NUTRIENTS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

NUTRIENTS - Assignment Example m other bio-molecules present in the cellular structures like the cell membrane and DNA, leading to their destruction through oxidative damage (Knight, 1998). The important antioxidant vitamins are vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E while the important antioxidant minerals are Selenium, Zinc, Manganese and Copper. These vitamins and minerals are an integral part of the free radicals scavenging enzyme system. The four significant antioxidant enzymes that neutralize the free radicals are superoxide dismutase, catalase, methionine reductase and glutathione peroxidase. Most minerals and vitamins might not be effective alone in scavenging free radicals, but can act as effective antioxidants in a synchronized manner. Major sources of antioxidant vitamins and minerals are fish oils, avocados, pomegranate, banana, raspberries, mango, spirulina and pumpkin. Most nuts and seeds also serve as a major source of antioxidant minerals (Benzie, 2003). The oxygen free radicals are neutralized by vitamins and minerals in a concerted way. Free radicals are formed due to many reasons either by cleaving water molecules into the hydroxyl free radical superoxide radicals and lipid peroxides by the action of ionizing radiations, and toxic pollutants. The fat molecules are broken down to liberate the reactive fatty acid peroxy radical. The free radicals have one unpaired electron in outermost valence shell, so in order to become stabilized it can accept protons from other bio-molecules present in the cellular structures like the cell membrane and DNA, leading to their destruction through oxidative damage (Knight, 1998). Free radicals can also be liberated from the diet we consume. A fat rich diet can increase free radical activity because fatty acids are readily oxidized to fatty acid free radicals. Cooking fats at high temperatures, mainly frying foods in oil, may produce large number of free radicals. Hence if the diet does not contain enough antioxidant vitamins and

Kishwar Naheed Essay Example for Free

Kishwar Naheed Essay She conveys that women were unwanted and were not cared for. In particular female infants were seen as a financial burden to an Indian family as they were discriminated from working and were not allowed to have an education. Naheed emphasises that she felt as if she was in the family for no purpose. Male infants were seen as the family gaining prosperity, they were celebrated and it was a gift to be proud of. The opening of the stanza Brash with glass immediately tells the reader that this is a luxurious place or arrogant. The word Brash is ironic as it can mean white faced. The harsh vowel of the assonance helps the reader to suggest the poets anger. The simile and alliteration of the phrase flaring like a flag conveys the idea that the restaurant asserts itself, even in its name. The word flag suggests that the people who set up a flag, have conquered someone elses land. This highlights the idea of when the whites stole the land of South Africa. Flaring suggests that the whites are bragging to the masses (blacks) about their superior lifestyle and it conveys Afrikas anger as this links to the image of heat used earlier in stanza two anger of my eyes. The simile guard at the gatepost suggest that the restaurant is reserved exclusively for white people. The guards are threatening the masses (blacks. ) He explains that even though there is No sign displayed outside the whites only inn and Apartheid was supposed to be put to an end. The guard is replaced instead of the sign as they block the masses (blacks) from entering the haute cuisine. Therefore, Afrika gives a clear image to the reader that Apartheid still exists. In I am not that woman Kishawar Naheed attempts to redefine the man-woman relationship; and address the situation she faces in her everyday life of exploitation and oppression. It is illustrated in the words Now it is time for me to flower free. The alliteration gives the impression that she wants to fight back and does not want to live restricted anymore. The words Now and free shows when she wants to redefine the man-woman relationship. Moreover, she explains how she wants to live like. Naheed wants a life with no restrictions and for men and women to be treated equally. The message in the poem is that men and women are not always treated equally; and how there is still sexism and discrimination. In particular, women are not dominated by men and men are treated with prestige and power. The poem helps her express her thoughts and feelings. Afrikas words are ambiguous we know where we belong. This perhaps emphasises that the masses (blacks) know that they are discriminated from entering the inn as there is a guard at the gate post. The use of the pronoun we emphasises that he believes that his identity belongs with the masses (blacks.) The single rose on each table contrast with the working mans cafe. As a single rose symbolises high quality lifestyle or perfection. It could also mean the arrogant wealth that was amongst the mass poverty at the time. In the words My motherhood Naheed conveys that women were born to nurture and care. On the other hand, the men in her society have stolen this substantial and amazing gift from them. Instead women are forced to be voiceless, obedient and were unfairly treated as servants due to the male dominance. My loyalty suggests that her husband and her father took away her loyalty and treated her unfairly. Naheed is aware that she has the right to achieve her loyalty again. In the fifth stanza the poet uses the words bunny chows to convey the masses (blacks) poor lifestyle in the working mans cafe. Bunny chows was cheap at the time and a common local snack of a poor mans hamburger; it is a stark contrast with haute cuisine. In the restaurant there are plastic tables top, this suggests the poor lifestyle the masses had. The plastic tables top suggests that there is no tablecloth and they felt incomplete, empty and it must have been uncomfortable to eat on. Wipe your fingers on your jeans gives the impression that there is nowhere to wash ones hands after eating or a tissue to wipe hands. Afrika uses direct imagery to show the life of the masses (blacks. ) Kishwar suggests that women do not have self respect. This is evident in The woman on the poster half naked. Naheed is commenting on how men view women as objects or for sexual pleasure. She wants this view to change. The tone No, no I am not that woman! emphasises that Naheed is not a woman who is obedient, subservient and does not want to avoid any arguments or disagreements with anything the men verbalize. The repetition of no shows that she is certain on her actions and strongly disagrees with how many women in the Asian culture are living. Afrika uses the words boy again to show that the appearance of District six brings back memories of his childhood when the Apartheid system existed. He does not feel independent as he feels like a boy and believes he is following the whites like how a child is with their parents. Hands burn emphasises his anger against the system and his urge to destroy the symbol of segregation. Afrika repeats the title Nothings changed at the ending of the poem. He conveys that even though Apartheid has been Abolished, the masses (blacks) are still treated inferior. The final stanza shows his anger and disappointment of the economic division between the whites and the masses (blacks) and conveys that the society has not changed at all. The layout of Nothings changed is set out in eight short lines in each of the six stanzas. The layout creates a sense of control as he is clear on what he is feeling and no sudden rage is introduced at any point in the poem. His anger increases gradually within each line. The poet makes his argument straight forward by emphasising his feelings in a calm manner. In the first stanza the use of imagery makes the reader feel as if they are in the poets shoes. This makes it clear and easy to imagine how life was like for Tatumkhulu Afrika. This is illustrated in the words Small round hard stones click under my heels. It makes it easy to imagine the masses (blacks) unpleasant and unfortunate lifestyle. The structure of I am not that woman is informal. The layout of the stanzas do not fit in a regular pattern and none of the words rhyme with each other. The free flowing structure shows how determined Naheed is about her argument. This conveys that nothing can change the way she is and nothing will hold her back. Even by the simple rules of poetry. It emphasises how infatuated she is towards emancipation. Furthermore, she is protesting about women having access to equal opportunities and rights as men; and women should not be treated as if they are worthless or disempowered. It is seen in the words my loyalty. The tones between Nothings changed and I am not that woman are very different. Kishwar Naheeds tone in I am not that woman is very calm, but firm. Her steady tone conveys that she has control over what is being said by repeatedly claiming I not that woman. Tatumkhulu Afrikas tone contrasts compared to Naheeds. In Nothings changed the poet seems to be increasing his rage within each line as he sees more things that have not changed even though Apartheid was abolished. Moreover, he is feeling angry because he had not been to District six for many years. In-conclusion, I believe that Kishwar Naheed in I am not that woman argument is stronger as the poem relates more to her lifestyle, cultural beliefs and traditional values about what she has experienced as a woman herself. Naheed clearly explains that wants equality between men and women. Moreover, she does not want to live a typical lifestyle of an asian; and leaves the reader in hope that there is a chance of change. However I believe that Tatumkhulu Afrika argument in Nothings changed. Is not as strong as Naheeds as he leaves the reader feeling helpless and has not attempted to change his lifestyle as much as Naheed has in nothings changed. Afrika has allowed the whites to treat the masses (blacks) unfairly; because he was not as determined or eager as Naheed. He mainly just agreed how nothings changed however, Naheed believes that no one can stop or change her views. This is why I strongly believe Naheedss argument is more effective. I believe that Naheeds argument will become more powerful if the majority of women did not accept the cultural beliefs of a submissive Asian housewife and they were all determined to fight for equality. By women taking action as a group by giving their views and speaking; the men may realise that women are treated unfairly, and their lifestyle may change once they have taken action.

Computers In Society :: Technology Computer essays research papers

Computers in Society Over the past decade, computers and modern technology have played an integral part in the way our society operates. Everywhere we turn there is indication of the advancement and innovation streaming in today’s society. The composition of the world surrounding us solely depends on the emulation of the world around us, in order to keep up with the ever-changing way we operate as a whole. The entire world is dependent upon that which we created from our own minds and hands, whose sole purpose is to mimic the way we act, yet do it more effectively and more efficiently. What are the major factors in advancing our society far beyond the comprehension of the public mind? Time, and money. We live in a society where the only key elements in succeeding are making or doing more of what we do, in less time than we do it. End result: Greater profits. But is this really the way we should be living our lives? We place all of our dependence in machines, which we have developed to take the place of†¦us, the people who developed them. During the next few pages, we will examine the effects of computers in our society. Their positive and detrimental effects on people, and the way they operate within a given community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thanks to the growth in computer capability and capacity, television and computers are merging into digital streams of sounds, images, and text that make it possible to become absolutely brilliant with information. The advancement in technology allows for the awareness and continued public support. Messages and ideas are carried in a far more efficient way, meaning people choose to listen to them more readily. In 1438 Johannes Gutenberg wanted a cheaper way to produce handwritten Bibles. His moveable type fostered a spread in literacy, and advance of scientific knowledge, and the emergence of the industrial revolution . Although most of the time technology changes at far too gradual a rate, slipping past our fingers, causing us to move on, and carry this new technology with us, seemingly in the same form as†¦the former. Technological advancement has been know in the past to trigger a more in depth look at things, and a brighter, better way to see things in a different light, alt hough what has it done socially for us?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We as a society have become so incredibly spoiled with our ever-advancing technology, that we too have immersed ourselves in it as well.

Scientific Revolution Dbq

*The Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries brings to mind great scientists like Galileo who dedicated themselves to math and science in order to help human learning. Advances were made in chemistry, astronomy, math, and even more branches of science by these men. However, they were not the ones whose thoughts were able to change that of the people in charge, i. e. , the Pope and the powerful rulers of that time.Without those people, the ideas of the scientists would never have been accepted by the general public. The thoughts of those people such as religious figures, philosophers, and even men working in the state were those that most helped to push the scientific revolution forward, because they broke boundaries and changed the way even society itself reacted to new ideas and developments. **The year 1554 was one of the first years that a free thinker came into the picture.John Calvin, a French Protestant theologian, disagreed with the fact that the study of astronom y should be outlawed by the Church, saying, â€Å"This study should not be prohibited, nor this science condemned, because some frantic persons boldly reject whatever is unknown to them,† (doc. 2). He had even formed his own religions, to become known later as Calvinism, because he so disagreed with the Church. Just a few years earlier, Polish priest and astronomer Nicholas Copernicus had agreed in a more mild way, saying, â€Å"The learned and unlearned alike may see that I shrink from no criticism,† (doc. ) meaning that he would continue his studies no matter what others told him. Both these religious men, though in different religions, thought the same thing about the fact that knowledge and learning should have no boundaries. Galileo himself was living proof of what these two men are discussing; his books were banned by the Church and put under house arrest for the last years of his life because his teachings disagreed with the Church.People all over the world, inc luding people within the Church like Copernicus, began to see that the Church was conflicting with the opportunity to discover many new things. **Many philosophers had the same ideas about learning and the fact that it must be expanded. Francis Bacon, as English philosopher of science, said that â€Å"the true and lawful goal of science is this: that human knowledge be endowed with new discoveries and powers,† (doc. 4). He believed that learning new things was absolutely necessary to all of mankind itself.Another philosopher that was way ahead of her time was Margaret Cavendish, an English natural philosopher. She said, â€Å"Were it allowable for our sex, I might set up my own school of natural philosophy,† (doc. 9). Though it would be many years before this would actually happen Cavendish, like these other men, wanted to open people's eyes up to new possibilities. She also wanted them to accept scientists, though she was speaking of the female gender. Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, talks not about how the Church would limit knowledge, but how the state itself would.He believes that, because geometry does not appear to matter to people because it has nothing to do with â€Å"ambition, lust or profit,† people will mostly leave it alone. But, he says that if some geometry postulate or theorem would â€Å"conflict with the interest of those who rule,† he knows that â€Å"it would be suppressed,† (doc. 7). Hobbes believes wholeheartedly that any king or queen would censor new discoveries should they not be want they want their people to know. *Despite Hobbes' views, there were some people involved in the state who tried to encourage scientists to gather their knowledge together. Henry Oldenburg, secretary of the English Royal Society, had wanted scientists to all come together as a community. He said, â€Å"Friendship should be spread through the world of learning, and established among those whose minds are above parti san zeal because of their devotion to truth and human welfare,† (doc. 6).Oldenburg believed that communities of learning would greatly benefit the world at that time, and all of mankind to come. Jean Baptiste Colbert, French finance minister under Louis XIV, wrote a letter saying how the state also must allow arts and sciences to flourish, and that he has been persuaded to establish many scientific academies to help science prosper (doc. 11). This can be shown being put into action a few years later, with a drawing of all the great minds and projects at work in the French Royal Academy, a place where learning could flourish (doc. 0). **Free thinkers of the Scientific Revolution such as religious men, philosophers, and statesmen, despite the fact that they were not considered â€Å"scientists,† made the most important contributions in these time periods. Though they did not actually change the way the people viewed the physical world like some scientists, they changed th e way the people of that time period thought. These were the people that opened their eyes so that they could see the new discoveries made by scientists. These were the

Enact Law of Mandatory Labeling Essay

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)/Genetically Engineered (GE) foods are the result of laboratory processes which artificially insert genes into the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of food crops or animals. There are many arguments both in favor of and against mandatory labeling of GMO/GE foods. Whether or not to require labeling of GMOs or GE foods also involves the debate over the risks and benefits of food crops produced using biotechnology. However, the overarching argument is consumers have a right to know what is in their food, especially concerning products that can cause allergic reactions. According to the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America, Genetically Modified (GM) foods are linked to toxic and allergic reactions, sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals (http://www.responsibletechnology.org). Because there is no scientific evidence that GMO/GE foods do or do not cause health issues in humans (because there have been no long-term studies), consumers may or may not be being harmed by GMOs. However, the safety of GMOs has been questioned by other countries. In fact, they are banned by food manufacturers in Europe and other countries, but, present in the majority of meats, produce, diary and processed foods in the United States (US). Many consumers in the US have no knowledge that they are consuming GMOs. If they did, it is now known if, similar to Europe, many would prefer to not consume GMO/GE foods. However, without proper labeling, the big issue of concern is, they do not know how to avoid them if they wanted to. The current labeling policy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to label items with the nutritional and caloric value of foods and to include any allergens such as peanuts in a soybean product. However, GMO/GE foods or ingredients are not required to be labeled. According to the FDA website, mandatory labeling of GMO/GE foods in the US has been proposed, but, not enacted, at federal, state, and local levels. One reason is that consumers have been consuming GMO/GE foods without their knowledge for years and have not suffered any significant adverse reactions. However, with GMOs not being labeled and without any long-term scientific studies of those consuming GMOs, it is not known if any health issues that consumers have had are related to consuming GMOs. However, as it stands, it appears the FDA does not feel it is necessary to require mandatory labeling o f GMO/GE foods and their ingredients. The most commonly known GE crop in the US is corn. Because many processed food products including animal feed contain corn ingredients, the majority of processed foods in grocery stores directly or indirectly include GE ingredients that are not labeled. Consumers have the right to know what is in their food. Furthermore, for religious or ethical reasons, many Americans want to avoid eating certain types of animal DNA products. By labeling GMOs and GE foods, including animal DNA, consumers will be able to choose. Opponents may argue that consumers who want to avoid GM or GE foods may choose only organic food items. However, this solution is not completely effective. Although a food item may be labeled organic, there is a possibility that it is not completely GM or GE free. This is because the food item may have been processed in the same facility as a GM or GE food item or may include traces of GE ingredients. The possible costs or drawbacks of mandatory labeling of GMOs and GE foods/ingredients are it would impose a cost to all consumers. For example, the food system infrastructure would need to be renovated to be able to segregate GE and non-GE products. This expense would most likely be passed on to the consumer. Opponents of mandatory labeling include the following, food manufacturers who would need to implement the mandatory labeling laws, seed companies and also the biotechnology companies such as Monsanto who are in the GMO and GE manufacturing business. Others who would be against the mandatory labeling laws would be the grocery stores because consumers may not purchase many of the GMOs that they would normally purchase, possibly reducing their revenue. |1. Are there at least 5 complete paragraphs that address all 5 questions? |2 Yes. | |(2) | | |2. Thoughtfulness of Content. (Are answers obvious, or do they go beyond |1 Very thoughtful. | |the obvious?) (1) | | |3. Clarity of writing. (Specific, precise wording vs. vague, general |1 Very clear and specific. | |wording) (1) | | |4. Grammar and mechanics. (Proper use of Standard, academic English prose?|1 Strong mechanics and grammar. | |Only one topic per paragraph?) (1) | | |Total Points (5) |5 A This looks like it’ll be a very strong topic because it is | | |arguable and fairly specific. | References The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America (2009). Retrieved January 9, 2010 from http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/CampaignforHealthierEatinginAmerica/index.cfm[pic][pic][pic]

Ida B. Wells vs. Booker T. Washington Essay Example

Ida B. Wells vs. Booker T. Washington Essay Example Ida B. Wells vs. Booker T. Washington Paper Ida B. Wells vs. Booker T. Washington Paper In post-reconstruction America, many Black writers, ministers, teachers and others eloquently argued on behalf of freedom and Justice for Black Americans, advocating various strategies for achieving racial and economic equality. Two such leaders who helped shape the political discourse were Ida B. Wells and Booker T. Washington. Urging politically divergent approaches, they both wanted African American people and men in particular, to be valued and respected by the white south. However, they differed significantly in the means by which they believed such change would come bout. Ida 8. Wells told the truth in a way that made many whites uncomfortable, addressing lynching and other racially motivated atrocities directly and proposing that African Americans collectively leverage economic power through strikes and boycotts, and individually protect themselves from lynches with weapons. In contrast, Washington was more conciliatory, appealing to whites to give African Americans the opportunity to prove their technical capacity and participate alongside whites as legitimate economic partners. While the gradualist gained unprecedented access o formal political power through his white benefactors, I believe Ida B. Wells argument that African Americans stop conceding power to whites was more persuasive In advancing racial equality for African Americans In post-reconstruction America. Wells and Washingtons thoughts were formed in the period immediately following reconstruction. The 14th and 15th amendments had been ratified in 1868, three years after the civil war ended, bringing much hope about the potential for an economically stable south with enough resources to go around. Wells was born a slave In Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1862. She started teaching In a rural school for blacks, and eventually taught In Memphis schools for African Americans. Around 1887, Wells started writing for several black-owned newspapers, Including Free Speech, which she co-owned. She frequently discussed the unequal education opportunities for whites and blacks in Memphis and was fired and ran out of Memphis by whites for the strong positions she took. Including in her March 1892 editorial response to the lynching of three black men, one a friend of Wells. Booker T. Washington was also born a slave in 1856, In Franklin County, Virginia. At 17, he attended Hampton Institute, a school for African Americans, spent three decades developing the Tuskegee Institute for African Americans, and received an honorary degree from Harvard College in 1891. By the time of the Atlanta Exposition Address in 1895, Washington was considered the most sought after African American speaker in the United States. Leading up to these speeches, which were given in 1892 (Wells) and 1895 (Washington), a scourge of lynching had begun which terrorized African Americans and claimed at least 1357 lives between 1889 and 1900. On top of this instant threat of murder through Individual lynching, the political establishments In southern states launched a series of official campaigns that would later morph into Jim Crow laws, which formalized and legitimated the segregated south. Another contenting factor was the region wide need for economic stimulus thirty years after the end of the civil war, the south was still struggling to define and realize its industrial potential in relationship to the North and the world. Wells and different audiences. Wells editorial spoke directly to African Americans, while Washingtons address spoke primarily to white business and political leaders, regardless of who was in the room. Wells editorial primarily argues for increased self-sufficiency through African Americans boycotting white businesses, organizing strikes against white employers when needed, and arming for self-defense as a form or protection against lynching. She gives multiple examples demonstrating the effectiveness of such campaigns, as in the case of the white street car company leadership recognizing the power of the black consumer, suggesting that African Americans could incite a bloodless revolution by attacking the white mans dollar which) is his god . Washingtons address primarily argues for hard work and friendliness towards whites, suggesting that African Americans cast down their bucket and learn that it is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top. He further warns against the extremist folly of focusing on social Justice through artificial forcing, perhaps referring to the well circulated idea that African Americans should be given easier access to land without the severe and constant struggle which Washington actually praises and upholds as a true path to economic equality. Both documents had some immediate impacts for their authors and speak quite a bit to their own experiences. Following Wells editorial, the newspaper Free Speech was destroyed, and newspaper leaders including Wells were attacked, threatened, and/or forced to leave Memphis. In contrast, after Washingtons address, he was invited to dinner with President Roosevelt. This speech cemented his position as the African American poster boy for the noticeably faulty vision of a harmonious, interdependent south in which each component And each person Had a clearly defined place. Many signs pointed to the impossibility of realizing a peaceful south without mandating a means for African American land ownership, yet most whites, especially in the North, were happy to keep believing in the broken dream of racial equality without economic Justice. In conclusion, Washington was feeding white people with what they wanted to hear. Although he was also secretly involved in more radical work to give tangible opportunities to African Americans, his public concessions allowed whites to live in an illusion and believe they were standing on the side of good. His willingness to abandon his more activist peers ether than use his position as a bridge builder to argue for land reparations was unfortunate. In contrast, although her radical approach was more easily dismissed by whites, Wells spoke truth to power. She used her personal resources and print platforms to mobile, encourage, and incite change among African Americans. Ida B. Wells believed in the internal resources and organizing capacity of African Americans, which I still find to be perhaps the most persuasive of strategies for any oppressed group to achieve equality to value their lives and demand respect though collective economic power, rather than beg for it.

Learn About Indias Seven Union Territories

Learn About India's Seven Union Territories India is the worlds second most populous country in the world and the country occupies most of the Indian subcontinent in southern Asia. It is the worlds largest democracy and is considered a developing nation. India is a federal republic and is broken down into 28 states and seven union territories. Indias 28 states have their own elected governments for local administration whereas the union territories are administrative divisions which are controlled directly by the federal government by an administrator or lieutenant-governor who is appointed by the President of India. The following is a list of Indias seven union territories organized by land area. Population numbers have been included for reference as have capitals for the territories which have one. Indias Union Territories 1) Andaman and Nicobar Islands Area: 3,185 square miles (8,249 sq km) Capital: Port Blair Population: 356,152 2) Delhi Area: 572 square miles (1,483 sq km) Capital: none Population: 13,850,507 3) Dadra and Nagar Haveli Area: 190 square miles (491 sq km) Capital: Silvassa Population: 220,490 4) Puducherry Area: 185 square miles (479 sq km) Capital: Puducherry Population: 974,345 5) Chandigarh Area: 44 square miles (114 sq km) Capital: Chandigarh Population: 900,635 6) Daman and Diu Area: 43 square miles (112 sq km) Capital: Daman Population: 158,204 7) Lakshadweep Area: 12 square miles (32 sq km) Capital: Kavaratti Population: 60,650 Reference Wikipedia. (7 June 2010). States and Territories of India - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_India

Definition and Examples of Standard British English

Definition and Examples of Standard British English The term Standard British English customarily refers to a variety of the English language thats generally used in professional communication  in Britain (or, more narrowly defined, in England or in southeast England) and taught in British schools. Also known as  standard English English or  British Standard English (BrSE). Although no formal body has ever regulated the use of English in Britain, a fairly rigid model of Standard British English has been taught in British schools since the 18th century. Standard British English is sometimes used as a synonym for Received Pronunciation (RP). John Algeo notes, however, that despite numerous differences in pronunciation, American English resembles present standard British English more closely than it does any other British type of speech (The Origins and Development of the English Language, 2014). Examples and Observations [D]uring the 18th and 19th centuries publishers and educationalists defined a set of grammatical and lexical features which they regarded as correct, and the variety characterized by these features later came to be known as Standard English. Since English had, by the 19th century, two centres, Standard English came to exist in two varieties: British and US. These were widely different in pronunciation, very close in grammar, and characterized by small but noticeable differences in spelling and vocabulary. There were thus two more or less equally valid varieties of Standard English- British Standard and US Standard. . . . [T]here is no such thing (at present) as a Standard English which is not British or American or Australian, etc. There is no International Standard (yet), in the sense that publishers cannot currently aim at a standard which is not locally bound. (Gunnel Melchers and Philip Shaw, World Englishes: An Introduction. Arnold, 2003) The Perceived Prestige of British English [D]uring most of the 20th century Europeans preferred British English, and European instruction in English as a foreign language followed the norms of British English in pronunciation (specifically RP), lexical choice, and spelling. This was a result of proximity, the effective methods of language teaching developed by British institutions such as the British Council, and the perceived prestige of the British variety. As American English grew more influential in the world, it became an option alongside British English in mainland Europe and elsewhere. For a while, especially during the second half of the 20th century, a prominent attitude was that either variety was acceptable for a learner of English as long as each variety was kept distinct. The idea was that one could speak British English or American English but not a random mix of the two.(Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A History of the English Language, 5th ed. Prentice Hall, 2002)The prestige of  British English is  oft en assessed . . . in terms of its purity (a baseless notion) or its elegance and style (highly subjective but nonetheless powerful concepts). Even those Americans who are put off by posh accents may be impressed by them and hence likely to suppose that standard British English is somehow better English than their own variety. From a purely linguistic point of view, this is nonsense, but it is a safe bet that it will survive any past or future loss of British influence in world affairs.(John Algeo and Carmen A. Butcher,  The Origins and Development of the English Language, 7th ed. Wadsworth,  2014)   Irregular Verbs The researchers [using a new online tool developed by Google with the help of scientists at Harvard University] were also able to trace how words had changed in English, for example a trend that started in the US towards more regular forms of verbs from irregular forms like burnt, smelt and spilt. The [irregular] forms still cling to life in British English. But the -t irregulars may be doomed in England too: each year, a population the size of Cambridge adopts burned in lieu of burnt, they wrote. America is the worlds leading exporter of both regular and irregular verbs.(Alok Jha, Google Creates a Tool to Probe Genome of English Words for Cultural Trends. The Guardian, December  16, 2010)

Written Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Written Assignment - Essay Example In the present scenario, globalisation, expatriation and advent of technologies have changed business operations and market conditions to a large extent. In this context, organisational behaviour plays an important role, as it assists in evaluating, controlling and forecasting the changing perception of workforce of organizations. It ensures that an effective workplace is maintained within an organisation, so that employees are able to conduct their operations in accordance with desired business objectives successfully3. Presently, the business scenario and market conditions have changed due to globalization and technological advancement. In addition, the emerging concept of expatriation has also changed the internal organisational environment to a large extent. The aforementioned factors are identified to be accountable for changes in organizational cultures. Individual from varied cultural background, ethnic groups and sex among others are working together in an organisation due to expatriation. The involvement of individuals representing different culture and having different belief has raised the trend of changing workforce in an organisation. In this context, organizational culture and organizational behaviour are recognised to be interrelated and equally important for organizations. Organizational culture includes vision, mission, values, assumptions, beliefs. Organizational culture is an important consideration for the overall performance of an organisation and it is regarded as the backbone of an organization. Workforce is the main asset of any organization. Subsequently, changing workforce is identified to influence organisational behaviour to a certain extent. Every organisation follows certain rules and regulation in its workplace to conduct operations in a coordinated and systematic manner. In this context, changing workforce may

Is it safe to keep wild animals as pets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Is it safe to keep wild animals as pets - Essay Example Definition of pets, broad and can include wild animals (Steiger, 2006). Difference between wild animals and domestic pets: wild animals not suitable for human companionship, domestic animals are (Caesar, 2009). Statistics of injuries and mauling and the spread of disease by wild animals indicate that keeping wild animals as pets is intrinsically dangerous (Animal Legal & Historical Center, 2004; Define pets and wild animals. Wild animals cannot be domesticated and turned in to human companions, pets can be domesticated and converted to human companions (Caesar, 2009). Capture stats from Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition and Euro Group for Animals. Extreme utilitarianism argue that it is ethical to keep wild animals as pets: animals are inferior to human beings, we already exploit them for food and for education. Moreover, keeping wild animals as pets improves the quality of their lives (Kreger & Hutchins, 2010). Rudy (2011) makes a compelling case for keeping wild animals as pets: the exploitation of the wild, animals are better off learning to live with human beings. Some wild animals have demonstrated adaptability (Rudy 2011). Perkins (2003) argues that keeping wild animals as pets can be a good thing: looks at the definition of pets and how keeping wild animals as pets can turn them into traditional concepts of pets as human companions. Mankind has a history of wanting to own and cultivate wild animals and this may be a trait inherited from our ancestors who were hunters (Bell, 2001). History informs that mankind has a tendency to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals. Amid much debate and controversy over the ethics and dangers of keeping wild animals as pets, people are known to keep wild animals in their homes as pets (Bell, 2001). The debate over the dangers and ethics of keeping wild animals as pets is represented by two philosophical perspectives. On the one hand, abolitionists take the position that cite

In the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In the instruction - Essay Example The trans-Atlantic trade was based on the need for raw materials in Europe, the ability of Africans to provide slaves and the productivity of the American continents (Gunn 102). Through the trading contacts between America and Europe, settlers gained a stronghold of the American continent and consequently became the primary producers. When they eventually sought independence, they relied on European technology to establish themselves (Gunn 113). In addition, since they came from Europe, the spread European culture and introduced European religion. Therefore, Europe played a key role in determining the course of the American history, hence the validity of the propositions of Eurocentrism. With the emergence of the age of enlightenment, there was a shift in human values and slave trade was no longer acceptable in Europe. However, slave labor was a primary source of income in other places such as in sugar cane plantations in America. However, Columbian Exchange implied that Americans relied on European values (Brown 26). Therefore, the slave trade was increasingly banned in many places. The relevance of the European values was so great that the plight for abolishment was a leading reason for the outbreak of the American civil war. This shows the dominance of European values in the rest of the world, despite the existence of differences (Brown 35). Therefore, the concepts of Eurocentrism are valid because changes in Europe produced changes in the rest of the world. The implication is that Europeans determined, and continue to determine, the course of history It is true that the world history from the 18th century is centered on the impact of the Europeans on the rest of the world. From the 18th century, Europeans became colonialists and spread European culture and values to the rest of the world (Vanhaute 76). In many parts of the world, there

Evolution of Integrated Marketing Communications to Integrated Brand Essay

Evolution of Integrated Marketing Communications to Integrated Brand Promotion - Essay Example As marketers become more sophisticated, they are recognize that IMC is more that just coordinating the various elements of the marketing and communications to have a 360 degrees approach to deliver a single message, as the concept of branding is emerging and more importance is laid upon the creation of an experience and promise that the brand holds, the concept of integrated brand promotion is a phenomenon that focuses on building brand identity and equity with the use of IMC to communicate and deliver the branding message effectively and efficiently. Building and maintaining brand identity and equity require the creation of well-known brands that have favorable, strong and unique associations in the minds of the consumer. 2. Imus Brothers Coffee, distributed by Fred and his radio disc jockey brother Don Imus' mail order Company, makes ground coffee and has targeted heavy users in the past. The company is now considering, however, switching to targeting college students, a target seg ment that is comprised largely of people who have just started to drink coffee and don't consume anywhere near as much as the heavy users. What are the disadvantages of the heavy-user strategy? What is the term used to describe the college students the company is considering targeting? What are the advantages of targeting this college student segment? Heavy users are more conscious about the quality of the coffee and are often choosy about what they want. They may be put off by some small mistake and have a negative image of the brand and may also lead to negative word of mouth among other heavy users. The company is targeting an emerging market which is untapped when it comes to coffee and this could mean that they could have a new segment to enter and achieve. This market development and would lead to increased market share and growth in sales. 3. You are the marketing manager for a mail-order company that ships spices from all over the world to customers across the globe. Given a choice between access to a mailing list and access to a marketing database, which would you choose? What are the advantages of your choice? Be as specific as possible. Marketing database would be a more efficient choice as it would be diverse and dense. The marketing database is created taking segmentation into consideration and it is more useful in terms of reach. Marketing database would hold complete information of the users and could also enable targeting and segmentation according to the company offerings. 4. Describe what branded entertainment is, how it differs from brand/product placement, and what its future is as a branding tool. The advent of brand entertainment is considered as one of the most major changes in the way IMC takes place since the past few years. The enormous growth of the concept of brand entertainment appends to its future as a successful branding tool. Brand entertainment can be described as a blend of marketing and entertainment and the process of using the entertainment media to grab the attention of the consumers and help them gain better exposure to the brand. Brand entertainment makes us of television, music, film and technology to create the mix between entertainment and marketing. Product/brand placement was a long time phenomenon used in films although brand entertainment is the same concept, but brand entertainment has led product placement to go beyond films to now embrace all forms of media. From films, to music videos, to computer games, all forms of media can be used to create or recreate an emotional connection with the consumers and increase exposure with

The Simultaneous Repression of CCR and CAD, TWO Enzymes of the Lignin Essay

The Simultaneous Repression of CCR and CAD, TWO Enzymes of the Lignin Biosynthetic Pathway, Results in Sterility and Dwarfism i - Essay Example Later on, understanding pathways may be used in the laboratory synthesis of these compounds. Moreover, the induction, as well as repression, of their production in plants through anthropogenic intervention to promote optimal plant growth and/or fruit bearing may be conducted. This is important as many secondary metabolites are already used by humans. In the case of lignins, genes CCR and CAD have been identified as the encoders for the last and specific steps for monolignol biosynthesis, the first part of lignin pathway. Because of the complex nature of biochemical production, regulation of a certain pathway may affect other pathways as well. Such effects may be great enough to cause changes in phenotype. In the case of monolignol biosynthesis in tobacco, the silencing of both CCR and CAD genes resulted not only to a reduction of lignin production but to a decrease in plant size as well. The recent study by Thevenin et al. (2011) looked into the effects of silencing monolignol-specif ic CAD and CCR genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The plant contains two CCR genes, but only one, CCR 1, is specific for lignification. The mutant lines for this gene, irx4, ccr1s and ccr1g, are dwarves, have a reduced amount of lignin (25-35%), and have a modified set of phenolic metabolites. On the other hand, A. thaliana contains nine CAD genes, two of which, CAD C and CAD D, are involved in lignin biosynthesis. CAD C and CAD D double mutants, unlike CCR 1 mutants, has a normal size and 40% amount of lignin. The effects on leaf and flower morphology, lignin structure and content, amount of sugar, and other metabolites were observed. RESULTS Identification and Phenotyping of the ccc Triple Mutant After crossing ccr 1 g mutant with cad c and cad d double mutant, and producing ccc mutant, the absence of CCR 1, CAD C, and CAD D expression in ccc mutants was verified using RT-PCR. 1. Leaf Morphology The growth of wild type, ccc, cad c, cad d, and ccr 1 g from plantlets to senescence were observed at greenhouse conditions. At 30 days, the absence of CCR 1 caused the leaves to change its morphology from rosette to pointed and rolled. The decrease in leaf size was also noted most noticeably among ccc plantlets (5-fold shorter), and less prominently in ccr 1 g (3-fold shorter. On the other hand, the absence of both cad c and cad d expression did not cause any decrease in leaf size. 2. Flower Morphology More changes were observed in the flowers. Similar to leaves, the mature floral stem is smaller in ccc than in ccr 1 g mutants. However, when compared to the wild type, the triple mutant senesced later, despite its first inflorescence being prematurely shriveled. In addition, male flowers are sterile. Despite possessing normal pollens, the anthers were unable to release them. As a result, more than 50% of ccc mutants were not able to undergo seed germination. The ccc triple mutant possesses non-dehiscent anthers Initial flower development and stamen filament elongation we re similar in ccc and wild-type A. thaliana. However, ccc anthers, despite containing pollens whose sizes germinating capability (through Alexander and aniline blue staining) were similar to that of wild-type, did not dehisce as what normally happens. Probably, the absence of lignified secondary thickening observed among ccc plants may have caused the non-dehiscent of anthers. The ccr 1 g plants, on the other hand, have few

Evolution of Integrated Marketing Communications to Integrated Brand Essay

Evolution of Integrated Marketing Communications to Integrated Brand Promotion - Essay Example As marketers become more sophisticated, they are recognize that IMC is more that just coordinating the various elements of the marketing and communications to have a 360 degrees approach to deliver a single message, as the concept of branding is emerging and more importance is laid upon the creation of an experience and promise that the brand holds, the concept of integrated brand promotion is a phenomenon that focuses on building brand identity and equity with the use of IMC to communicate and deliver the branding message effectively and efficiently. Building and maintaining brand identity and equity require the creation of well-known brands that have favorable, strong and unique associations in the minds of the consumer. 2. Imus Brothers Coffee, distributed by Fred and his radio disc jockey brother Don Imus' mail order Company, makes ground coffee and has targeted heavy users in the past. The company is now considering, however, switching to targeting college students, a target seg ment that is comprised largely of people who have just started to drink coffee and don't consume anywhere near as much as the heavy users. What are the disadvantages of the heavy-user strategy? What is the term used to describe the college students the company is considering targeting? What are the advantages of targeting this college student segment? Heavy users are more conscious about the quality of the coffee and are often choosy about what they want. They may be put off by some small mistake and have a negative image of the brand and may also lead to negative word of mouth among other heavy users. The company is targeting an emerging market which is untapped when it comes to coffee and this could mean that they could have a new segment to enter and achieve. This market development and would lead to increased market share and growth in sales. 3. You are the marketing manager for a mail-order company that ships spices from all over the world to customers across the globe. Given a choice between access to a mailing list and access to a marketing database, which would you choose? What are the advantages of your choice? Be as specific as possible. Marketing database would be a more efficient choice as it would be diverse and dense. The marketing database is created taking segmentation into consideration and it is more useful in terms of reach. Marketing database would hold complete information of the users and could also enable targeting and segmentation according to the company offerings. 4. Describe what branded entertainment is, how it differs from brand/product placement, and what its future is as a branding tool. The advent of brand entertainment is considered as one of the most major changes in the way IMC takes place since the past few years. The enormous growth of the concept of brand entertainment appends to its future as a successful branding tool. Brand entertainment can be described as a blend of marketing and entertainment and the process of using the entertainment media to grab the attention of the consumers and help them gain better exposure to the brand. Brand entertainment makes us of television, music, film and technology to create the mix between entertainment and marketing. Product/brand placement was a long time phenomenon used in films although brand entertainment is the same concept, but brand entertainment has led product placement to go beyond films to now embrace all forms of media. From films, to music videos, to computer games, all forms of media can be used to create or recreate an emotional connection with the consumers and increase exposure with

Political Obligation Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political Obligation - Thesis Example The basic thesis is that obeying the law enables people to be more free within their actions than not. Rousseau's The Social Contract was a highly influential treatise on hos a society based upon laws should work, and why it does actually work. It is a firm foundation for why people should obey the law. Within this work Rousseau suggests that the individual person gives up certain freedoms in return for the protection of society as regards much larger freedoms. For example, most people try to obey traffic laws such as stopping at a red light. This might be seen as a curtailment of their freedom to drive their car wherever they want whenever they want, but obeying red light laws preserves a much greater freedom: that of surviving your journey. Thus the individual gives up a small right in return for a much greater one. The "contract" that thus ensues between the individual and society is one that is "social" in nature. The individual agrees to obey the laws and the State, in the form of the government, police force, justice system etc. agrees to provide an environment in which people are as safe as possible and free to go about their own business. The social contract can also be understood by a consideration of those societies in which it is not present. Thus in times of anarchy, such as a civil war, individuals are free to "do" virtually whatever they want as law and order has broken down. Does this imply more freedom In a theoretical sense perhaps, but the reality of the situation is that most people are afraid for their lives much of the time. The law of the jungle is no law at all. Does this imply that the modern society, as exemplified by advanced Western countries, with sophisticated justice systems and capitalist economic paradigms are totally favorable One giant of philosophy, Karl Marx, would suggest not. Karl Marx suggested that laws were generally a codified means by which one class (the ruling) keeps everyone else (ie. you and me) in check. Marxists in general recognize that for society to function efficiently, there needs to be social order. However, they believed that in all societies except the Communist one, laws were designed to be of advantage to the wealthy. Thus the famous Marxist dictum that "property is theft". It is interesting to note that even for Marx laws were necessary, as was public obedience to them. It was the nature of those laws that Marx disagreed with, not the fact that they should exist at all. One reason the individual may find for obeying the law is the tendency for "labeling" to occur within society.Labeling theory suggests that the labels we give to individuals effects how they eventually act. Thus if a person comes from a gender or racial group that is perceived to be criminal, then they are more likely to act in a criminal way. The converse is also true - if you come from a supposedly law-abiding group - within American society, white upper class would be an example, then you are less likely to become a criminal. Having a system of theoretically objective laws in place stops such stereotyping as much as is possible. If people obey those laws then labeling is much likely to occur. For example, this author was once stopped in bookstore for acting in a supposedly suspicious manner. While I did not fit the classic profile of a "criminal", I was acting as one in the eyes of store security and so was stopped and eventually searched. In my situation I was labeled as a

American medical care Essay Example for Free

American medical care Essay These early immigrants survived the harsh times and difficult American climate as well as the wilderness on primitive basic instincts. The early settlements were often ravaged by starvation and disease. During the colonial era, doctors education was informal. Most were literate, but some who were raised outside of New England were not. A man who wanted to practice medicine did not need any type of certification. Most did have a period of apprenticeship with an established physician, but even this was not a requirement. Up until the late 19th century, very few doctors had a college education. Medical facilities were unofficial. Most patients were treated in their homes. However, even the smallest towns had poorhouses, where needy people could live and receive limited medical care. The few hospitals that opened in North America during the colonial period were opened in places like Quebec and New Orleans. Public health was unknown in North America at this time. Towns and cities did not have boards of health except during times of epidemics. Because most places did not have public water or sewer systems, most Americans got their water from pumps and used outhouses until well into the 19th century. There was no trash collection so the streets became a breeding ground for all types of disease. There were a few attempts to influence public health. For example, when smallpox vaccinations were developed in the 18th century, many small town doctors had groups of people that had to stay quarantined for a few days to make sure they only developed a mild case of smallpox. Cures may have killed more people than the diseases themselves. The public developed a very skeptical attitude towards regular doctors. In the early 19th century, the do it yourself attitude of many Americans was popular. These people freely gave medical advice, emphasized the participant of the patient in his or her own treatment. However, other medical treatments were available also. Probably snake oil is best remembered. Andrew Taylor Still started the practice of osteopathy. Osteopathy incorporated bodily manipulations, similar to those seen in modern chiropractics. In osteopathy, these manipulations affected the magnetic flow of energy in the body. Osteopathy discouraged use of medicines, but did not forbid them. Another reaction against heroic medicine was homeopathy. A university-trained German doctor named Samuel Hahnemann started it. Heinemann said that doctors were giving their patients too much medicine. He believed that tiny amounts of drugs should be diluted in water before being given to a patient and that practitioners should take very thorough medical histories of each patient. Quackery was a way to fool people into believing they were being cured while making money from them. Quackery had even been licensed in London, but it was completely ignored by the America government for hundreds of years. Hydropathy was another special case. The healing power of water, hydropathy indicated the value of the rest cure, importance of having like-minded people around, the usefulness of light exercise and the fact that women who wore loose-fitting clothing generally felt better and had fewer physical complaints than the ones who did. Another special case is the entire issue of faith-only healing. While empirical evidence in favor of faith-only healing is lacking, anecdotal evidence suggests that some people who pray do experience spontaneous decrease of certain diseases. The late 19th century saw major changes in medicine in the United States. Medicine went from being medieval to incorporating many elements of modern science. The advances in chemistry, and biology had major impacts on medicine. As medical practitioners began to understand that the body was comprised of basic chemicals and not mysterious humors, effective treatments for diseases and injuries were developed. As medicine became more scientific, doctors needed both training and  licensing. In 1847, Dr. Nathan Davis founded the American Medical Association (AMA) in Philadelphia to help create professional standards for doctors and set minimal educational requirements. Medical colleges opened up across the country, increasing requirements from a few months without any college background to a number of years with a college degree. However, these colleges provided an extremely unpredictable level of medical education, with some of them a diploma and others provided a to notch medical education. As American cities exploded in size during the 19th century due to immigration from Europe, public health became more of an issue. With many hundreds of thousands of people living in cities: extremely crowded, unsanitary conditions; tuberculosis was often at epidemic levels in the cities. During the 19th century, people understood that TB was not caused by miasma, but was caused by bacteria. People with TB were sometimes sent out of the city to places in the country, where the cleaner air seemed to help their recovery. It was obvious that people needed clean water for drinking, and bathing. So cities started massive sewer projects to help bring clean water into the cities while removing wastewater from the city. Dead animal remains and garbage littered the street until the late 1800s when cities started sanitation crews to take the trash out of town and dumps to move the waste to. Many cities started dispensaries so the poor could receive treatment and medications for low cost. With the urban population explosion, the poorhouses (probably todays HMO Urgent Care) became even larger and harder to manage. With new medical advances, people needed to be in big cities to receive certain types of treatment. Americans began to build hospitals across the country in the 19th century.  The new hospitals were generally cleaner than the old poorhouses.

Kaiser Meyer Olkin Measure Of Sampling Adequacy Media Essay

Kaiser Meyer Olkin Measure Of Sampling Adequacy Media Essay 21stcentury has witnessed the advent development of a lot of technologies. Due to the advent of technology it becomes easier for people to take the advantage of the same. The role of television as a media is increasing day by day. Now we can see a lot of people opting for DTH, now we dont have to rely on the cable to see the programmes. Due to this the viewership of people has increased to a greater extent. There was a time when people enjoyed watching religious serials, educational programmes, movies songs which provided entertainment. But now the meaning of entertainment seems to have changed and now a day reality shows has become the flavor of small screen. The small screen has been flooded with reality shows, namely X Factor, Just Dance, Little Champs, MTV Roadies,  Emotional Atyachar, Ratan Ka Rishta,  Comedy  ka maha mukabala, MTV Stunt Mania, Kaun Banega Crorepati, etc. and the list goes on. Moreover, most of the reality shows have been hosted by one celebrity or other. The basic assumption underlying celebrity hosting the reality show is that the value associated with the celebrity is transferred to the brand of the reality show and therefore helps to create an image that can be easily referred by consumers. Consequently by association the reality show can very quickly establish the Creditability, get immediate recognition and improved viewership. However, there are many risks associated with such hosts. The viewership could slide down just as quickly as it moved up the consumers mind due to some problem in celebrity image, career graph etc. Literature Review (Khatri, July-Dec. 2006) has opined that celebrity endorsement does not itself guarantee sales. It can create a buzz and make a consumer feel better about the product, which in turn has to come to expectation of customers as a real star by delivering the promise. (Ogunsiji, 2012) has pointed out that Global brand endorsements demand a global brand management team. Thus regional and international organization is in place to maintain brand leadership through proper effective celebrity endorsements. So, companies with large brand portfolios need to have separate managers for each brand and its promotion. (S.K.Dube, 2011) has observed that in India today, The use of celebrity advertising for companies has become a trend and a perceived as winning formula of corporate image building and product marketing. The use of celebrity for brand promotion is increasing day by day but it cannot be treated as an assured strategic tool to enhance market share, demand of the product or even profit because it mainly depends upon suitability of celebrity with a product and brand as well. (Kineta Hung, 2011) found that findings from a survey involving 1,030 respondents from a national panel of consumers, showed that consumer celebrity worship is a significant antecedent to endorser effects; over-endorsement by a celebrity is an important moderator; and the model is robust across both sports and entertainment celebrities. (Gouranga, 2011) concluded that celebrity is an important factor of interest to generate more positioning of interest in the minds of consumers rather than message and background set up at the time of recall in advertisements. So celeb rity acts as an effective component of advertisement to make the advertisements more effective. (Jayant Sonwalkar, 2011) Observed that in a country like India, celebrities act as major opinion leaders and since awareness levels are low, celebrities play a major role in brand recall. Celebrities are helpful in initiating a desired state need among people. The respondents usually pay attention to those advertisements using celebrity icons. The study conducted by him also revealed that to some what extent celebrities initiate an action to buy that product. (PiligrimienÄ-, 2011) has found that the sport celebrity can be used when its possible to find a link between the product and sport, or when the company wants its customers to relate the product with the sport, active and healthy life style. (Ibrahim, 2010) Observed that using celebrity where the measurable results of such high cost strategy do not justify the amount of money that companies spend on utilizing celebrities. The allocated budget for using celebrities needs to be reallocated in other marketing areas such as marketing research and marketing insights to understand customers needs in more details. (Datta, 2010) has concluded that there are lots of challenges involved in finding in right celebrity match with product or service. Further he opined that for the success of celebrity endorsement right fit between celebrity and band endorsed is must. Objectives Aims and objective of the study: In this changing world consumers preferences toward reality shows is increasing and they are finding these reality shows as a good source of entertainment. Most of the reality television programmes are getting good response due to their respective hosts. How much an effective a particular host is? Does the response of consumers change due to change of celebrity host? Is the personality of the host is matching the personality of television programme? This study can help the sponsors and producers of programmes to choose an appropriate host for their reality show. Further this study can help in enhancing the viewership of reality programme. Objectives of the study 1. To know the factors affecting consumer preference towards Indian reality shows 2. To study the reason of variation of viewership in program Kaun Banega Crorpati between year 2000 to 2011 3. To study the compatibility of host personality (Amitabh Bacchan Shahrukh Khan) with respect to Kaun Banega Crorpati Need of the Study Reality shows has become important part of the many peoples life. Now a days we are seeing a lot of Indian reality shows on television. Now most of the channels who wants more TRP are coming up with a new reality shows. Competition in this field has also increased to a greater extent. So producers of reality shows start hiring super stars for hosting there show. Producers are spending millions of rupees on hosts. Different people have different perceptions regarding the celebrity hosts. Some people might enjoy seeing a particular host in a reality show, but some people do not like that host.Every celebrity is having his/her own personality. A marketer needs to know that whether the hosts personality is matching to the personality of the program he is hosting. This research can help the marketer to know that what kind of host would be appropriate for his show. If the marketer can make the right choice in selecting the host for his program, he can beat the competition and can have highest TRP for his/her reality program. Scope of the Study: The scope of study is confined to Indian reality programs and data has been collected from people residing in Jalandhar and Phagwara region of Punjab. In this study we have taken one of the most popular Indian reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati.Here researchers has tried to find the factors which affects consumers preference towards Indian reality shows. Further, researchers have tried to find the reason of variation in viewership of Kaun Banega Crorepati from 2000 to 2011 along with host compatibility with programme Kaun Banega Crorepati. Research Design: Here, by and large descriptive study has been followed. Researchers are trying to discover the insights that how the host personality is affecting the consumer preferences towards the Indian reality shows. Survey method with the help of structured questionnaire will be used for the data collection the data collected will be analysed quantitatively and this also qualifies that our research design is descriptive in nature. Here we are also trying to find out the reason of variation of viewership for this researcher will conduct one focus group discussion to find out the aforesaid objective. So our research design is also exploratory to some extent. Sampling Design Target Population: People residing in Jalandhar and Phagwara, who watch Indian reality show like Kaun Banega Crorepati Sampling Technique: In this research Convenience sampling has been used. This is a type of Non Probabilistic sampling. As everyone dont watch reality programme like KBC, so only those people have been surveyed who watch these programmes. Sample Size and data collection: In this research Sample size 300 respondents from Jalandhar and Phagwara of Punjab region has been collected. Researchers has used structured questionnaire for this purpose. In the questionnaire for measuring attitude five point Likert scale has been used. Few dichotomous questions have also been used to understand respondents behavioral pattern. A focus group of 11 people consisting different age group and occupation was conducted to find out the reason of variation in viewership of KBC during 2000 to 2012.Secondary data has been collected from Internet, books, periodicals, magazines etc. Time period of Data: The data is collected in between the time frame of month January 2012 to June 2012 across Phagwara city and Jalandhar city and its suburbs. Pilot testing: Researchers have done pilot testing by using convenience sampling technique. A sample of 35 was taken for this purpose. A questionnaire containing Likert Scale was instrumented for this purpose. Reliability testing for the pilot survey was decent with Cronbachs Alpha 0.697. Some necessary changes as per requirement were made in the questionnaire after conducting pilot survey. Data Analysis: Demographic variables like Gender, Age, Occupation etc. has been used for profiling of the customer. Also, profiling has been done on the basis of variables like does respondent watch reality programmes on television, does respondent watch KBC etc. from literature survey lots of variable has been found which affects consumer preference towards Indian reality shows. So, Factor analysis has been used to identify the important factors out of several variables. Apart from this a Focus group was conducted to know the reason of variation in viewership of KBC from 2000 to 2012. Brief Summary of tools used for analysis: 1. Descriptive Statistics: For profiling of customers. 2. Factor Analysis: To identify important factors affecting consumer preference towards Indian reality Show 3. Q Score: To understand host compatibility with popular show KBC 4. Focus Group: To understand the reason of variation in viewership of KBC from 2000 to 2012. Frequency Distribution Here frequency distribution of the 300 respondents has been displayed who prefer to watch different reality shows. Researcher has found that out of 300 respondents, 127 respondents most preferred Indian reality show is Kaun Banega Crorepati. However in response we have also found that all the 300 respondents were aware of Indian television reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati and they have watched it at least once. 2.Can you tell the names of celebrities who have hosted the show? Researchers provided different option of celebrities name for this question, in which again all the 300 respondents were able to answer this correctly. Respondents were able to identify both hosts of KBC Amitabh Bachhan and Shahrukh khan. Who is the better host Amitabh Bachhan or Shahrukh khan for KBC. Researcher has found out that out of 300 respondents 254 has chosen Amitabh Bachhan as a better host only 46 has chosen Shahrukh Khan as a better host. FACTOR ANALYSIS Factor analysis was performed to know which are important factors which affect respondents preference towards watching Indian reality show. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 348 respondents, after scrutiny researcher has removed 48 questionnaires due to errors in response. The data based on Likert scale, which was meant for measuring respondents preference was entered into SPSS data sheet. Before applying Factor analysis Reliability test was performed and then data was subjected to Factor analysis by using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) method. KMO Value which determines the sample adequacy was found .816 which was highly satisfactory. Varimax rotation for orthogonal factors with Kaiser Normalization was considered to get the % of variance explained for 13 statements in the questionnaire. To find the relevant factors Eigen value of greater than 1 was considered. A table of Rotated Component Matrix is generated with the help of SPSS and three factors were derived. H ere Factor loading above 0.50 are considered for Factor analysis. Then, the factors are derived based on the statements that have gone into each factor. The list of factors along with the supporting statements is displayed in Table 4. KMO and Bartletts Test Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy. .816 Bartletts Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 1.322E3 Df 78 Sig. .000 Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test is applied to check out the adequacy of data. Here, it has been found more than 0.816, which is more than desired value of 0.5. Rotated Component Matrixa Component 1 2 3 1.Influence of host personality .079 .070 .857 2.For the sake of knowledge -.034 .445 .662 3.Just for Enjoyment .326 .264 .331 4.Come on my favourite channel .786 .190 -.094 5.Because of peer influence .856 .208 -.032 6.Family Influence .816 .142 .135 7.Perfect timings .611 -.061 .467 8.Content of the show .054 .289 .629 9.Match with my personality .302 .529 .260 10.Like the way of portraying .359 .099 .070 11.For viewers questions .271 .709 .158 12.Challenge human capabilities .083 .854 .094 13.Platform for common people .150 .730 .243 Factor List Channel, peer family influence competition and connect with common people Host Knowledge Come on my favourite channel Match with my personality Influence of host personality Because of peer Influence For viewers questions For the sake of knowledge Family influence Challenge human capabilities Content of the show Perfect timings Platform for common people Description of the factors Factor 1, refers to, Channel peer and family influence and contributes to 33.978% variance. This factor is described in terms of Favorite channel, peer influence, family influence, and perfect timing of the show telecast. Factor 2, describes the competition and connect with common people contributes to 14.352% variance. This factor refers to Questions for viewers, challenge human capabilities, match with my personality and platform for common people. Factor 3, focuses on Knowledge and content and it contributes to 8.865% variance. This factor includes statements like influence of the host personality, for the sale of knowledge and content of the show Focus Group discussion to find out the reason of variation in viewership of KBC: To find out the reasons in variation of the viewership of reality show KBC, focus group was conducted.in focus group 11 people from different age group and back ground were selected. Main finding of the focus group has been summarized below: It was observed during the discussion that, Change in the host of KBC from Amitabh Bachchan to Shahrukh Khan for Kaun Banega Crorepati has a great inverse impact on variation in viewership. During focus group participating people noted saying that Amitabh Bachchans personality matches with the personality of show. Most of the people felt that, Kaun Banega Crorpati is a kind of Quiz show where seriousness of the host, proper discipline and intellectuality of the host is required. These all are the qualities possessed by Amitabh bachhan., which can be attributed to the success of Amitabh bacchan as a host of KBC. A lots of other reality shows like Dus Ka Dum, Khatron Ke Khiladi etc. came on silver screen after the intial success of KBC, which also impacted the viewership of KBC. However, most of the Quiz show hosted by other super stars was similar in nature. Four participants of focus group discussion who were female observed that as KBC was coming on Sony television from 9 PM to 10 PM on week days, and a lot of family serials were also being telecasted on different television channels on same time slots. Here, these female participants felt that they preferred watching family serial rather than KBC. Five participants, who were doing jobs, found that KBC show used to come on working days and these people after coming exhausted from office looking for some refreshment programs, they were not interested in watching a show where they need to apply their mind. It was also observed that most of the participants were agreeing that voice quality, overall personality and matureness of Amitabh bachhan was very good which was lacking in Sahrukh khan as a host of KBC, however later was observed charming and informal. Q score Technique Applying the Q score technique to determine the familiarity, popularity and compatibility of two stalwart (Amitabh Bachhan and Shahrukh khan) among Indian celebrities as a host of KBC based on feedback from the respondent from different demographic background will be very relevant and useful for producers and directors in identifying and selecting the appropriate celebrity as a host of their respective reality shows. Q score to help choose the right celebrity host for reality show Q Score is normally used by marketing firms to select the right celebrity for endorsing their product/ services and determining the popularity ranking of the celebrities as per the consumers response. The Q score answers the question how appealing and popular is the celebrity among those who do know him or her? Advertisers and advertising agencies can refer to Q rating score of a celebrity for choosing the right celebrity. In this process respondents are asked to indicate two things first Whether they have seen / heard about the selected celebrities? Secondly, if yes- then the respondents are asked to rate the celebrities on a five point Likert scale scale that includes One of my Favourite, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor. Calculating Q ratings:- Q rating is calculated by taking the percentage of respondents who indicate that a celebrity is ONE OF MY FAVOURITE and dividing that number by the percentage of respondents who indicate that they have heard of that Celebrity. Here, researcher has calucated Q score to check the compatibility of host personality (Amitabh Bacchan Shahrukh Khan) with respect to Kaun Banega Crorpati. Q scores for Amitabh Bachchan: A= How many people know Amitabh Bachchan as a host for KBC/ Total number of respondents Here all 300 respondents were aware about Amitabh Bachchan as a host for KBC So A= 300/300 = 1 B= how many respondents rate Favourite/ total number of respondents As 184 respondents answered favourite Amitabh Bachchan as a host for KBC So, B=184/300 Q Score = B/A= 184/300*100 = 61.3 Q scores for Shahrukh Khan: A= How many people know Shahrukh khan as a host for KBC/ Total number of respondents Here all 300 respondents were aware about Shahrukh khan as a host for KBC So A= 300/300 = 1 B= how many respondents rate Favourite/ total number of respondents As 70 respondents answered favourite Shahrukh khan as a host for KBC So, B=70/300 Q Score = B/A= 70/300*100 = 23.3 Analysis: Based on survey researcher find that Amitabh Bachchan is having a Q score of 61.3 Shahrukh Khan has a Q score of 23.3. Generally Q score more than 50 is considered good. This indicates that Amitabh Bachchan is a better host for Kaun Banega Crorepati rather than Shahrukh khan. Summary of research findings Compatibility of host personality with the reality show is one of the most important factor for the success of reality show. Apart from compatibility show timing, nature of show, content of the show also contributes towards success of the show. Factor analysis concluded that Channel peer and family, competition connect with common people and knowledge content are the important factors which affects people preference towards watching reality show. As a host of KBC, overall personality and matureness of Amitabh bachhan was very good which was lacking in Sahrukh khan as a host of KBC, however later was observed charming and informal. This is one of the main reasons of the success of Amitabh Bachhan as a KBC host. Based on focus group we found came to conclusion that the reasons of variation in viewership of KBC between 2000 to 2012 are timings of the show, change of host of show, coming up of new reality shows, the content of the show is same from last five seasons which has created a boredom, increase in the number of channels etc. Based on Q score analysis it can be derived that : Based on survey researcher found out that Amitabh Bacchant is having a Q score of 61.3 Shahrukh Khan has a Q score of 23.3. This indicates that Amitabh Bachchan is a better host for Kaun Banega Crorepati rather than Shahrukh khan Conclusion After conducting this research it can be concluded that competition connect with common people, Channel, peer family influence and Knowledge content are three important factors which affect the consumer preferences towards Indian reality shows. Apart from the fact that KBC is being hosted by Amitabh Bachhan, reality show like KBC has become popular due to the reason that it is a platform for common people and the knowledge of the people is also increasing by watching this kind of show. Researchers come to the conclusion that the reasons of variation in viewership are primarily because of timings of the show is not appropriate because this show used to come on a time slot of 9 PM-10 PM which is a prime time and due to this clash of timing between different popular shows. People were in a habit of watching Amitabn Bchchan in the KBC as a host,but in the third season Shahrukh Khan came into picture the TRP of the show fell drastically. Most of the people think Amitabh Bachchans pers onality best matches with the show and change in the personality show caused sharp decline in viewership. This research will go a long way in helping the advertising agency, directors producers of reality show, who can make this, research a basis in selection of the celebrity for endorsement and celebrity as host for reality shows. Future Research The scope of this research study may be further enhanced by incorporating different reality sho in the research. This research can also be extended further for deciding celebrity for endorsement purpose.

Vocabulary :: Communication, Language

Vocabulary is very important to everyday reading because it is all of the words in a language. According to Bursuck and Damer (2010) students â€Å"learn to decode harder text, they are more likely to encounter words that are not part of their oral language† (p. 231). Being familiar with words and the meaning of the word assists student’s fluency as well as comprehension. According to the National Institute of Literacy (2007) vocabulary is â€Å"words used in speech and print to communicate† (p. 14). Vocabulary can be divided into two categories â€Å"oral or spoken words and written words† (National Institute of Literacy, 2007, p. 14). The National Institute of Literacy (2007), agree with Bursuck and Damer (2010), stating that â€Å"vocabulary knowledge is important to reading because the oral and written words promote comprehension and communication† (p. 14). Since vocabulary is extremely important Pullen, Tuckwiller, Konold, Maynard, & Coyne, 20 10 used a â€Å"three tier model for students at risk for a reading disability† (p. 110). Pullen et al. (2010) states that vocabulary development occurs through incidental learning and home environment before formal schooling† (p. 111) The intervention created by Pullen et al. (2010) was meant to increase students’ vocabulary of at risk students. The intervention (2010) participants â€Å"were 224 first grade students in elementary schools in a diverse population and moderate percentage of students in socio-economic status† (p. 114). The intervention (2010) itself created by ___________________ was a three-tier system: Tier 1 consisted of classroom instruction and â€Å"students who do not respond to tier 1 will receive tier 2 instruction and tier 3 is the most intensive level and if student do not respond to this level they are referred to a special education evaluation† (p. 114). To identify students who may be at risk of disability, the intervention (2010) used the PPVT-4 as a standardized test. Pullen et al. (2010) used the test to asses the baseline level â€Å"of receptive vocabulary and identify participants as either at risk of not for reading failure† (p. 115). The authors of the intervention (2010) selected the PPVT-4 because â€Å"it demonstrated reliability, indicating that is a sound measure for measuring receptive vocabulary† (p. 115). For a post-test, the authors (2010) used a researcher-developed measure to asses students’ acquisition of target words used in the intervention (p. 115). Pullen et al. (2010) had a three-tier system where tier 1 and tier 2 were designed â€Å"around two story books appropriate for first grade students† (p.

Different Perspectives of Psychology Essay

What is psychology and how can people understand it better? Psychology is a scientific term used to understand how the mind and body works together. It is also the studying of human behavior and the understanding of other people’s thoughts and behaviors as well. To comprehend psychology and how it has evolved since its beginning, people need to know and comprehend some perspectives or theories that have been used in the past. Some examples of the different theories are: behaviorism, cognitive, humanistic, structuralism and psychodynamic. By having a basic knowledge of the different perspectives, it will help us have a better understanding of how psychology works today. HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY Throughout history, people have been curious about the mind and how it works. It all started around the fifth century B.C., when there was a great debate over the mind-body concept. There were many questions on whether or not the body was connected with the mind, and if they were connected, how was it possible. Plato and Aristotle, who were Greek philosophers, had two different views of this concept. Plato claimed that the mind and body were two separate parts and it would remain the same even after death. He also believed that when people are born they will possess all the knowledge they will ever have in their lifetime, and during their life the education they receive will be based on what they already knew. Aristotle, on the other hand, had the total opposite view compared to Plato. He felt that the body and mind were interlinked together and were made of the same matter. He also thought that the knowledge was not inborn, but instead it was due to the lack of experience or understanding in the world (Editorial Board, 2011). Aristotle believed that all matter which includes the human body was made up by four key components. These components were called: earth, air, water, and fire; they were known as the pillars of science. Through the use of scientific technology, which started around late 19th century, psychology spread to the studies of understanding the mind and how it works. By 1879, a doctor named Wilhelm Wundt started the very first scientific research laboratory in dealing with psychology in Leipzig, Germany. Wundt used a method known as introspection to help better understand why a person would do a certain action, and he was also known to be the founder of structuralism which is one of the theories used in psychology (Editorial Board, 2011). PERSPECTIVES OF PSYCHOLOGY BEHAVIORISM Behaviorism is a perspective that was discovered by a Russian physiologist named Ivan Pavlov. It shows that learning can be taught through rewards or punishments which are related with a certain behavior. His studies showed that dogs would be salivating because they heard the ringing of the bell which was associated with their food. He thought it was a definition of learning and so the behaviorist approach was born. Other psychologists, such as John Watson and B.F. Skinner, had a strong hand in developing the behaviorism perspective (Editorial Board, 2011). Skinner believed that behaviorism had changed dramatically since it was first introduced by Pavlov. Skinner introduced the behavior analysis concept into the psychology field. He also established himself in the contribution of behaviorism by introducing his concept of operant behavior by publishing an article called The Behavior of Organisms in 1938. Skinner was known as the main representative for behavior analysis, and behaviorism was shaped from the works of Skinner. From the 1950s to the 1980s, American psychology was believed to be shaped by Skinner’s work more than any other psychologists during this period (Watrin & Darwich, 2012). PSYCHODYNAMIC Psychodynamic is a perspective in psychology that was discovered by a medical doctor named Sigmund Freud. It shows that hidden or unconscious thoughts could be the cause of present traumas or aliments, and by remembering them it would usually more often than not relieve their troubles and cure them. Freud also used psychoanalysis on his patients to help figure out what was going on with them. Psychoanalysis is a process where the patients would talk about their problems and try to figure out what was going on with them. There were a couple of other psychologists who made some contributions to the psychodynamic theory who were known as Neo-Freudians. Neo-Freudians are people that are psychologists who will give a lower profile to Freud’s work about the sexuality part of the psychodynamic theory, but still help to further the cause of the theory (Editorial Board, 2011). Karen Horney was one of those people. She believed that to have a healthy relationship, you need to be raised with trusting relationships with dependable parents that would meet the needs of security for their children. She is known to be the first women to study the field of psychology through a women’s point of view (Editorial Board, 2011). An example would be if someone was afraid of a long-term commitment and they did not understand why, you could use the psychoanalysis approach which is part of the psychodynamic perspective and figure out why. By using the psychodynamic theory, a person could find out that because of a the person’s father leaving them at a young age it could cause them to be afraid of a long-term commitment and by addressing this problem they could resolve their issues and move on with their new life. Even though many people have contributed to the development of psychodynamic theory, it has been popular because of Sigmund Freud who had made the most noteworthy influence to the theory and also to psychology itself (Editorial Board, 2011). HUMANISTIC The humanistic theory was introduced about two centuries ago through the writings of J.C.L. Simonde de Sismondi. It deals with how the person has basic needs that need to be met and those needs are: material, social, and moral. These needs deal with the physical aspect rather than the mind. The works of Sismondi were more basic than the works of Abraham Maslow, who developed the hierarchy of basic needs. The Maslow’s hierarchy of basic needs is elaborated more than the works of Sismondi and it is considered to be a facilitator for the humanistic perspective and a role for security for human development (Humanistic Perspective, 1999). He also felt that if the person did not satisfy all of their basic needs, then they cannot recognize their gifts to their fullest (Editorial Board, 2011). Carl Rogers was an innovator in the field of humanistic psychology and he advocated a medicinal technique called client-centered therapy. He believed that all people have an interior core, or true self, and that it can be unclear if a person is absentminded with increasing the approval of other people. He also believed in using unconditional empathy or approval and understanding which is known today as active listening (Editorial Board, 2011). Making sure a person has the basic necessities like food, water, air, shelter, and sleep, then a person is on the right path for self-discovery and using the humanistic theory could help with it as well. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE PERSPECTIVES 1. They are each a force in psychology 2. They each have a relationship between the patient and the therapist 3. They each had a specific person that contributed to each of the perspectives DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PERSPECTIVES 1. They each deal with a different part of the body or mind 2. They each had a different contribution to psychology 3. The therapists uses different types of theory for each of the perspectives CONCLUSION Psychology is a fascinating field that studies the mind and how it works. It is important to have a basic knowledge about psychology, no matter what profession a person has. Everybody works with people, and having the understanding and knowledge about people and what they think will come to be valuable. Understanding the history of psychology and the perspectives that have contributed in developing the field of psychology today is important to any person who will be working with other people. References Editorial Board. (2011). Introduction to Psychology. Words of Wisdom, LLC. Retrieved from http://wow.coursesmart.com/9781934920565/id0002#. Humanistic Perspective. (1999). In The Elgar Companion to Consumer Research and Economic Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/ entry/elgarcrep/humanistic_ perspective Watrin, J., & Darwich, R. (2012). On behaviorism in the cognitive revolution: Myth and reactions. Review Of General Psychology, 16(3), 269-282. doi:10.1037/a0026766 Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/login.aspx?direct= true&db=pdh&AN=gpr-16-3-269&site=ehost-live

Kant on Suicide Essay

4. Explain and critically assess Kant’s argument that one has a duty to preserve one’s own life. As rational beings Kant believes we have a categorical duty of self-preservation to not wilfully take our own lives. Kant talks in depth about duty and believes we should act out of respect for the moral law. The will is the only inherent good, as we are only motivated by duty and nothing else. We should act only out of demands of the law, not from inclination, desires or to achieve a particular goal. Duty dictates we should never act or will something if we do not want it to become a universal law. Kant was against any form of suicide. He strongly believed that: in taking a life you treat humanity merely as a means to an end. Kant wouldn’t be interested in the suffering or pain caused to even a person who was terminally ill and wanted to end their life, nor would he take into consideration the family/friends suffering. In this essay I will be arguing that if we follow the categorical imperative it is immoral to sacrifice a life because it involves treating humanity merely as a means to an end. I will examine John Hardwig’s counter argument that we should end our own lives if more pain and suffering is caused by prolonging it/living it even if we are no longer a rational being. We must understand that Kant is saying; if I make a maxium e. g. – ‘if I am in unbearable suffering, I should take my own life’ – it must meet the universal law and be applied to everyone. Kant believes we ought to preserve our own lives because it is our moral duty (it is necessary and universal). John Hardwig however, would argue we also have the right to end our lives. Kant would dismiss this because ultimately humans are the bearers of rational life (e. g. it is too sacred to sacrifice). Suicide fails Kant’s Categorical Imperative on the following grounds: It seeks to shorten a life that promises more troubles than please, this would be killing yourself out of self-love; when in fact the real aim would be to live a life worth living, with more pleasure than difficulties. Kant isn’t claiming that it’s impossible for everyone to commit suicide or for everyone to will it (and therefore it becoming a universal law). He believes ‘it would not exist as nature; hence the maxim cannot obtain as a law of nature’. (Immanuel Kant, The Groundwork of the methaphysics of morals, Mary Gregor and Jens Timmermann, Cambridge University 2012, p45 emphasis added). Here Kant seems to be suggesting that suicide isn’t a natural path of life; that it goes against our purpose and that it’s a contradiction to end your life when your goal would be to have an enjoyable life. The idea that the destruction of life is incompatible with improvement suggests that nature couldn’t/wouldn’t allow self-love to be used in a way that is contrary to its purpose. There is surely an obviously contradiction here; in ending one’s life to prevent suffering, one is using one’s life mere means to an end, which automatically fails the categorical imperative. Take the case of Maria Von Herbert- she is clearly appealing to Kant, if under any circumstances; suicide is morally acceptable? He isn’t as blatant with her as in his writings, but let us not forget, Kant doesn’t see woman as rational beings. I agree with Rae Langton that Kant totally bypasses the reason Herbert is writing to him. He doesn’t confront her on suicide but instead reduces her problem to a moral dilemma (regrets lying or telling the truth ), which as an intelligent woman whom has read all his writings; she could work out for herself. Could this have made Kant certain that she did lie and therefore fail the kingdom of ends? Perhaps Kant is being hypocritical; he doesn’t tell Maria the whole truth of suicide merely reducing her to ‘a thing’. He tells Maria she should be ‘ashamed’ for not telling the truth to her former friend but, doesn’t this apply for himself too? Is he just avoiding the truth (states this is just as bad a lying) by not confronting her about suicide? Most likely he wants her to be autonomous and get to the reason herself. Hardwig disagrees with Kant. Take a different situation; Is a terminally ill person-needing 24/7 care, who is entirely financially reliant- only using their family as a means to an end? You can see this as a ‘two way street’ situation. Kant doesn’t look to consequences of an action; it wouldn’t matter to his philosophy that the ill person’s family suffers because they are preserving their life. But is there a flaw? (1) I ought to do my duty as long as I am alive; and (2) It is my duty to go on living as long as possible. Kant strongly believes that you can’t affirm life by taking your own. There is only one exception. Kant claims those who die in battle are ‘victims of fate’ (not simply suicide because they chose to fight). He holds the view that it is better to die in battle than to die of a wound in hospital. Kant believes it’s noble to risk our lives for others- nobody uses us as mere means and we follow our own maxium. We are no longer forced into serving for our country or deceived into joining (if this did happen it would fail the CI because we wouldn’t be treated as rational beings and would be used as mere means and not as ends in ourselves). John Hardwig strongly believes that life should be treated no differently from death. We are free to live in the way we want, so why aren’t we free to die in the way we want (when and how)? He also switches the question but Kant would simply say we have a duty to live. Hardwig has also argued that medical advances eliminate the threats of many terminal illnesses. He then concludes, if our continued existence creates signi? cant hardship for our loved ones, we have a duty to die. By continuing a live of suffering the burden that this person imposes on others is often great. One may have the duty to die in order to relieve them of these burdens. This argument seems to be based on fairness. Kant would refute this; suffering is a tool of reasoning and it ensures the development of mankind. Kant strongly believes that we should preserve our own lives. The argument though strong is flawed. 1- All duties are absolute- Kant doesn’t advise us on how to resolve conflicting duty (for example: help others vs. never kill). 2- He discounts moral emotions like compassion, sympathy, desire and remorse as appropriate and ethical motives for action. 3- Kant completely ignores the consequences of an action and is purposefully blind to following circumstances. He states that human life is valuable because humans are the bearers of rational life. We have the great capacity to think, organize, plan etc. and Kant holds this as being valuable. Therefore we should not sacrifice this for anything (as previously discussed autonomous creatures should not be treated merely as a means or for the happiness of another). There are also great issues with Hardwigs counter argument; if we agree that we have the duty to die; who has the duty to die? When do they have they duty to die? Although this argument is strong is some areas (greater burden), it is greatly flawed. It would be extremely difficult to universalize a maxium for everyone to follow so they could decide if at that moment they had the duty to die. A problem would also occur if the family disagreed with the ill person’s decision, which could cause great problems within society (though Kant would not look to consequences but they are greatly important to Hardwigs argument). I believe –and agree with Kant- that if we follow the categorical imperative it is immoral to sacrifice anyone at all (including yourself) because it involves treating the humanity in that person as merely a means to an end. I also accept and agree with his point that it seems to go against our purpose and is an unnatural path for us to take a life. I find it interesting that Kant believes suffering is a tool of development and therefore essential to us. Though John Hardwigs argument is partly convincing, if we were all given the choice of when we should die, would we find the right time? This would be very hard to govern, as people would of course take advantage of this right. I’ve found it hard to find a counter argument to Kant’s stance -without suffering there wouldn’t be cures and perhaps less happiness. Therefore I have to agree with Kant that it only allows us to grow and develop. Thus we do have the duty to preserve our own lives even if it is riddled with suffering.