years 2002 – 2006, he was the head of the Disney Store. (Duxbury, 2007; Niles, 2002) Gap Inc. under the leadership of previous CEO Pressler failed to have consistency when it comes to building image based on its target customers’ preferences in style and fashion. In the past, Pressler attempted to renovate Gap store outlets and develop new prototypes thinking that he could attract the consumers to patronize Gap’s products. However, customers did not even notice minor changes. (Diva, 2007) Basically, Pressler’s ineffective marketing strategies, lack of knowledge and sense in fashion, garments, and style including his inexperience in handling apparel business caused Gap, Inc. to experience a decline in revenue and market share. (Duxbury, 2007; Niles, 2002) Glenn Murphy as the recently appointed and chairman of CEO of Gap Inc. have more than 20 years of experience in retail business and branding of food, health and beauty products, as well as books. (Gap Inc., 2008) Although he has a limited experience in handling apparels, Murphy is capable of innovating effective marketing strategies for new products and services aside from his ability to manage the business operations. Given that Murphy has a limited knowledge and experience in fashion, as the CEO of Gap Inc., he should make sure that a group of individuals who has a good sense of fashion should be hired as part of the company’s purchasing department. This will increase the rate of marketability of Gap’s apparels based on the latest fashion and styles that looks appealing among Gap’s target customers. The company should also monitor its purchasing department by developing business procedures that will prevent corruption. By keeping the costs of garments low and maintaining the quality of clothing high, the company could benefit having a bigger profit

Given the cost and time involved in getting a college degree, do you Essay

Given the cost and time involved in getting a college degree, do you believe the benefits of a college degree outweigh the drawbacks State your position, and provide evidence and examples to support it - Essay Example 309-46). Nevertheless, is it worth incurring heavy financial expenses in order to obtain a college degree if the future of making the maximum use of the same is not certain? While the cost, effort, and time involved in obtaining a college degree may appear enormous in terms of sacrifice, there is still a strong belief that the benefits of a college degree outweigh the drawbacks especially going by the lucrative job opportunities that it brings along with it. Although the cost of getting a college degree may be quite prohibitive, it is evident that the job opportunities that come with the possession of one are innumerable besides the flexibility in profession (Bacila pp. 531-48). Essentially, getting a college degree helps a person to be predisposed to many job opportunities and therefore they are able to get a decent job upon the completion of their studies. This actually means that they are in a better position to secure decent jobs if they have a college degree than when they do not possess one. Additionally, the many job opportunities that present themselves to people who have college degrees have the luxury to choose the jobs or professions they want to pursue since they a college degree qualifies them in a number of fields and hence they can be flexible in terms of switching professions (McMahon pp. 309-46). As far as work experience is concerned, it is important to mention that a college degree benefits the holders through enabling them to accumulate work experience in their respective areas of specialization (Bacila pp. 531-48). Certainly, education up to college level places a person in a better position to quantify the specific experience that they hold in a particular professional field as opposed to general experience of unqualified staff. This experience is beneficial to their career progression. Perhaps another point worth noting about

Collective unconscious Essay Example for Free

Collective unconscious Essay Carl Jung was born in Kesswyl, Thurgau, Switzerland on July 26, 1875. His father was kind but weak, while his mother was an insecure woman but with two personalities: (a) kind and loving (b) harsh and aloof. Jung was lonely at childhood making him introvert. In 1906 he published The Psychology of Dementia Praecox, a psychoanalytic treatment of schizophrenia. He first met Freud in 1907 and Freud regarded Jung as his son and they travelled and worked together that lasted until 1913. Freud and Jung had an argument that ended their friendship. Freud considered it as the â€Å"Great Loss†. Jung is the first president of International Psychoanalytic Society. Jung established his own school of psychology named â€Å"Analytical Psychology†. Jung begun the structure of personality and made the ego, personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. Dynamics of Personality Carl Jung conceived that the personality or psyche as being a partially closed energy system. Energy from the outside sources must be added into the system and the system will only be perfect and stabilized if it is completely closed. He called psychic energy as the energy by which the work of personality is performed. Psyche – refers to all psychological processes: thoughts, feelings, sensations, wishes, etc. It is also another term for personality. Principle of Equivalence – states that if a particular value weakens the sum of the energy represented by the value will not be lost from the psyche but will reappear in a new value. Principle of Entropy – states that the distribution of energy in the psyche seeks equilibrium and balance. Structure of Personality. 1. Ego – it is one’s conscious mind. It serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality. 2. Personal unconscious – the material in the personal unconscious comes from the individual’s past. It consist f experiences that was once conscious but have been repressed. 3. Collective unconscious – is the part of the collective psyche that is unconscious. It is the storehouse of latent memory traces inherited from one’s ancestral past. Archetypes – it is the universal thought form or predisposition to respond to the world in a certain way. It emphasizes potentialities; it represents different potential ways in which we may express our humanities. The Self – it represents the unity of all parts of the personality. It is the central archetype. Self Ultimate unity of personality (the central archetype) Persona Mask or Social Role Shadow Animal instincts or the opposite of Persona Anima Feminine side of male psyche Animus Masculine side of the female psyche. The Persona – refers to the social role that one assumes in society. It is a mask that one wears to adjust to the demands of society. The Shadow – encompasses those unsocial thoughts, feelings and behaviours that we potentially posses and other characteristics that we do not want to accept. The Anima – feminine side of the male psyche. The Animus – masculine side of the female psyche. Word association – a test used by Jung to detect complexes. The test is composed of a list of words; as each word is presented, the patient responds with the first word that comes to his or her mind. Complexes – an organized group of thoughts, feelings and memories about a particular concept that has power to draw new ideas into it and interpret them accordingly. Basic Attitudes Extroverted attitude: a standpoint characterized by an outward flowing of personal energy — an interest in events, in people and things, a relationship with them, and a dependence on them. Introverted attitude: characterized by an inward flowing of personal energy—a withdrawal concentrating on subjective factors. The Four Functions Thinking gives meaning and understanding; actions are a result of an intellectually considered motive; life is based on principles. Feeling a rational function that weighs, values, and attaches a proper value to things. Truth is seen as inter-subjectivity. Sensation emphasis on perception through the senses. It is a reality functions because it yields facts and the representations of the world. Intuition tells of future possibilities and gives information of the atmosphere which surrounds experience. Causality vs. Teleology For Jung both past and the future standpoints are important in determining the present behaviour. Teleology explains the present in terms of the future while causality explains the present in terms of the past. Individuation process of restoring wholeness to the psyche in adult development. Transcendence Function – is capacity to unite all of the opposing trends of the several systems to work toward the perfect wholeness. Self realization – is process of development that involves individuation and transcendence. In the process, the systems of the psyche achieve their fullest most complete differentiation and harmonious blending of all aspects of a human’s total personality. Strengths Jung’s theory as the first to discuss the process of self actualization. He was the first to emphasize the importance of the future in determining human behaviour. He stressed the attainment of selfhood as the main motive in human behaviour. Weaknesses Jung’s method was not systematic and puts too much emphasis on occultism, spiritualism and religion. His theory was said to be unscientific, unclear, inconsistent and contradictory. His self actualization is only applicable to the highly intelligent, well educated and those who have plenty of time to reach a degree of individualism. Sources: Engler, B. (2006). Personality Theories: An Introduction. USA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Hall, C. , Gardner, L. (1975). Theories of Personality. USA: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Burger, J. (2008). Personality. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Clonniger, S. (2004). Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons. USA: Pearson Prentice Hall Mitchell, G. Carl Jung Jungian Analytical Psychology. Retrieved from http://www. trans4mind. com/mind-development/jung. htmlÃ'Ž

What makes anyone a legal parent? :: Essays Papers

What makes anyone a legal parent? How easy is it for the courts to decide who should be the legal parent of a child? With the advances in assisted reproduction technology (ART), such as surrogacy and in vitro fertilization (IVF), more people both inside and outside the traditional relationships of a biological mother and father have a chance to have a child. These families consist of single parents and also same sex couples. With same sex relationships, a third party has to be involved, which could be either a surrogate mother or a male donor. This leaves the child with more than the two biological parents. How do authorities determine who will be the most beneficial to the child? The courts try to determine the legal parents out of the best interests of the child but their ruling gives the biological parents more rights over other individuals. Unfortunately, this discriminates against same sex couples because only one partner can be the biological parent. This closed judgment by the courts and society demonstrates that both parties do not understand the abilities same sex couples have in raising a child. Many partners in nontraditional relationships lose their involvement in their child’s life because courts make these conventional decisions which do not recognize same sex marriages. Everyone should have the same opportunities to raise a child because, as many successful adoptions show, a biological tie is not required for a person to be the best parent for a child. Lesbian co-mothers are growing in population. ART has contributed to a significant increase in the number of lesbian and gay individuals choosing to raise genetically related children (Goldstein 412). Most lesbian couples obtained a child from either a past heterosexual relationship or by alternative insemination where the child then has two mothers and a male donor. One of the main questions is how fitting is a lesbian couple to raise a child? Society seems to discriminate against same sex couples. As mentioned earlier, one reason is because there are more than two possible parental figures. People within society are concerned about this because it is not a traditional type of family. They feel that a child should have both a male and female figure represented in a family to make an ideal environment.

“A Sound of Thunder” and “Nethergrave” Essay

â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† by Ray Bradbury and â€Å"Nethergrave† by Gloria Skurzynski were good, well written science fiction stories. Both stories used technology to greatly change the life of the main characters. â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† involved dinosaurs and a time machine in which the characters used to go back in time. The time machine was built to go to the stories setting in a jungle, sixty million years in the past. In â€Å"Nethergrave†, the main character, Jeremy, choses to get sucked into the virtual world instead of staying the real world after having a quite embarrassing and lonely day. This stories setting seemed to be in the present time but did not say for sure. The climax in â€Å"Nethergrave† was when all Jeremy’s online friend had left him and he got a message from someone telling him to turn on his mic. I didn’t know what was going to happen or what the man wanted from Jeremy. He made the decision to leave the rea l world of being ignored and bullied to go to somewhere he was promised never to be abandoned. The climax in â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† was when the men were on the time machine returning to the present time. I thought this was the most suspenseful time because I knew Echkels had walked of the path he was forbidden to leave and I was waiting to read if that small action had really affected the future. Both the stories’ climaxes made me wonder what was going to happen next. One of the themes in the â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† is that one small bad action can lead up to a massive destruction. I think a theme for â€Å"Nethergrave† is that when reality is tough, it is easy to make poor decisions that seem to make it better. Both themes are ideal to remember because they go hand in hand. If you think about it, the theme in â€Å"Nethergrave† is saying if life is hard, then it is easier to make poor decision, and if you make poor decision, than it can affect yourself or others like the theme is in â€Å"A Sound of Thunder†. Both of these short stories show how technology can be extremely dangerous. Advancements in technology are being made every day. Even though these are science fiction stories, I thinkt the dangers of technology from the stories  might actually be possible in the future. Both stories kept me wanting to keep reading, but â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† was more effective than â€Å"Nethergrave† in my opinion. It had better characterization in describing the charters, a more relatable theme, had more description, and helped the readers get familiar with the setting. The last line of Bradbury’s story, â€Å"There was a sound of thunder†, made me sit dazed for a moment, questioning if he really did kill Echkels. Overall, I thought it had more exciting action and was my favorite of the two. Works Cited Bradbury, Ray. A Sound of Thunder. New York: Doubleday, 1952. Print. Skurzynski, Gloria. Nethergrave.

Jane Austen: Emma

â€Å"I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like† How does this comment by Jane Austen fit with your reading of her presentation of Emma? Today, we can interpret this remark as the recognition of a problem that was to be successfully overcome, instead of looking at it as an accurate prediction. Readers like the author's niece, Fanny Knight, who could â€Å"not bear Emma herself† have been in the minority. Most readers, myself included, have liked Emma Woodhouse and the novel that bears her name. It is an intricate, complex and perfectly achieved work that takes an apparently trivial matter – â€Å"3 or 4 Families in a Country Village†, in Austen's famous phrase – and makes it captivating, involved and rich with meaning. During this essay I intend to outline what Jane Austen means by â€Å"heroine†, and explain how Emma fits this title. I shall explore why Austen feels her character will not be liked, and yet what defies these intentions and regardless encourages the generally felt affection towards Emma. Jane Austen nurtures many issues during her novel, I need to examine them, and decide on their relevance to the characters position. Jane Austen's use of ‘heroine' in her comment outlines who the chief character of the story is, in this book we immediately discover its Emma Woodhouse. The book is justly named Emma, as the whole thing is Emma. There is only one short scene where Emma herself is not on stage; and that one scene is Knightley's conversation about her with Mrs Weston, proving she has a very dominant role. As readers we would usually expect the heroine of the story to be the most courageous, clever or perhaps even the most blasphemous. They usually have an attribute that sets them apart from everyone else. In this book though, Emma is mainly a figure of fun. We see the gradual humiliation of self-conceit through a long succession of disasters – serious in effect, but written comically throughout. The disasters occur through Emma's absurdities, her snobberies, her intrinsic honesty and her misdirected mischievous conduct. The reader feels affection for the character not because of her charms , but in defiance of her defects as she develops this rogue image. Her features allow her to take rank not with the ‘sympathetic' heroines, but as the culminating figure of English high comedy. The word ‘heroine' can also be used to describe someone much admired for their bravery. In my view, this ironically can also be applied to interpret Jane Austen's comment, and even Emma herself. Perhaps she doesn't demonstrate bravery of a courageous format, but she does show brave recognition of her faults, which could be employed to give her the title of a ‘heroine' in her own way. Jane Austen creates a wonderfully flawed heroine. Had Emma been perfect, her situation would have been of no interest to anyone; her flaws are what interest both reader and critic. The basic movement of Emma is from delusion to self-recognition, from illusion to reality. In the beginning she is loveable enough, but has much to learn. It takes supreme courage on Austen's behalf to portray a girl, meant to win and keep the reader's fancy, with the characteristics frankly ascribed to Emma Woodhouse. During the time period of both Austen and Emma the world was a male-dominated place, to centre the attention of the story on a woman was a daring move, but Jane Austen wanted to do something different. The narration opens by telling us all about the privileged heroine, â€Å"handsome rich and clever,† personally giving me the image of an insufferable young lady.We are allowed to know that she is pretty; not formally, but casually, from the words of a partial friend; â€Å"Such an eye! – the true hazel eye – and so brilliant! – regular features, open countenance, with a complexion – ah, what a bloom of full health and such a pretty height and size; such a firm and upright figure.† But, before we are allowed to see her personal beauty, we are made to see some of the destined troubl ing qualities. In her wish to be useful she is patronizing and a little conceited; her self-sufficiency early appears along with the irony of her willingness to have a hand in the future of others, despite having little knowledge or experience of her own to do it judiciously. Jane Austen's ironic voice throughout the book provides humour and logical thinking. Irony is defined as an absurd contradiction or paradox, a form of humour where someone says the opposite of what is obviously true. The ironic actions of Emma Woodhouse show one of her faults, for example her ‘matchmaking'. â€Å"It was foolish, it was wrong to take so active a part in bringing any two people together. It was adventuring too far, assuming too much, making light of what ought to be serious, a trick of what ought to be simple. She was quite concerned and ashamed, and resolved to do such things no more.† There is a special element of irony in this statement. Even as Austen has Emma relinquish the strategies of matchmaking, Austen condemns her heroine to continue thinking social relationships over and over again, repeating her misreading of sexual relations throughout the book. This is to emphasis the dislike we should be feeling towards Emma. Her complacent manner should evoke a feeling of frustration, instead, in my opinion, we see the funny side, predicting the outcome of Emma's actions, and knowing it's destined to go disastrously wrong. Emma's exclusive attention to marriage plots of her own devising is consistent with her inability to enter into a relation of equality with other women. Her obsession with arranging marriages distorts the relationship with her good friend Harriet Smith, and blinds her from other relational possibilities. The connection with Mrs Weston was never based on equality, she is grateful to her governess/friend for her guidance and education, the relationship is lacking in true parity. The great attraction of Harriet, beyond her blonde beauty and easily swayed temper, was that â€Å"everything† could be done for her. Emma's failure to bond with Jane Fairfax (her exact equal in age, abilities and sense) could also to a certain extent be due to her preoccupation with the marriage plot. Friendship between women is necessarily difficult in this period where the aim is to accomplish a husband. Rivalry for a husband of authority and worthiness is visible. Mrs Elton's marriage puts her into competition with all other women in her society and gives her precedence even over Emma Woodhouse; this makes her liable to judgement: â€Å"She did not really like her. She would not be in a hurry to find fault, but she suspected that there was no elegance; – ease, but not elegance. – She was almost sure that for a young woman, a stranger, a bride, there was too much ease. Her person was rather good; her face not unpretty; but neither feature, nor air, nor voice, nor manner, were elegant. Emma thought at least it would turn out so.† Emma values herself highly enough to make many judgements during the book, another flaw, as usually they are incorrect, and only get Emma into more difficulty. Her judgements are formed on the bases of social status and backhand gossip, instead of individual qualities and personality. It emphasises her pretentiousness and a lack of understanding. The limitation and narrowness of the Highbury world shows the limitation of class society. The class divisions are apparent throughout, and highly relevant to the attitude and treatment one will receive. Different ranks are distinguished by degrees of prestige, and one is judged to be worthy or not from the possessions they own. A real example of Emma's incorrect and unjustified assessment of a person is of Robert Martin. Her cutting remarks show qualities of vanity, ignorance and meanness; â€Å"He is plain, undoubtedly – remarkably plain: – but that is nothing compared with his entire want of gentility. I had no right to expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air. I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility† As far as Emma is concerned the class is wrong for her young friend, nothing else needs to come into consideration, he is already not good enough. Her attitude is patronising, and should make us think poorly of her, but instead we tolerate her interfering, and enjoy the product of it. Her abusing of Miss Bates with her cruel remark reveals a different side to the Emma, undoubtedly a nastier side. Yet Emma's rudeness strangely expresses energy and excitement. The unexpected outburst causes the reader to wake up and take note. We don't hate her for her comment; instead we share her guilt, and secretly admire her for this more mischievous person. Emma Woodhouse indisputably casts a real attraction over most of her readers, but how and why? The plot of the book has been described by some as â€Å"uneventful† and â€Å"nothing profound†. One critic stated, â€Å"there is no story whatever, and the heroine is no better than other people; but the characters are all so true to life, and the style so piquant, that it does not require the adventitious aids of mystery and adventure† Despite these comments, to look at Emma's strengths is firstly a way of understanding her desirability. She is a very loving character, exposed through her faithfulness and kindness towards her father, and the attention she gives to the poor. She has a love of children, which becomes clear with the intense adoration shown towards her nieces and nephews, qualities that only strengthen her appeal. Interestingly enough, Emma could also be seen as a role model for women readers. She stubbornly demonstrates a resistant figure to the woman stereotype of the time, unusually showing a more masculine behaviour, or as we may see it, a more modern behaviour. Her squabbles and quick-witted retorts towards Mr Knightly show her intelligence, but also her unconcerned approach towards playing the typical 18th century woman; Mr Knightley: I leave you to your own reactions Emma: Can you trust me with such flatters? Her constant strength and vitality are alluring, and bring energy to the book. Emma's an imaginist â€Å"on fire with speculation and foresight†, giving her a playful, fun appearance, another beneficial quality. Lastly, Emma is bright girl, meaning we don't question her intelligence when things go wrong, just her naivety. She was never deceived about her sexual feelings during the book, and never deceived herself into feeling emotions that weren't there like Harriet seemed to. This emphasised her maturity, and made me, as the reader, value her actions and opinions more then, for example, Harriet's. In the book Emma seems to get everything and everyone wrong, yet her vulnerability is strangely attractive, and is one reason for my approval of her. The much irony directed at her is setting her up to be judged, irony in itself, as she is usually the one doing the judging. What she often thinks of other people is commonly true for her, and therefore classes her on the same level as everyone else. She is the heroine of the book, and proves so with conviction and success. However, to be a disliked heroine is mistaken. Because the book is told from her view constantly, allowing us to understand the character, and sympathise with her wrongdoings instead of judging her for them. Despite foreseeing when something is going to go wrong, we assume it will all turn out okay in the end, and predict there can only be a happy conclusion. Her officiousness and capacity for deluding herself only bulk out the story to make it more exhilarating, while also making Emma a fully rounded character, one which most readers cannot deny, like very much indeed.

Free Essays on Documenting History

Documentation of any event (no matter how significant) is a very difficult task. It is human nature to have some bias and objectivity when looking at any situation. In order to accurately document an event we must be able to control these feelings. This, in my opinion, is an impossible task. No matter how hard we try, I do believe some objectivity will sneak through into our documentations. In the case of slavery in the United States in the time period before the Civil War I believe this problem was magnified by the very nature of the event being documented. This paper will focus on why I believe the documentation of slavery in the U.S. is very skewed. Slavery has existed since the beginning of time. It is common practice to use all means possible to keep slaves from joining together and revolting. One method used is denial of education. In the case of the African slaves brought to America these people were very uneducated. The majority could not read nor write. American slave masters used this to their advantage. Even after many generations of slaves had passed slave masters still were able to keep the vast majority of them illiterate by denying them any education at all. What this created was a very one-sided account of the happenings of that period of time. When we read history, especially the early history of slavery in the United States, what we are mainly getting are accounts based on slave owners’ and educated white men’s’ documentation of the events. There is very little input by the slaves themselves. This inherently causes these pieces of history to be skewed towards the white man’s view. As we go along the timeline there eventually are more and more educated slaves and white men; who tell the stories of the slaves as had been told to them by the slave. However, we still cannot get rid of the fact that the majority of the information had to come from the white men of the time. Besides this example, there are ... Free Essays on Documenting History Free Essays on Documenting History Documentation of any event (no matter how significant) is a very difficult task. It is human nature to have some bias and objectivity when looking at any situation. In order to accurately document an event we must be able to control these feelings. This, in my opinion, is an impossible task. No matter how hard we try, I do believe some objectivity will sneak through into our documentations. In the case of slavery in the United States in the time period before the Civil War I believe this problem was magnified by the very nature of the event being documented. This paper will focus on why I believe the documentation of slavery in the U.S. is very skewed. Slavery has existed since the beginning of time. It is common practice to use all means possible to keep slaves from joining together and revolting. One method used is denial of education. In the case of the African slaves brought to America these people were very uneducated. The majority could not read nor write. American slave masters used this to their advantage. Even after many generations of slaves had passed slave masters still were able to keep the vast majority of them illiterate by denying them any education at all. What this created was a very one-sided account of the happenings of that period of time. When we read history, especially the early history of slavery in the United States, what we are mainly getting are accounts based on slave owners’ and educated white men’s’ documentation of the events. There is very little input by the slaves themselves. This inherently causes these pieces of history to be skewed towards the white man’s view. As we go along the timeline there eventually are more and more educated slaves and white men; who tell the stories of the slaves as had been told to them by the slave. However, we still cannot get rid of the fact that the majority of the information had to come from the white men of the time. Besides this example, there are ...

Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) - Sociologist Profile

Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) - Sociologist Profile Best known for developing theories of deviance,  as well as the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and role model, Robert K. Merton is considered one of Americas most influential social scientists.  Robert K. Merton was born July 4, 1910 and died February 23, 2003. Early Life and Education Robert K. Merton was born Meyer R. Schkolnick in Philadelphia into a working class Eastern European Jewish Immigrant family. He changed his name at the age of 14 to Robert Merton, which evolved out of a teenage career as an amateur magician as he blended the names of famous magicians. Merton attended Temple College for undergraduate work and Harvard for graduate work, studying sociology at both and earning his doctorate degree in 1936. Career and Later Life Merton taught at Harvard until 1938 when he became professor and chairman of the Department of Sociology at Tulane University. In 1941 he joined the Columbia University faculty where he was named to the Universitys highest academic rank, University Professor, in 1974. In 1979 Merton retired from the University and became an adjunct faculty member at Rockefeller University and was also the first Foundation Scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation. He retired from teaching altogether in 1984. Merton received many awards and honors for his research. He was one of the first sociologists elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the first American sociologists to be elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 1994, he was awarded the National Medal of Science for his contributions to the field and for having founding the sociology of science. He was the first sociologist to receive the award. Throughout his career, more than 20 universities awarded him honorary degrees, including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Chicago as well as several universities abroad. He is also credited as the creator of the focus group research method. Merton was very passionate about the sociology of science and was interested in the interactions and importance between social and cultural structures and science. He carried out extensive research in the field, developing the Merton Thesis, which explained some of the causes of the Scientific Revolution. His other contributions to the field deeply shaped and helped developed fields such as the study of bureaucracy, deviance, communications, social psychology, social stratification, and social structure. Merton was also one of the pioneers of modern policy research, studying things such as housing projects, the use of social research by the ATT Corporation, and medical education. Among the notable concepts that Merton developed are unintended consequences, the reference group, role strain, manifest function,  role model, and self-fulfilling prophecy. Major Publications Social Theory and Social Structure (1949)The Sociology of Science (1973)Sociological Ambivalence (1976)On The Shoulders of Giants: A Shandean Postscript (1985)On Social Structure and Science References Calhoun, C. (2003). Robert K. Merton Remembered. asanet.org/footnotes/mar03/indextwo.html Johnson, A. (1995). The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers.

Evolution Seminar Unit 8 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evolution Seminar Unit 8 - Research Paper Example When scientists use the term â€Å"theory†, it already has years of research behind it before it has been presented for scientific evaluation. However to a non-scientist theory is something that is â€Å"cutting-edge† science and needs to be taught to the children Antibacterial resistance of bacteria and pesticide resistance are good examples of natural selection. Since resistance is a genetic characteristic, not all bacteria had the gene that would induce resistance against an antimicrobial agent. However, a few bacteria did have resistance against the agent and hence nature â€Å"selected† them for survival. Therefore the later generation too had this gene carried forward to show resistance against the antimicrobial agent and hence evolution occurred. 6 Charles Darwin died before Gregor Mendel, also known as the Father of Genetics, shared his discoveries on the inheritance of traits. However, their research definitely complements one another. How could further research into genetics continue to help us understand the process of evolution? Genetics is today the most important tool in understanding everything about the origin and life of earth as well as that of human beings. Using molecular tools we will be able to understand the origin of man and how exactly we evolved and so on. It is not only man that we can study but also how man and other animals are linked and construct phylogenetic trees more